Dawns star
Disclaimer: Don't own, don't make money off of this
Challenge info:Astronomy Assignment 2:Aquilla
Extra Prompt: heavens & flying.
House: Slytherin
Extra Information:This is an AU where Molly and Arthur died in 1989 and what I think would happen because of it.
Ronald Weasley looked around before he felt something slam into his body hard, sending him to the floor. With a groan, he looked up at the metal trolley that mowed him down, the irritated white owl staring back at him as her black-haired, green-eyed owner pushed it aside.
"I'm so sorry- I didn't see you! Are you okay?" Harry asked him, reaching out a hand to help him.
Ron blinked at the panicked tone and the scar on the boy's forehead. Was this who he thought it was? He blushed, taking the offered hand as he nodded in a daze. He licked his lips, looking away from the boy as he said, "Yeah, mate, I am. Don't worry. I shouldn't have been standing there anyway."
"I still shouldn't have run you over," the boy said. "My name's Harry, Harry Potter. What's your name?"
"Ronald- You can call me Ronald or Ron. I prefer Ron though," he said, nodding slightly at the end.
"Ah. Thanks, Ron. I think we should probably move away from the barrier so we don't cause another accident," Harry said as he moved towards his trolley.
"Yeah, you're probably right. I should probably go- my family might be worried about me-" Ron said, before he was interrupted by another redhead.
"Ron! There you are. Perce has been looking for you. Oh- hello," the older redhead said, admonishing him before he noticed the dark-haired boy standing beside him, his ears turning red in embarrassed.
"Hi. My name's Harry," Harry said, a nervous smile crossing his face when the older boy's broke out in large grin.
"The pleasure is all mine. The name's George. I assume you met Ron, excuse his manners. Did you want to join us on the platform?" George asked, his grin growing larger than a Cheshire cat's with each word.
"I'd love to," Harry said. "I'm sort of here on my own." Then he asked, "Forgive me if I'm being rude, but how many of you are there?"
"I have a twin, then there's Ron, my sister, and three older brothers," George said, a laugh escaping him at Harry's surprised face.
"Are they all here on the platform?" Harry asked.
"No, two of my older brothers have already graduated, and Ginny is too young for school right now" Ron piped in.
"What about your parents?" Harry asked.
The two redheads' smiles faded as their faces took on a somber expression. Harry panicked, *Great, I finally find people that don't hate me and I say something wrong*
"Hey, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to," Harry said hastily, trying to recover the situation. "I'm sorry if I said something that offended you."
"No, You didn't know. Mum was strangled, and Dad was hit by the killing curse two years ago," Ron said, an uneasy smile crossing his lips, and Harry nodded in empathy.
The three boys walked across the platform, Harry staring towards the scarlet steam engine in awe. Hedwig rolled her eyes at the naivety of her owner. George looked at the owl, grinning at the expression on her face. He could almost sense the waves of irritation from where he was walking.
"You can let your owl fly to Hogwarts, you know. If she's a post owl, she'll be able to find Hogwarts." George said as they approached the group of redheads.
"Well girl, do you want to fly to Hogwarts instead of ride the train?" Harry asked as he held her cage up. Hedwig seemed to look at the group of redheads before nodding and Harry let her out of the cage and she was off and flying.
"There you are, Ron- George! I thought you two were going to miss the train..." The oldest redhead fussed over his younger brothers.
"Relax, Perce. We just picked up a stray that didn't seem to have someone to board with," George said, looking towards Harry.
"Who... Harry? Harry Potter?" the older boy asking, looking at Harry in shock before holding out his hand. "My name is Percy. Percy Weasley- it's nice to meet you, Mister Potter."
Harry shook the older boy's hand with a firm grip, as he looked into the amused faces of the other redheads. "You know, I'm younger than you," Harry said. "There's no need to call me 'Mister Potter'. You can just call me Harry, because it's weird having someone older than me calling me 'Mister'."
"'Harry' it is then. I hope my brothers didn't cause you any trouble." Percy said, looking suspiciously at his younger brothers.
"I actually, kind of, slammed my trolley into Ron. It was an accident because I was just coming through the barrier..." Harry waved his hands, his voice pitched an octave higher.
"Then you should be more careful, but Ron shouldn't have been standing there. He won't do that again, right?" Percy said, looking at Ron meaningfully.
"No, Percy, I wouldn't do that again," Ron said flatly.
Percy sighed as he looked at the clock. "Well, regardless, it is time to board the train. Fred, George, help them into a compartment. Remember to change into your robes before the end of the train ride. I'll be with the Prefects, but I'll check on you later. Do you want to share a compartment with Ron, Harry?"
"I don't see why not. Should we go on the train now?" Harry asked.
"Great! Come on- Fred- George! Race you!" Ron grinned as he ran into the open train doors. Fred and George followed behind him with all their trunks, while Percy looked on in amusement.
Then he turned, realizing the dark-haired boy was still standing next to him. "In you go, Mister Potter. Don't worry, you're perfectly safe with my brothers- just watch what the twins give you," Percy told him grinning.
Harry entered the train, and after a few moments of wandering, found the compartment that Fred and George had put his and Ron's trunks in. He sat down beside the redhead and they began to talk.
"Do you ever wonder if your parents are looking down on you from the heavens?" Ron asked suddenly.
"I know they are. They're with me every step of the way, even if I can't feel them," Harry answered.
"Do you really believe that?" Ron asked, looking a bit doubtful.
"I want to. Even when I thought they were drunks. I never got to know them though like you knew yours," Harry said, looking away from Ron and towards the window.
"Excuse me, have you found a toad anywhere?" a bushy haired girl interrupted, looking between the two boys.
The two boys shook their head. She gave a quick look around before sighing. Ron motioned towards an extra seat, "Want to take a break and then search for the toad later?"
"No, I said I would help the boy in my compartment. My trunk is in there too. You should change because we'll probably be at Hogwarts soon." the girl spoke, "My name's Hermione Granger. You are..."
"I'm Harry Potter and this is Ron Weasley" Harry said, motioning to him, then the redhead.
"THE Harry Potter? From the books?" Hermione asked. "Can I see your scar?"
Glancing at Ron, Harry shook his head. "It's just a scar- I don't see why there's such a fixation on it."
"Well, if you see a toad, can you please return it to the compartment in the back," she said before closing the door.
The two boys changed into their robes before there was a knock on the door. Harry opened it and saw a woman with a cart of candies. "Anything off the trolley?" she asked with a kind smile.
Ron looked on with a bit of drool on the edges of his mouth before he shook his head, while Harry nodded and picked four of everything.
Once the woman left, the dark-haired boy put the small pile of candy on the seat.
"Are you going to eat all that?" Ron asked.
"No, I was going to share it with you and your brothers as thanks for helping carry my trunk and cage here. Can you tell me what's good?" Harry asked.
"None of it is really good for you. However, I'm sure the twins would love their share and I appreciate the thought. Do you want me to bring the twins here share to them?" Percy asked as his head peeked in from the hall.
"Yes. You will probably see them before we do. It's not much but..." Harry floundered as his face turned red.
"It's the thought that counts and we don't have much money for sweets," Percy said. Then he turned to his brother. "Have you got what you wanted, Ron?" Percy asked as Ron looked speculatively at the large pile in front of him and the small one beside him.
Ron nodded before he turned to Harry and asked, "Have you gotten everything you wanted from it?"
"I'll just share the pile beside you, if that's okay," Harry said. Ron nodded, and Harry motioned for Percy to take the rest.
When it was just the two of them once more, they began to demolish the sugar pile. Harry asked, "What do your older brothers do, the ones that graduated?"
"Bill- he worked in Egypt as a cursebreaker, but now he works at the London branch of Gringotts. Charlie has been training since fifteen to become a professional Quidditch Seeker. He graduated last year, but was scouted early on. It's thanks to him that we can go to Hogwarts. As long as we pass every class with EEs on our final marks, it's free," Ron said, grinning at Harry's confused face.
"EE? What is the best mark you can get?" Harry asked.
"O for 'Outstanding'. EE stands for 'Exceeds Expectations', A is 'Acceptable', P is 'Poor', D is 'Dreadful', and there's also reported T for 'Troll', but I don't know anyone that has ever gotten that," Ron explained.
"I see. Can you tell me about the day you found out about your parent...?" Harry trailed off as he put his hand over his mouth.
"We were away at a neighbour's house when it happened. Amos Diggory came by and took us back to his house, while his son, Cedric, flooed one of our uncles. Bill came to get us soon after, and we spent two weeks at our uncle's place. He wanted to take us in, but Bill argued that we shouldn't have to move and that between him, Charlie, and Percy, we'd manage. It took some time but they agreed. We had the funeral a few days later. It was raining for most of it, until the end when the sun came out..." Ron had a glassy, distant look in his eyes as a few tears fell.
"I'm sorry if I brought back bad memories-" Harry quickly apologized.
"No. It was a good memory. At least I got a chance to say good bye. The insurance money kept us afloat for a while but... I... I would rather have Mum and Dad. I just wish I had more time with them..." Ron whispered.
Fred and George appeared, shoving a pale blond haired out of the way and closing the door behind them. They were grinning and bowed to Harry in robes with a badger on it before the boy on the right said, "We thank you for the pile of candy, but it wasn't a necessary payment for services rendered..."
"But we'll make good use of it," the other continued. "In return we have been guarding your compartment and..."
"We have ejected a certain albino ferret named Malfoy from bothering you..." the first said.
"Try to get out after the rush to leave the train..." the second said.
"Until the older years leave. Death by student mob is a rather ignominious fate," the first said in a dramatic voice.
"But it would immortalize you, because it's a very creative way to die," the second ended, with a large grin before they both left.
The train ride lasted a few more minutes before they came to a complete stop. Harry and Ron stayed in their compartment as they watched the mass of students leaving the train.
"Blimey- we would have been shoved aside like that first year girl!" Ron pointed to the smaller students against the older ones as the stampede continued.
Finally it slowed and they left the train sedately. A giant waved at them as he cried out for the first years to come towards him and leave their trunks on the train. Once they had all gathered around him, they began their walk, away from the crowd towards the boats shored on a nearby lake. Harry and Ron boarded a boat with two other students before they all shoved off of their own accord.
Harry looked around him, watching the soft ripples moving across the water, before the large castle loomed out of the darkness. With all the twinkling lights in the windows, it was truly breath-taking.
Eventually, they reached solid ground. All the students filed out of the boats and followed the friendly giant on the small path towards the castle. In the darkness, they held onto each other for stability to keep themselves from falling, until they came to two huge doors. The giant man reached up a hand and knocked, before the door opened on its own and they stepped inside.
They entered the giant entrance staring in awe around them. The giant moved towards a woman who looked at them with a stern countenance. Peering at the group of young wide eyed students her eyes softened as she looked every one of them in the eye as she introduced herself as the deputy headmistress. Nodding when it was done she had them all get into one line before they entered the great hall. The ghosts entered the hall going through the doors. The older students looked at them before looking forlornly at their plates.
She went to a stool and as she went the first years began to talk amongst themselves about the sorting. A student seemed to think that they would face a troll while Hermione shot him down as the boy seemed excited at the idea. The ceiling reflected the clear dark night. Harry felt nervous but Ron whispered the sorting ceremony before she reached the stool. Taking out an old hat it began to sing as it hit the stool.
The song ended and she unrolled a scroll before calling out a name. The girl walked up nervously as she put the hat on her head. It spent a minute on her head before calling out Hufflepuff. She was pointed to the correct table and alphabetically they were sorted. By the time Hermione was sorted into Gryffindor everyone knew where to go. Harry was nervous when P's finally came and he felt the hat on his head before before a voice spoke in his head.
"Ah. Harry Potter. You have plenty of courage but don't look for adventure. Smart but not inclined to study. I see plenty ambition in you as well. Tell me, what do you value the most? What do you want out coming here?"
"Friends." Harry thought.
"Hmm, Slytherin you'd be eaten alive. Your study habits wouldn't make friends with the ravens but you could change that. The lion house you'd find glory, but I can see that you don't want more. What do you think of Ravenclaw?" the hat asked.
"I just want to find a place to belong" Harry thought.
"Hufflepuff, it is then. Ravenclaw isn't a place where you'd excel, Snakes wouldn't fit and Lions might just eat you too. Better be HUFFLEPUFF!" The hat yelled the last word out.
Fred and George got up cheering that they got Harry Potter. The applause stunned the brunette and a badger appeared on his robes and he took the place between the two twins. They talked softly as the rest of the sorting passed. Fred had decided he didn't want to be in his brothers and parents house after they passed away. He picked Hufflepuff and George followed him to their new house. Finally the W's came. They looked up when Ron's name was called.
Ron walked slowly towards the stool. He was beyond nervous. He had studied his brothers text book memorized, got study tips from Bill and Percy and was scared. She looked at him with a small smile before nodding and he sat on the stool. The hat was silent for a long time.
"I honestly can't tell which house you belong. You won't fit Gryffindor not Slytherin. Yet, your hard work is worthy of Hufflepuff, and your smart enough for Ravenclaw because of it. You don't want be in the same house as your brothers?"
Ron shook his head frantically. "I see. Better be RAVENCLAW!" The hat shouted the last word as a dazed Ron joined Ravenclaw.