The light appeared. He followed it, and it entered his chest. Closing his eyes, he disapparated. He had no idea where it would take him but he hoped it would be a good place. When he opened his eyes, he was standing on a bridge in what looked like a gorge. It was cold and wet and somehow, he thought he recognised it. Sitting on the bridge, surrounded by trees was Lou. She didn’t look her usual self, she looked more like she had done when he had first known her.

“How did you find me?” She asked. She didn’t move, she had obviously heard the crack though and knew it was someone magical.

He didn’t want to risk her disapparating, so he moved slowly, “Actually, I had some help from this” She looked up, clearly surprised by the person that was standing in front of her.

“Charlie! What? How?”

“You look… different. Where have you been?”

“I don’t know, here, there, nowhere.”

He looked around at the unsteady bridge “…and where are we now?”

“Cheddar Gorge, I was supposed to come with Cedric but we never made it”

“Oh. Mum’s worried about you. That you won’t be eating. Keeps saying you’ll come back when you’re ready.” She was quiet. Charlie was like her big brother and she didn’t want to be around anyone else.

“I- I’ll survive. Where’s George?”

“He’s trying to survive.” He edged closer, still nervous that she would leave.

“and you?”

“Dragons of course with Bill, Ministry and Gringotts.” Finally, he got to within touching distance of her he wasn’t sure if he should risk a side along apparition or what.

Before he knew what had happened, she was hugging him. She was curled in his arms. “don’t go as well. Please.”

“I-I won’t, but this bridge won’t hold both of us much longer” It had started to whine and creak. Hold on and I’ll apparate somewhere else.

“not to your mum, not to anyone else. I can’t do that just yet”

“Alright, just hold on, Lou.”

She closed her eyes and remembered what it had been like when she used side-along apparition with her uncle. Her dead uncle. The thought made her shiver.