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No one thought they would meet again in this way.
"You look awful, Harry."
The red-haired man in front of him said, his tone familiar and at ease, sending a shiver down Harry's spine. It was two years since they had met again, since that incident.
"You don't deserve to call my name!" He said agitatedly, perhaps because of the anger he had built up over the years at what he had done, or perhaps because the sight of this familiar but now unfamiliar face struck him with a deep sense of dread; it was wrong, it was so wrong, even having faced Voldemort, he had never been as shaken as he was at the sight of the man before him, his once best friend, now enemy, the current Minister of Magic, Ronald Billius Weasley.
His men seemed to want to punish him for his insolence, but Ron-Ronald, Harry didn't even want to call the monster by that name now, raised his hand and gestured for them to release him, his men cowered and obeyed, Harry couldn't do anything, any small move could lead to the worst. In all the years of chasing and running between them, Ronald would never killed him, even when his men had chased him to the dead end, he had never been harmed in the slightest, which was why he had always managed to escape. In a sick and twisted way, he was both protecting and chasing him, just like the games they played at school.
"It's not up to you, Harry, you may not consider me a friend anymore, but to me you still are," he smiled, almost as genuine as he once was, as if the old Ron Weasley hadn't disappeared, which caused his stomach to turn, "I'll get my men to help you. You need a shower, and some proper food to eat, maybe that'll cheer you up."
He did not look his best, his clothes were shabby and dishevelled and his beard had not been shaved for days. Years on the run had made him care less. Harry knew he must look exhausted because he often couldn’t sleep, nightmares and painful memories haunted him, but what was his life and living compared to the lives of others?
On the contrary, Ronald Weasley was well dressed and refined, in a crimson suit and robes, wearing a ring with rubies and amber stones in one hand and a silver ring in the other, his hair was down to his waist, neatly combed and shiny, tied back in a low ponytail with a black ribbon, a few strands of hair left casually around his face. Perhaps because of the gloomy light of the Minister of Magic's office, his red hair now looked as dark as blood. He took a step towards him with a cane with a gold lion's head on it, a far cry from the boy who had once worn old, washed-out robes and carried a second-hand wand and a second-hand pet. His once shining eyes were now nothing but cold ice, a perfect match for this magnificent, cold hall. If Harry could described him by one person now, he looked just like a replica of Lucius Malfoy.
But despite this, Harry looked at his limping walk, his ring with the illusion spell cast on it to hide the ghastly scars on his face, they both knew in their hearts that all of this was just a mask to hide the fact that he was as broken as he was.
What is your nightmare, Weasley?
"Stop playing the friendship card with me, you're the worst and most despicable person I've ever known, you disgust me!" Extreme anger made him say the words that he didn't exactly mean, his lighthearted attitude made him more and more annoyed. He wanted to provoke him into something, even if it was anger. At school Ron was a little firecracker who blew up at the slightest point, but Ronald was a unpredictable man, Ronald knew how to hide it, suppressing his anger in his heart and putting on a pandering smile to the outside. To his surprise, there was a flash of hurt in the other man's eyes, but it was soon replaced by that icy coldness.
"We haven't seen each other for two years, even if you hate me, I thought you'd at least think of those old times."
"I regret every second I spent with you. You mean nothing to me!"
"Say what you will," he sighed, returning to that calm tone, "but you know what will happen to them, you can't save them."
"If you touch a hair on those children's heads, I swear-"
"You swear to what? To kill me? Honestly if you did that, it would really save us both a big trouble." He said, sounding almost like the kind of frustration he had long time ago with his loads of homework, the irony of it all stung because Harry knew what he was alluding to, what Harry had done, what they had lost because of him.
"Leave me, Harry, save her!" Once, at Malfoy Manor, Ron had shouted desperately at him, and he chose wrong, because he had naively thought that he could save them both, that he could save the day like he had done before.
"You're right, I couldn't do it," it was true, Harry Potter wasn't a killer, he could never hurt his former best friend, "but someone will, how long do you think you can keep ruling them with fear? Soon people will start to rebel and you'll lose."
"So far, fear seems to be pretty effective."
"Voldemort once ruled with fear, and he lost."
Though no one dared to say it, the truth was that Ronald Weasley had become someone as terrifying as the Dark Lord. The great purge two years ago that had severed the relationship between the two former friends confirmed it.
Probably because he heard the name of Voldemort, the one the other man still hated beyond measure, Ronald frowned.
"Well, I don't need to rule them forever, that's not part of my plans." Finally he simply said.
That was the part Harry didn't understand the most, the fact that he didn't know what Ronald Weasley was thinking, what he was ultimately trying to achieve by doing all of this. Ron had always released all of his emotions on the surface, but after the war, as Ron slowly became Ronald, Harry found that he couldn't see through him more and more, an inexplicable feeling told him that he was waiting and searching for something, that he was doing all of this for more than just revenge.
"Whatever you are searching for, if you don't stop what you are doing now, you won't even be able to wait until then!
"You don't know what you're talking about."
"I don't, but I do know what's right and what's wrong, if Hermione knows-"
"Don't you dare mention her name!" Ron yelled suddenly, the mention of her finally stirring him, "How dare you mention her name after what you, me, after what we did!"
His sudden outburst startled him, along with the fact that he was a head taller than him, gave him an extremely terrifying presence, those blue eyes finally showed emotion, pain, grief, anger, remorse, hatred, it made Harry feel pain too, remembering the day, the day Hermione Granger lost her life, the day Ron Weasley lost everything, the day Harry Potter lost his two best friends.
It was back at the Manor, they could have saved her, but just as they were about to succeed, two flashes of black smoke passed by and by the time he came back to his senses, the two people beside him were gone, Bellatrix Lestrange and another Death Eater had snatched them up and teleported his friends across the room.
"Give me your wand, Draco." Bellatrix said to Draco Malfoy, she had just been de-weaponised by Ron. Without even looking at them, Malfoy carefully handed her his wand. She held it against Hermione's chin, while the other man held his wand against Ron's.
"One more move, the little mudblood and blood traitor are dead!" She shouted hideously.
"Leave me, Harry, save her!" Ron shouted, only to be hit hard in the stomach.
"Don't listen to him, save him!" Hermione shouted.
It was at that moment that he made his first bad decision, he trusted Hermione and thought he could save Ron first before they saved her together, this went well at first, Ron backhanded and once again removed Bellatrix's weapon and sent a deadly attack spell, Bellatrix dodged it and was knocked to the ground by another of Harry's spells. They grabbed Hermione and rushed in the opposite direction, preparing for apparating. Bellatrix sat up with difficulty, still seemingly unwilling to give up.
"Use Sectumsempra!" Ron called out.
Harry had seen the power of that spell, it would kill the person who had been struck by it, so for a moment he hesitated, to this day he hadn't actually killed anyone. Missing the opportunity, they had to start to apparate, which was the second mistake he made.
It was at that moment that the knife was thrown towards them.
Harry remembered to this day the sad smile on Hermione's pale face as she looked at them, her blood stained hand cupping Ron's face and dropping it as she exhaled her last breath.
"Just win." Those were the last words she said.
He remembered to this day looking tearfully at Ron, who was shaking her like a madman, calling her name over and over, kissing her forehead, asking him to do something.
Harry had never heard such heart-wrenching cries before, even the beach was raining with them.
He knew that the day Hermione Granger died, Ron Weasley died with her.
"It's not your fault what happened." His tone softened as he thought about the day that had tormented him to this day, if Hermione could have a say about it, she probably would have said that it wasn't any of their fault, it was all just a series of unfortunate accidents.
But Harry didn't think so, it had indeed been his fault. Ron froze for a moment, frowning, as if he didn't think so either, the painful resonance of losing his friend-other's lover calming both men down.
"But it was my fault. I keep thinking back to that day, you know? How things could have been different," he sighed, parting a strand of red hair in front of his face, "all the possibilities, I had to die, it was the only way to save her, to save you both. You wouldn't kill Bellatrix, so I had to choose to die in a killing curse or take that knife, either way, I should have die. " Now he had developed a habit of thinking strategically and seeing everything as if it was a chess game, Harry figured that was one of the reasons why he was doing so well in the Ministry of Magic.
"What's happened has happened, there's no use in going back , it will only drive you insane." He responded.
Hearing this, the other man let out a harsh laugh, Harry couldn't tell if he was mocking him or if he genuinely thought it was funny.
That was probably the difference between them, Harry chose to make peace with the past while Ron, Ron never forgave himself, or forgave the world.
"Then I guess I went insane a long time ago," Ronald said as he removed the ring with the illusion spell, "Harry, Harry, always so straight forward, I think we'd better be honest with each other, as you said, no more games."
Burn marks appeared on half of his face, shaped like a red spider, fate seemed very ironic to have imprinted the thing Ron feared most on his face, although he had long since stopped fearing that sort of thing, instead, he became the horror itself. Looking at his scar, Harry couldn't help but winced at the thought of what happened afterwards.
They buried her on the beach, and after staying there as long as they could, they finally reluctantly left. In fact, Harry felt that Ron wanted to stay there forever, they returned to Burrow, Mrs. Weasley's eyes were swollen with tears when she learned of Hermione's death. With the company of Ron's family, it allowed them a brief escape from the harsh reality of Hermione’s absence. However, Harry noticed, Ron's words became lesser and lesser, he no longer joked, no longer made wisecracks, he just focused on finding the Horcruxes, he became more and more like the empty shell of the past. At first, Harry thought that with the Weasleys’ help, his friend would slowly back to normal.
Again, however, he was wrong.
Without Hermione, finding and destroying the Horcruxes became more difficult. It took them nearly three months to find the cup, and two months to get to Hogwarts to find the diadem, in the process of destroying it, Crabbe set fire to the hall, some of them were able to escape, while others never made it out.
No Weasleys survived, except for Ron. Harry almost failed to pull Ron off the burning bodies of Fred and Ginny who he was hugging tightly. The flames licked half of Ron‘s face and body, left him with permanent scars and trauma.
And just like that, like how Harry was the last Potter, Ron became the last Weasley.
He often thought about what Ron had said to him in the tent before he left, he thought that Ron had said it out of fear, out of the Horcrux's manipulation, but the truth was that in a way he was right, because people did die, there would always be a price, Harry just never thought it would actually happen, that the people who died would be the people he spends his days with, the people who raise his best friend. Because he himself had nothing to lose, he overlooked the fact that Ron had so much to lose.
His eyes glared at him,a ghostly blue fury shining in them. For a moment Harry thought he was going to punch him, but he just stood up and held out his hand to him.
"Let's go and kill them." he said, his voice so calm that made Harry feel a chill from his spine.
At the end of the Battle of Hogwarts, Ron Weasley ended Bellatrix Lestrage's life with a killing curse, as the green light flashed, Harry knew that something about his best friend had changed forever. He looked into Ron's eyes, that lurid blue fire still unquenched.
He knew, that a terrible resolve had formed in his mind.
Fate, it seems, after destroying a monster, likes to create a new one.
"What were you thinking when you killed Bellatrix Lestrange?" Harry asked.
"Anger? Hatred? Honestly, it was too easy for her, but it was my first time, I was a little bit rusty. You'd find it gets easier and easier after you crossed that first line. " said Ronald, talking about murder like a casual thing, "Hate is a very powerful thing."
"Love is more powerful."
"Sometimes they're the same, Harry," Ronald chuckled, for a moment he looked like Ron again, but Harry refused to admit it.
"Is that what you thought when you killed Scorpius Malfoy? What it was like to crush Draco Malfoy's head?"
At that, Ronald's eyes darkened, the scars on his face made him look like the devil from hell.
"His death was necessary, not personal, and his father's death was for her."
"Draco Malfoy helped us. He didn't identify us that day at the Manor!"
"He watched her got tortured. He gave his wand to Bellatrix. He is as responsible for her death as we are! He deserves to die like the rest of them!"
"Then what about his son? He's just a kid!"
"He's a Malfoy! The son of a blood purist!"
"He did nothing! And those other families you killed, yes they took Voldemort's side during the war, but many of them didn't do anything! Many of them have children!"
"A necessary act to avoid further war, they are hidden dangers. Malfoy, Crabbe, they were all once children, you can not naively expect them to change, because that is the nature of who they are. The only way to deal with those people is to get rid of them root and stem!"
"Sometimes mercy is necessary, too."
"Mercy is just an excuse for weakness. Too much mercy will only lead to more cruelty."
It was at this topic that they formed a fundamental disagreement. After the war, Ron did not join him in abandoning his school studies and attending Auror training as Harry had thought he would. Instead, he returned to Hogwarts for his final year. Back to school, Ron showed amazing perseverance and determination in his studies. He didn't waste any more time doing nothing and having fun. He didn't even play Quidditch any more. Partly because Harry was busy with Auror training, and partly because now, as the last Weasley, Quidditch would only bring back painful memories for Ron. He read and studied all night, as if trying to catch up on all the stuff he left out with in his first few grades. Seamus complained that he was possessed by Percy, but only Harry knew that he was actually becoming more and more like her.
And that's the most remarkable and terrifying thing about Ron Weasley. Harry would stay as himself for the people he loves, while Ron, Ron would change himself for his love ones.
As it turned out, his friend wasn't lacking in talent, he was just lacking in determination and interest in study. Ron was actually very smart, after all, he had won Mcgonagall's chess game in his first year, he remembered everything Hermione had said. After graduating and passing the NEWTs, Ron went to work for the Ministry of Magic, fighting for the rights of house elves, later entered Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Without his previous insecurities and indolence, because of his sense of humor and brilliant abilities, and the fact that he was a pitiable war hero, Ron actually became a very charming and popular man. People appreciate him for what he had contribute, but he always said that this was what Hermione would do.
Not even Harry saw the horrible motives lurking beneath his comforting maturity, nor did he notice that Ron had manipulated and brainwashed everyone unnoticeably like chess pieces on a chessboard, people’s adoration and awe for him was becoming a very dangerous thing.
Soon, a few years later, Ron was promoted to the position of Minister of Magic, and shortly after that the great purge began.
All the families who supported or sided with Voldemort in the Second War, none of them were spared, including their children.
Harry remembered the day he had arrived with a small team of Aurors to try to rescue the Malfoys. He couldn't bring many people because many of Aurors had been Ron’s spies. However, by the time they arrived, it was too late, Ron was wiping his blood stained hands with a handkerchief from the Malfoy dining room table, his face spattered with blood, too. He looked curiously at the tattered blond head under his feet, as if he was studying the anatomy of the human brain, Scorpius Malfoy lay not far behind him, dead because of a killing curse.
"Hey, Harry." When Ron saw him, he gave him an almost innocent smile that made him want to vomit.
And just like today, he had a big fight with him that day. What puzzled him most was that Ron wanted him to join his evil and cruel cause, but his attempt was doomed not going to work. Harry would not approve of such things, and maybe because he was the only friend and family he had left, Ron would never hurt Harry. So he "banished" him, he almost did it like a prank. He took his wand, without giving him a penny, send him straight to Brazil. Due to various inconveniences and language barrier, it took Harry a long time to get back to England, and then he began to flee from place to place. After that he only remembered those chasing and running, as if they were playing some kind of sick game. And just like those wizard chess they used to play, Harry never defeated Ron.
This time, he lost again. In the past two years, he had saved many children of the pure blood families, but because of his one time negligence, these efforts would probably all in vain.
"So I guess you're still not going to change your mind, are you?" Ronald sighed, bringing Harry back to reality.
"It's hard for me to side with you when you're filling the newspapers with the headlines of Harry Potter helping former Death Eaters."
"Hey that’s not fair. You started it. Going around everywhere convincing people that I’m the next Dark Lord. You left me no choice, Harry." he pouted his lips.
"And you're not?" Harry said, half angry and half amused, the situation somehow ridiculously reminded him of when they were fighting during fourth grade.
"Look on the bright side. How many Muggle-born witches and wizards have more opportunities now ？ And how are the house-elves?"
Harry had to admit that, despite Ronald's brutal methods, he did manage to make people, animals and elves of the wizarding world to live relatively prosper and equal lives when it came to running governance, which was probably the talent of a Weasley. But, of course, this kind of prosperity was at the expense of the wealth of others who used to be at the top of the pyramid.
However, innocence is innocence, no matter which stance they once took.
"It's not about what you have accomplished, it's about the way you did it that I don't agree with and will never agree with."
"Pity, I figure in the end you are still you and I’m still me, our path has diverged a long time ago," he said sincerely and resignedly, "I'm afraid we'll have to say goodbye again, thanks for the invisibility cloak, by the way." he said, gave him a little wink
"My invisibility cloak, why do you want my invisibility cloak——" he paused in the middle of the sentence, when suddenly he realized Ron’s ultimate purpose, what he was really up to.
"No......"
"Yes, this is the last one I need. Thanks for bringing it to me."
The Elder Wand, the Resurrection Stone, the Invisibility Cloak, the one who possessed three of them could become the Master of Death.
He should have known it.
Oh, Ron......
He's trying to bring her back!
"And... some dark magic spells. I don’t really want to go into details of how nasty they are...Basically, it took me a while to find them. Sometimes I really wish I could read as fast as her." he joked.
"... Why didn't you tell me?"
"If you had agreed to join me, I would have told you. Couldn't have me thinking about resurrecting her while having to deal with you pain in the arse, right?" He teased.
"... There is a price to pay for making deals with Death."
"Well...I guess I've got nothing to lose." He stopped smiling at the words, voice full of sadness, and for a moment Harry's heart almost ached with him.
"What do you think she'll think of you if you succeed?"
"......She will probably hate me I think. She's always had a good heart. If I was the one who died, she'd continue to live wonderfully with my share, she wouldn't do half of the things I do now. She's always been amazing," he thought for a moment, "but what she thinks is up to her, not me," he said, shrugging. "you know she deserves to live more than either of us."
That, Harry agreed.
"Anyways, those kids are safe for now, if that's what you're worried about, the first time was just a.......A warning?" He said instead, but Harry can only trust a little of him. Over the years, this bastard had become more and more manipulative. Sometimes he couldn't help but wonder why the Sorting Hat didn't put him in Slytherin back then. Harry guessed it just looked at his standard Weasley red hair and decided.
"Like I'm going to believe that."
"Believe what you want, but remember, I would never hurt either of you, no matter what you think I've become."
Harry looked again into his eyes, but this time he saw, no, Ronald Weasley was not a monster, he was a just sad man, a man with nothing, a man who had done series of terrible things for the people he loved just to bring them back. Suddenly, Harry no longer felt angry at him, instead, he felt a great sadness for his former best friend.
"Good-bye, Harry." Ron said, caressing his face with his long, pale fingers and kissed his cheek, tears dripping onto the bridge of his nose and staining it.
Just like that, Harry Potter was taken away by Ron Weasley's men.
They wouldn't see each other again for a very long time.
FIN