For this round of the Quidditch League fanfiction comp. I had to write a story about Ron, something I was not looking forward to. I never know how to capture his essence in a story, and still feel like I can't. So it took me a long time to write/come up with this story. But it's finally here, and I actually, am pretty proud of it. So, using the prompts books and potential, here is my story! (Word Count: 1250)

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Everyone has their faults, even the famous Harry Potter. After all, his rebellious streak and self-pity mindset can annoy many. But this story isn't about the Wizarding savior, or the bossy best friend Hermione Granger, or Neville Longbottom, Draco Malfoy, or any of the first 5 Weasley boys. Because this story is about the unlucky number 6, Ron Weasley.

You see, Ron Weasley had more faults than most. He is small minded and insecure, and that's not even mentioning the short temper and hot headedness that can make many view him with hate. And most of that came from his childhood, being the youngest brother in a big family. After all, he grew up with the impression that all of the spots were taken.

Bill was the responsible one, the leader of the siblings. The one who took charge and commanded the others. Charlie was the caring, yet rebellious one. The one who's job is to basically take care of humans, and dragons of course. Percy was the smart one with the best grades by far. And of course Fred and George were the pranksters. Which left Ron to be the difficult one. The one no one seemed to want.

His parents knew this, his family knew this, his peers and friends knew this, and worst of all his teachers knew this. He was doomed to fail.

That was until 6th year, in the heart of the war, when Ron had a run in with the Potions Professor and began to believe he could be more than a disappointment.

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Ron Weasley was not supposed to be at the Three Broomsticks on a Wednesday evening, he wasn't even supposed to be out of the castle. Yet he was anyway, thanks to Harry's invisibility cloak and his Filch's case of dragon pocks.

It had been a long day for the ginger. Not only was he dealing with teenage drama of Lavender and Hermione, but he was also trying to cope with the war looming over his and his families' heads. And he didn't know what to do, or even what he was supposed to do? He was lost, and confused, and most of all feeling more and more like a failure.

But his thoughts were interrupted by the door's bell going off, signaling the arrival of another person in the empty restaurant. At first Ron didn't pay any mind. But when this new guest sat only two seats down from him he bothered to give the man a side glance, not expecting much. But what he saw froze him in his seat, because the unknown guest was not unknown at all. It Professor Snape, ordering a firewhiskey. And judging from the hint of metallic silver coming from his robe pocket, he was fresh out of a Death Eater gathering.

Ron Weasley gulped as he began to access his situation, trying to take note of all nearby exits. And just when he was about to make his escape his elbow hit the empty glass he had just finished with, sending it toppling over on the counter.

"Damn!" The grinder cursed loudly, and Professor Snape glanced over at the noise, his neutral expression turning to a deep frown.

"Mr Weasley…what are you doing here?" He said, trying to sound authoritative. And he sure would've, if it wasn't for the word slurring that made it hard to even understand what he was saying. This lead Ron to believe the firewhiskey sitting in front of him wasn't near his first drink this evening.

"Leaving." Ron Weasley said quickly before resuming his escape, but he still didn't make it very far. Because, it seemed that when his response finally registered with the Potions Professor he was quick to say something.

"Wait a minute…young…siiiir." He replied, seeming to forget what he was saying while saying it. "I…Severus Snape… am your teacherrr. And that means I…get you in…lots of trouble." Ron gulped, unsure what drunk Snape would consider fair punishment. But, after a minute or two, something happened that Ron Weasley never thought he would ever see in his lifetime. Severus Snape began to laugh. "What am…I sayingggg. I am not…much betterrr. We are both drinking…on a….Wednesday."

Ron Weasley only managed a small chuckle during the Professor's laughing fit, still in disbelief what was happening in front of him. "Come…" Snape started up again, "sit nextttt…to me. Let me buy…you…drink. Weeee can drink…togetherr!" The only thing Ron could do was exactly as he said.

Sure enough Ron was given another glass of butterbeer, and Snape refilled his firewhiskey. Then they just proceeded to sit there, in silence, for what must've been another 15 minutes. Before the Professor began to speak heavily slurred words again, taking them both out of their trances. "You knowww…you were always my…favorite…Weasley kid."

This took Ron by surprise, never imaging him to say something like that. "What?" He remembers saying to the teacher.

"You are…my favorite… because you… are the only…one…one who…doesn't fit into a…boxxx."

"What do you mean?"

"Your…brothers… all have a…place… career…they were meant for. You…don'ttt. Youuu…have the most…potential. If youuu… at least…bothered…to read…a book…you would do well…go far."

"Thanks" Ron stuttered out at the drunk man's words, internalizing every single one.

"I know…what it feels like…to feel like no one…believessss in you. I… was the…same wayyy. But…all it took…was one personnn…to alter my…future. Of course…mine came from…Death Eaters…with bad…intentionsss. But…yours…doesn't… have tooo. Yours…comes from…someone who…cares…even if I…don't…want to."

And before Ron could respond to the drunk man, he passed out on the counter. Causing several servers to rush to him and escort him to one of the restaurants' private rooms. Ron just watched him get carried away, still in heavy disbelief of his words.

—-

Severus and Ron never spoke any words about the incident. Chances are Severus never even remembered what he said to the young boy, but Ron did. And Ron took the words with him for the rest of his life, repeating it when he was discouraged and down.

He told no one of the incident until Severus' funeral after the end of the war, when he volunteered to be one of the high profile speakers giving a statement on the spy's life. But what he said blew people away, changed their perceptions of him and the Potions Professor. And gave even more testimony for the dead man's true intentions and personality.

The same story was repeated by his son Hugo at Ron's funeral, some 110 years later, and everyone laughed while crying tears of sorrow. Remembering what Ronald Weasley claimed as one of the finest moments of his life.