The elegant lady stared, waiting for the room to calm so she could continue her story. As the explosive noise subsided, she adopted a haughty air.

"Everyone knows about Ron Weasley, the Dark One's right hand. They know how they met, became friends, fought, and so much more."

Here, the grin which spread across her face became feral.

"But no one knows the full extent."

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Harry was sitting in a compartment at the rear of the Hogwarts express. There were several empty compartments along the way he could have claimed, but he needed some space. While no one actively approached him once he made it in, the stares let him know it was only because the train was preparing to leave. So Harry had settled back here, away from the inquisitive and hostile glances.

Harry was reflecting on the past few weeks, suddenly learning he was a wizard. That had been an experience in and of itself. Of course, when a ten foot tall half giant knocks your door down and gives your rather hefty cousin an oddly appropriate appendage, normal really goes right out the window.

Harry was shaken from his musings as the door opened. Before him stood a shy looking red-headed boy. Harry noticed the boy was bearing a rather impressively black eye. The red head glanced tentatively at Harry.

"Mind if I sit, everywhere else is full."

Harry watched intently. The boy had just lied to him, Harry knew this for a fact having passed at least six empty cabins on his way here. The boy, however, looked truly terrified and Harry himself was no expert on friends. Deciding to take the introduction as nerves, Harry smiled and offered a seat. As they settled down, the red head introduced himself.

"Hi, I'm Ron. Ron Weasley."

"I'm Harry. Harry Potter."

Ron sat frozen. He gulped and looked even more nervous before asking his next question.

"And…do you…I mean…"

Harry decided to have pity and simply lifted the fringe of his bangs, showing off the zig-zagged lightning bolt scar he bore. Ron's reaction, however, was unexpected.

Ron Smiled.

"Wicked."

Harry couldn't help it. He laughed. When Ron looked offended, Harry held up his hands in a pacifying gesture while he calmed himself, preparing to explain.

"Thank you Ron. I've only been back in the Wizarding world a few weeks, but your reaction is by far the best I have had. Most people stare or glare. Really disconcerting. You don't seem to mind. So thank you."

With that, the two boys settled into an easy conversation. After a few more minutes of debate, Harry broached his next subject.

"So, ummm, how did you get the…?" Harry made a gesture to his own eye, indicating his topic of interest. Ron grimaced at this. Before he could answer, the door swung open to reveal the jerk of a blond Harry had met in Madam Malkins.

"Is it true? They're saying Harry Potter is in this compartment!"

Harry took in the two hulks standing behind the boy. While only slightly larger than Harry himself, the two other large boys made the blond one look tiny in comparison.

"Perhaps, who is asking?"

The boy, who was slightly red in the face when he jerked the door open as if having run the length of the train, stood up straighter and stuck his nose in the air. He took in the cabin before offering his hand to Harry.

"Draco Malfoy. You'll find that some wizarding families are better than others, Potter. I can help you there."

Harry considered the hand as he watched reactions. Draco seemed assured that Harry would jump to be by his side, odd seeing as the last time they had talked Harry was left with a rather unfortunate taste in his mouth. The two bookends behind him were staring, leaving Harry to wonder if they were actually golems simply created to make Draco appear intimidating.

But as Harry's eyes fell on Ron, his mind was made up. The shy red head who had lied to Harry was back. Sure, there was a hint of anger, leaving Harry with no doubt where Ron's black eye had come from. But Ron seemed to be closing in on himself. So Harry did the only thing he could do.

He laughed.

Draco began spluttering at this reaction until Harry stood. There was a flash of something in those green eyes. Draco only saw it for an instant, but he knew he would prefer never to meet it again in a well lit street, let alone a dark alley.

"Mr. Malfoy, I do believe you have overstayed your welcome. We have met before yet this is the first time you have deemed me important enough to introduce yourself to. As such, I find myself well equipped by present company to say the following.

"Go. Fuck. Yourself."

As Harry began speaking, he was slowly moving toward Malfoy who, unconsciously, began to back away. As Harry spoke his final words, he punctuated them by gently jabbing his finger into Malfoy's chest. It was not much, but enough to force the blond boy back further. At the final word, Harry slammed the door shut, which Malfoy had suddenly found himself outside of.

As Harry returned to his seat, he noticed the look of awe on Ron's face. At that, he raised a questioning eyebrow at the other boy. Ron quickly looked down.

"Thanks."

Harry smiled.

"No problem Ron. I stand by my friends."

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"And in that moment, knowing it or not, my husband had made a friend for life. Their adventures over the next several years certainly demonstrated that. They fought and bickered, of course, but in the end, the two remained friends. Ron was never this jealous pig that people painted him to be. He was a lonely boy who grew up with very little, similar to my own husband. Even in his own family, he had little standing. The youngest brother, getting things 6th hand. At least his sister was a girl.

"But in that moment, Harry demonstrated that Ron meant something more. He stood up against a Malfoy, the epitome of high standing to Ron's somewhat limited knowledge."

The elder woman paused to take a drink of her water. As she did, the questions began.

"You expect us to believe that the Dark One was so elegantly spoken? Especially at 11?"

The feral grin returned.

"Expect you to believe the truth? I know better, you follow the New Order. Those are mutually exclusive opportunities. However, if you are saying my husband was not so eloquent, you did exactly as others did by under estimating him. My husband was a walking thesaurus/dictionary by 8. Of course, he was far more Slytherin than any of you would dare to trust."

There was muttering going on, so the woman offered her oath.

"Well, you could always grant me my wand to offer an oath on the truth."

The courtroom was outraged at this simple suggestion. The Woman, however, took it all with a smile. She saw the uncomfortable looks coming from the press and visitor's galleries. The lords, however, seemed more upset that she would do this. It was a simpering thickset woman with blond hair who spoke from beside the Chief Warlock.

"Do you really expect us to give you a wand? How stupid do you think we are?"

"My Dear Madam Malfoy, there is neither enough time nor an expansive enough vocabulary to properly answer that question, so instead I shall defer to your own self-stated truths. You all have claimed for years how strong the New Order is. With so many well to do Lords, surely you all have noting to fear from granting me a wand long enough to swear an oath, thus proving myself?"

Again, there were thoughtful looks form the visitors and the press, but that ended with the banging of the Chief Warlock's gavel.

"Order, Order! You are the prisoner. As such, wands are not granted. You could submit yourself to Veritaserum." There was a wicked grin on his own face at this point, but it slowly melted as the stately woman smiled.

"Well, I certainly could but then I would need my own council for defense to ask the questions. Seeing as all solicitors were ordered not to defend me under penalty of death, it does make the matter rather complicated, does it not? Odd that you would offer that, seeing as the order had your name signed to it."

Once more outraged yells roared before the Chief Warlock once more got control.

"Enough of this blasphemy! Get on with your story or else we shall consider your testimony ended."

"Again, according to your own laws, I must step down for that to happen, being a pureblood. However, you do lead me back to my tale.

"Ron, always known for his chess in the stories of old, quickly became much more. Chess was created to develop the critical thinking skills associated with strategy, but being good at chess and good with strategy are not a guarantee to happen. Ron, however, did age and grow appropriately. It took years, but by the time we left Hogwartts, Ron Weasley was a master strategist. This led him to a spot as the right hand of the Dark One, his master strategist.

"But if one has strategy, they also need muscle…"