CHAPTER SEVEN- The First Weasley To Do That
"Y-you're suspended?" Harry demanded.
"Yes. For a week." Ron growled as he flung things into his trunk.
"Oh my gosh." Neville gasped.
"Are you still allowed to go to the Hogsmeade trip?" Seamus asked.
"Nope." Ron replied as a book thumped against another. "And the Monday after I return I'll start serving my two week detention."
"I don't believe this. All this just because you attacked Malfoy?" Dean demanded.
"Snape says he could've died." Ron said, making a face.
The others snorted. "Yeah like that happened." Harry grumbled.
"Snape would probably say that if you lightly touched Malfoy's shoulder." Seamus muttered.
"You think its worth?" Donnie asked.
"Oh yes. It was worth it. Smashing that little jerk's head in." Ron said, gripping a cloak angrily.
"Ron!" Fred, George and Lee Jordan ran in.
"Yes?" Ron asked, scowling.
"You-you-you-you. you're suspended?!?!" George demanded.
"Yeah. For a week." Ron said.
Fred put his hands on Ron's shoulders. "You're going to be dead."
"What?"
"Mum and dad are going to kill you." He said.
"Huh? How come? Because I defended the family honor? You do know why I attacked Malfoy. He made a nasty remark about our mother." Ron said, scowling deeply and gripping a book so tightly it looked like it was going to break.
"Ron. Neither of us has ever been suspended." George said indicating himself and Fred.
"None of us kids have been suspended!" Fred added.
"None of mum's brothers and sisters have ever been suspended." George continued.
"None of dad's brother's and sisters have ever been suspended."
"Our grandparents were never suspended!"
"Their brothers and sisters were never suspended!"
"And your point is?" Ron asked.
"NO WEASLEY IN THE HISTORY OF WEASLEYDOM HAS EVER BEEN SUSPENDED!" Both twins screamed.
Ron remained silent for a few minutes. "Oh." He finally said.
"Hey, I'll be the youngest Weasley son now." George said, rubbing his chin.
"You two. Ron's going to be having a difficult enough time as it is." Harry said. Ron pulled himself away from his brothers and began throwing his clothes in his trunk.
"Just leave me alone, all right?" He demanded.
"Okay." Slowly everyone left.
Ron continued packing. He wasn't taking everything with him, ofcourse. His clothes and some books. He looked up at a soft knock on the door. "Yeah? Whaddaya want?" Ron griped.
The door opened and Peggy came in. "Hi."
"Peggy you're not supposed to be up here." Ron snapped, ripping a shirt from the closet and flinging it into the trunk.
"I don't care. I came to see if you were okay." She said, looking in confusion at him packing.
"Oh I'm just dandy." Ron growled.
"You aren't expelled are you?" Peggy asked, sitting at the end of Seamus's bed.
"No. Suspended. For a week." Ron explained.
"Oh." Peggy said, tucking back a strand of hair. She watched Ron in silence a few minutes. "Will you be able to go to Hogsmeade?"
"No.' Ron replied bitterly.
"And the dance?"
"I don't know." Ron said with a shrug.
"When are you leaving?"
"Tomorrow morning."
"And be back next Friday?"
"Yep. Well, that's everything." Ron said and straightened up.
"I'll get going then." Peggy hopped up and left.
Ron sighed heavily and closed his trunk, feeling sick.
*** (Ron's point of view)
I sat back on the train, arms folded, glaring out the window. Across from me was an old man, asleep and snoring and beside him was a woman and her two-year old daughter who kept kicking me. Aside from lugging Hogwarts students at the beginning and end of each school holiday, this train was used to take people from Hogsmeade to London and vice versa. I sighed again and looked outside at the clear blue fall sky. Soon the train stopped and everyone got off. I got my trunk and dragged it off. I stopped on the platform and looked around.
My father stood there, face clouded with anger. Fred and George were right.
I was dead.
"Hullo dad." I said, dragging my trunk over to him. He continued standing there. Arms folded. Face clouded. I suddenly realized how much I looked like him. "Dad?" I asked.
"Ronald Matthias Weasley." He said and I cringed back. He never called me by my full name.
"Y-yes?" I asked. He grabbed my arm and dragged me out into Kings Cross, not speaking. He put my trunk in the back of our car and pointed at the front passenger side. I slowly got in, feeling sick. Very, very sick. He got in and drove us out of town, gripping the steering wheel and glaring straight ahead. "Dad I was defending the family honor!" I said but he didn't say anything. "Malfoy he-he made fun of mum!" But nothing but silence. I sat back and watched out the window at the passing countryside. After a while we got back to the Burrow.
I got my trunk and dragged it in, hearing voices from the kitchen. Glancing in I saw mum, Percy, and Bill talking about something. "Mum's really mad." I jumped and turned to see Charlie standing there.
"She is?" I asked, feeling even sicker. I could handle dad being mad but mum. none of us wanted to make her mad.
"Very. You are the first Weasley in the history of Weaselydom to get suspended." Charlie said.
"I've been told." I said glumly.
"And the same goes for the Quinns."
"Ah." I said. Quinn was my mother's maiden name.
'Well?" I jumped at dad's voice. "Aren't you going to go in?"
"Ah." I said. "Yes. Go in." I turned towards the kitchen, gulped, and stepped in. Bill was the first one to see me. I could tell he was torn between amusement and looking stern. Percy saw me and scowled deeply, adjusting his horn-rimmed glasses. Mum looked up. "H-hello mum." I stammered.
Mum stood up. I immediately took a step back, feeling very afraid. "My baby!" She shrieked and threw herself at me. I was engulfed in her arms, being squeezed so tight I could hardly breath.
"M-m-mum?" I somehow managed. Percy looked incredibly shocked. So did the others.
"My poor baby was in a fiiiiiight." She wailed, hugging me tighter.
"Mum?" I asked, confused.
"Sit down, sweetie. Oh my poor dear." She sniffled, setting me down in a chair. "Are you all right?" She asked, brushing me off.
I looked at Bill who had fallen over laughing. "I. I'm fine." I said slowly.
"Are you sure?" She asked, staring deep into my eyes.
"Yes. I'm perfectly fine." I said.
"Oh, in that case. RONALD MATTHIAS WEASLEY THE THIRD! WHAT ON EARTH WERE YOU THINKING?!" She shrieked causing me to fall backwards onto the floor. My full entire name had never been used before. Ronald Matthias Weasley, yes, but never the third.
"I-I-I-I-I-I"
"YOU ARE IN SO MUCH TROUBLE YOUNG MAN!"
"Owwwwww I-I think my arm is broken." I said hopefully. Mum had puffed up roughly to the size of the entire kitchen. Okay not really but it seemed that way.
"Ro-on's in trouble." Charlie snickered.
"ALL OF YOU OUT!" She screamed. My brothers didn't need to be told twice. The three of them were out of there faster then I had seen any of them ever move before. Mum glared at dad.
"Yes Molly dear." He said and quickly left, shutting the door behind him. Great, it was just me and my mother in the kitchen now. She looked ready to explode.
"Do you know what you have done?" She hissed.
"Uh."
"No Weasley in-"
"The history of Weasleydom has ever been suspended. Yes mum I've been told." I said.
"And no Quinn has either! You have. blemished the family name!"
"I WAS DEFENDING THE FAMILY NAME!" I yelled. Then realized I had yelled at my mother. "Uh. mum." I mumbled quickly.
"Don't you use that tone of voice with me, young man! Go to your room!" She shrieked.
"Y-y-yes mum." I quickly left and went up the stairs.
"Ro-on's in trouble." Charlie snickered as I passed the twins room where he was staying.
"Charlie shut up." Bill snapped and pushed him down the stairs.
"Ow! Ouch! Oof!" Charlie yelped as he tumbled down.
Bill turned to me. "You okay?"
"Shook up but otherwise fine." I said.
"Good." Bill answered. I think I was his favorite brother. He was mine. I think it was because he's the oldest and I'm the youngest.
"What were you thinking? Attacking another student!" Percy demanded as I passed his room.
"I was defending mum." I said.
"You shouldn't of attacked another student. Plus, its Malfoy!" Percy added.
"So? The rat-boy deserved it." I said.
"Ron. do you know what Lucius Malfoy will do?" Percy demanded. I felt even sicker. I never thought of that. Percy noticed this. "Hopefully he won't get dad fired." Percy said and slammed his door shut.
Feeling I couldn't get any sicker I went to my room and shut the door. I groaned loudly and flopped onto my bed.
***
Ron looked up at a hooting, and saw Hedwig flying down to where he worked in the garden. "Hullo Hedwig." Ron said as she landed. Ron tugged and fell backwards, uprooted a large weed that was trying to bite him. Hedwig stuck her leg out and Ron untied the letters. There were three of them.
Dear Ron,
How did your parents react? I hope you're not too much in trouble. We have a new Keeper on the team. Allison Bortes is a Third year. She's quite nice and a great Keeper, almost as good as Oliver. Hermione suggested I send you our homework so you can keep up with us but I told her if she wanted to do that, she had to do it herself. I'm writing this letter in History and its almost over so I'll send it out with Hedwig right after. See you Friday.
Harry
Dear Ron
How're you doing? I sent this letter with Harry's owl cause my owl is delivering a letter for me. But I thought I'd at least write a 'hello'. Draco is still in the hospital. So I'm paired up with Donnie since neither of us have a partner McGonagall's is still acting weird. I think she has another date soon. Well gotta go. See you Friday!
Peggy
Dear Ron,
We're learning about the Degneg Potion, its on pages 165-167 in Magical Drafts and Potions. In Transfiguration, we're still practicing the turning logs into dogs, you know where that is in the book. In Charms we started on the water charm. Its on page 236 in the Standard Book of Spells- Grade 5. In Herbology we started on the Peorji plant which is on pages 371-372 in One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi. In History we're learning pages 524- 530 in A History of Magic. In Defense Against The Dark Arts its pages 194 in Curses and Countercurses. In Care Of Magical Creatures its the Baailin on page 29 in 1001 Magical Creatures of New Age. I hope these help you so you won't be too far behind!
Hermione
Ron shook his head and put the letters up.
'Why are you stopping?" His mother appeared.
"Hedwig delivered some letters." Ron said, scowling.
"Finish the garden." She snapped before going back inside. Ron sighed and returned to working, working, working.
***
Harry slumped forward in his seat at dinner Thursday evening. Hogwarts felt empty without Ron there. And now the only ones he had to hang with were three girls. Across him, Amy and Peggy were talking about the dance and beside him, Hermione studied.
"You haven't agreed to any dates?" Peggy asked.
"No. I want to go with someone I actually know. Not someone who just wants to go with me cause they think I'm pretty." Amy explained, buttering a roll.
"I haven't been asked at all." Peggy said glumly. She flicked back some hair and stared at her reflection in a spoon. "I'm ugly."
"No you're not." Amy said.
"Yes I am. At least, to boys I am." She said with a sigh, looking down at her lanky body. She groaned and banged her head forward on the table.
"Have you been asked to the dance yet?" Amy asked Hermione who blushed and giggled.
"Yes."
"You have?" Harry asked in surprised.
"Uh-huh. 7." Hermione said.
"You've been asked by seven guys?" Harry continued.
"Yep. Neville, Joshua, Duane, Karl." Hermione counted them off her fingers. "uh. Andrew, Brian and. Christopher."
"Who the heck are all those boys?" Harry asked.
"Joshua and Brian are seventh year Ravenclaws. Christopher is a sixth year Ravenclaw. Duane is a sixth year Hufflepuff. Andrew and Karl are Seventh year Hufflepuffs." She explained. "And you know who Neville is."
"Ugh. Ugh. Ugh." Peggy said, banging her head against the table. She stopped a moment and shook her head.
"Maybe its because of the sling?" Amy asked. Peggy sat back up. She was pretty much back to how she was before, just her arm was still in a sling.
"Yeah, sure Amy." Peggy said bitterly. She knew perfectly well it was because she wasn't pretty. She was curvy but not curvy enough to contrast with her. non-prettiness.
"How many times have you been asked, Harry?" Hermione asked. Harry pulled out a piece of parchment.
"Let's see. 64."
"WHAT?!" Peggy shrieked causing a lot of people to look at her.
"Sixty-four. You have been asked to the dance sixty-four times." Hermione said.
"Yes." Harry said with a scowl, shoving the parchment back in his backpack.
"How come you're keeping total?" Amy asked with a giggle.
"I'm just curious to see how many times I get asked." Harry said with a shrug. "There was even a couple Slytherins."
"Okay that I don't believe." Hermione said, shaking her head.
"Well there was." Harry sighed, looking at the Slytherin table. He had been quite scared when they asked him.
"So, where's the crowd of girls today?" Amy asked.
"Hopefully gone forever." Harry said, shaking his head. "Besides, a lot of them are Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws." He added, casting looks at the two tables. When he looked at the latter, Cho caught his eye and smiled. Harry went red but somehow managed to smile back before looking down at his dinner.
"So who are you going to go with?" Peggy asked.
"Its like Amy said. I want to go with someone I know. And the only reason all the girls are asking me out is because I'm."
"Harry Potter." Amy finished.
"Yep." Harry said, banging his head back down on the table. Then he looked up. "Amy."
"Yeah?" She asked.
"You don't care that I'm famous-"
"She didn't even know you were famous." Hermione cut in, shaking her head, still not able to believe it.
"Anyway, wanna go with me?" Harry finished. Amy looked up, her black eyes sparkling.
"I don't know." She said slowly. She looked at Peggy who was smirking. "I. well, okay." She said.
"Okay pay up." Peggy said. Amy sighed and handed Peggy a sickle.
"What is that for?" Harry asked.
"Peggy bet me that you'd ask me." Amy explained.
Peggy giggled and pocketed the sickle. "And I was right." She said.
"I should really agree to a date before its too late." Hermione said slowly. She thought this over. "I think I'll go with Brian. He's really nice and very smart." Hermione nodded and went over to the Ravenclaw table. She sat down beside a tallish boy with neat blonde-brown hair, tan skin and a slight muscular build. After talking a moment, Hermione returned.
"Well?" Harry asked.
"I've got a date." She said.
"Yippee for you." Peggy grumbled and slammed her head down on the table again. Then looked up quickly. "Hey, Donnie went with me to the St. Patrick's day dance last year." She said and went over to Donnie and Dean. She returned looking glum.
"What happened?" Amy asked.
"He and Dean going with Parvati and Padma." She said and slumped in her seat. "You think Ron would agree?"
"No." Hermione admitted. "He. uh."
"Likes pretty girls." Peggy finished for her.
Hermione bit her bottom lip and nodded. "Yeah, sorry."
"Its okay. That's how all boys are." Peggy said, laying her head on the table again.
"Aw poor Peggy." Rose appeared, sitting right across from Harry.
"Go 'way, Rose. I'm not in the mood." Peggy snapped.
"I didn't come to talk to you." Rose tossed back her curls and flashed her pearly whites at Harry. "I was going to ask Harry to the dance." She said and began twisting a curl around her forefinger. "It just seems right. The prettiest girl with the most handsome boy."
"Sorry, Rose." Harry said, rapidly turning red. "I'm going with Amy."
"What? You're going with her?" Rose demanded, glaring daggers at Amy who shrugged. "Why are you going with Snake-Girl?"
"Snake-Girl?" Harry asked.
"Never mind." Rose scowled and tossed her hair back, hitting Amy's face before leaving.
"She's one of the ones from my old school to call me names because I'm a Parselmouth." Amy explained.
"Ah." Harry said, glancing at Peggy who's head was down and she was shaking it slowly, groaning.
"I just won't go. They need a DJ. I'll be the DJ." She said and sighed. Harry felt sorry for her and then thought of what had happened earlier. That morning he had gotten a third letter from J. Potter. This time he got a little farther.
Dear Harry,
You don't know w-
Then the letter had blown into the lake before Harry could read anymore. He shook his head and a had a feeling J. Potter, whoever he was, would be writing back again soon.
***
Ron was watching out the window, feeling excited. Harry, Peggy, Hermione and Amy stood on the platform, watching the train. Ron leapt off and hugged Harry.
"Welcome back!" Harry said with a laugh.
"Its great to be back. The Burrow was like hell. Mum decided to put me to work cleaning everything. And I mean everything." Ron said, rubbing his now aching back. He turned to Hermione who gave him a stiff hug.
"Did you get the homework?" Hermione asked.
"Oh God, Hermione." Ron said, shaking his head. He hugged Peggy and Amy (though he didn't really know Amy all that well).
After that they piled into the carriage to head back to Hogwarts. "What was your parents reactions?" Harry asked.
"Ugh dad was kind of scary. He stood there on Platforms nine and three quarters like this." Ron folded his arms and clouded his face over with anger.
"Ron, you know you look a lot like your dad?" Hermione asked.
"I said hi and he then used the full name I use. He never does that. The worst he did was just Ronald Weasley." Ron said, making a face. "Anyway, we got home and Charlie was saying how I was the first Weasley to get suspended. And then mom started wailing that I got into a fight and fussing over me. Then as soon as she found out I was fine, she used me entire name." With this Ron shook his head and sighed.
"Y-you're suspended?" Harry demanded.
"Yes. For a week." Ron growled as he flung things into his trunk.
"Oh my gosh." Neville gasped.
"Are you still allowed to go to the Hogsmeade trip?" Seamus asked.
"Nope." Ron replied as a book thumped against another. "And the Monday after I return I'll start serving my two week detention."
"I don't believe this. All this just because you attacked Malfoy?" Dean demanded.
"Snape says he could've died." Ron said, making a face.
The others snorted. "Yeah like that happened." Harry grumbled.
"Snape would probably say that if you lightly touched Malfoy's shoulder." Seamus muttered.
"You think its worth?" Donnie asked.
"Oh yes. It was worth it. Smashing that little jerk's head in." Ron said, gripping a cloak angrily.
"Ron!" Fred, George and Lee Jordan ran in.
"Yes?" Ron asked, scowling.
"You-you-you-you. you're suspended?!?!" George demanded.
"Yeah. For a week." Ron said.
Fred put his hands on Ron's shoulders. "You're going to be dead."
"What?"
"Mum and dad are going to kill you." He said.
"Huh? How come? Because I defended the family honor? You do know why I attacked Malfoy. He made a nasty remark about our mother." Ron said, scowling deeply and gripping a book so tightly it looked like it was going to break.
"Ron. Neither of us has ever been suspended." George said indicating himself and Fred.
"None of us kids have been suspended!" Fred added.
"None of mum's brothers and sisters have ever been suspended." George continued.
"None of dad's brother's and sisters have ever been suspended."
"Our grandparents were never suspended!"
"Their brothers and sisters were never suspended!"
"And your point is?" Ron asked.
"NO WEASLEY IN THE HISTORY OF WEASLEYDOM HAS EVER BEEN SUSPENDED!" Both twins screamed.
Ron remained silent for a few minutes. "Oh." He finally said.
"Hey, I'll be the youngest Weasley son now." George said, rubbing his chin.
"You two. Ron's going to be having a difficult enough time as it is." Harry said. Ron pulled himself away from his brothers and began throwing his clothes in his trunk.
"Just leave me alone, all right?" He demanded.
"Okay." Slowly everyone left.
Ron continued packing. He wasn't taking everything with him, ofcourse. His clothes and some books. He looked up at a soft knock on the door. "Yeah? Whaddaya want?" Ron griped.
The door opened and Peggy came in. "Hi."
"Peggy you're not supposed to be up here." Ron snapped, ripping a shirt from the closet and flinging it into the trunk.
"I don't care. I came to see if you were okay." She said, looking in confusion at him packing.
"Oh I'm just dandy." Ron growled.
"You aren't expelled are you?" Peggy asked, sitting at the end of Seamus's bed.
"No. Suspended. For a week." Ron explained.
"Oh." Peggy said, tucking back a strand of hair. She watched Ron in silence a few minutes. "Will you be able to go to Hogsmeade?"
"No.' Ron replied bitterly.
"And the dance?"
"I don't know." Ron said with a shrug.
"When are you leaving?"
"Tomorrow morning."
"And be back next Friday?"
"Yep. Well, that's everything." Ron said and straightened up.
"I'll get going then." Peggy hopped up and left.
Ron sighed heavily and closed his trunk, feeling sick.
*** (Ron's point of view)
I sat back on the train, arms folded, glaring out the window. Across from me was an old man, asleep and snoring and beside him was a woman and her two-year old daughter who kept kicking me. Aside from lugging Hogwarts students at the beginning and end of each school holiday, this train was used to take people from Hogsmeade to London and vice versa. I sighed again and looked outside at the clear blue fall sky. Soon the train stopped and everyone got off. I got my trunk and dragged it off. I stopped on the platform and looked around.
My father stood there, face clouded with anger. Fred and George were right.
I was dead.
"Hullo dad." I said, dragging my trunk over to him. He continued standing there. Arms folded. Face clouded. I suddenly realized how much I looked like him. "Dad?" I asked.
"Ronald Matthias Weasley." He said and I cringed back. He never called me by my full name.
"Y-yes?" I asked. He grabbed my arm and dragged me out into Kings Cross, not speaking. He put my trunk in the back of our car and pointed at the front passenger side. I slowly got in, feeling sick. Very, very sick. He got in and drove us out of town, gripping the steering wheel and glaring straight ahead. "Dad I was defending the family honor!" I said but he didn't say anything. "Malfoy he-he made fun of mum!" But nothing but silence. I sat back and watched out the window at the passing countryside. After a while we got back to the Burrow.
I got my trunk and dragged it in, hearing voices from the kitchen. Glancing in I saw mum, Percy, and Bill talking about something. "Mum's really mad." I jumped and turned to see Charlie standing there.
"She is?" I asked, feeling even sicker. I could handle dad being mad but mum. none of us wanted to make her mad.
"Very. You are the first Weasley in the history of Weaselydom to get suspended." Charlie said.
"I've been told." I said glumly.
"And the same goes for the Quinns."
"Ah." I said. Quinn was my mother's maiden name.
'Well?" I jumped at dad's voice. "Aren't you going to go in?"
"Ah." I said. "Yes. Go in." I turned towards the kitchen, gulped, and stepped in. Bill was the first one to see me. I could tell he was torn between amusement and looking stern. Percy saw me and scowled deeply, adjusting his horn-rimmed glasses. Mum looked up. "H-hello mum." I stammered.
Mum stood up. I immediately took a step back, feeling very afraid. "My baby!" She shrieked and threw herself at me. I was engulfed in her arms, being squeezed so tight I could hardly breath.
"M-m-mum?" I somehow managed. Percy looked incredibly shocked. So did the others.
"My poor baby was in a fiiiiiight." She wailed, hugging me tighter.
"Mum?" I asked, confused.
"Sit down, sweetie. Oh my poor dear." She sniffled, setting me down in a chair. "Are you all right?" She asked, brushing me off.
I looked at Bill who had fallen over laughing. "I. I'm fine." I said slowly.
"Are you sure?" She asked, staring deep into my eyes.
"Yes. I'm perfectly fine." I said.
"Oh, in that case. RONALD MATTHIAS WEASLEY THE THIRD! WHAT ON EARTH WERE YOU THINKING?!" She shrieked causing me to fall backwards onto the floor. My full entire name had never been used before. Ronald Matthias Weasley, yes, but never the third.
"I-I-I-I-I-I"
"YOU ARE IN SO MUCH TROUBLE YOUNG MAN!"
"Owwwwww I-I think my arm is broken." I said hopefully. Mum had puffed up roughly to the size of the entire kitchen. Okay not really but it seemed that way.
"Ro-on's in trouble." Charlie snickered.
"ALL OF YOU OUT!" She screamed. My brothers didn't need to be told twice. The three of them were out of there faster then I had seen any of them ever move before. Mum glared at dad.
"Yes Molly dear." He said and quickly left, shutting the door behind him. Great, it was just me and my mother in the kitchen now. She looked ready to explode.
"Do you know what you have done?" She hissed.
"Uh."
"No Weasley in-"
"The history of Weasleydom has ever been suspended. Yes mum I've been told." I said.
"And no Quinn has either! You have. blemished the family name!"
"I WAS DEFENDING THE FAMILY NAME!" I yelled. Then realized I had yelled at my mother. "Uh. mum." I mumbled quickly.
"Don't you use that tone of voice with me, young man! Go to your room!" She shrieked.
"Y-y-yes mum." I quickly left and went up the stairs.
"Ro-on's in trouble." Charlie snickered as I passed the twins room where he was staying.
"Charlie shut up." Bill snapped and pushed him down the stairs.
"Ow! Ouch! Oof!" Charlie yelped as he tumbled down.
Bill turned to me. "You okay?"
"Shook up but otherwise fine." I said.
"Good." Bill answered. I think I was his favorite brother. He was mine. I think it was because he's the oldest and I'm the youngest.
"What were you thinking? Attacking another student!" Percy demanded as I passed his room.
"I was defending mum." I said.
"You shouldn't of attacked another student. Plus, its Malfoy!" Percy added.
"So? The rat-boy deserved it." I said.
"Ron. do you know what Lucius Malfoy will do?" Percy demanded. I felt even sicker. I never thought of that. Percy noticed this. "Hopefully he won't get dad fired." Percy said and slammed his door shut.
Feeling I couldn't get any sicker I went to my room and shut the door. I groaned loudly and flopped onto my bed.
***
Ron looked up at a hooting, and saw Hedwig flying down to where he worked in the garden. "Hullo Hedwig." Ron said as she landed. Ron tugged and fell backwards, uprooted a large weed that was trying to bite him. Hedwig stuck her leg out and Ron untied the letters. There were three of them.
Dear Ron,
How did your parents react? I hope you're not too much in trouble. We have a new Keeper on the team. Allison Bortes is a Third year. She's quite nice and a great Keeper, almost as good as Oliver. Hermione suggested I send you our homework so you can keep up with us but I told her if she wanted to do that, she had to do it herself. I'm writing this letter in History and its almost over so I'll send it out with Hedwig right after. See you Friday.
Harry
Dear Ron
How're you doing? I sent this letter with Harry's owl cause my owl is delivering a letter for me. But I thought I'd at least write a 'hello'. Draco is still in the hospital. So I'm paired up with Donnie since neither of us have a partner McGonagall's is still acting weird. I think she has another date soon. Well gotta go. See you Friday!
Peggy
Dear Ron,
We're learning about the Degneg Potion, its on pages 165-167 in Magical Drafts and Potions. In Transfiguration, we're still practicing the turning logs into dogs, you know where that is in the book. In Charms we started on the water charm. Its on page 236 in the Standard Book of Spells- Grade 5. In Herbology we started on the Peorji plant which is on pages 371-372 in One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi. In History we're learning pages 524- 530 in A History of Magic. In Defense Against The Dark Arts its pages 194 in Curses and Countercurses. In Care Of Magical Creatures its the Baailin on page 29 in 1001 Magical Creatures of New Age. I hope these help you so you won't be too far behind!
Hermione
Ron shook his head and put the letters up.
'Why are you stopping?" His mother appeared.
"Hedwig delivered some letters." Ron said, scowling.
"Finish the garden." She snapped before going back inside. Ron sighed and returned to working, working, working.
***
Harry slumped forward in his seat at dinner Thursday evening. Hogwarts felt empty without Ron there. And now the only ones he had to hang with were three girls. Across him, Amy and Peggy were talking about the dance and beside him, Hermione studied.
"You haven't agreed to any dates?" Peggy asked.
"No. I want to go with someone I actually know. Not someone who just wants to go with me cause they think I'm pretty." Amy explained, buttering a roll.
"I haven't been asked at all." Peggy said glumly. She flicked back some hair and stared at her reflection in a spoon. "I'm ugly."
"No you're not." Amy said.
"Yes I am. At least, to boys I am." She said with a sigh, looking down at her lanky body. She groaned and banged her head forward on the table.
"Have you been asked to the dance yet?" Amy asked Hermione who blushed and giggled.
"Yes."
"You have?" Harry asked in surprised.
"Uh-huh. 7." Hermione said.
"You've been asked by seven guys?" Harry continued.
"Yep. Neville, Joshua, Duane, Karl." Hermione counted them off her fingers. "uh. Andrew, Brian and. Christopher."
"Who the heck are all those boys?" Harry asked.
"Joshua and Brian are seventh year Ravenclaws. Christopher is a sixth year Ravenclaw. Duane is a sixth year Hufflepuff. Andrew and Karl are Seventh year Hufflepuffs." She explained. "And you know who Neville is."
"Ugh. Ugh. Ugh." Peggy said, banging her head against the table. She stopped a moment and shook her head.
"Maybe its because of the sling?" Amy asked. Peggy sat back up. She was pretty much back to how she was before, just her arm was still in a sling.
"Yeah, sure Amy." Peggy said bitterly. She knew perfectly well it was because she wasn't pretty. She was curvy but not curvy enough to contrast with her. non-prettiness.
"How many times have you been asked, Harry?" Hermione asked. Harry pulled out a piece of parchment.
"Let's see. 64."
"WHAT?!" Peggy shrieked causing a lot of people to look at her.
"Sixty-four. You have been asked to the dance sixty-four times." Hermione said.
"Yes." Harry said with a scowl, shoving the parchment back in his backpack.
"How come you're keeping total?" Amy asked with a giggle.
"I'm just curious to see how many times I get asked." Harry said with a shrug. "There was even a couple Slytherins."
"Okay that I don't believe." Hermione said, shaking her head.
"Well there was." Harry sighed, looking at the Slytherin table. He had been quite scared when they asked him.
"So, where's the crowd of girls today?" Amy asked.
"Hopefully gone forever." Harry said, shaking his head. "Besides, a lot of them are Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws." He added, casting looks at the two tables. When he looked at the latter, Cho caught his eye and smiled. Harry went red but somehow managed to smile back before looking down at his dinner.
"So who are you going to go with?" Peggy asked.
"Its like Amy said. I want to go with someone I know. And the only reason all the girls are asking me out is because I'm."
"Harry Potter." Amy finished.
"Yep." Harry said, banging his head back down on the table. Then he looked up. "Amy."
"Yeah?" She asked.
"You don't care that I'm famous-"
"She didn't even know you were famous." Hermione cut in, shaking her head, still not able to believe it.
"Anyway, wanna go with me?" Harry finished. Amy looked up, her black eyes sparkling.
"I don't know." She said slowly. She looked at Peggy who was smirking. "I. well, okay." She said.
"Okay pay up." Peggy said. Amy sighed and handed Peggy a sickle.
"What is that for?" Harry asked.
"Peggy bet me that you'd ask me." Amy explained.
Peggy giggled and pocketed the sickle. "And I was right." She said.
"I should really agree to a date before its too late." Hermione said slowly. She thought this over. "I think I'll go with Brian. He's really nice and very smart." Hermione nodded and went over to the Ravenclaw table. She sat down beside a tallish boy with neat blonde-brown hair, tan skin and a slight muscular build. After talking a moment, Hermione returned.
"Well?" Harry asked.
"I've got a date." She said.
"Yippee for you." Peggy grumbled and slammed her head down on the table again. Then looked up quickly. "Hey, Donnie went with me to the St. Patrick's day dance last year." She said and went over to Donnie and Dean. She returned looking glum.
"What happened?" Amy asked.
"He and Dean going with Parvati and Padma." She said and slumped in her seat. "You think Ron would agree?"
"No." Hermione admitted. "He. uh."
"Likes pretty girls." Peggy finished for her.
Hermione bit her bottom lip and nodded. "Yeah, sorry."
"Its okay. That's how all boys are." Peggy said, laying her head on the table again.
"Aw poor Peggy." Rose appeared, sitting right across from Harry.
"Go 'way, Rose. I'm not in the mood." Peggy snapped.
"I didn't come to talk to you." Rose tossed back her curls and flashed her pearly whites at Harry. "I was going to ask Harry to the dance." She said and began twisting a curl around her forefinger. "It just seems right. The prettiest girl with the most handsome boy."
"Sorry, Rose." Harry said, rapidly turning red. "I'm going with Amy."
"What? You're going with her?" Rose demanded, glaring daggers at Amy who shrugged. "Why are you going with Snake-Girl?"
"Snake-Girl?" Harry asked.
"Never mind." Rose scowled and tossed her hair back, hitting Amy's face before leaving.
"She's one of the ones from my old school to call me names because I'm a Parselmouth." Amy explained.
"Ah." Harry said, glancing at Peggy who's head was down and she was shaking it slowly, groaning.
"I just won't go. They need a DJ. I'll be the DJ." She said and sighed. Harry felt sorry for her and then thought of what had happened earlier. That morning he had gotten a third letter from J. Potter. This time he got a little farther.
Dear Harry,
You don't know w-
Then the letter had blown into the lake before Harry could read anymore. He shook his head and a had a feeling J. Potter, whoever he was, would be writing back again soon.
***
Ron was watching out the window, feeling excited. Harry, Peggy, Hermione and Amy stood on the platform, watching the train. Ron leapt off and hugged Harry.
"Welcome back!" Harry said with a laugh.
"Its great to be back. The Burrow was like hell. Mum decided to put me to work cleaning everything. And I mean everything." Ron said, rubbing his now aching back. He turned to Hermione who gave him a stiff hug.
"Did you get the homework?" Hermione asked.
"Oh God, Hermione." Ron said, shaking his head. He hugged Peggy and Amy (though he didn't really know Amy all that well).
After that they piled into the carriage to head back to Hogwarts. "What was your parents reactions?" Harry asked.
"Ugh dad was kind of scary. He stood there on Platforms nine and three quarters like this." Ron folded his arms and clouded his face over with anger.
"Ron, you know you look a lot like your dad?" Hermione asked.
"I said hi and he then used the full name I use. He never does that. The worst he did was just Ronald Weasley." Ron said, making a face. "Anyway, we got home and Charlie was saying how I was the first Weasley to get suspended. And then mom started wailing that I got into a fight and fussing over me. Then as soon as she found out I was fine, she used me entire name." With this Ron shook his head and sighed.