Authors Note:

20 July 2011: I can't apologise enough that I haven't updated in months! Life has been very hectic but now I've finished University for the summer and have loads of time on my hands. I hope to keep updating both of my stories regularly. I hope you like this chapter, enjoy!

Chapter 3: The Morning After

Charlet woke in the morning with Charles sleeping quietly next to her. She glanced at the clock and saw that it was 7am already so she slipped out of bed and headed towards the bathroom for a shower. As she entered the bathroom she saw a large purple bruise forming on her left temple. She knew she couldn't use a glamour charm because of the necklace Charles had given her.

Shortly after they were married, Charles had given her a necklace with a silver locket shaped like a heart and he had told her it had protection charms placed on it. She didn't realise that was the worst mistake she ever made. After that, the clasp on the necklace was forever sealed and would only unlock in the event of Charles' death. The first time Charles had hit her, it left a red mark on her cheek and she soon discovered that she couldn't place any glamour charms on herself because the necklace blocked them.

She decided that she would try to cover it as best she could with make-up and see how it looked. Charlet quickly took her shower and dressed in her jeans and red-diamante t-shirt with her black sandals. She did her hair in small ringlets and started to work on her make-up. By the time she was finished the bruise on her temple had significantly faded but it was still very noticeable.

Sighing heavily, she left the bathroom and made her way to the bedroom to find a cardigan to wear. Charles was already up and dressed when she entered and was sipping a mug of coffee. "And where do you think your going dressed like that?" he exclaimed angrily.

Charlet looked down at her outfit and back at Charles "I was thinking I was going to breakfast." Charles set his coffee mug down and dragged Charlet over to the wardrobe "Not dressed like that your not, at least make yourself presentable. I will not have my wife looking like a common slob! And be quick about it! I'll wait for you outside to go for breakfast." And with that he left.

Charlet felt like crying. He always ordered her around, there wasn't even anything wrong with what she was wearing! Well, she should have known by now that Charles always liked to look rich and glamorous, and that went for her as well. She quickly perused the wardrobe and pulled out a short dark blue pencil skirt, and teamed it with flat black shoes, a short black cardigan and a white silk top. She was now ready for the act to begin.

Charles had approved of her outfit and he accompanied her down to the great hall for breakfast, followed by four of his bodyguards. As soon as they entered the hall everyone had turned to look at them. She knew by the horrified looks on their faces that they had noticed her bruised face. She noticed that a small round table had been set up, not too far from the teacher's table, and Charles began to steer her towards it.

They passed by the Gryffindor table and Charlet had to purposely look away from seeing the look that she knew would be on Harry's face. When they finally reached the table she noticed two throne like chairs placed next to each other and knew then that it had all been Charles' doing.

Charlet could feel the stares of everyone, including the teachers, on her and tried to act as normal as possible. Charles helped her into her seat and then took his own while his bodyguards stood behind them. Charlet leaned forward to take some bacon and add it to her plate when Charles grabbed her wrist "No bacon for you. I suggest a small bowl of fruit. I don't want you getting fat."

Charlet nodded and he let go of her wrist and she then proceeded to eat her small breakfast of various fruits, while Charles dug in to a full English breakfast. After she had finished she sat in silence looking down into her lap. She heard Charles click his fingers and one of his bodyguards stepped forward and handed him a vial of pink potion. "Charlet, its time for your potion." All through breakfast Charlet could hear the whispers, and sense the stares. However by this time no one was paying attention to her after Charles had glared at the room. The only people watching her were the teachers and the golden trio.

"Please, do I have to take it here? In front of everyone?" she looked up at him with a pleading look. His face took on an angry expression. "You'll drink it when I say!" Charlet shakily took the potion from him and drank it down in one gulp.

Charles took the empty vial from her and passed it to his bodyguard and gently rubbed the back of her shoulder. "There, that wasn't so hard now, was it?" Charles suddenly stood up and told his bodyguards to escort Charlet back to their rooms. "I need to have a little chat with Dumbledore."

Charlet stood and walked out of the great hall with the four bodyguards surrounding her, while everyone watched her leave. It had been several hours and Charles still had not returned to their rooms. Charlet knew it was a Sunday and that there would be no classes. The bodyguards had gone to the sitting room to play some gambling game and she decided to slip out, unnoticed.

Once outside her rooms, Charlet started running along the hallways to the Room of Requirement. She finally reached it and stepped inside to find a warm fire and a sofa. She had only been there an hour when she heard someone come in. She quickly glanced up and saw Harry, Ron and Hermione walking towards her to sit on the sofa.

She looked up at Harry sitting next to her "Oh Harry! I'm so sorry I didn't tell you!" he roughly pulled her into an embrace while she cried on his shoulder. Ron at this point looked extremely uncomfortable to be in the same room as a crying girl, while Hermione felt she was intruding on a personal moment. Charlet pulled away from Harry and wiped her eyes as she looked at them "I want to tell you everything, from the beginning."

"I was thirteen and very much unaware that my father knew where I was. My mum and I moved to France to escape him and his abusive ways, he was also a muggle, but then he found us. He tricked me. It was during Christmas term and I was dancing in a magical show when I met Charles..."

As she danced, his eyes followed her every move. He was charming, handsome and very dashing. Charlet finished her dance piece and went backstage to change into her regular clothes. As she was about to meet up with her mother outside Charles bumped into her.

"I saw you dancing, you were very beautiful." Charlet blushed brightly, never having had any male attention or compliments before. "Why thank you." Charlet knew that he was way too old for her (he was 28), but something between them just clicked, like they were meant to be. He dazzled her. "I'm Charles Rothwell" he said seductively "and you are?"

By this time Charlet was blushing bright scarlet. He was leaning very close to her and she could feel his breath on her face. "Ch…Charlet Hadley" she gasped. He moved his lips to her ear and whispered "that's a lovely name." Charlet quickly stepped back away from him.

"I'm really sorry but I must get going." She turned to leave when Charles grabbed her hand. She turned to face him and he elegantly kissed her hand. "May I write to you?" Charlet hesitated before nodding and giving him her address. He gave her hand another kiss before turning and disappearing down a side street.

"Charles wrote to me every day and I found myself falling in love with him. At first my mum didn't approve because of the age gap, but when she saw how he treated me, she agreed to us going out. It occurs to me now that he had charmed my mother into agreeing for us to see each other. On Valentine's day Charles proposed and I accepted. We were married on April 12th in a small magical ceremony in France. The first year was the happiest I ever spent with Charles. He treated me so wonderfully, with so much care and kindness, he treated me to holidays, expensive gifts, and we even discussed starting a family soon. But that's when everything changed."

By this time Charlet was pacing in front of Harry, Hermione and Ron with silent tears dripping down her face.

"It was a gradual change which I didn't think of noticing at first because I would have done anything to please him. First he started to tell me what I could and couldn't wear, then it turned to the friends I could and couldn't have. Then he forced me to break contact with my mother. I couldn't even write or floo her. But after all that, he never struck me. Not until that day…."

It was July during the summer holidays, not long before her fifteenth birthday. Charles had been away on 'business' constantly for the past few weeks and he was due home that day. Charlet had done her hair and make-up and put on a fancy dress. She made sure the house was presentable and had an elegant dinner prepared for when he came home. But he was late. And Charlet knew exactly the reason why. While on his 'business' trip Charlet has entered his chambers and found a letter addressed to him. Being a person of a curious nature, she opened it and started to read.

That was when she realised, he was having an affair. The letter was from someone named Mandy, expressing her delight at being able to see him for a few weeks without having to worry about 'that bitch of a wife of yours' finding out. That was when her heart crumbled. In the last year, he had never shown any signs of infidelity. She thought he truly loved her. But she was wrong.

Charlet sat for hours waiting for him to come home when she heard someone apparate into the hallway. She sat waiting for him to enter the living room. When she heard the door open she glanced up at him as he closed the door.

"Where have you been?" she said in a small whisper.

"Out!"

"You said you'd be home at 7!" Charlet stood up and walked towards him.

"Well I'm late, deal with it!" Charles pushed past her and moved towards the small drinks cabinet. He took out a glass, poured himself some firewhiskey and promptly swallowed the whole glass in one swallow.

"I know exactly where you've been Charles! You've been having an affair with some slut named Mandy! How could you! I thought you loved me Charles! How could you do this to me! Was I not enough for you! I'm your wife god damnit!" she screamed at Charles.

Charles suddenly turned his red, angry face towards her. She suddenly regretted shouting at him. He stalked towards her and grabbed her upper arms roughly. "Exactly, you're my wife! I expect you to do as I say, when I say it, and not ask questions! Mandy is none of your god damn business! If I want to have a mistress I bloody well will! And don't you ever, EVER scream abuse at me again! Get upstairs! I don't want to see your face!" he spat. He quickly let go of her arms pushed her away and she stumbled backwards from the force.

Charlet was so angry that she turned to him and slapped him hard across the face. "I won't obey your every command Charles! I am your wife and I expect you to be faithful to me! I want you to stop seeing Mandy right now Charles, because I won't have it!" she quickly turned around and headed for the door, when she suddenly felt someone grab her arm and pull her backwards.

She felt a hand grab her hair and pull her backwards towards the sofa. Charles had roughly grabbed her; he was in such a rage. He spun her round to face him and punched her squarely in the face. Charlet was so shocked she just stared up at him from the floor.

She couldn't even move from sheer shock. Charles leant down to her face and grabbed her chin to make her look at him. "Don't you ever, EVER, do that to me again you bitch! I am the master of this house, and I am the one that controls every aspect of this family! Now, go upstairs to bed and wait for me there' he spat at her angrily. Charlet slowly stood up and walked towards the door on shaky leggings, still holding her face where Charles had punched her.

Once safely in her chambers she lay on her bed and sobbed into her pillow. She knew then that there was no escape. The man she once loved was gone.

Charlet was sobbing very loudly now, and no one spoke. It was Hermione who was the first to talk.

"Charlet, why didn't you use your wand and do something!"

Charlet turned her tear stained face towards her. "I couldn't. My wand was up in my room and I knew I couldn't use magic outside of school. It wouldn't have mattered anyway, I can't harm him."

"What do you mean?"

Charlet pointed to the necklace she was wearing "This necklace prevents me from using my magic to harm him in any way, it also blocks glamour charms. And I couldn't physically attack him; he would overthrow me in a heartbeat."

After all this, Harry was looking quite distressed. He walked over to Charlet and grabbed her in a hug. "Why didn't you ever tell me? There must be something we can do!" Charlet hugged him for a moment longer before pulling away. "I just didn't want any one to know. But now everyone knows anyway so it doesn't matter. There is nothing you can do Harry. I'm bound to him until one of us dies." At this she started sobbing again and Harry wrapped his arms around her.

Ron hadn't said a word since he'd entered the Room of Requirement but was now looking thoroughly distressed. "She's right, Harry. There's nothing you can do. There's nothing anyone can do. Not even Dumbledore or the Ministry." Harry still held Charlet in a tight embrace and whispered in her ear "Don't worry Charlet, we'll think of something."

Charlet was slowly walking back to her room, praying that Charles hadn't returned yet. She opened the door and walked slowly into the darkened sitting room. There she saw Charles sitting in a lounge chair with two bodyguards behind him. "Where have you been?"

"I…I just went for a walk, to get some fresh air." Charles suddenly stood up and stalked towards her. "When you want to leave, you must ask permission, you know that. But I'll let this go for today since I wasn't here for you to ask." Charlet let out a relieved breathe that she didn't know she was holding. "Now, go into the bedroom and wait for me there. You won't be leaving it tonight."

Charlet bowed her head and slowly made her way towards the bedroom, all the while trying not to let the deep waves of sadness and desperation crash over her. She sat, waiting, on the king sized bed for an hour waiting for him to come.

She almost thought he wasn't going to join her. But that dream was short lived, because shortly after she thought this, Charles entered the bedroom and took off his jacket, then started towards her.

Meanwhile in the staff room

Dumbledore was standing, looking at his seated peers. They had all noticed the bruise on Charlet's fact just this morning and had been worried about her all day. Dumbledore had told them all about how Charlet had come to him for help and about the history of her marriage to Charles.

"But Albus, surely there must be something we can do!" cried Minerva McGonagall.

"I am afraid not Minerva. The best we can do is to try and look out for her, and try to be around her as much as possible." He replied looking very solemn.

All through the meeting Snape had looked very pale and Dumbledore had noticed this. "Severus, your looking very pale, is anything the matter."

Severus looked up at Dumbledore "Charles Rothwell, I…I know him! He became a Death Eater about 3 years ago. He is one of the more ruthless and dangerous. I've seen him before at meetings. Do you know what he could do to her?" Dumbledore looked very grave at this news.

"A Death Eater, Severus? Are you sure?" Severus nodded. "Very well, then she will need extra protection. We all must band together to keep her safe. If any of you find anything untoward, report it to me immediately." All of the assembled teachers heartily agreed to this news. Dumbledore turned and addressed McGonagall.

"Minerva, Charlet is one of your Gryffindor's; she will most likely go to you if she needs you. Ask everyone in your house to keep an eye on her, especially outside of classes and on weekends. Charlet will need all the help she can get."

Professor Flitwick suddenly called out "And what of Potter? He and Charlet appear to be rather close, should we warn him about Rothwell? If Potter and Charlet get too close, you know Rothwell will retaliate, and it will be Potter that will be harmed."

"That will not be necessary Filius; I believe Harry, on some level, already knows of the danger. I just hope he will stay clear and not get himself involved."

"But Albus" cried McGonagall "This is Harry! Of course he'll get involved; he won't just stand by and let this happen to the poor girl."

Dumbledore turned his tired face towards her "Indeed your right Minerva, indeed your right."