"What were you thinking?" She hissed angrily.

Remus was barely through the floo before she had begun scolding her youngest son, the shock of what her child had done still evident in her voice.

"I couldn't let him go alone mum." Ron cringed as he watched her root around in a drawer for her wooden spoon. He looked over at his father who was sitting silently at the kitchen table. "Dad? You understand right? He had to go! Harry had to! I couldn't just let him go alone!"

"Neither of you had to do anything!" Molly snapped as she pulled her spoon out of the drawer, shutting it loudly. "Harry should have listened to Severus and stayed put. If he was unable to do so then you should have gone to an adult rather than accompany him without a care in the world!"

Ron made a face at the words despite his best efforts to refrain from doing so. He couldn't have gone to an adult! He was sure that Harry would have never trusted him again if he had!

"Dad," Ron tried once more, turning to the man and speaking in a pleading tone. "It's Harry! He needed me!"

"Do not," Molly said in a dangerously low tone as she pointed the spoon at her child. She gave him a stern glare before her gaze moved to her husband.

Arthur had hardly spoken two words since Remus had arrived with Ron. Molly had always been the disciplinarian in the house. With seven children someone had to be and she had learned early on that it would not be Arthur. When the children misbehaved he was quick to write it off as innocent nonsense. When they did something outright unacceptable he was content to let his wife handle it. Molly could count on one hand how many times her husband had disciplined their children. She needed both hands to count how many times she had to discipline the twins alone in just the past year.

"You can take yourself right up to your room. Your father is not going to talk me out of this," Molly continued in a no-nonsense tone.

Arthur opened his mouth to reply but before he had the opportunity to do so, his son spoke once more.

"Mum no! If you will just listen to me!"

Molly felt her blood boil at her child's defiance. A moment later she had taken the two steps to her youngest son and landed her spoon to his jean clad backside eliciting a yelp of protest out of him. "Do as I have said and go to your room."

"Muuuuum!" Ron whined loudly. "You aren't being fair!"

The young teenager had managed to stay out of trouble for months now and the idea that he was about to be reacquainted with her wooden spoon was not how he wanted this night to go at all.

"I am not going to ask you again young man! If you are unable to listen you can go over my knee right here in the kitchen."

"Molly," Arthur finally found his voice.

She looked over at her husband to see him shaking his head firmly.

"Arthur!" Molly's tone was flabbergasted. "Certainly you do not believe that his behavior is not deserving of punishment?"

"You understand right dad?" Ron asked in a hopeful tone, suddenly feeling quite confident that his dad would be able to calm his mum down. "It's Harry!"

"I understand perfectly." Arthur stood from where he had been sitting at the kitchen table, his cup of tea and plate of biscuits long forgotten.

"Arthur he left Hogwarts, not purposely of course, however if they wouldn't have gone into that blasted maze and put both of their lives in danger it would not have happened!" She gave her husband an exasperated look as her tone softened a considerable amount. "We could have lost him tonight all because of incredibly poor choices that he made."

"I know." Arthur moved away from the table to stand beside his child.

"I had to!" Ron replied desperately.

"Absolutely not!" Molly shrieked angrily. "You…" Her words trailed off as her husband held up a hand.

"I think that given the circumstances of today's events, not to mention the seriousness of them, Ron will be going to the study. I will deal with this misbehavior."

"Da-dad?" Ron looked up at the man, his face paling.

His father never punished any of them. In his entire life his dad had swatted him twice. The only ones that had managed to push their father far enough to actually earn a trip over his knee had been the twins, on two separate occasions and Bill once when he nearly burnt the house down.

Ron shook his head frantically. "I'll listen to mummy! I'll go with her!" His tone was desperate. "I'll do whatever she says!"

Molly couldn't help but feel her heart soften slightly at her child's words. She watched as her husband placed a firm hand on Ron's shoulder.

"You will not. Unfortunately I think that your behavior requires more serious consequences." Arthur swallowed hard forcing his heart to harden. "Go fetch your mum's hairbrush and wait for me in the study."

Ron took in an audible breath. "Da- dad no!" He had never experienced the hairbrush and had absolutely no desire to do so. The only ones who had ever experienced such a thing were the twins and they were well behaved for ages afterwards. They were so well behaved that their mum had joked that all their punishments should be with the hairbrush. Fred had nearly started crying at just the thought of it.

"Now Ron." Arthur's tone was unrelenting.

Ron shook his head once more, refusing to move. "Harry would be dead! I saved him!"

"Which we will discuss," Arthur nodded as he turned Ron in the direction of the door. "Hairbrush. Study. Go." His free hand landed a stinging smack to the jean clad backside that caused a loud yelp.

Ron could feel the tears already burning his eyes as he hurried out of the kitchen. The smack hadn't even hurt that much, it was the very idea that it was his father who had delivered it. Ron could count on his fingers alone the number of times that the man had ever even scolded him.

The fourteen year old moved through the parlor and into the downstairs loo. He opened the middle drawer under the sink slowly. Reaching into it his fingers gripped around the handle of the heavy wooden hairbrush.

A few times when he and Ginny were younger their mum had threatened them with it. There was a time when Ron would open the drawer to see if it was still there whenever he was in the room.

He held it at his side as he stepped out of the loo and started towards the parlor. He found himself feeling very thankful that his siblings were still at Hogwarts with likely no idea that he was home or even of what had happened. Still, he couldn't help but think that if the twins knew they likely wouldn't poke fun at him like they normally did when his mum walloped him. Ron was actually certain that they would be sympathetic towards him.

Swallowing heavily, the boy crossed the parlor and pushed the door open to the study. He stepped inside, closing the door behind him. He half expected to find his father in the room but it was empty. He did not know what to expect with the man. Had it been his mum she likely would have swatted him all the way up the stairs to his room.

Ron took in a shuddering breath as he leaned against the wall beside the door. He found himself wondering why he had argued with his mum. He couldn't help but think that if he had just agreed, his dad would have never suggested that he be the one to deal with it.

The boy nearly left the room and went to throw himself at the mercy of his parents when the door beside him opened and his dad walked in.

The man looked down to his youngest son before walking past him and sitting down in one of the shabby old armchairs in front of his desk. "Come sit please."

Ron nearly jumped at the sound of the man's voice. He hurried across the room, placing the hairbrush on his father's desk before sitting next to the man. "Dad, I'm sorry. Honestly I am!"

Arthur nodded as he reached a hand out and gently placed it on his son's knee. "I know." He paused for a moment, clearing his throat softly. "I know that you care deeply for Harry. He is your best mate. I understand not wanting to allow him to go off alone. There were other options though."

"He never would have forgiven me if I told on him." Ron shook his head sadly.

"He likely would have been upset, angry even," Arthur agreed. "He would have forgiven you though."

Ron shrugged a shoulder at the words. He knew that his dad was right. He wasn't about to admit it though.

"If Remus' demeanor was anything to go by I think that Harry is in plenty of trouble himself," Arthur continued. "I cannot imagine that Severus is pleased."

Ron shrugged once more at the words. From his position under the cloak he had the advantage in the graveyard of being able to see Snape's face the entire time. The man's features had been a constant mixture of fear and anger. Once again, Ron found himself silently agreeing with his dad's words.

"Do you realize how easily you could have been killed today?"

"Yeah," Ron breathed softly. "I am sorry though."

"Do you have any idea what that would do to your mother and I? Or to your siblings?" Arthur questioned. "We cannot lose you over a careless choice. I cannot allow such a thing."

Ron nodded but otherwise remained silent.

"This is also not the first time you have been in trouble for making a hasty, dangerous decision." Arthur's tone became stern as the hand that was on Ron's knee squeezed it firmly.

Of course the man would bring that up. Ron had escaped punishment after the chamber incident. His parents just being elated that Ginny was safe. He had even managed to somehow avoid being punished after going after the stone. Likely because he had been slightly injured. There had been plenty of other incidents over the past few years though. Perhaps the most notable being when they had taken the enchanted car and flown it to Hogwarts.

"I know," Ron admitted softly. "And I didn't mean to argue with mum. I can go apologize to her and accept any punishment she wants. I swear dad!"

Arthur raised an eyebrow at his child as he shook his head. "Unfortunately, regardless of whether you had argued with your mum or not, this is a matter that I think I best deal with."

Ron's shoulders slumped down a considerable amount. "I really am sorry dad."

"I know that you are. I also know that something like this cannot happen again. Not even with the best intentions."

"It won't!" Ron quickly promised. "I swear I won't!"

"I think we had the best make certain of that." Arthur forced his tone to become stern once more. He was not a man that enjoyed being the disciplinarian with his children. He often jokingly told Molly that if it weren't for her, their children would run wild and likely burn the house down. He said the words jokingly however, he fully believed them to be true. It was a rare occurrence that he even scolded his children, let alone actually punished them. He was perfectly happy leaving that particular part of parenting to Molly just as she was confident taking it on. They worked well together.

"You don't have to make certain," Ron replied in a slightly panicked tone. "Daddy please!"

Arthur could hardly help the look of shock that took over his face. His youngest son had not referred to him in such a way in at least five years. The man refrained from commenting on the words and instead waved a hand clearing the desk of everything except the hairbrush. "Pants and shorts down and lean over the desk please."

Ron's face paled at the words. He hadn't been expecting that. Aside from a random swat where he stood, his mum always put him over her knee. He had expected that his dad would do the same.

"No," Ron shook his head. "I don't want to."

"Unfortunately for you, I do not particularly care what you want." Arthur's hand patted Ron's knee firmly. "Up and do as I have asked."

Ron shook his head once more, the lump in his throat growing as the tears welled up in his eyes.

"Ronald!" Arthur practically barked. "If I have to pull you up out of that chair we will be doing this again tonight after dinner."

At the threat, Ron jumped to his feet. He wasn't sure that he believed the threat but he wasn't about to test it either. He was sure that he could not bear to do this again in a few hours. His fingers fumbled with the button and zipper on his jeans. A moment later, he paused before pushing them down, giving his father a pleading look. "Dad please."

"Last chance to cooperate," Arthur shook his head. "If you cannot do so I will assume that you are eager to be corrected for that this evening."

Ron shook his head, blinking frantically in an attempt to keep the tears that threatened to fall from doing so. He turned to face the desk, pushing his jeans down. The boy paused for a moment, swallowing hard before he pushed his shorts down as well and placed his palms on the desk, leaning across it.

Arthur stood and moved to stand next to his child. He placed a gentle hand on the small of the boy's back, his other hand reaching out in front of Ron's face. "Hand me the hairbrush please."

Ron's right hand moved and picked up the hairbrush beside him, handing it over to his dad. "I'm sorry," he pleaded once more.

Arthur gripped the hairbrush tightly before raising it and bringing it down firmly across his son's rear end.

Ron let out a hiss of pain as the tears he had been trying so hard to hold in began streaming down his face. "It huuurts!" He whined loudly as his father landed two more hard swats.

"It is a spanking." Arthur continued to let the brush fall, his child's normally pale backside already changing to pink. "It is supposed to hurt."

Ron kicked a leg up as a particularly hard smack assaulted his left sit spot. "Daddy don't! Please!"

Arthur continued to spank in earnest as his heart hurt at the sound of his child's sobs. "Perhaps the next time you consider doing something so foolish, so dangerous you will remember this and it will weigh into your decision."

"It will!" Ron promised as he fought the urge to reach his hands back and protect his bum.

"Because I promise you that should you do something so foolish again you will find yourself right back in this position. Understood?" The man landed a hard swat to each of the child's sit spots.

"Understood!" Ron yelped loudly. "I swear it's understood!"

Arthur let the brush fall one last time on each side of the now red rear end before placing the brush back down on the desk.

Ron stood up straight, his hands instantly moving to rub his bum frantically in a desperate attempt to alleviate some of the sting. A moment later, he quickly pulled up his shorts and jeans, wincing as they traveled over his rear end. The boy turned, leaning forward and practically burying his face in his dad's shirt.

"I know." Arthur wrapped his arms tightly around his son. "You will be okay."

Ron took in a shuddering breath, pushing his face deeper yet into the thick white cotton. "I'm sorry." His breath hitched as his tears continued to fall.

Arthur swallowed hard, squeezing the teenager tightly. "Your actions today scared me."

"I know," Ron breathed softly. "I'm sorry."

A soft sigh escaped Arthur's lips as he nodded. "I forgive you." He moved his head, leaning down to place a kiss on the boy's left temple. "I did not care for punishing you at all," the man said softly. "I would prefer to never do so again."

"I would prefer that too," Ron replied as his right hand moved to rub at his eyes. His tears were starting to slow down and he was thankful for it.

"I want you to apologize to your mum."

Ron nodded as he continued to rub at his face. "I will."

Arthur leaned down once more, placing a second kiss on top of the boy's head. He squeezed him a bit tighter to his chest before loosening his grip. "Go on then. Go find your mum and apologize. Let her coddle you a bit as well," Arthur chuckled softly.

Ron nodded as he pulled away from the man, brushing the last of his tears from his face. He walked towards the door, pausing steps before it. The red head slowly turned back around to face his father once more. "I really am sorry dad. Really."

Arthur smiled sadly. He felt absolutely wretched about punishing his child. "I am not cross with you. In fact, I am quite proud of you for saving Harry." Arthur paused giving the child a mock serious look. "Mind you, don't tell your mum that I said so."

A small, genuine smile crossed Ron's lips. "I won't."

"You will return to Hogwarts tomorrow but I think tonight we may need to play a game of chess."

Ron nodded in agreement before he turned to walk out of the room once more. "Thanks dad."

As the door closed behind his child, Arthur let out an exhausted sigh practically collapsing back into his chair. He felt as though he had aged ten years in the past hour. They still needed to discuss the horrible consequences of his child's actions. They needed to discuss the ways in which all of their lives would change. They needed to talk about what could come to light now that Voldemort was back and what it would mean for the child who had started out as their youngest son's best friend and had quickly become family.

Arthur sighed once more, leaning back in his chair, the chess game would be as good of a time as any.