"Don't leave, I told you I wouldn't. So why are you?" Hermione's voice croaked, a mixture of desperation and sorrow in her tone.
"I can't, you know I can't," Y/N murmured, her brows furrowing with a heavy burden of guilt. She felt the weight of her...
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A few weeks had passed, and their journey continued, each step heavier than the last as they trudged through the changing landscape of autumn. The group had resorted to desperate measures at times, such as stealing eggs from a random chicken coop. Hermione and Sophie insisted on leaving money behind as compensation for the farmer.
Their knowledge of edible mushrooms had improved, but Ron's mood grew sharper with each passing day. Even without the Horcrux affecting him, he was not the easiest person to be around, and it tested Y/N's patience. She understood that Ron had suffered a severe injury, but his constant complaints grated on her nerves.
Occasionally, they managed to catch fish from nearby lakes and rivers during their travels through the countryside. Y/N noticed that Sophie was starting to crack under the strain, just like Ron. The isolation and the constant danger were taking their toll on all of them.
One evening, they gathered around a campfire near the tent by the lake, Hermione doing her best to cook the food they had gathered.
"This fish is revolting," Ron muttered, his irritation clear in his tone.
Y/N's hand twitched as if she wanted to lunge at him, but the presence of the locket around his neck stopped her. It was Hermione who had taken on the task of preparing their meals, and here was Ron, openly criticizing her efforts. The food might not have been gourmet, but it certainly wasn't "revolting" as Ron claimed.
"My mother can make good food appear out of thin air," Ron continued to complain.
Aurora, clearly fed up with Ron's ungrateful attitude, couldn't hold back. "Oh, shut up. Just marry her then, will you? You're a momma's boy," she retorted, her frustration evident in her words.
Weeks turned into a monotonous routine of travel and survival. In the present, the group had set up their tent under a bridge, with the windmills in the background, their blades brushing against the air. Y/N found herself a few miles away from the group, gazing into the far distance, lost in thought.
As she stood there, a sudden swoosh brushed against the back of her head, a familiar sensation that sent a shiver down her spine. She knew what it meant; the two individuals she had sensed before were here. A sinking feeling settled in her stomach as she looked around, her curiosity tinged with concern.
"How the fuck did they find us?" Y/N muttered under her breath, her brow furrowing as she tapped her watch.
"Yes?" Hestia's hologram flickered to life.
"Scan the entire area, search for unknown presences," Y/N instructed urgently. Hestia sighed but complied, projecting a holographic radius that displayed dots on her right, behind her, indicating the group.
Hestia's expression shifted slightly. "There are two unknown identities approaching us at a rapid rate," she warned.
Y/N's mind raced as she considered her options. She glanced back at the group, hesitant to involve them in what might be a dangerous situation. She couldn't gauge the strength of these two newcomers. With a determined look, Y/N made a quick decision. She ran further away from the group, ensuring they wouldn't see her and become involved.
