The urchin hooked her arms beneath her knees, to sit leaning against the angled rooftop. From her perch, she could spy on the happenings of the street below just off the lip of the shingles. It wasn't likely anyone would look up, people never looked up. Coppers even less so. That gave her a moment to catch her breath, and take an inventory of her illicit catch from the park buffet.
Including the wholly unintended boy gasping his lungs out next to her.
She chuckled at his drawn, breathless face. His dark nest of hair and lack of a single freckle made him stand out compared to most children in Hogsmeade. Other than that, he didn't seem like too much of a hinderance to the urchin's flight. Sure, he had almost wound up leading them straight into a copper's net, but Charley might have done so as well if she hadn't seen it before. As long as he could keep up, the urchin could stand having him around.
From her pocket, Charley withdrew one of the sausages that had survived the chase. She wiped it off and stuck it in her mouth, biting into the juicy, plump casing. For a split second, the urchin thought she could see heaven itself. For all she knew, the sausage was spelled that way, not that it made a difference to her mouth. This sausage was life itself, and by eating it, Charley knew she could take on the world again.
Charley could surely avoid its devious coppers, anyway.
Glancing over at the boy, Charley knew in an instant what he needed. She broke off half the sausage with her teeth, handing it over to the mousy-haired kid. If he was going to keep up, he'd need the energy.
And if he didn't, she'd leave him behind. That's just how it had to be here, eat or be eaten...by Hogsmeade's finest law enforcement. Who had to be bumbling fools if they couldn't spot two kids up on the roof. Charley didn't gamble often, but when she did it was never on the police. They were a true wildcard, and she had learned never to trust her senses over her gut.
Charley's gut was telling her to run, and her eyes were already picking a spot on the horizon. She smacked her hand into the boy's chest, throwing back an impatient glare to make him take the sausage. Her chin flicked across the roofs and neighborhoods of Hogsmeade, figuring he'd get the point.
They weren't safe yet, time to get moving!
Including the wholly unintended boy gasping his lungs out next to her.
She chuckled at his drawn, breathless face. His dark nest of hair and lack of a single freckle made him stand out compared to most children in Hogsmeade. Other than that, he didn't seem like too much of a hinderance to the urchin's flight. Sure, he had almost wound up leading them straight into a copper's net, but Charley might have done so as well if she hadn't seen it before. As long as he could keep up, the urchin could stand having him around.
From her pocket, Charley withdrew one of the sausages that had survived the chase. She wiped it off and stuck it in her mouth, biting into the juicy, plump casing. For a split second, the urchin thought she could see heaven itself. For all she knew, the sausage was spelled that way, not that it made a difference to her mouth. This sausage was life itself, and by eating it, Charley knew she could take on the world again.
Charley could surely avoid its devious coppers, anyway.
Glancing over at the boy, Charley knew in an instant what he needed. She broke off half the sausage with her teeth, handing it over to the mousy-haired kid. If he was going to keep up, he'd need the energy.
And if he didn't, she'd leave him behind. That's just how it had to be here, eat or be eaten...by Hogsmeade's finest law enforcement. Who had to be bumbling fools if they couldn't spot two kids up on the roof. Charley didn't gamble often, but when she did it was never on the police. They were a true wildcard, and she had learned never to trust her senses over her gut.
Charley's gut was telling her to run, and her eyes were already picking a spot on the horizon. She smacked her hand into the boy's chest, throwing back an impatient glare to make him take the sausage. Her chin flicked across the roofs and neighborhoods of Hogsmeade, figuring he'd get the point.
They weren't safe yet, time to get moving!
![[Image: bZbZdaH.png]](https://i.imgur.com/bZbZdaH.png)