Searching for Desire

By Vertically Challenged Poncho

DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Harry Potter books in anyway, shape, or form.

Author's notes: I would appreciate the service of a beta. Enjoy the show!

"Ron, don't gobble your eggs so quickly!" Mrs. Weasley barked at her youngest son.

"He can't help it." Ron's older brother Fred said.

"Yeah, he's trying to live up to the reputation of his piggy nose." Fred's twin, George said.

"Shut up." Ron said through a mouthful of eggs.

"Ron, don't speak with your mouthful." Mrs. Weasley reprimanded her son.

Ron was trying to finish his breakfast as fast as he could so he could go over to his friend Harry's house to play quidditch. Harry had clearing in the woods behind his house that his dad had built to look like a miniature quidditch pitch. Also, Harry had a Comet 260, one of the best brooms out at the time. It was neat to hang out at Harry huge house and play with all his cool things, but it always reminded Ron of everything he didn't have. The only area for playing quidditch he and his brothers had was a tiny clearing behind their shabby house that was filled with weeds and gnats and Ron still rode an old Shooting Star that had been his brother Charlie's years ago.

SPLAT! Something had been thrown against the kitchen window. Fred went up to get it and sighed when he discovered what it was.

"Errol's come with the post." He said.

"Oh, just leave him by the window for now." Mrs. Weasley instructed, "The fresh air will do him some good."

"Ooh ho ho!" Fred giggled annoyingly, "Looks like somebody's gotten their Hogwarts letter!"

"What?" Ron exclaimed, "Give it here!"

But Fred clutched it to his chest.

"I can't believe our little Ronny-kins is growing up so fast!" Fred pretended to wipe a tear from his eye.

"It seems only yesterday that he was falling off his little toy broomstick into the mud." George had joined in and pretended to blow his nose on the Hogwarts envelope. "Oh wait," George stopped, "That was yesterday!"

"Give it here!" Ron leapt across the table and stole the letter out of George's grasp.

"Tut tut, where did you learn you manners?" Fred clicked his tongue.

"Professor McGonagall will not stand for bad behavior like yours." George added.

"She'll throw you straight to the giant squid!" Fred said in an attempt to frighten his younger brother, but Ron was too immersed in his letter.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Mr. Weasley,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

Just as Ron's eyes skimmed over the last letter on the page, a big, sleek grey owl came pouring through the kitchen window. It dived down to Ron and dropped a letter in his lap. Then it soared right back out the window.

Ron recognized it immediately as Harry's Dad's owl, Leo. Opening the letter, Ron saw Harry's scrawl:

Dear Ron,

I just got my Hogwarts letter! Have you gotten yours yet? Dad says you're still more than welcome to come over to play quidditch on Wednesday and that he's still willing to play Keeper. Also, he and Mum are having their old school friends over for dinner tonight to celebrate my acceptance to Hogwarts. Do you remember Remus and Sirius? You met them once when we were around seven. Sirius turned into a dog and scared you so much that you hid in the kitchen cabinet all night because you thought he was the grim? Anyway, Mum says that you're to stay for dinner.

Sincerely,

Harry

PS – I do hope you get this letter before we get together. Dad says Leo is fast, but I don't know how fast. If you get it afterwards, I hope we had a great time hanging out and I apologize for beating you in quidditch.

"Is that from Harry, dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Yeah, he says that his dad is having some old school friends over and that I can stay over for supper." Ron said.

"So long as its no problem with Lily."

"It's not."

"Well, don't bother writing back. I dare say Errol's had enough for one day. Go head and floo to Harry's house."

Excited to get to go to his friend's house, Ron ran up the stairs to get his Shooting Star and hopped back down to the fireplace.

"Bye mum!" he shouted before throwing a handful of floo powder into the roaring flames. Ron stepped into the flames and said –very clearly- "Godric's Hollow."

He felt something tug behind his navel as he pictured meeting with Remus and Sirius, and hoped that Sirius wouldn't turn into a dog again.