Hello my dear readers. I hope you've all had a wonderful weekend and I'm here to (hopefully) make it even better. A quick recap before we start. Harry and Percy both survived their tasks (although I'm sure you could have predicted that was going to happen), we had some Charlie and Percy fluff and there seems to be something wrong with poor Ron, but what? Well read on and you shall find out.

Disclaimer: Don't own a thing, I've decided to accept it.

Chapter Eighteen:

By Rosa241

Percy POV:

"Good job yesterday." A girl with a hufflepuff crest on her robes shouts as I wander down the corridor.

"Yeah, it was wicked." A random boy announces as he claps me on the shoulder.

It really amazes me sometimes how people can have such short memories. Just yesterday the entire school was telling me just how pathetic I was and that I was probably going to get myself killed. Now they can't stop telling me how great I am. This is the exact reason I don't do people.

Entering the library I take a moment to bask in the lack of people trying to get on my good side. As nice as it is to have their support I wish they wouldn't be so fickle about it.

Shaking my head I push my thoughts to one side and turn my attention back to the reason I came here. Ron. I don't know what happened between him and Harry yesterday but the way they argued last night at dinner it's obvious that there's something wrong. Truth is Ron's been in a foul mood ever since mine and Harry's names were drawn out of the goblet. Something must be wrong. After the glaring competition at breakfast I'd decided to do something about it.

"There you are. I'll tell you what you're not easy to find." He shrugs his shoulders at me and goes back to staring at the table. "So what's going on with you and Harry?"

"Don't want to talk about it." Of course you don't want to.

"Well that's not an option I'm afraid so start talking." It takes a moment before I realise he's not going to talk so instead I start the ball rolling. "Alright why don't I guess then? You're angry at Harry because his name was drawn out of the goblet and you thought he'd put it in. Right?" Another few minutes pass us by and still he makes no effort to talk. "Ron I want to help but if you don't tell me what's wrong then I can't do anything."

"I'm not angry." Because I'm going to believe that.

"Really? Well you could have fooled me, you've had a face like a wet weekend for day now." He glares at me for a moment but it's half hearted. There's more to this than just anger. "Talk to me."

"It just…winds me is all." Despite my confusion I wait for him to finish. "Everything always happens to Harry."

Shock runs through me at his words. Is that really the problem?

"So you're not angry at him because his name got drawn?" He shakes his head.

"No. I know he didn't put his name in there, I'm not that stupid." I make to speak but he continues. Shutting my mouth I let him talk, I get the feeling that he needs to. "I know everyone says they'd enter if they could but they wouldn't really. I wouldn't. I mean facing a dragon! Nobodies that stupid to do that willingly."

Tell me about it.

"Right let me just work this out. You aren't mad at him because his name got drawn, you're not mad because you think he put his name in there and you're not mad at him because you wanted to be drawn instead." At his nod I let out a frustrated breath. "So why are you mad at him?"

"It's not easy."

"What's not easy?" He finally turns to look at me.

"You must realise it. Bill and Charlie were so good at school and quidditch, Fred and George are dead popular and they play quidditch too, and then there's you."

"Me?" My heart leaps at his words. How have none of us seen this before?

"Yeah, you. You're ridiculously intelligent and I know we all joke about the minister for magic thing but you could do it." I can feel myself blush at his words. "And now you're competing in the tri-wizard tournament."

"You don't have to live up to anyone Ron." When he rolls his eyes and turns away I force him to look at me. "I mean it. You say that we're all amazing but you're pretty great too. I mean look at all the stuff you've done. The philosophers stone, saving Ginny from the chamber of secrets…you did all of that. Not us. You."

"You wouldn't think it the way people talk about it." He falls back into his silence again but this time I say nothing. I know now what the problem is, I know how hard this must be on him. Eventually he settles himself and talks. "Whenever anyone talks about the stone they always remember that Harry fought you-know-how and won. No one ever remembers that Hermione and me were there too. People talk about how Harry saved Ginny and yeah he did but…"

"He didn't do it alone." He nods his head and turns his gaze to the floor. "And now Harry's competing in the tournament so all anyone's talking about is Harry. I wish you'd said something before."

"I didn't want to. It's not Harry's fault." It takes a moment before I find the right words.

"Okay. Ron you don't have to match up to anyone." When he makes to interrupt I cut him off. "No listen to me. I don't care whether you're as intelligent as me, or as popular as the twins or if you're good at quidditch. So long as you do the best that you can do then I'll be proud and so will the others. And as for Harry well I can't say that I blame you for getting mad at him."

"What? It's not Harry's fault that people forget."

"No it's not. But he does have a one track mind." He stares at me confused and I continue. "Harry has this habit of thinking about himself. Don't get me wrong he's a nice lad and he'll do anything for his friends, especially you and Hermione, but I can't help notice that he tends to be a bit self-absorbed."

Ron tilts his head slightly, clearly this isn't something he's thought about before. Truth be told I've noticed this several times but I've never said anything because he's Rons friend.

"Think about it. In first year it was all about Snape and the stone, did he ever ask either you or Hermione about your lives? Probably not. He was so focused on the stone and stopping Snape that he didn't really think about anything else. Then in second year. From day one it was all about the chamber of secrets, all about how people thought he was the heir of Slytherin. I'll bet he didn't take a lot of time to consider if there was anything going on with you and Hermione now did he?"

I can see from the look of realisation that dawns on him that he's never considered it before now. Don't get me wrong it's not intentional. Lets face it that poor lad has been through hell. Honestly I don't even think he knows that he's doing it but the fact is he gets so focused on what's going on with him that he forgets that other people have problems too.

"So what happens now?" He asks after several minutes.

"Let me talk to Harry." At his questioning glance I explain. "You're still angry. Far too angry to explain what's going on in your mind and if Harry gets mad then I wouldn't put it past you to argue again. Let me talk to Harry, get him to understand what's wrong."

"Thanks Perce." At his smile I can see the relief on his face.

"Anytime mate."

Harry's POV:

"Harry can we talk for a moment?" Percy's voice startles me slightly.

"Course. Did you figure out your egg?" He shakes his head and comes to stand beside me.

"I've spoken to Ron." At the mention of my so called best friend I can't stop the anger that flows through me. "We talked and I have to say I understand why he's angry."

"I haven't done anything wrong!" Something akin to disappointment flashes across his face as he continues.

"I know that and before you start so does Ron." Yeah right. "He does. You're not the one he's mad at."

"Then who is he mad at?" And why's he taking it out on me?

"Harry people in this school know exactly what you've done. Everywhere you walk people talk about the amazing Harry Potter and the wonderful things that he's done."

"What does this have to do with Ron?" I question as my confusion grows.

"Everyone always talks about the amazing Harry Potter. There are very few people who remember that you didn't do all of these amazing things alone. You had help." Confusion reigns through me as he talks.

"I know that." I protest. "I could never have done any of those things without Ron and Hermione."

"You know that, I know that but the rest of the world…they have a nasty habit of forgetting. Hermione doesn't like the spot light, she's quite happy to have people forget that she did anything. But Ron. Well Ron gets angry that people brush past him to see the wonderful Harry Potter, people never mention the things he's done."

I've never thought about that. I know Ron struggles with feeling like he has to live up to his brothers, feeling like he's second best. How frustrating must it be to have people gloss over all of the things you've done? But that still doesn't explain…

"But that's not my fault. It must be horrible and I feel terrible that I didn't notice before but it's not my fault." He smiles at this.

"I know that and so does Ron. The problem with Ron is that rather than talking about this and dealing with it, he's pushed it to one side and tried to forget about it. Now, with everyone talking about you and the tournament, he's just snapped. Everything's come pouring out and you just so happened to be on the receiving end. He never meant to be angry with you and he never really believed all of those things either."

As Percy talks my anger at him ebbs away. I should have known. I should have realised what was going on before. We're supposed to be best friends but I've been so focused on the tournament that I didn't see it.

"Now that actually brings me onto something else I wanted to talk to you about." His voice brings me out of my guilt and I find myself looking straight at him. "Over the last few years I've noticed that you don't always remember that other people have problems too."

"What are you talking about?" He tilts his head for a moment, clearly thinking of a way to explain, before he continues.

"I know that you've been through hell and I can't even begin to imagine how you must feel. It's just that…you tend to forget that other people have problems too, they might not be as big as yours but they're there. Ron and Hermione have their own issues which I'm sure they'd probably like to deal with, probably like to talk about but…"

"They're always so focused on helping me that they never get the chance." Guilt pours through me as I realise the truth of his words. Just like in third year when Hermione was taking all of those classes. I was so focused on Sirius that I didn't give it nearly as much time as I should. I should have demanded that she tell me what was going on, I should have helped her but I didn't. Not like I should have at least.

And now there's this thing with Ron. Ron knows all my problems, he knows because he asks, he makes a point of being there and helping me. How many times have I done the same for him?

Have I really been there for them the way that they're always there for me?

"Harry I didn't bring this up to make you feel bad honestly I didn't." I can tell from his voice that he feels guilty, that he feels bad for speaking about it but he shouldn't.

"Thank you. I never even realised it but you're right. Ron and Hermione are always there for me but I don't think I've been there for them in the same way." Giving him a smile and ushering another heartfelt thank you I race off to find Ron.

I have to right this now.

Moody's POV:

If I doubted my decision before I certainly don't now. I know I made the right call. Potter pulled off his part perfectly. Helping him through this might not be as hard as I thought. If things go as smoothly as this task did then there shouldn't be any danger at all. Unless…

My mind wanders over to the other one. Percy Weasly. That one could be trouble. I know Potter told him about the dragon but still…

I would have expected the others to do well what with Karkaroff and Maxine helping them but him? No, he did far better than I was anticipating.

That one is clearly more talented than I gave him credit for.

I thought that putting his name into the goblet would keep his eyes from drifting over to me but it hasn't. He still seems to be keeping an eye on me. That has to stop. I can't allow him to foil our plans.

And that's your lot. Hmm…not a lot of action here but I felt the need to put this chapter in. The books always focused so much on Harry (hardly surprising given that he's the main character) but you don't really delve too much into the issues that the other two have. For example, J.K. Rowling seems to forget about Rons insecurities when it comes to his brothers. Apologises if anyone disagrees with me but this is my point of view anyway. Until next time, bye!