"Well that should do it."

"Marvelous really."

"Should be wonderful."

The Weasley twins grinned at one another. They had learned from their prior years at Hogwarts that late night pranks were a little different than day time pranks. Namely ones that were done to a room. Things that made the room unable to be used until a counter charm was performed.

Unless it was deadly, the teachers would often times divide the people in the room up with other members of their house. Or get the prefects to do it. Apparently they all needed their beauty sleep. Just imagine how Snape would look without his precious eight hours. They shuddered imagining such a horror.

As it was, the twins had come up with a beaut of a trick. Jiggly water. It was still water. It just kind of held a certain wiggly form that reminded the boys of Christmas pudding. And given that they still hadn't figured out how to get rid of it, they would have to wait until morning to get a professor to get rid of it. Or they would need lots of buckets.

And what was the room they used it on? None other than the room that held the Boy Who Lived and the Boys-Who-Lived-To-Be-The-Boy-Who-Lived's-Roomates. Including the talked about, mystery red head. Well, maybe not talked about. Harry was more the gossip source given his history. But Older Gryffindor's had taken him as another conversation when they wanted to gossip about someone without having too many ickle firsties joining in.

Still, the prank was harmless enough, nothing that a teacher couldn't fix. Besides, many of the boys had made friends with at least one other student (male mind you) that would be willing to bring them over to their room for the night. Except Ron.

Ron didn't interact like they did, much to their disappointment. His moves were cautious, wary. He was acting not quite like a Gryfindor, but rather, a Slytherin.

While they may appear biased, the twins were fine with it. In fact, they approved. Though, they wondered if they really could be disappointed in the little red head. And the traits that appeared seem to be not like Percy's, using the rules to reach higher goals, but rather more like them. Sneaking around and causing his own form of mischief.
Exactly like them. Now to get the firsties to see the room.

And if anyone asked they were in the loo.

Percy blinked in irritation. How had this happened? Actually, did he really want to know? He recognized his brother's work. Though this one was certainly odd. Usually they were more for the direct cause of pain or embarrassment. This didn't seem like their style.

That and apparently they were "in the loo" when this event happened. The only one who could vouch was Peeves. And he didn't trust the Poltergeist as far as he could throw him. Not that that was very far mind you...

It also didn't help whose room it was. Not only was it Harry Potter's room. But it was also the Mysterious Red Head's room as well. As it was, he already helped Dean and Seamus find a room to stay. But Harry Neville and Ron still hadn't found a room.

Harry hadn't really branched out. His friends were, for the most part, his year. He could send him to Oliver, but he could only see a sleepless night. Wood had a habit of talking in his sleep. Surprisingly about potions. Who knew that the Quiditch obsessed Keeper could recite the twelve uses for dragons blood and a pepper up potion in his sleep? Percy certainly didn't expect it. Though it did explain why Oliver's roommates seemed to do a little better in potions than the average Gryfindor.

Actually it might be a good idea given what seems to be abysmal potions grades.

Then there was Neville. A shy pureblood. He really didn't want to talk to many people. And those he did talk to were usually people helping him with his homework. Though he did talk to Lee on occasion.

But would it be worth putting him with Lee when the other two roommates would be Fred and George? It's not like they would hurt him. They knew when they went to far... usually. Mum would always tan their hides if they went to far on Ginnie. Maybe because she was a girl. Maybe because she was younger. Percy didn't really know. But it couldn't be too bad. He'd take Neville to them for the night.

Finally was Ron. Enigmatic red head he was. Of all he had learned about him, there seemed to be one logical answer.

His room.

"Bill?"

"Charlie?"

"Bill! God it's been too long. How was Egypt? See any Akhekhu?"

"No thankfully I can say that I haven't."

"How were you able to even get here?"

"Gringotts had a job. Apparently somebody is paying them to send a cursebreaker to see if the Defense Against the Dark Arts' teaching position is cursed. So I volunteered."

"Great. Now all we need is Mum, Dad and Ginnie and we'll be all set."

Bill's eyes darkened slightly.

"Are you absolutely sure that he is, who you say he is?" Bill asked. Being the oldest, and the first Gryfindor in their generation, he still had trouble saying the name of what would have been his youngest brother. Oddly enough he was better saying Voldemort. Though that was usually after a bottle or two of fire whiskey, about during the week of their youngest brother's departing.

"Pretty sure. Kid's an orphan. He's about the same age. Was called in as a Weasley-"

"Then why weren't we told sooner?"

"Apparently there are some muggles with the name. From talking to Professor Dumbledore, his last name that they gave him was Wheatley."

"Wasn't that the last name of one of the muggle born couples that were killed?"

"Was there?"

"Moody's files! Do you even research what you're talking about?"

"I do. I was just researching what kind of quill doesn't make a mistake when it comes to a name."

"Why would they even allow him here if they didn't think Hogwarts even got his last name right?"

"Apparently the runner of where he was, was a squib. He knew of Hogwarts and helped him get his supplies."

"How do you even know that?"

"I may or may not have asked him directly."

"It's times like this I remember why you would make a terrible Auror."

"What? I got the answers didn't I?"

"And probably freaked him out... Well as long as Fred and George haven't done anything to scare him, and Percy isn't being overbearing, and Mum and Dad don't show up and smother him before I can deduce if he is him, then this should all progress smoothly."

"As tree bark."

"Shut up and show me to my room."

"Does Dumbledore know you're here?"

"He knows somebody's here. He'll see me tomorrow. Most likely at breakfast."

"Just remember-"

"Time zones I know. I won't show up to breakfast two hours early."

"-I was going to say that if you're going to visit Fluffy take some raw chicken. He's been looking a little thin," Charlie said leaving his brother perplexed in the hallways.

"Who in bloody hell is Fluffy?"

He looked around, realizing Charlie had just left him.

"AND WHERE THE BLOODY HELL AM I SLEEPING TONIGHT!?"

Ron walked into Percy's room with slight nervousness. Granted he didn't want to be with the twins (poor Neville), especially after finding out they were rooming with a kid with a pet tarantula. They seemed rather surprised to hear his fear of spiders. But at least they were a little better about him rooming with their brother. They seemed rather clingy though.

Percy on the other hand was rather stiff. At least with many of the first years. There was a difference in his stance though as he interacted with him. At least from what he had heard Neville say. He was always sure of himself. A born leader. No nonsense whatsoever. And yet there was a slight shift in his attitude with him. Almost, protective. Not that Ron knew quite why. Maybe he felt bad that he had become the target of his younger twin brothers?

"You can sleep on the bed tonight," Percy stated interrupting Ron's thoughts. He looked at the stern faced elder ginger trying with no avail to read his emotions.

"That's alright. I'll be fine in the chair."

"It's cold tonight. You stay in the bed."

Ron frowned at being treated like a baby.

"I'll be fine in the chair."

"You are sleeping in the bed."

"It's your room. I am not sleeping in your bed."

"Merlin's saggy left nipple," Percy muttered. Ron raised a brow curiously. Merlin's saggy what now?

"You are getting in that bed."

"No I'm not."

"Yes you are."

"No I am not."

Percy's mouth twitched. Was that a smile? Ron didn't have time to ponder it as he was picked up into the air and thrown over Percy's shoulder. In pure shock he didn't move as he was tossed onto the bed. He heard Percy say something as he pulled out his wand. He saw the swish and flick motion he had learned in charms when he found he couldn't get up from the bed. He sent a bewildered look at Percy as he tucked him in. He couldn't help but say, "Bloody hell! What is this about? And what did you do to me?"

"Sticking charm. You are staying in bed until morning. I have some more patrols and it is past your curfew. I will be back in a few minutes. Go to sleep Ron," he said walking out of the room. Ron blinked owlishly before trying to get up from the bed. Wow, the sticking charm really lived up to it's name. And with the warmth from the well knitted quilt lying on top of him, he felt himself drift off into a light slumber.

One that was perfectly ruined with the opening of the door. He was ready to tell off the Prefect who put him in this position when he saw it wasn't him. It wasn't the twins either. Nor the Head of House or Professor Weasley. It was...

Some red head he had never seen before.

He was clearly older than Percy and the twins. Most likely older than Professor Weasley too. His eyes were dark and heavy. His hair the same shade of red that seemed to be everywhere now. His clothes were a bit nicer. Newer. Black robes that seemed almost middle eastern in style from what he understood. And his skin was a shade or two darker than the other red heads he had seen.

He heard him mumble something about Charlie and a stupid dog (if it was Fluffy he didn't want to know) before approaching the bed and collapsing on top. Incredible. The man was out like a light. Ron stared at the man for the longest time when Percy walked in with dark bags under his eyes. Tired and drained, he didn't even spare a glance at his bed when he collapsed in the chair, out like a light. Ron blinked in bewilderment.

"Oh come on!" he cried out.

Apparently they were deep sleepers. Ron would have never guessed that with Percy. He always seemed to be awake. Though the oldest male he had no idea. He just hoped that nothing would go wrong with this new red head. Something always seemed to happen to him when he met a magical red head.

With the warmth surrounding him, and a brain tired from magic mayhem and crazy red heads, he drifted off into a deep dreamless sleep.

Tada! You know, for a story about Ron being raised by muggles, I am focusing a lot on the Weasley family. Huh. Guess I should have seen that coming.

The Akheku is a mythical creature in Egypt. It is a snake with four legs and feet. Each foot ends with your toes and sharp talons. It is associated with darkness.

It's a fantastic creature and Charlie knows where to find it.

And as for the insanity involved with the ending... I thought it would be funny. It also leads to possibilities for the next chapter.