"I have seen your dreams, Ronald Weasley, and I have seen your fears. All you desire is possible, but all that you dread is also possible..."

-Tom Riddle, Deathly Hallows

What were they going to do to them? Hermione had really gotten Harry's face good, hopefully it would last-

"All except. . . . except for the Mudblood."

No! What was she going to do to her? NO! I WON'T LET YOU TAKE HER-

"You can have me, keep me!"

Bellatrix's hand cuffed him across the face so hard he nearly blacked out.

"If she dies under questioning, I'll take you next..."

"I'd say I'll get a bite or two, wouldn't you, ginger?" mocked locket Tom Riddle, sneering as a ghostly Hermione and Harry embraced.

"HERMIONE! HERMIONE! NO!"

"NO!"

"Ron, it's alright, I'm here."

Ron felt a hand on his shoulder shaking him.

His eyes were caked with the crustiness of sleep and he opened them with some difficulty. His throat was raw and dry. He groped around on his bedside table for the cup of water he had placed there last night.

"Here, Ron," said a warm familiar voice as a cup was brought into his sights. He drank the cool liquid greedily and set the goblet down again. He rolled over on his side to look at his rescuer.

"Dad? Why are you up here?"

His father smiled at him sadly. "I was checking on all of you last night before I went back to your mother, and I saw that you were...having a hard time of it," Arthur's eyes were lined with dark circles and for the first time Ron realized how old his father was.

"You look awful," he said and put a hand on his father's stubbled cheek. Arthur looked at his son more carefully.

"You've really grown, all the time you were away..." Arthur's eyes watered,"I can't imagine what you went through..."

Ron thought of dragons and torture and a horrible locket, the cold metal flush against his heart...

"Will you ever tell me what happened?" Arthur said sadly, as he sat down on the side of the bed, "I worry about all of you, especially..." he choked on his words, "...now, but I don't even know what you went through, son! You were on the run from-You-Know-" he struggled with the name and spit it out, "Voldemort! You can't imagine how your mother fretted every minute of the day, with only that damn radio to listen to for news! What was it called, Potterwatch-"

Arthur Weasley stopped mid sentence and smiled ruefully. "Your brothers did a very brave thing while you were away. A foolish thing, but brave. I don't know if you heard of of it or had a chance to listen to it-"

"I did," interrupted Ron, eyes watering, "every chance I got." His father's eyes began tearing up to match his own.

"They had these names they'd made up, it seemed," said Ron. "F-Fred was on there, every bloody time, arguing about his code name, joking with George..." He was crying openly now. Suddenly he felt arms around him. Ron looked up at his father's gentle face and broke down completely.

Father and son, they sobbed together. For how long, neither knew. After a time, they parted and each wiped their eyes.

"I love you, Dad," Ron sniffed and hugged his father tightly.

Arthur had no words.

A/N: Sorry about the lateness, it takes me awhile to really sort out my emotions for the chapters-I really relate to some of the things that the Trio are going through so it brings up some issues :/ Anyway, a plush Fawkes to those that review-and my undying love and gratitude. Note-Plush Fawkes cannot actually take you places with fire. Apologies. Next is the memorial :(