((A/N:: Italics = flashback, okay?))

Harry tilted his head to the side, "Of course I did. Why? Do you know him?"

Titan gave him a piercing look, "Do I know him? Of course, I know him! He's the-" she cut herself off as a blush began to tinge her cheeks. She cleared her throat and started again, "Yes, I know Charlie."

An amused glint crossed into Hermione's eyes as Titan cleared her throat again, "Sirius said that something simple would work, right Harry?"

Harry nodded as he pulled a book down off a stack, "Yes, but then Ron interrupted and I didn't get to find out what."

Titan pulled two books down for herself, "Simple, eh? Well, let's get cracking!"

All three of them dug into the material before them, but after a few minutes, it was clear to Titan that her mind was refusing what she was reading when it strayed, yet again, to Charlie Weasley.

Fred, George, Ron, Charlie, Bill, and Titan had decided that they would take a trip to the pond in the woods to escape the small house and the eyes of Molly Weasley. Titan traipsed along behind the boys, not really paying attention to what she was doing. Her main focus was to stay away from Molly so that she couldn't let slip about her suspension. After they reached the pond, Titan sat on a rock a few yards from the water's edge while the boys pulled off their shirts.

Bill turned to her, "Hey, Titan, aren't you going to swim?"

Titan shook her head, "Not today, I just kinda wanted to get out of the house."

Charlie stalked toward her, "Aw, come on, don't be such a girl," he picked her up off of the rock and started to carry her towards the water.

Panic began to sink in as Titan realized what he was about to do, "No, Charlie, really. I just don't feel like swimming today. Please put me down. Please? Charlie, don't. Please."

Charlie just grinned at her and flung her into the water.

The water pressed against her from all sides. Panic in full swing now, Titan exhaled sharply, only to inhale a lungful of water. She thought she saw something reach for her, and then she woke up. It was dark, but Titan was immediately able to tell that she was in a warm bed in the Weasley house. For a moment, she almost thought the whole mess had been a dream, until she tried to draw a deep breath and her pained coughing woke the person sleeping next to her.

"Titan?" the voice that floated to her was all too familiar.

Titan's eyes snapped open wide and she turned her head towards him, "Charlie? What the bloody hell is going on?"

Charlie chuckled lightly, "Feeling better, I see. Care to explain why you didn't tell any of us that you can't swim?"

Titan turned her eyes to stone, "I didn't think it was any of your business, nor did I think you'd be a brute and throw me in!" she hissed.

Charlie snorted, "I really am sorry about that, if I'd known, it wouldn't have happened. Now," he paused as he grabbed her right arm and brought it out from under the blankets, "Care to explain this?"

He indicated the Dark Mark seared into her flesh and she gasped, "No, I'd really rather not!"

Titan wrenched her arm free and was half out of the bed before it happened. Charlie grabbed her arm and yanked Titan back into the bed before he rolled over on top of her and straddled her to keep her from moving. And, oh my god, he was naked. A furious blush crept up Titan's neck to her face as cool air touched her chest and she realized that she was too.

Oh, come on," Hermione huffed under her breath.

Titan looked up, "What?"

"Let's take some of these back to the common room," Hermione paused to look over her shoulder, "Before the fan club shows up. Honestly, can't he study on his ship?"

Titan turned a snort of laughter into a cough as she picked up a rather unsteady stack of books. She stepped around the table and bumped into a different one, dropping several books on someone's head.

"Ouch! Vhat did you do that for?" The boy that had given her the transfigured rose looked up at her, rubbing the top of his head.

"Eh? I'm sorry!" Titan set the rest of the stack down and gathered her books that had been strewn across the table by her clumsiness. She stopped when a hand circled her wrist.

The boy picked up the remaining books and stacked them neatly, "My name is Zdravko," he smiled as he held his hand out to her.

Titan took his hand, "Titan, and uh, thanks. For helping with the books. I'm sorry I dropped them on your head."

Zdravko's smile widened, "It vas vorth it."

"Right, well, I gotta be going," Titan pulled her hand away and picked up the books, which she practically threw on the librarian's desk before darting out the door.

Harry, Hermione, and Titan spent the rest of the day until supper flipping through books at a table in the common room, but none of them found anything. As they were leaving the Great Hall, Titan was cornered by Snape, "The Headmaster would like a word with you, Black. Follow me."

Titan shrugged at Harry and Hermione's quizzical looks as she turned and hurried after the Potions Master. Snape escorted her all the way into Dumbledore's office, "Wait here," he instructed her as he swept back out of the room.

As Titan sat in a chair facing the desk, she wondered what Dumbledore could want to discuss. She had barely begun to brainstorm when he came into the room, "Ah, Titan, I see Professor Snape found you," he settled himself into the chair behind the desk.

Titan nodded, "Yes, sir."

ledore leaned forward slightly, "So, how are you doing? Enjoying yourself?"

Titan tried to suppress a grin, "Shouldn't you be asking if I'm learning a lot, sir? But to answer your question, I'm finding school life to my liking."

Dumbledore smiled warmly, "So no problems, then?"

Titan shook her head, "No, sir."

Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully, "Well, Titan, that's good to hear. You may leave, I just thought I'd check on you."

"Thank you, sir," Titan rose and exited, more confused than she had been before.

She went to bed early again, not really in the mood for more research. After changing into her pajamas, Titan sat on the edge of her bed, her right sleeve rolled up to her elbow, staring at the Dark Mark.

Titan immediately started fighting, trying to get away from Charlie, but he simply pinned her arms above her head, "I suppose you're going to try and tell me that it's another thing that's none of my business, but I'm demanding an explanation on it."

Titan's face hardened as she glared at him, "I'll scream."

Charlie smiled, "Then everyone will know about your arm."

Titan sighed in resignation, "You're mean. If I tell you, do you promise not to say anything to anyone? I mean it, Charlie, nobody can know, alright?"

Charlie nodded, "I promise. But only if you tell me the truth, all of it."

Of course, Titan thought as she rolled down her sleeve and crawled into bed, she hadn't really told him the whole truth. She'd told him that she was being raised by a former Death Eater and that was how she had gotten the Mark. The only things she'd really left out were those that involved Voldemort, she even told him that she'd gotten suspended. They had talked for hours, and at the end of it, he had wholly promised to keep quiet about all of it. Titan was grateful to Charlie, he'd listened, made the conversation rather easy, although, now that she thought about it, it would have been easier if they had both been wearing clothes.

Nothing had actually happened between them, as Titan was too young to catch Charlie's interest, but that didn't mean he hadn't caught hers.

Monday morning Hermione and Titan were pruning their Flutterby Bushes in Herbology when Harry suddenly appeared next to them, startling Titan so much that she snipped off the wrong bit and almost hit Neville when her shears went flying.

"Hermione," he breathed, "I need to learn how to do a Summoning Charm by tomorrow morning."

That night, Titan sat in the common room with them to help Hermione teach Harry Summoning Charms. They took turns, when Hermione seemed to get slightly frustrated Titan stepped in.

"Come on, Harry, concentrate. It's just a quill, man." Titan pounded her hand on a table for emphasis.

Harry sighed, "I know, it's I just keep seeing this dragon charging at me."

Titan nodded, "I understand, but you'll never be able to get you broom out there tomorrow if you can't even get a quill from across the room. I've heard about your flying, and I have to agree that you'll need it against a dragon. I'd hate to see you get hurt."

Harry straightened, "Alright. Here goes."

At around two in the morning, Harry was able to summon everything he pointed his wand at, which included Neville's toad, Trevor. They cleaned up the common room, and before they headed to bed, Titan caught Harry in a hug, "Good luck tomorrow."

The first three champions faced their dragons, and then it was Harry's turn. Hermione and Titan watched as Harry cast the Summoning Charm, clutching each other's hands. They breathed a short sigh of relief when the Firebolt sped into view and Harry mounted it.

When Harry had captured his egg and was soaring over the crowd, victorious, Titan squished Hermione into a hug before yanking her by her hand out of the stands toward the first aid tent. Titan stopped abruptly and ushered Hermione closer to the tent, with an assurance that she would be along shortly, she had just seen someone wave at her.

"Charlie," Titan smiled as she closed the distance between them and hugged him, "How're you?"

Charlie grinned as he hugged her back, "I'm good. They let you back in, eh? Dumbledore must've overridden the Governors."

Titan shrugged, not failing to notice that Charlie hadn't let go of her yet, "I guess, I got a letter in August saying that he wanted to speak with me. And then he told me that I was allowed to come back this year."

Charlie nodded, his face pulled together in thought for a brief moment before he looked her in the eye, "Say, did you ever learn to swim?"

Titan paled and her eyes widened, "You mean after you tried to drown me? No."

Charlie glanced away for a moment, "Would you agree to let me teach you?"

Titan's whole body stiffened, "You, me, and water is not really a good combination, but I suppose I could grant my consent as long as you don't carelessly toss me in."

Charlie laughed, "Alright then, I promise."

On the way back to the castle, Titan briefly wondered when and how the hell Charlie was going to teach her how to swim if he was currently working in Romania. She hadn't realized that she was walking slowly until Harry and Ron caught up to her.

"Hey Titan," Harry called to her, grinning, "Thanks for your help! I know it took up a lot of your time."

Titan smiled back at him, slightly distracted, "Not a problem. After all, I'm your sister, it's my job."

Harry and Ron both stopped dead in their tracks as Titan continued walking.

"What did you just say?" Harry's incomprehension shone clearly on his face.

Titan stopped and half turned, "I said I'm your sister."

Harry shook his head and gave a nervous laugh, "Don't say it so calmly, I thought you were serious for a moment."

Titan tilted her head to one side, "But I am serious, Harry. I'm your biological half-sister."

Harry started forward again, "Come on, Titan, stop joking around."

Ron was rooted to the spot as he suddenly remembered something, "Um, Harry..."

Titan snorted in frustration, "There are many things I joke about, Potter, but blood is not one of them. Before Mum and James got married, My dad and her had what you could call an accidental one night stand, resulting in me."

Anger became evident in Harry's features, "Impossible."

Titan snorted, yet again, "Why? Because no one said anything before now? Let's see, Dumbledore knew that I would tell you in my own time. I had to practically beg Molly and Arthur to not say anything to you the last time I saw them, and they passed that on to the rest of the family."

Harry's head snapped around to Ron, and before he could say anything, Titan spoke again, "Oh, don't go thinking that he kept anything from you. He undoubtedly doesn't remember me well, I generally spent my time with Fred and George when I visited."

Temper in full swing now, Harry stepped closer to her, "You're lying! They wouldn't keep something like that from me!"

Titan simply shrugged as she turned and started to walk away, "Believe what you will, Harry. But before you make your mind up, you should ask around to see if I'm telling the truth."

The party was in full swing in the common room, and Titan sat on her bed, shaking. If Harry ended up hating her, would that make all she had to do easier? She started to pace in front of the window, she needed to visit Snape for more tonic, but she didn't want to go back down into the common room.

A tapping noise on the window made her jump. Titan spun around and opened the window expecting an owl, instead she saw something she would have never guessed.

"Charlie! Are you trying to scare me to death?" she gasped, clutching at her rapidly beating heart.

Charlie was on a broom, right outside the girls' dormitory window, "Care to have that swimming lesson now?"

Titan stared at him in awe, "You want to teach me how to swim, in the middle of November, in the dark? Are you nuts?"

Charlie grinned, "Yes, on all accounts. Are you going to come out here willingly, or am I going to have to drag you?"

Titan leaned out of the window slightly and looked down, "If I fall to my death, I'm coming back and making your life hell."

She reached one hand out to him to steady herself as she hoisted first one leg and then the other out the window so that she was sitting on the ledge.

Charlie let go of her hand and readjusted his position on the broom before he grasped her under her arms, "You ready? Grab my shoulders, and swing your leg over," Titan did as she was told, and soon found herself facing him on the broom, "See? And you didn't fall, not one tiny bit. Hang on," he took her legs one at a time and shifted her so she was on him, "That's better, now hold on tight."

Titan wrapped her arms around Charlie's neck as the wind rushed past her. It was a short ride, and once they reached the lake, Charlie hovered a few feet off the ground while Titan dismounted before landing.

Titan shivered lightly, "It's a tad chilly out here, you do know that, right?"

"You'll adjust to it. But I brought an extra cloak for you, and a couple blankets, too, just in case," Charlie kicked off his shoes, "So, why weren't you in the common room with the party? Not that I'm not glad, mind you, it's just that you used to be such a party animal," he started to remove his socks.

Titan shrugged, looking out over the water, "I told Harry that I'm his sister today," she sighed, "That conversation did not go well. He thought I was lying to him."

Charlie pulled his shirt up over his head, "Don't fret about it, Titan, he'll come round."

"I hope so," Titan turned to face him and found him unfastening his pants. Her jaw dropped, "Charlie! What are you doing!?"

Charlie stilled, "I'm removing my clothes so that they don't get wet? And before you start any crap about drying charms and all that, you're going to learn the muggle way, and besides, your clothes will just get in the way and weigh you down," his face suddenly exploded in a grin, "I'm not asking for your birthday suit, but if that's how you want it, that's fine with me. Been there, seen that."

Titan crossed her eyes and stuck her tongue out at him as she started unbuttoning her vest. And it wasn't long before Charlie was leading Titan into the water by the hand. Forty five minutes later, they sat on the shore, snugly wrapped in the blankets as Charlie cradled Titan in his lap. He'd ended the lesson when after fifteen minutes in the water, she had been unable to stop shaking from fear.

They sat like that, in silence, for awhile longer, each lost in their own thoughts. Titan was about to suggest to Charlie that she get dressed and head back up to the castle when he took her face in his hands and kissed her.

Harry was having an issue pretending to be happy. All night, during the party, his thoughts kept straying to his conversation with Titan. Where did she get off telling him things like that? He'd questioned Ron, who said he only vaguely remembered her. On his way up to bed, with the other boys of his year, Harry resolved that he would ask around about Titan, but only so he could prove her wrong.

((A/N:: I don't know if I have to explain this, but I will. The reason Charlie and Titan were naked is because Charlie couldn't get Titan to warm up and therefore decided to use his own body heat. He felt personally responsible for her condition. There was no boinky-boink intended – it was simply Charlie atoning for trying to drown her, he wouldn't even let Molly in. Another thing – Titan is six (6) years younger than Charlie. So she was thirteen and a half when it happened. At nineteen and a half, Charlie really had no non-platonic interest in Titan. (I know I'm probably beating a dead horse, I just want it understood that in NO WAY am I saying or insinuating that Charlie is even slightly pedophile-ish.) Parts of this were a bit punk-ish to write, since I have a brilliant knack for writing Harlequin-ish romance and I was SERIOUSLY trying not to. Anybody confused yet? As for the swimming thing...well..Titan is crazy(not crazy-loony, just crazy-will-do-just-about-anything), and she doesn't back down from a challenge – so, she went swimming, in the middle of November, in the dark. Any questions? Feel free to leave a comment, or send me a message. Thanx for reading! -KyoMae- ))