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.

107. Chapter 107 - Recovery

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Chapter 107 is delivered! It took a while to write this one, mostly because I just couldn't find the right tone. Or inspiration. But, I finally got my shit together, so here you go!

Anyway, 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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'Many fall in the face of Chaos, but not this one... Not today' - The Ancestor from Darkest Dungeon

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Fate

Chapter 107 – Recovery

Lucius Malfoy's POV

Tuesday 22nd December, 1993 (Nott Manor – Night)

Silence filled the room after the Dark Lord's presence had vanished, and Lucius prepared himself for the second part of the plan.

The Dark Lord's ingenuity had to be respected. Instead of showing his 'faithful' followers his weakened body, the Dark Lord had willed the last of his Magic to perform a terrifying Spell. Even Lucius, who knew what was going to happen, had found himself trembling from sheer terror. So it was hardly surprising that some of the Pure-Bloods were still cowering in fear, Corban Yaxley included. Though, unlike the others, he looks… excited. He will no doubt vie for my position once again. I must be careful, and I must keep him in his place.

"Stand, my friends," Cornelius broke the silence, and the others slowly looked to him. "Do not be afraid. Our Lord has shown us all mercy, and once again, he will lead us into a better tomorrow. We, the chosen, shall rule the World in his name." That is if he doesn't kill us all.

"Cornelius… Lucius…" Corban slowly stood up, and then he helped his young friend to his feet. "How long has the Dark Lord been with you?"

"Quite a while," Lucius replied calmly. "If any of you questioned where we were, you now have your answer. We were by our Lord's side."

"It's a miracle…" Corban adorned a rather manic look. "We've all seen a miracle tonight…" Merlin, I forgot how insane he really is.

"The Dark Lord is back," Violet muttered, and everyone broke into whispers.

From what Lucius could make out, excitement and despair could be found in equal measure. People like Walden Macnair, the Carrow siblings, Corban Yaxley, Herbert Crabbe, Thorfinn Rowle, and Bartholomew Goyle looked far more pleased than the rest, which was hardly surprising considering their parts in the last war.

"Dinner will have to wait," Cornelius stepped further into the room, and Lucius followed after him. "Lucius and I have instructions for you all."

"The first instruction is very simple," Lucius took over. "None of you will speak to your children about the Dark Lord's return."

"Why?" Violet asked immediately. "This is exactly what my daughter needs to hear for her to grow some sense!"

"Children are foolish, and they are ruled by their hearts," Cornelius said. "We cannot afford to be discovered just yet."

"What of Marcus?" Lucas Flint asked. "He is an adult." Your son is an idiot of the highest caliber.

"Not. One. Word," Lucius whispered dangerously. "If I find out that any of your children ran their mouths about the Dark Lord's return, I will make it my life's mission to end your Bloodline. Am I understood?"

People exchanged looks, and then they all nodded their agreements. Good. Don't forget that I am Lucius Malfoy, and that you are all beneath me.

"Second order of business," Lucius looked to Corban. "You will never go after Ronald Weasley again."

Several people were visibly taken aback, while Corban just stared at Lucius with a furrowed brow.

"You know about that?" Corban asked, while the others were still reeling from Lucius' bizarre command.

"Fudge has been sending me letters," Lucius replied, and Corban's jaw clenched. "Do not look so upset, Corban. You must understand that I created Cornelius Fudge. Without me, he is absolutely nothing, and he understands that quite well. You are lucky that the Dark Lord did not kill you tonight." Though I ask myself, why did the Dark Lord not stop Corban? Was he testing the boy? Or did he want the French gone?

"The Dark Lord would kill Corban over Ronald Weasley? A Blood-Traitor?" Violet asked, her face pinched with disgust. Does she want to die? If the Dark Lord overhears her, she'll be dead before dawn.

"The Dark Lord has taken a keen interest in the boy, and he has ordered us to protect him," Cornelius replied. "He is not pleased with you, Corban, so tread very carefully."

Corban just stared at Lucius and Cornelius, and Lucius found himself wondering about Corban's thoughts. He is no doubt shocked like the others, but he hides it well.

"This doesn't make any sense," Violet shook her head. "Ronald Weasley is the enemy! He has turned my-"

"Do not raise your voice, woman," Lucius cut her off. "You were not invited here, and your opinion means less than dirt. Stand behind your husband, and keep your mouth shut."

Violet looked murderous, but she didn't dare voice her outrage. Her hatred of Blood-Traitors rivals my own, but unlike me, she is a bloody minded individual. This could be… useful. If I can push her to take action against the Weasley boy, I could get rid of him without sullying my own hands.

"For now, Egbert, I want you to make sure that your daughter remains close friends with Ronald Weasley," Lucius said, and the look on Violet's face nearly made Lucius smile. Yes, I can use her for my own ends, and it won't take much. She sees young Pansy as her property, and Ronald Weasley has filled the girl's head with foolish notions of rebellion.

"If this is truly the Dark Lord's will…" Egbert looked terribly confused. Simpleton. "I will see it done…"

Violet Parkinson began to shake with rage, but no one except for Lucius paid her any mind.

"I did not know that Ronald Weasley was off limits," Corban said, though he too sounded bewildered. "Where is the Dark Lord? I will apologize in person."

"When he wishes to speak with you, we will contact you," Cornelius said. "Until then, keep your distance from the boy. The Dark Lord does not need you pushing the boy further away from our cause."

"I don't want to question our Lord's plans, but Ronald Weasley…" Corban started. "I spoke with him today after what happened in the Ministry… He despises us deeply. I don't think that he can be turned."

"Our Lord can be very… persuasive," Cornelius smiled cruelly. "Ronald Weasley will see the light, in time."

"Then I will follow the Dark Lord's plans," Corban gave a nod. "As will the others in this room." I wouldn't be so sure of that, my old friend. The hag looks ready to boil the Blood-Traitor.

"Egbert, I have another task for you," Lucius looked to the man. "The Dark Lord requires a Unicorn for his research, and I have told him of your safe haven for the endangered beasts. I expect you to deliver a Unicorn to us by tomorrow night."

"Tomorrow night?" Egbert looked to his wife for a moment. "That won't be easy… The Department-"

"I did not ask for your excuses," Lucius said coldly. "Get it done."

"Of… Of course…" Egbert mumbled.

"The Dark Lord also requires a powerful poison for his research," Cornelius said. "Lucius and I have not been able to find one suitable for the Dark Lord's needs due to our own duties, so we are delegating the task to all of you. Whoever brings the most potent poison will no doubt earn the Dark Lord's favor."

"Potent poison…" Corban whispered under his breath, and then his expression turned cold and calculating. "Does he need it by tomorrow?" He has something, doesn't he? Damn.

"Yes," Cornelius replied. "The Dark Lord also requires funding in order to secure our future. I have taken the liberty of setting up an account at Gringotts, and you will all make generous donations to it. The details will be given to you once I have finalized the account's security."

"How much should we give?" Herbert asked.

"That is entirely up to you," Lucius replied, and the Pure-Bloods exchanged looks. Yes, try to outbid each other in order to secure favor. That will fill up our coffers nicely.

"Now that business is out of the way, shall we have dinner?" Cornelius asked the others, who didn't look hungry whatsoever. "No? Perhaps some wine, then?" Most of the people in the room nodded. "Come, then… Let us toast to the Dark Lord's return. May he help us finally build our Peaceful Pure-Blood Society! A society which will never be tarnished by Muggles and Mud-Bloods!"

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Molly Weasley's POV

Tuesday 22nd December, 1993 (The Burrow – Night)

Molly stared out of the window, and she spotted Ron sitting on the grass by himself. The other Slytherin children had helped him for a while, but manual labor was not their forte. Poor Daphne left with blisters on her palms. Molly rubbed the dish in her shaky hands with nervous fervor, her youngest son's behavior was starting to scare her.

She had seen Ron in a somber mood before, he was quite moody as a child whenever he felt neglected, but this was very different. He looked so… defeated, and helpless. Seeing him like this made Molly want to hurt the people who had betrayed, and humiliated, her boy. Theodore had told her to give Ron his space, and that whenever Ron got like this, he became volatile, but right now, Molly just wanted to go outside and speak to him. He didn't even come in for dinner. I bet he's hungry. And cold. And lonely. None of the other children want to speak to him because of his mood. Even Theodore and Draco have left for upstairs.

"Is he still outside?" came Pandora's voice, and Molly put the dish back into the sink.

"Look at him…" Molly sighed out, and Pandora shot a look out of the window. "Look at what they did to him, Pandora… He brought them here to do some good, and they taunted him for it." Some people are just vile through and through, and I wish that Ron didn't learn that lesson so young.

"He put up the fence," Pandora said, and Molly shot her a slightly bewildered look.

"Why does that matter?" Molly asked. "Who cares about a fence, Pandora?"

"Ron cares about that fence," Pandora said, and Molly blinked at her. Sometimes, I worry that Pandora lives in a different World from the rest of us. "You should ask him to come inside."

"I want to… But Theodore mentioned that Ron could get angry with me," Molly looked out of the window, her voice slightly ashamed. "I… I don't want to fight with him anymore, Pandora. He and I are finally starting to heal, and I don't want to endanger that…" I'm a selfish woman, I know, but I can't let him hate me. Not again.

"How will talking to him endanger your relationship?" Pandora asked.

"I don't know how to speak to him," Molly whispered weakly. "You know this… I've told you already, haven't I? Whenever I speak to him, we always end up at odds, and I don't know why. He used to be such an agreeable boy, but now, he's… volatile…"

"He is certainly not who he used to be, but you're still the same person," Pandora said. "Molly, go speak with your son, and listen to him. He needs his mother. He needs the woman who frets over him for the smallest of things."

Pandora turned to leave at that, but Molly quickly grabbed her thin wrist. Why is her wrist so thin? Is Xeno not feeding her enough? Wait… What am I thinking about? Concentrate, Molly.

"You… You should speak to him…" Molly managed to say, though it took genuine effort to push her pride as a mother down. "He listens to you…" It's you that he loves as a mother, not me.

"Because I listen to him," Pandora smiled in her airy way. "I think Ron has a lot to say to you, but until you start listening, you two will never heal. Go out there, Molly, and just listen to him. It won't be easy, but he'll open up eventually."

"How are you so sure?" Molly asked.

"Ron is the sort of person who will hold you in his heart if you give him some love and attention," Pandora replied. "You're the only person that he will listen to right now, I think." What? "Ask him about the fence. I'm sure there's a good reason behind the effort he's put into this fence."

With that, Pandora left to go join the other adults in the Living Room. Molly just watched her leave, a genuinely baffled look on her face. Ask him about the fence? Why? I want to ask him about the French. I want to tell him that it doesn't matter that they went behind his back. He did a good thing, and no one can change that. Molly looked out of the window again, and she realized that Ron hadn't moved an inch during her chat with Pandora. He's all alone out there.

Molly drew in a shaky breath, and she summoned her Gryffindor courage before she walked over to the exit. I can listen. I can be patient. If he doesn't say anything, I'll just sit with him until he decides to come inside. Molly made her way outside, and the moment the cold breeze hit her, she felt the urge to grab a blanket for Ron. No, I can't impose on him. I'll… I'll just listen, and if he asks for a blanket, then I'll cast the Warming Charm on him. Molly tried her best to not make a sound, but as she neared him, Ron shot a disinterested look in her direction.

"Can I sit with you?" Molly asked, she didn't like the distant look on his face. He looks like he's grieving… I just want to hug him to death right now.

"It's cold out here, mum," Ron looked back ahead. "You should go back inside."

"It's not that cold," Molly resisted the urge to say the same thing to him.

Ron said nothing in response, and so Molly sat down to his right, her eyes fixed on the newly erected fence. He used a shovel to dig the holes for the posts, and he used a hammer for the nails. He can perform Magic because of his free pass, but he still used his hands. Arthur mentioned that Ron wanted to know what it felt like to be a Squib, and I can't figure out why Ron would want that. No wizard should want to be like the Squibs.

"Do you like it?" Ron asked in a whisper, and Molly perked up.

"It's very nice, dear," Molly replied, though she saw no need for it.

She wasn't going to lie, she didn't like the fact that Ron had built this fence around her Garden. For the life of me, I can't tell what Ron's problem is with the Gnomes. Why was he so adamant about this fence?

"I built it for you…" Ron muttered, and Molly looked to her son. What?

"For me?" Molly asked. I don't mind the Gnomes, though. They're harmless.

Molly suddenly remembered Pandora's advice, and she decided to continue with this conversation. Ask him about the fence, that's what Pandora said.

"You deal with the Gnomes when we children aren't around, right?" Ron asked her before she could say anything. "Dad's always working…"

"I do," she replied slowly, her eyes finding Ron's. Hollow, and just sad. Damn those French traitors!

"Now you don't have to," Ron looked back to the fence. "Your back will thank you for it, I'm sure."

"My back?" Molly asked, she was getting confused now.

"I noticed that you hold your back when you cook now," Ron replied, and Molly was quite taken aback. "You even complained to Pandora about your back being sore yesterday…"

"Ron… I'm getting old, that's all," Molly whispered, she was quite intrigued by his words. He noticed that my back's been hurting lately? I won't lie, doing all the chores alone is getting harder and harder. I use my Magic when I can, but chasing the Gnomes out does take its toll on me.

"Then I'm glad that I built this fence," Ron said, though he sounded like he was talking to himself. "I don't want you to ever get hurt…."

Molly just stared at her youngest son, and she found that her mouth wouldn't open. Did he really build this for me? Molly looked back to the fence, and she felt a creeping sense of shame for her previous behavior. I accused him of wanting to change this house because I thought that he felt ashamed of his heritage… Was I wrong about that as well? Once again, Molly found herself feeling out of place near Ron. No matter what she tried, she just couldn't understand this boy. He's like Pandora… He lives in a different World from the rest of us.

"I thought that you simply hated the Gnomes," Molly finally broke the silence. "And that you weren't proud of your heritage…"

"I do dislike the Gnomes, and although I wanted to build the fence to spite them at first, my reasoning has changed since then," Ron replied rather calmly. "As for my heritage… Mum, I'm proud of my heritage… Probably too proud, even."

Molly felt something cold and soothing in her chest, and it provided her with much needed relief. I'm very happy to hear that. He should be proud of his heritage. We might not be rich in wealth, but we're rich in the things that really matter.

"You really noticed that my back was hurting?" Molly felt a lump in her throat. Only Arthur has noticed my back pain, and my back's been hurting for weeks.

For a few moments, Ron said nothing, but eventually, he drew in a deep breath and looked down at his hands.

"I try, you know…" Ron said, and Molly waited for him to go on. "I know I'm difficult… Stubborn beyond measure, and needlessly rude at times… But I try."

"Try what?" Molly heard herself whimper.

"To be a good son…" Ron spoke to the grass, and Molly felt her heart clench painfully. What? "To be a good brother… To be a good friend… I try to do good things, but they always fall short… Everything I do seems to fall short."

Molly was about to give him her honest opinion, but she stopped herself in the last moment. Pandora had told her that Ron had a lot to say to her, and that he'd only listen to her if she listened to him first. So, very begrudgingly, Molly held herself in check. She desperately wanted to hug her boy, and to tell him that he was a good person, but she bit down on her tongue and stayed in her spot. Her breathing became a little shaky because of his tired voice, but Merlin help her, she wasn't going to make a mistake with him this time.

"I… I set the twins up," Ron said after a few moments, and Molly felt the air leave her lungs. He did? Why?! "When I think about it now, it seems so stupid…"

"What seems stupid?" Molly asked, a hint of disapproval in her voice. Don't scold him, Molly… Not right now.

"My reasoning…" Ron muttered. "I just wanted them to feel how I felt whenever they came after me… Whenever they hurt my feelings… But like everything that I do, I fucked it all up." Language… "They didn't help with the fence… Even Ginny hammered a few nails, but the twins didn't lift a finger to help me. And the sad part is, I don't blame them. I wouldn't want to help me either." Where is this coming from? "Why am I like this, mum?"

Molly couldn't bring herself to say a damn word, the lump in her throat was starting to cause her genuine pain. Neither of them said a word for a while, mostly because Molly couldn't bring herself to answer his question. What was she supposed to say? Was she supposed to scold him for what he had done to the twins? Was she supposed to comfort him because he was upset? Right now, all Molly could think about was the fact that her son was struggling with things that no thirteen year old should be struggling with, but she couldn't do anything to help him. Not without fighting with him. And I don't want to fight with him anymore. I just want him to be happy. Like he was when he was younger.

"The others have questions about my health," Ron finally spoke, and Molly turned her ears on. "I don't want to tell them anything, though."

"Why?" Molly asked.

"Because they'll feel wretched, and then, they'll go out of their way to help me," Ron replied. "To care for me. To show me love and support."

"Isn't… Isn't that a good thing, Ron?" Molly couldn't help but ask.

"It won't be real," Ron replied, and Molly blinked at him. "They'll feel compelled by their self-inflicted guilt to be kind to me, but it won't be real… Their concern will simply exist because we're siblings, not because they actually like me… I don't want that."

Once again, Molly felt her heart ache, but she didn't say anything. I want to tell him that they do love him, but I don't think that he'll believe me. What did Daphne's books say? Chronic Stress leads to feelings of self-loathing and contempt… Molly cursed the mental disorder that was inflicting so much pain on her son's psyche. My poor boy… He doesn't deserve this.

"They won't let this go, however," Ron went on. "Eventually, they'll learn the truth, and then, things will change too quickly for my liking. I'll have no control over the situation."

"What are you saying, Ron?" Molly couldn't help but ask. "Do you want to tell them?"

"After Christmas…" Ron whispered, and Molly nodded to herself. Finally! This is the right move, Ron! I promise! "But first, I need to fix things with the twins… I don't want my illness to 'Magically' fix everything for me. That doesn't feel right, you know? It feels like a manipulation, and I'm done with that."

"Good," Molly said without thinking.

Ron nodded to himself, his expression hadn't changed whatsoever throughout their conversation. Molly followed his gaze back to the fence, and oddly enough, she didn't mind that it was there anymore. If anything, she was quite pleased with it. He built it for me… My boy built me a fence because he noticed my back pain. Molly smiled a little herself, though the lump in her throat started hurting again.

"I still have to put in one more post," Ron suddenly stood up.

"It's pretty dark out there…" Molly started, but she stopped herself once again.

"I have a lamp up there," Ron told her. "Luna found one in dad's shed, and she gave it to me."

"Do you want some help?" Molly asked, and Ron shook his head.

"You should go and sit down in a comfortable chair," Ron said. "I know a place in Diagon Alley that gives massages, and I'll make a booking for you tomorrow. They'll fix you up, I promise."

"Ron…" Molly was about to refuse, but the look on Ron's face silenced her. He looks really sad… Merlin, what's gotten into him? What did the French say to him? What did Corban Yaxley do to my boy?!

"I won't be around to take care of you when you're old and grey," Ron said, and Molly's eyes widened a little. What did he just say? "The others will be there, but not me… I'll be long gone by then."

"Wh… What…? What are you saying?" Molly whimpered, her head shaking weakly. "No… Don't say that…"

"This fence will be my way of making sure that you don't have to clean out Gnomes when you're too old to do so," Ron looked back to the fence. "When you bring everyone around for Family dinners, you'll use the vegetables from this garden. Because of this fence, I'll still be on the dinner table in a manner of speaking… I'll still be looking out for you…"

Ron walked off into the dark, while Molly just sat there. The lump in her throat had somehow traveled down into her chest, and she felt her heart ache so painfully that she winced. Ron's words had hit her hard, especially because, in her deepest thoughts, she too had thought about losing her son well before his time. Every adult in Ron's life knew that Ron wouldn't be around forever, but the fact that he himself thought like this cut Molly down to her soul.

Naturally, Molly found herself crying into her hands before long. She couldn't bear the thought of burying her youngest son, or any of her other children for that matter. In fact, this was her greatest fear in life. Even the thought of losing her Family in the upcoming war often made her tear up, so how could she not weep for Ron? How could she not curse Fate for giving her youngest son a death warrant at the age of thirteen?

Eventually, Ron returned from his task, and when he saw her crying incoherently to herself, he sat down beside her and put his arm around her shoulder. Molly clung to him desperately, and they both just sat there. No words were spoken, but Molly knew that Ron had somehow ended up comforting her. Guilt, and genuine heartbreak, renewed her weeping, but Ron was seemingly not bothered by it. He just sat there, making sure that his mother was at least warm while she wept over the cruel hand life had dealt him.

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Ronald Weasley's POV

Wednesday 23rd December, 1993 (The Creek near the Burrow – Early Morning)

Ron just floated around in the cold water, his mind drifting just like his body.

His Mentor's mantra of 'Be better' had clearly lodged itself deep inside his mind, and because of that, he had started tracking down his recent mistakes. There were quite a few of them, and Ron, being who he was, felt the urge to fix them immediately. He despised putting things on hold, mostly because unforeseen circumstances tended to ruin things for him more often than not.

Regarding the French, Ron had clearly become too focused on the Future, and in doing so, he had neglected the present. When he really thought about it, the warning signs of this betrayal were quite evident. Lady Abadie had attempted to secure power for herself via the Order, and when that hadn't worked, it should've been obvious that she would try something different. In an odd sort of way, Ron understood her actions. She didn't know what the Dark Lord was truly capable of, and due to her powerful status in society, she probably believed that she could control him via her allure.

Personally, Ron didn't care about the fact that she was definitely going to die if she tried something so foolish. However, Ron did care about the fact that her actions were going to lead to catastrophe for the Veela community. By now, Ron was an expert on the concept of guilt by association, which meant that he understood that the Veela community was going to suffer because Lady Abadie's abysmal actions. Many would no doubt lose their lives as a direct result of their allegiance to her, while the survivors would have to answer for their fellow Veelas' actions. They would all face even more prejudice, and the Wizarding World would continue being a segregated place. I wonder if the Muggles have problems like ours. I should ask Hermione and Tracey about it, and maybe, I might learn something of value.

The thought of asking for Hermione's help reminded Ron of his promise to her. He still needed to ask for Dumbledore's help on that. One letter from him, and the Ministry will send Hermione a free pass. Ron couldn't help but feel a little envious of his Headmaster's power, but at the same time, he found himself feeling agitated with the old man. Dumbledore might have stopped the war that Ron had nearly started, but that didn't excuse the fact that the old man had sat on his arse while Ron's enemies dragged him to the wood shed. He said that power is his weakness, but that just sounds like an excuse to me. A way for him to keep himself guilt free while the World goes to shit. How many other vile legislations have passed because Albus Dumbledore refused to do his duty?

He was disappointed with the old sorcerer. Albus Dumbledore was an inspiration for Ron, he wouldn't deny that, but the more he learned about the man, the more Ron began to question Dumbledore's choices. This was a man who had all the power in the World, and yet, he refused to use it. There had to be a very good reason for this, surely. But what if there isn't? What if he only cares about his own conscience? No… I know that he cares about people. No one could ever deny just how much good Dumbledore has done. But… Why won't he use his power? Everyone has agendas, right? So why doesn't he promote ours with his many positions of power?

A voice in the back of Ron's head told him that he had no right to question a man like Albus Dumbledore. The voice told him that Dumbledore had never really asked for power, and that all this power was bestowed upon him by other people. People who put the entire World on one man's shoulders, and then demanded that he do everything by himself. When I really think about it, I can't help but wonder how Dumbledore copes with it all. He has no Family that I know of. He's not married. I don't think that he even has any friends. He did have Elphias Doge, but the man was murdered quite recently. Not to mention the state his Family home was in… Does he just live at Hogwarts? Shut away from the entire World?

Clearly, Ron didn't know Albus Dumbledore all that well, and that realization made him feel sad. He had never once asked the man about his daily life, or about the experiences that had shaped him. Maybe I ought to do that before I judge him? I'm no saint, so what right do I have to judge him? Without facts, I'm just one more person who thinks that he knows best, and I've learnt where that road leads. I couldn't even control my own allies, and other people had to step in to fix my mistakes.

Ron opened his eyes when he heard footsteps, someone was running towards him. Not just one, but a couple of people. Ron felt a jolt of panic, he was in his boxers right now. My scars are on full display. Ron swam towards the edge of the creek, and just as he reached his discarded clothes, Kirsten and Charlie stopped their morning run. At first, neither of them noticed him, they were too busy panting from exhaustion, but soon enough, Charlie's eyes darted towards the head of red hair.

"Ron?" Charlie called, and Ron slowly emerged from the water. It's just them, and they already know about my scars.

Kirsten's eyes widened at the sight of them, and Ron immediately regretted his decision to come out. I'm so fucking scattered right now… I need to wake up. Kirsten quickly looked the other way, while Charlie did his best to look calm and collected. His hands are fidgety… He's shocked, I think. Ron quickly put on his Training Outfit, completely ignoring the fact that he was still wet. Once he was dressed, he began to make his way up the slope.

"Taking a morning dip?" Charlie asked, his voice was slightly forced. He's trying to be casual about this, isn't he? He doesn't want me to feel insecure.

Ron couldn't help but admire that about Charlie. They had fought recently, but Charlie was still trying to be a comforting presence for Ron nonetheless. I wouldn't do that, would I? No, I hold grudges... I ruined the twins' reputation without a second thought, and I enjoyed overpowering Fred physically. Another mistake… It's no wonder that they're angry with me. I'm hardly a good brother to them. I used their past behavior to excuse my own terrible actions, didn't I?

"Ron?" Charlie called out again, and Ron stopped walking. "We're sorry for interrupting, mate… We didn't know that you were in there…"

Ron looked back to Kirsten and Charlie, and he saw that Kirsten was still facing the other way. Charlie told her about my scars, but I still blame her for knowing something that she shouldn't. And yet, she helped when I was having my panic attack. She even helped me with the fence for a bit.

"Kirsten," Ron said, and she shot a wary look back before turning around to face him. "I'm sorry for my behavior…"

Both Kirsten and Charlie blinked at him, they clearly hadn't expected him to apologize out of the blue. Kirsten shot a quick look towards her boyfriend, but Charlie was just staring at Ron in disbelief.

"I was cruel, and out of line, when I investigated your parents," Ron said, making sure to keep his eyes on hers. "It's not your fault that I have these scars, and it's not your fault that you were there for Charlie when he needed someone to talk to. I'm very sorry."

With that said, Ron turned around and headed back towards the Burrow. He didn't expect her to forgive him, of course, Ron knew that if someone had investigated his Family, he'd make them pay dearly. She was on my side while some of my allies betrayed me, and she looked pissed off when they were humiliating me. She doesn't owe me a thing, but she was still there. She's clearly a better person than I am, or at least, more mature. Ron let out a weak chuckle at that. And I had the gall to tell her to grow up. It's shit like this that led to my fuck up. I clearly don't have as good a grasp on people as I thought I did.

Was this what Dumbledore was trying to teach him when he said that power corrupts? Maybe it doesn't just corrupt your morals, but it also corrupts your judgement. I was so sure that Kirsten was a liability, but she stood by my Family while I was being berated by Lady Abadie's flock. Another mistake. Ron suddenly felt a sharp pain in his stomach, and he grit his teeth. This pain again… What the fuck? What did I eat?

Ron massaged his wet stomach, his face contorting a little due to the weakening pain. It just comes and goes… Ugh, I need to learn to chew my food. Just as Ron pulled his left hand out of his top, he heard a loud hoot from above him. Helios? Ron looked up, and he spotted his Eagle-Owl doing circles above him. He's back! Ron put his right arm out, and Helios quickly landed on it.

"Welcome back, Helios," Ron smiled at his companion. "You sure took your time."

Helios hooted loudly as he flapped his wings, and Ron rubbed the Eagle-Owl's chest. Helios tried to nip at Ron's fingers, which was his way of showing people affection. He's rough, but I like that about him. He's a fierce little bastard, and I couldn't ask for a better companion.

"Were you hunting?" Ron asked, and Helios hooted again. "I'll take that as a yes. Did you catch something nice? I bet you did."

Helios hopped onto Ron's right shoulder, and then he head-butted his Master's lower jaw. Ron let out a weak chuckle, while Helios cocked his head. The bird's big yellow eyes were fixed on Ron's face, and when Ron noticed that the Eagle-Owl was staring, he stared right back.

"What is it?" Ron asked, and Helios nudged Ron's jaw lightly. "Being soft on me now? I guess you can tell when I'm upset, eh?"

Helios hooted softly, and Ron smiled at his companion.

"Don't worry about me, mate," Ron whispered, and then he looked in the direction of the Burrow. "I need you to go play with Ginny for me… She had a fight with Luna, and I think it's getting to her. Hermione's decided to stick with Neville and Harry, so I'm worried that Ginny is stewing in her own misery alone. Make sure that you stay with her, yeah? And don't be too rough."

Helios hooted, and then he flew off of Ron's shoulder. Ron watched Helios as the Eagle-Owl headed straight for the Burrow, and Ron found himself wishing that he too could fly. It'd be nice, wouldn't it? To just take off into the skies whenever I wanted to. No broom needed. Ron couldn't help but think of his Ravenclaw counterpart, and then he wondered about his counterpart's odd ability to turn into a murder of crows. Where did he even learn such a Spell? Did he create it somehow? If so, then how did he go about doing that?

Ron remembered that he wanted to ask Pandora about her Spell-Crafting books, and considering that he was looking for something to fill his time with, he decided that he'd ask her today. She used to be a Spell-Crafter, so maybe she'll even give me some tips. Though, I have no idea what kind of Spell I want to craft. Maybe a variation of something that I already know? At least I'd have something to work with, then.

The rest of the journey to the Burrow was uneventful, and when he finally entered the Kitchen, he saw his Slytherin friends, and the Trio, eating hot breakfasts. Daphne is here. Ron smiled involuntarily, she had saved him a seat right next to her. His mother was currently making sausages, no doubt waiting for him to return from his run. She cried a lot last night, and all because I spilled my crazy on her. That wasn't the right thing to do, I think.

"Merlin, is that all sweat?" came Theo's voice, and everyone looked to Ron.

"Ew," Tracey grimaced, and Ron looked down at his clothes. They're a bit soaked because of my swim. I didn't bother drying off, did I?

"I went for a swim in the creek," Ron told them, and some of them looked a little relieved.

"Ronnie, go up and take a warm shower," Molly said, an oddly sympathetic look on her face. "It's freezing out there, and I won't be surprised if you catch a cold."

"Alright," Ron said as he began making his way up the stairs, he wasn't all that hungry anyway. Which is weird because I'm usually starving in the morning.

As Ron passed by Ginny's room on the first floor, he heard loud hoots and the sound of happy laughter emanating from inside. Ron stopped, and he put his ear against the door.

"Helios, stop tugging at my hair," came Ginny's voice, it was filled with genuine mirth. "I just got done making it!"

The sound of wings flapping, and Ginny's excited shriek brought a soft smile to Ron's face. Good job, Helios. I'll make sure to give you some treats later.

"What are you trying to listen in on?" Daphne whispered from behind him, and Ron looked back with a startled look. "Are you up to something nefarious, Ron?"

"Helios is in there with her," Ron whispered back. "He just got home while I was out on my morning run."

"And you sent him over to her?" Daphne smiled playfully, and Ron simply shrugged. "Poor Helios… Constantly overworked by his wicked Master."

"He loves it," Ron smiled a little, and then he began heading for upstairs.

Daphne followed after him, and he immediately wondered what she wanted from him. Did she even finish her breakfast? If not, mum won't be too pleased with her.

"Daph, are you planning to join me in the shower?" Ron asked, and she smirked at him. She's being playful… Does she want to cheer me up?

"Would you like me to?" Daphne teased, and Ron looked ahead again. Showering with Daph? Both of us naked?

Ron quickly pushed his degenerate thoughts out of his head, he knew that she was only joking around. Still… I wonder how that would work.

"How are your hands?" Ron asked, deciding to change the topic quickly.

"Mother healed them up," Daphne replied. "Father, however, was not pleased to learn that you made me do manual labor."

"Made you?" Ron asked.

"I told him that I actually had fun, but you know how he is," Daphne rolled her eyes. "'A Lady has no business building fences'… Honestly, he can be very traditional sometimes. Too traditional, even."

"I imagine that he wants to speak with me," Ron said. Great.

"He does, but you shouldn't let him push you around," Daphne slid up to him and tangled her arm with his.

"Daph, my clothes are dirty," Ron said, but she didn't let go.

"You smell nice and sweaty, so I don't really mind," Daphne gave him a vulgar smile, and Ron felt himself growing tense. She's really teasing me again? She hasn't done that for a while. "You know, Ronald… I was thinking about how we first started sneaking around, and I remembered a certain deal that we had."

"A deal?" Ron tried to remember.

"If either of us was feeling down, we'd kiss in order to feel better," Daphne whispered, and then she blew air at his ear. "Remember?"

"I do," Ron managed a nod. "Honestly, I think we were both just making up excuses to keep kissing."

"I know I was," Daphne giggled. "Were you?"

"I… Yes…" Ron admitted. "We forgot about our deal, though, and we just started doing it whenever we were alone…" Not that I'm complaining.

"I think we should have some fun in your room," Daphne pulled his arm into the side of her chest, and Ron immediately felt hot under the collar.

"Daph… I've… I'm not really in the mood…" Ron mumbled, though his male instincts were compelling him to listen to her.

"Are you sure?" Daphne hummed. "It'll be fun, and it'll give us a chance to lick our wounds together." Lick our wounds together? Wait… She lost her deals, and now she has to go out of her way to make them work, but nothing is certain anymore. She's probably still reeling from what went down. "Ron? You've zoned out on me."

"Are you still upset over the French leaving?" Ron asked, and she blinked at him. "I thought you had a workaround now."

"I do, but truth be told, I'm not really sure how things will pan out," Daphne whispered, making sure that no one but Ron could hear her doubts. "I've never really spent time with my mother's side of the Family, so I'm not sure that they'll even help me."

"Why?" Ron asked. "I mean, why haven't you spent time with your mother's side of the Family?"

"They don't like my father very much," Daphne replied, and Ron gave a slow nod. "According to them, he's a 'cruel and cold' man." He does have cruel and cold moments, even I can't deny that. But he's very loving towards his girls. Mary's Family clearly doesn't know him well.

They entered Ron's room at that, and Ron closed and locked the door behind them. Daphne smiled from ear to ear, and just as Ron turned around, she pounced on him. Merlin… Ron's back hit the door, and before he could say a word, Daphne's lips crashed into his.

"We haven't kissed in ages," Daphne peppered his face with kisses, and Ron felt the last of his resolve disappear. This does feel much better than being miserable.

"We've kissed a few times over the last couple of days," Ron managed, his hands finding her hips.

"I meant that we haven't kissed with abandon," Daphne whispered, and then she licked the corner of his mouth. Good Lord! What's gotten into her?! "I had a really nice dream about you last night…" Huh?

"You… You did…?" Ron whispered, and she nodded with a wide smile. "Daph… What's gotten into you?"

"You don't like it?" Daphne asked, but she knew that he did.

"I do like it," Ron replied, his face was starting to flush.

"I've missed teasing you, Ron," Daphne giggled. "I'm not saying that I don't love how open we are now, but sometimes, I like seeing your face turn red."

"Why?" Ron asked.

"Because no other girl has that effect on you, and I really like that," Daphne kissed his nose. "You're tensing, Ron… I can stop if you want."

"Don't," Ron muttered, his arms wrapping around her back.

"That's the response that I wanted to hear," Daphne pressed herself against his chest, and Ron's eyes darted down on instinct. Those knockers! "Not even a little subtle… Tsk. Tsk. Tsk." She's not bothered by me gawking at her chest?

"This doesn't have anything to do with your father scolding you yesterday, does it?" Ron asked, and she just smirked at him. I knew it! Rebellious Daphne is out of her cage!

"My reasons are my own," Daphne hummed, and then she kissed him long and hard.

When they broke apart for some air, Ron felt his knees wobble a little. I'm enjoying this a little too much, but you know what? I don't care anymore. Maybe Daphne's right, and I just need to take a break from my melancholy. Daphne put her hands on his shoulders, and she gently pushed him downwards. Ron followed her lead, and once he was sitting with his back against the door, Daphne hopped onto his lap. Once they were face to face, Daphne smiled lovingly as she used her fingers to move his wet hair out of his face. That tickles a little.

"You're very beautiful," Daphne kissed his forehead. Beautiful?

"Don't you mean handsome?" Ron asked, and she shook her head.

"I meant beautiful," Daphne teased. "Right now, you look really appealing because of your overwhelming blush." That's a weird thing to say…

"You're straddling me," Ron whispered. "I can't help it, you know… And you're blushing too."

"I have my boyfriend pinned against the door, I can't help it," Daphne cupped his cheeks, a slightly serious look suddenly marking her features. "I want you to tell me if you're feeling lonely, Ron."

"What?" Ron blinked.

"You become distant when you're sad, and I want you tell me if you're feeling sad," Daphne pecked his lips rather tenderly. "Are you sad?"

Ron just stared at her, and eventually, he gave a meek nod.

"I'm feeling… overwhelmed… by my own choices…" Ron whispered, and she planted her forehead against his. "And deep down, I feel like I'm going to explode with rage all of a sudden… That I'm going to make more mistakes, and people are going to get hurt…"

"What else?" Daphne asked. She's making me confront my feelings?

Ron felt the urge to shut down, but he decided to talk to the only person that he could really trust. Who else do I really have? Dumbledore? No, he's too busy hiding in his ivory tower. Snape? I haven't seen the man in ages. My Family? Most of them don't like me enough to care.

"I feel alone…" Ron hugged her tightly, his voice barely a whisper. "My allies betrayed me… Again…"

"They made their choice, Ron, and you had nothing to do with that," Daphne kissed the bridge of his nose. "You did a good thing, and no one can change that. Not even the people who turned their backs on you for personal gain."

"If I had seen it coming, I could've saved your business plans," Ron said guiltily, and Daphne rubbed his cheeks with her thumbs. "I could've, and should've, done more… Now the French are gone, and I've lost a majority of my allies… If I had been better prepared, I could've saved us both so much hassle."

"Don't you always say that losing is a part of winning?" Daphne reminded him, and Ron nodded weakly. "You lost this time, but that doesn't mean that you won't find a way to come back. I know you, Ron, you're too stubborn to give up."

"I'm… I'm really angry, I think, but I just can't bring myself to let it out," Ron admitted. "But it's coming, I know that…" Judging from my past behavior, I'm going to see nothing but red very soon.

"I know," Daphne knew him well enough to know that Ron was going to make his enemies pay. "What can I do to help?"

"You want to help me?" Ron couldn't help but ask. "You don't like it when I get angry, though…"

"Maybe with me around, things won't escalate too far?" Daphne suggested. "It's up to you, of course, but I want you to know that I'm always on your side."

Ron felt his eyes sting a little, and he nodded weakly.

"Thank you," Ron squeezed her tightly, and she barely held back a groan. "And I'll help you with your business plans, alright? Even if it's something as small as research, I want to be there for you." Just like you're always there for me.

"Deal," Daphne locked eyes with him, a content smile on her face. "You're my best friend, Ron, I hope you know that." What?

"What about Tracey?" Ron asked, and Daphne kissed him softly.

"I love Tracey, but I love you more," Daphne admitted.

"You're my best friend as well," Ron felt the urge to tell her, and Daphne gave him a happy nod.

"I think we have enough time to snog, but you'll need to shorten your shower," Daphne whispered, her face right in front of his.

"I don't care about my shower," Ron said, and then he kissed her almost desperately.

---

Wednesday 23rd December, 1993 (The Burrow – Afternoon)

"Check," Ron said, and Malfoy immediately frowned at the board.

"Why can't we play Wizard's Chess instead?" Malfoy asked as he moved his king aside. "This is not a professional match…"

"Chess is Chess, Draco," Ron said. "Or do you really need the pieces to help you as well?"

"You're overusing my given name, Weasley," Malfoy gave Ron a dull look. "No one is even paying attention to us. Everyone is minding their own business."

"I like using your given name, though," Ron smirked, teasing Malfoy still felt glorious. "Draco… It's a very nice name."

Malfoy just stared at Ron, who made sure to keep his eyes fixed on the board. They were currently playing a game of Chess in the Living Room, while the other children did their own thing. Luna and Tori were currently learning French from Daphne, while Theo and Tracey were listening to some Muggle band called 'Guns N' Roses'. The Trio were reading books of their own interest, and Ginny was sitting with them as she spoiled Helios with treats meant for Errol.

"So… Has Greengrass pulled you out of your melancholy?" Malfoy suddenly asked, and Ron finally looked up from the board. That was uncalled for. "Oh, sorry… Was I not meant to mention that?"

Ron swallowed his rising temper, and he looked back down at the board. He's just a sore loser, and I won't give him any power over me. Plus, Daphne did pull me out of my misery. At least for now. That was the best snogging session that we've had yet, and she even let me fondle her chest a little. It was awesome!

"Can I expect to sleep tonight?" Malfoy went on. "It's just that your pacing last night annoyed the hell out of me, and it kept me awake for far too long."

"I'll try to not pace around tonight," Ron said, deciding to not take the bait. "Sorry that I kept you awake."

Malfoy frowned a little at Ron's casual apology, and then he looked back down at the board as well.

"I've lost, haven't I?" Malfoy huffed.

"Yes, you have," Ron smiled innocently. "Better use the rooks next time, Draco. They're not an attractive piece, but they're a valuable one."

"Thanks for the lesson," Malfoy drawled, and then he knocked his doomed king over. "This is boring… I want to do something else." Wow, he sounded so petulant just then.

"Like what?" Ron asked.

"When are we going to Diagon Alley?" Malfoy demanded, and Ron looked up at him.

When Ron had mentioned that he had business in Diagon Alley, Sirius had convinced Molly to let him take all the children out shopping. Many of the shops were having Christmas sales right now, and Sirius had figured that the children needed to bond over street food and ice-creams.

"I'm not sure that you're coming with us," Ron whispered, and Malfoy blinked at him.

"What?" Malfoy asked.

"Look, I don't know what's happening with your parents, but it's obvious that the adults are keeping their eyes on you," Ron said, and Malfoy looked almost venomous for a moment. Yeah, I don't feel right leaving him behind, if I'm being honest. "Tell you what? I'll talk to the adults, and if you agree to stay with me the entire time, the adults might let you join us."

"But I'd still be under arrest, huh?" Malfoy asked icily. "Save your pity… I'll just do my work in peace instead."

"I'm giving you an olive branch here, Malfoy," Ron sighed out. "Why do you always start a fight with me? You clearly don't want to stay behind, and I've given you a way out, but you'd rather be a prick than to cooperate."

"I didn't ask to be brought here," Malfoy mumbled under his breath, and Ron felt his temper rise. This attitude again?

"Haven't we spoken about that already?" Ron snarled as he moved forward a little, and Malfoy suddenly realized his error in poking a sleeping Dragon. "You know that I don't like to repeat myself, don't you?"

Some of the other children shot them wary looks, and Ron quickly pulled in his anger. He drew in a deep breath, and he rubbed his eyes as he moved back to his original spot. Calm the fuck down, Ron. He's probably feeling left out, and you know how terrible that feels.

"Just let me talk to the adults… Stop making things more difficult for yourself," Ron said, his fingers digging into his forehead. "I'll go and talk to them now, alright?"

"Fine," Malfoy began setting up the board again, and Ron got up and walked towards the Kitchen.

"Everything alright, Ron?" Hermione asked, her eyes darting towards Malfoy for a moment.

"Yes, everything's fine," Ron replied as he made his way out of the room.

As he entered the Kitchen, he spotted Pandora, Xeno, Molly, and Sirius having a conversation at the dining table. Ron approached them with his head held high, making sure to put on a face of confidence and resolve. Mum's no doubt told them about our conversation… Merlin, I was really out of line saying those things to her. She's probably worried sick.

"Sirius, it's nearly time for me to head to Gringotts," Ron said, and the adults looked over to him.

"Oh, really?" Sirius looked at his pocket watch. "Wow… Time flies, eh? I'll get my cloak, and you can let the others know that we're heading out."

"Make sure that they're fully dressed," Molly added. "It's very cold out today. And Sirius… No ice-creams. Get them some nice, hot soup instead."

"Soup?" Ron and Sirius asked together.

"Molly… No child wants to drink soup," Sirius chuckled, but a deadpan stare from the Weasley matriarch killed his mirth. "Soup, got it."

"Actually, before I start collecting everyone, can I speak to you about Draco?" Ron asked them, and they all exchanged looks. "I know that you adults don't want him going out there, and although I don't know the reason behind that, I want to ask you to let me take him to Diagon Alley with me."

"Ronnie… That's not a smart idea," Molly said slowly, her eyes darting towards the Living Room.

"Mum, we can't just leave him behind," Ron said. "It'll raise questions with the others."

"He's right about that," Sirius quickly jumped on Ron's side, he had already argued against leaving Draco behind. "The others think that Ron invited him here, and if we leave him behind, they'll ask questions. I know for a fact that Harry's been keeping an eye on the poor boy." He has? Seriously, what the fuck is Harry's deal? Why does he constantly keep his eye on other people? Wait… Don't get distracted.

"I'll keep my eyes on him, I promise," Ron said, and Molly let out a defeated sigh.

"Sirius, I'm holding you responsible if something goes wrong," Molly said.

"He won't leave my sight for even a second," Sirius grinned at Ron, who gave him a grateful nod before heading back to the Living Room.

"We're heading out to Diagon Alley now, so get your cloaks and whatnot," Ron announced. "Luna, can you go get the twins, Percy, Charlie, and Kirsten?"

"Okay," Luna stood up, and then she walked past Ron with an airy smile on her face.

Ron walked over and took his seat in front of Malfoy, while the others left go put on their cloaks and gather their belongings.

"Well?" Malfoy asked. I knew it, he wants to come along.

"As long as you agree to stick with Sirius or myself, you're welcome to come," Ron replied, and Malfoy gave him a nod before he too left the room in order to collect his cloak.

Ron began to pack up the chessboard, making sure to check for any damage inflicted by Malfoy's lack of care whenever he handled his pieces. I swear that he has no regard for other people's property. Piece by piece, Ron packed up the whole thing, and once that was done, he waited for the others to return. Should I head straight to Gringotts? Yes, that would be best, I think. I'll get Salazar's documents from Gornuk, settle on a building, and then make my peace with the twins. The only hard part will be convincing the twins to come with me to Gringotts. Maybe I can drag them all with me by convincing Sirius? No, that would just upset some people. How do I-?

"Are the others getting their cloaks?" came Kirsten's voice, and Ron broke out of his thoughts.

She had entered the room with Charlie, who was wearing the leather jacket that Ron had bought for him in Paris, and both of them were giving him odd smiles. It's because I apologized to her, right? Well… Let's not make things awkward, yeah?

"They are," Ron replied, and then he checked to make sure that he had his Gringotts pouch on him. There you are, you little rascal.

"So…" Kirsten started, and Ron looked back to her. She's hovering near the fireplace… What does she want from me? "What would you like for Christmas, Ron?" Huh?

"Pardon?" Ron looked to Charlie, who was just smiling at Kirsten. And he called me smitten once.

"For Christmas," Kirsten said. "What would you like? I don't really know you all that well, so I figured that I'd just ask you upfront."

"Charlie clearly hasn't told you that we all have an understanding between us," Ron started. "We don't actually buy each other presents. Sure, we might save up and get something for mum and dad, but we don't get each other anything." Except I spent a lot of money on Ginny and Luna. That won't be happening this Christmas. I need my money for more important things.

"I told you," Charlie smirked at Kirsten, who shot him a slight frown.

"I'm not a Weasley sibling, so I can get presents for you lot," Kirsten huffed, and Ron exchanged a look with Charlie. She makes giving presents sound very hostile. "Aren't you getting anything for your friends, Ron?"

"I am," Ron replied slowly. "I'm sure they've already bought something for me." Daphne said that she hasn't, and that our date is enough, but I know her better than that. She's hiding something from me. Well, two can play at that game. I'll buy her something meaningful today.

"Well, we're friends now, so I can get you something as well," Kirsten smirked.

"Ha, she got you, mate," Charlie sniggered. Really? Has she?

"It sounds like she's claiming to be my friend in order to score gifts from me," Ron pointed out, and Kirsten lost her smirk.

"No, you don't have to get me anything," she said quickly, but Ron just shook his head in a disappointed manner.

"I'm actually disappointed in you, Kirsten," Ron feigned displeasure, and Kirsten looked to her boyfriend for help.

"Ron, stop messing with her," Charlie laughed. "Love, he's only joking around. Don't worry so much, yeah?"

"Please don't get me anything," Ron added. "You should instead save up your money for a rainy day."

"Wow," Charlie cocked an eyebrow at Ron. "Are you like fifty years old, or something?" No, I've wasted money before, and it resulted in me begging my girlfriend for funding. "Just accept the gift, Ron, you're being rude."

"How about I get you some ice-cream today?" Kirsten negotiated. Fuck's sake, why is she trying so hard to win me over? It's making things awkward.

"I don't eat sugar," Ron reminded them both.

"Oh… Right," Kirsten nodded slowly. Actually, why don't I use her 'generosity' to my benefit instead?

"Do you really want to get me something?" Ron asked her.

"Of course," Kirsten replied. "It's my first Christmas with Charlie's Family, and I just want it to be a success." Odd that you would admit that so openly, but whatever.

"I want to fix things up with the twins," Ron started, and Charlie immediately perked up.

"Really?" Charlie asked with a smile.

"Yes," Ron said, his eyes fixed on Kirsten. "But in order to do that, I need to bring them with me to Gringotts. Now, I'd ask them to join me myself, but they will refuse outright."

"They are pretty stubborn," Charlie nodded his agreement. "What do you need from us?"

"If you two could come up with a way to bring them to Gringotts, I'd really appreciate it," Ron replied. "It would certainly make Christmas easier on everyone if there's no sibling fight in store."

"Alright, we can do that," Kirsten agreed immediately.

"Good on you, Ron," Charlie reached forward and patted Ron's back. "Making peace with the twins is the right call, I promise."

Ron said nothing to that, mostly because he agreed with Charlie. I'll make peace with them, but I'll also make sure that I'm protected. I can't have the twins coming after me, or the Slytherins, when school recommences. The sound of people piling into the room broke him out of his thoughts, and Ron quickly stood up to leave.

"Alright, is everyone here?" Sirius asked, making sure to count them all in his head. "Where's Percy?" Yeah, where is Percy?

"He said that he has work to do," Luna hummed. "I think he was writing to his girlfriend again."

"What makes you say that?" Sirius asked out of curiosity.

"I've never seen him smile during his studies before," Luna shrugged, and everyone just nodded slowly. Only Luna would notice such a bizarre detail.

"Well, since he won't be joining us, let's get a move on," Sirius smiled at the children. "Kirsten, please prepare the floo. Charlie, help me keep an eye on everyone. Diagon Alley is no doubt filled to bursting with Christmas only two days away."

Kirsten prepared the floo, and one by one, they all made their way through it. Ron was the last one through, and as soon as he stepped into the Leaky Cauldron, he realized that Sirius was dead right. The pub was completely filled with merry adults, all of them drinking and celebrating the end of the year. Sirius and Charlie moved people out of the way, while Kirsten made sure that none of the kids got swept away by the dancing, and drunk, denizens of the pub.

"It's really lively in here, isn't it?" Tracey shot a smile back at Ron, and he gave her a nod. I like it. I imagine that pretty soon, this kind of sight will be a rarity. "Theo, can I take your hand? I'm scared that I'll get swept away." Swept away? Nice excuse.

"Oh… Um… Sure," Theo nodded, and then he took her right hand in his.

Daphne smirked at their joined hands, and then she slowed down in order to nudge Ron lightly.

"Swept away, she says," Daphne whispered, and Ron decided to take her left hand in his gloved one. "Oh, what a gentleman."

"She's not wrong about the swept away thing," Ron whispered. "It's quite packed in here."

"Come on through," Sirius opened the exit, and one by one, the children made their way outside.

Walking out into the cold from the pub was a terrible feeling, and Daphne quickly cozied up to Ron's side. Ron, in turn, let go of her hand in order to put his arm around her, making sure that his cloak was wrapped around her. Good Lord, mum wasn't joking about the cold. It might even snow soon. From the corner of his eye, Ron spotted Hermione shooting him a quick glance, and when he looked in her direction, she quickly looked away. Subtle… I hope Daphne didn't see that.

"They're still holding hands," Daphne whispered, her eyes fixed on Theo and Tracey. "Do you think something's going on between them?"

"Maybe," Ron replied, he couldn't care less. "I mean, they are really close, and they've spent most of the Break with each other."

"Always listening to her Walkman," Daphne chuckled. "I think they'd make a cute couple."

"I wonder how Theo's father would react to that," Ron said, and Daphne stopped chuckling. "They ought to be careful." Cornelius Nott is a mad dog, and he'll no doubt try to kill Tracey's Family if he ever found out. One day soon, I'll need to get Theo away from him. I know for a fact that Theo isn't exactly the violent, sycophant sort, which means that he won't fit into the Death-Eaters. He might act like a greedy little bugger, but he knows his own value. He deserves better than the Dark Lord.

"The Ice-Cream Parlor is our first stop!" Sirius told the kids, a wide smile on his face. Ha, he openly lied to mum. Classic Sirius.

"Ice-Cream?!" Hermione looked shocked. "In this cold?!"

"Can't we get hot chocolate instead?" Neville asked.

"I like that idea," Daphne whispered to Ron. "Want to share a cup with your gorgeous girlfriend, Ron?"

"I do, but I'm banned from consuming sugar," Ron replied, and Daphne pouted at him. She's so cute. I have half a mind to pinch her cheeks. "Sorry, Daph, but I need to get to Gringotts. I have work to do."

"Classic Weasley," Malfoy whispered from behind them, and Ron shot a frown back. "What? Greengrass was thinking it as well."

"Just behave, please," Ron sighed out. "I don't want to hear that you got snarky with the Trio, or my siblings."

"I'll be keeping my distance from them, don't you worry about that," Malfoy said.

"They have hot chocolates at the Ice-Cream Parlour," Astoria told the others. "We can get whatever we want once we're there. Now, can we please get moving? I'm starting to shiver." Frail of health… That's what Lord Greengrass told me.

"You should go to her, and keep her warm," Ron whispered to Daphne, and she let out a defeated sigh before leaving Ron behind.

They began making their way down the busy street, the sound of laughter and loud cheering was a welcome change from the peace of the Burrow. Even Ron found himself smiling a bit as he eyed the busy shops and stalls, there were so many happy Families out today. I won't be surprised if I see some people from Hogwarts here.

"You reckon we'll see some Slytherins here?" Theo asked, and Ron realized that the weedy boy had left Tracey with Daphne and Astoria.

"No doubt about it," Ron said, and then he shot a look back at Malfoy.

"Yeah, I know," Malfoy said. "Maybe I should've just stayed back." Nonsense. You deserve to at least enjoy yourself a little.

"Seriously, what is going on with him?" Theo asked Ron and Malfoy. "Malfoy, why are you at the Burrow?"

"Weasley invited me," Malfoy lied with a smirk. He can't help himself, can he?

"Bollocks," Theo frowned a little, and then he looked to Ron.

"I already told you, Theo," Ron said. "My parents asked me to take the hit, and I simply followed their lead. Once they enlighten me, I'll let you know."

"He already knows," Theo shot a look back at Malfoy.

"And he doesn't want to tell us," Ron said calmly. "What do you want me to do about it?"

"Why don't you mind your own business?" Malfoy asked Theo. "You're starting to resemble Potter's gang."

"You take that back," Theo frowned deeply.

"Please just behave," Ron sighed out. "We're surrounded by people, and any one of them could be listening in." Stop making my life harder, and just be civil to each other.

As they neared Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour, Ron began to drift away from the others. The others made their way inside with Charlie and Kirsten leading the way, but Sirius noticed that Ron wasn't going in.

"Kid?" Sirius quickly made his way over to Ron. "You're not coming in?"

"Gringotts is right over there," Ron replied. "I can't eat sugar anyway, so I'll just head on down there now."

"Are you sure?" Sirius looked a little disappointed. "This will only take a half an hour, or so. You can go to Gringotts after that."

"I don't think the others wants to sit around in Gringotts' lobby just for my sake," Ron gave Sirius a weak smile. "Please, just enjoy yourselves. I'll join you after I'm done."

"Alright… If that's what you want…" Sirius returned his smile. "I'll have Charlie collect you." And he can bring the twins with him… That works for me.

"Alright, I'll see you soon," Ron waved his goodbye, and then he left for the bank.

---

Sirius Black's POV

Wednesday 23rd December, 1993 (Diagon Alley – Afternoon)

Sirius watched Ron leave, and he felt a strong pang of hurt in his heart. Molly had told them all of her conversation with Ron last night, and despite putting on a strong face, Sirius was utterly devastated. Not only did he feel wretched for his friends' sakes, but also for the young man who knew he was going to die far too soon. I don't know why we all thought that Ron wouldn't figure that out for himself, but clearly, we were all in denial. I guess it's just easier to ignore the truth, especially when it's ugly and unwanted.

Sirius rubbed his face, and then he made his way inside the Ice-Cream Parlour. He made sure to put on a smile for the others, but his mind lingered on Ron. Maybe Susana is right, and we ought to take Ron to a Muggle Healer. Maybe they have ways of helping him with their medicine. Charlie and Kirsten had secured seats for the children, all of whom were looking through the menu with happy smiles. I wish he would act like them sometimes… Fuck, Sirius! Snap out of it! Don't alarm the others with your moping.

"Have you lot decided yet?" Sirius asked with a smile. "It's my treat, so get whatever you want."

"Oh! I'll have the Lemon Sorbet with a scoop of Watermelon Sorbet," Astoria beamed. "And a hot chocolate!" Hot and cold? Fair enough.

"Tori…" Daphne just stared at her sister, and then she looked to Sirius with a sorry look. "Forgive my sister's manners, Lord Black." Ugh… Lord Black…

"It's alright," Sirius chuckled. "You get whatever you want, Astoria."

"Thank you, Sirius," Astoria smiled in an adorable way, and Sirius almost lunged across the table in order to pinch her cheeks. How does such a cute, carefree little button come from Sebastian Greengrass? Clearly, that girl is all Mary.

"Are you getting anything?" Harry asked Sirius. He always does that… He asks me if I'm eating something, but he never eats properly himself. How do I tackle this?

"I'll get whatever you get, Harry," Sirius replied, and Harry quickly looked back to the menu. Aha! Now he has to get something filling. I'm a genius of unprecedented levels.

"Just to be safe, are you also treating Kirsten and myself?" Charlie asked, which earned him a light smack from his girlfriend. "What, love? Being a Dragon Tamer doesn't pay all that well…"

"Yeah, I'm treating you as well," Sirius sniggered. "And I won't take no for an answer, Kirsten."

Sirius then looked around, and as soon as he noticed that Draco wasn't on the table, his stomach clenched painfully. I fucking lost him?! Sirius looked around in panic, and when he spotted the blonde waiting in line by himself, he nearly fell over with relief. Fucking hell… Molly Weasley would cook me for dinner if I had lost him.

"Sirius, are you alright?" Harry asked, and Sirius shot his Godson a calm smile.

"Of course," Sirius replied, but Harry just stared at him. He's far too perceptive. "Once you've got your order, let Charlie know. He'll come and tell me."

With that said, Sirius made his way over to Draco's side. The blonde was just staring at the menu in his hands, and Sirius couldn't help but wonder why he was standing out here alone. It's obvious that he doesn't get along with the others, and most of them don't want him here to boot.

"Have you picked anything?" Sirius asked Draco, and the boy shot a quick look back.

"I have," Draco replied curtly.

"Well, let me know," Sirius said. "I'm treating everyone."

"I have my own money," Draco said icily. "I don't need yours." Unfriendly little git, but then again, he has reason to be cut off. Just be patient.

"Wouldn't you rather save your money for more important things?" Sirius asked.

"I'm getting a hot chocolate, and it only costs eight Knuts," Draco replied, a hint of annoyance in his voice. "Stop trying to be my friend, alright? I don't want you putting a target on my back." Huh?

"A target…?" Sirius blinked.

"Your Godson is eyeballing me because of you," Draco replied, and Sirius shot a look back.

Just as Draco had pointed out, Harry was shooting 'subtle' glances in Sirius' direction. What did Ron call him? Territorial, right? Not to mention that every kid in the Burrow is trying to figure out why Draco is staying with the Weasleys. No one really believes Ron's story, they're far too clever for that. Sirius looked back ahead, and he wondered how Draco had figured out that Harry was staring at them. Did he figure it out when he shot a look back at me? Nah, he only looked back for a second.

"You're quite perceptive, aren't you?" Sirius joked, and Draco shot a bored look at him. "Is it a Slytherin thing? Constantly watching over your shoulder, that is."

"Partly," Draco replied. "I'm also alone when Weasley isn't around, so I'm trying to be careful." Really?

"Alone when Weasley isn't around?" Sirius couldn't help but smile, and Draco tensed immediately. He slipped up. So… He sees Ron as a friend of sorts. That's great!

"I never thanked you for what you did the other night," Sirius started. "It was brave of you to go to Hogwarts for Ron's sake."

"I repaid my debt, nothing more," Draco said as they moved forward. "Now, leave me alone."

"You did more than repay your debt," Sirius went on, though he was curious about this debt now. I won't prod too much. It'll spook him. "Ron's parents were quite moved by your selfless act."

"Yes, I noticed the extra bacon on my plate," Draco said in a monotone voice. Extra bacon? Oh, Molly… Never change, please. "And it wasn't a 'selfless' act… Stop trying to be my friend. I'm not one of you, and I don't want to be one of you. If you don't leave me alone, I'll make a scene."

"Very dramatic," Sirius chuckled, and Draco let out a tired sigh. "You'd never make a scene, and do you know why I know that?"

"Why?"

"Because you're clever enough to understand that people will recognize you," Sirius said. "Image is important to Slytherins, right? What would people say if they recognized you being a part of our merry band?"

Draco looked back at Sirius, and the Gryffindor smiled at the young wizard. I grew up with Pure-Bloods, mate, I know how most of them think.

"Why were you sorted into Gryffindor?" Draco asked bluntly.

"I'm brave, daring, and chivalrous," Sirius grinned.

"And quite arrogant," Draco looked back ahead. "I suppose the Hat knows what it's doing." Ouch.

"Every witch and wizard is somewhat arrogant, not just us Gryffindors," Sirius said. "Are you honestly going to tell me that there aren't arrogant people in Slytherin?" I know for a fact that most of you are arrogant. I'm pretty sure that being arrogant is a prerequisite needed to become a Slytherin.

"Yes, we have arrogant people in our House," Draco replied. "But unlike you 'Lions', we don't put on a façade of nobility and humbleness. We know what we are, and we're not ashamed of it. We embrace our desire to be great, and if that bothers other people, then so be it. You all pretend to be extremely 'chivalrous', but at the end of the day, most of you look down on the other Houses. Are you going to tell me that that's not true?"

"That… was a very detailed response," Sirius said. "Do you practice it every morning?"

"Keep making jokes," Draco drawled. "It'll help you avoid being an adult, I'm sure." Fucking hell… That was a venomous thing to say.

"And being rude will keep others away from you," Sirius said a little firmly. "But I guess it's easier to be alone than to make an effort, eh?"

Draco said nothing to that, and Sirius felt a small pang of guilt for stooping to such a level. He's just a kid, Sirius, and a pretty lonely one at that. Why did you have to say that? Apologize to him right now. If Remus were here, he'd have punched you in the throat already.

"I didn't mean to sound cruel, Draco," Sirius said softly. "I'm sorry. It's just… Being alone isn't worth it. Take it from a man who spent ten years alone in a prison cell…" Draco looked back at that. "You're right, there is nothing wrong with having ambitions. It took me a long time to understand that, but there is also nothing wrong with seeking companionship. Isn't fraternity a quality that Slytherin upholds?"

Draco gave a weak nod, and then he looked back ahead.

"If you keep pushing people away, they'll stop trying to get close to you," Sirius said. "You'll build your own prison cell, kid. I don't want to see that happen to you."

"Why do you even care?" Draco asked in a whisper. "And don't say that it's because we share Blood…" Should I tell him?

"I… Recently, I've come to respect your Godfather…" Sirius admitted, and Draco looked back with genuine interest. That got his attention. "I always thought ill of him, but clearly, I didn't know him very well. Now, he's too set in his ways to change, and in a way, so am I, but there's still a chance for you to be… better… than us. That's why I care. Hogwarts' Houses have a way of… creating mistrust between different people… Maybe at the end of the day, we all ought to realize that we're all human. Just because someone walks a different path in life doesn't mean that they're our enemy." Yeah, I really like that. Merlin, I can't ever say that near Remus. He'd give me that proud smile of his…

"You sound like Weasley," Draco stated as he looked back ahead. He doesn't like making eye contact, does he? Is it because he's scared?

"Ron's a smart kid," Sirius liked what he had just heard. "You know, your aunt was in Slytherin, and she's one of the kindest people that I've ever met."

"My aunt?" Draco asked. "You mean Andromeda Tonks, don't you?"

"She's coming to the Burrow for Christmas dinner, and don't tell her that I told you, but she's really looking forward to meeting you," Sirius said, and Draco shifted in his spot a bit. "I can introduce you to her… If you want, that is." You still have Family, kid… Don't throw that away.

"She betrayed my mother," Draco whispered. "She broke my mother's heart."

"Trust me, it was your mother who shut the door on Andromeda," Sirius said, and Draco looked back at him. "Andromeda fell in love with a man that our Family didn't approve of, and she was humiliated and cast out for her 'betrayal'. Is it betrayal to follow one's heart?"

"Sirius, we have the orders," came Charlie's voice, and Sirius fought the urge to frown. I was getting to him, Charlie, you tit!

"Draco, why don't you go and join the others?" Sirius asked. "I'll get you your hot chocolate."

Draco's shoulders sagged a bit, and then he left to go sit with the other children. Good lad.

"It's so weird seeing him around us," Charlie whispered to Sirius. "But he doesn't seem like a bad kid. I mean, he gets along with Ron."

"He's not a bad kid," Sirius agreed. "Just a lost one…"

"Lost?" Charlie asked, and Sirius simply shrugged.

"Tell me the orders, mate."

---

Hermione Granger's POV

Wednesday 23rd December, 1993 (Flourish and Blotts – Afternoon)

The last few days had been… difficult… to say the least.

Firstly, Ron's sickness was becoming more and more evident, and for the Trio, that meant lying to their friends. Harry and Neville were adamant about keeping their silence, but Hermione's resolve was beginning to weaken. She couldn't help but wonder what Ron's reasoning was for such secrecy, a trait of his that she didn't like very much. While Neville felt the urge to honor his 'eternal friend' duties, and Harry did his best to escape any form of awkwardness, Hermione found herself disagreeing with Ron's treatment of his Family. They were all worried about him, but he was more concerned with keeping his secrets. As his friend, she felt the urge to step in and counsel him, but he barely ever left Greengrass' side.

Speaking of Greengrass, Hermione and her friends couldn't deny that her caring nature towards Ron had taken them all by surprise. Especially Hermione, who had always been so sure that Daphne Greengrass wasn't good for Ron. Seeing her go out of her way to comfort, and protect, her boyfriend had jarred Hermione at first, but slowly and surely, Hermione had come to question her perception of the 'Ice-Queen'. Was her cold demeanor just an act? If so, why would she behave this way? Why would she willingly portray a cold front to the World? How would that benefit her in any way? For all of Hermione's stacking questions, one thing was clear… Daphne Greengrass was good for Ron. Every time he was around her, he was happy and approachable.

That being said, Hermione didn't approve of their scandalous behavior. They openly got handsy with each other, and whenever they got the chance, they'd sneak off to do inappropriate things. Hermione wasn't beyond admitting that she felt annoyed, and jealous, whenever she saw them leave together. And the most scandalous part was that Greengrass, a girl, was often the one to initiate this unruly behavior. Even this morning, she had left the breakfast table in order to follow her boyfriend upstairs. Mrs. Weasley, an adult, had done nothing to stop the thirteen year old girl, and when Ron and Greengrass had returned, it was quite obvious what they had gotten up to. Even Neville and Harry found their behavior inappropriate, and they were both boys!

And then, there was Ginny and Luna's fight. Both girls were avoiding each other, and although Ginny hid it well, Hermione could see moments of real sadness during their sleepovers. Ginny was hurting, there was no doubt about that, but Hermione had no idea on how to help her. The best she could come up with was a study session, but sadly for Hermione, Ginny wasn't interested in getting ahead academically. Harry had convinced her to go flying a couple of times, and that had really cheered her up, but eventually, she always went back to being distant. The only good thing to come out of Ginny and Luna's fight was that Ron had sat Ginny down for a talk, and ever since then, Ginny had stopped trying to start a fight with the Slytherins.

And as if all of this wasn't enough, Hermione had made a truly startling discovery yesterday. When Arthur Weasley had made Ron tell the entire table about his plans for a Werewolf shelter, Hermione had found herself intrigued by his charitable act. So, in classic Hermione fashion, she had decided to educate herself on Werewolves. She had skipped through her Defense Against the Dark Arts textbook, and once she had found herself on the last chapter of the book, a chapter that went into great detail about Werewolves, Hermione's sharp mind had started making shocking connections.

Remus Lupin, Harry's guardian and father-figure, was a Werewolf! Hermione was certain of it, and the more she thought about it, the more she berated herself for not seeing it sooner. Remus had scars all over his person, many of them exactly like the book had described. Remus tended to get sick at the end of each month, which was glaring evidence of his illness. Remus was also extremely touched by Ron's act of charity, which Hermione had found quite odd on the night of the dinner. It was also clear to Hermione that Ron already knew of Remus' condition, and as intriguing as that was, she had elected to ignore it for now. She, after all, had a bigger problem lodged in her mind.

Harry had no idea about Remus' condition, and Hermione was currently wrestling with a moral dilemma unlike any other that she had faced before. The closest she had ever come to being this torn between making a decision was when she had found out about Ron's poor health. Hermione desperately wanted to tell Harry, not because she thought he was in danger, but because she knew Harry would be devastated if someone else told him. Harry, for all his faults, was a gentle and caring person, one who would never judge Remus for being sick. Ron was living proof that, no matter how mistrusting Harry could be, when he saw someone in trouble, Harry tended to protect them. After learning of Ron's sickness, Harry had done his best to keep it to himself, and he had even gone out of his way to make sure that Ron was doing well. Harry wasn't big on displaying his emotions, but Hermione had often caught him looking at Ron's complexion during eating hours in the Great Hall.

Reasons like these compelled Hermione to tell Harry the truth about Remus, but her experience with Ron's illness stopped her every time. What if outing Remus to Harry did more harm than good? What if Harry accepted Remus for who he was, but Remus found himself angry with Hermione? This wasn't exactly her secret to tell, even if she believed that Harry had the right to know. What was she supposed to do? She wanted to be loyal to her best friend, but at the same time, she didn't want to out Remus without his consent.

"Find what you're looking for?" came Neville's voice from behind her, and Hermione shrieked as she turned around with a panicked look. Oh, it's just Neville… "Merlin, Hermione… What's gotten into you these past few days?"

"I… I don't know what you're talking about," Hermione looked back to the book shelf. What am I even looking for? I just wanted to get away from people…

"Really?" Neville asked, a hint of hurt in his voice. "You're ignoring Harry and me, and we both know it… Hermione, did we do something to upset you?"

"No," Hermione quickly turned around, a sorry look on her face. "No, Neville, I'm not upset with you. Or Harry. I swear it!"

"Then why are you being so distant?" Neville asked sheepishly. He's embarrassed with asking such a question, isn't he? He has no idea how refreshing it is to meet a boy who's so open about his feelings. "Is it the Slytherins?"

"No, it's not them," Hermione sighed out. If anything, they're quite… normal… now that I've seen them with Ron. "I'm just… I'm stressing over school work."

"Really?" Neville relaxed a little, and Hermione nodded fervently. I'm sorry for lying to you, Neville. "Well, if you want, I can help you study… You know, just quiz you and stuff… If you want, that is."

"Actually, that does sound nice," Hermione admitted. "Thanks, Neville."

"Oi, Longbottom, look what I found," came Theodore Nott's voice, and the weedy boy walked around the corner with a book on Japanese Herbology in his hands.

Hermione felt her face flush, and she quickly turned to face the shelf behind her. It's him! Oh, God, I can't look at him after his comment about seeing me in a bikini! I honestly can't tell if he was making fun of me, or being serious! Oh, come on, Hermione… Of course he was making fun of you!

"Nice find," Neville immediately sounded excited.

"I know, right?" Nott gloated. "I was thinking of buying it, and if you want, you can read through it. I bet there are some really neat tricks and tips in here for maintaining one's garden." What sort of boys are so into gardening? "Oh, hello, Granger. I didn't see you there." AH! He spoke to me!

"Hi," Hermione mumbled, and then she grabbed a random book and walked past them both.

She quickly found herself waiting in line to buy the book she had grabbed in her escape, her eyes fixed dead ahead of her. That was not very subtle, was it? I bet he thinks I'm a crazy person now. Wait… Why do I even care about Theodore Nott's opinion of me? Ugh, I'm such a mess. He said one nice thing, and I'm being super weird about it! What's wrong with me? And it wasn't even that nice! If anything, it was extremely inappropriate, even if he was joking.

"A gentleman's guide to treating witches with love and respect?" came Nott's voice from behind her, and Hermione felt her blood freeze.

Slowly, Hermione looked down at the book in her hands, and when she read the title, a small part of her soul departed for the afterlife. Good God! WHY?!

"To each their own, I suppose," Nott chuckled, and Hermione fought the urge to run away from the store.

"It's… It's a gift… For Harry… For Christmas…" Hermione muttered. Don't go along with it, Hermione! What will Harry say when I hand him this book?!

"I see," Nott's voice came out as rather strained. He's laughing at me… "Well, good luck with that. I'm sure Potter won't see this as a come on."

"A come on?" Hermione mumbled, her eyes wavering down at the book.

"You know what I mean, don't you?" Nott asked in a humorous voice. "A girl gives a boy a book on how to date women…" Oh, God! "Said boy might see that as a hint. I reckon you two would make a nice couple."

Hermione nearly gagged at the thought, Harry was like her little brother. He was the only boy at Hogwarts that she could speak to about Muggle things. Not to mention that he was quite awkward around girls, and if she gave him this book, he'd probably start avoiding her for life. What do I do?! Hermione slowly looked back, and she found Nott looking over her shoulder. He's so close! Hermione nearly threw herself away from him, but she settled for simply stepping out of the line. I can't give Harry this… It'd ruin my friendship with him.

"There's still time to put that book back, Granger," Nott smirked. "I won't say a word about this to anyone."

Hermione's embarrassment turned into righteous anger, and she glared at Nott venomously. I bet he's enjoying embarrassing me like this! Well, I don't care! Nott didn't look very bothered by her glare, which only served to irritate her further. Why isn't he backing down? Neville and Harry always back down!

"You look quite adorable right now," Nott smiled, and Hermione's jaw dropped open. That smile… And… And… He did it again! He's flirting with me in public!

Hermione quickly ducked her head as she all but ran back to the book shelf where she had found this infernal book, she honestly had no idea on how to react. Is he pulling my leg?! Ugh! I can't tell! He smiled so… genuinely… Actually, I've never seen him smile like that… He's handsome… Hermione! What are you thinking?! You can't think of Theodore bloody Nott as handsome! Hermione stuffed the book back with shaky hands, a spooked look on her face.

"Hermione, what's with that look?" came Harry's voice, and Hermione found herself reaching her mental limits. Of course he's here!

"I… read a disturbing passage," Hermione lied lamely, and then she quickly rounded the corner and stepped out of the shop.

The cold air nearly knocked her on her bum, and she desperately pulled her jacket around herself. I'll just wait out here to avoid further incidents. Yes, that's the right call. No one will bother me out here. This is for the best. Hermione shivered because of the cold, but she refused to go back inside. She knew that she wasn't exactly good with people, a friendless childhood had made sure of that, so she often found herself trying far too hard to be 'normal'. More often than not, however, her behavior tended to out her as an unsociable and bossy individual. I wish I could live in a room full of books. That would be heavenly.

"Hermione?" came Sirius' voice, and Hermione shot a tired look back.

Sirius had followed her outside, his brow furrowed with concern. Hermione wasn't going to lie, she really liked Sirius despite his childish behavior sometimes. He's easy to talk to, and he speaks to us children as a friend rather than an adult. In a way, I wish I could be more like him.

"Hi, Sirius," Hermione muttered from her jacket.

"You're cold," Sirius realized. "Come inside, please."

"Um… No, thanks," Hermione said, and Sirius blinked at her. "I'm alright out here…" Please leave me to freeze to death out here. It's better than dealing with people.

"I overheard you and Harry…" Sirius started, and Hermione looked to the happy Families going about their day. "He mentioned that you two are at odds, though he has no idea what he's done wrong."

"We're not at odds," Hermione said, but she didn't look at Sirius.

"He'd never say this to you, so I guess I'll do it," Sirius sighed out. "He's bothered by you being 'distant' with him… Hermione, what's going on? It's not like you to ignore people, especially your friends."

Hermione looked at Sirius with a critical eye, something that caught the man off-guard. Does he know about Remus? Of course he does. They're best friends. Still, I should be careful. I need to say something brazen, but also vague. If he catches onto my true meaning, then I'll be certain that he knows about Remus' condition.

"I know about Remus," Hermione said, and Sirius just stared at her. Well? Aren't you going to react?

"I see," Sirius closed his eyes as he rubbed his face. He knows! "Did Ron tell you?"

"No, I read about…" Hermione started, but then she quickly looked around to see if they were alone. "I read about Werewolves in my Defense Against the Dark Arts textbook. Remus showed all the signs of being infected."

"Bloody hell," Sirius clicked his tongue. "When did children become so observant?"

"I haven't told anyone," Hermione assured him, and Sirius gave her a half-smile. "I haven't told Harry…"

"You're avoiding him because you feel conflicted," Sirius realized, and Hermione nodded meekly. Please, give me some advice. I don't know what to do.

"What do I do?" Hermione asked, and Sirius stepped up to her side in order to put his arm around her.

Hermione felt the urge to hug his side, but she decided to hold back. What if he finds that awkward? We're not even that close…

"If you tell Harry, it'll probably cause a rift between him and Remus," Sirius said. "Harry hates people keeping secrets from him, and this is a pretty big secret. He'll feel like Remus doesn't trust him, and after he stops being angry, he'll close himself off."

"I know," Hermione agreed with Sirius' assessment. "Why hasn't Remus told Harry? I promise, Harry won't care one bit. He loves Remus."

"I know that," Sirius sighed. "Remus… Listen to me, Hermione… Remus is quite ashamed of his condition."

"What? Why? It's not his fault," Hermione said quickly, and Sirius gave her shoulders a paternal squeeze.

"Sometimes, when people don't like a part of themselves, they find reasons to hide the truth," Sirius said very slowly. "You don't know much about the treatment of Werewolves over the centuries, so I'll enlighten you a little. Werewolves are not allowed to hold positions of power, they are not allowed near children, they are chased out by almost every community, they aren't allowed to possess wands, and hiring them now is almost considered a sin."

"Why are wizards so cruel?" Hermione felt her blood boil.

"It's not just wizards," Sirius replied. "Harry's mother, Lily, was a Muggle-Born like you, and she once told me that Muggles discriminate over things like skin color, background, wealth, and other such tripe."

"I… I guess that's true…" Hermione remembered her anti-racism seminars from school.

"We humans tend to find reasons to elevate ourselves above others, and often, that means segregating the undesirables," Sirius frowned a little. "It's sad and pathetic, but it is what it is. It's up to you to decide where you stand, Hermione. How do you feel about Remus being a Werewolf?"

"I don't care," Hermione blurted out. "He's the best Defense Professor that we've ever had!"

"I see," Sirius chuckled at her oddly innocent response. "You're a good kid, Hermione. If more people were like you, this World would be a merrier place." Sirius then drew in a deep breath. "I'll talk to Remus, and I'll convince him that it's past time that he told Harry the truth."

"So I don't have to tell him," Hermione was visibly relieved. "Thanks, Sirius."

"No, Hermione… Thank you for not taking the choice away from Remus," Sirius smiled at her.

Hermione suddenly realized why Ron was being so secretive, and why he was so angry with them for learning about his sickness. We took his choice away from him… He might've told us when he was ready, but we went behind his back, and in doing so, made him feel cornered. Oh… She felt a strong pang of guilt, and Sirius noticed her growing tense.

"You alright?" Sirius asked.

"I'm fine," Hermione shook her head clear. "Thank you, Sirius, you've helped me make sense of something important." I can't tell his siblings… It's not my place, and I refuse to take his choice away from him. Again.

"I see," Sirius smiled again. "Well, I'm happy to help. Now, can we please go inside? It's fucking freezing out here." Language!

---

Ronald Weasley's POV

Wednesday 23rd December, 1993 (Gringotts Wizarding Bank – Late Afternoon)

"Here are the documents that you wanted recovered," Gornuk said slowly, there was an odd look on his face.

"What's wrong?" Ron asked as he took the crisp documents, his eyes darting down to the first page.

They looked easy to read, and Ron went through each one with a growing smile. They're perfect. Even the parchment feels new, which is quite amazing. Bloody hell, Goblins really are a crafty lot, aren't they?

"We tried to decipher the glyphs, but we had no record of these symbols," Gornuk said, and Ron looked up with a confused look. Glyphs? What?

"What are you on about?" Ron asked, and Gornuk blinked at him.

"The pages, Mr. Weasley… They're covered in unknown glyphs," Gornuk said, and this time, Ron blinked at him.

"It's in English," Ron muttered, and then he showed Gornuk the first page. "See? Plain English."

Gornuk looked visibly taken aback, and Ron shot a quick look down at the page just to make sure that he was right. Yeah, it's in English. Plain as fucking day. Ron decided that something was clearly very off here, and so he offered Gornuk the top page. Gornuk took it slowly, his beady eyes fixed on Ron's.

"Write down what you see," Ron said, and Gornuk gave him a very slow nod. He looks right suspicious of my sanity right now.

Gornuk grabbed his quill, and then on a separate piece of parchment, he began to copy down one of the glyphs he was seeing. Gornuk started with making two small, jagged lines side-by-side, and then he made a horizontal line on top of the jagged ones. He then put three dots above the horizontal line in the shape of an inverted triangle. What the fuck is he drawing? As soon as Gornuk finished the glyph by making an arch over the three dots, the glyph turned into the word 'dagger' in Ron's eyes. What in the fuck?! Ron was visibly taken aback, and Gornuk quickly looked up with a curious look.

"You understand this, Mr. Weasley?" the Goblin asked quickly, though the look on Ron's face gave away the answer. "How… odd…"

Ron took back the repaired document, and he quickly found the word dagger on it. He drew the glyph he was seeing, but to me, it looks like the word dagger? A thought occurred to Ron, one that really jarred him. Are these documents written in Parseltongue? Is… Is that even possible? Salazar… You crafty motherfucker. How did you manage that? And why can I understand these words? Just by being a Parselmouth, I can understand the written language? That seems… unnatural, but then again, there's nothing natural about Parseltongue.

"Gornuk, can I have that piece of parchment?" Ron asked, and Gornuk handed him the parchment with the drawn 'glyph' on it. I need to show this to Harry to confirm my suspicions. If he understands this 'glyph', then I'll know for certain that it's Parseltongue.

"Mr. Weasley… I have some questions," Gornuk started. "Are you a descendant from an Ancient Line of Wizards? And no, I'm not referring to an ordinary line of wizards… I'm referring to the legendary Wizards of Old." No, I am not.

"I have no clue," Ron feigned confusion. "I… Thank you for doing this, Gornuk, but I'll take it from here."

"Of course," Gornuk backed off immediately, he knew better than to question his clients. "Um… Shall we discuss The Quibbler?"

"Yes, let's do that," Ron said as he put the documents inside an empty nearby folder. "Do you mind if I nick this folder?"

"Please, feel free," Gornuk said, his eyes filled with wariness. Look at that look… Just thinking that I'm associated with the Wizards of Old has him scared. Fuck, we wizards did a lot of damage to this World, didn't we?

"I'm not associated with the Wizards of Old, Gornuk, and even if I was, I don't believe in their philosophies," Ron said firmly. "I know they did terrible things to many in their quest for power, and much of what I know about them sickens me." They subjugated the Elves, they betrayed and murdered the Fae, they massacred the Goblins, they burned down Centaur lands, and they even found ways to hurt the Merpeople.

"They are relics of the past," Gornuk relaxed a little. "Best left forgotten…"

"Best left forgotten," Ron gave a nod. "Now, let's discus business?"

"Certainly," Gornuk gathered himself. "I… I've looked into a few buildings that are for hire on Diagon Alley, all of them are in the upper district. I was hoping to get your input on said buildings." Gornuk then pulled out a bunch of dossiers, and he handed them to Ron. "I personally have very little experience in hiring buildings to create Offices, I'm afraid."

"Oh… I was hoping to count on you for that," Ron admitted as he took the dossiers. "I don't know anything about hiring buildings myself."

Ron then looked through the buildings, and all of them looked acceptable. A little pricey, though. Doesn't he have anything around this area? Something cheaper? I mean, we don't plan to have a large staff, so hiring these sorts of buildings seems unnecessary.

"Do you have any building around this area?" Ron asked. "Some of these buildings are very expensive. Like this one here… Five hundred Galleons per month? That's six thousands Galleons a year."

"Unfortunately, Gringotts owns the leases of all the vacant buildings in the Middle District," Gornuk said.

"Can't we ask them to let us hire a building?" Ron asked.

"I cannot recommend that, Mr. Weasley," Gornuk said, and Ron blinked at him. "As your Logistics Officer, I must warn you against making such a deal. Gringotts has a habit of leasing buildings for cheap, and then, steadily increasing the rent until they put small businesses in debt." What?

"Is that even legal?" Ron asked. "It doesn't sound very legal."

"Many Ministry Officials are bribed by the Goblins of Gringotts to look the other way," Gornuk admitted. "We must stay clear of the Middle District… Otherwise, we risk our own business in its early stages."

"Great," Ron blew raspberries as he looked back down at the dossiers. "The Ministry is a shithole filled with corruption…" Ron then decided to think more on this dilemma. "I'll go through these in my time, and when I have come to a decision, I'll let you know."

"Very well," Gornuk agreed. "Now, about the staff… I have made inquiries through the proper channels, and we have a vast pool of people to choose from. I am currently collecting their credentials, and once I have them, we can begin interviewing people of interest."

"How many people are in this vast pool?" Ron asked.

"Twenty one from England, thirteen from France, five from Romania, and three from Austria," Gornuk replied. "All of them are currently looking for work related to Journalism, and since The Quibbler is now a Journalism Magazine, they'll happily flock to us." Didn't Lady Longbottom have connections as well? I'll talk to her about this when I see her at Christmas.

"Extend the invitation to the States as well," Ron said. "Marietta Angel is from the States, and we both think that she's perfect for The Quibbler."

"An excellent suggestion," Gornuk wrote it down. "I believe that concludes our business for now."

"Wait… There's one more thing," Ron started, and Gornuk looked up. "The account I had you open… The one named Fred and George."

"Ah," Gornuk quickly reached into his desk, and he pulled out a golden key and a Gringotts pouch. "Forgive my forgetfulness, Mr. Weasley, but I am still a little shaken from-" Gornuk stopped abruptly.

"It's alright," Ron assured the Goblin. "Don't worry about it, Gornuk. Can I have the key and pouch?"

"Here you are," Gornuk handed them over, grateful that Ron wasn't being demanding like his other clients. "Two hundred and fifty Galleons have been moved into this new account from your main one, and this pouch is connected to the 'Fred and George' account."

"Thanks for doing this so quickly," Ron smiled at the Goblin. "I know I only gave you a few days, so I really appreciate the effort."

"Just doing my job, Mr. Weasley," Gornuk gave a nod, a semi-smug smile on his face.

Ron stood up at that, making sure that he had left nothing behind.

"I'll be going then," Ron bid his goodbye. "I'll let you know about my decision soon."

"Take care, Mr. Weasley," Gornuk went back to his work.

"You too," Ron said as he exited the Office, and once the door was closed behind him, Ron made his way towards the lobby.

He planned to wait until Kirsten, or Charlie, brought the twins to Gringotts in order to pick him up. Ron planned to take the twins to their new vault, and even if they refused to accept him back, he planned to hand over the key and the pouch. If anything, I'll at least know that I did right by them. What they choose to do afterwards is up to them. But saying that, I will do my best to convince them to at least leave the Slytherins alone. As soon as he entered the lobby, he spotted Bill waiting around by a decorated pillar, his eyes moving from Goblin to Goblin. What's he up to?

"Hello," Ron greeted his eldest brother from behind, and Bill turned around with a slightly confused look.

"Ron?" Bill looked a little surprised to see him. "What are you doing here?"

"Singing Christmas Carols for the Goblins," Ron said dryly. "I'm here for Quibbler business, Bill. What are you doing? Are you waiting for someone?"

"Actually, yeah, I am," Bill replied. "A Goblin named Griphook is supposed to sanction my team's raid on an old tomb that we discovered, but he has a habit of making the 'human' wait."

"Not popular at your work?" Ron asked.

"I am as long as I'm bringing home plenty of treasure, but Griphook feels the need to keep me in my place," Bill rolled his eyes. Is that so? Griphook… I will remember that name, and one day, I'll teach him not to disrespect the Weasley Family.

"I'm sure he'll warm up to you one day," Ron said, and Bill snorted.

"Highly unlikely," Bill said. Oh, he will. "Wait… Did you come here alone?"

"Sort of," Ron replied. "The others are all in Diagon Alley. Getting Ice-Creams, and shopping for Christmas."

"And you're here for business reasons?" Bill chuckled.

"This is more important," Ron shrugged. "You can join us after you finish work, if you want."

"Something tells me that I won't be getting off until dinner," Bill sighed out. "We still have to go check out this tomb, and until Griphook graces me with his presence, my entire team is stonewalled."

"Can I ask you where this tomb is?" Ron asked, and Bill adorned a sorry look.

"Sorry, little brother, but that's classified information," Bill replied.

"Alright, that's fair enough," Ron said, his eyes catching a glimpse of red. "Oh, Charlie and the twins are here."

"They are?" Bill shot a look back, and then he waved his brothers over. "The twins don't look very pleased."

"Figures," Ron said. "They were out enjoying Diagon Alley, and now, they're stuck at a bank." Plus, I'm in said bank, so they are definitely displeased.

"Hey, Bill," Charlie greeted with a smile. "Enjoying working so near to Christmas?"

"No, but one of us needs a real job, so here I am," Bill smirked.

"Fuck off," Charlie snorted. "My job is way more important. Dragons are endangered, you know."

"Because idiots like you take care of them," Bill smirked, and Ron held back a snigger. Savaged by William Weasley.

"I can beat you up," Charlie said blandly, clearly unhappy with how his banter had turned out.

"What brings you two here?" Bill asked the twins.

"Charlie dragged us here against our will," Fred groaned.

"We were just about to pass by Broomstix," George added as he shook his head. "I mean, we can't buy anything there because mum took all of our money, but still…"

"Would've been nice to see what's in season," Fred finished for his twin.

"Actually, Charlie brought you here because I asked him to," Ron said, and both twins looked at him. Yes, I'm here. You can now stop ignoring me like petty children.

"Is this true?" George looked to Charlie, who simply shrugged. "Unbelievable…"

"We're leaving," Fred frowned at Ron. "Instead of asking us, you trick us into coming here? What's wrong with you?"

"Would you have accepted if I did ask?" Ron countered.

"That's not the point," George argued.

"This is my workplace, and I will smack all four of you if you don't behave," Bill warned, and the twins quickly stopped arguing.

"Me as well?" Charlie asked Bill. "What did I do?"

"Ron, why did you bring them here?" Bill asked.

"I want to make amends," Ron admitted freely, and the twins gave him suspicious looks.

"Amends?" George asked.

"In a bank?" Fred asked right after.

"Go on," the twins said together. Wow, that was easier than I expected. Are they really that short on money?

"Come with me, and you can see for yourselves," Ron said, doing his best to sound civil.

---

Five Minutes Later

The ride down had upset Ron's stomach, but instead of feeling queasy, he felt a dull pain throughout his stomach. It was an extremely unpleasant, and uncomfortable, feeling, but Ron decided to power through it. Oddly enough, Ron hadn't really had much for breakfast or lunch, so he had no idea what was causing his stomachache.

"Key, please," the tiny Goblin asked, and Ron handed the key over. "Bring that lamp, please."

Fred grabbed the lamp from the cart, and all three of them followed the Goblin down towards the newly opened vault. Once they got there, Fred aimed the light at the keyhole, which was promptly unlocked by the tiny Goblin. Ron could see that his brothers had caught onto what he was up to, but Ron decided not to make a comment on it. What would it change? I'd just come across as boastful. I'll give them the vault, ask them for peace, and then let them decide what they want. For better or worse. The tiny Goblin pushed the vault door open, and Ron made his way inside.

There was a large pile of Galleons just sitting in the center of the dimly lit vault, and Ron heard the twins quickly race in. They both gasped, and when Ron looked back at them, they had awed looks on their faces. Awe, and a hint of greed. They probably see this as a lot of money. I still remember when they all saw my vault, even Charlie was salivating.

"I will be outside," the Goblin said. "Make this quick, please."

"What's this?" George asked Ron, he was still more cautious than Fred. Makes sense. George is the brain, while Fred is the heart. "Why are we doing down here, Ron?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Fred asked as he circled the large pile of gold. "He's giving this to us, George!"

"I am," Ron said, and unlike Fred, George looked a little suspicious.

"Why? Are you trying to bribe us?" George asked. "Just speak plainly for once, Ron. What is your goal here?"

"George," Fred said with a meaningful look, but George ignored his twin's love of money.

"I want to know what you're doing, Ron," George said calmly. "In my experience, you're a clever little bastard who always has an angle." A compliment? Well, I'll take it.

"Like I said, I am giving you this vault," Ron replied. "It's even named after you two. It's yours."

"And what do you want from us in return?" George asked, while Fred made sure that the Galleons were real.

"Peace," Ron replied, and George blinked at him. "I don't want to fight you two… I was wrong to set you two up-"

"Three," Fred corrected Ron. "You set up Lee as well." I don't give a fuck about Lee.

"Yes, Lee as well," Ron decided to adapt. "I was wrong to take things that far, and I've told mum the truth. I know that she's cancelled your punishment, mostly because I didn't see you two performing chores today. She knows that it was all me."

"You just… confessed?" George looked quite surprised. "Why?"

"I was… cruel… to you," Ron said, even if it wounded his pride. "I… I wanted you to feel miserable, to feel alone, and that was wrong."

"Why would you want that for us?" Fred suddenly walked up to George's side, his anger had returned. "We're your kin, you git!"

"It's how you made me feel growing up," Ron replied, and the twins lost their anger just as quickly as they had remembered it. "When you killed my first pet… When you tried to force me into servitude… When you laughed at me for crying because you burnt a hole through my tongue… When you told me that mum never wanted me."

"Those were jokes, and accidents," Fred said quickly.

"Not to me," Ron looked down at his feet for a moment. Maintain eye contact, you weak fuck! Don't let them make you feel small again! "I never once laughed during those memories, but you two did. You even treated me like dirt after dad screamed at you for trying to bind me. Anyway… I don't want to air our dirty laundry, that's not why we're here."

Ron reached into his robes, and he pulled out their Gringotts pouch. Ron then tossed it to George, who caught it easily.

"What's this?" George asked slowly.

"Your Gringotts pouch," Ron replied. "Whenever you need money, just reach into it and pull some out. The pouch is tethered to this vault, and the items inside it. This is all yours now. Use it for whatever you want. Rebuild your stock, invest in your business plans, or give it away to charity. It's up to you. The Goblin will give you the key once we rejoin him." There, Ron. You did your part. "I am sorry for my part in your suspension."

Sadly for Ron, he didn't really feel any relief whatsoever from his kind act. If anything, he felt as he always did. Just ticking checkboxes. Accomplishing my set goals in an orderly fashion.

"My only request is that you don't come after me, or the Slytherins," Ron said, and the twins exchanged looks. "What you do to them does impact me. They blame me because I'm your brother, and they make things difficult for me and my friends."

"You'll take this away if we don't do as you ask?" George cocked an eyebrow.

"No," Ron replied truthfully. "This is yours, and that's that. You can still keep being the pranksters of Hogwarts all you like, the only difference will be that you know better now. I've said it clearly; what you two do does affect me. If you decide that you don't care enough about that, then by all means, keep doing what you always do."

Ron made his way past them at that, and once he was outside, he looked to the Goblin.

"Give them the key once they come out."

---

Ten Minutes Later

Once again, Ron's stomach was hurting. The cart ride up had been a silent, and quite awkward, one. The only thing that managed to distract Ron was the dull ache in his stomach, which quite honestly wasn't a blessing. Once they had made their way up, Ron had noticed that the twins were lingering behind Ron on purpose. He could hear them whispering to each other, and Ron had decided not to listen in.

They had rejoined Charlie quickly enough, and the older Weasley had said nothing to the twins or Ron. Ron was very grateful for his tact, which wasn't really Charlie's strong suit, and Ron figured that Kirsten had become a good influence on Charlie. Just like Daphne is a good influence on me. Ron still had one more errand to run, and Charlie had agreed to escort him to it. Fred and George had followed after them, but they maintained their distance for the sake of privacy.

"Madame Tessa's Massage Parlour?" Charlie read the sign. "Um… You want to get a massage, Ron?"

"No, I want to make an appointment for someone else," Ron replied, his eyes darting towards the shop being built right next to the Massage Parlour. King Solomon's Bakery? Solomon? I've heard that name before, haven't I? Oh yeah, in Victor's vision… He claimed that he delivered Emilia and Solomon to the Death-Eaters. Is it the same Solomon?

Ron's eyes drifted towards a hulk of a man, who was wearing some rather weird garbs. He was smoking a thick cigar as he looked at the passing crowds, completely ignoring the workers who were going about their work behind him. Merlin, he's one monstrous looking man. He could probably tear Charlie in two. The hulk of a man noticed Ron staring, and he looked in Ron's direction with a furrowed brow. His face… There's a massive cut on it.

"What're you lookin' at, whelp?" the man spoke in an odd, grunt-like manner. "Fuck off, yeah?" What?

"What did you just say?" Charlie immediately looked ready to start a fight, while Ron just stared at the monstrous man.

"I said 'fuck off, yeah'," the man repeated, and all the workers stopped working.

"Um… Charlie, let's just go," George said, his eyes darting towards the eyeballing workers.

"You look like a daft cunt," Charlie pointed out as he nudged Ron to enter the Massage Parlour.

"Daft cunt?" the man looked back to his workers, and then he let out a thick laugh. "You lot hear that? I look like a 'daft cunt'. I fuckin' love Britain! This is my kind of town, ain' it?!"

The workers all started laughing, and Ron decided that it was best to leave. Fucking weird cunt. They just let anyone set up shop in Diagon Alley, don't they? He looks like he belongs in Knockturn Alley instead. Ron, and his brothers, entered the Massage Parlour, and while Ron made his way towards the reception desk, the twins tried to calm down a seething Charlie. I just hope he doesn't start anything once we leave.

"Hello," Ron greeted the man sitting behind the desk.

"Ah, Mr. Weasley," the man smiled widely at Ron. Huh? "Oh, I'm Bradley! I was here the last time you came for a massage!"

"You were here for a massage?" came Fred's interested voice, and Ron ignored it.

"Right, I was hoping to make an appointment for tomorrow," Ron started.

"Oh, we're completely booked out," Bradley said with a sheepish smile. "We're very busy during this time of the year!" Why is he so chipper?

Ron looked around the empty Parlour, and then he stared at Bradley.

"There's no one in here," Ron pointed out.

"Most of our customers are using the back entrance," Bradley lost his smile. "The people working out there… They're harassing our clients… Many of them are steering clear of the area."

"Ah," Ron nodded.

"They didn't bother you, I hope," Bradley gave Ron a sorry smile.

"They told me to fuck off," Ron shrugged, and Bradley rubbed his forehead.

"Merlin, we need those hooligans gone," Bradley muttered under his breath. "Anyway… I'm sorry, but we're completely booked out."

"The appointment is for my mother," Ron said. "Her back has been hurting, and she is hosting a very large dinner on Christmas. Please, isn't there any free spot?"

"I'm sorry, Sir," Bradley apologized, and Ron lost his polite demeanor immediately. Fine, we'll talk in a language that you can understand.

Ron reached into his robes, and he pulled out his Gringotts pouch. Ron then planted one Galleon on the desk, and Bradley stared at it with a shocked expression. More? Fine. Ron added four Galleons on top of his first offer, and Bradley looked at Ron with a slightly subdued look. Ron added another five Galleons to the pile, and Bradley eyed the money with a fixed stare. The next few Galleons I'll lodge down your throat, so just accept already.

"I can pencil you in for half past one," Bradley took the money and pocketed it. "Is that acceptable, Mr. Weasley?"

"Yes," Ron replied coldly. "I want a complete massage for her."

"Got it," Bradly nodded. "Thank you for your patronage." Uh-huh.

"We're going," Ron rejoined his brothers, who were just staring at him for openly bribing a man in front of them. "What?"

"Mum's back is hurting?" Charlie asked.

"Yeah, it is," Ron replied. "You know her, right? She'd never tell us if something was bothering her…" Unless we caused said bothering. Then, she'd definitely let us know.

"You can use the back to leave, if you want," Bradley called out. "Unless you want to run into those hooligans again."

"Let's take the back," Fred said, and Charlie snorted.

"Piss on that," Charlie said. "Why should we have to take the back? They're the pricks."

"Um, Fred and I don't have our wands," George reminded Charlie. "Ron's only thirteen, they completely outnumber us, they look rather dangerous, and that guy in the weird clothes didn't really look human. Shall I go on?" Haven't the twins heard about my lightning display?

"I'm not sneaking out the back," Ron said plainly. "That's not me."

"Having an ego is all well and good, but it's not worth getting murdered over," George said. "Ron, those 'hooligans' looked like criminals. Didn't you see their tattoos?"

Ron eyed Fred and George, and the fact that they didn't have wands stuck with Ron. If those cunts do try something, Fred and George can't even defend themselves. Damn it.

"Mum didn't give your wands back?" Ron asked them, and they shook their heads. "She probably forgot…"

"Or she doesn't trust us just yet," Fred added.

"Either way, we're defenseless if something happens," George said.

"Let's take the back," Ron said to Charlie, whose jaw clenched from his flaring temper. Yeah, I know…

"Fine," Charlie grunted.

---

George Weasley's POV

Wednesday 23rd December, 1993 (The Burrow – Near Evening)

"Well?" George asked Fred, who was fiddling with the vault key. "What are we going to do about this?"

"Honestly, I want to take the money," Fred admitted as he sat up. "George… Did you see how much money was in that vault? All he's asking for is that we lay off of the Slytherins. I reckon that's a fair bargain." More than fair. And the fact that he gave us both the key and the pouch without us agreeing to his terms was… moving. Very moving.

"Alright, we'll take his offer," George gave a nod.

"Right…" Fred eyed George, and George subtly looked away. "Yeah, something's eating at you… Do you want to tell me what it is?"

George clicked his tongue, and then he got off of his bed in order to pace. This was a habit of George's that only Fred knew of. Whenever George was thinking, or troubled, he would begin pacing as a way to establish control over himself. His words got to me, especially the way he said them. Whatever is happening with him is clearly getting to him. Why won't he tell us?! Why won't Percy explain what happened with the French?! When did this Family start keeping secrets?!

"George?" Fred sounded mildly annoyed. "I can't weigh in unless you open up to me."

"Do you think we really hurt Ron?" George stopped pacing, his eyes fixed on his twin's.

"What?" Fred was a little taken aback.

"We've done some pretty… harsh… things to him," George said, and Fred let out a long sigh. "What?"

"You've always had a really soft spot for him," Fred said.

"And you don't?" George asked. "Didn't you plan to bind him to us so that he'd always be stuck with us? So that we could always keep our eyes on him?"

"I was an idiot kid," Fred replied. "Honestly, I don't even think about it anymore. I'm glad that dad came in when he did, and I'm even glad that he scared the life out of us." Not glad about the spanking though, eh?

"Ron hasn't forgotten about it," George began pacing again. "You and I both know that he hasn't forgotten, or forgiven, a single thing."

"He's overemotional," Fred pointed out. "This is the same kid who takes even the smallest of jokes to heart."

"Not anymore," George said. "Some criminal told him to fuck off in the streets, and he didn't even look fazed." I nearly did a runner, and I know you did too.

"That's just his Slytherin alter-ego," Fred said. "The cold and calculating Weasley… Pfft. I bet he was just as scared as us." Somehow, I really doubt that. I know when Ron's nervous, and he was not nervous. He wasn't even interested.

"We're digressing…" George clicked his tongue again. "Do you think we hurt him, or not?" I'm starting to think that we did. Even Ginny told us that we were being bullies before Ron had us suspended.

"Alright… A couple of things that we did as kids were cruel," Fred admitted. "But we were kids… Kids do stupid things all the time."

"But it was just him," George stopped pacing. "Only him. We might have teased Percy, mocked Ginny for her girly tastes, and even made gay jokes about Bill and Charlie… But with Ron? We tested all of our meanest pranks on him."

"He was a little shit," Fred groaned. "You know he was. He constantly tattled on us, he constantly tried to sneak into our room, and he always felt the urge to involve himself in our affairs."

"I know… But it's Ron," George said, and Fred pinched the bridge of his nose. He's Ickle Ronnikins… Our Ickle Ronnikins.

"Are you upset that we hurt Ron? Or are you upset that we no longer have little Ronnie chasing after us?" Fred asked bluntly, and George once again averted his gaze. "What do you really want, George? You want us to apologize to him? What difference would that make? He'll never believe us, and personally, I'm not all that sorry. After all the damage he's done to us, why don't we all just leave the past buried?"

"So we just act like everything's fine? You think that'll work?" George asked.

"It will if you stop poking holes in it," Fred replied.

"He apologized to us," George reminded Fred. "Just today, he apologized and confessed to mum."

"He said that he wants peace, and we won't have peace if we start airing dirty laundry," Fred said. "One of us will piss off the other, and we'll be back at where we started. Let's just accept his olive branch, and just move on."

"We can apologize as well," George said.

"You want to apologize so you don't have a guilty conscience," Fred said. "It's not because you're guilty. What's the point of apologizing if you don't even mean it? And, pray tell, what happens if he catches onto your fake apology? He'll be pissed."

"I am sorry, though," George said.

"Really?" Fred cocked an eyebrow. Maybe… I'm not sure. "George, you're definitely more intelligent than I am, but you've always been too cautious. You want to make sure that everything is cleared out before we move on, but you don't seem to understand that Ron just wants to stop. You want all of this to end in a neatly wrapped present, but that's not going to happen. I know that you don't really feel guilty, because if you did, you'd apologize in a heartbeat. Right now, you're doing what you always do before we start a new project. You're trying to figure out ways to fix everything before it breaks. Well… Ron is not a project, and a dishonest apology is just going to fuck things up for us."

Fred then got up, and he walked over to George.

"He just gave us more money than we've ever had," Fred put his hand on George's shoulder. "Honestly, I don't even know what to do with that much money… Within a month, or so, we'll have all of our merchandise back. We can once again start focusing on our plans after Hogwarts. And with this much money, I really think we can make it."

"You're scared that he'll pull his money away," George realized.

"Yeah, I am," Fred admitted shamelessly. "This is still Ron we're talking about… We both know that he doesn't fuck around anymore. I mean, he came after us once, and we ended up in house arrest. Fighting him after what just happened is… idiotic. And believe me, apologizing to him just to ease your own mind is going to start a fight. I'd rather just move on."

George rubbed his face tiredly, which took Fred by surprise.

"Hey…" Fred whispered.

"He's sick, and he won't tell us a thing," George muttered, and Fred pulled George into a one-armed hug. "We've completely lost him… Maybe you're right. Maybe I just miss having him chase after us."

"Sometimes, I miss it as well," Fred said in a comforting voice. "But over the last two years, he's changed way too much. That's on him, not us. He doesn't want to tell us what's wrong with him. We've tried to ask, we've tried to chase him down, but he's not interested. Well, he can keep his secrets. One day, he'll regret the way he behaves around his siblings." Why do I doubt that? "C'mon, George… Don't turn on the waterworks…"

"Sod off," George frowned a little.

"I'm serious," Fred said. "You know that you spiral whenever you overanalyze everything. If you do start feeling genuinely guilty, then by all means, apologize to him. But don't apologize just to make yourself feel better, or to avoid further fights. That's not fair to Ron, and it's not fair to our plans. Just… Just once, you ought to listen to me."

"Okay…" George relaxed a little, and his brother gave him a kiss on the side of the head.

"For now, we should just end our feud with him," Fred advised. "Let's focus on rebuilding, yeah?"

"Okay…" George nodded weakly. "Focus on rebuilding… I can do that."

"Do you want the key and the pouch for safekeeping?" Fred asked.

"Obviously," George replied. "You'd lose them both."

"Such little faith…" Fred sighed. While we rebuild, I'll think more on Ron and our past actions. He was right about one thing, I never heard him laugh at our jokes. Not even once.

---

Ronald Weasley's POV

Wednesday 23rd December, 1993 (The Burrow – Late Evening)

"Sirius, are you ready?" Ron asked as he entered the Living Room, and he spotted a well-dressed Sirius sitting with the Trio. He looks good.

"Yeah, kid," Sirius stood up as he ruffled Harry's hair, making Harry shrink with a frown. "We just have to wait for Mary and Seb, and we'll be good to go." C'mon Lord and Lady Greengrass… What's taking you so long? We're going to be late.

"Are you really going to help the Werewolves tonight?" Hermione asked, she sounded genuinely interested.

"I'm going to try my best," Ron replied, deciding to not make any promises. I can't trust so easily. Not this time. I'll be extremely careful around my new allies from now on. "Neville?"

"Gran is willing to offer up to five hundred Galleons," Neville said, which earned him surprised looks from Harry and Hermione. "Oh… I sent her an owl… You know, for business details and so forth…" He didn't tell them?

"Sirius, have you settled on a number yet?" Ron asked, deciding to ignore Hermione and Harry's shock.

"One thousand Galleons," Sirius replied, and even Ron was a little taken aback. "I need to do this, kid. The Black Fortune needs to be put to good use, and this is a good cause." You could help more people from your Wizengamot position… Should I speak to him about that?

"Alright, add five hundred from me, and that's two thousand Galleons already," Ron smiled a little to himself. Aunt Muriel refused to pitch in to 'help the dogs', so I need Lord and Lady Greengrass to pick up the slack. If we can have a budget of four thousand Galleons, we could help so many people. Should I add more to my own sum? I mean, I'm trying to be very careful with my money now, but this seems like a worthier cause than most.

The fireplace roared to life, and the Greengrass Family came through. Ron immediately rounded on them, his eyes widening at their lack of proper clothing. They're wearing casual clothes?! I mean, their casuals are better than what most people wear, but this is unacceptable.

"My Lord?" Ron looked Lord Greengrass over.

"Mary and I will not be attending tonight," Lord Greengrass said, and Ron just stared at his mentor.

"Daphne will be going with you instead," Mary sounded quite pleased about that.

"Daphne?" Ron asked. "She left for the Manor an hour ago…" And she's not with you.

"She came to us, and she asked us to sit this out," Lord Greengrass sounded dull. "Apparently, this is far too important for me to bungle up with my cold demeanor." Ouch. She said that?

"She didn't mean that, husband," Mary sighed. "She just wants this to work out for Ron, and you refused to back down."

"She's never done charity work in her life," Lord Greengrass said coldly. "She is thinking with her heart, not her head."

"So wait… Daphne wants to take the lead on this in the Greengrass name?" Sirius asked, and Lord Greengrass gave a curt nod. "Ha! She kicked you to the curb, didn't she?!" Really, Sirius?

"She will be here shortly," Lord Greengrass told Ron, and then he left for the Kitchen without another word.

"Sorry for his mood," Mary apologized to Ron. "He doesn't think that Daphne is ready for something like this, and they got into a bit of a fight." Why didn't Daphne tell me that she wanted to come with me? It looks far better if I bring the Head of the Greengrass Family with me rather than bringing the Heir. "Are Susana and James here?"

"They're in dad's shed," Ron replied. "Mum and dad are showing them dad's collection."

"Good luck tonight," Mary patted Ron's cheek, and then she left to go join her friends.

Ron found himself waiting at the fireplace, his eyes fixed on the fire. C'mon, Daph. Hurry up already.

"Staring at the fire won't make her come faster," Sirius said, and Ron began pacing. "Kid?"

"What?" Ron asked.

"You alright? You seem nervous," Sirius pointed out. Why wouldn't I be nervous? I'm putting my faith in strangers, and if they fuck me on this, I'll have to go looking for help from another 'noble' Family.

"I'm fine," Ron lied, his eyes fixed on the flames.

"This'll work out," Sirius said. "The Fawleys are all Hufflepuffs, Ron. They can't help but do the right thing." Jokes… He better act serious tonight. "Neville, if Lady Longbottom is donating, then why don't you come with us as well?"

"Me?" Neville muttered. "Um… I'm not really good at this whole Heir thing… I'll just pass the money to Ron, I think."

"Nonsense, Neville," Hermione spoke up. "I'm sure you'd be great at it. Ron, can Neville come with-?"

"No," Ron shut them down.

"Kid…" Sirius said, while Neville shrunk a little.

"No."

"Why?" Hermione asked, her voice a little haughty.

Ron suddenly felt his temper flare because of her demanding tone, and he shot Hermione a look that shut her up immediately. Stay in your league, bitch, or I'll throw you out of a window.

"I already have too many people coming, and he will not be contributing anything of note," Ron said, and then he looked to Neville. "What would you do if I did bring you along?"

"I'd… probably just sit there…" Neville admitted, while Harry frowned at Ron.

"That's what I thought," Ron began pacing again. Where are you Daphne? You stopped your parents from coming, and now you're running late?

The Trio and Sirius watched Ron pace, their eyes were completely fixed on him. Just as Ron turned to pace in the other direction, a sharp pain traveled throughout his stomach, making Ron grab his stomach as he groaned through gritted teeth. This again? Fuck… That one really hurt. Ron leaned against the fireplace on instinct, his vision blurring for a moment.

"Ron? You alright?" Sirius was by Ron's side immediately, his right hand rubbed Ron's back. "Fucking hell… You've gone pale…"

"I'm okay…" Ron muttered. "Just a stomachache…"

"You've barely eaten a thing today," Sirius whispered, and then he shot a quick look back at the worried Trio. "Do you want me to get your parents?"

"No… No, I'm okay…" Ron stood up straighter, there was still a dull ache in his stomach. "I'm just… nervous… that's all…"

His pain seemed to have knocked most of his anger and impatience out of him, which helped him realize that he was once again letting his stress cloud his judgement. Neville's presence will add credibility to Lady Longbottom's promise of donation… C'mon, Ron… This is basic stuff that you're neglecting.

"Just help me to that chair, please," Ron managed, and Sirius helped Ron towards the nearest chair.

Ron dropped on it unceremoniously, his hands resting on his aching stomach. Fucking hell, it's getting worse. And my stomach feels really empty right now. I need to eat fully at this dinner, maybe that'll help me feel better. Ron looked over to Neville, and he realized that the Trio were just staring at him.

"Go put on your best," Ron said to Neville. "Hurry, please."

"You want me to come with?" Neville didn't exactly look pleased about that.

"If you want…" Ron rested his head back and closed his eyes. "It's up to you…" Fuck, I feel really tired all of a sudden…

---

Five Minutes Later

Ron stirred from his sleep when he felt a cold, wet towel being pressed to his forehead, and as his eyes slowly opened, he saw Daphne and Hermione hovering in front of him.

"He's waking up," Hermione whispered, while Daphne dabbed his cheeks. That feels nice… "I'll tell Sirius."

"Ugh… What happened?" Ron leaned forward, and Daphne put the wet towel aside as she took his hands into hers. I feel really lightheaded. Wait… What's the time?!

Ron looked to his Rolex, and his blood froze in his veins. Twenty past seven! We're going to be late! Ron tried to stand up, but Daphne quickly stopped him by resting her hands on his shoulders.

"Ron, stop," Daphne whispered, and Ron stared at her. She did up her hair.

"We're going to be late," Ron grunted, his stomach was feeling heavy. At least it's not sore anymore. "It's already twenty past-"

"Kid?" Sirius walked up from the corner of the room. "Thank Merlin… I was starting to worry."

"About what?" Ron asked. "I'm fine… Now, let's go!"

"Maybe we should cancel tonight?" Daphne suggested, a worried look on her face. "Ron, you just fell asleep out of nowhere… And you look very sickly."

"It's because I haven't eaten all day," Ron told her. "Eating dinner will help me, I promise."

Ron then stood up, despite Daphne trying to ease him back into the chair. Neville, Harry, and Hermione were waiting by the fireplace, and when Ron saw that Neville was wearing the same clothes as before, he fought the urge to sigh in defeat.

"You're not coming?" Ron asked.

"I don't really fit into these sorts of events," Neville said apologetically. "Plus… I thought that we weren't going…" Why would you think that?

"Ron, we're canceling tonight," Sirius said firmly, and Ron shot the man a jarred look. "You're clearly sick, and I'm calling your parents right now. The Fawleys can wait."

Daphne pinched the bridge of her nose, she knew what was going to happen. Ron was not a fan of being told what to do, especially when he was this worked up.

"We're canceling tonight?" Ron muttered, and Sirius gave him a nod.

"It's for the best," Sirius said, and Ron felt his rage seep into his mind.

"We're not canceling a damn thing," Ron snarled, his eyes turning cold. "You will do what you promised, and you will show me your support."

Sirius frowned deeply at Ron's tone, while the others just went dead quiet. Grey eyes clashed against pale blue, and Ron refused to back down. I'm the sick one, but I'm still putting in an effort. Why am I surrounded by useless, lazy cunts?

"You don't want to come?" Ron asked after a few moments of dead silence. "Fine… Stay here, then. Daphne, we're going…"

Ron made his way past Sirius in order to get to the fireplace, and the Trio quickly stepped out of his way.

"Ron, stop being so stubborn," Daphne joined in, and Ron was rather taken aback by her words. "You look deathly ill right now… Stop doing this to yourself."

"I'm getting his parents," Sirius walked towards the exit. "Bloody suicidal moron…"

"We have ten minutes to get to the Witch's Garden, and you're all choosing now to pull out?" Ron asked, he couldn't believe this. "How am I supposed to explain this to the Fawleys? They're probably already there!"

"Tell them that you got sick," Sirius stopped walking, a deep frown on his face.

"How does this make me look?" Ron asked, and then he turned his gaze to his girlfriend. "Go on, Daphne, tell me how this makes me look." She said nothing, and Ron had his answer. "It makes me look incompetent. Pulling out at the last second, and wasting their evening so close to Christmas… I need these people in order to help the Werewolf community, and you're all getting in the way. Plus, I have someone coming down just for tonight. What do I tell my employee? She's bringing her articles just to show the Fawleys."

"We're trying to look out for you," Sirius argued.

"I don't need that!" Ron countered, his frustration evident in his voice. "I need your help with the Fawleys! That's how you can look out for me!" Fucking hell, this is just wasting time. "I'm leaving. Feel free to join me if you change your minds." Ron turned around, grabbed a pinch of floo-powder, and he tossed it into the fire. "The Leaky Cauldron."

The fire roared to life, and just as Ron went to go through it, he felt someone grab his arm.

"Stop, for fuck's sake," Sirius growled. "Ron, you're ruining your health! Just tell the Fawleys that you couldn't make it, and that you'll happily see them another night!"

Sirius' fingers tightened around Ron's arm, and Ron tried to pull his arm free.

"Let go," Ron said, but Sirius kept his hold. "Let go right the fuck now, Sirius…"

"No," Sirius said firmly, and then he looked to Harry. "Go get his parents. Tell them what's happened."

Harry left immediately, clearly he wanted to be anywhere but in this room. Ugh! They'll put me under house arrest! I can take care of this entire thing tonight, and my own fucking allies are fucking me over again! Fuck!

"Let go of him," Daphne said, she didn't like Sirius Black putting his hands on Ron. "You have no right to put your hands on him!"

Sirius shot a frown back, and then, he let go of Ron's arm.

"You're being stupid…" Sirius shook his head. "You're being so fucking stupid…" Don't knock his fucking teeth out… Control…

Ron drew in a deep breath, and then he turned and cracked his neck.

"I'm leaving," Ron said, his voice shaking with anger. "Thanks for nothing…"

Ron quickly went through the fire, mostly because he knew that he was going to do something incredibly violent and cruel if he had stayed in the Burrow. At this point, Ron understood just how blind he could be when his anger took over, and as angry as he was with Sirius and the others, he didn't plan to show them his cruelty. Deep down, he knew that they were just worried for him, but at the same time, he was so frustrated with their inability to learn from the past. When had Ron ever backed down? Never. Sure, he got knocked down often enough, his latest defeat being less than two days prior, but that didn't mean that Ron was just going to tap out. He was the sick one, but he was still doing his best to keep fighting. But instead of seeing that, they feel the need to put me into a corner.

Ron felt his anger spike as he stepped out of the Leaky Cauldron, but he quickly swallowed it. He needed to stay focused right now. He needed to do his best to win over the Fawleys, and in doing so, help those who were even more unfortunate than himself. It's alright… In the end, I can only rely on myself. That's what I've really learnt over the past few days. Expecting other people to understand my goals is just wishful thinking. In the end, I have to be the change that I want to see. I just have to work harder than ever, and there's no getting around that. Complaining won't change a damn thing, only action will. Tonight, I have the chance to help an entire community full of people who are treated like the plague. Men, women, children, and the elderly… I'll build a place for them all. That's all that matters.

Ron picked up his pace, he only had five minutes left. Luckily for him, the Witch's Garden wasn't too far away from the Leaky Cauldron, and when he finally neared the restaurant, he spotted Marietta Angel hovering by the entrance. She's here! And she's brought a briefcase with her!

"Marietta," Ron greeted, and she looked incredibly relieved to see him.

"Boss, you're here…" she let out a sigh of relief. Boss? "The Fawleys are already inside, and I was starting to get worried."

"You didn't join them?" Ron asked, and she shook her head.

"Nerves… Sorry, I've never done something like this," she admitted, and Ron remembered that she was a skittish person. I need to keep her calm. Her articles, and presentation, are my trump card.

"It's alright," Ron tried to sound as gentle as he could, but due to his own nervousness and anger, he didn't sound very calming. "Just speak to them like you spoke to me during your interview. Show them your brilliant articles on Werewolves, and tell them about your travels. These people want to help, Marietta, but we need to really pull at their heartstrings."

"Pull at their heartstrings?" she blinked.

"The more sorry they feel, the more money they'll contribute," Ron said, and she nodded fervently.

"Okay… Okay, I can do that…" Marietta kept nodding to herself. "Just relax, Marietta, you got this, girl."

"I'll be right there with you," Ron promised her, and then he opened the door. "Let's go in."

The inside of the Witch's Garden was vastly different to the Pond's luxurious design, but Ron didn't really mind the change. The Witch's Garden felt more humble, and in a way, closer to nature. There were lots of green ferns, the ceiling was hidden due to thin, pink smoke, and Ron could even see mushrooms and brewing cauldrons around the place. All of it added up to create an ambience worthy of the name of the restaurant.

"Good evening," a witch in a pointy hat greeted them. "Table for two?"

"We're dining with the Fawley Family," Ron smiled at the witch, who just stared at his sickly pale complexion. Why is she staring at me?

"Right this way, Sir," the witch said suddenly, and then she began leading them towards the back of the restaurant.

Ron shot a look back at Marietta, and he saw her fidgeting with her briefcase. She's wearing a nice dress, actually. No doubt a gift from her boyfriend.

"Relax," Ron whispered to her, and she shot him a shaky smile.

"Just making sure that it's not locked…" she chuckled nervously, and then, she lost her smile. "Boss? Are you unwell?"

"Just the common cold," Ron lied. "Nothing to worry about, I promise."

"Mr. Weasley," Lord Fawley stood up when he saw Ron and Marietta, and the witch in the pointy hat returned to her duties.

"Lord and Lady Fawley," Ron greeted them with a smile, they were both dressed in relatively flashy clothes. This suit was a good choice. I was worried that I'd look out of place.

"We're so glad that you could make it," Lady Fawley smiled at Ron, her eyes drifting towards Marietta.

"This is Marietta Angel, an employee of The Quibbler," Ron introduced his partner in crime. "I hope you don't mind that I invited her here, she has some articles to show you that will definitely give you a better picture of what we're trying to accomplish."

"Then she is most welcome," Lord Fawley gestured for them to sit down, and both Ron and Marietta took their seats around the round table. "Truth be told, Mr. Weasley, my wife and I are very happy that you are here tonight-"

"Sorry for our lateness," came Daphne's voice, and Ron looked back to see Sirius and his girlfriend walking up to them. They came?

"More guests?" Lady Fawley chuckled. "You look gorgeous in that dress, dear,"

"Thank you, Lady Fawley," Daphne gave a curtsy, she did indeed look gorgeous in her purple dress. And she has a fake smile in place. "I hope we're not intruding."

"Not at all," Lord Fawley said, his eyes were fixed on Sirius. "Lord Black… I must confess that I did not expect to see you here tonight."

"You know me," Sirius chuckled. "I show up whenever I'm least expected."

Lord and Lady Fawley seemed amused by his charming smile, but Ron knew that he was just putting on an act. Whatever. Since they're here, they might as well help me. After that, they can tear me a new one all they want.

"Please, take a seat," Lady Fawley said. "The soup should be here any moment now."

Daphne sat down to Ron's left, while Sirius took the seat to Marietta's right.

"Shall we continue?" Ron asked.

"Of course," Lord Fawley gave a nod. "As I was saying, my wife and I are very glad that you are here tonight. Sebastian and Johnathon wish to travel to our holiday cabin for Christmas, so we'll be out of touch for the remainder of the school Break." Bloody hell, I got so damn lucky, then. Finally, my luck turns.

Ron felt Daphne tap his foot, but he ignored it completely. I'm not planning to gloat, Daph… I'm just glad that we're getting this done tonight.

"We're hoping to get the paperwork done after dinner," Lady Fawley said. "That way, everything should be set to go once we return from our vacation."

"Excellent," Ron smiled genuinely. I sense efficiency, and that's just what I need. "Can you tell me a little more about this paperwork? This is my first time collaborating with another Family."

"Well, we'll need to settle on potential partners first," Lord Fawley explained. "My wife and I approached the Shafiq Family just today, but sadly, they are not exactly fond of Werewolves." Damn shame. "We were hoping that you had allies who would join our venture, and judging by our company, I'd say that you do."

"I have agreements from the Black, Longbottom, and Greengrass Families," Ron said, and Lord Fawley looked quite impressed.

"You've been busy," Lady Fawley said before shooting a smile at her husband, Johnathon was clearly right about Ronald Weasley.

"I would like to get this started as soon as possible," Ron admitted. "The sooner we get everything set up, the sooner we can start helping the Werewolf community. Delaying will only leave them out in the cold, and I think they've been out there for long enough."

"Since we have our partners already sorted, we'll need to settle on contributions," Lord Fawley said. "We need to discuss just how big this project will be, because as I'm sure you know, the bigger the project, the harder it is to pull off."

"Usually, with these sorts of charities, getting started is the hardest part," Lady Fawley spoke from experience. "My husband and I have been discussing the location, and we think it's best if we use one of our country farms."

"A country farm?" Sirius asked. "I thought that the shelter would be set up somewhere near Diagon Alley. Somewhere central, that is."

"That… would be very difficult," Lord Fawley started. "This Werewolf Legislation has turned the Ministry against the Werewolf community, and if word gets out that we are bringing Werewolves to the heart of Magical Britain, we'll be under attack before we even get started." That makes a lot of sense, actually. These two know what they're doing.

"The other prominent Families will stonewall us," Daphne agreed. "And considering how lowly everyone thinks of the Werewolves, we'll be fighting an uphill battle." It would take months for us to even get started.

"Exactly so," Lady Fawley nodded. "We'll be forced to jump through a million hoops, and by the end of it, we'll have lost a lot of money and time. Not to mention that the Daily Prophet will no doubt slander our efforts, which will put off many Werewolves."

"They prefer to keep their heads down in the first place," Marietta whispered to Ron. Say that out loud… Don't whisper it in my ear.

"Please, feel free to speak openly," Lady Fawley smiled at Marietta, who swallowed thickly.

"Um… The Werewolf community… They've been under attack for a long time…" Marietta started. "If they get dragged into the papers, they'll go into hiding… They just want to be left alone at this point, so they'll want no part in the fighting…"

"Will we avoid most of these hoops if we use your country farms?" Ron asked.

"The property we have in mind has belonged to the Fawley Family for over two hundred years," Lord Fawley replied. "It was given to us by the Wizengamot itself."

"If that's the case, then you own that land completely," Daphne said. "It's your own personal kingdom by Magical Law." What? What Magical Law?

"Exactly," Lord Fawley smiled at Daphne. "We can build whatever we want on it, and none of the other prominent Families can question us. We'll no doubt be examined by the Media, of course, but since there is no danger to the Wizarding population, I doubt we'll face much backlash."

"How large is this property?" Ron asked.

"Very large," Lord Fawley replied. "With enough funding, we could erect large communal areas all over it. Mess halls, houses, clean water, parks for the children, and much more."

"What about security?" Sirius asked, and everyone looked to him. "You're putting a lot of desperate people in one place, so there's bound to be crime. Not to mention what happens during the full-moon… We'll need security, and a facility with padded rooms. Lots of padded rooms."

"Padded rooms?" Lady Fawley blinked.

"The transformation is very painful, and it often results in self-harm," Marietta agreed with Sirius. "You'll need chains as well."

"Chains?" Lord Fawley didn't like the sound of that. I think it's time that they got educated on Werewolves. They clearly know how to put together a project, but they don't know who we're dealing with.

"Marietta, pass the articles around, please," Ron said, he was already feeling much better. We're getting somewhere, and there's no better medicine than that.

"Soup's on," the witch in the pointy hat returned, there was a large cauldron full of hot soup floating behind her.

While Marietta passed the articles around, the waitress guided the cauldron onto the table. Bowls floated up to the cauldron, and the witch used her wand to maneuver soup into each bowl.

"I'll bring some more menus over," the witch smiled at the guests, and then she left to do as she said.

"Have you reported much on Werewolves, Miss. Angel?" Lord Fawley asked. "I've never read your work before."

"I… I'm new to journalism…" Marietta said weakly.

"What she means is that she was not given a chance by the biased Daily Prophet," Ron intervened, he needed them to believe what they were reading. "Marietta has not only written articles on the Werewolf community, but she has even lived amongst them for lengthy periods of time."

"You've lived with them?" Lady Fawley asked, she looked genuinely surprised.

"I have," Marietta replied. "Each camp is different in its own way, but they all share similar troubles. Please, the articles will do a better job at painting a picture than I could." Someone please put this woman in a confidence seminar…

"Let's read while we eat," Ron smiled. "I promise you, Marietta's articles are exemplary."

---

Daphne Greengrass' POV

Wednesday 23rd December, 1993 (The Witch's Garden – Late Evening)

Now that she had read through a couple of articles, Ron's urgency made a lot more sense. Merlin help her, she felt miserable down to her very core. Did people really live like this? Did children out there really starve to death because their parents were hated the World over? How could people not know about this sort of disgusting neglect? Why were the Ministries so cold hearted? Why was she, a Greengrass, so unknowledgeable about this issue? I'd wager that even my parents don't know about this. That's why they haven't helped the Werewolf community before.

She was even having trouble eating, and she knew that she wasn't the only one. Lord Fawley had read three separate articles, and in that time, he had yet to touch his main. His eyes were just fixed on the article in front of him, an almost hollow look on his face. Even Sirius Black, who was generally a loud soul, was sitting quietly as he read through his own article. He's no longer angry with Ron. Daphne shot a quick look at her boyfriend, and she saw that he was eating his food without a care in the World. That jarred her even more, and she found herself staring at him. His color is back to normal. Was he just stressed out? Is that why he's so calm now? He knows that his plan has worked?

Daphne looked back down at her article, and as soon she read about the fourteen year old girl who died during her transformation as a direct result of malnourishment, she stopped reading. Malnourishment… Merlin, Pansy and I skip meals sometimes in order to maintain our flat bellies. And this poor girl was malnourished. Daphne leaned back in her chair, she had reached her limit for the night. She wasn't hungry, she wasn't angry with Ron, and she certainly didn't have the will to read on.

She suddenly felt Ron tap her foot, and when she looked to him, he looked down at her plate. He wants to eat my food? Daphne handed him the plate, and Ron went back to filling his stomach. How is he so calm right now? I mean, he can see that I'm not eating. That none of us are eating, but he doesn't care one bit. He's just… in control… A disturbing thought occurred to Daphne, and she looked back at her boyfriend. He's always calm whenever there's trouble… Yeah, he only stresses when there is nothing happening. Why is that?

"Forgive me, Miss. Angel, but I cannot read another word," Lady Fawley broke the silence, her left hand resting on her forehead. "You are a very talented writer, but these articles are not agreeing with me." I feel the same way.

"We will build the padded rooms first," Lord Fawley pushed the article away from his sight. "Gods above…"

"I assure you, the Gods couldn't care less about these poor souls," Ron said calmly, and everyone looked to him. Merlin, I know that look. Ron's turned cold… "It is up to us to do the right thing, don't you think?"

"Yes… Of course…" Lord Fawley nodded, his eyes traveling down to the table. "Left tied to trees… Children…"

"It is cruel, but it's for their own safety," Marietta said, but her words didn't make anyone feel better. "Children who transform are incredibly violent due to the pain they are under, and they will often kill each other on sight."

Lady Fawley looked visibly ill, while Daphne shrunk in her seat. Imagine waking up one morning, and realizing that you killed your own friends. Bile rose at the back of her throat, but she managed to keep herself from retching. She was dearly regretting her choice to be here. She had decided that she wanted to be by Ron's side tonight as the Greengrass representative, but now that she was here, she was starting to realize that her father knew what he was talking about. She couldn't emotionally detach herself from what she had learned tonight, and that wasn't a good sign.

"You showed these articles to the Daily Prophet?" Sirius asked Marietta.

"Yes, and quite a few others," Marietta replied. "I was… I was laughed out of the room… My writing wasn't as good then, but my points were the same."

"The Daily Prophet, under orders from the Ministry, does its best to keep information like this hidden," Ron said calmly. "They don't want to upset the order of things."

"The Ministry?" Lord Fawley looked up.

"You know I speak the truth, my Lord," Ron said. "The Old Families are incredibly powerful, and most of them despise the 'lesser beings'. Average people would rally to the cause of the neglected and needy, and the Old Families can't have that. All of this is nothing short of a conspiracy, one that has plagued the Wizarding World for far too long. It's about time that someone brought the truth to light, and with people like Marietta by my side, I intend to do just that. But I will need help. Your help. The help of those who think like us." What's he doing?

"Even as we sit here, in this cozy restaurant, innocent people out there are dying," Ron went on far too calmly. "Orphans from the Great War sell their bodies in Knockturn Alley because their Squib Statuses have rendered them powerless."

"What?" Lady Fawley's mouth dropped open.

"It's true," Ron said. "I've seen it with my own eyes. It's tragic, and yet, no one cared enough to help them. Not until I showed up, anyway." Did he just confess to helping the Squib children?! Ron! What are you doing?!

"You helped Squibs?" Sirius looked genuinely taken aback, while Marietta donned a revered smile. "When?"

"Not long ago," Ron replied. "I hid them away in a safe place, with all of their needs cared for. They have a chance to rebuild new lives for themselves, and hopefully, they'll do it away from us wizards and witches. We've lost the right to be a part of their lives." Ron then drew in a deep breath, and he smiled at Lord and Lady Fawley. "This 'Werewolf Haven' that we are planning to build… It is a stepping stone to something even greater. I want to unite likeminded Old Families in an effort to change this World for the better. The Old Ways are important, of course, but they need to change."

"Change?" Daphne asked. What the fuck is going on here?! Is he starting some movement?!

"Yes," Ron said. "If they don't change, then the Wizarding World won't change. These problems will keep arising, because at their core, the Old Ways are exclusive. They were created in a time when we wizards were being hunted down by Muggles. The World has moved on since then, and we need to do the same. Marietta's articles prove that we wizards have lost our way. We don't even care about our neighbors if they are different… That's how far we've fallen."

Daphne looked to Lord and Lady Fawley, and she realized that they were listening to Ron intently. My Family follows the Old Ways, though… What would father say about this?

"Let's say that we do start this… movement…" Lord Fawley started. "Let's say we unite like-minded Families… We'd still be outnumbered. Vastly outnumbered."

"Even if we manage to make changes, the children of the other prominent Families will continue their parents' legacies," Lady Fawley said. "We'll end up right where we started a few decades from now."

"Most of those children are in Slytherin," Ron said with a smile. "Lysandra Yaxley, the Carrow twins, John Fawley, Astoria Greengrass, Pansy Parkinson, Millicent Bulstrode, Theodore Nott, Draco Malfoy, Daphne Greengrass…"

Daphne felt her mouth hang open, Ron was on good terms with all of the Heirs and children of the Old Families. He openly influenced them, and most of them followed after him because he was who he was. A Prodigy, a rising star, and a powerful wizard. By the Gods…

"My study group has already done wonders to make these children more… tolerant… of others," Ron explained. "I plan to continue my good work, and in time, many of them will learn to reject the legacy left behind by their parents. The legacy that promotes hatred and segregation. I own Slytherin. It is mine. I control it completely, and no one has the spine to wrestle control of it back from me."

Even Sirius was just staring at Ron, a disturbed look on his face.

"How long have you been planning this?" Lord Fawley asked slowly.

"Most of it just happened, and I capitalized on different opportunities," Ron admitted. "I'm no mastermind manipulator, of course, but I have found myself in a position to make mass change. However, I need help."

"From Families like ours," Lady Fawley nodded slowly.

"My Family is not wealthy," Ron said. "Nor do they follow the Old Ways… But I do. I understand them, and I even respect them."

"So why change them?" Daphne asked.

"Because of terrible things like this," Ron waved one of the articles around, and Daphne nodded weakly. "You think Werewolves just come into the World 'evil'? You think they don't feel pain? Or loneliness? I assure you, they're humans just like us. They deserve a fair chance at life, and they will never get it if the Old Ways don't change. And this isn't just about Werewolves… It's about every single living being that we wizards have wronged over our existence. We all but wiped out the Fae, we pillage Centaur lands to this day, we contaminate the lakes of Merpeople, we even hate fellow wizards depending on their 'Blood-Status'. An incredibly idiotic thing to do, by the way."

Ron then drew in another deep breath, and he looked right at Lord Fawley.

"Think about my proposal over the Break, Lord Fawley," Ron said. "Now… Let's discuss contributions for this Haven of ours."

No one said anything, mostly because everyone was jarred into silence. Even Marietta was just staring at Ron, who was quickly losing his patience with the people around him.

"Fine, I'll start," Ron said. "My Family can pitch in five hundred Galleons as a start. Sirius? What about you?"

Sirius kept his eyes fixed on Ron for a few moments, and then he shot a quick look at Daphne. I know… I'm dating someone who plans to change all of the Wizarding World. This is way too big for me…

"I am willing to donate fifteen hundred Galleons as a start," Sirius finally replied, and Ron smiled at him.

"The Greengrass Family will donate one thousand Galleons as a start," Daphne heard herself say.

"The Longbottom Family is giving five hundred Galleons as a start," Ron told the Fawleys. "We're already sitting pretty on three thousand five hundred Galleons. What about the Fawley Family? How much are you willing to donate in order to help these people?"

Lord and Lady Fawley exchanged looks, and then Lord Fawley met Ron's gaze.

"We'll donate one thousand Galleons, and our largest farm," Lord Fawley said.

"Great," Ron smiled widely. "I can use my advertisement agency to start spreading word when the time is right. We should set dates as soon as possible."

---

Ronald Weasley's POV

Wednesday 23rd December, 1993 (Diagon Alley – Night)

"Enjoy your vacation," Ron waved goodbye to the Fawleys.

"I hope we can speak as soon I return, Mr. Weasley," Lord Fawley smiled at him. "I am already looking forward to hearing more about your plans." Good.

Lord and Lady Fawley left at that, and Ron watched them leave with a content smile. His belly was full of good food, he had just secured a win, and he was no longer feeling sick. Deep down, he was ready to get back into the fight. He had wasted an entire day moping around, and now that he was feeling more like himself, he planned to do something about the traitorous French. And I'll put the others in line permanently. My biggest mistake was my lack of oversight on the French. I won't be betrayed twice. I also need to bring Barty Crouch into this. I can't afford to lose such a valuable potential ally so early on.

"I'll head off as well, Boss," Marietta said, she was still smiling widely. "I can't believe that we pulled this off! I never thought that I'd get to change their lives for the better!"

"You did well tonight," Ron smiled at her. "But before you leave, I want to make sure that you keep your silence about my plans."

"Oh…" Marietta's smile wavered.

"I trust you, but I don't trust Barnabas Cuffe," Ron said plainly. "He takes money from the people who we both wish to undermine."

"I… I understand…" Marietta nodded weakly. "But, Boss… Please give him a chance. He's a good man."

"We're currently trying to build up our trust," Ron told her. "And please, just call me Ron. I don't like being called 'Boss'." It's weird.

"If that's what you want… Ron," Marietta smiled more fully. "Take care."

"I'll be in touch," Ron said, and she Disapparated.

"You shouldn't let your employees use your given name," Daphne whispered from behind him, and Ron turned to face her and Sirius. "Father says that it's bad for discipline."

"I'm not Lord Greengrass," Ron shrugged. "I happen to like her, and she's done right by me tonight. With her help, I now have the chance to help a lot of people."

"You're looking better," Daphne smiled weakly. I shook her with my plans, eh? Oh, well. She was bound to find out eventually. "Ron, are you really serious about what you said in there?"

"Yeah, are you?" Sirius asked.

"I am," Ron replied. "If Corban Yaxley can have a team of wealthy Pure-Bloods, then so can I. I'm not losing to that man again, and something tells me that I'll see him very soon. And this time, I won't get caught off-guard."

"But the Old Ways… My father is an adamant believer…" Daphne said.

"And where did that get him during the Great War?" Ron asked. "Oh, yeah, he got branded by a fucking megalomaniac."

Daphne's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates, while Sirius cringed visibly.

"Yes, Daphne, I know that he was a Death-Eater," Ron said calmly. "But he isn't that person anymore. I think that he's changed quite a lot since then."

"But you two might fight…" Daphne said weakly.

"I'm his Apprentice, not his reflection," Ron said. "I have my own beliefs, and I will fight for them. I respect Lord Greengrass more than I respect most, so I will do my best to persuade him to my side. But if he decides that he doesn't want to help me, then I won't hold it against him." As long as he doesn't hinder me. If he does that, then…

"Okay," Daphne sighed as her shoulders sagged.

"Sirius, take Daphne home, please," Ron said, and both Daphne and Sirius looked a little confused.

"You're not coming?" Sirius asked.

"I have work to do," Ron said. "I already wasted a day moping around, so now it's time to make up for it. Also, I know that you riled up the entire fucking house before you came here. You need to go put out that fire before I come home."

"Right…" Sirius muttered, he had indeed riled up the other adults. "Wait… What work do you have?"

"I need to go to the Ministry," Ron replied. "I have a message to leave behind for Barty Crouch Snr." And after that, I plan to grill Dumbledore about his lack of action in regards to the Wizengamot. I don't give a shit about his personal issues, he has fucking job to do. I need him running the Wizengamot properly if I'm to unseat all these corrupt Officials. During the war, I'll kill all the Heads of the Death-Eater Families in secret, and then, I'll put the influenced Heirs and children in charge of said Families. I will systematically wipe out the Old Ways. Piece by piece. Life by life. This is Our World!

---

AUTHOR'S NOTES: And there it is! I hope you enjoyed that!

Now, the Christmas Break will get moving because most of the action is over. However, saying that, there are still some dramatic things to come.

I've also decided to update every Friday from now on. This way, I have the week to deal with my busy life-style, and if I fall back, I have the weekend there to give me a lot of time to get chapters done.

So, I'll see you guys next Friday!