A/N: I apologise for the longer than necessary wait, but I hope that will change soon. This part of the story has been very sticky for me to write- I am anxious to get to what lies ahead. Plus, I have been buried in work. Easter holiday? What holiday? Hmph.

Anyway, huge thank you for reviewing and bearing with me. More big thanks to beta Angel- you're a godsend when it comes to Albus Dumbledore characterisation- it shows in this chapter. This is going to be somewhat of a turning point for the story, getting me to my eventual goal.

Also, sorry about the terrible formatting last chapter. Wasn't the way I typed it. I will try to change it when I get around to it.

20. What Doesn't Kill Us…

Dumbledore leaned forward in his chair, his wrinkled chin resting lightly on his bridged hands. Nervously, Ron stopped sucking on the sour sweet and switched it to the other side of his mouth.

"Tell me, Mr Weasley. What is the one thing you've despised being compared to or judged by from the moment you arrived at Hogwarts?"

Ron frowned. "I don't know." He lowered his eyes as he thought. "I've never been the richest kid here. My red hair is a legend as is my tact." He smiled weakly.

Dumbledore chuckled but then shook his head. "Very close, but you keep missing the bull's-eye. All these things, as unimportant as they are, are linked to my point. You are a Weasley, as much as you want to forget that fact, but it is very important now.

"Your sister was here not so long ago. Of her own accord, which was rather surprising. I remember the day she arrived in the Great Hall, wet through from the weather and positively shaking at the thought of being Sorted. I waited, as she sat on that stool, as did the rest of the staff. She was the last child of Arthur and Molly Weasley and had a legend to follow. Personally, I thought it would have been rather interesting to see what Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw would have made of her, but her personality ousted any doubts. She, like you before her, was made a Gryffindor and lives up to that reputation today. In tears two days ago, but is now coping with the shock well. You, Mr Weasley, on the other hand, are stony-faced and seemingly emotionless. I am not surprised you let loose in Minerva's class this morning."

Ron, who had been decidedly mute until this point, looked up sharply. "How did you-"

"I fear that I have kept a closer eye on you than you anticipated."

Ron shifted in his chair under the scrutiny of the Headmaster. Dumbledore had always made him feel uneasy at the best of time. The ubiquitous nature he had going on wasn't exactly comforting.

As if sensing the red-haired boy's feelings, Dumbledore smiled gently. "This is an opportunity, Mr. Weasley. A moment when one must decide if to repeat the mistakes of the past or to write the foundation for the future. When you must decide. For it is up to you."

Ron began shaking his head. "Charlie…it seems impossible. How can he have been telling the Order how much he wanted to bring V-You-Know-Who down, or turning up last summer with Quidditch tickets for the Canons to take us all out? God, he even spent most of his pay check on a new broom for Ginny after she got Catcher and Mum couldn't afford it." He glanced away looking disgusted. "How could he have been doing all that, as part of our family, and then skipping off to Revels with the local Death-Eaters?"

"He was not the brother you knew for a long time. But I believe, somewhere inside, he still sees you as his family, not as-"

"'Muggle-loving fools'? He certainly didn't see me as his 'family' at Azkaban."

"No. And nobody is asking you to forgive him, Mr Weasley. What I think would be best is for you to take a step back and observe Charlie for what he truly is- human."

"Human?" Ron choked out. "What human takes my Herm- best friend and is intent on destroying her because of her heritage? Human? That's a joke."

"I'm afraid you are not seeing my direction, Mr Weasley. It is simply too easy to say Charlie acted inhumanely. He demonstrated the unpleasant aspect of the very essence of what it is to possess a soul.

"One cannot deny human nature," he finished, his eyes sincere and his heart truly sorry for the emotions that flickered across the boy's face. Frustration, hurt, anger, sadness.

"But why?" he asked quietly. "Charlie was always…he never…"

"I think you can find the answer to that yourself, Mr Weasley.

For one of the few times during their conversation, Ron met the Headmaster's eyes. "Everyone is human," he started slowly. "Everyone has the chance, the ability to be human." He stopped. "No, not to be human…but to express it, to experience it."

"But humanity isn't necessarily the personification of goodness," Dumbledore interposed softly.

"And Charlie is an example of that." concluded Ron. He still felt confusion, but through all that the Headmaster had told him, something had begun to click.

"I believe you are right. As I also believe you would much prefer to go back to your House now? I have no intention of patronising you with ideas of 'acceptance', Mr Weasley. From the moment you were sorted into Gryffindor, it became clear that you had a strong head on your shoulders and were not so identical to every other Weasley. Whether you like it or not, I think you are still proving you are quite the individual."

Slowly, Ron rose out of his chair. His thoughts were still very mixed up but the turbulence he had felt this morning was beginning to fade.

"Thanks, Professor Dumbledore."

The Headmaster acknowledged him with a nod and a smile before Ron made his way to the door. "Mr Weasley?" Ron turned to face the wizard expectantly. "It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. What doesn't kill you, will make you stronger."

Ron tried to smile back. "I hope so." He opened the door and Dumbledore heard it click shut as he left.

"Those Muggles and their quotes," he said before popping one of the sweets into his mouth. "They always seem to hit the nail on the head."

hr

"Something wrong with your soup, Severus?" asked Flitwick, finding it hard to keep the amusement out of his voice. Snape had been stirring his vegetable broth mutinously for ten minutes, gazing at the far wall. Not a bite had been eaten and he hadn't touched his goblet of water.

"It's fine," answered Snape softly as Flitwick regarded him for a few moments and then turned in his seat to talk to McGonagall. Actually, there were several things wrong with the meal but the last time he had tried voicing his honest opinion, the house elves in the kitchens had made his mealtimes even more unbearable than they usually were.

His dark gaze fell upon the Gryffindor table. Potter sat near to the head of it. The redheaded Weasley girl was next to him, offering him the breadbasket and chatting freely. No one else seemed to have noticed that the Golden Trio was in shreds except him, and that was irony in itself. That soon changed as the door to the Great Hall opened, allowing the older Weasley entrance. The noise level didn't lower too obviously, but many glances were turned his way, along with the raising of eyebrows and nudging.

Weasley looked around the Hall for a moment and then began to walk toward the Gryffindor table, getting closer to where his best friend and his sister sat. He stopped and Snape could almost read his mind. He clearly was unsure whether he was welcome in their company. Potter suddenly erased all doubt by offering a small smile in his direction. Five minutes later, the three were talking again; all discomfort had seemingly evaporated. Snape shook his head in disgust. Funny how Hermione's non-appearance didn't seem to affect their comradeship. Exhaling loudly, he dropped his spoon, stood up and swept out of the hall.

Harry watched as the Potions Master left the Hall, black robes in a flurry. "Snape doesn't look happy," he commented as the door swung shut behind him.

Ron raised an eyebrow. "As opposed to his usual sunny disposition?"

Ginny nudged him in the side, frowning slightly. "Hasn't Charlie taught you anything?" she said softly, not completely reprimanding.

Harry was still gazing at the door. "Why does he stay here?" he wondered. "It's obvious he hates teaching and he doesn't have to 'spy' on Dumbledore anymore."

"Hermione wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him," said Ron slowly. "Charlie would have…" His face darkened. "Where is she?"

"Hermione? I don't know. She wasn't in your last class?" asked Ginny.

"No" answered Harry, shaking his head. "We had Divination."

"Oh," Ginny shrugged. "Perhaps she just isn't hungry?"

"Neither am I," said Ron, before standing up. "I want to talk to her anyway. I'll go see if she's in the tower."

A glance that was both relieved, but weary, passed between Harry and Ginny as they watched him depart.