Life Of Aritianna Prince

8. The Grand Exit.

Anna was back in Romania studying her dragons, and studying her NEWT lessons, she had celebrated her sixteenth birthday with Charlie and the romani, he had spoken to her elder and been approved to formally court her.

It might sound strange, but the customs were important, and a minimum of one year courting needed to take place, where certain gifts were exchanged at certain times, and certain words, it wasn't dating, it was more of a deeper friendship.

Learning if personalities match, if age difference was a problem, if magic matched, it was the stage before dating, then if everything worked out, the dating could happen when she was legal, at seventeen, for another year, then if it was all still good, the betrothal for a year, then the wedding for life.

Romani wedding customs were serious business, a lot of magic was wound into their vows, seperation or divorce could never happen, unless there was violence, abuse or something life threatening.

Anna and Charlie would go to Hogsmead almost every chance they got, it was something different and gave them a chance to share their love of Britain.

They exchanged their wrist cuffs after their magic flared, it was what muggles would call butterflies, but their magic flared and combined, it was a match, their cuffs were leather and had the mark of magic etched into them.

The ladies were teaching Anna the traditional dances, for courting, dating, betrothal and marriage, while the men were teaching Charlie the same things.

Charlie had been pulled into the clan, for learning, but wouldn't formally be added to their register or books until he and Anna were wed.

Their next exchange was of a handmade totem that represented age, it was to show that they were compatible despite the difference, a seven was added to their cuffs, Anna carved a detailed dragon, they were wise despite their age, Charlie also carved a dragon, the elders laughed.

Their matching carvings were the beginning of matching personalities, though they also had arguments and that helped prove they matched, the elders viewed similarities as good, but differences were better, differences stopped boredom.

The pair continued to exchange gifts, from handmade clothing to favorite foods, Anna had helped Charlie decorate his house, they used charms and made it slightly bigger, more open plan, they expanded the bedroom and bathroom.

Charlie worked with the men on his off times to create a workroom for Anna where she could study and practise her abhorsen work while she was training for charter mage level.

They had kept their courtship a secret from almost everyone back home, to stop pressure and to prevent the comments they knew would come from their age difference.

Bill and Fleur knew about it and helped with obtaining some of the gifts, they also visited and on one occasion caught Charlie and Anna dancing together with the romani, from that moment on, neither of them had any dought about the couple.

Exams were getting closer so Charlie's next gift to Anna was a study buddy, he tested her, fed her, reminded her to sleep, and bathe, woke her up, and supported her, he also gave her hints and tips to ace exams.

Her NEWT exams were being held in Hogwarts this year, so her, Charlie and a romani elder were going to apparate the day before, so she could rest before the tests started.

Anna landed in Hogsmead and twirled around, she loved Hogsmead, Charlie landed seconds behind her and following him was the elder, who was in all ways her romani mother or Daj.

The next day they walked to the castle and had to wait for the toad Umbridge to let them in for testing, she tried to bar Charlie and her Daj.

Neither would allow that, and it wasn't until a ministy tester came out that they were allowed in, then the toad tried to put her in OWL testing, she was not happy when the examiner pushed Anna into the NEWT line.

Hermione was standing nearby and started her usual nosy talking.

"She's in OWL year, you know, not NEWT level." She said in a snotty voice, Anna was surprised to see that Ron moved away from Hermione and looked down as if embarrassed.

"Miss, I am a ministry approved examination tester, I myself tested Miss Prince last year on her OWL and year six exams, she aced them, some of the best scores I've ever seen, she is most certainly NEWT level." The examiner said before walking away with the toad.

No one else said a word, too scared to attract negative attention from the people about to grade them.

Anna breezed through her written exams, and out performed everyone in her practicals, she had just stepped out of her last exam when the twins flew past her, fireworks going crazy behind them, chasing the toad.

Anna left back to Romania with Charlie and her Daj, leaving before Harry had his vision of Sirius, leaving before they ran to the ministry, leaving before her father died, after running to Harry.