August 2002

Sundays at the Burrow were nothing but chaos. In the four years since Fred died, the Weasleys had developed a "new normal" that involved six Weasley children-turned-adults, four Weasley spouses, two Weasley grandchildren, one Teddy, one Andromeda, one Hermione (who kept her "honorary Weasley" title even after the breakup) and of course, Arthur and Molly. And every Sunday, as many of those people as possible would pack into the garden, kitchen and Quidditch pitch to celebrate family dinner. In the summer there were Quidditch matches and swimming, and in the winter there were snowball fights and sledding.

There were too many schedules to expect everyone to be there on the exact same Sundays. But a few times a year it happened. And it was on one such Sunday in early August that Ronald Weasley's life turned on its head.

Charlie was visiting from Romania, and Ginny was home from the World Cup. Even Hermione stepped out of the office for the afternoon, an oddity in the face of the werewolf trials coming up. And when Ginny and Harry apparated to the gate of the Burrow, three familiar faces appeared within seconds. Neville, Hannah, and Luna had come to visit as well, and were warmly welcomed by all.

Soon, Charlie and Ron took their butterbeers and sat on the stone wall of the garden, watching the chaos around them. Neville and Hannah, recently engaged, chatted happily with Ginny and Harry about wedding venues and ministers. Percy and Audrey were showing off their little girl to Grandpa Weasley while Victoire hovered at Audrey's elbow. Bill and Fleur were inside, helping Molly with dinner, while George and Angelina chatted with Hermione about new products for the store.

Ron jumped as a dreamy voice interrupted his thoughts. "I'm not surprised about Neville and Hannah. Not like I was about Ginny and Harry."

Luna sat down comfortably on Ron's left, her bare feet swinging against the wall and her blonde hair waving gently in the breeze. Luna had gone back to school with Hermione for that last year, and King's Cross was the last time Ron had seen her. He'd heard stories and rumors about what she'd been up to; the most credible were from Ginny. According to her, Luna had been travelling the world in search of the made-up animals she and her father were so fond of, while running the Quibbler from afar. In the madness of the past few years, Ron had hardly given her a second thought, so her sudden presence was startling.

"You were surprised about Harry and Ginny?" he managed to choke out. "Ginny's been planning that since she was ten."

Luna gave a vague laugh. "Our minds and hearts don't always know what's best. Harry likes to save people. Ginny doesn't like to be saved. I knew they'd date, but I never expected them to get married. But I suppose that's why they work together."

Unsure of what to say, Ron gave a noncommittal grunt and returned to his beer. Charlie stood to go help Arthur set up the marquee, and the two were left balanced on the stone wall. Luna's feet continued to kick against the whitewashed rocks.

"Your wrackspurts are gone," she said, matter-of-factly.

"Well, I suppose that's one thing going for me," Ron responded, suppressing the urge to roll his eyes.

"I'm very sorry." Her voice was quieter. "I heard about you and Hermione...but I didn't believe it until today. You always had wrackspurts when she was around, but now you don't."

"Did she? Have them, too?" asked Ron without thinking. He flushed a bit when he realized what he was asking.

"Oh yes, but she seemed remarkably unaffected by them. Few people can focus through a wrackspurt infestation the way she can." Luna glanced over to where Hermione was drawing a diagram for George. "Oh, hers are gone, too. She must have a much easier time with paperwork nowadays."

Yes, paperwork, thought Ron wryly. That's the concern. He was torn among feeling relieved that Hermione was doing OK, now-rare grief that their relationship was over, and confusion. Because he was taking Loony Lovegood seriously.

"How's your dad?" Ron asked, avoiding the thick silence. Luna seemed unperturbed.

"Doing well. We moved the Quibbler offices to Diagon Alley. I suppose you've read his recent articles about the snorkack. You know what they say..."

"Yeah..." said Ron, avoiding the fact that he hadn't read a word of the Quibbler since the war.

"Oh! Was that a gnome?" Luna changed the topic. "I have so many questions for him!" and away she hopped, leaving a very bewildered Ron Weasley in her wake.

All through dinner, Ron kept feeling his attention pulled back to Luna. She was the same Loony Lovegood he'd known for most of his life. She sat, as she'd always sat, with her wand tucked behind her ear. She still wore radishes (no, dirigible plums, he corrected himself) as earrings. She chatted cheerfully with Hannah and Ginny about the rebuilt house where she lived. They'd added Argentinian sand to the mortar to protect against nargles.

But what struck Ron the most was that she wasn't the same Luna. Her eyes, still dreamy, held a certain level of maturity and wisdom. There was a slight dampening of her free-spirited demeanor that he hadn't seen before. He thought back to her Quidditch announcing and chuckled a bit to himself, wondering if she'd offer the same amount of entertainment now. Next to him, Harry looked to him questioningly.

"Just remembering the time Luna announced Quidditch. Good seeing her again, eh?"

Harry looked at him like he'd lost his mind, then went back to discussing interdepartmental relations with Hermione.

Ron was the last of the Weasley children to leave the Burrow that evening. As he prepared to duck out, his mother fingercombed his hair and looked him in the eyes.

"Something's wrong, Ron. Tell me."

He hadn't planned to talk to his parents about this tonight, but he knew he also hadn't been himself. Usually he'd be starting a Quidditch match or game of exploding snap. He'd have Teddy on a broom or tease Percy. But tonight, aside from his conversation with Luna, he'd sat on the garden wall and watched quietly. He had too much on his mind.

The words spilled out. "Mum, I turned in my notice for the aurors. I'm burnt out...done. I-I don't know what's next for me. I have some money saved up, and I'll get a roommate. Look for a job. Maybe in the ministry..."

"You'll stay here." Molly's tone suggested that there was no debate. "When will you move back?"

Ron let out a long sigh. The option had jumped into his mind from time to time, but he'd never given it full consideration. Who wants to move back in with their parents when all their brothers and sister are moved out?

With a sparkle in his eye Arthur interjected, "just think about it, son. Remember, you'll get 3 square meals a day...and we could use the help around here."

Ron observed his parents for a moment. They weren't old per se, but the past few years had taken their toll. Arthur still worked for the ministry, but he came home some days dragging his feet. Molly had developed wrinkles beneath her eyes, her hair grayed significantly after losing Fred. Ron often tried to fix things up around the place when he visited, repairing broken furniture and de-gnoming the garden. Merlin knew they needed the help. Ginny was gone half the year for Quidditch, Charlie only visited sometimes. Bill and Percy were busy with their kids, and George was busy with the shop...

That night, home in London, Ron heard a tapping at his window. He was surprised to find a strange looking owl holding a piece of green-tinted parchment. While he fed him an owl treat, he read the note.

Dear Ronald Weasley,

I would like you to meet Badius, my Oriental Bay Owl. I brought him back with me from Asia where I was looking for a flock of blibbering humdingers with my father, and he gets rather bored back in England (the owl and my father both). Whenever I run into old friends, I make it a point to Owl them regularly so that Badius can get out and stretch his wings. Between you and I, I feel he must have low self-esteem if he is not useful. So please write back so he knows he's still useful although we are no longer travelling.

I overheard your conversation with Harry. I'm very glad you enjoyed my Quidditch commentary back at Hogwarts. If you are ever in need of a commentator in the future, I'd love to give it another go. It's a shame the war interrupted Quidditch, don't you think? I'm sorry I was so forward regarding your relationship with Hermione. Ginny says I've been away from civilization for so long that I've forgotten my manners. Harry just laughs.

Your mother invited me to Sunday dinner in the future. Perhaps I shall take her up on it sometime? My father has chosen to stay in Portugal for the time being, still seeking out the crumple horned snorkack, so I do wish for company at times.

Take care, Ronald!

Fondly,

Luna Lovegood

With a glance at the odd looking owl in front of him, Ron asked Badius to stay for a moment while he responded. Can't let the owl get low self-esteem, Ron told himself as he jotted off a quick letter letting Luna know he came to dinner most Sundays, and that he was, at some point in the near future, probably moving back to the Burrow.

It wasn't until he was lying in bed that night that Ron realized: he'd made his choice, and the person who had put him over the edge was Luna. He chuckled to himself and clicked his deluminator to plunge the room into darkness.

And Luna...throughout the intervening weeks, Luna had kept a regular stream of letters going his way. He mentioned this once to Harry, and Harry laughed. "Yeah, she and Ginny write almost every day. I think Luna's getting lonely up there in that dotty house of hers."

Ron, ever mindful of Badius's feelings, responded dutifully. On days when the owl was late, or didn't show up at all, he found himself feeling somehow worried or lonely. And odd feeling that he couldn't quite place. He knew he wasn't lonely. Ginny had begun flooing him daily after she heard he quit the aurors, just as she had after he and Hermione broke up. Harry was often with her, and sometimes stepped through to Ron's living room for a game of chess or pint of ale. So he wasn't lonely...

They wrote about her adventures, mostly, and she asked about his auror work. He explained to her his reasons for quitting. She told him of her loneliness now that Xenophilius had met a witch on his adventures. And so Badius (and, at times, Pigwidgeon) made the trip between Ottery St. Catchpole and London on an almost daily basis for several weeks.