"Alohomora," Harry muttered,"Let-us-the-hell-in-you-stupid-gate!"

Still, the black gates emblazoned with the Hogwarts symbol remained motionless.

"Look, Harry, I don't care whether you can survive the killing curse or defeat Voldemort, you're still a first year, and first years can't open the gate!" Ron shouted angrily, "You're such a bloody know-it-all! I'm sick of it!"

"You're the one who got us trapped here in the first place! If you hadn't decided to go to Hogsmeade illegally at three o'clock in the morning, we'd be in bed, asleep!"

"You didn't have to follow me! I don't need protection from a talentless poser, Harry."

Harry had to admit, Ron had a point. He didn't even know how he was so famous a couple of months ago. He could barely hold a wand, let alone defeat a Dark Wizard. He had to admit, he wasn't much cop at being a wizard really.

Ron kicked the gate angrily, muttering swear words under his breath. He was so angry, there was practically steam coming out of his ears.

"You know what, Ron? I could do this without your constant criticisms and snide comments."

"So be it. If you didn't want to be my friend, you could have just told me. I'm not your pity project, Harry."

Professor McGonagall was not happy to hear two first years bickering outside. Two first years, who, frankly, should be asleep.

It's just voices, Minerva, she told herself, You're just hearing voices. Deep down, though, she knew she wasn't. She knew perfectly well that the students in question who were outside were Ronald Weasley and Harry Potter. She wasn't stupid, after all.

"At least I don't follow you everywhere, getting you into trouble and breaking things!" Harry responded angrily, "Who are you anyway? You're just nobody, a honourable mention in people I know. You're not worth anything!"

Now Minerva had to admit, Harry had gone too far. That was cruel, regardless of Dumbledore's opinion of the boy. What Dumbledore didn't need to know wouldn't hurt him.

"I'm sick of you, Harry! According to Snape, your father was an arrogant toerag. It sounds like the apple didn't fall far from the tree."

"Don't you EVER insult my father like that again. Do you know how it feels? How it feels to know that you're next on Voldemort's hitlist? How it feels to get pitiful looks wherever you go? How does it feel to be normal, Ron?"

"I'm not normal, Harry. I'm literally known as 'Harry's friend', 'Potter's sidekick' and your lapdog. I'm the sidekick of my own LIFE!"

Harry was taken aback. He had no idea how Ron felt, what Ron thought, why Ron felt that way.

He was too wrapped up in his own life to think about his friend's.

"Have you ever considered that you're destined to be my sidekick? I'm the Chosen One. You're nothing next to me. Nothing."

"You're just a self obsessed, clueless kid!"

"A 'kid' who, might I add, killed a dark wizard aged one!"

"Oh please. That was blind luck, not skill. If that was skill, you'd be better than Dumbledore."

"How do you know how good I am at magic? That's up to me!"

"As if! I know for a fact that Hermione beats you in every lesson- and she's a muggle-born!"

"Maybe she is a muggle-born. What does that have to do with it? You're so prejudiced, that if Hermione saved your life, you'd act like you did it yourself!"

"I'm not prejudiced! I just think that-"

"I think you're so blind to your own issues that you'll emphasise everyone else's slight problems-"

"Maybe I just think Hermione's a smug know-it-all who bosses people around. What about my views, Harry? What about what I think?"

"Like I said, it's my views that matter, the choices I make that impact the Wizarding World."

"It's the choices that everyone makes in their lives that decide what sort of person they become. I'm not having you make mine for me! I'm a person as well. Maybe not as famous as the fated Saviour of us all, Harry Potter. That's how I like it!"

"Well I never had a choice! I was famous because I was almost killed! How would that make you feel, Ron?"

"At least people would remember you. What am I to my family? I'm ignored, forgotten. Who remembers Ron Weasley around here? Virtually nobody! I'm nothing? Maybe if you opened your eyes, for once, you could see how much I'm trying to get myself known as someone, known for something. I just blend in to the crowd, otherwise. Known for nothing, remembered by nobody. Ron Weasley, the one nobody looks at. The one nobody remembers"

By this time, the sun had started to rise over the castle. Harry and Ron look at each other, incredulous as to how they had been arguing for so long.

"Harry?"

"What, Ron, are you going to launch your sob story again? I'm not in the mood."

"Harry, I wanted to apologise, but only if we can forget about this. The stuff we just argued about, I'd prefer it if nobody found out."

"I guess this is the right thing to do. I'm really sorry for how I've treated you in the past, Ron."

"And I'm sorry for being angry at you for something you have no control over."

Finally, Minerva came and unlocked the gates. She had to let them in at some point, she thought.

At breakfast, the Great Hall seemed unusually quiet. There were whispers directed at Harry and Ron, making them think that their conversation wasn't so private after all...