The Marauders - Order of the Phoenix - Part One

I'm Passing You My Quaffle

When James had sent the owl to his mum and dad about Remus and Sirius's surprise Costa Rican wedding, Dora had wanted to tell him then and there about the resurgence of the Dragon Pox.

"No," Charlus had argued, even as he coughed on a smoky breath, "And ruin their special day with worrying about me? Rubbish!"

"But how are you supposed to apparate safely in your condition..." Dora argued.

"Dora - my dear - I will find a way, as it is important to our sons that we be there."

It was Dora who went to Dumbledore.

"He insists we don't tell the boys, but I'm terrified of his apparition - all that way - it's difficult for even the fittest wizards, and the way he's been coughing..."

Dumbledore peaked his fingers before him in a steeple and sighed very heavily. "I do think it is important for Charlus to be present at the wedding," he said, and when Dora made to object, Dumbledore held up his hand to stay her words. "He shall need to travel by side along, and for the sake of being sure he is safe and able to go to the wedding, I shall go too, and Charlus may apparate with me."

Dora had been in tears. "If he would be safe in anyone's hands, they would be yours, of course, Albus."

So the morning of the wedding, Charlus sat in the Potters' bedroom, eyes closed, doing up his tie as he tried to concentrate on his breathing. He could feel the dragon fire ignited in his chest, his lungs struggled to expand and contract, and he could feel smoke rising up his throat.

Just today. Just let me make it through today, and tomorrow I will go and be seen by a Mediwizard, he bargained with his lungs. My sons need me there today.

Dora came in the room, putting on opal earrings that had been an anniversary gift nearly two decades ago now. She glanced in the mirror to check her hair one last time before going and her eyes caught Charlus's in the reflection. "Honey?" she asked, "Are you alright?"

Charlus swallowed back the smoke. "Yes," he replied. "Jolly."

Dora was about to press more when there was a loud rapping on the door downstairs. "Oh, that must be Dumbledore!" She smiler and turned to go and let him in, pausing in the doorway. "Dear, your tie is a wee crooked, come downstairs when you've done your hair and we'll fix it up before we leave." She ducked out of the room.

Charlus nodded, though she did not see it for her rush to answer the door downstairs. He let out a great exhale of breath, and grey, ashy air came from his mouth, like that which rises from a volcanic eruption. Calmly, he got up and went to the drawer, opening it up and taking out extra handkerchiefs. Then he crossed to the bathroom, ran the faucet, and filled a plastic cup with water. He looked himself in the eyes in the mirror. "Cheers," he whispered, and he poured the water down his throat, temporarily dousing the fire within, choking on the steam as it rose out of him, hoping Dora could not hear him.

Charlus did not count it a waste of effort in any way to be there that day, watching Sirius's wedding. He sat between Dora and Minnie, watching with wide, wet eyes as the ceremony commenced. He tried to keep from coughing, drinking from a glass of water he had procured the moment they arrived. He swelled with pride as Remus and Sirius said I do, and at Dumbledore's pronouncement, when they became husbands, he stood up and clapped fiercely, his heart fit to burst.

He tried not to stare at James as he did it, tried not to imagine James's wedding to Lily Evans.

When the grooms had been taken away by unicorn, and everyone was being shuffled to the reception, Charlus excused himself from Dora for a moment. He stepped through the crowd to where Minerva McGonagall was standing with Elphinstone Urquart, and he tapped her shoulder.