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.

46. Chapter 46 - Preparation is Success

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Chapter 46 is here! And it's the biggest one yet! 26,000 words people! Now a couple of things!

1. I was hit with inspiration, and procrastination. Therefore I pounded out a huge chapter for you all. And I got it done early hehe.

2. Sadly, no Luna this chapter because she didn't really fit in here. Ron's got a busy schedule during this chapter, and sadly, he doesn't have time for Luna. But she will be back next chapter.

3. Many of you are worried about the damage the Horcrux is doing to Ron's mind, and you have every right to be. Ron's grown up with severe insecurities, and now that he is overcoming them, Voldemort's soul-shard is seeping its own arrogance into him. If you looked into his mind, you'd see it in shambles.

4. Ron's mood swings will be explained, worry not. But if any of you do study Psychology, you could probably diagnose his symptoms. =)

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

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

---

Fate

Chapter 46 – Preparation is Success

Ronald Weasley's POV

March 5th, 1993 (Dumbledore's Office – After Dinner)

"Set a date?" Ron asked, he was completely dazed. "What do you mean by 'set a date'? I'm not… I'm leaving my house…" Dumbledore shifted in his seat a bit, a saddened look on his face.

"Ronald, I just want you to think about this" Dumbledore said in a soft, kind voice. "Your original Re-Sorting date was meant to be at the start of the next school year, it would be done after the Sorting Ceremony. But I think that we should do it in a more… private setting, and not in front of the whole school. Can you understand why that might benefit you?"

"Benefit me…?" Ron mumbled, and then his temper flared. "How does this benefit me?!" Ron demanded. "I don't want this, and you people are forcing it down my throat!"

"Ronald, I tried to persuade your parents, I truly did" Dumbledore responded calmly. "But I failed you, and I'm sorry about that." Dumbledore went to speak again, but Ron cut him off.

"Did they tell you to do this?" Ron demanded, his face contorting in anger. "Did they put you up to this?!" I bet they did! I bet they want to keep me in my place! Ron turned his head and cracked his neck, something that made Dumbledore just blink in bewilderment.

"I have not spoken to them since I told them of your involvement in locating the Chamber" Dumbledore admitted slowly. "This is coming from me, Ronald. I do not wish for you to be Re-Sorted in a public setting. I believe that it would be truly cruel. And I know that this isn't fair, or what you want, but you need to think about this. If this is going to happen, then you need to prepare yourself."

"I'm not preparing for anything" Ron hissed as he stood up, and then he threw the Hogwarts pin on Dumbledore's desk. Dumbledore just looked at the discarded pin sadly, and then he looked back up at a seething Ron. "Keep your pathetic little pin" Ron hissed. "Put it on your Golden Boy… I have no use for it." With that, Ron turned around and marched out of the Office. Dumbledore watched him leave with a regretful look, and then, Dumbledore let out a tired sigh. What more could he have done?

Ron ran down the stairs, his hands clenched into shaking fist. Re-Sorting date?! Fuck that! I'm not going anywhere, and they can't make me. If they want to remove me from my friends, then they'll have to physically drag me away! As soon as Ron got past the stone gargoyle, he looked around for his friends. They weren't there, which meant that they had gone back to the common room. Ron was about to head down there, but he stopped himself. They want to have a heart-to-heart about what's bothering me, don't they? I just don't have it in me right now, and if they force me to talk, I'll explode! Ron instead turned in the opposite direction and started heading for his Sanctuary, he wanted to be alone. There's a bed there, and I can finally get some sleep. I'll worry about this after I've woken up.

It didn't take Ron long to get inside his Sanctuary, and he thanked Merlin that the Gryffindors weren't roaming the hallways. Mother and father definitely want me to be in Gryffindor, but I'd rather go into any other house. From what I've seen, the Lions are a bunch of self-righteous twats who think they're better than everyone else. Most of them are just as arrogant as Malfoy… Sure, they don't spout filth like Blood-Supremacy, but they do think themselves to be Merlin's gift on the world. Which is fucked up because Merlin was in Slytherin. Ron dropped into his favorite chair, a deep scowl etched upon his face. As he stared into the fire, Ron felt himself slowly calm down. He was still fuming, but at least now he wasn't shaking with rage.

"Marty" Ron called, he made sure to keep his tone calmer than he was. There was a loud crack, and Marty stepped up beside Ron.

"Master Ronald called for Marty?" Marty beamed, and Ron couldn't help but give a soft smile. Just seeing his faithful companion made him feel less… alone.

"I did" Ron nodded. "Can you please tell Daphne and the others that I'm spending the night in here? Tell them that I want to be alone, and that they shouldn't worry about me. I'm safe and sound…"

"Of course, Master" Marty nodded. "Marty will get it done immediately." Then, with a loud crack, Marty was gone. Ron relaxed into his chair, and he stared into the dancing fire. This is just what Lord Greengrass does. I need to talk to him about this, he always gives me good advice. Ron remembered Lord Greengrass suggesting emancipation a while ago, and the thought made Ron tense up. He didn't want to leave his Family… He just wanted them to stop treating him like a second hand possession. He was tired of being ignored, insulted, or just being disrespected in general. He had honestly never done a single thing to deserve it, his only crime was to exist.

He wanted his mother to be like Pandora, and he wanted his father to be like Lord Greengrass. Or really just like any of the other adults that Ron knew … The fact that every other adult respected and loved Ron unconditionally felt like salt in his wounds because his own parents didn't. His mother didn't even care if he was around whenever Ginny was in the same room, and his father loved Muggles more than he loved Ron. Why couldn't they treat someone else like this? Why me? There was a sudden crack, and Ron was ripped out of his thoughts.

"Marty has told them, Master" Marty reported, and Ron saw that he was holding a cup of hot chocolate. "Here, Master… Marty went to the kitchens to make this for you." Ron took the cup with a grateful smile.

"Thank you, Marty" Ron said sincerely. "You didn't have to do that…"

"Marty did have to do that, Master" Marty argued with a toothy smile. "Master looked sad, so Marty had to make him some hot chocolate." Ron swallowed thickly, and he did his best to keep his composure. The last thing he wanted to do was cry in front of Marty.

"Thank you" Ron repeated, his voice more strained this time. "For everything…" Marty beamed at that.

"If Master needs anything else, please call Marty immediately" Marty said with pride, and then he was gone. Ron held the cup with his gloved hand, and he rubbed his eyes with his left. Don't cry, you little girl. Keep it together. I can still turn this around somehow… I just need to refocus my efforts, that's all. Ron drank his hot chocolate in silence, and it made him feel a lot calmer. It was sweet, and it had chocolate flakes on top. I should get Marty something special. He's done so much for me over the course of this year. And he is my responsibility. Do I even pay him for his services? Or does Lord Greengrass do that? Ron suddenly heard the door creak open, and he let out a tired sigh. They're here to talk… Great… Ron turned to look at the door, and he was momentarily stunned when he saw no one. And then, Blaise suddenly became visible.

"The Disillusionment Charm" Ron frowned while Blaise shut the door behind him. "What are you doing here, Blaise?"

"I got lost" Blaise replied in a deadpan tone.

"Then get lost somewhere else" Ron shot back. "I want to be left alone…" Blaise didn't leave however, instead he took a seat on the couch on Ron's right.

"Want to tell me what happened with Dumbledore?" Blaise asked.

"No" Ron replied curtly.

"That bad, huh?" Blaise asked softly. "So… When are they Re-Sorting you?" Ron felt his stomach tighten, but then he relaxed. Of course he figured it out, he's too clever not to.

"Dumbledore wants me to pick the date…" Ron replied with a faint whisper.

"That's just… cruel" Blaise sighed. "It's bad enough that they're doing this, but to actually make you pick the date… Merlin, what's wrong with them?"

"Why are you here, Blaise?" Ron asked. "You know that I don't want to talk about this."

"I know" Blaise shrugged, and then he relaxed into the couch. "Pansy went into a panic when Marty told us that you were spending the night in here…"

"What? Why?" Ron asked as he shot a quick look to Blaise.

"She took your petrification pretty badly…" Blaise replied softly. "You didn't see her of course, but she was in shambles. She cried almost every day, and she probably visited you more than Daphne did." Ron was stunned at that, and he looked at Blaise with a furrowed brow.

"Why?" Ron asked softly.

"She admires you" Blaise replied, and Ron just stared at him. "She told me that when she was going through an episode about your absence. And before you put yourself down and say that 'you don't deserve her admiration', I'll just tell you that you do. You're something else, Ron." Ron just stared at Blaise's aloof expression for a few seconds, and then he looked back to the fire.

"Something else…" Ron muttered. "That's what Carey Ductu always says…"

"She's probably the sharpest student in Slytherin" Blaise said aloofly. "Maybe you should listen to her."

"I don't even know what she means by it" Ron responded.

"It means that you're a breath of fresh air" Blaise shrugged. "You'd be surprised at how tedious it can be being friends with people like Malfoy…"

"Would I?" Ron chuckled mirthlessly.

"Yes, you really would" Blaise replied. "You don't know how it feels to be 'friends' with someone like him. Someone who thinks that you're not fit to lick his boots…"

"Then why were you all even friends with him?" Ron asked with a frown.

"I owed him…" Blaise said softly, his tone suddenly changing. Ron looked to see Blaise looking away into the distance, and Ron remembered that Blaise had said that once before.

"Owed him?" Ron asked, maybe he could learn more about Blaise today. Blaise was quiet for a few moments, and just when Ron was about to give up, Blaise spoke up.

"He found me in Diagon Alley when I was eight…" Blaise said, and Ron listened intently. "I knew him already of course, but this meeting was different. I was lost, and I had been lost for half the day… But Malfoy spotted me sitting alone, and he approached me. When I told him what happened, he was livid. He dragged me to his parents, and he demanded that they take me home with them… I spent a month with their Family… With him… That's when I started seeing him as my best friend."

"Why were you all alone in Diagon Alley?" Ron asked softly.

"My mother took me shopping for a new broom" Blaise said, his voice was barely audible. "While I ran around the shop with childish glee, she ran into an old fling… They got to talking, and when he asked her if she was alone, she told him that she was. And then… She just left with him. She just left me, Ron…" Ron could do nothing but stare at Blaise, and he felt like the wind was kicked out of him. How could she do that?

"If it wasn't for Malfoy…" Blaise continued, still looking away into the distance. "I don't know how I would have coped with that… He didn't leave alone me for a second during that month. He didn't let me cry, or get angry. He kept me distracted non-stop with games and other silly antics… He was… He was a good person back then. That Malfoy was my best friend, the one that I refused to leave behind. But now… Now he's one of the worst people that I know."

"What happened to your friendship with him?" Ron asked. Malfoy sounds like a great friend in that story. And he was a hero in my vision. Maybe that 'great friend' is still in there somewhere.

"He started listening to his Lord Father's lectures" Blaise replied. "And the more he listened, the more arrogant he became. And the more arrogant he became, the more he 'put us in our place'. And not just me, Ron. He did it to all of us. And we took it without ever standing up for ourselves, but that all ended when we met you. You were our way out…"

"Way out?" Ron asked slowly.

"After your incredibly long Sorting, you got placed in Slytherin" Blaise replied. "A Weasley… in Slytherin. Malfoy planned to 'put you in your place' that night, and he wanted us to help him. But then you told us that the Hat considered you a perfect candidate for every house, and we realized that you were a perfect opportunity to get away from Malfoy. So we approached you… One-by-one."

"You planned that? It wasn't just to be my ally?" Ron asked.

"Theo and I planned it" Blaise admitted. "Daphne no doubt had the same train of thought… Pansy was the only one who refused to leave Malfoy. But she eventually broke, and she came to you with her tail tucked between her legs. And instead of throwing her away like Malfoy would have, like she herself would have, you made her feel like she was one of us. And you didn't stop until she herself began to believe it."

"Why are you telling me this?" Ron asked, and Blaise gave him a meaningful look.

"Because I consider you one of my closest friends" Blaise said with a straight face. "Because I don't like seeing you get kicked into the dirt by everyone in your family, just like we were by Malfoy. Because I respect you… We all respect you, and we admire you. You're what we want to be like… That's why Pansy took it so hard when you were taken away from us. You're absence made her feel like everything we had was over… And so she broke into hysterics at the mere thought of you being gone." Ron didn't even know what to say to that, so he just stared at his own hands like some idiot. Blaise got up and approached Ron, and he put a firm hand on Ron right shoulder. Ron looked at up to see Blaise smiling genuinely at him.

"I know that Theo and I tried to change you at first" Blaise continued. "But we realized our mistake, we truly did. I don't care about your Blood-Traitor status anymore… Nor do I care much for Blood-Supremacy anymore… It's done me no favors. So even if you get Re-Sorted, I'll still stand by you. I won't leave you behind again."

"What about Theo?" Ron asked softly, his eyes locking with Blaise's. "Does he share your outlook too?"

"Theo's hatred for Muggles is… deep" Blaise sighed. "And that's all I'll say on the matter because it's not my place to discuss it. Goodnight Ron, I'll see you at breakfast." With that, Blaise gave Ron's shoulder a squeeze and left. Ron watched Blaise leave the Sanctuary, and all he could do was stare at the door.

---

March 6th, 1993 (Breakfast)

Ron was in the Great Hall before anyone else, and he ate his food hungrily. He didn't have much dinner last night, so now he was ravenous. His conversation with Blaise had been… enlightening. And it had been wholesome. After Blaise had left, Ron felt a thousand times better than he did when he first entered the Sanctuary. His friends respected him, and they admired him. And it wasn't out of duty, or any other obligation. They did it because Ron's own actions had been the cause. And the fact that Blaise no longer cared for Blood-Supremacy was astounding. Ron felt proud of his part in Blaise's change of outlook, and that led Ron to confront his own outlook on what really mattered. He was now ready to look at emancipation as a viable option.

He, of course, had no intention of leaving his family. Especially with a war looming in the near future. He had vowed to save Fred, and the rest of his loved ones. And after speaking with Blaise, Ron had realized that he truly loved his friends. They were his family too, and so he wouldn't abandon them either. Which meant that Ron had to make a compromise. He would use emancipation, but he would use it as a bluff. It would be his trump card against his parents if they didn't back off. His biggest hope was that they didn't call his bluff, because if they did, he was fucked. But using such a weapon was dangerous, and Ron knew it. He could lose the love of his parents if he did this… But he had to do it.

Lord Greengrass had told him that if he couldn't get someone's love and approval, then he should settle for their respect. And since the love and approval thing was dead in the water, Ron would settle for respect. Even if his entire family hated him, but respected him, he could work with that. He'd make them respect him by taking charge in the upcoming war, and by protecting them despite the way that they had always treated him.

This meant that Ron needed to get stronger, and not just at Dueling. He needed a stronger bank of knowledge in all things, powerful allies, and a network of information from the 'other side'. He had analyzed everything in his mind last night, and he had come to see the upcoming war as a game of Chess. His knowledge on the world would serve as the board, his allies would serve as his pieces, and a network of information would serve him in predicting the enemy's moves. He would outmaneuver them all… And he'd do it for the sake of the people that he loved.

Ron's bank of knowledge could be improved with hard-work on his part. He'd study more enthusiastically, do more research into useful topics, and analyze more of the world and its people. His allies however were a different matter. Ron already knew which side of the war he was on, which limited Ron to certain allies. This meant that Ron had to make allies with people like Dumbledore, who was the Leader of the Order of the Phoenix. And the best way to make allies was to impress them with your prowess. Luckily for Ron, Dumbledore was now teaching them D.A.D.A. And they had a class today. Ron would impress the old man with his hard-work, charisma, self-confidence, and a willingness to help others regardless of whichever house they were from.

Gaining Dumbledore's approval and respect was extremely important to Ron now. If he could get himself installed into the Order of the Phoenix, which would no doubt resurface in the upcoming war, then Ron could use his new position to procure safety for his Slytherin friends. Ron wasn't an idiot, he was a strategist. And so he could easily see that the Dark Lord was behind this next war. Which meant that Slytherin House would become a fucking recruitment center for future Death-Eaters before long. And since his friends were openly friends with a Blood-Traitor, they would soon find themselves cornered and under attack. But Ron would be prepared for that. He'd bring them into the Order with Dumbledore's approval, and he'd stand by them through thick and thin.

As for his network of information, Ron would look to Lord Greengrass for help. His mentor was a powerful and influential man, and he had no trouble getting his hands dirty to a certain degree. Ron would build his own network from Lord Greengrass', and maybe, they could even combine their networks someday. Ron also understood that Lord Greengrass' life would change drastically when the war started, mostly because Lord Greengrass was a wealthy man with ties to other Pure-Blood Families. So Ron would work to convince him to join the Order of the Phoenix instead. The thought of going up against his mentor in a war made Ron feel sick. Though he would never outwardly admit it, he had come to love both Lord and Lady Greengrass.

Dumbledore had been right about one thing last night, Ron needed to be prepared. But not about his Re-Sorting… Ron had to be prepared for a war. It was time to grow up, and it was time to take charge of his life. People depended on him, and with his power to see the future, Ron could make a massive difference in the upcoming war. And that meant that sooner or later, Ron had to tell Dumbledore his secret. Even if it meant that the Entity would kill him… If Ron's death helped Dumbledore be more ready for the Dark Lord's return, then it'd be worth it. He just had to secure his friends' safety first.

"Ron!" came Pansy's voice, and Ron looked to see people piling in. "You're here really early" Pansy beamed, and she took Theo's spot.

"I was really hungry" Ron chuckled. "I should've eaten more food last night." His friends all took their seats, while Theo took Pansy's usual seat next to Daphne.

"Then next time you should listen to us" Millie scolded, but her voice sounded relieved. She was glad to see that he was back to normal, she had been worried sick when Marty had told them that Ron wanted to be left alone. If it weren't for Daphne, the girls would've marched up there and dragged him back to the common room.

"Hmmm" Ron hummed in contemplation. "Nah…"

"Someone's feeling cheeky" Pansy giggled as she lightly smacked his right arm.

"Not just cheeky" Ron chuckled. "I feel… good. Content…" His friends blinked at him, while Blaise smirked to himself.

"And what's brought about this change?" Theo asked with curious tone.

"I just realized how much I love you guys" Ron shrugged, and his friends were left stunned. Theo was just staring at him like he was insane, Tracey and Millie were smiling happily, Pansy was ecstatic, Blaise was trying not to visibly gag, and Daphne had gone a bit crimson.

"What's gotten into you?!" Pansy laughed. "The Ron I know isn't so… open…"

"Well, this is a one-time thing" Ron smiled at her. "Until breakfast ends, I'll be nothing but sappy and loving."

"And after that you'll go back to being a twat?" Theo asked, and Ron sniggered.

"Exactly" Ron said.

"Quick everyone, gather up as many compliments as you can" Tracey chuckled. "Ron, what do think about my eyes?"

"I think they're gorgeous, just like you" Ron smiled at her, and Tracey grinned. "A perfect shade of emerald, I could stare into them all day." Tracey's cheeks went a little red at that.

"Ron, are you dying?" Millie asked slowly.

"Why would you say that?" Ron chuckled. "Can't I just be in a great mood?"

"You can…" Millie replied. "But last night you were…"

"You were moping around like a wounded puppy" Theo provided, and the girls glared at him. Theo put his hands up in surrender, a cheeky grin on his face.

"Well, that was last night" Ron shrugged as he started on his third plate of food. His friends blinked at him, Ron's mood swings were legendary amongst them. One minute he'd be fine, and the next moment he'd be filled with rage. And then, he'd be happy beyond words. This was clearly one of those moments. "I feel good today, and I'm not letting anything ruin my mood."

"If it isn't the Weasel himself?" came a pompous voice from behind him. Is this the Universe's way of telling me to fuck off? Ron had to pinch his own leg to keep his anger under control, he was still furious with what Malfoy had called Daphne.

"Good morning, Malfoy" Ron turned to his nemesis with a smile, and that jarred Malfoy right out of the gate. "How are you doing? Can I help you with something?" Tracey immediately broke into an uncontrollable snigger, while Ron's other friends were just befuddled.

"What… I mean…" Malfoy stammered, his face showing his confusion. Crabbe, Goyle, and Marcus Flint were standing right behind Malfoy, and Ron looked to them.

"Good morning, Flint" Ron greeted, this was fun. "How's Quidditch going? I bet you're really glad that it's back on. From what I've seen, you're a great captain." Marcus Flint's mouth hung open slightly, revealing his bigger than average teeth.

"Thanks…?" Flint muttered in confusion. Tracey let out a stifled laugh, and even Theo started sniggering at this point.

"You're welcome" Ron smiled at him, and then he looked to an even more confused Malfoy. "Malfoy, can I help you with something?"

"No" Malfoy spat, and then he turned around and left. Ron didn't miss Malfoy shooting him an extremely confused look again, and Ron grinned to himself. Fuck you Universe, it won't be that easy!

"What the fuck?" Theo broke into a hysterical laugh, and he covered his face with his hands. "Merlin… what the fuck just happened?" Even Blaise was trying not to laugh, but the rest of them had no trouble letting loose.

"That was amazing" Tracey wheezed.

"Did you see his face?" Millie chuckled.

"Ron… that was so brilliant" Daphne laughed, a Lady-like hand covering her mouth. "What's gotten into you?"

"I'm just in a good mood" Ron smiled widely. That, and the fact that I can't afford to go around making enemies anymore. The point of my new outlook is to try and further myself, not to get bogged down with school rivalries. Though I will deal with Malfoy eventually. If there is a chance that I can push him to become the man from my vision, I have to take it.

Ron suddenly saw a flash of grey from the corner of his eyes, and he looked to see Helios flying down at him. His heart leaped into his throat at the sight of his companion, Helios had a letter attached to his leg. Ginny wrote back! Helios landed in front of Ron with a loud hoot, and then he presented his leg to Ron. Ron immediately took the letter from Helios' leg, and Helios began eating Ron's bacon while Ron read the letter.

Ronnie,

I got your letter yesterday morning, and I'm sorry that I didn't reply immediately. I fell asleep because of how relieved I was that you didn't hate me. I'm so sorry for everything, and I'm really sorry that I didn't tell you or anyone about that Diary. It just made me feel… less alone… But I was stupid, and people got hurt. You got hurt.

Since I didn't tell you the truth then, let me tell it to you now. I wasn't there to greet you after you woke up because I was scared. I was scared that you'd hate me, that you'd tell me to leave, and that you'd say that you never wanted to speak to me again. I guess I was wrong about that too. I'm so stupid.

Mum and dad want me to stay home for a while longer. Dad says that I can go back whenever I want, but mum won't let me out of her sight. I feel like I can't breathe sometimes, she is constantly watching me. She won't even let me do any chores! That's how bad it is, I actually miss chores. I just sit in the living room or in my room all day, and she is always there.

I miss you, I miss the twins, and I even miss Percy. But I think I'll stay here until Easter Break ends. I'm still having trouble forgetting what I did, or all the problems that I caused. Mum and dad keep saying that it's not my fault, but dad told me that it was when they first found out. He told me that I shouldn't have trusted the Diary because I didn't know where it kept its brain.

Mum and dad haven't told our brothers about why I've been pulled out, Dumbledore wanted it kept a secret. So as far as I know, only a few people know that I was responsible for this whole mess. I feel like I want everyone to know so they can punish me… I don't know, it's stupid. I sometimes don't even feel like leaving my bed in the morning. (I'm sorry for rambling on, I just want to talk to someone who isn't mum. She just starts crying every time I try to tell her how I feel.)

One last thing. Ronnie, are you having a fight with mum and dad? They both get so sad whenever I mention you, especially dad. I caught him looking through old photos of us when we were really young, and he seemed really upset. When they came back from Hogwarts after you were brought back, they were both so sad. Mum cried most of the night. Ronnie, what's going on? Are you angry with them? With us?

Please tell me, and please send Helios back. He's a bit rough, but having him around makes me feel… safer.

Love,

Ginny.

P.S: I miss you too, and I can't wait to hug you as well.

P.P.S: Helios attacked dad for not sharing his bacon. It was the funniest thing that I've seen in a long time.

P.P.P.S: I love you, Ronnie.

Ron smiled at the long letter, and then he stroked Helios' feathers. The Eagle-Owl hooted softly in content, and it looked to Ron for instructions.

"I have to go and write a letter to Ginny" Ron told his friends, and they all nodded.

"How is she?" Daphne asked. "Is she recovering well?"

"I don't really know" Ron sighed. "She says she's getting better, but she sounds… defeated. She doesn't really sound like Ginny."

"Give her time" Blaise interjected.

"She's been through a lot, and I can't even imagine how guilty she must feel" Tracey smiled at Ron. "Blaise is right, she will come around eventually."

"But you should still keep sending her letters" Millie told him.

"And tell her that you love her" Pansy added on. "That's the most important part." Ron nodded at that, and then he stood up to leave.

"Want me to come with you?" Daphne asked, and Ron shook his head.

"I think I need to do this on my own" Ron smiled, and Daphne smiled in approval.

---

March 6th, 1993 (D.A.D.A Class – Last class of the Day)

Ron wasn't going to lie to himself, he was extremely excited and nervous at the same time. He was excited because Albus Dumbledore himself was going to be teaching them D.A.D.A. And he was nervous because the last time Ron had seen Dumbledore, Ron had lost his temper and said something rather venomous. Was he still angry about this whole Re-Sorting nonsense? Yes, he was. But now he planned to subdue his anger in order to impress the Greatest Wizard since Merlin himself. Ron needed Dumbledore, just like he needed Potter, and letting his anger get the better of him was not helping him anymore. If anything, it was killing him slowly.

Daphne's words had lingered in his head last night, and Ron understood that he generally was his own worst enemy. He had always known that, he was prone to rage-induced outbursts and bouts of extreme jealousy. He understood that he had his reasons for those, but the truth was that he hated that part of himself. And he was sure that other people did too. If he was to win Dumbledore's trust, then he needed to show the old wizard a better side of himself. The side that wanted nothing more than to protect his loved ones.

"Good afternoon" Dumbledore beamed at them, and the class greeted him back. The Gryffindors were ecstatic, especially the Golden Trio. The Slytherins were quieter, but Ron knew that they were excited as well. Even Malfoy was sitting up with his back straight. "As you all know, I will be serving as your substitute teacher for the remainder of the school year. But before I can do that, I need to know where everyone stands. So I have prepared a small test." Dumbledore waved his hand, and sheets of parchment flew onto every students' desks. "Please take thirty minutes to complete this 'test'. Do not worry, this does not affect your overall grade. This is more for my own benefit."

The class didn't even make a peep, and they all began working on the test immediately. Ron was overjoyed to see that this test was actually on D.A.D.A, and that he could finally show off his knowledge. This is the first step. I need to get everything correct on this because that'll help me stand out. Ron wrote tirelessly, and since every single question was based around Percy's notes, Ron was the first to finish. It had taken him just over ten minutes to get the test done, and he put his gloved hand up to signal Dumbledore that he was finished.

"Ah, Ronald" Dumbledore smiled at him, and Ron felt his insides tighten with guilt. I'm sorry for speaking to you like that last night. "What can I help you with? Are you having trouble understanding a question?"

"No, Headmaster" Ron replied. "I've finished." People from around the classroom shot him surprised looks, and Ron could clearly see a jealous glint in Hermione's eyes.

"I see" Dumbledore smiled as he picked up the paper and began reading the answers. After thirty seconds or so, Dumbledore beamed at Ron. "Every question seems to be answered perfectly, well done Ronald. Take ten points for Slytherin for your excellent knowledge on the subject." Ron smiled and gave Dumbledore a grateful nod, and Dumbledore turned around and left with Ron's paper. Ron shot another quick look around the room, and the stunned/jealous looks made him smile a little more widely. Step one was successful, now I just have to keep this up.

Ron sat quietly as the rest of his classmates finished up their tests, and he went over his day in his head. He had been working his arse off in classes again, answering question after question. He had even started taking his own notes, notes that he planned to give Ginny and Luna when they started their second year. His friends were a little stunned by his behavior at first, but then they had quickly adjusted and relaxed. Ron knew that they preferred this version of 'Ronald Weasley' over the version that was cold, calculating, and even a little scary. Ron was in agreement with them on that. Even he didn't know why he always fell into such dark moods, sure he was always emotional, but his recent behavior was so unlike him. I just need to think before I act, that's all. Now more than ever.

"Here, Ronald" Dumbledore whispered, and Ron looked to the old wizard. Dumbledore was holding three licorice wands in his left hand, and he was smiling softly. "Enjoy these while you wait. I just finished going over your answers properly, and I must admit, you've impressed me." Ron's cheeks flushed red, and he took the licorice wands with a smile.

"Thank you, Headmaster" Ron whispered back, and Dumbledore's smile widened a bit. Dumbledore gave Ron's left shoulder a comforting squeeze as he moved on to continue his patrol. Ron ate one of his licorice wands, and he again shot a quick look around. His classmates were clearly confused with Dumbledore's treatment of Ron, and maybe even a little jealous. Give me a break guys, he and I have been through quite a bit recently. Eventually, everyone finished and handed in their tests. As Dumbledore went through them at an extraordinary speed, the classroom broke into quiet conversations.

"Ron, what was that?" Pansy asked, she was sitting with him for this class. And every class today. Blaise was clearly telling the truth about her, and her attachment to me. Ron felt a pang of guilt for making her worry in the first place.

"What was what?" Ron asked with a smile.

"You finished really quickly, and he gave you sweets. And he gave your shoulder a paternal squeeze…" Pansy replied. "What's going on between you two? What did you talk about last night?"

"We had a fight" Ron replied truthfully, and Pansy's eyes widened a bit.

"A fight? You had a fight with the Headmaster?" Pansy asked. "Ron, what's going on?"

"He wanted me to set a date for my Re-Sorting" Ron told her with complete honesty, she deserved that much at least. "I got… angry. And I lashed out. I… I threw the pin away in anger… And I said something rather cruel to him…" Pansy just blinked at him, and then her face started showing her panic.

"Re-Sorting… You're leaving?" Pansy asked, her voice slightly shaky.

"No, Pansy" Ron replied as he grabbed her hand under the table. "I am not leaving, ever. I'll always be here, standing by all of you. I swear to Merlin, Pans, I will not leave you." Pansy nodded as she tried to regain her composure, and Ron squeezed her hand gently. "I meant what I said this morning, Pans. I love you guys, and I see you as my family." Pansy let out a soft, relieved laugh.

"I don't know what's made you change so suddenly, but I'm glad that it happened" Pansy smiled softly as she squeezed his hand back. Blaise showed me just how much I care about you all, and how much you all care about me. I'll do everything in my power to protect you all. I've spent far too much time avoiding my mission.

"Excellent" came Dumbledore's voice, and everyone went silent. Ron noticed that Pansy tightened her grip on his hand, and he smiled to himself. If she didn't want to let go yet, then he wouldn't let go. "From what I can see, most of you have good theoretical knowledge on how to defend yourselves from the Dark Arts. As for your practical knowledge… The majority of you are lacking." Blame Quirrell and Lockhart for that. One was a stuttering moron, and the other was just a plain moron. "Which is why we will be having class outside today. After all, practicing spells is not something one should do indoors." The class immediately became excited.

---

March 6th, 1993 (D.A.D.A Class – Courtyard)

"We will work on a simple Disarming Charm first" Dumbledore told them, and the excitement was palpable. This was Albus fucking Dumbledore, and he was teaching them magic personally. "Which means that you'll all be breaking into pairs, and as a fun treat, you must pair with someone not in your own house." What? Wait, no… This is perfect. I can show him that I'm a team player. The rest of the class seemed less thrilled at that, except for Hermione who was looking at Ron with a smile. No, not her. She's already too skilled, and I need someone who needs my help. Otherwise, what's even the point?

"Headmaster, must we?" Potter asked, he was clearly not thrilled about working with Slytherins. Git… But I need to make real peace with him too. Which means that we have to talk soon, and I need to move past his thieving behavior.

"Yes, you must" Dumbledore chuckled, his eyes twinkling brightly. "If you all want, I can chose the pairs randomly. Will that be better?"

"Yes, Headmaster" Ron jumped in, this was a golden opportunity. "This way, no one will feel cheated."

"Very well" Dumbledore smiled at Ron. "Everyone will write their names on a piece of parchment, and I will draw out the names from these two hats." Dumbledore then windlessly conjured two hats, one green and the other red. "Quickly now, the sooner we get this done, the sooner we can start practicing." Ron almost broke into a happy dance, and he begged the Universe to not fuck him over. Please give me any Gryffindor besides Potter, Hermione, and Dean fucking Thomas.

Everyone did as they were told, and once the names were submitted, Dumbledore began drawing them out. Hermione's name was pulled out first, and she was paired with Crabbe. Ron had to bite his tongue in order to not laugh at the look of disgust on both their faces. Malfoy was paired with Seamus Finnegan. Daphne was paired with Parvati Patil. Tracey was paired with Longbottom. Blaise was paired with Potter. Theo was paired with Fay Dunbar. Pansy was paired with Dean Thomas. Millie was paired with Fay Dunbar's friend, her name was Runcorn or something. And Ron was paired with Lavender Brown. This left only Goyle, and so Dumbledore paired up with him.

"Now that we are all sorted" Dumbledore said, his eyes still twinkling in merriment. "Spread out a bit, and start practicing. The incantation is 'Expelliarmus'. Say it clearly, and do this wand movement." Dumbledore showed them the movement, which was a downward line with a twirl of the wrist. "Make sure you hold onto your wands, we don't want any accidents" Dumbledore chuckled heartily. They all then moved into their pairs, most of them wearing disgusted looks. Ron however, wore a friendly smile on his face as he approached Lavender Brown.

"Hello, Lavender" Ron greeted her, and she looked at him warily. "Can I call you Lavender like I did at Neville's party?"

"Sure…" Lavender replied, her tone slightly subdued. Is she… scared of me? Ron nearly let out a sigh at that, but he knew that this was his own doing. Pansy told me that people still remember what I did to Potter, so I can understand why she is worried. I'll just have to be extra polite and helpful.

"I'll stand over here, and you can stand over there" Ron smiled at her, and they both parted ways. Ron quickly took off Pandora's ring, and he put it in his robe's inner pocket. I don't need any spells backfiring on her. Once they were around ten feet away from each other, they both took their stances. Ron took on a more aggressive and prepared stance, while Lavender's stance was… Well, it was rather timid and unsure. Ron could already hear spells being fired, and he decided to get started. "Do you want me to throw the first spell? Or do you want the honor?" Ron asked her.

"You… You can throw the first one…" Lavender replied, she was visibly scared. Ron felt his insides squirm from guilt, he had to make sure that she didn't fear him by the end of this.

"Expelliarmus" Ron chanted as he did the wand movement, and a scarlet light shot out of his wand. The light hit Lavender's right hand, and she squealed in fright as her wand was ripped from her hand. Ron caught her wand easily enough, and he looked to her with a friendly smile. "Here you go, Lavender" Ron said as he handed her wand back to her.

"Thanks…" Lavender smiled sheepishly. "I thought that it would send me flying like last time…" The Dueling Club, I remember. I'm pretty sure that Tracey cheated, and Lavender was floored.

"That only happens if you hit your opponent's body" Ron quoted Percy's notes. "The main point of this spell is to disarm, something that Lockhart failed to mention."

"Yeah… Lockhart…" Lavender muttered, her cheeks going a little pale. Let me guess, you had a crush on him too? "I can't believe he was a fraud…"

"I can" Ron chuckled. "Remember the pixies?"

"I do" Lavender smiled for the first time. "Merlin, that class was the worst…" Don't let her get distracted.

"Alright, it's your turn now" Ron told her, and then he got back into position. Lavender aimed her wand at him, and Ron prepared for the worst. If he was lucky, she'd disarm him. If he was unlucky, she'd send him flying. And how often am I lucky?

"Expelliarmus" Lavender said with a rather soft voice, and she did the 'wand movement'. Nothing came out of her wand, and Ron wasn't even surprised. What the hell was that wand movement? "Expelliarmus" Lavender tried again, but just like before, nothing happened. "Ugh… It's not working" Lavender complained to herself. Time to step in and help her, I hope Dumbledore is watching. Ron shot a quick look around, and he saw that Dumbledore was too busy helping Goyle hold his wand properly.

"Is everything alright, Lavender?" Ron asked her with a smile, and she went a bit red in the cheeks.

"No, I can't get it to work" Lavender replied.

"Do you want my help?" Ron asked, and she looked at him warily. Please say yes.

"Okay…" Lavender said softly. Thank you!

"Get into your stance please, I'll help you from there" Ron told her, and she took her timid stance. There's the first problem, she doesn't even want to try. "Lavender, stand like this" Ron instructed as he showed her his stance. "This stance helps you keep your feet planted, and it gives you the opportunity to move more quickly." Lavender slowly took his stance, and he smiled in approval. "Much better, now let's see about that spell." Ron analyzed how tightly she held her wand, her tense wrist and elbow, and her less than keen mannerisms. "May I?" Ron asked as he stood closer to her, and she nodded. Ron ignored her blush as he used his hands to loosen her grip on her wand.

"You're holding onto it too tightly" Ron told her, and she just nodded. "And here, relax your wrist and elbow" Ron said as he lightly adjusted her right arm. They were standing quite close to each other, and Ron could smell her perfume. His first thought was to question why she was wearing perfume to classes, and his second thought was that it smelled really nice. Unbeknownst to Ron, Marty was still cleaning his robes and dabbing them with a jasmine and sandalwood fragrance. Lavender's face burned at how close Ron was, and how nice he smelled. "Okay, try firing the Disarming Charm now" Ron said softly, and she nodded again.

"Expelliarmus" Lavender said, but her voice didn't come out right. Her head was somewhere else right now, but Ron didn't really understand that. Why does she say it so meekly? And what is that wand movement? Is she trying to stab someone?

"Okay, let's work on your wand movement" Ron said. "Can I show you?"

"Okay…" Lavender mumbled, her face going scarlet. This wasn't so bad…

"It's alright, there's nothing to be embarrassed about" Ron assured her, and then he took her right hand with his gloved one. He didn't miss her staring at his hand, but he chose to ignore it. Ron guided her hand and wand with his own hand. "I'll do the movement for you, and you say the spell. And say it clearly, like you're trying to disarm someone. Think of Malfoy or something" Ron joked, and Lavender let out a cute giggle.

"Okay, let's try" Lavender said, her voice a bit more lively. "Expelliarmus" Lavender chanted as Ron guided her hand, and a scarlet light shot out of her wand. Lavender's joyous squeal nearly deafened Ron. "I did it! Did you see that?!"

"I did" Ron laughed. "Great job, Lavender." The blonde girl was smiling widely, her cheeks rosy.

"Thanks, Ron" Lavender said gratefully.

"Now, I'll stand over there and you try it on your own" Ron told her, and she nodded more enthusiastically. Ron took his position, and he gave her a nod to indicate that he was ready. Ron also noticed that a few people were looking in their direction because of Lavender's squeal, and Dumbledore was one of them. Don't mess this up, Lavender.

"Expelliarmus" Lavender said clearly as she mimicked the wand movement that he showed her, and a scarlet light burst out of her wand. Her aim was shite… The spell hit Ron in the chest instead of his right hand, and so Ron was sent barreling back. His back hit the grass with a thud, and Ron was slightly winded. Fuck… My chest…

"Ron, I'm so sorry!" came Lavender's loud voice, and Ron heard her quickly run to him. And then, her worried face stood over him. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine" Ron replied as he stood up slowly. He looked over to see his wand lying on the ground, and he picked it up immediately. "Technically, I did get disarmed" Ron joked with a grin, and Lavender blinked at him.

"You did, didn't you?" Lavender suddenly giggled.

"Great job, Lavender" Ron complimented her. "You're a natural… trust me." I feel like I got kicked by a Hippogriff.

"Excellent work you two" Dumbledore suddenly interrupted, his eyes twinkling madly. "Take five points each for working together so well." Dumbledore then turned to the other students with a smile. "Miss. Granger, please swap with Ronald. You can work with your house-mate while Ronald works with Mr. Crabbe." What the fuck? No, please… Both Hermione and Crabbe looked visibly relieved, while Lavender looked rather disappointed.

"I'll see you later, Lavender" Ron said his goodbye with a friendly smile. "It was fun working with you."

"You too" Lavender smiled back, her cheeks were rather red. Ron gave her a parting nod, and then he walked over towards Crabbe. Just bear with it, it's important that I show Dumbledore what I'm capable of. As Ron passed Hermione, the frizzy haired witch gave him a warning.

"Crabbe is a complete oaf, Ron" Hermione said haughtily. "Utter buffoon… Good luck trying to teach him… I certainly tried my best…"

"I'll teach him" Ron gave her a smirk, and she just shook her head. Ron approached the big boy who had helped destroy his precious treasures last year, and Ron forced on a smile. "Are you having trouble with casting the spell?" Ron asked Crabbe, and Crabbe just grunted.

"The Mud-Blood was annoying…" Crabbe replied, and Ron felt his temper flare to a boiling point. Don't attack him… Don't attack him… Dumbledore is watching you, Ron. Keep your shite together!

"Show me your stance" Ron said, his tone coming out harsher than he intended it. He couldn't help the fact that it drove him mad to see Crabbe calling Hermione that so easily. Crabbe took on an intimidating stance, and Ron just blinked at him. He's just standing there with his chest puffed out… He might as well wear a sign that says 'Hit my fat arse first because I won't even try to dodge anything'.

"Well?" Crabbe grunted, and Ron tutted him.

"Your stance is wrong, mate" Ron said, his friendly tone tasting like ash in his mouth. Suck it up, this is better for the long term. Time to grow up, remember? "Here, stand like this" Ron instructed as he stood in a defensive side-ways stance.

"Why?" Crabbe asked with a growl.

"Your bulky guy, Crabbe" Ron said, his charm fully turned on. "And you're quite intimidating." Crabbe smirked at that, and Ron did his best to hide his own smirk. "But since you're so bulky, it makes you an easier target. So, if you stand like me, you're a smaller target." Crabbe nodded slowly, and Ron wasn't quite sure that Crabbe even understood anything. But then Crabbe took on Ron's stance.

"What else?" Crabbe grunted. I'd say this is progress.

"Show me your wand movement, but don't say the spell" Ron instructed, and Crabbe narrowed his eyes on Ron. "We don't want any misfires, do we?" Crabbe nodded, and then he showed Ron the wand movement. It was worse than Lavender's… Is he trying to paint on a fucking canvass that I can't see? "I see what's wrong now, you're wand movement is slightly off." Slightly off, my arse… I should be thanking Merlin that I still have both my eyes. "Here, let me show you slowly. Just copy my wand movement."

"Alright" Crabbe grunted, he seemed rather pleased at the word 'copy'. Ron did the proper wand movement as slowly as he could, and Crabbe copied him rather well.

"Now let's try it a bit faster?" Ron asked.

"Alright" Crabbe grunted, and Ron wondered if the bulky boy was dropped on his head as a child. Not only does he barely speak, but he just grunts everything. It's no wonder that Malfoy tried to 'win' back his former friends, the platinum haired twat was clearly desperate for an actual conversation. Ron did the movement faster this time, and Crabbe managed to successfully copy him.

"That was perfect, well done" Ron complimented, and Crabbe smirked. "Now just say 'Expelliarmus' clearly when you do that exact wand movement, alright?"

"Alright" Crabbe grunted.

"Let me get into position, and remember to aim at my right hand" Ron said. Please aim for my hand… Don't floor me like Lavender did. Ron then got into position, and he gave Crabbe a nod. "I'm ready, Crabbe. Fire the spell." In his dread, Ron failed to notice that quite a few people were watching them. It was no secret that Crabbe was the slow type, but they wanted to see if Ron could teach him like he had done with Lavender.

"Expelliarmus" Crabbe chanted with alarming precision, and then a scarlet light burst out of his wand. Ron had a split second to register the fact that the light was heading for his face, and before he could even cuss, everything had gone black.

---

March 6th, 1993 (D.A.D.A Class – Courtyard)

"Ronald, are you alright?" came Dumbledore's voice, and Ron opened his eyes.

"Ow…" Ron wheezed, his head throbbing. "Headmaster?" Ron asked as his vision cleared up. Dumbledore was crouched down next to him, and he was holding up three fingers.

"How many fingers do you see, Ronald?" Dumbledore chuckled, and Ron frowned at the old wizard's amusement. How about I show you a finger?

"Three…" Ron groaned as he sat up. That's when he noticed that the other students were just watching him, including Crabbe. What the hell was that aim? Did he seriously do that on purpose? Does he even have the brain power to plan that?

"Well, you seem fine now" Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling in merriment. Dumbledore then helped Ron stand up, and he handed Ron his wand. "From what I've seen today Ronald, you make for an excellent training dummy." The entire class sniggered, while Dumbledore smiled brightly.

"What can I say? I'm a team player" Ron joked back, and Dumbledore actually laughed for once. A bit on the nose, but at least he knows now.

"I think that should conclude our class for the day" Dumbledore announced to everyone, and there were groans of disappointment. "Let us return to the classroom so that you can all collect your things." Everyone followed Dumbledore's instructions, though the disappointment of stopping was evident. Ron couldn't blame them, he didn't want to stop either. They finally had a proper D.A.D.A Professor, and they had actually learnt Defensive Magic for a change. As they made their way back up, Daphne quickly moved to walk by Ron's side.

"Are you alright?" Daphne asked, her tone was dignified and cold. When Ron looked at her, he could see that she was genuinely concerned. Ah, we're in public. And therefore she won't show any emotion.

"I'm alright, but my head hurts a little" Ron replied truthfully. "You reckon he aimed for my head on purpose?"

"You reckon he's smart enough to think like that?" Daphne asked in returned, and Ron sniggered.

"I had the exact same thought" Ron told her.

"Great minds think alike" Daphne smirked lightly. "I'm glad you're alright, Ron. I don't think you can afford to lose any more brain cells." Ron feigned hurt, and then he grinned at her.

"Your words have hurt me more than that spell, Lady Greengrass" Ron chuckled, and Daphne stifled her giggle. "But seriously, how was it working with Parvati?"

"She was alright" Daphne replied. "She was a lot more polite than I imagined her to be."

"Why wouldn't she be polite?" Ron asked. "Her sister is awesome."

"Padma is a Ravenclaw" Daphne said. "The Ravenclaws are generally better company than the Gryffindors. Plus, Parvati is quite the gossip. I figured that she'd be the opinionated sort, but she was rather polite. She even complimented my hair."

"You do have nice hair" Ron agreed.

"Thank you" Daphne smiled softly. "How was it working with Lavender Brown and Crabbe?"

"I definitely enjoyed working with Lavender more" Ron admitted. "At least she didn't give me a damn concussion."

"That's fair, but I think that we should all be grateful that we didn't get paired with Finnegan" Daphne said, and Ron gave her a confused look. "Did you seriously miss him nearly setting Malfoy on fire?"

"He did?" Ron asked in shock, and Daphne let out soft chuckle.

"He did" Daphne nodded. "He set one of the trees behind Malfoy on fire, and Dumbledore decided to take his wand away. Malfoy ended up pairing with Goyle, while Finnegan just skulked about. How did you miss all of that?"

"I was concentrating on my own thing" Ron shrugged. And I was trying to impress Dumbledore.

"You mean you were concentrating on Brown?" Daphne smirked, and Ron blinked at her. "Don't worry Ron, it doesn't really bother me."

"It… doesn't?" Ron asked. How does it not bother her? She can be rather… possessive. "Why doesn't it bother you?"

"Brown doesn't get to kiss you, I do" Daphne whispered, and Ron's face flushed red. He felt his stomach start to float, and he fought to keep the panic off of his face. "Ever since we started kissing, it doesn't really bother me when you spend time with other girls. Strange, huh?"

"We're in public, Daph" Ron whispered. She's going to get us caught!

"I know" Daphne responded, a roguish smile on her face. "Does it bother you when I say that in public?"

"It does bother me…" Ron admitted. "What we're doing, Daph… It could land us in a lot of trouble with your parents…" Ron felt his heartbeat increase, and his mouth suddenly felt a bit drier.

"I know" Daphne said, she sounded… pleased. "The thrill of it is exciting, isn't it?"

"Exciting?" Ron asked.

"I know you feel it too" Daphne replied as she linked their arms, her roguish smile growing a little wider. "It makes me feel like there are butterflies in my stomach, and I get this weird… rush. What about you?" Ron shot a quick look around, and he was glad to see that everyone else was too busy discussing their most recent class. "They're not watching us, Ron" Daphne whispered in his ear, and Ron felt a shudder pass through him. "No one knows what we're doing."

"Stop it" Ron said.

"Or what?" Daphne asked, her voice silky smooth.

"Or… Or I won't give you another…" Ron stammered as he stared forward.

"Another what?" Daphne giggled softly. Get a grip, Ron.

"You're enjoying this too much" Ron replied.

"And so are you" Daphne shot back. "Why else would you go so red in the face?"

"Fear of death can do that to a person" Ron replied. "Your father will literally disembowel me if he finds out." Damn, she knows that I'm enjoying this little game. But if she doesn't stop, we'll both get caught.

"Then he won't find out" Daphne said as she disentangled their arms. "I can't wait for Paris…" It all hit Ron like a ton of bricks at that, and he looked to see her smiling to herself.

"You can't be serious…?" Ron mumbled. "Your parents will be right there, Daph… We… we can't…"

"We can't what?" Daphne smiled at him. "Spend time together? We're friends, aren't we?" Daphne suddenly frowned a little, and Ron blinked at her change in demeanor. "We're nearing the classroom. This conversation isn't over, Ron" Daphne promised. Merlin help me, what's gotten into her? Is she possessed now too? And why did I enjoy that? Self-preservation my arse, part of me liked doing that too much. Is that what she meant by 'getting a weird rush'? Ron and his classmates entered the classroom, and they all began to grab their things. The bell rang suddenly, and Ron was amazed at the timing.

"That concludes our time together" Dumbledore beamed at the students. "Enjoy your weekend, and I will see you all next week." The class began to leave, but Dumbledore called out to Ron. "Ronald, please stay behind a moment." Everyone stopped in their tracks, and Ron slowly turned around. It worked? He was impressed, wasn't he?

"Of course, Headmaster" Ron smiled, and he noticed that people were staring. Well, not people… Potter, Longbottom, and Hermione were staring.

"We'll be right outside" Pansy whispered, and Ron gave her a nod. Ron then walked closer to Dumbledore, and Dumbledore looked to the rest of the class. They all began shuffling out, but Ron saw the Golden Trio lingering behind. But they too eventually left, and then it was just Ron and Dumbledore.

"Is everything alright, Headmaster?" Ron asked with a smile, and Dumbledore just looked at him with a worried look.

"I should be asking you that, Ronald" Dumbledore replied. "Our conversation last night turned rather… heated."

"I'm so sorry about that" Ron apologized sincerely. "I just… I just don't know what came over me. I had a fight with my brothers… and then you mentioned my Re-Sorting… I'm really sorry, Headmaster." Dumbledore leaned against the teacher's desk, and he gestured for Ron to sit. Ron didn't dare disobey.

"Ronald, I am growing increasingly worried about you" Dumbledore told him, it was the genuine truth. He had spent the entire night thinking about Ron's rage, and his venomous words. The boy was generally so light-hearted and polite, but then he suddenly wasn't. It was like a switch would get flipped in his mind, and Dumbledore feared that this 'Entity' might be behind this.

"Worried about me?" Ron asked. So he wasn't impressed with me?

"Yes, worried" Dumbledore nodded. "Talk to me Ronald, tell me why you fought with your brothers. They had been eagerly awaiting your return, what changed?" Ron just stared at Dumbledore, he didn't want to discuss his brothers. Just give him a little bit… Try and build a rapport with him. Your pride is nothing compared to your goal.

"I happened…" Ron admitted softly as he averted his gaze. "I'm just so… I got so angry with them when they kept hounding me…"

"Hounding you?" Dumbledore asked softly. This was good, Ronald was opening up to him.

"They wanted to ask why I was so cold to mother and father" Ron told him, and Dumbledore didn't miss the fact that Ron called his parents 'mother' and 'father'.

"They don't know about your Re-Sorting?" Dumbledore asked with a kind smile.

"They do now… I blew up on them, and I just shouted whatever came to my mind…" Ron sighed. "They probably think that I'm a horrible person now…" Maybe they can make fun of that too? Stop… What's wrong with me? Why do I keep looking for a fight? I've had a good day… and I'm trying to ruin it? Ron turned his head and cracked his neck, while Dumbledore just watched.

"I don't think that they'll think that" Dumbledore said. "Ronald, can I please suggest something? And I want you to know that I mean no offence by it."

"Suggest what?" Ron asked, this conversation was not going according to plan.

"You've been under a lot of stress lately" Dumbledore said softly, a kind smile on his face. "And judging by your excellent grades, I can see that you are pushing yourself very hard despite everything else going on in your life. Things like working for Lord Greengrass, and trying to convince your parents to let you stay with your friends. Someone your age shouldn't have such worries placed upon them. But since these things cannot be helped, I wanted to suggest that you talk to someone about them. Just to vent your feelings every now and then."

"Talk to someone?" Ron blinked. "Like… Professor Snape?"

"You can talk to Professor Snape" Dumbledore told him. "But I was thinking of Madam Pomfrey." Madam Pomfrey? Why would I talk to her?

"Why her?" Ron asked, his curiosity piqued.

"You may know that she is a qualified Medi-Witch, Ronald" Dumbledore said. "But what you might not know is that she is also a trained Mind-Healer." Mind-Healer?

"You mean that she is trained to deal with crazy people?" Ron asked, his tone coming out slightly harsher than intended. Does he think that I'm crazy? I'm not crazy! "I don't need that sort of help!" Ron fumed as he stood up, and Dumbledore clapped his hands once. The odd action jarred Ron, but Dumbledore just smiled sadly.

"There it is again" Dumbledore said, while Ron blinked rapidly in confusion. "We were having a perfectly normal conversation, and just like that, your demeanor just changed." Huh? "Ronald, this is why I'm so worried about you. After last night, I was quite concerned about seeing you at breakfast. But you surprised me completely. You were in a joyful mood, as if last night didn't even happen. This is not the behavior of a healthy person Ron, please try and understand that. I'm not trying to insult you, I'm trying to help you." Ron just stared at Dumbledore, and he didn't even know what to say.

"I don't need that kind of help" Ron mumbled after a few seconds. I was in a joyful mood because my best mate finally opened up to me, and I finally realized how important my friends are to me.

"It was just a suggestion" Dumbledore said as he walked over to Ron, and then the old wizard put a hand on Ron's left shoulder. "Please think about it, that's all I ask."

"Okay…" Ron responded softly. So much for impressing him with my prowess, he just thinks that I'm weak-minded. "Can I go now? My friends are waiting for me…"

"Certainly" Dumbledore said softly, and Ron made to leave. Just as he was about to exit the room, Dumbledore called out to him again. "Ronald, you were quite impressive in class today. I can see why all the Professors adore you." Ron turned to see Dumbledore smiling at him, and Ron managed a weak smile back. And then, he left the classroom. The moment he stepped outside, he saw his friends waiting for him.

"What did he want?" Theo asked. "You aren't in any trouble, are you?" I can't tell them what he suggested… I just can't. They'll… They'll lose their respect for me…

"I'm not in trouble" Ron replied honestly.

"Was this about your fight with him?" Millie asked, and Ron sighed.

"Pans…" Ron looked to her, and she gave him a sheepish look.

"Sorry, but I felt that they needed to know" Pansy defended herself. She's right. New outlook, remember? Just… Just deal with this like you always do. Bury it, and move on.

"It's alright, Pansy" Ron shrugged. "And no, this wasn't about our fight. He was just worried about my near concussion, and he said that I should go to Madam Pomfrey." Technically, that's slightly true. "Let's go and drop our books off, alright?" His friends nodded slowly, and Ron pretended to not see their odd looks.

---

March 6th, 1993 (Dinner)

"So, when are you throwing this party of yours?" Blaise asked as he cut into his lasagna.

"I was thinking tomorrow night" Ron shrugged. "It's a better choice than Sunday because no one has classes the next day."

"What about your work?" Millie asked.

"Marty will probably handle everything" Theo answered for Ron. "Which bring us to another matter… How are you going to deal with Malfoy's gang? They'll definitely try and ruin your party."

"The best way to make guests behave is to make them feel special" Daphne interjected.

"Feel special?" Ron asked.

"You need to talk to them beforehand, invite them personally so to speak" Daphne told him.

"Does that include Malfoy?" Tracey asked, her tone showing her disgust.

"No, he'll immediately try to ruin everything" Pansy replied for Daphne. "This has to be done quickly, and quietly. Which means that we need to know who to target."

"We can't let the wrong person tell Malfoy" Ron figured.

"That would be bad" Millie frowned. "You'll come out as weak and incompetent."

"Why don't you just kick Malfoy's arse?" Tracey frowned at Ron, and then she sighed in defeat. Ron shot a quick look towards Daphne. I made a promise not to, and I don't want to feel this anger anymore. I feel like it's killing me slowly.

"Fighting him will only make things worse" Blaise told Pansy. "We're not brutes, Tracey. And in case you haven't heard, that's exactly what Malfoy has been calling Ron lately."

"He has?" Ron asked, this was news to him.

"He has indeed" Theo answered. "Though no one dares to say it when you're around, your reputation precedes you. The Troll-Slayer, Slytherin's Prodigy, and my personal favorite, 'the guy who beat Potter's arse into the dirt with his bare hands'."

"The Potter thing is what really frightens people" Millie told Ron. "Potter defeated the Dark Lord as a baby, and he's Dumbledore's Golden Boy. But you not only beat him senseless in public, but you also strong-armed Dumbledore into punishing Potter. Hence why no one is openly trying to make you their enemy."

"That's why he should teach Malfoy a lesson" Tracey argued. "To show everyone that Ron, and us, are not to be trifled with."

"All that shows is that Ron is willing to hurt his own house-mates, Tracey" Daphne frowned. "Ron, stick with the party idea. It's how things are done in Pure-Blood Society. If you have an enemy, give them a good time and make them your ally. Show them that the grass is greener on your side."

"Did you just use your last name as a… pun?" Ron asked with a snigger.

"I heard father say it once" Daphne smirked. "I quite liked it."

"We're veering off-topic here" Theo told them. "Who do we target, Pansy?" Everyone looked to her, and she blinked at them.

"Don't be shy, Pansy" Blaise smirked. "You know you're the best at this sort of thing. You love parties and socializing."

"I'd aim for the third year girls" Pansy sighed in defeat, though her rosy cheeks told a different story. "Most of them are only following Malfoy around because he's the Heir to Malfoy Family. Their only concern is his money, which I doubt he spends on them."

"Alright, who else?" Ron asked.

"Most of the fourth year boys don't really like Malfoy either" Pansy told them. "They don't like being treated as lesser by someone who is two years their junior."

"Then why even follow him?" Tracey asked.

"Probably because after Ron was petrified, Malfoy promised them the run of the school" Pansy shrugged. "And he did deliver for a little while. But we took care of the Heir, and now Ron's back."

"Which means that they no longer get anything out of following Malfoy" Ron finished, and Pansy nodded.

"If you give them something that Malfoy won't, they'll leave him" Pansy said.

"And what would that be?" Ron asked.

"A gesture of respect would do" Pansy answered. "Invite them to the party personally, and ask them what they would like."

"And when does Ron get the time to do all of this?" Tracey asked. "He's at work all day tomorrow, and with the Junior League Tournament approaching, Lord Greengrass won't let him leave early."

"That's… a great point" Ron sighed.

"Let us take care of the third year girls" Millie offered. "You can just come back around five, and then talk to the fourth year boys."

"What if they're attached to Malfoy?" Ron asked.

"They won't be" Blaise replied. "Quidditch is on tomorrow, remember?" He's right, and Malfoy is the seeker for the Slytherin team.

"The games are running until dinner time" Theo told them. "And since Quidditch is finally making a long overdue return, no one playing will leave early."

"Which gives me plenty of time to talk to the fourth years" Ron nodded. "Alright, we have a game plan."

"Blaise and I will join you when you get back" Theo said. "Just meet us at the stands, and we'll take it from there."

Dinner then progressed as it normally did, with Ron demolishing three plates of food and his friends poking fun at him. At least he ate with proper etiquette, and that meant that Malfoy didn't have another reason to spread his hatred of Ron to the others. Ron saw Malfoy shooting him looks throughout dinner, most of them were looks of disgust, but there were a few confused ones too. Ron's earlier behavior had gotten under his skin, and that pleased Ron greatly.

While Ron knew that he had to stop Malfoy's power-hungry antics, Ron also thought about Malfoy's future. It was so difficult to see him as a potentially good person, and his bastard-like behavior was the main cause for that difficulty. But Ron knew that if there was even a small chance that Malfoy could be turned into a better person, then Ron had to take it. Ron had vowed to help everyone along the way when he had set Sirius free, and even if he sometimes lost sight of that vow, it was always lingering in the back his mind. The school bell rang, and it pulled Ron out of his thoughts. He followed his friends out of the Great Hall and into the Entrance Hall, but they were intercepted by the Golden Trio.

"Hello" Ron greeted them, and the Golden Trio greeted him back. "What do you guys need?"

"Can we talk to you in private?" Hermione asked, her eyes darting towards Ron's friends.

"No" Millie replied for Ron. Fucking hell, here we go again.

"Hermione, it's alright" Potter told her, but she didn't seem too pleased. Ron didn't miss the look that Hermione gave him, and Ron certainly didn't miss the way she was eyeballing Tracey. She's still convinced that Tracey and I have something going on between us? Even if we did, it's hardly any of her concern. "Ron, I wanted to ask you… Can I play Quidditch tomorrow? It's… It's finally back on, but you still have… power over my Quidditch privileges." Yes, I do. And no, you can't. Ron felt someone nudge him in the back, and Ron knew that it was either Theo or Blaise.

"Of course you can" Ron replied with a practiced smile. "We've made peace and moved on, haven't we?" Potter and Longbottom beamed at that, while Hermione gave Ron a proud smile. I need to make proper peace with them, it's necessary for the future.

"Thank you, Ron" Potter said gratefully. "Can you please tell Dumbledore, or any of the Professors? They need proof that you've lifted your ban…"

"I'll let Snape know" Ron answered, and Potter shifted in his spot a little. "You can talk to him tomorrow, and he'll let everyone know that I've lifted the ban." Enjoy that conversation, I'm sure that Snape will. Just because I'm making peace doesn't mean that I can't be a little petty… They won the House-Cup, the least I can have is some entertainment.

"Isn't there any…?" Potter started, but Longbottom cut him off.

"Thanks, Ron" Longbottom said firmly. "Please let Snape know. Harry is extremely grateful to you for doing this. Aren't you, Harry?"

"Yes…" Potter nodded, though he didn't sound grateful.

"It's nothing" Ron smiled. "Enjoy the Quidditch tomorrow, and good luck in your games." Potter nodded at that, a small smile on his face. The Golden Trio then began to leave, but Hermione lingered on for longer than necessary. Once they were gone, Ron let out a long sigh.

"This is the right move, mate" Blaise told him. "If you want peace with them, then you need to move on."

"I know, that's why I let it go…" Ron shook his head.

"You did well, Ron" Theo told him. "I know you're not happy with them for stealing the credit, but you did well."

"Is that your brother?" Tracey asked, and Ron immediately looked up the stairs leading out of the Entrance Hall. Percy had just turned the corner, and he was staring at Ron.

"We'll give you two some privacy" Daphne said. Please don't.

"But…" Millie went to argue, but Daphne stopped her.

"Millie, give Ron some time with his brother" Daphne said, her brow furrowed. "Ron, we'll see you back at the common room." Ron gave her a nod, and his friends slowly left after that. Daphne shot him a 'Don't mess this up' glare before she disappeared down the stairs. I probably will, judging from my previous encounters.

"Ron, can we talk?" Percy asked as he came down the steps.

"Sure…" Ron shuffled his feet, his stomach twisting from guilt. He had said some rather nasty things yesterday, and now that his anger was gone, the guilt had replaced it.

"Let's go into the courtyard, it's a nice night out tonight" Percy said, his voice slightly awkward. Ron simply followed Percy out into the courtyard, and Ron noticed that his brother was right. The temperature was cool, but not cold. And there wasn't a single cloud in the sky, and Ron could see all the stars glittering in the night sky.

"It is a nice out tonight" Ron repeated his brother's previous comment, and Percy just nodded his agreement. "So… where are the twins?" Ron asked as he sat down on the grass.

"They weren't up for this" Percy sighed as he sat down on Ron's left side. "They're still reeling from last night… So am I actually…"

"Perce, I'm really sorry about last night…" Ron apologized. "I don't know what came over me… I just lost it completely…"

"It isn't the first time that this has happened" Percy muttered, and Ron blinked at his older brother.

"What do you mean by that?" Ron asked softly.

"Remember what happened after I found out that Mrs. Lovegood bought you a new wand behind mum and dad's backs?" Percy asked, and Ron nodded slowly. "You said some similar things that day… The only difference is that when you yelled at me last year, I could hear how hurt and upset you were… I didn't feel that last night, Ron. All I felt was… rage… You said what you said to hurt the twins, didn't you?" When Ron didn't answer, Percy decided to continue. "Well, you succeeded. They both feel dreadful, and so do I…"

"I'm sorry" Ron apologized again.

"I know you are" Percy sighed. "Just like I know how sorry they are… And how sorry I am."

"Why are you sorry?" Ron asked. "You didn't do anything wrong…"

"Yes, I did" Percy rubbed the back of his neck. "After… After our fight at the start of last year… I started doing a lot of thinking…" Percy stopped at that, and Ron could see that Percy was having trouble letting his emotions out. We're both similar in that regard. Of all my siblings, I've always felt the most similar to Percy. I don't have his brilliant mind, but we're both outsiders.

"What did you think about?" Ron asked, hoping to help Percy out.

"You, Ronnie…" Percy sighed, and Ron felt his throat tighten a bit. "I thought about you… and about how you've always been treated. I mean, I was treated horribly by the twins. I was constantly mocked by Ginny, and even by Bill and Charlie. But at least mum and dad always treated me with a lot of love. Dad was always supportive of my ambitions and hard work, and mum called me her 'favorite son' because I was so well behaved. But you didn't have any of that…"

"Perce…" Ron muttered softly.

"No, don't say that it's fine" Percy frowned. "Because it's not… I couldn't stop thinking about how often the twins pranked you. How they tortured you relentlessly, burned a hole through your tongue, turned that teddy bear into a man-sized spider, and I couldn't even imagine what possessed them to try and lock you into an Unbreakable Vow… But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that they felt safe doing all those things to you."

"Safe?" Ron asked, now he was confused.

"They knew that they'd get away with it, and so they did it" Percy spat, his own irritation with the twins coming out. "Bill is the oldest amongst us, and the one everyone looks up to. Charlie would beat them bloody. Mum and dad always stepped in to stop them when they came after me. And Ginny is the youngest, and the only girl amongst us. That left you as their free pass… No one would care if they went after you, if they tested their pranks on you, or said horrible things to you to illicit a painful reaction. Mum and dad always paid more attention to us than they did you, Bill and Charlie were too busy with school and far too old, I was just glad that they weren't targeting me, and Ginny has always been… entitled. I realized all of this last year… But I didn't do anything about it…"

"Is that why you're sorry?" Ron asked, he was choking up a bit because of Percy's analysis. It felt… good… to know that someone else saw how he felt in the family. That's all he really wanted, for someone to just understand his side of things.

"Yes" Percy nodded. "I was going to, Ronnie, please believe that. I really was. But then things started getting harder in my classes… My studies began to bury me, and I just slowly… forgot. You were settling in well with your new friends, and I fell into a safe sense of normalcy. I know now how wrong I was… You're still hurting, but it's more than that now… You want others to feel your pain… And I hate that it's come to this."

"Percy, I don't want to hurt other people's feelings" Ron said softly, though he wasn't too sure of his own words. It had felt great to make the twins feel bad for once, even if his own guilt was torturing him.

"Ron, I'm just going to be honest" Percy sighed. "You've changed… And I'm not sure that it's for the better." Ron felt his temper flare at that, but he kept quiet. "But I'm not going to judge you because I never did a thing to stop your terrible treatment. And I won't deny that you're definitely a stronger person now. You're more driven, you don't laze about anymore, and you've made powerful real world connections. I'm extremely proud of that, believe me. But I'm also… I'm also worried that I've lost my little brother… The one who I tutored for hours and hours, the one that made me feel less alone in the family…"

"You haven't lost me" Ron shifted a little closer to Percy. "I still love you guys, especially you Perce… But I'm not planning to keep being that little kid forever…" I have a war to prepare for, and I can't afford to be weak. "I have… I have great ambitions, and I can't achieve them by being… weak."

"You even talk like a Slytherin now" Percy chuckled, though it sounded extremely sad. "Can I tell you a secret, Ron? Something that I've never told anyone, not even mum and dad." Ron nodded at that. "The Sorting Hat wanted to place me in Slytherin…"

"What?" Ron asked, he was stunned at that. Really? Why?

"It's true" Percy smiled sadly. "But when I saw Charlie and Bill staring at me… I panicked. I begged the Hat to let me be in Gryffindor, just like the rest of my family. I… I sometimes wonder if that was a mistake…"

"Why?" Ron asked softly.

"The Hat saw my ambitions, and it wanted to put me in a house that would help me achieve them" Percy replied. "But in a moment of… weakness, I fell back on my safety net. My family. I eventually moved on from that, but then you got sorted into Slytherin, and it brought back my own doubts. You didn't let your fear of being rejected hold you back, and that made me feel… lesser than you…" The Hat didn't give me a choice, Perce. I tried to beg, trust me. Ron hated that Percy felt like this, especially because neither boys had any power over the Hat's decisions.

"I'm sorry you felt like that" Ron managed to say, he didn't really know what else he could say.

"It's okay" Percy smiled sadly. "It's not your fault, it's my own. Seeing you succeed does make me happy, Ron. It truly does. Which is why… Which is why I want you to tell me what's going on between you and our parents. You said that dad tried to pull you out of Slytherin, and that mum hit you… Tell me what's going on Ron, I want to help you."

And so Ron did. Ron told Percy about their mother striking him after the Potter fiasco, and about how their father was doing everything in his power to remove Ron from Slytherin. Ron told Percy about their threat to pull him out of school, and about how Ron didn't want to leave his friends. The only things that Ron didn't tell Percy were about his involvement in locating the Chamber, Ginny being possessed by the Heir, the Heir being the Dark Lord, and about Ron's plan to use emancipation as a bluff to scare their parents into backing off.

"That's the gist of it" Ron said as he finished, and Percy nodded in understanding.

"I had no idea things had gotten so bad between you guys" Percy sighed tiredly. "Dad even refused Dumbledore… Ron, that's bad for us."

"Us?" Ron smiled at Percy.

"I told you that I'd help, and I'm going to" Percy put his arm around Ron's shoulders. "Your shoulders have gotten broader…" Percy muttered, a soft smile on his face. "Anyway, I'll help you as best I can. I think we should talk to mum and dad together, present a united front. They've always listened to me, and I'll do my best to convince them that Slytherin has been good for you."

"They don't think it has" Ron responded. "They think that I'm turning Dark, or something."

"Like I said before, you have changed Ron" Percy said. "But change is a part of growing up, and I think they can't fully understand that. Even I have trouble understanding just how much you've changed over the last two years. But that's mostly because we're all in Gryffindor, and you're all the way down in Slytherin. We don't interact that much, and you interact with our parents even less. They need to let go of who you were, and embrace who you are now."

"Wow, did you read that in a book?" Ron chuckled, and Percy gave him a brotherly squeeze. "Thank you, Perce."

"Don't thank me yet, little brother. This might not work out like we want."

"Maybe" Ron replied. "But I'm just glad that we've… come to an understanding."

"Come to an understanding?" Percy chuckled. "You could just say that you love me, you know?"

"I could also kill myself" Ron smirked, and Percy let out a laugh.

"We Weasley boys have never been good at showing our emotions, I know that quite well" Percy said, and then he stood up. Ron followed his lead, and they faced each other. "But I do love you, Ron" Percy said as he put his right hand on Ron's left cheek.

"I… love you too."

---

March 7th, 1993 (Greengrass Manor – Morning)

"Good morning, Lord Greengrass" Ron greeted his mentor as he entered the study.

"Good morning, Ron" Lord Greengrass responded, his gaze fixed upon the dancing fire.

"I didn't see Lady Greengrass and Astoria on the way in, are they out?" Ron asked as he took his seat.

"Indeed" Lord Greengrass replied, his back facing Ron. Something's bothering him. "My daughter decided that her new dresses were out of fashion, so Mary has taken her to buy new ones. How I despise Witch Weekly…"

"Oh…" Ron blinked. Being rich certainly has its perks. I wonder how Tori would react if someone gave her a hand-me-down dress? Ron grinned at the prospect. A great idea for a prank, hehe. I'll get Daphne to help me in Paris.

"Ron, we need to talk" Lord Greengrass sighed, and now Ron knew for sure that something was bothering him. Sebastian Greengrass didn't sigh like that.

"I guess that's fair, because I want to talk to you as well" Ron said. He had decided to bring up the emancipation idea, he wanted more knowledge on the matter. As for his plans to create a network through Lord Greengrass' contacts, that would have to wait. He wanted to establish himself some more before he did that.

"Very well, tell me what's on your mind" Lord Greengrass said as he moved over and took his seat in front of Ron.

"I've been thinking about my parents…" Ron sighed, this was going to be awkward.

"What did they do now?" Lord Greengrass frowned, and Ron blinked at him.

"Now?" Ron asked.

"Your father came here two days ago" Lord Greengrass told Ron, he sounded annoyed. "He asked me to convince you to leave Slytherin."

"What?" Ron asked, his eyes going wide. Right after I came back? He still hasn't changed his mind at all? Even after finding out that I helped locate the Chamber?

"Ron, what possessed you to treat them in such a cold manner?" Lord Greengrass frowned. "There is a time and place to show your discontent… Doing it right after waking up from a two week petrification is not one of them."

"I'm sorry" Ron apologized. "But to me, it felt like a heartbeat." Except for the Dream World. "They may have missed me, or grieved for me, but to me it seemed like nothing at all. I was in that corridor one second, and then I was surrounded by all of you…"

"I understand that" Lord Greengrass said, his tone slightly kinder than before. "But Ron, keeping your emotions in check is an extremely valuable trait to have. You must think strategically before you act, that is essential. Can you see now how being cold to them right after your return could send them into a panic?"

"I can…" Ron nodded. "But what's done is done… And now I need your help."

"Truer words were never spoken" Lord Greengrass said as he leaned into his chair. "What is your plan, Ron? How do you intend to make up with them?"

"Emancipation" Ron replied flatly, and Lord Greengrass just blinked.

"And how does that help you?" Lord Greengrass asked, he was clearly caught off-guard.

"I want to use it as a bluff" Ron explained. "I will talk to them myself, try and convince them to change their minds. But if that doesn't work… Then I'll use this to scare them into submitting."

"That… is a bold move" Lord Greengrass said. "One that can backfire horribly if you aren't careful."

"My Lord, you suggested emancipation to me. Remember?" Ron asked.

"I do remember" Lord Greengrass replied. "But I suggested actual emancipation, not this… half-measure."

"I can't leave them…" Ron sighed. "I just can't…" They need me in the future.

"What happens if they call your bluff?" Lord Greengrass asked. "I'll tell you what'll happen. They will never respect you again, your words will mean nothing to them. And if they don't call your bluff, then they will never forget this. I can understand why you don't want to leave them, they are your family. But Ron, if you do this, it won't matter if you stay with them. You will never be a family again."

"But you suggested it" Ron reminded Lord Greengrass.

"As a last measure, yes" Lord Greengrass replied. "But using something like this as a bluff is a double-edged sword, Ron. You want to walk a certain road, but your actions will lead you down a different road instead." Ron averted his gaze at that, he hadn't expected this kind of argument. "Look, I want to help you. And I will, but I just want you to understand the consequences of your actions. Using this, even as only a threat, will still damage your relationship with them beyond repair."

"They haven't left me any choice…" Ron muttered. "I can't abandon my friends…"

"You're loyalty to your friends is… refreshing" Lord Greengrass said softly. "Which is exactly why I want you to think this through. If you do this, then it's on you. Not on your friends, not on your parents, and not on me. It's all on you, and you can't put that on someone else. Do you understand?"

"I do" Ron nodded softly. "I may be doing this to stay with my friends, but I understand that this is my choice. I won't blame anyone else for it." Lord Greengrass smiled softly at that, and he gave Ron an approving nod.

"Alright, what do you need from me?" Lord Greengrass asked. Finally. For a second there, I thought that he wasn't going to help me.

"I just need knowledge on the matter" Ron replied. "I want to make it sound legit, and that I am willing to go through with it."

"So we need to make a perfect lie" Lord Greengrass spoke to himself. "Very well, I will tell you the basics. We can't show that you have too much knowledge on the matter, this can't seem like a calculated move. It has be to be impulsive, and it has to be driven by emotion. They need to see that they have driven you into a corner, not that you placed yourself there to trick them. Understood?" Ron nodded at that.

"The basics are quite simple" Lord Greengrass explained. "An adult must accompany a child, the one seeking emancipation, to the Youth Protection Services Office within the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. From there, the child and the adult are interviewed. If probable cause is found for rightful emancipation, then the Youth Officer handling your case will give you a time and date to appear before a randomly selected judge. Your parents would also need to attend so they can argue against it, or for it. This much knowledge should suffice."

"And you will serve as the adult in this matter?" Ron asked.

"It hardly matters because this is a bluff" Lord Greengrass shrugged. "If they call you on it, then it's over."

"Well, let's hope it won't come to that" Ron sighed, at least he now knew what he was getting into. "Percy, my older brother, has agreed to help me. He wants to help change their minds, and I think that with his help, this bluff might just be a last resort."

"Then I hope you two succeed, Ron" Lord Greengrass said. "Because the rest of us failed rather miserably…"

"Thank you, my Lord" Ron smiled softly. "I hope we succeed too. Now, enough about this… What did you want to talk about? Is this about the tournament?"

"It is" Lord Greengrass sighed. Another sigh? What's wrong? "Ron, do you remember what I told you about the French Ministry?"

"I do… You said that they hate us, and blame us for the Great War" Ron remembered.

"Did I fail to mention that they are scheming bastards?" Lord Greengrass asked, and Ron went wide-eyed.

"My Lord, you're beginning to worry me…" Ron said softly. "What's happened?"

"This…" Lord Greengrass said bitterly as he windlessly summoned a Daily Prophet newspaper. "Read about the Chess Tournaments in the Sports Section." Ron read the newspaper, and he couldn't really tell what Lord Greengrass was so annoyed about. All it said was that the Tournaments were taking place at Beauxbatons, and that 'all were welcome to attend'. There was a small section underneath the article that said that the Veela students were also allowed to attend because they were rightful students of the school.

"I don't understand…" Ron admitted a little shamefully.

"Veelas, Ron" Lord Greengrass said coldly. "Goddamn Half-Breeds…" Ron flinched at that, and Lord Greengrass sighed again. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to sound so callous. Ron, this pretty much means that we don't stand a chance at this tournament."

"What?" Ron muttered.

"Beauxbatons' is putting forward an all-female roster" Lord Greengrass explained. "And they are doing it because Veelas have no effect on women unless they really turn up their allures. Tell me, what do know about Veelas?"

"I know they're native to Bulgaria" Ron replied as he thought about what he had heard over the years. "I know that they're incredibly beautiful, have white-gold hair and moon-bright skin, and that they can charm any man with their allures. Oh, and that Beauxbatons has quite a few Half-Veela students… Oh fuck…" Ron muttered as he realized the problem.

"Indeed, Ron, indeed…" Lord Greengrass chuckled mirthlessly.

"They can't do this! I'll be too busy being obsessed with them to play the damn game!"

"Ron, it's worse than that" Lord Greengrass said, his voice bitter. "I've been looking into this 'decision', and I've learnt something truly distressing. Beauxbatons signed a contract with the International League of Wizards Chess Club three years ago. So they've been planning this goddamn stunt for three years… And there is literally nothing that I can do about it. The French Ministry would sooner disqualify you with no basis than listen to a foreigner tell them that this is blatant cheating."

"Then I'm buggered, aren't I?" Ron muttered, his gut twisting. "Is there any way to resist them?"

"An incredible amount of willpower…" Lord Greengrass said flatly. "But even I have trouble being in the same room as one of them, trust me. Mary once nearly killed a Veela that tried to seduce me at a French gathering…" UGH! Daphne is going to murder me as well! "Their magic is specifically targeted at men, so it doesn't even matter if you prefer the company of other men. Their allures cause a chemical imbalance in your brain that results in obsessive behavior, sort of like a Love Potion."

"Shouldn't they be on Easter Holiday?" Ron asked with a dying hope. "Like me?"

"They should be, but they won't be" Lord Greengrass said. "Their Headmistress is clearly the one behind this stunt as she is the one who signed that contract. And she also has strong connections within the French Ministry. I have no proof, but I know she's behind this."

"What's her name?" Ron asked softly.

"Madame Olympe Maxime" Lord Greengrass announced, and Ron could detect a hint of respect in his mentor's voice. "She is a formidable woman, Ron. Think of her as Dumbledore, but with a Slytherin's cunning. Her only goal is to see her school prosper, which means that we're dealing with an enemy who has no trouble crossing lines. I've met her twice before, and she used Legilimency to read my mind without a second thought. I'm ashamed to admit that she overpowered my own Occlumency with little effort on her part."

"Merlin…" Ron mumbled, his stomach tightening again. "What do we do?"

"We go to Paris, and then we go to the Junior League Tournament" Lord Greengrass replied. "And you do your absolute best to resist looking at any girl. If they call your name, ignore them. If they approach you, walk away. Keep your head down, and think of nothing but chess."

"And if that fails?" Ron asked.

"Then your perfect record is done for…" Lord Greengrass sighed.

---

March 7th, 1993 (Common Room)

Talk about a shite day… Not only had Lord Greengrass given Ron the worst sort of news, but after that, Lord Greengrass had worked him like a slave. Ron was thoroughly, and utterly, exhausted. Both in body and mind… I can't even think straight. Ron walked into the common room with a tired stride, and he immediately heard Daphne call out his name.

"Ron, over here" came Daphne's voice, and Ron looked to see her sitting alone in their favorite spot. Where is everyone? This place is completely deserted.

"Daphne, where is everyone?" Ron asked as he approached her, and she blinked at him.

"Ron, the Quidditch is on" Daphne told him with a furrowed brow.

"Oh… Damn" Ron rubbed his forehead, his head was starting to hurt.

"Are you alright? Did my father push you too hard?" Daphne asked. "Of course he did, the tournament is just around the corner." It hardly matters, we both know that I'm fucked. It's always something, isn't it? It's like the Universe noticed me and decided 'Yeah, let's fuck him up in particular'. "Well, I have good news for you then."

"Good news?" Ron asked.

"I took the liberty of planning the party myself" Daphne told him, and he just stared at her. "I've sent Marty off to get the same supplies as last time, but with a minor adjustment."

"Minor adjustment?" Ron asked.

"Yes, I told him to get a punch that my father is a great enthusiast of" Daphne smiled. "Not only is it stronger than the punch you got before, but it also tastes much better."

"And the cost?" Ron asked.

"An extra twenty Galleons" Daphne shrugged. "So sixty Galleons instead of forty, I think that's a good deal. Oh, and Marty took your Gringotts pouch from your trunk." Fuck me, that's a lot of money. I just lost this month's salary, and ten Galleons on top.

"Well, thanks for taking care of that" Ron sighed as he sunk into his chair, his head was starting to throb a little.

"Millie, Pansy, Tracey, and I also took care of those third year girls" Daphne said as she pulled out a piece of parchment. "Here, take this" Daphne said as she handed him the parchment. Ron looked it over, and he had no fucking clue what it meant.

"What's this, Daph?" Ron asked tiredly.

"Those are the gifts they want" Daphne told him. Gifts? What the fuck?

"This totals up to be just over thirty Galleons…" Ron sighed as he looked at the total price.

"Don't worry, Theo is paying for them" Daphne told him. "He insisted…"

"Did he?" Ron asked in a deadpan tone. "And what does he get out of this?"

"He gets six pretty girls being grateful to him" Daphne chuckled, she knew that Tracey was not going to be happy.

"Why couldn't he pay for the party instead? And I could pay for these girls…" Ron sighed as he rubbed his forehead.

"Ron, you're looking rather pale" Daphne said as she moved over to him, and then she placed her right hand on his forehead. "Merlin! Ron, you're burning up… What did my father do to you?"

"Nothing" Ron lied. "We just worked hard…" That, and he told me just how much trouble we're really in. He could have at least sugarcoated it.

"Maybe we should put this party off?" Daphne asked softly as she crouched in front of him, her left hand placed on his left knee. "Ron, look at me." Ron shot her a tired look, but her worried expression made him feel rather… at ease. She is really pretty, how did I not notice that before we started sneaking about? And her eyes… They're so much darker than mine.

"No, this is too important" Ron shook his head, he had to focus. "We need to take away Malfoy's power, or we'll all come to regret it later. He's becoming bolder, Daph. He approached us at breakfast yesterday, and if we don't stop this now, then he'll start being… more aggressive."

"Alright" Daphne nodded slowly. "But at least let Blaise and Theo handle the fourth years. You should rest up."

"You know that I can't, Daph" Ron said. Why is she fighting me on this? I'm fine. I've had hundreds of headaches before. "It's my party, and I need to be the one to invite them. Pansy said so herself…"

"It won't matter whose party it is if you burn out before it happens" Daphne sighed. "But I know you're not going to listen, you stubborn goat…"

"Stubborn goat?" Ron sniggered. "Wait… You called me that at your birthday party… Do I look like a goat?"

"Sometimes" Daphne smirked. "You certainly have the intelligence of one." Ohhh, someone's come to play.

"Do you often sneak around kissing goats?" Ron smirked, and Daphne's cheeks went red. "You do!" Ron fake-gasped. "My word, Lady Greengrass… That is just… AH!" Ron squealed as Daphne pinched his left calf muscle, a sadistic grin on her face. "Please! I'm sorry! Stop!"

"Yeah, that's what I thought" Daphne smirked as she let go of his calf. "Anything else to say, Weasley?" Ron looked at her with a sheepish look.

"Baaa!" Ron imitated a goat, and Daphne lunged for his calf again.

---

March 7th, 1993 (Quidditch Pitch)

The sky was starting to turn dark, but that didn't stop the students from cheering wildly. Ron limped into the Slytherin stands with Daphne at his side, she wore a proud smirk on her face. In the end, Ron had ended up begging for mercy. Daphne's pinches hurt like hell, and she knew that he'd never pinch her back. But he was tempted to… He wanted to pinch her, and then maybe even kiss her again. But in the end, he had resisted. He had work to do, and he couldn't afford any distractions right now.

"There's Theo and Blaise" Daphne said over the cheering crowd. Ron looked over to see his best mates talking to some boys. "They're already with the fourth years, that's good. Get in there, and lure them away to someplace quieter. Good luck, Ron." With that, Daphne left his side to go join the girls. Ron tapped his knuckles against his forehead to ease his headache, and then approached Theo and Blaise.

"How are the games going?" Ron asked with a practiced smile.

"Ron, you're back from your work with Lord Greengrass" Theo smiled, his use of Lord Greengrass' name was hardly subtle. But it did its job because some of the fourth year boys cocked their eyebrows.

"It was a long day, but I'm finally back" Ron smirked. "I see you've made new friends."

"Weasley" a brown haired forth year greeted. "You work for Lord Greengrass? The Lord Greengrass?"

"I thought it was public knowledge?" Ron smiled at the boy. "I'm his apprentice, and his Family's contracted Friend and Ally." The brown haired fourth year blinked at that, as did some of his friends.

"We were just telling them that you were planning to throw another amazing party tonight" Blaise entered, his voice friendlier than ever.

"I see" Ron smiled at Blaise, and then he looked to the fourth years. "Well, I'd like to personally invite you gentlemen to attend."

"Do we really need an invitation if it's taking place in the common room?" A black haired Slytherin smirked.

"No, you don't" Ron smirked back. "I'm just inviting you out of respect. I have no power over any of you, so you can still attend even if you refuse me."

"But you want us to accept?" the brown haired Slytherin asked. "Why? You know how we feel about you, don't you?"

"He also knows how you feel about Malfoy" Theo interjected with a smooth voice. "So what's the harm of hearing us out? I mean, do you really want to watch Potter catch the Golden Snitch again for the fourth time today?"

"I suppose we don't" the black haired Slytherin chuckled. "By all means, lead the way." Ron then led them into the bottom half of the Slytherin stands, away from the noise and the prying eyes.

"How has Malfoy fared today?" Ron asked them casually.

"Not even one catch…" the fourth year in glasses sighed. "Marcus Flint has been losing his mind, and Snape is not too pleased either. Gryffindor has been winning every game today because of Potter."

"Why did you let him play again?" the black haired Slytherin asked.

"I want to make more allies" Ron shrugged. "And Potter is a world famous wizard."

"A good point" the brown haired Slytherin smirked. "Now, let's hear your invitation."

"I would like to formally invite you fourth year boys to my party tonight" Ron smiled at them. "May I have the pleasure of knowing your names?"

"Smith, Septimus Smith" the black haired Slytherin introduced himself. "This is Mathew Meyers, Robert Croxley, Arthur Belmont, and Pious Greene" Septimus pointed out the brown haired Slytherin, the one in glasses, a tall blonde, and a slightly chubby Slytherin respectively.

"Weasley, Ronald Bilius Weasley" Ron shook their hands firmly.

"We know who you are" Arthur said, his tall figure slightly intimidating. "The Slytherin Prodigy…"

"A title that he has earned, believe me" Blaise reminded them.

"And one that I don't care much for" Ron said truthfully. "It's resulted in me being awarded less House-Points for my efforts in class. But enough about that, I want to know if there is anything that you would like at this party. I'm open to any suggestions."

"How generous of you" Mathew smirked.

"Hardly, I'm trying to bribe you" Ron chuckled, and Theo and Blaise nearly smacked their foreheads. The fourth years were slightly stunned by his blunt honesty.

"Wow…" Pious, the chubby one, muttered. "That was rather… straightforward."

"I'm not looking to insult your intelligence by playing around" Ron told them truthfully. "The truth is that I don't want any conflict in the house, we've had more than enough problems this year. Malfoy has a personal axe to grind with me, and he is causing everyone problems to get to me."

"That's very… bold of you" Robert said as he adjusted his glasses. "I've heard the older Slytherins saying that you're 'something different', and now I know what they mean. I rather like you, Weasley. At least more than Malfoy, anyway."

"Thank you, Croxley" Ron smiled pleasantly as he ignored his head-splitting headache. Someone kill me, please. Why is this happening? "So what do you gentlemen say, truce?"

"Only if you get that amazing punch again" Mathew smirked.

"I bought an even more exquisite punch this time" Ron told them. "It cost me an extra twenty Galleons, but it's a small price to pay for peace."

"Then we'll let you know about your 'peace' after we've tasted this amazing punch" Septimus smiled. "See you at the party, Weasley. Oh, and we won't say a word to anyone of course." With that, the fourth years walked back up to the stands. This left Ron, Blaise, and Theo behind.

"Shite Ron, what the fuck was that?" Theo frowned. "You just outright told them our intent, that's not how things are done…"

"It worked, Theo" Blaise sighed. "So let's forget it… But Ron, the next time you want to pull that kind of stunt, let us know…" Ron barely heard his best mates, he was instead concentrating on his headache. It's getting worse… Maybe I should go and lie down for a bit. Marty can set everything up himself. Ron suddenly felt a nudge from his left, and he looked to Theo.

"Mate, are you alright?" Theo asked, his face showing slight concern. "You're looking a bit peaky…"

"I just need a nap…" Ron smiled softly. "I think I'll go and take one…"

---

March 7th, 1993 (Boys' Room – Before Dinner)

"Ron, wake up" came Blaise's voice, it was followed up by a harsh shaking. Ron opened his eyes, and the back of his head ached.

"Ugh… Is it time?" Ron groaned as he sat up.

"Yeah, mate" Theo said, he was fixing up his collar. "Dinner is about to start, so you'd better get Marty to come down after we leave."

"Alright, thanks" Ron said as he got out of bed.

"Ron, you're looking worse than before" Blaise commented.

"Is that your way of saying that I'm not pretty?" Ron smirked. Fucking hell, my head.

"He's right, mate" Theo gave him a concerned look. "You look like dog-shite…"

"That's just hurtful…" Ron muttered as he walked into the bathroom. His reflection confirmed their words, he did look like dog-shite. He was rather pale, had small dark patches under his eyes, and his eyes looked hollow. "Yep, dog-shite indeed…" Ron washed his face with some cold water, and it felt divine. So he did it a few more times, and then he massaged his temples.

"We're heading off, Ron" came Blaise's voice.

"Alright, I'll see you when you get back" Ron called out. Ron looked at his reflection again, and he was glad to see some color returning to his face. Ron turned his head and cracked his neck loudly, Merlin that felt good. "I'll take a quick hot shower, I don't plan to look like a corpse at my own party…" Ron said to himself. "Marty" Ron called, and there was a loud crack.

"Master Ronald, you called?" Marty asked, and then he saw his Master's face. "Master, you look… pale."

"Pale?" Ron chuckled. "I look horrible Marty, you can say it if you want."

"Marty would never dare, Master" Marty bowed. "Though Marty would suggest some sleep."

"No time for that, unfortunately" Ron sighed. "Marty, once all the Slytherins leave, begin setting up for the party. Same as last time."

"Certainly, Master" Marty beamed. "Marty will also lay out fresh robes for Master to use after his shower."

"How did you know I was about to shower?" Ron asked.

"Marty didn't, Master" Marty gave a toothy smile. "But Marty highly recommends one. You do, after all, look rather… pale." And with that, Marty disapparated. Ron let out a soft chuckle at Marty's words. Someone's getting cheeky.

---

March 7th, 1993 (Common Room)

Ron waited patiently for his house-mates to return, and he was glad to see that his headache had lessened because of the hot shower. Marty had set everything up perfectly with the help of other House-Elves, and they had all wished him luck before cracking away. Ron was surprised by their well-wishes, he only expected Marty to actually care for his success. But he took their well-wishes nonetheless because he needed them. After all, Clara had mentioned a speech.

Ron pondered on what to say to the Slytherins, and he kept coming back to 'being united'. That had worked for him rather well last time, but that was only because they actually needed to be united. The whole school was against them at the time, but now things were generally calm. So what was he supposed to unite them for? I should unite them in not going after me or my friends. C'mon, Weasley. Think for Merlin's sake. They'll be here any minute now.

The only thing that Ron could think of was the House-Cup, but that was a hopeless cause. The houses were already going neck-to-neck in House-Points but when Gryffindor got four hundred points out of nowhere, the competition had simply died. Even the hard-working Hufflepuffs had packed their bags and skulked off. So how was he supposed to unite the self-serving Slytherins behind a pipe-dream? What would make me try to come back? Anger. A need to be better. To show-off. How was he going to spin this? The common room entrance suddenly slid open, and Ron was up on his feet in no time. The Slytherins all piled in, headed by the seventh years.

"Oh fuck!" Samuel Byrne let out a laugh. "He's done it again!" The Slytherins just looked around with amusement, and then they looked to Ron.

"I thought I'd throw another party, considering how well-liked the last one was" Ron grinned, and he could hear people chuckling and whispering.

"And the occasion?" Samuel Byrne asked, a wide smile on his face. He rather liked this Weasley kid.

"My triumphant return to the land of the living!" Ron laughed as he put his hands at his sides, displaying his clean and well-made robes. The room was filled with laughter, and even a couple of cheers. Ron's eyes met Malfoy's for a quick second, and Ron could see just how angry Malfoy was. The usually pale boy had gone scarlet with rage. Take that, you twat.

"Let's have your speech then" Fabian Cunningham chuckled.

"I tried thinking of a speech" Ron smirked. "But I didn't get far." Ron could see his friends giving him deadpan looks, but the rest were rather interested in where Ron was taking this. "I wanted to talk about being united, and the House-Cup. But what can I say? We're utterly fucked in that regard." There were more laughs at that, and even the current Triumvirate was smiling. I have their attention, use it. "But we're all technically united in that regard at least: Dumbledore handing the Gryffindors a free win, just like he tried to last year."

"They found the Chamber" one of the fifth year girls reminded.

"Maybe they did, maybe they didn't" Ron shrugged. "There is absolutely no proof that they did find it, so it's all hearsay." Trust me, there won't be any proof. Dumbledore doesn't want to reveal our involvement, and he won't give us up. "But I don't care about that, just like you all don't care about that. I care about the fact that the school won't be closed down, and that we all get to stay together." The Slytherins chuckled at his grin, and Malfoy finally lost it.

"Don't listen to this Blood-Traitor" Malfoy hissed, and people shot him differing looks. Some were annoyed, some were amused at the prospect of a fight, and some just wanted to start the party.

"Yeah, yeah Malfoy I'm a Blood-Traitor" Ron rolled his eyes in a dismissive manner. "You've said it a million times, and you'll say it another million times. But how about you just enjoy this party for tonight, and ignore your urge to spout nonsense at everyone with ears." There were sniggers around the room, and Ron shot Malfoy his best grin. "I got a different punch this time, and I have it on good authority that it is simply amazing."

---

March 7th, 1993 (Common Room – Party)

The party was in full swing, music was being blasted as loud as possible, people were drinking and mingling, people were dancing, some people were even snogging in dark corners, and Ron smiled proudly as he poured himself some punch. He had heard from people that it was a huge success, and now he wanted to try some himself. As Ron took his first sip of the delicious punch, someone's hand patted his back. Ron turned to see Carey Ductu smiling at him.

"Mind having a chat?!" Carey yelled over the music, and then she lightly grabbed his left wrist and began guiding him to a slightly more quiet area. Why even ask if you're just going to drag me away? Not that I mind being dragged away by a beauty like her.

"So, what do you think?" Ron asked her as they into the quieter area. There were a fair few people around them, but most of them were too engrossed in their own conversations.

"I think it's brilliant" Carey smiled at him, and then she took a sip of her punch. "And this punch is amazing, where did you get it?"

"My friend Daphne knows, it was her idea" Ron replied truthfully.

"Well, ask her the next time you see her" Carey chuckled. "And well done on shutting Malfoy down quickly."

"Thank you" Ron grinned, and Carey chuckled again.

"I'm starting to like that cute grin of yours" Carey said.

"It is a cute grin, thanks" Ron kept grinning, and Carey let out a giggle. Haven't heard her giggle before. It's quite cute. "Where is Malfoy anyway? I haven't seen him all night."

"I saw him talking to the fourth year boys" Carey smiled. "And I saw them dismiss him… Well done on that too. Even those harlots who usually chase him around aren't very interested in him tonight. How did you manage all of that? I'm curious."

"I showed the fourth year boys proper respect" Ron smiled. "Turns out, they weren't used to it from Malfoy. As for the girls, we bought them gifts to bribe them."

"We?" Carey asked.

"My friends and I planned this together" Ron said truthfully, he had no intention of stealing their ideas. "Pansy is a master at this sort of thing, she told us who to target and how to target them. I paid for the party, Theo paid for the gifts, and now the rest of my friends are all making sure that everyone is happy."

"Is that why Tracey Davis handed me this cup?" Carey laughed, and Ron gave her a smirk. "I must say, I'm impressed with you seven. You make a good team, that's for certain. You'll be extremely useful to us next year."

"When you're the Triumvirate?" Ron asked, and Carey nodded.

"There's that sharp mind" Carey smiled. "If only you were my age, we'd be having this conversation in a more… private setting." Ron felt his cheeks flush at that. "And you're quite adorable when you blush like that. Though I don't understand why you do, considering your company."

"My company?" Ron asked, his smirk faltering a bit.

"Those four girls that follow you around everywhere" Carey smiled mischievously, it was a nice look on her. "They're always hugging you, giving you kisses, and even holding your hands in public sometimes. I don't blame them of course, you're powerful and on the rise. Quite the appealing traits considering the other boys in this school, I think that's why Clara wants to get you in a room alone."

"She does?" Ron gulped.

"Oh yes, she's told us many times" Carey laughed. "But I know she won't, she respects that you're far too young for such things. But who knows, maybe in a few years we can all get together again." Carey then leaned forward and gave him soft kiss on the left corner of his lips. "Enjoy your night Ron, you did well" Carey smiled, and then she walked off to join the party again. Ron just stood there for a few seconds, and then he shook his head. She pretty much kissed me like Daphne does… She barely missed my lips… Ron swigged down the delicious punch, it tasted like apricots and apples. Ron then made his way towards the party as well, he wanted to make sure that people were enjoying themselves.

"Welcome back, Ron" some random Slytherin said.

"Great party, mate."

"Nice choice of music."

"Thanks for this, we really needed it."

"Have seen any easy girls?"

Ron pretty much nodded and smiled at the strangers, his mind was too occupied on how things might go wrong. For one, he hadn't seen Malfoy all fucking night. That twat was a loose-cannon, and he could ruin everything if Ron didn't keep him in check. Secondly, Ron had barely seen his friends all night. They were no doubt busy making sure that people always had a drink in their hands, but Ron still worried. What if Malfoy targeted them while they were alone? They can handle themselves, stop being so paranoid. And lastly, Ron's headache was back. The loud music, and people yelling over each other was doing his head in.

"Ron, there you are!" came Blaise's loud voice. Ron turned to see Blaise and Pansy approaching him quickly, and they were holding hands. Interesting. Pansy had a slightly subdued look on her face, and that raised alarm bells in Ron's head.

"What's the matter?!" Ron yelled over the music and shouting, his own ears beginning to ring. "Pansy, what happened?!"

"Some third year just walked up and tried to kiss her!" Blaise said, his anger clear on his face. "She's just a bit… shaken!"

"What the fuck?!" Ron yelled.

"Don't ask me! She just came to me like this!" Blaise frowned. "Have you seen the others?! I haven't seen Theo all fucking night!"

"I don't know, I haven't either!" Ron replied, and then he moved over to Pansy. "Pansy, are you alright?" Ron asked softly as he stood inches away from her, and she grabbed onto the front of his robes.

"I'm alright" Pansy replied. "I managed to move out of the way in time… I don't want to think about it." Ron frowned to himself, and then he gave her a tight hug.

"I'm sorry about that" Ron whispered in her ear. "Want me to kick his arse?"

"No" Pansy let out a tired laugh. "Blaise already did that…" What? Ron broke the hug and looked to Blaise.

"What did you do?!" Ron asked. I hope you taught that cunt a lesson.

"I just shoved him onto his arse when Pansy told me who he was!" Blaise frowned. "Didn't want to make a scene! I'll stay with her the whole night, don't worry! Go and find Theo, please!" Ron nodded at that. Ron parted ways with his friends and began to prowl the common room. It didn't take him long to see Tracey talking with Millie and Daphne.

"Hey!" Ron greeted loudly, and the girls turned to face him. Millie and Daphne looked rather annoyed, and Tracey looked quite upset. "What happened now?!" Ron asked.

"Nothing!" Daphne yelled back. "Millie, can you stay with Tracey?! I want to talk to Ron!" Millie nodded at that, and Daphne moved to Ron. She grabbed his gloved hand and guided him away from the other two girls.

"Daphne, what happened to Tracey?" Ron asked as they walked into a quiet, unoccupied corner.

"It's complicated" Daphne frowned.

"Did some fucker try to kiss her too?!" Ron seethed.

"What? No!" Daphne gave him a confused look. "Who tried to kiss who?!"

"Some arsehole tried to land one on Pansy, Blaise is with her now" Ron frowned. "How is this party so out of control, it's only been one hour?"

"The punch might be the cause… It's quite strong" Daphne replied.

"Where's Theo? Have you seen him?" Ron asked.

"Oh, I've seen him alright" Daphne frowned, and Ron blinked at her. Is she angry with him? Theo, what did you do?

"Well, what did he do?" Ron asked.

"He's just being an arsehole" Daphne huffed, and Ron was stunned at seeing her cuss.

"You just cussed…" Ron muttered.

"What? I didn't get that!" Daphne yelled.

"Never mind, where is he?!" Ron yelled back. An older boy and girl suddenly showed up, and Ron turned to them.

"Oh, are you guys using this corner?" the boy asked while the girl giggled.

"What? Of course we're using it" Ron gave him a confused look.

"No, we aren't" Daphne frowned at Ron. "We're just talking… Please, feel free to use it. Ron, let's go!" Ron was thoroughly confused, but he followed her out. He shot a quick look back, and he was stunned to see the couple already snogging hard. What the fuck?! "Ron, you're an idiot!" Daphne laughed at him, an amused smile on her face.

"How was I supposed to know that's what he meant?!" Ron shook his head, the back of his head throbbing. "Where did you see Theo?!"

"Down by the fire, where we usually sit!" Daphne replied. "I'm going to keep handing out drinks, and I'll get Millie and Tracey to help!"

"Alright, I'll see you later!" Ron nodded, and then they parted ways. Ron made his way towards the fireplace, and people constantly bumped against him. Ron must have declined five separate invitations to dance before he finally spotted Theo talking to some third year girl.

"Theo, there you are!" Ron interrupted their conversation, and Theo turned to face him with a smile.

"Ah, Ron!" Theo yelled. "Madeline, this is Ronald Weasley. My best mate!" Ron looked to the girl, and he offered his gloved hand in the Pure-Blood manner. Madeline giggled as she gave him her hand, and he gave her knuckles a light kiss.

"A pleasure to meet you!" Ron smiled at her, and she giggled some more. She's drunk, even I can see that. "Do you mind if I steal Theo for a bit?! The fate of the party is at stake!" Ron said with a humorous tone.

"We can't have that!" Madeline giggled. "I was just on my way to meet my friends anyway! Goodbye Theo" Madeline said as she gave the weedy boy a kiss on the cheek. Madeline then walked off, her hips swaying behind her. Ron couldn't help but shoot a glance at her… hips.

"What's wrong with the party?!" Theo asked loudly, but Ron barely heard him. "It's going great!"

"Too great!" Ron frowned. "People are getting drunk out of their minds, Theo! And you're one of them!"

"Guilty as charged!" Theo laughed loudly.

"I need you to keep doing what we planned! And stop chatting up girls!" Ron frowned, and Theo laughed again. "Go and find Malfoy! Make sure he doesn't fuck this up!"

"Aye, aye fearless leader!" Theo gave a mock salute, and then he disappeared into the crowd. He picked a bad night to let loose. Now I should look for Malfoy too, and pray to Merlin that he isn't doing something stupid! Ron turned around and walked towards the 'dance floor', but he didn't get far.

"RON!" came a sweet voice, and Ron stopped dead in his tracks. Clara… "There you are, you cutie!" Clara yelled as she came into view. She was dancing in a rather… tempting manner, and she had a cup of punch in her right hand. Ron could see that her face was flushed, which meant that she was already drunk. "Come dance with me!" Clara laughed as she took his gloved hand with her left one.

"I would love to!" Ron yelled. "But I need to find Malfoy right now!"

"Why him?!" Clara pouted. "I'm much cuter than him!"

"That you certainly are!" Ron grinned, and Clara let out a giggle. "But I need…"

"No!" Clara pouted again. "Dance with me a bit!" Merlin, give me strength. "Here, drink this!" Clara waved the cup in his face.

"I really…" Ron started, but Clara pretty much guided the cup to his lips. Ron had a sip, but she kept tilting the cup. Before Ron knew it, he had chugged the whole thing. That's two… At least they're making my headache go away.

"Now, come with me!" Clara laughed happily as she guided them into the thick of the dancing crowd. "You can dance with me for a few minutes, and then go save the party!" Ron nodded, and Clara suddenly held onto the front of his robes. They began dancing together, and Clara refused to part with him. She held onto his robes while she danced with her eyes closed, clearly enjoying herself too much. Ron was her height, he was a tall lad after all, and he could feel her chest against his. It made his ears burn, and his face flushed red. So soft… "Put your hands on my hips" Clara whispered in his left ear. Ron did as she asked, and he could feel her swaying side to side.

"I should really…" Ron started, but she shushed softly.

"Just a bit more" Clara whispered in his ear as she pulled him closer to herself. Ron moved with her, and he couldn't help but notice that other people were dancing rather wildly. But Clara wanted to dance in a more… intimate way. Ron decided that he didn't mind that too much, she was gorgeous and she smelled amazing. He even got used to the feeling of her breasts against his chest, and his hands on her soft hips. All of that went out the window when he suddenly felt her lips kissing the left side of his neck.

"Clara…" Ron groaned, a shiver passing through him. But she didn't stop, she only pulled him closer to herself. "We shouldn't…" That feels so good… Why is she doing this? Ron involuntarily tightened his hold on her hips.

"You smell amazing" Clara whispered against his neck, and then she began planting more soft kisses on his neck. Ron looked around slowly, and he was glad to see that no one was even noticing them. "They can't see anything, Ron" Clara whispered. "They don't even care… So just relax and let me taste you…" Taste me?! Ron groaned again as he felt her kiss his jaw, and she let out a soft giggle. "You're so adorable, Ron. But you're too serious… You should relax more often. Let me help you relax…" Ron took in shallow breaths as he moved with her, how did he end up in this situation? "Oops, our time is up" Clara said suddenly. "Sammy is coming, and she looks rather annoyed."

"What?" Ron asked as he turned around, and he saw Samantha walk up to them.

"Ron, we have a problem!" Samantha frowned, and Ron blinked.

"What happened?!" Clara laughed.

"Malfoy happened!" Samantha seethed. "He told Snape about this party, and they're both outside! Snape told me to come get you!"

"Fuck!" Ron cussed before he could even think, and Clara laughed loudly.

"Serious Ron is back!" Clara wooed. "And just when I nearly had him relaxed for once!"

"I can see that!" Samantha frowned, and then she took out a handkerchief from her robes. She grabbed Ron's right shoulder as she cleaned the lipstick marks from his neck and jaw. Ron blushed like a little girl, Merlin this was embarrassing. "Honestly, Clara! You couldn't help yourself, could you?!"

"Nope!" Clara laughed. "He smelled too nice!" Samantha blinked at that, and then she took in Ron's smell. Wow, that was weird.

"Sandalwood…" Samantha whispered to herself. "You do smell really nice, Ron!"

"Thanks…" Ron muttered.

"Now go and fix this!" Samantha said as she ushered him away from Clara. Ron walked towards the entrance in a daze, what had just happened? I need to stay away from her. Ron's mind went to Daphne for a second, and he felt a pang of guilt. We're not dating, it's alright… Isn't it? Fucking hell, I need to keep away from Clara. Ron left the common room, and he was instantly met with the sight of Snape and Malfoy. The Potions Master held an indifferent look, but Malfoy was smirking rather arrogantly.

"Professor Snape, you called for me?!" Ron asked loudly.

"Mr. Weasley, volume…" Snape drawled, and Ron nodded.

"Sorry, Sir" Ron smiled. "It's a bit loud in there."

"I can tell" Snape said, he sounded rather bored. "Mr. Malfoy tells me that you're the one behind this, just like the last time." Mr. Malfoy is an arsehole.

"I am, Sir" Ron admitted. "It's only ten 'o'clock, and there are no classes tomorrow."

"And what of the students who are underage? Are they staying away from the alcohol?" Snape asked, an icy edge to his tone.

"No…" Ron sighed, there was no point in lying.

"Then I must put an end to this" Snape went to move for the common room entrance, and Ron panicked.

"Please don't, Sir" Ron pleaded. "People are enjoying themselves for once, don't ruin that." I just stood up to Snape. Liquid courage indeed! Think, Ron. How can you stop him?

"As a Professor, I am obligated to act" Snape said, and an idea popped into Ron's head. Fuck it, go for it!

"That's fair enough, Sir" Ron smiled, and Snape looked to him indifferently. "But when people do ask why this party was stopped, and why their fun was ruined, I'll point the finger straight at Malfoy. I have witnesses who can confirm my story."

"Are you attempting to blackmail me?" Snape hissed, his tone dropping the hallway's temperature. Even Malfoy was stunned by Ron's words. Don't panic, stay calm.

"No, Sir" Ron said, the alcohol letting him keep up a brave front. "I'm merely telling you what I'm obligated to do when questions start flying." Snape just stared at Ron, and Ron felt his resolve begin to weaken. Apologize, you fucking moron. No, stay the course. If I back out now, he'll know that my words mean nothing. Remember what Lord Greengrass told you today.

"And what makes you think that your 'threat' holds any weight over me?" Snape asked, his tone back to normal. Ron simply stepped out of the way and gestured to the entrance.

"Then, by all means, stop them from enjoying themselves for the first time since this Heir business was put to bed" Ron said, he barely managed to keep his voice calm. Snape's lips twitched upwards a bit, and Ron was stunned. Snape then looked to Malfoy, and the platinum haired boy held a worried look. Now he gets it. He didn't even think twice before he told Snape, did he? Snape's look morphed into a disappointed one, and Malfoy squirmed in his spot.

"Very well" Snape said as he stared at his Godson, his tone slightly bitter. "Enjoy your evening…" With that, Snape billowed away. Ron watched him leave, and he could tell that Malfoy had just embarrassed his own Godfather. Ron then looked to Malfoy, and he saw that the boy was clenching his jaw in anger.

"You don't deserve to be in this house…" Malfoy hissed, his grey eyes locking with Ron's ocean blue ones. "You're a filthy Blood-Traitor dog, and you don't belong in Slytherin…" Ron wanted nothing more than to beat Malfoy senseless, but he had promised Daphne that he wouldn't. That, and I don't want to ruin the chance of him becoming a better person. So Ron just stared at him, a disgusting amount of anger bubbling in his stomach. Ron turned around and walked back inside, he didn't want to see Malfoy's face for the rest of the night.

---

March 7th, 1993 (Common Room – Party at Midnight)

It was nearing midnight now, but the party was still in full-swing. Ron was rather glad about that because there was still so much food and punch left, and he didn't want his money wasted. Ron had spent the last one hour handing out drinks, mingling with people for a little bit, and occasionally having some punch himself. He was definitely lightheaded now… And the best part about that was the fact that his headache had subsided. Ron still had no idea why he had it in the first place, but at least it was gone. Ron poured himself another cup, and he was approached by Samuel Byrne.

"Lovely party, Weasley!" Samuel laughed as he patted Ron's back a little too hard.

"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself" Ron smiled as he watched Samuel pour himself a cup of punch.

"Oh, I am" Samuel smirked. "Whatever's inside this punch is making the Ladies of Slytherin rather… unruly." Exhibit A: Clara Martyris.

"I've noticed" Ron chuckled, and Samuel gave him a smirk.

"You sly dog!" Samuel laughed. "Thanks again for throwing this party, Weasley. But I need to ask you to not throw another one until after the exams are finished."

"The O. and N.E. " Ron nodded in realization.

"Exactly, mate" Samuel smiled. "It's great to let loose for a change, but we fifth and seventh years need the quiet."

"That's fair enough" Ron smiled. "I'll make sure to wait until after the exams are done."

"Looking forward to it!" Samuel laughed as he patted Ron's shoulder too hard. Is he trying to bruise me? With that, Samuel once again disappeared into the dancing crowd. Ron took a long sip of the punch, it tasted so damn good. I know that Apple Brandy was far more expensive, but why drink that stuff when this stuff tastes so much better? Ron watched the dancing crowd with a smirk, tonight was a huge success. Not only was the house happy for a change, but Malfoy's gang wouldn't survive the night. None of them really liked Malfoy anyway, he was too arrogant for his own good, and now they had every reason to leave him. Now he'll only have Crabbe and Goyle with him again, and things can go back to normal.

Thinking of Malfoy's 'friends' made Ron think of his own, he had no clue where they were. Though everyone was enjoying the party wildly, he and his friends were serving as waiters. Pansy had told them that this was important because it was their job to keep their guests happy, but Ron still wanted to spend some time with them. And so, Ron decided to start scanning the room for them. He could barely make out any faces because of the dim lights and the dancing crowd, not to mention the music that was making his ears ring. Merlin, I hate the Weird Sisters.

Ron spotted Carey Ductu talking with Samuel Byrne, and he was honestly surprised. He knew for a fact that Carey didn't hold Samuel in high regard, but Ron figured that she was probably up to something as always. Ron then saw Clara Martyris snogging some sixth year boy in a dark corner, and he was glad that Clara had found someone else to 'taste'. When Ron started to give up, he saw Blaise maneuvering past the dancing crowd, he was still holding Pansy's hand. Ron quickly made his way to them.

"Blaise! Pans!" Ron grinned at them. "Finally, some decent company!"

"Ron!" Pansy laughed, her face was flushed. "Blaise is being my bodyguard! Look!" Pansy then showed Ron their joined hands. Ron smiled at that, and then he looked to Blaise. The dark-skinned boy looked exhausted.

"She's been drinking every cup instead of handing them out!" Blaise yelled over the crowd, a scowl on his face. "Please take her off my hands, I need a break!"

"Aw…" Pansy pouted. "I want to hold your hand, Blaise!"

"Ron, please!" Blaise gave him a dark look. "Just for a few minutes!"

"It's no worries!" Ron laughed. "Come on Pansy! You can hold my hand for as long as you want!" Pansy smiled widely at that, and then she ran up and grabbed onto his right hand. Her grip rivaled the strength of Ginny's, and Ron let out a meek gasp. Ron shot a look at Blaise, and he noticed Blaise massaging his own hand. Now I know why he wanted to drop her off on me.

"Come, Ron!" Pansy laughed. "Let's have more punch!" Pansy then dragged Ron away from Blaise, and Blaise shot him a smirk. You bastard. Ron accompanied Pansy to a nearby punch-table, and Pansy let go of his hand while she poured two cups.

"How are you feeling, Pans?" Ron asked her softly as he stood beside her.

"I feel great!" Pansy said loudly, a massive smile on her face. "Stop worrying about me! Blaise has been eyeballing every boy that's looked at me all night!"

"Has he?" Ron smirked, and Pansy blushed a bit.

"Shut up…" Pansy smiled meekly. "Now drink this!" Pansy handed him a cup, and he sipped from it.

"This stuff is amazing" Ron said. "I really ought to thank Daphne for this."

"You definitely should" Pansy giggled, and Ron blinked at her. "Last time I saw her, she was looking for you. But be warned, she's had quite a few cups…"

"Daphne…" Ron blinked. "Daphne Greengrass has been drinking too much? Are you serious?"

"You don't know this, but Daphne quite enjoys rebelling against her parents" Pansy giggled. "Whenever she gets a chance, she tries to break the rules." Break the rules? Is that why she nearly got us caught after Dumbledore's class? She enjoys rebelling? "I think it's because her sister gets to do whatever she wants, and so Daphne wants to have a little freedom too. It's quite sad…" Pansy's mood suddenly shifted to being upset. Daphne told me at Christmas that she didn't like the fact that all the Family pressure was on her. It makes sense that she likes to let loose every now and then.

"Pansy, don't be upset" Ron chuckled as he rubbed her back. He felt a clasp through her robes, and he immediately pulled his hand back. I just touched her fucking bra by mistake.

"Ron…" Pansy looked to him slowly. "Can you please keep doing that? It feels nice…" Her eyes are so droopy. I need to get her into bed.

"Pansy, I think we should get you into bed" Ron smiled at her, and she gave him a lazy pout.

"No…" Pansy refused. "I want to dance with my bodyguard…"

"Pansy, your swaying back and forth" Ron put his cup down, and then he took hers too. "I'm taking you to your bed." Pansy giggled wildly at that, her eyes barely staying open.

"Take me to bed, eh?" Pansy smirked. "That's so audacious of you, Ron." Ron felt his face flush for a second, and he let out a sigh.

"Yep, it's over" Ron said as he took her right hand with his gloved one. "You need to go to sleep before you get into trouble." Ron then began guiding her back towards her room.

"If I get into trouble, what will you do?" Pansy giggled.

"Depends on the type of trouble" Ron shrugged as he moved past the girls' dorms entrance.

"What if someone tries to kiss me?" Pansy laughed. "But I don't want to kiss them."

"Then I'll break their jaw" Ron replied honestly, and Pansy tightened her grip on his hand.

"What if someone tries to attack me?" Pansy asked.

"Then they'll have to go through me" Ron replied. "Pansy, is everything alright? Why are you asking me these questions?"

"I don't know…" Pansy replied meekly. "I asked Blaise… but he didn't even answer me…"

"Well, that's Blaise for you" Ron sighed as they neared her room. "But just because he doesn't say anything, doesn't mean that he doesn't care."

"Doesn't it?" Pansy asked, and Ron turned to face her. She looked tired, and slightly upset.

"Pansy, you're starting to worry me" Ron said softly, and she gave him a sad look.

"My mother hates you, Ron…" Pansy said, and Ron was just stunned. "She calls you filth to my face, and she tells me to leave you in every letter…"

"Pans…" Ron muttered, where was this coming from? We were talking about Blaise a second ago, why is she suddenly bringing her mother up?

"Malfoy's mother told her that I hit him…" Pansy went on, her face twisting in pain. "And now she's really angry with me…" Ron felt his stomach drop at that, what was Malfoy's mother doing spreading gossip like that? Does that bitch even know what earned her son that slap?

"Pansy, I'm sorry to hear that" Ron smiled sadly, but Pansy shook her head.

"I'd do it again" Pansy sniffled, and then she hugged him tightly. I'm so lost here. I should just comfort her because I have no clue about what's happening in her head. "I'm so glad I met you" Pansy tightened her hug, and Ron started feeling light headed and weightless. Oh fuck me!

---

Ron found himself standing in a rather posh, colorless main hall of a manor.

"Mother, please don't do this…" came a meek cry, and Ron turned around to see two women. The one in color, Pansy, was on the ground sobbing, and the other woman, her mother, was sneering down at her daughter. "I don't have anywhere else to go…" Ron moved over to see Pansy's face, and his heart stopped when he saw the bruises on her face. What the fuck is this?!

"Go to that Zabini boy" Pansy's mother spat. "It's his bastard in your belly, he can take care of you." Pansy let out a wracked sob at that, and Ron felt the wind get knocked out of him. Pansy's pregnant with Blaise's kid?! What the fucking fuck?! How far into the future is this? Ron looked to the groveling Pansy, but her bruised face made it hard for him to determine her age. "My own daughter, a tactless whore…" Pansy let out another sob, and Ron clenched his jaw.

"You bitch" Ron hissed at Pansy's mother.

"Get out of this house!" Pansy's mother yelled as she grabbed Pansy by the hair. Pansy let out a pained sob as her mother jerked her by her hair.

"Let her go!" Ron took a swing at the wretched woman, but his fist went through her face. Fuck!

"Get out, or I'll cut that bastard out of you!" Pansy's mother shrieked as she tossed her daughter back onto the ground. Pansy just sobbed hysterically, but she got up slowly and limped towards the door. "Don't ever show your face here again! Your father is fighting to rid the world of Blood-Traitors and filth, but you went and spread your cunt for one of them!" That got another wracked sob out of Pansy, but she kept limping on. Ron nearly screamed his heart out in anger, and he glared at Pansy's mother with sheer hatred.

"You fucking cunt, I'll kill you myself!" Ron bellowed. "Do you hear me?! I will fucking murder you for this!" But his rage was stopped short when he heard the door open, and Ron looked to Pansy with a worried expression. "Pansy, wait!" Ron yelled as he ran after her. She shut the door behind her, but Ron phased through it. "Pansy…" Ron muttered as he watched her limp on. His gut twisted in pure agony at the sight of his friend being treated like this, and his mind burned with a million questions. But he didn't dare ask them, he could only watch Pansy limp on.

He followed her, his own footsteps mirroring hers as she limped along the pathway leading away from the manor. Pansy wept softly as she limped on, her right hand over her stomach. Ron saw that her clothes were torn, and that she had cuts and bruises all over her. Her back was bare, and it had welts all over it. Her own mother did this? How could someone do this to their own child? Why didn't Pansy defend herself? And where the fuck is Blaise?! Why isn't he here with her?! Ron's questions died in his mind as he watched Pansy collapse onto her knees, and then, she fell face first onto the gravel.

"Pans…" Ron muttered, but she just lay there. Unmoving, unblinking, blood smeared on her clothes, and her welted back laid bare. "Pansy…" Ron muttered again as he fell to his knees beside her, and all he could do was stare at her face. Her bruised, unmoving face was scorched into his brain, and Ron felt a scream tear out of his throat. He didn't even notice that he was clutching his hair, hair that she had cut, as he screamed his lungs raw. And he kept screaming, his rage and sorrow mixing into a lament of pain at seeing his friend die like this. Killed from her own mother's punishment for becoming burdened with child. Ron didn't know if it was planned, or if it was a mistake. He only knew that she paid for it with her life, and her child's life. And that hurt more than he could bear. And then, he felt lightheaded and weightless again.

---

"Ron, say something" came Pansy's voice, she was hugging him tightly. Ron blinked, he was back. Ron slowly tightened his hold on her, his eyes becoming wet. "Ron? Why are you shaking?"

"It's nothing…" Ron croaked out, and Pansy tried to break the hug. But Ron didn't let go, he refused to let go of her. She died… Her child died… Blaise's child died…

"Ron? What's wrong?" Pansy asked, her voice worried.

"I love you, Pansy" Ron said, his tears barely staying in his eyes. "And I'll never let anyone hurt you… Never."

"Oh…" Pansy whispered. "Ron, I was only joking about getting into trouble…"

"I know…" Ron said as he loosened his hold, and she pulled back to see his face. Her eyes widened, but she didn't say anything. Ron put his hands on her soft cheeks while she just watched him, and then he kissed her forehead. "I'm really glad I met you too…" Ron told her as he pulled back. Pansy nodded meekly, her eyes darting to his lips. "Now, off to bed" Ron told her, he couldn't hold onto his pain for any longer.

"Okay…" Pansy said, her voice barely more than a whisper. She then moved to her door, and she opened it with her back to him. Images of her welted back assaulted Ron's mind, and he barely kept his composure. Before she went inside, she turned back to Ron. "Ron, I love you too…" And just like that, she was gone. Ron stared at her closed door, and then rubbed his eyes clear. I'll never let that happen to her. I'll kill that wretched woman before I let that happen!

Ron slowly calmed down, he knew that his vision took place at least after the war had started. And Pansy's mother had confirmed that her husband was a Death-Eater. Ron's vision had also confirmed that Pansy eventually slept with Blaise, and they ended up conceiving a child… Pansy's mother had also called Blaise 'one of them', which meant that Blaise might've joined the Order in the future that Ron just saw. I don't even know what to think of that. Every time I see the future, it's wildly different. What am I supposed to do? Why wasn't Pansy with the Order too? Why was she even in that house with that mad bitch?

Ron walked back into the partying common room, and he felt sick. The alcohol, mixed with the vision and his anxiety, were making him feel severely ill. I'm going to throw up. Ron moved towards the boys' dorm entrance, he had to get to his room. But as soon as he approached the entrance, someone grabbed him by the collar and slammed him into a wall. Ron was momentarily stunned, but then his mind refocused, and he came face-to-face with a seething Malfoy.

"I fucking hate you, Weasley" Malfoy hissed as he tightened his hold on Ron's robes, and Ron could smell the alcohol on Malfoy's breath. "Go on, fight me… Let's see who the better Slytherin is right here…" Ron turned his head and cracked his neck. Big fucking mistake, Malfoy… Big fucking mistake…

---

AUTHOR'S NOTES: And here it is! So much happened to Ron in this chapter, and his Psyche is just taking a beating. But in a moment of clarity, he's sort of fallen back onto his original goals. Did Blaise plan that? Did Blaise not like Ron becoming darker again? Hehe, what are best mates for. I'll just tell you this, Blaise understands Ron's character quite well. He knows that a push in the right direction, and some kind words, are all it takes to make Ron see reason. Because at the end of the day, Ron does seek the love and approval of those around him.

Next chapter will pick up right where it left off, Ron will finally decide that he needs to pass on Charlie's knowledge to his friends (Especially the girls), they will all start spending more time in the Sanctuary, Dumbledore tries to talk to Ron again, Percy makes a surprise appearance at home, and the Paris Arc draws nearer.

See you guys on Wednesday!

P.S: I love you guys. (Just thought I'd say it. Your support has been nothing short of heart-warming)