Harry could hardly believe he had been at school for two months already by the time Halloween came around. It had been a great two months and he had learned lots. Such as how much of a prat Draco could be at times though Sirius seemed to have some control over him and Ron was a snappish boy that did not have many friends. Harry did try with him but he seemed to distance himself from Harry and Harry had no idea why. Still he got along very well with most of the students of his year and Neville was a great friend, Harry found studying easier with him as Neville though clumsy was smart. Harry had helped him when they went for their first flying lesson, helping him at least get off the ground and fly around the pitch with no incident and he helped him in potions too as he was his partner in potions.
Harry saw Sirius off and on too during this time, he of course had lots to do as he was head of an ancient house and so he was off doing what he had to, that and he had taken up where he had left off in dating Hestia Jones, a half blood witch with a muggleborn mother and father. When she had found Sirius innocent and free they had taken up where they had left off all those years ago in dating, Hestia, much to Sirius's surprise had never married and it seemed had waited for him. She had met Harry and Harry liked her as she always brought him muggle sweets such as mars bars and his favorite M&Ms that and she really wanted to get to know him as she had known his parents. She was a black haired pump witch with rosy cheeks and sparkling blue eyes and Harry hoped Sirius would marry her.
However he was not thinking on that as he left his last class of the day which had been charms. They had been learning the levitating charm Wingardium Leviosa and both Harry and Hermione had got it in one go. Harry couched Neville helping him get his feather off the desk. Hermione did her best to help Ron, yes she could be a bit bossy but Harry did not mind but Ron took it as an insult! He had stormed out of the class muttering at what a nightmare Hermione was and how she had no friends. Harry had kept Hermione running off in tears and faced the taller boy anger in his eyes. Ron took a step back, Harry was really intimidating when he got upset and Ron feared he would curse him. Yet Harry did something worse, in Ron's mind but something he deserved.
"How dare you speak of Hermione like that!" Harry snapped at him, "she was trying to help you!"
"I don't need the know-it-all's help!" Ron snapped back.
"You know Ron you are a prat." Neville said facing him in turn, "you think you are so much better than the rest of us? You think you have a right to treat our friend the way you did? Harry is right, Hermione was just trying to help!"
"Let's go, come on Hermione." Harry said putting a hand around Hermione who was very near tears, "It's Shepherd's Pie for lunch your favorite."
"That would be nice." Hermione said drying her eyes.
Harry went with his friends down to lunch and was joined by Su, and soon Fred and George joined them and had Hermione laughing and enjoying herself. Up at the staff table Severus had to force himself to not smile as he watched Harry laughing and enjoying himself. He was such a loving happy child, nothing Petunia had done to him had dampened that, he truly was a child of light and goodness. Sirius came that afternoon and soon a large shaggy black dog could be seen playing with the children. A fun game of "tag" between the children and dog began and the laugher of the children filled the grounds. Later that night they went to dinner and did not see Ron there, they did see Severus say something to Dumbledore during the feast and both headed out quickly. The children wondered what that was about but went back to their feast, they would find out later what had happened.
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Ron Weasley was sulking, there was no other word for it, how dare Harry and Neville pick on him? Hermione was a nightmare! She thought she knew it all and was always correcting him or Harry or Neville. Why did Harry have to stick up for him? Ron had not realized he was in the dungeons until he looked up and saw he was in a part of the castle he did not know and he tried to get back to parts he did know. After a time he realized he was hopelessly lost and things were about to get worse. He heard a grunt and smelled something horrible, like an unwashed toilet. He turned slowly and saw standing over him a large troll. He whimpered and slowly took a step back watching as the troll raised his club, Ron did the only thing he could, he had his wand out and shouted Wingardium Leviosa and watched as the troll's club left its hand and struck it hard on the foot getting it to yell out in pain.
"Get out of here!" Sirius shouted at him.
"T-troll, how?" Ron started to say.
"Go now!" Sirius shouted.
Ron did try but the troll slapped him with his hand knocking him to the wall stunning him. Sirius snarled and grabbed a battle ax from a suit of armor and attacked the Troll. Normally this would have not made a dent but this was a goblin made ax and made to take care of creatures like Trolls and Sirius was back to fine physical form. He took the head off the troll, he knew someone had brought the troll into the school and he was going to make whoever had pay dearly. However before he could he was blasted to the wall and when he tried to fight back his wand was summoned from him. He looked up in anger at Quirrell who stood over him a cold smile on his face, it clicked then who had brought the troll into the school and Sirius swore at the man before him.
"Well, well the blood traitor Black." Quirrell said with no trace of stutter. "What shall I do with you?"
"So it was you who let the troll into the school!" Sirius said, "I know what you are after and you will not get it."
"Oh after I finish with you I will." Quirrell said, "all for my master!"
"News flash he is gone." Sirius said.
"Oh I am not gone." Came another voice, "let me see him."
"Master are you sure?" Quirrell said even as he removed his turban and Sirius stared, there was another face on the back of Quirrell's head and clearly some very dark magic was used for this to happen.
"Wow, here I thought the turban was vanity, thought you were going bald but Voldy on the back of your head?" Sirius said.
"So you dare insult me?" Voldemort said, "Crucio!"
Sirius fell to his knees screaming in pain and unable to do anything more but scream for a few minutes. Voldemort/Quirrell were so focused on torturing Sirius they did not see Ron wake up. He did something that was brave and stupid at the same time, he jumped on the back of the possessed wizard and put him in the best choke hold he could all the while punching and kicking the possessed wizard. Sirius grabbed the axe and chopped Quirrell's legs out from under him just as Ron was thrown off and landed with a sickening thud on the floor. There was a scream of fury and a black mist exited Quirrell and took off speeding out of the castle while Quirrell bled out. Sirius walked up to Ron and turned him over checking for a pulse just as Severus along with Dumbledore came up.
"What happened?" Severus asked.
"Quirrell had Voldemort on the back of his head, was bringing a troll into the school, Weasley here, he dropped the troll's club on his foot, I heard the screams. He saved my life, jumped Quirrell, he needs the hospital wing, as do I."
"I will take Weasley, can you walk or do I have to levitate you?" Severus asked.
"I can walk."Sirius said.
"It looks as if I will need to find a new defense teacher." Dumbledore said. "I could teach for a time or Sirius, Sirius you would teach would you not?"
"No, I would rather dance through Diagon Alley starkers proclaiming my love for Cornelius Fudge." Sirius said.
"Ah, well then I shall have to find a teacher." Dumbledore said.
They came into the infirmary and Sirius refused care until Ron was helped and put to bed first. Then he allowed Poppy to take care of him though he did refuse to stay the night. He had to make a promise not to transform for twenty four hours to let his arm heal properly and he headed to let Harry know he was alright. He ended up telling the Gryffindors how brave Ron had been embellishing just a tab Ron's rule, he was really so very impressed with the brave young man.
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Ron woke slowly and opened his eyes and looked around in confusion, why was he in the hospital wing? He tried to sit up but felt dizzy and he fell back on his pillow, the memories of the past evening coming back to him. He looked to the nightstand and was surprised to see cards and sweets piled up on the nightstand. He realized there were two people here and he looked up to see his very worried mother and father seated over him. They both had flaming red hair, but Arthur Weasley was tall and thin while Molly was a shorter plump woman. Ron said up an apology for the night before on his tongue but before he could speak Molly was seated on the bed holding her youngest boy tightly.
"Oh Ron you had us so worried!" Molly said, "my good brave boy!"
"You saved Sirius Black by what you did, though not the way I would want you to go about things." Arthur said rubbing his back gently.
"I forgot about my wand, not much use with it anyway." Ron muttered.
"Well you were so very brave, we are proud of you." Molly said and Ron snuggled closer to his mother, he rarely got this kind of attention and it was very nice. "But please try not to get into that kind of mess again?"
"I promise." Ron said.
He let his parents fuss over him, he kept trying to tell himself he was a big boy and he did not need that but he liked being cuddled and given this kind of attention. Normally he was always on the go and too busy to or too argumentative to be as close to his parents as he really wanted but now he just relaxed for once. He looked up to see Sirius Black walk into the room a smile on his face and he took a seat, he owed this boy so much and he was going to make sure to deliver.
"Hello Ron, thank you for saving my life." Sirius said.
"I didn't do anything really." Ron said turning nearly as red as his hair.
"Oh but you did, your jumping on Quirmort saved my life, he was going for the killing curse after he finished torturing me." Sirius said, "you are going to be, no you are an amazing wizard, never doubt that."
"You are Ron, in fact if all my sons you are the one who has the warrior heard in him and will make a great Auror." Arthur said.
"You mean that dad?" Ron said brightening up.
"I do son, you are a very brave fellow."
Ron had lots of visitors that day, Fred and George came by and were told off when they tried to smuggle in a toilet seat for him. Percy brought him his homework and Harry came by to talk to the "bravest boy in Hogwarts". Everyone in the school was talking about what Ron had done and he was the hero of the day or weeks as it would turn out. It was a turning point in his relationship with Harry, Neville and Hermione, he became friends with them as they came to visit and would not leave until they were chased out. They shared sweets with him, played chess and made a fast friend. Ron would still have his moments, but they would be few and far between turning him into a nicer and more thoughtful boy.