Dragon Man
Chapter 11 – The trouble with trouble.
"What?" Juliet stared at George; she was so taken aback by his words that she hadn't even looked around her when they landed.
"Something happened, although no one knows quite what, the night we fought with those thugs. Charlie was hit by a few spells, but they were relatively minor, he was knocked out though" George righted his clothing and readjusted the bag. They had landed not far from the Weasley home, on Stoatshead Hill. George started to head down the hill towards a town. Juliet started after George, still a little breathless from the portkey and his revelations.
"And when he came round his magic had just disappeared?" She was astounded.
"Well, yes" George stopped and looked at her "It seems to have, he slept most of the next day and when he got up he said he felt better and seemed his usual self, but then he tried to accio something and it didn't work. We checked his wand, it's not that"
"So, I mean what's being done? Has he been to the hospital? Seen a Mediwitch?" she demanded as they started to walk again.
"He won't" George said flatly "He says it'll come back itself when it's good and ready, actually he's really calm about it, if it were me I'd be climbing the walls"
"Well that's' just stupid!" she snorted.
"Why?" George demanded "I would be!"
"No" Juliet sighed "I meant him, not seeing anyone"
"Oh yeah, well that's Charlie for you" George grinned "Is this the first time you have seen the stupid side of him?"
"No, well yes, oh I don't know" she moaned "It's all a bit…"
"Weird?" George offered "Yeah it's definitely weird, but then weirdness seems to have an attraction for Charlie"
"Thanks" she replied dryly.
"No, I didn't mean that, Merlin why do we keep misunderstanding each other?" George laughed.
For the first time since Charlie had called her on Boxing Day, Juliet laughed "We do don't we?" she agreed.
"Come on" he said companionably "It's just the other side of Ottery St Catchpole, that town" he pointed to the sprawl of homes before them "Won't take long".
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As George held the door open for her Juliet entered Charlie's childhood home for the first time. It suddenly dawned on her that she must look awful, it was dry in England but the wind had blown her already bedraggled hair to kingdom come. She wished now that she'd tidied herself up before she left as George suggested, what would Charlie, and his beloved mum make of her looking like this?
"Oh, my poor dear" a voice said from somewhere, a woman's voice "Come in! Get yourself by the fire you look frozen to the bone! Cup of tea? Sandwich?"
Juliet located the owner of the voice; this must be Charlie's mum, Molly Weasley. Juliet fought the urge to burst into tears, Molly's face was kind and careworn and her voice bright and full of concern, she just looked like a mum, someone to cuddle when things went wrong.
"Hello, you must be " Juliet began "I'm sorry to arrive unannounced like this…" she got no further as Molly cut her off.
"Nonsense!" she said "You are more than welcome; Charlie has told us so much about you that I was just dying to meet you! And we sent you an owl, asking you to come. And call me Molly, Mrs Weasley reminds me of Arthur's mum!"
"Well, thank you" Juliet smiled into her eyes, kind eyes crinkled with laughter lines "I'm sorry but I didn't get the owl you sent, but I ran into George and he has explained"
"Oh that silly bird!" Molly laughed "Goodness knows where he is now; never mind, the important thing is that you are here now" she paused for breath, guiding Juliet to a chair by the roaring kitchen fire "Would you like a cup of tea? Are you hungry? A sandwich? Or maybe some toast?" Molly stood over her expectantly.
Juliet was just about to answer when the voice from behind her made her stumble to her feet and turn around.
"Mum!" it was Charlie "Let her get in the door before you start trying to feed her!" it seemed to Juliet that it took Charlie hours to cross the space between them, but there he was, standing in front of her, reaching out and taking her hands in his.
"Hello" she said quietly.
"Hi" he replied, reaching down and kissing her on the cheek "Thank you" he whispered as his mouth brushed her cheek.
Juliet reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him closer. He hugged her back, fiercely so that Juliet could hardly breathe, but she didn't care, she had feared that this moment would never come; she could have stayed there forever.
"Get a room you two!" George joked, and they broke apart, Charlie turned to face the others but kept hold of Juliet's hand tightly.
"I've got one" Charlie said cheekily "Did you manage?" he asked.
"Yeah, I got all the stuff you asked for" George replied "So now you have your own clothes can you stop nicking mine?"
"I don't know, I mean I quite like this t-shirt" Charlie teased, indicating the dark blue t-shirt he wore with the legend "Wizards do it on broomsticks!" emblazoned across the chest.
"Right Charlie, I expect Juliet would like a rest after the day she's had, can you show her up to Ginny's room please?" Molly intervened, Juliet was trying to read Charlie, and he seemed his normal self, not down or even stressed. He didn't seem affected at all.
"She's staying in my room" he announced steadily, Juliet tensed. Charlie had told her his mum had very strong views on sex. Mainly that it should never happen under her roof, Juliet wondered what on earth he was thinking.
"Charlie…." Juliet protested, but to her surprise Molly didn't contradict him.
"As you wish" was all she said, although the expression on her face could have soured milk at a hundred paces, she did have the grace to turn away from them though, to try and hide it.
Juliet followed him up a steep and narrow staircase and through a door into a bedroom. It was brightly decorated and there were pictures of dragons and famous Quiddich players on the walls, a double bed dominated the room and a wardrobe and chest of drawers fought for space against the wall. A large window faced the bed and the watery winter sunshine poured through, bathing the room in soft light. Clothes littered the floor and the bed was unmade, books and magazines were placed opened on the bedside table, along with a few coffee cups.
"Sorry" he smiled at her "Maids day off"
She looked at him as he closed the door; he wrapped his arms around her, nuzzling her neck with his mouth.
"Oh, I've missed you" he groaned.
"Charlie I'm dirty!" she protested.
"Oh I hope so" he chuckled, pulling her closer his hands starting to wander.
She struggled a little and then he kissed her, deeply. She forgot that she was sporting the tramp look, that she had just arrived in his parent's house, who disapproved of sex before marriage, and even that he'd lost his magic. She just knew he was there, and she loved him and she needed him right then.
It was frantic; Clothes were thrown with no regard as they stumbled to the bed. Charlie pushed her gently onto the bed; he couldn't get enough of her. It was over all too quickly; Charlie sighed and kissed her gently.
"I'm sorry" he whispered "I think I got a bit carried away"
"Don't" she murmured back "It was great, better than great and you know it was"
"I know" he smiled "I just wish it hadn't been so, well, quick"
"Its fine" she reassured "Very, er satisfying"
"Good" he moved away from her, pulling the covers over both of them before drawing her closer again "So what's been happening at work then? Any gossip?" he asked.
"Charlie, are you going to talk to me or do I have to beat it out of you?" she rose up on her elbow, looking him in the eye "George told me what happened"
"Its fine, no big deal" he said with a shrug.
"Of course it is!" she protested "You have lost your magic, you can't say that's not a big deal"
"It's fine" he repeated but his face had taken on a closed look, she felt his body tense.
"It is not fine!" she snapped "You haven't even seen a Mediwitch!"
"I don't need a Mediwitch" he replied, getting out of bed and pulling on his jeans.
"You need to know what happened and to try and put it right" she protested.
"I wish everyone would stop telling me what I need!" he snapped back "I just need to be allowed to get on with it, millions of people live without magic, I'm sure I can manage"
"Charlie, stop being so pig headed. I used to work at St Mungo's, I can help" she pleaded.
Charlie rounded on her sharply, she knew the laid back manner was a shield and here was the proof "You think you can help do you?" he asked dangerously quietly "When my brother, a curse breaker can't? Or Hermione? One of the brightest minds in the wizarding world, or Harry Potter? The most powerful wizard around. Even the bloody Minister for Magic CAN'T HELP" he shouted "So what fucking chance do you have?"
"Yes, that's right!" she shouted back "I drop anything and come half way around the world at your beck and call and all you do is shout at me for trying to support you!"
"I'm sorry, shit, I didn't mean to take it out on you" he sat back on the bed, holding her to his chest "But please, if you came here to support me then support me, don't try and fix me because I've had enough of that"
"Charlie I just wanted to help, I don't want to see you upset, angry and this had got you both"
"I know, of course it has" he admitted "But the more I show it, the more everyone just runs round in circles trying to find answers, and I don't think there are any, I think this is something I might have to live with"
"Don't say that" she pleaded.
"But its true" he sighed "I will have to adapt, I am absolutely useless in a wizarding environment and I need to learn how to be like a muggle"
"It won't come to that" she denied.
"I want to be prepared" he stated "And I know you didn't sign up for this, this is such a mess"
"What do you mean, I didn't sign up for this?" she moved away from him this time "Do you think I'm that shallow?"
"What? No!" he said "It's not going to be easy though is it? I mean I can hardly go back and work with dragons at the moment can I?" he ran his hands through his hair; it hurt Juliet to see the despair on his face.
"We'll work something out" she promised him. Quite how was not a question either of them was brave enough to ask at that moment.
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