SALEM ᵈ ᵐᵃˡᶠᵒʸ

ix. The Sword in The Lake

Ron was already by the door, looking somber yet determined at the same time, so much like that look those nights ago when he stormed out from the tent, except that this time he was out for redemption.

"Ready," he asked when I reached him.

I jerked my chin down for a nod, bid Bill and Fleur a 'see you later' instead of a 'goodbye' before walking a few feet away from the house and outside of the protective enchantments.

With one last glance at the beach stretched out in front of me, I held Ron's hand as we Apparated away from it all.

The cold immediately seeped through the many layers of clothes I wore as soon as we landed. I took a breath and looked around me.

We were surrounded by pine trees covered in snow, towering over us so high that it casted a dark gloom overhead. It was already midday, but since it was still in the midst of winter, darkness would fall upon us sooner than expected.

"Where are we?" I asked lowly, afraid that if I speak any louder anyone would hear.

"The Forest of Dean." I looked at Ron puzzled. "I just had a feeling," he said.

I took my wand out, walked a few paces and started to mutter the protective enchantments around us.

"Get started on the tent," I called to him, "then help me with the enchantments. Who knows who else is lurking out there."

WE were back to our routine of waking up, cooking food, and packing up to move a few miles ahead. Except this time, Ron and I weren't burdened with the dangers of the locket and we had enough ingredients to cook a decent meal.

Ron and I alternated between walking and Apparating certain distances in hopes to get closer to where Harry and Hermione might be. It was a big forest, that I knew as much despite having never set foot here, and all Ron and I relied on was his Deluminator that only seemed to answer to him.

He would spend late nights looking at it, flicking it open and close, making the tent switch between brightness and darkness.

"Can you stop that?" I had hissed at him days before. "I'm trying to sleep."

"Sorry." Though he didn't sound it. "It's the only way I might find them."

I never questioned his methods once while we were together, only choosing to trust him because it seemed like the only option we both had.

On the first day out in the wild he told me all about what he heard on Christmas morning and what exactly happened. We were both full of hope and enthusiasm; perhaps due to the Christmas spirit, but it was there. However as the days wore on, doubt started to build in my mind. I didn't need to talk to Ron to know that the same was happening to him.

The two of us were hiking ahead after packing up the tent, following the path that Ron claimed was the right one. We usually didn't stop until night-time fell, and that was still hours from now, so we took our steps lightly and as quietly as possible to not attract attention from whatever might be out there. And to help with the biting cold, I usually cast a Warming Charm around us for that extra heat.

Ron allowed me to use his arm for support while I walked, my leg still not completely healed. It had taken Ron months for his arm to heal, I just knew the same could be said for me.