Sorry it took me so damn long to get this posted, but with ff.net down, and
me moving, I got a little distracted and got nothing done. My apologies.
SO! I plan on making up for it by writing an extremely long chapter.
There. Hopefully all are happy. IF not. Well, write me.
P.S. Thanks Bosco! I appreciate the encouragement. And you're welcome "Just Another Author", * big smile *
A/N: I own nothing, 'cept the crap.
Summary: Ok, Ron's getting' a little creepy. He's decided to make a name for himself, just what that name is has yet to be discovered. Harry suspects something, and Hermione - well, you'll see.
~*~
Big drops of rain started hitting the great stone walls of Hogwarts just as the Sorting Ceremony was starting. The Great Hall was all a buzz - friends reuniting with friends, talk of the upcoming Quidditch matches, questions as to whom the new Dark Arts Professor would be - one couldn't help but smile listening to the exuberant chatter. However, Hermione wasn't smiling, and neither was Harry. They were preoccupied. Rather, they were confused.
Harry and Hermione were sitting just across the table from Ron; his look was distant. He hadn't been acting like himself, not one bit. The Sorting Ceremony had always been Ron's favorite of all the celebrations at Hogwarts, but this year was different. Ron seemed distracted; the usual dumb grin on his face had been replaced with a thoughtful look - his eyebrows crunched up, lips thin in concentration. If Hermione didn't know any better, it almost looked like he was trying to remember something for a test.
'But that's not possible,' Hermione thought to herself, 'Ron wouldn't be studying this early into the term. Unless,' She shook her head and laughed at herself. 'No Hermione, there's no way. That's too big a leaf for Ron to turn over. Not this quickly, at least.' But the thought still nagged at her. Could Ron finally be taking his studies seriously? That could explain his constant distraction! She couldn't count the number of times she had wandered in and out of past conversations due to an upcoming test. 'Maybe my bugging him about doing his homework finally paid off,' she thought to herself. 'But that would mean that Ron's taking me seriously, and he would never,' Hermione glanced over at Ron, whose trance-like stare was looking right at her, or rather through her. A light tingle raced down her back as a sudden heat washed over Hermione; she darted her eyes away from him, her cheeks blushing furiously. 'Why did I just do that?? Its just Ron! Look up again, Hermione. Look him in the eye and don't get all flustered!' Hermione silently screamed at herself and re-gathered her composure. Looking up again, her gaze finally caught Ron's, and for the first time the entire day he was actually looking at her. His good-natured smile finally returned home.
"All right there, Mione?" She smiled, "Yeah. You?" "Yeah." Ron's attention turned from Hermione to the front of the Hall, Head Master Dumbledore was beginning his annual "Start of Term Speech." The butterflies in Hermione's stomach subsided finally as she thought to herself, 'It's going to be an interesting year.'
~*~
Harry couldn't stop looking at Ron. What was going on in that head of his? Harry had never seen Ron like this, so distant. He was still feeling sorry about what he had said to him on the train; he never should have said those things. After all, Ron WAS just looking out for him, like he always did. Was Ron still mad and not telling him? Guilt ate away at his empty belly, which at this point was yelling at him for not eating more lunch. 'He must really hate me right now,' Harry somberly thought to himself. 'I would.' He tenitively looked up at Ron whose attentions were still elsewhere. 'He won't even look at me. I guess he really is mad.' Harry returned to looking down at the table, his feet quietly kicking the legs. 'Spose it's my own fault, really - shouldn't 've gotten angry.' Harry's attention was caught by Ron's smile. Straightening up quickly, he timidly returned the smile, only to find that it wasn't directed at him. Ron was smiling at Hermione. 'Ahh, of course.' Harry was about to slouch down again, only to be interrupted by Professor Dumbledore's "Start of Term Speech." Harry turned towards the front of the hall, happy to be distracted from his thoughts. 'This year is NOT starting out well.'
~*~
Ron was concentrating. Hard. Very hard. In fact, Ron had never concentrated on anything so hard in his life. 'Who am I?' was repeating over and over in his head. 'Rather, who should I be? I already know who I am.' Ron shifted his gaze towards the ongoing storm outside. 'Everyone's made it quite clear who I am. A nobody. But I'm not! I know I'm not. I just need to figure out who it is I need to be.' Ron was so deep in thought, he actually had to remind himself to blink now and again. 'Practically speaking, there aren't any bad seeds in the family. Maybe that's where I need to start.' A small grin spread over Ron's face at the thought of reeking havoc. 'Yeah, someone tough. Someone who won't put up with Malfoy's bullshit, or anyone else's for that matter. I'll be strong, menacing. The crowds'll part when I walk through. Everyone will know my name!' The very thought of notoriety pulled at Ron's heartstrings. To be recognized for being Ron, and not just a Weasley, was what he had always wanted. And he was going to get it. By whatever means possible. Just then, he noticed that he had been looking right at Hermione this whole time. Snapping out of his self-induced trance, Ron grinned at her. "All right there, Mione?" "Yeah. You?" And for the first time in a long time, Ron answered truthfully. "Yeah." Ron glanced over at Harry, who was looking miserable. 'Wonder what's eating him?' Ron thought off-handedly. He was about to ask, when Dumbledore began his "Start of Term Speech." Ron turned his attentions frontward, a smile on his face. 'This is going to be a hellufa year.'
~*~
Professor Dumbledore sat up from his chair at the front of the Great Hall, quietly cleared his throat, and addressed the students. "Welcome! Welcome to another year at Hogwarts." The crowd of eager students applauded feverently. Waving his hands, Professor Dumbledore quieted them in a sudden hush. "Before we begin, I'd like to announce a few start-of-term notices. Firstly," pointing to the two empty chairs on his right. "We indeed do have two Professors missing in action." Ron, Harry and Hermione all turned to the head table to find that Professor Snape was gone! Harry's heart, along with the rest of the Gryffindor's, leapt at the sight. Had their most despised Professor left the school? The Great Hall was a- gasp with whispers. As if on key, Professor Dumbledore continued. "Our potions Professor will not be joining us in the festivities tonight. Professor Snape, instead, has graciously accepted the task of brewing a potion for our other missing Professor." Hermione quickly turned to Harry, who's smile was beginning to return.
Quietly, she whispered, "Do you think it's him?"
Harry smiled, "I hope so."
Ron, trying to not look confused, whispered back. "Who are we talking about?"
Professor Dumbledore continued, "I am please to announce that Professor Lupin has returned to Hogwarts as the new Defense against the Dark Arts Professor."
The reaction was mixed. Half the students erupted in joyous applause and cheers. About a quarter of the others politely clapped, while the rest sat in shock. Those same students were the children of all the parents who had furiously written Dumbledore three years ago in protest to Professor Lupin teaching at Hogwarts. Many of them were still scared to death of the man. Harry, Ron and Hermione just clapped as hard as they could.
Harry grinned till it hurt. 'Maybe this year won't be so bad after all.'
~*~
P.S. Thanks Bosco! I appreciate the encouragement. And you're welcome "Just Another Author", * big smile *
A/N: I own nothing, 'cept the crap.
Summary: Ok, Ron's getting' a little creepy. He's decided to make a name for himself, just what that name is has yet to be discovered. Harry suspects something, and Hermione - well, you'll see.
~*~
Big drops of rain started hitting the great stone walls of Hogwarts just as the Sorting Ceremony was starting. The Great Hall was all a buzz - friends reuniting with friends, talk of the upcoming Quidditch matches, questions as to whom the new Dark Arts Professor would be - one couldn't help but smile listening to the exuberant chatter. However, Hermione wasn't smiling, and neither was Harry. They were preoccupied. Rather, they were confused.
Harry and Hermione were sitting just across the table from Ron; his look was distant. He hadn't been acting like himself, not one bit. The Sorting Ceremony had always been Ron's favorite of all the celebrations at Hogwarts, but this year was different. Ron seemed distracted; the usual dumb grin on his face had been replaced with a thoughtful look - his eyebrows crunched up, lips thin in concentration. If Hermione didn't know any better, it almost looked like he was trying to remember something for a test.
'But that's not possible,' Hermione thought to herself, 'Ron wouldn't be studying this early into the term. Unless,' She shook her head and laughed at herself. 'No Hermione, there's no way. That's too big a leaf for Ron to turn over. Not this quickly, at least.' But the thought still nagged at her. Could Ron finally be taking his studies seriously? That could explain his constant distraction! She couldn't count the number of times she had wandered in and out of past conversations due to an upcoming test. 'Maybe my bugging him about doing his homework finally paid off,' she thought to herself. 'But that would mean that Ron's taking me seriously, and he would never,' Hermione glanced over at Ron, whose trance-like stare was looking right at her, or rather through her. A light tingle raced down her back as a sudden heat washed over Hermione; she darted her eyes away from him, her cheeks blushing furiously. 'Why did I just do that?? Its just Ron! Look up again, Hermione. Look him in the eye and don't get all flustered!' Hermione silently screamed at herself and re-gathered her composure. Looking up again, her gaze finally caught Ron's, and for the first time the entire day he was actually looking at her. His good-natured smile finally returned home.
"All right there, Mione?" She smiled, "Yeah. You?" "Yeah." Ron's attention turned from Hermione to the front of the Hall, Head Master Dumbledore was beginning his annual "Start of Term Speech." The butterflies in Hermione's stomach subsided finally as she thought to herself, 'It's going to be an interesting year.'
~*~
Harry couldn't stop looking at Ron. What was going on in that head of his? Harry had never seen Ron like this, so distant. He was still feeling sorry about what he had said to him on the train; he never should have said those things. After all, Ron WAS just looking out for him, like he always did. Was Ron still mad and not telling him? Guilt ate away at his empty belly, which at this point was yelling at him for not eating more lunch. 'He must really hate me right now,' Harry somberly thought to himself. 'I would.' He tenitively looked up at Ron whose attentions were still elsewhere. 'He won't even look at me. I guess he really is mad.' Harry returned to looking down at the table, his feet quietly kicking the legs. 'Spose it's my own fault, really - shouldn't 've gotten angry.' Harry's attention was caught by Ron's smile. Straightening up quickly, he timidly returned the smile, only to find that it wasn't directed at him. Ron was smiling at Hermione. 'Ahh, of course.' Harry was about to slouch down again, only to be interrupted by Professor Dumbledore's "Start of Term Speech." Harry turned towards the front of the hall, happy to be distracted from his thoughts. 'This year is NOT starting out well.'
~*~
Ron was concentrating. Hard. Very hard. In fact, Ron had never concentrated on anything so hard in his life. 'Who am I?' was repeating over and over in his head. 'Rather, who should I be? I already know who I am.' Ron shifted his gaze towards the ongoing storm outside. 'Everyone's made it quite clear who I am. A nobody. But I'm not! I know I'm not. I just need to figure out who it is I need to be.' Ron was so deep in thought, he actually had to remind himself to blink now and again. 'Practically speaking, there aren't any bad seeds in the family. Maybe that's where I need to start.' A small grin spread over Ron's face at the thought of reeking havoc. 'Yeah, someone tough. Someone who won't put up with Malfoy's bullshit, or anyone else's for that matter. I'll be strong, menacing. The crowds'll part when I walk through. Everyone will know my name!' The very thought of notoriety pulled at Ron's heartstrings. To be recognized for being Ron, and not just a Weasley, was what he had always wanted. And he was going to get it. By whatever means possible. Just then, he noticed that he had been looking right at Hermione this whole time. Snapping out of his self-induced trance, Ron grinned at her. "All right there, Mione?" "Yeah. You?" And for the first time in a long time, Ron answered truthfully. "Yeah." Ron glanced over at Harry, who was looking miserable. 'Wonder what's eating him?' Ron thought off-handedly. He was about to ask, when Dumbledore began his "Start of Term Speech." Ron turned his attentions frontward, a smile on his face. 'This is going to be a hellufa year.'
~*~
Professor Dumbledore sat up from his chair at the front of the Great Hall, quietly cleared his throat, and addressed the students. "Welcome! Welcome to another year at Hogwarts." The crowd of eager students applauded feverently. Waving his hands, Professor Dumbledore quieted them in a sudden hush. "Before we begin, I'd like to announce a few start-of-term notices. Firstly," pointing to the two empty chairs on his right. "We indeed do have two Professors missing in action." Ron, Harry and Hermione all turned to the head table to find that Professor Snape was gone! Harry's heart, along with the rest of the Gryffindor's, leapt at the sight. Had their most despised Professor left the school? The Great Hall was a- gasp with whispers. As if on key, Professor Dumbledore continued. "Our potions Professor will not be joining us in the festivities tonight. Professor Snape, instead, has graciously accepted the task of brewing a potion for our other missing Professor." Hermione quickly turned to Harry, who's smile was beginning to return.
Quietly, she whispered, "Do you think it's him?"
Harry smiled, "I hope so."
Ron, trying to not look confused, whispered back. "Who are we talking about?"
Professor Dumbledore continued, "I am please to announce that Professor Lupin has returned to Hogwarts as the new Defense against the Dark Arts Professor."
The reaction was mixed. Half the students erupted in joyous applause and cheers. About a quarter of the others politely clapped, while the rest sat in shock. Those same students were the children of all the parents who had furiously written Dumbledore three years ago in protest to Professor Lupin teaching at Hogwarts. Many of them were still scared to death of the man. Harry, Ron and Hermione just clapped as hard as they could.
Harry grinned till it hurt. 'Maybe this year won't be so bad after all.'
~*~