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Chapter Sixteen

Ginny watched her brother's face take on a stricken look as he turned slowly in the direction of the doorway. "Adrianna?" He seemed oddly breathless. Charlie didn't do breathless.

Adrianna smiled softly at him. She was at her most poised. She wore her arrogance around her, but this time Ginny thought it almost looked like a shield. Nonetheless she thought she saw unease lurking beneath the certainty.

"What…" Charlie reached her with two long strides, grabbing her, causing her to call out in surprise, and turning her around in the air.

Ginny didn't think she could be more astonished, unless, of course she was her mother, who looked as if she might faint. Ginny turned to whisper to Harry, "Did you know they knew each other?"

"No," he replied heatedly, glowering at them.

"Well, they certainly seem to know each other," Fred said cheekily. He received a smack from his father, who was looking warily between his elder son and his wife.

There was a general air of stillness in the room as the Weasley family and their surrogate children gaped at the pair. Even Remus, the only other Order member residing in the house and the last to arrive at dinner, stopped quietly in the doorway…somehow reverent to the family's stunned silence.

"Charlie, stop! Let me down!" Adrianna was saying firmly, but there was a touch of laughter and something else Ginny couldn't name in her voice.

Ginny marveled at the strangeness of the scene. Charlie was the earthiest of the Weasley brothers. He had sun burnt skin that had turned leathery, he had calluses and scars and was the broadest and most thickly muscled, though far from the most handsome. That distinction went to Bill, with his classic good looks. And although she'd never admit it aloud, Ron was developing potential as well.

Even standing there, trapped against Charlie, lifted slightly off the ground, Adrianna had never looked more polished or poised. For some reason, that fact made Ginny nervous for her brother.

"It's been…." he said to her.

"Three years," she said seriously, steadying herself against him, neither pulling away nor embracing him.

"Two years, ten months, and thirteen days," he replied as their eyes met. There was a pregnant pause. They seemed unaware of their audience. "You've been out of Japan for a year."

"Yes." She swallowed.

"You didn't come back."

"Did you expect me to?" she asked, her expression challenging.

"After seeing you nearly every day for four years…" Charlie looked anxious...or…it seemed bizarre to Ginny. Anxious wasn't a word she'd ever attributed to this brother. He'd always seemed cheerful, laid back, together, but then, Ginny saw her two eldest brothers through a little girl's eyes. She hadn't actually lived with Charlie since she was five.

He sighed and smiled, showing his dimples and seeming more like himself. "You're here now," he stated with satisfaction.

She shook her head sadly and tried again to pull away. His arms were huge against her and it looked like she couldn't possibly have escaped. Unless of course, she was some ultra powerful witch, Ginny thought ironically. What the hell was going on here?

"I'm here for my cousin. Haven't you been paying attention?" She seemed frustrated and a little mean.

Charlie looked crestfallen and confused. Then he sucked in his breath with a hiss. "Potter….I never made the connection…"

"Well, it's not the most unusual name in the world and it's not like I used it very often. Please let me go," she entreated softly. She almost looked like she was getting flustered, almost.

"But I knew…"

"Charlie! If you don't let me go your mother is going to flay me alive and I assure you she is just waiting for an excuse!"

Half the room looked across the room to Mrs. Weasley, who indeed looked murderous. Charlie's eyes, however, did not move from Adrianna's. "Don't be ridiculous," he said with a soft chuckle. "My mum wouldn't…"

"You don't know what's going on," she snapped.

"Anna…" he whispered.

Her face turned red. "Avarska," she snapped and his arms fell away from her in a flash of blue light. She jumped back from him as if burned.

There was a growl from the far side of the room. Mr. Weasley walked quickly over to calm his wife.

"Niciodată reputaţie mă ăla, Charlie, niciodată iarăşi!" Adrianna yelled, leaving everyone stunned.

But Charlie argued back in the same strange Slovak sounding tongue and Ginny couldn't keep up with the strange speech. She scanned the room. No one seemed to understand what was being said. She looked to Hermione, "Do you know what language…"

Hermione shook her head, bemused, "No clue, almost sounds Russian, but I don't think it is…" she glanced anxiously at Harry and Ginny followed her eyes. His fists were clenched and he had a hurt look on his face.

Then she over heard Fred chuckle to George, "Looks like old Charlie finally found a bird to make his blood boil."

"Yeah and Mum's too…I can see it now, 'Mum, I'd like you to meet your new daughter…. Ow!" George winced as Ron punched him in the side.

"Do you two idiots ever know when to shut up?" Ron muttered.

"Woohoo. Look who has the stones in the family now…" Fred drawled, ready for battle.

"Do shut up," Hermione snapped.

George looked at Fred conspiratorially, "Coming to rescue of the boyfriend. I see many happy years of our little Hermione rescuing…."

"Bloody hell! Shut your mouth!" Ginny hissed, causing everyone to quiet in shock, as she stepped closer to Harry, touching his arm and whispering, "All right, Harry?" She barely perceived his head shake.

Charlie and Adrianna had calmed considerably and were now talking intently in the same rapid language. Ginny even detected a few short laughs and at one point she swore Adrianna said "Charlie" with deep affection.

From the other side of the room Mrs. Weasley finally couldn't take it anymore. "Enough! Charles Weasley, you will tell me the meaning of this, immediately!" she demanded, at full volume. "In English!"

Charlie paused, looking at Adrianna, as if asking her what to say. The look he received in return left no question that he was on his own.

"Meaning of what, Mum?" he asked sweetly.

Please, Ginny thought, didn't the stupid arse know that only Ron got away with playing dumb with Mum?

The tense standstill between mother and son went on for what seemed like forever, before Adrianna finally sighed loudly and said, "Charlie and I go way back... we're good friends…. We just haven't seen each other in a while. That's it."

"That's it?" Molly barked, incredulously, eyes trained on her second eldest son.

Charlie shrugged and gave her a light and charming smile. "That's it." Ginny rolled her eyes; this was the Charlie she knew and loved.

"Really? And where exactly were you when you went way back with this person none of us has ever heard a thing about?" his mother demanded.

"Romania," he answered simply, his eyes still on Adrianna's.

Adrianna broke eye contact and sat down at the table, indicating that she was done with the conversation.

Harry immediately sat next to her and whispered furiously, "What is going on?"

She opened her mouth to speak, but Charlie quickly came and took the seat to her left whispering a warning, "'Drana."

She shook her head angrily and looked around her, glancing over at Mr. and Mrs. Weasley arguing in the corner. Ginny also noticed that Remus had pulled the twins aside for a conversation that they were trying to escape from to join in the "Fun."

"Charlie…" Adrianna was shaking her head and Ginny quickly sat across from them, leaning closer. Hermione sat next to her and Ron stood at the end of the table between Hermione and Charlie.

''Drana, you can't…tu trec Şipovesti." Great, more gobbledy-gook! Ginny rolled her eyes at the rapid fire foreign language.

She looked at Harry, who was frustrated and hurt. Poor thing…he didn't want to share and there was nothing like a foreign language to make you feel like an outsider. Ginny was used to being shut out, but nothing this obvious had to be used.

Harry finally broke in whispering angrily. "Weren't you working as an international MIA Auror three years ago?"

The arguing stopped as Adrianna angrily smirked, "That's why, Charlie, that's why… All right, you four, lean in close I'm making this fast…"

"'Drana! If you tell them I'll…."

"No, you won't. I'm taking care of this," she turned to them and they leaned in desperately, all knowing that this chance was very fleeting. "I worked as an international Auror with a group based out of Romania for four years…..Charlie worked with us…"

"Shite! Adrianna!" Charlie shook his head.

"He doesn't want your mother to know exactly how dangerous his work was".

"More dangerous than dragons?" Ginny asked incredulously. She had always found her brother to be the bravest of men, it seemed absurd that his life could be even more perilous.

Adrianna scoffed at the question. "Yeah, a bit and he did work with dragons… just other things as well. Very, very top secret things that none of you should know about. So you will not breathe a word of this. Is that clear?"

They nodded rapidly. Adrianna leaned back as if they had been discussing afternoon tea and sipped her water calmly. The rest took her cue… only Charlie appeared angry and continued glaring at her, that which she ignored with finesse.

Dobby announced dinner and the plates appeared in front of them. The others took their seats and Ron sat next to Ginny.

Ginny looked over at Charlie who gave her an innocent smile. Innocent her arse. What the hell had he been doing all those years if not… playing with his dragons? Ginny had a horrible sinking feeling, realizing Charlie who she thought she knew so well...she knew almost nothing about. She had never even been to Romania, the place he had spent the last ten years.

Once everyone was eating Harry casually asked Adrianna, "You never told me you knew Charlie?" Well, he tried for casual. He failed miserably.

"Harry," she said, frustrated. "I know a lot of people and most of that time in my life I'm not supposed to talk about."

"Seriously, Harry," Charlie said in a barely audible whisper. "These aren't just our secrets."

Harry didn't look at all convinced as he picked at his food. Adrianna shook her head again. "If it was important I would have mentioned it. It wasn't. End of conversation."

The rest of dinner was tense, although no one mentioned Romania again.

Ginny glanced over to her right to see what Hermione thought of the whole thing, but the older girl was looking down at the table, playing with her ice. Ginny just caught a quick glance she shared with Ron before she looked down again, blushing.

Bloody hell. Ginny had forgotten all about them.

It occurred to her, as she finished her broiled chicken, exactly how lucky Hermione and Ron had been over the last few days. Ron disappeared in the middle of the night scaring them all to death. The two of them had been found in compromising positions, not once but twice, having spent the night together. Then they sneak off during a crisis to have serious snog fest….and they were getting off completely unscathed.

Somehow, each time something had happened to completely take attention away from them. They had completely slipped in under the sneakoscope.

It really wasn't fair. Ginny was going to have to do something about it…right after she found out Charlie's secret.

Harry lay awake in his narrow, single bed contemplating why he was awake. Maybe he just wasn't used to beds like this anymore? Maybe it reminded him of the Dursleys…he should have Adrianna transfigure it in the morning. Maybe he had too much sleep this afternoon and now his sleep cycle was all messed up.

Or maybe he was just a tiny bit apprehensive about what his cousin was not telling him about Charlie Weasley. The weight of the secret hung over him…he hated secrets. There was always something that someone wasn't telling him.

And it really irritated him off that this time it was Adrianna.

He liked to think that she told him everything, even though he knew that was absurd. As an Empath she knew more secrets than any one person has the right to know, but this was different…this was her secret. There was something personal that she wasn't telling him.

Though, maybe it was the personal nature of it that was really bothering him, he thought with shame. Maybe he just couldn't stand her having a relationship that he wasn't a part of.

For three and a half months Harry had the privilege of Adrianna's undivided attention, something that he had never had from anyone before. And he had liked it. It made him feel special. It made him feel wanted. And he wasn't ready to give it up. With a touch of self-reproach, he realized that his friends' suspicions of her had only helped his cause by isolating her. He was her only ally.

And he liked it.

Harry wondered when he had become so selfish.

So, now Charlie comes along and Adrianna had an ally that has nothing to do with Harry. An ally that knows her so much better than he did… and he hated it.

"No!" An agonizing scream came from the next bed. "Hermione, please."

Harry put the pillow over his head, blocking out an obvious reminder of another relationship he wasn't a part of, another place he was excluded.

Ron's cries became more agonized. "Don't be dead! Don't be dead!" The pillow wasn't working and Harry's guilt was so intense he was starting to choke.

All he ever did was feel sorry for himself. He never let himself think about how the others were affected by the traumas in their life. The traumas that he was in some way responsible for…great, now all the self blame that he worked so hard to get rid of was back.

It wasn't his fault, he reminded himself. They chose to come to the Department of Mysteries…Hermione chose to come…

And she didn't die…she didn't die.

"No, Hermione, please. Come back to me!"

The last scream brought tears to Harry's eyes and mobilized him enough to sit up and look at Ron. He was worse off than this afternoon, drenched in sweat, thrashing.

Should he try to wake him?

Ron began to sob in his sleep and Harry knew he couldn't watch him any longer. He approached his friend and called his name. The first time it was a whisper, then he spoke with increasing volume, but Ron didn't seem to hear him. He was curled in a ball whimpering Hermione's name.

Ron didn't need Harry; he'd said so this afternoon. He needed Hermione. She was the only one that could make the nightmares stop, he'd said.

Harry stood there watching his best friend, conflicted, ashamed, because even with the blatant evidence of his friend's pain…he didn't want to share. Ron was his friend first. Ron and Hermione were only friends because of him. He was the glue.

He didn't want to be the third wheel. He wanted to be the center of their little trio.

Harry had thought he had gotten over these feelings, but he reckoned not. There was something about the dead of night that brought out the rawest parts of a person.

He turned from Ron and closed his eyes. If he was going to do this, he needed to do it before he talked himself out of it.

Methodically, he opened the door and walked into the hall. He concentrated on each step he took, not letting the urge to turn around win. Down the steps…one…two….three….down the hallways. Don't stop…don't knock or he'd never go in. He opened the door.

Don't pause! Just do it!

He went over to Hermione's bed. "Hermione, wake up," he whispered. "Ron needs you."

It could have been his imagination, but he thought it was Ron's name that made her stir and sit up blearily, anxiously, asking, "What's wrong? What happened?"

Harry took a deep breath and forced himself to answer. "Ron's calling for you…uh…I think he needs you."

"What's wrong?" Hermione asked in a frightened voice.

He told himself this was not an acceptable reason to get teary. He was just not that pathetic. He could bloody well help out a friend without becoming a great big poof.

"He's having a nightmare…he's not responding to me when I call him…"

She nodded, quickly getting out of bed and walking out the door. Harry followed her at a much slower pace. As he cleared the staircase he saw Hermione rush into their room…and across the hall he saw his cousin's door open.

And he watched Charlie step out before Adrianna.

Harry's stomach clenched. He felt nauseous.

Charlie said good night and lightly, hesitantly, gave her a kiss on the cheek. She tried to smile, but her gaze was averted, her arms tightly crossed. Only when Charlie had moved down to the end of the long hallway and into his own room did Adrianna turn and make eye-contact with Harry, finally giving him the impetuous to continue up the stairs.

Harry thought she should look guilty…because of what he had just seen, but she didn't. She just looked resolved and a little sad.

Adrianna gave Harry a soft smile and gestured him over. He closed his eyes when she cupped his cheek in her hand. "I'm very proud of you, for what you did for Ron and Hermione."

He nodded, eyes still tightly shut.

"You aren't going to lose them, you know."

"I know."

"You're not going to lose me."

"I know, but…" He didn't know what he wanted, but he knew he was sick and tired of sharing and getting short changed…and what the hell was going on with her and Charlie?

"Nothing…nothing's going…we're just friends."

Bedroom-in-the-middle-of-the-night friends?

"Harry, look at me." He reluctantly opened his eyes and forced them to hers. "You need to trust me on this. There are things about my past and about Charlie's past that I just can't tell you."

'Why not', he screamed in his mind.

"Harry, I…all I can promise is to tell you what's happening now…"

"So what were you doing in your room with him in the middle of the night?"

She sighed. "Talking…we…we left things badly three years ago…we needed to talk if we were going to be around each other again. That's all."

Badly? How badly?

She gave him a look that said pretty damn bad, but didn't answer his silent question. She looked so sad.

He had to trust her. He nodded.

"Thank you." She embraced him and he felt marginally better than before. "Get some sleep…it will look better in the morning." He nodded as she pulled away and slipped into her room, closing the door.

Harry was feeling somewhat stronger and a whole lot more ashamed of his selfish feelings when he went back into his room, which was good, because when he returned to his room, he found Ron and Hermione locked in an embrace. On Ron's bed.

It was hardly torrid. They were sitting up and Ron had his head buried in Hermione's hair. She was stroking his head and whispering. "I'm fine, see….I know you'll always get to me…I know."

It broke Harry's heart to see them.

Something inside him shifted and he knew what was going on with them was much more important than his petty insecurities. "You should sleep here tonight, Hermione," he found himself saying.

Ron pulled away and looked at him with a stunned expression. "What?"

Hermione swallowed, one hand still on Ron's back. "Harry, you don't…."

"No, it's ok. You both need…" each other… "to be able to sleep…a lot's happened and Ron's not going to be able to sleep without you…" At least Ron had the grace to blush. "I'm fine with it, really." Yeah, right. "It's not as if…I mean being as I'm here to chaperone, you wouldn't…would you?"

"No!" they both rushed to deny together. Hermione continued, blushing profusely, "No...Harry I… we would never…"

Ron shot her an incredulous look that made Harry laugh and feel a good deal better.

Harry smile was genuine when he said, "So, it's settled then. I'll see you both in the morning." He got into bed and purposefully turned away from them. He closed his eyes and pretended to sleep. There were a few minutes of whispered conversation, then there was rustling, then there was quiet.

When Harry was sure they had settled down, he turned to look at them. It seemed he was too curious for his own good, after all. to know what was good for him. They were both asleep on their sides facing him. As far as Harry could tell the only place they were touching was where Ron's arm was loosely flung over her waist.

It wasn't so bad. Harry could deal with this. After all, how far could they leave him behind, if they were in the same room?

Ron awoke from a thoroughly pleasant dream to the equally pleasant sensation of Hermione Granger pressed along the length of his body. He hummed in groggy pleasure and pulled her closer.

"Ron, you have to let go!" He barely heard her harsh whisper, since she was wriggling against him and that felt even better. "Ron, let go, I have to get back to my room."

"No, you don't," he drawled sleepily, peering at her through half open eyes. She had managed to sit up and her hair was everywhere. He loved her hair. He reached up and pulled her back down, this time facing him. He held her tightly to him, reveling in the hazy, warm sensations he was feeling.

She sighed, "Ron, wake up…if you were fully awake…"

"Mmmm awake," he reasoned. "No reason to get up. Harry doesn't care." He leaned up and peered over her to where Harry was sprawled out on his bed fast asleep. "See, he's still asleep. We can have a bit of a lie in."

He gave her his best pouty-puppy face and smiled lazily as he felt her melt against him.

"Ron, it's not Harry I'm worried about. Your Mum's bound to be up…if she finds us…we won't be able to do this again."

His eyes snapped open and he loosened his grip. Hermione chuckled as she climbed out of bed. She looked amazing in the first light of morning. He loved those soft blue pajamas.

Ron was out of bed in a second, grabbing her hand as it touched the door knob. He spun her around so her back was against the door and leaned his forearm on the door above her head. Bending toward her so their faces were only a fraction apart he found that she was breathing so quickly he could feel it coming in soft pants on his lips. Mmmm.

"Ron, what are you doing?" she whispered.

What was he doing? The thinking part of his brain didn't seem to have woken up yet…he was moving on pure impulse. "Um…I didn't get to say good morning."

She gave short puff of a laugh. "Good morning, then." She looked up at him expectantly. "Say good morning, Ron…I'm going to go…."

He wanted to kiss her. He leaned closer. Was he allowed to do that now? "I was thinking, Hermione" he could almost feel her lips as they talked, "seeing as I'm such a slow learner…I think we need to start Practicing right away."

He watched her eyelids flutter closed and he took this as permission to press his lips to hers. He was just beginning to enjoy the softness and the pressure when she pushed him away.

Breathing heavily she said, "Ron, we can't. Not now."

He tried the pout again.

The corners of her mouth twitched, "Later."

"Promise?"

"Promise." He beamed at her and she smiled shyly back. Before she could stop him, he pressed another hard, quick kiss to her lips, before pulling back and opening the door for her.

He smiled after her in what he was sure was a besotted way as she skirted under his arm and out the door.

Ron threw himself back down on the bed, intending on having his lie in, before realizing he was now wide awake. His heart was beating quickly….later, she'd said.

He pulled himself out of bed and made his way to the loo. He considered a nice long shower, but after he relieved himself and his morning condition had been taken care of, the rumbling in his belly seemed more urgent.

Ron made his way to the kitchen humming happily. He was going to Practice today. What a bloody brilliant day!

He could hear the yelling from the foyer.

"Molly, she's Julian's daughter for Heaven's sake…"

"I don't care if she's Dumbledore's daughter, we don't know her from Merlin and I don't trust her… and you're an idiot if you do!"

"Molly!" Mr. Weasley roared.

Charlie's voice joined the argument. "To be fair, Mum, I know her rather well and there's nothing not to trust…Oh hello, Ron."

Ron entered the kitchen and sat down across from his brother, smiling. "Hello." He ignored his parents fighting as if it were commonplace, which it was probably because it was.

"Morning, dear, you're up early." Mrs. Weasley kissed his crown and placed a plate of steaming hot breakfast in front of him. "And how well do you know this girl I've never heard about, hmmm? I insist you tell me exactly what your relationship to this girl is!"

"I told you," Charlie said, all innocence. "We're friends."

"From Romania?" Molly glared at him, but he didn't flinch.

"That's right."

"And what was she doing in Romania?"

"Working for the American Ministry." He ate his breakfast calmly.

"And you were just friends."

"Yep."

"Looked more than friendly to me." It was an accusation.

"She's a really good friend. I haven't seen her in awhile."

Ron's mother harrumphed, as angry as he had ever seen her. She turned to her husband. "And you believe this nonsense?"

"I believe we need to take Adrianna at face value. She's Julian's daughter, Harry's cousin, and Charlie's friend. What more should we need?"

"I'll tell you what I need. I need the lot of you to start talking sense…clearly she has bewitched you all with her Empath powers."

"Doesn't work like that, Mum," Charlie told her.

"And now I suppose you know all about Empathy."

Ron thought he heard him mumble, "More than you."

Of course, their mother heard. "Charlie Weasley you had better…"

"What do you think, Ron?" Charlie deflected. "Harry's your best mate."

Ron only took a second to glare at Charlie before he shrugged, his mouth full of food, "Dunno."

"It's all right dear, you just keep eating. Charles, you leave your brother out of this, I have had enough of your nonsense…"

Charlie had always been a bit of a peace maker in the family. Jovial, quick witted, skirted arguments deftly. He was not a fighter; he usually dealt well with their mother by cleverly complimenting her and avoiding dangerous subjects.

So that's why Ron choked when his brother and life long role model turned to their mother and said, "No, Mother I've had enough! I'm not listening to one more word against Adrianna. She's good. Either you trust me or you don't."

Molly Weasley turned bright scarlet, then ash white. She threw her dish rag on the kitchen table. "You can all get your own breakfast, then." she snapped, stomping out of the room.

It was rather an empty threat, Ron felt, as he shoved a large piece of bacon into his mouth. Besides, Dobby was doing the cooking. Shite…he was hungry.

Arthur came to sit next to Charlie and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, son. I don't know what's gotten into your mother over this." He shook his head.

"Mmmm…It's the same with Hermione..." Ron said swallowing his toast. His brother and father looked at him with bemusement. "Adrianna's a controlling, pushy, know-it –all…Mum and Hermione don't like that…"

"Who would?" his father asked.

"No… Mum and Hermione are controlling, pushy, know-it –alls…the reining controlling, pushy, know-it –alls…Adrianna's threatening to them."

Arthur and Charlie looked at him with wide-eyed astonishment. Ron took another bite of eggs and continued "…and they were the primary women in Harry's life…now they've been displaced.' So, they don't like her."

"Well, then," His father cleared his throat. "I think I'll just go and see if I can calm down your mother."

Once he left, Charlie narrowed his eyes at Ron. "That's quite insightful, little brother. Makes me think this whole 'Don't blame me, Mum, I do stupid things 'cause I don't know any better' thing is all an act."

Ron shrugged with wide innocent eyes. "I dunno what you're talking about."

"Kinda right convenient as well…perhaps making you get away with say…escapades to the girlfriend's house in the middle of the night…"

Ron, again, choked on his eggs. "She's not my girlfriend."

Charlie narrowed his eyes even further.

"Honest," Ron said, cheeks hot. Deciding he had better deflect quickly he asked, "So, how well do you know Adrianna?"

Charlie turned serious. He looked away from Ron for a moment and when he turned back there was a hardness Ron had never seen in him.

"How well do you know Harry and Hermione?"

Authors Note:

A Note on the elder Weasley boys' age: Prior to JKR releasing Charlie and Bill's official Birthdays I had read an essay in the Harry Potter Lexicon justifying Charlie's age as twelve years older than Ron based on evidence in books. I planned this story with that in mind and honestly the story wouldn't work if I changed the ages to match JKR's. So, for the purpose of this story Charlie's age is 28 and Bill's 30.

For those of you who are interested the logic it goes like this: In book 3 they say Gryffindor hasn't won the Quidditch cup in eight years, not since "the days of the great Charlie Weasley". They also say that he was Captain and Harry was the youngest Quidditch player in a century. So it makes no sense that Charlie is only seven years older then Ron. Actually, what would make the most sense is if the last time Gryffindor won was when Charlie was Captain and a seventh year, then his legendary status would be valid. That would make Charlie 12 years older than Ron.

Special thanks to kjcp and Texasmagic at CM for betaing this story