A/N: This has been one hell of a week! I had four test on Friday, and also have big project due on Monday! I'm so tired, but since I got so many reviews, I decided to update soon! YAY! Okay, okay... well, please read and review! Or man-eating pancakes will attack you!
Full Summery: After being accused a murder right after the Tournament, Ron 'runs away' to America, hoping to start over anew. But three years later, his wife is struck by a curse that will end her life in one year. There is no cure for the curse, except a powerful potion. But no one knows how to brew it, well, except one. So leaving his wife at a famous wizard hospital in California, Ron and his two year-old Daughter go to England, where the only man who knows how to brew it lives. And that man is Severus Snapes, Potion Professor at Hogwarts: School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. So here are the big questions: will his family and friends accept Ron again? And will his wife's life be saved?
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any song/ quote that I will use. They belong to their respectable owners/ creators. But anything that I have made up belongs to me!
X o X o X
My agitated mind
Is such a mess
It couldn't get worse
A fire sparks at my feet.
It spreads like the wind blows
Engulfing the city in a roar of smoke.
Someday, surly
I'll be able to get along with everyone
The boy who had such a dream
Was that me?
There's not a single person
Who'll honestly call out to me?
As I listened to the sirens
At long last I understood.
Faces and shapes and hearts, everything
Is simply distorted
Even if I knew any kind words
I can't remember them
After I left
Peace returned to the town
It was wonderful
To dream for so long
But I won't return.
-Black Sheep, The Pillows
X o X o X
Wind
Chapter Fourteen: Black Sheep
The very next day was hectic. Layla had to contact her parents early morning to inform them the plans for the afternoon. Everyone, from both sides of the Atlantic, was scheduled to be at the manor at 1: 00 PM. The house elves were taking care of the food, and cleaning the house. Ron was nervous. What will they think of his home? How he lives? And all that. The night before, the family didn't really discuss about Ron and his family's daily lives, most of the dinner the night before was just catching up with everyone else, that no one really didn't know what was really going on with Ron. The hour soon came. The first to come was the Weasleys.
"Damn, Ron! You didn't tell us you were rich!" Fred, or George, exclaimed. Ron was about to reply when Bill cut him off by saying, "What do you do to pay for this place?"
"Well, you see-"Ron began.
"Bloody hell, Ron! Can I move in with you!" Ginny joked. Ron gave up on replying and just smiled. When his whole family left with a house elf, which was going to give them a tour, Hermione flooed into the living.
"Hermione?" asked Ron as he slowly advanced to his old best friend.
"Oh my God, Ron?" asked a shocked Hermione. Ron nodded and Hermione run up to him and gave him a hug. "I missed you SO much!" she cried into his shoulder.
Ron hugged her back. "I missed you too, hell, I missed everyone." The pulled out of their hug and Hermione wiped her eyes.
"I'm the first to arrive?" she questioned.
"No, all of the Weasleys got here a few minutes ago, Tippy is giving them a tour." Ron explained.
Hermione gave him a confused look. "Tippy?"
"House elf." Ron replied.
"House elf?" Hermione kicked into her S.P.E.W mode again.
Ron ignored her. "Why don't you go watch over Amory? She's around the drawing room."
"That is?" Hermione obviously didn't know where the drawing room was.
"Oh. WONK!" He called out and a small elf appeared. "Wonk, take Miss Hermione to the drawing room so she can spend some time with Amory."
"Master Casper, sir-"
"It's Master Ron." The redhead corrected the elf.
"Yes, sir, Mr. Ronald, sir." Wonk apologized. Hermione gave Ron a disapproving look. "But, you see, sir, Mistress Layla is spending time with Miss Amory, sir."
"I see, you may leave." Ron dismissed the elf. And with a pop the wonk left the room. "Would you like to wait here with me for Harry?" Ron asked Hermione.
"Fine, but I am going to lecture you about House elves-"She started her rant. About ten minutes later, the head girl's rant was cut short when three wizards popped in.
"Hey, Padfoot! This doesn't look like a restaurant!" A boy, no, a man looked at the older male with black hair.
"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed getting off the couch.
Harry turned around confused. "Hermione? What are you doing here? Where are we? Sirius and Remus said we were going out to eat!"
Hermione laughed. "I'm here to eat too. Harry, we're in America! California to be more exact!"
"What? Why?" Harry looked back at the two adults.
Ron coughed and Hermione stepped aside for Harry to see Ron. "R...Ron?" Harry asked slowly, not really believing his eyes.
"Hey, Harry. Long time no see." Ron replied in an American accent. Harry was about to reply when Amory came running into the room.
"Daddy! Daddy!" She ran to the couch where Ron sat, and climbed onto his lap. "I'm sooooo hungry!"
"I know, I know. But, you have to meet some people." Ron explained to the little girl as he looked at Harry. Confusion was written all over his face.
"More Aunts and Uncles?" She asked innocently.
Ron nodded. "Yeah, that's Auntie Hermione, Uncle Harry, Uncle Padfoot, and Uncle Moony." Ron pointed to each and every one of them.
"Ooookay..." Amory bounced off her father's lap. "I'm going to go watch the house elves." And with that she skipped out of the room.
Ron turned to Harry, Sirius and Remus. "So, up for a story?"
X o X o X
After the tour of the house, and everyone getting reacquainted with Ron, they went outside to a outdoor eating area that had one huge table in the middle, many types of food displayed on fancy serving platters, and beautiful plates, drinking glasses, and utensils in front of every chair. Layla came to the table with her parents who had just arrived.
Charlie gave a whistle. "How did you ever get so rich, Bro?"
"Yeah, how did you get to live in a manor?" Harry asked with an emphasis on the word 'manor'.
"I'm just a government worker, and a part-time Auror." Ron replied as he put some food onto his plate.
"Layla's grandmother gave them the manor and land as a wedding gift." Layla's father replied.
"Wow... that's some gift" Ginny commented
"And I'm a fashion designer with my own designer label. Have you heard of muggle and Wizard Company called F.R.E.E?" Layla asked as she helped Amory with her plate of food.
"Yeah, I heard it's the next BCBG, or Guess in the muggle world." Hermione replied. "And it's becoming big in our world too. But it's really expensive, not an average person can buy clothing from there."
"I own it. My Friend, Elaine, co-owns it with me. I'm the head designer since it was Elaine and Me that created it." Layla replied.
"Really?" Hermione smiled. "Can I get some discounts?" Hermione joked.
"Sure! I'll make you a costume dress for you birthday! When it?" Layla offered as she passed a bowl of peas to Penny.
"In September." Hermione replied cheerfully.
"Okay, I'll have it done by your birthday." Layla replied and quickly looked down at her food. Ron quickly noticed the sad look in her eyes. Midway through the meal Mr. And Mrs. Glory had to leave, and took Amory back into the house so she could get a nap. The rest of the lunch was just some idle conversations here and there until Molly asked Ron a question.
"Ron, if you knew you were innocent, then why didn't you came back three years ago?" Molly looked at her son.
"I... well...I had my reasons." He mumbled.
"Like what?" Arthur pressed on.
"I don't have to tell you." Ron replied rather harsh. Everyone was taken back by his reply.
"Ron." Molly said warningly at her son. The table became silent. Layla glanced at her husband, she could tell he was about to burst.
"Look, I'm sick of being in the shadows of all of you! I hated being poor!" Ron raised his voice. "I hated being your sidekick, Harry! I hated how smart you were, Hermione! I hated being over looked at because of my last name. I hated all the prejudging people did when they saw my red hair, my freckle, and my worn out clothes! All the expectations I had to follow! I HATED being another Weasley!"
Everyone stared at Ron, startled at his sudden burst about his feelings. Layla had her hands neatly folded on her lap, and she just stared at her plate, playing the role of the respectable rich pureblood wife like she was taught to be by her mother.
"You were never in their shadows..." Molly began.
"Yes I was! But I was ignored! I'm not your only girl, like Ginny! I didn't get a job at the ministry right out of school like Perfect Percy! I didn't get in trouble a lot like the Twins; I'm not one your eldest sons! I was overlooked!" Ron stood up. "When I was given the chance to start school here and become an American citizen, I took it! I saw it as a chance to not be another Weasely! I didn't go back even thought I knew I didn't commit those crimes because I had the chance to start a better life!" he yelled.
Molly looked furious. "A better life!?" She screeched. "You may have become rich but look at you! Only seventeen! Married and a child! You were only with that whore a month and you got her pregnant! I bet when you left us you left your morals back at England too!"
SMACK
There was a hush of silence as Molly stared opened eyed at her son, with her hand against her cheek. "H... how dare you strike your own-"
"How dare you!" Ron bellowed. "Telling me that I have no morals! Calling my wife a whore in front of her face!"
"AH!" Everyone turned their attention to Layla, who had just fallen off her chair, clutching her chest, and hyperventilating. Ron tore his glare from his mother and turned to his wife's direction to see Harry trying to help her. "Layla!" Ron rushed to his wife just as Harry was helping her. "Layla!" Ron cried.
"It... it hurts." She sobbed.
"Look at her, such a great actress." Molly muttered.
Ron heard his mother's comment and glared at her just as a house elf arrived. "Owl Dr. Ni, tell him Layla had an surprised attack, and we're on our way to the hospital." Ron instructed. The house elf nodded and popped to the Owlery Ron looked back down at Layla to see that she passed out, Remus had wetted a cloth napkin and Harry placed it on her forehead.
"I'm going to have to apparate with her, if you want to meet me at the hospital, the house elves will help you." Ron looked at Harry, Hermione, Remus and Sirius as he told them that. He then turned to the redheads. "If you agreed with me, then you are allowed to come along, family members are only allowed." Ron glared at his mother before taking out his wand and with a pop, both him and his wife where gone.
"She's acting." Molly muttered to herself.
"That didn't look like acting." Harry looked at Sirius. "Do you know what happen?" his godfather shook his head.
Ginny looked up and then remembered. The last time she saw her, which was yesterday, Layla looked fine, but deathly skinny, she remembered how the robes seemed to hung off her body. Today she looked rather sickly pale, as well as skinny, and her eyes were rather dull. Her eyes widen when she recalled the conversation from yesterday. "That wasn't acting. Layla is dying."
"What?' Everyone turned to Ginny. Everyone didn't know about the hex, except Hermione, Ginny, Arthur and Molly. It seems that Molly forgot about it. "What do you mean?" Fred asked concerned.
"She got hit with some death hex, but she got the cure, but there is a small chance that she might not live." Hermione explained. "But, she said that the recent test said she was doing fine, and absently no problems at all!"
"I'll go get an elf to get Amory, we have to leave for the hospital." Remus left and went inside the house.
Everyone slowly started to go in, as in saying that they were on Ron's side. Arthur was turned to his wife, the only one standing outside. "Are you coming, Molly?" She looked down. "I think you should stay here and give some thought into what you said, and to what Ron said, before you follow. He was right."
With that Arthur left Molly outside, by herself.
X o X o X
A/N; YAY! One chapter in one day! Wow, I type fast.... Xx
Well, I made a small but huge mistakes, just go read my self-review in Wind's review section, to see what I did wrong! Any who, thanks to all those who reviewed chapter 13 and all the other ones!
Kungzoune: yay! I hope the past chapters suited your taste! I hope you read more, cause this isn't over yet!
Dups250- thanks! I hope you will continue reading!
Angul-gurl: yay! Thank you! Is it really interesting? I think it's poorly written! BWAHAHA! Me, badmouthing my own stories! MWAHAHA! Continue reading this fan fiction!
Ellen: Yeah, I know about the mistakes, I do use Spell Check, and I re-read the chapter to make sure they make sense. But, some times I would miss some mistakes! Sorry! But, thanks for liking this! Please keep on reading! This story isn't over just yet!
Dove-angel-12: YAY! You are so proud... of what? ... Oh well, thanks for reading! I hope you read more!
Daine-Wildmage: I LOVE FURUBA TOO! It's so funny, no? Did you read a flashback in one of the chapters that has Layla and Teddy in it and it's similar to a scene with Shigure and Kagura? I love that scene! Shigure is my favorite! I have two really great friends, one is called Shigure-san/ Gure- san, the other is Ayame-san/ Aya-san, and I'm Hatori-san/ Haa-san, the nicknames are based on our personalities, I'm the serious one of the group...yay! Yeah, about that England thing, I don't know if I will get accepted, got to go trough all this crap to do so.... Well, if I do, I'll savor each moment! Please continue reading!
Yo-man: uh... thanks for reviewing!
And thanks to those who reads and not reviews!
-LalathePanda