𝙛𝙤𝙤𝙡𝙨 (𝖽𝗋𝖺𝖼𝗈 𝗆𝖺𝗅𝖿𝗈𝗒 𝗑 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽𝖾𝗋)

chapter forty-three

Just after setting up the tent in a new part of the forest for the fourth time in two weeks, Ron shoved past Harry and I while we celebrated how little time it had taken us to finish.

"Come on," Ron said grumpily. "Dinner."

We followed him into the tent, marvelling at how large it was on the inside despite its small appearance. I helped set the table and we sat down.

Slytherin's locket bounced against Ron's chest as he took a seat. He didn't bother to hide how angry he was.

Hermione and Harry began talking about the Horcruxes.

"We should go after Hufflepuff's cup next," Hermione suggested.

"Well, where do you think You-Know-Who could've hidden it?" asked Harry. It took me a minute to remember the taboo on Voldemort's name.

"Ron?" Hermione said, looking at the ginger.

"Remembered me, have you?" Ron said, frowning.

"What?"

"You two carry on," he said coldly. "Don't let me spoil all the fun."

"What's the problem?"

"Problem? There's no problem," said Ron, staring down at this hands, "not according to you, anyway."

A light sound told me that it had started raining outside; perfect weather for the mood.

"Well, you've obviously got a problem," I said, standing up. "Spit it out, would you?"

"Fine, I'll spit it out," Ron growled. "Don't expect me to skip up and down the tent because there's another damn thing we need to find. Just add it to the list of stuff you don't know."

"We don't know?" repeated Harry. "We don't know?"

"It's not like I'm not having the time of my life here," said Ron, scowling, "you know, with my arm mangled and nothing to eat and freezing my backside off every night. I just hoped, you know, after we'd been running around a few weeks, we'd have achieved something."

"Ron," Hermione said quietly.

"I thought you knew what you'd signed up for," I said defensively.

"Yeah, I thought I did too."

"So, what part of it isn't like up to your expectations?" Harry asked. "Did you think we'd be staying in five-star hotels? Finding a Horcrux every other day? Think you'd be back to Mummy by Christmas?"

"I thought you knew what you were doing!" shouted Ron, standing up. "I thought you had a real plan!"

"Ron!" Hermione shouted. Ron ignored her.

"Well, sorry to let you down," Harry said, voice hollow. "I've been straight with you from the start. I told you everything Dumbledore told me. And in case you haven't noticed, we've found one Horcrux--"

"We're about as near getting rid of it as we are finding them! In other words, nowhere near!"

"Take off the locket, Ron," I said, trying to calm down. "Please take it off. You wouldn't be talking like this if you hadn't been wearing it all day."

"Yeah, he would," said Harry, his patience gone. "D'you think we haven't noticed you three whispering behind our backs? D'you think I didn't guess you were thinking this stuff?"

"Harry," said Hermione, her voice oddly high, "we haven't--"

"Don't lie!" Ron yelled. "You said it too, you said you were disappointed--"