Chapter 10: Ron Returns

The next day, Ron returned.  He'd been hiding out in the Shrieking Shack, cared for by Lupin who had removed the Imperious curse.  Mrs. Weasley had know where he was, but had not been able to visit him, afraid she'd be followed by an auror. 

Scrimgeor, the Minister of Magic had been determined to throw him in Azkaban, even though he might be under an Imperious curse, even though it wouldn't have been strictly legal. It seemed that many civil liberties had been suspended because of the attacks by the Evil Ones.  There were some who wondered which was the larger threat, the loss of liberties or Voldemort.

Once Madam Pomfrey had reported that the spell used on Harry wasn't an irreversible one, the Ministry of Magic no longer had any authority.  It had become a school matter, subject to Hogwart's discipline.  Because Ron had been under an Inperious curse -- and school was out anyway -- Professor McGonagall could see no reason to impose punishment.

All prepared to leave Hogwarts.  Even Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey would be leaving for the summer.  Only Hagrid and Filch would remain.  They would have elves to help them care for the place.

Ron had gone to see Harry as soon as he had returned.  "Blimey, Harry," he said.  "I'm sorry I used the Infantiliamus curse on you.  I thought I'd ruined you for good.  Are you all right?"

"Yes," lied Harry.  He saw no need to tell Ron about the potion he'd used.  Although he might never have used it had Ron not used the spell on him, it had been his decision.  Ron hadn't forced him to dip his genitals into the potion.  "They've been restored," Harry added.

"I was so mad that you were boffing Ginny, I couldn't see straight.  It was the Imperious curse.  I -- I guess I don't like the idea of anyone boffing my sister, but she's boffing Dean now; and I'd rather it be you than he.  What happened between you and Ginny?"

"Dean could give her what I couldn't."  Harry was trying to suppress the anger he felt toward Ron.  Imperious curse of not, he had cost him Ginny -- and through Harry's reaction to the effects of the spell -- his genitals.

"Bloody Hell.  Because you didn't have a dobber?"

"Because I didn't have one that worked.  Mine was an inch long.  Dean has a seven inch pecker.  I guess I couldn't blame Ginny for choosing his over mine."

"I'm sorry, Harry," said Ron.  "I guess I really messed things up for you.  Ginny, though, she should have stuck by you."

"Ginny likes sex."  He didn't think Ron would like to hear such things about his sister, but it was the truth, and -- at the moment -- Harry wasn't feeling too sensitive about his feelings.  "She likes to fuck; and I couldn't fuck her.  We broke up because I caught her fucking Dean."

"Bloody Hell," Ron said again.  "You actually caught her doing it."

"I followed Dean wearing my invisibility cloak.  I watched her fuck him."

"Blimey, Harry.  I don't blame you for breaking up with her.  My sister is such a slut."

Even though Harry had provided Ron with the information which had led him to call his sister a slut, Harry didn't like to hear him say it.  Despite all that had happened, he still loved Ginny."

"I wonder how many other guys she's boffed?" continued Ron.

"Jut me and Dean," said Harry.  "I was the first."

"Well, she must be boffing Dean all the time now.  He follows her around like she's a bitch in heat."  Then pulling out a folded copy of the Daily Prophet, the one with the picture of Harry and Colin on the front, he said, "This isn't true, is it Harry?  You haven't gone queer on me have you?"

Not filling Ron in on what had happened since he'd regained use of his penis, he said, "When that article was printed, I had a one inch dobber and Colin didn't have any at all.  What do you think we could have done?  You know better than to believe anything you read in the Daily Prophet."

"Whew -- that's a relief.  I thought maybe I'd ruined you by using that spell on you."

You have, thought Harry, but he didn't say it.

"Are you still coming to our house for Bill's wedding?  You should, you know, even if you and Ginny aren't --"

It was either that or the Dursleys', and Harry wasn't eager to go to the Dursleys'.  "Is Dean coming?"

"Yeah," said Ron, shifting his eyes, so he didn't have to look at Harry.  "My mum sort of had to invite him since he and Ginny are --" 

He didn't complete the sentence.  Harry wasn't certain whether he was going to say, going together or screwing.

"Will you have enough room, since your parents are adopting Dennis and Dean's coming?  You know Colin will have to come, too.  I've agreed to be his guardian.  He'll be coming to live with me at number 12 Grimmauld Place after I'm seventeen."

"I'm glad he'd going to be living with you," said Ron, although he raised one eyebrow as he did, as if he still had some questions about Harry's relationship with Colin.  "It's bad enough my mum's taking Dennis.  Both of them are a couple of pests. There's plenty of room, though.  Colin and Dennis can share George and Fred's room and you can have Percy's."

"Aren't Fred and George coming?"

"Just for the day.  With things as the are -- all the attacks by Death Eaters -- Fred and George don't like to leave their shop for long."

"And, Percy?"

"Percy  -- the little snit -- isn't coming."

"How about -- Dean?" Harry asked, suspecting, but not wanting to hear the answer.  "Where will he sleep?"

Ron took a deep breath, then let it out with a sigh.  "With Ginny," he said.

Everyone gathered for the trip to the Burrow, the Weasleys' house.  They would be traveling by floo powder.  Dean, his arm around Ginny, demonstrating his ownership of her, shot sidelong glances at Harry.  Ginny, unsmiling, seemed uncomfortable.  Harry definitely was -- not only because of Dean and Ginny -- but because of Colin, who hung on him.  Ron was the object of Colin's demonstration.  He was obviously saying, "Harry's mine now."