The journey through the cauldron was shorter this time, but the encounter with the stone floor no less jarring. After ascertaining that Snape and Ron were uninjured, Charlotte stood and looked around. They were in one of Hogwarts' many classrooms, but with a heavy heart she noticed potions equipment scattered about the room, the same potions equipment they had been using. Lying on a window ledge was a black robe; the one Ron had taken off to work on the headache potion. They were still in 1811.
Ron dropped despondently into a chair. "why didn't it work?" he asked, "we did everything exactly the same!"
"It certainly felt the same," Charlotte added, rubbing the sore spot on her back.
"There must be some other variable that we are missing," Snape said, tipping the cauldron right side up.
Charlotte hopped up on a table. "It makes no sense that this combination only produces a gate to 1811."
"Why did it bring us to 1811 in the first place?" Ron wondered.
"Here's an analogy neither of you will get: maybe it's like a computer program - it has to be told where to go. One of the ingredients must have instructed the potion to send us here." both men looked at her blankly
"So you're saying that one of the ingredients has some connection to this time?" Ron furrowed his brow, "Well, it can't be the potion ingredients, because they all belonged to their appropriate time – the betony we just used is from 1811 and the betony back home was from 1997 – same thing for the cauldron." He slammed his fist in to his open palm, "it's got to be the remembrall! It's the only thing it could be!"
Snape looked at the boy in stunned disbelief. Charlotte grinned. "I think you're right, Ron. So we need to find something from 1997. Do you think it has to be glass or metal like the remembrall?"
Severus seemed to have recovered from Ron's unexpected display of intelligence. "Glass is generally a non-reactive material, the metal is a more likely choice as the catalyst."
"So all we need is a metal object from 1997, great," the tone of Ron's voice was not brimming with confidence.
Snape glared at Ron. "If you don't mind, Mr. Weasley. Our first step will be to collect the possessions we had when we arrived here. Then we will go to the library with the hope of finding a spell or potion to date objects."
"Ah, research," muttered Ron, "it's just like being at home."
***
Charlotte surveyed the small piles on the table and made notes on a piece of parchment. "Ron, how did you get so much stuff in your robes?" Indeed, the redhead's pile was quite the largest and contained all manner of items, mostly in the realm of empty candy wrappers and various contraband Weasley Wheezes. "Okay, metal items: 2 pants zippers, a pair of earrings, 15 silver Sickles, one pair cufflinks, 3 house badges. I think we've got enough to experiment with."
"To say the least." Snape eyed the collection of junk with distaste.
"Hey, your pants don't have a zipper, I don't want to hear any complaining from you."
Severus rolled his eyes. "To the library, Professor." With an elaborate bow, Charlotte swept out of the room.
The library was much the same as it had always been, minded by a mousy witch who retired into the shadows upon encountering the intimidating presence of Severus Snape. The trio split up, scouring the shelves for any possible leads. There were a few spells that reminded Charlotte of carbon dating, designed for very old objects and giving an approximate age. They would need something far more precise; Charlotte didn't really relish the idea of showing up in 1994 and having to wait the next three years out. Furthermore, she thought that if people encountered themselves from another time the universe would collapse or something equally awful.
"What if the spell we want hasn't been discovered yet?" Ron asked abruptly.
"Then we will simply have to discover it, Mr. Weasley," Snape answered sharply.
"You know, depending on how long this is going to take, we should probably start thinking about the Winter Ball."
"Why would we want to do that?" Ron wondered.
"For once, we are in agreement, Mr. Weasley."
Charlotte sighed. "Think about it. The Winter Ball is one of the biggest events of the social season. As far as anyone knows, you and I have a ward of marriageable age, it would look most unusual for us not to be in attendance."
"What do you propose we do?" Severus inquired with a resigned air.
"Well, we'll need dress robes and I don't know about you both, but I'm going to need to learn some 19th century dance moves."
After much begging and pleading on Charlotte's part, Severus released them all from library duty the next day so they could watch the final Quidditch match of the season, Gryffindor versus Slytherin. Charlotte couldn't decide whom to root for, whichever team won she was going to have to put up with one of her companions being insufferable.
Watching the teams race around the field, she remarked to no one in particular, "Someday I'm going to have to see a professional Quidditch game."
Ron gaped at her. Clearly he considered one of the privileges of adulthood to be getting to see Quidditch games whenever you wanted. "You've never seen a professional match? Not even a world cup game?"
Charlotte laughed, "Nope. I only learned about Quidditch a year ago, after all!" Ron looked confused. Realizing her slip, she recovered quickly, "I mean, I'm from the States, Quodpot is all most people talk about."
Ron snorted. "Stupid Americans, Quodpot isn't a real sport!" He returned his attention to the game.
She breathed a sigh of relief and mouthed a contrite apology to Snape who was giving her an unpleasant look. Students were not supposed to know the truth about her background, not even a decent one like Ron Weasley.
***
Charlotte woke up one morning to find that three weeks had passed with alarming haste. It was now early December and the Winter Ball was only a week away. It had taken them four days of combing the library and Fitzhugh's personal collection to find a suitable potion to date their objects. The Temps Rengier potion was not a perfect solution by any stretch, but it was the best thing they could find. The potion was brewed with a non-reactive plant from the present time to give it a reference point. When completed, a drop of the potion was placed on the test object. Within moments the object would turn red, the darker the shade, the further from the present time the object was. According to the book, a trained eye could date items to a month by studying the gradations of red. The ingredients for the Temps Rengier were all easy to obtain, thankfully. During their trip to Diagon Alley, Charlotte insisted that they shop for dress robes. She pushed Snape and Ron in the direction of Halsom's Haberdashery, commanding the former to buy something suitable for the latter or suffer the consequences. Charlotte went to Madam Malkin's predecessor, Drecier's Drapery. With the help of Madam Drecier herself, Charlotte selected a robe of thick sapphire blue satin with a shimmering underskirt of silver tulle backed with silk of the same color. It was easily the most beautiful thing she had ever seen and it made a wonderful swooshing sound when she moved. Madam Drecier promised to make the alterations and have it sent to Hogwarts as soon as possible. Charlotte privately hoped that their return to the 20th century could be postponed until after the ball, it would be a crime not to make use of that dress.
The dancing was not as simple as selecting the robe had been. She had checked out Magical Maneuvers from the Hogwarts library, as recommended by Headmaster Torht. Charlotte was enchanted by the book, which projected gold dance charts on the floor and produced the noise of a chamber orchestra out of thin air, but it was hard to learn the partnered dances all alone. She knocked on Snape's door and entered to find the potions master sitting in a fireside armchair engrossed in a book.
"Do you intend to keep that racket up all afternoon?" he asked, marking his place.
Charlotte smiled brightly. "Not necessarily."
Back in the makeshift dance studio, Snape glowered but took Charlotte's proffered hand as the music began. They went through the first few moves effortlessly, but when he was asked to skip, he protested.
"I am not a prancing pony," he declared, "I am a potions master, I do not cavort."
"Very well Severus," Charlotte replied, closing the book.
"This whole thing is ridiculous. We should focus on returning to our own time, not participating in inane social events."
"We're doing everything we can. We've got to wait for the Temps Rengier to finish steeping you know that. For the time being we have to keep up the façade of belonging here, and that includes the inane social events." There was a tapping at her window. Three large barn owls each held a sizeable paper wrapped parcel. Charlotte let them in and put out a dish of water. Once the owls were seen to, she selected the package inscribed 'Mrs. S. Snape' and eagerly ripped it open. She shook out the folds of satin and stood in front of the mirror, robes held against her, rocking to hear the swishing of the fabric. Charlotte turned back to Snape with shining eyes, "Isn't it beautiful?"
Under the sheer joy of her expression, Severus' scowl melted. He joined her at the mirror and examined the garment closely. "It is wholly appropriate," he paused, "and you will look beautiful in it."
Charlotte smiled and stretched up to kiss him. "I will not make you participate in any dances that are beneath your dignity, but you must promise to dance with me once at the ball," she said, once they had parted. "I can't pass up the opportunity to dance the scandalous waltz!"
"I would deny you nothing," he replied, drawing her close again. At her spluttered protest he put a finger on her lips and smiled. "Correction, I would deny you no sensible request. No wife of mine will spend her days locking herself in chests to practice the Alohomora or light herself on fire repeatedly for chance to use her extinguishing spell." Charlotte gave a mock innocent laugh and allowed herself to be kissed thoroughly.
***
"What color would you call that exactly? Brick red? Rose? Red-brown?"
"If I see another shade of red my head is going to explode."
"Then there'd be blood red everywhere!"
"Are you two quite finished?"
Charlotte and Ron stopped sniggering. "Yes sir," they chorused meekly. It was very late and they were all having trouble concentrating. The largest table in the classroom was covered with the results of the Tempus Rengier. The discoloration would only last a few hours, so they decided the best course of action would be to dye all the objects at once and try and put them in some kind of time line. Charlotte and Ron were charged with arranging the objects from light to dark, while Severus dispensed the potion. After several hours of staring at different objects, it became difficult to tell the closer shades apart. They were getting punchy, whereas Snape was getting irritable – a bad combination.
"I can't see straight, I need a break," Charlotte said at last, "I'm going to the kitchens to get a drink." She left before either of them could stop her.
Coming down the hallway, she saw a light on in one of the classrooms. From the doorway Charlotte could see Celeste lost in thought. She tapped tentatively at the doorframe and the younger girl jumped, but on seeing who it was, motioned for Charlotte to come in. The object of Celeste's consideration nearly made Charlotte's heart stop. It was the partially completed portrait that in almost two hundred years time would guard her room. The starry background was completed, leaving a Celeste-sized white space in the middle. The artist had already done the initial sketches of the girl and the outline of her friend waved at her. Charlotte waved back, but felt uncomfortable, like she was seeing Celeste naked.
"What do you think?" the real Celeste asked. "Every headmaster gets at least one picture added to the school's collection. Father wanted to be able to see me every day, even after I've moved away."
"I think it's lovely," Charlotte replied, meaning it. "But is that what's got you staring at yourself in the middle of the night?"
Celeste blushed and shook her head, "No. I was thinking that someday this portrait will see my children, my grandchildren walk through these halls, attend their classes, and learn to be witches and wizards. What things will this picture see? I wonder where it will end up, maybe even guarding a house entrance?" She looked away, "You must think me a very silly girl."
Charlotte suppressed a smile, "Not at all. I'm sure your portrait will have a place of distinction, and get to look down many generations of your family. Maybe you'll even make a few friends."
Celeste nodded. "Thank you Mrs. Snape."
"Please, call me Charlotte. I could really do with a cup of pumpkin juice, would you care to join me?"
"Thank you Charlotte, but I think I'll retire. I have the final fitting for my ball robes early tomorrow, I need my rest." The girls said their goodbyes and Charlotte continued on her way to the kitchens.
***
Tap-tap-tap. "Charlotte, are you ready yet?"
"Almost! Give me a second will you?"
"We have already given you fifteen minutes, I fail to see-" The door opened before Severus could complete his uncharitable sentiment and he was suddenly at a loss for words. She had charmed her hair into an elaborate French twist, with a light fall of ringlets framing her face. The sapphire robes suited her perfectly, draping across her figure below the high waist with only a hint of the silver beneath showing until she moved. Charlotte swept an elegant curtsey and winked at Ron, who stood behind Snape, mouth ajar.
"You look bloody brilliant, Charlotte," the boy exclaimed, going a bit pink around the ears.
"Thank you, so do you." Ron wore a dashing set of russet robes, with a froth of white cravat at the neck. They fit him quite well, and he looked only marginally uncomfortable. "As for you-" she began, turning her attention to Severus. "All black? I should have known." With a small smile, Snape pulled back the edge of his long black robe to reveal a black silk waistcoat, heavy on the silver embroidery. Charlotte grinned stupidly at him. "It's a start, we'll have you up to the primary colors in no time." She linked arms with both men and led them down the hallway. "We'd better get to the ball before I turn back into a scullery maid."