I actually had a lot of fun with this! When reading, keep in mind that this doesn't follow canon at all.

This was written for :

The "One and One Challenge" on HPFC - my character was Charlus Potter and my prompt 'fade'.

The "Ultimate Patronus Quest Challenge" - write about the resemblance between father and son.

Fading into the Background

The first day that Charlus Potter met Dorea Black was on their first day of Hogwarts. They'd actually met on the train. They'd recognised each other's family names instantly as they were both a part of famous pureblood families. They'd sat next to each other but barely said a word to one another.

When they reached the Great Hall, they stood next to each other. Dorea's name was called first. Charlus found himself wishing her good luck without even thinking. He smiled as she smiled at him.

Dorea was sorted into Slytherin and Charlus into Ravenclaw. As he went to sit down at the Ravenclaw table he glanced first at Dorea who looked pleased for him and then at his older brother, Henry. Henry looked extremely displeased, and Charlus was sure he knew why. He was the first Potter not to be in Gryffindor.

After that, Charlus was known as the 'outsider' of the family. He found that it became very easy to just fade into the background during family events. Even at school, most of Hogwarts were unaware that the amazing Henry Potter had a little brother.

As the years went on, Charlus began to feel as though he wasn't a part of the Potter family. He didn't even look like the other Potter's—while his mother, father and brother had neat curly brunette hair and blue eyes, somehow Charlus had ended up with hazel eyes and disastrously messy black hair. Sometimes he really wondered if he had been adopted.

The first person to make Charlus feel truly included was Dorea Black. Ever since their first year, the two of them had made eye contact at every possible moment. They uttered few words to each other until their fourth year.

"Hi, Charlus," Dorea said softly one spring evening. Charlus was sitting in the Astronomy Tower, reading. He turned around and frowned. Was the Dorea Black really talking to him?

"Hello?" he said uncertainly. He closed his book and watched in confusion as Dorea sat down on the edge of the tower next to him.

"Charlus," Dorea said quietly, glancing over her shoulder. "I shouldn't be seen talking to you. I—I just wanted you to know that… for the longest time now, I've admired you."

Charlus wasn't sure what to say or think.

"I look at you and I feel these strange feelings that I'm not used to feeling," Dorea said, her eyes wide and her face rosy. "I—well, I was hoping… wondering if you felt the same?"

Charlus cleared his throat. He couldn't believe that this was happening—and it wasn't even a dream! He smiled. "I feel the same."

"You do?"

"I do," Charlus said quietly. He watched as the girl he'd longed for for years smiled warmly at him and discreetly took his hand.

"Can I… can I kiss you?" Dorea asked, glancing around once more—as if anybody else would be in the Astronomy Tower without them hearing.

"Uh," Charlus said, before he felt a pair of soft lips pressed against his own. He kissed back, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her closer to him.

When they broke apart, they stared at each other in a bewildered silence until Dorea quickly stood up and cleared her throat.

"I'll see you around, Charlus," she said. "It was… nice, speaking to you."

"See ya," Charlus said, holding his hand up to his lips in a daze. He couldn't believe what had happened. Dorea Black had kissed him. The nobody. The fading picture in the background. He felt like the luckiest person in the world.

Three years flew by; Charlus and Dorea continued to meet up secretly. They fell in love with each other but they knew that Dorea's family wouldn't approve of her being with someone that they hadn't picked out. It broke both of their hearts that they had to meet up in secret, but they were just happy to have each other.

They were lying in the Room of Requirement one evening. Dorea had been unusually quiet. Charlus had a horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach. They lay in silence for what seemed like forever—Charlus waiting for Dorea to reveal whatever was eating at her.

"Charlus, I—" Dorea closed her eyes turned away from him. "—I have something to tell you."

"Yes?" Charlus asked, scared to hear the answer.

"My parents… they've arranged my marriage," Dorea whispered.

Charlus felt as though his entire world had stopped turning. He sat up quickly and stared at her. She sat up and pulled the sheets up to cover her naked body. She had tears in her eyes.

"I'm so sorry."

"Can't you say no?" Charlus asked, although he already knew the answer. Dorea wasn't a brave person. She would always do what was asked of her. She would never betray her parents and never defy them. That was when it clicked.

Charlus was losing her forever.

"I can't…"

"Who?" Charlus whispered.

"Here's the thing," Dorea said. "Don't be upset, please. This situation is already hard enough as it is."

"Just tell me," Charlus said in a pained voice.

"It's… your brother," Dorea mumbled.

Charlus's heart dropped. "Henry?"

"Yes."

"Why is Henry good enough for you and I'm not?" Charlus asked. "What makes him so special?"

Dorea reached for Charlus's hands and held on to them. "Charlus, listen to me. I want you to know that I will always love you. I will always know that you were right for me, not Henry. But this is what my parents and your parents want for Henry and I. Who am I to deny them of that happiness?"

Charlus shook his head. "This isn't fair. Who are they to deny us of our happiness?"

"They're my parents!" Dorea hissed. "I love them, Charlus. I'm sorry. I can't disappoint them."

"So that's it then?"

"This is goodbye," Dorea said, wiping a tear from her eyes. "I wish you every bit of happiness, Charlus."

"I—you too," Charlus muttered, although he wished his brother dead.

That night was the last night that Charlus made love to Dorea. It hadn't even been that special—had Charlus known, he would have made it the most special moment in either of their lives. But again, it was just another pointless memory that would fade into the background. Just like Charlus.

When Dorea fell pregnant, her wedding to Henry was moved forward. They were married very quickly and Charlus knew without a doubt that the child was his. There was no way that the child was Henry's, and he was sure Henry knew that.

"That child is mine," Charlus yelled. Henry gritted his teeth and glared at his brother.

"Can you just get over the fact that I've married your school girlfriend?" Henry said, irritated. "You need to let it go. Dorea is my wife. We're having a child. Leave us."

Charlus balled his hands into fists. "You haven't even touched her in that way."

"And you have?" Henry asked. "You were children when you were together at Hogwarts."

"She didn't get pregnant by herself," Charlus snapped. "We were together half a year ago and she's six months pregnant. You're not stupid, Henry."

"Regardless," Henry said. "The woman is mine, the child is mine."

"You know that baby is mine, don't you? Yet you'll still raise it as your own?"

"If you don't shut your mouth I'll make sure it knows to avoid Uncle Charlus at all costs—he's a little deranged."

"How dare you?"

Henry sighed. "I know you have a problem with me, Charlus. You're upset that I'm married to Dorea. You're upset that I've always been favoured by Mother and Father. You're upset that I'm a more interesting person in general. I didn't ask for this. I didn't ask for a nobody as a brother, but I got one. Man up and deal with it!"

Charlus and Henry remained at odds for the years to come. Dorea refused to speak to Charlus—being the dutiful wife and doing as Henry wished. He forbade Dorea to speak to Charlus.

When Fleamont was born, Charlus wasn't allowed to see him. In fact, he hadn't even realised the child had been born until weeks afterwards when he came across Dorea and the baby in Hogsmeade.

She was holding Fleamont in her arms when Charlus spotted her. He made a beeline for her, and when he saw Fleamont for the first time, he felt as though he'd never seen such a beautiful sight. His Dorea and his son.

"He looks like you," Charlus said.

"I must get going," Dorea said quickly, hurrying off. But Charlus couldn't help but notice that the baby had bright hazel eyes and the messiest black hair.

He watched as the woman he loved took his son away, leaving him to just fade into the background.

More years passed. Charlus heard that Fleamont had finished Hogwarts—he'd been in Gryffindor. Apparently he'd found a beautiful red-headed woman who he was going to be marrying. Charlus wasn't invited to the wedding.

Charlus was sure that Fleamont hadn't even heard of him, and every day was a struggle just knowing that his son was out there with no idea who his real father was.

Each day that went by, Charlus resented his brother more and more. Henry had taken everything away from him. Even when Charlus saw Dorea these days, she didn't look at him the way she used to. He knew what had happened—she'd fallen out of love with him.

Charlus became a grandfather. He wasn't sure when. He only found out when hazel-eyed messy-haired James Potter started his third year of Hogwarts. He'd been reading the Daily Prophet when he came across a news article about a group of trouble makers at Hogwarts setting fire to the Hogwarts kitchens.

The face was a striking resemblance to his own face at the age of thirteen. He wasn't angry—no, he was furious. Thirteen years and his brother hadn't thought to tell him that Fleamont had a child.

Come to think of it, his brother hadn't spoken to him in ten years. Dorea hadn't spoken to him in eight.

He tried to keep himself focused on other things. He wouldn't let this get to him.

It was 1981 when Charlus discovered what kind of a person Henry Potter really was. Charlus finally plucked up the courage to go to his brother's house. He wanted to make amends. He wasn't even fussed if his son and grandson didn't know who he was to them—he just wanted to know them.

He tracked down where Henry and Dorea lived and headed to their home. A young man opened the door holding a baby. The baby had the very same messy black hair, although he had bright green eyes. A pretty young red-haired woman appeared at the man's side.

"Hello?" the man asked.

"Oh… is Henry home?"

"Henry? As in my grandfather?"

Charlus swallowed. "You're James?"

"I'm sorry, do I know you?"

"I'm—I'm—"

"My grandfather passed away last week," James said. "With my grandmother and my parents."

"I'm sorry—what?"

The woman stepped forwards, putting a comforting hand on James's shoulder. "Please, sir. My husband is obviously upset. Can we help you with anything?"

"How did they die?"

"Lord Voldemort," the woman said coldly. "Anything else?"

"I'm… I'm Henry's brother, please—" he stared at James. "I'm you're real grandfather."

James glanced at Charlus for a moment and then shook his head. "Grandfather was an only child. Dad always used to say Grandfather used to complain about not having any siblings."

"He was lying!" Charlus yelled. "Please! I'm your family."

"Please leave us, we're grieving. I'm sure you can understand," the woman said. The door was half closed when Charlus stuck his foot in the way.

"What's the baby's name?" Charlus asked desperately.

"It's Harry," James said.

"Can I meet hi—"

The door was slammed before Charlus could finish his question. He stood, freezing cold on the doorstep of his late brother's home in utter shock.

Henry was dead. His brother was dead. His son was dead. His… his Dorea was dead.

Charlus decided that this was it for him. He had nothing left to live for.

It was Halloween. Charlus made his way to the Astronomy Tower at Hogwarts—the place he'd first kissed Dorea. He sat on the edge of the Astronomy Tower for a good while trying to find the happiest moments of his life.

All he could think of was his few years at Hogwarts when he and Dorea were together. He wondered if he'd see her in heaven? He wondered if his brother had gone to hell where he belonged.

He hoped he'd get to meet his son.

Charlus Potter held onto that hope as he stood up shakily and without another thought he stepped over the edge and faded off into nothingness.

Miles away, a green light struck and Harry Potter became The Boy Who Lived.

~The End~