A/N This is a jkr fanfiction Charlie Wealsey and Harry Potter are hers.

I woke to the sound of something tapping at the window. I threw the covers off of my face and glared towards the bright beams of sun streaming through the partially closed curtains.

Tap tap tap

I wiped the sleep from my eyes and staggered to let whatever woke me in.

"Good Morning," the bright blue bird squawked at me. Great, Harry had a bird that could talk, just what I needed. I wondered what the bird was doing at my window and not Jenny's. As I untied the letter from his leg, I looked at the horizon, the sun was hardly up, and surely Jenny was still home.

Charlie - Some things have come up today. Could you handle the market by yourself? Harry.

I sat on the bed, ran my fingers through my hair wondering what was going on with him. Other than our discussion about Jenny and Maisse, we'd had a very productive day. He knew that I would not be able to work tonight and hopefully the rest of the week. If all went well, Maisse and I would be together. Even with the time I was taking, I had hopes that we'd have this dragon smuggler ring broken up by the end of the year. As much as I liked the states, I wanted my life to get back to normal. Being in my own home would help.

Downstairs, Jenny was dressed, staring out her kitchen window, deep in thought.

"Jenny?" I said quietly. I didn't want to startle her.

"Yes?" she turned slowly, "Oh, good morning Charlie. Up early again?"

"Work stuff this morning," I yawned, "and you, you're up early as well."

"Oh, yes," she muttered.

"Finals again, "I prompted.

"Something like that," she smiled, but not her normal morning glow, something was bothering her, "can I get you some tea?"

"No, I need to go," I started to leave, "Jenny; I'll be home for a bit this afternoon, if you want to talk."

"Mm hm … Have a nice day, Charlie," and she turned back to the window. I wasn't sure she'd heard a word I'd said.

---

The market was exactly where I expected it would be. I passed the necessary inspection and was granted access. Market's like these always amazed me. There was everything from fake healing potions; Wands claiming to be made from THE Elder Wand to animals for sale that I knew were banned by International Magical Law. As I walked through, familiarizing myself with the market, I passed stolen goblin artifacts, make shift bars, a ring for illegal dueling and kiosks that sold dragon parts. While the last is what I was looking for, I knew that the direct approach, in this environment, was not the best way to go. It took about another hour before I found what I was looking for - Wizard's Chess.

At markets like this, there was always a corner for Wizard's Chess, though it wasn't what we used to play at home. With each loss, check, of your pieces, you personally felt the pain. If you lost to badly, you could be seriously hurt. It was a high stakes game with a lot of gambling going on around it. This is what I was looking for. This was the faster way to integrate myself into this culture, be taken as one of them. I wouldn't play, but I would certainly gamble.

I'd watched about three games - two lasting over an hour - and made a considerable amount of money. I'd also lost a considerable amount of money, which was my plan. I gambled enough to be noticed, enough for those around to see that I had money and wasn't afraid to part with it, but not enough to draw too much attention to myself. A large man, probably a quarter giant came and stood by me. He'd been eyeing me for sometime. I was sure he was going to offer to help me find a way to better spend my money.

Before we had a chance to talk, out of no where, a stag patronus appeared in the middle of the ring of people. Harry's voice spoke through the misty animal,

"Maisse's in trouble. Meet at the cottage, immediately."

I froze, terrified, all eyes were on me. I didn't think, I apparated away from the market, to the Cottage

I apparated onto the front door step, threw the door open and ran in, looking frantically around for Maisse or Harry. Instead, I saw Jenny standing their holding a screaming Rory. My jaw dropped, I was in a blind panic now.

"Where's Maisse? " I demanded, "Harry sent his patronus."

Jenny was calm, "She's at Falling Star, with Harry."

"Jenny, what's going on? Why do you have Rory?" I couldn't fathom what I was seeing.

"I'm not sure I can answer that fully," she started to explain, "Harry and I were… well, talking when Maisse floo'd in with Rory." she sighed, rubbed Rory's head trying to calm the child to no avail, "Maisse isn't in good shape. Harry sent me here to wait for you."

"What?!?" I roared, "IS GOING ON?" Jenny handed me a piece of paper, telling me there was a Fidelius charm on the ranch, and now that I was a secret keeper, we could go. She took my hand and apparated without another word.

We arrived in a field; I opened the parchment, read the address and looked up. A very large home appeared in front of me. If I wasn't so concerned about Maisse, the shear size probably would have intimidated me. Without thinking, without waiting for Jenny I rushed through the door.

What I saw knocked the wind out of me. Harry was cradling Maisse, on the floor. She was covered in soot from the floo.

Maisse was sobbing, hysterical, muttering, "She left him, she left him, I can't do this."

Harry was rocking her, rubbing her head, "Shhh, Maisse, it's ok," he saw me and added, "shh Maisse, Charlie's here, everything will be ok."

Maisse didn't appear to register what he was saying, "She left him, she left him, I can't do this."

I composed myself as best I could and walked across the large great room to Maisse, each step echoing. I took her in my arms, like a small child and picked her up, looking for a place to lay her down, somewhere quiet so I could calm her down.

Crack

Out of no where, a female house elf appeared. Harry and Jenny both jumped, Rory cried more, louder, clearly scared by the appearance of the elf.

"Take her to her room," the elf told me and then walked off, down a long hall. I followed until she stopped at a door and opened it. I walked in to a large room dominated by a single piece of furniture - a large wooden bed dressed in pale blue covers. Across from the foot of the bed were French doors covered in a light gauzing type of fabric.

I gently put Maisse on her bed and lay next to her, wrapping my arms around her tiny body, pulling her tightly to my chest. She continued to sob and say, "She left him, I can't do this."

"Maisse, "I whispered into her hair, "please tell me what happened. What happened that has you this upset."

She didn't answer or look at me, but just cried. I decided it was better to say nothing, but just be here for her, let her cry this out. It took a long time for her sobbing to stop. I still said nothing; I thought perhaps she'd cried herself to sleep.

"Rory is yours," Maisse finally whispered, hoarse from sobbing. "I was at St. Mungo's for nearly three straight days with finals when she arrived, Zina."

Maisse took a deep breath, but still wouldn't look at me, "The results were in early… I guess "her voice cracked," Healer Prewett thought it best, considering the situation, telling you separately."

Maisse was silent again, curiosity boiled inside of me to find out what happened next, why Maisse was here with Rory, why she was so distraught but I waited for Maisse to continue. I didn't want to push her.

When she did, she struggled to keep her composure, "I was outside of your Aunt's office when Zina walked out, smiling. She handed Rory to me. Rory was screaming, grasping for his mother and all she said was 'Here's Charlie's son. Tell him I'll be in touch ad she apparated away, leaving me with her… YOUR son." Maisse's composure broke, she began sobbing again.

It was all I could not to scream, not at Maisse, but at Zina. For what she put her own child through, for what she'd put Maisse though, instead, I said as tenderly as I could, "Oh, Maisse, my love."

She still had not looked at me, she spoke through fresh tears, "I didn't know what to do, and I had to bring him to you. So I went home and floo'd to Annapolis and then here. I knew I couldn't apparate with Rory. I also didn't trust myself at that point. I'd planned to just leave Rory with Harry and leave, but then I saw Harry and Jenny, on the couch … I just … I just … I'm so tired. I can't believe she abandoned him like that. I just c-can't deal with this anymore. I c-can't take any more." Her sobbing began again.

"Maisse, why wouldn't you wait for me? You know Harry could find me; you know we're working together. Why would you leave?" I rubbed her head as the questions flowed.

"Every instinct is telling me to run, Charlie" she answered, her voice sounded pained and not from crying, "You are a single father now. Your child was just abandoned by his mother. You don't need a girlfriend now." She finally looked up, but not at me, she looked around her room, "Where is he? You should be with him."

"Maisse, shh, he is fine. He is with Jenny." I pulled her closer to me, tighter, "I can have more than one priority."

Maisse tried to wriggle free from my arms, but I wouldn't give, "Let me go, Charlie," she demanded weakly, "I'm going home. You need to be with Rory, figure out what you are going to do now."

"Maisse stop," I ordered, and then lowered my voice "Until forty-five minutes ago, I had one priority, you. Now I have two, you and Rory. Rory, well, that's a bit more challenging to figure out. You, on the other hand, I've known what to do for days. I was going to come and get you tonight and take you away."

Finally, Maisse looked at me. Her beautiful faced, streaked with tears, looked at me, surprised. "I wanted us to be together, talk, before the results came back. I want us back - the way we were in Romania, before Zina." I smiled slightly, "I guess I'm slow at figuring things out."

"Charlie -"

"Please listen Maisse," I cut her off, I slowly tilted her chin with one hand so I could look into her eyes, eyes, that I could get lost in, "This isn't how I'd planned this, but it can't wait. I can't wait" I released my hold on her and rubbed her head, comfortable that she wouldn't apparate away, maybe she knew what I was going to say, but that didn't matter, she had to hear it, and I, well, I had to tell her.

"Maisse Pottinger," I began, still looking in her eyes, "I have loved you since the first second I saw you at the Burrow. I never believed at love at first until you… I knew when I first kissed you that you are the witch I have to be with. Forever."

I stopped, I wanted what I was saying to sink in, I wanted her to understand how much I loved her, "I want you in my life, Maisse. I want to wake up with you everyday and have this," I stroked her face, "beautiful face be the last thing I see at night. I want to have children with, see the world with you, and live my life with you. Maisse, I have no life without you…"

"Charlie," she gasped, shocked

"Wait," I asked, I didn't want her to say anything - yet. I reached into the pocket of my jeans and pulled out the small ring box that I'd had with me since Friday, "I really wanted to this tonight, in a more romantic way, I had a plan," I explained, afraid suddenly that she would want something… more… I refused to question myself though.

"Please Maisse, Will you be my wife? Will you marry me?" I opened the ring box.

"Oh my," she gasped, she hadn't taken her eyes off of me and then finally, she looked at the ring, "I don't know…"

"Just say yes."

"Charlie, there is so much to figure out, Rory, my training. Have you thought this through?"

I looked at her, expecting her to say yes. Her eyes certainly were saying yes. I took the ring out of the box and gently slide it on her ring finger of her right hand, "You keep this, and when you are ready, tell me. I'll be here." I kissed her, gently, tenderly. She felt weak, but I could also feel all the tension release from her body and she slide closer to me.

"Maisse, I'd planned to propose to you tonight. This has nothing to do with Rory and everything to do with you and me. OK?"

Maisse just nodded; there were tears in her eyes. Only now, I believed they were happy tears.

"Go to sleep Maisse, you've had a brutal few days…" I rubbed her back, "I'll be right here."

---

I pulled a soft white blanket over Maisse and left the room quietly. Now, time for my other priority, Rory; I walked back to the great room and heard Harry and Jenny talking. I stopped to listen.

"Jenny," Harry said, pleaded, "I don't know what is going on with Maisse and Charlie, but I don't want us to end up like … that; where we can't talk to each other. We've spent two years apart, miserable, over a misunderstanding, not telling each other how we feel, not being honest. I don't want to end up like Maisse, emotions tied up in knots, not trusting what I feel."

"What are you saying, Harry," My cousin sounded … stubborn. I couldn't take it. I burst into the room.

"He's saying swallow your Prewett Pride, Jenny," I roared, "He's saying you two need to talk, honestly, openly. You both love each other; I can see that - EVERYONE can see that. Maisse and I have been together only a fraction of the time you two have and look what not talking has done to her, to me. You have two years of silence to deal with all built on some stupid ultimatum," I looked at Jenny, "and insecurity," I looked at Harry, "So get over it - both of you!"

Harry and Jenny looked at be, stunned. I looked around for Rory, but didn't see him.

"Charlie," Harry spoke tentatively, "How's Maisse?"

"Asleep. She's been at the hospital for days on end with finals. She was there when your mum," I nodded towards my cousin, "told Zina. Zina just handed Rory to Maisse and vanished. She handed the poor boy to Maisse, no clothes, no toys, nothing, and left," I was disgusted.

"So Rory is yours," Jenny stated.

"Yes, where is he Jenny?" I looked around concerned.

"In the nursery, with Maisse's house elf," Harry answered, "What are you going to do?"

I ran my hands through my hair, I didn't know. This was a lot for one person to take in, "I'm not sure. I do know I have two priorities now; Maisse, who is sleeping and Rory. I think it's time I go see my son and try to figure this out."

I left them in the great room, hoping they'd figure out a way back to each other, but right now, I couldn't worry about that. I opened the door to the nursery and a thought maybe a family weekend in Vermont would be in order.

---
Two days later

Maisse and I were curled up together on the couch in front of a roaring fire watching the snow fall outside. Maisse kept staring at her ring, still on her right hand, I kept staring at her.

"Charlie, this is nice. I am happy you insisted we do this."

"Even with Rory?" I smiled; she and Rory had been inseparable since we'd left Falling Star Ranch.

She nudged me, it was no secret how much the two f them liked each other, "Even with Rory. He is a sweet little boy, still scared though, I can only imagine, his whole world vanished in a matter of minutes, but I think with love and family - true family that want him - he'll blossom."

"Thank you for your house elf, Maisse. Friskby really is wonderful; I've never had a house elf before. I think she'll be perfect for the transition, until I figure this thing out."

"Transition?" Maisse looked at me, surprised, "Oh, no Charlie, She is staying with Rory. She and I talked about it, just before we left for here. She overheard you telling Harry & Jenny about Zina. She and I decided that she should stay with Rory. We've broken the linking charm that ties Friskby and me together and she would like to be linked to Rory.

"What?" I was shocked, "Maisse what are you talking about?"

Maisse looked at me, almost like she was trying to decide if she should tell me what was thinking. She took a breath and began, "Zina is going to come back, she is going to want to see him again, maybe even take him You saw how quickly Friskby got to me, She'll never be far from Rory and Zina won't be able to break the charm or order her away. His happiness and safety will be her first and only priority."

"I don't know, I've never had a house elf, and she's free right? Can I afford her?" The idea had merit I thought, Rory would always be safe and he was clearly most comfortable her, and then Maisse. I was last on his list, I frowned.

"She'll live with me?" I was trying to organize the logistics in my mind.

"Yes, but you have a two room flat, she'll stay in Rory's room and when he's older you'll have moved by them."

"To make room for more children," I asked, playfully.

She laughed but never answered, "So, in the morning? We can do the charm?"

"Ok, in the morning. Now that I think we have Rory sorted out, what are we going to do about us? "I pulled her onto my lap, grabbed her right hand and played with the ring that was in the wrong place, "when can I move it to your other hand."

"Charlie, this is all so quick, have you thought this through?" she asked, again.

"More than you know," I answer quickly, "You gave me something so precious in Romania, all of you, your heart, soul, your love. I thought I was returning it, but clearly, I wasn't. I never told you until two days ago how I felt, how I always felt about you. So yes, I have thought this through." I kissed her gently.

"But, I still have a year of training," she protested.

"I'll wait," I kissed her neck.

"In Romania?"

"Or, maybe I'll get a job in London," I whispered in her ear.

"Umm…"I was doing a good job of distracting her, "Leave … the … reserve?

I kissed her neck again, "Maybe the states, I have become rather fond of it here," I licked her neck, "You said you wanted to come home someday."

"You'd move all the way here for me?" She asked, her eyes closed, enjoying my touch, "Leave your home?"

I kissed her passionately, scooped her off the couch and carried her to our room. Now that I was a father, with my son in the other room, the couch no longer seemed the appropriate place to show this beautiful creature just how much I loved her. I laid her on our bed, her hair fanned out around her face.

"As long as I'm with you, Maisse, I am home."
##############

A/N – if you made it this far – THANK YOU! I would love to know what you think.

If you are interested in Harry and Jenny's side of the story, please check out my other story "A Dream is a Wish"

Thanks Again for making it this far!