IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE

A RON WEASLEY STORY

Ron trudged away from the Quidditch field. His first game as the Keeper of the Gryffindor Quidditch team had been worse than a nightmare. Had he managed to prevent the Slytherins from scoring a single goal? He could not remember. There were no memories of relief or accomplishment, just humiliation.

His mind was numb. Gryffindor had won thanks to Harry, but Ron had lost. The taunting verses of Weasley is Our King repeated over and over again in his mind as he escaped the mocking and pitying eyes of the hundreds of students.

Ron had seen his hopes and dreams destroyed before, but never before in front of the entire school. His desire to finally become acknowledged as himself instead of just as a brother or friend had resulted in this, and now his life was ruined.

All his life he had been in the shadow of other people. Bill was brilliant and charismatic, lived an exciting life of adventure as a curse-breaker and was starting a relationship with the most gorgeous girl on Earth. Charlie had been a Quidditch star at a younger age than at which Ron had started as a failure, and he too lived an exciting life of adventure. Percy, while arrogant and petty, had advanced during the first year of his Ministry career more than Dad in a quarter of a century. Fred and George were creative and well-liked and they had already started a promising career as entrepreneurs. Ginny, the only girl in the family, was witty and sure of herself. Harry was famous, courageous and a spectacular Quidditch star who had just saved Ron from the wrath of the House of Gryffindor. Hermione was intelligent and dealt with her prefect duties with appropriate responsibility.

Ron's fate was to be the sidekick. What was he good at, anyway? Well, he was somewhat good at chess, but who cared about that? He was a bad friend too. In third year, he had dumped Hermione because of his pet rat that had turned out to be a mass-murderer. In fourth year, he had dumped Harry because of his forced participation in the Triwizard Tournament.

"It would be better if I had never existed," Ron mumbled to himself as he wandered aimlessly through the deserted corridors of Hogwarts.

After what felt like a very long time, Ron found himself staring at the tapestry in which Barnabas the Barmy was trying to teach ballet to a group of trolls. In his mind's eye he saw a possible future tapestry in which Ronald the Rotten failed to guard the goalposts while an audience wearing green robes chanted Weasley is Our King. He whirled around and faced the empty wall that hid the door of the Room of Requirement.

Ron started to pace in front of the empty wall and thought, I wish I never existed.

After three turns he saw a small door appear. With his hand trembling, Ron reached to the handle and wrenched the door open. There was just a small closet, and on its floor was a richly ornamented lamp. He had seen one before in an Egyptian museum: a genie lived within, and they usually were willing to reward those who set them free.

Ron picked the lamp and rubbed it. Almost instantly, a cloud burst out and took the form of a human-like being with light blue skin, shining golden eyes and dandy, oriental style clothes.

"Finally!" the genie exclaimed. "You have no idea how long I was trapped in there! How can I be of service?"

"I wish I never existed," Ron muttered.

The genie blinked. "If you want to die, surely you don't need my help," he said. "Just jump out of a window… not that I suggest you to do so, but still…"

"No," Ron said. "It would be just one more wretched thing to do to my friends and family. Harry would blame himself, I know he would. What I wish is that you would make it so that I had never existed."

"Creating a whole new timeline without you is a difficult job," said the genie. "Doable, yes, but I'd rather not exhaust myself so much right after getting free. However, I owe you much, so let's make a compromise. I will show you what the world would be like if you had never existed. Then, if it really seems to you that it would be better that way, I will make it happen."

"Deal," Ron said. "I will come back to you tomorrow to tell what I've decided."

The genie clapped his hands and created a mist that surrounded Ron. He stumbled back in confusion, feeling faint. Then, after a few moments, the mist disappeared and Ron was again in the corridor, leaning against the tapestry and facing and empty wall. His red Quidditch robes had somehow been replaced with a normal school uniform.

"Hey, will you stop leaning your sweaty head on me?" Barnabas snapped and Ron took a step forward. He snorted at the tapestry, feeling less sympathetic towards the wizard in it, and left for the Gryffindor common room.

Already before he reached the portrait door he heard the noise of celebration inside. Feeling sick, he opened the door and saw the entire House of Gryffindor jubilant with victory. Standing in the middle of the crowd was Cormac McLaggen, who often played the Keeper in unofficial Quidditch games, one arm around Angelina Johnson and the other one around Katie Bell. Ron felt sick to his stomach, already wanting to run back to the genie to tell about his decision, but he forced himself forward.

Wanting to look at anything but the housemates who were so happy because of Ron never having existed, his eyes eventually found the message board. The large official message about the Educational Decree banning Dumbledore's Army was absent, and Ron went to investigate why. How had his nonexistence led to Umbridge not hearing about their meeting in Hog's Head?

Quickly Ron found a message which was both relieving in the grand scale of things and daunting on a personal level: it was the guidelines advising what to do in the event of a Death Eater attack. It had the Ministry seal. So, without Ron somehow having ruined everything, the Ministry was aware of You-Know-Who's return. That meant Umbridge's tyranny was, in some way, Ron's fault.

With some difficulties to breathe, Ron looked around and saw Hermione. She was sitting at her normal place, but she was not taking part in the celebration; on the contrary, she seemed very annoyed by the clamour that disturbed her, even more so than usual.

Ron walked closer and took a seat next to her. She looked up at him and frowned.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"Ron Weasley," he said, feeling both heartbroken and also relieved, because he did not have to speak about his abysmal Quidditch performance.

"Are you related to the twins?" she asked, tilting her head. "I haven't seen you before."

"Yes, I'm… their cousin," he said. "I just transferred here."

"Oh!" she said, seeming to remember something. "Professor McGonagall said that we would be getting a new House member. That's you, then?"

Ron stared at her blankly. This was probably arranged by the genie so that his exploration of the better world without Ron Weasley would be easier.

"Yeah, that's me," he said. "I don't know much of what's been going on. Would you like to help me with it?"

"I'd be happy to," Hermione said and smiled. "I've been longing for the company of someone who doesn't care about this Quidditch nonsense. And I can't read right now."

"So, Gryffindor won?" he asked. "By how much?"

"340 to 0, I think that's what they announced," Hermione said indifferently. "The new Keeper seems to be something of a hero."

Ron gave McLaggen a scathing look and then looked for Harry. But his best friend was nowhere to be seen. Instead, among the other players was a third-year girl whom Ron only knew by looks.

"Where's Harry?" he asked.

"Harry who?" Hermione asked.

"Harry Potter, of course!"

Hermione's expression turned sad. "You haven't heard? He's in St Mungo's… I've already lost my hope that he would ever come back."

"What?" Ron cried. "What's happened to him?"

Hermione eyed him suspiciously. "You really don't know what has happened in your own family? Well, Harry tried to save your cousin Ginny from the Chamber of Secrets, but he was so distraught after seeing her dead that he somehow lost all his memories."

"Ginny is dead?" Ron said, appalled. He looked around; there were no signs of his dear sweet sister, either. "And Lockhart successfully Obliviated Harry?!"

"How dare you!" Hermione growled. "Professor Lockhart did what he could to save your cousin! He killed the Basilisk that petrified me and brought Harry back at the risk of his own life!"

"No, Lockhart is a fraud!" Ron yelled. "He never accomplished anything! All his great deeds had actually been made by other people! He just took a part of the empty Basilisk skin lying on the floor!"

"I thought the Weasleys opposed the Death Eaters," Hermione said in a low, menacing tone.

"Wha–? Of course I oppose them!"

"Then why are you spreading that Death Eater propaganda?" Hermione snapped furiously. "That's just what You-Know-Who's side is telling in order to defame the Minister!"

"Minister? You mean… Lockhart is the Minister?"

"You really know nothing of what's been happening," Hermione huffed. "Have you been living in a barrel? After You-Know-Who returned, Fudge had to resign, and everyone wanted the greatest hero who has fought for justice to take charge. Lockhart was nominated unanimously, and he's been a great Minister!"

Ron was in disbelief. All of this had happened because of his nonexistence. But even though it was sad for Harry and Ginny, it might be better for the larger wizarding world. Lockhart might be as lousy a Minister as Fudge, but at least the Ministry was aware of You-Know-Who's return. That might save many more lives in the long run.

"But," Ron said, "why didn't they make Dumbledore the Minister?"

"Dumbledore is dead," Hermione said mournfully. "After he was fired from the position of Headmaster because of the Chamber of Secrets incident, he decided to focus on the fight against You-Know-Who. From what I've learned, he found an old ring with a curse in it and was too careless. The curse spread into his arm, and he died a year later. Unfortunately, he accomplished little in the fight against You-Know-Who. With Harry in St Mungo's, some Death Eaters sneaked in and stole some his blood. That, I was told, was used in creating a new body for You-Know-Who, and now he is terrorising Britain again. Only the Ministry is holding him back, thanks to Lockhart."

Ron's mind was numb, which was a good thing, because he had a feeling that this was not all.

"What else horrible has happened?"

"Well, Professor Snape is dead. He helped Dumbledore with the curse, and afterwards he tried to investigate the ring. Then, he started to talk to someone only he could see, and stopped eating. McGonagall tried to force-feed him, but he fought back. Eventually he starved to death after three weeks of insane monologue."

Ron had always disliked Snape very much, but this was a little too much. Starving to death? It was something Ron would not want even to his worst enemy. He knew very well how even the long hours between lunch and dinner at Hogwarts were close to torture. But three weeks of it?

"Then who teaches Potions?"

"Alastor Moody, the ex-Auror," said Hermione. "He's otherwise quite good, but I've grown tired of brewing Polyjuice Potion all the time."

"Um… are you sure he is actually the real Moody? You never know… he might be an imposter and the real Moody might be locked in his own trunk. That would explain his need to have so much Polyjuice."

"Don't be ridiculous," Hermione snapped. "I've never heard of anything as absurd as that."

"Well, if he won't be exposed, you never will!"

"If he was teaching Defence, he might teach us paranoia like that."

"Who is the Defence teacher, by the way?"

"Bartemius Crouch. He's supposed to be brilliant with his experience and all, but he's so monotonous."

"I hope he's not under the Imperius Curse," Ron said, rubbing his temples.

"Stop that!" Hermione said. "Things are dire enough even without you trying to spread paranoia! He is taking us to the Ministry tomorrow for an excursion. There you'll see how good care Minister Lockhart and his advisors are taking of our security."

Probably the genie's doings again, Ron thought.

The noise of the victory celebration was causing Ron a headache, and everyone praising McLaggen made it even worse. Someone tried to offer him a Butterbeer, but he rose from the chair with annoyance. Hermione was gathering her books, wished him good night and headed to the girls' dormitory. Ron, not knowing what else to do, climbed up to his own and saw the most familiar place but with only four beds. One of them was newly added for him. He did not want to introduce himself to Neville, Seamus and Dean whom he already knew, so he hid himself behind the red curtains, thinking about what Hermione had told him.


The next morning, Ron was for once the first one to wake up. He quickly dressed up and left for breakfast. Not wanting to attract attention as the newcomer and the suspiciously unknown cousin of Fred and George, he decided to have his breakfast in the kitchen. The house-elves were happy to offer him whatever he asked for, and while there, he could not help but notice that Dobby and Winky were nowhere to be seen.

Fifth-year students gathered in the Entrance Hall after breakfast, waiting for the excursion to the Ministry to begin. Exactly at nine o'clock Bartemius Crouch walked down the Marble Staircase, and Ron eyed him warily. He had not seen the man closely after the Quidditch World Cup, but according to Harry, he had become very gaunt-looking. Professor Crouch certainly was not as lively as the Ministry official Crouch that Ron had seen, but he could not be sure that this one was under the Imperius Curse.

"Students," Crouch said quite unenthusiastically. "We will be taking a Portkey from right outside the gates. There are Aurors keeping watch, but we must not take risks by loitering. Follow me."

He stepped out of the castle, and the fifth-year students went after him. Ron had found Hermione from the crowd, and they walked together.

"Hey, look, Hagrid is back!" Ron said and pointed at the hut by the Forbidden Forest; smoke was coming out of the chimney. He had been worried for Hagrid for a few months because of the prolonged secretive mission for the Order of the Phoenix. But, as he took a second look, he realised that the hut was not the one he was familiar with. "Huh – what's happened?"

"That's not Hagrid's hut," Hermione said. "He has been in Azkaban for years now. I still can't believe he was stupid enough to try to raise an illegal dragon in a small wooden hut! He couldn't keep the secret after his hut burned down, and then he was taken away very quickly. Dumbledore tried to do something for him, but there was nothing to be done. Apparently, it wasn't the first time Hagrid had been involved in illegal breeding of monsters."

Ron stared at the new, smaller hut morosely. Of course, without him, Harry would not have come up with the idea of smuggling Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback away with Charlie's friends. Hagrid was amidst Dementors now, endlessly reliving his life's worst moments, just because Ron had been too weak to get over his poor Quidditch performance.

"Who's the new Keeper of Grounds and Keys, then?" he asked.

"His name is Peter Pettigrew," Hermione said. "Strange little fellow."

"What?!" Ron exclaimed. "That murderer – here?"

"Again these accusations of yours," she snapped. "Mr Pettigrew is a victim if anyone. Sirius Black tried to kill him, and afterwards… well, I don't exactly know what to believe."

"It's got something to do with my family, doesn't it?" he asked, feeling nauseated.

"Yes. According to the official account written by Lucius Malfoy, your aunt Molly and uncle Arthur caught Pettigrew, Transfigured him into a rat and forced him to live as a pet. Pettigrew himself says that's exactly what happened, but I can't believe Malfoy would've been interested in taking the side of an ally of Dumbledore's even to get rid of Arthur."

"I tell you, Pettigrew is a Death Eater," Ron whispered furiously, not wanting Crouch to hear just in case. "Sirius is innocent! Pettigrew is the one who killed all those Muggles! He also betrayed Harry's parents to You-Know-Who!"

To Ron's frustration, Hermione just rolled her eyes. Apparently, Ron had already made himself someone who did not deserve to be taken seriously.

"What happened to my – my aunt and uncle?" he asked, fearing the answer.

"They're in Azkaban," she said. "Transfiguring and enslaving a wizard for over ten years is a very serious offence, and Lucius Malfoy got what he wanted at the Wizengamot."

Ron's fingers tightened around his wand. He wanted to find Malfoy from the crowd of students and smash the ferret's sneering face with the Reductor Curse…

"Gather around this!" called Crouch's voice before Ron managed to do anything.

Crouch was gesturing the students to grab a rope that was long enough for everyone to have room around it. Ron followed Hermione and took his place next to her. Crouch made sure that everyone was ready and initiated the teleportation to the Ministry.

A moment later Ron helped himself up from the floor of the opulent Atrium. Immediately he noticed that there were several Aurors present; clearly the Ministry was taking things seriously. At least some people there did. Ron was not certain about the Minister himself after taking just one look at the face he had not particularly looked forward to seeing again. Gilderoy Lockhart came in long strides and smiled in a way that was considered charming by some people, but repulsive by Ron.

"Welcome to the Ministry, my dear pupils!" the pompous braggart said. "It is so good to see you all grown up! Professor Crouch has told me how eager you are to learn to fight for justice. I, of course, knew it years ago; you want to model your careers after mine. Fortunately, these dire times we are living in will offer each of you many challenges as great as those of the Wagga Wagga Werewolf and the Bandon Banshee!"

Many students clapped, Hermione among them.

"You are here to learn how the Ministry takes care of us all," Lockhart continued. "No classified information will be given, obviously, but I'm sure this excursion will still be enlightening to you all. I must go soon, but before that I will introduce you to the people in charge of our security policy."

Lockhart turned towards the Aurors about whom he told a few things with less enthusiasm than when talking about himself. There were Rufus Scrimgeour, Gawain Robards and Kingsley Shacklebolt, and as they said a few words each, Ron felt his confidence in the Ministry rising. Lockhart was a baboon for sure, but at least he had surrounded himself with people with actual competence. Maybe he was just a figurehead who focused on public relations. That might be a sensible way of arranging the war against You-Know-Who.

Lastly, Lockhart introduced a relatively young wizard by the name of Patrick Cleary. Ron had eyed him for a few moments before the introduction with some scepticism, because he seemed so young compared to the Aurors beside him, and also because he seemed like a younger Lockhart; he was handsome and had the same smile that Ron had started to associate with Lockhart. There was something familiar about him, but Ron could not remember where he had seen him before.

However, the instant Mr Cleary opened his mouth and introduced himself, Ron's feeling about him improved greatly. He was not vain or shallow as Lockhart was, but had a strong charisma born of genuine confidence. He was like Bill in some ways.

"Who is he?" Ron whispered to Hermione.

"He's the Minister's Advisor on Martial Affairs," Hermione said. "He is young, but really talented. The Minister himself picked him for the position. I've heard rumours that he is very much to thank for the successes in the fight against the Death Eaters."

Ron wondered about him as he spoke about how the Ministry's various departments were handling different functions of the war. He knew most significant people in wizarding Britain by name, because his father had so often talked about them. However, he could not remember anything about Patrick Cleary. Somehow Ron's nonexistence in this timeline had caused him to become a prominent member of society, and Ron was curious to learn how.

"The Department of Magical Transportation has limited the use of the Floo Network and of Portkeys in Britain," Cleary said as he guided the students to the first department of the excursion. "Apparition cannot be limited in the same way, but we are able to monitor it. Because of these measures, the Death Eaters are only able to conduct attacks using broomsticks. Our Aurors are much more effective in their movements, and we have been able to recapture many of the Death Eaters who were broken free from Azkaban."

There was a short presentation with maps after which they moved on to the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes.

"Earlier there was a clear separation between this department and that of Law Enforcement," Cleary said. "We considered it a liability and named an Auror as the director of this one. There is much expertise among the personnel of this department, and it is currently being used to help in the war effort. The Death Eater attack on Upper Flagley was warded off partly due to this department's resources being used in assistance."

They quickly moved through several departments.

"After the beginning of the war, we decided that some parts of the Ministry needed to be reorganised," Cleary lectured. "Departments of Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, Magical Games and Sports, Magical Education, Magical Finance and Magical Administrative Affairs were bloated and using their budgets inefficiently. We transferred many of their officials to a training programme arranged by the Law Enforcement, and we are quickly filling our ranks with more witches and wizards with fighting skills."

The result of this policy was seen in the large hall just outside of the Auror Office: a few dozen wizards were currently there, practicing defensive and offensive spells.

"The Ministry offers similar training to all citizens. We are confident that by the end of next year, we will have enough force to stop the Death Eaters once and for all."

Ron was impressed. His heart ached as he thought about the tragedies that had befallen his family and friends, but there was no denying that this new, competent Ministry was good. Perhaps Cleary was unknown to Ron because Fudge's cowardice had repelled people like him from the Ministry of Ron's timeline. Difficult times often produced individuals like Cleary, and Ron was starting to hope that Cleary could fill the place left by Dumbledore's death. Even though the old Headmaster had been a brilliant genius, he had not been able to organise resistance against You-Know-Who as well as Cleary.

"The Department of International Magical Cooperation is constantly informing other countries of the threat of He Who Must Not Be Named," said Cleary. "Some Aurors have already come to aid us. The Department of Mysteries has offered its vast expertise to aid in the war effort, but I can't talk about it much."

The Department of Magical Law Enforcement was full of wizards in a hurry, but Cleary did not lead the students there. Instead, they headed to the Office of the Minister. Lockhart had a meeting with Amelia Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, so Cleary and the students did not disturb them. Cleary gave a tour of the rooms adjacent to that of the Minister's: the work of all departments was coordinated from there. Finally they visited Cleary's own office, and Ron was impressed by the austere and ascetic atmosphere in there. Everything unimportant seemed to have been taken away; it was the headquarters of someone who was only focused on his goal: the defeat of the Death Eaters.

As Cleary told about his daily routines, Ron stood close to him in front of a bookshelf, and he studied the young but remarkably competent wizard closely. Again, he felt a feeling of familiarity, but he was unable to explain it. He was fairly certain that he would remember Cleary if he had met him before, because one did not easily forget such a charismatic person.

Ron turned to study the bookshelf in order to find some clues. There were many advanced books about protective enchantments, a book of complex formulae of runic magics, some ancient tomes written in script that Ron did not understand… and eventually his eyes found something that felt out of place. It looked so mundane in nature…

… a small, black book.

Ron snatched it with his hand suddenly trembling, and he opened it. On the first page was a name: T. M. Riddle.

In a burst of adrenaline, Ron suddenly realised why Patrick Cleary felt so familiar: it was Ginny's life-force that he had recognised. The book slipped from his hands as he turned to stare at the young advisor of the Minister. He was not Patrick Cleary – he was the thing that had come out of the diary Ginny had been writing to during her first (and only) year at Hogwarts.

"No," Ron breathed and took a stumbling step back. The entire terrible situation was revealed to him in an instant: this new, competent Ministry was not going to save wizarding Britain from You-Know-Who. The Minister's advisor (or, rather, puppeteer) was conducting the war with nefarious goals. It was just a cruel war game of two Tom Riddles who played against one another for their own twisted entertainment. And that meant wizarding Britain was inevitably doomed to darkness.

All because Ron had never existed.

He sprinted away and nearly knocked Ernie Macmillan down as he went. Someone called after him, but he did not slow down. As quickly as he could, he headed for the Atrium. Once there, he grabbed a handful of Floo Powder, threw it into a fireplace and shouted, "Hogwarts!"

Someone was pursuing him and an Impediment Jinx whirred past him, but he leapt into the green fire and was soon spat out from the fireplace of the Hogwarts staff room, startling Professor Flitwick. Without stopping to apologise or explain, he ran out and began to climb the Marble Staircase.

His lungs were protesting as he reached the seventh floor, but he just kept going as he ran to the corridor with the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy. He ran back and forth and thought,

I want to exist again.

The door appeared, and Ron wrenched it open as fast as he could. The genie was inside, scribbling on a parchment some extremely confusing magical formula, probably the one to make this timeline the real one.

"Send me back, please!" Ron exclaimed.

"The world without you is not to your liking?" the genie said with a knowing smile. "Very well, that is the decision I was hoping for."

Again, the genie produced a mist with a clap of his hands. Ron felt momentarily disoriented, and as the mist cleared, the door of the Room of Requirement was gone and he was wearing his red Quidditch robes again. He rushed to the closest window; it was dark outside and snowing, but he could see lights from the groundkeeper's hut. It was the hut he knew very well.

Feeling jubilant, Ron ran to the Gryffindor common room. As he rushed in, he saw Harry, Hermione and Ginny, all looking at him. The mood in the room was like that of a funeral.

"Ginny, you're alive!" Ron said. "And Harry, you're not an amnesiac!"

There was a stunned silence.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Ginny asked.

"Why would I be?" Harry asked at the same time.

"If things in the Chamber of Secrets had gone differently, you might not be here!"

"Ron, is everything OK?" Hermione asked in a tender voice.

"Not everything," Ron admitted, taking a glimpse of the message board with no warnings about Death Eaters. "But certain things are much better than they easily could be."

He sat down in one of the armchairs in front of the fireplace and looked at his sister and two best friends.

"Ron… the song was quite horrible," Hermione said uncertainly.

He shrugged indifferently. "I'm much rather the king of the Slytherin Quidditch team than an unwitting pawn of the young You-Know-Who from the diary."

Harry, Hermione and Ginny looked at one another in confusion.

"I see…" Harry said slowly. "Without you and your broken wand, Lockhart would've Obliviated me successfully… and then…"

"And then I would've died," Ginny said.

"My wand broke because I am so lousy a flyer that I drove Dad's car right into the Whomping Willow," Ron said. "That, I think, saved Britain from much misery. Yeah – I think my poor flying skill is a blessing in disguise. That's why I'm not taking this game too seriously." He gestured to his Quidditch robes and smiled. "My life is actually quite wonderful."


Posted on the 17th of April, 2022.