Prologue

"Charlie!" a voice called out behind Charlie.

Charlie turned around expecting to find someone who would tell him where they would need him most for the upcoming battle, but instead he saw a familiar girl with long blonde hair and blue eyes. "Annabel," Charlie's voice comes out raspy as his eyes light up with confusion. "What are you doing here?"

Annabel gives him a shy smile as she looks at the ground. "I'm here to fight just like everyone else." Charlie nodded understanding. After a long pause Annabel looked up into Charlie's eyes with worry and maybe caution Charlie thought. "There's something you need to know before tonight."

Charlie nodded cautiously. "Okay."

Annabel took a deep, shaky breath. "You have a daughter."

Charlie stared at her, not completely taking in what Annabel had just told him. "I have a daughter. With you?" Annabel nodded. "But I haven't seen you in over four years."

"Yeah," Annabel sighed. "I left for France right before I found out. She's three years old now. I know I should have told you sooner but I didn't know how to tell you and, well, I guess I just didn't want to have to move back to England and have to deal with everyone talking about how I had a kid when I wasn't married…" Annabel trailed off knowing that she was rambling.

"Why are you telling me now then? If you didn't want to before, why now?"

"Because… If something were to happen to me… Well, I'd want you to know, so that you could take care of her. If you wanted to. She's at our house, just outside of Paris. The Remble Estate. Her nanny is watching her now."

"Okay," Charlie said slowly, still dazed by what he was bring told. "I'll come find you, both of you, after the battle. Then I can meet her."

Just then a stout man with came running up to the two of them. "Annabel Remble? You're needed in the Hospital Wing as medical support. Charlie Weasley, you're needed in the Herbology class rooms." The man ran off as quickly as he had come and Annabel turned to leave as well.

Charlie opened his mouth to stop Annabel from leaving but nothing came out. Just as he thought he had lost his chance to talk to her again Annabel turned around and called out "Her name is Callie! And she looks just like you!"

Charlie watched as his teenage crush ran off towards the castle, hoping that he would get to see her again soon and meet his newly discovered daughter.

The silence of the stunned crowd echoed in Charlie's ears as he raced towards the castle. The battle was finally over after three grueling hours fighting. As everyone else was starting to cheer for the defeat of the dark lord, all Charlie could think about was making sure his family was alive. He already knew that Ron was safe because he had seen him next to Harry's side just before he had ran off back to the castle.

As he reached the demolished castle doors he leaped over the rubble and slid into the great hall. Instantly he knew that something wasn't right from the clenched feeling in his gut. His eyes scanned the room before finally landing on the gathering of red heads in the far back corner. Slowly, taking deep breaths to try and prepare himself, Charlie walked over to his family. Mrs. Weasley saw him coming and turned her tear streaked face towards him and let out a strangled sob.

With a shaky breath Charlie looked down at the floor to where the others stared. He discovered Fred's body, white as snow, with scraps across his face and blood that streaked his features in an almost unrealistic shade of red. Charlie turned his back, unable to take the scene any longer.

Charlie rushed towards the exit of the great hall as quickly as his feet would carry him but he only made it half way before a voice stopped him. "Charlie!"

Charlie turned around to find an old classmate of his Rebecca Smith standing a few feet to his left. He stared at her blankly, his grief momentarily interrupted. "Um…" she started quietly. "Annabel wanted me to give this to you."

Charlie looked at the piece of parchment that Rebecca held out to him. It felt like an eternity before he was able to force his hand to reach out and take the slip of parchment. He looked down at the parchment wondering what was in the note that Annabel had left him. He looked back up to ask Rebecca but she had already disappeared into the crowd of people wandering in to find their loved ones.

Stumbling out of the castle Charlie fell onto the ruins of the Hogwarts front steps before unrolling the note and reading:

My Dear Charlie,

If you are reading this it means that I did not make it through the night. It also means that Callie has no else but you. I know that you just learned about her being your daughter. However, now I am going to ask you to do one last thing for me. Keep your promise you made in our seventh year. Remember? The one where you said you would always watch out for me. Except now, watch out for her, for Callie. Remember me,

Your Bel

Charlie reread the note four times before it all sunk in. Not really thinking about where he was going, just that he needed to get to Callie, Charlie stood up and stumbled through the rubble and then out of Hogwarts main gates. Thinking of Paris and his mysterious daughter, Charlie apparated into the rising sun.