Disclaimer: I still don't own Harry Potter :(

Chapter One: Diagon Alley's the Place for a Fight

"Dinner's ready!" Samuel yelled up the stairs.

Charlotte, Seamus, Isobel, and Dean had been planning their pranks for the following year, four total. "Food!" Seamus jumped up gleefully and ran down, the other three hot on his heels.

Misty had prepared a roast with vegetables and, for dessert, chocolate pudding. Remus was absent, having gotten a job in Muggle London with a bookstore, leaving Samuel alone with four twelve-year-olds. They ate ravenously, giggling about their pranks they'd planned. "So, the Defense teacher's probably a witch with all of Lockhart's books needed." Dean theorized.

"That would be perfect, then. We need to work on our parchment though, and make sure it works." Isobel reminded them.

"True. We'll do that before you three leave me." Charlotte said.

"So, I'm guessing you all are looking forward to next term?" Samuel asked, his suspicions aroused, but said nothing.

"Yup!" They all chorused excitedly before finishing their food and rushing back to her room.

Charlotte sat down on her bed and scribbled a short note on her piece of parchment. Go Griffin-claw Marauders! The message appeared on the other three pieces of parchment and disappeared after a few minutes. "Nicely done, Fang." They grinned at her. "This is gold."

She shrugged, grinning. "It's why I'm in Ravenclaw, guys."

"Too bad we couldn't make a map of Hogwarts." Dean sighed wistfully.

"Actually, we could. If we could map out each floor first." Isobel stated. "It wouldn't be too hard."

"It's definitely an idea." Charlotte agreed.

"So, is this our last meeting until the train?"

"Yeah."

"GUYS! Time to leave!"

"Bloody hell." Seamus grumbled.

"Come on, let's slide down the banister!" And so, all four of the new Marauders slid down, landing at Samuel's feet. "See you guys on the platform." Charlotte waved bye to her friends as one by one, they left.

"Go get a bath. We're going to Diagon Alley in the morning."

"Okay. Good night, Dad."

As she trudged back up the stairs, she wondered why Harry hadn't answered any of her letters. Charlotte frowned and decided to ask him about it on the train back.

Like last year, they Apparated to Gringotts, got some money out of the vault, and then proceeded to the rest of the shops. She stocked up on parchment and ink first before going to Flourish and Blotts. "Bloody line's long. What's going on?" Samuel muttered, peering around.

"Lockhart's doing a book signing, Dad." She said, pointing at the large banner.

All of the sudden they heard, "It can't be Harry Potter!"

"At least the git's still alive." Charlotte said, peeking around to see what was going on.

Harry was being dragged to the front to take a picture with Lockhart. He looked absolutely miserable. "When young Harry here stepped into Flourish and Blotts today, he only wanted to buy my autobiography-"

"Doubt it." Samuel said under his breath and Charlotte grinned at her dad.

"-shortly be getting much, much more than my book, Magical Me. He and his schoolmates will, in fact, be getting the real magical me. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I have great pleasure and pride in announcing that this September, I will be taking up the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts!"

"Oh, that's rubbish." Samuel groaned. "He's completely incompetent. If he did even one thing his books claim, I'd die of shock."

"You went to school with him?"

"He was a couple years below us."

After that, the crowd parted and Samuel stepped inside to buy her books. "Famous Potter can't even go into a bookshop without making the front page." Draco snarled, standing with his back to Charlotte.

"Leave him alone!" A young girl's voice said sharply.

"Oh, look, Potter, got yourself a girlfriend."

"Draco!" Charlotte said warningly and stepped around him, beside Harry.

"Why don't we all go outside?" An older man, whom Charlotte guessed to be Mr. Weasley appeared. "It's getting a bit crowded in here."

"Well, well, well. Arthur Weasley." Lucius Malfoy, whom Charlotte had seen a few times, sneered at the ginger family.

"Charli!" Samuel called, his books in her hand. "Come-oh. Hello, Lucius."

"Samuel." The two men shook hands.

Her dad then gave Mr. Weasley a smile. "I'm glad to see you're doing fine Arthur. I'm assuming Molly's here?"

"She is."

Samuel's hand gripped her shoulder. "Come on, Charli. Let's step outside." Not long after they'd left, a fight broke out in the bookshop. "I was worried about that."

Then, Mr. Malfoy left the shop in a hurry. "See you at school, Charli!" Draco yelled, following in his father's wake.

"A fine example for your children! Brawling in public! Arthur, I am ashamed of you!" Mrs. Weasley, a plump woman came out behind Mr. Weasley, who, at least, looked a bit embarrassed.

Ron stopped short at the sight of Charlotte. "Maybe if you'd learn to control your boyfriend this wouldn't have happened, Potter." He snarled.

Charlotte narrowed her eyes. "If you think the fight was my fault, you're stupider than I originally thought, Weasley. Mr. Malfoy obviously wanted to provoke your dad into a fight and he got what he wanted, didn't he?"

The adults and other children were quiet. "So, Malfoy is your boyfriend?" He snorted. "I thought he had standards."

"He's not and I'll break your bloody nose again if you say something pathetically idiotic like that again." She hissed. "And, obviously he has standards. He doesn't like you, does he?"

"Charlotte Elaine!" Samuel popped her on the back of the head.

"Obviously he doesn't if he wants to hang around wanna-be Slytherins like you." Weasley shot back.

"I'd much rather be in Slytherin than have to deal with you in Gryffindor! At least Malfoy respects intelligence, unlike you."

"Cool it!" Samuel said louder. "I'm sorry, Molly."

Fred and George snickered. "It's quite alright. It's been a rough day on everyone."

Harry sighed. "Can't you at least try to get along with him?"

"No. Why didn't you write to me?"

"I'll explain on the train." He said.

"Come on, guys." Mr. Weasley said. "Sam, it was great to see you back to normal."

"Yeah, you too. Looks like you got your hands full though."

He chuckled. "You too, Sam. See you later."

Then, Samuel Apparated her back to the house, not taking notice of Remus. "What was that? I did not raise you speak like that to anyone, Charlotte!"

She frowned. "He did it first."

"You ignore him, then. You don't get into an argument with him! You looked like you were about to hit him."

"I was, only this time, it'd been his mouth, not his nose, to get him to shut up." She muttered, crossing her arms.

"Wait. You mean Arthur Weasley's youngest boy is the one you decked?"

"Unless he's got a twin, yes. He was making fun of Hermione."

"What happened?" Remus asked, making his presence known.

"Go up to your room. Now. You're grounded."

"He started it!"

"I don't care. Go."

She stomped off, dragging her books with her. "This is unfair!" She yelled back to him. "Uncle Sev didn't get that mad for me punching the stupid prat!" Then, she slammed her door, scaring her cat. "Sorry, Merlin."

She looked around, noticing Misty must have started the laundry. Merlin meowed loudly, kneading her leg with his claws. She dug out one of her books, and began to read. Sometime later, there was a soft knock on the door. "Go away!"

It opened anyways. "Do you want to talk?" Remus asked, easing himself down on the floor beside her.

She sniffed, not even aware she'd been crying until she noticed damp spots on the pages of Hogwarts, A History. "He's being a git."

Remus chuckled, gently closing the book. "It's hard on him, raising you by himself."

"He has you and Uncle Sev! He's not alone."

"Charlotte, neither I nor Severus can take the place of your mother. We're your godfathers, not your parents. Yes, sometimes, we help him, but he's your authority. Not me and, at least during the breaks, not Severus. Samuel's had to put grieving for his losses on hold to raise you, not that he minds, sweetheart. But, he has to be both mum and dad. And, Samuel does not want his little girl fighting. Marlene would kill him if she was alive."

"But why?"

He sighed, wrapping his arm around the twelve-year-old. "Your dad used to fight with one of our classmates, Avery. More than once, he'd end up in the hospital on the receiving end of a bad hex, and yet, he kept doing it. Until, Marlene put her foot down and told him if he wanted to date her, he'd have to stop. It's unladylike to fight, Charli. He taught you how to for self-defense, not for petty fights in the corridor, okay?"

She nodded glumly. "Okay."

"Promise me something." She looked into his golden brown eyes. "Promise me that, unless someone hits you first, you will not fight."

"I promise." She said solemnly.

He hugged her. "Please, go apologize to him."

Samuel was sitting in his usual chair, staring into the fire. "Daddy?"

He jumped, turning. "Yes?" He sounded tired.

"I'm sorry."

He smiled, his hazel eyes crinkling at the corners. "Come here." She ran to him, snuggling up to him in his lap, like when she was younger. "I love you, Charli."

"I love you too, Dad."

"I just want you to grow up as the best you can be."

"I'll stop fighting unless they hit me first."

"Thank you, sweetie." He kissed her forehead. "That's all I ask. That, and to try and be nicer to the Weasleys."

"It's only Ron I don't like. And their brother who's a prefect. Everyone else is okay."

Samuel chuckled, seeing Remus come back down. "Thank you." He mouthed and his old friend just smiled. "Well, just try to be nicer to him, okay? And remember, if you can't say anything nice-"

"Don't say anything at all." She finished. "Am I still grounded?"

"For the rest of the week, young lady." He said sternly. "But, I do appreciate your maturity by apologizing to me. Now, off to bed. Good night."

She kissed his cheek. "Night, Daddy."