Nobody Cared

Nov 15 thru Nov 16

15 Nov 1991 - Friday, The Burrow

Ron Weasley rested his chin upon his hand as he sat at his mother's long, kitchen table, hunched over his latest essay. For the last five minutes he had been idly tapping his quill's feather against the parchment and unwittingly causing tiny splashes of ink to add to the freckles on his nose and cheeks.

The eleven year old red-head was getting awfully tired of essays. Maybe if they had been on Charms, Transfiguration, or even stupid Potions, he might not have minded them so much, but all of his essays had been on things like manners, good behaviour, morals.

At the beginning of his suspension from Hogwarts, he'd begun with the worst bum-stinging spanking he'd ever had in his life. His mum, who usually spanked the kids (mainly because she didn't have a heavy hand) had turned the job over to Ron's father, Arthur Weasley.

Arthur Weasley had always considered himself a soft-hearted man when it came to raising his children, and never had he had to spank any of them. He'd be the one to give the lecture, and Molly would do the spanking, which was often quick, and only stung for a few minutes. This time Arthur and Molly both lectured their youngest son. To say they were disappointed in his behavior, how he had treated the young Granger girl, and how he had done nothing to prevent the final insult, would be an understatement. After the lecture from his parents, Ron was in near hysterical tears as he had been scared that his parents might ship him off to Iceland, or sell him to slavers. Oddly, as much as the spanking from his father had made him think his bum would burn with fire for days on end, it had assured Ron that despite everything, he was still wanted by his parents.

Thus began the essays. Endless writing that made the young boy dig deep into his own psyche where he had no choice but to discover how terrible what he had done to Hermione had been. He'd never admit it to anyone, not even any of his older brothers, but over the intervening weeks of essays, Ron had even wept a few times over what his words made him look into.

Ron now knew, not just in principle how bad it was what he'd done to Hermione, but he knew it deep down in his soul. He knew he just went along with the other boys because he so much wanted to be a part of those guys he thought were the popular ones. He had felt bad doing what he did, but Seamus and Dean were so good about talking him out of those feelings that he was soon squashing them down so he didn't have to listen to them. He had even initiated many of the taunts. He was disgustingly good at those.

Now, with the end of his suspension looming on the horizon, Ron's thoughts were still partly on Hermione Granger and whether or not she would forgive him (if she didn't, it would be all right with him) and whether or not he could face the other Gryffindors. To be honest, Ron was a bit afraid about going back to school. What if everyone hated him.

"Ronnie dear!" called his mother from upstairs. Molly was in her "fix-it" room which had once belonged to Bill when he was growing up. Molly did all her knitting and fixing and patching of clothing, blankets, and other such stuff that kept her family comfortable.

Ron looked up from his essay. "What is it, mum?" he shouted.

Cherry-cheeked Molly Weasley came down the stairs that coiled up to the topmost tower of the Burrow waving a letter in her hand. Ron stared at it glumly.

"Oh honey! Don't look that way," grinned Molly. "It isn't from Percy." Rule-Book Prefect Percy had written once a week spouting off his two knuts and Ron was sick of it. His parents were no help since they both thought Percy's scolding was spot on. Molly patted her youngest son. "This letter is from one of your dorm mates."

Ron didn't think it was Dean. Ron found out a few days after his suspension that Dean had been sent to live with an aunt and uncle in Wales where he would be taught the trade of a Muggle carpenter. Dean would not be allowed to use his magic again until he reached his majority, whereupon he would go to the Ministry who would determine whether or not he would ever get to use his magic again.