Beauxbatons [Charlie Weasley]

France

Isabelle Leblanc stares silently at the crumbled grave in front of her, eyeing the jagged words etched into the stone in an untidy scrawl, as if the carver was in a hurry. Her eyes trace over the words, again and again. The words she still knows like the back of her hand, despite being away for almost a year.

Slowly, she reaches into the pocket of her skirt and pulls out her pearly wand, pointing it at the eroded grave.

A wreath of white flowers shimmer into existence, standing stark against the dark stone above them. They glimmer as they come to rest at the base of the deteriorating gravestone, replacing the previous disintegrated symbol of love.

Sitting back, her eyes trace once again over the harshly etched words on the crumbling stone.

Clara Allard [1972 - 1988]

To Isabelle: Keep dancing

The golden-haired girl sighs softly, looking down at the parchment in her hands. A letter she received only that morning.

"It is from Charlie," Isabelle says, eyeing Clara's name once more, pretending the brunette is right in front of her, joining in the conversation.

"I zink you would like 'im a lot," Isabelle continues, talking in barely more than a whisper.

"I 'ave done a lot of zings zis year, Clara. I zink you would be proud. If you were still 'ere I know you would 'ave joined me. I went to 'Ogwarts, Clara. I stayed zere for zee entire year. And I made so many new friends. Oh, you would 'ave loved to meet zem. Maisie, especially. She reminds me so much of you."

Isabelle pauses, staring down at her dainty hands, at the letter folded up inside them.

"You would 'ave loved Tonks, too. She is mischief. We pulled a massive prank on zee entire school togezer. We got in trouble, of course, but it woz so much fun. I wish you were zere to see everyone's faces."

Her voice is barely more than a whisper, but Isabelle doesn't mind, knowing that if Clara's somewhere, anywhere, she'll hear her no matter how softly she speaks. And if Isabelle keeps thinking that Clara's out there still, listening still, then it doesn't make her feel as sad.

"I went to Tibet, Clara," Isabelle continues. "It woz for my Care of Magical Creatures class. Zere were only four of us in zat class, and our teacher took us all to Tibet when we were learning about Yetis. I got to see one, Clara, I got to see two Yetis in real life. Charlie woz wiz me at zee time, and we boz almost died. But we did not, and it woz one of zee best zings I 'ave done in my life. I wish you were zere too."

And she does. She wishes it with her entire being. She wishes the Healers were able to save her best friend. She wishes Clara was able to go with her to Hogwarts. Learn everything she learnt. She everything she saw. Meet all the people she met.

"I 'ave a boyfriend now. Zat is Charlie. 'E is zee one I got zis letter from. 'E also loves dragons, Clara. Probably even more zan I do. 'E acts all tough and everyzing, but 'e is really just a big sweet'eart. I know you would like 'im if you met 'im."

She unfolds the letter in her hands, looking over the words once more.

Dear Isabelle,

It's only been two weeks since you left for France but without you it feels like a lifetime already. You better come back here quickly — my brothers are driving me up the wall. Fred and George tease me about you nonstop, and Ginny can't stop asking me questions about you. Percy shows no interest whatsoever, of course, but now Ron's started to be interested in you, too. Dad wants to talk to you properly and see whether you know some things about Muggles that he doesn't (he's absolutely obsessed with Muggles, just a warning). And mum, despite only having met you once, thinks you're the loveliest person on the planet.