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.

58. Chapter 58 - Home is Where the Heart is

AUTHOR'S NOTES: I'M BACK! Exams are done, while some stuff is still due. But that's my problem, and I'll deal with it =)

Now a couple of things!

1. I know I said a month, but I couldn't wait to get back into the story! Updates won't be as fast because I still have some final stuff to submit, but I will be typing up the story once again.

2. KyleLandy, your review on my last chapter made me blush (Not gonna lie, no homo). Also, I share your pain with the Game of Thrones 'Finale'. What a shit-storm that was... You also mentioned something about a forum for this story for people to join and discuss things, I think that's a pretty cool idea. So if anyone knows how to do that, PM me. It'd be fun to talk to you guys, and to discuss all the plot threads.

3. I'm slightly worried that some people might've missed the last chapter: Chapter 57 (Departure). But that's mostly because I said I was going on hiatus at the end of chapter 56, but then uploaded chapter 57 shortly after. So if you're not sure that you missed the last chapter, please go and read it. Otherwise you might be a little lost.

4. I'M BACK!

Please enjoy!

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

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

---

Fate

Chapter 58 – Home is Where the Heart is

Ronald Weasley's POV

Friday 26th June, 1993 (The Burrow – Evening)

Ron's room was rather clean, cleaner than he had left it. His bed was made, his clothes were neatly placed within his drawers, and there wasn't a speck of dust within the room. And yet, he found himself gnashing his teeth from worry. Daphne was probably going to see his room today. No, she was definitely going to see his room today. She was going to see the burnt orange walls, the old Chudley Cannon posters, the worn out furniture, and the weathered wooden floor. She was going to sit on his second-hand bed that creaked under any weight, and she was going to hear that damn Ghoul in the attic. The Ghoul that could only be heard in his room because his room was on the fifth floor, and right below the attic.

Ron had made great strides in his self-confidence, especially after he had become Lord Greengrass' apprentice. He had amassed quite a bit of wealth, thanks to Lord Greengrass' ingenuity, and he had even learnt that his appearance was an important factor in earning respect. And he was respected. He was respected by his friends, class-mates, House-mates, and even by the Professors. But here he was, fidgeting in slight panic at the prospect of Daphne disliking his room. She's going to hate it, I just know it. My room in their Manor is a million times better than this… What do I even call this? Ron put his trunk down at the foot of his bed, and he sat down on his orange bed covers. The bed creaked loudly, and Ron frowned deeply because of it. You son of a bitch.

Part of him understood that he was being an idiot, and that his room was the best that his parents could offer him. His room wasn't extravagant, but he had never cared about that before. Yet here I am, panicking like a little girl. What is she going to think about this room? She won't want to sit anywhere in here, will she? And then another thought hit him, the whole house was quite similar to his room. Some might call it homely, but the truth was that it was very… limited by their family's financial situation. Merlin, this is no place for a Lord and Lady to eat. Bloody hell, what is Tori going to think about this? He didn't want this dinner becoming awkward, or worse, to be ruined. He wanted Lord and Lady Greengrass to feel welcome here, especially because he wanted them to join his side when the war came. Ron shot up at that.

"Ron, this is just like any other problem" Ron slapped his cheeks. "Find any leaks, and plug them. This dinner has to go well." Ron marched to his trunk, and he sorted through his clothes. In the end, he settled for light blue casual suit with a white long-sleeved collar shirt. Hmmm, this is good. Bright, welcoming, sophisticated, and yet casual enough to wear to an important dinner at home. But most importantly, it covers my scars. Ron's eyes suddenly landed on the leather rag within his trunk, and he just stared at it for a few seconds. The fang from the Basilisk. I have to do something about this soon. I can't leave it in here, especially because of how dangerous it is. Ron closed his trunk and sealed it, and then he left for the bathroom. Take a shower, gel your hair, and then look around for anything to fix.

---

Thirty Minutes Later

Ron finished fixing his hair, and then he studied his reflection. He looked sharp, and that pleased him greatly. My hair is getting a bit long, but I can get Pansy to fix that when I see her next. Ron fixed his collar, and then he pulled at the sleeves of his white shirt. He then put on his Horned-snake skin glove, and then his rings and Rolex. Looking good, old boy. And this suit is a perfect fit. Ron smiled at his reflection as he nodded in approval, and then he left the bathroom with his dirty clothes. He put them in the laundry basket before heading back to his room. He opened his closet, and took out a pair of polished black shoes. Once he was fully dressed, he headed downstairs. As he headed downstairs, he sighed deeply at the realization that there wasn't much that he could do. The Burrow was old, creaky, and some would even argue that it was no better than a large shed.

Even compared to the Slytherin common room, the Burrow was simply not up to par. The furniture was weathered and old, the floor creaked at almost every fucking step, and it was far too narrow and cluttered. The walls had chipped paint-jobs, and wherever there was wallpaper, tears could be found. How did I never see this before? This place is barely standing! Ron was sad to admit that he felt ashamed of his family's house, a house that still meant a lot to him. This was his house, and he did love it. But even he would be hard-pressed to say that it was acceptable. The Burrow needed a renovation, and it needed one yesterday. Maybe I can do something about that? I do have a lot of money now, and making this place the best that it could be would be great. Especially for the family, they deserve it.

"Ron, can I have…" his father started when he saw Ron step into the kitchen, but he stopped to analyze his son's expensive clothes.

"Awe, look at him!" his mother cooed from the sink, a wide smile threatening to split her face. "My handsome boy!" Ron blushed at that, how did she make him feel like a toddler? Ron managed a meek smile at her as he observed the kitchen. So untidy… Percy was sitting with their father, while the rest of Ron's siblings were nowhere to be found. Probably unpacking in their rooms. I wonder how far Helios is from the Burrow. I let him leave before I boarded the train, so he should be here by tomorrow.

"Ron, can I have a word with you in the Living Room?" his father asked after shaking his head clear.

"Of course, dad" Ron nodded. This is probably about that McLaggen tosser. Let's get this over with, I have work to do. Ron followed his father into the 'Living Room', which actually felt smaller than Ron's room at Hogwarts. Merlin, what the hell? I never noticed how tiny this room is before. There's a dirty fireplace, four old couches, dad's 'Corner Study', and barely any room to move around. Arthur took a seat on one of the couches, and he patted the open space beside him. My clothes are going to get dirty… Ron cringed internally as he sat down on the couch, and its old pillow almost sucked him in.

"You look very… good" Arthur said slowly, he didn't even know how to comment on Ron's clothes. His son was wearing a suit that was clearly more expensive than all of Arthur's clothes put together. And although that pleased Arthur greatly, he couldn't deny that Ron looked out of place within his own home.

"Thanks" Ron smiled at the compliment, it felt nice to dress well. That was another thing that Ron had noticed. Whenever he wore nice clothes, he felt more confident in himself. Even more powerful. It makes me feel like I'm someone to be taken seriously, and isn't that the real point of clothes. To help you express what you want the World to see you as.

"Son, Percy told me something rather troubling" Arthur cleared his mind, and he saw Ron stiffen slightly. "He told me that you attacked another student on the train-ride home…"

"That's not what happened" Ron quickly defended himself, and his father nodded for him to go on. "I went to their carriage to get something to eat, and to ask the Trolley Lady to come to our compartment. My House-mates were hungry too, but none of them wanted to go into the Gryffindor carriage. So I went in myself. I was minding my own business, and nobody really cared that I was even there. That McLaggen twa… kid… He started a fight with me simply because he thought that he'd get away with it. I warned him to leave me alone, his friends told him to leave me alone, and even some of the older Gryffindors told him to stop."

"I know, son" Arthur smiled in understanding. "But he was using his words, just his words. You physically attacked him, and you left him with a broken nose. Physical violence is a serious crime, which is why Percy was so upset with you. He told me that you threatened him when he confronted you." Ron shifted in his seat at that, what was he supposed to say to that?

"Percy should be on my side, just like I would be on his" Ron responded, but he was talking to himself.

"This isn't about sides, Ron" Arthur patted his son's back gently. "Percy was worried for you, he even begged that other boy not to take things any further on your behalf."

"I didn't ask him to do that" Ron frowned slightly. "I can take care of myself, and I don't need that kind of help. And I didn't threaten Percy, I simply told him to get his priorities straight." Arthur scooted closer to Ron, and he put an arm around his son's shoulders. They were broader than he had anticipated, but that only brought a proud smile upon his face.

"Percy loves you Ron, more than he loves any of your siblings" Arthur stated with a gentle voice. "And yes, even I know that that's true. He has sent Hermes over a hundred times since we learned of your… diagnoses. He is worried beyond words for you, and all he wants to do is to be there for you."

"He doesn't know, does he?" Ron asked quickly, and a paternal squeeze was his answer.

"No, we haven't told him" Arthur admitted, and then he sighed. "But Bill and Charlie know…"

"What?" Ron looked at his father with disbelief.

"Ron, if something ever happens to your mother and me… Then Bill and Charlie will become your legal guardians" Arthur replied, and Ron tensed. Something ever happens? Fuck no, nothing is happening to you two. Not while I'm around. "It's in our will. They have also seen your scars…" Ron's head started spinning at that.

"When? Charlie hasn't once mentioned them in our letters" Ron managed, how could this be?

"They saw your scars when you were in your coma, when they were the only thing holding your mother and me together" Arthur sighed out. "They took charge, and they kept everything together. They cooked meals for your siblings, brought us food at the Hospital, and kept an eye on you while your mother and I took much needed breaks." Bloody hell, I didn't know about that. They really did all that? "Ron, we're veering off-topic."

"Bloody hell" Ron rubbed his face, and Arthur decided not to scold Ron for his language.

"Percy just wants to make sure that you're alright, that's all" Arthur went on. "And after what you said to him, he was genuinely hurt." Ron felt guilt slap his face, and he let out a weary breath.

"Sorry…" Ron muttered. I didn't know that he was so worried for me. Damn, I'm an idiot. Of course he's worried, he saw my panic attack during the Easter Break.

"I'm not the person you should say that to, but thank you for understanding" Arthur smiled, and then he kissed Ron's head. "Oh…"

"Ha" Ron couldn't help but chuckle. "Did you enjoy the taste of my hair-gel?"

"Not particularly, no" Arthur chuckled back, and then he let go of Ron after one more squeeze.

"I'll talk to him" Ron said as his father stood up. "I promise."

"Good man" Arthur nodded in approval, and Ron also stood up. "I'm going to help your mother in the kitchen, and we'll keep this between ourselves."

"Thanks" Ron smiled genuinely, he didn't want to be subjected to his mother's wrath. They both went into the kitchen again, and Ron noticed that Percy was now gone.

"What were you two talking about?" Molly asked with a bright smile, she could coo at Ron all day. Her boy had grown so tall so suddenly, and he was dressed in a manner that would no doubt make all the ladies swoon.

"Just about how he's been" Arthur lied, and Molly nodded in understanding as she turned to face them.

"How have you been, Ronnie?" Molly asked with a slightly worried voice. Ronnie again? Ugh…

"Mum, please don't call me Ronnie in public" Ron groaned, and his mother blinked at him.

"What he means is that he's a little too old for such a nickname" Arthur chuckled as he moved over to peel some potatoes.

"Nonsense" Molly huffed as she shooed her husband out of her kitchen. "I'm his mother, and I get to call him Ronnie no matter how old he is."

"But not in public, please…" Ron pleaded, and she waved a dismissive hand.

"You'll always be Ronnie to me" Molly responded, and Ron sighed in defeat. "Now tell me, how have you been?"

"I've been getting better" Ron replied as he looked to the stairs. "Mum, I'm doing just fine."

"Alright" Molly smiled in understanding. She had read almost a dozen different books about stress management, and so she understood that pestering him was not the right call to make. No matter how much she wanted to do it. Sirius was currently reading those books, they had been passing them around.

"I'm going upstairs for a bit" Ron said. "Do you need any help?"

"No, you go on up" Molly turned back to her potatoes. "Oh, and tell Ginny to start showering. You know how long she takes…" Oh, we all bloody know that. Ron walked up the stairs, and he went straight for Ginny's room. He knocked on the closed door, and he heard some shuffling before she opened the door slightly and stuck her head through. Her eyes scanned his clothes, and then she blinked a few times.

"Ron? What is it?" Ginny asked quickly, and Ron gave her a smile. She didn't smile back.

"Mum wants you to start showering" Ron passed on the information, and she nodded curtly. Is she not happy with me? "Gin, did I… Did I do something?"

"No" Ginny replied.

"Oh, alright" Ron smiled again, and then he turned to leave.

"Wait…" Ginny sighed, and Ron turned around at an alarming speed. "Why did you attack someone from our House, Ron?" Oh… He was a prick. No, don't say that. "And why is Percy forcing us to keep quiet about it near mum?" Ron felt another pang of guilt at that, Percy was really on his side. I'm a cunt, and I need to apologize to him right after this.

"McLaggen started it… And I lost my temper" Ron admitted, but Ginny wasn't buying it.

"You came to our carriage, and then you attacked one of us" Ginny told him. "You made Percy beg that snot-nosed idiot on your behalf, Ron."

"I know" Ron sighed guiltily. "I'll apologize to Percy for that right after this, I promise."

"Alright" Ginny nodded. "Did you… Did you apologize to Harry for attacking him?" Ron blinked at her question. Where did that come from?

"We made up" Ron replied slowly.

"But did you apologize?" Ginny asked with a slight frown. Ron didn't know why, but her question rubbed him the wrong way.

"We both apologized" Ron replied. "Take your shower, or mum will be unhappy." Ron turned around and left for Percy's room, he didn't want to think about his incident with Harry. She made it sound like Harry was completely innocent in that mess. Assault, attempted kidnapping, thievery, and setting off an explosive in class are crimes worthy of Azkaban. Ron took in a deep breath, and then another, and another. His mind began to ease up, and he took another deep breath for good measure. It's in the past, and we both decided to move on. Ron stopped in front of Percy's door, and he knocked firmly.

"Come in" came Percy's voice, and Ron entered and closed the door behind him. Percy was unpacking his trunk, which was sitting on his bed. "Ron" Percy greeted, and then he turned back to his task.

"Perce" Ron greeted back as he walked further into the room. This room is too tidy. It's like no one lives in here. "I'm sorry for what I said to you" Ron apologized, he knew that Percy respected straight-forwardness. Percy turned to face him, and he waited for Ron to go on. "I was angry, and I was way out of line with you. I'm sorry that you had to beg McLaggen, but I'm not sorry for belting him" Ron finished strongly.

"I guess that's fair" Percy sighed. "Ron… What is going on with you? You're not acting like yourself anymore…"

"Acting like myself?" Ron asked, a hint of annoyance in his voice. Not this again.

"I don't mean that it's bad" Percy replied. "I just want to know what's happening with you. We were really close, but now we barely talk about anything. It's like how things were before we started studying together, and I hate it." Back when we were both outsiders in this family, which we still are in some ways. Dammit, he's right. Being on the outside is what made us truly start connecting in the first place, and I've just left him behind like some arsehole.

"I've been dealing with some… problems" Ron shifted in his spot, his oncoming confession fueled by guilt.

"Problems?" Percy asked, his voice much gentler than Ron had anticipated.

"You remember my Acute Stress Disorder?" Ron asked with a sheepish look, and Percy nodded with a solemn one. "It… got worse… recently. I got diagnosed with Chronic Stress during the Easter Break…" Percy felt like the wind had been kicked out of him, and he just stared at Ron like a moron with his mouth hanging open. "Perce, don't stare at me like that" Ron muttered as he fixed his sleeves on instinct. My scars are covered, right?

"Why didn't you tell me?" Percy asked after a few seconds.

"I don't like bringing it up, or talking about it" Ron admitted, his stomach feeling heavy. "I just want to deal with it on my own, and to not worry everyone around me with it."

"Who else knows?" Percy asked, controlling his anger at Ron's stubbornness.

"Mum and dad know, and so do Bill and Charlie" Ron shrugged. "Sirius, Remus, Xeno, and Pandora also know. And the Greengrass Family know because they were there when I was diagnosed. And now you know too."

"Your panic attack" Percy suddenly went wide-eyed. "How did I not see this?! I'm such a dolt!"

"Percy, don't do that" Ron sighed. "I kept it hidden, and I don't like talking about it. I'm getting help, and I'm dealing with it as best I can. And please don't tell anyone about it." Percy nodded, and then he moved forward and hugged Ron tightly. Ron hugged back, but he was surprised when Percy held on.

"I want to help, tell me how" Percy said, and Ron couldn't stop his smile.

"Just don't tell anyone, and let me handle the rest" Ron replied, and he felt Percy nod. "And let go of me because I don't swing that way." Percy chuckled despite himself, and he let go of Ron.

"You ever need anything, you'd better come to me first" Percy ordered, and Ron nodded softly.

---

Friday 26th June, 1993 (The Burrow – Near Dinner Time)

The inside of the Burrow may have not been up to par, but Molly Weasley had outdone herself when it came to outside. There were small Muggle lights, which were attached to a long wire and powered Magically, that illuminated the large dining table. The table was decorated with conjured flowers, and a clean white table spread. And the feast… Merlin, the feast that she had made was mental. There were over a dozen different dishes, all of them different Prewitt Family recipes. She had put Warming Charms on them, and then placed Protection Wards around them just in case. Ron had been zapped while he had tried to steal a drumstick.

Due to the Sun setting for the day, the lights gave the table an extremely welcoming ambience around it. Ron and his brothers were drawn to the table like moths to a flame, but none of them could touch the food. Molly had also made sure that her children were properly dressed, and looked suitable for the occasion. Ron was used as a template, much to the twins' annoyance, and now they were all dressed in their best.

Pandora, Xeno, and Luna had also shown up earlier, but Molly had refused to let them help her. This was her dinner, and as their hostess, she refused to let her guests do any of the work. Their only job was to enjoy their night, and to leave with full stomachs. Xeno and Pandora had spent their time with Arthur, hovering around just in case they were needed. Ron also noticed that Xeno and Pandora looked extremely happy, and they were sharing some stories from the 'old times' with Arthur. Ron didn't pay it much mind in the end, Xeno and Pandora had the right to be loud for once and Ron welcomed it. Luna and Ginny had sealed themselves in Ginny's room, and were no doubt still trying on different clothes. Ron had bought them enough clothes to last them a couple of years, after all.

Ron himself eventually left his brothers outside, and he found himself waiting in the Living Room. The guests could arrive at any moment, and he wanted to welcome them personally. Not only would it be respectful, but it would also show the guests that their presence was looked forward to. Daphne's teaching were almost like a reflex to him now, but he knew that he had a lot more to learn from the 'Ice Queen'.

"What are you doing in here?" came Fred's voice, and Ron looked to see the twins step into the Living Room.

"Waiting" Ron replied.

"For?" George cocked his head.

"For a certain girl, perhaps?" Fred sniggered, and Ron felt his cheeks burn.

"I am, actually" Ron replied, and the twins chuckled merrily. "Our guests could be arriving at any moment now, and one of us should be here to greet them. Well, all of us should be here… But we'd probably never fit."

"You want us all to stand guard of the fireplace?" Fred asked, a confused look on his face.

"Not stand guard" Ron replied. "It is a gesture of respect to welcome your guests into your home as soon as they enter." The twins exchanged looks, and then they began sniggering.

"Ronnie…" Fred cooed.

"Ronnikins" George added.

"Such a perfect host" Fred sang.

"Such a perfect child" George sang as well, while Ron fought the urge to frown.

"What other lessons do you wish to impart upon us?" Fred grinned.

"Tell us what else you've learnt within Slytherin" George also grinned.

"How not to win the House Cup?" they both asked, and Ron frowned. That hit a sore spot.

"Go away" Ron snapped, both they both just laughed.

"We want to greet our guests too" they both said.

"Greet them, or send them running because of your ugly mugs?" Ron smirked, and they laughed harder.

"A fair point" Fred shrugged.

"We'll be in our room" George added. "Come and get us once you're done playing butler." The twins then sauntered off, while Ron looked back to the fireplace.

"I'm not a butler" Ron told himself, and then he shook his head. "Talking to yourself, Ron? Finally said your farewell to your sanity? Wait… I'm still doing it." Ron shook his head, and then a chuckle escaped his throat. I've lost me fucking mind, I have. The fireplace blazed green, and Ron straightened his back and smiled. Sirius walked out of the fire with a massive grin, followed by Harry and then Remus.

"Welcome" Ron greeted them, and Sirius scanned Ron.

"Well, with a welcome like this" Sirius laughed, and then he gave Ron a hug. "Looking like a proper casano…"

"Ahem" Remus coughed, and Sirius just shrugged. Casanova? Ron snorted at the thought. "You look very smart, Ron" Remus said as he hugged Ron as well.

"Welcome back, Harry" Ron said as he shook the boy's hand firmly.

"I've missed this place" Harry smiled at Ron. "Remember last year's Holidays, they were such a blast."

"After the rescue, certainly" Ron grinned, and Harry grinned back.

"There are times when I feel like breaking into another Muggle home, I won't lie" Sirius laughed. "What a night that was, pure adventure." With a hint of murderous intent, if I recall.

"Let me know when" Ron joked, and Sirius gave his back a firm pat.

"Are your mother and father in the kitchen?" Remus asked, and Ron nodded.

"They're expecting you" Ron told them.

"It'd be rude to keep them waiting" Sirius stated. "See you soon, pup." With that, Sirius and Remus left for the kitchen. Ron heard their voices greet the other adults, while Harry waited next to Ron.

"You're certainly dressed to kill" Harry sniggered, and Ron grinned at him. Harry was wearing black Wizard Robes, expensive Wizard Robes. What is the material? Velvet? Linen? "I didn't know that you wore such Muggle looking clothes."

"I actually quite like them" Ron admitted. "They feel new to me… Different, but in a good way."

"Different, but in a good way…" Harry mused. "That's sort of like you, I reckon."

"Really?" Ron chuckled, and Harry shrugged with an easy smile. Different, but in a good way. I like that.

"Where are your siblings?" Harry asked.

"The twins are in their room" Ron started. "Percy is probably with the adults, while Ginny and Luna are in Ginny's room. Bill and Charlie are away, of course." But Charlie is coming home soon, I can't bloody wait for that.

"Luna" Harry smiled at Ron, and Ron blinked. "You really think of her as a family member, don't you?"

"Because she is" Ron replied, not understanding Harry's question. Harry seemed pleased about that, much to Ron's further confusion.

"Different, but in a good way" Harry repeated. Alright then, be cryptic if you want. It's a free country, after all. The fireplace blazed green again, and Ron smiled widely. Daphne! Lord Greengrass emerged first, a beautiful bottle of Apple Brandy in his left hand. Mary and Tori came in next, followed by Daphne. Both Greengrass daughters were wearing elegant green dresses, but Daphne's was a shade darker than her sister's. They both had their hair done up, and Ron spotted his golden pin in Daphne's hair. She was also wearing the tennis bracelet that he had gotten her, much to his satisfaction.

"Lord Greengrass, welcome to The Burrow" Ron shook his mentor's right hand.

"Mr. Greengrass" Harry gave the pale man a welcoming nod, which he returned.

"Mr. Potter" Lord Greengrass greeted back, and then he looked to Ron with a smile. "Thank you for welcoming us, Ron. Are we the last to arrive?"

"Fashionably late" Ron joked, and Lord Greengrass chuckled.

"Excellent" Lord Greengrass said back. Ron then looked to Mary, and she presented her hand. Ron took it, and kissed her knuckles.

"Thank you for coming, and for making this house even brighter" Ron greeted, and she chuckled.

"Flatterer" Mary smiled. "Come love, we should find Arthur and Molly." Arthur and Molly?

"They are in the kitchen" Ron gestured, and both Lord and Lady Greengrass left the Living Room. The moment they disappeared, Tori ran up hugged Ron, and then planted a kiss on his left cheek. Harry's jaw dropped, while Daphne pinched the bridge of her nose. Ron just laughed, and he gave her right cheek a kiss in return. Harry jaw hung even lower, while Daphne pretended not to see it.

"Wasn't that so much better than kissing my knuckles?" Tori laughed as she let him go, and Ron smiled widely.

"It was, but you'd better behave" Ron told her, and she snorted.

"Not when you look so kissable" Tori teased, and this time Ron snorted.

"Tori…" Daphne warned, but it fell on deaf ears. Tori's eyes went to a stunned Harry, and she smiled mischievously. Brace yourself mate, you've seen nothing yet.

"Harry Potter" Tori said in a sweet voice, and then she presented her hand to him. Harry looked at it, and then at her, and then at Ron. Kiss her knuckle, you simpleton. Ron made a kissing face, and Harry blushed. Harry then copied Ron's earlier actions, and Tori gave him a polite curtsy. "Astoria Greengrass" Tori introduced herself.

"H… Harry Potter" Harry replied.

"You're much more handsome in person" Tori told him, and Harry's cheeks flushed.

"Thanks" Harry managed a smile. "You're very… pretty as well… I mean, you're very pretty." Well, he did better than I did when I was learning this. I couldn't bring myself to even try at first.

"I am, aren't I?" Tori hummed, and Harry blinked. Tori then moved to Harry left side, and she locked her arm with the Boy-Who-Lived. "Have you been to the Burrow before?" Harry nodded. "Then you should show me around, I'd hate to get lost in here." Ron held back a snigger as he watched Harry go red, while Daphne just smirked at Tori's behavior.

"Well, this is the Living Room" Harry stated, and Tori nodded. Harry then left the room with Tori, but not before he shot a confused look towards Ron. Poor lad, I should've probably helped him. Ron then looked to Daphne, and he found himself smiling like an idiot.

"Aren't you going to greet me?" Daphne put her hand forward, and Ron took it and kissed it.

"Welcome to my house, Daph" Ron smiled.

"My compliment?" Daphne asked with soft smile.

"You look stunning" Ron replied, and she blinked at him. "Didn't think that I'd give you one?"

"No, just surprised at the speed in which you did" Daphne smiled a little more widely. "You look extremely smart, by the way. Blue suits you" Daphne said as she eyed him.

"You're making me blush" Ron grinned, but there was truth to his words.

"I expect a tour, of course" Daphne said as she locked her arm with his. "Starting from your room." My room… Shite. Just be a good host, and hope for the best. Daphne then took out a handkerchief from left sleeve, and she wiped his left cheek.

"Daph?" Ron asked.

"Tori left lipstick on your cheek, just cleaning up after her" Daphne told him, and then she tucked her handkerchief back into her left sleeve. "Now, take me around the house." Ron guided them out into the kitchen, and he spotted the adults and Percy talking about his studies. Ron turned and started walking up the stairs, and he missed Sirius nudging Remus to have a look. Ron also missed the deadpan look Remus gave Sirius.

"You aren't upset with me anymore?" Ron asked as they walked up the steps, and Daphne tightened her hold on his left arm.

"No, not really" Daphne admitted.

"Why?" Ron asked, he knew that he was poking a dragon but he had to know.

"Something occurred to me when I got home" Daphne replied. "I won't be able to look after you during the Holidays."

"Look after me?" Ron frowned slightly. "I'm not a baby, Daph."

"I know, but I'm just… worried" Daphne admitted, though she whispered the last word. Ron lost his frown at that, and he gave her a small smile.

"I'm at home, and I'm sure that my parents will be keeping their eyes on me" Ron assured her, and she gave a nod.

"But still, I'm worried" Daphne replied. "I know that you hate talking about yourself, and…" she trailed off.

"And?" Ron asked.

"You only ever talk to me, right?" Daphne asked, a hint of pride in her voice. I suppose that's true, it's just easier to talk to her. We've been through a lot, and despite seeing the worst things about me, she's never once mentioned them to anyone.

"I will floo over the moment I feel overwhelmed, I promise" Ron promised, and she smiled at him.

"Good, that's all I wanted to hear" Daphne said as she looked forward. They made the rest of the trip in silence, but it was interrupted by Harry and Tori.

"Is Ronnie giving you a tour?" Tori asked with a smile, and Ron sighed at being called 'Ronnie'.

"He is" Daphne replied, her eyes going to Harry. "My sister isn't giving you trouble, is she?"

"Harry and I have become fast friends" Tori answered for Harry. "We both love Quidditch, and he's been telling me about his Seeker career within Gryffindor." Harry smiled at that, clearly looking more comfortable than before.

"Harry is an amazing Seeker" Ron said truthfully, something that made Harry's smile wider. "Well, I'll see you both downstairs." Harry and Tori moved past them, and Ron heard Harry mention something about swallowing a Golden Snitch. "Does Tori really like Quidditch?" Ron asked as they started making their way up again.

"No, she doesn't" Daphne smirked.

"Bloody hell" Ron sighed. "I should probably warn him about her, or she'll try and make him into her slave or something."

"My sister isn't some monster, Ron" Daphne giggled, and he gave her deadpan look. "Warn him after my tour." Ron and Daphne eventually found themselves in front of Ron's room, and he was glad to see that the door was closed. Harry didn't take Tori inside, good. "Are we going in?"

"Y… Yeah, of course" Ron replied, and then he opened the door. Daphne let go of his arm, and she walked inside as he followed her. Ron closed the door behind him, and he watched her look around. Well, here it is. In all of its orange glory.

"So this is where the Slytherin Prodigy grew up" Daphne smiled as she looked around, and Ron felt his ears go red.

"Don't call me that" Ron muttered, but she just shot him a smirk.

"Is Ronnie better?" she teased, and Ron flushed. "No? Then what should I call you?"

"Ron" he replied as he averted his gaze, and she held back a giggle. It was always a treat to see him like this, all shy and cute. She prided herself for being the only person that brought out this side of him, and every time she got to see it, she savored it.

"Ron, look at me" Daphne hummed, and he did so reluctantly. "Tell me what it was like to grow up here." Ron blinked in confusion, and she waited patiently.

"Are you asking about my childhood?" Ron asked, and she nodded as she moved to his bed. She sat down, and it creaked, and Ron nearly lost his temper. Daphne didn't even register how hard his mattress was, but if she did, then she was too polite to say anything. Either way, Ron still felt… embarrassed. Why am I being this way? It's just a fucking room.

"Ron, I'm waiting" Daphne hummed, and then she eyed the spot beside her. Ron walked over, and he sat down beside her. "What was it like growing up here with so many siblings? When did you start running? When did you start studying? What did you do to pass the time?"

"Do you want to know what my first words were too?" Ron joked.

"If you can remember them, then please tell me" Daphne replied.

"Well, I don't" Ron shrugged. "As for the other questions… It was hectic. Bill and Charlie were always too old, and they were often our babysitters. Percy was always different, but in a good way." Ron smiled to himself at that, because it was right. "The twins were like Tori, but there were two of them and that made them a handful. They also happen to be utter geniuses, and have almost limitless creativity. I'll let you think about that for a second."

"Sounds like fun" Daphne smiled as she studied his features. He had a lot of freckles, but they suited him because of his fiery red hair. He was starting to grow into his nose, but it was still a bit too big. He was also starting to lose the roundness of his face, and she could see a jaw-line beginning to show through.

"It was fun" Ron admitted with a smile. "Ginny is the baby of the family, and we all sort of felt this need to keep her safe. She's also the first female Weasley in generations, so that only egged us on. But truth be told, she's tougher than she looks. She constantly butted heads with us whenever we told her to stay out of rough-housing. She also took it upon herself to de-Gnome the garden once, but she ended up getting bitten by one of them."

"What did you do about that?" Daphne asked, her eyes traveling to the various Chudley Cannon posters.

"I comforted her" Ron recalled. "Told her that I loved her, and that I'd do all of her chores for her. The twins had a great time making a fool out of me for that" Ron chuckled. "I hated it at the time, but it doesn't bother me as much anymore now that I think about it. That's just how they are."

"And Luna? When did she become your sister?" Daphne asked as she moved closer to him.

"She spent a lot of time here" Ron told her. "Especially after…" Ron trailed off, images of a dying Pandora flashing in his mind.

"After you saved her mother" Daphne finished for him, and he nodded. "I remember when Luna first told us that story. It was… right after you killed that Troll. Feels like ages ago…"

"It's been a long year" Ron managed a weak smile. "So much has happened since then, it almost feels surreal." The Entity, this 'She', Death destroying this Universe… How could I ever explain this to anyone without ending up in a Psych Ward?

"I'd say that more good than bad has happened" Daphne whispered.

"It doesn't feel like it…" Ron whispered back, his eyes studying her face. Her face wasn't as round as it used to be, making her cheek bones more prominent. Her eyes seemed like a darker shade of blue than before, but that could have been due to the lighting. Ron stared at the flecks of gold in her eyes, and he felt drawn in. Her lips lifted into a small smile, and it was the most adorable smile that he had ever seen. Every line and angle of her face worked seamlessly together in order to create something more beautiful than the sum of its parts.

"I used to dislike you quite a lot when I first heard that story" Daphne admitted softly as she watched him looking at her lips.

"Why?" Ron looked back into her eyes.

"I… don't know" Daphne whispered, they were close enough to make her blush. "You just showed up, and I hadn't met someone like you before. You were rude, loud, had no manners, and despite being in Slytherin, you hated your own House-mates. But you worked hard to achieve more House-Points than anyone else, all the while trying to be friends with us. I couldn't understand you, even after spending hours thinking about you. You made no sense to me, and there are times when you still don't."

"What made you kiss me in the Sanctuary?" Ron asked.

"I spent too much time thinking about you, and I think it triggered a change in my opinion of you" Daphne smiled. "Especially after you accepted Pansy with open arms after I asked you to, that's what cemented my… my crush on you." Ron blushed at the word 'crush'. "And after everything we went through… Your attack and coma, your return, our arguments, you speaking Parseltongue, our Christmas Break together, me seeing your scars… All of it. When we were sitting in that chair, I just moved without thinking. I wanted to do it, at least once."

"I'm glad you did" Ron admitted easily. "And I'm glad that it wasn't just once." Ron leaned forward, and he kissed her lips. She kissed back, and he could feel the smile on her lips.

"I'm glad too" Daphne said after she pulled back. "Oh, I left lipstick on your lips." She took out her handkerchief, and she cleaned his lips in a fussy manner. "There, no evidence" she giggled, and Ron smiled widely.

"Have I ever told you that you have the most adorable laugh?" Ron asked, and she shook her head. "Then let me remedy that. You have the most adorable laugh that I've ever heard, and every time I hear it, I start smiling involuntarily. I could be in the foulest of moods, but when you start laughing, I struggle to stay upset." Daphne just stared at him, her face flushing from his words. She decided that he deserved another kiss for that, but there was a sudden knock at the door that stopped her. Ron stood up slowly, and he walked over to the door and opened it.

"Percy" Ron smiled, and Percy's eyes went to Daphne immediately. "I was telling her about our childhood in this house, do you want to tell her some stories as well?" Percy relaxed at that, his worries about inappropriate behavior slowly fading away.

"Maybe later" Percy gave her a polite smile, one that she returned. "Mum wants to get dinner started, and people are starting to move outside."

"Thanks for letting us know" Ron nodded, and Percy left for downstairs. "Daph?" Ron looked to her, but she was already walking over to him. Ron closed the door behind them, and they made their way down in silence. Daphne had locked her right arm with his left one, and Ron was certain that she had no intention of letting go. It looks harmless enough, and I'm certainly enjoying it, so I don't mind. "So… What did you think of my room?" Ron asked slowly.

"It was very… orange" Daphne replied, her tone amused. "And I knew that you loved the Chudley Cannons, but I didn't know just how much until today. I counted twelve posters, I think." Glad she didn't see the ones under my bed. "All in all, I liked it a lot."

"Really?" Ron asked, clearly baffled by her response.

"Why wouldn't I?" Daphne asked in return, but Ron just looked forward and didn't answer. "Stop that, Ron. I liked your room, your bed, and what we did on it."

"Merlin…" Ron muttered, did she even hear herself?

"That's not what I meant, you pervert" Daphne tensed a bit, and Ron snorted. "Arse… I was trying to be sweet."

"I know" Ron held back his snigger. "Thanks, Daph." Daphne nodded, and they both stepped into the kitchen together. Ron spotted the twins talking to Harry and Tori, and then Ron spotted Ginny and Luna eyeing Tori from a different corner. Luna was just smiling airily, but Ginny was shooting daggers at Tori.

"Hmmm" Daphne hummed, clearly amused by Ginny's obvious dislike of Tori. "I'm going to talk to my sister, Ron. You should get to Potter, and give him your warning about Tori. Also make sure that he sits near us on the dinner table, he is in our year after all." Daphne then disentangled from Ron, and she walked over to her sister. They greeted each other, and then left to go outside together. Ron spotted Ginny move towards Harry, but Ron quickly made it to him before her.

"Harry mate, a word?" Ron smiled as he gestured towards the door leading outside.

"Sure, Ron" Harry smiled in returned, and they both made their way out. Ron missed Ginny glaring at him, or Luna laughing to herself. "What do you need?" Harry asked as they stepped outside, and Ron immediately felt the cool night breeze wash over him.

"Well, a couple of things" Ron started. "First of all, you should sit with me and Daph. We're in the same year, and I'd like you to spend some more time with us."

"Oh" Harry muttered. "The twins… They already asked me to sit with them… Same with Astoria." I see, well I tried.

"Secondly, about Astoria…" Ron started again, but Harry jumped in.

"She doesn't like Quidditch, does she?" Harry smirked, and Ron blinked at him. "Yeah, I figured as much. I think she noticed that I relaxed a bit when I talked about it, and so she began pretending to care. It was… nice of her, but she did put me in that awkward position in the first place."

"She didn't mean anything bad by it, she's just a bit on the wild side" Ron smiled sheepishly.

"Don't worry so much" Harry chuckled. "I enjoyed talking to her, she has a great sense of humor." Ron relaxed at that, and he gave Harry a grateful nod. "The twins have also taken a liking to her, but I'm not surprised by that. They like people who can take a joke. Though Ginny was…" he trailed off.

"Ginny was what?" Ron asked with a sigh. She's really acting out of character lately, and I don't know what to do about it.

"I don't want to say anything to… anger you" Harry shuffled his feet, and he shot a glance towards the front door. "But mate, your sister can be a little overwhelming… First, she never talked to me and always ran away whenever I showed up. Then, she started moving past that but still wouldn't talk. And now she does talk to me, but I can see that she's uncomfortable doing it. It… I don't know, it just doesn't feel natural to me." Ron processed Harry's words, while Harry took in a deep breath. "I like her, she's great at Quidditch and she's been through a lot this year. But mate… She didn't even acknowledge Astoria, and spent ten minutes just glaring at her. It was weird…"

"I'm sorry to hear that" Ron shook his head, he had to tell mum and dad about this.

"I do like her, don't doubt that" Harry said quickly. "But she has a way of making me feel… unnatural. Like I'm some savior of the World, one that can't be approached because they're barely human… I don't like that."

"Dinner's ready, kids!" came Molly's voice, and both boys began walking towards the table.

"Well, I'll try and do something about that" Ron assured Harry. "But in the meantime, just enjoy yourself and talk to whoever you want."

"Thanks Ron, I appreciate you understanding me" Harry smiled gratefully. "I don't want to make things awkward, but I really don't know how to deal with your sister outside of the Quidditch Pitch."

---

Thirty Minutes Later

Dinner was progressing rather nicely, despite a couple of awkward moments. The first awkward thing to happen was Ginny blatantly pouting when Harry and Astoria sat together across from the twins, but at least Luna had quickly taken care of that by distracting Ginny. Ginny still kept shooting glares at Tori, who was becoming fast friends with everyone around her. The second awkward thing had happened because of Arthur Weasley. Lord Greengrass had mentioned that he owned a lot of businesses within the Muggle World, and that he often travelled to different Muggle cities because of it.

Ron's father had all but erupted with excitement, and was still questioning Lord Greengrass about 'Muggle behaviors and traditions'. At least the adults were all talking to each other, and they were certainly getting along. Mary had become friends with Pandora and Ron's mother over the last couple of months, mostly because they were all learning to deal with Ron's mental health together. At least something good had happened because of his brain-damage.

Percy was telling Remus about his school-life, while Sirius talked with Xeno about Dementors of all things. Xeno was quite adamant that Dementors had no place within the Wizarding World, and Sirius happily agreed. Ron listened to every conversation, and it pleased him greatly that everyone was getting along nicely. There was plenty of laughter going around, and it made Ron wonder why he was so worried in the first place. The adults were intelligent enough to discuss things in a civil manner, as he was witnessing now.

"So are you coming to work tomorrow?" Daphne asked, she was sitting to his left. Ron had noticed that they were sitting quite close, but no one else seemed to notice that. And if they had, they didn't say anything about it.

"Yeah, I don't see why I wouldn't" Ron replied as he turned his upper body slightly towards her.

"So I'll get to see you tomorrow" Daphne smiled slightly, and Ron smiled back.

"For about the twenty minutes that I'll be free" Ron said, but she just shrugged.

"I'm fine with that, I know that your work is important to you and father" Daphne said. "Theo is coming over on Monday, and he'll be spending the entire month at the Manor." Bloody hell, his damn father… I nearly forgot about that. "So you'd better come around often, because I don't think that I can deal with him alone."

"Theo's not that hard to handle, just hand him a book on Herbology and he'll be gone for hours" Ron sniggered.

"He gets along with mother splendidly, actually" Daphne noted. "They both love Herbology, and he often helps her in the Gardens."

"See, nothing to worry about" Ron responded.

"Maybe, but you still better come over" Daphne smiled mischievously. "By the way, did you run into Blaise and his mother at the station?"

"No, actually" Ron replied. "I didn't really see any of them once we left them."

"Odd" Daphne mused. "I'm sure you'll get a letter soon enough from Clementine Zabini. Be careful with her Ron, she's not right in head." Neither am I.

"Are the rumors about her true?" Ron asked. "That she… poisons her husbands, and takes their wealth?"

"I wouldn't be surprised if they were" Daphne whispered. "She's had six so far, and they've all died within a year of marrying her. And she was always the beneficiary of their wills… Please be on your guard near her, she is a poisonous woman. Father and mother despise her, and even Lucius Malfoy keeps his distance from her."

"Bloody hell" Ron whispered. "And Blaise lives with this woman?"

"He's had a terrible childhood, believe me" Daphne replied with an almost sad voice. "Why do you think he's so closed off? He doesn't like people getting too close to him, mostly because he expects them to betray him. We all know it, but we just don't talk about it." Theo saw his mother die, Blaise's mother is clearly mental… I need to learn more about my friends, and be there for them in any way that I can. They're helping me with my problems, and I must do the same for them.

"He told me that she once left him within Diagon Alley, and that Malfoy ended up finding him" Ron whispered, and Daphne nodded.

"I've only met her twice, and each time I did, I was left with a foul taste in my mouth" Daphne admitted. "She enjoys flirting with every man around her, and because of how beautiful she is, they tend to forget themselves."

"Did she ever…" Ron started, but then he stopped himself.

"My mother would kill her, believe me" Daphne smirked, and Ron smiled to himself. Ron suddenly heard someone tap a spoon to a glass, and both Ron and Daphne looked to see Pandora standing up with Xeno by her side.

"Excuse me everyone, but we have an announcement to make" Pandora beamed at them, and everyone turned to face her. "We've known something for a month now, and we've been waiting for the perfect moment to tell everyone." The Lovegoods exchanged loving looks, and then they looked back at everyone. Ron could see the adults already grinning madly, even Lord Greengrass was smiling genuinely. They clearly understood what was going on, but Ron and the other kids just waited for the 'announcement'.

"We're pregnant!" the Lovegoods exclaimed together, and Ron just blinked at them. Pregnant? And then it hit him, and the moment it did, Sirius let out a loud whistle as the other adults started clapping. Molly and Mary were the first to get up and congratulate Pandora, especially Molly who hugged Pandora as tightly as she could. Sirius had his arm around Xeno, and he was bellowing with laughter and joy. Xeno was smiling proudly as he shook hands with the other men, all of them congratulating him with wide smiles. Ron stood up from his seat, and he began clapping after Daphne nudged him. It was odd how just two words had sent him through a rollercoaster of emotions. He had felt such overwhelming joy and excitement that he was left frozen in place, but he had also felt a weak sense of dread. Dread for a life that wasn't even born yet.

"Go and congratulate them" Daphne said to him, and he felt her push him gently. A baby? A little baby? Another Lovegood? Ron watched Pandora and Xeno as they were being hugged and showered with words of love and support, and that's when he noticed Luna run up to them.

"I'm going to be a big sister?!" Luna smiled widely, her feet barely staying on the ground as she hopped with excitement. Pandora hugged her tightly as a response, and Ron spotted Molly wipe her eyes clean with a massive smile in place. By the time Ron got there, everyone seemed to be cheering for Xeno and Pandora.

"Um… Congratulations" Ron stammered, his face struggling to stop his ever-growing grin. Pandora beamed at him, and then she pulled him into a tight hug. He hugged her back far more gently, scared that he might hurt the baby.

"Xeno and I want to ask you something later, alright?" Pandora whispered, and he nodded. Once she let him go, Ron went and hugged Xeno.

"Pandora and I want to ask you something later" Xeno stated as he hugged Ron back, and Ron let out a laugh.

"She said the same thing" Ron gave the man a squeeze. "I'm so happy for you both." Xeno let go of Ron, and he put his hand on Ron's right shoulder.

"Thank you Ron, for everything" Xeno smiled lovingly, and Ron just smiled back.

---

Sebastian Greengrass' POV

Friday 26th June, 1993 (The Burrow – Dinner)

He felt slightly out of place right now, but that was fine. Mary had become friends with Pandora and Molly over the last couple of months, while he had learned to tolerate seeing Ron's family on a weekly basis to discuss Ron's health. Daphne had kept him updated on everything, and he in turn would relay that information to Ron's family. Unlike Mary, Sebastian didn't see Ron's family as his own friends. They were all brought together because of Ron, and that was that.

But right now, he was genuinely happy for Xenophilius and Pandora Lovegood, he knew just how amazing having a child was. The sheer joy of it could even overwhelm a person like Sebastian, like it was doing right now. He didn't really know these people, but he was genuinely happy for them. And he wanted their unborn child to be born safe and healthy. In a way, he felt proud to be here. And he knew exactly what to do next.

"Black" Sebastian looked towards the man with a mad grin on his face. "That bottle I brought with me, we ought to open in now." Sirius looked to Sebastian with his grin in place.

"Seb, you're a genius!" Sirius laughed, and he gave Sebastian a firm pat on his back. This is a joyous occasion, so I'll let that slide. "C'mon, I'll grab us some glasses." Sebastian and Sirius left quickly and quietly, but not before Sebastian shot a smile at Mary who was currently talking to Tori about 'the baby'. They made their way into the Burrow, and Sebastian went straight for the bottle while Sirius looked for glasses.

"What are you two doing?" came Remus' voice, and Sirius answered immediately.

"We're getting the proper tools to start this celebration" Sirius replied. "It was Seb's idea, by the way." Stop calling me 'Seb', it's demeaning. Sebastian ignored the ex-convict as he grabbed the bottle and looked to Remus.

"We need to toast the Lovegoods, and their unborn child" Sebastian told him, and Remus nodded in agreement.

"The glasses are in that drawer" Remus pointed out, and Sirius started grabbing them.

"Wish we had cigars or something, like we did with James and Lily when Harry was announced" Sirius mused. Cigars?

"I have Cigars back at the Manor" Sebastian told them, and they gave him surprised looks. "They were a gift from one of my Muggle business partners. I've only had one or two because Mary doesn't like me smoking."

"What kind?" Sirius asked immediately.

"No idea" Sebastian replied. "But they taste good, if that's what you're wondering." Sirius gave him an almost puppy-dog eyed look, and Sebastian nodded in understanding. "I'll be right back."

"Good man" Sirius beamed. Sebastian handed Remus the bottle, which he took carefully because of how expensive it looked.

"Don't let him near it" Sebastian instructed, and Remus chuckled.

"My thoughts exactly" Remus agreed. "We'll meet you outside." Sebastian nodded, and then he went to the Burrow's fireplace. He grabbed a pinch of floo powder, and cast it into the fireplace as he called for his home. When the fire blazed green, Sebastian stepped through it.

"Spinny!" Sebastian called, and she showed up in front of him with a loud crack.

"Master, you called Spinny?" Spinny bowed.

"I did, go to my study and bring me that box of Cigars that I was gifted" Sebastian ordered, and Spinny nodded before Disapparating. Sebastian waited patiently for a few seconds before Spinny apparated back, the polished wooden box of Cigars in her hands. Sebastian took the box from her, and she bowed deeply.

"Does Master require anything else?" Spinny asked.

"No, return to your duties" Sebastian said as he turned around. He heard her leave with a loud crack while he tossed floo-powder into the fireplace and called for the Burrow, stepping through when the flames turned green. As he stepped into the Burrow, he suddenly realized that he was excited to share this moment with a family that he had always ignored. Who could've seen such a turn of events? I certainly didn't. Sebastian smiled to himself, and then he made his way outside.

---

Ronald Weasley's POV

Friday 26th June, 1993 (The Burrow – Nearing Midnight)

Sirius, Remus, Harry, and the Greengrasses had all gone home after celebrating the great news, which left only the Weasleys and Lovegoods at the Burrow. Pandora had tried helping Molly clean up, but Molly was having none of that. As far as Molly Weasley was concerned, Pandora would not be lifting a finger to work for the next eight months. Ron's mother was already talking about making enough food to feed the Lovegoods as well in order to stop Pandora from cooking. Ron's father was busy making plan with Xeno about renovating the Rookery for a larger family, and Percy had joined them. Ron figured that they'd need Percy's intelligence on this, mostly because Xeno was too aloof and Arthur was too optimistic. Ron was currently sitting with his siblings in the Living Room, and they were all talking about baby names for the incoming Lovegood.

"I'm just saying that Fred is a solid name" Fred chuckled.

"For a boy" Ginny argued. "What if the baby is a girl?"

"He's a boy" George waved a dismissive hand, clearly enjoying vexing his little sister. "We all know it Gin, stop deluding yourself."

"How could you possibly know that?" Ginny snapped. "The parents don't even know!"

"What do you think, Luna?" Ron beamed at her, she was the happiest he had seen her in forever.

"I think I'm going to be a big sister, and that I'm going to spoil my sibling" Luna hummed.

"We're going to spoil him, you mean" Fred corrected her, and then he chuckled when he saw Ginny get riled up.

"I wonder if we're about to meet another kindred spirit, Fred" George said in a longing tone, and Fred hummed.

"That would be wondrous, brother mine" Fred replied.

"Speaking of kindred spirits" Ron started. "What do you think of Tori?"

"She's not so bad, actually" George sniggered.

"Has a twisted sense of humor, which makes her a friend in my books" Fred laughed. "She ran circles around poor Harry."

"Though he did see through her, but was just too polite to stop her" George added.

"She's annoying" Ginny frowned, and the twins grinned at her.

"Jealous of a little competition, Gin-Gin?" Fred asked. Oh shite.

"No, I'm not!" Ginny bellowed as she stood up, but the twins just grinned. "And there's no competition!" Ginny's face turned a horrible shade of red, and she glared murder at the twins.

"Ah, teen drama" George breathed in deeply. "I live off of this angst."

"That's enough" Ron bit back a laugh.

"I don't need you defending me, Ron" Ginny frowned at him.

"I'm not defending you, I'm trying to stop a fight" Ron said in a placating manner, though her tone irritated him greatly. "And give Tori a chance, she's actually really great."

"She's an annoying, attention-hungry brat" Ginny hissed.

"And what are you right now?" Ron asked before he could stop himself, his voice harsh. He didn't know why, but Ginny's recent behavior was starting to annoy him. Firstly, she started avoiding him and began prioritizing Harry. Then she openly joined Hermione's group over his, despite him being her blood. But then again, she only did that to be closer to Harry. And now Ron had learned that she was making Harry feel uncomfortable because of her blatantly open crush on him. Her being so venomous towards Tori was the last straw, especially because she didn't even know Tori.

"Ron, stop" Luna whispered as she put her hand on his back. Ginny narrowed her eyes at him, and then at Luna. She was suddenly hit with a wave of possessiveness that she hadn't felt in a long time, and that made her grit her teeth.

"Whatever" Ginny huffed as she left the room.

"She needs to learn how to take a joke" Fred frowned slightly as he watched the spot where Ginny had been.

"She needs to get over Harry" Ron spat out, his mood was beginning to turn. "He has no interest in her, and she makes him uncomfortable with her stupid crush." The twins just stared at Ron, and then they shook their heads.

"You can a massive arsehole when you want, you know that right?" Fred sighed.

"She's not even twelve yet, Ron" George said. "We were only poking fun at her, but you saying that 'she needs to get over Harry' is taking things too far."

"Her reaction to your jokes was 'taking things too far', and calling Tori those things isn't acceptable" Ron argued, and he felt Luna rubbing circles on his back. "You met Tori, and you know that she's a delight to be around."

"Won't argue that" George sighed. "Never met a 'Lady' who knew so much about joke items, though she still has a lot to learn." Something in the back of Ron's head went off, and he could imagine the twins 'teaching' her their ways. Merlin help us all. With her wealth, and their ingenuity, Hogwarts will be in deep shite next year.

"I'm going to go check on Ginny" Fred said as he stood up. "Any message you all want to pass on?"

"Tell her that today's a happy day, and that she should be happy too" Luna smiled, and Fred nodded slowly.

"Ron?" Fred asked, and Ron just shook his head. "Right…" Fred muttered as he left the room.

"I'm going to go find Pandora and Xeno" Ron sighed as he stood up. "They wanted to talk to me about something, and I'd best find out what. Luna, want to tag along?"

"Sure" Luna hopped off of the couch, and they both made their way into the kitchen.

"Guess I'll just… sit here then" George muttered to himself once everyone was gone.

"Ron and Luna, there you two are" Pandora smiled at them as they stepped into the kitchen, and Ron saw her sitting at the dining table with her husband and Ron's father. Ron's mother was charming dishes to wash themselves, a big smile on her face.

"Mum" Luna smiled widely, and then she ran up and hugged Pandora's neck.

"Take a seat, love" Pandora laughed in her usual airy voice, and Luna sat down beside her. Ron sat down across from Pandora, Xeno, and Luna.

"Where's Perce?" Ron asked his father.

"Oh, he was tuckered out and went to bed" Arthur replied.

"That's fair, I'm just about to head to bed as well" Ron nodded. "I need to be at work tomorrow, and it's been a long day."

"Can't you take tomorrow off?" his mother asked as she sat down beside him, effectively trapping him in between her and her husband.

"Practice makes perfect" Ron shrugged. "If I take even one day off, that's a day that someone else might have on me." Molly pursed her lips, but didn't argue. "Pandora, you wanted to ask me something?"

"I did" Pandora hummed as she played with her daughter's hair. "My husband and I had a long talk, and we've decided something." Pandora then looked to Xeno, who cleared his throat and sat up straighter.

"Ron, we want you to be the Godfather of the baby" Xeno stated, his voice warm and hopeful. Huh? Arthur and Molly smiled widely at that, and Ron felt his father give him a strong pat on the back.

"Me?" Ron blinked. "Why?"

"Well for one, I wouldn't be here without you" Pandora chuckled. "And secondly, you've always watched over Luna without fail. I can't think of a better person for it."

"You really want me to be a Godfather?" Ron asked once again, his smile growing wider by the second. Me? A Godfather? Like Sirius is to Harry? I'd be like a parent to their child.

"Yes, we really do" Xeno smiled widely, and then he looked to Molly. "And we want you to be the Godmother, Molly."

"Of course" Molly replied immediately, her eyes welling up again. Ron kept his eyes on Pandora, and she smiled at him like she always did. Like she could see all of him, every part of his soul, and she loved him wholeheartedly.

"I accept."

---

Saturday 27th June, 1993 (The Burrow – Early Morning)

As Ron finished up his breakfast, his other siblings came down to start theirs. He had barely slept last night, his excitement at being a Godfather had him tossing and turning all night. Even when he went for his morning run, he had a massive smile plastered on his face. And about halfway through, he had started cheering for himself and the baby to come. I'm glad no one saw that side of me. Even I have to admit that it must've been rather a weird sight to see.

"Thanks for breakfast, mum" Ron said as he handed his plate to her.

"Of course, dear" his mother replied. "Are you heading off now?"

"I am, and I won't be back until dinner" Ron replied honestly. Something shifted in her eyes, but she didn't say anything. "I'll be fine, mum" Ron whispered, and she smiled sadly.

"Of course, dear" she repeated.

"Are you leaving for work?" Percy asked as he took his seat, his hair disheveled. "It's not even nine in the morning…"

"I've been up since half-past-six, Perce" Ron chuckled.

"Ugh…" Fred groaned.

"Ickle Ronnikins has become worse than Prefect Percy" George fake-gagged. "Send Astoria our regards, by the way."

"I will" Ron smirked, his eyes moving over Ginny. She was eating her breakfast quietly, and Ron felt a pang of guilt for getting angry with her yesterday. Normally he'd apologize to her, but right now, he decided not to. He was tired, he had work on for the whole day, and he didn't want to start a fight. Ron moved towards the Living Room, and his eyes drifted towards the 'Chores List'. Might as well know what I have to do once I'm home.

"Ronnie?" his mother called as he read the list. What the…? My name isn't even on here.

"Mum, where are my chores?" Ron asked, and she smiled tiredly.

"I must've forgotten to put them on" Molly replied, which was a blatant lie. She had left him out on purpose because she didn't want him pushing himself whatsoever. Unfortunately for her, Ron figured that out pretty quickly.

"That's fine" Ron smiled. "I'll put them on now." I can handle chores for Merlin's sake. I'm not some cripple that needs to be looked out for. Molly wanted to argue, but her other children were eyeing her suspiciously. Percy gave her an understanding look, and went back to his food. But the twins and Ginny were shocked that their mother would forget to hand out chores. Ron finished putting himself down for garbage duty, and for clearing the table after dinner. "There" Ron smiled at her, and she managed a weak smile in return. "Now that that's fixed, I'm off. Say hi to dad for me when he wakes up."

Ron moved to the fireplace within the Living Room, and he took a pinch of floo powder and cast it into the fire as he called for Greengrass Manor. The flames blazed green, and Ron stepped through them. As he stepped into the Greengrass Greeting Room, he spotted Lord Greengrass talking with a young man with black hair that was swept back. Ron stopped in his tracks as he studied the handsome boy's face, it was Victor Burke. Bloody hell, I haven't seen him since before I was attacked. What is he doing here? Ron approached the two men slowly, and they both noticed Ron at the same time. Lord Greengrass nodded at Ron, while Victor smiled at him knowingly.

"Ronald Weasley, we meet again" Victor greeted, his voice was still smooth and low.

"Victor Burke, it's good to see you again" Ron greeted back, though he himself didn't believe his words. Something about Victor always made the back of Ron's head tingle, like there was something dangerous about the handsome young man. Not to mention how he smiles at people around him. Like some unnatural force is pulling at his face to present an approachable façade.

"You two know each other?" Lord Greengrass asked.

"Ronald helped me with some Triumvirate business back when I was at Hogwarts" Victor replied smoothly. And you rewarded me with a Tome filled with the Dark Arts. One that I destroyed in a fit of righteous anger. A moronic mistake that resulted in me losing an important asset.

"So you two have schemed together before, that's good to hear" Lord Greengrass smirked. "Ron, wait for me within my study. I won't be long." Ron nodded at that, his eyes still on Victor. What is he doing here? Ron made his way towards the study, his eyes shooting back towards Victor. The young man was looking back at Ron, his unnatural smile still in place.

---

Ten Minutes Later

Ron sat in his chair as he waited for Lord Greengrass, his mind on Victor Burke. The last time I saw him, we had butterbeers together. And then, I was attacked and left in a coma. Once I got back to school, he sent me a bloody Tome filled with the Dark Arts, a Tome that I destroyed. What the hell is he doing here? Something didn't sit well with Ron, and he planned to ask Lord Greengrass about Victor. But there was another thought in his head as well. Victor was a shady guy… with shady connections… Connections that Ron wanted to start making, just in case he needed information on the Dark Lord's movements. Or even the movements of his followers. Ron, this is a shite idea.

"Sorry for the wait, Ron" Lord Greengrass said as he entered the study and shut the door behind him.

"My Lord, why was Victor Burke here?" Ron asked, his curiosity defeating his manners.

"You don't trust him?" Lord Greengrass picked up, and then he moved over and sat down in front of Ron. "That's a wise policy, Ron. People like him are the most dangerous to deal with because they only serve themselves, and do not understand the notion of loyalty."

"So why was he here?" Ron asked, and Lord Greengrass stared at him for a few seconds.

"Do you know of Borgin and Burkes?" Lord Greengrass asked.

"The shop in Knockturn Alley? Dad's mentioned it a fair few times, actually" Ron replied. Didn't Theo's report tell us that the Dark Lord worked at Borgin and Burkes before he disappeared? Yeah, it did. Bloody hell, that's one creepy little fact.

"Victor is a Burke, and he is currently working for Mr. Borgin" Lord Greengrass explained. "They peddle in some… forbidden artifacts. I have recently bought a Tome from them to be stored within my personal collection."

"A Tome?" Ron asked, and Lord Greengrass nodded slowly. "Was it a Tome on the Dark Arts?"

"Yes" Lord Greengrass replied, his eyes studying Ron. The moment he noticed something akin to desire, Sebastian found himself questioning Ron's intentions. The boy had jumped at the opportunity to learn from a Trainer that dealt with the Dark Arts, and he had used a Dark Spell on the Potter boy too. Sebastian frowned slightly as he noticed a pattern. Ron was attracted to the Dark Arts, and that was never a good sign.

"Your collection…" Ron started, but Lord Greengrass cut him off.

"Is not for viewing" Lord Greengrass said bluntly. "It is something of a hobby of mine, but I never delve into the objects that I collect. And neither will you." Fuck. I really wanted to see if I could learn something from it.

"I was going to ask if your collection could get you into trouble with the Ministry" Ron lied, and Lord Greengrass cocked an eyebrow.

"I know that you won't tell anyone about it" Lord Greengrass smirked, and Ron nodded in agreement. "Let's start your day, shall we?"

"I'll grab my puzzle books" Ron said as he got up. Sebastian followed Ron with his eyes, he had seen the boy's disappointment at being rejected. And he was impressed with the ease that the boy had made a lie to cover his tracks. Ron sat back down in his chair with his books in his hands, and he noticed Lord Greengrass' eyes on him. Ron looked up and smiled, and Lord Greengrass smiled back. Is he onto me? Probably, but I'm innocent until proven guilty.

"Ron, one more thing" Lord Greengrass started, their eyes locking with each other's. "Your Dueling tutor, Jane Roberts, is coming to interview you today, right before lunch."

"She is?" Ron asked, slightly taken aback. "And why is she interviewing me?"

"She mentioned something about seeing if you were worth her time" Lord Greengrass replied. "She is a… harsh woman."

"Harsh woman?" Ron blinked. "You mentioned that she was a harsh instructor back when you first showed me her file. What does that even mean?"

"Well for one, she is extremely blunt" Lord Greengrass replied. "I met her on Thursday, and she immediately told me not to waste her time. She told me that she was coming here to 'interview' you today, and that if she didn't like what she saw, then she'd be moving on."

"And what does she want to see?" Ron asked. "Does she want to test my Dueling skills?"

"I imagine she wants to test your knowledge first" Lord Greengrass mused. "And she no doubt wants to see your character, build, and so forth. Just be yourself, and I'm sure everything will work out. Now, let's get started shall we?" This is becoming an increasingly more interesting day.

---

Saturday 27th June, 1993 (Greengrass Manor – Just Past Midday)

"Ron, I've explained this strategy already" Lord Greengrass frowned at Ron's mistake. "Why are you always so hell-bent on killing your opponent's knights?"

"They are unpredictable" Ron argued. "Even if I lose a piece taking them down, their removal makes the game easier for me to handle."

"This 'piece for a piece' philosophy of yours will come back to haunt you one day, mark my words" Lord Greengrass frowned at him. "I used the knights as poisoned pieces, and you were so obsessed with taking them, you didn't even realize it. Get your head on straight, or go home and stop wasting my time." Ron sighed out because of frustration, and then he nodded.

"I'll be more careful" Ron promised.

"Just because you can't see an immediate danger doesn't mean that it isn't there" Lord Greengrass' features softened at Ron's words. "Take your time, and don't become solely focused on taking your opponent's pieces. There is more to…" There was a knock on the door, and both of them looked to it.

"Husband, Madam Roberts is here" came Mary's voice. Ron tensed at that, while Lord Greengrass gave him a reassuring smile.

"Come in" Lord Greengrass answered, and the door opened. Mary stepped inside, and she was followed by a woman with a rigid posture. Ron looked at her, and she immediately set her eyes on him. She was wearing an Auror's uniform, but with a short grey cloak covering her upper body. She was an older witch, her amber eyes showing her hardened resolve. Ron also noticed that she had a long scar on the right side of her face, one that stretched from her forehead down to her jaw-line. Her greying hair was done up in a neat bun on top of her head, and it reminded Ron of McGonagall. Ron stood up to greet her, as did Lord Greengrass.

"Madam Roberts, welcome to Greengrass Manor" Lord Greengrass shook her hand.

"Thank you" she answered curtly as she let go of Lord Greengrass' hand. "You will not be needed for this interview, please leave." Wow, she is fucking blunt. Mary frowned from behind her, but Lord Greengrass gave her a firm nod.

"Let us know when you are done" Lord Greengrass said, and then he left the room with his wife.

"Weasley, Ronald Weasley" Ron introduced himself as he put his hand forward for a shake. She took his hand, and they both squeezed firmly.

"Madam Jane Roberts" she introduced herself. "A firm handshake, that's always a good sign."

"It is?" Ron smiled, but she just stared at him.

"I've seen plenty of fools drop their wands in the middle of a Duel" she replied. "A strong grip is important." Ron nodded, and then he gestured to the chairs. Ron sat down in his, while she took Lord Greengrass'. "He has told you of our interview?"

"Yes, he has" Ron replied.

"Good, then we can begin" she stated, her posture straight as an arrow. Ron waited for her to begin, but she just studied him. Is she interviewing me, or am I interviewing her? "Ronald Weasley…"

"Yes?"

"Almost three years ago, I read a case about a young man" she started, and Ron blinked at her. "A witch was conducting an illegal Magical study within her basement, a study that backfired because she was unprepared." Ron tensed immensely, his eyes widening slowly. "Her death was all but certain, but she survived because a young man interfered. He was spending the day at this woman's house because he was friends with her daughter, and he saved her life by undoing a ward that was siphoning her life-force. I read that he used his own fingernails to do it, effectively ripping them off. Show me your hands, Ronald Weasley." What the fuck? Ron just stared at her, and she pursed her lips. "Show me your hands."

Ron put his hands forward, one naked and the other gloved. She looked at them both, and then she reached over and turned his left hand palm-up. She could see some calluses on them, and that pleased her slightly. Her eyes then studied the Rune Ring on his middle finger, and then the serpentine ring on his little finger. One Magical, and the other pointless. Why Pure-Blood Wizards wore jewelry was beyond her, not that she cared enough to learn. She then looked to his gloved hand, and when she reached for it, Ron pulled it back. She looked up at him with deadpan look, while he stared back with a guarded one.

"You have quite the life story, Ronald Weasley" she up straight again. "Not only did you save a woman's life at the age of ten, but you also saved three of your fellow school-mates by slaying a Mountain Troll singlehandedly. You conducted some 'experiment' at the end of your first school year that left you in a coma, and scarred for life."

"How…?" Ron managed, who the fuck was this woman?

"We Aurors tend to keep our eyes open, especially when it comes to people like you" she replied, and Ron felt a cold sweat in his armpits. "People that tend to always be in the right place, at the right time. People who have extremely unbelievable life-stories. You are, of course, rather famous after what you accomplished in Paris. Even I was taken by surprise when I heard about your latest achievement. Over fifty Veelas, and you resisted them all with sheer willpower. Astonishing."

"The Aurors are watching me?" Ron asked, a hint of disbelief in his voice. Why is she even telling me this?

"No, you are only a child" she replied. "But we do have files on your involvement with Pandora Lovegood's near-death experience, and files on your 'accident' at the end of your first school year. Neither set of files were followed up on, mostly because you weren't charged with anything. But I read through them again before coming here. As for the Troll incident, the Daily Prophet made sure that everyone heard about that. You have lived quite a life, Ronald Weasley."

"I'd argue that it's been a nightmare" Ron responded, his anxiety beginning to fade. He wasn't going to let this woman, this stranger, back him into a corner. And he sure as hell wasn't going to let her shake him.

"Show me your hand" she instructed again, and Ron took off his glove. She already knows that it's there, might as well show her. Here, take a good look. Ron showed her his damaged right hand, his own eyes falling on his badly disfigured middle finger. Bloody ring burned most of the back of my hand, and a good portion of my palm too. "This is why Protection Rune Rings are forbidden amongst us Aurors" she told him, and he looked at her with a furrowed brow. "One powerful spell, and this is what they do to you."

"Are you telling me to get rid of my other one?" Ron asked slowly.

"I'm telling you that it won't protect you against anything that can actually harm you" she replied, her tone clipped. "And in Dueling Tournaments, things like your Rune Ring are forbidden." That makes sense, this kind of Ring would offer an unfair advantage. "It's fine for a school environment, where bratty children throw Hexes at each other. But in the real world, it won't help you much. It is a crutch, one that dulls your instincts by giving you a false sense of security."

"I see" Ron responded as he put his glove back on.

"But enough about this" she said, her rigid posture back in place. "Now that my curiosity is sated, let us begin the interview." Ron nodded, keen to finally get started. "If I threw a Curse at you, what would be your first instinct?"

"To dodge it" Ron replied immediately.

"Why?" she asked.

"Blocking drains your Magical Core, and it keeps you fixed in place" Ron replied, and she just listened. "If I block your Curse, you might launch another and another, effectively bogging me down in one place with no means of escape. Dodging requires little to no effort, and it gives me time to respond in kind." Learnt that from Malfoy's death. Poor bastard got stuck trying to stop an endless onslaught.

"Well done, Mr. Weasley" she said, though she sounded rather annoyed. "You already have more knowledge on Dueling than most of the incompetents that I have to train at the Auror Academy." Auror Academy? Isn't that the program you have to go through before you get your Auror badge? "What is the connection between a Jinx, a Hex, and a Curse? When would you use which?" What is this? An exam?

"All three are considered to be Dark Magic, unlike Charms" Ron replied, his mind going back to what he had read in the Tome. "Jinxes are used to cause your target minor inconvenience, or annoyance. Hexes are slightly darker, and are used to cause major inconvenience to your target. Extra limbs, antlers on forehead, that sort of stuff. Curses are used to cause harm to your target, and are considered to be the worst kind of Dark Magic. The Three Unforgivables are Curses, and will land the castor within Azkaban." She nodded at his response, it was short and to the point, something that she approved of.

"How would you describe your overall knowledge on these three branches?" Madam Roberts asked.

"Extensive" Ron replied truthfully, he had all but memorized Charlie's journal.

"Extensive?" she cocked an eyebrow. "Flipendo?"

"The Knockback Jinx" Ron replied.

"Ebublio?"

"The Bubble Jinx, used to encase people or things inside a bubble."

"Colloshoo?"

"The Stickfast Hex, used to make a target's shoes stick to the ground permanently."

"Densaugeo?"

"The Growing-Tooth Hex, used to grotesquely grow the target's teeth."

"Confringo?"

"The Blasting Curse, used to cause explosions. A personal favorite."

"Petrificus Totalus?"

"The Full-Body-Bind Curse, used to paralyze the target completely" Ron replied, this was rather easy. They both stared at each other, and Ron kept his smirk inside, he was smashing this test.

"Avada Kedavra?" Madam Roberts asked, her features perfectly calm. Ron's eyes widened at her question, but he quickly fixed his composure.

"The… The Killing Curse, used to kill one's enemies immediately" Ron replied, his tone more subdued. Who the fuck would ask that?

"A Prodigy indeed, well done" Madam Roberts gave him a tiny smile, but it disappeared as fast as it came. "I can see the potential of teaching you, but there is one more test that you'll need to pass. Knowledge is all well and good, but there is far more to Dueling than being able to recite things from a book. Next Saturday, I want to test your Dueling skill in a sparring match."

"We're going to Duel?" Ron blinked. "But I can't even use Magic outside of school because of the Trace."

"That's true, but you can be exempted from the Trace under certain conditions" she replied, and Ron leaned forward as his ears perked up. "Greengrass will take you to the Ministry, to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. I can sort it out from there. Be there on Monday, at Midday." With that, she stood up and so did Ron. "Good day, Mr. Weasley. No need to show me out, I know my way." And just like that, she walked right out of the study, leaving Ron behind with a confused look on his face. Does she not like people or something? And why does she talk like she has no emotions? What a weird woman…

Ron made his way out of the study, he figured that the Greengrass Family was probably eating lunch right now. Ron's stomach grumbled as if on cue, and he walked down towards the Dining Room. His mind was preoccupied with thoughts of Madam Jane Roberts, the woman certainly knew how to make an impression. Ron could tell just from her demeanor that she was a tough old bird, one that had faced off against actual Death-Eaters. She did help the Ministry during the Great War, and she is an Auror now. I wonder how she got that massive scar on the right side of her face. Dark Magic probably.

"Finally!" came Astoria voice, and Ron broke out of his thoughts. He had just entered the Dining Room, and he noticed that the Greengrasses had been waiting for him. "Can we eat now?" Tori asked her parents.

"Tori, stop being rude" Daphne huffed, making Tori stick her tongue out at Daphne. "Mother, look at this abhorrent behavior. She will drag our Family's name through the mud once she gets to Hogwarts."

"No, I won't" Tori argued with a frown. "I'll be way more popular than you, and you know it."

"That is enough you two" Mary ordered, looking to her husband for support.

"Behave" Lord Greengrass drawled dismissively. Ron approached the table, and he sat down next to Daphne. Tori and Daphne were glaring at each other, something that made Lord Greengrass roll his eyes.

"Ron, before you start eating" Mary started as she poured a pink Potion into an empty glass.

"Ugh" Ron groaned.

"Do not groan at me, young man" Mary frowned. "Daphne, give this to Ron." Daphne took the glass and passed it to Ron, her eyes still locked with her sister's. Ron chugged it down, and held back his need to gag. "There you go, not so bad right?" I'd rather get my teeth knocked out by the Entity again.

"Ron, how was the interview?" Lord Greengrass asked as he began eating. Tori and Daphne followed their father's lead, their eyes still locked on each other's.

"It went well" Ron replied, his eyes darting between each sister. Are they really having a staring competition? "She wants us to go to the Ministry on Monday, at Midday. To the Department of Magical Law Enforcement."

"Why?" Mary asked.

"Something to do with making me an exemption from the Trace" Ron replied. "She wants to spar with me next Saturday in order to test out my Dueling skill. She called it 'one more test'."

"I'm not free on Monday" Lord Greengrass pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I can take you to the Ministry, Ron" Mary offered.

"Thanks, Mary" Ron smiled gratefully, and she smiled back.

"Mother, Theo is coming on Monday" Daphne said, still glaring at Tori.

"Daphne Greengrass, enough of this glaring" Mary ordered.

"But she's also…" Daphne started.

"Enough" Mary shut her down, and Daphne broke her stare and frowned miserably at her plate. Tori smirked at Daphne, but she hid it quickly when Mary looked her way. "As for Theo, you and Astoria can welcome him and help him settle in."

"Yes, mother…" Daphne muttered, her eyes still on her plate. Ron felt rather bad for her, especially because of how annoyed and miserable she looked. He bumped his knee with hers, but she didn't really react at all. Time for more extreme measures then. Ron subtly moved his right foot, and he bumped it against her left foot. After a second, she bumped his foot back. A game of footsies it is.

"What did she question you about?" Lord Greengrass asked Ron as Daphne tapped Ron's foot again.

"Well…" Ron started, his mind more occupied with his game of footsies.

---

Saturday 27th June, 1993 (Greengrass Manor - Before Dinner)

"Are you sure you can't stay for dinner?" Daphne asked.

"I could, but I don't want to" Ron smirked, and Daphne held back her giggle.

"Fine, I was just being polite" Daphne huffed as she tossed her hair back.

"I'll see you on Monday, Daph" Ron replied as he turned to the fireplace. He was about to grab a pinch of floo-powder when Mary suddenly called out to him.

"Ron, just a moment" Mary called, and both Ron and Daphne turned to see Mary coming over with two wooden boxes in her hands. What's in those? "Here Ron, take this" Mary said as she handed him the boxes, and Ron took them with a confused look.

"Um…" Ron started, his eyes examining the polished boxes.

"The one on top is for you, Nutrition Potions that you'll be drinking every day" Mary explained. "And yes Ron, your mother knows all about them and she will be keeping an eye on you." Shite. "The one on the bottom is for Pandora…"

"Pandora?" Ron looked up. "Is it for the baby?"

"Yes, it is" Mary smiled, the thought of a little baby cheering her up. "The box contains Potions to help with Morning Sickness, for nourishing the child, and for nourishing her. They are already labelled, and all you have to do is pass on the box."

"Alright" Ron nodded firmly. I haven't told them that I'm going to be the Godfather yet. "By the way, Pandora wants me to be the Godfather of the baby" Ron told them, not even trying to hide his pride. Both mother and daughter smiled widely, especially Daphne who was actually holding back her girly reaction.

"That's wonderful news, Ron" Mary congratulated. "You'll make a fine Godfather, I just know it."

"Really? I'm actually kind of nervous" Ron admitted. "Any advice?"

"Spoil your Godchild" Mary laughed.

"I can do that" Ron grinned. "I'd best be off then, see you on Monday." Ron turned to the fireplace, but then he noticed that his hands were full.

"I'll get that" Daphne said as she moved forward and grabbed a pinch of floo-powder. "The Burrow" she called as she tossed it into the fire, and it roared green. "Congratulations on being named a Godfather, you'll be great at it."

"Thanks Daph, I'll see you on Monday" Ron bid her farewell. I kind of wish Mary wasn't here, just so that I could… No, stop that. It's too risky. With one last smile at Daphne, Ron stepped through the fire. The moment he entered the Living Room of the Burrow, he heard loud voices coming from the kitchen. His family were talking excitedly over each other, and that immediately raised his interest. Ron quickly moved into the kitchen to see what was going on, and his eyes widened at the sight of Charlie bellowing in laughter as the twins told him of their latest pranks. Charlie! He came early!

"I didn't think you'd show up so early" Ron grinned as he came into view, and Charlie looked to him with a grin of his own. He's gotten stockier, and I like the short hair. Charlie was wearing the leather jacket that Ron had gotten him from Paris, and Ron couldn't deny that it suited Charlie perfectly. Charlie's face was also a lot more weathered than it used to be, but Ron figured that that was the price one paid for working outdoors.

"Well look at you" Charlie laughed, his voice filling the entire kitchen. "I barely recognized you from that little prat that always chased around after me!"

"I did not chase after you" Ron snorted as his mother moved in front of him.

"Welcome home, Ronnie" She patted his cheeks, and then she looked to the boxes in his hands.

"Potions from Mary" Ron whispered, and she blinked at the boxes. "Top one is for me, bottom one is for Pandora and the baby." Molly nodded with a smile, and she took the boxes from him and left for upstairs. No doubt trying to hide my Potions because Mary warned her about my hatred for them.

"Now that she's taken those boxes, come here and give me a hug" Charlie laughed again, and Ron smiled widely and did as he was told. His brother smelled like the outdoors; like grass and earthy soil. Charlie gave Ron a bone crunching squeeze, one that got a strained laugh out of Ron.

"Ease up on the merchandise" Ron sniggered, while Charlie laughed loudly. Charlie then let go of Ron, but immediately put his left arm around his little brother. I'm nearly as tall as him now. The thought made him smile more widely, even if Charlie was the shortest of the Weasley brothers (Not counting Ron). The twins were only slightly taller than Charlie, while Percy and Bill were a good few inches taller than Charlie. But it doesn't matter because he could beat us all up with ease. Hell, he already did whenever we all rough-housed.

"Sit with me, little brother" Charlie said as he pulled them both down into their chairs, his left hand gripping Ron's upper left arm. Ron noticed that he was now sitting next to Ginny, who was beaming at Charlie. The twins and Percy sat across from them, all smiling at Charlie for being here. "The twins were just making up stories to try and impress me." Percy sniggered at that, while Ginny laughed at the annoyed looks that the twins were suddenly shooting Charlie.

"We don't make up stories" Fred shot back, his lips twitching upwards.

"And we can prove it" George added.

"We've been working on some…" Fred trailed off as he looked for their mother, and then he whispered. "Products…"

"Care to have a gander?" George whispered as well.

"Of course" Charlie winked with a grin, and then he looked to Ron. "So you work Saturdays, do you? How old are you again?"

"Old enough to be a professional Chess player" Ron replied, his pride showing through.

"A famous Weasley, who'd have thought that was possible" Charlie beamed.

"Not me" Ron sniggered.

"Is he famous in Romania too?" Percy asked.

"Not as famous as he is here, I'd imagine" Charlie patted Ron's back, effectively winding him. "Oh shite, sorry little brother."

"It's fine" Ron coughed out.

"I bet the ladies love you, don't they?" Charlie guffawed, while Ron shifted in his seat. I told him about Daphne kissing me back when it first happened. Merlin, I hope he's forgotten about that.

"Charlie, none of that talk in my house" came their mother's voice as she stepped into the kitchen with a scolding frown. Charlie just grinned at her, and she fought to keep her lips from smiling at him.

"How long are you here for?" Ron asked.

"A couple of weeks" Charlie replied. "I've got an assignment back at the reserve waiting for me. We have this Hungarian Horntail back at the reserve, nasty piece of work she is. I signed on for her…"

"Why would you do that?" Ginny interrupted with a worried look.

"The bigger they are, the more fun it is to work with them" Charlie replied, an almost smug look on his face. "I'm pretty keen to work with her, especially because she's pregnant and moody. The others are too scared of her, so this is a good chance for me to show my supervisor what I'm capable of."

"Just be careful, dear" Molly chimed in as she fixed Ron some food.

"Speaking of pregnant" Fred started.

"Excellent transition" George complimented.

"Thank you" Fred smiled at George.

"Pandora Lovegood is pregnant" they told Charlie together.

"You don't say" Charlie responded. "Lucky man, that Xenophilius. Pandora is a…"

"Charlie!" Molly turned around with a deep frown, but Charlie just chuckled.

"Sorry, mum" Charlie apologized while the twins sniggered. Ron decided to let Charlie's comment go, even if it vexed him to hear someone speak of Pandora like that near him.

"By the way…" Ron started, a smile coming onto his face. "She asked me to be the Godfather for the baby."

"Is that so?" Charlie smiled widely.

"Congratulations, Ron" Percy smiled widely as well. Ron got the feeling that Percy wanted to shake his hand, and that made Ron snigger.

"Poor kid" Fred muttered.

"His life is already ruined" George added on.

"Ruin this" Ron frowned as he gave them the bird, and both twins and Charlie began laughing. Ginny wanted to snigger, but she held it back because Percy was frowning at Ron. She didn't want to get in trouble if he tattled on them.

"Don't listen to them, love" Molly said as she turned around with his plate of food, and Ron quickly hid his hand. "Here you go, eat all of that" Molly said as she put the food in front of him.

"What about us?" Fred gaped.

"Your brother's worked all day, you can wait your turn" Molly huffed as she went back to the kitchen counter. Ron grinned at the scandalized twins, while Charlie stole a drumstick from Ron's plate.

"How's life in Slytherin, little brother?" Charlie asked with genuine interest, and he nearly frowned as all of his siblings tensed except for Ron. Charlie remembered going mad with rage at his parent's actions when he had first heard about their plan to re-sort Ron.

"It's quite good" Ron admitted, ignoring his siblings going tense. "I have a lot of support from the older students, Malfoy has finally buggered off away from me, and my friends are doing well. I've even started…"

"We won the House-Cup, by the way" Ginny suddenly cut-in.

"Gryffindor won?" Charlie blinked. "We beat the Slytherins' win-streak?"

"We did" the twins smirked.

"Harry and Neville found the Chamber of Secrets, and that got us the win" Percy clarified, shooting a withering look at the twins. Ugh… Here we go with the lies.

"Anyway…" Ron drawled, annoyed at being interrupted. Ginny shot him a sorry look, one that he missed. "I've started earning the respect of some of the older students as well, and they keep all that bigotry nonsense away from me. Which includes Malfoy, or any like him."

"That's good to hear" came Molly's voice, which Ron found to be a little too relieved.

"Are these older students girls?" Charlie whispered, a sly grin on his face. Ron blushed at the thought of the three Slytherin girls of whom he was referring to, and he gave a weak nod.

"Storytime later, got it?" Charlie whispered, and Ron shot him a bemused look. Charlie then looked to Percy, who was eyeing Ron and Charlie for whispering. "Perce, tell me about you now. I've heard everyone else's stories." Percy smiled and puffed out his chest, only to be interrupted by the twins groaning at Percy. Charlie threw the bone from the drumstick at Fred's head, which Fred dodged with a maniacal grin. "Go on, Perce."

"Well, I'm all but certain that I'll be Head-Boy next year" Percy said proudly, and Ron smiled at him.

"Great…" the twins rolled their eyes.

"Can you two stop?" Ginny frowned at them.

"And I plan to crack down on pranks in general" Percy said as he shot the twins a look, and they gave him challenging smirks in return. "Also…" Percy shifted in his chair, his ears turning red. "I… I got a girlfriend this year."

"YES!" Charlie bellowed happily, while the rest of them found their mouths hanging open.

"You did?" Molly asked, and then she ran over to Percy's side and hugged him around his neck. Percy's glasses got unseated, and he fixed them with a frown.

"I did, is that so hard to believe?" Percy turned red. A girlfriend? Is it that girl that I've seen him with on the Marauder's Map? What was her name? Penelope Clearwater? Yeah, that's it.

"Is it that Penelope Clearwater girl?" Ron asked, and Percy's eyes widened. That's a yes.

"How did…?" Percy muttered.

"I know things" Ron smirked and shrugged, not planning to share where his knowledge came from.

"Penelope Clearwater?" Ginny asked as she remembered the Muggle-Born Ravenclaw. "She's quite pretty, isn't she?"

"She is" Percy smiled despite himself.

"What Ginny is asking is how you managed to net her?" George sniggered.

"George Weasley" Molly frowned at him. "Women aren't something to be 'netted'…"

"You sound jealous" Percy smirked at the twins.

"Jealous?" Fred blinked with a condescending smile.

"We could easily get girlfriends" George boasted.

"Your hands don't count" Ron remarked, and Charlie barked out a laugh.

"Oh shite!" Charlie gasped as he melted into a hysterical laugh. Percy ended up losing his battle and started laughing as well, and even the twins were trying their best not to laugh.

"Ronald Bilius Weasley!" Molly gave him a horrified look.

"I don't get it" Ginny blinked at them. "Hands?" Oops, I keep forgetting that she's not even twelve.

"It's nothing, dear" Molly frowned at a sniggering Ron.

"Oh Merlin…" Charlie wheezed. "I have to tell this one to dad…"

"I certainly will" Molly scowled as she moved back to the kitchen counter.

"Where is dad?" Ron managed to ask.

"Ministry business" came his mother's curt reply.

"Go on Percy, tell us more about your lady love" Charlie said as he breathed in-and-out to calm down, his left hand resting on the back of Ron's chair.

---

Sunday 28th June, 1993 (The Burrow – Crack of Dawn)

Ron skipped down the steps in his running gear, a massive smile on his face because of how great the weather looked today. When he stepped into the kitchen, he immediately spotted Charlie by the kitchen sink. His brother was wearing black shorts, a thin black jumper, and red running shoes.

"Good morning" Ron said before he could think better, and Charlie turned around with a small jump.

"Fuck me, Ron…" Charlie sighed out, his hand over his heart.

"Coming on a little strong there, mate" Ron sniggered, and Charlie just chuckled as he shook his head.

"I was waiting for you actually" Charlie admitted as he made his way over to Ron.

"Really?" Ron asked.

"Yeah" Charlie smiled. "Dad mentioned that you still go for your morning runs, so I figured that we could go together. Like we used to."

"Really?" Ron beamed, and Charlie nodded. "That's be great, Charlie!" This day is already off to a great start!

"Let's run up to that ravine this time" Charlie suggested. "I know that it's far, but I really want to go there. The weather's perfect for it too. Oh, and try to keep up little brother."

"Oh, I will" Ron smirked.

---

Thirty Minutes Later

"Bloody hell…" Ron wheezed as he came to a stop, and Charlie stopped in front of him. They had finally made it to the ravine, and it had completely exhausted Ron. He was used to long runs, but not running for thirty minutes straight. My lungs. They burn. Ron bent forward with his hands on his knees, his breathing out of sync and strained.

"That was a good run" Charlie breathed out, he was panting for breath but in much better condition than Ron. "I'm surprised you made it here with me. Good job, little brother."

"Thanks…" Ron spoke to the ground, his entire body aching.

"Look at that" Charlie smiled in bliss as he looked around the open fields, the sound of rushing water in the ravine music to his ears. The Sun was out, its warming light washing over them both. There was a bit of mist around them, and the weather was slightly chilly for it, but their run had warmed up their blood enough for it to not matter.

"Give me a second…" Ron said as he straightened his back, and then he saw the view. Woah…

"Fucking hell, I've missed this place" Charlie said, and Ron looked to him. "Bill and I used to come here together to get away sometimes… We'd just talk about things, and take a dip in the ravine. Which sounds great right now, actually." With that, Charlie took of his jumper, revealing that he was wearing a black tank top underneath. Ron was shocked at how muscular Charlie really was, it was rather intimidating. Wait, a dip?

"I don't know about that" Ron responded, and Charlie gave him a pleading look.

"It'll be good for you" Charlie said as he took off his tank top, and that's when Ron spotted a shiny burn scar on Charlie. It stretched from his right forearm to his right shoulder.

"Charlie, did a Dragon do that?" Ron asked before he could think. And then his eyes fell on Charlie's tattoo, which looked rather tribal and covered his left shoulder and pec.

"A Dragon did do that" Charlie chuckled, and then he looked to his tattoo. "And my friend did this one. We all got it after surviving a wild Dragon attack."

"Wild Dragon attack?" Ron asked, his eyes examining his brother's wicked tattoo. Merlin, he is built like a Troll. Charlie was more muscular than Ron had previously envisioned, his entire body was toned and his muscles seemed to be popping out.

"Yeah, a wild fucker found the reserve" Charlie stretched his muscles. "Wanted to mate with the females there, and our damn supervisor wasn't around because he went to the pub. My mates and I ended up defending the reserve from the beast. It was a hairy fight, one that I'll never forget."

"Merlin, Charlie" Ron muttered in disbelief.

"Don't tell mum or dad, got it?" Charlie grinned, and Ron nodded. "Anyway, we managed just fine. But it left its mark on us all. Instead of moping about though, we decided to get matching tattoos as our own marks. Sort of like a 'Fuck you, Dragon' kind of thing. Now come on, let's cool off in the ravine."

"Charlie… I'd rather not" Ron said, but Charlie just blinked at him. "You know why…"

"It's just us here, little brother" Charlie smiled sadly, and Ron shifted in his spot. "Scars aren't something to be afraid of, it's just skin."

"Your scar and tattoo look awesome, so that's easy for you to say" Ron replied, his voice slightly bitter. Charlie noticed it, but he didn't say anything about it. "You got yours while fighting a Dragon with your mates, while I got mine in a dark dungeon…"

"You got yours fighting the Dark Lord alongside your mates" Charlie reminded him. "A Dragon is nothing compared to You-Know-Who, and don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise." Ron's lips twitched upwards, and he looked around due to instinct. It's just us, right? And he's already seen them…

"Just a small dip…" Ron told himself, and Charlie smiled proudly. Ron took off his jumper and shirt, revealing his scarred body. He kept his eyes away from Charlie, who was currently doing his best not to wince. Ron's snake-like scars were terrifying enough, but the massive scar that ran over his chest and stomach made Charlie's heart drop. Ron finished removing his clothes, and he was now just in his boxers. Ron looked over to Charlie at that, only to see his brother gritting his teeth and clenching his hands to the point where his knuckles turned bone white. "Charlie?" Ron asked, and Charlie looked into Ron's eyes. Fuck, he looks pissed.

"That fucking cunt…" Charlie grit out, and Ron sighed. Blame the Entity, not just the Dark Lord.

"Don't… please…" Ron said softly. "Can we just jump in? I don't like standing out here…" Charlie nodded as he took off his shoes, and the brothers jumped into the ravine together.

"Oh fuck!" Charlie yelled, the water was freezing.

"Yeah, I'm out!" Ron tried to get out, but Charlie put his arm around Ron.

"Stop being a little bitch" Charlie chuckled, and Ron frowned at him.

"Your language is worse than mine" Ron snapped. "Let go of me. I don't like people seeing my scars, and I like people touching them even less."

"Sorry" Charlie quickly let him go, while Ron averted his gaze. They stood there for a few seconds, the water slowly becoming easier to tolerate.

"I didn't mean to snap" Ron sighed as he sank into the water until only his head was above it. Shite, so cold.

"It's alright, little brother" Charlie smiled at him, copying Ron and sinking into the water.

"Charlie, why were you waiting for me?" Ron asked. "I want the real reason." Charlie blinked at him, and then he chuckled.

"Clever little git" Charlie replied. "I've been worried about you. Bill and I both… He almost quit his job to move back here for you, but dad talked him out of it."

"Really?" Ron asked, and Charlie nodded. "Bloody hell… Why?"

"Why?" Charlie asked, his tone confused. "Ron, Bill and I both know everything. The moment I heard about your brain… Your brain-damage… I almost packed my bags and came home too. If it wasn't for mum and dad reassuring us both, we'd be living with you guys right now."

"Why?" Ron asked again.

"You really want me to spell it out for you?" Charlie gave Ron a worried look. "We love you, little brother. And we want to be here for you. For anything, and everything. Letting you deal with this alone is something that neither of us can stomach." Ron gave Charlie a meek smile, and then he started floating about.

"I'm getting help from Pomfrey" Ron admitted.

"I know" Charlie responded. "How is the old bird?"

"Grumpy, and bossy" Ron chuckled lightly. "But amazing too… I wasn't too sure about seeing her, but she's really helping me manage myself better. My temper, stress… panic attacks… All of it."

"Good" Charlie felt a little relieved by that. "And what about mum and dad? Are they giving you any trouble?"

"Not since my… breakdown…" Ron muttered.

"That was right before your diagnosis came out, right?" Charlie asked.

"Bloody hell, what don't you know?" Ron asked back, and Charlie shrugged.

"I'm glad that they've seen some damn sense" Charlie admitted. "Bill went fucking mental on them… And then he went mental on me too… Told me to get my head out of my arse, and to do something to help you. Shame that you did it all on your own before I could."

"Why isn't he here?" Ron asked, sounding rather childish.

"Egypt is a long way away, little brother" Charlie replied, his mind going to images of Bill. "I miss that bastard."

"Me too" Ron smiled, both brothers falling into a calm silence. Ron floated around for a few seconds, while Charlie thought about Bill.

"Enough of that" Charlie shook his head clear. "There's something else that I've been meaning to ask you."

"Yes, I'll sign anything that you want" Ron sniggered.

"Little shite" Charlie grinned. "I want to hear about your little girlfriend." Ron tensed at that, and he looked to Charlie with a panicked look. "Did you think that I'd forget?" Charlie laughed. "I still have that letter you sent me, in all of its panic-filled glory. 'Charlie, she kissed me on the lips! I don't know what it means! Please, tell me what to do! Why would she do that?!'… What a letter."

"Ugh!" Ron groaned as he dipped into the water completely. Fucking drown me, Entity. Please. When Ron reemerged, he saw Charlie grinning at him. "We're still… We're still doing that… in secret."

"In secret?" Charlie smirked, and Ron nodded as his face flushed. "That's fair I suppose. But still Ron, you've impressed me. Only twelve, and you scored your first kiss. And now you have a secret girlfriend at the age of thirteen."

"She's not my…" Ron started, but Charlie tutted him.

"Don't bother, I'm onto you" Charlie teased, but then he got extremely serious. "Ron, you two haven't done anything beyond kissing, have you?"

"What?!" Ron yelled, his face turning bright red. "No! We only kiss! That's all!"

"Alright, alright" Charlie said in a calming manner. "I'm just trying to get the full-story here, just for your benefit."

"We only kiss" Ron repeated. "Why are we even talking about this?"

"Because I want you to be responsible" Charlie replied immediately. "Things can get complicated with girls, trust me. And you've got enough to worry about."

"We only kiss Charlie, I promise" Ron defended himself and Daphne. "It's no different from kissing people's cheeks… Just a different spot…" Charlie blinked at that, looking thoroughly confused.

"Wait… What?" Charlie blinked again, and Ron blinked back. What? Charlie then let out a laugh, much to Ron's surprise. "Oh Merlin, you fucking moron."

"What?" Ron asked, staring right at a laughing Charlie.

"Ron, you're so simple" Charlie kept laughing, and Ron was taken aback. "When you said kissing, I thought you meant actual kissing. Not bumping lips." Bumping lips? What the fuck?

"That does classify as kissing" Ron replied.

"No mate, it doesn't" Charlie calmed down. "Oh, my sweet little brother."

"Piss off" Ron snorted.

"I'm sort of glad actually, you're too young to be snogging" Charlie grinned. "As is this girl, who sounds lovely by the way. Way out of your league."

"I… won't refute that" Ron said slowly. Daphne is amazing. I wonder what she's doing right now. I can't wait to see her again tomorrow.

"You're smitten, aren't you?" Charlie asked, and Ron frowned deeply.

"I don't get 'smitten'…" Ron argued, his tone resembling Snape's way of talking.

"Why? Are you not human?" Charlie asked. "Oh wait, you might not be. That Veela story blew me away, and the people at the reserve too. Every bastard with ears wanted me to tell them about you. How did you do it?" We're moving off of Daphne, good.

"I resisted their allures, but it fucking hurt like hell" Ron shrugged, while Charlie eyed him with awe. "Ended up bursting the blood vessels in my eyes because of a Subconjunctival hemorrhage."

"Merlin…" Charlie sighed, his voice low. "When mum and dad told me what really happened, I nearly passed out. Ron, you're a fucking monster mate."

"Thanks" Ron sniggered.

"Can I tell you something?" Charlie asked suddenly, and Ron nodded. "You remember Kirsten Domitor?" Who? "She helped you sneak that Norwegian Ridgeback out of Hogwarts?"

"Oh, I do" Ron nodded. "Didn't really get to talk to her, considering that we were in a hurry."

"Yeah, I've been sort of seeing her" Charlie told Ron, and Ron nodded slowly. Alright, why is he telling me this? "It's been on and off, just something casual. But after your finals, when I heard about how you collapsed, I fucking lost it mate. I was tossing chairs and tables, yelling and screaming like some wild animal…"

"Why?" Ron asked.

"My fucking supervisor wouldn't let me leave the reserve because it was mating season" Charlie frowned. "So I threw a rage induced tantrum… Not my finest moment. But she was there for me, and we talked about you constantly. It helped me deal with being unable to do shite about your situation, and during one of these talks, we got together again. And I've been seeing her since."

"Congratulations?" Ron said with a confused look. "So me nearly dying scored you a girlfriend?"

"Yeah" Charlie chuckled. "Sorry… But yeah, in essence it did. And then that wild Dragon attacked our reserve near the end of the mating season, while my daft cunt of a supervisor was getting drunk. That sort of solidified our relationship, surviving a Dragon attack can do that I suppose."

"Charlie, I'm happy for you" Ron told him. "But why are you telling me this?"

"She's here" Charlie smiled sheepishly.

"What?" Ron blinked.

"In England, I mean" Charlie clarified. "She wanted to meet you, and our siblings."

"When?" Ron asked.

"Soon, she's leaving before I am" Charlie replied.

"And mum and dad?" Ron asked, and Charlie sighed.

"I don't want them to meet her yet, that'll make it too serious for us" Charlie admitted. "I was thinking that we could go to Diagon Alley today, all of us. And I'd introduce you guys to her." Diagon Alley? Hmmm. I could go to Gringotts too, and hide the Basilisk fang in my vault. This could work, I need to get rid of that thing before someone stumbles on it by accident.

"That sounds great" Ron nodded, and Charlie smiled gratefully. "I need to go to Gringotts actually, could we drop by there too?"

"Yeah, sure" Charlie nodded. "Why do you need to go to Gringotts?"

"I want to drop off something into my vault" Ron admitted. "Something that Daphne gave me…"

"Oh, no worries" Charlie grinned. "I'll keep it all secret, don't worry."

"Thanks, Charlie."

---

Sunday 28th June, 1993 (The Burrow – After Breakfast)

Ron put the leather rag, which contained the fang, inside his inner coat pocket. It was a thick, grey Muggle-styled coat, one that reached his knees. He knew that he was dressed far too well for a home setting, or even for a gander through Diagon Alley, but he couldn't help himself. For one, all of his clothes were perfectly fitted and expensive. His other option was to wear his old second-hand clothes, and Ron never wanted to do that again. Secondly, wearing his new clothes made him feel better about himself in general. So why would he not wear them? I should still buy some casual clothes, just enough so that I don't have to keep wearing my good clothes all the time.

Ron adjusted his suit, fixing his thin silver tie in the process. After that, he shut his trunk and made his way downstairs. Wand, check. Gringotts pouch and key, check. Fang containing deadly poison, check. Looking like I own a company, check. Ron sniggered at his own silly thoughts, but he composed himself as he stepped into the kitchen.

"Son?" came his father's voice, and Ron looked to see his family eating breakfast. Charlie was no doubt in the shower, both of them had already eaten because of waking up much earlier.

"Why are you dressed so… fancy?" Ginny pulled a face.

"I like to look pretty" Ron shrugged with an easy smile, and Ginny snorted.

"Ginny, don't snort" came Molly's voice.

"Are you planning to go somewhere?" Arthur asked slowly, and Ron nodded.

"Charlie wants to take us to Diagon Alley" Ron told his father.

"Oh, that's alright then" Arthur nodded, taking a bite out of his toast.

"Diagon Alley?" the twins' heads perked up.

"Yeah, you all in?" Ron asked, and everyone nodded. "We're planning to leave by Midday, so be ready by then."

"Yes, my Lord" Fred saluted Ron, making George cough on his pumpkin juice. Twat.

"Lord Ronald Weasley" George wheezed, trying his best to tease whilst choking on juice. Double twat.

"Give it a rest, you two" Percy frowned at them, while Ginny just rolled her eyes at the twins.

"Ronnie, come here a moment" came his mother's voice, and Ron walked over her with his back facing the rest of his family.

"Yes, mum?" Ron whispered, and she handed him a pink vial. Bloody hell.

"Mary left clear instructions in the box, Ron" Molly whispered. Mary? Well, I'm glad that they're on a first name basis. "Go on, drink it down quickly." Ron chugged the Potion, his stomach turning because of the taste. "That's a good boy" Molly rubbed her son's back.

"Thanks…" Ron whispered, his face contorting slightly.

"Sit down love, I'll get you some juice" Molly instructed.

"Pandora? Did you give her the box?" Ron asked, and she shook her head.

"She's coming over any minute now, I'll give it to her then" Molly replied.

"Pandora is coming? Why? Is it something to do with my Godchild?" Ron asked in hushed whispers. Molly smiled at his use of the word 'Godchild'.

"She's coming here to spend the day with me" Molly whispered. Why are we still whispering? Fuck it, go with it. "I don't want her to push herself, especially this early in her pregnancy. I'll take care of all of her needs, and her family's."

"Oh, that's great mum" Ron smiled, and then he kissed the side of her head. "Thank you for the Potion that tasted like a turd."

"Ron" Molly chuckled before smacking him lightly. "Go and sit down, I'll bring you something to wash away the taste." Ron walked back over to the table with a content smile, things were getting better with his parents. In a way, I should be grateful for my Chronic Stress and brain-damage. And now that the Entity has fucked off, I can actually stay calm most of the time. Ron sat down across from Ginny, and she narrowed her eyes on him.

"What were you two whispering about?" Ginny questioned.

"Oh, it's this little thing called 'none of your business'…" Ron smirked, and she narrowed her eyes even more.

"You're hiding things" Ginny stated. "Like always…"

"Gin, I'm not hiding anything related to you" Ron assured her.

"So you admit that you hide things" Ginny retorted.

"Ginny, leave your brother alone" came Molly's voice, and then she put a glass of pumpkin juice in front of Ron. Oh my, did she just defend me against Ginny? Ginny seemed even more shocked than Ron, while the twins and Percy gave their mother odd looks. After their mother went back to the kitchen, Ginny glared at Ron.

"I'm going to find out what you're hiding" Ginny challenged him.

"Good luck on your search" Ron chuckled as he began drinking his juice. They all heard the fireplace roar to life, and Ron stood up to greet Pandora. She walked into the kitchen with her usual airy smile, Luna skipping in behind her. "Pandora, Luna" Ron smiled widely, giving both Lovegoods welcoming hugs.

"What a nice way to be greeted" Pandora hummed as she pinched Ron's left cheek.

"Hello, Ron" Luna hummed as well, her smile widening. "You're dressed very fancy."

"Do I look dashing?" Ron smiled at her, and Luna nodded.

"Pandora, come sit down" came Molly's excited voice. "I'll get you both plates." Pandora and Luna walked over and sat down on the table, with Luna sitting beside Ginny. Ron sat down across from them, while Pandora sat down to Arthur's right.

"Is Xeno joining us?" Ron's father asked.

"He left for another trip this morning, actually" Pandora replied.

"That man…" Arthur sighed out. "Pandora, why don't you stay here until he returns? Bill's room is empty, and Luna can sleep with Ginny." Ginny's ears perked up at that, a grin forming on her face.

"Arthur, we don't want to impose" Pandora started, but Milly Weasley came flying in with hot plates of food.

"Nonsense, I'll get the rooms ready while you eat" Molly said, dropping both plates off.

"Molly…" Pandora smiled.

"No arguments" Arthur smiled widely. "Just let us take care of you until Xeno comes back from his trip."

"Thank you" Pandora nodded once, a grateful smile on her face. Ron just beamed at the prospect of Pandora and Luna staying over, this could be a lot of fun. Charlie came down the stairs at that, wearing his leather jacket again.

"Good morning everyone" Charlie greeted them, his eyes jumping between Luna and Pandora.

"Charlie?" Pandora blinked. "When did you come home?" Pandora made to stand up, but Charlie quickly made his way over to her.

"Mrs. Lovegood, it is good to see you again" Charlie smiled politely. "And congratulations on the baby, I'm thrilled for you."

"Thank you" Pandora smiled back. "And please, just call me Pandora."

"Of course" Charlie nodded, and then he walked over towards his own chair. He gave Luna a pinch on her left cheek, something that made Luna giggle. "Hello Luna, you've gotten bigger since I last saw you."

"You've gotten bigger too" Luna hummed. "Not in height, but as a person." Charlie cocked his head at that, a confused smile on his face. Ha, Luna-ed. I should make that a catchphrase. Every time Luna bewilders someone with her odd insight, I'll think of the word; Luna-ed.

"Did Ron tell you of our plans?" Charlie asked his siblings as he sat down, and they all nodded. Charlie then looked to Luna with a welcoming smile. "Luna, we're all heading to Diagon Alley for the day. Want to come along?" Luna looked to her mother, who nodded with a smile.

"Thank you for inviting me" Luna smiled gratefully.

"Tell me, what's your favorite ice-cream?" Charlie asked, and Luna beamed.

---

Sunday 28th June, 1993 (Gringotts Bank – Just Past Midday)

Ron walked over to the desk where a familiar Goblin was stamping some parchments, his siblings watching Ron with intrigued eyes. The twins and Ginny were rather curious about why Ron needed to come here, while Charlie, Luna, and Percy respected Ron's privacy. Ron stopped in front of the desk, and he waited patiently for the Goblin to notice him. Lord Greengrass had told him to be mindful around Goblins, they were a cruel and vindictive lot. Any sign of disrespect, and they'd keep your face fresh in their memories for decades. The Goblin, Gornuk, suddenly looked to Ron with frightening speed, his beady eyes glaring into Ron's. Ron gave a polite nod, and Gornuk beckoned him forward.

"Mr. Weasley" Gornuk greeted.

"Thank you for seeing me again, Gornuk" Ron greeted back, doing his best to sound as polite as he could. He didn't know shite about Goblin culture and customs, and he really didn't want one of these little bastards remembering him for the wrong reason.

"What brings you here today, may I ask?" Gornuk asked.

"I wish to make a deposit" Ron replied. "It is a dangerous object, extremely dangerous."

"Is it related to the Dark Arts?" Gornuk asked. Don't lie, they won't betray their customer's trust.

"In a way" Ron started. "It is a Basilisk fang, one laced with its venom." Gornuk's beady eyes gleamed, and a sharp-toothed smile came onto his face.

"What a rare commodity" Gornuk whispered. "Would you be willing to part with it? I can offer you five-hundred Galleons right now." Five-hundred? Bloody hell.

"It is not for sale" Ron replied, and Gornuk nodded. The Goblin was clearly put off, but Ron came up with an idea. "But if I did happen to find a… spare… Would this deal still exist?"

"Certainly" Gornuk smiled again. "A Basilisk is the rarest of creatures, and I have… connections… with people who would be very happy to buy parts of it. We could both benefit greatly, Mr. Weasley."

"Thank you, I will come to you first if anything comes my way" Ron smiled back.

"That is all I ask" Gornuk nodded, his eyes practically shining at the prospect of making gold. "Now, do you have your key?"

"Yes" Ron nodded as he presented his key, and Gornuk examined it.

"All seems to be in order, come with me" Gornuk instructed. The Goblin climbed down from his tall chair, and he wobbled past Ron. Ron followed after him, his eyes darting to his family members. "They can come with you, if you like." It doesn't bother me, as long as they don't go inside my vault.

"Thank you" Ron said to the Goblin, and then he gestured to his family. They began walking towards Ron, the twins and the girls excited for the ride down.

"We have expanded your vault, Mr. Weasley" Gornuk informed him. "Steady payments have been made to your account, and after the French Ministry's large transfer, we felt it necessary as to avoid the cluttering of your gold. Gold must be respected, after all."

"I understand."

---

Five Minutes Later

The ride down was fun and all, but Ron feared being stabbed by the fang in his coat pocket at every sharp turn. It'd be a terrible way to die, death by Basilisk Poisoning. Once he got off the cart, his stomach heaved and his head spun. Oh Merlin, who made this thing? His siblings got off as well, while Gornuk put the key inside the lock and turned it. Ron heard the familiar clicks and clangs from the locks unlocking, and then the heavy door swung open. Ron smiled to himself as the contents of his vault came into view, and that smile grew when all of his siblings, excluding Luna, gasped loudly.

"Merlin's beard" Charlie muttered, his eyes fixed on the shelves stacked with thousands of Galleons. The twins nearly collapsed from shock, Percy was just staring at Ron's back in utter disbelief, Luna didn't seem to be bothered at all, while Ginny could already see all the things that she would buy if she had this much money.

"Wait here, please" Ron told them, and then he entered the vault. It is bigger than before, and it's still filled to bursting. Ron knew that excessive pride was a terrible thing to have, but right now, he basked in it. Here he was, the youngest Weasley son, dressed in clothes far more expensive than he ever imagined owning, and standing within a bursting vault that was his own. I earned this, all of it. The twins and Ginny snuck closer for a better look, and they gaped even more as they saw that the whole vault was filled with Galleons.

"This is not your vault" Gornuk told them, and then he shut the door in their faces. Ron turned to see Gornuk looking at him expectantly, and Ron nodded in understanding. He took out the leather rag, and he unwrapped it. Gornuk walked over, his eyes fixed on the white fang that was as long as a dagger. Ron noticed that the inside of the leather rag had lost most of its color, and that made him swallow thickly. How fucking potent is that venom? Merlin. Gornuk went to touch the fang, but Ron pulled it away from him.

"Careful, one prick from this thing and you'll die" Ron warned him, and Gornuk gave a shaky nod as he stepped back cautiously.

"I would recommend placing it in a dark corner" Gornuk told him, and Ron wrapped the fang up again. "And remember, I will happily pay you for any Basilisk related items. No questions asked."

"I will, and thank you" Ron nodded as he put the leather rag behind a large stack of galleons, hidden away from any light. There, stay put until I learn what to do with you. Ron felt himself relax once the rag was no longer on his person, and he walked over to the door. Gornuk opened it again, and Ron was met with the gaping faces of the twins and Ginny. Ron smiled at them as he stepped outside, while Gornuk resealed the vault. "I'm done, and we can leave." His siblings nodded dumbly, while Luna just swayed back and forward with a proud smile.

---

Five Minutes Later

They all stepped out of Gringotts, and Ron started to make his way down the steps. But he was stopped when the twins and Ginny jumped in his way, their eyes glazed over with greed.

"When did you make so much money?" Fred questioned.

"Was it from your job?" George questioned, his voice laced with disbelief.

"Ron, you're so rich!" Ginny exclaimed.

"Um…" Ron blinked. "Thanks?"

"Stop it, you three" Charlie told them off, though he himself was gobsmacked.

"You ought to share your wealth" Fred suggested with a grin, though his voice was dead-serious.

"We're all Weasleys, after all" George added on. Ginny found herself nodding her head, while Ron cocked his eyebrow at them.

"None of that" Charlie pulled Ron to his side, while Percy frowned at the twins and Ginny.

"That's Ron's hard-earned money, stop trying to sponge off of him" Percy scolded them.

"You want some too" Ginny huffed with a frown.

"We saw you salivating at it" Fred narrowed his eyes on Percy.

"Imagine how many quills and books you could buy" George sniggered. Ron rolled his eyes, and then he looked to Luna. She was just watching some people off in the distance, an aloof smile on her face. If only we Weasleys shared her indifference, things would be so much quieter.

"So what's the plan?" Ron looked to Charlie, who was still a little pale from seeing Ron's vault. He looked to Ron, and then shook his head clear.

"She's staying at the Leaky Cauldron, so while I go get her, why don't you lot meet us at Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour?" Charlie suggested.

"Who's 'she'? Ginny asked. Who's 'She'? Ha, I ask myself that all the time.

"Kirsten Domitor" Charlie announced. "My girlfriend." The twins immediately grinned and made cat-calls, Percy gave an understanding nod, Ginny narrowed her eyes on Charlie, and Luna simply shot him an airy smile. "You can all ask questions later, but right now, just head down to the Ice-Cream Parlour. Oh, and not a word of this to the parents. Or I'll belt you."

---

Ten Minutes Later

"We can order once Charlie and Kirsten get here" Percy told them for the tenth time, and the twins groaned loudly.

"It's Kirsten already, is it?" Ginny huffed. "We don't even know her, Percy."

"Which is why we're here" Ron jumped in. "There's nothing wrong with using her first name, I'm sure."

"You've already met her" Luna stated, her eyes fixed on Ron. How does she do that? I just got Luna-ed. Ron's other siblings narrowed their eyes on him.

"When?" Fred asked.

"Back in first year, but they weren't dating back then… I think" Ron replied. "She helped me smuggle a Dragon out of school." His words were met with utter shock and disbelief.

"Wait, is that why you were in so much trouble at the end of last year?" Percy asked, his tone rising.

"Yep, got caught because Malfoy ratted me out" Ron shrugged.

"A bloody Dragon?" Fred muttered.

"Is our little Ronnikins a troublemaker?" George's lips twitched upwards.

"A kindred spirit?" the both asked as they shuffled closer to him.

"Piss off" Ron snorted as they eyed him with grins.

"Why were you smuggling a baby Dragon?" Luna asked.

"I never said that it was a baby" Ron stated with a smile.

"It would have to be, otherwise you wouldn't be able to fit it inside of Hogwarts" Luna hummed. Ravenclaw indeed. "And if it was a grown Dragon, then it would be too difficult to handle."

"I was helping Hagrid" Ron answered her previous question. "It's all in the past now… Luna, what Ice-cream do you want? Get anything that you want, my treat." Luna decided to respect Ron's decision to move on from the Dragon conversation, and she looked the menu with an airy smile.

"Are you treating us too?" Ginny asked immediately, and Ron nodded. Her eyes were back on the menu in a heartbeat, while Percy just shot Ron a frown from smuggling a Dragon. Did the Ministry's Laws mean nothing to Ron? Why was he so intent on ruining his Future?

"What kind of Dragon was it?" Fred asked.

"The fire-breathing kind" Ron replied, and the twins sniggered.

"Love your sarcasm, but we're serious" George told him. "You have to tell us more."

"How did you handle it?"

"Where did it come from?"

"Since when are you friends with Hagrid?"

"Stop it, you two" Percy tried to shoo them away, but they just blew raspberries at Percy. Ron spotted Charlie walking into the shop at that, and Kirsten Domitor was by his side. They were both laughing, wide smiles on their faces as they held each other's hands. Kirsten's hair was rather short now, almost boyish in looks. But it suited her just fine, and Ron still thought that she was rather pretty. Ron and Percy stood up to greet them properly, while the twins and Ginny just eyed Charlie's new girlfriend with scrutinizing eyes. Luna didn't even notice the commotion, her eyes searching the menu.

"Kirsten, these are my siblings" Charlie announced, while Kirsten smiled widely at them. "This is Percy."

"It's good to meet you" Percy shook her hand in a formal manner.

"It's good to meet you too" Kirsten beamed at him, something that made Percy blink.

"These are the twins" Charlie pointed them out, and Kirsten turned her pearly whites to them.

"Hello" Fred smiled.

"How do you do?" George asked.

"And yes, they talk like that all the time" Charlie chuckled, making his girlfriend giggle.

"It's part of our charm" Fred grinned.

"You'll grow to love it" George grinned as well.

"I'm sure I will" Kirsten responded.

"This is Ron, you've met him before" Charlie pointed Ron out, and Ron gave her a polite smile. She smiled wider than ever before, her brown eyes fixed on his ocean blue ones.

"It's good to see you again, Ron" Kirsten beamed.

"You too, Kirsten" Ron responded. "May I call you by your first name?"

"Of course" she replied with a chuckle. "After all, we've already smug…"

"Ahem" Charlie coughed, stopping his girlfriend from revealing too much about their smuggling deal with Ron.

"He already told us" Percy shot a frown at Ron, and Ron shrugged.

"We got away with it, no harm done" Ron smirked.

"That we did" Kirsten giggled.

"And these two ladies are Ginny and Luna, the little sisters" Charlie introduced, his eyes shooting to Ron. Ron beamed at Charlie for including Luna as their sister, and Charlie gave him a knowing wink.

"Hi" Ginny said as she looked Kirsten up and down.

"I like your hair" Luna hummed as she looked up, her eyes darting between the couple. "Do you both have short hair because of your work?"

"We do" Charlie nodded. Oh, I didn't even think of that.

"Dragon fire doesn't go well with hair, as I learned the hard way" Kirsten laughed, though she could tell that Luna wasn't a Weasley. "Took three of my friends to put out the flames." The twins sniggered at that, and even Ginny's lips twitched upwards. Was this when that wild Dragon attacked them?

"Are you guys ready to order?" Charlie asked as he sat down with his girlfriend, his right hand resting on her thigh.

"We are" the Weasley's all said, while Luna looked back at the menu.

"Luna?" Ron looked to her with a smile, and she blinked at him.

"What are you getting?" Luna asked.

"Apple Sorbet" Ron replied. "Haven't tried it yet, but it sounds good."

"I'll have the Lemon Sorbet then, and we can swap if we don't like ours" Luna hummed, making Ron chuckle.

"Fair enough" Ron said, and then he looked to the couple. "It's my treat, by the way. Get whatever you want."

"Oh, that's not necessary Ron" Kirsten smiled at him.

"Yeah it is, he's loaded" Charlie muttered, but it was just loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Charlie" Percy frowned, but he was met with a chuckle from Charlie.

"Charlie already knows what I want" Kirsten smiled at her boyfriend, who smiled and nodded.

"Why don't we go up and order, Ron?" Charlie suggested. "Give Kirsten a chance to learn more about the others."

"Sure" Ron nodded, and both brothers stepped behind the line of people after everyone gave Charlie their orders. He could hear Kirsten asking the twins questions about their hobbies, something that they were more than happy to share.

"She already knows quite a lot about you already" Charlie whispered, and Ron looked at him. "I want her to get to know them as well."

"What do you mean by 'quite a lot'?" Ron asked, his tone becoming guarded and slightly annoyed. Charlie blinked at him, and then he gave Ron a reassuring smile.

"She doesn't know about your diagnosis, or scars" Charlie assured Ron. "I would never tell her something so personal about you Ron, you know that." Hmmm, maybe. But people slip up, which is why I keep my problems to myself. Ron looked back forward, and they both waited in silence.

"Thank you for including Luna" Ron suddenly broke the silence.

"Of course, little brother" Charlie smiled at Ron. "She's a bit distant, but I reckon she's got a heart of gold."

"She does" Ron stated, and then he looked to the front of the line. Why aren't people more efficient? Step into the line only when you know your damn order.

"You know that they do house deliveries, right?" Charlie suddenly mentioned, and Ron looked to Charlie with a puzzled look. "You place an order, they box it, put a Cooling Charm on it, and then send it over. It's quite neat."

"Alright…" Ron said slowly. What an odd thing to share.

"Merlin, Ron" Charlie sighed. "I'm suggesting that you order something for your girlfriend, sort of like a surprise gift." My girlfriend? Bloody hell, he means Daphne.

"Charlie…" Ron started, but Charlie shushed him.

"Ron, it's a nice thing to do" Charlie instructed. "You'll make her day much brighter, and all you have to do is say a few words and pay a little bit of money. Isn't that worth it?"

"It… It is…" Ron averted his gaze, a blush creeping onto his face. He is convinced that she's my girlfriend.

"Do you know what she likes?" Charlie asked, and Ron gave a meek nod. It would make her really happy, she loves gifts. Both giving them, and receiving them.

"Honey Caramel with Macadamia Nuts" Ron remembered, and Charlie nodded with a slight chuckle. "She has 'refined' tastes, as she puts it."

"And she picked you?" Charlie teased, and Ron snorted.

"My thoughts exactly" Ron sniggered. "And she's not my girlfriend, so stop calling her that."

"Whatever… lover-boy."

"Piss off."

---

Sunday 28th June, 1993 (The Burrow – Near Midnight)

The day had gone off rather well for Ron, and for Charlie. Despite Charlie's worries, Kirsten had actually gotten along rather well with the Weasley siblings (Including Luna). She was genuinely interested in the twins' antics, in Percy's plans for the Future, in Ginny's love of clothes, in Luna's fascinating adventures with her father, and in Ron's Chess career. And they in turn were extremely interested in her work with Charlie back at the reserve. Ron had been polite, but he had kept himself at a distance with Kirsten. He didn't know why, but he just felt the need to keep whatever Charlie hadn't told her to himself. It bothered him greatly that there was some woman in Romania that knew so much about him.

He knew that he was being paranoid again, but that was just who he was now. His life was held up by his secrets, and everything he did was in order to serve those secrets. Having some stranger get too close to him was a terrifying thought, and so he had kept himself at bay. He answered her whenever she asked him something, but he mostly just bombarded her with questions of his own so she wouldn't get the chance to ask him anything. It worked wonderfully, and she had left with next to no new knowledge on Ron.

As for the rest of the day, Ginny and the twins had made a huge deal out of Ron's wealth when they all got home. His parents, including Pandora, were genuinely shocked to learn just how much money Ron had saved up. And although it boosted his confidence, it also made him become elusive to their questions. He told them that he had made his money by winning, something that was true, but he had kept everything else to himself. The business with the French Ministry was a sour topic for Ron, and he didn't want his parents fretting over him about it. And now here he was, an utterly mad plan in his head.

"Marty" Ron called, and he heard a soft pop from behind him. Ron turned to find Marty standing in the middle of his room, and Ro smiled at the Elf.

"Master called Marty?" Marty bowed deeply.

"I did" Ron walked over and sat down on his bed, his eyes fixed on his Elf. "And I'm glad that you got through dad's wards."

"Marty felt no wards against Elves, Master" Marty beamed. "How can Marty help Master tonight?"

"Are you still at Hogwarts?" Ron asked, and Marty nodded fervently. "Good, I have a rather insane idea that I want to share with you. Come, sit with me." Marty beamed at Ron's kindness, and he quickly ran over and sat down beside Ron. "Do you remember the Chamber, and the Basilisk?" Ron asked, and Marty's eyes widened.

"Ye… Yes, Master… Marty remembers" Marty replied, clearly scared of that place.

"I met a Goblin today that offered to pay me handsomely for pieces of the Basilisk, and I was thinking…" Ron started, and Marty leaned in. "Would it be possible for you to harvest the corpse?"

"Harvest?" Marty's voice shook, but then he slapped his own cheeks loudly. What the…?

"Marty, don't hit yourself" Ron frowned slightly.

"Forgive Marty, Master" Marty gave Ron a more resolute look. "But Marty is acting like a coward when Master needs Marty's help, this cannot happen. It is shameful, and Marty will stop it."

"That's fine, Marty" Ron gave the Elf a pat on his tiny shoulder. "I know that what I'm asking is rather… grim."

"Marty can do it" Marty nodded firmly. "Though not alone… Marty does not know much about hunting and harvesting carcasses, Master. But Marty could find Elves that do, and hire them."

"They'd keep their work a secret?" Ron asked.

"Elves would never betray their employers" Marty assured Ron, something that made Ron smile deviously.

"Here" Ron said as he handed Marty his Gringotts pouch. "How much will you need?"

"Marty was thinking of hiring seven Elves with experience, Master" Marty replied. "A Galleon each would suffice, this is a rather scary job."

"Pay them two Galleons each" Ron ordered, and Marty gave Ron a wide smile. "And Marty, don't touch anything with poison on it. Do you understand? You will only supervise them, and not risk yourself. Let them handle it because they know how to."

"Marty understands" Marty nodded as he hopped off of the bed, eager to get to work. "Anything else Master, perhaps something to eat?"

"No thanks Marty, be on your way" Ron smiled at him. "Take as much time as you need to get this done." Marty nodded firmly, and then he left with a soft pop. Hopefully they'll find loads of stuff for me to sell. I could make a lot of money from this.

---

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Ahhh... It feels good to delve into the Harry Potter World again. So much better than my Muggle existence in the real World. Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! It was a bit slow, but you know me, I like setting things up every now and then. I'd wager that my next update will on Tuesday, maybe Wednesday. It depends on how efficiently I work through my studies.

Also Charlie's finally here, and he will get a big POV next chapter. I promise. I know that many of you have been asking for one for a while, and I'm happy to finally give you what you wanted.

See you guys soon!