Ron's Decision

The next afternoon, Molly and Arthur Weasley arrived at Hogwarts and entered the Headmaster’s office. They found Professor Snape, Professor Sprout and Madame Pomfrey waiting with Dumbledore, as well as their son. While the note asking them to come didn’t mention any trouble, they were not feeling good with this many teachers here.

“Headmaster, what is this about?” Arthur asked, getting to the heart of the matter.

“I believe Madame Pomfrey and Professor Sprout can explain everything. Please sit down. Poppy, go ahead.”

“Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. During a detention late last week your son was injured in the forbidden forest while gathering roots as punishment. He was hit on the head after falling and landed in a cluster of herbs.”

“Yes, we are aware of the detention, a note was sent to us.” Molly told her.

“Yes, but what we didn’t know at the time was that Ron fell into a foreign budding plant.” She said.

“Budding plant?” Arthur looked to his son, who was sitting calmly watching everything. “What do you mean?”

Professor Sprout stood up from her chair. “The En-centi plant is actually native to the forests of India. The reproduce by inseminating other plants and starting a gestation process in the host.”

Molly immediately sat up, clearly on edge. “What does this have to do with Ron?”

“From the tests I have run, Ron’s magical biology drew the plants properties out and they reacted to that magic.” Madame Pomfrey explained. She had told Ron all of this when Sprout and Snape came to her. “They started a gestation process in the host as they would have in another plant.”

“What exactly does that mean, started a gestation process?” Arthur asked.

“Ron is carrying an egg, embedded in his abdomen.”

Both Weasleys look to their son who was watching them carefully. Arthur in particular was looking at his son, intently. It was hard for Ron to tell what he was thinking. His mother was wearing anguish on her face but his father was harder to read.

“Can you remove it?” Molly asked.

“Mother.” It was the first time Ron had spoken, and it drew the eyes of both his parents.

“Mrs. Weasley, I can’t do anything to Ron without his permission,” she confirmed, “he hasn’t asked me to remove it.”

“Ron, why not?” She turned to her son, but again he stayed silent.

“Ron,” Arthur remained calmer than his wife, “do you want it removed?”

“No.” He said.

“How long will it stay there?” His mother asked.

“I tested the egg at two different times, and found that like a standard female egg, he has a few days to fertilize it before it will find a way to exit his body. I can’t say how though.”

“So this will leave on its on then?” She was looking from Ron to Pomfrey but Arthur hadn’t looked away from his son.

“Ron, what have you decided?” He asked.

“Arthur,” Molly gasped, “what are you talking about? He can’t possibly……”

“I’ve decided to have it fertilized.” He said in a firm voice, but he knew what was coming.

“What?! Ron what are you thinking?” Molly stood and walked over to him, taking his shoulders in her hands. “You don’t have to do this?”

“This is a chance I can’t give up mum.” He looked from her to his father, who held a passive but understanding face. “I’m gay mum, I won’t be getting married and fathering a family and adoption is not a guarantee. This one will be my own.”

Arthur looked to Madame Pomfrey. “So this has nothing to do with the plant?”

“The plant starts by using the cells of the host to begin a natural gestation process. This is Ron’s egg entirely and made up of his genes. It will be a biological part of him and who ever he chooses as the other parent.” She explained, with Professor Sprout nodding along.

“The other parent?” Molly asked. “You mean he has to find a father?”

“There will be two fathers.” Ron said.

“Ron, this is crazy.” Molly said, facing her son again.

“No mum, crazy would be turning away this chance that I have. I can have a baby of my own. I can have a family of my own, without a third party, or signed parchments,” he said, “I want this opportunity, I don’t know if I will have it again.”

“Ron,” he looked to his father, “who have you chosen?”

“Chosen?” Molly again gasped. “You mean you already have someone in mind?”

“I don’t just have someone in mind, mum, I’ve spoken with him and he’s agreed to donate for me.”

“Who?” Arthur asked again.

“Professor Snape.”

“What?!” Molly shot to her feet and hurried to Snape glaring up at him. “Was this your idea?”

“Mum!” This time Ron stood. “Stop it. This was my idea and my decision.”

“Why him then,” Molly looked up at her son, now one of the tallest of her sons, “tell me that.”

“Because he meets everything I need. He has money, not only from teaching but from his brews. He has more than enough to take are of a baby and me while I take care of it. He has agreed to finance my broom designs when I am ready to start them.”

“Money? That was your deciding factor?” She demanded. Arthur came to her side but he was merely listening, without any harsh expression.

“Partly. Anyone who wants to have a baby needs to make sure it will be supported. If he finances my broom designs, until at least I can make a living on them, then I won’t have to try and sell them to a patron. Eventually I will be making my own money, but won’t have to borrow from my siblings to start it all. Also, Severus is gay, so the chance of him having a family of his own is just a slim as it would have been for me. This way we can have a family.”

“So he isn’t just going to donate?” Arthur asked.

Ron met his fathers eyes. “No. After graduation I will move in with him. We have agreed to raise this child together.”

“Ron, have you …..”

“Molly, come now. This is Ron’s decision and he has made it.” Molly had no choice but to fall quiet. She knew her husband was right. Ron was seventeen now and she no longer had legal control of what he did with his life. She was worried for him though, as she was with all her children.

“Ron, come walk with me.” Nobody said a word as Ron and Arthur left the headmaster’s office and began a leisurely walk in the halls.

“Dad, I haven’t rushed this decision. I know it seems like it but I haven’t.” He told his father.

“I know Ron, I could tell from what you have shared with us,” he said with a smile, “but you are my youngest son, and the thought of you going through something like this raises my fears.”

“Well, it raises mine too. Technically we don’t know if this will work.” For the first time since they entered this topic of conversation Arthur heard fear in his son’s voice.

“Then why do this?” He asked. “Is it worth it?’

“Was I worth it, Bill? Charlie? Percy? Fred, George, or Ginny? Were they worth it?” He focused his eyes on his father firmly, eye to eye.

“Worth every moment.” He didn’t hesitate a moment to answer honestly.

“I think this chance is worth it too.” He stopped and faced his father. “Severus can take care of us, and give me the chance to take care of this baby without worries. I know you and mum always found a way to make it work, and I don’t want to burden you but returning home with a child as well.”

“You never were a burden Ron, ever.” He said.

“I know. But like I said, this is a chance for me to have a family of my own. When I realized I was gay, I didn’t think I would have my own family without some alternative arrangement. I can have it all dad, and I want it.” His emotion was catching, and Arthur felt his own heart swell.

“Your mother and I will always be here for you, should you need us.” He said.

“I know that. I never doubted that, no matter what she says or how upset she gets.”

“She’s not upset, just scared,” Arthur rustled his son’s hair like he used to do when he was a boy, “and that won’t change anytime soon.”

Ron let out a chuckle, then noticed Professor Snape approaching. “I’m sorry to disturb you, but your mother is asking about prenatal care, so you might want to be involved.”

“That’s a good idea son, you go one, Severus and I will join you in a moment.” He smiled brightly, but Ron knew when he was dismissed. He was going to talk to Professor Snape.

He shared a nod with his former teacher and then left to return to Dumbledore’s office. “I imagine you have questions Arthur.”

“I do, but Ron has made his decision and I will respect it and support it.” He said, watching as the man faced him.

“I knew you would. Your wife too, for all that she gives her thoughts.” Severus grinned. “She is discussing Ron’s care though so I thought he might want to let her know what is going to happen.”

“You and he have talked about it then?” Arthur asked, wondering about his son’s future.

“Yes. When he came to me, he was prepared to have a lengthy discussion. He has not gone into this blind Arthur, and neither have I.” He moved closer, leaning, falling into step with the Weasley patriarch as they walked back toward the headmaster’s office.

“I can believe that.” Arthur knew this was no ignorant individual and he admired that in the man. No doubt, his son admired it too.

“What is your concern? I will try and alleviate it.” He watched the other man’s face for the slightest change in expression. He had done the same when Ron approached him, but the younger man’s face held only confidence typical of his house. His father on the other hand, held worry but given that this involved his offspring it was understandable.

“When Ron came out to us that he was gay my first concern was that Ron would find a partner who valued and respected him, who treated him right,” he said “will this happen, seeing as how you have forgone things like dating and such?”

“The fact that your son came to me to father this child with him, has earned him my respect. And the fact that he has asked me not only to father it with him, but raise it with him as made me value him. That means more to me than a few dinners.”

Arthur took a moment before responding. “And after the child is born?”

“We both thought it would be wise to stay near Madame Pomfrey after he graduates, since she will see to his care while in school. He will stay in my quarters when the school term ends and have the baby here in the castle. Then we will move to my home at Spinners End. I’m planning on changing some things to make room for him and the baby. I also plan on taking a year off to spend with him and the baby.”

“You do?” Arthur was shocked. “I would think as impatient as you get with students at times, younger children would be harder to tolerate.”

“I can see how you would think that. However this would be my child, and this child would be wanted. I don’t have a choice with my students, but this is hardly an accidental pregnancy. I want this child, just as Ron does.”

Arthur looked carefully at the man before him. Then a thought struck him. “And my son, Severus, is he wanted?”

“Yes, Arthur, he is. We have decided to be a family, to raise this child together.”

For some reason Arthur was more assured by this and smiled. “He is my youngest son, and I want to make sure he is with someone who sees how special he is.”

“I understand. He is special. For some reason he sees something in me worthy of fathering a child with him. Only someone special would see that.”

Both men walked back in silence. Arthur knew his son had made a good choice in going to Severus. He could only pray to Merlin now for Ron’s safety