1 : IMPERIO

CHAPTER 9: COMPROMISE

Word count: 3147

December started, and weather became chilly. First day of December, Charlotte found herself in Snape's class still trying to convince him for Animagus training.

"Just consider it alright? It's going to be a huge help. Might sneak in as an animal and spy. People usually don't have anti-Animagi wards around their properties you know." Snape raised an eyebrow and nodded.

"Alright, you can start the training." He said and Charlotte jumped up the chair and hugged him tight. Snape patter her head and she pulled away smiling.

"Thanks dad, thank y –"

"But you know the process." He cut in. "How are you going to handle keeping the mandrake leaf in your mouth for a month?"

Charlotte sat back down thinking. She couldn't open her mouth; everyone would see the leaf, so the only thing she could think of was carrying a chalk board around.

"Don't even think about carrying a chalk board around. McGonagall isn't stupid." Charlotte sighed as the silence fell. Snape sat down staring at Charlotte, probably thinking.

"Well they didn't mention which part of your mouth to keep the leaf right?" Snape shook his head, narrowing his eyes at her. "What about I keep it under my tongue?" Snape sat straight up and shook his head.

"Have you seen how big those leaves are? You can't practically keep it under your –"

"I can use a baby mandrake leaf. They never mentioned that the leaf has to be of a fully grown mandrake." Snape relaxed and gave it a thought before nodding.

"Fine, when is full moon?"

"In two days."

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Christmas was still a week away, and Charlotte found herself sitting in the library waiting for Cedric. Their potions classes were going well and Charlotte was happy she had more friends than she'd ever imagined.

What she was already tired of, was the stupid mandrake left. It had started muffling her speech and she needed to gulp her saliva more often. She stared at the book in front of her, but her mind was elsewhere.

"Hey squirt." She heard Cedric call, and looked up to see him with a smug smile. She narrowed her eyes at him as he walked towards her with Lee Jordan and the Weasley twins following him. She looked at all four and her eyes finally settled on Cedric.

Not only had she gotten to know Cedric over the months but they had formed what Charlotte liked to call, a sibling bond.

"Hey Ced –" she said and turned to the twins. "– Fred, George –" The three boys smiled. "– and world's best quidditch commentator, Lee Jordan; what an honour" she said standing up with a smile. "I'm Charlotte Crawford." She said pushing her hand between the two.

Lee looked at the three as they gestured for him to shake her hand. Lee smiled and nodded.

"You're the best potion maker, I've heard." Charlotte looked at Cedric who smiled at her sheepishly.

"What does – don't tell anyone – mean?"

"I'm sorry squirt; we kinda needed your help." Charlotte turned to look at the twins and then Lee Jordan.

"All four of you?" Cedric shook his head.

"No, just Lee and I, don't know why twins tagged along."

"We have some business with Charlotte." They said in unison, and Madam Pince shouted from the other side of the library to keep it down.

"Sorry Madam Pince." Charlotte replied and asked the four to sit down. "Now first things first –" she turned to Cedric and Lee, "– what do you need?" she saw Cedric and Lee's smiles turn into smirks.