He was their friend

rufuscoperpot

Rating: PG
Genres: Angst, Romance
Relationships: Harry & Hermione
Book: Harry & Hermione, Books 1 - 5
Published: 04/11/2004
Last Updated: 06/11/2004
Status: completed

A little something that hit me when I looked at the film PoA... Enjoy... (rated PG but not sure of it... let me know)

Chapters

1. Back from Hogsmeade

2. Three days in the life of the trio...

3. The end

1. Back from Hogsmeade

Disclaimer: Not mine… Never was and never will be…

Author Note: This fiction finds its inspiration in a scene of the movie Prisoner of Azkaban. Harry has just discovered that Sirius Black is the one that ought to have betrayed his parents from who he was the secret keeper. He runs out of the Three Broomsticks and goes to the forest. Ron and Hermione follow. There happen two things: When Ron and Hermione arrive, the first move of Hermione is to go to Harry while the first move of Ron is to try to keep Hermione next to him. In vain. The second thing noticeable in that scene is something that made me shiver. Harry explains to Hermione why he is in such a state. He’s talking to Hermione until the moment where he screams: “He was their friend and he betrayed them”. For those who didn’t see the film or those who missed what I saw, at the moment where Harry screams that, the picture includes Ron. And when Harry yells that sentence, he looks at Ron directly…

I’m not very fond of Ron, that’s true… But on the other side, the films are known to tell us things about the future… And I sincerely hope that I’m wrong about what I felt… I’m don’t like Ron, true… But I don’t consider myself as a “Ron basher”.

Ah, a last note: please stay aware that this fiction is related to the movie. There is nothing like this in the book that I can remember.

The first part of this story is written as the trio walks back to Hogwarts.

He was their friend… Part I

Ron’s POV

As we made our way to the castle, on this cold day at Hogsmeade, I cannot stop thinking at the way our day has ended. To this very moment, the day had been very enjoyable. I had the most of the time with Hermione for myself and then, at some point Harry had joined us. Not that I minded that… I mean… Hermione is great… but she’s Hermione. I want to bet that she had memorized the tourist guide of Hogsmeade before the first visit we had made. It was the second visit and she was driving me mad with details one more boring than another… There are limit to what a guy can endure you know… And then came Harry. At first I was happy. Given that Harry had snuck outside the castle without permission, he was bound to endure Hermione’s wrath for a while… All the better for me… Less to listen to Hermione plus my best friend and most direct concurrent to Hermione’s heart was having his ears full… Then, we came across our teachers, in a visit with Minister Fudge. They were talking about that guy, Sirius Black, the great news of the year. Harry had run to follow them as they were retreating to a private room inside the Three Broomsticks. Harry came out some minutes later (minutes that were taken by Hermione to explain to me what the history of the Three Broomstick was… Sheesh… Get a life Hermione…) Of course, we followed him. Me to avoid being told how many kind of butterbeer there was, Hermione, I don’t know why… We walked until we came in a clearing. And then we heard Harry. He was crying. I hate when I hear a bloke crying. To cry is for weaklings, wussies… Never had I considered Harry as a wuss. But to hear him cry like that…

Hermione stopped for a second and then she went to him. I tried to keep her from going. After all why would she want to go after such a wimp when she can stay beside a real man? But she rejected my hand and she went to the place where the crying was the loudest. That’s when I understood that I would never had a chance with Hermione… She grabbed the cloak and pulled it from Harry’s face.

Harry’s words are still echoing in my head as we are walking to Hogwarts. Those words he screamed at my face while holding Hermione close. I hear him

“He was their best friend and he betrayed them…”

Hermione’s POV

I don’t want to over-analyse. Oh no, I don’t. I’m going to let all this sink into my brain and I’m not going to think about it anymore… But so many things did happen. The day had been great so far. The only cloud in my blue sky was that Harry was unable to be with us. Of course, with Sirius Black on the loose, it was better for Harry to stay in the castle. Personally, I would have preferred him going with us. I mean, most of the time, Ron isn’t bothering me. But try to have a nice conversation with a stomach on legs. And that git was off strutting around like if he was the boss. Ha! As if it was the case! And then we came in front of the Shrieking Shack. Sometime, I wonder how Ron did end in Gryffindor. He was stinking with fear in front of the Shack. I ask you, which wizard in his right mind would be afraid of some ghosts? Honestly! And then Malfoy came with two other slytherins. I shiver at the thought of what could have happen if Harry hadn’t shown up. First Ron was terrorized by the mere thought of approaching a haunted house (such a courage in that boy!) and then he went head first into Malfoy and co taunting. For the brilliant strategist he is when he plays chess, he runs head first onto the wand of his adversaries. And then Harry came. I don’t know why, but the moment I saw the first snowball flying in, I knew it was Harry. The way he managed to defeat our opponents was brilliant… And pulling Malfoy kicking and screaming to the shack was inspired. It showed to what extend Harry, him, deserves his place at the Gryffindor table. Of course, after that, I had to play my part as the bossy know-it-all girl. I wouldn’t be Hermione if I didn’t do that… Plus, I didn’t want to congratulate Harry too much for his rule breaking in front of Ron. Harry told us about his map. But when I said that surely he wouldn’t keep it and would hand it to McGonagall, he smiled at me and asked if I was going to turn him in. Of course, I wouldn’t do that in a million lives. And he knows it. As I know that he won’t abuse of the map. Now put that map in Ron’s hands and that would be another story.

And then there was this incident at the Three Broomsticks. When Harry exited the inn without a look for us, I knew there was something wrong. We followed the tracks. And then we heard him cry. Never had I seen a boy crying. I was surprised. Not disappointed, surprised. That’s why I stopped on the edge of the clearing. I looked at Ron. I maybe the only one to have seen the look of disgust on his face. I tried to go to Harry and I felt Ron’s hand on my arm, trying to stop me. As if he could have stopped me to join Harry. I kneeled next to the place I knew Harry was. Gently, tenderly, I took hold of the silky material of the invisibility cloak. I had only one thing in my mind: hugging him to ease the pain. But I didn’t do it. For one part, I’m only thirteen and it is not behaviour common for girls my age and for the other part, there was Ron. Maybe if I had been alone with Harry… But to know that Ron was standing behind me, looking at Harry as he was a particularly vicious species of flesh eating slug… Harry told us what he heard in the private room of the Three Broomsticks, his anger toward Black raising with each word. And then he seemed to realize that Ron was here too. Speaking, Harry gripped my shoulder. I think I’ll never forget the words he said looking right into Ron’s eyes:

“He was their best friend and he betrayed them…” Those words are still echoing in my brain as we are walking silently to Hogwarts.

Harry’s POV

I was dead serious! I surely not go and hide now that I know. I’m going to wait for him and when he’ll in front of me, I’ll kill him. I cannot think to anything else right now. Although there is an awful lot of things to say about the day. The map first. Despite everything Hermione can think and say about it, I won’t hand it over to McGonagall. This map is a true wonder. Malfoy is next. What a pleasure to see him squirm in the snow as I was pulling him to the Shrieking Shack. What a pleasure to see those ‘great’ slytherins running away. And then meeting with Ron… and Hermione. Her smile was the best gift a bloke can receive in a day. I don’t know why, but, for one moment, it seems that Ron had a disappointed look on his face. Then they took me to the village. Everything was fine until then. And then… I thought I knew everything there was to know about the death of my parents. I never thought that such an infamy could exist. I ran… fast and far away. I sat on a rock and I let the tears I was holding run free and I let my anger take the best of me. I was angry. Against Black, against Mr Weasley, who didn’t say the truth to me, against minister Fudge, for the same reasons… I was so angry that I didn’t realize I was not alone in the clearing anymore. I realize they were there when I saw Hermione kneeling in front of me, in the snow. I knew that Ron was not so far away. I told them… I told them all. When I looked upon their face, I saw two things: compassion and tenderness on Hermione’s pretty face; evident disgust on Ron’s face.

I don’t know what was the source of this disgust, and I’ll probably never know. I wanted to yell for some kind of help, some kind of comfort from my best friend. I looked at him and I yelled: “He was their best friend and he betrayed them”.

Maybe I was hoping for something else than the silence that answered me…

We are going back to Hogwarts. Ron is at some distance ahead of us. Hermione is at my side. She doesn’t think I see her looks toward me to see if I’m okay. We walk, the three of us, silent. We are more alone, each of us, than we have ever been…

2. Three days in the life of the trio...

Author note: Hello there! If you read this, then you’ve read the first part (Yay me!). At least, I’ll assume so. This is the second part… It’s still written in different points of view… But the difference is that the points of view are not centred on the same period of time… Harry’s POV will be some days before the graduation day. Hermione’s POV is at the moment when she’s about to walk down the aisle. Ron’s POV is some days later, just after the fidelius charm…

Once again, remember that I’m not usually a Ron basher and I’m sorry for all of you people who like Ron. I don’t like the guy but I hope I’m wrong about my feeling…

Anyway, on with the show…

He was their friend, part II Harry’s POV (some days before graduation)

And here we are once again: Dumbledore’s office. Hermione, my fiancée, is at my side. So many things happened along those years. I should live another hundred lives to have the same schedule. I was not selected as a prefect in my fifth year. My friend Ron was though. He was dreaming of it since first year, and I was happy for him. That’s in fifth year that I, accidentally, killed my godfather. That same Sirius Black whom I had promised death to when I was in third year.

The best thing that has happened to me, however, happened during my sixth year. That year, I was authorized to go home for Christmas. Not by the Dursleys, no… As if they would have accepted me being there at that time of the year. And not at Grimmauld Place either. There were too many bad memories in that place. No, I was invited, at Hermione’s demand, by the Grangers. I spent a wonderful Christmas and in the process, Hermione became my girlfriend. I see her face again, when she opened his presents on the Christmas morning. Ron had, once again, tried to draw her attention to say ‘hey, I’m there, consider me as more than a friend please’. I knew that inclination of Ron for Hermione. And before that Christmas, I didn’t see any objections. The preceding year, Ron bought her perfume. But some days later, she had ‘accidentally’ broken the bottle… This year, Ron stroke hard. But let’s just say that buying a lacy black negligee to Hermione was not the best move he could have done. I’ll always remember her face when she opened Ron’s present. At first, she blushed furiously, from head to toe. Then she shook her head and muttered something like ‘How can I thank him for something he’ll never see me in?’ I made some kind of excuse smile on my best friend behalf. And then I gave her my gift. For once, I didn’t buy her a book. It was my first intention but when shopping, I passed in front of this shop and I saw this and I thought that that jewel was the perfect gift for her. Yeah! You heard me right. I bought Hermione a jewel. Oh, nothing big and bright. But let me continue…she took the parcel and raised one eyebrow to the size and weight of it. She shredded the wrapping paper to pieces and raised another eyebrow when she saw it was a jewel case. She opened it and her hands flew to her mouth. It was not just any jewel. It was a golden half heart, with a fine golden chain. Slowly, I took the other half of the heart that was hanging around my neck on a similar golden chain. Tears had come to our eyes. And under the tender gaze of her parents, she had jumped in my arms and suddenly, her lips were crushed on mine. That was it. And for the second week of the Christmas holyday, we dated like every other couple in that particular situation. I’ll never forget Ron’s face when we told him about us. And when he finally understood that his chances with Hermione were up to null. He was not very happy. But he managed to accept it, reluctantly but he accepted it. His face was also priceless when Hermione added that I would surely appreciate his gift… I think he stayed five good minutes with his mouth open before sitting at the Gryffindor table.

Other memories are coming back to me: our engagement at Christmas this year, on our anniversary, our exams and the face of Hermione when she received the results of her NEWTs (of course she nailed it)… And now, we are here, in Dumbledore’s office. He explains us the way the Fidelius Charm operates. We must find a secret keeper. Only one, because Hermione has already decided that I would be hers. But we still need one for me. With Voldemort always on the loose, we can’t afford to take any risk. Our wedding will be held some days after graduation. And then we will disappear from the face of the earth, the time for us to be ready to fight him. Yep, in two weeks, we’ll be gone and only one person will know where to find me.

I think I’ll ask Ron to be my secret keeper. We had our share of fight with each other since third year but he is my friend… Anyway… I should pay attention to Dumbledore…”

Hermione’s POV (just before walking down the aisle)

This is it… The Big Day. Today, in front of God, in front of men and in front of the wizarding world, I’ll become Mrs Harry Potter. I’m in front of the door. At my side is my father. On the other side of the door, it’s the Great Hall of Hogwarts. On the other side of the door are dozens of guests and… my husband-to-be. In some days, we will disappear. Officially, a prolonged honeymoon. But in reality, we’ll be under the Fidelius Charm. I chose Harry as my secret keeper. We chose to have each one a secret keeper to preserve our chances. Unfortunately, I cannot be Harry’s secret keeper, for it would nullify the charm. Harry chose Ron. His reasons are multiple. He said he does not want to repeat the history of his parents by changing at the last minute. I understand him. Although Ron has developed a sarcastic character since sixth year, Ron has always been a loyal friend. He is the obvious choice. The only choice for Harry in fact. Curiously, Harry firstly asked to professor Dumbledore. But he said that he couldn’t perform the charm and be the secret keeper in the same time. That’s when Harry decided to ask Ron. I don’t know if Harry saw the look on Dumbledore’s face when he said that… However, Dumbledore didn’t try to make Harry change his mind…. Anyway… In two days from now, all those troubles will be forgotten.

Harry has not accepted to enter the auror training program. But instead, he asked to the Order to train and prepare him. And as there are no reasons why I should be left behind, I asked the same thing. Harry was not very happy with this at the beginning but I think I succeed into convincing him. After all, I’ll be his legitimate wife in some minutes from now. And where is the place of a wife if not at her husband’ side. On top of that, as Harry is my secret keeper, I’ll even have a supplementary protection if…

My maid of honour, Ginny Weasley, shows her head through the other door. She and Ron have leading roles today. Ron is Harry’s bestman. I guess that, being so, he is at Harry’ side, sharing a last minute joke about the wedding or cold feet or something like that.

This is the best day of my life so far, although I cannot stop thinking about what the future hold for us. The near future, when we’ll be hidden from everyone for Merlin knows how much time and the future far away; that we hope will be free and which we don’t even know if it will exist one day. This is the best day of my life so far… And it’s maybe the last day of happiness before a very long time… Behind the door, there is music. It’s time. One look toward my father, one smile. I loop my arm through his. In some minutes, I’ll be Mrs Harry Potter and nothing in the world could make me happier…

Ron’s POV (just after the fidelius)

Three days… It’s been three days since they married. Merlin! What a pain it was to smile through the whole day. I went back to The Burrow and went straight on in my room. I couldn’t stand the silly ramblings of my mother: ’Harry this and Hermione that…’. Are people forced to be that pathetic on the wedding of two weaklings like those two? Hermione Potter, as she’s now known, cried nearly the entire ceremony. As for him, Mister Potter, he didn’t cry but I know, even if I’m the only one, how much a wimp he is.

This morning, I went to Hogwarts, on Potter’s and Dumbledore’s demand. They performed the Fidelius charm and I’m now Harry Potter’ secret keeper… Vengeance is sweet… and vengeance will soon be mine… It’ll finally pay to pretend to be his friend all those years.

The Potters’ destiny is in my hands… I have the ultimate power on them. It’s me who decide if they live or if they die. And let me tell you that this power is something enjoyable. There is no such thing as love or hate. There is only power and those too weak to search it.

Soon, the one who now calls herself Hermione Potter will be mine… finally… as she should have been since a long, very long time. Oh, I don’t think she’ll be happy at first… But there are ways to ‘convince’ her.

The best in all this is that when his time will come, Mister Potter will know who is behind his death. And when he’ll understand the mistake that made him choose me as a secret keeper, it’ll be too late… Maybe I’ll even ask for him to live long enough so that he can see what I can do with his precious wife. I could even make her beg for me in front of him. Oh, I think I’d like that…

Now, I know there will be a price to pay. I’ll probably be banished from this family. But I don’t care. I’ll have vengeance and I’ll have power. Nothing will stop me. Nothing…

Tonight, I have another meeting. I know that it will be less pleasant than the one I had yesterday with Mister Potter and that fool Dumbledore. There will be pain, I know it. But I don’t care. Some time in the future, the world will be free from Mr and Mrs Potter. Some time in the future, I’ll be the only one remaining from the Trio… And in the shadow, I hope that I’ll gain access to the inner circle whose members, once the Dark Lord will be in charge, will share the cake… It’s almost time… This is destiny… The Potters should already prepare for their doom…

3. The end

Author Note: Let’s switch back to the narrative mode… POV is fine but one should not abuse…

Harry sat, his back against the wall of their house of Godric’s Hollow. He was tired, dirty, exhausted. In front of him, the charred body of Voldemort was laying on the ground. Although he was exhausted, he kept his wand on the, for sure now, dead body of his nemesis, which lay on the gravel, in front of the house.

At the same moment, Dozens of miles away, in his room, Ronald Weasley was having a hard time. He was currently trying not to yell at the unbearable pain that was spreading in his right arm. His sleeve was up on his arm. From a mark on his arm was rising a very smelly smoke. The mark was in the shape of a skull with a snake protruding from its mouth. To lessen the pain, Ron was trying to envelope his arm into a wet towel. He had already sensed the burning sensation of the master’s call, but this was nothing comparable. Ron ignored that every death eaters felt the same thing at the same moment.

At Godric’s Hollow, after ten minutes, nothing had moved. The malevolent spirit of Voldemort had been destroyed in the same time as the body. Even a little while before. The main door of the building opened. Hermione Potter appeared; her wand also pointed at what was left of Voldemort. Then, she turned to Harry and fell in his arms, in tears.

“How did he found us?”

“It’s Ron,” said Harry with difficulty, “It can only be Ron.”

At The Burrow, the pain in his arm had finally disappeared. The mark that used to be black was now a nauseous purple. This was not good. Ron knew that You-Know-Who would attack tonight. It was Halloween. And the Dark Lord seemed to find funny to end, on the same night and on the same place, a job that he had began seventeen years before. But obviously, something went wrong. Ron didn’t know how it was possible but his instinct was telling him that all his hopes were now vain. And if Harry Potter had once again triumphed on He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, he would put two and two together and he’ll know how You-Know-Who had so easily found them. He was the only one to know their location. Without that information, the Dark Lord could go to Godric’s Hollow and not be able to see them. In other words, he was going to be hunted, quickly. Thinking fast, with two or three movement of his wand, he packed his stuffs and disappeared with a little “pop”.

At Godric’s Hollow, Hermione helped Harry to stand. Together, they went to inspect the remains of their enemy. Near the dead body, they found Voldemort’s wand. Harry snapped it on his knee. They went back home and called Dumbledore.

“Professor? Albus? Are you there?”

“Harry? Hermione? What’s happening?”

“One half hour ago, the alarms went crazy in the security perimeter around our house. I went out to see what it was. It was him Albus, Voldemort!”

“What? But, it’s impossible… Voldemort would never have the possibility to find you… Unless… No! It’s not possible!”

“It’s Ron, Albus. He was the only one to know. He was the only one with the possibility to say to Voldemort where we were.”

“I contact Molly and Arthur and I call you back… Oh wait, I don’t know where you are!”

“We are at Godric’s Hollow, Albus, I don’t think the secret is necessary anymore.”

“You’re right. I’ll come to Godric’s Hollow in person after I met with Molly and Arthur”

“See you later Albus”

“See you later Harry, Hermione!”

Ron made several hops, in public places preferably, where plenty of people could attest seeing him. Then he took another direction. Making little hops to be sure not to be spotted. His last hop was to a cellar, in Hogsmeade. It was Honeydukes’ cellar. There, he went into the secret passageway. He was back to Hogwarts, hoping that nobody would think to dig him out there. He had food for several days. After that, he’d see. With the only light of his wand, he found a place to stay. He sat down on the ground and put his face in his hands. He cried bitterly for hours.

Dumbledore was busy speaking with Molly and Arthur. First surprised to see Dumbledore appearing in the middle of their living room, then scandalised by the accusations against their youngest son, Arthur and Molly were forced to see the reality of the situation. Not only they were used to the operation mode of the Fidelius charm, but also on top of that, when they wanted to ask Ron, they discovered that he had disappeared with all his belongings.

Later at Godric’s Hollow

“… And thus, he disappeared with all his stuffs”

Hermione had tears rolling on her cheeks. She couldn’t believe that Ron, their friend Ron, nearly one third of their life, had betrayed them. Until Dumbledore came to Godric’s Hollow, Harry and she had imagined that Ron was captured and tortured. They had not thought about pure betrayal. The shock on her face was obvious. She spoke:

“What is done to find him?”

“Arthur has called the rest of the family, except Ginny, to make a research party. He also contacted the ministry of magic. Aurors are going to search for him too.”

“And what if they find him?”

“What if they find him? Once he’ll be found, he’ll be arrested and sentenced to Azkaban… that’s in the case where the ministry found him first… I mean, before the Weasleys…”

“What if the Weasleys found him first?” asked Harry, supporting his wife by taking her by the shoulders

“The notion of family honour is strong amongst the old wizarding families. At best, his name will be erased from the family tree… At worst…”

“Can we participate to the research Albus?” said Hermione, “He was our friend…”

Dumbledore looked at Hermione and Harry for one long minute before speaking:

“Okay… But you have to promise me that you won’t do your own justice”

“We promise. If we find him, we’ll turn him to the auror teams”

“In this case, I’m going to jump to the ministry… To announce the end of Voldemort… Be prepared to receive more visitors soon…”

“One last question Albus,” said Harry, “Did Arthur and Molly inform Ginny of the situation?”

“Yes, they send her an owl. But as she is in class, she cannot participate to the research party for her brother”

“Thanks Albus!”

“Thank you, Harry. I know to which point that betrayal affect both of you. But there is some good in this evil act. Voldemort came here underestimating your power. And now, the world will be a safer place. Always try to see good in bad… I’ll let you meditate on this… good night…”

And with a “pop”, he disappeared.

Hermione seemed calmed for the moment. She had that determined look that Harry knew too well. It was the same look she had when she had decided to spend a night studying for her NEWTs…

“Are you ok sweetheart?”

“I’ve been better… but I’m fine. Do you think he is alive?”

“I hope that he is not… I now seriously doubt that he was captured and spilled so fast. From what Albus has said, he was at The Burrow when the attack took place. So he was not Voldemort’s prisoner.”

“So it means that our friend has betrayed us?”

“Yeah, seems so… It seems that history likes to repeat itself… At least partially…”

“What are we going to do if we find him back?”

“What we have promised that we’ll do… I want to hear his side of the story. Then I’ll neutralize him and I’ll turn him in to the auror teams.”

“You know, of course, that the betrayal of a Fidelius is considered as the use of an unforgiveable?”

“Yes, I know… Life sentence to Azkaban… I don’t like it but…”

“Yeah, I know… there is little we can do for him…”

“I’ll always consider him as a friend though… You know that, don’t you?”

“Yeah, I know… Me too… Even if he does not…”

“Well, I guess there is little we can do tonight… We’ll apparate tomorrow to Hogsmeade and to The Burrow, I want to talk to Molly and Arthur and the rest of the Weasleys… And Ginny too…”

“Ok, let’s do that… You think you’ll be able to sleep?”

“I don’t know… Maybe I could use some dreamless sleep potion…”

“Lucky for you we have that around…”

And they went to bed for the night.

The news that Voldemort was defeated one more time and this time for good spread like a wildfire in a dry forest. Harry and Hermione were awakened by the alarms around their house. This time it was not any enemy. It was the ministry officials trying to gain access to the place where the corpse was laying since the preceding evening. Harry allowed them the passage. Since the fifth year of Harry and Hermione, there was an extremely deep change at the ministry. If a person was suspected to have any acquaintance with Voldemort, he was fired. So Harry was sure that those who tried to enter his domain were safe. Beside, the Order was there also, to give Harry and Hermione protection, if need be. The visit was short. And soon, the officials were back to the ministry to fill more forms about the death of the evilest wizard known to the wizarding kind. By lunchtime, the papers were having special editions with pictures of the site. Many wizards and witches tried to access the domain of Godric’s Hollow, but that access was refused. Harry and Hermione’s charms were too powerful. Beside, Harry and Hermione were not at Godric’s Hollow. They were at The Burrow, speaking with Arthur, Molly and the other Weasley children. It was evident that the Weasleys thought that Ron had joined the Dark side. They said he never disappeared nor did he miss one meal. Bill was sitting in a corner of the living room, he was silent. Charlie was silent too… They were floored by the news. Percy, was home too… He was claiming that it was worse than using an unforgiveable, that he was worth the kiss of the dementors… He continued claiming such things until Bill who had muttered a silencing charm stopped him. Fred and George were dead serious. They had learned that there was a time for laughing and there was a time for being serious and they recognized the situation as one where being serious could help. They talked for a while. Molly kept saying that she was sorry that Ron betrayed Harry and Hermione; that she had failed with him miserably. Hermione then talked

“Molly, don’t beat yourself. It’s not your fault. Everybody must do his own choice in life. Maybe Ron saw fit to go to the Dark side because it was his way to be different from his brothers. Maybe he was jealous of Harry once more, once too much… Maybe we hurt him without even knowing it. We don’t know. And we won’t know until we find him. So instead of crying our eyes out, we’d better organize ourselves to search for him”

“I doubt he went outside England… You need an authorization to leave the English territory by apparition or by floo powder. And if he asks for such an authorization, he knows he won’t be able to take profit of it. So that means he is still in England, hiding somewhere. But where?”

“So here is what I propose,” said Harry, “Bill and Charlie, take the south of England. Fred and George, you could search in London. Percy, you could search Wales and Cornwall, Arthur you should search Scotland. Molly, you’ll stay here and you’ll coordinate us. What do you think?”

“Where are you going to search?”

“Well, Hermione and I will search Wales and Scotland, Wales because that’s where we live now and Scotland because that’s where we are heading now. We wanted to see Ginny, to see how she’s coping with the situation.”

“Albus let her talk through the fire this morning after she had received her owl. She was so angry at Ron. She used some pretty rare insults toward him. Not that it will help… But Ginny knows how much you valued your friendship to Ron and she was devastated to know that he betrayed you. She said that she’d like to talk with you two…”

“Ok then… now that we know what to do, let’s go… Hermione?”

“I’m just behind you”

Their apparate to Hogsmeade in one jump. They went to Hogwarts with one of the horseless carriage. That time, Harry and Hermione could see the Tresthals. And for Hermione, it was not a happy sight. They went straight to Dumbledore’s office. Harry had his invisibility cloak and the Marauder’s Map with him. He had not used them until now.

Once they saw Dumbledore and once he gave them the permission to fetch Ginny Weasley from her class, they went to search for her. She was in her advanced potion class. Fortunately for Harry and Hermione, it was not Snape who was giving the lessons anymore. Poor Snape was killed by his master at the beginning of the summer. No one had ever thought that Ronald Weasley could have been the doom of Severus Snape. They fetched Ginny from her class and they went to the lake. There, they could discuss at will without being interrupted…

They walked in silence for a while… Then Ginny stopped…

“Look, I know that you must be pretty angry at him now…”

“Not Ginny, not angry… we are sad for him… He’s alone now… And so are we… And we don’t even know why he did this…”

“Well I think I know… Partly…”

“You know?”

“Well, yes… Partly… Did you know that he fancied you Hermione?”

“Yes, I knew it,” said Hermione softly, “But I never made anything to make him believe that I was interested.”

“That’s true. But you know… Ron’s mind work differently… I know for sure that he misunderstood your silence. He thought that maybe you were too shy to react positively… See, Ron was really insecure… You know this Harry… He had to live after five brilliant brothers… Not an easy task. And then he came to Hogwarts and met you Harry. Of course it’s not your fault, but you were already a legend when you came. He was only Ronald Weasley, sixth son of Arthur and Molly Weasley… He had a thirst to prove himself… But he was only seen as your loyal friend. He smiled, but deep inside, he was hurt… I think what made him snap, was that Hermione had feelings for you, Harry. Once again, you had something he wanted desperately. I’m surprised you didn’t notice that his smile had changed after Christmas of your sixth year. He smiled, yes, but the smile was rarely reaching his eyes… And now, he betrayed you. I thought he would distance himself from you two but not that he would betray you…”

Ginny started to sob

“I’m so ashamed to be his sister now… My name will be associated to a death eater… It’s like everything that happened in second year is happening again… I can’t stand that… I hate him now… If only he had the courage of a true Gryffindor and if only he had the courage to talk to both of you… You may have thought about something… But no… He had his temper and he shut himself down. He smiled, but with each smile, his heart turned to stone… He is not my brother anymore…”

Ginny was now crying freely… Along with Hermione… Harry got both of them into a hug. A long time later, Ginny raised her eyes and asked:

“Are you mad at me?”

“What? Why would we be mad at you Gin?” asked a baffled Harry

“Because I’m a Weasley… I should not even be allowed to talk to you…”

“Ginny,” said Harry harshly, “I don’t want to hear another word from you. You still our friend. We need you now. And you need us. Our door is always open if you want to talk or to have a place to hide from life. We want you to talk to us. As for Ron, what is done is done. Nothing can change the past. Not even with a time-turner. Beside, I wouldn’t want to change anything now that old Voldie is dead. Ron will stay our friend. Even if we never see him in our life or in his. He was and always will be my friend. If he can’t see this, then it’s his loss… And I can speak for Hermione too in that matter…”

Hermione was nodding at Harry’ side. Ginny started to sob again.

“You guys are so great… He doesn’t deserve to have friends like you…”.

The rest of the morning passed quickly. Harry and Hermione were invited by Minerva McGonagall for lunch. Ginny said her goodbyes and went to the Gryffindor table.

“She has changed…” said Harry.

“We all have changed…” said Hermione.

Hand in hand, they went to Professor McGonagall’s office. At her door, they stopped… They didn’t know the password and Minerva was nowhere in sight. Harry took the map from his pocket and said the ritual formula. Immediately, lines and dots were visible on the map. Harry search for a moment for the dots labelled Harry and Hermione. Once he found them, he pointed his wand at the door. On the map, a small message appeared with Minerva password in it… Harry smiled and was ready to give the password when Minerva McGonagall arrived:

“Still playing with that map Mr Potter?”

“Oh, hello professor… In fact we were breaking and entering your quarters…” he said with a smile. But his smile stopped and his eyes went wide. For a brief moment, in a far corner of the map, a dot labelled Ron Weasley had furtively appeared and disappeared immediately.

Sensing the change in his husband attitude, Hermione looked at the map, but saw nothing.

“What is it Harry?”

“I think that I just have found Ron!”

“What?”

“I saw him on the map!”

“It’s impossible Harry…”

“Why? The map never lies… You know it. Back in third year, that’s how we discover Peter Pettigrew. He is here…”

“But where?”

“I don’t know but I’m going to find it.”

“Ok, Start to search… I’m going to warn Dumbledore, Don’t start without me… Professor, please, could you…”

“You can count on me Hermione… Harry won’t move from here…Even if I have to transfigure him into an anvil.”

Hermione ran… She went across the Great Hall under the gaze of all the students. She ran to the teacher table and spoke to Dumbledore quickly. He listened to her and stood up when she had finished. He followed her when they exited the Great Hall.

Ginny Weasley knew something was happening when she saw Hermione running. From one of her pocket, she took a “long ear” and listened to the conversation. So Ron could be on Hogwarts’ grounds? If it was the case, Ginny knew where, without hesitation. How silly of her to forget to think about that secret passageway… When Hermione and Dumbledore left, she rose from her seat, exited the Great Hall and exited the castle. She took Harry and Hermione’s carriage and went direct to Hogsmeade. There, she went straight to Honeydukes. Once inside, she waited for her moment and got down to the cellar. There she quickly opened the secret passage.

Meanwhile, Harry had seen the dot labelled Ron Weasley again. He was in the secret passage that led to Honeydukes. When Hermione and Dumbledore came, Harry was ready to move. Dumbledore accepted to go and warn the aurors and the Weasleys. Harry and Hermione moved to the passage and quickly got down in it. They saw him before he had the time to retreat. With a quick ‘expelliarmus’, Harry took his wand. He faced them.

“So, Found me back Potter? And the mudblood is with you? I’m surprised that you have to guts to be there… Why aren’t you in my mother’s skirt, crying your eyes out on poor Ronald Weasley that had to disappear?”

“Shut up Ron…” said Harry

“Oh… Is that so? Little Potter thinks he can shut me up. Let me tell you something. You’re not my master, you don’t command me…”

“I know that Ron… I never tried to command you… But I see that your loyalties have changed” said Harry pointing to the dark mark on Ron’s arm.

“Indeed, Potter… My ‘loyalties’ have changed! Have to say something about it?”

“I want to know why Ron? Why you didn’t talk to us about the whole situation? Why you let yourself go into such a situation? Why you did what you did? Why that sudden hate for us? As for your loyalties, I wouldn’t be proud of them Ron. I killed him yesterday evening. But I’m sure you know that… Since you are hiding in this… cave…”

“I know that you killed him. It doesn’t change a thing though… You want to know why? Potter. Why I hate you? Why I hate your mudblood of a wife? I’ll tell you… You disgust me Potter. I’ve hated you since third year. Remember the clearing? After the three broomsticks incident? You were crying. Crying is for weaklings, Potter. And then, already, you stole what was mine.”

“What did I do?”

“Oh, you didn’t do anything, but your wife had had a great day with me so far but when she saw you like that, she ran to your feet… like the good puppy she is… I knew then that whatever I would do, I would always come second in her heart. You disgusted me. I hated you for your kindness. You are weak Potter. And you,” he said to Hermione, “I kept trying, hinting that I wanted to be more than your friend but you kept distancing yourself. I try to draw your attention on me but it was always Harry, Harry, Harry… When you both came back from Christmas break in our sixth year and when you said that you were together, my heart stopped. You had my heart in your hands and you ripped it. I hated you too from this moment on. But I kept the face of the good friend. Weaklings can be used… And friends are so easy to mislead. When you asked me to be your secret keeper, I knew that I had succeeded. The next day, I became a death eater. I had my vengeance over Snape, turning him to the Dark Lord as a spy. And then I told him where to find you. The very next day you thought you were safe, you were in danger already. For a reason that I ignore, You-Know-Who decided to wait until Halloween… And here we are now… I still hate you… And now you’ve taken the only thing that was left from me… My vengeance… I suppose there are aurors at both ends of the passage… I prefer living the rest of my life in Azkaban than seeing you two one more minute. So if we could go…”

“NO!” as voice said in the dark, “Nobody will move from their spot or there will be bad things happening…”

“Ginny?” said Hermione

“Shut up Hermione… It’s a Weasley affair now… Both of you get out of here… I’ll deal with him…”

“But Gin…”

“No Harry, as I said earlier, I’m ashamed to be his relative… He does not deserve to have friend as you. No matter what he said, you still consider him as your friend? What are you? Saint or something? I’m not a saint.”

Then she turned to his brother:

“Ronald Billius Weasley, you’re going to write everything down on a parchment… And then we’ll talk some more… Now Harry and Hermione, please go… Let me deal with that jerk my way…”

Harry and Hermione retreated to the exit of the passage. Outside were four aurors waiting for them. Harry thought that there would probably be four others at the other end of the passage. They went in as soon as Harry and Hermione went out…

Later, one auror approached them and explained them that they had found Ginny Weasley next to the body of her brother. She was clutching a piece of paper on which he had written a confession and his desire to end his life honourably by the mean of a poison. Ginny Weasley was brought to the Ministry for interrogation. She confessed giving Ron the choice of a honourable death or the life sentence to Azkaban. She said that Ron chose the poison as a last act of love toward his family. She was not held for giving poison to her brother but that act broke her heart beyond repair. And although the Weasleys agreed with the way she had dealt with Ron, she couldn’t look into her mother’s eyes for a long time.

Ginny Weasley ended Hogwarts first of her year. She had a number of NEWTs nearly equivalent to one Hermione Granger. She was often seen in Wales. She lives far away from her family. There is no hate between them, but the memory of her brother is still too painful. Later, Harry and Hermione had a son; they named him Ronald Sirius Potter, in memory of their friend. Ginny was his godmother.

The End…