Games Are Afoot Chapter 27

Games Are Afoot Chapter 23

Letters from Hogwarts

DISCLIAMER: JKR owns it all and we are just enjoying a fieldtrip through her words.

The hatchery was warm despite the fury of the rain pounding outside. It was April 2nd and Charlie sat watch over Matilda's egg and the few others that had been removed from their mothers. The shell potion that the medi-witch had applied to the egg had worked and it had thickened up some. It had retained its translucency so that the baby dragon still looked like a silhouette. The tests they had run determined it was a girl and Charlie had taken to calling her Shadow.

He was whistling to himself as he was stitching up a hole that had been burned in his dragon hide gloves when Royce peeked in.

"How's the little lady?" Royce asked curiously.

"She's holding her own, which is more than I can say for these gloves. I think it's about time for a new pair. The gloves were worn and soft from use. They were his favorite pair but would do him no good if they couldn't protect his hands.

Royce chuckled at Charlie's attachments to things. "So go buy yerself another pair, yeh idiot and be done with it." He growled playfully.

Charlie flicked his wand casually and Royce was upside down in a flash. Charlie smiled at him. "Haven't you learned yet not to tease me?"

Royce managed to get his hand into his pocket and muttered a counterspell that dropped him unceremoniously to the floor grumbling, but not angry. "Can't even deliver a bloke his long awaited mail without getting hexed every other step," he muttered happily under his breath waiting for Charlie's reaction.

Charlie's eyes opened wide and he watched as Royce removed a stack of parchment from the pocket of his robes.

"Would those be for me?" Charlie asked excitedly, dropping his gloves and standing.

Royce pretended to glare at him. "Now, I don't jest know about that Charlie. You see here, these letters are for some NICE bloke. Not one that goes around terrorizing his fellow workers, lad."

Charlie edged closer to him. "You really want to give those to me now. I promise." His eyes narrowed, but he couldn't keep the playfulness out of them.

Royce laughed heartily. "Can't even take the mickey out of yeh anymore. Yer all SERIOUS about some bird…" He swished his hand out of the way before Charlie could grab the letters he lunged at.

"Maybe these here letters will jest have to wait in yer tent until yer shift is over in what eight or nine more hours?" He teased relentlessly, backing towards the door. Charlie pointed his wand at the door and it shut and locked.

"We can do this the easy way or the hard way," He challenged looking Royce in the eye. Now he knew they had finally arrived, he wanted them. He was NOT going to wait any longer.

"All right. All right. Yeh impatient git. Don't get yer wand in a knot. Here ya go." He chortled at the eagerness with which Charlie yanked the letters out of his hand. "Yeh can leave my hand attached to me wrist thank you very much!" He bantered playfully, but it fell on deaf ears because Charlie had already turned around to return to his seat, slitting the first parchment open as he went.

"Bloody love sick bugger." Royce muttered as he unlocked the door and stepped back out into the rain.

"Thanks mate!" Charlie yelled after him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Eagerly, Charlie unrolled the parchment and let his eyes scan the first few lines. They didn't make sense. He grabbed another roll and opened it. Ah, that was better; this must be the first one. He opened them all and arranged them by date. Just as he sat down to begin, one of the alarms went off.

He jumped up dropping the letters on the table and rushed over to the eggs. He sighed in relief as he realized it wasn't Shadow's alarm. Still, alarms were, well, alarming and he moved to egg number 4. He used his wand to magically perform the assessment and then sent his patronus to summon the medi-witch.

A loud crack alerted him to the apparating witch and he gave her a brief rundown of the situation.

"Egg number 4 had an alarm go off. He is twisted incorrectly inside the egg and it's cutting off his circulation and his temperature is falling."

The medi-witch performed her own scan as Charlie waited anxiously. She compared her findings to his. "He's getting lower. We are going to have to try to turn him. Let's try rolling the egg first." They very gently and very slowly rolled the egg so the top was now the bottom. The egg wiggled slightly as the baby tried to shift within it. Another scan revealed that rolling was a success and his temperature was coming up. Charlie grabbed the chart and noted the times, problems, and actions taken. They both signed the bottom and the medi-witch waved as she popped away.

An alarm was always invigorating, but not always serious. Charlie returned to his chair and sat down with a contented sigh as he grabbed the top letter and began to read.

January 8th

Dear Charlie,

How are things in Romania? The weather is horrid here but as a result I have gotten very good at warming charms. Thinking of our little house tour tends to warm up my heart too. That was very clever…I like clever…

School is much as I expected. I made a study schedule to start preparing for O.W.L.'s. Fred and George are being very successful in their venture. Oh, and poor Madame Pompfrey has been swamped with ill students. Must be an epidemic…

Charlie had to stop reading here to wipe the tears from laughter out of his eyes. He knew first hand how well the puking pastilles worked and he could just imagine the hospital wing overwhelmed with students leaving the DADA classes in droves.

I really should back up though and tell you about getting back to school. You were pretty brilliant suggesting to Tonks and Professor Lupin that we might enjoy going by Knight Bus! Ha! Ron looked green by the time we got done. He is NOT going to any amusement parks with us if he can't handle the bus. Tonks and I sat up front and Pig came to sit on my shoulder. Ron and Harry were in the back and Ginny, Fred, George and Professor were downstairs in the back. The seating arrangements were apparently due to your little suggestions in Tonks' ear. Of course, sitting up front was a little different. Okay a lot different and I had to cover my eyes when I thought for sure we were going to hit that one building, but it was so much fun! Tonks told me about a couple of the trips she had taken with you and Bill. I think my first trip will always be my favorite though. Smile!

His thoughts drifted back to those two days with Hermione. After a time he could picture Ron's face too! The boy could do spins and turns on his broom that would make other wizards sick and he couldn't handle the Knight Bus? He chuckled to himself as he thought about the conversation he had had with Tonks. She was surprised at first that he suggested it until he told her what Bill and he had done to Hermione on the way to Grimmauld Place. After that she was on board. She was a good sport.

I loved the note you sent through her as well. I have bound it to the inside of my journal with spello tape so I can look at it every night before bed and think of you. I laughed at the caption you put under your picture too! You clever, clever man.

Charlie felt warmth slide through him as he thought to the picture and note he gave her. He had given her a countdown until her O.W.L.'s and then to summer holidays…just so she was prepared he assured her. It didn't hurt that it would count down the days until he could see her either. Charlie was a romantic at heart, which came as a complete shock to him as he hadn't ever really felt the need for it before. Something about Hermione brought it out in him he guessed. He looked at Shadow fondly as his mind drifted to the picture he gave her. It was an old one of him when he was seventeen. He had his broom in one hand and the snitch in the other. It had been one of his best games and he looked completely happy. It was how he imagined his face looked every time he thought of her. The moving picture was moving and showed him cheekily winking. He was glad she liked it.

I decided to learn the patronus charm for my Charms project this term so I'll let you know as soon as I know what it turns out to be.

I miss you already, but know that Matilda will keep you company for now. Take care.

Yours, Hermione

Charlie's eyes suddenly burned thinking about Matilda. He put the letters down and moved to the eggs to check them. Each one was so individual. Each shell was a unique hue of a similar color. He never tired of looking at them. He loved hatching days and knew that these babies would be coming soon. He returned to his seat and the next letter.

February 18th

Oh Charlie!

Hagrid just told me about Matilda and I can't imagine what you must be going through. I know she meant a lot to you. How are you doing? How is the baby? I just can't believe it. Did you have to help harvest from her? I imagine you would have insisted so it could be done properly. I am so sorry.

I loved the flower you sent me. I didn't know peonies came in that color. It was the deepest burgundy I have ever seen. Do you have a green house? I thought they only bloomed in the summer. I am pressing it in Hogwarts: A History right next to the section on Quidditch.

Charlie snickered. For Hermione that was high praise. He loved peonies too and they grew naturally all over the reserve so during the summer he would pick a few and put a preservation charm on them so he could keep a bowl full on one of his end tables all winter. Having something bright like that around always reminded him that spring was coming.

I appreciate that you worry for me, but you have nothing to be concerned about. We are being good. In fact, you should check out the next edition of the Quibbler to see what we have been up to. Maybe it will even make some of your work for the order a little easier. It's so nice to know that Hagrid is sending this so I don't have to figure out how to help you understand without saying things directly. The fact that all those death eaters have escaped has caused terror in many of the students, especially some of the younger ones. Our prefect duties apparently include calming the younger ones after nightmares. But Hogwarts is really one of the safest places I can be right now.

We have really stepped up our special meetings. Neville Longbottom is really coming along and we have mastered shield charms. Now we are starting Patronuses. I am sure you will be my happy thought.

He was someone's happy thought. He realized that he was thinking of her earlier when he had cast his patronus. It was amazing that even from so far away, she could make him feel so happy.

The news isn't all good though. Hagrid is on probation with that Umbridge woman. I have been helping him with his lesson plans so if you have any suggestions let me know. I can't stand the thought of that horrid woman sacking Hagrid. She has Trelawny on probation also, but that at least seems reasonable. I refuse to let her have Hagrid too!

Hermione could certainly be fierce when someone threatened her loyalties. He liked that. It made her passionate and dynamic.

Charlie, I hope you are doing as well as can be expected. I put something on the back of this letter for you. In your letter from the start of the term you mentioned that you wanted one, so I had a couple of friends help me out and you should know that I wouldn't have done this for anyone but you. I will write again soon!

Your Bookworm

Charlie quickly flipped the parchment over and found their now traditional shrunken attachment at the back. He peeled it off and pulled out his wand. "Engorgio."

The square enlarged to show a photograph. Wait, two photographs. The first was of Hermione sitting on his couch in his favorite section of the library reading a book about Chinese Fireballs. The picture Hermione was curling a lock of her hair around her finger. The second picture he had to look at twice before he realized that it was Hermione up on the broom over the Quidditch pitch. He sat up straighter and studied the picture more closely. She was wearing a Gryffindor Quidditch uniform that said Weasley on the back. He wondered if it was Ginny's or Ron's…probably Ginny's. He grinned. She looked hot! He couldn't believe she would go to all that trouble for him.

Another alarm sounded and again he was relieved it wasn't Shadow. Egg number 4 must have gotten himself tangled up again. He would probably be the first born at this rate. He ran the check and sent the patronus again. The medi-witch returned and they turned him again. Once the hatchery was settled down, he returned to the rest of his letters.

March 8th

My Dear Dragon Tamer,

It made me smile to have you sign your last letter that way. It reminded me of Christmas and that wonderful night we spent playing flinch. I am so glad it meant as much to you as it did to me. Sometimes I wonder just what you find so interesting about me. I mean I am certainly glad you do, but sometimes I just wonder why.

Professor Trelawny got sacked in the courtyard in front of the entire school. I actually felt bad for her. I am still helping Hagrid but I fear that he is next and he told me that there are more important things than school. There is so much happening that I wish I could tell you, but for now it is impossible. I had a disagreement with Ron and Harry and as a result I have gotten a lot of studying done.

I have read back over this letter and realized it sounds a little random, but I have feel very distracted and frustrated. I keep worrying and people tell me not to. How do I not over think something? I worry about the people I love, does that make me foolish?

I met someone you would like this week. His name is Firenze and Professor Dumbledore hired him to teach divination instead of Trelawny. I believe he is an old friend of yours isn't he? My dorm mates think he's a little over their heads too, but for them that isn't much of a challenge. They are more impressed with his appearance than what he thinks or says.

I apologize that this is so short, but it's late and I have a potions essay to finish and rounds to do. Hagrid said if I got it to him by dinner that he could send it out tomorrow. I think about you often and miss you everyday. I am glad that Shadow is making progress and hope the hatching goes well.

Your Bookworm

Charlie could tell that Hermione had been very distracted writing this letter. He wondered about what all was going on at Hogwarts. He knew that Ron and Harry could be prats, but what could cause her to avoid them and only study and help Hagrid. He hoped those two boys weren't getting into trouble. Her letter had left him a bit unsettled so he got up and wandered around checking the eggs and looking outside to see if the rain had stopped. As he watched the water pour from the sky in sheets, he realized that she was at least getting his letters since she had answered some of his questions and knew about Shadow. He hated having to wait and get his all at once. But, a bunch at once beat none at all. He moved back to his chair and picked up the most recent letter.

March 27th

Oh Charlie!

Did you hear about Professor Dumbledore? We got caught! Or ratted out. Apparently one of our little group snitched! We were just finishing a lovely meeting. I finally conjured my patronus. It was an otter. It was lovely. But anyhow, Umbridge and her brut squad she calls ' the inquisitorial squad' somehow got to the room of requirement and they caught us as we left. They took Harry to the headmaster's office and he took the blame for everything and now he's gone. I think this may be the last letter I can get to you for awhile because that foul woman is watching Hagrid's every move.

We have been meeting with Professor McGonagall about career advice and Umbridge has even been sitting in on those and interrupting. The nerve of that woman. She even lets this I.S. group of hers dock house points. She is ruining Hogwarts!

So far, I am fine, but Harry and Ron stick close so the Slytherins don't have a chance to try anything. It's almost Easter holidays and with O.W.L.'s most of the fifth and seventh years is staying. Fred and George were all out causing havoc and for once I was cheering them on. Ginny said something interesting the other day. She said, "The thing about growing up with Fred and George is that you sort of start thinking that anything's possible if you've got enough nerve." (see A/N at end) She really got me thinking about a lot of things and I think that I can't take what's happening at Hogwarts lying down. I feel compelled to do something.

Charlie felt his stomach clench and his heart stop. What were they up to? Hermione's words sounded ominous to him and he had a very bad feeling growing rapidly inside of his heart. He hoped that with Hermione, they would at least employ some common sense, but if she was beginning to appreciate the antics of his brothers…Charlie was worried. He clenched his fist around the letter and tried to breathe deeply.

I promise to be careful, but I feel like I have to do my part. Please take care of yourself. I worry about you too.

Love, Hermione

Author's Note: Ginny's quote can be found on page 655 of Book 5