A/N: Welcome to the first chapter of a story inspired by one of my sister's Story Challange and another of my sister's plot bunny. Thanks guys! I do not own 'Harry Potter'. Blessed Be J.K!

Chapter One

The Great Hall at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry buzzed with excitement. It was the first day of the school year. Professor Ronald Weasley surveyed the throng of students in the long house tables from his vantage point at the staff table at the far end of the room. As the preparations for the sorting began he thought of just how much had changed since he stood, nervously, waiting in the small room just off the Great Hall and he couldn't believe how fast time had passed him by. This would be his third year teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts. Ron thought he had done extremely well for himself after the war. He was twenty nine years old, had a great job, a beautiful, five year old daughter named Amelia, his loving wife, Susan, and with another child on the way he couldn't be much happier. While he enjoyed every minute of teaching, even when the little brats were giving him trouble, he missed his family during the long school terms away in Scotland.

Ron missed his school friends, too. Everything changed after the war. He hadn't seen Hermione in -He counted on his fingers- eleven years. They both knew they had gotten caught up in the thrill of the war. They should never have dated. They had always been better as friends. Like family. Their break up had been brutal and they hadn't spoken since. He still saw Harry at the holidays. He was his brother in law after all but Harry had remained friends with Hermione and it has caused a strain on their friendship…

Ron snapped out of his day dream as his wife's friend and fellow Hufflepuff, Professor Finch-Fletchley, cleared his throat loudly as he stood beside the small three-legged stool. A single file line of slightly wet first years, fresh off the boats, made their way to the front of the Great Hall and the sorting began.

The ancient hat perched on the stool, opened at the brim and began to recite its poem.

Once a year I am here

To make the great divide

By Hogwarts's Founders

I was designed

To put you in your place.

Sit upon my little stool

And place me on your head

I'll look inside your very mind

And tell you were you'll make your bed.

In Gryffindor you'll find good friends

Brave, daring and true.

In Ravenclaw dwell the

Clever, witty and wise alike.

In Hufflepuff you'll find no

Souls more loyal and just.

In Slytherin not for the faint of heart

The cunning folk will take you in

Should your blood be pure as snow.

Now, do not be afraid for

I have never been wrong.

I will help you find your place

Among the throng.

As I have for centuries past

So I will for you!

Ron loved watching the faces of the first years as a seemingly inanimate object started speaking. And he always enjoyed the yearly poem this wondrous hat came up with.

'But I suppose if you have a whole year to do nothing but make up a poem…' It was a large group, Ron noticed.

'Must be the post war baby boom' He thought to himself as the names began to be read aloud once the hat had finished speaking.

"Advento, Carl." Justin read from a long piece of parchment. The small boy walked forward nervously and sat on the stool when instructed. The hat was placed gently on his head and no sooner had it slipped down over his eyes it shouted loudly making the boy visibly jump a few inches. "Slytherin!" The table to the far right of the hall erupted with applause and the shaking little first year was welcomed into the house by his classmates. The process continued alphabetically. From "Avery, Eliana" "Slytherin!" to

"Blagg, Cody." "Ravenclaw!" to

"Bolhman, Steven." "Hufflepuff!" to

"Brown, Bennett." "Gryffindor!" Ron sat up, eyeing the small boy. Shaking his head, he sat back in his chair.

Ron realised that it was a fairly common surname and he didn't suppose that Lavender Brown would have a kid around this age. But, the boy did look a lot like her, except for his fiery red hair and freckles.

'No…' he thought, alarmed, to himself as Justin moved onto

"Bylett, Luke." "Hufflepuff!" Ron sighed watching the red head boy take a seat at the Gryffindor table with much celebration, just as he had. Every Weasley since forever had been placed in Gryffindor.

'Just… no. Brown is a common surname and there are plenty of red heads starting at this school every year. In fact…' he spied another red-haired boy waiting in the line to be sorted and a few scattered around the tables.

"Chalk, George." "Ravenclaw!" and

"Chantal, Olivia." "Hufflepuff!" were sorted into their houses.

'Anyway…' Ron continued to muse. 'The thing with Lavender was a onetime thing, a drunken mistake in the after war celebrations and had contributed to the break up with Hermione, surely Lav would have told me… Yes of course she would have.' Ron convinced himself in time to watch…

"Chapman, Jack." get sorted into

"Slytherin!" followed by

"Deskent, Gary." in to "Ravenclaw" and

"Ford, Hannah." into "Hufflepuff" each time the students grew louder and more excited to invite the first years to their table. Next came

"Frost, Wendell." "Ravenclaw!" and

"Greenwood, Eric." "Hufflepuff!"

What Ron heard next made his heart skip a beat.

"Granger, Benedict."

'No. It can't be Granger. I must have misheard!' Ron thought panicking as the other young red head boy took his turn on the stool.

'Hermione can't have kids at this age unless… But, why would Harry have kept it from him. He must have known, unless Hermione was keeping it from him because… Ah' Ron's stomach flipped and he shifted uncomfortably in his chair. His fellow professors sitting either side of him eyed him warily. Ron sat on the edge of his seat until after a few seconds of careful consideration the boy was also placed in

"Gryffindor!"

Ron slumped in this chair, making a thud on his golden plate with his head. A few people turned to look, while his workmates fanned him with a napkin. Professor Finch-Fletchley tried keeping the proceedings going. By the time Ron came around

"Vue, Justin." was being sorted into

"Ravenclaw!". Bright red with embarrassment, Ron tried to blend into his large wooden chair while the last first year

"Walsh, Gemma." was sorted into

"Hufflepuff!" Ron tried to get control of himself. With the sorting over he could eat and get out of here. He had a lot to think about tonight. He didn't suppose he would be getting much sleep.

A/N: Please Review!