I.
"Mum, I want a rat."
"But it's for Percy, Ronald. If one day you get all Os on your report card, I'll buy you rat too."
Ron only puffed out his cheeks. "Don't call me that. You can treat me as an equal, you know."
"When you grow up," is all she says.
II.
Even years later, he hadn't forgotten what his mother said.
"I'm going to get all Os on my report card this year," he boasted.
"There's no need," said Percy, voice drawling. "You got Bill's old robes and Charlie's old wand?" Leaning in, he held out something in his hand and dropped it into Ron's startled palm. "You can have my old rat."
"Percy-" Molly started, but never got to finish her sentence.
"It's alright, Mum," said the prefect airily. "You got me an owl, didn't you? If Ron wants Scabbers so much he can just have it."
Ron looked down at the gray mass of fur sitting in his hand. It felt heavier than he remembered, like a new burden on his shoulder. Two years ago owning a rat was worth a whole world.
Now, Scabbers was what he was really worth: just another mass of fur.
III.
The Hogwarts Express stood before him, glinting in the midday sun.
"Take care of Scabbers!" Molly called out to him.
Ron didn't reply, only grabbed his trunk and headed towards the scarlet train.
"Ron!"
"Stop treating me like a child!"
And then he was gone.
IV.
He returned, hoping that he had earned something for himself once.
"Two Os, a D, an F, and two As. The rest are all Es." Molly put down the report card. "Ron..."
He slouched on the table. "I know. You don't have to say it."
"You know, if you hate that rat so much, you can just dump him."
"Shut it, George."
"I'm Fred."
"Shut it, Fred."
He left the table without further ado.
V.
The first time Scabbers met Crookshanks was almost over two full years later.
"Honestly, will you get that cat out of Scabbers's way?"
"Get off my case! Take care of your own rat!"
With nothing to retort, Ron fell silent and stormed away.
Harry watched them bicker even with radiating emotions. Quietly, he left his seat and approached Ron.
Carefully, carefully. "I thought you hated Scabbers."
His answer was cold and absolute. "I do."
In fear of provoking him any more, Harry left the room.
VI.
"Scabbers..."
What used to be a mass of fur wasn't even. Yesterday he still had him. Today he was gone.
"Scabbers..."
Ron looked out the window. The sun that shined wasn't the same as yesterday's. And it never will be without Scabbers.
"So you didn't hate Scabbers."
Harry seemingly materialized out of nowhere.
Ron couldn't even face his best friend. His face turned to stone, resolved to stare out the window forever.
Somewhere out on the grounds was the Whomping Willow. And somewhere near that was the Shrieking Shack. And in that miserable place was where he lost Scabbers once and for all.
Ronald Weasley didn't answer the question, but instead, he sat there in silence with tears like blood rolling down his cheeks.
He had never grown up after all.
A.N.: Another story from years back. Wow.