Charley quite enjoyed meeting Bill and Charlie. If she couldn't have George, she decided Bill and Charlie were fantastic substitutes.
The three laughed at the kitchen table. Bill and Charlie still couldn't believe what Charley had said about Fred, they found it quite amusing. It hadn't been long when the fireplace lit up with a roaring fire and Ron stumbled out of it, brushing soot of his clothes. George shot out of the fireplace shortly after Ron.
"Hey, Charley's here!" he exclaimed following Ron to the table.
"George!" Charley said excitedly. She stood and threw her arms around his neck.
"Have you met these two then?" he asked as they pulled apart.
"You weren't here when she came looking for you, lucky for me really as I got to fill in for you." Charlie said grinning.
George looked at Bill with an eyebrow raised, Bill shrugged in return. Charley didn't miss this exchange between the two and glanced quickly at Ron, who was also regarding his brother with a look of confusion.
"Am I missing something?" she asked the group.
"Charlie isn't usually so charming. If you ask me, I think he's quite taken with you." George explained.
Charlie chuckled and shook his head, though Charley couldn't miss the tinge of pink that clung to his cheeks. No one else was paying attention however, for Fred had just appeared in the fireplace looking excited. His face fell into a scowl as he caught a glimpse of Charley.
"Oh goody, Charley's here." he said, his voice riddled with sarcasm.
In the next instant a boy with messy black hair and glass tumbled out of the fireplace and onto the kitchen floor.
"Did he eat it?" Fred asked excitedly, grabbing the boy and lifting him to his feet.
"Yeah," the boy replied, "What was it?"
The room listened as Fred explained about the toffee's he and George had created. Charley noticed he glanced in her direction after mentioning they had been looking for someone to test them on. She silently thanked George for not letting Fred use her as their subject.
"How're you doing Harry?" Charlie asked standing to shake the boy's hand.
Charley hadn't thought anything of the name she had been hearing the Weasley's say all summer until she saw the boy in front of her. His scar was unmistakable. Most of her friends back home didn't know much about Harry Potter, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, had after all not reached America. Charley however was fully aware of everything the boy standing in front of her had done.
"Harry this is Charley Rook, she's transferring to Hogwarts this year." George said to Harry, "We want her in Gryffindor, so be sure to represent." he said with wink.
Charley laughed nervously, her heart was racing. This was not good, she had somehow managed to throw herself head first into the worst situation she could have imagined. She was in real trouble now.
"Well, it's nice to meet you. I of course know who you are." Charley said trying to sound as calm as possible.
There was a pop, and Charley was grateful for the distraction that came in the form of Mr. Weasley. As he began yelling at Fred and George, Charley shrank against the wall, whishing she could be anywhere else. She must have looked as distraught as she felt, for Charlie, who had come to stand by her, bent over and whispered, "Is everything alright?" into her ear.
She nodded, trying to smile. Another secret she had kept, this one however she would never let him know. No one could know.
"Tell me what?" came Mrs. Weasley's voice from the hall, making Charley jump slightly.
Sensing the tension Harry and Ron left with their friend Hermione and Ginny. George tried to follow, but was quickly shot down by his mother.
"Well, I better be going then." Charley said quickly, not wanting to be a part of what seemed to be coming. She began walking towards the door, when Mrs. Weasley turned sharply.
"Don't be silly, you're staying for dinner dear." Mrs. Weasley snapped.
"Right, of course." Charley said softly backing up against the wall again. George smirked at her, and Charley couldn't help but smile back.
"You wipe that grin off your face immediately!" Mrs. Weasley shouted at George. And thus the yelling ensued.
"We best get out of here." Charlie said in a low voice. Bill nodded, and Charley followed the two of them outside into the yard.
"So miss Rook, you looked pretty freaked out in there, did meeting a celebrity get you all tongue-tied?" Bill teased.
"Oh yes, I was simply star-struck." Charley laughed.
"Mum will probably want us all to eat out here, I'm gonna go get the outdoor tables from the shed." Bill said, still chuckling slightly.
Charlie stood in front of her with his arms crossed across his chest. She knew he wasn't buying it, he was after all, immensely perceptive.
"You weren't alright in there." he said, with an intense look of concern.
She realized she was going to have to tell him something, even if it wasn't the whole truth.
"It was just George's comment, about Gryffindor. I'm not sure my mother would take kindly to me being a Gryffindor." Charley said quickly.
"I see, Slytherin?" asked Charlie.
"No, Ravenclaw, but my dad was a Slytherin."
"You never told me what happened to him."
"There isn't much to tell. I never met him." Charley wrapped her arms around her middle, she was becoming extremely uncomfortable.
Charlie took a few steps towards her, then gently pulled her into him.
"I don't know much about you Charley Rook, but I'm sorry for what you've had to go through." he whispered.
Charley hadn't even known him a day, and already he had broken her twice. He had gotten her to talk about things she had never told anyone. And know, as he held her against him, she felt the tears fall softly down her cheeks. She pulled away and wiped her eyes quickly. He caught her eye and smiled down at her.
"So I guess George wasn't lying, you do fancy me a bit." she said playfully.
He grinned broadly, and brushed a piece of hair behind her ear.
"We've only just met, you're pretty self assured if you think I've taken to you so quickly." he retorted.
"Well I am pretty self assured, but a fact is a fact Charlie Weasley." she said.
Charlie sighed heavily and ran a hand through his hair.
"Charley, I am quite taken with you, but that doesn't matter. You've got two years of school to finish and I live in Romania. It would be highly impractical to fall for you." he smiled.
"Thank you." Charley said softly.
"Oi! Charlie! Help me set these tables up!" Bill yelled from across the lawn, "Er…other Charley, Mum's done yelling at Fred and George if you want to go in!"
Charley smiled at the young man in front of her. Not even a day and he had already made her feel things she hadn't allowed herself to feel in so long. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him softly on the cheek.
Bill had been watching the exchange from a distance. He watched Charley kiss her brother's cheek, then walk off into the house. He watched his brother touch the place where he lips had touched his skin.
Bill walked over to Charlie.
"You've only just met her." he said upon reaching him.
"She has secrets Bill, and a lot of them. She trusted me enough to reveal some, without even knowing me." said Charlie.
"Hey, you're a trustworthy guy." Bill grinned.
"Well yeah," Charlie laughed, "But that isn't it, I'm going to sound crazy, but we have some sort of connection, one that I can't explain."
"She's sixteen, you're twenty one." Bill pointed out casually.
"Alright, I get it, you think I'm mental." Charlie laughed shaking his head.
"I do. But who knows, maybe when she's out of Hogwarts, she'll decide to move to Romania and you two will live happily ever after…will you spend at least a week with her before you marry her?" Bill asked with an evil grin.
"Oh bugger off you, let's just set these tables up." Charlie sighed.
"C'mon, I was just taking the mickey." Bill said punching his brother in the arm.
"You know Bill, you may be older, but I'm much, much stronger." Charlie smirked.
"Bill! Charlie! Are those tables up yet?" came their mother's voice from the kitchen.
"Oops." Bill grinned at Charlie.
"We'd better get these up or she'll have a fit." Charlie laughed.
Charley looked around the dinner table, as everyone enjoyed their dessert. Dinner at the Weasley's never failed to make her happy. She loved every minute she was in their presence. Charley knew she had made a mistake by becoming close with them, if her mother had any say, it couldn't last. But she didn't care, they made her happy.
"Charley we've decided." George said suddenly turning to her. He, Charlie, and Bill had had their heads together for sometime.
"Decided what?" Charley asked.
"Well, you can't very well go around being called 'Other Charley'" Bill grinned.
"So we've decided to give you a nickname." said George.
"Oh dear." Charley groaned sensing something embarrassing that she would absolutely hate.
"What is it?"
"We've decided to call you Chuck." Charlie told her.
"Chuck hmm?" Charley said regarding the three of them, "I like it."
"Good, because we were going to call you Chuck regardless of if you liked it." said Bill.
"So Chuck, who do you think's gonna win the cup?" Charlie asked.
"Oh! The Quidditch World Cup, thanks for reminding me!" Charley exclaimed, "You're dad still couldn't get a ticket for your mum right?" she asked.
"Well, no, but I don't think she's too upset about it." Charlie replied.
"She'll love having the house to herself for a bit." George agreed.
"Nonsense, it's the Quidditch World Cup, I'm sure she wants to go." Charley said standing and walking to Mrs. Weasley at the end of the table.
"Did you enjoy your dinner dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked as Charley approached.
"Oh yes, it was wonderful, thank you." Charley nodded, "Listen I have this ticket for the Cup tomorrow, I was wondering if you'd like it."
The table went silent, all eyes on Charley.
"Where in Merlin's beard did you get it?" Bill asked, "Tickets are so hard to come by."
"Oh, my mother and I got into a fight, she was trying to buy me back into her good graces. That's besides the point. Look I'm not going to use it, it only makes sense for you to." Charley said holding the ticket out to Mrs. Weasley.
"Not going to use it, nonsense." Mrs. Weasley mumbled, "Arthur, surely there's enough room for one more?" Mrs. Weasley asked.
"Of course there is, you'll have to squeeze in with Ginny and Hermione, but I'm sure they won't mind." he said to Charley.
"Of course not, it'll be fun." Ginny piped up smiling.
"I'm sorry?" Charley asked confused.
"You'll go with Arthur, dear." Mrs. Weasley beamed.
"Oh no, no I want you to have this." Charley said quickly.
"Charley, I hardly know what I'd do with myself at a quidditch match. You go, enjoy yourself. I'm sure everyone will be delighted to have you along." Mrs. Weasley said pushing Charley's outreached hand back to her.
"I can't thank you enough." Charley said breathlessly, looking from Mr. Weasley to Mrs. Weasley.
She turned away quickly, before anyone saw the tears threatening to fall from her eyes. What was wrong with her? Twice in one night. She was grateful that everyone at the table had resumed their chatter.
"Charley dear," came Mrs. Weasley's voice.
Charley looked up from her hands. The short woman was standing in front of her looking concerned.
"Thank you so much for everything Mrs. Weasley." Charley said wiping her face with the back of her hand. It was no use, the tears wouldn't stop this time.
"Come join me in the kitchen dear." Mrs. Weasley said putting arm around Charley's shoulder's and leading inside. In the kitchen Mrs. Weasley turned to Charley and pulled her into the most comforting hug she had ever experienced. Mrs. Weasley patted Charley's back reassuringly as she cried softly.
"You're a good girl Charley, our family has come to love you very much over this summer." Mrs. Weasley said soothingly.
Charley pulled away and smiled through her tears. Mrs. Weasley took out her wand and conjured up a handkerchief. She dabbed away Charley's tears with it, and beamed up at her, her own eyes slightly damp.
"Thank you Mrs. Weasley, thank you so much." said Charley softly.
"You're part of our family now dear, whether you like it or not." Mrs. Weasley smiled. "Now let's go get George to walk you home so you can gather up your things. Best bring along your school things as well, you'll be leaving as soon as you get back."
Charley nodded. She would never be able to show enough gratitude to this family. They had taught her what a family was. It was then that she decided, no more secrets. After the World Cup, she would tell Mr. and Mrs. Weasley everything. She had to, because that's what families did.
The minute she stepped outside, George was beside her. He grabbed her hand and squeezed it lightly.
"C'mon Chuck, let's go get your things." George said smiling at her.