The Panopticon of Idiosyncratic Ideas

When Charlie returned to The Burrow a couple hours later, he immediately retreated to his room, ignoring his parents' questions about where he'd been. He pushed past his trunk and the piles of boxes scattered across the floor of his bedroom, placing the stuffed dragon on top of his equally cluttered desk. Suddenly feeling exhausted, Charlie collapsed on his bed.

Finally time to make a decision, he thought to himself, shifting onto his back to stare at the ceiling, as if the stippled white whirls and squiggles of the plaster held the ultimate answer to his predicament. But just like Mrs. Tonks, they did not. Charlie glanced at the dragon on his desk and took a deep breath.

There were definitely pros to working at the dragon sanctuary in Wales. Being closer to his family was the big one. He'd forgotten how much he missed them when in Romania. Right now, he could owl Bill or Percy on a whim and grab a pint at The Leaky Cauldron with them whenever they fancied. If another threat came, Charlie could work more directly with the Order of the Phoenix. Additionally, Mum and Dad would be thrilled to let him live at The Burrow until he could either find a flat to rent or buy a house himself. He would also be safer at the Welsh sanctuary, since Common Welsh Greens were less dangerous than the dragons in Romania. For as much grief as he gave his parents for stifling his freedoms, he knew a lot of their behavior was a result of them worrying about him.

But there were also cons to remaining in Britain. It was only a matter of time before he grew frustrated with his parents' incessant need to opine on his lifestyle, and Charlie couldn't guarantee that he wouldn't end up quitting his job and going back to Romania anyway. Staying in Britain meant that he'd likely never see Paul or his other colleagues in Romania again. There would be no more walks through quaint Romanian towns, no relaxing on the hills to admire the scenic countryside. He would have to be content to relive those in his memories. The itch to travel the world would remain unscratched, and the hunger to work with more dangerous dragons would remain unsated. That prospect filled him with dread.

Charlie stared at the yellow dragon. What was he more afraid of? Losing the people he loved without saying goodbye? Or losing opportunities to follow his heart's desire, seeking thrills and excitement wherever he went? Which choice held less regret?