A Path To Be Taken (Harry Potter Fanfic)

Chapter 2: Diagon Alley

A decade had passed since the Dark Lord's defeat and wizarding families no longer had to live in fear. Despite that, fear was always lurking in the youngest Weasley son's heart but the Dark Lord was certainly not the cause.

Ronald Weasley was an awkward looking young lad. With his flaming red hair, lankiness, and a spatter of freckles on his nose that matched the unusual shade of his hair, he stood out in a crown but blended in with his siblings. And he hated it. But he'd never tell them that though. He knew there were some things he should keep to himself.

Ron and his family wandered the streets of Diagon Alley after using the floo network. While doing so, they caught the attention of passersby. "Mom, why are we even here?" Ron and his twin brothers said in sync.

"How many times do I have to tell you boys?" Molly sighed. "We're here to get Percy new robes."

"Why is everything always about that prat?" George whined, snickering along with Fred.

Ron knew that comment both annoyed and pleased him. He was used to the twins calling him that but this time it was not directed towards him. What did annoy him, though, was the fact he was going to end up with Percy's old robes. "Mom why can't I have new robes too since it is going to be my first year at Hogwarts," asked Ron.

Just as soon as the words came out of his mouth, he regretted saying anything because the look Molly Weasley gave her son could have killed him where he stood. If the look wasn't bad enough then the snide comment the twins made were a lot worse. "Oh, Merlin's beard, our little brother here thinks he should have new robes just because it's his first year at Hogwarts." "You're such a whiny prat."

There's that word again and this time it was directed at him. "You know how it works, Ronald," Fred said in his mock serious voice. "If you want something new then you'll have to either become head boy like Bill, quidditch captain like Charlie," George continued, "or you can end up like Percy and become the biggest prat the world has ever seen," they say in sync.

"Fred, George," Molly scolded, glaring at the twins, "stop calling your brother a prat. And Ron, I've told you before, there is nothing wrong with the robes you have."

"Yes there is," Ron protested.

Molly quirked an eyebrow. "Oh and what is wrong with them?"

"They belonged to Percy!" he yelled, earning a few odd stares by the people passing them.

"That's enough from you three," Molly said, "there is nothing wrong with your brother."

"Well of course you'd say that," George muttered. "You only just managed to give birth to the whiny prat."

"And there's plenty things I can think of that's wrong with him," Fred spoke up. "And I do mean besides the obvious fact that he's a prat." The twins laughed, but stopped when their mother glared at them again.

"Speaking of prats, here comes the number one self centered git himself."

"Arthur, Percy, did you get everything?" Molly asked. It was almost as if she transformed into a completely different person.

"Yes, Mother, we did," Percy said in an annoying voice that wasn't his. Not that the three youngest Weasley boys didn't already think his voice was annoying.

"Hey, Prissy, still working on your prefect voice?" Fred teased. Percy's face turned a bright red, almost brighter than their trademark Weasley hair.

"Fred - at least I think you're Fred - stop teasing your brother," Mr. Weasley said. It didn't surprise either twin that their father got them mixed up - he always did. At least he technically got it right this time.

"Only if Prissy here stops being such a prat," Fred replied, completely disregarding his father's warning.

Ron sighed. "I don't see why I couldn't have stayed at home with Charlie and Ginny. What was the point of me coming if I wasn't going to get new robes?" Ron asked, whining.

"Because Charlie has hardly seen her since her seventh birthday. He wanted to spend time with her for a late birthday present," Molly says. Ron really wanted to point out the fact that Charlie had hardly seen him since his eighth birthday and didn't even try to make up for it when his birthday had come around but he kept it to himself. To be honest, he couldn't care less about seeing Charlie. Sure Charlie had been one of his heroes when he was like six but after that the oh so great Charlie had completely ignored him. Though he would admit he would like a little more attention from his older brothers, Bill and Charlie and a lot less attention from Fred and George. "Speaking of which, we should really get back before Charlie gets home with Ginny so he can get back to Romania."

That was another thing about his eldest brothers, they lived in far away places. Bill lived somewhere in Egypt and Charlie lived in Romania. Personally, Ron was convinced that they only picked places that were far away just to escape their controlling mother, muggle obsessed father, self centered git of a brother, and their mischievous, annoying twin brothers. And frankly, he couldn't really blame them, if he was old enough, there was absolutely no doubt that he'd do the exact same thing.

"Oh, yes," their father exclaimed, as if he was suddenly remembering where he left his keys (which, by the way, he was always losing). "Well, lets hurry it on up then, boys."

They practically rushed to get everything that they hadn't already gotten before their mother yelled at them to get in the car. They all piled into the bewitched car, and just when Ron thought he was finally going to get some peace and quiet, when he finally thought he wasn't going to have to listen to his siblings, Percy opened his mouth and started a very long, very boring political conversation with their father.

He should've known peace and quiet were going to be the last things he'd ever get around them.