Chapter Nine; Family
Charlotte peeled of her old dirty clothes and stepped into the shower. The hot water felt amazing on her. The second the water hit her body, the grime rolled off Charlotte's body, and Charlotte thrust her head back in an ahhh. Charlotte took a bar of soap and lathered it all over her body, then washed her hair. When she was done, she stood in the shower a few more moments, letting the steaming water fall onto her. It was so relaxing, after the last painful and uncertain days.
After the shower, Charlotte pulled out a crisp shirt and soft pair of jeans and dressed into them. Charlotte looked into the mirror, and was shocked by her appearance.
Charlotte's pale skin had scratches all over, and she looked exhausted. Her brown hair and bangs were wet from the shower, but when not, it was very shiny and straight. There was a look of sorrow in her brown eyes. Charlotte brushed her hair and put it into a wet pony. So much had changed in the last week and a half. Her best friend was dead, she was unable to see her sister, and now here she was, with an all-of-britain-wanted girl who Charlotte had never known before.
Warm tears rolled down Charlotte's cheeks. She had experienced pain beyond anything she could've imagined two weeks ago. She remembered the feeling of Bellatrix torturing her in the cell, how she felt she could burst, felt the sanity leaving her…
"Charlotte?" knocked Hermione from outside the door, "Are you alright?"
"Y-yes." said Charlotte and opened the bathroom door. Hermione was holding a fresh pair of clothing in one arm. She saw Charlotte's tear streaked face and frowned.
"No, no you aren't. What's the matter Charlotte?"
"What's the matter? What's the matter? Everything's the matter! I have no idea where Fiona is! I am in so much pain! I am in a stranger's home! You and I are being chased! I've been tortured by a maniac blood-thirsty woman!" Charlotte cried out shrilly.
"Oh, I know Charlotte. I'm so sorry." sighed Hermione. She reached out to hug Charlotte, but Charlotte backed away.
"All I want is Fiona." sniffled Charlotte.
"I know, and we will find her and rescue her. I promise." Hermione leaned in for another hug, and Charlotte, hugged her quickly and stepped back.
"We could have gone to my parents." said Charlotte.
"Oh! No!" gasped Hermione.
"What?" asked Charlotte, fear in her voice as she spoke.
"N-nothing." said Hermione, with a scared look.
"Hermione, tell me!" demanded Charlotte.
"Really, it's nothing."
"No, it's not nothing. Tell me, I'm not just a kid." argued Charlotte, "I'm sick and tired of people lying to me."
"Does the ministry know who your parents are? Do they know where you live?" squeaked Hermione.
"Well of course, they had someone come over to tell us Fiona is a witch. They could find us in an inst- Ohhh nooo! No, no, no, no, no." Charlotte shrunk to the ground, head in her hands.
"Charlotte…" whispered Hermione.
"We've got to save them!" shrieked Charlotte and grabbed Hermione's hand, "We live in Warwicks lane, number 8."
Hermione stood there, gaping at Charlotte.
"Don't just stand there Hermione, apparate!" Charlotte tugged at Hermione's arm. There was a look of sorrow in Hermione's eyes.
"I... " whispered Hermione, "It's, It's too late. By now, they've already got them."
"No! It's only been several minutes, come on Hermione, we have to try!"
"Charlotte, it's too much of a risk. What if we apparate and they're there? Besides, even if we do get to your parents before the Death Eaters, what do we do for them?"
"They can come with us." said Charlotte, looking straight into Hermione's eyes.
"Muggles can't apparate, Charlotte." sighed Hermione.
"Well, how did you protect your parents? You can do the same thing for my parents."
"Charlotte…" Hermione looked at Charlotte with so much pity. She had done the right thing for her parents, but she couldn't do it to Charlotte's. Hermione's eyes started to well with tears, but she blinked them back.
"Come on, Hermione!"
"No." said Hermione.
"So we just let the Death Eaters take them? Leave them to be tortured?"
"It's too late Charlotte." sniffed Hermione.
Charlotte opened her mouth, about to argue back, but closed it. She closed her eyes for a moment and when she opened them, they were filled with tears.
"Ok.
'What happened to your parents?" asked Charlotte.
Hermione hesitated, then spoke, "I cast a memory charm on them. Gave them a new name and everything. You see, they don't have a daughter and they pursued their life dream of moving to Australia."
"Oh I'm so sorry Hermione! That must've been really hard."
"Well it was the right thing." whispered Hermione, but with doubt in her voice. She stared for a long time, and then quickly shook her head, stopping the daze, "Well, I think I'm going to take a shower now." Charlotte stepped out of the bathroom and Hermione closed the door. She ran to the bed, slammed onto it, and sighed deeply into the pillow. She turned over so that she could look up at the ceiling, and started to day-dream.
