With a swift kiss to her lips, Antonin exited the cottage, leaving her alone once again with the thoughts that were bringing her no comfort whatsoever. Ron encouraged her at Nott's wedding to be sure she didn't pick the losing side again. Did that mean he was confident that he was on the winning one this time? As the other prized pet of the Dark Lord's and eventually, a trusted member of the Inner Circle of Death Eaters, Ron had virtually unlimited access to power and influence. His position within the Auror department in the Ministry of Magic would've also allowed him the opportunity to interact with more serious-minded fighters that rarely crossed Hermione's path. Or Rabastan's, for that matter. Could he be leading an insurgency within the Department of Magical Law Enforcement? If so, was Corban Yaxley aware of it? As Head of the Department, he supposedly knew everything that went on in his domain.