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Author: Grandma Kate Story: Ginny's Last Year of Home Schooling Rating: Everyone Setting: Pre-OotP Status: Completed Reviews: 5 Words: 21,638
The Harry Potter Universe belongs to J.K. Rowling. I’m just borrowing the characters for a while. This is for pleasure only, no profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended. A/N- My friends at Live Journal read this ‘Charlie chapter’ first. The first week in December, Arthur came home from the Ministry with a big smile on his face. ‘Mollywobbles, today I made the travel arrangements that you and I discussed for the three of us. Ginny, how would you like to go see Charlie?’ Arthur smiled as Ginny started jumping up and down. Ginny squealed. ‘Really, all the way to Romania? But are only the three of us going? What are the boys going to do?’ ‘We need to get word to the boys as soon as possible that they won’t be coming home for Christmas,’ Molly said, ‘We’ve already cleared it with Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall. Several students are staying over the holidays, including Harry Potter.’ ‘Maybe I could stay at Hogwarts while you and Daddy go to see Charlie,’ said Ginny hopefully. ‘I’d love to see Charlie and his dragons but I can go next time.’ Arthur looked at Molly and raised an eyebrow. ‘Let me understand what you are proposing. You’d give up a trip to Romania to stay with your bothers at Christmas?’ Ginny nodded. ‘And Harry Potter.’ She blushed. Molly said, ‘I think not!’ in a firm voice. ‘It’s settled then,’ said Arthur. ‘You’re not yet a student at Hogwarts and we want to take you to see Charlie. He misses you a great deal.’ Arthur smiled at his youngest child. ‘You’ll be busy finishing all the jumpers and making Christmas treats for the boys. Let me know when you have all of them ready and I will send them to Hogwarts through the Ministry post.’ ***** Their Christmas gifts had to be ready earlier than usual because they were going to spend the whole week of Christmas with Charlie. Molly and Ginny spent almost every waking minute knitting or supervising the needles that were working on the Weasley Christmas jumpers. Molly showed Ginny how to cast off and attach arms and do the finishing touches on each one. They also baked or made fudge nearly every day, getting packages and tins of holiday treats ready for family and friends. Ginny wondered if Bill would really need a warm jumper in Egypt but thought that it might get cold at night around Christmas. They sent his birthday present and his dark blue Christmas jumper and box of treats off very early through International Post, at the same time as Charlie’s birthday gifts. Although the two older Weasley boys were a bit more than two years apart, Charlie’s birthday was only two weeks after Bill’s. They used to celebrate both at the end of November because Charlie’s was so close to Christmas. Charlie’s gold colored Christmas jumper and an extra big box of treats for him to share with his mates were packed in with Arthur’s clothes. On his last day of work before his Christmas holiday, Arthur took the packages for the four Weasley boys who were at Hogwarts and for Ron’s friend, Harry Potter, to the Ministry. They would be delivered just in time for Christmas Molly grew more and more excited as the time for taking their International Portkey drew closer. She double-checked everything. Arthur reassured her that he had packed for cold weather and that he’d do the Shrinking Charm on all their expanded trunks when they had finished packing. ***** As they enjoyed their pudding the night before they were to leave, Hermes tapped at the window. ‘Let me get it,’ said Ginny, jumping out of her seat and taking the letter and package from the owl. ‘Percy sent a letter and a package. May I read the letter out loud?’ Molly said, ‘Go ahead. I’ll give Hermes a treat and put the package in my trunk.’ Ginny began to read. Dear Mother and Father, I hope you have a safe journey to Romania. Please give my regards to my older brother Charlie. I’ve gathered my brothers to write a greeting to you. I am not sure what is in some of their Christmas parcels because they won’t tell me. At least none of them are beeping. Happy Christmas! Percy I. Weasley’ Ginny paused for dramatic effect. Dear Mum and Dad and Ginny, I get to write next because I was born four minutes before George. Have a great time visiting Charlie and tell him that we miss him even if Harry did catch the snitch with his mouth. I don’t remember Charlie doing that! It was really funny. Happy Christmas, Fred ‘I can guess who the next writer is. His writing slants the opposite way from Fred’s.’ Ginny continued reading with her head cocked off to the left. Happy Christmas Mum, Dad, and little sister! I will miss being at home but Fred and I will be able to explore more of the castle with just a few people staying for Christmas. And we get to eat with the Professors. Say ‘Hi’ to Charlie. Love, George ‘The last part must be from our youngest boy,’ said Molly. Ginny nodded and went back to reading. Mum and Dad and Ginny, Have a good time. I know you won’t forget to send us some Christmas treats. I still almost fit in my maroon jumper from last year. Tell Ginny to get up close with a dragon so she can tell me if it has bad breath. I am going to teach Harry how to play wizard chess. See you next year. Ha-Ha! Ron PS. I told Harry that I’d tell Ginny ‘Thanks for the treacle tart’ because it is his favorite food in the whole world. No sense in him writing, too. He says that he hopes you have a good trip and Happy Christmas. Ginny was clearly disappointed that Ron had talked Harry out of writing to say ‘Thanks’ again. ***** Before they left the morning of December twenty-third, Arthur left a window open just enough for Errol to go out and hunt. They went by floo to the Ministry and got in the queue for leaving the country. As they held their Portkey all of them felt the characteristic pull behind the navel and being compressed into a tube for a few seconds. Suddenly, Charlie and his fellow dragon keepers were greeting them. Molly hugged her second son so hard that he nearly lost his breath. Arthur called out, ‘Molly, let the poor boy breathe.’ Then he clasped Charlie around the shoulders and said. ‘It is good to see you, son. We’ve all missed you.’ ‘Princess, you’ve grown up!’ said Charlie holding Ginny at arms length. ‘Do you really start Hogwarts next year? It seems like you were just learning to read and now you are learning all sorts of things.’ Charlie introduced his parents and sister to the men and women he worked with and then took his family to the rooms where they would be staying. ‘Mum and Dad, you’ll be in our visiting dignitary room while Ginny will bunk in with Astrid, one of the dragon healers. You might want to rest from your journey while we finish our work. I’ll show you around tomorrow.’ Ginny put her expanded bag at the foot of the bed Charlie indicated and hung her coat on a peg on the back of the door. Then she slipped off her shoes, climbed into the bed, and fell asleep. When she woke, she put her shoes back on and pulled a clean jumper over the rest of her clothes. She found her parents visiting with Charlie and some of his mates. The all ate dinner together at a big long table. Ginny met the woman she was sharing a room with. ‘Astrid, this is my ‘not so little as I remembered’ sister, Ginny,’ Charlie said with a laugh. ‘Don’t tell her that I told you she was just a little girl.’ Charlie pretended to be scared that Ginny would hit him. ‘I’m glad to meet you, Ginny.’ Astrid shook hands with her and continued, ‘I take everything your brother says with a grain of salt. If he says big, I expect little. We females have to stick together in this compound filled with mostly blokes. I’m glad to have you and your Mum for reinforcements. You can help decorate this hall tomorrow.’ Molly greeted the news about decorating with glee. ‘I’d rather get your great hall ready for Christmas than go outside and tend dragons. Charlie, we’ll need a tree and some popcorn and apples. We brought a whole tin of gingerbread men and gingerbread dragons so we don’t need ornaments.’ She was obviously looking forward to fixing up the great hall. Arthur, Ginny, and Charlie went outside the morning of Christmas Eve with orders to bring back a tree that would fit in the corner of the hall. While they were gone, Molly popped buckets of popcorn to string and picked out a dozen small red apples to hang on the tree. On their way to find the perfect tree, Charlie pointed out the pens where various breeds of dragons were kept but told them that they’d get closer after Christmas when a group of dragon researchers and handlers would be available. ‘Everyone is trying to get as much done as possible so most of us can have Christmas Eve and Christmas Day off. Dragons have to be fed and tended to every day.’ Molly approved of the tree that they brought back. ‘Put it here in the corner away from the fireplace. Then you can start stringing popcorn and tying the apples on with red ribbons.’ When the researchers and dragon handlers came into the great hall for dinner, they complimented Molly on the decorations. Molly smiled and said, ‘It does look more like Christmas now but I miss Celestina Warbeck’s Christmas Eve Program. I’m used to hearing it Christmas Eve. It always gets me in the mood for Christmas!’ Molly sighed. One of the dragon handlers said he had her Christmas recording and a Muggle record player that had been charmed to run on magic. ‘My Mum sent it because it made her sad to think of me so far away at Christmas with no Wizarding Wireless.’ he said. ‘I’ll be glad to bring them for everyone to listen to.’ ‘This evening is perfect,’ said Molly as they all listened to the familiar holiday songs. Ginny woke Christmas morning to find the stocking at the foot of her bed bulging with sweets, nuts, and an orange. She also found a hair tie and some small trinkets. Her roommate Astrid said, ‘I see that Father Christmas found you here in Romania.’ ‘Happy Christmas!’ said Ginny as she put on her dressing gown and walked to the room her parents were staying in. She knocked and asked, ‘Mum and Dad, can I come in?’ ‘Happy Christmas Ginny!’ said Arthur, pulling on a dressing gown. ‘I think Charlie is going to come here to open family presents later,’ said Molly. ‘You’d better get dressed for breakfast.’ The cooks for the dragon keepers made hearty food and everyone was in a holiday mood. After breakfast, the four Weasleys went to the room where Arthur and Molly were staying to exchange family presents. Charlie was enthusiastic about his new jumper and the Hogsmeade candy he got from all of his brothers. ‘Chocolate is always a good present.’ Arthur, Molly and Ginny got sweets as well. ‘Percy sent me a new quill hidden in with the sugar quills,’ laughed Ginny. Charlie gave his parents and Ginny dragon hide gloves. ‘You can wear them tomorrow when we go to see the dragons in their pens.’ Charlie explained that they would also wear protective clothing but that he thought the gloves would remind them of their visit and Ginny would need them at Hogwarts. Bill had sent his presents to Charlie’s camp. They all got small books about various aspects of Egyptian magical lore. Molly began to read about death chambers while Arthur and Charlie and Ginny played Exploding Snap until the room became too filled with smoke to suit Molly. They continued playing with more players in the great hall. The rest of Christmas Day went by very fast. They ate too much at dinner but enjoyed pulling crackers and getting acquainted with several of the other dragon keepers. Arthur and Ginny were more eager to see the dragons up close than Molly was. She went with them to see the native Romanian Longhorn and admired their dark green scales and golden horn, but said she wanted to help the cook make some special dishes for Boxing Day when Charlie said that they were going to see the six ton Ukrainian Ironbellies next. The Ukrainian dragons were so big that they could not get too close and it took six dragon keepers to control them. ‘Aren’t you scared of them Charlie?’ asked Ginny. Charlie shrugged his shoulders and said, ‘I respect them and try not to get them riled up. But a dragon is a dragon.’ Ginny did not like the look of the Ironbellies. They were metallic gray with deep red eyes, ‘Their red eyes make me shiver all over,’ said Ginny. ‘Don’t you have a smaller dragon we could see?’ Charlie laughed as he said, ‘The Hungarian Horntail is smaller but I don’t think it is any less deadly. We have several of them because their range is pretty big. Look for a dragon with black scales and a bronze horn. It also has a spiked tail that we have to watch out for.’ Arthur looked at the third type of dragon with interest. ‘Are his eyes really yellow? They look a bit like cat-eyes, only much bigger, of course.’ ‘That’s right,’ said Charlie cheerfully. ‘They are really fierce defending their eggs or hatchlings, and their flame is extra long, sometimes fifty feet.’ Ginny shivered as she said, ‘I have a bad feeling about your Hungarian Horntail. I hope that none of them ever come to Hogwarts. They are beautiful but too scary for me.’ ‘I think we have seen enough dragons for one day. We’d better get you in. You’re shivering all over.’ Arthur led Ginny back to her room and suggested that she take a nap. The night before they left to go back to the Burrow Ginny and Charlie spent the evening together. Ginny told him that all her brothers still at Hogwarts were doing well and that Ron was getting into as much trouble as the twins. She told him about Harry Potter being the Seeker. Ginny sighed as she said; ‘Fred and George hope Gryffindor will win the cup this year. And I wish Mum would let me write to Harry Potter so he will get letters from somebody.’ ‘It sounds like you are looking forward to going to Hogwarts next year for more than one reason,’ said Charlie, giving her a hug. ‘Mum says you met Harry Potter at King’s Cross.’ ‘Oh yes! I can’t wait to go. The real Harry Potter looks just like the big doll I got for Christmas when I was four. I hope we will be friends. But Mum and Dad are going to miss me because they won’t have anybody at home.’ Ginny paused and then asked, ‘Charlie, are you happy here in Romania? I know Mum worries that you’ll be burned or hurt or eaten. And I miss you.’ Charlie hugged his little sister and said, ‘Right now, handling dragons is what I choose to do. I love them and I think you have to follow your dream. Some day you will know which of your dreams to follow.’ Ginny looked at Charlie’s earnest face and realized that she’d remember this conversation for many years. She hoped she’d find something to do that she loved as much as Charlie loved working with dragons. She was glad she had spent Christmas with him. ***** The trip home from Charlie’s dragon camp was not as frantic as getting there had been. Molly had done so many warming charms the week they were in Romania that she was able to warm up The Burrow even before they all tumbled out of the fireplace. Errol was barely alive but seemed almost glad to see them. Just after they had eaten Molly’s chicken soup with rice for dinner, Hermes arrived with a letter from Percy. Arthur read it to the others. Dear Mum and Dad and Ginny, I hope you had a pleasant visit with Charlie. He must have been quite happy to see you. Thank you for my new warm wooly jumper. My brothers teased me that mine was P for Prefect. The four of us and Harry Potter wore our Weasley Jumpers and sat together at Christmas dinner. It was very thoughtful of you to make one for Ron’s friend. He doesn’t seem to have much. He was really happy to get a wizard chess set in his Christmas cracker. I must go the library now because this is a chance to get ahead on my assignments. Being a Prefect takes a great deal of my time. Your son, Percy ‘Percy sounds a bit less tense, ‘commented Molly. ‘He works so hard on his studies and tries to be a good example to his younger brothers.’ ‘Maybe Harry Potter will write to us thanking us for making him a jumper and the fudge. I hope so, any way,’ said Ginny with a sigh. ‘You could write to Ron about our visit with Charlie. Maybe he’d read your letter to Harry,’ said Arthur in a teasing manner. ‘That’s a good idea, Dad!’ Ginny went and got some parchment and ink and began to write to Ron. She tried her best to make her writing neat as she wrote- Dear Ron, It was fun to see Charlie and he looks pretty good even though he has some burns on his arms. The dragons are amazing. I didn’t like the Ukrainian Ironbellies because they were too gigantic. I thought the Romanian Longhorn was the prettiest. It has bright green scales and a golden horn. I wouldn’t want to be around a Hungarian Horntail because it can get you with its flame or its tail. Actually, I don’t think I want to be around any dragons but Charlie really likes them. Please write back and tell me what you are doing at Hogwarts. Remember you promised me you would so I would know everything to do next year when I come. Do you like all the boys you share a room with? Are they all nice? Love, Ginny ‘That’s very nice, dear. You can send it with Hermes. I’ll tie it on,” Molly said as she finished cleaning up the kitchen. ‘It’s been a long day of traveling so we should all turn in early tonight. Good night Ginny. You and I need to wash clothes from the trip in the morning. I’ll let you try summoning the dirty clothes. ‘Good night, Mum and Dad, thank you for taking me to see Charlie.’ Ginny kissed her parents and started up the stairs. Molly smiled at Arthur. ‘Come on, love, you’re going to have to be back at work tomorrow. It will be good to get back in our own bed again. We deserve an early night.’ Arthur smiled and put his arm around his wife as they climbed the stairs.
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