LbN: For 100 Days of AUs. Switched out for the "Field Trip" prompt.
It was a normal Weasley gathering, with all the children and grandchildren in attendance this time. It was late in the evening, but with most of the family staying the weekend at the new Burrow, everyone but the babies was still up. The adults were trading stories, much to the children's amusement. As of yet, no one had outdone George's wonderful rendition of the Pineapple Custard Incident of Second Year. The children were in stitches.
"Teddy, please don't let this one's mischievous influences rub off on you," Molly said, offering the boy another cake.
"Our Teddy? He doesn't need any guidance from me, I'm sure," George said with a wink. "He's got Harry, after all."
Harry grinned over at his godson. "I don't know what you're talking about. I was a perfect angel at Hogwarts."
Ginny and Hermione both snorted at this. Ron muttered something to Dominique, who dribbled hot chocolate from laughing.
"Speaking of Hogwarts," Arthur said. "I heard a rumor that they were reinstating the Top Year Leave program. Have you heard about that, Teddy?"
"Yeah!" the boy said, hair turning pink. "They're supposed to try it out with the seventh years this year, so it'll be a go by the time I get there. I guess that was another Weasley escapade, them getting rid of it," he added, casting a sly look over at George.
George shook his head, looking genuinely confused. "That wasn't us," he said, and they knew he meant himself and Fred. "It was already banned when we got there."
There was a tiny, polite cough, and everyone looked up at Charlie.
"That...was...um...me."
All of the children's mouths dropped open.
"Uncle Charlie… what did you do?" Roxanne asked, voice full of glee.
"It wasn't just me," he said, smiling slightly. He looked over at Teddy, and said, "Your mum was part of it too."
Teddy's mouth dropped open. He knew, of course, that his mum had been friends with Charlie, but he didn't know too much about what she was like at school. "No...really?"
"Oh yes. Though, this time, I take full credit for the insanity. She went along for the sport, and moral support."
"This I have to hear," Harry said.
Charlie glanced at Teddy, who nodded vigorously. "Ah well, I suppose it was only a matter of time before my reputation as the law-abiding Weasley went out the window," he said, to laughter. "Back then, the weekends were open to fifth and sixth years as well, to teach us how to blend into the Muggle world. We could take the train to the next village up, and then go off on our own for the day. Well, I had a bright idea…."
"So what do you think, Chuck?" Tonks whispered, squeezing through the crowd to stand next to him.
"Tonks, what are you –"
She jabbed him in the side with a finger to get him to hush. "Think McGonagall's forgiven us for the whole Christmas lights thing? I really want to be able to take a break from this place."
The fifth through seventh years had all been called to assemble in the great hall, to go over the rules of their free weekends. Most of the students assembled by House, much as with meal times, but Tonks had come over from the Hufflepuff group to stand by Charlie.
"Now, there will be four weekends per year that you may use as a trip," McGonagall explained. "You will use them to supplement a specific area of study, and you will write reports on your outings. Each time you wish to go, you will turn in the necessary request to me, and I will find you an outside contact, if you wish to stay the whole weekend. Let me be perfectly frank with you – these privileges are not to be taken lightly. This is a freedom we afford you only on a conditional basis. Any misbehavior here or while staying with our outside contacts, and you will be forbidden to go ever again." Her eyes flashed over to the corner where Charlie and Tonks stood.
Ten minutes later, after a few of the teachers had talked about some of the outside contacts and who they were, Charlie and Tonks were walking back toward the Grand Staircase. They stopped just before the first landing and let the rest of their classmates pass by.
"So where are we going to go for the first one, Chuck?" Tonks asked.
"Dunno. Reckon we should meet up later and plan. Binns' classroom is always free after dinner."
"I'll see you then," she said, before wandering off down the stairs.
Charlie took the stairs two at a time up to the Gryffindor Common Room. He had practice in another hour, but he'd gotten a bunch of mail that day and wanted to read it before heading down to the pitch. His roommates were all still out somewhere, and he had some privacy as he read the letters from his family. They were the same as always – urging him to write more often, assuring them that they were all doing well, drawings from Ron and Ginny and excited questions from Fred and George, who would be coming the next year. He pinned the pictures to his headboard with a quick sticking charm, and was about grab his Quidditch gear when something caught his eye. He'd subscribed to the Daily Prophet with his summer's pocket money, and there was a dragon on the cover that day. His eyes skimmed the passage, and a grin spread over his face.
Later that evening, Tonks sat staring at him over tea and biscuits she'd swiped from the kitchens.
"You want to go play with animals?" she asked, in a flat voice.
"No," he insisted. "Well, I mean, yeah. But that's just a cover. Did you see the Prophet today?"
"Chuck, you know how to charm the pants off of just about anyone, but I don't think any amount of charm is going to let them let you go running off after Scottish Marsh Dragons."
"Ye of little faith!" Charlie said in mock outrage. "When you wanted to charm that big statue of Boris the Bewildered, did I hesitate? When you decided that we needed to enchant the pitch speakers to play We Will Rock You every time Hufflepuff scored a goal, did I question your ability to get it done? Where has your sense of adventure gone, Nymphadora?"
She quirked an eyebrow, hair turning red, "Call me Nymphadora again, and I'll show you exactly where it's –"
"We could get Kettleburn to write us a recommendation," Charlie plunged ahead, practically bouncing. "You know, if you think McGonagall is still salty about the Christmas lights thing."
"And when we got there? When they have us…I don't know…disemboweling peacocks and cutting up flobberworms for potions?"
"Everything is on one site that the Ministry oversees. We could sneak off during a break. I just want to see them, Tonks!"
Her hair ran through a series of colors before stopping on purple. "Okay, Chuck. You've got me. Let's get that request in to McGonagall."
"This isn't going to end well," Victoire said to Teddy, who was listening with rapt attention.
"Not well at all," he agreed. "And I want to hear about the Christmas lights incident next," he told Charlie.
"Um…tell you what, Ted? I'll tell you that one on your seventeenth birthday. Anyway, after a whole lot of groveling, we got approved to go up to the Magical Creatures Conservatory for a weekend…."
The inn was actually just a small cottage just off the Conservatory property. Tonks and Charlie left Hogwarts just after their final class on Friday, and made it there by dinner time. Kettleburn had told them that the man in charge was a bit… long in the tooth, to put it gently, but nothing could've prepared them for the Rip Van Winkle man who shuffled up to answer the door.
"Ah…you must be Mr. Weasley, and Miss Tonks. I'm Mr. Dunderpott. Do come in." He shuffled slowly down the hall, leading them to a door on the righthand side, just across from the bathroom. "If you'd like to put your things away…. I'm afraid it was a rather busy day, and we haven't prepared dinner. But I assumed you'd like to explore the Muggle town anyway. There are a few good places to eat down there – one of the shops does a wonderful soufflé."
"Uh…thank you," Charlie said. "Where…where am I sleeping? This is Tonks' room, did you say?"
"Oh, yes, that. I'm afraid we're rather booked, and you'll both be staying in there. Have a lovely evening," he said, before pattering off.
"Does he know we're students?" Tonks asked, grinning.
"Not a word when we get back," Charlie said.
"Shouldn't I be the one telling you that?" she asked. "Begging you to not go telling tales – to protect my virtue. Oh, Merlin…."
They'd stepped into the tiny room. There was only one bed. Granted, it was a king-sized, but still.
"Do I want to know where this is going?" Teddy asked, clamping his hands over his ears.
He might not have, but Harry, Ron, George and Ginny sure did. Harry caught the look on Molly's face and had to use quite a lot of self-control not to laugh. It was obvious that this part had been left out of the story when she'd first heard it.
Charlie reached over and tugged Teddy's hand from his head. "Don't worry – your mum and I were only ever friends. In fact, I offered about six times to sleep on the floor. I was highly embarrassed. She conjured a decent pillow fort to keep us separated during the night. We went to dinner at a little café in the town and worked all the next morning. We were both pretty worried we wouldn't get to sneak away, but we got our chance at lunch the next day."
"Well done!" old Mr. Dunderpott cried. "Very well done. You're a natural with animals, Charlie Weasley. Oh! And it's just about noon. I have a meeting to oversee, but you two are welcome to have lunch here and explore the grounds afterward."
"Really?" Charlie asked.
"Yes. Just know that the Blue Zones are off limits. Wouldn't want you getting eaten, now would we?" With a chuckle, Dunderpott shuffled off down the hall.
Charlie and Tonks headed to the canteen, but they only stopped to grab a few sandwiches. They wandered out onto the grounds, stopping at a couple of different sections and talking to the workers for the look of the thing. They knew where they were going, having studied a map that morning at breakfast.
It was the Blue Zone furthest north, and if they hadn't found it by sight, they would've known by the smell. The marshes had about ten to fifteen workers, but no actual guards. Charlie and Tonks slipped onto the path without anyone noticing, and headed into the gloom and stink.
They walked.
And walked.
And walked.
"You sure they were keeping the dragons here, Chuck?" Tonks finally asked after about an hour.
"Positive. The Prophet said – ow!" Charlie yelped, going down face first into the mud. "Tripped on that branch." He pushed himself up, and noticed that Tonks was staring directly behind him. "It…wasn't a branch, was it?" he whispered.
"Slowly move to your left, Chuck," Tonks breathed.
Charlie did so, and turned around.
Three Marsh Dragons were lined up on the path behind them. The one he had tripped over had opened its wings and was breathing in.
"Run!"
The puffs of inky black flame were faster than they looked, and the pair just managed to dive behind a tree without being singed. Still, Charlie's trouser leg was smoking faintly.
"Wow!" he said excitedly. "Did you see that? The flames were pure black! Those must be the younger ones – when they get older, they –"
"Chuck! I hate to ruin your moment, but do you remember these things want to roast us?" Tonks asked, trying to pull him round the tree.
They dashed back up the path, dodging two of the dragons. This could be said for them, Marsh Dragons were small and relatively slow. The pair out distanced them in a matter of moments. But Charlie stopped, hearing one cry.
"Tonks…I think it's hurt," he said, turning back to look. "Look, he's gotten stuck on that root."
"Means it's slower, and we can get away."
"Tonks," he whined. "Look at him. And they've…they've just left him. They don't look after the hurt ones. We can't just leave him."
Tonks sighed. "If I die in dragon fire, you and I will have words, Chuck."
He dashed back down the path, getting out of the way of the fire just in time. The little thing was whining the whole time he tried to see how to help it. There was nothing for it. He wrapped his arms around the dragon and gently tugged him out. The dragon puffed as if it was going to breathe fire again. It didn't, but the residual body heat was enough to burn through Charlie's jumper and give him two good singes on the forearms.
"Argh!" he said setting the dragon down on the path. He watched it for a moment, and decided it looked okay. He started to go. The dragon followed. "Stay," he said. The dragon still followed. "Really. Stay."
This time, the dragon tottered up to Tonks and sat on her boot.
"Oh, you must be joking!" she said. "He's your mum, not me!"
Teddy's face was a mask of unspeakable joy. "So you and my mum were honorary parents of a dragon? Why didn't you tell me I have a dragon half-brother, Harry?"
But all of the adults in the room were in stitches, right along with the kids.
"The good news was that it didn't actually attach to us," Charlie said. "They were having a go at domesticating them, and the dragons got used to people very quickly. One of the handlers took him off us when we got back. Unfortunately, we ruined it for the lot of you. Sneaking around off-limits Ministry property sort of spoils things. McGonagall was livid. Glad they're bringing it back though."
The sun had set by then, and for the few who were leaving, it was time for goodbyes. Charlie stood to go, needing to get over to Wales for a short assignment. As he headed out into the garden to Disapparate, he heard Teddy calling him.
"What's up, Ted?" he asked.
"You and my mum…you were good friends, yeah?" the boy asked. "I mean, I know you were friends, but..."
"We were. Even after Hogwarts, we never lost touch. It was harder, of course. With me in Romania, and her going through Auror training. But she was great, your mum."
Teddy looked like he was struggling with something.
Charlie had a feeling he knew what was coming, and let the boy think.
"How did you two meet?" Teddy asked, finally. "She was a Hufflepuff – you were a Gryffindor."
"Class. She knocked over a case of vials in Potions, and I took the blame. She was terrified of Snape. Snape gave me two weeks of detention, and she brought me a Butterbeer after every one."
Teddy smiled and nodded. His voice cracked just slightly when he asked, "Got any other good stories?"
Charlie ruffled his hair. "Seven years' worth of them. I'm not going back to Romania for a few weeks. Ask your Gran if you can come stay in Wales."
"Thanks, Charlie."
FIN