Through The Eyes Of Ron
Chapter Eighteen
Excelling
Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the plot to this story. This is just fan fiction, I'm writing this for fun and for free. Any characters you recognize belong to J.K. Rowling, and all them smart, rich people.
Author's Note: This is fan fiction, a story idea from the brain that's mine entangled with J.K. Rowling's world and characters. I'm writing this for me, and posting it on Fanfiction.net so I have it saved. I'm not trying to impress anybody I'm just writing and saving that's all. I'm from Southern New Jersey, in the United States, I try to write J.K.'s way, but I'm nowhere close to perfect. Don't flame me if y'all don't like it, but if somebody should happen to enjoy it, please feel free but not obligated to leave a review. ~*Carey*~
Thank You: I would like to thank MAlexandria, rwfan, juicy blueberry baby (I'm sorry about your story, that's the worst thing that can happen), Jenny, Sara, and Karlei Shaynner for your reviews! Thanks so much! I love knowing that people read my stories and like them! However, I am straying from J.K.'s world, and I'm sorry, I just take a lot of television, and books in, and they scramble and different ideas form, so if it's too out of character or different, I apologize. I'm not talking about just this chapter, but the previous chapters, and probably chapters to come. ~*Carey*~
"Ron, you have nothing to worry about. I promise you, Fudge won't be able to touch you. Your father's just upset and stressed right now. Everybody's been worried about you, and the Minister is scared of the dark lord coming back. He just doesn't want him threatening the world again, and he'll do anything to cover it up, even if its right in front of him, so he probably had your father working over time, and he probably said that he heard about what you've done in the past, regardless of whether it was true or not, and he didn't want your family to get a bad name, because Rita Skeeter would find out, and he probably said that it would be better for you to just live as a muggle, and your father agreed, because again he was tired, upset, and stressed. He has a right to be though. You don't think worrying about somebody, especially you is relaxing, do you?" Headmaster Campbell asked.
"No, I just wasn't expecting him to- I guess I should've though, but still it just took me by surprise and it hurts to think that he'd actually disown me. That means he doesn't love me, and maybe he's never loved me, but it just hurts, but I guess I deserve it, because I hurt my mum so much." Ron said.
"You don't think your father's ever loved you?" Headmaster Campbell asked.
"No, I mean, well I'm sure he has, because he's my father, but I mean, when I was younger, he used to work all the time, I rarely ever saw him, except for at late at night, or if I woke up early enough to see him. He never really paid me any mind, unless I made my mum upset, or if I went into the garage with all of his muggle things, and he found out about it. To him I was just another mouth to feed, another reason why he had to work an extra hour." Ron said.
"That's what your dad thinks of you? Has he said that?" Headmaster Campbell asked with concern.
"No, he hasn't said it, but I know that's all I am to him." Ron said. "I mean Bill was his first son, the one he was surprised but proud to have. He made Head Boy too, and he's got a great job in Egypt breaking curses in pyramids. Charlie was the Quidditch player and captain, my dad could tell his friends that his son won the Quidditch cup, and he can also mention that he has a successful career working with dragons. Then there's Percy. He's too perfect, after him, it's like why even try? He's received the most possible O.W.L.S. He was a prefect and a Headboy, and he's working for the Ministry of Magic. If that isn't enough, he has Fred and George. They're twins. I remember we were in Diagon Alley one time, and everybody paid so much attention to them, just because they were twins, and so adorable. Florean Fortescue even gave them free ice creams. Then if it isn't enough that they're twins, they're funny. I mean they can put a smile on anybody's face. Mum used to let them get away with so much, because she couldn't understand how they could lie so well and look so innocent, and actually think up their crimes. They're creative, and they're inventing stuff for their joke shop. My mum doesn't like the idea of a joke shop, but she just doesn't think they'll be successful, but I know my dad is proud of them. Then there's Ginny. She's my parents' only girl. She could get away with murder, because they were just so glad to have a daughter they don't care how she behaves. But who could want anything more after those six? They have me, but after all of them, nobody's going to say, look at Ron, he's been transferred from so many different schools, because nobody can stand him and he can't behave. I'm just a consequence from my parents having a good vacation. They probably were hoping I was a girl, but they got stuck with me, and instead of making them proud I'm here. It wasn't all bad though, because my best friend is Harry, and he's famous, but he lives with muggle relatives, and he can explain muggle stuff to my dad, and Hermione, my other friend, who's muggleborn also can talk to my dad about muggle stuff, and my dad is obsessed with muggle stuff, because it's so different to him. He loves them more than he does me, and I'm not wrong on that."
"That has to be terrible." Headmaster Campbell said caringly.
"I'm sorry sir. I didn't mean to make you sorry for me, when you came up here to lecture me." Ron said.
"I had no intentions of lecturing you. I think your parents were wrong in their decision, and I wanted to talk to you, I have no problem listening to you talk. I want you to talk to me, about whatever it is that you want, especially things that upset you, because maybe that's where some of your problems lie." Headmaster Campbell said.
"Oh." Ron said. "I don't want you to think I'm jealous, I'm not jealous. There are times where I feel invisible, and wish that they didn't exist, and there are times where I feel jealous, but I don't spend every hour of my life feeling jealous. I mean when Bill pats Harry on the shoulder but doesn't acknowledge me at all before he leaves, I feel hurt and a little jealous of Harry, but I don't think about it five minutes from then." Ron said.
"I think you have a right to feel envious. I think there's been a lot of neglect towards you that you have a right to feel jealous. I don't think they meant to overlook you, but they did it anyway. So I don't blame you for having any feelings of jealousy, and I know that you're not always thinking of a way to get back at your brothers or friends because they've received more attention." Headmaster Campbell laughed.
"But my friends and I have a lot of great times, and I don't always mind that my parents pay more mind to them. I mean one summer I helped borrow, or steal my father's car to rescue my friend from his muggle relatives who locked him up all summer, and when we got back, because he was there and my mum felt sorry for him, I didn't get walloped with her broom." Ron said.
"You know, when I made Harry go back, he called me a terrible friend. I was only trying to help him. Living on the streets isn't what he deserved. He only came, because I was there. He felt bad for me, and it was my own fault, and my own decision. I was mad at my sister for giving Dumbledore or you those letters I sent her, and I knew she gave them, because Remus knew exactly what was planted in my trunk, and he even told me. But I wrote her a spiteful letter, I was so angry. My friend Hermione wrote me back the next day, and she was mad at me for making my sister cry. She said my sister had enough problems, because Malfoy was harassing her, and almost raped her, and then I write to her and tell her I don't care about her and how I hate her, and all these terrible things. I'm her older brother. Older brothers don't do that, but I screw up at everything. And what made me even angrier was that Malfoy tried to hurt my sister, and I couldn't do anything about it. So I made my plans to leave. I used a paperclip to unlock the doors, and I found my trunk, and I changed into clothes that didn't have censors on them and I made my way to Hogwarts, and then I really hurt Malfoy, and I was happy about it. I probably shouldn't have been. I know I shouldn't have been, but I hate him. Anyway, after that I thought about the consequences. I didn't want to go back to a dementor after a fight and an hour of escaping. I hated being trapped in here all day, even if I could walk around the building that would've helped, but after so long, I had enough freedom, and I was going to go back, but then death eaters grabbed me. I faced so much Hell because of hate. I hate Malfoy, and I make so many wrong decisions to try and kill him, and I end up worse in the end." Ron said.
"Why do you hate Malfoy so much?" Headmaster Campbell asked.
"A lot of reasons. He hates me, my family, he sexually assaulted my sister, his family's evil, and he's prejudice against my friends. I met him on day one, and right then and there, I knew I hated him." Ron said.
"Why didn't you befriend him on day one, you might've changed his attitude about muggleborns, and you wouldn't have ended up here." Headmaster Campbell said.
"I hated him from day one." Ron said.
"Why?" Headmaster Campbell asked.
"Because he took one look at me, knew who I was, and looked at me like I was something nasty." Ron said.
"Did it ever occur to you that you probably looked at him the same way?" Headmaster Campbell asked.
Ron shrugged.
"Well that's fine. You've made your life out of pride, stubbornness, and whom you're mad at. You need to try looking at people the other way. It's not too late." Headmaster Campbell said.
"You're saying it's possible to look at You-know-who, or any of the death eaters from a good point of view? You're supposed to be discouraging evil, not encouraging it!" Ron said with disbelief.
"I was talking about Malfoy. When you return, you should apologize to him and give him another chance to be your friend. He might be a jerk, but you don't know the real Malfoy, do you? You know if he has such a stubborn friend like you who's dead set against evil, he might not follow in his father's footsteps." Headmaster Campbell said.
"You're probably right, but things are easier said than done, and honestly, I reckon it's impossible, but I promise that if I ever get back to Hogwarts, I will try." Ron said.
A few weeks passed, and Remus' strict tutoring sessions continued. He didn't seem to care about Ron, or even want to talk to him if it wasn't about lessons. He wasn't a counselor to Ron anymore, just a tutor. Ron was starting to feel that Remus didn't even want to tutor him anymore, but he reckoned he stayed, because who else would hire him?
Remus took the rest of Ron's homework. "You'll be taking your O.W.L.S. tomorrow. Headmaster Campbell will be giving them to you, so I won't see you until September. I wish you good luck on your O.W.L.S." Remus said.
"Thank you." Ron said. He watched as Remus nodded to him, without looking at him, before leaving. Ron would be here for two months, with nothing to do!
Ron stormed out of the Headmaster's office with frustration all over his face. He had studied so hard for the O.W.L.S. He figured maybe he could impress Remus so that he wouldn't hate him anymore, or maybe he could make his mum not hate him as much if he received enough O.W.L.S. but now Ron would be surprised if he got one O.W.L. Everything was so complicated, and he knew everything he did was wrong. His charms weren't great, his potions were lighter colors then they were supposed to be, his mind was completely blank in the History of Magic part, and the worst part was, Ron was sure he screwed up on his Animagus form. He always took the form of a fox, and he knew it hadn't been complete today; he couldn't smell or hear anything better than his human senses allowed him to. He lay down on his bed, furious with himself. He was a screw up at everything.
There was a knock on his door, and the door opened. Ron didn't bother to look it was probably the Headmaster.
"Ron?" Professor Clayton called cautiously.
Ron winced, remembering the time he had knocked the Transfiguration Professor out in a fight. Ron turned around to look at him.
"Yes sir?" Ron asked not quite meeting his eyes.
"Have you completed your O.W.L.S.?" Professor Clayton asked walking in the room.
"Yes sir." Ron said looking away.
"How do you think you did?" Professor Clayton asked.
"Terrible." Ron said.
"I'm sure you didn't. I've seen all of your essays on Transfiguration, and you knew the material a lot better then most of the students I teach." Professor Clayton said.
"I know all of the material, I just messed everything up. My mind went blank." Ron said furious with himself.
"If you think you could do better you'll have a chance to take them again. You're here over the summer, aren't you?" Professor Clayton asked.
Ron nodded.
"Then don't worry about it. Listen, one of the reasons I came up here, was to see if you were interested in a Chess tournament. With the exams and the O.W.L.S. over with, the students who go home over the summer, have a few weeks where they don't want to look at books, and it's always fun, and I was wondering if you wanted to participate in it. If you don't know how to play, we could teach you. We have a few beginners, but it's just something to do, and I was wondering if you were interested in it." Professor Clayton said.
"If the Headmaster allows me to, then I want to participate." Ron said.
"Do you know how to play?" Professor Clayton asked.
"Yes sir." Ron said.
"All right, I'll talk to the Headmaster, and we'll see what happens." Professor Clayton said.
"All right, thank you. Oh and I'm sorry for knocking you out." Ron said.
"I'm a Professor Ron, you don't think you're the only one whose hit me do you? No, but you have been the strongest by far." Professor Clayton said with a laugh.
The following Monday the Headmaster allowed Ron to go down to the dining room, where many chessboards were set up. Ron brought down his own pieces, and promised the Headmaster he'd be on his best behavior. Nevertheless, the two big men were there, behind him just incase.
Ron's first game was against a beginner student, a fifth year named Sergei, who lived in Russia, and came from Durmstrangs. As they played, Sergei confirmed what Ron thought, all the students that attended here, with the exception of Ron of course, were sent from Durmstrangs. Ron took his time, but beat Sergei easily.
"Good game." Ron said standing up and shaking Sergei's hand.
There was a laugh from the end of the table. "He said good game to Sergei, anybody could beat Sergei."
Ron thought about saying that anybody could punch you too, but wanted to stay in the tournament, so he kept his mouth closed.
Ron's next competitor cursed every time Ron moved. Ron found out from Sergei who watched them play, that the competitor's name was Edvard, and he was from Hungary, and he didn't like losing. Ron beat Edvard as well, and he took his time beating him as well. He was in no hurry to beat everybody and go back to his room to sit and do nothing. Ron stood up and offered Edvard his hand.
"Good game." Ron said, but Edvard just glared at Ron's hand before walking away, so Ron shrugged and put his hand in his pocket.
Ron's next competitor, whom had also beaten two other competitors as well, was much more friendly than Edvard. His name was Johannes, but said that all of his friends called him Hans, and asked Ron to call him Hans. He was from Germany. He told Ron that he wasn't very great at Chess; he had just gotten lucky in the last two games when people made stupid mistakes. Ron beat him as well.
Hans and Sergei watched as Ron beat all of the fifth years in Chess. Then Ron had to wait, while the best player of the first year's played the best player of the second year. The first year won, but lost to the fourth year that beat the third year. The seventh year crushed the sixth year in less than two minutes, and Ron then played the fourth year named Daniel from Romania. He took his time beating him, and finally it came down to him and the seventh year, Dominik from Russia. Hans told Ron that Dominik had never lost a game of chess in his life, and had won the tournament for three years running now.
Ron brought his pieces over to the table where Dominik sat. Everybody sat around them watching with anticipation. There were guards behind Dominik as well, just incase Ron should jump over the table when he lost. While Dominik was a bit of a challenge, Ron still figured out new strategies as to how to outsmart him, and in the end his strategies worked, making him winner.
"That's not fair, you cheated!" Dominik yelled standing up outraged.
"No, I didn't." Ron said calmly and honestly.
"You must have cheated!" Dominik yelled.
"But I didn't." Ron said.
"You must've taken an extra turn somewhere." Dominik yelled.
"I'm telling you I didn't. Would you like to play again? I could have my hands behind my back, so you'd know I didn't cheat." Ron said.
"Yea, let's do that! I'll show you that you've cheated before! Because nobody beats me." Dominik said.
Ron played Dominik, with his hands behind his back. He'd call out orders to his pieces and Dominik watched before it was his turn. Everybody watched carefully to make sure Ron didn't cheat, and when Ron won, nobody could believe it.
"Good game." Ron said holding out his hand for Dominik to shake, standing up.
Dominik spit on Ron's hand.
Ron rolled his eyes in disgust but dried his hand on his pants. He started to collect his pieces, when he was knocked backwards when a fist hit him hard in the face. Everybody gasped, before they started laughing at Ron, who didn't get up from the ground.
Ron was contemplating in his head what to do. He thought about getting up and punching this kid back, but he knew the consequences. Still, nobody hit Ron and got away with it. Maybe Ron should knock him out, so that this kid didn't end up bullying him, or let everybody else think that he was weak and scared. In the end, he decided against it. He'd add another week to his stay if he fought back. What mattered more, showing a seventh year he was strong, or going back to Hogwarts? Then again, he didn't know if he'd ever be able to go back to Hogwarts anyway, with him doing terrible on his O.W.L.S. and his parents disowning him. Still he had enough problems to try and make up for then to create more to the entertainment of the students around him.
Ron got up and the guards walked quickly over to Dominik. Ron walked the other way, picking up his chess pieces that he dropped. He collected all of them up and walked through the crowd back upstairs to his dorm.
Headmaster Campbell knocked on the door before entering the room. "Ron, I must say I'm extremely impressed and proud of your decision." Headmaster Campbell said.
"Thanks. I didn't cheat though." Ron said honestly.
"I know you didn't. I watched you carefully both times." Headmaster Campbell said.
"Chess is the only thing I'm good at, well besides getting into trouble. I've never lost a game." Ron said.
"Neither has Dominik until today." Headmaster Campbell said. "You played extremely well, Ron, and when you didn't hit Dominik when he spit on you or punched you, that was very impressive."
"I had time to think about what I was going to do, and I didn't want to let you or Professor Clayton down when you offered me to join the tournament and let me." Ron said.
"That was extremely mature and considerate of you. I think you've graduated to level two privilege wise." Headmaster Campbell said.
"What's level two? Able to dress in the bathroom with the door closed?" Ron asked.
"No, no, I think we can trust you to do that. Level two gives you more grounds privileges. During the summer, you'll want them. You'll be able to spend most of the day out of your room. You may spend the days in the library reading, the dining room playing chess, or in the muggle studies room watching movies or television." Headmaster Campbell said.
"What level do I have to be on to walk outside in the yard with supervision?" Ron asked.
"Three, and if you don't try and runaway when your on level two, you may be able to go outside on certain days." Headmaster Campbell said.
"That sounds good." Ron said. "I have a question. When my O.W.L.S. come back, will I be put back on level one?"
"Academics have nothing to do with your behavior level. And when you receive your O.W.L.S. that means you've done better not worse." Headmaster Campbell said.
"Not in my case. You saw me. I screwed up on everything! I'll be lucky if I get one O.W.L." Ron said.
"We'll see." Headmaster Campbell said leaving Ron's dorm.
It was the first of July at the burrow and Bill and Charlie went to get Fred, George, and Ginny. Mrs. Weasley was at home, while Mr. Weasley and Percy were at work. An owl flew through the window. Mrs. Weasley looked at the top piece of parchment.
Dear Mrs. Weasley,
These are copies of your son Ron's O.W.L.S. I hope it pleases you and your husband, as much as it has our school. Ron did extremely well considering he had to learn five years worth of lessons in only a few months. Also, your son has won the wizard's chess tournament here at Bridgeton.
Respectfully,
Headmaster Campbell
Mrs. Weasley cried. Ron had received twelve O.W.L.S. The highest he could receive. She couldn't believe it. She was still crying when Bill and Charlie returned home with the twins and Ginny, and even after she made dinner and Mr. Weasley and Percy returned home, she still had tears of happiness in her eyes, and all she could do was hand everybody who asked the piece of parchment.
Ron sat in the muggle studies classroom one evening on a beanbag relaxing and flipping channels on the television. Only Ron, Hans, and Edvard stayed at Bridgeton during the summer out of the fifth years.
"I like that movie, go back." Edvard said.
Ron flipped back to the last channel. The muggle movie Jaws was on. "I've seen it already." Ron said.
"Well I like it." Edvard said.
"Well you can watch it later, they have it on a muggle tape." Ron said flipping through more channels and finally settling on "The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air."
"I think you are afraid to watch it." Edvard said.
Ron laughed. "I am absolutely terrified to watch muggles scream and swim from a giant muggle machine." Ron said sarcastically rolling his eyes.
"Well you sure were the first time." Edvard said trying not to laugh.
"Shut up. I wasn't scared." Ron said.
"That's why you screamed like a girl." Edvard said.
"I was purposely screaming. I was mocking the girl." Ron said.
"Right." Edvard said grinning.
"Shut up." Ron said looking back to the television set and laughing at the show.
There was a knock on the door. Headmaster Campbell entered the classroom. "Ron, can I see you for a minute?" Headmaster Campbell asked.
"Fine, watch your movie." Ron said flipping the channel back to Jaws and handing the remote to Edvard.
Ron followed the Headmaster to his office. "Did I do something wrong sir?" Ron asked apprehensively.
"No, not at all, in fact, well… here." Headmaster Campbell said handing him a piece of parchment.
Ron gasped and blinked several times. He had to make sure this was real. He looked at the top of the paper; it definitely had his name on it. He had excelled on his O.W.L.S. He received twelve.
"I sent copies to Professor Lupin, Professor McGonagall, and your parents." Headmaster Campbell said.
"How?" Ron asked with disbelief as he looked at the parchment. "They must've made some kind of mistake. You saw me screw up everything."
"Ron, you were nervous, but you did everything perfectly." Headmaster Campbell said. "You knew all of the material."
"I can't believe this." Ron said sitting down.
"I can't say I'm surprised in the least. You've come a long way in such a short period of time. Would you like to go outside?" Headmaster Campbell asked.
"Really, you'd let me?" Ron asked hopefully.
Headmaster Campbell nodded.
"Please." Ron said.
Ron was taken out back, where a couple of sixth years were flying on brooms racing to each side of the yard where there were Quidditch Posts. The yard in back was unbelievably long, possibly more than a hundred feet. A white brick wall ten feet tall surrounded the entire perimeter, and a wire fence possibly twenty feet tall surrounded the perimeter outside of the brick wall. There was also a wired fence above Ron. It was like being in a cage.
"We have that there for when the students play Quidditch or are just flying, we know they won't leave, and it allows them to fly around. Come over here." Headmaster Campbell said leading Ron over to the side yard. There was a wired fence surrounding a court of some sort, and it led to the muggle studies classroom. "This is where the students participate in muggle sports. Basketball helps with some of the students' anger."
Ron knew what basketball was. He'd learned about it muggle studies. It was an American sport.
"You can also play tennis or hockey here." Headmaster Campbell said.
"Where's a basketball?" Ron asked.
"In here." Headmaster Campbell said going into the muggle studies classroom.
Hans came outside and taught Ron how to play basketball, and they played a good game of one on one for about a half an hour, before Ron had to go back in.
It was the middle of August when somebody finally came to visit Ron, and it wasn't whom Ron expected at all.