Rise
Ron was always the pack mule in these situations: he would carry Harry's pride and loyalty through his trials and tribulations until Ronald was left bloody with Harry and Hermione standing along with him, but only Harry would get all the attention. He knew he would get something out of it – he was friends with The Boy Who Lived.
He wasn't upset about any of those things though, truly. After the last battle he married Hermione, and they lived a good life with their children. He was happy, for the most part. Sure, sometimes he wanted to rip someone's head off – mostly his children, because they wouldn't listen to his orders but he would let it go when they hurt themselves and his heart would jump to his throat in fright.
It was near the end of his life he realized his true reason for being Harry Potter's friend. It wasn't that he was the pack mule, but the historian. He wrote book after book while he lay dying; most of the novels were things that he wished had happened during his life as Harry's friend, but he never grew enough courage to.
So finally, when he passed away, his grandson took up the challenge of being what his brave grandfather wished to be. He would rise from his low position in magical and muggle society and he would overtake his grandfather's ambitions.
He became the newest, and final, Dark Lord.