Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anything from the books, but I do own all the new characters. I also don't own the plot since it's Harry Potter with a National Treasure type twist, but all the clues and poems and stuff were thought of by me.

Author's Note: Hope you enjoy the story. I am very pleased and excited about it. Feedback would be nice!


Charlene Smithers sat there on the train. She was heading to a place she never wanted to be and about to see the grandfather she never wanted to have. She was going into a world she thought she would never have to enter again only to find that if she didn't enter this world and figure out a prophecy made against her she would die before she reached the age of 18.

Charlene lived in New York and partially ran her parent's business since they were now dead. They died when she was very young, but now that she was seventeen she started to learn more and more every day about the business life and how to run it. She was left with the business and her parent's fortune when they died.

She lived with her colleague and best friend, Eric. He was nineteen and very successful. He was like a big brother to her, and the only family that Charlene admitted to having. She had a godfather, but she never saw him. Yes, he tried to see her, but she blamed him for her parent's deaths and never forgave him. She remembers it clearly as if it just happened yesterday…

"Mom?" An eight year old Charlene begged her mom. "Please don't go. Tomorrow's Christmas. You can't leave now."

"We'll be back soon, sweetie. Your father and I will be back tonight to tuck you into bed." Her mother reassured her.

"She's right, munchkin." Her father said chuckling at the face his daughter was giving him at that moment for saying the nickname she detested because according to her she'd 'grown at least an inch' in the past month.

"But I want you guys here." Charlene said with the saddest expression she could make at the moment.

"Don't worry. John will be here with you." Her mother said.

"Really?" Charlene asked. She loved her Uncle John, who really wasn't her uncle, but her father's best friend.

"Yep!" John said entering the room. "I thought we could go sledding then loads of other stuff. How does that sound?"

Pleased at the sudden offer Charlene jumped up and down and hugged her parents goodbye.

"Oh, so now you're okay with us leaving?" Her father said jokingly.

"Come on, Greg. We have to go or we'll miss the flight." Her mother said looking at her watch.

"Sasha, it's our own plane. They're not going to leave without us." Charlene's father said picking up his luggage and giving them to the chauffeur.

"Yes, but the other business employees will be on the plane and I'd hate to keep them waiting." Sasha pleaded.

"Oh, go on you two. I've got this whole thing under control. But before you go can I have a word with you?" He asked, then looked back at Charlene and added "Alone."

"Fine. I'm going now." Charlene said then marched up the stairs towards her room, but turned around when she heard voices downstairs.

"You shouldn't go. What if the threats are true? He said he'd get you on a plane on a snowy winter night. That has to be tonight. You shouldn't risk it. Just call off the meeting." John pleaded with his two best friends.

"Trust me, John. We'll be fine." Greg said patting his friend on the back as a reassurance.

"He's right, John. Surely Voldemort wouldn't try something with Muggles all around." Sasha said.

"I wouldn't be too sure of that, Sasha." John said.

"We'll be fine. Just keep an eye on her, okay? We'll be home later tonight." Sasha said then grabbed her purse and headed out the door.

Greg turned to look at his best friend. "Look, if anything does happen to us you have to promise to look after Charlene, okay? Make sure she grows up and has a happy life."

"I promise." John said, hoping that day would never come true.

Oh, she remembered it only too clearly. Tears came into her eyes just thinking about it. That was the last time she saw her parents…alive.

Charlene looked out the window. It was dark and storming. She looked across at Eric who was also looking out the window. Their eyes met and Eric gave her an encouraging smile before looking back out.

Eric had promised he would come with Charlene and help her any way he could. He said he would do anything to make sure he didn't lose her. Only a few days ago he promised to help her and stand by her, even to death…

Eric walked inside Charlene's bedroom. He heard strange noises and wanted to see what was happening. "What's going on?" he asked confused.

Charlene had a suitcase on her bed and clothes were everywhere. "I'm packing."

"Why?"

"I have to go away for awhile. Don't worry, though, I'll be back soon."

"Charlene, where are you going?" Eric walked over and got closer to her. "Tell me."

"It's nothing. Really." Charlene said while folding a pair of jeans and putting them in the suitcase.

"It's about the prophecy, isn't it?"

Charlene looked up at him so fast that she could have easily broken her neck. "Who told you about that?" She asked shocked.

"Your grandfather owled me a few days ago telling me everything, guessing that you hadn't told me yourself. And he's a pretty darn good guesser because you haven't told me about your grandfather OR the prophecy."

"It's not that big of a deal. I'll be gone and back so fast you wouldn't know I was gone." Charlene said now putting more clothes into her suitcase.

"Yes it is. If you don't find this stuff out, whatever it is, you could die." Eric said now sitting down on the bed.

"I'll find it, don't worry."

"I want to come with you."

"No." Charlene said now actually looking at him. "It's too dangerous."

"I'm not letting you go alone. I want to help."

"Eric, no…" Charlene whispered.

"Look." He got up and looked her straight in the eyes while taking a hold of her hands, "I don't want to lose you, Charlene. I'm going to help and nothing you can say or do will stop me."

They both stood there for minutes before Charlene smiled then said, "Well, okay. But you better get packing. The train is picking me up in an hour."

Charlene knew at that point that she could completely trust Eric with anything, even her life. He was giving up everything to help her, no matter what the cost. She then turned her gaze back out the window. She was going to see her grandfather. She hadn't seen him in over four years. She didn't blame him for her parents death, but she blamed the world he lives in for it. The magical world. And not only that, but he was the headmaster in a wizarding school.

It was because of Lord Voldemort that Charlene's parents found their fate, along with ten other Muggles. Muggles were known as people without magic. Charlene had magic, oh yes. So did Eric. That's another reason why they were so close. But Charlene never used magic to her advantage. She worked to get what she earned and she found magic as a way for people to get things easier and kill people faster.

Her grandfather was always there for her. In desperate times he stood by her and cared for her. Charlene remembered a night in particular, when she first learned of her parents deaths…

Charlene had just gotten back from pre-school. She was always dropped off by a friend's parent, since her parents were always gone or too busy at work. She went inside and her nanny, or baby-sitter until her parents got home from work, was inside waiting for her.


She had a snack and did her homework as usual. Then the phone rang. She answered it.

"Hello...Miss Smithers?" a man asked.

"Yes..." Charlene answered.

"This is Lieutenant Johnson with the Police. We are sending a car for you and we need to bring you to our offices. We need to tell you something." The man told her.

"What's going on?" Charlene asked nervously. She knew nothing could be good for when the police called a child it only meant a few number of things...all of which were not good.

"Please, Miss. When an officer comes to your door, answer, and enter the car. He will bring you straight downtown."

"What about Allie?" The frightened little girl asked.

"Who's Allie?"

"My nanny."

"She can come along, if you like. Make sure you're ready to leave when the car gets there. Goodbye, Charlene." The man said then hung up.

Charlene paced back and forth by the front door waiting for the policeman to arrive. Allie sat nervously on the couch, wondering if this was some sort of prank or is something horrible was indeed happening. Then there was a knock on the door and Charlene jumped.

"Hello, Miss Smithers." The police officer said. Then seeing the other woman he added with a nod, "Miss Wolf. Come with me please."

They both entered the black car waiting outside and within twenty minutes she was at the downtown police department. She entered an office filled with many people. She noticed there were at least five police officers, three of whom were women with very sad looks of sympathy on their faces when they saw Charlene..

"What's going on?" Charlene asked. Now that she was here she wasn't sure she wanted to know for whatever she was there for couldn't be good. "I need to be home when my parents get home. So please hurry!"

"Charlene..." Lieutenant Johnson started. It seemed he couldn't figure out the next words he should use for what he was about to tell her. "...there has been a terrible accident. Your parents were arriving back from a one-day conference in Boston. The plane crashed right outside of New York. They're gone… I'm so sorry, dear. We contacted your grandfather. Albus, is his name? He's on his way."

Charlene sat down with tears streaming down her face. Allie sat down next to her and placed a comforting arm around her, not really knowing what to do. Then Charlene started to cry with all the might that was in her, not caring she was in a room full of other people. Then the three women officers cradled around her and tried to calm her down, but nothing could stop Charlene. Her parents were gone...forever!

Then in walked her grandfather. She knew he would be called away from his school and she was surprised to see her grandfather in 'Muggle' clothes for she assumed he wouldn't change for being in such a rush.

Then her grandfather led her out of the police department and off to his home. She spent the rest of her childhood there with him and his sister, until she realized the reason behind her parent's deaths.

She was now going back. If Charlene could have it any other way she would knew she wouldn't be going to the one place she dreaded. But her life was on the line. A prophecy was made against her, without any say in it at all. Someone, her great-great-great grandfather to be exact, placed this on her. Someone she never met planned the death of her, unless she found the one thing that could stop it.

A man then walked down the aisle of the train. "We will be there in ten minutes, Miss. Make sure you two are ready to leave once the train has stopped." He gave a slight smile then went back to the front of the train to the conductor.

"Excited?" Eric asked.

"Extremely." Charlene said sarcastically.

She then looked back out the window, again. She didn't want to talk about what was going on, not yet. Until now she thought the whole prophecy was a big joke. But now she knew that it was real, and that she could easily be dead before her eighteenth birthday, which was in six months.

It was a cold November night and the stars were gone. Charlene thought to herself, "The weather is exactly how I feel, gloomy and scared."

Charlene then thought back to just last year when she felt this scared. She was faced with reality, but she then pushed it to the back of her mind telling herself it was a big joke.

Charlene was at home when the doorbell rang. Eric was at the office pulling in long hours working on a big merger for the company. She went to answer the door only to see the two people she didn't want to standing before her. John and her grandfather were standing outside. They both walked inside and Charlene immediately asked questions. "Why are you two here?"

"Look, Charlene, we all know the answer to that question." John told her.

"You're still not on about that again, are you?" She asked.

"It's a very serious matter." Her grandfather said calmly. "We need to make sure we have plenty of time to work all this out so we can ensure your safety."

"I am safe. This is all a big prank, it really is. You two seriously can't believe it." Charlene said.

"We believe it, all right. Charlene, listen. You've been showing the signs…you're getting weaker day by day, little by little. Soon you'll be too weak to find the clues and the prophecy and by then it will be too late. You must act now." John told her.

"I'm not going to do anything. It's not real!" Charlene shouted.

"Charlene," Dumbledore said in a calm voice, still, "What have your dreams been telling you?"

"How do you know about that?" Charlene asked shocked, she had told no one about her past dreams that haunted her.

"I have them, too. It's your mother. She's trying to warn you. Listen to her, Charlene. Before it's too late." Her grandfather told her, speaking of his only daughter who was now dead.

"No. They're just dreams and this whole thing isn't real."

"What about your health?" John asked.

"I'm fine."

"No you're not. Just admit it."

"Both of you, leave! I don't want to see you again." Charlene pushed them out the door and they were gone. She never told anyone she met with them that day, for she didn't want to face the facts that the prophecy was indeed real and that she could've stopped it ahead of time, before waiting until the very last moment to act upon it.

The train started to slow down. They were there. Eric and Charlene both got up and grabbed their bags. The train then completely stopped and they got off into the station. Charlene looked around, waiting for the man who was supposed to take them to Hogwarts. Hagrid was his name. No one was there. Her eyes then traveled to a sign that read:

Welcome to Hogsmeade,

The only wizarding village in England!

"Oh great," Charlene murmured under her breath.

"Charlene, I think our guide's here." Eric said looking over at a very tall man walking towards them.

"'Ello. Name's Hagrid. 're you Dumbledore's granddaughter?" He asked looking at Charlene.

"Yes." She answered him back, still completely amazed at his size.

"An' who might you be?" Hagrid asked Eric.

"I'm Eric, a friend of Charlene's." Eric replied.

"An' do you kno' about this world 'an all?" Hagrid asked somewhat nervous.

"Yes."

"Good. Well, come on now. This way." Hagrid said then walked right up to a carriage waiting for them with what looked like an enormously big, black, ugly horse. They all got in and there was silence until Charlene asked Hagrid a question about the enormous animal pulling the carriage. "What is that animal who's pulling this thing? It looks too big to be a horse."

"Well-" Hagrid began, but was cut off by Eric.

"What animal? I didn't see any animal." Eric said.

"What are you talking about?" Charlene asked him utterly confused. "It was right there, tied up to this. It's pulling it right now."

"There was nothing there."

"Yes there was."

"Well, you see-" Hagrid began again.

"Nothing's there." Eric told Charlene. "I think you're going mental."

"Quiet!" Hagrid shouted and the two stopped talking. "That outside is called a Threstral. You can only see them if you've seen death." There was silence.

"Who did you see die?" Eric asked Charlene.

"My grandpa's sister. That's when I came to live with you, remember. After she died, I mean. But I saw her die, by Lord Voldemort." Charlene said then looked around at Hagrid who gasped when she said 'Lord Voldemort.'

"Don' say his name like that." Hagrid said looking around nervously as though someone could come up and sneak an attack on him at any moment.

"Why not?" Eric asked.

"I'll let Dumbledore tell 'ya that." Hagrid said. They went the rest of the journey in silence. Within fifteen minutes they were up at the castle. "Dinner's 'bout over with, we can sneak inside 'opefully before the students come out." Hagrid told them and they nodded in agreement.

They got out of the carriage, Charlene taking one last glance at the Threstral (Eric looking at her like she was crazy) then followed Hagrid into the castle.

"Harry!" Hagrid greeted a boy, Charlene's age, with jet black messy hair and glasses. Charlene heard of him, from her grandfather, he was the Boy-Who-Lived.

Standing next to him was a tall red-headed boy with freckles and a girl with brown bushy hair.

"Hi, Hagrid." Harry said.

"Who're they?" Ron asked straight away eyeing Eric and Charlene.

"Just some visitors for Professor Dumbledore." Hagrid told them.

The girl stretched out her hand and introduced herself as Hermione Granger and Eric and Charlene introduced themselves back.

"Anyways, better get goin'. Don' want Dumbledore to think his guests didn't arrive. You three be good." He gave them a smile then walked off down a corridor with Charlene and Eric following him.

They walked up to a Gargoyle statue and stopped. Charlene and Eric both gave each other quizzical looks, but then Hagrid said 'Flopping Flobberworms' And they both whipped their heads around to watch the gargoyle shift and spiral stairs appearing.

"Well, goodbye now. Just go up the steps, Dumbledore'll be there soon." Hagrid waved to them then walked down the corridor, turned right, and disappeared from view.

Charlene and Eric stood at the gargoyle statue for a minute, deciding what to do.

"Should we go up?" Charlene asked.

"Yeah, I think so." Charlene shook her head, but still didn't move.

"Are you going to go or will I have to wait here all day?" The gargoyle said. "This is supposed to be a hidden passage way, you know. So get inside or get lost!"

"He's right." Eric said, then smiled. "After you."

Charlene laughed along with him and then walked up the steps, Eric close on her heels. They walked into a room with an elegant desk and two chairs in front of it. They both sat down and looked around at the many odd instruments in the room.

Before they could guess what their uses were they heard the gargoyle move and someone walking up the steps. They turned around to see none other than her grandfather, Albus Dumbledore, smiling back at them.

"Well, I guess you're wondering where we start from here." He said walking behind his desk and sitting down into his chair. "And I will tell you." He said taking a deep sigh and looking at them through his half moon spectacles. He seemed to have lost track of thought.

"We're waiting." Charlene said annoyed.

"Ah, yes. Where to begin…"


End Notes: Please review. I really would like to know if you like this story.

Next Chapter:

The Prophecy is explained.

Charlene has an encounter with her dead Mother.