The Return

35| Then You Have Work To Do My Brother

Claudia's POV

The next day I moved into my own room just like my aunt had said. The stone walls that felt like my savior in the past month felt more like a trap now. I had lived at Hogwarts for seventeen years before I left to find myself. I didn't know Charlie in those days, and I was happy.

How is it that a single day on a train can so completely make an impact on my life. Before Charlie I was fine. After him. . . I hate to admit that I have a hard time imagining the after him part. Still, I made a promise to him that I would get Olivia here and I was going to keep it.

It was arranged perfectly. Fleur had an appointment at the doctor's that would take all day and now all I had to do was get Olivia to agree to show. It was the east I could do for him. One last way to show my love before we so unfortunately fell apart.

Quickly I write a letter up for Olivia. It reads, 

Olivia, 

As you are aware, I'm back at Hogwarts. Like I have told Lacey, I have made many new friends here, and officially sorted into the Gryffindor house. My partner for my license is none other than Charlie Weasley. 

That's where this letter comes in. Could you come visit this Saturday? It's all arranged so that if you don't wish to see Bill you won't have to under any circumstances. Everyone misses you here. Including me.

If you do join me for a weekend here at Hogwarts you will be able to spend time with the Weasley family (Aside from Bill) on Saturday. However if you wish to, you can stay with me on Sunday and I will explain everything. I have my own room and common room, so you wouldn't have to mingle with anyone you don't want to. Write soon. XOXO.

-Claudia L. Snape

I dress in a pair of Jeans and black boots and a black long sleeve. To me black in my period of mourning just seems right. I glance at myself one last time in the mirror before standing tall and pulling myself together. 

"You've got this." I tell the mirror version of me. "You may not be daring like like Skyla. You may not be Sassy like Lacey, or cunning like Olivia, but you are brave." I take a deep breath and look at myself. "You're brave and you're doing this for him. So that Charlie can have the life he always dreamed he would." I give myself a sharp nod and walk shakily from my room. 

I had one purpose today, and that was to not only deliver my letter to the owlery but to make sure that Blaise also sent one to Lacey. 

______________________________________

Charlie's POV

Claudia didn't show up to breakfast the next day, but after a while of watching for her, I saw what I was waiting for. She slipped into the great hall with a letter in her hand and made her way toward the entrance to the Slytherin tower. 

Knowing that she had done this exact thing once or twice before, he knew what she was doing. Ginny glanced up and then to Charlie when she to saw Claudia. "I recon, that letter need delivered." She offered. 

"And, if you go now, you could get there first." Agreed Cash. 

I looked at him skeptically, and he raised his arms in surrender. "I love my sister, but she doesn't always think about what others want. Only what she thinks they want."

"But she said that she want's me to go." I argue, but Ron speaks up and corrects me. "No she didn't. She said that she wanted you to be happy and if that meant leaving than yes." 

"She's a girl, Charlie. She doesn't want you to leave, she wants you to chose her because you want to not because you feel you should." Hermione adds and I sigh. 

"Why are women so bloody confusing?" I huff looking after her disappearing figure. Then suddenly my mind is made up. I stand and catch looks from my surrounding family. "Where to, Charlie boy?" Fred askes referring to the owlery and the Slytherin tower. 

"The owlery." I'm not stupid enough to catch her surprised when she knows the nooks and cranny's of the tower far better than me. In the owlery, at least I have a chance. "And cut the Charlie boy, Okay? 

"Why ever would I do that?" Fred smirks. "Claudia seems to like it just fine." I shoot him a glare. "It doesn't matter much what Claudia likes if she won't even talk to me. Now does it?"

"Then you have work to do, my brother." I roll my eyes at him, but find myself heading toward the owlery anyway. I'm not trying to fix things because of some stupid joke Fred made, I'm doing it for me and I'm doing it for Claudia. Because whether the rest of the world it wrong. The two of us are right, and I know it.

I waited in a dark corner in the owlery It was hard to miss Harry and Claudia's owls, however different they were from each other they were more unique than the entirety of the others. While Harry chose yet another snowy owl after the death of Hedwig, Claudia's owl, Hades was pitch black.

After quite a while of waiting, Claudia finally showed. Now carrying two letters she feeds Hades a few owl treats before checking the label of one letter and tying it to his ankle. She carried the owl to the open window. "Find her Hades. And stay with her until I get a response." She said before giving his a light toss and seeing him spread his wings. 

"Hello, Joron." Claudia said, stoking Harry's owl after letting her own fly away. "I'm sure Harry won't mind if I use you for a bit. After all, what use are you to him if he can't even leave the Hospital wing." She tied a letter to the owls leg just like the last one. "You can take this one to Lacey." Claudia follows the same pattern that she did for Hades before taking a step back and breathing in deep.

She opens her eyes and see's me. Claudia nearly jumps out of her skin and places a hand on her heart. "What are you doing up here?" She asks me though I suspect that she already knows the answer. 

"We need to talk." I say and she bites nervously at her lip. "Yeah, I guess we do."