Round 4: Realm of Possibilities

School:Durmstrang

Theme: Grindelwald Wins AU

Prompt:

(Main): 1). Ron Weasley [Character]

(Optional) 2). "You know, I didn't see that one coming!" he/she gasped. [Speech]

(Optional): 10). Snowing [Weather]

Year: 7th

Realm of Possibilities

Ron Weasley squinted angrily at the offending window. "Bloody hell," he muttered at the sun. "Can't I have a few more minutes of sleep?" However, as soon as he rolled back over and covered up his head, his room door swung open.

"Ron! We're going to be late if you don't get a move on!" Harry rolled his eyes at his slumbering best friend. "We have finals at ten. You want Hermione here freaking out?" This jolted Ron out of his sleep. Looking at the digital clock on the bedside, he sighed.

"You think she'll chance being late?"

Harry shrugged. "You know Hermione. She worries about our marks almost as much as she does her own. I've cooked breakfast. Hurry up and shower."

Ron sat up and looked at the small apartment he shared with Harry Potter at Hogwarts Academy for the Magically Gifted. These days, magic was considered a gift, and the Academy was one of the best schools in Europe for aspiring witches and wizards. Those born into magical families, like Harry and Ron, were legacy scholarship recipients. First generation magicals, like Hermione Granger, their best friend and Harry's girlfriend, were tested before they began primary school to ensure they could keep up with the rigor of the programs of the Academy. If they passed, they'd be closely monitored until their eleventh birthday, when they'd also receive a scholarship, this one of merit.

Each year, thousands of hopeful non-magicals tried to apply to the school, thinking that magic was like the ability to play the violin: learned. However, once it was explained that magic could not be taught to those without a predisposition for it, most non-magicals backed away gracefully.

The headmaster of Hogwarts, Remus Lupin, strove to make the world of magic more accessible to non-magicals. The Muggles, though that term was quickly losing merit, were still new to the world of magic, and there was much to understand.

After Gellert Grindelwald defeated Albus Dumbledore, he quickly sought to gain power. However, though he was widely known for his preference for dark magic, Grindelwald realized he could gain a wider following by doing things diplomatically. He also saw benefits in completely ridding the magical world of the Statute of Secrecy.

"Once I changed the way I looked at Muggles, the untapped potential of their cooperation seemed immeasurable. How could we have hidden the wonder of magic away from them for this long? Why go through all the trouble?"

Of course, many argued to remember America's problems in Salem centuries before, but Grindelwald blew them off, saying instead that Muggles fear out of misunderstanding.

"Let's educate them, shall we?"

Ron stepped into the kitchen as Hermione sat down to breakfast.

"It's about time, Ron. We're going to be late for our meeting with the headmaster."

Harry laughed. "Love, it's just Lupin. Relax."

Narrowing her eyes, she asserted, "I don't care if he and your parents are best friends, Harry. He's still our headmaster and potential employer. We shouldn't waste this opportunity." Turning back to Ron, she continued. "Eat quickly. He doesn't tolerate tardiness."

Ron shook his head. Their time at Hogwarts had changed them, made all three of them better magicals, but some things, such as Hermione's domineering ways, never changed.

"How do you do it, mate?" Ron had asked Harry about his relationship with Hermione a couple of years prior. Sixteen at the time, Harry had been head over heels and couldn't see what Ron was talking about.

"I know she's a bit over the top with her studies, mate, but Hermione just wants to be the best witch she can be. And she wants us to be better too."

Ron shrugged to himself. He knew Hermione meant well, but blimey! Must she be this way every day?

"It snowed last night, so we need to leave a bit early if we want to get to his Hogsmeade office. He said he felt more comfortable there."

The three bundled up, aware of how cold the Scottish winters could be. Lupin had requested a new school be built closer to a major city where non-magicals could tour and at least experience the lessons informally, but the board of directors refused. Quite a few of the older families still held the majority vote at the Ministry, and while some change was tolerable, the relocation of Hogwarts was still out of the question.

Grindelwald, retired from the Ministry, but still a voice to be reckoned with, supported Lupin's vision enough that he funded the construction of multiple offices throughout London, Dublin, and even Hogsmeade. The main office of the Headmaster was still in the school, but he could be reached at any of the other locations by Floo.

Ron pouted as he walked through the gates of Hogwarts. "Why can't we Apparate to the offices?"

Hermione sighed deeply. "Because, Ron, the headmaster's office cannot be accessed through Apparition. Besides, it's a beautiful day." She smiled and grabbed Harry's hand. Harry smiled back at his girlfriend before turning to Ron.

"Just enjoy the walk, mate."

Ron assumed he just found Hermione annoying because she wasn't his. Of course, she was his best friend. Of course he loved Hermione. However, Harry adored her. He went out of his way to make her happy, and she returned the favor. The only time Hermione was tolerable was when Harry was around. He nodded at Harry and continued to walk.

As they reached Hogsmeade, they noticed the kids enjoying the snow. Hermione was spouting off some sort of statistics about chances of hypothermia when a blur flew past Ron's nose and stopped Hermione in her tracks. Ron (and Harry) burst out laughing as snow fell from their best friend's face. The three turned to see where the snowball had originated. Ron's laughter deepened as he saw Remus Lupin and Sirius Black peek around the corner.

"You know, I didn't see that one coming!" he gasped, looking back at Hermione to gauge her reaction.

Harry took out his handkerchief and, softly, but still laughing, wiped his girlfriend's face off. "You okay, love?"

Hermione didn't know whether to be angry because she was embarrassed or to laugh because the headmaster had been the one to embarrass her. She finally settled on a shrug and a smile.

Sirius walked up to Hermione and whispered a spell to warm her up. "I tried to stop him, Pet. I really did."

Lupin sauntered over. "No, you encouraged it, Sirius. How're your parents, kids?"

The three gave the obligatory greetings from the Potters, Grangers, and Weasleys, then Lupin waved them toward the office. "Unfortunately, we have to do this officially, or else I'd have suggested a butterbeer. Come on, you three. See you later, Sirius."

Once settled into the warm office, Hermione looked shrewdly at the headmaster. "You did that on purpose, didn't you, Professor?"

Lupin's eyes widened. "Did I now?"

Hermione smirked. "You were trying to test me, see how I would respond to being embarrassed. You knew these two here would have gone with the flow, so to speak. However, I was the unknown variable. You wanted to see if I would get angry and speak out against your behaviour."

Ron groaned aloud. "Blimey, Hermione. Can't we do anything without you analysing it? Lupin was just having you on!"

Harry shook his head. "I do think Remus was testing you, Hermione, but I also think you're overthinking it. He was probably just getting you to loosen up, love."

The headmaster laughed. "You three are something else. To be honest, I didn't even throw the snowball. That was all on Sirius Black. However, your responses confirm that I need you on staff here. I need people who can see the logical side to situations, but I also need those who can go out and convince non-magical parents that their kids will still be kids while here at the school. We need these kids and their families to feel like this is a safe place to be. So, you three interested?"