AUTHOR'S NOTES: HOLD UP! TWO CHAPTERS IN ONE DAY! Indeed my friends! It was supposed to be one chapter, but it got way too long so I cut it in half! Here is 'Chapter' 15. Now a couple of things:

1. Yes it is emotional again... sorry.

2. These are some troubled kids haha! Love that shit!

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 15 – The Game Is Afoot

Ronald Weasley's POV

"Where's Blaise?" Ron asked. Ron could only hope that Theo didn't take that the wrong way, but Ron wanted to them both to come back.

"He just went into the bathroom… to shower, I think" Theo replied. "Ron… listen… what I said about Muggles…" Theo then trailed off, seemingly lost for words. When is he ever lost for words? This is going to be hard, isn't it?

"Barbaric scum… those were the words you used" Ron provided, still shocked from the hate that Theo had spoken with. How did I never notice that he hated them so much?

"Yeah… that… I know that you and your family don't see them that way. But I do… as does my father" Theo all but whispered the last few words. "I wanted… No… Blaise and I wanted you to see them the way we do, the Muggles and Muggle-Borns that is. We thought that we could slowly… I don't know… change your mind" Theo continued, looking down at his feet. Ron could tell that this wasn't easy for Theo. Theo was used to taking the easy way out of things, he wasn't used to confronting his problems head on.

"Why?" Ron asked, curious about what was driving Theo and Blaise's actions. Theo stiffened but slowly relaxed a little.

"It's personal…" Theo said meekly. Personal? That's not good enough… not when they both were trying to manipulate me…

"Personal…" Ron muttered, feeling slightly irked at Theo's response. "You were trying to manipulate my ideals… but you won't even tell me why?" Theo flinched at that.

"We didn't… once you became friends with Granger… After the troll… We stopped. I swear it" Theo said, looking up at Ron and hoping that the red-haired prodigy would believe him. It was the truth.

"Wait…" Ron muttered, remembering Theo's early lessons and words. "You were teaching me Pure-Blood etiquette… you said that you would make a proper Slytherin out of me… Is that what you meant?!" Ron was starting to lose his temper. How long were these two just playing at being his friends? How long had they been plotting behind his back? And then when I lost my appeal… They just left…

"Ron…" Theo began, sensing that Ron's infamous temper was getting the better of him. "At first we were… But after… after we all saw what happened with the troll, after we realized how far you would go for the sake of other people… Things changed! Please believe me."

"Things changed… How?!" Ron said, failing to calm down. I worked my arse off just to find a place in this House… and the two people who I thought were on my side…. They were just leeching off of me… And when I needed them, when I really needed them… they ran off!

"Blaise and I, we saw you differently… And when you tried to make peace with Malfoy for our sakes… We decided that you were you because of your ideals. And we stopped! We even looked past your friendship with Granger…" Theo bit his tongue. That was a stupid thing to say, he knew it the moment it slipped out of his mouth.

"Looked past? LOOKED PAST?! What give you the right to judge my friendships?! YOU! You, who ran off the moment things turned sour! LIKE A BLOODY COWARD!" Ron yelled, furious at how selfish Theo and Blaise truly were. Theo flinched again but harder this time. "If there was a troll going after you or Blaise… I would have faced it to protect you… and you left just because some gits were turning on me! You Slytherins…" Ron trailed off, remembering how quickly the Slytherins had turned on him. The Triumvirate… they are only using me too. No one in this house gives a damn about each other…

Theo was stunned into silence by Ron's harsh, but true, words. Theo knew that if there was a troll between him and Ron, then Ron would have faced the troll to protect Theo. After all, Ron had done it for Granger…

"The girls…" Ron muttered, shaking his head at the realization he had come to. "The girls stayed with me… despite everything… and this entire time, all I wanted was for you and Blaise to come back… I didn't even thank them properly for choosing me over the other Slytherins… All I wanted was for you and Blaise to come back… my best friends…" Ron felt sick of himself, sick of how he had moped around and let the girls pick up after him. Sick of how much worry he had caused them while he mourned for two selfish bastards to come back. Why do I always do things like this…? Why am I so…?

Both boys had stinging eyes, both of them disgusted by themselves. Ron felt ashamed for not appreciating the friends he did have, but instead longing for those who had left him. Theo felt ashamed that despite his childhood beliefs of himself being superior, he was in fact just a coward. Theo knew deep down that he had left Ron not only because he didn't approve of Ron's friends, but mostly because Theo was afraid of the older Slytherins turning on him. There was a short pause, and it was heavy with unspoken pain and tension.

"You're right…" Theo muttered, breaking the silence. His voice was strained, and he was looking up at the ceiling. "I am a coward… this entire time, Blaise and I have been fighting about what to do… He wanted to come back, to join the group again… But he couldn't. All because I didn't have it in me to have this conversation… I was… scared of what you might say…" Theo then let out a wet laugh that sounded very close to a sob. "We were allies… and I walked away when you needed me…"

Ron rubbed his eyes harshly, he wasn't sure how he felt about Theo anymore. Ron knew that within the group, Theo was the most conniving out of them all but Ron had hoped that Theo wasn't the stereotypical Slytherin. I was wrong about him… Even Blaise had the spine to try and come back… to apologize…

"So why talk to me now?" Ron said, feeling emotionally drained. "Why now?"

"Because we have to choose… I'm holding Blaise back… I'm losing track on my own ambitions over this… Blaise is losing his own for my sake… The older students, they don't even look at us anymore… They know our words mean nothing…" Theo said softly. He was done lying to Ron. If Ron would have him back even after this mess, then Theo wouldn't leave him again. He didn't want to play the coward… not anymore. Not when people like Ron, Blaise, and the girls had once called him their friend.

"So that's it…? You grew a spine because you were afraid that others may look at you in a bad light?" Ron asked. He still hasn't apologized… Theo shook his head at that, and then looked at Ron with teary eyes.

"No… I… we missed the group… We missed you, Ron" Theo said, looking at Ron with a remorseful smile. "We missed the laughter… the banter… doing homework together… eating together… running at the lake… practicing spells together… playing chess all night…" Theo cried, his voice breaking as he went on. "I'm so sorry Ron… I shouldn't have left…" Theo sniffed, looking down in shame.

All that Pure-Blood pride being shattered by his own cowardice. If his mother was alive to see that he had broken his friendship with someone as brilliant as Ron over something so shallow, he knew that her heart would break. He finally apologized…

Ron looked at his former friend, and he couldn't help but feel sympathy for the crying boy. Ron didn't know how it felt to abandon others, but he did know when a person was admitting that they had made a mistake. Ron had made more than his fair share with his siblings.

"You want to come back? After everything…" Ron asked, even though he knew that Theo did. I want to hear him say it. I want to hear him say those words…

"I do…" Theo said with a short nod, he was still crying. "We do…" Ron looked at Theo for a few long moments, and then he decided on what he would do.

"Then you'd best be awake by six tomorrow morning… I won't lose any time on my run if you aren't awake…" Ron said in a firm tone, looking Theo in his eyes. And then Ron walked over to his bed and closed the curtains, leaving Theo behind to come to terms with his decision. One last chance… if they leave again… Then they can rot away for all I care… With that, Ron settled down on his bed and went to sleep.

Theo stood there for a few more moments, and then he heard the bathroom door open. Theo turned and faced Blaise, who had clearly been listening in on them the entire time. They both gave each other nods, and then went to their own beds. As Theo was drifting off to sleep, he came to a decision. He was done being a coward. His mother had raised him better than that. He wouldn't shame her memory by acting like a coward again.

Ron woke up to the sound of shuffling feet around the dorm, and he slowly dragged himself out of bed. What time is it? If I could have five more minutes…

"Good morning" Theo said, noticing Ron slinking out of his bed. Ron then looked over to Theo and noticed that the boy was already in his running gear. Ron then looked around and saw that Blaise wasn't in the dorm, and that the bathroom door was shut.

"Morning" Ron returned the greeting. "I see you're ready… Is Blaise joining us?"

"Yes… he's getting changed in the bathroom… It's almost six" Theo muttered, no doubt still reeling from last night. Me too… Merlin that was heavy… Ron then quietly began taking out his running gear from his trunk. What am I even supposed to say? How do I talk casually with him after… after everything?

"Thanks… Ron" Theo said from behind Ron. Ron slowly turned and faced Theo, his running gear in his hands. "For letting Blaise and I come back… I don't know if I could have done the same…" You wouldn't… Not unless it benefitted you… Isn't that right, Theo?

"Yeah…" was all Ron could manage. Bloody hell… how am I going to explain this to the girls? Daphne is going to rip me to shreds for bringing them back without consulting with them… The bathroom door then opened and Blaise stepped through, dressed in running gear. Ron and Blaise looked at each for a few awkward moments.

"Hey…" Blaise said, his indifferent mask still on. Damn statue…

"Hey…" Ron said back, and then Ron made his way past Blaise and shut the bathroom door behind himself. He washed up a little and then dressed himself in his running gear, ready to finally go out and run in the cool morning breeze. That sounds heavenly… He needed some fresh air, and he needed it badly.

The boys went out to the lake quietly and did their run quietly as well. Ron really didn't know what to say, and he was hoping that Theo and Blaise would start a damn conversation already. Seeing them this subdued was really getting to him. Then an idea clicked in his brain, one that he knew would take away some of the tension.

"Good run" Ron said, exhaling through his mouth. Theo and Blaise were far more knackered, but they nodded in agreement nonetheless. "Did you bring your wands?" Ron asked, looking to the two boys. They both looked at him, and then slowly nodded. "Good, let's see what you remember…" Ron said with a grin. This got smiles out of his two companions.

Theo and Blaise then took out their wands, and the three boys went over disarming charms and other incapacitating spells. Ron was questioned by Theo about how he had deflected a curse without even moving, and Ron had simply stated that it was his own secret and that he didn't want to share it… yet. Theo and Blaise respected that, no doubt doing their best not to push Ron in any way.

After spending an hour out by the lake, the boys then went back to their dorms to get ready for the day. Luckily not many people were in the common room yet, and so Ron had the luck to avoid the awkward conversation with the girls. For at least a little while… Breakfast will be served in an hour… Ron shook his head in a tired manner at that realization.

"So… how is this going to work? How do we tell the girls?" Blaise asked when they entered the dorm. Ron was taken a back a bit by the sudden questions. Guess we should plan something…

"I don't know…" Ron said, unsure of how to even proceed.

"Do we go back to the way things were… like nothing happened?" Blaise further questioned.

"I don't know Blaise… I don't have all the answers…" Ron said, getting irked by the fact that they were just expecting him to clean up their mess. "Maybe you both should apologize to the girls… It wasn't just me that you two walked away from…" Blaise and Theo seemed to flinch at that, making Ron feel a bit guilty. I need to stop hitting that sore spot… "Sorry" Ron muttered.

"No… no you're right" Theo said, looking as if some plan was already forming in his head. Good, that's the Theo I know and prefer. "You can tell the girls that we worked things out, and then Blaise and I can apologize… Then we hope for the best."

"Alright then, I'll go down to breakfast first and let them know" Ron summarized. "You guys wait twenty minutes and then join us. Come up with something good… maybe shed a few tears" Ron joked, grinning at Theo. Theo looked at Ron with an annoyed expression, and then he slowly smiled.

"Sod off, Weasley" Theo grinned back.

Ron sat down at the Slytherin table with the girls and was about to begin his story about Theo and Blaise, but something else caught his eye. Pansy was sitting next to him, and Daphne was sitting in Pansy's usual spot. Um… Is Daphne mad at me? Things were going great! What did I do? The girls noticed him looking back and forth between Pansy and Daphne, not that it was hard to notice.

"What?" Daphne asked, looking at Ron like he had three heads. Concentrate Ron, Blaise and Theo will be down soon and you need to lay the groundwork!

"Um… nothing" Ron said, shaking his head. "So last night, after we finished our homework, Theo and I talked back in our dorm." Ron was about to continue but Tracey cut him off.

"You talked?!" Tracey exclaimed, taking Ron by surprise. "Well, what did he want? I hope you didn't forgive him just like that and let him back in!" Um… shite…. Well that broom may have already… flown… Ron looked around, and all the girls except Pansy held a similar look amongst them. They looked suspicious.

"Um… maybe…" Ron all but whispered, going red in the ears. I BUNGLED IT! Theo… Blaise… please don't come down here! The girls were just staring at Ron like he was a moron, so Ron looked to Pansy for support.

"I don't… think I have much of a say" Pansy said, hoping Ron would look elsewhere. She didn't want to risk her recovering friendship with the girls.

"Of course you do" Daphne interjected, looking at Pansy with a furrowed brow. Wait… am I safe from their wrath? "We will talk about that later Pansy! Right now, I need to ask Ronald why he came out so stupid!" Nope… there it is…

"I'm not stupid… just listen please" Ron said, trying to regain control of the conversation. "Theo and I talked… for a while and we both said some… things. Look, I think that they both regret leaving and I decided to give them one more chance… You can't tell me that you all didn't miss them… I know you did. I did as well, so I figured… why not give them one more chance?" Ron finished, hoping that he was changing their minds.

"Would they have given you that same chance?" Tracey asked. "Theo slammed the door in my face when I went after him… If the positions were turned… Would they give you a chance?" Ron looked at Tracey, and she seemed genuinely curious about his response. What would they do?

"It doesn't matter…" Ron said, coming to answer. "If I had done a runner… and then I wanted to come back… I'd hope that they would give me another chance. Theo and Blaise came back hoping that I would, and I… I gave them a chance. What they would have done is irrelevant, all that matters right now is that I had the choice" Ron finished, looking to the girls.

They looked conflicted, but he could tell that he was winning them over. He just needed to push a little more, but not too much. "We're friends… friends give second chances" Ron said softly. And that did it! The girls looked at him with faint smiles, except Millie who was smiling ear-to-ear.

"Ok…" Tracey said, losing her fire. "But if they ever do something like this again…"

"They won't" Ron cut in. "And if they do, I'll throw them out myself…" That's a promise!

They all then waited for Theo and Blaise to make their entrance, which happened ten minutes later. The two boys sat down awkwardly next Ron, and looked to their former friends. The atmosphere was tense, mainly because all the girls except Pansy were glaring daggers at Theo and Blaise. Ron nudged Theo, hoping that the weedy boy would start his apology already.

"I'm sorry…" Theo said, looking at everyone. "I'm sorry for leaving… and I'm sorry for slamming the door in your face Tracey…" Damn this is awkward…

"I'm sorry too" Blaise said, his face was indifferent but his eyes were a little wet. "It won't happen again." That's it? What happened to 'come up with something good'? There was a short awkward pause, in which none of them even moved.

"It better not" Daphne huffed, breaking the silence. "You're lucky that Ron is a sentimental moron!" HUH?!

"HEY! Why am I getting targeted here?!" Ron complained, getting caught off guard.

"It was a compliment" Daphne said, glaring mockingly at Ron.

"HOW?!" Ron asked.

"Being sentimental isn't necessarily a bad thing" Millie piped in. "It means that you're sweet."

"It's the 'moron' part that is the insult Millie…" Ron explained. Theo and Blaise chuckled at that, and then the girls laughed too. It was a little awkward, but it was better than silence. Oh… Daphne was trying to ease things… I'm terrible at this sappy nonsense.

They all began their breakfast in earnest, accompanied by soft conversation. They avoided anything awkward or controversial like Peter Pettigrew and Death-Eaters. All in all, things were finally looking up for their little group. Ron could tell just how sorry both Theo and Blaise were. Especially Theo, as he kept apologizing to Tracey who was huffing much like Daphne to milk the situation. Yeah… Things are looking up again!

Ron woke up in his bed, and it was the morning of March the First, 1992. He was officially twelve years old now. A year closer to the war… Ron shook the thought out of his head. He wasn't going to mope around today. It was his birthday, and despite having classes, he was looking forward to it! He hadn't told him friends that it was his birthday, simply because they had never told him theirs. We are an odd lot… aren't we? Guess I'll blame Salazar for that…

Ron was eating breakfast with gusto, while his friends watched in disgust. Theo and Blaise were sitting on either side of him, while the girls sat across from him. This feels right! It's only been a couple of days, but things are actually starting to feel normal again! Thank Merlin for the Slytherin trait of 'burying emotions'…

"Ron…" Theo began slowly. "Would you prefer it if I put your plate on the ground?" Huh?

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ron asked, curious about the odd question.

"Well if you are going to eat like a dog… You might as well do it properly" Theo chuckled. Ron grimaced at Theo, and the rest of their friends stifled their laughs at Ron. Theo grinned at Ron, and Ron was just about to retort when a loud hoot caught his attention. Ron looked up to see two owls flying down at him with wrapped boxes. Well… one owl was flying, the other was free-falling. Errol? OH MERLIN!

Errol slammed into the plate of bacon in front of Ron, making his friends jump in panic. While the other owl just dropped its package from midair and flew back out. Ron stood up and caught the package before it hit Theo, and then he sat back down. "Nice catch" Tracey giggled, looking at Errol as the barmy owl was trying to eat the bacon instead of delivering its package.

"Two packages!" Daphne exclaimed. "Must be your birthday" she joked.

"It is" Ron said casually as he picked up Errol's package from the table. Then he shooed Errol away.

"What?" Daphne muttered. "It is?"

"Yeah, these are probably from my family" Ron said, opening Errol's package first because it was slightly bigger. He missed his friends staring at him wide-eyed. Ron pulled out a white sweater from Errol's package, and he almost laughed with joy when he saw the green Slytherin emblem knitted on it. MUM! This is great! It made his heart swell with joy to see his mother working so hard to show him that she loved him. I love you too mum…

"Why didn't you tell me?!" Daphne questioned a little too loudly. Ron was taken out of his thoughts and he looked at her with shock.

"Um… I don't really know when your birthdays are… You guys never told me…" Ron tried to explain, but Daphne's glare broke his resolve in seconds. How does she do this? I've faced and defeated a Mountain Troll… but she still scares me! Daphne narrowed her eyes at him, looking annoyed about something that Ron didn't even want to bother contemplating.

"Mine's on the Twenty-sixth of August… if anyone cares" Tracey piped in, her sense of humor saving the day once again.

"I care" Ron grinned at her, and she grinned back. "Mine's on the First of March!"

"I noticed" Tracey giggled. Ron put the sweater back in the box and moved to open the second box. Just as he was opening it, Daphne got out of her seat and everyone looked at her.

"What are you doing?" Blaise asked.

"I have to go do something… I'll see you all in classes" Daphne said, and then she left in a hurry.

"What was that…?" Theo said, looking at Daphne's leaving figure. Wish I knew…

Ron shook his head and opened the second box. Inside the box was a book clad in black leather and was labeled 'Chess Masters through the Ages' in golden letters. Woah! Ron took the book out and examined it. "What's that?" Pansy asked, curious about the suspicious black leather book. It looked like something she would find in her father's restricted library.

"It's a book about famous Chess Masters!" Ron said excitedly as he opened the book. A small card fell out and Theo picked it up and read it aloud.

"Lots of love from the Lovegoods! Happy Birthday Ron!" Theo read. Ron glared at Theo for a second before shrugging his shoulders at his friend's rude behavior.

"Don't read other people's things, Theo" Millie scolded. Everyone was a little taken aback by this but they didn't say a word. Millie is actually standing up to people around her… Good for her! She used to be really quiet.

"WAIT!" Theo said suddenly, and rather loudly. It earned him annoyed looks from the other Slytherins and shocked ones from his friends. "You're twelve today! Do you remember the Junior League Tournament I told you about? It was back at the start of the school year." Ron recalled Theo mentioning it once. Oh yeah… I was supposed to look into it. But then all the crazy things started happening and I completely forgot…

"Well?" Theo asked, and Ron nodded at him. "You can sign up for it. The signing up is held at Diagon Alley. The Junior League Tournament comprises of witches and wizards who are between the ages of twelve and fifteen. The first week is a made up of matches which determine the top eight, and then during the second week the actual tournament is held. Ron you could win this thing! We all know how skilled you are at chess and if you want to succeed at becoming a Chess Master, then you need to start as early as possible." Theo explained excitedly, and his attitude was infectious. Ron and the girls were getting excited about this, while Blaise held his cold demeanor.

"You… think I can win?" Ron asked, seriously considering this. Blaise chuckled at hearing Ron say that that.

"I've learnt to never bet against you Ron" Blaise said with a faint smile. "Theo this is a brilliant idea. How do we sign Ron up?" Wait…

"Yeah quick tell us" Tracey chimed in, smiling in excitement. Hold on a second…

"Ron has to sign up with a guardian or a representative of his school at Diagon Alley. I think the signup is held at Flourish and Blotts Bookstore." Theo said, trying to remember the details. It had been a while since he talked about this with Mr. Greengrass. Don't I get a say?

"He needs permission from the Headmaster then" Pansy said quickly. "Only then will he be allowed to floo down to Diagon Alley… and he'd need a teacher to accompany him as well."

"Can we slow down a little…? I'm not sure…" Ron started but was cut off by Millie.

"Ron you have to do this!" Millie said in excitement. "There's money to be made, the Slytherins will love the good publicity, and it will help you with your ambitions! Not to mention the prestige that it will bestow upon your family's good name!" My ambitions… have nothing to do with chess… But she did make one good point! Money!

"And how much money would I be making?" Ron asked, a sly smile creeping onto his face. Theo chuckled at Ron's blatant greed for wealth.

"I don't know, but this is a sponsored event Ron" Theo explained further. "There would be a decent prize pool. Not to mention that real Chess Masters sometimes attend these events…" Theo paused and grinned at Ron. "They like to find protégés at these events which feature young, and promising students." Ron beamed at hearing that. I could learn from an actual Chess Master… Merlin…

"Okay… Okay, I'm in" Ron said with a smile. Millie, Pansy, and Tracey squealed in excitement, while Theo and Blaise gave Ron encouraging pats on his back.

"The Headmaster is eating breakfast right now" Pansy said, grinning ear-to-ear. "We should go and talk to him now!" WHAT THE HELL? NO!

"She's right, you don't have a second to lose" Theo said, and then he stood up and started dragging Ron up.

"Theo wait… My presents…" Ron started but Blaise cut him off.

"I'll watch over them for you" Blaise said with a devious smirk. WATCH OVER THEM MY ARSE! Look at that smirk!

Theo and Pansy made their way to the staff table, dragging Ron behind them. Ron was staring at a smirking Blaise and a giggling Tracey with horrified eyes. Before Ron knew it, all three of them were standing in front of Dumbledore. The Headmaster was smiling softly at them, his eyes twinkling in joy.

"And how may I assist you?" Dumbledore asked in a kind voice. He couldn't help but smile at how excited the Slytherin children were because of Ron's influence. They all deserved to grow up smiling.

"Headmaster, Ron has something to ask of you" Theo provided, and then he lightly shoved Ron forward. Dumbledore turned to Ron with a wider smile. This boy was always up to something!

"Good morning, Sir" Ron said with a respectful bow. This is happening so fast. Ron quickly glanced at Snape's seat, and the Potion Master who occupied it. Snape was looking at Ron with an indifferent face, and it made Ron squirm. Be respectful, and don't give him a reason to chew you out later…

"Good morning, Ronald" Dumbledore chuckled at the boy's respectful bow. No doubt Snape was watching the boy like a hawk.

"Sir, there is a Junior League Tournament for Chess happening in Diagon Alley in the second half of March" Ron began. "Is it possible if I could sign up for it? I turned twelve today and Theo told me that I qualify for it now."

"Happy Birthday Ronald" Dumbledore said softly. "From all of us." Ron then looked at the professors who were looking at him with smiles. Except Snape, Snape wasn't smiling at all. Even Quirrell was smiling awkwardly, and Ron smiled back at him.

"Thank you" Ron said, bowing to the teachers as well. Are you seeing this Snape? I'm being courteous… "Is it alright for me to sign up? I need a teacher to accompany me while I sign up as well…" Ron finished softly.

"I did not know that you played chess, Mr. Weasley" McGonagall said with a smile.

"He does indeed" Snape interjected with his soft, cold voice. "He has an undefeated streak within Slytherin. He has even defeated a few seventh years." How did he know that? Wait… He is the Head of my House… I'm an idiot…

"Then we must sign you up, mustn't we?" Dumbledore said in a soft chuckle. "Severus, tomorrow is a Saturday. Please accompany young Ronald to Diagon Alley, and help him sign up for the Junior League Tournament." Snape frowned a little at hearing that, which made Ron gulp.

"Very well" Snape said after a moment. "Mr. Weasley… I expect you to be in my office right after breakfast. Do not be late." Ron nodded quickly at that.

"Thank you Professor Snape" Ron said, smiling at the Potions Master. "And thank you Headmaster! I won't let you down!" Dumbledore smiled at hearing that.

"We will be honored to be represented by you, Ronald" Dumbledore said softly. "You have already done remarkable things… I hope to see your future endeavors succeed just as brilliantly." Ron and Dumbledore then locked eyes for a short moment, both smiling happily at one another.

Ron was waiting outside his Charms Class, along with his friends. They were waiting to be let in, and they were also waiting for Daphne who still hadn't shown up. Ron was about to ask for her whereabouts when she marched around the corner and came straight for the group. Her appearance was a little disheveled, but she still looked quite neat and tidy compared to many other students. Ron couldn't help but admire how good the golden pin looked on her. That might have been the best decision I've made in regards to Daphne!

"I made it" Daphne said, slightly out of breath.

"Where did you run off to?" Tracey asked, amused at the fact that she looked tidier than Daphne for once.

"I forgot something at our dorm… I had to go get it" Daphne replied. Ron was about to question her more but the door swung open and Professor Flitwick stepped through.

"Come in" Flitwick said, his voice quite happy. "We have so much to go over today!" A few Gryffindors groaned loudly at hearing that, while Ron just smirked. Time to make some house points!

Ron and his friends were eating lunch and discussing the Junior League Tournament amongst each other when out of nowhere, an owl landed on Ron's left shoulder. Ron froze in fright, and then slowly turned to face it. The owl tilted its head and looked right into Ron's eyes, its large bright yellow eyes digging deep into Ron's ocean blue ones. Merlin… what kind of owl is this? The owl hooted once and pointed its right leg towards Ron's face. There was a letter attached to it.

Ron slowly took the letter and once he had, the owl didn't leave. Instead it stayed perched on Ron's left shoulder, looking right at all of Ron's friends in a menacing way. This owl is freaking me out… Ron then looked at the letter, and his heart skipped a beat because of shock. His friends noticed him tense up.

"Ron, what is it?" Millie asked, getting worried at her friend's behavior.

"This letter…" Ron started. "It's from Sirius Black" Ron whispered, hoping that no one other than his friends heard him. All of his friends tensed a bit, especially Theo and Blaise.

"Well? Read it" Tracey whispered. "But read it aloud…" she added quickly. Ron nodded and cleared his throat.

Dear Ronald,

Happy Birthday! I know that I should have written to you sooner, but I was quite ill and needed time to adjust to my new surroundings. I was only able to muster the strength to send one letter, and I chose to send it to my godson Harry. I am now recovering quite well, and it is all thanks to you. I cannot express in words the gratitude I feel for what you have done for me! You saved my life, and settled an old debt that I could never have hoped to settle by myself. Thank you Ronald, from the bottom of my heart. Thank you.

I contacted your Mother a few days ago in the hopes of learning more about you, and she told me quite the tales my friend. It appears that I owe you an even greater debt than I originally thought. You saved my godson's life on Halloween, and for that I swear that the Black Family will always welcome you as a friend within our homes. The truth is that I was not altogether surprised to hear these stories either, you did after all discover an Animagus that tricked the whole wizarding world. Your Mother also informed me of your upcoming Birthday. Consider this my gift to you, Ronald. I cost you one pet, it is only fair that I gift you another.

This owl is a Eurasian Eagle-Owl, and I hope that you accept him as your new Hogwarts companion. I decided to buy you something exotic, I know how you Slytherins love to stand out. This faithful owl is also very fiercely protective of his owner, so please tell your friends to be careful around it.

I hope to meet you in person soon.

Your eternal friend,

Sirius Black.

As Ron finished reading the letter, he and his friends were quite stunned. This owl… is mine? Ron looked at the owl, and the owl looked back at Ron. It had a light grey coat of feathers with black spots throughout. Its eyes were bright yellow in color, and it looked quite menacing due to its furrowed brow. Wow… Ron slowly reached up and scratched the owl's chest, and it gave a satisfied hoot in return. Though it still looked quite angry at everything around it.

"What should I name you?" Ron asked, smiling at his new companion. I never thought I'd get an owl at this age… He is quite… magnificent.

"What about Helios?" Daphne provided, smiling at the owl. Helios?

"Why Helios?" Tracey asked, also smiling at the menacing owl.

"Helios was the personification of the Sun in Greek Mythology" Daphne explained. "His eyes look like two Suns, don't they?" Ron looked at the Eagle-Owl, and his bright yellow eyes did remind Ron of the Sun.

"Helios…" Ron whispered. "Do you like that name?" he asked the owl. The owl looked at Ron and hooted loudly. "Then it's settled… Your name is Helios" Ron said, and then he smiled at Daphne in gratitude for the great name. She smiled back, and then he looked at the owl again. Welcome to our little group Helios.

Ron was about to head to the dorm with Theo and Blaise to get some sleep, but he was stopped by Daphne who was holding a small box in her left hand. "Ron, can I talk to you… in private?" Daphne asked softly. Ron nodded and then turned to gesture Theo and Blaise to go on without him, but they had already left. Those two… they never wait.

"Guess we're alone" Ron chuckled, turning back to face Daphne. Maybe now I can find out why she's been so… distant the past two days. "What did you want to talk about?"

"Here" Daphne said, and then she handed him the small box. "It's for you… your birthday present…" Ron took the box and smiled at her.

"Daphne, how did you get this so fast?" Ron asked, and then he opened the box. It contained a beautiful ring in it. The ring was actually two intertwining silver snakes that were biting a sizable emerald in the middle. Woah! This looks really, really expensive… Much more expensive than the hair clip that I got her for Christmas! "Wow Daph… this is really beautiful…" Ron was so surprised that he failed to notice that he was calling her 'Daph', which was a nickname only Tracey seemed to use. Daphne didn't mind one bit though, she was quite pleased with hearing Ron call her by her pet name.

"Happy Birthday Ron" Daphne said with a wide smile. Ron took the ring out, and was unsure of which finger to place it on. "Here, let me" Daphne said, and then she slowly took the ring from Ron and held his right hand with hers. Ron's cheeks felt hot, but he did his best not to make a scene. Daphne then slipped the serpent ring onto his little finger. "There, it looks perfect" she said softly. The snakes then moved as if they were alive and tightened around Ron's finger, fitting snugly onto it. That was wicked…

Ron and Daphne examined his right hand, with Daphne still holding it. Ron had Pandora's rune ring on his middle finger, and Daphne's serpent ring on his little finger. "You didn't answer my question" Ron said softly. "How did you get this so fast? You only found out today that it was my birthday."

"My father is the benefactor of a very skilled jeweler in Diagon Alley" Daphne said, looking up at Ron. "I sent the jeweler an owl this morning and asked him to make this ring, and then to send it to me as quickly as he could. My owl returned shortly after dinner ended."

"Wow… Thank you… Daphne" Ron whispered, amazed at the skill of this jeweler. Just one day… how much did that cost her?

"You're welcome" Daphne smiled. "It suits you, by the way. The ring… It's a sign of wealth and power…"

"I don't have either" Ron chuckled softly, not caring about that for once. He felt… secure for a change.

"You do…" Daphne said in a hushed whisper. "No one can deny your power as a wizard… and you're rich in character… I think that's far more important." Ron was stunned by her kind words, did she really see him in such a positive light? What did I do to earn that? They both looked at each other for a few seconds, and then Daphne let his hand go and stepped back. "You should get some sleep, you have a long day ahead of you…" Daphne said.

Ron could only nod to that, and he was unsure why his stomach felt like it had butterflies flying around in it. Daphne then smiled and left for the girls' dorms. Ron stood in his spot for a few a seconds before he left to join Theo and Blaise. On the way there he realized that he didn't find out why she was being so distant lately. Or when her birthday is! I'm such a dolt!

Severus Snape's POV

Snape sat in his office, grading papers from the fifth years. But his heart wasn't in it… All he could think about was how Albus had sentenced him to spend the entire day watching over a child. His mentor's odd methods never ceased to annoy Snape. Instead of choosing Minerva, a lover of chess, Albus had instead chosen him. And given no reasoning behind it. It greatly irked Snape to be kept in the dark… again.

There was knocking on Snape's office door that pulled the Potions Master from his thoughts. That must be Ronald. Why couldn't Albus have sent him with another professor? Does he believe that I have time to waste?

"Come in" Snape ordered, and then the door slowly opened and Ronald stepped through.

"Good morning, Sir" Ronald said, smiling widely at Snape. Again with the unnecessary smiling…When will this boy learn some composure? Maybe I should wipe that smile off…

"It would be, Mr. Weasley" Snape began in his coldest voice. "If… I wasn't being forced to babysit you all day…" Ronald's smile fell quickly upon hearing that and Snape felt a grim satisfaction from it.

"I'm sorry… Sir" Ronald apologized, looking down at his feet.

"Your apologies are misplaced. The Headmaster has ordered me to help you, and so I am bound to. We will go to Diagon Alley, we will sign you up for this tournament, and then we will come right back. We will not dawdle… Is that clear?" Snape explained, waiting for Ronald to respond. It is Albus who owes me an apology for wasting my time with this…

"Yes, Sir" Ronald replied with a firm nod, adorning a more serious look. That's better.

Snape then stood up from his seat and moved to his fire-place. He took a pinch of Floo-powder and cast it into the fire. "The Leaky Cauldron" Snape said, and the fire blazed green. "Go" Snape ordered, nodding at the flames. Ronald nodded and stepped through the fire. Hopefully this won't take more than an hour or so… Snape then followed Ron into the fire.

They made their way through The Leaky Cauldron and into Diagon Alley, and much to Snape's annoyance, it was brimming with people. Of course every witch and wizard in England would pick today to come here… Snape then put his right hand on Ronald's left shoulder and he felt the boy tense up, but Snape didn't really care about Ronald's comfort. If I lose him here, I will have to spend even more time on this…

"Where are we headed?" Snape asked the red-haired boy, who then looked up at Snape.

"Flourish and Blotts Bookstore, Sir" Ron said firmly, his face a mask of seriousness. This attitude suits him better. Someone as brilliant as this boy shouldn't waste his time acting like a Gryffindor buffoon.

Snape guided them both down to the famous bookshop, his demeanor made people step out of his way. Once they reached the bookstore, Snape was taken by surprise at how long the line to get inside the shop was. Forget an hour… We are going to be here the entire day… Snape clenched his jaw in frustration at that, cursing Albus for doing this to him.

"Guess it's a bigger event than I anticipated…" Ronald muttered, looking at the line with wide-eyes. You don't say… Is he even prepared for this?

"I suggest we find our spot within the line" Snape drawled. With that, Snape guided them to the back of the line. The line moved extremely slowly and Snape looked at his pocket-watch every twenty or so minutes. Every time he did so, he cursed Albus Dumbledore and his twinkling eyes. His old mentor would have much to answer for tonight.

Minutes turned to hours, and Snape was growing more and more frustrated by the minute. Why is this line so long?! And why is it moving even slower than a snail's pace? They had left at around ten in the morning, and it was almost three 'o'clock in the afternoon now. It didn't make any sense! Ronald was looking around sheepishly and avoiding Snape's gaze, no doubt feeling guilty for dragging the Potions Master into this situation. But Snape knew that the boy wasn't to blame for this, Albus Dumbledore was. When I see him… I swear to Merlin…

They made it to the reception desk at around four 'o'clock and Snape was visibly relieved. An old man was sitting behind the desk, and he looked at Snape and Ronald rather curiously. "How may I help you both?" the old man asked, his tone was tired and Snape knew why. This poor fool has spent the entire day in that chair…

"My name is Severus Snape, Potions Master at Hogwarts" Snape began. "This is Ronald Bilius Weasley, a student at Hogwarts and he wishes to sign up for the Junior League Tournament." Snape then guided Ronald in front of himself.

"And what is your age son?" the old man asked Ron, smiling kindly at the boy.

"I turned twelve yesterday, Sir" Ron said in a polite tone.

"That is most fortunate!" the old man beamed. "Tomorrow is the last day to sign up, so you made it just in time."

"That is… fortunate indeed" Snape drawled. "Now, may we sign up?" The old man beckoned Ronald to approach, and Ronald did so slowly.

"First we need to confirm your identity…" the old man said, Snape scowled at hearing that. Why would anyone lie to play chess? "This might hurt a bit son" the old man continued, picking up his wand from his desk. Snape immediately moved forward and narrowed his eyes on the man, making the old man raise his hands in surrender. "We need a drop of his blood… once the blood is placed on this parchment, the boy's real name and age will be revealed" the old man explained.

"Is that necessary?" Ronald asked, looking rather shocked and pale.

"Unfortunately it is… Many people try to use Human Transfiguration or the Polyjuice Potion to disguise themselves and enter these tournaments…" the old man said with a hint of disgust. "They are usually fools who wish to enter the tournaments in order to make 'easy galleons', and this test catches them out quickly enough. Now, please give me your right hand son."

Ronald looked back at Snape, and Snape gave him a firm nod. Ronald then turned to the man and slowly put forward his right hand. Snape couldn't help but notice the rings adorning Ronald's right hand. One was covered in runes, while the other looked quite expensive with a rather sizable emerald. Where could he have gotten these? The Weasley family is infamously poor… And yet he is wearing a ring fit for someone like Lucius Malfoy! Snape removed the thoughts from his mind and aligned his Occlumency shields once again, regaining his calm and collected demeanor. He had a job to do, and his questions could wait.

"There… done…" the old man said, smiling at Ronald.

"That was it?" Ronald asked, sounding relieved.

"Yes my boy… now let's see" the old man said, studying the parchment that had a drop of Ronald's blood on it. The drop was absorbed by the parchment, and then Ronald's full name and age was revealed in red ink. "Ah… everything seems to be in order! Excellent, please step through to the back."

Snape sighed and guided Ronald to the back of the shop, and what he saw there nearly drove him to dash his own head through a wall. Is this a joke?! There were multiple tables set up and people were playing chess on those tables. But that wasn't what Snape was frothing at the mouth about. There was another line they had to queue up in.

"What the hell…?" Ron muttered, clearly forgetting about the Potions Master being behind him. Indeed, Mr. Weasley… Snape let out an audible sigh for once, and then he guided Ron to the line and queued up. I'm going to kill Albus for this… Fortunately they only had to wait for another half an hour before a young woman beckoned them to one of the tables.

"Good afternoon, Sirs" she greeted with a large smile that irked Snape immediately. Ronald however, was beaming at the woman. "I take it that you are here to join the Junior League Tournament" she cooed at Ronald, who nodded at her. "Oh you are sooo cute! Well, let me explain what this is then! If you beat me, then you will be qualified to join the tournament. With so many people signing up, we need to make sure that we only allow entry to those who know how to play!" She spoke with a cheerfulness that made Snape sick to his stomach. And yet this boy won't stop grinning her… Simpleton…

The match proceeded and Snape had to admit, Ronald was quick to make his moves. The boy never took his eyes off of the board for a second, and Snape was a bit impressed by the boy's sudden focus. Snape however, did find himself questioning the young woman's playstyle and her wits. She is giving him so many opportunities… it's as if she is making these mistakes on purpose… The match ended in under ten minutes, with Ronald coming out as the victor.

"Well done" the young woman cooed at Ron. "You won… and you capitalized on every opportunity I gave you" she said with a smile. Both Snape and Ron were taken aback by this. So she really was making mistakes on purpose.

"And why would you make mistakes on purpose?" Snape questioned, too curious to hold his tongue.

"I had to make sure that he understood the game, you see…" the woman said, and then her smile disappeared. Her face became a mask of indifference and her cheery stance morphed into a serious, tall one. Ronald went wide-eyed, and Snape had to thank his own Occlumency training for it was the only reason as to why he didn't go wide-eyed himself. "My name is Nikita Powers… and I am the youngest contestant for the title of Chess Master…" Snape did go wide-eyed for a second when he heard that.

"If I didn't make mistakes… then no one would qualify to play" she continued, her amber eyes were piercing and cold. She turned them towards Ronald, who was still clearly shocked. "I hope you do well… Please go tell Mr. Curtis at the front that you are hereby qualified." Then she turned to the direction of the line, she smiled widely and beckoned another group of people towards herself. Snape and Ron left for the front desk, bewildered by the odd girl that they had just met.

Snape explained to the old man at the front desk that Ronald had qualified for the tournament. "Well done, young man!" the old man said excitedly. "Now here" he said as he handed Ron a piece of parchment that looked like some sort of ticket. "This is your pass, make sure you bring that to Hogsmeade Village on March the Eighteenth."

"Hogsmeade?" Snape asked.

"Yes" the old man replied. "They were gracious enough to host the tournament this year. Must be great for you… being up at Hogwarts and all… Anyway, you will play five games a day from March the Eighteenth through to March the Twenty-second. The eight, who have won the most amount of games in the first week, will be selected to go against one-another in the tournament, which will be held in the second week. Good luck!"

Snape and Ronald were on their way back towards The Leaky Cauldron, and the Potions Master couldn't help but notice Ronald looking at the food stalls hungrily. Neither of us has eaten anything all day… Snape took out his pocket-watch and looked at the time. Dinner won't be served for another three hours… Snape stopped, and put his hand on Ronald's shoulder to stop him as well. Ronald turned around and faced the Potions Master.

"We are going to get something to eat" Snape said in a low voice, and he ignored Ronald beaming at him with relief. Snape then guided them towards a restaurant he was rather fond of, a restaurant that specialized in Italian cuisine. It wasn't far from The Leaky Cauldron but unlike The Leaky Cauldron, this was a place of prestige. And they actually clean their dishes…

Snape and Ronald stepped into the restaurant which was simply called 'The Pond'. "Mr. Snape!" came a friendly voice. "Welcome back!"

"Rudolph" Snape replied, nodding his greeting to the dark skinned man. "A table for two, please."

"Of course, of course" Rudolph said with a smile. "Right this way, Sir." The man named Rudolph guided the two towards a table in a secluded corner. "Here is your table, Sir. I will send over the menus and if you need me for anything, please do not hesitate to call me over." With that, Rudolph left the two of them as they took their seats.

Ronald was looking around the restaurant in awe, and Snape followed his gaze around the place. It was a dimly lighted and immaculate place. There was a charmed piano playing a soothing tune in the background, and Snape felt himself relax at the sound of it. I have missed this place…

"Professor…" Ronald whispered.

"Yes, Mr. Weasley" Snape replied, looking at the boy who was still quite awed.

"This place looks…" Ronald muttered, and then he looked at Snape sheepishly. "It looks very… expensive…" Ronald said, going red with shame. Snape stared at the boy, now even more curious as to where he got such an expensive ring.

"Then it is a good thing that I am paying, is it not?" Snape drawled. He did not like to boast, but his career as the youngest Potions Master in England was quite lucrative. But he did not care for materialistic gains, not anymore. Furthering his own knowledge and honing his skills were his only goals now. How time changes a man…

Two menus that were enchanted to look like swans flew down to their table, and then they transfigured back to normal. Snape already knew what he was getting, so he didn't bother to look at the menu. Ronald however, was looking at the menu like it was written in another language. Snape waited for a minute before he decided to intervene and save the boy embarrassment.

"I recommend the Penne all'arrabbiata" Snape said in a low, smooth voice. Ronald looked at Snape like he had no idea what the Potions Master had just said, and then Ronald smiled sheepishly and nodded. Snape then removed his wand and flicked it at the menus, sending them back and letting the restaurant know that they were ready to order. A young waitress who was dressed very smartly approached their table with a smile.

"How may I help you, Sirs?" she asked politely, smiling at Ronald more widely.

"We will have two plates of Penne all'arrabbiata and two glasses of sweetened water" Snape said softly. The waitress nodded and then left for the kitchen. Now that we have some time to talk… "Mr. Weasley."

"Yes, Professor Snape" Ron replied, smiling faintly at him.

"I couldn't help but notice your rings. May I ask where you got them?" Snape asked. Ronald looked at his rings and smiled.

"Pandora got me the one on my middle finger" Ronald said, showing his hand to Snape. "And… Daphne got me the one on my little finger yesterday… for my birthday…" Ronald finished lamely. The boy was blushing, and Snape frowned.

"Miss. Greengrass bought you that ring…" Snape said, surprised at how much money an eleven year old girl was willing to spend on Ronald. She is the heiress to the Greengrass Family… "Do girls often buy you such expensive gifts?" Snape drawled. Ronald blushed more and shook his head.

"No…"

"Then you should thank her properly the next time you see her. She must be quite fond of you" Snape said, his curiosity sated. At least something about this strange boy can be explained… Snape's mind was drawn back to the memory of his attempt at using Legilimency on Ronald, it made Snape shudder slightly. Neither Albus nor Snape had found anything so far that could explain that… void inside the boy's mind. But Snape had no intention of ending his search, he had to know what that was.

They waited in silence and when their food arrived, both of them began eating. They ate in silence for most of the meal, but Snape decided to ask one more question of Ronald. "Mr. Weasley" Snape said softly. "What are your thoughts on this tournament?"

"My thoughts, Sir?" Ronald said after swallowing his food.

"Do you believe that you can win?" Snape asked, noting that Ronald took on a much more serious demeanor.

"I have never lost a match in my life, Sir" Ronald replied. "I know that I can win." Snape stared at the boy, keeping his mask of indifference in place. Is that arrogance I sense?

"Here is a piece of advice, Mr. Weasley" Snape said after a few moments. "Those who believe that they are invincible, are always the first ones to make mistakes. Preparation and caution are the essentials to success. Never fall into a false sense of security, because no one is ever secure enough." Ronald blinked at Snape, and then the boy nodded in understanding. "I do however" Snape continued "expect results from you. You are representing Hogwarts, and more importantly you are representing the House of Salazar Slytherin. Do not disappoint me." Ron nodded once again.

They finished their meals and Snape paid the bill. After that they travelled to The Leaky Cauldron in silence, and from there they flooed back to Snape's office. Snape bid the red-haired boy goodnight and once the boy was gone, he relaxed into his chair. To think that I believed I could get this done in one hour… That boy better win the damn tournament!

Ronald Weasley's POV

Ron spent the next two weeks preparing for the tournament. He had taken Snape's advice to heart, and he made sure to spend all of his spare time going over different strategies and their counter strategies. He wanted to win this thing, and he wanted it badly. His friends helped him as much as possible, they played against him and tried their best to beat him, they quizzed him on strategies, and they even offered to do his homework for him (he refused that offer of course, he had a certain standard to uphold after all).

Tracey was put off slightly when Ron had told her that he would be staying behind at Hogwarts for the Easter Break as the tournament took place during it. She had wanted him to come to her house and be introduced to her parents. They were very eager to meet Ron after all the letters she had sent them which detailed their adventures and Ron's great feats.

The days seemed to slowdown as March the Eighteenth approached, and Ron became even more occupied with chess. His friends surprised him by telling him that they had all decided to stay behind as well for the Easter Break, which would start on the Twenty-fifth of March. They all expected him to make it into the top eight, and that faith renewed his need to win this tournament. For himself, and for his friends.

The school was also abuzz with the news of Ron participating in a Junior League Tournament for chess. Many of the older Slytherin students offered Ron their help, which he politely declined. He knew that they were only doing it for themselves, but it still felt good to know that he had people supporting him. Harry, Hermione, and Neville had also decided to help Ron, and he had accepted their help happily. Hermione quizzed him into a coma, while Harry and Neville played against him over and over again. Ron was a little saddened to hear that his Gryffindor friends were going home for the Break, but he understood. Hermione wanted to see her parents, while Neville wanted to introduce Harry to his Grandmother.

Finally the anticipated day arrived, and Ron knocked on the door of Snape's office with a serious attitude. Need to show him that I am prepared and ready! Or he will tell me off again… Ron stepped into the office and closed the door behind him. "Good morning, Sir" Ron greeted with a respectful bow.

"Good morning, Mr. Weasley" Snape said in a low voice. "Are you ready to leave?"

"Yes, Sir. I have my pass in my robes, and Headmaster Dumbledore signed me out of classes for the week" Ron said in a serious tone. Snape had been selected to take Ron to Hogsmeade Village for the first week. Ron could only hope that the Potions Master didn't take being 'selected' too badly, but who else was supposed to take him. Snape was the Head of Slytherin House…

"I am pleased to see that you are… prepared" Snape drawled, and then he rose from his chair and walked to the fireplace. He was about to grab a fist-full of floo powder but he stopped halfway, and then he turned to stare down Ron. "Your hair, why is it not combed? And why is your uniform not immaculate?" Huh? I look like I always do…

"Sorry, Sir. I don't… understand" Ron muttered, getting ready for the incoming tongue-lashing.

"Mr. Weasley…" Snape drawled, his jaw clenched and Ron had half the mind to bolt. "I have always excused your shaggy appearance, but you are representing our… venerable institution today. Therefore I will not ignore it today…" Snape then removed his wand and flicked it at Ron. Ron's uniform was done up perfectly, his tie tightened around his neck, his shirt became even more tucked into his pants, and his clothes shone cleanly. "Now for your hair…" Snape said, and then he pointed his wand at Ron's head. Merlin…

Snape then flicked his wand and Ron felt his hair moving around on top of his head. AH! What did he do?! Ron looked around for a mirror, and when he didn't see one, he settled for a window. Ron looked at his reflection and much to his shock, his hair was glossy and swept-back. I look… like a RED-HEADED MALFOY! AH!

"There…" Snape said, seemingly amused by Ron's horror. "Now you look at least somewhat decent… Now hurry up. We don't have time to waste." Snape then grabbed a pinch of floo powder and cast it into the fire-place. "The Three Broomsticks" Snape said clearly, and the fire blazed green. Snape then stepped through it without even waiting for Ron. Ron quickly shook his thoughts away and stepped through after the professor.

Hogsmeade Village was a feast for the eyes, and Ron quickly forgot about his hair-problems. He gawked at every shop and building in utter awe. The village looked as if it was right out of a fairy tale, with witches and wizards laughing and going about their businesses without a care in the world. Snape and Ron made their way to the tournament entrance, and Ron was surprised to see that a lot of people had turned up for the tournament.

"Do not be alarmed Mr. Weasley" Snape said, putting his hand over Ron's left shoulder. Ron didn't tense this time. "From what I have gathered, there are only fifty contestants within the Junior League Tournament this year. So most of these people must be here to compete within the Apprentice League Tournament or within the Adept League Tournament. All three will be taking place at same time, after all." Oh… that makes more sense… Wait… Did he say 'from what I have gathered"?

"Sir" Ron said softly, looking up at Snape. "Did you do research on my behalf…?" Ron asked, feeling rather happy at the thought. Snape stared at Ron for a few seconds, his face expressionless as always.

"Yes" Snape finally said, making Ron beam. Snape narrowed his eyes at Ron, and Ron quickly schooled his features. Blimey… That was not smart Ron. "You are representing our school Mr. Weasley… How many times must I say that before it goes through your thick skull?" Snape then walked towards the entry point without Ron. Ron shook his head, smiled, and ran after the professor. That was textbook Snape!

Snape and Ron were granted entry after Ron showed his pass to an elderly woman who was acting as a gatekeeper of sorts. The professor and student duo then made their way towards the tables allocated to the Junior League Tournament members. Ron looked at his competition with wariness. Quite a few players here are older than me, but most of them look around my age… It's the older players that I need to watch out for. They pose the highest threat to my chances of winning.

"Ahem" came a voice from behind the Junior League members. Ron and Snape turned to see Mr. Curtis, from Flourish and Blotts, standing amidst the tables. "Welcome to the Junior League Tournament" he said with a merry and loud tone. "Now, we don't have much time to spare so I will explain everything at once. Make sure you all listen and pay attention. This is important."

"There are twenty five tables" Mr. Curtis continued. "Each table is numbered from one to twenty-five, and each table will host two players at a time. The table numbers indicate your overall position within the tournament. So if you are on table ten, then you should rank as either number nineteen or twenty! Your average wins per-day determine how much your rank will increase. Those who end up on tables four or higher by the end of March the Twenty-second, will be chosen as the top eight to compete next week. Does everyone understand?" Bloody hell that was a hard thing to follow… What determines our starting ranks then?

"What determines the starting ranks?" a middle-aged woman with a bossy tone questioned.

"The starting ranks are determined at random" Mr. Curtis began. "Chess however, is not a game of chance. It is a game of skill and strategy. Therefore if you excel in both areas, you are bound to win your games. Everyone gets a fair chance."

"Hardly fair" the middle-aged woman argued. "Those who rank on the low end have to win more games than those who don't…"

"I'm sorry you feel that way Madam" Mr. Curtis began. "But if your daughter" Mr. Curtis nodded at the young girl next to the woman "start at number fifty, and manages to win most of her games. She will end up in the top eight. In the end, it is only those with the highest win rates, whom end up in the top eight. Starting rank means very little if you are skilled enough to beat your opponents." Mr. Curtis then flicked his wand and tokens flew out from a nearby basket. "These tokens determine where you will start." With that the tokens flew out to the members, and Ron caught his with the hope that he ranked at least on the high end.

He did not. Number FORTY! Are you kidding me?! Me and my shite luck… "Well Mr. Weasley" Snape's voice drawled in. "It seems that you have your work cut out for you…" Ron frowned at the token.

"I just have to win enough games to make it to the top eight" Ron stated, more for himself rather than Snape. "Not to mention that the people currently holding the position of the Top Eight might be horrid and lose more games than they win… It's a matter of skill, and I have plenty of that."

"Remember to use caution Mr. Weasley" Snape advised. "Do not let your guard down and make sure you don't underestimate anyone in the lower ranks. Someone who has equal… skills… as you, might have received a lower token as well."

"Thank you, Sir" Ron said with a firm nod. "I will make sure to do that." Snape looked at Ron for a second, and then he nodded firmly as well.

"I will be watching from the stands. Good luck, Mr. Weasley. Do Slytherin proud." With that the Potions Master billowed away. Do Slytherin proud… I can do that… Here I go!

Ron went to table twenty, which was occupied by a boy who looked around fourteen or fifteen. "Hello, you must be number… thirty nine" Ron greeted, smiling at the older boy. The boy smiled back.

"I am indeed" the boy chuckled. "Are you ready to play?"

"Yes… May the best man win" Ron said, hoping that he was the best man.

"Alright Junior Members" came Mr. Curtis' voice. "You will all play five games today, and each of these games has the time limit of one hour! Good luck, and BEGIN!" Ron and the older boy started their match.

Ron was playing the white pieces, and as such he was the first one to make a move. Ron focused on using his pawns as a defense for his king, mainly because the older boy pulled his queen out of the backline by his third move. Ron quickly found himself playing the defensive after that. The older boy was excessively aggressive in his playstyle, but he wasn't stupid. Ron tried to trap him multiple times, and the older boy saw through Ron's tricks. The game progressed and by the time the twenty minute mark came around, Ron's brow was sweating. This guy… he's good. And then Ron noticed something that nearly made him jump for joy. The older had positioned his white tile bishop to take Ron's knight, but if he did that then Ron could use his queen to take out the bishop, and then take free reign over the white tiles.

Ron kept his demeanor calm and moved his rook next to his own king, ignoring his own knight completely. The older boy instantly went for the knight, smirking as he took it with his bishop. That smirk fell quickly when Ron moved his own queen and took the boy's bishop. I got you now… Time for me to attack and for you to defend… Ron had less pawns on the board, but the older boy had fewer backline pieces now. Ron used the momentum from his knight's sacrifice to start taking the boy's pawns. With only two rooks, a queen and one knight to defend his pawns, the boy was quickly becoming overwhelmed. All the while Ron constantly threated the boy's king with his last knight. It was checkmate by thirty minutes and Ron let out an audible sigh of relief. I won… barely…

"Well played, mate" the older boy said with a chuckle. "I thought I had you early on… but that bishop move lost me the game I reckon." Ron smiled at the older boy and nodded.

"You didn't see my queen, well played though…" Ron replied. The two shook hands.

"Maybe we'll get to play against each other again! In the top eight that is" the older boy smirked.

"I bloody hope not" Ron chuckled, and the boy joined in. They said their goodbyes and Ron left to sit with Snape, at least until the next round started.

"I see that you won" Snape said in a low tone. "Well played Mr. Weasley… I noticed that you sacrificed your own knight in order to trap the boy. That was… clever." Was that a compliment…?

"I did" Ron said, smiling faintly as he watched the matches that hadn't ended yet.

"Bold move… to sacrifice such a piece" Snape said, watching the matches as well.

"It is better to sacrifice one piece, rather than lose them all" Ron replied. He missed the look that Professor Snape sent his way. Snape smirked at the boy's way of thinking, he had quite the strategic mind it seemed. It almost reminded him of Dumbledore's philosophy of the 'Greater Good'.

After all the matches finished up, Mr. Curtis stood up and made an announcement. "Alright Junior members, those who won their games please move up one table number. Those who lost, please move down one. Except for tables one and fifty! Winner on table one stays where they are, and the loser on table fifty stays where they are." Ron did as he was told and moved to table nineteen. Time to win!

Ron and Snape didn't come back until five 'o' clock, and by then Ron was completely mentally spent. He had managed to win every single match today. And he was in a great mood because of it. Even Snape had held a smirk all the way back.

Ron stepped though the fire without stumbling. Dumbledore was right, I just need to keep walking like I usually do. Snape followed in after him. "Well done today, Mr. Weasley" Snape said, his smirk still in place. "You might win this after all…"

"Thank you, Sir" Ron beamed, and this time Snape didn't mind the boy's wide smile. He had earned it… today at least.

"I expect you to keep this up, and do not let your victories today go to your head. You have only faced five individuals, so do not lose your focus" Snape decided to add.

"Of course, Sir" Ron said, nodding firmly. "May I be excused, I want to tell my friends…" Snape nodded, and then Ron all but ran to the common room. I can't wait to tell them!

Ron slowed down as he got closer to the common room. He didn't want to appear disheveled in front of the other Slytherins. Ron stepped through the common room entrance, his breathing steady, and his demeanor calm. He spotted his friends sitting in their usual spot, and he approached them with a faint smile.

"RON!" Daphne exclaimed, she was the first to notice him. "He's back you lot! How did it go? Did you win any? What happened to your hair?!" Woah… slowdown haha!

"Hey Daph!" Ron greeted, smiling widely at her. "It went great and I won every game today! As for my hair, it was Snape's doing. Something about looking decent…" The girls squealed in excitement at hearing that, while Theo and Blaise stood up smirking and shook Ron's hand in congratulations.

"That's great news, mate" Theo said, smiling genuinely. "I told you that you could win this thing!"

"Thanks Theo" Ron said, happy to have both the boys back. It's been a couple of weeks, and it's like they never left! Though they are more open now… I like that. It's just like with mum, we fought but now we are stronger than ever.

"Did anyone you play give you any trouble?" Pansy asked, her voice laced with excitement. And she used to hate me once… and now she is one of my closest friends! Time sure changes things…

"There was one boy…" Ron started. "He was older than me, and he gave me the most trouble. Our match lasted thirty minutes before I checkmated him."

"Alas, he was no match for our fearless leader!" Tracey teased, smiling widely at Ron. Ron blushed hard, and his ear felt hot.

"Stop that" Ron muttered, smiling faintly at Tracey's nickname for him. Ron then sat down on the floor, with the fire-place facing his back. The others sat back down too, and they all looked quite happy. Even Blaise…

"Do you think the Headmaster will allow us to go down to Hogsmeade, for the Top Eight matches?" Millie asked, petting her cat softly. "I really hope so, I've heard Hogsmeade is wonderful!"

"It is Millie" Ron exclaimed. "There are so many shops and there were so many people there. Everyone looked like they were having a ball!"

"Ease up there, Millie. I'm sure he hasn't made it to the Top Eight yet" Blaise said, his smile and aloof voice making an odd combination.

"He has to!" Daphne said, looking at Ron almost pleadingly. What? What happened? Why does she sound so desperate?

"Um… Daph… is there something I should know…?" Ron asked in a stutter.

"Oh this is great" Tracey grinned at Ron. "Get ready for it, Ron. Daphne if you please…" Tracey gestured at Daphne to speak. Instead Daphne glared at Tracey for a few seconds, and then she sighed and turned to Ron.

"I did something stupid…" Daphne muttered. Merlin what did she do? I haven't seen her this apologetic before…

"What?" Ron asked, worried at Daphne's sullen behavior and the wolfish grins his other friends were giving.

"You know how we all decided to stay behind…" Daphne began, looking slightly sheepish. "Well I told my family why and… well my father is a Chess Master, and so he decided that he will be coming to watch you play… at the Top Eight tournament…" Daphne finished with a sheepish smile. A Chess Master is coming to Hogsmeade… just to watch me play… Oh Merlin… I HAVE TO WIN THIS!

"No pressure" Tracey chuckled, and then laughed at Ron's pale face. His other friends chuckled too, and Daphne did her best to not laugh at Ron.

"No pressure my arse…" Ron muttered, shaking his head.

"Also… my mother and sister will accompany him as well…" Daphne added.

"Merlin Daph! Did you invite your cousins too?!" Ron exclaimed, grimacing at the prospect of meeting her family with so much pressure on him. "Anyone else want to invite their families too?"

"Actually mine are rather excited to see you… or were" Tracey half-pouted and half-smiled. "You know before you blew us off…"

"Hey…" Ron said slowly. "I didn't mean to… it just happened…"

"Excuses" Tracey huffed like Daphne, and feigned hurt. "You'd better come around during the end of school holidays…"

"Of course" Ron said with a smile, glad that she wasn't actually upset. The conversation then fell into a pleasant rhythm, with all of them discussing Ron's upcoming games. Ron couldn't have asked for better support. Four more days… I need to win every game…

AUTHOR'S NOTES: And there it is! Another arc begins! I personally hate huge time-jumps so I want this story to be filled with events. Events that shape the characters and show that they are changing slowly as time progresses. It feels more natural to me this way. Now to those wondering how long this story is going to be... I am aiming for over a million words! I know... HUGE! But I want to do Ron and these characters some real justice! Especially Ron because I don't like the hate he gets for no reason in the fandoms.

See you all on Friday! (hint hint* Hermione Granger and Charlie Weasley finally get a POV each)