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.

76. Chapter 76 - Exit the Premises

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Chapter 76 is finished! It's slightly shorter than my new usual, but I promise that it will still hit the spot. Oh, and we made it past 900 Reviews! Thanks guys! It's hard to believe that this story only started back in January, eh? Anyway, I won't keep you.

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 76 - Exit the Premises

Ronald Weasley's POV

Friday 18th September, 1993 (The Sanctuary – After Lunch)

"Merlin, this is soooo boooring!" Pansy whined suddenly, and Ron stopped mid push-up. "I'm going to go practice Spells instead…"

"Ron, are you sure that we just 'meditate'?" Theo asked him, he looked utterly jaded himself. I honestly don't bloody know, mate. "I mean, I don't feel like anything's changed for me."

"Same," Blaise said. "Also, doesn't Occlumency help you control your emotions?"

"It does," Ron replied, and then he restarted his push-ups. He's going to ask me why I'm such an emotional person then, isn't he?

"But you're… you know…" Tracey said slowly, and Ron stopped once again. Well, I was sort of right.

"It does help me stay calm, trust me," Ron sighed, and then he restarted his push-ups. Even I have trouble believing that.

"Calm, he says," Tracey whispered to the others, but Ron easily overheard her.

"I reckon I'll join Pansy," Millie said, and then both girls stood up. "This Occlumency business isn't really my cup of tea. Ron, can you teach me the Blasting Curse today?"

"Sure thing," Ron grunted, his upper body was starting to burn painfully. That's the stuff.

"What about us?" Tracey asked, and then she looked to Daphne for support, but Daphne was just watching Ron do his exercises.

"I can teach you," Theo volunteered.

"Ron taught us that Spell back in first year," Blaise pointed out.

"That's a great idea," Ron huffed, and then he shot up to his feet. "Blaise, make sure that Theo behaves."

"Words hurt, Ron," Theo 'sniffled'.

"I'm sure Millie's fist will hurt far more," Ron remarked, and Theo shot the smirking girl a wary look.

"Good point," Theo muttered, and then they all left for the sandpit. All of them except for Daphne, who was patiently waiting for Ron's next exercise.

"Aren't you going to join them?" Ron asked her.

"Do you really know Occlumency?" Daphne asked, and Ron barely kept his composure. She knows when I'm lying most of the time, so I need to be careful here.

"Don't like my tutelage?" Ron smirked, and then he started his squats.

"It's just that you didn't really give us any proper details," Daphne pointed out, her eyes going up and down. "When you usually teach us something, you give really clear instructions. But this time, you sort of just alluded to what we ought to be doing. I mean seriously… Meditation?"

"You have to empty your mind of everything first," Ron copied Snape's words, but Daphne just stared at him. "Trust me, it's pretty hard to do. I still have trouble with it."

"And yet you can block a Boggart from entering your mind?" Daphne asked, and Ron could feel the sweat on his brow. Damn her logical method of deducing things. "Did you use Occlumency when you resisted the Veelas?" Shite.

"Sort of," Ron grunted, his thighs burning. "Daph, I'm trying to work-out here. Can't we talk about this later?"

"I'm not trying to prod, Ron," Daphne assured him. "I just want some answers about what we all saw yesterday. It was… It was rather ghastly." At least the girls are talking to me again. Millie didn't really have a problem with me, but the other three were really shaken.

"I'm sorry that you saw that," Ron said as he began his lunges. "I didn't think that the Boggart would blow up like that, I swear."

"You say that… But when it happened, you didn't even react," Daphne said softly, she couldn't tell if he was telling the truth or not. "The rest of us… We were horrified… Even Crabbe and Goyle were shaking, Ron. But you? You just shrugged and said 'Class dismissed'…" That was a mistake, but in my defense, I panicked. Fucking Entity…

"Like I said, Occlumency can help a person stay calm and collected," Ron lied, and Daphne just blinked at him. "I was already utilizing Occlumency to keep myself in check, so when the Boggart died, I didn't really… feel anything."

"Why haven't you ever mentioned learning Occlumency before?" Daphne asked, and Ron stopped his lunges.

"Daph… What's with the interrogation?" Ron asked, and she let out a tired sigh.

"I'm just trying to make sense of what I saw," Daphne replied. "The others are trying as well, but none of them want to ask these questions."

"What?" Ron blinked, and Daphne slowly stood up. "Daphne, what did you mean by that?"

"We're not stupid, Ron," Daphne said, her eyes looked sort of sad. "Occlumency? We spend countless hours with you, and never once have we seen you practicing it. Not once have you mentioned it. Not once have you even alluded to it."

"I don't tell you guys everything," Ron replied calmly, though he was starting to panic internally.

"Clearly," Daphne said, and then she began to leave for the sandpit. Ron quickly stepped into her way, and she just stared at his face with an expressionless mask.

"Dumbledore tested it himself," Ron told her, but she looked less than convinced.

"I don't even want to comment on your odd relationship with the Headmaster," Daphne responded. "He let you go to France unsupervised? Why would he do that? Why does the Headmaster put so much trust in you? He doesn't even treat Potter with that much favoritism." Favoritism? More like mutual benefit. "Like I said, I'm not trying to prod into your affairs. You are entitled to your secrets, just like we all are. I just don't like you treating us like we're stupid."

"I haven't said or done anything to show that," Ron frowned, and Daphne clicked her tongue.

"Someone who is adept at Occlumency wouldn't be so easily angered, Ron," Daphne pointed out, and for a brief moment, Ron felt his blood boil. "Don't worry, we won't say a word about it to anyone. We'd never betray you like that, but just stop this act with us."

"So you all feel this way?" Ron asked. "You've all discussed this? Is that why Theo, Blaise, and Millie didn't join me for our morning run today? You were speaking about me behind my back?"

"You scared people, including us," Daphne replied calmly. "Is it really wrong for us to sit down and talk without you? Theo insisted on 'learning from you', but that's just because he always wants to get ahead. Blaise doesn't feel the need to talk about this, or he simply can't be bothered. Millie believes you, mostly because nothing else makes sense. And Tracey and Pansy… They simply want to forget the horror show that you put on so they can go back to cuddling you."

"And you?" Ron asked, his voice slightly subdued. "You barely spoke yesterday, and the moment I tried to start a conversation with you, you left for bed. You're scared of me, right?" Please say no. I didn't kill that thing, it was the Entity.

"I'm scared of what you did, and your utter lack of remorse," Daphne admitted, and Ron's face fell. "I'm not scared of you, Ron, I'm just trying to come to terms with what you sometimes do."

"I'd never do anything to hurt you lot, you know that," Ron whispered, and Daphne nodded.

"Which is why I'm not scared of you," Daphne said. "But I won't lie blatantly to your face either. There are moments when you terrify the people around you, including me."

"I didn't kill that Boggart, I swear it," Ron whispered in a panicked voice, and truth be told, he himself didn't know why he was getting so anxious. All he knew was that he hated seeing Daphne and his friends being so guarded around him. "Dumbledore said that it-"

"I know, that part I believe," Daphne interrupted, her eyes darting to their friends behind him. Ron shot a look back, and he saw them quickly go back to 'practicing'. "Maybe we should talk outside?" No. This is my Sanctuary, and I will not be cast out of it.

"So they're all feeling like this?" Ron asked her, and she nodded. Once again, his blood boiled at the thought of his friends behaving this way. "I see… But none of them have the nerve to talk to me about it because I'm mentally unstable, is that it?"

"I didn't say that," Daphne replied quickly, it was hard to not notice the hurt on Ron's face.

"Do you want to know why I didn't react to that Boggart dying?" Ron asked her, and she slowly nodded. "Because I'm not easily shaken. I faced a Mountain Troll at the age of eleven, and I killed it with one Spell. I went up against the Dark Lord at twelve, and I survived. I take regular beatings from those dummies, while the rest of you just watch. I bit open my own bloody mouth in order to win last year's Junior League Tournament, not to mention the pain I endured at the hands of those Veelas. Think about all of that, Daphne. Are you thinking?"

"I… I am," Daphne managed, her eyes darting down.

"Now you tell me…" Ron said as he loomed over her. "Do I strike you as the sort of person who gets rattled easily?"

"No," Daphne whispered.

"There's your answer then," Ron said as he stepped back. "Never once have I treated any person with malicious intent if they didn't provoke me first. Never once have I done anything to harm you, or the others. Hell, I'd throw myself down the Moving Staircase if I hurt you. But if you all want to be scared of me, despite having no real reason to be, then you go ahead. This is just like that time when I showed you girls my ability to speak Parseltongue. Instead of listening to my side of things, you all started avoiding me."

"We're not avoiding you," Daphne said, but she knew that that was partly a lie.

"Yes, you are," Ron said, and embarrassingly, his voice cracked a little. "I wanted to talk to you last night, but you simply walked off. This morning, when the others didn't show up, I couldn't help but wonder if they were upset with me. I didn't mean for that Boggart to die, but you're all acting like I did. And… And that hurts… But I won't twist your arm, or theirs, so you can go and tell them that when they want to talk to me, I'll be right here. Just don't expect me to apologize for something that isn't even my fault."

"We don't want you to apologize, Ron," Daphne told him, and he simply shook his head.

"Then what do you want me to do? Do I just pretend like you're not all scared of me?" Ron asked, and Daphne didn't really have an answer for that. "Just… Just take all the time you need, but don't put that Boggart's death on me. I didn't kill it, and just because I didn't start panicking doesn't mean that I'm a bad person. A person who my own bloody friends should fear…" With that, Ron went back to his exercises. Daphne waited around for a few seconds, but when she couldn't figure out what to say, she left to join the others.

---

Friday 18th September, 1993 (Outside the Library – After Classes)

"Hello, Ron," Padma said, and Ron gave her and her friends a polite smile. "Some of the first and second years have been raving about this study group of yours."

"Is that so?" Ron chuckled, his eyes darting towards his own friends. They were all talking to each other again, and just like this morning, Ron wasn't included. He wasn't going to lie, it bothered him greatly that they felt the need to tiptoe around him.

"It's true," Padma smiled, while her friends made their way inside. "I think that they're just glad that they have older students helping them with their studies."

"That's good," Ron nodded. "I remember when we were first years…"

"The older students didn't even acknowledge us," Padma giggled, and Ron smiled to himself. "You're doing a good thing here, Ron. I'm glad to be a part of it."

"Thanks, Padma," Ron said, feeling a little better. "That means a lot to me." Padma then looked around quickly, and once she knew that her friends were out of sight, she quickly walked closer to Ron.

"The Ravenclaws like to keep things within the House," Padma whispered, and Ron blinked at her. "But I made you a promise last year… Some of the older girls have taken to calling Luna names."

"What?" Ron asked, and Padma nodded quickly.

"She's made a lot of friends because of her father's article, but some of the older girls can be a bit… attention-hungry," Padma replied. Are these the girls that I had a vision about?

"Which girls?" Ron asked.

"A couple of sixth years, and a seventh year," Padma replied.

"A seventh year is picking on a second year?" Ron asked, though that was hardly surprising. The older students could be real arseholes when they wanted to be.

"Gertrude Swans," Padma replied. "She's sort of a haughty, self-absorbed person, and since she's a seventh year prefect, she tends to throw her weight around. She started calling Luna 'Loony' at the start of the week, and Luna, bless her heart, thinks that it's a nickname. It's starting to catch on." Gertrude Swans? A Ravenclaw Prefect. Shite, is she the reason why Luna gets targeted in the Future by the other girls?

"Thanks for telling me," Ron gave her a grateful nod, and she smiled before leaving for the library. Gertrude Swans.

"Hi…" came the meek voice of a little girl, and Ron shook his head clear. Think about Luna later, Ron. Focus on the task at hand.

"Hello," Ron smiled at the first year Hufflepuffs, who all smiled up at him while the second years went into the library.

"I don't know if you remember me," Beth started, while the other first years just stood there.

"Beth, I remember you," Ron chuckled, and the little Hufflepuff smiled more widely. "I hope you have a lot of homework to do."

"We do," Beth nodded fervently.

"That's good to hear," Ron gave her a wink, and her cheeks turned redder. "Why don't you guys set up inside, and once I've greeted everyone, I'll join you."

"Okay," Beth nodded once again, and then they all ran off.

"No running in here!" came Madam Pince's shriek, and Ron sniggered to himself. Ron's friends suddenly walked up to him, and Ron spotted Millie speaking with Samantha. When did she get here?

"We'll be inside," Daphne told him, and he gave them a nod. The girls made their way inside, while Theo and Blaise stayed in their spots.

"You know what that's about?" Theo asked Ron, his head jerking towards Millie and Samantha.

"No idea," Ron lied. "Can I count on you to behave, Theo?"

"Of course," Theo smirked, and then he drew in a deep breath. "Has Hannah come in yet?"

"Abbot?" Ron asked, and Theo shrugged casually. "Yeah, they're inside. Most of the people are here, I'm just waiting up on my first years and Cedric's crew. Oh, and the Gryffindors."

"Want me to wait out here with you?" Blaise asked. I don't know, do you want to? I won't give you a heart attack, will I?

"No, that's fine," Ron said, and Blaise gave him a nod. "Just keep your eyes on the girls please."

"Sure thing, Ron," Blaise said, and then both Theo and Blaise left. Ron waited for almost a minute before his first years came around the corner, all of them laughing and bantering. They're getting along rather well today. That's great.

"Ron!" Tori squealed when she saw him, and as usual, she was wrapped around him within seconds.

"What took you guys so long?" Ron asked, his gloved hand resting behind Tori's head.

"Professor Binns held us back," Mathew reported. "He didn't hear the bell go off, and so he just kept giving us the lecture."

"Why does Hogwarts not hire an actual Professor for that job?" Lysandra asked, while the others shrugged.

"You don't have to pay a ghost," Ron replied, and then he gestured them to go inside. "Remember to be on your best behavior, alright? And try to work with people from the other Houses."

"Understood," Mathew nodded firmly, while the others rolled their eyes. "Let's go, guys."

"Ugh… He's been like this ever since you made him 'leader'," Tori whined, while Lysandra and Sebastian nodded their agreement.

"You will listen to him," Ron said, not even a hint of amusement in his voice.

"Of course," Derek chuckled nervously.

"Will you teach us this weekend?" Hestia asked, while her sister stared into Ron's very soul. So damn creepy. They're both dressed the same again.

"I will let you know tomorrow," Ron replied, and the twins smiled at him. Creepily cute. Yes, that's the best way to describe them. "Now off you go, except for you John. Stay with me for a moment." John nodded, while the others made their way inside.

"Is um… Are you actually betrothed to Astoria?" John asked, his eyes darting towards the mischievous blonde's back.

"No," Ron sighed. "Is that what she's telling you?"

"Yeah," John replied with a sheepish smile, while Ron pinched the bridge of his nose. Maybe she really does have a crush on me. Too bad that her sister would end her if she tried anything, not that I want her to. It'd be so weird.

"She likes to lie," Ron told John, and then he smiled at the lanky boy. "Fancy her?"

"What?! No!" John denied, and Ron let out a chuckle.

"It's normal to have a crush on a year-mate, John," Ron patted his back, and John shuffled in his spot. "Despite her bad habits, she's extremely good looking. I don't blame you for fancying her by your third week."

"I don't really fancy her, but she's rather nice to me…" John mumbled, his embarrassment written on his face.

"She is, is she?" Ron smirked, and John gave him a weak nod. "But just a heads up, she's like a sister to me, which means that if you get on her bad side, I'll be forced to… intervene." John swallowed thickly at that, while Ron gave him a reassuring smile. "Just a heads up, nothing more."

"Right," John muttered. "So um… Why am I staying behind?"

"We're waiting for Cedric," Ron replied. "It's past time that I spoke with him about Zacharias Smith."

"Smith?" John blinked. "Ron, he hasn't bothered me since the fight, I swear… Can we not get Cedric involved?"

"Believe it or not, but I've gone up against my fair share of foul-mouthed bullies," Ron started. "They don't just disappear. Sure, they'll skulk away for a time, but sooner or later, they'll show up again to cause you problems. By getting Cedric involved, we'll save our Houses the embarrassment of you two fighting again."

"But Sebastian is the one who fought Smith, not me," John stated.

"He fought for you, which means that he'll probably do it again," Ron responded. "Cedric is well-respected, and he has a lot of friends in this school. One word from him, and Smith will be out of your hair for a long while. And speak of the handsome devil… There he is. Cedric!"

"Hello, Ron," Cedric smiled at him, and then he looked to John. "How are you, John? It's been a while since we spoke."

"I'm doing well," John replied, his eyes darting towards Ron.

"Max, Amanda, Beatrice," Ron smiled at the other three Hufflepuffs, who all smiled back.

"You remembered our names?" Beatrice asked, a pleasant smile on her full lips.

"Not forgetting pretty women is a talent of mine," Ron chuckled, which earned him cute giggles from the two older girls.

"I told you that he was trying to steal Beatrice from me," Max laughed, and his girlfriend gave him a reassuring kiss on his cheek.

"Why don't you guys head inside," Cedric said, his eyes moving between Ron and John. "I'll meet you at our table."

"Boo," Amanda pouted at Cedric, and then the three Hufflepuffs left.

"Is everything alright?" Cedric asked, and Ron was quite impressed with his perception.

"Handsome and clever, why aren't you in Slytherin?" Ron asked, making Cedric genuinely laugh.

"I'm scared of snakes," Cedric replied, and that was actually true. "So, what's the matter?"

"Do you know Zacharias Smith?" Ron asked, and Cedric nodded. "Well, he got into a fight with a Slytherin first year."

"I know," Cedric sighed. "Sorry about him… He's a bit of hot-head…"

"The fight started because he called John here a 'Death-Eater'," Ron told him, and Cedric blinked in surprise.

"Did he really?" Cedric asked John, who nodded tiredly. "Wow… He's been telling people that he got jumped by your House-mate, and people actually believe him." Hmmm, I see an opening.

"We're in Slytherin, so we're used to being the 'bad guys'," Ron shrugged with a weak smile, and Cedric frowned deeply.

"Getting used to being bullied shouldn't ever be the case," Cedric said firmly. "I'll talk to Professor Sprout about this, and I promise, she'll sort this out. John, why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want to make a big deal out of it," John sighed.

"Then he'll just keep doing it," Cedric told John, who looked to Ron.

"I told him that as well," Ron said. "Thanks for doing this, Cedric. It's better if you handle it, otherwise another fight could break out."

"You're right," Cedric agreed. "I'll get this sorted out, and no one has to know. Thanks for letting me know, Ron. I'll see you guys inside?"

"Of course," Ron smiled, and Cedric left to find his friends.

"We're used to being the bad guys?" John asked, and Ron smirked at him. "How do you do that?"

"Do what?" Ron asked.

"Make older girls giggle, talk Cedric into doing your dirty work while he thanks you for it… That sort of stuff," John replied.

"It takes practice," Ron shrugged. "Trust me, even a year ago I would've found this Smith kid myself. But my friends have taught me to be more… tactical. Why start a fight yourself when you can just use someone else?"

"That's… brilliant," John smiled, he looked quite awed. "So your friends teach you things as well?"

"I was stupid enough to not listen to them back in first year, but now I make sure to," Ron nodded. "Friends are your most important allies, John. And from what I've seen so far, you eight could be a real power in Slytherin one day."

"Are you trying to impress me?" John asked, and Ron chuckled.

"Is it working?" Ron asked back.

"Yes," John whispered with a smile. "I'll see you inside, Mentor Ron."

"Sod off, you cheeky bugger," Ron laughed, and John quickly made his way inside.

"You're really good with them," Millie said, and Ron looked to see her waiting for him. "They respect you, but more than that, they seem to look up to you." Ron nodded at that, while Millie just smiled at him. "Are you alright?"

"Of course," Ron replied, giving Millie a confused smile. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Daphne told us about your conversation with her," Millie replied, and Ron lost his smile.

"It is what it is," Ron sighed. "But for what it's worth, scaring you guys was not my plan. That Boggart dying was not my plan. It just happened…"

"We know that, Ron," Millie told him, and then she walked up to his side. "It was just… Seeing something like that in the middle of a classroom was quite jarring. Even Professor Lupin was horrified. The others will get over it soon, trust me."

"The others?" Ron asked.

"It didn't really scare me," Millie admitted. "It jarred me, sure… But it didn't scare me. You don't scare me, because I know that you always put others first."

"I… Thanks…" Ron smiled a bit, it felt nice knowing that someone saw that about him. "So… What did Samantha want?"

"You already know, don't you?" Millie asked, and she gave him a rather loving smile.

"No, I don't," Ron lied.

"She asked me to be a representative for the third years," Millie said rather softly. "Me, Ron… Can you believe that?"

"I can," Ron nodded.

"Well, I can't," Millie admitted, and Ron fought the urge to frown.

"Well, you should," Ron said firmly. "You're strong, you have a good sense of judgement, and you're not afraid of hard work. They'd be stupid to not recognize your value."

"She said something eerily similar," Millie told him, and Ron mentally smacked himself. I'm an idiot. Millie suddenly hugged him, and Ron was actually quite taken aback. She hasn't hugged me in a while.

"Um… Mills?" Ron asked as he put his arms around her.

"I… I just haven't hugged you in a while, that's all," Millie smiled into his chest, he was honestly too tall. "I've actually really missed it." Right.

"Well, I'm always open to hugs," Ron said, and then he gave her a light squeeze. Millie then broke the hug, and she gave him another loving smile.

"Thanks for this, Ron," Millie said, and Ron found it difficult to lie after that. She already knows that it was me who talked the Triumvirate into picking her. "I won't let you down, I promise."

"This doesn't have anything to do with me, Mills," Ron gave her a soft smile. "You should do this for you, and you alone."

"Ron! Sorry we're late!" came Lavender's voice, and both Ron and Millie turned to see a wave of Gryffindors coming at them. Sweet Merlin, that's a lot of lions.

"No, you're all right on time," Ron waved at them, his eyes scanning everyone. First, second, and third years. This is a great turnout. And even Finnegan and Thomas are here. "I didn't expect so many lions to turn up. We're going to need a bigger space soon."

"Hey, mate," Neville greeted him, while the first and second years walking into the Library. "Can Seamus and Dean join as well?" Be inclusive, Ron.

"Of course," Ron nodded, and Neville gave the two boys a smile.

"See?" Lavender asked, a smug look on her face. "Told you that he'd let you guys join."

"Thanks," Thomas said, a weak smile on his face.

"Yeah, thanks," Finnegan said right after, and then both boys left with the girls.

"What made them want to join?" Ron asked Neville, who rubbed the back of his head.

"Everyone has homework piling on, and they needed a study group," Neville replied. "But since we're all a part of your study group, they kind of asked me if they could sign up. I hope that's fine, Ron. I know that things aren't exactly good between you and Finnegan."

"I understand," Ron reassured him. "As long as Finnegan doesn't blow anyone up, that is."

"He won't," Neville snorted.

"Where are Granger and Potter?" Millie asked, and Neville gave her a nervous smile.

"They're not coming today," Neville said, and Ron waited for him to go on. "Harry's under a lot of stress because of this whole Peter Pettigrew business, so he mostly just flies his broom around these days. And Hermione…" he trailed off.

"Is angry with me?" Ron provided, and Neville let out a frustrated sigh.

"I'm really sorry, Ron," Neville said. "She's just really competitive, and she's overworked because of all of her subjects. She barely even spends time with Harry and me…"

"Hey, guys," came Colin Creevey's voice, and all three of them looked to see Colin and Ginny walking towards them. Huh? They're late? Together? Something stirred in Ron's chest, but he quickly pushed it down. "Sorry we're so late, but Filch was telling us off."

"What for?" Ron asked.

"We both tracked mud into the castle," Ginny replied. "It's not our fault that we had Herbology." Ginny then looked to Neville, and then she looked around. "Where are Harry and Hermione? Are they inside?"

"They're not feeling up to it today," Neville replied, and Ginny looked to Ron. What?

"First, second, and third years from each House are attending today," Ron started, but Ginny just stared at him. "Harry and Hermione are the only two people not here. So um… Why don't you guys head inside?"

"Alright, Ron," Colin said excitedly.

"You go on, Colin," Ginny said. "I just need to talk to Neville and Ron for a second." And Millie. Because you know… She right here. Colin gave her a nod, and then he quickly made his way inside.

"Is everything alright?" Neville asked her.

"What's the real reason behind Harry and Hermione not being here?" Ginny asked them, and Neville immediately looked to Ron. Wow… He just passed it off on me.

"Hermione's just really busy with her own work, and Harry isn't in the mood to study," Ron said, and Neville nodded along.

"Right…" Ginny nodded slowly, and then she shot a wary look into the library.

"Luna's here though," Ron told her. "You can work alongside her, and… And if you want, I can help you guys with your work."

"Truth be told, Ron…" Ginny started, and Ron's heart fell a little. "I really don't feel like studying in the first place… I might just head towards the Pitch and fly my broom around a bit…"

"Are you sure?" Ron asked, and she nodded. "Alright… Have fun, Gin…"

"Sure," Ginny mumbled under her breath, and then she turned around and left. Ron looked back to Millie and Neville, only to find them averting their eyes from him. Whatever.

"Let's go in?" Ron asked them, and they simply nodded. "Neville, why don't you join us this time, eh?"

"Sure thing, mate," Neville gave him a sorry smile, but Ron chose to ignore it.

---

Two Hours Later

The study group was going exceptionally well, and despite Ron missing Ginny, he was glad that Hermione and Harry weren't here. Without Hermione here to form her own little group, the Gryffindor first and second years had joined the rest of their year-mates. And without Harry here, Neville was spending time with the Slytherins, Ravenclaws, and Hufflepuffs. Oddly enough, he was really thriving with Padma's help, and when it came to Herbology, he was competing neck-to-neck with Theo. As for Ron, he was overseeing all the first years.

"Any other questions on Yardley Platt?" Ron asked the first years, who were doing their homework on the Serial Goblin Killer.

"So Yardley caused the Goblin Rebellion of 1612?" a Gryffindor asked, he had the same look of awe as the others. Ron was clearly being hero-worshiped by the younger students, who were no doubt amazed by his many achievements. And his most recent feat of blowing up a Boggart with his mind alone was netting him far too much attention.

"He contributed to it, but he didn't cause it," Ron replied. "The fact that he was openly murdering Goblins by the dozens was bad enough, but when the Wizarding Community refused to put him on trial for his crimes, it rightly angered the Goblins."

"Why are the Goblins treated with such hostility?" Beth asked, and Ron remembered that she was a Muggle-Born.

"It's because they control our economy with their banks," Hestia replied, but that only confused Beth and the other Muggle-Borns.

"Basically, they took over the mines very early on," Flora explained. "And that gave them access to all the precious metals, which at the time, were a highly sought after resource. They then refused to give up control of the mines, and began using them as a way to strong-arm Wizarding-kind. They have even threatened the Statute of Secrecy because of their endless greed for gold as they keep trying to steal Muggle mines."

"And we are forced to clean up after them," Hestia added. "Think about it this way, if they really wanted to, they could shut down half of Diagon Alley simply because they own a piece of paper, which they bought with gold that they refuse to share. And yet, they want us to treat them with nothing but respect."

"They use intimidation and threats whenever they deal with us, but when we retaliate, they start crying about the injustice of it all," Flora said. "If they want respect and acceptance, then maybe they should learn to share."

"But wizards and witches won't even let them have wands," a Ravenclaw pointed out.

"That's because we created the wands, and just as they refuse to give up their mines, we refuse to give up our creation," Hestia countered, and the Ravenclaw nodded slowly. These two should be on a debate team.

"If they want something from us, then they must give something in return," Flora added. "That's just common manners."

"So… All of this could be avoided if people just learned to share?" a Gryffindor asked, and Ron snorted. "What?"

"Nothing," Ron chuckled, making all the first years smile widely. "In all honesty, if were we all sorted into Hufflepuff, the World would be a much better place."

"We could argue that," the Carrow twins said, and Ron raised his hands in surrender.

"Please don't, I'd rather not get embarrassed in public," Ron said, and the twins smirked at him. "Right, any other questions? No? Since we're done with History of Magic, how about you guys get started on your Astronomy Charts?"

"Alright," some of the first years said, while Ron looked to Blaise.

"Blaise," Ron called out, and the dark-skinned boy looked to him. "A word?"

"Sure," Blaise said as he left Padma's side, and both boys made their way away from the first years. "What is it?"

"Can you help the first years with their Astronomy Charts?" Ron asked, and Blaise blinked at him. "Please? You're much better at Astronomy than me, and I just need a break. I've been working with them for two hours."

"Ron, Padma and I are getting along really well," Blaise said aloofly, and Ron cocked an eyebrow. "I don't see why I should stop spending time with her in order to teach the first years-"

"Mate, I just need twenty minutes to myself," Ron said, and Blaise gave an annoyed sigh. I need to have my second dose, otherwise I'll pass out. "Just be polite, and give them a gentle push in the right direction."

"Twenty minutes?" Blaise asked, and Ron nodded his agreement. "Fine."

"Thanks," Ron said, and Blaise walked over to Ron's previous seat and sat down. Ron then looked towards the second years, and he noticed that they were all studying together. All of them except for the Slytherins, who were clearly gossiping and socializing. Wow… One of them is painting her fucking nails. Where the fuck are Theo, Daphne, and Millie? Ron looked around for the three representatives, and he found them sitting with the other third years. Theo was talking animatedly with Hannah Abbot, Daphne was studying with Tracey and Justin, while Millie was studying with Pansy, Lavender, Parvati, and Fay.

"Great…" Ron muttered under his breath, his head feeling a little light. I need my Potion. Ron skulked off towards the Record Section, mostly because he wanted to find a book on the Silencing Charm. Once he was there, he quickly drank down his medicine, which in turn made him feel a little better. I haven't even touched my own homework, and since I have work tomorrow, I can't do it tonight. Shite, I really need to learn to manage my time better.

"Destroy the snake!" came a man's yell, and Ron immediately brandished his wand. What the fuck was that? "Use the sword to do it, understand?!"

"I've got this, Harry!" Ron heard his own voice, but it was much older. "Just get the others out of here! I'll find you guys when I can!"

"I'm hearing voices again," Ron whispered to himself, and then he rubbed his face as hard as he could. Merlin, I'm really going insane. What did the Entity say again? Oh yeah… It's 'Bleeding into my mind'. Fuck, what does that even mean? Ron dropped his hands from his face, and his breath hitched at the sight before him. "Merlin…"

There he was, or rather, a much older version of him. The gaunt looking redhead was wearing shabby robes, his hair was cut uneven, and he was just sitting with his back against the wall. But none of that meant anything to Ron, all he could focus on were the fresh splatters of blood around the older Ron. Once he had stared at his vision for a bit longer, a horrible realization dawned on him. The older Ron was dead.

"A previous Cycle?" Ron whispered, and then he slowly approached 'his' dead boy. It was disturbingly mangled, almost as if it had been caught in a vice of some sort. Ron slowly kneeled by the body's side, and he examined the dead Ron's face. There were puncture wounds on 'his' face, and 'his' eyes and tongue were bulging out. Was he crushed to death?

"Blood-Traitor," a woman hissed, and Ron looked to his left. His eyes widened at the sight of a gigantic green snake slithering away, it's thick body leaving behind a bloody trail. It didn't take Ron long to realize how one of his predecessors had died, and because of that, his skin crawled. The snake bit into his fucking face… Ron looked back to 'his' corpse, and his stomach turned a bit. The dead Ron's arms were crushed, his legs were bent out of shape, and his bloodied face was purple. As Ron examined the body more closely, he spotted a shiny sword lying by its side.

"Use the sword…" Ron muttered to himself, his gaze fixed on the beautiful blade. It was made entirely out of silver, except for the gleaming egg-sized rubies which were set in its hilt. And just beneath the hilt were carvings of some sort, but Ron couldn't recognize the symbols. I've seen that sort of writing before, but I can't remember where I saw it.

"You really are a nutter, Weasley," came a familiar voice from behind him, and Ron shot up to his feet. Shite, someone saw me! Ron then turned around, only to find Malfoy staring at him in disgust. Malfoy then eyed the spot behind Ron, but when he saw nothing there, he cocked an eyebrow at Ron. He straight up caught me having hallucinations.

"Enjoy sneaking up on people, Malfoy?" Ron asked, a frown appearing on his face.

"What were you staring at?" Malfoy asked in return. "Use the sword? What was that about?" Bloody hell…

"I have no idea what you're on about," Ron lied, and Malfoy scoffed coldly. "What do you want, Malfoy?"

"Nothing from you, Weasley," Malfoy spat out, and then he planted his book back into the shelf. "Should be locked up in St. Mungo's…" With that, Malfoy turned around and left. Ron waited for a few seconds, and then he shot a look behind him. The boy was gone, as were the blood splatters. Use the sword to destroy the snake. A silver sword with rubies. As Ron was pondering the meaning behind his latest hallucination, Tracey came around the corner.

"Ron?" Tracey called, she had a handful of books in her hands.

"Hello," Ron greeted her, and she looked around him with a confused look.

"What are you doing back there?" Tracey asked as she stepped into the section. Flower picking.

"Looking for a book that can teach me the Silencing Charm," Ron replied, and Tracey nodded slowly.

"People are wondering where you ran off to," Tracey told him, all the while placing her burrowed books back. "Oh, and Blaise isn't doing too well with the first years. He's a bit too… intimidating… for their liking."

"Are you saying that I'm not?" Ron smirked. "Wait… No, I didn't mean that I should be seen… Sorry." Tracey just blinked at him, and then she gave him a sorry smile. "I'll be right back, I promise."

"Ron, come here," Tracey said, and Ron slowly stepped up to her. "Being a little scary sometimes bothers you that much? I've never really seen you as someone who cares about what other people think."

"I don't," Ron responded. "But I care about what you guys think…"

"I see," Tracey smiled a bit. "Truth be told, none of us really thought that you'd be bothered by our reactions."

"I understand them," Ron assured her. "But that doesn't mean that I have to like being excluded…"

"That's not happening, Ron," Tracey assured him, and then she hugged him tightly. "We just needed to talk it out with each other, that's all. C'mon… Hug me back." Ron put his arms around her and squeezed her into his chest, and Tracey released a satisfied sigh. "Feel better?"

"Yes," Ron admitted, and then he kissed the top of her head.

"Oi," Tracey snorted. "Now I have to give you one in return."

"If you can reach that high, then go ahead," Ron chuckled, but Tracey simply planted a kiss under his chin. "Cheater."

"Lamppost," Tracey shot back.

---

Friday 18th September, 1993 (Dumbledore's Office – After Dinner)

"Is this the sword that you saw, Ronald?" Dumbledore asked, and then he placed the silver sword on his desk.

"Bloody hell, it is!" Ron grinned. "Talk about lucky!"

"Lucky?" Dumbledore smiled, his eyes twinkling at Ron.

"Well, it's just that things from my visions are hard to follow up on," Ron replied. "But not this time. Can I touch it?"

"You can try," Dumbledore replied, and Ron blinked at him. The old man was just smiling at him, and Ron narrowed his eyes on the sword. Is he trying to trick me?

"It won't explode, will it?" Ron asked, and Dumbledore let out a laugh.

"You are the most paranoid young man that I've ever come across," Dumbledore pointed out, his mirth on full display. Ron shot Dumbledore a frown, and then he took the sword by its hilt. Much to his surprise, the sword turned into a white mist and simply disappeared.

"What was that?" Ron asked, his eyes fixed on where the sword had been.

"That was the sword of Godric Gryffindor himself," Dumbledore replied as he took his seat, and Ron gaped at him.

"As in the Founder?" Ron asked. "Wait… Who else would be named Godric Gryffindor?"

"Tell me about this vision, my boy," Dumbledore said, and Ron nodded as he sat down.

"Well, it was about one of my past lives," Ron started, and Dumbledore leaned forward. "Actually, it was more about his death… He got crushed by a gigantic snake…"

"A gigantic snake?" Dumbledore asked, his hand traveling to his chin.

"It was massive," Ron replied. "Around fifteen feet long, and as thick as a grown man's leg. Truth be told, it was quite frightening to look at. Do you think that it's related to the Dark Lord? He does seem to have a fetish for snakes."

"A fetish?" Dumbledore blinked, and then he shook his head. "Tom is obsessed with status, and his status as Slytherin's Heir played a key role in his corruption. Snakes, and all things related to them, are a part of who he is. Who he sees himself as."

"Yes, he's a creepy fuck," Ron nodded. "Can we get back to this enormous snake that managed to murder me?"

"You don't seem very bothered by what you saw, Ronald," Dumbledore said. "Most people would be in shock after seeing their own dead body."

"Is it really news that I'm a little unhinged?" Ron asked sarcastically, and Dumbledore sighed.

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry that you saw something like this," Dumbledore said, and Ron gave him a confused look. Why is he sorry? This vision could help us succeed in my Cycle. "Now, what does Godric's sword have to do with this snake?"

"I heard Harry's voice telling the 'me' that 'I' had to use the sword to destroy the snake," Ron replied. "His words sounded like instructions rather than an order. And here's the weird thing… I couldn't find a wand near 'my' dead body. Just the sword."

"This other you never even bothered with Magic," Dumbledore said slowly. "Very 'weird' indeed. He must've been in Gryffindor."

"Why do you say that?" Ron asked. "He looked like he was in his late twenties, and he wasn't wearing anything that would prove which House he was in."

"The sword proves it," Dumbledore said, and Ron waited for him to go on. "The sword of Gryffindor only reveals itself to true Gryffindors, and it can only be wielded by one. If this other Ronald was from any other House, the sword would simply vanish from his hands."

"Like it did with me," Ron said, and Dumbledore gave him a nod. "That's just-" A sudden knock at the door interrupted Ron, who quickly got out of his chair.

"Albus, may I come in? I have Mr. Potter with me," came McGonagall's voice, and Ron gave Dumbledore a panicked grin.

"Hide," Dumbledore chuckled at Ron's face, and Ron quickly took out his wand and cast the Disillusionment Charm on himself. "Come in, Minerva." As the door swung open, Ron placed himself behind a close-by column.

"Thank you for seeing us, Albus," McGonagall said as she and Harry entered the Office, and Dumbledore gave them both pleasant smiles. "Mr. Potter, here you are."

"Everything alright, Harry?" Dumbledore asked, and Harry gave him a resolute look in response.

"I want permission to go back home for the weekend," Harry replied, and Ron nearly smacked his own forehead. I'm trying to break into your house, mate! Pick another damn weekend!

"Mr. Potter, it is rude to make demands of the Headmaster," McGonagall frowned, but Harry simply ignored her.

"It is quite alright, Minerva," Dumbledore smiled at her, but she didn't seem to agree. "Why is it that you wish to go home for the weekend, Harry?"

"Sirius sent me a letter saying that he was having Pettigrew euthanized this weekend, and I want to be there," Harry replied.

"Pardon?" McGonagall gasped, her eyes widening at Harry. That's just fucked up.

"Harry, do you truly wish to see this man die?" Dumbledore asked.

"He betrayed my parents," Harry replied, his anger clear in his voice. "I deserve to see him at least once before they put him down."

"And what does Sirius have to say about this?" Dumbledore asked.

"What does it matter?" Harry argued. "It's my choice, not his."

"He is your legal guardian, Harry," Dumbledore explained. "In the Wizarding World, things work very differently as compared to the Muggle World. I know for a fact that he doesn't want you to see Peter Pettigrew, and he most certainly doesn't want you to see him die. Seeing death is not an easy thing, Harry. It changes a person completely, and there is no going back." I can't help but think that he's talking to me as well.

"How do you know what Sirius wants?" Harry asked.

"He sent me a letter detailing his wishes," Dumbledore replied. "One of those wishes was that I not give you permission to return home whilst he is dealing with Peter."

"This… This is not fair!" Harry yelled, and McGonagall coughed loudly.

"Volume, Mr. Potter," McGonagall scolded, and Harry grit his teeth.

"What would this achieve, Harry?" Dumbledore asked calmly. "Peter Pettigrew is long gone, and seeing his body be put to rest will not give you any answers. I am sorry, but I cannot allow you to return home this weekend. And this is not simply because your guardian asked me to keep you here, I am doing this because I care about your well-being."

"Then why won't you listen to what I want?" Harry asked, his voice severely weakened after his outburst. "Why don't I even get a say in what happens in my own life?" Ron couldn't help but sympathize with Harry on that, and a small part of him was quickly beginning to side with Harry's plight. All he wants is a damn choice, and they can't even give that to him?

"Forgive me, Harry," Dumbledore said gently. "But this is out of my hands. As the Headmaster of Hogwarts, I cannot act against your guardian's wishes." Shite, he is right about that. When my parents wanted to Re-Sort me, Dumbledore was powerless to stop them.

"I'm owling Sirius right now…" Harry said dejectedly, and then he turned around and marched out of the Office.

"Minerva, please make sure that he finds his way back to Gryffindor Tower," Dumbledore said, and McGonagall left after giving him a firm nod. "Ronald, you may come out of hiding now." Ron mentally broke his Disillusionment Charm, and then he stepped in front of Dumbledore's desk.

"Can you really not do anything?" Ron asked him, and Dumbledore blinked at him. "It's just that… Look, all he wants is the right to make his own decisions. Trust me, I know what it feels like to be forced to follow other people's whims."

"I am nothing like the Entity," Dumbledore said, and Ron nodded his agreement.

"That's not my point," Ron said. "My point is that he deserves the right to choose for himself, we all do. You and Sirius are taking his away simply because you think you know better. I'm sorry, but I think that that's wrong."

"Isn't that what you plan to do to your own Family and friends?" Dumbledore asked, and Ron just stared at him. "You asked Severus and me to lie to them, to trick them into safer missions during the upcoming war. Remember? Don't they also deserve to make their own decisions?" Ron had nothing to say to that, he was once again stunned by his own hypocrisy.

"I… I just don't want them to get hurt," Ron sighed out. He's dead right about that. I have no right to argue over Harry's rights, not while I'm planning to 'shield' my own loved ones.

"Sirius doesn't want Harry to get hurt either," Dumbledore said, and Ron nodded weakly. "Seeing Peter in the flesh will not heal Harry's pain. If anything, it will remind him of it. Sirius understand this because, I think, he himself feels that pain whenever he visits Peter."

"Then why does he do it?" Ron asked.

"That pain is a reminder of his friends," Dumbledore replied. "Of a life before Azkaban Prison. I believe Sirius craves that pain in order to feel closer to what his life used to be."

"That's sad," Ron said, and Dumbledore nodded his agreement.

"Quite so," Dumbledore said softly. "Life should be lived in the present, not in the past… Or the Future."

"The Future?" Ron asked, and Dumbledore smiled at him in a sagely manner.

"Have you asked Lady Greengrass to be your muse yet?" Dumbledore asked, and Ron blinked at him. Huh?

"What? What does that have to do with any of this?" Ron asked, he was now thoroughly confused.

"Just as Sirius craves the life that he used to have, you crave a Future where your loved ones are truly safe," Dumbledore replied with a knowing smile. "Neither of you are living in the present, not completely anyway."

"My visions are a responsibility," Ron said, and Dumbledore's smile turned slightly sad. "I have to think of what's ahead, that's my duty."

"The Future isn't determined by certain key events," Dumbledore told him. "It is determined by how you live in the moment, Ronald. If you only ever look ahead, then one day you will trip. Sometimes, it's wiser to just stop and smell the flowers."

"Smell the flowers?" Ron asked, and Dumbledore chuckled.

"A Muggle expression," Dumbledore replied, and Ron nodded slowly. "It means that you should stop to enjoy your life once in a while. Take an afternoon off, eat good food, make new friends, and find love."

"Love?" Ron blushed a bit, but Dumbledore just smiled at him. "This conversation is getting a bit too… icky… for my liking. Goodnight, Headmaster."

"Goodnight, Ronald," Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling brightly. "Should you see Lady Greengrass tonight, send her my regards."

"Like hell," Ron muttered under his breath, but Dumbledore clearly heard him judging by his hearty chuckle.

---

Saturday 19th September, 1993 (Greengrass Manor – Before Lunch)

"Merlin's beard, Ron," Lord Greengrass frowned at him, and Ron rubbed his forehead. "This is the twelfth error so far… Where is your head? Did you leave it behind at Hogwarts?"

"No, my Lord," Ron replied. "I'm just… distracted."

"Then why did you bother coming here today?" Lord Greengrass asked, and then he tossed Ron's conundrums sheet into the fire. Ouch. "These are easier than the conundrums that you solved last week, so why can't you get these right?"

"I don't have any excuse," Ron replied. None that I can use, anyway. The truth was that Dumbledore's words had gotten to him, and he had realized that he was just putting off asking Daphne out. So he had steeled himself to do it today, but the moment he had stepped into Greengrass Manor, his nerves had betrayed him. Not to mention that Madam Roberts is coming down for lunch as well. Lord Greengrass eyed his apprentice's defeated state, and then he drew in a deep breath.

"Ronald, look at me," Lord Greengrass ordered, and Ron looked up. "What is going on with you? What has you so distracted? Is it still this Quibbler business?"

"Sort of," Ron replied, because in a way, that was also true.

"I spoke with the other adults on your behalf," Lord Greengrass told him. "I told them just how stressful running a business can be, and that with your conditions, your reaction was not entirely out of place."

"And they bought that?" Ron asked.

"Xenophilius and Sirius did, but your parents are still quite upset with you," Lord Greengrass replied.

"And Pandora?" Ron asked weakly.

"You screamed in her husband's face, Ron," Lord Greengrass sighed, and Ron felt his spirit drain away. "She's still having difficulty processing that. She thinks the world of you, but seeing you like that shook her."

"I see," Ron sighed out. I'm just 'shaking' people left right and center lately.

"What else is on your mind?" Lord Greengrass asked, and Ron began fidgeting with his hands. I want to snog your daughter, that's what's on my mind.

"Husband?" came Mary's voice, and then there was a knock on the door. "Madam Roberts is here."

"She is?" Ron asked as he stood up, while Lord Greengrass cocked his eyebrow at him.

"We will be waiting for you and Ron in the Dining Room," Mary said, and then she was gone.

"Ron, take a deep breath," Lord Greengrass said, and Ron did as he was told. "Let me do the talking, but if she asks you a question, reply truthfully. Understood?"

"I understand," Ron nodded. Asking for Daphne's hand in dating will need to wait, I have to win over a different woman right now. Wait… Ew… Old…

---

Five Minutes Later

"You wish to change nothing on the contract?" Lord Greengrass asked again, and Madam Roberts simply nodded once. "Not even a higher price?"

"Do I look like I'm motivated by money, Greengrass?" Madam Roberts asked coldly, and Mary's lips twitched into a frown. "Same pupil, same contract."

"Very well, I will draw up the same contract tonight," Lord Greengrass agreed, and Madam Roberts stood up.

"Good day to you then," she said, and then she looked to Ron. "I'd like a private word with my student."

"Of course," Lord Greengrass said, and then he gestured Ron to follow her. Ron stood up and followed after the Hit-Wizard, and he had to admit, he was rather blown away by how decisive she was. She had made no small-talk whatsoever, she hadn't even attempted it. She had simply sat down, asked for the same contract as before, and now he was following her out of the Dining Room.

"So do I come in for training tomorrow?" Ron asked as they exited the Dining Room, and she turned to face him. Merlin, what do I do about the first years now?

"Not tomorrow," Madam Roberts replied. "I am on assignment tomorrow. But starting from next week, I expect you be here by nine 'o'clock sharp."

"I understand," Ron replied. "So… What did you want to talk about?"

"Your health," Madam Roberts replied, and Ron nodded slowly. "It is clear to me that I cannot teach you as I teach my other students, but you are promising enough that I wish to try my hand at a… gentler approach."

"A gentler-"

"Do not interrupt me while I speak," Madam Roberts frowned, and Ron gave her an apologetic smile. "Your health will be constantly under my supervision, is that clear?"

"I understand," Ron replied.

"You will not hide things from me, and you will tell me immediately if your conditions are hurting you," Madam Roberts said. "And no, Ronald… You cannot trick me with your conditions. I sift through lies for a living, and believe me, I will see through you immediately." Ron nodded nervously, her gaze was difficult to match. "Instead of a warning system, I will try a different method with you. If you work hard without complaining like some toddler, then I will continue teaching you. But if I think for even a moment that you aren't giving me your best, then we're done. I am not a woman who goes back on her word, but for you, I have made an exception. Do not make me regret this, is that clear?"

"Yes, Ma'am," Ron nodded.

"Then we are done here," Madam Roberts said as she turned around. "Goodbye for now, Ronald."

"Take care, Madam Roberts," Ron said, and then she left for the fireplaces. Once she was completely out of sight, Ron pumped his fist into the air and started doing a happy dance. "I got her, I got her," Ron sang to himself, a massive grin on his face.

"You are certainly an eccentric dancer, Ron," came Mary's voice, and Ron quickly turned around with a flushed face. She was just smiling at him, but he could see the mischievous glint in her eyes. "Does Daphne know that you enjoy dancing? She's always loved it herself." I know, we've danced together before.

"I… I don't know what to say," Ron mumbled.

"Say nothing," Mary chuckled, and Ron rubbed the back of his head. "This can be our little secret."

"Thanks," Ron gave a nervous chuckle, and Mary gestured him to follow her back into the Dining Room. They both made their way back to their seats, and once they were seated, Lord Greengrass gave Ron a warm smile.

"That went well, didn't it?" Lord Greengrass asked.

"It did, my Lord," Ron nodded. "Thank you for this, I really appreciate you doing this for me."

"Think nothing of it," Lord Greengrass waved a dismissive hand, which earned him a loving smile from his wife. "It's about time that something worked out in your favor. Come, let's eat." The Greengrasses and Ron began making their plates, and Ron found himself feeling rather nervous. Should I ask them now? Damn, how do I even do this?

"Ron, is everything alright?" Mary asked him, and he nodded rather enthusiastically. Both Lord and Lady Greengrass exchanged quick looks, and then they stared at Ron. Stop it!

"Something is clearly on your mind, Ron," Lord Greengrass said, his pale eyes focused on Ron's. "You know that you can speak freely with us, don't you?"

"I know," Ron nodded once again, and then he looked down at his plate. There has to be some strategy that holds the highest chance of success, right? If I just ask them outright, they might simply refuse. After all, they know all about my conditions. They love their daughters above all else, and tying one of them to someone like me might not sit well with them. Then there's the fact that Daphne gave me a thousand Galleons a few days ago, and I don't want them to think that I want to date Daphne out of some obligation. How do I show them that I really bloody want to be with their daughter, but not tell them that we're sort of already together? Merlin, where's Charlie when you-

"Ron, you are staring at your food," Mary said, and Ron broke out of his thoughts. "I know that the lamb looks amazing, but I assure you, you will enjoy it far more once it's in your mouth."

"Right," Ron chuckled nervously as he looked to her, only to find that both Greengrasses were still staring at him. Their curiosity was quickly turning into worry and suspicion, and Ron knew that he had to do this now. "Um… Does Daphne like lamb?" AHHHH!

"Excuse me?" Lord Greengrass blinked, while Mary looked rather taken aback.

"She does…" Mary said slowly, and Ron filed that away for later use.

"What's her favorite type of meat though?" Ron asked, and the Greengrasses exchanged looks once again. What the fuck am I doing?! I already know that it's pork!

"She's always enjoyed pork dishes," Mary replied, and Ron nodded to himself like an idiot. "The only meat that she doesn't enjoy is raw fish."

"Raw fish?" Ron asked.

"Sushi," Mary replied, and Ron had no idea what that was. "It's a Japanese dish… Ron, are you feeling alright?"

"Totally," Ron lied poorly, and Lord Greengrass frowned at him.

"You clearly aren't," Lord Greengrass pointed out. "Speak your mind, Ronald. The look of a bumbling buffoon does not suit you." That's just hurtful, but he's right. I need to be confident right now in order to show them my resolve. C'mon, Ron, do this for Future Daphne. And for her ample bosom. And kissable lips. Hmmm, Future Daphne is fucking awesome.

"I've been thinking about dating lately," Ron started, and Lord Greengrass immediately gave him a wary look. Mary, on the other hand, broke into a massive smile. "Actually, I've been thinking about it for a while now, but with everything being so hectic, I was forced to put it on the back-burner. But now that everything seems to be in order once again, I've come back to the topic."

"I'm going to stop you right there," Lord Greengrass said, but Mary quickly smacked his arm.

"Sei ruhig, Sebastian," Mary hissed in a foreign tongue, and Lord Greengrass blinked at his wife's sudden German outburst. "Go on, Ron."

"Right…" Ron said slowly, while Lord Greengrass stared right through him. "Daphne is really special to me, and I really do-"

"Merlin," Lord Greengrass sighed as he shook his head, and Ron swallowed thickly. Good lord, this is so awkward.

"Keep going, Ron," Mary said, her smile threatening to split her face.

"I want to ask you both for her hand in dating," Ron said, and Mary looked happier than he'd ever seen her. "May I please have your blessing in asking Daphne to be my girlfriend?" Did I say that right? It didn't sound very formal.

"Yes!" Mary beamed at him, and Ron felt his heart soar. "Das ist Wunderbar! Einfach Wunderbar!"

"Lord Greengrass?" Ron looked to his Mentor, who was now simply rubbing his forehead with his long fingers.

"Does my daughter know that you feel this way?" Lord Greengrass asked, his fingers leaving red marks on his forehead. Is he pissed? He looks pissed.

"I haven't asked her out yet, if that's what you mean," Ron replied, he could feel the cold sweat in his armpits. "I wanted to get your permission first."

"That's so proper of you, Ron," Mary said with a happy smile, and Ron managed a weak one back. "Isn't it proper, Sebastian? It's what you did with my mother and father as well."

"I remember," Lord Greengrass replied, his hands returning to his cutlery. And then, he simply began eating. Um… Is that a yes?

"Sebastian?" Mary asked, while Ron just stared at his Mentor.

"We will discuss this later," Lord Greengrass said, and Mary shot Ron a worried look. "Just us men." Sweet Circe, he's going to murder me. Wait… I still have to work with him after this… Ron, you idiot!

---

Saturday 19th September, 1993 (Greengrass Manor – Dinnertime)

Ron was moments away from bolting back to Hogwarts. Never in his life had he felt so uncomfortable, and Lord Greengrass clearly felt the same way. And yet, they both just sat there. Ron did his conundrums, while Lord Greengrass drank his Apple Brandy. Occasionally, their eyes would meet, and both men would just stare at each other. And then there was the fact that Ron's workday wasn't ending because Lord Greengrass refused to say anything, and so Ron just kept working quietly.

"My Lord," Ron suddenly broke the silence, his eyes going to his Rolex. "I need to head back to Hogwarts." When Lord Greengrass didn't reply, Ron slowly stood up.

"Sit back down," Lord Greengrass ordered from behind his snifter, and Ron planted his arse back onto the seat. This is it. This is where he pulls out his wand in order to kill me. Lord Greengrass stood up and walked over to his Brandy table, and Ron just watched him as he poured them both a drink. Shite, not this again. I honestly prefer juice. Lord Greengrass then walked back to Ron, and he handed him a snifter. "Let's talk."

"Yes, my Lord," Ron agreed, while Lord Greengrass sat back down in his seat.

"I am not surprised by your decision to court my daughter," Lord Greengrass told him, and Ron nodded slowly. "Both Mary and I have seen how close you two are, and at times, I have suspected that you two are closer than you let on. That being said, I have some questions for you. This is a conversation between two men, not between a Mentor and his pupil. Understand?"

"I understand," Ron replied, and when Lord Greengrass took a sip from his snifter, Ron followed his lead. My throat… He put so much in here.

"How long have you fancied my daughter?" Lord Greengrass asked.

"I started thinking about her differently during the Holidays," Ron replied calmly, though he was starting to panic internally. How much do I tell him? I can't tell him that Daphne and I fool around quite often, he'll fucking throttle me immediately.

"I see," Lord Greengrass whispered, his eyes fixed on Ron's. "Why are you and my daughter so close?"

"Close?" Ron asked.

"Mary has told me that when you woke up after your victory in France, you immediately asked for Daphne," Lord Greengrass clarified. "And then, after you had your seizure, you once again asked to see my daughter immediately. So tell me, why are you two so close? Why is it that she wears her heart on her sleeve when it comes to you, but she acts rationally in regards to everything else? Why is it that two thirteen year olds buy each other such expensive gifts?" Shite… We really don't hide our feelings for each other very well, do we?

"She's…" Ron started, but then he stopped. He had to do this right, otherwise Lord Greengrass would reject his request. "I have a lot of trouble opening up to people," Ron admitted, and Lord Greengrass listened intently. "I have a lot of things in my life that I just don't feel comfortable talking about, which of course includes my conditions. But with Daphne, I don't feel uncomfortable. Ever. I used to at first, but now I trust her completely. Whenever something bad happens, or whenever things don't go in my favor, I know that I can rely on her. She and I have each other's backs, and although we argue sometimes, it always comes from a need to watch out for each other."

"You are describing a rather deep bond," Lord Greengrass said, and Ron gave the man a firm nod. "And she feels the same way as you? Does she depend on you as much as you depend on her?"

"She trusts me completely," Ron replied. "As for her depending on me as much as I depend on her… I personally believe that I depend on her far more than she depends on me. I won't lie about that. It's just true. But despite that being the case, there is nothing that I wouldn't do for her."

"You feel like you owe her?" Lord Greengrass asked, and Ron took a long sip from his snifter. Once again, I don't want him to think that I feel obliged to date Daphne.

"I do owe her a lot," Ron replied, and Lord Greengrass just stared at him. "But that doesn't mean that I feel obliged to date her. I don't think like that, and I know that you know that."

"And if she refuses you?" Lord Greengrass interrupted.

"Then I will respect her decision," Ron replied. "I want us both to be… closer. And that can only happen if we both share mutual feelings for each other. I'd never force her to do anything that she doesn't feel comfortable with."

"Have you given any thought to what will happen if she refuses you?" Lord Greengrass asked. "What happens to the dynamic of your group? How her rejection will affect our working relationship?"

"I have, and I'm willing to ask her anyway," Ron replied.

"I see," Lord Greengrass nodded, and then something shifted behind his eyes. "Have you two acted in a manner that would be considered inappropriate before?" Bloody hell, I knew that he was going to ask that. Lie, but sprinkle some truth in there.

"We've kissed… a couple of times," Ron lied, and Lord Greengrass' jaw clenched. I'm so dead.

"I see," Lord Greengrass said once again, his eyes burning a hole through Ron's head. "So you two are clearly attracted to one another…" He sounds so fucking angry. Merlin, it's that quiet sort of anger as well. I think I fucked up. "I will not ask you anymore questions about your… interactions… with my daughter."

"Right," Ron nodded weakly, he could barely keep up his eye contact with Lord Greengrass. Use the snifter to catch a moment of relief. Ron slowly sipped from his snifter, his throat and eyes burning because of the potent beverage. As Ron lowered the snifter, he realized that there was barely any brandy left in it. There goes my excuse to break eye contact.

"You may go back to Hogwarts, Ronald," Lord Greengrass said suddenly, and Ron blinked at him.

"Do… Do I have your permission, my Lord?" Ron asked, and Lord Greengrass simply stared at him for a few seconds.

"Yes," Lord Greengrass said finally, and Ron's lips twitched into a smile. "But if you dishonor my daughter the way young men often dishonor their first 'girlfriends', I'll have you drowned in the River Thames. That's a promise." Ron's smile died on his face, because judging from Lord Greengrass' cold stare, he knew that his Mentor was telling the truth.

"I will always put her first," Ron promised, and Lord Greengrass gave a curt nod before gesturing Ron to leave. Ron put down his nearly empty snifter, and then he quickly left the study. Once he had closed the door behind himself, his entire body relaxed considerably. Merlin, I did it. I fucking did it. Ron drew in a deep breath, and then another, and another. And then, he slowly made his way towards the fireplaces. His head was feeling light, but slowly and surely, his heart was beginning to soar. He had done it, and they had given him their blessing!

"Ron," Mary called out, she was standing in the center of the Greeting Room. "Well? What did he say?"

"He said yes," Ron replied, a genuine smile breaking out on his face. Mary beamed at him, and then she pulled him into a tight hug. I don't know why Mary is so happy about this, but right now, I really appreciate it.

"This is truly spectacular!" Mary laughed over his shoulder, her hug tightening even more.

"Thank you, Mary," Ron said as he rested his head on her left shoulder, and he felt her put her hand on the back of his head. "Now I just need to ask Daphne."

"She'll say yes, I just know it," Mary told him, and Ron agreed mentally. "So? When will you do it?"

"Tomorrow," Ron replied, and Mary let out an unladylike squeal. "I'll ask her tomorrow."

---

Ten Minutes Later

Ron stepped into the Great Hall, despite the fact that Dinner was already coming to a close. I have ten minutes to stuff my face. Ron quickly made his way towards his friends, his eyes darting towards Snape along the way. The Potions Master had not missed Ron's late entry, but his gaunt features did not betray how he felt about it.

"There you are," Daphne said as he sat down between Theo and Blaise. "Ron, where were you? Dinner is nearly finished."

"Your father and I lost track of time," Ron replied, his face breaking into an involuntary smile. Daphne simply blinked at it, and then she gave him a slow nod. Don't give it away just yet! I need to plan out how and where I ask her. Ron quickly began making a plate, and once that was done, he dug right in.

"Try to not choke please," Pansy said, her eyes widening as Ron snapped a chicken bone with his teeth alone.

"Merlin's ghost, mate," Theo grimaced. "Did that chicken leg piss you off or something?"

"I'm hungry," Ron mumbled with his mouth full.

"Clearly," Blaise said aloofly.

"Did anything happen today?" Ron asked, and Daphne tutted him.

"Please don't talk with your mouth full, Ron," Daphne said, and Ron nodded to himself. "And yes, a couple of things happened."

"Millie smacked a second year!" Tracey said quickly, and then she broke into a laugh.

"I didn't smack him, I merely gave him an incentive to study properly," Millie sighed, while Ron cocked his eyebrow at her.

"No, she smacked that kid straight," Theo sniggered. "Daphne and I were trying to get the second years to finish up their homeworks, mostly because they didn't get anything done in your study group yesterday. And this skinny little bitch starts mouthing off with Daphne, but just as we decided to give up, Millie simply walks up and smacks him across the face."

"Did it work?" Ron asked, and then he swallowed his massive bite.

"Oh, it worked," Daphne replied, and then she shot Millie an annoyed look. "But only for now."

"And the next time they get uppity, I'll smack a different one," Millie shrugged. "Those brats are spoiled rotten, and they need to be taught that they aren't in their parents' villas anymore. The rest of us are working to make sure that Slytherin wins this year, and since they obliviously plan to gloat after we win, they need to bloody contribute to it as well."

"C'mon, Daphne," Pansy smiled at the blonde witch. "Didn't it get results? I mean, you've been trying for three weeks to sort them out. It took Millie an afternoon."

"If it works, then why bother fixing it?" Blaise asked Daphne, who looked to Ron for support.

"Don't at me," Ron said quickly. "You three are the third year representatives, so you need to figure this out amongst each other." Plus, I agree with Millie here. Those little shites need a boot up the arse.

"I'm glad the Triumvirate removed Malfoy and put Millie in power instead," Tracey stated. "He wasn't even helping Daphne and Theo."

"So they've made it official?" Ron asked, and everyone nodded. "How did Malfoy take it?"

"Honestly, I don't think that he cares much," Pansy replied, her eyes darting towards the Malfoy Heir. Everyone else shot subtle looks towards Malfoy, only to see the pale boy staring blankly at his barely touched food. His fucking cheek bones look lethal. He seriously needs to eat a proper meal once in a while. Unsurprisingly, Ron felt a rather strong pang of guilt because of that thought. I haven't even begun preparing for Malfoy's eventual joining. I should get started on that as soon as I can, I'd rather not have Snape shove his hand down my throat.

"I have to admit, I'm starting to feel a bit sorry for him," Millie admitted, and everyone looked to her. "What? Just look at him… He looks like he got kissed by a Dementor…" There was a sudden noise from the Gryffindor table, and everyone in the Great Hall looked to see the twins laughing madly as Hermione scolded them. Why are they talking with her? Also, she looks a bit livelier today. Good for her, I guess.

"So, what did you get for Granger?" Tracey asked him, and Ron blinked at her.

"Pardon?" Ron asked.

"It's her birthday today, right?" Tracey asked, and Ron blinked once again. "Potter, Longbottom, and your sister gave her gifts during Lunch."

"Oh shite, it is her birthday," Ron frowned at himself, his eyes darting towards Hermione again. "I completely forgot."

"You've been busy, so that's perfectly alright," Daphne said rather coldly.

"And with the way she's been behaving towards you, bugger her," Theo shrugged. "You shouldn't even wish her well."

"That's a bit too much," Ron said to Theo.

"You say that…" Theo smirked. "But we all know that you don't think that she deserves a present from you."

"You're under no obligation to give her gifts anyway," Blaise pointed out. "It's nothing to feel guilty about, Ron."

"It's not about guilt, it's about doing what's right," Ron sighed out. "It's her birthday, and despite our friendship being on a rocky road recently, I should still get her something. It'll just be something less… grand. Maybe a new quill, or something."

"And it'll make her realize that you're being the bigger person here," Theo nodded slowly. "You know what, Ron? I think that you're right." Merlin, he changed his tone rather quickly.

"Nice to see that you never change," Ron shook his head, but Theo simply shrugged. "I'll get her a new quill, but I'm not going to rub it in. Instead, I'll just hope that she stops being angry with me."

"And if she doesn't?" Daphne asked.

"Then I can say that I tried," Ron shrugged. "In all honesty, I haven't done anything to make her behave this way." Nothing that she remembers, anyway. "If she wants to keep giving me the cold shoulder, then that's her problem. I'll just ignore her as well."

"Fingers crossed," Blaise said in a bored voice, but Ron barely heard him because the school bell went off.

"Ugh… I didn't eat a damn thing," Ron frowned. "Thanks for distracting me."

"Just get Marty to bring you food," Tracey said casually, and Ron was stunned by his own stupidity. "Did I just outsmart the Prodigy?"

"No," Ron said quickly, but Tracey simply grinned victoriously. "I would have thought of it… I've just had a long day…"

"Uh-huh," Tracey winked at him, and Ron drew in a deep breath. They all stood up and began making their way out of the Great Hall, and Ron made sure to keep in line with the Golden Trio. As they entered the Entrance Hall, Ron quickly stepped into their way.

"Hello," Ron greeted them with a smile, and all three just blinked at his sudden appearance.

"Hey, mate," Neville broke the silence.

"I just wanted to say Happy Birthday to you," Ron said, his eyes resting on Hermione. "Happy Birthday."

"Thanks," Hermione said, though she sounded quite unsure. On the one hand, she was happy that Ron had remembered her birthday. But on the other hand, she was still struggling with how she felt around him. Jealousy and admiration didn't mix well together, and Hermione had decided to avoid being around him for now.

"I've ordered your present, and it should be here soon," Ron lied, and she gave him a weak smile.

"You didn't have to do that," Hermione said, but Ron simply shrugged. I didn't. Not yet at least.

"Not every day that someone turns fourteen," Ron smiled at her. "Happy Birthday again, Hermione."

"Thanks… again," Hermione said, and Ron stepped out of their way.

"I won't keep you guys any longer," Ron said, and both Harry and Hermione nodded before heading towards the stairs. Neville gave Ron a weak smile, and then he patted the redhead's upper right arm.

"It'll pass," Neville said optimistically, and then he followed after his friends.

"Can we go back to our common room now?" Blaise asked as Ron's friends gathered around him.

"Looking for my permission?" Ron smirked at the dark-skinned boy, who simply rolled his eyes. "Do you guys want to play some-"

"Mr. Weasley, a word?" came Snape's voice, and all of them looked to see Snape standing by the giant door.

"We'll play a round before you come back," Pansy whispered, and then they all left Ron with Snape. Ron approached the Potions Master, whose expression was unreadable as always.

"Yes, Sir?" Ron asked, and Snape gestured him to follow. Both student and Professor made their way back into the Great Hall, and much to Ron's surprise, they walked through the back exit reserved only for the staff. "Sir, where are we going?"

"Towards the unused Courtyard," Snape replied, and Ron blinked at his back.

"There's another Courtyard in Hogwarts?" Ron asked, and Snape simply shot him a quick look. "This place is massive."

"This castle has over a thousand years' worth of secrets, Ronald," Snape told him. "As for the unused Courtyard, it is located in the back of the castle."

"Why is it unused?" Ron asked.

"You enjoy the sound of your own voice, don't you?" Snape asked coldly, and Ron smirked at his back.

"It is a nice voice though, isn't it?" Ron asked back.

"Yes, a perfect blend of pubescence and cat screeches," Snape remarked, and Ron lost his smirk.

"At least I'm not the living embodiment of the Weird Sisters' angst," Ron shot back, and Snape shot him a glare.

"I preferred it when your mouth was sealed," Snape stated in his cold voice, and Ron rolled his eyes.

"That was a mean thing to do, even by your standards," Ron said. "My jaw was sore for hours afterwards."

"Good," Snape drawled, and then they stepped into the 'unused' Courtyard. It was perfectly maintained, with rose bushes planted along the path and an apple tree right in the center of it.

"How is this unused?" Ron asked.

"Filch may keep it tidy, but no students come here," Snape replied as they approached the tree. "The North Wing of Hogwarts hasn't been used since the eighteenth century."

"Why?"

"Gods, do you ever stop?" Snape frowned at him, and Ron raised his hands in surrender. Yeesh, someone woke up on the wrong side of the coffin this morning.

"There is no better way to learn than to question everything, Severus," came Dumbledore's voice, and then he stepped out from behind the tree. He was holding an apple in his right hand, and Ron noticed that Fawkes was perched on his left shoulder.

"Was he seriously hiding behind that tree in order to make his sagely entrance?" Ron whispered to Snape, who smirked a little.

"Just let him have this," Snape whispered back.

"We don't have much time to talk, I am expected back in Albania within the hour," Dumbledore said, all the while pretending to not hear them.

"Albania again?" Ron asked, and Dumbledore nodded. "What is happening in that country? I've heard that our Aurors are going there for assignments."

"They are indeed," Dumbledore smiled at him, his eyes twinkling like the stars above them. "I fear that where there is misery, many also see opportunity."

"Bandits," Snape frowned, and Dumbledore gave a slow nod.

"Wizarding crime has gone up exponentially, especially amongst the Albanian Wizarding community," Dumbledore told them. "With their own Ministry solely focused on the Gaia Project, the people of Albania are feeling neglected. Left out to starve in the cold. Many have turned to stealing from the villages that are being funded by the Pure-Blood Families, and since those villages are on the borders of the Forests, Aurors from all over Europe are being deployed to maintain order. The Project needs to be finished by the start of next year, because if it is not, we will run out of funds."

"Bloody hell," Ron sighed, while Snape simply pinched the bridge of his hooked nose.

"I have destroyed many lives because of my rash actions," Dumbledore admitted, his expression weakening for a moment.

"What's done is done," Snape said, and then he looked to Ron. "You will not be going to Grimmauld Place tomorrow. Until Albus returns, this mission of ours will need to wait."

"I understand," Ron nodded. "It's dangerous, and far too much can go wrong. How long will you be away for, Headmaster?"

"Only for a few days," Dumbledore replied, and then he looked to Snape. "Severus, show him." Show me what? Snape gave the old wizard a curt nod, and then he rolled up his left sleeve. Ron stared at the faded looking scar on the Potions Master's left forearm, and a shudder passed through him as he made out the skull. The Dark Mark…

"Um… Why are you showing that to me?" Ron asked, and Snape quickly pulled his sleeve down.

"It's been cut off, Ronald," Dumbledore told him, and Ron had no idea what that meant. "Do you remember what it looked like before tonight? Severus showed it to you when we discussed him being a spy for the Order."

"It was faint… and red…" Ron remembered. "But now it's just a faded scar… What does this mean?"

"It means that the Dark Lord's connection to the Dark Mark… To all the Dark Marks… has been cut off," Snape replied, and Ron nodded slowly.

"He's no longer powering them?" Ron asked.

"Exactly," Dumbledore nodded. "I fear what this truly means. For Voldemort to sever his hold over his 'faithful servants'… This cannot be a good sign."

"I believe that he is trying to avoid detection," Snape stated. "Why else would he hide his brand?"

"He was already trying to avoid detection though, right?" Ron asked. "But he hadn't severed his connection to the Dark Mark until… When did this happen?"

"This morning," Snape replied. "I felt nothing whatsoever, but whilst I was making a Potion, I happened to roll up my sleeve." Shite, does this mean that Lord Greengrass' Mark is also cut off? "I'm telling you, Albus… If he has severed his connection to the Dark Marks, it means that he's powerful enough to fully power them again. This is his method of hiding his return to power from the Ministry."

"Return to power?" Ron asked, his stomach tightening painfully. How is that even possible?!

"We don't know that yet," Dumbledore sighed out. "But yes, Severus… Your theory is the only one that makes sense right now. Voldemort has somehow managed to regain much of his power. Once I return from Albania, I will work to bring back the Order. We must be prepared."

"And Amelia Bones?" Ron asked. "Shouldn't we try and make her Minister? You know, because Fudge is apparently not strong enough to lead."

"He isn't," Snape said coldly.

"I will speak to her once I have returned," Dumbledore told them. "Ronald, is your business still in play?"

"It is," Ron nodded. "The Quibbler will be fit for our use by the end of March."

"Good," Dumbledore said, and then he looked to Fawkes. "Are you ready, my friend?" Fawkes gave a shriek at that, his massive scarlet wings flapping loudly. "This is where I leave you both. Severus, find out what Lucius and Cornelius are up to."

"I will," Snape nodded curtly, and Dumbledore looked to Ron with a faint smile.

"Try to follow my advice," Dumbledore said to Ron, who simply blinked at him. His advice? Wait… Is he talking about Daphne? Don't we have bigger problems right now than my dating life? Fawkes suddenly burst into a vortex of bright orange flames, and when the fire dissipated, both Dumbledore and Fawkes were gone. That was awesome!

"What advice?" Snape asked, and Ron took in a deep breath.

"He wants me to chase after Daphne," Ron replied, and Snape gave him a deadpan look.

"So while I'm putting my life in danger, you'll be chasing a skirt?" Snape cocked his eyebrow, while Ron frowned at him.

"Don't call her a 'skirt', or I'll shit in your favorite cauldron," Ron bit out.

"Colorful," Snape sneered. "Come, let's be on our way."

---

Ten Minutes Later

"Finally," Pansy smiled at him. "We've been waiting for ages, Ron."

"Sorry, but I'm not really feeling up to playing Wizard's Poker right now," Ron told them, and they all just stared at him.

"I told you guys that we shouldn't have waited," Theo frowned at Ron, who simply smiled apologetically.

"Sorry, but I'm exhausted," Ron told them. "I just want to sleep right now." And by sleep, I mean practice Wandless Magic. If the Dark Lord is truly becoming more and more powerful each day, then I need to stop fucking around.

"You sure?" Blaise asked him, and Ron nodded.

"Goodnight, guys," Ron said, and once they bid him goodnight as well, Ron made his way towards his dorm. I can still only cast four Wandless Spells. That is not acceptable. By the end of next week, I'll cast both Incendio and Baubillious successfully. That's my personal goal. As for Flagellum Inferos, Fumos, Lumos Solem, and Cutis Terra, I'll just need to build up to them. And I need to get that Dark Tome which I bought at Victor's shop from Marty, he's still holding onto it for me. Right. You've got a goal now, Ron. Work towards it. After Ron entered his room, he close the door behind himself. Right, let's warm up first.

"Accio, Flitwick's book," Ron chanted, his left hand hanging in the air. Flitwick's book flew off of Ron's nightstand, and he caught it easily enough. "What next?" Ron then looked at his chair, and he smiled to himself. "Wingardium Leviosa." The chair shook for a second, and then it began to float in the air. Heavy, but not as heavy as before. I'm getting better at this. Ron held the chair for over ten seconds, but when his left bicep began to ache, he put the chair back down. As Ron flexed his left arm, he thought about his previous attempt at Baubillious. Pointing my fingers forward seem to help it come out better. Should I keep my entire arm straight? Why not? Let's try it.

"Baubillious," Ron chanted, his left arm and fingers pointing at the ground before him like a straight blade. His entire arm felt rather jittery for a moment, and then hot white sparks fired out of his fingertips. Ron quickly stopped casting the Spell, his eyes widening at the weak scorch marks on the ground. "Oh shite… I really didn't think that through, did I? But… The sparks were stronger this time, I could feel it."

"Ron? Can I come in?" came Daphne's voice, and then she knocked on the door.

"Accio door," Ron chanted, his left palm aimed at the entrance door. It swung open rather violently, revealing a slightly panicked Daphne. "Sorry! So sorry! I was trying Wandless Magic."

"Merlin, that scared me," Daphne sighed as she entered the room, and then she closed the door behind her. "You could've ripped the door out of its hinges, Ron. Be more careful."

"Yeah," Ron mumbled, and then he heard her lock the door. What's this? Despite the news about the Dark Lord potentially becoming stronger, Ron couldn't help but feel excitement at seeing Daphne. She'll be my girlfriend by tomorrow night! If she accepts, that is. "So… What can I do for you?"

"I just wanted to talk," Daphne shrugged, and then she walked over to his bed and sat down. "Care to sit with me?"

"No problem," Ron said, and then he hopped onto his bed. Daphne bounced up for a second, and once her bum was back on the bed, she fixed her hair back into place. "Sorry about that."

"It's alright," Daphne smiled a bit as she shook her head. "How have you been?"

"Um… Good…" Ron replied, giving her a confused look. "How have you been?"

"Bored," Daphne replied, and Ron nodded slowly. "I've missed you, is what I'm trying to say."

"But we haven't been apart, except for today," Ron said slowly, and Daphne let out a tired sigh.

"You can be so slow, Ron," Daphne huffed. "We've barely spoken since our talk."

"Oh… yeah…" Ron nodded, he had forgotten about that in his excitement. "Are you feeling better now? Around me, that is. Millie, Pansy, and Tracey seem to be doing much better… But it's alright if you're still jarred… I understand…"

"Come here," Daphne beckoned him, and Ron swallowed thickly before scooting closer to her. She grabbed his cheeks with her hands, and then she planted her lips onto his. That feels nice. Ron relaxed as he put his hands on her shoulders, both of them planting kisses on each other's faces. "We haven't kissed since Tuesday," Daphne said in between kisses, and then she planted three quick pecks on his lips.

"Tuesday, you say? Oh right… When you attempted to unman me," Ron smirked, and Daphne let out a giggle.

"I'm still sorry about that," Daphne said as she rested her forehead against his. "But you have to admit, it was really funny."

"From your perspective, sure," Ron chuckled, and then he kissed her nose. "I feared becoming Ginny and Luna's older sister."

"You'd make a cute girl," Daphne giggled. "And yes, I would still kiss you."

"That's… I'm not going to lie, that makes me want to be a girl," Ron admitted. "But only slightly…"

"Whatever you say, weirdo," Daphne snorted, but before Ron could make fun of her, she hugged him tightly and pulled him down to his side. They were both just lying down on their sides now, their faces inches apart.

"What's gotten into you?" Ron asked with a smile. "Not that I mind, of course."

"I'll tell you, but only if you promise to not get angry," Daphne whispered, putting her forehead against Ron's once again.

"I promise," Ron said slowly, his eyes fixed on hers.

"Arthur Belmont asked me out today," Daphne told him, and Ron's smile died on his face. Someone asked her before me? Instead of feeling angry, like he imagined that he would, he instead felt his heart tighten in his chest.

"What?" Ron asked weakly, and Daphne blinked at him. "Someone asked you…"

"Ron, I said no," Daphne quickly assured him, and then she scooted even closer to him.

"But…" Ron started, but then he stopped. I wanted to be the first, but I was a day too late.

"I guess I shouldn't have told you that," Daphne mumbled guiltily. "It's just that when he asked me, I wanted you to be there."

"Why?" Ron managed, all the while unintentionally pulling her torso into his. Daphne snuggled against him happily, her left arm slithering past his side and resting on his back.

"I wanted to see what you'd do," Daphne replied. "But now that I've seen your reaction… I'm sorry that I mentioned it. I remember how wretched I felt when Patil tried to ask you out during Magical Creatures, and she didn't even do it fully."

"You felt wretched?" Ron asked in a whisper, and Daphne gave him a quick kiss in response. "I'm sorry that I didn't notice that. But I swear Daph, if she had asked me fully, I'd have said no immediately."

"I know," Daphne smiled at him, and he managed a weak smile back.

"Arthur Belmont is a fifth year representative, right?" Ron asked, and Daphne nodded. "Where did he ask you? What did you say?"

"He asked me while I was coming back from the girls' lavatory, and I said that I was already seeing someone," Daphne replied, and Ron blinked at her. "You, Ron…"

"I know," Ron said quickly. "You know, I'm kind of glad that I wasn't here… I would've just gotten angry and embarrassed you." But I still wish that it was me who asked you first.

"Actually, I did want you to be a little angry," Daphne said, she couldn't help but smile at his worry over her reputation. "He told me to 'ditch that loser' in order to date him instead. He actually had the gall to order me around, the Heiress of the Greengrass Family. Plus, he called you a loser… I should have his pet killed in front of him."

"Woah…" Ron pulled his head back a bit. "And I'm the scary one?"

"I'm just talking nonsense," Daphne sighed, and Ron slowly rested his head by hers again. "He just really vexed me, that's all. So I spent the entire day waiting for you to come back. I really missed you."

"I missed you as well," Ron said before giving her a kiss on the forehead. "I hate it when we don't spend time together like this. Can I admit that?"

"Please do," Daphne hummed, a content smile on her face.

"I don't like it when we… take breaks…" Ron admitted. "Even if those breaks are only for two days. I like being this close to you."

"You're sweet as always," Daphne whispered. "Blaise and Theo are probably still in their game, I gave them my 'money'."

"You bought us more time?" Ron asked, and Daphne gave him a wink. "You came in here to seduce me, didn't you?"

"Shut up," Daphne giggled, and then she began kissing him again. Tomorrow. I'll definitely ask her tomorrow.

---

Lord Voldemort's POV

Saturday 19th September, 1993 (St. Mungo's Hospital – Night)

It was an odd feeling, just lying in bed all day. For the last decade or so, Lord Voldemort had spent every single moment grasping at life. Barely surviving, barely existing. But now, he was in bedrest. He was being washed and fed by Nurses, who all seemed to look at him with some sort of pity. They would pay dearly for that. Lord Voldemort was to be worshiped, not pitied.

Despite his desire to make his exit already, being in bedrest had provided considerable advantages to him. For one, he had successfully severed his connection to the Dark Mark. Now none of his former friends could betray his survival to the Ministry, and Lord Voldemort could operate in the shadows. He, of course, expected Dumbledore to become suspicious, but that was a small price to pay for him finally being able to rebuild his armies. He would spend the next year gathering his forces, all the while creating a perfect body for himself. One which would be able to bypass that filthy Mud-Blood's Sacrificial Protection.

Secondly, the Dark Lord had used his Occlumency to close himself away from his Horcruxes. This was all due to his connection with Ronald, something that he genuinely feared. He understood that if he left a link open between their minds, there was a chance that the demon possessing his Heir could take a hold of his own mind. The last thing he needed was to run into that monster, especially when he was so close to his return.

The third advantage to his bedrest was that he was able to comb through Pettigrew's memories. They were terribly damaged because of the Dementor's kiss, but some of the memories were still intact. Mostly memories that the Dementors tended to leave alone, his worst moments. Much to the Dark Lord's joy and relief, Pettigrew had snuck his way into the Potters' home after the Killing Curse had rebounded. Pettigrew had found the Dark Lord's wand by Lily Potter's corpse, and in an effort to hide his own involvement, the rat had stashed the wand away in Godric's Hollow. Lord Voldemort's first step would be to reclaim his treasured wand, it had been away from his side for far too long.

Whilst he had been combing through Pettigrew's memories, he had found himself watching the rat's life within 'The Burrow'. At first, the Dark Lord had sneered in disgust at the filthy Blood-Traitor Family, but then a little red-haired boy had come running down for breakfast. Lord Voldemort had found himself rooted in the memory, and much to his joy, the rat had spent the day in Ronald's care. After all, the boy tended to share his sweets with the filthy rat.

The Dark Lord had watched his Future Heir spend hours alone in his room, always keeping himself occupied with books or his Chudley Cannons Badge. The boy wore filthy second-hand clothes, much like the Dark Lord during his own childhood, and he was alone. Lord Voldemort had found himself seething with rage as the boy's own mother constantly played favorites, while Ronald was left to himself. And when he had seen the boy's father ignore him in favor of Muggle Toys, Lord Voldemort had vowed to skin them all alive. Lord Voldemort understood his Heir's status as an outsider, as much like himself, Ronald was meant for greater things. And those born with a higher purpose were often ignored by the mediocre.

But eventually, Lord Voldemort could not find any more memories involving his Heir. It was a shame, as the Dark Lord wished to know more about Ronald, but it was also out of his hands. The Dementors had destroyed Pettigrew's already feeble mind, and even the Dark Lord's prowess at Legilimency could do little against a hollowed out mind. However, before the Dark Lord had run out of memories to watch, he had seen Pettigrew's capture.

Snape, that filthy traitor, was the one who had dragged Pettigrew to Amelia Bones. There was no doubt left in the Dark Lord's mind anymore, Severus Snape had turned lapdog to Dumbledore. During his time inside of Quirrell, Lord Voldemort had seen Snape threaten his host constantly. The 'Half-Blood Prince' had even managed to stop Quirrell from securing the Philosopher's Stone. And then there was the Albania debacle. Quirrell had only mentioned Albania to the Heads of Houses, never Dumbledore. Snape, who was apparently working with Lucius and Cornelius, had never bothered to mention that to the two Death-Eaters. Instead, it had been Dumbledore who found the Dark Lord first.

All of this made it crystal clear to the Dark Lord that Snape had fully turned traitor. The Potions Master was a Master Occlumens, and for all Lord Voldemort knew, Snape had been tricking him long before his downfall. Why had Snape begged for the life of a Mud-Blood? Why was it that Snape was difficult to get a hold of near the end of the war? Why was it that while all of the Dark Lord's faithful were hauled off to Azkaban, Dumbledore had vouched for Snape? And not only vouched, but even hired the man as a Professor at Hogwarts? Yes… It was all too clear to Lord Voldemort now. Severus Snape had to die, not only for his betrayal, but also because he knew far too much about the Dark Lord's methods. There was no going back on this decision, Lord Voldemort was the only Being that could live forever. And as long as Snape breathed, that noble goal was under threat.

"Hello, Mr. Pettigrew," came a witch's voice, and the Dark Lord broke out of his thoughts. Once again I must put up with this pathetic charade. "I… I'm not allowed to be here, especially not tonight. They told me that you're being euthanized tomorrow…" What?! The witch walked over to his bedside table, and she put down a vase of colorful flowers. "They say that Lord Black sent an owl… I just thought that since this is your last night on Earth, you could do with some fresh flowers." Last night on Earth? I rather doubt it.

"At least you will finally have peace, you know," the witch went on, while the Dark Lord pretended to be a husk. "My mum always says that everyone deserves peace in the end, no matter who they are. I know that you did terrible things in your life, but I'm also sure that you weren't always like this. Goodbye, Mr. Pettigrew." As the witch turned to leave, Lord Voldemort grabbed onto her wrist. "Mer-" the witch's scream was cut short as the Dark Lord used Blood Magic to bring her to her knees.

"I see that my stay here is at an end," Lord Voldemort hissed as he stepped off of the bed, his legs wobbling slightly. "No matter… I have healed this body enough to make my escape." With that, the Dark Lord glared down at the witch, who was leaking thick blood out of her eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. The look of sheer terror was etched upon her young face, and it brought a cruel smile to his. "What was that about euthanizing me, worm? Nothing to say? Very well." With a flick of his hand, Lord Voldemort twisted the witch's head all the way around. She dropped forward with a dull thud, her horrified face staring up at the ceiling.

The Dark Lord reached down and picked up her wand, and with his bonelike fingers, he felt the material. Dragon-Heartstring, thirteen inches, Vinewood. Not bad. Not ideal, but not bad either. Using the witch's wand, Lord Voldemort sent her corpse into the bathroom. Once he had cleaned up the blood, he himself stepped into the bathroom. It is past time that I left this wretched place.

---

Sunday 20th September, 1993 (St. Mungo's Hospital – Past Midnight)

He stared at his gaunt face within the mirror, his blazing red eyes shining off of the reflection. It was time to make his escape, and the only way was to bring fire and death upon this place. He had planned his escape over the last few days, but in the end, he had decided against a subtle approach.

The truth was that if Pettigrew's body simply went missing, it would raise far too much suspicion. Not to mention that Pettigrew was scheduled to be euthanized tomorrow, and if his body up and vanished the night before, there'd be a manhunt for him. No, the Dark Lord needed secrecy right now. He didn't need the Ministry and Dumbledore constantly hounding his steps.

He had, of course, thought of Human Transfiguration, and he even had a ready corpse by his feet. But that wouldn't work either. Despite their unexceptional careers as Healers, the staff of St. Mungo's weren't stupid. They would find out rather quickly that the person they had 'euthanized' was already dead, which in turn would lead to the Ministry finding out. He couldn't even Obliviate Pettigrew out of people's memories because the whole World knew about his existence due to Rita Skeeter's article.

His escape had to be covered up, and the only thing that he could think of was a 'distraction'. Something drastic had to take place for people to not follow up on Pettigrew's flight, and after careful consideration, the Dark Lord had his plan. He would destroy this entire place. He would find the Potion closets and set them ablaze in order to make it look like an accidental fire, one which was fueled by the Potions. By the time he was finished, this would look like nothing but a horrible tragedy. No one would be blamed, and no one would suspect a 'husk' to be behind it. As for the people inside the Hospital, they'd be nothing but ash by the morning.

As he finished Magically Sealing the building, a feeling of anticipation began to grow inside of his chest. It had been far too long since he had felt even half of his real power, and now he was eager to test his new vessel out. Lord Voldemort made his way out of the bathroom, all the while casting Anti-Apparition Jinxes on the building. No one could be allowed to escape, and no one could be allowed to enter. Tonight, Lord Voldemort would strike once again for the first time in over a decade.

He stepped out of his room and into the dark Hallway, his transfigured black silk robes helping him blend in with the shadows. If I recall correctly, I'm on the fourth floor. There is only one floor above me, but since it's reserved for visitors, I won't have to worry about it this late. And if there is someone up there, then they'll burn nonetheless. He managed to take five steps forward before stopping once again, his eyes gleaming at the door to his right. Alice and Frank Longbottom? He knew those wretched names all too well.

Lord Voldemort waved his hand, and the door slowly creaked open. The Dark Lord slithered into the room, his wand held loosely in his right hand. Once he had closed the door behind himself, he eyed his surroundings. The room was just like his own, except it had two beds. His red eyes immediately settled on the disgusting husk of Frank Longbottom, who was awake and staring down at his own two feet. As the Dark Lord approached the former Auror's bedside, he could see the emptiness behind the man's eyes. There was nothing left of who he was, an Auror that had bested Antonin Dolohov once.

"Frank Longbottom," the Dark Lord hissed, his own face tightening into a sneer. "Look at me, you wretch." The man simply kept staring at his own feet, his face hosting a blank expression. Lord Voldemort felt nothing but disgust at seeing him. Disgust, and anger. This was the Auror that had denounced him in the middle of the Ministry? Who had fought and bested Antonin Dolohov? "No… This is what you really are. What you have always been. This is the price for defying my will."

Someone suddenly hummed a tune from behind him, and the Dark Lord immediately turned around and aimed his wand at Alice Longbottom. The woman's face was thin and worn, and her long hair was white, wispy, and dead-looking. She simply stared at him as she hummed a tune to herself, she too had the same emptiness behind her eyes as her husband. And then, she began to walk towards him. The Dark Lord slowly stepped out of her way, she was clearly focused on her husband's bedside table.

Alice Longbottom planted what looked to be a gum wrapper by the framed photo of a fat baby, her dry lips twitching into a weak smile. Lord Voldemort just stared at her, she was clearly fond of the chubby boy in the photograph. Is that her son? Don't worry, he'll join you both soon enough. As she began to leave for her own bed, the Dark Lord sent a strand of his robes at her. She was quickly brought to her knees as the strand tightened around her neck, her boney fingers trying to loosen the noose around her neck. She did her best to struggle, and Lord Voldemort supposed that even in her current state, she was trying to reject death.

"Very well," the Dark Lord said. "Lord Voldemort will grant you mercy, and make this quick." The strand tightened so harshly that her eyes and tongue bulged out of her head, and then, she simply hung there. Lord Voldemort looked to Frank Longbottom, who was now staring at his wife's dangling corpse. "Nothing to say about that?" Frank looked to the Dark Lord for a moment, and then he went back to staring at his feet. "Avada Kedavra!" The jet of green light smashed into Frank Longbottom's side, and he toppled off of his bed. With his work done, and his revenge exacted, Lord Voldemort left the room.

"Who are-"

"Avada Kedavra," the Dark Lord hissed, and a portly Healer was struck down immediately. Lord Voldemort walked past the Healer's corpse, whose face was still showing his surprise, and he wondered how many staff members were still in the Hospital. It doesn't matter, Lord Voldemort will not be stopped. It didn't take him long to find the fourth floor's Potion closet, and once he was standing in front of the full shelves, he toppled them all with a wave of his hand. The pungent smell of the Potions was far worse than the loud noise that he had just made, but he ignored it all.

"Incendio," the Dark Lord hissed, a gleeful smile on his face. The spilled Potions immediately caught fire, and Lord Voldemort used his wand to bind the flames to his will. As the fire began to spread throughout the room, the ceiling suddenly broke apart in order to shower the room with sand. But Lord Voldemort was faster, and with a quick Banishing Charm, he sent the sand back to his former room. Time to burn away any trace of myself.

Lord Voldemort stepped out of the Potions closet, and his flames followed after him. With each step he took, the fire consumed another inch of the Hospital. He knew that this had to be done as quickly as possible, and that if he spent too much time here, someone would break through his Sealing Ward and call for help. So in order to save himself time, he locked each door that he passed. No one would leave this place alive, no one but Lord Voldemort.

"Fire!" came a shriek from his left, and Lord Voldemort turned to see an old woman in a Hospital gown. His blazing red eyes met her terrified ones, and she let out a loud scream. "DEMON! DEMON IN THE-"

"Confringo!" the Dark Lord chanted, and a bright orange light fired out of his wand. The old patient was blown into pieces, as well as the room behind her. He could already hear people waking up, and as they banged at their doors, Lord Voldemort ignored their cries of panic. The few rooms that he hadn't sealed shut yet sprang open, and panicked patients tried to flee out of them. They were far too slow, which resulted in their immediate deaths at his hands.

"Reducto!" the Dark Lord chanted, his wand aimed at the ground before him. A massive chunk of the ground was reduced to nothing but fine powder, and Lord Voldemort quickly glided down to the third floor. The Treatment Ward for Potions and Plant Poisoning. He knew that there had to be plenty of Potions on this floor, and that many of them were volatile. His controlled flames leaked through the hole that he had just made, all the while spreading throughout the fourth floor.

"What the fuck?!" came a loud yell, and the Dark Lord turned to face a handful of Healers and Nurses. Their eyes were popping out of their skulls at the sight of him, and as the flames began to spread around him, they quickly brandished their wands.

"Stupefy!"

"Expelliarmus!"

"Petrificus Totalus!"

Dozens of bright Spells were fired at him, but he easily blocked them all with a powerful shield. While the terrified attackers continued their assault, patients began to step out of their rooms. Perfect timing.

"Get back ins-"

"Baubillious!" the Dark Lord bellowed, and a bolt of red lightning fired out of his free hand. It struck one of the Nurses with a thunderous noise, and through her, it spread out and electrocuted most of his attackers. Loud screams emanated from all of them, most of them had survived with severe burns and scarring. The patients flew into a panic, and the screaming amplified. Lord Voldemort quickly utilized the panic to send forth his flames, and despite the efforts of one foolish Healer, the flames violently engulfed the entire Hallway. The smell of burning flesh, and the loud cries, made him like nothing short of a God. They were all so weak, whereas he was beyond their very comprehension.

Lord Voldemort turned around and walked through his own flames, which moved out of his way in order to allow their master free passage. More and more patients stepped out of their rooms as he made his way to the Potions closet, and he cut them all down without hesitation. Most of them were smart enough to try and flee, but a few of them actually tried to attack him. But they weren't just fighting him, they were also forced to fight the inferno that was following after him. If they ever managed to make him block their Spells, the flames quickly reached out with fiery tendrils and dragged them into the inferno.

"HELP! HELP US!" people screamed as they ran from him, but they never made it far. The bloodlust was getting to him, and he had to use his Occlumency in order to stay focused on his task. Once he found another Potions closet, he set it ablaze just like the last one. This time, he didn't bother stopping the sand. The flames were far too rampant to be doused by a bit of dirt, and Lord Voldemort commanded them to spread throughout the floor. Lord Voldemort then made his way into the nearby stairwell, and once he was inside the small room with the stairs, he found several people cowering in the corner.

"Mercy!"

"Please, we have families!"

"Show merc-"

"Diffindo!" the Dark Lord spat out, a bright pink light slashed everything in its way. The cowering fools were severed into meaty chunks, their insides spilling out and filling the stairwell with a foul, metallic stench. Lord Voldemort made his way down to the second floor, his bare feet leaving bloody imprints behind him. As he stepped out of the stairwell, he heard his inferno roar wildly as it followed him down to the second floor. The Ward for children and Magical Bugs.

Unlike the fourth and third floors, the people on this floor were already out of their rooms. All of them were yelling over each other, and while a few Healers and Nurses were trying to guide them down towards the lower floors, the panic was palpable. Lord Voldemort just stared at the hysterical crowd in his way, but when his flames burst into the floor in order to follow his will, every eye shot towards him. Lord Voldemort smiled at them, his blazing red eyes inspiring absolute horror amongst the crowd.

"What in the-"

"Confringo!" Lord Voldemort chanted, and a fiery explosion echoed throughout the Hospital. It was quickly followed up by bloodcurdling screams, as well the smell of blood and burnt flesh. Lord Voldemort used the mass hysteria to his advantage as he moved through the second floor. People screamed, fought back, ran, or simply held onto their broken body parts, while the Dark Lord slashed, thrust, and waved his wand around in an absolute frenzy.

He could feel how slick his skin was with the blood of his victims, but he didn't relent. He couldn't relent. It was his survival, or theirs. And to Lord Voldemort, the choice was as simple as first year Spells. The more people he cut down, the more violent he became. His flames consumed everything in his wake, quickly making sure that their master left behind nothing to investigate. It hardly mattered that a person was in pieces if the fire left behind nothing but ash.

"Through here, children! Hurry!" he heard a familiar voice yell out, and as he turned the corner, he spotted Isabella, the welcome-witch. She was trying to help around thirty odd children escape down the stairwell leading down to the first floor, but her efforts were ruined when Lord Voldemort sealed the door shut with a flick of his wand. Isabella quickly turned around with a terrified look, and much to the Dark Lord's amusement, she was holding Abigail in her left arm.

"Isabella," the Dark Lord hissed, his flames biting and crackling at the witch as they hovered just behind him. "And little Abigail as well… How touching." Isabella held the unconscious girl tightly to her chest as she moved in-between him and the other children, though her face betrayed her 'bravery'. Of course she doesn't recognize me, but she knows that it's over.

"Please… Please… They're just children… Have mercy, I beg you," Isabella cried, while a few of the younger ones clutched tightly to her work robes. All of them had soot marks on them, and their eyes were thick with terrified tears.

"Here's your mercy, you wretched woman," the Dark Lord 'smiled' at her, and with his will alone, he sent the inferno forward.

"NO!" Isabella screamed, but by the time she had finished, the flames had engulfed them all. Their screams rang throughout the second floor, and Lord Voldemort even spotted a few of them flailing about like wild animals within the flames.

"Expulso!" Lord Voldemort chanted, his wand blowing a hole into the ground beneath the screaming children. As they all fell through to the first floor, the Dark Lord glided across the Hallway and down into the first floor. His flames had already begun to spread, but oddly enough, they were having trouble getting past two men in uniforms. The Dark Lord knew those uniforms all too well… Aurors. One of them was holding the fire at bay, while the other one seemed to be chanting to himself.

"Proudfoot, bring the fucking Ward down already!" the Auror on the right screamed, he could barely keep the flames at bay. No! The Dark Lord flew across the Hallway and right through his flames, and the Auror's eyes widened at the sight of a bloody shadow bursting through the fire. "What the fu-"

"Avada Kedavra!" the Dark Lord shouted, and the Auror was blasted back.

"WILLIAMSON!" the Auror named Proudfoot yelled, and then he quickly aimed his wand at the bloody shadow with the blazing red eyes. "Stupefy!" A jet of red light flew at the Dark Lord, but he quickly slapped it away with his free hand. And then, within a second, the Dark Lord's robes had entangled the Auror's throat and limbs.

"Burn," Lord Voldemort hissed, and then with all of his strength, he sent the Auror flying into the inferno. He heard the sickening crunch emanate from the fire, and he knew that the Auror had died upon impact with a wall.

"Burn them all!" Lord Voldemort commanded, and his flames roared loudly as they fired forward. He stood there for a moment, his entire body drenched in gore, and he simply listened. There was much less noise in the Hospital now, but he could still hear screams emanating from beneath him. Most of the patients, and other residents, had made their way down to the ground floor, but judging by their panicked cries, his Sealing and Anti-Apparition Wards were still in place.

"Umbra Amplectere," the Dark Lord whispered, and his robes began to turn into a dark mist. "AGH!" the Dark Lord suddenly bellowed, and with sheer will alone, he crashed the ceiling down on the people beneath him. The screams immediately reached an all-time high as the Dark Lord crashed down upon his victims on the ground floor, but they ended just as quickly as the Dark Lord's robes exploded violently around him. Massive shards of shrapnel-like shadows impaled dozens of people within a second, and whilst his robes rematerialized around him, he savagely fired out murderous Curses at anything that moved.

By the time his flames burst into the ground floor, Lord Voldemort was ankle deep in blood and organs. He was panting heavily, a proud smile on his face. There were no more screams, only the sound of fire consuming everything. Lord Voldemort turned his head and cracked his neck, he truly felt as if he was close to ascension. As he made his way towards the entrance, he looked at his handiwork. They were now all being consumed by the Magical fire, which smelled heavily like Potions and medicine. It is done.

Lord Voldemort undid his Sealing and Anti-Apparition Wards as the flames brought down the building around him, and once the Wards were down, he apparated to Godric's Hollow.

The moment he landed in the village where he was nearly destroyed, Lord Voldemort found himself seething with even more rage. This is where his reign had ended, this is where Harry Potter's 'legend' was born. The mere thought of the 'Boy-Who-Lived' turned his stomach, and the Dark Lord prayed for the day when he'd finally get his hands on the last Potter. In time. For now, I must find my oldest companion.

The Dark Lord glided through the village's dark alleys, making sure to stay in the shadows of the tall cottages. He had to get to the church, which was located not too far from where he had landed. After navigating the village from the shadows, the Dark Lord flew past the street lights in his way with terrifying speed and dexterity. The church was just as he remembered it from Pettigrew's memories, and after landing behind it, the Dark Lord made his way over to the dead tree located near the closest tombstone.

"Revelio," the Dark Lord hissed as he waved his wand at the tree, and its center vanished from sight to reveal a metal box. The Dark Lord took the box into his bloodied hands, and as he slowly opened the lid, his eyes burned red with joy. Finally, we are reunited.

---

Sirius Black's POV

Sunday 20th September, 1993 (Muggle London – Crack of Dawn)

He was truly fucking wasted, but despite that, he kept walking towards St. Mungo's Hospital. Today was the day. Today, Peter would be murdered by the same people that Sirius had hired to keep him alive. Everyone kept telling him that it was for the best, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't help but feel grief. James and Lily, and now Peter… Only Remus and I will be left after today.

Lily had joined the Marauders only in their last year, but they had all taken to her immediately. James was, of course, madly in love with her. But Sirius, Remus, and Peter also loved her. They had broken so many rules together in their last year, and in doing so, they had all forged an unbreakable bond. Or at least that's what Sirius had believed. But then, Peter had betrayed them all. And yet, Sirius still mourned the man's upcoming death. None of his friends, save Remus, understood that Peter had wept with joy when he had held Harry for the first time, or that he had helped Sirius paint Harry's room by hand. None of them understood that Sirius still loved Peter, despite hating what he had done.

"Look at you," Sirius muttered to himself, his cigarette hanging loosely from his mouth. "Should've just let the Aurors take Peter… This is all your fault…" Sirius' eyes stung a bit at that, his heart felt like it was being crushed by some evil hag. Harry was so angry with him, and although Sirius did his best to look past his Godson's angry, abusive letters, he couldn't stop himself from punishing himself. All Harry wanted was to see Peter before he was put to death, but Sirius couldn't let Harry feel that pain. Seeing Peter would only remind Harry of what he had lost, but despite telling Harry that in one of his daily letters, Harry was still unconvinced.

And now, it was too late. Peter's execution was scheduled for eight in the morning, and although it was still too early, Sirius planned to spend at least a couple of hours by Peter's side. He'd be damned as a friend… No, as a man… if he let Peter go through this alone. Sirius took a long drag of his cigarette, his head still spinning from his long drinking session. What is that smell? Sirius sniffed the air around him, and he immediately grimaced. It smells like… What is that fucking smell? That's when he noticed it, there was a tower of black smoke reaching into the sky. What the fuck?! Unbeknownst to Sirius, he had crossed the Magical Barrier that the Aurors had put up.

Sirius tossed his cigarette aside before bolting towards the smoke, he was intelligent enough to understand what this could mean. As he turned the street corner, he found himself rooted in his spot. There were almost fifty odd people standing in front of St. Mungo's, all of them crying and beating their chests. Sirius' eyes moved towards the Hospital, and his heart stopped beating. By Merlin's beard… No… Sirius took a few dazed steps forward, the cries of the parents and relatives echoing through his ears. The red-brick building had collapsed in on itself, and thick black smoke was pouring out of its ruins. He knew what this meant, everyone here knew what this meant.

"Step back please!" a scrawny Auror yelled at the crowd, though he was crying himself. "Please! Move back!"

"My daughter is in there!" a woman cried, and Sirius' chest tightened as heartbreak began to settle in. Peter… No… Peter… His pace quickened by itself, and before he knew it, he was struggling against two different Aurors.

"MY FRIEND IS IN THERE!" Sirius screamed, fighting violently against the two men holding him back. "LET GO OF ME! PETER! NO!" The Aurors managed to drag Sirius closer to the ground, but he still kept screaming at the burning ruins.

"Get Roberts and her recruits back here!" a man yelled over the hysteria, his bushy eyebrows furrowing.

"Sir, they're in Albania-"

"I don't care! You go tell Bones that I want my Aurors back here immediately!" Rufus Scrimgeour snapped, and the lanky Auror nodded before apparating away. Scrimgeour then turned to the mourning crowd, a resolute look on his face. "Silence!" Rufus ordered as he slammed his walking cane on the ground, which resulted in a thunderous noise. "All civilians are to organize themselves into groups for questioning! Shacklebolt, take five men and lock down everything within five blocks! No one leaves without being questioned!"

"Peter…" Sirius wept to himself, his body curling in on itself painfully. "Gods…"

---

AUTHOR'S NOTES: And there it is! How was that taste of the Dark Lord's Power? And yes, he's still not at full strength. Get keen for some epic Duels, my friends! The War is officially here! (But it'll mostly be shadow-games for now)

See you guys on Sunday! (Maybe Monday, I've got plans for the weekend) Cya!