Chocolate Enchantment

Chapter 23: Seeking Assistance

Chapter 23: Seeking Assistance

The next evening after dinner, Hermione finished mapping out her plans in her head. Ron was speaking with her again, though things were fairly awkward between them yet. She could sense the occasional irritation from Harry. Since it had been too long since he saw Ginny last and she knew it was becoming a strain for him, she tried to overlook it.

She cast an extra Silencing Spell on the tent, then turned to the boys. "About the Horcrux issue, I think we might have to bring someone else in on it."

Harry shook his head. "No, it's my assignment. I'm not bringing anyone in. It's to stay between the three of us."

"He's right, Hermione, you have no right to change things without his permission." Clearly Ron was angrier with her than he admitted to. His response showed he had only listened to part of her words.

"Did I or did I not just bring up the subject with him, Ron? And, Harry, I think we have to. I've found the right spell to destroy the bit of soul." She shivered slightly. Even knowing it was the right thing to do, it gave her the creeps to think about destroying a soul. "I think I've worked out the details and safety issues, but someone's going to have to look at the items first, to make sure they aren't booby-trapped like the ring was. Bill's back home and doing well, I wondered if maybe we shouldn't tell him at least some of what's going on. He is an experienced curse breaker, after all."

"I don't know." Still, Harry did seem to be considering her suggestion, a fact for which she was grateful. He sat in an easy chair with his feet up on a blue velvet ottoman that was ringed with gold fringe. After a moment he shifted his feet, then tipped his head. Ron was unusually silent while Harry worked things out.

After a long pause, Hermione spoke again. "We can tell him as much or as little as you like, but before we kill ourselves, it might be good to have the objects checked for curses. And if he was there when we cast our own spell, he might help us contain any negative reactions better than we could do ourselves—or at least give us some extra pointers."

"She has a point, mate." Ron's voice was subdued, his admission grudging.

It made Hermione's head pound when she thought of dealing with Ron in a sulk for the rest of the summer. He was being a bit more reasonable than sometimes in the past, but his attitude toward her was frigid and thoroughly irritating.

"I'll mull it over tonight and we can talk about it tomorrow. So when are you going to let us actually try changing into our Animagus forms?"

She had to hand it to Harry, he knew how to change the subject. "As soon as you two are ready, and I say you aren't yet. So let's get there." She set about helping them prepare for their eventual transformations.

The next morning at breakfast, Hermione kept darting her eyes over to Harry, exchanging looks with Ron. Harry was eating his toast, well, shredding it was more like it, but some of the bread was making it into his mouth. He sat pensively over his plate, elbows on the table, and stared at his food. Somehow Hermione doubted he saw it.

After they had finished eating and Ron was zapping the dishes clean with his wand, Harry finally looked at her. "I admit we're in over our heads. We should talk to Bill, but only to help us with the spell parts. We're not telling him anything about the Horcruxes themselves. I don't want one of you killed over this, and he does seem the most likely candidate to help. I hate to say it, but it may be unavoidable to ask for help in other areas, as well."

So after breakfast and their daily Charms assignment—which the boys grumbled their way through, the trio walked to Mrs. Figg's and Flooed to the Burrow. Mrs. Weasley greeted them all with big hugs and invited them to stay for lunch. "You all look like you're losing weight taking care of yourselves over there. You must stay for lunch. It'll be an hour or so, and maybe you can take a ride on your brooms for a bit first. Ginny's already out there."