A usual I own nothing, and thanks again to my beta reader Caitlin.
Also thanks to all those who reviewed, even just to point out a silly typo. I do try to catch them on revision, but I always miss a few.
Unknown to Ron
The plan had been a group effort. It had been Harry's idea to send Dobby up to the headmaster's office to spy on the meeting. Elves did not show up on the Maurauders' Map, making them perfect for the job. It was Hermione's idea to use the omnioculars to record the meeting. Dobby hadn't been happy about listening in on one of the headmaster's private conversations. Normally elves were bound both mystically and culturally to keep their master's secrets. However, Dobby was a free elf and his alliance would always be to Harry above and beyond all other wizards.
When the scene ended there was a long silence. It was broken by Ginny. "What in Merlin's name was that?" After overhearing the plans to spy on Ron's next meeting with Dumbledore, she had insisted on being a part of it. She was just as confused by her brother's behaviour as Harry and Hermione.
Hermione shook her head; more confused than before. Ever since Ron's first meeting with the headmaster he had been acting strangely. He had quickly made up with Harry, but now there was always a jumpiness about him. Everything he did seemed rehearsed. Whether it was complaining about Snape's potions assignments, or getting angry at the twins for slipping him a canary cream. At first she and Harry had been too worried about the first task to pay it much attention, but with that over, they had time to realize that something was going on with Ron. The meeting had confirmed it. "Why was Dumbledore letting Ron speak to him like that?" she asked.
Harry nodded; that was one of many unsettling aspects of that meeting. Dumbledore may have been a bit odd, but he would never allow a student to talk to him the way Ron did. However the headmaster hadn't batted an eye at Ron's crude language. Harry looked at Hermione, remembering something from the conversation. "You thought Dumbledore was buggering Ron?"
Hermione blushed and threw her hands up, "I didn't know what to think. I was worried about him." She looked both embarrassed and upset. "I found him crying in your dormitory. What was I supposed to think?"
Ginny put an arm around Hermione's shoulders. "At least he sounded glad that you were looking out for him."
Hermione nodded, and Harry asked, "Why was he crying?" That did not sound like Ron at all.
Hermione sniffed, "Right after the challenge. Everyone was celebrating, I found Ron alone in your room. He wouldn't tell me what was bothering him." She shook off the tears and focused on the scene they had just watched. "You heard what Dumbledore said about how Ron should grieve. Have any of your relatives passed away recently?" she asked Ginny.
"Not that I can remember." Ginny shook her head.
"What do you think he meant about bringing them back?" Harry asked. "It almost sounded like they were dead. Do you think they meant to bring them back to life?"
Hermione shook her head, "Something like that would be very very dark magic, the kind the dark lord would use. Dumbledore would never go near it."
"And what was that business about the cup? Do you think they meant the Triwizard Cup? It sounds like they were planning a break in at Gringotts. Maybe even Voldemort's vault. You heard them mention Riddle."
Hermione nodded, forehead crinkled in thought. "I'm more worried about what Ron said about Mr. Crouch. It's possible that he was the one who put your name into the Goblet of Fire?"
Harry shrugged, "Don't know, but it sounded like Ron didn't want us to tip him off that we knew. Maybe Dumbledore is going to set a trap for him?"
They debated what they saw for a long time until they had to admit that they were getting nowhere. They needed more information. Still they now knew more than before. Hermione made a list of things she needed to research including Occlumency, the spell Preservas Veritas, and any mystical cups that would warrant Dumbledore's interest. Ginny would write home and attempt to find out if any family members had passed away or been admitted to St. Mungos. Harry would do talk to Dobby and see if the elf had heard anything else about Ron's strange behaviour.
The only thing that the three knew for sure was that listening in on Ron and Dumbledore's meeting had raised many questions and answered none.
The weeks passed and Harry didn't know whether to be relieved or disappointed when there was no news in the Monday Daily Prophet about a daring bank heist. He was certain he had caught Ron glancing up at the faculty's table repeatedly that morning. Ron visibly relaxed when Dumbledore gave a slight nod towards the Griffindor table.
Despite Ron's strange behaviour, Harry was glad to have his friend back after the months of angry separation. While this new Ron was different, quieter than before their fight, he was still Ron. He was always up for a game of wizarding chess, or a fly around Hogwarts' freezing grounds.
Still there were other changes. His overall behaviour felt forced. Nowhere was this more evident than in the defence class. Every time Ron entered the room he looked like he was heading to his execution. All the students were scared of Mad Eye Moody, but Ron wouldn't even make eye contact. Often going whole lectures without raising his eyes from his notebook. The practical exercises were worse, it was almost like Ron was trying to perform badly! He even skived off class when Moody was running drills on the Imperius curse.
Perhaps most disconcerting of all however, was the fact that he no longer argued with the Slytherins. Whenever Draco or Pansy made snide comments, Ron simply ignored them. Draco seemed to take the behaviour as a personal insult. For some time Draco tried increasing the level of antagonism of his jabs, but Ron refused to rise to the bait. It was disconcerting seeing Ron hold in his temper. Ron was many things, but he had never possessed much self-control.
After a week, most Slytherins had grown bored with the game and started picking on other targets. Draco was the one exception. The more Ron ignored Draco, the more the Slytherin taunted him. It was a new type of rivalry; who would break first. Ginny had overheard Fred and George taking bets on the date and time.
Harry couldn't guess who would give up first; the rivalry could have gone on for weeks if Ginny hadn't been dragged into things. That Saturday had started off well enough. The weather was beautiful and the twins managed to rouse a few Griffindors for a game of quidditch. There weren't enough Griffindors for a full game so Harry, Ron, and Ginny were making a detour to the great hall to see if any students from the other houses were interested.
Draco and his body guards Crabbe and Goyle were outside the hall; no professors were in sight. It was all the excuse Draco needed to needle his rival. "If it isn't Potter and his weaselly little side-kicks. Hoping some of his fame rubs off on you, Weasley?" The body guards sniggered.
As usual Ron ignored him. "Sod off Malfoy." Harry shot back.
Draco laughed, "Standing up for your boyfriend Potter?"
Ginny was the one who answered, "Jealous Malfoy? Half the school already thinks you fancy Ron and don't know how to ask him out." Harry couldn't help but laugh, even Ron cracked a smile.
Draco turned pink with anger. Drawing his wand he shouted, "You take that back you little..."
The Malfoy heir didn't get a chance to finish his sentence before his wand was wrenched from his hand by a wordless spell from Ron. Draco watched it clatter across the stone floor, momentarily frozen in surprise. Before he managed gather his wits, a flick of Ron's wand pinned Malfoy to the wall of the corridor. Harry was about to laugh, congratulate Ron on disarming Draco, but the expression on his friend's face stopped him cold.
Harry had seen Ron angry many times, he was always red faced and full of bluster. That wasn't the case this time. He was pale, so white his freckles stood out in sharp contrast. He was blank. Harry was actually scared, it looked like the boy was going to kill someone. Even Crabbe and Goyle gave him a wide berth rather than help Draco.
Then Ron's wand was at Draco's throat. He hissed his next spell through clenched teeth, "Tourniquess." Harry wasn't familiar with the curse Ron was using, but Draco was suddenly gasping as though an invisible cord were constricting around his beck. Ron's words were quiet, but in the silence of the corridor they were clear as a bell. "You have a problem with me, fine, but if you ever draw a wand on my sister again I will kill you, you little shit. Do you understand?"
Draco's eyes were wide and panicked, but he managed a jerky nod. Ron stepped back and the spell that was holding Draco up faded away, leaving the boy to slump against the base of the wall. Crabbe managed to help him up and the three scuttled away. Ron watched them go.
"Are you alright?" Ginny asked.
Ron spun and faced his sister. Grabbing her shoulders he said, "Promise me you'll tell me if any of them come after you."
Despite having been frightened by Ron's behaviour Ginny was defiant. Ever indignant at being thought of as the delicate little sister she said, "I can take care of myself."
Ron shook her as though trying to force sense into her, "Promise me Ginny."
Ginny's eyes widened, as fear crept into her expression, "Ron..."
Harry stepped in, "Calm down mate, you're hurting her." He kept his tone low and calm, afraid of setting Ron off. He had never seen his friend act this way and he didn't know what he might do next.
Ron released her as though she had burnt him. He looked down at his hands, disgust twisting his features. "No," he was shaking his head , "not again, not this time." He looked around frantically like a trapped animal. Without another word he bolted down the corridor.
Both Harry and Ginny were too stunned to follow immediately. Ginny absently rubbed her hand over the spot Ron had grabbed her. "What's wrong with him Harry?"
Harry was at a loss. "I don't know."
They had tried to follow him, but with his head start they soon lost him in the twisting corridors of the castle. Harry summoned the Marauders' Map, but it only showed Ron pacing back and forth in a seventh floor corridor, his name disappeared before they could get to him. When they made it to the hallway, they found it empty.
No one saw Ron for the rest of the day. He showed up after supper and apologized to Ginny, but adamantly refused to explain himself. Instead he sat in the corner of the common room and glared at the fire.
Harry, Ginny, and Hermione had discussed the episode, but all they could do was resolve to send Dobby to spy on Ron's next meeting with Dumbledore.
There were other strange occurrences that, while smaller than the fight with Draco, added up. For example, on the rare occasions Ron crossed paths with Fleur Delacour she actually nodded hello to him. More surprising, Ron didn't trip over his own feet when he saw her. Merely gave her a friendly smile or maybe a wave. The change was dramatic, considering how awkward he used to be in her presence.
Hermione was spending hours in the library looking up the various leads the Omniocular recording had provided. The cup seemed to be a dead end. However, the spells mentioned had been easier to research. Occlumency was a method wizards used to hide their thoughts. Preservas Veritas was the incantation of a spell used to extract memories and put them in a pensieve for others to view. Why did Ron need so many mental spells?
As Christmas approached, Harry found himself confronted by a far greater challenge than the mystery of Ron: asking Cho Chang to the Yule ball. Hermione had admitted that she had already been asked though refused to tell anyone other than Ginny who it was. Harry had the distinct impression Ron knew exactly who was taking Hermione, at least he hadn't been surprised when she admitted to already having been asked.
Ron was no help on the Cho front. He just kept telling Harry to get it over with before someone else could ask her. Easier said than done, Ron seemed quite content to go stag. He didn't have to open the ball with a dance.
The realization that Cho was going with his now archenemy Cedric Digory hit Harry like a bludger to the chest. He had begun to feel desperate. The available women were becoming very scarce. Even Ginny was taken! Eventually he managed to get Pavarti to come with him to the dance. He had offered to help Ron get a date with Padma, but his friend had refused.
The only preparation Ron made for the ball were some fairly extensive alterations to the dress robes Mrs. Weasley had bought him. He managed to remove nearly all signs of lace, and even changed their colour from red to a more somber black. The robes were still moth eaten, but didn't look quite as ridiculous as they had originally.
The day of the ball, Ron was in a genuinely good mood. It was odd; he was more cheerful than Harry had seen him since before the start of the Triwizard Cup. Apart from seeing Cho in Cedric's arms, the night had gone fairly well. Ron even grinned widely when Hermione came in on Krum's arm, smiling toothily at the room. It was then that Harry realized Hermione was the reason for Ron's mood. He seemed genuinely happy watching her and Krum dance. Midway through the evening she had come over to the table where Harry and Ron were seated, cheeks pink from exertion.
Even Krum was less surly than usual. "You look really nice tonight Hermione," Ron complimented. Harry was surprised by how sincere Ron sounded.
He frowned; the way Ron was acting didn't fit with the boy he had known. Harry's thoughts were drawn away from the dance to the meeting with Dumbledore. The simple truth was that Dumbledore hadn't treated Ron as a student, but as an adult. Hermione's theory was that Ron was taking some kind of emotional maturation potion so he could fulfil a mission for Dumbledore, perhaps to find out who had put Harry's name into the goblet. The symptoms fit better than any of their other theories, apparently depression was a common side effect of most of these potions. It explained why Ron had been found crying alone in his bunk.
Once Hermione had returned to the dance floor, Harry leaned over to Ron and asked, "Hey Ron, why didn't you ask Hermione to the dance when you had the chance?" He had always thought that Ron might have fancied her, even if his friend couldn't admit it to himself.
Ron, absorbed in the watching Krum twirl their friend around answered absently. "Wouldn't have been appropriate."
"What?" Harry asked. The response made no sense.
Ron stiffened, realizing he had said something he shouldn't have, "Oh, I mean since we're just mates and all. Better she go with someone she fancies. Right?"
Harry glared back and snapped, "If you don't want to tell the truth, just stay quiet." If Ron was going to lie to him he could at least be considerate enough not to be so obvious about it.
Ron shrugged helplessly. He had the decency to look contrite, "I'll tell you the truth as soon as I can, summer at the latest."
Harry glared out at the dance floor, "Fine." Eventually he and Hermione would figure out what Ron was up to whether or not he came clean on his own.
