A/N: All his life, Ron came in second. His feelings of incompetence are only amplified when he wears the locket Horcrux. This is some of what was going through his mind before he left Harry and Hermione. It's a bit dark for Ron, but you can thank the locket. This is updated from a version I wrote before #7 was published. Enjoy!
-T.
Sidekick
The dirt on your shoe,
The dead rotting fly,
Objects of nothing,
All of more worth than I.
Ron stood patiently in line, waiting to be sorted, as the famous Harry Potter's name was called. The hush that fell over the Great Hall sent a shiver up Ron's spine. He remembered hearing people act like that around Charlie when it came to Quidditch. Or Bill or Percy and their academic accomplishments. Even the twins had their crowd which hushed in silent fascination at their accomplishments, however crude they might be. Someday, Ron thought excitedly, Someday they'll whisper about my name. Not Harry's. Not my brothers. Mine.
The alleys of gloom,
The treasures long forgotten,
A whisper of shadow,
Childhood relics lying rotten.
As Ron passed through his first and into his second year at Hogwarts he felt as if he became more miniscule with each passing day. A small bit of freedom, and Ron hated to admit this, came when Harry was thought to be Slytherin's heir. For a moment, a scarcely tangible yet oh-so-sweet moment, Ron had thought that Harry had been thrown out of the spotlight. But fate, it seemed, had other plans as Harry was just as infamous as he had been famous. There was no escaping it, the great Harry Potter would always be the first noticed. No matter how tall or how brilliantly red Ron's hair got, or how tall he grew, he would still be noticed second.
The fools of the earth,
The villians cold sneer,
The jesters foul grin,
All belong here.
Ron was furious. He couldn't believe that Harry hadn't told him - him, his best friend - that he was going to try and get into the Triwizard Tournament. Was Harry too important now even for his old friends? Were Hermione and him sucking up to much of Harry's precious spotlight? Ron was appalled by the thought that Harry would go to such extremes to remain the centre of attention. Well fine, Ron thought, He can have his glory. But I won't be there to be his sidekick this time.
I am nothing,
No prince, no prize,
My life is unseen,
My words deemed unwise.
Ron was furious. He couldn't believe that Harry hadn't told him - him, his best friend - that he was going to try and get into the Triwizard Tournament. Was Harry too important now even for his old friends? Were Hermione and him sucking up to much of Harry's precious spotlight? Ron was appalled by the thought that Harry would go to such extremes to remain the centre of attention. Well fine, Ron thought, He can have his glory. But I won't be there to be his sidekick this time.
A waste of space,
On Gods green earth,
A shell-less pit of ruin,
Lacking any worth.
Ron watched Hermione and Harry cry out, exuberant over their discovery that Gryffindor's sword could destroy Horcruxes. Hermione's doubts, whispered into Ron's ear while Harry slept or brooded, seemed to have vanished. Suddenly Harry was a hero again. Someone had given him the answer, and now everything was going to be fine. Now they could spend another bloody fortnight searching for – what? Not even Harry knew.
"-what d'you reckon, Ron? Ron?" Harry asked.
"Oh, remembered me, have you?" He responded darkly.
The fight that ensued was one of the worst they had ever had. In the end, Hermione chose Harry. She said it wasn't like that, but Ron knew the truth. In the end, Harry won. Ron threw the locket Horcrux to the bed and left, abandoning the fight. As he stomped out of the tent, Hermione was crying. For a moment he hesitated, wondering if-
No. She had chosen, and so had he. Ron turned on his heel and disapparated.
This is myself,
The essence of my being,
I am nothing,
And you ignore my screaming.