Charlotte walked about the cabin cleaning as she went. She had finished the washing up from breakfast, and made Charlie enough soup for the next couple of days even if Nate or Louis came for dinner. The homemade bread was cooling on the counter. She took the time the past two days to clean out the few cabinets in their tiny kitchen. She now had a list tucked in her bag of items she felt she would need to collect to efficiently cook for them when she moved to Romanian permanently.
The past two days had been a whirlwind. She had reached the preserve late on February 28th. Charlie was working the evening shifts and was not home when she arrived. Louis collected her from the Romanian Ministry and checked her into the reserve. She went to their cabin and waited. She took time to clean some and read more of A History of Magic and revise her third year information into notes for NEWT review. Charlie had left her a plate for dinner and a note letting her know he ate already and would be home around nine.
At ten she went to bed with her book. The long days were catching up to her. She arranged to make up her missing classes with her instructors in the evenings in addition to the time studying for her NEWTs. She, along with her friends, set a brutal schedule. Even these couple of days were throwing her studies into disarray, but she was making the best of her situation. Hermione and she were the only ones still taking History of Magic, so they made the decision to study the course independently until the end. Both were preparing study notes and would compare them as the test came closer. She only meant to closer her eyes for a moment, but fell asleep.
She woke to Charlie brushing her hair out of her face a short time later.
"Sorry," He explained, "We have a sick Horntail. It would be bad enough, but he is new to the reserve and doesn't like us much. He is yet to realize he is safe and will be fed regularly."
"That's all right, I was just…" Charlotte looked around for her book not finding it.
Charlie chuckled. "I set it on the table in the sitting area. I thought maybe you were reading it to fall asleep."
Charlotte smiled back. Charlie leaned over and pecked her on the lips. "Almost forgot. Good evening, wife."
"Good evening, Charlie." She blushed back.
His hand had remained to stroke her shoulder. She finally noticed that he was bare chested laying under the blanket. His hair was damp from presumably cleaning up a short time before. Her eyes drifted back up to his. She knew why she was there. His plan was somewhat devious and they were cutting it close. Ms. Horton had relaxed their requirements to once a month. Once a calendar month, and it was the last day of February. Probably the last hour even.
Charlie sensed or saw her realization because he leaned forward and kissed her deeply. She yielded to him and he rolled them both over so Charlotte was under him. She relaxed and tried to enjoy his attentions. He soon had her nightgown laying on the floor along with her kickers. She closed her eyes and focused on his lips nibbling her neck. She moved her hands to his hair and was enjoying the feel of his curls through her fingers, when he spoke. "I'm sorry I am so late and tired. I promise to make it up to you tomorrow."
He aligned their bodies and slowly entered her. She moaned as he filled her and her body yielded to his intrusion. He allowed her a minute to adjust to him again as he captured her lips to his. He began a slow pace and groaned, "I won't last long. I'm sorry."
She kissed him to accept his apology. He took efforts to give her some pleasure by reaching between them to stroke her clit as he continued his slow steady stroking. She may not have climaxed, but was still satisfied when he came deep within her. After a few more lazy kisses, he withdrew and rolled to his back next to her.
"Sleep. You have traveled most of the day and I am tired from work."
Her eyes closed almost at once.
She awoke a short time later to him pulling her back under his body. "Witch, you are too much of a temptation laying there naked in my bed."
It took her several of his heated kisses to come completely awake. By then, he entered her and was smirking at her between kisses. "Are you with me now? You are funny when you are only half awake."
She blushed embarrassed. He kissed her long and hard again. "I have a promise to fulfill from earlier."
He stroked into her deep. She inhaled at the new sensation. To this point, Charlie had been slow and gentle. This was new. He nodded approving of her reaction. Reaching behind him, he hooked one of her legs drawing it up and hooking it around his hip. She looked at him trying to comprehend his actions. He repeated the action with her other leg and grinned mischievously. He pulled back again and pushed into her deeply. Charlotte gasped as he entered her fully.
He leaned forward on his elbows. "Let's try something a little new. Keep your legs wrapped around my back. No letting go. That would be cheating."
He pulled back again and pumped deep within her again, checking for her compliance. She arched her back to meet him. He dropped down on his elbows and threaded his fingers through her hair this time. He continued driving into her continuing to go deeper, harder and faster as time passed. Charlotte was a mess of shivering pleasure as he continued.
Charlie eventually dropped his head on her shoulder. "So close. You are so tight I cannot go on like I want to. Let go, Charlotte. Don't hold back on me."
Charlotte could not comprehend his command. Charlie groaned and reached between them. He ran his calloused thumb across the nub at their joined bodies and Charlotte crashed over the edge of ecstasy. Charlie rose up and began to pump into her even harder, soon joining her in release. He held himself off of her as they recovered. Finally able to breath he kissed her again and rolled off of her.
He looked over at her grinning. "Try to look less stimulating so we can get some sleep."
Charlotte blushed and wrapped the blanket about her tighter. Charlie wrapped his arm around her and pulled her head onto his chest. "None of that now."
"Good night, Charlie." She blushed into his chest.
He reached down and pulled her lips up to his. "Good night, wife."
They both slept late the next morning. Charlotte woke up first and slipped carefully from the bed. Retrieving her nightgown from the floor, she began to work on breakfast. While she cooked bacon at the stove, Charlie managed to get out of bed silently and sneak up behind her. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her when she turned her head in surprise. "Good morning, wife"
"Good Morning, Charlie. Breakfast will be ready soon. How do you like your eggs?" was Charlotte's reply.
"Mixed, well." Was his answer. He pulled away and walked over to the shelves where he kept his clothes. Charlotte turned to ask another question only to turn back in surprise. Charlie had greeted her in the nude. She concentrated on her eggs again.
They talked of random things at breakfast. Charlotte's classes. Charlie's work. Louis and Nate's latest antics. Ginny's last quidditch match. The fight Katie and Jake had last week. Hermione's new study schedule.
Charlie then took her to the small wizarding village south of the preserve. Katie and Jake joined them as well and the couples shopped for the mundane sundries of any household.
Charlie worked again that evening and again told her he would be home by nine. Charlotte studied for History of Magic and fell to sleep again. She woke this morning to find Charlie fast asleep next to her.
He slept later that morning and ate his breakfast in a slight temper not directed at Charlotte. He eventually explained to her about the new rookie his team was tasked with what Charlie had deemed 'babysitting'. The kid was a right fool and did not listen to anybody. Charlie had words with his supervisor about how unobservant the prat was so far. The arse told Charlie he was tasked with the boy's training, so train him. Nate and Louis labeled him untrainable as far as they were concerned.
When he left for work again, Charlie kissed her goodbye and worried again about her traveling on her own. She reminded him she managed from London to here, and reminded him she was a Ravenclaw, so he conceded and left for work still annoyed with the new recruit.
Charlotte was concerned about the Ministry requirements when she remembered they had fulfilled them all in one night just a few hours apart. Which led her to now, busying herself with one last tidy up before she left this afternoon for Hogwarts until Easter break. She just sat down with her Care of Magical Creatures text to read ahead when there was a banging on the door. Charlotte jumped in fright and wondered if one of the others was off shift and Charlie convinced them to escort her to the Romanian Ministry.
The door bang again and Charlotte moved to open it. Outside a very pale Katie supported an almost unconscious Charlie. "Help me with him, I think he is going to pass out from the pain."
Charlotte retrieved her wand from the pocket of her dress. With a quick swish and flick, Charlie was floating across the room onto the bed, Katie stumbling behind him. Charlotte noticed blood running down Charlie's side and his left pant leg of his leathers was completely scorched away revealing a severe burn to his entire leg.
Charlotte took a deep breath willing herself not to regress to the battle. She ran to the closet and retrieved the medical supplies Charlie had pointed out during her first stay. She began to inventory her options. "What happened?!"
"That damn rookie walked into the pen with the new Horntail. Charlie ordered everybody to stay out. Told the kid twice and made him repeat it to him. It went ballistic when it saw him and managed to break out of its restraints after the kid loosened them. That in itself would have been a bother, but the idiot kid didn't latch the enclosure door and it broke out. We have a grand debacle, let me tell you. Charlie and Jake were trying to keep it cornered and away from the rookie while they waited for help. Jake was dodging the flames when he was hit by the tail. Charlie tried to redirect it away from Jake and got burnt in the process."
Charlotte blanched, "Katie, where is Jake?"
"I saw him being hauled out by another pair of handlers. He must be at the hospital by now. We were sent out after they found out we were hurt when the reinforcements arrived. Charlie kept insisting he was fine, but got to the point where he couldn't go on. We were closer to your cabin then the hospital, so I got him to here."
Charlotte grabbed a blanket. She performed a quick spell Madam Pomfrey taught her in a hurry after the battle as they treated patients to remove Charlie's clothes. Without looking she covered him with the thin blanket. Charlie screamed at the actions. Carefully she removed the blanket from the leg and looked. He badly burnt most of the skin on the leg. Some spots were so severe, the underlying muscle was also damaged. She cringed and closed her eyes. She thought through the process to treat Charlie's wounds. One step clicked into her head. Triage.
"Katie, you said you were hurt. What happened to you?"
"Was trying to get to Jake and Charlie. Didn't dodge fast enough. Got caught with a claw on my shoulder." Katie panted out the answer like it cost her a great deal.
"I saw blood on Charlie's shirt. Where did that come from? I don't seen any injury that would have caused that much bleeding." Charlotte was still looking over Charlie for more injuries.
"I think it's mine from my shoulder." Katie answered slurring her words slightly.
Charlotte flipped around her new friend. They developed a comradery against the men yesterday. Much like Gillian, Katie left her little choice other than to be friends, demanding her allying to combat the men's regular teasing. Walking across the room, she ripped open Katie's sleeve. The wound was deep, and pulsing. The damned dragon managed to nick an artery. Charlotte reached behind her as she wordlessly summonsed bandages.
"Hold this to your shoulder right here. Do not remove it. I have to check on Charlie again, then I will deal with this. I need to know if the bleeding will stop on its own or if I need to fix it. Don't pick up that bandage."
Charlotte walked back to the bed. Charlie's eyes were hazed in pain. She brushed aside his hair looking for any bumps. Finding none, she finally reached into the basket and retrieved a potion for pain. She looked over the ingredients. Not what she would have liked to use, but few options were available. She pulled the dropper from the bottle. "Charlie, open your mouth. Please, just a little."
He clenched his teeth in pain not really hearing her command. She sighed and grabbed his chin pulling his teeth apart. He finally complied and she managed to put two undiluted drops under his tongue. Another quick look over her shoulder showed Katie was still complying with her wishes and was still coherent.
She turned her attention back to Charlie. Right. Worst first. She double checked his other leg for burns. Blushing, she looked under the blanket to check… she couldn't even think of an appropriate term for that particular part of his anatomy, especially after what it had been doing to her during her visits. Thankfully, nothing had been damaged, so she would not need to get any more familiar with that area then she already was.
She looked again at his face. He was not getting any relief. The bad part was she had nothing stronger and he should be knocked out for what she was about to do next. She turned back to the basket looking at her limited supplies. He had burn salve, but not a good one. Charlotte thought back to the list in her bag which included notes for two additional potions she was going to make for their medical supplies including the better burn ointment the grandmother made her learn as child. She mentally added another one for sedation. She summons a bowl form the kitchen shelves and pulled out the cleansing compound. It was powdered, so she added water from her wand to the bowl. Steeling herself, she looked at Charlie. Still no change. She shut her eyes and begged for inner strength and then pointed her wand and without looking at his face she stunned Charlie into unconsciousness.
"Wh.y you...do tat?" Katie slurred again.
"I have to clean the burn. It will be extremely painful and I don't have the right potions to do it properly. It will not eliminate the pain, but at least he will be unconscious." Charlotte began to dab a cloth into the paste she made. She steeled herself and dabbed the first of the paste onto the burns. Charlie arched off the bed.
"Katie, how are you doing back there?"
"O…Okay." She answered with effort.
Charlotte continued to work on Charlie and glanced at Katie worried. "Tell me about Italy, Katie. There are beaches?"
"Yes, my family is from Caprera. There are beaches all around us. And beautiful people. You will love it there." Katie tried to focus but still slurred her words. She chuckled but continued. "You should have seen them the night of your wedding, Bella Charlotte. No one knew what to think. Charlie had to adjust his pants thinking of us naked on those beaches."
Charlotte blushed. Keeping her friend talking was important, but maybe another topic. One that would help Charlotte as she continued to cause her husband pain. He continued to flinch and thrash at her every touch of the cleansing paste. "Katie, can you tell me about Horntails? Are they poisonous?"
Katie shook her head with a lull. "Not poisonous, but venomous. The venom can cause bleeding not to stop. They developed a method of licking which allows them to extract the venom onto their claws. Quite ingenious."
Of course. Venom was so much better. Charlotte completed her work on Charlie's leg. He stopped thrashing giving into the pain eventually. She made sure she didn't miss any spots and turned to Katie cringing. "I have to clean the wound, Katie. It's going to hurt. A lot."
Katie nodded and dropped her hand with the bandage. Charlotte cringed. The bleeding had not slowed at all. She smiled apologetically at her friend and applied the same paste she used on Charlie with a clean cloth. Katie hissed and let out a string of what could only be Italian expletives.
Charlotte worked as quickly as she could to finish cleaning the wound. "We have to let it set until the color changes to blue, then we can clean it out."
Katie nodded. The pain brought her out of her lethargy at least. Charlotte drew out her wand and cast a couple of diagnostic spells. Finding nothing else wrong with Katie, she retrieved the pain medication. "You can have some of this now that you are more coherent. Under your tongue."
Katie opened her mouth like a toddler and took her potion without complaint. Charlotte looked again at the foam coming out of the arm and then over her shoulder to Charlie. His was just starting to change a lite shade of blue. A couple more minutes. Katie's wound continued to ooze red. Charlotte decided to give her more time to see if the foam turned purple showing the blue potion and red blood mixing.
She turned her attention back to Charlie when the foam was a neon blue. His burnt leathers had left pieces in the wounds which took time to extrude with the potion. As she began to siphon the potion off his leg, she checked him over again and felt better now the wound was clean. She began to work on repairing the muscle damage with spell work since she didn't have the correct potions. When the leg was clean and the worst of the damage repaired, Charlotte grabbed the only burn ointment in the basket. She sighed and began to smooth the cream over the burn. Two glances later and Katie's arm was finally covered in bright indigo foam.
"Do you feel up to rinsing off your arm? It will clean it better if you use actual water instead of your wand."
Katie nodded and rose to her feet. She waited until the slight dizziness left and walked to the cabin's bathroom. Charlotte could hear the water running through the open door.
Just as she finished applying the ointment to Charlie, Louis' big boar patronus appeared in the hut. "Charlie, Katie where are you two. The director is assessing casualties."
Katie returned to the room with a clean bandage on her arm. "Can you tell them?"
Charlotte nodded and pulled her wand. She calmed her nerves and pulled her happy thought forward. A porcelain doll with black curls just like hers. The timid, little bobcat popped out of her wand and slinked towards her. "Go tell Louis, Katie and Charlie are here at our cabin. Both are hurt and I am trying to treat them as well as I can."
The bobcat slinked out the wall and towards what Charlotte thought was the direction of the central compound. A minute later two pops could be heard outside. Seconds later the door banged open and the men stepped quickly through the door. Charlotte was working on Katie's arm. "Quiet, I am trying to concentrate. The claw hit an artery."
Both men looked on with curiosity. After a few seconds Charlotte nodded and stood up straight. She took another clean bandage and put it on Katie's arm again. "Let's see if it stops some now. Don't take it off for a minute or two."
Nate and Louis came the rest of the way inside and looked around. Nate walked to Charlie's side and looked at the wounds. "You implied you were having issues."
"Yes, I don't have the correct ointment. I have him stunned right now for the pain since I don't have anything for sedation. I should be able to help Katie, but I need dittany to close the shoulder properly."
"What do you need for Charlie?" Nate asked.
"A better ointment. One with puncture or myrtle in it. Preferably both. I also need something so he can sleep." Charlotte looked with concern at her husband.
"Tell me everything you have done and let me go to Healer Thayer and see what I can do." Nate demanded.
Charlotte went over her treatment of both her patients. Nate nodded and turned to leave.
"Nate, do you know about Jake?" Katie asked in concern.
Nate shook his head. "I don't know what is wrong or what they are doing, but he is alive. He was giving them a good fight at one point."
Katie nodded and slumped back in her chair.
"Nate, see if you can get me some blood replenishing potion as well. She is too weak for my comfort." Charlotte did not remove her eyes from Katie's sagging form in the chair.
Nate looked over his shoulder and nodded. He walked out the door and disappeared instantly. She turned her attention back to Katie. The bleeding was lessened, but did not stop. Charlotte began to work another spell. A few minutes later, another pop could be heard and Nate returned with his arms laden with potions and ointments.
"Healer Thayer said to let you know Katie will need this purple potion dropped into her arm. The venom is probably not completely out, but she said to let you know she was impressed with your improvising so far."
Charlotte grabbed the purple potion, read the ingredients and instructions and unstopped the bottle. She dropped several gelatinous globs into the wound and spread it about. The wound began to hiss and steam.
Katie was concerned until Charlotte nodded. "It will take few minutes. We need to wait for it to stop steaming. It's attacking the venom."
Charlotte turned on Nate again. He held up a tub of yellow ointment that smelled like milk and honey as well as some other strong scent Charlotte could not place. "She would agree with you on the puncture of it were not a Horntail burn. Their fire is different than most. She has never used myrtle, so she wants you to use this cream. She said not to worry much about the ointment you have on, just wipe most of it down and apply this straight on top. She said to revive him first switch to this pain medication and then give him this sedative. Not too much, he should be able to be woken often to check his pain level. If you can, get him to drink this restorative. She sent the dittany for Katie as well. However, she said to let you know the venom sometimes wants to split the wound back open, so wrap it after it is healed and give her a half dose of the pain potion you are giving Charlie. The blood restorative is double strength. There are instructions on the bottle so you how much to give."
Charlotte nodded and started to review the new potions setting each one aside after she was done. Nate hesitated and looked at Louis then back to Charlotte. "She asked me if you would mind her sending some of the lesser injured to you. They are overwhelmed at the hospital. She said she has a mediwitch assessing who can wait, but she doesn't know how long it will take them to get to the backlog."
Charlotte looked up from the pain medication, to Charlie and Katie, then at Louis and Nate. They could see her calculating. "Are either of you hurt?"
Louis shook his head. Nate shrugged. "Bumps and bruises. I'll live."
Charlotte looked them both over with a critical eye and turned back to Katie. The potion was still steaming. She turned her attention to Charlie. She pulled her wand back out and pointed at Charlie again and revived him. He hissed back into consciousness.
"Charlie," Charlotte kneeled by his head. "I need you to take some better medicine for me."
"You need to get going back to school." Charlie spoke through pain clenched teeth.
"Soon. I need to get you fixed up a bit and I will leave. I promise." She smiled at him and stroked his hair out of his eyes. "Can you take some potions for me? I promise they taste like over boiled cabbage and sour milk all mixed together. You'll love it."
Charlie tried to smile but grimaced instead.
"Open wide, let me put these under your tongue so they will work faster." Charlotte coaxed. Charlie complied. She managed to get the medication in his mouth. Seconds later his pain filled shaking subsided slightly. "Feeling a little better? Good. One more."
She dropped three drops of the sedative under his tongue without letting him know what it was for. Charlie's eyes soon drooped, then closed into a deep sleep. Charlotte sighed and grabbed another clean cloth and wiped down his leg again. She applied to new cream and stood back up.
She turned to Katie who was still smoking. Her attention turned on Nate. "How bad?"
"There are a lot of people in for treatment…"
"You. How bad are you?" Charlotte clarified.
Nate shrugged. Charlotte sighed and drew out her wand. "I really do not have time for foolishness."
Her diagnostic spells told the truth in moments. Seconds later, Charlotte had Nate out of his shirt looking at the bruises on his back with a grimace. She poked and prodded. He hissed in pain. She cast a couple more spells, summoned the original pain potion and looked at him without speaking. He sighed and opened his mouth for his dose of medicine. She retrieve another pot of cream from the basket and rubbed it into the bruising. Before she was completed, it began to recede some.
"How?" Charlotte asked.
"Wall. Someone was thrown into me and I hit the wall." Nate hesitated then continued. "I'm not as bad as most."
Charlotte nodded and turned on Louis.
"Nothing, I swear, my pretty lady." The Frenchman held his hands in surrender.
Charlotte studied him for a moment and turned back on Katie. Her wound had finally stopped smoking. She made her way to her friend and began to work on her again. She cleaned the wound, applied the dittany and bandaged the location deftly. She reread the bottle of blood replenishing potion and unstopped the bottle. Katie did not have to be asked, instead opened her mouth and took her potions.
Charlotte turned to Louis and Nate. "Can you watch him for me? If the hospital staff send the injured to me, we could have issues. If someone is worse than they appear, we will need to send them back. If I leave, I need someone to watch Charlie and let me know if I need to come back."
Nate and Louis looked at each other and nodded.
"Why both of us?" Louis asked.
"One to stay and one to come after me if I am needed." Charlotte explained.
"Understood. Can you find the hospital on your own?" Nate asked.
"No, I have never been. Take Katie first, she is fine for the time being and can sit with Jake." Charlotte commanded walking back to her bed and Charlie. She looked him over again as Louis left with Katie.
"You're good for him. He doesn't leave us alone with you so we will not say anything, but he has a contentment he did not have before." Nate comforted her as she rechecked Charlie's wounds.
She looked at Nate with tear filled eyes. "I am nothing special. The dregs of the pool of single witches the Ministry needed to match to someone."
Nate ran a finger down her face to pull an errant curl back behind her ear. She pulled away without thought as the bond reacted to the other's touch. "Think what you will, Charlotte. Sometime, both of you will realize this was for the best."
Any further conversation was not needed as Louis arrived to take Charlotte to the hospital. Always the jester, he put his arms out like he wanted to dance. Charlotte laughed and let him pull her into the waltz and oblivion.
They reappeared at the hospital still dancing. Louis tucked her arm into his and they marched up the few steps, into bedlam. Charlotte froze in momentary panic.
"You are fine, my sweet," Louis whispered into her ear. "You are in Romania. No mad men for miles, just crazy dragons."
She took a deep breath and nodded at Louis. He escorted her forward to a grey haired woman shouting orders around a bed. So many people surrounded it, Charlotte could not see the occupant.
"Healer Thayer," Louis interrupted the woman, "This is Charlotte Weasley. She thought it best to come to you. Easier on the patients if they needed to be here anyway."
The healer nodded, "Perfect. I was concerned about that very issue, but thought if I could get some of the injured healed, I would chance it. How's Weasley?"
"Resting," Charlotte responded. "I managed to get him and Katie fixed up. Nate also. I was worried so I asked Louis and Nate to stay with him while I came here. They are supposed to come and get me when he wakes up."
The healer nodded. "I'm glad you came. Nadine!"
A small woman not much older than Charlotte bolted to her side. The healer continued without looking. "Nadine, this is Charlie Weasley's wife, the new girl who wants to be a healer. She has some skill already so set her up in the center of the ward. She can fix up the group of minor injuries for us."
She then turned on Charlotte. "Nadine will get you your patients. Just work them through. You'll be between CeCe and myself. Cece wave."
A dark haired woman worked at another bed put her hand up and waved briefly not looking.
The healer turned back to her patient but continued talking. "If you have problems, holler. One of us will come. If you need supplies, shout them out. Every handler has to spend time in here training for just this reason. Someone will get you what you need. If you ask for something we don't have or you shouldn't use, Cece or I will correct you or give you another option. Don't be offended, but I don't have time to coddle you today."
"Yes, ma'am." Charlotte nodded.
"Get going, our boys are suffering."
Nadine led her across the room to a space between two beds. Charlotte looked about at her supplies while Nadine retrieved the first patient, a dark haired man with greying temples. He was holding his dislocated arm still with his other hand. Charlotte smiled as she helped him up on the cot.
"Hello, I'm Charlotte," she said as she looked over his injuries. The shoulder must have been hit, because there was also a gash to be dealt with.
"Name's Reynolds. Thayer got a quick look at me. Told me if you could, heal the open wound and she would deal with the shoulder later," the man replied.
Charlotte smiled at him as she ripped open the sleeve down his arm and pushed it back around his neck. "What caused the wound?"
"Damn thing clipped me with his claw and popped the arm when I hit the fence," Reynolds complained.
Charlotte smiled at him and cast a couple of spells. Nodding at her findings she made her request. "I need some thin long strips of bandaging, the purple cleansing compound, a muscle restorative and something to stabilize his arm. A sling or some more soft strips that are long enough to go around his body."
Her supplies came from multiple directions. Healer Thayer looked up trying to guess her intent but turned back to her own patient.
"I need to reset the joint. If I try to heal your cut, the muscles will form up improperly and will need to be stretched again to the proper location. I'm sorry sir, but we will need to do things a bit backwards. Have you had some pain medication yet? I am afraid it will hurt quite badly for a moment." Charlotte explained as she wrapped the small strips around the arm.
Reynolds informed her the mediwitch had given him something while he waited. Using a technique taught to her by her father's sister, she used the strips to stabilize and pull the shoulder back into place. Reynolds cussed when she rotated the join back into the socket then relaxed as the pain receded. Using the strips, and soft cloth, Charlotte secured his arm to his side to prevent it from moving while she was working on the rest of his injuries. He would also have to give the muscles time to repair. She then grabbed the purple potion and began cleaning the wound of venom. She explained everything to him while she worked. Satisfied, she pointed him to a chair across from her and told him he needed to wait for the steam to quit.
"Nadine, send me another patient. I can try to treat someone else while I wait for Mr. Reynolds' potion to finish clearing," Charlotte said as she helped the man sit in the chair.
Nadine quickly complied with another man with a long gash on his arm.
"Another claw," she asked smiling. The young man nodded. She repeated her spells looking for more injuries. Applying the potion, she sent him to a chair she conjured next to Mr. Reynolds.
Nadine who was a quick study, had another patient on the cot ready for Charlotte before she had to ask. She set the wrist with a spell, placed a brace on for stability until the healing was completed, and called for Skel-a-grow. CeCe told them to bring a muscle restorative also. Charlotte nodded and took the potions, read the instructions and administered them.
Looking at him she debated. "I found nothing else on his scans, but he will need another dose in a few hours. Do we have a bed for him?"
It was Healer Thayer who answered without looking up from her work. "Head to your cabin, Neil. Rest up. Don't move the wrist or it will take longer. Have Nadine give you more pain medicine before you leave. We'll send someone to you later with your potions when it is time."
Charlotte nodded and smiled at Neil. He blushed and jumped off the table. Nadine was at his side with a vial of pain medicine and instruction when and how to take it. Charlotte spared a look at her other patients. "Mr. Reynolds, I think you are ready."
He stood awkwardly from his chair and made it back to her. She got him settled back on the cot and began working on the open gash. She cleaned out the potion, healed the worst to the muscle damage and gave him a restorative before she dropped in the dittany. She called for a bandage to place over the wound.
"Any pain?" She asked.
"No, feels real good. Thanks." Reynolds rolled his shoulder in the brace experimentally.
Charlotte nodded. "Don't do that too much. The muscles are still weak. You need a few hours for the muscles to repair before I want you to remove the slings holding your arm in place."
"How long?" Reynolds looked annoyed.
"At least six hour," CeCe replied for Charlotte, "Which is much shorter than it would have been if she didn't take the time to heal some of the worst of the damage. Quit your whining. If you have any pain, take the minor pain reliever you have at your cabin."
Reynolds slid off the cot and nodded at Charlotte as he left the room.
She worked again on the young man with the wide gash. Thayer came by and looked at her healing after, she was concerned about the depth of the wound and what she should do to make the repair. The healer told Charlotte her original plan was sound and to continue. Charlotte healed him up and sent him on his way with more potions for pain and muscle regrowth.
She continued on with five others needing minor cuts, bumps and bruises fixed up. Her final patient was sitting on the cot just after she sent the other on his way. She turned to face him. "What can I help you with, sir?"
The man blinked a couple of times. "Bad headache. Got tossed into the wall out there. Took me a minute to get back up even."
Charlotte cast her spells. As she waited, she noticed his eyes. "He has a head injury!"
CeCe and Thayer were both at her side. Charlotte had grabbed his chin already and was looking at the unbalanced pupils.
"Skull is cracked." Thayer cast better diagnostic spells. "You had better take him, CeCe. This will be more than I want her to tackle."
CeCe nodded and lead the man away.
"Look in on Jake and Katie for me. I'll be over in a minute when I can leave this kid again." Thayer was already moving away.
Charlotte began to look around the hospital for Katie when the director entered followed by an assistant. He spoke to the room in general. "I would like a status update. How many are hurt."
"Nadine, help the director out." Thayer didn't even turn to acknowledge him.
Nadine grabbed a clipboard to comply when Charlotte noticed his forehead. "Director, you're hurt."
He waved her off as she approached. "Others are in greater need."
Charlotte was only momentarily deterred. "Director, you need to be examined. What if you have a bleed in your brain? You will not be any use to the reserve if you are incapacitated."
He turned on Charlotte angrily. "I am fine-"
"And you will sit on that chair right there and let her look at you to prove it, or I will relieve you of command until you do! Are we clear?" Healer Thayer walked by carrying another potion for her patient.
The director bristled, glared at both women and slumped into the chair when he realized neither was backing down. Charlotte approached and cast her spells. The director sighed in exasperation.
"A concussion to go with your cut." Charlotte pronounced. "How do you want me to treat him, Healer Thayer? The grandmother always said time and rest. Madam Pomfrey always used a potion I am unfamiliar with."
"Nadine, grab her the bruising potion we have. Realize concussions are no more than bruises to the brain, so we must treat them as such. Usually we would not let him leave for twelve hours, but he will protest and I don't have time for his antics here today. Phillip, you will have to watch over him. He will need some rest, and food. Please let Mrs. Peptrofski know she will have to wake him every couple of hours to check he is alright. Apologize in advance for us making him more ornery than normal from lack of sleep. Charlotte you can clean that wound with cleaning compound and fix it with dittany."
Nadine handed Charlotte her supplies and she started working on the very pouty director. When she finished with him, she sent him on his way with Phillip in change of his potions. Peptrofski took a moment to grudgingly thank her for helping him. Healer Thayer looked up briefly and nodded her approval at Charlotte. She blushed and looked again for Jake and Katie. Nadine was at her side and led her farther into the ward to where CeCe was working earlier. There she found a sedated Jake and worried Katie.
"His leg is badly broken." Katie didn't even look up. "The bone came straight out. CeCe was trying to help, but keeps getting called away to someone more severely injured."
Nadine leaned over to speak softly to Charlotte. "They gave him a double dose of Skel-a-grow and the strong muscle restorer, but it is not working well. He was fighting us because of the pain, so Thayer sedated him." Charlotte looked the situation over. Thinking back to her childhood and again to May, she found an answer.
"Katie, would you mind going to check on Charlie for me. I need to know if that last ointment I put on him is turning green." Charlotte smiled at her friend trying not to give herself away.
Katie looked up. "Do you really need me to, Charlotte?"
"If you wouldn't mind. I'll stay with Jake and be available if they need me. You had better walk. I'm worried about the amount of blood you have lost." Charlotte pleaded with her eyes. Nadine walked back across the ward.
Katie nodded and stood up. "You will send someone if he gets worse?"
"Immediately." Charlotte promised with a smile.
Katie relented and rose from her chair. The minute she was out of the hospital, Healer Thayer was at her side. "What do you have planned?"
"Hobbles." Charlotte said turning to the healer for permission. "The bones are so severely broken, it will take time for the Skel-a-grow to work. Meanwhile, the muscles need to be reformed, or they will be permanently damaged. As the bone continues to heal, it will continue to rip the healed muscles that have repaired. We have to straighten the bones in that leg. If we can align the bones, they will knit back together quicker."
"How will you hobble him?" Thayer moved back to her patient shouting across the room.
Charlotte followed her lead shouting back. "If I restrain him to the bed under his arms and by his boots, I should be able to set the leg without making it too long or too short."
"It's worth a try. Damn you boy. I need more blood restorative now. Can you do it on your own, Weasley? I can't leave this kid and CeCe has her hands full with the other two." Thayer began to wave complicated spells over the young man in the bed.
Charlotte swallowed. She nodded then remembered the healer was not looking at her. "I can try ma'am. I did it once at Hogwarts during…"
The healer looked at her. "You are going to have to keep it together, Weasley. Get what you need form Nadine."
Charlotte took a deep breath and let it out. Nadine was at her side. "How can I help you?"
"I need soft cords and muscle. We will need to pull the leg back into alignment." Charlotte stated.
Nadine nodded. "Cord I will have to look for. Muscle, I can find."
Charlotte thought for a moment. "We can transfigure basic rope to the proper cords. Find me some padding so we do not chafe him too badly."
Nadine nodded and moved. "Marcel, get your father, then help Mrs. Weasley with Jake. You will need to interpret."
A young, dark haired boy nodded and bolted out the door. Nadine looked to another handler and asked for strong ropes. Charlotte looked over Jake. She needed access to the leg. She pulled out her wand and stopped. The only spell she knew would not help. She needed most of his clothing to remain.
"What's wrong?" CeCe stopped on her way across the room.
"I need to remove his trousers, but leave the rest of his clothes." Charlotte never removed her eyes from Jake debating her options.
CeCe sighed. "You are very strangely trained, Weasley, bit I don't have time to teach you today."
She waved her wand at his trousers and they disappeared to the chair Katie had occupied. Charlotte blushed and pulled a sheet partially over Jake.
"Girl, you are going to have to get over your embarrassment. Jake ain't got nothing your Charlie don't have." CeCe walked back to her other patient.
"Until an hour ago, I didn't know what it looked like on him either," Charlotte mumbled under her breath.
"Really," Nadine asked quietly handing Charlotte the ropes.
Charlotte shrugged and blushed again. Nadine smiled. "Word is, Charlie has a lot more then Jake here ever dreamed about."
Charlotte giggled as she began to work the ropes around Jakes boots. Nadine and she just managed to get Jake sitting upright and the ropes twisted into a makeshift harness around his upper body when Marcel returned with another older, larger version of himself. The man nodded and looked at Marcel.
"Father says to make sure you tell me in detail what you need from him before we start. He is worried you will lose time or things will go bad if he doesn't understand completely." Marcel relayed what must have been an earlier conversation.
"Tell you father I am grateful for his foresight." Charlotte replied still working on the harness. The father studied her with interest. Marcel turned to his father and began to speak. Charlotte looked at them in shock. She understood Marcel. Or at least the majority of his retelling.
The father looked at her shrewdly. "Why do you tie him in a horse harness?"
"Because the grandmother said it will hold them in place better while they are hobbled." Charlotte replied in the language she had not spoken since she was ten.
The father looked at Marcel again. "I do not know this last word."
"Hobbled" Charlotte replied in English to Marcel. Marcel looked back at his father and said a different word.
The man nodded and looked thoughtfully at Charlotte. He continued to speak to her in the Roma language.
"Where were you …?" Another word flowed Charlotte could not understand. Her confusion must have shown because the father tried two more. The final one made sense. "Born?"
Charlotte nodded in understanding. "England."
The man nodded. "I am Emil. Explain what is needed in Roma. Where our languages differ by country, Marcel will help. It is good I understand most of what you are saying."
Charlotte nodded and complied. "I need to reset his broken leg to prevent too much permanent damage from occurring while he heals. I need to tie his good leg to the bed, pull his body up as far as it will allow, secure him in place and set the leg. It will allow me to know the right position and length his leg should be. Then we will strap him to the bed to prevent him from moving to much while the bones and muscles repair themselves."
Emil listened carefully. He confirmed a few things through Marcel to ensure he was understanding the differences in her regional dialect in comparison to his. He also asked what his task would be and Charlotte explained in greater detail, again with Marcel clarifying a few items how they would reset the leg and length.
Emil smirked at her. "Your overlearning magic makes you soft and weak."
Charlotte blushed but agreed. At a Roma camp, she would not use half the magic she did now.
They repositioned Jake with his good leg at the foot of the bed. Charlotte began to tie Jake's booted foot to the medal frame footboard with knots from her childhood only to have Emil admonish her for doing them wrong and taking over. He then asked her how often her pony had managed to get away from her as a child if that was all the better she had learned to tie a good equestrian knot.
"Biscuit loved me and stayed right where he was supposed to." Charlotte griped back as she adjusted padding on locations she was worried about the ropes rubbing.
Emil scoffed and looked at Marcel. "This is why you always must check your woman's work to ensure it is properly done."
Charlotte rolled her eyes. Emil looked at her harshly. "Your husband does not keep you in line very well either. He is soft on you. I must speak to him. Who is you man?"
"Charlie Weasley. Help me stretch him out correctly please." She ignored the implications of her need for a good beating.
Emil and Marcel pulled Jake tight and secured him to the bed.
Emil rounded on her again. "Weasley. The handler?"
"Yes" Charlotte responded looking over Jake's injured leg and debating the next actions.
"You are the half breed he married." Emil nodded his head in understanding. "Your behavior makes sense now. I will still have discussion. He must understand how a wife must be properly handled."
"You do that, Emil." Charlotte responded and turned her back on him and rolled her eyes at Nadine.
"What have you two been discussing? And how?" The mediwitch cocked her eyebrow.
"My regular beatings or general lack thereof. They speak the Roma language or a local dialect of it. I still remember the language from when I was younger. It will make this easier since I can speak directly with Emil." Charlotte replied as she readjusted the ropes on the broken leg.
"Beatings?" Nadine asked in shock.
"Don't ask. It's not worth your concern. Charlie swore during our honeymoon he would never raise a hand to me. Now, let's get this done before Katie returns. She will panic if she sees it done." Charlotte strung the four ropes through the bedframe and turned to Emil switch to Roma. "I need you to pull on the ropes like you would to stop a team of horses pulling a caravan."
Emil looked concerned. "That hard."
"Yes," Charlotte replied. "I am happy I have a good example for you. The bones will not move easily and those muscles are already knitting too tight. It will take a great effort for the bones to pull by and realign."
Emil blanched and nodded. Charlotte handed him the ropes. She took a deep breath and focused on Jake's leg again. "I will need to guide the leg from here. You will pull on three."
Another nod and Emil positioned himself to pull the leg. Charlotte felt along Jake's leg for the location of all the breaks. Then she counted in Roma and Emil pulled. Charlotte prevented it from rolling the wrong way and watched the alignment. The bones popped and snapped as they worked back into place. Beside Emil, Marcel paled. Jake's boot heel finally clicked on the bedframe and Charlotte ordered Emil to stop. Everyone drew a breath and relaxed. Charlotte treaded two of the ropes free from Emil and tied them to each other and the bedframe. Emil repeated her actions with the remaining two. Then he redid Charlotte's knot for good measure. Charlotte smiled and shook her head.
"Thank you," she said to Emil, "you were of great service."
Emil nodded. Charlotte turned back to Jake and began to relocate small pieces of bone and repair major muscles with her wand.
Louis loped through the door and spotted Charlotte at her work. "My sweet, that burn ointment is not changing colors at all. Charlie is sleeping contently and Katie is fretting about her time away. Are you done doing whatever it is you sent her away for so she can return from this menial task that is really an excuse for her not to be here?"
Charlotte grinned at his devil may care attitude. "Yes, she can return now. We have the leg set. I didn't think her nerves could take another stress like that. Can you bring her back around?"
"Anything for you, my love. It is probably good you left Nate with me. He has prevented me from killing Charlie so I can take you for my own." The Frenchman kissed her on the cheek and waltzed back out the door. Charlotte shook her head at his antics.
Thayer came by to examine her work. "It looks good, child. Move this one over just a bit. It could be left if it wasn't for his work. Little pulls and strains are hard on them when they have to move so quickly."
Charlotte nodded and redid the muscle connection.
Katie soon rejoined her. Charlotte took a moment and scanned her friend. Happy with the results she turned back to Jake's care.
Emil spoke softly to Marcel. The boy protested, but his father silenced him with a word. Charlotte looked but at the pair. Emil studied her for a moment and finally spoke.
"Can you help the boy?" He nodded his head towards Marcel.
"What is wrong," Charlotte asked concerned.
"He was in the dragon hold when the beast got out and fell into a fence," Emil stated. Marcel blushed in embarrassment.
Charlotte got up from the edge of Jake's bed where she had been working and moved towards Marcel. "How badly are you hurt?"
Marcel shrugged. Charlotte smiled and conjured a stool for him to sit upon. "May I take a look?"
Marcel looked at this father who nodded. He removed his vest and shirt hissing as he went. Charlotte cringed at the condition of his back. "Nadine, I need really good bruise paste. Or a potion."
CeCe was at her side. "Nadine, grab the good elixir and that blue bruising paste. Don't you hurt boy?"
Marcel shrugged again. Charlotte began to cast diagnostic spell and cringed again. "Marcel, are you coughing?"
Marcel shook his head.
"Does it hurt to breathe?" She examined him with her hands and he flinched as she touched tender spots. Another shrug and a slight nod.
Charlotte cast another spell and groaned. She looked at Emil. "I think he has a puncture in his lung. At a minimum he has broken ribs. He is tough."
"Roma" was Emil's response. Charlotte simply agreed.
She began to heal the ribs. As they cracked and snapped back into place, Marcel jumps and flinched.
Thayer strode over with the supplied requested of Nadine. "Is there a puncture?"
"I can't tell. The diagnostic shows blood, but it could be bruising. He is not coughing blood." Charlotte continued to wave her wand and healed some of the deeper bruises.
Thayer gave her wand a flick and cast another diagnostic spell. "I agree, if there is bleeding, it is minimal. She looked at the supplies she had brought. Give him these. Regardless of the damage, they will fix it up."
She set the potion and the bruise balm on the table near where Charlotte was working and turned to leave.
"Is that the rookie you are working on?" Charlotte asked, worried.
Thayer looked at her and nodded. "You gave him half a chance to survive by coming here, Charlotte. Usually CeCe and I would have to give in at some point and treat the others. You were able to step up and fill the void we have. You have done well."
"I hope he survives." Charlotte commented as she continued to work on Marcel.
"If he does, it will be to your credit and help. If he doesn't, I'll be able to tell his family every effort was made to save him and no option was overlooked," the healer said as she walked across the hospital.
Charlotte was just beginning to apply the bruise balm when Jake began to stir. "Jake, you need to stay as still as you can."
Jake began to fight his restraints. Katie tried to calm him and Charlotte tried to tell him not to move. He continued his thrashing. Irritated, Charlotte picked up her wand and immobilized him. Katie looked at her in horror.
"Let him come out of it completely, then we will be able to talk sense to him. Until then, he could do himself permanent damage." Charlotte continued to treat Marcel.
Once she was finished applying the balm and giving him his potions, she helped him back into his shirt.
She again spoke to the pair in Roma. "I have done what I can for now. You will need more bruise balm for a few days. The grandmother probably has a better one then I just used. Use it. Sleep inside by the fire for the night today and tomorrow."
Emil nodded and Marcel got off the stool. As they proceeded to the door, Emil stopped and looked at Charlotte. "You continued to treat him even though the other needed your help, you did not stop."
Charlotte grimaced. "Marcel needed my help too. Jake is fine, just still sleepy. I knew he would be fine, so I finished."
Emil looked at her closely again and nodded. The pair disappeared out the door.
"Ok, Jake." Charlotte turned on her friend. "Are you awake enough now to listen to reason?"
Jake blinked and Charlotte smiled. "I'll let you loose. Stay very still."
Louis showed up an hour later to let her know Charlie was stirring.
"Go home, Charlotte," Thayer commanded, "take care of your husband. We have it from here and can call you back if we need you."
Charlotte nodded. "Thank you."
"Thank You, Charlotte. Again, you did well today. You will be a great asset when you get here," Thayer replied.
CeCe joined her at the door. "When do you leave?"
Charlotte paled and looked at the clock on the wall. "Three hours ago. Charlie will be furious when he wakes and I am still here. I have missed a significant amount of class due to our marriage as it is. To miss another day will not make him happy."
Thayer nodded thoughtfully. "We'll talk sense into him. You helped a lot of his friends today. The red headed temper will abate and he will see the benefit of your later departure."
Charlotte smiled. "I hope so."
CeCe was thoughtful. "I know you are studying every minute you have right now, but will you have time for some reading before you return? I have a couple of beginner books for healers here at the hospital. They will help to fill the holes in your education."
Charlotte beamed. "That would be most appreciated."
Thayer gave her a stern look. "You do not read them until your studies are completed. You still have to get your required exam results to enter into an apprenticeship. You are only to study these books if you have time. Do you understand?"
"Yes ma'am," Charlotte agreed, "I have a week at school after the exams are completed. Most of the seventh years are completing applications and interviews for jobs and apprenticeships during that time. Since my choices are narrowed to the reserve and the surrounding area, I have to hope I do well enough on my exams to get my apprenticeship here with you or wait until we arrive back in Romania to find another position."
"I have seen your grades and recommendations from your instructors. I feel you will do well enough to allow Peptrofski to sign off, especially after your performance today. You still have to do your best. If you ever leave Romania, you will need those scores to justify your next assignment," Thayer commented sternly.
"Yes, Ma'am. I promise to keep up my studies and if I don't, my friend Hermione will be right after me to make sure I don't muck it up."
CeCe grinned and walked to the office. Soon, Charlotte was again on Louis' arm apperating back to her little cabin. Nate was just helping Charlie back into bed when they entered the cabin.
Charlotte looked at them in concern.
Nate rolled his eyes. "Bathroom run."
Charlotte blushed and nodded, sure CeCe would have given her grief. She looked over Charlie's burns again. Things were beginning to heal, but not as much as she had hoped. Retrieving her medical supplies, she worked on him again, this time adding the restorative potion.
He stopped her hand before she gave him the sedative again. "Fool me once, wife."
She smiled at his glum expression. "You need rest to heal. Sleep is better."
"And you need school," Charlie gritted out between clenched teeth. He was not pleased.
Charlotte signed, hoping to have put off the conversation. "I do. Thayer and CeCe both just reinforced the topic of how important my exams are for my future goals. But today, you needed me more. And Katie. And Jake. And Reynolds. And a shy young man named Neil. And Nate. And the director. And about 10 others including the rookie you all want to choke. And about four others who all needed Thayer and CeCe's undivided attentions."
Charlie looked over at Nate in concern. Nate sighed, "Bumps and bruises, comrade. Nothing too severe."
Charlie nodded and focused on Charlotte. He swallowed hard. "Jake and Katie?"
"Both will be fine. Jake will be laid up for about a week with a broken leg. By tomorrow night, he should be able to walk with a cane. Katie lost a lot of blood from a claw to the shoulder. She is on the mend and sitting with Jake while he sleeps." She emphasized the last word.
Charlie ignored her. "The director was hurt?"
"A concussion." Charlotte nodded. "He is going to be fine."
Charlie looked relieved for only a moment. "What about Perry? The rookie?"
Charlotte frowned. "He is still in mortal danger. Thayer worked on him for four hours straight. He is somewhat stable, but very weak. The morning will tell all."
Charlie put his head into his hands for a moment before sitting back up looking at no one in particular. "I should have never left him alone. I knew he was a danger to himself and others."
The usually jovial Louis was stoic. "You cannot blame yourself, Charlie. You told the superiors of his waywardness. The boy was supposed to be at the other end of the compound helping me, not where he was. You can only guide a fool for so long."
Charlie shook his head but did not speak. Nate broke the silence. "Food. We all need to eat. We all need our strength. It has been a long day."
Charlotte rose from the edge of the bed. "I have soup and bread. Let me warm it up."
Louis stopped her. "No, rest. You have been working for hours. I will get it."
"Should I take some to Katie?" Nate asked following Louis to the kitchen to help.
"No," Charlotte answered with a yawn. "They were getting her something from the canteen."
She smirked not adding the sedative CeCe was adding to the meal to make her sleep as well. Charlie would suspect the treachery she was about to perform if she did.
Charlie bolted up in bed at the knock on the door. Beside him, Charlotte slipped from under the blankets. Looking at the clock, he noted the early morning hour. He remembered eating, but not much more. The last thing he did remember was a glass of water his wife had insisted he drink. He studied her shrewdly as she crossed the room. The little minx.
Another knock. Charlie watched his small wife cross the room and retrieved his wand from the bedside table. "Check out the window before you open it and make sure you know who it is. We have poachers try to gain access to the enclosures by sealing keys from injured handlers in the past."
Charlotte looked back at him in concern and nodded. She pulled back the curtain and looked out into the night. Her face was confused, but she still unlocked the door and pulled it open. "Good evening, sir. Is there something the matter? Is the director ill?"
The director's assistant, Phillip entered the cabin and extinguished the light from his wand. "No, ma'am. The director is fine. Mrs. Peptrofski and I finally managed to get him to retire for the evening a couple of hours ago. He wanted to wait for Perry Blackthorne's family to arrive."
Charlotte gasped. Phillip held up his hands and continued. "He is still alive. We notified his family so they arrived as soon as they could. Thayer always wants the family to make the final decisions, if needed and if she can hold out for them to arrive. The boy is holding on. Thayer feels if he can make the morning, he may survive."
Charlotte's shoulders slumped in relief. She refocused again on the assistant. "I hope all goes well. Is there something you or someone else needs?"
"Thayer mentioned to Peptrofski that you missed your portkey back this afternoon. I made arrangements for another one. It leaves in an hour. I hope that give you enough time to get ready."
Charlotte looked at Charlie with concern. He was finally healing better and should be up and about by mid-morning at the latest.
Charlie cut off her worrying. "I will be fine. Send for Louis. He will come and stay with me if it will make you feel better."
She sighed and looked at the clock.
"Go back to school, Charlotte. I will be fine. Thayer is a right pain in the arse and will make sure I am looked after."
She sighed and cast her patronus, or at least she tried. Only silver mist. She closed her eyes and refocused again.
"Allow me," Phillip removed his wand and conjured a romping basset hound from his wand tip. The baleful eyes looked to Phillip for instruction, which he gave and sent the pup on his way.
Charlotte smiled a thank you and returned to Charlie's side. She examined the leg's progress and applied more burn ointment. She retrieved the pain medicine to administer only to have Charlie stop her and pull the vial from her hand. He looked it over and set it aside.
"Go get ready. I will take your medicine after I know you are on your way back to Hogwarts."
Charlotte grinned sheepishly, grabbed her overnight bag and hurried to the bath.
Charlie checked with Phillip about the other injured. The dragon was injured worse than previous during the altercation. Currently it was sedated and other handlers were working to fix the additional damage.
Charlotte appeared shortly, dressed in her school uniform she came in on Friday. She bathed just before bed to remove the blood and potions she was covered in as she worked on the injured. She made short work of collecting her items from about the cabin and began to try to cram everything back into her two bags.
Her dress from earlier was sitting aside. She picked it up and sighed. "I don't think I will get this cleaned."
"Leave it. One of the other wives have a potion she uses to get anything out of clothes. She will probably be able to clean it." Charlie said looking at the dress critically. "Can you be without until Easter?"
Charlotte worried her lip. "I can make due. If I am desperate, I can borrow something from Ginny or Hermione."
"You need to get some more clothes, Charlotte. I sent you with some gold last time you came." Charlie asked.
"I have it still. I have been collecting some things for the cabin as I find them." She answered trying to rearrange her books to include the two new ones from the clinic.
Charlie sighed. "Buy yourself some new clothes, Charlotte. And some sensible shoes. Your school saddle shoes will not do in Romania."
She did not answer instead continued to rearrange her books.
Charlie looked at her in exasperation. Phillip grinned from his seat on the couch watching the couple interact. Charlie looked at him and rolled his eyes.
Phillip laughed. "I have seen the director and Mrs. Peptrofski enough to know you are strategically being ignored and she will not buy a new dress."
Charlotte glared at the assistant director. Charlie laughed. Charlotte huffed and began emptying the bag again for another attempt.
Charlie shook his head. "You don't remember how you had it packed to get here?"
"I have two new books I'm trying to fit in." Charlotte answered holding up the two large medical books.
"More books?" Charlie questioned. She glared at him again. Charlie signed and looked at Phillip. "Could you help me out? On that top shelf under the other two bags is one that looks like the one she is trying to rip to shreds. Could you grab it for her?"
Phillip grinned, popped out of his seat and dug on the top shelf retrieving the bag. He walked it to Charlotte who took it.
She looked at the side and with an exasperated look, showed it to Charlie. "Really?"
Charlie grinned back looking at the Gryffindor crest. "Lion!"
Charlotte turned her overfull bag around pointedly. "Eagle."
"Your choice. It's the only one I can spare." He grinned. "Consider it retribution for dosing my water earlier."
Resigned, Charlotte sorted her books between the bags. She finished just as there was a ruckus banging at the door and Louis burst in unannounced. "I am here to assist my future wife. Have you left the poison so we can be rid of him and I can comfort you in your mourning?"
Phillip argued about taking her to the Romanian Ministry. Only after Charlie and Louis argued she was not going alone at 5 am and Phillip threatened to go and wake the director, Charlotte relented and let Phillip take her to the International Portkey Office. Ivan was waiting with her paperwork filled out and copies already made of her credentials. She was pulled away by a comb with more broken teeth than remaining.
She arrived in London at 7:30 in the morning and was jumped to the head of the line by Archie, who again had her paperwork completed. A quick credential check and she was sent through to a pacing Arthur Weasley. She assured him Charlie was fine, or she would not have left otherwise and there was no reason for him or Molly to go to Romania.
As Arthur walked her through the Ministry to the floo network, he explained he had sent word ahead to the Hog's Head of her arrival. He sent her through to Aberforth Dumbledore who met her at the floo still in his pajamas. He forced an egg sandwich in her hand and told her to eat. He also told her to apperate to the gates where he sent a patronus to Hagrid to meet her and let her in.
Only it wasn't Hagrid at the gates.
So now she sat in the circular tower office of the Hogwarts headmistress who staring at her over the top of her spectacles. She did not say a word to Charlotte as they marched up the drive, through the front door and straight to her office. To Charlotte, it appeared the walk did nothing to calm the irate headmistress.
"Do you realize you were given leave to be out of school until Sunday afternoon, Mrs. Weasley?"
"Yes, Ma'am," was her meek reply.
"And yet, you did not comply with that timeframe?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"I must admit, I thought better of you, Mrs. Weasley. You of all of the married students have the greatest potential. Your husband fought so hard for you to remain because he thought your education important."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Yet, the two of you disregard the rules set forth for you to remain at the school. We have been more than tolerant of your situation, Mrs. Weasley. Merlin knows I tried to help you comply with this damn Ministry mess of a law. Your instructors spend extra time after class to help you stay caught up and yet you do this. I will not tolerate a student with so little disregard she cannot return when she is scheduled to do so, just so her husband and she can have another night of Ministry approved frolicking. Consider yourself on notice, Mrs. Weasley. One more stunt like this and you will be out of this school in a heartbeat. Do I make myself clear?"
Charlotte had tears running down her face. She had messed up. She had failed.
"Well, do I," the headmistress snapped.
"Yes, ma'am," Charlotte whispered head bowed.
"Twenty-five points will be deducted from Ravenclaw for your misdeeds. And you will serve two detentions. Now get to class, you are already late."
Charlotte turned to leave and remembered. She reached inside Charlie's bag and removed the letter Phillip had sent for the headmistress. "I was asked to deliver this to you, headmistress. It is from the reserve director."
"Do you know what it is," the professor reached forward and retrieved the letter from Charlotte's shaking hands.
Charlotte shook her head and turned away from the desk. She left with tears still running down her cheeks. Shrinking and stowing her overnight bag, she walked briskly down the charms corridor. She tried to slip into class unnoticed, but an obviously equally irate Flitwick would have none of it.
"Ten points from Ravenclaw for being late, Mrs. Weasley."
Charlotte slumped into a seat next to Gillian. Ginny and Hermione looked back at her with concern. Charlotte simple looked up at Flitwick who was staring down the women. Hermione relented. Ginny looked like she would argue.
"Please," Charlotte mouthed pleadingly. Ginny grimaced and turned back around.
The class lecture continued. Charlotte began to take notes and try to pull her frazzled mind back together. She was exhausted from the prior day and the early morning. The class was almost over, when Headmistress McGonagall walked in the room. The bell rang and students began to slowly assemble their belongings trying to find out what the headmistress wanted. She waited patiently darting cross looks at stragglers.
Charlotte rose to leave only to be ordered back in to her seat with a brisk "Sit" issued by the headmistress. She complied without argument. Gillian, Luna, Hermione and Ginny exchanged looks and sat back down as well in defiance. The headmistress studied them for a minute and resigned herself to not having a fight. She pointed her wand at the door and it snapped shut. She walked over in front of the girls studying Charlotte as she went. She handed a letter in her hand to Flitwick who read it quickly. At one point he let out a little squeak and looked up at the headmistress.
Professor McGonagall let out a huff of exasperation. "Charlotte, do you have any idea what is in that letter?"
"No, ma'am," Charlotte choked out beginning to worry. If she was being singled out, it could not be good. Had the director changed his mind about her? Was he upset her for forcing him to be treated yesterday.
"You have no idea why Director Peptrofski would be writing to me about you," The headmistress asked astonished.
Charlotte shook her head, not trusting her voice.
McGonagall turned to Flitwick who read the letter. "Dear Headmistress. I am writing you to explain the late arrival of Mrs. Charlotte Weasley. From my brief interactions with the young woman, I fear she would not let you know the situation we faced and her actions in the recovery from this situation. Yesterday, one of our new employees accidently released a Hungarian Horntail from its enclosure. The dragon in question is ill and confused as to why it is being held within our reserve. It went on a rampage and injured 25 members of our staff. Some of them were severe including Mrs. Weasley's husband, Charlie."
Ginny gasped and looked at Charlotte in horror. Charlotte quickly comforted her friend's concerns. "He will be alright."
Flitwick nodded and continued, "Charlie, two of his friends, as well as the rookie and three others. When Charlie and their friend Katie showed up at their cabin, Charlotte did not hesitate to treat their injuries even though her supplies were limited and their injuries great. When assistance arrived and she received the necessary medications to heal her husband and her friends, she did not stop there. As soon as she was confident that her husband was out of danger and would heal from his wounds, she asked to be taken to the hospital, leaving two other team members to monitor Charlie's recovery. She proceeded to treat another dozen staff members in need of aide, including myself. Even though I argued, she did not relent and made me take time to be treated for my injuries to ensure I could continue to guide my camp during these troubled times. Her efforts allowed our two primary healers to focus on the more severely injured individuals. Olga Thayer, our head healer, credits Charlotte's presence with possibly saving the life of the new recruit who caused the whole catastrophe in the first place. Thayer was allowed to focus her attentions solely on this young man while her partner Cecelia Jefferson was able to take three other highly injured men under her care. Charlotte stepped in and treated the minor injuries, even catching a severe head injury. She did not relent in her treatment after her assigned patients were completed. Instead, she stood forward and helped with another server injury and developed a plan to help speed his recovery. Headmistress, I would like to applaud your school, and the instructors and staff within it. Even though I graduated from Durmstrang, I have always respected the education of the quality people I have received from Hogwarts. I can already see, Charlotte Weasley will be another asset acquired from you institution. Today, we count ourselves lucky your Ministry has forced her hand into a position here at our reserve. St. Mungo's has lost a great candidate, and I will not envy them this loss. Charlotte is a credit to your school and I hope you will acknowledge her sacrifice to her education to help those suffering here in Romania. Yours in respect. Alexander Peptrofski, Director, Romanian Longhorn Dragon Preserve."
Flitwick looked up when he completed reading the letter with pride in his eyes.
Ginny turned to focus on Charlotte. "What happened to my brother?"
"He was burnt trying to get to the rookie. The kid shouldn't be a handler. He doesn't pay attention to what he is doing and what is happening around him. He left the enclosure door open and let the dragon out of his restraints. The dragon went on a rampage." Charlotte looked down at her hands.
"Charlie will be alright," Hermione prompted.
Charlotte nodded, "In a couple of days. His leg was badly burnt. I felt he was far enough into his treatment he will recover. I only left him after I felt he could look after himself. Louis came this morning to stay with him when I left. He was not whole and healed completely, but I felt by noon he would be up and around on his own."
"Who else was hurt? The director said friends were hurt," Gillian asked.
"Katie had a claw puncture her shoulder. I had a time stopping the bleeding. Jake's leg is mangled. He is going to have a bit of a recovery. I managed to get his bones to realign, so maybe he will not be permanently disabled. Nate got banged up, but nothing a bruise balm would not fix. There were others, but I have not met them prior to that day."
McGonagall looked over her glasses at the exhausted Ravenclaw. "What I do not understand, Mrs. Weasley, it why you did not tell me? You have bravery that would make Godric Gryffindor proud. You stood up to the director of reserve, you did not run when the battle looked lost, yet you do not defend yourself against injustice. You did not tell me what had kept you from school. Do you think if you explained to me Charlie was badly hurt, I would have been so harsh with you this morning? Charlotte, you know Hogwarts values family. We took you home when your mother died without a thought. Why would we have any issue with you staying with your husband when he cannot take care of himself from a work injury?"
Charlotte hung her head in shame. McGonagall sighed. "None of that, hold your head high. You are a pride to this school. Fifty points to Ravenclaw for your distinguishing representation of Hogwarts."
Charlotte smiled as the tears ran down her face again.