Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter (or Ron Weasley) in any way shape or form.
Pumpkin Pasties, Train Rides, and Harry Potter
"Rise and shine Weasleys!" The sharp voice rang out through the house, carrying all the way up the crooked stairway. I sighed in annoyance and buried my face deeper into my pillow. I hate morning.
Something hit my back and I bolted upright, which in turn, caused me to tumble and fall out of bed. The wooded floor groaned at the sudden weight but it held. I looked up over the side of the bed to see Fred and George looking down at me. I glared while they continued to grin.
"Get up Ronnykins!" George sang.
"You don't want to be late for your first day at Hogwarts do you?" Fred asked.
I just continued to glare at them while I got up from the floor and headed down the winding stairs to the kitchen. The whole family was there, Mum, Dad, Bill, Percy, Ginny, even Fred and George had managed to sit down at the table before I had even reached the bottom of the stairs. Everyone was here except Charlie, he was still in Romania studying dragons, but with seven kids I guess you never really notice when one is missing.
Walking towards the long table, I only had to duck for a floating pan twice before I sat down at one of the chairs at the end of the table. Filling the plate with as much food as I could, I dug into it. It took me about five minutes to scarf down the food and I was going to go back for seconds, but my plate sprang up from the table in front of me and glided over to the sink where it proceeded to wash itself and hoped back over to the cupboard it originally came from.
Mum shooed me up from my seat and told me to get ready to go; we had to get to the platform in time to catch the train, of course. I walked slowly up the stairs, yawning as I packed the rest of my truck and got dressed.
"Hurry up; we're going to be late!" Mum's voice rang around the house. I practically ran back down the stairs, trunk in hand. She sounded mad, and no one likes Mum when she's mad. The same thing occurred to everyone else as I found them all standing downstairs, eyes wide and fidgeting where they stood as if they were waiting in anxious anticipation. I suppose in a way they were.
Mum entered the room, taking a look at our nervous expressions and just ushered us out and into the car. It was a light blue Ford Anglia, it was bigger than it seemed on the inside and I overheard that Dad had bewitched it so it was like that, but Mum could never find that out. She would go bonkers if she found out that Dad had been playing with his Muggle toys again and would yell at him. When she got mad, no one was happy. No, it was better for her just to think that Muggles are smarter then they let on and the car was supposed to be like that.
The car ride was a long, quiet one, as Bill and Dad stayed home leaving me with only Percy, Fred, George, Ginny, and Mum. The only sound breaking the silence was the sound of the tires rubbing against the road, Mum wasn't even scolding us for being late.
We reached the station ten minutes till eleven and Mum travelled briskly through the crowd, forcing us to jog to keep up.
"See boys," She started and I internally groaned, knowing we were about to be in trouble. Hours before school started, figures. "Now we're late and everyone else has already reached the platform." She looked around at the crowded station. "So many people. It's the same year after year. Always packed with Muggles, of course.."
We reached the area around platforms nine and ten when Mum asked, "Now, what's the platform number?"
"Nine and three-quarters!" Ginny answered, tugging on Mum's hand, "Mum, can't I go..." She pleaded.
"You're not old enough, Ginny, now be quite." There was that firm tone, it had been gone for too long. "All right now, Percy, you go first." She directed him toward the barrier between nine and ten.
Percy stepped forward and marched toward it with his head held high. A crowd of people came by and blocked our view and when they moved, Percy was gone but we knew he had made it.
"Fred, you next." Fred stepped forward at her command.
"I'm not Fred, I'm George," He said. I couldn't tell if he was joking or not. "Honestly, woman, you call yourself our mother? Can't you tell I'm George?"
Mum must have thought he was being sincere because she corrected herself. "Sorry, George, dear."
"Only joking, I am Fred." He told her with a grin and walked toward the barrier, as slow as he possibly could.
"Oi, Fred! Hurry it up!" George yelled after him and a second later he was gone. George followed soon after.
"Excuse me." A voice came from the other side of Mum and she turned towards the source. Standing there was a skinny kid who had a mess of jet black hair sitting atop his head. He had on round, metal rimmed glasses bound together at the nose with a bunch of Scotch tape. He wore clothes that seemed to be at least five times too big and he looked around nervously as if he felt out of place. Though I don't think I could really blame him, we never hang around the Muggles for more than five minutes if we can help it. They were so weird and always gave us strange looks.
Mum smiled at the kid. "Hello, dear. First time at Hogwarts? Ron's new, too." She officially introduced me. I nodded in a simple greeting.
"Yes," He answered awkwardly. "The thing is - the thing is, I don't know how to - " It looked like he didn't know how to ask his question.
"How to get onto the platform?" She asked him kindly. The kid nodded. "Not to worry. All you have to do is walk straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Best to do it at a bit of a run if you're nervous. Go on, go now before Ron."
He looked at her a little skeptically, but he seemed to decide to trust her.
"Er - okay."
He pushed his trolley around in front of him. With a quick look back at Mum, he started walking towards it. He gathered speed and I could see him start to become nervous as he came closer, thinking he was going to run into the wall. Where did this kid come from? Anyone going to Hogwarts knew how to pass through the barrier. I supposed the kid could have been raised by Muggles, but to not know completely? Blimey.
The kid disappeared into the barrier and I took off after him, Mum and Ginny following soon after.
Passing through the wall, I attempted to find the kid again but a large scarlet engine caught my eye instead. The Hogwarts Express. Near the barrier which I just came through was an old fashion iron arch. Below it was a sign that read Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. The kid almost completely vanished from my mind, as I realized, I was finally going to Hogwarts.
I went to go find a compartment on board the train when someone grabbed my arm. They pulled me back and I was crushed into someone's chest.
"Oh, my little Ronny's all grown up!" Mum cried as she pulled my closer to her. "Off to his first year at Hogwarts!"
My face started to heat up as people looked over at us. "Mum." I groaned and pushed myself away.
She wiped away a tear from her cheek and walked over to the open train door. "Fred? George? Are you there?" She called.
"Coming, Mum." Came their reply. Seconds later they hopped down from the doorway.
"Ron," Mum turned towards me with a handkerchief in her hand, "You've got something on your nose." I tried moving out of the way, but she grabbed my face and rubbed the end of my nose.
"Mum - geroff." I complained incoherently, finally pulling away from her grasp.
"Aaah, has ickle Ronny got somefink on his nosie?" George mocked.
"Shut up."
"Where's Percy?" Mum questioned.
"He's coming now." Fred replied. Sure enough, Percy came striding intro the group, already changed into his Hogwarts robes, looking like he wished he was anywhere else. His prefect badge shining on his chest.
"Can't stay long, Mother," He told her. "I'm up front; the prefects have got two compartments to themselves -"
"Oh, are you a prefect, Percy?" Fred said in mock surprise. "You should have said something, we had no idea."
"Hang on," George cut in, "I think I remember him saying something about it. Once -"
"Or twice -"
"A minute -"
"All summer -"
"Oh, shut up." Percy said, annoyed.
"How come Percy's got new robes, anyway?" George asked.
"Because he's a prefect." Mum said fondly. "All right, dear, well, have a good term - send me an owl when you get there."
She kissed Percy on the cheek and he left. She turned to Fred and George with a stern look on her face.
"Now, you two - this year, you behave yourselves. If I get one more owl telling me you've blown up a toilet or -"
"Blown up a toilet? We've never blown up a toilet." Fred interrupted.
"Great idea though, thanks Mum."
"It's not funny. And look after Ron."
"Don't worry; ickle Ronnykins is safe with us."
"Shut up." I butt in. My nose still itched where Mum had rubbed and I was sure it was still red.
"Hey Mum, guess what?" George said suddenly. "Guess who we just met on the train?"
"You know that black-haired boy who was near us in the station? Know who he is?"
"Who?"
"Harry Potter!"
Suddenly Ginny looked up in excitement as she pulled on Mum's hand again. "Oh, Mum, can I go see him, Mum, oh please..." She pleaded.
"You've already seen him, Ginny, and the poor boy isn't something you goggle at in a zoo. Is he really, Fred? How do you know?"
"Asked him. Saw his scar. It's really there - like lightning."
"Poor dear - no wonder he was alone, I wondered. He was ever so polite when he asked how to get onto the platform."
"Never mind that, do you think he remembers what You-Know-Who looks like?"
Mum became very stern almost immediately.
"I forbid you to ask him, Fred. No, don't you dare. As though he needs reminding of that on his first day at school." Fred held up his hands in defeat.
"All right, keep your hair on."
Somewhere in the background, a whistle sounded.
"Hurry up!" Mum said and the three of us climbed aboard the train. We stuck our heads out of the nearest window to say a final goodbye. Ginny started to cry.
"Don't, Ginny, we'll send you loads of owls."
"We'll send you a Hogwarts toilet seat." Ginny found it funny and let out a small smile. Mum, on the other hand, did not.
"George!"
"Only joking, Mum."
The train started to move and Mum waved us goodbye. Ginny, half laughing, half crying, ran alongside the train until it was going too fast, where she stood and waved.
Fred and George had already walked out of the compartment leaving me here on my own. For a second, I didn't know what I was going to do when the face of the boy from the platform popped up in my mind. Harry Potter. The face had a name, and it was a famous one at that.
Leaving the compartment, I walked down the long hallways, looking for that black haired boy. At the end of the train, I found him sitting in an otherwise empty compartment, looking at the trees going by out the window. I opened the compartment door and stuck my head in. The boy turned to look at me.
"Anyone sitting there?" I asked, pointing to the empty seat across from him. "Everywhere else is full."
Ok, so maybe that was a lie, but this was Harry Potter, I was going to at least try.
He simply shook his head and I sat down. I took a quick glance at the kid who went back to looking out the window. The door opened again and two identical heads popped into the room.
"Listen, we're going down the middle of the train - Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there."
"Right." I mumbled. I don't know why they wanted to be around any of the bloody things. Right terrifying, they are.
"Harry, did we introduce ourselves? Fred and George Weasley. And this is Ron, our brother. See you later, then."
"Bye." Harry and I said. With that they left, sliding the compartment door shut behind them.
"Are you really Harry Potter?" I blurted out, mentally cursing myself. Now he's going to think I'm mental or something.
Harry, however, just nodded.
"Oh - well, I thought it might be one of Fred and George's jokes." I explained lamely. "And have you really got - you know..." I pointed at his forehead, not sure how to phrase the question.
Harry pulled back his bangs to show the lightning shaped scar. I tried not to stare, but I failed. Harry Potter was really sitting in front of me.
"So that where You-Know-Who -?"
"Yes," Harry replied. "But I can't remember it."
"Nothing?" I asked, not noticing the obvious eagerness in my voice.
"Well - I can remember a lot green light, but nothing else."
"Wow." I looked at Harry again, amazed he was really there, when I realized I was staring. I quickly looked out the window.
"Are all your family wizards?" I heard Harry ask.
"Er - yes, I think so." I answered. "I think Mum's got a second cousin who's an accountant, but we never talk about him."
"So you must know loads of magic already." Harry said looking slightly dejected. I didn't know what to say to his question and he looked so upset, I decided to change the subject.
"I heard you went to live with Muggles. What were they like?"
"Horrible - well, not all of them. My aunt and uncle and cousin are, though. Wish I'd had three wizard brothers."
"Five." I corrected, my mood dropping slightly. "I'm the sixth in our family to go to Hogwarts. Bill and Charlie have already left - Bill was Head Boy and Charlie was captain of Quidditch. Now Percy's a prefect. Fred and George mess around a lot, but they still get really good marks and everyone think they're really funny. Everyone expects me to do as well the others, but if I do, it's no big, because they did it first. You never get anything new, either, with five brothers. I've got Bill's old robes, Charlie's old wand, and Percy's old rat."
I reached into the pocket of my jacket and pulled out the fat, grey lump, which happened to be asleep.
"His name is Scabbers and he's useless, he hardly ever wakes up. Percy got an owl from my dad for being made prefect, but they couldn't aff - I mean, I got Scabbers instead."
I feel the tips of my ears burn. I shouldn't have said that. Now he'll think I'm some poor loser.
"Don't feel too bad. I never had much money either.
Apparently Harry knew what it was like not to have money to spend, his aunt and uncle never gave him any, nor bought him anything. He was forced to wear his cousins old clothes that were much too big for Harry's tiny frame. I didn't want to admit this made me feel a bit better. It was obvious he made it up (the Boy-Who-Lived, not having a good life? Not possible.) but I appreciated the effort he made.
"... and until Hagrid told me, I didn't know anything about being a wizard or about my parents or Voldemort -"
I gasped, cutting Harry off.
"What?" He asked me.
"You said You-Know-Who's name!" I explained, "I'd have thought you, of all people -"
"I'm not trying to be brave or anything, saying the name," He told me. "I just never knew you shouldn't. See what I mean? I've got loads to learn... I bet, I bet I'm the worst in the class."
"You won't be. There's loads of people who come from Muggle families and they learn quick enough."
We were quiet for a while after. It was around half past twelve when the trolley full of sweets came around. The old, rosy cheeked lady with a dimpled smile stuck her head in the compartment. "Anything off the trolley, dears?"
Harry leapt up on his feet and walked over to the compartment door and the trolley. My face heat up and I mumbled under my breath that I already brought some sandwiches to eat. There was no talking between the two of them and I looked up. Harry was just standing there at the door, looking at the trolley piled high with all sorts of sweets. The even had some Licorice Wands and Fudge Flies. Harry had his head cocked to the side in confusion and did nothing. Oh, right. Raised by Muggles.
Soon enough Harry snapped out of it and bought some of everything. And I thought I ate a lot. I stared at him as he carried almost the whole cart into the room and plopped it all down on the seat next to him.
"Hungry are you?" I asked
"Starving," He corrected as he took a large bite out of a Pumpkin Pasty.
I reached inside my bag and took out the lumpy bag that contained my sandwich and unwrapped it. Before I took a bite out of it, I pulled it apart. Then I closed it immediately and put it back in the bag. "She always forgets I don't like corned beef."
"Swap you for one of these," Harry said, holding up a pasty, and when I didn't take it he held it closer. "Go on -"
"You don't want this, it's all dry." I told him. "She hasn't got much time, you know with the five of us."
"Go on," He said, completely ignoring me. "Have a pasty."
And soon enough we were eating our weight in pasties, cakes, and candies.
"What are these?" Harry asked when he reached the Chocolate Frogs. "They're not real frogs, are they?"
"No," I assured him, "But see what the card is. I'm missing Agrippa." I told him absentmindedly.
"What?"
"Oh, of course, you wouldn't know. Chocolate Frogs have cards inside them, you know, to collect - famous witches and wizards. I've got about five hundred, but I haven't got Agrippa or Ptolemy."
Harry unwrapped the Frog and turned over the card.
"So this is Dumbledore!" He said looking at the picture on the front.
"Don't tell me you've never heard of Dumbledore!" I told him. "Can I have a Frog? I might get Agrippa - thanks -"
While I opened the box in my hands, Harry read over the description they provided on the back of the card. Flipping it back over, He gasped in surprise.
"He's gone!"
"Well you can't expect him to hang around all day. He'll be back." I looked down at my card. "No, I've got Morgana again and I've got about six of her... do you want it? You can start collecting."
No matter how hard I tried not to, my gaze wondered back to the pile of Chocolate Frogs and sweets, yet to be eaten. Harry notices this.
"Help yourself." He said. And I did. "But, you know, in the Muggle world, people just stay put in photos."
"Do they? What, they don't move at all? Weird!"
Harry stared at the picture again and I was more interested in the actual frogs, giving the card to Harry for him to collect. I looked up from the Cauldron Cake I was eating, to see Harry open a bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans.
"You want to be careful with those," I warned him. "When the say every flavour, they mean every flavour - you know, you get all the ordinary ones, like chocolate and peppermint and marmalade, but then you can get spinach and liver and tripe. George reckons he had a booger-flavoured one once."
I looked I picked up a green one and bit hesitantly into the corner. And nearly spit it out.
"Bleaaargh - see? Sprouts."
After that, we had a good time trying each and every bean. He was braver than I was as it turned out. There was this weird grey one I didn't even want to guess what flavour it could possibly be. It turned out to only be pepper.
We moved along the countryside. Woods and twisting rivers and hills now took the place of the flat field as we rolled along to Hogwarts.
