InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "There Can Be Only One"

Ronald B Weasley (the_weasel_king) wrote in expresslogs,
@ 2012-02-04 16:02:00

Entry tags:

!open, harry potter, hermione granger, ron weasley, {luna lovegood

Panic? He didn't panic ...
Characters: Ron, Hermione, open
When: Saturday some time
Location: dining car (10)
Warnings/Rating: angst, panic, mistrust, swearing, etc
Summary: Ron arrives with a passed out Hermione, and is less than calm about it all
Status: Open, ongoing

All he'd wanted to do was to get away. He'd heard her being tortured, and he'd thought he was going to lose his mind because of it. He'd heard her screaming, and been helpless to stop it. Wandless. Trapped in the cellar and devastated.

They'd worked it out though, managed to get upstairs, and from there everything was a blur until he'd gotten to Hermione and gotten her out of there. He was supposed to have landed in Shell Cottage (or at least on the beach because they probably had some protections up) but this ... this was not the beach. This wasn't inside the cottage. This reminded him almost painfully of the Hogwarts express. The same sort of motion was there, but from what he could see of the passing scenery -- he was pretty damn sure that was a giraffe in the distance -- it was not England. Not even close.

He knew he'd fucked up apparating before, but this badly? Where was he? But more importantly ... who was going to help Hermione? He dropped his blue eyes to her, shaking her shoulder gently. "Hermione," he breathed. "Hermione, wake up," he pleaded as he looked wildly around even though he didn't want to take his eyes off of her long enough to look away. "Please wake up," he begged. She was smart. However he'd screwed this up, wherever he'd landed them, she could fix it, and he'd take whatever berating comments or rolling of eyes came with it, if she would only open her eyes.

Ron lifted his head and parted his lips with the intention of calling for help -- but he didn't know where he was, or what else might be around. Or who else might be around.

But what choice did he have, honestly?

"Help!" He called as he remained where he'd landed, Hermione's limp body cradled against his own. "Help, please! Someone!" There had to be other people around, right? Someone who could help him? Who could help her? Who could explain what, exactly, was going on. "Please!" He yelled again, shifting to try to drag her body to a chair, to get himself to his feet in case he did have to go looking. He didn't want to leave her (oh Merlin did he ever not want to leave her alone here!) but he knew he couldn't cart her around while he looked for assistance. So he had to hope that someone could hear him. That someone would come running, and that that someone wasn't a Death Eater or someone out to harm them. "Please," he whispered as he smoothed her hair back off her face, his own face crumpling in despair. "Hermione," he pleaded. "Please."

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bluebell_flames
2012-02-05 04:52 am UTC (link)

Griphook had arrived. Hermione wondered what would follow. Dreaded what would follow. He would evaluate the sword as the true sword of Godric Gyffindor, perhaps Bellatrix would be enraged further to think they had somehow stolen it. The stinging charm on Harry would subside, they’d be certain who he was then. Voldemort would be summoned and Hermione could do nothing more to help. Her wand was gone, Harry and Ron were captive - interrogation over the sword had only been a distraction, but at least they’d had some time.

When everything had ceased it had been an utter relief. Slipping into unconsciousness the last thing she could remember seeing is what she’d thought were Ron and Harry brought to the drawing room- blurry though they were. Hermione to her surprise wasn't woken to the intense pain of the crucio tearing through her as though it was everywhere at once, still she ached from what felt like head to toe but it was residual now. The multiple voices were gone, the argument, Bellatrix’s shrill tones had been the most prominent and suddenly it was quiet without it. Almost quiet. Ron. She fought to focus now.

“Ron.” Hermione opened her eyes groggily finding him peering in on her, closely. She was still frightened, in some pain and immediately disorientated; the darkened, subdued surrounds of the Malfoy Manor were gone, they were moving she realised as the motion rocked her and she stiffened with a wince, panic rising in her tone, though her voice felt hoarse, thick in her throat. “Wh-where are we?”

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the_weasel_king
2012-02-05 05:05 am UTC (link)

"I don't know," he said, his voice quavering. "I don't know what I did wrong, but we're on a train somewhere and there was a giraffe outside the window," he said. I twas irrelevant. Completely irrelevant that there was a giraffe outside, but it was so completely surreal and unexpected he felt he should share it anyway.

"Are you all right?" He asked, realizing even as it left his lips it was a foolish question. Of course she wasn't. None of them were, really, which suddenly begged the question ... where were the others? Luna and Dean should have been here, and Harry should have been following and there was no one. No one they'd just been with.

Oh sweet Merlin what had he done?

"I don't want to leave you alone, but I don't know where we are and I don't know how to find out where we are because that's what you do and you're better at it than I'll ever be and I don't know. Where. We. Are." He gazed down at her, still slightly panicked, but trying to keep it together for her, to try to be the strong one because she was recovering.

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bluebell_flames
2012-02-05 08:13 am UTC (link)

Hermione only felt weak, shaky all over. She didn’t trust trying to stand so she curled a little in the chair. A giraffe? She didn’t say a word, focusing on what she could see directly in front of her. They were alone. Away from the manor. But not necessarily safe. Where was Harry? She closed her eyes briefly, all that was threatening to overwhelm her was counteracted all the confusion.

“I’ll be all-right.” She reassured though her voice still shook. She ached, fear still gripped at her and she felt near sick with worry as to where Harry was. If- if he was still there. “You?” Necessary or not, she wanted to ask.

“You’ve a wand?” They’d disapparated, he had to have one. “Protective charm- so we’ll know if anyone’s coming. Cave Inimicum.” Hermione encouraged him firmly as she could, indicating the room and trying to process what exactly to do. Whilst making an effort to swallow down her fear was one thing, she wasn’t too sure about being on her feet yet.

Hermione reached for his wrist gently before he could move away. “Ron, this isn’t your fault..” At least she didn’t think so. Apparating on to a moving train- she finally turned to look out the window she’d been avoiding. It was quite unmistakable. It made no sense. “I don’t know- how..” She wasn’t quite ready to admit it, they just needed a little more time.

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the_weasel_king
2012-02-05 07:54 pm UTC (link)

"Peter's," he replied to the question about the wand. It took everything he had not to shove the wand toward her, to insist she do it. He had a tendency to screw up spells, and with an unfamiliar wand, he'd probably rupture the charm somehow. The only thing that stopped him was the fact that he wasn't sure she was in any better shape to handle casting a spell.

At least he knew the spell, if not terribly well. He shot her a glance that implied he really wasn't sure he could do this before he lifted the wand in his shaking hand, doing his best to cast it. Even if it came out weak, it was at least something. "I called for help," he said uncertainly. But he guessed whoever did show up ... if anyone showed up ... they'd deal with that if it happened.

"Has to be my fault, doesn't it?" He continued in a perfectly reasonable voice. "I had the wand. I did the apparating. And I landed us on a train." With giraffes out the window. He looked again, but the giraffe was gone; instead, they were passing by some clumps of trees. It still didn't look like anywhere near home though, and that alone was enough of a cause for concern. He couldn't have actually apparated them to ... wherever it was that had giraffes. It was outside of England, that was for sure.

Still. How they'd gotten here, where they were, not a lot of that really mattered. He needed to get her somewhere she could lay down, and then maybe he could find a healer, or something, if there was even anyone else on the train. But there had to be, right? A driver, at least, and someone with the snack cart. At the thought of a snack cart, he suddenly realized he was starving. "Do ... do you want me to go look around for someone?" But they only had one wand between the two of them, and he didn't want to wander wandless, or leave her alone without one.

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forced_hero
2012-02-05 08:58 pm UTC (link)

Harry was wandering the train trying to figure things out when he heard the shout. The distant, and most familiar voice he could have ever helped to hear. He was almost excited, except for the fact that the voice shouting was obviously in immense distress and fear. Already Draco's wand was falling into Harry's hand, and he hated its feeling but it was all he had.

He quickly thrust himself through a few doors and charged at full speed with a spell already in mind as he came bursting through the door. Glasses on, he brought the wand up and fired, "Protego!!!" straight for Ron, and Hermione, and a shield went up around both of them as he quickly took the time to look around for anyone who might be trying to hurt them. Yet, as he lowered his wand and the protego spell immediately vanished, he noted that they were alone.

He let out a relieved breath before swallowing, and then turning to look at the other two, and a giant smile spread across his face, "Ron! Hermione!" He immediately ran towards them and moved to wrap his arms around both of them, "Thank Merlin you're both here!"

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bluebell_flames
2012-02-06 12:00 am UTC (link)

Right. If an enemy came close at least they'd know and one of them was armed. That much was somewhat more settling, Herimone still relying on the chair to keep her upright for now. No one had arrived and if they'd heard Ron be it bad or good they would be here and either way light might be shed on where they were.

This time Hermione was less keen to allow an ounce of guilt. "Ron- I don't think you could have. That any of us could." she told him, her glassy eyes still watching the scenery rush by and having a great deal of trouble believing the impossible. With a Father an avid fan of nature documentaries there was little mistaking that horizon, plus, well Giraffe. As she watched it seemed there were a large herd of Zebra grazing. "Africa. It looks a lot like Africa." She said quietly, and not just because her throat was so raw. "But international apparation- and there's powerful spells in place to prevent-" Hermione stopped herself from becoming obsessed with what was so absurd and right now less important.

Nodding slowly, Hermione agreed. "I think it's the only way we're going to make some sense of where we are." Even if the last thing she wanted was to be separated again. "You take the wand." It wasn't up for discussion. He'd be quicker and stronger. She shifted, stiffly going to fish about at her shoe. "I've got the cloak." She confided softly. "It's still in the b-" The thud of the door flying open and the burst of light caused Hermione to let out a terrified yelp of surprise, as she braced only to find herself unharmed, Ron unharmed, the spell faded and standing there was Harry.

He was on them before she had time to react and she slipped an arm out to return the hug with a faint wince. "Harry." She near sobbed with a mix of emotions, relief flooding her, they were all together again. "You got away.."

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quirky_raven
2012-02-06 12:12 am UTC (link)

Luna had been chasing one of the shadows when she pretty much crash landed inside the dining car. She had dove behind a door after hearing some voices and quickly cast the Patronus charm (using a memory of her friends as a trigger). "Expecto Patronum!" came the very female voice along with the hare. But she knew if she was indeed among friends the little signs would be there: from her wounds due to the manor to the reclaming of her earrings and necklace.

In the meantime she simply stayed behind the door and held onto her wand, ready to fight back if it was needed.

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the_weasel_king
2012-02-06 01:28 am UTC (link)

Africa. Right. There was no way he could have gotten them to Africa. Seriously no way he could have done that. That had to be thousands of miles away.

When Hermione yelped, Ron reflexively turned toward the source of the sound, lifting his wand (even though he wasn't sure what he meant to do or what he meant to cast), but that thought died when he saw who it was. "Harry!" He exclaimed. He was both delighted and profoundly confused because ... how had they all wound up here if they were all aiming to have wound up somewhere else?

When he saw Luna's hare and heard her voice, he wondered if that meant Dean and Dobby were here, too. And Griphook. "Harry," he said, his brow furrowing. "How did we all end up here? Where is here, anyway? Are we really in Africa? How did we get to Africa?" Apparently, he was a font of useless questions just then.

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forced_hero
2012-02-07 12:28 am UTC (link)

He laughed and hugged them both as tightly as he possibly could, but as he turned to look at the sound that was made behind him, he recognized that Hare and smiled and laughed, "It's okay Luna! It's me! Harry, and we have Ron and Hermione here! Come quick!"

He was so elated with them being here he almost missed the wince from Hermione, and the questions from Ron, before finally stepping back and giving Hermione an apologetic look. He then shook his head and glanced to Ron, "It's a bit odd really, but yes we're all in Africa. As far as I can gather, we're on some time-traveling train that travels through time and space. It apparently is currently stopped in Africa right now, but goes all over. The note I received in my room states it's a Runaway or something like that. All I know is it's a bit bizarre, and us being here is totally by coincidence or accident."

He then brushed himself off as he stood to his feet again, and shrugged, "And uhm... my mum is here, and Sirius. Both of them are alive. Sirius from a different time, 86 I guess, and mum from before she had me I believe. But they're both here, and they both know me."

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bluebell_flames
2012-02-07 10:22 am UTC (link)

Though partially obscured by Harry’s body, Hermione managed to see the rather sweet Hare patronus, which made her smile just a little - Luna was here too, Harry alerted her to them. As he pulled away Hermione sank back into the chair, looking him over in silence. As pleased as she was to see him both confusion and concern remained etched upon her expression - she was taking in what he had said. A runaway train. A runaway ..time travelling train. Well, time travel she couldn’t quite be entirely bemused by - she had done so via the time-turner. But an independently time travelling train they just happened to all land upon by coincidence was a somewhat more difficult to simply accept and her head was already aching to begin with.

It didn’t help as the presence of Harry’s Mother, Lily and his more recently departed Godfather Sirius where noted as being aboard, the information offered brightly by Harry as if this were equally as common as seeing just about anyone in passing. Hermione wasn’t quite used to the sensation of a situation making rather less sense the more she learned of it and she pressed her palm to her forehead, forcing her gaze to focus.

She had learned to be suspicious first and foremost. Not to trust, even people they thought they could trust. Mr Lovegood had revealed them to Death Eaters. Though it was out of desperation and out of love. It was for Luna and he didn’t deserve so much as an ill thought for his actions. It only meant that they had to be suspicious, even if it felt wrong. “Harry- how-” She was nervous of how he might react. “How can you be sure they’re who the say they are?” Hermione voiced it as delicately as she could, curling back into the chair a little. Surely he was kinder than blurting how could he be sure it was safe to trust people claiming to be relatives who were most definitely known to be dead? “It’s just-” She looked at Ron for support. “All of this- it’s just- a lot to take in."

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the_weasel_king
2012-02-08 06:03 am UTC (link)

Ron kind of stared, and kind of wondered if Harry had gone 'round the bend. The train thing ... all right, obviously there was evidence to support that. He'd seen the giraffe. But the rest of it? Especially the bits about his mum, and Sirius.

Maybe it was a ... Train of Erised. Feeling remarkably clever for a few seconds, Ron realized that probably wasn't the case. He hadn't ever desired to be in Africa, on a train, friends or no friends. Though he guessed whoever was driving could be desiring the Africa bit ...

Shaking his head slightly, Ron tried to focus on what was important here. Which was ... they were on a train, and Harry was delusional. "Right, mate. She's got a point there. I mean ..." Ron didn't want to blurt out the thing they all knew -- Lily and Sirius were dead. So he shrugged and made a 'you know' sort of gesture. It just seemed ... too far out there. Or too convenient. Too something.

"Is there somewhere we can ... she should probably lay down. And see a healer. And have something to eat," Ron said. Hermione being all right was more important right now than figuring out the hows and whys and insanities of this particular situation.

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quirky_raven
2012-02-09 02:17 am UTC (link)

Luna finally emerged from behind the car door to join her friends, still covered in bruises from being held at the manor. "Could we just borrow one of the empty cabins in the meantime?" she offered as an option,"I mean we are sort of in a small scale crisis." she tried to explain. As she spoke Luna was arleady thinking of ways to explain all this to any Muggles that could have stumbled upon the scene,"As for healers I think there are doctors on board but of the Muggle sort." she offered.

But for the moment Luna was just happy to not be alone and not exactly caring that she was still wounded herself.

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Sorry all for the delay.

forced_hero
2012-02-13 05:27 am UTC (link)

He frowned listening to them and shook his head, realizing that getting Hermione to rest was more important. He nodded to Ron, and then to Luna's suggestion before moving to help Hermione sit up as best as possible, "Yea, let's do what Luna suggested. It's faster, and you'll need rest Hermione." He then glanced to Ron and frowned, "And it's true mate, I know it's hard, but it's true. I know it's true because I met my mum and it was her. I know it's her, there's no other person she could be."

He nodded before gesturing for them to get moving then glanced to Luna, "Do you know any of the empty cabins off hand by chance? I imagine we should be in a bit of a rush."

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bluebell_flames
2012-02-13 01:58 pm UTC (link)

Luna’s appearance attracted Hermione’s gaze, and she peered over at her - she hadn’t quite thought it through. She must have been at the manor too- what Mr Lovegood had said. Snatchers. “Oh Luna-” It was clear enough she had been injured too. She offered the empty cabins for them to go to and it was probably the best option, they could learn more as soon as they were settled in a room together. “It’s all right. I don’t need a healer-.” The mention of Muggles - well it was still surprising. The fact they were on a time-travelling train spoke more of the Wizarding world. “Muggle doctors- on this train?” Hermione really did think she ought to stop asking questions because they were getting her no closer to understanding what exactly was going on.

Harry’s complete certainty made Hermione all the more hesitant to question him, he was sure. It was just that it made no sense. There was no reason for Harry to say such a thing unless he believed it, and perhaps there’d be a better time to speak on the finer details of how it could be possible. “Well at the very least it’ll give us a chance to get some things sorted out. Though I’m not- really sure there’s any ..making this clearer.” She lifted herself out of the chair, not entirely steady but wanting to move on, her brows furrowing - Luna was potentially knowledgable about the carriages, and Harry had ..met people. He knew things. “Did you.. not only just arrive too?” She was almost afraid to ask.

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the_weasel_king
2012-02-13 03:19 pm UTC (link)

While Ron was fairly certain Harry was, in fact, a little bit mad, he didn't think now was the time to engage in it. Hermione was priority, not arguing with Harry that his dead mum couldn't be on a train with them. He also wasn't sure he'd trust Muggle doctors. He guessed he should; he was pretty sure Hermione's parents were some form of doctor and they were Muggles. But he also recalled when his da had been in the hospital and how his mum had gone ballistic over the Muggle methods they'd tried to use on him.

He sniffed once as he waited for ... something to go on. He thought they should move to an empty room with a bed so Hermione could lay down, and they could talk in there as easy, so he focused on Luna to try to encourage her to point them toward the empty rooms.

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