𝐞𝐧𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐲 , marlene mckinnon

𝐱𝐢𝐢. Nineteen

" running in circles "

It's July twenty-seven when Charlotte Adler turned nineteen years old. It was exactly after breakfast she left her apartment flat, sinking in her usual seat in Wimbourne's tavern, letting drink wizards and muggle surround her like an ocean to a coral reef. The noise wasn't irritating her as such as her spirits were unusual up, finds it odd that she's spending her birthday alone once more like any other year.

Prone to avoiding her childhood house, Charlotte found it difficult to stay away especially on the day she becomes an age older. She was silent in her booth when she received her food, refused when the waitress offered to top her off a free pint out of the goodness of her heart (or preferably found her pretty.) Still, Charlotte refused and stuck on eating her food, letting herself be seen as an innocent young adult in the corner.

All the time in her birthday, she'd act ungrateful when Miss Port would visit her home and bringing a cake and portion of warm food. In rare occasions, there would be presents that are mostly candies like a cauldron cake and much more Charlotte secretly enjoyed by herself.

She cannot lie to herself and would forever be grateful for Alura Port, acting like a mother when her own cannot.

"Should we be worried she's missing on her own birthday?" Gideon asks, placing his hands on either of his hips as he stands in the middle of Charlotte's apartment, her front door widely open from a single charm of spell.

"I think we should be grateful." Fabian shrugs, coming out of the kitchen and the only thing he saw was a clean surface counter unlike his and Gideon's back at their home. "Not everyday Charlotte leaves her apartment for her birthday. How old is she now? Nineteen?"

"I think so, yeah."

"Merlin, she's growing too fast yet so young to be experiencing the war." Fabian sets down a messily wrapped gift on the coffee table and accidentally knocked down a stack of books. It made him sigh and kneel down, reaching down to pick it all up and place it all neatly back on the table as if nothing happened. "Reckon she's in trouble, Gid?" He asks, seeing the troubled look on his twin brother's face.

"It's nothing." Gideon says. "I just think of the worse."

"What's on your mind?"

"Charlotte was attacked less than a month ago. I know she's easily agitated when we worry and is why we keep our distance but—"

"—But we won't anyways." Fabian finishes for him and Gideon agrees, nodding. "Where could she be anyways?" He adds.

Apparently, it was difficult to get a peace of time and quiet when you're Charlotte Adler. Her empty booth was rejoined by that another though she did not look and kept her gaze outside the window which the side of her head rests on, boredly left the cold tea on the desk. It sat next to her empty plate that has been recently finished.

"Dumbledore sent you." It was not a question as Charlotte looks forward, seeing Sirius Black with a mere grin on his up to no good face.

"Apologies, Adler. I best think it's my job to annoy you now more frequently." Sirius didn't know why he received a patronus saying he should visit Wimbourne's tavern. The Phoenix patronus was very clear and Sirius didn't mind as he needed to get away from his flat, away from the loneliness.