Disclaimer: This world and all its characters belong to JK Rowling. I wrote this purely for entertainment purposes, and have no wish to sell, copyright or otherwise claim any of this content.

Mr. Gibbons took Ron down the hall to a small waiting room that he hadn't noticed on the way there and they sat for a while, playing with some blocks that had been left on the table. At first, Ron felt slightly ridiculous – he was eight, after all – but after learning that Mr. Gibbons was actually quite good at building precariously balanced towers, Ron's enthusiasm grew until he was building his towers just as tall and just as precariously as Mr. Gibbons – with markedly less success.

Ron was already on his fifth tower, and was being patiently coached by Mr. Gibbons on where he should put his blocks for the best results, when Healer Sanders came down the hall with Mum and Dad close behind her.

"I see you've discovered a portion of our extensive block collection," Healer Sanders smiled

Mr. Gibbons stood, grinning. "Yes, she's quite good with them, actually."

Ron ignored the adults, focused on placing one last block just right … "Yes!" he crowed, leaning back grinning smugly. "Look, Mr. Gibbons, I did it!"

"Good job, Ron," Mr. Gibbons congratulated him. He turned to Mum and Dad, and extended his hand. "Well, it was a pleasure to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. I hope this visit was informative."

"Yes," Mr. Weasley agreed, although Ron noticed that he frowned as he said it. "It certainly gave us a lot to think about."

"Good, good. I'll see you all back here in a week, then?"

Ron glanced at Mum and Dad, confused. They had to come back? Dad nodded, and Mum sighed. "Yes, we'll see you in a week. Come along now, Ronny, let's go home."

Mr. Gibbons showed them out, and soon they were standing in line for the floo to take them home. Finally, after what felt like a very long time to Ron, it was their turn to use the floo. Ron confidently took a pinch of floo powder and, tossing into the fire, said firmly "The Burrow."

"Ron!" Ginny's delighted voice greeted him. "How was the hospital?"

Ron moved out of the way as Mum stepped through the fireplace. "It was fine."

"Did they poke and prod you with their wands and feed you lots of nasty potions?"

"Oh, you're back." Fred wandered into the sitting room. "Did they find anything wrong with you?"

Ron shook his head, and flopped on the couch. "No, they didn't find anything wrong with me, because I'm not sick."

"But did they poke and prod you?" Ginny insisted.

"Er … actually, yeah, Mr. Gibbons, the intern, he took me out while Healer Sanders talked to Mum and Dad about some stuff, and he said he was just going to walk with me, but he actually took me into this hidden room which we had to climb through a secret door to get to. He said that he was saving me, and that if we had just gone for a walk these evil wizards would have taken me to another room to do all sorts of evil experiments, and that I had to be really quiet or else." Ron lowered his voice to a whisper. "I think he was protecting me from Death Eaters."

Ginny's eyes were wide but George, who had wandered into the room shortly after Ron started telling his story, looked skeptical. "Oh yeah? And did this hidden room also lead to –"

"Shh!" Fred flapped a hand at George and grinned at Ron "I want to hear this."

Ron scowled at them, then turned to Ginny, who was still looking wide eyed. "It was a really close call," he informed her matter-of-factly.

Dinner was served half an hour later than usual, due to them getting back late, and afterwards Mum shooed all of them outside – which was surprising because normally it was only Ron and the twins who had to leave – to entertain themselves.

There was a minute or two of wandering around as they all figured out what they were going to do for the next hour or so. Fred dragged Percy over to the corner of the garden near the hose while George snuck back inside to get something, Charlie clambered into the tree to poke at a nest of some sort in its branches, and Ron found himself sitting on the front steps with Ginny to welcome Bill when he came home.

"When I grow up, I'm going to be a hero," Ginny said suddenly. Ron blinked at her, surprised by the sudden proclamation.

"That's stupid. Where'd you get money?"

Ginny thought for a moment. "People would give it to me because I'm so famous."

"That not how it works," Ron argued.

"Sure it is," Ginny said. "I'm a hero, so people give me money because they like me so much."

"I'd rather be the Minister of Magic. Then I'd actually earn money, and I'd be famous."

"I'd be more famous than you, though."

"No you wouldn't. No one's more famous than the Minister of Magic."

"Harry Potter is," Ginny said stoutly. "I'm going to be just like him when I grow up."

Ron sighed, but didn't say anything. While it was technically true that Harry Potter was more famous than the Minister of Magic, he didn't really think it counted, because Harry Potter was still a kid. When Ginny grew up, she would be too old to be famous like Harry Potter. Ron tried to remember how old Harry Potter was, then gave up. The point was that he was still a kid.

Ginny started humming to herself, and Ron fidgeted, debating whether he should wait for Bill, like he'd said he would, or go see what Fred and George were up too, which would be ten times more interesting. Just as he was about to suggest to Ginny that they try to find something more interesting to do, her humming stopped and, after a short pause, she asked with a frown, "Why do Mum and Dad think you're sick?"

"I'm not sick –" Ron began hotly, but Ginny cut him off.

"I know you're not sick. I'm wondering why Mum and Dad do."

Ron opened his mouth to explain again that it was because of his outburst the other day, but Ginny beat him to it.

"I mean, if there's anything wrong, it's with them. Can't they see that it's not your fault?"

"My fault?" Ron repeated, confused now. Ginny gave him a patronizing look that Ron was fairly sure she'd picked up from Percy.

"Yeah, that you're not supposed to be a girl."

"Well yeah – wait, what?" Ron gaped at Ginny, who was watching him curiously, as though she couldn't quite figure something out. "You actually believe me?" Ron was stunned. Not only had he thought no one understood, from the way they constantly denied him, but he never would have expected Ginny of all people to believe him.

Ginny frowned at him and opened her mouth to say something, but then her head whipped towards the front walk and she let out shriek. "Bill!"

Then she was gone, racing towards Bill's lanky form as he made his way up the hill to the house. Ron got to his feet and raced after Ginny, but his mind was still on what she'd said moments earlier – did she truly understand that he was a boy?

"Ronny, come out to the garden with me. I need to discuss some things with you."

Ron scowled at his name but got up anyway, tossing the quidditch magazine he had been flipping through onto the table. Dad had tried with limited success to get him interested in reading – why read what you could learn by doing? – so the only material Ron usually bothered with were magazines and occasionally Bill's old book on chess.

Outside, the wind was blowing gently through the trees, making the leafs rustle. It hadn't rained for a few days, which meant they'd been playing quidditch as often as they could, but Ron didn't think it would last. It always rained, eventually. Mum started to check on the plants, watering them when necessary, and Ron wandered behind her, wondering what it was she wanted to talk to him about. Eventually, he grew bored enough to ask.

"What did you want to tell me?"

Mum sighed, then turned to look at him with pursed lips. "Dad and I were talking last night about your visit. What did you think?"

Ron shrugged. "It was okay, I guess. I liked Mr. Gibbons."

Mum nodded. "Yes, he seemed like a nice man. Now, Ronny, I want you to tell me the truth – and I promise that whatever you say, you won't get in trouble. Can you do that?" Ron nodded. "Do you think you're a boy?"

"Yes," Ron answered, exasperated. Hadn't he said that a million times before?

Mum sighed again. "Then starting next week, we're going to see a healer on a regular basis. Healer Sanders gave us a list of contacts, and there's a witch who's got a practice not far from here on the outskirts of Topsham." Ron opened his mouth to protest, but she cut him off. "Your father and I have already discussed this, and we believe it is for the best. Things might be tight for a while, but we'll make it work."

"But why?" Ron demanded. "There's nothing wrong with me!"

"I know, love, but the behavior you're displaying is not normal and we both think it would be best if you had someone other than us to talk to about it. They'll be able to help you understand and work through whatever it is you're going through better than Dad or I can. Now, I've already looked into it – " Ron wondered how she'd managed to do that in the short time since they'd seen Healer Sanders " – and I really think this witch in Topsham will be a good fit. If it doesn't work out we'll try something else, but I need you to try." Mum fixed him with a look, and Ron fought the urge to squirm. "You can do that, right?"

"Fine," Ron grumbled. "Fine, I'll try, but really Mum, I don't think it's necessary – "

"Well Dad and I think it's for the best," Mum said firmly. "Now you can either keep helping me in the garden, or go find one of your brothers. I'll contact the witch tonight and see when she can meet with you."

"Get off!" Ginny protested as Ron dragged her behind the tree in the garden.

"I need your help," Ron said. "Did you mean, when you said I wasn't a girl?"

Ginny crossed her arms. "I don't see what –"

"Please, Ginny. Did you?"

Ginny hesitated, and Ron made a frustrated noise in the back of his throat. "Mum and Dad are dragging me off to see some healer in Topsham because they think there's something wrong me! I need you to help me convince them they're wrong."

"Maybe you should go," Ginny said finally. "I mean, there is something wrong with you. You're a girl."

Ron stared at her. "But you said – "

"I know you aren't a girl," Ginny said impatiently. "That's the problem. Like I said, maybe you should go."

"What?" Ron was utterly confused now.

"I don't know," Ginny said, and now she looked confused as well. She glanced around, as though to make sure no one was eavesdropping (no one was), and tried to explain herself. "Look, you're not a girl. I know that. But you're not a boy, either. That's a fact, and Dad always says that facts are more reliable than opinions. So if you're not a boy, you must be a girl, but you're not, so you must be but can't be a boy. It's all very confusing, and I think you should see the healer in Topsham so they can get it all sorted out."

"So you won't help?" Ron asked, resignedly.

"Nope." Ginny gave him one last look that Ron didn't know quite how to interpret, then made her way back to where Percy was reading on the swing to try and pester him into teaching her some magic. Ron hesitated for a moment, before walking back to the house. Maybe Charlie would help him.

"Charlie?" Ron called as he entered the house. When no one answered, Ron climbed up the stairs and pushed open the door to the bedroom that Charlie and Bill shared. "Charlie?"

Bill glanced up from where he sat at his desk, writing a letter. "He's outside with Dad. In the shed, I think."

"Okay."

"Close the door," Bill called as Ron left.

Charlie was indeed out in the shed with Dad. Dad was bent over the hood of an old muggle car, poking at something with his wand in one hand and a strange muggle tool that looked like a stick with a half moon on the end in the other. Charlie was peering over his shoulder, holding a large black box trailing wires under one arm.

They both jumped and looked up guiltily as Ron let the door slam behind him, then looked relieved when they saw it was just Ron.

"Oh, hey Ron," Charlie greeted him while Dad just smiled briefly then went back to studying the car. "Mum's not wondering where we are, is she?"

"No, I don't think so." Ron boosted himself up on one of the trunks that was stored in the shed. "Why?"

"It's nothing, nothing." Dad reassured him, his voice bouncing off the hood as he tried to peer into the back. Ron noticed that his spectacles were in danger of slipping off his nose.

Charlie sidled over to as far as the wires of the box would allow, then leaned over and stage whispered to Ron, "Dad's trying to make it invisible."

Dad glanced up and gave Charlie a mild look as he said "And I would appreciate it if you didn't repeat that to your mother, Ronny."

"Ron," Charlie corrected.

Dad turned back to the car as if he hadn't heard.

"How come you can't just charm it invisible?" Ron asked after a short silence.

"Aha," Dad muttered, then jabbed his wand at something. There was a small pop, and a plume of smoke rose up. Even though Ron didn't think smoke was good and Charlie was now frowning, Dad gave a satisfied grunt and placed the muggle tool (which Ron hadn't yet seen him use) on the table before wiping his hands on his jeans and turning to Ron.

"I could charm the car invisible, if that's what I was going for. But that would be a bit dull, don't you agree? And in that case I would need to use my wand every time I wanted the car to become invisible which, I might add, is both dangerous and illegal. So, I've found a button in the front which doesn't appear to be useful for much of anything, and I'm trying to charm it so that, when that button is pushed, the entire car becomes invisible without the need of a wand."

It was on the tip of Ron's tongue to ask if that was legal, when he decided against it. If Mum didn't need to know, then it was probably frowned upon, but because Dad was in the Ministry, it probably wasn't technically illegal.

Instead he asked, "Will I ever get to drive it?"

"Not while it's invisible, no," Dad said, leaning over the hood again. Charlie shifted the box to his other arm. "But you'll probably learn to drive in this car."

"Which won't be until you're thirty, considering how hard Bill and I have been trying to convince Dad to teach us," Charlie added. "So actually, I wouldn't count on it."

"It's not just me," Dad protested. "I need a special permit from the Ministry to teach you, and Mum thinks you should just wait until your of age and then pay a Ministry official to teach you. She doesn't think much of my driving skills. I must admit that she's probably right," Dad added rather guiltily. "But you see that it isn't so easy to teach you to drive."

Charlie rolled his eyes and told Ron, "He doesn't want to teach us because then he wouldn't be able to tamper with the car anymore."

For another hour, Ron sat and watched Dad poke and prod the car while Charlie offered suggestions over his shoulder. Occasionally Ron hopped off his seat to see what they were doing and to ask questions or offer suggestions of his own, but mostly he just sat and watched, wondering absently how he was going to get out of seeing the healer.

Finally Charlie convinced Dad to stop for just a few minutes so they could get something for lunch, and Ron led the way to the kitchen. Mum had apparently already been and gone, and there was a large plate of sandwiches on the table which Fred, George and Percy were half way through demolishing. Ron immediately pushed his up to the table to make sure he got something, at least.

Soon Percy left, then Dad, then Fred and George, and then it was just Charlie and Ron, finishing the last of the sandwiches.

"Mum says I have to see a healer in Topsham," Ron said.

Charlie nodded. "Yeah, Dad was telling me about it. What do you think?"

Ron scowled. "I don't want to go. I don't need healing, and we don't have the money."

"Dad said that our insurance covers most of it." Charlie paused, then said hesitantly, "I think this might be a good thing, Ron."

Ron stared at Charlie, betrayed. Wasn't Charlie supposed to be on his side?

"Don't get me wrong," Charlie said hastily, "I don't thing you need fixing, or anything like that. I just … what if this healer can help, Ron? What if they can somehow make you – make your body into a boy?"

Ron hesitated. He hadn't considered that, although in retrospect that was probably what Ginny had been trying to say as well. He had about a million protestations and questions and arguments about why he shouldn't have to see a healer: what if it didn't work? What if it made things worse? He didn't need a healer because he wasn't sick, his family couldn't afford it, if Mum and Dad would just listen – but strangely, of his entire family, he trusted Charlie the most. Charlie was smart – not smart like Bill was smart, but smart in a practical sort of way. Charlie was the one who listened when no else would, so maybe if Charlie said so….

"I think you should try it," Charlie continued. "Just for a little, so you can see how it goes. If it doesn't work out, Mum and Dad won't make you keep going."

"But I don't want to go in the first place," Ron said unhappily, although with less conviction than he'd had a moment ago.

"Listen." Charlie fixed Ron with a serious look. "I've been thinking a lot about what you told me the day before last, and I think I finally understand, at least to a certain degree." Ron gave him a hopeful, rather uncertain look. "You are a boy. You have a boy's soul, heart and brain, but for whatever reason you have a girl's body. You've managed to convince me of that, and it's only a matter of time before the others see it too. You just need to tell the healer what you told me. And remember, you're a Gryffindor. Show how brave you are by going to see the healer, okay?"

"Okay," Ron said, although at the moment he wasn't feeling very brave at all.