invisible string! → ron weasley

iii. the chamber

⋆☆.* ✧✰ .✦⋆*☆

THEY WERE UP TO SOMETHING, that much Kates knew for certain. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had been huddled together in quiet conversation all year, and Kates figured it had to do with the Chamber of Secrets. When Hermione was petrified and Ginny was taken, she knew it was only a matter of time before, like the previous year, they took matters into their own hands.

So, being the good friend she was, she followed them.

Whilst no one stopped Harry and Ron as they left the common room that night, Kates could not in good conscience stand by and watch them do something completely stupid by themselves. Without Hermione's logic, she wouldn't be surprised if they got themselves killed. So, she followed them, completely unsure of what the rest of the night may bring...but, at least she was at the top of their class in Charms; perhaps she could be of some use if things got really dicey. She wanted to tell Seamus and Dean, but there was no time to spare. Well, she thought, they'd find out soon enough, one way or another.

Kates followed at a reasonable distance, just far enough to avoid being seen but close enough to keep track of them. As she moved, she thought about her willingness to jump into danger, but the more she thought about it the less concerned she grew. Her family history was steeped in blood purity and horrifying deeds, the least she could do was turn that around a little, right?

She waited just outside Lockhart's office as the two boys went inside. He was running away, which wasn't at all shocking (Kates hadn't fallen for his charm like so many others had), but she was rather surprised that he stole the stories of other wizards and witches. As he described, it took a lot of talent, and frankly she was surprised he was able to pull it off.

It was as Lockhart pulled his wand on them that Kates decided to make her presence known, bounding into the room with the intention of using the disarming charm on the professor. Harry, however, managed to do just that before she got the chance. Ron caught the wand and threw it out the open window.

"Nice job," she said, rather impressed, and all three gazes snapped to her. For a moment, they all silently gaped at her—even Lockhart.

"Have you been here this whole time?" Ron finally managed to get out, and Kates shrugged.

"Without Hermione around, you two were likely to do something completely foolish. I see I wasn't wrong." Harry nearly replied, but in the end turned back to Lockhart and ordered him to join them as they headed for...

"The Chamber of Secrets?!" Kates repeated, following them all out. "Are you mad?"

"I think they're quite mad—" began Lockhart, but Kates rolled her eyes and interrupted him.

"No one asked you," she snapped at him, and she was fairly certain Ron stifled a laugh.

"It's the only way to stop all this and get Ginny back," said Harry determinedly, getting them back on track. "You should go back to the common room—"

"First of all," she interrupted firmly, but not rudely, "I'm not letting you two out of my sight until this whole situation is over. Someone has to watch over the pair of you. And second of all, I won't just stand by when I could be helping to stop whatever dark force there is that's doing all this." It was the tone in which she said it that earned her a sympathetic glance from Ron and Harry both. She didn't speak much about her family, but they knew enough to understand why this was so important to her—which, she realized, it was. It wasn't just about helping them, it was about helping herself, too. Ron gave her a nod.