A Potter Secret

Horcrux Officially Crushed

Harry sweeps a layer of frost from a flat rock, lays the locket down. "Izzy, go find Hermione. Stay with her," Harry instructs. Isabella nods and runs off. "On three. One. Two. Three." He starts to speak in parseltongue. "Take me inside-" Click! The twin doors of the locket snap open. Behind each glass window a living eye blinks, Tom Riddle's eyes. "Stab it, Ron. Now."

Ron raises his trembling hands, poises the sword. Then a voice hisses from the Horcrux. "I have seen your heart and it is mine-" a voice calls.

"Don't listen to it," Harry cries.

"I have seen your dreams, Ronald Weasley, and I have seen your fears-" the voice continues.

"Ron. Don't listen to it!" Harry shouts.

"Least loved, by the mother who craved a daughter. Least loved, by the girl who prefers your friend."

"Ron. Stab it!"

The locket quivers in Harry's fingers, turning white-hot, and he releases it. As the eyes gleam scarlet, Harry grimaces and a flash of blinding light bursts forth, leaving in its wake two figures floating in the darkness, ghost images of Harry and Hermione. "We were better without you, happier without you," Locket-Harry says.

"Who could look at you beside Harry Potter? What are you, compared with the Chosen One-?" Locket-Hermione adds.

Ron stands transfixed, sword in hand, horrified. "Ron. It lies! Stab it! STAB IT!" Harry shouts.

"Your mother confessed that she would have preferred me as a son-" Riddle-Harry continues.

"Who wouldn't prefer him, what woman would take you, you are nothing, nothing, nothing to him," Riddle-Hermione continues.

The ghostly Hermione, frightening yet beautiful, entwines herself around the ghostly Harry, her hair running like silk over their faces as she leans forward and covers his mouth with hers. "Do it, Ron! Kill it!" Harry shouts. Ron's head turns then, to Harry, and Harry freezes. A trace of scarlet glints in Ron's eyes. He raises the sword high and, for a moment, Harry looks fearful. Then, Ron pivots and brings the blade down hard, cleaving the locket. A scream echoes throughout the forest and the ghostly Harry and Hermione turn to dust, becoming one with the vapor drifting from Ron's mouth and all is- Quiet. Harry eyes the shattered locket, then turns his gaze on Ron who stands alone, sword dangling from the end of his arm, chest heaving. Harry scoops up the locket and examines it. Riddle's eyes are gone, the silk lining stained and faintly smoking. Ron lets the sword fall to the ground, drops to his knees. Harry steps forward and, carefully, places a hand upon his shoulder. "After you left, she cried for a week. She's like my sister."

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry I left," Ron insists.

"You've sort of made up for it tonight. Getting the sword. Finishing off the Horcrux," Harry says.

"Saving your life," Ron continues.

"That too," Harry smiles.

They both stare at the remains of the locket. "And just think of it. Only three to go," Ron says.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The bowl of flames boils timidly now; Hermione still slumbers. "Hermione!" Harry calls.

She stirs, sits up. Pushing her hair out of her face, she peers through the tent flap. Harry sticks the sword in the ground. As Hermione emerges with Isabella at her side, she blinks against the brightness of the morning sun. "Everything all right?" Hermione asks.

"Fine. Actually- more than fine," Harry assures.

He steps aside and Hermione sees Ron, standing at the edge of the camp. She stares, mute, then walks past Harry and the ashes of the campfire, stopping right in front of Ron. He raises a hand, smiles sheepishly. "Hey," Ron says. And then- Hermione begins to punch him. "Wo, hey, ouch!"