The next morning had a sombre atmosphere surround Hogwarts; something had happened the previous night and almost no one in the entire student body knew the details, but all knew that it was something relating to the Potter gang and the Malfoy gang.
"Good morning boys" Fred greeted Harry, Theo and Neville cheerfully as they sat down for breakfast "and how are you fine young lads faring on this fine day?" George asked in a posh voice
"We can't tell you what happened last night" Harry said cutting to the heart of the matter "we've been told to keep it under wraps"
"That's fine" Fred replied looking only a little crestfallen "you people just seem...shaken"
"It was weird fi... what had happened" Theo said staring at the Slytherin table where Daphne and Tracey were being asked what had happened.
"Where's Ron?" Neville questioned "he wasn't in bed when we woke up"
"He came in here, grabbed a piece of toast and walked out" Percy stated from a few seats away
"He probably needed some time alone" Alicia told the boys who shrugged.
Ron sighed as he strolled around the black lake "everything is getting fucked up"he complained mentally "we are deviating from the original timeline and I can't tell if we're headed down a better path or a worse one"
Ron groaned looking up towards the sky "send me a sign will ya" he called out when a shadow fell on him. "No way" Ron whispered "no fucking way" as an azure phoenix came and sat on his shoulder.
The azure phoenix was a legendary form of the phoenix that was blue in colour, it was said to be like most phoenix except most warlike, Ron had bonded with one when he was thirty two and had named it after his favorite character in a muggle TV show.
"Hello Barney" Ron smiled realizing it was the same azure phoenix that had bonded with him the last time and heard "a sign from me"realizing Barney was from the future as well "it's good to see you"
Barney trilled as if to say it shared Ron's sentiments "now" Ron smirked "we're ready to party"
XXXXXXX
'The Potter gang' were sitting in the Hogwarts express marvelling Ron's new familiar
"An azure phoenix" Daphne said
"They are legendary" Tracey added
"Said to be super powerful" Neville pointed out
"And love bird seeds" Ron stated making everyone look at him "what? I thought we were simply stating facts about Barney"
"That's a weird name y'know" Harry pointed out
"Yeah? Well it's his name and is now the only name he'll respond to, so there!" Ron said giving Harry a mock scowl
"I heard McGonagall say it was the first time a student had been seen with a phoenix in Hogwarts" Theo said making Ron grin at him "woo hoo, I'm a legend" he proclaimed raising his hands in a gesture of victory
"A silly legend" Daphne added smiling at Ron who gave her a deadpan look. They kept on chatting till Ron decided he was getting hungry and went off to search for the lunch trolley.
Ron walked down the corridor when his path was suddenly blocked by Gregory Goyle "what do you want?" Ron asked the bulky teen who asked "what happened to them?"
Ron took a careful look at Goyle, his eyes were a bit red and he seemed to be sweating a lot "some guy was controlling them, he had somehow twisted their minds, their personalities and turned them into something they were not; monsters. I never liked you or your friends Goyle but I know that they weren't evil. Whatever that guy did, he'll pay for it. I promise"
"Thank you Weasley" Goyle replied before slipping back into his compartment. Ron smiled and continued on his quest to find the lunch trolley only to find Katie blocking his path a few compartments ahead.
"Hey Ron" she smiled at him making Ron grin back "could I talk to you for a second?"
"Yeah sure" Ron replied allowing the brunette to lead him into one of the empty compartments "is anything wrong?"
"No, no! Everything's great" Katie smiled at Ron tucking her hair behind her ear "it's just; Ron I've always thought of you as a good friend and I know you think of me as a friend as well" Ron took a deep breath realising where this was going, yet he felt as if he was ready for it "it's just that... oh god! I don't know how to say this, Ron I..."
Knock, knock
Ron and Katie turned to see Daphne knocking on the compartment door. Ron to Katie saying "let's continue this another time"
"Of course! There's no rush" Katie laughed nervously looking relieved as Daphne entered the compartment "I came looking for you when the lunch trolley showed up but you didn't" the blonde Slytherin explained looking at Ron and Katie and trying to figure out what had happened
"Is everything okay?" she asked them uncertainly to which Katie replied "everything is fine" the brunette Gryffindor then hugged Ron tightly before leaving the compartment.
"What happened?" Daphne demanded angrily and all Ron could say was "she just wanted to talk"
XXXXXXX
Ron stared at Barney with pride "I've missed you little fella" Ron told making Barney trill, suddenly the door to his room opened to reveal Ginny
"Mom's calling for you downstairs, professor Dumbledore is here to speak to you" Ginny looked nervous "did you do something during school?"
"Not that I can think of" Ron replied confused "but I doubt I remember everything I have done" the two walked down into the living room to see their family and Dumbledore sitting at the table.
"Hello Mr. Weasley" Dumbledore smiled "I hope I haven't disturbed you from something important"
"Just admiring my new familiar" Ron replied "am I in trouble because if I am let me tell you I am simply a victim of circumstances"
"No, no dear boy" Dumbledore chuckled pulling out a Parchment from his robes and opening it, it was a regular parchment except it had a family tree like design on it with all the places left as blank
"Now Mr. Weasley this Parchment..." Dumbledore began but Ron finished for him
"it is a Genealogical analysis page, here the blood of a person can reveal the names of their ancestors, cousins, even any descendants or can be used to determine any socio-magical bond a person might have"
"quite correct" Dumbledore chuckled "now I'm here because I had noticed some abnormalities in your magic the last few weeks and I believe there is a need to analyse it" saying this the aged headmaster reached for Ron's hand but Ron grabbed a knife lying on the table and cut the palm of his hand hearing his mother gasp
Ron dropped the blood on the first open slot on the page; where normally the founder of the family's name would be. Dumbledore wordlessly tapped the page and the blood was absorbed by the page.
The family tree began disappearing until only one box remained in the centre, in which Ron's name appeared in runes, a branch extended to the left where a slot with the rune of family appeared and from the slot two lines descended where Harry's and Theo's name appeared
A branch then extended to the left side which bore the rune for love and to Ron's horror, four names appeared under that branch; Daphne, Susan, Katie and Luna.
"Judging by your expression Mr. Weasley, you understand the runes quite well" Dumbledore smiled at Ron who was too flabbergasted to register his praise
"What does this mean?" Ron questioned the headmaster
"Tell me Mr. Weasley" Dumbledore asked him "what do you know of Polygamy"
