Chapter Text
Chapter One Charlie Isn't going Home.
Charlie hadn't had the best of birthdays the last few years but through no fault of his own. Things just always seemed to conspire around his birthday to cancel his plans. This year, he had planned to go home. However, four baby dragons had hatched the week prior that needed his attention. Being hatchlings, he couldn't just leave them.
He sent off a Patronus, a large Antipodean Opaleye, to his family and Addie, whom he was supposed to meet in Diagon Alley during his visit home, so that no one was expecting him.
"Hey, I won't be home for the holidays. Four hatchlings need my attention. They weren't due to hatch until after I returned, but they decided to come early. So I'll try and come for Easter. Happy Christmas! Give everyone my love!"
Looking out the window and noticing the snow had picked up again, he decided to bring the babies to his cabin. Luckily, all his belongings had been charmed to be fireproof, so he didn't have to worry about losing anything to baby fire burps. Once an area was corralled for the babies to stay, Charlie mounted his Firebolt, a fast broom essential for dealing with adult Dragon. He decided to err on the side of caution and carry them back to his cabin one by one, even though they weren't cumbersome yet.
Once the babies were sleeping in the makeshift nest, Charlie decided to have a quick lunch. He couldn't help staring at the four baby dragons as he ate: Two Common Welsh Greens, an Antipodean Opaleye, and a Chinese Fireball.
Adhara couldn't leave Charlie alone for his birthday; that much was for sure. Luckily her dad had arranged to get her an international portkey to Romania.
She picked up some of his favourite foods from his parent's house and placed a stasis charm on them before the portkey left.
The dragon egg, a large black Norwegian Ridgeback egg she had rescued, was well protected in the heated case she had made. The case was just a simple trunk-type purse with warming charms since dragon eggs necessitated fire-like temperatures. The bag also had an undetectable extension charm, which Hermione Granger; whom she met at the Burrow and then again in the ministry since they worked in the same office; had thankfully taught her as it was a restricted charm and heavily controlled by the ministry. Addie had also charmed the bag to be feather-light, as the egg wasn't hefty, but like most objects of middling weight, the longer you carried it, the heavier it seemed.
The portkey landed outside the sanctuary on December 11, 2000, at midnight. It was a ten-minute walk to the cabin. She was grateful she had been there a few months prior, so Addie knew where to go as the snow was picking up, and without a doubt, she knew it would be challenging to see soon.
As she trekked through the falling snow, she couldn't help but let a smile break out as she thought, 'Charlie is going to be so surprised to see me here for his birthday!'
She opened the case with the egg in it for one last check. The egg was still warm and looked precisely how it should. Then, she started feeling very nervous, knocking firmly but not too loud on his door, wanting to be heard but not wanting to startle him.
What if he doesn't want me here? What if I made a mistake coming all the way this way? Did I make the right decision?
She knew she had to get the egg here, but she could have done a dump and run. Instead, she had planned to stay for the holidays, including his birthday, if he'd have her. She quickly cast a spell on her hair to tame the frizzy nest it had become from travelling before he answered the door.
Charlie opened the door and was a bit shocked to see Adhara there. His birthday had been on his mind, and how he would be spending it alone, but seeing his best friend brought forth a memory from childhood.
The Burrow was only an orchard and a small forest of trees from one of the small Black family cottages; near the outskirts of Ottery St. Catchpole. One day while exploring the woods, not realising he was trespassing, he was accosted by a voice he couldn't locate. "You're not supposed to be here! This is Black property, and if my father finds out, you'll be in loads of trouble. You're a Weasley, aren't you?"
Looking up, Charlie was mesmerised by the most captivating blue eyes he'd seen in his young life. "You're a Black? I'm sorry. I didn't realise I was trespassing. I guess our land ends at the orchard? What's your name? I'm Charlie!" He was excited to find another child that seemed to be his age. But, unfortunately, Bill was off at Hogwarts, Percy wouldn't come out of his book, and the twins were still too young to play with and explore.
"I'm Adhara Black. But you can call me Addie!" she grinned at him. He had dirt scuffs on his chin from who knew where, but she invited him up her tree. She didn't realise how rumpled her dress was, and she had twigs in her hair.
That was the start of a friendship that would last as they left for Hogwarts together, stood steadfast despite differing houses, and spent summers together wandering the forest, orchard, and creek. They stayed in close contact even after graduation. Of course, some friendships fade away, but some are meant to stand the tests of time, and theirs was one.
They were thirteen, and Charlie had just finished Quidditch practice which Addie had watched. Perched up a large tree on the edge of the Forbidden Forest, the two chatted about their friends' love lives and how they seem to have all become twitterpated this year. Boys obsessed over girls and, when alone, talked crudely, picking at Charlie for telling them off anytime they mentioned Addie and him not being her boyfriend.
The girls weren't as crude but were just as obsessed with boys, much to Addie's annoyance. She was teased for always spending time with Charlie but not dating him. She was not kindly informed that that kind of behaviour would drive other boys from asking her out, and she kept insisting she didn't want to date anyone right now. Not that the girls believed her, just as much as the boys didn't believe Charlie.
Up in their tree that day after practice, both complained about their respective genders. Each secretly thought the other was handsome or pretty but didn't want to make their friendship weird. Finally, however, they promised each other that if they weren't married by 30, they would marry each other. It was a promise half made in jest but one they would think about occasionally as they grew up and watched the other turn down offer after offer.
Charlie was jarred out of his memory by Addie jumping up and down, asking if she could come in because it was freezing outside! As Charlie ushered her in, he hoped and prayed she was still single because he was as in love with her now as he was the first day they had met.
"Adhara," Charlie said, smiling. "What are you doing here? Not that I'm not happy to see you, but…."
Addie giggled nervously. "I'm here for your birthday. And also to give you this dragon egg that I was able to rescue."
Shocked at this statement, Charlie remembered his manners and took her coat, scarf, and hat. "Well, thank you for coming. I was looking forward to seeing you in London and was disappointed that I had to stay here. Let me get you some protective gear before entering the sitting room. I have four baby dragons in there," Charlie warned her because he knew Addie. She would have run in, no questions asked and ended up burnt. Again.
Addie got excited at the prospect of baby dragons as she hadn't seen one yet, since she always seemed to come when they were fully grown. She gladly accepted the protective gear and swiftly pulled her long black curls into a messy bun.
"Thank you, Charlie." She said, smiling and quickly pulling on the gear. "I brought some dinner from your mum and dad. It's in my bag under a stasis. She also included a birthday cake for you. I'm to use a muggle video camera and catch it on video." She smiled and handed the bag to him.
Charlie took the bag and smiled before saying. "Addie, you didn't have to stop by my parents and get anything. I would have just been happy you were here to celebrate with me," Charlie said while getting out the food: oven-roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, and green beans, which of course, makes his mouth water.
Addie smirked at him. "Do you think that when your mum got your Patronus, she didn't reach out to me immediately? She knew I needed to come to the sanctuary to deliver the egg. So it made sense that I would come and spend your birthday with you!" Once she had the gear on, she got into her bag and pulled out the cake, shaped like an Antipodean Opaleye, colouring and all. Molly did a good job.
"Wow, that is wonderfully done. Remind me to send mum an owl once the storm lets up," Charlie said, eyes wide at the sight of the cake. "Since it is midnight. Why don't we get this egg settled in the fire for the night? The baby dragons are asleep now, and we can turn in." He was already going through what he would need to make the futon in the living room comfy for the night, as he was nothing but a gentleman and would give Addie his bed. "You can use my bed, as I only have one room. And I usually never have company, so I never had a reason to have a second bedroom." He rambled nervously.
"Nonsense, I'll sleep on the futon. I was better than you at transfiguration, seeing as I turned into an Animagus and you have yet to manage that. I can transfigure it into a bed." Addie smiled. "Besides, I'm not going to take your bed."
"No, I insist you take the bedroom. After all, you are my guest. Even if I didn't know that you were coming." He smiled and got the rest of the food in the cooling cabinet secured from dragons should they get from the secure room he had them in.
Addie snorted. "This is your cabin. I am not taking your bedroom. Just because I am your guest doesn't mean you have to give up your room." She crossed her arms, which did too much for her chest and made specific attributes stand out.
Charlie was looking at her chest and had to move his eyes away. "Addie, I insist. It gets cold in the cabin, and my room has warming charms on the walls to keep the heat in as much as possible. It doesn't always work, but please stay in my room. Please, you can't go anywhere in this storm. It's set to get way worse. So who knows how long you will be stuck here. When the dragons or I become too much to handle, you will need a place to go."
Addie huffed, giving up. Let's face it. She knew Charlie was going to be looking at her chest when she accidentally on purpose pushed her chest up. "Fine, but only because you won't give up trying to make me stay in your room."
Charlie grinned, thinking of her sleeping in his bed. He showed her the bedroom after peeking into the room where the dragons were and placing the egg into the fire to continue incubating.
"Thank you, Charlie. I'll see you in the morning." She smiled and kissed his cheek before going into his room, changing into her pyjamas, and crawling into bed.
Charlie smiled and summoned his sleep pants and a shirt, as he wouldn't sleep naked when he had company, especially when the said company was his best friend and the woman he had loved since the train rides during their first year.
The Hogwarts Express lurched forward, throwing Addie and Charlie against each other in their compartment. Addie looked at Charlie, biting her lip and fidgeting with her hair in her Ebony ringlets.
"Charlie, what if I'm sorted into Slytherin? Will we still be friends?"
"Addie, of course, we will still be friends. You could go to another school, and we would still be friends. We will see each other every meal and most likely have classes together. So we will always be friends." Charlie grinned at her and stopped her from fidgeting.
Once they got to the castle, crossed the lake, and climbed a million stairs, Charlie and Addie stood next to each other for the sorting.
Addie was so nervous as the hat called her name, and she walked up to the stool. She was back to fidgeting with her hair again, and she couldn't help it.
"Slytherin!" The sorting hat said almost instantly.
Addie's eyes widened, and her robes instantly changed to Slytherin colours.
Charlie couldn't help but smile at her as her eyes met his.
"Whooo! Go, Addie!"
Of course, once it was Charlie's turn, he went to Gryffindor like the rest of his family.
Charlie couldn't help but smile at that memory. He and Addie had been friends since the first time he found her in that tree when they were younger, and their friendship grew from there. Honestly, he couldn't wait to see where their friendship went. He knows where he wanted it to go, but the question was how he handled that. Should he just come right out and tell her how he feels? Does he wait for her to make the first move? Should he kiss her, like he's been dying to do for years? He honestly didn't know what to do at this point. He wanted to be with her but didn't want to push her. His mind was constantly turning while he made the couch into a bed so that he could sleep, or not, as it turned out.
Addie was tossing and turning in the bed and finally gave up and got up with the quilt wrapped around her body. "Charlie, come join me in bed. It's cold, and you have to be as well. So please join me. There is plenty of room."
Charlie, who wasn't sleeping, looks over at her and bites his lip. "Are you sure, Addie?"
Addie snorts. "Yes, join me. I'm cold, and I can't sleep. We can share body heat…." She grinned and held open her blanket. But, of course, Charlie couldn't resist and wrapped his arms around her, and they went back to the bedroom and curled up into bed as it was late, and they both fell asleep.