Tough As Dragon Skin

It had easily been the month from hell. While not pleased with the time it had taken him to get the photographs and other accumulated evidence, the Ministry of Magic was willing to overlook the time spent considering the amount of information Charlie turned in. There was no mention of Natalie Greene's presence in Romania or Charlie's contact with the American ministry of magic. Despite all of this Charlie still felt depressed and irritable. He'd spent a couple of days with his family (returning the twins to the bosom of the Weasley home) and then gratefully slunk back to Romania, thinking that perhaps in the boondocks of nowhere he'd find some peace and quiet. Instead he was interrogated unmercifully by his co-workers about what happened and where Natalie was now.

All in all, the month from hell.

Nat's month was just as difficult. Her brother and sister-in-law had arrived from Peru to help her pack. Much to Natalie's disgust, her mother had a friend who had connections with a paleontological society through the British Museum in London which gladly offered her a position doing field research and an occasional lecture. With her brother and sister-in-law helping her, Natalie was soon ready for her international transfer to England. Just the mere idea of living in England, knowing that occasionally Charlie would be there was just depressing as it could possibly be.

Nat wondered if she could remember how to get into that wizarding part of the city and maybe find a way to communicate with him. She was afraid however to do so. He'd left so abruptly and without even a word of their night together. Nat wondered if she'd experienced her first one night stand but couldn't bear the thought that it might have been, so she mentally ignored the fact it happened. Unfortunately her heart had other ideas.

Melissa had inquired once on the whereabouts of Charlie and after Nat informed her that Charlie had left, Melissa never inquired again. Jeremy too had asked about Charlie and, after receiving the same answer, scowled for two days and muttered angrily under his breath. No one had heard or seen anything of Samuel Hill and for that, at least, Nat was thankful.

Nat had kept something from Charlie as well. One photograph of the dragon remained in her possession. She had not been able to hand it over and she doubted seriously whether or not Charlie had even noticed that one was missing. If all wizards were as clueless as he was regarding non-magical things, the odds were good she had her one souvenir of the only adventure she was ever liable to have.

And she lost her cellphone too. The cellphone she'd left in the tent in Romania was either still there or in Charlie's possession. She was thankful she left the battery charger, though she doubted Charlie had the slightest idea how to use it. Maybe if he decided that she was worth his time and energy again, he'd figure it out.

The mere idea of not being good enough for Charles Weasley made Nat angry. In a fit of anger, she slammed an armful of framed photographs of various trips to palentological digs she'd made on the floor, the glass and frames breaking with a resounding crack. Melissa had rushed in from the kitchen, eyes huge. She'd taken one look at Nat's stony features and the broken picture frames and, without a word, helped clean up the mess. Jeremy looking down from the doorway of the spare bedroom Nat used as her study, compressed his lips and said nothing either.

Within a week, Nat was looking for a place to live in London and within two weeks was mostly unpacked and ready to start her new job and new life. "Think of it as starting over, Natters," Jeremy had said, using the nickname he'd given her when they were kids. "You have this one chance to make a new life, a new location, a new job, everything new. Your reputation is still intact and you've got that research mostly completed for your next paper. You're good to go!"

Nat had smiled at her brother, knowing he meant well. "I know and I'll try, I promise."

Melissa had giggled. "Do or do not, there is no try," she quoted.

"Huh?" chorused Jeremy and Natalie at the same time.

Melissa rolled her eyes. "I really need to subject you guys to a science fiction movie marathon. You are both just pathetic."

Nat had laughed with them but in all honesty her heart just wasn't in it.

Fall had set in, bringing with it cooler and wetter weather. Nat remembered why she'd hated England in the fall and winter and always managed to find some nice dinosaur dig in Argentina or Arizona during those months when she was finishing up university.

Charlie was home for a month himself, taking a needed vacation and to attempt to find a job within England. It was time he started working first hand for Dumbledore's Order of the Phoenix instead of remotely in Romania.

Jeremy and Melissa had given up trying to cheer up Nat. The Weasleys were fed up with Charlie's long face and trigger temper. What to do about the situation was beyond what either party could figure out to do. Bill, another Weasley sibling, had traveled to America in an attempt to locate Natalie, only to discover she'd moved and not left a forwarding address. All he could discover was that she had moved to London. London was a big place. Jeremy discovered that there was no Charles Weasley working anywhere for the British government and therefore had no idea if Nat just go her information mixed up (always possible) or that the man was using fake credentials (which suited Jeremy's purposes better). All attempts to end the estrangement ended up a bust.

By chance, however, another member of the Order of the Phoenix was snooping around the British Museum and saw a posting on a lecture by Dr. Natalie Greene on the olifactory senses of carnivorous dinosaurs and remembered the name from eavesdropping on a lecture from Molly Weasley to her son. Admittedly, Professor Severus Snape informed Bill, it wasn't hard to do, considering Molly had been shouting at the top of her lungs. Bill had agreed and grudgingly thanked Professor Snape for the information. Unperturbed at the idea of having done a Weasley a good turn, Snape had departed to do whatever it was former dark wizards did on an afternoon off from noisy students.

Bill, refraining from telling Charlie, or any other Weasley, what he was up to, headed for the British Museum, paid the small entry fee to the lecture and made himself comfortable. The lecture, while not exactly scintillating to Bill's way of thinking, was interesting and he had to admit Charlie had good taste in women. Dr. Natalie Greene was a very attractive woman; intelligent as well, considering the topic of her lecture.

After the lecture, Bill summoned his nerve and approached her, waiting patiently as she answered questions from various students and other attendees. He lost her in the crowd, but caught sight of her as she headed out the door. Changing his mind about confronting her in the museum, it would be too public for such a personal topic, Bill opted to follow her home and confront her there. It was his hope that the entire thing was just a huge misunderstanding, easily rectified with a nice long chat.

Nat was oblivious to her red-haired stalker, though she'd noticed the man in the lecture hall. Anyone with red hair made her stomach lurch lately and the man listening to her speech had a slight resemblance to Charlie Weasley. A short bus ride from the museum to her large flat consisted of her staring morosely out the window at the greying sky. It looked like snow.

She failed to notice her tag-along as she marched up the steps of her building and pushed the key into the lock. "Dr. Greene?" She turned toward the voice and came face to face with the roguishly handsome redhead from her lecture.

"Yes?" she answered warily, key still in the lock.

"My name is Bill Weasley. My brother is Charlie Weasley? May I speak to you in private? I think there may have been a misunderstanding between the two of you and I'd like to see it resolved." Bill Weasley spoke with confidence and assurance. For a moment, Nat knew a glimmer of hope but she squashed it ruthlessly.

"I'm afraid there was no misunderstanding, Mr. Weasley," she began.

"Bill," he corrected with a very familiar grin.

Nat ignored him. "Your brother was quite clear on his feelings and I intend to respect them. I suggest you do the same."

Bill seemed undeterred. "What if I told you that he thought you were the one who lacked feelings for him?"

Nat turned to face Charlie's brother. That hope she had squashed came back with a triumphant thump of her heart. "I left a note in my tent in Romania, Mr. Weasley, that quite clearly explained what I was doing and my feelings for him. Apparently it wasn't sufficient." She turned away but was stopped when Bill replied.

"He found your telephone but not a note. He said that you were glad to be rid of him. I believe he quoted you as saying that you were ready to be done with the whole photograph situation and couldn't wait for the whole thing to be over."

"Well?" demanded Nat in exassperation. "Wasn't he glad to have the damned situation resolved? He didn't lose his job, did he?" she asked in sudden worry.

Bill suppressed a triumphant grin. She still cared, no matter how much she thought she'd been wronged. "No, he's still gainfully employed but looking for a position closer to home. Seems Romania doesn't agree with him so much anymore." Nat pursed her lips. "I tried, Dr. Greene. You are both miserable as can be, but apparently you don't want to become unmiserable, so I'll leave you to your ridiculous self-imposed and pointless misery. Good day." He nodded briskly to her and walked away, counting to ten as he did so. He got to seven before she called him back.

"Fine, Mr. Weasley. Tell him I want my phone back. Is he in England?"

"He is," affirmed Bill, not turning around.

"Tell him to come here at three o'clock tomorrow afternoon to return my phone."

Bill gave her a cat-ate-the-canary grin over his shoulder. "I'll do that."

"You did WHAT?"

Bill grinned.

"She told you to tell me WHAT?"

Bill only shrugged this time but still continued to grin.

"Well she'll get her damned telephone back if she needs it so badly!" raged Charlie.

Bill remained silent but the rest of the Weasley clan was watching Charlie in wide-eyed astonishment. Charlie rarely lost his temper to this degree and it was always a sight to warily behold.

"Oh and she told me that you should have been glad that the whole situation was over with as well and was quite puzzled when she thought you weren't relieved you were no longer in jeopardy with your job about the photographs."

That icing on the cake made Charlie speechless for about three minutes, long enough for the family to clear the kitchen area and batten down the hatches for the next explosion.

Bill smirked as he hurried outside with the twins. Sometimes being big brother was more fun than was legal.