Skinny Love - Ron Weasley

Chapter 4

Ron holds onto Alex's hand tightly as they get apparated to Hogsmede, a loud alarm makes them jump as people begin to fill the streets shouting for Harry Potter.

"In here, Potter. Come on, move!"

They run into a house and Harry quickly turns to his friends with raised brows, "Did you look at him?" Ron asks, "For a second I thought that was..."

"I know. Dumbledore." Hermione whispers back to him.

Hermione walks into the room further, a picture of a young girl stares back at her as she wanders the room, "Harry?" She questions stopping in front of a broken mirror, "I can see you in this."

"Bloody fools, what are you thinking coming here? Have you any idea how dangerous it is?" The mysterious man says coming back into the room.

"You're Aberforth, Dumbledore's brother. It's you who I've been seeing in here. You're the one who sent Dobby." Harry says.

The man nods moving past Ron and Alex further into the room, "Where've you left him?"

"He's dead."

The man sighs and raises his brows in acknowledgment, "Sorry to hear it. I liked that elf."

"Who gave that to you? The mirror?" Alex asks.

"Mundungus Fletcher, about a year ago."

"Dung had no right selling that to you," She says angrily walking towards him with a finger raised, "It belongs to..."

"Sirius..." He finishes for her trailing off as he finally takes her in, she looks like her father, the same wild glint in her eyes and the same messy black hair, "Albus told me. He also told me you'd likely be hacked off if you ever found that I had it. But, ask yourself; Where would you be if I didn't?"

Aberforth brings in a plate of food, instantly Ron and Alex fill their mouths while Hermione grabs a drink, "Do you hear from the others much? From the Order?"

He shakes his head, "The Order has finished. You-Know-Who has won, anyone who says otherwise is killing themselves."

"We need to get into Hogwarts, tonight. Dumbledore gave us a job to do."

"Did he now..." Aberforth asks, "Nice job? Easy?"

"We've been hunting Horcruxes. We think the last one's inside the castle. But we'll need your help getting in."

"That job my brother has given you, it's a suicide mission. Do yourself a favour, boy. Go home! Live a little longer."

Ron and Alex exchange a sideways glance the pair of them raising their brows in sync, "Dumbledore trusted me to see this through."

"What makes you think you can trust him? What makes you think you can believe anything my brother told you? And in all the time you knew him... Did he ever mention my name? Did he ever mentioned hers?" He points towards the picture of the girl.

"Why should he..."

"Keep secrets. You tell me?"

"I trusted him." Harry says firmly while the other three continue to look between them, Hermione sipping quietly on her drink while Alex and Ron slowly chew on their food.

Aberforth walks forward slowly, "A boy goes chasing Horcruxes is on the word of a man who wouldn't even tell him where to start. You're lying. Not just on me, it doesn't matter. To yourself as well. That's what a fool does. You don't strike me as a fool, Harry Potter! So, I ask you again, there must be a reason."

"I'm not interested in what happened between you and your brother. I don't care that you've given up. I trusted the man I knew. We need to get into the castle tonight."

Aberforth sighs turning to the portrait he shoos her away, "You know what to do."

"Where have you sent her?" Alex asks tilting her head in curiosity as the young girl leaves the portrait.

"You'll see. Soon enough."

"That's your sister, Ariana. Isn't it? She died very young, didn't she?" Hermione questions.

He sighs nodding his head sadly, "My brother sacrificed many things, Mr. Potter. On his journey to find power. Including Ariana. And she was devoted to him. He gave her everything. But time."

Alex smiles at him as he goes to turn away as Hermione says, "Thank you, Mr. Dumbledore."

"He did save our lives twice," She defends herself as she looks at the looks the boys are giving them, "Kept an eye on us on that mirror."

She looks around before leaning in closer to whisper, "That doesn't seem like someone who's given up."

"She's coming back." Alex says gaining their attention.

"What's that with her?"

They steps back as the portrait slowly opens revealing a familiar boy standing there with a grin, "Neville!"

Alex laughs slightly giving him a quick hug and then stepping back as Hermione does too, "Wow, you look..."

"Like hell, I reckon. But this is nothing. Seamus is worse. Hey, Ab!" He yells for the man's attention, "We've got a couple more coming through."