You can just hear it over the roar of the crowd from the Quidditch Stands. But your ears aren’t tricking you: your favorite resident announcer is trying his best to hide the biased enthusiasm in his commentary.
“The Hufflepuff Seeker has caught the Snitch!” Murphy exclaims, and the crowd erupts again.
You slow your broom, and the players around you do the same as Murphy continues.
“That it, that’s the match!” You can hear the smile in his voice as it carries over the crowd. “Hufflepuff wins over Gryffindor with a lead of 20 points!”
Skye immediately thrusts her fists in the air. Somewhere, Penney must be screaming her voice hoarse. Next to you, Orion smiles.
The commentators continue announcing the scores and recap, fighting for volume over the now ecstatic Hufflepuff in the stands.
Around you, the players begin to descend with their brooms to the pitch. You tilt your broomstick handle forward–
–and that’s when you immediately realize something is wrong.
Your broom isn’t reacting like it normally does. You blink, and try again, wondering if you’re just tired. But no: you urge it to move forward, to descend, and instead it bucks up.
Oh no.
“Orion–” you try quickly– “I think–”
Zap!
You flinch and gasp. The hum of magical energy that suddenly bolts through the broom is all too familiar from your time in the Dueling Ring.
Someone has hexed your broom.
You suddenly feel the wind push against your face as your broom bucks like a bull, then flies straight upward. You tighten your knees together and whiten your knuckles around the handle, trying to hang on.
Your heart pounds in your ears. You’re the last one in the air– everyone else is already on the pitch.
The kicks grow more violent. You’re struggling to hang on. Whoever cast the hex definitely wants you to fall off the broom.
You grit your teeth. Maybe if you just readjust your grip?
You loosen your hands–
–and the broom flips in mid air, kicking you off and sending you hurtling towards the pitch.
You can’t tell through your screaming if the stands are still cheering. You flap your arms as if it would help, hoping, praying that someone’s broom will fly by for you to grab onto.
The green of the field below you is a blur. The ground gets closer and closer and closer.
Suddenly all of Madam Hooch’s warnings about falling to your death come rushing back to you.
You shut your eyes tight and hold your breath.
Is this really it?
“Gotcha!”
Your fall is broken violently. In an instant, your body collides into a pair of arms. Your neck whiplashes against the sudden change in velocity. Your stomach plummets in the opposite direction.
But– as suddenly as it started, you’ve stopped falling.
Someone is holding you, one arm under your back and another under your legs. At some point your arms instinctively wrapped themselves around the person’s neck. You peek one eye open and realize that your head is tucked in the crook of their chin.
You can feel their heart beating fast. Their arms are strong around you.
They have you. Relief washes over you, their hold on you firm and steady.
There’s a tickle in your hair as they breathe on you. No, wait– that’s not just breath. You blink, trying to steady your breath, and realize that the blood is rushing through your ears. The person trying to talk to you.
You tilt your head back and look up to your savior.
It’s Charlie Weasley.
You take a deep breath, and sounds other than your blood pumping start to fade back into existence.
“[Y/N]?” Charlie asks, probably for the second time. “Can you hear me?”
You nod, swallowing hard. “Yes,” you try. “Just. Shaken up.”
He tilts his head and smiles. “I don’t blame you. I asked if you’re okay.”
You nod again in response. “Yes. Thankfully only the broom got hexed. No spells on me.”
“Good.” He directs his attention forward again. “Let’s get you on solid ground, yeah?”
Before the two of you even land, you’re swamped by students.
“Merlin! Are you both alright?”
“What happened?”
“You could have fallen to your death!”
“Charlie, you were brilliant!”
Penney cuts through the crowd and places her hand on your arm.
“Goodness, [Y/N]!” She gasps, her eyes red. “Are you alright? I was so worried!”
Charlie is still holding you– and you’re glad, because you’re not so sure you can stand on your own just yet.
You nod. “I’m fine.”
Penney can probably tell you’re really not fine.
She directs her attention at the redhead holding you. “Merlin’s beard, thank goodness you were here,” she says.
“HEY! Make some ROOM!”
The crowd spins around. It’s Tonks, clearing the way for a stretcher for Madam Pomfrey.
When the crowd parts, Tonks rushes forward. “Wotcher, [Y/N]! What a way to end the game!”
You can’t help but smile at Tonks’ carefree attitude, even if you can tell by the beads of sweat on her brow that it’s just a front for your own sake.
Madam Promfrey arrives and places the stretcher at Charlie’s feet.
“Thank goodness for your quick reflexes, Mr. Weasley,” she gasps, smoothing her hands on her apron. “For your valiant rescue, I’m awarding 50 points to–”
“Please, that’s not necessary,” Charlie interrupts. “I don’t think I should be awarded for that. Anyone would have done the same. I just happened to be quickest.”
Madam Pomfrey purses her upper lip, and sighs. “Very well. But Miss [Y/N], I hope you know you may very well owe your life to Mr. Weasley.”
Your face is bright red as Charlie gently lowers you onto the stretcher. “I know,” you whisper.
Charlie moves to step away from you so that you can be whisked away to the Hospital Wing. You grab his hand before he can retract it.
“Charlie,” you say, your pulse quickening. But you know you need to say this before you're separated.
He spins back towards you, blinking.
“I–” you gulp. “Thank you.”
The smile he offers in return engraves itself into your memory.
I’m publishing this story as part of @hphm-ship-week, for the prompt “Second Wizarding War”. I actually wrote the first draft of this about three years ago. It came to me after reading an online discourse about how people should know better as they get older than to make mistakes. Perhaps this is true, but it isn’t the case. To err is human. We never stop making mistakes. We are all mainly making it all up as we go along.
With that in mind, this story is for anyone who has ever made the realisation that they’ve gotten to the point where they thought they’d know it all, but still feel like they don’t know anything. Welcome to the club.
Warnings: mentions of death, war, grief, trauma and PTSD.
Dragon wasn’t usually allowed on the bed. He had his own basket in the kitchen, where the stone floor was cool in the summer, and the oven warm in the winter. His master did let him into the bedroom occasionally, but even then he was expected to lie on the rug. It was a special occasion when he was permitted to go “up”.
In the last few days, though, there had been a lot of special occasions. One each night, and every morning. Either that, or this newcomer was just a bit more lenient than his master was. He didn’t really care what the reason was, however. He was just happy to make the most of it.
A creak on the bottom step this morning made Dragon roll off his back and onto his belly, which his honorary packmate had been scratching for him a few seconds earlier. He let out a low growl.
“It’s just me, Dragon.” As his master’s voice called up the stairs, Dragon stopped growling, and wagged his two tails. “Am I alright to come up?”
The female human moved beside Dragon so that she was more upright. “Yeah.”
Dragon’s master smiled as he reached the top of the staircase, carrying what looked like two narrow, tall water bowls.
“You’re taking liberties again,” Charlie muttered as he sat on the end of the bed. He passed Artemis one of the mugs of tea and added for her benefit, “Him, not you.”
“I guessed as much,” replied Artemis, taking the mug from him. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. I thought that if I was going to wake you up, I should at least bring you tea.”
“I was already awake.”
“Right.” Charlie inclined his head and took a sip from his tea, regarding Artemis over the top of the mug. She had yet to drink, and was instead staring at the wall opposite the bed, chewing the inside of her gum and tapping one finger against her own mug. “You know, you don’t have to wait for it to cool down. It’s not actually that hot.”
Artemis said nothing. Charlie tried not to sigh as she continued to ignore the drink in her hands. She had been in this state for four days now, ever since he had awoken to the sound of banging at his front door and opened it to find her on his doorstep unannounced, broomstick in hand and completely bedraggled.
He had known immediately that something was very, very wrong. She had clearly flown to the reserve overnight — and that wasn’t exactly a short journey to make — and from the grimly panicked expression on her face, she’d done so out of shock and desperation. If that wasn’t enough, the fact that she couldn’t even find the words to tell him what the matter was when he asked her paid testament to how shaken she was.
It took a lot to shake Artemis Hexley.
It wasn’t until after he’d arrived late for his shift and been remonstrated for it by his boss Magda that he found out what the reason was behind Artemis’ unexpected arrival. It was all anyone was talking about: the death of one of the competitors during the final challenge of the Triwizard Tournament. His heart sank further when he learned the name of the victim.
Diggory. Cedric Diggory. No wonder Artemis was in such a state.
He had decided to act as if he hadn’t heard about Cedric’s death. Knowing Artemis — which he did, very well — there wasn’t much point in forcing her to talk about it. She’d speak when she was ready. In the meantime, he’d just have to wait, and hope that he’d not have to wait too long.
That morning, though, he had received a letter from his family in England that had made him rethink this strategy. The news they’d sent was… strange. Strange, terrifying, and overwhelming.
There was a growing pit of uneasiness in his core as he considered his next move. Somehow, though, he managed to force a smile and a tone of voice that could almost pass for cheerful.
“I was just thinking,” he said, scratching Dragon the Crup behind his light brown ears, “that maybe this morning you’d like to come for a walk with me and Dragon, before it gets too hot.”
Artemis’ answer was simple: “No, thank you.”
“Or we could go for a fly after breakfast?” Charlie persisted, smiling in spite of Artemis’ blank stare and his own feelings of dread and fear. “I just think it might be good for you to do something other than sit in my bed all day, that’s all.”
Artemis’ eyes narrowed, and she pursed her lips as she slowly turned her head towards him.
“Is that your way of saying you want your bed back?”
“No. Not at all, I just thought you could do with getting some fresh air and a change of scenery. Maybe even eat a vegetable, and have a shower.”
Artemis frowned, and sniffed herself in a way that was almost subtle — subtle for her, at least. Charlie’s smile became entirely genuine for a few moments, before it faded. He wasn’t getting anywhere with this. He didn’t want to, but he was going to have to push the subject.
“I got a letter from Dad this morning,” he said, not sure even as he spoke how this conversation was going to go. Judging from the way Artemis had already stiffened, it was unlikely to go well. “He was talking about some stuff that happened after the last challenge, and it was a bit confusing. From what he said, it sounded like you might know what he was going on about, so I figured that I should probably just ask you about it.”
A tense silence hung in the room. Artemis shook her head.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” she said, eventually, her voice quiet and hoarse.
“Yeah, I know, but I just want to understand what… it doesn’t make any sense, what Dad’s written. His letter says that You-Know-Who… that he’s back,” Charlie frowned, and Artemis shuddered. “Is it true?”
Artemis merely nodded in response. Charlie swallowed, hard.
“And Cedric?”
“He’s gone,” Artemis closed her eyes. “He was killed.”
“In the challenge?”
“By… him.”
Charlie swore under his breath, and ran a hand through his hair.
“How? Why?” he asked, his voice catching with both one-word questions. “What happened?”
“The Cup. It was turned into a Portkey, transported Cedric out of the maze. Your brother’s friend, too,” Artemis still hadn’t opened her eyes. “Apparently there was a duel and some Death Eaters, and You-Know-Who. Alive. They came back and Cedric was… Everyone was screaming, and crying, and then there was all this chaos, and there was a Death Eater spy at Hogwarts. I saw Dumbledore afterwards and he told me all of it. I didn’t know what to do, so I came here.”
Charlie had to force himself not to put his arms around her. His chest tight from the gravity of the news and aching for his friend’s sake, he drew a shallow, almost painful breath before speaking again.
“Why didn’t you say anything?”
“I didn’t know how.”
That was fair enough, he supposed. The whole situation was so bizarre and terrible that it was hard to know what to think, let alone how to talk about it. Still, he wished she had told him. This was important, after all.
“That’s alright,” he said, with a shrug. Artemis shook her head.
“No, it’s not. I should have told you.”
“You didn’t know how. I wouldn’t have known how to say it either, it’s so—”
“That’s not…” Artemis drew a shaky breath and pulled her knees into her chest. “I just didn’t want you to hate me.”
“I could never.”
“Not even if it was all my fault?”
Charlie frowned, and Artemis lifted her hazel eyes to meet his. They had a sincere expression and were almost tear-filled. Though Charlie doubted that Artemis could have actually caused this horrific turn of events, it was obvious that she thought she had.
“Try me,” he said, with a sad smile. Artemis sighed.
“I… it was really busy that morning, getting things ready and everything. Bagman was being useless as always, so I was running around like mad, and I was already not quite… Well, I had a stressful evening the night before. It’s not important, not anymore.”
Charlie’s eyes drifted to her knees, where her hands were resting, the tips of her bare fingers digging into her legs. Artemis, either by instinct, having caught Charlie looking, or sensing that he was looking, shifted the position of her hands, so that the right covered the left. Both were bare. Charlie felt his heart skip a beat.
“Anyway,” Artemis continued, “I got there and I offered to help Badeea by taking the Cup into the maze. But then, I ran into Moody and he took one look at me and said I could do with a break, and he was happy to take the Cup into the maze for me so I had one less thing to do, and I… I gave him the Cup.”
“You’ve lost me, sorry,” Charlie said, placing his not quite empty mug onto the floor by the bed. “How does that make any of this your fault?”
“Don’t you see? Moody was the Death Eater spy.”
“What? But he’s an Auror!”
“No, it wasn’t actually Moody. It was the spy using a Polyjuice potion,” Artemis explained. “But that was his plan. Get the Cup, turn it into the Portkey. And I just… handed it to him. Just like that.”
Her eyes lifted to the ceiling and she blinked, hard. A single tear rolled down her right cheek, its course altered slightly as it deflected at the level of the small scar under her cheekbone. Charlie’s fingers itched to wipe it away for her, but he didn’t. There were certain lines he didn’t want to cross, and touching Artemis’ face would definitely definitely overstepping some kind of boundary.
Artemis rubbed the right side of her face forcefully with the heel of her hand and inside of her wrist. She blinked again, and took a deep breath, as if steeling herself for judgement. But judgement never came. Not from Charlie.
“You shouldn’t feel guilty for that,” he told her. She stared back at him, clearly disbelieving. “Artemis, you weren’t to know. You can’t beat yourself up like this over something that you didn’t know about.”
“No, but I should have known—”
“How? How would you have possibly known that? I mean, the whole thing is unbelievable. You’d have to be mad for the idea to even cross your mind that someone might… that any of that might be true.”
“I guess,” said Artemis, unfolding herself slightly to stroke Dragon, who was nudging her arm. “But I should have known something was wrong.”
Charlie shrugged. “Maybe, maybe not. You were stressed out, and someone you thought you offered to help you. There’s nothing suspicious about that. Besides, we have all trusted the wrong people before.”
“That was different.”
“How come?”
“We were children, then. You’re meant to trust your teachers when you’re at school,” Artemis reasoned, her eyes still firmly on Dragon. “We were told Rakepick had our best interests at heart, so we believed it. We weren’t to know better, not when we were only teenagers.”
“I suppose not,” said Charlie, frowning, “but at what point would you say that you should know better?”
“I dunno.” Artemis’ nose wrinkled. “It’s just that when you’re growing up, you just assume that adults know what they’re doing and have all the answers to everything, and if they do things that are wrong, it’s because they are all wrong. But now, we are the grown ups, and I don’t know about you, but I still feel like I’m just making things up as I go along.”
So, it wasn’t just Charlie that felt that way. “Yeah, me too.”
“Shouldn’t we know by now? What we’re doing, and what is right, and what is wrong?”
“I… I don’t know. I mean, it’s not like you turn seventeen and the trace disappears and gets replaced with some kind of fountain of wisdom, is it?”
“No, but it would be good if it did,” Artemis said, with the shadow of a smile.
“Oh, yeah. Instead we just carry on not knowing things, with the addition of feeling bad for not knowing them. It’s pretty crap, if you think about it.”
“When do you think it will happen? That we will figure it all out and stop having to muddle through our lives?”
“You’re asking the wrong person. I’m as clueless as you are.” Charlie half-laughed. “Maybe when… Maybe never. Maybe no one actually knows what they’re doing.”
“So what, everyone in the world is just stumbling around blindly trying to find their way, every single day, until they die?”
“Yeah, maybe.”
“Even McGonagall?”
That was a good question. Charlie considered it for a moment. “I think she might be an exception.”
Artemis grinned, smiling properly for the first time since she’d arrived.
“Probably. I can’t believe that she doesn’t know what she’s doing. What about Dumbledore?”
“He definitely thinks he knows what he’s doing,” Charlie replied. “But I reckon he doesn’t. He hired Rakepick, didn’t he? And this person who wasn’t actually Moody, he obviously didn’t know about that either.”
“No, that’s true,” Artemis bit her bottom lip. “Do you think he feels guilty, too?”
“I bet he does.”
Both of them were quiet for a while, Artemis watching Dragon, and Charlie watching her.
“It must be easier if you’re a Crup,” Artemis said eventually. “Life, I mean.” Charlie nodded, and she raised her eyes to meet his, before telling him, “I would like a hug now.”
“I think I can manage that.”
Charlie wrapped his arms around Artemis’ shoulders and pulled her against his chest, while Dragon jealously nudged his way between them. Artemis mumbled something, and Charlie made a questioning noise.
“I said” — Artemis lifted her head from his sternum to talk to him — “what happens now? Now that…”
“Now that he’s back? I don’t know. But I don’t think life’s going to get easier any time soon.”
“What should we do?”
“I’d start by having a shower.” Charlie kept his face straight as Artemis scowled. “In the nicest way possible, you don’t smell good.”
Dragon wriggled out from the middle of the hug as his new packmate batted his master with a forepaw. She stood up and padded away from them, and he turned to look at his master with pleading eyes and two sheepishly wagging tails. He knew he was about to be scolded for being on the bed.
But, to his surprise, his master merely patted him on the head.
“Good job, Dragon. Well done, boy,” he said, before he also walked out of the room.
Dragon watched his master leave without even telling him to get down. He tilted his head to one side and whined to himself softly.
I’m dying at your jealous Charlie bc I just imagine his family takes that as their cue to try to whisk mc away at any moment. She come to visit the burrow and charlie keeps trying to hang out with her but then Molly is sitting her down at the table to eat and and then Percy is asking her about some books and Ron wants to play with her and even little Ginny comes up asking to be held. Charlie’s like wow even you Ginny how could you. She sticks her tongue out at him bc she’s a little shit lmao
A/N: I'll be completely honest, I don't know what I have written... But it's wholesome( i think) and cute. Curse me and my inability to write something short.
Prompts Used: I'll stay for as long as you need from this, do you think we'll be in love forever from this.
Summers in the Burrow was absolute trash.
Now it wasn't because Charlie didn't like to come back home and perhaps finally rest a bit. He actually liked being back home, especially with you now that you two were finally dating, he often took you out with him for hours after you stashed food in your back, knowing you two would be gone for a long time doing...
Snogging? Making-out? Flying?
It all depended on the mood.
All in all, he loved his family, he loved you, and he loved how well you fit with his family and love them as your own, they loved you in exchange just as much, and loved being back home even if it meant the teasings of his brother Bill who was the one witnessing his puppy love to you would increase with their other siblings' help.
But sometimes, the teasing was just... too much. And the fact that you also took after his family didn't help.
His own lover was against him, and they obviously loved making him go all red!
As if it was hard to begin with...
"It seems you are so smitten by me that you always talk about me to your family, Charlie~" you teased your boyfriend lightly as your hand wrapped around his, squeezing three times to silently say I love you, even though you were just making fun of him for talking about you a lot to his family, as he looked at you with burning cheeks and a soft smile.
"No? Where did you get it from?" He tried to hide his rants about you in a cool manner, to save himself from the teasing he would face even though he would melt as soon as you started planting kisses on his cheek, but ultimately failed when Bill and his dad, who adored you already, stumbled into the living room and beamed visibly at the sight of you sitting with his son.
"Y/N! It's lovely to see you, dear! How are you?" Arthur immediately pushed his two eldest sons aside and came to hug you, landing kisses on each of your cheeks as he proudly looked at you. Even to this day, after almost four years of being Charlie's friend and two years of dating him, you never quite got used to the way they always welcomed you warmly.
Molly hugging you, smelling like those cookies she always made. Arthur's warm hugs as he pulled you to his artefact room to show all the new cool muggle things he found, Fred and George telling you the newest pranks they thought about, playing wizard chess with Percy, making Ginny's hair in different styles and teaching them to her as she did your make-up, telling Ron about the latest school drama...
Sometimes, with all their flaws and all, you even thought that they actually loved you more than their own sons.
"Yeah, there goes our privilege as soon as they see their daughter..." Bill groaned as he rubbed his arm to soothe the pain of his greatest betrayal, done by none other than his father. Still, Bill was someone who always found a way to tease you or mostly Charlie and this time wasn't any different as he saw how you both smiled shyly, quite cute in his eyes, as you both stumbled over your words, blushing madly.
"I-I'm not their daughter Bill, I think you are-"
"Yet, my friend, yet."
"Bill, stop teasing..." Charlie gritted out, hoping it was enough to make him back off but instead Bill laughed and merely brushed it off.
"You look like a squirrel when you are angry, Charlie~ Besides, by the amount of adoring talk you had been doing since your second year at Hogwarts, I thought you would have already used a promise ring type of commitment!"
Charlie's face was a tomato at this point, even his neck and probably his chest was all red from the embrassment he felt. He always told you that it was a bad idea to spend the summer with his family, solely for the reason that he knew they wouldn't stop teasing him, and often suggested the idea of spending it in Hogwarts, alone, with you in a flirty way.
In which you always replied, I don't want to be on the receiving end of one of Molly's angry Howlers, Charlie... We have to go, besides, what's the worst that could happen? They love me!
But, that was the point.
They loved you so much, even more than possibly their own children!
And they wouldn't dare to tease you, no.
They took greater satisfication from doing that to him. Especially since he accidently let it slip that he wanted to marry you after graduation.
"What? Don't tell me... Holy shit, you never told them about your affinity with them since the day school started?!" Bill dramatically screeched with a hand over his chest at his brother's state, Percy rolling his eyes at the three of you as you tilted your head confused.
"Wait... Really? He had been talking about me?"
"Of course! I don't think he stopped doing it even after you two started dating! If not, it increased even more!" Percy yelled from the other room, making Charlie look there angrily, not aware of the soft and loving eyes you were sending to his way.
"Yes, I remember him talking about you at every breakfast, so much so that both me and Molly knew what flower you liked and memorized your schedule!" Arthur added with a happy nod from the kitchen as he helped Molly with the plates. Charlie turned his head so swiftly that you were worried he hurt his neck as he was left staring with a gaped mouth at his father.
"Dad!"
"Oh, yes, I remember now! I wasn't very pleased to hear that Y/N thought gnomes were cute... but she accepted they could be dreadful too!" Molly came from the kitchen as she gave you her famous pancakes with a smile and affectionate pat on your head as her eyes found Arthur's playfully.
"I still remember how your dad came bursting in, yelling that he finally found someone who shared his fascination with Muggle world and even gave him a record player."
"I'm gonna go and de-gnome the garden, maybe that will-" Charlie suddenly got up and turned towards the door to get out and probably cool his flaming face, while you giggled uncontrollably alongside Ginny who was having the best time of her life at her brother's misery.
"We can send your precious, curse-breaking lover if you want!" A yell came from the other room.
"Fred!" Charlie turned angrily to scold his brother when he saw the disappointed eyes of his brother.
"I'm not Fred, seriously first mum and now you, Charlie?" George, actually Fred, came from the other room, looking sad and half-angry.
Which was all a ploy, and even you knew it at this point.
But Charlie never was able to tell which twin was which one, and this was no different. He huffed out angrily as he muttered a whatever, and walked right towards the garden as you and twins looked after him with straight eyes and then slowly smirked.
"You are never gonna get tired of tricking him, right?" You threw your head back on the couch and looked at the twins with a cheeky smile as they laughed and shook their heads.
"Never~"
"So... You know we," Fred pointed to all the other Weasley siblings, except Bill and Charlie, to a pouting Ginny and Ron, who were doing their best to use their puppy eyes. " are here for a reason, and that is-"
"To hear more of my adventures in any kind so that you could find a humiliating moment to tease Charlie later?" You quirked an eyebrow curiously as they all stared at you in wonder.
"That's why she is the best older sister possible..." Ron and Ginny exclaimed with amazement with breathless sighs, making you laugh as Fred and George nodded their heads impressed.
"She is finally a true Weasley. Understanding what we exactly want is of high value."
" Suck it up, guys, you made it very obvious! Besides, Charlie won't be happy about this!"
"Then why are you bringing snacks?" Percy stopped while bending over the table in the living room under everyone's curious and amused stares, mumbling to himself as he flushed.
"Because... I want to hear them too."
"Hell yeah, that's my brother! Now, Y/N, you have no other choice than telling us!" Fred exclaimed as he threw a proud arm around Percy's shoulder and ushered everyone to sit down so that you could finally start. You looked at all the kids sitting down in front of you, waiting for you to start with excited eyes. Seeing them so eager, even though it wasn't unusual for them whenever you came to the Burrow, and they had other motives, made you crack a smile and nod.
You could actually give what they want to them with this story, and watch as Charlie suffers from their hands on your behalf.
"Now, where should I begin... Perhaps the accident with Squawk is a good one."
Squawk was on loose, the reputation of the Dragon Club was at stake and there was no way you could find that little rascal in time.
Without help.
"I want Squawk back in our care just as much as you do, Y/N! I'll help you find him, you don't have to worry when you have me!"
As soon as the last part left his lips, Charlie already slapped his forehead mentally when he met Liz's questioning and "are you serious?" look. He couldn't help how he felt or what he did, especially when his crush came to ask for his help. He had been watching you as discreetly as possible, throwing himself in to help you whenever you ask and he always sat with you at lunch and cracked jokes in hopes that you would smile.
You did, every time, because how could you not? He was being extremely cute and adorable!
But to Liz, and pretty much every single one of your friends, all these longing stares and shy smiles was becoming a lot harder to bear.
"Hate to break the cute moment, but we have a mission to finish and an Incendio to cast! Pump the love brakes and do it now Y/N~"
Actually remembering where you were and with who you were, you flushed but did it anyways and set the fake eggs on fire to lure Squawk to where you three were waiting.
And soon, he showed up and circled around the eggs protectively, making all three of you to cheer.
"Nice one, mate!" Liz's eyes were as wide as saucers when the word mate left Charlie and he was left freaked out with his hand still up in the air.
No... No, I didn't just call my crush "mate"...
Your eyes were also wide open at what he said, but you tried not to show how it made you disappointed as you smiled and let out a hey, which didn't really had the usual hype.
Mate... That's all he is ever going to see me as.
But amongst that chaos and freaking out, and Charlie's yell, Squawk was already gone, having flought away in fright.
Charlie, since he was kind of the reason Squawk got away, had a sheepish yet half-horrified look on his face as he looked at you, expecting anything except the kind and happy smile you had given him.
"W-what... Are you not angry at me?"
"No? Why would I be?" You tilted your head with a small smile as Charlie gulped nervously.
Oops, you were actually angry but... somehow, it felt like it wasn't about this accident?
"Because Squawk is... gone?"
You sighed, rubbing the back of your neck. It was no use for you to hold grudge against him just because he called you his mate and you had to fall for him. "It's like you said, Charlie. As long as I have you, I have nothing to worry about... Besides I'm confident in where he might have flied off..."
The rest of your sentence was a blur as Charlie widened his eyes and his heart literally stopped at what you said. Yes, he was the one who actually said it but to hear your crush also agree on it...
You just said the sweetest thing possible to him and he... called you his mate.
Tonk was his mate, not you! What the hell was wrong with him?!
"It's rather sweet what you said about Charlie, Y/N but one, stop being all lovey-dovey since some of us are single," she walked away while groaning, leaving you two behind blushing madly as she soon turned back and looked over at her shoulder with a cheeky smile.
"And two, please have a date already after we catch Squawk. I have a bet going on with Andre and I intend to win it, if possible." With that, she left you two to yourself and went inside as you looked at Charlie nervously for him to say something, anything.
And even if his heart threatened to get out of his chest at how close you two were, he smiled and looked into your eyes that reflected all of your emotions.
And it made him blush even more, when he found the clear adoration in there.
"Should we get started then?" He extended his hand out shakily and smiled when you grabbed it thightly and made him run after you with a happy laugh, thinking to yourself as you both ran.
Unaware of how he was watching your hair dance in the wind.
He is lucky he is cute, or else I wouldn't be running after him...
Everyone was left shocked at how stupidly oblivious their older brother, whom they all loved and even idolized, could be. A silence settled after you finished the story and you anxiously looked at them since... they were just looking at you with open mouths, even Percy wasn't saying anything except gulping down the chips he was eating.
But soon, Ginny's screech cut the silence perfectly.
"Wait... MY BROTHER REALLY CALLED YOU 'MATE'?! Ughhh, boys are so stupid..." she rested her back against the table with a hmph, crossing her arms in front of her chest angrily. If the situation wasn't comedic, you could have pinched her cheeks and agree with her, even if you were dating that oblivious and stupid boy that was her brother.
"How many boys have you ever seen, Ginny?" Ron pushed her shoulder, in a way quite offended as she sticked her tongue out.
"I live with 6 of them, I think it's enough!"
"Pretending that our sister didn't just roast all of us," George pointedly said as he slowly pushed the two youngests away with a sheepish look, and looked at you with a smirk.
"Our brother really called his crush 'mate' huh? Interesting..." he rubbed his chin as if he had a long beard which made you snort and nod at him.
They were so going to use this against him.
"Yeah, he did. And according to our friends, he banged his head at every possible surface whenever he remembered that but... it was kind of cute, how he lost track of what he says around me." You cutely said, a stupid smile over your face as the boys made a disgusted face while Ginny let out an awe. You slapped the back of their heads softly as you snickered. "Don't make that face now! I will see you when you fall in love~"
"Wait, wait! Was there a confession? Was it romantic or stupid as he first acted with you?" Ginny suddenly asked excitedly, bouncing up and down with a wide smile as she hugged her legs closer to herself, waiting for your answer.
"Ughh girls and their obsession over romance..." Ron groaned, making a face as if he was disgusted but you knew deep down that he was also into them, especially the one you had with his brother.
He would rather die than accept it though.
"Well, there definetly was some, Ginny. But... At first it was just us complaining about the other to our best friends."
Your chest felt heavy remembering Rowan, how you two used to stay up late while giggling to yourselves. It was mostly them, making fun of you as you blushed and hid yourself under your pillow after you confessed your crush to them.
But what are best friends for? Making fun of you when you need their help, and then offer their biggest one.
"I don't even know what's going anymore, Rowan! I just can't get Charlie out of my mind, every time I look at him, my stomach feels weird, I start to sweat and my heart feels like it's gonna burst out and scream... That bitch and him making me feel like that."
Rowan giggled as she patted your back while you vented, offering their comfort while you laid over their lap. You were trully sick, sick of feeling like this, because deep down, you knew the reason.
You knew why it all happened around Charlie but refused to acknowledge them.
There was a difference between knowing and accepting it, right?
"And... And as if it's not enough, I saw him half-naked!" Rowan choked on the air as they looked down at you in fright.
"You didn't start big, right?!"
"What the hell?! No, of course not! Look at me Rowan! Do you see me as that kind of person? If I was, I wouldn't be patheatically venting to my best friend!"
You got up from their lap as Rowan nodded, saying a fair point, and watched you plop down sadly before you crawled next to them and put your head on their shoulder. Rowan knew what was exactly coming and sighed as they pulled one of the napkin from their nightsand and offered it to you with an "are you serious?" look.
"He was... just so hot, Rowan."
" I know, it's normal for you to say that."
"I can't believe I fell for a dragon boy, whose only interest would be them."
Now that got their attention. Because, there was no way in hell you didn't realize the obvious favouritism he had for you... Right?
But by the patheatic pouting on your face, yes you didn't realize a thing.
"You really don't realize, do you?" They chuckled amused as they pat your head while they fixed their glasses. You lifted your head curiously and frowned at their question. "Realize what?"
"Charlie literally only talks to you about his favourite things, you included, and you listen to him talk for hours about dragons. He gives you the Snitch whenever he catches it when you come to his matches, which is usually always, and even gave you his sweater when you were cold... THE Weasley sweater, if I may add. Everyone knows he and Bill cares about it a lot, Charlie more than Bill."
As they talked, every single interaction passed through your eyes.
Even the ones no one really knew about.
The picnics near the Black Lake, hanging out after curfew, exploring the castle together...
Watching the stars together as you rambled about them, not realizing how close you two were suddenly. His wood and pine smell, a result of him always hanging out in the forest, suddenly filling your insides as your flowery yet quite light and neutral smell dazed Charlie and made him lean down closer to your lips... Them being apart by just mere inches as you both felt the other's breath, a craving, a lust and want so deep that it made you both almost tumble down and dive deep in the feelings...
You were down bad.
"And then he falls asleep on you, you fall asleep on him, you read to him, you always bring something for him from back home and he blushes every time you do that, he brings you his mother's cookies that she made for you, under his request and begs... Friends to lovers trope at its best really."
"Rowan..."
"Hmm?" They turned their head to you after they stopped listing everything, hearing your disturbed and anxious voice brought them back to the moment and- Holy shit, were you scared?
"Y/N? Are you oka-"
"I'm in love with Charlie." You said breathless but it seemed Rowan didn't quite catch the heavy meaning of your words.
"Oh well, congrats for realiz- Wait, not even like?! Like love love?
A shy nod of confirmation, and then a happy squeal.
"Oh My Merlin, I'm so happy for you! Now, you just need to say it to him-and no trust me, he feels the same, if not even more! There is no giving up for us now!"
"Then of course, he confessed to me... After making me cry because I had a crush on him-" you shrugged your shoulders noncholantly after you told them how you came to conclusion that you loved Charlie, and at that point, they were all so invested in your story that they didn't realize their brother standing at the corner and watching, listening to them with both a stupid and sorry look.
A/N: You may read my other work "First Date Shenanigans" for some referances.
Until that is, Fred understood the end of your sentence first and an angry scowl came to his face, making him look scarier.
"HE MADE YOU CRY?! THAT FRICKING TWAT, PERCY BRING THE BAT-"
"ON IT!"
"NO, FRED, DON'T-It was a misunderstanding!" You stopped them hurriedly as Percy immediately stood up and almost made a run for it, both young boys looking at you with wide eyes as they slowly blinked.
"What? How could there be a misunderstanding?"
"I wasn't very open with who my crush was," you shyly smiled and helped them sit back down, chuckling at their cuteness and how protective they were of you.
It made you feel... like a part of the family.
"Since everyone was suddenly so interested in my love life, which was a result of them knowing your brother's big crush on me, I never told anything about who he was."
"Yeah, we remember that Snape Accident... Douchebag."
"Ginevra Weasley, language!" Both you and her giggled as he came closer to you and laid her head on your thigh, your hand finding her ginger hair as you slowly started making a little braid.
"Soooo... What did he do when he learnt you had a crush on 'someone else'?" Ron emphasised pointedly with his fingers and waited for an answer, with a look he hoped that didn't give his big curiosity.
"Well, before that happened, he literally offered to duel me to take my mind off things... Now, I'm thinking that he did it for himself."
"Look, I know we will chat, but what will we chat about? What if we run out of things to say? What if we can't find something to talk about?" You anxiously looked at Charlie and Tonks, who was there to help you out with your date and couldn't help but get even more nervous after Tonks asked what you would do with him.
You never thought about that one.
What were you supposed to talk with Charlie, who was unaware that he was helping you with your crush who was actually him, so that you wouldn't ridicule yourself?
That is, if he accepted of course... Which was a low chance.
Seeing you spiralling into anxiety made Charlie sighed annoyed at his friend and turned to her with a pointed look. "See what you did, Tonks? Asking all those questions..."
" What? I was trying to help!" He shook his head at her innocent exclaim and gripped the bridge of his nose.
"Don't let your nerves get to you, love. Fight them off by... I don't know... Duelling one of us?" Charlie was already having a hard time looking at you, knowing that you liked someone else and was wondering what to do for a boy that definetly didn't deserve you, your love and attention at all.
Should he come after you to see the boy and later jinx him? Perhaps not... But he wanted to.
"That... would be good, Charlie. I'd like to duel you though, if you are not scared~" you teased him softly as your heart skipped a beat at his surprised wide eyes.
But unknown to you, Charlie was grateful that you didn't have any powers such as super hearing.
"Okay... But I won't make it easy..." he winked and looked at you through his lashes, possibly looking at you like that for the last time. He hoped he didn't look stupid, since Bill told him that flirting was definetly not his strongest feature, but by the snicker of Tonks...
Yes, he made himself a stupid.
"I think he went easy on me..." was what left your mouth after the session ended, rubbing your neck awkwardly but feeling refreshed. Charlie looked at you fondly for a second as he chuckled at your pouting face, shaking his head.
"No, I didn't..."
It wasn't that he would rather take Crucio than to see you get hurt...
"Yes, you did! I watched the whole time!" Tonk exclaimed cheekily with wiggling her brows as Charlie pushed her away from himself, already feeling himself blush again.
"%90 per cent of the time he was with you, it seems our brother only blushed..." Ron mumbled disappointedly, wondering how a boy like him could be rendered to a blushing, shy mess.
"MY BROTHER WAS SHY?! CHARLIE?! Are we talking about the same boy who reeks confidence in almost everything he does?"
"Well, Ginny darling, whether you believe it or not, he was really shy and couldn't look into my eyes after our first kiss. It even made me feel bad as if I pushed him but... Later I learnt why!"
"Then why was it?"
"You would know when you grow up..."
You couldn't just tell them that their brother thought about snogging you every chance he gets, from the moment he kissed you.
It would taint their precious innocence... Though you were starting to think that there was none.
"Just know that he turned it around very soon, and he was the confident boy he was in a few days."
Before you two dated, Charlie's hand always itched as if he wanted to touch you. And he did, he wanted that more than anything. Talking to you, praising you or even touching your hand simply seemed hard for him.
But as soon as you accepted him, all the things he wanted to do with you was easy. He kissed your cheek every day, called you his lover without a care, he touched you and hugged you freely as his longing finally was erased.
So, in short, a huge weight was lifted from his shoulders.
Even though you were the one who stopped them in the end.
He would always kiss you in front of people, not afraid of showing his love( definetly not because he knew some certain people liked you) and he would say, "What a good way to start my morning..." breathless as he stared at you with soft and loving eyes. He didn't care much about public attention or what others would say that much anyways.
To him, showing you his love was the least of the things he could do.
Especially when you never made him feel like an oddball, defended him even when he wasn't there, whenever he came to you to get help treating his injuries, you slept with him, cuddled with him, always beamed at him at the first sight of him walking to you, supported his dreams just as he always supported you and loved him unconditionally.
But he couldn't lie... All his affections were also to see your blushing face and embrassed face as you tried to look at anything but him, especially in the early days.
Remembering all the happy times you had with him, and all the times you had to get treat his wound after one of his "funny adventures" made you giddy all so suddenly. Because they were real, you weren't dreaming about them again, you actually went with it and was now currently sitting with his family, bonding together to prepare the biggest achievement of your life: Get back at Charlie for all the times he teased you restlessly.
But... Why not add Bill into this as well? He also took great happiness from watching it.
"But Charlie wasn't the only one I had power over. There were even days I made Bill do what I want him to do!"
"Really? Our brother? Like what?" Now all of their heads were turned to you, their eyes wide with excitement as the same cheeky smile before pulled up your lips.
"Yes, such as putting up decorations, preparing the Great Hall for the Celestial Ball and help me find a-"
"HE HELPED WITH THE CELESTIAL BALL?!"
"You are a natural leader, Bill, and I'm tiny compared to you. Inexperienced too. In many ways actually. So, as the good senior you are, I think you should help this cute friend of yours~"
"Okay, fine... Don't think you can rope me to hang the decorations though. I'll help you, and my job will be done."
Spoiler alert, it actually wasn't the end of his job.
"But even if he was the one who often helped us around with our problems, I would like to think that I too helped him on some ways.
Such as the time he stood up to Emily Tyler in the Ball.
"I realized I made a mistake...Would you like to give us another chance, Bill?"
Please say no, please say no, you are not that stupid Bill...
" Emily..." Bill said as he walked closer to her and stood before her, her batting lashes at him as he looked down at her. Meanwhile you were behind him, a mouth hang open in shock. Out of all the ways you wanted him to man up and face her, this wasn't what you planned.
"No way in the fucking hell..."
" Even if you were the last witch on the world, it wouldn't happen. You have been too rude to my friends, my best friend, and my brother and to me."
"Okay, that was impressive really..."
Ginny rolled her eyes at her brother and pushed them away, turning to you with her wide eyes as she wanted to hear the "love part" of your story with her brother.
"Was there a time Charlie saved you? From anyone?"
"Hmm... He often protected and defended me against Merula-"
"Hello, Charlie! What are you doing here? It's not the class time yet?" He turned to look at you in surprise as his hands clasped behind his back and he greeted you back, perhaps a little bit more enthusiastic than he wanted.
"You know me, love, when I'm not playing Quidditch or bickering with Bill, I'm out exploring... And I can ask you the same, what are you doing here?" Your heart fluttered at the term of endearment he used, flushing a bit as you giggled at him. He leant over the boxes that held food for the creatures, trying to be all cool but he was anything but "cool".
Because, today would be the day, he was so sure of it! He would ask you out on a date, ace it with flying colors and finally have you to himself, all to love and kiss!
" If it isn't the two losers of Hogwarts..."
But not all plans went according to plan.
Charlie, hearing Merula's venomous voice, pulled you behind him as he stood before her, blocking you from her. He knew how you can kick asses, you did on him many times, and he also knew you always won against Merula and she was angry about that too. Merula, contrary to popular belief, wasn't that bad.
She was bad just... Not that much.
But still, he couldn't let her either do something to you or ruin his day by stopping him from asking you out.
" What do you want Merula?"
"Why do you even care, Charlie? I thought she hated me? She probably came here to insult me again."
"You're right. I don't care what you think most of the time, Y/L/N." At her usual snarky comment, you just rolled your eyes at her and turned to look at Charlie. Your eyes widened at how thight his jaw was and how his eyes could actually throw fire at her if that was possible, and a sudden burst of love and want threatened you to turn into a puddle at his protective side.
" I don't want to argue with you right now, Merula... Let's go somewhere else Charlie."
Suddenly, as if your words lightened a bulb in her mind, Merula gripped your wrist thightly, making you slightly wince as you turned around with angry eyes. "Where do you think you are going when you are talking to me?"
"The hell is your problem? Get the hell away from them!" Charlie pushed Merula away from you, making her stumble back in shock at seeing the Charlie Weasley who was ever the kind boy turn aggressive when someone threatened... you.
She chuckled at noticing what everyone has been talking about for the past few months.
Charlie Weasley was never like this, never raised a hand, never used his wand to fight another student....
Maybe, she could change that.
"Oh, Charlie Weasley, the shadow of his brother coming to rescue the day... It must be hard going to Hogwarts at the same time as your older brother... Watching him take over the stage, always be the talk,"
He scoffed at her obvious attempt of setting him off, but Charlie knew her and he wasn't about to get into her trap.
Her sharp eyes soon turned to you with a smirk. "Not that Y/L/N would know anything about that. Their brother is missing, probably dead."
But bringing you into this? That was her first mistake.
And also the biggest one.
Her words hurt, remembering all the suffering you had beared, all the while having to hear all the insults people threw at your dear brother...
But you couldn't show her that her words affected you, you just... couldn't.
But Charlie? Oh, hell no... He was going to make her pay for what she said, for hurting you.
"You never quit, do you, Merula? Why are you so angry at them after all these years anyways? Why are you still lashing out at someone who never did something?"
"If you are really the best witch at Hogwarts, why do you feel threatened by them? Why worry about what they are doing?"
Merula was shocked at the amount of anger Charlie had put in his words, backing her until she was far away from where you were. You were stuck on where you were for a second, your mind being unable to catch up to what was happening. But as soon as you did, you ran after Charlie and grabbed his arm to stop him.
"Charlie, it's not worth it. Let go-"
"Careful with the words, Weasley or else-"
"You, be careful with your words, Merula. I won't have you insulting my... friend. Don't get me started on your family issues if you want?"
Telling all of your story to them had been fun, it certainly made you appreciate your time with him and then his family. They were all eagerly listening while Molly and Arthur stayed behind and watched their kids silently listen to you, obediently, without making a voice or doing anything.
"We need to make them come over more often." said Molly with jolly yet slightly tearful eyes. Seeing her kids so happy and well made her emotional, just like it would do to many mothers.
Arthur hugged her closer and nodded, definetly not having any problems with you being around more. "I agree, dear. They fit in well... And I'll have a new artefact in my hands soon, I'm sure they will like it!"
In the end, after everyone was finally gathered around the living room, you seated yourself next to Charlie and hugged his arm closer to yourself, your chin on his shoulder as his warmth almost lulled you to sleep. He was dead tired, and also flustered from earlier. Apart from de-gnoming the whole garden with Bill, he came inside to look for you and how you were doing since you were so anxious before coming here.
But instead was met with you telling your story to his siblings with clear adoration and even he stayed to listen to you and your captivating voice as his heart swelled with love and pride.
"I loved listening to you talk about us... to my siblings. It was lovely." He muttered softly to you, not caring if his family heard him or not.
"Even if they use it against you?" You mumbled into his shoulder sleepily, lifting your head slowly to look at his shining eyes. He chuckled at seeing your usual teasing eyes even if you were tired after talking all day.
He knew his siblings after all, they must have asked a lot of questions.
"Yeah, even if they do that... It made me reminisce about the past years, and seeing you so cozy and happy with them... I just feel so happy, so lucky to have you." He brought a finger to your cheek as he slowly rubbed it, smiling when you nuzzled closer to him.
Normally, it wasn't like him to be so carefree with PDA but right now, he really didn't care. He might feel insecure from time to time, which happened seldomly, but as he sat with you next to him, thighs touching each other as your hand clutched his arm thightly, he knew he had nothing to worry about.
Even if he was blushing and his heart pounded at your sleepy face.
Because he never thought he would actually fall in love, he never thought his life would go to that part. He never imagined himself with a partner, going all the adventures with them. All his life, he thought he would stay single and had to tolerate his mother complain about his choice and beg him to find a partner.
But now?
He had his person, the one for him right between his arms.
"Do you think we will be in love forever?"
"I'll stay for as long as you need, Charlie... Being there and loving you."
And if that didn't prove his point, his previous talk with Bill in the garden and her mother bringing the famous "Weasley Sweater" did.
His mother didn't knit one for everyone after all.
"About my comment earlier... How did the ring shopping go?"
"Surprisingly well, brother... I think I found the ring." He pat his pocket two times to show his point and Bill smiled in a brotherly way and hugged him thightly, proudly.
In two years, there would be another addition to the huge Weasley family.
Summary: Two months after the war, the couple is more distant than ever. Kate accompanies her grandfather on a trip to Ireland, where her past and present will collide in unexpected ways. Charlie stays in Romania with a decision to make: will he follow her and uncover all unsaid things? Romance/Drama /Mystery
Rating: Mature
Pairing: Charlie Weasley/Kate Williams (hphm mc, original female character) established relationship
"At least we have an excuse to be in the forbidden forest"
"True, maybe this time we'll find an actual dragon egg"
"I'm starting to think your dragon obsession is a therapy call"
"Really?, out of everyone, YOU are pointing who needs therapy"
"Yeah, I recognize issues when I see them, it's like a calling that reunions mental health needs"
"I just like dragons a lot, you are trauma in person, Opaleye"
"Just like dragons a lot?, you are giving people nicknames based on them"
"That's not true"
"You just called me Opaleye "
"Yes, I call you Opaleye, the hell does other people have to do with it?"
"Don't you name others like dragons too?"
"No?"
"Oh"
///
"Merlin, Charlie, I know Gryffindor won the quidditch cup, but that's not a reason to get wasted"
"I'm not wasted just a little tipsy, you are wasted"
"I'm the tipsy one, you are the one who needed help to get to his dorm"
"Shhh, little details"
"Lucky I can't hate you"
"You love me, admit it"
"Do I?"
"Yup, you love a lot, just like I love you, Opaleye"
"Is that so?"
"Absolutely"
"Can I ask you something"
"Anything"
"You call me Opaleye because I remind you of the dragon"
"Yeah"
"Why tho?"
"Apart from the obvious like your spirit and stuff, because of your eyes"
"Charlie, get your facts together, I have dark eyes"
"Don't dare to imply my facts about dragons are wrong ever again"
"Alright, then explain yourself, cause last time I checked, that dragon has white eyes"
"No, their pupils are transparent, there for, light reflecting"
"Alright, our eyes are still opposites"
"Yes, but I don't compare them because they look the same"
"Then why?"
"Cause them both remind me of a sky, you know, a clear sky and a night sky"
"A night sky?"
"Yeah, you said it,you have dark eyes, like the night, plus this little shine in them like a little moon that gets complemented by other little shines the light gives"
"How come you say those kind of things so easy?"
"Don't know, you make it easy"
"You need some sleep, you are saying none senses"
"Am I?, to me it makes a lot of sense, what doesn't makes sense is that you think it doesn't make sense"
"Goodnight Charlie"
"Stay with me"
"Darling, I'm not even supposed to be in this common room, let alone in your dorm"
"You don't even care about rules, come on, what if I swallow my tongue? "
"Fine, just because dying from swallowing your tongue is too stupid for you die like that "
Happy trans visibility week to all my fellas 💕 (everyone that falls into this umbrella).
Remember you’re loved, you are worthy, you’re valuable and so fucking cool. We’re all self improved people how fcking cool is that. I know this are scary times, but what’s important is to stay close to one another, show support and help, to be a community 💕 be kind but also don’t let them take your shine away 💕 doesn’t matter if you’re out or not. Your are as important no matter what 💕
Been playing Hogwarts Mystery and Charlie is the best boi! I'll be posting up some drabble as I play and get inspired~
---------------------
Kettleburn asked if you could find where the smell is coming from. It only took a few minutes of looking for you to notice the odd footprints in the dirt on the ground.
You crane your neck down to see them. They’re small, and the spacing between them is erratic. Bowtruckle, maybe? Definitely not related to the smell.
You follow the tracks anyway, though, and notice suddenly they hairpin turn in the complete opposite direction. Odd. You spin around and–
“Oof!”
You collide into something– a flash of red hair. The smell of warm cotton and grass and flowers. Red accents on the robes.
“Charlie!” You exclaim, stumbling backwards. “I’m so sorry. I was distracted.”
He laughs. Like always, you can’t help but notice how charming his smile is, how the freckles on his cheeks perfectly frame his grin.
“It’s alright,” he insists. “I wasn’t very well watching where I was going, either.”
You exhale a nervous laugh. “Well, at least I know the smell isn’t coming from you,” you say. “You smell like honeysuckle.”
He lifts an eyebrow, but there’s mirth in his eyes. “Do I now?”
Before you can even respond or react, he reaches forward and grabs a strand of your hair. He leans in and takes a dramatically loud whiff.
Heat rushes to your face.
“Ah, well, it’s not you either. You smell like…” he pauses thoughtfully, picking out the scent. “Fire. Like a hearth.”
He looks up and meets your eyes, his face so incredibly close to yours.
“Oh,” you stammer. “I didn’t realize.”
He lets go of your hair and suddenly you find it easier to breathe. “Mhm. Is there a fireplace in your common room?”
You nod. “There is. I was studying there this morning. The smoke must’ve seeped into my robes.”
“It’s alright,” he says, and smiles– that stupid, sparkling smile. “I’m actually quite fond of that smell. It’s cozy. I like it on you.”
You freeze, blush again dusting your cheeks.
Thankfully, before you have to decide how to respond, he nudges your shoulder.
“Although,” he adds. “You mostly smell like cursed vaults.”
“Pfft,” you snort. Your smile is as wide as his. “Because THAT makes perfect sense.”
You continue to tease each other as you work together to find the source of Kettleburn’s stench. And, as you do, you add another mark to the list of reasons why you are grateful to be in the same year as Charlie Weasley.
EXTRA: Tonks just in the background like *eyebrow wiggle eyebrow wiggle*
Percy was the first person to find out Fred and George were serious about opening a joke shop because he saw them struggling to understand legal documents the common room. He never told their parents but he did sit with them and explain what they would need and they always took his advice even when they stopped talking to him
Charlie’s favorite little sibling is Ron and Ron sends the most letters to Charlie
Mr Weasley used to reserve special days once a month to take Ginny out and do whatever she wanted for a day
Fred and George only play the most pranks on Percy because they know he doesn’t actually hate it. And late at night he comes by and gives them tips or fixes spells for them. He’s their favorite brother but no one can tell.
Ron and Ginny tried baking once to surprise Mrs Weasley but almost made the oven explode
Ginny accidentally turned bill bald when she was a toddler and he told her to go to bed. He still holds a grudge over that.
Bill and Charlie and Percy meet up once a month as adults to keep each other updated about life.
Mr and Mrs Weasley are both amazing at dancing and unfortunately all their kids suck at it
One time in his first year Fred broke his ankle racing George to the dining hall. Percy gave him a piggyback ride to the hospital wing. Years later Fred returned the favor when Percy collapsed from exhaustion studying for his newts.
Ron can tell the twins apart he just pretends not to so that he can annoy them
Mrs Weasley and bill are the best chefs of the family but George is the best baker.
Charlie never gets angry but Merula told everyone something she shouldn’t have... He makes it clear she won’t hurt mc (ash) again.
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When Merula drops the bombshell about Peregrine being Ashley's father, Charlie sees how it affects her when the Circle struggles to process the news and regain trust in her.
Uncharacteristically, Charlie's usual calm demeanour gives way to a rare moment of anger when he spots Merula in the Great Hall. With controlled intensity, he presses her against the wall and gives her a stern warning in a low, deliberate voice.
“Careful, Snyde.”
Silence falls over the Great Hall as everyone watches the unexpected scene unfold. It's uncommon to see Charlie display such aggression, and Merula, torn between defiance and guilt, remains speechless.
“Don’t you dare hurt Ash again” he whispers, “or you will find me. I’m not afraid of you like I used to in 5th grade, so don’t test me”
Slowly releasing her, Charlie shoots her a glare before turning on his heel and heading off to class, leaving behind a lingering tension in the air.
I'm convinced Sirius loves every state, every part of this man. Like the way he loses it while studying, how his hair is a mess, the way he is so passionate. I miss drawing them a lot, and this one was like a cathartic feeling ♡
