Of Chambers and Secrets

i: meeting a weasely

Ronald Bilius Weasely is the sixth child of Molly Prewett-Weasely and Arthur Weasely. Sporting a red, almost flaming hair with freckles to match, fading, close to tattered robes and a lean stature, there was no doubt that he was a Weasely.

As the youngest boy in the family, he was always...well, to be honest, Ron was always ignored. It seems as if he was only noticed when his brothers needed someone to pick on. Nobody picks on Ginny, because while being the youngest, the girl was no weakling. She was a fiery little thing, and this temper she had taken from their mother seems to be lacking in Ron.

Ron hated that nobody seems to see the slightest inch of marvel in him. He was always, even in his own opinion, a mediocre student at best. That did not dwell well on poor Ron. He constantly sought to be recognised, and so this lead him to do various stupid things, like losing his supposedly new friend, a certain Bran Dursely, just because he got sorted into Slytherin.

Now, Ron didn't know what to make of that fact. It was just that his brothers always told him stories of how evil the Snakes were. It was easy to goad him into believing that. After all, while mediocre, Ron was able to understand. He knew that You Know Who was a Slytherin, and that led him to conclude that Slytherins was the house made for pure evil.

Ron admits that, that was stupid move. He could be the one next to Bran, stuffing his mouth with the sweets from Zonko's, or joking with him. He seems to be a nice guy. Maybe Ron could have been able to at least improve his grades. He could, at least, have had a better First Year.

As it was, the Dursely boy was now Snape's son, and although Ron was a Gryffindor and not a Slytherin, his analytical mind knew how advantageous that would have been. Maybe he would at least have a decent partner in potions.

Ron sighed. It was no good to think of the things that was of the past. It does no good to think of his current situation: Poor Friendless Ron the Weasel.

How in Merlin's balls does everybody knew of how financially unstable Ron's family was, he doesn't know. It was an almost instant conclusion for people that Ron was a Weasely. They didn't even have to see his parents to know who they were and how poor they were.

It was, for lack of better words, annoying.

"Ronald! Breakfast!" Ron scrambled upright on his bed when he heard his mother screaming for him downstairs. Today, they were going to Diagon Alley to purchase their school supplies. At first, Ron didn't want go, but Molly insisted since she said that it would also be a good opportunity for them to bond. Besides, Ginny wanted for Ron to accompany her.

"Coming!" Ron shouted back, running as soon as he did so.

Upon going down to the kitchen, Ron saw that Ginny was now more than ready. The pink flush on her cheeks was a giveaway for the excitement she felt. Ron smiled at his only sister despite the pang in his heart. He wished he could feel how she felt. He wished he was a first year, too, so eager and dying to explore a whole new world.

"Aren't you excited, Ronnie?" Out of all the Weasely brood, only Ginny was allowed to call Ron as 'Ronnie'. The others would be welcomed by a punch in the gut. "I'm in first year now! We get to be in the same school!" She flashed him a grin and since her excitement was contagious, Ron let out a grin of his own.

"Here, Ron," Arthur passed the bowl of food to the hands of his youngest son. Ron took it and mumbled his thanks. His father dutifully went back to the paper he was reading. Around the table, the others were boisterous. Fred and George were snickering like schoolgirls, while Percy ate his food without much noise, head held high as though he was better than everyone else.

Nobody else noticed, but Ginny's look of pure excitement faltered just as soon as she exhibited it. Ron eyed his sister with a look of concern, but did not voice it out. Instead, he dug in his food.