invisible string! → ron weasley

xi. the trials

Half an hour later found Kates and Ron smiling at each other again, this time outside the Quidditch Pitch. Dean and Seamus applauded him in jest, and he gave them a hyperbolic bow.

"Told you you'd do brilliantly," said Kates as he slowed to a stop in front of their group. He shrugged modestly.

"Yeah, well, I caught a break, didn't I? If McLaggen hadn't missed that goal, I reckon he'd be Keeper right now instead of me." It took everything in her to not look at Hermione.

"All the better," said Seamus. "McLaggen's head's big enough as it is. If he made the team, I think he'd explode." Dean laughed loudly. "Well, I think this calls for celebration. Lunch, anyone?"

"How's lunch a celebration?" asked Dean as they started to head for the castle.

"I dunno, I'm just starvin'." Kates laughed at her friends and began to follow them up toward the castle. The two bickering boys led the group, followed by Hermione and Neville with Ron and Kates bringing up the rear.

"Congratulations," she told him as they walked. "It was a tough round of trials, you should be proud of yourself." Ron, who was suddenly red in the face, shrugged again.

"I guess I am," he murmured, staring at the ground. "I'm bloody nervous though, if I'm being honest. Last year was one thing, but this year..."

"What's so different?" she asked as it was clear he wasn't planning on finishing his sentence.

"I don't know," he sighed. "A lot's different this year." As they neared the castle, his gaze fell on the pair of Aurors flanking the castle doors. Kates' smile fell.

"At least we can count on this Ministry again," she replied, ever the optimist even whilst speaking solemnly.

"It's not even just that. I feel like...things are changing, ya know? We're all changing as we grow older." It was an oddly mature thing for him to say, but she supposed it only proved his point. They were changing.

"For the better, though," she reassured him, the corners of her lips turning up again ever so slightly. "I mean, look at us. We were never this close. We only became good friends in the last year or so."

"True," he said, and as she looked to him she saw that he was smiling too. They entered the castle, and as Kates prepared to enter the Great Hall with her friends, she stopped in her tracks. Her brother had just left, and he had done so alone. Her heart skipped a beat; after waiting over a year to have a conversation with him alone, she may finally have her chance.

"What is it?" Ron was by her side, looking concerned. She faced him.

"I'll catch up with you all in a bit. There's something I have to take care of." He looked curious, but she was grateful when he didn't question her. He merely nodded and went on, and with one last glance his way she took off in the direction Wesley had gone.

She jogged to catch up, following him on several turns until she was close enough to get his attention.

"Wesley," she called out to him, slowing to a stop just a few feet behind where he had stopped upon hearing her voice. He turned to face her, a look of surprise written across his features.

"Katherine." It was the first time in years she hadn't despised hearing her full name. The way he said it was somehow comforting. It gave her hope for the direction of their conversation...but there was something else she had to check on before she could get too confident.

"I'm surprised you're not with Carrow. You two were always inseparable."

"With everything going on, we've all been told to keep a low profile." He let out a low chuckle, his gaze falling to the ground. "Besides, we aren't as close as we used to be. He doesn't know that, of course, but it's true nonetheless." Kates nearly smiled; that was precisely the response she had been hoping for. She visibly relaxed, but only just. Wesley looked back up at her, and whilst he tried to maintain a straight expression, she noted that his eyes were softer than she had seen them in quite some time. "I heard about what happened at the Ministry. You were lucky."

"We were." Neither of them said anything for a moment. Then, Kates noticed the black ink peeking out from the bottom of his sleeve. Her heart sank. "You got it, didn't you?" It wasn't a question, and the defeated look on her face must have been downright pitiful because her brother sighed and averted his gaze. He tugged his sleeve down.

"Last summer," he murmured, and she heard shame in his voice. "Wesley and I both did, about a month after you left."

"Wes," she sighed, taking a step closer to him. He stood up a bit straighter, turning his head to the side and keeping his gaze on the floor, as if he couldn't bear to look at her. She took a cautious glance around, then continued. "You've just been pretending this whole time, haven't you? Since Cedric's death?" He nodded, but didn't reply and didn't look up at her. She lowered her voice. "You can get out, I can help—"

"No," he said finally, looking up at her. He had, she could tell, come to some sort of decision. He looked suddenly certain of whatever it was he was about to say. "I can do more good where I am, you'll see." Kates' eyes widened.

"You can't mean as a—"

"Not here," he told her firmly. "What I can say is that I'm sorry for how I treated you when we were younger. I didn't...I didn't know—"

"I know," she told him softly. In spite of herself, the corners of her lips turned up ever so slightly. "I knew you'd come to your senses sooner or later." He shook his head, but she noticed that he too looked a little less grim than he had earlier.

"You're really not mad at me? You give me too much credit."

"Maybe," she shrugged. "Or maybe I just knew you better than you knew yourself."

"We'll give yourself some credit too, why don't you." He looked around to ensure their conversation was still private, then continued, but he spoke in vague terms just in case. "The incident made me realize the cause may not be as noble as it seems, but when you left, I tried to see and hear things from your perspective." Kates' smile brightened. "I should get back before Carrow gets suspicious, I told him I wouldn't be too far behind. I only took back hallways because I knew I was being followed." He smirked at her, and she flashed him a grin. With one last nod, he was on his way, and she watched him go before turning around and heading to the Great Hall.

⋆☆.* ✧✰ .✦⋆*☆