THIS IS A RE-EDITED VERSION OF CHAPTER FIVE

Chapter 5: Welcome Home, Ron

Ron woke up in his bed at The Burrow, feeling woozy. He stood up. He felt…different. Yes, there was something different about him, but he couldn't think what. Anyway, why was he in his bed? Hadn't he been looking at that suspicious Thing under the Invisibility Cloak with Harry and Hermione…what had happened? There was this blue light…

Ron got out of bed, and looked around. He went over to the mirror, and looked in it. He knew at once why he had felt different. He was younger than he had been. In fact, he was ten.

…And he was also Ginny.

Ron's mouth dropped open. This must be a nightmare, he thought. Yes, that was it. Soon he would wake up and he would be in the library at Hogwarts, trying to write an essay.

He pinched himself.

He didn't wake up.

Oh, no, Ron thought. He ran out of his room and into Ginny's. He pushed open the door and crashed through, to see…himself…on her bed.

"Ginny?" he asked.

"What?" the person on the bed said, looking over at him and stuffing something under his—her? Somebody's pillow. "Ginny, what are you doing?"

"Ginny?" Ron yelped. "I'm not Ginny!"

The Ron on the bed sat up and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, ok. Knock before you come in, will you?"

"No," Ron said, desperately, "Ron—you are Ron, aren't you? You've got to believe me. I'm not Ginny."

Ron looked at him skeptically.

"I'm not!" Ron said. He looked around the room wildly. "It was time travel!"

"Ginny, are you ok?" Ron asked.

Ron thought he almost looked really concerned. He scowled. Why wouldn't the kid believe himself?

He crossed his arms. "I'm a…girl," he said.

"Of course you're a girl," Ron said. "Look, stop joking."

"I'm not joking!" Ron said.

The other Ron stared at him.

They said nothing for a few moments.

Finally, Ron got himself under control. He smiled weakly. "Got you," he whispered.

"GINNY!" Ron threw something at him which he ducked, shutting the door behind him. He leaned on the door and slowly sank down to the floor. He couldn't believe it. He was Ginny. He was actually his little sister. What had happened to Harry and Hermione? Had they gone back in time too? If they were someone else, how would he ever find them again?!

"Calm down," Ron muttered. "Calm down. If they're here, they'll try to get to Hogwarts. You can meet them there."

But Ginny wasn't going to Hogwarts this year.

He wasn't going to panic. He might be Ginny, but it was only temporary. Hermione would sort it all out, as soon as he found her. All he had to do was get to Hogwarts. He could do that. He'd figure something out.

Ron got up and wandered down the hall to his room. He shut the door behind him, slumped onto his bed, and buried his face in his pillow. "It's not fair," he moaned disconsolately. "I'm a girl."

How could this have happened to him?

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