Fic: Into Place (Teddy/Charlie), PG-13
Recipient: mindabbles
Title: Into Place
Pairing(s): Teddy/Charlie, mentions of Charlie/others and past Teddy/Victoire
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Age disparity (22/48); brief mention of sexual activity; preslash
Summary: After graduating from university, Teddy Lupin decides to go abroad to Romania to do some independent research. Charlie offers him a room in his home, and Teddy accepts.
Word Count: 5,669
Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters herein are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No copyright infringement is intended.
Author’s/Artist's notes: The majority of this fic takes place in Romania. I've never been there, but I did do my best to research the details I included. Hopefully I'm not too far off.
mindabbles, it was a pleasure to write for you! I hope this fic was to your liking. I had fun using your "travel" prompt (and by a stretch of the imagination, your "finding something from the past" prompt as well). I had grand plans for this fic, but it ended up remaining in the preslash realm. I hope you enjoy it regardless.
MANY THANKS to the mods for being so patient with me, and also to my amazing beta, K., who was a huge help. You guys rock <3
After graduating with a history degree from a Muggle university, Teddy Lupin decided to take a year off and spend some time abroad. He was eager to do some of his own independent research prior to applying for a graduate program, both to build his curriculum vitae and to broaden his experiences. He’d never traveled outside the United Kingdom before, and he was eager to do so.
Of course, as a poor college student, Teddy’s potential destinations were limited. His godfather would pay if only he would ask, but Teddy felt that it was time he stopped asking Harry for help. Harry had already paid for his undergraduate education, not to mention room and board at the university. Teddy knew he needed to start assuming some responsibility for himself - it was simply the right thing to do.
He landed a summer job at his former university and owled a couple of friends. The Scamanders often traveled and had friends in various places, so he asked if they knew anyone who would be willing to put him up. He also owled James, who had traveled to Germany with some friends over the winter holidays, and Victoire to ask about France. The responses were dry - while the Scamanders had some friends abroad, they were doubtful about whether their contacts would be particularly enthused about having a stranger live with them for a few months. However, they would be more than happy to include Teddy on their next trip, which would be to Alaska, in the following year. James hadn’t made any friends while abroad. Victoire hadn’t bothered to respond; Teddy assumed she still had not forgiven him. Their breakup had been particularly messy.
He was losing hope and at the brink of resigning himself to accepting the Scamanders’ offer as his only option when Teddy went to his usual Thursday dinner at his godfather’s house. Having arrived early, he vented his frustrations to Lily, who was home from Hogwarts for the summer.
Setting the table by hand, as she was not yet permitted to do magic outside of school, Lily asked, “Have you tried Uncle Charlie?” She placed a plate on the table. “I mean, Romania doesn’t sound exciting to me, but at least you could see dragons.”
“Lily!” Teddy exclaimed. “You’re brilliant!” He pulled her into a hug and then took out his wand. With a murmur and a wave of his hand, the table was set. “Thank you!”
He ran off to find a quill and left a pleasantly surprised Lily in his wake.
Charlie! He couldn’t believe he hadn’t considered asking the Dragonologist. Romania was so rich in history, and Charlie should have space in his home. He wasn’t married, after all, nor did he have kids. Best of all, Charlie loved his extended family, and Teddy was considered family. Teddy considered fire-calling the man, but decided an owl would be better; it would give Charlie a chance to think about his request, rather than putting him on the spot. And it had the added benefit of allowing Teddy to ask without having to face him.
After he had written the quick letter, however, Teddy felt unsure. While he knew Charlie to be a nice man - definitely uncle material and very generous with his Christmas gifts - he didn’t really know him. It could be awkward, living with a man who had no immediate family to keep him busy. The last thing Teddy needed was to be monitored like a child. This trip was about independence, after all.
Still, the experience would make any complications worthwhile. Teddy sent the owl. It would be a while before he’d hear back - Romania wasn’t around the corner - but he could barely contain his enthusiasm.
For three weeks, Teddy couldn't keep his eyes from wandering to the window, desperately seeking a response from Charlie. He nervously fretted over possibilities - Charlie wouldn't write back, he was too busy to respond, he didn't want any visitors...Teddy was nearly driven mad with his own impatience, and many times he nearly attempted to fire-call Charlie, but would always talk himself out of it.
When the letter did finally arrive, it was during breakfast, and Teddy swallowed his bite of toast whole in excitement as he tore it open and read:
Teddy,
Good to hear from you! Congratulations again on your graduation. I’m sorry I had to miss it.
Romania is very rich in culture and history, and of course there are the dragons, but other than that, there’s not much to do here. The villiage closest to me is Viscri, and it boasts a population of 400 or so. Not much of a social center, I’m afraid, though there’s some tourism. You’re definitely welcome to come and stay as long as you’d like, as long as you don’t mind being isolated. There’s plenty of room, and I could use some company out here!
Send me an owl with your planned date of arrival so I can arrange a portkey.
Charlie
Teddy hurried and scribbled a note, setting a date in September for his arrival. That would allow him to finish his seasonal position at the coffee shop and prepare for the trip, and it would hopefully give Charlie time to prepare for his visit. After sending off the owl, Teddy went to go start packing. He might not have been leaving for a couple of months, but a little advance preparation wouldn't hurt anyone...
Teddy's first thought upon arriving in a small shop in Viscri was that Charlie seemed older than he remembered. It had only been a few months since he'd seen him last, for the Christmas holiday, but Charlie seemed to have more spare gray hairs than he remembered. There was something about watching Charlie walk ahead and talk about the town that made Teddy feel young and awkward. It was confusing - at holiday gatherings, Charlie always seemed like the cool Weasley, the one who went against the grain and played by his own rules. But now that they were alone, Teddy was keenly aware of their age difference. He hoped that Charlie felt differently, and that the older man wouldn't spend the next few months treating him like a child.
"In a town like Viscri," Charlie was saying, "people are very familiar with their neighbors. It's really cozy, and a lot of people have bloodlines as old as the history of the town itself. It's nice, nothing like living in a big city. I'd live closer, but I wouldn't want any of the Muggles in the town to get suspicious, what with the magic and the dragons I sometimes bring home."
"They let you bring dragons home?" Teddy asked, unable to conceal his enthusiasm. Dragons were interesting no matter what.
"It's rare, but if a baby gets sick or needs to be monitored, occasionally we'll have to bring it home." Charlie smiled, and Teddy couldn't help but smile himself in response.
After that last comment, though, the two men fell into a silence that once again made Teddy feel somehow out of place and awkward.
Such feelings were only amplified when they finally arrived at Charlie's home, which was smaller than Teddy anticipated. But it wasn't the size that made Teddy feel odd; there was something about the atmosphere of the house that made Teddy feel as though he was stumbling upon something solitary and secretive. As Charlie showed him to the guest room - now his room - Teddy realized what was so uncomfortable about the home: it was completely untouched by a feminine hand.
Teddy had grown up with his grandmother, and women had always played a large role in his life. He was used to being coddled by Ginny during visits, hearing Hermione complain about Ron's poor decorating skills during the holidays, and watching Fleur fuss over Bill at family gatherings. Charlie had no one to fuss over him - no one to tell him that the sofa was an unacceptable station for books and newspapers, that laundry belonged in a dresser rather than in a folded pile on the floor. Charlie's home wasn't messy, per se - it was just organized according to Charlie, a man who lived according to his own convenience, rather than someone else's. Teddy couldn't help but wonder what Charlie cooked for himself for dinner.
It almost made Teddy feel like a nancy. Apparently, he had a few too many women in his life.
"Not much, I know, but we can get anything you think you'll need next time we go to town," Charlie said, leaning against the doorframe to the guest room.
"It's perfect, really," Teddy replied. "I'm not here to inconvenience you."
Charlie shrugged. "No inconvenience, really. It's been a while since I had visitors. Mum and Dad are getting too old to travel, and everyone else is busy with kids and such. Nice to have the company."
Teddy set his suitcase on the floor and stretched. Traveling by portkey didn't take very long, but it was especially tiring to travel long, international distances. As he kicked off his shoes, he realized Charlie was still standing in the doorway, watching him.
"You want something to eat?" Charlie asked, straightening his posture. "I could use some dinner."
"Sure," Teddy replied. "I'll get settled and be out in a few minutes."
Charlie turned and walked down the hall, leaving Teddy alone in the guest room. He glanced around. The room was spare and barely furnished - it contained only a bed, a small closet, and a window. He hung up his robes in the closet, but there was no place to put the rest of his clothes, so he placed them in neat piles along the wall, in a fashion similar to the clothes he saw in Charlie's room during the brief tour. He'd have to transfigure a bureau later, or at least a small desk for writing and book storage purposes.
Once he was mostly unpacked, Teddy slipped out of his travel clothes and into a comfortable robe. Then he headed into the kitchen, where a bowl of...something was waiting for him on the small table in the kitchen. But before he could focus on the food, he found himself staring at Charlie's back, which was shirtless and exposed, his hair tied with a loose band. Along his back was a large dragon tattoo, sporting very intricate detail, from the scales to the dragon's nostrils. The tattoo spanned the length of Charlie's back, and the dragon was crouched, looking back as though observing Teddy's movements. Its wings were flexed, as though the dragon was preparing to take off at any given moment. The tattoo was entirely black, without a hint of color, and the ink had that old, faded look that tattoos tend to take on after a few years, but the dragon was still majestic. When Charlie's muscles flexed, so too did the dragon.
Charlie turned, giving Teddy's silent stare a small smile. "The tattoo?" he asked.
"I like it," Teddy said with a nod. "When did you have it done? Did it hurt?" Teddy, while a fan of body art, wasn't much for permanent transformations. Being able to change his skin, hair and eyes could be both fun and useful, but he'd never want to make any lasting changes. He wouldn't be able to commit to one look.
"Hurt like hell," Charlie replied, indicating that Teddy should sit at the table. "I got it done about ten years ago - took a couple of years to complete. You can't get a tattoo like this done overnight - not if you do it right."
Teddy nodded and took his seat, finally looking down at his food. "Um, I hope you don't take offense...but what is this?" he asked, spooning a bit of the very sad-looking vegetables in the broth.
"A stew," Charlie replied with a laugh. "I make them all the time. I'm not one for cooking, though I could cook if I tried hard enough. Stews are easy to make - some vegetables, some beans, made some noodles, and lots of spices for taste. You can't go wrong with it, and you can make enough to last a week or two with only a little bit of effort. It's good, try it."
Teddy did. The vegetables were a lot softer than he liked, but he had to admit that the stew wasn't bad. "Pretty good, actually," Teddy said after a few mouthfuls. "Though I can't imagine eating this all the time."
"I do change it up a bit," Charlie said, "but I'm not one for cooking big meals."
Teddy nodded, mentally deciding to cook dinner from now on. He was living for free, so he had a responsibility to pull some of the weight in the household. And he definitely didn't want to live on stew for the next few months.
Over the next couple of weeks, Teddy explored Viscri. It was a small town that seemed to exist in a vacuum, completely secluded from the outside world. The houses were small and it seemed as though nearly everyone grew their own crops and raised animals. Most of the people didn't speak English, but thanks to an intricate charm on an old earbud and a vast supply of a complex potion, Teddy didn't have to worry about the language barrier. It was a very peaceful town and the people were very friendly.
Unfortunately, tracking down a library or town hall proved impossible - there were none. Teddy was given reign of the library in the elementary school, which amounted to a couple of shelves of assorted books, but he was unable to find any detailed literature regarding the town's history and culture. His own real source of history would be oral discourse, and so Teddy set out with a notebook, pen and a smile, befriending many of the townspeople. It wasn't difficult - the townspeople were very friendly and very generous with what they had - from food and drink to information on the town.
Before long, Teddy developed a routine. He'd spend the first couple of hours of weekday mornings at the Saxon museum at the fortified church, speaking with the curator, who happened to have a wealth of knowledge of Saxon history. Then he'd stroll by the café for a quick meal, where he'd mingle with townsperson and tourist alike. In the afternoons, he'd help out around town - whether at someone's home or at the café - in exchange for an anecdote or a free meal. The longer Teddy spent in town, the more at home he began to feel.
He always made sure to get home in the evenings before Charlie did, in order to make dinner. It wasn't difficult - Charlie worked long hours, which he claimed to enjoy. Many days, he'd be out with sunrise, and wouldn't return until as late as eight or nine in the evening. He and Teddy would discuss work and Charlie would never fail to thank him for the meal. It was obvious that he was enjoying eating home-cooked meals. Teddy was glad to contribute to the household. After dinner, the two men usually retired to their own rooms. They didn't speak much beyond dinner, but Teddy didn't mind. He figured Charlie was accustomed to silent evenings. Though he had to admit that he found it odd that Charlie never made plans and never brought home a woman, even for a night.
On the weekends, Teddy often traveled outside of Viscri, exploring various parts of Romania on as cheap a budget as he could manage - he utilized cloudy nights as often as possible. He also took up studying some Romanian. One evening, Charlie remarked that Teddy fit in with the townspeople better than he did, and Teddy had to admit it was true. Charlie fit in best with his dragons, or at least that's what Teddy assumed - Charlie never offered to bring him along on the job.
Teddy's life began to feel comfortable as it settled into its routine, and he had no complaints.
One evening, Teddy broke his evening routine and decided to stay out later than he usually did. One of the townspeople had given birth to a baby girl and Teddy was invited to the celebration. He attended with intention of leaving in time to prepare Charlie's dinner, but after having a couple of drinks, he lost track of time. Instead, he spent the night dancing with some of the girls in the town, and didn't return until the early morning hours.
To his surprise, Charlie had waited up for him. Teddy's inebriated efforts to remain quiet as he unlocked the door and tiptoed to his room were in vain, for Charlie was sitting - awake - on his bed. "What are you doing in here?" Teddy asked, brow furrowing. "Shouldn't you be asleep?"
"What do you mean, what am I doing?" Charlie asked, standing. Only in that moment did it occur to Teddy that Charlie was a large man - muscular and tall - taller than he was, at least. "Where have you been? Do you even know what time it is?"
"I was in town," Teddy said with a shrug. "There was a party - it was a lot of fun, actually."
"Why didn't you let me know what you'd be doing? I've been worried sick!"
"What are you, my father? Bugger off, Charlie. You're not responsible for me. I'm an adult." Teddy shuffled through some clothes, looking for comfortable pajamas.
"Teddy, you've come home at the same time every day since you've been here, and all of a sudden, you don't come home - of course I'm worried. I'm not -"
"I'm not living here to be looked after, Charlie. I said bugger off, didn't I?"
For a moment, Charlie grew red in the face and looked as though he were preparing to yell, but to Teddy's surprise, the older man just sighed. "Teddy, I'm just trying to tell you that I was worried, and I care."
"Care about your dinner, maybe," Teddy mumbled back. "It's not like you take great pains to really get to know me or what I do."
Charlie paused in the doorway, let out another sigh, and then headed into his bedroom.
If Teddy hadn't been drinking, he probably would not have been so loose with his tongue, but he had to admit to himself that it was true. Charlie was a man who lived by himself, for himself. While he was generous enough to allow Teddy to stay with him, Charlie had taken no pains to get to know Teddy the way the other Weasleys had. Nor had he given Teddy much insight into his own life. Maybe it was because Charlie was so accustomed to living alone, but Teddy felt like Charlie was a closed book.
Even so, when Teddy awoke a mere three hours after he had finally fallen asleep, head aching, he had to admit to himself that he had been wrong for not letting Charlie know he would be home late.
"I'm sorry," he apologized when he found Charlie brewing some tea in the kitchen. "You were right, I should have let you know. I also shouldn't have said those things."
"I need to apologize, too. It's been a long time since I've lived with someone," Charlie replied, setting some tea on the table for Teddy. "I'm not good at this stuff."
Teddy accepted the tea gratefully. "Well, maybe we should try to be better - the both of us. Maybe start spending a little time together. Why don't you meet me in town for lunch today?"
Charlie shook his head. "Can't, sorry. I wouldn't be able to get away from work long enough to make it. Maybe this weekend?"
Teddy shook his head. "I'm going to Bacau. But you're welcome to come along, if you'd like. You might enjoy it."
"Nah, not my thing. Next week, maybe."
Teddy nodded. "Yeah, next week." He didn't feel very confident it would happen, however. Charlie was too fond of being a closed book.
"Well, I'm off," Charlie said, grabbing his toast and heading out the door.
"Bye," Teddy called.
In the following week, Teddy made plans to travel that Friday night to Bacau. When Friday came around, however, he was feeling under the weather - congested, uncomfortable and achy. He considered cancelling his plans, but he had spent a lot of time developing an itinerary based on the weekend's events and didn't want it to go to waste. He left around eleven at night and managed to travel a good forty minutes before a couple near-misses with trees and birds made him decided that cancelling plans would be better than having to explain to a bunch of Muggles why he fell through their ceiling with a broom.
He flew the forty minutes back home and was surprised to find that Charlie's house was dark. He figured this meant that Charlie had chosen to do something that evening, which worked out, since all Teddy wanted to do was crawl into bed. He entered the home taking no pains to hush his shuffling, and jumped when he heard a deep voice emit a loud swear. Teddy had drawn his wand instinctively, and whispered a breathless Lumos Maxima. In the glaring white light, Teddy saw two men - one was Charlie and the other he didn't know - hurrying to dress themselves.
"Oh," Teddy mumbled, staring stupidly at their efforts. "I'm, um, I'm sorry." Realizing he was standing around acting foolish, he pulled his eyes away and quickly made his way into the bedroom.
"I thought you said he was gone for the weekend?" Charlie's company asked, tone thick with annoyance. Teddy shut the door, muffling Charlie's apologies, and climbed into bed without removing his travel clothes.
He had nearly fallen asleep when a loud knock on the door jolted him back into wakefulness. "Come in," he called weakly.
If there was anything Teddy had learned about the Weasleys after being surrounded by them, not only in his family life but also in his school life, it was that they were very capable of losing their tempers. Charlie, it seemed, was no exception. He was very unhappy, and nothing could stop him from making that clear.
"--can't even have a private life!," Charlie was yelling, pacing about the room.
"Can we talk about this later, please?" Teddy asked. His head was pounding, and Charlie was not using an inside voice.
"No, we cannot talk about this later. We need to come up with a plan right now for the next time you decide to change plans and sabotage my personal life. You could have at least sent word that you were on your way back. Don't they teach you how to cast a patronus in school? And if they don't, I know for a fact that Harry wouldn't let any of his family members go without knowing how to cast one, so you can't tell me that it didn't even remotely -"
Teddy interrupted Charlie's chiding by sneezing into his pillow. It wasn't exactly the most sanitary thing for him to do, but he was desperate. "It didn't," he admitted, rubbing his eye and willing away the pressure in his head.
Charlie didn't resume his speech. For the first time, he seemed to assess the situation - Teddy in his bed, squinting miserably into the hall light, still clothed and huddled underneath blankets. "Are you okay?" he asked after a moment of silence.
"I just need to sleep right now," Teddy told him.
Charlie placed a tentative but cool hand on his forehead.
"I think you might have a fever," Charlie said, his annoyed tone replaced with something that sounded like awkward concern.
"Oh?" Teddy murmured, but he was already slipping into sleep.
What happened in the hours that followed was a giant blur of darkness. Teddy would think, upon awakening, that Charlie may or may not have removed his shoes and helped him drink something that tasted bitter and horrible enough for him to gag, but he wouldn't be certain if he had dreamt it instead. He'd remember waking up and seeing Charlie, hearing Charlie, but he wouldn't be able to recollect what was said. The most clear memories he'd have of those hours would be of his dreams, which were garbled and confusing, mostly featuring James, some of them involving male anatomy and odd positioning.
"Good morning," Charlie called as Teddy entered the kitchen and slipped into a chair. "How are you feeling?" He set a cup of tea in front of him.
"Weak. Hungry. What time is it?" Teddy asked, wrapping his hands around the cup.
"You've been out for about a day," Charlie told him. "It's Sunday. Seven a.m. Would you like anything particular for breakfast?"
"Eggs. Please." Teddy leaned back in his chair, thinking over the blur that had been the past day. His mind settled on Friday night's grand entrance. "I'm really sorry about everything that happened. I really didn't mean to interrupt you - I didn't think you were home, and I wasn't exactly myself." He still felt a bit off, but at least his mind wasn't nearly as cloudy as it had been that night.
"I know. I'm sorry for overreacting. I wasn't really thinking." Charlie gave him a sheepish shrug. "It was…unexpected, is all. But now you know."
Teddy nodded and sipped his tea.
"You scared me for a while there. You were pretty sick. I nearly contacted my Mum."
Teddy smiled, finding it strangely endearing that a forty-seven-year-old who has lived on his own for years would consider calling on his mother.
"Don't give me that smile, you were really sick."
Teddy couldn't help it - he laughed. Charlie laughed too.
And suddenly, it seemed to Teddy that they were a bit closer.
In the weeks that followed, the weather became colder and everything seemed to shift into winter. Charlie and Teddy began talking more and sharing more details about their lives, getting into detail about past relationships, follies and successes. Teddy shared his breakup with Victoire and gave the details of some of his college romances. Charlie, in turn, explained that he had realized he was gay back when he was a student at Hogwarts. It had been difficult for him to accept, and while he truly loved working with dragons, he wondered out loud how much his own struggle with his sexual orientation contributed to his decision to move to Romania.
"Does your family know?" Teddy asked, already guessing the answer.
"No," Charlie replied with a sad shake of his head. "Well, I think Fred and George always assumed, but we never really talked about it, and I don't think they told anyone else." His frown deepened "I was going to tell my parents, but time went on and I never really settled down with anyone, and before long it just didn't seem worth it anymore."
That kind of logic defeated every Weasley Family Value Teddy had learned over the years, and he was a bit sad to hear that Charlie had successfully distanced himself from his family. "Don't you think they'd rather know?"
"I don't think they'd want to know I've kept it from them this long."
Teddy couldn't argue with that.
Together, he and Charlie planned a trip back to England for the Christmas holidays. Neither of them could miss out on Harry's annual party - not only did they both thoroughly enjoy the event, but Harry and Ginny would never let them get away with it. Settling on spending a week in England, Teddy made sure to schedule some end-of-the-year research before their trip.
He returned home from one of his interviews with a family who lived on the outskirts of the town. Teddy was musing about the family's traditions and practices and found himself wondering whether or not they were magical. It seemed entirely possible to him; a lot of their traditions seemed similar to the old magic practices about which he had learned back in Hogwarts.
He was running through a list of commonalities, when Charlie came through the door, pale and weak. Teddy went into the living room and was surprised to see Charlie look so...old. There wasn't another word for it. He was sweating, pale and hobbling.
Teddy had never before been so keenly aware of Charlie's age.
"What's wrong?" he asked, concern leaking into his tone as he approached the older man.
"Wounded at work," Charlie replied, throwing himself upon the couch. He lifted up his shirt and showed off the large bandage that was wrapped around his midline. "Hungarian Horntail. It happens sometimes. The Mediwizard patched me up well enough, but those buggers leave a sting no matter the potion."
Teddy sat down next to him.
"Are you okay? Can I get you anything?"
Charlie laughed, though he was lacking his normal humor. "I just need some rest is all. I should be fine in a few days."
"Fine enough to travel?"
Charlie nodded and gave him a pained smile of reassurance. Teddy wasn't so sure.
Of course, Charlie knew more about dragon wounds than he did, and by the time their trip came around, he was fine and traveled by portkey with little difficulty. When Teddy asked if the wound still hurt, Charlie admitted that it did, but that he pain was dull and easy to ignore. They both made it to Harry's Christmas party without any trouble.
The party was a lot of fun, though for the first time in his life, Teddy felt disconnected - as though he were an outsider. Everyone seemed older - Harry had a few more gray hairs and Ginny had acquired new wrinkles. Lily Luna smiled with the air of a girl about to be reborn into a woman, and spent less time talking to Teddy than she usually did. She had invited Scorpius Malfoy to the party, and seemed much more interested in him than anyone else. James was using the word girlfriend to describe a female friend of his, and that was the main topic of discussion of the evening.
Teddy found himself keeping company with Charlie for most of the evening. Even if Charlie walked away, Teddy would seem to gravitate to him, as though it were the natural thing to do. He checked on his pain level a couple of times, though Charlie eventually had to ask him to quit it before he gave Teddy pain of his own to check on.
It was after that comment that Teddy decided to get some space and sit in the kitchen for a bit. George joined him, sitting at the table across from Teddy.
"How's it going?" Teddy asked, giving George a friendly smile.
"What's going on between you and Charlie?" George asked without warning - and without answering Teddy's question.
"What do you mean?"
"It's easy to see - the way you look for him, shadow him, try to make sure he doesn't fall into pieces. I'm surprised he lets you get away with it. I figured that something must be -"
"No!" Teddy interrupted, standing. "No! I don't - no. Nothing is going on. I don't even know where you got that from."
George frowned, staring at Teddy. "I'm sorry if I'm wrong. But I know about Charlie and it just seems to me -"
Teddy shook his head. "You've got it all wrong. He got hurt at work, I was just keeping an eye on him."
A small smile cracked George's features. "You know," he said, a hint of mischievousness leaking into his voice. "Charlie has worked with dragons before. He's even been wounded before. I think he'll be okay."
Teddy narrowed his eyes. Then he turned to leave the room.
"All I wanted to say was that you better mean it if you're doing it!" George yelled. Teddy winced and left the kitchen.
That night, Teddy found himself unable to clear his head of George's words, and unable to stop thinking about Charlie.
Though he had only been out of the country for a few short months, everything seemed to have shifted. His godparents were growing older, Lily was growing up, and George seemed to think that Teddy was buggering Charlie. Or that Charlie was buggering him. Or that someone was being buggered.
All Teddy knew was that he felt like he lost a small piece of his childhood that night.
"I'm glad to be back!" Teddy said as he and Charlie entered the small Romanian cottage. "Feels like home!" He threw himself upon the couch with a loud, contented sigh.
"I'm surprised to hear that," Charlie admitted, stepping into the kitchen for a moment, only to reemerge thereafter. "I would think you'd miss being back in English with everyone."
Teddy hesitated. "I do," he finally explained, "but everything - and everyone - seems so different now."
"Maybe you're the one who's different." Charlie joined him on the couch.
Teddy considered this. Then he nodded. "I actually think you might be right."
"I felt like that, too, my first visit after I moved away. "
"What did you do?" Teddy asked.
"I was nervous and uncomfortable about it at first. But then I accepted it."
"Were you lonely?" It was a childish question, and Teddy knew it. But he couldn't help but ask.
Charlie nodded. "I lived here alone. No family, no anyone."
"I don't feel lonely," Teddy explained.
"I don't anymore, either." Charlie said.
Somehow, everything seemed to fall into place in that moment.
End
Title: Into Place
Pairing(s): Teddy/Charlie, mentions of Charlie/others and past Teddy/Victoire
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Age disparity (22/48); brief mention of sexual activity; preslash
Summary: After graduating from university, Teddy Lupin decides to go abroad to Romania to do some independent research. Charlie offers him a room in his home, and Teddy accepts.
Word Count: 5,669
Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters herein are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No copyright infringement is intended.
Author’s/Artist's notes: The majority of this fic takes place in Romania. I've never been there, but I did do my best to research the details I included. Hopefully I'm not too far off.
mindabbles, it was a pleasure to write for you! I hope this fic was to your liking. I had fun using your "travel" prompt (and by a stretch of the imagination, your "finding something from the past" prompt as well). I had grand plans for this fic, but it ended up remaining in the preslash realm. I hope you enjoy it regardless.
MANY THANKS to the mods for being so patient with me, and also to my amazing beta, K., who was a huge help. You guys rock <3
After graduating with a history degree from a Muggle university, Teddy Lupin decided to take a year off and spend some time abroad. He was eager to do some of his own independent research prior to applying for a graduate program, both to build his curriculum vitae and to broaden his experiences. He’d never traveled outside the United Kingdom before, and he was eager to do so.
Of course, as a poor college student, Teddy’s potential destinations were limited. His godfather would pay if only he would ask, but Teddy felt that it was time he stopped asking Harry for help. Harry had already paid for his undergraduate education, not to mention room and board at the university. Teddy knew he needed to start assuming some responsibility for himself - it was simply the right thing to do.
He landed a summer job at his former university and owled a couple of friends. The Scamanders often traveled and had friends in various places, so he asked if they knew anyone who would be willing to put him up. He also owled James, who had traveled to Germany with some friends over the winter holidays, and Victoire to ask about France. The responses were dry - while the Scamanders had some friends abroad, they were doubtful about whether their contacts would be particularly enthused about having a stranger live with them for a few months. However, they would be more than happy to include Teddy on their next trip, which would be to Alaska, in the following year. James hadn’t made any friends while abroad. Victoire hadn’t bothered to respond; Teddy assumed she still had not forgiven him. Their breakup had been particularly messy.
He was losing hope and at the brink of resigning himself to accepting the Scamanders’ offer as his only option when Teddy went to his usual Thursday dinner at his godfather’s house. Having arrived early, he vented his frustrations to Lily, who was home from Hogwarts for the summer.
Setting the table by hand, as she was not yet permitted to do magic outside of school, Lily asked, “Have you tried Uncle Charlie?” She placed a plate on the table. “I mean, Romania doesn’t sound exciting to me, but at least you could see dragons.”
“Lily!” Teddy exclaimed. “You’re brilliant!” He pulled her into a hug and then took out his wand. With a murmur and a wave of his hand, the table was set. “Thank you!”
He ran off to find a quill and left a pleasantly surprised Lily in his wake.
Charlie! He couldn’t believe he hadn’t considered asking the Dragonologist. Romania was so rich in history, and Charlie should have space in his home. He wasn’t married, after all, nor did he have kids. Best of all, Charlie loved his extended family, and Teddy was considered family. Teddy considered fire-calling the man, but decided an owl would be better; it would give Charlie a chance to think about his request, rather than putting him on the spot. And it had the added benefit of allowing Teddy to ask without having to face him.
After he had written the quick letter, however, Teddy felt unsure. While he knew Charlie to be a nice man - definitely uncle material and very generous with his Christmas gifts - he didn’t really know him. It could be awkward, living with a man who had no immediate family to keep him busy. The last thing Teddy needed was to be monitored like a child. This trip was about independence, after all.
Still, the experience would make any complications worthwhile. Teddy sent the owl. It would be a while before he’d hear back - Romania wasn’t around the corner - but he could barely contain his enthusiasm.
For three weeks, Teddy couldn't keep his eyes from wandering to the window, desperately seeking a response from Charlie. He nervously fretted over possibilities - Charlie wouldn't write back, he was too busy to respond, he didn't want any visitors...Teddy was nearly driven mad with his own impatience, and many times he nearly attempted to fire-call Charlie, but would always talk himself out of it.
When the letter did finally arrive, it was during breakfast, and Teddy swallowed his bite of toast whole in excitement as he tore it open and read:
Teddy,
Good to hear from you! Congratulations again on your graduation. I’m sorry I had to miss it.
Romania is very rich in culture and history, and of course there are the dragons, but other than that, there’s not much to do here. The villiage closest to me is Viscri, and it boasts a population of 400 or so. Not much of a social center, I’m afraid, though there’s some tourism. You’re definitely welcome to come and stay as long as you’d like, as long as you don’t mind being isolated. There’s plenty of room, and I could use some company out here!
Send me an owl with your planned date of arrival so I can arrange a portkey.
Charlie
Teddy hurried and scribbled a note, setting a date in September for his arrival. That would allow him to finish his seasonal position at the coffee shop and prepare for the trip, and it would hopefully give Charlie time to prepare for his visit. After sending off the owl, Teddy went to go start packing. He might not have been leaving for a couple of months, but a little advance preparation wouldn't hurt anyone...
Teddy's first thought upon arriving in a small shop in Viscri was that Charlie seemed older than he remembered. It had only been a few months since he'd seen him last, for the Christmas holiday, but Charlie seemed to have more spare gray hairs than he remembered. There was something about watching Charlie walk ahead and talk about the town that made Teddy feel young and awkward. It was confusing - at holiday gatherings, Charlie always seemed like the cool Weasley, the one who went against the grain and played by his own rules. But now that they were alone, Teddy was keenly aware of their age difference. He hoped that Charlie felt differently, and that the older man wouldn't spend the next few months treating him like a child.
"In a town like Viscri," Charlie was saying, "people are very familiar with their neighbors. It's really cozy, and a lot of people have bloodlines as old as the history of the town itself. It's nice, nothing like living in a big city. I'd live closer, but I wouldn't want any of the Muggles in the town to get suspicious, what with the magic and the dragons I sometimes bring home."
"They let you bring dragons home?" Teddy asked, unable to conceal his enthusiasm. Dragons were interesting no matter what.
"It's rare, but if a baby gets sick or needs to be monitored, occasionally we'll have to bring it home." Charlie smiled, and Teddy couldn't help but smile himself in response.
After that last comment, though, the two men fell into a silence that once again made Teddy feel somehow out of place and awkward.
Such feelings were only amplified when they finally arrived at Charlie's home, which was smaller than Teddy anticipated. But it wasn't the size that made Teddy feel odd; there was something about the atmosphere of the house that made Teddy feel as though he was stumbling upon something solitary and secretive. As Charlie showed him to the guest room - now his room - Teddy realized what was so uncomfortable about the home: it was completely untouched by a feminine hand.
Teddy had grown up with his grandmother, and women had always played a large role in his life. He was used to being coddled by Ginny during visits, hearing Hermione complain about Ron's poor decorating skills during the holidays, and watching Fleur fuss over Bill at family gatherings. Charlie had no one to fuss over him - no one to tell him that the sofa was an unacceptable station for books and newspapers, that laundry belonged in a dresser rather than in a folded pile on the floor. Charlie's home wasn't messy, per se - it was just organized according to Charlie, a man who lived according to his own convenience, rather than someone else's. Teddy couldn't help but wonder what Charlie cooked for himself for dinner.
It almost made Teddy feel like a nancy. Apparently, he had a few too many women in his life.
"Not much, I know, but we can get anything you think you'll need next time we go to town," Charlie said, leaning against the doorframe to the guest room.
"It's perfect, really," Teddy replied. "I'm not here to inconvenience you."
Charlie shrugged. "No inconvenience, really. It's been a while since I had visitors. Mum and Dad are getting too old to travel, and everyone else is busy with kids and such. Nice to have the company."
Teddy set his suitcase on the floor and stretched. Traveling by portkey didn't take very long, but it was especially tiring to travel long, international distances. As he kicked off his shoes, he realized Charlie was still standing in the doorway, watching him.
"You want something to eat?" Charlie asked, straightening his posture. "I could use some dinner."
"Sure," Teddy replied. "I'll get settled and be out in a few minutes."
Charlie turned and walked down the hall, leaving Teddy alone in the guest room. He glanced around. The room was spare and barely furnished - it contained only a bed, a small closet, and a window. He hung up his robes in the closet, but there was no place to put the rest of his clothes, so he placed them in neat piles along the wall, in a fashion similar to the clothes he saw in Charlie's room during the brief tour. He'd have to transfigure a bureau later, or at least a small desk for writing and book storage purposes.
Once he was mostly unpacked, Teddy slipped out of his travel clothes and into a comfortable robe. Then he headed into the kitchen, where a bowl of...something was waiting for him on the small table in the kitchen. But before he could focus on the food, he found himself staring at Charlie's back, which was shirtless and exposed, his hair tied with a loose band. Along his back was a large dragon tattoo, sporting very intricate detail, from the scales to the dragon's nostrils. The tattoo spanned the length of Charlie's back, and the dragon was crouched, looking back as though observing Teddy's movements. Its wings were flexed, as though the dragon was preparing to take off at any given moment. The tattoo was entirely black, without a hint of color, and the ink had that old, faded look that tattoos tend to take on after a few years, but the dragon was still majestic. When Charlie's muscles flexed, so too did the dragon.
Charlie turned, giving Teddy's silent stare a small smile. "The tattoo?" he asked.
"I like it," Teddy said with a nod. "When did you have it done? Did it hurt?" Teddy, while a fan of body art, wasn't much for permanent transformations. Being able to change his skin, hair and eyes could be both fun and useful, but he'd never want to make any lasting changes. He wouldn't be able to commit to one look.
"Hurt like hell," Charlie replied, indicating that Teddy should sit at the table. "I got it done about ten years ago - took a couple of years to complete. You can't get a tattoo like this done overnight - not if you do it right."
Teddy nodded and took his seat, finally looking down at his food. "Um, I hope you don't take offense...but what is this?" he asked, spooning a bit of the very sad-looking vegetables in the broth.
"A stew," Charlie replied with a laugh. "I make them all the time. I'm not one for cooking, though I could cook if I tried hard enough. Stews are easy to make - some vegetables, some beans, made some noodles, and lots of spices for taste. You can't go wrong with it, and you can make enough to last a week or two with only a little bit of effort. It's good, try it."
Teddy did. The vegetables were a lot softer than he liked, but he had to admit that the stew wasn't bad. "Pretty good, actually," Teddy said after a few mouthfuls. "Though I can't imagine eating this all the time."
"I do change it up a bit," Charlie said, "but I'm not one for cooking big meals."
Teddy nodded, mentally deciding to cook dinner from now on. He was living for free, so he had a responsibility to pull some of the weight in the household. And he definitely didn't want to live on stew for the next few months.
Over the next couple of weeks, Teddy explored Viscri. It was a small town that seemed to exist in a vacuum, completely secluded from the outside world. The houses were small and it seemed as though nearly everyone grew their own crops and raised animals. Most of the people didn't speak English, but thanks to an intricate charm on an old earbud and a vast supply of a complex potion, Teddy didn't have to worry about the language barrier. It was a very peaceful town and the people were very friendly.
Unfortunately, tracking down a library or town hall proved impossible - there were none. Teddy was given reign of the library in the elementary school, which amounted to a couple of shelves of assorted books, but he was unable to find any detailed literature regarding the town's history and culture. His own real source of history would be oral discourse, and so Teddy set out with a notebook, pen and a smile, befriending many of the townspeople. It wasn't difficult - the townspeople were very friendly and very generous with what they had - from food and drink to information on the town.
Before long, Teddy developed a routine. He'd spend the first couple of hours of weekday mornings at the Saxon museum at the fortified church, speaking with the curator, who happened to have a wealth of knowledge of Saxon history. Then he'd stroll by the café for a quick meal, where he'd mingle with townsperson and tourist alike. In the afternoons, he'd help out around town - whether at someone's home or at the café - in exchange for an anecdote or a free meal. The longer Teddy spent in town, the more at home he began to feel.
He always made sure to get home in the evenings before Charlie did, in order to make dinner. It wasn't difficult - Charlie worked long hours, which he claimed to enjoy. Many days, he'd be out with sunrise, and wouldn't return until as late as eight or nine in the evening. He and Teddy would discuss work and Charlie would never fail to thank him for the meal. It was obvious that he was enjoying eating home-cooked meals. Teddy was glad to contribute to the household. After dinner, the two men usually retired to their own rooms. They didn't speak much beyond dinner, but Teddy didn't mind. He figured Charlie was accustomed to silent evenings. Though he had to admit that he found it odd that Charlie never made plans and never brought home a woman, even for a night.
On the weekends, Teddy often traveled outside of Viscri, exploring various parts of Romania on as cheap a budget as he could manage - he utilized cloudy nights as often as possible. He also took up studying some Romanian. One evening, Charlie remarked that Teddy fit in with the townspeople better than he did, and Teddy had to admit it was true. Charlie fit in best with his dragons, or at least that's what Teddy assumed - Charlie never offered to bring him along on the job.
Teddy's life began to feel comfortable as it settled into its routine, and he had no complaints.
One evening, Teddy broke his evening routine and decided to stay out later than he usually did. One of the townspeople had given birth to a baby girl and Teddy was invited to the celebration. He attended with intention of leaving in time to prepare Charlie's dinner, but after having a couple of drinks, he lost track of time. Instead, he spent the night dancing with some of the girls in the town, and didn't return until the early morning hours.
To his surprise, Charlie had waited up for him. Teddy's inebriated efforts to remain quiet as he unlocked the door and tiptoed to his room were in vain, for Charlie was sitting - awake - on his bed. "What are you doing in here?" Teddy asked, brow furrowing. "Shouldn't you be asleep?"
"What do you mean, what am I doing?" Charlie asked, standing. Only in that moment did it occur to Teddy that Charlie was a large man - muscular and tall - taller than he was, at least. "Where have you been? Do you even know what time it is?"
"I was in town," Teddy said with a shrug. "There was a party - it was a lot of fun, actually."
"Why didn't you let me know what you'd be doing? I've been worried sick!"
"What are you, my father? Bugger off, Charlie. You're not responsible for me. I'm an adult." Teddy shuffled through some clothes, looking for comfortable pajamas.
"Teddy, you've come home at the same time every day since you've been here, and all of a sudden, you don't come home - of course I'm worried. I'm not -"
"I'm not living here to be looked after, Charlie. I said bugger off, didn't I?"
For a moment, Charlie grew red in the face and looked as though he were preparing to yell, but to Teddy's surprise, the older man just sighed. "Teddy, I'm just trying to tell you that I was worried, and I care."
"Care about your dinner, maybe," Teddy mumbled back. "It's not like you take great pains to really get to know me or what I do."
Charlie paused in the doorway, let out another sigh, and then headed into his bedroom.
If Teddy hadn't been drinking, he probably would not have been so loose with his tongue, but he had to admit to himself that it was true. Charlie was a man who lived by himself, for himself. While he was generous enough to allow Teddy to stay with him, Charlie had taken no pains to get to know Teddy the way the other Weasleys had. Nor had he given Teddy much insight into his own life. Maybe it was because Charlie was so accustomed to living alone, but Teddy felt like Charlie was a closed book.
Even so, when Teddy awoke a mere three hours after he had finally fallen asleep, head aching, he had to admit to himself that he had been wrong for not letting Charlie know he would be home late.
"I'm sorry," he apologized when he found Charlie brewing some tea in the kitchen. "You were right, I should have let you know. I also shouldn't have said those things."
"I need to apologize, too. It's been a long time since I've lived with someone," Charlie replied, setting some tea on the table for Teddy. "I'm not good at this stuff."
Teddy accepted the tea gratefully. "Well, maybe we should try to be better - the both of us. Maybe start spending a little time together. Why don't you meet me in town for lunch today?"
Charlie shook his head. "Can't, sorry. I wouldn't be able to get away from work long enough to make it. Maybe this weekend?"
Teddy shook his head. "I'm going to Bacau. But you're welcome to come along, if you'd like. You might enjoy it."
"Nah, not my thing. Next week, maybe."
Teddy nodded. "Yeah, next week." He didn't feel very confident it would happen, however. Charlie was too fond of being a closed book.
"Well, I'm off," Charlie said, grabbing his toast and heading out the door.
"Bye," Teddy called.
In the following week, Teddy made plans to travel that Friday night to Bacau. When Friday came around, however, he was feeling under the weather - congested, uncomfortable and achy. He considered cancelling his plans, but he had spent a lot of time developing an itinerary based on the weekend's events and didn't want it to go to waste. He left around eleven at night and managed to travel a good forty minutes before a couple near-misses with trees and birds made him decided that cancelling plans would be better than having to explain to a bunch of Muggles why he fell through their ceiling with a broom.
He flew the forty minutes back home and was surprised to find that Charlie's house was dark. He figured this meant that Charlie had chosen to do something that evening, which worked out, since all Teddy wanted to do was crawl into bed. He entered the home taking no pains to hush his shuffling, and jumped when he heard a deep voice emit a loud swear. Teddy had drawn his wand instinctively, and whispered a breathless Lumos Maxima. In the glaring white light, Teddy saw two men - one was Charlie and the other he didn't know - hurrying to dress themselves.
"Oh," Teddy mumbled, staring stupidly at their efforts. "I'm, um, I'm sorry." Realizing he was standing around acting foolish, he pulled his eyes away and quickly made his way into the bedroom.
"I thought you said he was gone for the weekend?" Charlie's company asked, tone thick with annoyance. Teddy shut the door, muffling Charlie's apologies, and climbed into bed without removing his travel clothes.
He had nearly fallen asleep when a loud knock on the door jolted him back into wakefulness. "Come in," he called weakly.
If there was anything Teddy had learned about the Weasleys after being surrounded by them, not only in his family life but also in his school life, it was that they were very capable of losing their tempers. Charlie, it seemed, was no exception. He was very unhappy, and nothing could stop him from making that clear.
"--can't even have a private life!," Charlie was yelling, pacing about the room.
"Can we talk about this later, please?" Teddy asked. His head was pounding, and Charlie was not using an inside voice.
"No, we cannot talk about this later. We need to come up with a plan right now for the next time you decide to change plans and sabotage my personal life. You could have at least sent word that you were on your way back. Don't they teach you how to cast a patronus in school? And if they don't, I know for a fact that Harry wouldn't let any of his family members go without knowing how to cast one, so you can't tell me that it didn't even remotely -"
Teddy interrupted Charlie's chiding by sneezing into his pillow. It wasn't exactly the most sanitary thing for him to do, but he was desperate. "It didn't," he admitted, rubbing his eye and willing away the pressure in his head.
Charlie didn't resume his speech. For the first time, he seemed to assess the situation - Teddy in his bed, squinting miserably into the hall light, still clothed and huddled underneath blankets. "Are you okay?" he asked after a moment of silence.
"I just need to sleep right now," Teddy told him.
Charlie placed a tentative but cool hand on his forehead.
"I think you might have a fever," Charlie said, his annoyed tone replaced with something that sounded like awkward concern.
"Oh?" Teddy murmured, but he was already slipping into sleep.
What happened in the hours that followed was a giant blur of darkness. Teddy would think, upon awakening, that Charlie may or may not have removed his shoes and helped him drink something that tasted bitter and horrible enough for him to gag, but he wouldn't be certain if he had dreamt it instead. He'd remember waking up and seeing Charlie, hearing Charlie, but he wouldn't be able to recollect what was said. The most clear memories he'd have of those hours would be of his dreams, which were garbled and confusing, mostly featuring James, some of them involving male anatomy and odd positioning.
"Good morning," Charlie called as Teddy entered the kitchen and slipped into a chair. "How are you feeling?" He set a cup of tea in front of him.
"Weak. Hungry. What time is it?" Teddy asked, wrapping his hands around the cup.
"You've been out for about a day," Charlie told him. "It's Sunday. Seven a.m. Would you like anything particular for breakfast?"
"Eggs. Please." Teddy leaned back in his chair, thinking over the blur that had been the past day. His mind settled on Friday night's grand entrance. "I'm really sorry about everything that happened. I really didn't mean to interrupt you - I didn't think you were home, and I wasn't exactly myself." He still felt a bit off, but at least his mind wasn't nearly as cloudy as it had been that night.
"I know. I'm sorry for overreacting. I wasn't really thinking." Charlie gave him a sheepish shrug. "It was…unexpected, is all. But now you know."
Teddy nodded and sipped his tea.
"You scared me for a while there. You were pretty sick. I nearly contacted my Mum."
Teddy smiled, finding it strangely endearing that a forty-seven-year-old who has lived on his own for years would consider calling on his mother.
"Don't give me that smile, you were really sick."
Teddy couldn't help it - he laughed. Charlie laughed too.
And suddenly, it seemed to Teddy that they were a bit closer.
In the weeks that followed, the weather became colder and everything seemed to shift into winter. Charlie and Teddy began talking more and sharing more details about their lives, getting into detail about past relationships, follies and successes. Teddy shared his breakup with Victoire and gave the details of some of his college romances. Charlie, in turn, explained that he had realized he was gay back when he was a student at Hogwarts. It had been difficult for him to accept, and while he truly loved working with dragons, he wondered out loud how much his own struggle with his sexual orientation contributed to his decision to move to Romania.
"Does your family know?" Teddy asked, already guessing the answer.
"No," Charlie replied with a sad shake of his head. "Well, I think Fred and George always assumed, but we never really talked about it, and I don't think they told anyone else." His frown deepened "I was going to tell my parents, but time went on and I never really settled down with anyone, and before long it just didn't seem worth it anymore."
That kind of logic defeated every Weasley Family Value Teddy had learned over the years, and he was a bit sad to hear that Charlie had successfully distanced himself from his family. "Don't you think they'd rather know?"
"I don't think they'd want to know I've kept it from them this long."
Teddy couldn't argue with that.
Together, he and Charlie planned a trip back to England for the Christmas holidays. Neither of them could miss out on Harry's annual party - not only did they both thoroughly enjoy the event, but Harry and Ginny would never let them get away with it. Settling on spending a week in England, Teddy made sure to schedule some end-of-the-year research before their trip.
He returned home from one of his interviews with a family who lived on the outskirts of the town. Teddy was musing about the family's traditions and practices and found himself wondering whether or not they were magical. It seemed entirely possible to him; a lot of their traditions seemed similar to the old magic practices about which he had learned back in Hogwarts.
He was running through a list of commonalities, when Charlie came through the door, pale and weak. Teddy went into the living room and was surprised to see Charlie look so...old. There wasn't another word for it. He was sweating, pale and hobbling.
Teddy had never before been so keenly aware of Charlie's age.
"What's wrong?" he asked, concern leaking into his tone as he approached the older man.
"Wounded at work," Charlie replied, throwing himself upon the couch. He lifted up his shirt and showed off the large bandage that was wrapped around his midline. "Hungarian Horntail. It happens sometimes. The Mediwizard patched me up well enough, but those buggers leave a sting no matter the potion."
Teddy sat down next to him.
"Are you okay? Can I get you anything?"
Charlie laughed, though he was lacking his normal humor. "I just need some rest is all. I should be fine in a few days."
"Fine enough to travel?"
Charlie nodded and gave him a pained smile of reassurance. Teddy wasn't so sure.
Of course, Charlie knew more about dragon wounds than he did, and by the time their trip came around, he was fine and traveled by portkey with little difficulty. When Teddy asked if the wound still hurt, Charlie admitted that it did, but that he pain was dull and easy to ignore. They both made it to Harry's Christmas party without any trouble.
The party was a lot of fun, though for the first time in his life, Teddy felt disconnected - as though he were an outsider. Everyone seemed older - Harry had a few more gray hairs and Ginny had acquired new wrinkles. Lily Luna smiled with the air of a girl about to be reborn into a woman, and spent less time talking to Teddy than she usually did. She had invited Scorpius Malfoy to the party, and seemed much more interested in him than anyone else. James was using the word girlfriend to describe a female friend of his, and that was the main topic of discussion of the evening.
Teddy found himself keeping company with Charlie for most of the evening. Even if Charlie walked away, Teddy would seem to gravitate to him, as though it were the natural thing to do. He checked on his pain level a couple of times, though Charlie eventually had to ask him to quit it before he gave Teddy pain of his own to check on.
It was after that comment that Teddy decided to get some space and sit in the kitchen for a bit. George joined him, sitting at the table across from Teddy.
"How's it going?" Teddy asked, giving George a friendly smile.
"What's going on between you and Charlie?" George asked without warning - and without answering Teddy's question.
"What do you mean?"
"It's easy to see - the way you look for him, shadow him, try to make sure he doesn't fall into pieces. I'm surprised he lets you get away with it. I figured that something must be -"
"No!" Teddy interrupted, standing. "No! I don't - no. Nothing is going on. I don't even know where you got that from."
George frowned, staring at Teddy. "I'm sorry if I'm wrong. But I know about Charlie and it just seems to me -"
Teddy shook his head. "You've got it all wrong. He got hurt at work, I was just keeping an eye on him."
A small smile cracked George's features. "You know," he said, a hint of mischievousness leaking into his voice. "Charlie has worked with dragons before. He's even been wounded before. I think he'll be okay."
Teddy narrowed his eyes. Then he turned to leave the room.
"All I wanted to say was that you better mean it if you're doing it!" George yelled. Teddy winced and left the kitchen.
That night, Teddy found himself unable to clear his head of George's words, and unable to stop thinking about Charlie.
Though he had only been out of the country for a few short months, everything seemed to have shifted. His godparents were growing older, Lily was growing up, and George seemed to think that Teddy was buggering Charlie. Or that Charlie was buggering him. Or that someone was being buggered.
All Teddy knew was that he felt like he lost a small piece of his childhood that night.
"I'm glad to be back!" Teddy said as he and Charlie entered the small Romanian cottage. "Feels like home!" He threw himself upon the couch with a loud, contented sigh.
"I'm surprised to hear that," Charlie admitted, stepping into the kitchen for a moment, only to reemerge thereafter. "I would think you'd miss being back in English with everyone."
Teddy hesitated. "I do," he finally explained, "but everything - and everyone - seems so different now."
"Maybe you're the one who's different." Charlie joined him on the couch.
Teddy considered this. Then he nodded. "I actually think you might be right."
"I felt like that, too, my first visit after I moved away. "
"What did you do?" Teddy asked.
"I was nervous and uncomfortable about it at first. But then I accepted it."
"Were you lonely?" It was a childish question, and Teddy knew it. But he couldn't help but ask.
Charlie nodded. "I lived here alone. No family, no anyone."
"I don't feel lonely," Teddy explained.
"I don't anymore, either." Charlie said.
Somehow, everything seemed to fall into place in that moment.
End