Rivers and Pranks.
Similar or not?
Fred had become preoccupied in talking to the girl at the counter of the bakery. He had decided the best way to woo her was to show her a magic trick and she was loving it. George and Charlotte had moved outside to avoid the flirtation. They sat on a nearby bench and Charlotte stretched her arms, feeling the cool breeze upon her cheeks was calming. She didn't like they way Sirius had acted, it wasn't like him at all.
"Our magic tricks always work on the muggle girls. No girl can resist a magician it seems," George said.
Charlotte smiled. "Maybe it's not the tricks."
George pondered this for a moment before cocking his head to the side. "What exactly are you insinuating Charlie my dear?"
"Well," Charlotte laughed. "Perhaps it's your dashing looks."
George snorted. "I seriously doubt that. Fred's hideous."
There was a short silence and then Charlotte giggled again. "Oh totally. You are definitely the best looking twin."
George then stood up, looking up and down the street. "I think we should sneak off. Fred won't mind, honest."
"Where to…?" Charlotte asked slowly. Her brain immediately going to what Sirius and remus would say if they heard the idea.
Too risky.
Too dangerous.
But they wouldn't have said that 20 years ago, would they?
"I don't know," George admitted. "Somewhere."
Charlotte pushed the thought of Sirius and Remus out of her head; she also pushed her fears away. Today was her day; she could do whatever she wanted. Since when did Sirius get to become the boss of her anyway?
"Sure."
George's mouth fell open. "Really?"
"Hell yeah!" Charlotte said. "Let's go."
As they scampered along the path George reached out to take her arm. She watched him with a slow building curiosity, in so many ways he was exactly like the Sirius she remembered. He was spontaneous, a jokester and he liked the risk factor. That much she could see. Yet behind all that there was one big difference between him and Sirius and she couldn't quite put her finger on it.
"Charlie, shh," James scolded.
Charlotte folded her arms and glared at the empty darkness. She reached her arms out into the air, waving them about and felt a bit stupid at first until her hand collided with something solid. James and Sirius threw the cloak off and they were both looking annoyed.
"Charlie, you ruined our disguise," Sirius said with a smirk.
Charlotte didn't smile back at this. "Well when someone grabs your ass it usually gives you a bit of a fright, especially when they are bloody well invisible. It could have been anyone."
James sniggered. "Padfoot, you grabbed her ass? I told you to give her a nudge, you perve."
Sirius shoved his friend sideways and James was thrown off balance. "I can't help it if my hand is attracted there, and that she has a really nice ass…"
Charlotte gaze darkened. "Sirius!"
He looked at her. "What?"
"Don't talk about me like that."
He rolled his eyes. "Don't worry babe, it's only James. I tell him everything. He already knows that when we were down by the lake we fuc…"
He trailed off when he realized telling her this was not at all helping. In fact Charlotte was looking angrier and angrier. James glanced sideways.
"Anyway Charlie." The reason we were nudging you is we are sneaking off to get some butterbeer. We wanted to know if you'd come…" he told her.
Sirius nodded and flashed her his charming look again. His smile dazzling white, the little light there was in the common room reflecting off his teeth. His cheeks dimpled and he swept his hair out of his eyes which seemed to twinkle at him. Charlotte felt her frown soften slightly but she shrugged.
"Oh come on Charlie." He traced his finger around her neck bone sending a shiver up her neck. "I'll only want to come if you do." The he leant forward, his lips meeting her jaw in a soft kiss.
Charlotte let a soft gasp escape her lips but then she shook sense into herself. "I don't want to go Sirius. I told you."
James looked slightly awkward as Sirius leaned in even closer, this time Sirius grabbed her hips and pushed the side of his face into hers.
"Charlie. You're coming okay. I can't leave something so beautiful here by itself."
Charlotte felt all of her resistance melt. "Okay, I'll come."
Sirius and James high fived. "Excellent!" James said with a smile. "This will be great fun. Rosmerta is sure to give us some free firewhisky. You can charm it out of her Sirius."
Sirius snorted as they threw the invisibility cloak over all of them. "I don't do older women okay? She's all yours James."
Charlotte followed them along the passage and listened to them as they laughed and chatted about their last midnight outing, about how they wished they were older so they could purchase the whisky more easily and about one girl or anther who, to phrase it in their words, was 'easy.' Charlotte wondered briefly why they had even dragged her along, and then as soon as she had thought it she felt sick with herself. They were her friends; it was stupid of her to be all jealous and moody about it. When they reached the pub it's warmth and loud chatter made her feel a bit better. The three of them settled at a table and Sirius' hand slid between Charlotte's knees. James called the barwoman over and ordered three butterbeers with a grin. He then leant back in his chair, stretching out his arms.
"So Charlie, why were you in the common room in the dark anyway?" James asked.
Charlie smiled. "I was avoiding Lily actually. She keeps bugging me about you."
James sat up. "Now this sounds interesting. What about me?"
"She er…" Charlotte looked awkward. "She asked me to stop you asking her out all the time…"
Sirius sniggered. "She so wants you James."
James made a sarcastic face. "Oh ha-ha."
Sirius' hand was tightening on her knee and he leaned over to kiss her again but Charlotte pulled back a bit. "Come on Sirius, let's not be overly pda."
He didn't listen and instead grabbed her back the neck, kissing her harder. "What if I want to be pda?" he said.
James rolled his eyes. "You too make me sick you blimmen love sick people."
Sirius pulled back and grinned. "Sorry mate."
Charlotte rubbed her face a few time trying to rid her mind of the mixed feeling she had about Sirius and instead concentrate on what was going on now. George had led her around so many corners she felt completely disorientated.
"Do you know where we are?" she asked him eventually.
He stopped and looked at her. "Well, to be honest. I have no idea. I was hoping we would reached the town but we appear to be beside a river."
Charlotte too looked through the bushes that were beside them, and saw that George was right. There was a babbling sound coming from beside them and she could see a hint of a pretty blue. "Hmm. I didn't know Sirius lived near a river," she said.
George laughed. "Neither did I."
Charlotte went over to the fence separating them from the river and threw a leg over it, she climbed over and felt George's hand on her back as she reached the top.
"What are you doing?" she asked him
George bent his head around so he could see her. "Just supporting you incase you fall."
Charlotte felt her heart rate increase, but she said nothing more and jumped over onto the other side. George followed suit and jumped over onto the ground beside her. They found themselves beside a very small creak that was bathed in the early afternoon sunshine. Light reflected off the water and bathed the two of them in warmth.
"We should take Snape here," George said suddenly. "It's a very pretty and happy sort of river. I bet he'd love it."
Charlotte laughed. "I don't think he likes water. There was a rumour going around school that he didn't take baths."
George pretended to ponder this thought. "Yeah. I can see that," he said cheekily.
Charlotte grinned and moved over to the edge of the stream dipping his hand into it. Despite the warmth that was reflecting from it, the water was reasonably cool.
"Let's go swimming," George said suddenly.
Charlotte stood up, her eyebrows raised. "Er what?"
"Swimming. Let's jump in. Do you want to?" George looked excited at the thought of it.
"That's a bit…"
"Spontaneous?"
Charlotte bit her lip. "I'm not much of a swimmer George."
His frowned slightly. "Okay, nevermind. We can do something else. Do you want to wait outside the order and prank Snape as he comes back?"
Charlotte glanced at the water again and then back at George. She grinned. "Yeah alright. We should find out when he's coming back and then pour soapy water of his hair."
George howled with laughter. "Ha-ha brilliant. Let's go then."
As they climbed back over the fence the nagging feeling seemed to hit her again. The feeling of similarity at being with George but at the same time that something different. It wasn't something obvious that she was thinking of, like their looks, it was something else. Something about the way he acted. She would never say that Sirius didn't care about her, because she knew that he did, but it was almost like George took more notice of her feelings. It was something anyway.
George talked the whole way about different forms of attack that they could take on this Snape prank and he seemed very excited about it. It was interesting for Charlotte to hear what kind of teacher he had been. It sounded like he was pretty much like she might have imagined. Swooping around like an oversized bat, snarling at people, slimy and pretty much all around nasty to anyone not in Slytherin.
Fred was standing up ahead, his arms were folded and he was tapping his foot on the path.
"Well, well, well. Never have I been so betrayed by my own blood," Fred said, grinning as they came over.
Charlotte felt her stomach drop. "Oh, we're sorry Fred! It was my fault, I told George that we…"
But both the twins were laughing.
"Charlie. He's only joking, but that's sweet that you would stand up for me like that," George said. He gave her a playful nudge on the arm.
Charlotte felt slightly embarrassed. "Oh well. You know… I knew it was a joke…"
Fred sniggered.
"Of course you did." They said in unison and then George winked at her.
They entered the house and went into the dining room where everyone was finishing their meal. Charlotte felt Sirius' eyes follow her as she went into the room but Remus glared at him and so his gaze dropped back to his food. Charlotte frowned a bit at this. Usually Sirius wouldn't be the sort to take orders from Remus. He was usually the dominant one. All that could be heard was the sound of chewing food and Charlotte felt a bit awkward standing there.
"I'll get you some food Charlie. What do you want?" George volunteered.
Charlotte drew her gaze away from Sirius. "Oh. Uh. Chicken would be nice…"
"Coming right up," George said and he went off to the kitchen with Fred.
Charlotte sat down beside Remus who was mouthing something at Sirius but then quickly snapped his head back as he realized she was beside him. He went red.
"Charlie, hi."
He spoke so quickly that it made Charlotte sure he had just been talking about her.
"Hi," she replied. "We didn't get killed by death eaters while we were away."
Remus smiled. "Okay, okay. Sirius and I have discussed it and we have decided you make us feel old, so we won't say anything like that again."
Charlotte sniggered. "Right then. That's good, because the tea worried me, but the too risky thing that Sirius said. Now that was scary."
George came back over with two chicken sandwiches and he sat beside her.
"Thanks," Charlotte said brightly. "Is it safe to eat."
George laughed. "Your is. Not so sure about the one Fred made Ron though."
They both glanced over to where Ron was taking a bite of his sandwich. He went slightly green, choked and spat it out. "FRED!"
George looked back at Charlotte with a grin. "I wouldn't do that to you."
Charlotte felt her cheeks flush slightly under George's gaze and she heard Remus stamp on Sirius' foot as he went to say something.
A/N: Thanks to all my reveiwers! There's a bit more Charlotte/George in this chapter for you :D I hope you like the different take I took on Sirius in the flashback, but let me know what you think.
