Here is the next chapter of my story. Please read and review love Sag x
At the Weasley household that five thousand galleons they'd gotten after the Pettigrew debacle had been invested well and had grown significantly since. Arthur had, had the sense to ask the goblins to invest four thousand of it wisely whilst putting two hundred galleons into each of the new accounts he'd created for his five remaining school going children. What with Charlie and Bill away there was no need to give them money. They had enough of their own and besides which they'd told him not to so he hadn't. Thankfully in a weird way for them they'd gotten into a slight row in the bank about his muggle junk in the shed which he was still keeping even though it had been fixed and the amount of space it was taking up. The goblin which overheard them said he could help them out if they allowed him to come to their home and view the products. Both being very stunned at that they agreed. When they got home and the goblin saw the piles upon piles of muggle electronic goods he asked if he could clear out the shed and come back to them in a few days. Arthur was so stunned he just agreed but not before asking him to invest the money in his children's accounts wisely as well.
A few weeks later the goblin had returned with a smile on his face. He had managed to sell those items to muggle collectors for from five to twenty five galleons a piece depending on the items. They had made a whopping five hundred thousand galleons but he'd take five thousand for his efforts which they didn't mind at all. The two hundred galleons which had initially been in Ronald's account were now two hundred thousand galleons and climbing as his investments rose and rose. It was estimated to be five hundred and fifty thousand galleons in a few years. The goblins were just that amazing at investing in things muggle. It did help that both Microsoft and Apple were now multibillion pound companies and so their investments kept on climbing and climbing. They used a system of buying shares when the prices were low and selling when they were high. It was amazing.
Ron however was so unused to having money that initially he was scared to spend it until his parents told him it was his to do with as he wished. Once he had made sure it wasn't a lie or a prank he'd got some sweets for twenty galleons which would last him the year. It was a wise investment and Molly had been proud that he'd thought ahead so he wouldn't need to be owl ordering them all the time. Being able to buy himself some new quidditch supplies and clothing had been the best thing. He was able to fully express himself the way he wanted to fashion wise and loved it. The fact that every day he could just buy something via an owl catalogue if he so chose was a stunning thing. He wasn't sure he'd ever get used to having so much money.
One of the first things he'd bought himself was his own pet an exceptional revelation to him. He'd gotten to buy a pet which was all his and that no one could ever take from him. He would never need to share it something which also blew his mind still. He was stunned as when he entered the pet shop not sure what kind of pet he even wanted one became his familiar bonding with him at once, a glow forming between them and making him cry. He was so very humble and stunned by everything. Suddenly having money had not gone to his head at all thank Merlin. Molly who had been with him had been stunned too as she'd not seen it coming. Her other children had all gotten pets of their own Ginny included but Ron had been the only one to find a true familiar a rare thing in their world and she cried tears of joy with him. He really was an angel. She loved him so much and each Christmas he and his siblings now got highly luxurious jumpers made in their favourite colours which they all loved.
The animal which had bonded with him had been a gorgeous grey British Shorthair cat who looked very posh indeed with her gorgeous coat. When he was asked to name her he struggled to find one which would suit a cat that looked so posh. He was stunned as he could talk and communicate directly with her and she would communicate back with him at once something Molly found fascinating as although she couldn't hear the cats response she knew she was replying to Ron. He eventually settled on calling her Lady Grey or simply Lady and she loved it. He'd splashed out spending five hundred galleons on a special engraved diamond collar for her which had alexandrite crystals all over it. It looked divine and Molly gasped when she saw it. She didn't chastise Ron for it though as he'd been so scared to spend any of his money he rarely did even though she regularly reminded him he could. He was just so humble and moved every time he remembered he didn't need to wait for something he wanted as he could just buy it. So far he'd spent three thousand eight hundred galleons on himself and his new pet. He'd gotten her a luxury cat bed which resembled a tiny couch and plenty of treats as well as a toy feather and things for her. He got her a silver engraved bowl with her name on it and some gorgeous food. She had communicated with him the normal foods she liked as well so that was nice and easy.
Molly was nervous about Lady Grey though as familiars were known to have magical abilities they could use to protect their owner and she didn't know what Lady would do if Ron was ever attacked. She hoped it would be nothing too bad as she was a bit passive herself unless someone threatened her family. Then she became a total lioness. Molly; since getting this new money source had taken the time out to truly learn her children and their needs and now knew exactly what Ron did and didn't like. She was stunned to discover he could even have such strong opinions but he did none the less. This only served however to prove how little she'd actually known him something which had made her sad. He was far from just another male Weasley as she herself had wrongly assumed. She could see that now. He had a familiar all his own and he would make his own way in this world. He could be whatever he wanted to and he now knew that.
He might not even be in Gryffindor either something she informed him he didn't have to do. She told the same things to Ginny who seemed very relieved to her shock. Did they really feel like they'd have no choice but to go to Gryffindor? She and Arthur had never told them this but maybe it was said at school that all Weasleys go there and so it had been assumed that way she wasn't sure. When Harry had helped the Weasley family out by buying them luxury wool he could have never imagined what would happen with the whole Pettigrew thing as he'd not really heard all that much about it. He only knew that Pettigrew had been captured and sentenced to death and that was all. Ronald at least had benefitted from Harry's gifts. Unlike Hermione he'd remained as normal as he always was if not continuously stunned by the things he could now afford. He would get out of that habit for sure in the future though it would take time.
The fact that Arthur had been so sensible with his five thousand galleons making it many more thousand had amazed even him. He'd just remembered hearing that someone at work had invested with the goblins and made a fortune a few weeks earlier and so he had thought to do the same. He didn't have as much as that guy had but with the minimum investable amount being one thousand galleons he was doing well. They had asked him to only share this information with people he trusted and he had done so. The fact that Ron had a familiar and no one else in his family did had been the thing he'd needed to feel secure in himself. Because they could have never afforded to get him a pet of his own last time round he'd missed out on this totally feeling highly insecure and acting rashly for that reason alone. He was a lot more confident now and didn't need friends to make him feel constantly better about himself either. Now he would have friends because it was nice and not to make him feel better about everything he was lacking in. Last time around he'd needed Harry's praise the whole time and had freaked out when he didn't get it lashing out at Harry all the time because of it or Hermione if she'd been there at the time.
The fact is that it had always been someone elses fault and he had always claimed he was sick of being so poor. At least now with a bit of money he didn't need to feel so bad anymore. Money obviously didn't solve all problems but it could make some things better and for Ron who now appreciated everything he had way more than before it was a wonderful thing. The twins had gotten a screech owl called Bob and a cat called Angel which they shared and made their parents very proud. That they were able to share and appreciate everything had been wonderful. Arthur had been terrified when they'd gotten money that it would go to his children's heads and that they would all become snobby brats but that was so not the case he was relieved to see. It would seem they all realised you could go from having money to having little to no money and that you needed to be humble and down to earth so you could survive a situation like that should it occur. He had raised his children well he was now beginning to see and was so very proud of himself and them.
He loved how kind Lady Grey had made Ron. As all familiars have magical abilities they'd not really known what hers would be until the twins pranked Ron and turned a teddy bear he'd had into a huge spider and made him cry panicking a lot. Lady Grey had hissed sending them flying across the room as Molly burst in. Ron was crying and pointing at the giant spider saying the twins had done it. When they continued to laugh as they got up Lady Grey had hissed again and they once more blasted backwards as Molly watched in awe. She had chastised them for scaring Ron like that calling them bullies and saying they were evil. Obviously they weren't evil and she knew this but she had said it to scare them and boy had it. She had said it that way to teach them a serious lesson and they had gotten the point loud and clear. She compared them to a boggart which made them cry and beg Ron for forgiveness which he of course gave them. Even Lady Grey had taken a liking to them after they'd apologised now snuggling with one or both of them if they were in the room she was in and Ron was not. They went out of their way to be nice to everyone now. They still pranked of course as they wouldn't be them without it but now they were actually careful that their pranks were funny but not scary in a bullying sort of way ever again.
When Molly had chastised her boys Lady Grey had mewled at her in a soft way as she felt what she could only describe as thanks surrounding her and making her cry. Lady Grey really did love her Ron didn't she? It was wonderful. She somehow knew he'd be safe now. When they'd gone to Diagon Alley a few weeks before school they'd all gotten their own wands and robes and things. Going to school now would be exciting. Ron had decided to be nice to Harry Potter if he met him but go in with no real expectations of anything. They might be friends and they might not but that's ok too. He was so excited about leaving for school tomorrow and so was Lady Grey who was thrilled at the prospect of meeting other cool new pets to become friends with.
Lady Grey might have looked posh and most of the time was but she was also a mean curser and did have a dirty sense of humour something which often made him giggle. She always let Ron know if something he would ingest had a potion in it too so that helped. The last time she'd done so he'd switched his drink with his father's when no one was looking and Arthur was less than impressed when his hair had turned green and he'd gotten a beak in place of his normal mouth. He freaked at the twins who apologised and then laughed at them when he turned their hair green and gave them beaks of their own. Karma was a bitch and they were too stunned to even complain. Who knew their father could prank!? Certainly not them that's one sure thing. Tomorrow would be so exciting thought Ron as he fell asleep with Lady Grey curled up on his tummy agreeing with him.