On The Pitch: A Fremione AU

Chapter 9: Charlie's News and Rita Skeeter's Interviews

"Ron,

I hope this letter finds you well, brother. I trust you are at least trying to keep out of trouble. I've lost any hope for the twins of course. Speaking of trouble, I will actually be in Scotland soon for a bit of work. I do hope that none of you lot are tangled up in this mess. Dragons are quite the work as you know.

I shall come visit you all when I arrive. I've been craving a good butterbeer from the Three Broomsticks.

See you soon,
Charlie"

***

"Charlie is to come to Hogwarts?"

The second oldest Weasley son was often so busy with work that the others rarely ever saw him, and Harry and Hermione had only met hime a couple of times.

"Well, I'm more concerned about what he said about trouble," Neville thought aloud.

"Trouble?" Harry questioned.

"You know Harry, I would think you of all people would have clued in," Neville said sarcastically. Ginny couldn't help but chuckle at the comment. "It seems like Charlie might know something about the tournament.." Neville continued.

"Wait-" Hermione said nervously. She really hoped that, for this one time, she was just overthinking. It seemed all the others must've caught on as all of their expressions quickly changed.

"No way," Ron spoke, "They wouldn't do that; would they?"

"It couldn't be bloody dragons.." Hermione thought rather unconfidently. Right?

***

November 20, 1994

It was bloody. fucking. dragons.

Hermione sat a table in the Three Broomsticks along with Harry, Ron, Ginny, Charlie and the Twins discussing the special assignment Charlie had been given. Hermione was speechless. Everything around her faded into white noise when the second oldest Weasley son revealed each champion would have to face a dragon all on their own. The others bombarded Charlie with questions, trying to learn as many details as possible. Unfortunately he didn't know much. All he knew was to prepare and present four full grown dragons for the tournament.

"So you're telling me there's four dragons in the forbidden forrest being fed bloody goats for dinner?" Ron asked in disbelief with a twinge of fear in his voice.

"Afraid so Ronniekins. Had I known Hermione was all tangled in this mess I would've tried to find some smaller, less temperamental breeds-"

"Wait, what breeds did you bring?" Ron quickly cut in, his eyes now double the size and full of worry and uncertainty.

"Try to remain calm. I do want to say this isn't entirely my fault. I was simply doing a job-"

"What. Breeds. Charlie." Hermione finally spoke. Her voice trembling with seriousness and anxiety.

"A Welsh Green, a Swedish Short-snout, Chinese Fireball, and- well a Hungarian Horntail.."

Ron and Hermione nearly fainted on spot. Hermione had read plenty of books on magical creatures and Ron had gifted her a book on dragons their second year. Hungarian Horntails were often regarded as one of the most dangerous and most aggressive dragon breeds in the entirety of the wizarding world.