He opened his eyes, looking up at a vast blue sky. He could feel the prickly green grass underneath him, tickling his pale skin. The boy slowly sat up, his hand holding his throbbing head. He willed himself not to vomit.

“Where am I?� Ron Weasley muttered, resting his head on his hands.

He did not recognize the area around him, nor did he know what he had been doing there in the first place. Ron quickly spotted an old satchel on the ground next to him, one that he had used in school. It was covered with little rips and tears, and it was totally warn. He grabbed it and ripped it open, only to find an old history book, a map, and a device that looked like a time turner.

“A history book? I hated history!� Ron raged, throwing his hands up in the air. “How am I supposed to know were I am and what I’m doing with a bloody history book!�

He sighed, letting his hands sink back to the cushy grass. It was then that his hand found his wand.

“Well at least I have my wand,� Ron said, rolling his eyes. “Well, it’s not going to do me any good if I’ve turned into a nutter and I don’t know where I am. Oh and look, I’m talking to myself! They might as well throw me in St. Mungo’s!�

Ron grabbled his bag and stood up, making his way across the abandoned field.

“I bet this is all the twins’fault! They’re always doing stuff like this to me,� Ron contemplated, looking around but only seeing purple mountains ranging around him. “Brilliant!� Ron raged, shaking his head.

He sat down after a few minutes of walking, feeling dizzy.

“Well I might as well look through this blasted book. Maybe a bit of Hermione will rub off on me and I’ll remember what I’m doing!�

He opened the book, and found that it was Hermione’s.

“Of course,� Ron muttered sarcastically, shaking his head. “But where is Hermione? Or Harry? I’d be damned if I knew, then I would be sitting here talking to myself!� he spat, angry with himself.

He turned the page of the book, and saw a piece of parchment on top of the first page. He slowly unfolded it only to find his own scratchy handwriting.

They’re in the woods. A few miles downstream from where I left them. Tell Hermione and Harry about the Deluminator at Shell Cottage. They’re not dead. Follow their path.

It suddenly hit Ron; he had been looking for his two best friends who he had left a few weeks ago. He had stormed out on them, angry because they hadn‘t gotten anywhere in their quest to defeat Voldemort.

“I’ve go to find her,� Ron said, determination setting in his blue eyes. He slowly stood up again and trudged across the field and towards the woods. He would find her…

He walked down the steep grassy slope, his eyes set on the purple mountains in front of him. He was on a mission he couldn’t give up. The gangly looking redhead had to find his best friends before it was too late.

“I’m coming,� Ron kept muttering under his breath.

However, instead walking into the woods, Ron found himself in the midst of a small renaissance looking town. He raised a brow at this odd scene in front of him, his stomach let out a loud rumble.

“Maybe I could just stop to get something to eat,� he shrugged, placing a hand on his stomach. He always seemed to be hungry.

He slowly walked towards the town, an uneasy feeling coming over him. Something wasn’t right. The people around him were dressed in old-fashioned robes, ones he had only seen in pictures of his family.

“What are these nutters wearing?� he muttered to himself with a look of disgust on his face. He was slowly making his way through a crowd that he didn’t fit in with. “They must have all gone mental! We’re not in the--�

It suddenly hit him, his mind flashing back to when he first woke up on the grassy hill. He had been carrying at Time-Turner! But why had he come back to this point in time?
Ron searched his brain, trying to think of why he had been carrying a Time-Turner.

“I was trying to go back to the night I left!� Ron burst out loud, causing people to turn and look at him. But obviously something had gone very wrong with the Time-Turner.

“Too bad Hermione isn’t here…� Ron sighed, knowing that she always had a solution to get out of any problem.

“Boy, what is this?� an old beggar lady asked, tugging on his t-shirt.

To Ron, she looked like she was wearing a sack.

“Erm…� Ron stammered, looking perplexed. “T-they’re my clothes.�

He quickly turned down a forgotten alley, the old woman yelling unheard things after him.

His chest heaved up and down as he slid down the wall, his head resting in his hands.

“I must be going loony,� Ron muttered to himself. “I can’t be back in the…the Renaissance…I was trying to find Hermione…�

Ron’s mind raced with thoughts, trying to think of something to do.

“What would Hermione do?� he said out loud. “She would blend in! If only I had those blasted dress robes…�

Ron suddenly dived into a pile of trash that was spread across the alley, pulling out an old sack and some odd cloth pieces. He quickly compiled them together with his wand and pulled them over his head.

“Now I look like the old bat!� Ron spat, rolling his eyes. He knew it was better than wearing his Muggle clothes.

“Bloody hell…�

Ron suddenly froze, seeing a Death Eater in the street in front of him. He knew he was in trouble; they must be tracking him.

“Murder me…�

Ron quickly put his satchel in front of is face, sneaking out of the alley while the hooded figure’s back was turned. He had to find someplace to hide where the Death Eater wouldn’t find him. The evil supporter of the Dark Lord would probably kill him on the spot once they had found him. Ron had no idea how they had tracked him back in time, or how they even knew where he was to begin with.

“I need to get out of here. I need to get back to her!� Ron muttered to himself, glancing back over his shoulder. The Death Eater had vanished. He let out a small sigh of relief, but he knew they would be back.

Suddenly, Ron’s stomach let off another loud rumble, and he realized he hadn’t eaten lately.

Ron continued to walk down the old stone street, gripping his wand tightly in his hand. It was then that he came upon an inn.

“Well at least I can get something to eat,� Ron said, looking up at the large wooden sign as, his stomach clawing at him from the inside.

Taking a quick look over his shoulder, Ron forced his way through the crowd and in the door, a warm sensation taking over him. The inn had this comfortable aura about it, a sweet smelling fragrance filling the air. It reminded Ron of his mother’s homemade pies.

“Wait a minute,� Ron said, having a feeling of dejvu.

Ron looked around, the scenery haunting his memory. The long tables, the bar, the wooden chairs, the fireplace, the comforting air, he knew them all. The room seemed to be spinning around him as he came to a realization.

“This is the Leaky Cauldron!� Ron suddenly burst with a sigh of relief.

“Where ‘ave you been, boy?� An innkeeper asked, as she walked past with pints in her hands. “This inn has been ‘ere for years!�

“Erm…I’m…err new in town?� Ron stammered, trying to come up with a plausible excuse.

“Well welcome to the Leaky Cauldron!� She smiled, sitting him down in a creaky wooden chair. “Can I get you somethin’, boy?�

“Anything,� Ron said, drooling over a plate with turkey legs and mashed potatoes as it passed. “I’m starving!�

“Well, you’ve come to the right place,� she said, turning on her heel and heading towards the back room.

Ron slowly leaned back in his chair, his eye closed. The only thought that lingered in his mind was of Hermione and Harry sitting alone in the woods, getting nowhere and possibly in danger.

“I have to get to them, as soon a poss—�

“Well, look what the Kneazle dragged in? An itty bwitty bwaby!� a chilling voice whispered behind him.

Ron recognized the voice at once, her evil laugh echoing in his ear. He cringed, not wanting to turn and face her. He suddenly felt her wand pressing into his back. Ron could feel her demon-like eyes burning a whole in the back of his head.

“Bellatrix Lestrange…�

Ron winced slightly, Bellatrix’s wand feeling as if it were piercing his skin. His blood seemed to race through his body, fear and anxiety taking over his insides. However, Ron’s face and posture remained strong. He did not want to give Bellatrix the satisfaction of knowing that he was frightened.

“Wittle Wonny, you shouldn’t be out all alone. It could be dangerous,� Bellatrix hissed wickedly in Ron’s ear, causing them to turn bright red.

Ron clenched his fists, little red marks forming on his pale knuckles, trying to control his emotions. Suddenly, Bellatrix gripped his collar tightly, leading him back out into the street. Ron held a disgusted look on his face as she led him through the crowd, his breath becoming constricted due to the tightness of his collar. Moments later, Ron found himself in a secluded alley.

“So, what have you done with Potter?� she sneered, turning him around to face her. Bellatrix’s wand was now pressed under his chin, his chest heaving up and down.

It was the first time, since their last encounter, that Ron had seen Bellatrix, though he could vaguely remember it. He did after all have a life changing experience with a tank of brains.

Bellatrix’s dark eyes stared back at him, twinkling with an evil insanity that could have only been brought on by years of service to the Dark Lord. Black curly locks seemed to frizz out in every direction, giving her the appearance of a mental hospital patient. Bellatrix’s pale face was contrasted by her bright red lips that twisted up into an evil smirk.

“What’s the matter, Wonny? Are you scawrd?� She let out a cackle, sending chills up Ron’s spine.

“Not of an old nutter like you!� Ron spat, backing up against the stone wall behind him, Bellatrix’s wand pushing harder and harder against his throat.

“Ooh, did I touch a nerve?� Bellatrix laughed. “Well what about your little Mudblood girlfriend? Your weak Muggle friend didn’t stand a chance against me!� She looked as if her eyes might bulge out of her head from excitement as she talked.

“No,� Ron muttered, looking away from her.

“She fell to the ground with a soft thud, uttering a scream as she went,� Bellatrix said with an evil smirk. “She was the easiest kill I’ve ever--�

“STOP IT!� Ron bellowed, his heart feeling like it was breaking in two. It couldn’t be, she just couldn’t be dead.

Ron’s ears quickly turned scarlet, the world spinning around him. A deep hatred built up inside of him. First she had killed Sirius, and now Hermione? He couldn’t forgive the evil woman for that. That was beyond forgiveness.

“The Mudblood was weakest witch I had ever met. She went down without even as much as a fight!� Bellatrix whispered evilly in Ron’s ear, her cold breath stinging his heart.

“NO!� Ron yelled, pushing Bellatrix off him, causing her to fall to the ground.

Ron quickly pulled out his wand, turning it on her.

Bellatrix looked up at the redhead in front of her, a wicked laugh escaping her lips as his wand pointed down at her.

“Is wittle Won Won gona twry to huwrt me?� Bellatrix asked as if she was talking to an infant, her eye sparkling with insanity. Her mockery just angered Ron more.

“Don’t you dare talk about Hermione like that!� Ron bellowed, his face scarlet. He was shaking with anger. He couldn’t accept what Bellatrix had told him, she couldn’t be dead. Bellatrix laughed even louder at his words.

“What are you going to do about it, Weasley? The Mudblood is dead!� Her maniacal laugh echoed off of the stone walls, time seeming to stop around them. He wanted to kill her, but a numb sensation had taken over his body.

“No,� Ron muttered, shaking his head. He had to get out of there. He had to find her. Hermione couldn’t be dead.

Ron suddenly turned and took off at a sprint out of the alley and down the street. He had to find somehwere to go back in time, somewhere safe.

“You’ll never get away, Weasley!� he head Bellatrix shriek, feeling as if she was right next to him.

Ron sped up, turning into an old shop. He snuck in, past an old man asleep in a large wooden chair. He’ll never know I was here, Ron thought, sneaking into the storeroom, hoping to go back to what was supposed to be the present.

It was dark and cold. Ron could feel the dust of the ancient place as he took in a breath, the dirt coating his lungs.

“This place is a mess,� Ron muttered, groping around in the dark. “Where’s Mum when you need her? Now where is that blasted Time-Turner?�

Ron set his bag down on top of old box, feeling around inside of it.

“Where is it? Lumos!�

Nothing happened.

“Lumos! Lumos! Lumos!� Ron spat angrily, his heart beating faster and faster with each incantation. However, his wand did not exert any magic. “Bloody hell…I’ve lost my magic!� It was a wizard’s worst nightmare, a fate worse than anything.

“Brilliant! Now what am I going to do?�

Ron quickly put his satchel back over his shoulder. He had to find a way out, a new place to use the Time-Turner. Ron began to grope around the room again, his hand landing on an ice-cold door handle. He turned it, only to find that it was locked.

“Bloody brilliant! I’m trapped in a broom closet without magic, and a great nutter is sitting outside the door ready to murder me when she finds me!� Ron hissed under his breath, shaking his head.

Suddenly, Ron felt something crawling up his shoulder, something with eight legs. He cringed, his body shaking. He let out a small gasp of fear, trying to swat it away. However, an icy pale hand suddenly landed on his should, a haunting laughter filling the room.

Ron’s face suddenly turned pale, as nails dug into his shoulder.

“You thought you could get away from me that quickly, did you?� Bellatrix laughed evilly in his ear, causing him to cringe. “Too bad you’re a fool…the Dark Lord could have used someone with your loyalty!�

“I would never serve under him!� Ron spat with hatred. Bellatirix’s nails pierced deeper into Ron’s skin as she turned him around.

“How dare you speak of my master in such a tone!� Bellatrix raged, smacking Ron’s face, a look of pure delight on her face. She got pleasure out of other’s pain. “You won’t have much of a choice under the Imperius Curse, will you boy?� Her evil laughter filled the room. It was enough to haunt anyone’s soul.

“I will never serve under You-Know-Who, I would rather die!� Ron said bravely, even though is heart raced with fear on the inside. He had to find away out, a way to get back to Hermione. She had to know how he felt about her.

But then it hit him; Bellatrix said she had been killed. That can’t be! I heard her, with the Deluminator. She has to be alive! Ron thought, an unreadable expression on his face.

“What is this? Young love?� Bellatrix spat, looking repulsed. She had been entering his mind. “Too bad, Weasley, she’s gone, no matter what you claimed to have heard!� She laughed.

Ron quickly shook his head; he wouldn’t let her gain access to his thoughts again. He would not give her the satisfaction of letting her know his fears. It was then that his eyes caught a glint of something gold hanging around her neck. Ron’s expression suddenly changed from hatred to a look of shock.

“A-A Time-Turner?� He gasped, his eyes not leaving the glittering chain. Bellatrix let out another loud shriek of laughter, her hair seeming to spring out wildly.

“You stupid boy! How else do you think that I had gone back in time after you? You didn’t think that I could have gone back in time on my own free will, did you?� Bellatrix asked, circling him with her wand pointed at his throat. She looked like a patient that had escaped from a mental institution. “You don’t think that the Dark Lord would let his enemy’s best friend get away, do you? The one who knows all the information?�

“I’ll never tell you anything! Harry will beat V-Voldemort, you wait!� Ron spat.

However, Ron was suddenly slammed back against the wall, and Bellatrix’s finger had found his neck.

“How dare you call my master by his true name, you filthy blood traitor! You’re not worthy!� She hissed, her furious black eyes full of evil.

I’ll never tell you where he is! I’m on my mission to find them, and you’re not going to stop me! Ron thought angrily, trying to breath through his constraints.

“Oh, but you see, we are on the same mission!� Bellatrix laughed, her eyes bulging with insanity, her fingers closing around his neck. She had stepped into his thoughts again.

Bellatrix pulled out a ratty piece of parchment from her pocket waving it in his face. “They’re in the woods, eh?� She laughed, Ron’s face turning pale. She had the exact same mission, the exact same words on that parchment. But it couldn’t be, he had written his own mission!

“You stole my parchment?� Ron questioned, gasping for breath, more and more constraint coming to his windpipe.

“It would seem that way, wouldn’t it?� Bellatrix said evilly, her black eyes becoming larger and larger by the second. “But no…the Dark Lord has given me my own mission to find Potter, but you’ve just helped me! You’re parchment, in addition to mine, completes my mission. You’ve given me all the steps. You have to be one of the most foolish wizards I have ever encountered. But the world won’t have to worry about that for long! I need a new notch to add to my wand. You see Weasley, each kill I make, I get a new notch on my wand! You will be number 104!�

Her evil laughter filled the room once more, Ron gasping for breath in her clutches.

The room was spinning around him, black spots floating around his pupils. He couldn’t breath, his gasps for air becoming increasingly short and frequent. The world seemed to be slipping from his grasp, pulling him down a long white tunnel, evil laughter filling his ears.

*****

The ground was cold; his skin seemed to be frozen to the desolate stone path. Ron opened his eyes, only to find that he was surrounded in complete darkness. His was head pounding and his throat sore. It pained him to swallow.

Ron slowly sat up, only to discover that there was a large cuff on his ankle. His blue eyes followed a large thick chain up from the cuff, finding that it was attached to a cement bench in the middle of this desolate room. A bad feeling suddenly sank into his stomach.

“Am I dead?� he asked himself, placing his head in his hands. He certainly felt dead, the dark and gloomy room, full of punishment and despair. “What did I do to deserve to come here? I bet it was something more than having Hermione do my homework assignments for me…�

Ron’s mind suddenly flashed back to the face of a girl with bushy brown hair, remembering her smile. He could have traced the image in his mind, the memory so bright and vibrant. But then the mood changed. She was gone, or at least that’s what he was told. Ron couldn’t believe, it felt like so long ago, the thought seeming to be a reverie, a really bad reverie. He refused to accept Bellatrix’s words; she wasn’t dead. She was just trying to get to him, and boy had it worked.

But what if she was gone, taken by the hands of evil. That though built up a wall of rage in the young man’s heart, a lump rising in his sore throat.

“Hermione…� he croaked, his hand extended, trying to touch the fading image.

Suddenly, Ron heard a door slam, followed by a progression of heavy footsteps. His heart began to race, backing up as far as he could against he bench, feeling the constraint of the chain. Moments later, a bright line was shinning down on him, burning his eyes.

“Who are you?� Ron croaked weakly, trying to find his voice.

He was only answered by an evil chuckle, the answer suddenly becoming apparent to him. The figure in front of him was a Death Eater.

Ron felt an icy hand reach down and pull him up by the collar. He let a small gasp of pain, feeling his shirt tug on the bruise Bellatrix had left on his neck.

“Stand up, Weasley!� the figure spat viciously, pulling him hard.

Ron found it hard to balance, his legs feeling like Jell-o. He felt like had been sitting for years, like a prisoner trapped on a boat at sea, forced to live in the brig for the rest of his life. Ron reached a realization as he finally found his poise; he wasn’t dead.

“Move it, you filthy blood traitor!�

Ron was shoved down a dark corridor, stumbling over his feet, blindly leading the way to a destination that he had no knowledge of. This must be how Harry felt, Ron thought, feeling terrible for running out on his friends. He couldn’t forgive himself.

“What are you doing with me?� Ron asked, entering a room.

He was instantly forced to his knees, haunting laughter filling the room again. Ron’s blood seemed to turn to ice, not liking the direction his situation was heading.

“Ronald Weasley,� a haunting voice called, Ron cringing from the evil within the voice. “Welcome to my humble home.� The Death Eaters around him cackled loudly.

Ron felt his head being lifted by an unknown force, causing him to look straight at the most feared wizard in the world: Lord Voldemort.

“Now, Mr. Weasley, do you know why you’re here?� Voldemort hissed, his red eyes glowing with power.

“I’ll never tell you anything!� Ron spat.

“I bet you’ll think otherwise in a moment,� he laughed, the unearthly sound echoing in the dark room. “You can either tell me the location of Harry Potter and what his secret weapon is… or….�

Voldemort pulled out his wand and gave it a light flick. This caused a stone wall to turn, revealing a busy haired girl.

“You can watch your friend die at your own mercy…�

The room once again filled with laughter, Bellatrix’s the most evident.

“I won’t kill her! You’d have to kill me first!� Ron said, trying to break free of the Death Eater’s grasp to reach Hermione, who was hanging limply from the wall.

“You will under the Imperius Curse, you foolish boy!� Voldemort hissed.
Something hit him, and the room seemed to spin around him. But this was different than magic, different from any enchantment he had ever felt. It was as if Ron was seeing into the future, knowing what was going to happen before it actually did. Everything stopped while Ron watched, the world outside of his mind, frozen in time. Images played in front of his eyes, the black spots in front of his pupils turning to misshapen figures, figures that soon developed a face of their own. Time seemed to stop as the figures moved in slow motion around him, trying to stop a foggy figure from reaching a large stone wall. Ron didn’t realize that he was looking at the play-by-play account of what was about to happen.

Muffled voices now entered his mind, Ron feeling as if he were about to faint. The voices were screaming, making plans to catch the figure, the one that seemed to dodge every spell aimed at it. The images he was seeing seemed too much to handle all at once.

“Stop him!� Ron heard Voldemort’s cracky voice call.

Ron had no idea how to control his vision or how he was actually seeing these things. To Ron, the figures in long black cloaks were diving after the blur, like puppets on a string. Their strings were visible to him by very finely defined blue lights, that projected each persons next move. Invisible hands seemed to be moving each of the pawns along these light blue outlines, like a blueprint to the game. And better than that, a blue print to the future!

Right then, something snapped inside Ron. It was just like Wizards Chess! He could read the figures moves before they happened, just like in a good chess game. The skill could have almost been considered cheating, but it wasn’t, it was good battle skills.

Ron watched as the foggy figure darted to the stone wall, picking up a figure and almost instantly disappearing. However, each of the footsteps of the figure seemed to be left behind in a light red glow, slowing a perfect path on how to get out. It was as if the figure could read each an ever movement of their attacker. If Ron could remember the attacks that he had just witnessed, he could get out. However, the boy was unsure how he had just witnessed the future. It was as if someone had stuck a blue print into his brain, laying out a roadmap for the events that were about to occur.

Suddenly, Ron’s mind flipped him back into a memory, one that had taken place back in his fifth year at Hogwarts.

“Who were you contacting? It was Dumbledore wasn’t it?� Professor Umbridge shouted, pulling Harry up from the fireplace by his hair and pushing him into a chair.

No one answered the evil woman as she paced the room.

“Excuse me, Professor, you wanted to see me?� Professor Snape said, entering the room, looking around at the group of students that had been captured.

“Yes, bring me some more Veritaserum, I wish to interrogate these trouble makers!� Professor Umbridge responded in her light squeaky voice.

“I’m sorry, Headmaster, but you have emptied all my stores with your earlier interrogations,� Snape said shortly, still taking in the scene around him.

“Very well them…�

“They’ve got Padfoot in the place where it is hidden!� Harry suddenly burst, Ron and Hermione looked at each other.

“What? Padfoot? Were is what hidden?� Umbridge questioned, her eyes large with curiosity.

“I’m sure I have no idea as to what imaginary thing Potter has dreamt up,� Snape said, turning on his heel and leaving the room.

“Well, if no one will tell me…then I will have to find out by force! I think the Cruciatus Curse is in order…�

“NO!� Hermione screamed suddenly, causing everyone in the room to jump. “It’s illegal, Professor!�

“Well, desperate times call for desperate measures! And what Cornelius doesn’t know, won’t hurt him. Cruci--�

“NO! I’ll tell you! It’s Dumbledore’s weapon! It’s hidden!� Hermione burst, tears running down her face. “I’ll take you to it.�

Ron remembered the brilliance behind Hermione’s plan. Who would have thought that such a little lie could save the world?

Snapping out the memory and the blueprint of a playing field, Ron felt the scene melting around him. He found himself back in front of Voldemort, his wand pointing directly at him.

“Bloody hell…� Ron muttered, not to the fact that Voldemort was about to kill him, but to what he had just witnessed.

“Prepare to meet your last, Weasley!� Ron heard Bellatrix’s voice call.

Ron suddenly felt as if he had been in this place before, a memory or an inkling of how to save himself and Hermione. Then it hit him. He had just witnessed this event, even though he couldn’t explain how. The scene was fresh in his mind; he could still picture the blue lines that would outline each Death Eater’s move. He was the blurred figure!

“This is your last chance to tell me were Potter is,� Voldemort hissed.

Ron understood why had been taken back to the memory of his fifth year. He had to lie in order to get out.

“Fine, I’ll tell you!� Ron suddenly burst, pretending to be affected by what lay in his future. He was playing and replaying his plan in his brain, hoping that he hadn’t misread any of the blueprint. This was going to be like playing a game of Wizards Chess.

“I knew you would see reason! Love, the useless emotion, makes you turn on the ones closest to you…you fool…� Voldemort hissed, more to himself than to Ron. His red looked down at his wand. “Where can we find the infamous Harry Potter?�

Ron’s mind raced, trying to think of a plausible place for Harry to be, someplace where he couldn’t possibly be found.

“Well…� Ron started, taking a quick glance at the unconscious Hermione. “He’s…he’s--�

“Where is he, you little blood traitor!� Bellatrix screamed, taking a step towards him, but was stopped by Voldemort.

The snake-like man raised his wand in Hermione’s direction, Ron’s heart racing.

“He’s hiding in the cave outside Hogsmeade! He’s working with Dumbledore’s secret weapon!� Ron suddenly burst, pretending to look distraught for selling out his best friend. However, the Death Eaters around him weren’t interested in him, they were interested in forming their next plan of action. Voldemort looked distant, as if taken by his words.

This is it, this is where it started, Ron thought. It’s now or never.

Ron quickly looked around, seeing the group was not focused on him. He suddenly took off in a sprint towards Hermione.

“Oi! He’s trying to get away!�

“Stop him!� Voldemort hissed, spells suddenly flying at them from all directions.

“Bloody hell! I don’t have a wand!� Ron said, dodging the spells, the blueprint playing over and over in his mind. Oh, Merlin, please let me reach her! Duck! Ron quickly dived to the ground, narrowly missing a spell.

Ron continued to crawl across the floor, dust billowing up from the debris around him. It was then when he heard a scream, followed by the sound of a wand dropping to the floor.

“The nutters are attacking each other! No wonder why Crabbe and Goyle are so thick, their families are loony!� Ron muttered, pulling himself on the floor. He could see Hermione’s feet coming up in the distance.

Ron stood up, knowing, from his odd vision, that he was home free. He sprinted towards Hermione, her small frame looking pale and beaten.

“Hermione,� Ron said as he reached her, working furiously to free her from the wall. “OUCH!� Ron suddenly yelled. He had been hit in the shoulder with a spell. It felt like a knife had pierced his skin. Ron gripped his bleeding shoulder, stilling working on Hermione’s bonds.

“He’s over here!� A voice called.

Ron’s heart seemed like it was about to jump out of his chest as he heard them coming closer and closer.

“Come on, you--yes!� Ron said, Hermione sliding limply off the wall. “I’ll get you out of here, I promise…�

Ron closed his eyes, concentrating on his destination, Hermione heaved over his good shoulder. The room spun around him, all the air sucked from his lungs, like a compressed tube. Everything around Ron seemed to disappear with a rush of light, all the feeling gone from his body. Moments later, Ron felt himself fall on the hard concrete ground, his legs giving out underneath him.

“I hate that,� Ron spat, looking at the girl with busy brown hair that lay next to him, her pulse weak. “Hermione…� He muttered, slowly sitting up. “I’ve got to get you some help.�

The gangly redhead slowly stood up, feeling an overwhelming pain on his shoulder. He had forgotten that he had been hit, but it wasn’t just any hit. Ron’s injury was slowly spreading down his arm, blood slowly dripping off his pale hand.

“I’ve got to find help, but where am I?� he asked to the surrounding area, only recognizing the complete darkness. “Great, I’m lost and bleeding, and…well, I guess it is better than being back with them.�

Ron took a deep breath, trying to ignore the spreading pain as he picked up Hermione, blindly walking in the dark. He could feel her faint pulse flow through his arms and body as he carried her. At least she was alive.

He seemed to walk down the road forever, his walk turning into a slow limp, pain starting to flow down to his legs. Ron had no idea where he was, the trees and small buildings around him all looking alien. He didn’t even know what time zone he was in. Ron had no idea if Bellatrix had brought him back to the present, or if he was still lost in the past. But what about Hermione?

Ron was suddenly ripped away from his thoughts as he heard footsteps behind him, the moon shining brightly over head. Ron felt the need to run, but he couldn’t find the strength. Instead, he fell to the ground, unable to walk any further, pain taking over his body. It was like the sensation of a snake running though his body, biting at every major nerve. He hated the weakness that he was showing; he was supposed to be saving Hermione, not dying in the middle of the street at the hand of some stranger.

“Ron…Hermione? Ron is that you?� A familiar voice called from above him. Ron could only see the person’s shadow because of the darkness in contrast with the moon.

“Am I dead?� Ron asked, looking up at the figure.

“Ron, it’s me, Harry!� The voice said, shaking him. Ron let out a gasp of pain. “What happened to you?�

“Harry?� Ron asked, feeling a little more strength enter his body. Had he found a light in the darkness?

“Ron…� Harry said kneeling down next to his friend. “You’re bleeding…�

Ron could tell from the tone of Harry’s voice that he was frightened and blamed himself as he looked down at his blood soaked figure.

“Bellatrix and Voldemort…� Ron muttered weakly, feeling like he was slowly slipping into unconsciousness. “Hermione’s…alive…but I got hit…get out…but you’re safe, mate…�

“I’m going to get you help, Ron,� he heard Harry say before slipping into unconsciousness.



*****

“Ron? Ron?�

The gangly redhead slowly opened his eyes, his sight blurry at first. A bright light was shinning overhead. Ron blinked a few times, his blue eyes slowly focusing on the beams of the ceiling above him.

“Ron?� A voice called gently again.

Ron slowly turned over in his bed, wincing slightly from the pain in his shoulder. It was then that he saw a nurse with bright blonde hair staring down at him. She looked like someone out of an old photograph, ones that he had seen at his grandmother’s house.

“How are you feeling?� She asked, checking his bandages.

“Erm…fine…just a little sore,� Ron said in a groggy tone. In reality, he felt like he had narrowly escaped death.

“That must ‘ave been some duel you were in, a boy dropped you off with me. ‘E said you’d been in a bad fight, and ‘e ‘ad a girl with ‘im,� the woman said in a soft and soothing voice.

It was right then that Ron realized that he was lying on an old cot stuffed with straw. He was still back in the Renaissance.

“A girl? Did she have bushy brown hair?� Ron asked anxiously, the memory of what he had done flashing back into his mind.

“Yes, and calm down boy, you need to take it easy. You’ve gave us quite a scare, but you should pull through,� the Healer said. “’ere, drink this, it will help suck the poison out of the curse,� she said, handing him a wooden cup.

Ron quickly took a sip, but soon regretted it.

“That’s disgusting!� Ron cringed, setting it back down on the floor. His mind was quickly racing; he had to find Harry and Hermione. He had to get out of the past.

“Well, no one ever said ‘ealing was fun, or that potions taste well. You’re young, maybe you’ll find an ingredient that can replace pig ’oof,� she smiled.

“Why don’t you just use beetle wings? Everyone knows that pig hoof hasn’t been used since--erm--never mind,� Ron stammered, his location and thought process catching up with his words. The thought never occurred to him that the basic potion making method hadn’t started before the Renaissance.

“Beetle wings, eh? I’ll ‘ave to give it a try, but you need to get some more rest. You won’t be fit to walk around for a few more days, especially after that curse that you took to your shoulder. It could ‘ave killed you if that boy didn’t bring you in!�

Ron’s thoughts suddenly stopped. Where were Harry and Hermione now? He hoped that they had gotten away from the Death Eaters. Their lives seemed more important than his at this point in time.

“The boy,� Ron croaked, his voice feeling scratchy from the potion. “Where did he go? And the girl, was she alright?�

“Oh, ‘e gave me this piece of parchment to give to you, but other than that, I’m sorry to say I don’t know where they went,� she said, handing him the crumpled piece of paper, a slight frown on her face. “But you need to rest up, boy. Your body needs to ‘eal if you want to leave any time soon.� And with that, the blonde woman left his side, heading out the door to the dirt street.

Ron slowly opened the letter, his eyelids feeling heavy.

Dear Ron,

We hope to find you well. Hermione and I have gone back to….

Ron suddenly found himself in a deep sleep, unable to finish the letter until he regained consciousness.

*****

Ron cautiously entered an old pub, glancing at the crumpled note in his hand. He looked behind him before walking to the bar, making sure no one had followed him this time. He was anxious to see what Harry and Hermione had left for him, a new mission set in his hands.

He walked nonchalantly up to the bar, leaning over to the large hairy bartender. His odor was repulsing.

“Can I order an old mead with a side of three butter beers?� Ron asked, saying the secret phrase let to him in the note.

The large man turned and pulled out a small wooden box from under the bar, handing it to Ron with out uttering a word.

“Two turns should do it,� he grunted, giving him a wink and turning his back to him.

“What a nutter,� Ron said, slightly frightened as he turned and walked over to an isolated corner.

Ron pulled out a small golden Time-Turner, feeling a pulse ticking in his hands. His mind was only focused on two people: Harry and Hermione. He had hoped they had escaped Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters, finding somewhere safe to hide.

“I’m coming to find you,� Ron muttered, slowly turning the Time-Turner forward two spins.

Ron suddenly saw things fling past him, people and things moving in all different directions. It seemed unreal to him, the flying imagery making him feel nauseous. He couldn’t believe that Hermione had done this everyday in their third year to go to class. Moments later, the people slowed down, and Ron found himself in the modern day Leaky Cauldron.

He cautiously looked around. However, it didn’t take Ron long to spot his two best friends sitting at an old table in the corner.

“Ron!� Hermione called, rushing over to him and tackling him with a hug. “You saved my life!�

“Well, it was the least I could do, after having you do my homework all those years,� Ron shrugged, wincing slightly from the pain in his arm. “Alright, mate?� Ron asked, looking at Harry over Hermione’s shoulder.

“Yeah, I’m alright. How about you?� Harry asked, giving his best friend a large smile. “You gave us a good scare, but you saved my life, too. Who ever said Ron Weasley was just another Weasley was wrong.�

“So, how did you get back in time to begin with?� Hermione asked as the group found their way back over to the table and sat down.

“It’s a long story,� Ron shrugged, taking a long sip of butter beer before starting his long epic tale.