Little Memories

“…as if it wasn’t enough that he completely interrupted us, he made us practice for hours before anyone else got there,” Charlotte said to Ginny as they walked to their Care of Magical Creatures class across the school ground. Through the past few weeks, they had grown remarkably close, much to the surprise of their classmates, who viewed them as mortal enemies. That, in turn, meant that Charlotte was also friends with Luna and Neville, only further surprising their classmates.

“Ugh,” Ginny replied, pulling a face as she shook her head in disdain, “I can’t believe him.” The redhead scrunched up her nose, looking over at Charlotte as they carefully walked down the steep hill to Hagrid’s Hut. “You know, I bet he’s just jealous that you and Nott get along so well, but he and Daphne are constantly at each other’s throats.” Charlotte sighed as she pulled her woolen cloak tighter around her body. The weather had chilled completely and the student body knew it’d only be a matter of time before they saw the first snowfall of the school year.

“Don’t get me started on that bitch,” Charlotte grumbled, inciting a sharp bout of laughter from Ginny that she almost immediately joined in. Soon, they found themselves in front of Hagrid’s Hut, hearing Fang’s deep, baying bark from within its walls. “Then again, it seems like they’re made for each other,” Charlotte added and they began laughing again. Ginny forced her laugh a bit though, because just weeks earlier she had said the same about Charlotte and Draco.

Hagrid emerged from the woods and greeted the former enemies warmly before excusing himself to his home for a few moments. Charlotte glanced over her shoulder for a moment, seeing that students were walking through the grounds to join them, but none of them were in hearing distance. This would be the perfect opportunity for Charlotte to ask Ginny something that needed to be as secret as it could be. She turned back to the girl in question and gauged her expression for a moment before asking,

“Would you be able to meet me in the library with Neville and Luna this afternoon, during our free period?” Ginny’s brow furrowed slightly as she looked over at Charlotte. She hadn’t the slightest clue what she could ask the three of them, but by the tone and edge in Charlotte’s voice, she knew it was something serious.

“Sure,” she said reluctantly, “but why?” Charlotte turned to Ginny and knew she had a right to be suspicious. She glanced over her shoulder once more and looked back at Ginny, staring her directly in the eye.

“I have…important matters to discuss with the three of you,” she whispered secretively, as the students continued to near Hagrid’s Hut. This only further confused Ginny and her expression plainly showed it. The youngest Weasley stared at Charlotte for a moment, evaluating if she could truly trust the Death Eater before nodding slowly.

“Okay, I’ll see if I can get them to come along,” she said as Hagrid reemerged from his hut and called the students around so they could begin their lesson, which was to be entirely devoted to Bowtruckles.

Charlotte sat in the darkest corner of the library, farthest away from the more popular sections. She stared down nervously at her clasped hands, thinking through everything she needed to say and the best way to word it to convince them. Nervousness was beginning to build up within her chest, one that she hadn’t felt in the longest time. The intensity of it only grew as she heard three familiar voices talking quietly as they walked closer to where Charlotte sat.

Neville rounded the corner first, wearing a half-curious, half-confused expression. He was followed by Luna, who appeared to be as spacey as ever. Ginny was the last to turn the corner as she wasn’t even looking at Charlotte, but cautiously over her shoulder.

“Oh, there you are,” Neville said once he finally spotted her. He immediately sat at the table Charlotte had found, placing his book bag on the floor beside his feet.

“Hello, Charlie,” Luna chimed as she sat beside Neville. Ginny shot Charlotte a look before pulling out her wand and gave in a silent wave. Charlotte guessed she was putting a few precautionary enchantments on the space they were in. At least Ginny, as confused as she may have been, understood that what they were about to discuss was to be kept as secret as it could be. She pocketed her wand and sat down next to Luna, facing Charlotte.

“So, what did you want us here for?” She asked, cutting to the chase. Charlotte gave the three of them a small, nervous smile before clearing her throat and looking down at the dusty surface of the table. Pushing back a wayward curl behind her ear, she closed her eyes and let out a heavy sigh.

“I really hope what I’m about to tell you doesn’t change the opinion of our friendships,” she said once she had finally opened her eyes and looked at the three of them. Ginny’s expression immediately turned skeptical and harsh.

“Get to the point, Charlotte,” she snapped, “we haven’t got all day for this.” Charlotte shot Ginny a look, her lips tensing irritably for a moment before her expression relaxed.

“Headmaster Snape approached me earlier in the year with something that Dumbledore requested that I do,” she said softly and quickly, obviously not wanting them to wait anymore and confident with her words. “First, I was to befriend the three of you, which was only made easier by Harry telling you, Ginny, of what I had done last summer for him.” Luna and Neville were watching Charlotte intently, by Ginny still didn’t look convinced. “I know exactly what Harry needs to defeat Lord Voldemort and I know exactly where it us. It was something that was rightfully willed to Harry, but it hasn’t been put in his possession yet, against Dumbledore’s wishes.”

“Where do we come into play?” Ginny asked, cutting her eyes suspiciously as Charlotte. She drew in a deep breath of air, staring hard at Ginny. She got that she didn’t trust her completely because of what she was.

“I’ve already let one Horcrux slip to Harry. It would be my head if it appeared I let the one thing that could destroy them all go,” she said honestly. Luna’s eyes widened dramatically at the mention of the word “Horcrux”, but Neville and Ginny looked a bit confused. Charlotte took note of their expressions and quickly explained. “Lord Voldemort split his soul and placed them into seven artifacts and scattered them so he’d live forever. It’s why he didn’t truly die when he attacked Harry in his home when he was a baby. If Harry, Ron, and Hermione can find and destroy these artifacts, it would mean that he would no longer be invincible.” A look of realization dawned over Neville’s face and he stared at Charlotte in awe. Ginny, however, was not going to easily be swayed.

“How do we know what you gave Harry was the real thing or not?” Ginny asked, still feeling very skeptical about this entire thing. Charlotte’s eyes grew sad and her hand reached up and loosed her tie, unbuttoning a few first buttons of her oxford afterwards. She yanked the fabric down to show the harsh, ugly lines and scars that marred her neck, some of them looking as fresh as they did the day she got them.

“Last year, it was my duty to watch over the locket of Salazar Slytherin as a birthday present from him,” she said in a low voice as Luna let out an audible gasp at the horrible looking scars on her neck. Neville’s eyes widened and he shook his head slowly, compassion flooding his features. “If what I say to you is false, Ginny,” she continued, staring fearlessly into her eyes, “and that a piece of his soul hadn’t inhabited the necklace, why is it that I knew when ever one of his emotions peaked and the metal scorched against my skin?” Ginny stared at the scars in awe, letting the situation slowly sink in. It became very apparent that Charlotte was telling the truth, but one thing didn’t line up correctly in Ginny’s mind. Charlotte quickly redid the buttons and straightened her tie, hiding the scars from plain sight once more.

“If Dumbledore wanted us to find this Horcrux, why didn’t he just leave if for the three of us to do? If this is so dangerous for you, why not leave you out?” Ginny asked softly, shaking her head. She knew she was being stubborn, but she had little faith in words that people spoke. Charlotte pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and closed her eyes.

“I knew Professor Dumbledore a lot more than anyone would believe,” she said softly, “and I knew him well enough not to question his reasoning. There’s a reason he put me in charge of this task, even if we don’t know exactly why.” Neville remained still for sometime before giving a sharp nod to Charlotte, grinning broadly.

“I’m in,” he said, a courageous twinkle in his eye that Charlotte had never seen before. Luna nodded in agreement, her dreamy expression as brave as she could manage for it to be. Charlotte gave the two of them a warm smile before turning to Ginny. All Charlotte’s fretting, nervousness, and work would have been futile and the plans Albus Dumbledore set for her would crumble if Ginny were not to agree. Finally, after a few long moments, Ginny sighed, a look of resignation falling across her features.

“I’m doing this for Harry, alright,” she explained before asked, “what will we need to do?”

The four spent the rest of their free period discussing plans and how things would be. Their little spot in the back of the library was quiet and secluded enough that they didn’t worry much about others listening in as they made these very secret and dangerous plans considering a very important artifact. They only realized they needed to leave when the bells rang to let them know that the school day was over. Hastily, they gathered their things and left the library in a group.

Just as Charlotte was about to walk down to the dungeons to place her books in her room, Ginny stopped her by gently catching the back of her arm. The redhead looked unusually apologetic and Charlotte immediately gave her undivided attention to her. In the short time that she had really gotten to know Ginny, she knew that she never apologized for anything.

“It’s hard to trust others sometimes when you’re connected to…certain people, like I am,” she began slowly. “I hope you don’t take it too personally.” Charlotte quickly shook her head in reply, managing a smile for Ginny.

“No, not at all,” she said, “I understand the feeling, believe it or not.” Ginny merely nodded, not even wanting to fathom the things Charlotte had seen and what she had been through.

“Look,” Ginny said, “what you said was right. If they find out that you helped us find something to help destroy…” She let her voice die off, giving Charlotte a very poignant look. “They’d probably kill you or someone close to you. So, if we are caught, blame everything on me and merely make them think you were trying to stop us.” Charlotte’s brow wrinkled and she shook her head.

“I can’t let you do that for me,” she said stubbornly. Ginny’s expression grew serious as she stared at Charlotte.

“What’s the worst they could do to me? The same things the Carrow’s make other students do in detention?” Ginny asked. Charlotte shook her head, biting at the inside of her cheek. “What they would do to you would be far worse and I’d hate to have that on my conscience.” Charlotte merely nodded her head indifferently, not looking at Ginny.

“We’ll figure it out if it comes to that, alright?” She said softly, seeming satisfied with her lack of a straightforward answer.

“Fine,” Ginny replied, knowing that Charlotte wasn’t going to give her an answer anytime soon. “See you later, then.”

“Yeah, see you,” Charlotte replied softly, seemingly a bit distracted at the two girls turned and went their separate ways.