Chapter 1

When he arrived, everyone at Number 12, Grimmauld Place was distracted. Harry concentrated on his roast chicken, glad that he would be returning to Hogwarts this year. Ron and Hermione were watching the war dance that the twins and Ginny were scuffing The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black's kitchen floor with, and Mrs Weasley was doing her best to stop them. Sirius Black was glaring at Harry's roast chicken.

"He got off, he got off, he go- CHARLIE!" Fred, George and Mrs Weasley all hurled themselves at him, while Ron smirked at Ginny.

"Charlie, what are you doing here?" Mrs Weasley was refusing to relinquish hold of her second son.

"Ah Mum, do you mind? Thanks." Nodding at the others, receiving smiles from most and a raised eyebrow from Sirius, he dropped his bag and sat down. "Well, there was a setback with the recruiting, and that setback came to get revenge yesterday. It's no big deal, honestly," he added hastily, after a glance at his mother's face, "just a little misunderstanding, but the Senior Handler thought it would be a good time to get away from Romania for a few days." His mother's hands were on his hips, and her lips were pursed in a way that suggested she wanted every little detail.

"Oh Mum, that chicken looks so good, I managed to miss lunch as well..." As soon as he said it, Mrs Weasley was bustling around the kitchen, with mutters of, "My poor Charlie."

George hustled up to Charlie. "So, what's the story bro?"

"Didn't manage to break up another arranged marriage between two of the oldest wizarding families in Romania, did we?"

"Or perhaps that giant reconsidered propositioning you?"

"By George, I think I've got it!" Fred sniggered and slapped George's thigh, "You snogged Greyback again!"

"That wasn't his fault! You know the Ridgeback was giving off pheromones and some just transferred onto Charlie, he couldn't help it!" Ginny's ferocious glare at Fred made him step back a pace.

"Thanks Gin." Charlie pulled her away with a hug, and then he stood up and offered Sirius his hand. "I'm Charlie, and I'm really sorry about this." Sirius took the hand offered to him, noticing youth did not make his hand any smoother than Sirius' own.

"You'll be the dragon tamer then? And no worries, one more Weasley won't be the death of me. But do tell your story; I'm as intrigued as the brats to why you've turned up."

Charlie's eyes flickered towards toward his mother's back, and before she could notice the silence had lasted longer than was necessary for a good son, who wasn't keeping anything from his mother, he held his hands out in a placating gesture and said, "Look, I'm not telling you the specifics before I tell Dumbledore, but it honestly isn't very interesting. Is there anywhere I can throw down my bag?" He looked at Sirius.

"Yeah, Kreacher's den."

"Sirius Black, my son will not be talked to like that! You've got plenty of space and poor Charlie needs a decent night's sleep! You should be offering to sleep on the floor, he's done so much for-"

"Mum!"

Sirius shot Mrs Weasley a sour look and replied coldly, "I was only joking, Molly. Your son can sleep up on the fourth floor with me." Charlie innocently ate his chicken sandwich. "How did you get in here anyway?"

Charlie placed his sandwich down on the plate and finished his mouthful. "When Dumbledore told me what I would be doing, he told me about this place too." Sirius looked at him with thinly veiled suspicion. "I was thinking we could all go the Leaky Cauldron for a drink later on. Do you fancy it?"

It was clearly meant to be a mollifying gesture for Sirius, but the reminder of his imprisonment caused him to leave the room, muttering something about being the Order's Headquarters and how someone had to stay home and just because there was a war on, there was no reason to get drunk.

As Harry followed on the heels of his godfather, Charlie turned to his family. "Well I guess it could be just for family then?"

Ginny patted his arm sympathetically. "Sirius isn't allowed out."

Fred's eyes were on the doorway. "On account of the general public still thinking he murdered his best mate and his woman."

"And Voldemort knows he's a dog."

Charlie raised his eyebrow. "Animagus," added George hastily.

Mrs Weasley noticed the contemplative look on Charlie's face, and sat down next to him. "Honestly Charlie, you'd think the man would be happy to be out of the way when you think about what happened last time, but it's the same every meeting. He may not think much of Dumbledore for making him stay in, but it's for the best really." She patted his hand and rose to clean up Harry's abandoned plate, swishing her wand around above the sink.

"He gets a bit stir crazy alright, but you can't blame the man really, who'd want to be holed up in this miserable place all the time?" Ron winced under the look his mother gave him. "Course the place has been empty for years, and I'm sure it'll be lovely when we finish cleaning..."

Mrs Weasley nodded at Ron, and replied, "It better be, I'm not having the lot of you doing nothing when there's work to be done. Anyway," she said, raising her voice, "Get out from the kitchen and let me have a chat with Charlie, all of you. Sorry dear, I need to check he's been eating and wearing clean underwear," Hermione smiled at Mrs Weasley and stood up to leave, as Fred and George snickered. "STOP! What's that in your pocket George?"

Fred spun around and made a show of turning his pockets inside out, while Charlie saw George tuck an Extendable Ear inside his jeans. "Do you think this is funny? GEORGE!"

"All this distrust, mother, I don't know why- OW! Alright, look at them, they're empty-OW! Get off my ear!" Mrs Weasley glared at her son, who was rubbing his left ear.

"So are we off then?" Ginny said lightly.

No you are not! Ginny, Ron, you are not going!" Over the twins shouting that they were of age, she added, "Of age you may be, but you're not leaving this house unless Charlie is left to eat his food in peace! OUT!"

Set in OotP, right after Harry is proven innocent. Thank you to SpiritedDreaming for beta-ing, and I just want to say that title are so much harder than summaries ¬¬