Through The Eyes Of Ron
Chapter One
Beautiful Goodbye
Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the plot to this story. This is just fan fiction, I'm writing this for fun and for free. Any characters you recognize belong to J.K. Rowling, and all them smart, rich people.
Author's Note: This is fan fiction, a story idea from the brain that's mine entangled with J.K. Rowling's world and characters. I'm writing this for me, and posting it on Fanfiction.net so I have it saved. I'm not trying to impress anybody I'm just writing and saving that's all. Don't flame me if y'all don't like it, but if somebody should happen to enjoy it, please feel free but not obligated to leave a review. ~*Carey*~
Ron Weasley was stirring his potion in Professor Snape's class. It had been an extremely long day, and it had yet to end. He was in the middle of a double Potions lesson too, and as Potions was the lesson he loathed the day only seemed longer. The steam coming from the boiling potion was making him sweat. Why must he sweat in the middle of November? All of his classes today had been a bit warm. Divination was always stuffy with the fire and the fumes, and during Care of Magical Creatures Ron had to chase his Crup after it escaped its collar, and he ran most of class much to the Slytherins' amusement. Herbology was hot, because they were in a stifling green house, and the usually chilly dungeons seemed sweltering as well with all the steaming potions.
Ron sat next to Neville Longbottom who was terrible at potion making, and every other minute Ron would look next to him to make sure Neville hadn't missed a step. Ron's best friends Harry Potter and Hermione Granger sat in front of their table. In Ron's mind his two best friends had changed over the summer. Harry, once full of adventure, was now full of depression. He held the weight of Cedric's murder on his shoulders, and no matter how many times anybody told him it wasn't his fault, the burden wouldn't be removed. Hermione, on the other hand had just avoided Ron at all times, and Ron knew why. Ever since Hermione came back to Hogwarts from her vacation in Bulgaria with Viktor Krum, she had hardly spoken a word to Ron. Ron suspected she didn't want to argue with him, and Ron could understand, he had after all acted like a real prat about her relationship with Krum last year, now that they were really going steady, she'd expect him to harass her about it nonstop, but that wasn't the case. Ron had realized his feelings for Hermione during the summer, but he also realized that Hermione had feelings for Krum, and because Ron hadn't asked her first to the ball, or to the burrow Ron knew she'd never go for him, and he had accepted that, but Hermione hadn't given him a chance to explain that. But that was all right, it meant less lectures about rule-breaking and less trips to the library. However they did talk in the presence of Harry. After all, Harry had enough problems without worrying about his friends' relationship.
There was a knock on the dungeon door and the person didn't wait for Professor Snape to give him permission to enter. Professor Dumbledore had opened the door and looked around the dungeon classroom. Professor Snape looked up at first annoyed, but his expression changed to a confused and surprised one when he saw who had entered unannounced.
"Professor Dumbledore, what can I do for you?" Professor Snape asked looking straight at the Headmaster.
"Professor Snape, I'm afraid I need to pull two students out of this lesson, and I have a feeling they won't be returning before the lesson ends." Professor Dumbledore said.
"Take whomever you need, their partners will be responsible for finishing their potions for them." Professor Snape said.
"Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Weasley… Would you come with me to my office please? Some people would like to speak to the two of you." Professor Dumbledore said.
Professor Snape looked confused at the mention of his favorite student's name and looked at Professor Dumbledore inquisitively, but didn't speak.
Ron inwardly groaned as he put his books away. He knew what this was about. He and Draco Malfoy had gotten into a fistfight two days earlier, and he had taken a lot of crap because of it. He had already received a Howler the morning before from his mother, and he had been mortified. Why couldn't anybody ever drop anything in this school? And why couldn't Professor Dumbledore have waited until after Potions ended? Neville would not only mess up his own potion, but also Ron's, and they'd both fail. But Ron suspected Professor Snape would've failed him even if the potion had been perfect because of the fight and the points that had been taken from Slytherin, and also because he hated Ron.
Ron got up muttering good luck to Neville before he followed Malfoy and the Headmaster out of the hot dungeon. Ron felt instant relief as he stepped out of the classroom and walked down the chilly dungeon corridor to the first floor. Ron and Malfoy both followed the Headmaster in silence to the gargoyle statue where Professor Dumbledore gave the password. They followed him up the spiral staircase and into his office.
Both boys looked surprised at the guests waiting for them in Professor Dumbledore's office. Seated in front of the Headmaster's office were Arthur and Molly Weasley, Ron's parents, and a good distance apart from them, sat Lucious and Narcissa Malfoy. Ron suddenly couldn't feel his feet, and even if he could, he wasn't sure he wanted to walk over to his parents; they'd probably murder him in front of the Headmaster.
Draco walked over to his parents and took a seat smirking at Ron. Ron finally found his feet and forced them to walk over to his own parents. Ron felt that everybody in the room was against him, but a reassuring hand on his shoulder and another hand rubbing his back told him otherwise, unless the hand on his shoulder was to keep him from leaving, and his mother's hand on his back meant that he wasn't going to have that skin there when he went home.
"So this is Red Weasley, is it?" Lucious Malfoy asked smirking.
"Ronald." Professor Dumbledore corrected sharply.
"Oh, my apologies." Lucious said mirroring the smirk on his son's face.
Ron rolled his eyes but didn't say anything.
"My son Draco wrote home to me about the other day's events." Lucious said.
Ron looked from Mr. Malfoy to Professor Dumbledore and back to Mr. Malfoy suspiciously.
"And after I read his owl, I had to speak to the Minister about having a student like you, in this school." Lucious said dropping his smirk.
"What did the Minister have to say?" Professor Dumbledore asked, apparently uninformed.
"He agrees with me that students like him do not belong in Hogwarts." Lucious said.
"What?" Ron asked unable to hold his tongue any longer.
Mr. Malfoy pulled two scrolls of parchment out of his cloak pocket. He handed one to Professor Dumbledore and the other to Mr. Weasley.
"The Minister signed already. He agrees that Ronald Weasley should not attend Hogwarts any longer. He is a danger to this school and its students, and that was without using his wand! Could you imagine the danger this school would be in if he should lose his temper and have his wand on him? I wouldn't want my student here at the time, and I know a lot of other parents who would withdraw their students from the school as well, if he were to stay." Lucious said.
"I'm no more of a danger than he is!" Ron said insistently to his parents as he nodded towards Draco.
"Mr. Malfoy, my son is very sorry for fighting with your son! I've sent a howler yesterday, and I understand that he has been and will be serving a detention every night for the next month." Molly said trying to defend Ron.
But Mr. Malfoy went on as if he didn't hear her.
"However, there is a school that I highly recommend for your boy. It's called Bridgeton, and it's located in Aberdeen. It's for students like him who have terrible tempers. It's a bit like a prison, but the students do get an education there. Students expelled from Durmstrangs and other schools, are sent there, and they work their way back into civilized places." Lucious said.
Ron looked at his parents pleadingly. Surely, they wouldn't send him there!
"Lucious, if you wish to withdraw your son from Hogwarts, he will be missed, but you do not have the authority to drive out any other student that attends Hogwarts." Professor Dumbledore said.
"Oh, I know I don't, but the Minister does, and he has already signed the papers stating clearly, if you can't read between the lines, that Ronald Weasley may not attend any other school in Britain until he has completed at least a year in Bridgeton when authorities feel he can return to a civilized school." Lucious said.
Draco was smirking at Ron.
"I will be speaking with the Minister, and things will change." Professor Dumbledore said.
"If Ronald Weasley attends Hogwarts after today, without going to Bridgeton, then I will be pressing charges. I'll be pressing charges against the Ministry, the school, and of course the boy. Now the Minister is being more than fair to the Weasley's. He's not only saving them from paying for the damages, but he's also giving them the chance to keep their son, because if I press charges, I will win, and when I win, the Weasley's won't be able to afford to pay for the damages, and their son will be taken into the court's custody where he will attend Bridgeton and remain there for the rest of his wizarding education, rather than attend only a year, where he can visit his family on the Holiday's. So speak to the Minister if you wish, but you won't be doing the Weasley's any favors." Lucious said, his eyes glowing dangerously with a smirk on his face.
Ron turned red at the mention of how poor his family was. They all knew it; he didn't have to say it. Now he'd have to go to a school, which was like a prison, and since it was recommended by Mr. Malfoy, Ron knew he'd be beat up every day, and he'd probably be killed.
Finally, Mr. Weasley spoke up.
"You won't have to worry about Ron attending Hogwarts any longer." Arthur said much to the satisfaction of the Malfoy's and surprise to the Headmaster, his son, and wife.
"Good, then just sign here, and your son will be on the next train to Bridgeton." Lucious said pointing at a line on the parchment.
Ron looked to his mother desperately. Wasn't she going to stop him? But Mrs. Weasley was just as shocked and horrified as Ron. Ron looked to his father with a pleading look in his eyes.
"I said my son wouldn't be attending Hogwarts. I never said he would be attending Bridgeton, and don't worry he won't be attending any other school in Britain either. He'll be under my father's custody, and he'll be going to a wizarding school in Ireland, first thing tomorrow morning." Arthur said.
Draco frowned furiously at this news, but Ron wasn't exactly thrilled about this either. Ron would be pulled away from everything and everybody he knew, all because of the Malfoys' and their money!
Mr. Malfoy saw the look of horror in Ron's eyes and he smiled. "All right, then our business here is done. Thank you Professor Dumbledore. Come Narcissa… Draco, I need to speak with you before we leave." Lucious said.
The Malfoy's left the office.
"Arthur, Molly I could still speak with the Minister. Your son is still welcome at this school." Professor Dumbledore said.
"Professor Dumbledore, maybe it's best that you don't speak with the Minister. You've done enough for us over the years, and I'd hate to put your friendship with the Minister in a worse position. We don't want to push our luck with the Malfoys'. We're lucky they're not still pressing charges, because he's not going to Bridgeton. No, it's best that you don't. We can't thank you enough for putting up with our boys this long. After the twins… Thank you Professor. Ronald, you'd better go pack. We'll be taking him home with us now." Molly said to Professor Dumbledore.
"Ron…" Professor Dumbledore said, before Ron could leave. Ron turned around to look at the Headmaster. Ron truly looked as sad as he felt. "I wish you luck wherever you go, and I truly hope to have you attending Hogwarts again."
"Thanks. Thanks for everything." Ron said.
Professor Dumbledore offered Ron his hand. Ron took it and shook it before leaving.
Mr. and Mrs. Weasley followed Ron in silence as he walked to the portrait hole. "We'll wait here for you." Mrs. Weasley said softly.
"I won't be long." Ron said miserably and gave the password to enter the Gryffindor Common Room.
Ron entered the common room and surprisingly found everybody there. The twins were entertaining a group of people, including Lee Jordan, Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet, and Katie Bell. Harry and Hermione were in the armchairs in front of the fire, and Ginny was getting help on a Divination assignment from Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown. Seamus Finnigan was playing a game of Exploding Snap with Dean Thomas and Neville was working on an essay.
Ron ran up to his dorm and started packing, thankful that nobody was there. It only took him a few minutes to pack everything he owned into his trunk. He grabbed Pigwidgeon's cage and the handle of his trunk and started heaving them downstairs.
"You going somewhere, Ron?" Fred asked loudly raising an eyebrow. His loud outburst caused everybody to turn and look at Ron, who was lugging his trunk and an empty owl cage down the stairs.
"Dumbledore didn't suspend you, did he?" Neville asked.
"He didn't do anything, but I'm not suspended." Ron said.
"So are you running away?" George asked with a laugh.
"No, I've been thrown out, by the Minister, not Dumbledore… Malfoy wrote his parents… So, I have to be out of here by midnight." Ron said.
"You can't be serious." Harry said.
"I wish I wasn't." Ron said.
"Where are you going then?" Ginny asked.
"They're sending me off to Ireland to live with Grandfather." Ron said pushing the portrait hole open.
"Wait!" Fred shouted. Fred, George, Ginny, Harry, and Hermione followed Ron out of the common room.
Ron found his parents waiting for him. "I just have to get Pig from the Owlery. I'll be right back." Ron said.
Harry and Hermione said hello to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley before running after Ron. Fred, George, and Ginny were all questioning their parents.
In the Owlery, Ron squinted around for his tiny owl. "Pig…" Ron said holding his arm out. Pig flew down hooting excitingly as he landed on Ron's arm.
"Ron, Dumbledore could talk to the Minister and…"
"Harry, he could, but then the Malfoys would press charges against me, and since I don't have any money, I'd be put in the court's custody and I'd be going to Bridgeton, which is a prison type of school for wizards expelled from Durmstrangs. Malfoy's dad highly recommends it, so it's not exactly my choice of schools, not that I have a choice." Ron said.
"But…"
"Thanks for being my friend Harry. I'll never forget you." Ron said seriously. "And stay out of trouble, and don't get killed. Maybe one day when we finish school, we'll see each other again."
"Ron, thank you for being my friend, but it doesn't end now! We just won't go to school together… I'll still visit on the holiday's, and…"
Ron and Harry embraced, before pulling away quickly.
"Owl me." Harry said.
"I will." Ron said smiling and rolling back a tear in his eye.
Ron turned to Hermione.
"Thank you for putting up with me for all these years. Keep an eye on Harry for me, keep him safe." Ron said.
Hermione hugged Ron tightly and Ron knew she was crying.
"You better owl me as well!" Hermione cried wiping her face dry.
"I will." Ron said. "Maybe you could come and stay a week at the burrow during the summer before you visit Krum."
"I will." Hermione said pulling away from Ron.
"Take care of each other." Ron said to his two best friends and left the Owlery before he could cry.
Ron found his parents outside of the portrait hole talking to Ginny and the twins who were looking upset and angry.
"Good luck Ron." George said hugging his brother goodbye.
"Thanks." Ron said.
"Owl us if you ever need anything." Fred said embracing his brother as soon as George let go.
"I will." Ron said.
Ginny hugged him with tears in her eyes.
"I wish you didn't have to leave." Ginny cried.
"Ginny, you won't even notice. I promise. I'll owl you everyday, so you get sick of me." Ron said.
"You better." Ginny said, wiping her eyes as she let go of her older brother.
"Be good." Ron said.
"Hypocrite." Ginny cried.
Ron hit his sister's shoulder playfully.
"Take care of her for me." Ron said to Fred and George seriously.
"We will." The twins said in unison.
"Then I guess its goodbye." Ron said sadly.
"Come home for the holidays." Ginny said.
"I will." Ron said.
Ron picked up his trunk and Pigwidgeon's cage and walked out of Hogwarts with his parents.