Downfall to Weasley

Downfall to Weasley is a plot devised by the first-year Slytherins to ruin the reputation of Ron Weasley after his actions nearly cost Hermione her life during the Halloween Troll incident. The plot was initiated by way of the Fallen Foe Ritual and plotted by Draco, Theo, Blaise, and Daphne. The plan was to ruin Ron's reputation in various ways.

1. Antagonize and rile him up, timing it in such a way that professors would punish only him, causing him to so many lose points that fellow Gryffindors will be angry at him.
2. Have Hermione renew her friendship with him. This way she looks like the kinder and better person.
3. Sometime after reconciliation, have Ron become angry with Hermione in a public setting, bad enough to make Hermione cry (and bring down righteous fury from the professors.)

The plan started the day after the first quidditch match, wherein Hermione approached Ron during breakfast to (public) beg to renew their friendship. She apologized for "being bossy" and "messing with his potion" (correcting his potions). Ron, in turn, only apologized for "hurting her feelings", showing that he wasn't sorry for the cruel things he said to her.

Within a month, Ron lost over a hundred points and gotten at least two nights worth of detention. By this time it started to affect how others in Gryffindor House treat him. Seeing a pattern, Harry approached Hermione about the subject, but she side-stepped the questioning, saying that Ron is naturally antagonistic towards Slytherins, and vice-versa.

Though not entirely purposeful on Hermione's part, another rift with the Gryffindors occurred in January. For Christmas, Hermione gifted Ron photobook of his favourite quidditch team; while Ron didn't buy her a gift at all. Seeing this as a major breach of gift-giving etiquette, Neville and Lavender Brown berated him furiously for the snub.

In the winter term Ron had learned to ignore most of the boys' taunts. However a new opportunity came when Norbert hatched. Draco plotted to get Ron in trouble for smuggling the baby dragon.  Draco wasn't able to catch them, however he did try to warn McGonagall, which meant her punishment against Ron and the others was worse than his.

The last stage of Downfall to Weasley took place at the final quidditch match of the game. During the game, the boys made loud antagonistic comments within earshot of Ron, slowly winding him up. Since Harry is unable to play, it was practically a guarantee that Gryffindor would lose - which helped to put Ron in a foul mood. Hermione then approached Ron once he was near the teachers' box. She made overly enthusiastic comments about the game mixed in with "comforting words" about the loss. As expected, Ron snapped at her, though he was even worse than expected, claiming that she isn't a real friend and that Hermione doesn't even belong in *Hogwarts.* The words cut deeply (likely because the blood purists in Slytherin have made similar comments about her not belonging in Hogwarts) and Hermione genuinely started to cry from his hateful words.

The fallout went both better and worse than expected. Better - because both Neville and Harry sided with Hermione, saying that they like her better than Ron and would possibly no longer be his friend after this. Also Ron received detention for *during* the Leaving Feast. Worse - because Ron's words caused a fistfight between Ron's friends and some Slytherin quidditch players, and all of them lost house points for fighting. (Nearly costing them the House Cup.)  With that, Downfall to Weasley unofficially ended. (It officially ended the following school year when the ritual magic was dissolved by the Seams.)

1. ↑ Chapter 19: Halloween https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13051824/19/New-Blood
2. ↑ Chapter 20: The Ritual https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13051824/20/New-Blood
3. ↑ Chapter 21: United https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13051824/21/New-Blood
4. ↑ Chapter 24: Plotting https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13051824/24/New-Blood
5. ↑ Chapter 26: The Groundskeeper https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13051824/26/New-Blood
6. ↑ Chapter 32: Interlude https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13051824/32/New-Blood
7. ↑ Chapter 35: Christmas Morning https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13051824/35/New-Blood
8. ↑ Chapter 38: Dinner Gossip https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13051824/38/New-Blood
9. ↑ Chapter 54: Norbert https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13051824/54/New-Blood
10. ↑ Chapter 62: Downfall to Weasley https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13051824/62/New-Blood
11. ↑ Chapter 63: The House Cup https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13051824/63/New-Blood