A/N: Okay, I am so sorry it took this long to get this up. I've had really
bad.....well, not really writer's block......I mean I know what I wanted to
say, but I couldn't find the words to say it. You wouldn't believe how many
times I started and deleted this chapter to get it the way I wanted, but
here it goes.
It had to have been eight or nine before Mum finally decided we had better leave to avoid any traffic. (After she said this, I asked her who in their bloody mind would be out traveling this late at night except us, but she just gave me one of those stern mother looks and told me to get moving.)
After a rather tearful good-bye on Mum's part, we all piled into dad's car (He did get a new one, although this one isn't enchanted to fly, which is a rip-off if you ask me, but then again, no one ever does now do they?) and set out on the road. We made it all of five minutes down the dark road when George yelled that he had forgotten his latest invention for his and Fred's joke shop. So, to my dismay, we turned around and drove back. Once George was safely buckled in, and another round of good-byes were chorused to Charlie, we took off once again. This time, we made it to the highway without any mishaps, and once dad took that turn onto the main road, we all let out a sigh of relief, thankful that there had been no reason to turn around again.
We drove long into the dreary, silent night, and I felt myself lulling off to sleep as we rode continuously through what I assumed to be open road. A couple hours, two fights, seven games, and a debate about which Quidditch team was the best (Go Chudley Cannons!) later, I finally drifted off.
I couldn't be sure what time it was when I woke up, but as I squinted through the early morning sun streaming in the window, three things hit me at once: 1. We were still driving, 2. It was morning, and 3. I was starving!
"Mum, I'm hungry," I said, whining a little so she'd get the point. She just groaned and said, "Ronald Weasley, when is there ever a moment you aren't hungry?" But she fished around the cooler and then handed me a little plastic-wrapped sandwich marked "Ron". Even through the plastic I could smell the tuna, and groaned inwardly. When was she going to remember I hated tuna?
Knowing it would be pointless to try and swap with Fred or George (we all had the same) I decided to just eat the damned thing because my only other option was to starve to death. I unwrapped it, and holding it as though it were a bomb about to go off, I took a deep breath and then gobbled it down as quickly as I could. 'Chew, chew, chew, swallow, chew, chew, swallow, chew, chew, swallow' There, it was gone. But, ugh, I could still taste it on my tongue.
"We don't by chance happen to have any pumpkin juice or anything, do we?" I asked hopefully. Mum rummaged around again, and then handed me a container filled with what I assumed to be pumpkin juice. Taking it gratefully, I opened and slugged back a couple mouthfuls when the raunchy taste hit me. I closed my eyes as they watered and had to choke down the rest in my mouth.
"What is this?!" I asked as I gasped for breath. "What in bloody hell is this stuff?"
"Ronald! Watch your language! And that stuff happens to be my new protein drink. I think we could all stand to eat a little healthier, especially you," Mum said sternly.
"By eating healthier do you mean not eating at all? Because that's all this stuff makes me want to do," I said.
"You're the one that asked for it, not me," she said pointedly.
"I said I wanted pumpkin juice!" I said protested.
"Or anything," she added, and then gave me one of those shut-up-while-you- still-can-because-it's-pointless-to-argue-with-me looks. So I resumed looking longingly out the window as more flat, deserted land sped by the window.
"How about another game?" dad asked. "I know this great one that....." He was abruptly cut off as we all shouted, "No!"
"Sorry, Dad," I added on apologetically. "We're just sick of playing games right now. Why don't we listen to the radio?" I suggested, and he switched on the radio. Over the speakers came the sound of one of those annoying muggle talk shows.
"Uh, Dad? By radio, I meant something all of us actually like," I said.
Grumbling, he reluctantly changed the station. "Better?" he asked. We all nodded in agreement as the car fell silent once again. Even the music seemed to grow softer. It was one of those creepy silences, where you don't even want to cough or sneeze, because you'll break that silence.
We drove in continued hush, to the point where it was almost unbearable. Finally, I couldn't stand it anymore.
"Have you guys heard the one about the....." I started.
"YES!"
"Okay," I replied grumpily. "Just trying to lighten the mood."
We sat in silence for about another ten minutes before anyone else dared to speak.
"Are we almost home?" asked Ginny, in one of those annoying, whiney voices.
"Yes, Ginny, we are almost home," replied Mum, and I could tell she was a bit aggravated with Ginny's tone.
"Well, how much further then?" asked Ginny, again in that same voice.
"I'm not sure, Ginny, I'd say another thirty minutes," said Mum, and this time I could practically see her teeth grinding as she clenched her jaw.
"Uh, Ginny, what classes did you say you were taking this year?" I asked, trying to distract her so Mum wouldn't lose her bloody head.
"Well, I'm taking Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Potions, and....." she rattled off a list of other subjects she was taking as I pretended to look interested as I felt myself growing more bored by the second. She then felt the need to start an in-depth, one-sided discussion, in which she talked all about the teachers, and how her friends thought this, and blah, blah, blah. I listened as patiently as I could for as long as humanly possible, but every bloke has his limits.
"Ginny! Please! Just shut your bloody trap! Honestly, you talk more than any girl I know on this entire bloody planet!" Which was, of course, followed by another lecture from Mum about how I need to learn to be considerate of other people's feelings and I should think before I speak.
Once again, the car lapsed into complete and total silence, and just when I thought my head might explode, we arrived home. I swear on Merlin's beard that I have never been happier to see the Burrow in my entire bloody life, all sixteen years of it.
We all jumped out of the car and made a mad-dash for the door and were about halfway there when Mum's voice cut through our cheerful chatter.
"Ah-hem. Forgetting something, are we?" she asked with a suggestive glance at the trunk. We trudged back to the car and waited patiently as Mum and Dad pulled all the bags out of the trunk, and then we all grabbed our things and once again ran for safety. I was the first one to reach the door, and I practically ripped it off its hinges in my haste to get inside.
"Ahhhh..... Home at last," I said as I walked up the rickety stairs to my room. Throwing the suitcase on the floor (I'd unpack it later, if I felt like it), I flopped down on my bed, thankful that I actually had one again. Don't get me wrong, I love Charlie and all, but I don't think I will ever understand how he can sleep on a cot every single night. Well, not sleep really, since you spend most of the night tossing and turning, trying to get comfortable, and just when you think you've actually found a comfortable spot, your arm that's wedged under your back falls asleep on you. And then you have to twist around a little more until finally you just give up and roll over and fall asleep. And of course, by that time, it's like three in the morning, so you only get like five hours of sleep, not even, and then it's 'rise and shine everyone!'
I didn't have any intentions of falling asleep, but since I was nice and comfortable (and tired) on my bed, I decided a short nap couldn't hurt anything. Yawning, I closed my eyes and was almost asleep, and then I was jolted back awake.
"Ronald Weasley! You answer me when I call you!" Mum screeched, and from the sounds of it, she had been calling me for quite a bit.
"What, Mum? I'm trying to sleep!" I yelled back irritably.
"We're leaving!"
"Where are we going?"
"Hogwarts!"
"Hogwarts! But why now? It's not like were going to be able to do anything if we go now!"
"Do I honestly have to explain myself to you over every little decision I make? Now I said we're going, so let's go!"
Once again, we all jammed into the car and began the long journey to Hogwarts.
It had to have been eight or nine before Mum finally decided we had better leave to avoid any traffic. (After she said this, I asked her who in their bloody mind would be out traveling this late at night except us, but she just gave me one of those stern mother looks and told me to get moving.)
After a rather tearful good-bye on Mum's part, we all piled into dad's car (He did get a new one, although this one isn't enchanted to fly, which is a rip-off if you ask me, but then again, no one ever does now do they?) and set out on the road. We made it all of five minutes down the dark road when George yelled that he had forgotten his latest invention for his and Fred's joke shop. So, to my dismay, we turned around and drove back. Once George was safely buckled in, and another round of good-byes were chorused to Charlie, we took off once again. This time, we made it to the highway without any mishaps, and once dad took that turn onto the main road, we all let out a sigh of relief, thankful that there had been no reason to turn around again.
We drove long into the dreary, silent night, and I felt myself lulling off to sleep as we rode continuously through what I assumed to be open road. A couple hours, two fights, seven games, and a debate about which Quidditch team was the best (Go Chudley Cannons!) later, I finally drifted off.
I couldn't be sure what time it was when I woke up, but as I squinted through the early morning sun streaming in the window, three things hit me at once: 1. We were still driving, 2. It was morning, and 3. I was starving!
"Mum, I'm hungry," I said, whining a little so she'd get the point. She just groaned and said, "Ronald Weasley, when is there ever a moment you aren't hungry?" But she fished around the cooler and then handed me a little plastic-wrapped sandwich marked "Ron". Even through the plastic I could smell the tuna, and groaned inwardly. When was she going to remember I hated tuna?
Knowing it would be pointless to try and swap with Fred or George (we all had the same) I decided to just eat the damned thing because my only other option was to starve to death. I unwrapped it, and holding it as though it were a bomb about to go off, I took a deep breath and then gobbled it down as quickly as I could. 'Chew, chew, chew, swallow, chew, chew, swallow, chew, chew, swallow' There, it was gone. But, ugh, I could still taste it on my tongue.
"We don't by chance happen to have any pumpkin juice or anything, do we?" I asked hopefully. Mum rummaged around again, and then handed me a container filled with what I assumed to be pumpkin juice. Taking it gratefully, I opened and slugged back a couple mouthfuls when the raunchy taste hit me. I closed my eyes as they watered and had to choke down the rest in my mouth.
"What is this?!" I asked as I gasped for breath. "What in bloody hell is this stuff?"
"Ronald! Watch your language! And that stuff happens to be my new protein drink. I think we could all stand to eat a little healthier, especially you," Mum said sternly.
"By eating healthier do you mean not eating at all? Because that's all this stuff makes me want to do," I said.
"You're the one that asked for it, not me," she said pointedly.
"I said I wanted pumpkin juice!" I said protested.
"Or anything," she added, and then gave me one of those shut-up-while-you- still-can-because-it's-pointless-to-argue-with-me looks. So I resumed looking longingly out the window as more flat, deserted land sped by the window.
"How about another game?" dad asked. "I know this great one that....." He was abruptly cut off as we all shouted, "No!"
"Sorry, Dad," I added on apologetically. "We're just sick of playing games right now. Why don't we listen to the radio?" I suggested, and he switched on the radio. Over the speakers came the sound of one of those annoying muggle talk shows.
"Uh, Dad? By radio, I meant something all of us actually like," I said.
Grumbling, he reluctantly changed the station. "Better?" he asked. We all nodded in agreement as the car fell silent once again. Even the music seemed to grow softer. It was one of those creepy silences, where you don't even want to cough or sneeze, because you'll break that silence.
We drove in continued hush, to the point where it was almost unbearable. Finally, I couldn't stand it anymore.
"Have you guys heard the one about the....." I started.
"YES!"
"Okay," I replied grumpily. "Just trying to lighten the mood."
We sat in silence for about another ten minutes before anyone else dared to speak.
"Are we almost home?" asked Ginny, in one of those annoying, whiney voices.
"Yes, Ginny, we are almost home," replied Mum, and I could tell she was a bit aggravated with Ginny's tone.
"Well, how much further then?" asked Ginny, again in that same voice.
"I'm not sure, Ginny, I'd say another thirty minutes," said Mum, and this time I could practically see her teeth grinding as she clenched her jaw.
"Uh, Ginny, what classes did you say you were taking this year?" I asked, trying to distract her so Mum wouldn't lose her bloody head.
"Well, I'm taking Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Potions, and....." she rattled off a list of other subjects she was taking as I pretended to look interested as I felt myself growing more bored by the second. She then felt the need to start an in-depth, one-sided discussion, in which she talked all about the teachers, and how her friends thought this, and blah, blah, blah. I listened as patiently as I could for as long as humanly possible, but every bloke has his limits.
"Ginny! Please! Just shut your bloody trap! Honestly, you talk more than any girl I know on this entire bloody planet!" Which was, of course, followed by another lecture from Mum about how I need to learn to be considerate of other people's feelings and I should think before I speak.
Once again, the car lapsed into complete and total silence, and just when I thought my head might explode, we arrived home. I swear on Merlin's beard that I have never been happier to see the Burrow in my entire bloody life, all sixteen years of it.
We all jumped out of the car and made a mad-dash for the door and were about halfway there when Mum's voice cut through our cheerful chatter.
"Ah-hem. Forgetting something, are we?" she asked with a suggestive glance at the trunk. We trudged back to the car and waited patiently as Mum and Dad pulled all the bags out of the trunk, and then we all grabbed our things and once again ran for safety. I was the first one to reach the door, and I practically ripped it off its hinges in my haste to get inside.
"Ahhhh..... Home at last," I said as I walked up the rickety stairs to my room. Throwing the suitcase on the floor (I'd unpack it later, if I felt like it), I flopped down on my bed, thankful that I actually had one again. Don't get me wrong, I love Charlie and all, but I don't think I will ever understand how he can sleep on a cot every single night. Well, not sleep really, since you spend most of the night tossing and turning, trying to get comfortable, and just when you think you've actually found a comfortable spot, your arm that's wedged under your back falls asleep on you. And then you have to twist around a little more until finally you just give up and roll over and fall asleep. And of course, by that time, it's like three in the morning, so you only get like five hours of sleep, not even, and then it's 'rise and shine everyone!'
I didn't have any intentions of falling asleep, but since I was nice and comfortable (and tired) on my bed, I decided a short nap couldn't hurt anything. Yawning, I closed my eyes and was almost asleep, and then I was jolted back awake.
"Ronald Weasley! You answer me when I call you!" Mum screeched, and from the sounds of it, she had been calling me for quite a bit.
"What, Mum? I'm trying to sleep!" I yelled back irritably.
"We're leaving!"
"Where are we going?"
"Hogwarts!"
"Hogwarts! But why now? It's not like were going to be able to do anything if we go now!"
"Do I honestly have to explain myself to you over every little decision I make? Now I said we're going, so let's go!"
Once again, we all jammed into the car and began the long journey to Hogwarts.