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.

65. Chapter 65 - A Million Things To Do

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Chapter 65 is here, and I'm still fucking sick! But that helped me get this chapter done faster because I'm in bed-rest.

Please Enjoy!

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

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

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Fate

Chapter 65 – A Million Things To Do

Ronald Weasley's POV

Wednesday 12th August, 1993 (The Burrow – Dinnertime)

How was it possible for one woman to completely ruin Ron's mood and sabotage his train of thought? Why was it that no matter what he did, his own Family kept finding reasons to start fights with him? What had he honestly done by answering four or five questions that he had been asked? He had a millions things on his mind right now, but instead of finding solutions for them, he was brooding in his room. Ron hated how unproductive he was being, but no matter how hard he tried to get back to his plans, his rage kept finding a way in.

Ron took in another deep breath, praying to Merlin that Pomfrey's breathing exercises would yield some results this time. If I keep this up, I'll suck all the oxygen out of this house. Then we'll all fucking die. Ron took in another deep breath, but just like before, it did nothing to stop him from gnashing his teeth. The only logical reason as to why she's so upset is because I did something that she doesn't approve of. This is just like her disgusting letter, or her attempts to rip me out of Slytherin. If she isn't micromanaging everyone's life, then she's miserable and noisy. A sudden knock on his door ripped him out of his thought, and Ron glared at the closed door.

"It's unlocked" Ron said, somehow keeping his voice in check. If it's my siblings, then I should keep myself in check. They've done nothing to piss me off. The door opened slowly, and Percy stepped in with a plate of food.

"I brought you dinner" Percy said in a clipped voice.

"I can't eat downstairs?" Ron asked, resisting the urge to roll his eyes.

"No one wants you downstairs" Percy replied coldly, putting the plate on Ron's desk. What?

"Excuse me?" Ron asked, just staring at Percy's back with a bewildered look. I must've misheard him.

"I said that no one wants you downstairs" Percy repeated, turning to face Ron with a deep frown. "Not mum, not Ginny, not the twins, and not even me… Eat in your room, and go to sleep." Ron just blinked at Percy, his mind slowly understanding his brother's words.

"So it's all my fault?" Ron asked his brother, who didn't even bother replying. Instead, Percy went to leave the room. "I come home, and the first thing she does is start yelling at me for no good reason. So what if I talked to some reporters? I'm a professional Chess player, and talking to reporters helps spread my name. It helps my career." It will help me with your bloody Future.

"She's been crying for the last two hours" Percy told Ron, not even bothering to turn around. "Ginny, a twelve year old, is trying to keep her hysterics at bay… You did that." Ron wasn't going to lie, a powerful pang of guilt hit him square in the chest after hearing that. But the guilt wasn't on behalf of his mother's state, it was on behalf of Ginny's situation.

"So she starts crying, and now I'm the villain?" Ron asked, and Percy immediately turned around and grabbed Ron by his collar. Ron was momentarily stunned by the look of sheer anger on his brother's face, Percy looked almost feral.

"Do you even hear yourself?!" Percy's voice boomed, and Ron flinched slightly. He had never seen Percy so furious before, and if he was being honest, he didn't like it. His veins are popping out of his forehead. "I just told you that your own Family doesn't want to see your face, and you go ahead and say something so cruel about our mother. She's crying because you hurt her, you idiot!"

"Let go…" Ron said slowly, getting over his shock. "I haven't put my hands on you, so don't put yours on me." Great, he's going to beat me just like Charlie did. Just like mum did in Dumbledore's Office.

"The twins are raving about Slytherin turning you into… this" Percy hissed, and then he let go of Ron with a shove. "And for the first time in my life, I'm having trouble arguing against them. There's something wrong with you Ron, and until you figure that out, stay away from the rest of us." With that, Percy stormed out of the room and slammed Ron's door shut. The sound was so loud that Ron was sure that everyone downstairs must have heard it. Ron just stood there, staring at the closed door with an expressionless face.

"Something wrong with me?" Ron whispered to himself, slowly fixing his collar. "There's nothing wrong with me, it's everyone else that's insane…" Ron then walked over to his door and locked it, his hands trembling slightly. "They don't want to see me? Fine… I'll stay out of their way." Ron then walked over to his desk, taking a seat and staring at his meagre dinner. It suddenly dawned on Ron that it was Percy who had just snapped at him… Percy, the one brother that Ron could relate to the most.

Ron put his head in between his trembling hands, his brain suddenly going into overdrive. He had so much to do, but at the end of the day, his main goal was to protect his Family and friends. And yet, no matter what he did, he was always at odds with his Family. Every single thing he did resulted in someone being unhappy, even if it was something as small as turning his walls green. Why was he under such scrutiny constantly? Why was everything on his shoulders? Why was it that he felt the need to keep his mouth shut just so that he could avoid arguments with his Family members? Why was he always the outcast? Maybe it is my fault? Maybe I'm just a piece of shite? Maybe the Entity was right about me…

---

Dream Hogwarts

Here she was again, walking around in her Champion's distressed mind. The Star of Madness could be heard screaming throughout the Champion's mind, doing its best to escape from its prison. She was herself was currently debating whether or not she should release it.

The Lord of Serpents' thread was never ending, which meant that this Cycle was heading towards disaster just like the previous ones. She should have picked a better human. Perhaps she should have picked Harry Potter, or Hermione Granger. Both of the Champion's original allies were better than him in every way imaginable, and yet, she had still picked him. The Champion did not possess Harry Potter's natural talent and affinity for Magic, nor did the Champion possess Hermione Granger's powerful mind. The Champion only had one good quality, and that was his strategic mind. But perhaps strategy without talent or emotional strength was useless.

Doubt was a new feeling to her. In her billions of years of existence, she had never once felt it until she had come into contact with the Champion. Humans were the worst kinds of mortals, in her opinion. They were unreliable specks of dust that were swayed by their 'emotions', and as a result, she had found herself tangled in this endless mess. Perhaps she should have simply let her brother destroy this Universe, after all, it was only one out of millions.

"LET US OUT! WE KNOW YOU ARE HERE, WHORE!" the Entity bellowed from inside of 'Hogwarts', and she stopped walking. With a thought, she found herself standing before the large closed door leading into 'Hogwarts'. "The Champion will fail, we can see it! Let us out!"

"Your deception will not work on me, abomination" she told it, but that little bit of doubt in her mind began gnawing at her again. How could she feel doubt?

"Then why are you here?" the Entity laughed in a cruel manner, its laughter shaking the entire castle. "We cannot see his Future, but we can see his loved ones mourning his death. It will happen soon…"

"Soon?" she asked. It was a shame that she could not see the Champion's thread due to him being a Time Anomaly, so she had no way of knowing if the World-Eater was lying to her.

"Let us out, and we will tell you."

"And what of the Champion? If I set you free once again, what will you do to him?" she asked, but she already knew the answer to that. Despite this monster's bravado, the Champion had gotten under its skin. And she had no intention of letting the Entity damage this promising Cycle out of some petty need for revenge.

"Nothing" the Entity replied.

"Nothing?"

"There is nothing else that we need to do" the Entity explained. "He is a walking corpse already, nothing can change that. If you set us free, we will go back to being what we were. Just a guide. No more interfering, no more torture. You have our word."

"Your word?" she couldn't help but ask, and then she realized why this prideful Old God was trying to bargain with her. "Does your new prison remind you of your old one? Do you miss being whole that much?" When it didn't reply, she had her answer. The Star of Madness wanted to be whole once again, and it wanted whatever little freedom that it did have in the Champion's mind. "Have you grown tired of your toy?"

"What toy?" the Entity asked, its disgusting voice coming out as a predatory growl.

"The Lord of…" she started, but she stopped immediately. Odd… She could not feel the Lord of Serpent's presence in the Champion's mind anymore. "What have you done?" she asked.

"Exacted our revenge" the Entity began laughing. "We have made sure that no matter what happens, the Champion will die at the end of this Cycle. You should have taken better care with your actions. When you left us bound in here, we began mutilating the Lord of Serpents' soul into an unstable state. And then we lined the walls of the Champion's inner mind with its remains. Your precious lap dog is now a permanent Horcrux, one that must be COMPLETELY destroyed if the Lord of Serpents is to fall."

"I see" she replied, she was rather impressed with the Entity's creativity. "And without something to chew on, you're growing more and more restless. Hence you bargaining with me."

"We can aid in the Champion's success."

"And drive him to his death at the same time" she noted, walking away from the door.

"This Cycle will fail without us! Do not leave! Set us free!"

"Then let it fail without you, and we will both meet again in the next one" she replied, and then she departed from her Champion's mind.

The Entity was just as petty as these humans, and it was foolish enough to believe that she actually cared for the Champion's life. The Champion was a pawn, nothing more and nothing less. And even if the Champion somehow survived this Cycle, she planned to end him nonetheless. She could not allow a Time Anomaly to simply exist inside of this Universe. The Champion's mere existence caused change on a global scale, and if the Entity wasn't eventually extracted from him, that change would begin causing damage to this Universe's Tapestry of Time. And unfortunately for the Champion, the extraction would lead to the utter destruction of the host's body.

The Laws of Creation were absolute, and they had remained unbroken since the Dawn of Time. Her only goal was to make sure that her arrogant brother didn't break them out of some imagined slight against him. Her only goal was to make sure that Death didn't do something that resulted in his own destruction. Death was the linchpin that kept everything running smoothly, and without him, it would all fall apart. What was the life of one human compared to that? Nothing.

---

Thursday 13th August, 1993 (The Burrow – Early Morning)

Ron looked at his slightly pale reflection, and the bags under his eyes, and he let out a tired sigh. He had barely slept last night. His stupid Chronic Stress had sent him into a spiral of stressful moments, which had then led to a splitting headache. When he eventually did fall asleep, he started having nightmares about Fred's corpse.

The cold shower had definitely helped get his blood running again, and his body certainly appreciated his morning run, but it wasn't enough. He was starving due to the meagre meal he had last night, and his Family 'not wanting to see him' was troubling him. He stubbornly refused to go back downstairs yesterday in order to get seconds, and now he was paying for it.

Ron grabbed his Training Outfit, and he left the bathroom with little to no noise. Mum's probably awake by now, and I'd rather not get into another screaming match with her. Bloody hell, I was hoping to go to the Ministry today in order to see Madam Roberts. As Ron neared his room, he spotted something peculiar sitting right in front of his door. It was a plate of eggs and bacon, his breakfast. Mum left this here. There's barely anything on this plate. Ron frowned as he picked up the plate and entered his room, locking the door behind him.

"Marty" Ron called, and the Elf appeared instantly with a weak pop.

"Master called Marty?" Marty bowed deeply.

"I did" Ron nodded, putting the plate on his desk. "Could you launder these for me?"

"Certainly, Master" Marty beamed, taking Ron's Training Outfit. "Is Master unwell?"

"That easy to see, is it?" Ron gave Marty a weak smile, he didn't want his Elf to worry needlessly. "I'm fine, Marty. I promise. Although… I could use a bit more food. Do you mind stealing some from the Hogwarts kitchens?"

"It is not stealing if it helps Master" Marty gave a toothy smile, and then he disapparated.

"Barmy Elf" Ron smiled more genuinely, and then he began eating his mum's food. I need to go see Madam Roberts today, I'm too busy to do it on any other day. I could try on Sunday, but I'd rather have her train me on that day. What do I even say to her? She mentioned something about not wanting another death on her conscience, but I don't want to pry into that. That would just be disrespectful, and she has never once shown me disrespect. Beatings aside, that is. A sudden pop broke him out of his thoughts, and turned to see Marty walking over to him whilst balancing three plates.

"Sandwiches, cheese, and kidney pie" Marty said as he put the plates in front of Ron. Now this is more like it.

"Thank you, Marty" Ron said gratefully, eyeing his meal with a salivating mouth.

"Marty lives to serve" Marty bowed deeply, clearly pleased with himself. "Does Master want pumpkin juice, or coffee?"

"Pumpkin juice, please" Ron replied, and Marty snapped his fingers. A large cup of juice appeared on Ron's desk, it had a Hogwarts crest on it. Ron turned to thank Marty, but the House Elf was suddenly looking perplexed for some reason. "Marty? What's the matter?"

"Marty is being summoned to Hogwarts" Marty replied. "Headmaster Dumbledore has returned, and he has brought guests with him." Huh?

"He's back? And he brought 'guests'?" Ron asked, wondering how Marty even knew that. What guests? Is it the International Confederation of Wizards?

"Flippy, Hogwarts' head-chef, is calling Marty" Marty replied.

"You are excused, Marty" Ron told him. "Thank you for bringing me food. Oh, and tell me who these guests were tonight. Keep your ears peeled for any information as well."

"Marty understands" Marty nodded, and then he disapparated. Dumbledore is back then. I wonder how things in Albania went. I hope he figured out a way to avoid war against the Muggles.

---

Thirty Minutes Later

Ron was filled to bursting, much to his relief. He was hungrier than he had imagined, and as a result of that, Ron had eaten every single crumb of his breakfast. While he had been feasting, he had come to a decision about seeing Madam Roberts. Stubbornness be damned, he needed to see her today. The last thing he wanted to do was to brood inside his room again, something that was completely unproductive. He knew that if he stopped moving, if he stopped working, he'd start getting lazy. Today's tasks would become tomorrow's problem, and before he knew it, he'd end up fucking everything up.

Ron hid the Hogwarts plates and cup under his bed, deciding to keep Marty's service to him a secret. And then he made his way out of his room, his wand and Gringotts pouch inside his robe pockets. As he neared the stairs, he steeled his mind. He was simply going to floo to the Ministry, and he was definitely not going to cause problems for anyone.

If his mother saw him, he'd simply say 'Good morning', and then be on his way. If she questions where I'm going, I'll just tell her the truth. I'm not doing anything shady, after all. Ron stepped into the kitchen, and he was surprised to see his entire Family eating breakfast. They're awake early… Wait, where's dad? Ron shot a quick look to the Family Clock, and he noticed that his father was still at work. He deserves a damn raise considering how many hours he puts in. But then again, he's pretty much the only person who works in the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office.

"Going somewhere?" Percy asked Ron, while the rest of his siblings just frowned at him. Even Ginny is glaring at me, all the while wearing the earrings and bracelet I got for her.

"The Ministry" Ron replied, making his way towards the Living Room.

"The Ministry?" Molly piped up, turning around with narrowed eyes. "Why? What do you need to go to the Ministry for?"

"I'm seeing my Dueling teacher, she works in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement" Ron replied, keeping his voice calm and polite. Don't make things worse for everyone. Just be on your way, Ron. "I won't be back for a while" Ron said as he moved into the Living Room, and he immediately heard footsteps following him. Shite, here we go. Just keep yourself in check. Breathe in, and then breathe out.

"You are not going to the Ministry alone" Molly followed him into the Living Room. "As a matter of fact, you are not going anywhere for the foreseeable future. Your father will be home soon, and once he's here, we will be having a long conversation about your recent behavior."

"Not going anywhere for the foreseeable future?" Ron asked, stopping in front of the fireplace. "What does that mean?"

"No more Chess, no more reporters" Molly said firmly, and Ron blinked at her. "You need to focus on your school-work, and on your health. You are far too young to be burdened with so much responsibility, and everyone can see that it's getting to you." Is she fucking serious? Another ultimatum? Did she seriously not learn anything from the whole 'Slytherin debacle'? "You will wait upstairs until your father and I come and speak with you." I need to see my Dueling instructor, and there is no way that I'm quitting Chess.

"I'll talk to you both, I promise" Ron said after taking in a subtle deep breath, and Molly gave him a curt nod. "After I get back from the Ministry." Ron then reached over and took some floo-powder, but much to his shock, Molly reached over and grabbed his wrist.

"I am your mother, and you will not disobey me in such a manner!" Molly shrieked, what was wrong with this boy? Molly understood that he was extremely troubled, and that his mind was fragile, but even she had her limits. Ron had to understand that he couldn't just do as he pleased, and she was done letting him constantly get away with his increasingly rebellious actions.

"Let go of my wrist" Ron said slowly, ignoring how tight her grip was. Bloody hell, she'll snap my wrist if she doesn't ease off.

"No!"

"You're being extremely unreasonable" Ron told her, still keeping himself in check somehow. Just don't explode on her. "I have genuine business to conduct today, and you're forcing me to stay at home. This is important to me."

"You will go to your room, Ronald" Molly hissed, irked by his 'calm' demeanor. She could tell that it was forced, and that only worked to anger her further. She had not raised him to be this way.

"Mother, let go of him" Percy said as he stepped into the room, and Ron looked to see that his other siblings were 'spying' on the scene. "There's no need to get physical about this." He's looking a lot calmer today.

"I will be back by lunch" Ron promised. "And then we can talk for as long as you like. But right now, I need to go and see Madam Roberts." We can talk for years, but I'm not quitting anything because you tell me to. I'm in control of my own life, and that's that.

"You don't need to see her because you will no longer be taking any lessons from her" Molly said with an adamant tone, still holding her son's wrist. "Your father and I will be speaking to your 'mentor' today, and by Merlin, you will be released from your contract with him. You will go back to being the boy I raised, and not this… This horrible and cruel boy that you've become." Ron would be lying if he wasn't left dazed by her words, and judging from his siblings' reactions, even they were slightly rattled. Horrible and cruel? What have I done to warrant being called these things?

"Mum, you're being too harsh…" Fred spoke up, looking like he had just made a massive mistake.

"He can be a git, but he's not that bad…" George added on, slowly shrinking behind Percy's tall frame. They're standing up for me?

"Mother, you're talking about taking his career away from him" Percy said slowly, trying to diminish the growing tension. "Isn't that a bit too… extreme?"

"He is a thirteen year old, and children his age don't need careers!" Molly snapped at them. "Go to the kitchen and finish your breakfasts." I think… I think I'm starting to lose my patience with her. The twins and Ginny slowly moved back into the kitchen, while Percy just stood there. "Percy, go to the kitchen."

"I'm going to tell father about this" Percy said, and then he left the room whilst shaking his head. There goes my support. Oh well, there's no reason for us all to be in trouble.

"And you…" Molly looked back to him, tightening her grip even more. "You will go to your room at once."

"Let go of my wrist, you're starting to hurt me" Ron said, his left hand clenching into a fist.

"I'm trying to protect you, can't you see that?" Molly asked, sounding more and more desperate. "You're not well, Ronnie… You need help, not a 'career'…"

"You're hurting my wrist" Ron repeated, getting annoyed with her patronizing words. "You're treating me like some cripple, all the while crushing my wrist. Can't you see that?"

"It's a weekday, go and see Pomfrey instead" Molly urged him. "If you don't want to go to your room, then go and see Pomfrey." For Merlin's sake! At this rate, I'll be old and grey before I get to see Madam Roberts. And I'm not giving up my fucking career to sate her overbearing nature!

"Let. Go" Ron told her, he had half a mind to yank his arm free. The only reason he hadn't done that yet was because he knew that she'd go tumbling to the floor.

"Your father and I…"

"Can talk to me for eons for all I care" Ron interrupted her. "But I am not giving up Chess, and I am not giving up my Dueling tutelage. Now let go of my wrist." Molly's eyes began to tear up, and she let go of him in an angry manner.

"What happened to you?" Molly demanded, her voice turning hysterical. "Who am I supposed to blame for the person that you're becoming? Slytherin? Greengrass? Myself? You yell at me, your own mother, and you ignore your siblings persistently. You'd rather live in 'Greengrass Manor' than your childhood home, and you definitely prefer Greengrass over your own father. Just like you prefer Pandora over me. What am I supposed to do? What have we done to earn your scorn, Ronald?" With that, she turned around marched out of the room, a weak sob escaping her throat.

Ron stood there for a few seconds, thinking over her words. What fucking scorn? Just because I'm working to become something, and not just be their puppet, that's enough makes me horrible and cruel? And you know what? I do prefer Lord Greengrass and Pandora over them. Neither Lord Greengrass nor Pandora try and control me. Neither of them have given me life-altering ultimatums. They saw my potential long before they felt threatened by my House. They didn't ignore my existence simply because I'm the sixth-born. Ron shook his head clear, he was wasting his time thinking about her hysterical rant. He had work to do right now, and that meant that he had no time to spare. He'd worry about her words once he was home, once he had convinced Madam Roberts to keep teaching him.

"The British Ministry of Magic" Ron said clearly as he tossed the floo-powder into the fireplace, and when it blazed green, he stepped through it. Ron walked out into the Ministry Atrium, and he immediately noticed that something was wrong. There were next to no workers in the Ministry, and as a result of this, the Ministry barely had any visitors as well. What the hell? Ron slowly made his way over to the visitor registration, and a portly witch greeted him with a surprised look.

"My, what's a handsome young lad like you doing here?" the witch asked, her voice overly sweet.

"I've come to see a friend of mine" Ron replied, observing the handful of workers moving about near the Fountain of Magical Brethren.

"I see, sign here please" the witch said as she pushed a clipboard in front of him. "And please hand over your wand for safekeeping."

"My wand?" Ron blinked at her, and she nodded with a look of understanding.

"Things are a bit… hectic for the Ministries right now" she told him. "Most of the workforce has left for Albania, apparently some big project is underway. Our Minister decided to offer the most staff members, no doubt trying to impress the Albanian Minister and the Daily Prophet. So here we are…"

"I see" Ron nodded, handing over his wand for safekeeping. What big project? "Is there going to be a war?"

"Apparently not" the witch replied, her relief evident in her voice.

"Thank Merlin" Ron said, sounding just as relieved as her. He did it. He undid his own mess. But how? "So this big project is the reason why there won't be a war?"

"Yes" she nodded, handing him a visitor's pass. "Minister Fudge came in last night, and he made this big speech about 'doing our part to protect the Statute of Secrecy'. And before you knew it, this whole place was deserted."

"Really? And what about the Aurors Office?" Ron asked.

"The Department of Magical Law Enforcement is staying behind in order to keep the peace" she replied. "Don't want this country's evil-doers to go unpunished, do we?"

"Of course not" Ron replied, grateful that Madam Roberts hadn't left the country.

"But other than them, and the Unspeakables, most of the Departments are currently empty" she said. "Just come back when you're done, and I'll hand over your wand. Sorry about the precautions, but we're too unmanned to let people through with their wands."

"I understand" Ron offered her a polite smile. "Don't want any evil-doers in here, do we?"

"Exactly" the witch chuckled.

"I'll see you soon" Ron said as he moved past her desk, heading for the lifts. So some big project is underway, and its goal is to stop the situation in Albania from escalating. I'm guessing Dumbledore figured out a way to fix the Forests, or at least heal the land. That's what I'd do if I was in his shoes. If the Muggles have nothing to be angry about, then there won't be a war. I'm guessing that this project requires a lot of manpower, at least more than what the Albanian Ministry can muster, which is why our own Ministry is deserted.

---

Five Minutes Later

"Can I help you?" a tall, dark-skinned wizard asked Ron, his voice was so deep that Ron cleared his own throat to sound more 'manly' himself. "Wait… You're Ronald Weasley, aren't you?"

"Yes, Sir" Ron nodded, putting his hand forward for a shake. The broad-shouldered wizard smiled at Ron, and then shook his hand firmly. "Weasley, Ronald Weasley. A pleasure to meet you."

"Kingsley Shacklebolt" Kingsley introduced himself, taking note of how the boy introduced himself. "What can I do for Arthur's youngest son?" Arthur?

"Are you friends with my father?" Ron asked, curious to know why an Auror was friends with his father.

"We're… work-friends" Kingsley replied. "He and I share a certain amount of respect for the Muggles. Now… What can I do for you? Are you looking for your father's Office?"

"No, I'm here to see Madam Jane Roberts" Ron replied, and Kingsley nodded slowly.

"So that was your wand I wiped the Trace from" Kingsley realized, and Ron blinked at him. "Mind you that it was only a temporary cleanse. I'll go and get her for you, just wait outside."

"Thank you, Sir" Ron smiled. "Oh, and don't tell her that it's me."

"Alright…" Kingsley said, eyeing Ron carefully. Kingsley then made his way further into the Aurors Office, while Ron stepped back outside to wait for Madam Roberts. After a minute or so, she stepped outside and looked around. The moment she saw him, her look of indifference turned into a deep frown. I think my face just pisses people off.

"Good morning, Madam Roberts" Ron greeted her, quickly making his way over to her.

"What are you doing here?" Madam Roberts demanded, and then she scanned his features. "You look like shit…" Shit? Not shite? Oh wait, she's from the States.

"I didn't sleep much last night" Ron admitted. "Family problems…"

"I see" she nodded curtly, losing her frown slightly. "Congratulations on your victory, I read about it in the Daily Prophet."

"Thank you" Ron said. "Is it possible if we can talk?"

"Talk?" Madam Roberts asked, and then she turned to leave. "I'm not teaching you, Mr. Weasley." Damnit.

"Just give me a chance to convince you" Ron said, using his frightening speed to get between her and the door. "Please."

"I said no, Mr. Weasley" Madam Roberts said firmly, frowning at him for blocking her way.

"All I'm asking for is a chance to convince you, nothing more" Ron said, deciding to keep his emotions in check. She respects strength, that's what Lord Greengrass told me. So show some fucking strength. "You said that I couldn't handle your training regimen, and in doing so you implied that I'm weak, therefore you owe me the chance to prove to you just how wrong you are."

"Do I?" Madam Roberts asked, her expression becoming unreadable. The boy had spirit, that couldn't be denied. And he did have an odd sort of… belligerence about him.

"You do" Ron stood up to his full height, looking down on Madam Roberts with dead-serious look. "I'm still following your training regimen, and truth be told, it's starting to get a bit too easy for me. Odd how one's body gets used to being pushed to its limits." That's a complete lie. I still get fucked up by it, and I hate doing it.

"You are… stubborn" Madam Roberts said, her lips quirking up for a second. "Fine… I take lunch at half past two, at The Leaky Cauldron. Now step out of my way, I have work to do." Ron did as he was told, and she made to go back into the Office.

"It's a date then" Ron grinned, and Madam Roberts shot him a look that would freeze hell over. "Sorry, Ma'am…"

"Just don't be late" she bit out, and then she was gone. Put the 'charm' on the back burner, Ron. She respects strength and maturity, so give her that. At least I'm halfway there… Now how do I convince this woman to help me?

---

Arthur Weasley's POV

Thursday 13th August, 1993 (The Burrow – Morning)

Arthur was utterly exhausted, he had spent the entire night helping with the logistics of the 'massive project' that was happening in Albania. Fudge himself had approached Arthur in order to get his perspective due to his work, and fascination, with the Muggles. So Arthur had pulled out all the stops in order to impress the Minister, working with and helping anyone else that was figuring out the budget needed for using so much manpower in a foreign country. Whatever this project was, it was perhaps the largest undertaking in Wizarding History.

And then Arthur had finally come home, browbeaten and exhausted. But instead of eating 'breakfast' with his family, he was bombarded with terrible news from his children. Molly had locked herself in her room, apparently too upset to even show her face. While Ron was at the Ministry, seemingly just missing running into his father.

Percy had explained to Arthur what had happened, and then shown him the issue of the Daily Prophet which had started this entire mess. Ron had spoken to the reporters, and there were photos of him standing side by side with Sebastian plastered on the front page. Was Arthur upset that Sebastian had let reporters talk to Ron? Yes… But was he upset with Ron for answering five questions? No… Arthur understood just how the Daily Prophet's 'journalists' worked, and so he was certain that they were probably blocking the entrance to the Tournament.

According to Percy, and his other children, Molly had gone mental when she had read the paper. They didn't really understand why, but Arthur knew that she was stressing out because of Ron's condition. All the adults in Ron's life had agreed to keep Ron away from the Media's attention in order to limit his stress as much as possible, and so when Molly saw her son on the front page, she had lost her common sense.

Ron and Molly had gotten into an argument last night that resulted in Ron having another rage-induced outburst, and Molly crying hysterically. And then this morning, she had decided to once again start an argument with Ron. Which had once again resulted in Molly becoming upset. Arthur needed to speak to her, and he needed to sort this out before it escalated any further. Oddly enough, his children were now torn on the matter. At first they had been disgusted with Ron's harsh words, but after hearing Molly threaten to take his career away, all of them had decided to steer clear of the whole thing. All of them except for Percy, who just wanted the fighting to end. Percy's maturity made Arthur feel rather proud of him, and so Arthur decided that Percy was ready to take part in more 'adult conversations'.

"Mollywobbles" Arthur called as he knocked on their bedroom door, and he heard a loud sniffle and feet shuffling in response. The door then swung open, revealing a distressed Molly Weasley. Her eyes were puffy, and her face was slightly blotchy from crying too much.

"You're home…" Molly sniffled, and then she hugged his middle tightly. Arthur put his hands around his wife, giving her a loving squeeze.

"I'm home, and we need to talk" Arthur said, and she let him go.

"Alright" Molly said, nodding to herself as she moved back into the room. Arthur followed her inside, and he locked the door behind them.

"The children told me what happened" Arthur started as Molly sat down on their bed. She's still wearing her apron, and it's covered with tear marks.

"He spoke to the reporters, Arthur" Molly said, cutting in before he could say anything else.

"He answered five questions, that's all" Arthur said, and Molly blinked at him.

"Greengrass promised us that he wouldn't let Ron speak with the Media" Molly reminded her husband.

"No, he didn't" Arthur corrected her. "He said, and I quote, 'I'll see what I can do'…" He probably had no intention of making any promises that he couldn't keep. "Five questions is nothing, Molly. Did you really have to start yelling at him the moment he walked into the house?"

"I didn't yell…"

"Yes, you did" Arthur said firmly. "Percy, Fred, George, and Ginny… They're all saying the same thing. They're saying that Ron barely set foot in the kitchen before you went off on him, and he in turn became vicious. I'm not saying that he has no fault in this, because he most certainly does, but you know better than to yell at him. Him, Molly… You know he has a troubled mind…"

"He spoke to me like I was his servant, Arthur" Molly cried, tearing up again. "He has no respect, or love, for me… For either one of us… He sees Greengrass as his father, and he sees Pandora as his mother… All he does is look down on this family, including our house… His own childhood house, Arthur! He despises it!" That's not true. None of that is true.

"And who told you this?" Arthur asked her, kneeling in front of her in order to take her hands into his own.

"I'm not blind… I see it in his actions" Molly sniffled, and then she released a strangled sob. His actions? The fence…

"He offered to buy a fence, and when you said no, he never brought it up again" Arthur reminded her in a gentle voice. "Sebastian assured me that it wasn't because Ron felt ashamed of this house, it was because he genuinely wanted to help out."

"Greengrass will say whatever he has to in order to keep his claws into Ron" Molly said, speaking more to herself than to her husband. "If it weren't for Mary, I'd never let Ron near that man. He's just using Ron for his own benefit…"

"They are partners, Molly" Arthur said, his wife was clearly in need of sleep. "They both benefit from each other. Sebastian spends hours on end with Ron, training him and advising him."

"That's your job, Arthur" Molly told him. "You're Ron's father, not Greengrass…"

"I know that" Arthur sighed, he wasn't getting anywhere with her. Her real issue is with Ron loving Pandora more than he loves her. "I can advise him, but I can't train him in Chess. Sebastian has done right by our boy, and despite his own reluctance, he always puts Ron's health over his training."

"Mary does that, not Greengrass" Molly argued. "If it weren't for her, Greengrass would gladly watch Ron work himself to death." Merlin, we just did a full circle.

"Molly, what's really bothering you?" Arthur asked her, deciding to take a different approach. "I know that you're upset because of how Ron spoke to you last night, but threatening to take away his career was unnecessary… Did you learn nothing from the whole Slytherin mess? Ron isn't like our other children, he doesn't respond well to ultimatums. We promised each other that we would never do something like that again."

"I can't lose him, Arthur!" Molly suddenly wailed, and then she got up and started pacing. "I'm his mother, and yet, he listens only to Pandora. If she told him not to speak to any reporters, he'd bolt at the mere sight of them. He's so… He's just so disobedient! If I tell him to do one thing, he makes sure to do the opposite. On the very first day of the Holidays, he wrote his name down for multiple chores."

"Chores? You're upset because he wants to do chores?" Arthur blinked at his wife.

"He didn't want to do them, Arthur" Molly looked to him with a panicked look. "He saw that I didn't put his name down, and so he wrote it down himself!"

"He doesn't want to be treated differently" Arthur told her. "He wasn't being disobedient, he just wants to fit in. And he probably doesn't want the others questioning him as to why he doesn't have to do any chores. And even if he's a bit rebellious, so what? He's a teenager, Molly. Remember Bill? Or Charlie? Bill threw a bloody chair through a window when you told him that he couldn't date that Slytherin girl."

"He was twelve, and he had no business dating the likes of her" Molly defended herself, that girl's parents openly supported the Dark Lord before they were driven out of the country.

"They liked holding hands, and that's it" Arthur frowned, remembering just how angry he had been with both Bill and Molly. "You berated him right in front of his mates, and he broke a damn window in a fit of rage."

"And he apologized and fixed the window himself" Molly reminded her husband. "If Ron broke a window, he'd probably just tell us to do it. And he would never apologize." We're veering off topic here. I need to focus on Ron.

"Out of all of our children, Ron clearly needs us to be supportive of him the most" Arthur said firmly, doing his best to not raise his voice. "I thought that we had both learned that lesson after what happened during the last school year… Molly, you're the one who begged me to back off. And now you're making the same mistake by threatening to take away his control. Remember what Mary told us? Ron will resist anyone who tries to take his control away. Including Sebastian. For Merlin's sake Molly, Ron went up against fifty Veelas just because they tried to cheat him. His Chronic Stress makes him feel like he has no control over his life, and if anyone tries to impose on him, he lashes out."

"I was not imposing on him! He needs to worry about his health, and not about his next Tournament!" Molly snapped. "If he wants to fit in, then he needs to at least try and do that. No child his age has a job, Arthur. No child his age has brain-damage!"

"Keep your voice down" Arthur said quickly, looking to the closed door. "I know that you want to protect him, but this isn't the way to do that. Chess isn't just a job to him, it's his anchor. It makes him feel like he's in control of his life, and that brings him comfort. I've been reading Mary's books at work, and I think I'm starting to understand him bit by bit. You're right when you say that Ron's not like the other children… Children his age don't have brain-damage. Children his age don't have permanent scars all over their bodies. Children his age don't have a Prodigy status put on them, a status that does nothing to help his Chronic Stress."

"Please, Molly…" Arthur went on, his exhaustion catching up to him. "Please sit down, and just listen." Molly slowly sat back down, looking like she was at her wit's end. "He loves you, and he does respect you. And… And even if it isn't on the same level as Pandora…" Molly tensed at that, and Arthur quickly took her hands into his own. "And even if it isn't on the same level as Pandora, it still means something. He doesn't go out of his way to antagonize you, or anyone for that matter. Now I'm not saying that we let him go unpunished, but the punishment has to fit the crime."

"He threw a tantrum, and you threatened to lock him away forever" Arthur continued, looking directly into his wife's eyes. "That is not an appropriate response…"

"What else am I supposed to do?" Molly asked him. "Take away his broom? He doesn't even fly it… He has no hobbies that I can take away from him in order to discipline him. Chess is the only thing that I could think of…" Then take his board, not his career.

"Just let me talk to him when he gets home" Arthur said. "I'll take a small nap, and when he gets home, come and get me. I'll talk to him, and I'll make sure that he understands what he did wrong."

"Alright…"

---

Ronald Weasley's POV

Thursday 13th August, 1993 (The Leaky Cauldron – Lunchtime)

Ron was finally starting to get used to the odd looks that he was getting. He understood why he was getting them, after all, why was a thirteen year old sitting alone on a table whilst sipping a glass of cold water for nearly two hours? Magical-folk were a curious, and wary, lot, so Ron understood their reactions to him. Luckily, Tom the bartender didn't seem to mind Ron's presence.

Ron had spent the day thinking of a hundred different schemes that he could use against Madam Roberts, but in the end, he decided that he had lied to her enough. She had given him her best, while he had withheld something crucial to his success from her. His training was for his betterment, not hers. She had put in her time, and judging by her job, her time was extremely important to her. Ron himself hated wasted his time, so he could sympathize with why she had been so angry with him. Ron had been selfish and shortsighted, and that had driven her away. No more of that. I won't tell her about how I got my scars and brain-damage, but I won't blatantly lie either.

"Mr. Weasley" came Madam Roberts' voice, and then she walked around him and took a seat from across him.

"Madam Roberts" Ron greeted back. "How has your day been?"

"My day?" Madam Roberts cocked an eyebrow. "That's what you want to talk about?" Show no weakness, Ron. You may need her, but don't let her disrespect you.

"I'm being polite, and you're being needlessly hostile" Ron told her, and she blinked at him. Please don't kill me!

"I'm sorry" Madam Roberts apologized, the boy was right. "It's been a long day…"

"Everything alright?" Ron asked. "Is it because of this 'Project' in Albania?"

"It is" Madam Roberts nodded curtly, and then she started looking at the menu. "Word is getting out that the Ministry is short-manned at the moment, so every piece of scum in Knockturn Alley is getting riled up. I've had to break two arms today."

"Two arms?" Ron blinked. "Your tone doesn't even change when you say things like that…"

"Experience does that to people" Madam Roberts replied, still reading the menu with a blank expression. "What about you? What have you been up to since I saw you this morning?"

"I went to the Ice-Cream Parlor to gaze at all the ice-cream that I couldn't eat, and then I went to Flourish and Blotts and bought my brother Percy an expensive 'Never Break Quill' for his upcoming birthday" Ron replied. "And then I waited here for a couple of hours."

"What can I get for you, Jane?" Tom the bartender approached them, and then he smiled at Ron.

"I'll have the pea soup, Tom" Madam Roberts replied.

"And you, young man?"

"I'll have the steak, the pea soup, and a large salad" Ron replied, and Tom chuckled heartily.

"Good man" Tom said, patting Ron's back firmly. "I'll have your orders out soon." Tom then left for the kitchens, while Madam Roberts just stared at Ron.

"What? I need to keep you here for a while, don't I?" Ron smiled widely.

"Why are you doing this?" Madam Roberts asked him, not even remotely amused by his cheery demeanor. "Greengrass could hire you any tutor that you want, so why are you showing up at my workplace?" Tell her the truth.

"I want you… because you're willing to teach me about the Dark Arts" Ron replied, keeping his eyes fixed on hers.

"Why do you want to learn about the Dark Arts?" Madam Roberts asked him.

"Because they fascinate me, and because I want to learn how to defend myself from them" Ron replied truthfully. Bloody hell, I just admitted to liking the Dark Arts. "You're a 'Hit-Wizard', and you fought in the Great War. You have actual experience, and in my eyes, that makes you the best. And to be the best, you have to learn from the best."

"Then hire Alastor Moody" Madam Roberts told him. Moody? As in Mad-Eye Moody? Merlin, I'd love to learn from him. Dad says that he has no equal in Auror History.

"Is he looking to teach?" Ron asked her, and she let out an annoyed sigh.

"You have a quick tongue…" she whispered to herself. "Mr. Weas… Ron… You don't need a Dueling Tutor, you need help for your condition."

"Is that why you dropped me?" Ron asked her.

"I didn't drop you because of your brain-damage, or your Chronic Stress" Madam Roberts replied, becoming focused again. "I dropped you because you lied to me. And before you say that you 'only hid the truth', that's considered lying in my books. You put your life in my hands without telling me everything. I find that unacceptable."

"I hid it because I was genuinely scared that you'd drop me" Ron told her, deciding to finally say his piece. "Everyone I know is constantly telling me to 'take it easy'… They mean well, of course… But it still annoys me. And it hurts me too. It makes me feel like they're underestimating me simply because of my condition, whilst ignoring my strengths."

"Strengths?" Madam Roberts asked. "Are you referring to your intellect?"

"No, I'm not actually that smart" Ron replied truthfully, and she blinked at him. "I'm strategic, and clever… But not academically gifted. The only difference between me and my fellow students is that I work harder than them. I spend hours memorizing Spells, while they fly their brooms around. I spend hours practicing against Dueling Dummies, while they socialize. That's my strength. I work hard, and I never give up. And I don't let pain stop me from achieving my goals. Just ask the Veelas at Beauxbatons."

"That… That is respectable" Madam Roberts admitted, and then she looked to an approaching Tom.

"Here you are" Tom announced, levitating the dishes onto the tables. "Pea soup for Jane, and the lot for the young man."

"Thank you, Sir" Ron smiled at him.

"Sir?" Tom laughed, and then he left for the kitchens whilst shaking his head. Snape's done a number on me, hasn't he?

"Now I know why you're so tall" Madam Roberts said, eyeing Ron's meal.

"I know what I did was wrong, and extremely selfish" Ron told her, deciding to keep his efforts going. "And I'm not trying to make excuses for myself. I'm sorry about what I did, truly sorry. All I'm asking for is a chance to learn from you. I'll give you my best, I swear it."

"I know you will" Madam Roberts sighed. "But tell me something, what happens when my training methods push you over the top?"

"Over the top?" Ron asked, beginning his meal.

"Your mind is strained already, and me pushing you to your physical limits will not help it" Madam Roberts replied. "Sooner or later, you'll get hurt. And I will not be a part of that. Never again." Never again? Is this about her conscience again?

"You're refusing to teach me because of something that happened in your past?" Ron asked her, throwing caution to the wind. "Did it have something to do with a former trainee?"

"Yes…" she replied, and then she began drinking her soup. They both ate quietly for a few minutes, and Ron decided to keep his mouth shut. Madam Roberts was clearly struggling with telling him something, and he didn't want to spook her by breaking her concentration. Just eat, and if she decides to talk, then sit still and listen.

---

Five Minutes Later

"What do you know about the Aurors during the Great War?" Madam Roberts asked him suddenly, and Ron looked up immediately.

"I know that they started killing people left and right, with no regard for proper procedures" Ron replied, and she nodded slowly.

"We were losing the war…" Madam Roberts started. "People were dying all over the World, which is why I came to fight for the British Ministry in the first place. After a couple of months, they saw my potential and put me in charge of training the recruits. Things were bad back then… Very bad… The training program was cut in half, and new Aurors were being pumped out every year. This is before the Kill Order came down, so the Ministry was simply hoping to outnumber the Dark Lord's forces. It was a stupid strategy, one that was resulting in an ever increasing death toll. We'd train a student fresh out of Hogwarts, and then send them out to die at the hands of a seasoned killer."

"One of my recruits, was a young man right out of Hogwarts" Madam Roberts went on. "He was a Muggle-Born, and his family had been recently murdered in one of the Dark Lord's raids. Now normally, we wouldn't let someone into the program if their mental state was compromised. But he was pushed through because we 'needed the numbers'… He was a bright lad, and he was hard-working. He was always on time, and the last to leave. His determination impressed me greatly, and I took him under my wing. His name was… His name was Roger."

"Roger became more than my favorite recruit, he became my friend" Madam Roberts continued, her eyes fixed on her empty bowl. "He quickly climbed to the top of the Auror Academy, and when he finally graduated, I immediately put him on my team. We had a mission coming up, one that was incredibly important. We'd learned where a certain Death-Eater was hiding out, and we planned to capture him for interrogation. The Death-Eater was a man named Antonin Dolohov. Have you heard of him?"

"No" Ron shook his head.

"That's surprising considering that he killed your uncles, Fabian and Gideon Prewitt" Madam Roberts told him, and Ron's eyes widened to unnatural proportions. What? What the fuck?!

"Antonin Dolohov…" Ron muttered, memorizing the name. "He killed my uncles? Mum… Mum never talks about her brothers…" If he's not dead already, then he will be soon enough. Ron turned his head and cracked his neck, something that Madam Roberts failed to notice because she was concentrating on her bowl.

"I can understand why" Madam Roberts said. "There were some Death-Eaters that were openly feared by all, and often discussed in the Daily Prophet. Death-Eaters like Bellatrix Lestrange, or her husband, Rodolphus Lestrange… Dolohov wasn't like them. The only people who knew of him were the Aurors, and other authority figures in high places. He wasn't just some psychopathic supremacist. He was a follower of the Dark Lord, and more importantly, he was a follower of the Dark Arts. He was fighting to inflict death upon others with the various Curses that he would create in his spare time. He considered himself an inventor, and the war was his laboratory."

"Many Aurors feared Bellatrix Lestrange because of her insanity, but they feared Dolohov because facing him meant death" Madam Roberts continued, and Ron listened with rapt attention. "Roger was just out of the program when I took him along for such a dangerous assignment, and I did it because I was certain that he could handle it. I trusted him completely, and I thought I knew all of his strengths and weaknesses. But the truth was that I didn't… Roger had lied on his admission form, and he had lied to me for a full year. He had taken it upon himself to hide something that he knew would result in his immediate discharge from the Aurors Academy."

"Roger had Photosensitive Epilepsy, which meant that if he saw flashing lights, he'd risk having a seizure" Madam Roberts said, and then she looked back at Ron with a cold look. Fuck, he hid his mental condition from her. "Dolohov was caught off-guard by us, but he quickly rallied his forces and a skirmish broke out. We managed to take down most of Dolohov's forces due to their lack of coordination, and soon enough, I came across him. We began Dueling, and I assure you, I was barely keeping him at bay. He was using Curses that I had never even heard of before, and all of them came out as bright flashes of lights." Oh fuck.

"Roger came to my aid…" Madam Roberts said, her voice becoming strained for a moment. "And he had a seizure because of Dolohov's Curses… I thought that he got hit with something, and so my guard dropped in a moment of panic. And Dolohov did this…" Madam Roberts trailed her finger over her facial scar. "And then he finished off Roger right in front of me, and when he went to kill me as well, more Aurors came to my aid. Dolohov escaped, and I became one of the only Aurors alive who could claim that they survived a Duel against him. But it didn't feel like an achievement, despite what everyone said to me. No… It became a cruel lesson, one that I would never forget."

"That's why you dropped me" Ron realized, looking into her eyes with genuine guilt. "I reminded you of your friend."

"He didn't want to be dismissed because of his condition" Madam Roberts said. "He wanted revenge for his family, and so he thoughtlessly hid his condition from everyone. In the end, he wasn't my friend. He was only out for himself, and I became the person who blamed herself for years even after the war. Believe me, Ron… You never forget someone who dies because of you."

"I don't want to offend you, but I don't think that his death was your fault" Ron said truthfully.

"Wasn't it? I taught him, I put him on my team, and I never bothered to ask him of his condition."

"You had no way of knowing something like that, and he actively hid it from you" Ron said, doing his best to tread lightly.

"Just like you hid yours from me" Madam Roberts said, her expression hardening. "I've never blamed Roger for having Photosensitive Epilepsy, just like I don't blame you for your condition, but it's the lying that I can't stomach. When you told me of your condition… I couldn't stomach the sight of you…" And here I was thinking that she didn't want to teach a cripple. She doesn't want to teach a liar… And I'm… I lie constantly. I have to.

"I understand why you don't want to teach me now" Ron admitted, deciding that his training wasn't worth her reliving her biggest regret. "I'm sorry for pestering you, and for making you relive something so horrible. I'll… I'll find someone else." Madam Roberts stared at Ron for a few seconds, and then she gave him a curt nod.

"Good luck, Ron" Madam Roberts said as she stood up. "This one's on me… Finish up and go home, it's not safe out here for someone your age."

"I understand" Ron nodded, doing his best to hide his disappointment. "Thank you for all the help you gave me. It truly means a lot to me. Goodbye, Madam Roberts." Madam Roberts gave him a reluctant nod, and then she was gone. Once she had payed Tom and flooed back to the Ministry, Ron slumped in his chair.

"Damn…" Ron muttered to himself. Why didn't I keep trying? Ugh… It feels like I did the right thing, but it also feels like I failed. Ron began finishing up his meal, all the while wondering what he was supposed to do now. Without Madam Roberts, he'd have to search long and hard for a Dueling instructor that was comfortable with teaching him everything that he wanted to learn. Not to mention that Madam Roberts was extremely powerful, and Ron, despite his initial dislike of her, was slowly coming to respect her. It just feels like it ended so abruptly. And it was my own damn fault.

---

Sebastian Greengrass' POV

Thursday 13th August, 1993 (Greengrass Manor – After Lunch)

"Tori! You can't wear emerald green during the party because my dress is emerald green!" Daphne whined loudly, shooting panicked looks at her father and mother. "It's my birthday! And she's taking my dress color!"

"You can both wear the same color, Daphne" Mary sighed, this had been going on for hours. Daphne was planning the whole party by herself, and Tori kept finding ways to aggravate her. It wasn't that Tori was doing it on purpose, but the younger sister wanted whatever the older sister had. She wants to be just like her, and so she constantly finds ways to imitate her.

"But she always gets what she wants! I just want this one thing!" Daphne cried, her eyes tearing up.

"Astoria, find another color" Sebastian ordered, wanting to put an end to the yelling. What followed after his command genuinely baffled Sebastian. Daphne looked visibly shocked, while Tori just stared at Sebastian like he had five heads. Do I really not defend Daphne that often?

"Fine…" Tori pouted miserably, throwing her green dress on the floor. "Green is a stupid color anyway!" With that, she ran off towards her room. Excellent… Mary shot him a frown, and Sebastian pinched the bridge of his nose. I'm going to get an aneurysm when she leaves for Hogwarts. Maybe I should have her homeschooled instead, just to be on the safe side. No… That would destroy her. Sebastian was torn out of his thoughts when his apprentice suddenly stepped into the Living Room, a wide grin on his face.

"Good afternoon!" Ron announced himself, and all three Greengrasses just blinked at him.

"Ron? What are you doing here?" Daphne asked, her upset tone disappearing completely. Mary's right, my daughter is smitten with my apprentice. This is like something out of my romance novels.

"Came to say hello" Ron shrugged, eyeing the green dress on the floor. "There's a dress just there… In case you all missed it…"

"We didn't miss it" Mary shook her head, and then she banished the dress with a flick of her wand. Why is he here? And why is he grinning like that? He wasn't looking that happy even after he won the Tournament on Monday. Something is bothering him.

"Ron, why are you really here?" Sebastian asked. "And don't bother lying."

"Mum read about my chat with the reporters" Ron groaned, losing his fake mirth. "She's threatening to take away my apprenticeship, and I figured that I should warn you before Hurricane Molly makes landfall at your front door." Hurricane Molly?

"Take away your apprenticeship?" Daphne asked, and then she shot another panicked look at Sebastian. "Father, you can't let that happen!"

"I know that" Sebastian said calmly. "Even if she wanted to cancel Ron's apprenticeship, she can't. For the contract to be annulled, Ron has to sign it. And since he clearly doesn't want to do that, there's nothing to worry about. Ronald, a word in my study?"

"Am I in trouble?" Ron grinned sheepishly.

"It depends on what I hear."

---

Five Minutes Later

"Now, tell me everything that's happened" Sebastian ordered as he fixed himself an Apple Brandy. Should I fix him one? It feels good to share a drink with him. For a moment, it feels like I have a son.

"Well, I came home yesterday from Longbottom Manor" Ron started, while Sebastian fixed Ron a small drink. "And the first thing she did was explode on me. She told me that I wasn't allowed to speak to anymore reporters, and things got heated…"

"Heated?" Sebastian asked, handing Ron a snifter. The boy eyed the Apple Brandy warily, but he accepted it nonetheless. "What did you do?"

"Why do you assume that I did something?" Ron asked in return, and then he took a sip from his Snifter.

"Because I know you" Sebastian replied with a smirk. "I'm guessing that you lost your temper and made things far worse."

"She's insane!" Ron defended himself.

"Ronald, do not disrespect your mother" Sebastian said firmly, slightly irked by Ron's childish outburst. "Real men don't speak of their Family in such a manner." Ron averted his gaze and looked down at his snifter, looking like a scolded child.

"I yelled at her, and then we had another fight this morning" Ron spoke to his snifter. "But I didn't argue with her this morning, I swear. I didn't yell, I didn't throw tantrums… I just stood there while she mangled my wrist."

"Mangled your wrist?" Sebastian asked.

"She had a death grip on my wrist in order to stop me from flooing to the Ministry" Ron replied, slowly rubbing his right wrist. "I think she bruised me…"

"Show me" Sebastian said as he walked over him, and Ron pulled back his sleeve. The sight of Ron's scars always turned Sebastian's stomach, but he was slowly getting used to them. What he wasn't used to was the slight bruising around the boy's wrist. Damn.

"She didn't mean it, even I know that" Ron sighed, fixing his sleeve again. "She's just so… If she can't get her way, she makes sure that everyone around her knows it. She doesn't want me talking to reporters, and when Percy and I told her that it was fine, she went mental."

"I see" Sebastian nodded. "Finish your drink Ron, and then help my daughter with her birthday plans. I'll go and speak to your parents about this."

"I should come along" Ron stated.

"I know… But you have a tendency to make things worse when you're upset" Sebastian told him, and Ron slumped in his chair. "Don't worry, I'll have a small chat with them. And then you can go home in order to make things right with everyone. Starting with apologizing to your mother. It doesn't matter how she acted, you owe her the respect of not raising your voice at her."

---

Five Minutes Later

Sebastian stepped into the Burrow from its only fireplace, and he immediately spotted Arthur sleeping on a couch. He probably fell asleep waiting for Ron. Sebastian looked around, and he spotted Ron's siblings playing outside from a window. What are their names again? Fred, George, and Ginny… Where's the fourth one? Sebastian decided that it was best if he got started right now, he really didn't want Ron's siblings getting involved in this. And so, Sebastian walked over and sat down on a nearby chair. And then he reached over and shook Arthur awake.

"Is he here?" Arthur asked as woke up, his groggy eyes going to Sebastian. He looks exhausted.

"Burning the midnight oil at the Ministry, Arthur?" Sebastian asked, and Arthur rubbed his eyes clear.

"Sebastian? What are you doing in here?" Arthur asked, looking rather surprised. "Where is Ron?"

"At the Manor" Sebastian replied. "I decided that I'd let him cool off for a bit before he came home. He tends to escalate things when he's riled up."

"I see…" Arthur yawned, and then he stretched his back. "Is he really that riled up?"

"Sort of" Sebastian replied. How do I tell him what I really think without upsetting him? "He's mostly riled up about Molly's ultimatum. Other than that… I don't think he really cares about the argument."

"Doesn't care about the argument?" Arthur blinked.

"When you go through something enough times, you tend to get used to it" Sebastian replied. "And Ron's relationship with the both of you has been… turbulent at best."

"I… understand" Arthur sighed as he rubbed his face. "Does he want to come home? Or does he want to stay at yours?"

"He wants to be here, but he also wants to be left alone" Sebastian replied. "Tell me, are your other children as challenging as Ron?" If so, then you have my sympathies.

"No…" Arthur shook his head. "Ron is definitely the most challenging, which is insane because he used to be the easiest at one point. All he wanted was food and attention. And now…"

"Food and attention? No child is that simple" Sebastian said, and Arthur just nodded to himself.

"Ron was easy to forget about" Arthur sighed, looking a decade older than he was. Neglect, you mean.

"Is Molly still trying to go through with her ultimatum?" Sebastian asked, deciding to steer clear of their family drama.

"No, she's calmed down" Arthur replied. "She's asleep right now, I think. Her whole outburst was due to some personal issues… It had nothing to do with Chess really…"

"That's good, it'll make everything easier for everyone involved" Sebastian nodded as he stood up. "I'll go and get Ron, and then we can put this to bed."

---

Ronald Weasley's POV

Thursday 13th August, 1993 (Greengrass Manor – Afternoon)

"Shepard's pie?" Ron read from the catering list, and then he looked at Daphne with narrowed eyes. "This wasn't on here before… I read the list, remember?"

"I put it on for you" Daphne replied, her eyes fixed on the decorations list. "It's your favorite, isn't it?" Oh…

"Thanks" Ron smiled, putting the list down again. Ron then shot a look towards Mary, who was completely engrossed in her book. I've had a horrible day, but maybe Daphne could…

"Don't even think about it" Daphne whispered, shooting him a quick smirk.

"Think about what?" Ron whispered back.

"I can see you looking at mother to check if she's watching us" Daphne whispered. "Not here. Let me make an excuse so we can go up to my room." YES!

"Okay" Ron grinned, glad that at least something was going his way today.

"Ron, there you are" came Lord Greengrass' voice, and everyone looked to see Lord Greengrass step into the room. "Come along, everything has been sorted." Damnit! The Universe fucks me over again!

"That quickly?" Ron asked. "You were gone for like ten minutes."

"Your father had already calmed everyone down, I'm just the errand boy" Lord Greengrass replied. "Let's go."

"Bye, Ron" Daphne gave him a sorry smile, and Ron fought the urge to drag his feet. This fucking day just won't end… Ron followed Lord Greengrass towards the fireplaces, and then they both flooed back to the Burrow. The moment Ron stepped into his house, he saw his father sitting in wait.

"Hello, son" Arthur greeted Ron with a smile, and Ron smiled back.

"Hey, dad" Ron greeted back, and then he walked over and sat down on an empty chair.

"You don't need me for this, do you?" Lord Greengrass asked Arthur, and Arthur shook his head.

"No, but thank you for bringing him here" Arthur replied, and Lord Greengrass nodded.

"I'll see you on Saturday, Ron" Lord Greengrass said, and Ron nodded at him. I fucking hope so.

"Goodbye, my Lord" Ron waved his farewell, and Lord Greengrass flooed back to the Manor.

"You look sick, son" Arthur pointed out with a gentle voice.

"I know…" Ron replied, bracing himself for a scolding. "I didn't sleep much last night…"

"Why?"

"I had a really bad headache… and nightmares…" Ron admitted, and then he gave his father a withered look. "I'll apologize to her, but only if she apologizes to me."

"That's fair, you were both in the wrong" Arthur agreed, but his mind was stuck on Ron's 'headache and nightmares'. "Why did you have a headache?"

"I don't know" Ron shrugged. "They come and go…"

"You don't have to lie to me, Ron" Arthur said. "Did you have stress moments because of your fight with your mother?" Damn.

"I did" Ron sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Then why not just say that?" Arthur asked. "I'm not going to judge you, I just want to help you."

"I don't like talking about that stuff with anyone, except for Pomfrey" Ron replied. "I don't like how people start acting around me when I do tell them what's wrong with me. Why make drama when I can just deal with the situation myself?"

"Because regardless of whether or not you talk about it, the people who love you can see that you're troubled" Arthur pointed out, and then he patted the seat to his left. "Sit with me, son." Ron got up and did as he was told, and the moment he sat down, his father put an arm around him. "Let's talk, man to man."

"Man to man?" Ron repeated, trying not laugh at the absurdity of his father's words.

"It's an expression, Ron" Arthur chuckled. "I want us to talk to each other without holding back."

"Ugh…" Ron groaned.

"Just once, Ron" Arthur assured him. "Just tell me what's bothering you, and I'll tell you about what's bothering me." Great, sappy nonsense it is.

"Then you go first" Ron suggested.

"Why?" Arthur asked, amused by Ron's childish request.

"That way I know that you won't get one over me" Ron replied, and Arthur was genuinely lost for words. Arthur then drew in a deep breath, and he decided to humor Ron. "But wait… Where are the others?"

"Ginny is flying her broom, the twins are… blowing things up, and Percy is visiting his girlfriend in London" Arthur replied. "And your mother is asleep."

"In the middle of the day?" Ron asked.

"She tired herself out" Arthur replied, and Ron nodded slowly. "Can I start now?"

"By all means" Ron replied, relaxing slightly because of his father's gentle tone.

"I feel like I'm not doing enough to help you" Arthur said, and then he looked to Ron.

"My turn?" Ron asked. That's it?

"We each say one thing until we have nothing left to say" Arthur explained. Well, you're gonna be here for a while. I feel like there's a demon in my head. Your turn!

"I feel like people underestimate me" Ron said. "But they do it simply because they think of nothing but my condition." Madam Roberts might be the only person who didn't feel that way, but I accused her of it nonetheless.

"I feel like you push yourself too much, and I'm scared that you're going to get hurt" Arthur said, remembering his son's words. Arthur planned to remember this conversation for future events.

"I feel like people say things like 'you push yourself too much' without even understanding why I do it" Ron said, annoyed with hearing that phrase for the hundredth time. "I don't push myself because I'm mental, I do it because what's the point of doing something if you don't do it right?" All the previous Rons fucked it up, and now I'm stuck dealing with this mess.

"I feel like I don't know how to approach you when you're upset" Arthur said, shooting a look outside to make sure that his other children weren't coming in.

"I feel like I don't constantly need other people's emotional support" Ron said. "I have Pomfrey for that." And I have Daphne too. "Other people get upset, but they don't get put under a microscope for it. If I get upset, every person from here to Hogwarts crawls into my arse."

"I feel like Charlie has permanently damaged your vocabulary" Arthur frowned, and Ron bit back a traitorous laugh. This is serious, so be serious.

"I feel like…" Ron started, but then he trailed off. Arthur waited patiently for his son, who suddenly had a conflicted look on his face. Just say it. "I feel like I get punished simply because I'm not living up to what other people want me to be." Arthur just blinked at Ron, waiting for him to go on. "Charlie beat me up because he wanted his 'little brother' back. Mum sent that disgusting letter to me during my first week at Hogwarts, and she's never apologized for it. She even had no trouble hitting me when Harry turned against me, and she certainly didn't care to hear my side of things…" Pandora listened to me. Sirius listened to me. Every fucking adult listened to me, but not her.

"Son, no one wants to…"

"You tried to rip me away from my friends because you hated me being in Slytherin" Ron reminded his father, and Arthur slowly looked down at the coffee table in front of them. "Look at me…" Ron whispered coldly, and Arthur looked back at Ron. "You wanted to do this, right? Your turn."

"I miss who you used to be" Arthur admitted, and Ron felt like someone had kicked him in the stomach.

"Why?" Ron asked, his eyes tearing up. "Why? I've done nothing to be hated by you lot…"

"No, no one hates you Ron" Arthur quickly assured his son, all the pulling him into an awkward hug. "I miss who you used to be, but that doesn't mean that I don't love the person you are now. I'll always love you, son, no matter what happens. And I am proud of you, more proud than you can imagine."

"It doesn't feel like you are" Ron cried, his face buried in his father's chest. Get a grip… Stop being so weak… "It feels like no matter what I do, no matter what I accomplish, no one gives a damn about me… You all just want 'Ronnie' back… Mum even called me horrible and cruel today, and I don't even know why…"

"I know, you're siblings told me" Arthur squeezed Ron more tightly, while Ron released a strained sob. "Just let it out son, don't hold back." No. Stop crying. Ron had to clench his jaw in order to keep himself from releasing more sobs, and even though his eyes were leaking traitorous tears, Ron managed to stop himself from crying.

"I'm fine…" Ron cleared his throat, but his father didn't let go of him. Ron thought about protesting, but he stopped when he realized that he hadn't hugged his father in ages. So Ron just sat there, breathing in his father's parchment-like smell. He said that he was proud of me…

---

Ginny Weasley's POV

Thursday 13th August, 1993 (The Burrow – Late Afternoon)

Ginny flew down after the battered old Snitch, her eyes focused on it with hawk-like precision. Just a bit more, and then I can grab it. Ginny leaned forward slightly, pushing her broom's speed to its limit. And then, she suddenly reached for the Snitch and caught it. It was a tough little bugger, and it tried to resist at first, but Ginny's firm grip put that resistance to an end. Ginny slowly flew down to the ground, and once she was a couple of feet above it, she hopped off of her broom and landed on her two feet.

As Ginny was wiping the sweat from her brow, she suddenly heard a loud bang from behind the Burrow, and then she saw the twins running towards the house in hysterical laughter. What did they just do? Are they using explosives?! Mum is going to kill them! Ginny hopped back onto her broom, and she quickly flew over to them.

"What did you two just do?" Ginny asked them, and the twins stopped laughing at the sight of her.

"We did nothing, Gin-Gin" the both lied, giving her identical grins.

"Mum is already angry, and you two are blowing things up?" Ginny asked, utterly shocked at their stupidity.

"Actually…" Fred grinned.

"Dad told us to do it" George grinned. Huh?

"Told you to do what?" Ginny asked slowly as she hopped off of her broom.

"Something was clogging the well, so we detonated a small explosive to clear up the way" Fred chuckled, looking like he was having the time of his life.

"And no Ginny, it won't do anything to poison the water" George ruffled her hair, laughing when she tried to smack his hands.

"We were very careful" they both said together.

"You probably woke mum up" Ginny told them, and they shrugged at her.

"Which is why we were running…" Fred started.

"Towards our room" George finished.

"You should follow our example" they said together, and then they both quickly made their way into the house. They're right, I don't to get in any trouble. Mum went off the deep end with Ron this morning. Sure, he was being an absolute git, but she was really harsh with him. Ginny put her broom in between her left armpit, and she quickly followed after the twins, only to bump into one of their backs as she entered the front door.

"Ow… Move…" Ginny rubbed her nose with her right hand, but they were just staring into the living room. What are they looking at? Ginny wedged her head between the twins, and she found herself staring at her father and Ron. Only Ron had his face buried in their father's chest, and he was snoring.

"I've walked in on weirder things" Fred stated.

"As have I" George pulled a face at his twin, remembering the time he had walked in on Fred rubbing one out.

"Well, I haven't" Ginny said, wondering what was going on. It looks like dad smothered Ron to death with his chest. Their father suddenly noticed their presence and he beckoned them over. All three siblings slowly walked into the room, each of them trying to get a look at Ron's face.

"You've killed him" Fred accused their father.

"You monster" George added.

"My wand is in the kitchen, go and grab it" Arthur told them, ignoring their flare for the dramatic. The twins played a quick match of 'rock paper scissors', and Fred lost.

"Cheater" Fred groaned, leaving for the kitchen.

"Is Ron alright?" Ginny decided to ask, making sure to whisper in order to not wake him.

"He's had a long day, and he needed some rest" Arthur told them. His son had been dropped by his Dueling instructor, and he had taken that to heart. Ron had actually fallen asleep mid story, and Arthur didn't have the heart to wake him up.

"Long day?" George asked. "Is it because of what mum said?"

"Partly" Arthur sighed. "Now be quiet, I don't want him to wake up."

"Here you are" Fred said as he handed their father his wand.

"Locomotor" their father chanted as he aimed the wand at Ron's body. Ron suddenly began to levitate a few inches into the air, and his face finally became visible. His eyes were red and puffy, which meant that he had been crying.

"Why was he crying?" Ginny asked immediately.

"He… He was dropped by his Dueling trainer today" Arthur told them, deciding that hiding something like that was pointless.

"Oh…" the twins muttered. He was dropped? Why? Ginny didn't know who this instructor was, but she wanted to tell them off for being so stupid. Who would drop Ron as a student? An idiot, that's who.

"Now out of the way please, and make sure that he doesn't hit his head" Arthur said as he began taking Ron towards his room. The twins followed after their father and Ron, making sure that Ron didn't hit the narrow walls, while Ginny walked behind the twins. After a lot of stairs, they finally reached Ron's room, and Arthur put Ron on the bed after Ginny pulled back the covers. Once their father lifted the Charm, Ginny covered Ron's body with his covers.

"Right…" Arthur stretched, and then he rubbed his face. "I'm going to sleep, so please keep it down."

"Understood" the twins sighed, annoyed at the fact that they couldn't try out another bomb. Their father then left the room, leaving Ginny and the twins watching over Ron's sleeping form.

"So his Dueling instructor dropped him…" Fred started.

"On the same day that mum went mental on him" George finished.

"Rough day" they both said together, watching Ron's slightly blotchy face.

"You don't think she's going to take his Chess career from him, do you?" Ginny whispered.

"Maybe…" they both shrugged, and then they both left for their room. Ginny thought about leaving too, but instead she sat down on the edge of his bed. Without really realizing it, she started fidgeting with her Charmed bracelet again.

"Sorry about your day" she whispered as she stared at his pale features. "And I'm sorry that mum said those things to you. She was just upset, and you know that she can sometimes go overboard. Like the time she forced Charlie to shave his first moustache… Never mind, that moustache was gross." Ginny was about to leave when the twins suddenly came back into the room, their arms full of sweets. Ginny watched them with a gaping mouth as they dropped the sweets onto Ron's desk, and then they casually made their way out again. What was that?

"Well, at least your day will get better from here" Ginny smiled down at Ron, and then she leaned forward and kissed his forehead. "Sleep well, Ronnie."

---

Severus Snape's POV

Thursday 13th August, 1993 (Dumbledore's Office – Near Midnight)

It had been quite the day at Hogwarts, mostly because Albus had shown up with hundreds of diplomats in order to celebrate avoiding a war against the Muggles. Snape himself was extremely curious to know just how Albus had avoided this calamity, but he had to wait. Snape was, after all, a known former Death-Eater, and despite being the Order's spy, his presence would be insulting to Albus' guests. And so he had spent the entire day tending to his Potions, even forgetting to eat after breakfast. But now his wait was finally over.

"Ah, Severus" came Albus' voice as soon as Snape walked through the old man's fireplace. "It is good to see you again, my friend." Snape observed Albus' features as he took his usual seat, the Headmaster was looking much better compared to the last time Snape had seen him.

"Welcome back, Albus" Snape said.

"Lemon-Drop?" Albus asked as he offered Snape one, and Snape refused by raising his hand. Merlin Curse the fool who made Lemon-Drops. "More for me then" Albus chuckled, popping one into his mouth.

"So you avoided the Wizard-Muggle war, congratulations" Snape said, and Albus nodded slowly. "Your diplomats certainly seemed pleased, I could hear them down in my lab."

"Yes, they were quite proud of themselves" Albus said, his eyes twinkling at Snape. "Why didn't you join us? The other Heads of Houses were asking about you."

"You know why" Snape replied coldly. Not that I mind, I prefer working with my Potions over socializing with half-wits.

"I would have enjoyed having you there" Albus smiled in his usual way, both kind and sagely.

"Would Fudge share your sentiment?" Snape cocked an eyebrow at Albus.

"Probably not, but it would be quite funny to see you eating with him" Albus chuckled, and Snape rolled his eyes.

"Did the stress of nearly starting a war drive you insane?" Snape asked, but Albus' eyes kept twinkling from amusement.

"Insanity is a perfectly rational adjustment to an insane World" Albus remarked.

"Not when you're behind the World becoming insane in the first place" Snape retorted, and Albus chuckled once again.

"I've missed our chats, Severus" Albus admitted. "The last few days have been… trying."

"I can imagine" Snape said, and then he leaned forward in his chair. "So how did you do it? How did you avoid this war?"

"The Gaia Project" Albus replied, and Snape waited for him to go on. "We wizards and witches will heal the damage done to the Forests' lands, while the Muggle Officials will spin a tale about a wildfire."

"They were already doing that" Snape pointed out. "And how are you going to heal the damage done by Fiendfyre? It's impossible."

"You're right, it is impossible to heal the damage done by the Cursed Flames" Albus replied, becoming serious all of a sudden. "Which is why we dug into the Earth in order to discover just how deep the damage went. It went… far. All of the burned land will need to be excavated, and then refilled with undamaged soil."

"All of the burned land?" Snape repeated slowly, this was an insane plan. "The logistics alone… Albus, this project of yours will bankrupt Albania's Ministry. How did you convince them to go along with this?"

"Albania will not shoulder this burden alone" Albus replied.

"Fudge signed us up?" Snape hissed, and Albus nodded. "Damn that fool! His need for good publicity is going to drive this country into the dirt!"

"Quite the opposite, Severus" Albus told him, and Snape's anger was replaced by curiosity and confusion. "His 'selfless' act inspired the diplomats, who all contacted their own Ministries. Every European Ministry has offered to chip in, we're even getting aid from The Magical Congress of the United States. The only problem now is that Fudge turned giving help into a competition…"

"Competition?"

"He has sent over seventy percent of our Ministry's manpower to Albania" Albus sighed. Seventy percent?! Who is going to be running our Ministry?!

"Merlin…" Snape muttered, feeling the need to put on his Death-Eater cloak once again and paying Fudge a visit. "You couldn't stop him?"

"I tried to caution reason, but he is becoming more and more irrational" Albus replied. "Madam Amelia Bones' reputation is beginning to overshadow his own, and so he feels the need to strengthen his position within the Ministry." Let's put a pin in that and come back to it later.

"How does this project of yours really work?" Snape asked.

"Excavation has already started, we certainly have the manpower for it" Albus explained. "That will take around three months or so, depending on any unforeseen issues. Powerful Concealment Charms have been placed around the burned lands, and there are teams delegated to making sure that those Charms stay in place. The Albanian Ministry is providing security as well as manpower, and the costs are being split equally between the European Ministries."

"And the fresh soil?" Snape asked.

"A small portion of fresh soil will be taken from the unburned lands, and then duplicated via the Doubling Charm" Albus replied.

"The Gemino Curse, you mean" Snape said, and Albus nodded. "Ingenious…"

"Once the excavated land has been filled with the fresh soil, we will use Herbology to cultivate the Forests in order to keep the Muggle Officials' tale consistent" Albus said as he relaxed into his chair. "I imagine that everything will be back to normal within five to six months."

"Normal?" Snape asked. "How much is this going to cost in total?"

"A lot" Albus replied. "The workers have to be paid, those affected by the Cursed Flames have to be compensated, and the Muggle Government of Albania is demanding a very large ransom. Not to mention repopulating the Forests. We are looking at millions of Galleons." Millions? Merlin help us all.

"Your mistake has weakened all of Europe, Albus" Snape said, unable to keep the venom out of his voice. This will only serve to aid the Dark Lord once he returns. "Are the Goblins going to help us pay?"

"No, they outright refused" Albus replied.

"Self-serving beasts… If our World is discovered, then they will be discovered alongside us" Snape pointed out.

"Wizard-kind has always been cruel to them" Albus reminded Snape. "Is it truly surprising that they do not wish to pay for our sins?" Your sins, you mean.

"And what are you going to do about Fudge's idiocy?" Snape asked.

"I have spent the entire day planting a seed in his mind" Albus replied. "Once it blossoms, he will realize that his need for popularity has outgrown his common sense. We should have the Ministry back in working order within a week."

"So it's all finished then? You're here for good?" Snape asked, and Albus gave him a nod. Now we can get started on our actual plans.

"Did you get a chance to speak with Ronald?" Albus asked, his voice coming out as far too professional. He's still guilty about his actions. Good. He's not the kind of man who can afford to make mistakes, and hopefully he's learned that lesson.

"I did" Snape replied, frowning at the memory of the encounter. The boy caught me off guard with his question. And his threat.

"It didn't go well?" Albus asked.

"He told me that he'd still inform us of his visions, but only when he deemed it necessary" Snape replied. "So we're still partners, I suppose."

"That's good" Albus nodded slowly, immensely relieved at not losing such a valuable asset.

"He's angry" Snape stated, and then he looked right into Albus' eyes. "He threatened to kill me, and you, if we got in the way of his plans. And Albus… He meant it."

"I see" Albus sighed, a somber look marking his features. "Maybe it was just his anger talking?"

"Maybe…" Snape replied slowly, but he didn't really believe it. "He was angry, Albus. But it wasn't just blind rage… It was focused, and he spoke as if he had spent hours figuring out why he was angry. He asked me a question that I still can't answer in my head… Not without lying to myself." I know that I would choose Lily over anyone else, and he called me out on it without even knowing about her. He beat me.

"A question?" Albus asked.

"It doesn't matter" Snape replied, not keen on repeating the conversation. "I tried to teach him an important lesson, but he used his logic to prove me a hypocrite. He has no shame about choosing his loved ones over strangers, and personally, I can't help but understand that." A thirteen year old with so much clarity? It's utterly bizarre. But then again, Ron has been through some rather horrific things. Only Merlin knows how that boy's mind even works at this point.

"Every life matters, Severus."

"That's easy to say, but when it comes down to it, people always choose whom they love" Snape said, thinking about Ron's words. "You might want a savior, Albus, but what you got was a cold strategist instead. Personally, I prefer that over whatever decorative hero you've been waiting for."

"Harry is the one we've been waiting for, not Ronald" Albus said, and Snape frowned at the thought of being led by Potter. "Harry is the key to defeating Lord Voldemort, and he has the gift to inspire loyalty in others. I believe that Harry will lead us to salvation."

"And Ron?"

"Ronald will be like us" Albus replied, looking almost upset due to that thought himself. "He will play his part, but he will play it from the shadows. His power cannot be discovered by the Dark. With it, Lord Voldemort will become unstoppable. That is if the Entity doesn't end Ronald and restart the Cycle once again."

"Damn, I almost forgot about that" Snape frowned deeply, it all still sounded like a fairytale to Snape. "Gods, Champions, and the Dark Lord… It's almost unbelievable."

"It is" Albus agreed. "But enough about that, I'm simply glad that Ronald is not completely lost to us. How have you been, Severus?"

"I went to the abandoned Lestrange House like we discussed, and I found nothing" Snape started, but he stopped when he saw Albus just smiling at him. "What?"

"I asked how you were, Severus. Not your mission" Albus replied, smiling in his kindly manner. "You look gaunt… Have you been eating properly?" No, I haven't. I don't have time to waste, especially considering that I've been running around the country on your orders.

"I eat" Snape replied, ignoring Albus' smile. "Like I was saying, I found nothing at the Lestrange House. It was completely abandoned, and other than the Fidelius Charm, it had no other protections. The Dark Lord wasn't there, of that I'm certain. I left behind an Alarm Charm just in case, but I doubt that it'll ring."

"Where could he have gone?" Albus rubbed his chin. "We will have to continue our search for him after school starts. I have to start sorting out the staff immediately." Speaking of staff…

"Hagrid, that giant idiot you're so fond of, told Potter that you went to Albania" Snape told Albus, and Albus pinched the bridge of his slightly crooked nose. "Potter somehow managed to come to the conclusion that you were hunting the Dark Lord, and he has been telling his 'friends' of his theories."

"He is certainly bright, isn't he?" Albus asked, a hint of pride in his voice.

"He got lucky" Snape remarked without a second thought.

"I imagine Ronald told you of this" Albus figured, and Snape nodded. "How many people actually know?"

"Potter, Granger, Longbottom, and Ron" Snape replied, and he missed Albus smiling at him for calling Ronald by his preferred name. "Lupin and Black don't know the details, but they do know that you went to Albania for a few meetings. I had to tell them that you were on important Wizengamot business, and that Potter was going to get you into trouble if he kept running his mouth. That boy has no sense of subtlety, but then again, the Potters are all an attention seeking lot. So I'm not really surprised."

"Hagrid made a mistake" Albus said, ignoring Snape's comment about the Potters. "I will tell him to be more careful from now on."

"That's it?" Snape frowned. "He gets a slap on the wrist for telling a loudmouthed brat about your plans? Let's not forget that this idiot also told Potter about the Stone, and Quirrell for that matter. Or that he smuggled a Dragon Egg into Hogwarts, or the time he split up children in the Forbidden Forest. Albus, see reason… That oaf cannot be trusted with important things."

"He has a good heart, Severus" Albus said.

"And a simple brain" Snape shot back. "If you want my help, Albus, then Hagrid is not to be involved. Give him missions if you like, but don't even bother involving me if he's involved."

"Alright, if that's what you want" Albus agreed, and then he let out a soft chuckle. "By the way, I'm making Hagrid the Professor of Care of Magical Creatures this year." Is… Is he serious?

"Of course you are" Snape said in a deadpan voice.

"I can think of no one better" Albus' eyes twinkled. "Is that alright with you?"

"Does it even matter to you?" Snape asked.

"As the Headmaster of Hogwarts, it's my duty to insure that my staff are happy" Albus replied. Barmy old man.

"Do as you please" Snape said coldly. "But trust me on this, he will favor everyone but my students." Like every other Professor in this school, with the exception of Pomona.

"I know" Albus admitted. "It is a shame, but there is very little that I can do about that. I will tell him to be fair, but I know that Hagrid thinks with his heart."

"And the Defense Against the Dark Arts position?" Snape asked, trying not to sound greedy. I know more about the Dark Arts than most people in this country.

"I am still looking" Albus replied, he could see just how badly Snape wanted the position. "But I do have a certain individual in mind. I just need to speak to him first, and then I'll let you know." I see.

"I can see that you have it all figured out then" Snape said, controlling his emotions with Occlumency. "Welcome back, Headmaster." Snape then stood up, and walked over to the fireplace.

"Severus" Albus called, and Snape looked at him. "You would make an excellent Professor for the Defense position, but that is not where I need you. Not right now." Snape just stared at Albus for a couple of seconds, then he flooed back to his lab.

The lab was running hot at the moment, and the sound of bubbling Potions eased his mind slightly. The truth was that he desperately wanted the Defense position, mostly because he planned to teach the students how to actually face the Dark Arts. He didn't want to follow some pre-set syllabus, he wanted to revolutionize it. He wanted to prepare the students of Hogwarts for the upcoming war, a war that he always knew was looming over the horizon.

Snape walked over to his desk, and much to his surprise, there was a hot plate of food waiting for him. Who left this here? Who came into my lab despite me locking it? Snape spotted the small card next to his plate, and he picked it up with deep frown.

Make sure you eat this, Severus.

Minerva.

Snape put down the card, his frown slowly disappearing. Mothering hen… Snape sat down, and after staring at the plate for a few seconds, he began eating. Who's this 'individual' that Albus wants to talk to for the Defense position?

---

Ronald Weasley's POV

Friday 14th August, 1993 (The Rookery – Afternoon)

Ron had woken up in the middle of the night, and he had been too well rested to go back to sleep again. Much to his surprise, someone had left him a lot of sweets to enjoy. Ron figured that it was the twins, mostly because their 'hidden' stash was something of a mystery in the Burrow. Arthur and Molly had spent hours searching for it, as had the other children, but none had discovered where the twins kept their hoard of goodies. After failing to resist the allure of such a gift, Ron had devoured the entire lot within minutes. He had also promised himself that he'd repay the twins for their kindness, and if they ever wanted something that they couldn't get their hands on, Ron would make sure that they got it.

Ron had then called in Marty for his report, and fortunately for Ron, Marty had managed to learn quite a lot. It turned out that the diplomats were invited to Hogwarts by Dumbledore in order to celebrate their success at avoiding a war against the Muggle. Even though Ron was still angry with Dumbledore, he was glad that the old wizard had managed to fix his mistake.

Marty had then informed Ron on 'The Gaia Project', which was being discussed by all the diplomats rather openly. Ron was genuinely impressed with the idea, and with himself for sharing the same train of thought as Dumbledore. The Gaia Project would no doubt be announced very soon, especially because people were bound to start asking questions about where the Ministry's workers went. Marty had also informed Ron of the expected costs of such an undertaking, and Ron had cringed at the realization that Dumbledore had weakened all of Europe with just one mistake. That man held too much power, and if he ever fucked up, he fucked up colossally.

Once Marty had left, Ron had spent his time finishing up his last Transfiguration textbook. After that, Ron had gone for his morning run and done his Circuit Training. Ron couldn't deny that he felt rather upset as he did his Circuit Training, mostly because he realized that his own mistakes had cost him such a golden opportunity. The Universe had handed him a perfect tutor, and he had squandered it because of his own insecurities. That couldn't stand. Ron had to succeed in his Cycle, and mistakes were like weeds in that they would keep growing if they weren't tended to.

And so he had decided to get his head on straight once again, and to act like a competent strategist in all things. There was no point in wallowing in his own misery, not when he had so many things to do before Hogwarts reopened. Ron quickly made a schedule for himself after his epiphany, and he planned to follow through with it. He needed to see Xeno and ask him some non-invasive questions about his plans in regards to The Quibbler, all the while influencing him not to sell to the Daily Prophet. Then he needed to go see Gornuk, and get some idea of what his contract with Xeno would look like. And then he had to sell the idea to Xeno, and get him to hand over his signature. After that, he'd start looking for potential investors. And then staff. And then re-advertising…

A million things to do, and only two weeks before he was boarding the train to Hogwarts once again. Ron would be lying if his self-set goal wasn't getting to him already, but he decided to power through it. What was a little stress compared to the chance of helping people like Priscilla? Nothing. The Universe had handed him another golden opportunity, and unlike his previous one, Ron had no intention of squandering this one.

Breakfast at the Burrow had been… awkward. Percy was still not home, which meant that he had 'spent the night' at Penelope Clearwater's house. And his mother had decided to do what she always did when she made a mistake, she began coddling Ron. No apology, no explanation… Just mollycoddling. It was like the 'letter incident' all over again, and Ron couldn't help but feel annoyed at himself. Why had he just let her get away with the letter? Why did she always start ignoring her own mistakes in favor of pretending like a fight never happened? He had thought about calling her out on it, but he had held his tongue. He had work to do, and if Molly Weasley was content to simply ignore the drama that she had created, then so was he. For the time being, at least.

After breakfast, Ginny and the twins had expressed their sympathies for him losing his trainer. And then they had told him that he was a massive git to them all, and that he needed to apologize for his harsh words. Ron had made his apology, and he had genuinely meant it. He had then thanked the twins for the sweets, and then departed for the Rookery. Luna had been eagerly awaiting his arrival, and from the moment he flooed in, she was attached to his hip. And so here he was now, painting out in the fresh air when he needed to be talking to Xeno.

"I've missed this" Pandora hummed, smiling contently as she handled her brush with impressive skill.

"Me too" Luna hummed as well, mimicking her mother's voice. They're like the same person, so much so that it's eerie.

"What are you two painting?" Ron asked them, eyeing his demented drawing of a 'pumpkin'. Merlin, I'm so bad at this.

"We're almost finished" Pandora said airily. "Then we can show each other our work." Can I not do that? My pumpkin is starting to scare even me.

"I'm finished" Luna said, putting her brush down. "Just waiting on you now, mum."

"Patience is a virtue, my love" Pandora smiled at her daughter, who nodded in understanding. Patience is a pain in the arse. Especially when you have to do a million things in a small amount of time. I might as well think of some potential investors while I'm waiting. Lord Greengrass, Lady Longbottom, 'Lord' Black… Maybe even Clementine Zabini? No, not her. Despite her looks, I don't like her very much. And I definitely don't want to be her friend.

---

Five Minutes Later

"Done" Pandora said, putting her brush down. Finally!

"Can we show each other our paintings now?" Luna asked excitedly, and Pandora nodded. Luna then turned hers around, and Ron had to admit, it was actually quite amazing. "It's the Grey Lady" Luna explained to Ron as he observed the sad, but beautiful, young woman flying around in an abandoned Hallway. "She's our House Ghost."

"I know" Ron smiled at Luna. "That's amazing Luna, really amazing." Burn your painting, Ron! Don't let them see the garbage your mind has given birth to!

"Thanks" Luna smiled widely, mentally patting her own back. "Your turn."

"Um… Pandora, let's see what you made first" Ron said, looking to Pandora with a semi-pleading look.

"Certainly" Pandora gave him a knowing smile, and then she showed them her painting. It was… perfect.

"Wow" Luna got out of her seat, eyeing the painting with a sharp eye. Pandora had painted Luna and Ron painting their own paintings using vibrant colors, which really brought the meticulous painting to life. Damn… I'm about to embarrass the Weasley name. "We should hang this one, mum" Luna suggested, and Pandora nodded in agreement.

"I think I'll hang it in the Living Room" Pandora mused, and then she looked to Ron. Ron sighed in defeat, and then he showed them his 'pumpkin'. Luna immediately stifled a laugh, making Ron's ears turn red. I'm sorry for shaming our family, dad.

"Go ahead…" Ron frowned miserably, and Luna began laughing at his painting. It was of a 'pumpkin' sitting on a bed of green.

"I didn't know that you loved pumpkins, Ron" Pandora smiled, amused by Ron's ever-growing blush.

"That's a pumpkin?" Luna laughed, and Ron grumbled to himself. "Why is it so angular?"

"Why are you so angular?" Ron asked her, but she just laughed off his terrible retort.

"Luna, you shouldn't laugh at people expressing themselves" Pandora said. "That pumpkin is clearly a representation of how Ron sees himself."

"Is that an insult?" Ron asked, slightly confused.

"The fact that you think it is makes it one" Pandora chuckled, somehow controlling her own urge to laugh.

"I should've painted a chess piece…" Ron muttered, mentally smacking his own forehead.

---

Thirty Minutes Later

Pandora was currently preparing sandwiches for lunch, and Luna had run off to use the loo. This gave Ron the perfect opportunity to sneak into Xeno's study, which used to be Pandora's lab. Ron hadn't been down there since he had saved Pandora's life, and Ron knew that it was because he was afraid of this place. It reminded him of his horrible vision, and of the sounds Pandora had made while she was drowning in her own blood. This was the place where Ron's powers had been confirmed, and his entire life had changed. For better or for worse…

As Ron crossed the stairs and fully entered the lab, his eyes travelled to the middle of the room on instinct. There was an eerie silence in the room, one that was disturbed only by Xeno's quill scratching the parchment he was writing on. Ron however, could only focus on the spot where he had been reborn. Where he had started his journey to become who he was now, and who he would one day become. That's where she died in my vision, and that's where I saved her life. Ron slowly walked closer to that spot, and for some reason, he could hear the sound of someone gurgling faintly in the back of his mind.

Ron kneeled down and stroked his gloved hand over the stones, and for a moment, he felt the fear that he had felt that day. The tips of his fingers felt agitated, but he ignored them. I saved her, and that's all that matters. I won. I beat my own fears, and I saved a woman's life. Ron then looked to where the ward had been, and unsurprisingly, it was covered by a large chart. A memory that's best left forgotten.

"Ron?" came Xeno's voice, and Ron quickly looked to him. Xeno was just staring at him, and the look on his face made it clear that he knew what Ron was doing. "It's alright, I sometimes just stare that spot too."

"Yeah…" Ron all but whispered, and then he stood back up. Focus on your goal, Ron. "What are you up to, Xeno?" Ron asked as he approached the man.

"Working on my latest issue" Xeno sighed, turning back to his hundredth draft. "I've never had so much trouble with one before, and I swear to the Hallows, I'm at my wit's end." The Hallows? What's that?

"Are you writing about what happened in Albania?" Ron asked, leaning against a bookshelf.

"I am" Xeno nodded, shooting a smile at Ron. "Clever boy."

"Maybe I can help you out somehow" Ron suggested, and Xeno chuckled as he leaned back in his seat.

"Alright, give it a quick read and then tell me what it's missing" Xeno gestured to the draft. So far so good.

---

Five Minutes Later

Ron had quickly gone over Xeno's draft of the article and The Quibbler's latest issue, and he could easily see what was wrong. It was inconsistent. The entire issue was riddled with insane tripe, but the article was completely dead-serious. It made the article come off as grim rather than informative, and due to Xeno's tall tales mere pages before, the article felt more like a story than a firsthand account. The article was fine, even superb… but the rest of the issue was taking away from the article's highlights.

"Any advice?" Xeno asked as Ron put the draft down.

"Your article is amazing, especially your adventure with John" Ron replied, he knew that 'John' was Dumbledore in disguise.

"Is it?" Xeno asked, slightly surprised. "I can't find it in myself to like this issue…"

"And that's the problem" Ron told him. "Your issue doesn't match the article."

"What do you mean?" Xeno asked, looking through his issue.

"Well, as a reader, it felt inconsistent to me" Ron admitted, and Xeno blinked at him. "Your article is extremely detailed, and some parts in it made me genuinely tense up. Which is great, of course. It had me hooked, and I read the whole thing as fast as I could. But after that, I couldn't bring myself to read the rest of the issue. Now… I'm not trying to be rude… But the rest of the issue makes your article seem… made up…"

"Made up?" Xeno asked. Careful, Ron. Don't come across as a cunt.

"Your issue is filled with conspiracy theories, Xeno" Ron explained. "Like the fact that Boggarts are Ministry spies… Or that they tell the Ministry our worst fears…" Who would even believe such a thing? "But then your article is filled with facts and detailed accounts of the terrible things you witnessed. If I didn't know you, I'd have trouble believing in your article because of what I'd just read before it."

"I see…" Xeno nodded slowly, eyeing his issue with a perplexed look.

"My advice is that you keep the article, but change the content of the issue" Ron said, trying his best to sound ignorant. "Maybe fill up the issue with important facts about Unicorns, and about the other creatures that were lost in the Inferno. Maybe even write a bit more about what the Cursed Flames Curse is, and about what it's done to the land. If your issue is filled with provable facts, then it'll give weight to your article. Right?"

"Right…" Xeno said, and then he smiled at Ron. "Not bad advice from someone your age." Well, I've spent hours and hours looking into the Daily Prophet's work formula. They either preach the good, or the bad. But they don't preach it in the same issue.

"Why is this issue giving you so much trouble, Xeno?" Ron asked. "You've written so many before it."

"That's… a little complicated" Xeno sighed, looking a bit subdued. "To me, this is my most important issue yet. I have to get this one perfect…"

"Why is it so special? Is it because of what you witnessed?" Ron asked innocently, waiting for Xeno to bring up the sale.

"Yes, and because… Because it's my last issue, Ron" Xeno replied, deciding to tell Ron the truth. What was the point in lying to the boy, he'd know soon enough once Xeno sold it.

"Last issue?" Ron acted surprised. There we go, time to influence him to not sell just yet. "Are you stopping The Quibbler?"

"No, I'm not stopping it" Xeno quickly assured Ron, though he was smart enough to know that his Quibbler would be replaced by the Prophet's Quibbler. "I'm selling The Quibbler to the Daily Prophet, and in turn, they'll make it into a section. A section that I will author…"

"I see…" Ron nodded slowly. "And they're going to let you stay in control of your section?" Xeno looked up and blinked at Ron, the boy clearly understood that Xeno would just be a quill. Pull back, you clown. Don't give him the impression that you've planned this conversation. What would Theo do in my shoes? Lie and appease. "I've just been reading the Daily Prophet lately, and I get the impression that it's rather biased. They're always preaching about the Ministry's accomplishments, and truth be told, I can't see your 'section' being a part of their issues because of how unbiased your magazine is."

"You're… right…" Xeno said, speaking more to himself than Ron. "The Prophet is rather biased, isn't it?"

"It really is" Ron nodded. "I never knew just how endangered Unicorns are until I read your article. I reckon the Daily Prophet should report on that rather than what scandalous thing happened the day before. Who cares about which Pure-Blood is sleeping with whom? I mean, we could lose Unicorns forever if we don't protect them. I didn't know that until today." I really didn't.

"I'm glad you liked the article, Ron" Xeno smiled sadly, his heart aching slightly at the prospect of losing his life's work to the Prophet. "But I don't have much choice in the matter…"

"Adult stuff?" Ron asked with a gentle smile.

"Yes, adult stuff" Xeno reached up and patted Ron's cheek.

"I understand, Xeno" Ron said. "Since this is your last issue, take as much time as you can with it. Make it perfect for the people who wait an entire month for a copy of the latest Quibbler. Make it perfect for yourself."

"Boys, lunch is ready!" came Pandora's voice from upstairs, but Xeno and Ron didn't even break eye contact.

"I'll rewrite the issue again, I think" Xeno decided, giving Ron a grateful smile. "Thank you for your advice Ron, I always forget how sharp you are. You would have done well in Ravenclaw."

"Thanks" Ron smiled back. Now I need to think of a suitable contract, and then go see Gornuk for advice.

---

Friday 14th August, 1993 (The Burrow – After Dinner)

Ron stepped into the Burrow with a smile on his face, his day had been rather successful. He had convinced Xeno to take his time with The Quibbler, and shown the man just how valuable he could be. Xeno was bound to take him more seriously now. The only downside was that Pandora had taken notice of Ron's interest in her husband's magazine again, but thankfully, she didn't make a big deal out of it. Now all Ron had to do was to think of a contract that was better than what the Prophet was offering, but it still needed to put Ron in charge. He needed more than half the shares for that to happen, according to Lady Longbottom, so he at least had a starting place.

"Ronnie, welcome home" Molly smiled at him as he entered the kitchen, and Ron resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Yes, everything is fine. You didn't bruise my wrist yesterday, and I didn't scream at you two days ago.

"Hello, everyone" Ron smiled at his siblings, his eyes traveling to Percy. "You're back… Wait… What's that on your neck?" Percy immediately fixed his collar, while the twins began laughing at him.

"Our dear brother came home with a love bite" Fred laughed. Love bite?

"Shut up…" Percy frowned at them.

"Clearwater bit you?" Ron asked, and Percy's ears turned red. Crazy bitch bit him!

"More than that, she…" George started, but Molly smacked his arm to stop him from teasing Percy once again.

"None of that, George" Molly huffed. "And you too Fred… Stop picking on your brother for just one minute."

"Percy slept with Penelope" Ginny said, and Ron gaped at her. Oh Merlin, she's killed us all!

"Ginevra Weasley?!" Molly shrieked, going completely pale in the face. "Who told you this?!" I should escape.

"The twins" Ginny replied slowly.

"What?!" Fred yelled.

"That's a lie!" George yelled as well, both of them shooting panicked looks at their mother.

"She's lying, mum!" they yelled together, and Ron blocked his ears. So loud. Does Ginny even understand what that means? Of course she does, she's not stupid. I knew what it meant when I was her age.

"You two…" Molly hissed, shaking with rage. "You are both grounded! No more pranks! No more roaming the house! When I tell your father, he will give his own punishment!"

"I'm not hungry…" Percy sighed as he got up to leave, his entire face a bright shade of red. Percy then quickly made his way out of the room, and Ron had the good sense to move out of his way.

"That's it!" Molly glared at her twin sons. "You will eat in your room! Upstairs, now!" The twins glared murder at Ginny, and then they both stormed off. Yeesh. Just another day at the Weasley homestead. "And you, Ginny… You will never repeat something so unladylike again. Or you too will be grounded. Understood?"

"I understand" Ginny nodded, looking rather subdued.

"There's food on the counter, Ron…" Molly sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Help yourself…" With that, she went to the Living Room to lie down. Her children were going to give her a heart attack at this rate. Ron slowly took a seat in front of Ginny, eyeing her carefully. And then she suddenly broke out into a wide smile, and Ron swallowed thickly.

"You little monster…" Ron muttered. "The twins didn't tell you shite…"

"Nope" Ginny shrugged. "I caught them trying to rig your bed after you left, and when I asked them what they were doing, they said that a good pranking always cheers people up. Odd… They didn't look very happy just then." Merlin! Why am I surrounded by such devious psychopaths?

"You did that for me?" Ron asked slowly, and Ginny's smile faltered for a second.

"Nu-uh" Ginny lied pathetically. "I just wanted to prank the twins…" Right.

"Well, I don't really need cheering up" Ron lied. "Madam Roberts made her choice, and it was my own fault."

"What really happened, Ron?" Ginny asked.

"I… I lied about something important" Ron replied.

"About what?" Ginny asked, but Ron didn't reply. "You won't tell me?"

"It's very personal" Ron told her, and she looked visibly annoyed with him.

"Here" Ginny said as she took out a letter from under her arse, handing it over to Ron. "It came for you today, and I've been hiding it from mum."

"Why?" Ron asked, but his question was answered when he saw the Nott Family emblem on it. "Theo…"

"I figured that she might lose it again if she saw your Slytherin friends contacting you" Ginny shrugged.

"I don't think that she would, but thank you Ginny" Ron smiled at her as he opened the letter.

Hello Lover, (Oh, for fuck's sake…)

It's been a while since we were in each other's company, and I figured that we should spend some time together again. Meet me at The Leaky Cauldron on Monday morning, at nine.

Looking forward to our date,

Theodore Nott.

Ron just started at the letter with a blank expression, thanking his lucky stars that no one else had read it. That fucker wanted to get me into trouble, I just know it.

"What did it say?" Ginny asked.

"You're very inquisitive, you know that right?" Ron told her, and she shrugged at him. "Theo wants to meet me on Monday."

"Why?"

"I have no idea…" Ron said as he pocketed the letter. "Thank you for keeping it safe for me, Ginny."

"It's no worries" Ginny grinned at him. "I'm happy to help, that's all."

"Right…" Ron nodded slowly. She wants something from me, so she's buttering me up. Ron then went to leave for his room, but he stopped when a question popped into his mind. "Gin, how did you know what sleeping with someone means?"

"I read it in Witch Weekly" Ginny replied, and Ron blinked at her. "That's how I knew what a love bite was too. Wait a minute… You don't know what a love bite is, do you?"

"Of course I know what it is" Ron lied, but Ginny just smirked at him.

"You asked Percy if Penelope bit him" Ginny pointed out, and Ron tensed slightly. "It's when someone 'bites' their partner in order to leave a mark on them. Their mark, that is. It's a show of affection, and dominance. You can leave one by sucking on their skin too."

"What the hell? You shouldn't know these things, Gin" Ron blushed slightly. Shite! How does she know this but I don't? Am I brain-dama…? Wait… FUCK! I am!

"You boys…" Ginny rolled her eyes. "You should read Witch Weekly, Ron. It'll help you with Greengrass." WHAT?!

"Daphne? What? Ginny, what's the matter with you? She's my friend. That's it… I'm leaving" Ron turned around and walked away, ignoring Ginny sniggering behind his back. I can't believe that just happened! Witch Weekly is teaching my sister filth! And what did she mean by 'Help me with Greengrass'?! Does she know about us?! No… No, calm down… She was probably just making a remark to get to me. Yeah, she doesn't know shite.

---

Monday 17th August, 1993 (The Leaky Cauldron – Morning)

"Ron, mate…" Theo smiled widely, giving Ron a firm handshake.

"Theo, how are you?" Ron smiled back.

"Same old, just getting ready for Hogwarts" Theo replied. "You?"

"Busy" Ron replied honestly. "I've got a million things going on right now."

"Is that so?" Theo asked, and they began making their way into Diagon Alley. "Want to tell me what these things are?"

"I do, but not yet" Ron replied, he had decided to let Theo in on his plan. He's rich enough to become an investor, and he is clever in these sort of things. I have a gold mine when it comes to my friends, and I should utilize it.

"Ohhh… intriguing" Theo chuckled.

"We can talk about that stuff later" Ron said, deciding to see Gornuk first in order to draw up a 'mock contract'. And to get a better idea about how this sort of stuff is done. "But first you have to tell me why we're meeting up like this?"

"I told you in my letter, love" Theo smirked his trademark smirk.

"Thanks for that, by the way" Ron shook his head. "I'm lucky that no one read that letter, otherwise I'd have been turned into a joke."

"Damn, I was hoping your sister read that letter" Theo laughed. "She seems like a nosey bint to me."

"Don't call my sister a 'bint', you tosser" Ron scolded. Only I get to do that. And Ginny is a nosey bint. One that knows things that she shouldn't. "Theo… Do you know what a love bite is?" I couldn't ask Daphne on Saturday because she ran off to test dishes for her party.

"Woah… The letter was a joke, mate" Theo said, putting some distance between them.

"What? No, you idiot" Ron frowned, and Theo sniggered at him. "It's just that… Ugh… Whatever. You clearly know." Maybe I should read Witch Weekly as well? Wait… Does Theo read Witch Weekly? "Theo, do you read Witch Weekly?"

"I do" Theo nodded, and Ron blinked at him. "What? It gives me a look into the mind of the average witch. It's not a particularly fun read, but it does have its uses. You should read it too."

"Isn't it a bit odd though? A bloke reading Witch Weekly?" Ron asked, and Theo scoffed.

"It's only 'odd' if you make it 'odd', Ron" Theo replied. "Just don't get caught reading it, and you'll be fine."

"I see…" Ron nodded slowly. "So… What are we doing today?"

"Getting Daphne a gift for her birthday party" Theo replied. "We told her that we were getting her something amazing together, remember?"

"Oh shite" Ron smacked his forehead, remembering their lie when she had caught them discussing Blaise's mother.

"You forgot?" Theo asked. "Please tell me that you haven't gotten her something already."

"I haven't" Ron replied, and Theo breathed out a breath of relief. "What did you have in mind? Oh, and we should also get Tracey something." Are they still fighting?

"I already got Tracey something" Theo said, and Ron nodded slowly.

"So you two made up?" Ron asked, and Theo shook his head.

"We haven't spoken since our fight" Theo replied. "But I intend to make up with her during her birthday party. I… I don't like her being upset with me, and truth be told, I'm feeling rather guilty about our fight."

"That's… good" Ron blinked at Theo, surprised that Theo would admit to feeling guilty. "Friends fight all the time, so I'm glad that you want to make up with her." He admitted to feeling guilty. Is it the end times?

"Anyway…" Theo shook his head clear. "Let's find something for Daphne. I was thinking that we could get her something sentimental rather than materialistic."

"We promised her something expensive, remember?" Ron reminded Theo.

"It can be expensive and still be sentimental, mate" Theo replied. Hmmm…

"She got a new haircut, maybe we should get her something for that?" Ron asked.

"She got a new haircut?" Theo asked, and Ron nodded. "But she hasn't changed her hair in six years… Why would she change it now?" To impress me, apparently. "Maybe she wants to catch someone's eye?" Theo smirked at Ron. Bloody hell…

"Come off it" Ron nudged Theo away.

"C'mon mate, even you can see that she has a soft spot for you" Theo laughed.

"That doesn't mean that she changed her hair for me" Ron said. "Now can we please get back to the task at hand?"

"Certainly" Theo smirked. "You want to get her something for her hair? So like a hair band?" Should I get her more jewelry? It's becoming rather… stale.

"Twilfitt and Tattings" Ron suddenly snapped his fingers, and Theo blinked at him. "Remember when I wanted a scarf for Clementine? Daphne had the time of her life in that shop."

"Not bad, Weasley" Theo nodded in agreement. "Let's have go and have a look, shall we?"

---

Ten Minutes Later

"The thing about dresses is that most girls don't wear the same thing twice" Theo said, rubbing his chin. "Especially Daphne Greengrass, heiress of the most Ancient and Noble House of Greengrass."

"Thank you for saying her full title, it was very helpful" Ron said sarcastically.

"I was making a point, mate" Theo chuckled, enjoying irritating Ron. Theo knew that Ron hated losing, and he hated losing in anything. Even if it was something as trivial as knowledge on what girls wore.

"What if we got her something that she has to wear often?" Ron asked. "She's had the same pajamas for as long as I can remember."

"How in the actual fuck do you know that?" Theo asked, trying not to laugh at Ron. Shite, I walked into a trap.

"I've spent a lot of time with them" Ron stated, and Theo gave him a wink. "You… Whatever. What do you think of Pajamas?"

"It's practical, and she'll use it every day" Theo nodded slowly. "And if we get her something rare, she'll definitely like that. She's a girl of 'refined tastes'…"

"Alright, let's go and find some pajamas" Ron said, and they both moved over to the pajamas section.

"What the fuck?" Theo frowned at the price tag of the first set of pajamas that he saw. "Four hundred and thirty Galleons? Why?"

"It's made from 'Enchanted cotton'…" Ron read. "These pajamas come with a permanent Fitting Charm and a permanent Beautifying Charm cast upon them. The cotton was grown on a field fertilized with Manticore Dung."

"So these are poo pajamas" Theo said, and Ron sniggered. Ha! Poo pajamas.

"What about these?" Ron pointed to a golden set of Pajamas.

"Merlin…" Theo gasped. "Eight hundred fucking Galleons?"

"These also have a Fitting Charm on them, as well as a Beautifying Charm" Ron read. "And it's made from Unicorn hair which was turned into silk using advanced Alchemy. Bloody hell…"

"Shouldn't it be silver then?" Theo asked.

"The Unicorn was probably less than two years old" Ron replied. "Their hair is gold until they become adults."

"Thank you, Professor" Theo remarked.

"You're welcome, dunderhead" Ron smirked, making Theo snigger. "Gold does suit Daphne… You know, because of her hair… And this is a rare piece of garment, not to mention that it's on sale."

"Probably because no one can afford it" Theo frowned slightly.

"We can afford it" Ron said. "If we split it, we'll both only need to spend four hundred Galleons."

"Only?" Theo asked. "Ron, the average income of wizards and witches is just over four hundred Galleons a year."

"For a millionaire, you're rather stingy with money" Ron noted.

"I respect the value of money" Theo shrugged. "And my father is the 'millionaire', I'm the leech with a trust account."

"I bet your trust account is bigger than my house" Ron said, and Theo sighed in defeat.

"Fine… Let's get those pajamas…" Theo submitted. "But she better fucking wear them every day, or I swear to Merlin, I'll shave her head." And then I'll take your life.

---

Thirty Minutes Later

"Ron, what do you need from Gringotts?" Theo asked, they were both waiting in line to see Gornuk. "Is this the thing that you won't tell me about just yet?"

"It is" Ron nodded.

"I see" Theo nodded slowly. "May I take a guess?"

"Go right ahead" Ron replied, he was in a rather good mood right now. He had gotten both Daphne and Tracey gifts, and now he was at Gringotts to learn more about buying a business. A productive day, just how I like them to be. Daphne will love her new set of pajamas, and Tracey will love her shipment of joke items.

"You're thinking of investing in a business" Theo guessed, and Ron shook his head. Damn, he was quite close.

"You want to make a dirty deal with the Goblins" Theo guessed, and Ron shook his head again. Been there, done that.

"You're here to write your will" Theo guess, and Ron gave him a bewildered look.

"My will? You know what, I might just do that considering that this conversation is slowly killing my brain" Ron remarked.

"Oh, then it's working" Theo chucked.

"Next" Gornuk called, and Ron and Theo stepped up to the desk. "Ah… Mr. Weasley. A pleasure to see you again" Gornuk smiled a sharp-toothed smile, making Theo look between the two of them. Since when were Goblins this friendly?

"Good to see you as well, Gornuk" Ron smiled back, noticing the Goblins new ivory earrings. "I like your earrings, they suit you." Did he buy them from the money he made selling the Basilisk organs?

"They were a… gift" Gornuk said, sounding rather pleased with himself. "What brings you to Gringotts today?"

"I wish to have a mock contract drawn up, and I need some advice on buying a business" Ron replied, and Theo gaped at him.

"Certainly" Gornuk nodded, and then he put a 'Busy' sign on the edge of his desk. "Follow me into my Office."

"I'll wait in the waiting area…" Theo said, eyeing Ron with a curious look.

"I won't be long mate, lunch is on me" Ron patted Theo's shoulder, and then he followed Gornuk towards his Office. Once they were inside, Ron looked around the tiny Office before taking a seat. It's the size of our dorm room's bathroom. Considering how grand the entrance is, I expected this Office to be bigger.

"Now…" Gornuk grunted as he took his seat from across Ron. "What business are you planning to buy?"

"The Quibbler" Ron replied, and something flashed behind the Goblin's eyes.

"The Quibbler, you say" Gornuk smiled in a devious manner. "How do you know that it's up for sale?"

"It's up for sale?" Ron asked.

"Another client is interested in purchasing it too" Gornuk replied. "Inquiries have been made…"

"The Daily Prophet" Ron figured, and Gornuk grinned.

"You are very well informed, Mr. Weasley" Gornuk said, clearly amused by Ron. "I can't say that I've dealt with a wizard child that intrigues me like you do."

"I intrigue you?" Ron asked, giving Gornuk a polite smile. Creepy fuck.

"Why wouldn't you?" Gornuk asked in return. "We've had some interesting dealings, you and I. Dealings that have made us both a lot of Gold."

"I can tell" Ron looked at Gornuk's earrings.

"You have made me a wealthy Goblin, Mr. Weasley" Gornuk said. "You have my gratitude for that."

"The feeling is mutual" Ron admitted. "I hear that my vault's size was increased once again."

"Yes, you certainly make a… bountiful income" Gornuk said. "I kept eyes away from your servant as he made his deposits."

"You did?" Ron asked.

"I had to" Gornuk replied. "If the others became suspicious of you, they'd eventually follow the Gold back to me." Mutual benefit then. "Now, why do you wish to buy the Quibbler?"

"That is unimportant" Ron replied, and Gornuk nodded. They have to respect their client's privacy, that's what Bill told us when he first got a job with them. "What's important is that I need to buy it before the Daily Prophet does."

"Their offer is very generous" Gornuk said.

"Two thousand Galleons, I know" Ron replied, and Gornuk blinked at him. "I know the man who owns the Quibbler, he told me."

"I see" Gornuk nodded slowly. "And you plan to swoop in and buy it before the Daily Prophet gets a signature out of Mr. Lovegood?"

"Exactly" Ron nodded, leaning forward in his chair.

"Some might consider that to be in bad faith" Gornuk said, and then he smiled his greedy smile. He wants more money from me, doesn't he?

"Which is why I came to you, Gornuk" Ron said. "We've made… shady… deals before. Why not make another one?"

"Where did they find you, Mr. Weasley?" Gornuk 'laughed'. "How much are you willing to pay me for my services?"

"And what are your services?" Ron asked, he wanted a clear answer in order to not get cheated.

"I will advise you, draw up your contract, and even give you estimates on how much everything will cost" Gornuk replied. "And since we are… partners in crime, I will even give you information on our personal statistics for the business. They are not one hundred percent accurate, but still quite on the money. We Goblins tend to keep track on matters of business, after all." Sounds like just what I need.

"I will pay you an extra fifty Galleons on top of your usual fee" Ron replied, and Gornuk nodded his approval. Gornuk then took out a piece of parchment and grabbed a quill, and then he looked to Ron with a serious look.

"What kind of contract are you thinking of?" Gornuk asked.

"I want to own over half of the shares in the Quibbler" Ron replied.

"I see" Gornuk began taking notes.

"I was thinking that I'd own fifty five percent of the Quibbler, which is enough to make me in charge of it" Ron started, remembering his numbers and Lady Longbottom's advice. "Xeno can own twenty percent, which will leave twenty five percent for any potential investors to buy up."

"You've thought about this" Gornuk stated, and Ron nodded. "Good, it will save us time. How much are you willing to pay Mr. Lovegood in order to buy the Quibbler outright?"

"Outright?" Ron asked.

"I suggest that you buy the Quibbler completely, and then make Mr. Lovegood buy the twenty percent with his own money" Gornuk advised. That'll save me money, but Xeno needs it more than I do.

"I was going to buy the Quibbler for three thousand Galleons" Ron said.

"Why?" Gornuk asked, sounding rather surprised. "That business is not worth that much money." I want to help Xeno, not rob him.

"He is very passionate about it" Ron replied. "I plan to change The Quibbler rather radically, and in order to get his signature, I'm willing to pay that much."

"Then I highly recommend that you make him buy his own shares" Gornuk advised. "Buy it for three thousand Galleons, and then make him pay six hundred Galleons back."

"Why six hundred?" Ron asked.

"Once you've bought the business for three thousand Galleons, that's how much one hundred percent of its shares will cost" Gornuk replied. "Don't give out any shares until you completely own the business. Once you do, you can make him sign a contract that won't let him own more than twenty percent. I imagine that he will still want to be a part of it?"

"He will" Ron replied.

"Good, then he will need to pay you six hundred Galleons to buy up twenty percent" Gornuk said, writing it all down. "This will leave behind eighty percent of your shares. You can then distribute twenty five percent to various other parties, and keep fifty five for yourself."

"So to own the business completely, I only need to pay three thousand Galleons?" Ron asked, mentally noting it down.

"Yes, which is still an insane sum of money for such a business" Gornuk replied.

"The Daily Prophet was willing to pay two thousand" Ron said.

"They are a very wealthy business acquiring assets" Gornuk told him. "They had no intention of letting Mr. Lovegood work for them, believe me. Their only interest was to take out any potential competition, and then sell it back for parts. They'd lose a bit of money, and Mr. Lovegood would be out of business." Bloody hell, that's rather cutthroat of them.

"Once I own The Quibbler, its total value would be three thousand Galleons right?" Ron asked, and Gornuk nodded.

"Investors will help you save money by buying up shares, and that includes Mr. Lovegood" Gornuk replied. "Once The Quibbler starts turning a profit, they will need to be payed back for their investments in regards to how much they invested. I can take care of that for you."

"You can?" Ron asked.

"You will need to hire me as your Logistics Officer" Gornuk smiled greedily. "I will handle the books for you."

"I guess that's one staff member down" Ron smiled, this was coming together nicely. "Gornuk, you are a Merlin-send."

"Thank you, Mr. Weasley" Gornuk 'laughed'. "Gold is Gold, it matters very little to me where it comes from. But if you hire me, I will do right by you just as you did by me. As is a Goblin's honor." As is a Goblin's honor? What's that mean? And didn't Marty con an extra two thousand Galleons out of him? Knowing Goblins, he probably respected that.

"And since I own fifty five percent, I make the majority of the money earned" Ron nodded, understanding this better.

"Exactly" Gornuk replied. "Since you own the business, you will need to pay your own staff. You can do that through me as well. How many staff members are you looking for?"

"Xenophilius will be one of them" Ron replied.

"So he owns shares and works for The Quibbler?" Gornuk asked, and Ron nodded. "So he gets two paychecks?"

"He has to work there, otherwise he will never sign it over to me" Ron explained, and Gornuk nodded.

"Go on, Mr. Weasley" Gornuk began writing it all down again.

"I will need four other journalists, one for each new section of The Quibbler" Ron started. "I will need to hire a printing company. I will also need three or four cameramen, and a good Editor-in-chief."

"So eleven total employees, including myself and Mr. Lovegood" Gornuk said, doing the math in his head. "This could work, but you'll need to pay their monthly salaries from your own pocket first. I will open an account in The Quibbler's name once your business is truly underway, but until that happens, all the payments will come from your personal vault. It is unfortunate that Mr. Lovegood is alone the owner, and distributor, of The Quibbler. We have to create the 'skeleton' of the new Quibbler from scratch."

"But you can do it, right?" Ron asked, and Gornuk nodded.

"Once you've hired me, certainly" Gornuk replied.

"We will also need to re-advertise The Quibbler" Ron said.

"I figured as much" Gornuk said, writing it all down. "You plan to turn an old product into a brand new one, and you need to get the word out. A continent-wide advertisement program will cost you around two thousand Galleons, and it will run for six months. Hiring a printing company will be easy enough, but I advise you to wait until your campaign ends before you start publishing. You want the launch to be as successful as possible."

"Understood" Ron nodded, coming to Gornuk was perhaps the best idea anyone could have given him. Thank you, Lady Longbottom. I'll be sending you a bottle of good Sherry very soon. "So what are my overall costs estimated to be?"

"Before you start turning a profit, I'd say around ten thousand Galleons" Gornuk replied. "How fortunate that you came into such a fortune very recently. Tell me, Mr. Weasley. Did you plan this all out?"

"No" Ron admitted, and Gornuk was surprised at the honesty. Most children would take credit for being smarter than they actually were. "The fortune came around long before I heard about The Quibbler. I got lucky, that's all." Finally, something goes my way for once without me busting my arse for ages.

"Indeed you did" Gornuk nodded. "It's good that you have the money to fund this yourself, otherwise you'd be stuck dealing with us. Now, here are the costs. Three thousand for the initial purchase. Two thousand for the advertisement campaign. Around five thousand Galleons in total for the salaries of the staff for the first year."

"I have to pay the salaries up front?" Ron asked.

"No, you will pay them monthly" Gornuk replied. "It's just smart to have the money already saved up so you don't fall behind on paying your employees." Ah, I understand. Was actually worried for a second there. "Now, here is how much you can save early due to the investors. Once you've sold forty five percent of the total shares, you will get back one thousand three hundred and fifty Galleons."

"That's great" Ron smiled.

"It is, if you can manage to do it" Gornuk said. "But you will have to pay them back from your profits."

"And how do I pay the shareholders?" Ron asked. "Is it monthly as well?"

"No, you pay them a dividend annually from your total profits" Gornuk explained, and Ron started noting it all down in his mind. "That's how you will make money as well."

"Because I own fifty five percent" Ron nodded in understanding.

"Exactly" Gornuk said. "The salaries, printing fees, distribution, and advertisements are the costs that come out of The Quibbler's bank account."

"The account that isn't opened yet" Ron noted, and Gornuk nodded.

"You will be at a loss at first, but eventually you will break even, and then you'll start turning a profit" Gornuk explained. "It all depends on your Quibbler's success. Luckily for you, subscriptions are just cheap enough that wizards and witches don't really care for them. Due to this, you will most likely keep a majority of the current subscribers that Mr. Lovegood has. This is not a new product, it is an improved version of it. Therefore, you can still call it The Quibbler and pass on the subscribers."

"I was actually thinking of releasing an issue a week, and charging two Knuts instead of one" Ron piped in.

"I see" Gornuk wrote it down. "You will have to release a notice about that, which can be done by the advertisers. I will take care of it if you hire me. Getting started is the hard part, but once the launch happens, you personally won't have to worry about much."

"But I will get to decide what we publish, right?" Ron asked.

"You own it, so yes" Gornuk nodded. "Do you have any more questions?"

"Yes, how long before I start making a profit?" Ron asked. "Just an estimation, if you will."

"Currently, the Quibbler makes around three hundred Galleons a year" Gornuk replied, thinking of the Quibbler's estimated values. "Which all goes to Mr. Lovegood."

"That's below the average salary of wizards and witches" Ron noted.

"Indeed it is" Gornuk said. "Which is why he wants to sell it, I imagine. He can't turn it into a business like you because he doesn't have the resources, and he can't get a loan from us because his numbers are too low. If you play this right, Mr. Weasley, you could earn a lot of money. You are essentially turning The Quibbler into a product much like Witch Weekly, or Seeker Weekly. The only difference being that it doesn't have a massive workforce behind it. You have five reporters, four cameramen, an Editor-in-chief, and a Logistics Officer. If your Quibbler succeeds, then we can discuss increasing the workforce."

"So Xenophilius has enough readers that despite only earning one Knut per subscriber a month, he still makes three hundred Galleons a year?" Ron asked.

"He doesn't have to worry about paying staff, he only has to pay for printing" Gornuk explained. "But since you'll be making eight Knuts a month per subscriber, and after your advertising campaign, I imagine that you will be well on your way to breaking even by the end of next year. Just don't tell him that, or he might get ideas. Buy The Quibbler first, and then make him sign the shareholder agreement. After that, you can start looking for other investors. Once they're on board, headhunt a staff."

"I understand" Ron nodded. "Can you draw up the actual contract now, as well as the shareholder's agreement?"

"I can" Gornuk replied, taking out another parchment. "After all, you're paying me for my services. Come back in three hours, I will have everything finished by then."

"And how much do I owe you?" Ron asked.

"Sixty five Galleons" Gornuk grinned. Sixty five? His rate was fifteen Galleons? Fuck, I overpaid so much. Think next time, Ron.

---

Thirty Minutes Later

Ron and Theo were having lunch in The Leaky Cauldron, and Ron had just explained his plans to buy The Quibbler to Theo. Theo had gone from utterly shocked to being rather excited within minutes, much to Ron's amusement.

"Why a news magazine?" Theo asked.

"I want to control what people hear" Ron replied, and Theo let out a laugh.

"You fucking madman" Theo said, making Ron snigger. "So you're really doing this? You're going to become a thirteen year old business man? Business teenager?"

"I am" Ron nodded.

"I don't get you" Theo shook his head, still smiling widely. He doesn't get me?

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ron asked.

"I spend my time thinking of my grades, or about what I want to eat for lunch" Theo replied. "You have a job, and now you're doing this… How does your brain work like that?"

"I think of the Future" Ron replied. And not much else.

"The Future?" Theo asked for clarification.

"I want to have influence, and power" Ron admitted. I want to win.

"Bloody hell, father has no idea how wrong he is about you" Theo sighed. "Which brings me to this… Ron, I'm really sorry."

"Sorry?" Ron blinked. What's happened? What did his cunt father do now?

"My father is hosting a party soon, and… And he forbid me from inviting you" Theo explained, looking more annoyed than sorry. "We're allies, but more importantly, we're friends. I wanted to tell you in person in order to apologize. If it were up to me, you'd definitely be invited. I'm really sorry about this, Ron."

"I understand, Theo" Ron assured him, but in the back of his mind, Ron was slightly hurt. And insulted.

"Don't do that" Theo sighed.

"Do what?"

"Be all understanding…" Theo replied, massaging his forehead. "I'm not doing right by you, and we both know it. You just trusted me with this plan of yours, a plan that no one else knows about. And I can't even invite you to a party."

"Do you want me to be upset?" Ron asked.

"I want you to…" Theo started, but then he trailed off. "Ron, I want you to tell me if you're upset or not. I can generally get a read on people easily, but you… Your brain works in ways that I can't really grasp."

"Are you calling me irrational?" Ron asked.

"Sort of, yes" Theo replied. "You're too irregular, and you don't think like the rest of us. I know what pisses you off, or when you're in a jolly mood. But sometimes, it's too hard to predict you. So…" Fine, I'll tell you.

"It does bother me that I'm seen as some burden by your father" Ron sighed, and Theo nodded slowly. "Pansy's parents, Millie's parents, your father… They'd all prefer it if I wasn't around, and that does bother me. But you know what? They can kiss my arse for all I care." Theo's eyes widened at that, and then he began sniggering. "I'm here whether they like it or not, and I don't plan on leaving anytime soon. Now, can we please move on from this?"

"Sure, mate" Theo agreed, satisfied with Ron's answer. "Wait… Why did you tell me about your plan to buy The Quibbler?"

"Well…" Ron grinned. "You've got a lot of money in your trust account, don't you?"

"You sneaky fuck…" Theo chuckled, and then he grinned back.

---

AUTHOR'S NOTES: And there it is! I hope you enjoyed that. Now I know that I said that third year would start after this chapter, but I fucked up... So, one more chapter before third year starts.

I wonder how Ron's family will take his interest in buying Xeno's magazine? Especially when he has to explain to them why he wants it? Should he tell them? Personally, I bloody wouldn't.

See you all on Thursday.