Games Are Afoot Chapter 25

Games Are Afoot Chapter 25

A Very Bad Day

Disclaimer: The characters are not mine, they belong to the lovely miss JKR, but she is nice enough to let us play.

Author's Note: A big thank you to all my usual wonderful helpers who let me talk out plot...you are all fabulous. Thanks to the male perspective who helped me understand what Charlie might feel.

The eggs had begun hatching. It was a long tedious process once the baby dragons started squirming. They had to figure out how to breathe their overheated-not-quite-to-flame breath at the shell to soften it and then use their already sharp talons to crack the shell. Some caught on quickly, but most took a couple of days before they were completely free of the shell. The keepers stood careful watch but only interfered under the direst of circumstances. Learning to get out of the shell was how they learned about life and how to be a dragon.

Charlie found the experience awe inspiring. It was a fight for life. He often referred to it as a dance, but since Matilda, he had not let his mind go there. Egg number four was the first to begin its birthing. He watched with his ever observant eyes as the egg rolled and wiggled. He really hoped this one made it. For the last couple of weeks they had been forced to help it several times. Shadow hadn't started yet and he was getting uneasy about her delay. All of the other seven were at least rolling occasionally.

After a twenty-four hour shift, Royce came to relieve him and Charlie slunked back to his tent to lie down. It was Three o'clock in the morning and he had to be back to work at noon. He was exhausted, but everyone worked overtime during hatchings. He felt like his head had just barely touched the pillow when the mirror in his pocket heated up. He grumbled as he rolled to his back and ungracefully extracted the mirror.

"What Bill? This had better be good." Charlie rudely glared at his brother's face in the two-way mirror.

"Hagrid was sacked but Umbridge came with Aurors to do it. A fight broke out and McGonagall took four stunners to the chest." Bill said flatly without preamble.

All sleepiness left Charlie immediately. "What?!"

Bill repeated the same sentence again as Charlie tried to focus.

"Did Hagrid escape? Will McGonagall be okay?" Charlie sputtered in shock, clutching the mirror with white knuckles.

Bill understood the look on Charlie's face as it was the same one he had when his father had broken the news to those at the Order meeting. "Hagrid is fine, but McGonagall is in St. Mungo's. Don't really know what to expect…she's not young."

Charlie nodded slowly trying to understand what this would mean. It was a blow to the order for sure, but Hogwarts without Dumbledore and now without Hagrid and McGonagall…

"Bill, was anyone else hurt?"

"No Charlie. It happened during the Astronomy O.W.L. practical so they all witnessed it from the turret."

Charlie sighed loudly. He couldn't believe it was real.

"Charlie, I am sorry to drop this on you and run, but I have to get back to work. I just thought you'd want to know."

"Thanks Bill. I did—do. I just wish—"

"Yeah, me too. Bye."

"Bye." Said Charlie as he lay back down on his pillow. It was only six a.m. and he had only been asleep for three hours. But tired as he was, sleep just wouldn't return. He had a very bad feeling that today was just not going to be his day.

He lay there resting his body despite his mind whirring. He thought over what Bill had told him and wondered how Harry, Ron, and Hermione had taken the tragedy. He knew how close to Hagrid they all were. Hermione. She was extremely close to Professor McGonagall too. Hermione. Her cheeky smile when she reached an epiphany. Hermione. Her creased brow when she worried. Hermione. His thoughts kept drifting back to her. There were days he wished that he could be assured that he could get a letter to her. Or be close enough to see her. What was he doing? He needed some sleep. Ugh! He threw his arm over his eyes, but no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't get back to sleep.

Charlie found himself heading back to the hatchery by eleven. He had eaten and showered and given up trying to sleep. He could hear Royce's excitement from outside the building. He hurried his step to find out what had the old keeper in such a good mood.

"Charlie, my boy! Yer jest in time!" He exclaimed loudly grinning like a fox in a hen house.

"What's up!"

"Our little Shadow has decided to make an appearance. Look!"

Charlie walked over to the heating tables. Sure enough, Shadow's egg was rocking furiously.

"The way that little girl is going," Royce said sweetly as he nudged the egg away from the side, "she may jes beat all those others."

Charlie laughed at Royce and his tenderness for Shadow. He hoped she did come first. Eight hours later, that wish came true. It was a difficult birth. The strengthened shell did not want to give at first, but Shadow was a fighter like her mother and just when they were about to intervene, a sharp talon caught on Royce's thumb as it burst through.

"Blimey, that girl's got summa her mother in her don she?" Royce said affectionately.

Charlie was excited, but somewhere in the back of his mind he was worried. He trusted his instincts and knew something wasn't right. He hoped it wasn't some premonition about Shadow.

Three hours later, all but two of the eggs had hatched. Number four was still struggling and it was about time to intervene. Royce sent his patronus to summon the medi-witch while Charlie prepared the egg. The procedure was tricky. Two keepers would hold the egg while the medi-witch would use her wand with a variation of the incendio spell to simulate the egg heating from the outside. Hopefully the baby would catch on and still be able to puncture it with his talon.

They began cautiously. Egg number four was putting up a good fight. It was taking all the strength they had to hold the egg still from his squirming. Finally, after what seemed like forever, they could hear him faintly tapping at the inside of the egg.

"Come on Squirmy! That's it! Jes a little harder!" Royce coaxed.

Charlie spotted the top of the talon first. "Yes! Come on Squirmy, you are nearly there!" He shouted. The medi-witch stopped the heating spell. The tapping stopped too. "Don't stop! " Charlie shouted at the medi-witch. She started the spell again and Squirmy picked up his tapping. A larger section of talon now showed. Soon most of the talon was visible and they let go of the egg. It rolled and crashed into the side creating a large fissure in the top. After another hour, Squirmy entered the world tired and wet, but very eager. He sneezed and a flame shot out halfway across the table generating large smiles from all involved.

Charlie and Royce washed up and straightened the hatchery. The new dragons were settled and they had turned the responsibility over to the next shift.

"What time is it Charlie?" Royce asked as he stretched and twisted to loosen his tired muscles.

Charlie rotated his head on his neck, "Forget the time…what day is it?" Royce laughed in response.

"I think it jes might be Friday! So I will take me a nap and then get me a bite and then take myself out for a night on the town!"

Charlie shook his head in amusement. "Taking yourself on dates…next thing you know you'll try and kiss yourself goodnight." Charlie snorted.

"Ha. Ha. You young whippersnapper. I oughta teach you a lesson, but I won't. Not today. I have a date with my pillow." Royce shot back. They reached Charlie's tent first and stopped dead in their tracks. Instantly wands were out and they were silent. The flap was open.

Charlie met Royce's alert eyes with his own and Royce moved silently to the doorway. Charlie slipped past him and into the tent. Royce joined him and they stared in shock. Sitting in the middle of Charlie's tent on his couch was Fleur Delacour who was currently flipping her long silvery blonde hair over her slim elegant shoulder and hadn't noticed them yet and neither of them could seem to generate a sound if they wanted to.

Charlie finally managed to clear his throat and she turned around. Her eyes were red rimmed and her brow was creased with worry.

"OH Sharlee, you are back. I ave been so worried. I—"

Charlie grabbed her roughly by the shoulders. "Is it Bill? Is he hurt?" He yelled at her.

She shook her head and put her hands on his forearms. She looked him directly in the eye with a quiet strength. "Sharlee, eet ees not Beel. He sent me to geeve you a message. You-know-who ees back."

"Fleur, we already know that—"

"Sharlee, everybody now knows eet."

Charlie stared at her. She stared back. The uncomfortable feeling that had dwelt in the back of Charlie's head all day came pounding to the forefront as the realization of what her words meant hit full force.

Royce had been silent up until now. "Jes what does that mean? Charlie? Who is this? What's goin on?" He still had his wand at the ready. Charlie's arms fell limply to his sides.

"Royce, this is Fleur." Royce nodded to her and she disarmed him with one of her smiles. "Fleur was sent here by my brother. You know who is back out in the open."

"But the ministry said Dumbledore has been barmy over this…it's not supposed to be true…" Royce drifted off at the dark look on Charlie's face. Charlie turned back to Fleur and sat on the couch with her. Royce took the chair.

"Tell me what happened." He ordered.

"'Arry had another of ees dreems." Fleur began, her eyes darting back and forth between the two men. "Ee saw Seereeus being tortured and he couldn't get anyone to leesten. Zey even tried to floo him, but—"

"Sirius Black!" Royce roared.

"Shhh!!" Charlie hissed at him. Royce calmed himself.

"Mate, what's going on?"

Charlie bit his lip trying to decide how much to tell Royce. "Royce, you know that I am a member of the Order right?"

"Yeah, you been tryin to get me to join up too."

"Well, I can't explain it all right now, especially since you haven't joined…yet…" Charlie tentatively smiled at him, "But, the ministry has been wrong about more than just you know who."

Understanding dawned in Royce's eyes. "Blimey…." Charlie turned back towards Fleur.

She gave a nervous glance at Royce but continued when Charlie nodded his head. "Well, zat 'orrible woman at 'ogwarts tried to detain 'arry and 'ermione and Ginny and Ron and sum uzzers because zey used her fireplace to floo…zey escaped and decided to go help Sirius themselves." She began to sniff again and Charlie's stomach clenched with worry.

"Zere were just six of zem and they made it een to the department of mysteries. But eet was a trap. Death eaters were waiting for zem." Tears were now coursing down her cheeks and Royce was cursing under his breath.

"Fleur, please, what happened?" Charlie begged, his limbs feeling weak and his head spinning uncomfortably.

Fleur placed her hand on Charlie's knee. "First let me tell you that almost everyone got out." Charlie sighed in relief until he realized she said almost.

"How is that possible?" Royce bellowed. "Six kids against death eaters? How—"

Royce stopped and let her continue after Charlie leveled a steely glare at him.

"There 'ave been some injuries…and we lost one." She said quietly as the tears began again.

Charlie's chest constricted so tightly he couldn't breathe. He couldn't meet her eyes. He closed his eyes and clenched his jaw and tried not to let the panic he was feeling overtake him.

"Who? Who didn't get out?" Royce finally asked.

"Seereus." She said quietly.

Charlie felt like he had been hit by a truck. His breath whooshed out, but he couldn't seem to take in any air. He grabbed the coffee table in front of him to support him. "So Harry was right? His dream was real again?" He gasped.

"No, no." Fleur countered. "Zey knew he was aving ze dreems and zey used them to lure him to get the…" She looked hesitantly at Royce, "ze theeng ze were guarding."

Charlie's face had now lost all color. "Then how in the hell did Sirius end up dead?"

"Professor Snape contacted ze 'eadquarters and alerted them. Ze went immediately. 'E would not be left behind when 'arry was een trouble."

Charlie knew Sirius well enough to know that had to be true. But another thought was pounding its way forward in his mind. "You are here because Bill couldn't come." Fleur nodded. "Is Bill hurt?" he asked hesitantly.

"No, Beel is not hurt, 'e was not there, but zey needed guards to protect ze injured." Fleur reassured him. Royce let out another string of curses under his breath.

"Sharlee," Fleur pulled his hand towards her so he would look at her. "Ron and Ginny were hurt." Charlie's breath left him again and he wobbled slightly as pain ripped through him. Royce moved over to support him. "Ginny weel be fine, she 'as a broken ankle. Ron was heet wiz a curse that made heem confused and then some sort of creature was eenvolved, but I do not know what eet was. Someone said zumthing about brains, but I deed not understand. Eet has left some eenjuries on 'es arms. Harry is mostly ok, but he ees devastated about Sirius." Charlie nodded.

"Harry? As in Harry Potter?" Royce asked Fleur who nodded confirmation.

Charlie sat up and ripped his hand away from Fleur. "Hermione. You haven't said anything about Hermione." He felt the wave of panic hitting again. Fleur was looking at the floor.

"She ees alive, Charlie, but she was heet wiz a curse and she eez not awake."

"I have to go. Now." Charlie stood up. "Where is she?" His fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles were nearly translucent. The veins running up and down his arms bulged from the force of the blood. His jaw was clenched tightly as he felt an almost animalistic need to get to her. To protect her.

Fleur looked stunned at his reaction. "I do not understand." She said.

"Charlie and this Hermione girl are…close." Royce shrugged. Fleur nodded, finally understanding.

Charlie had moved to his room and was throwing things into a pack. Royce came in.

"What are ya doin Charlie?"

"I have to get there, now."

"Be serious Charlie. You can't apparate. You haven't slept for three days. You'll splinch yerself sumthin awful and then what good would ya be to the girl?" Royce gently reprimanded him. Charlie whirled on him with a fierce look of rage.

"I HAVE TO GET THERE!" He shouted and pushed past Royce.

"Sharlee," Fleur quietly called to him. "Call Beel first. He said to 'ave you call eem before you did anything stupeed. He said you would know 'ow to contact 'eem."

Charlie stopped dead. He glared at her and dug the mirror out of his pocket. His insides were swirling with a combination of rage and terror and worry. "Bill." He said firmly to the mirror. Almost immediately, Bill's face appeared.

"Charlie."

"Where the hell are they?"

"You can't come yet."

"The hell I can't. Tell me where they are."

"Get a port key to headquarters and I will meet you there tonight."

"I CANNOT WAIT THAT LONG! WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?"

"Charlie, calm down. Think about it. Everything is out in the open now. The death eaters WILL attack anyone they know is related or involved and face it, your last name is Weasley. You have to be careful."

"Don't tell me to be careful when there are people I love who are hurt." He hissed angrily.

Bill had a surprised look in his eye as Charlie's words registered. "You that far gone already Char?" Bill tried to tease.

Charlie glared into the mirror. "You know how far gone I am. Don't do this. Don't keep me away." Charlie's last words sounded like personified pain. Bill's heart was ripping out of his chest at the obvious suffering of his brother. He hesitated. If it were Fleur, nothing would keep him away. He couldn't be a hypocrite.

"Tonight. At headquarters. I will get you to her, I promise."

"NO! That's not soon enough. I am coming now!" Royce moved over and restrained Charlie.

"Don't be daft. You heard your brother. You'll be no good to help if you are hurt or dead."

"LET ME GO!" Charlie yelled.

"No." Royce answered calmly. "We will get you a port key to London and then you can get wherever you need to from there."

"NO!" Charlie yelled fighting against Royce's hold.

"Charlie," Bill began, "We'll get you to her tonight. She's stable. Ron's stable. Tonks is—"

"Tonks is hurt too?" Charlie asked unbelievably as he stopped fighting so hard. His strength was nearly gone.

"She's in St. Mungo's but she'll be okay. Moody took a couple but he's a tough old bird. And Charlie,"

"Yeah?"

"They got some of them."

"Who?"

"The death eaters in the department of mysteries. They got some. Malfoy was there."

Charlie looked stunned. "Malfoy? They got Malfoy?"

"Yeah. They did."

Charlie looked at Fleur as he felt Royce's grip relax. His mind was racing to comprehend all he had heard in the last half hour. He took a deep shaking breath to calm himself down. And then another to steady himself. He looked at Bill. "Tonight. At headquarters."

Bill nodded before disappearing from the mirror.

"How are you getting home Fleur?" Royce asked.

"I 'ave a port key. We can add Sharlee to eet. We will get you zere." She offered reassuringly.

Charlie nodded and began pacing. "When does it leave?"

"Three hours." Fleur answered quietly.

"That gives you enough time to settle things here before you go. I'll help ya mate."

Charlie nodded appreciatively. "Wait here. We'll be back soon." He told Fleur who nodded meekly.

Royce helped Charlie arrange his leave and make a final check of the new dragons. Mostly he was trying to keep Charlie's mind and hands busy until it was time to go. He forced him to take a shower, but he couldn't get him to eat. Before long, it was time.

"Royce," Charlie began, his voice cracking, "Um..Thanks…for everything."

"Don't mention it mate. You'd do the same for me."

Charlie could only nod. Fleur produced a Gryffidor scarf. Charlie actually chuckled.

"Eet was Beel's idea. He said you might need proof that he sent me." She smiled brilliantly.

They both held on and soon the blue light engulfed them and they disappeared. Royce secured the tent and went to collapse in his own as his mind poured over everything that had happened the last couple of days.

Charlie and Fleur landed in what appeared to be a storeroom. "Wait 'ere. I need to let zem know you are wis me." She said quietly yet forcefully. Charlie wasn't happy about having to wait, but he realized that she was only trying to help.

He wondered where they were and looked around the room while he waited for her to return. There were piles of boxes everywhere with WWW painted on the side. Suddenly the door opened with a bang and Charlie jumped drawing his wand as he spun around to face the intruder.

"Is that anyway to greet a brother when you show up unannounced?" Deadpanned Fred.

Charlie sighed in obvious relief as Fred closed the gap between them and pulled him in for a hug. "They're gonna be ok. They're gonna be ok."

"Just get me there."

George popped his head in. "We've got some food for you upstairs Charlie."

"I'm not hungry."

"Don't be a git. Fleur told us you hadn't eaten and haven't slept. You have time to kill—remember that's time to kill and not brother's who won't do what you want when you want." George cautioned merrily as he registered Charlie's dark glare.

Fred chuckled. "Testy, aren't we. Sounds like someone needs food."

Charlie gave up. He was at the mercy of his brothers so he would humor them until it was time.

He went upstairs and sat down at their table while they fussed around making sandwiches. He forced it down silently and chugged the butterbeer. Fred and George were not used to Charlie being silent. They kept shooting each other looks. After eating, they returned to the store while Charlie sat at the table, not moving. The light in the windows grew dimmer and dimmer until finally it was dusk. Charlie stood up ignoring his stiff and sore muscles.

He maneuvered around the boxes as he headed downstairs. George spotted him first and nudged Fred.

"I am done waiting. I'm going. You let Bill know I won't wait very long." He spoke quietly, but neither of the twins doubted the intensity behind his words. He returned to the storeroom and apparated to the porch of number 12 Grimmauld Place and let himself in. He sat down in the kitchen and waited. He heard the door open not long after, but he did not get up. His hands rested tensely on the table and he stared at them like if he focused hard enough, she would appear.

"Charlie." Bill said calmly.

"Bill."

"Are you ready?" At this comment Charlie raised his eyes with an incredulous look.

"Are you kidding. It has taken every ounce of strength I have to wait as long as I have."

"Sorry. Bad question. You know Fleur was pretty surprised at your reaction."

"I don't really care. Where is she?" Charlie demanded finally making eye contact. What he saw reflected there made him gasp. He had never ever seen Bill look more afraid or sad.

"What is it? What happened?" Charlie cried out.