They landed with an echoing crack on the edge of a narrow street in the middle of a pitch black night. Ron flinched at the sound of their arrival and held Harry and Hermione close, listening and squinting into the night, hoping they were far enough away to have not been heard.

"Where is it?" Hermione breathed.

"It's a long way up to the house," Ron said quietly back. "I don't think you'll be able to see it until I bring you through the wards. Come on."

He could just make out the path he knew led to McGonagall Manor, but he didn't dare light his wand as he pulled them along. After a few tense minutes, he slowed. "The boundary's up here somewhere," he whispered. "We'll have to act fast once we cross it. Follow me along the side of the building. Hermione will conjure the ladder. It's the second window from the l –"

"We know, Ron," Harry said. "We've been over the plan a hundred times."

"Remember, only Harry goes for Malfoy, and we can't call each other by name."

Hermione squeezed his arm. "Don't worry, Ron."

"This should be quick," he said. "We'll be fine as long as we don't lose our heads."

The night was especially dark; a slim crescent moon peeked out from behind clouds directly above them. He could not make out Harry and Hermione's expressions as they nodded.

"Right," Harry said. "We'll be fine. We've come out of worse."

"Yeah," Ron said. "Yeah, you're right."

They linked arms and continued forward. They had only gone a few steps before Harry and Hermione gasped as the house came into view. Ron saw one of the rooms upstairs light up with what he presumed were red sparks – an alarm, surely.

"Go!" he whispered. They sprinted toward the house. The window they had seen the sparks through was glowing with light now, which meant someone was awake and knew the wards had been breached. "It's this one!" Ron said, as they came around to the side. Their window was still dark, but a second window glowed bright with light, now. "The ladder, Hermione! Quickly!"

Her spell work was impeccable – as he skidded to a stop in front of the window, a wide, sturdy ladder appeared and set itself up against the brick of the house. They clambered up it towards the window, Hermione first: she whispered a spell and the glass broke in shards. She climbed in and the room illuminated at once. Ron heard a muffled yell from inside, and then, as Harry climbed into the room, the banging of a door. Ron rushed up and flung himself into the room before he could get a good look at what was going on inside.

He collided with his brother Percy. He got to his feet quickly, Stunned his brother, and backed up, looking around for Draco, but he wasn't there. Ron cursed loudly and inserted himself into the duel that was happening between Harry and Hermione and the twins, at the same time wondering how he could have gotten the wrong room. He had been so sure that this had been the room Draco stayed in.

"Get out into the hall!" Ron hissed, shifting the duel sideways so he could inch past the twins and get to the door. Fred and George were good duelers – creative, and daring – but Ron, Harry and Hermione were better. They moved through the room in seconds, holding the twins far away enough to slam the door and lock it with three different spells. The twins banged loudly on the door after them, screaming.

"EVERYONE, WAKE UP! INTRUDERS!"

Doors began opening up and down the hallway and Ron heard people rushing around downstairs; now that everyone knew where the threat was, he knew they had to act fast. He thought quickly, trying to guess where Draco was. He was disappointed with himself; he hadn't considered they would have switched rooms since he had left. "Right," he suggested, and they charged forward, Ron and Hermione heading off spells so Harry could get past unheeded. "In here!" he cried, skidding to a halt as they passed the room Ron had stayed in. Draco and Dean were in there, rushing to get out of bed.

Ron ran in, Harry at his heels. Ron stunned Dean straight off and quickly got out of the way so Harry could take Draco. But Draco had quick reflexes and a whole lineup of offensive spells Harry was not familiar with. Ron watched anxiously, unsure of what he could cast that wouldn't win him the wand for himself. He realized that Hermione wasn't there, so he turned around, thinking he would help her in the hallway, but his Dad appeared in the doorway, halfway through a spell.

"No," he gasped, ducking, and the spell hit the window across the room, shattering it. "Imped – "

He didn't get to finish the spell because he had to twist awkwardly to avoid Arthur's next one. He tripped and fell towards his dad, pulling him down, too. "Incarcerous," he gasped. "Expelliarmus. Sorry," he said automatically, and his dad's eyes narrowed. "Hurry up, will you?" he yelled at Harry.

Ron lunged into the hall. It was chaos – everyone had figured out what was going on, and Hermione was taking them all on at once – Luna, Dirk, Ginny, Bill, and Charlie. He saw his mother trying to push Kenny back into a bedroom behind all of it. Ginny managed to escape past Hermione and headed for the room Ron had just left. He Stunned her quickly and she hit her head hard on the wall as she fell. His heart soared in fear – what if he had really hurt her? But then Hermione gasped in pain as a spell got through her shields, and he leapt back into action, sending a quick, complicated mess of spells at the group as a whole which confused them long enough to give Hermione a tiny break.

"A LITTLE HELP IN HERE!" Harry bellowed from the other room.

Ron managed to Petrify Cresswell before darting back to his old room. Draco must have found a fraction of a second in the duel to revive Dean, because he was up and dueling with Draco, now, and they had Harry backed into a corner. They worked scarily well together, but Harry still held his own. Ron joined in, but only trusted himself to cast shields. He was getting nervous, now: he could still hear the duel going strong in the hallway. Simultaneously, he marveled at Hermione's skill and worried what would happen if they got past her and went after Ron and Harry.

He changed his tactic, going specifically for Dean, trying to entice him, get him away from Harry and Draco, but Draco noticed immediately and turned on Ron too. In turn, Harry took the opportunity to go for Dean, and then the two pairs were dueling across each other, beams of light clashing in midair, sparks flying in all directions – Ron felt some on his face and flinched at the burn. He backed up, trying to spread them out, worried that someone was going to get seriously hurt, and frustrated that he had to be careful with Draco.

Suddenly the Dark Mark burned, and Ron and Draco both faltered. Their eyes met across Harry and Dean's duel as they lowered their wands automatically, and the pause was just what Harry needed – before he could recover himself, Draco was forced across the room by Harry's spell.

"EXPELLIARMUS!"

Harry caught the wand and Stunned Dean with it, then grabbed Ron by the wrist and pulled him toward the door. Ron couldn't help gasping in pain as Harry's hand put pressure on the Dark Mark. On the other side of the room, Draco was still on the ground, holding his own arm.

"We need to GO!" Harry yelled. They ran out into the hall and with Hermione they powered through Bill, who was a good fighter, and Molly, who had joined them. Ron nearly stepped on Charlie and Luna, both unconscious, as they passed.

"Down the stairs, let's go!" Ron cried. They nearly tripped over each other as they hurried down the stairs, Bill and Molly following, Ron sending blocking spells over his shoulder as he went. He heard a shriek and a painful sounding thump.

"Mum!"

Ron looked back and saw his mother face down on the stairs, clearly unconscious. But Harry still had a grip on his wrist, and he was pulled down the rest of the stairs with him, and then out into the yard, and then into a spinning haze.

Their landing was chaotic – Ron was flung from Harry when they hit the ground. His arm was still burning.

"HERMIONE, GET DOWN!"

Ron picked his head up as Harry's panicked voice filled the space around them, and had to immediately throw himself down again as a giant, winged beast soared over him. He scampered over to the others; Harry knelt protectively over Hermione, who crouched on the ground, her face down. Ron heard the wings again and turned around just in time. He and Harry shot spells at the animal, which forced it back but made it angrier; with a roar it charged again, and this time Ron didn't move away in time. He was forced from the other two as a talon lodged itself deep in his arm. As it pulled away, there was a sickening crack. He felt a very intense, blinding pain and knew his arm was broken.

"Ron!"

"No! Stay down, Hermione, it's a thestral! Impedimenta! Ron, get back – Rictumsempra!"

Ron got on his knees and cast with Harry, but the thestral took the spells easily, and Ron knew his bloodied arm would attract more soon if they didn't leave. He crawled back to Harry and Hermione. Harry's fingers closed around his good wrist, and then they were spinning again.

This time Ron didn't fling out from the other two on the landing; Harry pulled him in close and they stayed there, huddled, until Harry evidently decided there weren't thestrals here, stood up, and began casting the protective enchantments. Ron fell back on his knees, cradling his arm.

"Ron, let me see."

He leaned away from Hermione, shielding his arm from her. He thought he would scream if she touched it.

"Ron –"

"I'll do it myself," he hissed. "I just need some Dittany."

His whole body was shaking. The Dark Mark still burned and he could feel it strongly even through the pain of his broken arm. He felt a terrible combination of anger and guilt inside him, as if he had just come from a Death Eater meeting.

"But –"

"I said I'd do it myself!" he said. He bowed his head and avoided her eyes. To his left, he heard a strangled cry and looked up in time to see Harry fall to the ground, clutching his head.

"Harry!"

Hermione rushed to Harry, and Ron took a deep breath, trying to get ahold of himself. Harry must have been waiting to succumb to the vision until he knew they were safe. The pain in his head must be terrible. But Harry hadn't faltered like Ron and Draco had.

He angled his wand at his left arm and muttered the spell he had learned in the Room of Requirement at his very first session. "Redeo. Accio Dittany."

The Dittany knitted his skin back together well, but there was still pain. While Hermione tried to get Harry out of the vision, Ron gently massaged the Mark, but he knew, undoubtedly, that as long as Harry stayed down, the pain would not cease.

It was a few minutes later that the pain lessened and they all stood. Harry looked terrible even through the Glamour charms.

"What did you see?"

"Nagini," Harry said, and shuddered.

"What about her?" Ron said quickly.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"But it could be important, she's a Horcrux, isn't she? Did he send her out to do something? Did he set her on someone?'

"It's not important," Harry insisted.

"How do you know it isn't –"

"It was weird, okay?" Harry exploded. "It started out normal – there was a meeting, I think, but then suddenly it was clearer, and he was getting all cozied up with her and I felt like – I felt like I was him…. He treats her like a person, like a woman, and it's –"

He broke off, rubbing his scar angrily. "I feel… disgusting…. I've never gotten a vision like that from Voldemo –"

"SILENCIO!" Ron roared, jabbing his wand in Harry's direction, and was rewarded with Harry's impulsive jinx: he flew backwards a few meters and landed on his newly mended arm. But he scrambled up again at once.

"DON'T SAY HIS NAME!" he cried. "IT'S TABOO!"

Hermione reversed the spell on Harry and stood between them nervously.

"What are you talking about?"

"His name's Taboo. They track Order members that way. I think it's how they found us on Tottingham Court Road. It allows them to Apparate straight to us."

Their mouths dropped open.

"Don't tell me it's a coincidence you haven't said it aloud while I've been gone?" Ron groaned. They looked back at him, stricken.

"S-Sorry," Harry muttered.

They all stood there, staring at each other for a few moments, until Hermione pulled out her wand again.

"We need to take these Glamours off."

"Yeah," Harry said at once.

Hermione pointed her wand at Harry, and his features resolved little by little. She did the same for herself and Ron. He could have taken his off in an instant, but he let her do it. The three of them worked together to set up the tent. Ron didn't feel much better once they were inside, and judging by the expressions on the other two's faces, they didn't, either.

"We shouldn't have done it like that," Harry whispered. Hermione sniffed.

"Mum fell on the stairs," Ron said. "I was just casting shields, but…."

"Charlie hit his head really hard when I Stunned him," Hermione said.

"Ginny, too," Ron said.

"Hermione, you were brilliant, taking them all on," Harry said firmly. "We wouldn't have gotten out of there if it wasn't for you."

"Yeah," Ron said. "You were great, Hermione."

"T-Thanks," she said, nearly crying now.

There was a nervous silence.

"I'm sorry," Ron finally said. "I got cocky, I – you were right, Hermione…. It was a crazy idea. I should have realized they would have switched rooms after I left."

"It would have g-gotten out of c-control anyway," Hermione whispered.

"We shouldn't have done it like that," Harry said again.

Ron stood up.

"I'll take the first watch."

"No," Hermione said at once. "You should rest. I'll take the first watch."

Ron and Harry did not speak as they got ready for bed. The night was quiet. Ron's wrist ached dully, which meant Harry probably had a headache. They lay there in silence, shifting in bed more than usual, thinking about what had happened that night. Ron could not shake the image of his mum on the stairs from his mind.

And then, minutes, maybe an hour after they had first laid down, Harry spoke.

"You could see the thestrals," Harry whispered.

Ron couldn't help it. He gasped and began to cry. Everything he had felt form the moment he had jumped into the first room – the worry, the guilt, the annoyance at himself for the flaws in his plan – suddenly manifested itself in loud, ugly sobs. He turned over, pushed his face into his pillow, trying to keep quiet, hoping Hermione couldn't hear from outside.

"Sorry," Harry whispered. "You don't have to say…. I just realized…."

Ron didn't say anything. He turned toward the wall and curled into himself as tight as he could.

"I'm gonna put a Muffliato on, Ron. I'm going to go out and sit with Hermione. Alright?"

Harry didn't wait for an answer from Ron. Once the tent flap was closed, he let the sobs overtake him.