A Blessing and a Curse

Hermione Granger was on her summer holidays with her parents. They fancied the sea, and were out sunning themselves on the beach. Hermione didn't have the olive complexion of her mother, and knew that she would get sunburn if she sunned herself. However, she was still quite happy. It would give her spare time to begin reading and researching for her next year of school. She took her studies quiet seriously, for she was enrolled in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. One day, she would be a fully trained witch.

She, unlike a lot of the students at Hogwarts, didn't have any other magical family. Both her parents were ordinary people, who magical folk called Muggles. This meant that both the mean-spirited and the ignorant looked at her as if her talents weren't up to par. Hermione wasn't the sort of girl that would let a stigma prevent her from getting what she wanted. Every year at Hogwarts, she always received the highest marks. She wasn't about to let that change. The secret of her success lay in her constant persistence and her natural inclination to play by the rules. In order to keep it up, she would have to study extra hard this holiday. Towards the end of her vacation, she had been invited to come and stay with her friend Ron and his family to see the Quidditch World Cup. This meant that she had to get her entire summer's worth of studying done in just the first part of the holiday.

She felt the bump of her cat, Crookshanks, against her shin. She bent down to scratch him behind the ears, then picked up her schoolbooks. It was a particularly nice day, so she let him go chasing the seagulls that darted around the bay. She decided to take her books out on the pier that was a little further down the arc of the beach. She put her wand in the folds of her beach towel, and walked slowly towards the end of the pier.

It felt odd wearing a sun dress, especially after wearing her school robes all year round. She enjoyed the feeling of freedom, and smiled to herself. It felt good to have sandles on her feet, and sand between her toes.

Finally, she found a group of round picnic tables with umbrellas by the very end of the pier. The nearby lemonade stand was closed, and this area looked deserted. A small distance away, some fisherman were casting off of the edge and into the water. Further away, ships were coming in and out of port. She watched the waves roll past before her, and felt the salty spray in the air. She decided that this was the perfect place to study, and put all of her things down.

She had just arranged everything, and opened a book entitled The Evolution of Dragons and Common Firedrakes, when she heard men shouting behind her. She turned, and saw a large cruise ship that was veering a touch too close to the dock. She realized it was going to crash. Without another thought, she found her wand. She looked from side to side quickly, and she saw that no one was watching around her. Taking a small breath, she muttered the words of the Displacement Charm, and a small shockwave shot out from her wand. A large wave, created by her charm, forced the ship backwards. She gave it just enough room to recorrect. She breathed a sigh of relief, hoping that The Ministry of Magic wouldn't notice. She had bent the rules on not performing magic outside of school before. However, this was the first time she had broken them completely.

She sat down, slightly shaky, and put away her wand. She started to read her book, but then she heard a tapping and scuffling noise.

"That was brilliant," said a voice. Hermione whirled around, and saw a boy about her age. He was dressed in a yachting outfit and large, round sunglasses that were very dark. He had a shiny silver ring on his right ring finger, and a long, straight black walking stick. He smiled warmly. "Wonderful, really."

Hermione's heart was racing. She cursed herself silently, then stood up. "What do you want?" she asked, acting more bravely than she felt.

The boy leaned a bit on his stick. Hermione saw that beneath his khaki pants, his left leg was a bit shrunken. It made her feel odd. "Oh, don't worry," said the boy. "Your secret's safe with me."

"Why should I trust you?" asked Hermione, recalling a Memory Charm just in case she had to use it.

"Because I have a secret, too," he replied evenly.

"Oh?" asked Hermione, trying not to sound intrigued. "What's that?"

The boy smiled again. "I have The Sight."

Hermione nearly burst out laughing at this. One of her teachers, Professor Trelawny, had claimed to have The Sight. Hermione hadn't given credence to any of her so-called predictions. Hermione had been so fed up with these premonitions that she had walked out of her class, and never came back. Hermione thought all fortune-tellers were charlatans.

"I know someone who claimed to have The Sight," she said.

"Really?" he asked, intrigued. "I've heard other people say they had The Sight as well, but I've never met anyone who did."

"Neither have I," Hermione said flatly.

"Well," sighed the boy. "I had hoped you...but never mind. My name is Charles." He walked closer towards her, and extended his hand. She noticed he leaned heavily on his staff as he walked, making that odd scraping sound she heard earlier.

She shook his hand. "Pleasure," she said, deciding that she could always do a Memory Charm on him later. She looked hard at him, but couldn't see anything with his sunglasses covering his eyes. "Listen, if you really have The Sight, then prove it."

"All right. In two minutes, you will fall down and scrape your left knee. It'll be about right-" he pointed to a spot. "-there."

"Okay," said Hermione, figuring he was a nutter, but he seemed to be harmless. "By the way, my name is-"

She was cut off in mid-sentence by Charles being seized by a fit of convulsions. He grasped his staff, but still nearly fell to the floor. His jaw went slack, and his arms were shaking furiously. His head flopped into an odd puppetlike angle. Then, he started to speak in a loud, low voice.

"MELISSA IS STILL ON BOARD. SHE IS LOOKING FOR HER MOTHER. SHE IS LOOKING OUT OVER THE RAILING. THE RAILING IS TOO TALL FOR HER. SHE WILL LEAN TOO FAR AND FALL OVERBOARD."

Charles stopped speaking strangely, then closed his mouth. After a moment, he shook his head. He staggered, and Hermione made a move to help him sit down. "I can't sit down now," Charles said breathlessly. "I have to go."

With that brief goodbye, he started to walk away as briskly as he could. Hermione watched him for a moment, then picked up her things and started walking after him. "Where are you going?" she asked as she caught up with him.

"To save the girl," he replied.

Hermione looked at him sternly, and didn't watch where she was going. She tripped on a loose floorboard, and skinned her knee. "Ouch!" she yelped, and grabbed her wound. She gathered up her things, which had fallen everywhere. She looked up suddenly. "Wait! Charles!" She called out. He hadn't waited for her. "You told me about my knee! You knew!" It was true; she had fallen down just as he had predicted. She ran after him, limping slightly.

She caught up with him shortly. "Of course-" he puffed, "I knew - I have - The Sight."

"Yeah, but this is different. This is real." She thought a moment. "Is this some kind of prank?" She asked, a last twinge of doubt escaping her.

"No - Hermione - it's not."

She thought a bit more. "I never told you my name!" she exclaimed.

He chuckled. "Sorry - about that." He stopped to catch his breath. "I do that - sometimes." Walking seemed like it was quite difficult for him.

Hermione looked around. "So, where is this girl?"

"There," he said between gulps. He pointed to a ship, not too far away.

"Where?"

"I don't - know exactly."

"Well, can't you see her?"

"Not - like you do."

He took off his sunglasses, and Hermione gasped. She took a step backwards. His eyes were completely devoid of color.

"I'm blind. I just - sense where - things are."

"But you knew about my knee."

"You were - closer to me. Also, some people - are easier to see." He heard a distant scream, then put on his sunglasses again. "I better go. She - doesn't have long."

Hermione made up her mind. "Catch up to me," she said. She bolted forward, heading towards the ship at a flat run. She cursed the weight of her schoolbooks, but she couldn't afford to leave them behind. After all, a Muggle might find them.

It seemed to take forever to get near the ship, but she finally made it. She sped up the plank, and was stopped by a gentleman.

"Please, sir," she said breathlessly. "I think my sister's on board."

He looked her over, as if he knew she was lying. "Funny, I don't remember you," he said sternly.

"My sister's young, sir. Please, she's probably afraid."

He considered a moment. "Alright. Come back if you don't find her right away."

Hermione smiled, then started making her way around the decks. Suddenly, she saw the little girl. Hermione saw her stand up on one of the railings, and start to bend over. The girl's patent leather shoes were slippery on the pole.

"No!" Hermione yelled. The little girl started to tip over. Hermione jumped the last few feet, barely catching the back of the girl's dress. She had just started to fall.

The girl started to scream and cry loudly, and grabbed Hermione around the neck. "Mummy! I want my Mummy!" the little girl said. Hermione barely managed getting off the ship with the little girl, her schoolbooks, and her beach towel with the wand inside. Suddenly, she heard a woman scream.

"My baby!" she cried. "Oh, thank God!"

Hermione gave the child back, feeling much relieved. Still, she did have an awkward moment. The man that had nearly stopped her from getting on the boat saw her give back the child, and smiled. Hermione knew that the man had caught her in the lie, and she felt embarrassed.

"We make a good team," said Charles behind her. "Don't you think?"

She turned towards him, and nodded. "I guess we do."

Hermione and Charles spent the remainder of the afternoon together. They sat down on a large, hot boulder eating ice creams. Charles had never been to the seaside before, so he was full of questions.

"What is a tidal pool?" he asked.

"It's a depression on the shore which retains water after the tide goes out. It is also called the intertidal zone. A lot of sea creatures live there."

"I get it. Are there any tidal pools here?"

Hermione looked around. "It looks like there might be one further up the shore. However, it looks to be much too far to go today. The sun is starting to set."

"Oh," Charles said wistfully. "Maybe we could go there tomorrow. How about it, Hermione?"

"I really don't know. It looks like it's awfully far away, and anyhow I need to start my studies for next year."

"I understand," Charles replied. His voice was distant, though, and Hermione was instantly sorry she hadn't agreed.

"Maybe we can go there the day after tomorrow," she said. "I can do a double study time, and finish my essay outline. If I do that, I can have the day free."

Charles brightened. "Really? That sounds terrific! Are you sure?"

Hermione nodded. "Sure. After all, aren't you the one who can predict the future?"

Charles suddenly looked solemn. "Yes, I can. But it's better to find out by living it." On impulse, he jumped up. "Life is so much better when you don't know what's going to happen." He stood, and breathed in the salty air. He stared sightlessly out to the sea. "I know that much is true."

Hermione tried to immerse herself in her studies, but she found it difficult. Images of Charles still haunted her. She even put aside all her other studies to focus on her special research project.

Professor McGonagall had told Hermione about a Planetary Magic convention that was coming to Durham in two years. Of all the students attending Howarts, McGonagall had chosen her to do a special student entry into their Junior Academics division. Hermione desperately wanted to win the award; she knew she could. She was putting all her spare time into it, and had just finished her hypothesis. She knew also that it needed extensive testing, and most of it could only be done in Hogwarts. This was due to the strict underage wizard magic rules, the ones that Hermione had so recently broken. However, the nonmagical theory part of her assignment could be worked out anywhere. This was the assignment that she was attempting.

However, her mind kept spinning annoyingly back to snips of conversations that she had with Charles. Frustrated, she gave up her studies entirely in favor of a hot bath and a good book. She went to into her book bag, and found that all the books she had brought with her were books that she had read before. Sighing, she chose one that she hadn't read too recently, and began to brush her hair before pinning it up. She had just tamed her hair into a braid when there was a knock on her hotel room door. She looked through the viewer, and was surprised to see Charles on the other side.

"Hello, Hermione," he said as she opened the door.

"What is it?" she asked, a little sharper than she meant. She didn't want to admit that she had been thinking about him.

"I'm sorry; maybe I shouldn't have come. I know you're busy, but I thought...Can't you do your studies tomorrow?" He asked, trying to disguise a small and (a little too) knowing smile.

She knew that it was no use lying to him. After all, he did have The Sight. "Well, all right. Anyway, I have to get a new reading book. Hang on; I'll be right back."

She closed the door, grabbed up her book bag, allowance, jacket, and sandles. She wrote a brief note to her parents, who were expecting her back for lunch. She opened the door, and saw Charles leaning against the hotel wall.

"So, did you want to go to the tide pools?" Hermione asked.

"No," he said, smiling brightly. "I thought I'd take you for a little cruise."

"Oh! Like one of those glass-bottom boat trips?"

"No, better than that. My dad's yacht." Hermione looked at him with wide eyes.

"Your dad has a yacht?"

Charles smiled wryly. "My mum and dad are very rich, you see. We came out here to be alone for a while. My mum hopes that the sea air will help me recover. She thinks it's therapeutic."

"Recover? From what? Is it your leg injury?"

Charles took a small breath. "No, Hermione. I have a tumor."

"A tumor?" she asked, alarmed.

"Yes. My mum and dad don't think I know, but I haven't just come here for a vacation. I've come here to die."

He said it so plainly, so matter-of-factly, that she didn't know what to do.

"But there must be something that can be done!" she exclaimed.

He looked forlorn. "Wrong again. It's a brain tumor, one that's grown too far to be operable. But it's a blessing and a curse, you see. Whatever area of the brain it's in has given me The Sight. The clearer my visions become, the closer I come to death."

Hermione was shaken. She hadn't known Charles for very long, but it wasn't important. Her sense of what was right had suddenly been turned upside down. She had just met him the day before, but already she knew that he would be a good friend. It simply wasn't fair.

After Hermione had learned about Charles' illness, she resolved to spend as much time as she could with him. She couldn't bear the thought of Charles passing away without any other companionship. Besides, being with him on his yacht, teaching him things about the sea, and having plenty of money for ice cream or lunch (he insisted on treating her) was fun and exciting. They had many adventures together, and most of their time was quite merry.

However, every time Charles had a bout with The Sight, Hermione saw that he grew weaker. It hurt her to see him struggle, but forced herself to stay positive. She knew there had to be a way to help him. She poured over her parents' medical journals. She also looked through countless magical potions books and scrolls. Still, it was no use. Every modern medicine text said that the illness was terminal. All of her magical books were too general. She was certain magic could cure him somehow; if she just had access to the library at Hogwarts, she was sure she would find an answer.

In desperation, she sent a letter by owl post to her Herbalism teacher, Professor Sprout. She hoped her professor would send an herb that might help. She had been looking for her owl impatiently for days, and had begun to lose hope. Finally, the owl arrived, a thick package tied neatly to its foot. Quickly, she unwrapped the box. Enclosed, she found a letter, a page torn from an Herbology book, and a small cheesecloth sack with herbs inside. The letter read:

Dear Ms. Granger,

I hope you understand why I must regretfully decline your request for assistance in helping your new friend. While it would be in my jurisdiction to assist fully grown witches and wizards to locate herbs for other witches and wizards, assisting students treating Muggles is of course beyond my scope.

I know that you also wish to continue your studies during the summer, as is usual for you. With this in mind, I have included an exercise for you to experiment with, and the components to create this experiment. I hope you use them in good stead, and I expect a three-scroll essay on how why these herbs are beneficial to the body and its healthy function. I know you will understand.

Sincerely,

Professor Sprout

Hermione was disappointed. Then, she opened the Herbology page, and realized it was for an herb called Bumpflowers. According to the entry, the herb was listed as: 'A common curative for unwanted growths, including boils, bumps and moles. In larger doses, it will even cure more serious growths such as tumors.' Hermione's heart leapt. She opened the small sack, and was relieved to see that some of the precious herb was within. With renewed hope, she set about to preparing it directly.

The next day, Hermione had the herbs prepared. She nervously reread the entry from the torn-out page, and reassured herself that it was correct. She took the preparation in hand, and picked up the telephone. She called Charles' phone number several times, but it just kept ringing. Finally, she put the receiver in the cradle and decided to walk over to the beach-side cottage where he was staying.

She picked up all her things, thinking excitedly about introducing Charles to her friends when he was better. She was sure that he would recover completely, having read the entry carefully at least twenty times. She had practically memorized it by then. The treatment might inhibit his clairvoyance, but she was sure he would take that chance. She finally got all of her things together, and wrote another note to her mum and dad. They were out playing tennis anyway, so they wouldn't miss her until dinnertime.

She made her way to the front door. When no one answered, she walked around to his room and knocked on his window. After waiting a reasonable amount of time, she noticed that the window was left part way open, and looked in cautiously.

"Hello?" she called. The house sounded empty, and she parted the curtains a bit. The room looked as if no one was in it. Curious, she opened the window wide enough, and hopped in. She landed with a soft plump on the bed underneath the window, and looked around. None of Charles' things remained in the room. Only soft, white sheets and plain white curtains remained. She wandered through the rooms of the house, and all the furniture had been covered with the same white sheets. Fear built inside her belly, and she began to run. "HELLO!" she yelled. "IS ANYBODY HOME! CHARLES! IT'S HERMIONE! I'VE GOT SOMETHING TO MAKE YOU BETTER! CHARLES!"

Suddenly, a fluttering caught the corner of her eye. She looked in the breakfast nook where the movement came from. On the table, a rolled up paper lay with Charles' silver ring around it. Her name was written beside the ring. She fought back a sob, and picked up the paper, fearing the worst. She unrolled it carefully, and there was a note inside. It read:

Dear Hermione,

By the time you read this, I will be gone. I know you tried your very best; I knew you would before I even met you. I never told you, but you were my first vision. At first I thought you were an angel, because you told me not to be afraid. When I met you, I knew you would help me. But the same night I met you, I had another vision. I saw myself die, so that's why I came over the next day. I knew I didn't have very long, but I wanted to spend the time I had with you.

My leg injury kept me from playing and having a lot of friends when I was young. You have been the best friend of my entire life. That's why I want to give you this ring. It's so we can always be friends; together forever.

Your friend,

Charles

P.S. - Please remember the good times, because that's what is important.

Hermione put down the note. She looked at her bag with the herbs inside. It seemed so meaningless now. She silently wondered what it all meant. She read the note again, this time the words blurring as she read. She pulled herself together, and closed the back window. She left out the front door, making sure the knob was locked. She thought back on Charles' words. '...it's a blessing and a curse, you see...' She looked back at the house one last time, put on his ring, and watched the sun set over the waves.