Author: Ladyfun

Title: Little White Lies

Pairing: None. Ron. Harry. Hermione. Ginny. Fleur. Kingsley. No letter "y". Nuff said.

Rating: Generally K+

Disclaimers: All of this (Ladyfun gesturing big wide circles over the computer with her hand) belongs to J.K. Rowling. I own nothing, and this is all for non-profit fun. And I sure as heck don't own Quiddich.

SUMMARY: For the Quiddich League Fanfiction competition/Round 10. The little white lies that we tell ourselves in order to get through the day can come crashing down around one so fast, one can't breathe. Ron is about to learn exactly how that feels as he enters his first job following "The Big One."

A/N #1: Written for Round 10 /Season 2 of the Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition. Position is Sub for Chaser 3 for the Wigtown Wanderers. Chaser 3 prompt: Law Enforcement

A/N #2: OPTIONAL PROMPTS: 1. (restriction) no letter "y" 2. (word) onwards 3. (quote) "I lie to myself all the time. But I never believe me." S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders. And if it sounds stilted, that's because....IT IS! As it turns out, it's frickin' hard to write without adverbs and other modifiers and pronouns that start or end with y! Darn you, you Quiddich mods!

Random technicality: I can't post new fanfics, it would appear, so I am posting it in another spot in one of the old stories. Sorry if there's confusion.

Title: Little White Lies
Round 10/Crashing the Ministry
Position: Sub for Chaser 3- Prompt: Law Enforcement (Wizenmagot)
Team: Wigtown Wanderers

His mother was so proud of him, when he gave her the news of his M.O.M. placement.

The Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

"Ronald! I knew you'd make the clan so proud!" She beamed. Then, her face grew dark. "Please tell me ...well, it's not as a "hit wizard", Ron…please tell me it's not that!"

His sister rolled her orbits to the Heavens, knowing the truth. "Ma, one has to have 5 O.W.L.S. to be in that section, including Defense Against the Dark Arts! Ron didn't even sit for that exam!"

Molly disregarded her daughter's unwanted brush with the truth. "We all know exceptions were made for the Golden Trio, now, Ginerva! I'm sure Ronald had his pick of jobs."

"You bet, Ma!" He said. "I can neither confirm nor oppose what I chose, but I can tell the public... I am indeed in The Department of Magical Law Enforcement." He said, quite proud.

"Oh, Ronald!" She sighed, beaming. She gave him another squeeze, for good measure; to which he relented, giving a sheepish grin, in return.

XOXOXOXOX

While it was true that he had been placed in the "glamorous" office of The Department of Magical Law Enforcement, located on the prestigious second floor of the M.O.M., people would think with some automatic thinking that it equated to "One must be an Auror.".

The Auror Office, of course, was the most well known section within his office, and the subdivision of Hit Wizards his mother referenced, also fell within this section. He had known, almost his entire life, the requirements for the job: An Auror is an uber trained specialist law enforcement wizard who investigates crimes involving the Dark Arts and apprehends resultant Dark Wizards who do these sorts of things.

Professor McG had beat it into them time after time that the job requirements for the Auror Office required a minimum of 5 N.E.W.T.s -with marks no lower than "Exceeds Expectations". He hadn't met the requirements in either Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Charms, or Herbs; and for someone who had dreamed of entering the training program, he had failed, in a spectacular manner.

Ron felt certain he could pass the series of character and aptitude tests, though. However, it was not to be. He didn't get the chance, despite his "Golden Trio" moniker and credentials.

The other two-thirds of the trio, however, possessed the "right stuff," according to the Auror selection team. Potter became a "Hit Wizard", and Hermione was not just selected as an Auror, she was appointed a squad leader of an elite Auror team! This, despite her request to be placed into the Department of the Regulation of Magical Creatures, for Merlin's sakes!

He remembered the moment all three got their placements, as vivid as if it happened right now. He remembered telling himself that it was irrelevant that he had been less than stellar in school, and not interested in rendering himself; school was irrelevant. After all, he was the muscle of the Golden Trio, for Heaven's sake!

It was a little white lie he kept telling himself, over and over. Then again, he mused to himself, I lie to myself all the time... but I never believe me. He tried to avoid thinking those nagging thoughts like, "I should have studied more."

And that is where he found himself, telling himself more lies in the hopes the lies would become true, such as "O.W.L.s were irrelevant". He was saying that over and over, as though it would become true, while overhearing the Minister's conversation with Hermione, on accident.

She was making a last ditch attempt to be placed into the Magical Creatures Department in some usual Hermione bleeding-heart manner, of course. The minister was having none of it.

"Nonsense, Hermione! Hermione Granger is going to run the Auror department, soon!" The Minister said, chuckling.

"I had hoped to go to Oxford, actually, and study law, actually, Sir..."

"A muggle school?" He scoffed. "What does a muggle establishment have to teach the brains of the trio? No, dear...I'm sorry, but I think that Hermione Granger's place is here. Bringing justice to our land, and getting the public to trust the M.O.M. again."

"Alright," she agreed, sounding glum. "But after 36 quarters time, I get to go to advanced civil schooling. Paid."

"Alright, if that wife at chez Delacour-Granger doesn't have the great Hermione Granger chasing after three kids or so, then we'll talk about additional responsibilities." He chuckled.

Hermione raised herself up to her full height. "Minister," she said, sounding authoritative, "I assure the good Minister, that The French Ambassador, Madame Fleur Delacour, has better things to concern herself with than if I can attend advanced civil schooling, or not."

She shot him a warning glare.

"Alright, alright!" He said, throwing up his hands. "It's just…I had lunch with Fleur a forenight ago, and she was going on and on about her "Veela biological clock" racing so much faster than other's! That's all."

Hermione huffed, mumbling something about histrionic Veelas, as she stomped out of his office. She bumped shoulders accidently with Ron, as Ron entered.

"Oh...Hi there, Ron." She said, mustering up a smile, as she headed out the door to go find her spouse in order to give her a piece of her (rather large) mind. He looked after her, with a wistful gaze, as she did her usual Hermione rant down the hall.

"She's mental, sometimes, that one! But she means well." He offered.

The minister all business with Ron.

"Good afternoon, Robert."

"Ronald." He corrected.

"Oh, yes, right. Sorry." The minister cleared his throat. "Thanks for coming here. So... I've been able to honor the request submitted for placement into the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Ronald."

"Awesome! When does Auror training start?"

"Er…The placement is into a different section, son." He said, almost apologetic. "Well, see...your aptitude scores, Ron...Well, they-"

"But I'm one of the Golden Trio!" He interrupted in protest.

The minister looked at him, stern. "Yes," he said, after a pause. "That garnered entrance into this section for an interview. But the profilers, well, it unearthed a few things from the past, Robert."

"Ronald."

"Oh, indeed! Apologies, again." He cleared his throat. "The report is not exactly favorable, Ronald." He said, enunciating his name, clear as a bell. "It seems that there is a clear propensity for … being somewhat of a loose cannon."

"What?" He said, dumbfounded.

"Isn't it true, Ronald, that during the now pivotal mission of the Hunt for the Horcruxes, there was documented abandonment of the mission, leaving Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger, alone?"

"Well, I suppose, but it was just for a little bit…"

"Eight weeks."

"Was it that long?" He said, nervous. "The recollection isn't so good...well, it isn't exact."

"The recollection extracted in the beginning of profiling came direct from Ronald W., and the pensive," it says here in this report, " The Minister said, reading aloud. "That is the exact locus where this information was retrieved, Ronald."

He looked around the room, nervous. "Oh."

The Minister paused. "What about the time ... documented here, that there was erratic behavior during a dance? It reports that "Ronald W. became enraged during the fourth academic calendar, with verbal abuse towards Ms. Granger, accusing her of all sorts of behavior, including fraternizing with their "enemies." Trigger a recollection, Ron?" He asked.

"Who told about that? Hermione? Look, she's a lesbian now, one can't trust her to—"

He cut him off,with a silencing gesture. "No, Ronald, this was not provided from Ms. Granger, who, I might add, along with Mr. Potter, came to staunch defense of the "behavior exhibited," actually."

Ron looked confused. "I don't understand?"

"This incident was provided from Auror Krum, in fact."

Ron turned red. "But…he's a damn Bulgarian!"

The minister remained calm. "True, be that as it is, nonetheless he works for the British M.O.M., Ronald. He has since the conclusion of the war, in which he fought alongside the British. He has been a competent Auror for the past few months,within this section , Ronad. I hand picked him, in fact."

"Oh." He sighed. This wasn't going in the manner he anticipated.

"And for what its worth, Ronald, Ms. Granger's sexual orientation, as well as all the members of the M.O.M. is a matter of private concern. In short, it is irrelevant to how one performs in their job." He said, on point. "Provided one performs…. in their job."

Ron, once again, used his go-to response. "Oh."

The Minister cleared his throat. "However, given that I've known Arthur for a lifetime, and he has been a true and dedicated servant to this government his entire life, I am determined to find a place for his son within this section, in order to be - at least- placed with the remainder of the Golden Trio."

Ron exhaled a sigh of relief.

"A choice, Ronald." The Minister said, grave-appearing. "Which is preferred? Improper Use of Magic Office, Wizengamot Administration Services, or Department of Intoxicating Substances?"

Ron made a face.

"I guess…um, well...Improper Use of Magic, I reckon."

"Excellent choice, Son. Report to Mr. Dodsworth tomorrow at 8am, sharp. Don't let me down."

"I won't." He said, glum, as he left the room , managing a grim smile.

The minister watched Ron walk down the hall, waiting until he hit the elevators, and was safely gone. He then picked up a handful of floo powder, and threw it in.

"Is it done?" A familiar voice said.

"It is."

"Thanks, Kings. For real."

"Don't thank me too soon! And if he fucks it up…"

"I know, I know…we can hope that he won't."

"Now, I believe we have a debt to settle, Madame."

The voice sighed. "I thought this office was above bribes, Shacklebolt!"

"Well...that was before the famous Chaser scheduled herself to make her debut this Saturday against the Heidelberg Harriers, on a huge worldwide stage with the finals in the balance, Ginerva! This highly anticipated debut with the Harpies made tickets impossible to get...even for me!"

"So I've heard." She said, grinning. "A deal is a deal, however. What is the number a person might be in need of, if such a person were to exist, of course?"

"Well, the entire Shacklebolt gaggle are fans of said Chaser, Gin."

The Quiddich athlete groaned. "What's the number, Sir?"

"Eight."

"Ok." She gulped. "One might find them, receiving them in an unmarked owl, tomorrow."

"I better." He said, warning. "That brother... Ronald... has no business setting foot in this building."

Gin raised her hand. "Be that as it is, sir, he's still ...a brother! I can't have him bad mouthed or else I'm taking back the tickets and the wedding invitation previously given to the aformentioned Ministerness."

He chuckled. "Can't do that, Miss! Remember? I'm performing the event!"

"I can rethink that. Fleur's ordained, I hear."

"Well, she's a lot better looking, that's for sure…." The two friends laughed, made a few more pleasantries, and then bid adieu.

XOXOXO

In the months to follow and onwards, all three made their marks in their sections within the Department…in their own manner. On occasion, Ron would look with a wistful glint towards the Auror department, but after visiting Potter for the fifth or sixth time in his special reserved bed at St. Mungo's, he decided he was rather glad that his job wasn't quite so ... dangerous.

In addition, he also watched a frazzled Hermione, balancing being a barrister, a mother of five, and having an often temptious, gorgeous, and possessive wife...all while running her section, and decided he liked the spot where he was.

When his sister retired (against her will, after her third concussion) from the Harpies after a long and storied professional Quiddich career, he was able to feel genuine and proud of her. He confessed he too would be retiring soon, and traveling to see the world, a bit. Gin smiled a knowing smile, at his confession.

Never once did she tell Ron - or another soul-about her "involvement" in his career, and Ron was none the wiser.

Thank Merlin that Minister Shacklebolt loved Quiddich! She thought to herself. And, once again, like she had those long months ago, Ginerva W. Potter decided that a few white lies wouldn't amount to much in the big picture.

She figured in the end, it was par for the course, in that Department.

THE END.