Just Like Home | Charlie Weasley

Chapter 24

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For Charlie, he spent Saturday at the Dragon Sanctuary after using the floo network to get there. Although he was on leave, he did like to occasionally pop back to see how things were getting on. The weather in the mountains was nothing less than baltic, so he wrapped up warm and braced himself for the bitter winds. He knew that he'd end up having to see Zoey at some point, but Charlie was in no way interested in speaking to her on a human level, only if he absolutely had to.

Norberta, the Norwegian Ridgeback he'd grown rather close to after adopting her from Hagrid many years ago, was most pleased to see him when he appeared in the forest to call out to her. The mighty creature circled him overhead, letting out appreciative puffs of smoke before she flapped her great wings, kicking up the dust on the forest floor, and steadily making her way down to him. Several of the large fir trees shook as she landed several metres in front of Charlie and he grinned broadly at her. Anyone who looked at Charlie in his element would conclude that he must be mad. Who in their right mind would stand - unprotected - in front of a huge dragon with a smile on their face?

"Hello darling," he cooed at her, holding out his hand as she steadily approached him.

Despite the dragon being slightly annoyed with him for being absent for the past few weeks, she still allowed him to run his hand over the obsidian-like scales on her face. He felt a rumble, something that he would describe as the dragon's purr, deep within her as he showed his affection. He began to wonder how Eleanor would react if he brought her here one day. She had said that she thought it was really cool, but he smiled slightly when he decided that she would probably get a bit scared, but love it all the same. He made a mental note to bring her in the future... If she decided she wanted to see him again, that was.

"You leave for weeks on end and you're still the only one she'll co-operate for,". Charlie's thoughts were disturbed when he heard an all-too-familiar voice from behind him, followed by the sound of slow, steady footsteps crunching on the frozen forest floor.

He inwardly sighed, briefly closing his eyes and silently praying for patience and strength before he looked over his shoulder, never taking his hand away from Norberta. The dragon blew warm puffs of smoke out of her nose at the intrusion, showing her distaste.

"Why are you here?" he asked bluntly, giving the woman behind him a bored look before turning back to the dragon.

"I could ask you the same thing," the woman said. "You're barely here any more I began to wonder if you even still worked here."

Charlie felt his blood begin to boil. The woman angered him to no end, but he wouldn't give her the satisfaction of getting a rise out of him. "I came when you last asked, Zoey. You know I'm on family leave right now."

He felt her presence materialise by his side and he unconsciously moved his body away from her.

"Right." she spoke, nodding. A beat of silence passed before she spoke again, moving to stand in front of Charlie and next to Norberta. "So how was your little date, then?". Had he been looking at her, he would have noticed the way her lip curled at the word, obvious jealousy seering through her veins.

"What are you talking about?" he frowned.

"The last time you came back. You had a date after. I'm just asking how it went?" she asked again, almost in a sing-song voice.