Author's Note

Hullo Chaps! Hey, I actually posted a new one. Be proud.

Disclaimer: I do not have any of the Rights to the Harry Potter Series, nor any of the characters, places, or circumstances involved.

Chapter 25- Nightmares

Charlie looked impatiently at his watch. She should have been here by now…probably held up by Oaks. He thought with a sigh. They couldn't stay out of trouble if they tried.

He decided to start work on his potions essay, and opened his book to the part on Girding Potions.

"Charlie?" He heard a light whisper from somewhere to his right. He looked up, expecting to see Mercy, but instead saw the slim figure of Rachel, a Gryffindor girl that he sat next to in Transfiguration and Charms.

"Evening, Rachel." He whispered back with a smile. She flipped her long brown hair out of her face and pointed up to a high shelf above her.

"I'm trying to get that book, but I'm too short." She wrinkled her nose sheepishly. "Can you help me out?"

Charlie stood up. "Yes, of course! Which one was it?"

She pointed again, and whispered "That big red one, with the gold binding."

Charlie stood on his toes, grasped the book, and pulled it down. He glanced at the title as he gave it to her.

"Thank you."

"Transformation Through the Ages? What are you reading about?" He asked.

She hesitated, letting out a puff of air before she spoke. "I'm only looking at a few chapters, the ones about animagi. I was really curious about it first year and tried looking it up in here, but it was too complicated for me… back then."

"Huh. Animagi are pretty interesting, but McGonagall said the magic is really complicated." He said glancing again at his watch, and stuffed his hands in his pockets.

Rachel leaned her shoulder on the bookcase as she said, "Oh I think they are fascinating. I'd like to work out how to do it someday." Charlie looked at his watch again, and glanced around the library. "Are you looking for someone?" She added.

"Erm, yeah. Mercy was supposed to meet me…" He trailed off. He shoved his hand back into his pocket in an attempt to get himself to stop nervously checking the time.

She cocked her head off to the side. "Huh… That's odd…" She said.

"What?"

She wrinkled her nose again. "Well I actually passed her and Oakley on the way here. She was on her way."

Charlie furrowed his brow. "Really…" Wonder what happened… maybe she's avoiding me?

He felt Rachel brush his elbow lightly with her hand. "Oh, Don't worry. She'll probably be here soon." Charlie shrugged.

"Well I'm going to keep working on my potions essay…" he said, walking back to his chair.

She smacked her forehead with her hand. "Merlin! The one on Girding Potions!? I forgot! Mine is due tomorrow!"

Charlie looked over at her. "You know, if you want you and I could work on it now." He said. Even if Merce doesn't show, Rachel and I can work through it.

"Mmmm. Yes, I think I should. No us putting it off till later this evening." She placed her book on the table and sat down perpendicular to Charlie. Charlie smiled as they set off to work, but the whole time he couldn't help but wonder where Mercy was

888

Charlie wandered up to his dorm room, having spent all evening in the library with Rachel. They had managed to finish their essays, but Mercy never showed. Merlin I'm tired. He dropped his bag on the floor next to his trunk and stripped of his uniform, leaving himself in his undershirt and boxers. He proceeded to collapse on the maroon sheets of his four-poster, tugging the curtains around his bed shut and burrito-ing himself in his duvet. The room was quiet for now, which was unusual considering its usual occupants. Charlie feebly wished them to stay out, just long enough for him to get to sleep.

He closed his eyes, sinking into the warmth and trying to lose the world for a while. Charlie's body felt like lead, but he was so comfortable that he wouldn't move a muscle, afraid that if he did, he would lose the warmth and comfort he had been craving. Oddly though, it felt as though his mind was wide awake. The fatigue of his body seemed to avoid the one part of Charlie that he wanted to relax.

Beneath his closed eyes, vague visions of his memories drifted to the forefront of his mind.

Charlie was standing in the stands, watching helplessly as two grey orbs crash into Oakley. Her raven hair swished around as red and gold fabric swirled around her body as she was knocked from her broom, managing to barely cling onto to one the golden rings which faded into a deep reddish glow. Hearing a light bout of laughter, Charlie looked up and his eyes immediately caught on to the fiery orange hair of Mercy… Her green-blue eyes were sparkling matching the brilliant crooked smile she sent to Remus, who reached out and fiddled with her fingers… Charlie forced his eyes back down to the crisp black words on the ivory paper… The words shifted into a brown teddy bear which he clutched to his chest, crouching behind a sofa. A booming loud voice cut over the pleads and cries of his mother. Charlie began to peek out around the side of the couch. Charlie tried to stop himself, but cringed as he saw his father's fist smash into his mother's face, her body twisting and her curly blond hair cascading through the air.

Charlie forced his eyes open and groaned. He rolled onto his other side, breaking himself out of the warmth he had been trying to preserve. Charlie heard footsteps coming up the stairs and heard the creak of the door open and the slight click as it was shut again. The footsteps shuffled across the floor and a trunk opened. Charlie guessed it was James based on where the sound was coming from. He vaguely thought something about Quidditch practice, which meant Mercy and Oakley were probably out of practice as well.

There was a rustling and Charlie heard James mutter something that he didn't hear. The rustling continued, and it sounded as though James was unfolding some sort of paper.

After a few moments, another mutter and more rustling, James called out"Charlie? Are you awake?" Charlie groaned.

"Yeah… I am… What do you want?" I just want to sleep.

"Have you seen Mercy? She didn't come to practice." He said. Charlie's brain stopped as the words went through his head a few times as he struggled to process it.

Charlie sat up and pulled back his curtains, and stared at James. James's hair was messy, as usual and his face was sweaty. Behind the round frames of his glasses, his hazel eyes looked worried.

"She didn't meet me in the library, so I figured she was with Oakley." James merely shook his head.

"Oakley said Mercy went to meet you and was supposed to come to Quidditch after that." Charlie climbed out of bed with a sigh. He pulled on a shirt and a pair of trousers. James started to change out of his sweaty practice clothes.

"Well, Then I'm going to go try and find her." Charlie said. He pulled on a pair of socks.

"So was I. Sirius and Oakley already went off to look together, but who really knows what those two will be up to." He said with a smirk. That better not mean they are snogging in a broom cupboard. Charlie shot James a dirty look. James looked over and the smirk slipped off almost in horror. "That does not mean what it sounded like!"

Charlie nodded curtly. "It better not have."

James shoved a piece of old parchment into his pocket. Charlie found this odd, but didn't say anything of it. "I'm going to try to find Remus to see if he knows anything." James said. Charlie nodded.

"Once I get my shoes on, I'm going to look around the library." Charlie said.

James nodded. "If you don't find her, just meet back here. If no one found her, then we'll tell McGonagall." He said, exiting the room.

Charlie's mind flooded with worry. Mercy, what is going on?

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