AUTHOR'S NOTES: Good Morning! I know that I said that I wouldn't update another chapter until Monday, but today is my Birthday! And so I felt especially generous. So I spent all of yesterday writing this out! Now a couple of things.
1. There is a small time skip half-way through the chapter, so be ready for that.
2. A couple of new OC's will be introduced in this chapter. They will play a much bigger role down the road. This is just their introduction.
3. DAPHNE POV at the end! You finally get to see inside the spoiled princess's mind.
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 11 – Flying Brooms and Decorated Trees
Ronald Weasley's POV
Ron woke up early on Sunday morning as he usually did, and then began his routine. He washed his face, cleaned his teeth, put on his running gear, and then left for the lake. He just needed some fresh air to clear his head, and maybe to blow up a tree or two. The air had a sharp cold to it, the kind that digs into your bones if you don't warm up quickly enough. So Ron did his stretches and then began his usual five laps around the lake, only to be interrupted after his first one by Theo and Blaise.
The two Slytherins were also wearing their running gears, both of which looked a hundred times more expensive than Ron's. Now what? Ron stopped in front of the two stretching boys. "What are you two doing?" Ron asked politely, he didn't want to start another fight after last night. He was still feeling a little raw from watching his friends let go of their emotions near him for the first time. I didn't have a clue about how they really felt about Malfoy…
"What does it look like?" Theo asked sarcastically as he stretched his arms. "We are joining you for a run."
"Why…?" Ron asked slowly. Blaise sighed loudly at that, clearly annoyed with Ron's questions.
"Yesterday you told us that morning runs help a wizard become much stronger" Blaise started. "Then you proceeded to blow up entire trees and boulders… We want in." They want me to teach them?
"I see…" Ron muttered, trying to hide his gaze from the two. Theo and Blaise noticed that immediately and both of them let out an annoyed sigh.
"Listen Ron" Theo began, making Ron look towards the lake. Here it comes… "What happened yesterday wasn't your fault. We have been… angry… with Draco for a while now. His stubbornness is putting a strain on our friendship with him, and he…" Theo trailed off.
"He is being unwise" Blaise added, which made Ron turn around to face him. "He expects us to lower our chances of achieving our goals, without making any compromises himself. That isn't how things work in our families… Diplomacy requires negotiations and respect for the other party, not threats and belittling. And after yesterday, we all saw that you were willing to swallow your pride for our sake… I… We appreciate that Ron." Blaise finished strongly, holding Ron's gaze. "We truly do" Blaise said sincerely, taking Ron by surprise.
"Draco wants to lead the Slytherins…" Theo sighed, sounding tired. "But you can't lead just because your father is a powerful man… Draco needs to learn that. He has always been that way, throwing his father's name around in order to get us to do what he wants. And now that we got sick of it… he doesn't know how to get us back, so he makes more threats and tries to bully us into coming back…" Theo rubbed his temples at that. Bullied…? When?
"He bullied you?" Ron asked, his voice sounded irked.
"Calm down there, Ron" Blaise almost chuckled. "We aren't easily pushed around, and you don't always know what we do when you aren't around. We've had some… run-ins… with Draco and the others." Ron grimaced at hearing that. Freaking coward tries to intimidate them when I'm not there… And I actually felt sorry for him last night.
"Crabbe and Goyle" Blaise continued "are still the same as always, doing whatever Draco says without any thought. Pansy though… I think Pansy is starting to see that siding with Draco isn't in her best interest anymore. She's always fancied him…" Blaise finished bitterly, making Ron quirk an eyebrow. I know jealousy when I hear it… after all, who could know jealousy better than me? Theo looked at Blaise with a sympathetic smile, something which Ron didn't know that Theo was capable of.
"Maybe it isn't all lost just yet" Theo said hopefully. "Draco and the others might still come around…"
"Why would you want that?" Ron asked, genuinely confused. "I mean it sounds horrible being friends with that git… at least the way you put it."
"It can be" Blaise mused. "But that doesn't mean that we didn't have great times together. If there is one good thing about Draco, it's that he is very loyal to those who stand by him." Ron narrowed his eyes at that. "Don't give me that look. He chose to help me… In a way that no one ever had… without any care about how much trouble he got into. He isn't an evil person, Ron" Blaise finished quietly, his gaze falling to the distance as if remembering a memory that he couldn't speak about. Ron nodded and chose to respect his privacy, Ron knew how it felt to keep things to oneself. It's better that way… for you and everyone else…
"I've finished one lap…" Ron said with a smirk, trying to lighten the mood. "We have four more to go."
"FOUR?!" Theo's eyes almost popped out of his head. "Around the whole bloody lake?! Really…" Theo looked horrified, while Blaise and Ron broke into laughs. With that they started their morning run, the first of many…
Ron entered the common room with a massive grin on his face, especially after Blaise and Theo limped in after him. Theo was complaining the whole time back, while Blaise had come to the sobering realization that he wasn't as in shape as he had believed. Ron had been doing this for almost three years and he had acquired quite the stamina, which resulted in Ron running circles around the two other boys.
As all three of them were heading up to their dorm to clean up, Ron was stopped by Daphne halfway. "Can I talk to you?" she asked in a serious tone, which made Ron a little nervous. Ron gave nods to Theo and Blaise to go on without him, not that they would have waited. Gits…
"Yeah sure" Ron said to Daphne, giving her a smile. That wasn't the right thing to do apparently because she quickly moved past him and went towards a secluded corner. That bad huh? Let's just get this over with… Ron joined her and leaned against the wall, facing her. "Well, is everything all right?" Daphne didn't respond, instead she just looked at him for a few moments.
"You smell" Daphne said curtly. Ron felt his face flush, and his ears became red.
"I… sorry" Ron said in an embarrassed tone. Should've taken a shower…
"No" Daphne said, raising her hand to stop him. "You just came back from a run so I shouldn't…" she paused at that, and then let out a sigh. "I'm not very… good… at this sort of thing so I'm just going to say it. I'm sorry, Ron" she blurted out quickly. Ron was taken by surprise at that. Sorry about what? What happened now?
"Sorry about what?" Ron gave voice to his thoughts. Daphne looked at her feet sheepishly, something she never did.
"I'm sorry for being so hard on you… about Granger" Daphne whispered, clearly not wanting anyone to overhear her. Oh… "I was being unfair to you about trying to be friends with Granger... And then…" she paused again to take a deep breath. "And then the troll almost killed her. She would be dead if you hadn't…" She trailed off at that, clearly haunted by seeing the Mountain Troll and what Ron had done to it.
"Yeah" Ron muttered lamely. Hermione would be dead, same as Neville and Harry…
"So… I'm sorry… I was being a…" she stopped, and then whispered even more softly. "Brat…" Dear Merlin… this can't be real! Ron couldn't help but break into a grin, which earned him an angry huff and then Daphne began marching past him.
"Wait" Ron said, stopping her. "You still didn't tell me why you didn't like me associating with Hermione." Daphne turned around to face him slowly, her cheeks were rosy pink and she looked him in the eyes.
"It… It doesn't matter, I was wrong and you were right" she muttered quickly, before turning around and marching to the girls' dorms. Um… ok then. Today is going pretty well for me.
The day went by quickly after that, and Ron couldn't help but notice that Malfoy and his gang were keeping their distance. Malfoy looked especially indifferent and distracted. Crabbe and Goyle still looked like they had no idea about what was going on, but it sort of made him glad that they were still trying to cheer Malfoy up. He still hated Malfoy, no doubt about that, but both Blaise and Theo still wanted to be friends with him so Ron decided that he would behave and not cause any sort of problems for them.
Ron also couldn't help but notice that Pansy was shooting him quick looks, and he chose to ignore them as best he could. If she comes and talks to me, then I'll see what she wants. With that in mind, Ron went through his day like he would any other day.
As he sat down for dinner however, a soft hand was placed on his left shoulder from behind. He turned to see Carey Ductu, the fifth year Slytherin female prefect, standing there with a soft smile on her lips. "Hello Ron" she started "do you mind if I call you Ron?" Ron was a little surprised to see her and instantly became wary of what she wanted. Slytherins don't do anything without a reason behind it…
"Is there something you need?" Ron asked, his expression guarded. She just smiled a little more at that, which irked Ron a little.
"I was hoping to invite you to eat with me and my friends today. Would that be fine with you?" she asked him sweetly. It was rather obvious that she was putting on an act. Ron opened his mouth to decline but was cut off immediately by another voice.
"He would love to" Theo said quickly, giving Ron an odd look. "Go on Ron, we'll see you after dinner." Blaise all but pushed him out of his seat, making Ron even more annoyed. Can't go a single day without something happening… But Ron followed Carey Ductu silently and then sat down next to her with a group of fifth years. There was an awkward silence as the fifth years stared at Ron, studying him. Ron began to feel uncomfortable pretty quickly but just when he was about to leave, Carey spoke in a soft voice.
"You didn't answer my question" Carey said. "Do you mind if I call you Ron?" Yes, I would…
"Not at all, I prefer it" Ron answered, trying his best to be polite. Carey gave him an approving smile at that.
"Good" she said, her voice almost sweet and kind. "These are my friends, Clara Martyris and Samantha Selwyn." Carey then gestured to the fifth year girls in front of Ron respectively. Clara Martyris was a girl with short, brown hair and black eyes. She wore a wide smile on her face that seemed to be quite natural, which put Ron a little at ease. She doesn't look so bad…
Samantha Selwyn however, was a different story. She had long, black hair which was parted right in the middle, and she seemed to be quite tall for a girl as she was a head higher than Clara even when sitting down. Samantha held a slight frown on her face that seemed to be fixed and her silver eyes stared directly into his ocean blue ones, making Ron shudder a little. She is rather scary looking…
If he had to choose which of the three girls was the prettiest, he would have chosen Carey Ductu. The female prefect had long, blonde hair which was tied in a high ponytail. Her green eyes were the color of emeralds and they sparkled because of the candles lighting the Great Hall. "Clara and Samantha, this is Ron Weasley" Carey introduced him.
"Pleasure to meet you" Ron greeted the two girls in a polite voice, whilst giving them his best smile. Please excuse me so I can go eat in peace with my friends… Ron made sure to keep that last thought in his head. He didn't want Samantha to suck his soul out like a dementor from his father's stories about Azkaban Prison.
"Oh you are sooo cute" Clara cooed, her voice was dripping with sweetness. "Isn't he adorable Sammy?" Clara asked, making Ron break into a blush. No girl other than his mother and Pandora had called him cute before, he wasn't sure he liked that kind of attention from these girls.
"He is…" Samantha said, her voice was so cold that Ron had to fight the urge not to shudder. Her facial expression didn't even change when she spoke, making her look like one of Ginny's dolls. "But he isn't just cute from what we have seen and heard." Clara nodded at that and Carey simply watched Ron's face, as if still studying him.
"We heard you talking to your little friends the other day…" Samantha's voice got even colder somehow. "You are quite confident in your magical aptitude from what we heard, 'Enough to slay a dozen more trolls' is what you said I believe." Ron froze a little at that, he didn't know if they knew he was lying when he said that. So he kept quiet and maintained eye contact with the scary girl. Then he gave her a strong nod, which made her frown a little more. I'm trying to be polite here, but she really isn't making it easy for me…
"See, I told you" Clara cooed again. "He is a perfect candidate!" Wait a minute… what is she on about?
"Excuse me?" Ron asked, looking to Carey for an explanation. Before she answered him however, food appeared on the table.
"Let's eat, and then we can talk during dessert" Carey smiled her fake smile at him, making him even more annoyed. Just want one night without these Slytherins and their fake smiles… But Ron didn't push her, instead he began eating with the etiquette Theo had spent so much time teaching him. After dinner was eaten and dessert was presented to the students, Carey turned to face Ron again. "Now, you had a question to ask?"
"Clara just called me a perfect candidate… what does she mean?" Ron asked, glad to finally ask.
"She meant that you are perfect candidate for the Silver Triumvirate" Samantha said in her dead voice, making Ron extremely confused. The Silver what…? Clara giggled at Ron's expression.
"Let me explain" said Carey. "The Silver Triumvirate is as the name says, a trio. Three seventh year students are chosen to lead the House of the Cunning. They hold sway over the entire house and answer only to the Head of House, which would be Professor Snape." Ron was completely lost at this point.
"Seventh year?" Ron said in almost a whisper. "I'm in first year, in case none of you noticed" finished Ron, his annoyance with all of this finally showing a little.
"We noticed" said Samantha. "But there is a system in place for the selection. The Silver Triumvirate is a closely held secret within Slytherin House, none of the other houses are even aware of it. Not even the Headmaster…" Woah… so like a secret society or something? Wicked!
"As for the selection process" Carey continued. "The Silver Triumvirate keeps a close eye on all the lower years, while fifth years keep an eye on the third years, fourth years keeps an eye on the second years, and the third years keep an eye on the first years. The three students who are considered the most valuable and capable by the end of their sixth year end up as the new Triumvirate. But they need the approval of the Silver Triumvirate currently in power during that time however. Because no matter what happens within Slytherin, it all comes back to the Triumvirate." Carey finished with a smile.
"Then aren't the third years supposed to be talking to me?" Ron asked, his excitement beginning to replace his annoyance.
"Quite right" said Clara. "But since Carey is the one who saw you kill that troll, the current Triumvirate decided that she should be the one to approach you. They have taken quite an interest in you, Ron."
"The current Triumvirate?" Ron asked, worried that people were watching him without his knowledge.
"There is nothing to worry about" Samantha drawled. "When they want to meet you, you will know. Currently, they are more than happy to simply watch over your progress and accomplishments so far."
"Then you three must be… candidates?" Ron took a guess. They certainly look like quite the trio…
"Sharp perception" Samantha said, smiling a little for the first time. She looked quite pretty when she smiled, Ron noted. "Yes, we three are currently the strongest candidates within fifth year. And the most likely to become the Triumvirate within our year-mates, as a result. You however, well you are already seen as the perfect candidate due to your school wide fame and the amount of points you earn. If you keep this up, one day you will guide Slytherin along with two of your peers."
"May I… may I ask who the other two could be?" Ron asked, he was starting to feel overwhelmed by all of this. Some secret Slytherin society is trying to put me in power…
"You may" said Carey, after a short pause. "The third years have reported that Draco Malfoy, and Blaise Zabini are great candidates as well."
"Draco Malfoy?" Ron asked, shocked at hearing this. "Are you serious?"
"Quite so" Clara giggled. "He may be a prat… but he has proven that he is talented in his studies. Not to mention the fact that he is the heir to the Malfoy name. There are… politics… to consider." Politics…? That git is a bully and would just abuse the power, politics be damned.
"Things can change however" Samantha added, her cold voice creeping back into the conversation. "Over the years, students can lose their favor within the house or simply irritate the wrong people. So you should be careful to keep up your current level of performance, and to make the right sort of allies." Ron nodded at that, mainly because he was already planning to use his 'allies' and hard work as a shield to hide his powers.
"Does everyone know about this Triumvirate?" Ron asked in a whisper. "Because I didn't know that they even existed until tonight…"
"I expect that all of your year-mates already do" Carey clarified. "Slytherin is a house which favors certain… families. They pass the secret of the Triumvirate down to their children after the sorting takes place, and every Slytherin who knows about the Triumvirate wants to be a part of it. You will find that Hogwarts has many secrets, and its students have even more."
Bloody hell… So none of my Gryffindor family know about this and they never will… What else don't I know about the Four Houses? Do Gryffindors have someone or a group that leads them? Ron was now officially overwhelmed by all of this, he had never expected Hogwarts to be so… so mysterious…
"But now that you are aware" Samantha said softly, her voice still cold though. "You should put this out of your mind for the time being. After all… you are only in first year." Forget about this? How? Why even tell me all this then?
"We simply thought it best to make you aware" said Clara, as if reading his mind. "To give you a fair chance within the House of the Cunning." Ron looked at her in shock. A fair chance? The Slytherins want to give me a fair chance? Why? "Don't be so surprised Ron, fraternity is considered a strong Slytherin trait. We aren't the evil witches and wizards that the other houses believe we are. Not all of us anyway." Clara then reached over and put her soft hand over Ron's, making Ron blush furiously and look at her in a sheepish manner. "We protect our own." Clara finished, a genuine smile playing on her lips. Protect their own…
Ron was never more conflicted about his family's views about Slytherin house until now. Even Ron wasn't blind enough to not see that mostly every single person in Slytherin got along well, or that the older students were always willing to help the younger ones. It was just Malfoy who had given Ron trouble, and that was only because Malfoy was… well he was a Malfoy. The Malfoy family and Weasley family had a long and terrible history between them.
"Now that you are aware of the Silver Triumvirate" Carey spoke, pulling Ron back into the real world. "We expect that you will never speak of it to anyone who isn't in Slytherin. The current Triumvirate will make sure of that…" Carey finished in an ominous tone, making Ron gulp.
Once dinner finally ended, Ron made his way back to the common room with Carey and her friends. They asked him questions about his family and his own personal beliefs, all of which he answered with as little details as he could. The last thing he needed was trouble with the older students, so he was more than glad when the girls didn't push him too hard.
Once he got back into the common room, he said his goodbyes to the three girls and rejoined his friends on their couch. He didn't even get a chance to relax for a second. "What did they want?" Tracey asked him excitedly, making Ron sigh in defeat. Here we go…
"They wanted to talk about my future in this house… With the Triumvirate, that is" Ron said, preparing for the bombardment of questions. Tracey, Millie, and Daphne all gasped and went wide-eyed. The boys were more subtle with their reactions.
"Really?!" Daphne all but squealed. Ron couldn't tell if she was happy for him or annoyed. Guess I'll find out soon enough…
"Yes, really" Ron answered, trying to sound indifferent. Ron then noticed Theo grinning at him, which made Ron even more guarded. "What is it, Theo?"
"Nothing" Theo said, still grinning. "I'm just glad to see that I placed my bets on a winning horse." Wow… Winning horse…
"Thanks… I think" Ron said with a frown aimed right at Theo.
"Did they say anything about any other candidates?" Millie piped in, she sounded genuinely happy. Ron smiled at her, he knew that she didn't see him as some winning horse. But he also decided to not talk about the other candidates because he wasn't sure if he had the right to give out that information.
"No" Ron said firmly. "Just me so far, you know because of the troll and the house points." Everyone slowly nodded at that, and Ron wasn't sure if they believed him.
"Well, I'm not too surprised at this" Blaise said, sounding completely indifferent. "You have made some major noise within the school already. The longest sorting in Hogwarts history, the points, the prodigy status, the spell-work, the troll, and the fact that you are the first Slytherin from your family… All this would make anyone's head turn" Blaise finished, a faint smirk on his lips. I seriously hope he gets picked over Malfoy for this thing… it'd be good to have someone like Blaise with me for this.
"Well, I'd better up my game then" Theo chuckled, making everyone look to him. "Joining the Triumvirate has always been my goal, ever since my father told me about it." That got him nods from everyone but Ron. Please do up your game Theo, or I'll be stuck with Malfoy…
They talked some more about the Silver Triumvirate before they all departed for their dorms. Ron had trouble falling asleep, there was just so much happening with his school life right now. Not to mention that his mission to change the fate of his family still loomed over his head, and he still had no clue where his powers even came from. He fell asleep wondering if he would get another vision soon.
The long awaited Quidditch season started at the end of the first week of November, and Ron couldn't have been more excited. As a matter of fact, the whole school was in a jolly mood, which included the professors. Not to mention that Harry had been outed as Gryffindor's new seeker courtesy of Neville letting it slip at dinner. Ron was ecstatic, and nervous, to be marching down to the pitch with his friends, ready to watch the first game of the season. It was going to be Slytherin vs Gryffindor, and Ron had even chosen to openly support his house by wearing an emerald green Slytherin scarf.
That alone earned him a couple of angry scowls from the twins, no doubt they were annoyed at Ron for supporting their enemy. But Ron chose to ignore it, he was in Slytherin and it would be suicidal to wear Gryffindor scarlet. Even the other two houses were supporting Gryffindor and were hoping that Slytherin would lose, which annoyed Ron. However, Ron was also secretly hoping with all of his heart that Gryffindor won the day.
He wanted this simply because he had placed a bet against his friends that Harry would catch the snitch and win the game for Gryffindor. This had happened because his friends were insulting Harry about being a seeker behind his back and Ron felt the need to defend his Gryffindor friend's honor, and so he had made a bet with the others. If Harry caught the snitch or if Gryffindor won, then the others would each owe him ten galleons, and if Slytherin won, then Ron would return all the money he had made from playing Chess with his friends and other house-members.
It shamed Ron a little to turn chess into a money making business, but so many Slytherins were openly paying him to play against them, and Ron had given into the temptation. Today Ron could either make fifty galleons, or lose the forty galleons he had earned so far from winning chess matches. So to say he was on edge was a little bit of an understatement.
As soon as Madam Hooch blew the whistle, the crowd went wild with excitement over the two teams dashing into or at each other. Ron and his friends cheered at the top of their lungs at Slytherin scoring first, while the Gryffindors booed back loudly. Gryffindor's very own Lee Jordan was commentating about the game in a rather biased, but exciting way. Ron knew that Fred and George were friends with the dark-skinned boy with the black dread-locks, but it still annoyed Ron that Lee was openly calling Slytherins cheats and was getting away with it. McGonagall was telling him off, but she wasn't doing anything to stop him.
Ron decided to ignore the commentary and watch the match instead, yelling at the top of his lungs every time Slytherin got a hold of the Quaffle or every time they scored a goal. In all the excitement Ron had forgotten about his bet and due to being surrounded by his enthusiastic friends, Ron was openly supporting Slytherin to win the game. He was reminded about his bet when he saw Harry dash towards something Ron couldn't quite see. It has to be the snitch! GO HARRY! WIN ME FIFTY GALLEONS! Ron shook Blaise and pointed his attention towards Harry chasing something. Blaise blanched and quickly grabbed Theo to do the same thing Ron had just done. Within seconds all of Ron's friends were breaking into a panic, much to Ron's amusement. I'm gonna be RICH!
All of Ron's excitement died in an instant when Harry's broom started shaking and jerking wildly in every direction. Harry looked as if he was going to fall off any second now, and Ron gulped hard when he figured out just how high up Harry was. He's gonna bloody die if he falls off. "What is wrong with his broom?" Tracey shouted, just so she could be heard by her friends.
"Looks like a curse" Theo shouted back in response. "Someone in the crowd or on the pitch is jinxing his broom!" Ron paled when he heard Theo's answer. It has to be someone in Slytherin! With that realization, Ron started looking around the Slytherin stands, hoping to find the culprit. But mostly all he saw were shocked faces, and some faces with grins on them. Gits! Malfoy was grinning ear to ear and clapping his hands at the sight, which made Ron want to hex the hell out of the git. Ron then looked back at Harry, who was flailing about on top of his broom, and Ron was somewhat relieved to see the twins trying to keep Harry on his broom.
And then all of sudden, Harry regained complete control over his broom and he instantly dashed towards the ground. What the…? Ron watched with amazement as Harry pulled up right before hitting the ground and began to stand on his broom. Woah… Harry then tumbled forward and fell off his broom, making the boy in spectacles go rolling and skidding across the grass. The crowd had gone dead silent, including the players on the pitch. Then Harry coughed something out of his mouth, and held it up high for the whole crowd to see. It was the Golden Snitch. The Gryffindors broke out into a thunderous cheer, while the Slytherins just yelled their frustrations out. Ron was grinning like a maniac at his friends, who had all gone deathly pale and were staring at him in horror. I'M GONNA BE SO RICH!
The mood in the Slytherin common room was somber at the very least. Everyone looked gloomy and put down, especially the Slytherin Quidditch team. Ron however, was in a great mood but he was smart enough not to show it. He sat in his usual spot, on the couch in front of the fire-place, and was currently counting how much money he had made in total. Ron found himself to be the proud owner of ninety galleons, seven sickles, and twelve Knuts.
As Ron packed up his wealth in a pouch that Millicent had given him, a wolfish grin broke out onto his face. Not because he had more wealth than his entire family did, but because his friends were staring at him with evil intentions in their minds. Shouldn't have made bets if you couldn't take losing haha! I'm so rich! What should I even do with all of this money?
"What are you going to do with all this money Ron?" Tracey asked, as if she was reading his mind. Ron gave her a sly smile.
"I don't know" Ron answered in a teasing voice. "What would you do with all this money? I mean it is your money, oh wait… no it isn't." Tracey glared at him but Ron could see that she was struggling not to smile and laugh at him. Daphne huffed loudly from the chair on Ron's left, making him face her with his sly smile.
"Maybe you should use it to learn how to be a better sport…" Daphne said, her voice more high-pitched than usual.
"This coming from the bint that labeled me a cheater because I beat her in a game of chess?" Ron teased, extremely happy at getting under Daphne's skin. Daphne glared murder at Ron.
"I'm not a bint…" Daphne gritted out.
"You aren't…" Ron retorted, making sure to sound shocked and aghast. This made Tracey lose her resolve and start laughing, seeing Tracey laugh caused even Theo, Blaise, and Millie to chuckle. Daphne went wide-eyed for a second, but then immediately narrowed her eyes at Ron.
"I'm a lady!" Daphne said loudly, her cheeks turning into the color of tomatoes. Daphne blushed even more when she noticed other people in the common room were giving her amused looks. Ron and her other friends broke into fits of laughter at her embarrassment, while all she could do was pout and glare at Ron.
Ron and his friends were oblivious to the fact that there were a pair of eyes watching them, eyes that belonged to a girl who felt deep envy at how happy the other first years were compared to her. This girl knew that she had chosen wrong, and that her side was an unhappy mess. This girl missed her female friends, but she felt like she could do nothing to get them back. They didn't even talk to her anymore within their shared dorm. After all, the person she had chosen to follow was too stubborn put aside his differences, unlike the person her friends had chosen to follow. Draco had walked away in anger… while Ron had extended his hand in peace… And she had still chosen to run after Draco. Tears stung her eyes as she got up and left for her dorm, she didn't want to cry in front of the other Slytherins. She didn't want them to see her weakness…
Almost two months later:
Christmas was only two days away, and Ron was the only Slytherin left in all of Hogwarts. With the exception of Snape, but the professor who was always clad in black didn't count. All of his house-mates had left five days ago to enjoy Christmas with their families, while Ron had decided to stay behind rather than travel to Romania with his own family. He still wasn't too keen on spending time with his parents and it wasn't because he hated them or anything… it just felt awkward to be around them. That letter had done more damage than Ron had given it credit for.
Percy and the twins had also decided to remain within Hogwarts to save their parents money, but Ron also figured that they didn't want to leave him alone. Ron however, chose to spend the majority of his time within the Slytherin common room, mainly because he simply loved the quiet. A childish part of him also pretended as if the common room was his own home, and that he was a truly powerful and wealthy wizard to be able to enjoy such luxury.
Ron also spent quite a lot of his time within the library, doing more research on seers and divination in general. So far he had found absolutely no answers, and he was finally beginning to just give up on his pursuit for knowledge on the matter. Ron also found something very peculiar during his many trips to the library. Ron's discovery was that Harry Potter was in and out of the library almost as much as Ron was. The weirdest part about all of this was the fact that Hermione and Neville had gone home for the holidays, and Harry didn't seem the type to go the library alone. Ron would understand if Hermione was dragging Harry along, because she had started doing that for their usual meetings in the library. But the fact that Harry was skulking about and reading random tomes for no apparent reason greatly increased Ron's curiosity. A curiosity he decided not to sate because he didn't want to draw any attention on himself.
Ron sat in his usual spot, right next to Harry, on the massive dinner table that Dumbledore had conjured up for the remaining students and teachers. Dumbledore and the professors all sat on one side, while the remaining students all sat on the other side. It was quite cozy, but Ron had to admit that eating while sitting across from Snape was the most terrifying thing he had experienced.
According to Percy and the twins, Dumbledore had never done this before in the previous holidays, and even they didn't understand why he chose do it now. Ron hardly cared about it, all he had to do was eat with proper manners so that he wouldn't embarrass himself or worse… embarrass Professor Snape. Dinner began with a flick of Dumbledore's wand, and both the staff and the students began putting food on their plates. No one spoke for almost a minute, and Ron determined that this was going to be another silent dinner. I miss Theo and Blaise… I miss them all… I wonder if they are having any awkward dinners…
"Mr. Weasley" Snape said in his low but icy tone, dragging Ron out of his own thoughts.
"Yes, sir?" Ron answered, sitting upright and looking at the Potions Master. Snape wore his usual blank expression, but his gaze was so intense that it made Ron tremble in his seat. Dear Merlin… He is pissed off about something…
"Did you use the potions lab within the common room?" Snape asked, his voice cutting Ron like the coldest winds during winter. Everyone on the table was now giving quick glances and listening in on the two of them, Ron figured it was because they were all sick of the last five days and eating in silence.
"Yes, I did sir…" Ron replied, his voice a little subdued. Did I not clean up? No I definitely did! Did I though? Oh bloody hell… I didn't! Wait! Didn't I…?
"I see" Snape whispered, his eyes still on Ron's. There was a short, uncomfortable pause during which his brothers and Harry were doing their best to look the other way. Please help… "You brewed the Wide-Eye Potion, did you not?" Snape asked. How did he know that? "I noticed that snake fangs, the Standard Ingredient, Billywig stings, and Wolfsbane were the ingredients that you used" Snape said, as if reading Ron's mind. Ron went wide-eyed at that. He figured that out just by checking which ingredients were used?!
"Yes sir" was all Ron could muster. This earned him a few surprised looks from the professors and even Dumbledore, who was watching with twinkling eyes shining from behind his half-moon spectacles. Snape's expression didn't change however, he still looked indifferent as always.
"Mr. Weasley" McGonagall interjected, her voice was a little surprised. "That is a third year potion! How did you know how to brew it?" She looked suspicious and Ron decided that telling the truth was for the best.
"Percy gave me his notes on the potion" Ron said quickly, looking over to Percy who went wide-eyed. Sorry Perce… need to get these damn eyes off me! All the staff then turned to face Percy, who opened his mouth but nothing came out.
"Is this true?" McGonagall questioned her prefect. Percy merely nodded before giving Ron an annoyed look. Ron looked back at Perce sheepishly and tried to smile apologetically. A soft chuckle stopped the conversation and everyone, except Snape, turned to the source. Headmaster Dumbledore was the culprit.
"That is most impressive Ronald" Dumbledore said in merriment, allowing Ron to breathe out in relief. "Don't you think so, Severus?"
"It would be… If Mr. Weasley learned to clean up after himself…" Snape said, without even looking at the Headmaster. Damn! I didn't clean up after all… Ron's ears went red and his cheeks started to feel hot. "The next time you leave behind a mess for me to clean, I'll have you scrub every cauldron in Hogwarts. Am I clear?" Snape said coldly, making Ron shudder a little.
"Yes, sir" Ron answered, feeling embarrassed. The dinner then continued in silence, and Ron didn't miss the sorry looks being sent his way by the remaining students. Even Professors Flitwick, Sprout, and McGonagall were sending him those looks. No one asked him why he had made the Wide-Eye Potion, and Ron was more than happy not to talk about it. The potion was a waste anyway, considering he had used it to help him stay awake during his research. And the research had turned up absolutely nothing…
After dinner ended, the professors and Headmaster disappeared as they always did. While the students stayed behind for a little while, socializing and playing games. There were two older Ravenclaw girls that were spending their time talking with Percy, the twins were busy discussing their next prank with Lee Jordan, and that left Harry and Ron to play some chess with each other.
They had been playing chess together every day after dinner for the last five days. It turned out that Wizard's Chess wasn't a big deal within Gryffindor, and Harry was appalling at the game. But Ron did his best to teach Harry anyway, even though he always destroyed Harry without mercy. The two of them were getting along well and Ron couldn't be happier. Not only did he genuinely like Harry, but Harry was also a powerful wizard who had destroyed You-Know-Who when he was still a baby, and Ron really wanted Harry on his side in the foreseeable future. If there is a war… Then Harry will be an important piece. I just know it…
Ron awoke on Christmas morning, and then dragged himself out of bed with great effort. He had been enjoying the peace and quiet, but lately he had started to feel a little lonely inside the Slytherin common room and dorms. It was just so… empty. Once Ron entered the common room from his dorm, he immediately noticed the large Christmas tree in the middle of the room. The tree was decorated with hundreds of ornaments, and beneath it were a pile of wrapped up presents. PRESENTS!
Ron immediately felt excitement pumping throughout his body and he quickly ran over to the tree. He checked the presents and they were all for him, much to his childish glee. Ron then quickly grabbed one and began taking it out of its wrapping. The present was from Daphne, and she had gotten him a gorgeous black cloak which was emerald colored on the inside. Ron felt the material and was awed at how soft it felt, this was definitely the most expensive gift he had ever received. Ron then tried it on, and it felt amazingly soft and warm on his body. I should thank her properly for this, it's too good a gift not to. Ron then carefully took off the cloak and began opening another present.
Next up was a gift from both Theo and Blaise, as they had chipped in to buy Ron a book on advanced curses. When Ron quickly looked through the book, he realized that he only recognized a few of the curses. This book was a treasure trove filled with curses, and Ron couldn't be happier with it.
Ron then opened the gift that Tracey and Millie had gotten him, it was a box filled with dozens upon dozens of different sweets. From chocolate frogs to every-flavored beans, and even some sweets that were clearly from different countries as Ron didn't recognize the languages on their packaging. Ron popped one of the foreign hard candies into his mouth, it felt hot inside his mouth and then it melted onto his tongue. It left a Smokey flavor in his mouth which made him cough, and much to his shock, a cloud of fire came out of his mouth. The taste in his mouth then became sweet, and Ron was left confused and highly amused at the same time. He looked at the packaging of the candy, and all he could understand was a comical drawing of a dragon at the top of the bag. Ron felt extremely excited about trying out all the other sweets, but he still had presents to go through.
The next present was from his parents and he already knew what it was. Another maroon sweater… I hate that color so much… Ron opened the present and was shocked to see an emerald green sweater instead. Ron quickly removed it from the box and looked it over. It had the letter 'R' in the middle of it, so it had to be his. But it isn't maroon? It's Slytherin green! Ron beamed at the sweater and immediately put it on, excited that his mother had gone through the trouble of making him a green sweater this time around.
As Ron checked himself over, he decided that it was past time he sent an owl to his parents. They had clearly accepted his being in Slytherin, and his mother was even being supportive. Ron then opened the present that was wrapped in a red paper, and he was taken aback because the present wasn't even from someone he knew. It was from the entire Granger family, and Ron felt guilty because he had only gotten Hermione a gift and not her parents. Ron opened the small, rectangular box and found himself staring at a muggle-looking item. There was a letter beneath it and so Ron took it out and began reading it, hoping the letter would explain what this item was.
Dear Ronald,
We just wanted to thank you for what you did for our daughter, Hermione has told us herself that you saved her life. We can never repay you for this, but we sincerely hope to meet you soon. Hermione has talked about or at least mentioned you in every letter she has sent us since the 'incident'. We are very glad that she has found such a wonderful friend. The present we have sent you is called a 'Fountain-Pen'. It is used by us muggles instead of Quills. The back of the letter contains instructions on how to fill it with ink and use it. Hermione picked this herself, and she told us how studious you are. I sincerely hope that you enjoy using it.
With eternal gratitude,
Mr. and Mrs. Granger.
P.s: If you are ever free, please do tell Hermione. We would love to have you over for dinner!
Ron put the letter down, feeling a little overwhelmed. I guess I never thought about how her parents must've felt about the whole troll business. Ron then followed the instructions and filled the black and gold 'Fountain-Pen' with ink, he then tried to use it. It felt odd in his hand, but even he had to admit that it wrote better than a Quill did. Not to mention that it looked sturdy, and wouldn't snap very easily. Maybe dad is right to love muggles so much. I wonder what kind of other things they have that are better than ours… I'll ask Hermione next time I see her.
Ron then continued on to his next present, and it was from Harry and Neville together. Harry and Neville had gotten Ron a bunch of chocolate frogs and licorice wands. More sweets… WOOHOO! Ron then opened his final present, which was clad in bright purple wrapping paper. The Lovegoods! Ron took off the wrapping and opened the box, he gazed intently over the three objects within the box.
The first item was butterbeer-cap-necklace from Luna, and it was significantly more bejeweled than anything Luna wore herself. Ron chuckled at the necklace before putting it on, and tucking it inside his shirt and sweater. The second item was a copy of 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them', only it looked like a different version from the one he currently owned. Ron flipped through the pages and it was filled with creatures that Ron had never even heard of. What is a HideBehind? As Ron read the description of the bloodthirsty creature that could shapeshift and go invisible, he couldn't help but shudder in fear. Why does Xeno even like these monsters…? Ron put the book down and looked to last item. It was a silver ring with runes carved around it, and it was accompanied by a letter. Ron opened the letter and began reading.
Dearest Ron,
I had this ring crafted within Diagon Alley, and then I personally enchanted it with Charms of Protection. I also had the Runes of Protection engraved onto the ring for an even stronger enchantment. As long you wear this ring, it will keep you safe from harm to the best of its ability. Now that does not mean that you will be invincible, you can still get hurt if the enchantment is broken. But seeing as how you always find yourself saving 'Damsels in Distress', I thought it unwise that you should do it without any protection. So I expect you to wear this ring at all times!
Love,
Pandora
Ron put the letter down, and then gazed over to the silver ring. He had never worn jewelry before, not counting Luna's necklace of course, and he wasn't sure how he felt about it. His oldest brother Bill had gotten his ear pierced and wore an earring with a fang hanging off it, and Ron could still picture his mother going absolutely mental at the sight. But a ring isn't so bad… loads of boys in my house wear one. With that Ron picked up the ring, and placed it on the middle finger of his right hand. The ring was too big for his fingers, and Ron was slightly saddened by this. Then the ring suddenly shrank onto his finger and fit perfectly, making Ron jump in panic. After a few seconds, Ron examined his right hand with the ring on it. It looks… good. And it's warm, I can feel the magic inside it. Pandora's magic… Ron smiled at the ring as he thought of his second mother, and then he decided that he would never take it off.
Ron looked over all of his gifts one last time before he placed them all in his trunk with the utmost care, and he left the sweets on his nightstand so that he could snack on them whenever he wanted. Ron was still wearing his green sweater from his mother and the ring sent to him by Pandora. Then Ron departed for the Great Hall to eat breakfast with the remaining people within Hogwarts, a massive smile on his face. He truly wished that the gifts he had sent would make the others just as happy as theirs had made him.
Ron had gotten Daphne a golden hair-clip which was designed as a snake, with small, bright emeralds for eyes. That gift alone had cost him fifty galleons, which was more than he spent on all the other gifts combined. Tracey had sort of helped pick it out for him when he was shopping for gifts through the Owl Mail Order, much to Ron's relief as he was having trouble pinning down what to get Daphne. So when Tracey suggested getting a hair-clip of sorts, Ron had found the most expensive one and bought it without another thought. But Ron could also see the practicality in it as well, because he knew that Daphne always wore a hair-clip to part her hair and frame her face.
Ron had bought Tracey bunch of joke items from Zonke's Joke Shop such as sugar quills and dung bombs, Ron knew that Tracey loved a good laugh more than anything else.
Ron had bought Millicent a brand new 'Cat-care kit' because he knew just how much Millie loved her cat, Misty. He knew she would immediately start using it to care for the pampered little beast she called her 'Lil' Princess'.
Ron had bought Theo a book on Herbology which detailed plants only found within Japan because if Theo was passionate about one thing, it was plants. Ron still didn't know why Theo loved Herbology so much, but he had never asked because he didn't want to overstep.
Picking a gift for Blaise was quite easy as the only thing that the dark-skinned boy seemed to like was Astronomy. Ron had gotten him a copy of 'Stars: The Bright Face of our Universe", which was a book that Ron had no clue about. He just hoped that Blaise would enjoy reading it.
Ron had also bought gifts for Harry, Neville, and Hermione. Harry and Neville had both received sweets from Ron, just like they had sent him. As for Hermione, Ron had bought her a new Quill set with a pot of invisible ink that only she could see with the charm 'Aparecium', and he had also gotten her a journal just like one of his own.
Ron had sent Luna, Pandora, and Xenophilius a painting of their family that he had painted himself. It wasn't a work of jaw-dropping art, but Ron knew that they would love it because their entire family spent a lot of time painting together.
Ron had also gotten Ginny something this time around, which was something that he never did. It was a silent agreement within the Weasley siblings to not waste their parent's money on gift for each other. But since Ron had his own money, he had bought Ginny a Quidditch training outfit. The outfit was accompanied with a letter that begged her not to reveal the outfit to their mother and father. Ron already knew that she would hide it with her life, because she was already 'sneaking' around and trying out the brooms within their father's shed when she thought no one was around. Ron had noticed this but he never said a word to anyone, mainly because he had seen a vision of her playing professionally. Ron really wanted this vision to become a reality, after all it was the only vision that he had which he actually liked. All in all, Ron had sent the best gifts that he could think of, and he knew that they would make the recipients happy. The only downside was that Ron only had fifteen galleons, two sickles, and sixty Knuts left, whereas he had started with over ninety galleons. It was worth it!
Daphne Greengrass' POV
Daphne was woken up because of a tiny body jumping on top of her and cuddling her tightly. For normal people, this would be a terrifying way to wake up but for Daphne, this was just another day in Greengrass Manor. "Good morning Tori" Daphne sighed, rubbing her eyes as she tried to sit up.
"Morning Daphneee!" the tiny body responded, her voice filled with childish excitement. "C'mon let's gooooo… I want my presents!" the little body squealed excitedly, but she made no effort to let go of Daphne.
"You have to get off me first…" Daphne explained, still feeling half-asleep. The tiny body quickly got off her and jumped off of the bed, running full-tilt out of the door. Daphne sighed at the antics of her little sister, Astoria. She is such a handful… I don't know how mother does it… Daphne then got off of her bed and dressed herself in a soft green robe.
She put on a hair-clip to part her hair and frame her face. Once she was satisfied with her reflection, she headed downstairs to join her family in the living room. Her father was sitting with her mother on a loveseat, both seemed to be cuddling and watching Astoria jump around the room like a crazed animal. Her mother was giggling at Astoria's excitement, while her father was just smiling ear-to-ear.
"Daphne come quick!" Astoria squealed when she saw Daphne approaching. So loud… I just woke up… someone muzzle her please… Astoria ran up to Daphne and grabbed her hands, dragging the older sister towards the decorated Christmas tree. "You got so many presents!" Daphne was instantly alert and beginning to get excited now, but she knew that a lady wasn't supposed to behave like Astoria currently was. Especially this close to our parents…
"Good morning love" Daphne's mother hummed, a happy smile on her face.
"Good morning mother" Daphne responded, keeping her voice calm and formal. "Good morning father."
"Good morning my dear" Her father said, his voice was smooth and kind as always. "Astoria is correct, you do have many presents. Must be all your friends. Well, go on, I know you want to check." Her father smiled at her in an approving way. Daphne smiled back and went towards the gifts, but Astoria beat her to it. Astoria grabbed a small, rectangular box that was wrapped in golden wrapping paper. Astoria then rushed up to Daphne and showed her the box.
"Open this one first! PLEASE!" Astoria said, her eyes pleading. So adorable… Daphne chuckled at her sister's odd habit of watching other people open their presents in front of her. She took the box and read the label which revealed the name of the person who had sent it. Ronald Bilius Weasley… Daphne felt her cheeks flush crimson, she didn't even want to know what that… that buffoon had sent her. Probably a cursed item… or something extremely inappropriate… I don't know which is worse… "Aren't you going to open it…?" Astoria pouted, bringing Daphne back to reality.
"Um… of course. Let me just…" Daphne muttered, and then she began undoing the wrapping slowly. Once the wrapping was removed, a black rectangular box was revealed. She opened it slowly, fearing that Ron would embarrass her in some way in front of her parents.
Once she fully opened the box and looked at the gift, she was left speechless. Wow… Ron sent me this… She couldn't take her eyes off of the beautifully carved golden hair-clip which resembled a snake. Its small emerald eyes shined and reflected the light from the fire-place, and Daphne found herself rooted in her spot. It can't be… He could never afford something like this… And then realization hit her like a brick. The money he made off of us… He spent so much of it on me. Daphne didn't even notice that she was smiling ear-to-ear, but her little sister did.
"Daphne, show me" Astoria whined, jumping up and down in order to peek at the gift. Daphne didn't even think before lowering the box for Astoria to see. Astoria squealed in delight when she saw the hair-pin. "Ohhh, it's so pretty! Mummy look at what Daphne got." Panic gripped Daphne for a second, and she didn't even know why. It was just a gift and her mother was going to see it sooner or later, so why did she feel the need to hide it? I'm being foolish. Daphne's mother got up and walked over to her daughters in a graceful manner, she then bent down slightly and gazed at the hair-pin.
"Oh my" Daphne's mother gasped, before smiling at the beautiful gift. "Who sent you such a lovely gift?"
"A friend" Daphne blurted out quickly, her cheeks feeling hot. "From Hogwarts that is… A friend I made… at school…" Daphne stuttered. Daphne's parents were surprised to see their daughter so flustered, they knew that Daphne was a smart girl that never lost her composure.
"Is that so?" her mother giggled, and then she bent down and picked up the wrapping paper. "Ronald Bilius Weasley" her mother read in an amused voice.
"A boy?" Daphne's father asked, he then stood up and walked over to inspect the gift. "A boy with decent taste…" Daphne's father spoke softly, and then he looked at Daphne with his analyzing look. Oh no… "This must be the same Ronald you have told us about, am I correct in assuming that?" Daphne merely nodded, feeling quite embarrassed at being interrogated in front of everyone. Ron still manages to embarrass me somehow… "So this… Ronald boy… He slays Mountain Trolls singlehandedly, can't be beaten in chess by anyone in Slytherin, is also at the top of his class, and he seems to have a good eye for buying girls gifts…" Daphne's father held a blank face as he looked at Daphne, who tried not to squirm under his gaze. Then a mischievous grin broke out on his face. "Mary, quickly write up a marriage contract… this one is a keeper!" Daphne felt her face burn with embarrassment, and it only got worse when her mother began laughing while trying and failing to stop.
"Is Daphne getting married?!" Astoria cheered, clapping her little hands in excitement. "Yay! Can I be the flower girl again mummy?!" Daphne's mother lost control and both her parents started laughing outright. Daphne hugged the box to her chest and ran full-tilt towards her room, trying to cover her ears so that she couldn't hear her family laughing at her expense. MARRIAGE CONTRACT?! THAT'S NOT EVEN FUNNY!
Daphne slammed the door to her bedroom behind her and locked it. She then leaned against the door to try and calm down her breathing. MARRIED TO WEASLEY! That would be a nightmare! Daphne marched to her bed and sat down on its edge, then she turned her attention to the box that contained the golden hair-clip. It really is pretty...
Daphne smiled at the gift before she took it out of the box and tried it on in front of the mirror. Once it was attached, and her hair parted, Daphne stood there and admired the hair-clip. It looks great. She couldn't help but smile at the fact that a buffoon like Ron could even manage to get her something so thoughtful. She had always parted her hair to frame her face, she had been doing it since she was old enough to remember. And Ron had noticed it… She blushed a little, and her smile grew a bit more.
She thought about her gift to him, and it made her feel a pang of guilt because she had no clue on what to get him. So she had just bought him an expensive cloak and called it a day, whereas Ron had gone out of his way to buy her a perfect gift. That thought alone jarred her… He always surprises me. Who could have thought that a Weasley could be so… different? She recollected her memories of the moments that Ron had managed to catch her off-guard, all the while she hummed and admired the golden hair-clip.
There was the sorting of course, which was the first moment she had become intrigued with him. The longest sorting in history and Ron, a Weasley, was sorted into Slytherin. Not to mention that the hat all but confirmed his massive potential by saying that he was perfect for all the houses. She had immediately decided to ally with him when she had heard that, regardless of the house he may be picked for.
Once she had become his ally, he had gone out of his way to help her in Transfiguration and had done nothing but put Slytherin ahead in house points. And when she saw him helping Millie, a girl who had been everyone's punching bag before Hogwarts, and Mille successfully transfiguring the match-stick, Daphne knew that she had made the right call. Daphne had always hated how Draco and the others picked on Millie for her weight and slow understanding. But Ron had offered his own treats to her, and managed to help Millie perfect the spell.
And after that he had started helping all of them ever since, especially Millie, without ever asking for anything in return. So Daphne wasn't at all surprised that even Theo and Blaise had begun to defend him whenever Draco cornered one of them, trying to bully them back into the 'fold'. Unlike Draco, Ron gave everything he had without ever asking for anything in return, and to Daphne that was what a real leader should be like. Not to mention that Ron had broken Draco's nose the moment Draco had insulted Tracey about her blood status. That moment had cemented Daphne's beliefs about Ron being a better choice than Draco, as she herself was only a moment away from hexing Draco in the face.
It was no wonder that Tracey and Millie both talked about Ron with such admiration whenever he wasn't around. And Ron wasn't around quite a bit lately, as he was always at the library with Granger… Daphne didn't understand why Granger's presence irked her so greatly. Every time Ron mentioned how great Granger was, Daphne felt as if someone was clawing at a chalkboard. She had even felt so bitter that she tried to call Granger a 'Mud-Blood', and after Ron threatened her for it, Daphne had never felt so angry and bitter.
Then he had decided to go out of his way to help Granger when she was being picked on, and Daphne felt so annoyed and hostile that she chose not to help him. Daphne didn't even understand why she was being so stubborn about it, but just the thought of Granger twisted her stomach into knots. And then… then Ron had run off head first into a troll infested bathroom without a second thought, just so he could help Granger.
Daphne was the first person to run after him, seeing him so distressed and afraid had made her heart clench. And the moment he turned to run, her feet had thrown her right after him. She had never seen a person look so determined to help another before and when she burst through the bathroom door and saw a tiny Ron facing a massive Mountain Troll, her heart had nearly stopped beating. She was sure that Ron was going to die in that moment… but instead Ron completely annihilated the troll with one spell. ONE SPELL! A spell so strong that it had hurled Ron straight into her and the others behind her.
While she and everyone waited for Ron to wake up in his hospital bed, she had sat as close as she could to him. She just knew that she wanted to be there so she could watch over him, to stop him if he tried anything stupid again. But she also felt ashamed of herself for the first time in her life. Ashamed because Ron had been right about Granger being in danger, ashamed because she hadn't believed him and he had nearly gotten himself killed.
Tracey and Mille hadn't left his side when he searched for Granger, but Daphne had and that was not what allies were supposed to do. She knew that if the tables were turned, Ron would have stood by her side and helped her. So Daphne had swallowed her pride and decided to make her peace with Granger being Ron's friend. Just like Ron had done a day later when he had put his hand forward to Draco in order to make peace. Not for himself, but for the sake of Theo and Blaise. Ron hated Draco, and yet he was willing to swallow that hate so that the fighting would stop. And Draco, her former friend, had just walked away from that…
Daphne smiled as she finished her recollection of the red-haired boy. Ron wasn't perfect by any means; he had a violent temper, was more stubborn than even Daphne, he always went out of his way to embarrass her, and he looked down on anyone that he deemed to be a 'bigot'. But Ron wasn't a bad person, he may even be a very good person. Maybe he isn't such a buffoon… Daphne blushed again as she touched the golden hair-clip which was attached to her hair. I guess Ron isn't so bad…
Daphne came back down for lunch, and she wore an emerald dress and her new hair-clip. She was in a very happy mood after her recollection and wore a bright smile on her face, she didn't care about being lady-like today. When she sat down on the dining table next to her little sister, Daphne gave Astoria's right cheek a small pinch which made the little girl giggle in delight. "Welcome back Daphne!" Astoria beamed. Daphne smiled at the cute little girl, and her hyperactive personality.
"I never left, Tori" Daphne giggled in response. Her father and mother sat in their usual spots, with her father at the head of the table and her mother sitting to his left side right across from Daphne.
"I see you are wearing your betrothed's gift" her father mused, a teasing smile on his face. Daphne blushed and pouted at her father for picking on her.
"Sebastian, please stop embarrassing your daughter" her mother tutted, even though she was trying not to giggle like a little girl. Daphne turned her pout towards her mother. This is not funny! I'm going back upstairs… Daphne was about to get up but her father put his hand on her shoulder.
"I'm sorry sweetheart" he apologized. "I was only joking. The pin looks lovely on you." He smiled kindly at her and she slowly smiled back at him. It does look really good.
"You didn't open your other presents" Astoria complained. "So I opened them for you!" she suddenly yelled out. WHAT?! Tori… Daphne just shook her head at her sister in a disapproving way.
"Astoria that wasn't a very lady-like thing to do" their mother tutted. "Ladies do not shout at the dining table." That's the thing which upset her! Tori opened my presents and not even a single word about it…
"Also you should never open other people's things, my dear" her father chuckled. "It is a very unbecoming act, and it will not earn you any allies." Astoria pouted and nodded sheepishly. Aw… she is so cute.
"It's ok Tori" Daphne cut in, completely forgetting that she was upset at her sister. "Did I get anything good?" Astoria beamed at her sister's understanding, and nodded her head enthusiastically.
"Uh-huh, Tracey sent you a really soft scarf!" Astoria grinned, forgetting to use her inside voice. Their parents just shook their heads at Astoria's loud nature, while chuckling softly.
"That reminds me honey" her mother began. "We are throwing a small party here in two days. All of your friends will be coming over with their parents." Daphne paled a little at the sound of that. All of my friends… does she mean Draco and his group as well? Daphne's father sighed loudly, causing everyone to look at him.
"Must we really invite Lucius here?" he said in a tired voice. Daphne's mother just gave him a stern look. "Fine… but if he starts anything with the Davis family again… I'll throw him and his idiot son out of my house immediately."
Daphne cringed as she remembered when Lucius Malfoy had called Mrs. Davis a muggle behind her back a little too loudly. It was clearly on purpose, but Daphne's father was livid at the fact that Lucius Malfoy had insulted her father's guests. Her father and Mr. Davis got along splendidly and even called each other friends openly, so it wasn't a surprise that her father had lost his temper completely at this. "Maybe I should take a page out of this Ronald's book, huh?" her father joked, noticing that the mood was getting tense. Daphne laughed a little at that, while her mother just gave her husband another stern look. Astoria was sitting there giggling but had no clue about what was so funny.
"Violence is never the answer" Daphne's mother began. Daphne decided to zone out and forgo the lecture. All she could think about was how awkward things might become when all their parents got involved in this feud. Ron isn't even here to make his case… She frowned internally at that thought. Draco no doubt is going to pull something, I have to convince the others to stand up for Ron… Ugh this is going to be so bothersome…
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Here it is! Chapter 11 is behind us! Now for those still wondering why Daphne behaves so bitterly towards Granger, all I can say is that Daphne has never learnt to share anything. Especially her friends. She is very spoiled and possessive... but that makes her character fun to write about. She always has some plan cooking in the background. ALSO ASTORIA IS CUTE AF! but she isn't very lady-like yet... all in good time. See you on Monday!