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.

82. Chapter 82 - Return

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Chapter 82 is finished! (Finally). Sorry about it being late by a day, but I got really busy during the week and sort of had to put the story on the back-burner. A lot of stuff I hinted at didn't happen in this Chapter, and that's mostly because I decided that rushing things wouldn't feel natural. I decided to 'show' instead of 'tell'.

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 82 – Return

Ronald Weasley's POV

Thursday 8th October, 1993 (Grimmauld Place – Afternoon)

Panic set into Ron's chest as hung off of the chimney, his eyes fixed on the sneering man. Who the fuck is he?! Why is he in Sirius' house?! And where the fuck is Sirius?! The man's grisly features filled Ron with dread, and while the man was clearly analyzing the 'intruder', Ron took the opportunity to turn his left palm in the man's direction, he wasn't going down without a fight.

"Accio Coffee Table," Ron grit out, and the small table behind the man flew up and hit the man's back. The dark grey haired man fell forward with a cuss, while Ron dropped down in front of the fireplace. Ron quickly shot up to his feet, his gloved hand reaching for his wand.

"Stupefy," the man growled from the floor, he had already composed himself before Ron could even react.

"Shite!" Ron squealed as he dove to the right, his own wand now aimed at the man.

"What the fuck is happening in here?!" came Sirius' thundering voice, and both Ron and the stranger looked to see Sirius glaring at them from the doorway. "Ron?!"

"Sirius!" Ron relaxed immensely, Sirius hadn't been killed by this stranger. "Who the fuck is he?!"

"Who the fuck are you?!" the stranger roared, his Magical eye darting between Ron and Sirius.

"Mad-Eye, why the fuck would you attack a kid?!" Sirius snapped, and Ron blinked at the stranger. Mad-Eye Moody? Fuck me, he has a Magical Eye… I'm an idiot… Sirius quickly ran up to Ron's side, and then he helped the redhead to his feet. "Bloody hell, I was gone for five minutes… Are you alright, pup?"

"Kid?" Moody frowned as he stood up with great effort, his wooden leg had been knocked loose. "That's no kid. Look at the size of him."

"He's thirteen," Sirius hissed, his body moving in-between Ron and Moody. "You need to calm the fuck down, Moody, you paranoid menace."

"I'm alright, Sirius," Ron said, though his right knee was hurting pretty badly. I bloody landed right on top of it. Merlin, that hurts.

"Thirteen?" Moody blinked, both of his eyes fixed on Ron. "He's thirteen? Hogwash! Why isn't he in Hogwarts then?"

"Why aren't you in Hogwarts?" Sirius asked, his body turning around to face Ron rather quickly.

"I needed to speak with you," Ron replied. "I got the Headmaster's permission, and I came here straight from his Office."

"Right," Sirius nodded, and then he turned back to Mad-Eye. "That's why the floo worked, Moody. I have the channel to the Headmaster's Office always open."

"I'm Ronald Weasley," Ron told Moody, who gave him a very slow nod. "My dad is Arthur Weasley… I think you two know each other."

"That at least explains your absurd height," Moody said, his tone was rather bitter.

"Why would you attack someone without even looking them over?" Sirius demanded, and Ron couldn't help but nod at that.

"I looked him over," Moody replied, his eyes scanning Ron. "He's tall, he's dressed like one of them, and he showed up here even after you told me that you had shut down your floo."

"Dressed like one of them?" Ron frowned, he hadn't expected his first meeting with Mad-Eye Moody to go down like this. It's just my fucking luck that I got into a fight with a War Hero.

"Can't say that I've ever seen a Weasley dress like that," Moody remarked, and then he limped towards the closest chair and sat down. Moody then began to fix his wooden leg back on, while Ron and Sirius exchanged looks.

"You owe me a damn coffee table, Moody," Sirius sighed out, his eyes traveling around the room. "Great… You put a hole in my chimney as well."

"Stop whining, Black," Moody said, his voice was rather hard on the ears. And then, with a flick of his wand, Moody repaired all of the damages. "There… I owe you nothing."

"Sorry about hitting you with a table," Ron piped up, and Sirius gave him a curious look.

"You broke the table?" Sirius asked, and Ron smiled apologetically.

"Wandless Magic from a thirteen year old," Moody shook his head, and then he gestured Ron to take a seat. I can't really say no to him, can I? Ron sheathed his wand, and then walked over and sat down in front of Moody.

"I'll go get myself that tea," Sirius said, his annoyance evident to all. "Ron, you want tea?"

"Sure," Ron replied, though his eyes were fixed on Moody. "Where's Kreacher?" I haven't seen him since we destroyed the Locket.

"At the shops," Sirius replied, and then he left the room without another word. Ron and Moody just stared at each other, and Ron had to admit, Mad-Eye Moody made for a terrifying figure.

"It's nice to meet you," Ron said, he was doing his best to ignore Moody's Magical Eye. It's just darting around the room… It's so damn creepy.

"Why are you really here?" Moody demanded, and Ron blinked at him.

"I need to talk to Sirius about a personal matter," Ron replied, he had to remain calm and collected. I want him to respect me. Not only is he in the Order, but he's also the greatest Auror in British History.

"You couldn't send an owl?" Moody asked, and Ron couldn't help but feel like he was being interrogated.

"I don't send owls when I have something important to discuss," Ron replied. "Chatting through owls takes too long."

"And it's unsafe," Moody pointed out, and Ron simply nodded for the sake of agreeing.

"Might I ask why you're here?" Ron asked, and Moody let out a grunt. Guess that's a no.

"Who taught you Wandless Magic? I know for a fact that it isn't even touched upon until seventh year," Moody said.

"I taught myself," Ron replied truthfully.

"You taught yourself?" Moody said, he clearly didn't believe Ron. Why is he so passive aggressive? "So… You really are a Prodigy, eh?"

"I don't claim to be one, other people have labeled me as such," Ron replied. If only they knew the truth… I just keep practicing like some madman until I get things right. The amount of time I've spent inside the Sanctuary is just absurd.

"Trying to sound modest, are you?" Moody narrowed his eye on Ron, and Ron felt the urge to roll his eyes. Right, he's starting to annoy me. "Tell me, where did you get clothes like that?"

"I bought them with my money," Ron replied, making sure to keep his voice polite and steady.

"What money?" Moody asked immediately, and Ron's left eye twitched. "Your parents gave you money to buy those fancy clothes, did they?" My parents can't even afford a bloody fence around their house. I bought these with money that I earned.

"I have a job," Ron replied. "You've never heard of me?"

"I've heard bits and pieces," Moody said, his Magical Eye darting towards the Kitchen. "The boy who can resist fifty Veelas at once… The Prodigy from Slytherin… Mind telling me how you ended up in that viper's den?"

"Just got lucky, I suppose," Ron shrugged, he was starting to calm down from his little Duel. Moody's a scary looking bloke, but compared to the Entity, he might as well be a little girl in pigtails.

"I don't believe in luck," Moody whispered coldly. "The Sorting Hat doesn't make mistakes." Let me guess, you hate us Slytherins as well.

"Do you have a problem with my Sorting?" Ron asked. I tried playing nice, but this guy's a prick.

"I would say that I have a problem with your House's history," Moody said bluntly, he wasn't one to mince words.

"Moody, that's enough," came Sirius' voice, and Ron turned to see Sirius walking into the Living Room with a tray in his hands. "Ron's a great kid, so don't even start with that tripe." Sirius then put the tray on the fixed coffee table. "Are you sure that you don't want tea?"

"I'll live, Black," Moody said, his Magical Eye fixed on the teapot and cups.

"No sugar for me, Sirius," Ron said, and Sirius poured him a cup and handed it over to him. "Thank you."

"No worries," Sirius said as he made himself a cup, and then he gave Ron a smile. "What brings you here, kid? Is everything alright?"

"It is," Ron replied, while Sirius sat down on the couch. "I just needed to talk to you about something private, that's all."

"Well, I was just leaving," Moody said as he stood up, and then he looked to Sirius.

"Right," Sirius nodded, and then he took out a piece of parchment from his robes. "Here it is."

"Goodbye," Moody said as he snatched the parchment out of Sirius' hand, and right after that, Moody limped out of the Living Room. What was that? Order business? Probably. Ron heard the front door close rather loudly, which was followed up by Sirius letting out a tired breath.

"He's a bit mental," Sirius told Ron, who nodded his agreement. And rude, but oddly enough, it suits the stories that I've heard about him. "I can't say that I like him much, but he's a reliable old dog."

"He's more than reliable from what dad's told me," Ron said, and then he took a sip of his tea. No need to beat around the bush, I'm here to get something done. "Sirius, I need to talk to you about Harry."

"Merlin, what's he done?" Sirius asked.

"Nothing… Yet," Ron replied quickly, and Sirius waited for him to go on. "I'm guessing you heard about me blowing a hole through Hogwarts?"

"Oh, I heard," Sirius suddenly laughed, much to Ron's surprise. "Bloody hell, pup… Even I never took things that far back in my day."

"It was an accident," Ron defended himself, though he was still mentally chiding himself for his mistake.

"Your mum and dad nearly lost it," Sirius chuckled, and Ron honestly had no idea why Sirius found this funny. People got hurt. "If Remus didn't assure them that you were alright, they would've marched right into the Hospital Wing. He even asked them to let the accident slide. Said that you needed to recover in peace." Dumbledore's words.

"Well, he was right," Ron said, and then he put his cup down. "Everyone in the school, including the teachers, know that it was an accident… Everyone except for Harry, who thinks that I was 'up to something'. You never did send that letter, did you?"

"I… No, I haven't yet," Sirius sighed out. "He's like a dog with a bone, isn't he? Just like his dad…" Well, it's somewhat reassuring to know that this is a Family trait, and that Harry isn't just a loon.

"I know why he's being like this," Ron said, it was time to channel his inner Luna.

"Why?" Sirius asked, he was suddenly paying full attention.

"He's jealous," Ron replied, and Sirius blinked at him. "But he's not jealous of me, he's jealous of the attention that I get."

"The attention that you get?" Sirius asked slowly.

"From you, from the Headmaster, from the Professors, and even from Remus," Ron replied. "You and I both know that he's had a pretty rough childhood…"

"Fucking Dursleys," Sirius frowned deeply.

"But now Harry finally has a proper Family," Ron went on, and Sirius nodded firmly at that. "He's very protective of said Family, almost territorial, I'd say. So whenever he feels like said Family is paying more attention to me than him, he takes it out on me."

"You're saying that he feels… neglected?" Sirius asked, and Ron nodded. "Bollocks… Remus and I love Harry like a son. I'd fucking die in a heartbeat to keep him safe."

"I'm not saying that you wouldn't," Ron said quickly. "But just because you think that you're doing everything right doesn't mean that you are. Luna mentioned that whenever she visited Grimmauld Place, you tended to bring me up quite often, and Harry didn't seem comfortable with that. I mean, think about it… He's never had any adult care for him until he reached Hogwarts, but now that he finally does, he still feels like he's in second place. And I know that you don't want him to feel like that, but he still does."

"Shite…" Sirius rubbed his forehead. "Why wouldn't he say anything?"

"Were you big on having heart-to-hearts with your parents?" Ron asked in return, and Sirius shook his head. "Look, I don't know why he hasn't brought this to your attention, but now it no longer matters. I've brought it to your attention, and I plan to talk to Remus about this as well."

"What do I do about this, pup?" Sirius groaned, a guilty look crossing his features. "I'm no good at this…"

"No good at what?" Ron asked, he hadn't expected Sirius to fall prey to melancholy so quickly.

"Parenting…" Sirius muttered, his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose. "I literally went from Azkaban to being a 'dad'… I don't even know what the fuck I'm doing half the time, and the other half I'm just constantly fucking things up… If it weren't for Remus, Harry would've been better off with the Dursleys."

"That's not true," Ron started, but Sirius just shook his head.

"It's completely true," Sirius whispered. "Remus cooked the meals, washed Harry's clothes when Kreature disappeared, helped Harry with his homework, and even took Harry shopping no matter how sick he felt from his transformations. And me? I just don't know how to do that for him…"

"Don't think like that," Ron said a little sternly, he needed Sirius' help right now. "All he wants is some acknowledgement, nothing more. So, here is what you need to do." Sirius looked to Ron at that, he was clearly waiting to hear a plan. "The Quidditch Season is about to start, and Harry bloody loves Quidditch."

"Just like James," Sirius managed a pitiful smile. Will you stop comparing him to your deceased friend?

"Buy Harry that new Firebolt broom that just came out," Ron went on, he had spent the last couple of days planning this. "Everyone's talking about it, but no one can really afford one."

"They're quite expensive," Sirius nodded slowly, and then he gave Ron a curious look. "You might be the only thirteen year old alive that refers to The Firebolt as 'that new Firebolt broom'… Kid, flying a broom is one of the highlights of being a wizard."

"I don't even have the time to sit down for more than thirty minutes a day," Ron shrugged. "I used to love flying, but compared to my responsibilities, it just isn't that important to me anymore." Why waste time on a broom when I need to be preparing myself for the war? I'm not endangering my cycle for a few minutes of pleasure.

"Anyway…" Ron restarted, all the while ignoring Sirius' sorry look. "Get him the Firebolt as a gift, and promise him that you'll come to all of his matches. Parents are allowed to attend the matches, and I'm certain that the Headmaster will let you come. And start sending him letters as well. And no, I don't mean weekly letters… Just start a conversation with him that keeps going through multiple letters. That'll make him really happy, Sirius, trust me."

"You've given this a lot of thought…" Sirius said softly, he was clearly thinking over Ron's plan.

"It's purely selfish, I assure you," Ron smirked, deciding to lighten the mood a little. "If he feels like he comes first in your eyes, it'll help him move on from 'investigating' me. I'm doing this for myself, that's all."

"Bloody snake…" Sirius managed a weak smile, and Ron gave him a wink. "I'd better go to Diagon Alley then, eh?"

"If your tiny brain forgets the plan, just send me an owl," Ron said as he stood up, and Sirius followed suit. Ron then walked over to the fireplace, and Sirius followed after him.

"Wait a moment, pup," Sirius said, and Ron turned to face him. "You're in a hurry to leave."

"I've got to talk to mum about something, and then I need to talk to Xeno about The Quibbler," Ron responded. "And then I've got a session with Pomfrey. I don't have much time to spare… Thanks for the tea, Sirius."

"Not even thirty minutes to sit down," Sirius repeated Ron's words, and Ron shot him a grin. But oddly enough, Sirius didn't even smile back. Instead, the older wizard put his arms around Ron. What is he doing?

"Um… Sirius… Why are you being so weird?" Ron asked, but Sirius only squeezed him in response.

"Thanks for coming here, and thanks for telling me about Harry," Sirius whispered, and Ron relaxed a little. Ron then put his arms around Sirius' back, it was a little awkward because Ron was nearly Sirius' height, but he still managed it. "You're doing alright, aren't you? No dizziness? Or headaches?"

"No, none of that," Ron replied. "I'm doing just fine, I promise."

"Good," Sirius said, and then he kissed the side of Ron's head. Um… Alright then… Sirius then let go of Ron and took a step back, an awkward smile on his face. "Just remember to take care of yourself, kid… Alright?"

"Um… Right…" Ron nodded dumbly. "I'll… I'll be on my way then. Is the floo open to the Burrow?"

"Yeah, I lied to Moody," Sirius replied. "I forgot to turn it off, and then he just showed up at my front door. I didn't want him going off on me…"

"Why would you need to turn it off?" Ron asked, but he already knew why. They're all getting ready for the war.

"Um… I…" Sirius stammered, and Ron decided to bail him out.

"Never mind, it's none of my business," Ron said with a smile. "I'll be on my way, Sirius. Remember to get Harry the Firebolt, and from now on, just don't bring me up near him. Understood?"

"Yeah, pup," Sirius nodded. "Thanks for the help."

"Like I said, you're the one helping me," Ron told him, and then he turned around and grabbed a pinch of floo-powder. "The Burrow." With that, Ron tossed the powder into the flames, and once they blazed green, Ron stepped through them. The smell of the Burrow immediately widened his smile, his mother had just cooked something. Ron drew in a deep breath through his nose, and then he walked into the Kitchen.

"Ron?" came Pandora's voice, and Ron smiled at the occupants of the Kitchen. His mother was setting bowls on the table, while Xeno was handling a pot of stew.

"Hello," Ron greeted them, his eyes lingering on his mother's confused expression.

"Ronnie? What are you doing here? Why aren't you in school?" Molly asked, while Ron walked over to the table.

"I have two spare periods right now, and I'm here because I wanted to speak with you," Ron replied. "I got the Headmaster's permission before coming here." I should've probably said that immediately. "Oh, and I need to talk to Xeno as well."

"Me?" Xeno asked, and Ron nodded. "Is it about Barnabas Cuffe? He's been sending me letters…"

"Yeah, he sent one to the Headmaster as well," Ron sighed.

"Why did he owl Dumbledore?" Pandora asked, her left hand resting on her bump. Merlin, she's getting bigger every day. "Yes, Ron… I'm pregnant. There's no need to stare."

"Sorry," Ron smiled sheepishly, his eyes darting to her face. She was just smiling in her usual airy manner, and Ron figured that she was just teasing him. "How's your pregnancy going? Is everything as it should be?"

"Everything is fine, Ron," Pandora assured him, much to Ron's relief. "Why did Barnabas Cuffe owl Dumbledore?"

"I think he wanted to convince the Headmaster to set up a meeting between him and me, a meeting that I would be forced to attend," Ron replied.

"He's been asking Xenophilius for a 'meeting' as well," Molly shook her head. "Forget that nonsense for now, Ronnie. Come and eat with us, I made beef stew."

"I already had lunch," Ron started, but his mother shushed him as she pulled him into a seat.

"Look at you… You're becoming gangly," Molly said, despite Ron being in great shape.

"Gangly?" Ron blinked, while his mother set a bowl in front of him. "Mum, I need to talk to you about-"

"We can talk while we eat," Molly said, and then she gestured Xeno to pour Ron some stew. Xeno filled up Ron's bowl to the brim, an amused smile on his face. "You eat that up, Ron. No fussing."

"Alright," Ron consented, the stew did have a mouthwatering aroma. One bowl can't hurt, right?

"Do you know what Mr. Cuffe wants?" Xeno asked as he poured his wife a bowl.

"He probably wants to make a deal, and if that doesn't work, he'll no doubt try to get in our way," Ron replied, and then he had spoonful of stew. Damn, that's amazing! Mum should open a restaurant! Something clicked in Ron's brain, and he decided to put a pin in this new plan of his. I think she'd love the idea of feeding other people. I mean, she already does it all the time.

"Ron?" his mother called, and Ron shook his head clear.

"Sorry, I was thinking about something," Ron said quickly, and then he looked to Xeno. "Just ignore his letters for now, I plan to meet him soon enough."

"Should I join you when you do?" Xeno asked, and Ron shrugged.

"If you want to, sure," Ron replied. I see no harm in it.

"Then I'll join you," Xeno smiled as he set the pot down.

"Mum, this stew is amazing," Ron said, and his mother blinked at him. "I really do mean it. Is this from your recipe book?"

"It is indeed," Molly beamed. "Your Grandmother taught me how make this when I was your age." Her restaurant could be called 'Weasley and Prewett'. Or something like that. Hmm… I should start saving up after I repay Daphne. "You're certainly… happier… today, Ron. I take it that school is going well?" I have an official girlfriend now!

"It is," Ron admitted, much to Pandora and Molly's joy. "I've started seeing Madam Pomfrey again, and she's helped me clear my head a little. I'm… I'm sorry for how I acted at Greengrass Manor. I was still reeling from Ginny's words, and I 'displaced' my anger onto all of you. I'm sorry."

"Think nothing of it," Molly said quickly, and then she reached forward and rubbed him behind the ear. Oh, that feels nice. "You just keep seeing Poppy, alright?"

"I will," Ron promised. Why haven't they brought up my accident yet? Don't tell me that they're avoiding it in order to keep me in a good mood. Well… That works for me.

"Has Ginny apologized to you yet?" Molly asked, her eyes darting down to his bowl. Ron quickly had another spoonful, and then he drew in a deep breath.

"Ginny hasn't spoken to me since our fight," Ron replied, and his mother immediately puffed up. Oh shite! The end times are upon us! "It's alright, mum… Just relax… I'm actually here to talk to you about that Howler you sent Ginny."

"I will not have my children calling each other traitors at Hogwarts," Molly said, her voice getting louder with each word. "And she used foul language to boot! No… No, this will not stand!"

"Ahem," Pandora cleared her throat, and both Ron and Molly looked to her. "Sorry, the stew is a bit hot." Huh? Pandora was clearly giving Molly a meaningful look, and Ron decided to get a few words in before his mother went back to raging.

"Luna, the twins, Percy, and I have decided to give Ginny some space," Ron said quickly, and his mother looked back to him.

"Space?" Molly blinked.

"She's been through a lot, and from what Luna's told me, she's struggling to even make friends," Ron replied, and he wasn't even surprised to see his mother deflate immediately.

"She has no friends?" Xeno asked, while Molly stared into Ron's eyes.

"Not really," Ron replied.

"What about Luna?" Pandora asked. "Why isn't Luna being friends with her?"

"We're all trying, but like I said, Ginny's been through a lot," Ron replied in a calming voice, and then he looked to his mother. "I know that you, as a parent, feel the need to discipline her… But as the person who knows her best, I recommend that you never send her another Howler. She apparently had a breakdown after she got it…" Molly Weasley looked like she had been slapped, much to Ron's discomfort. I'm a dumb cunt for saying that. C'mon, Ron… Channel your inner Luna so that you can sound wiser than you actually are. Merlin, why didn't I ask her to write me notes?

"She's starting to get better, I promise," Ron told his mother. "Just don't send her any letters, please. We, her siblings, have a plan to make Ginny more like herself again. You know, that stubborn redhead with a flair for mischief? The Ginny that we haven't seen since the start of last year…" Molly's bottom lip quivered at that, while her eyes welled up. Fuck! What am I doing?! Why am I so bad at this?! "Mum… Mum, don't do that, alright? I promise that we'll take care of it."

"What's your plan?" Pandora asked.

"The twins will focus on playing Quidditch with Ginny, while Luna will slowly integrate Ginny into her own group of friends," Ron started. "Meanwhile, Percy and I will give Ginny her space. She's currently unhappy with me, and as for Percy, he can come across as a mother hen sometimes. Ginny is stubborn, and like the rest of us Weasleys, she tends to give into her temper. What she needs right now is to feel like she belongs, because once she does, she'll slowly come back around."

"You're the one making the plans, aren't you?" Xeno asked, and Ron gave him a nod. "Then we should sit this one out, Molly. Ron will take care of it." Um… Thanks for the vote of confidence. It feels nice.

"She really had a breakdown?" Molly asked weakly. "Because of me?"

"I said 'breakdown', but what I meant was that she cried… a little… For a few hours…" Ron replied slowly. Ronald Weasley, a word magician. "Ugh… I'm not very good at explaining this sort of stuff. Look, she's fine now, but if send her another letter or Howler, she'll go back to being hurt and upset. Just let us handle it, mum. We're keeping an eye on her, and by the end of next week, hopefully, she'll be friends with Luna's group. Can you promise me that you, nor dad, will interfere with this?"

"I… I promise," Molly sighed out, she never wanted Ginny to be hurt. She just wanted to teach her daughter that she couldn't behave in such a manner, especially when it came to her own Blood.

"Right," Ron nodded firmly, a smile appearing on his face. "Let's eat, shall we? I feel like I've shown up and ruined your lunch."

"I'd say that your appearance has had the opposite effect," Pandora said airily, a pleasant smile on her face. "We've been worried about you."

"When aren't you?" Ron chuckled. "Yeah… Sorry about that too."

"Just out of curiosity," Xeno started, and Ron turned his smile towards the eccentric man. "Which Spell did you use to blow a hole into Hogwarts?"

"The Baubillious Charm," Ron replied.

"The Baubillious Charm?" Pandora repeated, she suddenly looked very confused.

"The Wandless variation of the Baubillious Charm," Ron told them.

"Wandless variation?" Molly blinked. "You know Wandless Magic?"

"Glacius," Ron chanted, and once his left hand felt tight, he placed his index finger on the table. Ice began spreading out of his finger, and Ron quickly undid the Spell. All three adults just stared at the icy spot, and then they stared at Ron. "That's right… I'm awesome."

"Brilliant," Pandora muttered, even she couldn't use Wandless Magic so easily. "Ron, how often do you practice Wandless Magic?"

"Roughly one or two hours a day," Ron replied truthfully. "I'm starting to get the hang of it now. It just requires… determination."

"A Slytherin House trait," Xeno nodded, the look on his face suggested that everything was falling into place for him.

"My boy," Molly smiled proudly, her hand rubbing his back.

"Mum…" Ron groaned, why did she have to act sappy so suddenly? "Can you not call me 'boy'? It's a little demeaning…"

"My little man," Molly corrected herself, but Ron found that even more disheartening.

"I'm taller than you," Ron grumbled, but the smile on his mother's face sapped him of all indignation. "Whatever…"

"Eat your stew before it gets cold, Ronnie," his mother said, and Ron mumbled under his breath as he ate his second lunch. I'm not little. Didn't she call me gangly just before?

---

Thursday 8th October, 1993 (Dumbledore's Office – Just After Classes)

"I remember you saying that you would only take thirty minutes, Ronald," came Dumbledore's voice as soon as Ron stepped through the fireplace. "You've been gone for nearly two hours."

"Sorry, Headmaster," Ron apologized, though his eyes were fixed on the red roses that he had bought for Daphne from Diagon Alley. Good, they're not burned. "I took a little detour, just like you advised."

"Ah, wonderful," Dumbledore nodded his approval, and Ron felt his ears burn a little. "It's so pleasant to see a young man do right by his witch."

"Don't make me toss these away," Ron frowned at the old man. "It was embarrassing enough buying these… The witch selling them bloody winked at me, and she wished me good luck…"

"Good luck, Ronald," Dumbledore's smile widened, and Ron's left eye twitched. "The bell just sounded, so I'd hurry down if I was you. Don't you have a session with Poppy today?"

"I do," Ron nodded. "I took care of the 'Harry problem', by the way. And I'd appreciate it if you occasionally invited Harry up here… Just for a chat, you know. It'll help him move on from investigating me."

"I understand," Dumbledore said. "Tell me, are you doing this for your benefit? Or for Harry's?"

"Mine," Ron replied. I have too many secrets that can be uncovered.

"I don't believe that," Dumbledore said in a sagely voice, and Ron blinked at him. "I think, deep down, you don't want Harry to fall victim to jealousy. An emotion that you are quite familiar with."

"I'm a Saint, aren't I?" Ron smirked, but Dumbledore's smile was putting him off.

"I think you're much softer than you let on," Dumbledore told him. "I understand that hard times create hard men, but compassion should never be forgotten. I'm happy to see that you have held onto your compassion. Why else would you go out of your way to buy flowers for the young Lady Greengrass?"

"Why is everyone acting so sappy today?" Ron asked, he was genuinely baffled.

"Forgive me, Ronald," Dumbledore relaxed in his chair. "I am but an old man who cares very much for both you and Harry. I don't like that you two are at odds at the moment." He cares about me? Ron quickly made sure to hide his oncoming smile, he wasn't planning on giving Dumbledore the satisfaction.

"Right…" Ron said slowly. "I'm going now… You're boring my fresh flowers to death." With that, Ron made his way towards the exit.

"Let me know if she likes the flowers," Dumbledore said from behind him, and Ron could hear the laughter in his voice. Crazy old loon. Ron quickly made his way down the spiral steps, and once he was past the Stone Gargoyle, he made his way towards the Moving Staircase. She'll like these, right? I mean, Charlie told me that girls like gestures like this. And Daphne loves getting gifts. I shouldn't overthink this. I'll just give her the flowers, and then I'll go straight to the Hospital Wing.

"Ron?" came Hermione's voice, and Ron looked down the steps to see the Gryffindors approaching. Fuck, I didn't use the Disillusionment Charm. "Why are you on the seventh floor?"

"Um… I just came from the Headmaster's Office," Ron replied, while everyone eyed the bouquet of roses in his gloved hand.

"Did he give you flowers?" Parvati asked slowly, a jarred look on her face.

"What? No," Ron denied quickly. "I had to visit my mum because of my accident, and he let me use his fireplace."

"So your mum gave you the flowers?" Lavender asked slowly.

"No one gave me these, I bought them," Ron told the Gryffindors. Why am I even explaining myself to them? Fucking flowers… I shouldn't have listened to Dumbledore.

"You went to Diagon Alley alone?" Harry asked, his eyes narrowing on Ron. I need to turn the tables on them.

"I… I wanted to surprise you," Ron said bashfully, he knew what he had to do.

"What?" Harry blinked, while the others looked quite taken aback.

"I know that we've been fighting lately… But I really like you, Harry," Ron 'murmured', his lips twitching upwards. Don't laugh yet! "Here…"

"What the…?" Harry blinked again, his mouth hanging open a little.

"Do you want to go to Hogsmeade with me?" Ron asked, he could see that the others were beginning to catch on. Even Hermione's face was lighting up, while the others girls were already grinning. Even Finnegan and Thomas were beginning to chuckle.

"I… What?" Harry stammered, a look of genuine dread crossing his features. That was enough to make the other Gryffindors burst into laughter, much to Harry's surprise. Ron himself began laughing like a madman, his bouquet of flowers still aimed at Harry. Harry frowned deeply at him, and then he marched past Ron.

"Harry?!" Ron called after him, his voice filled with mirth. "Harry, come back! Don't walk away from love, Harry! It's all we've got!"

"Stop it," Hermione burst into laughter, her left hand quickly covering her mouth.

"Oh, that was great," Lavender wheezed, and Ron grinned at the Gryffindors.

"I'll go check up on him," Neville said, he was clearly trying to hold back his own laughter. "That was really mean, Ron." And then, Neville let out a strained laugh. "Damn… That was so funny though… Right, I'll go…" Neville then walked past Ron, his face slightly red.

"Neville just laughed," Parvati whispered, her own laughter forgotten for a moment. "Did you guys hear that?"

"He hasn't laughed since the fire," Hermione told Ron, she looked both elated and shocked. Really? Well, I'm rather happy about this then.

"Just in a day's work for me," Ron smiled widely. "Bringing joy and laughter on beautiful faces." Ron then shot a wink in Lavender and Parvati's direction, something that made both girls beam. Both Finnegan and Thomas didn't look too pleased about that, but they didn't say anything.

"Are those flowers for Daphne?" Fay asked, a rather excited look on her face. Did she just call Daphne by her first name?

"They are," Ron replied, and he noticed Hermione's smile dying from the corner of his eyes. "I'll be on my way then." With that, Ron moved through the Gryffindors and began his journey down to the Slytherin common room.

He couldn't deny that he was in a good mood right now. Not only had his day been productive, but he had spent it helping other people. He had made sure that Harry wouldn't feel neglected anymore, he had made sure that Ginny wouldn't receive any more hurtful letters, he had made Neville laugh after three weeks of misery, and now he was on his way to surprise his girlfriend. In his mind, this was the definition of a successful day. Now all I have to do is to practice Fumos at some point.

"Sleeping Dragon," Ron said to the entrance, and it slid aside for him. Ron began making his way towards the girls' dorms, all the while ignoring the odd looks being sent his way. Yes, I have a bunch of roses in my hand. Nothing to see here, people. Once he was standing in front of the girls' door, Ron drew in a couple of deep breaths. She'll like it. Ron then knocked on the door, and after a few seconds, it swung open.

"Hello, Ron," Tracey greeted him with a smile, and then her eyes landed on the roses.

"Is Daphne-" Ron started, but he was cut off by an excited squeal from Tracey.

"Just stay right there!" Tracey grinned from ear to ear, and then she shut the door in his face. Um… What the fuck? He could hear Tracey's squeals from inside the room, and almost immediately, Pansy's squeals began to overpower Tracey's.

"Just don't go anywhere, Ron!" Pansy called out. "She's in the bathroom!"

"Right…" Ron mumbled to himself, and then he took a step away from the door. Ron then checked his Rolex, and upon seeing the time, he clicked his tongue. Pomfrey's not going to be happy about this. I'm running late. After a minute or so of waiting, the door slid open. Daphne stepped through it with a slightly confused expression, and upon seeing him, she closed the door behind her.

"Ron," Daphne greeted, her eyes fixed on the roses.

"Surprise," Ron smiled awkwardly, he hadn't really thought this through. What do I even say? "Um… These are for you." Daphne simply gestured him to stay quiet, and Ron blinked at her. After a couple of seconds, Daphne slapped the door loudly. Ron jumped a little from surprise, mostly because he heard both Tracey and Pansy scream from behind the door. Merlin…

"You got me flowers?" Daphne smiled at him, and Ron nodded dumbly. Is her palm alright? That was a bloody loud slap.

"I know that I could've just conjured some up with Orchideous, but buying them felt more… romantic…" Ron all but whispered the last word, but Daphne heard him.

"This is really sweet, Ron," Daphne smiled, and then she walked over to him. "May I?"

"Sure," Ron said, and then he handed them over to her. She took them carefully, her smile widening as she smelled them.

"They're fresh," Daphne noted.

"I made sure of it," Ron said a little proudly. "Do you like them?"

"Of course I do," Daphne nodded. "You're very, very sweet." Dumbledore is better at relationships than me… That's a thrashing to my self-esteem that I'll never forget.

"I'm glad you like them," Ron said, and then he looked at his Rolex again. "I'd better head off for my session with Pomfrey."

"Wait," Daphne whispered, and then she leaned up and kissed him. "We'll have ourselves a proper kissing session tomorrow."

"Promise?" Ron smiled excitedly, and she gave him a wink. "Awesome."

"I'll see you at the Sanctuary after your session," Daphne said. "Thank you for these, boyfriend."

"No worries, girlfriend," Ron chuckled, and then he began making his way back towards the common room. She liked them! And she's promised me a proper kissing session! What a great day! As he passed through the common room, he once again ignored the curious looks being sent his way. There was no way in hell that he was going to let someone ruin his mood right now. Within five minutes, he was entering the Hospital Wing with a wide smile on his face.

"Finally, Mr. Weasley," Pomfrey said when she saw him, but his wide smile caught her off-guard.

"Sorry for being late, Madam Pomfrey," Ron apologized. "I was giving my girlfriend some flowers." Damn, it feels nice to say 'girlfriend' out loud.

"Come, let's start your session," Pomfrey said, and then she gestured him to follow her. They both made their way into her Office, and while she pulled out his patient notes, Ron planted himself on the couch.

"How was your day, Madam Pomfrey?" Ron asked.

"Quite slow, which is a good thing," Madam Pomfrey replied as she sat down. "How was yours?"

"Productive," Ron replied, and she waited for him to go on. "I solved two dilemmas today, made Neville Longbottom laugh after weeks of grief, and I pleased Daphne greatly. And I did all of that in the last three hours."

"I'm glad to hear that you're having a good day today," Pomfrey admitted.

"Actually, things have been going well since our session on Monday," Ron told her. "I'd forgotten how… freeing… it feels to just talk to someone without a filter. After I ranted about Ginny and my mum, I slowly realized that I was just bottling things up again, and in doing so, letting every small thing get to me."

"That's very good to hear, Ron," Madam Pomfrey said. "Now, what would you like to talk about today?"

"I was hoping to discuss the concept of neglect," Ron replied, and Madam Pomfrey nodded slowly. "I have a friend who's been feeling like he comes second, and because of that, he takes his frustrations out on other people. I have some experience in that field, but my friend's had a much lonelier childhood than me. I want to help this friend, but I don't want him to know that it's me that's helping him. He'd never accept a solution if it came from me." With her help, I'll definitely get Harry off of my back.

---

Friday 9th October, 1993 (Black Lake – Free Period)

"Ron, I really think that it's going to rain," Daphne said, her eyes fixed on the grey clouds above them. "Maybe we should just go back inside."

"But we just got away from them," Ron responded, his gloved hand tightening around hers. "Just five more minutes. Please?"

"Alright," Daphne consented. "I guess I should just enjoy being away from them for a bit. Tracey and Pansy have lost it, and Millie is starting to join them."

"At least they don't insult you at every turn like Theo and Blaise," Ron sighed. "Theo called me 'Daphne's bitch' this morning."

"And you didn't hit him?" Daphne asked, she was quite surprised with Ron's restraint.

"Oh… I wanted to," Ron frowned. "But we were all just joking around, and he didn't really mean it."

"They're just jealous," Daphne told him. "You have a girlfriend, while they've never even kissed a girl before."

"According to them, neither have I," Ron said, he was enjoying the fact that Daphne was swinging their hands back and forth.

"Well, you can tell them that we kissed today," Daphne smiled at him, and then she got serious. "Only light kissing, that is. No snogging."

"What's light kissing?" Ron asked, he really had no clue about that.

"You know…" Daphne started, she clearly had no idea either. "Oh, just tell them that we kissed without tongue. Sort of like our long kisses. I'll tell the girls the same, they're constantly telling me to kiss you."

"You should listen to them," Ron said in a 'spooky' voice. "They speak with wisdom…"

"Stop that," Daphne snorted. "You'll definitely get your kisses. I promised you, didn't I?"

"I'm not going to lie, I've been looking forward to it," Ron beamed as a cool breeze flew past them. It's getting colder every day. It'll probably start raining a lot more often now, and then we'll get snow.

"Me too," Daphne said, her body moving closer to his.

"Are you cold?" Ron asked, and she gave him a nod. "Alright, let's go inside."

"I thought you wanted to enjoy the open space?" Daphne asked him.

"Not if it makes you miserable," Ron said, and then he let go of her hand in order to remove his cloak. "Here, put this over your cloak."

"You won't get cold?" Daphne asked as she took the cloak, and after Ron shook his head, she put his cloak over hers. It was much bigger than hers, which allowed her to wrap herself in it completely. "Thanks, Ron."

"Think nothing of it," Ron smiled, and the he put his right around her. Damn, it's much colder now that I don't have a cloak. Don't bloody shiver, old boy. If you do, she'll know that you're just trying to act manly. "So, where should we go?"

"The Broom Shed isn't too far from here," Daphne smirked.

"The Broom Shed?"

"Think about it, Ron," Daphne whispered. "It's isolated, no one will be there because classes are on, and we'll be safe from the cold."

"Isolated, you say?" Ron smirked back, and Daphne nodded before tugging him along.

"Let's go," Daphne laughed, and they both began moving with a much quicker pace. Before they knew it, they were both laughing wildly and sprinting towards the Broom Shed. Ron made sure to keep his speed in check, mostly because Daphne seemed to be enjoying beating him, but as they got closer to the shed, Ron quickly overtook her in order to reach the door first. Yeah, I don't lose!

"Damn your long legs," Daphne laughed, her hair slightly disheveled. "I nearly had you!"

"Whatever you say, Daph," Ron sniggered, and then he opened the door for her. "C'mon, let's go snog already!"

"Let me just catch my breath," Daphne giggled as she ran inside, and Ron quickly followed after her. Once they were inside, Ron shut the door.

"There's no lock on the door…" Ron frowned. "Do you know the Sealing Charm?"

"No… Do you?" Daphne panted, and Ron shook his head.

"I haven't really looked into it yet," Ron told her.

"The door opens inwards, right?" Daphne asked, and Ron gave her a quick nod. Daphne then walked up and pushed his back against the door. "There…"

"We're using me as a barrier?" Ron asked, but Daphne just leaned up and started peppering his face with kisses. Ron tried kissing her back, but he was struggling to match her passion. "Daph… Slow down a little… What's gotten into you?"

"Flowers," Daphne whispered, and then she all but licked the corner of his mouth. Ron's limbs felt like jelly at that, and he released a throaty groan. "You bought me flowers… You've been so sweet lately…"

"Right…" Ron breathed out, but before he could say anything else, she sealed his mouth with hers. Ron quickly felt her tongue playing with his, and he all but melted against the door. Daphne deepened the kiss even more, it was almost as if she wanted every part of her to be touching him at once. And then, she suddenly tripped forward into his arms. The kiss broke with a smacking sound, and Ron felt genuinely light-headed.

"Can you please lean down for me?" Daphne breathed out, her eyes glazed over. "You're too tall…"

"Wait here," Ron said, his eyes landing on a tall stool near the dusty old brooms. Ron then walked over to it, and once he had his hands around it, he brought it back and placed it against the door. Daphne eyed the dusty stool, while Ron took his cloak off of her.

"Ron, your cloak-" Daphne started, but Ron had already placed his cloak over the stool's dusty surface. Ron then put his hands under Daphne's armpits, and he lifted her up and placed her on the stool. Daphne let out a childish giggle at that, her back now resting against the door. "Merlin, you're really strong…"

"Do girls like that?" Ron asked as he placed his body between her legs, he just wanted to start snogging again.

"I don't know about other girls, but I really like it," Daphne smiled widely, her arms wrapping around his torso.

"That's all that matters then," Ron said before planting his lips on hers. Daphne noticed that he had to lean his neck forward to reach her mouth, so she quickly pulled his body against hers. Ron didn't even notice it, mostly because he was too busy enjoying the feel of her tongue against his. Her breath was slightly minty, and Ron figured that much like himself, she had used a Fresh Breath Charm on herself before they had left for their walk. For some odd reason, that made Ron chuckle into her mouth. We were both planning on this happening.

"What?" Daphne breathed out, while Ron smiled against her lips.

"Nothing," Ron whispered, and then he planted several quick kisses around her mouth. I should kiss her neck. She liked it when I gave her a love bite. Ron moved his head down towards her neck, making sure to leave a trail of kisses along the way. Daphne simply let him do as he pleased, she was enjoying this far too much to protest. Ron suddenly licked her neck, and she burst into giggles.

"That tickles, Ron," Daphne laughed, but Ron simply did it again. She pulled her right arm back before planting her hand behind his head, while he nuzzled his face into her neck.

"You smell so nice," Ron breathed out, his mind felt completely wild. There were so many things to focus on right now, but he just couldn't concentrate. She smelled amazing like always, her skin felt so warm against his, and he just couldn't get over how soft she felt in his arms. He wanted to hug her into pieces. Ours… All Ours. Ron released a growl against her throat, his teeth scraping her neck a little.

"Do you want to give me another love bite?" Daphne asked, her voice giving away her excitement. Ron nodded into her neck, while she planted a kiss on the side of his head. "Let me open my shirt a little."

"Hurry," Ron panted as he pulled his head back, why did he feel such an urgency to bite her? We must leave our Mark on her. WE MUST! Daphne, in her haste, missed Ron's eyes turning toad-like for a moment, and much like her, Ron was keeping his eyes fixed solely on her erratic fingers. But when she opened one too many buttons, Ron suddenly felt jarred at the sight before him. I can see the top of her cleavage!

"Damn," Daphne whispered quickly, her hands covering her cleavage. She looked up with a slightly vulnerable look, only to see her boyfriend staring at her chest. His blue eyes were wide open and unmoving, which made her feel even more embarrassed. "I… I can't show you my shoulder without opening more of my shirt…"

"Cop a feel…" Ron mumbled to himself, he had only just noticed how big Daphne's bust looked in her school shirt. It's because she's always wearing her robes, or her cloak. Look at it… It's amazing!

"Cop a feel?" Daphne muttered, her eyes fixed on Ron's face.

"Can I?" Ron asked weakly, his eyes meeting hers.

"I don't know about that, Ron," Daphne whispered, and Ron blinked at her. I'm taking things too far.

"Never mind," Ron shook his head clear. "I'm just a bit… overwhelmed. Let's just go back to kissing."

"Wait…" Daphne bit her bottom lip, and she immediately saw excitement flash over his face. "I felt up your arse, didn't I?" Ron nodded slowly at that. "You never got the chance to try it…" Daphne then drew in a deep breath, she really wanted to do something nice for him. Not only had he been extremely kind and sweet lately, but he had been so understanding as well. She had made an insane amount of demands from him, and he had fulfilled each and every one of them. "Twenty seconds, alright?"

"Really?" Ron asked, his mouth hanging open.

"Twenty seconds, and don't be rough," Daphne whispered meekly, her heart was close to bursting. Merlin… Sweet Lord, it's happening… Alright, be gentle. I can do that.

Ron raised up his shaky hands, his eyes focused on her chest. He could see the outline of her green bra, which only served to rile him up even more. And then, before he knew it, his hands were resting on her chest. A shaky breath escaped his mouth, which was followed by a powerful feeling of achievement. Move your hands, you dunderhead. The clock's ticking.

"Just tell me whenever you want me to stop, alright?" Ron said, his eyes meeting Daphne's. "I'll stop right away, I promise."

"Okay…" Daphne nodded weakly, both of their faces were completely flushed. Ron quickly turned his attention back to her chest, which felt a little firm due to the bra. Ron couldn't help but wonder what her breasts would feel like without any form of barrier, he imagined that they'd be really soft. Ron drew in a deep breath, and then he gave them a squeeze. Daphne made a sound as soon as he did it, and he looked back at her face.

"Did that hurt?" Ron asked.

"They're developing… Don't put so much force on them…" Daphne replied, her face crimson.

"Developing?" Ron blinked. "They'll keep getting bigger?" Please say yes! I already know that you'll grow into them!

"I think so," Daphne sighed out. "My mother told me that the women from her side of the Family have always been 'big breasted'… She says that I shouldn't be embarrassed just because my chest is outgrowing my body…"

"She's right," Ron smiled at her, his hands still resting on her chest. "I think you're perfect, Daphne. I really do mean that."

"I feel disproportionate all the time, Ron," Daphne confessed, her voice sounded hurt. "I hate it…"

"I get that," Ron said, and then he kissed her nose. "I'm a foot taller than most of my classmates… Sometimes, I feel like the kid who flunked his classes and was held back."

"Really?" Daphne blinked, and Ron nodded. "Ron, that's awfully silly…"

"I know, but I still feel it sometimes," Ron told her.

"I get that," she copied his words, a weak smile appearing on her face. "So you really like my chest? You don't think that I look uneven?"

"I do like your chest, and if I ever do think that you're 'uneven', you can slap me in the face," Ron kissed her left cheek, and then he quickly kissed her right cheek as well. She's soft all around. He suddenly felt Daphne grab his face, and then she gave him a smothering kiss on the lips. For a moment, Ron forgot that his hands were still on her chest.

"I'm really glad that I met you, Ron," Daphne smiled against his lips. "I love you." Ron tensed for a moment, but then he quickly relaxed completely as his face lit up.

"I love you too, Daphne," Ron couldn't help but laugh, and then he moved his hand behind her back in order to hug her. "And I'm really glad that I met you too."

They stayed like that for a few moments, both of them just holding each other. Ron understood that they were far too attached to one another, especially for people their age, but he wouldn't have it any other way. His life was increasingly becoming darker by the day, but whenever he was with her, none of his problems mattered. He didn't think about the Future, or the Entity, or Fate, or the Dark Lord. Whenever he was with her, everything just felt so… normal. He felt so normal.

"Ron, can move your hips to the side a little?" Daphne whispered in his right ear. "Your penis is getting a little too close to my…" she trailed off. Oh… OH! Fuck, I'm stiff as well!

"Sorry," Ron whispered back, and then he repositioned himself. "Is that better?" Daphne kissed the side of his head in response, while he felt a little flustered. Traitorous snake! Ha… Snake. The one-eyed snake of Ronald Weasley. I should get a sign made. Wait… What the fuck am I thinking?

"What's it like to have a penis?" Daphne asked suddenly, and Ron released a shocked cackle. "I'm serious, Ron. Tell me."

"You really want to know?" Ron sniggered, and Daphne nodded as she tightened her hug.

"Who else can I talk to about this stuff?" Daphne asked in return. "And if you say my father, Ron, I'll turn you into a girl." Shite, I was just about to say that.

"Well, it's a little inconvenient," Ron started. "It sort of has a mind of its own."

"Really?" Daphne asked, her disbelief evident.

"It feels like that lately," Ron admitted, he had no idea why he didn't feel shy right now. It's just me and her, and I know that she'll never tell the others. "I'll be minding my own business, and it just decides to… wake up."

"You get erect randomly?" Daphne asked slowly, and Ron nodded into her neck.

"It's not just me…" Ron replied. "Don't tell anyone this, but this morning, Theo wouldn't get out of bed because he woke up hard as a rock." Daphne released a giggle at that, while Ron just planted a kiss on her neck. "Blaise and I started teasing him, and that's why he called me your bitch. He got really embarrassed about it."

"You shouldn't tease each other about these things," Daphne said, though she was still giggling like a little girl.

"Tell me what it's like to have breasts," Ron said, and Daphne stopped laughing.

"I should've seen this coming," Daphne sighed, and then she began rubbing the back of his head. "It's different for every girl, I think. Mine feel heavy, and sometimes, they make my back hurt after a really long day. I think it's because the rest of my body isn't the right size for my chest… Anyway, they're sort of just there. Each girl has a unique pair. For example, Tracey's are a little more… athletic."

"You've seen Tracey naked?" Ron quickly asked, while Daphne planted another kiss on the side of his head.

"She's seen me naked as well," Daphne told him, her voice slightly scandalous.

"Wicked," Ron grinned against her neck.

"Actually, all of us girls have seen each other naked," Daphne told him, and Ron felt truly giddy at that. "Tracey actually sleeps naked, and whenever we're in the dorm, she usually doesn't wear anything but her panties."

"That's amazing!" Ron laughed, much to Daphne bemusement.

"You're so weird," Daphne giggled, her right hand still massaging the back of his head. "Wait… You haven't seen Blaise or Theo naked?"

"Fuck no," Ron lost his amusement.

"Not even once?" Daphne asked, and Ron made a gagging noise. "Seriously? How is that even possible? You live in the same room, and you lot only have one bathroom."

"Um… We respect each other's boundaries?" Ron countered. "If I woke up to find Blaise walking around naked, I'd kick him in the head. Plus, we just have an unspoken rule amongst us. We don't mention penises, we definitely don't mention our penises, and if we ever do, it's usually to tell the other person to suck said penis." Stop saying penis, Ron! Daphne went to say something, but the sound of hail suddenly pelting the shed stopped her.

"Oh no…" Daphne muttered. "Ron, go look out the window."

"Okay," Ron agreed, and then he kissed her neck again before doing as he was told. "Fuck… It's really pouring out there…"

"Ugh…" Daphne groaned in an unladylike manner. "I can't get wet, Ron… I spent over thirty minutes on my hair today."

"Uh-huh," Ron nodded slowly, his eyes fixed on her completely disheveled hair. Daphne blinked at his stare, and then she felt up her hair.

"Merlin…" she sighed out, her hair was a mess. "I still don't want to get wet."

"We can just cuddle until the rain stops," Ron suggested, he definitely liked that idea.

"Boys usually don't ask for cuddles," Daphne pointed out, and Ron looked quite taken aback. "Well, that's what Pansy told me anyway."

"Really?" Ron asked slowly, and Daphne quickly began shaking her head.

"Forget what I just said," Daphne said as she got off of the stool. "I love cuddling with you, Ron. Come here." It's not weak of me to want cuddles, right? I mean, I really enjoy hugging her. "Ron, I just said something stupid, please don't think too much on it." Daphne then placed both cloaks by the door, and then she beckoned him forward. Ron simply shrugged and walked up to her, why should he care about what other boys liked? He enjoyed holding onto girls, especially the blonde one in front of him.

---

Friday 9th October, 1993 (The Broom Shed – Nearly End of Classes)

"Daphne, I'm about to say something that might actually piss you off," Ron said, and Daphne turned her head to look at his face. "Marty…"

"Marty?" Daphne blinked, her back resting against his chest. "Wait… Ron, you dolt!"

"Yeah…" Ron mumbled, while Daphne shot up to her feet.

"We've been sitting here for nearly an hour, Ron!" Daphne exclaimed, her expression a mixture of frustration and disbelief. "And not once did you think to summon your House-Elf?! A House-Elf that literally works at this school!"

"I am not a smart man, but I am a loving man," Ron said in a sagely voice, which earned him a baffled look. "Not a good time to crack jokes?"

"Calm down, Daphne…" Daphne whispered to herself. "You knew what you were getting into…"

"For what it's worth, you didn't think of it either," Ron pointed out. "But I did. Eventually."

"Just call him, please," Daphne sighed out.

"You did enjoy the cuddling though, right?" Ron asked, and Daphne managed to give him a nod.

"I did," Daphne told him, she had no intention of turning him off of cuddling. "Now please call him. We've been gone for so long, I can't even imagine what the others might be thinking."

"Marty!" Ron called, and Marty suddenly snapped into the Broom Shed.

"Master called?" Marty bowed deeply, and then he looked around with a puzzled look. "Why are Master and Mistress in the Broom Shed?"

"We got trapped here because of the rain," Daphne replied quickly, and Marty gave her an understanding nod. "Do you mind taking us to the castle?"

"Of course not, Mistress," Marty smiled a toothy smile.

"Somewhere hidden will do, Marty," Ron said as he collected the cloaks. "I don't want anyone seeing you."

"Marty understands the need for secrecy," Marty nodded, and then he held his hands out. Ron and Daphne each took one, and then Marty apparated them back to Hogwarts. As soon as they landed, Daphne released a shaky breath and bent over. Ron, on the other hand, just felt a little lightheaded.

"I don't like that much," Daphne admitted, while both Marty and Ron rubbed her back.

"It gets easier with time, Mistress," Marty assured her. "Master used to get sick from it, but now he only looks dazed."

"C'mon, let's get you to the common room," Ron said, and then he looked around. "Marty, where are we?"

"An abandoned classroom on the third floor," Marty replied, and then he suddenly perked up. "Marty is being summoned to the Kitchens… Marty left his dish unattended."

"Oh, go on then," Ron said quickly, and Marty apparated away with a sorry grin. Shite, I hope I didn't get him into any trouble. "Daphne, can you walk?"

"Yes, I'm alright," Daphne stood upright, her hair disheveled again. "Let's just get back to the common room before the bell rings."

"We've got time," Ron looked at his Rolex. "Let's go." With that, they both began making their way out. When the entered the corridor, Daphne took his gloved hand in hers, and Ron had to remind himself that they could hold hands in public now.

"This is what we tell our friends," Daphne started. "We were enjoying a nice walk along the Black Lake, and then the rain started, which forced us to seek refuge in the Broom Shed. We spent most of the time talking, and then we kissed, but we didn't snog, and then you finally remembered that Marty could bring us back inside the castle."

"Got it," Ron gave her a nod. "Only one problem… Malfoy doesn't know about Marty. We'll just tell them that the rain stopped for a bit, and we both rushed in."

"Have you given any thought to our talk?" Daphne asked, and Ron let out an exaggerated groan. "Ron, the sooner we present ourselves to our parents, the sooner we can get on with our dating life."

"But tomorrow?" Ron whined. "Daphne, I have work with your father… After you go back to Hogwarts, I'll be stuck in a room with him for the rest of the day. It'll be so damn awkward between us."

"Please, Ron," Daphne pleaded. "For me?" Get those big blue eyes away from me, woman!

"Fine…" Ron said, his body deflating.

"Thank you," Daphne smiled widely, and then she quickly hid her smile.

"The portraits won't tattle on you, Daph," Ron said.

"You don't know that," Daphne said quickly, her eyes narrowing on the portrait of a woman spinning yarn. The woman gave Daphne a confused look, which only worsened when Daphne's eyes narrowed even more.

"I'm dating a crazy person," Ron joked, and Daphne tried to crush his hand. "Cute." Daphne simply stuck her nose up and huffed in indignation, much to Ron's amusement. They made their way down into the Dungeons, and once they were in front of the entrance, Daphne gave the password.

"Remember the plan, Ron," Daphne said, and Ron nodded.

"There you two are!" Pansy all but shrieked at the sight of them, something which made both Ron and Daphne jump. "Do you have any idea how long you've been gone?! Nearly two hours!"

"Pansy, please calm down," Millie sighed, her eyes fixed on her anxious friend.

"She's been biting her fingernails for the last thirty minutes," Blaise told them, he looked more bored than usual.

"Why wouldn't I be worried?" Pansy frowned at the others. "Nearly two hours! I was certain that the Giant Squid had eaten you both."

"You realize that I can kill that squid, right?" Ron asked her, which earned him wary looks. "Look, we got caught in the rain, and in order to keep dry, we hid in the Broom Shed."

"Hid, he says," Tracey sniggered, a proud smile on her face. "Ron left as a boy, but he's come back as a man! I just know it!"

"He does seem to be glowing," Theo smirked, while Tracey shot Ron a wink. These two…

"Can we sit down now?" Daphne asked Pansy, who gave her a strict nod. Daphne went and sat down with the girls, while Ron planted himself by the fire. Finally, some fucking warmth.

"Well?" Pansy asked, and Ron turned his head to face her. "Did you two at least kiss?"

"We kissed," Daphne said rather coldly, but it didn't matter to Tracey and Pansy, who both squealed in excitement.

"How was it?" Tracey asked quickly, while Ron turned back to stare at the fire. This was a conversation that he wanted no part in. He himself had wanted a more direct approach in shutting down his friends' intrigue, but Daphne had cautioned him against it. She wanted to handle this 'diplomatically', then she can deal with Tracey and Pansy.

"It was quite fun," Daphne told the girls. "Ron's a very good kisser." As if… Neither of us know what we're doing, we just enjoy doing it.

"That's always a plus," Pansy nodded, and Ron couldn't help but roll his eyes at the flames. She's never even kissed anyone besides me. And then, much to Ron's surprise, Malfoy joined him by the fire. Ron shot Malfoy a curious look, only to see the boy staring at him with his dead-eyed expression.

"Can I help you?" Ron asked, his eyes darting towards his friends. All of them had noticed Malfoy's move, but none of them made any comments on it. They must know what he wants, which means that he spoke to them before he spoke to me.

"Hogsmeade Weekend is coming up," Malfoy said.

"I already have a date, Malfoy," Ron smirked, while Malfoy looked anything but amused. "Ask Theo, he's the desperate sort."

"Fuck you, mate," came Theo's voice.

"You probably would, you desperate twat," Ron shot Theo a grin, which made Theo snigger.

"Are you done?" Malfoy asked, and Ron simply shrugged. "I've decided to stay behind in the castle. You can all enjoy your day out without me."

"How noble of you," Ron said, his voice losing all of its mirth. "Tell me, Malfoy… If one of Flint's lackeys decide to stay behind, then what? Are you going to fight them off alone?"

"Nothing will happen," Malfoy said coldly. "I plan to stay in that secret room of yours for the whole day."

"Do you really want to?" Ron asked.

"What does that mean?" Malfoy asked in return.

"Do you want to miss out on Hogsmeade?" Ron clarified, and Malfoy just stared at him. "I'll take that as a no. Cut the heroic act, Malfoy, it doesn't suit you." Not yet, that is. "You're coming with us, and that's final. You don't get to make any decisions. Now… Go and get your books ready for the study group." Malfoy lips twisted into a frown, but one angry look from Ron sent him packing.

"Why did you do that?" Tracey asked once Malfoy had disappeared, and Ron looked to her. "He was offering to leave us be… Why did you refuse him?"

"I don't trust him to be out of my sight," Ron replied, while his friends just exchanged looks. "The first and second years are staying behind, aren't they? I don't want him talking to them."

"You're being a little paranoid, Ron," Daphne couldn't help but point out. Hello, I'm Ronald Weasley. Haven't we met before?

"Yeah, leave him here," Theo added. "We'll all be happier for it." Theo then looked to Blaise, who was just staring at Ron. "Blaise? Got anything to say?"

"If Ron doesn't trust him, then neither do I," Blaise said, his eyes traveling to the others. "I'll stick with Malfoy at Hogsmeade. The rest of you can go about your day-"

"What? No," Millie shook her head. "We all stick together, including Malfoy. Why even take the risk of running into Flint's gang alone?" Flint's gang… I'm really getting sick of that Troll-faced cunt. I have more important things to worry about than Flint.

"Flint won't be a problem for long," Ron promised his friends, who all blinked at him.

"What do you mean?" Pansy asked. "He's not going to let us third years walk all over him. And he's stupid enough to take things too far, Ron… You know that."

"Don't worry about it," Ron told his friends. "Just go and get your books for the study group." Flint… What a nuisance. I need to speak with the Triumvirate tonight. If I can win them back, it'll definitely help me get Flint off of our backs.

---

Friday 9th October, 1993 (Dumbledore's Office – After Study Group)

"Hello, Ronald," Dumbledore greeted, while Ron shut the door behind himself. "How was your study group today?"

"It went well," Ron smiled at the old man, and then he walked over and took a seat. "Just a couple of problems, but nothing that I can't solve."

"Problems?" Dumbledore asked.

"My girlfriend's little sister, Astoria, spent the whole session pouting miserably, while Hermione got into an argument with Fay and Padma for sharing answers," Ron replied. "Hermione meant well, of course, but she has a tendency to nag people into a rage. Oh, and Harry and Ginny didn't show up. Ginny doesn't want to face me right now, but Harry openly refused to join Neville and Hermione."

"Harry is still displeased with you?" Dumbledore asked, he sounded far too calm for Ron's liking.

"He is," Ron shrugged. "And no, I'm not going to go out of my way to befriend him right now. I have my own problems to deal with, and Harry's tantrum is pretty low on my list of priorities."

"You can't expect him to take the first step if you aren't willing to, dear boy," Dumbledore said.

"I have taken the first step," Ron told the old wizard. "I haven't beaten the piss out of him yet, that's my first step… Anyway, once Sirius and you start treating him like the princess that he is, he'll forget all about me."

"And if he doesn't?" Dumbledore asked, he didn't like Ron's cold words very much.

"Then I'll bend him over my knee and spank him," Ron smirked. "Don't worry, I won't do anything to jeopardize your plans for him. Even if I still believe that you should let him in on them."

"Harry deserves a chance at a normal childhood," Dumbledore told Ron.

"Does he now?" Ron frowned a little. Harry Potter 'deserves' happiness, does he? "And why is it that you believe that?"

"He's lived a very difficult life, Ronald," Dumbledore replied. "And his path grows darker by the day."

"Everyone's path grows darker by the day," Ron countered. "You think the Dark Lord only wants Harry's life? Everyone in the World is at risk, not just Harry. As for his childhood… He isn't the only orphan from the war. There are orphans who still live on the streets, and orphans who were shipped off to other countries because our own orphanages were full."

"Ronald-"

"I know that it's a cold thing to say, but it's the truth," Ron cut in. "Yeah, he lost his parents… He grew up with Muggles who hated him… All of that is terrible, and I do feel sorry for him. But what I don't understand is why you put him on this pedestal. Why you constantly overlook his self-absorbed behavior, all the while calling me out on mine. Harry's nothing special. He's a slightly above average wizard, a slightly below average student, and he cares more about flying his broom than he does about preparing for a war that he knows is coming. So why? Why does Harry Potter deserve this bias treatment from you, and from everyone in this country?"

"Harry is the only one who can defeat the Dark Lord," Dumbledore replied, and Ron realized what Dumbledore meant.

"You want him to love you so much that he just blindly follows your orders?" Ron asked, and for a moment, Dumbledore looked ashamed. "I wonder what Harry would think about that. I wonder what my Family, who worship you, would think about that."

"Where is this coming from, Ronald?" Dumbledore asked, and Ron simply shrugged.

"I just don't like people like Harry," Ron admitted. "He's done nothing to earn his laurels, nor does he have any right to interfere in other people's business. He thinks he does, but that's only because people like you let him believe that. I mean, just think about it. He openly breaks the rules, and you reward him for it. My friends and I found the Chamber, but you gave Harry and Neville four hundred House Points, and in doing so, handed them the House Cup. He was labeled the school's savior, while I was left petrified at my own sister's hands. He now believes that snooping around in other people's lives will always work out for him, just like it has over the past two years."

"Your sister's absence from your study group bothers you," Dumbledore noted, now it all made sense. "You believe that Harry is responsible for her recent coldness."

"I do believe that," Ron said coldly. "He's been telling everyone in Gryffindor that I'm 'not to be trusted'… My sister believes Harry to be this 'savior', and so she's happily turned against me in order to garner his attention."

"Harry speaks to the other Gryffindors about you?" Dumbledore asked.

"Parvati mentioned it today," Ron said, his eyes digging into the Headmaster's. "He saw me returning from your Office yesterday, and that was enough to set him off again. Apparently, even Neville and Hermione tried to shut him down, but people like Finnegan and McLaggen voiced their own concerns about me. They told the Gryffindor first years about my 'dubious nature', something that made them rather wary of me today. His obsession with me is starting to get in my way, Headmaster."

"I will do something about this, Ronald. You have my word," Dumbledore promised, his left hand pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Please do," Ron said, why was he even taking his anger out on Dumbledore? It's not like the old man has owns Harry. "I've worked very hard to bring this study group together, Headmaster… I've endured insults, scorn, mistrust, and even open hostilities from my fellow Slytherins. And now Harry Potter is becoming a threat to it, and as you know, I really dislike threats. Please just do something about him."

"I will," Dumbledore said, and Ron gave him a quick nod. I guess it's out of my hands for now. "You seem tired, Ronald. Perhaps we should postpone your lesson?"

"No, let's not do that," Ron quickly sat up, and then he reached into his robes and pulled out his second vial of Nutrition Potion. "I just haven't had my second dose today." Ron then quickly drank down the potion, his face twisting from disgust. "I swear to Merlin… This Potion's flavor just keeps getting worse."

"Here," Dumbledore said, and then with a wave of his hand, he Conjured up a goblet full of pumpkin juice. Now that, I want to learn.

"Thanks," Ron said, and then he quickly washed down the taste of the Nutrition Potion. So much better. "It's weird, but lately, I just can't stay awake without my second dose. I just lose all the strength in my body if I don't have it."

"It is a side-effect of the Potion," Dumbledore told him. "Your body relies on the extra nutrients from the Potion. If you keep having it on time, then it will keep you strong and healthy. But if you forget to take it, then your body begins to burn through nutrients that it doesn't have."

"So I'm addicted to this?" Ron asked, why hadn't he questioned Pomfrey about this?

"Not addicted, just reliant," Dumbledore replied. "The difference is subtle, but also quite glaring."

"Can we get started?" Ron asked, and Dumbledore gave him a nod.

"Very well," Dumbledore started. "Conjuration is an advanced form of Transfiguration, and it is considered to be one of the most difficult branches of Magic to master. Whereas simple Transfiguration requires an object to be present, Conjuration has no such limitations. The only form of Transfiguration that is more difficult than Conjuration is Human Transfiguration. Are you following me so far?"

"Yes," Ron nodded. "Though it does sound like you're trying to intimidate me."

"I just want you to go in with realistic expectations," Dumbledore assured him. "The most important thing to understand about Conjuration is that it is limited by the rules of Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration. Do you know what that is?"

"Nope," Ron shook his head.

"It simply refers to what Magic is capable of creating," Dumbledore explained. "The only thing that you need to understand about Gamp's Law is that it has five exceptions. These five exceptions cannot be achieved, no matter how skilled a wizard or witch is. The first exception is food. No one can create food out of thin air, it can be summoned, but it cannot be created. The second exception is money. Money, especially Wizarding Money, cannot be created out of thin air. You cannot even transfigure an object into a pile of Galleons, because upon closer inspection, your Transfigured Galleons would not share the qualities of Gold. Not one hundred percent, at least. There are dozens of safeguards built to avoid the creation of money, and most of them were created by the Goblin Kings of Old. This rule cannot be cheated."

"The third exception is the reversal of Curse Damage," Dumbledore went on. "Dark Magic always leaves behind traces, which is why if one is left scarred by it, they cannot be completely healed. Scars will forever remain."

"Is that why I look like a Werewolf's chew toy underneath my clothes?" Ron asked, and Dumbledore grimaced.

"Not how I would describe you, but in essence, yes," Dumbledore nodded. "Poppy did her best, but even with her prestigious skill in the Healing Arts, she could do very little when it came to your scars."

"What are the last two exceptions?" Ron asked, he didn't want to discuss his scars at all.

"The fourth exception is Death itself," Dumbledore replied, and Ron listened intently. "Bringing the dead back to life is impossible. It cannot be done."

"But I've technically died four hundred and sixty three times," Ron said, and Dumbledore drew in a deep breath.

"The powers behind your Cycles are beyond our very comprehension, Ronald," Dumbledore started, he always felt uneasy whenever he thought about them. "From what you've told me, the Rules of Creation are at their beck and call. I imagine that there is nothing that they can't do. They are only limited by the rules that they have set upon themselves, which is something that we should all be grateful for."

"Too bad one of those rules wasn't 'Leave Ronald Weasley's arse alone'…" Ron sighed out.

"Let us not dwell on such matters, because at the end of the day, there is nothing that we can do about it," Dumbledore said, and Ron simply shrugged. Once my Cycle succeeds, maybe I can live a normal life. "The fifth, and final, exception is that one cannot create life that does not exist."

"That one seems slightly… obvious," Ron noted.

"And yet, it is perhaps the one exception that most ambitious wizards and witches often forget," Dumbledore told Ron. "No one can Conjure up a being that does not exist, be it man or animal. Now, if Conjuration is performed poorly, one can Conjure up a mixture of two or more creatures, but these 'new' creatures die very quickly. There is only one wizard in History that may have potentially broken the final exception… A truly Dark Wizard by the name of Ekrizdis, who is rumored to have created the Dementors of Azkaban out of sheer malice alone. But then again, these are just rumors. Ekrizdis died alone, and any answers that he may have provided the Ministry died with him."

"He created the Dementors?" Ron blinked.

"May have," Dumbledore repeated. "However, he did create Azkaban as his own personal fortress. He lured Muggles onto the island in droves, and then he experimented on them. When the island was first discovered after Ekrizdis' death, the Ministry's investigators were driven mad by what they saw within. According to the few who could even manage to speak, Dementors were one of the least terrifying things inside. The island was purged of all life, except the Dementors, who cannot be destroyed."

"Azkaban… Fucking hell on Earth…" Ron muttered, he never wanted to see that place. To think that Sirius survived ten years in that place. The sheer fucking willpower of that man is astounding.

"I find it difficult to disagree with you on this, Ronald," Dumbledore said, even he dreaded going to that place. "But we are veering off topic. Just make sure that you understand, and respect, these five exceptions."

"I promise, Headmaster," Ron agreed, and Dumbledore shot him a warm smile.

"Good man," Dumbledore said in a kind voice, and Ron couldn't help but smile back. "Now, there are some Conjurations that have been… streamlined… over the years."

"Streamlined?" Ron asked.

"Made very simple for everyone's use," Dumbledore clarified. "For example, Aguamenti."

"The Water Making Charm?" Ron asked.

"Not 'making', Ronald," Dumbledore's eyes twinkled, and Ron nodded in understanding.

"You can't make food," Ron stated.

"Exactly, my boy. Exactly," Dumbledore beamed, and Ron beamed too. I like his lessons, he's so… nice… about it. "Aguamenti merely Conjures up drinkable water from a drinkable water source. It can be from any random drinkable water source around the Globe, and you'd never even know which country the water came from. The Spell was created solely because it was widely needed at the time of its creation. Why don't you tell me of a Spell that could be considered Conjuration?" Ron thought about it for a few seconds, and then he had answer.

"Serpensortia," Ron replied, though it sounded more like a question.

"Ten point to Slytherin," Dumbledore nodded, and Ron mentally patted his own back. "With Serpensortia, you are Conjuring up a random serpent from around the Globe. You have no idea where it comes from, nor do you know what kind of serpent it will be, but the Spell finds you what you need. Now, what would happen if you needed a glass full of salt?"

"I'm guessing there's no Spell for that," Ron said.

"There isn't," Dumbledore said, and then he waved his right hand in front of him, and a glass full of salt appeared out of thin air.

"Woah!" Ron exclaimed, his face lighting up. "Bloody hell! That was so damn wicked! How did you do that?"

"What you just witnessed is called 'True Conjuration'," Dumbledore chuckled, Ronald was certainly an excitable young man. "Basically, Conjuration is the Art of Summoning what you need out of thin air. It is not creation, merely summoning. The object of your needs must already exist, otherwise it cannot be summoned. Many Spells have been created to make Conjuration easier, but True Conjuration is very difficult to master. It requires creativity, but more importantly, knowledge of what you need and where to find it."

"Take this glass full of salt for example," Dumbledore went on, and Ron hung off of his every word. "The glass is from the Hogwarts Kitchens, it used to sit on a shelf by the third fireplace from the entrance. I knew where it was, and I knew that I wanted it filled with salt."

"So the salt also came from the Kitchens?" Ron asked.

"It did," Dumbledore replied. "Now listen closely, because this is the tricky part. If I wanted a glass full of salt, which item would I summon first?"

"The glass," Ron replied immediately. "Otherwise, there'd be no place for the salt to go, and it would just make a mess."

"Ten more points for Slytherin, dear boy," Dumbledore smiled proudly, and Ron felt like a giddy toddler. "This is where your creativity comes in. You must understand the properties of what you are Conjuring, because if you don't, you will undoubtedly fail. In order to summon a glass full of salt, I first summoned the glass from a place where I knew one was being kept. And then I immediately summoned enough salt to fill said glass, because I know the glasses dimensions."

"So you needed to know where the salt and glass were, and you also needed to know what kind of glass you wanted," Ron summarized, and Dumbledore gave him a nod. "But you Conjured it in less than a second…"

"Years of practice, my boy," Dumbledore chuckled, while Ron just gave him an awed look. "Conjuration is very difficult to master, but its uses are infinite, just like a person's imagination. I once saw an African Wizard Conjure up a flaming carriage, one that flew away once he took his seat. And yes, he did it without a wand."

"Firstly, that African Wizard has my respect," Ron started. "Secondly, how do I go about actually summoning something? I mean, if it doesn't have a Spell associated with it, how do I Conjure it up?"

"I will teach you a method now," Dumbledore replied, and Ron wished that he had brought a quill to take down notes. I'll be able to Conjure one someday! "When I was the Transfiguration Professor here, I devised a particularly helpful method of teaching Conjuration."

"You used to teach Transfiguration?" Ron asked, and Dumbledore nodded with a nostalgic smile. "Odd… I had you pegged as more of a D.A.D.A Professor."

"Fighting was something that I actively avoided in my younger years," Dumbledore told Ron, who just blinked at him.

"But you defeated Gellert Grindelwald," Ron stated.

"Yes… I did…" Dumbledore said, his voice losing some of its cheer. "And then I returned to my post as the Transfiguration Professor of Hogwarts. We're veering off topic once again."

"Right," Ron nodded slowly, he could see that something had gotten under Dumbledore's skin. It happened as soon as I mentioned Gellert Grindelwald.

"The method that I devised was as follows," Dumbledore started, his mind banishing any fond memories of Gellert. "You must learn to cast the Avis Charm both Wandlessly and Non-verbally."

"Avis?" Ron asked, he didn't know what Spell that was.

"Whereas Serpensortia summons a serpent, Avis summons a flock of birds," Dumbledore told him. "It is significantly more difficult than Serpensortia, but in this case, that's a good thing. Master the Avis Charm with your wand first, and then begin learning to summon the birds without the aid of a wand and incantation. It will create the perfect building block for you to learn how to summon things that don't have an incantation attached to them. After you've mastered the Avis Charm, come back to me to continue your training."

"Are you going to show me how to cast Avis?" Ron asked.

"Of course," Dumbledore replied, and Ron quickly pulled out his wand.

---

Friday 9th October, 1993 (The Slytherin Common Room – After Dinner)

"There goes Carey Ductu," Blaise said, and they all looked to see Carey Ductu leaving for the girls' dorms. "I can come with you, Ron. It's my fault that-"

"Nothing is your fault, Blaise," Tracey said quickly, while the others nodded. "It's his." Tracey then glared at Malfoy, and he merely cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Go to our room," Ron said, and then he looked to Millie. "If Flint or his gang try anything, teach them a lesson."

"Oh, I will," Millie smirked, and then she gestured the others to follow her.

"Daphne, wait a moment," Ron said, and Daphne stopped. The others shot them quick looks, during which Pansy smiled in a scandalous manner, and then they all left.

"What is it? Do you want me to come with you?" Daphne asked.

"Did you send Marty to alert your parents?" Ron asked, and she gave him a nod.

"It'll be fine, Ron," Daphne said reassuringly, though her cold expression didn't change whatsoever. "I'll be right there with you, I promise. There's nothing to be embarrassed about."

"You don't know my mum," Ron grimaced, Daphne had insisted that Molly and Arthur be there as well.

"I'd like a chance to," Daphne said, and Ron felt his heartstrings tighten. Damn her cuteness!

"Sorry, I'll stop being a little girl now," Ron sighed.

"Finally," Daphne smirked, and Ron gave her a deadpan look.

"Can I have a good luck kiss?" Ron asked, and Daphne looked around them.

"We're surrounded by people," Daphne replied slowly.

"But we're a couple now," Ron countered. "C'mon, Daph… I'm about to go fight a war to keep us safe. To keep our children safe."

"Did you just refer to our friends as our children?" Daphne asked, and Ron suddenly grinned.

"It does feel that way sometimes," Ron told her. "Actually, you're all like my children… Even you."

"I'm going to stop this disgusting conversation right here and now," Daphne said firmly, and then she leaned up and pecked his lips. "There, now go and win Carey Ductu over."

"All I do is win," Ron gave her a wink, and her lips twitched upwards. "I'll see you soon, girlfriend."

"Bye, boyfriend," Daphne gave him a quick smile, and then she left for the boys' room. Once she was out of sight, Ron lost his grin and rubbed his face. This is going to be so awkward. Not to mention demeaning. I'm basically going back to them with my tail tucked between my legs.

Ron then thought about the fact that his friends were being forced to skulk around the school, and how much they dreaded being separated. That gave him some much needed strength to toss his pride and self-respect aside, he was doing this so that they could start enjoying Hogwarts again. He himself didn't mind spending most of his time inside the Sanctuary, but he knew that his friends were starting to hate it. Especially Pansy, Tracey, and Theo, all of whom preferred the open space of the Courtyard. Even Daphne was getting sick of the Sanctuary, which is why she wanted to go on long walks around school.

Ron then began making his way towards the Triumvirate's room, he could only pray that they wouldn't make this too hard on him. Ron wasn't as oblivious as most people thought, at least not when it came to potential threats. The Triumvirate were kind and even loving towards him, but he knew what they were. They were the three most ruthless students in Slytherin, and they had Snape standing behind them. Tradition was everything in Slytherin, and by tradition, the Triumvirate held all the power in the House. Ron could certainly intimidate them, or even hurt them, but that would only serve to alienate his interests from theirs. No, the only strategic thing that he could do was to realign his goals with theirs, and just hope that they didn't embarrass him too much.

"Ronald?" came Carey's voice, and Ron broke out of his thoughts. Carey was standing with a sixth year student, both girls staring at him. "What are you doing in the girls' dorm?" Making Fred and George proud…

"I was hoping to talk to you," Ron replied, and Carey gave him a nod.

"Tanya, we'll speak about your job tomorrow," Carey said, and the sixth year girl gave her a nod and left. "Follow me." With that, Carey began making her way towards her room, and Ron followed after her. They walked in silence, and despite wanting to break it, Ron had no idea how to start. Carey opened the door to her room, and then she gestured Ron inside. Ron entered the room quietly, and much to his relief, Clara and Samantha weren't there.

"Where are Clara and Samantha?" Ron asked.

"Clara and Samantha?" Carey asked as she closed the door, and Ron turned to look at her. "Not Selwyn and Martyris?"

"Not my finest moment," Ron admitted, and Carey waited for him to go on. "I was… not in a good place… when we talked about the Dueling Club. Actually, my mind was fixed on my little sister throughout that conversation."

"Ginevra Weasley," Carey said, and Ron nodded. "For what it's worth, Ronald, I'm sorry that she spoke to you in such a manner."

"It is what it is," Ron sighed, this wasn't the time to bring up Ginny.

"Indeed, it is," Carey said, and then she walked over to her bed and sat down on its edge. "What do you want to talk about?"

"I want to talk about Flint," Ron started. Just do it, Ron. Do it, and then tell the others that everything went perfectly well.

"Now you want to talk about him, do you?" Carey asked, her voice slightly bitter. "You… I'm just so…" Carey just stopped at that, a look of anger and hurt crossing her face. "Apologize right now, Ronald."

"I'm not apologizing for helping my friend," Ron said, and once again, anger and hurt crossed her face.

"I'm not asking you to apologize for that," Carey told him, and Ron was a little taken aback by that. "Apologize for not trusting us… For not trusting me."

"For not trusting you?" Ron asked slowly.

"I have never given you reason to doubt me," Carey said. "You were in trouble, and instead of coming to me, you took things into your own hands. You decided that causing instability within the House was preferable to trusting me. Isn't that right?" Ron just stared at her, she had turned cold because she was hurt? "Don't even try to deny it, just say it."

"I… I didn't trust you to help me," Ron admitted, and Carey's face became slightly somber. "Malfoy told me what you did to him, and so I decided to keep it all away from you."

"I used to defend you last year, you know," Carey told him, and Ron blinked at her. "After you made that speech about 'kicking the Heir's arse', so many people wanted to string you up. The Triumvirate wanted to string you up… But I talked them all down one by one. I told them just how valuable you were, and that you were one of us. I told them that just because you had red hair didn't mean that you weren't a Slytherin."

"You did that for me?" Ron asked, a slight feeling of shame waking up in his mind.

"Clara and Samantha were right there with me," Carey looked away from him, her expression cold again. "And yes, we defended you because we wanted to keep you on our side. But we also did it because we are fond of you. You're different, just like us. You value loyalty and friendship over ruthlessness and needless cruelty. And no, Ronald, what we did to Malfoy wasn't cruel. He had it coming for a long time, something you yourself believe. The worst part about this mess is that you thought that we'd turn on you. That I'd turn on you, when in truth, I would have helped you. I would've convinced Professor Snape to set Malfoy free from his Quidditch responsibilities, and instead of this decision coming from a third year, it would have come from the Triumvirate itself."

"But now…" Carey went on, while Ron just stood quietly. "Now we have to rely on people like Tanya, who is completely spineless, to keep the peace. The other three Houses already have their Quidditch Teams set up, while Flint is still searching for a worthy Seeker for Slytherin. People are getting anxious, none of us want to be turned into a joke, but you don't even know that because you and your friends disappear after classes every day. You hurt this House instead of trusting me. And then, you had the gall to call me more petty than intelligent."

"I'm sorry for not trusting you," Ron apologized. "I didn't know that you protected me last year, nor do I believe you to be petty. I gave into my anger and said something stupid, and I'm sorry if that hurt you. Is the House really in that much trouble?"

"Not anymore," Carey replied. "We've taken care of most of the damage."

"The damage?" Ron asked, and Carey just stared at him.

"What do you think happens when the prized employee rebels against management?" Carey asked. "Humor me."

"I don't know," Ron admitted, he couldn't really think of anything.

"Alright, then let me rephrase it," Carey said. "If you were the king on a Chessboard, and out of nowhere, your queen decided to up and leave, what do you think would happen?" Oh.

"You'd lose the match," Ron replied, and she gave him a slow nod.

"We gave you a lot of power, Ron," Carey told him. "And yes, you definitely earned it, but it was still us who put you above others. We told you of our plans before we told anyone, and we did that because we trusted you. But when the time came for you to trust us, you chose to go astray. How do you think that makes us look to the others?"

"Not good," Ron replied.

"We have sixth years openly questioning our judgement, while the younger years still want you to be in charge of them," Carey shook her head. "While Flint is making far too much noise about his 'gutted' Quidditch Team. And where are you for all of this? Hiding away on the seventh floor." She knows?! "Don't worry, most people haven't caught onto your hiding place. Even I don't know where it is, all I know is that you blew a hole into the seventh floor, so I can only assume that it's somewhere up there." Carey then stood up and walked over to Ron, and he made sure to keep eye contact with her.

"You and your friends have abandoned your posts," Carey said, her voice was just cold. "The first years are still doing splendidly, and the second years are finally starting to shape up, but neither group has a leader at the helm. It might be working right now, but without a decisive force driving them forward, they will crumble. Do you understand?"

"You want us to come back," Ron replied, and Carey gave him a nod. "What about Flint?"

"Despite being a brute, he's still doing his part for the House," Carey replied. "He's holding Seeker trials almost daily, and he's only ever in the common room after dinner. I'm not promising you help, Ron. I'm merely telling you to come back. You have a job assigned to you, and if you don't complete it, then we will take Flint's side in your little pissing match."

"So I'm still on my own," Ron realized.

"You did this to yourself by running away," Carey told him. "Did you really expect us to take your side after you openly undermined our authority before fleeing? The rest of the House would not stand for it, they'd accuse us of favoritism, which would be followed up by tantrums and rebellion. When you come back, we'll make sure that Flint keeps the peace, but we won't take any sides. No more favoritism, Ron."

"I understand," Ron said, he knew that she wasn't going to change her mind. I know that I wouldn't.

"You are dismissed then," Carey said, and then she walked back to her bed. Ron turned around and walked up to the door, but he stopped before opening it.

"I'm sorry for not trusting you," Ron apologized one more time, and then he opened the door, only to come face to face with Samantha and Clara. Both girls stepped aside for him, and Ron walked past them in order to rejoin his friends. So we come back to go about our usual lives, but nothing's changed with Flint. Fuck… At least she promised me that she'll tell Flint to keep the peace. At this point, I can only take her word for it.

"Ron, wait," came a voice from behind him, and Ron turned to see Clara approaching him.

"Hello," Ron greeted her, and she gave him a soft smile.

"So you're coming back?" Clara asked, and Ron gave her a nod. "Good. I've missed seeing you around the common room."

"You have?" Ron asked, his face mimicking her smile.

"Sammy and Carey have too, but they're too proud to admit it," Clara whispered, and then she put her hand on his cheek. Ron leaned into her soft touch, and she began to stroke his cheek with her thumb. "Just give them a little time, alright? It's hard for them to open up to other people, especially Sammy."

"I'm sorry for calling you three petty," Ron apologized.

"You were being pushed into a corner, and when we pressed you, you lashed out," Clara said with an understanding voice. "I forgive you, and so do the others. They'll come around, I promise."

"Okay," Ron nodded weakly, and Clara held his face with both hands.

"We've all been discussing your business, Ron," Clara told him, and Ron blinked at her. "The brochure didn't really explain what 'The Quibbler' was going to be about, but we all still want to know more about you is what I'm getting at. You haven't been forgotten."

"Thanks, Clara," Ron managed a weak smile. "You've always been really kind to me." Ron couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt at his own words, he shouldn't have lashed out at them just because he was in trouble. It was foolish, and it's wasted my time.

"What can I say? I'm powerless against cute boys," Clara hummed, and Ron let out a soft chuckle. "Once you come back, make sure that you do an exemplary job with your first years. Carey and Sammy want you back, Ron. They're just waiting for a reason to embrace you again."

"I won't let you down," Ron promised, and Clara leaned up and kissed his forehead. Ron didn't even tense this time, he knew that Clara preferred to show affection quite openly.

"I know," Clara smiled, and then she let go of him. "Goodnight, Ron."

"Goodnight, Clara," Ron said, and then he turned around and left.

---

Saturday 10th October, 1993 (Snape's Office – Early Morning)

'And you will both be gone for the entire day?" Snape asked, and both Ron and Daphne nodded. "Very well, I will sign your papers, Mss. Greengrass." Snape then proceeded to write up her absence.

"Thank you, Sir," Daphne said, her Ice-Queen persona in place. She's dreading this now, isn't she? Ron knew now that Daphne only became the Ice-Queen when she was either nervous, or downright pissed off.

"You may both leave now," Snape said, his eyes still on his work. Right.

"Let's go," Ron said, and then he walked over to the fireplace. Daphne followed after him slowly, which only strengthened Ron's belief that she was starting to lose her nerve. Ron took a pinch of floo-powder, and he cast it into the fire as he called for Greengrass Manor. The fire blazed green, and Ron looked to Daphne.

"C'mon," Ron smiled, and then he held out his gloved hand. "The sooner we get this done, the sooner we can move on with our dating life."

"I know, I'm the one who said that," Daphne said, and she took his hand. "It's just that…" she trailed off.

"You're worried about what they may say?" Ron asked, and Daphne gave him a nod.

"Ahem," Snape cleared his throat, and Daphne quickly took Ron's hand. What a prick.

"Let's go," Daphne said, and they both stepped through the fire. The moment they stepped into the Greeting Room, they saw Mary waiting for them with a smile. Her eyes immediately darted to their joined hands, and her smile widened.

"Good morning, mother," Daphne greeted, and then she let go of Ron's hand.

"It's good to see you again, love," Mary greeted back, and then she looked to Ron. "Welcome back, Ron."

"Thank you," Ron smiled at her. "Are my parents here yet?"

"No, and they won't be here until the afternoon," Mary told him. "I thought it best to do this over lunch in the Gardens."

"That's a great idea, mother," Daphne said, she sounded rather relieved. This was her idea in the first place. "Is… Is father in his study?"

"Don't be so nervous, love," Mary said as she walked up to Daphne, her hands immediately fixing up her daughter's hair. "Ron and your father will join us for lunch."

"Oh," Daphne muttered. "He's not angry with me, is he?"

"No, and if he was, I'd set him straight," Mary replied, a motherly smile on her face. "Ron, why don't you go about your day with Sebastian? I wish to take my daughter to Diagon Alley."

"Diagon Alley?" Ron asked.

"I wish to spend the day with my daughter," Mary replied, and Ron could only give her a nod. Daphne's in for a 'talk', isn't she?

"I'll see you at lunch then," Ron said, and after shooting Daphne a quick look, he began making his way towards the Study. Merlin, time for the most awkward training session of my life. The closer he got to the Study, the more nervous he became. Once he was at the door, he drew in a deep breath before knocking.

"Come in," came his Mentor's voice, and Ron entered the Study.

"Good morning, my Lord," Ron greeted as he closed the door behind himself, while his Mentor stood facing the fire.

"Good morning to you as well, Ron," Lord Greengrass responded, and then he turned to face Ron. "My daughter came with you?"

"Mary has taken her to Diagon Alley by now," Ron replied, and Lord Greengrass gave him a nod. "We're to have lunch with them, and my parents, in the Gardens."

"I am aware," Lord Greengrass said, his eyes fixed on Ron. "Take a seat, we have work to do." Ron quickly made his way to his seat, and once he was sitting down, Lord Greengrass handed him a new book.

"Advanced Chess Tactics: The Art of Warfare on a Board," Ron read the cover, and then he looked to Lord Greengrass.

"The exercises inside this book are significantly harder than what you've done so far," Lord Greengrass told him. Really? "I expect twenty of the first ones done in the next three hours."

"Three hours?" Ron asked, that was nowhere near enough time.

"Did I stutter?" Lord Greengrass asked, and Ron slowly shook his head. "Get to work." Fuck me.

---

Saturday 10th October, 1993 (Greengrass Manor – Lunch)

"Let's just get this done," Lord Greengrass said, and Ron nodded his agreement. My fucking brain hurts. In the end, Ron had only managed to complete twelve exercises out of the twenty, which had earned him some rather hurtful words about his 'incompetence'. It was obvious that Lord Greengrass was very possessive of his daughters, and Ron found it incredibly unfair that he alone was paying the price for Daphne and Ron's decision to date. Just be man, Ron. Think about Daphne, and just be a man.

They both exited Greengrass Manor and stepped out into the Gardens, theirs eyes traveling towards a round marble table set up specifically for this lunch. Ron immediately froze at the sight of his parents sitting by Daphne's side, his mother had a bunch of photos in her hand. AGHHHH! He could see the laughter on Daphne's face, which only served to horrify him. What's on those photos?!

"Ron!" his father called, a bright smile taking up his face. Molly looked up at that, and she too smiled at him.

"Let me see those pictures," Ron demanded as soon as he approached them, his gloved hand extended.

"Don't be so rude, Ron," Daphne frowned at him, which made both Molly and Arthur chuckle. Lord Greengrass simply walked up to his wife's side and sat down, a dead expression on his face.

"These are just pictures of you when you were little," Molly told him, and Ron narrowed his eyes on her.

"Baby pictures?" Ron asked, and she handed them over. Ron quickly scanned through them, and his heart stopped when he saw a naked three year old version of himself. "Mum! I'm naked in this one!"

"It's perfectly alright, Ron," Molly waved a dismissive hand, a motherly smile on her face. She then looked to Daphne, who was just smiling in utter glee. "Ronnie used to run around the House naked, it was his favorite way of getting my attention."

"That's a bloody lie!" Ron yelled at Daphne, and then he looked to his laughing father. "Dad! Tell Daphne that that's not true!"

"I can't really lie to her, Ron," Arthur chuckled, which only widened Daphne's smile. "He used to run away screaming if one of us tried to put some trousers on him. He even hated underpants." Good Lord… Daphne's seen my cock. My tiny toddler cock… Ron felt his head spin, and he handed the photos back to his mother because he knew that he was about to drop them. Kill me, Entity. End this Cycle. I'll do better in the next one.

"Don't worry, Ron," Mary smiled at him. "When Daphne was three, she used to pick her nose constantly, and then flick whatever she dug up at the walls." Daphne's smile died immediately, while Ron's face twisted from disgust.

"Why?" Ron asked his girlfriend, who looked horribly shaken all of a sudden. Ron couldn't help but imagine the current Daphne picking her nose, and then flicking her boogers at a horrified Theo. A laugh broke out of his throat, which made Daphne's face burn with shame.

"Aren't children just adorable," Molly said, a nostalgic smile on her face. "They grow up too fast though."

"That they do," Mary smiled at her daughter, though her smile was more teasing than loving.

"Can we start lunch now? Or do you both wish to keep embarrassing them?" Lord Greengrass asked.

"I reckon we've done enough for now, Mollywobbles," Arthur said, and Ron cringed at the nickname. For now?! They have more ideas to shame me!

"Please, take your seats," Mary said, and both of Ron's parents sat down. The only seat left was by Daphne left, and so Ron took that one. He immediately felt her tap his right foot, and while the parents began making small talk, Ron looked to Daphne.

"Let's make a pact?" Daphne asked in meek voice.

"A pact?" Ron repeated, and she gave him a subtle nod.

"We'll never discuss today with our friends," Daphne said, and Ron quickly nodded his agreement. "Whatever is said or heard today will remain between us."

"I agree," Ron said.

"I… I never picked my nose, okay?" Daphne mumbled, and Ron was quite stunned by just how embarrassed she was. It makes sense though. Image means a lot to Daphne.

"And I never ran around the house naked," Ron said, and Daphne gave him a nod. "Daph… How hell does this 'introduction' business work?"

"We basically just talk, and then the parents give us their blessings," Daphne replied. "Your mother and father seem to be on board, but a little confused by all of this. They've never done this before, have they?"

"Not that I know of," Ron replied. "I mean, they don't really care about who we date. Bill's had plenty of girlfriends, and from what I know about Charlie, he slept with over a dozen witches at Hogwarts. Or so he claims. And Percy's girlfriend hasn't even been to our house, despite Percy dating her for well over a year now."

"Lucky," Daphne said, but Ron just shrugged.

"So, when did this happen?" Molly asked them, and they both put on smiles. Ron tapped Daphne's foot, she had a clearer idea of what she wanted them to believe.

"Ron asked me on Monday," Daphne replied. "It was right after he was discharged from the Hospital Wing."

"Using the sympathy card, eh?" Arthur chuckled, much to Ron's embarrassment. Why would he say that?

"Whatever works," Molly joined her husband, and Ron closed his eyes and wished them to disappear.

"Will your dating lives interfere with your studies?" Lord Greengrass asked, not a hint of joy on his face.

"No, father," Daphne quickly denied, her eyes darting down to her plate. Lord Greengrass suddenly jerked in his seat, and then he shot his annoyed wife a glare.

"You're only third years," Mary said to Ron and Daphne. "Sometimes it's better to follow your hearts rather than the pages of a book."

"Daphne and I will always keep our education in mind," Ron said, though he was mostly talking to Lord Greengrass.

"That's good to hear, dear," Molly said. "Now, I'm going to ask something, and I don't want either of you to take any offence by it…" Oh shite, what's this? "Ronnie's condition-"

"Molly, perhaps we should talk about that at a later date?" Arthur suggested quickly, while Ron felt Daphne tapping his foot again. I know, I know.

"No, Molly is right," Lord Greengrass spoke up, much to Molly's own surprise. "Daughter, you understand that Ron's health takes priority over everything, don't you?"

"Yes, father," Daphne replied, of course she bloody knew that. Unsurprisingly, Ron felt a little agitated by that question. It was mostly on his girlfriend's behalf, who had always been a pillar of support for Ron during his worst moments. Fuck it, I'm not letting them believe that Daphne doesn't understand my condition. She's the person I think of going to whenever things get too much for me, not them.

"Over the last year, Daphne's always been the person who's helped me," Ron started, and everyone looked to him. "She's helped me through several panic induced moments, and has even read several books on how to deal with my condition. She's done more research into Chronic Stress and Brain-Damage than I have, not to mention that she's always making sure that I have my Potions on time. Daphne understands my condition, and she understands it better than all of you put together." He felt Daphne tapping his foot again, and he decided to pull back his flaring temper.

"Really?" Molly asked, both of Ron's parents looked a little surprised. "How many books have you read, dear?"

"Thirteen, Mrs. Weasley," Daphne replied, much to Molly's astonishment. The only adult who didn't look surprised was Mary, even Lord Greengrass hadn't expected that. "They're not very big book, and most of them have similar things to say about Ron's conditions, but they've helped me help him." Damn right, you tell them.

"A lot," Ron added with emphasis. "She's been there for me in issues that I've never even mentioned to you all before." Once again, he felt Daphne tapping his foot, and Ron drew in a deep breath. Calm down, Ron. Ugh… It's just annoying that she's not being given her dues.

"Some of the books that I lent you were Daphne's, Molly," Mary said, while Molly just smiled at Daphne. "She bought them in Paris right after we learned of Ron's conditions."

"Well…" Molly said, her eyes darting towards her son. He had a slightly stern look on his face, which only served to please her. "Hearing this makes me very, very glad. What about you, Arthur?"

"I feel the same way," Arthur replied, though he couldn't help but wonder just how close Ron and Daphne were. Ordinary thirteen year olds didn't make such efforts on each other's behalves.

"I can see why my son asked for you right after his seizure," Molly nodded in understanding, and Daphne shot Ron a curious look. The seizure? Oh wait, she's talking about the time when the Entity tried to end my Cycle. "Do you remember, Mary? The first person he asked to see was Daphne here."

"He did the same after his first day at the Tournament," Mary noted, and Ron shrunk into his seat a little. "I think that that's very sweet."

"It is," Arthur agreed, his eyes lingering on Ron. What's with that look?

"Shall we eat?" Mary asked, and both Ron and Daphne nodded. Yes, let's just fucking eat. No talking, only eating.

---

One Hour Later

Lunch had been a rather dull affair, or at least Ron thought so anyway. His parents had asked Daphne questions about her hobbies, aspirations, and embarrassingly, her feelings about Ron. Daphne, being who she was, had prepared a thorough response to each question, all the while complimenting both Arthur and Molly in the process. Daphne had even asked Arthur about his Muggle obsession, which had led to a twenty minute rant on lightbulbs. Daphne had then promised to introduce Tracey to Arthur, who was keen meet a Slytherin who lived in Muggle London.

"Mum, put the measurement tape away," Ron pleaded, they were all in the Gathering Room. The Greengrasses were speaking with Arthur, while Ron had been pulled aside by his mother for a quick chat.

"Ronnie, I have to know her size," Molly countered. "She seems to have quite the bust on her, doesn't she? Don't tell me that's why you like her, Ron? I will be very disappointed with you if that's the case."

"Oh, Merlin…" Ron released a shaky breath. "Mum, I'll ask Mary to send you Daphne's measurements, so please, for the love of Godric and Salazar, put the measurement tape away. Please?"

"It'll only take me a few seconds, Ron," Molly frowned. "And she's right over there."

"Mum, you're going to give me a fucking panic attack if you keep this up," Ron told her, and she smacked his arm.

"Honestly, your mouth is as bad as Charlie's," Molly scolded, and then she put her measurement tape in her purse. Thank you! "Does she like baked goods? What are her favorite nuts? How does she feel about chocolate?"

"She likes cookies and cakes," Ron replied. "Her favorite type of nuts are Macadamia, and she loves chocolate. If you do decide to send her some, send them to me instead. I will give them to her."

"No, you won't," Molly scoffed. "I'm not sending you someone else's treats, Ron. You'll just eat them yourself."

"That's just not true," Ron shook his head. "Mum, if the other Slytherin girls see Daphne getting cookies delivered to her, they'll say hurtful things about her."

"Then you have to defend her," Molly said firmly.

"What? You want me to clock every girl in Slytherin?" Ron asked, he was looking at his mother as if she had sprouted three extra heads. "Mum, the kids at Hogwarts love spreading rumors and lies. Just send me the cookies, and I'll give them to Daphne."

"Fine, but if I find out that you've devoured them yourself, I will pull your right ear off," Molly warned, and Ron gave her a nod. Fair enough.

"And please, no more naked pictures of me," Ron requested.

"Ronnie, you were a toddler then," Molly rolled her eyes. "I'm sure it's grown since then." Ron felt his eyeballs cringe into the back of his skull, much to Molly's amusement.

"I might vomit," Ron muttered.

"Oh, I think your father is talking about Muggles again," Molly said, and Ron turned to see his father holding his hands out and making a 'vrooom' sound. What the fuck? Mary and Daphne were listening to Arthur with entertained smiles, while Lord Greengrass was just staring at Arthur as if he was insane.

"What the hell is he doing?" Ron asked his mother, who quickly made her way over to her husband.

"Molly, I was just telling the Greengrasses about the 'Lawnmower' that I picked up," Arthur said with a happy smile.

"That's lovely, dear," Molly said, though she wasn't too pleased that Arthur kept bringing up Muggles instead of learning more about Daphne. "Daphne, do you prefer dresses, or sweaters?" If she pulls out that measuring tape, I might commit matricide.

"I prefer dresses, Mrs. Weasley," Daphne replied politely, a pleasant smile on her face.

"I'll remember that," Molly smiled.

"Ron, we should probably get back to work," Lord Greengrass suggested, and Ron quickly nodded his agreement.

"We should probably head off then," Arthur said, and then he looked to his wife. "Xeno's probably burned down our Kitchen by now."

"He'd better not feed Pandora his cooking," Molly said haughtily. "She needs nutrition, not poison."

"How is Pandora?" Mary asked, and Ron's ears perked up.

"Doing quite well," Molly replied. "I don't let her put any strain on herself."

"While poor Xeno has started doing all the housework," Arthur added. "Without the Quibbler, he really doesn't know how to occupy his time."

"You should both drop by tonight," Molly invited the Greengrasses. "It's only fair that we give you our hospitality as well."

"We'd like that very much," Mary agreed, and then she looked to her husband.

"There'll be beer," Arthur enticed Lord Greengrass, and Ron held back laugh. Lord Greengrass doesn't strike me as a beer drinker. "We can celebrate our children getting together." Ron jerked back, it was as if he had been slapped by the cruel hands of embarrassment.

"We'll be there," Lord Greengrass said, his voice as monotone as they came. Daphne shot a quick look to her mother, she was genuinely annoyed with how cold her father had been today when compared to the excited, and accepting, Weasleys. Ron's parents then said their goodbyes to Ron and Daphne, and after asking Daphne what her favorite color was, they both flooed back to the Burrow. It's over… I'm free!

"Sebastian, a word?" Mary frowned at her husband, who cocked his eyebrow in response.

"Ron, go wait in my Study," Lord Greengrass ordered, but Mary gestured him to stay right where he was.

"You can go to the Study after I speak with my husband," Mary said, and Ron just looked to Daphne for help. Daphne, however, was frowning at her father, her face slightly flushed. Guess I'll just stand here then. Lord Greengrass and Mary left towards the Study, leaving Ron and Daphne behind.

"So… That was fun…" Ron said, and Daphne just gave him a deadpan look. "Yeah… Let's never do this again."

"Or better yet, let's not invite my father next time," Daphne huffed, and then she stomped her foot angrily. "He ruined everything!" Ron flinched because of her sudden increase in volume, and then he tensed when he saw her eyes welling up.

"Daph…" Ron muttered, he was genuinely caught off-guard by this. "It wasn't that bad."

"That's because your parents were kind and accepting, while my father barely spoke a word," Daphne snapped, her face twisting from anger. "He didn't show an ounce of support, Ron!" I think mum and dad are just happy that I'm being normal for once.

"He's given us his blessing, that's all that matters," Ron said, and Daphne shook her head.

"Not to me, alright?!" Daphne argued. "He couldn't manage one damn smile?! He didn't want to be there, and he made sure that everyone knew it!" Hell, I didn't want to be there either.

"Well, he'll just have to get over it," Ron said, deciding to take Daphne's side over Lord Greengrass'. "Remember our plan, Daph?" Daphne gave a tired nod. "We've done the introduction, and now, we don't have to worry about our parents. You and I can just date in peace."

"What about the Holidays? Or Family gatherings?" Daphne asked, her anger dying down a little.

"That's a problem for Future Ron and Daphne," Ron shrugged. "For now, let's just enjoy the fact that we made it through today."

"You realize that you still have to work with my father, right?" Daphne asked.

"I do, but I care more about 'officially' dating you," Ron replied truthfully. "He'll come around, Daphne. I'm sure of it. He's just unhappy with seeing his princess dating someone."

"But you're not just 'someone', Ron," Daphne argued. "He knows you, and he likes you. What if I had brought someone else here? Then what?"

"Then I'd be really upset," Ron replied. "You'd see me staring longingly at you lot through windows."

"I'm being serious here," Daphne frowned at him. "Stop making jokes about it."

"Sorry," Ron apologized, and then he drew in a deep breath. Calm and steady does it. "I'll keep winning him over, Daph. We saw this kind of resistance coming, didn't we?"

"But it's all coming from my Family," Daphne whined. "First Tori, and now my father… Neither of them want us to date."

"You father isn't opposed to us dating, he just doesn't like it very much," Ron assured her. "As for Tori… Well, she's just acting a little spoiled again. But something tells me that she'll get over it the moment another boy starts giving her attention."

"Or they'll both conspire to ruin our relationship," Daphne crossed her arms. What?

"Daphne, this isn't a romance novel," Ron said slowly. "Come here."

"What?" Daphne mumbled crossly as she walked up to him. Ron opened up his arms, and after staring at him for a few seconds, Daphne shuffled into his embrace.

"Tell me about Madam whatsherface's shop again," Ron said, his hands rubbing her back.

"Her name is Madam Puddifoot," Daphne told him.

"If someone had named me Puddifoot at birth, I would have killed myself," Ron sniggered. "When's the booking?"

"Half past one," Daphne replied into his chest. "I know what you're trying to do."

"Really? And what am I trying to do?" Ron asked.

"You're trying to distract me," Daphne replied.

"Is it working?"

"A little."

"Good, tell me about the cakes that we'll be trying there," Ron said, and he felt her arms slither around his back.

"We'll be trying all of them," Daphne told him, she had the whole thing planned out.

---

Harry Potter's POV

Saturday 10th October, 1993 (The Great Hall – Lunch)

"I've made you both a study calendar!" Hermione beamed at them, and then she pulled the study calendars out of her book bag. "If you two follow these, you can get all of your work done on time!"

"Study calendars?" Neville asked as Hermione handed him his.

"It's just a timeline of when to do which subject," Hermione replied excitedly. When did she get the time to make these? She's always so busy with her own studies. It was true, over the last few days, they had begun to see Hermione less and less. She was either in the Library, or she was surrounded by books in a secluded corner of the Gryffindor common room. "Here, Harry."

"Thanks…" Harry said as he took his calendar, his eyes quickly scanning through it. Harry then looked up to see Neville looking a little overwhelmed at his, and when their eyes met, Harry realized that Neville's calendar was just as packed as his. We won't get a minute of freedom if we follow this.

"So? What do you think?" Hermione asked, a bright smile on her face. Harry wanted to hand the calendar back to her, but he could tell that she had put a lot of effort into making it. She even marked my Quidditch practice sessions.

"I think these are brilliant," Harry told her, he really didn't have the strength to refuse her act of kindness. Neville's mouth dropped open, while Hermione beamed at him. "Thank you for making these, Hermione."

"It's no worries, Harry," Hermione laughed, she sounded a little… relieved? "I've made sure that we get to study together on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays." Hermione then looked to Neville, who quickly fixed his face into a weak smile. "What do you think about this, Neville?"

"I'm with Harry, Hermione," Neville said, and Hermione shined even more. "Thanks for doing this for us, especially when you're so busy with your own studies."

"Oh, I always have time for you two," Hermione said, she was certainly in a great mood now. Her efforts weren't for naught, and that felt amazing. Hermione's eyes then landed on Ginny, and her smile died a little. Both Harry and Neville noticed this, and so they looked to where Hermione was looking. Oh…

"She looks right miserably these days, doesn't she?" Neville asked, and both Harry and Hermione nodded.

"Why don't we invite her to sit with us?" Harry asked, his eyes going over the other second years. "They're not even talking to her…"

"I don't think that she'll say yes, Harry," Hermione told him, and Harry blinked at her.

"Why wouldn't she?" Harry asked.

"I think she's avoiding us because of our association with Ron," Hermione replied, and both Harry and Neville exchanged slow looks. "Oh, isn't it obvious? She's obliviously really hurt by their fight, and so she's trying to stay clear of anything related to Ron."

"Makes sense," Neville nodded slowly. "I haven't seen much of her since the break ended."

"So she's being distant with us because she thinks we're friends with Ron?" Harry asked for clarification, and Hermione nodded.

"And we are friends with Ron, Harry," Hermione said a little haughtily. "It's just you who doesn't trust him."

"Because he's not very trustworthy," Harry mimicked her tone, but then he just decided to stop. What's the point? Neither of them want to understand my point of view. "Whatever… I still don't think that she should be left alone. She looks downright miserable."

"On that, we agree," Hermione said, she was just glad that they hadn't started arguing about Ron again. "Word around the girls' dorms is that she got a Howler from her mum, and after she opened it, it went off on her. She spent the entire day crying in the bathroom."

"What was the Howler about?" Neville asked, he could truly sympathize with Ginny over this. His Gran had a stash of Howlers in her Study specifically reserved for him.

"Her fight with Ron," Hermione replied. "It was about what she said to him…" She called him a traitor, right?

"In her defense, he is walking around the school with Malfoy in tow," Harry pointed out. I still haven't looked into this MRI business. I should go check for it in the Library before I ask Ron's siblings.

"I… I really don't think that Ginny should have any say in what her brother does," Hermione all but whispered, and both Harry and Neville looked to her in shock. "What? Ron's business is his business…"

"Seriously, what happened between you two?" Harry asked with a frown, while Neville just waited for her to answer. "You've gone from fighting him to being his mouthpiece in less than two weeks."

"Mouthpiece?" Hermione repeated, righteous anger flashing on her face. "I'm nobody's mouthpiece, Harry Potter!" People around them shot them frowns for yelling, but the Trio ignored said looks like they usually did. "I just don't see the point of interfering with someone else's life when I've got my own problems to worry about!"

"Hermione, please don't yell," Neville pleaded, and her features quickly softened at the sight of him pleading.

"Sorry, Neville," Hermione apologized, her hand quickly rubbing his upper arm. Hermione then shot Harry a frown, her eyes narrowing on him. "Don't call me a mouthpiece again."

"Fine…" Harry said. "Sorry… I just want to know what he said to you that made you apologize to his lackeys."

"His friends," Hermione corrected curtly, and Harry bit back a frown. Not one week ago she was calling them all his lackeys, and now she's pretending like she never did that. "And I told you already, Harry. We hurt them with our stunt in Potions last year. Neville and I decided to own up to it, as should you." Harry's eyes drifted towards the Slytherins, and he couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. He had never meant to hurt anyone, but he also couldn't bring himself to apologize to them.

"Just do it, mate," Neville said, and Harry looked to him. "It'll take ten seconds, and then you can stop feeling guilty."

"I…" Harry started, his eyes darting towards the Slytherins again. Second degree burns… "I'll do it once Ron and Greengrass come back."

"Good," Hermione said haughtily, and Harry felt the urge to take back his words.

"What's that?!" came someone's voice, and everyone on the Gryffindor table looked up to see a massive owl flying down with an even larger parcel attached to its feet. Is it carrying a broom? Harry's eyes widened as the owl dropped the broom over him and his friends, but with his sharp reflexes, he was able to catch the broom before it landed on Hermione's head. Damn, that's a bit heavy.

"Nice catch, Harry," Neville muttered, and then he checked a frightened Hermione over. "You alright?"

"Yes," Hermione said, and then she shot a frown at the owl that had nearly injured her. Harry, meanwhile, inspected the parcel over. Definitely a broom, but it's much bigger than my Nimbus 2001. Harry looked around to see people staring at him, most of their eyes fixed on the package in his hands.

"Is there a note?" Neville asked Harry, while Harry placed the packaged broom in front of himself.

"There is," Harry replied, his hands freeing the note from one of the ropes holding the packaging together. Harry opened up the note, and he began reading it.

Harry,

I figured that since the new Quidditch season was starting, you deserved an upgrade to keep those Slytherins in check.

This here is a Firebolt, arguably the best Broom on the market! I'm sure you know all about it, however, considering that you always have your head buried in those Seeker Weekly Magazines.

After you're done trying out your new Broom, send me a letter detailing when your games are going to take place. I'd love to come and watch.

Love,

Sirius

Harry handed the note to Neville, but his eyes were fixed on the packaged broom before him. A Firebolt? There's no way… Harry quickly began to undo the wrappings, while the other Gryffindors all stared at Harry with keen eyes. And once Harry had revealed the diamond-hard polished ebony broomstick, gasps of awe echoed throughout the Gryffindor table. God! Look at it! Harry's face split into a smile without his knowledge, while Hermione just looked around with a confused expression.

"A new broom?" Hermione asked Harry, who just nodded dumbly.

"Not just a new broom… That's the bloody Firebolt!" Harry heard Seamus yell. "Look! Harry's got a Firebolt!" More loud gasps were heard, and Harry was quickly surrounded by his excited House-mates. Harry did his best to understand what they were all saying, but he was far too stunned to think of anything but his Godfather's gift. He sent me a Firebolt! Each one costs a fortune! And he wants to come to all of my games? Harry quickly made a mental note to send Sirius a letter detailing the dates of his games, and he promised himself that he'd catch the Snitch in all of them.

"Who sent it?" he heard Oliver ask, and then he felt his body being shaken. Harry looked to his left and saw a flushed Oliver Wood staring down at him, there was a manic glint in the Quidditch Captain's eyes.

"My Godfather," Harry replied, and that's when he realized that the Quidditch Team had made their way to the front of the crowd. "It's for the new Quidditch season."

"Really?!" Oliver asked, a grin forming on his face. "Merlin! Our Seeker has a Firebolt! We've already won then!"

"Step aside," came Snape's voice, and the Gryffindors quickly shifted out of the Potions Master's way. Harry looked to see Remus, McGonagall, and Snape step into view.

"Is that a…?" McGonagall started, her widening for a moment. She then suddenly composed herself, but some of the Gryffindor's were already sniggering at her well-known obsession with Quidditch.

"Who sent you that, Harry?" Remus asked, and Neville quickly handed him the note.

"It's from Sirius," Harry said defensively, his left hand slowly gripping the handle. It feels so smooth.

"Black sent you this broom?" Snape sneered, his black eyes digging into Harry's.

"He's telling the truth," Remus said before Harry could reply, and then he handed McGonagall the note. "It's Sirius' handwriting."

"Which has not improved since his youth," McGonagall noted, though she was too excited to frown. "Well, everything seems to be in order here." Snape, however, was not convinced.

"It could be Cursed," Snape said, and every single person looked taken aback.

"Why would Sirius send me a Cursed Firebolt?" Harry asked, his temper taking over. He wants to take it away from me so I don't beat his Slytherins with it.

"Tone, Mr. Potter," McGonagall said sternly, but Harry kept his eyes fixed on Snape. He shouldn't even be allowed near children.

"Handwriting can be copied easily enough," Snape said to McGonagall. "We should have it stripped and checked for Curses."

"Strip a Firebolt?" George demanded.

"That's just criminal, that is," Fred added.

"Professor McGonagall, you can't strip down a Firebolt!" Oliver spoke up, and most of the Gryffindors piped in their support.

"Is everything alright here?" came Dumbledore's voice, and everyone looked to see the Headmaster approaching them. Harry's spirit was elated at the sight of the old wizard, he would no doubt let Harry keep the Firebolt.

"Albus, take a look at this," McGonagall said, and then she handed Dumbledore the note from Sirius. Everyone waited with baited breath, and once Dumbledore looked to Harry, not a sound could be heard.

"I will confirm this with Sirius right after lunch," Dumbledore told them, a kind smile on his face. "But personally, I see nothing wrong with Harry's new broom." The Gryffindors erupted into cheers, while Harry shot Snape a smug look. Snape just gave Harry a look of disgust, and then he billowed away towards the exit. Yeah, go back to your Dungeon, you git.

"Harry, wait until the Headmaster confirms this with Sirius," Remus said, and Harry gave him a nod.

"I'd best be off then, shouldn't I?" Dumbledore asked, and after giving Harry another smile, Dumbledore left for his Office.

"We should all go up there with him," Katie Bell suggested. "The moment he confirms this with Harry's Godfather, we can see the Firebolt in action!" Everyone quickly nodded, while Harry got out of his seat and picked up the broom. People stepped out of his way, making sure to not lay a finger on the Firebolt's polished ebony handle.

"Be careful, Harry," Oliver said slowly, his eyes fixed on the Firebolt. "Everyone, stay clear of his way! We can't let it get damaged!"

---

Ronald Weasley's POV

Saturday 10th October, 1993 (The Great Hall – Dinner)

Ron and Daphne stepped into the Great Hall, their hands held together. The day was finally coming to an end, and Ron couldn't be happier about that. Lord Greengrass hadn't pushed Ron as hard after lunch, though he was still a little cold towards him. Ron figured that his Mentor would come around sooner or later. The fact that Lord Greengrass had given his blessing to Ron was a good sign, the man clearly trusted Ron with his daughter.

"Where are the Gryffindors?" Daphne asked, and Ron looked over to the Gryffindor table. Most of the table was absent, save for a few people who were all sitting together. What the…? Ron spotted Ginny sitting with Hermione, and when his eyes landed on the two girls, they looked to see who had just entered the Great Hall. Both Hermione and Ginny noticed Daphne holding onto Ron's hand, and so they quickly went back to their food.

"Maybe the others know where the Lions have run off to," Ron said, and then they began making their way towards their friends. Most of the people on the Gryffindor table are girls. No Harry or Neville, and the twins are missing as well. But Percy is there.

"Welcome back, you cuties," Tracey smiled at the sight of them. "Look, they're holding hands again."

"Please stop," Daphne sighed out, and then she and Ron sat down together. "Where are the Gryffindors?"

"They're still at the Quidditch Pitch," Theo replied, and Ron waited for him to go on. "Potter was sent a bloody Firebolt from his Godfather, and he's letting anyone who's brave enough to use it have a go on it." Sirius came through for Harry. Good. Let's just hope that Harry's new toy keeps him busy.

"Not counting the Slytherins, of course," Blaise added. "Though you really can't blame him for that. Some of the Slytherins want to destroy that broom already."

"So he got a new broom?" Daphne asked. "And that's why most of the Gryffindors are skipping dinner?"

"It's not just a broom," Theo told her. "It's the Firebolt! The best broom out there!"

"Quidditch is boring," Pansy drawled, which earned her a dead-eyed look from Malfoy. "I'd much rather know about your day! Did you get Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's blessings?"

"I did," Daphne nodded, and Pansy smiled widely.

"Congratulations," Millie said with an easy smile.

"I've taught you well, Daphne," Tracey said, and Daphne shot Tracey a deadpan look. "What?"

"As much as I want to hear about Ron and Daphne's budding love story, we have a problem on our hands," Blaise said, and Ron looked to him with a tired look. Of course we do. "Flint's lost it."

"It happened right after Potter got his Firebolt," Malfoy said, his lips curling in disgust. "Flint still hasn't found a Seeker, and now that the Gryffindor Seeker has a Firebolt, Flint's blaming everything on Weasley."

"Why Ron?" Daphne asked, her tone showing her annoyance. Technically, I am at fault for this. But I'll be taking this secret to my grave.

"Slytherin had a Seeker until Ron interfered with Quidditch business," Millie pointed out.

"A Seeker that didn't want to be there," Ron frowned, his eyes darting towards Flint's lot. Flint was glaring right at Ron, much to Ron's annoyance. I'm in for it tonight.

"He's been trying to rile up his teammates," Malfoy told Ron.

"Is that concern I hear, Malfoy?" Ron asked.

"Not concern. Self-preservation," Malfoy replied, which earned him deep frowns from Millie and Tracey. "He's in the mood for a fight, and judging by his glare, he plans to have one tonight."

"Well, shite," Ron said, and then he began making his plate. Oddly enough, he wasn't worried at all. Either the Triumvirate will step in, or I'll show Flint that I'm not the kind of person you fuck with.

"Then we'll just spend the night at the Sanctuary," Daphne said, but Ron clicked his tongue.

"No, we won't," Ron told them. "I've told the Triumvirate that we're coming back into the fold, and so that's what we're doing."

"But Flint is-" Pansy started, but Ron cut her off.

"Flint is a moron," Ron said firmly. "His teammates know it, the Triumvirate knows it, and we know it. It's past time that we put him in his place."

"And how exactly do we do that?" Daphne asked.

"By not backing off just because he's getting in our faces," Ron replied. "Enough is enough. I will not be pushed around by someone as stupid as Flint."

"About fucking time," Theo nodded his approval.

"Ron, this isn't smart," Blaise told him. "We're already in trouble for causing strife within the House."

"I'm with Ron on this," Millie said. "Enough is enough. If he starts something, then we need to show strength. Otherwise, he'll keep at it."

"Flint is like a bloodhound," Malfoy added. "He won't stop if we turn our backs to him."

"We?" Daphne frowned at Malfoy. "This is all your fault in the first place." Daphne then looked to Ron. "Ron, it's just one night."

"One night?" Ron blinked at her. "We've been hiding away for the last two weeks. I haven't spoken to my first years outside of the study group this week."

"And we haven't been doing our jobs with the second years," Theo added. "Ron, let him start the fight. If he throws the first punch, you'll just be defending yourself."

"Punch?" Tracey's eyes widened. "What are we talking about here?"

"We're talking about us returning to our ordinary lives," Ron replied. "We're all sick of hiding away, aren't we?" No one said anything to that, but Ron knew that he was right. "Then this discussion is over. If Flint wants a fight, I'll give him a fight. And when he can't even sit on his broom without help, he'll know that he should've backed the fuck off." I will not be cast out of Slytherin, not after everything I've been through to secure my place in it.

---

Author's Notes: There it is! A little bit of a slow chapter, but a few of you wanted me to NOT gloss over certain events like the introduction lunch. I hope you guys enjoyed that!

Next Chapter will get things moving along, especially plot-wise. More on Voldemort, the Order, a Lucius POV, a Ginny POV, Ron and Daphne's Date, Madam Roberts, and the beginning of the Dueling Club.

It should be done by Tuesday, but it could be a day late. Sorry about the inconvenience, but when things get really busy, I can't really promise a specific day.