When You're Strange: Never Forget {Harry Potter}

Ron's P.O.V

I walked closely beside Harry, or at least, who I hoped was Harry. We made sure not to let Dumbledore out of our sight.

"Ron, are you okay?" Hermione's voice comes out of a very tall and slender woman's mouth. I turn around and give her my pathetic excuse for a smile. That's all I can muster up these days. She continues to grip onto Aaron's hand.

Those two drive me mad. They're on and off again, every day. Ever since that night in the field, they've become some-what romantically involved. Hermione blushes like mad, and changes the subject whenever anyone brings it up. But, they're crazy for each other, that much I can tell.

"Look, in there," Harry whispers to me.

We watch Dumbledore go through a door at the end of the hall. We try to stay at a constant pace. I feel myself starting to rush over to the doors, but Harry holds me back by the sleeve of my shirt.

"Excuse me, is this the room that the trial for Alice Rhowen is being held?" Harry asks someone that is heading into the same room.

"Is that the dirty Death Eater's name?" The man grumbles, "Yes, her trial is being held here," He answers, filing in before us.

I ball my hands into a fist, and I scramble to fetch my wand from my pocket. Who is he calling dirty? He doesn't even know her.

"Ron," Hermione warns me, kicking me in the shin.

Harry pulls me by my sleeve, over towards where Dumbledore is seated. We take a seat right behind him, making sure we don't look too suspicious.

"Hey, there's your dad," Harry leans over and discreetly points to my father sitting across the room, amongst the other Ministry members.

My palms start to feel sweaty. If my dad found out I was sneaking out, under polyjuice potion, to go to this trial, he'd kill me. He already made me promise I wouldn't involve myself with Alice's case. But, he should have known better.

"Her-" I start to whisper, but I refrain from using our actual names, "Helen, are you sure this is going to last?" I whisper in her ear, pointing to my face.

I no longer have the bags under my eyes, or the messy hair. I look about twenty years older, and nearly a foot shorter. As much as I wanted Alice to see me, to assure her that I hadn't forgotten about her, there's no way the Ministry, or my father, would let us in.

"Yes, don't worry." She hisses back, folding her arms, offended that I doubted her abilities.

I just rub my eyes and tap my foot impatiently. Harry looks at me, clearly irritated.

"Sorry, mate. I just- I'm a little anxious," I apologize.

Harry pats my arm and gives me a reassuring smile. Scattered around the room, I see other members of the Order. I see Moody, and Tonks; although Tonks barely looks like herself. They sit next to each other, watching Dumbledore as well. Moody gave us a strange look, but he didn't seem to be too suspicious.

"Case #89B, Criminal Alice Rhowen approaching now!" Someone shouts, pushing a button. In the center of the courtroom, the floor drops open, to reveal a large hole.

I strain in my seat to see. Hermione holds the back of my shirt tightly. She gives Harry an exasperated glance. Harry just rolls his eyes as I adjust my tie and jacket.

Then, we see a cage emerging from the hole. Hermione gasps as the air from my lungs is whisked away. I thought I was looking bad lately, Alice looks... terrible. My chest actually aches in pain.

She wears a black and white striped dress that hangs off of her bony physique. She winces beneath the dimly lit room, clearly not seeing light in a long time.