Harry was desperate to find Charlie.
Somehow, overnight, the chocolate shop had vanished from Hogwarts entirely.
The sudden cutoff left a surprising number of people reeling. Harry had never expected to be one of them.
Ever since the night of Neville's detention, the scar on his forehead had burned without rest. He couldn't sleep. He could barely eat. The only solution he could think of was Dream Chocolate.
Finally, after one class, he managed to catch Charlie just as the other boy was already three steps out the door. Five more seconds and Charlie would have disappeared into the crowd.
"Charlie, wait!"
Charlie glanced back. "What's up?"
"What have you been busy with lately?" Harry asked, then quickly added, "Actually—do you have a minute? Can we talk somewhere quiet?"
Charlie nodded. "All right. But keep it short."
They hurried to an empty classroom next to the abandoned girls' bathroom on the second floor. Thanks to Moaning Myrtle's constant weeping, almost no one ever came near that stretch of corridor.
Even so, once inside, Harry still checked both directions carefully before he spoke. Only when he was sure no one could overhear did he launch into everything Neville had told him about that night in the forest.
In Harry's version, Charlie might as well not have existed.
According to Neville, he had simply stumbled across a figure in a black hood trying to kill a unicorn. The centaurs had arrived, driven the attacker off, and rescued him. Later Hagrid and Dumbledore had rushed in and managed to save the dying foal.
That was the entire story Neville had passed on.
Charlie listened with mild surprise. Dumbledore's little suggestion charm was even more effective than he had expected. In this telling, Charlie himself had been cleanly erased.
Harry, of course, read the flicker of surprise on Charlie's face as ordinary shock at the news. Who wouldn't be startled to hear that someone had tried to murder a unicorn in the Forbidden Forest?
"Got it. Thanks for telling me."
Charlie smiled and raised a hand. "But I'm guessing that's not the only reason you tracked me down today."
"Yeah…" Harry gave an embarrassed little laugh. "Can I ask what happened to the chocolate shop? Why did you take it down?
And… I'd really like to buy some more Dream Chocolate. My scar's been aching nonstop. I can't sleep. If this keeps up, I'm not going to remember how to answer the questions I already know, let alone do well on the exams."
"Completely understand." Charlie nodded with genuine sympathy.
"As for the first question—the shop ran into a small problem. Barring any more surprises, it should reopen next term.
As for right now…" He dug into his pocket and pulled out a handful of Dream Chocolates. "Here. Take all of these. Should be enough to last until the scar settles down."
Harry stared at the small pile, caught between gratitude and a bitter sort of dread.
Getting this many Dream Chocolates was clearly good news. The idea that his scar might keep hurting long enough to need them all was not.
"Just a joke," Charlie said lightly, waving it off with a small smile.
"I feel like that smile means something else."
"You're imagining things," Charlie denied at once.
Harry still felt something was off, but he didn't press. Instead he reached into his own pocket, looking awkward. "I don't think I have enough money left. How much do I owe you?"
In theory the money he had withdrawn at the start of the year should have lasted ages. He had to admit, though, that a surprising amount of it had gone straight into chocolate.
"No charge," Charlie said.
"I can't accept that," Harry protested immediately. Charlie was running a business just to support himself. Harry had a small mountain of Galleons left by his parents. Taking the chocolates for free felt wrong.
Charlie acted as if he hadn't heard. He reached into his pocket again, this time producing two lollipops.
"Here. One more thing for you."
"New product?" Harry's attention was instantly caught. He still remembered being the first to try the original Dream Chocolate back at Halloween.
"Sort of. But you only get to choose one of these two."
Charlie held them out, one in each hand. "Left one makes you feel hotter—more restless. Right one makes you feel cooler, calmer. Each has its own upsides and downsides. Your call."
Harry didn't fully understand, but the choice still intrigued him.
"I'll take the hotter one," he decided.
Charlie handed over the left lollipop.
Harry was already reaching to unwrap it when Charlie stopped him. "Not now."
That only made Harry more curious. "Is it like the Dream Chocolate? Something you only eat in a specific situation?"
"When should I eat it, then?"
Charlie thought for a moment. "Next time you're looking for me—or for Dumbledore—eat it then."
Harry nodded, a little lost. "Uh… okay."
"That's everything for today," Charlie said.
"All right." Harry hesitated, then tried one last question. "About the person in the forest… do you have any ideas?"
"I know what you want to hear. Voldemort. Yes, Harry. I think the same as you."
Charlie was already walking away. "See you at dinner, mate."
Once he had left Harry behind, Charlie headed straight back to the dormitory without wasting a second.
Beside his desk the suitcase lay flat. He pressed both thumbs to the brass clasps. A soft click, and the lid opened onto pure darkness.
He climbed inside. A light tap of his wand brought several tiny light sprites fluttering into the air.
In the cramped space a rough wooden table held a small fire. Inside the cauldron a thick, ghostly purple liquid bubbled steadily, releasing a sharp, mint-cold scent.
Charlie's nostrils flared. He frowned.
The ventilation system was still nowhere near good enough. The crude setup clearly couldn't handle potion-brewing for long.