A/N Sorry it was unreadable. Not sure when I am going to add to this. Might stay just one chapter.
Charlie's big secret
Sunday 7th Aug 05
The Burrow was its usual bustling hub of Weasley activity as it was every first Sunday of the month. Of course it was not going to be all that long until they were celebrating again for her own birthday on the 11th. Harry was outside with the children, supervising a game made up by them (mainly Teddy) that involved kicking a ball as far as they could and then asking Harry to summon it back. Kicky ball was Little Freddie's favourite game at the moment and nobody else seemed to mind either. Even Louis was there cling to his father's trouser leg for balance as he attempted a kick. Ginny was watching from the kitchen window as she supervised the potatoes, listening to her sisters' gossip and chatter.
"Oh, you need another place setting Audrey dear. Charlie said he would be arriving today." Her mother informed them like this was not big news. Nobody had heard from their elusive brother in weeks which was not unheard of but a little unusual, as he normally wrote to say he would not be able to contact them for a while. Ginny had shared her concerns with Harry and, of course, he had offered to look into it for her but she had declined his offer, knowing Charlie he was probably nursing a sick baby dragon and would get in touch again when he could. Audrey didn't respond apart from summoning another place setting.
"Did he say why he's not been writing?" She asked her mother, all other conversation had stopped, waiting on the matriarch's words.
"He said he had some important news to share but he wanted to tell us in person. Said he might be staying for a bit longer this time." This set tongues wagging again, wondering what this news could be. Ginny thought of her quiet brother and wondered. She had always found it easy to speak to Charlie, sometimes it was easier to put her worries into a letter. He usually confided in her too, so when Angelina and Fleur started to talk about a potential fiancé turning up with him Ginny was not so sure. There had been a girl he had written to her about, but she had broken his heart, and she hoped if he had found someone else he would be just as happy to tell her.
Hermione and Ron arrived by the floo then, Ron hovering over his wife a concerned look on his face. She was looking a little green and before Ginny could summon the biscuit tin her mother was already handing her a ginger newt. She took the biscuit gratefully and nibbled it delicately as she sat down swatting Ron's hands away.
"Oh for goodness sake Ronald I'm fine, stop fussing." Ron looked around the room and saw how outnumbered he was, and decided to go help with the children outside.
"Still not shaking the morning sickness then?" Asked Angelina, her four-month-old daughter Roxanne was sleeping in her arms despite all the noise around.
"For the most part it's gone," Hermione replied. "But using the floo makes me really bad, and of course I can't apparate. I would drive but it is a bit far to do in a day, and Ron won't let me drive for more than an hour a day." She huffed slightly as she took a bigger bite of her biscuit. Only four months into her pregnancy there were no visible signs yet apart from the glow of pregnancy that made her look even more beautiful that she normally did. The floo flared again, followed by the deep voice of Charlie. Molly rushed into the living room but stopped short in the doorway as if she had run into an invisible wall. Ginny couldn't see her face but knew by her stance something had shocked her. Oh, bothering hell He's not lost an arm or something has he? She wondered as she joined her mother. But there was Charlie standing in the middle of the room looking completely whole and healthy, Ginny immediately saw what had stopped their mother in her tracks. For standing at Charlie's side holding his hand was a small boy, probably not much older than Three-year-old Dominique.
"It's alright mate, don't be shy." He was speaking softly to the boy, who was looking around the room with very big blue eyes. "This is your Grandma Molly." Charlie looked at his mother's face with a mix of pride and fear. "Grandma Molly, this is my son Motshan." Molly fell to her knees and opened her arms to the boy, he did not hesitate but threw himself into them. Ginny looked on, her mouth agape, Fleur and Audrey pressed in beside her. "Can we please try not to crowd him?" Charlie pleaded softly, Ginny noticed the little boy was crying, clinging to his grandmother. "He's been through an awful lot." He knelt down on the floor beside them looking overwhelmed and stroking his sons back awkwardly.
"I'll get dad then you can have some privacy," Ginny said then motioned for the others to go back to the kitchen. Hermione and Angelina looked on expectantly as they came back. Ginny carried on outside knowing that the other two would catch them up.
"Mama" James yelled at her as she came out he ran towards her and jumped with the complete confidence that she would catch him, which of course she did. He began to tell her what he had been doing in very rapid and barely understandable speech. "Iwaskikinabaal. Anitwent sooooofaaaar." She hugged her son and listened to his ramblings while she searched for her father. Harry came over to her his expression changing from warm to curious at her distracted look.
"I saw you kicking the ball sweetheart, you did really well. Where is Grandpa Arthur?" She asked both of them. "Because Uncle Charlie is here and needs to have a chat with him and Grandma Molly." She said it all in a light tone, to James who beamed back at her.
"Inna shed! Inna shed!" He pointed. She kissed his cheek fondly then handed him over to Harry. He looked at her, the question clearly on his face.
"Thank you. I'll explain in a minute." She promised her husband. Arthur was exactly where James had said, and he looked up as she entered.
"Charlie is here and he wants to talk to you and mum." She hesitated a moment wondering if it would be better to tell him before he walked in. "Dad?" He looked expectantly at her noticing the tone of her voice. "Charlie has brought his son with him and that's all I know." Her father's eyes widened in shock, but he didn't question her further just moved passed her and into the house. Ever astute Harry came over to her as she closed the shed door behind her, his eyes full of questions. She looked over his shoulder at her other brother still happily entertaining the children.
"Charlie has arrived with a toddler, says he is his son." Harry's brows rose in surprise, "I don't know the rest he's never written to me about him. He called him Motshan. The mother must be that girl he wrote to me about, the Romany who broke his heart." Harry nodded looking speculative.
"Wow, there is a mini Charlie in there." He mused looking into the burrow. "Everyone over here." He shouted in his Auror voice. Her brothers looked around curiously, noticing the two of them together they smiled knowingly.
"Have you knocked my sister up again Potter?" George asked mischievously. Ginny glared at him in response wondering if he would ever grow up.
"No you idiot, Charlie is here, but before you see him you've got to know he's brought someone with him." They all looked highly amused by this and went to walk in and see who they all assumed was a girl. "It's a small boy and Charlie says he is his." That stopped them in their tracks. "Mum and dad are talking to them. I'm sure we will get our chance." Then she shouted in a similar voice to the one Harry had just used. "Everyone inside and get washed up before dinner." The tone of her final words so like their mother they didn't argue, didn't ask her any questions just went and got the children cleaned up and sitting around the table ready to eat.
Fleur, who had taken over the kitchen duties, started making up some plates before placing the rest in the middle of the table. She didn't speak as she calmly levitated the dinners and took them into the front room. Ginny was surprised to see that Charlie followed her back out. He was, of course, greeted warmly by everyone. It was always a comical sight to see her stocky and strong brother mobbed by his tiny nieces and nephews. He smiled down at baby Roxanne, still sleeping soundly in Angelina's arms, stroking a fuzzy cheek. Ginny noticed the look he gave the baby was more melancholy than he had seen on her brother before. Ginny made sure she gave him an extra tight squeeze when she hugged him knowing that he needed a bit more reassurance.
The air was thick with unasked questions, but nobody wanted to speak about it in front of the children. Teddy who was always more sensitive to the moods of his elders kept glancing at his godfather between taking large bites of his dinner. Harry smiled back at his godson every time he looked up at him, but Ginny knew he was distracted by his unstoppable curiosity. Freddie and James who were completely oblivious to the mood of the room badgered their uncle for stories about his dragons, he obliged happily, telling them about a particularly fierce Horntail.
When Arthur came out the front room carrying the empty plates, just about everyone was finished eating. Without any hesitation, he ushered all his grandchildren into the sunroom with promises of music and cake. He placed a hand on Charlie's shoulder as he walked past him giving it a squeeze. With a tray of cupcakes in hand, he joined his grandchildren closing the door. The second batch of cupcakes was placed at the centre of the table along with a giant pot of tea. When everyone was settled with a steaming cups in hand all eyes fell on their elusive brother. Before they could start to question him the front room door opened and a blue eyed red haired boy shuffled out followed by Molly. He looked so much like Charlie, the same square jaw and softly curling red hair, and freckles, even his build, although still small he had the look that he would one day have his father's broad shoulders. He was dressed in blue shorts, colourful patterned shirt, and leather sandals. His visible knees and legs bore the marks of a boy who liked to climb and explore. His eyes were huge as he looked at the group of adults before him. One of his hands was tangled in the skirt of Molly's robes, and she was stroking the boys head soothingly.
"Would you like to meet your cousins Motshan?" Molly asked him gently, he looked a little unsure but nodded. "These are your aunts and uncles. These people are all your family." She led him through stopping at Charlie's chair, the boy looked up at him a small shy smile crept onto his face.
"Papa?" He asked in a very small voice.
"It's ok, you go have fun with your cousins. I'll see you in a minute ok?" The little boy nodded and moved on. When the door was opened to the sunroom, the sounds of children laughing and playing filled the air. Ginny knew that some children would be intimidated by such a sound but not Motshan it seemed as he ran to join in. "I think he's going to be just fine," Molly said to her second son before leaving them to question him.
Charlie looked a little more relaxed now as he turned to face his siblings and their partners. "So?" He said with a slight smile. "What do you want to know?"
Everyone spoke at once but it was Bill's voice that carried over the rest.
"How long have you known about him?" Bill asked first, he had always been the closest to Charlie, but it was obvious he hadn't known about this either, his tone sounded a little put out.
"Since March. His mother tried to deny he was mine." He shook his head, a bitter tone in his voice. "His grandparents were the ones who contacted me when their caravan came back to the village near the sanctuary. They were getting very worried about his mother."
"How old is he?" Ginny asked next, her voice gentle compared to Bill.
"He just turned three on the second." Harry shifted slightly in his seat, showing his slight discomfort with what he was about to ask.
"What happened between you and his mother?" It was a question they all, wanted to know the answer to. Charlie took a long drink of his tea Ginny could see by his slight look at the cup he was wishing it was something stronger, he took a moment before he spoke.
"The first time I met her was about five years ago now. Their caravan would visit regularly to purchase various Dragon items in exchange for really good healing salves, but that was the first time I noticed her with them. I felt an instant connection with her, she loved to sketch and we would talk about all sorts of things." He fished in his back pocket and pulled out what Ginny thought was a photograph, but when she had her turn to look at it she saw it as a hand-drawn portrait of a very beautiful woman with long curling black hair and dark blue eyes. She stared back at Ginny with an air of disinterest. "They would only stay for a week at the most then move on. But they started coming back a lot more frequently when we started seeing each other." His smiled sadly into his cup. "I knew pretty early on that I was in love with her, but I could never find the right way to say it. When I finally did tell her, something changed, and she drew back from me, told me it wasn't right, that I couldn't be with her anymore." Fleur who was sat beside him pulled him into a hug, but he only let her hold him for a brief moment. "I was a little angry with her the last time we saw each other, she told me it would never work. I was a little drunk, I don't remember much apart from waking up in her bed. I spoke to her parents the night before. I asked them to explain what she meant, why she refused to accept my love for her, but they wouldn't tell me anything. That was the last I saw of them until March this year, and that was nearly four years ago. That's when they decided to explain it to me, for the sake of Motshan." He looked around at them frustration clear on his face. "I didn't exactly have permission to take him. His grandparents urged me to but his mother didn't know." Hermione took a sharp intake of breath, placing her hands on her belly. Ginny caught Percy's eye and stopped him from speaking with a sharp glare. They knew their brother, he wouldn't have done it without good reason. "She is not very maternal, but that is not the problem. She is convinced she carries a curse upon her soul, although according to her parents nothing has ever manifested itself. Unfortunately for Motshan, she was also convinced it had been passed on to him." He closed his eyes and shuddered running his hands through his hair. "I don't think they told me the worst of it, but I know she tried to purify his blood by trying to drain it from him. They managed to stop her in time."
Ginny could not imagine the horrors this small boy has had to endure, by his own mother. Desperately she sought her husband's eye, she knew he was hurting inside, his face was a blank mask of controlled anger, she took his hand and held it tightly, and he returned the pressure and rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand. Around her, all the couples seemed to be doing the same thing. "I couldn't leave him there any longer. I arranged an emergency port key and brought him here." He looked pleadingly around the room. "I want to do this right. I will argue my case in front of whoever I need to. Unfortunately the fact that he was born with the caravan. I don't even know what country he was born in and even if his birth is registered. I haven't lived in Britain for so long I'm not even sure what rights I have in this country."
"We will get this sorted out Charlie," Hermione told him firmly, and Percy nodded his head in agreement, already taking out his communication device to message his office. Hermione too had gone to grab hers muttering about a letter of intent, and transparency. Harry moved to sit beside Charlie and gripped his shoulder firmly. It was as if the action of those few broke the spell on the others and everyone started talking again, reassuring Charlie. Angelina and Fleur went into the sunroom to meet their new nephew properly. The noises from the room were a lot more subdued now and seven-year-old Teddy wandered out. He came over to stand by her taking her hand.
"Is everyone napping?" She asked him gently he nodded and shrugged.
"Not Victoire or Freddie. Grandpa Arthur is reading a story." His hair turned to black as he looked at Harry. "Is everything ok? New cousins are normally babies?" She smiled at his insight.
"Yes, everything is fine honey, it's a little difficult to explain but Uncle Charlie didn't know about him until a few months ago." Ginny knew this could slide into dangerous territory, but she had always promised herself to be truthful to her children, and she had always considered Teddy to be her adopted son. Teddy nodded accepting her explanation and going back into the sun room. Harry and Charlie were talking quietly to each other, she could not make out what they were saying over the din of everyone else. Bill, Ron and George were conversing in a corner eyes murderous. Her own anger over the boy's mother was bubbling under the surface, but she knew that getting angry and lashing out was not going to help improve matters. She marched over to them eyes flashing.
"You three better not be planning to do anything drastic." She glared up at them, her head didn't reach past Ron and Bill's shoulders but they still shied back slightly. "We don't want any reasons for this not to go in Charlie's favour." Three innocent faces stared down at her.
"We were only discussing organising a small party for the boy, as he has just had a birthday. Perhaps combine it with yours?" Bill replied looking as innocent as it was possible to be. "That boy deserves to know the family he is part of." And the dark look crossed his face again. Now she understood, their anger was because the poor boy had been denied the fun his uncles could give him, denied a regular upbringing. She backed down a bit after that.
It was not until the following evening sitting round the Burrow kitchen table. Hermione, Percy, and Harry sat with Charlie to discuss with him what they had managed to discover. Ginny had just come back down the stairs after putting James to bed in her old room, and checking on the soundly sleeping form of her nephew. James was spending the night as Ginny was due back to training in the morning, and Ginny thought it would help Motshan settle in better if he had a friend to play with. Her mother had not yet returned from taking Teddy home with an overly large parcel of food, and her father was tinkering in his shed.
Although she could not help in any way with Charlie's case she joined them at the table sitting beside Charlie and taking his hand. He squeezed it and gave her a small grateful smile. Hermione resumed talking when his attention returned to the matter at hand.
"As I was saying, despite the fact you have been living and working in Romania for the past few years. You never changed your account from Gringotts and you never applied to be a citizen of Romania. So in the eyes of the ministry you are still a British wizard, who just so happens to be working abroad." Charlie looked very pleased at her words, he breathed out a huge sigh of relief. Percy continued when Hermione stopped.
"Unfortunately so far we have not been able to uncover any records of Motshan's birth. I have requested a meeting with my counterpart in Romania and hopefully he will be able to set things in motion properly. Did the grandparents give you any information?" Charlie shrugged then shook his head.
"A little. They were close to the border with Hungary when he was born but I don't think he was ever officially registered. But the trace would have found him wouldn't it?"
"That is what we are hoping." Hermione replied reassuringly. "Has he displayed any sign of being magical?" Charlie nodded.
"His Grandfather said he fell out of a tree and his magic saved him."
"Oh that's good that means the trace should have found him. Harry has some contacts in that part of the continent. Did you manage to get anywhere with them?" She asked next, he leaned back in his chair as he spoke not sounding overly hopeful.
"I spoke to my contact in Hungary, they have no record of a magical baby being born with that name, on that day. He is going to speak to his counterpart in Romania and get back to me. Also I spoke to the head at Drumstrang. They are also looking at their records of children born that year, of course it would make it easier if we knew his surname. Would he be registered as Weasley, or would he be given his mother's surname?" His question was not directed at anyone in particular, but of course Hermione had the answer.
"I looked into this and children born out of wedlock are always given the mother's surname unless they are registered using a different one. I would believe that Motshan's mother would not have tried to change this so we can work under the reasonable assumption he is registered with his mother's surname. Which is?" She asked looking at Charlie
"Dinicu" He replied
"Well that should not be too hard to find." She said brightly writing it down, Harry did the same. "This will all be sorted before you know it Charlie, we will make sure of it." Ginny wanted to share in Hermione's confidence, she had such faith in the law. Her own opinion was a little more cynical after years of hearing Harry talk about his cases and how difficult it could be sometimes to ensure justice was served.
"There is only one small issue that might come up and I wanted to tell you about it now so we can figure out if it is going to cause any problems." Percy said in a very quiet voice not wanting to dilute the positivity in the room but knowing this had to be said. They all looked expectantly at him waiting for him to continue. "Your continued employment."
"What about it?" Charlie asked defensively.
"Well the Wizengamot will insist that you are financially capable of providing for the child, and have a steady income. In order to maintain this you will most likely have to continue to work full time."
"I have been worried about that." He said honestly.
"If it comes to finances don't worry about it." Ginny told him firmly, Harry nodded his agreement. Percy shifted in his seat a little uncomfortable with the situation.
"I think it is more the fact they would want you to be in a steady employment, you have no shortage of family support. Audrey and I will help in any way we can." Everyone else at the table voiced their agreement, offering to help.
"I know, and I really appreciate you all doing this for me, for us. Mum is not really sure what to do right now. She is angry with me about how irresponsible I have been, but doesn't want to shout in front of Mosh so she just gives me glares." He shook his head and tapped a random pattern on the table, his nervous twitch. "The reserve is not a safe place for a child of any age, especially not a curious three year old. I have a friend who works at the reserve in Scotland I am hoping there might be a position for me there. I love you for offering Ginny but I could not take your money, I have enough of my own to not need to work for a few years if it comes to that."
"You would be miserable Charlie. You love your work, even with Motshan to keep you busy I think you would not be the same for you." Ginny told him gently.
"I have to work, but I also have to look after my son. He can't live with me where I currently work, I can't stop working. What am I going to do?"
"He will live here with us." Molly said decisively from the door, nobody had heard her come in, she was still wearing her thick cloak. "He will be safe and he will be loved." Her eyes sparkled with fierce determination. It was the look she always had when she was being protective for her family, the look she had when she had seen Bellatrix's curse missing Ginny by a hair. "You will go tell that ministry he is not going back. He is a Weasley." She nodded her head once to indicate the finality of her statement.
"Well it think we can all agree with that." Said Hermione standing up slowly. "I better get home before Ron starts to worry."
"We can take you home." Said Harry "We brought the car as James doesn't like the floo."
"Thanks you two," She said gratefully sounding very tired. She made her way over to Charlie and gave him a reassuring hug. "I will have all the paperwork ready for you tomorrow. Can you come by my office and we can get it all started officially."
"And after that you can bring Mosh and James over to Holyhead and watch us all train." Ginny added so he had something to look forward too.
"Okay." He agreed
"We have to show our newest nephew he is part of a strong Quidditch family history."
"Gin, he is only three." Harry added with a smirk. "Are you sure you want James there? You know he can't resist the chance to fly."
"Don't worry I have it all planned out."