Chapter 10

"I can't believe I'm an apprentice to Snape, I need to write to him ask him when I start. I'm not going back to Hogwarts, newts will be nothing when I have completed my mastery in potions, I'm not wasting an entire year doing stuff I already know" said Ron sitting down. They were at Hermione's home; her parents were away as usual so they had the place to themselves.

"Why not go to the Ministry? Get your newts done there; you could pass them all within a couple of weeks. I mean it is the summer so I doubt Snape will take you on until next year" said Hermione trying to coax him into finishing his newts.

"That's a good idea, I think I might do that, I will go and talk to my father, what about you? Your healing course?" asked Ron, Hermione had not yet got in touch with anyone.

"Well I'm going to go to Hogwarts, see if I can get Poppy to take me on. I will be also going to the Ministry as well, there is no point in me staying at school another year not without you. So I guess I will take my exams as well" said Hermione.

"Well come on then, lets get ready and go" said Ron drinking the rest of his coffee.

"Well write your letter to Snape while I get ready, and did you notice the way Ginny looked at us?" asked Hermione.

"No why? What did she look like" asked Ron curiously.

"Jealous perhaps we should buy her some clothes, it is her birthday soon anyway." said Hermione.

"Well I know nothing of getting woman clothes, get her some stuff I will give you some galleons for getting it for me," said Ron having no muggle money.

"I will get her some stuff too, muggle stuff I'm sure she will like it" said Hermione smiling slightly.

"I'm not sure she will be alright alone, I mean she has just lost Harry, I know she liked him. I hope she moves on and doesn't grieve for the rest of her life." said Ron concerned for his baby sister.

"That's why Harry never told her he loved her, he knew" said Hermione feeling a pang in her heart. She had to stop herself from crying like a baby, it was hard but she managed it. She didn't want to disrespect Harry's last wish.

"Yes, anyway hurry and get dressed" said Ron getting paper and a pen. Not using ink he had discovered that muggle pens were much tidier and your writing was better with normal pens.

"Ok, ok" said Hermione leaving the room.

----Half an hour later-----

"You finished?" asked Hermione coming into the room,

"I am now" said Ron.

"Let me read it," said Hermione. She was not bossing him around or anything she just wanted to see what he had written to Snape.

Master Snape, (It was after all his name, he was a master in Potions)

You offered me a spot as your apprentice, I was just writing to ask when it is that I start. I am not doing my newts at school; I'm going to the ministry and doing them this summer. I don't want to go back to Hogwarts and waste a year there, I know everything they will be able to teach me…so why waste a year when I could be doing something I love.

Ronald Weasley.

"You couldn't have made it better," said Hermione giving the letter back to Ron.

"Where to first? Ministry?" asked Ron getting ready to apparate.

"Yes, might as well lets go" said Hermione they both apparated into the Ministry.

"RON!" yelled someone.

Turning around he found it was his father, who by the way looked relieved he felt bad about leaving and not getting in touch. Hermione had needed him more than his family plus he had wanted away himself.

"Dad, what is it?" asked Ron curiously.

"You have your mother worried, are you ok?" asked Arthur concerned.

"We are fine now; we are doing as Harry wished. He doesn't want us grieving so we are doing our best to grant his last wish. He hated seeing us emotional." said Ron.

"What are you doing here?" asked Arthur curious to know why his youngest son was here.

"I'm going up to Madam Bones, we want to sit our newts this summer, I'm hopefully going to be an apprentice to Master Snape by next year" said Ron.

"Snape? As in Severus Snape is taking you on?" asked Arthur stunned.

"Yes," said Ron looking proud.

"That's great son; do you think you can take your newts? Are you ready?" asked Arthur.

"Yes I am, I hardly learned anything last year never mind this year. I love potions and that's what I want to focus on, now that the pregnancy potion is out in the open I'm hoping I will make a lot of money for it, then I can make my own lab in a house somewhere or a manor. That is after the apprenticeship," said Ron.

"Your mother is not going to be happy about this, I'm sorry she has chased you away. I tried to tell her, I can see even Ginny cannot wait to get away" said Arthur looking older.

"Well you will still see us all the time dad, don't worry" said Ron cuddling his dad in comfort "No matter how far away I am I will always think about you, you're my dad a fathers job is never finished. You will be a grandfather soon hopefully".

Ron knew he was getting emotional but everything Harry had said was going over in his head. Every jealous look at family's cuddling each other; even he got it some time. Harry had known that the Weasley's were not his family but knew that they loved him anyway. He knew how lucky he was to still have all his family, especially after two wars.

"What's brought this on?" asked Arthur a few tears in his eyes.

"I realize how lucky I am; Harry made me realize how lucky I am. Made me realize what I take for granted, even my dinner being put on the table" said Ron smiling slightly.

"Well Harry knows what its like, I don't know how many times Molly has pushed plates in front of him. Feeding him up, and never being able to eat it all" said Arthur.

"Yeah" said Ron.

"So what are you doing Hermione?" asked Arthur.

"I'm going to be a healer, I'm going to Hogwarts today to ask Poppy if she will consider taking me on. I'm also going to take my exams with Ron this summer as well.

"Fantastic, Molly still won't be happy, she wants you to stay children forever," said Arthur smiling happily. His family was all growing up and moving on, it was time for them to spread their wings.

"She will have to learn to live with it, we will be over for dinner tonight hopefully we will tell her then" said Ron, Hermione nodding saying it was ok she would be there.

"Good at least I won't have to be the one to tell her, now off you go I've got work to do. Not that the Ministry cares if my or anyone's work is done. At last half of them are too hung over to work, the others are two depressed to work" said Arthur sadly.

"Bye Dad," said Ron going to Madam Bones' office.

------

"Come in" said a female's voice.

"Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger what can I do for you?" asked Madam Bones.

"Hermione, Ron what are you doing here? Should you not be in the Muggle world and Ron with his family?" asked Dumbledore. The papers were out and Dumbledore had lost a good bit of publicity.

"We would like to speak to Madam Bones otherwise why would we be here" said Hermione.

"Yeah we want to take our newts. We already know everything they will teach us at Hogwarts, so did Harry as well" said Ron smiling sadly when he mentioned his friends name.

"I am sorry about Harry, I give you both my condolences" said Madam Bones looking ready to tear up.

"Thank you, now about newts?" asked Hermione.

"About that…." said madam Bones.

"You cannot, no one has done that for a long time, you need your parents permission" said Dumbledore interrupting madam Bones.

"You both can take your newts, it will be held in the Ministry of course and we will hand you out the dates is it both of you?" asked Madam Bones.

"Yes, we are both hopefully going to be apprentices next year" said Hermione smiling.

"Good, Good I wish you the best of luck, I will send out the timetables. Give us a few days to ask everyone else in sixth year if they want to take them early, my Niece has told me all about your club, and I'm sure many will be joining you. Good day" said Madam Bones.

"Thanks and goodbye" said Ron they left.