The Lost Witch | Fred Weasley

CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR

March brought with it a gloomy day. On the day of Ron's seventeenth birthday, he had been drugged with a love potion meant for Harry, freed from said potion and then ended up in the Hospital Wing after attempted poisoning.

Which is why Harry, Hermione and I were gathered around his bed joined by Ginny and the twins. Hermione hadn't spoken since we sat down and I kept trying to comfort her, running my hand up and down her back as she stared at Ron's sleeping face.

"Do mum and dad know?" Fred questioned Ginny on our left, resting his chin on my shoulder. George and Harry were sat on the other side of Ron's bed while Fred, Hermione and Ginny sat in the three chairs on his other side, me on Fred's lap.

They had showed up to surprise Ron for his birthday in Hogsmeade, only to receive word that he had been poisoned.

"They've already seen him. They arrived an hour ago. They're in Dumbledore's office now, but they'll be back soon..." she mumbled.

The others went over the events of the poisoning again, but I stayed quiet, mulling everything over in my head.

Someone had cursed Katie and told her to bring the necklace to the castle. A necklace Draco had admired, according to Harry. No one knew who that necklace was meant for, but I could guess right about now.

Ron had been poisoned, but the poison was meant for someone else. Dumbledore.

Draco had been given a task that was more important than hunting down the blood-traitor Malfoy. Or even the blood-traitor Sirius Black.

Draco had been given a job to do for Voldemort while still in school. What could Draco do here that Voldemort couldn't...? This was all leading to a very frightening conclusion.

"Er-my-nee," Ron groaned in his sleep, causing me to snap out of my thoughts. Did he just...

I turned to look at Hermione and she was studying his face intently.

The others went back to their conversation, starting a new theory of offing the Quidditch Team.

"Well, I don't think it's Quidditch, but I think there's a connection between the attacks," Hermione chimed in quietly, her first time speaking since we sat down.

"How'd you work that out?" Fred asked her behind my head.

"Well, for one thing, they both ought to have been fatal and weren't, although that was pure luck. And for another, neither the poison nor the necklace seemed to have reached the person who was supposed to be killed. Of course, that makes the person behind this even more dangerous in a way, because they don't seem to care how many people they finish off before they actually reach their victim."

A shudder went through me at that. I really hope I'm wrong. I met Harry's eye across the bed, both apparently having similar thoughts on the subject.

Just then Mr and Mrs Weasley returned. Mrs Weasley quickly grabbed Harry and pulled him into a tight hug, thanking him for saving Ron's life. I smirked as I saw his ears turn red.

"Well, all I can say is that it was a lucky day for the Weasleys when Ron decided to sit in your compartment on the Hogwarts Express, Harry." Harry flushed furiously at Mr Weasley's words, and I grinned at him.

"Aw, look at him. He's blushing," I teased, earning a glare from the famous boy. The doors opened once again, and Dumbledore strode in and came over to our group.

"Harry, very well done today. I must thank your potions master for teaching you this. I am glad that Mr Weasley is recovering, but I'm afraid an old man's work is never done. Allison, might I have a word?"