This is written for the Golden Snitch Ollivander's Wand Shop Challenge.
Dragon heartstring: write about Charlie Weasley.
My House: Horned Serpent
My School:Ilvermorny
"Smashing into the broom shed of all places...those two...how did they even get their hands on that broom?...RON, LEAVE THE CHICKENS ALONE!...there's another one, starting Hogwarts too...thank Merlin Percy's there to keep an eye on him..see that he doesn't take a leaf out of the twins' book...if I get ONE more owl saying they've hung everybody's pants in the Owlery I will- what's that, Ginny dear? Bill's helping your father fix the broom-shed. BE CAREFUL! DON'T STEP ON THE SPLINTERS!"
Charlie pressed himself to the door frame until Ginny had flashed past, and then stepped into the kitchen, where Mum, still mumbling angrily to herself, was preparing lunch.
"Yesterday it was the chicken coop...today the broom-shed...should be glad they'll be off to Hogwarts soon...shopping to do...where did the potatoes go?...ohhh Merlin, here they are...Ron needs robes, books, a wand...second-hand will have to do...the twins will need new robes at the rate they are growing...ah, Charlie dear, there you are. Is it already time to eat?"
He stood behind her for a minute, wondering how to begin, his hands clenched and unclenched around the roll of parchment he carried. Mum was clearly having a bad day, and he did not want to make it worse. Thank Merlin Bill was around to calm her down, but very soon the holidays would be over, and Bill will be gone. So will he, Charlie, if all went well. Well, he had to take the plunge sometime, and as Bill had advised, it was far better to tackle her alone than with the rest around. He was just about to clear his throat and begin when Percy strode importantly into the room.
"Mother," he said, "have the booklists come yet?"
"Calm down, Perce, it's still June." Charlie slapped him on the back as he went to sit at the table.
"I just-"
Mum, who was not listening interrupted: "Percy, would you go upstairs and call the twins? They've been awfully quiet. I do hope they're not up to some horrid mischief up there."
"Yes, Mother." Percy stalked purposefully up the stairs and Charlie rose. Perhaps he could quickly tell her before the others came.
"Is that chicken and ham pie I smell? Ah, Molly, how did you guess that I've been longing for some?" Dad came eagerly into the kitchen, wiping his dusty palms on his robes. "Hello, Charlie," he said as Charlie slowly sat down again, "what have you got there?" Then, without waiting for an answer, he walked up to Mum and kissed her, before peering into the pan. Charlie quickly stuffed the parchment into his pocket.
Bill entered, followed by Ginny and Ron who seemed deep in an argument about a fat stick. Bill flashed Charlie a questioning look. Charlie shook his head. Bill took a seat opposite Charlie, as Percy came haughtily down the stairs, flanked on either side by Fred and George both of whom were wearing broad grins.
"Why didn't you tell her yet?" whispered Bill as he yanked the stick from Ron's hand, and gently pushed him to a seat next to Percy, who had his nose buried in a book, as usual.
"People kept interrupting," Charlie protested. "What do you suggest I do?"
Bill looked thoughtful. Charlie, noticing his mother's glare, motioned to the twins to sit down, and stood up to help his mother with the food.
Ginny ran past him and to Bill's side, as Charlie Levitated a tray of dishes and set it in front of Dad. "Well?" he hissed in Bill's ear as he walked around to his own seat.
They all sat down. Dad at the head, Mum at the foot. Bill sat next to Dad, with Ginny pressed close to his side, one hand pinning down his free hand, making it difficult for him to cut up his pie. She had taken to doing that lately, ever since Bill had returned from Egypt, as if he would disappear back to the pyramids if she so much as blinked her eyes. Charlie understood. He'd missed Bill a lot too, and so did Mum. Now, how was he going to tell Mum that yet one more child of hers was going away?
Charlie looked around at his family. Next to Ginny sat a grinning Fred. Mum had very wisely seated the twins apart. Then came Mum, looking around anxiously to make sure everyone was eating properly. Then came George, and Percy, and then Ron. Then him and then Dad again.
"I met Ludo Bagman today," Dad was saying, "he says he can try getting us tickets for the Puddlemere-Harpies match next week-"
Everybody cheered until Mum said: "He only said he would try, so don't be disappointed if he can't."
"That's alright," said George finally. "We'll soon be able to go to every match we want."
"How?" asked Ginny, "Where'll you get the tickets from?"
"When Charlie plays for England he can get them for us," said Fred winking at George.
"Charlie's not going to play for England dear," said Mum, pouring more gravy into his plate.
"Oliver says he can," Percy appeared suddenly from behind his book. "Oliver says Charlie's the best Seeker in-"
"Charlie's not going to play for England dear," Mum repeated. "It's too dangerous. He could get hurt."
"Curse-breaking is also dangerous," put in Ron suddenly. "Bill could get hurt."
"Yes, dear," Mum shot a glare in Bill's direction. "I did tell him that. It's bad enough that one son might get himself killed. I'm not letting another-"
"Mum, but England'll lose the next World Cup. They need Charlie." chorused Fred and George this time.
Mum's face grew red. "Charlie is NOT going to play for England." she snapped. "He is going to get a safe job in the Ministry like your father and stay right here with us instead of living in some dingy place in London training night and day.("Is London very far away?" asked Ginny.) That reminds me Arthur dear, do talk to Wendell about the job vacancy in the Department for the Regulation of Magical-"
Suddenly realising that his family had planned his entire life for him without so much as asking him, Charlie glanced at Bill for instruction. Bill nodded. Charlie cleared his throat. "Mum?"
All eyes were on him. Mum eyed the parchment he had placed carefully beside his plate with some misgiving. "What are those dear?" she asked, her voice growing steelier. "You're not going to play professional Quidditch, are you?"
Fred and George exchanged a look. They always loved it when Mum was angry with someone else.
"No, Mum." said Charlie. The anger died out of Mum's eyes, and she smiled at him in relief. Knowing what was going to come, Charlie continued: "I've been offered a job at the dragon sanctuary in Romania." He handed the letter to Dad, who at once dropped his spoon and began to read it.
"Romania? Dragons?" Mum pressed her hand to her heart. "But you are going to write and decline, aren't you?"
Charle shook his head. "No, Mum. I have already written to them accepting." he said gently.
"Dragons!" exclaimed Fred. "When are you going?"
"How did they hear of you?" asked George
"Professor Kettleburn and Professor McGonagall sent them recommendation letters," he replied, smiling.
"Really?" Percy sat up. "I didn't know that could be done."
"Is Romania very far away?" asked Ginny in a small voice while Ron's mouth hung open.
"But dragons, dear?" Mum was holding on to her earlier worry. "Aren't they dangerous?"
"Mum," Charlie began, "they're not going to turn me loose in a dragon's enclosure without training me first. They'll train me for two years first, before allowing me to handle the dragons on my own."
"But don't you think staying here and dealing with household pests and hippogriffs is a better job dear?" Mum's ideas sometimes were so ridiculous he wanted to laugh. Household pests. As if they could even compare with dragons.
"No, Mum," he replied patiently, looking her in the eye. "I'm going to the Ridgebit Sanctuary in Romania to study dragons." Perhaps the finality in his tone had defeated her but it certainly hadn't convinced her. As expected she simply sighed and then turned to Dad for help.
"Arthur," she said, looking daggers at Dad, "Help me. Tell Charlie that it's too dangerous for him."
Dad turned to Charlie and returned the parchment to him. "Congratulations, son." he said. Charlie smiled as Mum swelled with anger. "When will you be starting?"
Charlie looked at Bill, who nodded. Then looking at Dad, avoiding Mum's eye, he said: "Tonight."
"You're lucky Mum hasn't read your curriculum for the next two years," said Bill as they stood outside The Burrow together that night. "She'll probably blow a blood vessel if she knew what you have to do to tame a rogue male."
"Been reading up, have you, Billy boy?" Charlie laughed and then lowered his voice. "Well, I'm glad she hasn't cried yet. I'd hate to leave then."
"She'll start as you say your goodbyes," reminded Bill. "At least that's what she did with me, remember?"
Charlie remembered. "Oh well, Percy'll have to become Prefect or something soon." he replied, as Percy walked towards them. "She'll be so happy; she'll forget all about me."
"Don't worry Charlie, I will become Prefect," said Percy decidedly. "And then Head Boy and then-"
"Minister for Magic!" chorused Bill and Charlie together. Percy looked slightly sulky as he always did when he knew that they were making fun of him.
"There's a few positions you might have to fill before you become Minister, though, Perce." said Bill.
"I will. I'll rise to the top." Percy looked so earnest, his glasses slipped off his nose and in the process of grabbing them, he dropped his book into the slush.
Bill bent to pick it up while Charlie leaned on the gate and laughed.
The door of the house opened and the rest of the family trooped out. Charlie stopped mid-laugh as he saw Mum's red rimmed eyes. Dad clapped him on the back as he went ahead to open the gate, followed by Percy. The twins had Ron in their custody and were appearing to persuade him to do something. Bill, sensing the worst, made after them, and Charlie was left on his own with the two people who were saddest to see him go.
Mum said nothing as they climbed up Stoatshead Hill, but once it was time for him to leave, she cried and cried as she hugged him.
Ginny said nothing at all, just walked next to him and held his hand tightly the whole climb. She did not cry. Charlie knew having so many brothers had toughened her up. When it was time for him to leave, she spoke at last, telling him to write to her regularly. He promised and then went around saying goodbye to every one.
Then it was time to leave. Charlie shouldered his big mokeskin bag and donned his fireproof balaclava. He took one last look at his family. Dad, his arm around a weeping Mum. Percy standing between the twins, shielding his glasses from their frenzied waving. Bill, Ron, and Ginny, the latter waving solemnly.
Then he waved once before Apparating to a field a long way south from where he and a group of visiting Romanian wizards were going to take a Portkey to Romania.
After convincing Mum that he could do the dishes instead and sending her to the living room with Dad, and persuading the twins to leave off a planned prank for the next day, and consoling Ginny; Bill sat back on a chair in the kitchen.
"I'm glad you'll be there to comfort Mum after I go, mate," Charlie had said. And Bill would just like Charlie had when Bill first went to Egypt. The prospect of consoling Mum wasn't daunting at all.
Only, how was he going to tell Mum that he would have to leave for Cairo two weeks earlier than he originally planned?