Chapter Eight
Detentions and Brothers
Luckily, September 1st, was on a Friday, meaning he wouldn't fall asleep during class, because it was now half past five on Saturday morning, and Ron had less than an hour's time to sleep. He had been in Filch's office for the past hour and a half trying hard not to fall asleep.
"You've got detentions with me today and tomorrow. Wake up. You can start by mopping the great hall." Filch says.
"Are you joking? I just mopped three floors and eight staircases twice. I haven't eaten since yesterday morning, and I haven't slept an hour yet! The other guys involved in the fight are serving detentions for you too, but they're asleep." Ron says.
"They're in bed. You now have the 16th and 17th booked, as you will be serving detentions for me." Filch says.
"You said I got a detention, meaning one detention, for being out of bed, which wasn't my fault!" Ron says.
"Yes, but for your disrespect, I added another one." Filch says.
Ron stood up.
"Where do you think you're going?" Filch asks.
"You said to go start mopping the Great Hall." Ron says with a yawn.
Filch got him a broom, to sweep any decorations or crumbs from last night's feast, and gave him a mop and bucket of soapy water. He always started from the staff table and worked his way to the entrance, so he wouldn't get trapped. It was about eight o'clock when Ron finished and when somebody was about to enter the Great Hall. Ron figured this would happen.
However, it was Professor Dumbledore, and he did not step on the wet floor.
"Good morning, Mr. Weasley." Professor Dumbledore says.
"Morning, sir." Ron says.
"I wonder, if you would care to have a chat in my office." Professor Dumbledore says.
"I would, Professor Dumbledore sir, but I'm serving a detention for Mr. Filch." Ron says.
"The Great Hall must've taken you a couple hours to clean. Detentions usually aren't this early." Professor Dumbledore says, his blue eyes twinkling behind his half-moon spectacles.
"Detentions usually aren't this unfair, sir." Ron says.
Just then, Dumbledore turned to find Filch with his cat Mrs. Norris. Mrs. Norris walked across the Great Hall leaving paw prints on the wet floor. Ron sighed and wiped his face with his hand in exhaustion.
"Headmaster, you may go through. He has to clean it again after breakfast anyway." Filch says.
"Ah, well, I had no intentions of eating just now, I actually wanted to speak with Mr. Weasley, but he wasn't sure that you'd allow him to stop cleaning long enough to come up to my office." Professor Dumbledore says.
"Of course he may." He turns to Ron. "I'll have a bucket of soap water with rags in the trophy room, waiting for you, when you're finished." Filch says.
"Wonderful." Ron says sarcastically.
Ron follows Professor Dumbledore up to his office. As this was the first time Ron had ever been to the Headmaster's office he looked at everything he could, seeing Fawkes, the phoenix, which he had seen before, in his second year. He looked eagerly around him.
"Have a seat." Professor Dumbledore says. Ron sat across from Dumbledore. "I don't tolerate the kind of behavior, and the actions that you shown yesterday on the Hogwarts Express. Professor McGonagall would have suspended you, but Professor Snape wouldn't agree to suspend three of his students. Now I hear that you've been giving an additional two detentions to add to your already given two week's worth." Professor Dumbledore says.
"That wasn't completely my fault, Professor. I was only out of bed, because Professor Snape had me mopping the floors, and I finished by the time everyone left the Great Hall, but they didn't come to inspect them until after they were walked on. Then I had to mop them all over again, and by three o'clock I was done and allowed to go to bed, but I never thought to get the password from Professor McGonagall, because I thought I'd be done, like I was, before the students walked all over it, and the portrait of the Fat Lady wouldn't let me in, because I didn't have the password. So Mr. Filch found me sitting outside the common room, and he gave me a detention for being out of bed after dark, and when I tried to explain, he gave me a detention for being disrespectful, sir." Ron explains.
"Three o'clock in the morning? I believe Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Crabbe, and Mr. Goyle were in their houses by eleven." Professor Dumbledore says.
"Were they even given detention?" Ron asks.
"I'll be asking Professor Snape about that. Now what I've been curious about is a very insistent Mr. Malfoy claiming that you punched him first, is this true?" Professor Dumbledore asks.
"Yes sir, I hit them first." Ron says.
"Why?" Professor Dumbledore asks.
"I was sitting in a compartment, talking to a friend of mine, when they came in without knocking." Ron starts.
"Was this friend Mr. Potter? Or perhaps, Ms. Granger?" Professor Dumbledore asks.
"No sir, but anyway we don't get along at all, and they knew they weren't welcome there. They came in anyway. Malfoy said a few things regarding Diagon Alley, which I didn't react to, but he was trying to push me by saying all this crap, I mean stuff, and he finally got to me, because he made a threat, and I was scared and I thought hitting him would shut him up, but it obviously was a bad choice, sir." Ron says.
"What was the threat he made?" Professor Dumbledore asks.
"He had said that he hoped I said goodbye to my parents, because that was the last time I would see them. I was mad at them at King's Cross so I didn't say anything to them, and the thought of them being killed scared me, and Harry told me that Malfoy's father was a death eater, and I don't know what came over me, I got mad and started hitting him sir. It was really stupid, and a really bad decision sir. I mean my parents could disapparate if they came. I just didn't think about how unreal that was at the time. I mean the Death Eater's and You-Know-Who can't stop someone from apparating, right?" Ron asks.
"The dark magic is very dangerous, powerful, and mysterious. I do not know for certain if they possess this power, but I do know that people have been tortured and killed, when they had nothing stopping them from disapparating, with the exception of the element of surprise." Professor Dumbledore says.
"But they can't come to the burrow, right?" Ron asks hopefully.
"Were you stating a fact that Mr. Malfoy said this?" Professor Dumbledore asks.
"I wouldn't make this up!" Ron says in disbelief.
"I'll be right back, please excuse me for a moment." Professor Dumbledore says.
Ron was very upset. Not only was he more mad at Malfoy for making the threat, he was scared for his parents' lives, he felt guilty that he didn't say goodbye, and he was hurt that Professor Dumbledore didn't believe him. Ron decided he couldn't care about anything anymore. His friends talked behind his back, his parents were disappointed in him, he wasn't close with his brothers or Ginny, and worst of all no matter how hard he tried to explain, nobody ever believed him, or trusted him. He was going to do things his way now. He wouldn't care about the consequences. He'd be cold to pain and feelings. He'd have to be. He couldn't believe how much people changed after his actions with Sabrina. When did he miss the change? Was it during the duration of his stay at Grandfather's?
When Professor Dumbledore returned he had Malfoy with him. Ron rolled his eyes and rested his face in his hands. He did not need to be called a liar, right now. He needed food and sleep.
"Have a seat." Professor Dumbledore says to Malfoy. Ron moved his chair away from the one next to it; where Malfoy was to sit, and Malfoy pulled his chair a good distance away before sitting down in it.
"As I have heard, your side of the story Mr. Malfoy, I have also listened to Mr. Weasley's." Professor Dumbledore says.
"He hit me first!" Malfoy says, before Dumbledore can say anything else.
"He doesn't deny that. However, he says you made a threat against his parents." Professor Dumbledore says.
"I can't control the way he reacts." Malfoy says glaring at Ron.
"You don't deny threatening him, then?" Professor Dumbledore asks.
"He ran his mouth as well." Malfoy says.
"Did you make the threat or not?" Professor Dumbledore asks.
"I might've slipped… as a joke." Malfoy says.
Professor Dumbledore writes something on a slip of parchment, and again on another. He walks over to Fawkes, and ties them to its legs.
Fawkes leave's Dumbledore's office.
"I have sent my phoenix to fetch the heads of your houses." Professor Dumbledore says. "Something must be done about your hatred towards each other. I will not tolerate fighting in my school. Now, return your chairs to where they were."
Ron stood up and moved his chair back where it was, but did not sit down. He walked over to where he had been standing and crossed his arms. Malfoy did the same. They both dared glances at each other, thinking 'copycat.'
Professor Dumbledore was starting to grow impatient. "This is very ridiculous. Both of you have a seat." Professor Dumbledore says.
"I'd rather stand, thank you." Malfoy jeered.
"We have too much fighting outside Hogwarts, now you will sit down." Professor Dumbledore says.
Neither student moved.
Finally, they could hear footsteps up the moving spiral staircase that lead to Professor Dumbledore's office. Professors Snape and McGonagall entered.
"Good morning, Professor Dumbledore, I-" She stopped, as she saw the two students there. "Mr. Weasley, Mr. Malfoy, you have been threatened with suspension if you fought again I-"
Professor Snape cut her off. "What happened now?" Professor Snape asks. He looked evilly towards Ron, looked bewildered toward Malfoy, and then looked expectantly at Dumbledore.
"Nothing since last night, but speaking of last night, what was Mr. Malfoy's detention?" Professor Dumbledore asks.
"He helped Mr. Crabbe and Mr. Goyle with mopping the dungeons." Professor Snape says.
"What time was he finished?" Professor Dumbledore asks Snape.
"Eleven, in two hours time." Professor Snape says.
"And how did Mr. Weasley serve his detention?" Professor Dumbledore asks.
"Mopping the fifth, sixth, and seventh floors." Professor Snape says.
"On his own?" Professor Dumbledore asks.
"Yes. He chose not to work with my students." Professor Snape says.
"What time was he finished?" Professor Dumbledore asks.
"He finished just before the students left the dining hall, but foolishly chose to do mop the fifth floor last, causing the Ravenclaws to dirty the wet floor. I had him do it over again, and he was done at three." Professor Snape says.
"You had me wash the staircases too. I wasn't going to get trapped up there from starting from the bottom. I couldn't very well fly down, and if I had went down the stairs, I would have messed up." Ron says.
"You were not asked to talk Mr. Weasley." Professor McGonagall snaps.
"Why I asked you to come was because these two refuse to cooperate with one another. They don't get along at all, and they've already fought once that we know of. They can't behave civilly together, and as they share classes, they'll need to. I suggest that when term starts, you pair them together in classes. They'll learn to work together, and until they do in at least a proper way, they lose all privileges. Hogsmeade visits, Quidditch matches, Halloween feast, and the Yule Ball." Professor Dumbledore says.
"That's not fair! He doesn't lose anything in Quidditch matches. He doesn't have the talent to be on the team." Malfoy says. "I on the other hand, am on the team."
"Then I suggest you act like your age, and act decently when you're in classes and such." Professor Dumbledore says.
"I'd rather be suspended than be paired with white trash, thank you." Malfoy says.
"Yes, please suspend him, I'd stop fighting." Ron says.
Malfoy glowered at him.
"If Mr. Malfoy were to be suspended, you would be suspended as well." Professor McGonagall says.
"But I'm not the one asking for a vacation, he is." Ron says.
"I'm surprised your not suspended already, weren't you supposed to be expelled if you did anything wrong after you flew your daddy's car to Hogwarts?" Malfoy asks.
"Well, I obviously didn't do anything wrong, I mean hitting you must obviously be the right thing." Ron says smartly.
"Also note that in addition to their lost privileges, their weekends belong to cleaning the school, with Mr. Filch. They'll clean together, is that understood and agreed?" Professor Dumbledore asks Professors McGonagall and Snape.
"NO!" Malfoy and Ron said in unison.
"Agreed." Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape say simultaneously.
"Well, Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Weasley, I suggest you two sort out your differences and get acquainted. Know that if you do get caught fighting again, you will be suspended, both of you. When you return from your suspension, if that does happen, you will still have the same policies I have now. Befriend each other, or you'll lose your privileges and you'll be cleaning the school, the muggle way." Professor Dumbledore says.
"Well thank you, I'll remember not to get caught then. Excuse me I have to go clean the trophy room." Ron says and leaves.
"You can help him." Professor McGonagall says.
"But I haven't even had breakfast!" Malfoy growls.
"Yes, and Mr. Weasley hasn't had dinner, breakfast, or sleep. He has no hesitation in serving his detention." Professor Dumbledore says.
"Yes, but white trash is used to that." Malfoy says before leaving.
"It's not possible for them to even pretend to be proper around each other, how do you intend on getting them to work together?" Professor McGonagall asks.
"I took their privileges away, and I'm making them work." Professor Dumbledore says.
"Neither one of them seems to care. Except Mr. Malfoy was upset about Quidditch." Professor McGonagall says. "I don't think we've had more stubborn teenagers, reluctant to get along, well with the exception of Severus and Sirius Black, but that was ages ago. How did we change your minds?"
"You didn't. I still hate him to this day." Professor Snape says.
"Before he murdered all those muggles and betrayed Lily and James Potter, you must've let go of that grudge…" Professor McGonagall says.
"Nope, I still hate their gang, even though they're not alive." Professor Snape says.
"Well, we've got to get them to stop fighting every time they see each other." Professor McGonagall says. "Do you hear the way they talk to each other? Mr. Malfoy calling Mr. Weasley white trash. I was honestly surprised that Mr. Weasley held his temper."
"They're teenagers with a lot of anger in them. They need to take their anger out on something else, other than each other." Professor Dumbledore says.
"Draco had Quidditch, but you chose to take that away from him." Professor Snape says.
"Perhaps, I won't have to. Severus, I need a word with Minerva for a moment. I'll continue our conversation at breakfast in the Great Hall." Professor Dumbledore says.
Professor Snape left Dumbledore's office.
"I believe that Gryffindor has a keeper position open this year. I believe Mr. Weasley has talent, and perhaps if you ran it by his brothers, and Mr. Potter… you could have him tryout." Professor Dumbledore says.
"Of course. That's a wonderful idea." Professor McGonagall says. "All though, I won't run it by them, until term starts, I personally doubt that he'll control his temper until then."
"I'm surprised he's held it thus long. He hasn't slept or eaten anything in twelve hours. You'll need to give him the house password, or he'll spend the night getting points taken away by Filch and given chores to do. Although, I must say, the Great Hall was sparkling clean this morning." Professor Dumbledore says.
When Professor McGonagall entered the Great Hall, Harry stopped her from going to the staff table. "Professor, you haven't suspended Ron, have you?" Harry asks.
"Of course not." Professor McGonagall says.
"Then where is he?" Hermione asks.
"Cleaning the trophy room." Professor McGonagall says. She walked up to the staff table before they could ask any more questions. They ran out of the Great Hall running toward the trophy room.
When they got there, they saw Malfoy polishing the trophies with a look of disgust on his face, while Ron kept his distance. He just finished washing the windows and now he took the muggle broom and started sweeping the floor.
"That's the only thing you'll ever be able to do with a broom Weasley." Malfoy says nastily.
"Yes, well the only thing your able to do with a broom Malfoy, is shove it up your ass." Ron says. Then he grabs the soapy rag from the bucket that had a mop in it and swung it, getting water on Malfoy and the trophies. Without even looking, Ron adds, "Oh, you missed a spot."
"Sorry, I'm not white trash like you, I'm not good at cleaning things the muggle way." Malfoy says. "But I'm sure that's what you do, when your father's a muggle lover."
"Yes, and I'm sure with your father being a death eater, you call You-Know-Who an uncle." Ron says.
Malfoy stopped. He almost crossed the room, but thought better of it. Harry and Hermione entered.
"This is called detention, detaining us from friends and fun, now leave." Malfoy snaps.
"Like you ever had either." Ron says.
"Yes, well you really shouldn't be cleaning. White trash has fun cleaning. Weasley, rinse this for me." Malfoy says throwing a rag at him. Ron didn't go after him. He merely smiled nastily, before he took the rag, dipped it in the soapy water, and threw it back at Malfoy drenching the shoulder of his robe. Malfoy looked daggers at him, but didn't do anything.
Harry and Hermione walked over to Ron.
"Where were you last night?" Harry asks.
"I was mopping the floors of Hogwarts." Ron says.
"All night?" Hermione asks.
"No I had just finished at midnight, but I wasn't allowed to leave until Snape inspected it, but he didn't come until after everybody left the Great Hall, walking all over the floor. So he made me mop the fifth floor over again, and to assure that I would do the sixth and seventh floors again, he and Filch walked all around them." Ron says.
"When did you finish that?" Hermione asks.
"Three, but I didn't know the password, and the Fat Lady wouldn't let me in. So at four, Filch gave me another two detentions, and he told me to start on today's detentions. So I mopped the Great Hall, but Mrs. Norris walked on it, and I've got to clean it again after lunch." Ron says.
"So how many detentions do you have all together?" Harry asks.
"I got a week's worth from Snape, and a week's worth from McGonagall. Not to mention, every weekend I have to clean the castle for Filch." Ron says.
"For how long?" Hermione asks.
"All year probably." Ron answers.
"For fighting? You can't be serious." Hermione says.
"No Dumbledore won't let me go to Hogsmeade, eat in the Great Hall, go to Quidditch matches, and apparently the Yule Ball's back this year, and I'm forbidden from going to that until I befriend Malfoy." Ron says.
"That's impossible! We need you as keeper! Malfoy, can't you pretend to be at least decent around Ron. Obviously, the same restrictions apply to you. Slytherin will replace you as a seeker, and you wouldn't want that, would you? They could use a new one, but still you lose, as does he." Harry says.
"No Harry, it's okay, Malfoy will love cleaning the castle with Filch and Ron." Hermione teases.
"Shut up mudblood!" Malfoy says.
Ron without hesitating took the mop from the bucket and swung it across the room, the mop strings, smacking Malfoy in the face, knocking him down.
"Wash out your mouth." Ron says.
He grabbed the mop back quickly and placed it in the bucket just in time, as Filch strolled by.
"What happened?" Filch asks helping Malfoy up.
"Slipped." Malfoy lies.
"Be careful!" Filch snaps. Seeing Harry and Hermione, he barks, "What are you two doing in here. Admiring trophies, I doubt it! Get out of here, this is a detention, detaining students of fun!"
Harry and Hermione carefully left.
When Filch was well out of earshot, Ron muttered, "Thanks."
However, Malfoy was not happy and walked over to him and punched him to the ground. "Don't get caught." Malfoy teases. He walks back over to the trophy case, as Ron started to mop.
Luckily, and because Malfoy didn't want to clean anymore, Malfoy did not step over the clean floor. Ron and Malfoy had to clean the Great Hall, Ron mopped and Malfoy cleaned the tables. Over the course of the day, they had swept and mopped most of the castles, at least twice. Ron was told the password from Harry and entered Gryffindor Tower at one in the morning.
Ron fell asleep, but once again it wasn't for long. Ron awoke at three thirty, feeling something hairy, crawling on him. Ron gasped and woke up sweating, thinking he had had a nightmare of spiders crawling all over him, but it wasn't a nightmare. There were countless spiders, live all over the room. They were swarming all over the floor; Ron's bed was covered in them. Spider webs were stretched from the top of his canopy to the floor. They surrounded him. Ron's biggest fear was spiders, and this was worse. These were tarantulas. Ron wasn't sure whether to scream or not, but as two crawled up his legs he had no other choice. He screamed waking all the other boys up, but there weren't webs surrounding their beds, but they didn't dare move. Ron cried smacking the spiders off him. He didn't care if they bit him, as long as he could get out of the dorm.
At first he thought it was Malfoy's way of paying him back, but when he got down the dormitory steps into the common room. He saw his twin brothers, Fred and George laughing hysterically, and they were grinning madly in the armchair by the fireplace. People came out of their dorms wanting to know who screamed. Once Ron found his voice, he started screaming and hitting his brothers, who were too shocked to fight back at first.
"HOW DARE YOU? I HATE YOU! THAT'S THE WORST THING YOU'VE EVER DONE TO ME! I'LL NEVER FORGIVE EITHER OF YOU!" Ron screamed. He broke down sobbing.
Just then, Professor McGonagall looking very disturbed entered the common room still in her nightcap. "What in Heaven's name is going on?" Professor McGonagall demanded.
"It was nothing, Professor, really." Fred says.
"Just a small joke." George says with an innocent face that the Professor learned ages ago wasn't innocent at all.
Ron left the common room crying angrily at how cruel his brothers were. His ankle and hands were starting to swell, and he thought he was going to faint as he walked down to the hospital wing. He wanted to run, but the poison from the tarantulas was now traveling in his blood. He made it to the infirmary, managed to tell Madam Pomfrey what happened, before passing out, before even reaching a bed.
Meanwhile, Professor McGonagall was unsure of what to do. It wasn't as if Ron had fought Malfoy, but rather it was his brothers who picked on him, and for somebody under so much strain as Ron right now, who hadn't eaten in over twenty-four hours, who hadn't slept decently since before he arrived at Hogwarts, and who had been insulted terribly by Malfoy, it wasn't a wonder why his rage was building up. Professor McGonagall had never really seen the twins pick on their brother, but not only had she seen them do it, she'd seen them do the worst thing they could to their brother.
Professor McGonagall made the tarantulas disappear with one wave of her wand, but now Dean, Seamus, Harry, and Neville were scared to go back into their dorm. They all knew Ron had been terrified of spiders since Professor Lupin's Defense Against The Dark Arts class in their third year, Harry had known since their second year. All the students were curious as to what happened so everybody came out.
Professor McGonagall was outraged with the twins. She could have been Mrs. Weasley with her temper, only she was angrier than Harry had ever seen her. Hermione and Ginny had rushed over to Harry to ask what happened, but he couldn't answer, as Professor McGonagall had started yelling.
"THE LAST THING YOUR BROTHER NEEDS RIGHT NOW IS WHAT YOU JUST PULLED! HE'S UNDER A LOT OF STRAIN RIGHT NOW! HE HASN'T SLEPT MORE THAN FOUR HOURS IN THE LAST FORTY-EIGHT AND THEN YOU TWO GO AND PULL WHAT YOU CALL A PRANK, ONLY THAT IT ISN'T! IT WASN'T A CRUEL JOKE! IT WAS A CRUEL ACTION TO HURT YOUR BROTHER! YOU KNEW OF ALL PEOPLE THAT HE HATES SPIDERS, AND YOU PUT LIVE SPIDERS ALL OVER THEIR ROOM, HIS BED! NOT ONLY SPIDERS, EITHER! POISONOUS TARANTULAS! NOT TO ADD, THAT IT'S NOT ONLY HIS DORMITORY! THERE ARE FOUR OTHER PEOPLE WHO SLEEP THERE, WHO YOU DIDN'T TAKE TWO SECONDS TO THINK OF! NOT ONLY DO YOU HAVE DETENTIONS FOR THE NEXT WEEK, I'LL BE INFORMING YOUR MOTHER!" Professor McGonagall screamed.
"Professor, it was a joke." George says.
"Yea, and we took more than two seconds to think about, Harry, Dean, Seamus, and Neville! We put a charm on them that would repel the spiders!" Fred says.
"We were just making sure he hadn't changed too much, honestly it was just a test to see how much he changed over our Grandfather's this summer." George says.
"You two are to be in bed every night after dinner!" Professor McGonagall roars. "You do not want me to find you pulling another stunt like this again ever, or else I will have your mum come to Hogwarts to make sure you don't!"
Professor McGonagall looked at Harry, Dean, Seamus, and Neville. "Are any of you hurt?" Professor McGonagall asks.
"No Professor." They all said.
"I don't want to be back here again! Go to your dorms now!" Professor McGonagall barked at Fred and George. They ran quickly. Lee Jordan followed them.
Professor McGonagall left.
"That's horrible! Fred and George are awful sometimes!" Ginny says shaking her head. "Good luck getting back to bed." She told Harry as she left for her dorm.
Hermione looked at Harry. "What is happening to him? It's like all this terrible stuff all at once. I wish things would go back to the way they were." Hermione says.
"I don't blame Ron for being scared of spiders. The whole floor was moving! It was swarmed with spiders. If they do that at home I'd be scared of them too, though I'd be more afraid of my brothers." Dean says.
"Where is Ron anyway?" Harry asks.
Professor McGonagall found Ron in the hospital the next day sound asleep. "I don't expect him up for a while. The poison's got him sick, and I gave him an antidote, but he's got to sleep while it works. He looks like he hasn't slept enough anyway." Madam Pomfrey says.
"He hasn't." Professor McGonagall says and she starts explaining the detentions and the spiders. Madam Pomfrey was aghast.
"He hasn't eaten much lately, has he? I will excuse him from his week of detentions. He can't take this much strain and work, and not be sleeping or eating. When term starts, he'll be overwhelmed with schoolwork. Fifth year, isn't he? OWLS are coming up. He'll take in more than he can handle without the detentions and work. Have Professor Dumbledore talk to me if he doesn't approve." Madam Pomfrey says.
"There should be no objections, but I will let you know." Professor McGonagall says.
The next morning, Ron was out of the hospital wing after receiving his schedule. Madam Pomfrey had him eat a big breakfast before leaving for his first lesson, which happened to be Transfiguration.
"Good morning, and welcome back." Professor McGonagall says. "First thing's first. You'll be working in pairs. Mr. Weasley and Mr. Malfoy, I believe you already know your seating arrangement. You two sit up front here." Professor McGonagall says pointing to the desk in front.
Ron and Malfoy walked up to the desk and pulled their chairs as far apart as they could without McGonagall noticing, and sat down.
Professor McGonagall was not happy about this, though she didn't say anything.
"Everybody else, pair up already." Professor McGonagall says. The rest of the class paired up and took their seats.
"Now, this term we'll be learning Animagi, where in addition to preparing for your OWLS, you will be turning yourselves into animals. Everybody should choose one animal and really think about what they want to be." Professor McGonagall says. She turned herself into her Animagus form, a gray tabby cat.
While the class applauded, Malfoy leaned towards Ron, grinning he whispered, "Well, you can now turn yourself into the weasel you are."
Ron leaned towards him now, returning the grin. "There should only be one rodent in this room, and you've already been turned into the amazing bouncing ferret. I'll leave you to that."
Malfoy's grin changed into a smirk.
The lesson went on without much event.
Next lesson was charms with Professor Flitwick. Luckily, it wasn't with the Slytherins. Ron sat with Neville, while Harry and Hermione paired up. He insisted they review everything to prepare for their OWLS, and started by having them test Cheering Charms to set them all in good moods.
After Charms they had lunch. Ron went down to the kitchens and got his food, while everyone else went down to the Great Hall.
After lunch was finished, the Gryffindors headed outside to the Greenhouses for Herbology. They learned the uses of Gillyweed, a plant that could make you breathe underwater, and where to find it. Ron looked at Harry, who obviously was having a difficult time, as Cedric Diggory was of Hufflepuff, and not only were they having class with Hufflepuff, but their head of house was teaching the subject. Harry still felt responsible for Cedric's death and the Hufflepuffs and Professor Sprout were lifting the guilt at all. The Hufflepuffs were acting like they had been in Harry's second year, afraid of him, cold towards him, as if it was his fault. Professor Sprout simply didn't look at him.
After Herbology the Gryffindors ran across the lawns and down into the dungeons for Potions. Not that any of them enjoyed Potions, because Professor Snape hated the Gryffindors, but they ran because if you were late, you might as well not have come at all.
Once again Ron was paired up with Malfoy in the front of the class. However, Ron knew that Malfoy could say whatever he wanted, and Snape would be deaf to him, but even a whisper towards Malfoy, Snape would hear. Today Professor Snape had them review antidotes, and he threatened to poison one of them in the classroom, but Harry was sure he did not mean him. The way Snape's eyes kept flashing dangerously in the direction of Ron was starting to frighten him.
Luckily, nobody was poisoned, and Ron left just as safe as any other Gryffindor. He hadn't responded to Malfoy's remarks at all, in fact Harry wondered if he had gone deaf, because he didn't react in the slightest.
Harry and Hermione, instead of eating in the Great Hall, went down into the kitchens and got their dinners eating upstairs in the common room.
"I'm surprised you didn't kill him. Did you even hear what he was saying?" Harry asks.
"Of course not." Ron says smiling mischievously.
"How did you block him out?" Harry asks.
"I stayed behind in Flitwick's class, asked him to teach me a few charms." Ron says.
"For example?" Harry asks.
"A calming charm, and a charm that makes you temporarily deaf to enemies. Only, Professor Flitwick performed it, and I could only be temporarily deaf to one person, he thought I'd use it to not listen to a teacher, so I thought of Malfoy, and I kept seeing his mouth move, but I couldn't hear a word." Ron says.
"That's a good thing." Harry says.
Hermione elbowed him.
"I have no intentions of fighting, so stop beating up Harry." Ron says.
Just then the portrait hole swung open, and the twins entered. Ron still wasn't talking to them.
"Ron, we're really sorry!" Fred says.
"We've been trying to apologize all day, but you weren't in the hospital wing or the great hall at all!" George says.
"You can't ignore us forever!" Fred says.
"Yea, we bought you those dress robes! You have to forgive us. Something really nice has to make you forgive us for something really mean!" George says.
Ron went up to his dorm without saying a word to them. His door opened and a box flew downstairs. The twins picked it up. There was a note taped on it.
Get your money back!"That was not supposed to be for blackmail. I don't think Ron will forgive you for quite a while." Harry says. "Now he has no reason too."
"Please, Ron won't go to the Yule Ball in those crappy robes he wore last year, he got taller, they probably wouldn't even fit him anymore!" Fred argues.
"It wouldn't matter anyway. He's on restriction, he's not allowed to attend the Yule Ball, Quidditch Matches, Hogsmeade visits, or meals in the Great Hall." Hermione explains.
"What? Why?" George asks with disbelief.
"Because of all his fighting with Malfoy. Until they get along, Ron's not allowed." Hermione says.
"He's right, we should get our money back. Them getting along is never going to happen." Fred says.
"I'll be right back." Harry says.
Harry runs up to the dorm to find Ron starting on his Potions' Essay they had been assigned.
"Ron, look you know on the Hogwarts Express? I never got a chance to explain. I only said what I did, because I didn't want to get Hermione upset with me. Only don't tell Hermione I said that." Harry says quickly.
"The thing is I'm not sure if I do like her in that kind of way. When you said it, I saw her reaction to what you told her, and she looked horrified. I got scared and flipped out at you. When I get scared I get mad, and I don't know why. Malfoy scared me on the train, and not like 'BOO!' jumping out at me, or something like that, but he threatened my parents' lives. He said 'I hope you said goodbye to your parents, that's the last time you'll see them.' I didn't even think, I just panicked and then changed it from fear to determination, and I lost it. Dumbledore even said he's not sure what kind of Dark Magic You-know-who holds. I always thought if you were an adult you could apparate, but if you have kids with you, you couldn't, but wizards and witches without kids have been killed because he comes when they're sleeping. I guess the thought of losing my parents scared me. I mean I'm mad at them, because they're unfair to me, but I don't hate them." Ron explains.
"Did you owl them and let them know?" Harry asks.
"I told Dumbledore. Malfoy even confessed to saying it, but he said it was a joke. Anyway, Dumbledore's owling them." Ron says.
"Good." Harry says. "So do you ever think you'll forgive your brothers?"
"Probably, in a few years maybe." Ron says. "I'm so sick of them laughing at me. They were the ones who caused my fear of spiders, so they get a big kick out of me crying when they're crawling all over me."
"I never knew how horrible the twins could be until last night." Harry says.
"They're not horrible, Harry. They're just stupid sometimes. They like joking around and getting their laughs, but sometimes they just don't realize people are hurt by their jokes and laughter, though it's usually only me." Ron says.
Meanwhile, the twins were downstairs talking with Hermione. Hermione had just finished lecturing them about being so immature and cruel towards Ron.
"Look Hermione," George started. "We know now that it was a bad time to pull that."
"We know it was stupid to pull it, because our brother hates us. Look, go out with him will you? We know you have a crush on him, so just go out with him, and tell him that he should forgive us. You have a way of getting people to think certain ways." Fred says.
"I'm not going out with him!" Hermione says surprised at how stupid the twins could be.
"For us?" Fred asks.
"Please?" George asks.
"NO! Especially not for you! That's the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Ron is my friend, just my friend." Hermione says.
"Yes, and if he's your friend, he'll listen to you! Talk to him for us." Fred says.
"Make him forgive us!" George says.
"No, I don't even forgive you!" Hermione says.
"So you're upset about what we did, even though you weren't there. You're mad at us because we hurt Ron's feelings and scared the crap out of him. Right, Hermione, you don't like him more than friends. And I'm Professor McGonagall." Fred says.
"Well, professor, you certainly have transfigured yourself into a real dimwit!" Hermione says.
The next morning, the twins brought their breakfasts up to the common room, joining Ron, trying to persuade him that they were really sorry, but having no success. Mail came, and Mrs. Weasley sent two things, a howler for Fred and George, (IF YOU EVER DO THAT AGAIN I PROMISE YOU I WILL COME BACK THERE AND MAKE SURE YOU DON'T) in which she yelled herself hoarse, and a letter to Ron, which Ron didn't open.
"Mum still thinks we're one person. See only one howler." George says shaking his head.
"She yelled herself hoarse in one! She probably figured you'd both be at the same place anyway. Ron probably got an angry letter, because she couldn't yell any more." Hermione says.
"Why would she yell at me?" Ron asks.
"For the fight on the Hogwarts Express." Hermione says.
"What does your letter say?" Fred asks.
"Harry ask him what his letter says." George says.
"Harry, I heard them." Ron says opening his letter. Ron looks surprised. He reads it aloud.
Ron,
Although your actions on the Hogwarts Express were not at all acceptable, I have saved you from the humiliation of a howler, besides your mother has gone hoarse from screaming at the twins. We were very upset that you did not say goodbye to us before you left for Hogwarts. Unfortunately, any further consequences will be reported to your Grandfather. Your mother will not let me indulge you anymore. This is the last time. It would've been reported to your Grandfather, but Professor Dumbledore's explanations of the threat and my pleas to save you from horrible summers have spared you. I ask you not to get into any more trouble. I don't know what has gotten into you, but you'd do well with getting it out of you.
You don't want to be in your Grandfather's custody, there's a difference between a visit and living there, and this is it: if you live there, there's nothing your mother and I can do to help you. We can't interfere; we can't come and get you. The work will be ten times harder, and the punishments, ten times worse, if you can imagine them being worse. Please don't let your stubbornness ruin your life or your relationship with your brothers. You know they never think of the consequences, so forgive them, because otherwise you are a hypocrite. You forgot to think of the consequences when you lied to your mother and spent the night at Sabrina's. You forgot to think of the consequences when you ran away. You forgot to think of the consequences when you hit Malfoy. They wanted laughs; it was very intolerable, and they didn't think it would hurt you at the time; they just wanted a good reaction. You wanted revenge on Malfoy for threatening us, which was very intolerable. You didn't care that you hurt him as long as you shut him up. We're forgiving you. Forgive Fred and George. I love you and miss you.
Dad"What threat did Malfoy make?" Fred asks.
"He said that he hoped I said goodbye to mum and dad, because it would be the last time I saw them. I figured he might take it back if I hit him hard enough, maybe he would even forget, but Crabbe and Goyle were with him and he claims it was a joke. Still I don't trust him." Ron says.
"We'd better get to class." Hermione says.
Ron, Harry, and Hermione left for their first class of the day, which was History of Magic, the most boring subject taught by a ghost for a teacher who droned on and on as he read. Even Hermione was bored in his class. The only thing interesting that ever happened in that class was the fact that Professor Binns entered through the chalkboard as he was a ghost, but even that wasn't interesting as he had done it everyday. The only time they ever had an interesting lesson in that class was in their second year, when Hermione asked about the Chamber of Secrets.
They all got to class and almost everyone fell into their usual stupor, everyone except Dean Thomas and Ron. Dean was sketching the Gryffindor Lion, as he was good at art and extremely bored. Ron was writing something. Surprised that Ron had even picked up his quill rather than go to sleep like he had always done the years before, Professor Binns floated over to him. Ron looked up.
"Planning on passing notes, Mr. Weasley?" Professor Binns asks.
"No sir." Ron says.
"Let me see that." Professor Binns says.
Everyone looked up to see why Professor Binns wasn't droning on and on. Ron had turned his notebook around and lifted his arm to show him what he wrote.
Professor Binns might've died of shock, had he not already been dead. Ron was summarizing what Professor Binns was saying. He was writing down important names and dates on the sides. Not even Hermione had taken notes in Binns' class. "You're taking notes?" Professor Binns asks.
"Yes sir, the OWLS are coming up. See, you wrote it on the chalkboard that everything you read will be in your OWLS!" Ron says pointing toward the chalkboard.
Hermione hadn't seen this, neither had the other students apparently. Professor Binns looked back remembering writing it, but not expecting anybody to notice it.
"Twenty-five points to Gryffindor for paying attention." Professor Binns says. Then he floated to the front of the class and read on. Now everybody was taking notes.
After History of Magic, they had Defense Against The Dark Arts. Ron hadn't known whom the new professor was, but was extremely surprised to find Fleur DeLacour as their Professor. She was only an alumnus of Beauxbatons (a wizarding school in France,) this year. She had participated in the Tri-wizard Tournament last year. Ron had been very embarrassed, because he found himself attracted to her last year as she was part Veela, and asked her to the Yule Ball. Luckily though, she had thought he helped Harry save her sister from the depths of the Great Lake during the second task, so she was much warmer to them. Ron didn't know what kind of Professor she'd make, and was sure it didn't comfort Harry at all. She probably reminded him of the Tri-wizard Tournament last year, and the Tri-wizard Tournament made him think of Cedric's death, and he felt guilty as if it were his own fault.
Professor DeLacour was very nice though. She was reviewing the curses and creatures they had learned about. She was about to teach them a charm that would protect them from evil, Harry would most likely have known this from learning so much more than usual fourth years did, as he was in the Tri-wizard Tournament, but time ran out, and she promised to teach them next time.
They had lunch, Harry and Hermione joining Ron in the common room, before going off to their next lessons. For Harry and Ron it was Divination, while Hermione went off to Arithmancy. Professor Trelawney entered eerily, through all the smoke and fumes.
"I predict you will all need much help this year to pass your OWLS you must think clearly. We'll be looking at the planets, and you'll be figuring out your horoscope for this week." Professor Trelawney says.
Professor Trelawney stopped as she walked up to Harry and Ron who were trying to contain their sniggers and who were rolling their eyes. She looked at Ron and said in her misty voice, "Great tragedy awaits you."
Ron couldn't help it, he burst into laughter, "I'll be eager to find it then."
"Mr. Weasley, only because the fates foretell me that you will not be laughing for a long time, will I allow you to laugh in this classroom." Professor Trelawney says.
"All right, don't mind me." Ron says falling off his chair laughing, he wasn't really laughing at Professor Trelawney, but he was, to piss her off. Dean and Seamus sniggered loudly. Harry couldn't help but grin, but he did worry about Ron, after what Malfoy had said about his parents. If they were killed, that would be a great tragedy. Then again, it was hard not to laugh. Professor Trelawney was a phony. She had predicted Harry's death about a thousand times, but still Harry wondered.
When Ron finally settled down, they resumed a very uneventful class.
After Divination, they had Care of Magical Creatures, but Hagrid wasn't teaching it. In fact, Hagrid hadn't been at the Great Feast and he hadn't met the first years at Hogsmeade. Hagrid wasn't there. He was probably on a mission with Madame Maxime in the mountains trying to get the giants to be on the good side. He had told Harry he had a special task from Dumbledore to do over the summer, and Dumbledore had told Fudge to invite the giants back into their world, before they sided with the Dark world. Professor Grubbly-Plank, who taught the class last year, when Hagrid had locked himself away in his cabin after Rita Skeeter wrote about him being a half-giant, now taught the Care of Magical Creatures class. It wasn't the same without Hagrid there. They learned about Fwoopers, medium sized birds that had beautiful feathers. They were told that owners of Fwoopers had to put a silencing charm on them once a month, for their song drove wizards and witches mad. Malfoy and Ron kept their distance in this class and neither caused disruption.
Their final lesson was astronomy, and nothing out of the ordinary happened there. They spent the lesson learning more about stars and galaxies. Ron and Hermione headed for the common room to eat their dinners, when Harry approached Professor McGonagall. She was just cleaning up her room when she saw him at the door looking anxious.
"Mr. Potter, what is it?" Professor McGonagall asks.
"I'm a bit worried about Ron. Professor Trelawney told Ron that he was going to suffer great tragedy, and I know Divination isn't the most honest subject, but I can't help but wonder if she's making it up or telling the truth, because I know Malfoy made a threat against Ron's parents, and if anything happened to them that'd be a terrible tragedy. So I was wondering what you thought." Harry says.
"I think we should see the Headmaster, she's gone a bit too far now." Professor McGonagall says. "Come, Potter." She started to lead him to the Headmaster's office. "Oh, Potter, I wanted you to think about the keeper position. We need a good keeper. Somebody who has too much energy, using it terribly wrong, could do well for one. Don't you agree one needs a lot of determination to be keeper?" Professor McGonagall asks.
"Yes, his brothers and I wanted him to try out, but he said he lost privileges, including even going to watch the matches, so he can't very well play, could he?" Harry asks.
"Yes, but don't tell him. We want him to stop fighting first." Professor McGonagall says.
"He hasn't fought with him at all today. They actually haven't spoken to each other." Harry says.
"That's good then." Professor McGonagall says. She gave the password for the gargoyle to spring aside and they went up the marble staircase to Dumbledore's office. She knocked before entering.
Professor Dumbledore looked up from his paper work and smiled at them. He must've known Harry wasn't in trouble.
"Mr. Potter, Professor McGonagall, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Professor Dumbledore asks.
"I think you ought to have a chat with Professor Trelawney. Why don't you tell Professor Dumbledore what you told me?" Professor McGonagall asks Harry.
"Well, Professor Trelawney told Ron that soon he'd suffer great tragedy. I don't really believe she knows anything…" Harry quickly added, "I mean all the time, because she predicts my death every year. Ron and I have gotten passing marks for making up ways I'm going to be killed. The thing is, Malfoy threatened his parents on the train, and I know it would be a horrible tragedy if his parents were to be killed, and I'm just wondering if Professor Trelawney's actually telling the truth or trying to get Ron to pay attention, but we had just walked in when she said that, and he hadn't even started to joke for her to say something like that."
"I'll talk to her at dinner." Professor Dumbledore says.
"Professor, do you think she was making it up?" Harry asks.
"I don't know, Harry. I will ask her." Professor Dumbledore says.
"Thanks." Harry says.