Shadows

Rating: PG-13

Summery: "He painted a pretty picture for you, didn't he Ron, what with all of his colorful lies and empty promises, how could I possibly compete with that?" A series of events leads Ron to the dark side, can anyone bring him back?

Disclaimer: Anything that you recognize I don't own

A/N I am so sorry!!! I got so caught up in school and other things that I completely forgot about this story! Feel free to give me a good swift kick or something.

Chapter Seven

A Day of Compromising Situations

I walked through the halls of Hogwarts and felt out of place, even though it had been my second home less than a month ago. It's strange how once you move on from one situation everything that was once so familiar becomes foreign. I felt like an adult, someone who would walk through the school with a purpose in mind and the students would gaze at in wonder, questions filling their young minds about why I had come, what important business I must have.

It scared me. I was a grownup. I could no longer do stupid things and write them off as being young and naïve. I was expected to act my age and be able to hold many responsibilities. I was on my way to make one of the most important decisions of my life and I was scared out of my wits.

I desperately wished that I wasn't alone, that I could have someone to comfort me and share in this anxiety. All my life I have had at least one person there, someone who would cover for me and make sure that everything turned out okay. I always knew that if nothing else my parents would do anything for me. No matter what trouble I got into I could turn to them and they would make it all go away. They would take my responsibilities from me and handle things, leaving me free to bask in my adolescence.

But I'm of age now and I can no longer run off to my parents and expect them to chase away all of my demons. It was time for me to grow-up, no matter how much I wanted to stay young.

With a heavy sigh I cursed myself for ever feeling any jealousy for Harry. He had never had any parents; never had anyone to lift his responsibilities and promise him that everything would work out okay. He'd been an adult when he was still but a child and I knew that he wouldn't be facing this situation with any fear or anxiety. For almost eleven years he was alone in the world and he never complained of it to anyone, not even me, his best friend. I felt ashamed that I was feeling so much self-pity because I finally had to take on my own responsibilities. I vowed then that I would be the man that I was expected to be; I didn't need anyone else and I wouldn't wish for anyone else, I would be able to handle everything on my own.

So with my courage and my wits gathered I found myself standing outside of the headmaster's office ready to make my decision, though not entirely ready to follow through with it.

"Mr. Weasley, I have been expecting you for some time now." I slowly turned around to confront the voice behind me, that extra time that I wanted to prepare myself evaporated and I was left looking like a child who had been caught with their hand in the cookie jar standing in front of Albus Dumbledore.

"Hello…Albus," I said in as calm of a voice I could manage.

He made a gesture towards the gargoyle that guarded his office, "shall we continue this in more privacy?"

I nodded slowly and followed him with apprehension up the stars to the most interesting room that he called his office. Without being asked I took a seat opposite of his desk and decided that it would be best to just make haste about the situation. "I've made up my mind," I stated trying desperately to sound sure of myself.

"Is that so," he asked with a smile, "well do tell me Ronald, for I have been most anxiously awaiting your decision."

"I've decided that," I took a quick glance around the room and noticed all of the portraits of the past headmasters paying rapt attention to the conversation proceeding between Dumbledore and myself. "I've decided that…I'll do it, I'll be a spy or agent or whatever."

He leaned back in his chair and observed me with his cheerful eyes, "I had rather hoped that you would."

Well, after this I wasn't really sure where things were supposed to go. I hadn't really gotten past the agreeing to spy thing in my mind so at this point I was at a complete loss. "So," I said in a somewhat causal tone, "when do I start?"

Dumbledore drummed his fingers along his desk for a moment before pulling out a piece of parchment and a quill. After he scribbled something he handed the paper to me, "go to this address exactly three days from now and we'll go from there."

I took a quick glance at the clock in the room to know what time I was supposed to go to this address before standing. "Well," I said trying to sound like that Bond fellow that Hermione had forced me to watch movies of, "until then."

And so I walked out of the headmaster's office feeling like a complete idiot. I knew one thing; I was no Jimmy Bond or whatever that muggle fellow's name was.

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I was a now officially a spy.

The words just kept playing in my head, I, Ronald Weasley am a secret agent. And despite all the dangers that I knew followed with the position at the time all that I could think of was how bloody cool it was to be able to say, "hello, my name is Ron Weasley, secret agent."

And it was in these moments when I had surrendered myself to realizing that I was living out every child's fantasy that I didn't bother to put any locking charms on my door. So I was caught by Hermione standing in front of my mirror saying, "the name's Weasley. Ron Weasley."

Let's just say that after I heard her stifling a laugh I no longer felt quite so cool.

"I, uh, see what I was doing was…" I searched my mind desperately for any explanation that would not make me look like a completely stupid, "I was practicing for my…job interview!" Ha, that was believable.

Hermione stopped smiling, "you have a job interview? Ron that's great! Where's it at?"

Smooth Weasley, real smooth. Now I had to think up another lie. "Where's what at?" I stalled lamely.

She gave me an incredulous look, "your job interview."

"Oh," I said as if everything had just clicked together for me, "that. It's at the ministry."

"What part?"

"The uh, main part."

She looked confused, "you mean the head portion where the minister and such work?" I nodded dumbly and prayed to God that she would just drop the subject. But she didn't drop the subject, because that would just be too much to ask for my sanity. "Ron that is absolutely fantastic, it's extremely difficult to even be considered for one of those jobs unless you have a lot of experience. I wasn't even able to get an interview," she let out a gasp and started to talk very quickly, "not that I think that I'm smarter than you Ron or that you don't deserve an interview, because you do. In fact you deserve the job, whatever job that is and-"

"Hermione," I interrupted gently, "you're rambling."

"Oh," she said looking flushed, "sorry."

I smiled and shook my head at my best friend, "you know what Mione' you've been acting a little bit strange lately. If you're not careful people might start to think that you're losing brain cells."

Hermione grinned but even I could see that she didn't think anything was funny. "I suppose that I'm just nervous about starting at a new school," she offered as an excuse.

My smile widened and I placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "don't worry about it, you'll be the smartest person there and just think, there will be an entire new library for you to discover."

"Ron," she said in a nervous tone, "I've been thinking lately and I've come to the conclusion that-"

"RON!!!" My mother's shrill voice interrupted, "dinner!"

I let out a sigh that my mother had broken the fact that Hermione was going to tell me what was bothering her. "You were saying?" I questioned hopefully.

She looked half relieved and half disappointed, "nothing." Her face brightened up but her happy expression looked strained, "you know what, I don't even remember what I wanted to say…let's go eat."

She walked out of my room and I followed slowly behind with one thing going through my mind; Hermione never forgot anything.

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A/N Not really a lot of drama and angst in this chapter…I'm in a pretty good mood so I snuck in some humor, though I might be the only one who found anything funny, lol. Well leave a review and I swear on everything holy that I will update as soon as I possibly can!

Thank you for your patience for this chapter:

Stompy-Sanji (Hmm, I'm actually not completely sure when the Ron/Hermione romance is going to start. I'm debating between having them get together before he goes dark or after…what do you think?), Andieemail (Well now if I tell you what the silver misty thing was then that will just ruin the surprise, lol. Don't worry you'll find out soon, but rest assured in your guesses.), KeeperOfTheMoon (Lol, I hope nothing happens to *cough* Hermione *cough* either. But given my psychotic tendency to kill off people I wouldn't be too sure of anything, lol.) Hplova4eva (Glad that you're enjoying it and thanks for reviewing!), Gen Eveningstar (Well I could not tell you for plot reasons…and I think that I will do that, lol. You'll find out soon what his 'dreams' are, and it's probably exactly what you think.), o0true0o (Lol, oh you underestimate the thickness that is Ron. He hasn't quite put everything together yet, don't worry though he will eventually.), RonandHerm4eva (Well maybe you don't feel so sorry for Ron now, happy Ron was in this chapter, lol, I'm retarded just don't pay attention to me. Sorry that it took me so long to update!), Funness (Glad that you think that the story's cool, and sorry about the delay in updating!), alina2 (thank you! I'm glad that you're enjoying the story!), Shakespeare's Muse (Now now don't jump to conclusions, did I ever say the girl who died in the dream/vision was Hermione? Lol, I enjoy being evil. Sorry about the lemon drop thing…I'm uh, American? Is that a good enough excuse?), Me (I'm not really sure when the whole R/Hr thing is going to happen. I can't decide really…do you think it should be before he goes dark or after?), Fantasyangel Writer (If there is one thing that I hate it's a predictable ending. Lol, expect the unexpected with this story, meaning happy ending not promised. And did I saw that the girl who was killed was Hermione? Lol, think about it.)