Merlin it had been a long and exhausting day. He had made it to Hogsmede well into the battle, joining the townspeople and other reinforcements as they rushed toward the castle.
The dead and injured littered the grounds. As he fought he would pass a body, praying not to see red hair.
He had reached the great hall just as Bellatrix had taunted his mother. He felt as if ice water had replaced the blood in his body as the reality of her words set in. Fred, his baby brother, was dead.
He hadn't had time to think since it had all ended. His dad and Bill had pulled him into a meeting with Kingsley Shacklebolt, Minerva Mcgonagall, Luna Lovegood and a tall young man they called Neville almost immediately.
He spent the next few hours with various students and adults who had fought, securing the castle and grounds.
He managed to get his mum to eat a bit and sat vigil with her and George for a brief time. Then he was back at work.
It was barely controlled chaos. Volunteers were notifying family members of the dead and injured. So distraught people were showing up.
Sometime in the afternoon, a handful of, what appeared to be students, suddenly jumped to their feet. The Lovegood girl led the way as all but a few ran out of the front doors.
His sister, took charge of an additional handful in the hall..Charlie stood open mouthed as she gave short precise orders and suddenly every entrance to the great hall, original or accidental was manned.
He never even hesitated when she turned to him. "Charlie, a death eater has been found. Harry, Ron and Hermione are asleep in the tower. I need you to back up Seamus who is guarding them." She then leaned forward and whispered "Portrait password lemon drop. Identification "Hope".
He later found out that it had been Fenrir Greyback who had been found by Hagrid and Neville. The beast was hiding, wounded, in the forest. He attempted to attack the pair as they returned from checking on the herd of centaurs.
Hagrid killed the bastard with a well placed crossbow bolt.
Charlie stayed talking with Seamus a while, even after the all clear had been issued. That was when he had learned of the coins the group known as the D.A. used to communicate with, and began to understand exactly that a handful of students, trained by Harry, had become an efficient and impossibly brave fighting unit under the leadership of Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood and his baby sister.
He knew he had ceased thinking of Ginny as a child when she and Fleur entered the common room, not long after the capture. Seamus sat a bit straighter in his chair, the look on his face that of a willing subordinate.
Quickly he and Ginny exchanged information. That taken care of she turned toward her older brother.
"I need to get my head down for a bit. We are spread a bit thin. There is a sweep of the forest about to happen and Hagrid asked for you to join them please."
"Seamus, as soon as Luna sends you relief she suggests you get a kip. I think you are on late night patrol. "
"Fleur if you need anything for Teddy it should be in the bag." She gently handed over the bundle of blankets and sleeping baby to their sister in law. "If it isn't on there call out for Winky."
Suddenly a diminutive house elf popped into site.
"Miss Ginny needs Winky?" Charlie watched as his sister knelt to look the elf in the eyes. "First have all the injured elves been seen to?"
The small elf's ears began to quiver. "All but Kreature miss. He is being stubborn he is!"
Ginny patted her arm. "I'll take care of him before I sleep. Winky this is Mrs. Fleur Weasly, she is going to be looking after Professor Lupin's son while Harry and I sleep. Would you help her if she needs it, please?"
A beaming smile split the elf's face. "Of course Miss Ginny. Mrs. Fleur, I knows of a cradle. Winky could put it by the sofa Mr. Harry Potter is sleeping on."
The beautiful blonde looked around the common room. "I sink, this will do nicely for today. Tonight we need to find a room for the bebe."
With a snap of Winky's fingers a low wooden cradle appeared. A wave of her hand and it was pristinely clean.
Fleur looked thoughtful, "Ginny wouldn't Harry sleep better if we put him in a room?"
Ginny nodded, "I tried to get him up to his old room but he insisted he had to stay awake and take care of Teddy. Fifteen minutes later he was fast asleep. Charlie, do you think you could carry him upstairs without waking him? We could put him in with Ron and Hermione."
Winky tugged at Ginny's Jean's. "Miss Ginny, Winky could get Harry Potter into bed without waking him.".Ginny nodded her agreement.
Winky walked over to the sleeping figure. Quietly she said, "Winky will be right back." Within a blink she and Harry were gone.
Just as quickly she reappeared.
Ginny linked her arm through Charlie's. She turned toward Winky, "Thank you Winky. I am heading down to the kitchens now to see about Kreature. I meant what I said to you all. We would not have survived this year without the house elves' help. Anything you need just come to me or Luna."
With that the siblings exited through the portrait, Charlie to lend professor Hagrid a hand and Ginny to convince a reluctant elf to be treated.
Charlie had no doubt she would be successful.
Thus was the pace of his days just after the battle.
A mass funeral service was held. The new cemetery had taken work to prepare, with the additional need for that portion of the school grounds to be separated from the rest so there was access without compromising the castle's security.
Until he left for the reservation, a week after the battle, Charlie was busy from the moment he woke up until his head hit the pillow at night.
His grief was like a shadow, lurking at the edge of his awareness during his time in Scotland and England.
The second night he was back in his cabin it hit him. It was the first time he had not worked himself into numbness.
He cried that night. Yelling out in anger and grief over Fred and Nymphadora. Sobbing with guilt because he hadn't been there early enough.
For a while it seemed he cried every night. Then, slowly, he cried less often.
He took more opportunities to return to England. On the battle's first year anniversary, his goddaughter was born. After that he was home every couple of months or so.
Eventually the pull was too great. He took over for Hagrid as magical creatures Professor.
He had learned that the loss never truly went away but his nieces and nephews and students shed light upon the darkness.
Many years later he was sitting under a tree at Ted and Vic Lupin's farm. It was a gathering to celebrate their twins successfully completing their first year at Hogwarts. Ted, his nephew first by choice, then by marriage, sat down onto a chair next to him and handed over a cold butterbeer. "Uncle Charlie, you looked like you needed another."
Ted grinned. So Uncle Neville and Aunt Ginny won't tell me how many times you all saved the boys from one of Vic's howlers. Are you willing to spill the beans?"
Charlie set his face into the most innocent expression he could. "Why Ted they were angels after the pudding incident. Never stepped even a toe out of line after that"
Ted Lupin, auror, raised one eyebrow. "Sorry Uncle Charlie I am not buying what you are selling. I know my sons. Their last name may be Lupin but they have very strong Weasley genetics. Spill it!"
Charlie shrugged, "It was worth a try!" Shortly thereafter laughter could be heard from where the two men were sitting.
Later, as he laid his head down, he thought of Fred, Dora and his dad,(who had been gone a dozen years). Until he joined them, Charlie would miss his brother, friend and father. But his joy of life honored their memories.
