But oh mama, ain't you gonna miss your best friend now?
You're gonna have to find yourself
Another best friend, somehow.
From the song, "Down in the Flood," by Bob Dylan
Chapter 26: The Letters
Charlie dropped his toast, marmalade side down, as he stared at the letter in his other hand. He was suddenly wide awake at breakfast that morning of his seventh year at Hogwarts. His friend Brody noticed his change of mood and the letter in his hand just as the owl who delivered it took off.
"It's from the dragon reserve," said Charlie.
"Open it," said Brody.
Charlie swallowed hard and started to open it slowly. This was too much for Brody, so he grabbed it from Charlie and ripped it open. Charlie leaned over to look at his purloined letter.
"You got the position!" shouted Brody. Charlie took the letter back from his sandy-haired friend, hardly daring to believe.
"Yes!" he shouted as he thrust it up into the air. Several Gryffindors looked over.
At his next opportunity, Charlie dashed off a note to Madeline.
M,
I've applied and was accepted at a dragon reserve in Romania. It sounds like a paradise. The dragon keepers live in an all wizarding village hidden in the Carpathian Mountains. I'm afraid I'll have to leave just a couple of days after I get back from school, but Wow! What an opportunity.
Charlie
Madeline's heart sank to her belly after she read the note from Charlie. She crumpled it in her hand and dropped it in the waste bin. In a moment she had her jacket slung over her shoulder and she was half way out the door.
"Where are you going?" asked Alastor.
"Out." The door slapped and soon her Banshee was heard wheeling away.