A/N Sorry, it's been a while since I updated…exams were in the way, but chapter 9 is finally here…enjoy. :D
Chapter IX: Bonds Broken
Ron paced back and forth around the kitchen in his flat, his head bent down to read a letter - its contents seemed to be absorbing his attention greatly.
The sound of footsteps indicated a second presence coming into he kitchen. A pair of arms encircled him from behind, and slightly startled, Ron's head snapped up.
"Oh, morning, Luna," he said, breathing out in relief. "You startled me."
"Good morning, Ronald," Luna whispered in return. "Sleep well?" she smiled.
"Mm," Ron replied distantly; he had returned to perusing the letter in his hand.
"Who is it from?" Luna asked him more seriously, after disengaging herself from Ron, and proceeding in the direction of the stove to prepare a batch of coffee.
"The Ministry," Ron replied with a scowl, as he dropped the letter on the table. "It's about magical bonds."
"Yes, you and Hermione are still bound by one," Luna observed calmly.
"We need to finish this business once and for all," Ron answered stiffly, with a slight note of annoyance to his voice.
Luna merely looked at Ron, shook her head, and made no reply, as she poured coffee in two cups and offered one to Ron;
he took his, and drank it down in two gulps. Cursing about how warm it was, he headed back to the bedroom to dress for
today's affair.
**
Ron Weasley, however, was not the only one being summoned to dissolve the magical bonds a marriage created between a wizard and a witch.
Harry and Hermione had each received a letter containing the same information, as Ron's, and the day they were being required to show up, happened to be today.
This was cause for them to pace around Harry's flat in relative agitation, talking about the nature of a magical bond. As usual, Hermione's vast array of knowledge was already addressing the question.
"A magical bond, Harry," she was saying patiently, "is a way to ensure that a marriage keeps the wizard and witch feel connected. It is simply a magically induced amplification of the good feelings between the partners, and it is meant to retain the marriage and help with the settlement of conflict."
"That's all very well-intentioned, Hermione," Harry countered impatiently, "but what about when even that fails to prevent a separation?"
"That is the dangerous part, Harry," Hermione answered solemnly. "With time, you remember the reasons you ended the relationship, and if the bond remains, you are also constantly reminded of that person's attractive qualities. You start to confuse and question yourself, slowly beginning to obsess, and it has the power to make you lose your mind," she finished, somewhat shakily.
"Is that so…" was all he could say in response.
Not at all looking forward to such a prospect, Harry declared in a convicting voice that they were to depart as soon as possible. Hermione agreed wholeheartedly, as she was at risk as much as Harry, and did not wish to leave the matter unattended.
**
At precisely the hour outlined in the letters, sent to each participant in the affair of our story, a quarter, formed of Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny had assembled in the Ministry atrium once again, waiting on tenterhooks after telling their purpose for today's visit to a clerk behind one of the desks. Luna and Draco had accompanied Ron and Ginny respectively, but they had been persuaded to wait closer to the atrium exit, since they were not considered of particular significance to the proceedings the others were subjected to.
A rather large and rounded man waddled in their direction several minutes later. Loose gray robes made him look bigger than he actually was; bushy eyebrows obscured his bespectacled eyes, as his square-shaped head was inclined towards a parchment in his hand.
At last, he reached the four nervous subjects of his appointment. For a split second, his eyes traveled disapprovingly over the bunch. Right after, he regained his friendly composure.
"Good day," the official announced in a deep, professional voice, "my name is Alphard Belcher, and I will be performing the severing of the bonds that still bind you. If you'll follow me."
The parchment scrunched in one hand, the person known as Alphard Belcher departed towards one of the hallways that led out of the atrium and into the interior of the Minsitry. Harry and Hermione followed, closely tailed by Ron and Ginny.
The torches barely lit the damp hallway, and after several tense minutes, during which nobody uttered a word, they arrived at a heavy wooden door. Belcher stopped in front of it, and took out a chain of large keys from a pocket in his robes. He found the right one, and with effort and large clinging from the rest of the keys, the sound of an ancient lock opening reverberated in the cavernous hall. The door squealed loudly as it opened, and Belcher stood aside.
"My office," he gestured at his charges, "enter ahead of me."
Muttering their gratitude, Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny filed through the doorway. Belcher followed, but just barely - he was nearly a wide as the door.
"Alright," he said with a hint of annoyance, "we can finish this quick and be done before lunch. Who would prefer to be first?"
Indecision met him, as the other four shared uneasy glances.
"Mr. Potter, away with you," the official said loudly, and beckoned Harry to a second inner room that was divided by a door.
Harry raised himself to his feet and followed Belcher into the second room. He was still slightly wracked with the thought of whether a bond could be removed without consequences, but he hoped it would be for the best.
"Mr. Potter," Belcher said seriously, once he had closed the door behind him, "the process of removing a magical bond is not a long one, although it can be painful, and will leave you with some mental consequences for the few days following."
"What kind of mental consequences?" Harry asked suspiciously.
"You will have conflicting mental settings - emotion, rather than reason will be the method by which you make decisions for the few days following. The symptoms typically are urges to see your former spouse, followed by intense hatred for that person, and then there can be long periods of excessive self-confidence and doubt," Blecher recited further - he seemed to have memorized a definition from a book.
"And when will it become better?" Harry inquired again.
The official went on, reciting from memory.
"Within a few days," he said, "you will feel reason finally being to take hold - mood swings will decrease significantly, and you can expect normalcy in your daily life to return soon thereafter."
"Right then..."
"Alright, Mr. Potter," Blecher replied with a tone of finality, "I'll need you to close your eyes, and be prepared to endure a rather uncomfortable spell of pain."
Internally cringing, Harry prepared for the worst of possibilities…marriage seemed more painful than Voldmort…
"Do it," Harry said forcibly through clenched teeth.
He heard an indistinguishably spoken spell, and then felt the bright light of wand fire that permeated his eyelids. In the next second, his breath was sucked out of his lungs, as intense waves of pain ripped through him.
As if nails were being jabbed inside his body, Harry bit down harder, trying to endure the continuing struggle that urged him to scream out…
And then it suddenly ended. Startled by the sudden change, Harry's eyes flew open, and he looked, bewildered, at the Ministry official - he, however, appeared to be merely bored.
"Standard procedure," he shrugged. "Close your eyes - round two."
"What!" Harry exclaimed.
However, no answer was supplied. Harry closed his eyes once more, as the bright light from the spell blinded him temporarily. This time, the impact was not quite as surprising, but still quite painful, although not as much as before.
This was repeated several more times, as each progressive became less and less intimidating, until finally, Harry felt no more than a twinge when the spell came hurtling towards him for the last time.
Finally, he opened his eyes.
"Mr. Potter, you are finished," Alphard Belcher told him. "This is the only way to end the magical bond. Now, remember what I have told you, and please bring in whoever is next."
Agreeing, and thanking the man for his services, Harry walked out in the general waiting room.
"Mate," he told Ron, "Belcher wants to see you next."
"Does he?" Ron said nervously. "Well then…"
Shakily, he rose off the chair, and hesitantly progressed towards the inner office. Just as he closed the door behind him, Harry collapsed, exhausted, in the chair next to Hermione.
"Alright?" she asked him wonderingly with wide eyes.
"Oh…yes," Harry answered, his voice somewhat slurred; the effects were already kicking in. "Except…we'll be out of our minds for the next week or so…"
He could feel a strong headache preparing for a full assault on his head.
"What do you mean, Harry?" Hermione asked him urgently; she gripped his arm tightly.
He struggled to keep her in focus.
"The aftereffects…" Harry slurred his words. "Blecher said…mood swings…"
The world was slipping away - nothing he tried to keep a grasp on consciousness was working…Hermione's face shifted out of focus, became a blur, and finally, darkness took him over.
"What did he do to him!" Hermione shrieked, turning to Ginny.
"Oh, don't worry, Hermione," Ginny replied quite calmly, to Hermione incredulity. "Once a magical bond is broken, you're bound to be crazy for a while. You and I will be too," she laughed slightly.
"Ginny, this is not by any means funny," Hermione admonished her.
"Hermione, it will be difficult to adjust, but it won't be impossible. It's only going to be for a few days."
Hermione looked at Harry, leaning back against the chair, and breathing evenly and deeply. From within the room, she heard Ron's muffled scream as the same spell impacted him, and braced her own self for what would come once she went inside the chamber.
They waited in silence, anticipating Ron's return. Minutes passed slowly, torturously slowly, and an eternity seemed to pass before the door to the inner office creaked open.
Ron stumbled out, dragging his feet, and looking quite tired.
"Aye, it is a workout in there, enduring that blasted curse," he said quietly and contemptuously. "Hermione, you're next."
Fearful, and not without hesitation on her part, Hermione tentatively walked in the office. Just before she passed the threshold, she noticed Harry finally stirring from his sleep, but could do nothing, as the door finally closed behind her.
"Ron?"
"Yeah, Harry?"
"Feels good to be finally free," Harry cracked a smile.
"Don't say that," Ron snapped back. "I want Hermione back."
"You…you do?" Harry replied in amazement.
"Of course not!" Ron's angry retort came.
And then Harry understood - the effects of the spell were manifesting themselves upon Ron sooner than they would on himself. Hopefully Luna would know about it, and if luck was on his side, he could hopefully keep a clear mind, until he and Hermione managed to arrive safely back home…it would not be safe for them to be bickering and crying at the same time and not find their way to Harry's flat otherwise…
Ron's rant continued on, but neither Harry, nor Ginny answered him. Harry was beginning to doubt whether this decision was for the best, but he reminded himself about the onset of the symptoms that followed his treatment. Unfortunately, he grew ever more sullen and depressed, and his mind continued to replay scenes of his and Ginny's life early on, that made him long for it again…
Hermione finally came out, and without a word, beckoned Ginny to take her turn. Silently, Ginny acknowledged Hermione, and stood confidently, striding in the office much easier than her counterparts.
The bushy-haired member of the quartet scowled for no apparent reason, and sat in her seat, not sending a glance at neither her former husband, nor current lover - she sat, staring straight ahead, her jaw set, and internally fuming about a reason, Harry, nor Ron could fathom; and they were wiser than to try and find out at the current time.
Mysteriously, Ginny's treatment was much shorter than any other person's. She exited the office, still having a tired appearance, but she had been through quicker than Ron, Harry, or Hermione. In her wake, Alphard Belcher walked out, looking marginally happier than when they had first come in.
"The magical bonds have at last been broken," he announced with bravado. "Your cases were much less severe, compared to others I have been required to deal with."
"Thank you," Ginny said politely. "And I am sure my friends would love to thank you too, but I think their minds have already been consumed by the effects of the spell."
"You're welcome," Belcher replied, regaining his professional tone once again. "I have arranged for a Ministry transport to return you to your respective residences."
Ginny expressed gratitude on behalf of the other three in the company, and Belcher showed them out of his office, and also accompanied them to the Atrium. Near the lift, a driver seemed to be waiting for them, and Belcher did indeed point them to him.
Luna and Draco were already waiting with the driver, and the others grudgingly joined them. Still not uttering a word, they crammed inside the lift, and slowly, it raised them to the surface.
**
The afternoon slowly transpired into the evening, but the situation had been awkward ever since they had arrived home. Harry was in a constantly depressed mood, and Hermione kept shouting and angering herself, and Harry, with her desire to see Ron again.
Harry had been forced to listen to her, but he was also still under the influence of the spell. Dark thoughts about mistakes and his stupidity plagued his brain, but he also knew that it would be over in a few days, before life returned to normal.
Sighing deeply for the consecutive time that day, Harry stretched back on the sofa, and drowned out Hermione's words with his thoughts, as he wished for time to travel faster…
A/N: There it is…there's one chapter to go, and then the epilogue…in the meanwhile, reviews are also welcomed. :D
-->