A/N Nope not mine – sorry. Hope that Ron's thought while degnoming are understandable.
Chapter 5 Ron
3rd July 1996
Ronald Weasley was resting his head against the table, it was way too early to be up but his mum had insisted, apparently the gnomes in the garden were getting out of hand again. Although as to why he had to deal with them when one of his older brothers was home visiting and another three kept popping in and out for meals was beyond him. Between them surely they could have kept the little buggers at bay. If he wanted to get out of doing the chore he could mention that his arms were killing him but then he would have to take the look of disapproval on his mothers' face. Since he and Ginny had come home his mother had alternated between fussing over them and sternly telling them that they were children and shouldn't be meddling in the affairs of adults. It was driving him crazy. He was sixteen and whether she liked it not he knew he was going to be at the centre of this war. He couldn't be Harry Potter's best friend and not be. And as he had no intention of stopping being Harry's friend there was no escaping the fact that he was going to be a target. Hell! There whole family was, regardless of the fact that they were all in the Order, Lucius Malfoy had for whatever reason hated them for as long as he could remember. As far as he knew Malfoy had spent the last decade blocking any chances of his dad getting a promotion.
As Ron moved on to his second helping of breakfast and the fourth round of toast an owl flew in the window and landed on the back of Ginny's chair.
"From Dean is it?"
"No why would it be?"
"Well, he is your new boyfriend isn't he?"
"No why would…. You didn't think I was serious on Monday did you? On the train home?"
"Course I did, why wouldn't I? Were you lying to me?"
"Crikey Ron, I just said that to shut you up. You were being about as subtle as a brick trying to hint to me that I should go out with Harry. I think if I'd jumped him right there you would've been teaching us contraceptive charms while herding the others out the door"
"Ginevra Weasley, that's enough of talk at the breakfast table"
"But mum, he was embarrassing me on the train, hinting and me and Harry like that when he knows that I've given up on Harry – a long time ago Ron and anyway, he doesn't look at me that way so stop encouraging something that is not going to happen."
"I notice that you keep saying that you've given up on Harry not that you've stopped liking him."
"Why don't you leave me alone to sort out my own love life and fuss over your own? Oh I forgot – you still don't have one!"
"Shut it Ginny"
"Ronald Weasley, you will not speak to your sister that way. If you can't take some teasing from your siblings you shouldn't be dishing any. And leave her alone about boys and get out there and start degnoming"
"Boys, Ginny what boys? Ron haven't you warned them off already?" Charlie had appeared at the kitchen door.
"Oy! Don't you dare Ron! If and when I want to date someone I will and if you interfere – any of you" with a steely glance in Charlie's direction "I'll hex you so bad that you'll wish I'd used a Bat-Bogey on you and I'm sure Malfoy can let you know how pleasant those are"
"Leave your sister alone, it's not like you were never friendly with fourteen year old girls, Charles"
"Yeah when I was fourteen, how old are is this Dean guy I heard about?"
"What! Ron! Have you been blabbing?"
"Fred and George asked me about Michael and I admitted that this time at least it was a Gryffindor" her brother protested.
"Ron you can't judge everyone by their house you know!"
"Don't start, I get this lecture from Hermione you know!"
"Well she's right, after all Luna's not so bad is she?"
"She's loony, Gin!"
"Don't call her that! She's just different – and besides she came with us didn't she, to the De…," her voice faded as she incurred a glare from her mother that could have melted iron with its' intensity and decided to follow Ron's example and start shovelling some eggs into her mouth so that she couldn't stick her foot in her mouth. As their mother hovered over the stove again preparing Charlie's breakfast.
"Mum's right you know." Charlie told his siblings
"You went out with fourteen year old girls?" Ron asked blandly, hoping to divert the conversation away from the real topic. His brothers had been attempting to have a "heart–to–heart" with him since they'd got home from school on Monday and after dodging them for the past thirty six hours he had a feeling Charlie was now going to take the opportunity to berate him. He and Bill did not appear to be impressed that Ginny had ended up in the Ministry with him the previous week. Fred and George at least appeared to have some semblance of an idea that Ginny had a mind of her own. But the glares that he had been getting on the odd occasion that the whole fiasco came up while in Bill and Charlie's company told him he was getting a talking to. His brothers still though Ginny was an infant. And if he thought that the talking to he'd gotten in Egypt was intense, he had a feeling that this one was going to be worse as he was currently Ginny's only sibling at school.
"No, smartass," came Charlie's retort "about the Department of Mysteries. Neither of you should have been there, and even if you insist on being an idiot and following Harry wherever he feels he has to go the rest of us would appreciate it if you didn't drag our baby sister along with you"
"I didn't drag her anywhere!" Ron answered quietly, trying not to attract the attention of their mother as she cracked an egg over the frying pan. "I wanted her to stay in Hogwarts, but she forced herself along for the ride, literally, on a thestral. I couldn't of stopped her." Ron gave an involuntary shudder as he recalled the weirdness of riding on an unseen animal. And he didn't want to see one any time soon, definitely. He did not want to see someone die.
"I make my own decisions, Charlie," Ginny had now stood from her seat and leaned across the table at Charlie, "about boys and the fights I choose to pick. Sirius was our friend – did you even meet him? So back off and leave me alone I'm not the seven year old I was when you went off to tend dragons. Ron and I have both managed to do some growing up since then. Perhaps it's time you and Bill noticed that" In a louder voice for their mother to hear as she approached the table with Charlie's breakfast.
"I'm going to head upstairs and reply to Emma's letter since her owl is still here. I wouldn't want to inflict Pig on anyone."
"Okay dear," replied their mother, "there you go Charlie. It's nice to have you home son now eat up. Ron, you must be done at this stage, the earlier you start in the garden, the earlier you'll be finished."
"Yeah mum, I'll start now."
"Hey Ron," Ginny called over the banisters, "give me a shout when you're done, will you and we can play a little Quidditch."
"Sure Ginny," he called back as he placed his plate in the sink and headed out the door. There were times Ron decided that having five older brothers was more trouble than it was worth. Ah there's a gnome. And having only one sister was definitely more trouble than it was worth. Except that wasn't very fair to Ginny. Fling. It wasn't her fault that Bill and Charlie still saw her as a five year old. He had tried to protect her and stop her coming with them. And another. She was after all family and the sibling that he was closest to. But he knew in a way that perhaps the others didn't that the events of her first year had changed her. Fling. Here came a bunch out of their holes. There was an inner steel to her that hadn't always been there. It was one of the reasons he'd agreed to let her come to the Ministry. He'd hoped that in rescuing someone else from He-Who-Mu.. ah come on Ron, at least think it to yourself. He took a deep breath. Voldemort. Fling. Crikey that must have been twenty feet. If they'd saved Sirius from it had been Ron's hope that Ginny would see what others had been telling her for years, that older and wiser wizards Does wiser apply to Sirius? Could be fooled by deep breath Voldemort FLING and that she needn't feel guilty anymore. But instead they'd all been fooled. Harry had been fooled and Sirius had died. While Ginny did not seem to have been particularly affected the fact that she had stood up to Charlie at breakfast spoke volumes. He'd have a chat with her later while they played Quidditch and apologise for that thing on the train with Harry. He just wanted her to be happy. He wanted Harry to be happy too. Fling. Although that wish might be longer coming. Another school year had ended and another death had occurred fling and while he loved Harry as another brother he just didn't know how to attempt to cope with Harry's grief. How did you comfort your best friend when the nearest thing they had to a father had died? FLING. He remembered how afraid he had been at Christmas while waiting for news of his dad. It was for this reason that he could not blame Harry for what had the Ministry disaster he'd been right before, why not about Sirius as well. Fling. They were at war now and Sirius was dead, FLING there would be others but Sirius was first. Actually, Ron thought, Cedric was first but I didn't know him well. And look how guilty Harry still felt about that, how on earth was he coping with Sirius' death? Ron decided that he would write to Harry and remind him they were family of a sort and that he wasn't really alone. Fling. He'd have to write to Hermione as well and see how she was getting on. See if she had any ideas about things they could do to make sure Harry realised that he was not as alone as he would no doubt be feeling. Fling. He also wanted to see how things had gone with her parents. He'd nearly keeled over in shock when she admitted that her parents knew nothing of the impending war – or the danger she faced. Fling. They'd been sitting in the hospital wing recovering from their injuries and she'd told him that since second year she hadn't told her parents of any of the dangers they'd faced. Fling Apparently, once they'd found out that she'd spent several weeks petrified by a giant snake they had not been enthusiastic about her attending Hogwarts. She'd spent that summer convincing them that it had been a one off and giant snakes were as unusual in the world of magic as they were in the muggle world that had resulted in her being allowed back to school. Fling. Hermione, not wanting to go through the hassle of it all again, had decided not to tell her parents about the fact that in their third year they had though a murderer was after Harry, or that in their fourth year a Death Eater had tried to kill Harry while teaching them all in school. Or even that deep breath Voldemort was back. FLING. She confessed that she hadn't even told them who Voldemort was. They knew nothing about an impending war and she was going home this summer to ease them into the idea so that they wouldn't totally freak out. Fling. In which case she'd warned him that it might be August before she'd be able to come visit. Fling. He remembered her cheeks had flushed as she said this apologising for just inviting herself to his home. According to her a frown had crossed his face when she'd invited herself, what she hadn't realised was that he was upset about not seeing her until August and hastily brushed aside her worries by telling her that while she was always welcome at the Burrow, he wasn't sure yet if that's where they'd be spending their holidays and she'd best stay in touch. Fling. He remembered lying awake that night watching her sleep. Something had changed in him he realised that night. There was something different about Hermione. Fling. He'd been out of sync with himself since awaking in the hospital wing and the discussion with Hermione had brought the world back into focus. His view of her had changed. Fling. He hadn't wanted her to go with them to the Ministry anymore than he had Ginny, but for totally different reasons. He had urges to wrap Hermione in a blanket and hide her from the world, from the evil that was Draco Malfoy, Fling, the madness that was deep breath Voldemort, FLING and the Quidditch greatness that was Victor Krum FLING! It had been there on a skinny bed in the Hospital Wing, gazing at his best friend in the moonlight that he's realised that he'd fallen in love with her. When did that happen? He still couldn't figure it out. Fling. Sure she was his friend so he was supposed to like her but love? Then he thought of how he might of reacted if she'd been the one to die that night and suddenly he'd been having trouble breathing. And that had been it, he knew it was love because the future without Hermione in it was bleak, fling and then when, in order to cheer himself back up, he'd imagined it with her in it he'd smiled as he closed his eyes and there she was on the day of their graduation, and again in a wedding dress and again with bushy red headed kids. He'd nearly fallen off the bed. Fling. Kids! His kids! And Hermione's! And the shock was that the thoughts had been so natural, not surprising in the slightest when he'd had them. Fling. In the week between that night and the end of school when he had consciously thought of being attracted to her, he hadn't been able to act normal around Hermione. She was still his friend, one of his two best friends, but yet when he'd watched her write a letter to Victor Krum as they passed an afternoon in the Hospital Wing he'd had resist a very strong impulse to rip the letter to shreds and kiss her. FLING! But he knew he could never compare to Krum. Vicky is an international Quidditch player how can I compare to that? Maybe I can talk to Ginny and she can tell me if girls really like the famous guys. But of course Ron knew they did, look how girls flocked around Harry, fling he'd even had girls ask him to the Yule Ball last year, girls that didn't even know him other than the fact that he was The Boy Who Lived. While Ron was jealous of Harry in some respects he had recently realised that Harry was just as jealous of aspects of Ron's life. There had been a look in his eye that in Kings Cross, a disbelief that people had turned up to support him. Ron took for granted that his brothers would support him, fling except for Percy git and since breakfast Charlie what was the idea of calling me an idiot? Last one – fling. He'd definitely have to write Harry a letter, a decent one for once and get on his mum's case about getting Harry away from those relatives of his and perhaps if he could catch Harry in a goodish mood he could talk – vaguely – about Hermione. He headed back towards the house dying for a shower, the shirt her was wearing was rubbing against his newest scars in the most annoying way and a shower and a fresh dollop of Dr. Ubbly's Unction and he'd be set for some Quidditch practise and a chat with Ginny. How was it he mused that with five older brothers he was to talk to his sister and his best mate for advice on girls. But then he couldn't go to the twins without getting ridiculed, Percy was out of the question, Charlie…well they had their thoughts about Charlie… they'd never heard him even talk about a girl while growing up and Bill had been lured in by a half Veela. His brothers he decided as he reached the bathroom for a shower after the degnoming, were useless when it came to girls.
Twenty minutes and a hot shower later, Ron was redressed and writing his letter to Harry. He'd turned the content of it over in his head during his shower and had decided on its' content. He dressed and sat at his desk.
Dear HarryHow are you? Crikey that sounds like the most idiotic thing I've ever asked, but, when you are ready I do want to know. I suppose I really just want you to know that I'm here to listen, well read, and whenever you're ready to talk about the things that are going on I'll be ready. But I did want to make sure that you know you are not alone in the world although I'm sure being back with the muggles it sure seems that way. But remember mate, you ARE my best friend and as good as family better in fact. Definitely when compared to Percy – git! Apparently there has been no word from him despite the Ministry agreeing that they were in the wrong over the last year. And the others, well they're all giving me a hard time about Ginny coming with us to the Ministry, like I could've stopped he. I mean you were there, she's a force to be reckoned with Ginny is. Honestly, I'm convinced Bill and Charlie still think that she's five or something. At least she is, in her own weird way, defending me – and herself, but if magic was allowed outside of school there would be a serious amount of Bat Bogeys flying around the place.
I'm sure Mum is already badgering Dumbledore that you be allowed to come stay with us. Hope you can I know Charlie is dying to play you in Quidditch you know he wants to see if he can beat you to the snitch. I've told him you can and he's being a bit of a prat now, don't know if that's the Seeker thing or what. He's been a bit off since we got back from school. Did you know he was undefeated when he played in school no other seeker ever beat him.
Write back soon, I'll try and keep you updated on any news I hear about things here.
Ron
He snatched Pig from the circle he was flying around the room and tied the letter to his leg, before he read back over it and changed his mind about sending it. It felt very sappy and emotional, but he had to attempt to get through to Harry on some level. He stood and watched Pig fly off with the letter. His stomach rumbled. Damn, he thought, I should've asked Harry if they were feeding him. He'd send some food with the next letter regardless of whether Harry actually mentioned being hungry and then he'd try and set something up with Pig if Harry's muggle relatives weren't feeding him properly. He was busy planning how to feed Harry when he wandered into the living room to find four of his five brothers waiting for him. Uh oh, this did not look good. Shite, they were going to kill him for not stopping Ginny from going to the Ministry. Where was she anyway? Hang on she was on the couch and rather than looking angry as he expected she looked peaceful and rested? What had they done to her?
"No need to panic Ronniekins," a twin told him, easy for him to say Ron thought he knows what this is about.
"We've decided," Bill told him, "that something needs to be done," Uh oh "about Percy." Ron let out a breath he didn't even know he'd been holding. They weren't going to kill him, not today anyway.
"We're going to see him Saturday morning," the other twin said, "to try and talk some sense into him."
The door to the kitchen opened. Molly Weasley stood in the doorway casting a glance over her offspring, they were plotting, but seeing as how they were plotting together she'd let it be for now until she could figure more out she just had to find out which one would be easiest to crack.
"What are you all doing in her lunch is on the table, now move along."
Ron let his brothers go ahead of him to the kitchen, hanging back to speak with Ginny, slightly alarmed by her calm look. He raised an eyebrow at her.
"I'm fine," she assured him, "I think I've sorted Charlie out, for now anyway."
"You sure, you're looking very, I dunno, calm, that's not right."
"I'm looking forward to getting our family back to normal Ron, aren't you?"
"Ginny, after the letter he wrote…"
"Look, give him a chance to explain Ron, please, for me" She gave him that look, the one she knew he couldn't resist.
"Sure, sis, for you…. And mum… maybe I can still knock some sense into him before we leave his flat though. Do I smell mum's apple tart?"
He didn't want to discuss this proposed intervention just yet, he needed a chance to think about it and decide how he wanted to treat Percy, he could still remember segments of the hurtful letter that Percy had written to him months ago. And while he missed having decent chess competition, he didn't know if he would be able to forgive Percy. Still he had three days to think about how he wanted to handle the situation and what he would do.
Well that's it, the longest chapter yet, and one of the easiest to write, which probably means it's terrible – feel free to agree.
Tantotop Thanks for the review – did Harry come across bratty in the last chapter? Am trying to combine a selfish "why do I have to kill the baddie" Harry and grieving "people who help me die" Harry, hopefully in time you'll see some character development but I can't promise bratty Harry going away straight away, he'll pop in for a reality check now and then later on.
Ghostette blushing I want to keep Petunia as the cold, unloving character and the next time we see Harry, he's going to reflect a little on that. Thanks for the great review hope your own story is ticking along in the works, I really enjoyed the first couple of chapters.
Next up is the visit to Percy. Let's see if he comes to his senses. Well I already know of course, you all will have to wait and see.