In love with a Weasley (Charlie Weasley)

HBP 10

Everybody was wearing new sweaters when they all sat down for Christmas lunch, everyone except Fleur, on whom, it appeared, Mrs. Weasley had not wanted to waste one, Me because after the nosebleed I felt far too warm for some reason and Mrs. Weasley herself, who was sporting a brand-new midnight blue witch's hat glittering with what looked like tiny starlike diamonds, and a spectacular golden necklace. 

"Fred and George gave them to me! Aren't they beautiful?" 

"Well, we find we appreciate you more and more, Mum, now we're washing our own socks," George said, waving an airy hand. "Parsnips, Remus?" 

"Harry, you've got a maggot in your hair," Ginny said cheerfully, leaning across the table to pick it out.

"How" I asked looking at Harry.

"Kreacher" Was all he said which made a lot of sense.

" 'Ow 'orrible," Fleur said, with an affected little shudder. 

"Yes, isn't it?" Ron said. "Gravy, Fleur?" In his eagerness to help her, he knocked the gravy boat flying; Bill waved his wand and the gravy soared up in the air and returned meekly to the boat. 

"You are as bad as zat Tonks," Fleur said to Ron, when she had finished kissing Bill in thanks. "She is always knocking"

"I invited dear Tonks to come along today," Mrs. Weasley said, setting down the carrots with unnecessary force and glaring at Fleur. "But she wouldn't come. Have you spoken to her lately, Remus?" 

"No, I haven't been in contact with anybody very much," Moony said. "But Tonks has got her own family to go to, hasn't she?" 

"Hmmm," Mrs. Weasley said. "Maybe. I got the impression she was planning to spend Christmas alone, actually." She gave Moony an annoyed look, as though it was all his fault she was getting Fleur for a daughter-in-law instead of Tonks.

"Tonks's Patronus has changed its form," Harry said to Moony. "Snape said so anyway. I didn't know that could happen. Why would your Patronus change?" Moony took his time chewing his turkey and swallowing before saying slowly, 

"Sometimes a great shock an emotional upheaval" 

"It looked big, and it had four legs," Harry said, lowering his voice. "Hey it couldn't be?" 

"Arthur!" Mrs. Weasley said suddenly. She had risen from her chair; her hand was pressed over her heart and she was staring out of the kitchen window. "Arthur it's Percy!" 

"What?" Mr. Weasley looked around. Everybody looked quickly at the window; Ginny stood up for a better look. There, sure enough, was Percy Weasley, striding across the snowy yard, his horn-rimmed glasses glinting in the sunlight. He was not, however, alone. 

"Arthur, he's he's with the Minister!" And sure enough, the new Minister was following along in Percy's wake, limping slightly, his mane of greying hair and his black cloak flecked with snow. Before anyone could say anything, before Mr. and Mrs. Weasley could do more than exchange stunned looks, the back door opened and there stood Percy. There was a moment's painful silence. Then Percy said rather stiffly, 

"Merry Christmas, Mother." 

"Oh, Percy!" Mrs. Weasley said, and she threw herself into his arms. Rufus Scrimgeour paused in the doorway, leaning on his walking stick and smiling as he observed this affecting scene. 

"You must forgive this intrusion," he said, when Mrs. Weasley looked around at him, beaming and wiping her eyes. "Percy and I were in the vicinity working, you know and he couldn't resist dropping in and seeing you all." But Percy showed no sign of wanting to greet any of the rest of the family. He stood, poker-straight and awkward-looking, and stared over everybody else's heads. Mr. Weasley, Fred, and George were all observing him, stony-faced. 

"Please, come in, sit down, Minister!" fluttered Mrs. Weasley, straightening her hat. "Have a little purkey, or some tooding. I mean" 

"No, no, my dear Molly," Scrimgeour said. "I don't want to intrude, wouldn't be here at all if Percy hadn't wanted to see you all so badly" I leant into Charlie before whispering.

"He's lying" Charlie nodded in agreement.

"Oh, Perce!" Mrs. Weasley said tearfully, reaching up to kiss him. 

"We've only looked in for five minutes, so I'll have a stroll around the yard while you catch up with Percy. No, no, I assure you I don't want to butt in! Well, if anybody cared to show me your charming garden. Ah, that young man's finished, why doesn't he take a stroll with me?" The atmosphere around the table changed perceptibly. Everybody looked from Scrimgeour to Harry. Nobody seemed to find Scrimgeour's pretence that he did not know Harry's name convincing, or find it natural that he should be chosen to accompany the Minister around the garden when Ginny, Fleur, and George also had clean plates. 

"Yeah, all right," Harry said into the silence. "It's fine," he said quietly, as he passed Moony, who had half risen from his chair. "Fine," he added, as Mr. Weasley opened his mouth to speak.

"Wonderful!" said Scrimgeour, standing back to let Harry pass through the door ahead of him.

"We'll just take a turn around the garden, and Percy and I'll be off. Carry on, everyone!" Percy stood there quietly whilst Mrs Weasley fussed over him. Harry strode back in a little while later without the Minister.

Late in the afternoon, a few days after New Year, Harry, Ron, and Ginny were all lined up beside the kitchen fire to return to Hogwarts. The Ministry had arranged this one-off connection to the Floo Network to return students quickly and safely to the school. Only me and Mrs. Weasley were there to say good-bye, as Mr. Weasley, Charlie, Fred, George, Bill, and Fleur were all at work. Mrs. Weasley dissolved into tears at the moment of parting. Admittedly, it took very little to set her off lately; she had been crying on and off ever since Percy had stormed from the house on Christmas Day. 

"Don't cry, Mum," Ginny said, patting her on the back as Mrs. Weasley sobbed into her shoulder. "It's okay." 

"Yeah, don't worry about us," Ron said, permitting his mother to plant a very wet kiss on his cheek, "or about Percy. He's such a prat, it's not really a loss, is it?" Mrs. Weasley sobbed harder than ever as she enfolded Harry in her arms. 

"Promise me you'll look after yourself. Stay out of trouble" 

"I always do, Mrs. Weasley" Harry said. "I like a quiet life, you know me." She gave a watery chuckle and stood back. "Be good, then, all of you."

"I'll see you all in a couple of days" I tell them all as they each hug me. Harry was the first to step into the emerald fire and shouted

"Hogwarts!" Followed by Ron and then Ginny. 

"They'll be okay Mama Bear. I'll be there as well in a few days to help keep an eye one them" I tell Mrs Weasley after Ginny's gone. I spend a couple of hours with Mrs Weasley whilst Charlies at work before heading home. The house is empty when I arrive home so I decide to just sit on the sofa and read one my old muggle books. I hear the door open a little while later as Charlie comes in placing a kiss on my head. 

"Hello baby" He says sitting beside me and taking my book from me, placing it on the table.

"Hey Charlie" He pulls me into his lap as he kisses me.

"I've missed you today after spending so much time together since our wedding" 

"I missed you too Charlie" I tell him kissing him again.

"Did they all get off okay"

"Yeah, your mum was crying the whole time and Ron the idiot mentioned Percy making it worse" Charlie rolls his eyes at his brothers stupidity.