"ARE you sure?"
"Positive," Ron said, frantically shoving his clothes into his backpack along with his other belongings.
I had followed him to his bedroom as much as my injured leg could endure, my headache long gone as my mind reeled with questions upon questions.
"Ron," I started carefully, "you have to absolutely be sure about this. Maybe—what if you had been dreaming? I don't know how many shots of Firewhiskey you had last night but—"
"Margo." He paused to grasp my shoulders and look me in the eye firmly. "I have never been so sure of anything in my life."
"Ron—"
"Do you trust me?" he suddenly asked.
My mouth closed, taken back at his words. "Yes—of course—yes, I do."
"Then trust me on this, please."
I started to nod slowly. "Alright, okay. That means I'll need to start packing too."
When he didn't say anything, I took that as my cue to head towards my own bedroom to begin.
I trusted Ron, I really did. But his news brought a real turn of events I didn't expect to come across anytime soon.
Maybe I was being selfish; having spent a mere few weeks in a house with everything I needed before me made me feel like never going back, to simply forget the mission and let them handle it. But I knew I couldn't do it. I will not allow myself to leave them on their own, the amount of guilt that will put on my conscience would consume me.
So with my jaw set in determination, I started packing all my clean clothes lying on the chair, double-checking the room to see if I missed out on anything before changing out of my pajamas; gently enough that I wouldn't strain my leg too much.
I paused, staring at the white bandage wrapped around it. I considered it for a second or two, before slowly unwrapping it to inspect how much of it my leg had healed and winced.
It wasn't as bad as the first time I saw it. The skin running from my ankle till my mid-calf were completely healed over — thanks to some drops of Dittany — but they stood out against my skin like mountain ridges across plains of land. The smaller cuts, mostly on my foot faded into white scars.
I cut a length of new bandage to wrap around my foot, adding a bit of padding for support since I knew I'm going to walking for quite some time.
A small a sense of dread filled me. I just hope that there'd be no running involved.
Once I was completely ready, I took one last glance at the bedroom before me and left for the kitchen downstairs, where Ron was already discussing about our departure to the newlyweds.
Fleur found me first and went over to place a brown paper bag in my hand. It was warm to the touch and when I breathed in, I smelt the scent of something freshly baked.
"Good luck," she said to me before kissing my cheek.
I smiled slightly. "Stay safe, the both of you," I told her and Bill.
Bill pulled me in for a quick embrace. "Kick some arse, kids."
"I hope it doesn't have to come to that," I said with a nervous laugh.
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.
Thankfully, it didn't hurt as much as the first time whenever I applied pressure on it.
"You alright?" Ron asked worriedly when I stumbled a bit.
"Fine," I said a bit breathlessly. "Just a branch."
He studied me skeptically. "Maybe we should rest for a bit. We've been hiking for about an hour and a half now."
"Ron, I'm fine. Let's just wait until nightfall. The faster we keep moving, the faster we get to them."
"If you're so sure," Ron grumbled.
I let out a chuckle. "Seriously, you're worrying too much." I let go of his arm to stand straight, even jumping a bit just for show. "See?"
"Yeah, yeah. Let's just go before—"
"My, my," a voice said behind us, "look at what we have here, boys!"
Ron and I stiffened as if we'd been frozen on the spot. We glanced at one another panic in our eyes, before slowly turning around to face who had talked.
There were five of them, all wearing miss-matched, rugged clothes with a crazed look in their eyes. Four of them had their wands pointed at us, while the man in the middle (I assumed he's their little ring-leader), merely grinned maliciously.
Bill told us enough stories about a group of wizards camping and prowling the woods, doing the corrupt Ministry's dirty work for them. Snatchers, he called them.
Fuck, I cursed.
"Check the list, boys," he called to his men, "we might find ourselves lucky of a Mud-blood today."
My heart started to thunder loudly through my chest, and despite the cold, my palms started to sweat in my gloves. Slowly, I edged closer to Ron.
The man sauntered until he was standing right in front of us, looking positively bored out of his mind as he expected Ron from head to toe.
"What's your name?"
"Stan Shunpike," Ron answered with perfect clarity.
The man turned to me. "And you?"
"Pansy Parkinson," I said, mentally cringing for choosing her name. But hey, she was the least likely person who's be on those list of names anyways.
The Snatcher eyed us suspiciously before sauntering back to his crew, who were now huddled together over a small notebook, no doubt containing all the names of the Muggle-Borns, Blood-Traitors, and Undesirables.
I gulped. I just hoped it didn't come attached with a picture.
"'E's lyin' right off the bat," one of them said annoyed. "You remember that Shunpike fella. 'E definitely didn't look like that."
"Get your head out of your arse, Mick," another said. "That tosser is Shunpike, alright. He's got enough acne for it, doesn't he?"
They snickered heartily before another Snatcher commented on Ron again, then one comment said about me me that was completely dismissed as the five of them began arguing about whether Ron was lying or not.
I tugged his arm. "We need to Apparate, now," I whispered urgently.
Ron was still staring at the group of Snatchers with a clenched jaw. "You lot aren't very intelligent, are you?" he called to them. "Arguing your arses off, not realizing we can easily escape."
"Ron!" I hissed to him, my panic rising to my chest.
"One of you probably have traces of Troll blood, don't you?" he taunted again. "Maybe that's why you lot are so bloody stupid!"
I suppressed the urge to throttle Ron. The leader of the group slowly turned his head around to glare at us evilly.
"What did you say, boy?" he growled slowly.
"Get your wand, ready," Ron muttered to me before facing the man confidently. "I said, you lot are so bloody stupid!"
In an instant, the five of them had their wands raised and aimed right at us. I barely registered the bursts of red light before I let out a strangled yelp and thrusted both my hands to shield Ron and I. And just like before, those many months ago as we rescued Harry, they all flew backwards as my power bounced back on them.
My hands were swirling with white as I panted, the gloves unable to conceal them. The tips of my fingers and my spine were tingling with a delightful sensation as I unleashed my kinisis upon them. It has, indeed, been quite some time since I used it like this.
"Ron," I gasped, "we have to go, now!"
But as I said it, two of them already started to get back up on their feet, faces set with deadly rage as they raised their wands again. I whipped out my wand and steadied my hand. The Snatchers didn't say anything or burst with outrage; whether they realized I had used my kinisis, they didn't give away. I half-hoped Ron was right about the Troll blood in their ancestry.
Ron blindly ran towards them. "Expelliarmus!" he casted, successfully disarming the Snacther before delivering a painful punch up his jaw. My eyes widened with surprise.
He did the same for the other Snatcher, picking up the man's fallen wand before sprinting back to me with a wild look on his face.
"Let's go, let's go, let's go!" he said urgently, before taking my hand in his as we Apparated into another region of the cold and quiet forest.
NIGHT had fallen upon the forest by the time Ron and I found a decent place to set camp.
After we had Apparated away, we hiked a small trail, panting as quietly as possible to avoid anymore attention until we found a small clearing just a couple of paces away from a frozen pool. I immediately got started on the enchantments as Ron set the tent up.
After triple-checking to make sure they were working, we got started on dinner; neither of us speaking to one another as we ate in silence. Today's events seemed to have left us in a quiet state, opting to let the comfortable silence ensue for Merlin knows how long until we were back to normal.
Once my eyelids started to droop down, I kissed Ron a goodnight on the cheek — one that he wiped away with a face (old habits die hard) — and went to bed with two blankets wrapped around me.
I didn't know how much time had passed since then, because when Ron woke me up vigorously it was still dim inside the tent.
"Margo!" he hissed. "Margo, wake up right now!"
"What?" I groaned, shaking his hand off me. "What the bloody hell is it now?"
Slowly, I sat upright on my bed, rubbing my eyes to clear my vision before focusing on Ron who looked disheveled, though his eyes were shining with excitement.
"You have no idea who I just saw—"
"Well," I yawned, "just spit it out so I can go back to bed."
"No, no, no," he said, and started to pack up his things on the bed. "We need to go. Right now. We need to pack up—Margo, quickly!"
I stared at him bewildered. "Ron, what's going on?"
"I saw Harry," he said breathlessly with a smile.
That immediately woke me up. "What?" I asked sharply as I stood up.
Ron nodded. "I was keeping watch outside when I saw it: a doe, it was a Patronus. So I waited a while and then I saw him. I saw Harry follow it—and I think he was walking towards the lake."
My mind reeled at his words, heart thundering at the possibility that the days we've been Apparating and hiking, and encountering those Snatchers, was worth it. Because in the end, we found our way back to them.
I didn't have time to doubt it, or look for the plot holes in Ron's words. I simply started to pack my things in my beaded bag too, my sleepiness long forgotten.
Five minutes later, our tent was disbanded and we quickly speed-walked towards the frozen lake, the cold already seeping in through our clothes. We were breathing heavily, excitement bubbling more and more as we neared the little ledge that looked down the small frozen lake until we finally reached, and the sight before us was truly. . .well, it was definitely a sight to behold.
It really was Harry, the messy jet-black hair and how he was awkwardly standing proved as much. He was standing with his back to us, unaware that he had company. I was about to yell his name with excitement but stopped myself when I saw him strip down to his underpants and jump in the lake after he had blasted a hole for him to fall through.
A sound escaped my throat as I stared flabbergasted. Ron cursed beside me.
"What the bloody hell—come on." He helped me down the ledge and we edged closer to the lake, staring down at Harry's form through the clear ice, swimming deeper and deeper towards something that was shining at the bottom of the lake. The clouds above shifted, revealing the moon who shined down below to reveal—
"Ron!" I gasped loudly, my skin rousing goosebumps but not because of the cold. "It's the sword! It's the sword of Gryffindor!"
He blinked with an open-mouth. "Bloody hell, I can't believe they found it—!"
Suddenly, Harry started thrashing from below, screaming soundlessly as bubbles erupted from his mouth and up towards the surface.
"Harry!" I screamed uselessly.
"Shit," Ron cursed again before shoving his backpack off him.
"What are you doing?" I asked hysterically, my flight or fight response going haywire in my brain.
"Helping him," he said determinedly. "When I drag him up, help me and get him warm. I'm getting that sword."
My heart skipped a beat. "Be careful."
The words barely registered in the air before Ron dove in deep, first grabbing the hilt of the sword before wrapping and arm around Harry's waist and pushing himself upwards to shore. Harry stopped thrashing and clawing at his own neck just as Ron snatched something around it.
With my heart pounding loudly through my chest, I squinted into the gloom of the water and recognized that he was holding the locket. I let out a violent curse.
Mere seconds later, Ron emerged from the surface and gasped for air before hauling Harry towards me. I dropped to my knees, ignoring the biting cold of the snow and the sting it caused on my calf as I grabbed Harry's arms and pulled him away to solid ground.
I grimaced, watching as he spluttered and choked, heaving the pool water from his mouth. I whipped my head as I suddenly remembered Ron, who now stood tiredly, soaked from head to toe and spluttering just like Harry was.
"Are—you—mental?"
Harry jolted and did his best to stagger to his feet steadily, but he was shivering so violently that my instincts made me grab his arm and help him instead.
He jumped again as if not realizing that I was here too, his green eyes scanning my face wildly before facing Ron again.
"Why the hell," Ron panted, holding up the Horcrux and sword of Gryffindor on both hands, "didn't you take this thing off before you dived?"
Harry said nothing, too busy gawking at Ron and I as if we were a mere figment of his imagination and because he was still shivering. I frowned before snatching his clothes up, cast a Warming Charm on it then gave it to him. He didn't wait to put it on.
I did the same to Ron but even the charm couldn't dry up his still-soaked clothes.
"It was y—you?" Harry stuttered to him before looking at me. "O—or you?"
Oh, it's been a while since I heard his voice again.
Ron and I looked at each other confused. "Well, yeah," he said.
"Y—you cast that doe?"
"What? No, of course not! I thought it was you doing it!"
"My Patronus is a stag," Harry said with chattering teeth.
"Oh yeah. I thought it looked different. No antlers."
I suppressed a snort and crossed my arms tightly, trying to keep my arms as warm as possible. It wasn't as cold as it was now unlike before, it was almost as if the temperature had dropped all of a sudden — more so than usual.
"How come you're here?" Harry asked.
Ron turned sheepish. "Well, I've—you know—we've come back. If. . .you know. You still want us."
There was a pause, and then—
"We really didn't mean to leave like that Harry," I started. "Well, at least I didn't — I just wanted to stop Ron from going but then he Apparated and I got Splinched—"
"Margo," Ron interrupted with a pained face, "not helping."
"Right. Sorry."
So I kept my mouth shut as I waited for them to talk it out. Merlin, did all boys make up like this? You could practically cut the awkwardness with a knife.
Ron didn't dive into the details of how we found Harry, nor did we explain what we've been doing for the past weeks trying to look for them. We both knew that we right not the time for a story, especially since we had one Horcrux and the one item we can use to finally destroy it.
"You reckon this is the real one?" Ron asked.
"Only one way to find out."
~
DEAR READERS,
ohhhhmyyygaaa we are moving closer and closer to the malfoy manor SCENE KSJSJS 😼😼 i'm sorry excitef u have no idea AND ???!!;&;£;&;£
a lot of you want me to put margo up for torture it's so funny because i be reading your comments and going what's wrong with y'all 😭 y'all are just going to have to wait for what i have planned 😈
i finished heir of fire today and ayo !!!!??? i love sarah's books sooo much
AND BE RELEASED TODAY !!!! ARMY WHERE YOU AT my fave track has GOT to be dis-ease but they're all soooo good bts rlly setting the bar super high 🥰💜
— S.
~