Mnemosyne's Legacy

Chapter 6: Ron's Last Stand

'So, what have you been up to, Weasley?' Malfoy asked mock-innocently, his smirk widening. 'Busy little bee, aren't we?' Ron stood frozen in astonishment, too shocked retaliate. Malfoy took the opportunity to step forward and snatch his wand from him. Ron didn't move, his mouth open in utter disbelief. Pleased with the affect of his presence on Ron, Malfoy turned to his henchmen.

'You three,' he ordered, pointing to three of his horde, 'after Potter.'

Ron sighed inwardly as he watched the Death Eaters go after Harry, dread slowly eating at him. Harry will get out of here. Harry will be free, he willed himself to believe, despite his rapidly mounting doubt.

'Come with me, Weasley. The Master is most displeased with you.' Malfoy's smile grew sugar sweet.

I'm done for, Ron realised as he trudged, defeated, after him. He had no choice but to follow.

* * *

'Get in there!' Malfoy ordered forcefully, pushing Ron through the door of Voldemort's chamber. He laughed nastily as Ron tripped on a stone slab just inside the entrance. Stepping around him, Malfoy strode forward and bowed to Voldemort, who was flanked by his inner circle of Death Eaters in the centre of the room.

'I have found the traitor, Master,' he announced respectfully. 'Potter has escaped, but I have sent my best men to find him. He will be found, my Lord.' Malfoy bowed again, as Ron was brought forward.

'Very good, Malfoy,' Voldemort nodded, approvingly. He turned to Ron. 'Weasley, I am very, very disappointed,' Voldemort chided in a tone shrouded in malevolence. 'I expected more from you.'

Ron stood in defiant silence. He knew that nothing he could say would change anything.

'Quiet?' Voldemort seemed surprised, obviously assuming that Ron would begin pleading for his life. 'No pleas for mercy? No tears? My, Weasley, you are a brave one. Brave, and undoubtedly foolish.'

Ron's eyes flashed in anger, but he forced himself to hold his tongue. He clenched his fists, trembling slightly.

'I never accounted for that Mudblood girlfriend of yours to have had such an effect on you,' Voldemort continued venomously.

'Don't you dare call her that filthy name!' Ron seethed, his body now shaking uncontrollably.

'And why not, may I ask?' Voldemort gazed at him cruelly as if taunting him to continue. There was a dangerous look in his eyes, but Ron answered nonetheless.

'Hermione was the most beautiful person I have ever known, and I loved her with all my heart. She was smart... no, not smart...' Ron searched for the right words. 'She was... intelligent. Intelligent and funny, but she... she never managed to beat me playing chess,' he rambled. He realised the longer he talked, the longer he lived. 'She was the cleverest witch in our year, and being Muggle-born never changed that - if anything, it made her stronger! And it was her love for me that broke that spell I was under all that time. So in the end, she was stronger than you'll ever be!'

There was a stunned silence. Ron briefly wondered whether he'd gone too far, before Voldemort broke in with a nasty high-pitched chuckle.

'Oh, how sweet,' Voldemort cooed to his followers, 'Weasley is lovesick.' The Death Eaters sniggered amongst themselves. Voldemort silenced them a moment later with a wave, growing sombre. 'She was a Mudblood,' he said tersely. 'I have warned you before, Weasley, of the charms Mudbloods are able to hold over us, but you dared disregard my words.' Voldemort's eyes flashed dangerously. 'And for this, as well as your pitiful defiance, you will suffer.' He raised his wand, 'Crucio!'

Ron gasped as pain like he had never felt before flooded through him. He gasped again, it moved swiftly into every region of his body. He fell, writhing on the floor, trying to suppress a scream. Oddly, his mind was clear. This is what Hermione would have felt, he realised, before the red-hot pain finally overtook all conscious thought. He screamed in agony.

Suddenly, the pain stopped. Opening his eyes, he saw that Voldemort held his wand at his side. Ron crawled to his knees, looking up at Voldemort with pure hatred.

'You made me kill my sister!' he panted hoarsely, his voice filled with loathing. 'You made me kill the only girl I have ever loved! I just helped your worst enemy escape - and I would help him again if I had to! Just kill me and get it over and done with,' Ron spat with surprising nerve. He didn't care anymore, he was worn out. He thought of nothing more than finally being reunited with Hermione. He smiled inwardly at the thought of her. He knew his outburst would not exact an ounce of mercy from Voldemort. He was right.

'Crucio!' Voldemort cursed cruelly. Once again, Ron screamed as red-hot knives of pain spread across to every inch of his body. He cried. He cried for Hermione, for Ginny, for Harry, and for himself and the way things should have been.

'Oh no, Weasley,' Voldemort said smoothly, lowering his wand, 'I have a very special punishment for you.' Voldemort grinned sadistically. The blast of malice behind it shook Ron to the core, but he held himself together, roughly wiping away his tears. 'You would like to see your friends again, wouldn't you?' Voldemort pressed callously. As the significance of the words finally dawned on him, Ron stared at Voldemort, open mouthed. Was he going reunite him with Hermione?

Voldemort raised his wand and aimed it at Ron's heart.

'OBLIVIATE!'

~*~ The End ~*~