Disclaimer: Still don't own it.
Thoughts
Harry stood rooted to the spot, Hermione's question ringing through his head. Where's Ron?
He thought back to running from the manor, that flash of green…did it hit Ron? He shook his head, No! It couldn't have. He was holding onto the Portkey. He felt tears burning his eyes. He…had to make it.
The sound of feet rushing towards them was enough to shake him free of his stupor. Arms wrapped around him and he faintly recognized it as Lupin who was hugging him.
"Thank heavens you're back! We were so worried about you three."
Harry looked up at the man's face. Spots appeared in his eyes.
"Can't…breath." He mumbled before darkness consumed him.
---
Harry groaned as he opened his eyes. His head was throbbing as he sat up. He heard the door open and turned towards it. Mrs. Weasley came flying in, gripping him in a tight hug.
"Oh Harry, thank goodness you're back. Hermione has been crying since you returned." She pulled away slightly and looked into his eyes. Harry wanted to look away, knowing what she would ask next. "Harry, was Ronald with you?"
How am I supposed to answer that? 'Yes he was Mrs. Weasley, but I think he may have been hit with the killing curse'?
Harry looked away and nodded. Mrs. Weasley's grip on his shoulders tightened, Harry looked back to a sight he had never wanted to see, the haunted gaze of a mother's tear-filled eyes.
"What happened, Harry? Please, I need to know."
"I don't know, Mrs. Weasley. He was in the cell with Hermione and me, they had tortured us all, but his leg was hurt. We had to run…" Harry broke off trying to fight back tears. "He…Hermione was holding his hand; he should have made it…" His voice broke; he cleared his throat. "Someone cast the killing curse…I didn't think…"
Mrs. Weasley stopped him with a shake of her head. Her grip loosened a bit more, making Harry fight the urge to step away.
"I'm sorry."
Mrs. Weasley looked up at him. Her hazel eyes, red a puffy, held anger as they focused on him. Harry had never faced anything that made him feel worse. Mrs. Weasley gave him a hard shake.
"Don't, don't you be sorry, Harry. We all know what happens in war. Ronald made his decision, and if…if he is…then he's gone."
Harry felt tears stinging his eyes; he moved to wipe them when Mrs. Weasley pulled him into another hug.
"I could never have asked a better friend for my boy, Harry. Know this: if he had to go so young, then I can think of no better way than helping you."
Harry felt his tears running down his cheeks, he grabbed Mrs. Weasley, hugging her with all his strength and sobbed onto her shoulder, repeatedly muttering apologies until he fell asleep, head resting on her shoulder as they sat on his bed.
---
The next few days seemed to go by in a haze. Harry replaying every moment, hoping to find some way Ron was just left behind. But every time he reached the flash of green light, he just shook the thought from his head.
Three days after their return he and Hermione were sitting in the living room, the Order was in the kitchen, while Ginny stayed up in her room.
"Harry, how did you get the Portkey?" Hermione questioned her voice rough from days of crying and lack of talking.
Harry looked up at Hermione; he knew what it would mean to tell her. And he knew she would never forgive him. He steeled himself, he did not want to lie, but he couldn't tell the truth.
"One of the spies in the Order managed to sneak it down when you were asleep."
She nodded and turned to the fireplace. Harry sighed and leaned his head against the back of the couch. His eyes narrowed as he remembered something.
Excusing himself, he moved to his room and grabbed the sack Draco had given him in the cell. He rifled through it until he found the Portkey.
Finding the envelope, he pulled it out, letting confusion mar his face at the weight. He opened it to find a small mirror; he set it aside and unfolded the parchment.
'Potter-
I hope the plan worked and the three of you are safely back with the Order. The Death Eaters are planning an attack against the muggle world.
Give the mirror to one of the Order; it's two-way so I will keep my own open during the gatherings. That way the information is quick and most likely accurate.
-DM'
Harry folded the parchment and turned to the mirror. A bitter feeling swept through him. Sirius gave me something like this. He grabbed the mirror and thought of Draco, immediately a swirling mist entered the glass. He raised an eyebrow and uncertainly spoke.
"Um…Malfoy?"
An image formed in the mist, Draco's face appeared.
"Potter? Finally, I was wondering when you would finally read that. You're running out of time to stop the atta-."
"Listen Malfoy, I need you to tell me what happened to Ron."
Malfoy shifted uneasily, before looking away from the mirror.
"They…brought him back from the forest. His ankle is in bad shape so they weren't afraid of him escaping; apparently, he lost hold of the Portkey. I…managed to convince them you and Granger ganged up on me in the dark. I believe You-Know-Who may have been suspicious…but he let me stay."
"Malfoy…what have they done to Ron?"
"They're holding him. I heard they intend to execute him as soon as they know you're watching."
"So…he wasn't hit?"
He watched Draco shake his head and released a stale breath, one he seemed to have held since the day they returned to the Burrow.
"Thank you, I'll give the mirror to Lupin, you can tell him what you know."
He stood before receiving concurrence from Draco, walking from the room moving quicker than he had since the escape. He reached the stairs, racing down three steps at a time.
He reached the kitchen, throwing the door open with a resounding slam against the wall. Seven pairs of eyes turned to face him. He winced at the sound of china breaking, the force of the door having knocked them from their already precarious perches, as he tried to catch his breath.
He opened his eyes, staring at Arthur and Molly Weasley as a grin broke out on his face.
"Ron's…alive."
The confused looks broke into two sets: joyful and quizzical.
The four Weasleys present stared at him for a moment before turning to each other. Wide smiles filled their faces. They quickly excused themselves, leaving the room to inform the remaining four of this turn in events.
Harry watched them leave before turning back to the other three occupants. Remus, Tonks, and Hermione.
He watched Hermione sit there stunned, an unreadable look on her face before she burst into tears. Tonks moved beside the girl, comforting her as she led her from the kitchen. Harry watched, utterly confused. Isn't she happy he's alive?
A hand fell on his shoulder, sufficiently diverting his attention to the only remaining person.
"Lupin, what's wrong with Hermione?"
"She'll be fine. Now, how do you know about Ron?"
Harry looked away, fiddling with the mirror in his hand before he answered.
"I…have a contact within the Death Eaters. I didn't know they had given me this until a few minutes ago."
Harry held out the mirror, waiting for Lupin to take it. The older man looked skeptically at the mirror before taking and inspecting it.
"Harry, you know this contact may be lying to you."
Harry shook his head, his jaw tightening at the thought that he had been lied to.
"No. It's the truth." Harry stepped away. He nodded his head toward the mirror, "Keep it with you, you should get all the information directly from their meetings."
He turned away and walked out of the kitchen. He passed the living room, seven redheads rejoicing, and let a smile slip. He trudged up the stairs, failing to remember the overly creaky stair near the bottom. He sighed as shouts came from the late Mrs. Black's portrait. He brandished his wand shooting a quietus towards the annoying painting. He relished in the silence for a moment before continuing his journey upward.
He passed Hermione's room, hearing her sobs and Tonks's words of comfort he decided not to enter. He reached the door to his room and walked inside.
He moved slowly, feet dragging as he walked. He collapsed on his bed and let out a heavy sigh.
Days of exhaustion descended on him and he drifted into sleep. One last thought running through his mind: Ron is alive.
So, I fail miserably at updating. I got busy and lost all motivation to write this chapter. So, to fix it, I had to change my original storyline. Sorry it's late...and short. But I really needed to get past this chapter to do something productive.
I do hope you enjoyed it though. Have a good week!