Autumn 1991

Ronald Weasley

Pale light filtered through the high windows in the corridor, catching hold of bits of dust that floated almost still in the air. There were sections of Hogwarts, entire halls and perhaps hundreds of rooms that remained almost entirely unused where the air seemed thicker and where shadows gathered in corners where the sun couldn't quite reach. Ron wondered if Percy knew every one of the abandoned rooms, after all, he had led him to one for their sudden conversation. And if Percy knew, Ron frowned, he imagined there was probably a room somewhere in Hogwarts where the twins did as they pleased.

It made him a little nervous, he worried that every step would be met with another arrangement of webs or some other sick prank. It seemed especially dangerous in the quiet abandoned halls where he doubted anyone would find him for quite some time. Of course, he knew the twins had likely attended their class, if only for some deniability if Ron accused them of anything improper. So he wasn't particularly likely to be attacked again. But he couldn't help but search the floor in front of him as he walked, looking for any shimmers or signs of out-of-place magic.

A part of Ron wished that he had asked Percy to walk him to the Slytherin common room, but he knew it seemed like a poor idea. Even with the twins antagonising him, there were still other things he had to consider. He didn't want to gain any more reputation with his housemates, especially something as horrible as still being a Gryffindor. Not that, of course, he thought there was anything wrong with being a Gryffindor. Just that he didn't want to start any more rumours than whatever ones were already being spread, Ron knew Malfoy would be the first to say something, and he wasn't sure he had the stomach to listen to the blonde boy's attitude.

Ron's thoughts remained heavy as he walked. He couldn't help but feel like he was being pulled in more than one direction, constantly flipping back and forth between wanting to forgive the twins and wanting to disown them entirely. And then, he had thoughts that included his parents and the sinking feeling in his chest drew tighter, threatening to choke him, only to let loose as something else took its place. He wondered for the first time what his other family members would think about the troll. Particularly, he wondered if Charlie would regret taking him to buy his first wand or if Ginny would be afraid of him. It made Ron's eyes water again as he bit back the horrible thoughts.

He had barely noticed that at some point he had crossed out of the underused section of the castle and back into the main staircase. The quiet of the hallways was casually replaced by the small drone of student conversation and the shuffling of shoes against the stonework. He had barely reached the first floor when a warm voice drew him out of his stupor.

"Have you seen Percy?" Neville's voice sounded.

Ron looked up from his feet to run his eyes across the small group of Gryffindors that had stopped near him. He was surprised to find that Harry, Hermione, and Neville were all together with textbooks in hand. For some reason he hadn't considered that Hermione might become friends with Harry and Neville. Not when they hadn't been friends before. The realisation sent another uncomfortable feeling racing through his stomach, a strong part of him seeming a little jealous that they were becoming better friends without him.

Ron cleared his throat and did his best to keep it level. "I just saw him actually, he was going back to the great hall. I think he had to talk to Professor Sinistra." He hoped that they didn't notice the wetness in his eyes.

"Neville lost a list of passwords," Hermione said. "And, he doesn't want to go to McGonagall."

"She told me not to write them down…" Neville said meekly.

A list of passwords? That actually sounds really useful.

"I couldn't remember the Slytherin one yesterday," Ron said softly.

"Well," Hermione said, "you were in the infirmary all week, Neville just can't remember."

"I'm sorry… I… I also lost my remembrall," Neville added.

"It's alright," Harry cut in, a reassuring smile on his face. "It'll show up sooner or later. After what happened in flying lessons, there's not a soul in Hogwarts who doesn't know it's yours."

Ron nodded. "At least this time Harry won't almost be expelled."

Hermione blushed slightly. "Again," she said softly, "I'm really sorry about how I acted, Ron."

Ron shrugged, Hermione had treated him better than his own brothers even when she thought he was somehow the same as Malfoy. At least she hadn't implied he wasn't a real Weasley. He wouldn't hold anything against her, after all, almost getting her killed by a troll probably made them even.

"Why don't you two head to the Great Hall and see if Percy's there? Ron and I can track down the Remembrall," Harry suggested.

Ron raised his eyebrow, not really sure what Harry was trying to do. The last thing he wanted to do at that moment was to search for Neville's remembrall. While he appreciated that Neville didn't just see him as another evil Slytherin, his mind was just elsewhere. He just wanted to lie down in his bunk… preferably for another full week.

Neville's eyes brightened. "Great idea, Harry."

Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes before she trudged down the stairs. Neville followed behind her looking a lot like he might get lost before they even reached the Great Hall. Ron frowned as they went, a part of him wished desperately that his biggest concern was actually the house common room password or a remembrall. Instead, he thought bitterly, he had to fight with his family about his sorting just because he didn't want his brother to die.

"Are you alright?" Harry asked him as soon as the others were out of earshot. "Percy told me that the twins confronted you."

"It's worse than that," Ron sighed back. "They also pranked me this morning in front of a group of Ravenclaws, I'm sure everyone will hear about it before dinner."

Harry frowned, his frustration evident. "It's not fair, Ron. You've got to do something to prove you're not what they think. Hermione tried explaining, but they just said she was making excuses for you."

"So where did Neville lose his remembrall?" Ron asked. Even though he didn't want to help, Neville had been nothing but nice to him and he supposed it was the least he could do.

Harry gave him a hesitant look. "Honestly, I just wanted to get you alone for a minute. To ask how you're really doing with everything. People ask me all the time about my ribs, but it's usually just because, well... I'm me, you know? I wanted to ask you properly, to make sure you're alright."

Ron's expression hardened. He was pretty sure he was as far from being alright as you could possibly be. After all, unless he would have to fight dementors tomorrow he had no idea how things could possibly get worse. Yet, at the same time, his guilt flared again about leading Harry into the fight against the troll. The fact that he had been injured was almost entirely Ron's fault. He wondered if Harry remembered the troll exploding, that, he almost shivered, was also entirely Ron's fault.

"Not well," he said honestly, "I mean with my brothers and all. Really, I just want to lie in bed and slowly starve to death, or something like that."

"Oh," Harry said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper. "I mean... things have to get better eventually, right? They always do."

"I hope so," Ron said back. He couldn't help but wonder if Harry told himself the same thing about the Dursleys. He bit his lip and managed not to say anything. After all, things had gotten better for Harry, hadn't they?Hogwarts isn't that bad.

"If you, uh, ever need to talk about anything, you know, you can always talk to me... if you want," Harry said awkwardly. "I mean, I know we're from different worlds and all, and I don't exactly know much about the wizarding world, but I think I could at least give you some advice."

Ron's expression softened. "I'd like that," he said honestly. Although he wasn't sure if he would ever take Harry up on the offer, it was the gesture that mattered. "You can talk to me too, you know. About anything." Ron quieted his voice. "Especially about the Dursleys."

Harry paled slightly, his voice quiet. "The weather's getting colder," he said slowly, his gaze distant. "I've never been away from them for this long before. It feels almost like a dream, you know? And I'm terrified that one day I'll wake up, and it'll all be over."

Merlin that's grim, less than a week ago we were almost killed by a bloody troll! I have to do something about his family. If Percy doesn't come to me soon, I'll have to go to Dumbledore swallowed.

Ron bit his lip. "Will you be going back? After the school year?"

Harry shrugged "I guess so. I don't really have anywhere else to go. I already asked if I could stay here at Hogwarts, but they said no. Said it would be too dangerous for students to stay during the break," he said distantly.

Dangerous?Ron's expression hardened again. "Don't they know what they're like? I mean, they can't send you back there, can they? Won't your cousin fight you?"

"I don't think so," Harry said, "I mean… Hagrid did something he wasn't supposed to, and, well, I think Dudley is going to be afraid of me. At least until he figures out that we can't do magic during the summers."

Ron felt a flash of rage course through his body. He could still hardly believe that certain pureblood families were allowed to do magic when other students like Harry and his own family weren't. He knew it wasn't Daphne's fault but he couldn't help but feel a little annoyed at her. After all, she didn't even seem to realise what exactly she had told him, or even that he didn't know. At least Blaise had told him about the exemption candidly.

"Percy and I are going to speak to Dumbledore," Ron said quickly. "I mean, unless you don't want us to. But we think we have to say something to stop you from being sent back to them over the summer. Dumbledore will probably listen, my brother's a prefect after all."

Harry's lips tugged upwards. "You don't have to, I mean, you don't owe me anything."

Ron shrugged. "We're friends aren't we?"

"Of course."

"Then I think we have to," Ron said. "It's really not fair that you're being kept in the muggle world. I mean, blimey Harry, do you know how famous you really are? Truly? You could probably have a million galleons just from selling something stupid like buttons."

"I don't need money, Ron…"

"I guess," Ron shrugged. He didn't understand why so many people were opposed to being rich. After all, both Percy and Sal had basically agreed with his thoughts about money. If Harry was as rich as the Malfoys then they you-know-who wouldn't have stood a chance. "But I mean that the wizarding world owes you something, Harry, and it's not fair that they're just making you live with a bunch of muggles."

"There's nothing wrong with muggles, you know, I mean most of them."

"No, I know, I just meant your family, the Dursleys. From what you've told me, they're the worst."

It was Harry's turn to shrug. "I mean, they are. But, I think, it's better than nothing. I mean, I haven't ever met any other people in my family and well I think it's probably better that I at least had them rather than nobody. You know? At least I don't really know very many people who've known my parents."

Ron swallowed thickly. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything by that…"

"It's not your fault, I just wish I knew more people who really knew my parents, you know?"

Ron frowned. "Yeah, you really don't know anything?"

"Not very much, I don't even really have any photos of them."

A small thought crossed Ron's mind. "Harry, do you know if your parents had graduation portraits?"

"Graduation portraits?"

Ron looked up at the walls that lined the large circular staircase. "Like the ones on the walls, some families have portraits developed when they graduate from Hogwarts. I mean, not like my family, too expensive, but some of the richer families. The Prewetts used to do it, and my mum had one done."

"You mean I might be able to meet my parents?"

"Not properly, but yeah, if they had portraits made then you might be able to talk to them."

A large grin spread across Harry's face. "How do I find out if they did?"

Ron thought for a moment, then shrugged. "I'm not sure, we'll probably have to ask around. See if anyone knows anything about your grandparents or what happened to anything that was left in your parents' house."

Harry's grin faltered slightly as he glanced up at the portraits lining the stairwell, deep in thought. "It's just… I didn't think they'd be, you know, alive in a way… and I don't want to get my hopes up."

"We could get someone to take us to Diagon Alley. Maybe Percy would during the summer, some of the portrait shops probably keep records."

Harry took a deep breath. "And if they didn't have portraits?"

Ron's lips thinned into a straight line. "Well, there isn't any harm in trying. Maybe, if not your parents, we can find another Potter. There has to be one somewhere, even if it's someone from ages ago."

Harry nodded. "I hope so."