Hester?
Charley took a step back from the man, wondering if he was truly all about his wits. Not that she thought someone with any would be skulking in this dingy sort of place. She hardly wanted to be here herself, and if not for the floo going awry she wouldn't have. The urchin glanced back when her attention was directed at the fireplace, just before the man's hand rudely swatted at hers, taking the wand as he went. Her head snapped back with a glare for him, but she couldn't shake what he'd said about it.
The fireplace couldn't have brought her here, so what had?
"How'm I s'pose ta know, I en't a machinst! An' I wasn't trying to get here, neither!" She was grateful the man had decided to abandon his interest in her as soon as he had the wand, stalking to the very fireplace of ill repute. Charley could agree with that much, anyway. And since she hadn't been lying, the best she could do to help was to cross her arms and scowl at it while the man poked about. "An' for yer information, I wash 'em all the time. Put on summat nice an' everything, yeah? Wasn't gonna go out lookin' with crusty ears, too."
She wasn't sure if her scowl was really pointed toward the fireplace at that point, but Charley didn't much care. The man was rude and uncouth, even more so than her. As she dusted off the now-grey of her black dress, Charley almost wished he could come back with her to Hogsmeade, so the whole town could see there was someone more poorly mannered than a lowly street urchin. Come to think of it, really, the urchin thought he looked almost familiar, like she could place him in Hogsmeade already. As if he was—
"Shut yer bleedin' mouth!" she shouted, her mouth open in shock. Norfolk was nowhere near where she needed to be, and Charley had remembered it after all. It was London, she knew, London where the ministry witch had tipped her off on a lead. London, where she might find her parents and family after all. "How'm I gettin' to London now?!"
If the fireplace was working enough to get her here, it might take her back. Then again, Charley would sooner tame a fire-breathing dragon to take her than that dusty contraption.
Charley took a step back from the man, wondering if he was truly all about his wits. Not that she thought someone with any would be skulking in this dingy sort of place. She hardly wanted to be here herself, and if not for the floo going awry she wouldn't have. The urchin glanced back when her attention was directed at the fireplace, just before the man's hand rudely swatted at hers, taking the wand as he went. Her head snapped back with a glare for him, but she couldn't shake what he'd said about it.
The fireplace couldn't have brought her here, so what had?
"How'm I s'pose ta know, I en't a machinst! An' I wasn't trying to get here, neither!" She was grateful the man had decided to abandon his interest in her as soon as he had the wand, stalking to the very fireplace of ill repute. Charley could agree with that much, anyway. And since she hadn't been lying, the best she could do to help was to cross her arms and scowl at it while the man poked about. "An' for yer information, I wash 'em all the time. Put on summat nice an' everything, yeah? Wasn't gonna go out lookin' with crusty ears, too."
She wasn't sure if her scowl was really pointed toward the fireplace at that point, but Charley didn't much care. The man was rude and uncouth, even more so than her. As she dusted off the now-grey of her black dress, Charley almost wished he could come back with her to Hogsmeade, so the whole town could see there was someone more poorly mannered than a lowly street urchin. Come to think of it, really, the urchin thought he looked almost familiar, like she could place him in Hogsmeade already. As if he was—
"Shut yer bleedin' mouth!" she shouted, her mouth open in shock. Norfolk was nowhere near where she needed to be, and Charley had remembered it after all. It was London, she knew, London where the ministry witch had tipped her off on a lead. London, where she might find her parents and family after all. "How'm I gettin' to London now?!"
If the fireplace was working enough to get her here, it might take her back. Then again, Charley would sooner tame a fire-breathing dragon to take her than that dusty contraption.
![[Image: bZbZdaH.png]](https://i.imgur.com/bZbZdaH.png)