Ch. 1 - Landings

(A/N: No copyright infringement intended. No money made from this writing. Biscuits will be handed out later at the end of the exam. No other warranties apply. See store for additional details. - DG)

Charlie stepped off the landing platform at the Ministry, shaking his ginger head from the wind that blew through his short hair. He felt naked, missing the hair he had not a day prior. Sophia tried to convince him to keep his hair but he refused. He didn't want to annoy Mum with what growth he had. At least it's not as long as Bill's. Hair that long would kill me!

He picked up the rucksack from the ground behind him and saw the cavalry in front of him: The Weasley family, standing on the other side of the platform and waiting for his acknowledgement. A huge grin plastered on his face said it all – he was home!

He crossed the platform, finding his father first. Dad was getting older, he realized, as this was his first trip home in months. The hair was receding further back on his head, the glasses and his waistline were thicker, and his eyes were a touch less bright. That smile was still infectious, and so warming. "Dad!"

"Missed you, son!" He gave a dragon-sized hug, hearing the Fireball skin coat crackle under the movements. "Blimey boy, it's good to see you!"

No one bothered to hear the slight sniff from Charlie. No one would have cared if they did.

Arthur let go of his second son, quickly replaced by Bill. "Merlin, Charlie, you're still ugly as a dragon."

Chortles resonated from the family. "And you still look like a werewolf played pattycake with your face, you bugger."

Bill stepped back, letting his wife take over. "Bonjour Charlie!"

He leered, loving that he got a warm kiss on each cheek from his sister in law. "And don't believe Beel. He's still rude as the day I met him. You are quite marvelous."

Bill and Charlie chuckled at the petite waif of a wife in front of him. "Where are the girls?"

"Mum has them at Shell Cottage. We'll head there after your meeting today."

"But that's not for a couple of hours."

"We know. We have to run. Fleur needs to be back with the girls, and I have to get back in the office. There's more who want to see you too, you ugly bugger."

Charlie looked to his right, and there was the rest of the brigade. Percy and his wife Audrey were there, dressed resplendently in conservative dark robes. "We can't stay long, but we wanted to say hi before we had to be back, too."

Hugs went around, more polite than not for his younger brother and his dimutive wife. "Audrey, you're looking prettier by the day."

She leered back, making the men blush. "Don't let this bureaucrat hear that. He'll want a bullet list by the end of the day if he thinks something's not above the board."

"Audrey! That's not true!"

Chuckles from the rest of the family echoed in the station.

Audrey kissed Charlie on the cheek one last time before turning back to the Main Foyer. "Come along Perce. We can't leave the Minister waiting, can we?"

Percy blushed over his glasses and up to his hairline. "Sorry Charlie, but the Wizarding world will crumble if Audrey isn't there to keep Kingsley on the tight schedule she makes for him."

Audrey slipped her arm around her husband. "It's not like you aren't a help for him too, Percy. Now come along. We have work to do."

Bill and Fleur left with Percy and his wife, throwing his welcome as they strode back to the floodgates.

Charlie watched them walk away. "I figured they'd still be that ambitious."

"Don't worry, son, they'll be at dinner tonight. You won't mind a bit. Probably be bored silly shortly thereafter."

Charlie looked back, and there stood the rest of the battalion.

"Aren't you a sight for sore eyes!" Long dark arms enveloped him in a huge hug, trying to pick him up off the ground. "Hadn't seen you in a blue moon, you prat!" Angelina slapped him on his dragon skin jacket. "I should string you up by your toes for missing Fred's birth, you tosspot!"

"How was I supposed to know you'd go into labor six weeks early? You know how expensive it is to get International Portkeys."

She turned to her husband George behind her, smacking him on the arm too. "And that's for not buying your brother the Portkey so he could see his handsome nephew! Greedy bleeder!"

"Is that the handsome bloke we're talking about?"

"Sure is."

George stepped forward, and handed his two-month-old son over to his older brother. A tuft of dark brown fuzz stuck up from the swaddling of Fred Weasley II. An odious orange baby blanket topped it – courtesy of little brother Ron. "Did you have to bundle him like a yam?"

"You're just jealous because he's a better lookin' bloke than you are, you git."

Charlie looked down at the baby snuggled in his arms. Charlie dragged a calloused finger through the bunny like hair on his head, and little Fred's eyes opened up. "Why hey there, Fred. I'm your Uncle Charlie."

Charlie looked at the hazel eyes looking up into his blue ones. "He's a cute squirt."

George beamed while Angelina smiled.

"Nice to finally meet you. You look better than your Daddy, that's for sure."

A wail broke out of the bundle of ghastly orange blankets. Angelina rushed over to cradle her son, taking him from her brother in law. "Don't mind him. He's just hungry."

Charlie laughed, along with the rest of the family. "He's a Weasley then, even without the red hair: Always hungry and looking to Mum to feed him."

More peals of laughter peppered the stone walls of the platform. "Speaking of which, where are the youngest siblings of mine? Shouldn't they be here?"

"Ginny's at practice in Holyhead after yesterday's International Match. Harry's in Edinburgh for a conference. They'll be at dinner tonight. However, Ron and Hermione should have been here already."

"No, Ronald, I will not relent from that bit of legislation, I don't care how annoyed and inconvenienced the Auror Department will be about it. Elves have rights too."

"But Hermione, please think – "

"Don't you start on that line with me, Ronald Weasley!"

The family smiled. The youngest son had arrived.

"I'm just saying that the paperwork alone – "

"I've had enough of the department's limp wristed – "

"Well, hello to you two!"

They broke from their bickering to see Charlie and the rest of the men standing there smiling. Hermione blushed and Ron did as well. "Hello Charlie. Nice to see you again."

She stood up on her toes to plant a peck on his cheek and a hug as well. "I've got to run back. I'll see you at two for the meeting, right?"

"It's at two?"

Hermione nodded. "It was originally scheduled for one, but a department heads meeting came up and I had to push back our international meeting back an hour. I know you won't mind having a long lunch with your brothers, will you?"

"Oh not at all, Director Weasley." He watched his sister in law get a mischievous glimmer in her eyes, betraying her intentions. He leered, flashing his best grin. "I think I can find something or someone to keep me entertained for an extra hour before our meeting today. Ickle Ronniekins will be a perfect lunch host."

She smiled again, turning heel to her husband. "One more thing, dear husband?"

Hermione slid her small hand into her husbands, and they ducked into an alcove away from the family.

Charlie turned back to his Dad, who was still grinning from everything. "They still act like newlyweds, huh?"

Arthur smiled. "Embarrassingly so. Mummy still catches them from time to time during the Sunday brunch. She set a caterwauling charm on the Scullery to keep them out of it."

Chuckles bounced around.

"Sorry to disappoint, but I have to get back also. Hermione was right. There is a Director's meeting today at one. Sad to say, I was the one who called it." Arthur grinned. "I thought my sons would like some time together without the rest of us so you three could catch up."

Arthur hugged his son one more time before turning and strolling back to the lifts. Charlie watched his father walk away, noticing a slight limp in his stride.

"George?"

"Yeah?"

"When did Dad get old?"

"I think when we were born."

"No, really? Dad's limping."

George stood there, quiet for a minute. "Dad tripped last week while we were having Brunch. He said it was on a board sticking up in kitchen, but when I went to check, there was no board."

"Was it his size twelve feet?"

"It's entirely possible. Then again, they work him hard at the ministry. I think he's just getting tired."

Charlie looked at his younger brother. "Maybe it's time we start paying them back for everything. Shall we discuss this as a family after they leave this evening?"

"That's a marvelous idea, but you should know that most of us are doing something already for them. Harry and Ginny quietly put money in their vault every month. Bill keeps tabs on it, and also makes sure that the house is secure. I bought Mum a new stove when the last one went out. Percy does stuff for Dad as well, like looking over his documents for work and such. Ron's cheap, but only because he and Hermione are trying to save for a house in Cardiff near Harry and Ginny's new place. Instead, Hermione takes Dad out often, going out into the Muggle world when Ron's away. She says his favorite place is going to Heathrow to watch the aeroplanes come and go. But he also enjoys trips to the hardware store, where he can play with batteries and plugs for hours."

The brothers stood on the walkway, letting the minute pass them by.

"You think it's been long enough for ickle Ronniekins and Mrs. Weasley back there?"

Charlie grinned. "I think we need to remind our brother about propriety."

"How long have they been back there?"

"Maybe four minutes. Long enough for Ron but not enough for Hermione."

"Four minutes?"

"Ron told me a couple of Christmases past that Hermione is rather talented."

The brothers smirked at one another. Charlie picked up his rucksack and slung it over his shoulder. George led the way to the alcove where they saw the youngest brother and his wife disappear.

They weren't there.

"Where the bloody hell are they?"