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For years, Ron had avoided any missives and Howlers from his family. With the eldest members of the next generation messaging him, Ron decided he should surprise everyone. He managed to get two weeks off work and plan with Harry to keep the surprise. His father found out. As he waited to exit the plane and grab his luggage, he mused others would be surprised at his new looks. He'd dyed his hair, and the freckles on his face no longer stood out. As he began to disembark, he bumped into a man who turned out to have attended his old school during the years they were dealing with terrorist attacks.
Ron couldn’t stop the snort as he muttered, “Terrorist attacks. Technically true. Been terrorist free for a bit.”
“That marriage law they tried enforcing could be terrorism.”
“Wouldn’t know. At the first hint of being forced to wed anyone against my will, I fled. Heard the muggleborns staged a protest. At least arranged marriages get some choice.”
“Yeah, choice,” the other man snorted. “It’s a choice between doing as you’re told or losing everything. Even after we think we can change things, we can’t. Too many betrothal contracts from the past.”
Making it to the luggage carousel, they were able to snag their bags quickly. When they discussed their plans in London, Ron explained, “I was going to surprise my family by riding the Knight Bus. Apparently, my best friend doesn’t know how to keep a secret. My father decided he had to come pick me up. If you want, you can join me, use our Floo.”
“Most kind. Didn’t think you’d be nice to me?”
“I don’t want to become bitter like Professor Snape," Ron shrugged. "I had to work through my past and learned quite a bit about myself. Which of my Slytherin classmates do you happen to be?”
“You truly did grow past our school years? Or were you just a well-hidden Snake?”
“If I hadn’t dyed my hair, you’d have known who I am. I was an exceedingly proud lion.”
“Well, there goes hoping you were Potter and managed to ditch the glasses.”
“In the fifteen years since I last saw him, muggles have made contacts easily accessible.”
“That long already?”
“Since those rumors began. If they can’t be bothered to contact me and be civil about me realizing Hermione and I aren’t any good as a couple, why should I visit? Then Victoire and Edward contacted me. They both complained about having not really seen me since they were toddlers. Thought I’d surprise the pair.”
“That plan was ruined?”
“He can keep plenty of secrets. This wasn’t one. Surprised my dad’s not here yet."
“Perhaps he forgot?”
“More likely to be extrapolating himself from Hermione and company.”
“She never did learn that spewing out literal textbook answers caused issues, did she?”
“She tried. At her core, she’s more lawful than chaotic.”
“Still, she was worse than your brother. I wonder how the surviving Slytherins are doing?”
“Well, I’m still not sure which one you are, but you look like you’re doing well.”
“Gregory Goyle, just go by Greg these days.”
“Definitely changed. For the better?”
“Therapy does wonders.”
“That it does, mate,” Ron agreed. “So you gonna accept my offer?”
“Might as well,” he shrugged. “Cheaper than the bus. Besides, there are rumors some are being hi-jacked and wed if they were born in Britain and are single when returning or visiting.”
“Why would I want to wed someone I don’t know? Hell, I don’t wish to wed most of whom I do know!”
“The only one I ever would have wanted, perished. People believe me stupid and would attempt robbing me if they realized who I am on the bus.”
Ron noticed his father approaching them at the same time Greg had. Upon reaching the younger men, Arthur grinned before pulling his son into a bear hug.
“Good to see you, Ronald!” he grinned before turning to Greg. “And who’s this?” “Dad, Greg. Greg, this is my father, Arthur Weasley. Dad, how big is the group?”
“Wonderful to meet you, Greg!” Arthur pulled him into a hug as well, surprising them. “Surprised we haven’t heard about you before now. Puts things in perspective. Let’s get you both in the car. Your mother’s going to be so happy. Fifteen years is too long without seeing you.” As he explained, he led the two where he’d parked.
Neither Ron nor Greg realized the impression they gave as they got in the car and Arthur drove them to the Burrow. Arriving almost brought tears to Ron’s eyes seeing his childhood home rebuilt after the war. Ron managed to pretend not to notice disturbing wedding decorations but looked at Greg with embarrassment and apology before glaring at his father. Getting out, Ron claimed jetlag from the flight. He and Greg would take a nap before meeting with anyone else. Reaching his old room and entering, he couldn’t stop the angry words at the sight of flower petals around the room and Hermione in a bridal gown sitting on the bed.
“You think I want to be ambushed for a loveless marriage?! Get out!”
Greg stayed out of the woman’s sight as she turned to Ron and tried to guilt him into marrying her. The argument shouldn’t have lasted as long as it did, but Ron was against marrying. She was just as determined to marry him. The argument had drawn most of the other visitors. Ron’s anger while he confronted Hermione had him accusing her of being behind the marriage law before demanding she leave again.
Hermione glared at him, “I would NEVER! I LOVE you!”
“You loved the idea you had of me. Now GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY ROOM! Greg and I need some fucking rest before we can deal with the mess you’ve made of wixen Britain!”
Hermione as well as the amassed crowd demanded information about Greg. Ron only glared at them all. The war and losses incurred during it had changed him. He’d looked at himself and figured out what he didn’t want. He thought he’d gotten Hermione to understand that when last they’d spoken in person. He didn’t want to fight anymore, but he wouldn’t just roll over either. Eventually she left the room dispersing the crowd. Greg managed to hide nearby. Ron apologized as he cleared his bed.
“We can share, you can have my bed, or I can transfigure one of us a new bed.”
Greg winced at the clashing orange in the room, “I don’t mind sharing the bed for one night. You’re less likely to hit me than some of the kids I foster.”
“You too? Some of my kids had it worse than Harry. They aren’t even magical!”
Greg shrugged as they both climbed in while determining sides of the bed, “Kids always seemed more at ease if I was center or against the wall."
While sleeping, they managed to cuddle with each other, taking comfort in another strong body able to aid if trouble arose as they were used to with emergency placement children. Neither seemed to notice curious peepers, both too tired and used to terrified children joining them. When morning dawned, Ron changed quickly before going to breakfast which he was surprised to smell. Arriving in the kitchen, he was surprised at Greg’s presence, having forgotten the other man had joined him.
“When do you need to go?”
“Probably should have last night,” Greg shrugged as he plated some of the breakfast he was making for Ron.
“Sleep was more important,” Ron agreed.
“Let me know if you need any help. I’m not planning on staying. I’ll probably finish what I came here to do and return home.”
“Phone?” Greg grunted.
“Let me see yours.”
Neither noticed the others. Ron ate as Greg pulled his own phone out of his pocket, unlocking it before handing it over. Ron waited until his hands were clear before picking up Greg’s phone, sending himself a text and pulling out his own phone to save Greg’s information.
“We can deal with more later. Getting out of here quickly is priority,” Ron admitted as he returned Greg’s phone.
“It’s not as bad as I was expecting.”
“Worse than I was. You’d think after fifteen years of little to no contact they’d assume something other than to ambush me with an unwanted wedding. I wish I could say she wasn’t always blinded by others like this, but I remember Lockhart.”
“All I remember is the complaints about ya’ll getting out of everything and wanting more food to block out said complaints.”
“I wouldn’t say everything was unpunished, but we definitely got away with too much. Dumbledore was purposely understaffed during those years - weird years.”
“No weirder than the intervening years.”
“You sure?” Ron grumbled. “There aren’t any pixies, dementors, skrewts, and who knows what else attacking us. Even my kids are safer than we were, which is saying quite a bit.”
“Yeah,” Greg sighed. “How’s being out of reach going? They tried convincing me to stay there until some time next year, but there’s a few deadlines that are coming up that needed to be met for Vince’s parents’ wills.”
“I just reminded them I’m no good to the kids if I’m burnt out. The social services rep I usually work with understood and told the others off for me. Talk about a deity. I swear there is no dissuading them when they get an idea in their head.”
“I’ll have to remember that when I need an actual break. I told them I had legal matters that needed to be attended to in person.”
“It’s not a lie, certainly.”
At this point, Arthur had finally joined the steadily growing audience watching the two men eat breakfast. He didn’t make any attempt to verbally dress down the audience, glaring disappointment at them. Arthur joined the other two, and asked what they would be doing.
“Gringotts,” Greg admitted while Ron remained silent. They don’t need to know his plans.
“Probably shouldn’t tarry then. Ron, Floo password is the same. With Harry visiting, it’s safer. Your mum has invited some old friends for lunch.”
“Is it supposed to celebrate my getting married?” Ron couldn’t hide his disgust.
“To be fair, you never responded. How were we supposed to know? Harry calling us idiots?”
“He would. Course, he never sent Howlers because I did what I needed to, either.”
“And it looks like we have a celebration anyway. So, Greg, how’d you and my youngest boy meet?”
“Subtle, Dad, but Greg already knows about my siblings. I’m sure he recalls how Fred dealt with Warrington,” Ron grumbled.
“That was Fred? I thought ‘twas prefect Weasley?” Greg remarked.
“Depends on what specific incident. The cabinet was Fred, but the other thing was Perce. War made him worse. Heard he had some foresight.”
“Didn’t you?”
“Just because the falsehoods I used for stupid assignments came true, most times, doesn’t mean I’m psychic,” Ron pouted.
“Would you have guessed this would happen?”
“Course not. I would have been as wrong as I was about Snape in first year. Have you dealt with any kids as bad as us?”
“Not under the same roof, thankfully. There’ve been a couple times it came close but luckily someone else is always available for one of them. I shudder to guess how I would fare to have two warring children under my roof.”
“It’s not easy,” Ron grunted. “A pair of teens I had to take in were worse than we ever were in school. Those no-maj are some creative people as well. I thought I could leave them on their own while making dinner. Ten minutes, I swear. Their parents had some weird sort of open polygamous relationship the teens didn’t understand or want. Turned out the adults hated each other, but they really liked the teens. Kids were afraid of leaving or fighting back so returning to them was an experience.”
“Man, I hate the kids dealing with that. They’re much harder to help.”
“Exactly,” Ron nodded as Greg shuddered. “Don’t ask why, but I seem to be the preferred emergency teen handler.”
“You ever going to get permission to tell any of them?”
“If it looks like one will become a big part of my life. Those two I mentioned earlier I almost did if only to be able to help them understand that every adult has some kind of trauma.”
Greg raised a brow. Neither man seemed to notice or care as more of the Weasley clan joined them.
“Let’s just say they learned of my arachnophobia and leave it at that.”
“I thought second year cured you?” a new voice stated from the direction of where Ron knew the Floo was.
“It lessened it, you berk,” Ron grinned at the new arrival. “I was referring when I took David and Olivia to Australia.”
“Camel spiders?” Greg asked.
Ron nodded before explaining when and why he took the teens in.
“Prime trauma material,” Harry nodded. “I didn’t tell. You indicated you wanted to surprise them. Best way was to not tell anyone. Burned the letter immediately. I’m paranoid. Spent last night with Kreacher checking every microinch of the place. Kreacher is now blocking everything from her, your mother, and sister. I’m sorry.”
“You swear?” Ron looked over him searching his eyes as Harry reiterated that no, he had not informed anyone consciously. “Meaning he got worried about the rash of ex-citizens being forced to wed and wanted to protect me because they love targeting the Bus,” Ron sighed the explanation to Greg.
“I did tell you I’d heard about that but I’m always too tired after a flight to risk other modes. Thanks for the offer.”
“Don’t mention it,” Ron shrugged. “It was nice to reconnect with an old rival. Not sure how much of a rivalry it truly was but semantics. Any kids to deal with currently or were you lucky enough to be free of them for this trip?”
“Summer camps are a lifesaver,” Greg laughed.
“Wait,” Arthur frowned, “School rivals? You mean you aren’t together?”
“Nope,” Ron‘s shit-eating grin was worrying.
“Bumped into each other on the plane as we were disembarking,” Greg shrugged as he took his and Ron’s now empty plates to the sink. “Somehow got talking. One thing led to another.”
Ron smirked as Harry began laughing deeply.
“Goyle, right? He’s the only one I can think of that fits. Damn, you’ve changed.”
“Ron said the same. Glad to see you’ve ditched the glasses.”
“I wear a pair when I’m working, no prescription though. Gives me a little bit of an extra precaution. Those little shits think they can remove or break my glasses to foul one another and get away with it.”
“Kids will try anything,” Ron and Greg agreed simultaneously before sharing a look and laughing at an inside joke.
“You two didn’t get married?” Arthur asked suddenly confused.
“No,” Ron frowned. “I won’t ever be satisfied with marriage, Dad. If we were subjected to a farce of a marriage law, we might deign to wed one another, but we'd hate everyone involved. Marriage is supposed to be about love, not procreation, control, or whatever other bullshit excuse the government is trying to push. It would be confusing for my kids.”
“Ron, if we were to wed, we’d have to go to,” Greg suddenly shuddered, “couple’s therapy or worse – family.”
“Probably should have family therapy anyway. They’d have a field day with mine,” Ron grinned as he stood and stretched.
“If you aren’t married, are you engaged, dating?” Arthur asked trying to understand.
“No, Dad. We literally ran into each other on the flight. Didn’t I just explain this? I swear I had a five-year-old who was better at listening!”
“Give your dad a little bit of credit,” Greg frowned. “Kids say and remember the strangest things.”
“Is your job in childcare, Greg?” Molly interrupted.
Greg frowned, “Even if I had the training, does it matter?”
“I think Ron’s parents have a right to know what his spouse does,” Molly frowned ignoring her husband’s attempts to get her to leave them alone.
“Anyway, Gringotts should be open by now, Greg. Let me show you the way. Mom, I’m not ever going to be in an intimate relationship with anyone. I am happy alone. I also would never ask anyone to betray themselves and their happiness for me. I would rather die or be cut from our family.”
“What just happened?” George asked from where he’d somehow remained hidden.
“Ron just finally told your parents he’s not into what is perceived as wedded bliss, is not married, will never be married and hinted that he takes in troubled children. Greg does too apparently.”
“But Britain doesn’t –“
“Ron doesn’t live in Britain,” Harry suddenly grinned. “Perhaps we should look into why that is after this epic shitshow. I know you guys said it was fine, but I’m not yours. Is the same true for him? The misunderstanding stems from miscommunication. That marriage law that was rumored about makes people like him and I feel unwelcome in our own home. Public figures are safe, but there’s a whole underground movement that would have kidnapped and forced Greg to marry someone of their choosing making it hard for him to leave. Despite knowing that, he came back because, like I, he had some legal affairs to attend to. Unlike I, self-reliance is unsafe. What if you, as you are now, were in his shoes. Being forced to wed someone?”
“I owe him an apology for my misunderstanding. I never thought with how close they were and easily their conversation flowed they were anything less than long-time friends. I made assumptions,” Arthur looked torn.
“It’s fine, Dad,” Ron admitted when he returned. “We both foster children in the States as emergency placement foster homes. He was head over heels for Crabbe. Left the country after Vincent’s funeral. We were all child soldiers. Age didn’t matter. The prejudices would have spared no one. They didn’t before the war. The system further divided us. We had no tools to heal the rivalries. Muggleborn and raised didn’t understand.”
“Fifteen years in America has made you change, my son.”
“No, fifteen years of therapy has helped me. War as a child changed me.”