WIND
...
..
.

"Play nice."

"I will."

"You're not in work. She's not in school."

"I know. I just hope she does."

"Apparently you're a mean teacher."

"Maybe," the woman's voice laughed. "But at least I'm a good one."

"I bet you are," Richard laughed, too. "You and I both know you're good at... other things."

Charlotte made a fake retching noise as she and Theodore stood on the stairs in her home, eavesdropping into her father's conversation with Mademoiselle Wood, who had come for dinner that day. Neither teen was very eager to see the woman, but they'd said yes for Richard's sake, and for his sake only.

"I'll go and get them," Richard said, after laughing and they heard his footsteps heading their way. Charlotte gave her brother and panicked look, but he simply prodded her forwards, forcing her to walk down the steps. So all Richard saw was two teenagers walking down the stairs. "Ah, kids. There you are. Gretel's just in the dining room."

"Do I call her that?" Charlotte asked, nochalantly, and her father chuckled.

"Well, you can hardly call her Mademoiselle, can you?" he laughed and she smiled sarcastically, before turning to Theodore and rolling her eyes as he did the same. "Come on."

"Maybe she won't be that bad," he said, as Richard turned away from them and disappeared into the dining room. "If he likes her. But... Never mind."

"But she'll never compare?" Charlotte offered, and Theodore nodded. She took his hand and squeezed it gently. "I know. Marilyn was a mother to me too."

And with that, the two of them dropped their hands and entered the dining room. Gretel looked almost entirely different to how she usually did when Charlotte saw her in school. Her scarlet hair was let down and curled away from her face, her makeup slightly more obvious as her lips and cheeks were tinted rouge. Her work outfit was replaced with an emerald crocheted blouse and raven jeans.

And she smiled. The expression seemed foreign on her face as she stood to greet them both. She approached Theodore first.

"You must be Theodore," said Gretel, extending her arms and he shook her hand, confirming her observation. "I've heard so much about you. I'm Gretel Wood."

"Pleased to meet you Gretel," he said, politely and there was a moment of silence when the lady turned to face Charlotte. She stood awkwardly, waiting for a que to speak but didn't quite get the chance.

"Mademoiselle," Charlotte said, blankly, shooting her father a look and both Gretel and Richard laughed awkwardly.

"Call me Gretel, please," she replied, quickly. "Things are different outside of school."

"Well, I certainly hope so," said Richard. "Let's eat, shall we?"

The family and Gretel all settled at the table of four, Theodore and Charlotte opposite each other, Richard in his usual chair at one end of the round table and his girlfriend filling the usually empty seat. Richard had bought this table nine years ago, when the old table for two would not fit four and when Marilyn Nott would sit in the seat opposite Charlotte's father. Theodore seemed to notice this, as he glanced at Charlotte with a quirked eyebrow. She raised one in return.

"So, Theodore," Gretel said after the general conversation of serving food was over. "Is there a name you prefer? I know Charlotte is generally called by her full name-" Charlotte interrupted to note that this only applied in school. "-right, sorry, Charlotte. Anyway, is there a name you prefer, Theodore? Theo, maybe?"

"Just Theodore, is fine," Theodore cringed, and Charlotte bit back a laugh.

"Theo is reserved for Zara, correct?" Richard laughed, reaching over to ruffle Theodore's hair. He pushed his hand away. Richard turned back to Gretel to fill her in. "Zara's his girlfriend."

"Honestly, don't," Theodore smiled, a pink tint rushing up his neck, as Gretel giggled happily. It seemed everybody was smiling, besides Charlotte.

"How are your holidays going, Charlotte?" Gretel asked and she looked up from her casserole with a playful smile.

"Pretty good," she smiled, sweetly. "Except, I do have a bunch of homework, particularly from my French teacher."

"Charlie," Richard warned, but Gretel just waved her hand with a smile.

"Well, sometimes teachers have to give you a lot of work," she said. "I don't think it's that teacher specifically."

"No, it is," Charlotte shrugged. "She's the only one who thinks it's acceptable to be cold hearted during Christmas."

There was a silence as Gretel sucked her teeth, looking away from Charlotte and down at the table. Theodore shook his head slowly at Charlotte as if to say shouldn't have done that and Richard-

"Charlotte Cardleman," her father snapped, and everyone was taken aback as he stood from his seat. "Come with me. Now."

Charlotte rolled her eyes, and followed him out of the room and into the corridor, shutting the door behind them. "What?"

"Everybody is trying," Richard said in a low voice. "Everybody apart from you."

"You can't expect me to like her if I don't," Charlotte said, rolling her eyes.

"Enough with that attitude," he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Don't you even care?"

"Of course I do."

"Well, it doesn't seem like it!"

"Okay, fine: I don't care about her! I don't care about homework! I don't care about the fancy casserole and table decorations!" Charlotte's heart was racing in her chest as she whispered loudly. "I care about you, Dad! I care about the fact that, that woman isn't right for you, and nothing will change that!"

"Not even the fact that I very much believe she is?"

"Not even that."

Richard inhaled through his nose, closed his eyes and spoke in an extremely calm voice. "Come finish your casserole."

"No thank you," she said, reaching over to the coat hanger where her jacket and scarf lay, and slipped on ballet pumps. "I don't feel comfortable eating beef while looking at a cow."

"Where d'you think you're going?"

"To see Flynn."

"Don't you think he's busy?" Richard tried. "Looking after his sister or something."

Charlotte couldn't deny that this was true. Her friend's mother had recently flown out to Germany for business, and she was sure he would be busy looking after the young Lyra O'Riley.

"I'll go see Harry then," Charlotte said.

"Fine," Richard said. "Just remember those rules."

"I will."

~

"Is anybody else in?" Charlotte asked her boyfriend as she walked into Harry's bedroom, stomach bubbling as she closed the door behind her.

"No. The twins are out, and Sirius is working," he said, taking a glance at the door, with some anticipation as he raised an eyebrow. "I'm guessing dinner didn't go well."

"It went terribly," she sighed. "I was so rude. I don't even know where it came from."

"Oh, Lottie," he murmured, and it wasn't patronising, instead it was comforting. The sound of his voice saying her name, the look in his eyes, and his open arms that welcomed her.

She walked into them, and he held her as she expressed her complicated feelings. Expressed how she wanted nothing more than her father's happiness, how different it was when Gretel had sat in Marilyn's chair- especially since she hadn't yet healed from the terrible news. She told him how she'd felt excluded from the family that she'd been a part of for years.

"So, what do you need?" Harry asked, his chin resting on her crown as his arms held her close.

"I need a breath," she replied. And Harry delivered, sharing oxygen with a gentle kiss.

"You need a friend," he said after pulling away and she nodded. "You've got me."

"For two more days. Then you'll have to go away," Charlotte said, hopelessness weighing down her heart. They both took a deep breath, in synchronisation with one another.

"Only for four months," he muttered. "It'll fly by."

"It'll drag."

"Have you ever thought about coming up to Hogsmeade?" Harry asked, jokingly.

"We wouldn't get the day to ourselves," she laughed. "I do love them, but Zara and Theodore would take up some time..."

"What are you thinking?" He smiled.

"I'm thinking... nobody would have  to know," Charlotte smiled. "I could come up on a Friday- February break, maybe? Stay for the weekend."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, why not?" She giggled. "You're always down here, time I went up there. I trust there's an inn? Book me a room and I'll give you the money."

"Never mind the money, it's on me," he said.

"You're not splashing cash on me when I have some," she said letting herself fall on the bed with a laugh, pulling him down with her. He laughed too, the draught from the window fanning her face as he leaned down to kiss her once more, causing her stomach to somersault.

"Can I stay here the night before you leave?" Charlotte asked, quietly. "Just to sleep."

"I'd love that," Harry smiled, before joining their lips again.

...
..
.

Hi everyone! I'm so sorry for the late update! My mother's gone away for while, so it's just me and my dad looking after my sister until she's back, so I haven't had much time what with school, helping out with more chores and that sort of thing.

But how are you? I hope you're doing well, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Qotd: update me on/tell me about your life! I'd love to know.
Aotd: I talk about myself far too much in the A/N's, this is your time to shine.

-Amber.