After the discussion regarding various opinions everyone in our year had made about me and how my life experience had caused this misunderstanding, the entirety of Weasley family tried to cheer me up. Ron too became more friendly towards me and made a visible effort in trying to be my friend.
Ron came up to me one night and we discussed many silly things that I had apparently missed due to my shut-in behaviour. Though I had experienced it all in the previous life and was not unaware of the various things that went on in our first year, I could not bring up myself to dismiss Ron who was making such effort.
This did not mean that he and I will suddenly revert back to being best friends or anything. I still remembered how much I derailed while being with him always and how much progress I and Hermione made this time around without him. He was not a bad person, just someone who would not be good for our future.
Before that night I had thought of always keeping him at arm's length and not get involved with him in any way. After that night I thought of him as a casual friend, someone I could have a light conversation with once in a while.
After that we would greet each other and pass time playing chess or quidditch whenever we did not have chores to do or twins were busy. When he witnessed how good I was with a broom without ever showing any interest in the sport during our year at hogwarts, he asked me if this was another one of the things I could not do due to my insecurities. This was as good a reason as I could have come up with myself and so I agreed.
He expressed genuine sympathy when he heard that I could not play quidditch because of my traumatic childhood. This was because, one thing that Ron genuinely loved was quidditch. Though he was mediocre at it, he was always the most passionate and enthusiastic about any and every game of quidditch that was being played.
In our previous life, Ron had been the happiest I had seen him on the day that he was selected to be the keeper for Gryffindor. Even though I became the captain that year and it was his first year getting selected, he was so cheerful the whole year that most would be confused on who actually became the captain. Ron had always seen Quidditch as his happy place and so he was sad that seeing that the joy and comfort he felt could not be experienced by me due to the fact that I had a troubled childhood.
To top it all, he witnessed first hand that I was almost a prodigy seeker. He tried to convince me many times after that to try out for the team next year and that both him and the twins will try to make it as comfortable a experience as possible for me to showcase my true talent and potential. It took me great amount of effort to convince him that I did not wish to play quidditch on any level other than for personal fun, like we played throughout my stay with them. He finally let go of the topic after a stern talking by Mrs. Weasley.
Our results came mid-week. Mrs. Weasley prepared a rare feast today to celebrate. The dishes were all the various delicacies that the Weasley children liked. Mr. Weasley was also very happy.
The first to receive his results was the golden child, Percy. This was a big day for him and the family. Percy took his results in the O.W.L's very seriously. He was someone who had already set his path of success. This included an impeccable record while he was at hogwarts, then a high post in the ministry soon after graduation and finally rising up the political ladder, one day becoming the minister of magic.
He received a whopping twelve outstanding in all twelve subjects. This was a moment of immense pride for both him and his parents. After he opened the grades, the twins sitting next to me complained that he will be even more annoying starting from now. Unlike what was expected, Percy did no gloating and just accepted the praise that was being showered upon him and sat quietly. The twins were shocked to say the least. Ron too was confused as to what had happened for his usually boasting brother to ignore them.
Though they were curious, they did not delve further and just enjoyed the rare moment.
The next to recieve their grades were the twins. Mrs. Weasley was the most excited after seeing their results, Mr. Weasley was the most surprised and the siblings were just in disbelief. The twins received not one, not two but five outstandings on their report card. Out of the seven compulsory subjects and two optional subjects, the twins received five outstandings and that too in the compulsory subjects. Contrary to the norm the twins only received exceed expectations in the optional subjects. Optional subjects were usually taken for their easy outstandings on the report card.
The last to receive the results were me and Ron. As was expected, Ron received acceptable and exceed expectations throughout the card. Ron seemed content. My report card too was mediocre. I did have two outstandings but the rest were only acceptable. The two outstandings were in transfiguration and charms.
Next day I received Hermione's letter. In it was her result and the time when she would reach the station so that we could board the train together and start another wonderful year.
Daphne did not write to me. Mr. Greengrass had to probably stop her from doing it.
The next three days were spent in packing, unpacking and repacking. Preparing the bags for five teenagers for almost half a year was a chore in itself. She also helped me in packing.
Finally it was September 1 again. We woke up before the sun and Mrs. Weasley was on our tails constantly urging us to get ready and do a last check in case we were forgetting something. She constantly reminded us that we had to leave early so that we do not have to rush at the last minute to catch the train.
We were all out by seven and cramped up in the magical car.
We finally reached the station by eight, which gave us plenty of time to board the train but Mrs. Weasley was not one to slow down before we all were on the train.
As we crossed to platform 9&3/4, the first person I searched for was Hermione. It was not long before I spotted her along with her parents and made my way towards them.
After a quick greeting we finally boarded the train and began another year at Hogwarts.