Sometimes being a brother is even better than being a superhero -- August 1985

I was going to try to get some time to myself... which was nearly impossible due to my six younger siblings.  Sometimes I hated being the eldest child... they always seemed to hunt me down.  I was glad that I was their role model and stuff, but sometimes I wish they would gravitate towards Percy or something.  I couldn't help but chuckle out loud when that thought crossed my mind.  There was no surprise they ignored percy the best they could.  I glanced around from my little hiding spot to see if anyone heard my little chortle.  I did not want to give away my hiding place.  I had told them I would play hide and seek... they should be the first to hide and then I would seek.  Well, it had been about an hour and it was so peaceful.  It was a couple of months until my fourteenth birthday and I wished that the kids would realize that I was not the best person in the world to be idolizing.  Charlie was going to be starting school here, too, so they should start bugging him.  I loved them to death... but they were kind of ridiculous sometimes.  I just wanted some peace before having to go back to school.

I wondered if someone forgot to tell me if we were finished playing hide and seek or something.  I figured that I would try to find anyone... I could not find any of my siblings except of course my younger sister.  I hated being one of the younger kids... I wanted to be cool and big like Bill or Charlie.  I walked around and finally heard something.  It had to be one of my brothers.  I finally found Bill.  I walked up to him and kicked his boot.  "Hey!  I thought you were seeking!" I yelled, crossing my arms and glaring at my brother.

I had not seen anyone when I checked... apparently Ron was still too short to see over some of the brush that had been keeping me hidden.  I felt him kick my boot and I looked at him and nearly laughed at the five-year-old's face.  "Ronnie... c'mon, man, let me be.  Go play with the twins or Ginny," I suggested.  They were all closer to his age anyways.  Why did he want to be around me so much?

I could not believe that Bill was being such a jerk to me!  I just wanted to hang out with my older brother!  "But I want to be with you, Bill," I said.  "And don't call me Ronnie."  I hated when Bill did hat.

I propped myself up on my elbows.  "Just go bug off, Ronnie," I said, knowing how he hated me calling him that.  I wanted to make him leave me alone... so I was trying to get him to leave me alone.  I knew I was being a little cruel... but we all wanted our time to be by ourselves, right?  What was the harm in that?

Why did he have to be so mean?  Glaring at him, I stomped off.  I hated when Bill acted like that.  If he didn't want to play or anything, then I would find something to do by myself.  I started to walk by the creek and figured that I would skip rocks or something.  Well, at least try to anyways.

When Ron stormed off, I felt bad.  I laid there for a little while then I could not hear Ron's footsteps anymore.  I sat up.  Silence is not a good sign in the Weasley household.  What was he doing?  I stood up and scanned the immediate area and could not see him.  I figured I shoul dprobably find him and apologize for being a prick.  I ran a hand through my hair and started to follow the small footsteps I saw in the dirt.  It looked like he was headed towards the creek.  He knows he is not allowed down there by himself.  I started to jog down that way and saw Ron standing in the middle up to his knees bending down to try to pick up rocks in the water.  I didn't want to startle him and make him lose his footing, I continued to make my way over to him.  I was a little afraid for my brother right now... he was too little to be out knee deep in water by himself.  And he knew that.  I was mentally kicking myself because I was sure I was the reason he went out there in the first place.

I stood up from finding some rocks.  I heard something and spun around quickly thinking that it was Mum coming out to yell at me for being out in the creek.  When I did that, some of the stones beneath my feet shifted and I fell.  I saw Bill watching, running towards me... but I did not hear what he said.  I saw only blackness.

"Ron!" I yelled, going into a sprint rather than a jog.  The creek wasn't deep or swift enough to carry him too far... but I saw him fall and he hit his head.  If he stayed down, he could potentially drown.  I went crashing through the water and had to get onto my knees to scoop my brother up into my arms.  I wish that I would not have been so selfish... I went up onto the long grass and laid him down.  I felt for a pulse and found one... but I could not tell if he was breathing.  "Ron?  Ron!" I yelled, smacking his cheeks and putting my hand over his mouth and beneath his nose to see if I could feel any breath.  I could not tell... so I was going to assume he was not.  I tilted his head back and blew air into his mouth a couple of times.  When he started coughing and water came sputtering out, I pulled him up into my arms.  "Don't do that to me ever again," I said, hugging his wet form.

I was coughing and I could barely move.  "Gerroff!" I said, squirming in Bill's arms.  He loosened up his grip and pulled away.  I could not help but keep coughing.  My head was sore and when I felt it, it stung slightly.  When I looked at my fingers I saw some blood.  I looked back at my brother.  "Why'd you come after me?  I thought you didn't want me around," I said, backing away from him slightly so I could stand up and attempt to brush myself off.

I deserved that one.  I really did... I sighed and ran my hand through my hair.  "Ron, don't be like that... I didn't mean to sound so mean before.  I just wanted some time for myself is all... and I did it all wrong," I told him.  I was hoping that that would be a good enough apology for my younger brother.  "When I didn't hear anything, I became concerned and I came to find you.  I didn't mean to startle you... but you weren't supposed to be in there.  I got worried and I saw you slip... Ron, you could have drowned!  Just don't scare me lik ethat again, alright?" I said to him, my arm resting on my knee as I looked over at him.

I scared my big brother?  There was no way.  I laughed and shook my head, but stopped quickly since it hurt to do so.  "Nah, there is no way I scared you.  You're the toughest and strongest person I know... something like that did not scare you at all," I said, still smiling at the thought.

I smiled at my brother and nodded.  "You did scare me... Ron, I need my little twerp following me around and making sure that I watch my every move so you have someone decent to look up to," I said.  I moved some of his hair away from where he had hit his head.  I could not believe that he had really hurt himself that badly.  "We should probably get you up to the house so Mum can patch you up," I told him.

I did agree that I probably should have Mum patch me up.  I looked at my older brother and wondered how we would play this off.  "Er... do we have to tell her the truth?" I questioned.  I did not want to get yelled at by Mum and I was sure that Bill would probably get yelled at as well for not keeping a better eye on me.  I was a little worried.

I was about to nod and tell him that we needed to but I thought better of it.  "We were in the creek trying to skip some rocks and you lost your footing," I said, expanding and tweaking the truth as I told Ron what to say.  "We're both wet because you did fall, but that was it.  We had a good laugh out of it and I'm wet because I bent down to try to catch you in time.  What else is there to say?" I winked at Ron and stood up, helping him stand.  I kept my arm around his hsoulder as we went up to the house.  He was walking slower than normal but that was probably due to him being dizzy and stuff.  I was trying to keep his walking straight so Mum wouldn't worry more than necessary.