Chapter 22-Runaway Ron

                                    

                                          
Hermione was pouring over some of the books she'd brought with her. How were they supposed to destroy Slytherin's locket if they didn't have a basilisk fang or a damaged Vanishing cupboard or the sword of Gryffindor? Not that Harry or Ron knew about the Horcrux-destroying capabilities of any of those things. Perhaps if she told them about the sword, at least, they'd know why Dumbledore wanted them to have it and where its thief possibly could have hidden it. But obviously she'd have to pretend she learned about it from her books rather than from Draco.
As she rummaged through her bag, looking for a book that might help her, she pulled out a book on the memory spell that she'd been using to try to make the cure. How was she to know if the cure would work? She'd been working on it for so long and although she felt it might be ready soon, she had no idea how to test it. She could Obliviate, for instance, Harry's memory of the past five minutes, then make him drink the potion and see if he remembered, but who was to say the potion could cure a lifetime's worth of memories, an identity?
"Hermione," said Harry as he stepped into the tent. "How's the cure going?"
"Fine," she lied, "but right now I'm trying to remember something I'd read before, about the sword of Godric Gryffindor. Where's my special artifacts book?"
"Oh, sorry, I have it somewhere." Harry disappeared and returned quickly with the book. "I was trying to learn about Slytherin's locket but there's nothing that can help us."
Hermione quickly flipped to the page about the sword. "Right, there. It's goblin made, the sword."
"Brilliant. And?"
"So, dirt and rust have no effect on the blade. It only takes in that which makes it stronger."
"Okay..."
"Look, you destroyed one Horcrux already! Down in the chamber of secrets, you destroyed the diary with a basilisk fang."
"Don't tell me you've got one of those in that bag of yours?"
"No, but basilisk venom is one of the few substances powerful enough to destroy a Horcrux, and you said that Malfoy stabbed the basilisk with the sword."
"Should've known he was a crazy bastard right then, I mean the snake was already dead."
"Harry! Don't you see? Crazy or not, because of what he did, the sword became impregnated with the basilisk venom."
Harry had a look of realization on his face. "It only takes in that which makes it stronger. The sword can destroy Horcruxes!"
"And that's why Dumbledore left it to you in his will."
Harry sat down across from Hermione. "Brilliant, but there's one problem."
Just then, the lights went out, and Ron stepped into their section of the tent.
"The sword was stolen," he spoke. He looked at them with distaste. "Yeah, I'm still here. But you two carry on. Don't let me spoil the fun. Just don't expect me to be grateful just because there's another damn thing we've got to find," Ron spat out.
"I thought you knew what you signed up for."
"Yeah, I thought I did too."
"Well, I'm sorry," Harry got up, "but I don't quite understand. What part of this isn't living up to your expectations? Did you think we were gonna be staying in a five-star hotel, finding a Horcrux every other day? You thought you'd be back with your mum by Christmas?" As he spoke, he circled round to the other side of Ron.
"I just thought, after all this time, we'd actually be getting somewhere! I thought you knew what you were doing, I thought Dumbledore would've told you something worthwhile! I thought you had a plan!"
"I told you everything he told me, and in case you haven't noticed, we've actually found a Horcrux."
"And we're as close to getting rid of it as we are to finding the rest of them, aren't we?"
Hermione stepped forward and split the two boys apart. "Ron, take off the locket. You've been wearing it all day. Otherwise you wouldn't be saying any of this."
Ron ignored her and glared at Harry. "You know why I listen to that radio all day? Every day? So I don't hear Ginny's name. Or Fred or George or Mum—"
"You think I'm not listening too? You think I don't know how this feels?"
"No, you don't know how it feels! Your parents are dead and you have no family! Neither of you does!"
Harry instantly charged at Ron as Hermione yelled for them to stop, reluctantly putting up a shield between them. The boy flew away from each other and landed on the ground.
"Go then!" Harry told Ron as they both stood up.
Ron took off the locket and threw it at Harry's feet before grabbing his bag and turning to Herimone.
"And you? Are you coming or are you staying?"
"What, you want me to just leave him on his own? Especially when there's a whole group of murderers after him?"
"After all of us, Herimone! And I get it, you choose him. You always would have."
She gasped, insulted that he didn't know any better. "Choose him? I wouldn't choose him because I wouldn't want to choose between my two best friends!"
Ron scoffed. "Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about. I've seen the two of you together, working, thinking, even just walking."
"Ronald, if this is about you feeling like we're leaving you out, I'll remind you that you're meant to be resting. Or do you not want to get out of that arm sling?"
"Sure, sure blame it on that. You know, this summer I'd heard something really strange. Something from my mum and Ginny about your secret boyfriend. Maybe I was wrong—maybe this whole time, Ginny's been pretending to see Harry so I wouldn't know who he's really with."
"Don't be ridiculous, Ron!" Hermione exclaimed.
"You know how I feel about Ginny," Harry told him. "I'm not pretending. The three of us, we're like siblings."
"Well, except for you two have done away with your families and mine are still vulnerable."
"Ron, if this is about me rejecting you last year, I thought you were over it!" Hermione told him.
Harry turned to her. "What?"
They both ignored him as Ron mockingly said, "Well, Hermione, I'm happy for you. At least it's not Malfoy," he spat, "because at least you'd have the sense to pick me over him."
"Ron, I know this isn't about any one thing, and if you want, we can talk about all of it. But you have to stay and help us. We can't do it on our own."
Scoffing again, Ron said, "Sure, now you want to talk. And seeing how long you two have been getting along while I've been injured, maybe you can do it on your own."
With that, he marched out the door.
"Ronald, wait!" Hermione shouted, following him. "You can't risk apparating!" But it was too late.
A/N: As always, I encourage you all to share this book with your friends, comment, vote, and keep on reading! Thank you all so much!