Charlie Montgomery ft. PRESCOTT Montgomery & PHILLIP montgomery
2013 & 2014 DATE
Montgomery Home & companyLOCATION
Low RATING/TRIGGERS
"Charlotte, be good, we’ll see you soon"
2013 OCTOBER
“You wanted to see me?” Charlie asked after knocking lightly on her fathers’ study door. He nodded waving her in. Charlie took a seat at one of the chairs at his desk and waited, her hands clasped together as she worked to keep herself calm.
“What are your plans Charlotte?” He asked as he set down Witch Weekly and a picture of herself and Cormac McLaggen danced across the full page image.
“Well, I was thinking of applying to w-”
“No.” Her father cut her off quickly. “Charlotte, you’re a good girl, but that isn’t the kind of career you’d do well at.” He pointed at the picture. “This is.”
Charlie didn’t say anything for a moment. “I’ve also always thought I could apply to wand-”
“NO! Charlotte,” he sighed. “You’re not like Isobel. Healing is a respectable career and she’s always known what she wanted. You, you’re not built the same way.” His voice sounded gentle but it felt anything but. “You’re good at making people smile, you’re not the smart twin, you’re the fun one.” He said his voice dripping with false empathy. Charlie nodded, she’d heard it most of her life. The fun twin, the less serious twin, the one that wasn’t put together.
“I really like figuring out what makes things work, and wands are important,” Charlie responded.
“It wouldn’t be good for the company if you worked for Wi-Con, it’s full of secrets and dangerous magic that frankly shouldn’t be allowed.” Her father insisted.
“It could cha-”
“No Charlotte. You wouldn’t make it there anyway. You don’t have the NEWTs for it, and you never were the kind of girl to hold steady long enough for a career like that.” He insisted. He was right about the NEWTs.
Charlie swallowed and nodded. “So, what am I good enough at to do?” She asked.
Her father pointed at the picture. “This.” He said. “Be a celebrity by being who you are, fun, playful, infectious personality. Leave the serious things to your brothers and sisters, you be the light and fun.” He said.
Charlie opened her mouth to ask him something but he held up his hand. “It’s taken care of, you’re on your way to being a very good influence and good socialite..” He told her. At that moment a knock came to the door and her stepmother walked in.
“Charlotte, be good, we’ll see you soon.” He told her dismissing her.
2013 DECEMBER
It was the annual Christmas party and this year it was back on. Rebuilding efforts were still very much ongoing and the world was still getting itself back together. Charlie had taken to her new celebrity status well and worked to make sure it did some good too. She was good at keeping things light and playful. She found she enjoyed it, and as pictures of her started to come out and she was covered more and more she used it to point out issues in the world.
Charlie got to the house a little bit early when she walked towards her room to change she passed one of the sitting rooms and heard her father and brother Phillip talking.
“I told you pushing Charlotte into something she would do well at would make her happy,” she heard her father say. Charlie slowed her steps and stood outside the room listening out of view.
“It doesn’t challenge her,” she heard her brother say, his voice annoyed.
“She doesn’t need a challenge, she isn’t focused enough to accomplish something challenging, not like Isobel.” Her father countered.
“She’s different,” Phillip said.
“Isobel knows what she wants to be, Charlotte’s ideas are,” he paused and Charlie could picture the face her father was making. He never approved of her off the wall concepts.
“Remarkable, unique,” Phillip offered. “Charlie’s a lot smarter than we give her credit for.” He told their father.
“She’s also unreliable, emotional, lacks discipline and she doesn’t have a respectable career in mind.” Her father said. “She’s not suited for anything more challenging than her current path.”
Phillip started to argue but she heard footsteps behind her and she hurried on to her room locking herself inside.
Charlie was late to the party that night. When her father saw her he smiled.
“Well done Charlotte, you’re learning timing brilliantly.” He whispered as pictures were snapped of them and Charlie could see Isobel off in the distance talking to a family friend. Charlie could make out the friend saying how proud the family must be of her for training to be a healer.
2014 APRIL
Charlie didn’t know why she picked up the piece of wood, but she did. She was sitting at a new café in Diagon Alley and was there purely to be seen eating there. She had a copy of witch weekly open on the table and positioned in a way that it made it look like she was reading it, but she wasn’t. She was poking at the piece of wood and worrying about her best friend Tracey.
She didn’t notice Olivander at a few tables away watching her. Charlie shut her eyes feeling the piece of wood and her mind got lost in it when she heard a shuffle of feet and saw the old man come towards her. He asked to sit and Charlie nodded putting the witch weekly over the piece of wood and book she had open about muggle technology.
“My dear, what is it that you see in that piece of wood,” he asked.
Charlie tilted her head but decided what was the harm, being kind fo Olivander wouldn’t hurt her image. “I don’t know, it feels, it feels like it could be springy and ready for unicorn tail, almost wishful, wistful, full of possibility.” She offered. “Stupid of me, I know.” Charlie had taken to not believing she was good for anything other than looking pretty and having her picture taken.
“Why?” the old man asked.
“Why what?”
“Do you think that wood is ready to become a wand,” he responded.
“Well,” Charlie paused as she looked at it more closely. “See here,” she said pointing to a knot in it. “It’s unique, it has a story, it’s ready to write a story with a user. I-”
“Feel it,” he finished with a soft smile.
“I guess so,” she shrugged.
“I’d like to teach you,” he told her.
“No you wouldn’t,” Charlie responded quickly. He gave her a puzzled confused look. “I’m,” she paused. “Not meant for a real career, and my father would be furious.”
“Ms. Montgomery.” He told her. “I remember everyone wand I’ve made and sold, and you I thought would make a fine wand maker when I sold you your wand.” Charlie looked up curious. “I remember the day you and your sister came in. She I saw a healers tough, you I saw a makers tough.”
Charlie thought for a moment. “You don’t understand…”
“Wand making is hard work, and you have a lot to learn.”
“It has to be a secret.” She said surprised by her own words.
“So it will be,” he told her. “I’ll see you tomorrow morning at my home, 9 am.” He handed her the address and got up and left.