Fire in Her Eyes - Charlie Weasley

Chapter 24

Kai woke up alone in her bed the next morning, feeling refreshed with her magic fully replenished. She sighted contentedly. She always felt vulnerable whenever she drained herself, like a part of her was missing. It was good to feel completely whole again.

She drank her coffee and ate while getting dressed for work. Charlie's insistence her first few weeks on breakfast had actually made a difference. She felt better prepared for the day and it helped when she hit the gym with him. She decided to skip it today, choosing to reserve her energy for the dragon. That would be a workout on its own.

She headed out the door and into the office, seeing Cooper sitting in a chair talking quietly with Chelsea.

"Hey, Doc!" He grinned when he saw her, "I'm here to be officially cleared for duty."

"Isn't 'doc' a muggle term?" Chelsea scrunched her face in confusion.

"Yeah, but we all think it works for her. Sawyer started it," he shrugged. Kai hadn't realized that the young trainer who had been injured so badly was muggle born. She grew up in the muggle world until she went to Ilvermorny, so she forgot how many words could be confusing to the wizarding world.

"And what if I just want to be called 'Kai'?" She raised an eyebrow. She didn't mind them having a nickname for her, but she'd just never had one before that wasn't related to her name.

"Doesn't matter," Cooper shrugged, teasing. "You're officially 'Doc' now to all the trainers."

She couldn't help but laugh, some part of her heart warming at the affection it made her feel.

"Kellen did offer up 'Magnificent Queen of Healers' but we all decided that was too much of a mouthful," Cooper's eyes twinkled with wicked amusement.

"Well thank god for that," she muttered, rolling her eyes. Men were ridiculous. "Come on back."

He followed her into her office and hopped up on the exam chair, legs swinging casually as he took a look around.

She closed the door behind them, and set her jacket on its usual place of the back her chair before walking up to him. She placed her fingers on his temples and used a small amount of magic to do a quick, but thorough, survey of his body.

"Everything looks good," she smiled softly as she stepped back. "Let me see the burn please."

Cooper tugged his shirt over his head, and she could see that his shoulder was still wrapped. She gently undid the wrapping, revealing healthy skin, the same way Sawyer's had looked yesterday. Was that only yesterday? God so much had happened.

She handed him protective salve with the same instructions to ease back into things, and sent him on his way, fully cleared for duty. She asked him to pass along to Elliot that he still needed to come in, before sitting down at her desk and notating her patient charts. She still needed to check on Charlie too.

She walked over to his open door and knocked, getting his attention. His usual scowl when he saw her had just the smallest, tiniest hint of a smile, and for once, he didn't look annoyed that she was bothering him. She had been nervous to see him this morning after the vulnerableness of last night. She was a little embarrassed about how open she had been, even if he had asked for it.

"When you get a minute, I need to check your wounds and that leg of yours," she kept her voice quiet to avoid it drifting up the hall to Chelsea. Kai was still unsure if anyone knew he had been injured, and she took confidentiality very seriously.

"Come in and close the door behind you," he nodded, quickly adding a few signatures and notes to the paperwork in front of him.

She did as he asked and took the seat in front of him, glancing around while she waited.

"What does the Minister of Magic want?" She asked, spotting the letter still on his desk, seal now broken.

He glanced at the letter briefly, and then looked at her, pursing his lips as if deciding whether or not to tell her.

"Muffalato," he sighed, lazily waving his wand, warding the room. He rubbed the bridge of his nose as he spoke again, "He wants me to take a job in the Ministry. He's inferred it a number of times, but wants my presence at the Preservation of Magical Creatures Convention in two weeks to 'discuss the opportunity'."

"Charlie, that's amazing," she had to admit she was impressed. She knew he was good at his job, but being sought out by the highest level of British magic was astounding. She was beginning to understand how his quiet discipline, and even the hidden ruthlessness that came out when provoked, could make him desired for a political position.

He quirked a brow, "I'm not taking it. I don't want to leave here and work in a stuffy office." His nose crinkled in disgust at the thought. "Let's just get me cleared."

Charlie slid his chair back from the desk, and motioned for her to check him out.

She walked over and he opened his legs slightly, allowing her to stand between them. Her body thrummed with his presence this close to her, but she focused on the task at hand, instead of the electricity shooting to her core where her thighs met his.

"Are you going to the convention?" She kept her voice neutral, trying to ignore how easy it would be to straddle him, as she gently placed her hands on his cheeks with her first and second fingers on his temples.

"I wasn't planning on it, but with everything that happened in the past few days.. I want answers. I want to know if other sanctuaries have experienced it or if it's just us," he closed his eyes and kept his hands on the arms of the chair, as she stood in front of him.

"I mean it makes sense," she hummed quietly, as she sent her magic through his body. "It would at least let us know if her coming here was a coincidence or if he's planning something unbelievably, arrogantly stupid."

"What's his name?"

Kai froze, nearly losing the control she had on her magic. "Do NOT ask those kinds of questions when I have my magic in you," she hissed, seething in fury.

"Why?" His voice was soft and curious. Immensely different from the short, clipped words he generally used with her.

"It's called Wild Magic for a reason Charlie," her tone was direct, trying to hide the shaking in her voice. "I have a lot of control over my magic, but there's still days it does things. Things I don't understand, completely on its own. I haven't lost control in this kind of a situation before, and I don't want to find out what happens if I do." Her hands were trembling on his temples, the only sign of fear she had for both the question and the potential loss of control.

She worked in silence after that, perhaps being a little less delicate with her magic than normal. She sighed in relief as she pulled her magic from his body, finding everything to be working well. She dropped her hands quickly from his face, before pulling away and leaning back against his desk, arms folded in front of her.

"Ryker," she whispered, breathing deeply to try to prevent the memories from crashing over her, swallowing her whole. "His name is Ryker Williams."

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~M