Gorgeous image made by niika @ TDA :D
Charlee loved spending Christmas with the Potter's and Weasley's. She especially loved Christmas Eve. All of the family headed for The Burrow, which belonged to Mr and Mrs Weasley; Rose and Albus' grandmother and grandfather. Mrs Weasley was a short, and rather plump lady, with wild, red hair, which now had scattered grey bits in it. Mr Weasley was quite a tall man, who had only a few tufts of red hair left – the rest of his head was bald.
The Weasley family was a rather large family – one of the biggest in the Wizarding World in England, in fact. But that was what Charlee loved about them all – everyone was friendly, and nearly always in a happy mood, despite the fact that over twenty people had to cram into the tiny house.
As the Potter's car came to a halt outside the Burrow, Albus flung open the door and raced outside into the loving arms of Mrs Weasley, while Lily did exactly the same thing on the other side of Charlee, but instead ran to Mr Weasley. Charlee slowly edged out of the middle of the car, and closed both doors. She then followed Harry and Ginny into the house.
“Charlee! Oh, dear, it's good to see you!” cried out Mrs Weasley as she spotted her. She flung her arms around Charlee, and squeezed her tightly. Even though Charlee was practically gasping for breath, she didn't mind; Mrs Weasley's hugs was one of the other things she liked about the Burrow.
“Charlee.” Mr Weasley nodded in her direction, and Charlee smiled back.
“Did someone say Charlee?” came a voice from in the kitchen. A grin broke across her face, as she recognised the voice. Pushing her way through the ever growing crowd – The Granger-Weasley's, and the Johnson-Weasley's had arrived shortly after the Potter's – she finally reached the kitchens, and the smile widened, as she stopped in front of a tall, pale boy, who had bright blue hair, and deep brown eyes.
“Teddy!” Charlee yelled, as she flung her arms around the boy. Teddy laughed his husky laugh, and wrapped his arms around Charlee, hugging her tightly. Cheers started erupting all around them. Along with Rose and Albus, Teddy was another one of Charlee's best friends. He was actually more of a big brother than a best friend. The two had met each other two years ago at The Burrow, and had instantly connected. It was like yesterday for Charlee – she could still remember exactly what they had talked about.
***
Charlee sighed, and sat down on the snowy ground, directly under the window of the room she had just been in. James and his girlfriend had been in their playing tonsil hockey – not something she exactly wanted to see.
She ran a frozen hand over her eyes, and let out a sigh, leaning her head back against the brick wall behind her, as snow started to fall once more.
A few minutes passed, and all was silent, until the Burrow door creaked open, and someone draped in jumpers, hats, gloves and scarves walked outside. He looked around, and spotted Charlee. Charlee looked away, and hoped he'd go; she didn't want to talk to anyone right now.
Unfortunately, luck was not on her side. Seconds later, Charlee heard someone approach her, and soon after, the boy was sitting next to her.
“
What's up?” he asked.
“
I never said anything was up.” Charlee replied shortly, looking in the other direction, and hoping that he'd get the message to piss off.
“
If nothing was up, you'd be inside by the fire, drinking the hot chocolate Molly's just made.”
“
Maybe I don't like hot chocolate.”
“
But maybe you do.” the boy pulled a scarf off from around his neck, and pulled one of his many hats off too. He then held out his hand.
“
I'm Teddy. Teddy Lupin. And you're Charlee Moore, Albus' best friend.” Charlee nodded and took his hand, shaking it, then shivering slightly; he was incredibly warm. Teddy noticed the shiver, and chuckled softly. Without speaking, he removed a pair of gloves, and handed the scarf, hat and gloves to Charlee. Charlee smiled slightly, and shoved them on as fast as her frozen fingers could managed, taking in Teddy's scent as she did so. He smelt of Honeyduke's chocolate and butterbeer, a smell Charlee would never forget.
Teddy looked at Charlee.
“
You're still cold.” he stated, and before Charlee knew what he was doing, he'd taken his arm out of one of his jumper sleeves, and pulled Charlee inside the massive jumper. Charlee poked her head through the hole in the top, and her arm through the sleeve. She then burst out laughing, and Teddy joined in.
“
I'm glad you're smiling.” Teddy said, grinning. His face then turned into concern. “Want to tell me why you were upset?” Charlee frowned. She'd known Teddy for, what, five minutes? But there was something about him that Charlee trusted.
“
It's rather stupid, really.” Charlee started, looking down at the massive jumper, which was deep blue, and had a 'T' on it, which was yellow.
“
Go on?” Teddy said in a gentle voice.
“
I have a crush on someone – but every time I see him, he's always off, making out with one of his new girlfriends. I mean, he doesn't even know I exist.” she said quietly, and Teddy chuckled.
“
If you mean James, I doubt he even notices if his girlfriend most of the time – I've been friends with that boy since he was born. Believe me; I know him inside out – he only ever notices Quidditch, really.” he smiled sadly at Charlee, as she leant her head against his shoulder.
“
I'm not pretty enough to have a boyfriend.” she said quietly. Teddy frowned, and straightened up.
“
What are you saying? Of course you are pretty! You're not even pretty – you're bloody beautiful!” the pair stared at each other silently for a few minutes, before Teddy chuckled, and turned his head back around to look in front of him.
“
Kind of weird, huh? We've known each other for barely ten minutes, and I'm already telling you that you're one of the most beautiful girls I've ever met.” he turned his head to grin at Charlee, and Charlee grinned back.
***
After that day, the vast majority of the Weasley family believed that Charlee and Teddy were in love. Charlee understood perfectly well why people might assume that; whenever the pair were together, they were practically joined at the hip. They spent every waking moment together, and while Charlee was at Hogwarts, or not staying over at the Weasley's or the Potter's, Teddy and her owled each other on a regular basis.
But the strange thing was, even though Charlee and Teddy was shockingly alike, hanged around each other almost all the time, and told each other everything, that had never once kissed, and never once fallen in love. Sure, Charlee liked Teddy just a tad bit more than a friend, and Teddy had confessed to Charlee that he felt the same – the furthest they had ever gone was a quick peck on the lips.
Just then, Charlee was blinded by a flash of silvery blonde hair, and the next thing she knew, Victoire Weasley, Teddy's girlfriend, was stood next to him, kissing him lightly on his cheek. She then looked at Charlee, and smiled.
“Hello, Charlee.” she greeted, while keeping a possessive hand on Teddy. Charlee plastered a fake smile onto her face, and nodded as a hello, before turning back around, and going to find Albus.
She didn't want Victoire...she just found her exceptionally possessive over Teddy, and extremely annoying. Victoire was included in the people who thought Charlee and Teddy were in love, and if she could help it, she wouldn't let them be in a room by themselves for over five minutes, she was that paranoid. Of course, Teddy and Charlee always went into a room where Victoire wouldn't think of looking for them in. It wasn't that they got up to anything – they only talked, talked about their deepest secrets that they didn't want to share with anyone else. Charlee wished Victoire would just understand that.
Ten minutes later, Charlee flopped down onto Albus' bed next to him, and he looked up.
“Hey – what's wrong?” he asked, frowning as he saw the look on her face. Charlee sighed, and shook her head. Albus put his arm around her, and Charlee snuggled up to his side.
“Just...Teddy, and Victoire.” she said quietly. Albus nodded knowingly. Luckily for Charlee, Albus was one of the few people who knew that Charlee and Teddy weren't in love.
“Why don't you just tell Victoire that you don't love Teddy in that way-”
“I've tried, Albus! You
know I've tried! But she never believes me! I mean, why would we even go out with one another? I'm sixteen – he's twenty-bloody-three!” Charlee sighed in irritation. “Maybe I should not be as close to Teddy as I am now-”
“No!” Albus sat up, and looked at Charlee fiercely. “No, you can't do that. Charlee, he thinks the bloody world of you! When I see him, he tells me about Victoire – but he also spends most of his time talking about
you. He says he doesn't know how he would have coped without you. He says he's never really ever had a best friend like you. Charlee, losing you would completely break him.” Charlee sat up to, and looked at Albus, a frown still on her face.
“I know.” Charlee whispered quietly – because she did know. Even if she had wanted to, she could never let Teddy go. She knew now that she could put up with Victoire. Because Teddy needed her.
Albus smiled at Charlee, and held his arms out for her. Charlee gratefully crawled into his lap, as he slipped his arms around her.
The pair sat like that for hours. Not talking. Not moving. Not doing anything, except breathing.
Finally, Rose crashed into the room, making Charlee and Albus jump apart in fright. Rose looked between the two, but said nothing. She clambered onto the bed and sat in front of them, a huge grin plastered on her face.
“Guess what!” she said excitedly. Charlee glanced at Albus, and they both shrugged. Charlee looked back to Rose.
“What?”
“We have The Burrow all to ourselves!” she cried out.
The huge grin seemed to be infectious. All three stood up on the bed, and started jumping up and down, clapping their hands together like little kids, and screaming at the tops of their voices.
After a while, they stopped jumping, and Charlee looked at Rose.
“Why have we got the house to ourselves?” she asked.
“Well, it's all thanks to Teddy really.” Rose grinned. “He was talking to gran and grandad. He said that, since he's a responsible adult, he could look after us all here. They agreed – they're staying over at mum and dad's house for tonight, and will be back by eleven tomorrow.” Albus now spoke up.
“Who else is staying over?” he asked.
“Well,” Rose started, as the three sat back down on the bed. “There will be us three, Teddy, Victoire -” Charlee and Albus exchanged a significant glance at her name “- Dominique, Louis, Hugo, Lily, Fred, and Roxanne. Molly and Lucy won't be coming, since Uncle Percy said that he didn't want his children being involved in 'stupid games such as Truth or Dare' or 'staying up past nine o'clock'. I feel sorry for them. Especially for Molly – I mean, she's in the same year as us!” Charlee and Albus nodded in silent agreement. Charlee had heard stories about Rose and Albus' Uncle Percy. Apparently he disowned the family back when their parents were in their fifth year, but had come back during the Great War. Charlee had only spoken to Percy once, and he had seemed nice enough, but a little bit on the snobbish side.
Just then Fred, one of Rose and Albus' cousin entered the room, a grin on his face.
“Hey, you three.” he said. The three grinned, and launched themselves on him. Charlee loved hanging around with Fred. Fred was George and Angelina's eldest son, and was the main prankster of the group of Weasley's. He'd left Hogwarts a few years before, but he had not been forgotten. He now worked in Weasley's Wizard Wheeze's – his dad, and deceased uncle's shop.
“You lot ready for the first game? Nan and Gramps have just left.” he grinned.
“What's the first game?” Rose asked. Charlee looked at Fred, curious now.
“Truth or dare.” Charlee, Rose and Albus groaned.
Ten minutes later, and the four of them were sitting round a large circle. Charlee was squashed in between Albus and Teddy, who was sitting next to Victoire, holding her hand. In the middle of the circle was a bottle.
“Okay,” Teddy said, leaning forward slightly. Everyone's attention drifted to him. “As I'm the oldest, I've been put in charge – Victoire and Fred will be in charge after me-”
“We'll be the second and third in command.” Fred grinned, and saluted Teddy from across the circle. Everyone laughed, including Teddy, who was chuckling as he spoke again.
“Yeah, a bit like that. Anyway – so we've decided that at ten o'clock, Lily and Hugo – it's your bed time.” the pair of them groaned, but Teddy continued. “At eleven o'clock – Charlee, Albus, Louis and Rose – it's your bed time.” The four of them groaned. “The rest of us...well, we're adults so.” he shrugged and grinned, and most people rolled their eyes, but grinned back.
“Okay – I'll spin.” he spun the bottle round once, and it landed on Hugo. Hugo gulped.
“So, Hugo – truth or dare?” he asked.
“Um...” Hugo frowned, scratching his brown hair. “Dare.” he then grinned.
“I dare you to...” Teddy frowned, not knowing what else to say. Albus grinned, and whispered in Charlee's ear
“Tell him to dare Hugo to go through Grandma Molly's wardrobe and wear her bra and knickers for the rest of the night.” Charlee burst out laughing at this, and whispered this is teddy's ear. He chuckled.
“I dare you to go into Molly's wardrobe, and wear her bra and knickers for the rest of the night.” The circle erupted with laughter, apart from Hugo, who looked a little bit pale. He nodded, and got up, walking out of the room.
“Do you think he'll do it?” Charlee whispered to Albus. Albus nodded, and grinned.
“That boy has balls.”
Albus turned out to be right. Five minutes later, Hugo appeared in the doorway, wearing Molly's big flowery knickers, and bright pink bra. Everyone burst into peals of laughter again, and Hugo shrugged, grinning, as he sat back down. Rose looked mortified.
“He is
not my brother.” she murmured to Albus.
A few turns later, and it landed on Victoire. She straight herself up, from leaning her head on Teddy's shoulder.
“So, Victoire.” said James lazily, as he finished his third bottle of firewhiskey. “Truth or dare?”
“Truth.” Victoire said, as she gave out a tiny hiccup. She'd been on the firewhiskey too.
“Have you and Ted, here, had sex?” he blurted out. All the adults started laughing hard, mostly because they were sloshed. Teddy looked quite surprised – he'd declined any drink. Charlee looked in the opposite direction. She didn't want to here.
“Well, of course we have!” Victoire said, as she drank some more. Charlee frowned, and looked down at the floor. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Teddy give her a look.
“Charlee...” he murmured quietly, putting his hand on her arm, she moved her arm out of the way, and picked up a firewhiskey. Everyone else was too drunk to notice her down it all in one go.
Victoire slumped into the middle of the circle, and spun the bottle. It landed on Charlee. Charlee picked up a second firewhiskey, and downed it again.
“Truth or dare?” Victoire asked, slopping firewhiskey down her front.
“Truth.” Charlee replied, blinking a couple of times, since she was starting to get dizzy.
“Do you love Teddy?” Charlee frowned, and looked at Victoire, who was slightly out of focus.
“Uh...” Charlee frowned getting confused. Victoire face changed slightly, as she started crawling towards her.
“Do you love my boyfriend?” she hissed, spit flying out of her mouth. Charlee frowned.
“Wha-? No...no...” she blinked, rubbing her eyes. She drank some more firewhiskey, but everything just got worse.
Victoire growled and came face to face with Charlee.
“Well. You can't have him. He's mine!” and with that Victoire chucked her firewhiskey bottle at Charlee. It cracked against Charlee head and smashed all over her. Dazed, Charlee tried to throw a punch, and managed to make contact with something. There was a roar, an a heavy lump flung itself onto Charlee, started to punch and bruise her already bleeding face. Charlee tried to kick and struggle, but everything was a blur. All she could feel was the weight on her stomach, and the angry blows damaging her face. All she could hear was a faint buzzing sound. She closed her eyes, letting Victoire punch her.
Suddenly, the weight was lifted, and Charlee was being picked up too. The buzzing got louder, but she couldn't open her eyes, they were too heavy. Charlee tried to respond to her name, but her mouth wouldn't move. Then, slowly, the darkness started descending upon her, till she couldn't hear or feel anymore.
A/N: Aaaaah yes! Teddy Lupin's in it! Hurrah! You just can't have a next generation story with Mr Ted Remus Lupin in it, can you? ;) Anyway, I hope you all liked this chapter. I've made Victoire into a bit of a cow, haven't I? But I think Charlee and Teddy go together well, don't you?
So, now, I'll ask the same question I did last time, but with someone else added in – who do you think Charlee belongs with? Teddy, Albus or Scorpius?
Rate and review (: and check out my Meet The Author page too (:
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