Thick Of It

The Quidditch pitch was bathed in the golden glow of the setting sun as Ron sprawled on the grass, panting like a dog after a long chase. Jason, Tobi, and Simon stood nearby, barely winded, sipping water and chatting among themselves. Ron's groans of exhaustion punctuated the calm evening air.

Ron: [dramatically, between gasps] "This is it. The end. I'm dying. Tell Mum I love her."

Jason: [grinning] "Hey, princess, don't just lie there. Keep moving—it helps."

Ron, raised a weary middle finger in Jason's direction but grudgingly followed the advice, pushing himself to his feet.

Ron: "Piss off, Jason."

Tobi: [laughing] "I'll admit, Jason, you do have a knack for motivational speeches. Real tearjerkers."

Simon: [mocking Jason's tone] "Next, he'll be writing self-help books. 'How to Turn Your Mate into a Keeper in Ten Easy Steps.'"

They all burst into laughter, even Ron, though his breathing still came in heavy spurts.

As they were catching their breath and rehydrating, Sirius Black strode across the pitch, his trademark mischievous grin in place. His presence immediately drew their attention.

Sirius: "Hey, Ron."

Ron turned, squinting at him in surprise.

Sirius: "Come with me for a moment. Just two minutes. Sorry, lads, I'll have him back before you know it."

Ron exchanged a curious glance with the others before jogging over to Sirius. They walked a short distance away, where Sirius leaned in conspiratorially.

Sirius: "Ron, I wanted to talk to you about Harry."

Ron: [frowning] "What about him? Is this about the tournament? Because, honestly, Sirius, it's a bit rich that he didn't tell us how to get our names in."

Sirius: [raising an eyebrow] "You really think Harry kept something like that from you? You know him better than that."

Ron: [his voice rising slightly] "Then how'd his name get in there? He always gets the attention! And where does that leave the rest of us? Always in his shadow!"

Sirius studied Ron for a moment, his expression softening.

Sirius: "Ron, I understand where you're coming from. But Harry didn't ask for any of this—the fame, the danger. You know better than anyone how much he hates it. But he needs his friends to stand by him, especially now."

Ron crossed his arms, still looking unconvinced. Sirius sighed, then reached into his cloak and pulled out a gleaming Firebolt.

Sirius: "Here. This is for you. Latest version ."

Ron's eyes widened in shock.

Ron: "What? No, I can't—"

Sirius: "Take it. As a thank you for always being there for Harry when he needed you. That's what being a friend is about, isn't it? Supporting each other."

Before Ron could protest further, Sirius clapped him on the shoulder and turned to leave.

Sirius: [with a grin] "Don't overthink it, Ron. Just fly."

And with that, Sirius disappeared back toward the castle, leaving Ron standing there, staring at the Firebolt in his hands.

Ron trudged back to the group, holding the Firebolt like it was a cursed artifact. Jason, Tobi, and Simon immediately noticed his conflicted expression.

Tobi: "Blimey, Ron. Where'd you nick that?"

Simon: [grinning] "Yeah, and who do we bribe to get one for ourselves?"

Ron: [groaning] "Sirius gave it to me."

Jason: [raising an eyebrow] "And you're acting like he handed you a Howler. What's the problem?"

Ron: "I don't know whether to fly it or chuck it in the lake. It's not like I earned it."

Jason: [clapping him on the back] "Ron, if someone hands you a Firebolt, you fly it. Simple as that."

The group chuckled, but Ron's mind was clearly elsewhere. The conversation shifted to the Triwizard Tournament.

Ron: [sighing] "Jason, why don't you ever blame Harry? We all could've taken part in the tournament if he hadn't stolen the limelight again. You're the best among us, Jason. You probably would've won."

Jason leaned back, a thoughtful expression on his face, before speaking.

Jason: "You know, Ron, I get it. You're jealous of Harry. It's obvious. He gets the limelight, and you're always known as Harry Potter's friend. That's frustrating—I'd feel the same in your shoes."

Ron looked down, his ears turning pink, but Jason continued.

Jason: "But here's the thing—none of that will ever change unless you change it. Harry didn't ask to be The Boy Who Lived. He didn't ask for the fame, the tournaments, or the danger. And you would know whether he loves the attention or not ."

Ron looked up, his expression conflicted.

Jason: "If you want to step out of Harry's shadow, you need to stop comparing yourself to him. Focus on what you can do, what you want to do. "

The group fell silent, the weight of Jason's words hanging in the air. Finally, Simon broke the tension.

Simon: [grinning] "Well, if Ron doesn't want the Firebolt, I'll gladly take it."

Tobi: "Not a chance, mate. I saw it first."

The group burst into laughter, and even Ron cracked a smile, albeit reluctantly. As they packed up their gear, the mood lightened, but Jason's words lingered in the back of Ron's mind.