Ron Weasley climbed up the hill that was behind his house. He remembered
the summer of the Quidditch World Cup when Ireland had staged an amazing
victory. He sighed and thought of how much had changed over the past 3
years. He was about to enter his seventh and final year at Hogwarts, but
this time he wasn't looking forward to returning. Harry and Hermione had
become a bit unbearable since they had started going out. Ok, he had to
admit to himself that he was a tad jealous after his crush on Hermione that
had lasted until the end of the fourth year, but he was so busy with the
return of You-Know-Who and Hermione was so passionate about Krum that he
soon got over it. But since Christmas, when his two best friends fell for
each other, he kept having this heartache inside. Again he sighed and
mounted on his Firebolt 5000. At least his family had gotten money, and a
lot of it. While studying dragons in Romania, Ron's brother Charlie had
come across a lost fortune of wizarding antiques. All of them were
extremely valuable and his family could now live quite comfortably, yet
they didn't want to move out of The Burrow, their beloved family home. No
matter what, they had decided, The Burrow would always be their home. But
since Ron had been made a Prefect and Keeper of the Quidditch team
(Replacing Oliver Wood when the Quidditch season had started in fifth
year), he was now able to gain gifts from his parents. The Firebolt 5000
was top of the line, and something even Draco Malfoy didn't have. In fact,
he and Harry were the only ones in the school that owned them.
As the wind soared through his bright red hair, he felt some of his tension release. There was something oddly calming about flying. Probably the feelings of being free like a bird. He swerved around, pretending there was a Quaffle hurtling towards him, and then hit the imaginary Quaffle with the twigs on the end of his broom. If only his twin brothers hadn't moved to Hogsmeade to open up Weasley's Wizards Wheezes. They had been Beaters, and were excellent to practice Quidditch with. But now Ron had to practice it himself, because Percy was wrapt up in his job as Assistant Minister For Magic and Ginny had gone to spend the summer with Bill in Egypt, as she was interested in working for Gringotts when she left Hogwarts. As Ron came to a landing, he watched as a snowy white owl flew overhead towards The Burrow. It looked like Hedwig, Harry's owl. Ron had asked Harry to come and stay for the rest of the holidays (of which there was two weeks left), and he had been awaiting his reply. Ron ran up to the house to see what news Hedwig had brought.
Molly Weasley, a plump red-haired middle-aged witch, met Ron as he came through the kitchen door.
"Harry just sent this for you, dear," she said, obviously curious to know what it said. Ron took the rolled up peace of parchment out of his mother's hand and read it
'Dear Ron, Of course I want to come and stay! The Dursley's are so unbearable! I can't bear to stand another day here! My uncle was so happy to get rid of me that he offered to drive me up to The Burrow on Sunday (tomorrow). I should be there in time for tea. Hermione is well; she and her parents have gone to Australia, as you know. Lucky thing, they have some really good Quidditch teams! But of course, knowing Hermione, she won't go to a game and will prefer to catch up on the history of the magic community there. See you tomorrow, Harry P.S. Hermione and I are Head Boy and Girl. We got told on Wednesday.'
"Well, that's good for Harry and Hermione! Head Boy and Girl!" Mrs Weasley said. Ron jumped, not realising his mother had been reading the note over his shoulder. Not that it would have been easy for her to. She was so short that her eyes were level with Ron's nose. Ron had grown a considerable amount since his first year at Hogwarts, both physically and emotionally.
"Yeah, that's good," said Ron. Again, Harry had been one step better. Ron would remain a normal prefect, and Harry was Head Boy. Just like Harry was captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team.
"Oh, dear, Ron, don't feel so down! Your father and I are so proud of you for being a Prefect! Only you and Percy were Prefects in this family! And you're an excellent Keeper! Harry is Harry. and you are you! We can't help what has happened in the past, and maybe they thought that Harry was the best for the job after all the You-Know Who business? Just don't worry!" Molly Weasley embraced her son. She had been worried about Ron; he seemed down when Harry seemed to gain the better option. If only there was something she could do to help him, but she knew better than to try to help. He would just refuse and say everything was okay.
"Thanks mum, I feel a bit better," Ron said, smiling down at his mother and returning her hug. "I'll go and set up the guest room for Harry." And with that he walked off upstairs.
As the wind soared through his bright red hair, he felt some of his tension release. There was something oddly calming about flying. Probably the feelings of being free like a bird. He swerved around, pretending there was a Quaffle hurtling towards him, and then hit the imaginary Quaffle with the twigs on the end of his broom. If only his twin brothers hadn't moved to Hogsmeade to open up Weasley's Wizards Wheezes. They had been Beaters, and were excellent to practice Quidditch with. But now Ron had to practice it himself, because Percy was wrapt up in his job as Assistant Minister For Magic and Ginny had gone to spend the summer with Bill in Egypt, as she was interested in working for Gringotts when she left Hogwarts. As Ron came to a landing, he watched as a snowy white owl flew overhead towards The Burrow. It looked like Hedwig, Harry's owl. Ron had asked Harry to come and stay for the rest of the holidays (of which there was two weeks left), and he had been awaiting his reply. Ron ran up to the house to see what news Hedwig had brought.
Molly Weasley, a plump red-haired middle-aged witch, met Ron as he came through the kitchen door.
"Harry just sent this for you, dear," she said, obviously curious to know what it said. Ron took the rolled up peace of parchment out of his mother's hand and read it
'Dear Ron, Of course I want to come and stay! The Dursley's are so unbearable! I can't bear to stand another day here! My uncle was so happy to get rid of me that he offered to drive me up to The Burrow on Sunday (tomorrow). I should be there in time for tea. Hermione is well; she and her parents have gone to Australia, as you know. Lucky thing, they have some really good Quidditch teams! But of course, knowing Hermione, she won't go to a game and will prefer to catch up on the history of the magic community there. See you tomorrow, Harry P.S. Hermione and I are Head Boy and Girl. We got told on Wednesday.'
"Well, that's good for Harry and Hermione! Head Boy and Girl!" Mrs Weasley said. Ron jumped, not realising his mother had been reading the note over his shoulder. Not that it would have been easy for her to. She was so short that her eyes were level with Ron's nose. Ron had grown a considerable amount since his first year at Hogwarts, both physically and emotionally.
"Yeah, that's good," said Ron. Again, Harry had been one step better. Ron would remain a normal prefect, and Harry was Head Boy. Just like Harry was captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team.
"Oh, dear, Ron, don't feel so down! Your father and I are so proud of you for being a Prefect! Only you and Percy were Prefects in this family! And you're an excellent Keeper! Harry is Harry. and you are you! We can't help what has happened in the past, and maybe they thought that Harry was the best for the job after all the You-Know Who business? Just don't worry!" Molly Weasley embraced her son. She had been worried about Ron; he seemed down when Harry seemed to gain the better option. If only there was something she could do to help him, but she knew better than to try to help. He would just refuse and say everything was okay.
"Thanks mum, I feel a bit better," Ron said, smiling down at his mother and returning her hug. "I'll go and set up the guest room for Harry." And with that he walked off upstairs.