Chapter 4- Charlie
When Molly and Arthur were getting ready to leave Hermione thought it would be a good time to remind them that she didn't expect them to come over every weekend.
"When you get home, please make sure to let Harry and Ron know that they don't need to come over every weekend and that goes for you too. I have plenty to do to keep busy." Hermione told them.
"We know Dear, we just don't want you to be lonely." Molly told her.
"I'm fine. Don't worry."
"Ok, we'll slow down the visits, but I am still coming next week to go with you to the Healer. Is that alright?"
"Of course. You are always welcome here, but I don't want you to feel like you need to be here. You have your family there and I know they have wondered what is going on since you have missed several of your Sunday family dinners."
"They can fend for themselves sometimes, and I know what you are saying. Now that we have the portkeys, you can drop in in the evenings too. And before you say anything remember that we are alone every evening. So, you don't need to worry about anyone dropping in on us."
"I just may do that. Thank-you."
Hermione usually got to class early to get set up. She liked to be ready when class started. She had just put her books, parchment and quills out when her Professor asked her, "Miss Granger, May I see you after class?"
"Yes sir." She responded.
Lucy, Hermione's classmate, was walking into the room and she looked at Hermione and questioned it with her eyes. Hermione just shrugged because she didn't know what the Professor could want. She hoped it wasn't bad news. Maybe they thought it over and decided they didn't want her in their courses. Maybe they found out about her pregnancy. Aside from the Minister, she was pretty sure that no one at school knew. She kept up with all of her studies. She was even way ahead of the class and she used the class work as a refresher. It seemed like the time was going by at a crawl. She was ready to get it over with. Whatever she had done she would face it.
After everyone left the Professor told her, "Please hold on. The Headmaster is going to join us. She should be on her way."
He had just finished talking when the Headmaster came in saying, "Sorry to keep you waiting. But let's sit over here." She indicated a round table in the corner of the classroom.
After they sat down the Headmaster said, "I'm sure you're wondering what we wanted to talk with you about?"
"Yes, I am rather curious."
"Your Professor's have been talking about you. It seems they are all quite impressed with you. Professor Bogza here tells me he thinks you are ready to take the year end exams and join the second-year class."
"I don't know what to say."
"This is a first time this will have been done in our school, but if you are willing, we can arrange for you to take the exams on Saturday. If you pass them, we will move you to the advanced class, if you fail, you will stay in the class you are in now."
"I would love the opportunity to take the exams, but what will I miss by not joining in the class discussions?"
"It's true you would miss the class discussions, but you would be in the advanced class so you would join the class discussions there."
"Then, yes, I would love the opportunity to take the exam on Saturday. This would mean I would be able to take my final exams in the spring, wouldn't it?"
"Yes, you would. It is a wonderful opportunity and I don't know of anyone more deserving. You take the remainder of the week off from classes, so you can study and we'll see you here on Saturday at 9 am." She told Hermione, then turned to Professor Bogza and said, "Do you have anything to add?"
"No, you said it all, just relax and everything will be fine. Studying comes easily to you. I know you'll do well."
"Thank-you, Minister and Professor."
Hermione was bursting with excitement. She went home and took a leaf from her plant. She had to go tell someone about this.
Molly was the only one home, but she promised Hermione she would let Harry and Ron know about this and she promised they would not come over on Saturday as she would be taking her test.
Hermione went home and hit the books.
She was a nervous wreck when she went in to take the exam, but the minute it started she relaxed and fell right into the groove of it. It was easier than she thought. She felt really good about it and as she left, she asked the Professor that was overseeing her taking the exam when she would get the results.
"I am not sure. I would think it would be soon, though. I imagine the Headmaster or the Minister will let you know on Monday when you will get the results and one of them will contact you with the results. Are you sure you don't want to go over the exam again? You have a couple more hours left."
"No, I did as well as I could. Thank-you for taking time out of your weekend to sit here with me."
"You are very welcome. Good luck."
Hermione's appointment with the Healer was scheduled for Tuesday afternoon and when she returned home from school on Tuesday, Molly was there and had lunch ready for them.
"Molly, I was wondering when you would arrive."
"I got here a little while ago. How was the exam?"
"It was good. At least I think I did good. I have a meeting with the Headmaster tomorrow morning to get my results."
"I know they'll move you up. They can't help but see how smart you are. Maybe you'll be able to come home sooner than we thought."
"Molly, we went over this. I'm not going home. Now let's eat and go see the Healer, so they can say I'm doing fine."
Charlie Weasley was going in to see if the burns on his arm were healed enough for him to return to work. He had been working in the office all week doing paperwork. He would rather be out with the dragons. Maybe he should have taken the time off work. It was offered to him, but he didn't take his boss up on the offer. He just stepped off the lift when he thought he saw his Mum. She was walking into the lift next to his and she was accompanied with a woman. He didn't see her face, but she looked familiar. But he knew it was his Mum. He got out of his lift and ran towards the other lift, but it left before he got there. He didn't know what floor they were going to, so he couldn't follow them, so he took his lift to his appointment.
His Healer did not release him to return to work, so he went back to the work to let him boss know that he was going home for a week. Then he went to the Ministry to get a portkey home. He needed some answers.
When he got home his Mum was cooking dinner for his Father. He must have imagined he saw her. She would not have had time to get a portkey and beat him home and be this far along with dinner.
"Charlie, it's so good to see you." She said going to him to give him a hug, but saw his bandaged arm and pulled back.
"It's just a burn Mum. Hazards of the job. But since I have the week off, I thought I would come see how everything is going."
"Everything is fine here. Nothing changes. Your father will be home in a few minutes. Why don't you come sit in the kitchen and talk with me until he gets here?"
He got a glass of water and sat at the table. "Mum, I was at the hospital today and I could have sworn I saw you. Funny, huh? What would you be doing at the hospital in Romania? Maybe I missed you and imagined it."
"Yes, funny, Dear. I missed you too." She told him. "I guess this means that you should come home more often."
"I will, I promise."
"Charlie. What are you doing home?" His dad asked as he walked into the kitchen and kissed Molly on the cheek.
He held up his arm and said, "I had a little accident. I guess I got too close to a nest of eggs and the mother got mad. Anyhow I have a few days off, so I thought I would come see the family."
They stayed up late talking. Charlie had a few ideas about Molly's garden. He said he would help her with it while he was home and Molly told him she would invite his sister and brothers over for dinner while he was there.
The next morning, they sat at the table and went over the plans Molly already had, and Charlie gave her some input. She brought out some of the books Hermione had given her for them to look at. He thought it was nice she had a project to work on. After lunch Molly told him she had to run to the market for a few things for dinner and asked him if he wanted to join her. He told her he was a little tired, so he would take a nap while she was gone.
After Molly left Charlie got up. He looked around at the familiar living room, and he thought it would be nice to be back home again. He loved his job, but he missed his family. While he was looking at the familiar room, he saw a plant in the corner on a table. He had never seen anything like it before. Maybe it was one of the plants she was going to add to her garden. He went over to get closer look and when he touched a leaf to examine it more closely, it fell off in his hand. He was immediately propelled him forward. When he landed, he was disoriented. He looked around. This place did not look familiar. He went to the rooms of the house and looked around.
A portkey? What is Mum doing with a portkey in plain sight? What is going on? That was when he noticed the same plant on a plant stand in the room, he was in. What is going on? He looked around the little house he was in, but it didn't seem familiar. He looked outside. All he saw was other houses with snow on them. Whoever lived here was neat. The entire house was clean. But who was it? He went over to the plant and plucked a leaf off and this time he was ready when he was transported back home.
What is going on? Whose house was that? I'll ask Mum as soon as she gets home.
When Molly returned Charlie was asleep, so Molly started dinner. When he got up, he went into the kitchen and sat with her. "Mum, I've never seen that plant before." He told her as he pointed to the plant in the living room.
"Oh, that was a gift from a friend. It's pretty, isn't it?"
"Yes, it's nice. Are you going to put it in your garden?" He didn't know why he was asking her this. She obviously didn't want him to know it was a portkey. What if only one leaf was a portkey and I used up Mum's only portkey? Maybe I should check it out after Mum and Dad go to sleep tonight.
Dinner that night was great. Bill and Fleur brought their baby girl, and Harry and Ginny brought Little Teddy with them. The two babies played together all evening.
Ron and George introduced him to their girlfriends. Percy and Fred came alone.
Charlie had time to talk with everyone and they all promised they would be back throughout the week.
After everyone left and he was sure his parents were asleep, he crept down the stairs and went over to the plant and plucked a leaf off it. Sure enough, it took him back to the same house, except this time when he landed the house was not empty.
"Hermione?"
"Charlie, is everything alright? Did something happen? Is it your Mum or Dad? Are Ron and Harry alright? Did something happen to them on an assignment? Is Fred alright? Tell me he didn't have an accident making a potion?"
"When she stopped for a breath of air, he cut in. "What is going on? Why do you and Mum have the same plant? Why do you have portkeys?"
"So, everyone is ok?"
"Yes, everyone is fine."
"Good. You had me worried for a minute there. Why did your Mum tell you about the plant? Does anyone else know about it?"
"You mean the portkey plant?"
"Yes. The portkey plant."
"Mum didn't say anything. I was looking at it and I plucked a leaf off of it and it took me here. Where are we, what is going on?"
"Sit down and have a cup of tea. I just made it, so it's nice and hot. What happened to your arm?"
"Thank-you. I will have a cup of tea with you. I got too close to a dragon and she let me know it. Now can you tell me what is going on?"
She didn't know Charlie as well as the rest of the Weasleys, but she felt he could be trusted. Her gut instincts had never let her down before, so she said. "Ok, but please don't tell anyone about this."
"We are in Romania. I am taking Magical Law classes here. The portkey was given to us as a way for us to get back and forth easily."
"Why are you taking your classes here and not at home?"
"I needed to get away. Kingsley and the Romanian Minister did this as a favor to me."
"I think there is a whole lot more to this story. Start from the beginning."
"It is a big secret, and if I tell you, you can't tell anyone. Only your parents, Ron and Harry know. I know they would never say anything to anyone."
"I won't betray your trust."
"Ok. But know that this is hard for me to talk about, so I really need to trust you won't say anything."
He nodded so she went on, "Well I left England because I am pregnant."
"What?"
"I told you it was big. Well anyway, your Mum is helping me out. That is why the Ministry gave us the portkeys."
"Why isn't your baby's father helping you?"
"He doesn't know about the baby. He didn't want me, so I left without telling him."
"Maybe if he knew?" He started, but she cut him off.
"No, I don't want to be hurt any more than I already am."
"Ok. But if you are in Romania, you close enough for me to apparate here. I'll help you out. I don't want you to feel like you are on your own."
"Thank-you. You are welcome to come over anytime, but don't think I have been alone. Your Mum comes often, sometimes your Dad comes with her, and Harry and Ron come too. Believe me, I've had more visits here than I ever had at home.
"I won't say anything about any of this. I won't even tell Mum that I know about it."
"Thank-you. That means a lot to me."
After the news of Hermione, the rest of the week was uneventful for Charlie. He did a lot of visiting the family and a lot of resting.