A/N – Welcome to my new story – another short reunion. This story has 9 chapters in total and updates will be on Tuesdays and Fridays. Unlike a lot of my reunions, this story starts with the reason for the falling out and then moves on several years later to the reunion. I hope you all enjoy The World Cup.

For the seventh years at Hogwarts, their final year at the wizarding school had a different feel to it than the previous six years. Right from day one the students had been aware that their time at Hogwarts was numbered and all too soon they would be leaving the safety of school behind and embarking on life outside of the school gates. As the year progressed the student's thoughts began to turn more often to their futures, and what awaited them once they'd graduated.

Some students had solid plans for their future, and others at least had some semblance of idea of what they were going to do once they left Hogwarts, but of course there were always the ones who had no idea what their future held. Ron Weasley was one of those who had no idea what he was going to do once he left school, and in fact he'd barely given the future much thought until one evening the boys were lounging around the dorm room talking and the topic of the future reared its head.

"Professor Sprout has arranged for me to begin an apprenticeship with a top herbologist," Neville Longbottom informed his friends. "It'll be so great. I'll learn all sorts and get to visit loads of different countries, studying plants around the world."

"That sounds great Neville," Harry Potter said, grinning at his friend and his obvious excitement. "How long will the apprenticeship last?"

"Until I'm fully qualified to either set up my own business or get a job somewhere," Neville replied. "Professor's Sprout's even dropped a few hints that I might want to take over from her one day."

"Would you want that, to become a Professor?" Dean Thomas asked.

"I don't know," Neville admitted. "I'm hardly a natural leader, am I? Now, I could imagine Hermione as a Professor."

"Yeah, she'd be way stricter than McGonagall or even Snape," Seamus Finnigan laughed.

"So, what about you, Harry?" Dean asked. "Are you still thinking about becoming an Auror?"

"Funny enough, I went off that idea," Harry replied with a grimace.

Harry's initial desire to become an Auror had started in fourth year when what was thought to be the former Auror, Alastor Moody, had taught Defence against the Dark Arts. Moody had encouraged Harry to pursue a career chasing dark wizards, but then he'd been exposed as a fraud. In fact, he himself was a Death Eater and he'd been posing as Moody to get Harry to a graveyard where Lord Voldemort was waiting to perform a ritual that would have resorted him to health. Fortunately, the ritual failed, and Voldemort ended up dead as a result. So, between Voldemort no longer being a threat and the wizard who'd encouraged him to become an Auror exposed as a fraud, Harry had gone off the idea of spending the rest of his life chasing dark wizards.

"So, what are you going to do?" Neville asked.

"Beats me," Harry answered with a shrug. "I'm sure something will turn up."

"It looks like you're the only one with plans for the future, Neville," Ron laughed.

"Actually, Dean and I have plans," Seamus said. "We're going into business together."

"Doing what?" Harry asked.

"We're going to open a bar," Dean answered. "We've been saving up for over a year, and it should be enough for us to find somewhere to buy."

"Wow, I had no idea you already had plans," Harry remarked.

"We didn't want to mention it until we knew it could happen," Seamus replied. "To be honest, it's only been recently that we've been sure we could afford to make it work."

"Well, make sure to invite us all to your big opening," Neville said.

"We're counting on you all to be regulars and bringing business out way," Dean said with a laugh.

"So how about you Ron?" Seamus asked. "Do you have any ideas about the future."

"Not really," Ron admitted with a shrug. "Although maybe Harry and I should take a leaf out of your book."

"What, set up a rival bar?" Dean said with a frown. "We don't need competition, Ron."

"Not a bar, but we could go into business together," Ron said. "What do you think, Harry? Fancy becoming partners?"

"In what sort of business?" Harry asked.

"I don't know, but we can come up with something," Ron replied with a half shrug. "Come on Harry, it'll be fun. Can't you just see us working together?"

"I suppose it could be fun," Harry admitted. "All we need now is a business idea," he added with a laugh, never for one minute thinking his best friend was being serious.

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Shortly before Easter, Dumbledore made an announcement that sent thrills of excitement through the seventh years that played quidditch. The final two matches of the year were to be played over the same weekend and scouts from several professional quidditch clubs were going to be present as they looked for new talent. For days afterwards, it was all anyone could talk about, and those involved with the four quidditch teams spent as much time as they could practising their skills in the hopes of impressing the scouts.

On the weekend of the big matches, the scouts arrived early on the Saturday morning and would be staying until late on Sunday evening. Gryffindor weren't playing until the Sunday when they were taking on Hufflepuff, but they were all in the stands to watch Ravenclaw take on Slytherin.

"This is so exciting," Ron gushed as he settled into his seat beside Harry.

"Is it?" Hermione Granger asked from Harry's other side, sounding anything but thrilled at what was happening.

"It's a once in a lifetime opportunity," Ron pointed out. "Scouts don't normally come to Hogwarts. Imagine being snapped up by a quidditch team before you've even left school."

"I doubt they're going to snap anyone up this weekend," Harry chuckled. "They're probably just keeping an eye out for when we leave school."

"But even catching the eye of a scout will be great," Ron replied. "I wish we were playing today. I'll be a nervous wreck before tomorrow's match."

"I'm pleased we're playing tomorrow," Harry said. "This way we can see if there's any real competition from the Slytherins and Ravenclaws."

"I don't think so," Ron said with a shake of his head. "Ravenclaw have lost all their best players over the last couple of years."

"What about Slytherin?" Hermione asked. She suspected Ron hadn't even considered the Slytherins would be good enough to interest the scout as he disliked them on principal and never gave them any credit.

"Malfoy could be good enough," Harry said. "Especially now he's switched to chaser. He scored more goals than anyone last year."

"Beginner's luck," Ron snorted, not wanting to admit that the blond Slytherin had upped his game considerably since switching positions at the beginning of the previous year when he'd taken over as captain.

"I don't think so," Harry replied. "I think he's really good. If I was a scout, I would be interested in him."

Ron snorted in disgust, but he didn't argue as Madam Hooch blew her whistle and the match got under-way. Much to Ron's chagrin, Malfoy was the star of the game and he seemed to be scoring goals at will as Slytherin quickly took control of the game. By the time Slytherin won the match after an hour and a half, Malfoy had impressed everyone watching the game and it proved no surprise that by dinner time rumours were circulating that he'd had a private meeting with the scouts and was on the verge of being offered trials with more than one club.

"I hope we're as lucky tomorrow," Ron grouched when the rumours about Malfoy reached the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall.

"I don't think it's about luck, it's about talent," Hermione said. "Luck won't get you noticed, talent will."

"Or money," Ron retorted, glancing over to the Slytherin table where Malfoy was holding court with his Slytherins.

"You can't possibly be accusing Malfoy of buying the scouts attention," Harry said with an unimpressed shake of his head. Years ago, he might have shared Ron's opinions, but he'd grown up a lot over the last couple of years and he had no real problems with the Slytherins, and that included Malfoy who had stopped trying to cause trouble with the Gryffindors as he too had grown up.

"Who knows what he's capable of," Ron muttered.

Refusing to get sucked into a pointless argument with Ron, Harry focused on keeping a clear head for the upcoming match. Until Dumbledore had mentioned the scouts, he hadn't considered a career as a professional quidditch player, but now the thought was in his head and it was all he wanted. Getting a nibble of interest from the scouts would be a dream come true for Harry, and he just hoped that he was good enough to draw their attention and give himself a chance at a career of a lifetime.

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"You're never going to believe it," Harry cried as he excitedly burst into the Gryffindor common room.

It was a couple of hours since Gryffindor had thrashed Hufflepuff in the final game of the year, and Harry had just come from a meeting in McGonagall's office with the quidditch scouts. He was the only Gryffindor to have been approached by the scouts, and when he'd headed off to attend the meeting, Ron had been sulking. He had been hoping his best friend would have gotten over his mood by the time he returned, but considering Ron remained in his seat, staring at the fire, when he'd burst into the room, it looked as though he was still smarting over being overlooked by the scouts.

"Come on Harry don't keep us hanging," Hermione urged. Quidditch may not have been her thing, but she was thrilled by the opportunity it looked as though Harry was about to get.

"I've got trials with two teams," Harry announced with a wide grin. "Both the Tornadoes and The Falcons want to see me in action. Although the scouts are fairly sure it's just a formality, and I'll be offered a chance to play quidditch with one of them."

"That's great, Harry," Hermione beamed as she gave her best friend a hug. "I'm so happy for you."

"Thanks Hermione," Harry said as his other friends gathered around to congratulate him. "What do you think Ron?" he asked, aware that his best friend had yet to say anything.

"I can't believe you're betraying me in this way," Ron spat as he got to his feet.

"Betraying you?" Harry frowned in confusion.

"We had plans, Harry," Ron said. "We were going to start a business together. But now you've gotten this opportunity and you've just cast me aside."

"What business is this?" Hermione questioned, wondering why neither of her friends had mentioned going into business together before now.

"There is no business," Harry replied, looking at Ron as though he was mad. "It was one remark, Ron. And that was bloody months ago. I can't believe you were even serious."

"And why wouldn't I be serious?" Ron demanded. "Am I not smart enough to run a business?"

"Of course, you could run a business, Ron. This isn't about your ability to succeed," Harry argued. "I didn't think you were serious as you never mentioned it again. I thought it was a joke."

"You mean, you thought I was a joke," Ron snorted.

"I do not," Harry snapped, annoyed by Ron's attitude. He knew his friend had inferiority issues, but he'd never once treated Ron as though he was anything but his equal. "But seriously Ron, what sort of business would we have had together? And where was the money coming from? Because unless I'm very much mistaken, you don't have any savings. And I know you wouldn't expect me to put up all the money."

Ron flushed red at Harry's words, leaving people watching to wonder if he had indeed expected Harry to fund a business for the pair of them to run.

"Just because we hadn't made solid plans, doesn't mean you should have just deserted me," Ron spluttered as he finally found his voice. "What do I do now, Harry?"

"That really isn't my problem, Ron," Harry said with a slight shrug. "You're my best friend, not my responsibility. It's not my duty to fix your life for you. What do you want to do, Ron?"

"I wanted to work alongside my best friend, but I guess I've lost that chance now," Ron sneered.

"You can't blame Harry for wanting to accept the trials," Hermione said, coming to the defence of her friend. "You said it yourself Ron, it's an opportunity of a lifetime. As Harry's friend, shouldn't you be supporting him and be happy for him? If the positions were reversed, he would be happy for you."

"It's easy to say that when it's Harry who's got the entire world at his feet," Ron retorted bitterly. "You think I would be used to it by now, wouldn't you? Everyone gets what they want except from me. I'm just forgotten about and overlooked."

"For Merlin's sake, Ron, grow up," Harry snapped. "I will not turn down the opportunity of a lifetime just because you're jealous. You can either accept that's it my life and I'm going to pursues a career in quidditch, or you can sod off."

"If that's what you want," Ron spat as he turned on his heel and strode from Gryffindor Tower in a huff.

"I'm sure he'll come around, Harry," Hermione assured her friend who was looking shell-shocked by Ron's departure.

"Of course, he will," Harry agreed with a shaky nod of his head.

However, Harry and Hermione were both wrong and by the time term ended a few weeks later, Ron was still sulking and not speaking to Harry. He also wasn't speaking to Hermione, as in his eyes she'd taken Harry's side and shown that she wasn't truly his friend. Even though Harry and Hermione were surprised by how long Ron was holding a grudge, they'd still been confident that he would come around and things would return to normal. However, less than two weeks after leaving Hogwarts, Ron went off travelling having still not made peace with his two best friends.