Chapter 7
It was a very subdued affair in the Weasely household on September the first as they got ready for Ron and Ginny to make their way to Kings Cross and platform 9 and ¾. Since the day in Diagon Alley and the disappearance of Harry and Hermione Ron had been like a bear with a sore head. Everyone tip toed around him trying to salve his hurt feelings. Everyone except Ginny that is, everytime she saw him she would sniff in a very Hermione like manner and fold her arms across her chest like her mother and glare at him. Ron for the most part ignored her and the rest of his family; he still found it hard to believe that Harry would go for Hermione but not him. Ginny was wrong, she had to be, he was Harry's best mate and well best mates didn't run off with their best mate's girl, whether she knew she was his girl or not was moot.
He sighed as he scratched at his wrist, the welts itching desperately this morning, and groaning he reached for the salve St Mungo's had given him. Rubbing the cream into the faint welts he reflected that Harry and Hermione running away together was really the least of his problems.
"Right you two are you ready?"
His head jerked up from his thoughts and he nodded to his mum as she fished the portkey from her bag and held it out to Ginny and Ron. "You two take this and your Father and I will meet you there." She set the train timetable turned portkey into Ron's hand and with a Pop she and Arthur were gone.
Ginny looked at him and reached from the portkey. "Ready Ron?" He nodded simply and tapped the piece of paper with his wand and with the now familiar jerk behind his navel felt the ground vanish away from under his feet and the whoosh of displaced air and with an unsteady landing found himself on platform 9 and ¾. He looked around and already he could see people staring at him and whispering. With a shake of his head he turned away from his parents and Ginny and dragged his trunk onto the train.
Ginny repressed the urge to hex him as he walked away and she turned to her mum and hugged her tight. "He is so - so aggravating!"
"Now, now, dear you know how he's feeling, how we all feel about Harry and Hermione being gone." She watched as her youngest son vanished into the compartment. "He must miss them both terribly, I know your father and I do."
Ginny shook her head. "He may miss them mum but that's not what he's thinking about, he's think Harry is alone with Hermione and he left me behind." She squeezed her mum a little before she backed out of the hug and then hugged her father.
Arthur sighed as he squeezed his daughter tightly. "I know it's a lot to ask but do try to keep him out of trouble this year would you."
Ginny nodded not really knowing how else to answer her dad and slipped out of his embrace as the train whistle blew. "See you at Christmas." She climbed quickly onto the carriage and slid the door shut and started to make her way down the aisle checking the cabins for Dean.
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Ginny found him soon enough; the problem was she found Ron sitting in the carriage with him staring out the window. Dean looked at her and raised an eyebrow questioningly and she shook her head, nodding he leaned back slightly and slipped his arm around her waist and grinned.
Ron didn't see any of this his eyes were focused on a point well beyond the window but he wasn't seeing the landscape as it blurred past.
*** He could see them lining the hill across from them like a plague of locust, screaming gibbering in anger arms raised with weapons in hand that reflected in the sun. He swallowed nervously and glanced at his fellow wizards and witches who stood with him before the castle. "Front rank kneel prepare wands!" The wizard in the front line kneeled in the dirt and drew their wands and waited for the Goblin armies to charge. He could feel the sweat trickle down his brow as he fingered his wand in anticipation for the coming battle. Finally the first rows of Goblins came, running down the hill screaming the battle cries and their weapons weaving in the morning air. "Front Rank FIRE!" The wizarding folk let loose a barrage of Reducto spells that blew gaping holes in the Goblin Ranks but more just swarmed over their dead, who knew there were so many of them. "Second Rank FIRE!" again bolts of magical death blasted into the Goblin ranks sending corpses flying high into the air. The hoard moved closer still, screaming in fury and he stepped back slightly. "Teams split!"
The ranks of wizards split apart, this had been his idea, a Wizard could concentrate only so much in defence and attack, so he would split the teams into two people with specific tasks in the melee. One would constantly shield themselves and their partner, focusing all their magical strength into the shields while the other wizard would lay about them with his magic's killing the enemy. He watched as his plan came into effect as globes of shimmering blue energy surrounded the wizarding pairs why curses and hexes shot from wands. It would have worked as well as Goblins fell left and right on the battlefield dozens dead for every witch and wizard dead in return, but still there seemed no less. He watched as the Goblins used their superior numbers to swarm each wizarding pair till shields failed from sheer overwhelming force and numbers. Soon he to was amongst the fray his wand his weapon as he lashed about him with a frenzy with his sword and wand but suddenly he stared down at his chest as fire bloomed through his senses and he saw the sword blade buried there. ***
Ron sat forward with a lurch his hand clutching at his stomach and he swallowed the bile that threatened to rise up in his throat as he calmed himself, god it was getting worse, he could feel the sword that slid through his belly this time. NO! Not his belly, the wizard in his memory, he glanced over at his sister who lay there with her shoulder resting on Dean Thomas's shoulder asleep. He also noticed that Luna Lovegood and Neville where also sitting in the carriage quietly talking to one and other so he continued to stare out the window ignoring any attempts by them to get him to join their conversations.
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The rest of the trip proved uneventful which Ron was thankful for yet slightly confused at the complete lack of annoying ferrets and joined his few remaining friends in the carriages to the castle. The great Hall was awash with whispered conversation and Ron cringed as everyone stared at him as he made his way alone towards the Gryffindor table. Silently he took his seat and wanted nothing more than for the feast to be over and he could get to his room. Soon the Sorting was done, not even paying attention to the hats song he waited quietly for Dumbledore to get his speech out of the way and they could get on with the feast and he could get out of here.
"Children may I have your attention please." Dumbledore stood and gestured to the students for silence. "As usual I have several announcements to make, the first being that the Forbidden Forest is prohibited to any student not accompanied by a teacher. The second announcement is regarding what most of you have been reading in the papers for the past few weeks. Yes Harry Potter has left Hogwarts, Hermione Granger has also left as well, but what you do not know is why, recently Harry has learned of a special spell that will help vanquish Lord Voldemort and with Miss Grangers help has left to seek it out. Due to Mr Potter nature he refused to confide in anyone but Miss Granger the nature or location of this spell and thus all we can do is prepare ourselves for the coming battle ahead with the forces of evil." Albus smiled benignly at the silent students his eyes twinkling as several of the faculty members stared at him in shock. "Now I suggest we get on with the feast." With a clap of his hands a wave of his arms the food magically appeared. Conversations erupted throughout the great hall and on the Gryffindor table Ron found himself bombarded with questions. Slowly the blood rose up till his ears glowed and the famous Weasely temper exploded and he stood throwing his Chicken leg down on the table. "I DON'T BLOODY KNOW!" And stormed out of the great hall.
TBC…
AN: There ya go hope you enjoy
Yours Truly the Evil known as Kai Lun Mau