THE NEW HEAVEN AND EARTH | RON WEASLEY [BOOK FIVE]

13. YOU CAN SMILE NOW

"Just let me–" Ron began, grabbing his jacket from the floor and stepping closer, though Gene took a step back. "Gene–" he tried again, and she shook her head, her bottom lip trembling now.

"Don't." she muttered, her voice laced with venom as she glared at him.

The wind nipped at her skin, only worsened by the fact she was drenched from head to toe, and she began to grab her clothes, rushing to pull them on to hide the numerous bruises that marked her skin, and the large bite mark, courtesy of Nagini. That, and to avoid the embarrassment of looking at the two while she was half-naked.

As she pulled her jumper over her head, (though it was really Ron's), she heard a chittering sound again, her eyes shooting to the locket that dangled close to the sword.

"It knows." Gene said.

Harry turned to Ron, "You have to do it." he said breathlessly.

"What? No, Harry." Ron's eyes widened, "That thing's bad for me. I can't handle it." he said. "I'm not making excuses for how I acted, but that thing affects me more than it affects you three. It made me think stuff– stuff I was thinking anyway, but it made everything worse." he went on to explain.

Gene watched him intently, but he did his best to avoid her stare.

"All the more reason." Harry argued, positioning the locket on a tree trunk.

"No. I can't–"

"Then why are you here?" Gene's voice rose, much louder than the deafening silence of the forest, causing Ron's head to lift, looking right at her now, "Why did you come back?" her tone was harsh, with the intent to wound and he swallowed hard.

Ron stepped backwards, gripping the sword with both hands as Harry nodded to him. Gene stepped toward Harry, opposite Ron as they prepared themselves.

"I'll have to speak to it in order for it to open. When it does, don't hesitate. I don't know what's in here, but it'll put up a fight. The bit of Riddle that was in his diary tried to kill Gene." Harry went onto explain, nodding encouragingly to Ron who nodded rapidly. "On three– one, two, three–!"

Harry murmured the words in Parseltongue, sending chills down Gene's already half-frozen figure, before the twin doors of the locket snapped open and black smoke billowed out with such repressed force, that it sent Gene flying backwards.

"Stab it, Ron, now." Harry called over the gust of wind, watching as Ron raised his trembling hands, poising the sword above his heads until a voice hissed from the locket.

"I have seen your heart and it is mine."

Gene gasped as Voldemort's voice filled the forest, taunting Ron and he hesitated.

"Don't listen to it." Harry yelled to him.

"I have seen your dreams, Ronald Weasley, and I have seen your fears."

"Ron. Don't listen to it!" Harry cried, and Gene felt her throat close up as Voldemort continued.

"Least loved, by the mother who craved a daughter. Least loved, by the girl who prefers your friend."

Gene's head shot up, eyes glazing over as she caught a glimpse of Ron's face, pale at hearing those words.

"Ron!" she found her voice, "Don't listen to it! Please!" she begged.

With a sudden blast of wind, blinding lights burst forward causing Gene to avert her eyes for a moment, squinting before glancing up, finding the light had left two figures in its wake, floating in a cloud of darkness– Gene and Harry.