Harry Potter

Courage

By xXxKaraBeckerCutterxXx

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all related concepts do not belong to me! I am merely borrowing them for my own personal enjoyment. All OC's and anything you dont recognize is copyrighted by me: xXxKaraBeckerCutterxXx

Rating: K

Pairing: Marcus/OC

Genre: Adventure/Friendship

Warnings: Please do not flame me for anything.

Summary: This year, their greatest test will become their darkest hour; as Charlie and Harry realize that 'Courage is not the towering oak that sees storms come and go; it is the fragile blossom that opens in the Snow'

Author's Note: Chapter dedicated too: Forever Dreaming Grace, Carolina, DJScales, Child Of The Night Wolves13, Razmend and Comrade123. Thank you for taking the time to review; I really appreciate it. This chapter will possibly be another short one, mostly because I am finding it extremely difficult to stay awake tonight.

The Clue

The next morning Charlie opened her eyes and found herself staring up at the canopy of her bed; the curtains were drawn around her bed and she could hear shuffling just oustide the green velvet fortress but she was just too comfortable to move and see what was going on. It was Christmas morning, but the time was unknown. She could hear whispers coming from her friends and snippets of the conversation they were sharing.

"You wake her!" Daphne's voice spoke quietly

"You're closer to her than we are!" Pansy retorted

Charlie smirked as she stretched leisurely, as Millicent's voice cut across the other two "Someone has to wake her!"

"You do it!" Daphne and Pansy answered, and Charlie could hear stumbling footsteps. She could only guess that Daphne and Pansy had pushed Millicent towards the bed against her will.

"Im not waking her!" Millie exclimed quietly

Deciding to take pity on her friends, Charlie rolled onto her side "I can hear you, you know? she called out and seconds later the curtains on her bed were pulled back to reveal her three friends "You three would make terrible spies, you know that?" she joked

"Well, if you didnt have such a temper in the morning" Daphne responded, dropping down onto her friends bed "Maybe we wouldnt have to wake you up like that"

Charlie smirked "Why are you waking me up?" she asked "What time is it?"

"7:00am," Pansy answered

The Muggleborn groaned and rolled over "Why are you waking me up at this ungodly hour?"

"Because the Slytherins are all opening presents together," Millicent answered "Come on, your the only person not present! They won't start without you...Nikki won't let them, and the younger students are getting restless"

Charlie grumbled under her breath as she kicked off the covers and carelessly rolled off the bed. The mattress sprung up again as she removed her weight and shuffled over to the door leading to the bathroom, ruffling her dark hair as she went. After washing the sleep from her eyes and brushed her teeth before returning to her room where she found her friends had left; she gazed longily at her messy bed before shaking her head and stalked towards the door clad in jogging bottoms and a tank top and headed down into the common room.

"Finally!" Nikki cried, as Charlie entered the Common room "Thought it would take gunfire to wake you up"

Charlie glared at her friend "Your awake," she grumbled "I hate you!"

The Slytherins chuckled. They were all sat in a full circle around the fireplace, the Slytherin common room had never been so full on Christmas Day before; normally (on the the year that she spent in the Slytherin common room) it was just her, William, Nikki, Marcus, Adrian and Riley. But because of the Ball that had happened the night before, the majority of the upper years had remained at the castle for the holidays.

Dropping down into her seat beside Marcus, the Muggleborn tilted sideways, her head falling onto Marcus's chest as she curled up beside him. The rest of her house chuckled at her, as Marcus shifted beneath her and slide his arm around her waist. At that moment the Common room portrait opened and Riley tumbled inside, normally it was Charlie's year to spend Christmas in the Gryffindor tower but due to the disadvantage of having everyone at the castle there was just simply no room so the two friends had come to the agreement that Riley would come down to the Slytherin common room this year just for the day, and Charlie would spend next year up in the Gryffindor tower.

"Aw," the genius cooed, as she took up the only spare seat beside Nikki and glanced across at Charlie and Marcus "How are Hogwarts finest item doing, this morning?"

Marcus glanced up from Charlie and across at Riley "We're fine," he replied, as his fingers buried themselves in her long hair, gently combing it.

"If fine means tired," Charlie mumured, Marcus's actions just lulling her to sleep "then I agree"

Riley smirked "Come on Charlie, it's Christmas!" she grinned "Where's your spirit?"

"Apparently it didnt get up with me this morning," the Slytherin grumbled, looking up as another door opened and Professor Snape glided in, wearing emerald green bed clothes. He looked over the students, his gaze landing on the new Slytherin couple before he lowered himself into his usual armchair and looked around at the students, mentally deciding which was to open his/her gift first.

Finally his gaze landed on a first year "Miss. Jackson," he smiled "Would you like to go first?"

Emily Jackson perked up at the sound of her name, grinned and nodded before turning back to her gift which was laid out in front of her. She tore off the wrapping paper and presented her gift to her housemates; it was simple gift. A leather bound photo album with her family's crest on the opened it and gazed down at the first picture that stared back at her, tears sprang to her eyes as the picture consisted of her father and mother, holding two babies in their arms, both children were no older than a year old. The first thing Charlie had learned about Emily was that her parents had died during the first wizarding war along with her twin sister Emma during a raid of Death Eaters on their home, which was why Emily now lived with her grandparents in Northern Scotland.

"Em," Charlie mumured, sitting up and looking down at the first year "You okay?"

"Yeah," Emily nodded glancing up at Charlie "Im fine"

But the Muggleborn could see tears in the 11-year-old's eyes "Come here," Charlie beckoned her. Emily did, squeezing in between Charlie and Adrian (who sat on her left side) and succumbed to being held by the Muggleborn as one or two tears slipped from her eyes and onto the picture album that lay open in her lap.

Riley and Nikki exchanged sorrowful glances as the rest of the common room patted Emily and comforted her in her time of rememberance and loss.

xXxHarryPotterxXx

Now that the Christmas holidays were over, Charlie found that her excuse for not working on the egg had disappeared and she was right back to square one along with Harry on trying to figure out the awful screaming that came everytime to egg was opened up. So Charlie, Harry and friends spent every free break they had in the library, completing homework and trying to figure out what the screeching meant. It was two days before the second task, and still the Slytherin and Gryffindor champions had yet to figure out their egg. However, on the first weekend before the second task Charlie was found out in the Quidditch field with Marcus, despite there not being any Quidditch matches this year the students were still allowed to use the pitch whenever they wanted for after school activities.

"Charlie, you told me you'd figured the egg out weeks ago!" the older Slytherin scolded, as he slipped his arms through hers and kicked off from the pitch "The task is two days from now!"

"Really? I had no idea!" Charlie huffed

"You are trying to figure it out, arent you?" Marcus asked "I know how much you'd rather quit; but don't think that not figuring the egg out is gonna help!"

Charlie sighed "Marcus, I've turned every way I know how!" she cried "That egg is just..." she trailed off for the lack of a better word, but also because she could hear her name being called from beneath her. Glancing down, before Marcus and Charlie spotted Cedric walking onto the pitch with his usual band of friends and waving them down.

"What's he want?" Marcus grumbled

The Muggleborn rolled her eyes and elbowed him "Be nice," she mumured

"Yes, Mistress" the Pureblood teased

Charlie rolled her eyes as she gripped the broom handle tightly as he tilted it downwards and they zoomed towards the ground. "Hey Cedric," Charlie smiled as she slid off the broom a few meters in the air and landed on her feet in front of the Hufflepuff "What brings you down here?"

"How are you doing with the Egg?" the Hufflepuff asked

"Eh," Charlie shrugged "No where near as to figuring it out, as I am to passing my OWLs next year!"

The Hufflepuff cracked a smile "Well, let me help..." he glanced around at his friends, he hadnt discussed the tournament with them, like Charlie had her friends. So he didnt really want them listening in on this conversation "You know the Prefect's bathroom on the fifth floor?" he asked, leaning in towards her

Charlie nodded

"Well, its not a bad place for a bath," the Hufflepuff stated "Just take your egg and mull things over in the hot water" he started walking backwards as Charlie watched him in confusion. Once the Hufflepuff was out of ear shot, Marcus hovered behind Charlie and spoke.

"What was that about?" he asked

Charlie shrugged "He said something about the Prefects bathroom on the 5th floor," she responded "and about taking my egg and mulling things over in the hot water." she glanced over her shoulder "I wonder if Riley and the Gryffindors are up for a swim?"

"What about us Slytherins?" Marcus asked

"You're welcome too," Charlie pointed out "as long as you don't try to maim the Gryffindors"

Marcus smirked as he jumped off the broom, he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her lips before the two returned to the castle in search of their friends. Both Slytherin and Gryffindor.

xXxHarryPotterxXx

An hour later, Charlie found herself alongside Marcus, Riley and Harry standing outside the 5th floor corridor as Marcus gave the password 'Pine-Fresh' and the door slid open. Quickly scampering inside Charlie, Riley and Harry stopped dead as they found themselves standing in what appeared to a brightly lit chamber with a swimming pool in the centre of the room. The whole room was softly lit by a splendid candle-filled chandelier, and everyhing was made of white marble, including what looked like an empty, rectangular swimming pool. Hundreds of golden taps stood all around the pools edges, each one a held a different coloured-jewel set into its handle.

"Wow," Riley breathed "You know, I wouldnt mind being a prefect next year"

Charlie nodded in agreement "Just to use this bathroom!"

"Welcome to my world," Marcus grinned

"Your lucky," Charlie responded "You've gotten to be a prefect for three years!"

The pureblood smiled and pointed to a door on the far right of the hall "Girls changing rooms over there," he told both Charlie and Riley, "Boys opposite!" he pointed to the left side of the room.

As Riley and Charlie started forward the Muggleborn Slytherin spun around so that she was walking backwards "Try not to kill each other," she warned her boyfriend and best male friend, before she was pulled into the changing room by Riley. A couple of minutes later the two girls were dressed in their bathing suits and filling the pool-size bath with water, playing around with the faucets as several bubbles spilled out into the water. Riley giggled as she popped each bubble that floated up in front of her, before blowing one or two towards Charlie who popped them as they floated across towards her. Once the girls were satisfied with their job they jumped into the water with a splash and proceeded to splash one another laughing happily in their playful nature.

"Having fun?" Marcus asked, as he exited the boys changing rooms

Charlie laughed as she pushed down on Riley's shoulders and the Gryffindor disappeared beneath the water "Yup," the Slytherin grinned, as Riley resurfaced "How long does it take for two guys to change?"

Marcus joined the two in the water and Charlie instantly started splashing him "Hey, hey, hey!" he spluttered, reaching out through the water and grabbing her waist as he pulled her into him "Enough of that!"

"Ew," Riley cringed, as Marcus pulled Charlie into him "You two didnt strike me as the lovey-dovey types!" she told them both.

Charlie splashed her friend "Its 'cause we're not," she answered "Unlike you and Freddie..."

"Don't call him that!" Riley glared, as Harry joined them.

Charlie splashed him too.

"So, now what?" Harry asked, after the splashing fight ended and he looked at Charlie expectantly.

The Slytherin shrugged "Cedric just said to take a bath with the egg," she answered, "I got us this far! You've gotta do some of the work too"

"Oh, but its much easier copying you" Harry pouted

"Tough!" Charlie retorted, pushing herself up onto the side of the tub, and reaching for the egg. She grabbed it and tugged it towards her, before slipping on the edge and crashing down sharply on the egde "Ouch!" she wheezed, pulling back and rubbing the bottom of her rib cage where she had caught it "that hurt!"

Riley frowned "Are you okay?"

Charlie nodded "I've had worse!"

"Thats true," the resident genius nodded, reaching for the Egg which had rolled towards her. She grabbed it and held it in the water but without opening it. A girl giggling caught their attention and the four of them spun around to see Myrtle floating behind them.

"I'd try putting it in the water if I were you," the ghost told them

Harry gasped "Myrtle!"

The ghost sighed dreamily "Hello, Harry"

Charlie snickered as Harry glared at her; it common knowledge between the Muggleborn Slytherin and two Gryffindors in the bath that Myrtle had an uncanny crush on Harry. Marcus was the only one who was oblivious.

"I was circling a blocked dream the other day," Myrtle continued, as she floated closer to the edge of the bath "and could swear I saw a bit if Polyjucie Potion. Not being a bad boy again, are you, Harry?" she asked

"Polyjuice Potion?" Harry questioned "Kicked the habit"

Charlie shook her head "What's this got to do with the egg?" she asked, bringing Harry back on topic "Myrtle, did you say 'trying putting the egg in the water'?"

The ghost jumped into the air and into the water; re-surfacing and cutting the two Slytherins off from the two Gryffindors. "That's what he did," Myrtle told them "the other boy...the handsome one..." Charlie and Marcus exchanged looks, as the ghost moved closer to Harry. Riley had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. "...Cedric." the ghost finished, before turning to Riley "Well, go on. Open it!"

Looking across at Charlie, who nodded, Riley placed the egg under the water and unclipped the lid as the four friends disappeared beneath the water and instead of a wail, out of the egg came a chorus of eerie voices singing to them.

'Come seek us where our voices sound,

We cannot sing above the ground,

An hour long you'll have to look,

To recover what we took'

The four students floated back to the surface, spluttering and coughing as they swallowed gulpfuls of air, Charlie and Riley brushed their hair out of their faces as the water run down over their shoulders and back into the bath.

"Hear it?" Myrtle asked

The friends nodded

"Come seek us where our voices sound..." Charlie recited

Riley nodded "We cannot sing above the ground..."

"...and hour long you'll have to look..."

"...to discover what we took..."

The two Muggleborns fell silent after reciting the rhyme "Well, if whaterver we're facing next can't sing above the ground," she pondered aloud "Im gonna take a guess and say our next challenge is in the Black Lake. It's the only body of water full of magical creatures for miles!"

"But what creature are we facing?" Harry asked

Riley frowned "Are there Mermaid's in the Black Lake?" she asked

"Oh, very good" Myrtle smiled "It took Cedric ages to riddle it out. Almost all the bubbles were gone..."

Charlie grimaced at the Ghost "Which is why we're in bathing suits!" she stated, dashing the ghosts hopeful look "We're not stupid, Myrtle!"

The Ghost glared at the Slytherin, before jumping into the air and disappearing through the wall.

"I can't believe she's my preceedor," the human Muggleborn Slytherin muttered

"Back on topic," Riley stated "So we've figured out where the next task is taking place, we've figured out what's in the next task that you might have to face, pretty much, the only question left now is what do you have to find?"

Charlie shrugged "I think the more important question is; how are we supposed to stay underwater for an hour with no oxygen?"

"Isnt there a spell we can use?" Harry asked

"There's the Bubble Charm," Marcus inputted "I can help you prefect it," he added to Charlie

Charlie glanced back at him "Im a fourth year," she answered "we havent learnt the Bubble Charm yet, and I can barely transfigure two rabbits into slippers"

"With practice you'll be able to do it,"

"I've got two days!" Charlie exclaimed "I'll never prefect it!"

Marcus kissed her shoulder, as she shivered.

Riley shook her head "Okay, we'll keep that as an option," she pointed out "anything else that doesnt include using magic?"

Her friends were silent; neither of them had a clue. They stayed in the water for a while longer, Riley and Charlie having initiating a water fight against the two boys, but when the water became cold the final decision was made by Marcus, that they get out, dry and head down to dinner which was about to start in the Great Hall. Separating from Riley and Harry at the Great Hall doors, Charlie and Marcus headed off towards the Slytherin table and their vacant seats beside Daphne and opposite Adrian. The best thing about finally getting with Marcus, was Charlie didnt have to put up with Maya anymore; for it seemed the second 7th year Prefect had shuffled off and did not seem to want to be involved with the group of fourth years and two seventh years anymore.

"Where have you been?" Nathan asked, looking up from her food

"Swimming," Charlie grinned "That bathroom is amazing!" she added to her girl-friends "Both Riley and I agreed we wouldnt mind becoming Prefects just to use it!"

Millicent, Pansy and Daphne looked expectant as Charlie described the prefects bathroom to them. "Did you work out the clue?" Blaise asked

"Yes," Marcus nodded, helping himself to some dinner "We're just wondering how Charlie and Potter can breathe underwater for an hour,"

Charlie nodded "If we can figure that part out...we're golden!"

"You're golden?" Adrian asked

"Muggle terminology," Charlie passed him off "It means we'll be all set for the task day after tomorrow"

Daphne looked thoughtful "Then we best get to work," she smiled "Tomorrow we'll use the library to try and figure out a way to keep you alive and underwater for an hour, okay?"

Charlie nodded "Sounds like a plan!" she smiled "But if I bring Harry and the Gryffindors, do you guys promise not to kill them?"

"If they promise not to kill us," Draco sneered

The Muggleborn Slytherin rolled her eyes "Im sure they'll behave," she responded "If you behave that is!"

And with that Dinner continued as normal as possible; Charlie's mind a little more at ease now that she only had to worry about keeping herself alive for an hour underwater...oh, and not to mention figuring out what she had to find. But that was another thing all together.

A/N: I just love how this story is flowing together; its brilliant and you know who else is brilliant? You guys! You never fail to disappoint me and I thank you for that.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Your thoughts (Please and Thank-You)

~*Kara*~

All OCs and anything unrecognizable is copyrighted (c) and belongs to xXxKaraBeckerCutterxXx

Chapter updated 16/02/2011 at 02:12am