Disclaimer: I have never owned, nor will I ever own Harry Potter.
Ron had an idea. A killer idea. He hated his job and he did not like that occasionally he went in the field. Not anymore, not when he was a single dad who had two young daughters depending on him. And it had only been a few days but, just like when Freddie was born, George was struggling.
And so he found himself outside of George and Angelina's place on a windy Sunday morning, only a few days after Roxanne had been born. He knocked on the door hesitantly, hoping they wouldn't be angry at him for doing this so soon after her birth. He knew quite well how much work newborns were. He sent an exasperated look at his own baby cradled in his arm.
George opened the door and Rose disappeared. She had been standing innocently behind him, all smiles and pigtails. He had even tied pretty blue bows in them for her. George's mouth dropped open and Ron sighed wearily.
"Rosie that's not very nice to do to Uncle George, look you've stunned him. And you can't see your new cousin if you're invisible." She popped back into existence looking very pleased with herself. She turned earnestly to her Uncle.
"I see baby?"
"Sure." George said, looking thoroughly discombobulated but taking it all in stride. "So long as you don't do that again." Ron shot him a grateful look, maybe that would stop her from doing it.
"Hey Ron." Angelina smiled warmly and Ron was very relieved. She gestured to the couch and he sat down. Izzy opened her eyes and focused them on her cousin's bright red hair as he ran circles around the couch.
Angelina watched him in dismay. "I can't make him stop." Ron smiled widely, oddly comforted by her agony. It made him feel less alone.
"I feel you. That one," he jerked his thumb at Rose, "keeps disapparating and turning invisible on me." Angelina's eyes popped open.
"Yikes." She commented and Ron snorted. Angelina cooed at Isobelle and Ron offered her the baby. She took her skillfully, swinging her slightly to make Izzy's eyes open wide.
"Hey Freddie doesn't Uncle Ron get a hug?" Ron asked his nephew. The child miraculously stopped spinning and tackled his Uncle. Ron had been ready for this and pinned the hyperactive little boy to his chest.
Freddie squealed and Ron kissed his head before tossing him through the air to George who caught him in one arm and tousled his fiery hair. "What did I say about driving Mummy spare?"
"Not to!" He chirped happily and continued sprinting around the place the second his father put him down. George gave a long-suffering sigh. Ron sniggered.
"Karma." He said. George turned on him.
"Careful little brother. Or I might not be very generous about why you're here. Assuming there's a reason."
"Can't a bloke visit his brother?" George crossed his arms over his chest, eyebrows raised.
"He can. But normally you don't say you just wanted to see me. If you just wanted to see me you wouldn't say anything but if you want something you say you want to see me. If that makes sense."
"It absolutely did not." Angelina affirmed, giggling. They all succumbed to laughter, unable to start once they got started.
"Okay, okay." George said finally. "Why are you here?"
Ron watched Rose cautiously approaching her cousin who was no imitating a helicopter before answering.
"I have a proposition." He pulled a folder out of his jacket pocket and placed it in front of George. His brother bit his lip to keep from laughing.
"Just ask Ronnie. You know I don't like reading more than I have to."
Ron took a breath. "I want to be a part owner of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes." Neither of them had expected that and they exchanged astonished glances. "I don't want a lot of money. I hate my job and I can't be going out in the field as a single Dad. I just want to make people laugh and you've been struggling ever since Freddie was born. I can start as a sweeper, I don't care. Anything has to be better than being an auror."
George and Angelina had a heated marital conversation just through glances and Ron turned his attention once again to the children to let them consider his proposition. Rose had gotten Fred to stop moving and they were fighting with play swords that they had gotten from…somewhere. He decided not to question it because they were behaving.
"Alright." George said. "You can start as partner. I'll train you on Monday…have you quit your job yet?"
"I handed in the papers Friday. I willingly went into the office on my day off. That should show you how serious I am about this."
"And then I will take a month off for paternity leave as your trial to run things alone." George finished. That made Ron nervous but he knew he could do it so he didn't show it. George seemed satisfied by his lack of nervous breakdown and clapped him on the shoulder. "Welcome to the team. Lee is not going to be happy about being below you, but he also moonlights as a radio host so he can't say anything. Be at the shop at 9 am sharp Monday."
"Do you want to stay and head for the Burrow together?" Angelina offered. Ron hesitated, not wanting to impose. "It's only a couple of hours. And it would be lovely to talk to another adult."
"Hey!" George protested and Ron grinned.
"Alright then." He agreed.
Angelina disappeared, he presumed to feed Roxanne, and he and George had successfully put the two older kids down for their naps. Izzy was snoozing peacefully in her baby carrier by their feet. George handed him a butterbeer.
"Thanks for this. Don't tell her I said anything but Angie's been really worried because it's really hard to get one of our two other employees to watch the store when they can't do everything I can. We've been losing a bit of money actually which has never happened."
"And you haven't been worried?" Ron asked casually.
"Yeah but not as much. I'm not much of a worrier." He grinned at Ron who shook his head.
"No you are not. I really need this too though. I need a more secure job that will make me happy." George clapped him on the back.
"And don't you have three employees?" He jerked his head towards where Angelina had disappeared. George grinned.
"Don't let her here you call her that. Technically she is our financial advisor. This is certainly going to be fun. I can't wait to tell everyone today."
"Let me." Ron said, and then clarified. "I want to give them all a proper shock by first telling them I quit my job. It's mean I know, but Mum and Dad already know so I feel a lot less guilty about that."
"They do?"
"They thought I wasn't taking being a single parent seriously and thinking about my girls. So I told them to avoid a row."
"Ah." They talked about nothing for the next couple of hours and then roused the kids. Rose and Fred were delightfully sleepy and compliant as they were dressed into clean clothes and flooed to the Burrow.
There was a lot of news this Sunday. Bill and Fleur had accidentally found out their third kid was a boy, Hermione had been nominated for minister of magic, Charlie was moving here to own a dangerous animal sanctuary, and Ginny was pregnant for a third time. Ron kept looking at George as they tried to tell everyone bit more people kept giving news.
"Is everyone done with news now?" Ron asked in amusement. "Because I have some." The table watched him expectantly and George grinned at him. Ron bit his cheek to stop returning it.
"I quit my job Friday." There were gasps around the table, Hermione looked scandalized. Harry was choking on his treacle tart.
"Excuse me why do I not know this?" He demanded. "I'm head of the department."
"Ah but as head you delegate the more unpleasant tasks to your acolytes. When was the last time you hired or fired anyone?" Ron informed him.
"but what are you going to do?" Hermione asked seriously. Draco had an eyebrow raised elegantly, looking between Ron and George. Not much escaped him. Ginny too seemed wholly unconcerned, like she already knew. He bet she did somehow.
"I've become George's partner." He declared happily and Charlie snorted. Ron glared at him.
"Nothing incestuous." George explained merrily at their disturbed looks. "He's become a partner at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes." And then everyone was congratulating him. Harry even hugged him.
"This is brilliant mate. You'll be amazing. I'll miss seeing you at the office though."
"You too." Ron agreed. "I'll still come by and bug you all the time though."
"I don't doubt it." Ginny mumbled into her hot chocolate. Ron quirked an eyebrow but let it pass.
"Hoping this one's a girl?" He nodded to her stomach.
"Yeah." Ginny said softly, putting a hand on her still flat stomach. Ron spotted a blue ponytail in his peripheral and grinned.
"I don't know why, girls are icky." Ginny raised an eyebrow until she noticed her niece.
"I not icky!" She declared and Ron scooped her up and tickled her.
"Only sometimes." He grinned at his sister over the top of Rose's head.
The rest of the night was passed in the warm glow of family, with lots of teasing and weary parents. Ron was intensely relieved to have left his soul-sucking job. And he wasn't talking about the occasionally brushes with dementors. Here he could laugh every day with his brother, and make his death a lot less likely so he could stay with his girls.
Besides, corrupting Hogwarts students and aiding them in general mischief making sounded like a great use of time. A real change from the blight on his heart left by the war and the painful memory of his ex-wife. Maybe here he could be at peace.