Stumble - A Fred Weasley Fanfiction

Chapter 37: 157 Days Before

Addie, Fred, George, and Charlotte waded through the traffic of Bucharest's North Train Station, searching for Charlie. The station was as busy as London's, with muggles everywhere, yelling out to each other in a language Addie couldn't understand. Trains screeched in and out of the station by the minute, creating a constant flow of people coming and going, making their search seem impossible.

Addie was so grateful when she finally spotted the familiar mop of red hair, a shade that could only belong to a Weasley. Charlie was standing against a back wall, his eyes scanning the crowds, searching for them. Addie quickly pointed him out to the others and they veered towards him. As they passed through a large pack of muggles, Addie finally had a clear view of Charlie, and the man standing beside him.

The man's gruff appearance and black stubble was immediately recognizable, and Addie was startled to realize that she was looking at Dirk Cresswell.

His appearance was so unexpected that Addie stopped mid-step, causing George to run into her. "What's he doing here?" Addie asked, nodding towards Dirk. Fred looked equally confused, but George didn't seem startled.

"He offered to come ahead of us and warn Charlie we were coming," George explained.

"Why would he do that?" she asked. They had stayed with Dirk for only a few days, and had barely spoken to him.

Charlotte and George glanced at each other, sharing a look Addie couldn't interpret. She looked to Fred, to see if he knew what was going on, but he was as clueless as she was. "He wanted to check out the area for any more muggle-borns," George said quickly. Too quickly. It was obvious he had come up with it on the spot. "He's been traveling all over, and when he heard we were coming here, he offered to come along."

Addie narrowed her eyes at George, trying to read his face. She quickly gave up, as they were almost to Charlie and Dirk. She would figure out the truth later.

Charlie greeted them happily, Dirk giving them his usual nod, although he seemed much more comfortable with George and Charlotte, offering them a hint of a smile. Addie wondered what had happened while she was with Thomas to make them so much closer.

"You're all okay?" Charlie asked, scanning his eyes over his brothers. "Mum's been sending letters about what a mess you're in. She's been worried sick."

"We're fine," George said. "Two life sentences to Azkaban, a kidnapping, and a blackmail hostage situation, that's all. It's been too easy, honestly."

Charlie laughed. "You two always were good at finding trouble."

"It takes practice," Fred chimed in, grinning. "If you go too long without it, you get rusty. We can't have that."

"Just try not to have Death Eaters raining down on my house," Charlie said. "I like the place."

"Good luck with that," Dirk mumbled under his breath, just loud enough that Addie, who was standing beside him, could hear. She laughed quietly, and Dirk looked down at her, a smile on his face.

"We're not that unlucky," she muttered back to him.

Dirk raised his eyebrows in doubt, although his smile grew a little. "Whatever you say, kid."

**

Charlie Weasley lived in a small little house miles from the nearest town. The little yard was nestled in at the bottom of the hill, and looked exactly like the sort of place Addie imagined Charlie Weasley would live. Rugged and sturdy, taken care of enough so that it served its purpose well, but without worrying about appearances. The inside was much the same: the walls needed new paint, the cupboards and furniture were outdated, but everything was still in good condition.