Charlie knew his mother was right. If he truly wanted Saffron to keep Saffron safe he'd have to go back to work.
But his family was important to him. He needed to be here to protect them.
"Charlie, what's up?" Arthur asked, coming up beside his son, patting him on his back.
"Dad, have you ever been in a situation where you know you have to do something but you also know that it's not right and you just can't?"
"Is this about going back to work?" Arthur frowned.
"Mum tell you?" he asked.
"Yeah, she told me about your letter."
"And?"
"I think you should go," he said. Charlie was shocked, he had for sure thought that his father would side with him and say that he should stay.
"What?"
"Charlie. It's not safe for you, or for Saffron I-"
"It's not safe for anyone, Dad. What makes Saffron and I special enough to run away," Charlie asked, crossing his arms.
"You wouldn't be running away. You would be at work, doing what you are supposed to be doing," his father said.
"Dad, the burrow has been burnt down how many times? Where have we been living for the past month? Think about Ginny at school. Do you have any idea where Ron is?" Charlie asked, anger boiling inside of him. Not at his Dad, or his mum, or anyone. But at this situation. The dark lord being back and no one being safe, this was not fair and not how it was meant to be. All the anger on the situation was bubbling inside of him, wanting to get out.
"How am I meant to return to work, do exactly what I've always done the right way, when all I can imagine is my family being hurt, being tortured or something like that," Charlie crossed his arms.
"Charlie it's not a choice. You have to go back," his father said. No he didn't want Charlie to leave, but safety is what he wanted for his son, and all his children.
"It is a choice dad, it's always a choice. It’s a matter of whether or not you choose the right one," Charlie said.
"And the right one in this case is to go back," Arthur said. "What about after, when this is all over? What if you've lost your job and can't go anywhere else?"
"We don't know how long this will last for Dad, a month two months, two years."
"Which is exactly why you need to leave. It could be a week before it's over but it could also be a year."
"I can't- I won't leave you," Charlie said.
"Then why are you asking yourself what to do when you know what you want to do?" Arthur asked.
"I don't know," Charlie shrugged.
"Before you fully make up your mind Charlie, think about Saffron," Arthur said.
"Why?" Charlie asked quickly, standing up straighter. Had his mum told his dad already? He wanted to be the one to tell him.
"Because if you stay, she will stay, if you go, she will go. Whatever you do, she will back you up on," Arthur said walking away.
Charlie bit his lip before turning around to punch a tree, which he regretted as soon as he had.
Keeping his hand balled up, he went back underground.
"Charlie, what happened?" Saffron asked, coming over to see his cracked knuckles with splinters in them.
"Punched a tree," Charlie shrugged.
"Why?" Saffron asked exasperated, sitting Charlie down and getting a cloth.
"Because I was angry," he said as Saffron got the tweezers out of the first aid kit.
"What? Why?"
"Why do you have to ask so many questions?" Charlie snapped.
"Fine, sorry," Saffron snapped back, pulling out a chair for herself to sit down on.
Gently she took Charlie's hand and he relaxed instantly at her touch.
'I'm sorry," Charlie sighed.
"I know," Saffron gave a small smile as she gently began pulling out the splinters.
"You know you have to go," Charlie said softly.
"No I don't," Saffron said, not taking her eyes off Charlies hand.
"Yes you do Saffron," Charlie said. "And so do I."
"I thought we had decided we were going to stay," Saffron said, lowering Charlie's hand and looking up at him.
"That's what I thought too."
"But?"
"But I've been thinking," he said. "About you and you need to be safe. Everyone agrees. We need to go back to be safe."
"But what about your family? Why do I have to be safe and not all of you?" Saffron asked, though she was flattered that Charlie had been thinking about her.
"They'll be safe," Charlie said.
"You don't sound so sure," Saffron said, continuing with the splinters.
"I can't be sure," he admitted.
"Why can't we just stay?" Saffron sighed.
"Because, what happens when it's all over? What will we do then? Saffron, our jobs are on the line here. If we don't go back we could lose them and then what would we do when this is over?"
"We would find other jobs Charlie," Saffron said.
"Saffron, what if we can't. What if there are no other jobs," Charlie pointed out.
"Charlie," Saffron sighed.
"I'm just thinking. We don't know how long this will last for, a month a year, a week?' Charlie said.
"I know that, but you don't think it's going to just end like that do you. There's going to be something big. This is the dark lord. He's not going to go down without a fight," Saffron pointed out. Charlie sighed as she pulled out the last splinter, knowing she was right. She really wasn't making this easier for him.
"I know he's not. But we need to get you out of here before it happens," Charlie said.
"Why? Why not your family? Why can't I stay to fight?" Saffron asked, getting up to dampen a cloth.
"Saffron, please. At the end of the month I'll be going back to work. I would really like it if you came with me," Charlie sighed. He hated saying it. He wanted to stay, he wanted to fight, he wanted to protect his family. He also wanted to protect Saffron as well. And he knew how to do it. Take Saffron to work, then come back for his family. He knew it would work and he would be hitting two birds with one stone per say.
"Ok," Saffron sighed, defeated. She couldn’t say no to Charlie, she didn't know why, but she just couldn't.
Saffron returned to the table with the cloth as she wiped over his knuckles carefully, before pulling out her wand and muttering a spell to heal them.
"You're a great healer," Charlie said.
"Thanks," Saffron gave a weak smile as she set to cleaning up.
She didn't want to go, how could she go. These people had taken her in, let her stay for no apparent reason and she was going to desert them in a time like this. How could she?
The look on Charlie's face made up her mind though. She just couldn't say no to him.
YAY another update! I just want to say another really big thank you to everyone who reads! It means the world!! And a huge shout out to PipPipKat-O for all your wonderful comments! You really make my day! xo
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