Ch 12: An Old World Part III

Evan McKally awoke very late one afternoon; it was nearly four o'clock, exactly one week after meeting the mysterious Charlotte Rove in the bar. Evan had yet to go back to see her, though he was unsure why. It was in his blood to never be scared, so fear couldn't be the problem. Or could it? Maybe he was afraid, for something about Charlotte had mesmerized him. Maybe he didn't want to put himself in the position to be weak, helpless, powerless. Deep down Evan knew there was a reason he had met her, but so far he was in denial.

"Young Master Malfoy, sir, Merry is being sent to retrieve you, sir. There is a people here to see you, Young Master." The terrified House elf squeaked out.

"Who's here?" He inquired.

"Please forgive Merry, Young Master, for Merry is not knowing his name. He is only saying he is wanting words with you."

"Fine, tell him I'll be done in five minuets." The boy, whom Merry the house-elf had called Young Master Malfoy, stretched out headed over to the bathroom. Five minuets later, when he stepped into the glorious sitting room in which the guest was seated, Malfoy found himself being confronted by the Minister of Magic.

"Scrimgeour, wonderful," he greeted with a sarcastic tone. "And to what to I owe this… pleasure?"

"No need for rudeness boy. You know very well why I have come."

"The Malfoy name is through the mud, what more could the wizarding world want?"

"You say that like there are two equal worlds."

"You say that like there's not."

"I…well…you hate muggles. Malfoy's hate muggles."

"My father hated muggles, Scrimgeour."

"And that's enough of a reason to suspect you do."

"What are you doing here, Minister?" He had to change the subject. Draco Malfoy was superior to muggles, and hated them with a burning passion. He had found only Charlotte Rove to be an exception.

"You had not attended your last year of Hogwarts. Many ministry members are against allowing you to do magic outside school…" Draco Malfoy gazed over at him with a bored expression. Without realizing it, Draco cut Rufus Scrimgeour off, "I am seventeen. Being of age means you are qualified to do magic whenever you please. It is true I have only had six years of school, but if I'm not mistaken so have a certain pair of redheaded twins."

"I...umm…well…" Draco smirked, the seemingly lost Malfoy trademark smirk returning to his lips; he loved making Scrimgeour nervous. "And I don't think they got their wands confiscated," Draco continued. "But because I am Lucius Malfoy's son, I am to be suspected of dark, evil things, and should be locked away in Azkaban. The many ministry members which you referred to don't want the possibility of another dark lord rising… another Vooll-deh-more-tt." Draco tried to remain cool in saying his name, but it was difficult to spit out those syllables. "Don't fret now, for I've been a good boy. But maybe that's what's got you worried. But I can promise to you on my fathers grave… or maybe on Potter's shall we say, that I am not going to become the worlds second Vold…emort." Draco smirked again, this time it was more natural. One more try and he would be able to fully say his name.

"Don't you dare say his name boy. And you have absolutely no right to bring up Harry Potter and his death. You… it's…"

"Scrimgeour, listen to me, I'm not going to pull a Voldemort. So if that's all, I have other matters, to attend to, so if this is all-"

"Other matters, hmm like what you stupid, ungrateful boy? As Minister I demand you tell me."

"Well since you must know, there's a girl waiting for me in muggle London., and I personally would hate to keep her waiting. Good day, Minister." Draco Malfoy left the room in a hasty huff, and went back to his own. He got ready in an instant, for he was in fact going to go find Charlotte Rove in the midst of muggle London. "It's because of people like you, Rufus Scrimgeour," Draco whispered to minister that was embedded in his mind. "That I am denying my name. They don't call me Draco Malfoy anymore. No, no. Now I go by Evan. Evan McKally. And I am hopelessly in love with a muggle by the name of Charlotte Rove." And with a pop, nothing was left in the room but memories.

Charlotte Rove sat fidgeting in Mister O'Neil's office. Mister O'Neil was the owner of the bar Charlotte had been working at for the last month, but in all that time, never had she been called into his office. She felt like a nervous schoolgirl awaiting discipline from an overly strict professor.

"Miss Rove, I am very please with how quickly you've caught on. In fact, I have an opening in the waitress field. The tips generally aren't as good but your wage would be higher. Are you, by any chance, interested?"

Charlotte smiled at the opportunity, but it quickly faded. She loved something about bartending, maybe it was the simplicity that had replaced her once complicated life, or the interactions she had with her costumers. Whatever it was, Charlotte wasn't so sure she wanted to give it up to become a waitress? "Thank you, Mister O'Neil for that gracious offer, but truth be told, I am quite happy where I am. If you would be so kind, I would like a few days to get back to you."

Mister O'Neil nodded and returned to his work. Charlotte Rove left his office and clocked in. She took up her place behind the bar. It took only a moment before she saw him.

"Charlotte Rove," He said

"Evan McKally," was her response.

"You remembered me."

"Naturally."

"I'm flattered."

"Don't be."

"So Miss Beautiful, Angelic Charlotte Rove, what would you say if I were to ask you to accompany me to dinner?"

"I'd say what are you on?" Charlotte replied in a flat, emotionless tone. Evan noticed she hadn't even looked up from her the drink she was making, but he stared at her all the same.

"Err, nothing. I don't really understand what's happening to me. I can't get you off my mind. You're all I think about. You're all I care about. You gave me a reason to stay in London. I think you're what I've been looking for, Amazing, Magnificent Miss Charlotte Rove. I can't help but think you're an angel sent down from the heavens. I'm lost, a hopeless case, but somehow you're giving me hope. I don't know how or why, but I can breathe again since meeting you. You have to, Wonderful Miss Rove--"

"I don't have to do anything," She cut in, her eyes still not adverting from the counter and the drinks atop it.

"No you don't have to do anything for me," Evan corrected. "But how about for yourself. I'll be back in a week, my darling angel who has come below her world. That will be plenty of time for you to convince yourself that you want to go. When I come back, I'll have the details planned out. But if that wasn't enough time for you, my dear angel, then I'll have the most magnificent counter argument to convince you to go out with me." Evan McKally pushed himself up and walked out, not looking back for anything.

Charlotte watched him leave. Only one thing was running through her mind, 'So he had felt it too.'

It was one in the morning when Charlotte Rove got home. To her surprise, she saw her roommate sitting crossed-legged on the couch. Her hair was skewed and thick black marks could be seen under her slightly crooked glasses.

"Ryan, what's wrong?" Charlotte inquired.

"I just got a phone call, from my eldest sister. I don't think I've ever mention I'm the youngest of two girls and three boys. Being the youngest always meant being left out, and I had always been okay with that, for my family and I never saw eye to eye. But Nina called to say she was coming up to London next week and asked if she could sleep her for a few days. Actually she wanted to know if her and her husband could stay here." Ryan paused, her beautiful hazel eyes locking with Charlotte's rich brown ones. "I was never invited to a wedding and was never told that Nina had a husband. Then she says it will only be the two of them, they're leaving the kids with Corey, the youngest boy in my family, and his wife and his children. They're all living their lives without me. I'm nothing to them. And more than that, I have no hope of ever getting married. The one I'm meant to be with has already left my life."

"How did you know he was the one?" Charlotte asked before she could stop herself.

"You just know these things, Charlotte. He was everything to me, we had been together for about 2 and a half years. He was a year ahead of me in school, and when he graduated, he got a job in Scotland. Once I had graduated he asked me to join him, to give up everything and move there with him. I hesitated too long, and he left. I couldn't find him. Drake Lyfoma, I lost him, and I can't get him back!" Charlotte sat down next to Ryan and gave her hug. Just as she was about to pull away, she felt Ryan hug back. They sat there, the two of them, for nearly an hour, Ryan crying on Charlotte's shoulder, neither saying a word.

Suddenly Charlotte began wondering if what she was doing was right, running from her family and the few friends she had left. The final battle between good and evil had been brutal, and the way she saw it both sides had lost. Maybe I should go back, Charlotte thought. What about Ryan, though? I don't know if I can leave her, her life is in pieces at the moment and I'm the only one she has to help her. But it's not like I have anyone to help me.

It was three thirty in the morning when Charlotte finally curled under the covers. Just as she about to fall asleep, while she was in the state between awake and asleep, Charlotte realized she did have someone to help her. That someone went by the name Evan McKally. Ryan had said it herself "You just know these things" and Charlotte just knew that Evan could help her, was going to help her. That is if she didn't get scared and run again, like she had done to her family, the Ginny, to Weasely and everyone else she had known in the wizarding world.

Charlotte fell asleep that night, so thoroughly confused that no one would have believed her to have once been perfect, book-worm, top of everything Hermione Granger. I guess everyone has a side of them that's so different then what we think, then we expected, then we… Charlotte couldn't finish her though because she drifted to sleep after a very long day.

Leniera's eyes shot opened. After a quick glance around, she snapped the book shut. "Okay," She said aloud. "I know who Charlotte Rove is, I know who Evan McKally is, but I don't know who Ryan Hartlen is. Maybe she can help me."

A/n: Please Review. Thanks.
xxo Sera Evlin Thinly