Mnemosyne's Legacy

Chapter 5: Harry

Ron cautiously entered Harry's cell, his heart beating wildly as he spotted the huddled figure of the prisoner in the corner. The figure moved slightly as it perceived movement in the cell entrance. Ron set his jaw resolutely, and stepped towards it, determination and purpose in his step.

'What do you want?' Harry asked coldly, not looking up. Ron stopped dead in his tracks.

'Harry, it's me, Ron,' he said softly, growing unsure of himself. Harry peered up at the dark figure of Ron standing over him through a broken glasses lense, hate emanating from his clear green eyes.

'Get out, I don't want to see you,' he replied shortly. 'I have nothing to say to you, Death Eater,' he spat fiercely. 'Or are you here to torture me, like all the rest of them?' he hissed, deliberately turning his back on Ron.

'I'm not here for that.' He heard Harry snort derisively. 'I'm not, Harry, I swear. Can you please just hear me out?' he pleaded.

'Why should I?' The malice in Harry's voice startled him. He had never imagined Harry that could be so cold. 'Give me one good reason. Actually, no, don't bother; I don't want to hear any of it.'

'Please?' Ron implored. 'Well, I wouldn't want to hear it if I were you, but I'm going to talk anyway,' he rambled nervously. 'It's up to you if you want to listen or not.' He noticed Harry look at him suspiciously, yet with undeniable curiosity.

Silence ensued. Ron shuffled around uneasily.

'Go on then,' Harry decided at last. 'Talk. Let's see if you have anything worthwhile to say.' The bitterness in his voice sharpened. Ron knew that he was thinking about Ginny. Hell, he always thought about her himself! Ron took a shaky breath.

'I'm sorry...'

'Is that all you have to say?' Harry interrupted, letting out a bark of resentful laughter. 'It's a bit too late for that, don't you think, Ron?' He spoke the name viciously, as if it was tainted.

'But it wasn't me!' Ron cried, losing his composure. 'Voldemort had me under the Persuasion Curse. I think it's like a...'

'... a cross between the Memory Charm and the Imperius Curse...' Harry muttered interrupting him again, his forehead creased in uncertainty.

'Yeah,' Ron nodding fervently, 'I didn't remember anything! And they gave me Hermione to torture - and I... I didn't recognise her until I... until I... I killed her!' Ron's voice grew hoarse from the gnawing misery inside of him. He realised that this was the first time he'd actually spoken of her death. His knees began to shake.

'You killed Hermione?' Harry stared at him, horrified and dumbfounded.

Ron bit his lip, trying to steady his voice. 'Yes,' he said finally. 'And I'm not proud of it. I miss her every moment of every day... and there's nothing I can do about it!' His trembling knees gave way and he fell to the floor, burying his face into his hands.

'Ron, what is it you want?' Harry asked in a softer, wearier tone. Ron lifted his head in surprise. Harry stood in front of him, offering him a hand. Ron stared at him in silence. There was a mixture of sadness and hate in Harry's eyes, yet Ron knew that something in Harry still trusted him. Ron took Harry's proffered hand and climbed to his feet.

'I want to help you escape.'

* * *

Spying the secret entrance he was looking for, Ron motioned for Harry to move forward. Harry looked around tentatively before adhering to the gesture, creeping up behind him. Ron opened the entrance with a tap of his wand. Darkness welcomed them from inside the entrance of the revealed tunnel.

'Go Harry, quickly!' Ron urged, pushing Harry ahead of him. But before Harry disappeared into the darkness, he turned around to face him.

'Why are you doing this, Ron?'

The question took Ron aback. He paused for a moment, hesitating before he spoke. 'I - I just want to do something right.' He paused again, unsure of how to articulate the storm of his thoughts coherently. Harry watched him intently. Ron opened his mouth once more, but the look in Harry's eyes stopped him. Harry understood. Ron felt a surge of love for his former best friend.

'Harry, I...' What could he say? A simple apology was too... clear cut for the horrors he had caused. 'I wish things were different.'

'So do I, Ron,' Harry answered sadly. 'So do I.' With that, Harry turned and vanished into the shadows.

Ron breathed a sigh of relief as he closed the tunnel behind Harry and turned to walk back to his quarters, unable to stop himself from grinning. He felt lighter; freer somehow. He rounded the next corner... and froze, suddenly facing five evilly smirking Death Eaters led by Draco Malfoy, their brandished wands all pointed at him.

Caught.