Fate

by TheTrueSpartan

When Ron discovers that he can see the future, his entire fate is thrown off of its course. A story about adventure, friendship, growing up, and pushing forward through hardships. This story will get darker as it progresses, just like the original Harry Potter novels. It will cover all Seven Years of Hogwarts, but mostly from Ron's perspective. No Mary Sues, no Character bashing.

44. Chapter 44 - Catching Up

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Chapter 44 is here! I said that it would be up on Sunday, and technically, it is Sunday in Australia today. 12 am in Australia =) Now just to clarify somethings to avoid confusion.

1. Ron's memories of the Dark Place were wiped clean by the 'Woman of Light' (A nickname a reviewer used)

2. Ron still has the Horcrux within him, so his already volatile temper is still empowered by it's negative influence. But I refuse to turn him emo like Harry was in the fifth and sixth book. Ron is too emotional to be the emo sort in my opinion.

3. As the title suggests, Ron will be learning about what has happened in his absence. He may or may not like a few things...

Please Enjoy!

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.

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Fate

Chapter 44 – Catching Up

Ronald Weasley's POV

March 3rd, 1993 (Hospital Wing)

"Hey, kid" Sirius said with a wide smile. "Welcome back to the land of the living." Ron blinked at him, and then he tried to get out of bed. I have to tell the Headmaster about Ginny. He'll know how to save her.

"Mr. Weasley!" Madam Pomfrey scolded as she quickly grabbed onto his shoulder and stopped him. "You need to rest! Slow down, please!"

"I've rested enough" Ron frowned. "I need to talk to the Headmaster right now." The adults were stunned into silence at that, and even Lord and Lady Greengrass looked surprised. Why isn't Ginny here? That thought sent a jolt of panic through him. And he tried to get up again, but Pomfrey stopped him with a deep frown.

"Ronnie?" came his mother's voice. "Please just stop for a second." Ron's eyes went to her, and the first thing that crossed his mind was the fact that she had cried with disappointment on the day that he was born. And the last time I saw her, she slapped me so hard that I almost fell over. Not to mention that she is trying to take everything away from me.

"Where is Ginny?" Ron asked his siblings, and they all blinked at him. And then, they all adorned guilty look and averted their gazes. Utter panic engulfed Ron at that, was she hurt? Dead? He had to know!

"Ginny is fine, Ron" his father said softly. "She is… recovering from…" his father trailed off.

"Her possession?" Ron asked bluntly, and his father's eyes widened slightly.

"Yes…" his father replied softly. "Dumbledore told us that you found out that she was… possessed… while she attacked you."

"Where is she then?" Ron asked, he was getting frustrated with them all. Just tell me that she's alive and well, and tell me where she is.

"She is back at the Burrow" Pandora replied, and then she walked over to Ron and placed a soft hand on his right shoulder. "Ron, she is safe. She is no longer possessed, and she is recovering from her ordeal." Ron relaxed at that, and he smiled at Pandora gratefully.

"Thank you" Ron sighed. "How long was I gone?"

"It's March the third today" Pandora told him, and he nodded slowly. It was February seventeenth last I remember. Ron tried to think about his encounter with the Entity again, but his head hurt when he thought about his 'fall' into darkness. What happened after I fell? Why can't I remember it? I know something happened! "Ron, you missed your birthday" Pandora told him with a faint smile. Ron just blinked at her, and then he smiled too.

"Did you get me something nice?" Ron joked, and Pandora and the adults chuckled softly. Ron missed the fact that his parents didn't laugh. They just stood there quietly while other people succeeded in calming down their son.

"I forgot about your birthday this year" Pandora shrugged with a smile.

"That's just mean" Ron smiled softly as he lay back down. He felt so much calmer now, things seemed to have worked out. And then it hit him, his friends weren't here. "Where are my friends?"

"They are very eager to meet you" Lord Greengrass replied, and Ron smiled at his mentor. "But we decided that it was best that we adults spoke to you first."

"Adults? Then why is Sirius here?" Ron joked, he decided that he didn't like the tension in the room. He much preferred a happier environment. The adults chuckled again while Sirius just stared at Ron with mock hurt.

"I liked you better when you were petrified" Sirius quipped, his face breaking into a wide smile.

"Sirius, don't say that" Remus scolded. "Ron made a very good point." Ron grinned at Sirius at that, and Sirius looked like he was struggling to hold back his laughter.

"I'm going home" Sirius said with fake annoyance, but he didn't leave. "I'm glad that you're back, pup" Sirius said suddenly, and Ron blinked at him.

"Me too" Ron replied. I wonder if he's mad at me for what I did to Potter.

"Poppy" came a cold voice, and Ron grinned. Professor Snape. "I have administered the potion to the other three patients. They will be getting up shortly" Snape said as he came into view.

"Thank you, Severus" Pomfrey smiled, and then she left in a hurry. Snape shot a quick look at Ron, and Ron grinned at him. They looked at each other for a second, and then Snape rolled his eyes and billowed away. He missed me, I can tell. Ron didn't miss Sirius whispering something to Remus, and Remus frowning at Sirius in return. Let me guess, Sirius doesn't like Snape? Ron tried to get up, and Pandora let out a sigh.

"Ron, please just stay in bed" Pandora requested, and Ron groaned like a petty child.

"I've been in bed for ages" Ron argued. "Please just let me stretch a little, my legs are hurting." That lie seemed to work, and Pandora nodded slowly. Sirius and Remus quickly moved over and helped Ron out of bed, and Ron had to admit, his legs felt like jelly. But they quickly adjusted, and Ron stretched his back. That's when he noticed something extremely peculiar. Why do my robes smell like jasmines… and sandalwood? They feel really clean too. "Did someone give me a bath while I was… incapacitated?" Ron asked Sirius and Remus, and they looked taken aback.

"Um… no, kid" Sirius replied. "You were frozen… like a statue. We couldn't do it even if we wanted to." That's really odd. Ron then took some steps and stretched again, and the feeling made him release him a happy groan.

"That feels nice" Ron smiled at the adults, and they all just smiled at him. Ron's eyes stayed on Lord and Lady Greengrass, and he beamed at the fact that they were here to visit him. "Thank you for being here, my Lord and Lady."

"Of course we came" Lady Greengrass smiled, and then she extended her arms. Ron smiled, and he gave her a hug. She did what she always did when she hugged him, she pulled him tightly against her bosom. "Welcome back Ron, Daphne will be so happy to see you. As will Astoria, the girl hasn't stopped talking about you for two weeks now."

"I can't wait to see them too" Ron said as he pulled back, and then he turned to Lord Greengrass and extended his hand.

"Welcome back, Ron" Lord Greengrass smirked as he shook Ron's hand firmly. "I'm glad you are awake in time to sign up for the Junior League…" Lord Greengrass stopped as his wife glared murder at him. "I mean… Welcome back." Ron let out a chuckle at that.

"When do we sign up, my Lord?" Ron asked, and Lord Greengrass smirked. Ron missed his parents looking at the exchange with worried looks. Why was Ron calling Sebastian 'my Lord'? He had changed so much…

"Tomorrow" Lord Greengrass told him. "I know it is Wednesday tomorrow, but we need to do it as soon as possible."

"Tomorrow is Wednesday?" Ron asked slowly. "My Lord, I have classes."

"I already told Albus how important this is, and he has agreed to let you go if you are up for it" Lord Greengrass replied, and Ron smiled.

"I'm up for it" Ron said firmly.

"Good man" Lord Greengrass smiled genuinely. "Come to the Manor tomorrow in your best robes, do you understand?" No, I don't.

"I do, my Lord" Ron nodded firmly.

"Are you done, husband?" Lady Greengrass smiled softly. "Good, now let him speak with his family." Lady Greengrass then turned to Ron with a loving smile. "We will see you tomorrow, Ron. We need to get back to the Manor before Astoria burns it down. She threw quite a fit when we told her that she had to wait an extra day to see you."

"I understand, my Lady" Ron gave her a respectful nod. "Please tell Astoria that I'm looking forward to seeing her again."

"We will" Lord Greengrass said, and then both Lord and Lady left. Ron watched them leave, but his eyes veered slightly when he saw McGonagall speaking with Hermione, Creevey, and Finch-Fletchley. Hermione shot him a soft smile, and he gave her one back. They're probably discussing what's happened since their attacks.

"Ron" came Percy's voice, and Ron turned around with a smile. His siblings looked extremely happy, and slightly teary eyed. Ron didn't like that, it made him feel rather uncomfortable. He could handle Ginny and Luna being emotional, but his brothers… They were a different story.

"Did you miss me?" Ron joked with a grin, and the twins chuckled.

"We hardly noticed that you were gone" Fred quipped.

"If you wanted to skip classes, Ronnie, all you had to do was ask us" George smiled widely.

"And not get yourself petrified" the twins said together. Ron saw his mother and father frown at the twins, but Ron just chuckled at their jokes. I prefer this over sappy nonsense anyway, at least I know how to react to this.

"What can I say?" Ron shrugged with a smirk. "I like to go all out when I do something." The twins and Luna laughed at that, and even Percy chuckled.

"We missed you" the twins said as they both hugged him, and Ron felt his ears burn.

"I… missed you too" Ron whispered so that only they could hear. Except I didn't really miss you. It felt like I fell asleep and then woke up. When the twins let him go, Percy also gave him a hug. Percy's hugs didn't feel awkward anymore like they did when they were younger, but that was because they were closer than they used to be. That reminds me… I need to start studying for third year. Or everyone will realize that I'm no prodigy, and that I'm actually quite average.

"Welcome back, Ron" Percy said as he gave him a squeeze. Once Percy let him go, Ron turned to a smiling Luna.

"Saved the best for last" Ron smiled at her, and she ran up and hugged him so tightly he felt his back crack a little. "Oh…" Ron groaned, and then he put his arms around her and gave her a squeeze. Xenophilius and Pandora were smiling ear to ear at that, while Remus and Sirius just smiled softly. "I'm alright, Luna" Ron whispered. "Everything's going to be alright." The hug lasted for another ten seconds, but Ron didn't really mind. He was fine with hugging his sisters, mostly because they were extremely affectionate and he had gotten used to it. If the twins hugged me for this long, then I'd probably leave the country.

"How are feeling, Ron?" Luna asked with an airy smile after she let him go.

"I feel fine" Ron chuckled, and Luna blinked at him. Merlin, here we go. She's about to say something that's going to make us all uncomfortable.

"You don't have to hide the fact that you're worried about Ginny, Ron" Luna hummed, and everyone went quiet. Well done, Luna. Well done…

"Of course I'm worried, Luna" Ron sighed. "But mother and father said that she's fine. I will see her as soon as I can to make sure that they are telling the truth." Luna nodded at that, and Ron gave her a reassuring smile. Why isn't she here though? I can understand why Charlie and Bill didn't come, they work far away from home. But Ginny is at the Burrow if Pandora is to be believed. And I highly doubt that she'd lie to me about that.

With that, he turned to his parents. They had smiles on their faces, but Ron honestly didn't feel like smiling at the sight of them. To them, he'd been gone for a couple of weeks. But to him, it had only been a little while. He was petrified, and then he went into that dream world. The dream world that had shown him his mother's reaction to his birth. And now here he was, standing right in front of them. He hadn't seen them since Dumbledore's Office, and they were still trying to rip him away from his friends because of their own prejudice against Slytherin.

"Welcome back, Ronnie" his mother smiled at him, and then she extended her arms in-order to invite him into a hug. Ron just stared at the woman who had wept upon his birth out of disappointment, and he felt an extremely bitter feeling fester in his chest. The kind that made him feel sick, the kind that made him sweat under his armpits from unease.

"Mother" Ron said coldly, and then he turned to his father. "Father." And just with that, Ron left them all slack-jawed. His time in that dream world had given him the strength to finally stop trying to please these people. His father was still redeemable in his eyes for now. But the woman who had cried right after his birth, neglected him for years on end, who had told him that he had humiliated her with his sorting, and had smacked him in front of everyone important in his life had no place in his heart. If she didn't want him, then he didn't want her. He'd protect her in the upcoming war because she was a Weasley, but he didn't need her approval. Or her fickle 'love' that only came around when he was in mortal peril. Ron walked over to where Hermione and the other victims were, and he smiled widely at Hermione.

"Ron" Hermione beamed as he walked up to stand beside her.

"Mr. Weasley" McGonagall greeted him, and then she shot a quick look at his family. Whatever she saw made her furrow her brow, but Ron didn't even care to look. He had already greeted the people that he wanted to see. Except for Ginny. I want to see her for myself. "Are you done meeting your family?"

"Yes, I'm done" Ron answered with a polite smile, and she gave him a slow nod.

"Very well, it is good that you are here for this" McGonagall said. "I was just telling your fellow students that the Heir has been stopped, and that we have also taken care of Slytherin's monster." Ron felt Hermione tense a bit, and he looked over to her and he saw that she was forcing on a smile. She was attacked by my sister, wasn't she? I need to talk to her about this. I made a promise to not leave her behind ever again, and I'm going to keep it. "I was also telling them that dinner is about to be served, and that if you are all up to it, your presence will be much appreciated."

"Well, I haven't eaten in a while" Ron joked, and he got a few laughs out of the other victims. Even McGonagall gave him a thin-lipped smile.

"Ron, be serious" Hermione chuckled, seemingly forgetting her previous worries. Good, it worked. And it worked for the others too.

"I am serious" Ron smiled at Hermione. "I'd love to go to dinner, Professor McGonagall."

"Me too" Hermione joined in.

"Same, I'm actually really hungry" Finch-Fletchley said.

"I'd like to attend as well" Creevey piped in with his squeaky voice.

"Excellent" McGonagall nodded. "Well, follow me." She then started leading them out, but she suddenly stopped. "Mr. Weasleys and Miss. Lovegood, come along now" McGonagall called out to his siblings. Ron heard their footsteps approaching but he didn't turn to face them. McGonagall led them all out, and Ron walked right beside Hermione.

"Why aren't your parents here?" Ron whispered to her.

"They're Muggles, Ron" Hermione replied in a haughty tone, and she gave Ron a deadpan look.

"And?" Ron asked slowly, and Hermione blinked at him.

"Muggles can't see Hogwarts" Finch-Fletchley replied for Hermione, he couldn't help but overhear Ron. "To them, Hogwarts appears as a smoldering ruin with danger signs all around it."

"Really?" Ron asked, he had no idea.

"Ron, haven't you read 'Hogwarts: A History'?" Hermione asked with a confused look.

"Nope" Ron smirked. "I saw it, and it looked boring."

"It's not boring" Hermione giggled as she shoved Ron lightly.

"You two are… friends?" Finch-Fletchley asked, and even Creevey looked interested now.

"We are" Ron answered, and Hermione smiled widely.

"But you're in Slytherin…" Finch-Fletchley muttered, and Ron had to force back a frown. Does he want me to put him back in his hospital bed?

"Weasley's alright" Creevey piped in. "He took a photo of me and Harry together." I did, didn't I? Feels like ages ago though.

"I see" Finch-Fletchley said slowly, and then he smiled and extended his hand. "I'm Justin Finch-Fletchley, a pleasure to meet you."

"Weasley, Ronald Weasley" Ron shook his hand and smiled. "And I feel likewise."

"I'm Colin Creevey" Creevey squeaked. "But you already know that…"

"And I'm Hermione Granger" Hermione giggled. "I guess we four have something in common now."

"Yeah, we all have shite luck" Ron smirked, and Hermione smacked his arm with a frown. Finch-Fletchley and Creevey stifled their laughs, and Ron grinned sheepishly at Hermione.

"Ronald, your language is getting worse by the day" Hermione lectured haughtily. "My mother told me that a person's character can be told by the words that they use."

"And I have bad character, everyone knows that" Ron shrugged, and Hermione narrowed her eyes on him. She's trying not to smile, I can see it.

"Well, I think you're alright Ron" Finch-Fletchley smiled. "Can I call you Ron?" I'd rather you didn't.

"Of course, that is my name after all" Ron smiled back. "Justin." The Hufflepuff nodded and smiled widely at that.

"You guys can call me Colin" Creevey said excitedly.

"Well, look at us" Ron smirked. "Now all we need is a Ravenclaw to finish up the band." The two boys sniggered at that, while Hermione just smiled and shook her head lightly.

"Ron, can I talk to you?" came Percy's voice from behind him.

"Sure" Ron replied, and he steeled his nerves. Here comes a lecture about being respectful to parents. But they clearly don't respect me considering that they're ripping me away from my house and friends to feel better about themselves. Ron slowed down and let Percy walk up beside him, and Ron didn't miss the fact that the twins stayed back and they kept Luna with them.

"Ron, what was that?" Percy asked softly, his brow furrowed.

"What was what?" Ron asked, and Percy frowned.

"You treated mum and dad so coldly" Percy said, his tone suggested that he was disappointed. "They've been worried sick about you… Mum was in tears after you left, and everyone had to calm her down."

"And?" Ron asked, and he stared at Percy with a deadpan look. Percy blinked at that, he was clearly taken aback.

"Ron? What happened?" Percy asked slowly. "You don't ever act so cold towards anyone."

"I don't want to talk about this" Ron replied. "They know what they did wrong, and they have to live with it."

"Alright, now I need to know what happened" Percy said, his face becoming serious. Percy suddenly looked around, and he frowned at the fact that they were nearing the Great Hall. "This conversation isn't finished, Ron."

"Fine" Ron frowned, and then he walked back to Hermione's side.

"What was that?" Hermione asked softly, she looked quite concerned.

"Just family stuff" Ron shrugged.

"Okay…" Hermione bit her bottom lip, and Ron knew that she wasn't going to let this go. "Well, us three were just talking. And we decided to catch up on our studies together, we missed a lot when we were… petrified."

"You should join us, Ron" Justin smiled. Hmm… Two Gryffindors and a Hufflepuff… This could yield some results if I play this right.

"I'd love to" Ron smiled, and Hermione beamed and clapped her hands in excitement.

"See" Hermione told the other two boys. "I told you two that Ron would join us! Colin, we can help you with your studies because you're still in first year and we've already gone through it. We can all meet up tomorrow after classes!"

"Actually, I'm not here tomorrow" Ron said with a sheepish smile. "I will be going to Diagon Alley to sign up for the Junior League tournament."

"Oh…" Hermione blinked.

"But I'm free Thursday" Ron offered.

"Same" Colin and Justin nodded.

"Alright then" Hermione smiled. "We can all meet at the library on Thursday. This is going to be great!" Hermione said excitedly, and Ron smiled widely at her excitement. I need to get my hands on third year's notes. But Percy's notes were destroyed by Crabbe and Goyle. I need someone else's… But who? Bill tossed his, and Charlie wasn't really the best student around.

"Are you all ready?" McGonagall asked the four of them, and they nodded. McGonagall then pushed the massive doors open, and they all walked in. The Hall erupted in cheers and applause, and all four of them were taken aback. McGonagall turned to them and smiled, and Ron realized why she had insisted that they come to dinner. Sly old cat. This is a welcome back feast, isn't it?

Ron looked to the other three victims, and they were all just wide-eyed and red in the face. Ron decided that he liked this kind of welcome, so he smiled widely and stepped forward. He put up his hands at his sides, and he gave the cheering crowd a bow. There was a roar of laughter and whistles, and Ron grinned ear to ear. That seemed to make the other three relax a little, and they managed shy waves at cheering student body.

"Welcome back" came Albus Dumbledore's booming voice from the staff table, and the cheering and whistles slowly died down. "Welcome back" Dumbledore said again, and all four victims looked to see Dumbledore smiling at them from the staff table. "Please, take your seats. We have all been awaiting your arrival eagerly." McGonagall then ushered them to their tables with a rare smile, and Ron shot one last look to Hermione. She smiled and gave him a wave, and he smiled and gave her a parting nod. Ron then turned his attention to his friends, and he saw them beaming at him. Even Blaise was smiling widely for once, but it was Daphne's smile that caught his attention. He had never seen her show so much emotion in public before, and he felt his cheeks flush. Ron sat down in his usual spot in-between Blaise and Theo, and Theo put his arm around Ron immediately.

"Welcome back, mate" Theo chuckled. "We bloody missed you!"

"Stop it, Theo" Ron grinned. "You're making me blush." The girls giggled at that, and then they bombarded him with their happy voices.

"Welcome back, Ron!" they all said at the same time, their faces were lit up by their wide smiles.

"Thanks" Ron smiled back. "It's good to be back where I belong." That was the right response apparently, because the girls somehow smiled even more widely.

"Merlin, I missed you so much!" Tracey exclaimed happily. "Daphne was a terrible leader."

"Hey!" Daphne frowned at her, and Tracey let out a loud laugh. Leader?

"What do you mean by 'leader'?" Ron asked with a laugh.

"She took charge after your attack" Blaise said as he patted Ron's back. "We'll tell you later." Ron nodded, and he shot a quick look to Daphne. She was smiling at him, but her cheeks were now rosy.

"Welcome back, welcome back" Dumbledore said loudly, and all heads turned to him. He was standing behind his podium, a massive smile on his face. Ron also noticed that Hagrid was sitting on the teachers table for some reason, a big grin on his face. "Today is a day of celebration! Friends have been returned, and this dark chapter is finally closed. The school is safe, and now we can all move forward. I have much to share with you all, so I ask that you all to have patience and indulge this old man. As you all know, Gilderoy Lockhart is being charged with Fraud and Assault by the Ministry. And so, we have no D.A.D.A Professor for the remainder of the year." Ron looked to his friends with shock, but they just smiled at him. They just liked looking at his face.

"So I have decided to teach D.A.D.A myself for the remainder of the year" Dumbledore announced, and there were excited whispers amongst the students. "Furthermore, we would like to make it up to you all for this terrible year. Quidditch will re-commence, and there will be matches every day. And all are welcome to join." The students broke into wild cheers, and Ron clapped along with them. It doesn't really affect me, but I'm happy for them. He did say that everyone is welcome though, so I might drop by. "And as a special school treat, all exams are cancelled for the year!" The students cheered wildly and slammed their goblets on the tables, and Dumbledore chuckled heartily.

"This, of course" Dumbledore continued "does not apply to fifth years and seventh years." This was met with loud groans and laughter at the same time. "But I will be personally tutoring all fifth years and seventh years from tomorrow onwards. And due to the stress caused by the attacks, all fifth years and seventh years will be given special dispensations that will boost their scores on their O. and N.E. respectively." The fifth years and seventh years all started cheering again, and even the Professors were clapping happily. Well, all of them except for Snape. Snape just clapped with a blank expression.

"Now with all of that out of the way" Dumbledore went on. "Let the feast… begin!" Mountains of food appeared on the tables, and Ron couldn't see a single food that he didn't like on the table. It was clear that Dumbledore had pulled out all the stops, and Ron dug right in.

"Now, tell me about this leader business" Ron smiled at Daphne, and she blushed a little.

"I simply made sure that we stuck together" Daphne smirked. "I didn't do anything special."

"Don't listen to her, Ron" Pansy interjected with a wide smile. "She was amazing! She even kept Potter and Longbottom in check!" What?

"Alright, start from the beginning" Ron laughed. "I really want to hear this. I want to know everything that happened in my absence."

---

March 4th, 1993 (Boys' Dorm – Midnight)

Ron had spent the entire night listening to his friends, and he hadn't stopped smiling the entire night. They told him of how Dumbledore was suspended by the Board, and of how Hagrid was arrested. But none of that mattered now because they were both back, and Hagrid even got a full pardon from the Minister himself. And then Ron learned that Daphne had taken charge splendidly after he had been taken out of the picture, and truth be told, he wanted her to stay in charge. He was no leader. He decided that he'd talk to her about this tomorrow. Blaise told him that he had honored Ron's wish to bring in Potter and Longbottom. And Blaise also explained that Potter had opened the Chamber for them and the Professors, but only after the Slytherins had figured everything out. Ron was glad also to hear that his secret friendship with the Hat was still secret, and he had his friends' cleverness to thank for that.

Then Ron had listened with rapt attention as the girls told him how the ground had shaken while the Professors had fought the Heir and the Basilisk. Ron felt annoyed that he missed such a spectacle, but it was probably for the best. His friends had come through splendidly while he wasn't around, and that made him quite proud of them. Ron was especially proud of Daphne for putting aside her spoilt habits in favor of keeping them all together. She had been the first one to agree with Blaise and Theo about Potter, and he was sure that her opinion had swayed the other three girls. And now, they were discussing Lockhart.

"So he ran away during the crisis?" Ron asked.

"Yeah" Theo sniggered. "Turns out that the bloke was a complete fraud. Not only did he bolt, but he got caught within a day by Amelia Bones' squad of Aurors. The clown was found sneaking around Knockturn Alley while he wore bright lavender robes. They dragged him into the Ministry, and threw him in the dungeons. Now he is being charged with Fraud and for Assault."

"Assault?" Ron asked.

"He was stealing other people's feats" Blaise smirked. "All of his books were about what other people accomplished. He just found them afterwards and just obliviated them. Then he took all the credit. He probably didn't even know any decent spells other than Obliviate. The Professors are all helping build a case against Lockhart, and Dumbledore is acting as an expert witness." Ron could tell how happy Blaise and Theo were because he too felt great about this. Lockhart was a damn menace, and he deserved to be locked up.

"So…" Ron looked to the girls with a smirk. "Still have a crush on him? I hear that girls like the trouble makers." The girls just gave him deadpan looks, and Tracey gave Ron 'the Bird'. Ron and the boys sniggered at the girls, and they all just narrowed their eyes on them. "Sorry, sorry" Ron sniggered, and then he relaxed against his trunk. They were all currently sitting on the floor in a circle, it was a little cramped. "Well, I'm just glad that this is all done. No more Heir business, no more attacks, and no more glaring contests between the different houses."

"There are a couple of things that we haven't told you yet" Millie said slowly, and Ron blinked at her.

"Like what?" Ron asked.

"They offered us some rather amazing rewards for our role in the Chamber's discovery" Millie told him, and Ron nodded slowly. "They offered us public credit for finding the Chamber, two hundred house-points each, and trophies for Special Services to the School."

"Bloody hell" Ron muttered.

"We turned them all down, mate" Theo said softly. What?! Why?! "And it's because of Blaise, Millie, and I…"

"What do you mean?" Ron asked.

"We can't be associated with bringing down the Heir, Ron" Blaise said in a decisive tone. "Our parents are Blood-Supremacists, and if we helped stop the Heir, that would land us in some serious trouble." Ron nodded slowly at that, now their refusal made sense. I've always known what their parents were like, and this makes it easier to understand. This is about something more important than House loyalty, this is about family.

"We're sorry, mate" Theo apologized, and Ron looked at him with a smile.

"I understand, Theo" Ron said truthfully.

"You do?" Millie asked, a grateful smile on her face.

"I do" Ron nodded. "Trust me, I wouldn't have understood when I first came to Slytherin. But I do now. You didn't choose your parents, but you love and depend on them. You don't want to lose that, and I don't care about collecting some reward if it means taking that away from you guys." The girls beamed at Ron, Theo gave him a grateful smile, and Blaise gave him a strong pat on the back. "You remember when we first decided to hunt for the Heir? It was right in this room."

"Yes, I do" Daphne replied, a wide smile still on her face. The others nodded to indicate their answers.

"We decided to find the Heir because we didn't want to get split up" Ron reminded them. "So who cares about what the Professors offered us, we already got what we wanted. The school stays open, and we all get to stay together."

"What about your parents?" Pansy asked, she was getting teary eyed for some reason.

"What about them?" Ron shrugged. "I want to stay here in Slytherin. I want to stay here with all of you. And I'm not going to let them take me away because they have something against this House. I'm not them, and I don't have to share their beliefs. I'm my own person. I know what I believe in, and I'm sticking by it." And it was right then that Ron was attacked by four overly affectionate girls, and Theo and Blaise had leaped out of the way to save themselves. They didn't get far…

---

March 4th, 1993 (Boy's Dorm – Crack of Dawn)

Ron fixed the collar of his best robes, and he smiled at his reflection. His hair was getting slightly longer and messy again, but it stayed in place due to the gel Pansy had given him. He planned to ask her for another haircut soon. His black velvet robes were clean and without a single crinkle, and he wore an emerald colored tie to compliment the green studs that lined the robes designs. All in all, he looked quite presentable. Ron left the bathroom with a wide smile, it felt nice to dress up every now and then.

"Ron, why are you awake this early?" came Blaise's voice, the dark-skinned boy was sitting up on his bed. "And why are you dressed like that?"

"Ah, yeah…" Ron said slowly. "I forgot to mention this last night, but I won't be around for today."

"What? Why?" Blaise asked quickly, his eyes no longer tired. That was quite the reaction from Blaise, what's he up to?

"I need to sign up for the Junior League Tournament, Blaise" Ron replied honestly. "Lord Greengrass told me to get all dressed up for some reason though."

"When will you be back?" Blaise asked, and Ron blinked at him. Since when does he act this clingy?

"Probably after classes" Ron shrugged. "The last time I went to sign up, Snape and I ended up waiting in lines for hours… Ugh… That is going to be the worst."

"Alright" Blaise nodded slowly, and Ron could tell that he was annoyed. Whatever. This needs to get done, so I have to go. Ron then walked over to his nightstand, and he froze. Where is my wand? And that's when he remembered that he had been disarmed by 'Ginny'. Ron clenched his hands into fists, Merlin he was pathetic. He had lost the wand that Pandora had given him, and he had lost it without even firing a single spell… But the worst part was the fact that Ron had been so confident in his abilities, but he had been disarmed in little over a second. "Ron, what are you doing just standing there?" Blaise asked.

"My wand…" Ron sighed. "I need to go and find it."

"We already found it, Ron" Blaise told him, and Ron turned to face his best mate. "It's with Daphne right now. She probably forgot to give it to you because of all the excitement. You should head down to her dorm and grab it." Ron's cheeks went a bit red at that, and unfortunately, Blaise saw it. "Want me to go with you?" Blaise asked in a mocking tone. "I can hold your hand if you want."

"Fuck off, Zabini" Ron chuckled, and Blaise sniggered. "I'll see you after classes, bye."

"Take care, mate" Blaise responded as Ron left the room. Ron drew in a sharp breath after he closed his door, and then he walked out to the common room. From there, he walked into the girls' dorms. The moment he crossed the entrance, Ron began getting anxious. He'd never been in here before, and he couldn't help but worry that he would get in trouble if he got spotted. If only I had my wand to cast the Disillusionment Charm. But then again, I wouldn't be here if I did have it.

Ron quickly found the door that had a sign saying 'Second Years' on it, and he knocked on the door lightly. Then another worry hit Ron, he was about to see the girls in their pajamas. The thought made him blush and smile a little, and he quickly checked to make sure that his hair was in place. Ron heard some movement from behind the door, and he schooled his features. I'd rather not be seen smiling creepily when they come out. The door opened very slightly, and Daphne peeked out. Her usually neat and styled hair was messy, and she had a groggy look on her face. Ron just blinked at her disheveled appearance, and a small part of him was glad that he couldn't see what she was wearing. Daphne's eyes popped open at the sight of him, and she shrieked as she shut the door in his face. What the fuck?

"Um… Daph" Ron spoke to the door. "I need my wand…"

"Give me a minute!" Daphne yelled back, and he could hear her moving around the room frantically. He then started hearing other voice too, and he figured that Daphne had woken up the other girls when she had shrieked. What was with that reaction?! I just want my wand back. She can just hand it over from a crack in the door.

"Tracey, what are you doing?" Pansy hissed from behind the door.

"Greeting Ron properly" came Tracey's mischievous voice.

"YOU'RE NAKED!" Pansy shrieked, and Ron took a long, slow step away from the door. "Mills, grab her!" Ron could hear a scuffle happening behind the door, and he could hear Tracey laughing wildly. Ron just stood rooted in his spot, maybe this was a bad idea. After a minute of waiting, Daphne suddenly popped out of the room and she quickly shut the door behind her. She was wearing silver silk pajamas that hugged her figure, her hair looked like it had been patted down, and judging by the water marks on her pajamas, she had just washed her face. Ron was also glad to see that she was holding his wand in her left hand.

"Here…" Daphne said as she handed his wand to him, and Ron took it with a smile. It felt warm in his left hand, and he could feel the hum of its magic. Having it back instantly comforted Ron, and he quickly put it in his inner robe pocket. Ron then looked back up to see a rather bashful looking Daphne, her cheeks was rather crimson.

"Thank you, Daph" Ron said gratefully. "I really appreciate you taking care of my wand for me." That sounded really wrong. Apparently Daphne thought so as well because she just blinked at him, her face getting redder by the second. "I didn't… mean it like that…" Ron stammered.

"No, it's okay" Daphne muttered, and then she took a good look at him. "Ron, why are you so dressed up?"

"Yeah, about that" Ron sighed, at least it was less awkward now. "I won't be around today…" Daphne quickly cut him off.

"What?!" Daphne asked, her eyes wide open from surprise. That's the same reaction Blaise had, what the hell? "Why? And when will you be back?"

"I'm going to go sign up for the Junior League Tournament" Ron replied slowly. "I should be back after classes end for the day… Daph, what's going on?"

"Nothing" Daphne lied, and Ron blinked at her.

"Alright, I'm not leaving until you tell me what's happening" Ron crossed his arms, and Daphne gave him a sheepish look.

"It was supposed to be a surprise" Daphne sighed after a few seconds. "We wanted to celebrate your birthday, and you coming back…"

"Oh" Ron responded. "I see…"

"Why didn't you tell us yesterday?" Daphne pouted.

"It… slipped my mind" Ron replied, he was suddenly feeling really guilty. "I'm really sorry, Daph…"

"You'd better be back by five" Daphne pouted even more. "And you'd better come straight to the Sanctuary."

"I will, I promise" Ron smiled at her, and she slowly smiled back a little. "Well, I'd best be off. I don't want to keep your father waiting, and I still need to eat some breakfast." With that, Ron started to leave but Daphne stopped him by putting a hand on his left forearm. Ron stopped at that, and he turned to face her. "What is it, Daph?"

"Um…" Daphne said softly, and Ron blinked at her. Why is she looking all bashful again? And why is she biting her bottom lip? Daphne never does that… And is that toothpaste on the corner of her lips?

"Daph, I'm in a bit of a hurry here" Ron said softly. "But if something is bothering you, you can talk to me." Daphne sighed at that, and then she let go of his left forearm.

"It's alright, I'll see you at the Sanctuary" Daphne forced on a smile.

"Alright then" Ron nodded, but he knew that something was bothering her. "I'll see you guys later…" Ron left at that, and he wondered about what was bothering Daphne. I'll ask her later tonight.

---

March 4th, 1993 (Great Hall – Early Morning)

Ron finished up his big breakfast, and he cleaned his lips with a napkin. It still astounded him that he used to eat like such a pig… At least that was a thing of the past, and Ron now had some manners thanks to his friends. If he ever had children, then he'd make sure to teach them proper table etiquette. As Ron stood up, his eyes wandered around the empty hall. I know that it's early, but there are generally still some students around. Ron pondered why the Great Hall was empty as he left the Great Hall, but his attention was immediately taken by the House Point Hourglasses in the Entrance Hall. More specifically, it was the Gryffindor Hourglass that got his attention. The bottom half of the Hourglass, which showed how many points had been earned, was almost filled with blood-red rubies.

"What the fuck?!" Ron exclaimed. "When did they earn so many fucking points?!" Ron immediately looked to the Slytherin Hourglass, and it wasn't even half as full as the Gryffindor one. "What the actual fuck?" Ron muttered. Slytherin House was in second place, Ravenclaw in third, and Hufflepuff in fourth. But none of that mattered because the damn Gryffindor Hourglass was filled to bursting. Ron stared at the Hourglass that was filled with rubies, and he let out an annoyed huff. Ron then marched straight for Snape's Office. If he's down there, then he can explain what the hell happened while I was away. Ron quickly found himself knocking on Snape's door, and Snape answered.

"Come in" Snape's voice drawled, and Ron entered the Office and shut the door behind himself. Snape was marking some papers, his long greasy hair covering his face.

"Professor" Ron called, and Snape looked up. His black hair moved back into its usual position, and he stared at Ron with a blank expression. "I was just walking by the House Point Hourglasses…" Snape cut Ron off by clicking his tongue.

"Then you saw that we've lost the House-Cup" Snape frowned a little as he relaxed into his seat.

"What happened, Sir?" Ron asked with a furrowed brow.

"Haven't your friends told you of their involvement in locating the Chamber?" Snape asked, and Ron nodded. "And did they tell you that Potter and Longbottom helped them?" It all hit Ron like a ton of bricks at that, the two Gryffindors had no reason to decline the rewards. They had gotten two hundred points each, along with everything else. But Theo and Blaise told me that they figured out everything on their own! They just used Potter to open the Chamber!

"Damn…" Ron whispered as he rubbed his forehead with his gloved hand.

"Indeed, Mr. Weasley" Snape drawled.

"Can we come back in any way?" Ron asked, and Snape just sighed. "What about the Quidditch Cup? We were winning that, and since Quidditch is back on…"

"Quidditch may be back on, Mr. Weasley" Snape frowned. "But there is no Quidditch Cup this year, the Headmaster failed to mention that in all of his excitement. The games are all friendly, and everyone gets to participate. There is no competition at all." Then it's over. Fuck. "Mr. Potter and Mr. Longbottom were publically given trophies and named the saviors of the school" Snape said bitterly. "And as such, they were also showered with House Points."

"But we did all the work!" Ron snapped, and Snape blinked at him. "All Potter did was speak a few words in Parseltongue! Neither one of them deserve any of those rewards!" Something flashed in Snape's black eyes, and he eyed Ron carefully.

"And your friends told you of Potter's ability as well?" Snape asked, and this time Ron blinked at him.

"Yes, Sir" Ron replied with a firm tone. "They did…"

"Is that so?" Snape asked in an icy voice. "Then I suggest you stick with that story, Mr. Weasley, and don't do anything rash. Now, I believe that you should leave. Sebastian is no doubt awaiting your arrival… eagerly." Ron just stared at Snape for a few seconds, and then he moved to the fireplace. Just as he was about to throw some Floo Powder into the fire, Snape spoke up again. "Mr. Weasley, I suggest that you speak more with your friends when you return. I am sure that although they've told you much, there are still a great many things that they failed to mention." Ron nodded slowly, and then he tossed the Floo Powder into the fire.

---

March 4th, 1993 (Greengrass Manor – Morning)

Ron had to steel his expression as he walked through the green flames, he didn't want to bother the Greengrass' with his bad mood. He was perfectly fine with taking no credit whatsoever, but that was because he wanted to protect his friends. What he wasn't fine with was the fact that Potter and Longbottom had gotten all the credit even though they didn't know their heads from their arses. The dumb bastards had blamed him all year around, and now they were being hailed as heroes. Ron and his friends had inadvertently secured Gryffindor's win, and that felt like a knife being twisted in his gut. Did he want to make peace with the duo? Yes, but only because he needed Potter down the line. It was never his intention to build Potter his winning crown…

"RON!" came a loud shriek, and Ron saw Tori bolting at him with a huge grin. "You're back!" she squealed as she jumped onto him, and Ron let out a grunt as he caught her. She hugged him tightly, and Ron completely forgot about the boy-who-stole.

"Yes, I'm back" Ron chuckled as he gave her a tight squeeze.

"Astoria Greengrass" came Mary's scolding voice. "A Lady does not act this way…" Haha, she sounds so defeated.

"But I missed him!" Tori laughed as she kept squeezing Ron. Ron looked over Tori's shoulder and he saw Mary smiling at them, and he smiled back.

"I would greet you too, Mary" Ron chuckled. "But I have my hands full at the moment."

"It is alright, Ron" Mary said in a happy tone. "I'll just wait my turn like a proper Lady should."

"Proper Ladies are proper boring" Tori sniggered, and then she gave Ron a smothering kiss on his right cheek.

"Astoria!" Mary exclaimed. "Stop kissing him! You are too young! Ron, forgive my daughter…"

"It's alright, Mary" Ron laughed. "My sisters give me kisses all the time, so I'm used to it." As does your other daughter… Ron felt his stomach do a flip as he thought about Daphne, they still hadn't talked about their kissing encounters.

"See, Ron doesn't mind" Tori laughed as she kissed him again, and Mary just sighed in defeat.

"Okay, Tori" Ron chuckled as he gave her one last squeeze. "I need to greet your mother and father as well, so let go."

"No" Tori giggled. "Make me!" Ron smirked at that. If that's how she wanted to play this, then so be it. Ron lowered his hands to her sides, and he began tickling her. Tori shrieked a laugh as she let him go and stepped away. "That's not fair" Tori laughed.

"Yes, it is" Ron grinned as he moved to tickle her again. Tori let out a wild laugh as she ran behind her mother, and Ron stopped chasing her. He looked to Mary, and she was just smiling at him. "It's good to see you again, Mary" Ron greeted her.

"Come here" Mary beamed, and Ron gave her a hug. She once again pressed him tightly to her bosom, and Ron couldn't help but notice that she smelled likes jasmines. That's just how I smelled when I woke up. Jasmines and sandalwood… "It's good to have you back with us, Ron."

"It's good to be back" Ron hummed. Why was it that his mother never hugged him like this? He had seen all of his other siblings being hugged like this regularly, especially Ginny… But Ron only ever got these warm embraces from her when he was in mortal peril. Stop it, don't let this ruin your mood even more.

"Come along, Ron" Mary said as she let him go. "My husband is in his study, and he told me to bring you straight to him."

"Then please lead the way" Ron nodded. They began walking towards the study, and Tori grabbed onto his gloved hand. Mary decided not to comment on her daughter's behavior, what would be the point?

"Are you excited Ron?" Tori asked with a wide grin, and Ron blinked at her.

"Excited for what?" Ron asked.

"We're going with you to sign up" Tori said in a joyful tone. "I'm really excited to see Diagon Alley again. I want to go to the Ice-Cream Parlour again, and then we can go shopping. You can help me pick out some new dresses for Paris."

"Astoria…" Mary scolded lightly, but Tori just giggled.

"Paris?" Ron asked.

"We're going with you to France, dummy!" Tori laughed. "We have a holiday house in Paris, and it's so beautiful! Not as beautiful as the Manor of course, but the view is better. We'll spend the Easter Holidays there, and then go to Beauxbatons with you to cheer you on! But I already know that you're going to win anyway, father told me so himself."

"Did he?" Ron chuckled. "Your father has a lot of faith in me."

"He did say that he would fire you if you lost" Tori sniggered, and Ron went a little pale.

"He said that?" Ron asked slowly.

"Tori, stop lying to him" Mary shot a quick frown at her daughter. "Ron don't listen to her, she wants to get under your skin."

"Ron, you went so pale" Tori giggled, and Ron frowned a little.

"You're a menace, you know that?" Ron said in a deadpan voice.

"I'm delightful" Tori grinned. "And adorable! No one can deny that!" Ron just chuckled at Tori's wide grin and at Mary's defeated expression. When they reached the study, Mary opened the door and ushered them in.

"Ah, Ronald" Lord Greengrass smiled, he was standing in front of the fire again. "It is good to have you back in this room."

"It's great to be back, my Lord" Ron smiled as he shook Lord Greengrass' hand.

"Tell me, have you eaten this morning?" Lord Greengrass asked, and Ron nodded.

"I had a big breakfast" Ron replied.

"Good, then we can set off immediately" Lord Greengrass nodded to his wife.

---

March 4th, 1993 (Diagon Alley)

"Is this going to take long, daddy?" Tori whined, she was had her right arm entangled with Ron's left arm.

"It did take ages last time" Ron answered for Lord Greengrass. "Professor Snape and I were in line for hours."

"Ugh…" Tori groaned.

"Tori, what did I say about groaning?" Mary asked, she was currently holding Lord Greengrass in the same way that Tori was holding Ron.

"Animals groan, Ladies don't" Tori pouted, and Ron chuckled softly. "Can't Ron and I get ice-cream while you and daddy sign him up?"

"It won't take long, my dear" Lord Greengrass replied. "Ron wasn't with me the last time. We'll go straight in, and he'll be signed up within minutes." Really? Then why did I take the whole day off? Not that I mind skipping classes.

"And then we can get ice-cream?" Tori asked excitedly.

"Sorry, my dear" Lord Greengrass apologized, and Tori pouted again. "After we sign up, Ron and I need to attend to another matter." Another matter? "After that, we have a lunch-time reservation at The Pond. But we can have ice-cream afterwards."

"Okay" Tori sighed, and Ron gave her soft smile.

"We can share our ice-creams, Tori" Ron whispered to her. "That way, you get to have two different types."

"But I could just get two different types" Tori blinked at him, and Ron just nodded. I forgot that she doesn't understand how I grew up. Ice-cream from Florentine's was a rather special treat for us.

"Then you can have three different types" Ron shrugged, and Tori narrowed her eyes on him.

"You're hiding what you really wanted to say" Tori whispered. "Aren't you?" Ron chuckled at that. "Why are you laughing?"

"You just reminded me of Daphne, that's all" Ron smiled.

"Should I huff in annoyance as well?" Tori giggled, and Ron had to stifle a laugh. Tori then imitated Daphne's famous huff of indignation, and Ron let out a laugh.

"Stop it" Ron laughed while Tori giggled. "Oh, my stomach…"

"Alright you two, enough laughing" Lord Greengrass said as they neared Flourish and Blotts. "We need to show authority when we walk in there." Ron looked to the long line, and he grimaced as he remembered the long wait. Snape was so pissed that I thought he was going to kill me. Lord and Lady Greengrass led the way inside, and Ron ignored the annoyed cries from the people who were waiting in line. "Ron, come with me" Lord Greengrass ordered, and then he looked to his wife. "Love, make sure Tori doesn't do anything… mischievous."

"Now why would you say that, father?" Tori asked in a polite voice, and Ron had to bite his tongue in order to not snigger.

"Come along, Ron" Lord Greengrass said in a firm voice, and Ron walked up to the counter with him. Ron smiled a little when he saw Mr. Curtis, the man who had hosted last year's tournament, sitting behind the counter.

"Ah, Lord Greengrass himself" Mr. Curtis greeted with a smile.

"Good morning, Benjamin" Lord Greengrass nodded. "There is quite the line out there."

"It is the final day for registering" Mr. Curtis said, and then he looked to Ron and beamed. "Mr. Weasley, I was beginning to worry that you wouldn't be joining us this year." He remembers me?

"I will be, Mr. Curtis" Ron smiled at the older man. "I enjoyed last year's tournament quite a lot, and I want to try and win this one too."

"Confident, I like it" Mr. Curtis nodded.

"He has every reason to be" Lord Greengrass smirked. "He won in quite the fashion last year."

"I remember" Mr. Curtis smiled. "Hard to forget a perfect record, and the fact that he is your apprentice now." Mr. Curtis then pushed the sign up book towards Ron.

"Don't I have to play a game in the back room?" Ron asked. "Or give you a drop of blood like last time?"

"That won't be necessary" Mr. Curtis replied, and Ron saw the old man's eyes dart to Lord Greengrass for a second. Ron signed his name in the book, and then Mr. Curtis looked to make sure that everything was in order. "You are now signed up" Mr. Curtis smiled. "Matches start on the twenty third of March, and end on the twenty seventh of March. The top eight will play on the first of April." The twins' birthday is on the first of April. I should get them something from Paris.

"And how many contestants are in the Junior League Tournament this year?" Lord Greengrass asked.

"Lord Greengrass, you know that I can't tell you that" Mr. Curtis replied, but Lord Greengrass just stared at Mr. Curtis. "We are settling on an even fifty again…" Mr. Curtis whispered as he gave in, and Lord Greengrass smiled faintly.

"Thank you, Benjamin" Lord Greengrass said. "Have a pleasant day. Come, Ron, we'd best be off." Ron then followed Lord Greengrass back to Mary and Tori, and he couldn't help but smile a little. Lord Greengrass was so… powerful. He may not be the most powerful wizard, but his mere presence was undeniable. It's the way he holds himself, I reckon. He doesn't take shite from anyone. That, and the fact that he is the wealthiest wizard in England.

"That was quick, love" Mary greeted her husband.

"Benjamin and I have known each other for a long time" Lord Greengrass replied. "And he remembered Ron from last year. Come, let's be off. I've never liked the smell of this place." They walked outside, and Lord Greengrass turned to face them all. "Ron and I will be parting ways with you here, love. We will meet you at The Pond just before our reservation."

"Why?" Tori whined. "I want Ron to see my dresses…"

"And he will, sweetheart" Mary smiled at her youngest daughter. "But he will see them in Paris. Your father and he have some things to take care of." What things?

"Fine…" Tori pouted.

"Come, Ron" Lord Greengrass ordered as he began moving, and Ron followed him after he gave Tori an apologetic smile. He quickly caught up to his mentor, and he decided to ask where they were going.

"My Lord, may I ask where we are going?" Ron asked.

"We are going to get you some more robes" Lord Greengrass replied, and Ron blinked at him.

"My Lord, I already have quite a few…" Ron said slowly.

"And they are wonderful, Ron" Lord Greengrass smirked. "But the fashion in France is quite different than it is in England. And I want you to look perfect at the events that we will be attending."

"Events?" Ron asked, what was going on here?

"Don't worry about it yet, Ron" Lord Greengrass replied. "Just do as I say, and everything will be fine."

"Alright, my Lord" Ron responded, though he did feel a bit worried about these 'events'. "Um… my Lord…"

"Yes, Ron?"

"Madam Malkin's is in the opposite direction…" Ron said slowly.

"I know, but we aren't going to Madam Malkin's for your new robes."

"Oh… and where are we going?" Ron asked.

"A shop called 'Exquisite Fashions'. It is in the upper district, and every Pure-Blood that wants to travel out of England shops there." Upper district? Oh, the posh area! Sirius and I got Daphne her tennis bracelet from there. "We will get you some Muggle attire as well considering that our holiday house in Paris is in Muggle Paris."

"Muggle Paris? Why?" Ron asked with a surprised tone.

"The French Ministry doesn't like people from other countries to own homes in Magical Paris. They are quite… strict… about this rule."

"They don't want people from foreign countries to own their property?" Ron took a guess. "Does it upset the locals?"

"Very perceptive" Lord Greengrass smiled at Ron, and Ron mentally patted his own back. "Yes, they say that Magical Paris is for French wizards and witches. Their Ministry is quite… xenophobic. Especially where we British are concerned."

"Why? I thought that the Ministries got along well."

"They do on the surface, Ron. But a clever man should always delve deeper into such matters. Tell me, why do you think that they despise us?" Ron thought about it for a few seconds, and then he took a guess.

"The Great War?" Ron guessed, and Lord Greengrass gave him a pat on the back.

"Exactly, Ronald. They blame us for the war that the Dark Lord started, and most of that blame is placed on the Pure-Blood Families. Families like mine, and Families like yours."

"But the War happened in England…" Ron muttered.

"It happened everywhere, trust me on that. The Dark Lord had supporters across the Globe, and they all slithered out of their caves to support him. The French Ministry almost fell because of the radicals in their own house. And instead of owning up to their own short-comings, they pointed the finger right at us."

"Why would they do that?" Ron asked.

"To avoid getting lynched by their own people, I suppose" Lord Greengrass sighed. "Once they successfully did that, they crafted laws that prohibited any foreigners from having too many rights in their country. One of those laws is that only French witches and wizards can own property in Magical Paris. The rest of us have to live in Muggle Paris. This was their way of showing the public that they were actually doing something."

"I didn't know that" Ron shook his head.

"Ron, you must expand your knowledge about this world" Lord Greengrass advised. "You will, after all, inherit it. Along with its problems… But if you have the knowledge, then you've already won half the battle." Ron nodded at that, and he vowed to look more into the Great War. I should have done that a time ago, and since the Heir is taken care of, I can get back into it. "We're here" Lord Greengrass said as they stopped in front of a rather fancy looking clothes shop. Ron's eyes went to the sign that said 'Sponsored by the Malfoy Family', and Ron frowned deeply.

"Welcome" came a man's voice as they entered the shop. Ron looked at the portly man with the bright red cheeks. The man was wearing rather flashy robes and a Muggle hat of some sort, and he wore a greedy smile on his face. "Lord Greengrass, a pleasure to see you again."

"Good morning, Timothy" Lord Greengrass smiled politely. "I'm here to get some clothes tailored for my apprentice, we will be traveling to France very soon."

"Ah, beautiful country" Timothy said with a salesman like voice. "And the ladies… magnifique!"

"Indeed" Lord Greengrass said. "I want five robes tailor-made for him in the most current fashion amongst his age group. I also want three Muggle suits, and five casual attires."

"Excellent" Timothy said, a greedy glint in his eyes. "Let me get my measuring equipment" the portly man said as he went into the back of the store. Ron looked around the shop, and he was rather awed. It was immaculate, there were so many different types of clothes on mannequins, the walls were lined with different materials, and the store had a very modern aesthetic to it. There was even a crystal chandelier that hung quite low.

"Do you want any gloves?" Lord Greengrass asked, and Ron smiled at his mentor.

"No, my Lord" Ron replied. "I have this one from Daphne, and I really like it." Lord Greengrass eyed the black, horned-serpent glove, and he nodded in approval.

"First a ring, and now an expensive glove" Lord Greengrass smirked. "My daughter likes to spoil you, I see."

"Spoil me?" Ron muttered, his cheeks flushing. I've kissed his daughter, and if he ever finds out, they'll never find my corpse.

"My daughter is very fond of you" Lord Greengrass chuckled. "That is all I meant."

"I'm… fond of her too" Ron said softly, and Lord Greengrass smiled at him and nodded. Luckily for Ron, the portly man came out with his measuring tools. Ron spent the next five minutes being measured thoroughly, and once that was done, the portly man looked to Lord Greengrass.

"How old is he?" Timothy asked.

"He turned thirteen three days ago" Lord Greengrass replied.

"Quite tall for his age" Timothy chuckled. "And I imagine that he will get taller still. Should I add a Growing Charm to the clothes?"

"Yes" Lord Greengrass nodded. "Now, show me your best materials." Ron and Lord Greengrass waited patiently as the fat man ran around grabbing different fabrics, and then he presented them all to his customers. Lord Greengrass eyed the materials for a long few seconds, while Ron just admired how nice they all felt. "This is garbage" Lord Greengrass said in a cold tone, and both Ron and Timothy were rather shocked.

"My Lord?" Timothy stammered. "These are my finest…" Lord Greengrass cut off the portly man with a cold stare that made even Ron shiver.

"Do not lie to me" Lord Greengrass said coldly. "You keep your best materials in the back of the store."

"I… I don't know what you mean…" Timothy blinked, and even Ron could tell that that was a lie.

"Yes, you do" Lord Greengrass said. "You keep those materials exclusively for the Malfoy Family, are you going to deny that?" Timothy just stared at Lord Greengrass, and then he shook his head softly. "Well, you don't do that anymore."

"My Lord?" Timothy muttered.

"I bought this building two days ago, and therefore, I bought your store as well" Lord Greengrass said with a cold voice.

"How?" Timothy asked with a shocked voice, and Ron just stood there quietly. What is happening?

"I paid Gringotts far more than you do, and since they own this entire block, they gave me the deed to this building" Lord Greengrass explained. "You should have never asked for a loan from Goblins, Timothy. They have a tendency to betray their patrons when more gold is offered."

"Lord Malfoy will…" Timothy started but Lord Greengrass cut him off.

"He can't help you anymore with your debts, Timothy" Lord Greengrass said coldly. "But I can, if you do as I say. Or… You can lose this prime location and peddle your wares in the Middle District." Timothy didn't say anything, and Lord Greengrass smirked. "Go and get those materials." Timothy blinked, and then he slowly left for the back of the store.

"What was that, my Lord?" Ron asked.

"Just business, Ron" Lord Greengrass replied.

"It was a little harsh, don't you think?" Ron asked. "I mean… He was really polite to us."

"He was polite because he wanted our money" Lord Greengrass told Ron. "Feelings have no place in business, Ron. Remember that. And since I was so harsh, the next time I walk into this store, he will immediately show me his best materials. A man like him is motivated by his greed for money, and he knows now that I have plenty more than Lucius Malfoy."

"Is there a reason why you're going after Mr. Malfoy like this?" Ron asked, and Lord Greengrass clenched his square jaw.

"He has shown me a lot of disrespect recently" Lord Greengrass replied. "No one comes after my own." Ron nodded at that, but he didn't really understand what Lord Greengrass was talking about.

---

March 4th, 1993 (Diagon Alley - Lunch Time)

Ron had spent the next three hours getting fitted over and over again, Lord Greengrass was an extremely picky individual. Timothy had been extremely nervous at first, and he was horrified when he had seen Ron without a shirt. That had made Ron feel quite self-conscious, but thankfully, Timothy had been quick to apologize for his reaction. Timothy had eventually calmed down a bit, and he had even made sure that both Ron and Lord Greengrass had refreshments while they waited. Once they were finally done choosing the best materials for Ron, Lord Greengrass himself was sized and fitted. Let's just say that Ron was extremely glad when Lord Greengrass had paid Timothy for his services.

"Have the robes sent to Greengrass Manor when you're finished" Lord Greengrass instructed, and then he reached into his inner robe pocket and pulled out a piece of parchment. "This is a Gringotts Bond, Timothy. It settles half of your debt with the Goblins."

"My Lord?" Timothy asked, a greedy glint returning to his eyes.

"You'll get the second half after you tell all of your fellow Upper District merchants of my generosity" Lord Greengrass said coldly. "And you will no longer serve the Malfoy Family, do you understand?"

"Yes… I do…" Timothy stammered.

"Good, and change that sign outside" Lord Greengrass ordered as he turned to leave. "Come, Ron. My wife and daughter are waiting for us." Ron followed after Lord Greengrass, and he shot Timothy an apologetic look. But that was unnecessary because Timothy was smiling greedily at his Gringotts Bond. I guess Lord Greengrass was right about his greed.

"My Lord, why did you really go after Mr. Malfoy in this manner?" Ron asked.

"You ask a lot of questions, Ron" Lord Greengrass smirked.

"Sorry, my Lord" Ron sighed.

"Don't be" Lord Greengrass replied. "I was just about to commend you on it. It is important to ask questions, and you tend to ask the right ones. As for your previous question, I want to hit Malfoy where it hurts. His ego."

"I see" Ron nodded. "And it's because he's disrespected you, right?"

"Yes, he has" Lord Greengrass replied. "Far too many times…"

"Are you going to elaborate on that…?" Ron asked slowly, he knew he was pushing his luck. But he was rather curious about this.

"Very well" Lord Greengrass sighed softly. "Lucius and I were friends when we were younger, we were even in the same year at Hogwarts. We had big plans together… We wanted to merge our businesses, and our families."

"So like Daphne and Draco?" Ron asked, an odd sense of jealousy tightening his gut.

"Yes, I suppose so" Lord Greengrass answered. "We of course had no idea about our children yet, but we still planned a union of some sort. And then, the War happened…" Ron waited for Lord Greengrass to continue, but he didn't for a few seconds. "A lot happened during that time, Ron. And because of that, Lucius and I became estranged. I truly believe that this was for the best, for both our sakes. But recently, Lucius has become emboldened. He slights me at every turn, and he believes that he has the right to look down on me because he kissed the Dark Lord's feet while I didn't."

"And now I have reason to believe that he orchestrated the attacks on Hogwarts" Lord Greengrass continued, and Ron went wide-eyed. "Not only did he suspend Albus Dumbledore without my vote, but he has been passing policies without my knowledge this year. I've put an end to that by having him fired as Chairman, and now I hold the Chair temporarily."

"How did you get him fired?" Ron asked slowly, was Lucius really behind these attacks? If that's true, then he is the reason why Ginny was possessed. And if that's the case… He's a dead man.

"He was threatening nine of the Board members" Lord Greengrass shook his head. "And since he knew that he couldn't threaten me and Bulstrode, he elected to keep us out of the way. It all came back to haunt him when Albus Dumbledore returned to Hogwarts and saved the school. I was able to use that to leverage the other Board members into voting Lucius out. And then, I took the Chair as I held the highest amount of shares."

"But it's temporary?" Ron asked, and Lord Greengrass smiled.

"No, Ron. No, it is not" Lord Greengrass replied. "I have no intention of giving up that Chair, and I have a perfect candidate to replace Lucius with. He is currently buying as many shares as he can quietly, and I will announce him when the Board convenes next."

"May I ask who it is?" Ron asked.

"Lord Sirius Orion Black" Lord Greengrass smirked, and Ron was stunned.

"Sirius? Really?" Ron asked.

"He has the Black fortune backing him, Ron. He may be a bit… immature. But that can be changed with a little help."

"Help from you…" Ron figured, and Lord Greengrass just kept smirking.

---

March 4th, 1993 (Greengrass Manor – After Lunch)

The Pond's food had been nothing short of amazing, just like last time. After that, they had all gotten ice-cream from Florentine's. Tori had told Ron all about her shopping spree, and Ron listened to her quite happily. He had no idea that Tori loved new clothes so much, but he did now. She had bought over a dozen new dresses just for Paris, and one specifically for the Top Eight Tournament. At least she had the highest faith in Ron to make it to the Top Eight, and Ron decided that he wouldn't let her down. Once they had finally gotten back to Greengrass Manor, it was nearing four 'o'clock. Tori and Mary had gone upstairs to commence Tori's dance lessons, something that Ron couldn't even imagine happening in his own household. He wondered if Ginny and Luna would like to learn dancing, but the truth was that he didn't really know. Their lives were so different from the Greengrass' lives, but Ron decided to ask them when he saw them next.

"Take a seat, Ron" Lord Greengrass instructed, they were currently in the study. Ron took his usual seat, and he smiled in content. I love this chair so much. Lord Greengrass walked over to his 'Brandy Table', and he poured two equal glasses. "Ron… you are thirteen now, aren't you?"

"Yes, my Lord" Ron answered. But he already knows that.

"Then you are finally on the path to manhood" Lord Greengrass smiled at him, and Ron just blinked. "It is a tradition amongst the Greengrass Family for a father to share a drink with their sons when they finally reach your age. I have no son… But I would be pleased if you humored me." Ron was utterly stunned at that, this seemed like a huge thing to ask. Is he really that fond of me? Ron just nodded dumbly, and Lord Greengrass' smile widened a little. Lord Greengrass then walked over with two Brandy snifters, and he handed one to Ron. Lord Greengrass then sat in his chair in front of Ron, and Ron just smiled awkwardly at his mentor.

"I've only ever had alcohol once" Ron admitted sheepishly. "It was some punch at a party, and I downed it in one go."

"Is that so?" Lord Greengrass laughed, his face lighting up. "Then I must teach you how to drink properly. Here, hold the snifter like I am" Lord Greengrass instructed, and Ron followed his instructions. Ron held the bowl of the snifter in the palm of his hand, and he waited for more instructions. "Good, now drink it in sips." Ron did as he was told, and he tasted the overpowering flavor of the Apple Brandy. It burned his throat on the way down, and he fought the urge to cough. "Can you taste the apples?" Lord Greengrass asked.

"Yes, my Lord" Ron lied, he only tasted the burn.

"No need to lie" Lord Greengrass laughed. "My father asked me the same question, and I remember lying too."

"Sorry" Ron smiled sheepishly.

"No, it is alright" Lord Greengrass smiled widely. "I will make a connoisseur out of you yet, Ron." Lord Greengrass then took a sip from his own Brandy, and Ron did the same. Merlin, it burns. Don't cough you little girl.

"My Lord…" Ron started, and Lord Greengrass smiled at him. "What was your father like?" Ron asked. I've never shared something like this that's just between my dad and me.

"My father…" Lord Greengrass replied, his eyes becoming a bit distant. "He was a… blissful man. He tended to be the life of any party he attended, and he drank enough to put a Troll to shame. Some would even say that he was a good man." Some?

"What about you?" Ron asked after he sipped some more Brandy, it was beginning to burn less.

"I'd say that he was a weak man" Lord Greengrass smiled sadly, and Ron was a little stunned. "He craved the love and approval of others desperately, but he never tried to earn their respect. They loved his parties, and his jokes. But they held him in low esteem." Love and approval… Ron felt his throat tighten a little at that, it hit close to home. "Which explains why most of his 'friends' didn't even attend his funeral."

"I see" Ron muttered. "I'm sorry for bringing it up…"

"Don't be" Lord Greengrass smiled. "Do not apologize so quickly, Ron. It can often show others that you are weak-willed." Ron nodded softly. "Tell me, how are things with your own parents?"

"Not good" Ron sighed, and Lord Greengrass waited for Ron to continue. "I acted rather… coldly… towards them when I woke up yesterday."

"Why?" Lord Greengrass asked.

"Because I didn't want to see them" Ron admitted rather shamefully. "I just… I don't want to see them right now. I know that I've been gone for a couple of weeks, but to me… It's only been a day." Ron took another sip, and he felt a bit more relaxed. "They're causing me so many problems, and they're doing it just because they don't like Slytherin House…"

"I see" Lord Greengrass nodded. "Ron, has it occurred to you that they might be doing it because they care about you?"

"Of course it has" Ron replied. "But that's the problem…"

"Go on" Lord Greengrass said after Ron stopped.

"They care about me only when something bad happens…" Ron muttered, his face flushing. "When everything is fine… they mostly just ignore me. And because of that, they can't fathom the fact that I'm not turning into some Blood-Supremacist. They don't even really know me… They have no… They don't respect me…" Ron took a bigger sip this time. "I don't want to leave Slytherin, or my friends. I used to hate the idea of being in Slytherin, but now…"

"Now you enjoy it" Lord Greengrass finished, and Ron nodded firmly.

"And I don't want to give it up…" Ron sighed. "I don't want to give this up…"

"I understand" Lord Greengrass smiled softly. "But I want to make one thing clear, Ron. Even if you get Re-Sorted, you will still be my apprentice. I have no intention of untethering my name from yours."

"Thank you" Ron smiled gratefully. "But it's my friends who I'm really worried about. With me gone, people like Malfoy will… They will try and move in. I don't want to leave my friends." Both of them went silent at that, and they both just sipped their Brandies in silence for a few minutes. I can't believe that I admitted all of that to him. So much for not showing any weakness, Weasley. You damn poof.

"Ron, I know it's not my place to put myself in your family affairs" Lord Greengrass said suddenly. "But if you truly want to stay in Slytherin, then you need to talk to them. Sooner or later, you will have to talk to them."

"And what if they refuse to listen?" Ron asked softly. "They refused to listen to Dumbledore. They refused to listen to Pandora, Sirius, Remus, and Xenophilius. They refused to listen to you…"

"Then you make them listen" Lord Greengrass said firmly, and Ron looked to see his mentor staring at him seriously. "Sometimes, Ron… Sometimes it is better to put your foot down rather than let people walk all over you. Even if it means saying some harsh truths. Do you understand?" Is he telling me to tell them how they make me feel? Ron nodded slowly, and Lord Greengrass nodded back. "If you can't have someone's love and approval, then you need to at least have their respect."

---

March 4th, 1993 (Hogwarts Castle)

It was nearly five 'o'clock as Ron made his way up to the Sanctuary, and his mind was still absorbing Lord Greengrass' words. How long was Ron supposed to toil away just to be noticed by his parents? There was a time when Ron felt lesser than all of his siblings, but not anymore. He had come to terms with his accomplishments, and he felt extremely proud of himself. He had worked his arse off to get to where he was now. But if his parents couldn't even look past which house he was sorted into, then what the fuck was the point of trying so hard to please them? Maybe he did just need to put his foot down. Maybe he needed to tell them that he was tired of being the one they neglected. Before Slytherin, Ron was always the last pick in everything. But now… Now he was respected. He was well-liked. And he was now his own person. He didn't feel the need to compare himself to his brothers. And yet, my own parents claim that Slytherin is bad for me? They don't know a damn thing about me.

"Ron!" came an excited voice, and Ron focused ahead to see Daphne standing near the entrance of the Sanctuary. I was so zoned out, I didn't even notice that I made it all the way here.

"Daphne" Ron put on a smile, and she smiled back. "I'm here, just as I promised."

"Good" Daphne said as he walked up to her, and she saw that he was bothered. "Are you alright, Ron?"

"I'm fine, Daph" Ron lied, and she just stared at him.

"You're lying" Daphne sighed.

"Am I?" Ron smirked, and she nodded.

"Tell me what's wrong, Ron" Daphne ordered. He stared at her for a few seconds, and then he relented. Daphne was the only person that he felt comfortable telling this sort of stuff to. Mostly because she had proven to able to keep a secret or two.

"I'm thinking about my parents" Ron sighed, and Daphne sniffed the air. What the…?

"Ron, have you been drinking?" Daphne asked slowly, her brow furrowed. Busted!

"Um… yes" Ron replied in a guilty tone, and Daphne blinked at him. "Your father and I had some of his Apple Brandy…"

"Oh…" Daphne said softly, her eyes wide with surprise. "That's… surprising…"

"Why?" Ron asked.

"Father never allows Tori or me to go near his Brandy collection" Daphne pouted.

"Are you… jealous?" Ron chuckled, and she pouted even more.

"No" Daphne huffed in indignation. "Now… Tell me what's bothering you about your parents. I don't want you in a sour mood for this 'surprise' party."

"This whole Re-Sorting nonsense…" Ron sighed. "It's a fucking mess…"

"Language, Ron" Daphne scolded, and he put his hands up in surrender. "As for your parents… Ron, I have to tell you something. Something that I didn't mention last night." Ron's ears perked up at that.

"What is it?" Ron asked slowly.

"I spoke with them a few days ago" Daphne confessed. "Alone."

"What?" Ron asked in shock. "What did you talk about?"

"You… and Slytherin" Daphne smiled softly. "I told them that we were the ones behind catching the Heir of Slytherin, Ginny, that is. And that we found the entrance to the Chamber, not Potter."

"I thought that we weren't telling anyone the truth?" Ron asked.

"I needed to tell them, Ron" Daphne replied. "And Dumbledore backed up my story himself. It… It made a dent in their resolve, I think. Your mother was extremely happy, and your father was… conflicted…" Conflicted? What does that mean?

"Did they tell you that they were going to back off?" Ron asked, his excitement growing. I could kiss her right now! Did she seriously just put this nonsense to bed?!

"They didn't say that" Daphne sighed. "Your mother isn't the one driving this decision, Ron. It's your father who wants you Re-Sorted." Ron just blinked at her, was she serious? No, he isn't like that. He may ignore me sometimes, but he has never done something like this before. It's always mum that does things like this.

"You're… lying…" Ron muttered, and Daphne was taken aback. "My dad isn't like that…" Daphne quickly realized her mistake.

"You didn't know?" Daphne asked slowly, her face showing her guilt.

"He wouldn't do that…" Ron repeated. Would he?

"I'm sorry, Ron. But it's the truth… You're father started this whole thing, and he is still… He's still not there yet."

"What does that even mean?" Ron asked, he just felt drained for some reason. How could dad do this to me? I thought that unlike mum, he was actually proud of my accomplishments.

"He said that you had changed too much" Daphne said slowly, she hated telling him this. But it had to be done, or Ron would be trying to convince the wrong parent. "That he didn't recognize you anymore…" Ron just stared at her, his stomach twisting in knots. And then, he turned to leave. "Ron, where are you going?" Daphne asked as she grabbed his right forearm.

"I'm tired" Ron said in a hollow tone. "I'm going to bed."

"But the party…" Daphne muttered. "Ron, we planned this for ages. We've all been waiting for so long for you to come back, please don't leave."

"Why would he do this to me?" Ron muttered to himself. "I haven't changed that much…" Daphne just blinked at him, and she scolded herself internally. What was she thinking? Why had she told him this right before the party? She had to stop him before he did anything rash, like he always did when he got upset.

"Ron, look at me" Daphne said firmly, and Ron just gazed at her. "You said that you didn't care about what they said, remember?" Ron just stared at her. "You said that you'd stay in Slytherin because that's what you wanted, remember? Well, you can't do that alone. Everyone is waiting for you in that room, your friends are waiting for you. Just come inside, please. We can talk about this after the party when you've calmed down a bit, okay?" Ron nodded slowly, but he really didn't want to go with her. He wanted to go to his room and think… Daphne quickly paced back and forth, and the door to the Sanctuary appeared.

"Ron…" Daphne smiled at him. "Please smile, don't let them see you like this. This is really important to them… to us." Ron forced on a smile for her sake, and she looked grateful. "Just get through this, and then we can talk. Just you and me, alright?" Ron nodded again. What's there to talk about? Both of my parents are… Ron stopped himself from thinking whatever he was about to think. How could he do this to me? He signed the fucking contract that let me work with Lord Greengrass in the first place! And what the fuck does he mean by he doesn't recognize me? He barely ever noticed me before. Ron followed Daphne inside with a fake smile, and he was greeted by his friends.

"SURPRISE!" they all yelled, except for Blaise. Just get through this.

"Guys! I had no idea!" Ron laughed, but it felt so fake to him.

"Daphne told you?!" Pansy exclaimed, and then she frowned at Daphne. "How could you?!"

"I didn't have a choice" Daphne sighed. "He was leaving for the entire day, I had to get him to come back somehow."

"It's alright" Ron chuckled. "I'm still really grateful, believe me." Please do, for your own sakes. "Was this Blaise's idea?" Ron joked, and Blaise frowned at him.

"Of course, Weasley" Blaise said sarcastically. "You know me… I love throwing other blokes birthday parties."

"It's true" Theo smirked. "Blaise has always been a bit of a…" Tracey coughed and stopped him.

"Don't just stand there, come here" Tracey smiled, and Ron and Daphne walked up to the couches. There was a Happy Birthday banner floating around magically, a white cream cake on the coffee table, and presents on his favorite chair in front of the fire. Ron slowly forgot about his father's… betrayal. Maybe Daphne was right to bring him inside. She's always right about this sort of stuff.

"Happy birthday, Ron" Pansy said as she hugged him. The other girls gave him hugs as well, and Millie's hug made his back crack a little. The boys, thankfully, gave him firm handshakes instead.

"How did you guys arrange all of this?" Ron asked as he sat down in between Daphne and Tracey.

"It was easy" Theo smirked. "We have our ways…"

"It was Marty" Millie confessed, and Theo gave her a deadpan look. "He made the cake, smuggled the presents, and he even made that banner." Marty! I haven't even seen him yet!

"Marty!" Ron called as he stood back up, and there was a loud crack.

"Master Ronald!" Marty squeaked, and then the Elf ran up and hugged Ron's middle. The girls all cooed, while Theo and Blaise just sniggered. Ron decided to hug Marty back, he owed Marty far more than that. "Marty has been awaiting your call, Master!"

"I'm sorry I didn't call sooner, I've been… distracted" Ron apologized.

"It is alright, Master" Marty responded as he tightened his hug on Ron. "Marty visited you every night, Master. Marty was so afraid that you'd die…"

"I'm alright, Marty" Ron chuckled, and then a thought occurred to him. "Marty… Did you perhaps… clean me while I was petrified?" His friends all went wide-eyed, and Tracey burst into a laugh.

"Of course, Master" Marty replied like it was the most normal thing in the world. "Marty used a wet sponge to clean Master's face, and then Marty used magic to keep Master's clothes fresh." Ron's face went bright red, and his friends all sniggered wildly.

"Well, that explains why I smelled so nice when I woke up" Ron managed, he was honestly just dumbfounded by Marty's extreme loyalty. "Did anyone see you?"

"No, Master" Marty replied as he finally let go of Ron. "Marty was most careful! No one saw Marty, or suspected Marty!"

"That's great news" Ron sighed with a smile, he wanted to keep Marty a secret. My own secret weapon. Marty's eyes suddenly popped open, and he looked at Ron apologetically.

"Marty is being summoned to the kitchens, Master" Marty told Ron.

"Go on, then" Ron smiled. "And thank you Marty, for everything." Marty flashed a toothy smile, and then he disapparated.

"He 'cleaned' you while you were petrified!" Tracey laughed. "Merlin, that's too good."

"Shut up…" Ron muttered, his ears burning.

---

March 4th, 1993 (Before Dinner)

Daphne had been right. At first, Ron was having trouble staying happy and in the moment. But after seeing Marty's amazing act of loyalty, Ron didn't feel so alone anymore. And that's when he started having fun with his friends. They're excitement about his return was quite overwhelming, and Ron forgot all about his parents. They ate cake, talked about Lockhart's upcoming trial, and then they opened presents. Blaise had gifted him a new cloak, Theo had gifted him a book on poisonous plants, Tracey had bought him dung-bombs, Millie had gotten him an owl-grooming kit, Pansy had gifted him a brand new cloak, and Daphne had bought him a 'Rolex' watch. Ron was quite surprised by Daphne's Muggle gift, but he could sort of tell why she had gotten him a watch. She wanted Ron to wear her watch over the one that Hermione had gotten him for Christmas.

"Are you sure you're not hungry?" Millie asked with a concerned look.

"Yeah, I'm still stuffed from eating lunch at The Pond" Ron answered truthfully. It didn't help that Tori ordered that massive dish, and then she pawned it off on me to avoid getting in trouble.

"The Pond" Blaise smirked. "Italian Cuisine, both wizard and Muggle. Great atmosphere."

"I take it you've been there" Ron sniggered, and Blaise kept smirking.

"I like good food" Blaise shrugged. "Which is why I'm heading down to dinner. Not all of us have Lord Greengrass taking us out to meals."

"Blaise, jealousy does not become you" Theo mock scolded, and Blaise gave Theo a light shove. The school bell rang at that, and all of his friends stood up.

"You guys go ahead, I need to talk to Ron about Ginny" Daphne told them, and they all nodded. Ginny? What haven't they told me yet? Ron's friends all left one by one, and then… It was just Ron and Daphne. Ron's stomach immediately started floating, and he cursed his weak will around her. "Thank you, Ron" Daphne smiled at him, and Ron just blinked.

"Thank you?" Ron asked.

"For enjoying yourself" Daphne hummed.

"Ah…" Ron nodded, and he relaxed into his favorite chair. "You were right, Daph. I needed that…"

"Of course I was right" Daphne smirked.

"You're so humble" Ron chuckled.

"I'm the most humble person that you'll ever meet" Daphne smirked more arrogantly.

"Do you know what the word 'contradiction' means?" Ron smirked back.

"Are you going to teach me?" Daphne cocked her head.

"I imagine that I have plenty to teach you" Ron said playfully, and Daphne giggled.

"How to be an oaf doesn't count" Daphne said as she stood up and walked over to him. "Now move, I want to sit with you like we always do when we're alone." Ron felt his cheeks redden at that, but he moved over. Daphne squeezed herself into the chair, and Ron shifted a bit to make her more comfortable. "Now talk to me, tell me what's really bothering you." Ron shifted a little more, he wasn't really good at this sort of stuff.

"Everything, I guess" Ron muttered as he gazed at the fire. "I just… I missed a lot of things while I was petrified."

"You did" Daphne said with a hard tone, and then she turned a little and hit him in the chest. Ron was surprised by that, and he could see Daphne glaring at him. "How could you be so stupid, Ron?" Daphne asked. "Why did you keep running off like that? Do you have any idea what you put us all through?!" Ron felt a strong pang of guilt at that. And here I was hoping that we'd maybe trying kissing again…

"I thought she was Ginny…" Ron replied, and Daphne blinked at him. "She wanted my help, that's what she said… I didn't know…"

"You could have told us" Daphne frowned. "You could have told me! Or Blaise! But you decided to keep it a secret… You could have died Ron!"

"I'm sorry…" Ron said softly. "I just wanted to help her…" They both went quiet for a few seconds, and Ron relaxed back into the seat. Daphne put her weight on his right shoulder and leaned back too. What is wrong with me? She's berating me, and the only thing that I can think about is how nice she smells. I'm a damn pervert for certain.

"People started suspecting her of being the Heir" Daphne broke the silence.

"What?" Ron whispered.

"After the Chamber was discovered, and she was captured" Daphne explained. "Your parents came by the next day, and after Dumbledore spoke to them, they took her away from Hogwarts. People noticed her absence, and they started talking."

"Bloody hell…" Ron muttered.

"But Dumbledore shut it all down" Daphne said softly. "He told everyone that she had a mental breakdown because of your attack, and that people had no right to judge her for it. The guilt-trip worked, and people are now waiting for her to come back so they can wish her well."

"He really did that?" Ron asked, a soft smile on his face.

"He did" Daphne replied as she relaxed a little more into him. "He's been doing his best to keep her involvement quiet. And ours as well."

"By giving Potter and Longbottom all the credit" Ron said, his voice a little bitter. Daphne turned a bit and came face to face with him. Too close!

"I thought you wanted to make peace with them?" Daphne asked, her warm breath hitting the right side of his jaw and neck. Ron fought the urge to shiver.

"I wanted to make peace with them, not hand them all the credit for our hard work" Ron replied. "They don't deserve it."

"No, they don't" Daphne agreed. "But without Potter speaking Parseltongue, we'd have never found the Chamber."

"You already knew of its location, didn't you?" Ron asked.

"We had four places picked out, yes" Daphne replied. "But Potter helped us narrow it down."

"And now he is the 'hero' of the school" Ron said venomously.

"Ron…" Daphne sighed. "What's really bothering you? First you wanted nothing more than to convince your parents, and to make peace with Potter and Longbottom. But now you don't care about either things? What happened?" Ron just stared at the fire, he didn't really know what say to that. Even he wasn't sure why he was so angry at everything. "Since you won't talk, can I take a guess?" Daphne asked, and Ron let out a humorless chuckle.

"Be my guest" Ron replied.

"I think that you aren't really angry with Potter and Longbottom" Daphne said softly. "I think you're angry with your mother and father, and you're projecting that anger at everyone who has 'slighted' you in the past. Which makes me wonder about what has you so angry with your mother and father. You weren't angry with them before your petrification, but you were angry when you woke up. So something happened in-between that time. Am I close?" Ron just blinked at her. What the fuck?! MIND-READER! "I am, aren't I?" Daphne smiled.

"Do you read minds?" Ron asked genuinely, and Daphne laughed. Answer me, woman!

"Do you want to talk about it?" Daphne asked as she slowly stopped laughing.

"No, not particularly" Ron replied.

"Okay" Daphne sighed as she shifted a bit, and Ron felt her hip hit his. "Your brother Percy came and spoke with us today."

"He did?" Ron asked.

"He asked us why you were so cold to your parents" Daphne replied. "We lied to him, of course. And he believed us I think. But Ron, he will be looking for you tomorrow. He has no idea that they're trying to pull you out of Slytherin."

"Fuck…" Ron cussed, and Daphne frowned a little.

"Don't swear" Daphne scolded. "You're sharing a seat with a Lady, Ron…"

"I just want the Easter Break to start already" Ron sighed. "I want to go to Paris, and play chess."

"Oh!" Daphne squealed suddenly, and Ron jumped a little. "Did father tell you that we're all going to Paris with you?!"

"Tori did that" Ron smiled, he was honestly surprised by her sudden mood change.

"It's going to be so much fun, Ron" Daphne said excitedly. "I can't wait to show you my favorite places! There's this Muggle café that has cats just roaming around freely! You can eat scones and pet the cats! Oh, and the shops Ron! There's so many amazing shops in Paris!"

"You sound just like Tori did" Ron laughed. "She wouldn't stop talking about how amazing Paris is when we went out to lunch."

"Well, she was right" Daphne chuckled. "Paris is so amazing! But you'd better spend most your time with me, and not Tori." Ron blinked at that, and Daphne went a little wide-eyed. She had just spilled some of jealous tendencies right in front of Ron.

"I think I'll be spending most of my time with your father" Ron told her, and she nodded meekly. She's gone crimson. Throw her a lifeline, Ron. "But any time that I do get off, I'll spend with you" Ron said softly as he cursed how sappy he sounded. But it made Daphne feel better because she gave him a nice smile.

"Promise?" Daphne asked.

"I promise" Ron nodded. And then, she leaned forward and pecked his lips. Ron was dazed by that. She did it again! "Daphne… What are we doing?" Ron asked her.

"Having a nice conversation?" Daphne smiled innocently.

"I'm serious, Daph" Ron frowned a bit.

"Don't frown" Daphne kept smiling. "You look better when you smile."

"I'll smile if you answer my question" Ron told her. "Why do we… kiss like that?"

"Because I like kissing you like that" Daphne said in a playful tone. "And I know you like kissing me. Don't you?"

"I… I do" Ron admitted.

"Then you should kiss me again" Daphne smiled, and she waited patiently. Ron slowly leaned forward and kissed her lips. "See, it's not that hard to do."

"What does this mean for us though?" Ron asked. "Are we… dating or something?"

"I wouldn't mind dating you" Daphne hummed. If you date me, then you'll also be dating the Entity.

"Daph…" Ron sighed softly. "I've got a lot of things to deal with right now… I'm not ready for… dating."

"Then we don't have to date" Daphne said playfully.

"What does that mean?" Ron asked slowly.

"We can just keep doing what we're doing now" Daphne said as she leaned forward and pecked his lips again. "We can keep kissing each other in private, and not tell anyone."

"What if they find out?" Ron asked.

"That's the fun" Daphne giggled. "It's our secret, Ron."

"You make it sound like it's a fun thing" Ron said softly. Trust me, keeping secrets is not fun.

"I'm having fun now" Daphne smiled playfully. "And so are you." Ron didn't say anything, instead he just stared at her. Their faces were so close together that if someone walked in, they'd be busted. "Are you going to say that you aren't having fun?"

"No…" Ron said. "I'm having… fun." Or at least my stomach is, considering how it's flipping around.

"Good" Daphne said. "Then we can keep having fun in secret. When no one is around." Ron had to admit, he did like that idea. It felt oddly mischievous, like they were tricking everyone around them and getting away with it.

"So we just kiss each other when no one is around?" Ron asked.

"Or if one of us is feeling down about something" Daphne whispered.

"Like I am now" Ron told her, and so she pecked his lips again.

"I was feeling really down when you got petrified" Daphne told him, and so Ron kissed her back. "Doesn't that feel better?" Daphne asked, and Ron nodded meekly. "Then it's settled. We can kiss each other when no one is around, or if one of us is feeling down about something."

"And we can't get caught" Ron added. "If your father found out, I'm a dead man." Daphne giggled at that.

"That just makes it more fun" Daphne giggled as she pecked his lips again.

"Fun for you, I'll be the one who's buried away in an empty coffin" Ron smiled. He was about to peck her lips again, but the school bell rang as it signaled the end of dinner.

"That's our cue to leave" Daphne told Ron, and he nodded. They both got up and smiled at each other, and then Daphne slowly grabbed his left wrist. "I want you to… wear my watch… And not Granger's…" Daphne said slowly.

"Okay" Ron nodded slowly, and then he took off Hermione's black digital watch. Daphne helped him put on his steel Rolex, and she smiled widely at it. "Your father told me that you like to spoil me…" Ron said softly as he stared at the beautiful analog watch. It was made of steel, had a gold ring around the time-piece, and four small diamond studs on the twelve, three, six, and nine time spots.

"And you don't spoil me?" Daphne giggled as she showed him the gold tennis bracelet with the dark sapphires. Ron smiled at it, and he remembered how happy she was when he had given it to her. "We spoil each other, Ron. The only difference is that you worked hard for the money that you've spent on me, whereas I just… have it." Ron couldn't help but detect a small note of guilt in her voice. Ron leaned forward and gave her a quick peck, and Daphne blinked at him. "What was that for?"

"You seemed down" Ron shrugged with a wide grin, and Daphne's lips twitched upwards.

"Stop grinning like that" Daphne said, her voice showing off her amusement. "Now let's go, before someone figures out that we spent dinner time kissing each other."

"Alright, but can we go to Owlery on the way?" Ron asked, and she nodded slowly. "I want to send Ginny a letter."

---

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Big chapter here, and Ron is all caught up now. A lot of stuff happened, and I won't summarize it haha! I mean, you just read the chapter right? Anyway, more Harry, Neville, and Hermione in the next chapter. Dumbledore also makes a return in Ron's life. Percy pursues Ron with the help from the twins. Ron runs into a certain angry platinum blonde. Ron and Daphne sneak around. And so on...

Next Chapter will be aimed for a Wednesday release! Again, Australia time.

See you guys soon!