The Irreplaceable Charlie Weasley

Chapter 2 - The Captain and the Quit

Nova

I couldn't believe I thought we would have more time this year than the year prior. We had fewer subjects but they were more demanding so the free time was just on paper. I still attended Advanced Transfiguration with McGonagall and I was now officially a proud owner of a salamander named Pyro.

The first day after the classes began, I went to talk to professor Kettleburn to show him my O.W.L. result for Care of Magical Creatures and to convince him to let me take care of a salamander. He was over the moon when he saw my results and took me to see one immediately.

I jumped for joy when I saw the little guy and I couldn't help but fall in love. Kettleburn told me that they are a big responsibility and if I will take good care of him, I would get extra credit in his class at the end of the year. I assured him that I would be good with the animal even without the extra credit and I was sure that is exactly what he wanted to hear.

With our lessons being so demanding and the ton of homework we got in each class, I've made a decision to quit Quidditch. Andre wasn't happy about it and neither was Orion. But after I told him that I didn't bring them that many wins last year due to that Bludger hitting me in the back, he stopped trying to get me back on the team.

I knew Charlie was going to be disappointed as well, as he couldn't wait to play against me this year. He talked about it a few times when we were at the Burrow. I, on the other hand, realized that I don't miss it all that much and that I have other talents that are much better than my flying.

After telling Orion, I wanted to find Murphy and tell him as well. I felt so bad the other day when he asked to hang out with me and I turned him down. I didn't do so just because Charlie was sitting right next to me but also because I don't know how I feel about him anymore. He still gave me butterflies and I still couldn't get enough of his blue eyes but the problem was, the same thing was happening to me with Charlie. I was so confused the entire summer as I didn't know what was happening inside my head. Truth be told, I still don't know.

I thought about Murphy and I felt my cheeks flush red but being around Charlie made me feel something entirely different that I haven't felt before and the way he was acting around me made him more attractive each day. I liked his calmness and the fact that I couldn't figure him out. It was like he was hiding something from me all the time.

I caught myself daydreaming about him almost every day and when the boys were playing Quidditch at the Burrow I couldn't take my eyes off him. I was ready to admit to myself that I have feelings for my best friend – for which I am not sure how I feel about – but then Murphy asked me to hang out and made my heartbeat raise and that confused me even more. I can't fancy both of them at the same time, can I?

I couldn't find Murphy anywhere so I decided not to push my luck. He will find out at the tryouts anyway and I didn't know if I wanted to be around him or not. I didn't want to give him false hope in case he fancied me because I didn't know where I stood with my feelings and it wouldn't be fair to him in case I would realize that I don't like him like that anymore.

The day I quit Quidditch I sent Charlie an owl to meet me down by the Lake. I wanted to tell him in private and I wanted to know if he was made Captain of the Gryffindor team. He was their best player and I doubt they would pick anyone else.

"Pip, I can't always draw you." I smiled at my owl when he hooted rather disappointingly when he saw I was drawing a salamander. "He is not going to replace you. I am only looking after it. I promise." Pip was skeptical and I knew I was going to have to visit him a lot this year to stay on his good side.

"Here's my favorite person!" Charlie sat down next to me on the blanket.

"Hi." I greeted him, moving my pencils.