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“Calm down, Chris. We’ll find him,” Bill repeated for the third time.

“And if we can’t?” she said through clenched teeth.

“We will,” Bill persisted. “Now think… Do you know anywhere that he could be hiding?”

“I—I don’t know,” she muttered as she threw herself on the couch. She had gone to tell them immediately after finding the message and Charlie. But she made sure that Harry and Ginny still went on their Honeymoon, without knowing what was happening. She wasn’t about to ruin their special day. Hermione patted her back soothingly as she cried into her hands.

Charlie was moved to Ron’s room, where Molly was tending to him. Christelle had stayed with him at first, but she eventually couldn’t stand looking at his wounds. She blamed herself for this whole mess. None of the Weasleys would be in danger if she had just stayed away from them. Charlie wouldn’t have been on the brink of death if she had stayed away.

Christelle watched as Molly came down the stairs, her wand and some spare bandages in hand.

“He’ll be fine,” she announced as she made for the kitchen. Christelle shifted uncomfortably for a moment before standing and walking up the stairs. She felt everyone’s eyes on her as she made her ascent, but she couldn’t meet their gazes, not after what she had done. She crept into the open door hesitantly and her eyes met ice blue. Charlie smiled at her, beckoning her with his hand.

She slowly walked toward him, frowning. She didn’t want him to be happy to see her. That would only make it harder. She wanted him to be angry with her. She wanted him to blame her in every way. She wanted him to yell at her and tell her to leave, but that’s not what he gave her.

“I’m glad you’re here,” he whispered with a grin as he caught her hand and pulled her on top of the bed with him.

“Charlie,” she started, but he cut her off with his lips on hers. She had a tear falling down her cheek as he pulled back and smiled at her, only to frown when reading her expression.

“What’s wrong?” he asked immediately as he wiped her cheek. She shook her head quickly, her hands fumbling nervously in her lap.

“Why aren’t you mad?” she finally whispered. “Why don’t you hate me for bringing you into this?”

“Chris, I could never hate… This isn’t your fault, and I refuse to let you think otherwise,” Charlie whispered as he grabbed her chin and made her meet his eyes.

“It is my fault! None of you would be in danger if I had stayed away! You wouldn’t have been hurt if I had left you alone!”

“Chris, stop blaming yourself for him!” Charlie yelled in frustration.

“I just feel like it would be better…that you would be safer if I disappeared for a little while,” she whispered.

Charlie coiled his arm protectively around Christelle’s waist so that she couldn’t leave him. “That will only put you in more danger,” he whispered.

“But it will put you in less,” she whispered back, her forehead up against his.

“Not really… Bobby will still have a target on me with or without you staying with me,” he reasoned. Christelle knew this, but she still felt that he would be safer without her.

“Charlie, please,” she whispered as she closed her eyes. He stroked her cheek softly, wiping away fallen tears.

“It’s out of the question, Chris,” he whispered.

“I wasn’t asking,” she mumbled.

“You know what I mean,” Charlie chuckled.

“Today was the best day of my life, before all of this happened. You and me…I was happy, Charlie, thank you for everything,” Christelle whispered .

“You sound like you’re saying goodbye,” Charlie said as he narrowed his eyes. Had he not made himself clear?

“I am… Please don’t make this harder than it has to be,” Christelle whispered as she struggled against his hold on her waist.

“I’m not letting you do this to yourself, Chris! I’m not letting you do this to us, to me!” he shouted in frustration as he ignored her struggles and held her more tightly.

“And I’m not letting you put yourself in danger by staying with me!” she yelled back.

“Don’t do this… Please,” he whispered in anguish and she stopped fighting him, letting her fall flat on top of him, her head on his chest. He sighed in relief as her hand twisted in his red locks.

“I’m a horrible person for staying,” she finally whispered.

“No you’re not,” he rumbled against her neck as he stroked her hair.

“What did I do to deserve you?” Christelle whispered as she kissed his shoulder.

“Trust me—you got the short end of the stick,” he chuckled. Christelle leaned up, her elbows on his shoulders, to look at him. Her mascara was smudged and her nose was pink, but he still thought she was the most beautiful thing in his world. He cupped her cheeks in his hands and pulled her toward him so he could kiss her nose softly. She bit her lower lip as she brushed some of his bangs out of his eyes.

“We have to be more careful, and I don’t want you going anywhere alone,” she whispered.

“That goes for you, too,” he said quietly. She nodded absently as she snuggled into his side.

“What if we never catch him?” she whispered after a few minutes of silence.

“We will,” he said gruffly.

She nodded again as his fingertips drifted up and down her arm, causing her to grow sleepy, until she finally drifted off into a peaceful slumber.


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