Twisted (Charlie Weasley)

Chapter Thirty-Two

The shrill cries of Artie filled my ears the moment my feet touched down on the hill near the burrow. I had apparated a little further away than I normally would have not wanting anyone else to be present for the boys fit. I knew that as a kid I had hated apparating with my parents, and I certainly didn't want Artie to experience the same sort of things I had when I cried afterwards.

I talked softly to him in hopes of calming him down, and after a few minutes that seemed to last forever, he was silent and looked up at me with his big grey eyes as if he was asking why we had to do that. I gave him a small smile, "I'm sorry Artie, but we are here now which means we get to enjoy time with Nan... doesn't that sound fun?"

Artie made no reaction to my comment but squirmed in my arms. A clear sign that he wanted to move around on his own, and I instantly regretted apparating so far. I knew that he wouldn't be able to walk too far on his own but didn't want to upset him more by holding him against his will and allowed him to hold onto my hands for balance. 

Luckily we had only brought a duffle bag filled with our belongings, so that was able to drape over my shoulder without getting in the way of the determined young boy. His walking, however, did not last long as he struggled through the snow that seemed to have fallen recently. 

We made it to the Burrow after about ten minutes of walking and were greeted happily in the yard by Molly... but again, the sudden appearance set Artie off. Instantly I was cursing myself, knowing how the boy reacted to people he did not clearly recognize, and it had truly been too long since we had last visited the family. 

I started to bounce him up and down in my arms lightly in hopes of soothing him, "It's okay Artie," I said softly, "It's just Nan, and we love Nan don't we?"

Molly looked quite shocked by the crying child, which sort of ate at me a little knowing she had raised seven little ones of her own. She should have known what set him off, and I hoped it would pass quickly as I already felt a headache setting on because of the crying child. 

I looked up at Molly, "Sorry, he is just going through a bit of a fussy stage. Once he gets used to being here he will be fine."

She gave a small nod, "Why don't we go in the house and..."

She was interrupted by a very happy young French women came flying out of the house, "Indy-go!" The woman said, and instantly I recognized her from the Tri-Wizard Tournament. This was Fleur Delacour, my future brother-in-law's fiance. 

I looked down to Artie who had suddenly gone quiet, "Artie, this is your aunty Fleur." I said gently, "It's good to meet you, or see you again... we didn't really get the chance to chat last time we saw each other... but I did heal you when you came out of the maze."

There was a tenseness usually surrounding the topic of the Tri-Wizard Tournament. A boy of seventeen years old had died, while the majority of the family had seen him at the Quidditch world cup, I had been one of the few to leave later in the day and didn't get the chance. 

"Let's go inside," Molly said, and I could quickly tell there was indeed a tenseness between the two women. I followed their lead, and upon entering the Burrow I could see that Artie somewhat recognized the place. I put him down on the ground and pulled out a couple of his plushes from our duffle bag for him to play with on the ground. "You and Artie will be staying in Ginny's room."

Fleur smiled, "I have been staying in the twin's room." Her voice was very happy sounding like she wouldn't let Molly get her down, but her French accent very thick just as I had expected it to be. "It has been very funny. I was staying in zee bedroom of Ginny, but Molly moved me out! She did not want Artie to be around zee twins products!"