Yours truly ; Charlie Weasley

Sixty-three

On a Wednesday afternoon, I stood outside in front of the Burrow, holding Caspian while Marino was asleep in the stroller.

The sun stood high, shining down so it was pretty hot outside even though it was mid-February.

Though I stood in the shadows of the burrow, shielding both of my boys from the sun.

They were some really easy babies, though Molly told me that Fred and George were the same when they were newborn but then that changed when they learned how to sit up by themselves and hold objects.

She told me that Fred would often throw things at George who'd then start crying while Fred would simply laugh.

They were six months when that happened.

That makes me worry about how my sons will be. It's in the family. Both on Charlie's side but also on mine.

The twins in our family tend to be troublemakers as they grow up.

I was currently singing softly to Marino, trying to get him to sleep. He had been making a fuss, hitting his brother in the face as they laid next to each other in the stroller.

Molly tries to help as much as possible but sometimes I also walk out here to try and handle it for myself.

I need to learn it.

Eventually I'll have to move out, sell the loft and find a new place.

Maybe move to Romania to feel like I still have a piece of Charlie left. He always wanted us to move down there permanently and I was what stopped him.

I regret that.

I wish I would've agreed, but I was being too selfish and only thought about what I wanted. I wanted to be in England, close to my family, close to his family.

Charlie just wanted to be near what he loved. His work — dragons.

That's when he bought a flat down there while I had my loft up here.

"Ember, dear?" Molly called, making me turn around to smile at her. "Lunch'll be ready in five. How's it going with Marino?"

"He's calming down." I told her. "Another few minutes and he'll be out."

She nodded, smiling at me before she walked back inside and closed the door.

At the same time, a figure appeared, making my heart skip a beat as I stepped closer to the house, pulling the stroller with me.

The person who had apparated, landed in the grass, and as I saw the face, my heart dropped, as well as my expression.

Charlie.

I closed my eyes, shaking my head but when I opened them again, he was still there. He was breathing, but slowly, though he didn't seem to be completely conscious.

Oh god.

I was shaking as I put Marino down next to his brother, trying to stay calm.

What was I supposed to think?

What if it wasn't him?

What if it was something who had taken polyjuice?

Carefully, I approached the body in the grass, feeling myself tear up as I looked at his face. His red curls had grown longer and he was wearing the same clothes as that night in the hospital.

The last time I saw him.

I sunk to my knees, staring at him in shock but when his eyes opened and they met mine, I knew.