Chapter Nine: Second Ghost +1

Two A.M.

CUCK-OO CUCK-OO

Harry awoke with a gasp. Tears were still pouring from his eyes.

"Hey there Harry-"

"-sorry to barge in like this."

He glanced up, startled. "Fred, George?"

"Got it in one." They twins said together, grinning.

"Not that I'm not glad to see you, but, why you two?"

Fred started. "Ginny and Ron kept fighting-"

"-about who should be allowed to come see you."

"She was your girlfriend-"

"-but he was your best friend."

"They couldn't agree-"

"-so neither got to come. They sent-"

"-us instead. And I must say, we're delighted-"

"-to see your delicious self again Harry." George finished with a leer.

(A/N: From here on, if they speak together it will be in bold.)

Harry couldn't help but smile. The twins had always had that effect. Even when things got really bad they could always make him laugh. Or at least, until they'd been killed by Roldolphus and Rebastian Lestrange.

"Now, now Harry-" Fred said shaking a finger at him.

"-we know that look. You're not to start thinking about that depressing stuff-"

"-while you're with us. Makes us look bad."

"Alright, I'll try. Now, what do you two have to show me?"

They shared a glance then turned back to him.

"Your mother showed you the past."

"Now we're here to show you the present."

"It's very serious stuff we're talking about Harry." George said.

"You're not the only one whose heart is breaking." Fred said, quietly.

"We know how alone you've been feeling-"

"-but now we're here to tell you the truth."

"There's been someone here for you, waiting, this whole time."

"He's not once-"

"-left your side."

"Since it happened."

"But now he's-"

"-giving up. And we-"

"-can't allow that to happen. You both deserve to be happy."

Harry was completely bewildered. Hadn't a clue what they were talking about. "What? Who?"

"You'll see."

Together they reached out to him, both grabbing an arm. Again he felt a tug just behind his navel.

He found himself in the burrow. He clenched his teeth at the rush of memories. Too many funerals had taken place here. An elbow nudged him in the ribs.

"Oy!" Fred snapped angrily. "Pay attention or we'll be here all day."

Harry obediently focused on the scene in front of him. Charlie, Bill, Fleur, Arthur, and Molly, all that was left of the Weasley clan (Percy was still alive but they still weren't talking), sat at the dining room table. Charlie had his face in a bowl of Salty Sponge Sticks (the wizarding world's version of pretzels except they were shaped like sponges, and literally sucked all of the moisture out of your mouth). They had all clearly been drinking, but Charlie was the furthest gone of the lot of them. Bill didn't seem to be helping the situation. He was in fact, refilling what appeared to be Charlie's mug.

"How drunk you get is caused by how much alcohol you consume in relation to your total body weight. It's not that you've had a lot to drink; it's just you're too skinny! Here ya go now brother, have another one."

Charlie lifted his head up slightly and moaned. A few of the sponges were stuck to his face. "Bill, I 'on't wanna get druunk."

"Too late for that lad," Arthur said with a laugh, his nose a little red. "A sober person would've reached for the sticks."

(A/N: Yes, I got a bit of that from Splash. Terrific mermaid movie, I recommend it to all.)

Charlie looked down at the bowl beneath his chin, seeming surprised that it was there. "Oh would ya loo' at that? How 'id those ge' there?"

Fleur chortled. "Somewhere between the third and seventh round I believe."

Molly, who didn't appear to have touched her mug, shook her head a bit. "I really don't think this was the best idea Arthur. How's getting drunk supposed to help him?" She asked indicating Charlie.

"Don' hep me!" Charlie shouted angrily. "I don' want hep! Made up my mind, givin up on 'im. Thas what he wants."

"Oh Charlie," Molly said solemnly. "He just needs more time. Severus meant the world to him."

"I know you're right Molls, but I'm with Charlie. I mean, tomorrow it'll have been five years since Severus' passing." Arthur said, shaking his head.

"I agree." Bill said firmly. "I understand that Harry lost someone dear, but everyone did. It was war after all. Charlie's been waiting for him far too long now. It's time for Charlie to move on, it's clear that Harry never will."

Fleur glared around the table. "I agree with Molly." She turned to Charlie. "Is your love really so fragile a thing that you would give up so quickly? Doesn't seem like you're putting up much of a fight to me. Does he even know of your feelings?"

Charlie stared at her, swaying a bit. "No." He mumbled quietly. "I never told him."

BANG! Fleur had slapped her palms to the table. "You idiot! You dragon-obsessed fool! You're not even giving him a choice!"

"I've waited for him for years!" Charlie shouted, no longer slurring his words. "Of course he had a choice!"

"No he has not! He's in so much pain! He's been alone for five years! He thought the comfort you offered him was that of a friend and you never told him any different! And if you really loved him it wouldn't matter how long you had to wait!"

She surged up from the table and lunged at Charlie, in full attack mode. In her eyes, this in no way compared to what she had gone through with Bill when he'd been bitten. Bill caught her half way across the table.

"Knock it off! You're forgetting that Charlie's hurting too!"

"Not as much as Harry! Charlie claimed he understood; claimed he would wait, that he loved him but already he's giving up! Love is more than that! Love is deeper than that! How dare you mock it in this way?!" She screeched, struggling against her husband's hold.

"I do love him." Charlie whispered, tiredly. His quiet, truthful voice stopped her struggles. "I'm just, feeling a little discouraged, I guess. He never even acknowledges me unless he's irritated or pissed off at something I've done. I just don't know what to do anymore."

Fleur hung limply in Bill's arms. She reached for Charlie, slowly this time, and cupped his face gently in one palm. "Try fighting instead of waiting on the sidelines. How about being honest with him for a change? Tell him the truth and see where it leads. The worst he could do is say no. And who says you have to accept that for an answer?"

Charlie smiled a bit sadly. "Thanks Fleur, you're the best sister-in-law a guy could have."

The scene froze, Harry staring at the dragon tamer in disbelief. "Charlie loves me?"

"Yup." Fred said cheerfully. "Had a crush on you since fourth year when you took on that Horntail."

George nodded in agreement. "Never seen big brother speechless before. Then he couldn't shut up about you. Went on for weeks about how fantastic you'd been."

"Why did he never say anything?" Harry asked, still not believing.

"You were too young." Fred answered.

"Then you started dating Ginny."

"He thought he might have a chance for you when that ended, but-"

"-that's when you met Severus."

"Or rather," George expanded. "When you first came to truly know Severus."

"He's been waiting for you a long time Harry." Fred continued.

"But that's not all. We have one more thing to show you."

After the small tug behind his naval Harry found himself this time in the headmaster's office. Headmaster Flitwick was staring at the top of his desk (he had a special chair that lowered to the floor when he wanted to leave and rose to the height of the desk when he sat down) sadly.

"What is the matter Filius?" Dumbledore asked from his portrait.

"Harry Potter, Albus. He's not getting better at all. I'm just not sure if working is helping." He sighed. "I might have to let him go."

The scene froze, as did Harry. He couldn't lose his job. Even though he didn't show it much these days, he still loved teaching. It was really all he had left. And his students, well, he'd always thought of them as the children he hadn't had the chance to have.

"This is where we leave you Harry. Good luck. Expect the last ghost with the third cuckoo."

A/N: For my ghost guesser (you know who you are) HA! Got ya with this one didn't I? :P See if you can guess the last.