First Place - Angst

Charlie straightened Harry's robes, the cloak clasp in particular. It was yet another tradition in the wizarding world that Harry had no idea about until he was experiencing it. As Head of the Potter and Black families both crests were embroidered on the left chest of his robes, where a pocket would be on a shirt. As Heir to the Snape family, the Snape crest was his cloak clasp.

"I feel so...," Harry grumbled, knowing that Charlie was aware of exactly how he felt. He had been raised to think he was worthless, not to display his heritage and social position proudly. It was beyond awkward.

Charlie smiled at him, and Harry reflected in amazement at how Charlie always managed to be so happy, "It's just for today."

"And next month, and a week after that...," Harry snorted, not bothering to complete the list.

"Mum says it happened last time too," Charlie noted. "The number of marriages right after that Halloween was ridiculous. There were people who sometimes had three to attend in one day. Then nine months later..."

Harry finally chuckled, "We ended up with record high births. It's a better way to celebrate than setting off fireworks no muggle could ever dream of making... or getting so drunk and raucous that the Aurors have to bring people home and the Obliviators have to be called in."

"I wouldn't mind a bit of celebrating myself," Charlie stepped closer and Harry tilted his head to welcome the kiss.

He felt the approach of one of the many Weasleys but ignored it and ignored the opening door.

"We can't leave you two alone for five minutes!" Bill's voice was bright and happy. He was dressed similarly to Charlie and Harry, with the Weasley crest as his cloak clasp. Charlie's clasp just had the Weasley colors.

Harry grinned at the older wizard, "I recall you and Fleur visiting us just a few weeks ago and completely ignoring all the books in the library."

Bill flushed. It was a bit too easy to get that reaction from any Weasley, except maybe the twins who seemed to have no idea of the concept of shame. Charlie was also a nice shade of red just then.

"It's almost time," Bill grinned.

Charlie and Harry followed him down the stairs and Harry was glad to feel the hominess and comfort that he always associated with the Burrow. The Weasleys, despite having inherited a nice sum from Sirius, had not changed the house one bit. Harry was thrilled that suddenly possessing a considerable pile of gold had not changed his adoptive family one bit.

Outside it was bright and sunny. Harry felt the rays of the sun soaking into his skin and stretched languidly as he always did now when stepping into the sun. His skin was nicely bronzed from spending hours outside each day. He had a garden of his own, extensive grounds to explore, and a lake complete with rope for swinging out and dropping into the water.

"You are altogether too sexy when you do that," Charlie whispered in his ear.

Bill groaned, "I do not want to have to separate you two again."

"We'll behave," Harry promised with a grin.

There was a fairly large group gathered, but all of them were people that Harry knew well. It was mostly comprised of Order members, and then there were several people that had been in the twins' year at Hogwarts as well as a smattering from the surrounding years. The entire DA was present as well, and several of them looked reluctant to be socializing with their professors, even some that had already graduated.

A large number of chairs in all shapes and sizes, one of them extra large to accommodate Hagrid, were arranged facing a flowering tree in the Burrow's backyard. Arthur Weasley stood under the boughs of the tree, wand in hand and looking a little nervous.

Bill, Charlie and Harry went to join Fred, George, and Ron next to Mr. Weasley. Each of the Weasleys gave Fred a quick hug before stepping to their assigned places. Harry refrained, still apprehensive when it came to touch. Only Hermione had made progress in that department with her customary determination.

The guests took their seats and music started, though Harry had no idea where it was coming from. The girls began to walk up the aisle, Angelina last of all in a white muggle wedding dress. It had taken a bit of explaining when Harry and Hermione had both burst into laughter at Angelina's insistence on a white dress, but once the rest of the party understood Fred and Angelina had been on the receiving end of endless 'white wedding' jokes.

Harry watched the magic rather than listening to the words as Mr. Weasley conducted the ceremony. It confirmed a little suspicion in his mind.

The ceremony itself was much shorter than Harry had expected. He had heard the Dursleys complain after weddings they had been to about how long and boring the ceremony was. When Harry commented as much, Remus had laughed so hard that tears formed and then proceeded to tell everyone of how he had to fight to stay awake at the Dursley's wedding.

Molly Weasley had insisted on preparing the food herself, though she did accept some help from Harry's house elves. Her cooking was spectacular as always, though Harry's appetite was still only a fraction of what it had been years before.

The party lasted through the whole day, past when Fred and Angelina left at dusk for their honeymoon in America. There was mostly dancing and small pockets of conversation by the time night fell. Harry was content to watch it all, leaning up against Charlie under an oak tree.

"Mum is thrilled," Charlie said softly, his mouth resting right by Harry's ear.

"Mm," Harry agreed.

Molly Weasley's first reaction to Harry adopting Erica Carver had been that he was too young for such a responsibility. Harry knew that everyone feared more for his mental state and not his age. He had never really gotten a chance to be young. The instant she saw them though, Molly Weasley slipped into the role of grandmother. She had the two toddlers, Carver at two running everywhere and Erica at a year just mastering walking, on a blanket on the lawn with her.

"You know she's only to going to bug the rest of them even more now," Charlie chuckled.

Harry had to laugh as well, "Yeah. The last child she expected to make her a grandmother was the first, and Ron's already got one on the way. I'm surprised Bill gets anywhere near her."

They stood there quietly and watched the party. Harry couldn't get anywhere near the dance floor without triggering a panic attack. Even the conversing groups were a bit much for him. Luckily for him, Charlie was content to stand apart from the group.

"Marry me," a shiver traveled down Harry's spine as Charlie's warm breath tickled his neck.

"I think I already started it," Harry grinned and turned in the embrace.

His lips found Charlie's mouth and claimed it. He opened himself to connect more fully with the on-leave dragon handler and showed him his memory of a short moment during the battle when Harry had strands of their magic twisted around his fingers and knotted them together.

The kiss deepened and both of them ignored the fact that there were still fifty other people there. Harry knew he was projecting, but he didn't care. They were at a wedding. Projecting love was appropriate, and if it wasn't, well... he was Harry Potter. He may as well get some use out of it.

When they broke the kiss there was a whistle from behind Harry and Charlie's face became the color of Weasley embarrassment.

There was a smile on his face though, "How many people accidentally get married?"

"It's not complete," Harry explained, though no one really had the vocabulary for what only a few people could see, "but I'm more than willing to finish what I started."

The smile grew wider and both of them continued to ignore their friends and family, "I'm ready when you are Harry."

Harry smiled softly, the prospect of being officially bound to Charlie lifting some of the ever-present anxieties that plagued him. He tilted his head for another kiss, almost successfully blocking out the rest of the gathering.

"Soon," Harry promised. There were a few things he had to check first, a bit of research to do, and a few people to talk to.

The last of the guests left just a bit before midnight. All the remaining Weasleys, Hermione, Harry, and Carver and Erica were spending the night at the Burrow. Harry had been amused to discover that Charlie's old twin had been either widened considerably, or replaced. It was a good thing too, as Harry was sure that Carver and Erica would turn up before long and crawl into bed with them as they had done every night.

The two toddlers both suffered from nightmares. From what little Carver was able to explain, he dreamed of the attack on his family and of the orphanage. Erica was still too young to do anything but sniffle and burrow into either Harry's or Charlie's arms. A great deal of the concern over Harry adopting two children had been laid to rest when people saw him actually carrying Carver and Erica, comfortable with touching them.

The next day Harry and Charlie said their good-byes and apparated away to Romania. Despite frequent owls Harry knew that the dragon handlers were worried about him and all of them wanted to meet Carver and Erica. Then there was Eliza. Harry suspected if he put off visiting any longer he would find an irate dragon in his backyard.

It was a tremendous relief and Harry almost sagged with the effort of keeping emotions blocked out no longer necessary. Everyone there had their own barriers, so there was no emotional screaming. They were almost immediately surrounded and Harry felt Carver and Erica lifted out of his arms. He didn't react at all when someone accidentally touched him, and just looked at Charlie with shock. The redhead only grinned.

After the initial barrage of greetings, hugs, and jumbled positive emotions, the majority of the handlers left to go about their work. Only those who had worked most closely with Charlie and Harry remained.

"So Charlie, how was maternity leave?" Jean Pierre teased.

Charlie spluttered, "Excuse me?"

"You do have kids now," Jean Pierre's grin was wide and his eyes were almost twinkling, "so we officially put you down as on maternity."

"Are you suggesting that Charlie is the mother?" Harry could feel a mischievous glint in his eyes. He kept the toddlers in his peripheral vision but they were fine with Jeremy and Anya, who were looking very friendly with each other. Harry raised an eyebrow and everyone around them grinned knowingly. It was impossible to hide a relationship in a community of empaths.

"Nein," Dieter said and ruffled Harry's hair, "that would be you mein kleines. You're the tiny one. Charlie's got some muscle on him, too stocky to be a girl."

Harry had long ago stopped even pretending to use a wand, though the papers had yet to pounce on the knowledge and publish it for the entire world to know, so he couldn't pull his wand to threaten anyone. The challenging look in his eye was more than enough though. Dieter laughed and threw his hands up in surrender. Charlie was standing behind Harry and looped his arms over his shoulders.

"I can assure you Dieter," Charlie was grinning, though Harry couldn't see it. They were constantly linked strongly enough now that if Harry paid attention, or they were touching, they were aware of each muscle twitch. "Harry is most definitely a man."

"You would know Charlie," Jean Pierre gave a dramatic sigh. "He's your wife."

Apparently, the dragon handler's didn't need an official ceremony to take place for them to acknowledge or detect a bonding.

There was no need to exchange any words, or even a glance. Harry and Charlie leapt forward like one being and tackled the two larger dragon handlers in a playful wrestling match. Though Harry was the smallest and least muscular of the four he had his dragon blood enhanced strength and was trained to kill both with and without magic. The match was no contest.

He wished there was nothing to take him away from Romania, but the owls were getting more persistent. Before long, if Harry didn't return to the wizarding world it would come to him. It seemed that after all he had done there was no way he could sit back and let the world progress without him. For two months they had only left Romania for weddings, first Bill and Fleur's, Oliver Wood and the keeper for the Harpies, and then Jeremy and Anya's.

The Wizengamot wanted Harry there for the deliberations and passing of several new laws. The International Confederation of Wizards had put off their annual meeting so Harry could attend. Then there were the little things, which were to Harry much more important.

Ron had accepted a spot as reserve keeper for the Kenmore Kestrels and wanted Harry and Charlie to go to a game. He and Hermione would be moving out of the Manor and into their own home, and Hermione had started school again. George had moved out of the Manor and, to the great surprise of everyone who knew him, into Hogwarts. He was apprenticing with McGonagall and teaching Transfiguration, his work with Weasley Wizarding Wheezes relegated to after-hours and summer, with the occasional weekend.

Harry was still not ready to be around large groups of people, but he and Charlie had a theory on how he might fix that... or at least make it easier. They sent out owls inviting all their family, as well as Hermione, Dumbledore, Remus, and Ollivander, to dinner at the Manor for the day after they returned. Ollivander had been surprised to be there over an hour before any other guest, but agreed to their plan quickly.

"We, um, invited you here for a little something more than dinner," Harry said nervously. Everyone there was accustomed to seeing Harry nervous, even if he normally wasn't in that particular group of people.

Charlie was holding Harry's hand and gave it a little squeeze. As always, he was a happy and calming influence, "What Harry is trying to tell you, is that months ago we decided to bond, and will be performing the ceremony tonight."

Shock rang out clearly from each person there with the exception of three, Anders Ollivander, Carver, and Erica. The two children didn't really know what was happening and Ollivander had agreed to perform the ceremony an hour earlier. Harry needed Ollivander's ability to see at least a little magic to pick up cues from Harry during the ceremony.

Once the shock faded Ollivander stepped forward and they started. Harry's hands moved throughout, taking strands of Charlie's magic and weaving them with his own. The words of one of the most ancient ceremonies they could find only supplemented what Harry was doing. He and Charlie were tightly linked, and Charlie's eyes followed the weaving with amazement.

They had been right. As Harry wove he felt the tension and pressure that had constantly pervaded his entire body begin to recede as his barriers rose again. Charlie's magic calmed his, much as Charlie was able to do with Harry's emotions. Harry felt even the basic functions of their bodies, their heartbeats, their breathing, synchronize as the weaving drew towards completion.

Harry heard his own voice and Charlie's responding in the correct places of the ceremony, but they were distant and muffled. Harry's final bit of weaving was to take the fine green thread that had joined his magic with Eliza's protection and extend that protection to Charlie.

It was like being released from a prison. He was still overly sensitive to the emotions and magic around him but it was dampened, grounded.

They lifted their heads together as Ollivander finished and stepped back, their eyes locking. They were already standing close enough that they could feel each other's breath. Charlie lifted a hand and cupped Harry's cheek. Harry's hand somehow found Charlie's hip. They leaned just slightly and their lips met, audience forgotten as they lost themselves in the taste and feel of each other.

Mrs. Weasley was crying softly when they parted and remembered that other people were present. Hermione was rubbing her now obviously protruding stomach with one hand and wiping under her eyes with the other. Even Snape looked like he had tears in his eyes. Everyone was smiling.

On cue, Tawny popped into the room and announced dinner. No one ever stood between Weasleys and food.

Charlie accepted the hugs for both of them, though Hermione was able to touch Harry's arm softly as she congratulated them.

The Weasleys bounced back from such a surprise as only Weasleys did, and the conversation over the meal was typical for the family of redheads.

"I don't suppose you'll ever do anything in a traditional manner?" Harry's father asked him quietly, but with a small smile.

Harry shook his head, "Nope. I think breaking all the rules is my blood."

Snape just snorted and returned to his food, but Remus grinned at Harry from across the table. Harry put Carver and Erica in their beds after dinner and instructed a pair of house elves to keep an eye on them.

Ginny pressed a piece of parchment into Charlie's hand and kissed him on the cheek when George told her they had to leave.

It was late when everyone left, Ginny escorted by George as she was still a Hogwarts student. Harry had a sneaking suspicion that Dumbledore had guessed something more than dinner was on the schedule for that night as McGonagall had allowed Ginny to leave the school.

"Dad, before you go... I...," Harry stopped Snape before the fireplace.

"Yes?" Snape turned and lifted a single eyebrow.

Harry tensed himself, and took a deep breath, and gave his father a quick hug. There was astonishment for a brief second before long arms returned the embrace. Harry was relieved to feel almost no revulsion or fear.

With a smile Harry stepped back, "I just needed to test myself."

"And?" Snape's voice was hopeful.

Harry bit his lip, "It's getting better."

"I'll see you again soon," Snape promised before he threw down a handful of powder and stepped into the flames. "Highlands Cottage!"

With the wards around the Manor, and the strange expansion of the Hogwarts wards, anyone traveling between the two had to take a strange route. Snape was one of the few people who didn't have to walk nearly half a mile in order to apparate or Portkey away. The only Floo connections were to Highland's Cottage and the Burrow.

"You're getting there," Charlie said softly as he stepped up to Harry and wrapped his arms around him.

Harry smiled and kissed his bondmate, "I know." The kisses quickly turned passionate. Harry had been waiting all night to get Charlie alone. He apparated them to their bedroom, directly onto the bed.

"Eager?" Charlie teased Harry, lying back as Harry leaned over him.

Harry lowered himself and proceeded to show Charlie just how eager he was.

They didn't look at the parchment from Ginny until early the next morning, after a sleepless night.

Charlie and Harry,

I'm planning this as a bonding gift, but if I gave it to you sooner then you idiots have waited too long. The story of how Harry was conceived intrigued me, so I questioned Professor Snape about it, and he agreed to help me if I needed it.

Whenever you two are ready, I'm offering to carry a child for you. I love you both and you've already shown what wonderful parents you are.

Love,
Ginny

Harry was speechless. He heard Carver stirring upstairs and knew that Erica would follow soon.

"She...," Charlie couldn't seem to form a coherent thought either.

They looked at each other and Charlie raised his eyebrows. Harry smiled and nodded. They were lost in a kiss again when they heard Carver announce his presence.

"Daddy! Dad!" The exclamation was followed by giggling.

Charlie scooped Carver up and began tickling him, causing the giggles to increase in volume and a shriek or two to join them. Erica tugged at Harry's trousers and was soon cuddling in his lap.

"I guess we better send Ginny a Thank You note," Harry said, still a bit dazed. Charlie grinned at him, "A rather profuse Thank You. Mum's gonna have kittens."

Finding the Key - Chapter 52

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