chapter 36 : Selections, love and dark magic

A few days later, the selections for the brand new Quidditch team for Gryffindor took place.

 As captain, Ron was supposed to be the test supervisor but he was late and Harry took charge.

He had already organized the candidates and almost finished his speech when Ron came riding his broom.

 Harry: Captain?!

 Ron: Please excuse my delay, the nights are getting cooler and my sleep is much sweeter. (Looks at Harry) Potter, you have done a very good job here, I should give you more responsibility.

 Harry:…thank you…captain…

 The two pressed their lips and mouths together because they wanted to laugh, Ron had purposely spoken to him formally because he knew it would make his friend laugh.

 Ron: It's a pleasant surprise to see some of the faces here! Longbottom (Neville), McLaggen, Weasley (Ginny), Thomas and there are even first years! The younger ones listen to me, Potter your vice-captain and I joined the team in our first year at school, if we did then you can do it with the necessary skills. Don't be afraid of anyone, you're from Gryffindor so age is nothing. Understood ?

 "Yes captain…!" The first years said with a little more enthusiasm.

 "They're going to get slaughtered..." He whispered amusedly to Harry.

 Harry: Stop...

 "Alright, testing can officially begin and Potter will be supervising everything. I'm going to watch it all in the stands with my beautiful girlfriend aahahaha" He left laughing while everyone else had a strong and strange urge to hit him.

 The tests began and it was initially all batsmen because Fred and Georges had left to leave the two positions vacant.

These guys had a terrifying sense of business and they were already selling their products at school, now that they have their store, they threw themselves into it and it worked like a charm.

 Dean Thomas and some other fairly large guys were competing for the two positions and Ron watched them, sitting casually next to Luna who had her head resting against him.

 Luna: Your hair is really long.

 Ron: Have you seen yours? It looks like a veil.

 Luna: My hair is long but yours grows really too fast. I should cut them off for you.

 Ron: Okay but just a little.

 Luna: Then I'm going to use them to make a bracelet.

 Ron: Then cut off a lock or two of your hair to make a bracelet for me too.

 Luna: Do you want one?

 Ron: I want everything that's part of you...

 They moved closer to kiss under the embarrassed or jealous eyes of others when they were interrupted.

 "Uh captain…?" A male voice asked and he looked to see Cormac McLaggen flying on his broom.

 Ron: McLaggen? Do you need me while the vice-captain is there?

 "Captain, what I have to ask you is a bit personal…" He said as he sat down.

 Ron: I'm listening but be quick, it will soon be your turn and you stopped me from seeing a great action from Thomas...

 Luna and Hermione almost laughed when they heard this.

 Cormac: Captain, what do you think of me?

 Ron: For the guard position?

 Cormac: No, I mean...as a boy.

 Ron:…

 Luna:…

 Cormac:…

 Ron: McLaggen, you are beautiful, intelligent, talented, courageous and strong, you are an excellent Gryffindor but my friend I don't eat that bread. You see, I have a girlfriend and we're getting engaged soon, sorry to disappoint you buddy, I respect your tastes but-(interrupted)

 Cormac: No captain, I wasn't talking about that! I also like girls!! Wait, you said you're getting engaged...?

 Hermione: Ahahahahah!

 Cormac: Actually, I was talking about Ginny...

 Ron: Which Ginny?

 Cormac: Your sister...I sincerely like her, Captain. Look, I'm not a bad guy and you know it, I...

 "He interrupts my kiss with Luna to tell me he wants to hit on my Sister ? How am I going to kill him and where to hide the body ?!" Ron wondered to himself with a blank look as Cormac continued his monologue and Luna clutched her stomach from laughing too.

 "McLaggen…" Ron said very calmly, putting his hand on her shoulder.

 Cormac: Captain?

 Ron: If you're interested in Ginny then just go talk to her, you don't have to be afraid of my reaction or have my agreement for anything. Ginny is a big girl, very strong and I trust her discernment. You're cool so I'll give you a tip as a comrade and not as a captain, Ginny is experiencing a budding romance with Neville so be prepared for some competition. You can go and good luck.

 "Thank you captain...you're really cool. Thank you sincerely" Cormac said as he left with a determined look.

 Hermione: Wow, I thought you were going to rip his head off but you're playing fair!

 Luna: You're really unpredictable.

 Ron looked where Neville was and placed a finger on his neck before whispering in his direction.

 "Neville...Neville listen to my voice, it's Ron, I'm in the stands. Cormac McLaggen is going to compete for the same position as you and he told me he was interested in Ginny…" he said mischievously.

 Neville immediately turned in his direction and Ron nodded solemnly as if to say, "It's true, it's true!" 

 "He wants to hit on your wife, be ruthless and give it your all" he continued and Neville gave him a thumbs up.

 Hermione: I take back what I said, you are truly Machiavellian. Will you teach me to do the whispering thing too?

 Ron: If you want, Luna already knows how to do it...

 Luna: By the way, Neville can really beat Cormac?

 Ron: In addition to apparation and the darkroom, Neville came to me to ask me to teach him how to properly ride a broom and how to handle it easily.

 Hermione: Result?

 Ron: He's a genius. Neville is much more talented than we thought but he never had the coaching necessary to unlock his potential in addition to his trauma with his late parents. Since I took him under my wing, he has transformed and just like Harry, he is truly someone I can count on.

 The goalkeeper tests came and Cormac was good, very good in fact but Neville was on a whole other level, he didn't deflect a single ball but caught them all cleanly and that required not only exceptional reflexes but also good physical strength in the grip.

 Everyone was impressed by him, he had been boosted by his rivalry and Ron was proud of him just like Ginny who had passed the chaser tests, she was finally happy to play alongside her brother.

 Ron appreciated Cormac's talents like everyone else and he was not rejected, new tests were done for beaters and he showed the best results with Dean Thomas.

 Although the others were unhappy, talent was talent and the results were there, Cormac was good and Ron was not going to deprive himself of his talents, that was what being captain was too.

 Winter had come and now Ron was tending to the cave he had created for Grawp with Luna.

 They had magically cleared the place and set it up for winter in addition to the concealment and protection enchantments performed by Ron.

 The cave had a fairly good temperature thanks to an enchantment cast by Luna and Hagrid had even started living there with his little brother since the start of winter, it was not far from his house too.

 Since the start of the school year, they had come to see Grawp almost every day to feed him and Ron had even started to teach him human language, it was not easy but he loved the gentle giant very much, which had earned him enormous gratitude of Hagrid.

 After taking care of the cleaning, he played with Buckbeak and Grawp, fed them with the help of Luna and they left under the sad looks of the others.

 "Harry really worries me, he spends his time reading this potions textbook marked with lots of notes from a stranger, the half-blood prince. After what happened to Ginny when we were in second year, he should be on guard though" He said to Luna holding her hand.

 Luna: Does he look possessed or different?

 Ron: Not really but he asked me for information about a spell that I didn't know existed, "Sectum Sempra" A spell created by this stranger.

 I tested it after looking at the notes and it is a spell made to kill or seriously injure an enemy.

 Luna: You're afraid Harry will get lost...

 Ron: My dear, this half-blood prince was not only strong in potions but gifted in black magic to the point of creating this kind of spell, the border is difficult to distinguish but it is indeed black magic. These notes have helped him in potions classes and they risk taking him into darker realms.

 Luna: You shouldn't worry so much, Harry will realize himself that the path the book wants to take him on is bad if what you say is true. We always end up returning to our own path.

 Ron: (Yawns) I hope so, sweetie.

 Luna: I'm sleepy too...a little.

 Ron: Do you want to sleep together or take you back to your dorm?

 She moved closer to him and gave him a kiss which meant confirming something, Ron took her in his arms and teleported them directly to his head boy room where they continued to kissing before climbing into bed but just as things were getting heated there was a knock at the door.

 "Whoever it is, I'm busy" He said with anger in his voice.

 Harry: Sorry to bother you Ron but it's urgent. Katie…something happened to her and Professor Dumbledore is asking you urgently…

 Ron: Katie Bell?! How did you know where I was?

 Harry: The Marauder's Map! Come on, come quickly. Sorry Luna!

 Luna: I'll start sleeping without you then but it doesn't matter, the bed smells like you.

 He kissed her for a long time before leaving for the hospital wing where he found Dumbledore, Snape and McGonagall standing in front of Katie, unconscious and moaning in pain with her now irregular breathing.

 Ron: Who or what did this?

 Dumbledore: A bewitched object imbued with significant dark magic, Miss Bell was very lucky that the contact between her skin and the necklace was very light because if it had been a little more direct then she would have died.

 Ron: What do you expect from me? However, Professor Snape also knows about dark magic.

 Snape: I have already dealt with it but the Headmaster thinks...it would be wiser to use all our available resources to save the life of this...unfortunate young lady...

 Ron nodded seriously before walking close to Katie's body running his hand just above her body while his eyes were closed and he muttered a spell.

 Ron: You did well to call me and Professor Snape did an excellent job, but the residual dark magic in her could keep her inactive under even the best magical care if it is not removed. Bring me a container, a bowl or a plate…quickly.

 Snape: And what do you plan to do...?

 Ron: If you delve deeply into the practice of black magic then you will know that one of the properties of this magic is that it is parasitic and leaves traces. Take the case of curses for example, how are they transmitted from parent to child?

 Snape: Blood.

 Ron: You are indeed a master, teacher! That's right, blood...

 He took the bowl handed to him and took out his wand.

 "Immobilis" He cast the spell at Katie who stopped moving for good before Ron began to speak a series of incantations and Katie's veins became exposed and dark as muffled moans of pain could be heard coming from of her.

 Under the direction of his wand, Ron directed all the darkness contained in Katie's veins to the end of his left hand before slitting her wrist with a wave of his wand and anchor-black blood flowed from the tear to flow into the container.

 Dumbledore: This blood...

 Snape:…contaminated by dark magic…

 When the blood turned red again as it came out, Ron closed the wound. "Incendio" he said and the black blood started to burn first in a normal flame which then turned dark blue before disappearing.

 Ron: It's okay, a little rest and dear Katie will be back on her feet. I'll come see the bewitched item later, but for now, I need to get back to more important things. Bye.

 He started walking towards the door before Harry reminded him of something important.

 Harry: Professor Slughorn is throwing a party and he wants you to be there. (whispers) Don't leave me alone in this mess...

 Ron: Just tell me when it will take place and where. No, better, come get me and we'll go together.

 As soon as he left the room he teleported to his room where he saw Luna already asleep, he sighed smiling before yawning and going to join her while her position was facing her.

 "Sweet night my dear" he said before wanting to give her a kiss on the forehead when she straightened her so that their lips connected.

 Ron: Weren't you sleeping?

 "I've been waiting for you and it's really cold..." She said rubbing her leg against his, they looked into each other's eyes for a moment before Ron started kissing her languorously.

 Luna: I love you (kiss)…Ronald, I love you…

 Ron kissed him again before separating their mouths.

 Ron: My words would be too weak so let me show you. Close your eyes my dear...

 Luna closed her eyes and Ron connected his forehead to hers, he immediately used an ancient and powerful form of mental magic, the sharing of feelings and thoughts.

 This magic was the ancestor of legilimens and occlumency except that it was more difficult but much more complex.

 Ron shared his feelings to Luna and he showed her his thoughts, she felt the immense passionate love he had for her, how intense, heavy, strong and protective it was.

 She also saw her thoughts and all the plans that Ron had for her, he had imagined everything about the little family they were going to form and in none of these perspectives was she absent. He had never imagined his life without her, it was an impossibility for him.

 Ron: Now you are the person who knows me the best in the world and you know how much I love you...

 "Ronald…" She said weakly while crying.

 "I only have you my darling, my family is my family but you are literally my other half...from the beginning...you're mine" He said, wiping her tears and they started kissing again, first gently then... They became more energetic, their breathing was erratic and their bodies were entangled, burning with burning desire for each other but even though they continued like this for a long time, they didn't go any further.

 Both were hesitant to cross the line of no return, especially Ron who had already noticed how strong and undisguised their romance was, if they went further physically then their extremely passionate relationship would take on such proportions that people would guess certainly they had.

 In the same way Luna was not the same in attitude when she is with Ron, in the same way Ron can't help but show his affection to Luna when he was with her.

 They were like a drug to each other and couldn't help but consume each other in front of others or not because they were in their own world, a reality where they were alone and complementary.