A/N: Ok so thank you for getting this far! I know a lot of people hate the daughter of a Marauder thing, but please give it a chance. Charlotte's back story will be explained as the story unfolds, if people want it to of course!
Disclaimer: Anything that you recognise is NOT mine :D
Platform 9¾ was reassuringly busy as Charlotte - Charlie - Lupin hauled her trunk through the throng of people towards the gleaming Hogwarts Express. Thick smoke curled upwards into the air, like tendrils grasping desperately at anything remotely solid. Shuddering against the surprising cold of the bright September morning, Charlie tried to pull her robes further around her shoulders, but failed miserably as her trunk slipped from her already frozen hands and clattered to the floor. Thankfully not bursting open to reveal her clothes and personal belongings to all and sundry, she grasped the handle with as much strength as she could muster and dragged it to the conductor, who relieved her of its dead weight with a smile and a nod. Charlie knew that she should have accepted her father's help with the trunk, but he was dreadfully weak at the present time, the full moon was tonight, and the strain it had put on him was unimaginable so she didn't want her trunk to weaken him any farther.
Stepping confidently onto the train she made her way to the closest empty compartment, she wasn't really in the mood for her friends' bubbly summer tales at the moment, finding none, she settled herself in her father's. He was sat leaning against the window, cloak pulled over him to an extent that it was covering most of his face; she plonked herself on the same seat. She fidgeted a little to get her Hogwarts robes in a position where they felt mostly comfortable, the prefects badge clipped haphazardly to the lapel. Snuggling next to him for warmth, she let out an almost purr like noise. Content with the heat seeping through her clothes, she shut her eyes wearily and joined her father in sleep.
Charlie eventually managed to pry open her tired eyes about half way through their journey, to find Ron, Harry and Hermione chatting on the other seat. They stopped when they realised that she was awake, and all offered her mega watt smiles.
"Hey Sleepyhead, nice of you to finally join us" Ron grinned, leaning over to prod the Gryffindor, grin widening when she mumbled something unintelligible.
"Is he..." Ron started, inclining his head towards the sleeping man in the corner.
"My dad, yeah" Charlie whispered, beaming when she discovered that she had been covered by her father's cloak.
"You look a lot like him" Hermione added, as her eyes flickered between Charlie and her father. They shared the same auburn/brown hair with Charlie's curling gently, falling to her shoulders and her fathers with flashes of grey, the same angular yet soft features, the shape of their lips were practically identical, and Hermione assumed that were they both to stand up, they would both have the lithe athletic build that Charlie possessed and even perhaps be within an few inches in height.
"I get that a lot, but you're right I do" Charlie mused "I don't think that I have any of my mum in me" she saddened, the death of her mother was still seared freshly into her brain, an all encompassing pain that on her worst days smothered her until she simply couldn't move. Her mother had been an auror, and was caught in the crossfire between a death eater and some of her colleagues 9 years ago when she was 7, she vividly remembered a man from the auror office walking down their garden path, admiring the neatly trimmed grass and dazzling flowers as he approached the door to their small cottage. Much of what happened afterwards was surrounded in a blurred haze of crushing realisation that she would never see her mother again, she would never touch her; never hear her comforting words when she was so disillusioned with the workings of the world. It was strange really, how she would happily give anything to see her mother again, if only to hear her say "I love you". She had long forgotten what her mother's voice sounded like, the way she looked was kept alive only by the photos that littered her bedroom. She had never really been able to find that garden beautiful again, it had been religiously maintained in her memory, but neither her nor her father really cared for it anymore. Her reverie was broken by her father shifting in his sleep, which seemed to make them all jump.
"So what have you ickle Gryffindor's been doing over the holidays? Being brave and gallant heroes I imagine?" Charlie asked, a sly smile touching her face.
Harry pretended to look affronted while suppressing a snigger. Charlie was one of the few more senior Gryffindor's that went out of her way to get into trouble; unlike most who went out of their way to avoid it. "Oh you know the usual" he grinned "Did blow my aunt up" he added dryly "How was yours?"
"Awesome" Charlie beamed, as though it was the best news that she had had all summer "Nothing interesting to report this time I'm afraid but there was this..."
Whatever Charlie had been about to say was lost when the door of their carriage flew open revealing Draco Malfoy and his herd of followers. He was staring smugly at Harry when he had glanced Charlie out of the corner of his eye.
"What are you doing in here?" he hissed, glaring at Charlie with utter contempt
"Having a bath, what does it look like?" Charlie fired quirking a questioning eyebrow at the young Slytherin.
Malfoy opened his mouth to say something else when he spotted Charlie's father in the corner, his head leaning against the window in what seemed the most uncomfortable manner. "Who's he?"
"Teacher" Ron replied, staring at Malfoy venomously
"So you better scram Malfoy before I accidently knock him with my foot" Charlie grinned, theatrically moving her leg towards her fathers.
"You wouldn't" Malfoy sneered, trying to call her bluff "You're a prefect"
"Oh you think so" if possible Charlie's arched eyebrow almost disappeared into her hairline, as she swiftly moved her leg, knocking it against her father, who bolted awake rather suddenly, gripping Charlie's shoulder in fright. Malfoy hastily made his exit as Harry and Ron laughed heartily, drawing the attention of Remus Lupin, who eyed them with amusement before throwing a pointed look at his daughter "Charlie, play nice" he whispered and closed his eyes again.
"Play nice, when do I ever play nice? I'm a born cheat! I cheated at Jenga just so I could win" she said in sheer incredulity, looking at her father as if he had grown another head. Even though she soon realised that her short rant was fruitless as he had once again been succumbed by sleep, she continued to mutter the words play nice as though they were some sort of fatal disease.
"I didn't think you could win at Jenga" Hermione added, her face knotted with confusion "How did you cheat?"
"Apparently, hugging it so it doesn't fall is cheating. I say it's using all my unharnessed Slytherin cunning, but that's just me..." Charlie stopped, a devilish smile erupting across her face "Wood" she hummed and if possible she managed to smile wider. Bouncing on her seat slightly waiting for the Seventh year to stick his head through the compartment door and he did, not two minutes after she had announced his arrival Oliver Wood was standing on the threshold of their compartment.
"OLIVER!" Charlie shouted, enthusiastically waving at him.
"Charlie you are so dead" he announced to the unsuspecting sixth year, as Charlie's face scrunched in puzzlement.
"Why, I haven't even gotten to Hogwarts yet" Charlie countered, as if her answer explained everything
"Well Percy told me to tell you that you have a detention tonight after the feast, with McGonagall" he smirked as Charlie's jaw dropped.
"What did I do?" she asked, now staring at him in abject horror
"It's more what you didn't do actually" Oliver said flippantly
"But I...oh, he's giving me a detention for that?" Charlie gasped, finally grasping the situation "It's only a stupid prefect meeting"
"Well now Percy is Head Boy, they are compulsory" Oliver grinned in what could only be described as childish delight "So, stop badgering my seeker and get your arse in gear, go see Percy and attempt to beg him for your freedom"
Charlie groaned as she hauled herself from her seat, flashing a wicked grin at Oliver before announcing "He can take my life but he will never take my freedom!" in the best attempt at a Scottish accent she could manage. Upon seeing his expression she asked "Too soon?" causing the seventh year quidditch captain to laugh loudly and grab her arm to drag her out of the carriage. Echoing shouts were heard down the train as the two friends tried to scheme a way for Charlie to get out of Detention.
Harry turned his bewildered expression to his friends, stating bluntly "How the HELL did she become a prefect?" and from the corner of his eye, Harry could've sworn he had seen the man, who it had been revealed was Charlie's father, smile.
HP
Charlie shuddered, attempting to warm her body after the devastating chill of the dementor that had invaded their carriage, several Patronus charms had swarmed the creature, but not before it could cause some damage. As a result, she could still hear those five life changing words echoing through her head I'm so sorry it's Elizabeth the five words that had brought her life crashing down around her.
"Not the best way to celebrate the start of term is it?" Oliver said dryly, grabbing as much chocolate from his bag as he could and thrusting it into Charlie's hands.
"Is there a best way?" she mumbled, opening the chocolate with shaking fingers.
"According to Percy Weasley"
"Stop right there, Percy's idea of a good time is sauntering around Hogwarts giving detentions, he needs to have that god awful stick removed from his arse." she jibed, in a half hearted attempt to brighten the atmosphere that had settled on their carriage like thick smog. Charlie couldn't make herself feel happy, her unbridled anger at Percy for not relenting on her detention and dementors on top had made this undoubtedly the worst first day of term ever.
Oliver smothered a laugh at Charlie's comment, jabbing her in the ribs to try and stop her saying anything that could be over heard by the aforementioned boy who was now lingering outside their carriage. He shot a glance at the other occupants of the carriage, they were all uncharacteristically silent, save for the odd whimper. Hannah Tracey, one of the ragtag bunch of misfits that Charlie called friends, was rocking in the corner. Easily the girlie girl of the outfit, as Hogwarts biggest gossip Hannah had an air of self importance and over confidence that had frightened many of the Ravenclaw's. Not afraid to say what she thought, she had made more enemies than friends, but when one was friends with Charlie, personal grudges took a back seat. The pretty sixth year had long lightly curled red hair and ice blue eyes, a collection of freckles covered her cheeks, and her thin frame had been the subject of conversation of many of the male student body. Not that Hannah disliked the attention, if anything she relished in it. However she was not to be underestimated, she had shot to infamy after a well aimed stinging hex to a certain part of Marcus Flint's anatomy after he had attempted to kiss her in her fourth year. Lyra Morgan, another of Charlie's group, had tucked her knees into her chest, her wand still clutched tightly in her hand. Lyra was the Slytherin queen bee. When the time had come during the first Wizarding war, the Morgan's had not dared be approached by any of Voldemort's followers after their outspoken opinion that they refused to join any side, their wish had been hastily respected. Any accusations of being blood traitors were met with a sneer and a snarky remark regarding some aspects of a fellow purebloods parentage. Looking at her, you could see her ancestry. High cheek bones and a sharp upturned nose, face encompassed by gentle curly black hair, steely grey eyes and stoic posture showed her to be a member of one of the most ancient Wizarding families. Of the group Lyra was the brute strength, not one student dared mess with her after she had put a defence professor in the hospital wing after a practice duel in second year. She had claimed that it had been accidental, but the triumphant smirk had proved otherwise. Charlie and Lyra were practically inseparable, even though they were in different houses, they had met each other after a particularly eventful boat crossing in which they had hexed each other as well as first years can and had ended up in the lake. After helping each other back into the boats, they had earned the others grudging respect, and eventually friendship that had withstood the separation of housing. A final glance saw him looking at the last of the group Lucas Dove who was sleeping off the effects; the Hufflepuff had muddy brown eyes and short brown hair. He was the stabilising influence to three rather volatile individuals. He was able to calm Lyra like no one Oliver had ever seen, a few well chosen words and a hand on her shoulder was all it seemed to take for him to work miracles on the Slytherin. He was able to do this to a lesser extent with Charlie, who despite her protests was the brains behind them all, he could get Charlie to a point where he was sure she wouldn't be bouncing off the walls anytime soon. But he didn't have the gift Oliver seemed to posses when it came to Charlie, reasoning with her would only work for so long before she would kick off again. The trick to Charlie had always been with a few insults and prodding, subtlety and quidditch talk, eventually Charlie would see sense. But of course Lyra would give her a verbal bashing to try and snap her out of it, to which Hannah would join in, leaving Lucas flustered and enraged that his friends wouldn't listen. Lucas' only attempts at reigning in Hannah were trying to explain to her that outrageous flirting would get her nowhere. But Hannah was an untameable spirit.
"Well that made me feel like shit" Lyra spoke up, her aristocratic voice made the swear word sound bizarre coming out of her mouth. Flicking her hair out of her face, she moved to lounge across the seat, shoving her legs on top of Charlie, who vehemently tried to push them off with shouted protests of Gerroff!
"Charlie my dearest, you try but you will always fail" Hannah chimed, seemingly enlightened by Lyra's return to normal behaviour.
"Yeah thanks for the support Hannah!" Charlie huffed, as she attempted to draw her wand from where it had been stuffed back into her robes after the dementor attack. Her best efforts were thwarted by Lyra's well-placed legs.
"Charlie, I do wish you would speak properly, you know I can't understand you when you speak common" the Slytherin chastised, looking at Charlie as though she were a five year old child.
"I hate you" she hissed at the Slytherin, who grinned widely, showing off perfect white teeth.
"I love you darling!"
Oliver stared in disbelief at the quick transformation of his friends group, how they had moved so quickly from near catatonic to jubilant in the space of 20 seconds was beyond him. Putting it down to the mysteries of the fairer sex, Oliver sat back and watched as the friendly banter filled the carriage.
-HP-
Charlie marched into the Great Hall towards the Gryffindor table with such determination that her face was slowly turning purple. A disastrous talk with Professor McGonagall had meant that she was serving detention for the next week. Delivering a scathing glare to Percy Weasley, who simply gave her a haughty look that clearly said "you deserve it", she flung herself onto the space on the Gryffindor bench next to Hannah and Lucas who had abandoned their houses in favour of sitting with their already fuming friend.
"I trust it didn't go well?" Lucas said, eyeing Charlie with a fond amusement
"Of course it didn't Lucas; look at her face she looks like she wants to kill someone" Hannah chirped, leaning over to grab more food from the table.
"I'm in detention for the next week with McGonagall, a week I tell you, a WEEK!" Charlie shouted, banging her head on the bench to try and wane her anger.
"Shouting about it won't make it go away you know" Hannah added
"Oh I see why you were put in Ravenclaw bloody genius that" snapped Charlie, rounding on Hannah like a dog that had caught scent of a rabbit.
"Look I'm just trying to help, but if you don't want it then I'll go back and join my house" she huffed, standing abruptly from the Gryffindor table and making her way to the Ravenclaw one. Lucas shook his head at Charlie as he too stood and made his way to his own table, murmuring something about confusing the firsties.
"OI LUPIN! STOP PISSING OFF MY FRIENDS" Charlie heard Lyra shout from the Slytherin table on the other side of the room. Despite the all out laughter from the Slytherin table, a small grin appeared on her face, she guessed that her friend was attempting to get in detention with her.
"MORGAN!" Professor McGonagall's shocked shout echoed across the Great Hall which was hastily falling silent, with the exception of a few "ooo's" coming from the Gryffindor's "I WILL NOT TOLERATE FOUL LANGUAGE! YOU CAN SHARE A DETENTION WITH MISS LUPIN!"
Lyra's cheerful "OK" had Charlie in fits of giggles for the rest of the feast, well at least until she caught her father's eye towards the end. He had shaken his head despairingly at her as McGonagall appeared to be close to tears with frustration.
-HP-
"Honestly Remus she must have spent too much time around James Potter as a child" McGonagall fumed to Remus Lupin as he sat in the hauntingly familiar seat across her desk, having been sat here and subjected to tirades that led to numerous detentions when he was at school.
"She does like a laugh" he commented, immediately seeing it was the wrong thing to say as his former head of house clenched her fists.
"What with Charlie and Lyra Morgan, I feel like James and Sirius are back here with us." McGonagall added hastily in her fury, not noticing Remus stiffen in his chair at the mention of James Potter and Sirius Black in the same sentence.
"They are quite the double act, I shouldn't worry about it too much, they will grow out of it. We did" he added pointing out that towards the end of 7th year the Marauders antics were becoming more infrequent. Partly due to the fact that James was head boy and he was too busy dating Lily to put much more effort into his pranks.
"I had hoped that they would have calmed themselves down by now! What with them both being prefects, we hoped the responsibility would mature them a little. Perhaps now with Percy Weasley as head boy we might see some improvement" McGonagall mused, praying to every deity she could think of that this would be the case.
This is my first attempt at Harry Potter FanFiction so please let me know if you are interested enough for me to continue.
Any Reviews are greatly appreciated :D
