Dinner
When Charlie found himself standing in front of the floo in a pub near the reserve, he felt an odd sick feeling in his stomach. He knew that it was not going to be pretty. He knew Percy would be in the same boat as he was, but he hoped that the engagements of his other siblings would be honored.
Shortly after lunch, he had been notified that there had been a letter delivered to him and he felt his airway close, knowing it was from only one person.
The letter was short, but to the point.
Obviously, we need to talk. Let me know your schedule. -Iris
He figured he would write a letter at his parents, seeing as he didn't have an owl himself, he could borrow his parents to write back to Iris. He grabbed a handful of floo powder and stepped into the fireplace, let out a sigh,
“The Burrow.” He stated and flung the powder, quickly enveloped into a green flame. When he stepped out he heard lots of chatter, signaling that most of his family must already be there.
“Charlie! Good to see you.” Harry greeted. “You look a little green, you... Handling everything... Ok?” He asked, trying to be gentle in his delivery.
“I think considering, I'm alright. How are you? Did they honor your engagement with Ginny?” Charlie asked quickly, more concerned for his siblings then himself.
“Oh yes. They do expect us to married quicker then we really wanted to, but that's not truly an issue.” Harry told him. “Do you know the woman? Percy know's his and is loosing his bloody mind over it.”
“I know, she's... Well...” Charlie felt like he needed to tell someone and Harry was good at keeping secrets. “It's Iris.” Harry's green eyes widened when he heard the name.
“Really? Bill's gonna' be mad.”
“Tell me about it.” Charlie nodded, “don't spread it around yeah? I'm hoping to deliver the news rather... Easy, I guess.”
“Well, I think it makes sense. The two of you I mean. I know how close she is to our family, and you two are friends already so you have that going for you.” Harry tried to look at the positives. “Ginny loves her, I remember her going on and on about how she wished Bill would have chosen Iris over Fleur.”
That's what I'm worried about. Charlie thought, but didn't say anything.
“Oi! Charlie!” Ron yelled, seeing his older brother. “Look at ya', hardly any scorch marks.” He joked, slapping him on the shoulder. No matter how many years passed, Charlie still hated that he had to look up at his youngest brother. Well, any of his younger brothers really. “Good timing, Mum just finished dinner. Come on.”
The table was set, everyone gathered around, and how they all fit baffled Charlie. Thirteen people were crowded around the table, and soon there would be fifteen. Fleur and Bill had baby Victoir sitting in the old high chair that had been used by all of them when they were growing up. She barely was able to sit up in the chair, but it allowed both her parents to eat in relative peace. Charlie found himself sitting directly across from Bill, and could feel the cold sweats already starting. Harry, who was sitting between Bill and Ginny looked at Charlie nervously as the plates were passed around.
“Percy, you were starting to tell us about... Celia?”
“Yes, Celia Frobble.” Percy grumbled. “She's a horrible busy body, I can't stand her.” It all went completely over his head that the whole family thought it was a funny turn of events.
“Really? A busybody you say? I can't imagine why they would pair the two of you off.” Ginny laughed.
“Charlie, you've been quiet. Did you get your letter?” Arthur asked.
“Yeah, do you at least know who you have to marry?” Bill asked him. Charlie cleared his throat, seeing that the moment of his death had arrived. He exchanged looks with Harry, who's eyes were wide as saucers.
“Funny you should ask.” He said, “I do. You do. Everyone does.”
“Oh really?” Bill nodded, “Penny Haywood- oh no! Is it Liz Tuttle? I remember she was really into magical creatures, so the ministry might think you're compatible.”
“No... It's neither of those.” Charlie swallowed hard. He could see George give him a devilish smile out of the corner of his eye.
“Then who is it, Charlie?” George quipped, “we're all ears.” He joked, waving his fingers up by his missing ear. The table fell silent as Bill turned his full attention to Charlie, who was starting to turn red. Something on Bill's face changed, as if reading his brother's mind.
“Who. Is. It. Charlie?” Bill grated through his teeth, seeming to already come to conclusions.
“Bill, I don't-”
“It's Iris... They matched you with Iris.” Bill stated, placing his cutlery on the plate with a loud clink.
“Bill, I would watch your words.” Ginny warned him, taking a bite of her dinner while Harry looked like he wanted to leave the room.
“I think it's wonderful.” Molly quipped, trying to keep peace. “We've always seen Iris as family, and now she officially will be!” Bill still just stared daggers at his younger brother.
“It's not like I went out of my way to court her Bill.” Charlie finally broke. “Everyone here knows how you felt about Iris, and I would have never done anything to purposefully hurt you.” Fleur looked up across at her brother in law.
“How didz' he feel aboot' her?” Fleur asked, turning to look at Bill.
“Ha! Did he never tell you!” Ron laughed loudly. Hermione squashed his foot under the table.
“Ronald, don't egg them on!”
“I had a crush on Iris, when we were at Hogwarts. It's water under the bridge.” Bill told his wife, “obviously, since she married Ben and I married you. Nothing ever happened between us.” Fleur didn't seem to buy his story, but she chose not to continue the conversation.
“Look, it's the law. It's not like I went out of my way to go after her. I didn't ask for this, and neither did she.” Charlie tried to talk to Bill's reasonable side. It seemed to do the trick because he seemed to let the conversation go. Molly decided it was time to ask her children about wedding plans, and what they needed to do to speed Ginny and Harry's wedding up.
After dinner, Charlie stepped outside into the chill night and get a breath of fresh air. He adored his family, but with the current situation, it was a lot to juggle. The back door creaked, signaling that someone else had joined him on the back porch.
“Request a change.” Bill suddenly stated when it was just him and his brother. Charlie suddenly felt a touch of anger when Bill asked him that. His Mom was right, they always had thought of Iris as family, and she loved all their brothers and Ginny, and got along extremely well with Fleur, Harry, Hermione, and Angelina. It did make sense that they would be matched, and if he did reject her... How would that make her feel if one of her oldest friends from a family she saw as her own turned her away? He worried that she would be matched with a stranger, and her life had enough hardships as is.
“No.” Charlie simply stated. “I understand it hurts you, I know personally just how much you cared about Iris. We bothknow it wasn't just a crush you had on her, and if Rowan hadn't died things may have been different.” He told Bill, who's eyebrows were together, giving him a hard look. “No. I won't do it to her.” The tension between the two of them could have been cut with a knife.
“I loved her, Charlie.” Bill admitted to him, it was the first time he had ever admitted just how deep his feelings went, even though Charlie suspected it since they were teenagers.
“Then think about her. If I reject her, she's been through enough heartache and brokenness, imagine what that would do to her if the family she's loved and has loved her... Turned her away. Then what? She's paired off with someone she doesn't know? Or worse, what if the person is awful and doesn't want her around all of us because he's immature?” Charlie asked him. “You have Fleur, you have a family, Bill. That was stolen from her when Ben was murdered. This is a chance for her to have some stability, you know I won't do anything to hurt her, she's been my friend and I care about Iris too.” He told Bill. Regardless of what happened, Charlie would not leave Iris unless she didn't want to be with him, and Bill would have to put his past feelings aside.
Bill looked away, and put his hands in his pockets, looking dejected.
“You're right. I'm sorry. I let my jealousy and anger get the better of me.” He said, then quirked a smile, “at least she won't have to stand on a box to kiss you like she would have me.”
“Shut up you bloody tosser.” Charlie punched him in the arm as Bill laughed loudly.