A/N: Sorry to Takara Ravenheart for the long wait! Obviously, I get distracted very easily . . . anyway, enjoy chapter 2!
The following day at breakfast, Hermione requested the group reconvene to read the next section of the story. Surprised, both Harry and Ron froze mid-bite, and a piece of Ron's egg slipped rather sloppily off his fork.
"Well don't act all startled," Hermione huffed, wiping yolk off her robes and offering Ron a napkin to follow suit. "I thought we all shared the understanding that the story held our interest."
"You know," Harry said, "I think you just can't stand not reading at your own superhuman pace, so you want us all to come to your level and get it finished as soon as possible."
Ron's eyes widened in understanding. "Is that what you're rushing us for, Hermione? Geez, you'd think you'd accommodate the majority, especially me."
Rolling her eyes, Hermione said, "Why you especially?"
"Because I'm the star of the story."
"I'm not sure that's something to brag about, as the story doesn't paint you in the most pleasant light." Hermione smirked.
Ron opened his mouth to argue and turned toward Harry for support, but his companion just shrugged.
"Sorry, Ron, she's kind of right," Harry admitted, stuffing toast in his mouth to avoid further conversation.
As Hermione continued to smirk at the grimacing Ron, Ginny strolled over and helped herself to a piece of bacon.
"Morning, everyone," she greeted, beaming at the slightly tense group.
They all echoed her greeting, prompting Ginny to ask, "So when are we gonna read the next part of the story?"
"Why are you girls so interested in reading it?" Ron grumbled, greedily stuffing his mouth with sausage.
"It's not just the girls," a voice cut in before the others could reply. Fred and George sat themselves down next to Ginny and began loading their plates cheerfully.
"Yeah, we're awful fond of the stories too," George added, wagging his fork at Ron for emphasis.
Fred nodded pleasantly. "Say, we should all gather together at the lakeside and read after breakfast again, since we're all so eager!"
"Uh, well, you see," Ron stammered, "we all have class, and there just won't be enough time today with homework and . . . stuff."
"That's okay, Ron." George lifted his goblet of pumpkin juice to his mouth, his bright brown eyes glinting over the cup's rim. "Good thing it's Saturday."
The group congregated near a large tree on the lakeside and made themselves comfortable: Fred and George lay on their backs and idly waved their wands, taking cloud-watching to a whole new level as they formed their own shapes with their magic-made vapors; the girls sat back-to-back, Ginny leaning over Ron's shoulder again to read and Hermione scribbling away on some extra credit assignments; and Ron and Harry leaned against the tree, the former rifling through the papers of the story a bit.
"Well, get on with it, Ron," Fred urged, feeding a cloud-carrot to George's cloud-bunny.
Shooting a glare at his brother, Ron proceeded to clear his throat and read the second chapter's title:
Chapter Two: The Chamber of Secrets
"The Chamber seems to be popping up a lot lately," Harry said. "We found the pages of the story at the Chamber's entrance, and the story itself focuses on it a lot. That can't have been a coincidence."
Everyone shrugged; Hermione was tapping her quill against her parchment, deep in thought, as Ron began to read.
Harry was worried. For the first time, when things were going wrong, his two best friends weren't around to help him. Hermione had been petrified and was in the Hospital Wing and Ron…he didn't know what was wrong with his best friend. Everytime he saw him, he would flee from the room.
"This should be interesting," Hermione broke in. "I've always wondered what happened when I was petrified."
"I'm more interested in Ron 'fleeing from the room,'" Fred said with a chuckle. "Even when you've given over control, you're a drama queen."
Ron made a growling sound that was drowned out by George's and Ginny's snickers.
Right now, Harry was walking through the corridors and entered the Great Hall. Harry's gaze hurriedly swept over the room, searching for the red-haired boy that he had befriended that very first day.
"Aww, Harry, I'm glad you thought of me!" George grinned up at Harry, who laughed.
"He was talking about me, you idiot!" Ron snapped, but his mouth was threatening to allow a smile.
He didn't see him.
"That was blunt," Ginny said, earning snorts from her companions.
He saw the other Weasleys; Ginny, and her older brothers.
"The real stars have made their appearance!" Fred said gleefully, waving his wand to form his name in a messily drawn cloud-star.
"You wish!" Ron said, laughing to show his pride in being the actual protagonist of sorts of the story.
But Ron wasn't in their midst. A sinking feeling filled inside his stomach as if something was horribly wrong. It's just bad intuition, that's all. Ron's fine, he's fine.
"Look at that, Hermione." Harry curled around the back side of the tree to poke Hermione's shoulder. "Maybe Harry Potter's intuition is more reliable than the always-right Hermione Granger's."
She sighed in response and didn't bother lifting her eyes from her parchment. "Please, I was petrified. My intuition is just as effective as yours."
Harry huffed a bit and sat back next to Ron.
He opened his mouth to ask Ginny or the twins where Ron was but before he could, Mcgonagall's worried voice filled the halls.
Harry sighed, gritting his teeth, but let his eyes wander up to McGonagall, who rose to her feet with a grim expression on her visage.
"Silence, please," she spoke, addressing the murmurs that still rippled through the Hall. They fell quiet.
"I've always loved how McGonagall's presence can even shut up the Slytherins," Fred remarked.
George nodded. "She may have given us a lot of detentions, but the woman has our respect."
"I'm sure you are wondering why you've been called here. All of you is aware of what has been happening lately, with our students. We have confirmed what is happening, and I am afraid the situation has become even more dire."
She paused as more whispers bloomed.
"The Chamber of Secrets has been opened," McGonagall continued. She ignored the whispers this time. "And one of our students has been taken."
Her gaze landed briefly on the Weasleys and Harry.
Harry felt the twins stiffen besides him and Ginny let out an alarmed cry, looking like she was going to faint.
"Ronald Weasley has been taken into the Chamber."
"That was an awful moment," Ginny murmured. "We were all terrified."
"It's true," Fred agreed. "We might not make it annoyingly obvious, but we all care about you, dear Ronald.
Ron blushed a bit and scratched the back of his neck. "Uh . . . thanks?"
Harry had to keep himself from shouting. It couldn't be true. Then, he remembered the diary. Oh, Ron, you git. You should have listened to us…
"Told you," Hermione muttered from her side of the tree.
"Shut up," Ron grumbled back.
It wasn't like Ron to look at an object that Hermione had claimed was dangerous but then again, they should have never left him alone with it. What if it had done something to him? But it was a diary…this was confusing. Honestly, with Hermione around to explain things, everything was always a lot easier but now, he felt lost.
"I will admit," Ron began, "things are easier when you're around."
Harry nodded. "It's true."
Hermione swelled with pride, but kept her smiling face focused on her work.
Ron was in the Chamber in god knows what condition…what if Ron was…? No, he can't be. Harry mentally scolded himself for thinking that but couldn't help the foreboding feeling in his chest. But no, not Ron too, he didn't want to lose Ron as well.
Maybe it was his fault. Maybe if he hadn't been Ron's best friend, Ron wouldn't have been targeted.
"Harry, why would you ever blame yourself?" Ron shouted, aghast. "I was the git, not you!"
"It's sort of understandable, though," Harry said quietly. "I mean, you'd probably be fine if we never—"
"I'd rather have you in my life and deal with the risks than the other way around," Ron said firmly.
". . . how touching. What a tender moment," cooed Fred.
Both boys blushed; Ron hurried to keep reading.
Maybe if he had forced Ron to give him the diary, then everything would be okay. For god's sake, Ron had a family. Molly Weasley would be in tears if anything happened to him. No, nothing could happen. He would make sure nothing did.
"Always so brave, Harry," George remarked, grinning at the other boy, who returned the expression.
Ginny rushed over to him. "Did Ron find the diary?"
Harry blinked at her, hope surging in his chest. "Yeah, he did. Why? Do you know something about that diary, Ginny?" If she knew, maybe she could help him find Ron. He had to find him no matter what. He needed to save him, who knew what condition his best friend was in right now?
"I'm pretty sure it wasn't very pleasant . . ." Ron muttered.
"Do you guys know why Ron's been…" George's voice was quiet and almost guilt-ridden. Harry realized the twins were more somber than he had ever seen them.
"See, we do care!" George made a point to say.
"Yes, that's been established," Ron said.
Not that Harry could blame them. No matter how Ron thought and despite the fact their dynamic was a bit strange, he was still their baby brother.
"HA!" the twins shouted in prideful unison.
"Tom Riddle's dragged him down to the Chamber," Ginny said anxiously looking to Harry and the twins. "It uses a person's worst fears against them and feeds on those weaknesses."
Everyone shuddered and frowned at their laps, save for the twins, who directed their faces to the sky.
Harry paled, hearing that. Worst fears? He knew Ron was scared of spiders but was that enough to weaken him so Tom Riddle to drag him down to the Chamber. His thoughts drifted back to first year and what Ron had told him.
"I see myself becoming Head Boy," Ron had said. "Mum is really proud of me, says I'm better. She's happy with me."
Strangely, the twins didn't make a remark; they knit their eyebrows and stole glances at each other, communicating with eye contact the way twins do. Ron waited for their comments, but when none came, he slowly went back to reading.
Harry knew then, remembering that. Spiders weren't Ron's worst fear, but it wasn't that which Tom Riddle was feeding upon.
"That's such a gross way of putting it," Hermione said, repulsed.
His worst fear was being left behind, not only with his family but with the two of them as well. Hermione was the brightest witch of her age and Harry was the Boy-Who-Lived. Both of them got a lot of attention around Hogwarts because of that. Not that he at least wanted the attention. Hermione certainly enjoyed being called the brightest witch of her age, but even she cared for Ron more than anything.
"Sure," Ron muttered sarcastically.
"It's true, you know," Hermione said suddenly, putting down her work and turning to Ron. "It may not seem like it, but I actually do value you more than my academic standing. Sorry to ruin your image of me being a heartless know-it-all."
She tried to turn away, quite obviously hurt, but Ron put his hand on her shoulder to stop her.
"Thanks, Hermione," he said sincerely, locking their eyes. "I was just joking, but it does mean a lot. And I may not act like it, but I think you're amazing—everyone here does."
The group piped up with their affirmation, so again Hermione blushed and shied away back to her work.
Smiling at his good deed, Ron continued with the story.
There are things he can do that Hermione and I can't Harry thought. I'm not going to let him thing otherwise.
"Like what?" Ron asked eagerly.
"You've got to keep reading to find out," Harry teased, directing Ron's head back to the story.
"Ginny, can you come with me to the Chamber of Secrets?" Harry asked the youngest Weasley.
Both the twins burst out into protests at that but Harry raised a hand.
"I know you don't want Ginny to come," He said quietly. "But right now, if she doesn't help me, you might as well as be choosing between Ron and Ginny." He looked both Fred and George in the eye. "So tell me, who do you choose out of them? To save Ron's life or to protect Ginny?"
"Harry has quite a way with words." Ginny laughed.
"George and I were shocked at how blunt he was," Fred added with a smile. "It really made us think."
Fred and George spluttered, for once looking as if they were struck between indignation and protest. Ginny spoke before either of them could say anything.
"I'll come with you," Ginny said, sounding stronger than Harry had ever heard from her. "Fred, George, that diary contacted me first. Tom Riddle spoke to me first. I know how he works. It's dangerous. He's dangerous. But Ron's our brother. Our precious family. Why don't we all go with Harry?"
"That's very clever of you, Ginny!" Hermione commended, patting her friend's shoulder. Everyone nodded in well-deserved agreement.
Fred stared at her. "Ginny…"
George smiled a little. "That's a good idea actually."
Fred nodded. "Harry, we're coming too."
Harry stared at the three Weasleys, his face breaking out into a small smile. "Okay. Ron would be happy to know that."
"Damn right," Ron proclaimed, gathering up the papers to signify the conclusion of that section.
Fred stretched out and sat up. "Glad that chapter ended on a more upbeat note."
"So . . . now what?" George asked, still lying on the ground.
"Can't we just stay here?" Ginny piped up. "It's so nice out, and honestly, we should celebrate just being together."
The group all agreed and made themselves comfortable again.
As Ron watched Fred and George battle a cloud-bear with a cloud-leopard of their own making, Hermione bustling over her work with that faraway look she always got when she was focused, Ginny using her wand to braid flower crowns and jewelry, and Harry beginning to nap under the tree's shade, all he could think was:
I'm so freaking glad I'm back.