Don surprisingly came to find him early one morning and it wasn't to deliver his daily blood. "Your clothes have arrived, I thought you might like some warmer clothing on a day like this," he said.
Ron stood up looking back at Harry who looked nervous for the Hufflepuff and Gryffindor match today and wouldn't eat. "You go," Harry said.
"You sure?" Ron asked.
"Yes, I will be fine," Harry sighed.
"Eat something alright, I'll be cheering on with the rest later," Ron told him then pressed a biscuit into Harry's hand and he begrudgingly took a bite. He nodded to Don then and they left.
"My wife might have been overzealous and sent almost everything, it's in my quarters. It might be easier for you to simply try on some and slowly go through it," Don explained.
"Alright," Ron agreed, when they arrived he was astounded by the large armoirs that held the clothes.
"They came shrunk and well as you can see" Don gestured to them. Don took charge and pulled out some trousers first and began to lay them on the bed. "Go into the bathroom and try them on" he instructed.
Ron tried on a few of them and found 1 pair did truly fit them perfectly. "Well it's about expected, the rest can be saved when your a little taller as I'm sure you will get considering your brother's heights."
Don went through several shirts like button-ups and sweaters then vests which Ron wasn't sure about since he'd never worn them before. "Really? I consider it a must," Don said.
"No money for extra fabrics" Ron shrugged.
"Ah, well it looks good on you so I insist you keep for special occasions. Let's see" he then began to browse through coats and cloaks.
So that was how ended up with a practically new cobalt wool coat that went past his knees. It was incredibly warm and fit him better than anything had before.
"I can really have this?" he asked, the coat didn't really even looked worn at all.
"Of course, it's a good thing we kept them honestly," Don said with a smile. "It's just unfortunate that the shoes don't fit, your boots are falling apart" he said.
"Thanks," Ron said unable to keep a grin from his face, he was happy to get some clothes "um do you think that coat that's too small would fit Ginny?" Hers was looking more grey than white these days and it was fraying on the bottom.
"Hm well if it doesn't we could get it tailored" Don suggested.
"No, I could do it if I need to," Ron said and Don blinked.
"You could?"
"Sure, I can sew well enough. With clothes as old as mine, things tend to rip and buttons fall off. Can't exactly wait around all year until I get home for mum to do it, now can I?" Ron said
"That is admirable," Don said "then that coat can be considered hers," he said.
"Great, then we should go to the match then," Ron said.
"Excellent" Don said.
Xxx
Ron met Hermione in the common room before the match and she stood from the coach in her coat, hat, scarf, and unopened umbrella. "Ron you look…"
"Don's son had some nice hand me downs," he said.
"They look good on you. Well let's head to match then" she said, he nodded. It was coming down hard from the very beginning of the match. "I don't like this, this wind could rip someone right off their broom" she commented.
"Yeah and look at the dementors," Ron said, they were closer to the field. His nerves were tingling and it wasn't the cold or the rain.
"Ron, can you see anything in this mess?" Hermione asked, with it raining buckets he could see how it might be difficult to see but his eyesight was quite a bit better.
"I can but it's not looking good…" he leaned in as Harry seemed to freeze in midair, his line of sight was strange. He wasn't looking for the snitch.
He followed it and spotted a dark figure on an empty section of bleachers. A black dog, his heart froze for a second and as if the dog felt his gaze, he met its grey eyes.
"Potter's seen the snitch!" he turns away from it, watching Harry dive for it. It's colder than before, ice was beginning the coat the bottom of the pitch. Dementor invaded the space and Harry's suddenly slowed.
"What's wrong?" Hermione said then they both screamed when Harry fell off his broom and plummeted towards the ground.
"LEVICORPUS!" Dumbledore's voice boomed loud and the spell shot out all the way across the field to catch Harry before he could hit the ground. Ron vaulted over the bleacher bar, not caring that it was a good 10 feet to the ground.
He landed on his feet easily and bolted to him, ignoring the twenty or so dementors swirling above him. He took Harry in his arms as the spell released gravity back into Harry. His body was shivering a bit but it wasn't difficult to see why: falling 50 feet and being soaked to the bone will do that.
Dumbledore's silvery phoenix Patronus swirled around them, fending off the dementors and Hermione made it to him. "Do you think it's like?"
"Yeah" he agreed, it was like that time in the train. Dementors affected Harry like no one else and Ron thought that maybe it was because no one had such sadness and loneliness almost their entire lives like Harry.
He was a boy who was so ecstatic to get something as simple as chocolate frogs and a sweater for Christmas. "Let's go," he said.
Madam Hooch met them briefly to instruct them but they hardly needed it. They knew where to take him, "he's not heavy?" Hermione asked as they walked up the staircase.
"Not really," Ron replied "just a bit awkward."
"You really did get strong," she said.
As they neared the infirmary, Harry half woke up "Ron?" he asked, his teeth chattered still.
"Harry, just stay asleep for it until we can get you dry and into a bed," Hermione told him and Harry closed his eyes again
Harry leaned himself against his chest almost seeking warmth "if he's trying to get body heat from me, he really must be cold" he said.
"Ron, he's soaked, of course, he is," Hermione remarked.
They got Harry to the infirmary and Madam Rosemerta had dry and in PJs in the blink of an eye. She buried him in blankets muttering about bloody dementors causing her students hypothermia.
Then the Quidditch team came in, Fred carrying something in cloth. "Ron, you were downright terrifying out there" George commented.
"I dunno who was worse, Dumbledore or you" Fred added.
"Me?" Ron asked confused, did he really show angry he was. He couldn't believe dementors with the game and Harry had almost had a run-in with death so he wasn't exactly happy but he didn't think he let it show.
"Oh, you look pissed. Eyes glowing and stuff, it was downright eerie because people could hardly see anything except your glowing eyes." Lee said.
Ron didn't respond, he still hadn't figured out that but he'd have to ask Don about it. It seemed to happen when he was in intense situations, was it like dilation for others?
It was then Harry chose to wake up and Hermione shoved chocolate at him as he sat up. Harry looked heartbroken when Fred revealed his smashed to pieces broomstick.
Ron wished he could buy a new one right then, wished with all his heart he had the money for it. Anything to get that defeated look off Harry's face.
Xxx
After the disaster Quidditch match and then the day at Hogsmede Harry's mood was currently at it's worst. Ron found it best to leave him alone though instead of hounding him to talk like Hermione attempted.
They told him not to go looking for Black and so as he listened to that, then he'd at least handled something. Harry was a bit like a timer, you stare it to stare too long and it feels like it's been forever and you walk away it goes off. Harry would explode sooner or later and he just needed to wait.
He sat in McGonagall's class where they sat transfiguring goldfish into marbles. Ron sighed as his fish merely became rounded instead of a marble. He looked at his text which explained once again in detail his movement.
He wrote it in his book and simplified it. Maybe this time, he cleared his throat and waved his wand in a simple circular pattern then flicked down. He practiced once then voiced "Rollovia," the fish rounded out completely and sunk to the bottom as a perfected marble.
He smiled then performed the reverse movement "aivollor" he said with his movement and it became a goldfish again.
"Excellent, very well done Mr. Weasley" McGonagall spoke up. He looked up, he hadn't even known she'd been watching so closely "I will award 5 points for Gryffindor."
Ron flushed "thanks Professor," he said.
"You've been doing well this year and I advise you stick whatever method you've used. Your essay was well done" she said handing it back. It had a large red O for Outstanding on it, he almost didn't believe it.
It was better than anything he'd ever gotten before, maybe Don had a point. If he put in the effort he could do get an O every time. No, he wouldn't fixate on it, he was no Hermione.
As soon as class let out, Hermione disappeared to who knows where and Harry ran off to Quidditch practice. He sighed but was stopped by Filch who gripped his arm "Dumbledore needs to speak to you" he said.
"Why?" Ron asked and moved his arm out of Filch's grip.
"Doesn't matter to you, you'll go to the Headmaster and now," he shoved him towards his office and Ron speed up to move. He couldn't even begin to know why he'd be needed. Harry was clearly fine, he'd seen him and the same with Hermione.
He arrived at the office and Filch sent him up then left. He climbed the winding steps and Dumbledore met him at the door. He looked slightly serious and Hagrid sat on a chair as well. Two men in suits, probably from the Ministry also stood in the office as well.
Draco Malfoy sat and Lucius Malfoy stood; Ron began to feel nervous. Was he in trouble, for what? Throwing Malfoy against the ground to avoid a hippogriff. Had he violated a rule between wizards and vampires? Where was Don to mediate?
"Ah, the Weasley the vampires have tainted," Lucius commented. "Pity that pureblood was muddied but at least it was a blood traitor," he said.
"Lucius, Mr. Weasley's status is of no importance in this discussion. I have allowed you to conduct an interview. It may be wise not to insult the one you hope to receive answers from," Dumbledore responded.
Ron turned to Dumbledore hoping to get an answer as to what this is all about "Draco Malfoy believes that the hippogriff is a danger to him and his fellow students. The Ministry would like to ask some questions" he said.
Ron was relieved at first but the anger rose like a spark from a fire "you snake!" he hissed at Malfoy then received a pointed look from Dumbledore and he sat back.
He let it stew instead of showing it "very well, Rosen" Lucius said and one of the two men stepped forward.
"Ahem, we are currently inspecting the incident in which a hippogriff very nearly took the head of several students. Mr. Malfoy Younger has stated you played a key involvement" Rosen, a very old and surly man began.
Ron glanced at Malfoy who sported a rather triumphant smirk upon his stupid face. "I did," he said evenly.
"And what role did you play in the incident" Rosen asked.
"His Savior" Ron deadpanned "Malfoy, uh Draco decided to approach Buckbeak"
"Who?" Rosen asked.
"The name of the hippogriff, Buckbeak. Anyway, he approached him despite the explicit and direct instruction by Hag- I mean Professor Hagrid not to." Ron said and Hagrid flushed, fidgeting with his coat.
"And what is next?" he prompted.
Ron hesitated, could this get someone in trouble "Hippogriffs are proud creatures and he didn't take well to Draco taunting him so he stood on his hind legs," he said.
"Surely you aren't suggesting that a mere creature could understand it was being made fun of" Lucius commented.
"It's not stupid, you don't go around sticking your hand in a Crup's food bowl do you?" Ron asked, outraged.
"You watch your tone, you flea," Lucius said. Ron could hardly think straight. What did he just call him?
"Do not be insulting my students. Continue, please" Dumbledore said.
"Fine, I shoved Malfoy back and faced Buckbeak" Ron said.
"And you remained unscathed?" Rosen asked writing the details in his book. "How did it react?"
"He tried to attack" Malfoy commented, "Weasley grabbed his beak to force him down and the chicken ran away."
"Young Mr. Malfoy, if you cannot be silent perhaps it is best for you to wait outside" Dumbledore said, how the hell did he remain so unbothered all the time?
Malfoy smirk dropped and he fell quiet "is that correct?" Rosen asked writing it down and Ron nodded. "In Mr. Malfoy the younger's account, he said you were injured a cut above your brow."
Ron hesitated, Hagrid was sure to get into trouble if he told him the truth but he wasn't sure he had a choice "it was a little scratch, not much blood" he said.
"Were you sent to the infirmary?"
"No. I mean, it's not necessary and I had a headache at the time. I heal within 10 minutes on most of my scratches" Ron said feeling like he was completely fumbling his words.
"Did your professor instruct you to?"
Ron's panic rose, he didn't want to get Hagrid fired, "I never mentioned it to him."
"You mean after facing off against a dangerous animal, your Professor never checked to see if both of his students were in fact well?" Rosen asked. He was cold all of a sudden, icy, he felt like the more he spoke the more he was sinking.
"He knew if Malfoy were hurt, he'd make a show of it. He wouldn't take it silently and I… Hermione, um my friend Hermione would force me to go," he said.
"Hm… well, I think we have all we need so you are free to go" Lucius said dismissively and Ron felt as if he'd signed Hagrid's own release form. And there was nothing he could do.
"Professor?" Ron turned to Dumbledore who gave him an even look, one he didn't really know how to take.
"Thank you, Mr. Weasley," he said and Ron stood to leave. His stomach twisted with all these emotions of anger and confusion and guilt. He wandered the halls without thinking about where he was going.
He absently found himself at the doors facing the Forbidden forest and Hagrid's hut.
He gazed out at it and stopped when he noticed something lurking nearby. He watched the dark figure whose shape was a black dog, his thought that maybe it was Valkyrie but it's legs were longer and it was a great deal thinner.
What flashed suddenly was the image of the dog from the Quidditch pitch.
He walked out into sun to look closer. The dog focused it's large, shiny black eyes at him and bolted towards him.. He wasn't sure how to react exactly, for a moment he wasn't even sure if he was really seeing it.
It was like a Grimm and personally he wasn't keen on dying but as if soon as it leapt at him, placing it's gigantic paws on his chest he was convinced it was real. His air punched out of him and within a second the dog was wrestling biting at his neck.
He shoved it away but it came back again and when he reached him he only went for his cloak. The dog tugged and his button caught his necklace and he felt a searing pain hit the exposed skin of his face and hands.
He screamed, it was being boiled alive and every second under the sun was making it worse. Suddenly he was tugged somewhere else and the pain stopped hurting as badly.
It smarted and throbbed but he was able to breathe for once. He opened his eyes in a daze and the dog stood above him holding the amulet in it's mouth.
His eyes weren't the look of an animal, even Valkyrie's intelligent eyes couldn't hold that much human sorrow. "Who are you?" he asked before his pain forced him to close his eyes.
CHAPTER NOTES:
Whoo boy, I am aware this a more accelerated and clearly diverging plotline from the original book however it's AU for a reason. If you want the book exactly, what is the point in an AU?
I'm really on a roll so I'll have the chapters out pretty soon now that I sort of know where to go from here.
Tell me what you think of the latest chapter please. Reviews give me so much happiness.
