32) Hogwarts Letters

Hermione looked at the chaos the boys were making. Fleamont was chuckling at the antics of them while Euphemia Potter was scolding them for their recklessness they had done as they brought mud to the sitting room with their shoes.

At that moment, she heard a flutter of Owls and looked up to the window to see five barn owls flying towards the sitting room. They arrived within seconds and each of them had letters tied to their legs. There was only two weeks remaining for Hogwarts, normally they would have received their letters till now but sixth years have to wait for their OWLs results too which was sent with the Hogwarts letters making it late for them.

"Looks like your Hogwarts letters have arrived along with the OWLs results. James, don't try to sneak off" Fleamont said amusedly and the last part a little pointedly as he saw his son fidgeting on his seat clearly trying to get away sneakily from the situation.

The owls arrived and perched on the table, Hermione and the others walked up to the owls and began to untie the letters under the gaze of both Potter parents. At that time the floo was heard and both Charlus and Dorea Potter came out with green swish of flames.

"Charlus, Dorea; you all are on time. They just received their OWls results and Hogwarts ones too", Euphemia Potter spoke up warmly as she looked in to her brother in law and his wife.

"Really, how did you do Harry? I hope that you didn't slacked off" Dorea spoke eagerly with a warning etched on her tone. She had personally taught them transfiguration and potions when they had gone to Ministry to give OWLs exams which was necessary for their backstory.

Harry gave a small smile at the woman whom he had started to consider as a mother figure. Dorea and Charlus Potter were the closest thing to a parent that he ever had. Lily and James Potter couldn't be counted as he couldn't even remember them fully well only depending and learning about them in stories told by others. Dorea and Charlus were more like his parental figure now and he was attached to them fully. How could he not? noone had been there for him the most when he needed them. It was the regular for him but then after arriving in the past, the more he remained with Charlus and Dora, the more he understood about the power of love which Professor Dumbledore always spoke about. He had something to protect now and he will die before Voldemort getting his hands on them.

He opened the OWLs results and scanned them and let out a small smile seeing the results.

Dorea Potter took the letter which Harry offered and read them.

"Outstandings in Defence, Charms, Transfiguration and Exceed Expectations in Astronomy, Care of Magical Creatures, Potions and an Acceptable in Divinations while Poor in History of Magic" Dorea commented as she passed the paper to Charlus.

"Not bad Harry, you did good infact better than I thought" Dorea said with a small smile at the raven haired boy.

Fleamont meanwhile prodded Ron who was sitting besides him, Euphemia had gone over to James and Sirius to see their marks.

Fleamont actually preferred Ron over Sirius and James to deal with. While he cared for his son and friend, they were not the ones he needed to invest himself in now.

Harry was indeed the boy who lived and carried a great burden but he was finally happy that he was with his family. Ron and Hermione were however two different matters.

They could have abandoned Harry and let for their peaceful way but they each had a heart of gold in them. Fleamont recognised and respected that type of people heavily, Ron had no need to associate himself and tag along with Harry but he was always coming back to Harry even after tough times which showed his character. The boy was a teenager and ofcourse there were actions which he had done out in the heat of heightened feelings but Fleamont never hold out such things against someone.

Merlin knew how many actions and insults he had partaken and thrown in the heat of the moment. Enough to recognise and admit that he was a right prat during teenage years, age had given him a maturity and wisdom which he dearly wanted to impart to his reckless son. He was not blind to his son's bad habits but he had let him continue it, Euphemia was too doting as James was born when both of them had given up on having a child.

Ron and Hermione missed their families and while he had taken both of them under his wing and taught them potions to make up for company they craved. Harry was attaching himself while it was still strange for both Ron and Hermione to deal themselves.

The boy clearly liked the girl but he was not going to go over and ask her out. Fleamont found the whole thing amusing to no end.

The boy had a great tactical mind which was evident from the way how he slayed him totally in chess matches. Even Albus couldn't defeat him so soundly like the boy. The task for Fleamont was to make the boy apply his that tactical mind to use more often than just playing chess. He had talks with the boy and the boy was slowly opening up and it gladdened him that he was doing so.

"How did you do Ron?" Fleamont asked eagerly looking at the boy.

"Outstandings in Charms and Potions and Exceed Expectations in Transfiguration, Care of Magical Creatures, Astronomy and Defence and a dreadful in History of Magic" he replied happily looking at Fleamont with a thankful smile on his own face.

"That's better than even mine. I received a troll in History of Magic in mine" Fleamont said with a small laugh.

"Huh, you all are still below than my protege. See Hermione got all Os in every subject" Charlus spoke up excitedly as he looked at his charge. While Ron was taken by Fleamont to make him study potions with him, Hermione was taught Defence by him. The girl was a quick learner and prodigious student.

Ron simply rolled his eyes, leave Hermione to score all Os in everything. There was a time where he would have a little jealous but it was now no longer there. Ron understood the stakes now, he had messed things before and Uncle Fleamont has been teaching him to see the bigger picture nowadays which was strangely easy for him. He had shared things with the old man that even he hadn't done with Harry, and for some strange reason he felt nice in it.

If he became a little careless now, things would go very wrong. He didn't know how and why he came here along with Harry and Hermione but they needed to fix things up and perhaps save as many lives as he could. This was afterall the first wizarding war, a war about which he had only heard through haunted tales and weeping storied told by witches and wizards alike.

_____________________________________

I don't know if you feel it or not but Ron Weasley was done slightly dirty in movies according to me.