(A/N: Woohoo, a second chapter up and running. I'm sorry I get over excited over these things, but I love getting things up early, it makes me happy. So, please enjoy and feel free to review. I really want to know how much you enjoy Charlotte most of all.)

1975, 10th September

Charlotte awoke a little past five on Monday morning. When she had signed up for Quidditch practice, they had given her the first couple of periods off, due to James Potter's request of course. However, she had not planned on waking up so late. Of course, to the other girls in her dormitory, it wasn't considered late at all. Quickly, she tugged on the pair of cotton exercise bottoms, and the tight sports top, along with her Gryffindor robes on top. She shoved her clothes, along with her books in her bag, before sliding on her shoes and tiptoeing out of her room, tying her hair up as she went her broom stick balanced between her chin and shoulder. She had to be careful to not wake up the rest of Gryffindor as she crept down the stairs that led from the girls dormitory to the Common Room. Very quietly she slipped through the passage and pushed the back of the Fat Lady's portrait open. The seventh floor corridor was cold, and caused her to feel uncomfortable.

Charlotte tugged her cloak around herself, and, shouldering her back, taking a good grip on her broom, she ran down the corridor, when she got to the stairs, she took two at a time, hurrying down as quickly as she could to the main floor. When she had managed to get down to the entry hall, she stopped behind a statue of armour, taking deep gulps of breath. Taking a couple glances left and right, with the hopes that nobody was around, especially Flitch. Charlotte took her chance only after a moment of rest, and ran across the Entry Hall, and down into out the large main doors that led to the school grounds and into the cool September air.

The Quidditch was empty, just as it always was this early in the morning. Charlotte took off her cloak, and put both her bag and broom down on the ground, she began to stretch. She ignored the cool air that kissed her bare arms, and began to jog. She told herself she would jog an hour, then run an hour before taking to the sky for a while, then quickly leave before anyone came onto the pitch for try-outs. Jogging was her least favourite when it came to the three options, jogging was too slow, and although it did better for her, she still hated it. She kept going, until an hour had passed, she rubbed her arms with her hands, the weather had gotten warmer, but not by much. Charlotte crouched down this time, as if she was about to participate in a race. She began to count down in her head. One, she was crouching further into her position. Two, she was shifting her feet to make sure she was sure-footed. Three, she measured the distance of the Quidditch field. Go! She was off, her feet pounding against the hard ground at the side of the grass, running across the field at full speed, as if she were running an actual race. A cough came from behind her, causing her to jump half way through the run. She whirled around on her heel, and looking around the pitch. At the end, she saw a dark haired figure coming across to her, her eyebrows shot up as she squinted her eyes. She saw the untidy bed-head first, then the rectangular glasses that framed hazel eyes.

"James?" She called across the pitch, she could see the usual cocky grin, and rolled her eyes at him, before jogging over. James Potter was a boy with a slightly darker complexion than most. His black hair seemed in permanent bed-head. He was in school uniform instead of his Quidditch robes. Charlotte raised her brow at him. "What on earth are you doing out here?" She asked, now that they were beside her, now that she was beside him, she could see that he had his broomstick in his hand.

"I was going to ask you the same thing, Lawrence, what were you doing out here? I mean, I can see a broom, but you weren't in the air." James seemed genuinely puzzled by this, looking at the broom on the ground, and then up at Charlotte who was sweaty from running. Charlotte cracked a grin, and rolled her neck.

"It's Charlotte," she pointed out to him, she didn't know how many times she had to point out that her name was Charlotte, and she didn't like him calling her by her last name, but James and his Marauders never really listened to her. "And, just so you know James, I was training. You know, running, push ups, and the occasional fly." Charlotte shrugged, James seemed to look her up and down.

"Yeah, but why?" James questioned, this time Charlotte laughed loudly causing James to look at her even more confused. She found it too funny, seeing him, James Potter, looking at her like he had just seen the most confusing thing ever. Charlotte gripped her side, and realised then that James was still waiting for her to explain. She straightened up, and craned her head up to look at him.

"Because, I like to keep fit." She pointed out, "plus, I'm trying out for Beater, and I need to work on my strength." This time James began to laugh. Charlotte flushed with anger, she didn't think it was that funny an idea, that she would try out for the team, so she folded her arms over her chest. James quickly realised she wasn't laughing and stopped right away.

"You're serious?" He asked, and Charlotte nodded her head. James seemed to become instantly serious, standing up a little straighter. He cocked his head, ran his hand through his hair and looked her up and down quizzically. "Huh, never thought it of you, you never struck me as the kind to like Quidditch. You know what why don't you show me what you got?"

"What?" Charlotte gapped at James, her eyes open, she could just picture herself, eyes as wide as saucers, and her mouth wide like she was catching flies. James was just smiling at her, his arms crossed over his broad chest.

"You heard me, show me what you got, Charlotte!" James barked, bending down and plucking up Charlotte's broomstick, and handing it to her.

Xxx

"So, Charlotte's trying out for Gryffindor?" Remus asked, glancing over at the brunette had just ran into the Great Hall late, again. She was dressed, but not as neatly as the rest of their year, and had her broom tossed carelessly over her shoulder. Remus watched as Lily, without even looking up, plucked an apple and a slice of toast from the table, and held them up above her head, letting Charlotte grab them, and quickly jog out of the hall again.

"Ever notice she's always in a hurry?" Peter asked as his eyes followed Charlotte out of the Great Hall, Remus nodded, then looked at James and Sirius with a look of disgust as both boys filled their mouths full with food. Not once pausing for breath. He turned back to Peter, feeling like he was the only one he could have a regular conversation with.

"Charlotte's a nice enough girl, smart too. However, she's too dedicated when it comes to Quidditch. I mean, she actually has to sit down and eat. Maybe do her essays a little earlier, it's always Lily that keeps her straight." Remus commented, watching Charlotte as she hurried out of the doors. James looked up quickly this time, looking at Remus curiously.

"She knows Evans? Really?" James sounded incredulous, he looked at Remus surprised, and shocked. Remus only nodded as he buttered a slice of toast.

"Yup, thick as thieves, those two. Lily keeps her in check when it comes to school and homework, especially her eating, and Charlotte, well she keeps Lily in-tuned with exercise and getting boyfriends. Really, the two of them are brilliant." Remus commented as he caught sight of Lily standing up just a few minutes after Charlotte had left, carrying a bottle of water and some more fruit with her. "See?" Remus nodded towards Lily as she rushed out.

"Hmm, so what you're saying is Prongs should befriend Charlotte to become friends with Evans, and then Charlotte will convince Evans to say yes to you?" Peter piped up. Each the Marauders looked at him with raised brows. It was Sirius who answered, to Remus' surprise, as he placed down his toast and shook his head at Peter.

"No, Wormtail. Prongs wouldn't stoop that low, would you mate?" Sirius turned to James, who was still looking at the doors to the Great Hall. He then turned to Peter, Sirius and Remus looking a little more confused.

"What? No, of course not." James answered, before eating more of his breakfast. Remus looked at him suspiciously before nodding his head.

"Good," Remus said finally. "She's too nice to have you using her, James. She doesn't hate you like Snape and Lily, and she most certainly doesn't have too."

Xxx

"Hey, Lottie!" Lily shouted as she waved towards Charlotte who was walking towards her and Severus who sat beside each other on a stone bench. "How were try-outs?" Lily shouted towards her, then noticing Charlotte's grin, shot up and raced towards her friend, Severus close on her heel.

"I did it!" Charlotte yelled over to Lily, grinning wildly at Charlotte. "I just, oh Lily, you should've seen me! I just got up there on my broom, and I flew and...Lily I'm the next Gryffindor Beater!" Charlotte yelled, wrapping her arms around Lily. Severus came over to both the girls and just nodded his head at Charlotte.

"Well done," he told her, his arms stuck stiffly to his side. Charlotte gave him a quick smile.

"Thanks Sev," she looked between them, and her eyes fixed on the two of them curiously, sensing the tension between them. "What's wrong with you guys?" Lily nibbled her bottom lip before looking at both Severus and Charlotte. Should she tell her? It wasn't any secret that Lily and Severus were friends, and what happened in their friendship, well, Charlotte ended to know whether she was told or not. It was turning out to be one of those times. Lily noticed quickly, as Charlotte looked at each friend carefully.

"It's just," Lily began, and looked down at her hands. Surly Charlotte would end up knowing anyway? She would work it out herself, or catch notice of the situation at hand and bring it up. So why not tell her? Lily took a deep breath. "It's just, we were talking about Sev's friends. You know, the ones that study dark magic." Lily had always hated the matter. It wasn't a huge matter, but to Lily, and anyone that shared her blood status. Lily watched Charlotte's reaction. Her grin disappeared, and her lips turned into a thin line. She had always been unimpressed with Severus when it came to his Slytherin side. She could say she tried to ignore it, and she did. Lily appreciated that, but in these matters, she knew Charlotte couldn't pretend.

"You're studying dark magic?" She asked in one swift movement, she was toe-to-toe with Severus now, her broom disregarded on the ground, her bag on her other side. "Because you know if you are, Sev, I swear..." Charlotte stopped there, as Lily but a hand on her arm. Lily never knew what happened to Charlotte in their fourth year, but she had spent at least a month in the hospital wing. Lily remembered Madam Pomfrey had shooed everyone away, telling them that she was sick with some sort of bug, but never spesfying what it was. There had been rumours too, that she had been jumped by some older Slytherin's. The only person that had seen her in that time frame was Remus Lupin due to his time in the hospital wing, but even he didn't know what had happened to her. Charlotte never told, Lily never pried. But whenever anything about dark magic cropped up, she became a different and more frightening person.

"Lottie?" Lily questioned. Her hand still on Charlotte's shoulder. She was looking at her worriedly. Charlotte pulled away, and picked up her broom and bag. She was looking at Severus with a different look now, and it scared Lily slightly. Charlotte then smiled, and once again turned into her friend.

"You know what? Never mind. I'm going to grab something from the kitchens, and just because you two are Prefects doesn't mean you get to say anything about it." She told them both pointedly, giving Lily an awkward hug, and a small wave to Severus. "See you guys third!" Charlotte yelled as a way of goodbye, and jogged towards the castle. Severus pulled a face at Lily, who was looking after her friend.

"What was that about?" He asked, Lily glanced at him and shrugged. She had wondered too, she wasn't ever told what had triggered Charlotte into hating dark magic even more than Potter or Black.

"I don't know Sev, but I really think you should drop the whole dark magic scene." Lily advised, walking towards the main building that Charlotte had just disappeared into.