It struck Ron as he entered the potions lab that something was different. In fact as he took his chair it occurred to him that almost the entire lab was different. A cheery fire had been built in the fire place, casting an unfamiliar warmth throughout the class room. Light shone from the seemingly hundreds of candles and torches that floated overhead, this was the first time Ron had actually been able to see the entire lab. The whole room looked to have been scrubbed clean of dirt and grime. Every corner looked bright and new.

" Snape is going to have a heart attack when he sees what Professor Wildsmith has done to this place." Ron mused aloud, rummaging for supplies in his bag.

" You're not kidding." Replied Harry plunking down beside him.

Lavender Brown spun around, eyes ablaze with interest. " Is it true ten? Has Snape really lost his mind?"

Hermione gave a snort of mild disgust. " Don't be ridiculous Lavender. He's just ill."

Lavender shot Hermione a disdainful glance. " What would you know about it anyways Hermione?"

Hermione narrowed her eyes, " Harry and I were the ones who found him, he was in knock turn alley…."

" What? " Shrieked Draco Malfoy as he and the rest of the class turned to follow the conversation more closely. " You mean to tell me, Miss-goody-two-shoes-mud-blood was hanging about in knock turn alley? Really Granger I am surprised."

" Sod off Malfoy." Snapped Ron.

Draco smiled maliciously " ooh bit of a touchy subject eh Weasley? Do you suspect Potter and your little girlfriend of behaving in some…….unseemly ways while you weren't around?"

Ron felt fury coarse through his veins, his heart was racing, there was a pounding in his mind. " Malfoy, shut up now, I'm warning you."

Hermione sat red faced and unsure of what to say, only she and Harry knew what had really happened in Knock turn alley…

Harry looked frozen with rage, unable to move or say anything.

Draco laughed. " Poor Weasley, well it looks like that is your lot in life. The mighty second fiddle player to the Famous Harry Potter, second place in love and life."

Ron felt the rage rise from with in him until he was almost sure he would explode. He glared at Malfoy as the blond boy spoke, all his energy concentrated on the hatred he felt towards him.

Finally he'd had enough. " Shut your mouth you worthless piece of slime!" he shouted.

Malfoy raised an eyebrow. " Or what? You'll sick potter after me?"

Draco hadn't even closed his mouth when all three hundred glass vials in the cabinet exploded into razor sharp pieces, showering everyone in the potions lab with glass and various potions. Everyone but Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley.

The door to the potions lab was thrown open Charlotte Wildsmith burst into the room panic stricken. She took in the gory scene at a glance. Students moaning, covered in blood, glass and potions. And then there was Hermione Granger sitting wide eyes and terrified at the scene, beside her was Ron Weasley an intense look of triumph written on his boyish features.

" What the hell happened here?" Charlotte demanded while catching a fainting Pansy Parkinson.

Hermione opened her mouth as if to speak, but then remained silent and sputtering. Charlotte surveyed the gory scene once more and chocked back a gag. " Everyone listen and be calm. Those of you who can walk go directly to the medical wing." The students stared at her unbelievingly. " GO!" She shouted, pathetically they hurried out of the dungeon room. Ten were left. Professor Wildsmith walked over to the still disbelieving Hermione and shook her, snapping her from her trance . " Miss Granger I am in need of your assistance, " She through a look at Ron. " You too Weasley. I need you both to levitate someone to the infirmary, right away."

" Shall we come back for the others?" Asked the younger girl reaching for her wand.

" No I'll take care of them myself. However I assure 8 is probably all I can manage. "

Hermione looked confused . " Professor there is no way you could possibly-"

" This is not the proper time to second guess me Miss Granger , now you and Mr. Weasley go quickly, It will take a lot of strength."

Hermione and Ron took charge of Lavender and Neville Longbottom. As they exited the room Charlottes breathing sped up. She focused all her energy on the remaining 8 students. She closed her eyes stretched out her arms before her and whispered the incantation. " en masse levitare." When she opened her eyes she saw her 8 unconscious students floating five feet above the floor in a line that stretched toward the door. As Charlotte began moving towards the door the floating students moved with her.

The walk from the dungeons to the infirmary was a hike, even on the best of days. While Hermione and Ron fought constantly from giving in to their waning power, with each step Charlotte felt more power, more magic entering her system. This was the old magic.

The three or rather 13 of them arrived in the infirmary to find Madame Pomfrey in her element. Bustling about, ordering people around. Charlotte, Hermione and Ron carefully set down their charges in beds, while Madame Pomfrey tutted about the useless dangers of potion labs.

Charlotte raised an eyebrow. " I assure you Poppy. Cabinets don't explode on a regular basis in most potion labs. However it looks like you have things under control here, so if you'll excuse me I must have a word with you Weasley here."

" Indeed." replied madam Pomfrey.

As Charlotte and Ron left the room, Ron shot Draco a look, for the first time since he known him, Draco Malfoy shrunk away and blanched a bit in reaction to Ronald Weasley.

Charlotte led Ron down to a deserted great hall and sat down opposite him at the Gryffindor table.

" What happened Ron?" Charlotte looked him straight in the eye which made Ron squirm uncomfortably.

" I don't know really." Ran shifted in his chair. " It was really strange, Malfoy was shooting his mouth off about Hermione-"

Charlotte cut him off. " Ah I see, yes I thought Miss Granger had a hand in this."

Ron shrugged uneasily. " It wasn't really like that. Well anyway Malfoy finished saying something and the entire contents of the cabinet just exploded…"

" Really." Charlotte rested her Chin in the palm of her hand. " Tell me Ron while Malfoy was speaking, how did you feel?"

" I don't know, angry I guess."

Charlotte was unconvinced. " Just angry? It must have been a little more than that ."

" Well I suppose. … You See it's just that I really hate that guy and he never leaves Hermione alone, it's just gets to me some times."

" Ron don't avoid the issue, how did you feel?"

Ron hesitated for a moment. Then looked Charlotte right in the eye. " I was enraged. It was like all I couldn't concentrate on what Malfoy and was a stupid ass he is and how much I hate him. I wished….I wished I could hurt him."

" How?"

Ron knew he probably shouldn't be spilling his gut's to a teacher but now that he had started he found he couldn't stop. " I envisioned gouging his eyes out, cutting him up, I wanted to see Malfoy bleed."

" And you did."

Ron sat back , relaxed a little. " Yeah, I guess I did."

Charlotte remained silent for a moment. She chewed on her thumbnail as she thought. " Ron? How exactly did you feel when you saw that cabinet explode? When you saw Draco bleed?"

Ron felt his stomach tighten. " It's funny, you know I know I didn't do it, but I felt really really powerful."

" I see. Listen Ron, since everyone else is at the infirmary, just take the rest of the double off. I've got to go have a chat with Professor Dumbledore."

As she got up to leave Ron spoke up. " Hey Professor Wildsmith, I'm not in trouble am I?"

Charlotte shook her head. " No, I don't think so."

Ron smiled slightly as she headed for the door. Her mind was racing, Ron had caused the glass to explode she was sure of it, and she knew how as well. Fear began to grip her insides as she thought of Ron's reaction to the incident. They would have to act now, if disaster was to be avoided.