Charley Effie Black

Chapter 65 - We Agree

"I should probably save her. I doubt she likes having those kids around her all the time," Lottie said, mostly to herself.

"No," Oliver said as he saw her stand up in his peripheral. "She needs them." He looked back over at Charley with all of her cousins around her along with Alice and Carter. She was holding Genevieve and Harriet while Alice climbed on her back like a monkey and Harvey laid across her lap.

"I think they all need her too," Lottie said as she sat back down. Oliver looked up at the closed casket again as someone walked up to it and gently rested a hand on it. Oliver froze as he recognized the old wrinkly hand.

"I need to talk to Charley, sorry Lottie," Oliver quickly said as he remembered the promise he had made with Sirius. Oliver walked over to Charley and squatted down beside her. "Dumbledore is here." Charley's face dropped.

"Why?" she asked him. Her brows were now pressed together as she set down Harriet and Genevieve.

Oliver shrugged. "No idea," he responded. "Carter, Alice, get off of Charley, okay?" he added. The two obeyed and watched as Charley stood up and took Oliver's hand in hers. Oliver led her away from the kids and to the back of the cemetery.

Oliver rubbed his thumb along the back of Charley's hand. "I promised your dad that I wouldn't let you into the Order. I told him that I would do whatever it takes. I meant it, Charley. It's dangerous. I don't want you helping them."

Charley stayed silent for awhile as she watched everyone around her. Nearly everyone was crying and Charley couldn't handle it. She wanted to get out. "Olly," she quietly said to him. He half-heartedly hummed a response. "Can we go home?"

Oliver looked down at Charley again and studied her face as if to check if she was joking. "The program hasn't started yet."

"I don't want to be here, Olly. I want to go home," Charley told him. "Please..."

"Char, wait until it starts." Charley looked up at Oliver and groaned, but she didn't have the energy to argue.

"Miss Black, Mister Wood." Charley turned to see Dumbledore standing in front of her and Oliver. She immediately tensed up and felt Oliver drop her hand so he could wrap his arm around her waist.

"Hello, headmaster," Oliver responded for Charley.

"I offer my condolences, Miss Black," Dumbledore said. Charley only nodded, biting back her tongue. "When I lost my fath-"

"Why are you here?" Charley interrupted. "You didn't know sh*t about Haz. Why the f*ck are you here?"

"Char..." Oliver quietly said, but she ignored him.

"I have spoken to Harry Williams on several occasions," Dumbledore calmly responded.

"So? You knew my mum. You spoke to my mum a lot. You weren't at her funeral, so why are you here?" she asked again. Oliver stopped trying to stop Charley and looked at Dumbledore for his answer.

"I've known your uncle longer than I knew your mum."

"You are filled with f*cking bullsh*t, aren't you?" Daisy said with a laugh. "You were at James and Lilys' funeral. So why are you here? Did you have a hand in Haz's death like you did with the Potters'?"

"Miss Black, please-"

"You killed my uncle!" she shouted. "Come on, Olly. I'm leaving." Oliver followed her out but looked back at Dumbledore one last time as he stared at them. Oliver apparated them back to the flat.

Charley walked back to their room and pulled off her dress. "Char, you can't blow up at him like that. It could put you in danger," Oliver told her.

"I don't care," Charley muttered, pulling out a hoodie and shorts.

"Well, I do. I know that sound selfish, but I-" he stopped when he realized that Charley wasn't listening. "Fine," he grumbled before he left their room.

Charley walked out a few minutes later and sat down beside him on the couch. She cuddled up to him and gently kissed his jawline. "Are you going to listen to me now?" Oliver asked her. Charley looked up at him and nodded. "I know you're having a heard time, Char. It's a f*cking mess right now. I just... I don't want to lose you. I love you more than anything else and if I lose you, I wouldn't know what to do."

"Olly, I... Charley moved on top of him and hugged him tightly. "I say a lot of things I don't mean. I can't ever be without you. You're the only thing keeping me going."

Oliver pulled Charley closer to him. "So we agree then? Neither of us are going anywhere."

Charley let out a small weak laugh. "We agree."