COMTE DE CHAMBORD
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They'd increased her working hours. Since confronting Theodore, Charlotte was granted no rest and even less food and she was well and truly exhausted. Her muscles ached twenty-four-seven and she could only sneak in a few hours of sleep each night when the halls were empty and the members of the household were asleep. But even then her sleep was disturbed due to fear of being caught, and she would wake with dread every few minutes.

When it happened she had fallen asleep in a hallways,
a sponge in her hand, a mop leaning against the same wall she did, a reminder of the work she should have done. This was the time Charlotte had been dreading, the time she would be caught sleeping by somebody other than herself.

"Charlie," a voice whispered, and she woke abruptly, clutching the mop and pointing it at the man in front of her. Blinking, her eyes focused on the face of Theodore Nott, who had his hands up in surrender.

"I don't have the energy," she said, with a sigh. "Leave me be, Theodore. You've made your choice."

"You're right," he nodded. "I've chosen to come get you out of here."

Her heart skipped a beat but she wouldn't allow herself to be thrilled. This was a test. An excuse to punish her. "You're a liar."

"Not now."

"Always!" Charlotte snapped, anger rising in her. She knew she would suffer for her resistance but she no longer cared. She had suffered for so long it no longer scared her. "You're a liar and a coward!"

"Harry would disagree-"

"Don't talk about him!" she yelled, not caring who she woke. "You don't deserve to even say his name!"

"He gave me something, to give to you," Theodore said, quickly, shrugging off his backpack and rummaging through it and she scoffed. "I have it for you, it's in my bag-"

"Whatever it is, it's fake!"

Theodore handed her a brown paper package and a letter, which she was hesitant to take until one sense over came her. An unmistakable aroma was all it took for her heart to soar with hope. She closed her eyes and breathed it in deep as she lowered the mop.

"Comte de chambord," she muttered quietly, feeling the corners of her lips turn upwards.

"What?"

"It's a rose," she elaborated, opening her eyes and a single tear spilled out involuntarily. Charlotte was ashamed to cry in front of him. "It's my favourite rose. I brought him some, our first summer together. I gave him one, when he left to go back to Hogwarts. How did you know?"

"I didn't," Theodore said, stepping forward, tentatively and she didn't raise the wood again. It was true, he couldn't have known. And so this really was from Harry. Her heart began beating faster than it ever had in her life and she wanted nothing more than to rip open the package immediately but she resisted.  "Charlie. Listen. You have to believe me. We're short on time. Zara's waiting."

"Fine," she said, eventually, after an eternity of quiet. "What do I have to lose?"

"Thank you," Theodore let out a relieved sigh. "I have a potion for you-"

"No fucking way am I going to drink any of the shit you give me," Charlotte scoffed, genuinely amused that this boy thought a flower would cause her to drop her guard. "Don't push it."

"Fair enough," he shrugged, before reaching into his pocket and opening up a flapjack packet, splitting it in half and offering her a piece. "Food. Not much, but magic free, I promise."

She sniffed it suspiciously, eyeing it hungrily, and it was down her throat in seconds- she didn't even remember eating it. She didn't remember the last time she ate anything. Wiping her mouth, she looked back at him.

"No poison then," she observed with a nod. "Alright. Let's go get our friend."

Theodore nodded back, and led her down the hallways of Malfoy Manor, down the stairs that led to the cellar, where she and Zara had been kept, and raised his wand to the lock, muttering "Alohamora," and opened the door.

~

Theodore's watch read twenty minutes past five, and after being persuaded to drink the energy potion he had brought, the girls followed Theodore to safety.

But Charlotte was unconvinced. This had been far too easy and there was still no real proof that Theodore really was on their side. She no longer knew what to believe. They were almost to the vents when Zara stopped in her tracks

"Malfoy," she muttered, and the two looked at her in slight confusion.

"Forget about him," Theodore told her. "We need to get to safety."

"He's got my wand," she frowned.

"We'll find you another one," Charlotte said, quickly. She would never understand the obsession witches and wizards had with their wands- surely they were just like phones? Replaceable? "C'mon Zara, forget it."

"It wont be mine though," she argued. "A wand is a witches' pride. I have to get it back."

"I understand, I do," Theo nodded. "When they took mine, it was a terrible time- but we have priorities right now-"

"I can get into his bedroom," Zara suggested. "You two can leave, I'll be right behind you."

"You know we can't do that, Zara," Charlotte shook her head, surprised that Zara Afasy, her responsible friend wanted to risk it all for a stick.

"I need my wand," she sighed. "I need my magic. It's a part of me, now."

Theodore glanced between the two girls, conflict written on his face clear as day, regardless of his stone cold expression. "Fine. Five minutes, that's all we can spare."

~

For some reason, Charlotte felt utterly sick. They were walking right out of Malfoy Manor and yet she kept looking over her shoulder. The plan was perfect, and they could see wizards and witches she could only assume were the Order casting spells over the gates that she couldn't believe they were supposed to walk right through.

And her doubt was for good reason. She watched as Zara and Theodore walked through the black gates, and tentatively reached out a hand to touch one of the railings. Her fingertips simply wrapped around it.

"Guys," she gulped, as her friends turned around to look at her. "What do I do now?"

"Shit," Theo muttered, raking a hand through his hand in frustration, and stepping back through the gates. He took Charlotte's hand and they attempted to walk through once more but the gates would simply not allow her. "Shit!"

"It's okay," Charlotte said to him, hoping they wouldn't settle for her words. "Go without me. I won't tell them anything, no matter what they do."

"Don't you dare talk like that," Zara said, reaching her hand through the gates and taking hold of Charlotte's. "You're coming with us."

"Zara!" Sirius called for the second time. "Get behind us, we're working on it."

"We thought this would happen, relax," a ginger man said casually.

"It'll only take a tick to fix it," his twin added. "So, why don't you listen to Sirius, Zara?"

Charlotte watched as her friend stepped back, and Theodore glanced at his watch. His breathing was shallow, as they waited for the spells to work, as they waited for magic to save them.

Charlotte whipped her head back towards the Manor as she heard a loud bang of the doors opening, and Lucius and Draco Malfoy came out of the doors, heading straight towards them, casting spells of red light which Charlotte narrowly dodged until Theodore held a sort of force field around them.

"Hurry!" Zara shouted but nobody replied to her and there was complete quiet besides spells being cast.

Charlotte closed her eyes and breathed in the fresh air. If these were to be her last moments, she would not take them for granted. She could hear the Malfoys' footsteps crunching on the gravel as they came closer and closer-

Her eyes snapped open as Theodore suddenly dragged her through the gates and she was pulled into a suffocating vacuum, her body pulling away from itself and then they landed on the doorstep of her home. Charlotte threw up on Theodore's trainers.

"Lovely," he grimaced, pointing his wand at his shoes and suddenly they were covered in soap, then water, then completely dry.

"Sorry," Charlotte said after wiping her mouth. "Not just for the sick."

"Hey, you can hug me later," he chuckled leaning away from her as she moved forward, grimacing once more at the rags she wore. "First let's get you cleaned up. And get you clothes."

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This chapter is only here bc it has to be its the exact same as chapter 64 of caecus the only difference is that charlotte is acting like shes gonna die lol feel free to skip this chapter i was gonna do a double update but eh but dont worry the next one will be up before the weekend is over probably and i promise the next one is way better.

in case yall didnt know i have a group acc with some friends goldenclusters go follow k bye

QOTD: fav activity
AOTD: i do nothing with my life

-Amber.