Here Right Now | Charlie Weasley

Chapter 24 : All over the world

JAYDEN stretched out on his bed, slowly waking up from a deep, unsettling sleep. It was Christmas and this was the first time in his life that he was alone for the holidays. He regretted not going to the Weasley's with his sister. 

He regretted his actions. They had never fallen out like this before, especially for so long.

When JJ died, everything changed and he was ashamed to admit that he blamed her, but not as much as the rest of his family. They blamed her, for encouraging their little brother to keep on playing even with a storm coming, for thinking her magic was strong enough to bring him back to life and for all the scrutiny they endured during the funeral and magical investigation afterwards.

It was unfair but he couldn't use the imperious curse to change their minds, especially since they will still think the same way when the curse is lifted from them. He wouldn't want to anyway, but that was the only way he could think of changing anything. They never mourned for JJ, not the way she did and they all, including himself, despised her for it. She took it away, took their grief period away with her losing herself in her own grief and them having to look after her well-being, but not their own.

He blamed her for him not being able to say goodbye properly. He loved his twin but he hated her for being so selfish. Hated her for being the main reason why he couldn't be with the girl he wanted to be with.

Jayden shook himself from his stupor, from the lingering hate and from his ever present grief. He rose from his bed and got ready for his first Christmas alone.

--

Hunter stared at the conquest in his dad's hands, the malicious grin on his father's face making his stomach churn. He wasn't very fond of his dad, the two didn't get along and that always marred their interactions. It was Christmas day and Hunter had reluctantly agreed to coming home for the holidays, for the sake of his aunt Lucy. His father had been away for the week before, leaving him in peace with the family he had more in common with and enjoyed more.

"What the hell is that, Terrence?"

His father scowled at Hunter using his full name, but smirked as he held up the Hippogriff's head.

"This, son, is the head of the Hippogriff that I paid to hunt. It was good fun, tres bon, but that Jacques made such a fuss when I claimed it as my own. He knows I paid for the license, so it's mine. But insists since he found the beast, it's his." His father hissed, charming the head securely on their hunting wall.

The wall was full of magical creatures, such as the new hippogriff head, a sniffler head and a pair of firecrabs claws. It was gruesome but his father was immensely proud of his hunts, even though most of the time it was illegal and cost a house elf their life.

Hunter shuddered, trying to mask his distaste for his father. His mother passed when he was five, leaving him in the hands of his malicious and unloving father. Now, seventeen, he couldn't believe that he didn't turn out as evil as his father. Yes, there were days he loved torturing little kids at school but it was never physical and not necessarily mean. It was wrong, he was aware of that but having the gift to foresee things have made it harder for him to stay sane. He wasn't going mad but he needed to use his head on other things that required him to be meticulous and plan carefully.

Pranks on kids was the closest thing, besides his schoolwork.

"Terrence, you know that it is illegal to hunt a Hippogriff?" Hunter scoffed, his hands clenching.

"Oh yes, but I have some connections in the Magical Creatures department at the Ministry of Magic. It bodes well for me and my conquests." The grin on his father's face made him shudder.