So Much for No Strings Attached

Chapter 85 Therapists and Conspirators

 

‘And if he refused to tell you, what would you do?’ asked Hr. Galston.

 

Ron slumped, ‘I … I don’t know.’

 

‘Would you kill him?’ asked Hr. Galston.

 

‘He can’t answer my questions if he’s dead,’ Ron replied.

 

‘No, he can’t,’ agreed Hr. Galston.

 

‘I just want to know what happened to Hermione …’ Ron’s voice broke. ‘I want to know why he would do something so evil?’

 

Hr. Galston nodded, ‘what if instead of focusing on what, you focus on why. If you were him how would you feel?’

 

Ron closed his eyes and tried to imagine Hadrian Slytherin. His first thought was of the unfeeling, monster that his mum had always told him about. But then he remembered Harry giving him sweets without thinking about it, giving him the omnioculars last year, the bright relieved smile he wore when Fred and George had decided to spring him from the Dursleys. The way he had practically cried when Mum had made him a lumpy handknitted jumper.

 

But it was all a lie. Wasn’t it? Dumbledore had told him how charming You Know Who had been in school and that Harry was behaving exactly like him. Any kindness was faked because he wanted something off of Ron.

 

But what did Ron have that Harry wanted?

 

Well then it must be the potions Dumbledore had on him to keep him good and loyal to the right side. And it was true that as soon as Hadrian Slytherin had escaped Dumbledore’s control everything had gone wrong. Hermione was dead and soon enough the rest of his family would be following.

 

Ron scowled, ‘all I know is because of him everything went wrong! Hermione’s dead … Mum, Dad and Ginny will soon be too! If he had just done what he was supposed to everything would be fine!’

 

Hr. Galston sighed sadly, ‘did Hadrian Slytherin make your family commit line-theft?’

 

Ron scowled, ‘no.’

 

‘Why do you believe that Hadrian Slytherin killed your friend?’ asked Hr. Galston.