Passing him on -- Late Summer 1987

I had outgrown my pet rat, Scabbers.  I just did not want him anymore.  I felt like I may get made fun of at Hogwarts for having a pet rat -- Bill had his own owl now, and that was far cooler than a pet rat.  I knew that with how different I was from Charlie and Bill that I would most likely be teased already -  I did not need to give the other students anymore ammunition than necessary.  I went to my youngest brother's room and knocked on his door.  "Ron?  I want to talk to you," I said to him easily.  Though we did not always see eye to eye, Ron was decent enough to talk to.  He was only seven, so he was not nearly as bad as the twins.

I looked up at my older brother and nodded.  "What do you want, Perce?" I asked, looking up from my stack of chocolate frog cards that I was trying to organize.  I wanted to see how many doubles I had to see if I could trade any of them for some I did not have yet.

I walked into the very orange bedroom and saw Ron messing with his cards.  I sat down, making sure that I did not mess anything up.  I looked at my younger brother.  "I just want to talk to you about something," I said to him simply.  "I want to give you something."  I knew that would be the best way to get his attention.

I liked it when most of my brothers gave me something -- I learned not to like what George and Fred would give me... it always seemed to end badly.  I put aside my chocolate frog cards.  "What do you want to give me?" I asked my big brother.

I chuckled at Ron's reaction.  I pulled my pet rat out of my pocket.  "I'd like to give you Scabbers," I said to him sincerely.  I was just too old to be taking a rat to school.  And I figured Ron would enjoy having a pet with him.

I raised my eyebrows, eyeballing the rat.  "You'd really give me your rat?  Why?  What did you get instead?" I asked, peering at my older brother with curiosity.

I shook my head.  "I didn't get anything else instead," I answered.  "I just wanted to pass Scabbers on... that's all."  I did not want to tell my little brother I did not want the rat to give kids any more reason to tease me when I start at Hogwarts.

Percy hardly ever was nice like this for no reason.  He hated talking to everyone because we constantly teased him.  I raised an eyebrow at him as I took Scabbers, examining him.  "Is he sick or something?" I asked, wondering if that was why Percy wanted to get rid of him.

I shook my head.  "No, he's not sick," I said to Ron.  "I just don't really want to take him to Hogwarts with me..."  I at least ought to be honest with my younger brother to a point.

I looked at Percy, taking Scabbers from him.  Everything I had was hand-me-down... but I knew this was something a little different.  "You don't think rats are cool for Hogwarts, do you?" I asked my older brother.

I sighed and shook my head.  "I don't want anyone to tear the mickey out of me," I explained.  "I'll already be a target..."

Furrowing my brow, I looked at the rat.  I kenw I would not ever be able to get my own owl, so I supposed the rat was going to have to do.  "Yeah, sure, I'll take him," I said, though I knew that I would probably be okay with having him around, anyways.  Then I looked at my older brother.  "I'm sure you'll fit in with some people at Hogwarts.  There are all sorts of different folks there..." 

Perce and I did not always get along, but I felt like I had to try to make him feel better.

I looked at my younger brother and laughed slightly.  "Yeah, okay," I said to Ron.  I sat down on Ron's bed and handed over Scabbers.  "He's been a good rat... I'm sure he'll do better with you than with me... you enjoy being with animals more than me."  Though I did love that rat.

I laughed at Percy.  "I know you don't like animals that much," I assured him.  "You're definitely no Charlie..."  Charlie was probably the best of all of us Weasley kids when it came to animals.  Especially big ones.  Scabbers, however, was not a big animal.  I could easily handle him.  "Well, thanks Perce - for Scabbers."

I smirked at Ron's assessment.  "My pleasure," I said to him pompously about giving him Scabbers.  "I just hope he does well enough to last you a few years..."  He was getting rather old.