"Of course I love you," the flower said to him. "It is my fault that you have not known it all the while."

From The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Chapter 28: A New Beginning

Charlie's mind was about a million light years away when he nearly collided with another wizard outside the door of his new home in Romania.

"Oh, is this you?" he said indicating the number on the door. The other, a short, round young man looked at the parchment in his hand.

"Cabin 3C. Yeah, that's me," he answered.

"Me too. I guess we're room mates." Charlie held out his hand. "Charlie Weasley."

"Nottingham Goyle," said the other as they shook hands. "Friends call me Nod. Good to meet you, Charlie."

They went inside and dropped their luggage.

"They don't give us much room, do they?" said Nod. The cabin was a tiny house in a row of houses all joined together. There was one room for eating, sleeping, and sitting. Plus there was a bathroom. Every novice dragon keeper was guaranteed a cabin just like it.

"It's great," said Charlie, exhilarated to have a place of his own, even if it meant sharing with a stranger.

"You graduate recently?" asked Nod.

"Yeah, just graduated," said Charlie. There wasn't any need to say which school. Both were Brits, therefore it was assumed both had attended Hogwarts.

"Two years out for me," said Nod.

"Oh yeah? Then you were in my brother, Bill's, class."

"Bill Weasley, eh?" He rummaged around in his memories, then burst out cackling. "Gryffindore! Ha! Here's to rivalry mate." He extended his hand and Charlie shook it gingerly. "I'm Slytherin." He laughed again and slapped Charlie on the arm. "Hello, you've to quite an arm there. Solid as a rock, mate." Charlie gave an uncomfortable half smile. "Here, I don't wanna get into a fight with you without me wand handy, eh?" said Nod.

Charlie smirked and chuckled as he began unpacking. He laid out a bundle of brochures on the table that would serve as both desk and dining room. Nod thumbed through them.

"Are you taking the Romanian class?" asked Charlie.

"No," answered Nod.

"Well, we are in Romania," said Charlie.

"It's an international organization. There's probably a dozen nationalities here. You gonna learn all their languages?" said Nod.

"Well, no," admitted Charlie.

"Who do you think forked over the money to set this place up? We did. They should learn English, besides, we're the superpower here," said Nod.

Charlie just shook his head with an incredulous laugh. Yes, he thought, Noddingham was a true Slytherin. Charlie unpacked a picture of Madeline posing on her motorcycle.

"Who's the bird?" asked Nod.

"She is..."Charlie hesitated, "...was my girlfriend."

"She break it off with you?"

"I don't know. She seemed pretty through with me when we parted," Charlie said sadly.

"Don't let it get you down. There are plenty of girls here," said Nod.

"No one like Madeline," Charlie said quietly.

The following morning, to Charlie's surprise, Madeline's owl, Medard, delivered a letter to him.

Dearest Charlie,

I'm so dreadfully sorry I ruined your party and even more sorry that we parted on such a sour note. I behaved very badly and beg your forgiveness. Please think well of me in Romania.

M

And so the two continued to correspond often after that, though they each felt broken. Both went on thinking that the other was no longer in love and each one was resigned to being merely friends. Charlie threw himself into work and Madeline went through several crumby jobs and even crumbier boyfriends.