𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦 ; 𝒹.𝒽

twenty-seven

The stealing of the locket was successful, but that didn't mean things went smoothy. 

Long story short, Hermione had to change her apparation destination last minute to avoid being followed to 12 Grimmauld Place, and they all ended up in a forest. Ron's upper arm was splinched. 

It was now nighttime. Zoya helped Hermione with protection charms before they set up a tent that had that all too familiar undetectable extension charm. Hermione and Harry were outside talking while Ron laid down with Zoya sitting at a table. 

"Mind tuning the radio? There's a station that keeps up to date that the Ministry isn't involved with." Ron weakly asked. 

"Sure." Zoya said, picking up the radio from across the table. 

She kept tuning it until Ron told her to stop, recognizing the man's voice. She stayed quiet, mindlessly reading a book she packed. 

"–And now, I have decided to start listing out the lives that have been lost to this treacherous war since the fall of the Ministry of Magic. I will be start from the day since it happened, August 1st."

Ron straightened up, "Good idea, that is. Will keep us updated and we'll know if everyone back home is alright."

"Yeah." Zoya quietly said, her eyes on her book but her ears on the radio. 

"–Michelle and Connor Randolf, Paul Davis, Nhan Kien, Emily Michaelson..."

Zoya slowly raised her head to the radio as Ron stared at her in disbelief, "Tell me I didn't just hear what I thought I did." She quietly said. Her breathing picked up as she stood up, "Tell me that I heard the wrong name and– it was someone else."

"Zoya..."

She shook her head as tears fell from her eyes, "No. No there must be some sort of mistake." She rambled on as Ron forced himself out of bed, "Arthur said everyone was fine! He said everyone was safe. He–"

Ron wrapped the arm that wasn't hurt around her in a comforting manner as she sobbed. She hugged him back as Harry and Hermione walked into the tent with quizzical expressions. 

He sat her down on the edge of his bed, her head in her hands. 

"Her dad was killed. August 1st. My dad lied about everyone making it out alive." Ron quietly said to the two. 

Hermione sighed sadly and sat beside her, rubbing her back, "Why would he not tell me?!" Zoya asked. 

"Probably so that you weren't thinking about it. Being out here doing this is going to be hard as it is." Hermione sadly said.

It took a while for Zoya to settle down enough for her to crawl into bed. Her face was still red and stained with tears as she turned her back to everyone as another wave of tears welled up in her eyes.

It didn't feel real. All she wanted to do now was fall asleep and forget about the reality of her life for a few brief hours.