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.

89. Chapter 89 - Truth Will Out

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Chapter 89 is finished!

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 89 – Truth Will Out

Ronald Weasley's POV

Sunday 15th November, 1993 (Madam Roberts' Suitcase – Morning)

"This is the Auror Trainer P-12," Madam Roberts said as she revealed a manlike dummy. Ron looked it up and down, and he had to admit that this dummy looked a lot more threatening than the normal ones that he was used to.

"Auror Trainer P-12?" Ron asked.

"Prototype-12, to be exact," Madam Robert clarified. "We get these from Australia, and they are the top of the line. This thing can run, adapt, and even outsmart most Auror Rookies. It is deadly fast, barely misses, and it's adept at Counter Curses. Defeating this epic piece of craftsmanship is a compulsory test for every Auror."

"It's animated by Magic?" Ron asked, he was quite awed by this wooden man. "Also, how did you get permission to bring it here?"

"I'm in charge of the Rookies," Madam Roberts smirked. "And no one would dare question me, especially in the Auror Offices."

"Wicked," Ron smiled a little, and then he eyed the dummy again. "Can I Duel it?"

"That's the plan for today," Madam Roberts told him, and Ron immediately felt excited.

"Wait… What if I break it?" Ron asked.

"Confident, I like it," Madam Roberts gave a curt nod. "Don't worry about damaging it. This thing repairs itself automatically."

"It comes with a Repairing Charm as well?" Ron whistled. "How much does it cost?" I might invest in one.

"Around a hundred Galleons each," Madam Roberts replied. Yeah, fuck that. I'll stick with the poor man's dummies. "Now go get warmed up, while I set this thing up."

Ron gave her a nod, and then he ran off to run a lap. He was already warmed up from his Circuit Training, but he didn't want to disobey Madam Roberts. Especially when she brought this amazing dummy just for my benefit. As Ron finished up his lap, he spotted the dummy pacing back and forth.

"What's it doing?" Ron asked as he came to a stop.

"Getting a feel of its legs," Madam Roberts replied. "Take up your stance, Ron. This thing is not to be underestimated."

"Understood," Ron said, his voice almost giddy. Ron got into his stance, and he drew in a deep breath. Focus on your breathing, and stay calm. Keep your form throughout the Duel, Ron. You can do this.

"Ready?" Madam Roberts asked, and the dummy turned to face Ron.

"I'm ready," Ron nodded, his eyes fixed on the dummy.

"Begin!" Madam Roberts announced, her own wand at the ready.

"Stup-" Ron started, but the dummy fired three stunners back to back with little to no difficulty. Ron duck and weaved the stunners quickly, making sure to keep his knees slightly bent. Shite, it's fast. Non-verbal Magic! Ron went to cast another stunner, but the dummy fired a wave of flames at him. Can't dodge that! It fucking figured me out!

"Protego!" Ron chanted, and the flames washed over his shield. Ron quickly shoved his shield forward, knowing full well that the dummy would counter this move. As the dummy sliced the oncoming shield in half, Ron began his assault. "Stupefy. Expelliarmus. Flipendo."

The dummy duck and weaved just like Ron had, much to Ron's bewilderment. Cheeky cunt copied me.

"Protego!" Ron chanted, he had to come up with a new strategy. I can't trade Spells with it, it's too fast due to Non-verbal Magic. Ron's shield blocked three stunners, while Ron aimed his left hand at the dummy's wand. "Accio wand!"

Much to Ron's horror, his Summoning Charm didn't do anything. What the fuck?! Ron drew in a deep breath, and then he shoved his shield forward again. Once again, the dummy sliced it in half.

"Incendio!" Ron said clearly, and jets of yellow fire poured out of his wand. Ron slashed his wand from side-to-side, and the fire came at the dummy in bursts of wide flames. He had learned this trick from the book that he had bought from Victor, and he knew that the dummy would be forced to block it. Ron's prediction came true, and the dummy put up a large shield to block its entire body.

"Finite Incantatem! Stupefy!" Ron chanted back to back. The dummy was still blocking the flames when Ron's Counter Magic Spell shattered its shield, and the dummy immediately rolled to dodge the flames and stunner. Before it could get up, Ron had already aimed his wand at the dummy. "Confringo!"

An orange light shot out of Ron's wand, and just as Ron was certain of his victory, the dummy stabbed the Blasting Curse with its wand, and in doing so, parried it with Finite. Fuck! Why didn't I aim behind it?! Stupid! The dummy stood up with an onslaught of its own, and Ron quickly began dodging stunners and Disarming Charms. This was bad, and Ron knew it. He had fucked up, and now the dummy was going at him with complete abandon.

"Protego!" Ron chanted again, he couldn't keep dodging because of its inhuman precision. Stunners, Disarming Charms, stingers, and waves of flames slammed into Ron's shield, and he had to grit his teeth in order to keep up his shield. Fuck it! I can fight with abandon too!

"Cutis Terra," Ron grit out, and he felt his entire body being incased in stone. Ron shoved the battered shield forward again, and just like before, the dummy went to dismantle it. Ron, on the other hand, had different plans. He burst into a sprint towards the dummy, and due to his enhanced body, he reached the dummy just as the shield did.

"Fuck you, cunt!" Ron bellowed as he slammed his left fist into the dummy's side, and chunks of wood flew everywhere as the dummy was sent rolling through the sand.

"Stop!" Madam Roberts ordered, while Ron grinned at his handiwork. A massive chunk of the dummy's side was all but blown off, and Ron could even see his fist's distorted print on the dummy's body. Madam Roberts ran up and inspected the dummy with a shocked expression, and then she looked to Ron. "What the fuck was that?"

"I had to improvise," Ron panted, his exhaustion catching up to him. Ron bent forward and focused on his breathing, it had been a bloody difficult Duel. "It kept figuring me out, so I decided to surprise even myself."

"Show me your hand," Madam Roberts walked up, and Ron did as he was told. "Not even a scratch…"

"I'm awesome," Ron laughed like a child, but Madam Roberts looked anything but amused.

"Explain," Madam Roberts ordered.

"Cutis Terra," Ron said. "It's a Wandless Spell… Translates to Earth Skin. It enhances the caster's body to superhuman levels, but if the caster keeps it going, it fucks them up pretty badly. I actually ended up in the Hospital Wing the first time I used it."

"Cutis Terra?" Madam Roberts cocked an eyebrow, and then she looked to the shattered dummy. "My word… Where did you learn this Spell?"

"Professor Flitwick gave me a book," Ron stood up to his full height. "Shite, Madam Roberts… That thing is crazy strong." I kind of feel like I cheated. It was kicking my arse with little to no effort.

"I… I don't know what to say," Madam Roberts just stared at the dummy. "I was certain that it would defeat you."

"Wow… You brought this thing here to kick my arse?" Ron chuckled. "Why are you so mean?"

"Go run another lap," Madam Roberts ordered, she had to come up with something else for this lesson now.

"Okay," Ron nodded, and then he burst into a jog. Easy does it, Ron. Just breathe. As Ron ran his lap, he decided to think on his mistakes during the Duel. The dummy had overpowered him with Non-verbal Magic, he had paid the price for an ill-aimed Blasting Curse, his Summoning Charm hadn't worked, and he had lost his form after the dummy had caught him off-guard. Four mistakes, and I nearly lost to a bloody dummy. I need to rectify them. As Ron finished up his lap, he came upon Madam Roberts and the dummy.

"Hey, it healed itself," Ron smiled at the dummy, and it looked in Ron's direction. "Sorry about the fisticuffs, but you were a tough bastard."

"It's made of wood, Ron," Madam Roberts gave him a deadpan look.

"Shhh," Ron shushed. "You'll hurt its feelings."

"Are you an idiot?" Madam Roberts asked.

"Definitely," Ron grinned at her, and she seemed to rein in her temper. I should stop pushing her buttons, especially after ruining her lesson. "Madam Roberts, can you teach me Non-verbal Magic? Or at least the basics of it? It's just that this dummy nearly beat me because it could cast faster than me."

"Non-verbal Magic," Madam Roberts spoke to herself, and then she gave him a nod. "Work on your form and quick dodges while I lecture you."

"Yes, Ma'am," Ron said, and then he did as he was told.

"Non-verbal Magic isn't as difficult to master as Wandless Magic," Madam Roberts started. "Can you tell me why?"

"I still use my wand as the conduit for my Magic," Ron replied, that was quite obvious.

"Very good," Madam Roberts said. "Non-verbal Magic only requires imagination and a decent knowledge of the Spell being cast. The incantations of Spells are crutches for beginners because their job is to tell your wand what you want. But a skilled wizard communicates with his wand through thought."

"So I still think of the incantation?" Ron asked, his body ducking and weaving.

"At first, yes," Madam Roberts replied. "The incantation provides the spark, as it were. You provide the fuel through your Magical Core, and your wand is the conduit. So at first, we must train you to cast Spells by thinking of the incantation. Which, of course, is still faster than saying the word."

"How long do you reckon this'll take me?" Ron asked.

"Not long, mostly because you can already cast Wandless Magic," Madam Roberts replied. "Tell me, what are the two things that you need to perform Wandless Magic?" Two?

"Well, I have to visual what the Spell does, and then I train my body to act as the conduit," Ron replied.

"So you need knowledge and imagination, right?" Madam Roberts asked, and Ron figured out her meaning. Oh, nice.

"I already have knowledge of the Spells, and I've gotten good at visualizing their effects," Ron smiled.

"Let's get to work, Ronald," Madam Roberts ordered.

---

Sunday 15th November, 1993 (Greengrass Manor – Midday)

"That was a great session, Madam Roberts," Ron said as he exited the suitcase, his hair was still a bit wet from the cold shower. "Though I wish that I at least managed a Non-verbal stunner."

"Time and practice, Ron," Madam Roberts said as she followed after him. "Time and practice. You managed some red sparks, which is a good sign."

"Thanks," Ron smiled. "I'll keep practicing, and by our next session, I'll have the Non-verbal Stunning Charms downs."

"I look forward to seeing that," Madam Roberts said as she packed up her suitcase. "Are you off to school?"

"Yeah," Ron nodded. I'll just go to the Training Area to practice my Spellwork. "Actually, can you explain something before you leave?"

"Of course," Madam Roberts replied. "What is on your mind?"

"My Summoning Charm didn't work on the Auror Trainer," Ron replied, and Madam Roberts nodded in understanding.

"The Anti-theft Charm," Madam Roberts told him, and he had no idea what that was. "Custodia."

"Custodia?" Ron repeated, and she gave him a smirk.

"What's to stop a wizard from Summoning a merchant's wares?" Madam Roberts asked.

"An Anti-theft Charm," Ron figured. Didn't Fred and George have this Charm on their trunks? They totally did. Hmm, I should use it too.

"Every single store in Diagon Alley employs this handy Charm," Madam Robert said. "Casting it is quite simple. Merely aim your wand at the object that you wish to protect, and chant 'Custodia'. There will be a silvery light if it works."

"Thanks, Madam Roberts," Ron said gratefully. "I'll cast it on my wand and items."

"Goodbye, Ron," Madam Roberts walked towards the fireplace.

"Wait… Since I defeated the dummy, am I now an Auror?" Ron grinned.

"You can be an Auror when your balls drop, Ron," Madam Roberts said without turning around, and Ron sniggered to himself. That was good.

"You have an odd obsession with my manhood!" Ron called, and she flooed away instead of responding. Ron then walked over to the fireplace, and he grabbed a pinch of floo powder. "Severus Snape's Office, Hogwarts." With that, Ron cast the powder into the flames. The fire blazed green, and Ron stepped through it.

"Ronald," Snape greeted, and Ron looked to see the Potions Master sitting behind his desk.

"Sir? Shouldn't you be at the Dueling Club?" Ron asked.

"Take a seat, I need to tell you something," Snape said, and Ron slowly walked over and sat down. "A member of the Order was murdered last night." Ron's stomach fell, and his mouth sealed shut. "Relax, you didn't know this person." Thank Merlin…

"Oh…" Ron breathed out, and then he felt a strong pang of guilt because he felt genuinely grateful. Shite, what's wrong with me? "Who was it?"

"Elphias Doge," Snape replied. "A very old friend of Albus."

"Damn," Ron sunk into his seat. "Is the Headmaster alright?"

"He has left to go see Doge's body," Snape replied. "As for his mental state, I truly cannot comment."

"How did Elphias Doge die?" Ron couldn't help but ask. In the back of his skull, some odd sense of paranoia was already growing. On some random Saturday, an Order member had been murdered. We never saw it coming.

"He was stabbed with a long blade," Snape replied.

"A blade?" Ron asked.

"His pockets were apparently looted, so the Ministry suspects that he was mugged by a Muggle," Snape explained. "But we know better… This was assassination."

"Fucking hell," Ron closed his eyes. I didn't even know him, but I still feel bad for him. And the Headmaster… He lost an old friend.

"The Order has gone into lockdown," Snape told Ron. "We were too lax in security protocols, and this is the result."

"Lax in security protocols?" Ron asked. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that despite discussing the Fidelius Charm, and creating a plan to stick in duos, barely anyone followed the plan," Snape replied, and Ron was genuinely baffled. "From now on, the streets are not safe for us."

"Bloody hell," Ron frowned a little. "Why would the Order not take security seriously? I'm not trying to blame the dead, but what the fuck?"

"Doge was too… morally upstanding," Snape leaned back in his chair. "The concept of a knife in the dark didn't register with him, and he has paid the price for it. The best we can do is to learn from his mistake."

"What do you mean by the Order is in lockdown?" Ron asked. "Where are my parents? What about Pandora and Xeno?"

"All the Order members are currently at Grimmauld Place, including Lupin," Snape replied. "Plans are no doubt being discussed."

"And why aren't you there?" Ron asked.

"I will not step foot in Black's house," Snape's lips curled in disgust. "Albus will inform me of the plans when he returns." Why does he hate Sirius so much?

"Wait… How many people know of Elphias Doge's death?" Ron asked.

"The entire country," Snape replied. "His death was reported on the front page of today's Daily Prophet. There is bound to be uproar about this."

"Why?"

"Doge was a Pure-Blood," Snape replied, and Ron nodded slowly. "And not only that, but he also served as a Special Advisor to the Wizengamot. Whoever killed him made it look like a Muggle attack on purpose. They understand that the Pure Families won't take this hit lightly. There are bound to be protests within the Ministry, and maybe even violence."

"Which we don't need because this country is already so unstable," Ron sighed out. "Fuck… Things just keep getting worse."

"This is how war starts, Ron," Snape whispered coldly. "I imagine that there will be more assassination attempts in the Future, and if we're not careful, people will die." Ron felt his gut tighten, and despite being at odds with his parents, his mind drifted to them. The Burrow wouldn't survive an onslaught… They can't stay there.

"I have to go," Ron stood up, his hands were starting to tremble at the thought of his Family getting hurt.

"Ronald?" Snape cocked an eyebrow, but Ron had already walked over to the door. What if dad had been stabbed on his way home from work? Or mum on her shopping trips? Ron closed the door behind him, and he began to walk towards the common room. His pace increased and increased, and before he knew it, he was all but running. Fuck… I can't breathe… What if the killer had gone after my Family? We're Blood Traitors, so it would be completely understandable.

"Leg… Legacy," Ron wheezed, and the entrance slid open. Ron did his best to draw in a deep breath, hid his trembling hands in his pockets, and then he made his way into the common room. He immediately spotted his first years sitting around a round table, their textbooks wide open as they worked to finish up their homeworks. They're not at the picnic?

Ron felt a shudder pass through him, and he felt the urge scream into his pillow. It's getting worse… Ron quickly made his way towards his room, and despite hearing Astoria call out to him, he didn't stop for even a second. Passing through the common room felt surreal to him. It was as if there were eyes everywhere, and they were following his every move. Crimson eyes… Toad eyes… Ron gagged a little as he entered the boys' dorms, which only served to speed up his pace. Once he finally reached his room, he burst in and slammed the door shut behind him. As he rested his forehead against the door, he heard movement from behind him.

"Ron?" came Blaise's voice, and Ron quickly turned around with a spooked look. His friends were all sitting in a circle, and judging by the cards and the sweets, they were playing Wizard's Poker.

"Mate? You alright?" Theo asked with a worried look, and Ron felt his gut tighten. Did his father plan the assassination?

"I'm… I'm… fine…" Ron managed, and then he made a beeline for the bathroom. Tracey and Pansy moved out of his way, while Malfoy watched Ron from his bed.

"Ron, what happened?" Daphne followed after him, but he closed the bathroom door in her face. And then, before he knew it, he was gagging into the toilet. "Ron?! Are you alright?!"

He heard the bathroom door open, and he cursed himself for not locking it. You're so fucking stupid, Ron! A fucking moron!

"Please… go away…" Ron managed, and then he all but projectile vomited into the toilet. He felt someone rubbing his back as he vomited some more, and he assumed that it was Daphne.

"Does anyone have a Calming Draught?" Daphne asked, while Ron wished for his friends to leave. Look at you… How are you going to save anyone? Didn't Elphias Doge deserve your protection as well?

"Here," came Blaise's voice. "Quick, give it to him."

"He'll just throw it up," Tracey spoke up, and Ron could swear that their voices were becoming monstrous in his ears.

"Let him finish," Millie added.

"Get… Get out…" Ron mumbled, but only the polluted toilet water heard him. "I'm… okay…"

"He's shaking like a leaf," Daphne told the others, her hand still rubbing his back. Isn't she still angry with me?

"Here, clean him up with this," came Theo's voice, and Daphne suddenly had a towel in her hands.

"Ron, just pull your head out once you're done," Daphne said gently, and Ron did as he was told. He tried to take the towel with his shaky hands, but Daphne began cleaning his mouth for him. Ron's panic immediately turned to rage, and he ripped his head away from her. "Ron…"

"I'm not… a baby… Give me the towel…" Ron coughed out, and she quickly handed it to him. Ron wiped his face down, and then he fell onto his side and curled up into a ball. "Get out… All of you… Please…" Despite feeling like his skin was on fire, he couldn't stop shivering. He genuinely felt like he was going to have a heartache, which only furthered his panic.

"Right, show's over," Blaise spoke up, and then he began herding everyone but Daphne out. "You too, Pansy. Let's go."

"We'll be right outside, Ron!" Pansy called out before she was escorted out by Blaise, who closed the bathroom door after exiting it.

"Ron, I've got a Calming Draught," Daphne said as she rested her hand on his upper arm. "Please, drink a little of it."

"It could've been them…" Ron curled up even more. I wouldn't have been able to do a damn thing…

"Let me help you," Daphne said, deciding to calm him down first. Daphne let out a grunt as she tried to move him, but he didn't even budge. "Ron, please… I'm here for you, so please sit up." Ron slowly moved off of the floor, and then he managed to rest his back against the wall. Daphne removed the cork from the vial, and she placed the vial against his lips. "Just a small sip, alright?"

"Alright," Ron managed, and then he took in as much as he could before Daphne pulled the vial back.

"Do you need more?" Daphne asked, while Ron felt his mind slowly drift into numbness. He shook his head, and then he hung his head as he tried to breathe in as much as he could. Stop panicking, and come up with a plan. You can always do more, Ron. Think. The dose, although small, was enough to stop his anxiety from muddling his mind. He had given into weakness for a moment, but now he was back.

"Ron?" Daphne called, and he slowly looked up.

"Yes?" Ron asked, and Daphne tried to give him a comforting smile.

"Let's get you cleaned up, yeah?" Daphne said, and Ron gave her a nod. He slowly began to stand up, and Daphne groaned as she helped him to his feet.

"It's alright, Daphne," Ron said as he stretched his back. "You shouldn't try and lift me, it could hurt your back."

"Are you calling my boyfriend fat?" Daphne tried to lighten his mood.

"He could afford to lose a bit of weight," Ron decided to say, he still retained enough of himself to know that she was just trying to help him.

"You wash out your mouth, and I'll get rid of the mess," Daphne said, and Ron gave her a weak nod before he made his way over to the sink. While Ron washed out his mouth, Daphne flushed the toilet.

"Thank you," Ron said, and then he washed his face with cold water. That's so much better. Now let's make a list of tasks, and complete them all.

"Ron, what happened?" Daphne asked as she walked up behind him, her hand rubbing his back again.

"Stress moment," Ron replied. "It spiraled out of control, and I couldn't stop it."

"What was the trigger?" Daphne asked.

"Believe it or not, it was Elphias Doge's death," Ron replied, and Daphne blinked at him. "Have you read about his death?"

"It was in the morning paper," Daphne nodded slowly. "Theo was quite distressed by it, and he told us all about it." Distressed? Did Theo know Doge? No… His mother died in a similar way, didn't she? Damn… He's probably remembering some horrible shite right now. "Did you know Elphias Doge?"

"No," Ron shook his head, and then he turned to face her. "My mind convinced me that it could have been my parents who were murdered."

"What? Ron, why would you even think that?" Daphne asked, her expression a mixture of confusion and concern. Because they are all Order members.

"Because I'm insane," Ron lied, and Daphne frowned at him. Damn, I promised her that I wouldn't make jokes about my mental health.

"Don't ever say that again," Daphne said sternly, and then she hugged him tightly. "You scared the life out of me." Ron slowly put his arms around her.

"Sorry," Ron apologized, though he didn't feel guilty due to the Potion. "Thanks for helping me, even if you're still upset with me."

"I'm not upset…" Daphne sighed out, her arms moving to his lower back. "I'm just frustrated with this feud that you have with your parents. And no, I don't completely blame you. I know that I said differently, but I was just angry. They do try to overprotect you a little too much, but you always react so harshly." What do I do about their safety? I'll have Dumbledore convince them to stay hidden for the most part. Oh, wait… Daphne's still talking.

"…I shouldn't be interfering in your personal life like this, right?" Daphne finished, and Ron was genuinely lost. Say something sweet, it's better than saying the wrong thing.

"I want us to be like we were after our date," Ron said. "I don't like it when we fight."

"I agree," Daphne said softly. "Just please don't be so angry with them. They just want to be a part of your life." A part of it, or to control it? It doesn't matter, I need to find a way to keep them safe. I need to do my job.

"Let's go," Ron said. "The others are no doubt waiting by the door."

"Okay," Daphne broke away from him, a weak smile on her face. She took his gloved hand, and then she led him to the door. Ron opened it, and he immediately came face to face with the others.

"Mind moving back a little?" Ron asked, and they all stepped back further into the room. Ron and Daphne exited the bathroom, and Ron quickly surveyed their expressions. Blaise, Theo, and Millie looked calm, Pansy and Tracey looked concerned, and Malfoy looked wary. "Sorry about bursting in like that, but I was having a panic attack."

"Why?" Pansy asked.

"I just had a stressful moment, and I gave into it," Ron shrugged. "They come and go for me, and usually, I'm able to control myself." Ron then drew in a deep breath. "Can I have your wands?"

"What?" they collectively asked, while Daphne cocked an eyebrow at him.

"Can I have your wands?" Ron repeated. "I want to put a Protective Charm on them." The others exchanged looks, but no one went to hand over their wands. They need proof? Fine. Ron let go of Daphne's hand, and then he walked over to his trunk. He pulled out his Chessboard, which he placed on top of his trunk. Just aim, and say the incantation. There should be a silvery light.

"Custodia," Ron chanted as he aimed his wand at the Chessboard, and a silvery light engulfed it. Nice. Ron took a step back, and then he aimed his left palm at the Chessboard. "Accio Ronald Weasley's Chessboard." Much to Ron's pleasure, it didn't even move a little.

"See," Ron said to the others. "It's the Anti-theft Charm, and it blocks the Summoning Charm completely. If I can cast the Summoning Charm, then so can other people." Especially Death-Eaters.

"Here's my wand," Blaise stepped up, Ron clearly needed to do this. Plus, it was a handy protection to have.

"Thanks," Ron took Blaise's almost black wand, and the others slowly began handing Ron their wands. In the end, Ron had everyone's wand but Malfoy's. "C'mon, Malfoy. Hand it over."

"I don't like the idea of handing over my wand to you, Weasley," Malfoy said. "Especially when you're on that Potion."

"He's trying to help you, Malfoy," Pansy frowned. "Just hand over your wand."

"It's alright," Ron said, he wasn't going to help someone who didn't want it. "It's up to you, Malfoy." With that, Ron began to cast the Anti-theft Charm on everyone's wands. After he was done, he tested out the Summoning Charm, which failed to do anything.

"So no one can Summon our wands now?" Theo asked, a smirk planted on his face.

"If they undo the Anti-theft Charm they could, but otherwise, no," Ron replied. "Blaise, can you cast it on mine? Just aim your wand and say 'Custodia' clearly."

"Sure," Blaise said, and then he took Ron's wand.

"Why aren't you guys at the picnic?" Ron asked, while Blaise secured his wand.

"Oh, the Dueling Club got cancelled for the day," Millie replied. "We figured that we'd go at lunchtime. Do you want to join us?" Should I? I'd rather practice some Non-verbal Magic.

"I'm not feeling like myself," Ron replied. "You guys go ahead without me. Tell the first and second years whatever pleases them most."

"Right…" Daphne said, while Ron packed his Chessboard away. What else can I focus on today?

---

Remus Lupin's POV

Sunday 15th November, 1993 (Grimmauld Place – Midday)

Elphias was dead, and other than Moody, everyone was rattled. He had been murdered so randomly that it genuinely jarred the rest of the Order. This was so unlike the Dark Lord, who had a flair for the dramatic. This felt like more like murder than assassination, if that made any sense.

Currently, the Order had stuffed itself inside Grimmauld Place's large Kitchen. Moody paced up and down, his Magical Eye constantly scanning the room. Mundungus hid in a dark corner, he clearly didn't want to be here. The Weasley, Lovegood, Greengrass, and Davis Families all sat near the end of the table, while Sirius paced behind them. Remus had decided to sit with the Heads of Houses, who seemed to be bothered by the fact that Snape had elected to not attend. The only Professor who wasn't sitting with them was Hagrid, and that was only because he was trying to calm a jittery Arabella Figg.

"Enough waiting," Moody suddenly snapped. "When Albus gets here, I'll fill him in on the plan."

"Shouldn't he make the plans?" Emmeline asked.

"My brother's plans got Elphias killed," Aberforth said bitterly. "Go on, Alastor."

"Wait… Why are you blaming Dumbledore for Elphias' death?" Dedalus demanded. "They were proper friends, they were. Dumbledore is clearly in mourning, you old goat." Remus closed his eyes and let out a tired sigh, another argument was about to break out.

"Stop this at once!" McGonagall stood up, and even Remus flinched a little because of her harsh tone. "Are you all children that you must bicker like this? One of our numbers was killed last night, so if Alastor has a plan, open your ears and listen!" Silence followed her declaration, and McGonagall sat back down with a stern expression. Why do I feel like a scolded student?

"Elphias' death is only Elphias' fault," Moody started, and his comment earned him a few frowns. "He refused to find himself a partner, and he decided not to use the Fidelius Charm. He was not vigilant, and he was murdered for it. So our first order of business should be to strengthen our security."

"What do you propose?" Hestia Jones asked, she was sitting with Nymphadora Tonks.

"Firstly, find a partner and stick with them," Moody started. "Those who are at Hogwarts will keep their eyes on Snape-"

"Severus is a good person," Pomona spoke up, her face adorning a semi-offended look. "Why do you all doubt him constantly?"

"Maybe because he was a Death-Eater?" Sirius countered, and Remus shot his friend a frown. He always starts a fight.

"Sirius, don't start with that again," Remus all but ordered, and Sirius rolled his eyes. "If Dumbledore trusts him, then so should we. Moody, go on."

"Right," Moody grumbled, and then he looked to the Davis Family. "You can't stay in Muggle London anymore."

"Why?" James Davis asked.

"Because you're too far away from us," Moody replied. "If your involvement in the Order is discovered, then we won't know when to help you. So, I suggest that you pack your bags and move into Greengrass Manor. I'm sure they have space for you."

"We do," Mary spoke up, and then she smiled at James and Susana. "Let's not repeat the last war's mistakes."

"Thank you," Susana smiled back, and then she nudged her husband.

"Thanks," James smiled as well.

"Weasleys and Lovegoods, ward the Burrow completely," Moody ordered. "Put the Fidelius Charm into effect as well, which is something that we should all do."

"That might not be the wisest thing to do," Arthur spoke up, and everyone looked to him.

"Why?" Sturgis asked, though he had his eyes fixed on Mundungus.

"Well, if we put the Fidelius Charm into effect, then everyone will forget where we live," Arthur started. "Sooner or later, someone will wonder where one of us lives, and when they can't remember it, they'll ask others. Before you know it, everyone will figure out that the Fidelius Charm must be in effect. Our enemies will easily pinpoint who works for the Order, especially because there is 'no reason' for us to be hiding right now."

"You're right," Moody grumbled. "I just remembered that the Ministry uses this exact method to keep track of shady Pure-Bloods." Sebastian exchanged a quick look with his wife, but neither of them said anything. They must have hidden properties.

"And the Ministry definitely knows where we all live," Nymphadora spoke up, and Remus met her eyes for a moment. "If the enemy has a spy in the Ministry, they will tell them whose residence has just up and vanished."

"Might I offer some insight?" Filius asked, and everyone nodded quickly. He'll know what to do, he's the Charms Master here. "We choose one central location, and we turn that into the Order's Headquarters. This way, only one residence goes into hiding. We all then move into that residence, which we can expand with the Undetectable Extension Charm."

"So we all just live in one house?" Emmeline asked. "That could work…"

"We don't necessarily have to live there, but it could be a place to stay safe," Filius advised. "To stay hidden."

"A safe house, and a base of operations," Remus said, and then he nodded his agreement. "You can protect your homes using powerful Wards, but not hide them away from the World. Only our Headquarters remains hidden, which will help keep suspicion off of the rest of you."

"Why are you saying 'you' instead of 'us'?" Nymphadora asked.

"Rita Skeeter told the entire World that Sirius and I were members of the First Order," Remus replied. "Our identities are already compromised."

"He's right," Sirius said, and then he drew in a sharp breath. "I offer Grimmauld Place as Headquarters." What? What about Harry? "The Ministry and I don't see eye to eye, which is well known. So… I'll hide this place away from the World. Not to mention that it's big enough for the Order's needs. And since Harry lives here, we can all protect him together." I see. Remus couldn't help but smile a little, Sirius was finally thinking of Harry first.

"I hope you're not suggesting that we indoctrinate him into the Order's business," Molly spoke up.

"If Harry wants that, then I will support him," Sirius said firmly. "This is his war too, and since the Dark Lord is after him, he deserves to at least be in the loop. Now… I've kept quiet because Dumbledore's asked me to, but I don't want to see my Godson murdered like Elphias. The enemy is coming for us, so it's pastime that our children know that." Our children? Good on you, Padfoot, you old dog.

"Let's discuss the children later," Pandora said. "Alastor, please keep going."

"From now on, we stay off of the streets," Alastor went on. "No shopping trips, no picking up wenches in bars, no drinking at the Leaky Cauldron, no sudden disappearances, and make sure that your partners don't leave your sight. If you work at the Ministry, you go straight home from work. Don't dawdle, and don't mingle with strangers."

"That's harsh, but it's fair," Dedalus sighed out. "Shall we pick partners now?"

"Forgive my lateness," came Dumbledore's voice, and every eye went to the entrance of the Kitchen.

"Headmaster," Hagrid greeted, a look of sincere sympathy on his face.

"Good afternoon," Kingsley Shacklebolt said from behind Dumbledore, and then they both entered the Kitchen.

"Everyone, this is Kingsley Shacklebolt," Dumbledore introduced, and everyone picked up on his somberness.

"Alastor," Kingsley gave a polite nod, and Moody returned a curt nod. Kingsley then looked around the room, and his eyes stopped on a young woman who was hiding her face from him. "Nymphadora? You're here too?"

"Don't call me Nymphadora," she pouted, and her hair turned bright red. "And yes, I am here. Alastor invited me personally." Why is she being so defensive?

"Elphias?" Emmeline asked, and Dumbledore bowed his head a little. Suddenly, it felt as if they had just learned of Elphias' death once again.

"Did he have any Family, Headmaster?" Sturgis asked.

"No," Dumbledore replied. "Just us."

"Then we should arrange his funeral," Dedalus said, his voice missing its usual cheeriness.

"I will do that, and I will attend alone," Dumbledore told them, much to everyone's surprise. "Whoever killed him might be planning to 'attend' the funeral in the hopes of discovering our identities. It is a risk that we cannot take. From today on, secrecy is key."

"Secrecy, and constant vigilance," Moody added.

---

Ronald Weasley's POV

Sunday 15th November, 1993 (Hogwarts Dungeons – After Lunch)

Ron and Malfoy made their way towards the Dungeons together, while the others were out on their picnic.

"Want to join me in the Training Area?" Ron asked, his voice slightly monotone.

"Do you ever stop?" Malfoy asked in return.

"A no would have sufficed, you twat," Ron replied. I was just trying to be polite.

"No."

"You…" Ron started, but then he stopped. "You can be really cheeky when you want, you that right?"

"It's in my Blood," Malfoy smirked, but then his smirk died when he realized what he had said. Great, here he goes again with that self-pity. I should distract him before he closes in on himself.

"So all Malfoys are twats?" Ron asked, and Malfoy glared at him. Mission accomplished.

"Just like all Weasleys are poor," Malfoy retorted.

"Oh, no… Malfoy called me poor, so it must be true," Ron rolled his eyes, and then they followed some older students into the common room. "This is where we part ways, 'my Lord'."

"Right…" Malfoy said, his eyes drifting between Ron and the boys' dorms. What's he doing? Malfoy then straightened his back, and he marched towards their room. So dramatic. Let me guess, he's too proud to admit that he actually wants to join me. Whatever, it's not my problem.

Ron went to enter the Training Area, but he suddenly stopped himself. Wasn't he sitting alone while the others played Wizard's Poker? Ron went to take a step forward, but his body refused to listen. Damn Daphne for giving me such a small dose. Fuck it. Ron turned and walked towards his room, and once he entered it, he found Malfoy just sitting on his bed. Look at this gloomy bastard.

"Weasley?" Malfoy cocked an eyebrow, making sure to hide any ounce of relief at seeing the redhead. "What are you doing here?" Being soft.

"I honestly don't feel like training right now," Ron lied. "I'm kind of spent, you know."

"Fair enough," Malfoy said, and then he reached for the same book that he had been reading for the last month.

"Do you play Chess?" Ron asked as he walked up to his trunk.

"I've played once or twice with father," Malfoy shrugged nonchalantly.

"Want to play with me?" Ron asked as he pulled out his Chessboard.

"You're a Professional Chess Player," Malfoy frowned.

"Scared of losing?" Ron goaded. "Don't worry, I'll go easy on you."

"Save your pity for someone who needs it," Malfoy sneered, and Ron decided to pull back a little.

"Well, I can't play alone," Ron said. "I mean, I could… But it's not optimal. C'mon, just one or two games."

"If you insist," Malfoy drawled, and Ron walked over to Malfoy's bed and hopped on. "Easy, Weasley… You'll ruin my sheets."

"These are nice," Ron noted. "You brought them from home?"

"Mother insisted," Malfoy replied, and he scolded himself internally for divulging that information.

"How nice of her," Ron said as he began setting up the pieces. "Which color do you want?"

"I'll take black," Malfoy replied.

"No, I want black," Ron said, and Malfoy frowned deeply.

"Why even offer then?"

"I was being polite," Ron smirked, and Malfoy's lips twitched upwards.

"You're acting… different… than what I expected," Malfoy couldn't help but say. "The last time you were on that Potion, you were a freak of nature."

"A little cold, sure… But a freak of nature?" Ron asked.

"What's different this time?" Malfoy asked.

"Daphne gave me a smaller dose," Ron admitted. "She all but pulled the vial away from me as soon as I tasted the Potion."

"She's trying to figure out your dosage?" Malfoy asked.

"I reckon so," Ron shrugged. "Your move, Malfoy." Malfoy moved a pawn forward, though his eyes were fixed on Ron.

"You two are strangely close," Malfoy pointed out.

"You figured out that we're dating?" Ron acted shocked, and then he moved his own pawn forward. "Malfoy, how are you so insightful?"

"Don't try and change the topic, Weasley," Malfoy said. "Why are you and Greengrass so dependent on each other?"

"We're not dependent on each other," Ron frowned a little. "We just… We just have each other's backs, that's all." Plus, who cares if we're too close? I love that about us, and I know that she does too. "Trust me, it's not always sunshine and rainbows between us. We do fight, and when we do, things get… loud."

"Somehow, I have trouble believing that," Malfoy told him. "Greengrass isn't exactly the emotional sort." Oh, my poor, naïve Blood-Supremacist.

"You certainly have a lot of questions today," Ron tried to change the topic. "Are you trying to get dirt on me?"

"What?" Malfoy blinked, his hand stopping just before moving his piece.

"I was joking," Ron said, and Malfoy frowned at him. "You shouldn't frown so much… You'll get wrinkles."

"You're such an arse," Malfoy shook his head.

"And you're too fucking glum," Ron shrugged. "By the way, you shouldn't put your rook there." Malfoy stared at Ron, and then he put his rook down. "Really? You're that spiteful?"

"You're trying to get into my head," Malfoy said, and Ron grinned at him.

"I'm already in there, Malfoy," Ron said ominously. "And pretty soon… I'll get into your pants."

"Fuck off, you disgusting weirdo," Malfoy grimaced, and Ron sniggered.

"Let the psychological warfare begin," Ron announced, and then he killed Malfoy's rook with his bishop.

"Shite," Malfoy frowned at the board. "Why isn't this board Magical?"

"Lord Greengrass forbid me from using actual Wizarding Chess Pieces," Ron replied. "In a Professional match, they're not allowed either."

"What? Why?" Malfoy asked.

"Because they give hints to the players," Ron replied. "Trust me, if you endanger them, they tend to throw tantrums. And therefore, they're not allowed."

"So we're playing Muggle Chess?" Malfoy asked, a hint of disgust in his voice.

"Chess is Chess, Malfoy," Ron replied, deciding not to smack Malfoy. "Just like people are people."

"Of course you'd say that," Malfoy said, his eyes on the board. Give him a little scare, Ron. Teach him not to speak like that near you.

"If I stabbed you in the leg, Malfoy," Ron started, and Malfoy immediately looked up. "What would your reaction be?"

"Pardon?"

"Answer the question," Ron said coldly.

"I… I'd scream… There would be pain," Malfoy replied slowly, where was this coming from?

"Now tell me, if I stabbed a Muggle in the leg… What would their reaction be?" Ron asked.

"They'd scream…" Malfoy replied.

"People are people," Ron repeated. "We're all made up of bones, blood, and organs. We experience pain the same way, just as we feel joy the same way."

"But they don't have Magic," Malfoy countered.

"Lots of people don't have what others do," Ron said calmly. "Everyone is different in their own way. If the rule was to kill anyone who is different, then we as a species would be long gone. And before you say that we're not the same species, just know that Muggle-Borns exist. Children of Muggles who have active Magical Cores."

"They come from Squib ancestors," Malfoy told Ron.

"So their roots are based in the Magical World," Ron smirked. "Shouldn't you treat them as long lost relatives who are finally coming home?"

"I… No, that's not…" Malfoy said, and then he went into deep thought. Ron waited for nearly a minute before Malfoy broke the silence. "They bring change to our World. They want to enforce their ideologies on us."

"You mean they don't want to be bullied or ostracized," Ron countered. "Are you forgetting what that feels like, Malfoy? You know how lonely it is to not be accepted… We both do." Time for a little lie, just to make him feel guilty. "I caught Hermione crying in the Library once. It was right after you and your 'friends' cornered her, and then proceeded to make her feel unwanted and alone." Malfoy just blinked at Ron, who just made his next move. "Your turn."

"I bet she felt just like you did whenever Flint put you in a corner," Ron added, and Malfoy stopped mid-move.

"I…" Malfoy started, but then he stopped. After a couple of seconds, he tried to speak again, but this time, he was stopped because their door burst open. Shite! I was getting somewhere, I think.

Ron and Malfoy looked to see the others march in, and everyone but Tracey was frowning. What happened?

"Ron, go find my sister and yell at her," Daphne stomped her foot, and both Ron and Malfoy grimaced because of the smell.

"Why do you smell like shite?" Ron asked, and Daphne shook with rage.

"Daph, it was funny," Tracey chuckled. "Don't be so dramatic."

"What happened?" Ron asked.

"Tori blew up a fucking dung bomb in the middle of the picnic," Theo frowned, and then he left for the bathroom.

"Hurry up," Blaise called out after him. "Damn menace ruined my good shirt…"

"Poor Derek vomited…" Millie sighed out.

"On the sandwiches that I made myself…" Pansy rubbed her forehead.

"Shite, Malfoy," Ron broke into a laugh, while Malfoy was clearly biting back his own laughter. "We fucking missed a great show!"

"Ron!" Daphne pouted angrily. "Go tell her off!"

"I will when you take a shower, stinky," Ron chuckled, and Daphne's look turned murderous. "Alright… Alright…" Ron hopped off of the bed. "Where is she?"

"Probably in her room," Tracey sniggered.

"Stop laughing," Daphne snapped. "I know you got her those dung bombs, Tracey."

"I would never be that irresponsible," Tracey feigned hurt. "How dare you sully my good name, Madam?"

Ron just sniggered as he walked out of the room, he could hear Pansy, Millie, and Daphne going off on Tracey. This smaller dosage is actually much better. I feel calm, but not numb. Shame that I missed that picnic though, but then again, I think I got to Malfoy a little. Take your wins where you can, Ron. As Ron neared Tori's room, he fixed his face into a stern expression. And then, Ron knocked on the door.

"Tori! Get out here!" Ron called, and the door swung open. Ron pinched his nose at the sight of a grinning Tori, and he spotted the Carrow twins giving Tori's back murderous glares.

"Hello, Ron," Tori greeted sweetly, and then she reached for a hug. Ron quickly stepped back, and Tori pouted miserably.

"You can hug me when you don't smell like your grades," Ron told her, and she broke into laughter.

"That hurt here," Tori pointed to her head. "And here." She then pointed to her heart.

"Tori, your sister is furious," Ron sighed out.

"She's so proper all the time," Tori rolled her eyes. "She needs to lighten up."

"I get that," Ron started. "But my friends put in a lot of effort to make you younger students feel appreciated, and you spat on that gesture. Tori… Pansy made those sandwiches herself." What a waste of good food.

"I was funny," Tori tried. "C'mon, you know I was."

"I do," Ron admitted. "But Slytherins don't use dung bombs when they could be making allies. The second years were there, and now they know that you're not a reliable ally to have. Plus, they're probably pissed off with you now."

"The second years are morons."

"They were, but now they've come into the fold," Ron told her. "Look… I don't want to scold you, but I do want you to understand that you're not a little kid anymore. We don't attack our own. Unless they attack us first, that is."

"So I can use my dung bombs on the other Houses?" Tori asked. This little demon.

"Tell you what," Ron started. "If you're cunning enough to never get caught, I will not say a word. But no more pranks on Slytherins, understand?"

"Yes, Sir," Tori grinned.

"Oh, and tell Daphne that I gave you an earful," Ron added before leaving.

"I will!"

---

Sunday 15th November, 1993 (Dumbledore's Office – Night)

Dumbledore had just informed Ron and Snape about Mad-Eye Moody's plan, and despite the somber mood, Ron was glad to hear that Moody and he shared a similar method of thinking. His Family would be going into hiding, and Ron didn't need to convince or manipulate anyone.

"And you'll be attending Doge's funeral alone?" Snape asked.

"Yes, that's the plan," Dumbledore replied, he was missing his usual flair.

"Isn't that a little dangerous, Headmaster?" Ron asked. "I mean, the killer could be there just as you said."

"If the person who murdered my friend wishes to confront me, then I will welcome the challenge," Dumbledore said rather calmly, and yet, Ron felt himself shrink a little. I shouldn't forget who I'm talking to. Dumbledore doesn't need protection.

"How was your meeting with Madame Maxime?" Snape asked, deciding to stay clear of Doge's death.

"I showed her my memories of Albania," Dumbledore replied. "She is… scared, but we can rely on her aid." Dumbledore then looked to Ron. "She has no doubt approached some of the Old French Families by now, so expect her owl."

"I understand," Ron nodded. "Speaking of Old Families, I was hoping that we could approach Lady Longbottom."

"I have already done so," Dumbledore told them. "She knew Doge, and she was at the Ministry today. I told her that war is coming, and she believed me instantly."

"Why?" Snape asked.

"She has lost much, and she needs to believe that there is a reason for her suffering," Dumbledore replied. "It is easier to confront pain when it's caused by an actual entity, instead of it just being the will of the Universe."

"So she'll join the Order?" Ron asked.

"To avenge her son and daughter-in-law's deaths, yes," Dumbledore replied. "She has even offered me her Grandson's wand." What?

"Neville is thirteen," Ron pointed out. And honestly, he's not that skilled with his wand.

"As are you," Snape reminded Ron.

"I know, but unlike Neville, I know how to cast the Disarming Charm without tripping over my own feet," Ron countered. "Plus, Neville can't join without you telling Harry and Hermione everything. Those three are inseparable."

"I believe that we should at least inform Potter of the looming danger," Snape said, and both Ron and Dumbledore looked at him. "An Order member was killed in the middle of a street, Albus. Potter needs to understand that the Dark Lord is coming for us all. Your desire to 'protect' him is now a liability. He can't be allowed to wander around Hogsmeade anymore, nor should he be allowed to leave the castle." Harsh, but it could save his life.

"I agree," Ron piped in. "I said the same thing ages ago… Harry really does need to be brought in. Or at least be told that his life is in genuine danger. Having him fuck around constantly is no longer an option. If he is as important as you say, then he needs to be prepared for his job."

"Leave Harry to me," Dumbledore said, and Ron decided not to push further. The old man is so… quiet. It's unnerving. "Do we have anything else to discuss?"

"Just one last thing," Ron replied. "Madam Bones… I think that we should try and convince her like we did Madame Maxime."

"No," Snape said.

"That is not wise, Ronald," Dumbledore added.

"Why? Am I missing something?" Ron asked. "We can't just rely on the French, we need people like Madam Bones. She's the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement."

"Which is exactly the problem," Snape told Ron. "Madame Maxime is an influential woman, but she has no binding ties, or loyalty, to her Ministry. Amelia Bones is different. She has always put the Ministry first, and if we go to her, she'll inform Cornelius Fudge. At best, she'll be ridiculed for believing us. At worst, she will lose her position and we'll all be declared delusional warmongers."

"Is the Minister really that daft?" Ron asked.

"He embodies the worst traits of a politician," Dumbledore replied. "He is power hungry, and he is afraid of being seen as incompetent. His policies are driven by his own insecurities, and that makes him dangerous to us. Amelia is a stoic and powerful witch, but her loyalties have always been tethered to the Ministry. During the last war, while her brother joined the Order, she respectfully declined in order to join the Ministry."

"So when do we approach our own Ministry?" Ron asked. "You remember my vision, right? In four years' time, the Ministry will have fallen. At some point, we're just going to have to risk it."

"I will speak to Amelia at this Gala," Dumbledore said. "We need to slowly convince her to run for Minister, which won't be an easy task. Once she has declared her desire to be Minister to the public, I will tell her about Lord Voldemort's return."

"But you'll keep our manipulation a secret, right?" Ron asked.

"That's a given," Snape said. "She's an honest woman, and so she despises backroom politics. We will tell her what she needs to know, nothing more."

"Alright then," Ron conceded, he was clearly outvoted. "I think that's everything for now." Snape and Ron stood up at that.

"Goodnight, you two," Dumbledore said, his mood still somber. Snape left without another word, but Ron lingered behind as the Potions Master flooed away. "Ronald?"

"I'm sorry about your friend, Headmaster," Ron said, and Dumbledore gave him a weak smile. Ron walked over to Dumbledore's side, and after hesitating, he put his gloved hand on Dumbledore's shoulder. Dumbledore seemed to relax a little as Ron gave his shoulder a light squeeze, and then he patted Ron's hand gently.

"Thank you, dear boy," Dumbledore whispered.

"Goodnight, Headmaster."

---

Monday 16th November, 1993 (Boys' Room – Past Midnight)

Fire and death woke Ron up, and he found himself just lying there. It was just a dream. The same dream… Once again, Ron had found himself on the shore of the Black Lake, the corpses of his schoolmates haunting him to no end.

Ron pushed off his blankets, and then he slid out of his bed. Once he had his wand in his scarred hand, Ron looked for his glove. There you are. Ron picked it up, and he quickly hid away his greatest failure. Now that he was up, he knew that he wouldn't be able to go back to sleep. In truth, he didn't want to go back to sleep. He knew that once he did, he'd be on that shore again.

"Fuck that…" Ron whispered as he cleared his eyes, and then he left for the Training Area. I might as well train my Non-verbal Magic.

As he made his way into the common room, his tired eyes lingered on a window which showed the dark depths of the Black Lake. For a moment, Ron thought that he saw a young red-haired girl sinking into the darkness. He felt jarred, but just as quickly, he recovered his composure. It's just your mind, Ron. It's trying to get to you. Ron walked into the Training Area, and he prepared himself for a long session of Spellwork.

---

Thirty Minutes Later

They weren't doing enough, and because of that, Ron couldn't stop thinking about the Black Lake. He could do more. He had to do more.

"Marty!" Ron called, his mind made up.

"Master called Marty?" came Marty's voice from behind him, and Ron turned to see a very tired Elf rubbing his eyes.

"I woke you," Ron sighed. "I'm sorry, Marty."

"Think nothing of it, Master," Marty bowed, and then he gave Ron a tired smile. "What can Marty do for Master?"

"Take me to the Chamber of Secrets," Ron replied, and Marty woke right up at that.

"The Chamber?" Marty whispered, and Ron gave him a nod. Stop thinking of doing more, and just do more.

Marty put his hand forward, and Ron took it. Ron suddenly felt himself being pulled through a straw, and then, he was standing in the dark, damp lair of the Basilisk. Marty lingered by Ron's leg, while Ron looked around the ruins. Merlin, I forgot just how damaged this place is. Ron began to walk towards the damaged face of Salazar Slytherin, while Marty summoned a thick ball of light. Marty then tiptoed behind Ron, his big blue eyes peeled for danger.

"The really did a number on this place, didn't they?" Ron asked, his eyes landing on the skeleton of the harvested Basilisk. One of the Professors cracked its skull in the fight?

"Master, why are we here?" Marty asked, and Ron drew in a deep breath. Take the plunge, Ron. Otherwise, you'll keep feeling like this.

"Marty, I trust you completely," Ron started, and Marty blinked at him. "So I'm going to tell you something that I've told my friends as well." Ron then looked to Marty. "There is a war coming."

"A war?" Marty asked slowly.

"Yes, a war," Ron nodded. "One that will destroy everything that we hold dear."

"Why does Master believe such a thing?" Marty couldn't help but ask.

"You've seen my scars, haven't you?" Ron asked, and Marty gave a shaky nod. "The Dark Lord gave me those." Marty looked stunned, but Ron decided to keep going. "It was also the Dark Lord who reopened the Chamber last year. And now… He has returned."

"The Dark Lord… has returned?" Marty whimpered, he felt guilty because he didn't want to believe his own Master.

"Only a few people know this," Ron told Marty. "My friends don't… But the Professors do. The Headmaster knows as well. The Order of the Phoenix has been reconvened, and I'm a part of it."

"Master is a member of the Order?" Marty's eyes widened even more.

"A secret one," Ron told him. "No one can know, Marty. I am telling you this because I trust you with my life completely. You have always shown me kindness, and you have proven yourself more times than I can count."

"Forgive Marty, but he does not understand why Master is saying these things," Marty said, he didn't know whether to smile or be worried.

"I can't do everything alone, I know that now," Ron knelt down. "I am only one person, and not a particularly talented one. I need help, and you're the one I want by my side."

"Master can count on Marty for anything!" Marty said quickly, and then he looked worried again. "But what does Master need?"

"I need someone who can go to places that I can't," Ron started. "I need someone who can do things that I can't. I need you." Ron then stood back up. "The war will reach Hogwarts eventually, and all the students of this school will be butchered like animals." Marty felt dread creep into his bones, he didn't like his Master's current demeanor. "Unless… Unless you and I make sure that that never happens."

"How?" Marty asked, and Ron finally smiled a little.

"By bearing the burden so that they don't have to," Ron replied. "I know I'm being selfish by putting this on you, but I can't do it alone. I've tried to bring in others, but everyone has different… barriers… that they can't cross. I need more allies, or I will fail to do my duty. Do you understand?"

"No," Marty shook his head. "But if Master needs Marty, then Marty will not disappoint." Ron felt his heart swell, and he smiled lovingly at his friend.

"Thank you," Ron said genuinely.

"Why are we here, Master?" Marty looked around.

"This place is the answer to my nightmares," Ron said. "The current contingency plan should Hogwarts be attacked is problematic. Do you know what it is?"

"Students are to be escorted to Hogsmeade via the Black Lake," Marty replied.

"They'll be stuck in boats like sitting ducks," Ron said. "But down here… No one will be out in the open. No pointless casualties, no need for them to even leave the school."

"Master wishes to create a bunker?" Marty asked, and Ron gave him a nod.

"I want to fix this place up, install beds and furniture, and then store rations away just in case," Ron replied. "But I don't even know how much that will cost."

"This Chamber is quite large, Master," Marty thought about it. "If it is to be made habitable, it could cost roughly six-to-seven hundred Galleons. Maybe more." I'll find a way to get the money then. "One thing, Master… Will you inform the Headmaster of this?"

"Once it's complete, yes," Ron nodded. I'll have to show him that I'm a Parseltongue too, but that's okay. I trust him. "So… Where do we start?"

"The rubble," Marty looked around.

"And the Basilisk corpse," Ron added. "We'll also need light down here, and some form of exit that doesn't lead back into the school. Merlin… This could take a while."

"Then Marty would advise getting started as soon as possible, Master," Marty managed a weak smile.

"Do you remember the Elves that helped you harvest the Basilisk?" Ron asked, and Marty nodded. "Get in touch with them, tell them that I have another job for them. Ask them to come meet us here after midnight tomorrow."

"Marty understands," Marty nodded.

"Now… Let's have a bit of a look around, shall we?" Ron asked, and they began to navigate the Chamber together.

---

Monday 16th November, 1993 (Outside Hagrid's Hut – After Lunch)

"Just aim the shredded lettuce on the end with the mouth, yeh?" Hagrid said as he showed them how to feed a Flobberworm. "Look at tha'… He's eatin' it right up, he is."

"It's so gross," Daphne whispered to Ron, who couldn't help but nod his agreement. Merlin, I'm so tired. I wish I got more sleep last night.

"Now!" Hagrid clapped his hands together, his voice booming loudly. "Each of yeh will be given a Flobberworm of yer very own, and yeh will take care of the little blighter for the remainder of the term. It's not hard, mostly because they just want to be left alone. But yeh have to feed 'em, or I can't pass yeh. Any questions?"

"I've read that they can die if you overfeed them," Hermione spoke up. "What happens if we make that error?"

"Trust me, Hermione," Hagrid chuckled. "Yeh'd have to work very hard to overfeed 'em. Now, come and grab yer worms!"

"Ew…" Pansy grimaced.

"Just use the Locomotor Spell so you don't have to touch them," Theo told the others. "They're not so bad, actually. I use them in my Gardens, they eat all the dead plants and weeds for me." The students all formed a line, with most of the girls grimacing at the prospect of having such an ugly pet.

Ron just stood between Millie and Daphne, a tired and bored look on his face. I just want a nap, that's all. Ron suddenly heard the loud cawing of crows, and he looked to the sky. Above them were almost thirty crows, and Ron was shocked that he hadn't noticed them before. What the hell? Why are they circling us?

"Ron?" Daphne whispered. "What are you looking at?" You don't see that shite? Ron quickly realized that only he could see it, which meant that this was yet another vision of a past life. Why crows though?

"It's nothing," Ron lied. "I just wanted to look at the clouds."

"Right," Daphne said slowly, and then she too looked up. "I think it's going to rain soon." Ron nodded along, his eyes tracking the crows.

And then, they all suddenly shot towards the ground. Ron flinched a little as they began slamming into the Earth, each of them exploding into black mist upon impact. What in the fuck?! Ron's eyes widened when out of the black mist stepped out an older version of himself, his red hair slicked back and his body covered by a crisp black suit. As soon as Ron saw the sapphire eagle pin on the older Ron's suit, he knew who this Ron was. The Ravenclaw version of me who killed all those students.

The Ravenclaw Ron fixed his suit into place, and then he began whistling a familiar tune. I know that whistle… I heard it in the Library constantly for a while. The Ravenclaw Ron began to walk towards the castle, and Ron felt the urge to follow him.

"Ron? Move forward already," Daphne nudged lightly, and then she followed his gaze. "What are you looking at?"

"The castle," Ron muttered as he took a step forward, his eyes fixed on his previous life. Ron suddenly felt very lightheaded, and the Ravenclaw Ron vanished from existence. Damn… I'm going to fall over. Ron grabbed onto Millie, who looked back with a confused look.

"Ron?" Millie asked.

"I need to sit down…" Ron sighed out, and then he stepped out of the line. His entire head spun, and he quickly sat down on the slightly wet grass.

"I'm telling Professor Hagrid," Daphne said, and before Ron could say otherwise, she began cutting the line.

"Are you okay?" Millie asked, while the others just shot Ron curious looks.

"I'm just tired, I think," Ron replied, and then he shook his head clear. His vision became a little blurry, but it quickly fixed itself. What was that Spell? Was he those thirty odd crows? I've never seen anything like it. It was… bloody brilliant!

"Ronald, yeh alright?" came Hagrid's voice, and Ron looked to see the giant man walking over to him. Everyone except for his friends were giving him odd look, with the exception of the Golden Trio, who seemed to understand something that the others didn't. Odd. Something is definitely not right with them lately.

"May I please be excused, Professor?" Ron slowly stood up. "I feel sick."

"Oh," Hagrid blinked. "Of course, go on. Go straight to Madam Pomfrey, alright?"

"Thank you," Ron said, and then he turned around to leave. I'm going to find the nearest bed, and then I'm taking a long nap.

"Ron, yer books…" Hagrid said, and Ron realized that he didn't have them with him.

"I'll take those back for him," Theo spoke up. "Go on, Ron."

"Thanks," Ron said, and then he walked off towards the castle. That Ravenclaw Ron was clearly extremely powerful. How did he fail his Cycle?

---

Monday 16th November, 1993 (Hospital Wing – Near Dinnertime)

"Ron, wake up," came Madam Pomfrey's voice, and Ron jerked awake. He then groaned loudly as he looked around, his groggy eyes stopping on Madam Pomfrey.

"What a wonderful sight to wake up to," Ron grinned with droopy eyes. "I could get used to it."

"Yes, yes… You are very charming," Madam Pomfrey rolled her eyes. "Let's go, I won't have you missing dinner. You are clearly suffering from fatigue, and a healthy diet is the key to combating it."

"Bedside manners could use some work, but other than that, you're perfect," Ron sat up, and then he moved his hair out of his face. "I missed our session, didn't I?"

"It's alright," Madam Pomfrey helped him out of the bed. "You looked like you needed the sleep. Are you not sleeping well at night?" No, I am not.

"I couldn't get much sleep last night," Ron told her. "I just wouldn't doze off, you know."

"Is something bothering you?" Madam Pomfrey asked as they began to head towards the Great Hall.

"Not really," Ron lied. "I just couldn't sleep, that's all. By the way, did you stay behind just for me?"

"Hardly," Madam Pomfrey replied. "I have a lot of work to do, which you spoiled with your snoring."

"Snoring?" Ron scoffed. "I don't snore."

"You sounded like you were gargling small rocks," Madam Pomfrey smirked.

"Do you enjoy spreading lies, Madam Pomfrey?" Ron asked her. "Are you a gossip?"

"No," Madam Pomfrey replied bluntly.

"And she's killed the banter," Ron chuckled.

"Your morning breath killed the banter long ago, Ronald," Pomfrey told him, and Ron quickly checked his breath. Did some small animal crawl into my mouth and die while I was asleep?

"Now that's embarrassing…" Ron mumbled, and then he used the Fresh-Breath Charm on himself. "How is my breath now?" Ron tried to breathe in her direction, and she shot him an annoyed frown.

"Breathing on people is exceptionally rude," Madam Pomfrey scolded. "And your breath is fine…" As they neared the Entrance to the Great Hall, she stopped him from entering.

"What is it?" Ron asked.

"Drink this," Madam Pomfrey said, and then she pulled out a vial of Nutrition Potion from her robes.

"Are you serious?" Ron took the vial. "You know how I said that you were perfect… I was lying."

"Blame your girlfriend," Madam Pomfrey smirked. "She left me clear instructions, and that Potion." Damn you, Daphne Greengrass. Ron drank down the Potion, and it forced his face to tighten from disgust.

"I could eat a bowl of shite, and still not be able to tell the difference," Ron commented.

"Let's go, Ronald," Madam Pomfrey ushered him to the giant door. "And make sure you eat a balanced meal. I will be watching."

"Pervert," Ron mumbled, and she ignored him. Once they were inside, they parted ways. Madam Pomfrey headed for the staff table, while Ron made his way to his friends.

"You're awake," Daphne smiled at seeing him. "I saved your seat."

"Hello, everyone," Ron smiled lazily as he sat down between Malfoy and Daphne. "How was the rest of class?"

"Boring," Tracey waved a dismissive hand. "Those slugs do nothing…"

"They're Flobberworms, and what do you want them to do?" Theo asked, and Tracey shrugged.

"They smell like excrement," Pansy grimaced.

"You can just say shite," Ron chuckled, and then he began making his plate.

"I am a Lady, Ronald," Pansy rolled her eyes. "Daphne, teach Ron some new words please."

"How are you, mate?" Blaise asked, deciding to put the banter on pause. "Nothing to worry about, I hope."

"I was just sleepy, you guys," Ron assured them. "Trust me, I feel great now that I've had a nap."

"Are you sure?" Millie asked.

"Yes, I'm sure," Ron replied, and he felt Daphne tapping his foot. Ron leaned over to her, and the others knew that they wanted some privacy. As they began their own conversations, Ron waited for Daphne to start.

"Are you sure that you're alright?" Daphne whispered, and then she scooted closer to him. "You were acting odd before you got lightheaded."

"I was acting odd because I was lightheaded," Ron smiled at her.

"Oh, that makes sense," Daphne blinked, why hadn't she thought of that? Daphne then leaned closer and sniffed him, much to Ron's bewilderment.

"Alright then," Ron bit back a laugh.

"Your breath smells minty fresh," Daphne pointed out.

"Pomfrey likes it that way," Ron smirked.

"First of all… Ew," Daphne said, while Ron sniggered. "Secondly, I wonder if she'll be able to heal her own legs after I pay someone to break them."

"Merlin…" Ron's laughter died. "I am both scared, and aroused. I'm scaroused."

"Just keeping you on your toes," Daphne winked, and then she gave him a quick peck. "I'm glad that you're alright."

"Can you two not defile the dinner table?" Theo grimaced at them.

"Shush, Theo," Pansy frowned. "Don't ruin their romance." Romance?

"I think you just did that," Daphne sighed, and then she scooted back to her original spot. Ron began eating his food, while Theo teased Pansy about her lack of tact. As he was taking a bite, he spotted a head of red hair in the Ravenclaw section. Ron focused on it, and he saw a younger version of himself sitting in the far corner. Motherfucker… It's happening again.

The younger Ron was eating slowly and timidly, and Ron couldn't help but notice that his robes were rather worn out. Second hand robes. The young boy seemed to be using his meal as an escape, his demeanor made Ron think that he was a solitary kid. I probably looked the same after my own sorting. Is this the same Ron that I saw today? If he is, then he clearly went a long way. And then eventually, he started murdering innocents.

"Ron? Why are you staring at the Ravenclaw fifth years?" Daphne nudged him, and Ron broke his gaze.

"I'm sorry? What did you say?" Ron asked, and then he realized that his friends were just staring at him.

"You zoned out again," Daphne said, now she was worried.

"I didn't zone out…" Ron started, immediately thinking of a suitable lie. "Does anyone here know Patrick?"

"Who?" Malfoy asked.

"Patrick Wilson, he's an older Ravenclaw," Ron said, while Daphne just stared at him. "He was in Gladrags Wizardwear with us, Daph."

"The boy you spoke to?" Daphne asked, and Ron nodded. "Sorry, Ron. I didn't really see him."

"Patrick… I think Padma mentioned him once…" Blaise started, and Ron looked to him. I can't believe that worked. I'm a genius! Wait… Why am I so proud of the fact that I can lie to my friends so easily?

"Well?" Ron asked.

"I'm thinking," Blaise frowned a little. "He's the sixth year Ravenclaw Boy Prefect… Yeah, that's him. Your brother's girlfriend is the Girl Prefect, and he's the Boy one… That's what Padma told me. Oh, and apparently, he's a decent enough bloke, though he can be a bit too nosey."

"A valuable ally," Ron spoke to himself. Just imagine it, Ron. Cedric in Hufflepuff, your brothers in Gryffindor, and this Patrick in Ravenclaw. Older allies in each House… I could really use that.

"Are you scheming again?" Theo smirked, and Ron nodded slowly. "Where is your shame, Ron?"

"I think I've neglected Ravenclaw for far too long," Ron said with a smile.

"Spreading your influence, Weasley?" Malfoy asked, his curiosity evident in his voice.

"I've reached all the first and second years of each House, so now I'm moving onto the older ones," Ron replied, he didn't mind telling Malfoy as much. He'll find out anyway. Ron then shot another look at the Ravenclaw table, and when he didn't see the red haired boy, he went back to his meal.

Dinner went on as usual after that, with all of them making small talk and teasing each other. Even Malfoy made a couple of jokes, but they were all at Ron's expense. Ron didn't mind though, he was just glad that no one was making a big deal about his leaving class today. Soon enough, the bell signaled the end of dinner. Students began to leave for their common rooms, and Ron decided that he'd do a bit more research into Patrick before approaching him.

"We should play some Wizard's Poker tonight," Pansy suggested. "All of us, that is."

"Why?" Ron asked, he wanted to practice his Non-verbal Magic.

"Because it helps build unity," Pansy replied, and Ron shot a look towards Theo and Blaise. "I'm serious, Ron. Plus, it's so much fun with all of us there."

"I can't even eat the sweets that I win though," Ron sighed out.

"But I can," Daphne tangled her arm with his. "You can win them for me." They began to head into the Entrance Hall at that, where the Golden Trio were waiting for Ron.

"Hey, Ron," Hermione waved at him, and Ron smiled at her.

"Hello," Ron greeted them. "Were you waiting for us out here?" Ron noticed that his friends looked less than excited to see the Trio, but none of them complained about it.

"Can we talk to you about something?" Neville asked. "I actually need some advice from you." Oh?

"Sure," Ron agreed, now he was curious. "Why don't you guys go on?"

"Alright," Daphne said as she let go of his arm. "We'll wait for you."

"Thanks," Ron said, and one by one, his friends left for the Dungeons. "Courtyard?"

"Sure," Neville said with an odd smile, and they headed out for the cool night. What are these three up to?

"So… What do you need, Neville?" Ron asked as they entered the Courtyard.

"My Gran sent me this," Neville said, and then he pulled out a letter from his robes. "It's about the Gala for the restoration of St. Mungo's Hospital, the one that you've been promoting in your brochures."

"And?" Ron asked.

"Well, she told me that you're attending," Neville started. "She wants me to take care of this business, which is quite unlike her."

"And you're not sure about what to do?" Ron asked, and Neville nodded. "Well, it's quite simple. Just donate five hundred Galleons, attend the Gala, socialize with the other Old Families, and then come back to Hogwarts."

"You make it sound easy," Neville sighed. "By the way, Harry is going too."

"Sirius has been invited, and he sent me an owl today," Harry said. "Are all the Weasleys going?"

"I don't know," Ron replied. "I haven't decided yet."

"You haven't decided yet?" Neville asked. "Shouldn't your father make that decision?" Ron just stared at Neville, who realized that he was treading on thin ice. "Right… Um… Thanks for the advice, Ron. I'll owl Gran and let her know that the Longbottom Family will do their part." Is she trying to groom him to be her successor? That would make sense considering that he's the Heir of the Longbottom Family.

"Happy to help," Ron said, and then he turned to leave.

"Wait!" Hermione called out, and Ron turned back around. "How are you feeling today?" Huh?

"This question again?" Ron asked with a furrowed brow, and the Trio exchanged looks. Odd. "I'm doing just fine…"

"It's just that you looked really out of sorts during Care of Magical Creatures," Hermione said.

"I didn't sleep well last night, and it caught up to me," Ron told them. "I had a long nap in the Hospital Wing, and now I feel perfectly like myself."

"That's good," Hermione managed a weak smile, and the two Gryffindor boys mimicked her. Bloody hell, they look so creepy right now. Just standing there and smiling at me like that. The Carrow twins could learn a thing or two from the Golden Trio.

"Are you free on Thursday?" Harry asked, and Ron blinked at him. "I thought that maybe we could go flying… If you want, that is."

"Sorry, but I'm busy," Ron said slowly, his eyes fixed on Harry. He just wants to be friends again? Just out of the blue? What the fuck?

"Oh… That's fair," Harry nodded in understanding. "Maybe next week?" No.

"We'll see," Ron replied. "Are you three alright? You've been acting… odd."

"Odd?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, odd," Ron said, his eyes digging into hers. "Is there something that you need to tell me?"

"No…" Neville tried to smile, and Ron decided that enough was enough.

"Are you sure?" Ron asked, his demeanor turning cold. "Nothing has changed between us?"

"No, Ron," Hermione replied quickly. "We're friends." Liar. They are hiding something from me, aren't they? Why else would they be acting so strange so suddenly?

"Good," Ron said, deciding to keep an eye on them. "Goodnight." With that, Ron turned around and left. His mind quickly tried to figure out why Harry would change his attitude so quickly. As nice as his apology had been, Ron couldn't care less for it. I forgave his betrayal last year, but I won't make that mistake again. They're up to something, and it involves me. Fucking nosey twats… What do they know about me that would illicit such behavior?

As Ron began descending into the Dungeons, a terrible thought occurred to him. Hermione keeps asking about my health… Ron stopped walking, dread slowly creeping into his mind. Harry goes from being openly hostile to being soft-spoken and friendly… He was investigating me, wasn't he? He called me 'bad news'. And Neville… He can't even meet my gaze.

Ron just stood there, his breathing becoming erratic. Why are they so interested in my health all of a sudden? Ron drew in a deep breath, and then he clenched his jaw. The Trio knew something about him that they shouldn't, which meant that Harry had uncovered some secret of his while investigating him. He told them, and now they're all acting weird. What did he learn? Which secret did he uncover?

---

Tuesday 17th November, 1993 (The Chamber of Secrets – Past Midnight)

He had managed to keep his anger in check, and so his friends didn't know that he was now fixated on the Golden Trio. They had learned something which had not only jarred them, but also made them start asking about his health. Ron wasn't stupid enough to not realize what that could mean. They either know about my Chronic Stress, or… Merlin help me… My Brain-Damage. I need to know how they found out, and what they plan to do with that information.

"Chivvy doesn't usually take jobs like this," Chivvy the Elf spoke up, he was a rather gruff looking Elf. "Chivvy is a hunter, not a maid."

"Chivvy, speak with some respect," Marty narrowed his eyes on the other Elf.

"It's alright," Ron put on a smile. "I understand your hesitation, Chivvy. You and your friends are used to working with animal carcasses, whereas I am asking you to repair this massive Chamber to its former glory. It's not your expertise, I get that. So… I'll pay fifty Galleons for these repairs."

"Fifty?!" Chivvy exclaimed, while his Elves went wide-eyed.

"Twenty for the job, and thirty for your secrecy," Ron clarified.

"Secrecy is more important to Mr. Weasley," Chivvy noted, and Ron gave him a nod. "That's a lot of money… Very well, Mr. Weasley has a deal."

"Excellent," Ron put his hand forward for a shake, and Chivvy blinked at it. What? Chivvy slowly shook Ron's hand, his eyes darting towards a smirking Marty. "How long do you think the repairs will take? I'm not trying to rush you, I just want an estimate."

"A month," Chivvy said firmly. "Chivvy will fix the Chamber, install Magical Braziers, clear out all the sewage, block off any unnecessary pipes, and strengthen the general structure of the caves." That sounds great.

"Alright, I will leave you and your friends to your work," Ron said, and Chivvy nodded before turning to the other Elves.

"Let's get rid of that skeleton first!" Chivvy ordered. "Then find the weak spots and start fixing them up!" Ron and Marty stepped away from Chivvy and his Elves, all of whom were now scurrying around the Chamber.

"Here's my Gringotts Pouch, Marty," Ron said as he pulled it out. "Give Chivvy his payment after he's done for the day, and then return the pouch to my trunk."

"Marty understands," Marty said as he took the pouch. "Does Master require anything else?"

"Just one more thing…" Ron whispered. "Bring me Harry Potter's trunk."

---

Ten Minutes Later

Ron stared at Harry's trunk, an odd sense of worry filling his gut. Marty had left to go help Chivvy with the repairs, while Ron had found himself just staring at the delivered trunk. Just do it, Ron. If he's learned about your health issues, he can use that against you. You need to be prepared.

Ron kneeled down and opened the trunk, his eyes scanning the contents inside. Clothes, Quidditch Gear, Seeker Magazines, and… Letters from Sirius? Ron decided to ignore them for now, instead he looked further inside the trunk for anything that would confirm his suspicions. As he neared the bottom of the trunk, he found a book which caught his eye.

"Modern Wizarding Medicine," Ron read the title, and his gut twisted instantly. Bright colored tags stuck out from the side of the book, and Ron recognized them as Hermione's handiwork. She uses them to make notes… She's seen this book as well then. Ron slowly opened it using the tags, and he found himself staring at a page about MRI tests.

Ron's heart sank into his stomach, and he found his mind drifting away from him. They knew his secret. The Golden Trio had learned of his Brain-Damage, and there was nothing that he could do about it. How did they find out? How did Harry find out? Had Ron said, or done, anything to give himself away? No. No, I'm far too careful for that. Someone told him… Someone who knows…

Ron's eyes blazed red, and he sneered down at the page. Murderous rage filled his veins, and he struggled to even think clearly. They had gone behind his back again? What had he done to piss Harry off so much? Why was the Boy-Who-Lived constantly doubting him? There were a few reasons, of course, but none of them seemed to justify such an investigation. And now they know about my Brain-Damage?! How is that fair?!

Ron's eyes scanned the page, and he saw that many words were underlined by Hermione. Used to test for Brain Injuries. Black spots. Traumatic Brain Injury. Headaches. Seizures. Uncontrollable anger. Difficulty with logic and reason. Ron's head spun a little. They had figured it all out. They knew his symptoms, they knew the name of his injury, and they knew about the MRI tests. Wait… MRI tests? Why were they researching that? Ron looked back to the picture, and he noticed that Hermione had left little notes under it. 'Pictures resemble Ron's tests.'

This made no sense. They had seen pictures of Ron's scans? How? No one had those… No one but him. How did they find my MRI scans? Anger turned into confusion, and Ron's body relaxed a little. He thought back to where he had left the scans, and then wondered who could access that place. My room… Which Trio member could access my room? Another thought occurred to him at that. My siblings could have. What if one of them found the scans, and then told the Trio about them? No, they haven't been home since the Holidays. Why was this happening to him? Why did the Trio have to know about his embarrassing injury?

He now knew why they had made their peace with him, and then proceeded to talk to him with pitiful looks. What the fuck had he done to deserve this? I dashed Hermione's head against a wall. Maybe that's why this is happening? Did his siblings know about this as well? No… No, they'd have confronted me by now. That's who they are.

Feeling hollowed out, Ron sat down, and then he began reading the whole page from top to bottom. He'd learn the truth behind this, and only then would he make a decision.

---

Tuesday 17th November, 1993 (The Boys' Room – Crack of Dawn)

Ron sat on his bed, Harry's book on Modern Wizarding Medicine clutched tightly in his hands. His anger had evolved into something else entirely overnight. Now, instead of being filled with murderous rage, he was almost calm.

Maybe it was because he felt trapped right now. The Golden Trio knew about his Brain-Damage, which gave them actual power over him. The threat of exposure terrified Ron, which in turn made him furious, but Ron had also learned his lesson last year… If he lashed out and attacked the Trio, then he would be the bad guy in this mess. So Ron waited for his friends to wake up, he needed their advice. He needed them to comfort him. No, not that. Don't make them go through that first thing in the morning. Deal with your emotions yourself, Ron.

"You're up," came Blaise's voice, who was groggily looking around the room. Ron felt a bit of relief at hearing his friend's voice, but he said nothing. Blaise moved out of his bed, and then he left for the bathroom. Ron waited patiently, and after a few minutes, Blaise came back out. "Ron? Why are you just sitting there?"

"Blaise, I need you to wake everyone up," Ron said, and Blaise blinked at him. "Everyone, alright? Bring them here… I need your help." Blaise just stared at Ron, and then he gave a slow nod before walking over to Theo's bed.

Ron began to reread the marked page on MRIs and Traumatic Brain Injuries, while Blaise focused on waking the others. Theo and Malfoy woke up easily enough, they were used to going on morning runs after all. Blaise then left for the girls' room, and Ron found himself in the company of Theo and Malfoy.

"Shouldn't you be getting ready?" Malfoy yawned.

"We're not running today," Ron told him.

"Really? Then I can go back to sleep," Malfoy looked relieved.

"Go sit outside, I need to discuss something personal with the others," Ron said bluntly.

"Personal?" Theo asked, while Malfoy frowned deeply.

"So you wake me up just to toss me out of the room?" Malfoy asked, and Ron closed the book and stood up.

"You can either leave, or I can break your kneecaps," Ron loomed over Malfoy, who quickly took a step back.

"Ron… Mate…" Theo said calmingly, though he sounded more confused than anything else. "What's happened?"

"Go, Malfoy," Ron ordered, and the Malfoy Heir clenched his jaw before storming out of the room.

"Ron, tell me what's happened," Theo said as soon as Malfoy disappeared, and Ron tossed him the book.

"Read the marked page," Ron said, and Theo quickly looked through the book.

"I don't get it," Theo said after a few seconds. "Is this one of your books? What am I meant to be seeing here?"

"Seriously, Ron?" came Pansy's voice, and both Ron and Theo looked to see Blaise escorting the girls inside. Millie looked ready for the morning run, while the other three looked like angry corpses.

"It's so fucking early…" Tracey yawned, her yellow pajamas were an eyesore. "Why are we here?"

"Theo, hand Daphne the book," Ron said, and the weedy boy did as he was told.

"What's this?" Daphne asked, her free hand rubbing her droopy eyes.

"A book which explains what Brain-Damage is," Ron replied, and everyone gave him odd looks. "And no, it's not mine. It belongs to the 'Golden Trio'…"

"What?" Daphne jerked awake, and then she quickly began to read the marked page.

"The Golden Trio?" Blaise asked. "Why would they have a book like this? And how did you get it?"

"I had Marty bring me Harry's trunk," Ron hissed, his temper flaring. "They've been acting really weird around me lately, and Harry even apologized to me for being a cunt. It made no damn sense, so I started thinking about why they were acting this way. Why did Hermione keep asking after my health? Why did Neville feel the need to keep his eyes on me during classes? It's because they know about my Brain-Damage… It's because they feel sorry for me."

"Merlin…" Daphne muttered. "Is this Granger's handwriting? She's underlined some of your symptoms, Ron."

"They've been studying me," Ron grit out, and he didn't even realize that he was pacing.

"How the fuck did they find out?" Theo asked, and then he looked to the others. "No one said anything, right?"

"No," they all replied.

"How long have they known?" Millie asked, she was reading over Daphne's shoulder.

"I have no earthly idea," Ron shook his head. "Daphne, read the notes under the MRI picture."

"Pictures resemble Ron's tests," Daphne read, and then she looked to Ron with a shocked expression. "Your MRI scans?"

"They've seen them somehow!" Ron snapped. "Only I have copies of my scans, and yet the Trio have seen them!"

"Where are your copies?" Pansy asked. "Do you have them here?"

"They're 'safe' in my room back home," Ron replied, and he felt a pinching sensation on his nose. Don't tear up! Don't give them the satisfaction by panicking!

"So one of them got into your room," Tracey clicked her tongue, they were all wide awake now. "And not only that, but they actively searched for your scans."

"I think they were just trying to find some dirt on me, but then they happened upon the scans," Ron said, his voice cracking a little. "They know everything, and I can't do shite about it now…"

"Ron, stop pacing," Blaise said calmly, and then he walked over and put his right arm around Ron's shoulders. "Come and sit down for a second."

"They could tell the whole World if they wanted to…" Ron muttered as Blaise sat him down on his bed. "They could tell my siblings, my study group, the other Slytherins… They could tell everyone… And then everyone will start acting just like they are… What do I do?" Please, just give me a plan before I do something that I'll regret.

"Theo, do you have a Calming Draught in your trunk?" Daphne asked, her eyes fixed on her boyfriend's trembling hands. She knew that he was going to start spiraling any moment now, which meant that a panic attack was on its way.

"I do," Theo said, and then he quickly searched through his trunk.

"They're not going to tell anyone," Blaise whispered, his right hand now rubbing Ron's back. "I might not like them very much, but even I know that they wouldn't spread this around. Just breathe, Ron."

"Did you sleep at all last night?" Pansy asked gently, and Ron shook his head. His eyes were starting to sting out of sheer anger, and he had to clench his jaw just to keep his mouth shut.

"Here," Theo said as he handed Daphne the Calming Draught, and she quickly kneeled in front of Ron.

"Drink this, alright?" Daphne said. "All of it." Ron drank down the Potion, and then he handed the empty vial back to her. "Now, let's figure this out."

"Okay…" Ron nodded, his entire body relaxing slowly. The change to a calmer state came rather quickly, and Ron now felt more tired than upset. "Thanks."

"Everything's going to be alright, Ron," Tracey said as she sat down on his other side.

"How do you feel now, mate?" Theo asked.

"Mostly just tired," Ron shrugged, and then he cleared his eyes. "My money is on Harry."

"Pardon?" Millie blinked.

"I think Harry is the person who found my scans," Ron clarified, the Potion had taken hold. "Hermione and Neville have never been to the Burrow."

"When was Potter at the Burrow?" Blaise asked.

"That's what we have to figure out," Ron replied.

---

Draco Malfoy's POV

Tuesday 17th November, 1993 (Madam Pomfrey's Office – After Classes)

"Draco, you're not speaking," Madam Pomfrey said, and Draco broke out of his thoughts.

"Sorry…" Draco apologized, his demeanor showed his exhaustion. Weasley had taken the day off because he wasn't 'feeling like himself', and oddly enough, both Professors Flitwick and Binns had allowed him to. "I think that someone I know is sick…"

"Sick?" Madam Pomfrey blinked, where had that come from?

"That's what I said," Draco sighed out, his head hanging near his knees. "I'm positive that someone I know is sick, and even though I don't like him very much, it still bothers me. I don't know why this is happening to me…"

"Him?" Madam Pomfrey asked, she knew what this was. "Are you referring to the rumors about Ronald's health?"

"I don't think that they are just 'rumors'," Draco looked up. "I know you can't tell me anything, but I'm certain that he's sick. I was right there when he had his seizure, and on Sunday, I saw him have a panic attack. And today, he was extremely pissed off in the morning. I noticed that he had a medical book in his hands… So yeah, I'm certain of it."

"Whether he is ill or not does not matter," Pomfrey said, and Draco felt himself getting riled up for some reason.

"Him being sick doesn't matter?" Draco frowned deeply. Wait… Why am I getting so angry about it?

"You should let me finish," Pomfrey went on. "What matters is how you feel about it." I hate how I feel upset about it… I should be glad, not upset.

"I feel… bothered…" Draco replied lamely, and she waited for him to go on. "I don't like him as a person… But still, I would rather that he weren't sick…"

"You feel empathy then," Pomfrey said in a suggestive tone.

"For a bloody Weasley…" Draco closed his eyes. "Why should I care about his health?"

"Maybe you just don't like the fact that someone is struggling," Pomfrey said. "Maybe this isn't just about Ronald, but about you as a person. There is nothing wrong with showing empathy, Draco. It's what makes us human." Father would disagree.

"There's something not right with me," Draco shook his head. "I don't know why I'm so different from my father… I try and try, but I just keep falling short… Imagine if he knew that I was feeling sorry for a Weasley. The same Weasley that I spent two years going after."

"Do you wish to discuss your father today?" Pomfrey asked, and Draco shook his head. Never.

"I just don't want to care about Weasley," Draco told her, he was just done. "I don't want to look forward to our talks… I don't want his words to make sense… I just don't want him near me anymore."

"Change can be hard, Draco," Pomfrey started. "It can be frightening, and it often incites internal conflict… But it's necessary. No one can stay thirteen forever. We have to learn and grow."

"So I should just adopt his Blood Traitor way of thinking then?" Draco all but spat out, he suddenly felt so bitter. "I mean, I should, shouldn't I? Look at how well it's working out for him. He has respect and authority, while I don't even have anyone to talk to besides you two. My views have to be wrong, right? What I grew up believing was wrong, right?!" Draco shot out of his seat and went for the door, his head felt like it was going to explode.

"Draco, wait…" Madam Pomfrey called, but he was already exiting the Hospital Wing. He didn't want to talk, he didn't want to discuss his traitorous feelings, and he certainly didn't want to learn more about Weasley's sickness. Draco Malfoy did not care about the fact that Ronald Weasley was just a sick young man.

---

Blaise Zabini's POV

Tuesday 17th November, 1993 (The Black Lake – After Classes)

Blaise found himself grimacing at the mere thought of his mother's latest letter, it couldn't have come at a worse time. A Christmas Wedding… I guess my Holidays are ruined then.

There were so many reasons as to why he didn't want to see his mother, but the main one was the fact that she knew everything about the Malfoy debacle. Blaise, in his stupidity, had asked her for advice before going to his friends. She had advised him that the Family Name lived on, and that he needed to think of that first and foremost. Her advice had helped him find the courage to live an isolated existence, but then his friends had come through for him.

Now Malfoy was a part of the group, and it was all due to Blaise's mistakes. Sure, Ron was keeping Malfoy around for some reason, but Blaise had been the one to open the gates. He had allowed Malfoy to get here, and his 'blessed' mother had forgotten her role in all of this. The next time Blaise met her, he was in for a lecture about not being good enough, and considering how he felt about his mother, he really didn't want to hear it.

On top of all of this, Ron was now backed against a corner. Blaise didn't even know how to feel about that, so he had allowed his anger to take over. The Golden Trio had gone too far this time, and Blaise felt the urge to release his frustrations on them. By what right had they done such a terrible thing to his friend? Ron had been hysterical in the morning, and he didn't even seem to realize it himself. He was sniffling, teary eyed, and even sounded desperate, which had only served to worry everyone. After Daphne had managed to convince Ron that he needed to sleep, the others had found themselves plotting revenge.

Ron had managed to hold onto his anger long enough to ask for counsel, and Blaise did not want to disappoint. They needed to be methodical, and in order to do that, they needed information. So Blaise had sent a second year to go find Longbottom, who Blaise planned to question. Longbottom was from an Old Family, and he was also Ron's 'Eternal Friend'. Blaise would learn the truth of this mess, and he'd report it back to Ron. That's how Blaise would repay the group for his mistakes. He'd protect them just like they had protected him.

"Zabini?" came Longbottom's voice, and Blaise controlled his expression. Blaise then looked to find Longbottom walking up to him, a confused look on his face. "Where's Ron? One of your House-mates found me on the seventh floor, and he told me that Ron wanted to see me out here."

"Ron's at his detention with Snape," Blaise told the Gryffindor. "I called you out here."

"Why?" Longbottom asked, his expression becoming wary.

"Do you know what this is?" Blaise asked as he showcased the book on Medicine. Longbottom started at it, and when he saw the colored tags, his eyes widened.

"Where did you get that?!" Longbottom demanded, and Blaise's gaze turned cold.

"You betrayed him again, you fucks…" Blaise hissed, while Longbottom swallowed thickly. "Is this how the Longbottom Family repays its debts? You investigate your 'Eternal Friends' behind their backs? You learn their secrets, and then you tell others?" Talk, you twofaced scum.

"We haven't told anyone, nor do we plan to," Longbottom said quickly, and Blaise made sure to store that away. So it's just them for now. "Wait… You know about his Brain-Damage?"

"Of course I know," Blaise said coldly. "You arrogant little shite… You really think that Ron wouldn't tell his actual friends about his injury? Let me guess, you figured that we didn't know because you didn't know. Am I right?" Longbottom looked incredibly uncomfortable, and Blaise wished that Ron was here. He'd have slapped the shite out of Longbottom by now.

"So it's not just Greengrass who knows," Longbottom said to himself.

"You don't even know how fucked you are, do you?" Blaise couldn't help but smirk maliciously. "Ron is done with you three… Permanently." Thank Merlin for that.

"What? Why?" Longbottom asked.

"This is why," Blaise almost taunted, the book on Medicine on full display. "You've broken his trust… Again. You investigated him, and you learned something that he wanted kept private. This time… He won't forgive you, I'll make sure of that."

"Look… We wish that we never found out, alright?" Longbottom started.

"Spare me your 'regrets'," Blaise scoffed. "I'm not Ron, and I don't care about your side of the story. To me, you three are a cancer that Ron needs to get rid of."

"What's your problem with us? We're his friends too," Longbottom frowned deeply.

"Some friends…" Blaise rolled his eyes. "I mean, look at this book… You actually went out of your way to snoop in someone else's personal life? Why? What was the reason behind this intrusion?"

"I need to talk to Ron," Longbottom said, and then he turned to leave.

"It was Potter, wasn't it?!" Blaise called out, and Longbottom stopped. "That jealous, attention-hungry bitch… He's the one who found the scans, right? Did he stay at the Burrow after St. Mungo's burned down? Is that when he tried to find some dirt on the Slytherin Weasley?" Longbottom turned to face Blaise, who read Longbottom like a book. "It was… Potter's investigation led to this discovery, and he told you and Granger."

"It's more complicated than that," Longbottom said, he sounded almost desperate.

"Tell me the truth then," Blaise said. "Tell me everything."

"I'd rather tell Ron," Longbottom said.

"He's not going to talk to you, Longbottom," Blaise reminded the Gryffindor. "He's done with you three… If you don't believe me, then by all means, go find him in the Dungeons. He won't even bother to hear your side because he's just done with you. Instead, he'll beat you three senseless." Longbottom looked thoroughly shaken at that. "Why did Potter do this? What was Ron's crime?"

"I… I can't tell you… I need to talk to Ron," Longbottom muttered, and then he left rather quickly. So Potter found the scans when he snooped around in Ron's room, and he hasn't told Ron's siblings yet. Also, judging by what Longbottom just revealed, Potter regrets his actions. All three of them do. Well… That's not good enough. They should never have done this to start with.

---

Twenty Minutes Later

"I was right about Longbottom," Blaise told Ron, who was just sitting on his bed. Ron had told Snape of why he couldn't attend detention, and surprisingly enough, Snape had been rather understanding. "He gave me a clear enough picture of how they found out."

"Well?" Ron asked, he was still dulled from the Potion and his long nap.

"Potter looked through your things while he was staying at the Burrow," Blaise told him. "He's the reason why Granger and Longbottom found out as well. All three of them feel 'terrible', and they don't plan to tell anyone."

"They feel terrible?" Ron asked.

"That's the impression that I got from Longbottom," Blaise replied. "I told him that you had detention with Snape, so he'll probably ambush you after dinner. Oh, and he won't be alone."

"Do you know why he did this to me?" Ron asked a little too calmly. "Harry, that is."

"You mentioned jealousy…" Blaise replied slowly, Ron had clearly sent the others away. The Potion is wearing out, and he's starting to get angrier.

"He didn't like the fact that Dumbledore wasn't paying him all of his attention," Ron explained. "He hated that a Slytherin was getting more attention than him, the Golden Boy… So he deemed me a 'bad guy', and that allowed him to delve into my personal affairs. He only feels guilty now because he can't justify his actions to himself… It's not genuine guilt, Blaise. It stems from his own warped reasoning."

"Where are Theo and Daphne?" Blaise couldn't help but ask. Why did they leave him to marinate in his foul mood?

"I sent them away," Ron replied.

"Why?" Blaise asked.

"Because I don't want to be calm right now," Ron slid out of his bed, and then he began looking through his trunk. "The last time something like this happened, I settled for the wrong approach. This time… I'm going straight to the adults. I'll let them deal with the Trio, while I focus on things that actually matter."

"The Gala, and your business?" Blaise asked.

"And my friends," Ron stood up, a brown suit hanging from his arm. "Theo told me that your mother sent you an Owl this morning, and that you were bothered by what you read."

"Ron, don't think about that," Blaise waved a dismissive hand. "It's nothing to worry about."

"Are you sure?" Ron asked calmly. "Once I return, we can talk about it… If you want."

"You've got your own problems to deal with," Blaise said. "You deal with yours, and I'll deal with mine."

"But we help each other should the other person need it?" Ron asked, and Blaise gave him a nod. "Alright, Blaise. I'll see you at dinner then."

"Just think before you act," Blaise said, and then he left the room.

---

Ronald Weasley's POV

Tuesday 17th November, 1993 (Snape's Office – Late Evening)

"So all three of them know then," Snape frowned, while Ron just sat there. He had washed up, put on a nice suit, and now he was plotting his moves. He should've already had some form of contingency plan in place, but it was too late now. All I can do is learn from this.

"It was Harry," Ron said bitterly. "He broke into my things in order to prove that I'm some terrible human being, and now he's discovered my secret." One of them, at least. I'm so glad that I listened to the Sorting Hat and burned my old 'vision journals'.

"Potter…" Snape hissed coldly. "Just like his father…" Huh?

"Was his father a jealous cunt too?" Ron asked, the Potion still made him sound dull and uninterested. Snape glowered in his chair, but he didn't say anything. "Whatever… I need permission to go back home, and then to…" Wait… Where does Sirius live again? Ron blinked to himself, this was odd.

"The Fidelius Charm," Snape said, and Ron cocked an eyebrow. "Black has turned his home into the Order's Headquarters, remember? Albus told us."

"Shite," Ron sighed. "So I can't go there then."

"Albus is the Secret Keeper, and he can tell you where to go," Snape informed him, and Ron slowly stood up.

"Thanks," Ron said, and then he walked to the fireplace. Ron grabbed a pinch of floo powder, and he cast it into the flames. "The Headmaster's Office." With that, Ron stepped through the blazing fire.

"Ronald?" came Dumbledore's voice, he was sitting behind his clawed desk. As Ron approached the Headmaster, he noticed that the old man was eyeing Ron's clothes. "Going somewhere, my boy?"

"I need to go home, and then to…" Ron trailed off. "Where does Sirius live?"

"Ah, the Fidelius Charm," Dumbledore said, and Ron waited for him to go on. "Might I know why you wish to leave Hogwarts?" I guess that's fair.

"Harry Potter knows about my Brain-Damage, and so do Hermione and Neville," Ron replied, and the Headmaster didn't even react. "You knew?"

"Not until a few moments ago," Dumbledore replied, and Ron blinked at him. "Harry and his friends were just here. They told me everything, and I must admit, I am quite disappointed with them."

"That's it?" Ron asked. "You're disappointed? Nothing else?"

"They regret their actions," Dumbledore said, and Ron grit his teeth. My Potion has nearly worn out… Just breathe, Ron. "Your friend Blaise led them to believe that you are 'done with them', so they came to me directly. They want to apologize to you, and offer you their aid."

"Fuck their aid," Ron hissed, and then he turned and cracked his neck. "I want points deducted off of them for stalking a fellow student. At least twenty each… And then, I want Hermione kicked out of the Potions Club. I want Harry to stay the fuck away from me, and my Family. I want Neville to write to his Grandmother, detailing his latest betrayal. "

"Ronald…" Dumbledore sighed. "Why must you always be so severe?"

"Don't you dare act like they're the victims here," Ron warned. "You better be on my side, old man. After everything I do for you, you'd better take my side in this. Your Golden Boy broke the Law with the shite that he's pulled. Again. I want some actual punishment, understand?"

"I will deduct the House Points, but the rest is not up to me," Dumbledore said, there was no room for argument because of his tone. "Severus holds dominion over his Club, I can't order Harry to obey my commands, and the same goes for Neville." Fine, I'll settle for their House Points. For now.

"I want those House Points gone by the time I return," Ron said, and Dumbledore gave him a curt nod. "Now, where does Sirius live? I need to have a chat with him."

"What kind of chat?" Dumbledore asked.

"The kind where I give him a piece of my mind," Ron replied, and Dumbledore reached into his desk. The old man then produced a small piece of parchment, which he then handed to Ron. "Twelve Grimmauld Place…"

"You will not be able to pass this information on," Dumbledore told Ron, and Ron handed the parchment back. "But be warned, if someone Apparates alongside you into the Order's Headquarters, they will also learn of Grimmauld Place. They can then bring in others with them."

"I'll be careful," Ron said as he walked over to the fireplace.

"For what it's worth, they really do wish to help you," Dumbledore said, and Ron ignored him. Help me? I don't want their fucking help. I wanted my privacy to be respected. Ron took a pinch of floo powder, and he cast it into the fire.

"The Burrow," Ron called, and when the fire blazed green, Ron stepped through it. I need to find my scans first. As Ron entered the Living Room, he immediately realized that no one was home. They must all be at Headquarters. Ron quickly made his way up to his room, a permanent scowl on his face. My parents gave him shelter, and he spat on their kindness. Fucking brat…

Ron entered his room, and he couldn't help but note that it was much cleaner than how he had left it. His eyes traveled to his bed, and Ron felt his stomach turn. He slept in my bed right after he went through my personal things. I'll need to get rid of that too. Ron walked over to his study table, and he quickly pulled out the large envelope that held his scans. As Ron counted them, he heard a wooden board creak from beneath him. He wasn't alone.

Ron put the scans back in the drawer slowly, and then he brandished his wand. Is it mum? Or dad? Ron cast the Disillusionment Charm on himself, and then he creeped towards the door. Should I call out to them? Suddenly, Ron was no longer thinking about Harry's actions. Instead, he found himself growing paranoid. What if it's the person who killed Doge? That thought made him feel tense, and Ron regretted not drinking another Calming Draught before coming here.

Ron exited the room, and he was careful enough to avoid the creaking boards. Unlike this intruder, Ron knew the Burrow like the back of his hand. As Ron made his way down the stairs, he heard some more boards creaking. The closer Ron got to the Kitchen, the more he realized that his parents weren't home. None of the lights had been turned on, and whoever was walking around didn't know where not to step.

And then, Ron finally entered the Kitchen. He managed two careful steps before a shadow rushed him and pinned him against the wall, taking Ron completely by surprise. The Disillusionment Charm as well?! Fuck! How did they even see me?! Ron's Disillusionment Charm had been broken due to his shock, and so his attacker also undid their Disillusionment Charm. It's a man…

"Who…" Ron started, but a wand was quickly pressed against his throat. Where is mum? Where is Pandora?!

"Why aren't you in Hogwarts, young man?" the shadow spoke, and Ron desperately wished for some light. "Don't move your wand… Drop it right now." Ron clenched his jaw. "Drop right it now, or I will be forced to stun you." Stun? He's not the killer? Ron dropped the wand, and his attacker kicked it away. Ron slowly grabbed at the arm that was pinning him against the wall, and once he had a firm grip, Ron tried to calm down. "Why aren't you in Hogwarts? Are you really Ronald Weasley?"

"I am," Ron replied. "And I am not in the mood to be fucked with… So let go of me, and I'll let you walk away with your teeth intact."

"Save the bravado, young man," the shadow said, and Ron smirked a little. You really should have kept your distance, cunt.

"Cutis Terra," Ron chanted, and he felt his entire body being incased in stone. Ron clamped down on the attacker's arm, and the man let out a pained yell. Was that bone I heard crack?

"Stupefy!" the wizard roared, and the stunner shattered on Ron's throat. Ron wheezed for air, but not before slamming his left fist into the man's chest. Fuck… He hit me in the fucking throat! Ron coughed wildly as he massaged his throat, while his attacker lay not too far from him.

"I can't… breathe…" the attacker gasped, and Ron drew in a sharp breath. Fuck, that still hurt!

"You'll live," Ron sneered at the man's shadowy form, and then he walked over and grabbed the man's throat with both hands. With one swift motion, he yanked the man to his feet. Ron then slammed his right fist into the man's side, and the wizard collapsed back on the ground. "That's at least a few broken ribs… I'm not sure about my own strength, you see… I've never used this Spell against people. But judging by what I did to that dummy, I'd say that you're done."

Ron then undid the Spell, and he walked over to his discarded wand. After a bit of searching, Ron used it to illuminate the room. Now, let's see to this intruder. Ron examined his attacker, who was curled in on himself and gasping for air. Who is he? The man had thick straw-colored hair, and he looked to be in a great amount of pain.

"Who are you?" Ron asked, but the man simply groaned. "Talk, you fuck… Or I'll start breaking your other bones." Ron suddenly heard the fireplace roar to life, and he turned off the light from his wand. Ron then quickly hid behind a wall, his wand at the ready. He has friends? Ron cast the Disillusionment Charm on himself again, and he hoped that it would work this time.

"Sturgis…" came a whisper from the Living Room. "Sturgis, are you in here? Was it a false alarm?" What? The man named Sturgis tried to talk, but he only managed a pained moan. Ron heard footsteps getting closer, and then, the shadowy form of a woman made its way into the dark Kitchen. She lit her wand and looked around, and Ron saw that she was a rather stately-looking witch. Ron waited patiently for her to turn her back to him, and when she saw her ally collapsed on the ground, she rushed to his side.

"Sturgis?" the woman whispered frantically. "Merlin's beard… Who did this to you?" Ron slowly walked up behind her, his eyes fixed on her green shawl. Another stranger in my house. Should I cast a Spell? What if she reacts in time? Get a little closer, and then tie her up. Ron neared the witch, who was fretting over a moaning Sturgis. "Your ribs… Don't talk, Sturgis. I think you've got internal bleeding. Is your-"

"Incarcerous!" Ron chanted, and thick black ropes seized the witch. She let out a frightened squeal before falling to her side, and Ron immediately kicked the lit wand out of her hand. It rolled under the Dining Table, and its Spell stopped functioning as a result.

"Who are you?!" Ron demanded.

"Who are you?!" the witch demanded in return. "Why have you broken into the Burrow?!"

"Broken into?! This is my fucking house!" Ron kneeled down on the witch's chest, and she groaned and wiggled. "Keep moving, and I'll beat your friend to death!" She immediately stopped, and Ron lit his wand. The witch hid her eyes from the bright light, but when she finally looked back, her eyes widened.

"You're a Weasley…" she whispered.

"Like I said, this is my house," Ron hissed dangerously. "Who are you?"

"My name is Emmeline Vance, and I'm a friend of your mother and father," the witch replied. "You should be in school…"

"I got permission to leave from the Headmaster," Ron said, and then he grabbed the witch's face with his left hand. She suddenly looked frightened of him, and Ron strengthened his hold on her jaw. "Where are my parents, Emmeline Vance? How can I trust you?"

"Your father is at work… And your mother is at…" she trailed off. "I can't tell you where she is… I'm sorry."

"Can't, or won't?" Ron asked.

"Can't," she replied, and Ron let go of her jaw.

"Is she with Sirius Black?" Ron asked, and Emmeline just stared at him. "Don't stay quiet… You'll piss me off, and then I'll be forced to hurt your friend."

"What's the matter with you?" the witch looked horrified. "The Weasleys don't behave this way…"

"This one does," Ron leaned down, his face hovering over hers. "Start talking, or I'll make your friend 'Sturgis' sing."

"Please… You hurt him badly… I need to take him to the others," Emmeline said, her eyes darting towards Sturgis, who was now unconscious. "What did you do to him?"

"Relax… I only punched him twice," Ron slowly stood up, and then he pocketed his wand. Ron then grabbed the witch by her bindings, and he yanked her up. Ron then dragged her towards the Living Room, which required little effort on his part.

"What are you doing?! We can't leave him there!" she tried to move about.

"First, you prove your story," Ron started. "And then, I'll help your friend." Don't let your guard down, Ron. You don't know these people. Once they were inside the Living Room, Ron noticed that she had left the floo open. "You left it open?!"

"I…"

"You dumb bitch," Ron snarled as he tossed her in front of the fireplace. She landed with a loud thud, while Ron examined the green fire. "Is my mother on the other side?!"

"They all are…" Emmeline groaned.

"And you left it open?!" Ron turned on her. "Are you fucking stupid?!" If I was a Death-Eater, I could have waltz right through! Fidelius Charm be damned!

"This is all a misunderstanding," she snapped. "What is the matter with you?!" Ron grabbed her again, and he yanked her up.

"Time to prove your story, Emmeline Vance," Ron hissed in her face. "I'm going to toss you into the fire, and you'll send my mother and Sirius through. They can help your friend… Oh, and if anyone else comes through the fire, I'll end him." The woman just stared at him, her expression a mixture of shock and fear. Ron then used all of his strength to toss her into the fire, and she disappeared with a scream. Ron quickly ran back into the Kitchen, and he positioned himself behind the unconscious Sturgis.

"Sorry, mate," Ron whispered as he sat the man's body up. "But you'll be my shield in case your friend was lying." Ron heard the fireplace roar from the Living Room, and he aimed his wand at the Kitchen Entrance.

"Kid?!" came Sirius' voice, and Ron breathed out in relief. Wait… I just attacked the Order… Shite. I need to feign ignorance here, otherwise I'll be hated by the entire Order.

"I'm in here!" Ron called, and then he cast Sturgis aside. Sirius stuck his head around the corner, and once he saw Ron, he quickly made his way inside.

"Sturgis?" Sirius eyed the unconscious man. "Merlin, kid! What did you do to him?!" Sirius then ran up and checked on his friend, while Ron pocketed his wand. "Ron, what the fuck?!"

"He attacked me," Ron told Sirius. "I come to my house, and then some stranger pins me against a wall… I went easy on him, believe me."

"Easy?" Sirius asked, and then he shook his head. "I left the floo open… Go… Your mother is waiting for you."

"I need to talk to you," Ron said.

"Later," Sirius frowned at him. "I need to bring Sturgis back with me, alright?"

"You bring him back, and then you come and find me," Ron said, and Sirius gestured him to go on. Ron made his way into the Living Room, and from there, he stepped into Grimmauld Place.

As soon as he walked out of the fireplace, he found himself at the end of several wands. Pandora, Xeno, Molly, some shady looking bloke, and Andromeda Tonks had their wands aimed on him.

"It's me," Ron said, his hands going up.

"Where are Sturgis and Sirius?" Emmeline demanded, and Ron noticed that she was no longer bound. She scraped her face.

"Right behind me," Ron said, while the others lowered their wands.

"Ronald Weasley…" Molly grit out. "You attacked them?! You gave Mr. Podmore internal bleeding?!"

"He'll live," Ron said dismissively, much to his mother's horror. "I need to talk to you, mum. I came to the Burrow looking for you, and I was attacked by a man that I had never seen before. I thought that he had harmed you and Pandora, so I might've lost my temper."

"Molly, he doesn't know," Pandora whispered, though she was quite shaken by the fact that Ron had threatened Sturgis' life. The fire roared from behind Ron, and he quickly stepped out of the way. Sirius came through the fire, and he had Sturgis hanging off of his shoulder.

"Dromeda, help me," Sirius grit out, and Andromeda quickly cleared the nearest couch. Sirius set Sturgis' wheezing form on the couch, while Andromeda began looking him over. "He's not breathing right… He keeps making that whistling sound…"

"His ribs are broken," Andromeda sighed out, and then she looked to Ron. "Which Spell did you use?"

"None," Ron replied truthfully. "I punched him. Once in the center of his chest, and then in his side."

"You punched him?" Andromeda frowned, and Ron just stared at her. "You expect me to believe that?"

"Leave it," the shady man spoke up. "Just heal the poor bastard, will yeh?"

"You…" Sirius glared at Ron. "Start explaining yourself right now… Why aren't you at school?"

"Let's have that conversation in the Kitchen, shall we?" Xeno suggested. "Some tea will ease the growing tension…"

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Tuesday 17th November, 1993 (Twelve Grimmauld Place – Before Dinner)

The tea hadn't helped at all, especially once Ron started explaining what Harry had been up to. Unsurprisingly, no one believed him until he threatened to drag Harry into Grimmauld Place. His mother was utterly shocked at misreading Harry, Pandora and Xeno just looked disappointed, and Sirius had gotten riled up.

"So he just broke into your things and found out?" Sirius paced, and Ron nodded.

"He found my scans, and then he looked further into them," Ron repeated. "I told you, Sirius. He's been investigating me."

"Bloody hell," Sirius shook his head, a scowl on his face. "Harry… I swear to Merlin, I never thought that I'd be so disappointed in him. Look at me… I sound like my father now…"

"Ronnie, are you sure about this?" Molly asked. "This doesn't sound like Harry at all." Why am I not surprised by her reaction?

"Do you really know Harry?" Ron asked, and she slowly shook her head. "The Boy-Who-Lived is a fairytale, nothing more. He's an annoying pest who has no respect for other people's privacy. And don't call me Ronnie… My name is Ron, or Ronald."

"Ron," Pandora said, and Ron looked to see her staring at him with her piercing gaze. Ron drew in a deep breath, and then he offered her a weak smile.

"Sorry, Pandora," Ron apologized. "I've had a long day…"

"He broke into your things?" Sirius asked again, and Ron just nodded. "And he did it while he was staying at the Burrow?"

"I've already said so, yes," Ron replied, and Sirius rubbed his temples. He's not taking this well. "This also explains why he was following me during the Longbottom Funeral. He found my scans, and like a bloodhound, he tried to find out more. Look… Instead of taking action myself, I've come here. I've told you adults everything. It's all on you now."

"You did the right thing," Xeno smiled at him. That remains to be seen.

"Sirius, you better tell Harry to keep this to himself," Ron stood up, he needed to get back to Hogwarts. "And tell him to stay away from me, and my siblings."

"Siblings?" Sirius asked. "Kid… They're Harry's friends…"

"I don't care," Ron said, and Sirius let out a sigh. "You have no idea how hard I've worked to keep myself in check, Sirius. He has been spying on me simply because I'm in Slytherin, and I'm very tired of this same old dance. Either you punish him for his actions, or I will." With that, Ron left for the exit.

"You're going back to Hogwarts?" Molly called, and Ron stopped.

"I am," Ron replied. "Dinner will be served soon, and my friends are expecting me."

"You can eat here," Molly suggested. "I can make you something." That is tempting… Mum's cooking is unmatched in my opinion.

"I appreciate the offer, mum," Ron turned to face her. "But I really ought to get back to Hogwarts. My friends are waiting for me, and I still need to deal with Harry and his friends."

"Alright…" Molly said, looking a bit crestfallen. "Just no fighting… Please, Ron." Trust me, I learned my lesson.

"Talk to him, Sirius," Ron looked to him. "Tell him to just leave me alone, and make sure that he doesn't tell anyone else."

"I'll talk to him," Sirius sat down, a tired look on his face.

"You did well by not lashing out, Ron," Pandora commended, and Ron gave her a nod before leaving the Kitchen.

As Ron made his way into the Living Room, he found Andromeda, Emmeline, and the shady bloke hovering over Sturgis. They all looked to him, while Ron stared at the unconscious Sturgis. This is what the Order is capable of? Fucking useless… And that Emmeline idiot left the damn floo open. How fucking stupid is that?

"He'll be fine," Andromeda told Ron. "Don't worry about it."

"Do I look worried?" Ron asked her, and then he walked over to the fireplace. Before he flooed away, he looked to Emmeline Vance. "The next time you leave Grimmauld Place, close the damn floo network." The adults gaped at Ron's back, while he tossed some floo powder into the fire. "The Headmaster's Office, Hogwarts." The fire blazed green, and Ron stepped through it.

"Welcome back, Ronald," Dumbledore greeted him, and Ron looked to see the Headmaster near the exit. "Just in time for dinner."

"I just met some of the Order," Ron walked up to Dumbledore. "I broke Sturgis' ribs, and I also manhandled Emmeline Vance."

"Pardon?" Dumbledore blinked.

"I'll tell you on the way," Ron sighed, and they began to head down to the Great Hall.

"You fought them?" Dumbledore asked, his expression had hardened. He hasn't been the same since Sunday, but I can't really blame him.

"I went to the Burrow, and my Family weren't there," Ron started, and then they passed by the Stone Gargoyle. "So I went to go check on my scans, and while I was doing that, Sturgis entered the Burrow. He thought that I was an intruder… There were clearly Alarm Charms on the house, and I set them off. As I was coming down, he jumped me and pinned me against a wall. I didn't know that he was an Order member, so I fought back."

"And Sturgis was hurt in the conflict?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yeah," Ron nodded. "Emmeline Vance then showed up, and I caught her off-guard. Headmaster, she left the floo to Grimmauld Place open…"

"I see," Dumbledore said calmly, his expression returning to normal.

"If I was a Death-Eater, I could have strolled right into Grimmauld Place," Ron frowned deeply. "Is she mentally challenged?"

"The last war was over a decade ago, Ronald," Dumbledore replied, deciding to calm Ron down. "Many are still finding their legs again."

"She put my Family in danger," Ron said, and then he drew in a deep breath. "This day, Headmaster… It just keeps getting more annoying…"

"Then it's a good thing that it's almost over," Dumbledore patted Ron's back. "How did your talk with Sirius go?"

"I told him everything, and it's all up to the adults now," Ron replied.

"So you will not take action against Harry?" Dumbledore asked.

"No, I won't," Ron gave Dumbledore a bland look. "Why is it that Harry can do no wrong in your eyes?"

"Ronald, that is simply not true," Dumbledore told him. "What he did was wrong, I won't deny that. I just don't want you two fighting each other."

"Because you want me helping him later on," Ron said, they were nearing the Great Hall.

"We must always think of the Greater Good," Dumbledore counselled. "Harry will need you, and you will need him. I truly believe that, dear boy."

"I… I understand, but for now, I just want him to stay away from me," Ron sighed out. "He disrespected my parents' hospitality, he spat on our alliance, and now he has power over me."

"He will not tell a soul," Dumbledore promised, but Ron didn't believe him.

"I just can't take that risk," Ron said as they began to enter the Entrance Hall. Wait… The House Points. "Did you remove the House Points from Gryffindor?"

"I did," Dumbledore said, while Ron walked up to check the Hourglasses. Slytherin has four hundred and ten points, Ravenclaw has one hundred and seventy points, Hufflepuff is on one hundred and ten points, and Gryffindor is on fifty points now. Good. The House Cup is all but secured for us. "I must say, Slytherin has been doing a splendid job this year."

"I know, right?" Ron managed a proud smile. "You might as well hand over the House Cup at tonight's dinner."

"I can't do that, my boy," Dumbledore smiled a little. "I have placed my money on Ravenclaw this year."

"The Professors take bets?" Ron asked, and Dumbledore gave him a nod. "Do they just bet on their own Houses?"

"Sadly, yes… I am the only one who changes his bet each year," Dumbledore replied. "Their lack of change makes for poor sport, but it is what it is. Come, let's eat." Ron and Dumbledore made their way inside, and Ron immediately went for the Slytherin table. I won't even acknowledge the traitors. As far as I'm concerned, they don't even exist for the foreseeable Future. As Ron neared his friends, he noticed that Malfoy wasn't at dinner.

"Hello," Ron greeted them in his usual way, and then he sat down between Daphne and Blaise.

"You're back," Daphne smiled a little. "How did it go?"

"I told them everything that Blaise was able to find out," Ron replied, and then he looked around the table. Why is everyone so excited?

"You didn't hear this, but Gryffindor lost sixty points today," Pansy smirked. Oh, I know. "There's even talks of a party being held by the Triumvirate this weekend!"

"Twenty each then," Ron said to himself.

"So it was you," Theo chuckled, and Ron shrugged.

"I saw an opportunity to put Gryffindor in the last spot, and I took it," Ron told them, and his friends nodded their approval.

"This came for you a couple of minutes ago," Blaise said, and then he handed Ron a letter. "It's got the Beauxbatons Seal on it, mate." Madame Maxime. She sent me the list of Old French Families?

"Before you open that, we need to tell you that Malfoy hasn't been seen since his session with Pomfrey," Millie spoke up, and Ron stopped opening the letter.

"What?" Ron asked. "So he's not at the common room?"

"Nope," Tracey shook her head. "We tried to find him after you left, but we couldn't. He's just… vanished." Ron immediately looked to Flint, who was currently ripping into Crabbe and Goyle. If he did anything to Malfoy…

"They had practice after classes," Daphne told him. "I don't think they did anything to Malfoy."

"Then where would he run off to?" Ron asked the others. "Did you check the North Wing?"

"We did," Pansy replied. "He wasn't there." Shite, where did he go? I'll use the Marauder's Map to find him after dinner.

"He'll turn up," Daphne rubbed his thigh under the table. "I'll make you a plate, okay?"

"Thanks, Daph," Ron relaxed a little, and then he opened the letter.

Ronald

As discussed, I have managed to find several Old Families who are willing to donate Five Hundred Galleons each to the St. Mungo's Charity Event. They are awaiting an invitation from your Ministry, so act fast, my friend.

The Abadie Family

The Ancar Family

The Beaufort Family

The Beaumont Family

The Bisset Family

The Couture Family

The Delacour Family

The Donadieu Family

The Heroux Family

The Lenoir Family

The Travers Family

Your Ministry will know their address.

Your Friend and Ally,

Madame Olympe Maxime

Ron smiled to himself as he handed the letter to Theo, who read it to the others. While Theo was reading the letter, Ron began his meal. I'll need to ask Snape if I can ditch his Potions Club tomorrow. I need to get this letter to Madam Bones as soon as possible.

"So it's really happening?" Tracey cocked an eyebrow. "You and Madame Maxime are going to bring the French Families to England?"

"If Madam Bones allows it, then yeah," Ron nodded.

"This is quite amazing, Ron," Theo handed the letter back. "But be warned… There's a lot of bad blood amongst the Old Families."

"Right…" Ron said slowly. "Tell me about it, Theo."

"Well, it's mostly just ego," Theo started. "Each Family has to up the other, and it always turns into a pissing match between them."

"Mix in alcohol, and you've got a fight on your hands," Pansy added, and everyone but Tracey and Ron nodded along. It makes sense, Tracey and I didn't grow up attending Galas and Pure-Blood Parties.

"Then there's the war…" Theo sighed. "No matter how you look at it, they will blame each other for even existing back then. Some are angry because others joined You-Know-Who, while the others are angry that some didn't."

"I'm sure Madam Bones will keep everyone in check," Millie added. "But just know that she might not like this idea very much."

"I'll convince her then," Ron shrugged, and then he looked to Blaise. "Now… Tell me about the letter that you got today."

"Seriously?" Blaise gave him a deadpan look. "I told you not to worry about that."

"We're a team, Blaise," Ron smiled a little. "We help each other."

"See," Tracey smirked at Blaise. "Now stop being a baby and tell us."

"Fine…" Blaise sighed out. After this, I'll find out where our other teammate ran off to.

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AUTHOR'S NOTES: And there it is! I hope you guys enjoyed that!

Next Chapter will have Voldemort, and more information on things happening outside of Hogwarts.

See you guys on Friday!