Order Only Private Message to Charlie Weasley

[alt_nymphadora]

Say. Are you still off work? Or did you go back today without saying?

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[alt_charlie]

Off 'til Tuesday -- we spent today moving Bill out of his flat, and Percy in. I've got my feet up in the kitchen keeping Mum company at the moment with a cuppa.

What's up, luv?

[alt_nymphadora]

Funny. I've got my feet up in the drawing room at the moment, having a cuppa. It's nice we close the shop on Sundays.

Anywiz, I was just thinking about all the things that have happened recently, and wondered about you.

How was the presentation yesterday? And the faire?

We went for a while, Ellie, Bea and I did. Came home when our noses got too cold. And our fingers (and everything else) got too sticky.

[alt_charlie]

It has been a pisser of a week, hasn't it?

I came home yesterday right after the command performance. Thought about sticking around for the Faire, enough that people could notice me being a good and loyal son of the Protectorate, but honestly, after all the shouting yesterday morning I was so fed up with people that I just told everyone I'd take care of the chores so they could stay out as long as they wanted.

Didn't sleep all that well last night, though. Kept seeing that memory. And thinking about how Ron and Ginny have to sit in a classroom with Dolohov twice a week, and they don't have any idea he's the sort of person who can do that. Who likes doing that. And that poor kid...

Ugh. Tell me something happy to take my mind off it. Has Bea figured out the blocks I gave her for Christmas yet?

[alt_nymphadora]

Yes, I suppose that was the thing that I was most struck by about Dolohov and Crouch. How much they enjoyed it. That's not the right word for it, but I'm not sure what is. I know Barty. I've seen him in all his moods, but during the rite, his face came over all excitement and... something else. Like he was in love or so entirely charmed by something. You know? It was not a Barty way of looking, at all. It was like someone was polyjuiced to look like him but didn't know how to act the part at all.

And Dolohov. Yes, well. You could see the energy making him swell up practically.


Sorry. Bea doesn't look a thing like that when she's playing with her blocks. But she does squeal with glee when she makes them make the happy sounds. Mind you, she's got no idea what she did to earn that. Do you really think it'll teach her to spell words?

[alt_nymphadora]

Is it really very wrong that my favourite part of this whole week was smoking and telling terrible dragon jokes with you the other night?

[alt_charlie]

Yeah. That's what I keep coming back to. And -- I was watching Dolohov, right at the start when Bill first got there, and he looked like shite. Like he was about to fall over any second. And then he set down his cane to start the rite, and once they broke the circle, did you see? Crouch had to pick it up and hand it to him to remind him to take it with him, and he didn't need it anymore. Like whatever they did healed him somehow. And I keep thinking, what if it wears off, and he decides he wants to do it again? Will he just keep killing people?

I remember thinking that about Crouch, too. He looked happy.

Or, yeah, in love. Merlin. You don't suppose the gossip rags are right and he's got a thing going on with Dolohov, do you? (Don't make fun of me for reading them, Mum leaves them lying around.)

...I think I need to go wash my brain out now from that mental image. Ugh.

I'm glad she likes the blocks! It was devilish to think of all the words those letters might be able to spell so I could do the charms right. I probably missed a bunch, so if you try to spell something obscure with them and they make the sad noises, don't blame me. I don't know if it will teach her to spell words, but Mum and Dad had a set like that for us when I was younger, and I think it did help us learn to read a bit earlier than we might!

And that was my favourite part of this week, too. What do you call a dragonkeeper who specialises in healing dragon teeth?

[alt_nymphadora]

You know, you're right. By the end of it, I'd totally forgotten how crippled he seemed at the start.

That's- it makes a horrible kind of sense that he would want that power rush again and again and again. Ugh.

Actually, that's hilarious about Crouch and Dolohov. He's always in the gossip mags, y'know. But always, always with women. I mean, I wondered a bit when he had Regulus Black living with him, why they didn't ever make up stories to link them like that. Because Reg was open about hooking up with both blokes and witches. But they never. Think they knew Farty'd have their heads if they did.

But now they're having a real festival over what might be between him and Dolohov, and he's just letting them write it. I've no idea. Except to say it's not true. There's no way FGrouch is queer. He's entirely, boringly straight.

She loves the blocks. Loveslovesloves them. So much so they may drive us round the twist! Want to wager whether it's Sirius or Kreacher who snaps first?

And I've no idea. What do you call a dragonkeeper who specialises in healing dragon teeth?

[alt_charlie]

They call the fast ones 'Lucky'; they call the slow ones 'Stumpy'.

Yeah, I know, I know.

I wonder why Farty's been letting them go on about that, then? And hasn't done anything to stop them? Maybe Dolohov has him under Imperius or a love potion or something. Normally I'd be horrified at the idea, but really, couldn't happen to a more deserving bloke.

And my money's on Kreacher. Sirius can leave when the noise gets on his tits, after all! I'd apologise for the annoyance, but it's the sacred duty of friends and relatives to give the baby toys that make noise. At least I remembered to give you the earplugs, too. (They're awfully good earplugs. I sleep with a pair in, when I'm at the Reserve. Most of us in the bachelor dorm do -- Marcus has the bunk right in the middle of the room, and he snores like you wouldn't believe and always forgets the silencing charm.)

[alt_nymphadora]

That's terrible. And I mean that in the best possible way!

Oh, say. That reminds me. I promised Bea I'd ask you whether dragons snore. Do they?

Doggies do. In case you were wondering. And terrible old elves, as well.

So I don't feel badly for either of them over those blocks. Heh. And she does have such fun with them!

Listen, I've got to take myself off to bed (with my earplugs) since I do have a shift tomorrow morning. But. Say you'll come to the garden tomorrow night? Bring Bill along if he's not too scarred to come back. I'd just like to send you off right in case they make you work every shift between now and Easter to make up for the time away. They won't do, will they?

[alt_charlie]

I don't think so. I'm going to owe a bunch more favours, but I haven't been burning too much leave for this; everyone's been quietly covering my shifts for me. 'Swhat we do, when someone needs time away for a family crisis: everybody swings into action and figures out what needs to get done. Us dragon folk are a practical lot. (Then we whinge at each other later.)

So, I'll likely work a bit more than I have been, just to pay back the people who did the most for me while I was gone, but I should still have time to come 'round and annoy you. And yeah, I'll stop in tomorrow night. As long as Mum doesn't want to keep me. Or Bill needs somebody to lean on some more

Tell Miss Bea that most dragons don't snore, but sometimes they hiccup in their sleep and belch fire. The Hogwarts motto isn't just a fancy bit of Latin -- the reason you never tickle a sleeping dragon is because if you surprise it, and you're in the way when it hiccups, you'll be losing your eyebrows at very least!

Sleep well, luv. Pleasant dreams.

[alt_nymphadora]

Ta. I'll tell her.

Come round tomorrow night if you can. I'll understand if you can't, of course, but I'll be sad.

'Night, you.

[alt_charlie]

If you want, you know, I could arrange for a tour of the Reserve for you and Little Miss Sunshine, and she could meet a dragon up close. Well, not too close, but one of the Fireballs half domesticated himself last winter and moved back into one of the spare cabins over this winter as well. He decided Sasha and Alex's four-year-old twins are just strangely shaped dragon kits and tries to herd them around if he thinks they're not minding. It's adorable.

(Mind you, I totally understand if you're a bit nervous about letting Little Miss too near them, but either way, you should come up for a visit.)