1: Dumbledore Tongue Lashing

Another night, another dinner spent in unbearable silence with his brother and sister-in-law. If Ron Weasley had known how damn awkward Bill and Fleur would make it for him staying here, even after welcoming him at all, he never would have left Harry and Hermione in the woods.

Ron felt Bill's eyes on him, examining his plate that was only half-empty - unusual for the youngest Weasley.

"You finished?"

Ron nodded.

"Good. Go to bed. Can't stand to look at you right now."

Ron moped on up the stairs to the spare room he stayed in and flopped onto his bed. He thoughts lingering on Hermione, he drifted off to sleep…..

Ronald….. Ronald…

The call of his name sent Ron bolt-upright in the middle of the night. Who was speaking to him? Bill, maybe, but Bill never used his full name. Besides, the voice sounded older somehow.

Ronald…. Ronald…..

"H-Here I am," Ron sent out into the dark room. "What do you want from me? And who are you?"

"My dear Mr. Weasley, I think you should know it is your old headmaster: Albus Dumbledore."

At this reveal, Ron felt a flicker of annoyance. "Oh, so now you decide to show up!"

"Ronald, open up your Deluminator."

Ron blinked. "What?"

"The Deluminator. Open it."

Ron dug the object out of his dresser drawer and clicked it. A ball of light appeared, floating in mid-air. And from that ball of light, Dumbledore's voice continued speaking.

"Now, listen carefully, boy. I have seen the struggles your friends have endured in the forest, and have heard their cries. Only a united front can hope to stand up to Voldemort. And so, unto your brother and your lover, I shall send…. you."

Ron's head snapped up. "Me?" he gasped. "W-who am I to return to them? I was the man who abandoned them, betrayed their…. their trust! They'll never believe I've come back for good; they won't even listen!"

"I will teach you what to say," Dumbledore soothed him.

"Even if you did, how can I even find them again? You've chosen the wrong messenger! And, really, is the future any brighter if I'm there or not?"

The ball of light suddenly turned into a blinding beacon, accompanied by Dumbledore's booming voice of sudden anger. It's power washed over Ron like a wave, and he cowered in the fetal position on the bed. "WHO SEES THE FUTURE? WHO KNEW THAT IT WAS HARRY WHO WOULD DEFY THE DARK LORD? DID NOT I? NOW GO!"

The light suddenly receded. Dumbledore's voice reappearing after a moment of silence.

"Ronald…. you foolish boy….. if you still do not believe the good your return shall do, perhaps there's something you should see…."

Ron felt his eyes suddenly overcome with drowsiness and he was pulled under into a deep sleep.