Unofficial Portkey Archive

Harry Potter and The Gilded Portrait

A.N. This was a tough chapter to write. I hope you like!

Standard Disclaimers Apply

Chapter Three - The Death of Innocence

There were simply too many of them to apparate at the same time and with Fred's coffin it would have been very dangerous to try so Charlie and Percy had gone ahead to make sure the lane in front of the main entrance to St. Mungo's was secure and Muggle free.

Mr. Weasley retrieved an old watering can from the ruins of Hagrid's hut and created a portkey. As they stood waiting, Hermione kept looking back over her shoulder into the Great Hall.

"Ron, I don't see Harry. Something's gone wrong! He was right behind us!"

"Relax Hermione," Ron whispered, "He's the bloody Savior of the Wizard World. Not to mention, he's got the…you-know-what!

"No, Ron! You don't understand." Hermione was beginning to panic, "He's exhausted. Someone could have knocked him out and taken it! I need to find him."

She recalled Neville had asked Harry to see the wand. It wasn't that she thought Neville would try to take it but Neville wasn't the only one who knew about the Elder Wand.

She steeled herself.

"I'm sorry Ron. I'll try to catch you up if I can."

Hermione kissed him on the cheek then streaked back toward the Great Hall.

"Hermione!" Ron watched her go, his irritation spiked.

Ginny and Dean came up beside him.

"Everything alright, Ron," Ginny asked, watching Hermione's retreating figure.

Ron just shook his head. His anger at Hermione was palpable. Part of him understood her concern for replacing the Elder Wand but he felt there were plenty of others who could have helped Harry accomplish the task.

"I don't know. She said she was worried Harry didn't follow us into the Great Hall. He was right behind us in the hallway."

Now Ginny looked a little worried.

"Do you think we need to go help her find him?"

Ron looked at his baby sister and then at Dean. He was trying to figure out why Dean was even with them but he remembered what it was like to poke his nose into Ginny's affairs so he just sighed and kept any comments to himself.

"No. I think everything's alright. She's just over-reacting as always. He's probably using his cloak. You know Harry. Probably doesn't want the attention."

Arthur called everyone to the portkey.

"Very well, on three then," Arthur counted, "One…Two…Three!"

There was a brilliant flash of blue and the group disappeared.

Everyone made it to the landing point in front of the Purge and Dowse, Ltd. Department Store window standing up. Bill and Arthur still suspended the long, narrow pine box that contained Fred's body as Charlie and Percy joined them. Lee Jordon joined the group as well. He gave George a pat on the shoulder.

All the Weasleys were present along with Fleur and Dean.

"Lee if you would be so kind," Mr. Weasley asked.

Lee made his way to the mannequin and announced their presence.

"Arthur Weasley, Molly Weasley, Bill Weasley, Charlie Weasley, Percy Weasley, George Weasley, Fred Weasley…deceased, Ron Weasley, Ginny Weasley, Fleur Weasley, Dean Thomas and Lee Jordon requesting entrance."

They waited silently for a moment then a voice crackled out of the mannequin.

"Very well, you may proceed."

Bill and Arthur went first with the casket then the rest followed. Charlie touched his mother's shoulder.

"Mum, Percy and I are going to wait a bit, make sure we're not followed."

Molly looked at Charlie slightly alarmed.

"Followed by whom dear? Are you expecting trouble?"

"No mum," Percy chimed in, "But the confrontation at Hogwarts is all over the Prophet so it wouldn't surprise me if they're monitoring the flue and portkey networks to try to get a scoop. Believe me, it's what I would do."

Molly cringed, her sad eyes resting on each of her boys faces.

"Very well, but you two be careful!" She scolded.

Charlie rolled his eyes as the rest went through.

As the group gained the main corridor of the hospital, it was a virtual riot of activity. Healers and nurses rushed by in every direction. Wizards and witches of every shape and size lay on gurneys, sat in chairs or simply slumped against the walls.

They tried to make their way through the crowd as carefully as they could. Bill and Arthur had the casket suspended at shoulder height.

There was a loud thump and they turned to see an older healer sitting on his backside dazedly rubbing his head.

Ginny and Dean rushed to help him to his feet. Dean brushed off the back of his robe.

"My apologies Adler," Arthur said as he and Bill lifted the casket above their heads out of harms way, "I shouldn't have been so careless."

The healer wobbled slightly but waved a hand.

"Think nothing of it Arthur. I should have been paying more attention. Is that…" he pointed at the casket.

Arthur nodded.

The healer came up to Molly and took her hands in his.

"I'm so sorry for your loss, Molly dear." He looked sadly around at all of them.

"Thank you Milben," Molly gave him a fervent hug, "Thank you so much."

Healer Adler waved his hand again; an angry-looking bump was forming on the right side of his forehead. He tottered away only to be swallowed by the throng.

"Dad, we best get Fred to the lift as quickly as possible," Bill said, giving his father a significant look.

Charlie and Percy came up behind them.

"Right you are Bill," Arthur looked around, "Alright, no sense in all of us going to the morgue. Ginny, Dean, Fleur, Lee why don't you four accompany George to the Healers while the rest of us see to Fred. Well join you as soon as he's in the proper hands."

Fleur moved next to Bill and kissed him deeply.

"Do be careful, mon amour, s'il vous plait."

Ron was amazed his brother Bill could get kissed like that and not drop the casket.

George laid his hand then leaned his head reverently on the side of Fred's casket.

"See ya' in a few days bro'," he whispered, "Don't you be making a racket down there and wake the dead."

Everyone nodded and the group split up. Ron watched the others go. He didn't like the fact they were splitting up. He wasn't sure why, exactly.

He suddenly wished however, he would have been sent to the Healers with George but said nothing as he fell in step with the others moving toward the lifts.

Hermione's absence was like a glaring spotlight shining down on the floor next to him. He wanted to understand why she felt she had to help Harry but it still irritated him that Ron seemed, once again to be playing second-fiddle to the Savior of the Wizard World.

Maybe my leaving them during the hunt for the Horcruxes had a worse effect than I first thought…

He wanted to believe the way she had kissed him in the Room of Requirement the night before had settled things but now he wasn't so sure.

As they waited for the lift to arrive, Arthur gave his wife a significant look.

"Molly, perhaps you should go with George as well…"

Molly looked at Arthur mortified.

"Arthur Weasley, I will not! We'll see George straight away," her eyes began to well; "The idea!"

"Sorry dear," Arthur cringed, "Not to worry."

The lift rattled to a stop and the gate slid noisily back. More than a dozen people clamored off and much to the group's relief it was quite empty when they carefully guided the casket inside then piled in after it.

As the gate slid closed, Arthur said, "Morgue, please."

A pleasant female voice chimed, "Wizard morgue…Level Seven.

The lift groaned as it began to descend down through the floors below.

When it reached Level Seven, they all crowded out and stepped aside so the casket could be guided out without hitting anything.

As soon as Ron stepped off the lift, the cold air hit him like an Arctic blast. He couldn't help but shiver. Little puffs of mist hung in the air as each of them breathed.

The Wizard Morgue was much more modern then Ron had expected. The lift opened into what was a rather long, wide hallway. The floors were a highly polished white marble.

On either side of the hall were many narrow white doors. Each door had a window set in the wall next to it.

The walls and frames around the doors and windows seemed to be made of shiny silver metal. A small red plaque hung on each door. Ron could see the plaques had names on them printed in white letters.

At the end of the long hall were two large metal double doors. Each had a small window set at about head height in the center.

Ron could see a face peering out at them through one of the small windows.

"This way everyone," Arthur said as they began moving to the large double doors at the end of the hall.

As they passed each door Ron could see some of the smaller side rooms had names on the doors. He saw a plaque that had Colin Creevey's name on it.

Ron crossed the hall and saw the name Tonks; Nymphadora. Next to her was Lupin; Remus and some additional words were below his name; Lycanthropic DNA.

He peered into the window. He could see that inside the room was a shiny metal table against the wall just below the window. There was nothing on it.

There was a waist-high table in the center of the room. On it laid the outline of a body covered in a white sheet.

He could tell the feet from the outline of the sheet but the rest of the image was lost in the darkness of the little room. There didn't seem to be anything else inside.

Suddenly, the reality of the battle from the previous night landed heavily upon him. People he knew had died! His brother Fred died! He felt heavy, as if the forces of the earth were pressing down harder on his body.

Just as he was about to go back to the others, the hall was filled with an ear-splitting, howling shriek.

Ron turned, his wand in his hand, just in time to see his mother flying across the hall in a blur with her wand out.

Confusion clouded his mind as he watched the scene unfold.

"CHARLIE…P…PERCY," his father yelled, "YOUR MOTHER!" He and Bill were struggling to lower Fred's casket to the floor.

Ron was finally able to make his feet move as he dashed to try and intercept her as well but they were too slow to react.

Molly raised her wand and literally blew one of the small white doors off its hinges to one of the rooms ahead of Ron.

She screamed again as she made her way into the room, Charlie and Percy were right on her heels.

Ron got there just in time to see Percy reach out and grab his mother's outstretched arm and redirect it as she screamed a curse.

"INCINERATE!"

The red streak just missed the figure on the table, barely nicking the sheet as it hit the white wall beyond. The wall erupted in flames.

Percy yelled as he struggled with his mother.

"Mum Please!"

Charlie was on them in an instant. He waved his wand and the flames were extinguished before they could do much damage. The only thing that remained was a little smoke.

His mother's face was a purple mask of raw rage. It shocked Ron. He'd never seen her like that before. He piled inside the room to help restrain her.

"Mum what are you…" It was all he could get out.

"YOU FOUL, DISGUSTING ANIMAL!" Molly was screaming and struggling to free her wand arm. Tears coursed down her cheeks as her eyes bore holes in the figure lying still as death on the metal table.

Behind them out in the hall, Ron could hear shouts of others. Several Morgue employees had burst through the large double doors at the end of the hall. They were trying to figure out what was going on.

"Now see here," someone shouted, "what is the meaning of all this?"

Ron heard Bill.

"Not to worry gentlemen, we've got this."

They had managed to move her back toward the door when Arthur seemed to materialize out of thin air.

"Molly," he cried. When she didn't respond, her wild eyes still locked on the body, Arthur yelled, "MOLLY!"

His father's booming voice seemed to cut through the noise and confusion. Everything seemed to come to a grinding halt and all went silent, except for his mother's desperate sobs.

It was the first time in his life Ron had ever heard his father raise his voice like that.

Arthur took Molly in a tight embrace and turned her to face him.

"Molly…Molly! Look at me!"

She turned and looked up at Arthur, her eyes still wild with anger, her cheeks soaked with tears.

His father's voice returned as calm and controlled as ever.

"Listen to me dear…"

Molly struggled again.

"I WILL NOT HAVE MY SON IN THE SAME PLACE AS THAT…THAT…"

"Molly please!" Arthur implored, "There is nothing good that can come of this. This won't bring our Freddy back. That…that THING…is gone…He's gone Molly and he will never hurt our family again. Harry saw to that!"

Molly didn't appear to be convinced. She seemed to wrestle with a monumental internal struggle. Arthur took her face gently in both his hands.

"Molly love! You can not give in to despair. Do you understand? If you do then you allow him victory. Don't you see…don't you remember? This is precisely what he wanted, to tear us apart from the inside. If you give in then he wins…he wins Molly, even from the grave! I know you don't want that. I need you Molly. We need you here with us…now!"

Everyone seemed to be holding their breaths, waiting.

Those final words seemed to snap her out of her blind rage. Molly looked up into Arthur's worried eyes and nodded.

"I'm sorry Arthur," she whispered as she fell forward into her husband's arms, burying her face in his chest. Her whole body racked with deep sobs of unendurable pain.

"There, there, Molly. You have nothing to apologize for." Arthur held her tightly, gently rocking her where they stood. They all seemed to take a huge sigh of relief.

Arthur looked over his shoulder and motioned to Bill and Ron to guide their mother out of the room.

For the first time, Ron saw real fear in his father's eyes. It was raw and deep. He tried to give his father a smile as he took hold of his mother and, along with Bill, swept her from the room. He glanced down and saw the name on the red plaque. It made his blood boil.

Tom Marvolo Riddle (AKA)

Lord Voldemort

Ophidian DNA

Ron stomped the plaque hard and it shattered into a dozed pieces, obscuring the words.

That felt bloody good!

Arthur leaned against the metal table next to the doorway. He raised a hand to wipe the sweat from his brows despite the bitter cold of the room. It was shaking. He then realized he was shaking all over.

Charlie stepped in front of him.

"You ok dad?"

Arthur took a few deep, steadying breaths before he trusted himself to say anything.

"I thought we'd lost her there for a moment son," his attempt at a smile failed.

"Dad," Charlie said, "I've met some brave people in my life. I've watched men stand their ground against some of the fiercest creatures in the world. I watched a seventeen year old boy face down the worst nightmare in wizard history…but what you just did took more guts and courage than I have ever seen."

Charlie placed both his hands gently on his father's shoulders.

"Arthur Weasley you are one of the greatest, most noble wizards I have ever known. Have I ever told you how very proud I am to be your son?"

Arthur reached out and pulled Charlie in a tight embrace, patting his son on the back of the head.

"Thank you son," Arthur sniffed, "That means more to me than you could possibly imagine."

Arthur released Charlie and stood up.

A rather tall, thin wizard in periwinkle robes, beady dark eyes and an oversized white handle-bar moustache came up to them and peered around the room. Percy was right behind him.

"Arthur, what in Merlin's name?"

"Sorry Whellingsby," Arthur shot the man a thin smile, "Just a misunderstanding I'm afraid. Not to worry. We'll put everything to right at once."

Ron stood out in the hall holding his mother. It amazed him that his father seemed to know everyone in the Ministry.

Whellingsby nodded.

"Very well," Whellingsby waved the other officials off, "Bringing in Fred I see."

"Yes," was all Arthur could say. He glanced at Molly who was now surrounded by Ron and Bill.

"Bad business this was," Whellingsby said, "but at least there wasn't as many as last time."

That was small consolation to Arthur. He remembered how it had been the last time Voldemort tried to rise to power.

So many died…and for what?

Percy came up to his father.

"You go on dad, Charlie and I will see to this."

Arthur nodded, patting Percy on the shoulder then made his way over to where the others were waiting. He and Bill levitated Fred and Whellingsby led them toward the double doors.

Charlie set to mending the door as Percy scourgified the room. When everything looked as it had, they turned to leave.

As Percy pulled the door closed he stopped and gazed down at the lifeless figure lying on the table with unveiled contempt.

"We should have let mum send your arse to hell in ashes…Would have been a fitting end, I'd say. Your quest for ultimate power…failed," he said threw clenched teeth, "Beaten by a child! Now that's justice!"

Percy slammed the door and turned to join the rest of his family as they made there way into the morgue.

Charlie smiled and clapped his brother on the shoulder, "I think there's hope for you yet Perce."

It took about an hour to process Fred's body in the morgue but once they were done they wasted no time getting out of the place.

As they made their way to the surgical ward, Ron noticed Dean and Ginny sitting very close together on a bench in a hallway. He called to the others as he headed toward them.

Ron gave Ginny a questioning look as he came up to them. Ginny just glared at him. He let it go. He wasn't in the mood for a confrontation with his sister at the moment.

"George still in with the healer," he asked.

"No," Ginny answered, not looking up at him, "I think he's just waiting for his ear to come back. Phlegm and Lee are in with him."

"Right," Ron said as the others arrived. They all went into the room to see George.

He was sitting up on a table smiling and laughing with a very pretty black-haired nurse. The hole where his ear used to be looked much cleaner and smoother then it had. Molly went to his side and hugged him tightly.

"Hello mum," George beamed, "get Fred squared away alright?"

Molly was still sniffling so Arthur replied.

"Yes George, Fred's in good hands."

Bill looked quizzically at George for a moment.

"What is this then, George? What are they going to do with that hole in the side of your head?"

George simply smiled.

"Glad you asked that question Bill. It seems there is a Healer that has been experimenting with certain types of prosthetics for magic folk."

"Pros…what?" Ron asked scratching his head.

"Prosthetics…They are like replacement body parts. They're not real of course but Muggles have been using them for years. Let's say a bloke looses a leg in a horrible accident. A prosthetic leg allows that bloke to walk again quite normal from what I understand."

"Wicked," Ron said.

Everyone looked shocked.

"Mad Eye Moody could have done with one of those legs, I'll bet," said Charlie.

"Nah," said Bill, "he would have just gone and gotten it blown right off again."

They all chuckled.

"Right in one Bill," George continued, "So the Healer came in and made a cast of my good ear. Now he's making a mirror-image cast of the ear and he's going to make my replacement from the new cast."

"What's it made out of?" Lee asked.

George shrugged.

"Not sure really, I suspect it will be something like our Extendable Ears. As a matter of fact, I gave the healer a set to look at. He was quite impressed with them." George smiled widely.

"How is it attached to your head," Ginny inquired?

"Probably a simple sticking charm Gin," answered Percy.

"I suspect," replied George, "but it will be removable if I want to take it off to clean it or whatever."

Lee Jordan got a mischievous gleam in his eye and he looked at George.

"Too bad it doesn't spin round or flap or something like that."

George got the same look as he stroked his chin in thought.

"Now boys," admonished Arthur, "let's not be too hasty."

As Ron stood there watching his family, he couldn't help but wonder why they weren't more sad at the thought of their son and brother stuffed in a refrigerator like so much sausage several floors below them at that moment. For a reason he couldn't quite understand he felt a growing sense of frustration as he watched them laughing and smiling and joking.

He couldn't seem to quell the anger swelling in his chest. He suddenly wanted to hit something. What he said next just seemed to come out on its own.

"I don't suppose any of you care that Fred's below us right now and he can't be here to have a go at George's new ear because he's quite DEAD at the moment."

Everyone seemed to freeze in place. Ron stepped toward George with his hands clenched in fists.

"Want to know how you really lost your ear mate? It was a curse sent by Severus Snape! That's right! It was meant to hit the Death Eater who was trying to off Remus Lupin. Snape missed and hit your ear instead."

No-one said anything. George sat on the examination table looking at Ron with an unreadable expression. He then looked around at all the others.

"Mind if I have a word in private with my gormless brother?"

It took a moment for everyone to file out of the room. Arthur hesitated for a moment looking at both his sons.

George held up a hand.

"It's alright dad. I just want to have a little chat. I swear he'll have both bullocks when I'm done."

Arthur nodded and left the room. Ron stiffened with resentment. George took a deep breath.

"What seems to be your problem Ron?"

Ron had no idea why he was so angry but he couldn't seem to quell the fury running through him at the moment.

"Seems to me you should be a bit more broke up about our brother being dead, that's all."

Still, George's face remained impassive.

"And what does that mean exactly?"

Ron just shrugged. He wasn't sure what it meant.

George looked down at his hands for a moment and then returned his neutral gaze to his brother.

"Listen to me carefully Ron. No-one in this family is more devastated by Fred's death then I am. It's as if I've lost a part of me and you can't possibly understand how that feels. I'm going to miss him every day for the rest of my life but what I will not do is dishonor his memory by moping about or hiding like a scared little rabbit under my bed."

"Our brother died a hero Ron, don't you see. Feeling sad or depressed wouldn't make anything better. Besides, he'd probably come back to haunt me…looking like toad-faced Umbridge or something just to spite me if I went moping about."

George chuckled and Ron couldn't help but crack a smile at that one. George reached out and put his hand on Ron's shoulder.

"Understand what I'm getting at?"

Ron nodded looking at his shoes.

Something occurred to George.

"Now…if Fred had gone and blown himself up creating one of our experiments then I'd be down right grief-stricken but thankfully, he didn't. He sacrificed his life for us just as so many others did so we could be free."

"Blimey, imagine what mum would have done to me if that happened. I suspect there would be a twin funeral!"

That cracked Ron up proper. George finally smiled a sad smile.

"Better now?"

"Makes sense I suppose." Ron answered but he still didn't feel quite right.

"Good…fetch Lee for me, won't you? I want to discuss with him the finer pointes of magically modifying a prosthetic appendage." He looked pointedly at Ron, "and if you breathe a word of this to the old man I'll hex warts all over your Ickle Ronnykins, got it?"

Just then a young-looking Healer walked in with a silver tray covered with a white cloth.

"Ah, speaking of said appendage!" George quipped.

Ron went out into the hall to fetch Lee. He heard them all talking in hushed tones.

"Well, I suppose we could stay at Aunt Muriel's," Molly said.

"Nonsense," Fleur announced, "`You and Ginevra must come and stay wiz us! We inseest, do we not, Bill?"

"Of course darling," Bill smiled at his bride, "I only wish I had enough room to accommodate everyone."

Molly looked a bit hesitant. Ginny looked as if she had stepped in stink sap.

"Thank you, dear," Molly said with a smile.

"What about dad and Ron," Ginny piped up a bit huffily, "Where are they going to stay?"

Arthur gave his youngest a significant look. Ginny shrank back behind Dean.

"I'm sure George wouldn't mind Ron staying with him in the flat over the shop," Lee added.

"That will do for now," Arthur said, "I can stay with Muriel for a few weeks. I'm sure she'll appreciate the company."

"Harry said we could all stay at Grimmuald Place if we wanted," Ron added.

Molly looked thoughtful for a moment. Ginny blanched three shades whiter.

"That's an idea," she said, then added, "But poor Harry's been through so much. I don't think he needs us all blustering about the only place he feels safe. Lad needs some peace and quiet."

Ginny's color seemed to return and she looked very much relieved. Ron's irritation returned. He wanted to know what was going on with his sister but that could wait. He wanted to stay at #12 but wasn't sure that anyone was even there. He figured Harry was still at Hogwarts.

He was about to tap Lee's shoulder to tell him George wanted him when they all heard a commotion at the end of the hall.

An elderly wizard in magenta robes was talking quite loudly to several harried-looking Healers.

"Arthur Weasley, have you seen him. They told me he could be found…" The old wizard looked toward them, "Ahh, Arthur there you are!"

He was stooped over, hobbling toward them with the aid of what appeared to be a very crooked cane. His breath came in wheezing gasps as he moved stiffly up the hall.

As he made his way closer, Ron could see the old man looked like he was a hundred years old. His face was folded in deep wrinkles and his eyes were drooped half closed.

Arthur moved forward to meet him.

"Penrose, what on earth are you doing here?"

The old man stopped and looked up at Arthur. When he tried to straighten up, his spine gave a nasty crack! It made everyone jump.

"Oh," Penrose groaned, "this lumbago's going to be the death of me! Had to come Arthur. Just in from the Ministry…heard Kingsley Shacklebolt's bypassed the Minister's job..."

The old man paused. When the pause stretched on for what seemed like several minutes, they realized the old man had fallen asleep standing there. He started snoring lightly.

Arthur looked at the others over his shoulder. Everyone was staring at the old man open-mouthed.

"Sherwood Penrose, oldest member of the Wizengamot." He said, as if that would explain everything.

Arthur reached out and gently gave Penrose a shake. The old man startled awake with a snort.

"I vote to allow Transylvania into the League of Wizards!" Sherwood yelled but then looked around confused, "Who are you?" He said as if stunned, "How in the name of Morgan le Fay did I get here?"

"Erm…you wanted to see me, Sherwood. I'm Arthur Weasley."

"What...On yes…of course, of course," Penrose blustered, "Shacklebolt told me he has put your name in the running for the Minister's seat, thought you'd like a leg up before the Prophet gets hold of it…MY WORD LADDY!"

The old man reared back, looking wide-eyed at Percy.

"Did anyone ever tell you you're the spitting image of Boreguard Fentwistle?"

"Beg pardon, sir?" Percy looked dazed.

Arthur looked at Percy shaking his head slightly as he took the old man by the arm and led him down the hall.

"I think it would be wise for you to head back to the Ministry Sherwood…"

Sherwood Penrose's announcement left everyone standing in stunned silence.

Charlie was the first to speak.

"Did I just hear that old codger right? Did he say dad was in the running for the Minister's job?"

"I believe so Charlie," Bill said dazedly.

They all looked at one-another. Smiles started breaking out on all their faces, all except Ron.

Ron couldn't help but think of all the times the ministry had treated his family like scourge because of their position in the conflict with Voldemort and the Death Eaters. He remembered how they conspired with the Daily Prophet to make Harry look like a complete nutter and portrayed Hermione as a scarlet women.

It annoyed him his family seemed to be getting sucked into the very thing that had kept them in abject poverty for most his young life.

Percy looked as if he was about to burst into tears. His bottom lip was quivering slightly.

"Arthur Weasley…Minster for Magic. Why that's…that's…"

"Ridiculous," Ron said loudly. He was standing back a bit from everyone else with his arms folded tightly across his chest.

"Why in the world would you say such a thing Ronald?" His mother asked with a surprised look. They were all looking at him now.

"I'll tell you why, but first," Ron looked pointedly at Lee, "George wanted to see you in the room mate…"

Lee ducked, gladly, in the door that led to George's room. When it swung closed Ron continued.

"I suppose you've forgotten how the ministry has treated us all these years. How they put dad in the worst possible positions and tried to convince everyone that Voldemort wasn't back and that Harry was a bleeding nutter…" Ron's anger was increasing with each word.

"That was before," Bill said.

"Yes," added Percy, "the Ministry was filled with spies from the Dark Lord's camp. Members were Imperiused right under our noses. Things will be much different now."

"That's provided dad even wants the job," Charlie said.

Fleur stepped from Bills arms into the middle of the group and looked around at them all with a red face.

"Listen to you! I can not believe what I am `ering. Arser Weasley would make a wonderful Meenister. `E `ees kind and generous. He `as more integrate zan any man I have ever known. He treats others weeth repsectamon. Your fazar ees a great weezard. I am surprised at you all!"

She tossed her silvery-blond main to the side as she stomped back toward Bill. She certainly got their attention.

"Oh Fleur," Molly sniffed, "You're absolutely right, of course."

"And just think," Ginny said with a bright smile, "If dad gets chosen Minister we would get to live in the Minister's mansion!"

"That's right," said Percy, "I almost forgot about that. Oh mum, you'd love it! It's got eight bedrooms!

"Eight bedrooms," Molly asked, incredulously.

"Yes," Ginny said, "that means we wouldn't have to rebuild the Burrow."

Molly looked thoughtful for a moment.

"I suppose you're right Ginny dear," she sighed, "beside, after next year you'll most all be out on your own. It will be just Arthur and I."

Her face wrinkled into sadness again.

Ron couldn't believe what he was hearing.

NOT REBUILD THE BURROW! How could they possible think such a thing?

"What do you mean, not rebuild the Burrow?" He asked, but his question was lost in a throng of excited confusion.

Just then George came out from the room with Lee looking very much normal with two ears. Everyone gathered around him to have a look.

His father then returned from ushering Penrose to the lifts and they all congratulated him on his nomination.

Ron stood there watching as his family was gathered in what could only be described as a happy celebration of these new events. He couldn't help but feel as if his whole life was being turned upside-down.

Everything was changing right before his eyes and for the first time in his life, he had no where to go. The only home he had ever known lay in ruins, destroyed by evil.

What little he did possess was gone. What remained was packed in his Hogwarts trunk. He couldn't even remember where he had left it.

He thought about Hermione. For what seemed like a brief moment he felt as if she wanted to be together but now, even that wasn't so clear.

He watched as Ginny and Dean came toward him. Ginny looked excited.

"Dad's going to accept the nomination!" She clapped and jumped as she spoke. Dean was grinning widely as he watched her.

Ron had been so absorbed in his thoughts he had barely heard a word she had said but his anger suddenly flared. He looked at Ginny darkly.

"Mind telling me what the bloody hell you're playing at?" He looked back and forth between the two of them.

Ginny's excitement evaporated instantly. A brief look of guilt flashed across her face for just an instant. She shifted her visage to one of indignation but it was too late. Ron had seen.

"What are you on about," she asked tersely.

"You know damn well what this is about!" He again looked pointedly at Dean.

Dean shifted uncomfortably and started to retreat but Ginny grabbed his arm and held him fast. She gave Ron one of her deadliest blazing looks.

"I've told you more than once Ronald, what I do is none of your business," Ginny said angrily through gritted teeth. With a flip of her long red hair, much like Fleur had done a moment before and spun around to go back to the others with Dean in tow.

Ron recoiled a moment, not sure he wanted to get involved in all of it but then Harry's face flashed across his mind.

The thought of telling him that Ginny had tossed him over for Dean was more than he was willing to take. He stepped forward, grabbed her arm and spun her round to face him. His face filled with rage.

"You made it my business when you started snogging my best mate," he yelled, "or are you pretending that little tryst last year at school didn't happen. What am I supposed to tell Harry, Ginny? He's going to ask me about you, ya' know, where you're staying and all. He's going to want to see you. What am I supposed to say?"

He was breathing heavy now. His anger and frustration was growing beyond his ability to control. He glanced up and noticed everyone else had stopped talking and was staring at them with fixed expressions on their faces. Ron suddenly didn't care any longer.

His whole life was coming unraveled right before his eyes but he was not going to let Ginny hide behind them to keep from facing the truth.

Dean looked as if he was about to throw up. He was turning a bit green around the edges. Ron just wanted to punch his lights out.

Ginny gave Ron the most stubborn look she could manage. She couldn't believe what was happening but she wasn't all that surprised. She should have been a bit more open with Ron about this, she knew but it didn't occur to her to include him. She didn't know he would go off the deep end in the middle of St. Mungo's.

She had kept her relationship with Harry a secret from the rest of the family for a reason. If the war had gone badly it would have spared her all the unwanted condolences and attention. They treated her like a child enough already.

Now she would have to explain. It wasn't something she was looking forward to. It was complicated and she felt the only one she needed to explain anything to was Harry, which she planned on doing after Fred's funeral.

Tears slid down her cheeks as she glared at her brother, who didn't seem to understand anything.

"I plan to explain everything to Harry, Ronald but I haven't exactly had the opportunity now have I?" Her voice was dangerously calm, "You can tell him whatever you like for all I care."

With that she turned and pulled Dean back toward the others who were now looking at her with surprised expressions on their faces.

As Ron stood there watching her go the weight of everything that was happening came crashing down on him. He felt dizzy and disoriented.

The walls of the Wizard hospital seemed to close in around him. He was struck with the urge to get out. He needed to leave that place before he was sick.

No one seemed to notice as he slipped silently passed them and made his way back to the first floor lobby.

The main corridors were still bustling with activity when he made is way to the front entrance lost in a fog of jumbled thoughts and emotions.

The pressing darkness encompassed him as he stepped through the plate glass store front of Purge and Dowse, Ltd. A cold, light mist was falling. It wasn't like rain. It was just enough to stick to everything.

He turned and walked absent-mindedly toward busy, crowded Muggle London. He was lost in the thought of what he was going to do. He had no money, he had no clothes or anything.

As he made his way forward with is hands shoved in his pockets, he suddenly heard girls giggling not far away. It brought him out of his reverie and he looked around for the source of the laughter.

Not far from him, standing in the shadows of some small trees that lined the busy Muggle street, he saw two women leaning against a high stone wall. They were looking pointedly at where Ron was standing.

Ron looked around him to see what they were staring at but he was quite alone on the deserted lane that ran in front of St. Mungo's entrance.

The girls shifted and started making their way toward him. He noticed they were dressed rather skimpily as they sauntered his way.

He could tell one was a bit younger than the other. The younger of the two wore some very tight jeans with a red halter top made of what looked like leather. She had blond hair that hung to the middle of her back. She was slender and very pretty but Ron thought the thick black eye makeup and bright red lipstick made her look a bit cheap.

The other woman was noticeably older the closer they approached. He could see wrinkles at the corner of her eyes and around her mouth. She also had blond hair but it was shoulder length and Ron could tell it used to be a different color. The roots at her head were almost black. She was smoking a cigarette and smiling at Ron rather suggestively.

This one was slender also and a bit taller than the younger woman. She wore a tight black mini skirt and a very tight white long sleeve blouse. It was unbuttoned so low that the top of her lacy black bra showed. She was very well…equipped.

They made their way over to Ron who just stood there gawking at the two women.

"Hello there," the older woman said, "I'm Megan and this is Cassandra. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Ron smiled.

"Hi, I'm…"

Cassandra looked at Ron with wide eyes.

"You're Ron Weasley!" She said enthusiastically.

Ron leaned back a bit.

"You know who I am?"

Megan looked at him grinning then rolled her eyes.

"Love, everyone in the bloody Wizarding World knows who you are. You're one of the Trio that dispatched old moldy shorts."

"You're witches then," Ron inquired. He realized what a stupid question that was about a second too late, "Well of course you are. How daft of me, yes?"

"Well, Cassandra here is a pure blood but I'm afraid I'm just a pathetic little squib," Megan pouted.

"Oh stop teasin' Megan," Cassandra smiled a bit dreamily at Ron, "She's Muggle born an' just as much a witch as most everyone else. Where ya' headed to sweaty?"

Ron's thoughts drifted back down the lane to St. Mungo's. He thought of how happy his family seemed in the face of the death of his brother. He thought of Hermione and how she decided being somewhere else was more important than being with him. He looked at the two women smiling at him as if he was a very rare steak.

"No where at the moment." He answered Cassandra honestly.

"Ya' know Cassie," Megan swatted her younger friend on the arm with the back of her hand, "I'll bet we could get into all the great parties with this bloke. I'll bet there wouldn't be a door closed to us if we were to show up with one of the Golden Trio on are arms."

Cassandra slipped her arm into Ron's and looked up in his face with a look of wonder. She snuggled close, pressing her body into his side.

"Whaddaya say love," Cassandra cooed, "Wanna go to some parties with us?" She pressed her lips to Ron's ear, "I promise you won't be sorry," she whispered.

Ron shuddered at Cassandra's warm breath on his ear. He looked down at her and his eyes were instantly drawn to the top of her halter. It was a lovely view.

Oh bugger!

"Yah, sure," Ron said with a Cheshire grin, "I'd love to have fun with you ladies tonight."

Megan sidled up to his other side and hooked his other arm.

"Let's go," Megan said with a devious smirk, "I know a great place to start. We'll go to Darby Danforth's for starters. I know he's got a crowd tonight. Then we can crash the shindig at The Dancing Leprechaun."

They turned toward the Muggle street and made their way off into the night.

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