Bill gave Ron a long look as the younger Weasley explained why Harry and Hermione weren't with him. He turned to his wife. "Fleur, I'm going to get Ron settled in the guest room. I'll come back down when everything's squared away." This was Bill's way of asking her to stay downstairs and out of the way. She nodded at him to show she understood.

"Come on, Ron," Bill said, standing up. "You're going to be on the first floor, near the end of the hallway."

"Alright," Ron said, standing and following his brother, either missing or not understanding the byplay between his brother and sister-in-law.

Bill stopped at one of the rooms and gestured for Ron to go in. "I'll be right back; there's something I need to grab."

Ron looked around the room while he waited for Bill to return. It was bigger than his bedroom at the Burrow, even if it didn't have all of his posters. He felt a rather strong twinge of guilt for thinking about the Cannons while Harry and Hermione were out in the woods somewhere with that Horcrux necklace. He tried in vain to stomp it, telling himself that he didn't even know where they were anymore. He was so wrapped up in his guilt that he didn't notice that Bill had returned until the curse-breaker had sat down on the bed with a loud creak.

Ron opened his mouth to say something, but froze when he noticed what Bill was holding. "Bill," he began, very politely. He could only think of one reason for his brother to be holding a hairbrush, and it wasn't pleasant.

"Come on, little brother," Bill said before Ron could continue. "You know exactly what to expect for letting your emotions control you."

Ron still kept well outside Bill's reach. "Do you have to use that?" he said, his voice almost a whine.

"I can go get a strap if you prefer," Bill offered calmly. "But you are most definitely getting more than my hand for this."

"Not a strap," Ron said quickly, venturing forward. He had never been strapped before and was not particularly eager to remedy that lack. Even the twins were subdued after a strapping.

"Pants and underwear down," Bill ordered, still completely calm.

"Bare? But Bill!" Ron, however, was most definitely not calm.

"Now, Ronald Bilius, or I'll take them down myself," Bill said, his voice becoming stern.

Ever so slowly, Ron inched his pants down to just below his bottom, then gave Bill a pleading look, hoping for a reprieve. Bill's face was resolute, though, and Ron had no choice but to lower his underwear down to join his pants.

Bill grasped his wrist firmly and tugged him down to lie over Bill's lap. He flipped up Ron's shirt and pushed his pants and underwear lower. "What is this spanking for, Ronald?"

"Letting my emotions control me and abandoning Harry and Hermione," Ron said in a rush, his bottom clenched tightly in anticipation of the coming spanking, but Bill just kept not starting, until Ron's bottom finally relax.

As soon as he saw Ron's backside relax, Bill brought the hairbrush down hard. He intended Ron to remember this lesson every time he sat for a while. He continued on randomly smacking until he noticed Ron starting to squirm, at which point he commenced his assault on Ron's Upper thighs. It wasn't long before Ron was sobbing, and Bill finished up the spanking with five quick swats to each sit spot.

Bill set the hairbrush down next to him and rubbed circles on his little brothers back. "That's it, Ronnie," he murmured, "Just let it out." He continued in this vein until Ron sniffled, and tried to push himself up.

Bill helped him stand up and fix his clothing. "I ought to make you stand in the corner for the rest of your life," he said, pulling Ron into a tight hug. Ron hugged back, burying his head in Bill's shoulder, and completely ignored the comment about the corner, knowing that Bill didn't mean a word of it.

"'Msorry," he muttered indistinctly, keeping his head against Bill's shoulder.

"I'm glad to hear it," Bill said, gently pushing Ron back so he could look into the seventeen-year-old's eyes. "But I'm not really the one who needs to be hearing it, now am I?"

Ron shook his head. "No... But I don't know where they are, Bill! They could be anywhere! And I don't know because I was such a stupid prat!"

Bill pulled him into another hug. "None of that, or I'll put you right back over my knee. You made a mistake, yes, and a big one. But that does not make you stupid. Do you understand, Ronald Bilius Weasley?"

Ron nodded. "Yes Bill."

"And as for not knowing where they are, I can give you some incentive beyond the obvious to find them."

"What's that?

"Charlie's coming by next week, and you broke a promise to him."

Ron frowned, trying to sort out which promise he had broken.

"Think back to your fourth year, with the tournament."

"I...I promised him I wouldn't turn my back on my friends again." Bill nodded.

"But you just spanked me for that!" Ron objected.

"I spanked you for the deed, not the broken promise. You promised Charlie, so that's who you'll answer to for breaking it."

"But Bill!"

Bill just smiled at him. "Get some rest Ron. You'll need it if you're going to catch up with Harry before Charlie visits."

Grumbling, Ron changed into pajamas and lay down on his stomach. "'Night Bill."

"Good night Ron." As soon as he left the guest room, he headed toward the living room. He had to convince Charlie to come for a visit in a week, just in case.

Bill threw a handful of Floo Powder into the fireplace and stuck his head in, saying, "The Burrow!"

Luckily for him, the only occupant of the room was the one that he wished to speak to. "Oi, Charlie," he said.

The dragon tamer turned and, seeing Bill's head in the fire, knelt down to put them roughly at eye level. "You've got that look," Charlie commented. "Who's in trouble?"

"Ron."

"He, Harry, and Hermione are done then?" Charlie asked, a grin lighting his features.

Bill shook his head. "Remember a promise that you mentioned extracting from Ron about three years ago?"

Charlie thought back. "Ye- He didn't."

"He did."

Charlie's eyes narrowed and he stood up. "Move over Bill, I'm coming through."

"Not right now, you're not. He's sleeping, and I don't think he could take another spanking right now anyway."

"You already spanked him?"

"For leaving Harry and Hermione. I left the promise out of it. Figured you'd want to handle that."

Charlie sat back down. "But not right now."

"Not right now," Bill confirmed. "How's next week look for you?"

"Well, I've got tea with You-Know-Who, but I think I can cancel," Charlie replied, straight-faced.

Bill rolled his eyes. "Ha. See you in a week if Ron's still here."

"If? What do you mean 'if?'" Charlie demanded, but Bill's head had already vanished. "'If,' he says. Bloody git," Charlie muttered, giving the fireplace a glare for good measure before going back to what he had been doing before. He was strongly tempted to head over to Shell Cottage anyway, but decided against it. Bill generally had good reasons for his requests.

One Week Later

Charlie Apparated just outside of Shell Cottage and knocked on the door. It was answered by Ron, who took one look at Charlie and tried to bolt back into the house. Charlie had been waiting a week to have a 'conversation' with his younger brother and was not about to let him get away that easily. Before Ron could go three steps, Charlie grabbed his arm.

Bill entered the room just then. His mouth quirked into a slight grin as he took in the scene in front of him. Charlie had an annoyed look on his face and was keeping a tight hold on Ron, who was trying uselessly to get loose.

"Last door on your left on the first floor," Bill told Charlie. "Fleur and I will stay down here, out of your way." Behind Ron's back, he mouthed, 'Be careful' at Charlie.

Charlie gave him a thumbs-up with his free hand and proceeded to escort Ron to the stairs. "Do I need to drag you all the way, or can I trust you not to run away?" he asked when they reached the stairs.

"I won't run," Ron said quickly. Charlie released his arm and gestured for him to go first. Ron started up the stairs, but gasped when a firm swat landed on his backside. He looked back at Charlie.

"That's for trying to get away from me," Charlie said, answering the unspoken question. Ron blushed and continued upstairs. Much too soon for Ron's liking, they reached the room where Ron was staying. Charlie sat down on the bed and crooked his finger at Ron.

"Let's not drag this anymore than we have to, Ronald Bilius." Ron shuffled over and made to drape himself over Charlie's lap, but was forestalled by a hand on his chest.

"I don't think so. I'm not going to wear out my hand on your clothing. Drop 'em."

"Charlie..."

"Don't 'Charlie' me, Ronald. I said drop 'em and I meant it," Charlie said firmly.

Ron groaned, but pushed his pants down to mid thigh. At Charlie's gesture, he pushed his underwear down to join them. Once he was bare below the waist, Charlie allowed him to settle himself across his lap before pushing back his shirt.

Unlike Bill, Charlie normally didn't make the person over his lap say why they were being spanked. He just started right in. It wasn't long at all before Ron was squirming hard and promising by anything and everything that he would never, never, never break another promise. Charlie may have only been using his hand, but his hand was hard, callused, and perfectly capable of delivering a sound spanking.

Charlie ignored Ron's pleas and promises, focusing instead on the rapidly reddening bottom under his hand. When he deemed it dark enough, he paused to give the now-sobbing Ron a chance to catch his breath. "Weasleys don't break promises," he said sternly when he thought Ron was capable of paying attention. "Are we clear?"

"Yes, clear, yes, yes, yes, YES!" Ron said, hoping against hope that Charlie was done.

They were. Charlie scooped Ron up in his arms and kissed him on the forehead. "How are you doing on finding Harry and Hermione little brother?"

"Not very good," Ron confessed, sniffling as he cuddled up against Charlie. "I don't even know where to start!"

Charlie squeezed him tight for a moment. "You'll find them Ron. I know you will." He sniffed the air. "Smells like shepherd's pie. You up for dinner?"

Ron considered this. "Do I have to sit?"

"Well, yes, probably, but I know a really good cushioning charm."