Autumn 1991

Ronald Weasley

Ron stood stiffly beside the stone gargoyle that marked the Headmaster's office. He felt like the blood in his body had been transfigured into ice, shivers racing up and down his arms while his heart beat a million times a minute. Beyond the hidden staircase he could hear the faint murmur of low muted voices and he couldn't help but imagine his parents waiting for him. A fresh wave of nausea rolled through him and he nearly lost his breakfast onto his own shoes.

It's okay, it's okay, it's okay, it's repeated the words over and over again, his teeth digging into his cheek in the same familiar spot, this time pressing too hard and drawing out the faint taste of iron.

"Compose yourself, Mr Weasley," Snape said behind him, the Professor's voice low and sharp. Ron glanced backwards up at the Potions Master, whose black robes seemed to move even in the still air. Snape's glare was as cold and as devoid of compassion as ever, a slight arch in his dark brow. "I will not tolerate any theatrics."

Ron swallowed and took a sharp brief breath. "I—I wasn't going to—" he stammered.

Snape narrowed his eyes. "You are about to see your parents, not face a Dementor. Although, I'd imagine that a Dementor would be more pleasant." He sighed. "I will remind you again, that the Headmaster will ensure your parents… Gryffindor sympathies and infuriating morality do not cloud their judgment. This meeting is merely for their information, it is not an interrogation."

Ron shifted on his feet, he could not believe that it wouldn't devolve into something terrible. After all, he shuddered, Snape hadn't met his parents. At least, Ron thought, Snape hadn't seen his mother when she was upset. His parents had been mad at him for his sorting, they would be absolutely livid about the whole troll thing.

Suddenly the gargoyle lept aside and revealed the winding staircase on the other side. Ron could hear his heart in his ears and a part of him urged him to push Snape aside and run away. He could, he imagined, hide with Sal for quite some time before anyone noticed. The murmuring voices were still too distant to understand properly.

Snape motioned him forward and Ron ascended the staircase, each step threatening to send him toppling backwards. Which, he thought, would have perhaps been a far easier death than whatever his mother imagined for him. He wondered, distributedly, if his parents would tell Ginny what he had done and ruin yet another one of his relationships with his siblings.

When they finally reached the top, Snape reached out and stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. "You are a Slytherin, Weasley. Do not become a snivelling mess, do not show weakness."

Ron nodded, although he wasn't sure he could stop himself from crying if it came to that. Already, his eyes felt wet and his emotions were eating into his throat.

The door to the headmaster's office swung open and Ron had barely any time to catch himself before he was standing in the gaze of Dumbledore's twinkling eyes and behind him the anxious faces of his parents, both of them looking rather relieved and not as angry as he would have imagined.

Dumbledore gave him a gentle smile, the kind that was meant to be reassuring but only made Ron's heart race faster. "Please, Ronald," Dumbledore said with a soft wave of his hand. "Take a seat."

Ron hesitated for a moment before Snape flicked him on the back and motioned him forward. The chair in front of Dumbledore's desk creaked as he sat down, it didn't feel quite as comfortable as it had a few weeks prior when Ron had met with his Great Aunt Muriel. In fact, he swallowed, the entire office seemed more sinister than it had before. It was as if the entire world knew that something bad was coming.

Before Ron could even say so much as a greeting, the silence of the room was broken by his mother's voice.

"Ronald Bilius Weasley," Her voice cracked as she spoke and for a split second Ron was almost sure she was about to cry. A second later she recovered, any sadness replaced with a fury that Ron knew was usually reserved for the twins. "What in Merlin's name is this about!? A letter from the school!? A meeting with the headmaster!? And then you sent me a letter yesterday telling me that you've murdered a troll!?"

Ron felt a surge of heat rise to his face. A sudden wave of embarrassment washed over him so much so that he felt like he might drown under his parents' and Dumbledore's gaze. Despite his mother's words, the Headmaster continued to smile politely, as if nothing she said was concerning at all.

"Honestly, Ronald," She shook her head. "First you're sorting into that bloody house with all of those bloody prejudiced children, and now this!?"

Ron watched his father frown beside her. "Molly, love, perhaps we should hear first what Ron has to say?"

"No, Arthur," his mother interrupted sharply. "I'm not interested in whatever lies he has to tell."

Dumbledore leaned forward slightly, "Molly, Arthur, if I may, I believe that Ronald is here to answer your concerns. But you must understand, your son is not in trouble. Far from it in fact, he has been given quite a number of house points for his action."

Molly Weasley's face turned crimson and Ron couldn't help but flinch. "House points! House points, Albus!?" Her voice rose sharply, and Ron averted his eyes towards the floor, focusing on the shine of his shoes. "This is what you've come to!? A bloody troll of all things!? What about your safety, Ronald? What about all of us!? We've spent years raising you to be strong and smart and kind and yet here you are throwing it all away because of some slimy house full of bigots!" Ron could only imagine the dark look on Professor Snape's face. "And don't you dare try and tell me none of this is your fault! Your brothers wrote me a letter as well! Told me how you made a poor muggle-born girl cry and almost got her killed by the bloody troll. Only for what, Ronald, to show up and murder the thing!"

Her voice cracked again. "I, I just can't believe this! I cannot believe that after everything your father and I have taught you and done for you, this is how you choose to live! With bigotry and murder!? The worst of them all, Ronald! We spend our lives looking after you and this is how you choose to repay us!? How do you repay a world that's only ever been so kind to you!?" Ron could hear her turn around. "What did we do wrong, Arthur? What did we do wrong?"

Ron sniffled slightly, doing his best to keep it quiet. Despite himself, he had trouble thinking about anything besides his mother's words. He couldn't help but focus on the pain in her voice as she scolded him. After everything, after everything he has been doing this year for his family, they still couldn't see beyond a single choice that wasn't even made for him. A single tear fell down Ron's cheek.

Dumbledore cleared his throat. "Molly, please. We must not jump to conclusions. I understand that you're upset about young Ronald's sorting, but we must understand that everyone's situation is complex. I assure you, Ronald has not changed so drastically as to lose the values we both hold so dearly. He is your son, his courage in the face of a troll is a testament to his bravery. And he has been a true friend to a young Harry Potter."

His mother didn't seem to listen, her voice only growing louder. "Bravery!? Is that what you call it!? Murder is not bravery! It is cowardice! A Slytherin killing a troll and you're trying to convince me it's not as bad as it sounds? Don't you all understand what's happening!? What are they doing to him!? You see what he is becoming!? What about loyalty, family, and goodness?"

Ron's throat tightened and he blinked rapidly to try and keep the burning in his eyes from flooding over. He opened his mouth, feeling like he couldn't breathe, much less speak. His mother was right in front of him, her fury just a few feet away and he felt as if he couldn't say anything at all.

"Molly," Dumbledore interrupted, his voice cutting through the room with an unusual sharpness. Ron glanced up to look at the headmaster, his normally soft eyes had turned momentarily serious, his gaze steady as he looked at Ron's mother. "That will be enough."

For a moment, the room fell deathly silent. Ron could only hear a ringing in his ears as his heart beat unusually fast. Never in his entire life had he heard someone speak to his mother the way that the Headmaster just had. Ron was aware suddenly of an immense feeling radiating from behind the Headmaster's desk, like the air was pulsating its way away from Dumbledore, almost in a slight breeze. It was enough to take Ron's mind away as he focused on the strange feeling, his breath catching for just a moment.

Dumbledore's voice softened, but it remained thick with power and authority. "You are, of course, concerned for your son, and I understand that. But shouting at him, accusing him of things he has not done, will not help any of us. Nor will it help him find the answers you so desperately seek. I know you care deeply for Ronald, as do we all, but you must listen, not only with your heart but with understanding." He took a breath. "And most importantly, Molly, you must not speak of him, or to him, in such reckless terms. Do you think this will help?"

"He's my son, Albus."

The Headmaster's voice rose again. "And he is my student, Molly. I did not invite you here to have you shout in Ronald's face about things he has not done. Would you say that this is what your brothers would have wanted?"

Ron watched his mother's face turn into a deep frown. "Don't speak about them."

"Which of your children is most like them? Certainly not Fred and George who while named after your brothers are nothing like them. Certainly not your older sons who have left the country. And, not Percy who in my mind clearly takes after some of his other ancestors. No, I will tell you both that Ronald here is the most like Fabian and Gideon that I have seen. His bravery would have and could have landed him in Gryffindor right alongside them, and I am sure he would have fought as valiantly as they did."

"Don't you dare tell me that," Molly croaked. "You know thattheykilled him. You know that they are turning him away from me."

"And you would push him into their hands?" Dumbledore shook his head. "When we give people only one choice, it is the choice they will take. You must not, and I will not allow you, to make that choice for Ronald." The headmaster looked at Ron and nodded. "Ronald may be a Slytherin, but from everything I have seen he is far from being lost. It takes a special kind of person to save another's life, especially when doing so costs you so dearly as to take a life. This is not something we should scold him for but something to be celebrated. He is, in some ways, a lot like your mother Arthur." Dumbledore directed his gaze to Ron's father. "She was a Black, a dark house they say, and a Slytherin as well. Yet, she led a proud, noble, and righteous life."

Ron met his father's eyes. "She was always a good woman," his father muttered lightly.

Dumbledore stood from his desk. "Molly, Arthur," he said unwaveringly. "I invited you to see for yourselves that your son is safe and in good health. This meeting was not to be an inquisition or a place for accusations." He paused and glanced over everyone in the room. "This is not the time to chastise your son, and I must insist that you leave now, if you cannot speak with respect and understanding. The purpose of this meeting has been served and it is clear that no good will come from further discussion."

Ron felt the weight of the Headmaster's words settle into the air around him. His parents looked at each other, to him, and to Dumbledore as if they were suddenly the ones being scolded. Which, Ron guessed, in some ways they were. His heart was still rapid in his chest and he found no words coming to mind. A part of him wanted to tell the Headmaster that it was alright, that he expected his parents to act this way and that he would hear whatever terrible things they had to say, and yet the other part of him wanted him to say something nasty in return. To tell them how much they hurt him, and how much he felt as if Percy was his only real family member left. Ron , I hope Charlie, Bill, and Ginny don't turn on me.

Molly opened her mouth to protest, but Dumbledore held out his hand stopping her cold.

"You will not stay," he said, his voice ringing with a power that Ron had never quite heard before. "Not unless you have something positive to offer your son. I will not allow this environment to turn him and nor will I allow you to take advantage of my hospitality. You may return when you have offered both Ronald and myself the appropriate apologies."

For a moment longer the room remained silent. Ron could feel his mother's gaze barreling into Dumbledore but yet the Headmaster remained still and steadfast.

Ron's father placed a hand on his mother's shoulder and slowly led her to the floo, where with a mutter of a destination they both disappeared in a flash of green smoke.

The room remained silent, the atmosphere feeling electrified by Dumbledore's presence, so much so that even Snape didn't bother to say another word. Ron found himself silently thankful for what had happened. A part of him wished that Dumbledore had only said another word, something a little harsher to his parents. Yet, he knew that thinking like that was dangerous and vindictive so he did his best to cast his thoughts aside.

Ron met Dumbledore's eyes and for a moment he imagined that they did not just twinkle but entirely glowed. He wasn't sure if it was his imagination or a trick as the Headmaster looked reborn…Ron nearly said the words aloud.
A/N - I hope you didn't mind this chapter too much, I know some people would have liked to see Ron defend himself, but I opted for a different direction. I wanted to show that not every adult is feeling the same way as Ron's parents and that their own thoughts and worries are somewhat misguiding them. There is something deeper than just a sorting, something which Ron can't really understand yet. This was kind of hinted in the Molly Weasley PoV chapter I wrote. I also wanted to establish that from Dumbledore's point of view, Ron hasn't as of yet done anything that could be considered evil or dark but is rather a victim of circumstances that are outside of his control. Ron is still eleven years old and he is still a child. So while he has these thoughts about what he has to do to save his brother, and Hogwarts, and prevent what he thinks is the worst thing possible, he is still, ultimately, a child. A child that's not going to stand up to his parents whom he still loves dearly, at least not without being pushed quite a bit further. This is something Dumbledore understands and so does Snape to a lesser extent. Ron has spent the last eleven years with a single source of authority, and to have that authority turn against him is soul-crushing and it causes him physical conditions like trembling and laboured breathing. A portion of his world is crumbling around him.