The Red Dragon | Charlie Weasley

Chapter 16

I'm back, ladies and gentlemen! Don't worry, this story, too, will be completed. I can't give you a date, but I promise you, I will finish this story.

For now, enjoy this chapter!

~~~

In a matter of hours, they've returned to Josué's grandmother's, packed their bags, thanked the woman for her hospitality, and apparated back to the sanctuary. Josue didn't want to wait for a Portkey to be authorized. They need to brief everyone about a possible attack as quickly as possible.

They are greeted by Isaac at the sanctuary who seems relieved to have them back. Before Charlie can form a sentence about their findings in the capital city, the elder wizard places a hand on Charlie's arm and says: "Charles, Darius is awake."

It turns out that in the few days the group had spent in Andorra la Verra, Philipe brewed an antidote and awakened Darius from his coma.

Charlie rushes to the medical tent and immediately heads to the brown-haired man sitting on one of the benches, being examined by Philipe. Charlie pulls the other Dragonologist in a tight hug and Haela can see tears in the man's eyes when the two separate again.

"It's good to have you back, brother," Charlie claps Darius on the back. The other Dragonologist smiles at Charlie before turning his attention to Josué, Haela, and Kadrick.

In the hospital bed, Darius had looked small and sickly with a pale tint to his sun-kissed skin, as if he was balancing on the brink of death. The man before them looks completely different – tall and brawny with a dashing smile, showing off pearly teeth.

"You must be Haela, my personal heroine," he says, offering Haela his hand, "Philipe told me you figured out what got me in that terrible coma. I can't thank you enough."

Haela waves away his compliment as she shakes his hand, "I was only doing my job."

Her words only make Darius laugh. "Aurora told me you are a curse specialist and Philipe here told me I was poisoned. I would say you didn't just 'do your job', darling."

From the corner of her eye, Haela sees Charlie cross his arms with a scowl on his face.

"Well, Philipe was the one who brewed the antidote," Haela shrugs, "It was a team effort."

Darius only laughs, a rich sound, before winking at her. "She's not only absolutely stunning, she's also humble," he turns to the other men and adds something in Catalan that Haela doesn't understand. At the words, Josué starts coughing and Charlie's scowl only deepens so Haela isn't sure it was a compliment.

Haela and Kadrick share a look but the Hit Wizard also seems unaware of what was said.

The moment is interrupted by Isaac entering the medical tent, accompanied by tree men Haela hasn't seen before. They are wearing wine-red robes with the emblem of the Andorran Ministry sewn on right above their hearts. Their posture reminds her of Josué.

"I hate to disrupt this reunion, but there is work to do," Isaac says apologetically, "Josué mentioned something about another attack?"

The Andorran Hit Wizard nods and they decide to convene in Isaac's office to discuss what they have learned and to formulate a plan. As Haela makes to leave the medical tent, she is stopped by Philipe who looks pointedly at her bandaged arms.

"Those need to be checked, Haela."

And thus, Haela stays back in the medical tent to have her burns checked and the bandages reapplied. In Andorra la Vella, Haela had applied burn ointment every night and Philipe tells her the burns are healing nicely. It will take a few more weeks before everything fully heals – because dragon fire is magical, the resulting burns wouldn't be as simple to treat with a spell as regular burns.

Haela finally exits the medical tent and immediately heads to Isaac's office. The room is packed with people; the other Dragonologists, together with Josué, Kadrick, and three wizards in matching wine-red robes, it's quite cramped in the tent.

Haela squeezes around people until she is standing between Kadrick and Darius. When she looks around, she sees Charlie staring at her. She smiles at him when their eyes meet and the Dragonologist returns it.

Isaac is bowed over a large map of what Haela assumes is the sanctuary and its immediate surroundings. He points at different spots on the map as Josué and Kadrick discuss different methods of defense.

As the men talk, Haela sees movement from the corner of her eye and turns her head almost directly into Charlie's face. The rest of Charlie is tactically positioned between herself and Darius. With the red-haired Dragonologist this close, Haela's heart rate picks up its pace as she remembers the nightclub and the way Charlie had held her. She can feel his body heat at her side and a small part of her wants to step closer and slot their bodies together.

She glances up at Charlie whose attention is on the discussion about air support. He appears wonderfully at ease. The only tell is the small smile playing on his lips.

Haela forces her attention back to the conversation but it isn't easy with Charlie so close. She's still not sure what is happening to her, or the odd sensation in her stomach every time he's this close.

"...seven, which leaves us one person short to go out in pairs," Josué's voice breaks Haela out of her thoughts as she scolds herself for drifting off.

"Seven?" Kadrick says, counting on his fingers, "Who are you counting? You, me, Charlie, Darius, and your three colleagues?"

"What about me?" Haela questions, making everyone look at her. She raises an eyebrow at Kadrick, ignoring the stares. She feels them look her up and down, assessing her, but holds her ground.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think a curse specialist is equipped to go on patrol," Josué explains.

Haela crosses her arms and challenges, "A curse specialist with over a decade of experience not only with cursed objects, but also Dark wizards pursuing said cursed objects?"

"She used to be a Curse-Breaker of Gringotts' bank," Kadrick adds, "She's tough."

When Josué still doesn't look convinced, the dark-skinned wizard adds: "If you think about it, she's technically more equipped than Charlie or Darius, given she actually has experience in combat."

Josué sighs in defeat and Haela smirks. She nods her thanks to Kadrick and the Hit Wizard returns it.

They make a schedule to patrol the grounds every night. During the day, there are plenty of people wandering around to keep an eye on things. They have agreed to patrol in pairs as Darius got poisoned when he was patrolling alone. Kadrick and Darius agree to take the first shift and Haela volunteers to take the second one with Charlie who appears a little eager to join her. Haela forces herself not to read into it and only smiles at the Dragonologist when he offers her one of his spare brooms. For now, all they can do is wait until Vaezor's men show up.