CONFIRMATION
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"What am I supposed to do now?" Charlotte asked her father, with a frown. She was standing beside him in the kitchen, drying and stacking the dishes that he passed to her after he washed them. "I'm probably never going to see her again!"

"Well," Richard Cardleman sighed. "You're going to have to make a new friend."

"Done," Charlotte grinned, thinking of how Flynn's jokes and sarcastic remarks were pretty much all that kept her going for the past months.

"Then, I don't know, Charlie," her father smiled. This was a statement Charlotte had heard a lot from her father. Growing up in a single parent home there was a lot of uncertainty. "I don't know if you can..." "I don't know if we can afford it..." "I don't know if I can make it..."

Their only income came from their café, named Prés De La Mer. Even though the food was not French and naming a café in an inland city "beside the sea" didn't make an awful lot of sense, Richard had grown up in a sea side village, and her mother had French parents. Eighteen year old Richard Cardleman and the late Charlotte Dubost had dreamed of this café for the three years they had spent intimately, and frankly, the café had a sea side experience, in more ways than one.

"I think, perhaps, Zara is just moving on in life," her father told her. "And maybe there's nothing to be done besides see her off."

See her off. That was exactly what she had to do to make sure her suspicions were correct. But she barely knew any of the details of the magical world, knew nothing besides what Marilyn had told her, and that didn't include technicalities such as the time and date students left for Hogwarts.

But she did know how she could find out.

"Well, Dad," Charlotte smiled, kissing her father's cheek. "I'm off."

"Alright," Richard replied, before warning her in vain: "Remember to leave through the back."

She never left through the back. Taking off her chelsea boots and rolling up her jeans, she made her way to the seating area of the cafe and walked towards the door, as sea water sloshed across her ankles. The café was a sea side experience, in more ways than one.

It was magical. Literally- Marilyn Nott had charmed the place years ago, so that sea waves passed through the ground on a loop. Customers thought it was all electronic but she knew it wasn't.

When she reached her home, Charlotte headed straight to the attic, where she uncovered a brass box, carved with images of wands and house elves. She opened it up, and a cloud of purple smoke engulfed her, constricting her windpipe as she gasped for air.

"Password," the soft voice of Marilyn spoke.

"Theodore," Charlotte attempted, to no avail. Her throat closed up more. She thought quickly to all the things her father's lover had cared about. "Okay, okay- magic! Turtledoves!" Her vision was beginning to swim and she could no longer breathe. This was a long shot... "Ri- Richard Cardleman!"

The smoke retreated and Charlotte gripped her throat, choking and gasping for air. She scoffed as she looked through the old photographs of their almost-family and a odd feeling of longing and annoyance overcame her.

How could she have made that the password? she thought. If she really loved him, she would have came back to us.

But she put the thoughts aside as she found what she was looking for. She picked up the read leather bound book titled "An In Depth Guide to the Wizarding World: For Your Muggle Loved Ones", and began her research.

~

"What the actual fuck are you doing here?" Layth Afasy asked as Charlotte approached him, Zara and three teenagers who stood with them

"I came to see you off," Charlotte said, with a grin as she embraced the twins. The other three teens stood awkwardly as she inspected them over Layth's shoulder. The girl was pretty, with thick brown curly hair, and an extremely preppy style.

Next to her stood a lanky ginger boy, and beside him, stood a dark haired guy, with circular glasses and striking green eyes. To say he was attractive was a slight understatement.

"You really shouldn't have come," Zara laughed nervously. "How did you even know we'd be here?"

"I did my research," Charlotte smiled, cheekily. "And I also saw that Draco boy that you're friends with, like five minutes ago and he was headed this way, so I figured I'd follow. He sort of dissapeared though, but who are these?"

"Hermione Granger," the curly haired girl said with a smile.

"Gorgeous name. Parents Shakespeare fans then? So am I," Charlotte gasped, clapping her hands. This was a lie, but the words fell out of her mouth before she could stop them. Hermione began to speak but she was interrupted by the second Afasy twin.

"You're not," Layth laughed rolling his eyes, and she blushed. "You just have to study him."

"Layth Afasy, I am trying to make friends here, so gimme a break," Charlotte said, slapping Layth's arm, before turning to the two boys. "And you two- wait I'm gonna try and guess your name."

"Charlotte, don't start," Zara laughed as she stepped over to the good looking one, inspecting him playfully.

"Hmm," she hummed, ruffling his hair and squeezing his face, as his ginger friend snorted in the background. Charlotte finally stepped back, a grin on her face. "Well, if she's Hermione, I wouldn't be surprised if your name was Romeo. You must be Romeo. Certainly got the looks for it."

These were the times when Charlotte was glad of her rambling tendencies. Flirting came easily to her; even if it was cheesy as hell and hardly ever worked, it was fun regardless.

"Charlotte," Zara gasped, clearly embarrassed but Charlotte shrugged unapologetically.

"Harry, actually," the boy said, face growing red. "But... that's nice of you."

Charlotte's heart fluttered a little bit- this boy was so polite, and she almost wanted to melt into a puddle. But she kept a grip on her confident stance.

Layth burst out laughing, ruffling her blonde hair affectionately. "Honestly, I see you for the first time in months, and you're just as crazy as ever."

"Guys, this is Charlotte Cardleman, a very good friend of ours," Zara sighed, rolling her eyes. "Charlotte, this is Hermione Granger, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley."

"I used to know a Cardleman," Harry said, with a distasteful look. "One of my cousin's friends back in primary."

"It's very common, my name, I hate it. Potter's not bad though," Charlotte said with a wink, before grinning at Harry's friend, whose trunk read the name Ron Weasley. "Your hair is fantastic by the way. I really want to dye mine ginger."

"Really?"

"Yes! Definitely. But Dad's sort of a pain with that kind of stuff. Apparently my skirt is too short today, but I told him, I'll wear what I want thank you very much. Even if I do freeze my arse off," Charlotte grinned, checking her watch, dramatically. "Holy crap, I have to go. The train back home is leaving in like, two minutes."

She needed confirmation. She got it. By the sight of the Hogwarts trunks, and Harry's owl, there was no mistaking that magic had found it's way into her best friend's life. But now that she knew, she didn't know what to do about it.

The entire situation was just ao overwhelming, and she wanted to leave, before she did something dramatically embarrassing in front of the cute wizard.

"I'll miss you," Zara said as she hugged her tight. "I'll make sure to write, okay?"

"You better had," Charlotte laughed, before dropping her voice to a whisper. "Also, is there any chance you could hook me up with the dark haired one?"

"Oh, shove off it," Zara chuckled as they pulled away. "Don't be so bloody awkward."

Charlotte just laughed, spinning around to leave, before she froze, eyes fixed on somebody in the distance.

The boy was tall and pale, wearing all black and a brooding look on his face. His brown hair was messy, and his dark blue eyes connected with Charlotte's from a mile away.

"Is that..." Charlotte suddenly broke into a sprint, the hugest grin on her face. "Theodore!"

"Charlie? Is that you?"

Theodore was grinning just as wide as they embraced, he lifted her off her feet and spinning her around, as Charlotte kissed both his cheeks lovingly. It didn't quite feel real that he was there again, in front of her, holding her. Her first real friend... Her brother.

"You never came back," Charlotte panted as he put her down. "You were supposed to move in, but then you never came back-"

"My father caught us," Theodore replied, and she could almost feel his heartbreak. "Mum- she, she's gone."

"Do you mean gone, or gone?" Charlotte asked, as the world around her stopped.

"Gone," he confirmed, and the world started again, this time it was her who had frozen. Theodore plastered on a fake smile. "But you! You're here- healthy, happy? How's your dad? Merlin, it's been so long!"

"Oh, we're fine, café's still going strong and all," Charlotte grinned, sensing Theodore's need to move on with the conversation. Just at that moment Zara approached them, an unreadable look on her face. Charlotte turned to face her, still smiling. "Zara, this is-"

"Theodore, I know," she finished, looking at her the boy with a frown. "The two of you know each other?"

"Hold on," Charlotte said, looking between the two and throwig a hand over her mouth. She was right all along. "So this is Theodore! Your boyfriend? The one you told me about?"

"Okay, I'm overly confused here," Theodore frowned, stepping back from the pair. "You two know each other?"

"I asked that first," Zara snapped, and Charlotte sensed her annoyance. Suddenly the scene was awfully tense. "What the fuck is going on?"

Hermione, Harry and Ron muttered some excuses to leave, and were gone in a split second, obviously sensing the want to be left alone, but Charlotte found herself watching them go, wishing she could get to know Harry a little better.

"Perhaps I should be the mediator here," Layth laughed awkwardly, clasping his hands together. "So, Theodore, Charlotte is our friend. From our... Old school. She and Zara are quite close."

"Very close," Charlotte nodded, grinning, but Zara wasn't.

"So what's going on with you?" Layth asked, frowning.

"Oh, well it's a super long story," Charlotte started as Zara rolled her eyes. The gesture was something she'd seen so many times before, but it was always so warm... now a coldness enveloped it.

"Charlie," Theo started to say, fidgeting with his sleeves. "Maybe this isn't such a good idea."

"'Course it is," Charlotte said with an uncomfortable laugh. Why would he want to keep this a secret? "Theodore's mum was friends with my dad when we were younger. Okay, maybe more than friends, they were going to-"

"Charlie," Theo said, shaking his head frantically, as he backed away from the three. "That's enough. That's all there is to say."

"Theodore, are you-"

"I'm fine, Charlie," he said, but his breathing was heavy. She hated this, this distance. They used to be so close. "I- I'll write to you." Then he walked away at the speed of light, and left the three awfully confused.

Layth looked at the train times on the board, gasping. "We're all going to miss our trains! Charlotte, sorry, we need to go,"

"No worries," Charlotte said, hugging the twins fleetingly, but inside she wanted to cling to them forever. "I've probably missed mine though. Remember to write! And... tell Theodore, too."

And so Charlotte got on the train home, wondering how to explain to her father that the love of his life hadn't abandoned them, but that she was dead, and that she had seen her almost-brother once more.

She wondered why she was still so worked up about that Harry Potter, and why the image of his bright green eyes was stuck in her brain.

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Hi everyone! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'm really nervous that it's boring but at least Harlotte have met now! I didn't quite want to make it a cheesy love-at-first sight thing, but also kinda wanted there to be some attraction, you know?

Don't forget to vote, and comment your opinions on this chapter, it helps a lot.

-Amber.