AUTHOR'S NOTES: ANOTHER ONE! God, I'm just pumping chapters out for this thing huh.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter, and I do not intend to make any money off of this. Harry Potter is the intellectual property of J. K. Rowling , and I take no credit of it whatsoever.

I was also inspired by Demon Eyes Laharl's: THE RED KNIGHT! and also from Random-Fruitcake04's: CHOICES! I hope you check them out as well because they are genuinely very good stories.

Fate

Chapter 3 – Pandora's Box

Ronald Weasley's POV

Ron didn't sleep much that night. He tossed and turned in his bed, and what little sleep he did get was interrupted by terrible nightmares of cold, empty eyes and disgusting gurgling noises. Those nightmares had left him shaken and breaking out in a cold sweat. Eventually Ron gave up on sleep and moved out of his bed. He paced his room for a short while and then looked outside his window. It was still dark but he knew it was late. He quietly snuck out of his room and headed downstairs for a cold drink of water. As he carefully avoided the more sensitive parts of the Burrow's flooring, he took a glance at the clock in his kitchen. It was just a little over four in the morning. Dad will be up for work soon. I should get what I came for and head back quickly. And that's what he did. Once he was back in his room, he felt his dread flare up. It was almost time…

His hands had begun trembling again and no matter how tightly he clenched them into fists, they didn't stop shaking. So he decided to just ignore them. He had a plan to make and worry over. Ron then spent the next three hours planning. In the end, his plan was simple. He would ask, even beg, his mother to allow him to go to the Lovegood residence as soon as breakfast ended. He wanted to get there before midday started. Then he would hang out with Luna, and maybe even do his best to keep Mrs. Lovegood out of her lab.

He didn't want her to become suspicious of him just in case his visions were just the work of his imagination. If he couldn't keep Mrs. Lovegood away from the lab, then he would excuse himself from Luna around quarter past one. He would tell her that he needed to use the loo so she wouldn't follow him downstairs from her bedroom. Then he would look for Mrs. Lovegood and if she began to go down to her lab, he would intervene. He didn't know how he would convince her to believe him, but he knew he was willing to part with his secret if it meant she would live. If it meant that Luna wouldn't find her… His thoughts drifted to Luna. He had known her since he was six. Ginny had made friends with her, and he had first met her when the girls were having a sleepover at the burrow. He had grown very fond of her over the years and had even begun to see her like a sister. Just like Ginny. And now she needed him, even if she didn't know it. His doubts about his abilities didn't even cross his mind when he thought about Luna. I have to succeed… I have to protect her.

The smell of breakfast broke him away from his thoughts and somber mood. Here we go Ron, this is it. He changed into his clothes for the day and headed downstairs. He was greeted by the sight of his mother putting plates of food on the dining table. Bacon and eggs… my favorite. He had noticed a new trend in the last few days after his vision of Mrs. Lovegood. His family wasn't treating him like he was Ron anymore. His father was spending all his spare time with Ron, talking with him about his day and telling him absurd stories about muggles. His mother had made his favorite breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day. She constantly dote on him and hugged him tightly every time she saw him. And when his mother saw him studying or going for his runs, she would frown and just walk away quickly. Ginny was being possessive as always so that wasn't too different. At first the extra attention was great. Ron had been overjoyed but over the last couple of days, it had made him feel uneasy. He couldn't quite understand why, but it just did. Why were they acting like this? "Morning mum" Ron greeted with fake enthusiasm. His mother turned and beamed at him.

"Morning sweetheart" she cooed and walked over to hug him. Again… He hugged her back of course, but he couldn't quite put his heart into it. "How is my lovely boy this morning?" Dreadful…

"I'm feeling good, Mum" he lied. He sat down in his chair and began putting some food on his plate. He only put a little because he wasn't feeling hungry, which was just so wrong for him. Food is something I love just as much as my family. Ok that might be going too far… But right now, he didn't even want to eat. He wanted to get to the Lovegood house. His mother noticed but she didn't say a word and quietly went back to her work. He finished quickly and handed her his empty plate. She smiled as she took it and cupped his cheek with her other hand.

"Take it easy today honey, don't push yourself too much ok?" Why? What's wrong with just doing what I've been doing for the last two years? Doesn't matter right now. I need to get her permission.

"Actually mum, I was wondering if I could go to Luna's house today?" That put a questioning look on her face. "It's just that… I feel really good when I hang out with Luna… um… she plays chess with me…" he finished lamely. Smooth… really smooth…

"Of course honey, just grab a pinch of floo powder from the pot and head over whenever you feel like" his mother said softly. Wait… that worked? It actually bloody worked? What is going on with mum and dad? His mother would have never let him use floo powder, which is expensive, after such a lame excuse before. And now she didn't even need convincing? Seriously, what is happening here? "Take Ginny with you honey, I'm sure she will like that." NO! He had to clamp his mouth shut to not yell his first thought out loud. Relax… think this through.

"Actually mum, I was hoping… to go alone. Is that all right?" His mother looked at him in confusion for a second, but then her eyes widened a little and a small smile broke out on her face. Ron thought it looked a little creepy.

"Oh" she began, her smile becoming wider "sure thing honey, Luna is a lovely girl…" She turned around and went back to her work. What in the name of Merlin's smelly underwear is going on? He decided that this mystery needed solving the moment he came home today. The fact that his mother was fine with him leaving Ginny behind irked him, even if that was what he wanted. As he started to walk upstairs, he could hear his mother giggling like some teenage girl. I'm definitely going to figure this out. But later. He had a quick shower, and after spending some time reassuring himself in the mirror, he walked back downstairs and headed for the fireplace. On the way there he tried to be as stealthy as possible, if Ginny saw him then she would come along no matter what. He had come to understand that his sister felt a little jealous of Luna, though why she would feel that way he didn't know.

Once safely there he looked around slowly to make sure he was alone, and then took a pinch of floo powder from the pot right on top of the fireplace. "The Rookery!" Ron spoke clearly, and then threw the floo powder into the fireplace. The small fire burst to life as it took on a shade of green, and Ron stepped through it.

Ron stumbled into the Lovegood home and fell down after he lost his balance. He could never stick the landing. He stood up and patted the ash from his clothes. This is it. Moment of truth… He looked around the strange room. The first time he had visited the Lovegood home, he had been in awe. Their home looked like a rook piece from chess from the outside, which he had immediately loved, and all the rooms had a cylinder shape on the inside. The house had consisted of three levels, four now that he knew of the lab. He was in the kitchen right now, which was on the ground level and accessible the moment one came through the front door. The middle level was the living room and the top room was Luna's bedroom.

He didn't exactly know where her parents slept but he didn't really care right now. Focus… I have to focus. He did another quick scan of the room, but something was missing. Something important… Where is the bloody door that leads to the lab? He looked around to make sure he hadn't missed anything but it wasn't there. What the…? He heard footsteps coming from upstairs. They were light and quick, and then Luna came skipping into the kitchen from the stairs leading up to the living room. "Ron?" Her voice was loud and excited. He put on a smile that didn't reach his eyes and then waved to her.

"Hi Luna" he greeted. "I was bored at home so I thought we could maybe hang out?" Luna smiled a wide smile and ran up to hug him. He blushed at that and his ears turned red. He still had trouble touching her after the 'naked vision', as he had eloquently dubbed it. "So is it all right if I hang out with you today?"

"Of course Ron, let's go to my room! We can play some chess and talk about it." At that he smiled genuinely. She led him upstairs with letting go of his hand and once they were in the living room she spoke again. "Mummy, Ron's here and he wants to hang out with me!" He almost snorted but stopped himself, Luna was so cute. He knew she was lonely being an only child because he couldn't imagine life without his siblings.

"Oh!" Mrs. Lovegood was surprised to see Ron here, and alone at that. She looked at the two children, beaming in joy. "That's very sweet of him. Welcome back to our home Ron, it's good to have you here." Her eyes locked with his for a moment before he blushed and looked down at his shuffling feet. She chuckled at that.

"It's good to be here, Mrs. Lovegood" he replied, still looking at his little feet. No it isn't… I really wish I didn't have to be here right now. He looked back up at Mrs. Lovegood and found her smiling fondly at him. His eyes drifted past her and to the clock behind her. Almost half past eleven… so close… Mrs. Lovegood noticed his eyes and turned around to see what he was looking at. Noticing the clock, she let out a small laugh. Great, now she's being weird as well.

"Well don't let me keep you two, hurry along now. And Ron, you can call me Pandora. No need to be so formal." He nodded quickly and was dragged away by Luna towards her bedroom. Before he reached the end of the stairs he stopped and looked back to Mrs. Lovegood.

"Mrs. Love…" he stopped abruptly, when she tutted at him. "Pandora…" that sounds weird… "Where is Mr. Lovegood? I didn't see him in the kitchen." Pandora huffed in irritation, though it was in a playful manner.

"Xenophilius is currently on an expedition to find a dangerous new creature. You remember, don't you? He spoke about it with your father." She then sighed loudly. "I was working on a new spell and he was supposed to help me today, but you know my husband…" He's not here. He then remembered his vision about her and in it, Mr. Lovegood was nowhere to be found. Luna had found her dying mother and her father wasn't even there… He was chasing some… some animal while his wife was dying! The thought made Ron angry and his face began to flush. He quickly went up into Luna's bedroom before Pandora could notice anything was amiss. Luna was already setting up the board and humming a tune he didn't recognize. She always hums. Noticing him enter, she looked up and beamed.

"Come on Ron! Let's play! I want to be white though" she exclaimed excitedly. Ron just smiled a hollow smile and sat down across from her.

They had played three games so far, and Luna had lost all of them. He was going easy on her of course, but that didn't mean he would let her beat him. Chess was his domain… and he never lost in his domain. Never. Luna however, was a great sport and asked him to teach her more things about chess. She is so different from Gin… If this was with Gin, she would have already thrown a tantrum. His sister was a hot-tempered girl for sure, just like the rest of her family. In contrast, Luna was a calm and almost timid girl. How they became so close to each other, I'll never understand. "Sure thing Luna, but let me just grab a glass of water real quick" he said, and then stood up to walked downstairs.

"OK! I'll set up the board again" she replied and began her task. He walked into the living room and looked at the clock. Five minutes past one… twenty five minutes left… He was sweating under his pits and his hands felt clammy as well. He was nervous, and maybe even a little scared. Calm down, it might not even happen… Pandora was sitting in the corner behind him and he hadn't noticed her.

"Well, hello Ron" she spoke softly from behind him in her airy voice. Ron jumped and turned around fast as lightning, his eyes were wide open. Pandora was shocked at this at first, but then she got worried. "Ron, are you alright?"

"Ye… yes" he stammered as he relaxed a little. "You just… scared me that's all." He looked down at his feet feeling flustered. Calm down… calm down. Everything is fine… Pandora looked at the boy in genuine worry. His mother had owled her the next day after his abrupt exit from the dinner at the Burrow last week. The owl explained that the healer who came to see Ron that night, had diagnosed the poor boy with an acute stress disorder. Pandora believed that Ron's busy schedule had been the cause. And she knew why that schedule existed in the first place. She knew all too well… But in the end she elected to not tell his parents. It wasn't her secret to share.

"Sorry about that dear, I'll stop sneaking about" she joked. Sensing that, Ron fully relaxed and even snorted.

"It's your house, you can lurk about as much as you like" he joked back. He broke into a big smile when she laughed loudly. When she stopped, she stood up and walked over to Ron. She then placed her soft hands on both his cheeks and gave them a small squeeze. Ron blushed at the sudden affection that even Mrs. Lovegood was showing him.

"Make sure to hold onto that sense of humor Ron, it'll help you make many friends in Hogwarts next year." With that she let go and walked downstairs. Ron stood silently for a few moments after she was gone before realization hit him. She went downstairs… MERLIN! He quietly went down the stairs and looked around the kitchen. He found her with her back to him as she stood over a stove. Bloody hell that's a relief. With that he quickly walked back up towards Luna's room and on the way there he glanced at the clock in the living room. Only fifteen minutes left…

That stopped him dead in his tracks. Should he warn her now? Should he risk everything and blurt out his secret to her just in case? She was in the kitchen cooking lunch, so maybe she wouldn't go down to her lab in the next fifteen minutes. Where is the door to her lab anyway? I didn't see it anywhere in the kitchen… Maybe she didn't have a lab… What if he was just crazy? That didn't bring him any comfort. So he decided that he would just go back to Luna's room, and in ten minutes he would excuse himself to use the loo. Whatever happens, I'll just have to deal with it. His hands had a small tremor to them but he ignored it and made his way into Luna's room. She looked up at him with a big smile, but then her smile turned into a confused look. Why is she looking at me like that?

"Ron…" she started but then stopped.

"Yeah Luna?" Ron was getting worried again. What if Luna suspected something?

"Where's your glass of water?" Bloody hell… is there a bigger idiot than me in this world?

"Oh, I drank it downstairs and put the glass back into…" Wait, I don't know where they put their glasses. I've only been here a couple of times. So he just stood there staring at her. She was staring back at him. It was an awkward few seconds before Luna spoke.

"The shelf?"

"Yes. So ready to go again?" He spoke quickly hoping her excitement to play would end her questions. It worked. She nodded excitedly and they began their next game. Ron counted down the seconds, and when it had been ten minutes he excused himself to the loo. Their loo was in a separate barn like structure outside so he knew she would at least not follow him down anytime soon.

Ron made his way to the kitchen quietly and on the way down he glanced at the clock. I have five minutes… He was sweating a little more now and his breathing was a bit uneven as well. I haven't been this scared since I broke Fred's toy broom. When he entered the kitchen he almost shrieked in fear. IT'S EMPTY! WHERE IS SHE? He looked around the kitchen frantically but there was no sign of her.

His eyes fell to a door that wasn't there when he had shown up. That's the door to the lab… Merlin… His feet moved him slowly towards the door as if he was possessed, and could no longer control his own body. It can't be… It was real? I'm really a seer? His eyes stung because of hot tears and he wiped them away harshly. His chest felt heavy, like there was a fat person sitting on it. His hands were shaking harder than ever, and he could feel his lower lip quivering. I'm scared… this isn't supposed to happen. His insides squirmed when he heard a loud scream and a thud come from past the door.

That stopped his feet. No… Mrs. Lovegood please… He had to get down there. He had to save her. But he couldn't move. I'm so scared… please help me… anyone… Tears were falling freely from his eyes and he sobbed quietly as he looked at the closed door. Why couldn't he move? Why wasn't he down there saving her? He knew why but he didn't want to believe it. Deep down he had always known, and that was the reason why he didn't want to be a seer. He was a coward… The lowest of the Weasley clan… The least loved… The sixth son who was in way over his head… He wasn't a hero… He wasn't a savior. He was nothing and no one. He shut his eyes tight when he heard that wretched choking sound from his nightmares faintly emanating from past the door. Where is Mr. Lovegood…? HE SHOULD BE HERE! NOT ME! Not me… Any minute now, Luna would walk down here. And she would watch her mother die in her arms. His friend would lose her mother. She would never be the same again. His friend… His Luna… He thought about his little Gin-Gin losing their mother the way Luna was going to lose hers, and it made his heart clench in pain. Luna would be all alone. That thought ignited an ember in his chest. An image of Fred's corpse flashed in his mind and he felt a jolt go through his body. NO! MOVE RON! JUST BLOODY MOVE!

He grunted as he pushed his body into the door and it swung open. With his momentum back, he raced down the stairs and looked over to where Pandora lay. DAMN! She was lying there just like in his vision. But there wasn't as much blood, and she wasn't gurgling as loudly yet. He still had time. So he rushed to her side and fell on his knees beside her. She looked up at him with shock and fear in her eyes. There were tears streaming down the sides of her eyes and falling straight to the cold, hard ground.

"Mrs. Lovegood… what do I do? Tell me please" he asked in a hurried breath. His voice broke because he hadn't realized how tight his throat felt. It was almost like his throat was stretched and tearing. She tried to talk but a spurt of thick blood spilled from her mouth. Ron winced at the sight. She moved her hand towards the wall in front of her. Ron immediately glanced in the direction and his eyes went wide as saucers. What is that? How did I miss that in my vision? He was gazing at a circle drawn in white chalk and it was surrounded by strange letters he didn't recognize. Pandora tried to speak again but any effort she made caused more blood to ooze out of her mouth and nose.

When Ron looked back at her, he saw that she had her eyes shut tight and that was pushing thick tears out from the corner of her eyes. She's in pain… I HAVE DO SOMETHING! Panic-stricken he stood up and approached the circle quickly. It looked like a… a ward? His older brother Bill's voice rang out in his mind from the few lessons that Ron had taken with him. It was telling him that to break the spell of a drawn ward, one had to physically break the ward. I can do that… I can do that… He looked around the room for something sharp to scratch the chalk off of the wall but he couldn't find a damn thing. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Nothing…

Pandora coughed, and the wet, squishy sound of blood shooting out and landing onto the floor, made him jerk around and look at her. She really is gonna die… I… What am I supposed TO DO?! His panic was feeding on his fear and pushing his mind towards a complete meltdown. His hands were shaking so hard that they were beginning to hurt. My hands… MY NAILS! A crazy idea sprang into his mind and he executed it without a second thought. He ran back to the wall and began scratching the circle with his nails. He scratched with both hands and put all of his strength into it. It didn't hurt like he thought it would. The chalk scraped off and when the circle broke, he heard an odd whizzing sound. The circle and the letters around it flashed brightly in blinks, and then they just looked like white chalk again. He heard someone take in a sharp breath from behind him and then cough loudly. He heard that disgusting, wet splashing sound again and it sent a chill through his spine. He turned around and ran back to Pandora's side. He didn't know why, but he reached over and put his hands on her cheeks. Just like Luna had…

"Hospital… floo" she moaned, it sounded like she was still in a lot of pain. WHY DIDN'T I DO THAT FIRST?! Nodding harshly he ran back up into the kitchen and grabbed a generous amount of floo powder from the pot next to the fireplace. I should make a floo call and leave it open for them… yeah, that'll work… He was breathing hard and his lungs were burning.

"St. Mungo's Hospital" he yelled, and then he hurled the powder into the fireplace. The fire blazed green and he stuck his head into the fireplace. He was looking around a white room and a woman quickly walked over to the fire place.

"How may…" she started but Ron cut her off immediately.

"Please you have to help me! She's bleeding so much and I think she's in a lot of pain!" Ron's loud volume, and terrified face, startled the woman. But then she immediately gained her composure.

"Please step out of the fire and clear the way! NOW!" Ron pushed himself back out and backed away a few steps. The fire was still blazing green indicating that the channel was still open. COME ON! HURRY!

"Ron…? What's going on?" Luna's voice echoed from behind him softly and it was unsteady. Luna… I forgot about Luna… He turned around quickly and when he did, she screamed and moved away from him. What…? "RON YOU'RE HURT!" Me? He looked down and his blood froze. His clothes were covered in blood. They were slick and wet, and looking at them turned his stomach. The fireplace roared and he turned around to look. Two men and the woman he had seen stepped through the fire one by one.

"Where is the victim?" one of the men spoke.

"She is down there! Please hurry!" Ron pointed to the door as he yelled the directions. The men broke into a sprint heading downstairs, while the woman approached Ron. He looked at her. She had a young, pretty face and Ron wondered if she was a medi-witch. She was wearing white robes so maybe she was.

"Can you tell me what's happened? Anything you can think off, please" she spoke with a clear, no-nonsense tone. So Ron told her about the circle with the weird letters, and that he had scratched it and broken the ward. He didn't think to mention how he had scratched it off, just that he had. She listened intently and after he finished, she told him to sit down with Luna. So he moved over to Luna, who was shaking, and he held her left hand in his. At that moment the two men came back upstairs in a hurry and closely behind them was Pandora on a floating stretcher, her eyes closed. Her skin was ghostly pale. They made their way straight to the fireplace and went through along with Pandora after saying something to the medi-witch that Ron didn't understand.

"Mummy!" Luna screamed and ran towards the fireplace, followed immediately by Ron. But they were both stopped by the medi-witch, who grabbed their hands. "Let me go" Luna squealed.

"Shhhh its ok you two, your mother will be fine" she whispered as she knelt to their height. Luna tried to struggle but the woman spoke to Luna softly, telling her everything would be all right. When Luna calmed down a little and started bawling her eyes out, the woman let go of Ron's hand and hugged Luna. "It's ok little one" she whispered "your brother saved your mum. He was very brave so you have to be brave too. It's ok, everything is going to be ok." While the woman was comforting Luna, Ron simply stood there looking at the fireplace. His head was spinning and he felt nauseated. Vomit rose in the back of his throat but he managed to swallow it back down. His heartbeats were like loud drums going off in his ears. His fingers had begun to hurt so badly that he couldn't keep his tears in any longer. He fell on his knees and bent over, taking on a curled up position. He pushed his hands between his knees and chest, and started crying because of the pain. It hurts so much… Noticing this the medi-witch turned over to Ron and asked him what was wrong.

"My…" his voice broke as another sob tore its way through his throat "my hands hurt…" The medi-witch moved over to him quickly and told him to show his hands to her. So he did. He heard her gasp, and when he looked up to see her face through his teary eyes, he found himself a little confused. The woman's eyes were wide and her mouth hung open slightly.

"Your nails… That's what you used to scratch the ward?" Her voice sounded a little shaky. He just nodded and began sobbing again. The pain was unbearable. Luna was still crying but at least it wasn't as loud as before. The medi-witch moved to Ron's side and picked him up like he was a baby. She then told Luna to follow her as she moved towards the fireplace. They went through the floo and another wave of nausea hit Ron. This time he couldn't stop his sickness and he vomited on the med-witch. She didn't stop moving though, not even for a second. His vision was beginning to turn black. He was so tired. I just need to sleep. Just for a few minutes. Then there was darkness.

The next time Ron woke up, he was in an unfamiliar white room. His vision was still a little groggy and his throat was as dry as sandpaper. He rubbed his eyes and looked around the room. His father and Ginny were asleep to his right, on a small couch not far from his bed. Ginny was cuddled into his father's right side. He tried to call out to them but his mouth only produced a low, cracked sound. Trying to speak made his throat hurt. Water. I need water. He looked over to his left and found a glass of water on the nightstand just next to his bed.

He reached over to grab it, and his body ached because of the sudden movement. He managed to grab the glass and put it to his lips. He took large swigs of the water and downed the whole thing. His throat felt a hundred times better already. He put the glass back on the nightstand, but his slightly shaky hands resulted in the glass making a loud sound upon contact with the nightstand. Crap. He looked over to see if he had woken his dad and Ginny up by mistake. Ginny was still asleep but his father wasn't. Instead his father was looking at him with very sad smile. Ron noticed that his father's eyes were shining. Are those tears? His father slowly moved Ginny over without waking her up and stood up from the couch. Then the Weasley patriarch moved over to a spare chair and brought it over to Ron's bedside. "Hi dad" Ron croaked. His father kept smiling as he sat down in the chair next to his bed. Then his dad reached out and put his left hand on Ron's right hand.

"Hey son" Arthur said, his voice quiet and soft. His father gave his hand a squeeze. "I'm so glad you're finally awake." Finally?

"How long was I asleep?" Ron's voice was getting better and it didn't hurt to talk anymore.

"Two whole days. Ronnie we were so worried." His father then gave a small chuckle and rubbed his eyes with his spare hand. Ron couldn't help but notice his father was looking at him in a very loving way.

"Dad what's wrong? You look… sad."

"I'm not sad, Ronnie." His father's voice was a little louder now. "I'm so proud of you son, so proud." Proud of me? Ron's heart skipped a beat. His final memories, before he had blacked out, came flooding back.

"Mrs. Lovegood! Dad is Mrs. Lovegood…" his father shushed him softly, and then the smile came back to Arthur's face.

"She is going to be just fine Ron, the healers have confirmed that she is stable and recovering." Ron released a breath he didn't know he was holding. His entire body just melted and he laid his head back down. I did it… I really did it? I saved her… I changed the future. I can change the future. A relieved laugh broke out of his throat. Tears welled up in his eyes and he rubbed them away quickly with his unoccupied hand. I can save Fred. He had never been as happy as he was in that moment. His father squeezed his hand again. "Ron you did so well. You were so brave. I have never been as proud as I am right now." His words meant everything to Ron, and they pushed him over the edge. He cried for the next ten minutes while his dad moved onto his bed and held him. Arthur rocked back and forward slowly and was muttering words of comfort to his son. His brave son, who had torn off his own finger nails to save another person's life.

"Do you know what happened dad?" Ron could finally speak again, but his voice was husky from crying. He had cried because of the relief he felt. From joy he felt. And from the fear he had felt during his last waking hours. His father had called him brave, but he didn't feel brave. He had felt so helpless and weak in his last few hours awake. He never wanted to feel like that again.

"Son that doesn't matter."

"Dad, please? Please just tell me. I have to know. Is Luna ok? Is Mrs. Lovegood really going to make it?" His father was quiet before he let out a deep sigh.

"Yes son, Luna is fine. And yes, Mrs. Lovegood will also be fine." His father paused but then continued after a short moment. "Pandora was attempting to make a new ward of some kind, son. The spell backfired and began to drain her magical core to power itself. When the healers brought her in…" his father stopped again, but then continued when Ron looked up at him "son she had severe burns on most of her internal organs. She also had major internal bleeding. If you had acted even a minute too late… she would be dead." Ron's eyes widened at hearing that.

He had cut it so close. He felt shame creep into his body when he thought about how he had frozen at the door. How he had stood there, crying like a little girl, while Mrs. Lovegood was dying in agony. I hesitated for so long… she suffered while I just stood there. Sensing his son's somber mood, Arthur tightened his hug and kissed Ron's head.

"Listen to me son, and you listen well. You saved someone's life. You ripped off your own… your own fingernails to do it. That is one the bravest things I have ever witnessed." His father's voice was firm but comforting in a strange way. "Don't ever doubt how brave you are Ronald. Don't you ever dare doubt that. You showed more courage than most men I have come across in my life. I could not be prouder as a father than I am with you. Do you understand son?" Ron nodded. There were tears in his eyes again but he couldn't tell for what reason. Was it joy at the love his father was showing him, or was it because he was ashamed that his moment of weakness had almost gotten a woman killed? Ron didn't want to know the answer to that. Not yet, at least.

The next morning, Ron's room had been flooded with Weasleys. They had all come down to the hospital to visit him from Hogwarts, and in Bill's case, Egypt. Ginny had jumped onto his bed the moment she woke up and hadn't left his side for even a second. His mother had pretty much said the exact things his father had said. Except for the part where she had told him that he was a Gryffindor through and through. Percy had been worried at first but when he realized that Ron was safe and in good health, he shed a few tears and just hugged Ron for a solid minute. This had shocked everyone because Percy never lost control over his emotions like this. The twins were also surprisingly kind and loving. They had admitted very proudly that Ron was a proper hero. Which had made Ron beam and laugh. When they had asked him to show them his fingernails, they had been a little disappointed to see that they had been magically healed already.

Charlie had then called him a 'proper tough bastard' which had earned him scowls from the parents and laughter from the siblings. But of all the Weasley siblings, no one was more proud than Bill. The fact that Ron had used a lesson, which Bill had taught him thinking it was just a phase Ron was going through, to save a woman's life had left Bill lost for words. He couldn't help but kiss Ron's head, while laughing at the struggle his brother put up. Bill then joked that the next time they needed someone to break a ward, they'd call Ron. They had all laughed at that and the day simply got better from there as they all hung out and caught up with each other.

Luna and her father visited in the afternoon after all the Weasleys except Molly went home (Ginny had to be practically dragged away by their father). Luna had just jumped onto his bed and hugged him tightly, muttering her thanks just so he could hear. When she let go, Xenophilius Lovegood came over and grabbed both of Ron's hands in his. He kissed Ron's hands, which made Ron a very uncomfortable. When Xenophilius looked up, his eyes were bloodshot and filled with spilling tears. The man looked like he been through something truly horrible. Any anger Ron had felt against the man for not being there for his wife and daughter vanished in that moment. He could see the regret and pain in Xenophilius' eyes. Xenophilius asked Luna to go outside for a moment because he had to talk about something very important with Ron and his mother. Luna frowned, but in the end left after she gave Ron a quick kiss on his cheek. This made Ron blush and he could hear his mother giggling. Xenophilius sat down next to Ron on his bed and looked him in the eyes.

"Thank you, thank you" Xenophilius cried. "You saved my wife… you saved my family. I owe you everything. I owe you a life debt. Do you know what a life debt is Ronald?" Ron shook his head. "It means that you will forever have my allegiance Ron. It means that if you ever need anything, don't even hesitate to ask. If it's in my power to give, then you will have it." Ron's eyes widened after hearing that. Allegiance? Ron thought about Mr. Lovegood's words. He didn't save Mrs. Lovegood because he wanted something out of it. He did it because he liked her. She was kind to him and she was a good person. He had saved her because she was Luna's mother, and Luna loved her mother more than anyone. He had saved her because his gift had given him the chance to try. So he decided to tell that to Mr. Lovegood, well everything he had just thought about except the part of being a seer. When Ron finished telling him, Xenophilius just stared at the boy with wide eyes. Ron's mother had broken into tears and excused herself from the room. Did I say something wrong? I really need to control what I say…

"Bless you my boy, bless you!" Mr. Lovegood was now crying with his head hanging low, his hands were covering his face. It made Ron feel uncomfortable again, seeing a grown man cry like that. But he figured that even if he himself was a grown up one day, losing his family would make him cry too. So he didn't say anything and just sat there quietly.

He was released from the hospital the next day. Mrs. Lovegood had yet to wake up, but the healers were certain she would be up and about by the end of the week. Ron was excited to return to his home, and continue his studies and exercises again. He had come to miss the normality they provided over the last few days. These had been the most difficult and harrowing days of his young life, and he was glad to put them behind him. Once he got home, Ron ran up to his room and opened his vision journal. Now that he knew he was a seer, he wanted to memorize his visions. He also wanted to tick off the vision of Mrs. Lovegood as he had averted that particular crisis. Whilst going over his visions and their notes, he found something that made him want to slap himself. He noted the date on the vision of his mother giggling like a teenage girl. Saturday the thirteenth of 1990…

He had forgotten about his vision of his mother because it didn't seem important. He was too stressed about Pandora at that time. If he had noticed this, then he might have been able to stop Pandora from even getting hurt in the first place. It would have confirmed his belief in his gift earlier and he would have been better prepared. I'm an absolute arse. So he decided that every vision, big or small, would get his full attention. He needed every advantage if he was going to try and change the future. He also remembered that in his panic during the vision with Pandora, he had missed the ward on the wall. That had cost him his bloody fingernails. He would now also do his absolute best to remain calm and observant during his visions. He then ticked off the vision with his mother. Two down.

In the coming days he dove right back into his busy schedule, much to his parents' surprise. They had thought that Ron would at least take a few days off after his recent ordeals. They didn't understand that his schedule was his coping mechanism. It helped him settle back into his life and he found that whenever he was studying or exercising, his anxiety and slight hand tremors would leave for a while.

Mrs. Lovegood had woken up by the end of the week. Ron's mother had taken him to visit her, and Ron found himself feeling stressed at the prospect. He didn't know why he felt that way but after seeing Mr. Lovegood's reaction and subsequent breakdown, Ron just didn't want to go through that again. He wasn't very good with dealing with other people's emotions. It had taken him his whole life to become open with his siblings, so being like that with people he barely knew was out of the question. Luckily for him, Mrs. Lovegood had greeted him with a smile and a joke. "If it isn't my knight in shining armor" She spoke in her airy voice when she saw him enter her hospital room. The comment made Ron snort.

"I'm always glad to help a damsel in distress" he joked back. His mother immediately tutted and frowned at him.

"Ronald Weasley, you will be respectful to your elders" she almost shrieked. Yeesh we were both just making a joke…

"Sorry, Mrs. Lovegood" Ron said sheepishly. Pandora clicked her tongue at that.

"Didn't I say you can call me Pandora? And I'm the one who should be sorry Ron. I must have given you quite a fright" Pandora said in a quieter voice than usual. Ron looked down at his shuffling feet. His hands started trembling slightly as images of a dead Mrs. Lovegood being held by her wailing daughter flashed in his mind. Ron took a deep breath. Relax, just relax. It's over. She's safe now. Both Molly and Pandora saw his hands and gave each other an understanding look. "What are your favorite subjects, Ron?" Ron looked up at Pandora in confusion. Where did that come from?

"Potions, Defense against the Dark Arts, and Charms" he answered quickly, he didn't want this reunion to become awkward. "Defense and Potions are probably tied as my favorites" he added quickly. "But Percy says that I might have an affinity for charms. I didn't like Potions at first, but Percy really showed me how important and fun Potions can be."

"You're an intelligent boy, Ron" Pandora cooed. Crap, I know where this is going… "Just perfect for Ravenclaw." Ron closed his eyes and sighed as he noticed his mother's face start to turn red. Here we go…

Time went on and Ron soon found himself only a month away from going to Hogwarts. He was finally eleven and about to begin his journey to becoming a true wizard. That thought made him giddy with anticipation, especially because he felt safe in the knowledge that he was already fully prepared to tackle the first two years without any issues. His brother Percy had made him do an actual written exam covering all first year subjects, which Percy himself designed, just before July had ended. He had scored full marks on every subject except Herbology. He really couldn't bring himself to enjoy studying about plants, much to his brother's irritation.

He also had much of Charlie's journal of hexes, charms, and curses memorized. It had gotten quite full because Charlie loved showing his little bro just how much he knew about magic. There were still a few spells in the journal that he just couldn't understand. They were way too complicated. Like the Patronus charm. Charlie had mentioned that though he knew what it was, even he had yet to cast it properly. If Charlie couldn't do it, then how was he suppose to? He had become very close with Percy and Charlie over the last three years. They even sent owls to one another regularly. And being included had also helped Percy relax a little more. He wasn't too pompous anymore but he still despised the twins' pranks and general bad behavior.

Ron also found that his relationship with the Lovegoods had become very strong in the last year, especially his relationship with Pandora. They had become friends of sort, always making jokes and teasing Ron's mother with Ravenclaw worship. He had come to learn that Pandora had a bit of a mischievous streak to her. She enjoyed teasing and annoying people with a childlike glee. It had surprised him for certain but once he got over the surprise, he had come to like this side of her. Luna had called him big brother one day when he and Ginny were dining at the Lovegood home. He had been touched by Luna's new title for him, and both Pandora and Xenophilius were more than happy to call Ron a part of their family. Of course, Ginny was frothing at the mouth upon hearing that. But Luna didn't even notice, much to Ron's amusement. He thought Ginny's possessive nature and Luna's aloof nature were a perfect blend to have in his two little sisters.

Pandora had also made a strange habit of sending Ron gifts. She had bought him a new potions set, new clothes, a beautiful chess board that came with white and black glass pieces, and even a book on dueling methods and techniques because he had made a passing comment once about taking up dueling when he joined Hogwarts. Ron didn't know how he felt about these gifts, but his father had told him that Pandora was just grateful for what Ron had done for her and her family. He had told Ron that these gifts weren't being given as charity. Ron had hated the idea of being given things out of pity. His father convinced him that he should accept these gifts and not insult her by refusing. His mother felt differently...

Once he had begun accepting Pandora's gifts, his mother had started to become distant. He could tell that she felt a little jealous of Pandora and Ron's relationship. Even though Ron and his mother loved one another dearly, Ron didn't really know how to talk to her because she had always spent so much more time with his other siblings. He guessed that she felt the same way to an extent. Yet Pandora and Ron got along like two peas in a pod. They would often just joke around, and Ron felt that he could talk to Pandora about things that he wasn't comfortable talking to his mother about. Not his secret of course. But he had managed to confess to her that he had hesitated to save her because he had been a coward. That she had suffered for longer, all because he lacked the strength of character to keep his cool in a tough situation. She didn't say anything, but had just smiled sadly and hugged him tightly and didn't let go for a solid minute. It had somehow made his guilt more bearable at least. Ron knew that he would never be able to talk to his mother so freely in his life. That realization made him sad, but what could he do about it now? It was clear that his mother would always dote on Ginny, and with all of his brilliant brothers in the mix, he had never really stood much of a chance. So he decided to just keep moving forward with his life.

Bizarrely, he had only one vision in that entire year. And it was about Ginny. He had been standing on a Quidditch pitch and above him the players battled for control of the game so fast that he was in complete awe. There were no spectators so he assumed this was a practice match between two teams. This was professional Quidditch, he could tell just by watching… and there was Ginny in full color. He couldn't see which team she was playing for and what her position was because he was too far below. But seeing his baby sister fly around with such amazing skill and grace put a happy smile on his face. So he sat down cross-legged and enjoyed a free professional game. Gin is gonna be a professional Quidditch player one day… He felt a pang of jealousy but it didn't last long as he remembered his own gift. He was a seer. And a powerful one at that. Can't have everything. And this was one vision he would never dare change. He wanted this for his sister.

It was halfway through August when his parents had pulled him aside and told him that he would be getting Charlie's old wand. They tried to make him feel excited about it, but it didn't work. He had been heartbroken and it showed on his face. A wand was something very dear to a wizard. It was an extension of their own body, magic, and their soul. He thought that despite all the hand me downs he had received in his life, his wand would be his own. But standing there with Charlie's wand in his hand, he felt tears well up in his eyes. The wand was cold in his right hand. The twins had told him how amazing their wands had felt in their hands. That they could feel the magic inside, and it made the twins feel warm and safe to hold them. But this wand, it felt like just another piece of wood. He knew his family was short on money, so he didn't argue with his parents. But he refused to stand there feeling like they had betrayed him by taking this away from him.

So he had just walked away from them with his 'wand' in his right hand. The next morning he had learned that Percy had been bought a new owl for becoming prefect, which he had named Hermes, by his father. This broke Ron's heart and an ugly jealousy rose up inside him. Ron had his wand, HIS WAND, taken away from him just so Percy could get a new pet!? He loved his brother dearly, more than he ever had, but in that moment he felt hate towards his parents, his brother, and this new bird Hermes. He had marched off angrily to his room and didn't come out the whole day. He didn't notice that Ginny had seen his reaction with a sad and worried look on her face. The next day he decided that he was going to spend it at the Lovegoods. Pandora and Luna always kept him company when he was there, and right now he needed people around him that didn't treat him like he was nothing. People who would never take away his chance to get his wand, just so one of them could get a bird. A BLOODY BIRD! And the best part is, Percy gave me his old rat. I have my wand taken away from me and get handed a disgusting rat to keep as a pet... He felt so irritated that it made his head ache. When he got to the Lovegoods, it was still early in the morning. As soon as he stumbled through the fireplace he was met with a smiling Pandora Lovegood. "Ronald, welcome back. Do you want some breakfast?" Her airy soft voice and smile made him feel better immediately. But he was still angry and hurt. He just wouldn't show it to Pandora. This was his problem, not hers.

"Of course, it's the only reason I came here" he smirked. She chuckled and feigned hurt.

"Well, I'm headed to Diagon Alley, why don't you tag along and we can get something to eat at the Leaky Cauldron." Before he even replied she guided him back to the fireplace and they were on their way.

They had landed in the Leaky Cauldron and found a table easily enough. It was early in the morning and most patrons showed up around lunch and evening times. She ordered them both eggs and bacon, which she knew was his favorite. "Um… Pandora, why didn't we bring Luna?" He was a bit confused at how quickly she had brought them here. And that mischievous glint in her eyes had him worried. What is she planning?

"She left early this morning with Xenophilius. They are going to go search for the Crumple-Horned Snorkack" she spoke as if though what she had said made perfect sense. Ron looked at her in confusion for a few seconds.

"A Crumple-Horned what?" He had never heard of something like that. Probably something in Xenophilius' mind. As he had grown closer with the Lovegood family, he had found himself agreeing more and more with the twins about Xenophilius the more he spoke with the man. Pandora just chuckled.

"My husband and daughter love their little hunts together. That's all that matters, Ron." How does she always know what I'm thinking? "Are you feeling alright Ron? You seem upset." Again, how?

"No, I'm just a little stressed." He had begun using his stress as a way to get out of conversations he didn't want to have. He had learned more about his acute stress disorder and thus figured out why his parents had been acting so weird around him last year. They had worried about his mental health. Acute stress disorder… Sounds like some barmy crap Xeno would think about. He didn't like being treated like some delicate flower that would wilt away if things got too tough. He had been through more crap than most people ever would. And I haven't even started school yet. But Pandora looked saddened when she heard that. Oops, I upset her.

"We are friends, aren't we Ron?" She looked at him for his answer, but he just nodded slowly. Where is this going? I have a bad feeling… "So you wouldn't mind telling me why you push yourself so hard?" Bloody hell…

"I just think…" he started while looking down at his food, but Pandora cut him off softy.

"Please don't lie to me." He looked up and he saw her silver eyes piercing into him. Her smile was gone and Ron felt a little intimidated. He hadn't seen that look on her for a long time. "It's alright Ron, I already know why you study so hard. Why you train so hard." she paused, but her eyes were still on his. She… she does? "I know why you keep those journals too." His blood turned cold. His eyes widened slightly and his hands started to tremble slightly, as if on cue. No… there is no way she could… She is bluffing, she has to be.

Ron schooled his face into a mask of indifference, but his hands betrayed him. Pandora then slowly smiled a kind smile. She reached over and grabbed both his hands in hers. She squeezed lightly to stop them from shaking. She felt a pang of her hurt every time she saw this boy's hands shake because of the stress he was putting himself through. All that stress, just so he could belong. It made her heart ache for him. Ron was just silent though. Let her speak first before you go into a panic Ron. Just wait… But it was getting harder for him. He was scared she would tell his secret to his family if she truly knew. "You don't have to push yourself so hard for the sake of others Ron." Merlin she knows… I'm screwed now… "I know that you study, train, and keep the journals with the spells and school notes so that you can make your family see you as something brilliant." Ron started to calm down a bit. She didn't mention my vision journal. "But you are already brilliant Ron. I just wish you saw that too." Go with it, find out what she knows.

"No, I'm not" he didn't have to lie about that though. "I'm not perfect like Bill, or strong like Charlie. I don't have a genius intellect like Percy, and I could never be as creative as the twins. I'm nothing like my brothers… I'm nothing compared to my brothers…" The words had just come out, and he hung his head low in shame. He had wanted to say them for so long, but he had never trusted anyone enough to tell them. His parents would pity him. His brothers would make a joke out of him. And Ginny… Ginny could never understand. She was the most loved of them all. She had never wanted for nothing. They will buy her a new wand… and new robes… and a pet she wants.

His jealousy made his heart clench and his face to tighten into a sneer. The words broke Pandora's heart. She was right after all. Ron saw himself as nothing compared to his brothers. And so he pushed and pushed until he hurt himself. But he never stopped. He hadn't stopped to even second guess when he had ripped his own fingernails off to save her life. After she had performed an illegal and dark spell without any safety precautions. After she had found herself at death's door because of her reckless and stupid behavior, a ten year old boy had almost destroyed his own hands so that she could live. And he had done it for the simplest, and kindest of reasons. Her daughter was his friend. And he protected his friends. She had to show him that. She had to tell him before he left for Hogwarts. If she didn't, she feared that this boy would push himself into an early grave just so he could be considered as an equal to his brothers.

"And yet none of your brothers have saved a life before." At that he looked up. She was smiling the kindest smile he had seen. Her eyes were wet with unshed tears. Looking at her sad eyes made his own eyes sting. "None of your brothers have inflicted horrible pain upon themselves, and bled so that someone else could live. But you have Ronald. You are brilliant. Luna sees it. Ginny sees it. Xenophilius sees it. I see it. Your brothers see it. Even your parents see it. When my husband told me what you said to him, after he gave you his life debt… Ron in all my years, I have never seen someone act so selflessly. You were only ten years old" her voice cracked, she was close to crying "and you acted as if protecting others was your duty. That is who you are Ron. That is what makes you brilliant. Please see that. Promise me that you will try to see that." He was awestruck. He had no idea Pandora thought so highly of him. He nodded to her and tears fell down from his eyes. He quickly removed his hands from hers and wiped his face with trembling hands. She didn't know my secret after all. But after what he had heard from her, he knew that anything he would tell her would be kept secret. She wouldn't betray him like that. And he would never betray her or her family's love and kindness towards him.

"I promise."

"Good" she said as she wiped her eyes. "Now eat up, we have places to go. And things to get."

"What things?" He was a little confused by that. But when he saw the mischievous glint in her eyes return, and a cat-like grin break onto her face, he knew. He laughed when he realized everything at once. She was waiting for me this morning, and she probably sent Luna away too. This isn't going to end well…

AUTHOR'S NOTES: What do you guys think of Pandora? I've sort of had to make her an OC, mainly because there was nothing on her as a person in the original story! Hopefully she is unique enough and fits in well with the Universe that J. K. Rowling has created. More to come soon!