Awakening

This was by far the most depressing day Ron had ever experienced, not even Sirius dying or losing an eye had blighted his spirit like the past few hours. The non-combat mission for his Order had turned out to be a trip into Muggle London to deliver food and gifts to the poor. Ron wasn't sure what they called the areas he had visited but he would always think of them as hell. The idea that there were people who didn't have a place to live or food to eat seemed insane. At first he thought maybe it was one or two people in the city and that maybe they were just crazy. Then they had brought a great deal of food and Christmas presents to one building where they claimed to be caring for several hundred such people. Even worse was the way many of them seemed to have given up on living. This was unthinkable to Ron, he had always thought he had faced some hard struggles but nothing had come close to breaking his spirit like these people had theirs broken.

Just when he thought it couldn't get any worse they had gone to visit both a Muggle children's hospital and an orphanage. The idea that there were children who didn't have any place to live or anyone to call family was a revelation to Ron, even Harry whose parents had died had been sent to live with his family. Ron had always thought they were terrible to Harry but it was better than what the orphans went through. Ron had been particularly moved by one little girl who was standing in line fore her treats had asked if she could give her present to her little brother who was also there. When Ron told her that they would both get a present she said her little brother could have hers since he was younger. Seeing the little brown haired girl standing there willing to give up the one present she would get for Christmas so her little brother would be happy had almost broken Ron.

He was ashamed like he had never been before. He had for years felt hard done by when he had to wear hand me down robes or a use a second hand broom. He had wallowed in self pity and doubt all because he didn't have some of the things his friends had and here was a seven year old girl whose only concern was her little brother. A little girl who would give all she had to make things a little better for her brother. Ron had convinced her to take a present as well and had promised that her brother would get the best present they had. When the Order had started to get ready to leave the little girl had given Ron a slip of paper. On it were written her name and the address of the orphanage. She had asked him if he would write her sometimes and Ron had promised he would. "I'll do more than that if I can." he thought to himself.

When they had returned back to the chapter house Talon asked him why Ron thought he had been asked to come with them today. Ron had said truthfully he didn't really know but he was glad that they had. Even now as he walked towards the Leaky Cauldron he could hear Talon's words in his head.

"You need to see what the Muggle world can be like. Too many of wizarding kind don't know about them. I'm not talking about Death Eaters here, there are plenty of good wizarding folk who hate Voldemort and despise what he stands for that still don't give much thought to Muggles. They don't hate them or even dislike them, they just don't think about them to much one way or they other. When you joined the Order you took an Oath and that Oath binds you to care for Muggles as well as wizards. We are fighting for all of us not just wizards. If Voldemort wins then both of our worlds will pay too heavy a price."

"Talon why don't the other Muggles just take care of the ones we saw today?"

"I don't know Fury, I do know that the Muggle world can be a lot harsher than ours and that they have some ideas I don't really understand. Once Voldemort is defeated we are planning on trying to do a great deal more to aid the Muggles who need it. The ones who are sick are a different matter all together. Most Muggles can't be magically healed because they don't believe magic exists so it doesn't seem to affect them. Muggle parents of wizarding children can be healed just fine so it seems to be purely a matter of belief."

Talon had clapped him on the back while Ron had been collecting his thoughts "Well it was a good morning's work all around. Now go enjoy the next few days after the holidays things are going to get busy around here."

Talon had had left Ron and Ron had changed clothes and gotten to Diagon Ally as fast as he could. Bringing himself back to the present Ron say Harry going through the door to the Leaky Cauldron and speed up to catch him. They sat down and had a butterbeer before they started their shopping.

"So you nervous about going to Hermione's parents tomorrow?" Harry asked once they had gotten seated.

Ron had paled for just a moment "Yeah kind of, though if I know Hermione she has already told them to be nice to me."

Harry laughed "It wouldn't surprise me if she had written out some things for you to talk about with them."

"I may have an owl waiting back at the Burrow with the list right now." Ron chuckled.

They two of them spent a half hour or so in idle chatter and then finished their drinks. Once they were done they moved throughout Diagon Ally looking for presents for their friends and family. Ron had found that his list of friends had grown somewhat over the past few years and he was glad he had money to spend on getting them something.

Still the two people he most wanted to get something special for had been the hardest to find something for. Both Hermione and his Mum had been more difficult to shop for than ever.

"Why don't you get Hermione a promise ring?"

"Well I guess I could Harry but it doesn't seem to be good enough. I mean a cheap ring to go with cheap words? Too many guys at Hogwarts give them to girls so they will shag them. I know Hermione will know I don't mean it like that but I want something better."

"Well let's look down here then."

Ron looked to where Harry was pointing.

"You think I can find Hermione's present down Knockturn Ally?"

Harry looked a touch defensive. "Well I bet there are shops there she's never been in and not everything there is bad just some of the shops are a little dodgy right?"

Ron had to concede he had a point. "Ok let's try a few of the nicer looking shops."

They had spent over an hour looking when Ron had walked into a very small shop just off the ally. The very pleasant witch and asked him what he was looking for and when he told her it was a Christmas present for a very bright young witch she had shown him a small assortment of book. He had shifted through them and had almost given up hope when he noticed one with a title that caught his eye. It had read "Bindings, Bonding and Circles of Power: Reclaiming the Witches Coven." It was old but not ancient and had been well cared for. He took it to the witch at the counter and she had smiled at him then asked "Do you love this witch you are buying this for?"

Ron nodded and replied "yes very much so." with only a slight blush.

"Do you also trust her?"

"With my life."

The sales witch had smiled at him and then noted "Then you have made a very good purchase indeed young sir." She placed the book in a protective bag and wished him good day. He found Harry outside another store looking at a selection of fine daggers, some of which were surely for use in the Dark Arts. They had started to head home when they noticed a group of wizards acting strangely just ahead. They had their hoods up and were facing away from Harry and Ron. Ron had turned to Harry when Harry noticed that one of their cloaks had pulled back to reveal the Dark mark on the Death Eaters arm. Harry had pulled Ron back and told him what he saw.

"We need to do something but there are too many of them to take on with out help." Harry started.

"Hold on Harry I think I know a way but we have to do it fast and you have to trust me."

Harry just nodded and waited for Ron to continue.

"We need to hit them all at once and I think if we both use the Fuarte Manus spell it will knock them all out at the same time."

"Ron I don't even know that spell." Harry hissed.

"Just watch my hand, you can cast any spell you've seen Harry I know it. Just flick your wand and picture a cloud of force racing out and slamming into them. Think about all the horrible things the Death Eaters have done and use that rage against them."

Harry was silent and then nodded "Ok we do this on the count of three."

Ron nodded back and listened as Harry counted " On…two….three."

Both of them whirled around the corner shouting "Fuarte Manus" at the knot of Death Eaters. The Death Eaters turned and they flew backwards as the force of both spells tossed them around like dolls. As soon as they could both Harry and Ron bound all the Death Eaters and then used the Petrificus spell on them as well.

"Ok mate I'm going to go out and check them out you stay here and cover me." Ron smirked.

"Why do you go out and I have to cover you?"

"Incase it's a trap and they are looking for you."

Harry paled just a bit but nodded his agreement as Ron checked it out. It wasn't a trap though and soon both Ron and Harry had piled all the Death Eaters up in the middle of the street. A minute or so later several Auror's had apparated in with Mad-Eye Moody leading the way.

"Potter, Weasley what in Merlin's staff are you two doing here?"

"Look Moody we were Christmas shopping when we saw these Death Eaters. We got the jump on them and took them down now we are going to get the hell out of here. Do us a favor and don't mention this to anybody." Ron got out quickly.

Moody smiled at them both and barked "Ok I'll try and keep it quiet now get on out of here."

They ran back to the Leaky Cauldron to Floo back and they heard Moody laughing. "Absolute hell on Death Eaters those two."