chapter 32 : The Darkroom

The gang arrived at the mansion, they were all amazed that the interior of the home was now larger than the exterior. Ron had asked his parents to perform a space expansion charm in the mansion like they did in their tent during the Quidditch World Cup so that for the Order of the Phoenix and their team, everyone would have of the place.

 Amos Diggory and his son were also there but that didn't surprise Ron who had already chatted with them. Amos had joined the Order of the Phoenix and Cedric had accepted Ron's offer to train with them without any hesitation.

 Other people had also asked for asylum from the Weasleys like Amelia Bones, the director of the justice department at the ministry who had already seen several death eaters lurking around her home so she had reported it to one of her friends, Kingsley Shaklebolt.

 Kingsley, being part of the order, had spoken about it to Arthur who had immediately accepted because when he was in the ministry, Amelia had never hesitated to show him her support for the muggles. 

 When she and Ron saw each other, she quickly recognized him but not him, he was very courteous and polite but nothing more.

 Ron wasted no time so he asked his gang and the others to follow him, they were all curious as to why and they asked him questions but he didn't answer. Once everyone is outside...

 *clap-clap*

 He clapped his hands twice when a small black building the size of a cabin appeared out of nowhere.

 The shape of the building was cubic and it was made of a black stone resembling marble while several hundred translucent runes shimmered from time to time.

 Arthur: Son, what is this?

 Ron: This, Dad, is the job that took me the longest, I spent almost two months creating this room and it is inside that you will go to train for combat.

 Molly: Training us for combat?! Honey we-(interrupted)

 Ron: A war is brewing mom and you know it very well, you who survived the first war against him know it better than me. I will never forgive myself if one of you falls when I could have done what was necessary to prevent it from happening. I need a volunteer, I've already tested it on myself.

 "Me..." Nymphadora said excitedly and he nodded as an opening was created on the wall of the room, they both entered and the inside was so dark it felt like to be in nothingness. He held Tonks' hand and gave her a warning...

 Ron: This room is a powerful illusion chamber, it can influence all five senses so what happens and the sensations here will seem real but it's not really. If two or more people come here to train, they will have to hold hands for joint training and the opposite for individual training, I want you to clarify this to the others please.

 Tonks: Okay...

 "Combat environment, battle simulation, three enemies. » Ron declared and the environment which was dark became a large lit room whose end one could not see while several stone pillars were there.

 Out of nowhere, Bellatrix Lestrange, Fenrir Greyback, and another enemy appeared with wands in hand. Without even waiting, they began to attack the duo but Ron blocked the attacks while Bellatrix laughed like crazy and Fenrir smiled showing his fangs.

 Ron: The chamber enters your mind and uses your memories to create opponents. The Bellatrix you see is as you remember her.

 He immediately stopped parrying the attacks to let Tonks fight alone and she tried to parry the attacks when Bellatrix disarmed her before casting the Crucio spell on Tonks .

 Nymphadora felt horrible pain invade her body and she fell in agony. Ron looked at her for 5 seconds before crouching down next to her.

 "Arresto" He said and the three enemies disappeared along with the fighting environment as did Tonks' pain.

 Ron: Are you okay?

 Nymphadora: (gets up) Surprise, Yes! The pain from earlier has disappeared. I've been through this torture spell before and-(interrupted)

 Ron: ...and it is less painful than the real spell "Crucio" although it is still excruciating in its sensation. It's done this way to make battles more realistic, even if the spells are illusions, you and others will feel them when. You will have the impression that the battles are real to progress quickly.

 Tonks: It's really ingenious, revolutionary even...how did you do it...?

 Ron: Thanks to my superior genius! I was inspired by the Room of Requirement at school. It's ancient magic that I've enhanced.

 "Aperta" He said and the door to the outside opened and they walked out.

 "They will explain to you how it works. Me, I have an important job to do, I'm going to work somewhere behind closed doors on a really important project" Ron said before snapping his fingers, his backpack came out of his bedroom window to come to him and he caught up with him.

 Ron: I will come from time to time to see the various progress and for the members of the order, there are notes on a spell that will be very useful to you on Dad's desk.

 Molly: Ronald...!!

 Ron: Mom, I left the recipes for some potions for you for the store...feel free to use the room so you and Dad can get stronger. (kisses on the cheek) I love you and rest assured, everything will be okay...

 Luna: Will you go...far...?

 "I'll be at school, don't tell anyone...write me and Lucius will carry your message, if you need to see me then I'll be there straight away." He whispered in her ear before kissing her on the lips in front of everyone and teleporting away.

 Others :…

 Luna: He's gone...

 "If only you could be as romantic as him." Nymphadora teased Lupin who cleared his throat.

 George: Fred…

 Fred: George?

 George: I want to know what's in this big black box that Ron created.

 Fred: These are my words coming out of your mouth my friend!

 They tried to rush towards the dark room and Nymphadora stopped them to start explaining how the room worked to everyone.

 "Our son is growing up too fast, Arthur," Molly told her husband.

 Arthur: He's like I've always seen him, Great! Be proud of our Ronald, as I see him with this magnificent little Luna , he risks being the first of our children to get married.

 Ron appeared in Dumbledore's office waiting for him.

 Dumbledore: You were quick...

 Ron: There's no time to waste. I read in the Daily Prophet that Lucius Malfoy escaped from Askaban. Voldemort will need him or...

 Dumbledore: Or his family and more precisely his son. With the dawns coming soon, the school will surely be under close surveillance and with a protective charm.

 Ron: He will be their quickest way to get in here as a student. You believe he will become one of them.

 "That is very likely, the Dark Lord has been very angry since you killed Rodolfus Lestrange, he'll be in a hurry to put an end to you..." Snape said as he entered.

 Ron: Let me be clear, if Malfoy tries to harm me or anyone close to me I will kill him in a cruel and painful way like anyone else who tries. I am not as benevolent as you director and what is precious to me, I protect in a violent way.

 Dumbledore: That's not how we operate Weasley, you won't take Draco's life.

 Ron: So be prepared to stop me if he tries to move against me and I'd like to warn you, the task will be difficult.

 Dumbledore: (sighs) Go and prepare what we talked about, you seem more knowledgeable about horcruxes than I and our plan will depend a lot on your success.

 Ron: Are you really sure that's what it is?! I'm about to spend the summer working on this, your theory about Voldemort better be true.

 Dumbledore: We're going to confirm it and I know how, we're going to have to bring an old friend back here. Horace Slughorn was Voldemort's teacher, his favorite teacher even...

 Ron: You already told me that last time and you also said that the memory of him and Tom Riddle in the pensieve was false. Why are you going to bring him back? Questioning ?

 Dumbledore: I know Horace well, he's a friend. He will not answer like that, his trust and sympathy will have to be earned. I'm counting on you and Harry to get there.

 Ron: The Gaunt ring, give it to me. I really need it for the project and I hope you haven't done anything on it yet.

 Dumbledore: (hands over the ring in a pouch) I was planning to research how to destroy it and-(interrupted)

 Ron: It would be unwise to do so without knowing precisely what it is, I can sense a significant concentration of dark magic inside and I'm sure you can too. (Sighs) I'll go.

 Dumbledore: I will continue my investigations on my own.

 "Professor Dumbledore, Professor Snape..." Ron greeted them before leaving but suddenly stopped his steps.

 Ron: Tell me Professor, did you know all this time that Sirius Black was innocent?

 Dumbledore:…

 " That is what I thought ! In short, it's none of my business and everyone has their reasons…" he said as he left for good.

 Snape: If what you told me about this boy's power is true then it will be impossible for us to control him.

 Dumbledore: He's on our side Severus, he's just more honest about his intentions than us.

 Snape: What if, as he says, Draco tries to attack him?

 Dumbledore: Then let's pray that Draco considers me a much better target. Severus, if Ronald Weasley really goes on a rampage and decides to kill him, even I'm not sure I can stop him without risking my life. If he only had power and talent it would be doable but his added intelligence makes things scary.

 Ron in one of the corridors stopped in front of a wall where a door appeared, it was the entrance to the room of requirement. He entered it and the room closed behind him.

 Ron took a deep breath before closing his eyes and when a few seconds later he opened them the room was dark and filled with unlit candles with an empty space in the middle where he sat, he was going to experience a lot of dark magic In this room.

 Clapping his hands, his backpack opened and more than 170 black books, very ancient parchment and several objects highly imbued with dark magics came out and landed on the ground.

 All books or manuals of very advanced black magic that he had bought on the black market if before he knew black magic well thanks to Merlin (Yes, black magic is still a part of magic) and all the other books, he was going to have to become a great expert in the field.