Skinny Love - Ron Weasley

Chapter 8

Ron shushes Alex and she raises a brow but obeys and stops talking he drags her down as Hermione and Harry crouch and listens to the two people talking on the other side of the wall.

"You have performed extra-ordinary magic with this wand, My Lord, in the last few hours alone." They hear the voice of Snape.

Alex goes to get up but Ron catches her wrist and brings her back down quickly.

"No! No! I am extra-ordinary. But the wand resists me."

"There is no wand more powerful. Ollivander himself has said it. Tonight, when the boy comes. It will not fail you, I am sure It answers to you, and you only."

"Does it?" Voldemort questions.

"My Lord?"

There's a silence for a minute that drags over the room as the only sound is the slithering of Nagini, "The wand, does it truly answer to me? You're a clever man, Severus. Surely you must know... Where does its true loyalty lie?"

"With you..." Snape answers with clear confusion, "Of course, My Lord."

"The Elder Wand cannot serve me properly, because I am not its true master. The Elder Wand belongs to the wizard who killed its last owner. You killed Dumbledore, Severus."

Alex's eyes widen and she looks at all of her friends who are thinking the exact same thing, "While you live, the Elder Wand cannot truly be mine. You've been a good and faithful servant, Severus. But only I can live forever."

"My Lord..."

There's a thud and a shadow falls back against the wall making them all flinch, "Nagini, kill!"

Alex yelps quietly making Ron pull her into him and shush her quietly. As the Snake continues to pounce at its prey on the other side of the thin wall she closes her eyes.

Ron turns her head away, burying it into the crook of his neck as she clutches his shirt listening to the continuous thuds.

Finally it stops and the sound of the Dark Lord Apparating away is the last sound before a deafening silence takes over.

Harry is the first to move, he slowly walks inside, the others following after just like they always do, he spots Snape laying against the wall his breathing uneven and slow.

Harry crouches down beside him placing a hand against the wound on his neck to try and stop the bleeding, "Take it..." Snape mutters.

"Take it, please..."

Harry turns to his friends, "Give me something! Quickly, a flask. Anything!"

Hermione quickly grabs a small flask out of her bag, handing it over to Harry for him to collect their old teacher's tears, "Take them to the Pensieve," Harry nods pocketing the vile, "Look at me...You have your mother's eyes."

The Quartet barley get to react to the death as a voice fills their heads, "You've fought valiantly, but in vain... I do not wish this. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a terrible waste. I therefore command my forces to retreat...In their absence, dispose your dead with dignity, Harry Potter, I now speak directly to you.

"On this night, you have allowed your friends to die for you, rather than face me yourself. There is no greater dishonour. Join me in the Forbidden Forrest ...and confront your fate. If you do not do this, I shall kill every last man, woman and child who tries to conceal you from me."

Alex looks over to Harry and shakes her head at him but he is already walking towards the Castle with quick steps.

They arrive to where the battle had been taking pace all of the looking around, "Where's everybody?"

Alex's eyes widen when she sees the red headed family, "Ron." She whispers quietly and he follows her line of sight.

He lets out a sob and runs towards his brother, George cries out as he wraps his arms around him, Ron falls to the floor and clutches Fred's jacket pulling him close to him.

Alex's hand flies to her mouth and she stumbles back as she sees Remus and Tonks. Their hands are reaching towards each other, one last effort to hold onto each other.

She slowly kneels beside them and interlaces their hands together as a tear falls down her cheek, "I'm sorry."

~~~~~

Ron, Alex and Hermione sit on the stairs, waiting for Harry. Ron sits with his head on Alex's shoulder, dried tears still on his face as she combs a hand through his dirty hair while he plays with the rings on her fingers.

"He'll be safe up there, Ron," She whispers pressing her lips against his forehead, he stops spinning the ring on her middle finger for a moment to listen, "Dad'll look after him for you, bet he's pranking some poor old woman with him right now."

Ron nods ever so slightly before going back to spinning the ring around her finger finally stopping when they hear footsteps.

"Where've you been? I thought you went to the forest."

"I'm going there now."

"Are you mad?"

Harry shakes his head finally stopping as they follow after him, "No..."

"You can't give yourself up to him," Hermione steps closer sensing he knows something else, "What is it, Harry? What is it you know?"

"There is a reason I can hear them. The Horcruxes. I think I've known for a while. And I think you have, too."

Alex looks down at her feet, knowing her and Hermione's theory is right, the reason Harry survived is because he is a Horcrux himself, "I'll go with you." Hermione cries.

"No," Harry quickly shakes his head, "Kill the snake. Kill the snake, and it's just him!"

Alex launches herself forward wrapping her arms around his neck, he sighs, closing his eyes and he returns the hug, "Say hello to Dad for me, will you? Keep an eye on him, and tell him... tell him I love him, and if you see my-my Mum..."

He nods and pulls back as she sniffles quickly wiping away the tears that had fallen.

"Be safe, little sister."

"I'm older than you."

"Yeah, but I'm taller."