Chapter 10 – The Uniform Gambit
The scratching of quill against parchment filled Ron's small room at the Burrow. Day after day, for two solid weeks, he had pushed himself. His beginner sketches of stick figures and lopsided robes had transformed—slowly, painfully—into something that actually resembled proper design drafts. He had gone through bottles of ink, piles of parchment, and dulled half the quills in the house, all under the excuse of "just practicing homework early."
His fingers were ink-stained, his back sore, but his determination unshaken. Each failed line was redrawn, each uneven curve corrected. "No shortcuts," Ron muttered to himself, eyes narrowing as he redrew a robe collar for the tenth time. "If I'm going to do this, it has to look professional. Something even a headmaster can't ignore."
At long last, the system panel reflected his effort: Drawing – Advanced.
He leaned back, stretching his arms with a groan of triumph. Two weeks gone. Exactly one month remained before Hogwarts term started. Perfect timing.
Spread before him on his desk were the results: clean, sharp sketches of Hogwarts uniforms, reimagined with modern tailoring and clear seasonal variations, distinct versions for boys and girls, each robe and cloak annotated with fabric notes. Ron smiled faintly. "You'll never know what hit you, Hogwarts."
The next morning, Ron made his excuse to his family—a vague mumble about visiting the Lovegoods for some help with sketches—and trotted off, clutching his rolled designs.
Xenophilius Lovegood welcomed him in with his usual airy smile. "Ronald! You look like a boy with a secret about to explode."
"Something like that," Ron said, unrolling the parchment.
The older wizard's pale eyes widened as he looked over the sheets. "My, my… these are not child's doodles. These are full designs. Lines, cuts, fabric notes… impressive."
Ron flushed slightly, scratching the back of his neck. "Took me two weeks."
Xenophilius chuckled. "A fortnight well spent. If Hogwarts looks anything like this, it might finally step into the same century as the rest of us."
Together, they set off to the Ministry of Magic. The registration process was smoother than Ron had imagined. A bored-looking clerk barely raised an eyebrow as Xenophilius slid forward the parchment designs and spoke his name. A fee of two golden galleons was required, and when Ron's ears turned red, Xenophilius waved it off and placed the coins down himself.
"I'll pay you back, promise," Ron muttered.
"Don't be silly, lad. Consider it an investment in the future of wizarding fashion," Xenophilius replied warmly.
Because both the Weasleys and the Lovegoods were recognized pure-blood families, the Ministry process took less than half an hour. Stamped, sealed, and registered. The designs were now official.
From there, they went straight to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. The shopkeeper herself bustled over when she saw Ron and Mr. Lovegood.
"Ah! Customers—oh, is that parchment I see?" Her sharp eyes flicked to the rolled sketches in Ron's hands.
Ron unrolled them nervously, and Madam Malkin's gasp was immediate. She traced the lines with her finger, studying the tailoring, the seasonal notes, the subtle influences from Muggle practicality blended with wizarding elegance.
"Oh, my dear boy," she said, almost reverently. "These are brilliant. Sleek but not plain, practical yet elegant… Hogwarts has been needing this sort of shake-up for decades."
"You think you could make samples?" Ron asked hesitantly.
"Samples? My dear, I'd be delighted. In fact, I'll make them free of charge. Consider it a… contribution to wizarding progress."
Ron's heart leapt. Madam Malkin, one of the most respected robe-makers in Britain, was excited about his work.
That evening, as she set about the samples, Ron sat in the corner of the shop, quill scratching once again as he drafted his official proposal. His words poured out, sharpened by the memories of those endless wizarding fashion magazines.
He wrote of Hogwarts' outdated robes, of how other wizarding schools—from Beauxbatons' refined uniforms to Durmstrang's martial cuts—presented themselves with dignity and pride. He spoke of the need for Hogwarts to move forward, to embrace practical yet impressive attire. He even included subtle nods to Muggle influence, arguing that a bridge between worlds could only improve the school's image.
When he finished, he read it aloud to Xenophilius, who nodded in satisfaction. "Convincing. Very convincing. Even the most stubborn board member will have to think twice."
By the next evening, Madam Malkin sent word: the samples were ready. She would owl them directly to the Lovegood residence. True enough, when Ron visited Xenophilius the next morning, a large, carefully packed parcel awaited him. Inside lay the fruits of his work—uniforms brought to life, ready to be judged.
Together, they attached the proposal and samples to Mr. Lovegood's family owl. Ron patted the bird's head nervously. "Straight to Deputy Headmistress McGonagall. Don't get lost, alright?"
The owl hooted, as if promising.
Far away, in her office at Hogwarts, Professor Minerva McGonagall straightened when the package landed neatly on her desk. With careful precision, she unwrapped the letter, then unfolded the parchment. Her sharp eyes scanned Ron's words, her expression tightening with each line.
At last, she set the proposal aside and reached for the sample robes. The fabric was smooth beneath her fingers. She opened the parcel fully—
And her eyes widened.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
System Panel – Ronald Bilius Weasley
[User: Ronald Bilius Weasley]
Age: 10 years, 0 months
Condition: Stable
Innate Magic Potential: Medium-High
Knowledge:
• Wizarding Culture: Intermediate
• Muggle Basics: Intermediate
• Miscellaneous: Beginner
• Fashion Sense: Master (Tire: 1000 years)
• Drawing: Advanced
• Political Sense: Beginner
• Business Sense: Beginner
Inventory:
• Chocolate Frog Card Collection
• Wizard Wear Monthly (restored)
• Muggle Fashion Magazine (restored)
• Daily Prophet (restored, updated daily)
• Quill (upgraded)
• Ink (upgraded)
• Parchment (upgraded)
• Registered Uniform Designs (Ministry Sealed Copy)
System Functions:
• Restoration
• Date Manipulation
• Tire Boost