Chapter One
Disclaimer: I am not J.K. (sadly). I'm not getting paid for anything
"Have I really lived here for two and a half years?" thought Charlie as he stepped into his flat. This place he called home had adapted from being a smelly apartment and turned into his place of refuge. A place where despite everything he could be himself. He could love whatever he wanted without the fear of judgment. This was a place he knew he would forever remember. He'd never felt so at home anywhere.
As he reached into the cabinet to grab the kettle his thoughts turned to the fast approaching holidays and the many letters he had received from his mother about coming "home". He wasn't sure how he felt about it. He loved his family dearly but he didn't know if he was strong enough to face a past that had left him feeling so despaired.
Shaking the many unpleasant memories away he proceeded to fill the kettle with water. He turned away, leaving the pot on the stove to warm up and walked toward his bedroom to get changed. His fellow coworkers had finally convinced him to go out with them. It would be the first time since he had moved that he hung out with people outside of work. He had gained the reputation of "hermit" and was set on changing that immediately. He walked to his closet pulled out a pair of jeans that were not marked by dragons and a flannel shirt that wasn't to warn. As he pulled the shirt on he heard a tap on his window. A familiar brown owl was tapping with all its might trying to get his attention. Walking over to the window he let Errol his parent's owl into the room. Beating his wing the owl landed on the closet door. After hastily untying the parcel on the owl's leg Charlie quickly unwrapped what lay within. Not to his surprise it was a tin of sweets and a letter asking him whether or not he had decided to come home for Christmas. The feeble owl hooted reminding Charlie of the long flight he had endured. Tossing the pet some owl nuts he opened the tin, snagged a piece of his mother's homemade chocolate and continued reading.
It read, "Charlie, your mother and I have grown concerned. You hardly answer our letters and when you do you avoid any topic that would disclose personal information about your life in Romania. We haven't seen you since you moved out two years ago. We are worried not just for you but about your relationship with your siblings. They look up to you so much. Your mother and I both agree that it is time you came home for a spell. You need the time off. At the rate you're going it's a wonder that you're not dead from over exhaustion. Please think about how much you are loved and missed. Love you, Dad." Charlie shrugged away any thoughts he had, had while reading and finished getting ready to go out with his work mates. He still had three weeks to decide and it didn't seem that big of a deal to him. He walked back into the kitchen and poured himself some tea, sat down at the table, took out his long notes of extensive research that he had done the last couple of years and proceeded to wait for a knock on his door.
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When the knock came two hours later it was followed by much laughter and several louder knocks. Charlie walked calmly to the door to let his coworkers in. Standing on the door mat were three brawny men with long hair and many tattoos.
"What's up?" said the tallest man named Lewis.
Charlie smiled and with a slight smirk he glanced toward the sky, "well above me is the ceiling and above that is the roof and—" Before he could continue Lewis punched him on the shoulder and replied,
"You're a git Charlie Weasley, a complete and utter git, and besides that joke is so overused." The other two men were laughing and clutching at their stomachs with an uneasy sway.
Charlie chuckled lightly, "yeah well I'm nothing like you so I'm all good," pausing he said "you guys are acting like your drunk already. Isn't that supposed to happen later tonight?"
The three drunk boys released another fit of laughter and it wasn't until ten minutes later that they left Charlies door step headed to the local tavern. Upon arriving Charlie ushered in the loopy men and proceeded to the bar to grab a round of drinks.
"I've never seen you before" said a quiet voice next to him. Besides him was a small petite woman. Her dark hair was pulled back into a tight bun creating a severe edge to her otherwise sweet face.
"That's because I've never been hear, my lunatics of friends," gestured over to the three boys who were currently laughing so hard they were each crying, "convinced me to come with them."
"Well I better thank them, because if they hadn't convinced you to come I would never have met you." She replied smoothly, running her finger down Charlie's arm. Charlies face contorted with shock, his arm involuntarily pulling back. Much to his surprise the girl didn't look hurt or surprised. It was quite the opposite reaction.
In a fit of giggles the girl said, "You should have seen your face! Priceless!" Charlie still stunned chuckled lightly.
"I guess I don't get out much. You're probably the first female outside of my job that I've spoken to in two and a half years."
"Well then, my name is Emma. Nice to meet you." She held out her hand and Charlie shook her hand.
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"I can't believe you haven't been home since you've come here!" Emma cried indignantly "That is just barbaric." Emma and Charlie had been talking for the past hour about different things. He had done his best to avoid the topic of his family but he had been unsuccessful.
"There just isn't a reason to go back" Charlie said, "my family doesn't need me, and my job is here."
"I refuse to believe it. Surely you miss them. I mean they are your family." Emma shook her head slightly. "I visit my parents every month. Which isn't that bad because they live here also but still! There must be something holding you back." Charlie cringed subtly but it didn't escape Emma's notice. Reaching out she touched his hand and said, "I'm sorry I shouldn't intrude" allowing the subject to change. Charlies mind drifted to Britain and the burrow. It really had been a long time since he had seen his family. He had left right after graduating Hogwarts. Ron would be 11 and Ginny 10. He had missed two years of their childhood. Shaking away the thoughts of his family and his previous life, he directed his full attention back to Emma.