The news that Charlie had been poisoned spread quickly over the next few days, but it did not cause the sensation that Katie's attack had done. People seemed to think that it might have been an accident, given that he had been in the Potions master's room at the time, and that as he had been given an antidote immediately, there was no real harm done.
In fact, the Gryffindors were generally much more interested in the upcoming Quidditch match against Hufflepuff, for many of them wanted to see Zacharias Smith, who played Chaser on the Hufflepuff team, punished soundly for his commentary during the opening match against Slytherin.
With Charlie undoubtedly exempted from the match, Harry was forced to find a new Chaser. To everyone's great surprise, however, Cormac McLaggen jumped at the opportunity, abandoning his desire to be Keeper and settling for the empty position.
"Let me play Chaser! I reckon I'm quick and agile enough to be one," McLaggen preached to Harry one afternoon before Potions. "C'mon, Potter, you know I'm your best option."
"Right... yeah," muttered Harry in response, who evidently had more pressing issues on his mind. "Yeah, I suppose so..."
He could not think of an argument against it; after all, McLaggen had certainly performed second-best in the trials. And so, the position had been temporarily filled while Charlie was recovering in the hospital wing.
But after making the decision, Harry realized he'd made a mistake. McLaggen kept up a constant stream of hints that he would make a better permanent Chaser for the team than Charlie. He was also keen to criticize the other players and provide Harry with detailed training schemes, so that more than once Harry was forced to remind him who was Captain.
On the morning of the Quidditch match against Hufflepuff, Harry and Hermione dropped in on the hospital wing before heading down to the pitch. Charlie, who had awoken from his unconscious state, was very agitated; Madame Pomfrey would not let him go down to watch the match, feeling it would overexcite him.
"So how's McLaggen shaping up?" he asked Harry nervously, apparently forgetting that he had already asked the same question twice.
"I've told you," said Harry patiently, "he could be world-class and I wouldn't want to keep him. He keeps trying to tell everyone what to do, he thinks he could play every position better than the rest of us. I can't wait to be shot of him."
"And I can't wait to be out of this bloody hospital bed," grumbled Charlie, kicking his sheets off. "I don't know what Madame Pomfrey's on about, honestly, I feel perfectly fine."
"You've been poisoned, Charlie," Hermione reminded him, and she took her usual spot on the edge of his bed, their hands instantly intertwining. "I think it'd be best not to rush your recovery."
And with nothing but a mess of incoherent mumbles acting as Charlie's response, Harry laughed lightly.
"Don't worry about it, mate," he said, getting to his feet and picking up his Firebolt. "You'll only need to be in here for a few more days."
"I guess," Charlie shrugged, and then he whipped his head around to lock eyes with his unofficial lover, "At least be sure to give me a well detailed recount of today's match, will you? I don't want to feel like I'm missing out entirely."
"Actually, I was planning on staying back to keep you company," Hermione tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, her cheeks reddening. "What do you think?"
Charlie brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it, "I'd like that very much."
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