Again, thank you for reading.

I do not own Potterverse but I do thank JKR from providing us with a wonderful world to write in.

Thank you ZephyrDragon, beta of mine!

Enjoy!

CHAPTER 9 – The ring

A week later, Diagon Alley was relatively deserted as the letters from Hogwarts hadn't been sent yet. Harry knew this was the calm before the storm as the letters would be sent the following Friday and would transform the Alley into a hive of activity. Since Harry had not received an owl from Hogwarts, he assumed his choice of books had been approved.

Ron was on the second floor of the Weasley Wizards Wheezes when Harry found him. His best friend was talking excitingly about a new magical object George and he had created earlier in the week, and Harry didn't have a chance to place a word until they stepped into the workroom. While Harry was happy his friend enjoyed his work so much, he wished the other wizard would see he desperately wanted to talk to him.

"Ron!" Harry finally interrupted, rather forcefully.

Ron looked at Harry, surprised by the sudden interruption. Harry was looking everywhere but at his friend, as if he had something to hide.

"What's wrong, mate?" asked Ron after a few seconds of uncomfortable silence.

"I wanted – I wanted to tell you…" began Harry, but stopped, not sure how to continue.

"Out with it!" said Ron.

"I-want-to-ask-Ginny-to-make-the-Commitment," he blurted out.

Ron, his expression frozen in surprise, looked at him for a few seconds then walked to the work station in the corner of the room.

"George, come upstairs! Now!" he called into a funnel-shaped piece of metal attached to the wall. He let himself heavily fall in a chair as if the news was too much of a surprise for him to handle standing up.

Harry thought this could not be good. He knew Ginny's brothers were excessively protective of their young sister, but he had secretly hoped they would trust him enough to know he didn't need 'the big brother talk'. But Ron, who was visibly shocked, had just called George. The last thing he had expected was to receive the talk on the day he announced his intent to ask Ginny to Commit. Now, he wondered what they would do to him and how he could get out of it without taking out his wand.

"He's going to ask her," said Ron dejectedly when George finally arrived.

"When?" asked George curiously.

"Her birthday," answered Harry, bracing himself.

"Pay up! Little brother!" said George with a huge grin on his face. "Ten galleons!" he added, presenting a hand to Ron.

"You don't need them! You're filthy rich, anyway," said Ron, sounding like a sore loser.

"Ah! But I'm not asking you because I need it, little brother. It's all for the pleasure of winning."

"You – you bet on when I would ask Ginny to Commit?" asked Harry, surprised.

He wondered if he should be angry or amused his friends had actually bet on him and Ginny.

"Of course we did," answered George, pocketing his winnings.

"I thought you would ask her at Christmas, mate" said Ron, sounding like Harry had let him down.

"Since I'm going to be at Hogwarts for the better part of a year, I didn't want her to think I wasn't coming back," said Harry defensively. "I would really like you to help me pick a ring for her," he added, looking at Ron.

George had walked to a cupboard and taken out his wand. He was whispering words under his breath and blue sparks were coming out of the tip of his wand. After a few moments, the cupboard opened.

"Mate," said George, turning to Harry and grinning broadly, "I think it's time for you to see our most secret creation."

Harry was annoyed. His best friend was acting like he was disappointed, and his brother wanted to show Harry magical inventions when all he wanted was to shop for the perfect ring. To make matters worse, upon hearing George, Ron looked up and grinned also.

"This is our brand new line: Commitment, Engagement and Wedding rings!" said George.

Genuinely intrigued this time, Harry walked to the counter where George was just opening the small chest he had removed from the cupboard.

"They would be prettier if they were made by Goblins but we figured they just don't know anything about love," said Ron, shrugging.

Harry did not care who had made the rings. He thought they were magnificent in their simplicity. They were made of white or yellow gold, and Harry could discern delicate runes and drawings engraved on them. There were only two pairs on the display cushion, each with a different hue. Harry reached forward to pick a ring but George grabbed his hand to stop him.

"Ah, no, mate! We can't touch them!" he said. "You see, these are very magical - probably the most magical artefacts we've ever created. We even got Hermione to help us with them."

"What do they do?" asked Harry.

Again, he eyed the set of golden rings which had a particular Gryffindor-reddish hue to them.

"They let you know how the other person is feeling," said Ron, showing his little finger to Harry.

Harry noticed for the first time that Ron and George each had one of the rings on their own fingers; Ron on his little finger, and George on his Commitment finger.

"And they work?" asked Harry intrigued.

"Yeah!" said Ron with a grin. "Right now, Hermione is – interested in something, like when she reads a book," he said, concentrating a little.

"That's one set," said George pointing at Ron's finger. "Angelina and I have another pair and…"

"Mum and Dad also have one. Dad says they work so well that mum can tell when he's working on Muggle artefacts. She said dad has a peculiar feel about him when he does," explained Ron.

"How did you make them?" asked Harry.

"To begin with, we modified the magic used in a golden snitch so the first person who touches the ring will be the person the ring will convey feelings from," started Ron. "That's why we can't touch them - it would ruin them."

"Then we cast charms to amplify the feelings," added George.

"And finally," continued Ron, "we put other charms to make the rings resistant to tampering and nullification spells."

"Of course, all of those other spells are now part of our trade secret," added George with a grin.

"Brilliant!" said Harry with a smile.

"And these," began George, grabbing a pair of tongs, removing the two golden-red rings, and placing them into two small ring boxes, "are for you and Ginny."

"How do I know they'll fit us?" asked Harry, taking the offered boxes.

"We put a sizing spell on them," answered George. "They'll fit whichever finger you put them on."

"Only don't remove them," added Ron. "I did that once and almost gave Hermione a heart attack."

"There's a binding spell between the rings, you see," said George. "If one removes his, the other one will know."

"Hermione said her ring had gone cold and it felt like I had died," explained Ron. "She said it was pretty horrible."

"How much do I owe you for these?" asked Harry, waving the boxes.

"Nothing, mate," answered George dismissively. "It's all covered by your initial cash advancement… Besides, it's for our little sister."

Harry was about to protest when George stopped him with a raised hand.

"We insist!" he added. "Besides, if we were to take your money, we would have to give you 'the talk'."

Harry failed to see the link but, happy he wouldn't have to hear big-brother-talk, kept his mouth shut.

"We just want you to let us know how it works for you. And, of course, when we're ready to market these little marvels, it won't hurt to let it drop that the famous Harry Potter's Commitment ring is one of ours," added George with a grin.

"For once, my name will be used with my consent!" said Harry, smiling. "So, let me make sure I've got this straight," he said. "I should be the first to touch Ginny's ring and she should be the first to touch mine."

"Exactly," answered George.

"Brilliant! Really!" said Harry, looking admiringly at the two boxes in his hand.

Ginny's birthday, which was in just over two weeks, seemed very far away now. Even if he thought this would make the most memorable birthday present ever, he wanted to give her the ring right away. All afternoon, he debated with himself whether to wait or not. When he arrived home, he still hadn't made up his mind and he could constantly feel the two little boxes in his pocket.

Upon his arrival at Grimmauld Place, he found an owl waiting for him in the kitchen and was grateful for the distraction. The owl had a little package with the Hogwarts seal attached to its leg. Harry took the package, feed the owl some treats and went to his study to open it.

Dear Professor Potter,

Harry blinked at the title.

Professor.

He had never imagined that one day somebody would call him 'Professor'.

As you know, each year a member of staff visits the parents of each first year Muggle-born child to explain they possess magical talent, and to personally offer the child an invitation to attend Hogwarts. I would consider it a personal favour if you would accept to meet with Connor Avery McKeithan of 24 Wimbolt Street, London, on Saturday 31st of July of this year. Mr McKeithan turned eleven on 20th of June and now qualifies for entry at Hogwarts.

We have included, in this package, an invitation letter along with book, equipment, and uniform requirements for your charge. As he is eligible for financial support, we have provided you with a note to withdraw funds from the Hogwarts account at Gringotts. Please accompany Mr and Mrs McKeithan and their son to Diagon Alley to acquire the needed supplies, and to Platform nine and three-quarters on the morning of September 1.

Thank you for your assistance with this matter.

Headmistress Minerva McGonagall

At the bottom of the letter was a handwritten note.

P.S. Harry, I know you haven't done this before but you will do fine. Just speak from your heart.

The 31st was the day of his birthday!

Harry remembered his own experience when Hagrid had come to meet him on his birthday, all those years ago. He had been ecstatic to find out why all the inexplicable things happened around him. He also had been relieved to finally get away from Privet Drive, which had not been a happy place for him. And he had got Hedwig. It had all been such a wonderful birthday present.

He also remembered Hermione telling him about her experience. Her parents had readily accepted she was a witch and encouraged her in the pursuit of her new life. Harry wondered if it would be as easy with the McKeithan family.

Then he remembered Dumbledore's first encounter with Tom Riddle, and suddenly felt apprehensive. What if this child was another dark lord in the making? But he knew he shouldn't be thinking that way since very few wizards actually turned truly dark.

He was still reflecting on the McKeithans and Hogwarts when Ginny returned from Quidditch practice late that afternoon.

"Not reading?" she asked, sitting in a chair next to his desk.

Harry gave her the letter without responding.

"Oh!" she said after reading it. "We'd better go to Diagon Alley tomorrow to dress you up for the occasion."

"Wh – what?" he asked surprised.

"Harry, you're not going wearing jeans and a t-shirt," she said pragmatically. "That's all well and good for Auror duties, but it doesn't make you look like a very credible teacher. Besides, you'll need something smarter to wear when you're at Hogwarts."

As usual, what Ginny said made perfect sense. Since leaving school, he had had no need for anything more fancy than jeans and shirts, but Hogwarts probably wouldn't tolerate its teachers being so unkempt. And if he was to go to the McKeithans in jeans, he was pretty sure they'd never believe he was a teacher - he looked young enough as it was.

Ginny stood up and kissed him.

"I'll go shower before dinner," she said.

"Ginny?" he asked. "When will you be moving the rest of your things from the Burrow?" he blurted out.

Ginny looked at him and smiled mysteriously.

"In time, Harry Potter," she answered. "In time."