Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.
The triumvirate of power.
Gentle rain was falling over Hogsmeade, the small village was silent since it was still very early in the morning. No one moved; everyone still sleeping in their comfortable beds. A cat had been licking his paws when a shadow fell over the small animal, scaring it away. A tall form, dressed in a heavy, dark green cloak, watched around the silent streets, wondering how much time they had left before the dark forces started their attack. He had been keeping track of time, and he guessed they had barely a few more days of peace to go before all hell broke lose. The figure turned around lightly when the first door opened and a half-asleep man started to make his way to the small shop he owned. The wizard paid him no heed, and the figure simply turned away from him and took the way that would take him to his old school.
It took him about twenty minutes to reach Hogwarts' grounds, his footsteps were long and confident; he had long ago lost the awkwardness from youth. He stopped just outside the grounds; he could easily sense the ancient wards surrounding the building. They were powerful, very powerful, but they were starting to get worn around the edges, maybe with the help of his friends they may be able to strengthen them. Blinking, he returned his gaze to the castle standing in front of him, and he pushed the heavy fence open. He stepped inside the grounds, feeling the slight shift in the wards as they accepted his presence into the ancient school. Narrowing his eyes, he stopped for a short moment and smiled lightly. So this was how Dumbledore knew things: the wards seemed to be connected to him. He didn't understand how it was done, but he would have more than enough time to check it out later. Seeing the light in Hagrid's hut, he continued quickly towards the school. As much as he liked the half-giant, he didn't want to chat with him right now; he wanted to get out of the rain and into the warm castle.
The halls were empty when he finally entered the place. Not that he had expected otherwise. He remembered from his old school days that he had loved to sleep in, one of the many things he had had to give up to fulfil his training. Silently, he went into the Great Hall. Some of the teachers were already there, sipping their coffees absentmindedly. The only one to look up was Snape, that didn't surprise him; the man had always been extremely suspicious. The potions master narrowed his eyes when he saw the cloaked figure standing at the doors leading into the Great Hall. It seemed he was waiting for someone to acknowledge him. He stood up brusquely, attracting the others' attention.
"Who are you?"
The other teachers also turned to face him, and he slowly lowered the hood that had been concealing his face. Soft gasps ran thought the table, and the boy standing in front of them bowed his head lightly. "Professor Snape, Professors."
The dark-haired man pressed his lips tightly together. "Mister Weasley, to what do we owe this unexpected visit?"
The youth looked at him calmly, ignoring the sharp voice the man had used. "Unexpected? I wouldn't call it that; after all, we did promised that when the time came we would be here to fight alongside you."
Many teachers paled at those words, as the door opened from the side of the hall and the headmaster strode in. His face was calm, but Ron's keen eyes detected a hint of worry and determination. "Welcome back, Mister Weasley, I assume the time for battle is coming closer?"
Ron nodded lightly. "Indeed, Headmaster."
The old man sighed and sat down. The other teachers did the same while Ron went to sit at the Gryffindor table, occupying one of the places closer to the door. Slowly, student started to walk into the large room. Many of them noticed the silent figure sitting at the Gryffindor table, enveloped in a heavy cloak, but they didn't mention anything.
The Hall was unnaturally quiet, and everyone entering knew that something unusual was happening. Some of the younger Gryffindor members were looking at Ron curiously while trying to think of something to say to the silent teen. Finally, they were spared the job of talking to him when a red-haired girl walked into the large room. She, as everyone else before her, looked around the strangely silent room. When she noticed the figure sitting at the Gryffindor table, she couldn't help but let out a startled gasp while rushing to him. Ron watched with something akin to amusement as his little sister jumped over the table and easily threw herself in his strong arms.
"Now, now, Ginny, I doubt your school mates are going to appreciate you throwing their breakfast all over the table."
The girl punched him on one shoulder while burying her head in the other. "You idiot! We've all been worried sick about you. Where have you been?"
Ron smiled slightly, cradling her on his lap. "That's a long story, Ginny, and since I know that at least Dumbledore wants an explanation, I'll be waiting until we're all together."
Ginny nodded in understanding, still reluctant to move from her place. "Have you owled Mum and Dad?"
Ron raised an eyebrow. "Gin, I just got back, I haven't had the chance to do anything yet."
The girl finally looked up from his shoulder and frowned at him. "Then what are you waiting for? They are going to want to know you're here!"
Ron rolled his eyes, but made no move to get up from his seat, not that that would have been an easy feat considering that Ginny was still sitting in his lap. Luckily for him, his answer was cut short when the sixth year Gryffindors joined them at the table. The red-haired boy looked up at them and easily saw the wariness they held in their eyes. Raising an eyebrow to his former fellow students, the teen smirked a bit. "Relax, it's not like I'm going to go berserker without a good reason."
While the other teenagers smiled back at him uncomfortably, Ginny slid from his lap and went to sit next to him. "I heard what happened, are you alright?"
Ron turned to her and nodded lightly. "I'm fine now; it was very hard for a while, knowing I didn't have Professor Villjé to turn to. But I... we managed." He pressed his lips together. "We didn't have much of a choice, something like that can never happen again; we could have hurt anyone there besides the Death Eaters."
Everyone stayed silent for a long while; most didn't even look towards the food standing in front of them, not feeling up to eating anything. When breakfast was getting to the end, Dumbledore stood up from his seat and smiled lightly to the students. "As I'm sure you all have noticed, Mr. Weasley has returned to the school after more than a years' absence. I, in name of the faculty, would like to welcome our old student back."
The teachers all raised their cups in greeting to the teen while most students followed their lead. Ron looked around the room, seeing the happy faces from the children attending the school. Seeing them so carefree and happy made him remember why he had gone through such a hard time. It made him think that all his suffering and perseverance were not in vain as long as he managed to protect them. No, Voldemort wouldn't stand a chance against them; he wasn't going to allow it.
He was roused a bit from his thoughts when he felt a warm touch gliding through his mind. 'You're not alone, Griffin, we're on our way.'
Smiling, the redhead stood up and followed Professor McGonagall out of the Great Hall and towards Dumbledore's office. No, he would never again be alone, his brother and sister would always be there, and now, the time was coming in which they would fight together once again, side by side.
To be continued...
A/N: Thanks for all the reviews you sent to Fate, and I hope you'll like this fic as much as you did the other two. This is going to be the last part of the series. Enjoy it.
Thanks to Vinnie for her wonderful betaing and to Leena for her ideas and support, thanks to her the French version is going to come out at the same time this one does, so anyone who prefers to read it in French should just search her fic out.
The triumvirate of power.
Gentle rain was falling over Hogsmeade, the small village was silent since it was still very early in the morning. No one moved; everyone still sleeping in their comfortable beds. A cat had been licking his paws when a shadow fell over the small animal, scaring it away. A tall form, dressed in a heavy, dark green cloak, watched around the silent streets, wondering how much time they had left before the dark forces started their attack. He had been keeping track of time, and he guessed they had barely a few more days of peace to go before all hell broke lose. The figure turned around lightly when the first door opened and a half-asleep man started to make his way to the small shop he owned. The wizard paid him no heed, and the figure simply turned away from him and took the way that would take him to his old school.
It took him about twenty minutes to reach Hogwarts' grounds, his footsteps were long and confident; he had long ago lost the awkwardness from youth. He stopped just outside the grounds; he could easily sense the ancient wards surrounding the building. They were powerful, very powerful, but they were starting to get worn around the edges, maybe with the help of his friends they may be able to strengthen them. Blinking, he returned his gaze to the castle standing in front of him, and he pushed the heavy fence open. He stepped inside the grounds, feeling the slight shift in the wards as they accepted his presence into the ancient school. Narrowing his eyes, he stopped for a short moment and smiled lightly. So this was how Dumbledore knew things: the wards seemed to be connected to him. He didn't understand how it was done, but he would have more than enough time to check it out later. Seeing the light in Hagrid's hut, he continued quickly towards the school. As much as he liked the half-giant, he didn't want to chat with him right now; he wanted to get out of the rain and into the warm castle.
The halls were empty when he finally entered the place. Not that he had expected otherwise. He remembered from his old school days that he had loved to sleep in, one of the many things he had had to give up to fulfil his training. Silently, he went into the Great Hall. Some of the teachers were already there, sipping their coffees absentmindedly. The only one to look up was Snape, that didn't surprise him; the man had always been extremely suspicious. The potions master narrowed his eyes when he saw the cloaked figure standing at the doors leading into the Great Hall. It seemed he was waiting for someone to acknowledge him. He stood up brusquely, attracting the others' attention.
"Who are you?"
The other teachers also turned to face him, and he slowly lowered the hood that had been concealing his face. Soft gasps ran thought the table, and the boy standing in front of them bowed his head lightly. "Professor Snape, Professors."
The dark-haired man pressed his lips tightly together. "Mister Weasley, to what do we owe this unexpected visit?"
The youth looked at him calmly, ignoring the sharp voice the man had used. "Unexpected? I wouldn't call it that; after all, we did promised that when the time came we would be here to fight alongside you."
Many teachers paled at those words, as the door opened from the side of the hall and the headmaster strode in. His face was calm, but Ron's keen eyes detected a hint of worry and determination. "Welcome back, Mister Weasley, I assume the time for battle is coming closer?"
Ron nodded lightly. "Indeed, Headmaster."
The old man sighed and sat down. The other teachers did the same while Ron went to sit at the Gryffindor table, occupying one of the places closer to the door. Slowly, student started to walk into the large room. Many of them noticed the silent figure sitting at the Gryffindor table, enveloped in a heavy cloak, but they didn't mention anything.
The Hall was unnaturally quiet, and everyone entering knew that something unusual was happening. Some of the younger Gryffindor members were looking at Ron curiously while trying to think of something to say to the silent teen. Finally, they were spared the job of talking to him when a red-haired girl walked into the large room. She, as everyone else before her, looked around the strangely silent room. When she noticed the figure sitting at the Gryffindor table, she couldn't help but let out a startled gasp while rushing to him. Ron watched with something akin to amusement as his little sister jumped over the table and easily threw herself in his strong arms.
"Now, now, Ginny, I doubt your school mates are going to appreciate you throwing their breakfast all over the table."
The girl punched him on one shoulder while burying her head in the other. "You idiot! We've all been worried sick about you. Where have you been?"
Ron smiled slightly, cradling her on his lap. "That's a long story, Ginny, and since I know that at least Dumbledore wants an explanation, I'll be waiting until we're all together."
Ginny nodded in understanding, still reluctant to move from her place. "Have you owled Mum and Dad?"
Ron raised an eyebrow. "Gin, I just got back, I haven't had the chance to do anything yet."
The girl finally looked up from his shoulder and frowned at him. "Then what are you waiting for? They are going to want to know you're here!"
Ron rolled his eyes, but made no move to get up from his seat, not that that would have been an easy feat considering that Ginny was still sitting in his lap. Luckily for him, his answer was cut short when the sixth year Gryffindors joined them at the table. The red-haired boy looked up at them and easily saw the wariness they held in their eyes. Raising an eyebrow to his former fellow students, the teen smirked a bit. "Relax, it's not like I'm going to go berserker without a good reason."
While the other teenagers smiled back at him uncomfortably, Ginny slid from his lap and went to sit next to him. "I heard what happened, are you alright?"
Ron turned to her and nodded lightly. "I'm fine now; it was very hard for a while, knowing I didn't have Professor Villjé to turn to. But I... we managed." He pressed his lips together. "We didn't have much of a choice, something like that can never happen again; we could have hurt anyone there besides the Death Eaters."
Everyone stayed silent for a long while; most didn't even look towards the food standing in front of them, not feeling up to eating anything. When breakfast was getting to the end, Dumbledore stood up from his seat and smiled lightly to the students. "As I'm sure you all have noticed, Mr. Weasley has returned to the school after more than a years' absence. I, in name of the faculty, would like to welcome our old student back."
The teachers all raised their cups in greeting to the teen while most students followed their lead. Ron looked around the room, seeing the happy faces from the children attending the school. Seeing them so carefree and happy made him remember why he had gone through such a hard time. It made him think that all his suffering and perseverance were not in vain as long as he managed to protect them. No, Voldemort wouldn't stand a chance against them; he wasn't going to allow it.
He was roused a bit from his thoughts when he felt a warm touch gliding through his mind. 'You're not alone, Griffin, we're on our way.'
Smiling, the redhead stood up and followed Professor McGonagall out of the Great Hall and towards Dumbledore's office. No, he would never again be alone, his brother and sister would always be there, and now, the time was coming in which they would fight together once again, side by side.
To be continued...
A/N: Thanks for all the reviews you sent to Fate, and I hope you'll like this fic as much as you did the other two. This is going to be the last part of the series. Enjoy it.
Thanks to Vinnie for her wonderful betaing and to Leena for her ideas and support, thanks to her the French version is going to come out at the same time this one does, so anyone who prefers to read it in French should just search her fic out.