Lyra || Charlie Weasley ||

Good surprise, I hope?

I rolled my eyes. "To be honest, you would like Charlie!"

He huffed. "Me, like a Weasley? No way!"

"Come on, Dray! He was everything you want to be—the Quidditch Captain, Head Boy, best Seeker during his time at Hogwarts. Not to mention he trains dragons now!" I teased. Draco grumbled, "Who cares? Still a Weasel. But I guess I see the appeal for you."

I shook my head. "I don't like him for all that."

Draco looked at me inquisitively. "Oh, why do you like him?"

"He is kind and caring and sweet, and I think I am losing my mind-" I stop short, my heart skipping a beat. No way... a flash of red catches my eye.

There, leaning casually against a tree at the edge of the Forbidden Forest, is Charlie. He looks utterly real and solid - not at all like a figment of my overactive imagination. I barely register Draco asking "What?" as Charlie's eyes meet mine and he grins widely, dimples creasing his freckled cheeks.

I shake my head in disbelief. "I think I am losing my mind! I've been thinking about him so bloody much that I am seeing him now." I confessed, shaking my head to dispel the illusion. However, Draco follows my gaze and murmurs in surprise, "That's Charlie?"  and I realize he wasn't a figment of my imagination.

Charlie pushed off the tree, walking over to us with a wide smile despite my lack of reaction. "Hey, Lyra. I'm Charlie, Ron's brother. We met at the World Cup. Didn't expect to be forgotten so easily, to be honest." I guess me trying to figure out if he is real or not came of as me trying to figure out who he is.

"Oh, she didn't forget y—" Draco began but stopped abruptly with a 'humph' as I elbowed him in the stomach.

"Ha, no! Just surprised, is all. Wasn't expecting to see you at Hogwarts. But I know who you are," I explained.

Charlie chuckles, glancing between me and an unimpressed Draco. "Good surprise, I hope?"

He shrugs, a bit sheepish. "Anyway, I'm here to help prepare for the first task - dragons and all that. Brought some of my team and nesting mothers over from the sanctuary to provide a challenge for the champions."

My heart races wildly but I try to play it cool. "Oh, uh, dragons you say? How...thrilling." I let out an awkward laugh. "Well, we shouldn't keep you from all your, erm, dragon stuff..."

I give him a silly little wave. "I mean, nice chat!" Before I can embarrass myself further, I grab a smirking Draco and drag him away from a confused looking Charlie.

Draco mutters to me as we walk, "Smooth, cousin. Real smooth."

But after a few steps, my brain registers what Charlie just revealed. The first task - dragons! And Harry has to face one? I gasp, whirling around and hurry back over to Charlie, who watches me approach with an amused glint in his eyes.

"Did you say the first task involves dragons?" I ask urgently. "The champions have to get past one somehow?"

Charlie's eyebrows shoot up. "Er, I probably shouldn't have mentioned anything just yet," he admits. "But since you know already then...yeah, dragons are the first challenge. I brought over a Chinese Fireball, Swedish Short-Snout, Welsh Green, and a Hungarian Horntail from Romania."

My eyes widen in alarm and I lower my voice to an anxious whisper. "A Hungarian Horntail? But those are really dangerous! Harry could be killed!"

Charlie puts a comforting hand on my shoulder. "The champions will be fine. We've got dragon handlers standing by just in case. No one's actually died in this tournament for awhile now..." At my horrified look, he winces. "Sorry, not helping. But honestly, we'll take every precaution."