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Chapter 731: Do You Dare to Come Back?!!
Harry wanted to go forward and help, but he restrained himself. Because what Ron was facing was not only Darren's voice, but also Hermione's voice and his own—voices filled with doubt, resentment, and contempt. Ron fell to his knees in pain, his whole body trembling violently.
For a moment, Harry thought he wouldn't be able to overcome it. But suddenly, Ron let out a hoarse shout, raised the sword with both hands, and drove it straight into the locket.
A sharp, piercing scream echoed through the air. The smoke, along with the illusions of Darren, Hermione, and Harry, shattered and disappeared completely. Everything returned to silence.
Harry bent down and picked up the locket. As expected, it had become an ordinary piece of jewelry, completely devoid of the dark magic it once carried.
He reached out and pulled Ron to his feet, his voice low. "I thought you wouldn't be able to stab it."
Ron gave a weak, exhausted smile. "At first, I really couldn't. When I was wearing that thing, everything it said felt real. All the jealousy I've ever had… all of it came out. But…" He paused, breathing unevenly, before continuing, "I know you. I know Darren. Darren has always cared about me. I still remember the Firebolt he gave me… even though he didn't have money back then, he still saved up and bought it for me.
If I were really someone he despised, I don't think I would've ever received something like that. And you…" Ron looked at Harry, his voice steadier now. "We've been together for so many years. I know who you are."
Harry suddenly stepped forward and punched him hard across the face. "You know that?!" he snapped angrily. "None of us have ever looked down on you! We've always treated you as our best friend! And Darren—he treats you like a brother too! Why do you think he's always so good to you?"
Ron's eyes turned red. He quickly turned his head away and wiped his nose roughly. Harry grabbed him by the arm and pulled him back. "After you left, Hermione and I were both miserable for a long time. We really do care about you."
Ron nodded vigorously. "I know… I was selfish… I must have been a complete—"
"That's enough," Harry interrupted. "You saved my life tonight, and you destroyed the Horcrux. That's more than enough to make up for it."
Ron laughed awkwardly, a little embarrassed. "So… I guess the next thing we need to do is find the tent."
It didn't take long for them to find it. Inside, Hermione was still awake, reading Hogwarts: A History. The moment she saw Ron, she jumped up instantly and pointed her wand at him. "You still dare to come back?!" she shouted angrily.
Harry quickly stepped in front of Ron and explained everything that had just happened—the river, the Horcrux, the sword, and how Ron had saved him.
Hermione's expression softened slightly, though she still didn't lower her wand immediately. Then her attention shifted to the sword in Harry's hand. She snatched it up, her eyes lighting with excitement. "It's the Sword of Gryffindor! Harry, you finally pulled it out!"
Her focus shifted completely, and she deliberately ignored Ron. Ron stood there awkwardly, giving a helpless smile. He had expected this. Harry tried to bring her attention back. "Hermione, Ron—"
But Hermione cut him off sharply. "He just left like that! We said we were friends—what about him? He left without a word! Do you know what could have happened to us? If anything had gone wrong, we could have died!"
Ron hurriedly stepped forward. "No! I knew you weren't dead!"
Hermione froze slightly, and Ron quickly continued, "When I Disapparated, I ran into a group of Snatchers. They caught me, and I couldn't get away. I had to pretend I was someone else.
They believed me, but they still wanted to take me to the Ministry for identification. I acted compliant, then grabbed my wand back and took another one, and escaped. But when I came back, you were gone. I couldn't find you anywhere… so I went home."
His voice softened. "I missed you. A lot. Then one day, I heard Harry's voice. At first, I thought it was the radio, but it wasn't… it was you. That night, I even heard you talking to Darren. You were asking him what life was like at Hogwarts."
Harry and Hermione exchanged a glance, but Ron didn't pause. "Then I remembered the Deluminator. I pressed it, and a ball of light appeared.
It floated in front of me, like a Portkey. I knew immediately what to do. I followed it… and it went straight into my chest. It was hot, and I suddenly knew where you were. The first time I Apparated, I ended up in a snowy place."
Harry nodded slightly. "We stayed there for two nights, but I accidentally said Voldemort's name again, and there was too much movement outside, so we had to leave."
Ron scratched his head awkwardly. "That might have been partly my fault too. Your protective spells were strong—I knew you were nearby.
I hid in the tent and waited, thinking you'd come back sooner or later. But after two days, you still didn't show up, so I used the Deluminator again. The light appeared again, and this time it led me here. I followed it… and today, I saw Harry fall into the river."
He finished speaking and looked at Hermione carefully. Hermione snorted and turned her head away, clearly still angry, but her attitude had softened noticeably. At the very least, she was no longer pointing her wand at him.
Harry took the opportunity to ask, "You said you took a wand from the Snatchers?"
Ron nodded. "Yeah, I thought it might be useful, so I brought it." He took out a short, black wand and handed it over.
"Can I borrow it?" Harry asked.
"Of course—but what about your wand?"
"Broken," Harry replied simply, showing it to him.
Ron's eyes widened in shock. "Seriously?"
"Yes. Darren gave me his wand, but I can't keep using it. It's too powerful for me."
Harry took the black wand and let out a soft sigh.
The next morning, Hermione had mostly calmed down. Although her tone was still a bit cold, she allowed Ron to eat with them again.
Ron visibly relaxed. While Hermione was away, he asked Harry about everything that had happened. When he heard about their experience in Godric's Hollow, he was completely shocked.
In the end, after they finished exchanging everything, Ron sighed. "At least Darren is still helping us. He's really done a lot… and Dumbledore… maybe he knew. He probably knew I would leave."
Harry shook his head. "No. Believe in yourself. Dumbledore believed you would come back. He believed you'd want to stay with us."