A Horcrux's Fate

Chapter 4

Ron approached Ginny quietly, his brow furrowed with concern. "We really need to have a private conversation," he whispered, urging her to follow him to a discreet corner of her room. The sunlight filtering through the window illuminated the dust motes dancing in the air, but neither of them noticed; their attention was consumed by the urgency of the moment.

"What's going on, Ron?" Ginny asked, her heart quickening with anxiety as she leaned in closer, a protective instinct bubbling to the surface.

Taking a deep breath, Ron stumbled with his words. "I've found something suspicious in Harry's room," he finally admitted, the guilt evident in his eyes. "I know I shouldn't have been snooping, but I couldn't help myself."

Ginny crossed her arms, eyebrows knitting together. "Why were you intruding on Harry's privacy like that?"

"I didn't intend to," Ron pleaded, his voice low. "But what I found was too important to ignore." He hoped to shift the conversation away from his own misstep and towards the troubling discovery.

"What did you see?" Ginny pressed; her curiosity piqued despite her irritation.

Ron shifted uncomfortably. "I came across books... about souls."

Ginny's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Souls?" she echoed, feeling a swirl of emotions—concern mingled with an unsettling intrigue. "Why would studying souls be an issue?"

"Because he had pages and pages of notes!" Ron argued quietly, almost conspiratorially.

"Maybe it's part of his summer reading list?" Ginny suggested, attempting to find a reasonable explanation amid the rising tension.

"Come off it," Ron scoffed, shaking his head. "Harry can't stand reading assignments. His room is cluttered with books focused entirely on souls. Doesn't that strike you as odd? Why now? Why this?"

Ginny shrugged, an uncertainty creeping in. "I mean... I'm not sure what to make of it, Ron."

"Do you think he's struggling with post-traumatic stress from the war?" Ron questioned, his voice barely a whisper, as if afraid of the answer. His mind raced with thoughts of their war with You-Know-Who, haunted memories leading him to a dark conclusion.

"Given everything he went through," Ginny began, her tone sympathetic, "it's a plausible explanation. But we can only truly understand his situation if he chooses to confide in us."

"Do you think I should talk to Harry about this?" Ron asked uneasily, memories of past arguments flashing through his mind. After finally reconciling their friendship, he feared damaging it again.

"No way," Ginny replied, staring at him as if he'd suggested something ludicrous. "Do you really believe he'll calm down if you bombard him with questions about something you shouldn't even know about? He needs time."

Ron sighed heavily, frustration evident in his posture. "It's Harry's personal matter, I know, but—"

"Let him bring it up himself! Trust me, he's just as stubborn as you are. Pressure won't help," Ginny advised, trying to instill some sense into her brother.

"Maybe I should ask Hermione then," Ron contemplated aloud, a hint of apprehension threading through his voice. He'd been eager to share the latest happenings at the Burrow with Hermione, yet the continued chaos had deprived him of that chance. "I just... I want to know how to help Harry."

"That might be a good idea," Ginny admitted, hope mingling with worry. "Hermione is the most level-headed among us. She'll probably find a way to handle this without upsetting Harry—she always knows how to navigate tricky situations."