I do not own Harry Potter. Charlotte Potter and Scarlet Ezra are my OCs.

Dementor Be Gone

Ron refused to speak a word to Hermione and Charlie was getting tired of making sure she was not talking to one more than the other. The tense atmosphere was difficult to miss and Snape became increasingly irritated by the redhead's behaviour. He cornered the teen in the guest room one morning, radiating displeasure, and Ron eyed him warily.

"Sir?"

"I find the cause of your anger towards Miss Granger to be extremely asinine."

Ron's shoulders stiffened. "It's a stupid reason. Why would Black send Charlie a broomstick that nice?"

"Because, Mr. Weasley, Black has no morals or ethics, and petty theft is child's play compared to the travesty he committed," said Snape frostily. "His failure in finding Miss Potter during his first attempt may have caused him to change tactics. Miss Granger was correct in bringing the Firebolt to my attention. You have no idea of the lengths Black will go to kill Miss Potter. It is immature to be angry with her over the loss of a broomstick when it may well save her life."

Ron turned bright red. "Yes, sir."

"Breakfast is ready. Collect your friends."

Snape departed and Ron shuffled to the room the girls were staying in. He knocked on the door and opened it when Charlie called for him to come in. "Time for breakfast," he mumbled. He glanced at Hermione, who moved rigidly in his presence. "I guess it was good that you told Snape about the Firebolt."

This caught Hermione's attention and her posture relaxed slightly. "You guess?" she repeated with a frown.

"Ron was really looking forward to seeing me thrown fifty feet in the air," deadpanned Charlie.

Ron snorted. "Yeah, right."

"Just think," continued Charlie. "If the Firebolt is cursed and I don't get it back, Gryffindor might have a chance at winning the Quidditch Cup."

"Funny!" he retorted.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Honestly, you two."

They grinned at each other, their tiff forgotten, and Charlie didn't have to be the buffer for the rest of the holidays, much to her relief. Snape brought them back to Hogwarts the day everyone else was due to arrive. Before they could depart from Snape's office, he said with a note of severity in his tone, "To prevent any annoying inquiries and speculations, you will keep the events of your holidays quiet."

"Yes, sir," said Charlie, with her friends following suit.

Snape inclined his head. "Very well. You were oddly well behaved these past two weeks. I expect that conduct to continue."

They nodded their assent and filed out of the office, trunks clunking behind them. "Why doesn't he want us to tell others where we've been?" wondered Charlie in bewilderment.

"Probably doesn't want his Snakes to know he let a Lion in his house," said Ron with a roll of his eyes. "Mind you, I don't want anyone finding out I spent the holidays with Snape. I'll never hear the end of it."

"Harry should be here soon," spoke Hermione, glancing at her watch. "Do you want to meet outside once we put our things away?"

"Sure," said Charlie.

"We're going to tell Harry where we were, right?" asked Ron.

"Uh, sure, but don't mention it to Professor Snape," muttered Charlie.

Charlie and Hermione went to Ravenclaw Tower to drop their trunks off in their dorms. Charlie rubbed Snowy's back when she came over to her. "Hey, Snowy. Sorry to leave you behind. I'm not entirely sure Professor Snape would have appreciated pets in his home."

"Ron brought his," pointed out Hermione, slightly bitter.

"Yeah, but Scabbers did not leave his pocket," said Charlie patiently. "It was probably for the best. Ron needs to keep an eye on him. He really does look very ill."

Hermione hesitated. "Yes, I suppose so." She knelt down to rub Crookshanks' cheeks vigorously. "I'm sorry you had to be cooped up in here," she cooed. "I'll let you out into the castle later, when mean old Ron is in his common room."

They pulled on their winter hats, scarves and gloves and went to leave. Charlie kept her gaze on Crookshanks, who stalked behind them. She had to force the ginger cat back behind the door before it could fully shut.

They left the Tower and went through the corridors and stepped outside, the frigid January wind batting at their exposed skin. Ron joined them a few minutes later and they lounged on the stone steps, waiting for Harry's arrival. Soon there was a flood of students swarming up to the castle, making trails in the snow with their feet and trunks.

"There he is!" Hermione cried out suddenly, waving her arms in the air as Harry and Remus pushed their way through the crowd.

"Hey, guys!" said Harry cheerfully.

"Hi, Harry!" Charlie said, wrapping him in a hug.

"How was your Christmas?" asked Hermione, embracing him when Charlie let go.

"It was great!"

"We had a lovely holiday," agreed Remus, sending Harry a warm smile. "But I think he was more excited to get back to you lot than he was on Christmas morning."

"Only slightly more excited," said Harry with a grin.

"I'll leave you alone, then. See you soon, pup."

Remus went into the castle. Ron clapped Harry on the back before helping him lug his trunk up the rest of the steps. "You won't believe where we spent our Christmas."

Harry raised a brow. "Try me."

Ron peered around before leaning close and saying in a whisper, "Snape's."

"No!" said Harry in horror. "Why?"

"We were the only students in the castle and for some reason they didn't trust us to be unsupervised for most of the day," replied Charlie.

"I can't imagine why," said Harry dryly. "That must have been horrible."

"It wasn't," admitted Ron. "Bloke has something against colour, though."

"That sounds about right. Merlin, I'm glad I went with Uncle Remus."

Hermione tilted her head curiously. "You mentioned last year he gives you a Glamour Potion over the holidays."

"Well, I didn't know it was a Glamour Potion until last year, but yeah."

"I wonder if there's a spell that can cancel a Glamour momentarily."

"I'm sure there's something," said Harry slowly. "But I don't think that's a good idea."

"We'd do it somewhere private, of course," she said with growing excitement. "Don't you want to see what you really look like?"

"Well, yeah, but—"

"Let's go!" said Hermione determinedly.

It was a mark of their friendship that they immediately knew what Hermione meant. The bushy-haired girl strode off, leaving her friends to stare after her with a mix of amusement and dismay. "Library?" asked Ron with a sigh.

"Yup," said Charlie. "We'll see you there, Harry."

"But I just got here!" Harry protested as Charlie dragged Ron away. "Merlin."

He reluctantly went to his dorm, spending a few moments greeting his fellow Hufflepuffs and exchanging small talk about their respective vacations. He set his trunk by his bed before going to the library. His friends were stationed at their usual table, a pile of books surrounding them.

"You work fast, Hermione," said Harry in bafflement, settling in a thick wooden chair beside Charlie.

"I already knew where the books were located," said Hermione airily. "Here, you take this pile."

With a resigned sigh and exchanging a glum look with Ron, Harry cracked open his first book. Twenty minutes into their research a purple-polished hand fell beside Charlie's elbow and the raven-haired girl glanced up.

"Hey, Scarlet. How was your Christmas?"

"Very nice, thanks. Yours?"

"It was great," said Charlie sincerely.

"I don't suppose you got a broomstick for Christmas," said Scarlet with a grin.

It was meant to be a joke, so she didn't expect Charlie to say hesitantly, "Well, kind of. Someone sent me a Firebolt."

"A Firebolt!" shrieked Scarlet. She hastily clapped a hand over her mouth and peeked over her shoulder, but Pince was not descending upon her. "No way! This is awesome!"

"I don't have the Firebolt right now," Charlie admitted with a wince. "Since the sender was unknown, it was thought that it might have come from, uh, Sirius Black."

Scarlet was dumbfounded. "Why in Merlin's name would Sirius Black send you a Firebolt?"

"He wants to kill me," said Charlie bluntly, as there was really no other way to deliver the news. "Because I defeated You-Know-Who. The professors think Black might have jinxed the broom, so it was confiscated."

She avoided mentioning Snape was the one who took it and Hermione was the one who reported it. Hermione sent her a grateful look for her tact.

"Oh," said Scarlet awkwardly. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," said Charlie with a smile. "Trust me, I wish I had it as much as you do. But I have to wait for Professor Flitwick's verdict."

"I hope he's quick about it," said Scarlet anxiously. "There's no point in you buying one if there's a chance you'll get to keep the Firebolt. Wait until I tell Tommy. He's going to be so jealous!"

She hurried off and Charlie returned to her book. Maybe Scarlet will pester Professor Flitwick about it, and he'll be so annoyed he'll just give me the Firebolt back and Professor Dumbledore can save me if I happen to be thrown a hundred feet into the air.

On second thought, she really needed to get her priorities in order.

"I've found it!" Hermione said excitedly. "Listen to this. A Glamour is cast for various reasons, the most common being for simple vanity. However, some cast Glamours in order to evade the law. In such cases, if a person is under suspicion of casting a Glamour for illegal purposes, there is a spell that can be used to reveal their true form. By uttering Glamour Cancellius and tapping the person's nose, the concealment will disappear for a period of time, determined by the strength of the Glamour that has been cast."

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Ron exclaimed.

"What if the Glamour doesn't come back?" asked Harry.

"It'll come back," said Hermione confidently. "Like the book said, it'll just take some time."

"What do you think, Harry? You up for this?" asked Charlie.

"Oh, all right," he conceded. "But where are we going to do it?"

"Where everything should be done if you want total privacy," said Hermione matter-of-factly.

Harry pulled a face. "I am not doing this in front of Moaning Myrtle."

"We'll make sure she's not there," assured Charlie.

They put their books away and went to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. Charlie eased open the door and peeked inside. She could not hear Myrtle's usual sounds of distress, so she crept further in and looked into all the stalls. "We're clear!" she called.

Her friends wandered in and Harry positioned himself by the mirror. "Okay, go ahead," said Harry, nervousness coursing through him.

Hermione held out her wand. "Glamour Cancellius!" she said strongly, tapping Harry's nose.

They watched in awe as Harry's brown eyes morphed to a bright green. His complexion turned a few shades paler and his neat brunette hair started to curl and change to black. His mouth fell open as he stared at his reflection, foreign eyes wide.

"Hey, Harry Potter," breathed Charlie.

"Wow," said Harry softly.

"Yeah, you guys are definitely twins," said Ron with a laugh.

"What do you think?" asked Hermione.

"This is…so strange. I don't look like me, but I guess I've never really been me." Harry carted his fingers through his raven hair.

"You're a spitting image of Dad," said Charlie quietly.

"Thanks, Charlie." Harry beamed, tears springing to his eyes. "This is pretty cool. It's nice to know that I really do share traits with Mum and Dad without the Glamour."

"When do you think the Glamour will reappear?" asked Ron.

"I expect the potion Remus gives Harry is very strong, so it shouldn't take too long for him to change back."

"Good, because I cannot stay in here all day," said Harry feelingly. "If Myrtle catches me she'll blab it all over the school. That would be—"

He cut himself off as giggles erupted from the other side of the bathroom door. Hermione gasped softly and Charlie practically lunged for the door, slamming her body against it. Ron hastened by her side and they used their combined weight to prevent anyone from coming in.

"Hey!" snapped Cho Chang. "What's going on?"

Hermione and Harry frantically joined them in blocking the door. "Is it locked?" asked Marietta Edgecombe in confusion.

"Alohomora!" called Cho.

When that didn't work, the two rammed the door and Charlie was nearly taken off her feet. Ron braced his shoulder against the wood and pushed with all his might.

"Ugh! We'll just have to find another bathroom," said Cho in irritation, giving the door one more useless shove.

"What is going on here?"

McGonagall's voice caused Ron to turn stark white. Charlie backed away from the door and dove into a stall. "Dobby!" she hissed.

"Hello—"

Charlie clamped a hand over his mouth. "Shh," she whispered. "Dobby, I need you to bring me my Invisibility Cloak. Don't let anyone see you."

"Yes, Miss," said Dobby in a hushed voice.

He vanished and Charlie poked her head around the stall. Her friends had their upper bodies pressed against the door while their legs strained against the tiles, trying to use the leverage to their advantage. "Who is responsible for this?" McGonagall demanded, knowing immediately that the blockage was not the result of Myrtle. "Peeves! If you're in there—"

Dobby returned and thrust the Invisibility Cloak into Charlie's hands. "Thank you!" she said softly.

"Does Miss want Dobby to take Charlotte Potter and friends to safety?" asked Dobby lowly.

"Can you—oh my gosh, yes. Come with me."

She hurried over to Harry and flung the Cloak over his body. "Take us somewhere private," she hissed.

Dobby seized Charlie and Hermione's hands while Ron and Harry latched onto the girls. They Disapparated onto the castle grounds, tumbling against the snow. Ron was breathing hard, clutching his chest. "Oh, Merlin. That was terrifying," he croaked.

Hermione was hunched over, retching into the snow. "Sorry," gasped Charlie, holding a hand to her twisting stomach. "Sorry. Apparating and Disapparating is terrible."

"This Cloak isn't warm," said Harry with a violent shiver.

Though his body wasn't visible Charlie could pinpoint where his voice was coming from. "It's meant to keep you hidden, not give you warmth." She got to her feet and brushed the snow from her robes. "Thank you, Dobby. You totally saved us."

"Miss is welcome," said Dobby. He tilted his head to the side and asked in confusion, "But what was Miss doing?"

"Nothing of great importance," said Charlie with a sheepish smile. "You better get inside where its warm. We'll walk in ourselves."

The four trudged through the snow and entered the castle, hands and faces red from the cold. Harry hugged the Cloak tight to his body. "Are you normal yet?" asked Ron.

"No. I'm still as pale as Charlie."

"It's not from lack of sun, trust me," said Charlie feelingly.

"What am I supposed to do under an Invisibility Cloak?" demanded Harry.

Ron brightened. "Want to come up to my room and play chess? We'll keep the hangings closed so no one can see you move the pieces from under the Cloak."

Hermione frowned sharply. "How is that a good idea?"

"It's about as much of a risk as taking off my Glamour in Myrtle's bathroom," retorted Harry.

"Just be careful," warned Hermione.

The two Ravenclaws walked them all the way to Gryffindor Tower. Charlie raised a brow at the sight of Sir Cadogan. "The Fat Lady hasn't come back yet?"

"No," said Ron with a scowl. "And this nutter is the only portrait that would take the job. It's awful. He switches passwords every few hours."

"Halt! Who goes there?" demanded Sir Cadogan, waving his sword.

"It's me!" said Ron in irritation. "You see me several times a day!"

"How's it going, Sir Cadogan?" asked Charlie politely.

"You will identify yourself immediately!"

"Charlotte Potter." Charlie jerked her thumb towards Hermione. "And Hermione Granger."

"Charlotte Potter!" the knight exclaimed. "It is an honour to meet a brave warrior such as yourself!"

"Er, I wouldn't call myself a warrior, but thank you."

"Whizzing wallaby walnuts," said Ron impatiently.

"That is incorrect!"

Ron raised his fist and Hermione had to restrain him from slamming it against the frame. "That was the password this morning, you absolute—"

The portrait swung open and they all jumped back. Percy regarded them with suspicion. "What are you lot up to?"

"I'm trying to get inside," said Ron. "Is the Fat Lady coming back or not?"

"Not," said Percy shortly. "Not that I blame her." His gaze slid to Charlie and he said pompously, "You know I can't let you in—"

"I know," said Charlie quickly. "We were just walking Ron here. We're going back to our common room now."

"I'll escort you." Percy stepped aside so Ron could climb through the hole and Charlie could only assume that Harry followed silently after him.

"All right. Thanks."

When they were in the safety of their dorms, Charlie sat on the edge of her bed and set Snowy in her lap. "That didn't go too horribly."

"I suppose not," said Hermione. "How are you going to get your Cloak back?"

"Harry will smuggle it to me eventually. I really hope he's back to normal before classes tomorrow, or else he's going to have to think of a really great excuse."

…

Harry was brunette and brown-eyed when Charlie saw him at breakfast. He gave her back her Invisibility Cloak in the Entrance Hall and she shoved it into her bag. In the fleeting excitement of getting a Firebolt and the chaos to prevent Harry's exposure as a Potter Charlie had forgotten about the Anti-Dementor lesson Remus was going to give her. Her memory was jolted when he spoke to her at the end of Defense Against the Dark Arts and arranged to meet her in the History of Magic room that evening.

Her anxiety spiked at the thought of encountering a Dementor but she was determined to overcome her fears. She entered the classroom on time and stared at the large pack that sat on Binns' desk. "I suppose that's housing a Boggart."

"You are correct," said Remus with a smile. "There seems to be a slight infestation in this school and I managed to find another one."

Charlie figured a Boggart would be her target, as she suspected bringing a Dementor inside the school would be both frowned upon and a rather impossible feat. Dementors didn't seem like they were capable of bargaining or having conversations.

"The key to banishing a Dementor is the Patronus Charm, as I've mentioned before. The incantation is Expecto patronum. Your Patronus will be unique to you and a representation of your spirit. The happier your thoughts, the stronger your Patronus will be. I want to stress, Charlie, that this really is advanced magic. You shouldn't worry if you're unable to get it right."

"I'll do my best."

"All right. Do a practice one for me."

Charlie closed her eyes and focussed on the first happy memory that came to mind—catching her first Golden Snitch. "Expecto patronum!"

A silvery mist erupted from the end of her wand. Remus nodded in approval. "Good job. Here we go."

He opened the pack and a Dementor immediately flew out. Charlie pointed her wand and started the spell, but choked halfway through it when a frigid sensation washed over her. A haze entered her mind and she started to shake.

"Please! Leave Charlotte alone! Not my baby!"

"Move aside, woman! Or you'll meet the same fate!"

"No! Charlotte!"

"Charlie!"

Charlie's eyes shot open and she gasped, sweat matting her brow. She was flat on the floor and she got to her feet, her hands braced against a desk as her legs felt like jelly. "I'm okay," she panted. "I'm okay. Can we go again?"

"Eat this first."

She accepted the chocolate he offered her and munched on it. She was feeling a bit sturdier when she finished and she said, with more strength to her voice, "Okay. I'm ready."

Charlie took a deep breath and prepared herself. Remus lifted the lid of his suitcase and the Dementor rose out once again. Charlie managed to choke out the spell before she succumbed to the darkness. She crumpled as her father's voice roared through her mind, clear as a bell.

"You-Know-Who is here! Take Charlie upstairs! I'll try to hold him off!"

"James—"

"Go, Lily! Now!"

Something tapped the side of her face firmly and Charlie stirred, gasping for air as the classroom came back into focus. Remus stared at her with worry. "I think we should stop."

"My dad," she said between gulping breaths. Her heart pounded madly in her chest and she could feel tears trailing down her cheeks. "I heard my dad. It's the first time I've ever—he was trying to protect us."

He called me Charlie. It wasn't a nickname I gave myself. He gave it to me.

Remus gripped Charlie's arm and helped her to her feet. His expression was stricken. "You heard your father this time?"

"Yeah." Charlie rubbed the moisture off her face. Her breathing evened out and exhaustion set in her bones.

Remus handed Charlie some more chocolate. He watched her intently, at the haunted glaze of her eyes and the way her fingers trembled. His heart wrenched and his hatred for Sirius increased a hundredfold. He would never understand why Sirius betrayed their brotherhood. But he had, and the two most affected by the tragedy was the thirteen-year-old girl in front of him, and Harry, who had been forced to grow up without his sister.

"That's enough, Charlie."

She whirled around and Remus was started by the fire that blazed in her green eyes. "Please, let me try one more time."

"One more time," said Remus firmly.

When the Dementor rose out of the suitcase, Charlie's entire body trembled. But she stayed upright, thrust her wand towards the creature and shouted, "Expecto patronum!"

A cloud of silver mist erupted from her wand and Remus quickly banished the Boggart, forcing it out of its Dementor form. Charlie sunk to her knees and after Remus made sure the Boggart was contained, he gave her the rest of the chocolate bar.

"You did very well," he said softly.

"Thanks. But I think I can do better." She looked at him pleadingly. "Can we keep doing this?"

Even though the Dementor made her relive the worst moment of her life time and time again, she was determined to keep confronting it. James' spirit and Lily's drive shone within her and Remus swallowed passed the lump of emotion in his throat.

"If you're sure, Charlie, yes we can. We'll keep this a running appointment. Same time, same day, same place."

"Thank you," said Charlie with a weak smile.

No matter what she had to endure, she would master the Patronus Charm. She would not let fear get the best of her.

That, she knew, was what Voldemort would want. She wouldn't give him what he wanted. Not ever.

...

Charlie had so much to think about that sometimes she forgot to dwell on certain things. The Dementors were once more on the forefront of her mind and as such she didn't give too much thought to her Firebolt. She jumped when Scarlet practically collapsed beside her at breakfast a few days later, a scowl on her features.

"Professor Flitwick is still working on your broomstick. I tried to convince him if he hadn't found anything yet, he probably won't find anything at all. Black doesn't seem the type to be meticulous with his cursing."

"I'm guessing Professor Flitwick didn't agree," said Charlie in slight amusement.

"No! He threatened to give me detention if I kept nagging him about it! Honestly, how does he expect us to win if our Seeker doesn't have a broom?"

"I think I should be offended that you don't think I'm going to win the match against Gryffindor on a school broom."

"Well, our chances would be much better if you had your bloody Firebolt," said Scarlet sourly. "I guess we'll see what you can do on an outdated broom. We have practice tomorrow before breakfast."

"Sounds good."

"Hey, ask Professor Flitwick about your broomstick. Maybe he'll be more inclined to hand it over if its owner asks about it."

Charlie was glad Scarlet moved on without waiting for a response. The last thing she wanted was detention and she figured Flitwick would not hesitate to give her one if she dared to inquire about her broom after he consistently turned away Scarlet. She finished her breakfast and went to her common room, where she found Hermione in the same spot she had left her. The bushy-haired girl was sitting behind a stack of books, piles of parchment near her.

"Aren't you hungry?" asked Charlie.

"No."

Charlie stared at the girl's overflowing bookbag. She didn't understand how Hermione could possibly be taking all the classes at once and she and the others had given up trying to get the answer out of her. "Hermione, perhaps you should drop a few subjects."

"I couldn't do that!" Hermione cried. "I've been doing so well so far!"

"All right," said Charlie dubiously. "Don't stress yourself out too much. I'm going to review my Transfiguration essay and start on Potions."

In the spare time they had between classes, the two girls would review Ron's notes for Hagrid's hearing. His parents had received the official notice that he was expected to appear and Ron refused to leave a single detail out. Hermione, Harry and Charlie shared the task of crafting notes for Hagrid and filled him in on their progress before each Care of Magical Creatures lesson.

As the weeks wore on, Charlie continued her Anti-Dementor lessons. She had stopped fainting and was consistently able to produce a silvery mist. She couldn't help but feel that she wasn't making further progress but Remus disagreed. To celebrate what he thought was fantastic work, he brought out two ice-cold Butterbeers at the end of their lesson.

"Thanks," said Charlie brightly, sitting across from him and sipping the frothy drink.

"You've more than earned it, Charlie. I'm impressed. Most people would not have been able to withstand a Dementor's presence as long as you have."

"I just want to prove to myself that I can beat them," said Charlie, making shapes in the condensation of her glass. "I mean, if I let myself fear them forever, what good will that do me?"

"You're wise," said Remus softly. "So much like your mother."

"Were you friends with her, when you were in school?"

"Not in the beginning, no. We became close in our later years in Hogwarts."

There was a great rattling sound as the Boggart bounced around its case. Charlie glanced at it, picturing the black cloak and the rotting body parts. "Does anyone know what's under the hood of a Dementor?"

"No. If someone gets close enough to see beneath a Dementor's hood, then they are no longer with us."

Charlie's eyes widened. "Dementors kill?"

"Depends on your viewpoint," said Remus carefully. "They give what is called the Kiss. The Kiss takes away the soul of witches and wizards deserving of the punishment."

"How do you live without a soul?" whispered Charlie.

"You don't. You become a husk. You lead a meaningless existence. You have no feelings, no thoughts and no memoires."

"Is…is Black going to get the Kiss?"

"He is." Remus' face was blank.

"That's…that's horrible."

This was the last thing Remus expected the girl to say. He stared at her expression, which was stricken and horrified. "You don't think he deserves it?"

"I don't think anyone does," said Charlie, frowning into her drink. "I know he killed all those people. But…taking his soul is as good as death. How does that make us better than him?"

She knew he was the reason her parents were dead. But she could not and would not wish such a fate upon him. She didn't have the anger nor the hatred for it, and perhaps that made her weak.

"You are perhaps the most fascinating person I have ever met, Charlie."

Remus' voice sounded a bit strange and Charlie had a few guesses as to why. "I suppose I'm not quite normal," she said with a small smile.

She drained her Butterbeer and Remus, as he always did after one of their sessions, escorted her back to Ravenclaw Tower. On the way they encountered Flitwick, who was visibly relieved to see the girl. "There you are, Miss Potter!" he exclaimed. "I've been looking for you."

"I kept her a bit later than normal, Professor," said Remus apologetically. "She has been doing remarkable in our lessons and I thought we should have a bit of a celebration."

"That's wonderful," said Flitwick with a proud smile. "My timing is apt, then. This will give you further reason to celebrate, I'm sure."

He brandished the Firebolt and Charlie gasped. She seized it and ran her fingers along the handle, joy welling within her. "No way. It's properly mine?"

"Indeed it is," said Flitwick. "I inspected every inch of that broom. There are no jinxes or hexes. Please inform Miss Ezra you have gotten it back. Perhaps now she'll stop staking out my office door and ambushing me."

"Thank you so much!"

"I look forward to its debut game against the Gryffindors. Good night, Miss Potter, Professor Lupin."

"Good night, Professor!"

Remus watched delight gleam in her eyes, her smile threatening to split her face in two. He was tremendously grateful to whoever sent the girl the luxurious broomstick. She deserved to be spoiled, and he only wished he was able be the one doing the spoiling.

"Someone out there must really like you, Charlie."

"I guess so," said Charlie happily. "I'll use it well. I hope they come forward one day. I really want to thank them."

Remus brought her to the Tower and didn't leave until the door closed behind her. Charlie climbed up the spiral steps, clutching the Firebolt to her chest.

Scarlet and the others are going to flip when they see this!