Chapter Nine
The portkey dumped a nauseous Charlie on the floor in a dark room. He shakily stood up after a couple of deep breaths needed to keep his breakfast down and looked around him. It wasn't a room he had ever been to, which wasn't much of a surprise as he didn't think anyone he knew would send him a portkey without telling him.
So he assumed that it was someone he didn't know, and to be cautious, he readied his wand when he heard someone walking outside of the door and turned around quickly to face it.
He really hoped it wasn't Voldemort. That would not be a good thing. He also had no clue as to why he was even here in the first place. He didn't really have anything to do with the war going on back home, though yes, he was worried about his family and he supposed he could be used against them. But who even knew where he was. The Romanian Dragon Colony was the biggest one in the world. A part of him was actually a little impressed with whoever had found him.
The only door to the room was unlocked and Charlie nervously faced it with his wand held at his side. He really hoped that it wasn't Voldemort on the other side of the door. Said door was suddenly flung open and in walked a complete stranger.
"Who are you?"
--
Another Order meeting was being held, and once again, all the Weasley's had been invited, including the two youngest this time. Miss Granger had also been invited, though Moody was now grumbling to himself about the state of security of this group and how Dumbledore was now letting anyone in.
"Right, well the first thing I suppose I should ask is how our new teacher is being received by the students. Ron, Ginny, Hermione?"
"Ah, well he is very popular with the females of the school and a good many of the males as well." Hermione said, getting a vigorous nod of agreement from Ginny.
"Yeah, he's a good teacher as well though I suppose. Knows what he's talking about, though he clearly supports the darker creatures. In fact, how do we know that he isn't dark?" Ron asked, scowling at no one in particular as Ginny scoffed at him and shook her head.
"He's not dark Ron! We've had this conversation! He's lovely! Oh mother, you must meet him! He's absolutely perfect1" Ginny gushed, making Ron look somewhat sickly and Molly to smile at her weakly.
"Oh that's lovely dear, maybe I will meet him soon over the holidays or something." Molly said, still smiling weakly before glancing over at Dumbledore.
"Ah, well as long as the response has been mostly positive, then that is all. I do have one other question to ask of your three. I have decided to make a student faction of the Order. I want you three the head it and find out any students who may be interested."
"Really sir? Oh that is amazing! Isn't it Ron?" Hermione said, sitting on the edge of her seat as she leaned forward to get nearer to Dumbledore.
"And you want us to lead this group?" Ron asked, stunned, not noticing Fred and George roll their eyes, making Bill smirk.
"Yes Mr Weasley. If you think you will be able to do this, then once you have left Hogwarts and those of your group that are in your year, will also be given a chance to join the real Order of the Phoenix."
"Oh wow Professor. That is an amazing opportunity." Hermione said, smiling widely. Dumbledore smiled at her, his eyes twinkling brightly.
"Now then, I would like to ask fro you three to come back to me at the end of the week with a list of possible students you would like to invite into your Order. In the mean time, I am afraid I am now going to have to ask you to leave as I need to speak with your parents about something."
"Of course professor. Come on, lets go discuss who we should invite." Ginny said, Ron and Hermione stood up and left, nodding to those left in the room as they left.
Once the door closed behind them Dumbledore turned back to face the members in front of him, his face serious.
"Now, we need to discuss what to do with young Charlie. Does anyone have any ideas? Bill, you are closest to your brother are you not? Do you have any idea of how to approach the subject?" Dumbledore asked, completely missing Bill clenching his teeth before smiling widely at him.
"I don't think you should tell him why you are hiding him away. If Charlie finds out about Arcas then he is going to want to meet him. He is insatiably curious, I mean he travelled across the world just to see Dragons!" Bill said, making Fred snicker behind his hand.
"Ah, so maybe we should send him a portkey in the post disguised as something else"
"No, definitely not." Fred said, shaking his head, George mirroring him.
"No, He wouldn't appreciate that, plus, at the end of the portkey he is likely to attack whoever is waiting for him." George added.
"Why can't we just leave him be? Arcas isn't going to be going to Romania anytime soon is he?" Bill asked, ignoring the huff from Moody.
"You don't know Stars. They will find their mate if no one stops them. That Star will find some reason to go to Romania, even if he doesn't really know why. Charlie cannot be left in that country unsupervised. In fact he can't be left alone at all!" Moody said.
"Alastor does have a point. In all the records I could find on Stars and their mates, which admittedly is not that many, they always found themselves in the same vicinity of their mate eventually. It is said that The Fates themselves are helping them." Dumbledore said, making the youngest Weasley's look at each other in confusion.
"Er... if that is the case, then surely it is futile to even make plans to keep them apart in the first place?" Bill stated.
"I don't like to agree with the boy, but he does have a point Albus."
"Now now, Charlie isn't even gay!" Molly stated, making the male Weasley's all look away.
"That will not matter to Arcas Molly. The bond is to whomever suits the Star the best and The Fates have decided that Charlie is the one." Dumbledore said, making Molly frown and huff in her seat.
"Yes, but I will not have my poor little boy being forced into a bond with someone he doesn't love! He isn't even attracted to!"
"Mum, Charlie's hardly a little boy anymore. He's twenty five, mum! Let him live his own life and make his own decisions!" Bill said, standing up in his anger.
"Bill does have a point Molly. Perhaps we should allow our son to grow up and let him go." Arthur said, patting Molly's hand and not noticing the frown on Dumbledore's face.
"Yes yes. In the mean tiem however, is there anyway that you can think of to perhaps get Charlie to live in a safe house with one of us as his Secret Keeper."
"Oh yes, what should we tell him? 'Hey Charlie, don't ask questions, you're just going to be dragged away from your Dragons and shoved into a completely secluded house with no contact to the outside world.' Yup, he'd just run at the chance there." Bill said sarcastically, getting glares from everyone in the room besides his brothers.
"Well really Bill. Don't talk to the Headmaster like that! I thought I'd brought you up better. I'm sorry for him Albus." Molly said, Bill rolled his eyes at her and then dodged the swat she aimed for his head.
"Well then I think that the best plan so far would be to send Charlie a portkey in the post which sends him to the safe house and then have the Secret Keeper to tell him what is going on and why he is in the house. We can make wards to ensure that he is not allowed out side of the house."
"So you're going to punish Charlie and make him a prisoner in a house he doesn't know?"
"Yep, that's going to make him sympathise with your cause." Fred and George stated, rolling their eyes.
"Be quiet boys, it's the only choice we have. I will not have any child of mine forced into a bond he cannot escape from. I agree Dumbledore. Do what you can." Molly said then standing up and leaving the room with Arthur close behind her. Bill, Fred and George all sighed in unison and walked out of the office, leaving Kinglsey, Moody and Dumbledore alone.
--
Once outside of the headmasters office the three Weasely brothers walked together through the halls and made their way outside before they all apparated away and appeared back in the Weasley twins shop.
"So what do we do?" Bill asked, sitting at the table in the back.
"We've got to tell them both."
"Bill, are you going to see Charlie any time soon?"
Bill sighed and shook his head before leaning forward and resting it on his hands on the table.
"Right, so we need to tell Charlie, and I think we should tell Arcas as well. Anyone actually meet him for longer than one Order meeting?" Bill asked eventually after a long silence.
"Nope, I think we all met him at the same time. Wait, you met him at the school didn't you?" George asked, moving a box off the table and turning purple.
"Oh yeah, but only at dinner and we didn't talk much. It was also when Dumbledore realised who his mate was. I think we should go to Hogwarts somehow and tell him." Bill told them, managing to actually ignore the fact that one of his younger brothers had turned purple.
"Without Dumbledore knowing." Fred added, trying to find the sweet that would turn George back to normal.
"Yeah, without Dumbledore knowing. Plus we need to get to Charlie before they do!" George added, taking an offered sweet from Fred and scowling when it turned his hair acid green.
"You look like a rainbow just vomited on you. I need to be going. I'll try and contact Charlie tomorrow." Bill said, standing up and walking out.
"He's right you know."
"I wouldn't if you knew what the damned products did!"
--
Meanwhile at Hogwarts, things were beginning to get more dangerous with the upcoming Hallowe'en ball. Students left, right centre were bombarding him with invites to the ball. Many not wearing much when asking him, which only confused Arcas even more. They were in Scotland after all, it was very cold.
Arcas had taken to hiding in the rooms he and Remus shared between classes, much to the amusement of Sirius and Remus. Arcas didn't understand why everyone was so interested in him. Did they not have mates as well?
"What's wrong Arcas?" Remus asked, walking into the room that Arcas was currently hiding in.
"I think the students in this school have gone crazy." Arcas mumbled from where his head was hidden in his arms.
"Pardon?"
"Crazy! The students in this school have gone crazy!"
"Arcas, calm down. Now, are you coming down to dinner? Dumbledore was just asking me."
"No."
"Arcas, don't be difficult. I know it's a bit overwhelming, but you need to be seen at the daily meals."
"I don't see why. I don't eat. The stares make me uncomfortable and I don't like little wizards."
"Little wizards?"
"Your young. No wonder Voldemort wants to eat them all." Arcas muttered, sulking and frowning at the floor.
"Er... I don't think he wants to eat them." Remus said, lips twitching.
"Well whatever. I don't like them. They're loud, they're always around and they talk about doing weird things to me. They're not my mate! Why should I even give them a second thought?"
"Arcas, are you feeling all right? Seriously? What's bugging you?"
"Bugging me?"
"Yeah, er... upsetting you?"
"Oh. I just, I don't know. I'm fed up of being here, where I don't belong. I'm always hungry, but I can never take too much fire, I miss my family, I feel closed in. I don't understand this world. I feel ancient compared to the children occupying this world! I want my mum." Arcas finished, hugging his knees to his chest.
Remus sighed and walked over to sit on the floor next to the distraught Star. "Is there anyway of making you feel a bit more comfortable?"
"No. Everything here is different. It's like everyone knows this code and no one has told me. I can understand and speak twenty-two different languages, and yet I have no idea what anyone around here is talking about. What do they mean when they say that they want to show me the bends and curves of life?" Arcas asked, dragging his hands through his hair.
Remus coughed to cover a laugh and slung his arm around his Arcas' shoulders. "It's quite simple once you know the slang. I don't think it helps that you are so innocent. I do have one query though."
"What?" Arcas asked, sniffing quietly.
"What if your mate doesn't want to leave here? What if he wants to join the war effort, or is in fact a major part of it? What will you do then? Stay miserable for the rest of you life here?"
"No. I'd go back alone."
"What? Don't you need your mate to survive?"
"Not really. I need them to advance along. To- to mature! But, once we have um... mated, whatever that might entail, well I can leave. It won't hinder my mates health at all." Arcas said with a shrug.
"What about yours? Will you be fine? Happy?"
"I won't be happy. This is someone that will complete me. The Fates chose this person for me. But I will live and eventually, I will come down to collect him, or release him. He can't survive forever on his own on this planet. He will most probably outlive it. Can't be too sure though. Look Remus. I'm just not feeling very happy at the moment. Everything is over whelming me, and Dumbledore has achieved what he wanted and hindered my progress of finding my mate."
"Oh Arcas. Don't worry. You'll find him, and I'm sure that he will be very happy to be your mate."
"What if he isn't though? What if you're right, and I do have to leave without him?"
"What do you mean, 'what if I'm right'? When did I say that? I just hypothesized. I didn't say it would actually happen. Come on Arcas. Come to dinner, and ignore everyone who asks you out. Technically it would be frowned upon and against school rules for a professor to date a student anyway." Remus stated, standing up and wincing as his knees clicked.
--
Almost a week later, and a Hogsmeade visit had been planned in order to let the students get their costumes for the Hallowe'en ball. Which of course meant more invitation from students asking Arcas to accompany them into the village. Of course, Arcas declined as politely as he could and spent the morning of that Saturday sitting in his office attached to his classroom. Hoping that no one would think to come to his office to ask him out. He was proven wrong by a knock on the door.
Arcas sighed and walked over to answer it, staring for a couple of minutes in shock when he saw Ron standing there. He quickly shook his head and moved out of the way, waving Ron in and walking over to his desk to sit behind it.
"What can I do for you Mr Weasley?" Arcas asked, smiling politely at the student in front of him.
"I want to know what you are!" Ron stated, scowling at the now shocked Arcas.
"Pardon? What do you mean? I'm a teacher. Well Professor. Well, actually, do they even have a different meaning? I mean, sure, they do in the normal world, but do they in this one?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Nothing. So, sorry Mr Weasley, but what did you mean? Oh, please take a seat." Arcas added, pointing to the seat Ron was standing next to.
"I want to know what you are! Why are you here and what have you done to my sister?" Ron said, almost yelling, but yet not quite, much to Arcas' relief.
"Erm, I'm not actually sure what you want me to tell you. As for your sister, I assume you mean Miss Weasley. I'm afraid I have no idea what you mean there. I haven't done anything to Miss Weasley."
"Stop lying! I know you don't belong here! I know you're a freak! And I know you've done something to Ginny!" Ron yelled, making Arcas flinch away from him and look at his desk.
"I honestly don't know what you mean. I'm just a boring teacher."
"Liar! What have you done to Ginny!"
"Seriously, I've done nothing to her! I have no idea what you mean. I haven't done anything to your sister." Arcas said. He was actually beginning to get a little angry now.
"You've given her a love potion or something!"
"I have not. I don't even like her like that. She doesn't even listen in my classes, and to be honest, she's failing miserably. Now, if you've quite finished screaming at me, I do believe you should be going to Hogsmeade." Arcas said, standing up and walking to the door. He opened it and looked pointedly at Ron.
Ron quickly stood up and made his way to the door, stopping when Arcas placed a hand on his arm. "And I just thought I would warn you to keep an eye open for a owl telling you when your detention will be. Nice seeing you Mr Weasley." Arcas nudged Ron out of the door and closed it behind him.
--
Arcas sighed as Sirius walked into his office not long after Ron had left. He walked in and took the seat on the opposite side of the desk.
"What's up Sirius?" Arcas asked with a sigh, massaging his temples and understanding what people meant when they said they had a migraine coming.
"I was speaking to Remus a few days ago and we discussed you. He told me that you're not happy down here."
"Did he? How nice for him."
"He told me that you said something peculiar. You said that everyone on this planet were children. Thing is though, to us, you're only seventeen yourself."
"No, I'm not Sirius. I've told you, I'm not that little boy anymore."
"What happened though? How do you age three thousand years in only seventeen?"
"You become a Star. Every single one of them were once human-ish. Well anthropomorphic anyway."
"So you get, what, taken away?"
"No. I made a wish. I wished I was anywhere but where I was. They came and took me away. Well sort of. Go back three thousand odd years and you have the Greeks. Er... Well you do in Greece anyway. That's where I ended up. That's why I'm over three thousand years old. I was adopted. By Callista."
"How does that make you a Star?"
"Callista had an affair with Zeus when I was nineteen. She got killed for it and Zeus sent her to the Stars, made her Ursa Major. I was her most beloved. She loved me above all else. He made me Ursa Minor to keep her company."
"How does that explain the others? You said they were all Human."
"No. I said Anthropomorphic, but close enough. It happens in the same way. If they were human, they crossed a god, or enamoured one. Elves did the same with their god. Same with any other creature." Arcas said with a shrug.
"I don't believe you."
"Well that's what it says in history. Go look it up. Catch up on your Greek Mythology. Read about your godson." Arcas said, standing up and then walking out of his office, leaving a stunned Sirius behind.
--
Callista made her way to the spare room in her small apartment when she heard her guest arrive in there. She smiled to herself and hummed softly as she opened the door, and walked in.
"Who are you?"
"I'm Callista. Also known as the constellation Ursa Major. I have brought you here to ask for your assistance in this war." Callista said, smiling and walking further into the room.
The man in front of her turned and smiled at her in return, before sitting down on the bed in the room.
"I should have recognised you. How long has it been Calli?" The man asked, brushing his pure white hair out of his face.
"It's been a while Betelgeuse." Callista said, smiling widely before moving forward and enveloping the other man in a hug.
"I go by Orion at the moment, it seems more common in the wizarding world right now. Seems us Stars are popular to be named for. So what are you doing here? I didn't figure you would be joining this petty little war. You know it won't figure in any of the major history books in a couple of decades time. Won't even touch the normal world."
"Yes, and normally I wouldn't bother with it, but the leader of one of the sides has decided to take it upon himself to try and hide away my sons mate."
"Arcy? Arcy's all grown up? Gods, I haven't seen him since he was barely three hundred. How old is he now?"
"He's three thousand five hundred and three, just gone."
"And he's got a mate? What's this about the leader? Which one?"
"Dumbledore."
"Then we'll have to help Little Arcas then, won't we?" Orion said, grinning mischievously, receiving the same grin in return from Callista.
So how's about that. A whole chapter for you. And I'm still cruel enough not to tell you who has Charlie. How mean am I? Still, things are hotting up a little and the Stars, well Callista, are joining to war. Thank you to everyone who reviewed! And for those that asked, there's a nice little flashback sort of for you!!
