Disclaimer: I solemnly swear that I do not own any of the Harry Potter greatness that is.

Contains an OotP spoiler, if for some god-forsaken reason you haven't read it yet. What d'you mean you haven't read it yet?! And you call yourself a Harry Potter fan. Shame on you. Shame shame. LOL! Juuuuuuust kidding! Harhar. Yeah, but there's a little bit down there somewhere. Just sho you're awares.

Chapter 9

The summer holiday drifted by slowly, too slowly for Ron's liking. He couldn't wait to go back to Hogwarts. He wanted to get away from his family and the frequent visits from the Order. And Hermione. She had spent the rest of the summer with the Weasley's, much to his discouragement. Soon he would finally be able to avoid all the awkwardness between them; it was much easier to avoid one another at school that it was at the Burrow.

They had already received their letters from Hogwarts and had gone to Diagon Alley to get their school supplies; it had been weird to get their stuff without Harry. It was now only Ron and Hermione. The Trio was now reduced to a Duo. How bland. Harry couldn't very well go with them anyway. It would be quite a spectacle to see your former schoolmate, who was supposed to be dead, walking down the street as a ghost. Dumbledore said it would be too risky anyway.

Ron was packing his trunk and getting everything ready for tomorrow's annual trip to Platform 9 ¾, when suddenly wished he wasn't going back. Going back would mean he would have to face his teacher's and schoolmates alone. Utterly alone.

What a pickle we've gone and landed ourselves into. Ah well. Maybe I should try and talk to Hermione, then at least I'll have one person to talk to. It wasn't that Ron didn't have any friends. He, Harry, Neville, Seamus, and Dean had all been pretty close for the six – almost seven - years that they were together at Hogwarts. But when Harry died, it all became really uncomfortable for him. People would whisper to each other as he passed them by in the corridors, or they would just stare at him hoping that he would say something about what happened. The teacher's had treated him as if he was a child, like he was weak or fragile. Their constant coddling and worried glances were much more than he could stand; they would always make sure that he was "okay" and the sympathetic offer, "If you need anything you can come talk to me," became disgustingly familiar. Even Snape had ceased his snide comments towards him and Hermione. He couldn't complain there of course. The DA meetings had stopped as well. The DA and Quidditch were the only things that enabled Ron to get through his classes and the torturous amounts of homework. But he no longer had the DA and he doubted that Quidditch would give him the relief that he was looking for.

He finally realized what Harry had felt like all those years. All the stares and whispers, the constant babying and fussing. He was amazed at how Harry had handled it all. Most of the time he had just ignored it. And he had lost so much – Cedric, his parents, Sirius.

Ron: Don't forget about his LIFE!

Narrator: Sorry.

And he had lost so much – Cedric, his parents, Sirius, his own life...

Ron: Thank you.

Narrator: you're welcome.

Ron's thoughts were interrupted by the appearance of Harry at the foot of Ron's bed.

"So, you all ready to go?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, just about." He finished folding one of his robes and tossed it into his trunk.

"Make sure you leave some room."

"Why?"

Harry grinned widely. "Got some stuff for you." He walked across the room to where a brown bag was sitting under the desk. Ron hadn't even noticed it. Harry picked it up, walked back over to Ron, and placed the bag on the bed.

"What's this?"

"Just some stuff of mine. I won't be needing any of it anymore."

Ron pulled the bag closer and began pulling out its contents. The first item was something soft and silvery. Ron recognized it at once as the Invisibility Cloak.

"Harry, this is great!"

"Yeah, well, it's not like I'll be needing it anymore," he laughed. "Besides, it was my dad's. I want to make sure I leave it in good hands."

Ron smiled broadly. He reached back into the bag and pulled out an old blank sheet a parchment. "What's this?"

"It's the Marauder's Map."

"Oh yeah!" he exclaimed, remember their many adventures aided by this useful device, and all compliments of the Marauders. "Haha, sweet!"

He placed the parchment on top of the Invisibility Cloak and pulled yet another package out of the bag. He opened it to reveal a small square mirror.

"What's this?"

"It's a mirror that my dad and Sirius used when they went to school. I have the other. They're two-way mirrors. I can't very well be at Hogwarts with you, so I figured that this would be our best way of communicating to one another. You just have to say my name and I'll appear in your mirror, and you in mine." Harry's expression faded slowly into pain and sadness.

"What's up?"

"Nothing. Just... Sirius gave me one and I never used it.... I didn't even bother to open the package until after he..." his voice trailed off.

"Oh." No matter what anyone said, Harry still felt responsible for Sirius's death.

"No matter. I eventually fixed mine – broke it a while ago. Remus found that one in Sirius's room when he was cleaning it out."

Ron set the mirror down on his bed amongst the other items from Harry. "These are all really great Harry. Thanks."

"Well, it's not like I can use them," he smiled. "Oh wait, there's two more."

"Two more?"

"Yeah, hang on." Harry sunk through the floor.

I really wish he would stop doing that. Bloody insane is what it is.

Harry returned a few minutes later via staircase. In one translucent hand he held a small rectangular box; in the other was a long slender one.

He handed Ron the smaller box first. It contained a shiny gold key.

"It's the key to my Gringott's vault. The money's yours now. Well, for you and your family, but you get the gist."

"Harry..." Ron looked at him in disbelief. "I can't accept this. This is too much. I – "

"No Ron," he interrupted. "It's yours. I don't need it anymore. You guys were the only family I ever had. The Dursley's were blood, sure, but they never loved me. Your family has always been so good to me. It's the least I could do."

"Wow," Ron exhaled. "Thanks."

"And the last one," said Harry, handing Ron the larger box.

Ron opened it to reveal a broom. But not just any broom. It was Harry's Firebolt – his most prized possession. Ron stared at Harry incredulously.

"Are you serious?"

"No. I'm Harry," he said firmly.

You ninny. Poor Sirius, gets his name butchered all the time.

"No, really!" Ron cried. "You're giving me you're Firebolt?"

"What else am I to do with it?"

"I don't know. Donate to a museum?" Wow, how dumb was that? A museum? Really Ron! Ugh... I should just disappear now.

"Ron you dingbat!" Harry roared with laughter. "You really are a hoot, you know that?" How do I hoot when I'm a bat? Only owls hoot you twit. "Anyway, why would I give it to some person I don't even know when I could give it to my best friend? Besides, you'll be glad you have it since you're the new captain of the Quidditch team."

It took Ron ages for these words to finally sink in.

"Qui – Quidditch captain? Me?"

"Yes you."

"But when? Why?" Ron was at a loss for words.

"I talked to Dumbledore yesterday. He wanted me to tell you before you got to school."

Ron's face immediately lit up with excitement. "I'm captain! I'm the captain! Yes! Woo-hoo! I'm captain!" Ron began running around in circles about the room shouting stupidly. Harry was in fits of laughter at Ron's behaviour.

"Now really!" gasped Harry.

"Sorry," said Ron after calming down a bit. "I'm just really excited. Who knew that I could be captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team?"

Who knew I could even play Quidditch...

Harry chuckled. "Well then. That's that I guess."

"Yeah," sighed Ron. He pushed the items Harry had given him to the end of his bed and lied down.

"So, ready for school tomorrow?" asked Harry.

"Yeah, but no," came Ron's answer; he sounded annoyed.

"No? What not?"

He pushed himself up on his elbow. "D'you realize how lonely I'm going to be without you this year?"

"Oh come off it. I'll visit from time to time. Have to anyways. And there's the holidays and stuff. Besides, you'll have 'Mione."

"Phbt. (A/N: sry, but that's supposed to be a sound effect thingy. Like, hmph. Ya kno? Damn that onomatopoeia) She still isn't talking to me." And I don't blame her.

"Just give it time. She'll come around eventually."

"Give it time?! It's been a month!"

"Ah, well, maybe it's just a girl thing."

"Why do they have to be so bloody complicated?"

"Who knows."

It was quiet for a while.

"You know Hermione's Head Girl this year, right?" questioned Harry, breaking the silence.

"No," said Ron, sitting all the way up. "She failed to mention that."

"Oh."

"Well it's no surprise. I half expected it anyway. Why do you ask?"

"Just wondering, since you're going to be Head Boy and all."

) (
A/N's: ok, if that last part is not making sense, it shall be discussed next chapter, so have no fear! Lol. Anyways. Ugh, i found that to be a horrible sappy chapter... o well. Thank-you's are the same as last chapter since these were posted back-to-back and all that. but my dear beta Val ALWAYS gets a thank you! You're too kind to me! = D (sappy crappy... thanks. I'll never forget any of it.)