The Silver Doe

Harry is bothered by dreams and Hermione feels like she hears intruders near their tent, so the two decide to move to a different hiding location. Hermione suggests they move to the Forest of Dean, where Hermione and her family sometimes vacation. They make the necessary preparations and then move to the Forest.

As Harry takes watch that night, he feels strange and then notices a bright silver light moving toward him. Suddenly, he notices that the light is coming from a silver doe. The ethereal doe regards Harry and seems to want him to come with her. Harry follows her. After she disappears and he is left in darkness once again, Harry notices a frozen pool with the sword of Godric Gryffindor at the bottom.

Harry tries to use a Summoning Charm to get the sword to come to him, to no avail. He finally realizes that he must be brave enough to break the ice, dive into the pond, and retrieve the sword himself. Harry does so, but he is eventually impeded by the Horcrux around his neck. The Horcrux, fighting for its very life, tries to drown Harry in an attempt to keep him from the sword. Suddenly, Harry is pulled from the water and the Horcrux is removed from his neck. It takes a while for Harry to realize who the savior is, but it is Ron, who has returned.

Harry and Ron try to figure out who may have cast the doe Patronus and/or who put the sword of Godric Gryffindor in the pond, but neither of them can determine who it might have been. Since Ron is the one who saved Harry and the sword, Harry feels that Ron should be the one to destroy the Horcrux.

Harry opens the locket with Parseltongue and Ron prepares to strike at the two eyes of Tom Riddle that appear. However, Voldemort knows all of Ron’s doubts and fears and uses them to get to Ron. Voldemort does his best to discourage Ron by showing him a fake reality of Harry and Hermione in love. Voldemort’s trick doesn’t work, however, and Ron finally destroys the locket.

Hermione is both overjoyed and furious at Ron’s return. The feelings between the two are apparent. Ron talks about his experiences apart from the group. He was detained by a group of “Snatchers,” who make it their job to round up wizards of Muggle descent and turn them in to the Ministry of Magic for money. After escaping from the Snatchers and stealing one of their wands, Ron tried to return to their last campsite, but Harry and Hermione had gone already.

Upon returning home, Ron figures out a secret to the Deluminator that Dumbledore left to him in the will: the Deluminator not only extinguishes light but also leads Ron directly to Harry and Hermione. Harry then reveals Ron as the savior who rescued Harry, pulled the sword out of the pond, and destroyed Voldemort’s locket Horcrux. Ron hands Harry the Snatcher’s wand to use as a spare.