Chapter Three

"No." said Charlotte defiantely.

"Go. H-hermione, take her."

"I love you Fiona." cried Charlotte as Hermione picked her up, stroking her hair like a baby.

"I'll be fine." chuckled Fiona and stood up shakily, walking to the stretchers with the dead.

"W-what?" asked Charlotte panicking.

"She's pretending to be dead, she'll be safer there." said Hermione wisely, carrying Charlotte.

"Where are you taking me?" asked Charlotte, immensely confused.

"Your sister wants you to be safe. She and I are in the same year. Last year, we were talking, and she talked about you. Charlotte, right?" asked Hermione. Charlotte nodded. "Well, she said she knew that there would be a battle, and that no matter what, you would be kept safe. I promised her that would happen."

"But what am I going to do? Our parents are muggles, so we're going to be in trouble when they find out."' Charlotte continued to cry.

"My parents are muggles too, but i've been on the run. So they couldn't catch me." said Hermione.

"They haven't gotten to us yet, but next week we would have been." whispered Charlotte.

"Don't worry, I'll protect you." said Hermione. Hermione stopped in front of a tall red-headed boy, with several freckles. The boy had been fighting a Death Eater, and finished him off with a transfiguration spell, making him sprout fur, transforming into a rat.

"Who is this?" asked the boy shrilly.

"You know the Underwood Ravenclaw, Fiona?" asked Hermione. The boy nodded. "Well, this is her sister. I promised to protect her. I have no idea what I've gotten into."

"Hermione! We already have to kill Voldemort!" reminded the boy.

"I know Ron… It doesn't have to be us though. Just be nice to Charlotte."

"You're going to try and kill him?" said Charlotte, eyes widening.

"We've been helping Harry for a while." said Ron quietly.

"Right, you were in his year. Were you close?" asked Charlotte.

"Yes, very much." said Ron and Hermione quietly. Their eyes started to well with more tears, washing off the stains of the old ones.

"MUDBLOOD GRANGER!" roared a voice coming from a maniac woman. Her curly black hair was crazy and gnarled, and her ripped black dress swished at her knees. Her cloak billowed behind her as she ran to Hermione. There was a savage look in her malicious eyes. Ron quickly plucked Charlotte out of Hermione's arms and put her down as Hermione grabbed her wand. But it was too late.

"CRUCIO!" screamed Bellatrix and Hermione writhed in pain.

"No!" shouted Charlotte and pointed her wand at Bellatrix. Bellatrix immediately stopped the curse and reverted her attention to Charlotte. Hermione lunged for Charlotte but was hit with a body-binding curse by Bellatrix. Ron froze, unable to think.

"And who might you be?" asked Bellatrix in a baby voice. Charlotte immediately lost the courage she had just summoned up when she looked into Bellatrix's gleaming eyes.

"Sh-sh-charlotte Und-d-derwood." she stuttered. She had no idea what Bellatrix was going to do.

"Underwood. Sounds much like a muggle-born name, doesn't it?" Walking closer to Charlotte, Bellatrix reached her arm out.

"N-n-no. I'm a pureblood." Charlotte lied.

"Well then, let me ask you this, what is your father's job?" Bellatrix pressed on.