A Badgers Love

Chapter 13

Ron felt as though he was being squeezed through a very narrow space. The pressure pushing down on him from every side. Then, just as quickly as it started, it ended, and he landed on solid ground and promptly threw up.

"Eugh," said Bellatrix as she took a quick step back before Ron vomited on her black dress.

"Sorry," mumbled Ron as he wiped the puke away from the corner of his mouth with the sleeve of his robes.

"Get on the boat," Bellatrix ordered, indicating the boat docked a few feet away from them.

"Boat?" asked Ron as he looked at the floating vessel. "But I get seasick."

Bellatrix growled, wanting nothing more than to kill the boy in front of her. Only her masters need for the child stayed her hand.

"Fine," she said as she remembered how easy he caved when threatened. "If you aren't coming with us, we have no need for you, and so I will cut out your heart. My master has been looking for one so he could perform a ritual he found."

Ron paled and said, "So... We're going for a boat ride?" and then he quickly ran over and got onto the boat just as Voldemort arrived.

He and Bellatrix got onto the boat and set sail for the mainland. Thanks to the notice-me-not charm, no one spotted the little boat as it chugged its way across the open waters.

Finally, after almost an entire day on the water, and Ron throwing up over the side nearly a dozen times, they arrived on the main land and promptly apparated away.

"Where are we?" asked Ron when they arrived in a very old looking mansion.

"Where we are does not concern you Ronald Weasley," said Voldemort. "What you need to concern yourself with is power. I sense much power within you. Power far greater than that of Harry Potter. Yet, this power is untrained. Give yourself to me and I shall teach you how to use your power to inflict your will upon the rest of the world. Follow me and they will fear your name much as they do mine. What say you?"

"You're telling me that I can be more powerful than Harry?" asked Ron. "That I could beat him if I wanted to?"

"Yes," said Voldemort.

Ron stood there for a moment, thinking it over. He really wanted to get revenge on Harry for turning against him. For leaving him because of some girl. He also wanted to make sure that Hannah suffered as well. And Hermione for always telling him what to do. And Colin Creevey for taking his rightful place on the Quidditch team. And Ginny for always getting new things while he was stuck with hand-me-down's as old as his eldest brother. And the twins for always pranking him. He wanted everyone to pay for the life he should have had, and yet didn't.

And so, Ron kneeled down in front of Voldemort and said, "What do you wish of me, my master?"

"Give me your arm," said Voldemort, and Ron promptly extended his right arm.

Voldemort pulled back Ron's sleeve and placed the tip of his wand to his skin as he muttered an incantation.

Ron had to bite back the scream as a burning pain exploded from where the wand touched him. He then looked at his arm as Voldemort pulled his wand away, seeing the dark mark branded on his skin.

"You shall be my apprentice, Ronald Weasley," said Voldemort. "When I am done teaching you, you will be almost as powerful as I am. You will be powerful enough to kill Harry Potter."

"Thank you master," said Ron.

Voldemort then smiled as he pointed his wand and said, "Crucio."

Ron rolled up into a ball and cried out in pain.