Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

Invisible

Ron had always been the invisible child from the moment he was born. The youngest of 6 boys, he never got much attention and was expected to live up to his brothers' achievements. Even Ginny, his younger sister, got more attention than he did because she was the first girl to be born to Weasleys in generations.

So what? he thought. Just because she's a girl doesn't make her more special than I am. Will you pay attention to me for once?

Bill was a decade older than Ron, so their relationship never was fully developed as Bill went off to school before Ron's memory had developed. There was also a significant age gap between Charlie and Ron- eight years, so he also went to school when Ron was very young, though his memory was developing by then. At first, Ron thought that this would mean he would have more attention from his parents with two less people in the house, but they still managed to pay as much attention to Bill and Charlie as they had before.

"Arthur, look at this letter Bill sent! He has straight O's and is involved in a few clubs too. And Charlie sent a letter also; he's enjoying his first year at Hogwarts. He says it made him a little nervous to have the staircases move beneath him, but he's getting used to it. He's enjoying school and making new friends and wishes he could play Quidditch."

So Ron retreated with Ginny to try to play some exciting game, but all she wanted to play was "wedding with Harry Potter". Ew.

And Ron was left alone and invisible once more- his parents didn't pay a lot of attention to him, Percy was a prick, the twins pulled many kinds of spider pranks on him (Ron shuddered at the very thought), and Ginny was continually obsessed with Harry Potter.

At some point, he decided to talk to Scabbers. It was nice talking to somebody about his troubles, but eventually even Scabbers tried to scamper away.

And so Ron's childhood progressed. His parents did try to pay attention to him, but with so many other siblings he got drowned out.

Percy went to school also and suddenly only four children were in the house. Considering that half the children left were pranksters, all four received much more attention than before. Ron was starting to become visible. However, the children at school also set huge standards for the rest to try (or not) to live up to. Head boy, prefect, Quidditch captain, many OWLs, straight O's- it seemed as if the list would never end.

The twins didn't care. They would leave their influence their own way. Ginny cared a little bit, but her main worries were Harry Potter and the lack of understanding in her brothers.

Ron, however, cared a lot. His deepest desire was to be noticed and have accomplishments like his oh-so-amazing brothers. He continually promised himself when things got bad that he would find a way to be a prefect, Head Boy, and possibly even Quidditch captain.

Fred and George went to Hogwarts and not much else happened. Two years later, it was his turn to get on the train to leave for Hogwarts. Before he left the platform to see if he could find a seat (and maybe even Harry Potter!), he vowed to himself that he would make a difference. He wouldn't just be another invisible Weasley with flaming hair sorted into Gryffindor, he would be Ron Weasley. Someday people all across the Wizarding World would know his name.

He never guessed how right he was.

AN: I don't really write Ron often, so this was an interesting experience for me. Sorta/kinda inspired by the song "Superboy and the Invisible Girl" from next to normal (you all should look this up, Jennifer Damiano is amazing...).

Written for Round 1 of Fire the Canon's Fanfiction Tournaments Competitions (March!). 500-2,000 words about someone before their Hogwarts days.

Thanks for reading, and please review! :D