Author's Note: I have changed a lot of plot developments from the previous ones. More artistic licence, you can say. By reading this, you'll know what I mean. Obviously, I would urge you to tell me how you found it.

Thanks for reading.

Chapter 1 (Denial) Summary: Ron is more than proud, being a part of 'Manticoras' the best Auror Squad that the Auror Academy has ever produced. Still, having one of the best careers and a normal life with his girlfriend, Lavender Brown, he needs to ensure that he didn't miss one, Hermione Granger, and that he liked Lavender. Sure he did...

- Chapter 1 – Denial -

"Petrificus Totalus!"

Few groans followed, and a hoard of Death Eaters—who were already regretting their attack on a quiet town named, Clawermoor—scurried about and away from the bouncing and faultless spells shot by one of the best Auror Squads in the wizarding history: The Manticoras.

The faction, so named was similar to its name counterpart: Manticore. This particular magical creature not only came with triple rows of deadly teeth that could sever quite an amount of flesh in a single swipe; but a swishing Scorpion's tale, Lion's body and mane, topped by a Man's head. The varied but special powers that the individuals of Manticoras possessed made the group-attack as if a real Manticore was charging on its prey, regally.

The Manticoras were as swift as their namesake, perhaps more so. After experiencing the Second War, they were trained to be the best Aurors that the Ministry ever produced. The credit surely went to Alastor Moody and Kingsley Shacklebolt; who trained them to perfection so that their every move was silent and deadly. They could stun a person without even flicking their wands, or as it seemed to the observer. They were fast, quick, crafty at its best.

The squad contained seven Aurors. On seniority basis, Tonks should have been the leader; but Harry Potter—the Boy-Who-Lived as he was still known to be—was quite undisputed after finally causing the downfall of Voldemort. Of course, Tonks didn't mind—with her getting more time to spend with one tame werewolf, Remus Lupin. His right-hand man was his old friend, Ron Weasley, while his right-hand woman was none other than Ginny Weasley, his beloved girlfriend. Seamus Finnigan, Dean Thomas and Theodore Nott completed this particular group. Each and every one of them had a special ability, different from one another in their own way. However, when their strengths were combined, they became nothing but formidable, making anyone opposing their legendary wands shudder in fear. Why, they had an undefeated record—a glowing proof of their brilliance.

"Take that you bloody—" Ron swore some choice expletives. "Reducto!"

Ronald Weasley, specifically, was more than proud to be a part of this group. If there was any concept of a second family for him, this was it. However, a sore spot always bothered him.

There was a day when in place of that git, Nott, someone else was—Ron was interrupted in his musing.

At that instant, an extra bouncy Death Eater shot a Flaming Hex at him, and if it weren't for his quick reflexes, one of his favorite robes would have been done for.

"This is for messing with us, you stupid gits!" Ron shouted, shooting a nasty Jelly-Leg Jinx towards that particularly jumpy Death Eater. He took time in flashing an angry glare at Nott, who was dueling on his right, because he should have covered for him even if his hands looked full.

Nott on the other hand, pretended not to notice.

Harry was doing his usual: look-how-fast-my-wand-can-stun. Ginny—right beside him—was giving quite many cramps to the Death Eater who had thought her to be feeble-wanded. Seamus and Dean were doing their usual back-to-back. An old Hag was stunning everything that moved and had a grotesque mask, while Theodore Nott—not pairing with anyone—was sending many advanced dark spells at whoever came in his range.

Soon, the remaining Death Eaters, who were not even quarter of the original force, started chickening out by Disapparating from the park they had planned to terrorize. The rest of them obviously were too stunned or bound to do anything; they couldn't even move to wipe the dirt, which was settling over their bloodied faces.

"That was easy," said Tonks, transforming back into her bubbly-self from the old Hag that she had morphed to.

"Piece of cake for meself," said Seamus, wiping his brow.

Before Dean could say anything further to add into the regular chitchat, Ron moved towards Nott.

"That was real bad spellwork, firstee," Ron admonished. "What were you thinking? That bloody snot-rag was—"

"Ron," Harry beckoned calmly.

"No, Harry, he—"

"Ron, his spellwork was fine! I reckon, he did better—" Ron tried to interrupt but Harry shushed him by giving him the eye, which meant shut-up-or-I'll-squeal-to-your-sister-about-Hermione. This was the only thing that ever shut up Ron. He never wanted his family to find how he felt for his runaway best friend.

"Ron, you need your eyesight checked!" Ginny huffed, giving Nott an encouraging smile.

"Brilliant work, mate!" Dean finally added to Nott, ignoring the fuming Ron in the background.

They had all become used to his temper swings, especially directed towards Nott. It was common knowledge that since Nott filled in for Hermione in the squad, Ron hated him from sight.

"Thanks." Nott looked on sullenly from Ron to Harry. True, that he had been the newest member of the group but it had been almost two-year-old news. Nevertheless, that never stopped Ron from blowing up at him, every chance that he got.

Everyone in Manticoras knew that Nott had never really been a part of the group. It was not as if he hadn't tried, or the rest of them hadn't encouraged. But, coming from such a Pureblood Death Eater family, he was more than reclusive. He never let them down while poaching, but he never did something extraordinary or friendly either.

It was obvious that Ron's behavior didn't help matters, and sometimes he did realize it, too. Still, Ron, being his stubborn-self was always at the Chamber of Secret's end when it came to dealing with the person who took Hermione's place in Manticoras. Yes, his once lovely friend, Hermione Granger, who had ran away from all of them like an errant child.

Ron's jaw clenched with the realization that he still missed her.

Meanwhile, Harry motioned towards the group to Apparate to their Headquarters, and Apparating they did.

Arriving at the Auror Office, the group dispersed to different areas. Some went for a shower while some made straight for the canteen. Ron was just pouring coffee into his mug, when Harry grabbed him by the shoulder and steered him into his room.

Ginny was in on it too, it seemed, as she stared at him quite vehemently—standing beside Harry's desk—her hands rigid on the smalls of her back. "Why can't you just accept that you miss her?" She got straight to the point.

Harry suddenly became extremely interested in the paperwork that was piled up on his desk. He was not even meeting Ron's eyes.

That's your best mate for you! Ron sighed sadly. He sold his soul to my sister. Bugger!

Ron really hated was this particular trait of his sister: she always knew what he was feeling or was going through; and the catch was always the same, she never kept quiet about it. She was the one, who had informed him of Hermione's departure, but he had been too late; Hermione was gone when he had finally reached the Portkey Center.

"Why do you keep on jumping down Nott's throat every time we finish an assignment? You should go out of your way to be friendly to him."

"Friendly to a Slytherin? I thought you were wiser than that, Ginny," said Ron, in disbelief.

"Ron!" Harry finally spoke up with conviction, "It doesn't mean that just because he's a Slytherin, he's evil or in with the Death Eaters. Nott made a difficult choice and came to us after refusing to join the Death Eaters. He needs more respect from us because we never had to make such a difficult choice. He had Death Eater blood heavy in his veins, still he came to us."

Obviously there was some truth to this whole thing, but there was just something about Nott that Ron never liked. I just don't like him! For Godric's sake, he's so rabbity looking. Just like them sneaky-little-Slytherins, he thought angrily.

"It's no use, Harry. It was never about Nott." Ginny shook her head sadly at her brother. "We know what it's all about, Ron. You just don't want to admit it that you miss her." She narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing him.

"Miss who?" Ron said unsteadily, spilling his coffee a little. "Lost your Gobstones, more like."

"Scourgify!" Ginny cleaned up the stain that the black-coffee was trying to leave behind on Ron's robe. "Really, Ron, you need to grow up and face the facts. You miss her and terribly!"

"No, I don't!"

"Right!" Harry interjected quite triumphantly, while Ginny smiled victory.

"So, you know who we're talking about?" Ginny cornered him.

Ron gave a killer glare to Harry, who should have been on his side but he was too blind in his sister's love that he forgot his best mate's wellbeing.

"Nutters!" he puffed.

Before the duo could say anymore, Ron made his way swiftly out of the cabin, murmuring, "Lavender must be waiting for me."

"Ron, listen, we forgot to tell you that—"

Ron was already out of the door and pretended not to hear Ginny.

Why would I miss Hermione for Merlin's sake? Ron shook his head. Why, she must be enjoying herself with Vicky in Godric knew what place!

I DO NOT miss her! He shook his head vigorously.

-x-

'Honey, I'm home!' Ron almost wanted to shout but stopped himself. It was too lovey-dovey for his own good.

He shook his head as he entered his own flat, near the Polstine Street; his own place out of the Burrow. Oh, how much he missed the Burrow! But the constant wailing and nagging about marriage had driven him out of the clutches of his over-protective mother. He just couldn't take it any longer. Wasn't it enough that he was dating? Why he had to prove his existence by marrying a woman he didn't love?

That didn't come out right. He paused to clear his head and moved on, shrugging out of his robe, and hung it on the stand near the door. A soft beat of music issuing from the lounge told him that Lavender Brown, his girlfriend, was visiting.

Now, Lavender was a nice city girl. He liked her. She had her plus points when she wanted to be nice, but he had realized years ago that she was too girlie for him. She loved partying, showing off to her friends what her parents had bought her; a perfect society girl with perfect clothes and etiquettes. Many men felt jealous of him when he went out with her. She, on the other hand, loved the attention—being the girlfriend of one of the Manticoras had its plus points all right. She was the one who usually dragged him to high-society parties. All talk and no action, he called them. He had become quite weary of such gatherings, and tried his best to avoid as many parties as he could.

However, Ron stuck by her in spite of her showoff nature, because there weren't many choices left; in his dating spree in the last term of Hogwarts, he had dated almost all of the eligible girls. Lavender had been one of many.

I dated everybody… except for Hermione...

Ron shook his head and made for the lounge, convincing himself: Yes, I like Lavender! Oh, sure I do!

However, every nice thought about Lavender raced out of his head, seeing the shocking scene in front of his eyes, as he finally entered the lounge.

"What in the bloody hell are you doing, Lavender!" Ron shouted.

Lavender straightened up from the work she had been doing and smiled at him from beside the chair that held the shocking scene.

Ron didn't know how, but Bill and Fleur's toddler was propped on one of his dining table chairs, chewing on a wand-candy and being worked over by Lavender.

"I came to pick you up for Padma's party. Fleur came by few minutes ago to drop Billy-kins for few days." Her brows creased as she tried to remember the finer details, while Ron blanched at Bill Junior's nickname. "She's going away with Bill on some funeral…"

As the current shock rocked him, he continued to look at her disbelievingly.

"Don't worry! I've called a nice babysitter, Mum recommended it," she assured, totally oblivious to his staring. "You better get ready soon or we'll be late." She finished tying ribbons into the hair of Billy, which kept sliding off due to their short length.

That particular action finally urged him to speak up. "Lavender! Why are you making ponytails of Billy?"

"Doesn't he look cute?" Lavender gushed at the baby, who had inherited the ocean-blue eyes and upright nose of his father, along Fleur's good looks.

"He's not a girl! Merlin's beard!" Ron looked at the grinning Bill Junior, his baby hair all gathered up in two ponytails, which were swishing along his over-excited body.

"Don't be silly, Ron!" Lavender dismissed his concern. "He's so pretty! Look, how the blue ribbons match his eyes?" She made him look at Billy, while Billy offered Ron more than a grin and another try at a jump.

Ron wanted to puke. The shock and horror!

"Er… Lavender, I can't just leave Billy here," he tried to reason, wishing in his heart that she wouldn't push. "Can't you stay—"

"I have called a babysitter—"

"You don't understand, I can't—"

"Oh, forget it; I know your answer already!" Lavender fumed. "Family this, family that. Oh, I understand perfectly, Ronald Weasley." With this she stormed out of his flat.

Ron even went after her, calling her back, but she Apparated as soon as she was out of the door.

"Bloody hell!" Ron sighed, and closed the front door.

"I reckon, it's just me and you, Billy." Ron moved towards him, and took out the horrid ribbons tied to his hair.

Billy took all this with his usual lopsided grin and made for the wand that was sticking out of Ron's waistband, dropping the candy version of it on the floor.

"That's not for you." Ron shook his head and placed the wand away. The pout that Billy produced after that act was quite remarkable.

"So, you want to be an Auror when you grow up?" he inquired from his one-year-old nephew.

"Ppphhhffffftttt!" Billy answered, quite sure of himself.

"I reckoned that much." Ron smiled proudly and picked Billy up. While making his way to his room, he got the whiff of what Billy had done, and it smelled old. Obviously, he couldn't possibly think about Lavender ever changing him.

"Oh Merlin! Ripe potty of a thirty-year-old!" Ron held him by underarms and raced to his bathroom.

While changing Billy's nappies, he was granted many more lopsided grins by him; Billy also tried his best to reach up and grab some of Ron's red hair.

"Already thinking of a brawl?" Ron smiled and when he finished changing, he complimented, "You are handsome not pretty, okay? You better remember that.

"Phhhfffftttt!" Billy claimed, quite ostentatiously.

And as if all these phfffttts had tired him; he fell asleep on Ron's shoulder just as he started rocking him to do just that.

-x-X-x-