152 Breaking Bonds 2

Before anyone else could say a word, Arthur grabbed Ron by the scruff and let out a cold glare.

"You went too far, Weasley. Take it back."

Ron went red in the face before hissing in Arth's face.

"Let go of me Kingscrown, before I make you."

"I'd like to see you try."

"Arth! Let go of him, please... I don't want to make any more trouble."

Arth scowled before slowly letting go of Ron.

"Hermione, you should really stop being so kind with these pricks. They don't deserve your generosity."

"Say that again Arth. I dare you."

"You really think I'm scared of you Weasley?"

"Stop! Just stop!" Screamed Hermione.

Arth and Ron were now a foot apart with both of their wands pointed at each other's neck.

"...Ron," said Harry. "Can you take my broom and put it upstairs —"

"I'll do it!" growled Ron. "I've got to give Scabbers his rat tonic anyways. You know, the one that Hermione's cat almost killed."

He took the Firebolt and stomped up the boys' staircase.

There was a moment of awkward silence when Harry let out a deep sigh.

"I'm sorry for Ron's attitude. He never really meant any of that... you know him."

Arth let out a condescending sneer.

"Maybe Mr. Weasley should learn how to contain... tantrums."

"That's enough Arth, even if you are standing up for me."

Arth raised up his hands in surrender and backed away.

"...Can I sit down, then?" Harry asked Hermione.

"I suppose so," said Hermione, moving a great stack of parchment off a chair.

Arth watched as Harry look around at the cluttered table, at the Arithmancy essay on which the ink was still glistening, at the even Muggle Studies essay and at the rune translation Hermione was now poring over.

"How are you getting through all this stuff?" Harry asked her.

"Oh, well — you know — working hard, and Arthur has been helping me a lot," said Hermione.

"Why don't you just drop a couple of subjects?" Harry asked, watching her lifting books as she searched for her rune dictionary.

"I couldn't do that!" said Hermione, looking scandalized.

"Arithmancy looks terrible," said Harry, picking up a very complicated-looking number chart.

"Oh no, it's wonderful!" said Hermione earnestly. "It's my favorite subject! It's —"

A strangled yell echoed down the boys' staircase. The whole common room fell silent, staring, petrified, at the entrance. Then came hurried footsteps, growing louder and louder — and then Ron came leaping into view, dragging with him a bedsheet.

"LOOK!" he bellowed, striding over to Hermione's table. "LOOK!" he yelled, shaking the sheets in her face.

"Ron, what — ?"

"SCABBERS! LOOK! SCABBERS!"

Hermione was leaning away from Ron, looking utterly bewildered.

Arthur looked down at the sheet Ron was holding. There was something red on it. Something that looked like —

"BLOOD!" Ron yelled into the stunned silence. "HE'S GONE! AND YOU KNOW WHAT WAS ON THE FLOOR?"

"N — no," said Hermione in a trembling voice.

Ron threw something down onto Hermione's rune translation.

Hermione leaned forward.

Lying on top of the weird, spiky shapes were several long, ginger cat hairs.

"GIVE ME THE BLOODY THIEVING CAT! I'm GOING TO KILL IT FOR MURDERING MY SCABBERS!"

"I-I-I-"

"WHERE IS THE CAT!"

Ron made a furious grabbing attempt at Hermione who in turn flinched.

Right before his hand came down upon Hermione, Arth stopped it.

"Stay down Weasley. You are acting like an animal."

"HER STUPID LITTLE CAT KILLED MY RAT! DON'T INTERFERE ARTH! GO AWAY!"

Arthur scowled.

"Weasley, calm down for a moment here-"

"STAY OUT OF IT KINGSCROWN BEFORE I HURT YOU TOO! IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU! ITS JUST ME AND HERMIONE!"

"I'm afraid that it is my business. My friend is being threatened by someone and I can't leave her alone."

Ron froze. All of his anger disappeared immediately and he just blankly stared at Arth.

"What about me?" Ron asked quietly.

"What do you mean you?"

"Am I not your friend as well?"

Arth gave him a cold look.

"My friends would never try to hurt another person over a dying rat and a fancy broom. The only friend I have in here is the one behind me. Any more questions?"

Ron gave Arth a long look who returned it with an equally cold stare.

After what seemed like hours, Ron shook Arth's hand off his arm and turned around and left the common room.

Harry hesitated, looking back and forth from the retreating back of Ron and the cold look of Arth and the trembling Hermione, before deciding to chase after Ron.

After a few moments, Arth let out a weary sigh.

"That went well.