"Charlie!" She cried, leaving the group of girls staring after her.
Charlie just sat there his feet rooted to the ground. He had imagined this moment over and over in the four years they had been apart yet he couldn't move, he only feared what would happen if he tried to open his mouth to talk. He had expected her to look a lot different. The last time he had seen her she was 18, now at 22 she hadn't changed much. He knew he looked dramatically different with his tan skin and freckles. But she was still tall and as beautiful as ever. Even though her skin now too had more colour to it, shown off by a floaty white top and denim shorts, she still had the long brown hair, although now she wore it down in a long plat. Her lips had a slight redness to them from what Charlie presumed was lipstick, and her eyes were framed with dark lashes, but there was the light in her eyes he hadn't seen since they were at school and they used to sneak out of the occasional herbology class and lye in the sun by the lake.
As she got closer Charlie stood from his chair. He was sure she was going to run into his arms but just before she reached him a cloud of realisation came over her face and slowed and her brown ankle boots skidded to a halt.
Something in the air changed the moment she reached him. Awkwardness crept in through the distance between them, and they just stood there trying to think of a sentence to strung together but no conversation came. No apologies, no pleasantries, no jokes, just silence.
Harry moved awkwardly in his chair, as if trying to sneak away unnoticed. But his movement seemed to bring them back to reality.
"I can't believe you're here!" Arabelle cried shaking her head out of the moment. "You're all here" she said excitedly looking around at everyone who were now getting to their feet.
"Well you probably would have known we would be here if you had stayed in contact." Charlie said plainly.
It had come out more harshly than he intended and he immediately regretted it, he felt even worse when she looked at him with hurt reflecting in her eyes like he had just hit her hard in the face. Before she could respond or Charlie could apologise Bill had bounded across to her, engulfed her in his arms then thrown her into the air like they were children again.
"Arabelle!" He cried "where have you been?"
She Laughed, ignoring his question a little too obviously. "Its so great to see you all" pulling the twins, Percy, Ron and Ginny into hugs and then kissed Mr weasley on the cheek.
"Harry, Hermione, how are you both?" She asked directing the question towards Hermione rather than Harry despite the fact he was standing right next to her.
"Okay I don't get this, your standing in the middle of a world wide sporting event surrounded with ministry officials, yet they're not arresting you. What's going on?" Fred asked.
"Not that it's not great to see you of course" George said.
" Oh and another question also, who are your friends?" Fred asked leaning round Arabelle to glance at the girls still waiting for her.
"No no you two" Arabelle laughed "look away from the girls, I mean it"
Mr weasley then moved closer rubbing his head "but the boys do have a point Arabelle, should you be here?"
"Don't worry Arthur, it's all under control" laughing off their concern.
"Arabelle" one of the blonde girls called over in a French accent, they were becoming impatient waiting for this impromptu reunion.
"Une seconde Fleur" she cried over to them.
"Look I'm sorry this is totally crazy, and doesn't make much sense right now but I promise I'll drop by later and explain everything. If that's okay" she asked glancing over at Charlie nervously.
"Of course it is" Arthur replied "were having dinner at five, you can come over then and we'll talk properly"
"Great I'll see you all then" she said and without looking back towards Charlie she strode back to the girls, speaking rapid French to them as she went.