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.

113. Chapter 113 - Getting Back Up

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Chapter 113 is here! Now, I know what I said about the Hiatus, but honestly, I was very distressed at the time, and I just wanted to shut everything down in order to focus on just one thing. I needed a break, and I did jump the gun. But saying that, I've written another chapter because the Lockdown got extended, and I literally can't even leave the house. So, here's to fighting boredom!

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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'This man understands that adversity and existence… are one and the same' - The Ancestor from Darkest Dungeon

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Fate

Chapter 113 - Getting Back Up

Ronald Weasley's POV

Tuesday 29th December, 1993 (The Burrow – Early Morning)

Ron's father and eldest brother burst through the door, their wands at the ready. Theo let out a startled squeak, while Ron Non-verbally summoned his own wand and aimed it at them. What the fuck?! In the background, Ravenclaw Ron was laughing his arse off, but Ron kept his focus on the intruders.

"Ron? Theodore? Is everything all right?" Arthur looked around the room, while Bill lowered his wand with a relieved sigh.

"Why did you burst in here like that?" Ron lowered his wand; his heart was beating in his throat.

"We heard yelling," Bill replied.

"Oh… That…" Ron rubbed his bruised face with his left hand. "Sorry, that was all me."

"Ron had a nightmare, that's all," Theo told the others. That's a really convenient excuse, so I might as well use it.

"Yeah, a really bad nightmare," Ron muttered as he looked towards his study table, and much to his relief, his hallucination was gone. Theo, and the others, couldn't see or hear him. I'm definitely losing my marbles. "I'm sorry that I woke you all up."

"No, it's okay," Arthur said. "Are you all right now, son?"

"Yeah, dad," Ron replied as he looked around the room. He's gone.

"What are you looking for?" Bill followed Ron's gaze.

"Nothing," Ron lied. "Just dazed from waking up like that."

"You're wearing last night's clothes," Arthur pointed out with a curious look.

"I sort of just passed out last night," Ron lied again. "Nothing to worry about, dad. I promise."

Arthur gave a slow nod, but Bill didn't look very convinced.

"I need to go back down to your mother," Arthur said after a moment of silence. "She's probably alerted the whole house by now."

"Again, I'm really sorry," Ron felt genuinely guilty.

Arthur gestured that he wasn't bothered, and then he left to go calm his wife down.

"You have nightmares often?" Bill asked Ron.

"What? No," Ron lied. "Bill, I'm fine."

"I reckon you should go back to sleep," Bill said as he eyed Ron's complexion. "You look sickly, Ron." Do I? Well, I haven't really been sleeping well.

"Same to you," Ron said, though he had no intention of sleeping now. I probably won't be able to anyway.

Bill shot Theo a quick look, and then he left to go back to his room. Ron walked over and shut the door, and then, he planted his forehead against it. My head hurts. Why can't I sleep properly? I mean, I'm worried for Pansy, but this is too much. Shouldn't being tired mean that I should fall asleep much quicker?

"Why'd you lie about not having nightmares?" Theo asked Ron.

"Don't want them to worry," Ron spoke to the door. "It's not like they can control my dreams, Theo. They'll just worry over it pointlessly, and I don't want that."

"I've got some Sleeping Draught vials in my trunk," Theo said. "You can have them, mate. At least you'll be able to get some sleep thanks to them."

"Really?" Ron looked back, and Theo gave him a nod. "I… Thanks, Theo."

"Let me get them for you," Theo walked over to his trunk, and after searching through it, he produced two vials. "Damn… I thought I had more with me. I must've left them in my study desk at Hogwarts."

"I'll go to Madam Pomfrey and get some more," Ron accepted the vials. "Thank you, Theo. This means a lot."

"Hey, don't think about it," Theo waved a dismissive hand, and then he dropped onto his bed. "Now, please… Don't make any more noise. And don't throw things."

"Throw things?" Ron asked slowly.

"I woke up because I heard you hurl your wand at the wall," Theo replied before burying his face in his pillow. I didn't hurl my wand… My hallucination summoned it. Wait… That's not possible. My wand is protected by Anti-Summoning Charms, and only its master, me, can summon it.

Ron quickly looked at the tip of his wand; Ravenclaw Ron had bit it rather hard before pointing the wand at Theo. No teeth marks. No saliva. Nothing. Instead of relief, Ron felt his dread increase. I hurled this at the wall because of my delusions… That's not good. That's really not good. I need to go see Dumbledore about this, and then, I need to get my brain checked by Madam Pomfrey.

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Tuesday 29th December, 1993 (The Burrow – Morning)

He stopped by the creek, which was covered by a thin sheet of ice. It was bloody freezing out here, but Ron didn't let that deter him.

He had gone to the Headmaster's Office first, but both Fawkes and Dumbledore weren't around. From there, he had gone down to the Hospital Wing in order to see Madam Pomfrey, but she too was missing. It wasn't until he ran into Professor Sprout did he learn that the Headmaster and Madam Pomfrey were out for the day. Judging from Professor Sprout's tightlipped responses to his inquiries, Ron figured that they were out helping Professor Snape recover. That, or they're on a secret date. Wait… Dumbledore is gay, isn't he? Yeah, it has to be Snape.

"I'll just have to wait for my turn," Ron groaned as he stretched his back.

"Talk to yourself often?" came a familiar voice, and Ron turned around to see Ravenclaw Ron lying down in the snow. His weight isn't affecting the snow. Yeah, he's not really there. I'm going insane for certain.

"You're not real," Ron turned back around. Why is he back?

"Define 'real' for me, handsome," Ravenclaw Ron hummed.

Ron decided to ignore the annoying, former Ravenclaw, he had come out here to try something. Ignoring his doppelganger's remarks, Ron made his way over to the dead tree that stood leafless at the edge of the creek. Ron planted his left palm on the tree, feeling how hollow and brittle it was. Now or never, Ron. Ron took a step back, and with a clear mind, he summoned his black fingernails.

"Cutis Terra," Ron chanted, and he immediately felt as strong as steel.

Without a moment's hesitation, Ron clawed the dead tree with his left hand. Chunks of dead wood were torn from the tree, leaving behind four claw marks on the tree's damaged surface. Bloody hell! Ron quickly looked at his left hand, and much to his surprise, his claws weren't even scratched. His hand ached a little due to the blow, but it wasn't enough to bother Ron.

"Imagine using those on a person," Ravenclaw Ron looked over his shoulder. "You'll definitely tear them open."

Ron willed his claws to retreat, and then he turned around and frowned at his past self.

"I'm not going to use these on people so freely," Ron hissed. "I'm not a piece of shit like you." Fucking murderer.

"Such hatred," Ravenclaw Ron feigned hurt, and Ron pushed past him. "Don't forget that I'm in your head, Ronnie… I know how you intend to use those pretty little nails of yours."

Ron stopped abruptly, a deep scowl on his face.

"You're right," Ron slowly turned back around. "You are just in my head… You're not real. I'm seeing things again because of the Entity bleeding into me." Ron then smirked. "How did your Cycle end?"

Ravenclaw Ron just stared at him, and Ron knew why his past self was being so silent.

"You can't tell me, can you?" Ron scoffed. "How could you when I don't know the answer to that question? You're just a figment of my imagination. A hallucination. Nothing more. You only know what I know. The Ron I saw in my visions is dead and gone, and as the Laws of Conjuration state, you can't bring the dead back to life. I just have to figure out why I'm seeing you instead of another past self."

Ravenclaw Ron suddenly grinned, and Ron immediately felt wary.

"Clever little Slytherin," Ravenclaw Ron chuckled. "Fine… You got me. I'm not really here. It was the wand, right? There was so trace of me biting into it." Again, he's repeating what I already know.

"Leave me alone," Ron turned around, deciding to ignore Ravenclaw Ron.

"You really are a grouchy prick," Ravenclaw Ron laughed as he followed after Ron. "It's no wonder that people don't like you."

"What people?" Ron stopped walking.

"Oh, c'mon… You know what I'm talking about, don't you?" Ravenclaw Ron teased. "You're the clever one, right? Think, Ronnie."

"Lord Greengrass," Ron muttered, a dull ache hatching in his chest. I didn't trick him.

"And his daughter," Ravenclaw Ron whispered in Ron's left ear.

"Daphne's upset because I was way out of line with her," Ron turned around with a murderous glare.

"But is that really it, though?" Ravenclaw Ron tilted his head and smiled. Creepy bastard. "Think, Ronnie. You saw how she was looking at you yesterday."

Ron felt his stomach tighten, but he refused to show his past self any weakness.

"There was mistrust in her eyes," Ravenclaw Ron said. "She looked at you the same way that her father now looks at you."

"That's not true," Ron denied defensively.

"You know it is," Ravenclaw Ron looked far too pleased. "She learned everything at his feet, and just like him, she's figured out that something isn't right about you. She knows that you're a liar."

"Shut up," Ron grit out. "Shut your fucking gob!"

"I don't blame her," Ravenclaw Ron went on. "I mean, she isn't in the wrong here. Not really. You are a liar, and a murderer. She's dating your mask, isn't she?"

"She's dating me!" Ron snapped.

"Delusions on top of delusions," Ravenclaw Ron tutted. "She's seeing the cracks, Ronnie, and once she looks underneath your mask, she's going to be repulsed beyond words. You know I'm telling you the truth."

"You're running your fucking mouth, that's all," Ron snarled. "Voicing my insecurities isn't going to work on me!" Fuck, why did I admit that?!

"Really?" Ravenclaw Ron looked him up and down. "Because from what I'm seeing, you're getting very angry."

Ron suddenly swung at his past self, but his hand went through the hallucination's face.

"Point proven," Ravenclaw Ron smirked.

"Fuck you," Ron turned around and marched towards the Burrow.

"They're all getting sick of you!" Ravenclaw Ron hollered from behind him. "You're an endless source of headaches for everyone around you, and you know it!"

Ron began sprinting; he didn't want to hear another fucking word.

---

Tuesday 29th December, 1993 (The Burrow – Late Morning)

Ron sat in the Living Room, his unpacked P-12 Auror Trainer staring down at him. Despite Ravenclaw Ron's presence, Ron found himself feeling a little excited as he looked upon the shiny new training dummy. Since the P-12 was right off the shelf, it was going to put up a fight that Ron was genuinely craving right now.

"It's going to snow soon," Ravenclaw Ron said from the window.

"I already know that…" Ron muttered under his breath. Why isn't he fucking off?

"Your parents won't let you play with your toy," Ravenclaw Ron said, and Ron shot him a frown. "You know I'm right… 'Ronnie, it's snowing out there. You can't go out there right now.' Bah… That cow is always getting in your way."

"Don't speak ill of her," Ron felt his hands clench into fists.

"She's a fucking housewife, and nothing more," Ravenclaw Ron rolled his eyes. "She's achieved absolutely nothing in her life, and yet, she thinks that she can tell you what to do. I say that you tell her to fuck right off."

"Shut your fucking mouth," Ron shot up to his feet.

The fireplace suddenly roared to life, and Ron quickly sat back down. Don't let him rile you up, Ron. People are starting to wake up around the house, and if they catch you yelling at nothing but air, they'll have you locked up. Tracey, Tori, and Mary stepped into the Burrow, and Ron greeted them with a forced smile.

"Ron!" Tori beamed at him. "Were you waiting for me?!"

"I'm pretty sure that he was admiring his doll, dear," Mary said, her eyes fixed on the P-12. "Merlin… It does make for a frightening figure, doesn't it?"

"This thing is amazing," Ron's smile turned genuine. "Just wait and see! It's unlike anything you've seen before!"

"No Daphne," Ravenclaw Ron hummed.

Ron's smile faltered, but he didn't let himself fall prey to his growing panic. He's wrong about her. She's not going to turn her back on me. That's not who she is.

"Ron, you don't plan to make us fight this thing, do you?" Tracey walked around the P-12. Oh, I do.

"It'll be good practice," Ron said, and Tracey grimaced.

"I don't know about this…" Tracey muttered under her breath. "This thing looks dangerous." Oh, it is, but I'll be really careful.

"I'll be watching over you," Ron promised.

"Can I fight it?" Tori asked excitedly. Maybe when you're a bit more experienced.

"Love, I don't think that's wise," Mary replied for Ron. "Why don't you and Luna practice your Magic with me instead."

"Ugh… You're a boring teacher," Tori groaned, which earned her a deadpan look from Mary. "I want to learn from Ron! He's a great teacher! And he teaches me Curses!"

"Curses?" Mary looked to Ron, who took a wary step back.

"Just Spells like Petrificus Totalus," Ron promised. "Nothing dangerous."

Mary looked slightly disappointed, but she didn't push the subject further.

"Is your mother in the Kitchen?" Mary asked Ron.

"She's in the marquee," Ron replied. "She's setting up breakfast for everyone."

"Astoria, come," Mary left for the exit, and Tori followed her after blowing Ron a kiss.

"Ask about Daphne and Lord Greengrass," Ravenclaw Ron said. Please, for the love of Merlin, fuck off already.

Ron massaged his sore face, and when Tracey tapped his shoulder, he looked to her with a weak smile.

"Ron, why won't you heal your face?" Tracey asked with genuine concern.

"It's how I learn," Ron shrugged.

"Horseshit!" Ravenclaw Ron laughed.

"Learn what?" Tracey asked.

"To not bite off more than I can chew," Ron replied. "As skilled as I am, I can't forget that I'm no match for people who have been honing their Magic since before I was born." Ron then shifted in his spot a little. "Trace… About what I said in anger-"

"You were a prick," Tracey said, and Ron nodded weakly.

"I'm sorry," Ron apologized again, and her expression softened.

"We're scared as well, Ron," Tracey whispered. "I can hardly bring myself to sit down in one place for too long. This war… Pansy… It's just too much."

"Yeah," Ron said. "It's been a rough Break, that's for sure."

"Snore," Ravenclaw Ron drawled. "Ask about Daphne and Lord Greengrass. Why aren't they here?"

"Trace… Where's Daph?" Ron asked rather meekly, his stomach was beginning to tighten.

"She… Um… I asked her to come with, but she said that she didn't feel like it today…" Tracey replied awkwardly.

Ron felt his face drop as Ravenclaw Ron burst into laughter.

"Get ready to be single, Ronnie!" Ravenclaw Ron wheezed. "I don't need the Entity's power to know that your hand is going to become your next girlfriend very soon!" Shut up!

"She's still a little upset with you, that's all," Tracey said quickly. "C'mon, Ron… Please don't look like that…"

"It's okay…" Ron all but whispered, his hands clenching and unclenching. "I was a prick, and she's right to be upset with me… I understand…"

Tracey slowly moved closer to him, and then she hugged his side.

"Just give her some time," Tracey whispered.

"This one likes you as well," Ravenclaw Ron hummed. "Why else would she press her chest against you like that?" Shut up… Please… Just shut up.

Tracey pulled back, and after giving Ron a kiss on his cheek, she walked over to the exit.

"I'm going to go talk to Theo," Tracey said. "Is he doing better now?"

"He's trying to hold it together as best as he can," Ron replied. "But he's in the shower right now, I think."

"Oh, then I'll go wait for him," Tracey said, and just like that, she was gone. Why not wait with me?

"Never mind what I just said," Ravenclaw Ron smirked. "Even she wants to get away from you."

"Stop it," Ron grit out, his eyes darting down towards the floor.

"Face it, Ronnie," Ravenclaw Ron started. "You're a damn burden to everyone around you. Every time they think of you, they're reminded of your illness. It makes them miserable. Right now, they're still trying to be there for you, but slowly, they'll start putting you at arm's length. They'll all leave you behind because they don't love you the way you love them. They don't want to be miserable for the sake of you."

Ron felt his head spin, and he dropped down on the chair. He had had these thoughts before, but due to his hectic life, he was able to push them into the depths of his mind. He couldn't do that right now, though. Right now, he had his past life throwing his worst insecurities in his face, and deep down; Ron knew that his past self was right. Daphne wants her space… Should I go talk to her? No… What if I annoy her by being too clingy? I was a complete prat to her and the others, so it makes sense that she wants some time to herself.

"You know I'm right, don't you?" Ravenclaw Ron suddenly moved into Ron's face, a hateful sneer on his face. "Tracey would rather wait alone than to wait with you. She doesn't want to hear about your problems. None of them want to hear you whine about your life."

"I… I don't whine…" Ron stared at the floor.

"Don't you?" Ravenclaw Ron asked. "Your rage fueled tantrums, your cold demeanor, your lack of trust in others… These are all forms of whining, Ronnie. The people that you love, the ones that you've sworn to protect, they don't want you around. Seriously, when was the last time that any of them did anything for you?"

"Daphne's been nothing but supportive-" Ron started.

"Oh, please," Ravenclaw Ron rolled his eyes. "Considering how much you've done for her Family, she should be sucking your cock every morning."

Ron suddenly felt murderous rage course through him, and he took another swing at Ravenclaw Ron.

"Don't you dare talk about her like that!" Ron shot up to his feet, but Ravenclaw Ron just shook his head.

"You're pathetic," Ravenclaw Ron sounded genuinely disappointed. "You're so hungry for any form of affection that you settle for scraps, and here's the best part, none of them will be there for you when you need them. You'll die alone, and no one will mourn your passing. You know it. I know it. Fate knows it."

"You don't know anything," Ron's breathing became erratic. "You're just trying to drive me insane… You want me to be just like you!"

"Aren't you already?" Ravenclaw Ron took a seat. "Those Werewolves that you had murdered… The Abadies… Victor… You're more like me than you think, Ronnie." Ravenclaw Ron's face suddenly lit up. "Is that why you're seeing me? Are you scared of turning into me?"

Ron marched out of the Living Room, but as he turned to go up the stairs, he found Ravenclaw Ron waiting for him at the top. Bloody fuck! Undeterred, Ron marched up the stairs with a deep scowl.

"You're so angry all the time," Ravenclaw Ron chuckled as he followed after Ron. "C'mon, Ronnie… We were finally getting somewhere! Where are you going?"

Ron ignored his hallucination, there was only one solution that he could think of right now. I'm going to drink both vials of the Sleeping Draught, and then, I'm going to pass out.

"You think you're seeing me because of your lack of sleep?" Ravenclaw Ron jumped in his way, causing Ron to stop out of instinct. "You know, there is another explanation… A more likely one, in my considered opinion." Ravenclaw Ron smiled like a Cheshire cat. "You're finally going crazy."

Ron walked through his hallucination, his scowl becoming darker.

"What you're going through right now," Ravenclaw Ron said as he followed after Ron. "Losing Lord Greengrass' trust, losing Daphne's trust, losing the care of your friends… All of it. It was bound to happen, Ronnie, and nothing is going to change that. You can get all the sleep you want, but when you wake up, nothing will have changed. Nothing."

"You'll be gone, and that's all that matters right now," Ron whispered to himself.

"How are you going to explain this to your Family?" Ravenclaw Ron asked. "You know how nosey they all are. They'll want to know why you put yourself into a deep slumber at ten in the morning."

"I'll think of something," Ron replied.

"More lies, then," Ravenclaw Ron laughed, and Ron stopped walking. "Don't you see the pattern here, Ronnie? You're so busy trying to keep everyone on your side that you refuse to realize that you're the problem. Instead, you lie and lie until people just stop hounding you." Ravenclaw Ron then clicked his tongue. "Oh… Wait… Your lies are catching up to you now, aren't they? If you keep going like this, the people that you love will stop bothering altogether."

"What. Do. You. Want?" Ron grit out. "What's the point of all of this?"

"You know what the point is," Ravenclaw Ron smiled. "You've thought about it, haven't you? C'mon, Ronnie… Think."

"I should just stop answering to other people?" Ron asked. "Is that it?"

"You don't owe these people anything," Ravenclaw Ron whispered. "Sirius owes you his life, Pandora owes you her life, the Trio owe you their lives, Xeno owes you for saving his wife, Lord Greengrass owes you for taking his case to Dumbledore, your friends owe you for so much more than their good grades, and your parents owe you for their blatant neglect. Why create problems for yourself by lying all the time? Just tell these people to shut the fuck up. You don't owe any of them a damn thing."

Ron rubbed his sore face; the pain in the back of his skull was getting worse and worse.

"Lord Greengrass and Daphne will come back…" Ron pinched his eyes with his gloved hand. "I just need to give them some time…"

"Maybe, but what about the rest?" Ravenclaw Ron asked. "Didn't you just see three witches all but ignore you?"

"They have other things on their mind," Ron muttered.

"Deep down, you know why they left," Ravenclaw Ron stepped in Ron's face. "You've changed so much over the last two years… The Ron they all care for, he's not there anymore. Sure, you're much more powerful. Sure, you've accomplished things that your younger self had no hope of accomplishing. But achieving these goals has sure made you a terrible person. You've had to become distant, calculating, and ruthless."

"So I should go back to being 'little Ronnie' again?" Ron spoke to the floor.

"What? Absolutely not," Ravenclaw Ron whispered in Ron's right ear. "Take off the mask completely, Ronald. Stop pretending to be someone you're not."

"They'll all leave me…" Ron felt his eyes sting. "Even I'd leave me…"

"You're stretched too thin, mate," Ravenclaw Ron said softly. "You're trying so hard to keep these people in your corner that the mission is suffering. You and I both know just how much you can accomplish if you didn't have these pests holding you back all the time. Imagine a World where you didn't force yourself to slow down for the sake of other people's feelings. A World where you went after the source of your problems."

"The Dark Lord…" Ron's hands clenched and unclenched.

"You don't get to be like them," Ravenclaw Ron said. "You don't get to slack off, or go on dates, or do any of the other mind-numbingly boring tasks that make up the majority of these people's lives. You are the Champion of Fate. You have a job to do, and if you fail to do it, you'll end up as the Entity's chew toy for eternity. This World doesn't need Ronald Weasley. It needs you. It needs someone who doesn't show mercy, or shame, or guilt."

"It doesn't need another monster…" Ron tried to resist out of habit.

"The World is already filled with monsters, Ronald," Ravenclaw Ron said. "What it doesn't have is a monster that hunts other monsters." Ravenclaw Ron then gave Ron an almost sympathetic look. "If you really love these people so much, you'd prioritize their safety over your own happiness. They might abandon you because of what you're becoming, but you'll be saving a lot more lives in the long run."

"Are you talking to yourself, Ron?" came Kirsten's voice from behind him, and Ron nearly jumped out of his skin.

"No," Ron replied without turning around. "I was just… thinking out loud."

"Lying again," Ravenclaw Ron sighed out.

"Your mother asked me to come get everyone," Kirsten walked up to his side. "She says that breakfast is ready."

"Right…" Ron rubbed his eyes.

"Hey… Are you all right?" Kirsten rubbed his back as she gave him a worried look.

"I'm just tired, that's all," Ron lied. "Don't worry about me so much. I'll go get Tracey from upstairs, yeah?"

"Sure…" Kirsten said slowly. "Maybe you should take a nap after breakfast, Ron. You look really unwell today."

"Yeah, Ronnie," Ravenclaw Ron rolled his eyes. "Take a nap, and hope to the Gods that the World fixes itself. I'm sure that's how you'll break the Cycles."

---

Tuesday 29th December, 1993 (The Burrow – After Dinner)

Ron was barely functioning at this point, and it was all too clear that other people had begun to notice. His mother had lectured him for staying awake all night, his father had refused to let him use the P-12, and his siblings looked sorely disappointed with his lack of self-care. Theo was still trying to delude himself into thinking that his father could be saved, so Tracey was too busy distracting him to ask after Ron. This left Daphne, who had arrived at lunchtime with her father, but she was still being distant. She was worried, he could see that, but she hadn't spoken to him yet.

"It's kind of creepy that you're just playing Chess with yourself in the corner," Ravenclaw Ron said, his eyes fixed on the chessboard in front of him. "Why are you even bothering with this game, Ronnie? It's not like you have a Mentor anymore."

Ron's eyes darted towards Lord Greengrass, who was helping Daphne with some sort of contract writing exercise. I'm pretty sure her Family replied to her letters, but she didn't even tell me about it.

"Just take a look at the mess you've made on this board," Ravenclaw Ron said, and Ron looked to the chessboard.

The pieces were everywhere, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't make sense of what the solution to this mess was. What am I even doing? Why haven't I gone to sleep yet?

"Could it be that you're hoping that someone will take notice of your miserable state, and then give you the attention that you crave?" Ravenclaw Ron smirked, and Ron closed his eyes. "Oh, am I bothering you? Well… It's not like anyone else is talking to you. Even Ginny is being kept company by Neville, so I figured that I'd stick around for your benefit. I can leave, if you want."

"Leave," Ron muttered, but his hallucination didn't leave. Fucking prick.

Deciding to call it a night, Ron tipped his king over before standing up. Just as he was about to leave, the fireplace roared to life, and Remus Lupin burst into the Burrow. Remus?! The man was covered in dirt, and his clothes looked worn out.

"Remus?" Pandora spoke from her chair, while Luna sat up from her lap.

"Remus!" Harry shot up to his feet; he looked alive for the first time since he had learned of the war.

"Harry!" Remus smiled at the sight of his surrogate son, and Harry rushed over and hugged the man.

"How touching," Ravenclaw Ron gagged, but Ron thought that it was indeed touching. Why is he here, though? Isn't he supposed to be on a mission for the Order? He looks like he's been through hell.

While the denizens of the room looked quite bewildered by Remus' sudden appearance, Ron found himself wondering if something was wrong. Remus' eyes traveled around the room, and when they landed on Ron, a look of relief blossomed on the Werewolf's face.

"I think he's come here for you," Ravenclaw Ron said. "Probably just wants something from you. Why else would he come looking for you of all people?"

"Remus, where did Dumbledore send you?" Harry asked as he pulled back.

Remus blinked at Harry, and then, he gave Harry an understanding look.

"You've all been told then," Remus realized. "I can't give you the specifics, Harry, but what I can tell you is that I'm back. At least for now."

"Remus, take a seat, please," Pandora said. "I'll go get the others."

"Actually, I'm in a bit of a rush," Remus looked to Ron. "Ron, can I talk to you, please? This is very important."

"What do you need from Ron?" Harry couldn't mask his hurt. "You just got back…"

"Sorry, Harry, but we can talk tomorrow," Remus gave Harry a rather sorry look. "Ron, do you have a minute?"

"Of course," Ron replied, ignoring the looks from Lord Greengrass and Daphne.

"More favors," Ravenclaw Ron didn't sound too pleased. "I swear, most of these pricks just come to you with their hands held out. It's like you're their servant, or something." Stop talking for one minute, you annoying bastard.

Ron followed Remus into the Kitchen, and judging from the man's pace, Remus was in a bloody hurry.

"Remus, what's wrong?" Ron asked. "You look like you got attacked by someone."

"Is Sirius around?" Remus looked around the empty Kitchen.

"He's in the marquee with the other adults," Ron replied. "They're all drinking together. Do you want me to go get them?"

"Um… No, don't worry about it," Remus shook his head. "I actually need to get back to where I was before I came here."

"And where were you?" came Harry's voice, he had followed them into the Kitchen.

"Harry-" Remus started.

"No! You were just about to tell Ron everything, weren't you?!" Harry went red in the face, while Ravenclaw Ron looked extremely bored. "I want to know as well!"

"Go back into the Living Room," came Lord Greengrass' voice, and Ron looked to see him entering from behind Harry.

"I don't take order from you," Harry turned around with a defiant look.

"Go. Back. Now." Lord Greengrass looked almost murderous for a moment.

"Harry, please," Remus said gently.

Harry clenched his fists, and after shooting Ron a dark look, he barged up the stairs with a genuinely pissed off look on his face.

"He's going to blame you for this," Ravenclaw Ron grinned at Ron. "Better lock up your trunk, handsome." Merlin, please kill me.

Lord Greengrass flicked his wand at the stairs, and then at the entrance to the Living Room.

"What do you want from Ronald?" Lord Greengrass asked Remus, who wasted no time in stepping closer to Ron. Ronald?

"I can't get into the details about the Order's movements, Ron, but I have a favor to ask of you," Remus started.

"Told you," came Ravenclaw Ron's voice, and Ron felt his stomach twist a little. Ignore him, Ron; he's trying to get to you.

"This Sanctuary that you're building for the Werewolves of Britain," Remus put his hand on Ron's shoulder. "Is it possible if you could speed up its production?"

"Speed up?" Ron asked. "Remus, you need to give me some information before I make a decision like that. What's the reason behind this?"

Remus shot a quick look at Lord Greengrass, and then he drew in a deep breath.

"I spoke with a large pack of Werewolves for the Order-" Remus started.

"Remus, that's enough," Lord Greengrass immediately stepped in. "We agreed to keep the children out of Order business."

"This is more than Order business," Remus sounded almost defensive, and then he looked back to Ron. "These people need help desperately, Ron, and I promised to bring their situation to your attention."

"I'm listening," Ron focused as much as he could.

"A good friend of mine is the Alpha of this pack, and over the last year, he's been bringing together as many Werewolves as possible," Remus said. "Due to the rise of unemployment rates for all Werewolves, he thought that he could help improve a lot of lives. Sadly, though, he got in way over his head, and now they're all trapped between the Ministry and the Goblins of Gringotts." Huh?

"What do you mean by 'trapped'?" Ron asked.

"The Ministry wanted to separate them simply out of malicious intent," Remus said sourly. "But before they could be charged with made up crimes, Robert Bulstrode approached them."

"Bulstrode?" Lord Greengrass asked. "Why would he associate with Werewolves?"

"He heard about their desperation through Ministry Officials, and he showed up as a friend," Remus explained. A friend? Horseshit. "In truth, however, he planned to exploit their desperation. He all but sold them into slavery."

"What?" Ron blinked. He really is a fucking Death-Eater, isn't he?

"The Goblins of Gringotts are operating an illegal mine on Muggle lands near Buckden Pike, and in order to keep their activities hidden, they need workers who won't talk," Remus said, and Ron found himself getting angry. "These Goblins, Ron… They're mistreating the pack, and two young men have already died."

"What do you need from me?" Ron asked, he didn't need to hear anything else. "I'll help, Remus."

A smile immediately graced Remus' face, and for a moment, Ron felt rather proud of himself.

"I've convinced them to run from the Ministry and the Goblins," Remus gave Ron's shoulder a squeeze. "At first, they weren't listening to me, but when I told them about your Sanctuary, they agreed to come find you. Now, this pack is rather large, and I'm helping them set up a course down south, but before they start moving, they want to be sure that this Sanctuary will be there when they get here."

"The Fawleys are on holiday, but they'll be back by the end of the Break," Ron started. "I'll speak to them as soon as possible, and hopefully, we can get this thing started. How many people are in this pack?"

"Around forty, or so," Remus looked more than relieved. "They've agreed to speak to as many packs as they can on the way down, and if all goes well, the other packs will join this one."

"An army," Ravenclaw Ron hummed from the back.

"We don't have all the details prepared yet, but I'll get things moving," Ron promised. "Are you returning to this pack tonight?"

"I am," Remus replied.

"Tell them that I'll help them no matter what," Ron said, and Remus pulled Ron into a one-armed hug.

"Thank you, cub," Remus said, and then he let go. "I need to get going… They're all packing up even as we speak, and when I tell them about this, they'll get moving even more quickly."

Remus began making his way towards the Living Room, but he stopped by the stairs and looked up. He's no doubt feeling bad for dismissing Harry like that. Merlin, I hope Harry doesn't blame me for this. He's done it in the past, and I don't need more stress right now. Remus shook his head clear, and then he left almost as quickly as he came. This left Ron and Lord Greengrass alone in the Kitchen.

"Awkward," Ravenclaw Ron pulled a face. Should I say something? I'm not really sure if he's decided to drop me as his Apprentice.

"Lord Greeng-" Ron started, but the man turned around and left without uttering a single word.

"Ouch," Ravenclaw Ron laughed. "He outright ignored you."

Ron just stood rooted in his spot, a terrible feeling crawling up his spine and into his brain. He's just upset, that's all. He won't keep ignoring me forever. Ron swallowed thickly, and then he began heading for the stairs. I'm done with this day… I'm going to go to sleep, and tomorrow, I'm going to go get a brain scan.

"Your bruises…" Ravenclaw Ron said as Ron neared the stairs, and Ron stopped walking. "Remus didn't even notice them."

"What?" Ron looked towards his past self.

"He didn't even notice that your face looks like a bruised berry," Ravenclaw Ron smirked. "That's how little they all care about you. To them, you're just a solution to their problems. 'Ron, do this… Ron, do that.' You're their slave, and until you grow a pair, that's all you'll ever be. Sure, they throw you the occasional bone, but compared to how far you go for them, you might as well be working in an illegal Goblin mine."

Feeling more wretched than he had all day, Ron walked up the stairs with his head hung low. Remus didn't even notice…

---

Wednesday 30th December, 1993 (The Burrow – Morning)

His hallucinations were gone thanks to a full night's rest, courtesy of two vials of Sleeping Draught. His mind was still besieged by Ravenclaw Ron's words, but Ron was smart enough to understand that his counterpart was trying to get under his skin. And sure, some of what Ravenclaw Ron had said had hit too close to home, but Ron wasn't one to be beaten so easily. After waking up, Ron had gathered his strength and put himself to work.

"Ronnie, do you want more soup?" Molly asked as she passed him by.

"I'm full, mum," Ron replied, he was currently eating breakfast with everyone.

"Are you sure?" Molly asked, and Ron gave her a nod. "All right, then. Let me know if you want some more, okay?"

"Okay," Ron said, his eyes fixed on Pansy's emancipation paperwork. So many forms to fill, but at the end of the day, this won't even work. I need to find another solution. A more permanent solution.

He already knew what had to be done, and quite honestly, he wasn't too bothered by it. The day he had seen Pansy die in his vision, he had decided to kill her parents at some point. All of this has moved up my schedule, but if I'm careful and patient, I'll get my opportunity. Pansy doesn't have to know anything. Plus, getting two more Death-Eaters off of my list is bound to do some good. Who knows? Maybe Pansy will get to inherit her Family's fortune, and be free of her mother at the same time.

"Can I see those?" Daphne asked, and Ron passed her the papers without a word. She's cutting her voice short on purpose…

"I have work to do today, so I'll be gone for a few hours," Ron announced to his parents, which earned him curious looks from everyone.

"What work?" Percy asked. "You should stay home and recover, Ron." Oh, you're talking to me again?

"Percy's right, Ron," Arthur said. "You can do your work at a later date-"

"No," Ron shut them down, and then he left the marquee without another word.

Fine… He was slightly upset with everyone, and although he knew that they were trying to look out for him, his past self had done some serious damage to his psyche. He wanted to be more efficient, and for the first time, he was starting to doubt his constant pandering to the people in his life. Once I'm back, I'm taking the P-12 out for a spin. I could've spent all of yesterday training with it, but I decided to sit around and do nothing because mum and dad had a problem with it.

As he reached the fireplace, he noticed a bushy head of brown hair following him.

"You shouldn't speak to your parents like that, Ron," Hermione caught up as he was preparing the fireplace. "It's incredibly rude."

"Do you need something?" Ron asked. Of course you do… Why else would you come talk to me?

"What did Remus talk to you about yesterday?" Hermione asked, and Ron drew in a deep breath.

"I can't tell you," Ron replied, and Hermione didn't look too pleased.

"Why not?"

"Because the parents don't want us children getting involved in Order business," Ron replied.

"But you're getting involved," Hermione huffed.

"Because I'm not like the rest of you," Ron stated bluntly. "Did Harry put you up to this? He's been eyeballing me again."

Hermione froze a little, and that was enough to answer Ron's question. Why am I being blamed for Remus' need for secrecy? He probably didn't want Harry hearing about his work with Werewolves. It could alert Harry about Remus' condition, after all.

"He doesn't like being kept in the dark, Ron," Hermione tone became softer. "If you could talk to him, I'd really appreciate it." More favors. "He's been acting really sour lately, and it's only gotten worse since last night."

"Has Neville spoken to him?" Ron asked.

"Neville is… He's trying to keep Ginny company," Hermione sounded almost jealous. "She's still upset with me and Harry, but she's gotten over her anger in regards to Neville." Hmmm. So Ginny isn't completely alone now. That's good. I'll talk to Harry in order to let Neville continue his good work.

"Once I'm back, I'll talk to him," Ron agreed, and Hermione visibly relaxed.

"Thanks, Ron," Hermione said, and Ron gave her a parting nod.

"Gringotts Wizarding Bank," Ron said as clearly as possible, and then he tossed the floo powder into the fire.

---

Wednesday 30th December, 1993 (Diagon Alley – Midday)

"This is the last building?" Ron sighed out; he didn't like the look of this place either. "How much are they charging for this shithole?" Seriously, I see mold on the walls. They're definitely not going to help me make this place presentable.

"Three hundred and fifty Galleons a month," Gornuk replied, he too looked quite displeased. "The pictures were a lot more… alluring… Forgive me, Mr. Weasley, I should have dug deeper before taking you on this tour."

"No, you told me that this wasn't your area of expertise," Ron didn't blame Gornuk for this. "Which one did you like best?"

"None, truth be told," Gornuk replied as he traced his finger on a dusty wall. "All of these buildings are too small, and getting permits to increase their size will no doubt raise their price."

"Maybe we ought to focus on hiring people instead of renting a building," Ron suggested. "I mean, we don't even have a staff yet."

"Which is exactly why we need a building beforehand," Gornuk said. "If we leave this to the last minute, our business will need to be run from our workers' homes." And that screams professionalism, doesn't it?

"Is there really nothing left in the upper district?" Ron asked. "Not even one building?"

"Most of those buildings are owned by the prominent Families, Mr. Weasley," Gornuk replied. "I do not wish to be rude, but your Family's reputation will make it impossible for us to convince these Families to let us rent their buildings."

"Prominent Families…" Ron whispered to himself, and then, an idea struck him. Aunt Muriel and Lady Longbottom. "Gornuk, is it possible for you to find out which Families own which buildings?"

"Gringotts has all the records we would need," Gornuk replied. "May I ask what you're planning, Mr. Weasley?"

"My Family's reputation might be questionable, but my reputation isn't," Ron said. "And I have a couple of wealthy witches who might be willing to help us."

---

Thirty Minutes Later

"And here is the bond," Gornuk handed Ron the bond for one thousand Galleons. Good. Now I can repay Daphne.

"Thank you, Gornuk," Ron put the bond in his coat pocket. "I'll let you know when I secure a suitable space for our Offices."

"Hiring a couple of Elves to keep the Offices clean shouldn't be too difficult," Gornuk started. "As for the reporters, have you had a look at the dossiers I sent you?"

"Timothy Greene and Jack Smith look like they'll be a great fit," Ron replied. "As for the others… I wasn't impressed." All of the others worked for the Prophet at one point, and none of them seemed particularly accomplished.

"Timothy Greene, and Jack Smith…" Gornuk tried to remember. "As I recall, they are both rather young, aren't they?"

"That's not a bad thing in my book," Ron shrugged. "Both were rejected by the Prophet for trying to write articles on the real state of things, and although those articles weren't all too impressive, we can just have them learn from Marietta."

"You clearly have a select group in mind when it comes to hiring," Gornuk made a mental note. "I'll reach out to my contacts within other countries."

"That'd be great," Ron smiled. "Could you also set up a meeting with Greene and Smith? I'd like to talk to them before I make a decision."

"Certainly," Gornuk wrote it down. "I'll be in touch, Mr. Weasley."

"Take care, Gornuk," Ron said as he exited the Office. I should go talk to Aunt Muriel first. She might be less agreeable than Lady Longbottom, but she is my Blood, and she'll take offence if I don't go to her first.

Ron used Gringotts' fireplace room to floo over to the Prewett Estate, and once he was inside the Greeting Room, a familiar Elf cracked in to greet him.

"Mimsy," Ron greeted the tiny Elf, and she beamed up at him.

"Master Ronald!" Mimsy exclaimed. "You've come back! Mistress will be so pleased to host you again!" Really? She doesn't even notice my bruises? Maybe she's being polite?

"Are you sure about that?" Ron smiled involuntarily; he found the forwardness of the Elves to be rather pleasant. They're just a really nice lot in general. No matter how I feel before I approach them, my mood always improves when I see their happy little faces. "Your mistress didn't seem too pleased with my last visit."

"Mistress was very pleased," Mimsy assured him quickly. "Mistress has… trouble… expressing her happiness. Mistress is kind to her Elves, even Mimsy." Even Mimsy?

"Would she have a reason to not be kind to you?" Ron asked, and Mimsy's smile faltered. Don't be insensitive, Ron. Apologize to her, and back off. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound invasive. You don't-"

"Mimsy is not like the other Elves," Mimsy ignored him, she was shuffling her tiny feet. "Mimsy comes from a weak lineage… Mimsy is small, and her Magic never developed as it should have." I didn't know that was possible.

"Oh… I'm very sorry, Mimsy," Ron knelt down to meet her eyes.

"Mistress made Mimsy her personal Elf when Mimsy's parents wished to abandon her," Mimsy smiled a little. Really? "Mistress is kind, but she does not wish to show it."

"I'm glad she has you, then," Ron patted Mimsy's cheek, and she beamed at him again. "And personally… I don't believe that size factors into how valuable someone is. I think you're good for her, even if I don't know you that well yet."

"Master Ronald has grown up to be very kind," Mimsy's voice cracked. I'm not so sure about that… I think I lost the good part of myself somewhere along the way.

"Can you please fetch your Mistress for me?" Ron asked. "I'll be in the Living Room."

"Of course," Mimsy nodded fervently, and then she cracked out of the room. Just as loud as Marty.

Ron stood back up, and then he made his way over to the Living Room. He still admired the look of Prewett Estate, and even though he was never one to enjoy art, he found the oil-painted portraits to be quite fascinating. Most of them were of the different Heads of the Prewett Family, but some were of different landscapes and architectures. They even have one of Hogwarts.

Ron entered the Living Room, and he sat down on a comfy chair by the fireplace. The Prewett Coat of Arms was a thing of beauty, and once again, Ron wondered if his own Family had a Coat of Arms. We should have one considering how old we are. Maybe I should ask dad about it? Though, he probably doesn't know much about our history considering that he never talks about it.

After sitting around for five, or so, minutes, the silence was interrupted by the sound of heavy footsteps.

"What happened to your face?" Muriel asked curtly as she walked further into the room.

"Dueling practice," Ron replied, and she gave a short nod.

"It is good manners to alert a host before you barge into their home," Muriel said as she sat down on a chair to his left, her trademark sneer on her face.

"I know," Ron said. "I am sorry about 'barging' in here without an invitation, but I need your help."

"Ah," Muriel's sneer deepened. "And here I thought that you came to visit your old Aunt."

"Would you like that?" Ron asked calmly. "If you want me to visit more often, all you have to do is to ask me."

"I'd rather keep our meetings limited," she replied, and Ron fought the urge to be a smartarse. "What do you want, boy?"

"I need your advice for starters," Ron replied, and Muriel cocked an eyebrow. "What?"

"You want my advice?" Muriel asked. "What about that corpse that you call a Mentor?" Don't call him a corpse, you hag.

"Lord Greengrass and I are… having troubles… right now," Ron shifted a little. Why did I make us sound like an item?

"Has he seen you for the monster that you are?" Muriel smirked cruelly, and Ron felt a pang of pain in his heart.

"I am not a monster," Ron looked her dead in the eyes. Liar… "I just… think differently."

Muriel scanned his face with her bloodshot eyes, and slowly, her smirk faded away.

"Don't be such a girl," Muriel said bluntly. "I was merely teasing you, 'boy'."

"It's hard to tell when you're joking considering that you look like my worst nightmare come to life," Ron said, and Muriel frowned a bit. "Don't be such a girl. I was merely teasing you, 'my Lady'."

"Cheeky little…" Muriel started, but then she stopped herself. "What is troubling you?" Really? Just like that? I swear that she's testing me during each of our meetings.

"You know that my Quibbler will start publishing soon, right?" Ron started, and she gave him a nod. "I am on top of everything, somehow, but I still need a place for the Offices. I have spent my entire morning looking at different buildings throughout the Middle District in Diagon Alley, but none of them were particularly enticing."

"Cheap, and damaged," Muriel seconded his thoughts. "And most are owned by those cretins… Goblins…"

Her face twisted at the word, and Ron could tell how disgusted she was at the mere thought of them. They're not all bad. Sure, some are complete twats, and those slavers will taste my heel before long, but some are all right.

"Yes… The Goblins will try to bend me over," Ron said bluntly. "And the buildings not owned by Goblins are rather pathetic."

"Why not find a building in the Upper District?" Muriel asked. "Oh, I forgot… Your Family's name is mud." This bitch…

"Do you take pleasure in saying cruel things?" Ron asked, his temper flaring a bit. "My Family might not be wealthy, but we fought alongside yours during the Great War."

Muriel said nothing, nor did she look apologetic. Don't let her rile you up, Ron. Control your emotions. Discipline your mind.

"But saying that…" Ron decided to swallow his pride. "You are not completely wrong. We own no properties, and no one will sell their property to a Family who are well known for their poverty. It would be a foolish thing to do from a business standpoint."

"What are you going to do about it?" Muriel asked, she sounded almost intrigued.

"I will look to my allies for help," Ron replied, and Muriel gave him a nod. I clearly said the right thing. "You own a warehouse, and three separate buildings. The warehouse stores grain and other Prewett assets, and two of the buildings are already being rented out… One to a tailor, and one to a curio merchant. As for the last building… It is currently undergoing renovations."

"You've done your research," Muriel relaxed in her chair. "I expected nothing less from you."

"Am I beginning to impress you?" Ron smirked.

"Yes," she had no shame in admitting that. Oh… Well, this is unexpected.

"I would like to purchase the third building," Ron said.

"Purchase? Not rent?" Muriel asked.

"I want the Weasley Family to own a building in the Upper District," Ron replied. "Every other Family has one, even the ones who aren't particularly wealthy, so we should have one as well. It will further prove that we are returning to power."

Muriel gave half a smile, and quite honestly, Ron felt a little uncomfortable because of it. I don't think I've seen her smile before. It's… jarring.

"If I had known that you would turn out this way, I'd have stolen you when you were younger," Muriel said. "Do you have any idea how many times I tried to make your mother and uncles think like you do?"

"Plenty of times, I assume," Ron said.

"Try every single day," Muriel replied. "I became the Head of this Family a long time ago, but I never had children of my own. Not even one. So, I knew that one of my nieces or nephews would need to continue my role one day. But alas, I was Cursed with fools who held no respect for their roots."

"Mafalda Prewett doesn't sound like a fool to me," Ron offered.

"No, she sounds ambitious," Muriel looked to the fire. "You can have the building. I will send you the deed, and all the signed paperwork." Really?

"How much do I owe you?" Ron asked.

"Nothing," Muriel kept her eyes fixed on the flames.

"Aunt Muriel, I'm not looking for charity here," Ron said. "Tell me how much you-"

"You think you sound gallant by refusing my kindness, but I assure you, I find it irritating," Muriel cut him off. "We are Blood, boy, and that means something to me. What you have agreed to do for Mafalda, despite your conditions, will be payment enough." Does she really need an heir that badly? I mean, she's getting older by the day, but this is extreme.

"What of the renovations?" Ron asked slowly, he was still quite dazed by how well this was going.

"I have already paid the contractors, so you don't need to worry about it," Muriel said. I can't just accept a building for free… It doesn't feel right. I know that she's quite wealthy, but that's no excuse to steal from her.

"When I begin publishing the Quibbler, I will list the Prewett Family as a partner," Ron promised, and Muriel looked back to him. "You didn't invest in my business, but that was only because I didn't come to you. That was a mistake, and I see that now. Can you at least accept that?"

"The Prewett Family accepts," Muriel replied.

"Thank you, Auntie," Ron stood up.

"Leaving as soon as you get what you want?" Muriel asked.

"I would stay, but I need to get a brain scan," Ron told the truth, and Muriel waited for him to elaborate. "I… I think my condition has worsened… I can't tell the others just yet, they'll hound me and lock me away in my room."

"But you just told me," Muriel stated the obvious. She's a well-known gossip, but I owe her the truth after the generosity that she just showed me.

"You are not like them," Ron shrugged. "Maybe it's because we're not that close, or maybe it's because you think like me… I don't know. What you just did for me… I never forget my debts, Auntie."

"I hope you get good news, Ronald," Muriel looked back to the fire. "And if you need advice, my door is always open to you." So she does want me to visit more often. Mimsy mentioned that she doesn't get any guests, so she must be feeling lonely.

"You should come over for dinner again," Ron offered, and Muriel frowned at the thought. "It would give us a chance to further our alliance, and I think you could use some company."

"Is that what you think?" Muriel spoke to the fire. "That I need 'company'?"

"There's nothing wrong with wanting company, Auntie," Ron said. "Think on it, please."

Muriel waved at him dismissively, and after giving her a respectful bow, Ron left for the Greeting Room. I hope she does decide to come around more often. If she's with us, then she'll be safer during the war. Speaking of which… I need to ask Dumbledore about the Muggle-Born issue. We need to find some way to protect them from the Snatchers.

---

Twenty Minutes Later

Ron looked around the empty Hospital Wing, and oddly enough, he felt relieved. He was definitely scared of getting this scan, but since Madam Pomfrey wasn't around, Ron had an excuse to tuck tail and run. Did he despise this cowardly sort of behavior? Yes. Would he give up if he got bad news? No. Ron knew that no matter what Madam Pomfrey found, it was his duty to keep moving forward. And yet, he was still scared. He was here alone, and due to his recent hallucinations and bodily changes, he knew that something was going terribly wrong in his brain.

"Mr. Weasley?" came McGonagall's voice, and Ron quickly turned to face her. "My word… What happened to you? Were you attacked by someone?"

"Oh, this is from training," Ron chuckled nervously, but the look of concern on her face didn't change. "Um… Is Madam Pomfrey not here?"

"She is working for St. Mungo's at the moment," McGonagall replied. "They are opening tomorrow, but are sadly quite understaffed. I read your paper's piece on them just yesterday, actually." Oh yeah… The advertisement firm is helping raise awareness about St. Mungo's, and the need for new Healers.

"You subscribe to the Quibbler?" Ron asked.

"I only started once you took over," McGonagall replied. Really? That's really nice to hear.

"Supporting your favorite student?" Ron couldn't help but grin.

"I am supporting a promising young wizard, nothing more," McGonagall said rather formally. "Do you need those bruises healed?"

"Oh… Um… No," Ron rubbed his slightly inflamed chin.

"No? You look like you're in pain," McGonagall cocked an eyebrow.

"I made mistakes, and I'm learning from them," Ron shrugged. "I just wanted to see Madam Pomfrey about…" he stopped.

"I see," McGonagall gave an understanding nod. "Well, she is not here, but I am currently looking after any students who might need medical attention." She then looked at each of his bruises. "Students like you."

"I can heal these myself," Ron started.

"Then why haven't you?" McGonagall's voice became stern. Uh-oh.

"So I could learn my-"

"Do you hear how foolish you sound?" McGonagall cut him off, and Ron blinked at her. "This teaches you what exactly? That bruises hurt? That Magic is not to be taken lightly? Forgive me for saying this, Mr. Weasley, but seeing as you are one of my more intelligent students, I do not believe your half-truths. Those bruises teach you nothing, and you know that as well as I do. Now, take a seat, and let me heal your injuries. I'm sure you've already learned whatever 'lesson' that you were trying to teach yourself."

"I'm not healing these-"

"Stubbornness can often be seen as a positive trait," McGonagall took a step forward, and for a moment, she sounded an awful lot like Snape. "But in this instance, I only see it as harmful." Her expression then softened a little. "Pain should never be a teacher, Ronald. Pain creates fear, and a wizard who lives in fear is bound to make more mistakes in the future."

Ron just stared at her; he knew that she wasn't going to let him leave. And unlike everyone else, she's not going to let me walk off. Fuck… I'm not going anywhere without getting these healed, am I? Without a word, Ron walked over to a nearby stool and sat down. A part of me does want these gone… They hurt, and they're doing nothing to make me forget about Pansy. McGonagall stood in front of him, and as her wand traced his bruises, Ron felt his face fluctuate between hot and cold.

"Since I have you here," McGonagall spoke as she healed him. "The other Professors and I have come up with a special study plan for you."

"Special study plan?" Ron's ears perked up. "Do you mean extra tutelage?" More Spells for me to learn?

"No, not extra tutelage," McGonagall replied, and Ron felt a little disappointed. "We've all decided to give you two extra weeks per assignment. It'll help you better manage your workload, which should help lower some of your stress."

"Oh…" Ron muttered. "Was this the Headmaster's idea?"

"Actually, it was Professor Hagrid's idea," McGonagall told him. "You are in his class, aren't you?"

"I am," Ron was quite surprised. Hagrid… He and I don't even talk to each other. Why would he, of all people, come up with this idea?

"At first, he didn't want to give you any homework, but we told him that this was still a school," McGonagall explained. "After some discussion, we came up with this study plan. So, from now on, you'll always have two extra weeks to get your homework done."

"I… Thanks, I think," Ron wasn't sure how he felt about this special treatment.

"It goes without saying that you now have no excuse to miss a deadline," McGonagall added. Ah, classic McGonagall.

"That's fair," Ron decided to accept the help. I have so much going on, and if this helps me manage my time better, I should take this opportunity. "Thank you."

"How does your face feel now?" McGonagall asked as she took a step back, and Ron massaged his face.

"Better," Ron admitted. Much better.

"Next time, don't leave your injuries unattended," McGonagall all but ordered. "And remember my words, Ronald. Pain should never be a teacher."

"Pain creates fear, and fear causes more mistakes," Ron said, and she gave him a nod. "I'll be on my way now. Thank you, Professor." I've learnt my most valuable lessons from pain, though.

"Do you want me to contact Madam Pomfrey for you?" McGonagall asked as Ron stood up.

"Um… No," Ron replied. You bloody coward… "I'll just see her when I return to Hogwarts on Sunday."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," Ron gave a nod. "Actually… Is the Headmaster going to return soon? I came through his fireplace, but he wasn't in his Office."

"He is attending to some personal matters," McGonagall replied, her eyes scanning his face. Personal matters? Does she mean Snape? "Why do you need to see the Headmaster?"

"Oh… I just like to play Chess with him," Ron replied.

"I see," McGonagall said. Please believe me. "I will let him know that you dropped by should he return before the end of the Break."

---

Wednesday 30th December, 1993 (The Burrow – Late Afternoon)

"You're back," came Hermione's voice, and Ron turned to face her.

"Yeah… I only just got back," Ron went back to preparing the P-12; he had spent two hours just roaming Diagon Alley by himself. "Where is everyone?"

"Oh, the others are outside," Hermione walked further into the Living Room. "Playing Quidditch." She then shuffled her feet for a moment. "Everyone except for Harry, that is. He's sitting around in the twins' room. Alone."

"And you?" Ron turned to face her again. "Why aren't you outside?"

"I was practicing some Spells," Hermione explained, and Ron gave her a nod. At least someone is using their permit as intended. "Ron… About this morning… Can you talk to Harry right now? Please? I tried, but he's being… difficult…"

"What makes you think that he'll listen to me?" Ron asked.

"If you can just tell him what Remus wanted you for, he'll start feeling better," Hermione said quickly. "After what the adults just told us… Harry feels like they're all hiding things from him. It's his life that Lord Voldemort is threatening-"

"Don't speak his name in my house," Ron cut her off.

"Ron… It's just a name," Hermione fought the urge to roll her eyes.

"It's the name of the man who killed thousands as a pastime… My uncles included," Ron said. "I don't want his name mentioned again, do you understand?"

"Fine…" Hermione decided to back off. "So… Will you talk to Harry?"

"Hermione… I've had a pretty long day-" Ron started.

"It would really help out Neville and me," Hermione urged. "And Sirius… Harry's behaving like this is all Sirius' fault, and Sirius is struggling to keep a straight face around us. Please, Ron? If you can just tell him what Remus wanted from you, he might listen to reason." Am I even allowed to discuss Order business with Harry? I mean, I've always advocated bringing Harry into the fold, but the Headmaster goes out of his way to protect Harry from everything. He might not like me telling Harry about the Order's movements.

"I'll go talk to him," Ron said, and Hermione smiled gratefully.

"Please tell him to grow up a little," Hermione turned to leave.

"Wait… Um… Are my friends outside?" Ron asked.

"Oh," Hermione turned back around. "They all left with Mr. Greengrass." What?

"To his manor?" Ron asked, and Hermione gave a nod.

"Nott, Davis, Mr. and Mrs. Davis, the Greengrass sisters, and Luna left around midday," Hermione listed. "Mr. and Mrs. Greengrass want to instruct them on how to behave at school now that there's a war coming." They left me out? No… I wasn't here. But still…

"They took Luna?" Ron couldn't help but ask.

"Astoria took Luna, actually," Hermione replied. "I don't think Luna is ready to speak to Ginny just yet… It's… It's all rather ugly, isn't it?"

"Yeah…" Ron looked back to the P-12. They wouldn't exclude me, would they? No. I'm being paranoid, and I need to stop putting myself through this. I should exercise patience right now, and I should definitely ignore everything that my hallucination told me.

"Ron?" Hermione called, and Ron looked back to her. "Are you all right?"

"I'm just thinking, that's all," Ron hid any sign of his inner thoughts.

"Are you and Greengrass fighting?" Hermione tried to sound casual, but it came across as rather intrusive.

"What? No," Ron blurted out, and Hermione nodded slowly. "I mean… We had a small fight, yes, but I was to blame for it. I apologized, and now, I'm giving her some space."

"You apologized, and she's still giving you the cold shoulder?" Hermione cocked an eyebrow.

"It's more complicated than that," Ron sighed out; he was starting to feel uncomfortable. Maybe I should just approach her and talk to her. One of my favorite things about her is her straightforward nature. We always talk about everything, and we don't hold back. Maybe waiting around is stupid-

"If she's not mature enough to talk to you even after you apologized, then maybe you shouldn't talk to her either," Hermione shrugged. "It'd show her how it feels to be ignored." But I'm the one who called her a useless piece of shit… I'm in the wrong here, no matter how I look at it.

"I don't want to talk about this with you," Ron put an end to the conversation. "I'll go talk to Harry now."

Hermione was left rather jarred by Ron's sudden shift in mood, and she said nothing as he left the Living Room. Within a few short seconds, Ron found himself standing in front of the twins' room. Out of courtesy, he knocked on the door. Neville is keeping Ginny from being lonely, so I should make his life easier by dealing with Harry. Someone has to tell him that a lot of people are going out of their way to keep him alive.

"Leave me alone, Hermione," came Harry's annoyed voice.

"It's not Hermione," Ron said. "It's me… Ron."

After a few seconds of silence, the door slowly creaked open to reveal Harry's face. He looked… indifferent. At least he's not glaring at me… That's called progress.

"What is it?" Harry asked shortly.

"I figured that we should talk before things escalate," Ron shrugged. "May I come in?"

"Escalate?" Harry blinked, and then, he adorned a more understanding look. "You noticed me staring at you, then…"

"Kind of hard to miss," Ron said.

"I didn't mean to stare at you specifically," Harry moved back, and Ron stepped into the room. "I just… I saw you, and that reminded me of everyone hiding things from me. I zoned out, and before I knew it, Hermione told me to stop 'glaring' at you. It was an accident."

"I see," Ron closed the door. "So you don't blame me for Remus' actions?"

"I… I don't know…" Harry sighed out as he walked over and sat down on his bed.

Ron looked around the twins' room with a nostalgic smile; he hadn't been in here for a long time. I used to sit on George's bed while they fiddled around with their creations. Occasionally, they'd toss me sweets if I interrupted them by asking too many questions.

"Is there a reason why you're shutting Hermione out?" Ron asked as he leaned against the door.

"She sent you here?" Harry asked immediately.

"She did," Ron admitted. "But I'm also here because I don't want us to fight again. The last time you started staring at me, we both did some really stupid things."

"I… You're right, of course," Harry owned up to his past actions. "I'm not angry with you, per say, but I am angry about the fact that Remus…" he stopped abruptly.

"Talk to me, Harry," Ron urged him to go on, and Harry let out another sigh.

"I haven't seen him in over a week, and then he bursts in here looking like he did…" Harry shook his head, making sure to avoid eye contact. Why wouldn't he tell me about where he'd been? Why tell you instead of me?"

"He wanted to ask for my help," Ron told Harry, who quickly looked up at him. "Harry, I can't give you the specifics, but what I can tell you is that Remus loves you more than he loves me."

"What?" Harry blinked.

"That's what this is about, right?" Ron asked, and Harry looked a little too uncomfortable. Push on, Ron. "I'm not trying to be a prick here, Harry, but you're being jealous over nothing. Remus and Sirius love you more than they love anyone else. You're pretty much their son."

"Then why lie to me?" Harry all but whispered.

"Has it occurred to you that they want to protect you?" Ron asked.

"Lying doesn't protect me," Harry argued.

"That's because you're not trying to look at things from their perspective," Ron started. "Merlin, Harry… They love you, and they want to give you a happy childhood, but the Dark Lord himself is trying to hunt you down. Can you imagine the pressure that they must be under? How would you feel if the Dark Lord was trying to murder Neville instead of you? Would you not do everything in your power to protect him?"

"Of course I would, but I wouldn't lie to him," Harry said.

"No one has lied to you," Ron said. "None of us kids know what's really going on, so you're not the only one in the dark. If anything, most of the adult are thinking of you first."

"I just want to know what's going on," Harry said. "It's my life that's under threat-"

"No, everyone's life is under threat," Ron said bluntly. "Not just you, mate… Don't you remember what the Dark Lord did to me back in first year?"

Harry paled a little at the memory.

"The adults are right to keep us in the dark," Ron went on. "It's the right strategy, especially because certain wizards can read your mind. If we know too much, their lives are put in danger. The Order is clearly fighting all by itself, and if they get wiped out because of silly mistakes, then the Dark Lord wins. If you die, Harry, we all die. That's the brutal reality of our situation."

"Why me, though?" Harry muttered. "I don't even know why I'm so important…"

"Because you're the Boy-Who-Lived," Ron said as he thought of Dumbledore's words. "You survived him, and that gives a lot of people hope. You didn't grow up in the Wizarding World, so you don't fully understand how bad things were during the first war. Hell, even I didn't know until I started doing my research into the Old Families… Thousands dead, thousands missing, rape, torture, looting, mass persecutions… It was hell on Earth, Harry, and it only stopped when a toddler played a role in the Dark Lord's destruction. You're more important than you realize, and even if you hate that, you can't change it."

"I just want to help them, Ron," Harry seemed to have lost most of his anger. "I… I don't want other people to die for me… Like my parents did…" Oh… Damn, I forgot that he has to live with something like that.

"If you want to help them, Harry, then you should learn from them," Ron said in a gentler tone. "Listen to what they're trying to tell you, and act accordingly. This behavior… Locking yourself away… This doesn't help anyone. Sirius is miserable right now according to Hermione, and he doesn't deserve that. All he wants is for you to be safe and happy."

"Hermione's exaggerating," Harry said sourly. "She always exaggerates everything."

"Have you gone outside and checked?" Ron asked, but Harry said nothing in response. "Maybe she's not exaggerating this time."

"I… I still don't want to go outside," Harry said.

"At some point, you'll have to talk to Sirius," Ron stated the obvious. "But sure… Take your time. Just think about our conversation when you talk to him, yeah? I promise you, mate; Sirius and Remus love you more than anything in this World. You're no longer living with your terrible Muggle relatives… You're living with two people who'll die before they let you get hurt."

At that, Ron turned to leave, but Harry quickly shot up to his feet, which made Ron turn back around. What the hell was that?

"Are you leaving?" Harry asked, and Ron cocked an eyebrow. He doesn't want me to leave?

"I've said my piece," Ron replied. "The rest is up to you, Harry."

"Do… Do you want to play some Chess?" Harry asked. Huh? Where is this coming from? "I hate to admit this, but I'm really bored up here."

"But you don't want to go down and deal with other people just yet?" Ron asked, he himself knew that feeling all too well.

"It sounds stupid when you say it out loud…" Harry rubbed the back of his neck. Fuck… Now I feel bad about leaving. But saying that, I still want to practice my Magic. I'm slacking off too much, and that can't stand.

"It doesn't sound stupid at all," Ron said.

"Really?"

"Really," Ron gave a nod. "Do you have your wand on you?"

"Yeah," Harry patted his pocket.

"Let's go to my room," Ron said. "I need to practice my Wandless Magic, and if you want, we can exchange knowledge."

"Exchange knowledge?" Harry snorted. "You mean study together?"

"Yeah."

"You talk in a really weird manner, Ron," Harry pointed out. Do I? I mean, my vocabulary has improved a lot due to my surroundings, but I don't talk in a 'weird manner'.

"I've spent too much time around pompous Slytherins," Ron joked, which earned a weak chuckle from Harry. "So? Do you want to practice together?"

"Sure… That sounds like fun," Harry finally showed some semblance of happiness.

---

Wednesday 30th December, 1993 (The Burrow – Almost Dinner)

"This is so frustrating," Harry finally snapped, and Ron let out a laugh. "This isn't funny, Ron! I haven't even managed to move it yet!"

"You have to be patient, mate," Ron sniggered, and then he made the parchment float up into the air with a wave of his hand.

"Now you're just showing off," Harry frowned at the floating parchment. I am, but what can I say? It took a lot of work to get here, and it feels nice to show the fruits of my labor to a new set of eyes. "Seriously, though… How much do you practice every day?"

"Depends," Ron shrugged. "I make sure to practice my Wandless Magic every night for at least an hour. I practice Dueling every second day for at least a couple of hours. And I train my body every single day."

"Why?" Harry couldn't help but ask.

"I'm a crazy person," Ron replied, and Harry's lips twitched upwards.

"When do you study?" Harry asked.

"In between," Ron replied.

"And you still find time to do your other activities…" Harry shook his head in disbelief.

"Other activities?"

"The Quibbler, the Werewolf stuff, and becoming a Diplomat," Harry clarified. "God, Ron… It's no wonder that you have stress related problems."

"Yeah, things can get pretty hectic, but do you want to know a secret?" Ron asked, and Harry gave a nod. "You just get used to it."

"Really?"

"Really," Ron nodded. "It becomes natural to a person, you know? Like waking up and brushing one's teeth. Starting is the hardest part."

"Why did you start, then?" Harry asked. "Why do so much at once?" Be careful here, Ron. Don't give away too much. Harry's a really sharp bastard, and he'll latch onto anything that sounds suspicious.

"I wanted to prove myself, I suppose," Ron replied, and Harry tilted his head slightly. "Um… How do I say this? I… I struggled early on in my life…" Change the topic, Ron.

"Struggled?" Harry adorned a serious look.

"You've met my siblings, right?" Ron asked, and Harry nodded in understanding.

"You wanted to be more like them," Harry figured.

"I wanted to be better than them," Ron clarified. Why am I telling him this? Am I really feeling that rejected? Was my hallucination right? Am I that desperate for affection?

"Ron?"

"Ahem," Ron cleared his throat, and his mind. "It doesn't matter… One day I woke up, and I decided to better myself." Ron then let out a mirthless chuckle. "Look where it got me…"

Harry gave him a sorry look, and Ron chose to ignore it. Change the damn topic already! Ron summoned the floating piece of parchment into his gloved hand, while Harry quickly fixed up his expression.

"Hey, do you want to test out the P-12 with me tomorrow?" Ron asked.

"That big doll?" Harry asked.

"It's not a doll," Ron said petulantly, and Harry raised his hands in mock surrender. "Sorry… I just don't like people calling it a doll. It is a piece of art, pure and simple."

"I don't really know what it is, truth be told," Harry said.

"It's a training dummy, but it's built to train Aurors," Ron explained, and Harry's eyes lit up.

"Train Aurors?!" Harry asked, and Ron quickly felt his own excitement escalate. Finally! Someone sees it for the amazing item that it is!

"To become an Auror, you have to defeat it," Ron told Harry. "It's like a test for them, or something. This thing, Harry… Sweet Circe, it's beyond awesome! It fights with such skill and precision that if you fuck up for even a moment, it's going make you eat dirt!"

"Wicked," Harry muttered with a growing smile. "You've fought one before, I take it!"

"I have," Ron smirked. "And I've beaten it five times."

"Five times?" Harry blinked. "You've beaten something created for the sole purpose of training Aurors?"

"If you're patient, and very careful, you can beat it," Ron tried to sound casual, but some of his arrogance seeped through nonetheless.

"Have you lost to it?" Harry asked.

"About fifteen times…" Ron lost his smirk. Each loss was more painful than the last.

"Five to fifteen," Harry said. "Not a very good score-"

"Hey, this thing is dangerous, all right?" Ron said defensively.

"I'm just pulling your leg," Harry chuckled. "Still… You actually beat this thing… Doesn't that make you Auror level?"

"No, it does not," Ron assured Harry. "Remember my bruises?"

"Oh."

"Yeah, that's what an Auror is capable of," Ron told Harry. "I didn't even manage to land a single hit on her, and she beat me into a mini coma."

Harry went to say something, but he was interrupted when the door swung open. Theo stepped in with a bored look on his face, but when he saw Ron, relief seemed to wash over him.

"You're here," Theo sighed out as he smiled a little. "I was worried that you were still running errands."

Theo then looked to Harry, and he immediately cocked an eyebrow.

"Um… I'll be on my way, I reckon," Harry stood up, which earned him a slightly confused look from Ron. We were in the middle of a conversation… I'm guessing that Harry doesn't trust Theo. "I'll see you at dinner, Ron."

"Right," Ron said as Harry quickly left the room.

"I seem to cut a lot of conversations short these days," Theo shook his head as he closed the door.

"What do you mean by that?" Ron asked.

"C'mon, mate… You know what I'm talking about," Theo walked over and sat down on his bed. "Bill, Charlie, Kirsten, Longbottom, and the adults are all right, but everyone else doesn't want me here."

"Well, I want you here, so the rest can go fuck themselves," Ron felt his temper flare. Honestly, they're still stuck on House rivalry? A fucking war is breathing down our necks, and they still can't get over the fact that not everyone is a Gryffindor?

"I'm not too bothered," Theo shrugged. "I know that they have reason to be wary around me."

"You're not your father," Ron stated.

"But I am my father's son, and that has to be recognized," Theo said, and Ron nodded slowly. He seems to be doing much better now.

"How was your day?" Ron asked, trying his best to hide his insecure thoughts.

"Fucking dreadful," Theo flopped onto his side. Huh? "Lord Greengrass can really drone on sometimes, you know?" Oh, I know.

"Drone on about what?" Ron asked.

"He basically gave us a guide on how to behave in Slytherin from now on," Theo rolled his eyes. "At first, it wasn't so bad, but after two hours of him just going on and on about which Families we were allowed to associate with, I wanted to claw off my own face." Theo then sat back up. "You know what the funniest part about all of this was?"

"What?"

"At the end, he literally told us to do exactly as you say," Theo said, and Ron was quite taken aback. Really? He said that? Despite not trusting me anymore? "After all that lecturing, it all boiled down to one simple instruction. 'Listen to Ronald, and if he tells you to do something, do it without question'. The other adults agreed with him, so you are officially our fearless leader from today onwards." This doesn't make any sense.

"Are… Really?" Ron blinked. "Are you sure that he said that?"

"Why do you look so surprised?" Theo asked. "Everyone knows that the adults all think very highly of you, and it's not like you haven't earned their respect." Theo then adorned a look of understanding. Shit, he figured it out, didn't he? "So you two really are fighting, then?"

"We're not fighting," Ron said quickly. "We're just… at odds…"

"That explains his eagerness to leave today," Theo said, and Ron waited for him to go on. "Around midday, Lord and Lady Greengrass gathered us up… All the other adults agreed to wait until you returned, but Lord Greengrass made a remark about you being 'ten steps ahead of everyone', and then he all but dragged us along with him." Ten steps ahead of everyone? In what fucking World is that even remotely true? Most of the time, I just stumble from one fuck-up to the next. "Daphne was the only one who tried to put up a fight in order to wait for you, but Lord Greengrass was having none of it."

"She wanted to wait for me?" Ron felt genuinely relieved to hear that. "Really?"

"Of course…" Theo replied slowly. "Ron? What's gotten into you? You usually don't sound like a little girl."

"Oi, fuck you," Ron frowned a bit. "I'm not a little girl… I'm just a little bothered by our distance."

"You miss being attached at the hip with her?" Theo sniggered.

"Yes," Ron replied bluntly, which stopped Theo's sniggering. Why wouldn't I miss her? She's my best friend.

"It hasn't even been three days," Theo gave Ron an odd look. "Malfoy's right about you two… You've become a codependent organism."

"Yeah, well, you and Tracey aren't so different these days," Ron pointed out, and Theo gave Ron a dull look.

"Touché," Theo muttered under his breath. "Look, brother, just give her a few days, all right? You were a colossal prick to everyone, and although Blaise and I have gotten used to that side of you, the girls haven't really experienced it. They don't live with you, and you've never directed your anger at them like that before."

"I know, which is why I'm trying to stay out of her way," Ron sighed out. "But… Merlin, it's really getting to me…"

Theo looked a little uncomfortable, so Ron decided to man up. He isn't my Mind-Healer, and he clearly doesn't know just how close Daphne and I are. Hell, he probably has no idea that Daphne acts like a toddler whenever we're alone together. I miss her antics…

"Speaking of distance…" Theo started, and Ron broke out of his misery. "The adults don't want us to tell Blaise, Pansy, and Millie about the war. Something about their parents holding too much power over them."

"What?" Ron asked.

"Yeah… Tracey and Daphne started a fight with their parents, but in the end, they were shut down," Theo replied. "Apparently, if you're not spending your Break at the Burrow, you can't be trusted. Even Malfoy knows, but they still don't want us to warn our friends."

"Well, that's not happening," Ron stated bluntly. "I will tell them myself, and if anyone has a problem with it, they can reason to my cock."

"There he is," Theo smirked at Ron. "Our fearless leader." Bloody hell, he only told me so I'd defy the adults' wishes, which means that none of them will have to.

Ron chucked his pillow at Theo's head, but Theo quickly caught it and added it to his own pile.

"This is mine now," Theo said triumphantly.

"If you don't give that back, I'll sneak into your bed tonight," Ron warned, and Theo immediately grimaced. "That's right, Theo… Either you return the pillow, or you come to terms with the fact that your farts will never make a sound again."

"Gross," Theo frowned as he tossed Ron his pillow back. "I'm going to ask your mother for a different room."

"You love it."

---

Daphne Greengrass' POV

Thursday 31st December, 1993 (The Burrow – Midday)

Ron had somehow managed to convince most people in the Burrow to help him test out the P-12, and unsurprisingly, a lot of people were now supporting bruises and injured limbs. Daphne had figured that Bill, Charlie, or Kirsten would be able to take it down, but after seeing the P-12 beat Charlie into a fetal position, she had decided to never try her hand at Dueling it. According to Ron, this model was far deadlier than the one that he had previously faced, and everyone had agreed that this was due to it not being worn down.

"Stop! Stop!" Ron yelled at the P-12 as it kicked Bill across the face. Gods! This thing is a monster!

While all the other kids ran up to check on Bill, who was splayed out on the dirt with a dazed look, Daphne found herself staring at the 'faceless mannequin from hell'. She wasn't going to lie to herself, this thing scared the life out of her. It moved in a really creepy fashion, and it was not afraid of using its wooden limbs to inflict pain on its opponents. Potter had ended up with broken glasses, Granger had lost some of her hair, Longbottom had a knuckle shaped welt on his forehead, and both Tracey and Theo had cuts on their legs and arms from well-aimed Cutting Charms. As for Ron… Ron had taken the worst sorts of beatings from the P-12. Even now, he had fresh new bruises on his face, and he couldn't walk without limping.

"Don't move so much, Charlie," Kirsten tutted from Daphne's right, while Charlie winced as his girlfriend healed his cut lip.

"That thing is a fucking menace…" Charlie glowered. "A right fucking menace… It's no wonder that Ron waited for the adults to leave before he unleashed this thing on us."

"He's not forcing anyone to be here, so don't just blame him," Daphne spoke without thinking.

"She's right," Kirsten agreed. "You're the one who wanted to show off, Charlie."

"Didn't want to show off," Charlie muttered. "Just wanted to make sure that the hype behind this thing was real… Big fucking mistake…"

"C'mon, let's get you inside," Kirsten helped her boyfriend up. "Daphne, can you get everyone else? Tell them that until the adults come back from their shopping trip, I'm putting an end to this. Someone could get really hurt here."

"Ron's not going to listen to that instruction," Daphne said; she was partly glad that she didn't have to face the P-12 now. I mean, I never had to, but everyone's having a go, so I can't just chicken out. It'd make me look like a coward, which I suppose I am when I think about it.

"Yeah… I can't do anything about him," Kirsten nodded. "Just tell the others, please."

Daphne gave a nod, and then she parted from Charlie and Kirsten. The adults were out shopping for school supplies because the Hogwarts Express was leaving on Sunday, and although Daphne was one of the children who wanted to go to Diagon Alley, the threat of a war had turned the adults into tyrants. Tyrants who don't want us to warn our own friends… Well, I don't think Ron cares much about their opinions.

By the time she reached the others, Ron was already preparing the P-12 for another Duel. Bill was being fussed over by pretty much everyone except for the twins, who were too busy sniggering to each other about Bill's 'epic defeat'.

"Kirsten says that no one else is allowed to Duel the P-12 until the adults return," Daphne said in a matter-of-factly tone; she knew that her words were going to get Ron's attention.

"What?" Ron was the first to speak up.

"Thank Merlin," Tori let out a breath of relief.

"Did she say why?" Ron asked Daphne. Bloody hell, I really want to sit down and talk to him about everything, but I need to hold on for a little longer. I really need the message to sink in. Wait… Did I just use the phrase 'bloody hell'? Gods, I'm turning into a Weasley!

"She says that it's too dangerous," Daphne said shortly, her own thoughts had jarred and embarrassed her. Daphne Weasley. It doesn't sound so bad, really. Stop! What are you thinking?! You're only thirteen!

"Well, I concur," Bill rubbed his bright red jaw. "Ron, just pack that thing away, all right? It's too dangerous."

"What? It's perfect," Ron argued.

"Perfect for what?" Fred asked. "Ron, you should look in the mirror."

"You look like a pummeled grape," George added. "Oh, and you have some bruises on your face."

"You two are just trying to get out of training," Ron frowned at his older brothers.

"After seeing that thing beat the piss out of Bill and Charlie, we feel no shame in tucking our tails and running away," Fred shrugged, while George nodded his agreement.

"I can't believe I'm about to say this," George started. "But Percy was smart to stay locked up in his room."

"I want to try my hand-" Ginny started.

"No, Ginny," Bill shut her down. "If you get hurt, mum will kill us all."

"Maybe we should just practice with each other?" Granger suggested. "What do you say, Ron?" Ugh… She's been hovering around him all day. If I weren't so stubborn, I'd be clinging to Ron's arm right now as a show of dominance.

"You're going to let a few bruises and cuts stop you?" Ron asked everyone. "C'mon… The adults told us that we need to be prepared, and this thing is as good as it gets. Just keep at it, and you'll see improvements. I promise." Not everyone has your threshold for pain, Ron… Plus, I don't want to see that thing throwing you around anymore.

"Sorry, Ron," Bill shook his head. "But I'm sticking with Kirsten on this… That thing is too dangerous, and none of you should be facing it alone."

"Then we can fight it in teams," Ron tried rather desperately, but Daphne knew that it was over.

The twins were already walking away, while Tori and Luna looked genuinely afraid of the P-12. Tracey and Theo were only sticking around because of Ron, but judging from their whispering, they had no intention of facing the P-12 again. Even Potter and Granger had a look of hesitation about them that mirrored Longbottom's.

"Sorry, Ron, maybe once we've had more practice," Longbottom said.

One by one, everyone began to follow Bill inside, all of them except for the Slytherins. Ron's face dropped rather visibly, and Daphne once again felt the urge to try and cheer him up. Am I making things worse by keeping my distance? Maybe Ron's already learned his lesson, and we can start talking again? I mean, he's already apologized-

"Forget the P-12," Ron started, breaking Daphne out of her thoughts. "What if we all just train together? Like we do at Hogwarts?"

"Sorry, Ron, but I'm in actual pain here," Tracey said apologetically. "I think I'll head inside and let Kirsten heal me before my parents come back."

"Same," Theo added at the end. "I think I twisted my ankle really badly."

Ron looked to Daphne for a split second, but before she could say something, he turned around and limped back to the P-12.

"I understand…" Ron said dejectedly. "I'll just train by myself, then…" I feel ten times worse now…

She wanted to volunteer just to make him feel better, but when she looked at the P-12's faceless figure, she found herself shrinking a little. She wanted to be brave enough to put herself through Dueling against the P-12 for Ron's sake, but sadly, she knew her limits. She wasn't a good Duelist, and this thing had no notion of mercy. Even the Gryffindors don't want to fight it…

"You coming?" Tracey whispered to Daphne, and Daphne nodded shamefully. Sorry, Ron…

"Do you need help, Theo?" Daphne asked as they began walking back towards the Burrow.

"I'll manage," Theo limped with a pained expression. "I really hope he doesn't bring that thing to Hogwarts with him. Maybe we should've bought him something less… monstrous."

"Did you see his face?" Tracey whispered, a hint of guilt in her voice. "He looked so put down just then… I know that we have reason not to Duel that thing, but I feel really bad now. Maybe once we get healed up, we can come back and join him?"

"Do you really want to?" Theo asked, and Tracey rubbed the back of her neck. "Look… There's no point in feeling bad about leaving… We're not like him when it comes to this sort of stuff. He gets that, trust me."

"Are you sure?" Tracey asked, and Theo nodded.

"Though I will say this…" Theo started. "He's been acting off…"

"Off?" Daphne rejoined the conversation.

"I can't say for certain, but I think we hurt his feelings by not waiting for him yesterday," Theo explained. Damn you, father, I told you to wait for him. "He didn't say this outright, mind you, but I just got the feeling that he felt left out."

"Why is your father distancing himself from Ron?" Tracey asked. "I know why you're being distant, but what's your father's problem?"

"I have no idea," Daphne frowned a little. "I tried to ask him, but he all but ignored me. Truth be told, he's been getting on my nerves lately. Sure, he's helping me with my business plans, but at the same time, his mind is focused on something else. Even mother pointed out that he's not being himself right now." What did Ron and my father talk about in the orchard? Father won't tell me, and knowing Ron the way I do, he won't either.

As they neared the Burrow, Daphne shot one last look back at Ron. He was using his wand to heal his own knee, and Daphne's legs stopped working on their own.

"What is it?" Tracey followed her gaze.

"He's not going to stop fighting that thing," Daphne sighed out. "Sooner or later, he'll get genuinely hurt."

"Are you going to go talk him out of it?" Theo asked.

"He won't give up until he beats that thing," Daphne replied. "You two go on ahead… I'll keep an eye on him."

"You sure?" Tracey asked.

"Yes, I'm sure," Daphne replied. It's not like I'm hurt, or anything. Plus, I feel horrible for leaving him out there alone.

Tracey and Theo went inside without another word, while Daphne began making her way back towards Ron. It was quite cold outside, but she had dressed warmly enough that she didn't mind staying outside. Not to mention that I can cast the Warming Charm on myself because Ron got me that Magic Permit. I can't help but question the timing of the Magic Permit as well. He got one for everyone, and he did it before the adults told us about the war. Was father right about Ron being 'ten steps ahead of everyone'? If so, what's Ron 'ahead' in? It's clear that he's known about the war ever since first year, he hasn't really hidden that from us, but a lot of his actions prove that he wasn't just making guesses-

"Daphne, what are you doing?" came Ron's voice, and Daphne realized that she had walked right up to the P-12.

"Oh," Daphne muttered as she quickly stepped away from the P-12. "I just thought that I'd stick around… Heal your injuries in between your Duels… Is that all right?" Put some more conviction into your words, Daphne. You're not a meek little moron.

"You want to heal my injuries?" Ron looked quite taken aback. "Are you sure?"

"Are you going to stop fighting that thing?" Daphne put some steel in her voice.

"Not until I disarm it without the use of Wandless Magic," Ron replied.

"Then I'll stay," Daphne walked over and sat down on the outskirts of the created 'arena'.

Ron gave her an odd look, but he didn't argue with her. Instead, he tested out his knee, and once he was sure that he could move around again without limping, he walked over to the P-12.

---

Ronald Weasley's POV

Thursday 31st December, 1993 (The Burrow – Late Afternoon)

The P-12 moved right into Ron's face, and before Ron could react, the P-12 smashed its wooden elbow into Ron's upper lip. A half-muffled scream, and a spurt of blood, was all Ron heard and saw before he felt his back hit the ground. Not too far away, he could hear Daphne yelling at the P-12 to stop, but instead of stopping, the Auror Trainer pinned Ron's throat to the ground as it aimed its wand in-between Ron's eyes.

"Stop…" Ron ordered, and the P-12 immediately became lifeless.

A strangled cough escaped Ron's mouth, his face felt like it was on fire. I fucking lost again… Exhaustion was doing a number on him, but out of Weasley stubbornness, Ron refused to use Wandless Magic against the P-12. If he couldn't beat a damn dummy without relying on Wandless Magic, how was he going to defeat even a single Death-Eater?

"Ron! Are you okay?!" Daphne dropped onto her knees by his side.

Ron groaned, and then, he spat out some blood from his mouth. Daphne let out a little squeak as she tried to grab onto his arms.

"I'm okay…" Ron muttered as he tried to sit up. Nope… Don't have it in me to sit up…

He dropped back onto the dirt rather unceremoniously; there wasn't a single part of him that wasn't aching. His face was battered, despite Daphne healing him as best as she was able, and Ron didn't even want to think about the bruises that he had on his body. His white Training Outfit was now stained with dirt and sweat, and he was certain that he smelled like a freshly used toilet.

The others had stopped coming out to see his progress over an hour ago, mostly because whenever they did come out, they saw the P-12 beating Ron mercilessly. They all no doubt thought that he was insane, and at this point, Ron had half a mind to agree with them. Can't give, Ron… Get up and try again…

"Ron? Can you hear me?" Daphne shook him lightly, but even that caused pain to shoot up his entire body.

"Yes… Please don't shake me…" Ron groaned, and Daphne quickly let go of his arms.

"Ron, please stop," Daphne pleaded. "What's the point of this? You're just hurting yourself."

"I'm improving," Ron said. "Didn't you see that last fight? I landed three separate Spells on it-"

"Your lip is cut open," Daphne sounded like she was in an equal amount of pain. "Please! Stop fighting that thing!"

Through some ungodly source of willpower, Ron pushed his body back onto its feet. Next time it moves at me, I'll react faster. I can see its pattern now. It uses powerful Spells to put me on the defensive, and as soon as I get used to its assault, it changes its tactics completely. I'm definitely getting better at this. I even landed a few Spells on it.

"Not yet…" Ron swayed from side-to-side; his ears were ringing. "I'm getting closer, Daphne… I'm going to win soon… Just you watch."

"I don't want to watch anymore!" Daphne shot up to her feet, her face twisting in anger. "There is no point to this! You're handicapping yourself on purpose! It's like you enjoy being used as a punching bag!"

"If I can't beat that thing without Wandless Magic, then I need to practice fighting it without Wandless Magic," Ron said. "It's how you improve at something, Daphne."

"Improve? All I see is you getting hurt over and over again!" Daphne stomped her foot. "Please… Please, stop. Do this tomorrow, okay?"

"You don't get it," Ron shook his head clear, his vision was slowly starting to return to normal.

"What don't I get?" Daphne asked. "Tell me, Ron."

"If I can't beat the P-12, then what chance do I stand against an actual Death-Eater?" Ron asked her, and she blinked at him. "All the people who left at the first sign of struggle… They learnt nothing from their experience against the P-12. They just gave up and left… I don't give up. I'll win, and until I do, I'll keep fighting that thing."

"Of all the people I could've befriended, I chose the most idiotic one," Daphne sighed out, her expression softening a little. "At least let me heal your lip…"

"Okay," Ron decided to accept the help. My face does hurt a lot right now.

"Sit back down," Daphne said, and Ron slowly sat down and crossed his legs. "Episkey."

Ron winced as he felt his face heat up, but he quickly relaxed as the pain shooting across his mouth began to disappear. Oh, that's so much better. Oddly enough, Ron was rather grateful for his injuries. Daphne was probably still upset with him for acting like a prat, but the fact that she had stayed behind in the cold just to fix him up meant the world to Ron.

"Thanks," Ron whispered.

"Don't talk," Daphne said. "I'm not very good with this Spell, and I don't want to make things worse."

Silence fell over them, and the moment Daphne dropped her wand, Ron checked his lip with his left hand. It was mended, but there was blood left behind from the cut. Daphne pulled out her dirtied handkerchief, which she promptly used to clean his lips. That handkerchief was perfectly white an hour ago.

"There…" Daphne said weakly.

"Thank you," Ron tried to give her a smile, but she still looked dreadful. "Please don't look like that, Daph…"

"We're not going to be fighting Death-Eaters, Ron," Daphne all but whispered. "We're children… The adults will fight this war, while we'll be kept safe and sheltered. That's what father told us yesterday."

"I really hope that happens," Ron said. "But… We could get attacked. I know that none of you want to think about that, but it's a very real possibility. I'm just trying to be ready for anything and everything."

"Why you?" Daphne asked. "You should be the one who's resting, Ron."

"If we do get attacked, I have people who I have to protect," Ron stated. "People like you…"

Daphne sat down by his side, her shoulder bumping against his. Maybe I'll just sit around for a bit. Take a small break, you know.

"This isn't training, though," Daphne whispered. "No one else is pushing themselves this hard…"

"Which is why I have to," Ron said, and Daphne studied his face. "It's hard to explain…"

"Try," Daphne said.

"I…" Ron started, but he quickly stopped. "I'm not good with this sort of stuff…"

"I know, but please try anyway," Daphne urged. "Tell me what's going on in your head, Ron. I've tried to decipher your thoughts, but I just can't. I can't keep being distant to you because it's driving me insane… So please, just talk to me."

"Wait… You're being distant because you're trying to figure me out?" Ron asked, he was left quite confused by that. "I thought that you were angry with me for being a prick."

"I am angry with you for calling me a 'useless piece of shit'," Daphne huffed, and Ron immediately felt guilty. "But my anger isn't the only reason why I'm struggling to be around you. I just want some answers, Ron… All the things that you've worked for… All of them are focused on this war in one way or another. I don't know what to think about that. I don't know what to think about you."

Ron looked down at his lap, and after a few seconds of thinking, he decided to tell Daphne about some rather personal thoughts.

"Do you remember when I woke up from my coma?" Ron asked, and Daphne nodded. "Well… I had a lot of visitors during that time. My Family, Dumbledore, your father… People just kept showing up."

"Dumbledore visited you?" Daphne couldn't help but ask.

"He did," Ron replied. "But it wasn't really to make sure that I was still alive… He wanted me to hide the truth about my attack."

"Oh," Daphne remembered that Snape had made them stay silent as well.

"My father, your father, and Dumbledore all instructed me to never discuss the attack with anyone," Ron said. "At first, I thought they were being foolish, but now, I understand why they wanted me to stay quiet. Unlike me, they understood how our World worked, and they all knew that if I told people about the Dark Lord still being alive, it would only aid the Dark Lord. His loyal followers would flock to his side out of fear, while the rest of the World would call me a liar for the very same reason."

"I was so fucking angry at the time," Ron went on, and Daphne tangled their arms together. "Here I was… Scarred and crippled for life, but the adults all wanted to hide the truth. It sickened me, and eventually, I couldn't take it anymore. He was still out there, and as far as I knew, no one was doing anything about it, so I decided that I'd do something about it. I started running more distance, I started practicing my Spellwork more often, I sat myself down and read through my textbooks, and I even pushed myself to be the best at everything that I tried. I figured that if I could become strong enough, I could do something about the Dark Lord. But then… Then my sister got possessed by a version of him, and I got Petrified in less than five minutes…"

"Is that why you became so focused on winning the Chess Tournament?" Daphne asked as she squeezed his arm. "You kept saying that you don't lose…"

"Isn't it pathetic?" Ron chuckled mirthlessly. "All I do is lose, Daph… I mean, just look at me right now. I'm hurt, I'm dirty, and I've spent most of my day being thrown around by a dummy."

"You don't just lose, Ron," Daphne said softly. "That's not true at all."

"I've run into the Dark Lord twice, and both times, I didn't even stand a chance," Ron shook his head. You really are living garbage, Ron. "When it really mattered, Daphne, I came up short. The French. Corban Yaxley. The Veelas. The P-12. Pansy…" Daphne adorned a sorry look. "I keep coming up short over and over again, and I can't take it anymore… I'll break every bone in my body if I have to, but I won't keep coming short anymore. Everything I've done since the end of my first year has been to try and accomplish something of note, but now, I'm just trying to survive long enough to make sure that you all get to have a future."

He knew that his words were going to hurt her, but she had asked for the truth, and he was going to give her a version of it that was believable. Sure, he was leaving out the Entity, and his visions, but the way he felt about everything… That was all real.

"I know that you'll never go head to head with the P-12," Ron said, and Daphne looked slightly ashamed. "You're scared of it… Everyone is scared of it."

"And you?" Daphne whispered.

"I'm terrified of it, but if I don't keep trying, then everything I've done so far will have been for nothing," Ron said. "I know you don't want to hear this, but I've got a very small amount of time left… I have decided to use that time to leave the World a better place than I found it. I understand that you, and the others, can't figure out why I think like this, but maybe one day, when you're all old and grey, you'll have similar thoughts. When you're running out of time, you'll see the World as I see it now."

Ron then stood back up, and Daphne followed suit.

"I'll beat this thing," Ron promised himself.

"And if you can't?"

"Then I'll keep trying," Ron replied. "I'll try over and over again… I'll get knocked down over and over again… But eventually, I'll defeat it. Eventually, I'll win." Ron then looked towards the Burrow. "You can go back inside if you want, Daph. It's pretty cold out today, and I'll never hold it against you. I'm… I'm just really glad that we talked a little… I can't even begin to explain just how much I've missed you."

Daphne hugged him from the side, and a weak smile immediately graced his face. She hugged me… Is she finally ready to forgive me?

"No more distance?" Daphne asked.

"No more distance," Ron felt a million times better already. "Do you understand now why I do the things that I do?"

"I do," Daphne squeezed him lightly. "You want to help other people. I'll be over by the edge, okay? You can't afford to waste your Magic on healing yourself. Let me take care of that."

---

Thursday 31st December, 1993 (The Burrow – Evening)

The adults had returned, and just as he had predicted, they had tried to force him to stop, but their demands had fallen on deaf ears. Ron had even ignored Pandora's pleas, which had been almost as difficult as fighting the P-12. Ron knew that if he used Wandless Magic, he could probably best the P-12 due to how powerful some of his Wandless Spells were, but that wouldn't sit right with him. He had to beat this thing with a wand. He had to beat this thing at its own game.

"Begin!" Ron ordered, and the P-12 came to life.

It immediately began a barrage of Non-Verbal stunners and Disarming Charms, but Ron managed to dodge the onslaught just in the nick of time. His bones were aching, his face was covered with sweat and bruises, but he willed himself to move nonetheless. Fighting the P-12 all day had taught Ron one simple thing… If he lost his patience, he was going to get destroyed. Madam Roberts was dead right. My anger should fuel my Magic, but it should never hinder my thinking. Stay focused, Ron, and keep breathing.

"Protego!" Ron chanted as the P-12 fired a Reductor Curse at Ron, and as soon as it shattered on his shield, Ron shoved the shield forward. Watch the colors of the Spells, and act accordingly.

The P-12 sliced through the oncoming shield, and Ron decided to put the P-12 on the defensive.

"Stupefy, Expelliarmus, Flipendo, Confringo!" Ron chanted, making sure to keep his movements as fluid as possible. It'll be forced to block the Exploding Curse, and that's when I'll try to close the distance.

Sadly for Ron, the P-12 dodged the first three Spells, but instead of blocking the Exploding Curse, it parried the fiery orange Spell. Damn. Go back to being- He barely managed to dodge the Stinging Jinx aimed for his head, and in an effort to recover his footing, he put up a Non-Verbal shield. It turned out to be the right move, because as soon as he cast it, a yellow Hex exploded against his shield, leaving behind a mucus-like mess. I can't see the P-12! Ron shoved his snotty shield forward, but the P-12 sliced through it as it tried to close the distance. It's trying to charge me already?

"Molliare!" Ron cast the Cushioning Charm at the P-12's feet, causing the Auror Trainer to lose its balance on the softened dirt and roll onto the ground.

"Go, Ron!" came Daphne's cheer from the back.

"Baubillious!" Ron fired yellow-white electricity from his wand, and the P-12 barely managed to block it in time. It put up a shield. This one's for you, Blaise. "Aguamenti! Glacius!"

The P-12's shield was left covered in a thin sheet of ice, while the ground under its feet was soaked with water. Ron fired a Non-Verbal stunner at the shield, shattering it into hundreds of tiny pieces. Please let this strategy work! While the P-12 tried to stand back up, Ron started firing all manners of Hexes and Jinxes at it, essentially forcing it to raise another shield. I got you now, bitch!

"Baubillious!" Ron fired electricity at the wet ground right in front of the P-12's shield, electrifying the very ground.

The P-12's wooden body seized up and jerked, its wooden joints clanking as its feet got fried.

"Wingardium Leviosa," Ron waved his wand, making all the frozen shards of thin ice rise up into the air. "Depulso!"

The P-12's weakened shield was bombarded by sharp shards of ice, and some shards even managed to tear through and chip away at the P-12's body.

"Confringo!" Ron chanted, and the Curse exploded on the P-12's shredded shield, causing the dummy to go rolling backwards. "Stupefy! Expelliarmus! Flipendo! Immobulus!"

Despite the beating, the P-12 still managed to keep rolling in an effort to dodge Ron's well-aimed Spells. This bastard! I need to pin it down before it gets back up!

"Herbivicus!" Ron caused the roots within the Earth to seize the P-12, and the moment it got snared, Ron fired a Non-Verbal stunner right into its side.

The P-12 didn't even budge from its spot due to the roots, and for a moment, Ron felt like his Non-Verbal stunner had been too weak to shut down the P-12, but after a second of utter silence, Ron felt relief wash over him like a bucket of ice-cold water. He had won… He had finally won! Ron bent forward as he released a very odd sound, one that was part relief and part joyous laughter. I WON! I didn't use even one Wandless Spell! I defeated the Auror Trainer with just my wand!

"I did it!" Ron threw his head back and yelled, his triumphant declaration echoing all around him.

His wand slipped out of his hand, and it felt as if some outside force had drained all the strength from his limbs. Exhaustion hit him harder than any Spell from the P-12, and the last thing Ron saw was the cold ground before he landed face-first into the dirt.

---

An Unknown Amount of Time Later

Faint whispers around him woke him up, and Ron immediately noticed the head of blonde hair to his right. Is she sitting on my bed? Wait… Bed? Ron shifted a little, which confirmed that he was indeed in his bed. Without giving it much thought, Ron sat up and looked around. He was in his room, and his Slytherin friends were all sitting around him. Daphne was sitting on his bed, while Tracey and Theo were listening to her Walkman on Theo's bed.

"Ron! You're awak-" Tracey started, but then she stopped abruptly.

Her eyes travelled down to his torso, and a rather creepy smile graced her face. What is she looking at? Ron looked down, and he realized that he wasn't wearing a shirt. What the fuck?! Ron pulled up his blanket before giving Daphne a panicked look.

"What's going on here?" Ron asked, while Daphne shot Tracey a glare.

"Stop being a creep, Tracey," Daphne huffed. Answer me! Am I naked?!

Ron looked under the blanket, and much to his horror, he was only wearing a pair of boxers. Agh! Who undressed me?!

"Where are my clothes?" Ron asked as he cocooned himself with his blanket.

"In the wash," Theo replied, he didn't look too pleased with Tracey's ever-growing grin. "Good thing too because you smelled dreadful."

"He didn't smell that bad," Daphne clicked her tongue.

"Will someone please explain what's happening here?" Ron asked, his face flushing a little. "Did you… Did you lot undress me?"

"What? No," Daphne replied quickly.

"Not that we would mind doing such a thing," Tracey added, and Daphne seemed to twitch from irritation.

"I would mind," Ron muttered. "Who undressed me? And why?"

"The adults undressed you in order to heal your injuries," Theo explained. "Mrs. Davis, Lady Greengrass, and your mother, to be specific. Mrs. Lovegood and Lady Greengrass then healed you up, while your mother took your dirty clothes to the laundry. Mrs. Davis kept everyone away in order to give you some privacy-"

"So all the women saw me naked?!" Ron's ears turned red. "Why?! Wait… Mrs. Davis?"

"Oh, mum and dad know about your scars," Tracey told him. "I swear that I didn't tell them, though… Your parents told them, I think."

"Of course they did," Ron frowned deeply. I'm guessing that Mr. and Mrs. Davis are officially a part of their gossip group now. "Can you please give me some privacy? I want to put on some clothes."

"You're not allowed to move about," Daphne said.

"Don't you dare put on a shirt," Tracey added.

"Tracey, I will stab you," Daphne warned.

Ron looked to Theo, who simply shrugged with a bored look.

"Lady Greengrass said that you need time to rest your muscles," Theo told Ron. "You were pretty banged up, mate. It took Mrs. Lovegood and Lady Greengrass almost an hour to heal you up."

"This is so embarrassing," Ron mumbled to himself. Not only did Pandora see me naked, but so did Mary and Mrs. Davis. And mum… Merlin, she's definitely going to say something cringe inducing to me when I see her next. Wait… Mary saw me naked before Daphne could… That's very fucked up, isn't it?

Ron shot a quick look at Daphne, who was currently eyeballing Tracey, and he felt his face heat up. I need clothes, and I need them right now.

"Theo, grab me something to wear before someone else walks in," Ron said.

"No one's coming in here," Theo told him. "Your parents banned visitation hours, and we're only here because Daphne put up a fuss."

"It wasn't a fuss," Daphne said defensively. "Someone had to watch over him, didn't they? What if something went wrong?"

"Yes, I'm sure that was your intention," Theo drawled, and then he looked back to Ron. "Anyway, mate… Since you're up, I need to go tell your mother. She asked me to alert her so she could heat up some soup for you."

"What's the time?" Ron asked.

"Nearly midnight, I think," Theo replied.

"It's that late?" Ron was shocked. "Girls, why are you still here?"

"We're watching over you," Daphne replied, and once again, Theo gave Ron a bored look.

"Right…" Ron said.

"I'll go get your mother, yeah?" Theo stood up.

"Tracey, could you go with him?" Daphne asked.

"Oh…" Tracey looked visibly disappointed. "Sure…"

"C'mon, pervert," Theo rolled his eyes, and they both made their way out of the room.

The moment the door closed behind them, Ron relaxed considerably.

"Your mother saw me naked…" Ron sighed out.

"I'd rather not think about that," Daphne said, and then she scooted closer to him. "How do you feel?"

"Well, I'm not in any pain, so that's always a good thing," Ron sat up, his blanket dropping to his hips.

Daphne immediately started staring at his torso, but Ron didn't really mind that. As Ron tried to remember how he had ended up mostly naked in his bed, he remembered that he had defeated the P-12.

"I beat the P-12," Ron slowly started to smile. "Daph! Did you see me?! I beat it!"

"I saw, Ron," Daphne smiled because of his smile. "You were absolutely brilliant."

"Really?" Ron felt a little embarrassed for some reason. "Thanks, Daph…" I didn't lose my temper, nor did I make silly mistakes. I was in control the whole time! I can't wait to tell Madam Roberts about this!

"Everyone asked me about your victory, by the way," Daphne scooted even closer.

"Did they?"

"Your brothers were in disbelief," Daphne replied. Merlin, she's really close now. "Even the Trio were shocked that you actually managed to beat it."

"And the adults?" Ron asked.

"Lord Black was far too proud, while the others were mostly just relieved that you were all right," Daphne replied. "My father included."

"Oh…" Ron muttered. Of course she's noticed the distance between us. "He and I aren't on good terms right now, I think."

"I know," Daphne put her palm on his left cheek, her thumb caressing his freckles.

Ron leaned into her touch without thinking, his eyes closing as he smelled her perfume. She smells amazing.

"I spoke to him for you," Daphne said, and Ron's eyes opened immediately.

"Pardon?" Ron stared at her.

"I told him what you told me, and judging from the look on his face, he doesn't feel very proud of himself," Daphne explained. "He should've told you why everyone was asking you to lie, Ron."

"He sort of did," Ron whispered. "I was just too stubborn to listen to him."

"I think I know what he talked to you about, now," Daphne said. "He asked why you were preparing for the war before the adults told us about it, right?"

"Yeah," Ron admitted.

"Well, now he knows why you act the way you do," Daphne said. "Knowing him, he'll never admit that he's been acting like a prat to you, but he won't keep ignoring you now."

"Really?" Ron asked, and Daphne gave him a nod. "That's… Thank you, Daphne." I doubt that he's fully convinced, but at least he won't question my character as openly.

Daphne's hand slowly moved down from his cheek, and it stopped when it reached his collarbone. Um… What's this? She then put her free hand on his right bicep, and when she gave his arm a squeeze, Ron cocked an eyebrow.

"Um… What are you doing?" Ron asked. "Daph… You're touching my scars…"

"Does it still bother you?" Daphne asked, her hand coming off of his bicep.

"I don't know," Ron replied. "It just feels weird, that's all."

"Sorry," Daphne brought her hands down to her lap. "Don't laugh at me, but ever since our fight, I've been feeling really miserable. Like a part of me wasn't there anymore…"

"That's… a very cliché thing to say," Ron smirked, and Daphne huffed in indignation.

"I was trying to say that I missed you," Daphne said. "Prat."

"I missed you too," Ron smiled properly. "Like a lot." Should I kiss her? I mean, we just had a fight-

Daphne leaned forward and gave him a peck on his lips, effectively shutting down Ron's thoughts.

"I'd give you a proper kiss, but I don't want your mother walking in on us," Daphne whispered as she bumped her forehead against his. "Plus, you're not wearing a shirt, so she'd assume the worst."

"We can have one proper kiss, I'm sure," Ron whispered, but just as he leaned in, Tracey and Theo burst into the room.

Daphne moved away immediately, while Ron fought the urge to pout. I hate this World, and every cunt in it.

"Your mother is on her way," Theo told Ron. "Thought I'd give you two a warning."

"Abs," Tracey grinned, and Ron pulled up his blanket. "Too late! I saw them, and I'll never forget this! Pansy will be so jealous!"

"This is sexual harassment," Ron pointed out, but Tracey just shrugged without a care.

"Ronnie?" Molly walked into the room; there was a large bowl of hot soup floating behind her. She's wearing her pajamas. Damn, did she wake up just to bring me something to eat? "How do you feel, love? Are you in any pain?"

"No, mum," Ron replied as the bowl of soup floated onto his study table. "Thank you for the soup, and I'm sorry if you woke up just on my account."

"Oh, don't worry about it," Molly rubbed her eyes. "I'm going to go back to sleep, all right? There's plenty more on the stove, so if you get hungry, just go down and pour yourself some more."

"Good night, mum," Ron said.

"Daphne, Tracey… Do you want me to set you up in Ginny's room?" Molly asked the girls.

"We'll be heading home now, Mrs. Weasley," Daphne replied. "Thank you for the offer, but father is no doubt waiting for us."

"Good night, then," Molly left the room with a loud yawn.

"Are you really leaving?" Ron asked Daphne.

"Want me to sleep in your bed, do you?" Daphne smirked playfully. Um… Yes, please. "C'mon, Trace… Let's not keep father waiting any longer."

"Bye, boys," Tracey waved as they both began to head out.

"Finish that soup, Ron," Daphne said. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow," Ron forced himself to not smile like an idiot.

Once the girls were gone, Theo shut and locked the door.

"You two made up, then?" Theo asked as he walked over to his trunk.

"Yeah, I think so," Ron got out of his bed. I'm starving. What kind of soup did mum make me?

"That's good," Theo said as he pulled out a small box from his trunk. "This is for you, brother. Lady Greengrass gave it to me after I told her that you were having trouble sleeping."

"Huh?" Ron turned to face Theo. "You told Mary that I was-"

"It's for your own good, Ron," Theo cut in. "You've been looking terrible recently, and sleep clearly helps you get your head on straight. So, here you are. A box full of Sleeping Draught vials."

"I… Thanks," Ron accepted the box, which he promptly placed on the study table. Chicken soup. Nice. There are some bits of meat in there for a change.

"Now, put on a shirt you chiseled fuck," Theo said, and Ron shot him a grin.

"Tracey didn't seem to mind-"

"I hate you."

---

Severus Snape's POV

Friday 1st January , 1994 (Headmaster's Office – Midday)

Fawkes brought them into the Headmaster's Office, and his fellow Professors quickly surrounded him.

"Look who I found in the wilderness," Albus chuckled, while Snape clenched his jaw. He wasn't lying about the surprise party… Damn this old man, and his never-ending jokes.

"Welcome back, Severus," Minerva greeted him with a smile, while Hagrid patted his back.

"Good to have you back, Severus," Vector beamed as Pomona hugged his side. Get off me. Why are they touching me in the first place? "Your hair's gotten much longer, I see." Yes, I grew it with my new wand.

"I'll take yer things down for you, okay?" Hagrid picked up Snape's trunk. "Don't you be lifting a finger now, you hear me?"

"I hear you," Snape said icily, his eyes scanning the happy faces around him. Everyone but Trelawney is here. Really, Albus? You had to pull this off?

"Good to see you on your feet, Snape," Lupin gave him a half-smile.

"Yes, I'm sure that you're glad to have your supplier of the Wolfsbane Potion back," Snape drawled. "We wouldn't want you mauling some student now, would we?"

"That would be bad," Lupin agreed, ruining Snape's mood even more.

"Prickly as always," Filius chuckled. "It's really good to see you on your feet again, Severus. Welcome home."

Snape shifted his weight onto his walking cane, but he didn't say anything. Truth be told, he didn't know what to say. He wasn't really friendly with any of these people, except for the Heads of Houses, so seeing them all waiting around just to see him made him feel very uncomfortable.

"I will be in my lab," Snape began limping for the door, but Pomona grabbed onto his arm.

"Nonsense," she all but dragged him towards a chair. "I made cake! We've all been waiting for you to come back!" Gods, end my existence.

With Pomona's 'help', Snape sat down on a chair, while Madam Hooch and Madam Pince rolled a cauldron shaped cake towards him.

"See? It's a cauldron," Pomona smiled down at him.

Snape looked to Albus, and he found the old wizard all but grinning at him. This was all your idea, wasn't it?

"Hagrid, did you bring the knife?" Minerva asked, and Hagrid quickly pulled out a massive blade from his belt.

"Am I cutting a cake, or slaughtering a cow?" Snape frowned a little.

"Slaughtering a cow, he says," Hagrid laughed loudly. "I missed yer sense o' 'umor, Professor." Sense of humor? How dare you?

"Go on, Severus," Albus smiled at him. "Cut enough for everyone." I'll cut your damn throat if you keep pushing me.

Hagrid handed Snape the blade, and it was so heavy that he nearly dropped the damn thing. I'm still not used to this prosthetic. He could see certain individuals eying his gloved hands, but Snape chose to ignore them. Unlike Ron, Snape had decided to wear gloves on both of his hands in order to hide the fact that he was missing a hand. With genuine effort, and a hint of hatred, he began slicing the cake into precise piece. Damn this cake's spherical shape. I'm not going to be able to separate it into even pieces.

"It's not one of your ingredients, Severus," Minerva said. "It doesn't have to be perfect."

"Then why don't you do it?" Snape shot her a frown.

"Well, it's your cake," she smirked at him. She knows that I hate this. Are all of them here just to annoy me?

After cutting nearly seven pieces, Snape felt his arms begin to shake. I can't hold onto this machete any longer. Snape let out a grunt as he dropped the blade onto the table, his breathing becoming somewhat erratic because of the pain.

"I'll do the rest," Hagrid volunteered, he sounded rather guilty. Bring an actual knife next time, you oaf.

"Gather around everyone," Albus said. "Let's catch Severus up on everything that's been going on." This old bastard…

---

One Hour Later

"Did you enjoy wasting an hour of my day?" Snape hissed at Albus, who was still eating cake.

The others had all left to go about their duties, but Snape knew that when he came down for dinner, they were going to corner him again. Minerva seemed particularly chatty for a change. Maybe I should skip dinner? I'm sure that my lab is in utter chaos without my care, and I still need to sort out ingredients before the students arrive.

"This was hardly a waste," Albus smiled. "You really should have a slice, Severus. Pomona is a brilliant baker."

"I don't eat cake," Snape said. I haven't eaten cake since Mrs. Evans baked me one for my fifteenth birthday.

"Is that why you're so bitter?" Albus chuckled. "A lack of sugar?"

"Has your old age finally started catching up with you?" Snape frowned. "Is that why you're annoying me? Trying to get my attention?"

"What can I say? I've missed your company," Albus admitted freely.

Snape drew in a deep breath, and once his Occlumency had calmed down his mind, he decided to move on.

"Has Amelia Bones reached out to you yet?" Snape asked.

"No, she has not," Albus put the plate down.

"Should you not reach out to her, then?" Snape asked. "What if she's warned her superiors?"

"We'd be in Azkaban right now if she had told Cornelius," Albus stated.

"So we just wait around?" Snape didn't like the sound of that.

"I'm going to give her a few more days," Albus said calmly. "We've just uprooted her World, Severus. She's entitled to a bit more time."

"We don't have time," Snape countered. "Even right now, the Dark Lord is gathering his power."

"And we are gathering ours," Albus said. "I have spoken to a few more people about what's to come, and they have all agreed to stand by the Order."

"Who?"

"Muriel Prewett, Lord and Lady Abbot, and an old friend of mine from Russia," Albus replied. Old friend from Russia?

"Which old friend?" Snape asked.

"Luka Yahontov," Albus replied, and Snape was quite taken aback. Russia's poster boy?

"The Russian Head Auror has agreed to join us?" Snape asked.

"He came to me yesterday," Albus explained. "He was concerned about Russian Officials going missing in the dead of night, and he told me that he suspected the old Death-Eaters to be behind this."

"Why would he assume that?"

"He is as sharp as always," Albus said. "All the Officials who have gone missing were openly opposing the implementation of certain Laws. Laws that were created solely for the benefit of the Pure Families of Russia. His investigation into these missing Officials was stonewalled by Samara Ivanov herself."

"The Russian Minister," Snape rubbed his chin. "From what I can remember, the Dark Lord had a protégé within Russia during the last war. This protégé was a woman of means, but none of us knew her name. Well, I didn't know her name… But I think the Dark Lord's closest did. This protégé smuggled resources directly from Russia to Malfoy Manor, and the Dark Lord spoke highly of her."

"Samara Ivanov's history with the Dark Arts is well-known," Albus said. "I believe that Lord Voldemort has reached out to his old protégé, and she's been making people disappear for him. Luka came to me because he was worried that the wrong sorts of people were in charge of the Russian Ministry, and when I told him of the Dark Lord's return, he promised to continue his investigation into the missing Officials. When he learns something of note, he will contact me again."

"Samara Ivanov is probably getting rid of problematic people to curry favor from the Pure Families of Russia," Snape guessed. "That country's Pure Families are very wealthy, and if they join the Dark Lord, he'll have all the funds that he could need. Not to mention that he already has the Russian Minister in his pocket… This is not good."

"I shall visit Russia soon, and speak with Samara myself," Albus said.

"Is that wise?"

"She pulled her funding from the Gaia Project just as we needed it most," Albus said. "Judging from the timeline, I believe that Lord Voldemort approached her sometime in November. I need to find out if she's really dancing to his tune."

"He approached her after the St. Mungo's fire, then," Snape said. "He was still using Pettigrew's body at the time."

"His reputation is helping him build his forces up at a disturbing speed," Albus said. "If Samara is indeed working for Lord Voldemort, then we will need Luka to keep his eyes on the Russian Ministry."

"Can he be trusted?" Snape asked. "I've heard of his… hatred… of the Dark Arts, but I've never met the man."

"He is one of the few who have remained vigilant," Albus said. "We can trust him. He saved, and took, many lives in the war, and during his time as the Russian Head Auror, he has made a name for himself by hunting down Dark Wizards."

"What if the Russian Minister decides to get rid of him?" Snape asked. "Is there some way that we can keep him safe?"

"He is a celebrated war hero," Albus replied. "His disappearance would cause far too much uproar, and I know that he's strong enough to resist the Imperious Curse. For now, I have asked him to simply keep his eyes open. He told me that his Department is loyal only to him, and he will alert his most powerful Aurors about the Dark Lord's return. If everything plays out as I have planned it, we will have two Auror Departments fighting by our side before long."

---

Ginny Weasley's POV

Saturday 2nd January, 1994 (The Burrow – Evening)

"Just go talk to him," Neville nudged her. "What's there to be scared of, Ginny?"

"He's spending time with his girlfriend," Ginny whispered.

They were all sitting together in the Living Room, mostly because they all wanted to enjoy the comfort of the Burrow before returning to Hogwarts. Harry was the only teenager not here as he was sorting through some personal things with Sirius. This meant that Hermione was sitting with Neville and Ginny, though she hadn't said a word the entire time. Ginny was content with Hermione's silence, because despite wanting to get over the fact that Hermione had been hiding such a big secret from her, Ginny was still struggling to get to the forgiving part.

With Neville's encouragement, Ginny had promised herself that she was going to try and make some friends her own age. Her first target was, of course, Luna. Ginny was going to get help from Madam Pomfrey, and then she was going to prove to Luna that she was doing much better. Even if she made no friends after that, Ginny would be satisfied with just having Luna back in her life. However, all of her plans relied upon getting Madam Pomfrey's help, but Ginny's mind had betrayed her by filling itself with doubt. Doubts that Ron can help make disappear. He said that he goes to her regularly, so if he just gives me a hint about what it's like, I might be able to get through it too.

"Ginny, if you don't go and talk to him, I'll call him here," Neville said, and Ginny shot him a frown.

"You wouldn't," Ginny narrowed her eyes on Neville.

"Well, I warned you," Neville said, and then he looked in Ron and Greengrass' direction. "Ro-"

Ginny planted her palm on Neville's mouth, and she felt him smile widely.

"Damn you," Ginny huffed, and Neville jerked his head towards Ron. "Fine… I'm going…"

"Good luck," Neville gave her a thumbs-up, and Ginny felt her lips twitch upwards.

Without another word, Ginny got up from her spot, and she carefully made her way across the Living Room. The twins were playing Gobstones with Charlie and Kirsten, while Bill was teaching Percy about the importance of Runes. Getting past all of them was easy, but as she began to near Ron and his friends, her stomach dropped. Luna was teaching Astoria Greengrass the art of making animals from parchment, a pastime that Ginny loved. Don't be discouraged, Ginny. You can win her back if you put in the effort.

Carefully, Ginny moved past them in order to get to Ron and Greengrass. The beautiful blonde, Ginny couldn't really deny Greengrass' looks, was sitting Ron's lap as he played a game of Chess against Nott and Davis. Are they playing a couple's game of Chess? Wait… Nott and Davis aren't a couple. I think. What am I thinking about?! Oh Gods, I'm panicking! I haven't approached Ron for help in forever! Ginny shot a look back at Neville, and he urged her to keep going.

"Ginny, are you all right?" came Ron's voice, and Ginny quickly turned to face him.

"Yes," she replied without thinking, and Ron gave her a quizzical look.

"Well? What is it?" Ron asked, while his friends just stared at her.

"Can… Can I talk to you? Alone?" Ginny asked.

"Sure," Ron agreed, and Greengrass got off of his lap. "I'll be back shortly."

"Take your time," Greengrass said as she took his seat. Really? She doesn't want him to rush back?

Ginny had noticed that Ron's mood had improved dramatically as soon as he had made up with his girlfriend, and the two of them had become inseparable again. Honestly, I'm just glad that he doesn't look like he's dying anymore. Dying… Ginny's face, and shoulders, dropped at the thought. I forgot that he's sick…

"Ginny?" Ron waved in her face. "Are you there?"

"Huh?" Ginny blinked. "Oh… Yes. I'm here. Can we go somewhere else?"

"Sure," Ron gestured towards the Kitchen entrance. "We can talk in your room, if that's all right?"

"That's perfect," Ginny said as she began heading towards the exit.

The others all looked up at the two departing Weasleys, but no one said anything. Ginny had to force herself to not look in Luna's direction; she wasn't ready to start winning her back yet. I still need to do some things before I start showing her that I'm still her friend. As she passed by Neville, he gave her another thumbs-up. Merlin, Ron definitely saw that. Feeling her face flush, Ginny fastened her pace.

"Slow down, please," Ron said, but Ginny didn't slow down.

Instead, she barged into the Kitchen, where Sirius and Harry were having a rather somber conversation. Oh… What are they talking about? Never mind, it's none of my business. Just go up the stairs, Ginny. She made her way up to her room, and once Ron had caught up, she waited for him to enter first. He did so without saying anything, and the cold look on his face made her stomach twist a bit. It's okay… Once I talk to him, he won't look at me like that. She entered after him, and after she closed and locked the door, she drew in a sharp breath.

"Ginny, what's going on?" Ron asked her as she turned to face him. "Do you need something from me?"

"Um… Sort of… Yes," Ginny replied. We haven't spoken properly since our last chat in this very room. "Are you feeling better?" What was that?! "It's just that you look like you're doing better."

"I am doing much better," Ron said. "What about you? I'm glad to see that you're talking to Neville at least."

"Oh… Yeah, he's been really nice to me," Ginny nodded to herself. "He's a really good listener, and I feel like he doesn't judge me when I open up…"

"He's a good bloke," Ron agreed, and then he drew in a deep breath. "This doesn't have to be awkward, you know?"

"Pardon?" Ginny stared at him.

"This," Ron gestured between them. "I know that we haven't spoken much, and after all that fighting, neither of us see each other like we used to… But despite all of that, I'm still your big brother. If there's anything that you need, you can always come to me."

"Really?" Ginny felt throat tighten.

"Really," Ron replied. That's very… mature… of him.

"Can… Can I have a… hug?" Ginny asked awkwardly, she had wanted to hug him ever since she found out about his conditions.

Ron extended his arms, and Ginny quickly hugged his middle before he could change his mind. Finally. He rubbed her back like he used to when they were little, and for a few moments, Ginny felt like she was herself again. Like she had her first friend back. Like she hadn't found that Diary amongst her books. He's so tall now. I can barely reach his chest.

"Tell me what's wrong," Ron said as he maintained his hug.

"Do you remember what we talked about?" Ginny tightened her hold on him. "About me seeing Madam Pomfrey?"

"Of course," Ron replied. "Are you having second thoughts?"

"Yes…" she admitted. "What if she can't help me?"

"It's all right to be scared, Ginny," Ron said. "I was scared too at first, but I promise you, she has this way with words… I can't really explain it, but she makes you see the issues in your life, and then, she helps you solve them without giving you instructions."

"That's… confusing…" Ginny said slowly.

"She'll help you, I swear it," Ron promised. "And if you're scared of going alone, I already offered to go with you. I mean, I won't sit in the room with you two, but I can help you approach her again. You used to go to her, right?"

"Sort of," Ginny replied. "Most of the time, she just let me sit about in her Office… I had trouble being around people… I still do, I guess…"

"Do you want me to go with you?" Ron asked.

"I would like that," Ginny replied.

"My first session is on Monday," Ron said. "After classes, that is. You can come with me, and we can talk to Madam Pomfrey together."

"Monday, after classes," Ginny agreed, and Ron pulled back from the hug. No…

"It'll be hard at first, but it will make you feel much more in control of your life," Ron told her. "You just have to make sure to put the effort in."

"I can do that," Ginny said. I have to, or Luna will never be friends with me again.

"Good," Ron gave her a nod, and she could feel the coldness coming from him. It's not the same anymore… He did mention that we'll never see each other the same way, and that makes me feel really sad. Maybe I should've done better? Was Luna right when she told me that everything was my fault? I know I was jealous of him… Well, everyone, really…

"Ginny?" Ron called, and Ginny quickly dabbed her eyes. "Hey… What else is on your mind?"

"I feel like everything's my fault," Ginny forced herself to sound strong. I'm not going to cry again. I won't.

"Not everything," Ron said. "But some things… Yes. I don't plan to babysit you anymore, Ginny, so I'll tell you everything as I see it. What happened to you was terrible, and I wish I could've done something to help you, but after you came back to Hogwarts… You chose to behave the way that you did. You pushed people away, you didn't get help from Madam Pomfrey, and you convinced yourself that I was your enemy. You even began to dislike my friends, all of whom had been nothing but kind to you before your sudden change."

Ron's features then softened a little due to her shrinking figure.

"I know that the Diary hurt you, and that it was created by a Slytherin," Ron put his gloved hand on her shoulder. "I know that a part of you fears Slytherin as a result, and I'm not going to tell you that you're wrong to feel that way. Hell, a part of me will never fully like the Veela community… All I want is for you to move on from what happened, Ginny. It's still hurting you, and you're the one who's allowing that to happen. There's nothing to be gained from being alone, trust me. Being alone is the worst sort of torture."

"I know…" Ginny sniffled, and Ron gently pulled her into another hug. "I'm sorry for everything, Ron…"

"I'm sorry too," Ron apologized. "You'll get through this, Ginny. You're too strong to let Tom Riddle ruin your life."

"I was… jealous…" Ginny confessed between stifled sobs.

"I know," Ron gave her a squeeze. "But you have nothing to be jealous of, Ginny. You're you, and I'm me. We're two different people, and we each have our own strengths and weaknesses. Being jealous of something that you're not is unhealthy, and it's clearly made things worse for you. Please, Ginny… Just find out who you want to be, and then strive to be that person. Don't let what others have deter you from your path."

"Did Madam Pomfrey teach you this stuff?" Ginny spoke into his chest.

"She did, actually," Ron admitted with a weak chuckle. "You remember what I was like when we were growing up, right? I never studied, I never tried my hand at learning new things, and I always felt jealous of everyone in this house."

"You really felt jealous?" Ginny asked.

"All the time," Ron replied.

"Were you jealous of me?" Ginny asked meekly.

"I was jealous of the fact mum and dad bought you new things, while I was constantly handed second-hand things," Ron replied, and Ginny couldn't help but feel guilty.

"Sorry…"

"Not your fault," Ron said gently. "Like I said, Ginny… You have to work on yourself instead of focusing on other people's lives. Trust me, everyone has their own problems, so there's no point in being jealous of others. Instead, you should learn from them, and better yourself as a result."

"Okay…" Ginny closed her eyes; she didn't want to let go just yet. "Can… Can you stay with me for a bit? Please?"

"Of course."

---

Ronald Weasley's POV

Sunday 3rd January, 1994 (Hogwarts Express - Morning)

As soon as he had said his farewells, Ron had rushed onto the Hogwarts Express. Ron and his friends had searched for Pansy on the platform, but when none of them had seen her, Ron's horror-filled mind had convinced him that something was terribly wrong. Was he being irrational once again? Most definitely. Did he care? Not in the slightest.

As he pushed his way through the Slytherin carriage, he caught a glimpse of raven-black hair vanishing into a compartment. PANSY! Ron doubled his pace, and as soon as he swung the door to the compartment open, a surprised Pansy Parkinson greeted him.

"Hello, beautiful!" she beamed suddenly, and Ron felt his knees turn to jelly. She's here!

He dropped his trunk, marched right up to her, and pulled her into the tightest hug that he had ever given her. I'm never letting go. Never. Pansy, being who she was, happily accepted the hug, her head resting on his left shoulder as she stood on her toes.

"I've missed you too," she smacked his bum with both hands, and Ron released a shaky chuckle. "Wow, your arse is so meaty! That's awesome!"

He pulled back and kissed her cheek, which made her giggle in surprise.

"I missed you so much," Ron kept his hands on her shoulders. "Are you hurt? Did the Carrows hurt you in any way? I'll fucking kill them if they did."

"You know about the Carrow Camp?" Pansy blinked, her smile unwavering.

"We all know," Ron pulled her into another hug. "I'm so sorry that you were sent to that place, Pansy. So fucking sorry."

"Ron, it's fine," Pansy chuckled. "But please, keep holding me all you like. I missed your firm-"

"Ahem," someone cleared his or her throat from behind Ron.

"Daphne! Tracey!" Pansy quickly pulled away from Ron, only to run up and be pulled into a hug by the two girls.

"Are you all right?" Daphne fussed over Pansy, while Tracey clung to Pansy's side.

"Yes, I'm fine," Pansy laughed, something that jarred Ron a little. "Nothing bad happened to me, you guys. I've been there before, and this time, I made sure to stay under the radar. I even made some new friends!"

"Really?" Ron didn't know what to think. "So… You weren't abused by the Carrows?"

"Well, they hit me once, but only because I called Alecto a cow," Pansy shrugged. Alecto Carrow is a dead bitch, then. "Which, in my defense, is partly true. I saw her eviscerate a turkey singlehandedly… It was a sight that would make grown men flee in terror."

Tracey and Daphne laughed at that, while Ron released a breath that he had been holding in for nearly a week. I feel lightheaded now. She's not hurt. Thank the Gods.

"Come and sit down," Daphne said as she pulled Pansy into a seat.

Tracey planted herself on Pansy's right, effectively sandwiching her.

"Tell us what happened," Tracey said as she looked around for bruises.

"I will, but where's Theo?" Pansy asked Ron, who sat down in front of her. "Shouldn't he be with you?"

"He's probably looking around for Blaise and Millie," Tracey replied. "Now, please, just tell us what happened."

"Oh, okay," Pansy smiled widely. "My mother and father, who are both tossers as far as I'm concerned, randomly decided to ship me off to the Carrow Camp. Some stupid tripe about me learning how to be a Pure-Blood… I didn't really pay attention to them. Anyway, I packed my things and left, mostly because I didn't really want to argue with them. Once I got there, I met up with Hestia and Flora, both of whom were being forced to spend their Christmas with their Aunt and Uncle."

"The twins were at the camp?" Ron asked. "As in, being tutored by the Carrows?" Not good. I need to protect those two from such influences.

"Yes, they were being 'tutored'," Pansy rolled her eyes. "Honestly, Alecto and Amycus Carrow are as dull as dirt. 'All Muggles carry deadly diseases', or 'Contact with Muggle-Borns, or Blood-Traitors, can lead to you losing your Magic'. Merlin… I used to believe that tripe once upon a time. I feel like a right moron now."

"They really teach that stuff?" Tracey looked dumbfounded.

"And worse," Pansy replied. "Don't worry, though. I came up with a brilliant scheme while I was there."

"Scheme?" Daphne asked. "Pans… What are you talking about? I thought you stayed under the radar."

"I did, until they started saying things about the Weasleys," Pansy gave Ron a meaningful look.

"Pardon?" Ron asked. "They talked about my Family?"

"Our class on Blood-Traitors was focused on 'disgraced' Families, and your Family was the prime example," Pansy didn't look very amused now. "I got rather annoyed, but instead of starting a fight that I would never win, I waited patiently. Once we were all sent to our rooms, I collected as many children as I could, and then, I gave my own class."

"What sort of class?" Ron couldn't help but ask. Bloody hell, she sounds like she enjoyed her stay at the Carrow Camp. Theo was right, I was losing my marbles over nothing it seems.

"Prepare yourselves because my scheme was ingenious!" Pansy grinned. "After I collected my students, I started telling them about Hogwarts. You see, most of them were still very young, and they all wanted to know more about the legendary school of their dreams. I talked to them about Slytherin House, and since Ron will no doubt add them to his study group one day, I didn't badmouth the other Houses at all. I even praised Hufflepuff at one point, believe it or not."

"You did?" Tracey chuckled in disbelief, while Ron just stared at Pansy. She started recruiting for my study group?

"I said that they were the friendliest lot at Hogwarts, which they are," Pansy replied. "Eventually, I started telling them about Ron himself."

"Me? Why?" Ron asked.

"You're very famous, and you're a Slytherin Prodigy," Pansy replied. "Trust me, they wanted to know everything about you. So, I told them about your study group, and about how you help all first years regardless of House. I also told them that you eat like a demon, and that sometimes, you steal food from other people when they aren't looking." I did that as a joke! I'm not a thief! "Hestia and Flora confirmed my stories, they were really annoyed with their Aunt and Uncle for ruining their Christmas plans with Lysandra."

"Was Lysandra there?" Daphne asked, her eyes darting towards Ron. Does she think that I blame Lysandra for her father's actions? Well, I don't. Lysandra's a good girl, even if she is incredibly lazy and inappropriate.

"No, Lysandra spent her Holidays with her parents, I think," Pansy replied. "The Carrows didn't let us send letters, or receive them. Complete pricks the both of them. Now, as I was saying, I explained to the young ones that I was a close friend of Ron's, who is technically a Blood-Traitor, but unlike what the Carrows were teaching, I didn't lose my Magic. Even Hestia and Flora called their Aunt and Uncle morons for believing that nonsense. All in all, I ended up enjoying myself towards the end. Every night, we'd all gather around and just talk about Hogwarts. A couple of the young ones will be attending Hogwarts next year, by the way. Oliver and Noah. They totally had a crush on me. I could tell by their needy hugs, and Oliver even asked if he could kiss my hand before we all went home. They were both so cute!"

Ron exchanged looks with Tracey and Daphne, and then, they all let out relieved laughs. Pansy will always be Pansy… I hope that never changes.

"What?" Pansy asked. "It's totally possible that they were crushing on me! I'm gorgeous!"

"You are," Tracey kissed Pansy's cheek. "We're just really glad that you're not hurt, Pans."

"We were worried sick for you," Daphne added. "Theo even went to your mother in the hopes of finding you."

"Is that why she asked me about Theo's favorite pastime?" Pansy grimaced a little. "My mother was being particularly creepy last night…"

As if being summoned by the mention of his name, Theo slid the compartment door open. Behind him were Blaise, Millie, and Malfoy, all of whom Ron was very glad to see. Even Malfoy… Merlin, I've gone barmy.

"Pansy," Theo smiled properly at the sight of her. "You're all right."

"Are you going to cuddle me as well?" Pansy smirked.

"Don't mind if I do," Theo laughed.

---

Sunday 3rd January, 1994 (Hogwarts Express – Afternoon)

"So he's really back?" Millie muttered, he had never seen her look so scared before.

"That's what we've been told," Daphne explained, her eyes darting towards a very quiet Blaise.

Ron had decided to let Daphne do the talking, mostly because he didn't want to say anything that no one knew by mistake. He had imagined that this conversation would last for much longer, but in hindsight, there wasn't all that much to say. The Dark Lord had returned, and the adults had all warned their children about the coming war.

Pansy had lost all of her earlier cheer; she had no doubt realized that her parents had sent her to the Carrow Camp for this very reason. Millie was hard to read right now, but Ron could see the fear in her eyes. She knew where her parents stood, and that no doubt filled her with a lot of dread when it came to the future. As for Blaise… Blaise hadn't said a damn word all day. Even when he had learned of Pansy's visit to the Carrows, Blaise had remained eerily quiet. Ron knew that something else was on his mind, and he planned to talk to Blaise when they were alone. He only opens up when no one is around, and even then, he doesn't say much.

"And you heard all of this from your Aunt?" Pansy asked Malfoy. "Your disgraced Aunt, who is now looking after you because the Order is holding your mother hostage…" I don't know why he divulged so much information, but something tells me that he's up to something. H definitely wants his mother released, and maybe this is a part of his plan. "This is all…"

"Unbelievable," Millie finished. "Malfoy, I'm sorry about your… situation…" He's already garnered everyone's sympathy. Clever, but problematic. I don't want his mother whispering her bile in his ear. Or anyone else's, for that matter.

"The most important thing right now is that we all stick together," Ron joined the conversation. "All of us. There is no way of knowing who else knows about the war, so we could have enemies in Slytherin. From now on, we will always stick together. If you need privacy, take at least one other person with you. Understand?"

"Understood," Tracey said as she looked to the others, and they all nodded their agreement.

"Millie, have your parents mentioned anything?" Ron asked, and she quickly shook her head.

"I don't think they know," Millie said. "I just spent my entire Break with them, and they were the same as always."

"Blaise?" Ron looked to the dark-skinned wizard.

"My mother and I spoke only once during the Break," Blaise replied distantly. "I have no idea what she's up to." Only once? How is that even possible?

"Pansy, did your parents send you away because of the war?" Daphne asked.

"I don't know… Maybe…" Pansy fidgeted with her hands. "My… Um… My Family… They'd join him… My mother definitely will… What do I do?"

"Do you want to join him?" Ron asked bluntly, and she shook her head so hard that Ron feared for her neck.

"Never," Pansy swallowed thickly. "Not after what he did to you…"

"Then we need to talk about your future," Ron said. "Not now, but whenever you're ready. This goes for everyone in this compartment, by the way. I've always told you that this day would come, and now, it's here. We have to discuss where we go from here." Millie, Blaise, and Theo are my chief concerns right now. Daphne and Tracey will stay with their parents, and Malfoy has no choice but to stay with the Order. As for Pansy… Well, she clearly wants to get away from her parents already.

"Can… Can I tell my parents?" Millie asked.

"I'm sorry, but you can't," Ron replied, and Millie's face dropped even more.

"What if I can convince them to not follow the Dark Lord?" Millie asked. "They're-"

"Your parents followed him once, and they'll do it again," Blaise said rather coldly. What the fuck, Blaise? "My mother will no doubt bend over for him if she gets the chance…" Everyone exchanged slow looks, while Blaise pulled out his book. "We shouldn't discuss this on the Hogwarts Express. It's too dangerous. Right, Ron?"

"Yeah…" Ron's eyes lingered on his friend. What the hell happened to him during the Break? "Look, let's all sit together tonight, and then, we can come up with a plan. Is that all right?"

"That's reasonable," Theo said, his eyes darting between Ron and Blaise. Yeah, I know. We need to talk to him at some point.

"Are… Are we going to get… separated?" Pansy's eyes welled up. Oh, no… Please don't cry.

"No," Ron reached forward and took her hands. "I won't let that happen, Pans, I promise. All of us will stay together, right, guys?"

"Of course," Tracey said, while Daphne used her handkerchief to dab Pansy's eyes.

"This war…" Ron started. "It's not ours. We didn't choose it. It's not even from our era-"

"But what about our Families?" Millie asked. "They'll ask us to choose… You know they will…"

"I know, which is why we need to come up with a plan," Ron said. "Look, I don't know how much you lot know about the last war, but a lot of people died… Even people our age… I hate to say this right now, but unless you want to die fighting for someone else's war, it's time to start thinking about where you want to be in a few years. The Dark Lord… He'll give you no option but to fight… He'll brand you, and then he'll send you out to die for him. At least with the Order, we can all stay safe."

"Ron, let's talk about this later," Daphne said, she could see the pain on Millie's face.

"Right," Ron decided to back off for now. "Let's… Let's just not discuss this until later, all right?"

---

Sunday 3rd January, 1994 (The Great Hall – Dinner)

As the students of Hogwarts packed themselves through the large doors of the Great Hall, Ron used his height to look out for Severus Snape. Which corner is he occupying this time? His eyes landed on a head of black, greasy hair, and a massive smile broke out on Ron's face. It was probably immoral to smile at a person who had been through hell, but seeing Snape for the first time in ages really meant something to Ron. He had missed the cold Potions Professor, and he couldn't wait to talk to him again. He'll probably insult me, but I'll happily listen to his icy voice. Yeah, something's definitely wrong with me.

He could hear gasps and whispers from all around him, the other students had no doubt spotted Snape as well. Ron ignored his schoolmates for the most part, especially because some of them seemed to be pleased with Snape's injuries. This angered him a little, but Ron knew that these people had no idea what his friend had been through. If they knew that he withstood the Dark Lord himself, they'd be in awe of him.

"He lost his eye," Daphne whispered to Ron, who realized that most of the Slytherins were quite jarred at the sight of their Head of House. "Ron? Why are you smiling?"

"Oh, I'm just glad to be back," Ron cleared his throat. "I didn't really see him until now… Bloody hell… What sort of Potion exploded on him?"

"Clearly something very volatile," Daphne figured. "This is… jarring…"

"He looks even scarier now," Ron heard someone mutter.

"And twice as grouchy," a girl added.

Snape's eye traveled towards the coming students, and when it landed on Ron, the redhead fought the urge to smile and wave. Don't give yourself away, old boy. He'll probably pull you aside at some point in order to talk to you. Just be patient. The students took their seats, and even a blind person would notice that pretty much everyone was gawking at Snape. Ron expected the man to sneer at the students, but he simply ignored the stares. If anything, he seemed… calmer… than usual. Maybe he's glad to be back as well? Or maybe I'm just hoping that he is? I can't wait to corner him!

"Welcome back all of you to another term at Hogwarts!" Dumbledore took the stand, and everyone went quiet. "Before we start, I'm happy to announce that our Potions Professor, Severus Snape, has returned to us! Please, welcome him back for he was dearly missed!" The old man is definitely taking the piss. I should help him.

The look on Snape's face was one of annoyed resignation, and Ron didn't help when he started clapping and cheering. Slowly, everyone else joined in, which only served to irritate Snape even further. He loves it. He's just playing hard to get, that's all. The other Professors certainly seemed happy to have Snape back, and Hagrid's thunderous applause had clearly deafened Flitwick in his right ear.

"Now, I know that all of you are hungry after your long journey, so I won't keep you all waiting with my longwinded speeches," Dumbledore smiled at the students. "All I will say is that we are glad to have you all back, and we expect you all to focus on your studies now that you've had a break."

Dumbledore then clapped his hands, and mountains of food appeared on every table. Ron eyed the food greedily, and then he looked to Daphne with a pleading look.

"Break's over, Daph…" Ron started, and she gave him a knowing look. "Can I eat actual food now, please?"

"Does it really matter what I have to say?" Daphne asked, and Ron grinned at her.

"Not really," Ron admitted. "I have fulfilled my end of the deal, after all."

"Just chew this time," Daphne smiled at him.

Without further ado, Ron began piling everything he could get his hands on onto his plate. Steaks, roasted garlic bread, mashed potatoes, fried fish, sausages, lemon chicken, lobster… He put enough food on his plate that even Blaise was now staring at him with a worried look.

"Please have a little salad, at least," Daphne offered him the salad bowl.

"I will not be eating rabbit food tonight," Ron declared. "I have starved myself all day for this meal, and if anyone interrupts me, I'll eat their fingers. Do not talk to me for the next forty minutes."

With that said, Ron dug into his meal like a wild animal. Actual fucking food! I swear to the Gods, I'll never drink soup again. The others looked on in horror as Ron savaged the food on his plate, but Ron barely noticed their presence.

"So… Why wasn't he allowed to eat 'actual food'?" Pansy asked Daphne.

"Oh, Ron had surgery during the Break," Daphne whispered.

"What?" Blaise finally looked away from Ron.

"What kind of surgery?" Millie asked weakly.

"A stress ulcer," Tracey told them. "Don't worry, though. As you can see, he's fully recovered from it."

"Ron, mate… Slow down, yeah?" Theo whispered as he noticed other people staring at Ron, but when Ron looked up with narrowed eyes, Theo raised his hands in surrender. "Or don't… Totally up to you… Please don't eat my fingers…"

Daphne scooted away a little when Ron cracked open a lobster tail with his bare hands, the look on her face was, oddly, a mixture of awe and of being smitten. Give me your meat!

---

Sunday 3rd January, 1994 (Slytherin Common Room – After Dinner)

Ron was in a food coma of sorts, and as he listened to Daphne read her book on 'ethical business practices' to him, he found himself being lulled to sleep. He was sitting in his favorite spot in the common room, his girlfriend was cuddled up to him, and his first years seemed excited to get back into their study routine. All was well in the World. Well, sort of. Millie, Blaise, and Pansy are still not talking, but after seeing how Theo processed the news of a coming war, it's safe to say that they need time to adjust. I can be patient. Once they've got their head around everything, I'll sit them down and talk to them one by one.

Daphne had convinced him to hold off on having the 'war conversation', and after seeing how distraught they looked during dinner; Ron had decided to listen to her. By now, he had come to terms with the fact that his friends didn't need to act the way that he did. If they needed time, then he would give them time. But not too much time. A week at most, I reckon. Ron's peace was interrupted when Daphne suddenly nudged his side, and he looked to see Professor Snape limp into the common room. Everyone stopped talking almost immediately, and while Snape looked around the room, Ron sat up in anticipation. Is he going to ask me to follow him to his lab?

"Clara, Samantha, Carey," Snape said icily, and the Triumvirate sat up straighter. "My Office. Now."

And just like that, he limped back out. The Triumvirate followed without delay, while Ron's face fell a bit. It's okay… He doesn't want to arouse any suspicion. I'll be patient. Ron's eyes darted towards Malfoy, who looked rather irritated all of a sudden. Yeah, he's not going to be very patient, is he?

"He really is scarier now," Pansy whispered, and mostly everyone nodded his or her agreement. "That eye patch is sort of sexy, though…" What. The. Fuck?

"Really, Pansy?" Tracey grimaced, and Pansy shrugged.

"It's still Snape, but the eye patch gives him a unique look," Pansy explained, and even Ron grimaced a little.

"I'm going to bed," Malfoy got up.

"I'll go with you," Blaise stood up. "I'm tired, so don't wake me up. Good night."

Malfoy and Blaise left at that, while Ron exchanged another look with Theo.

"Something's definitely bothering him," Daphne whispered to Ron.

"I'll talk to him soon," Ron promised. "If I push too fast, he'll become even more distant."

"Okay," Daphne nestled into his side again. "Want me to keep reading?"

"Please do," Ron smiled at her, and then he closed his eyes.

"Wait, before you start," Millie whispered. "Are we… Aren't we going to talk about 'you know what'?"

"Can we not?" Pansy shrunk a little. "We can do it later… We just got back…"

"Pansy's right," Tracey said. "Let's just enjoy being back for now, yeah?"

"You won't find any argument from me," Millie looked back to the fire.

"Well, I'll be joining Blaise and Malfoy, then," Theo stood up. "Good night, girls."

"Good night, Theo," Tracey waved him off, while Pansy quickly took Theo's former seat by Ron's side.

Before Ron could say anything, Pansy cuddled into his other side. Two girls cuddling me at once? Did I die on the Hogwarts Express? Is this heaven? My return has been without incident so far, which is starting to worry me. Ron was ripped out of his thoughts when Pansy nuzzled her head against Ron's chest.

"Um… What are you doing?" Daphne asked Pansy. Indeed. What is she doing?

"I've had a rough day," Pansy said. "This is making it bearable."

Ron chuckled at that, it was good to see that Pansy was still up to her usual antics.

"Fine… You get a pass this time…" Daphne huffed, and then, she started reading her book to Ron.

---

Monday 4th January, 1994 (Hospital Wing – After Classes)

As soon as his Care of Magical Creatures class had ended, Ron had made his way to the Hospital Wing without delay. Ginny had agreed to meet him here after classes in order to set up her own sessions with Madam Pomfrey, and despite the ill feelings Ron had towards her for her recent behavior, he couldn't deny that he was very glad that she was finally going to get some help. Deep down, he had already started to hope that he'd get his little sister back. All in good time, old boy. All in good time.

As he turned the turned the corridor, he spotted a redhead waiting for him. His feet came to an abrupt halt, and his eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. By the entrance of the Hospital stood an older version of himself, and when his doppelganger saw Ron, he waved at the Slytherin with a smug smile. It can't be… I… I took the Sleeping Draught last night… I slept for eight hours!

Ron stood rooted to his spot, his eyes fixed on his past self. Ravenclaw Ron all but skipped over to Ron, his creepy smile growing the closer he got.

"Boo!" Ravenclaw Ron exclaimed in Ron's face, and then he started laughing like a toddler.

"How…?" Ron felt his throat tighten. "You… I took the Sleeping Draught…"

"And when have things Magically fixed themselves for you?" Ravenclaw Ron asked. "Hmmm?"

"I don't understand…" Ron took a step back. How is this fucking possible?! I'm not tired, nor am I stressed!

"Yes, you do," Ravenclaw Ron said. "You know why you can see me, Ronnie. Just think."

How was he supposed to think right now? He was hallucinating again-

"Oh, you're not hallucinating, by the way," Ravenclaw Ron added, a sadistic smile crossing his face. "Here, I'll even prove it. I died on the 14th of December, 1996. I had just killed Delphini Riddle in her crib, and using her death, I crafted my own Horcrux. It felt poetic, you know?" Delphini Riddle?

"Who?" Ron muttered as he took another step back. "Horcrux?"

"It doesn't matter right now," Ravenclaw Ron grinned. "Anyway, it turned out that doing such a thing was a big mistake, because as soon as I stepped out of Malfoy Manor, Fate herself intervened. With very little effort, she turned everything to ash. Me and my Horcrux included. That's how my Cycle ended."

Ron jaw dropped open, and he couldn't even bring himself to blink.

"So you see…" Ravenclaw Ron leaned forward. "I am not a hallucination, Ronnie. I am as real as you."

"But you left…" Ron pointed out dumbly.

"I only did that to fuck with you, to be honest," Ravenclaw Ron sniggered. "I figured that I'd leave, and give you hope of being sane."

"Give me hope?"

"So I could take it away from you," Ravenclaw Ron said with a giddiness that made Ron feel sick. "It was so much fun watching you act like you had fixed the mess that you call your mind. I simply waited around in 'Dream Hogwarts', and now, I've decided to return."

"Why? Why are you doing this?" Ron demanded, his temper flaring. "You fucking cunt."

"Isn't it obvious?" Ravenclaw Ron asked.

"No, it isn't."

"It is to me," Ravenclaw Ron shrugged. "I've become tired of watching the World-Eater torture the others. It has grown mundane."

"World-Eater? The Entity, you mean?" Ron asked, and Ravenclaw Ron gave a nod. "It doesn't torture you?"

"We're mates," Ravenclaw Ron grinned. "It left me alone for the most part, but when your gourd started to crack even more, we all spilled out. Unlike the others, I wasn't rounded up and locked away in those Hourglasses. I was allowed to roam free."

"So that was you…" Ron realized. "The Crows flying over the Black Lake… Wait… You all got set loose because the Entity started bleeding into me?"

"Why else would you start seeing your past lives?" Ravenclaw Ron asked. "You should thank the World-Eater, by the way. It saved your life by locking the others away. If it hadn't acted as quickly as it did, your mind would have shattered permanently." Thank the Entity?

"Go fuck yourself," Ron walked through his past self. "Leave me alone, you fucking degenerate." Friends with the Entity? What kind of filth do you have to be to become its friend?

"Don't be an idiot, Ronnie," Ravenclaw Ron followed after Ron. "You're letting your anger blind you again."

"You're garbage, and I don't want your help," Ron spat out.

"Really?" Ravenclaw Ron stopped walking. "Not even if I helped you get your hands on a Horcrux?"

Ron stopped walking, and slowly, he turned to face the grinning twat.

"It's very close to us, Ronnie," Ravenclaw Ron hummed. "Only a few floors up, to be honest. C'mon, I can show you where it is. One more piece of the Dark Lord's soul, and you can destroy it today."

---

AUTHOR'S NOTES: I hope you guys enjoyed that! It felt great to write again, even with the current state of things.

Pretty soon, I'll be returning to my own apartment again in the hopes of getting a job. Hopefully, things will work out, and I can get back to doing my own thing. Anyway, please stay safe, and don't forget to wash your genitals. You don't want the Corona living down there...

The next Chapter will be up in a week, or so! I'll see you guys soon. (Oh, and if you know someone who hasn't favorited the story, let them know that it's back on)