Secret Spaces 0

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"Born to Make (Hogwarts A) History" | Hogwarts!AU/Prelude | Hogwarts!AU | Hogwarts!AU (continued) | Hogwarts!AU (continued 2) | Hogwarts!AU Meta
Prelude: Fast Friends: Chuck makes, loses, and rediscovers a friend during his first two years at Hogwarts.
01 September 2014 - 09 December 2016; Hogwarts, Scotland, United Kingdom
== 01 Sep 2014 ==
Charlie Hansen swaggers to the head of Hogwarts' Great Hall, perches on the stool and—
""Well, what do we have here?"" says the Sorting Hat. ""A Hansen of Armagh, come back from halfway around the world?""
"Yea," drawls Charlie under his breath. "We're here to stay now."
""What a /wonderful day! I thought I'd /never Sort another of you! But into what House shall I Sort you, littlest Hansen, hmm?""
Charlie nearly sits on his hands to keep from fidgeting.
""You have all the cunning and ambition you'd need for Slytherin House, all the cleverness called for in Ravenclaw—and Hansens have /always been Ravenclaws, except recently, you know—and the bravery and daring treasured by Gryffindor, and the ... well, Hufflepuff just isn't for you.""
"'course not," he sniffs.
""What to do, what to do with you~!""
"Gryffindor? Please?"
""Yes, yes! That's what we'll do! That's what you'll need to go farther than even /you think you will~!""
Charlie's heart soars and he slides—
""/RAVENCLAW!""
—freezes, ribs strangling his lungs. "But—"
The Hat's snatched off his head and Luna—Deputy Headmaster Pentecost nudges him off the stool, herds him toward the cheering crowd in blue and bronze.
Charlie throws a look over his shoulder at Dad, at the head table in his red and gold—
Dad, who's glowing at him and giving him a thumbs up.
—and grins so hard his face hurts, then lets the pool of Ravenclaws swallow him while he mentally composes a note to tell Mum the good news.
== 23 Nov 2014 ==
Something tugs Charlie's sleeve as he packs his things after Double Herbology with the Hufflepuffs, so he turns, glare ready.
The Devil's Snare twitches sheepishly.
Charlie gives it a smile, whispers, "Later, buddy, I have to go for today."
The vine droops.
"I'll be back tomorrow, ye silly thing."
It perks up, flows back to nestle among its fellows.
He laughs a little, tucks his books under his arm.
Something taps his shoulder.
Charlie rolls his eyes—
""Excuse me, Hansen-/san?""
—turns, glare ready again, grumbles at the cute Japanese girl with a Hufflepuff tie. "Yea? Come to make fun of the Aussie stuck in an English school?"
She holds her ground, says, accent stiff but broad and London-flavoured, "I was wondering what you do to make the plants like you. I wish to be better at Herbology, but the plants ... they are fickle."
"Umm, yea, their attitude's something you gotta get used to. C'mere." He tows her to his favourite corner of Garden One, shielded by Flitterbloom and some especially friendly Devil's Snare. "You're Mori, ay? The other one—'sides me—they say's a prodigy?"
"I suppose. I try not to listen to rumours." Mori hugs her books tighter to her chest. "Maybe there is a subject with which you need help? We could trade advice?"
Charlie rubs the back of his neck. "I ... alright. I kinda have trouble with Transfiguration. I could use a /little help."
She nods and brightens, looks a bit less scared. "Hansen-/san?"
"You can call me 'Charlie'." He smiles. "You're Mako, right?"
"/Hai. I am Mako."
"'s'alright if I call you that?"
"/Hai."
"So ... see you in the library this time next week?"
"Yes. Thank you, Han—Charlie."
"'welcome, Mako. See ye 'round."
She sparkles off.
Charlie shakes his head, gives the Devil's Snare a pat, and sets out for the dorm to collect his books for Potions.
== 17 Mar 2015 ==
Charlie side-eyes Mako as they finish their notes in Double Charms.
She tucks her quill behind her ear and ink drips into her hair and down her cheek.
"Uh, Mako? You've got—" He plucks the quill with one hand, flicks his wand with the other—bollixes the motion and the Cleaning Charm he wanted comes out as a Hair-changing one.
Mako shrieks as the colour sinks in and the hair turns bright blue and she runs out of the classroom.
Every eye in the room turns to him.
"I'll go find out what's wrong," he announces and he marches out, back straight.
""You look alright, deary,"" soothes the hallway mirror. ""The blue isn't even very noticeable.""
Mako turns to Charlie. "Is that true?"
"Uh, it does kinda stand out but it looks really kick-ass?"
Her lower lip trembles.
"I'm sure Professor Flitwick or Professor Sevier can get it out if you really don't like—"
"I-I /do like it." Her lips curl up into a bit of a smirk. "However, you need to work on your hand movements."
"Aw, Mako ...."
She holds out the blue strands, gives him a Look.
"Shit."
"Language."
"Sorry." Charlie takes a deep breath. "Sorry."
"Let's go back to The Den and look for the right spell."
"Cool, cool," says Charlie and he follows Mako through the halls, mentally dissecting what he'd done wrong.
== 16 June 2015 ==
Charlie basks in the sun on the edge of the dock, legs swinging above the glassy surface of the Black Lake, enjoying the warm breeze playing in his hair.
"What are you thinking about?" asks Mako, relaxed next to him.
"You ever wonder why the horses from the stables don't come down here, even with all this grass?"
Mako pushes up straighter. "I thought it was because the groundskeeper doesn't want them to tear up his lawns."
"Well, probably," Charlie admits, "but it's more fun to think there're kelpies or an /each-uisge in the lake, yea? And a Master of the Horse, like, five hundred years ago was working too fast and herded the magical ponies up to the stables with the normal ones and, when the students came looking for him the next morning for the coach to Hogsmeade—" Puts some 'spooky' in his voice. "—all they found were frightened horses and his /liver?"
"I don't think that's the case," laughs Mako.
"Doesn't change the fact mine's the better story."
She concedes with a tilt of her head.
"Wait! We should tell it to the First Years in autumn!" Charlie bounces. "They'll have to believe us! We're upperclassmen!"
"We shouldn't abuse others' trust like that."
"There's no harm in a scary story, 'specially since there really /are dangerous things in the water here."
"But not kelpies or an /each-uisge."
"As far as anyone's /told us and you /know they're not telling us everything."
Mako rolls her eyes, then looks out over the water.
Charlie tilts his head back and watches the clouds.
A hippogriff batters its way across the sky, calling in its ridiculous way.
"I always imagined them differently."
"Huh?"
"I thought animals as majestic as hippogriffs would make equally impressive sounds."
"Not squeak like an old hinge, ay?"
Mako hums an agreement.
The hippogriff disappears among the trees of the Forbidden Forest with a final squawk.
Charlie and Mako sigh.
A quiet minute drifts by.
"So ... are you looking forward to going home?" Charlie cringes. "I mean, to London?"
Mako gathers herself. "It will be good to see /Sensei's family again and they will be happy have us back."
"What about Japan?"
"We plan to spend a few days with the Sumitanis—I've mentioned them?"
"Yea, the other wand-maker family."
"Yes, them. We'll spend at least a few days there, depending on how busy Uncle Kanzan is this year."
"Cool, cool." Charlie—
"What about you? Are you excited about returning to Armagh?"
"Kinda?" Charlie ruffles the hair on his nape. "I mean, the house is finally fixed and—I get to live in a real /house, 'stead of a teeny-tiny flat for the first time /ever, Mako, and I'm so—" Clears his throat. "—I'm pretty chuffed about it."
Mako giggles.
Charlie smiles back.
"Perhaps /Sensei and I will be able to visit you and your family."
"That would be /awesome!"
"I'll be sure to ask him about it."
"Please do! I'll talk to my mum and dad, too."
"Please do!"
Something splashes to the left of the dock.
"What was that?" Mako peers over the edge, searching.
"Kelpie," declares Charlie.
Mako straightens up, puts her hands on her hips, and gives him a Look.
== 01 Sep 2015 ==
Charlie plays with his food after the Sorting Ceremony, mostly soaking in how good it feels to have Mako pressed up against his side after the forever-long summer holidays.
"Umm, 'scuse me, Miss Hufflepuff?" quavers Abbie, the newest member of the House. "I thought we were supposed to sit with our own Houses?"
"She's here," explains Charlie, "'cause she can answer the Eagle's riddles: she's an honourary Ravenclaw."
"He's accepted as a Hufflepuff and knows how to get into The Den, as well," adds Mako. 
"Ah-alright. I, um, didn't know we could do that?"
"Not everything is strictly as you see or hear it."
"'D-don't judge a book by its cover.' R-right. 'm sorry," meeps Abbie.
"No harm, no foul," reassures Mako. "I'll see you tomorrow, Charlie?"
"Yea, 'course."
Mako smiles, glides to her feet and out with her fellow Badgers, falling into step with a tall, blond upperclassman.
Charlie sighs against his palm.
"Don't worry about Mako and Charlie," laughs Sarah the Prefect, giving Abbie a squeeze around the shoulders. "They're a House of two."
== 8 December 2015 ==
Charlie flies down the basement hallway. "Mako!"
She spins, squeals, "Charlie!"
He skids to a stop, throws his arms around her—taking care with the package in his hand—and wheezes, "Thank the stars I found you!"
"What? I don't—"
"Dad wants to leave, like, right now—I forgot—so I had to ditch him—" Steps away, takes a deep breath. "—so I could give you this." Offers the wrapped box.
"Exams aren't—"
"I just finished my last one. Took 'em early."
"What? Why?"
"We're going to the Continent to ski with some of Mum's friends. I, uh, never mentioned it." Charlie hangs his head, rubs the back of his neck. "Kinda forgot about it, honestly."
"How ... how do you /forget a ski trip?!"
"I was /studying!" Charlie makes a frustrated gesture. "Just open your present, alright?"
Mako gives him a most-displeased look, but flicks her wand in a perfect unwrapping charm.
The colourful paper unfolds itself , exposing the pink box.
She raises a dubious eyebrow.
"It's the only colour they had!"
Mako sniffs, opens the lid, paws through the tissue paper.
Charlie bounces on his toes.
"Blue ink—"
"Guaranteed to only stick to parchment or paper~!"
"—and hair dye?"
"/Any-colour hair dye~!"
Mako stares at him, eyes kinda blank.
Charlie deflates, scuffs a foot. "I, um, still feel kinda bad about the ink thing? And wanted to make up for it a little?"
Her forehead wrinkles. "But I ...."
"'m sorry. Was a stupid idea—"
""Charlie?!""
He squeaks, cowers.
"Is that your father?"
"Yes?"
Mako rolls her eyes, grabs—
"Oi!"
—Charlie by the lapels, drags him to the entrance to the The Den—
"What're ye—"
—raps the barrel, stuffs—
"Easy!"
""Charles Victor Hansen, are you down here?!""
—him through the opening into the common room—
"Oof! What's the big—"
—tumbles through after him, rolls to her feet, straightens her uniform.
"What's the big idea manhandlin'—"
"I have to give you your present. Stay here," she says, and marches off toward the dorms.
"My /what?"
No answer and Mako's out of sight.
Charlie scopes the scene.
Second Evie, Eleanor, and First Evie blink at him from one of the sofas near the fireplace.
"Uh, sorry." Charlie pushes to his feet, realigns his clothes. "'bout the yelling."
The girls blink some more.
"What? I sprout antlers 'r something?"
They drag their eyes off him, put their heads together, and start whispering.
Charlie rolls his eyes.
Mako reappears with a a small, cloth-wrapped object, holds it out to Charlie.
"You didn't have—"
"I /wanted to. I am sorry it's not so neatly wrapped as yours."
"It's pretty!"
Snickering from Eleanor and the Evies.
Mako must give them a Hell of a look, because they're suddenly very interested in their textbooks.
Charlie snorts, works loose the knot—the fabric falls away—grins. "Did you /carve this?"
"Yes," she murmurs.
"This's so! cool! It's an inkwell, yea? And Devil's Snare?"
"Yes." Mako looks up through her eyelashes. "I also placed a charm on it so it will change colour as the ink level drops."
"Really?"
She chews her lip, nods.
"It's great! Thank you!" 
"Really?"
Charlie huffs and hugs her tightly. "I love it."
"I love your gift, too."
"Really?" Charlie blushes when his voice cracks.
"Yes. I love it." Mako giggles. "Professor Sevier will be so /jealous."
Charlie laughs. "Good." He eases away. "I should, uh, probably go before my dad breaks through the wall, yea?"
"I suppose you should," she sighs.
"Don't worry, we'll see each other again in a month."
"That seems such a long time."
"It'll be over 'fore you know it."
A chorus of sighs.
Mako and Charlie glare their hardest—
Eleanor and the Evies flee.
—turn to each other, and break up laughing.
== 23 Jan 2016 ==
(13 days 'til transformation)
Chuck creeps behind the curtain of Devil's Snare and Flitterbloom in Garden One, leans against the greenhouse, heaves a relieved sigh.
Something tugs his sleeve.
"Not now, bud—"
Mako says, "Charlie?"
"Let go!" He yanks his arm away, but he sees the flash of scarred skin and cringes.
"What happened?"
"Yer the prodigy. You tell me," he sneers.
"Werewolf?" she whispers.
"I wish. Try were/dragon."
Mako covers her mouth with her hand and her eyes get huge and wet.
"I don't need your pity, so save it."
"I do not pity you. I want to help."
"Don't bother," growls Chuck, snapping a turn and striding toward the Old Man's—/his rooms.
""Charlie, wait!""
"It's 'Chuck' now!" he hollers without slowing down or looking back. 
== 17 Mar 2016 ==
(8 days after transformation)
On his way back from giving Bruce the thank-you note for Aunt Debra at the Owlery, Chuck—
""—Retriever-/san,"" says Mako.
—dives into a statuary niche, holds his breath.
""/whuff,"" replies a dog.
""I wonder if you have been abandoned—""
Mako's voice and steps fade around a corner.
Chuck exhales, slides out of his hiding place, and slogs to the library.
"Good afternoon, Mister Hansen." 
"Good afternoon, Madam Pince," sighs Chuck.
"For what will you be looking today?"
"Magical creatures—dragons—again," he mumbles.
"Let me see your hands."
Chuck stifles an eye roll, offers his fingers for inspection.
"No oily residue this time. You seem to have learned your lesson. You may go," Madam Pince sniffs, then turns her attention and her feather duster to a shelf of general reference books.
He shtumps to the Dragon Section, sparing a glance at the were-creature shelves for new titles (none, of course) on the way, before skimming the first ranges for anything he'd missed. He stamps down a happy flutter, pulls the recent addition (/Intra-Flight Bonding in the Hebridean Black: New Evidence for Kindness in Dragons, by Murchadh MacIver) down, and flips it open.
With a grunt of approval for the introduction, he tucks the thin book under his arm, shuffles to /his table in a quiet corner, plops onto a chair, and reads, finishing in plenty of time to reach the Great Hall for dinner.
== 2 Sep 2016 ==
(0 days after transformation)
Chuck's nose burns—cold metal, sharp herbs, exhaustion, decayed adrenaline.
He yanks—hisses at /pain from every bone, holds very still except for his rapidly blinking eyelids.
He might whine.
Madam Pomfrey swims into view, greets, "Good afternoon—"
He /definitely whines.
"—Mister Hansen. Now that you're awake, let's have a look at you." She flicks the sheet away.
Chuck looks down, might whimper.
Madam Pomfrey lifts the corner of one of the bloody bandages across Chuck's middle, peers, eases it back into place. "Everything's sealing as well as can be. We'll be able to release you to your father as soon as lectures are finished for the day."
Chuck says—makes a breathy sound.
"You wore out your voice yesterday." She floats the sheet down. "I've got a soothing draught ready for you. Let's get you sitting."
Chuck pushes—but his arms are boiled noodles and he goes absolutely nowhere.
Madam Pomfrey gets him under the arms, straightens him up, and he definitely does. /not. whimper. at the pull on his muscles.
"I'll be right back."
Chuck grunts, stares absently at the ceiling until footsteps crisp up to his bedside.
"Here you go. Drink up, but mind you don't burn your tongue."
He curls up around the mug of—queries.
Madam Pomfrey smiles. "There's no better cure in this world than chocolate."
Chuck snorts into the rich, sweet steam.
"I'll leave you to it. Ring the bell if you need me."
Chuck acknowledges, sips.
As he nears the bottom of the mug, shuffling feet.
"Oh my heaven—"
Chuck startles.
"—you're not dead!" squeaks Abbie and immediately claps her hands over her mouth.
'No, really,' grumps Chuck's eyebrow.
"A-all the stories at the feast said you'd /died over the summer and that's why you weren't there!"
"Nope," he croaks.
"But why're you—"
"Get lost," he snarls.
Abbie meeps and flees.
Chuck swallows a last mouthful, sets the cup aside, slumps against his pillows.
== 25 Oct 2016 ==
(5 days 'til transformation)
"What're you reading" asks the Old Man.
Chuck, huddled in a cocoon of quilts on his armchair, replies, "Dragon behaviour stuff."
Old Man flops into his favourite chair. "Finding anything useful?"
Chuck sighs, digs himself out a bit, sets his book aside. "This bloke did a study where orphan chicks stopped self-harming when they got nest buddies, even if they weren't dragons."
"Did they eat their 'friends'?"
"Nope. Acted like they were funny-looking dragons."
"Huh. Doesn't sound very dragon-y to me."
"Maybe it's because they were still little and vulnerable when he tried it."
"Who's the dragonologist?"
"Murchadh MacIver."
"Ah. That explains it."
"Wha?"
"The MacIvers are liars—or they exaggerate. They've been saying they can do impossible things with dragons for generations."
"How do /you know they're impossible?" challenges Chuck.
"No one can replicate their results. Their 'science's junk."
Chuck grumbles over his disappointment.
"Even if they /aren't lying about dragons, /were/dragons are different and there's only a small chance a finding about one will apply to the other, yea?" The Old Man hangs his head, murmurs, "Sorry."
"What if this's right, though, and there's a way to keep m—It from ripping me up?"
"That's why we took the window out of the Shack, remember? Giving you space to wear yourself out so you don't."
"Yea, but I really think there's something to the idea of a flight." Rubs the back of his neck. "It /feels right, ye know."
"Chuck ... something feeling right doesn't mean it /is right. Instinct'll only get you so far."
"That's rich advice from a /Gryffindor."
The Old Man—
The kettle whistles.
—hauls himself upright and over to the fire.
Chuck grabs the book, opens to his last page—
"Want a cup?"
"Nah."
Crockery rattles.
—digs back into /How to Speak Dragonese: Understanding Dragon Body Language.
== 09 Dec 2016 ==
(10 days after transformation)
Chuck plods out of Charms, trying to get his sluggish brain into Herbology mode.
"Hansen-san—"
He startles—
"—may we talk?" says Mako.
—heads for the door, nearly bounces off a blond bloke with crossed arms, a frown, a Hufflepuff tie, and a prefect's pin.
"Why don't you and Mako have a chat?" he says.
"Why should—" Chuck huffs, grumps, "Fine. Ye get five minutes from when we get to Garden One." He stomps off.
Mako and her new friend follow through the snow to Chuck's sanctum behind the Devil's Snare.
He props himself against the wall, brows lowered, orders, "Make it snappy."
"I know you've been doing it alone," says Mako quietly. "I have made good use of our time apart and can help you, like a good friend should."
Chuck blinks away the start of tears, rasps, "We're still friends?" Rubs his eyes. "Why would you even bo—"
"Chuck Hansen, just because you've been avoiding me, it doesn't mean we're no longer friends," she scolds, wiping angrily at tears of her own, sidling closer, and whispering in his ear. "I've become an Animagus so I can stay with you throughout."
Chuck's hugging her before he can think it through, face buried in her shoulder.
She squeezes back.
"Ye mean it? You'll be there?"
"I will." She pulls away a little to press her forehead to his. "I'll also bring back-up."
"You've talked to my old man?"
"No, I haven't."
The Hufflepuff prefect clears his throat.
"What?"
"I'm the back-up." He bobs his head, says in a weird mix of Geordie and American, "Raleigh Becket, same skills as her and sworn to secrecy."
Chuck blinks—looms on Mako, spits, "You told someone?! Do you have /any idea what could—"
Becket gets between them, shoves Chuck against the greenhouse wall.
"Le'go 'a me, ye—"
"She didn't tell me; I figured it out on my own."
"You—" Chuck's blood turns arctic, but he still manages to sneer, "How'd ye manage that?"
"I've read that entire section of the library? And all the clues fit?"
There are icebergs in Chuck's arteries and his heart's stuttering.
"Does anyone else ...?"
"Not that I know of and /lots of people talk to me," says Becket.
"Most of the rumours I've heard involve exotic illnesses," adds Mako.
Chuck laughs weakly, slides out of Becket's grip on his jacket, oozes to the ground— 
"Are you—"
"What's—"
—lets his head fall back so he can see the blue sky. 
Mako swims into view, says, voice squeaky-worried, "Chuck, what's happening?"
"Havin' a metaphorical heart attack here."
"But this is all good news?"
"Mako ... you don't—it's not—/no /one /can /know. 's bad enough I told you, but Becket figuring it out? That's really, /really bad."
"I don't understand."
Chuck shakes his head.
"Explain it to me, please."
"It's—" He takes a deep, shaky breath. "When I got back, it's what the Old Man and I had to promise so I /could come back: no special treatment, no more dorm living, /no /one finds out." Locks their eyes. "People hear what's happening and they'll throw me out—the Old Man, too, probably."
Mako puts her shoulders back. "Then no one will find out."
"What're you gonna do about Becket? Use a Memory Charm on him?"
"He can keep a secret." She smiles, a bit wicked. "Besides, you know one of his."
Chuck ... grins.
"So ... uh, since it looks like you're not gonna kill me," says Becket, "how 'bout we go into Hogsmeade and I buy us all drinks so we can get to know each other better?"
"I, uh ...." Chuck gets his wits sorted, doesn't /quite get his eyes off Mako and onto Becket. "How 'bout hot cocoa from the kitchens instead?"
"How 'bout we split the difference? I've got some bottled butterbeer in my room we can share—"
Mako says, "We'll meet you in the Tracery Hall."
Becket grins like a loon and takes off running.
"Mite enthusiastic for a prefect, ain't he?"
Mako tugs Chuck upright. "Let's go."
He drags his feet as Mako pulls him along by the hand. "What's the rush? Mister Sunshine can entertain himself for a bit."
She keeps towing, even picks up speed. "It's rude to keep someone waiting."
"Mako, seriously. Slow down." Pulls back. "Please."
She relents, cuts their pace to an almost leisurely stroll.
"Thanks," Chuck murmurs.
"You're welcome." 
They make it to the castle and Mako side-eyes him.
"What?"
"How is your health?"
"I'm not tired, if that's what you mean. Just don't feel like hurrying."
"I don't think I've ever seen you /not in a rush."
"I just—" He stops walking, takes a deep breath. "I'm just happy to have you back."
"I never left."
"Well, I—" Huffs. "I—" Glomps Mako, lets out a shuddery exhale. "Thanks. For everything."
"You're welcome."
.
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