Chapter 3: It Will Take Some Time
The Burrow
Ronald Bilius Weasley
July 3, 1989, Monday
Ron didn't want the topic to linger any longer; otherwise, no one would be able to finish their breakfast.
So, to steer the conversation elsewhere, he scanned the table while simultaneously searching his memory for the date.
July 3, 1989. That was today's date. This meant the Hogwarts year had ended about ten days ago.
Ron glanced at Bill, who was sitting at the head of the table next to his father.
William Arthur "Bill" Weasley had just completed his final year at Hogwarts and would likely apply to Gringotts for a job as a curse-breaker after his N.E.W.T. (Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Test) results came back.
This meant that these kinds of shared family dinners with all family members would soon come to an end.
Charlie, whose full name was Charles "Charlie" Weasley, had finished his fifth year at Hogwarts and would begin his sixth. He would go to Romania to study dragons in about two years.
Percy, whose full name was Percy Ignatius "Perce" Weasley, had completed his second year at Hogwarts and would begin his third year.
Fred Weasley. George Weasley. The twins.
Fred and George would begin their first year at Hogwarts in about two months, on September 1st, the following term.
This meant that two Weasley children would start Hogwarts at the same time, unlike the previous Hogwarts years, and this would be a heavy financial burden on the Weasley family.
Ron thought he needed to find a way to earn money before the twins started school and got his family out of financial trouble.
In another reality, the Weasleys might be poor, and Ronald Weasley might be a slacker. But in this reality, Ron wouldn't allow either of them to happen.
Ron turned his gaze back to Bill. He thought the best way to divert the topic at hand was to focus on Bill.
"Bill, I should have said it sooner, but congratulations on graduating from Hogwarts. How were your N.E.W.T. exams? Did they say when the results would be released?" Ron asked.
Bill and everyone else with him woke up from their state of surprise with Ron's question, and although Bill was surprised by Ron's interest, he answered his questions.
"Ugh... Thanks, Ron. My N.E.W.T. exams went well, and they said the results would be out towards the end of July."
"Hmm... Have you thought about which field to apply for? I read in the Daily Prophet recently that Gringotts is looking for new curse-breakers. It's a good career, but you might have to work in another country." Ron said, and before Bill could answer, his mother, Molly Weasley, intervened.
"Ron, honey, what are you saying? Of course, Bill's going to apply for a job at the Ministry of Magic. What would he do as a curse-breaker in other countries? Right, Bill?"
But the positive response Molly Weasley was hoping for from Bill didn't come. Instead, Bill's face took on a desperate expression. After all, he was indeed considering applying to Gringotts as a curse-breaker. But he wasn't planning on announcing it until he got the job.
'Sorry, Bill, but I had to throw you under the bus this time.' After offering his silent apologies to Bill, Ron calmly continued eating his breakfast.
Meanwhile, his mother, Bill, and their father, Arthur Weasley, were having a heated argument over Bill's career.
Well...more like Molly Weasley forbidding Bill from applying for a job outside the Ministry of Magic, Bill trying to explain the positive aspects of being a curse breaker to his mother, and Arthur Weasley trying to calm them down.
After a while, Arthur postponed the matter, saying he had to go to work soon. Everyone returned to breakfast.
It was Monday, and Arthur Weasley had to go to work after eating breakfast.
Soon, everyone finished their breakfast, and one by one, they got up from the table and disappeared.
Arthur Weasley went to his job at the Ministry of Magic, while Bill and Charlie quickly slipped away into the garden.
Percy said he was going to his room to study.
Fred and George said they were going to their rooms and ran away. They were probably planning another prank.
After finishing breakfast, Ron collected his plate and cutlery and left them in the kitchen sink.
Usually, in magical families like the Weasleys, most of these tasks were done either by house elves or by magic.
But Molly Weasley, strangely enough, enjoyed doing most of the work herself. Some with the help of magic, others by hand.
Ron had no intention of interfering with his mother's way of doing things. Not yet. But at least he could pick up his own dishes from the table and put them on the counter.
When Ginny saw Ron take his plate from the table and carry it to the kitchen counter, she gathered her own plate and cutlery and carried them to the counter.
Seeing Ginny imitate him reinforced Ron's resolve to be a better role model from now on. Ronald Bilius Weasley would not be someone Ginevra Weasley would be ashamed of, but someone she would look up to and be proud to have as her older brother.
"Come on, Ginny. Let's go into the living room. I'll braid your hair there," Ron said, and went into the living room, which was just off the kitchen.
He took one of the living room chairs and placed it in front of the sofa. He gestured to Ginny, who was following him, and said, "Sit here. This way, I can braid your hair more easily."
Ginny sat in a chair, still worried that this might be one of Ron's pranks.
Ron gathered Ginny's hair, draped it over the back of the chair, then sat down and began braiding Ginny's hair in a French braid.
Ron himself didn't know how he knew how to braid hair. Especially different types of braids.
He likely had a sister whose hair he had braided in his past life. Because his memories of his past life with his family were hazy, he likely couldn't remember where he had learned to braid hair.
It didn't take long for Ron to complete the braid. After about five minutes, Ginny's braid was finished, and Ron tied the end of it with the same clip Ginny had used to tie her hair back.
"That's it, Ginny. You can get up now." Ron said.
Ron lifted the chair and put it back into place after Ginny rose from it. Then she pulled her braided hair over her shoulder and examined it.
"Wow. So beautiful. Thank you, Ron." Ginny said while smiling.
"You're welcome. Now, do you forgive me?" Ron asked, pinching Ginny's cheeks.
If there was one general rule in any world, it was that little sisters' cheeks were there for their brothers to pinch.
"Ron, you're being mean to me again," said Ginny after she had freed herself from Ron's pincer grip.
"Ughh... I'm sorry, Ginny. I didn't mean to be mean to you. It's just that my sister is so cute, I couldn't help but pinch your cheeks." Ron said.
"Cute? Me? Liar. You always say I'm ugly and that no one will want to marry me when I grow up," Ginny said.
'Merlin... My past actions are so bad. Looks like it's going to take some time to repair my reputation,' thought Ron.
"Ginny, those things I said in the past were just jokes. Forgive me if I upset you, okay?" he said.
"Hmph... I'll forgive you if you braid my hair tomorrow again," she said.
"Haha... Agreed. Of course, I'll braid your hair. Tomorrow and the days after that. Unless I have something important to do."
"Then I forgive you. Ron... am I really cute?"
"Hmm. You're the cutest."
"Hehehe." Ginny giggled at Ron's compliment and then hugged him tightly, saying, "Thanks, Ron."
Before Ron could even say it was nothing, Ginny left Ron and ran into the kitchen. Ron could hear her talking to their mother. "Mum, look, Ron braided my hair beautifully. And Ron said I am cute. Am I really cute?"
"Of course you're cute, dear."
Ron smiled after hearing his mother's response to Ginny.
A man didn't need big reasons to do big things and pursue big dreams. The happiness of his family and his sister was reason enough for Ron to keep trying.
As Ron headed up the stairs to his own room, he spoke into the kitchen. "Mum, I'm going upstairs to tidy up my room."
"Okay, honey," his mother replied.
But Ron had just reached the stairs when he heard footsteps pounding behind him. When he turned around, he realized Ginny was there.
"Ron, will you play Gobstones with me later?" Ginny asked Ron, her eyes full of hope.
Ron searched for his memory and realized that Ginny hadn't asked him to play a game in a long time. Probably because Ron couldn't stomach losing to even his sister in the past, he had been mean to Ginny after every loss.
But it seemed Ron's recent change of attitude had given Ginny a new lease of hope.
"Sure. But I have to tidy my room first, and it'll take a while. Shall we play after lunch?"
"Okay. Then I'll also go and tidy up my room too." Ginny said.
"Sure. But don't tire yourself too much. Otherwise, you won't have the strength to play." Ron said.
"Okay," Ginny said, and ran past Ron to her room on the first floor.
Unlike Ginny, Ron climbed the stairs slowly to the fifth floor. Organizing his room wouldn't take long. It would probably take him about half an hour.
But Ron wanted to take some time to make some plans. He intended to go into the Library and Workshop space, at least to check out these two system features.
End of Chapter 3.