OCTOBER CHALLENGE

Prompt:

Crisp autumn morning

Pairing:

Charlie/Luna

Quote:

"Don't you ever have anything nice to say?"

Theme:

Halloween

The wizarding world had begun to calm back down into some semblance of normalcy by late October of 1998. Harry Potter had defeated Voldemort and was about to start training with the Devon Dragons, a reserve grade Quidditch team closely associated with the Chudley Cannons. Ron, after spending a tumultuous summer agonising over his almost romantic relationship with Hermione, had just started Auror training on his own. He was extremely elated to be doing so even without Harry at his side. Hermione returned to Hogwarts as a junior Librarian, having completed a whirlwind NEWT course throughout the summer in between, almost but not quite dating Ron and going back to being just friends.

Ginny and Luna had taken the option of completing their NEWT year as correspondence students. This meant that they could remain at home with their families and only had to attend Hogwarts for short periods every few months.

Our tale begins on the crisp autumn morning of Halloween; The Burrow is a hive of activity. Mrs. Weasley and Andromeda Tonks are bustling around the kitchen making enough breakfast for a small army, which is close enough to the truth, as today there will be no less than 15 people, with more arriving at any moment. Mr. Weasley, Bill, Charlie, and Remus are already outside degnoming the garden and applying weather resistant wards about the boundary line in preparation for the inaugural Weasley Halloween Party. Fred and George, despite their mother's better judgement, are in charge of entertainment and decorations, and are currently sitting with their heads together muttering and scribbling feverishly on a long piece of parchment in invisible ink.

Molly whisperers in Andromeda's ear, "I really don't like it when they do that," as she gestures toward them with a slightly raised eyebrow.

Andromeda smiles lightly but does not reply. Molly hugs her quickly with one arm and goes back to her cooking. Andromeda is still mourning her husband and daughter but she is putting on a brave face for her grandson, who is sitting in a highchair being entertained by Harry and Ron.

Ginny, Hermione, and Luna are lounging on the sitting room floor in front of a blazing fire, still dressed in their fuzzy slippers and dressing gowns. Ginny is teaching Hermione about old wizarding traditions.

"What a load of poppycock!" Hermione exclaims after Ginny finishes explaining a tradition involving a candle, an apple, and an enchanted mirror. "Does it really work?" she inquires in a loud whisper, not wanting to be overheard showing an interest in superstitious nonsense.

"Sometimes," Luna tells her. "Daddy told me that's how mummy knew he was her one true love." This does not reassure Hermione, so she looks to Ginny for a more logical and believable response.

"Can't hurt to give it a try." Ginny, despite her casual tone seems quite eager to get started. "How about I show you a different one and you can decide for yourself if it's nonsense or not?"

"Alright then, go on." Hermione is not convinced but decides to humour her friends for the entertainment value of the activity.

"Great! Pass me that bowl of hazelnuts on the table, would you please?" Ginny is practically bouncing now so Hermione doesn't keep her waiting. "Now I take a nut for each of the boys I would like to 'Court me,' and I toss them into the fire one at a time while singing 'If you love me pop and fly, If you hate me burn and die.'"

"May I play too, Ginny? I like games," Luna asked.

"Of course you can," Ginny replies, smiling happily at her friend. "Will you play too, Hermione? You don't have to say the boys name out loud or anything, it's more a private thing, but mine isn't exactly a secret now is it?"

Hermione giggles at her friends rolled eyes before shrugging and saying, "Oh, why not." Hermione takes a single nut and holds it tightly, waiting her turn.

Luna takes a large handful of nuts, stating that it was a bad idea to put all your eggs in one basket and that variety is the spice of life. Hermione cannot argue with her logic, nor can Ginny; at least, they can't until Luna crawls over to the fire and begins to name each of her nuts after a Weasley brother. Ginny and Hermione share a look behind her head that clearly says, 'What are you going to do, it is Luna after all.'They grin and continue to watch for a few minutes.

"You go first Hermione, and then Ginny, and I will go last since I have the most," Luna says when she is done naming each of her nuts.

"So, I just think the name in my head and then throw the nut into the flames?" Hermione asks, making sure she is doing things correctly. Even if it is a load of nonsense it wouldn't do at all for her to make a silly mistake.

"Yep, that's the general idea. Hurry up already before mum notices we're being idle." Ginny is becoming quite impatient.

Hermione's nut neither pops nor burns and she can't help but be a little disappointed. Ginny's nut burns to a crisp the moment it hits the flames. "Ha I knew it, he hates me! Oh well, you win some you lose some, life goes on."

"Who hates you Gin?" Harry asks as he and the Weasley boys join them to warm up a bit after being outdoors.

"Who wouldn't?" Fred answers with a mischievous smirk.

"Oh ha-ha Fred! Don't you ever have anything nice to say?" Ginny yells as she throws a sofa cushion at her brother's head.

"I always have nice things to say, isn't that right, Gred?"

"Very right indeed Forge," George agrees with a nod.

"Seriously though," Harry interrupts, "Who hates you? Want me to hex them? I know loads of good ones now."

Ginny bursts out laughing and can't speak. Harry's eyebrows furrow so deeply in confusion that they may never recover.

"It's a bit hard to hex yourself Harry, even you would have trouble with that," Hermione tells him in a whisper.

"What? I don't hate you Ginny, I could never!"

"Ha ha I know that, ha ha, it's just a game, watch Luna do her turn," Ginny gasps out though her extended giggle fit.

Luna smiles serenely as she picks up her first nut. She turns to look directly at its namesake, Fred, as she sings the incantation. The nut simply rolls over in the flames and slides into the coals. Fred, who knows this tradition, exhales gently and says softly, "Aw, well better luck next time, eh?" giving Luna a consoling smile.

Taking the next nut in line she turns to George, who gives her a warm smile; they have become unlikely friends in the past few months and he likes to make her feel happy. Luna sings softly and tosses the nut; it hits the back of the fireplace and lands somewhere out of view. Luna shrugs, as does George, and she giggles before repeating the process again with Percy and Ron's namesakes. When she reaches for her final nut, everyone is losing interest in the game--the twins have drifted off someplace else, Ron is taking quietly to Harry about their plans for a pick up Quidditch match when their old dorm mates arrive, and Ginny is tying ribbons around bunches of wildflowers for the table settings.

Luna takes her final nut from the hearth and sighs, disheartened that not one of her chosen suitors is her one and only. Her voice is soft and strangely sad as she begins to sing one final time. Hermione takes pity and reminds her it really is just a game, but Luna is having none of that.

"I will have my very own Weasley, Hermione, you just wait and see." Hermione doesn't know what Luna means by this and Ron is suddenly very interested again, his worry carefully masked.

Luna sings out loud and clear as she tosses the nut named Charlie into the fire. Hermione leans into Ron and mouths, "Don't panic she did you already." Harry chuckles softly but recovers quickly. Ron narrows his eyes at them both just as Luna squeals in delight and a soft popping sound is heard.

"I am going to be Mrs. Charlie Weasley," she announces brightly as someone from the hallway chokes. "Charlie always was my favourite."

Everyone turns to see a very stricken looking Charlie standing stock still in the doorway. "I beg your pardon, you're going to be Mrs. who Weasley?" he manages to stammer after a few failed attempts at speech.

Ginny is rolling around on the floor clutching her sides, tears rolling down her face. Luna takes this to be overwhelming joy for her childhood friend. Hermione, Harry, and Ron share a look but succeed in not laughing. Luna tilts her head as if listening to a song only she can hear and repeats her earlier announcement, her eyes never leaving Charlie's. "The nuts have spoken, isn't it wonderful?"

Charlie's eyes widen comically before he blinks repeatedly. "What's that Dad? OK, I'm on my way, sorry must dash bye." And then he is gone.

"It's alright, we have plenty of time to make plans."

#

Charlie, with the help of his unusually supportive brothers, manages to evade Luna's advances for the rest of the day. That is until his observant mother decides that his overly willing help is just too suspicious.

"Fred! George! These pumpkins are not going to transfigure themselves into lanterns," she calls from the back garden.

"I'll do it Mum. It's no bother really," Charlie says as he struggles to levitate a large stack of chairs out of the garden shed which has been his hiding place for the past hour.

"No Charlie, it's fine, you and I both know the twins do it best. Why don't you go in and see what the girls are up to?" Molly smiles fondly at him. "You're a good boy Charlie."

"Umm, I'll go in just a moment mum, I'll just...umm...set these chairs up first."

"No, I'll have Harry and Ron get them sorted when they finish mucking out the chicken coop, now off you go and rest a while, you're supposed to be on holiday after all."

"I don't mind helping, honestly," Charlie assures her pleadingly.

"You can't fool your old mum Charlie Weasley, now get in the house and let the poor girl down gently for Godric's sake." Molly's tone is one that does not invite any further argument.

Charlie slumps his shoulders in defeat, his face flushing from being caught out by his mother as if he were eight years old all over again. He lowers the stack of chairs to the ground, and heads towards the house and his imminent doom.

The kitchen is full of guests when he arrives. He doesn't even recognise half of them but he knows they must be school friends of his siblings. Luna is hugging a tall, brunette young man that Charlie vaguely remembers from Ron's school photos. The boy seems overwhelmed by the crowd, something Charlie can relate too, as he is pulled into a hug by Luna.

"Neville! I'm so glad you came," Luna exclaims in her strangely enchanting, sing-song voice, smiling brightly at the boy. "I have the most wonderful news to share with you."

Neville gives her a warm, genuine smile as he pulls away from her just enough to look her in the eyes.

"Well, tell me, don't leave me hanging," he says in an almost convincing tone of anticipation.

"I'm getting married, isn't that the best news you've heard in ages?"

Charlie groans and he notices Ginny and Hermione biting their knuckles to keep from laughing out loud.

"Oh wow, that is great news Luna. Who's the lucky bloke then?" he asks as Charlie looks for an escape route that will work against his mother. He quickly realizes that his only option is to disillusion himself; he can do the charm wandlessly as it a very important skill to have in his line of work.

"Charlie," she tells him, smiling with twinkling eyes up into his handsome face.

Neville frowns in confusion. "Charlie who?"

"Weasley, of course. How many Charlie's do I know, silly?" she replies as if it were obvious.

"Oh. Well that's great Lu, I'm happy for you." He pulls the girl into his arms again, resting his chin on her head, and makes eye contact with Ginny. He mouths something that Charlie thinks might be, 'Is she for real?' Ginny shakes her head at him. Charlie releases a breath he is not aware he was holding.

"Luna," Neville asked the tiny blonde in his arms, "does Charlie know about this yet?"

Luna dips her head and studies her hands after pulling away from her friend. "Not yet, I've not had the chance to tell him because he has been hiding in the garden shed for hours, and I didn't feel right disturbing him."

Neville gives the girl one last squeeze and takes both her hands in his, bending down to look at her in the eyes. His face is kind and full of affection. The other occupants of the room back away slowly towards the door, obviously understanding the need for privacy.

"Lu, you remember when we spoke about how sometimes you get an idea in your head and how it is sometimes important for you to help them understand it?" He asks her so quietly Charlie has to strain to hear him.

"Oh dear I've done it again, haven't I?" she asks him sheepishly.

"Yes, but no harm done, so long as you aren't going to be heartbroken when and if he doesn't want to marry you. He may already have his own suitor."

"Of course he might, who wouldn't want to court Charlie Weasley?"

Neville laughs at her and mutters something that Charlie cannot hear. Luna joins his laughter for a several minutes before whispering something into Neville's ear that makes him blush so deeply he would put a Weasley to shame.

Gathering his inner Gryffindor, Charlie reverses the charm on himself and clears his throat.

"Hello," he says louder then is probably necessary. "Sorry to interrupt, but I was wondering if I might have a word with you, Luna?"

"Not at all, we were done; I'll go and see if I can make myself useful somewhere. Talk to to you later, Lu," Neville replies cheerfully. He gives Luna a fond smile before heading out into the garden.

"Did you enjoy your quiet time in the shed Charlie?" Luna asks him. "I like to be by myself as well sometimes; I'm used to it being an only child. Neville says you were avoiding me because of the wedding game."

"Neville is right, I am ashamed to admit it but I didn't know how to react to be perfectly honest. You're a great kid Luna, and I reckon you'll make some bloke really happy one day, I'm just not in the market for a wife. I would honoured to be your friend though, would that be OK?"

"Yes, that would be lovely; I am always in the market for new friends." Charlie cannot help but notice she looks as relieved as he feels."Now that we are friends, can I tell you a secret?"

"Sure." He smiles as her. Charlie thinks he is going to enjoy being friends with this girl--she is odd, but he likes odd people.

She leans in and cups her tiny hand over his ear."I don't want to get married either; I was only playing along so that Ginny wouldn't feel bad about her Harry nut burning." She giggles and winks, her laughter is infectious.

"So much for me being a brave, dragon riding Gryffindor, huh? I am sorry for hiding from you."

"No problem, Charlie Weasley."