Disclaimer: I don't own nobody of the characters, they are property of JK Rowling
AN: Thank you to all of you who are reading and reviewing my story, and thanks to Petunia, my great beta. In this chapter you'll see some main events, with a see of Ron's emotions too. Please not flame me for what happens in the end to Ron, I don't like it too, but it was necessary.
HnH4EvA19: You'll see Ron's destiny in this chapter.
Fire Gazer: Read this chapter and you'll know it; sorry if you'll be disappointed…
Shawnpickett: Yeah, I know I'm running very fast…I hope this chapter is better!
Sweetkiwi456: If you read this chapter you'll know about Ron…
Athena: Well, we all know that Harry is not really attentive to his school work, so only with Hermione's influence he can become top boy in his year…
KypDurron: Well, this chapter will say a lot on Ron…so you'll see what happens to him.
Coolone007: I know I'm going fast, as I said I hope this chapter will be better. For Ginny, she is not important in this story so I chose to not care about her. Ron's interaction with the others had been said, quickly, when they return after Christmas; he is trying to be the usual Ron.
Anonimous. Well, the training is quite over, for H/Hr, probably this chapter will be action packed, but the last two should be on the two of them.
Mister_Midnight: Well, I'm happy I'm keeping the readers hooked. It is always good for an author hearing things like this. The battles? Well, I guess you're right, I could have described them…
The time goes fast, because I'm focusing on the steps of the training, so I thought it wasn't necessary to describe the school days, and so the time is going fast, maybe a little bit too fast…;)
Hermione Potter: Well, I really hope here it is better, because now I've a beta, while before I hadn't…
Antone: You'll know all about Ron in this chapter.
Beppo: Read this chapter and you'll know!
Chapter Sixteen
"Betrayal and Freedom"
The Christmas holidays arrived, and as usual, Ron boarded on the Express. Harry and Hermione were remaining again at Hogwarts, and Ron passed the journey thinking deeply, an evil smirk occasionally appearing on his lips.
"Enjoy her as long as you can, Harry. Very soon I'll have my vengeance, with your death and her love…" he thought
He arrived at the Burrow, and during the day was the usual Ron he had always been. However, every night, as always it had been for almost a year and a half, he sneaked out of the house and Apparated to his Master's manor.
There, he was receiving the same training Harry and Hermione had received from Dumbledore and McGonagall. By now he too was able to use his sword - an orange one - to do almost anything.
"Welcome, Weasley" the usual voice greeted him. He answered back, and raised his wand, ready to start.
He worked hard all night on attacking and casting the strongest versions of the "Unforgivables". Every time he failed, he was punished, as was his fellow apprentice, with the "Cruciatus Curse".
When he returned to school he did his best to restrain himself from showing his powers, trying to keep them as a surprise for the night of the battle. But seeing Harry and Hermione always together, kissing in public, always made his blood boil in his veins…
He felt so sure of his vengeance though, that he was somehow able to act quite normally, even if he couldn't help to notice a little suspicion in Harry's eyes. He cursed his family silently for the letters he knew they had sent to Harry to alert him of his "disappearances".
The thought of finally getting rid of Harry, the one who had stolen his chance of fame and love, was keeping him calm even during the Quidditch practices, when he felt bossed around by that scarred boy.
"Only because Voldemort has given him that scar, and made him famous, he thinks he can do anything…but he cannot steal my right to have the woman I dream of. I will have her, whether she is willing or not!"
Meanwhile, Harry and Hermione were still perfecting their mage skills, and every day they were surer they could defeat Voldemort.
It was by now near the Easter holidays, and they had just won the Quidditch cup after having beaten Slytherin, thanks to Harry who caught the Snitch merely inches before Malfoy.
That night, Dumbledore spoke to them after their daily training session.
"Harry, Hermione - your training is complete. You're now fully trained mages. I have been thinking deeply, and it is imperative we get rid of Voldemort as quickly as we can. I propose that tomorrow night we will leave, the three of us, to fight him…I know where he is hiding."
"We are ready, Professor…" they replied, together
"Very well, I will call you when I wish to leave. Good Evening"
They left the room, and went to their private common room, oblivious that a red haired boy had been hidden behind a suit of an armour, and had overheard all what Dumbledore had said them, thanks to the Extendable Ears of his twin brothers.
Ron ran out of the castle, reached Hogsmeade, and Apparated to his Master's Manor. He stormed in the room in which his training was held.
"You are late, Weasley…" a cold voice said.
"I'm sorry my Lord, but I have some interesting information for you."
"Well, tell me…if the news is really good, you will saved from punishment."
"Potter and Granger are mages too…they are fully trained, and Dumbledore plans to come here and kill you with them, tomorrow night…"
"Mm…this is very interesting…good job, Weasley…you have saved yourself from the Cruciatus Curse, this time. Let us start the training. They'll find a bad surprise when they arrive here."
The next night at ten o'clock, Dumbledore picked up Harry and Hermione, and with a Portkey they landed near the manor…they entered the building cautiously.
The three of them started exploring it, looking carefully in the nearby rooms. In one of them, they met six Death Eaters, but they defeated them with little trouble.
Continuing their exploration, they went to the second floor. Here they had to fight some dementors, but again they had no trouble - they conjured their Patronuses, Harry's stag and Hermione's otter. They increased the strength of the charm, so they could easily go to the last floor. Here they found nothing so they returned to the ground floor and descended into the dungeons. Harry opened the door to the remaining room left unexplored, and looked in. What he saw made him almost pass out…
He had seen Voldemort, in the centre of the room, with Draco Malfoy on one side…on the other was Ron…
"Ron! What are you doing there?" Harry exclaimed
"Is it not obvious, Potter? He is one of my servants…one of the two apprentices I have trained this year and a half…" answered Voldemort.
"Surely you didn't think I would have watched you taking Hermione from me without doing something? She belongs to ME, Harry…and you'll die for having taken her…" Ron commented, smirking.
"You're crazy, Ron! I'm not a trophy, I'm a person, and I decide who I love! I don't love you…I love Harry…I have always loved him…" Hermione cried out.
"So, my worst fears are true, Tom. You are behind the disappearances of Mr. Weasley. But let me see…Ron Weasley and Draco Malfoy are mages, too?"
"Yes, Dumbledore. Well, actually they weren't…I had to modify their magical genes to make them so…but enough of this! Let the battle begin!"
Voldemort engaged Dumbledore in duel, while Ron did the same with Hermione and Malfoy with Harry…all of them summoned their swords, Voldemort's one in a brilliant red, and Malfoy's one in a almost purple colour.
Malfoy cast an Avada Kedavra on Harry, but he was able to deflect it; then, he counter attacked, crying:
"Crucio!" and increased the power of the spell so that it turned abruptly to a green light - it had become a Killing Curse…Malfoy avoided it, and the spell hit a wall. They struggled backwards and forwards, neither of them able to overcome the other…
In the meantime, Ron was trying to overcome Hermione without harming her…after all, he wanted her alive, and in good conditions, for celebrating the victory with a good shag. In doing this, he was often obliged to defend himself , as Hermione seemed to not have any pity for him - she attacked him with all kind of curses, but Ron was always able to deflect them.
While the four young mages were battling fiercely, so were the two eldest ones. Voldemort was firm in wanting to finally kill the only wizard, or mage, he had ever feared. Dumbledore was just as determined to drain Voldemort's energies as much as possible, knowing that Harry was the one who could kill him. The Headmaster knew that could be his end, but he wanted to help Harry as much as he could…they cast many spell one against the other, but neither of them was able to overcome the other's defences.
It seemed that with spells the three duels were destined to be equal…so, the six fighters started to use their Soul Blazes as real swords.
Harry attacked Malfoy with a movement worthy of one of the best swordsmen on the Earth. But Draco was able to close his guard, stopping Harry's green sword with his purple one…then, he tried to reverse the situation, pushing Harry's sword far from his body, and toward his enemy's one.
In the same moment, Hermione had luckily avoided a strong attack by Ron, who was losing his nerve. He thought it would be easy to win, but he had undervalued her, even though he knew her so well. Hermione counter attacked, but managed only to give him a light bruise on his shoulder.
Dumbledore was beginning to struggle. He was defending himself more than attacking or counter attacking, and Voldemort was cornering him. The Headmaster could not escape, and would soon have little space to manoeuvre, or try to defend himself.
Suddenly, after a long clashing of swords, with many sparks thrown in the air, Harry found a hole in Malfoy's guard, and feinted to attack there. Seeing it, Malfoy tried to cover that hole, opening in this way all his right side to Harry's true attack…one moment later, the green sword was in Malfoy's body up to the tip of Harry's wand. Harry pulled it away, and Malfoy fell on the ground…he tried to attack Harry desperately, but he was loosing strength. Harry finished him cutting by slicing off his head.
He heard moans coming from where Ron and Hermione were battling…he turned, and stood up immediately, crossing the room…
Ron had somehow managed to bind her to a wall, and was by now forcing a kiss on her, while his hands were roaming over her body. Just as he was about to cup her breasts, Harry yelled out:
"You are no better than scum! And I let you to be my best friend…die, filthy evil traitor!!" Harry's sword sliced Ron's body, from head to toe. His former best friend fell on the floor, cut in two.
Harry quickly cut the bounds and freed Hermione. She picked up her wand, and summoned her sword. As they stood there, they heard a loud scream, and then a cold laugh…they turned, and saw Dumbledore pierced by Voldemort sword.
The Headmaster fell on the floor, lifeless.
"And now you, Potter…or maybe is better to start with the Mudblood…"
Harry ran to Voldemort before he could attack Hermione, and engaged him in a sword duel. Hermione was watching, afraid to cast a spell, in case she hit Harry.
Harry was pushed away by Voldemort, and fell on the floor. When he stood up again, Voldemort's swords was menacing him…but Hermione cast an Avada Kedavra from behind him, so the Dark Lord had to deflect it, and was distracted. Harry moved and reached Hermione - now, they were together, facing the Dark Lord…they casually touched their swords together, and felt a strange feeling going through their bodies. Suddenly, the swords changed to a blinding white light, and the Phoenix song was heard. Harry and Hermione attacked Voldemort, their swords still connected, casting a Killing Curse - the strongest curse they could cast with their combined strength.
When the spell met Voldemort's sword, it was destroyed and a huge quantity of sparks was created. The curse reached Voldemort's chest and the Dark Lord fell on the ground.
Harry looked at his body, he knew they could not risk he would return again. He knew what to do but was rooted on the spot.
"Harry…you're the one who must do this…not I…" Hermione whispered softly
Harry nodded, and moved to the Dark Lord's body, then he cried: "Soul Drainer!". It was a spell Dumbledore had told them to research, which destroyed the soul of the person it was cast on.
Voldemort's soul erupted from his body and was shattered in million pieces. Then Harry picked up Tom Riddle's wand and broke it in two.
Hermione fell on her knees and burst into tears.
Harry went to her and knelt too, then embraced her, whispering: "What's wrong, Mione?"
"I still don't believe it…we have done it!! We have killed Voldemort!!!" she replied through her tears.
"I know, Mione…I know…finally we are free…we are free to live a normal life together" he replied, wiping away her tears, while tenderly embracing her, bringing her closer to him. He gave her a reassuring smile, kissed her deeply, and then he took her hand, squeezing it a little.
They left the room, Dumbledore's body floating before them.