Do You Believe in Magic? A Gossip Girl Novel

Chapter 4: A Boy`s Best Friend Is His Mother, Or In C `s Case, His Worst Enemy

Disclaimer: I do not claim to own Harry Potter or Gossip Girl

Feeling the sun on his bare back and the wind rushing through his sandy blonde hair, Charlie Findley felt the tension leave him for the first time in hours. He gripped the handle of his Firebolt Gold Edition tighter, pushing the broomstick even faster as he climbed up, high above the Quidditch Pitch. Finally he levelled the broom and simply sat, fifty feet off the ground, looking out across the rolling hills of family land that belonged to his best friend Earl Kennedy.

He just sat there, his mind drifting, until his reverie was broken by a shout from below.

``Charlie! What are you playing at? Get your arse down here!`` bellowed Earl from the ground.

``Oh Fuck off!`` responded Charlie playfully as he turned his broom into a dive towards the ground.

He swooped down, plummeting towards the ground at a speed that would terrify most, but Charlie pulled out of the dive effortlessly and landed, perfectly, beside the tall, dark-haired boy that was waiting for him.

``And Hunter always says you need more practice.`` Earl scoffed, tossing a Quaffle in Charlie`s direction.

"I know. Stuck up bitch," Charlie muttered as he swung his leg back over his broom and pushed off till he was hovering about ten feet in the air, where Earl joined him seconds later.

"Come on Charlie- she`s not that bad, she`s just your captain," said Earl, catching the Quaffle that Charlie lobbed in his direction.

"Sure," laughed Charlie, "you try having a Banshee for a Qudditch captain and tell me how it goes."

"Come on! We`ve hung out loads of times- she`s one of Ori`s best friends, and she`s not all that bad!"

"Off the pitch maybe," Charlie said, rolling his eyes as the two boys continued throwing the Quaffle back and forth, "but your captain is Winston- he`s not at all like what we Gryffindors are bloody well stuck with!"

"Calm down man- she must be doing something right `cause you guys haven`t lost since she became captain in our third year!"

"I guess, but I also haven`t had fun since then either!"

"Of course- so you`re telling me that last year`s Quidditch Final after party where you totally shagged Mellissa Bryan was absolutely no fun whatsoever?"

"Just shut up about that Earl!"

"Right- cause you know that the Quaffle will definitely be sure to report that to Oribel!"

"I know, I know… I just really couldn't deal if she found out about that."

"What- cause you're so bloody in love with her that it would absolutely kill you if she broke up with you! It might very well break your heart!" Earl mocked, feigning a swoon off his broom.

Charlie scowled and chucked the Quaffle with vigour in the direction of his best friend's head, who tried to duck the Quaffle, but, not being as quick, still got a sound hit to the shoulder.

"Fuck man!" Earl moaned, rubbing his shoulder.

Charlie just laughed.

"No Earl, my heart wouldn't break, but my mother's probably would."

"She still at it then?"

"Yup, and worse than ever. She's even got Dad convinced now."

Kelly Findley was the most obnoxious gold-digger turned social-ladder-climber of the wizarding elite. The only thing that ever shocked Charlie about his mother was that she was completely ignorant to the fact that everyone knew what she was up to. Kelley Findley was a bitch and a pain in the ass to every member of the elite class who continually had to suck up to her husband, Mr. Findley, who had a great deal of political power with the Minister. It was the prayer of every middle-aged witch that Minister Speck would pass out of favour so that Mr. Findley could be brushed into social oblivion and along with him his awful wife.

Mrs. Findley was one of the most beautiful witches her age, and therefore was one of the most- sought after bachelorette during her stay at Hogwarts. Away from the influence of their proper parents, many a wizard, coming from extremely wealthy and influential families, fell under her charm despite her lack of money.

Now when she realized the attraction boys felt towards her, she set her sights high, perhaps too high, and in the end, after a series of messy broken engagements (usually as a result of disapproving parents), the only man (at least the only rich and semi-powerful man) that would have her was Mr. Findley. Mr. Findley came from a long line of rich and powerful politicians, although with his limited intelligence and motivation, he was no great draw for Ms. Kelly Pritchare, who wanted a husband who had as much class as he had money (and the Findley family money was great indeed).

Needless to say, although she was content with his fortune, she never ceased to look for ways to elevate their position in the wizarding world, not wanting to rest her standing amongst her upper-class peers solely in her husband's semi-capable hands. So she would stop at nothing, and use anyone, including her son, as a way at accessing a more secure and stable placement in the world she so desperately clung to.

"You're kidding!"

"Nope, and you'll never guess what mother and father gave me at lunch today."

"What, the talk? 'Cause I think it's a little too late for that."

"No, seriously Earl, this is worse than ever. They gave me this." Charlie said, pulling out a small box from his pockets and throwing it to Earl with a grimace.

Earl took one look at the contents of the box before he started howling with laughter.

Charlie scowled, and swooped by on his broom to pluck it out of his hands, tucking it roughly (yet carefully) away in his pant pocket.

"An engagement ring? She seriously went out and bought you an engagement ring to give to Ori, or rather with which to propose to Oribel Riley?"

"It gets worse." He muttered forlornly.

"How can it get worse than that?"

"Well first of all there's the fact that it is a family heirloom, which in of itself is a big deal. Then there is the fact that she wants me to do it by Christmas. And finally, and worst of all I really don't have any reason to say no."

"I have a reason- you're only bloody seventeen year s old, not to mention the fact that she's only sixteen!"

"Her birthday is in a couple of months!"

"Still, won't her parents be against this?"

"Apparently not. My mother had the so called tact to go over there and discuss our possible union and it seems like Mr. Riley thinks it's a 'grand' idea, and Mrs. Riley is ever so excited to marry off her youngest child. I guess the old Findley name and money is enough for them, because isn't that all they care about?"

"Well at least there is one thing that might save you."

"What?" groaned Charlie.

"Oribel might say no!"

"Ori-say no? There's no way. She's been brought up to say yes- yes to the perfect groom, yes to the perfect house, yes to the perfect children, yes to the perfect fucking life!"

"Well can't you just say no?"

"I could, but at the end of the day what excuse do I have? She's gorgeous, loaded and doesn't ask too many questions- why turn that down, you know? It's not like I wasn't planning on marrying her- that's not the issue- I just thought it would be a lot later, you know."

"Well it's not exactly weird to get married once you're of age- a lot of people do! And look at it this way- now we can have an absolutely killer bachelor party, because what she doesn't know won't hurt her!"

Earl said, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"You said that about Melissa too."

"Yes I did, because you and Ori weren't even really together when you shagged her. And I also told you that it wouldn't hurt Ori not to know about Erin or Sam either. And look- she's as happy as ever!"

"The way you put that makes me sound like a really terrible person." Charlie said, fiddling with a splinter on his broom handle.

"Look- you're a guy and if she's not going to give you any then you have a right. Besides you think she doesn't have an agenda for being with you? You think that being Charlie Findley's girlfriend of almost a year doesn't bring her any benefits whatsoever?"

"I guess so." Said Charlie, visibly perking up thanks to his best friend's sound logic.

"Exactly! Now get your head out of your arse and play!"

With that, Earl took off towards one end of the pitch with the Quaffle under his arm and with Charlie, laughing, in hot pursuit, easily leaving his troubles behind him.

Careful not to slip boys; it's a long way to fall.

A/N:

Hey!

I just got back to school so it's been a long two weeks, therefore the delay (sorry!)!

But I'm back with this chapter which isn't totally amazing, but you should be getting another chapter veryvery shortly, so hopefully that'll make up.

Before you say it: I know Charlie and Earl are pretty much horrible people; which is pretty much true, and they really aren't going to get better, but trust, what goes around…

Thanks so much for reading- I would totally appreciate any feedback you might have.

Xxoo

Hannah