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WHEN CHARLIE STOMPED BACK DOWNSTAIRS AN HOUR LATER, HE FROZE AT THE SIGHT OF CARINA SETTING THE TABLE. She smiled sweetly at him, and he grabbed her into a tight embrace. Carina's laugh floated around the kitchen as she was crushed into his chest.
Her feet returned to the floor, and Charlie narrowed his eyes at her.
"How long have you been here?"
The smile on her face grew wider, but she stepped around him and continued setting the table without answering. He pouted at her, following her every move as she weaved through the floating dishes and his mother's frame. She was a natural at navigating the chaos of the Burrow. He loved that about her.
"Fancy fetching the lot for dinner, Charlie?"
When Carina looked over her shoulder to see if he heard her, she saw him already making his way out of the kitchen. He was always very diligent about doing what she asked. She did her best not to take advantage of that fact.
Charlie did his best to do things before she asked. While he didn't have much to offer, he could always give her his time and effort. His mother taught him the importance of that.
"I want to sit next to Rina!" Ginny's voice screeched from somewhere upstairs. There were several thuds then the rumbling sound of seven pairs of feet.
"Incoming," Carina chirped, snatching a pot out of the air just in time. Bill grinned at her and nodded.
Carina waited to take her seat until everyone had found one. Ginny, true to her word, saved the seat next to her ferociously. Dinner was filled with laughs, arguments, and very good food. There was no other way she'd rather have it.
Charlie volunteered to help his mum with the washing, so Carina settled onto the worn couch for a game of wizarding chess with Ron. She'd been teaching him to play for the past two years, and he was becoming rather good.
As her knight destroyed one of his rook's, he grumbled, "I'm never going to beat you."
"Sure you will. You're much better than Charlie already," Carina winked. Ron eyed her suspiciously for a minute before he grinned widely.
"You're right. Charlie's rubbish."
Bill snorted from his place across the room but said nothing. Two bodies plop down on either side of her. Just as she makes her move to capture Ron's king piece, the twins lean close to each of Carina's ears.
"What're you two up to?" She inquired slowly. In typical twin fashion, they answer in tandem hushed voices. Naturally, they wore matching wicked grins.
"Top secret twin business."
"Can we trust you?"
She straightens up and flits her eyes around the room. She quickly flashes them a smile and gives a small salute. "Always. How can I be of service?"
One thing the Weasley home was good for was stealth. Amidst the noise and general chaos, it was easy to slip away undetected.
This was how she found herself shut up in Fred and George's shared bedroom surrounded by the smell of gunpowder and smoke. Though only eleven, the boys had a knack for pyrotechnics.
This was how the top secret bit came into the mix. Molly was not overly fond of the hobby. Carina, on the other hand, had a very hard time saying no. It was near impossible when they played the twin card.
She was not sure how long she'd been with Fred and George when it finally happened.
Downstairs, Charlie searched in confusion for his pocket-sized best mate. He stopped beside Molly where she worked on her knitting and asked, "Mum, have you seen Rina?"
She looks up and opens her mouth to reply when the sound of an explosion and a loud thump ring throughout the house. His mother's face fills with horror at the sound of the scream that follows.
He follows her up the stairs toward the twin's room as fast as his feet will carry him.
Upstairs, Carina blinks rapidly through the smoke. Fred and George cough loudly as they rush to her side. She's faintly aware of the fact that she cannot feel her legs when she feels them grab her arms and haul her up.
"Was that supposed to happen?" She pants slightly, tilting her head.
"No," they groan together. She gives them a sympathetic look just as the door slams into the wall.
Molly's face is pale as she takes in the sight before her. Charlie stares with wide eyes.
"Oh, hello."
The sound of Carina's voice snaps them out of their trance, and Molly's shrill voice splits the air. "What have you two done?"
"It was an accident!"
Carina meets Charlie's eye and smiles cheekily at him. "My legs appear to have gone numb."
"Oh, my! Charlie, help her get to the kitchen while I whip up a quick potion for her legs. Fred and George, you are grounded!"
They watch the woman rush out of the room, and Charlie takes Carina into his arms. He has a worried frown on his face.
"Are you alright?" He asks softly.
"I'm fine. I was honestly expecting worse," she chuckles lightly. "Same time tomorrow, boys?"
Charlie throws a scathing look at his little brothers.
"No."
"Yes!"
Carina laughs as she's carried away, giving a thumbs up to the twins when Charlie isn't looking.
It's good to be back.
-
That night, the youngest Weasley crawls into bed beside her. She wraps her arms tightly around the girl. Neither of them say a word as they drift off to sleep together.
Charlie gets grumpy when he's apart from Carina, but Ginny Weasley is lonely without her. She spends the whole year waiting for her big sister to visit. During the school term, the older girl is practically assaulted with owls.
Instead of being annoyed by it, Carina embraces it wholeheartedly. She spends an hour braiding the little girl's beautiful red hair every night. She shares a room, and a bed, with her. She responds to every single letter.
When Ginny was just a toddler, she became enamored with Carina. Even when Ginny wanted to follow her around all day long, Carina did not complain.
He asked her once if it bothered her how much his baby sister idolized her. She told him that Ginny was her baby sister too. How could that ever bother her?
