Chapter 1

Charlie stupefied the doxy that had tried to creep up on him from behind with a lazy flick of his wand over his right shoulder. The doxy hovered behind him and Charlie plucked it out of the air unceremoniously. Bill had given up on stupefying doxies and was whacking them with an old tennis racket that had been left over from his dad's obsession with muggle sports a few summers ago.

"Are you sure that it's not hurting them?" Charlie asked with a frown.

However nasty these creatures were, Charlie did not want to see them in pain. He had always had a soft spot for magical beasts. So when his mum had asked whether he would help Bill with clearing the doxies out of a spare bedroom at the Order of the Phoenix' headquarters-otherwise known as Black manor- he was happy to oblige. Even if he was still tired after having travelled back from Rumania only the day before.

Bill just snickered. "I don't think it hurts them. Much. But it's so much more fun than stupefying them." , his older brother said whilst swatting another doxy out of the air and neatly into a basket that was already full with the small pests.

Charlie sighed. With a whispered "Stupefy" he got the last doxy and disposed it in the basket. He closed the lit and turned to his brother.

"Is Fleur at the burrow?"

As he had spend so much time abroad Charlie hadn't really met his brothers girlfriend yet. He didn't really count the time when he had briefly seen her at the Triwizard's tournament almost a year ago now. Ginny had written him but he didn't want to believe that she really was that annoying. Granted, his brother was always quick to fall for a pretty face but Bill had confided in him that he planned on proposing to her soon so there must be more to her.

Now it was Bill's turn to sigh.

"No, she's at our flat in Shoreditch. Mum would never let her stay there by herself. And Dumbledore hasn't set her up for coming here yet. I wonder-"

Charlie never heard what his brother was wondering about when a loud scream interrupted his brother's words. The two eldest Weasleys shared a determined look before rushing downstairs to the entrance hall of Grimmauld Place Number 12. Charlie arrived first, his wand pointed at the dark figure standing opposite his mother. Bill, not possessing the quick reactions of a wizard who'd been playing catch with dragons for the past 5 years, crashed into his back and sent Charlie to his knees. The tennis racket that Bill had still been holding instead of his wand flew past Charlies head and at the dark figure. The dark figure did not seem to have felt the wooden racket smashing against his back but lowered his hood unperturbed. Charlie let go of the breath he had been holding involuntarily. It was only Snape. What was it with that wizard and his need for dramatic entrances. His mother also looked exacerbated. Bill swore quietly behind him.

"Severus! I would really appreciated if you could not enter a secret hideout dressed like a dementor. I was moments away from hexing you."

Charlie bit down a snicker. His mum was waving a wooden spoon around, her wand most likely left behind stirring a pot of stew. Bill was less successful in his attempt to hide his laughter and Molly Weasley glared at him.

"I apologise, Molly."

Snape ignored the two brothers and also the wooden spoon in their mother's hand.

"I need you to contact Dumbledore immediately. There is someone I have to bring into the headquarters."

Molly opened her mouth as if to answer but Snape cut her off.

"It's a matter of live and death."

Molly's eyes widened and she rushed off to contact the headmaster.

Severus Snape now turned to Bill and Charlie.

"If you are done fooling around, you can be of assistance."

Charlie scrambled back to his feet with the help of his brother. Without another word Snape turned around, clearly expecting the two Weasleys to follow him. Charlie held his wand tightly and followed Snape out of the main doors, his brother close behind him. The strange threesome quickly crossed the small square outside the manor and headed towards a small park. Charlie was pleased to see that Bill was now also brandishing his wand. They followed Snape further into the park towards an abandoned playground. Despite it being early morning the sun did not quite manage to break through the assortment of trees covering the playground. Charlie and Bill lightened their wands with a muttered "Lumos" almost in sync. Snape turned around and glared at them.

"Extinguish those, we do not want to be seen!"

Charlie felt as if he were back at Hogwarts, but followed Snape's orders without hesitation. Bill had done the same. They had arrived at a slide and Charlie was immediately hit by the smell of blood. He could not see anything or anyone but dragons loved chumping on careless wizards and Charlie had developed a keen sense of smell when it came to blood. Just as he was about to ask, Snape waved his wand over the bottom of the slide. He could feel Bill taking a step back next to him. Charlie had seen a number of nasty injuries over the past years but even so he wanted to imitate his brother. There was a girl on the bottom of the slide drenched in blood. She was wearing a dark green ballgown which hang in tatters off her lithe body. There were cuts all down her arms and legs, some of which were still bleeding profusely. She did not seem to have any cuts on her face but her cheeks were bruised and her forehead bloodied. Charlie could not tell whether her hair was naturally dark or whether it was all the blood that had congealed on the top of her head.

"Bloody hell." His brother exclaimed beside him.

"Quite right, Mr Weasley." Snape said.

Charlie thought he could hear the faintest tremor in his former teacher's voice.

"We need to get her across the square and into the headquarters without anyone seeing us. I imagine Dumbledore will be there any moment now."

Charlie had a million questions but now was not the time to ask them. Not that he would ever expect Snape to answer any of them anyway.

"I cannot keep the vanishing spell on her and move her at the same time. One of you will have to carry her whilst I vanish the both of you. The other one will keep an eye out." Snape said in a commanding tone, any emotion gone from his voice.

"Keep an eye out for what?" Bill asked, his voice stricken with worry.

Snape chose to ignore his question. Charlie exchanged a quick look with his brother.

"Your hexes are better. I will carry her." Charlie said and as careful as he could he lifted the girl from the bottom of the slide.

She was not as light as you would expect looking at her, but Charlie was strong from his work. When he had her somewhat safely draped in his arms he could feel her trembling ever so slightly. This brought on a sigh of relief as Charlie had almost expected to be carrying a corpse by the look of her. He felt something like a cool draught when Snape cast the vanishing spell on him. The professor put his hood up again and walked back towards the manor. Charlie could see Bill walking slightly to the left behind him, his wand stretched out in front of him. Despite Snape's anxious words they made it back to the square and across it unscathed. But when they got to the manor Dumbledore was nowhere to be seen and it was just Mrs Weasley standing outside anxiously. When she couldn't see Charlie, Molly was quick to reach for her wand but Bill calmed her with a quick word. Charlie stopped just behind Snape. His arms were getting tired but he was more worried about the girl in them.

"Where is Dumbledore?" Snape said harshly, his eyes darting between Mrs Weasley and their surroundings.

"He can't leave Hogwarts but he sent Fawkes with the address. But whoever you need to bring inside needs to read it. Where-" Molly stopped abruptly when Snape released the vanishing spell.

She gasped and hurried towards Charlie. "Oh dear Merlin. Is that Holly?"

She looked questioningly at Snape who just nodded his head yes. Charlie frowned. The name seemed to ring a memory inside him. He looked down at the girl again and under all the blood and bruises she did look familiar. Molly looked like she was going to touch the girl but didn't dare in the end.

"Severus, she is in no state to read the address. We must take her to St Mungo's."

Snape shook his head. "We cannot take her there. Nobody can know. I wanted to take her to my place but it is being watched. I cannot take her to Hogwarts."

Charlie thought he could hear a slight tone of worry in the potion master's voice again.

"Then we will take her to the burrow." Molly said resolutely and for a moment Charlie thought that Snape looked grateful.

"Very well."

He went to take the girl-Holly- from Charlie but the latter stepped back.

"Look, Professor Snape, I know I am not the best at apparating but I can feel her blood soaking into my clothes. If we move her too much she is going to start bleeding even more."

Snape seemed to consider this for a moment but nodded eventually. His mum looked at him encouragingly. Charlie was certain that she was thinking of him failing his first test.

Snape had turned to speak to Bill in the meantime. "You stay here and send another message to Dumbledore. Also try to reach Lupin. He is quite adept at healing spells."

Bill rushed back into the manor. Charlie held the girl even more tightly and took a deep breath.

"See you at the burrow." he said and disapparated.

Charlie apparated in one piece outside the main door of his family's home. The girl was still in his hands, but bleeding more profusely now. With a faint pop his mother and Snape appeared beside him. They entered the house quickly and Charlie carefully put the girl down on the couch in the living room. Molly was right beside him and carefully started to unbutton the girl's gown. After a strict look from his mother Charlie thought it best to leave and joined Snape in the kitchen. A moment later there was another faint pop outside and Remus Lupin rushed inside. He looked deathly white and out of breath.

"Where is she?" He bellowed and Charlie just pointed towards the living room.

Remus disappeared through the door. Charlie awkwardly stood next to Snape not quite knowing what to say.

"What happened?" He dared to ask eventually.

Snape considered him for a moment.

"A foolish girl thought she could best one of the cruellest followers of the dark lord. And now she has very likely done unsalvageable damage to her task."

The potions teacher said eventually. Charlie frowned.

"So is she a member of the Order?"

Snape huffed.

"Obviously not, Mr Weasley, or I would have been able to take her into the headquarter."

Charlie could feel the tips of his ears burn. It was just like back in his school days.

"Who attacked her? And what is her task?"

"That is between her and Dumbledore. And definitely not for you to know."

Charlie tried a different route.

"She looks very familiar. My mum called her Holly?"

Snape regarded him again, clearly trying to work out how much he could say without giving away any secrets.

"Holly Burr. She was in your year at Hogwarts."

Charlie raised his eyebrows. He did know her. Holly Burr had been in Slytherin and they had been in quite a few classes together. He probably would have recognised her straight away if she hadn't been covered in blood. Just when he was about to ask another question Remus and his mum reappeared from the living room. Charlie could feel Snape tense beside him.

"She's going to be okay. It's actually not as bad as it looks, head wounds always bleed furiously and the cuts are fairly shallow." Remus said, now not looking quite as pale.

Molly dared a small smile.

"She's asleep now." Molly looked up. "Luckily Ron and Ginny are out with Tonks and the twins are with your father." She smiled at Charlie. "You should get changed. The twins' clothes should fit you."

Charlie nodded but did not move. There was no way he was going to let them discuss this further without him. He was part of the order after all. Remus silently seemed to agree with him.

"Severus, how could this happen?"

Snape threw another quick look at Charlie but did not tell him to leave.

"Miss Burr was at the summer tide party at Malfoy manor. As was I. Her task was to gather information about-" another quick look at Charlie, "about the prophecy. I was there too obviously, but she made it very difficult to keep an eye on her. She walked off with McNeagan and by the time I caught up to her she was barely on her feet."

Charlie heard his mother gasp at the mentioning of McNeagan and even Remus paled again.

"I obliviated McNeagan and then I had to leave her until I could make excuses at the party. By the time I got back to her she was unconscious."

A slight tremor had crawled back into Snape's voice. Charlie had the slight suspicion that Snape was feeling guilty.

"I apparated to the safe house in Hounslow and tried to patch her up. I am not sure what hex McNeagan used but just over an hour ago she started bleeding profusely. So I came to the headquarters."

Remus seemed deep in thought and his mum had started to tear up.

"It was some sort of delayed hex. Good job you did not leave her unattended. Do you think anyone noticed at the party?"

Snape took a moment to think.

"McNeagan was pretty drunk so that on top of me obliviating him may have been enough. And quite a lot of the young crowd was leaving around the same time as it happened so Miss Burr's disappearance may have gone unnoticed or at least without suspicion."

Now that he had said it out loud Snape seemed calmer.

"I trust Miss Burr will be alright in your care? I have to see what I can find out about the aftermath."

Molly nodded rigorously. Without any words of thanks or farewell Snap left the kitchen and disapparated from the burrow. Remus turned towards Charlie.

"Charlie, this must stay absolutely confidential. Miss Burr is a very valuable asset (at this Mrs Weasley huffed) and we mustn't lose her. Her position within the old families allows her to gather all sorts of information. Information we desperately need."

Charlie helped himself to a glass of water before answering Remus. He was still sticky with the girls' blood.

"I am not going to say anything. But I suppose she'll have to stay here for a while?"

He looked at his mother questioningly.

"She will definitely need a couple of days to recover. But not here. As soon as she is awake we need to move her to the headquarters. It'll be safer."

Remus nodded at his mothers words.

"Charlie, your mother and I better return. We need to update Dumbledore and the other members of the order. Can you stay with Holly and bring her with you once she is awake?"

Charlie nodded.

"Thank you. Molly, do you have the address?"

His mother gave him the small sheet with Dumbledore's neat writing on it.

"Don't forget to destroy it after."

Remus and Molly smiled at him one last time before disapparating.

Charlie felt a million times better after he had gotten out of his bloodied clothes, had a shower and was now wearing a pair of George's jeans and one of his old sweaters that he had found in Fred's closet. He was sitting in the living room trying to read Newt Scamander's "Dragons in the wild" article that he had found in Ron's room but kept catching himself looking at Holly instead. Charlie did not remember ever talking to her whilst at Hogwarts. He did remember the snobby remarks her friends had made at him and his friends but although she must have joined in he could not think of what her voice may sound like. Now that the blood and bruising was gone and colour had returned to her face, Charlie couldn't believe he had not recognised her straight away. Her dark hair was fanned out on the pillow and Charlie knew that when she'd eventually open her eyes they'd be a light shade of blue. He thought that she actually looked quite pretty whilst sleeping but at Hogwarts there had always been a haughty expression on her face which took away from her appeal. He didn't think he'd ever seen her smile. Charlie tried to focus once more on the article in his hands. He kept rereading the same line and was just about to give up when he heard Holly stir on the couch. Charlie put the article down and watched Holly's eyes flutter open. She did not move but Charlie could see her eyes flittering about taking in her surroundings. When they came to look upon him her pupils widened for a moment. Holly opened her mouth but when she tried to speak only a rasp came out. Charlie knelt down beside her and gave her a bit of water. Holly tried to lift her head but couldn't so he gently put his hand under her head and helped her so she could drink. After a few sips she sank back and closed her eyes again.

"You're safe, Holly."

Charlie said, not wanting her to panic although he didn't think she was actually worried after realising where she was. Or rather who she was with. Holly had obviously recognised him straight away and knew that he was of no danger to her. She lifted her head again and once again Charlie helped her with taking some sips of water.

"McNeagan?" Holly whispered, her voice still sounding weak and raspy.

Charlie repeated what Snape had told them in the kitchen.

"He knows." Holly whispered. "He knows what the dark lord is after. And that Dumbledore is trying to stop him getting it."

Holly still had her eyes closed, her voice getting raspier with the strain of talking.

"Holly, I will have to take you somewhere else. It's not safe here."

Charlie made a mental note to send a message to Dumbledore as soon as he was able to. Holly nodded weakly. Charlie thought it wise to get her to the manor straight away and reached under the blanket to pick her up again. And froze when he could feel soft skin only where he had expected clothes. His skin went red hot and he pulled his hands back as if burnt.

"I think I need some clothes first." Holly said, still weakly, but with definite amusement.