Short chapter today, I didn't have much time to check the spelling – so I apologize
for any mistakes (again, English is my second language so be patient with me ;)
thank you Cookie05 for reviewing I love knowing you enjoy the story …
Jade was bathing in the sun rays she started to dream about her brothers she was about to meet and wondered how awesome it would be if they were all like Charlie…
After couple more rounds of water, sunshine and then water again, sun started to set down so Charlie rushed everyone inside – at least someone had to be responsible. If it was up to Jade they'd stay by the pond all night.
She re-discovered her love for swimming. She used to hate it, because when her foster parents found out she was really good at it, they made her join some local team and go to all the competitions. Jade hated races where everyone yelled and then got disappointed if she didn't finish first, or even if she did, there was no joy because everyone else was miserable and it was simply in Jade's nature to want to please everyone.
Dad apparated in front of the kitchen door just seconds before they got there. Ginny run up to him and jumped on his back. Arthur spun around like always but stopped abruptly after second turn – seeing Charlie was already home.
"Oh, it's so wonderful to see you again!" he exclaimed and pulled his son into one of the Weasleys' signature hugs.
Molly came out to see what it was all about and when she saw Arthur was home and everyone was still standing outside, kids with wet hair and wet bathing suits she pulled Ginny down from her husband's back and rushed everyone to the kitchen, telling everyone to go right up and get hot showers.
While everyone was taking turns in the two bathrooms of the Burrow, Molly stole a quiet moment with the love of her life and gently kissed him on the lips.
"Hmmm you smell like strawberry jam." Hummed Arthur and hugged his wife, stealing one of the left-over strawberries from behind her back.
"Well, we have twenty jars of new strawberry jam and some strawberry sorbet for dessert tonight." Replied Molly and lovingly stroked Arthur's left cheek, then patted him softly, "but if you're going to steal my strawberries Arthur Weasley, there will be no dinner for you!" she smacked his arm with the dishtowel and turned around to sweep off the counter top.
"Who needs dinner when he has such a deliciously looking lover" answered Arthur playfully and after stuffing another big strawberry to his mouth proceeded to kiss his wife again when…
"Ewww! dad !" exclaimed disgusted Ron who came down to the kitchen, freshly showered, wearing his pajama bottoms and his brown bath robe.
Arthur just smiled and run upstairs to change from his work clothes. Molly silently giggled, just as if she was seventeen again and he had kissed her good night in the Gryffindor common room.
Ginny and Jade came downstairs after a while, both with damp hair and Ginny requested two French braids one on each side of her head. Roast beef was still in the oven and Molly had enough time so she took off her apron and brushed her youngest daughter's hair with the comb Ginny gave her. She finished in no time and when she saw how Jade looked at them, she asked her: "Jade, would you like me to braid your hair too?"
Jade just shrugged "no, you don't have to, I mean, my hair is too short anyway…"
"Oh I'm sure it's long enough, here, sit down and I'll try."
And true to Molly's words, she managed to put two nice tight braids into Jade's hair – just like she did for Ginny.
"Oh look! Look Jade! We're like twins now!" exclaimed Ginny and hugged Jade around her neck.
Mom smiled at her two little girls and turned down the radio which was playing.
"Dinner's ready!" she called the stairs, her voice echoing all the way around the house, effectively reaching ears of Charlie and her husband who were chatting in the master's bedroom.
Dinner was pleasant as always, with strawberry sorbet and whipped cream on top for dessert. And as Molly looked around the table she couldn't be happier. (well, of course she could – she still missed all her boys, but they'll be home from school soon and then she'll have them all together.)
But as she looked at all her kids she noticed Jade was wearing Fred's old pajamas and Bill's ancient Gryffindor flannel shirt. That girl desperately needed some clothes of her own, but with the short budged they had, Molly couldn't imagine buying her a closet full of new clothes. But she has to buy her at least something! She can't wear her brother's old clothes for the rest of her life! They were going shopping, first thing tomorrow morning! Happy with that thought Molly sent everyone out of the kitchen so she could clean up after dinner. Arthur stayed behind to help with the dishes like always but before kids could even sit down on the couch in the tiny living room, Molly ordered to Charlie to go upstairs right now and unpack, because she wanted to do laundry tomorrow and she needed all his dirty clothes.
Charlie frowned but asked "Who wants to help?" and when he saw all the eager faces jumping with joy, he cheered up and they all raced up to his room. It was just one level down from Ron's attic room and it had one side slightly askew as the roof was starting at this floor, going all the way up to Ron's little bedroom.
Ron and Ginny loved opportunities like this – they weren't allowed to go to their brothers' rooms without their permission and as Charlie didn't get home very often, Molly didn't want anyone to mess with his things so she left the door closed.
Charlie's room was full of Quidditch flags and posters, he had big bed in the middle and red quilted comforter with squares of yellow added here and there in an irregular pattern. There was big rag rug on the , covering most of the hardwood floor and big window turned to opposite side of the house as Jade's.
the shelves and Charlie's desk were overflowing with all sorts of interesting items. Horns from dragons he tamed, stacks of letters and postcards from distant places were in fact the only organized thing in his room – all neatly stacked in small towers, tied with ordinary brown thread, they were standing on the top shelf, out of reach of small hands.
"Ok everyone, let's do this!" exclaimed Charlie with deep voice as if he was announcing beginning of some adventure.
He opened his duffle bag and took out small metal box and gently put it on his desk. Then he dug in and pulled out big pile of dirty clothes all muddy and burnt at places from his dragon training. He threw them all at Ron and he was completely buried underneath.
"Eeew what's that smell?" yelled Ginny holding her nose.
"that my dear sister" announced Charlie nonchalantly "is the scent of dragon manure and it closely resembles the smell of un-showered boy. You might want to get used to it, because that Harry of yours looks like he's avoiding shower by miles – just look at his untidy messy hair!" laughing Charlie was soon attacked by his furious little sister who managed to push him down on his back but he had no trouble to hold her in the air and keep himself out of reach of her tickly little fingers.
Ron managed to push the huge pile of clothes outside and close the door to keep the smell out of the room.
They unpacked everything, putting away all kinds of treasures Charlie brought home. Jade pinned two more postcards to the wall on the left side of the bed. It was filled with postcards and photos and you could hardly see the old yellowish wall paper.
Jade looked at all the pictures of Charlie and his friends, most of them were from school – she assumed. It looked like he was having such a good time there, surrounded by friends, she couldn't wait to go to school, but Ginny said their mom was teaching them at home. Maybe they weren't going to send her to school? It sure looked expensive there, maybe she'll just stay at home then.
She pushed the thoughts about that away and admired the moving photographs instead.
Charlie played his old gramophone and told them stories while everyone helped him clean his room. When everything was put away, he took the metal box which was waiting at his desk and opened it. There was short pile of neatly folded letters and as Jade noticed, last couple of them were from her and Ron. Charlie carefully put them up on the shelf and Jade suddenly felt happy inside, because someone wanted to keep a letter from her, because someone cared enough to keep a bit of paper with words she wrote. It was a small thing but it made her feel like part of the family. She smiled when Charlie looked at her and winked. There were more stories about dragons and friends from a far far away country and when the record stopped playing and Charlie wanted to turn it around to the other side, Molly knocked at the door and came in.
"Alright, everyone go to bed, it's way past your bedtime and we'll go shopping tomorrow so you'll have to get up early."
After Ron and Ginny hugged Charlie and then Charlie hugged Jade, because she hesitated at first, but gladly returned his hug once she knew he wanted to hug her, Molly kissed each of her children good night and after one extra hug for Charlie and one more "I'm glad you're home" she turned around and went down to her room.
They talked with Arthur and he agreed with her Jade needed some clothes of her own, he even gave Molly the extra galleon he earned for working late last week, he was just glad he didn't have to go with them because as all the Weasley boys he hated shopping trips.