"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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Harry, Y/N, and Ron huddled beneath the bunk bed, seeking refuge from the biting cold outside the tent. They cupped their hands over a flickering flame inside a bottle, grateful for the meager warmth it provided in the unforgiving snowy weather.
"I've always liked these flames you make, Y/N," Ron complimented, rubbing his hands together. "They're... warmer than the usual ones, you know?"
Y/N shot him a warm smile. Ron sighed contentedly, adjusting in his seat, stretching his limbs, and leaning his head against Y/N's. His gaze wandered to the slightly open tent flap, where Hermione sat on guard duty. Beyond her, Aurora prepared supper, while Seraphina and Sophie went were on the other side of the tent, huddled together.
"How long do you reckon she'll stay mad at me?" Ron inquired, his gaze fixed on the back of Hermione's head.
"Well, I figure if you get all sentimental with those little balls of light of yours. You know, how you saw the light, and it turned out to be us; she'll come around soon enough," Harry chuckled, and Y/N joined in, though Ron kept his eyes on the ground.
"It was weird," Ron murmured.
"What was?" Y/N asked.
"I didn't see you guys first," Ron revealed, fidgeting with his sleeves as he pulled them back and forth. "I heard a voice. Agil's voice, coming out of the Deluminator."
Y/N's composure changed, and she straightened her body, looking at Ron curiously. "What did she say?"
"My name," Ron murmured. "Like a whisper, you know? I took the Deluminator, clicked it, and the tiny ball appeared. It went straight through my heart like a gunshot. I apparated and came to this funky manor, and bloody hell, was it huge!"
"Caspian's house," Y/N breathed with familiarization.
"Yeah, whatever. Anyways, Agil saw me, told me to escape before anyone saw me, and that was that," Ron finished, bubbling his cheeks.
"Did... she say anything about me?" Y/N asked, her tone more persistent than usual.
"I mean, she was about to, but then she stopped and told me to go," Ron said begrudgingly. "After that, I figured the Deluminator could lead me to you guys too. I don't know how it works exactly, but... yeah."
"This might sound a bit mad," Ron began, a soft smile playing on his lips as he thought of Agil. "But I reckon Dumbledore left the Deluminator to me for a reason. He knew somehow I'd need it to find my way back, and she'd be my guiding light."
"Using my little sister as your beacon, eh?" Y/N teased, nudging his shoulder playfully.
"Every word of it is true," Ron defended, blushing bashfully. "Hey, Y/N?"
"What's on your mind?" Y/N responded gently.
"If the war's done, and Agil's still...you know, alive. And she's switched sides, can I—" Ron stumbled over his words, his cheeks growing redder, and Y/N caught on to what he was trying to say.
