Snake & Raven

Charlie is beaming at nothing, hand in his hair from where Thandi slipped the pin just a few days prior. It glitters and he’s practically exploding with happiness over it. When Thandi comes round the corner and surprises him, he snaps to his scowl as fast as he could.

“Tha–”

“Oh, hey, Thandi,” says a voice from behind him. Charlie turns, confused, irritated. A fourth year with blonde curls and a jaunty hat and a whole foot over Charlie in height. Thandi waves at him.

“Dean! Hi there! How are you?”

What? Charlie looks between Dean and Thandi, planted firmly between them as he puzzles this out. They chat, but he can barely hear the words. When did they meet? Wait, he’s bigger, and he’s much more handsome, and also, he’s older, so he’s smarter, oh no. Oh, no no no. She’s making better friends than him. She’s already outgrowing him. His face drops and he moves, tears already bubbling up.

“Oh, woah, what’s wrong, buddy?” Dean leans down slightly to look into Charlie’s face, and the boy turns away to hide behind Thandi, grasping a handful of her robes. Thandi sighs.

“He’s not feeling well, Dean. I’m sorry. We could talk about this another time. Thanks for helping me with the prefect application.”

Dean tips his hat. “All right. Well, feel better, um…”

“He’s Vanderbee. Charlie Vanderbee.”

“Feel better, Vanderbee. And have a nice day, Thandi.”

Thandi waves, hand slowing as the older student disappears down the corridor. She turns, pulling her robe from Charlie’s grasp. He’s trying to hide his face, ashamed of himself now. Fat tears drip on the floor.

“You’re twelve years old, Charlie…it won’t do to keep crying like this…”

He sobs and before she could find a handkerchief, he dashes off. What’s gotten into him? She tightens her grasp on her books. Class is starting soon, and she doesn’t have much time to get there. She’ll just have to go on without him.

There’s a creeping sense of dread when Thandi doesn’t see him that night. After getting permission to sleep in the Ravenclaw common room, he’s not missed a day, not even when classes began again. Like clockwork, even if he had disappeared for the day, he’d come crawling out of whatever hole he hid in for bed.

Now, though, she stands there at nine o’ clock, wearing her bonnet and her nightdress, staring at the couch that usually held Charlie in his oversized pajamas. Always wearing a big jumper and ready to snuggle up to her right away. She sighs and squeezes her pillow, shuffling back to the dorm room that she officially shared with the other students.

Charlie sits in the Slytherin common room, sniffling still. He’s staring at his book, trying to read, but the words seem to dance off the page. It’s dark and he feels…terror. Just like in first year. Why did he have to run away? What if it comes back? What if it comes back and finally takes him and he can never, ever see Thandi again?

Would she even care? She has so many friends. Would any of them care if it’s just him?

…of course not…

…no one would care…

He bets even his mom wouldn’t notice if he just disappeared and–

“Vanderbee.”

A shiver goes up his spine and Charlie turns to see the gaunt visage of Professor Pottle leering at him. The man seems to merge with the dark past the light of the fire.

“H-h-hello, Professor…”

“Deigned to join us again? Go to your room.”

Charlie shrinks in on himself. “But…I…”

“As long as you’re in the Slytherin dormitory, you follow Slytherin rules. Go.”

Charlie grabs his things and slips into the boys dorm. The fear in his chest sends pins rippling through his skin. He can already see the dancing eyes of the creature. He’s shaking. Which room was his again? He can barely see.

“L-lumos,” he tries, wand held up. It sputters a faint green light, no better than the algae that grows in some of the cracks in the wall. There’s a tapping in the glasswork above him and he feels his throat close up as suckers smack the glass. That’s the last thing he remembers before fainting.

He wakes in the infirmary, shaking, casting around to gather his surroundings. White curtains, tall windows, comfy and neat beds in a well-lit hall. And…Thandi, head on his pillow, snoring with a book and parchment scattered across his covers. He pets her head.

“Mn…Charlie? Charlie! You’re awake!”

He nods. “Yea–”

“You had me worried sick! You just disappeared and then next thing I know, I hear about how someone fainted in the boy’s dormitories while screaming up a storm! I missed classes for this!”

Charlie’s eyes begin to bubble with tears. “‘M sorry…” He sobs openly now. “Please don’t leave!”

Thandi blinks, mouth opening as she tries to formulate an answer. “What? Why would I leave? You left. I thought…Oh!”

He’s squeezing her as he sobs, shaking. “But you have so much better friends!!”

“Ooh, Charlie. It’s okay…I’m still your Ravenclaw…”

His sobs quiet as he thinks on it. “Promise?”

“Yes. I missed you last night!!” She pulls back, dismissing the momentary panic by wiping his face with a tissue from the bedside table. “I had a nightmare.”

She had a nightmare? Charlie takes a deep breath, mustering up a serious face. “I’ll! I’ll go and protect you. Tonight. And, um. Every night. O-okay?”

Thandi smiles knowingly, nodding. He’s annoying, but he means well, and now he won’t miss class and she won’t miss any more classes. He startles her by leaning forward and pressing his lips to her forehead. The charm.

“Thandi…um. Am I your favorite? Not that it. Matters…”

She nods.

“Your favorite-favorite? Out of everyone?”

Nodding.

“And. And! Um. I’m. I’m the only one allowed to put that charm on you so if you end up going without again something might happen!”

Thandi giggles now and she gathers her things. “The nurse says that once you’re ship-shape, you’re good to come back to classes. You know where to find me, darling?”

That sends him reeling, practically wagging his tail as he gives her a big smile. “Of course I do!!”