Ron, having been out of official wizarding school for over two years, was finally beginning to find his niche. He and best friend Harry had been through a lot together, and they were finally becoming what they had dreamt of since they were fourteen years old. The two had both entered a training course for new Aurors. Although Harry had flown past the entrance exams with flying colors, Ron had barely made it, and he considered himself unexciting and undesirable by any standards. But finally, after a year in the program, he found himself surpassing many of his classmates because of his previous experience in his adventures with Harry Potter.
However, for his entire life, he couldn't help but feel like he was second best. While at home with his family before he started school, he had had many overachieving brothers, and his younger sister Ginny had been quite the good girl growing up. Once he got to Hogwarts, his main claim to fame was that his best friend was Harry Potter. After he started proving himself on the Gryffindor Quidditch team and has a Prefect, he finally grew some self confidence. But, he realized, it was only a false sense of confidence, as it was not the "real world," but only school. All he could ever gain at Hogwarts in the eyes of others was a reputation among his peers, rarely valuable in a real world situation in which he might be able to find a job or start a family.
As an Auror, he was learning new techniques, and becoming quite sophistocated in his use of magic. An Auror's job was to track down dark wizards and deal with them so that they may not be a threat to the wizarding world, as it was known. In his life, he'd encountered many evils and dark wizards, which was much more than the Ministry of Magic had been willing to admit for a long time. After his final year at Hogwarts, the slate had been wiped clean though, after Lord Voldemort, the most evil of all wizards, had broken out in war, and Ron and his family, along with Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and the rest of the Order of the Phoenix had saved wizards, witches, and even all Muggles.
He could only imagine how many of the members of the Order of the Phoenix were doing now. Nymphadora Tonks, a young woman who could not have been any older than he was now, was still an Auror, and Ron and Harry had a lot of contact with her and Kingsley Shacklebolt, the head of the Aurors. Ron, of course, kept in good contact with his family, his mother still at home, his father still working for the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts department, and his brothers Percy and Bill were still working for the Ministry in their respective departments. Charlie and Ginny were both working with dragons in Romania, and Mrs. Weasley had made Charlie promise to make sure Ginny didn't get hurt.
Remus Lupin was back at Hogwarts, as the newly reappointed Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, and he'd kept the position for more than a year now. This was a good sign, as most DADA teachers were unable to hold the position for longer than one school year, and he had been everyone's favorite within the seven years that Ron and Harry were in school. After the death of Sirius Black, Lupin had taken over as Harry's legal guardian, and things became a little easier for Harry to be able to do things. Minerva McGonagall and Albus Dumbledore remained at Hogwarts, and the list of teachers there had never been better, especially with Firenze the centaur and Rubeus Hagrid teaching Divination and Care of Magical Creatures, respectively.
The one person, however, that Ron thought of constantly and wished he heard more from, was his and Harry's best friend, Hermione Granger. Hermione was quick-witted and wise at the same time, and without her, the duo was reluctant to follow through with any plans without consulting her for advice. She had always been quick to remind them when they were doing wrong, and through the years, they had become accustomed to depending on her opinions. Now, however, she was becoming involved in one of the other parts of Wizarding Law Enforcement, which was the Wizengamot. After years in the spotlight near Harry, the wizarding world had recognized her for her talents, something Ron wished no one else had noticed. This being a selfish thought, he hated himself for thinking it, but if they had never noticed her, he might still be around her. He regretted how he had never told her what she meant to him, and how much she was worth in his life... now the rest of the world got her, and he was feeling alone and slightly depressed.
She was no major part of the Wizengamot yet, but the wizarding world was watching her every move with excitement and anticipation. Many suspected that she might be able to take over a coveted roll that no witch as young as herself had ever dreamt of. A couple of years ago, her plans had been near to being the same as Ron and Harry's, to become an Auror. However, the staff at Hogwarts and many members of the Ministry of Magic had wanted to reward her for her amazing achievements and talents. Now, everyone who knew anything about politics was awaiting an announcement declaring her candidacy for the Minister of Magic. This would be a gutsy move by anyone's standards, but especially by Hermione's. Ron doubted that Hermione would ever do that within the next 10 years. Hermione had a strong sense of properness, and she probably believed that to run for the Ministry would be to cut off other people from their shot at the position. At the same time though, Ron knew she didn't think she could beat anyone anyway.
Ron thought it was odd that he and Harry were to be separated from Hermione, because they'd all been together for so many years, and it seemed that they were all headed in the same direction. I can't believe that I could be so stupid, Ron thought, I should have known, she was destined for much greater things than Harry and me... She is great though, isn't she? Ron had been thinking about Hermione in increasing amounts, and wondered whether this was alright or not. Would Harry and Hermione both hate him? Would he admit it? Could he? Did he have... feelings... for Hermione?
Ron decided he was getting to old to be asking himself silly questions like this. He was now a responsible adult and didn't need to concern himself with schoolboy crushes. But school had been the highlight of his life up until now, hadn't it?
However, for his entire life, he couldn't help but feel like he was second best. While at home with his family before he started school, he had had many overachieving brothers, and his younger sister Ginny had been quite the good girl growing up. Once he got to Hogwarts, his main claim to fame was that his best friend was Harry Potter. After he started proving himself on the Gryffindor Quidditch team and has a Prefect, he finally grew some self confidence. But, he realized, it was only a false sense of confidence, as it was not the "real world," but only school. All he could ever gain at Hogwarts in the eyes of others was a reputation among his peers, rarely valuable in a real world situation in which he might be able to find a job or start a family.
As an Auror, he was learning new techniques, and becoming quite sophistocated in his use of magic. An Auror's job was to track down dark wizards and deal with them so that they may not be a threat to the wizarding world, as it was known. In his life, he'd encountered many evils and dark wizards, which was much more than the Ministry of Magic had been willing to admit for a long time. After his final year at Hogwarts, the slate had been wiped clean though, after Lord Voldemort, the most evil of all wizards, had broken out in war, and Ron and his family, along with Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and the rest of the Order of the Phoenix had saved wizards, witches, and even all Muggles.
He could only imagine how many of the members of the Order of the Phoenix were doing now. Nymphadora Tonks, a young woman who could not have been any older than he was now, was still an Auror, and Ron and Harry had a lot of contact with her and Kingsley Shacklebolt, the head of the Aurors. Ron, of course, kept in good contact with his family, his mother still at home, his father still working for the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts department, and his brothers Percy and Bill were still working for the Ministry in their respective departments. Charlie and Ginny were both working with dragons in Romania, and Mrs. Weasley had made Charlie promise to make sure Ginny didn't get hurt.
Remus Lupin was back at Hogwarts, as the newly reappointed Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, and he'd kept the position for more than a year now. This was a good sign, as most DADA teachers were unable to hold the position for longer than one school year, and he had been everyone's favorite within the seven years that Ron and Harry were in school. After the death of Sirius Black, Lupin had taken over as Harry's legal guardian, and things became a little easier for Harry to be able to do things. Minerva McGonagall and Albus Dumbledore remained at Hogwarts, and the list of teachers there had never been better, especially with Firenze the centaur and Rubeus Hagrid teaching Divination and Care of Magical Creatures, respectively.
The one person, however, that Ron thought of constantly and wished he heard more from, was his and Harry's best friend, Hermione Granger. Hermione was quick-witted and wise at the same time, and without her, the duo was reluctant to follow through with any plans without consulting her for advice. She had always been quick to remind them when they were doing wrong, and through the years, they had become accustomed to depending on her opinions. Now, however, she was becoming involved in one of the other parts of Wizarding Law Enforcement, which was the Wizengamot. After years in the spotlight near Harry, the wizarding world had recognized her for her talents, something Ron wished no one else had noticed. This being a selfish thought, he hated himself for thinking it, but if they had never noticed her, he might still be around her. He regretted how he had never told her what she meant to him, and how much she was worth in his life... now the rest of the world got her, and he was feeling alone and slightly depressed.
She was no major part of the Wizengamot yet, but the wizarding world was watching her every move with excitement and anticipation. Many suspected that she might be able to take over a coveted roll that no witch as young as herself had ever dreamt of. A couple of years ago, her plans had been near to being the same as Ron and Harry's, to become an Auror. However, the staff at Hogwarts and many members of the Ministry of Magic had wanted to reward her for her amazing achievements and talents. Now, everyone who knew anything about politics was awaiting an announcement declaring her candidacy for the Minister of Magic. This would be a gutsy move by anyone's standards, but especially by Hermione's. Ron doubted that Hermione would ever do that within the next 10 years. Hermione had a strong sense of properness, and she probably believed that to run for the Ministry would be to cut off other people from their shot at the position. At the same time though, Ron knew she didn't think she could beat anyone anyway.
Ron thought it was odd that he and Harry were to be separated from Hermione, because they'd all been together for so many years, and it seemed that they were all headed in the same direction. I can't believe that I could be so stupid, Ron thought, I should have known, she was destined for much greater things than Harry and me... She is great though, isn't she? Ron had been thinking about Hermione in increasing amounts, and wondered whether this was alright or not. Would Harry and Hermione both hate him? Would he admit it? Could he? Did he have... feelings... for Hermione?
Ron decided he was getting to old to be asking himself silly questions like this. He was now a responsible adult and didn't need to concern himself with schoolboy crushes. But school had been the highlight of his life up until now, hadn't it?