Chapter 3: Awards, Electives and Disagreements. Part 6

Over the years that Harry has known him, Ron has not even put in the effort to be the Head Boy, not even the prefect position that he so unjustly received. You could say he put some effort at quidditch. But all that effort is worthless if he did not act on his convictions and beliefs. Case and point, the game against Slytherin. He let the singing get to him and crush his beliefs. Even the horcrux hunt, as soon as his belly was filled, he returned. Harry will not let a lackluster human being affect his choices this time around. He is no longer the weak fool he was. He went through hell and back with a soul sucking leech in his person. He is much stronger as a person than he was before. If Ron wanted to still be his friend, he must be the one to give a proper effort and remain true to his convictions.

After few minutes of silence, Harry spoke softly. So much so that he could be mistaken for whispering, "Ron, I made my decision based on what I want to do with my life. You can't force me to do what you want to do. I want to be a better wizard. I want to make sure I live past seventeen and there is nothing you can say to change my mind. If you want to remain friends, you can respect my choice."

Ron scoffed and taunted, digging a deeper grave, "How are you going to live if you become a bookworm? One Hermione is enough for the group," Harry saw Hermione drop her head slightly from the corner of his eyes. Harry gave Neville a subtle look, Neville responded with a nod and moved closer to Hermione and took her hand. Harry gave a thankful glance at the Longbottom Heir.

The youngest Weasley male, unaware of the shifting dynamics continued, "It is not like runes and arithmancy are going to help you survive. You need to live mate! Classwork is not going to save you," he added smugly as if he already won the argument.

Harry just raised an eyebrow and asked, "Are you done? Because that was the most flawed reasoning I have ever heard! First of all, I do not even know if you noticed that you insulted my best friend," Ron looked to object at that, but Harry silenced him by raising his hand, "Oh get off your high horse. You think you are my best friend, you were a friend, but after listening to dig your own grave a few minutes ago, I am quite sure Hermione is my best friend," he saw her spirits perk up slightly, and that damn Longbottom giving him a slight knowing smile.

Harry continued, "It was her thirst for knowledge that allowed us to find the monster and finish it. Not only did she find the monster, but she also gave the clue to save your sister. One would think that you would grow a brain and start realizing the truth. Besides what I survived last night was through pure luck and nothing else. I do not want to survive based on luck ever again. I want to have a say when my life is at stake.

"I want to have more options in my hand and not burden Hermione whenever I have a problem or plan some harebrained scheme. Additionally, it was Neville's knowledge on herbology that helped save many petrified students, some of whom were Gryffindors," he slowly drew his hand around the common room, whose attendants were now looking at the ongoing proceedings with awe and trepidation. Through the whole speech, Harry was surprisingly calm and that unnerved everyone within earshot. The Weasley Twins and Percy were looking on somberly, clearly not happy with their younger brother. Percy felt more than a little insulted with Ron's insinuations, thus he let Ron keep digging his grave.

Ron turned a shade of red brighter than his own hair. He snarled back, pointing his finger at Neville and Hermione, hammering another nail to his coffin, "Oh, so they are the ones who put you up to this. Don't you see? They don't want us to be friends. First, they ask you to share our glory with them. We went down to the chamber not them. Now they want to get rid of me!" as if he had another bright idea, he sagely nodded, and the Weasley smugly stated," I know what they did, they potioned you with something! Hermione is smart enough to make some and Neville knows where to get the stuff. Why else would you want to hang out with a squib and a book worm."

The whole common room sucked in a breath; they could not believe the words out Ron's mouth. At this point, Hermione covered her mouth and tears started to flow down her cheeks. Neville looked furious, so much so that he was clenching his fist in preparation to punch a hole through the Weasley.

Harry looked at Ron in disbelief, who took that as a chance to continue his tirade, "Don't you see, we need to get you Madame Pomphrey right way! Who knows that the potions will do to you? Or worse make you do things you don't want to do. Let's go I will forgive you after she cures you," once again Ron reached out to take his hand, and Harry slapped him down much more forcefully this time. What on earth is this living food stain going on about.

Harry took a moment to gather himself. He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. No one in the common room moved, but the prefects and older students were ready to intervene at a moment's notice. He opened his eyes and slowly spoke, his smooth voice laced with authority and disdain, "Ronald, do you know how ludicrous your theory is? First, Hermione was in the Hospital Wing till lunch and I was not in the common room for a good part of the day today. Your brothers would attest to me being alone," the Twins nodded solemnly, depicting the truth of his statement, "and I came back to the common room since breakfast for the first time today. Pray do tell how they would even concoct such a ridiculous plan?

"Another thing, there is no our glory," he directed his gaze towards the rest of the common room, and claimed, "The only one who entered the Chamber of Secret, killed the monster, and saved Ginny Weasley was me. I do not know what lies he has been telling," pointing to the sputtering figure of the youngest male Weasley, "but it may as well be lies. Ron was with that fraud Lockhart, whose memory charm backfired right back at him," murmurs arose at the end of the statement, it seemed like Harry was right, Ron was mixing falsehoods and glorifying the tale in his favor. Before Ron was about to do anything rash, the Twins grabbed him by both his arms and dragged him away.

Percy wore an apologetic expression directed towards the three of them, as he walked closer to Harry. He stiffly said, "I apologize Ms. Granger, Mr. Longbottom and Mr. Potter, for that slight on your character by my brother. I will write a letter to my parents right away; such a misdemeanor must be reported to them right away and I hope that they take appropriate actions. I and my brothers would push for an appropriate punishment over his lack of decorum. Would you like me to push for any formal disciplinary measures here at Hogwarts?"

Harry looked at the other two, seeing them shake their heads in denial, Harry replied in a formal tone, "Thank you Mr. Weasley for your kind words. We do not believe that any formal action is necessary as of right now. However, if he is to act out of hand again, we will move to more formal measures," Percy was caught off guard by the formal tone but understood what Harry did. He treated Percy as an equal and dealt with the problem like two adults. Percy nodded appreciatively at him and said, "If that is your wish Mr. Potter, then so be it. I thank you for not responding with any physical or magical means," Harry mutely nodded, and Percy gave a short bow and retreated into another corner of the common room to speak to the other prefects.

Harry walked towards Hermione, sat down next to her, and put an arm around her shoulders. She leant against his shoulder and sniffled slightly. Neville pulled back his hand and gave a subtle nod and walked away. Neville, the master of subtle social signs.

After a few minutes, Hermione murmured into his shoulder, "Do you really mean that I am your best friend?"

He smiled and held her closer, "With all my heart, and I was not saying that to taunt Ron. You have always been there for me."

Hermione looked up at his face and met his gaze with her chocolate brown eyes. She gave him a watery smile, "You seem different, but you are still Harry. Except a lot better."

Harry chuckled, "My best friend was petrified, and I just slew a thousand-year-old monster. Life for Harry Potter does change when he goes through a few troubles here and there."

She swatted his arm and leant in closer, and they held their silence until Neville came and mentioned that it was dinner time. He got up and offered his arm and she shyly took his offer. He then walked in silence with her to the Great Hall walking in hand in hand, with that damn Neville giving him knowing looks and sly smiles every time he looked back. Wait till I get to tease you silly Mr. Longbottom, I will make you change your name to Sillybottom when I am done with you. Harry huffed and maturely poked his tongue at Neville. Their ridiculous byplay was not lost in Ms. Granger's eyes.

She rolled her eyes. Boys, they have all the subtlety of a troll. Or even less so.

They ate their dinner in silence, and Harry dragged them to a nearby classroom after dinner and explained the details of what happened inside the Chamber of Secrets. Neville and Hermione were left horrified by the fact that Voldemort was the one who possessed Ginny Weasley using the diary and that there was a basilisk inside the Chamber of Secrets. Hermione gave him one of her trademark hugs at this point. Their horror did not abate when he killed the said basilisk and being simultaneously being bit by the now-dead basilisk. He told of Fawkes contribution, the destruction of the diary, the meeting with Dumbledore and the freeing of Dobby. Soon, it was almost time for the curfew and they hurriedly made their way to the Gryffindor Tower. It did not take long for sleep to take over an emotionally exhausted Harry Potter.