"Do I have to?"

"Yes, you have to Charlie! You're coming along on camping trip with the family"

Charlie sighed defeated. It's not that he didn't want to come along on camping trip. It's just that all of his siblings would bring their boyfriends or girlfriends, even the honorary Weasleys! So he would be the only single one. Of course dad had mum, Bill would bring Fleur, Percy would bring Audrey, George would bring Angelina, Ron would bring Hermione and Ginny would bring Harry.

"Fine, where are we going then?"

"We don't know yet. Your dad wants to try the muggle way. He asked someone from his office to drop us in a forest, we'll have to find our own sleeping place. Your dad bought some muggle tents and sleeping bags. "

"I'll bring enough good food though, I'll put a charm on it so it stays fresh, you're all growing boys!" She continued in a worried voice

Charlie rolled his eyes, he was 26 years old

"And why are we going camping tomorrow?"

"Because in 2 days from now the final battle will be exactly 1 year ago, and we want to remember it in silence, without the entire daily prophet surrounding us."

"Oh, right" He said to himself.

It would be a year ago Fred had died.

The Weasleys had all dealt with his death one way or another, though Charlie least of all. The twins had always been so full of life.. So... alive. He had thought they would grow old still prznking.

Molly and Arthur tried to stay strong for their children, but at night, when Molly forgot to put up the silencing charms, the burrow was filled with silent sobs.

Fleur helped Bill through the loss, he had been very quiet the first few weeks, until he had lost it and screamed at everything he could, Fleur had calmed him down. Bill and Fleur had retreaded to Shell Cottage for 1,5 months before they turned up again at the burrow, ever since Bill had been calm about the whole thing, though he still had a sad look in his eyes when he thought no one was looking.

Percy had blamed himself at first, thought he should have turned back to his family sooner. Audrey had make him realize he could've done nothing. They were a large family, they were bound to lose someone during the war.

Ron had left with Hermione a few days after the final battle. They had returned 3 months previously, he didn't know what happened in Australia, but they both seemed to have… accepted… the loss. They both seemed happy. Of course, everytime Fred was mentioned they got a sad look in their eyes, or everytime the joke shop came up or Fred should've been at the table.

Ginny had cried at his funeral and 2 days after, eversince, she and Harry helped Kingsley with the ministry or helped rebuild Hogwarts with McGonnal. George, of course, was lost. Verity and, to general surprise, Fleur kept the joke-shop open.

George stayed at the burrow, he didn't even get his stuff out of their old appartement. Angelina was there for him through the whole ordeal . They had a relationship now, they helped eachother. George was slowly getting back to his old self. The old mischievous twinkle was back in his eyes occasionally. He was laughing again, though he wasn't the same George again, he was more serious now. He ha dto deal with being just GGeorge now, now more twins, no more Fred and George, no more bookends, just George.

Charlie had cried, screamed and ruined his old appartement once, he had glared at everyone he had seen. He had accepted Fred's death by now, but none of the Weasleys were back to their old selves.

Next morning

"Okay everyone, grab a backpack, we're walking from here"

After all the luggage was divided the group started walking. Charlie ended up walking next to Sirius, who was invited along by the Weasley-matriarch, at the back of the group.

Charlie looked at the sickly sweet couples in front of them. Harry and Ron were both carrying their respective others backpacks, George and Arthur were levitating their and their wife/girlfriends backpacks and Bill had shrunken Fleur's backpacks. Everyone, or well, every male was wearing an extra box or backpack with food in.

After hours of walking they still hadn't found a good camping spot. This forest was huge and they hadn't seen any green field or an open spot large enough for them all. Unsurprisingly it was Ron who was first to complain

"Mum, when are we going to eat"

This comment earned him a slap on the arm and a glare from Hermione. Charlie was grateful, he too was getting hungry.

"We'll eat when we find a camping spot"

"And when is that?" Ron asked

"Do you see that over there?" Arthur asked pointing to something in the distance. Indeed, maybe in 10 minutes thy would have a place to set up the muggle tent. However arriving on the open spot in the forest he saw a swirl of hair and a girl, no a woman, holding a knife against Ginny's throat. Charlie was trying to stay calm.

This could be one of the few remaining death eaters. "What are you doing here?" The girl asked with a cold gleam in her eyes. "Are you death-eaters? how did you get here?" She continued. Charlie almost started laughing. This girl must have been hiding on the bottom of the ocean for the last 18 years or so to not know this was Harry Potter. The person least likely to ever be a death eater. Though of course they could be polyjuiced. That didn't explain the knife though. They had been told there were no non-magical people in the woods right now.

He could see Harry didn't like the position Ginny was in. Neither did he. Harry answered equally cold "No, we're not death-eaters. We got here walking we're just trying to find a camping spot. Now would you mind letting go of my girlfriend". Charlie looked at Ginny, she looked okay, not very scared. She looked like she was trying to look comforting to Teddy from a distance. Keyword, trying. He looked at the rest of the group. In front, and closest to Ginny, were Dad, Sirius, and Harry, who were both subtly holding their wand as if not to draw attention to it. Next were all the Weasley-boys and Hermione, copying the movements of Dad, Sirius and Harry, except Ron who was holding his wand pointed at the girl in a clearly offensive manner. Behind them were Molly, Angelina, Audrey and Fleur, trying to calm Teddy, who clearly didn't like his adoptive mothers position either, while shooting worried glances at the scene in front of them, and in Fleur's case, holding 3-months old Victoire.

"Prove it! Show me your left arm" The girl said. Hesitantly dad, Sirius, Harry (who looked ill at the mere suggestion of him being a death-eater), Bill, Charlie, George, Percy and Ron showed their arms. After telling Molly and Fleur to stay back with the babies Angelina and Audrey walked to stand next to their boyfriends and showed their arms.

The girls eyes looked less cold now but still she asked, in a much more polite voice and with a looser grip on Ginny (to great relief of the group)"Could you 2 in the back show your arms too?"

Molly and Fleur looked at dad, who nodded, and stepped forward with Teddy and Victoire. The girls eyes were much softer now after looking at the babies. Fleur gave Victoire to Bill, who reluctantly put his wand away and Molly gave Teddy, who now had black hair that meant fear, to Angelina, since Harry wanted to keep an eye on Ginny and showed their arm.

The girl let go of Ginny completely now "Sorry about that, I just had to check, you never know, there haven't been any people here for a long time accept rampaging death-eaters, did I hurt you?" She rambled. Ginny walked over to Teddy, whose hair had turned back to his usual turquoise the minute the girl let Ginny go, and held him in her arms "It's nothing really, we are in the woods all alone, it's normal to be careful, and you are all alone here."

Charlie now properly looked at the girl now she had let go of Ginny. She looked to be about the age of Ginny, maybe a little older.

She was of average height and looked in shape, as if she ran in this wood everyday for over an hour, though still very feminine. She had a tanned ivory skin. Her wavy, dirty blonde or light brown, beautiful hair reached her waist. I looked like it hadn't been cut in a very long time. She was wearing a dark jeans that looked just a little to small and a long sleeved, deep green V-neck shirt with blue running shoes wich was strange because in this part of the country it was quite warm right now, everyone of their group was wearing tank tops or short sleeves. Her only jewelry was a macramé-band made from old pink and white chords. Her eyes were a deep green with brown specs. They were now empty of all coldness and wore a caring, gentle look. 'She's very pretty' Charlie thought to himself,' but she looks as if she hadn't had a good bath in a long time and could use some care.'

He felt a strange need to take this girl home and take care of her, she didn't look vulnerable, anything but, he immediately felt like he could trust the girl, without any reason. The same girl who was threatening his sister only minutes ago. but her eyes were the eyes of someone who had been through a lot, the eyes of the Weasley-family, the eyes of those affected by the war badly.

"Show me your left arm" Harry asked the girl, snapping Charlie out of his thoughts.

"Sure" She lifted up her left sleeve to show a lightly bruised arm with a big scar to the spectators. But there was no death-eater mark.

"You said you were looking for a place to camp?" she said after an awkward silence.

"Yes" Harry replied carefully.

"You can stay here if you like, I'll take my fire-pit and you can take the one here, at this side of the field."

Charlie tried to see her tent but it was already too dark to make one out.

"Are you sure?" Mum asked. She looked as if she was ready to go in full fuss-mode. Clearly she too had seen the poor state of the girls clothes and the bruises and the scar on her arm.

"Yeah"

"Are you alone here?" Molly continued.

"Oh,no maybe it's time for introductions. Angel! Rose! Come here! And bring Aaron!" She called.

The entire group watched with curiosity while 2 girls came out of the woods carrying a baby who looked about the same age as Teddy. He had brown eyes, pale-blonde hair and was quite skinny.

The youngest girl looked about 5 years old. She was of average height but was quite skinny. She had grey ayes he thought he had seen somewhere before. Her skin was darker than the 17-year old. She was wearing only a t-shirt that looked as if it had belonged to the 17-year old and reached her knees and no shoes. Her hands were scraped as if she had just climbed a tree. Her hair was a curly, silky, black hair that reached her middle back. She was clutching a dried rose and a golden necklace with a green pendant in it in her hand.

The older girl looked about 7 years old, she was moderately tall but looked as if she might get blown away if she would way any less. She had a perfectly smooth ivory skin and was wearing a dark jeans with a dark blue, slightly to big shirt, she was wearing black slippers and around her arm was a silver bracelet. Her hair was smooth, soft blonde and reached her middle back in a braid. Her sea-green eyes held the same look of determination as the younger girl's. she handed the baby to the oldest girl. They too looked like they could use some caring. Most woman shared worried looks over the children's state.

"You can't hurt Mie! I won't let you" The blonde suddenly exclaimed while the black-haired girl nodded along vigorously. Obviously they hadn't heard their earlier conversation and had discussed this while they were hiding in the woods. Arthur chuckled "We don't want to hurt her." The girls looked hesitant but still stood there with spread legs and arms crossed over their chest. The mystery-girl 'Mie' kneeled down to eye-level to the children. "I don't think they will try to harm us" she said to them. "But they always hurt you! " The youngest girl exclaimed. "If they don't hurt us, do we have to take care of them?" The older blonde continued wide-eyed staring at our group. "No-no, they just want a place to sleep, so they can have the other part of the field". Most of the group was staring at them now. What did they mean,' they always hurt us'. Charlie was worried now too. The idea of someone hurting 'Mie' or one of the, her, children for some reason made him mad. It was probably because they were all girls and looked so young. Molly know was visibly restraining herself not to run over to the children and give them trademark hugs and food. Sirius was staring wide-eyed at the youngest girl.

"Right" Mie said while standing up again. "I am Miriam" she said gesturing to herself. "This is angel" she said stroking the hair of the blonde. "This is Rose" she said pointing at the black-haired girl "and this" she finished pointing to the baby in her arms "is Aaron".

"No last name?" Ron asked suspicion clear in his eyes.

"No last name." Mie replied dryly.

She stared expectantly at our group.

"Right" We all introduced our self. Strange thing was she didn't give a sign of recognition at Harry's name, our any of our names until we reached Sirius.

"I, am Sirius Orion Black" he said. Mie's eyes widened and she grabbed hold of Rose's arm.

"Black? " she croaked out. She quickly gave the camping group some directions to wells etc. before running of while muttering "Black, it can't be". Sirius was flabbergast. After the war his name had been cleared, he didn't know why someone would react this way. Harry looked insulted on his godfathers behalf. Later in the tent the weird group was brought up in conversation. "So what do you think of this 'Mie'" Harry asked. His tone clearly showed he didn't particularly trust her.

"I wonder why she reacted that way to my name, actually any of our names, I mean, she didn't start drooling and thanking Harry 'for saving our world' and all of us are known war heroes. But she looked really frightened of me."

"I know" Harry mumbled, he clearly didn't like the way she reacted to his godfather. After the war he had become really protective of Sirius. He didn't want to lose him ever again.

"Did you see those children? They are all so skinny." Molly exclaimed worriedly "Do you think Mie takes good care of them?". "I think she does the best she can." Charlie answered. "She looked very skinny herself, their clothes are in a poor state as well". Most of the Weasley-clan was nodding along. Angelina, Fleur, Ginny, Audrey, Molly and Arthur looked worried. Harry and Ron looked suspicious, Hermione had, surprise surprise, a calculating look in her eyes but Bill slowly had a grin braking out on his face. "Been giving her a good looking over huh bro." Bill. "What? No!". Though a faint Weasley blush started covering Charlies cheeks.". "How about we go to sleep now" Arthur supplied with an amused twinkle in his eyes.

That night Charlie couldn't keep Mie out of his head. She looked so pretty and strong and broken at the same time…