Author's Notes: To say this chapter was much-anticipated would be an understatement. Almost from the beginning, people have been clammoring for a glimpse back at Ron's world, wanting to know what's been going on there while Ron has been off playing the reluctant hero in the Mirror universe. To be completely an utterly honest, I had absolutely NO intention of EVER showing what was going on back home, because THAT'S not the story. The story is what's going on with Ron in the world he's stuck in until he completes his mission. However, so many readers kept asking for it that I decided to weave it into the story...which is where we are now.
Ron FINALLY gets his chance to see what's going on back home, even though Dumbledore advised against it and tried to talk him out of it. Be careful what you wish for. They were Dumbledore's words to Ron, and their my words to you now. You wanted to see it, but that doesn't mean you're going to be happy about it once it's all said and done. Enough talking...go...read!
Thanks: Thanks to everyone whose ever reviewed, and a SPECIAL thanks to my very good friend, CutewithAcaptial-Q for being my beta, friend, and sounding board. She helps me out in so many ways.
Disclaimer: It all belongs to JKR...except the stuffed otter...that was mine.
MIRROR, MIRROR
Chapter 18
"Reflections of Necessity"
"You're early, Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore said from his position behind the massive desk.
"Err…yeah…sorry 'bout that," Ron said nervously. He hadn't been able to think about anything except this meeting since he received Dumbledore's note at breakfast; as a result, he arrived half-an-hour early and took to pacing back-and-forth in front of the stone gargoyle guarding the entrance to the headmaster's office. Fifteen minutes had passed, and when he couldn't take the tension any longer, Ron called out the password and climbed the spiral staircase.
"I would like to restate my earlier objections to this course of action, Mr. Weasley," the old professor said tiredly, "I fear that this will only serve as a distraction from your purpose here."
"We've been through this," Ron said, frowning grimly, "I've been here for three weeks now, and before I do anything else, I want to see what's happening back home. I have a right to know what's going on back there."
The aged headmaster heaved a great sigh and pushed himself to his feet. "Very well, Mr. Weasley; come with me."
Dumbledore led Ron over to a door that he had never known was there before…not that Ron had any great knowledge of what was and what wasn't contained within the old wizard's office.
Dumbledore waved his wand at the door and the sound of several locks being undone could be heard. Opening the door, the headmaster led Ron into a circular room lit only by a single candle. The only items of consequence in the room were a tall, gold-framed mirror and a chair sitting directly in front of the mirror.
"This mirror will show you what you need to see, Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore said gravely, "It will provide you with a glimpse of home and what has been transpiring there."
"I almost thought that was the Mirror of Erised standing there," Ron said, more to himself than to the old wizard standing next to him.
"You know of the Mirror of Erised?" Dumbledore asked, sounding surprised.
"Yeah…back in First Year," Ron said, nodding, "Harry found it one night and showed it to me."
"I see. Well, Mr. Weasley, this is the brother to the Mirror of Erised," the headmaster said, waving his hand in the direction of the mirror, "I give the Mirror of Ytissecen. Where the Mirror of Erised shows you your deepest desire, the Mirror of Ytissecen shows you what you need to see."
"Right, well, I need to see what's been going on back home," Ron said once more, moving towards the mirror.
"Very well then, Mr. Weasley; since you won't allow me to convince you otherwise…have a seat," the old wizard said, motioning towards the chair.
Ron took a seat in the chair facing the mirror and Dumbledore walked up and stood directly behind him. Ron looked concerned at the reflection of himself and the headmaster when the mirror didn't appear to be working.
"Will it work with you standing there?" Ron asked, "The Mirror of Erised only works with one person at a time…"
"Trust me, Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore replied.
Just then, their reflection faded from the mirror and an image appeared of King's Cross Station, complete with the hustle-and-bustle of Muggles moving about, trying to catch their trains. Ron had heard about films and television from Harry and Hermione, and although he'd never seen either one of those Muggle inventions, he had a feeling that they were similar to this.
The image of King's Cross Station shifted towards a blank stretch of wall between Platforms 9 and 10, and after a short loss of image, Ron found himself looking at Platform 9¾ as the Hogwarts Express pulled away from the station on its annual journey to Hogwarts on September First.
A disparate group of witches and wizards were standing around with disgruntled looks on their faces. Ron recognized them immediately as his parents and the members of the Order of the Phoenix who had served as escorts to the train station three weeks ago.
"That boy!" Ron's mother huffed angrily, "He's gone and missed the train! That's twice, now, that he's done it…and this time, he can't try blaming it on poor Harry."
"Molly, calm down," Ron's father said, patting his wife's arm.
"I will not calm down, Arthur!" she snapped, "You let your son out of your sight and now look: he's run off!"
"The boy's a disgrace," Mad-Eye Moody grumbled in his gravelly voice, "I never would've pegged you lot for raising a coward."
"You'd be surprised," Lupin laughed, "When I was his Defense teacher two years ago, I taught the class about boggarts; Ron's was a spider, of all things!"
Moody, Tonks, and Lupin laughed at this, and even Sirius – in his animagus form as a bear-like black dog – began barking in a manner that seemed to indicate laughter. Molly clucked her tongue disgustedly, shooting an angry glare at her husband.
"Afraid of spiders…honestly! He gets that from your side of the family, Arthur. No self-respecting Prewett would be afraid of spiders."
"Yes, dear," Arthur agreed, sighing disheartenedly.
"Poor Harry," Molly said, her face and tone softening as she watched the scarlet train go 'round a bend and disappear from view, "I do hope having his best friend run away on him doesn't upset him too much. He's such a good boy; he doesn't deserve to have this sort of thing happen to him."
"Harry's brave and strong," Arthur said, placing a comforting arm around his wife, "Plus, he's got Hermione…what more could he need?"
"I'm telling you right now, Arthur, when that boy turns up, so help me, I'm going to box his ears so hard they'll be ringing for a month!" Molly said threateningly, "Abandoning Harry like that…I thought I raised him better than that."
"Molly, dear," Arthur said soothingly, "Let's not get worked up over this."
"Sometimes, Arthur," Molly said bitterly as they made to exit Platform 9¾, "I wish we could have skipped over Ronald and just gone right to having Ginny. That boy's been nothing but a disappointment."
"I know, dear," Arthur sighed.
"I wish Harry had been ours instead," Molly said as the couple disappeared from view, "Harry's a boy any mother would be proud of."
The image shifted and, as Platform 9¾ faded away, the mirror was filled with an image of a train compartment onboard the Hogwarts Express that was currently occupied by Harry and Hermione.
"Can you believe that irresponsible idiot, Harry?" Hermione huffed angrily, "Missing the train of all things!"
Harry just shrugged, staring out the window.
"I can't believe Dumbledore made him a prefect," Hermione continued to rant, "Ron Weasley has to be the most undeserving git in the history of Hogwarts!"
Harry shrugged again.
"Don't worry, Harry," Hermione said, her voice softening as she reached over and patted his hand comfortingly, "We'll talk to Dumbledore and make him see what a mistake he's made; we'll get you made a prefect before the Welcoming Feast is over!"
Harry brightened at that and finally spoke. "That'll be nice. I mean, I've done so much more than Ron…and everything he's done has been while tagging along as my sidekick; so it only seems fair that I get the recognition and not him."
"I agree," Hermione nodded, "Look at all that his brothers have accomplished, and all that Ron does is ride your coattails."
Harry nodded and went back to looking out the window at the passing scenery. Hermione pulled out a long roll of parchment and began writing.
"What's that you're writing?" Harry asked after several more minutes of staring out the window.
"A letter to Viktor," Hermione replied, her quill moving steadily over the parchment, "Without Ronald around to bother me, I'm free to write to him in peace."
"Ron does become a git whenever you bring up Viktor," Harry chuckled, "I reckon he'd lose it if he knew you went to Bulgaria this summer."
"Especially since I convinced him that I didn't," Hermione said with a wry smile, "He would have been completely insufferable if he knew what a wonderful time I'd had with Viktor."
"I always thought Viktor was a pretty good guy," Harry admitted, "I reckon Ron was just jealous that you got to spend all that time with his idol, while Viktor didn't even know Ron's name."
"Not to mention that Viktor is everything that Ron isn't," Hermione chuckled, "Rich, famous, amazing at Quidditch…" Hermione spoke with a dreamy look on her face, "Plus he's sweet, romantic, and a really good kisser."
Harry laughed at her expression. "You're really into him, huh?"
"I had to tell Ronald that we're just friends, though," Hermione said, frowning, "Being around him all summer is bad enough, but it's a million times worse when he has one of his little tantrums and goes off to pout. I tell you, Harry, if it wasn't for you and Ginny, I think I'd avoid spending summers with the Weasleys."
"I never did understand why you would want to visit with Ron's family," Harry said, shaking his head, "I mean, my family…the Dursleys, I mean…they're horrible, so staying with the Weasleys is like an escape. But you…your family is posh and you do things like holiday in France."
"That is true," Hermione said, "Staying with the Weasleys is sometimes like roughing it – what with sleeping on a camp bed in Ginny's room and the lack of Muggle conveniences."
"It's not so bad for me," Harry shrugged, "The camp bed's not really comfortable, but I never really got to watch the telly or use Dudley's computer or video games…you don't miss what you never had."
"I suppose that's true," Hermione nodded.
They lulled into silence again, with Harry returning his somber gaze to the landscape whizzing by outside the window and Hermione pouring all her concentration into her letter. The food trolley appeared and, amidst an orgy of sweets, the two best friends started talking again. The massive amounts of sweets must have reminded Harry of his redheaded best friend, because Ron, once again, became the subject of discussion.
"If Ron decides not to come back from wherever it is he's scarpered off to, there is one thing I'm going to miss about him."
"What's that?" Hermione asked as she swallowed a bite of her Cauldron Cake.
"Ron might not have been good for much, but he was always willing to take a bullet…or a spell, as the case may be…for me," Harry bit the head off his Chocolate Frog and frowned, "With Voldemort back, it was nice knowing I was being followed around by someone who would jump in front of a Killing Curse if I needed him to."
"I'm willing to do that for you, Harry," Hermione said sincerely.
"I appreciate that, Hermione," Harry said, "But with your brains, you're too valuable to sacrifice."
"Aww…thanks, Harry," she said, blushing.
"It would have been okay to sacrifice Ron," he went on, "He's just…"
"Nothing," Harry and Hermione said in unison, sharing a smile.
The train compartment faded away only to be replaced by the Gryffindor common room, where Harry was gazing at himself in a mirror, admiring the shiny new prefect's badge pinned to his robes.
"Are you ready for our very first patrol, Prefect Potter?" Hermione asked excitedly, smiling as she sat perched on the arm of a chair absentmindedly stroking Crookshanks.
"Ready when you are, Prefect Granger," Harry said, returning her smile.
The two prefects made their way towards the portrait hole, just as it opened up and Ginny crawled through.
"You made it back just in time, Gin," Hermione said teasingly, "Curfew just started and of we had caught you outside the common room, we'd have taken points."
Ginny rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue; a gesture that Hermione immediately returned before both girls broke into laughter.
"Sorry, Hermione," Ginny said as she flopped down into a nearby chair, "I had to reply to Mum's owl from this morning, and Pig just didn't want to cooperate – stupid bird. I hope you don't mind, Harry, but I borrowed Hedwig."
"No worries, Gin," Harry said, smiling at her, "I'm sure she was happy to deliver your letter."
"Has there been any sign of your stupid brother, yet?" Hermione asked bitterly.
"Not according to Mum's owl," Ginny said, shaking her head, "She says, if he shows up here, I'm supposed to tell him not to bother unpacking. Mum's going to home-school him this year and make him take the OWLs at the Ministry with the other home-schooled types."
"It's been a week," Harry said, "Does she really think he's going to show up here?"
"Not really," Ginny said, shaking her head again, "But just in case, you know? Mum doesn't want Ron escaping his punishment when he finally turns up."
"Well, I think we're well shot of him," Hermione huffed, "If this is the sort of thing Ron is capable of then we don't need him."
"It's not all bad though," Ginny said, beaming, "Mum told me that I could go ahead and take Ron's new broom for my own; he won't be needing it once he turns up."
"Good one, Gin," Harry smiled, "That Cleansweep is no Firebolt, but it's decent enough. You should try out for the Quidditch team."
"Nah," Ginny said, waving him off, "The only open position was Keeper, and Geoffrey Hooper got that. Maybe if something happens to you or one of the Chasers, Harry, then I'll try out."
"So, you're betting on me getting injured, then?" Harry said, arching an eyebrow at her.
"Historically speaking, it's a safe bet," Ginny replied with a cheeky smirk.
"Cheers, Gin!" Harry laughed.
"We really should be going," Hermione said, checking her watch, "We're already five minutes late."
"Don't wait up!" Harry said to Ginny, waving as he made to crawl through the portrait hole.
"Try not to snog in any empty classrooms," Ginny said with a wink.
"No promises," Hermione teased as they left the common room.
The image wavered slightly; it was still the common room, but it was now morning, and Harry, Hermione, and Ginny were seated at a table piled with presents. The remaining fifth years were standing around them.
"Happy birthday, Hermione!" everyone called out together, making Hermione beam from ear-to-ear.
"Thanks, everybody," the birthday-girl replied happily.
"Time to open prezzies!!" Ginny called out, handing Hermione a brightly-wrapped package.
Hermione quickly made short work of the presents on the table: a book, Attracting the Attractive (How to Win a Wizard Worth Winning), from Ginny; another book, Ancient Runes in Modern Wizarding Society (Why Should We Care?), from Harry; yet another book, Flora Fantasica (A Magical Herbological Encyclopedia), from Neville; a box of magical makeup and hair-care products from Lavender and Parvati; a selection of Honeydukes sweets from Dean and Seamus; a leather-bound set of Shakespeare's collected works and sugar-free sweets from her parents, along with a care package of dental hygiene products.
Soon enough, only one package remained on the table. It was crudely wrapped and oddly shaped and Hermione looked down at it with confusion.
"I found that in Ron's trunk before we sent his stuff home," Ginny explained, "I have no idea what it is, but it had your name on it."
"It certainly doesn't look like a book," Hermione said, frowning. She quickly ripped the paper aside, revealing a small brown plush otter.
"Eww! What is that?!" Lavender screeched.
"It looks like a rat!" Parvati exclaimed, "Why would Ron give you a rat?!"
"Who knows what goes through my stupid brother's thick head," Ginny sighed, "It's probably some sort of reminder of that whole business with Scabbers two years ago."
Hermione turned the otter over and over in her hands, a pensive look on her face, as though she were trying to figure out the meaning behind the stuffed animal. She was frowning, and it was uncertain whether or not she liked the gift.
A sudden taping at the window drew everyone's attention to where a large black owl sat on the ledge, beckoning for entrance. Seamus opened the window, allowing the owl to fly to the room and drop a package in front of Hermione before flying right back out the way it came.
"It's from Viktor!" Hermione exclaimed excitedly. She then tossed the plush otter aside, where it inadvertently landed on the floor and was immediately pounced on by Crookshanks. The sound of the otter's fabric being ripped into by the ginger cat's claws and teeth was quickly joined by the sound of Hermione ripping the paper off Viktor's package. "Oh. My. God!"
Lavender, Parvati, and even Ginny – though only slightly – squealed appreciatively at Hermione's latest gift: an antique diamond necklace that must have cost a fortune.
"I can't believe he did this!" Hermione said, shocked as she gazed longingly at the necklace, "Viktor showed me this when I was visiting him this summer; it's a family heirloom…made by goblin craftsmen. Viktor told me the necklace is passed down in his family to the firstborn son on his seventeenth birthday, and he gives the necklace to the woman he intends to marry."
"Viktor just proposed to you?" Ginny gasped.
"I think so," Hermione said dreamily.
"That is so romantic!" Lavender and Parvati gushed in perfect harmony.
"What are you going to say?" Harry asked.
"What do you think?" Hermione replied, nervously clasping the necklace around her neck before jumping to her feet, "I need to owl Viktor right away!"
Hermione bolted up the stairs to her dorm, completely ignoring the pile of shredded fabric and fluff that had once been a little stuffed otter.
"That's enough," Ron croaked, his voice cracking, "I don't need to see anymore of that rubbish."
The images in the mirror disappeared, once more leaving only the reflection of himself and Dumbledore. Ron felt sick as he took in what he had seen. That couldn't possibly be the way his family and friends reacted to his disappearance; they didn't really think those things about him…did they?
"I am sorry that you had to see that, Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore said, moving to stand by the door, as if ready to leave the room, "Though I did try to talk you out of it."
"Do you really expect me to believe that…that shite?!" Ron snapped, jumping to his feet. He felt exhausted and was more than a little worried that his knees might give out, but he couldn't remain seated for one more instant, "You honestly expect me to believe that my friends…my family…think that about me? That all I'm good for is sacrificing myself for Harry? That my own mother wishes I was n-never b-born?" Saying those words were difficult, and Ron couldn't help but stumble over them.
"Mr. Weasley, can you honestly tell me that no one has ever doubted that you were good enough?" Dumbledore asked, fixing him with a steely gaze, "When you received your prefect's badge, perhaps; did no one doubt that you were deserving?"
Ron looked away, unable to meet Dumbledore's gaze. He knew the answer…he knew that the old wizard was right. Nobody thought he was good enough.
"Have you never felt inadequate around your friends or siblings?" Dumbledore asked, continuing to make Ron feel worse, "Surely those feeling must have been based on something…"
"Alright, that's enough," Ron said softly, feeling completely broken. He felt ready to collapse and leaned heavily on the chair for support, "I need to get out of here."
"I did warn you that seeing the events in your home dimension would be a distraction, Ronald," the headmaster said, "Perhaps it would be best to forget about your world for the time being and concentrate on the here-and-now."
"Yeah…sure…whatever…" Ron said weakly. He was fighting a losing battle against his emotions. The last thing he wanted to do was break down in front of his headmaster.
"I think, perhaps, this situation calls for a nice cup of tea," Dumbledore said with a smile, "Come, Mr. Weasley."
"Tea?" Ron said confusedly in a voice he didn't quite recognize as his own.
"Yes, Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore nodded, moving over and taking hold of Ron's elbow so as to escort him out of the room, "I often find a nice cup of Earl Grey helps clear my head…and perhaps a tasty blueberry scone; you'll be right as rain."
"Yeah, alright," Ron agreed numbly.
The headmaster escorted him back out into the office-proper and led him back over to the chair in front of his desk. Unsurprisingly, a china tea service was laid out neatly on the aging wizard's desktop alongside a plate of warm blueberry scones.
Ron drank the tea and ate the scones, but he did so without really registering what he was doing. His mind was in a fog and he couldn't concentrate; all he wanted to do was lay down and sleep for a week.
"I know you really don't need me bringing up what you just saw in the Mirror of Ytissecen, Ronald," Dumbledore said in a soothing voice, "But I feel I must remind you: whatever the views of your friends and family back home, you are very much needed here. Perhaps that is something to think about when thoughts of home weigh heavily upon your weary mind."
"I suppose," Ron said automatically, though he really wasn't sure what they were talking about at the moment.
"I think, perhaps, a good night's sleep will do a world of wonder for you, Ronald," Dumbledore said in a voice that sounded increasingly far away, "I think it's time you returned to Gryffindor Tower."
"'Kay," Ron mumbled.
He was unaware as to how or when he returned to the Gryffindor common room and then made his way up to the fifth year boys' dorm. All he knew was that he was in the warm comfort of his bed and darkness was rapidly consuming his overwrought mind.
"Come on, Ron…get up! You need to stop oversleeping!"
Ron awoke in his four-poster bed to Neville leaning over him, calling out in frustration as he prodded and shook Ron in an attempt to rouse him from his slumber.
"'M up…" Ron mumbled as he struggled to sit up, "Whatime'sit?"
"Let me put it this way," Neville said as he checked his reflection in the mirror and began combing his hair, "By the time you get up and get dressed, you'll have about ten minutes left to eat breakfast before you're late for the Hogsmeade queue."
"Hogsmeade?" Ron exclaimed, shocked and confused, "What day is it?"
"I thought that would be fairly obvious since it's a Hogsmeade weekend and all," Neville said with a cheeky grin, "It's Saturday."
"I meant the date, you wanker!" Ron grumbled as he got to his feet and began changing out of his pajamas.
"October Fifth," Neville said, flashing Ron an odd look, "I know you've been out of it for the last two weeks, but don't tell me you're going to miss out on the first Hogsmeade visit!"
Ron quickly pulled on his clothes, losing himself in his thoughts as he did so. He had been out of it, just like Neville said. Ever since his meeting with Dumbledore two weeks ago, nothing seemed to matter to him anymore. He'd drifted through his day-to-day life, not paying particular attention to anyone or anything.
He'd had very little say to anyone during the course of those two weeks; especially Hermione. Even when they were alone, doing their patrols, he didn't talk to her. Her very presence, moreso than anyone else's, was completely and horribly painful to him.
More than anyone else, Hermione reminded him of home and of the devastating look through the Mirror of Ytissecen he had taken. His friends…his family…all thought he was nothing…useless…a disappointment and a disgrace.
He tried not to believe the mirror. After all, who would possibly believe the people they loved secretly despised them? However, the more he listened to Dumbledore talk, the more he believed it, and for the last two weeks what he had seen in the Mirror of Ytissecen ate away at him.
"Ron!"
Ron looked up, brought out of his thoughts by Neville shouting his name. The round-faced boy was standing by the dorm's exit, looking expectantly at Ron.
"Merlin's beard, Ron; don't tell me you're going to start zoning out again!" Neville said impatiently, "Come on, mate…it's Hogsmeade!!"
Ron waved him off and finished getting dressed, doing his best not to get lost in his thoughts again. Soon enough, the two boys were making their way down to the common room. As they descended the stone staircase, Ron couldn't help noticing that Neville was dressed a bit nicer than usual.
"What're you all dressed up for, Nev? It's only Hogsmeade," Ron said with a smirk.
"We talked about this, Ron," Neville sighed, rolling his eyes, "I'm meeting Ginny at two for our date. You told me you were okay with this."
"Sorry, Nev," Ron said glumly, "I reckon I was out of it when we talked about it."
Neville took a deep breath. "Is this going to be a problem, Ron?"
Ron looked away. "No, Nev; it's fine. Have fun…just be sure and treat her right."
"I will; I promise," Neville said, clapping him on the shoulder, "But, look…my date with Ginny…that's this afternoon. This morning, it's all about you and me, yeah? We'll have plenty of fun on our own."
"You're right, Nev," Ron replied, offering Neville a weak smile. His heart really wasn't into visiting Hogsmeade, but it seemed a better option than being cooped up in the castle driving himself crazy.
Fifteen minutes later, Ron and Neville were queued up, waiting for Filch to check their names off the list of students permitted to travel to the nearby village. They were at the back of the line, and Ron figured they were the last ones to leave the castle on the way to Hogsmeade. He was proven wrong, however, when a girl with brown hair queued up behind them.
Ron spared a glance over his shoulder at the girl and had to do a double-take. The brown-haired girl was Hermione, but she was looking as un-Hermione-ish as Ron had ever seen her before in his entire life.
Hermione's normally bushy hair was done up in a manner reminiscent of the Yule Ball, looking sleek with a few curly strands framing her face. She wore makeup, which Ron wasn't sure he had ever seen her wear before. Had her lips ever been that red before? The capper, however, for Hermione's uncharacteristic appearance were the robes she wore.
The robes were a deep scarlet and made of some sort of material that hugged her curves…curves that Ron was fairly sure had always been covered up by baggy school robes before. The most shocking feature of the robes, however, was the V-shaped neckline that plunged down showing off cleavage that Ron was sure had never seen the light of day before.
"What the Hell are you wearing?!" Ron blurted out, completely tactlessly. He took off his worn, frayed traveling cloak – a hand-me-down from Bill – and made to wrap it around her, "Cover yourself!"
"I beg your pardon?!" Hermione snapped, stepping away from him, "You have no business telling me what to do!"
"But, you look like a --…" Ron began, looking concerned.
"Like a what?!" Hermione snapped, glaring at him.
"You look…err…nice, Hermione," Neville said, blushing, "Are those the robes that Viktor gave you for your birthday?"
"Yes, they are," Hermione said, ignoring Ron and smiling at Neville, "Since he's meeting me in Hogsmeade today, he told me to wear them so he could see how they looked on me."
"Krum gave you those?" Ron exclaimed, unable to believe his ears, "He wants you to walk around Hogsmeade looking like a scarlet woman?!"
"A what?!" Hermione laughed.
"You heard me," Ron said, glaring.
"Ron…" Neville said warningly.
"Well, for your information, Ron Weasley, Neville thinks I look nice, Lavender and Parvati said I look pretty, and Seamus and Dean actually whistled at me! The only person who doesn't like the way I look is you! And you know what? Your opinion doesn't matter…only Viktor's does! So why don't you just go back to ignoring me like you've done for the last two weeks?!"
Before another word could be said, Hermione pushed past Ron and Neville and forced her way to the front of the queue. She stomped off in a huff once Filch checked her name off his list and allowed her to go through the gates.
"Nice one, Ron," Neville sighed, shaking his head.
"Shut it, Neville," Ron snapped, glaring at his friend.
Author's End Notes: And there you have it...Ron's look back home. I'm sure many of you are up in arms about it...but, hey, this story is a long way from over, and all of the bits and pieces that don't seem to fit together will make sense once the whole of the puzzle has been assembled.
Next chapter is up in 2 weeks. See you then!