Lottie Morgan decided to visit her Uncle Andrew and his family at Wonka's Chocolate Factory. Little did she know that she was about to enter a magical, delectable world and capture the heart of the sweetest of men.

"All that is gold does not glitter; not all those that wander are lost."

J. R. R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring, 1954

Based on the 2005 Tim Burton film, starring Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka.

Her journey almost done, Lottie slid the book into her bag and looked out the window. She rubbed her right wrist gingerly; her carpal tunnel was flaring up again. Typing! All she ever did was type. She looked her fingernails, wishing he would have painted them before she left home.

"'Xcuse me, 'xcuse me!" Lottie looked own and saw a little cherubic boy of four tugged at her pant leg.

"Oh, hello there!" she bent down and smiled at the adorable little munchkin.

"'Xcuse me, but you're standing on my sleeve."

"Oh, so sorry," she said, smiling down at him. "I might point out that you're lying under my seat."

"Are you really going to the factory?" he timidly asked her, with wide, expectant eyes. Lottie felt distinctly like one of Santa's elves.

"I am," she replied. She was reminded of her little baby cat, Miss Kitty. She looked the same way sometimes as this little one here. How adorable!

The little boy continued to look up at her in wonder.

"Come, David, we're holding up the line," said his mother. "Sorry about that, ma'am," said the mother, leading the little boy away.

Lottie sighed. Ma'am again. She was not having a good day at all.

She grabbed her suitcase and descended the train platform. As she passed, she noticed a huge advertisement on the platform for Wonka's Nutty Crunch Surprise candy bars.

Lottie peered up ahead at the ticket office and spotted them: Uncle Andy, Charlie, Charlie's Grandpa Joe, and…

"Grandpa George! You're… here!"

"Of course, I'm here, where else should I be?" George sat there in a wheelchair, but his eyes were bright and sharp.

"I missed you, grandpa!" She gave him a kiss on the cheek and hugged the old man.

"How's my favorite granddaughter?"

"Isn't she your only granddaughter, George? asked Joe.

George gave Joe a quizzical look.

"Yes I am! How are you doing, Joe?" asked Lottie, giving him a peck on the cheek. She had known the old man for quite a while now.

"I'm fine! You know, Lottie, we live in Mr. Wonka's factory now. I used to work for him, you know, on Cherry Street."

"Yes, I know!" Hi, Uncle Andy!" Lottie said, giving him a hug. "Hi, Lottie! We're glad you could come."

She looked over at Charlie. "Charlie! Look at you!" Lottie went over to him, hugged him and pinched his cheeks. "You're so cute!" She gave him a big kiss on the cheek.

Charlie puffed out his chest, stepped away, and peered around to make sure nobody was watching. He was not at all happy. "Lottie, I am not 'cute'! I'm a chocolatier-in-training!"

"Oh, I see, I see," said Lottie. "So sorry about that," she had to him, but her eyes were sparkling.

"Now, Charlie, be nice to your godmother," said Mr. Bucket admonished him.

Charlie looked up at Lottie, feeling guilty. "Sorry, Lottie," he said, "I'm glad you're here." He gave her a hug and smiled.

"That's okay, Charlie," said Lottie, "Don't worry about it another minute."

They walked along the sidewalk to Uncle Andy's car, with Charlie was pushing Grandpa George along in his wheelchair. Everybody was excitedly telling her all about the factory: about the great glass elevator, the Oompa Loompas, and the chocolate room, where Mr. Wonka had placed their little cottage. When it snowed, they told her, it didn't snow "snow," it snowed powdered sugar.

"Now, Mr. Wonka, he's what you might call an eccentric," said Uncle Andy.

"That's one way to put it," said Grandpa George.

"Now, pops!"

She thought back to how delighted she'd been when her mother had called her last January to tell her the news. Uncle Andy had called her mother about an hour after Charlie had found the ticket, excitedly telling her what happened. Grandpa George had grabbed the phone from Uncle Andy and muttered something about Charlie not "being a dummy," or something like that. And then, when Charlie won the prize: the prize that was coveted by every child around the world!

Lottie sighed, though. Her parents had frequently tried to give the Bucket family money over the years, but Uncle Andy did not approve of charity. Why? They were family, weren't they? Lottie was just so happy that her loved ones looked so pink and healthy and happy now. Another month of her grandparents eating cabbage soup, and she would have forced to kidnap them herself!

Lottie barely realized when they drove through the factory gates. When she looked up and saw the factory up close, she gasped. It seemed to be built in a sort of "industrial gothic" style, if in fact such a style existed: the sort of building that William Wordsworth might have penned about the industrial revolution. Frankly, it almost looked like something out of a Tim Burton movie, she thought to herself.

As she walked up the steps of the side entrance of the factory, he almost shuttered. She had thoughts of Rochester's Thornfield Hall from Jane Eyre dancing though her head. He probably locks up his mad wife in the attic, too, she thought to herself grimly. Should she enter the House of Usher?

She felt a hand on her arm. It was Grandpa George

"Courage, Charlotte!" he told her.

Lottie walked though the side entrance, which was very close to the chocolate room. Suddenly, it didn't seem quite so menacing. When they got to the chocolate room, Lottie exclaimed "oh!" when she saw their little cottage, transported the factory. She was stepping on something that felt soft. She bent down to inspect it.

"Powered sugar!" she exclaimed. "It's snowing powered sugar? Of course it is!" She went inside.

"Oh, Aunt Bucket, how are you?" she said, happily hugging her dear aunt.

"Alright dear! No more cabbage soup!" she said joyfully. "My Charlie's got some meat on his bones, now!"

"Yes," said Lottie, wincing a little.

"Hmm…maybe we can go shopping while you're here, Lottie." said her aunt excitedly, "You have such great taste in clothes, my dear. I want you to help me with my eyeliner…"

"Me?"

"Yes, you, Lottie," her aunt replied firmly. She had always admired her niece's style. "What kind of face powder do you use, Lottie?"

Grandpa George piped up; "She's my pretty little granddaughter, aren't you, sweetie?" Lottie seemed more than a little embarrassed about being fussed over like this.

She nodded to Josephine, and then saw her grandmother.

"Grandma Georgina!" she cried, throwing her arms around the old woman.

"I'm glad for you, dear."

"Glad about what, grandma?"

"Artichokes."

Lottie laughed and hugged her grandmother again. It had been a long time since Grandma Georgina had been lucid enough to even know who Lottie was, but it was nice to hug her just the same.