Disclaimer: I STILL don't own Harry Potter...however, I do own my OC's

A/N: Um, so this chapter kind of sucks but this is the best I could do with it and still have the plot move forward like I want. Just please bear with me and I swear it'll get better! As always, favorites and follows make me happy, but comments are my crack! :) Read and enjoy!

Summary: Charlotte's summer is off to a miserable start, thanks to the Order of the Phoenix's Headquarters being in Potter Manor. Once on the train to Hogwarts, it only gets worse, and now, not only does the entire student body think Dumbledore's losing his marbles and Harry's a nutter, they think she's finally cracked under the stress. With boy problems, Harry problems, worry about her dad's job, and a new DADA teacher who's determined they fail their O.W.L.s, can Charlotte Potter survive this crazy year? Or, the question is, will she survive?

Chapter One: A Dreadful Summer Only Gets Worse

"Samuel. How nice to see you again." Lucius Malfoy's smooth voice sounded from the living room and Charlotte rushed in there from the library after putting the finishing touches on her homework.

"Same to you, Lucius."

"Draco!" Charlotte collided with the taller blonde. "How are you?"

"I'm fine." He laughed. "You?"

"As you're well aware, Samuel, with us being on two different sides, I feel it may not be…prudent for us to associate in public." Lucius began. "I hold you in the highest regards, nonetheless, though, as you've showed yourself a diplomatically minded wizard."

"As I you, Lucius. Different beliefs and prejudices aside, you are a great friend of mine and I wish you and your family the best of luck, no matter whose side of this blasted war you're on."

Draco scowled at his father. "I'm glad you see reason." Lucius smiled, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. "Come, Draco."

"See you later, Charli." He hugged her again.

"Bye, Draco!"

A month later, Charlotte Potter was holed up in her room, avoiding the many people in Potter Manor. As it was usually her, her dad, her dad's boyfriend, and her dad's best friend, the place felt crowded and she hated it. Not only that, but it was her birthday and Dumbledore's secret order for fighting the once again risen Lord Voldemort seemed to have more important things on their mind, and everyone, save for Harry, seemed to forget it.

Charli,

Happy Birthday! Do you know anything about what's going on? Ron, Hermione, and Sirius aren't telling me anything, and I'm getting tired of it. Please, please, if you can, write me.

Harry

She opened a chocolate frog and scribbled her response.

Harry,

Thank you! It seems you're the only one around here who remembered. I'm dreadfully sorry, but since the Manor's been overrun by people, I've been in my room and I've no bloody idea what's going on. As soon as I can, though, I'll let you know. Cheers,

Charli

Hedwig hooted softly and flew out the window. She sighed, missing the fun of last summer and Isobel, but mostly, she missed Seamus. However, since her enchanted parchment was currently missing, the only way she had to contact him was Circe, the family owl, and she was avoiding going downstairs. However, she'd gleamed that some of the secret order was staying in Sirius Black's old family house in London, and she desperately wished they would all go. "Charli!"

"What?"

"Get down here!"

She groaned but obeyed in hopes of a surprise birthday party and maybe even a visit from Seamus, sliding down the stair banister until she reached the first floor of the Manor and headed toward the den, which had been kept locked since her return at the end of the year. Samuel, Sirius, Remus, Severus, and a few others whom she didn't know or didn't care to figure out their name sat in there. "Dumbledore's moved the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix to the Manor." Her dad said.

"Why are you telling me?"

"Because the Weasleys will be here tomorrow and I will not tolerate fighting."

"Okay."

He paused. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." She snapped. "If you don't know, I'm not telling you."

He ignored her. "Hermione will also be here, as will Isobel."

"Is Seamus and Dean coming as well?"

"No."

She ran her hand through her hair. "Fine." She said shortly before leaving and going to the kitchen.

"Misty is made you a cake, Mistress."

She glanced down at the house-elf with big, blue eyes. "What?"

"Today is your birthday and Misty is made you a cake." The house-elf presented the small, red velvet cake to Charlotte.

"Thanks, Misty. Seems you and Harry are the only ones who remembered."

She bowed, her nose almost touching the floor. "Anything else Misty can get for you, Mistress?"

"No, thanks." She said, her mouth full of cake. "It's really good. Thank you."

A young witch, with violet hair, suddenly appeared, walking through the back door. "This the new headquarters, then?"

"Sure."

"You're Sam's daughter, right?"

"Yup."

"Wotcher! I'm Tonks."

"Charli." She said. "Meeting's in the den. Down the hall to your right. Only door down there."

"Thanks, Charli." And she left.

Charli spent the rest of her birthday flying around, taking some of her frustration out through flying.

The next few weeks passed by quickly, with Hermione and the Weasleys there, and they were just getting a good Quidditch game started, when news of the dementor attack reached Charlotte. And, four nights after the incident, Harry Potter arrived at Potter Manor for the first time. Charlotte sat in his room the whole time he yelled at Ron and Hermione. "WHO HAD TO GET PAST DRAGONS AND SPHINXES AND EVERY OTHER FOUL THING LAST YEAR? WHO SAW HIM COME BACK? WHO HAD TO ESCAPE FROM HIM? ME!"

Charlotte just smiled indulgingly. She knew how it felt to want to yell and scream. Ron was stunned into silence and Hermione looked ready to cry. "BUT WHY SHOULD I KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON? WHY SHOULD ANYONE BOTHER TO TELL ME WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING? THE ONLY PERSON WHO WANTED TO WAS JUST AS IGNORANT AS I AM!" He took a breath. "FOUR WEEKS I'VE BEEN STUCK AT PRIVET DRIVE WITH NOTHING!"

"Very eloquent, Harry." Charlotte grinned. "You know, I've been thinking the same thing, and I've asked Dad why he didn't come get you, but of course, no one tells me anything either. At least everyone remembered your birthday."

He shrugged. "I didn't mean to scare your cat."

"He'll be fine."

"Harry! I want a word!" Samuel yelled up the stairs.

Harry left, slamming his door behind him.

Harry's trial, a full criminal trial for a simple case of underage wizardry was unheard of. All that day, Charlotte waited anxiously for a word until Arthur Weasley came back with him. "Cleared of all charges!" He announced, beaming at everyone.

Harry, however, disappeared into his room.

-HP-

On the last day of the holiday, their Hogwarts letters finally arrived and Ron and Hermione made prefect. "Better watch out, Potter, or I'll give you detention."

"Try to and I'll break your nose again." She threatened.

"Ron, leave her alone." Harry said, coming up behind her. "They came in late, didn't they?"

"Yeah, a little."

"Booklists!" Samuel called. "Molly, Remus, and I are going out to get your books. We'll be back."

A few hours later, they returned with their books, and with Ron's new broom. Charlotte, Hermione, Isobel, and Ginny were the only ones finished packing, and they threw a great feast for the two new prefects and, Samuel feeling guilty, a late birthday party for Charlotte. Since Sirius had come back, Charlotte found herself growing closer to him, as he was eager to help her with pranks and give advice. "I'm surprised they didn't make you a prefect." Samuel said, slightly disapproving.

"Not too worried about it." She answered honestly. "If he had, I'd been shocked. Being prefect's not all its cracked up to be, anyways. Too much responsibility."

She went to bed that night, glad she'd be able to see Seamus the next day.

However, as she got on the train at the platform and sat down across from him, she knew something was wrong. "Shay, you okay?"

"Mam didn't want me coming back this year."

"What? Why?"

"Because of Potter…and Dumbledore." The way he said it, boyfriend or not, made Charlotte bristle up.

"And why is that?"

"Well, yah know what the Prophet's been saying about them." He started lamely, not looking at her. Isobel and Dean had suddenly vanished.

"She believes the rubbish in the Daily Prophet? That Harry's lying and Dumbledore's just an old nutter?"

"Yeah."

"You're fifteen. What do you think?"

"It's just…no one knows what happened that night, yah know? And if he was coming back, don't yah think he'd done it before now?"

"No." She said coldly. "I believe Harry."

"Why?"

"Like I said last year, Harry's never lied to me."

Seamus snorted. "Yah trust him? After what's been said about him?"

She jumped up and he did as well. "Yes! Harry's going through a lot and the Prophet's going on Fudge's denial of Voldemort's return!"

"If he's back, why's the blood Minister denying it?"

"Because Fudge is an idiot!" She yelled, unaware they had an audience. "He's worked too hard for Voldemort to come back, Seamus!"

"You're going on the word of a nutter of a cousin and an old fool?" SMACK! The sound of Charlotte slapping Seamus across the face resounded throughout their compartment. "If you're thick enough to believe that rubbish he's come out with about You-Know-Who, we're done." He spat, rubbing his jaw. "Stay the feck away from me, Potter. You're just as nutty as he is."

She moved to hit him again, but someone held her back. "Come on, Charli." Draco said quietly.

Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott moved her trunk and cat's cage out of the compartment and into theirs. "Let me go."

"No. You'll do something you're going to regret and I'll have to give you detention."

Sure enough, a shiny, silver prefect's badge gleamed on Draco's chest. Suddenly, the realization that Seamus Finnigan had just broken up with her hit her hard and she broke into harsh sobs. Draco pulled her onto his lap and tried to comfort her, but he had no idea what to say. This was going to be a very long year at Hogwarts.