19 ch 19

"...that has not been approved by the High Inquisitor will be expelled."

Umbridge's eyes caught mine as she finished reading off the Educational Decree Number Twenty-Four. She had a tight smile plastered on her face that slowly faded once she saw my broad grin, not surprised at her actions at all.

She will approve the DA. My mind supplied as the students around me filled the great hall with noise at her proclamation.

"What just happened?" Hermione asked from my side.

"The ministry is afraid Dumbledore is raising an army." Harry spoke up in response to her question.

"They might be onto something." I whispered to them with a smile. "She'll approve the DA."

"And if she doesn't?" Harry asked.

I met his emerald green eyes with my own. "Then Hogwarts will have a scandal." I answered with a wink.

"Come in." Umbridge called out from inside her office.

I obliged her and entered the pink nightmare she called her office. My hand tensed ready to draw my wand in case of some type of ambush.

I looked around the room and saw nobody else inside. That doesn't mean anything. I thought as I tried to find the signs of a disillusionment charm, I found nothing.

"Mr. Weasley, how can I help you." She stated after looking up from her desk.

"You will approve the Defense Association." I stated simply, thinking of no reason to be nice about the situation.

She folded her hands and a false smile spread across her face. "Will I?" She asked me as she opened a drawer on her desk.

I saw the photo before she laid it before me. It was the same photo I took of her torturing Harry in detention. The same photo that kept her in check.

And she thinks she has the original. I thought to myself.

I started laughing and her smile faded from her face.

"What is so funny, Mr. Weasley. I have your blackmail material." Umbridge bit out at me, trying to keep her cool.

I chuckled again. "Oh do you?" I asked but said nothing else. How will she play this?

"Yes. You can't trick me, Ronald. I know men like you, I've dealt with them my whole life. I knew you couldn't keep it on your person the entire time, so I had it taken." She paused for a moment before continuing. "You think this is the first time I have been blackmailed before? You have no idea the games that are played in the Ministry."

I laughed again at her arrogance, and her stupidity. "You really are an idiot, aren't you?" I asked.

Her eyebrows furrowed in anger and she was about to speak again but I beat her to it.

"Shut up and listen for a moment." I told her as I reached into my robes. She tensed as if expecting me to draw and I saw her eyes flicker to her own wand that was sitting on her desk, within arms reach.

"Don't worry, I will not attack you professor." I told her as I paused, so that she wouldn't do anything stupid. I slowly withdrew my arm from my robe and showed her another copy of the same photo sitting on the desk.

"You think I would be so stupid to leave the original copy in my trunk?" I asked rhetorically. "No doubt, Percy had a hand in this. He never did think too highly of me." I continued. "But to be honest, neither of these are the original copies, that is in a very safe place."

I finally noticed the potion sitting on her desk, hidden behind a book. "Go ahead, I'll prove it. Use the potion." I told her pointing to the ink colored liquid.

Her eyes narrowed and then flickered to the potion. She said nothing as she did as I told her and uncorked the bottle. Umbridge wasted no time in pouring a few drops on the photo, and watching the ink colored liquid go to work.

The picture soon filled up to become pure black, ruined.

I continued to hold up my copy of the photo, unbothered. I continued to watch it, waiting for her to understand that I wasn't lying. The photo didn't change.

"Do you understand now, Professor?" I asked her with another broad grin. I quickly deposited the photo into one of the many pockets of my robe.

She didn't answer me, her face showed anger and fear as she looked back down to the ruined photo on the desk before glancing at her wand.

"Oh please do, toad. Please reach for that wand, give me an excuse." I told her as I watched her think of a way out.

She did nothing but frown and think for the next few minutes. Finally she straightened up and plastered her fake smile back on her face.

"This is not over, Mr. Weasley." Umbridge told me.

"I hope not." I responded. "Now, the reason I came here."

She clenched her jaw, hard enough for me to notice it, and then she picked up a pen and paper and started writing.

Finally. I thought to myself as I looked at the runic chalk in the shape of a triangle.

At the point of triangle was a set of three ingredients, each set was dedicated to a specific change that I wanted to make.

"Ready, mate?" Harry asked beside me.

"Yeah, let's go over it one more time." I told him.

"We've been over it four times already, it's ready." He responded. "It won't be like my ritual."

He then pointed to one tip of the triangle. "One point to focus on improving the strength of the wizard's magic and body. With the wizards magic being the main focus and the body last, as it should be."

Harry was only half right. Common ingredients found in the strengthening solution and the strength potion sat at one point of the triangle. There would be no effects on the body or magic immediately, instead it helped build a foundation. The more you exercised the magic and body, the faster it would improve.

"This one is to focus on magical endurance, with a side focus on the body as well." Harry continued as he walked around the triangle.

The next point that his finger pointed at held ingredients found in the invigoration draught, the vitamix potion, and the girding potion. This would focus on building a foundation for improving the energy and endurance of the body and magic of the wizard performing the ritual. It was purely for stamina improvement.

"And lastly, recovery." Harry finished simply.

The last point of the triangle was dedicated to recovery, just like Harry stated. Ingredients from the pepper-up potion and also, funnily enough, a common hangover potion lay next to each other ready to go.

"Now strip and get into the ritual." Harry said still pointing.

I did as I was told and began to peel off layer after layer.

"Couldn't each aspect of this triangle, have it's own ritual? It seems incredibly complex, you could get better results…" Harry asked while his eyes read over the ritual book again.

I rolled my eyes because he must not have read the description fully. "If you read the whole thing then it would tell you that it is not as you described it earlier."

His eyes darted back down to the page and turned it to read. I finally got down to my underwear and paused for a moment.

Fuck it. I thought as I stripped down to my birthday suit.

"Oh, this just builds a foundation, it doesn't actually do anything to you right now. What's the point of it then?" Harry asked me closing the book.

"Well, it was designed by Godric Gryffindor, so there is that. I read over that thing…" I said pointing towards the ritual book."...many times and I couldn't find a body altering ritual that didn't risk something mental. I am not willing to pay that price, so this is the next best thing." I told him.

"This will speed up the rate in which my magic and body improve, drastically. Do you even realize how much we have been casting the past few months?" I asked him seriously. "We have classes, and then we have the DA, AND then we have our extra curricular learning. This is gold for you and me." I paused once again. "This will lessen the gap between us and the giants of this world like Voldemort and Dumbledore."

Harry just sat there thinking for a while and I realized that I had been standing there naked for the whole explanation of the ritual. I tried my best to not blush as I walked into the ritual triangle.

Harry said nothing as I sat down criss-cross applesauce.

"Ready?" He asked me.

"Just don't interfere." I told him and I got a nod of approval.

Without warning I poured my magic into the ritual and focused my mind on what I wanted to accomplish. I wasn't sure what I expected to happen but the slow tingling that ran up my foot wasn't it. It started at my toes and slowly ran its way up my legs, to my torso, and finally my head.

It finished with a shiver and I looked around the ritual to see if it was done. I realized just as my magic lurched that that was only the stamina portion of the ritual.

The strength portion of the ritual started and it felt like there was a wall around my magic, squeezing and condensing it before letting it go. Distantly, I realized that my muscles were flexing subconsciously. The ritual continued the actions on my body and magic about five more times before it stopped.

Luckily the recovery portion of the ritual only gave me a mild sense of vertigo for a few seconds before it passed and the ritual chalk turned completely black, to signal the end of the ritual.

I stood up and stumbled a bit before getting my footing. "Well, that wasn't so bad."

Apparently, the ROR had seen fit to give Harry a chair to sit in and watch me. He looked up from the ritual book in his hands.

He wasn't even watching me? I asked myself. I have such caring friends.

Apparently the betrayal showed on my face. "Relax, I watched the important parts." Harry responded seeing my reaction.

I just shook my head as I got dressed again.

"Is it my turn yet?" Harry asked.

I looked at him like he grew a second head. Did he forget we agreed no more rituals until we figure out what happened with the last one.

"Absolutely not."

The days turned into weeks and the weeks turned into a few months. Yule approached, and with it my early OWL examination.

During the week I went to class, I helped teach the DA, and made time for everything else Harry and I were working on in our spare time. The DA continued to grow, little by little. Eventually, even Luna Lovegood joined. That was the most peculiar interaction I had ever had with someone. Neville started improving and gaining in confidence with his new wand, he always expresses his gratitude to me.

Saturday's were spent with Fleur. We would go on dates around London, it was mostly muggle dates, which she seemed to love. Saturday night we would be wrapped around each other, expressing our love through our bodies. Some Sunday's I would be back at the castle by noon because she had plans, sometimes we would spend the day together lazing about. Our relationship deepened even further, and now I couldn't help but wonder if it was too early to propose. I still don't have an answer.

Hagrid returned from his trip to the giants, injured and unsuccessful, just like in the books. I suspect a meeting with his half-brother will happen soon. Umbridge continued to play her games but has yet to try anything against me. And oddly enough, I haven't seen Theodore Nott since that day we dueled. I was sure I would get him to believe me, and I would have an inside man in Voldemort's ranks. Alas, it was not meant to be.

I thought that I had my back covered, I thought that I had accounted for everything in the books and I was ready. But when Harry woke up one night screaming, something he never does anymore, I suddenly remembered that I was wrong.

"NO, DON'T!"

I woke up with my wand in hand and quickly through a magical light to the top of the room so that I could see.

I hopped out of bed when I realized it was Harry that screamed. He was sitting up and looking around frantically.

I was beside him quickly, grabbing his neck and forcing him to look at me. I sent a small mental probe, thinking Voldemort was in his head. He threw me out with extreme force.

"Harry! Pull it together, mate. What happened?" I asked.

His eyes focused and then turned to horror. "Your dad."

My heart dropped and I realized that my father had just been attacked my Nagini at the ministry. I turned and ran out of the rooms, I leapt down the stairs and felt my ankles and knees groan in protest, but I kept running.

Suddenly the wall that held the common room door was blown open and I realized that it was my doing.

Fuck, get it together. I told myself as I reigned in my emotions and magic with occlumency while still running.

I knew that, in the books, Arthur was fine and we get to him in time but in my panicked state it didn't register. I have changed a lot after all.

I realized that I had been running on autopilot as I approached Dumbledore's office. I rounded the corner and was shocked to see Dumbledore already outside his office with his wand in hand.

When I appeared around the corner unexpectedly, the Elder Wand pointed my direction but didn't cast.

"Mr. Weasley?" He asked confused.

"Headmaster, my father has been attacked by Tom's snake." I rushed out of my mouth.

His eyes hardened. "Was that you that blew a hole in the castle?"

Then I realized why he was outside of his office at this time of the night. He thought we were under attack.

"Yes, sorry. I'll explain later, my father doesn't have a lot of time." I responded.

He nodded and the Elder Wand rose again. "Expecto Patronum." He cast and our poured an ethereal phoenix. He began whispering to it and when he was finished it flew off into the night, faster than I had ever seen a patronus move.

I could hear footsteps behind me and I turned to see Professor McGonagall walking down the hall with Harry beside her.

"Headmaster! Headmaster!" She cried, trying to get his attention.

"I know, Minerva. Mr. Weasley has already told me of the situation." Dumbledore cut her off.

"There is a hole leading into my common room and.." She continued.

"I know, Minerva." Dumbledore said with a bit more steel in his voice. She shut her mouth then.

"Would you be so kind to retrieve the other Weasley's and bring them to my office, Minerva? The password is licorice." Dumbledore asked and told her at the same time.

She just nodded her head and walked away, leaving me and Harry to stand there. "You two need to get dressed. Meet back here, I suspect we will find Arthur any second now."

I turned to do as he asked but apparently Harry had a different idea. "Kreacher!" Harry barked out.

The house-elf in question appeared before us with a 'pop'. "Filthy half…"

"Enough." Harry interrupted him and I swear his eyes glowed green for a moment. "Does Ron still have robes at home?" He asked the house-elf.

Kreacher nodded. "Yes, master."

"Good, fetch both of us some robes, it will be a long night." Harry commanded and Kreacher nodded and disappeared with another 'pop'.

"Or that." Dumbledore commented from beside us.

Two sets of robes appeared floating before us.

"Thanks, Harry."

I hate this place. I decided as I looked around the waiting area of St. Mungo's.

Fred and George sat beside me, oddly tame and quiet. Molly sat separate us, knitting something in her hands while Ginny paced around the room. Harry leaned against a wall with his back to all of us, facing Hermione who leaned against the same wall, they held a whispered conversation.

I currently had my notebook out, writing to Fleur to let her know what was going on. I didn't expect her to respond, but I needed something to help focus my thoughts. Kreacher grumbled about retrieving it for me but he did it all the same.

A door opened on one side of the room just as I finished writing and shoved the notebook back into my robes and we all turned to see a healer step out. "Weasley?" He asked us.

Molly leapt up. "Yes. Is he.."

The healer interrupted her. "Yes, he is fine. I have prescribed blood-replenishers at regular intervals. He should be able to leave in a few days."

I like him. I thought to myself as he answered all of our questions without even hearing them. The room collectively sighed in relief.

"You can see him if you would like." The healer continued when no one spoke up.

We all stood up at once and moved towards the door he came out of. "That's what I thought you would say." He said as he turned around to lead us.

We passed through many different wards of the hospital, including the mental ward I knew Neville's parents and Gilderoy Lockhart stayed at.

Harry and I brought up the rear of the group so I leaned in and pointed to the mental ward. "Neville's parents, Gilderoy." Was all that I told him and he looked curiously at the door.

Soon enough we walked into a room that housed three people. One was a woman and she was missing a significant portion of her leg, her chart read 'unknown bite' at the top. The other was a man whose arm had bite marks that looked really similar to a werewolf's bite shown in the DADA books.

Arthur lay there, with his eyes closed, until he heard our approach. When they opened, he smiled big.

Molly arrived first and her hands traced his head, going over his forehead and jaw over and over while trying to hold it together.

"I'm fine, I'm fine, Molly." Arthur spoke and patted the seat next to him.

Satisfied, Molly straightened herself up and found the lone seat next to the bed.

Harry and Hermione fell back as we all went forward and hugged him and got our own time with him. The whole time the healer stood by and watched us while checking up on the other patients in the room. I knew he was looking for a good opportunity to send us away so Arthur could rest.

The door opened and in walked Bill and Percy.

Bill I expected, but Percy? I thought to myself as I nodded to both of them.

Percy's eyes lingered on mine for far too long, almost like he knew something about me. Is he mean mugging me?

Bill went first and hugged Arthur, whispering in his ear. Arthur just nodded at him as he patted his hand.

Percy was next. "I am glad you are ok, father." He forced out of his throat.

My anger rose, as I suspected what was about to happen.

"Thank you. I am glad to see you, son." Arthur responded.

Percy didn't say anything, and his face twisted into anger. He turned to the rest of us. "You see what this farce has caused us. What Dumbledore has caused?"

My anger rose even higher and I tried to force it back down.

"Percy!" Molly squealed.

"That's enough!" Bill roared.

All the while Percy talked over them. "There is no reason he should have been there! Dumbledore has filled your heads with lies."

"This proves he is searching down there, you buffoon!" Bill screamed at him. "I brought you to show you this, not so you could try and lecture us."

"It proves nothing." Percy answered.

My anger rose another level and I reached out to my wand in comfort, that was the wrong thing to do. It sang to me, telling me to let my will be known.

The next thing I knew, my hand was on Percy's throat. Percy was flush against the wall next to Arthur's bed, held there by magic. The wall had cracks in it that were spreading slowly.

My hand was yanked from his throat but my magic held him on the wall as someone pried me off of him and dragged me backwards. Percy's face was red and his mouth was open as if he couldn't breath.

Suddenly Fleur's face was in front of me and her hands gripped my cheeks. Her mouth moved but I couldn't hear her.

What is going on? I thought and my brain finally processed what was happening. I clamped down on my emotions and my magic. Percy fell from the wall and finally I could hear again.

There were multiple crashes around me and I looked around to see tables, charts, chairs, and other things bouncing on the ground as if they had just fell.

"Ron." Fleur whispered as she turned my head back around to her. "Calm down, love."

"I'm sorry, I've got it." I told her as I shook my head and started blinking while taking stock of my body. My wand and magic vibrated in pleasure and I could actually feel a difference in the ...density?... of my magic. It is nearly impossible to describe.

The first signs of the ritual working. I thought to myself. And it couldn't have been a worse time to do it.

I looked around the room and discovered that it was Harry that forced me off of Percy, who was lying on the ground sucking in air and coughing. Harry's wand was in his hand and I realized he must have had to fight off my own magic to even get close. Only Bill was advanced enough or strong enough to get his wand in his hand and even then he was on the ground like everyone else. Now that I looked, Fleur also had her wand in hand and my heart dropped at the thought that I might have hurt her.

Everyone looked at me warily and I heard shuffling behind me to find Dumbledore and Kingsley Shacklebolt walking down the hallway.

Fuck. I summed up in my mind as I noticed how bad I fucked up.

"I'm sorry, Fleur. I didn't hurt you did I?" I asked turning back to her and looking her over again.

She didn't get a chance to answer because Dumbledore made his presence known. "What happened?"

"I lost control again, like at the castle." I told him quickly.

He looked around the room at the destruction and I could tell his mind was racing. He turned back to Kingsley and whispered in his ear.

"Absolutely, look at the damage." Kingsley shot back.

Fuck, I'm in trouble. My mind supplied knowing that there would be repercussions to this.

"What about accidental magic?" Dumbledore asked.

Kingsley frowned and looked back to him. "How could you prove that?"

My mind connected the dots and I spoke up. "Check my wand. I didn't cast anything."

My wrist made a complicated motion, one that I knew Kingsley would recognize but hoped he wouldn't say anything. My first wand, the same wand that I replaced after the 'merge' shot out of my wrist into my hand.

I twirled it and presented the auror with it hilt first. He gave me a knowing look but didn't say anything as he snatched it out of my hand.

His own wand ran over it and he muttered an incantation. He stared at it for a while longer. "It's clean, no spells." He spoke loudly for everyone to hear.

"Good." Dumbledore said as his wand whipped through the air. He did not speak but everyone saw the Elder Wand sing as the room repaired itself. Stone melted back together, chairs and tables righted themselves, and charts found their way back to the beds.

One of the healers spoke up afterwards. "That's tampering with evidence!"

Dumbledore faced them. "Oh? The nice auror here deemed it a simple case of accidental magic. I thought I might fix the damage for you." He said acting like a kind old man again, without his normal eye-twinkle.

I almost laughed out loud but decided against it, considering the circumstances.

Fleur's hand found my own and squeezed it.

It's good being a favorite of Dumbledore's.