THE TWO WITNESSES | RON WEASLEY [BOOK TWO]

10. CAST AWAY

Gene didn't remember much from the morning of the task.

She remembered being brought down to the pier at the crack of dawn, the sky still an inky black and it made the task that much more daunting to Gene. She remembered the smile that Ron had mustered in her direction, though she didn't return it. She regretted it immediately.

But the very last thing she did remember, was the feeling of her legs turning to jelly and her vision fading to black, her eyes rolling to the back of her head as she lost consciousness.

She wasn't sure if it was her imagining things or if it was real life, but she could hear Ron's voice faintly calling her name. It grew louder, stronger and more urgent by the second. Gene was doing her absolute best to wake up and open her eyes, but something was holding her back.

Her chest was heavy for a moment until finally, he eyes shot wide open and she sat up, gasping for breath as she clawed at the nearest thing, which happened to be Ron. He was hovering above her, dripping wet himself with his hands on either side of her face, worry written across his features.

Without hesitation, Gene flung herself at him, her arms wrapped closely around his shoulders as she gasped for breath, pressing her face into the crook of his neck. Ron's arms went around Gene slowly and he figured he had been forgiven at this point, to his relief. It had been a long few weeks without her.

Afterwards, Gene managed to stand to her feet and threw her arms around Cedric all the same, him lifting her off the ground just slightly and she laughed before pressing a kiss to his cheek. Not only had Cedric won, but Harry got second place for his admirable act of bravery as he saved both Ron and Gabrielle.

After the winners and points were awarded for the task, everyone began to make their way back to Hogwarts, boarding small boats which shook as they travelled across the lake, from all the cheering on they were doing for Harry. Gene did her absolute best to disguise her horrible fear of the water until they finally made it to land, to her relief.

"All that moral fibre, eh?" Fred teased.

"Blimey, even when you go wrong it turns out right." Ron muttered with a smile, nudging Harry as Barty Crouch approached to speak with him.

"We'll see you at Hagrid's, Harry." Gene smiled, squeezing his hand before catching up with the others as they walked the muddied path toward his hut.

"How are you feeling?" Ron asked Gene as she tugged the towel closer around herself, still shivering.

"Grateful for Cedric." Gene breathed out, "Grateful for you." she added with a smile, causing Ron's head to shoot up, facing her.

"Well– it was nothing." he shrugged it off and Gene rolled her eyes.

"Not to me, it wasn't." she argued, "Thank you." she finally said and he smiled, though it faltered as a shiver overcame her.

"Here–" he said, shrugging his own towel off and placing it around her shoulders, as much as she objected.

Gene's cheeks flushed a deep pink and she turned her head away, ensuring Ron couldn't see, though it was futile. He had definitely seen. They'd reunited with Harry not long after, travelling through the Forbidden Forest with Hagrid reminiscing behind them.

"I remember when I first met you all. Biggest bunch of misfits I've ever set eyes on. Always reminded me of myself, a little. And here we all are, four years later." Hagrid sighed, his loud voice echoing through the empty forest.

"We're still misfits." Ron returned, laughing.

"Maybe. But we've all got each other, and Harry, of course. Soon to be the youngest Tri-Wizard champion there's ever been! Hooray!" they began to chant and cheer, singing the Hogwarts song, though Gene's smile diminished soon.

Her hand went to her neck, gasping in pain as she clutched her scar and her head shot up, finding Harry do the same.

"Wait, Harry–!" she yelled, running over and gasping at the sight they had uncovered.

Barty Crouch, dead.

*

Gene and Harry entered Dumbledore's office, overhearing him arguing with Fudge in the next room over. Something about cancelling the tournament and a coward. There was no doubt in her mind that the coward in question was the Minister. As Harry went to knock, the door already opened itself, and they realised it was due to Moody being in the room, using his eye to determine their presence.

"Harry! Gene! How good to see you again." Fudge forced a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"We can come back later, Professor." Harry said.

"Oh, not necessary, Harry. The Minister and I are done. I'll be back in a moment. Minister, after you." he gestured for him to leave the room first as he followed, "Do feel free to indulge in a liquorice snap in my absence. I have to warn you, they're a little bit sharp." he took a snap for himself before they were left in the room alone.

Gene stepped toward Fawkes, scratching the top of his head in a greeting and he squawked in appreciation. Harry put his hand in the snack bowl and went to take a handful of the liquorice snaps, which suddenly turned into a dozen small creatures, nipping at his hand. Harry yelped, stumbling backwards as they continued to bite at his palm until his back hit a cupboard, and he fell to his knees.

"Well, he did warn you." Gene argued, throwing a snap into her mouth as Harry glared at her from the ground.

Suddenly, the compartment in the wall opened, leaving a blue glow across the room, causing Gene's eyes to widen. It opened to a fountain, a glowing pool of water and Harry went to look in, his face in the water. Gene waited cautiously, hearing Dumbledore enter behind her and she froze in place.

"It was Harry, sir." she quickly informed him, pointing at him, and he raised an eyebrow at her in turn, before standing beside the fountain.

Moments later, Harry's head lifted from the pool and he gasped for breath, glancing around to find Dumbledore watching him.

"Curiosity's not a sin, Harry, but you should exercise caution." he told him pointedly. "It's a Pensieve, useful if like me, you find your mind a wee bit stretched. It allows me to see what small things I've already seen. You see,  I've searched and searched for something, some small detail. Something I might have overlooked, something that would explain why these terrible things have happened. Every time I get close to an answer, it slips away. It's maddening."

Dumbledore sat at the bottom of the stone steps, fiddling with his wand between his hands, clearly distressed.

"Sir, Mr. Crouch's son- what happened to him?" Harry asks, causing both Gene and Dumbledore to look at him curiously.

"He was sent to Azkaban. Destroyed Barty to do it. But he had no choice, the evidence was overwhelming." Dumbledore explained, "Why do you ask?" he narrowed his eyes at Harry.

"It's just that- I had a dream about him. We both have." Harry gestured toward Gene. He must have been the stranger, "It was in the summer, before school. In the dream, I was in a house and Voldemort was there, only he wasn't quite human, and Wormtail was there too and Mr Crouch's son. I didn't know who he was, until just now." he explained.

"Have there been other dreams like this?" he looked between them, standing to his feet and approaching slowly.

Gene nodded, "Always the same one." she answered, her brows furrowed as she continued, "These dreams- you don't think it's actually happening do you?" she asked warily, not entirely sure if she wanted the truth.

"I think it's unwise for you to linger over these dreams." he said, approaching the Pensieve, "I think it's best that you simply-" he lifted his wand and pulled a quivering string of magic from his head,

"Cast them away."