Harry Potter
Their Biggest Challenge
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 don't recognize is copyrighted by myself: xXxKaraBeckerCutterxXx
Rating: K
Pairing: Marcus/Charlie - Fred/Riley - Harry/Ginny - Ron/Hermione
Genre: Adventure/Friendship/Romance/Suspense/Drama
Warnings: Please do not flame me for anything. If you do not like the story then why are you reading it?
Summary One: On their own and on the run the Hogwarts Five must now relay on one another more than ever. Their biggest challenge has yet to begin as they set out to find and destroy Voldemort's Horcruxes; and fight the Dark Forces that threaten to tear them apart.
Summary Two: It all ends here. For six months the Hogwarts Five have been on their own and on the run, relying on no one but themselves as they set out to find and destroy Voldemort's Horcruxes. Now, the battle between good and evil has escalated into an all-out war, and it is up to Harry and Charlie to finish things that were started sixteen years ago.
Author's Note: Has noticed above, you are probably thinking WTF? When did we get two summaries? Well, as you know, Summary One is referring to Deathly Hallows part 1, and Summary Two is referring to Deathly Hallows part 2. I have an overall summary that combines both summaries together and that will go as the main summary on my profile. All with me? Good.
Author's Note Two: I am posting this on all my stories; and did so last night with my Phoebe Malfoy story, but I have little under a week and a half to write up six essays before the end of term, so updates are going to scare's; I know you have had to wait several months for this story to be updated and this just bites the cake, but I am in University now and there is no time for fun or a social life with the amount of work I have :( - being a Combined Studies student is anything but easy, I don't care what anybody says. Anyway, I hope you understand that I cannot update frequently, and I hope you have enough patience to bear with me; it is only until the 16th December, and then I am off for Christmas which I think is a month. =D
Dedications: Chapter goes out to the following: Fan of Fics, Razmend, DJScales, Matt-hardy-lover-101 and Cole the Demon Hunter.
Bringing you this chapter to tell you that, and because I am in need of a break.
I would like to thank a friend of mine KingdomHeartsNerd for helping me write this chapter; especially the Marcus/Charlie scenes. Do tell me if you find them...uncomfortable...I take everyone's thoughts into consideration.
Overall Summary: It all ends here. Six months ago the Hogwarts Five disappeared, determined to stop Voldemort they set out to find and destroy his Horcruxes. Now the climatic showdown between good and evil has arrived, the stakes are high and no one is safe.
Thank you for your understanding and co-operation.
A Surprise for Kicks
The Hogwarts Five remained at Shell Cottage for an extra two months, much to the pleasure of Bill and Fleur who were nervous about them leaving to complete the job in which had been handed down to them by the late Albus Dumbledore; a job that the five often spoke of in whispers, or down on the beach where no one could hear them.
However, whenever Charlie wasn't with the rest of the group, she was locked up in her bedroom with Marcus. It wasn't rocket science to figure out what they were doing in the depths of the back bedroom, if the muffled cries and banging of the headboard and random pieces of furniture on the ceiling was anything to go by.
"They're like rabbits!" Ron exclaimed in a low whisper as he sat in the bedroom in which Hermione and Riley shared with Luna, around him were Harry, Riley and Hermione. Charlie had disappeared about half an hour ago, and the sound of the headboard hitting the opposite wall could be heard every few minutes.
Harry wrinkled in his nose in disgust, as Hermione and Riley giggled as both boys looked sick. Neither of them had fully grasped the fact that Charlie and Marcus was a couple, and after six months away things were bound to happen!
"Silencio!" Riley muttered and silence fell. "Better?" she asked the red head.
"Thanks," Ron nodded. "But what about the rest of the house?"
"The spell is strong enough to block out the rabbits from the rest of the house," Riley giggled, pocketing her wand. "I'm just glad that they are finally spending some time together, Charlie has been a nightmare these past six months, as all she ever does is mope around and I don't like seeing her moping."
Hermione nodded. "It's not Charlie if she is moping," the bookworm agreed.
"As long as we don't have to hear it," Harry interrupted. "I could care less what they do."
Ron on the other hand still looked green. "Can we talk about something else?" he asked. "I'm afraid I'm going to throw up my breakfast otherwise."
"OK," Riley nodded. "The Polyjuice potion should be ready in a few days; I have a piece of Bellatrix's hair downstairs. We've just got to figure out who is going to change into her."
"I think Charlie should do it," Hermione volunteered the Slytherin. "She is the only one who can actually go crazy in 0.5 seconds."
Riley grinned. "That may be true, but the day we leave for Gringotts is the day Marcus takes Luna back to Hogwarts -"
"She's going back?" Ron asked. "Why?"
"Because she want's too," Hermione answered. "We've tried talking her out of it, but she won't listen."
Ron and Harry sighed. If Luna wanted to go back then they couldn't stop her.
"Why don't you do it Riley?" Ron suggested.
"Because Charlie won't let me," Riley answered. "She doesn't want me becoming the bitch that attacked me. In all fairness, I think you should do it Hermione, I mean, you three do have experience in Polyjuice potion."
"So do you," Harry pointed out.
The Genius nodded. "Maybe so, but Hermione has taken it twice, I have taken in once."
The Bookworm sighed. "I'll do it," she agreed. "Besides, we may need you on the outside in case anything goes wrong. What about cover?"
"Well, we can cover Harry and Griphook in the Invisibility Cloak," Riley explained. "I'm sure we can disguise Ron as a random Death Eater, you as Bellatrix, and I can use the Disillusionment Charm on Charlie and myself."
"You've got everything worked out, haven't you?" Ron asked.
"Pretty much," Riley nodded.
Harry shifted on the bed slightly, and dug into his pocket for something.
"It's not going to grow legs, get up and walk away, you know," Riley teased, eyeing her friend out of the corner of her eye. Harry hesitated, and removed the broken shard of mirror from his pocket. "You want to tell us what that is?"
"You'll think I'm crazy," Harry answered her.
Riley offered him a look. "Harry, we're you friends," she told him. "Remember what we said before we started this journey? No secrets, it's how You-Know-Who is going to break us apart."
The Seeker nodded. "I know, and I'm sorry," he apologized. "Okay, but for a while now I have been looking into the mirror and I could have sworn I saw Dumbledore staring back at me."
His friends stared at him in surprise at his confession, before Hermione broke it by saying -
"But he's dead!"
"Are you sure about that?" Ron asked. "How can we be sure that he truly is dead?"
"We buried his body," Riley answered. "Are you sure it was Dumbledore?"
"I'm pretty sure," Harry nodded. "I mean I can't really see a face, it's just an eye, but it's got the same twinkle that Dumbledore had."
Riley frowned. "Hmm...Well, is there a chance that you just imagined it? You know your subconscious playing on your mind. You said yourself that you were upset with Dumbledore and everything that has gone one these past few months, maybe you are just stressing about everything and your subconscious is making you see the answers that you seek. Dumbledore has the answers to your questions, which means you see him when you feel weak and exposed like you have been."
Harry stared at her in a silent confusion; he hated how she could read him like a book. "Yeah," he heaved. "Maybe..."
"But if it wasn't Dumbledore," Ron interrupted. "How do you explain Dobby?"
"What about Dobby?" Hermione asked.
"Like how did Dobby know where to find us when we were at the Malcolm's?" Ron asked. "Also how do you explain the Sword of Gryffindor? Or the Doe for that matter?"
Riley shrugged. "Well, we all know that it wasn't Dumbledore who sent the Doe,"
"How can you be sure?"
"Because Dumbledore's Patronus is a Phoenix," Harry answered.
Ron frowned. "I thought Charlie was a Phoenix?"
"Charlie is a Black Phoenix," Riley answered.
"There is a difference?"
Riley nodded. "The Black Phoenix is the heiress of the Dark Lord," she explained. "It is the opposite of the Phoenix which is the essence of Good magic, whereas the Black Phoenix is the essence of Dark magic."
"So, Charlie is the essence of Dark magic?" Ron questioned.
"Well, Serenity is the essence of Dark magic," Riley answered. "Serenity Riddle is the Black Phoenix."
Ron shook his head. This was all very confusing.
~*MugglebornWitches*~
Charlie swallowed and smirked in content. "I think they may have heard us that time..." she stated.
"Well, if you hadn't been so loud," Marcus challenged, crushing his lips against hers.
Charlie pushed him back. "Is that your way of telling me you're not finished?" she asked.
"Maybe," he smirked, leaning down and sucking on the skin of her neck. There was already a bruise fading from the last time he had kissed, bit and sucked her there.
"We have been in here for almost an hour," Charlie groaned. "There is no way; you have the energy to go again."
"I'm a Quidditch player, Charlie, my stamina is unbelievable."
Charlie sighed as she left him to suck and bite at her neck, knowing that she'd have an even harder time hiding the mark he was bound to leave. Rolling over onto his back, Marcus pulled Charlie over on top of him and planted his hands on her hips. "Once more..." he pleaded.
"Ron's right," Charlie told him. "We are like rabbits!"
"Six months, Charlie," Marcus groaned, as she leaned down and kissed him. "Six months of pure torture."
Charlie rolled her eyes. "Well, you can't cram six months' worth of sex into two months!"
"I can try!" Marcus replied.
~*MugglebornWitches*~
Riley sighed heavily as she held up a fine piece of black hair, the same piece that had fallen from Bellatrix Lestrange that night at Malfoy Manor. The stray piece of hair and subtly landed on the Genius's robes and remained there - ironically enough.
"Are you sure that is hers?" Ron asked, skeptically.
"Positive," Riley answered without hesitation. "I remember it clear as day, and I see it every time I close my eyes."
Ron nodded and took the piece of hair and added it to the container of Polyjuice potion in his hands. "How will we know what it is when we actually get into the vault?" he finally asked. "A Horcrux could be anything."
"I'll...I'll know," said Harry.
"How?" Hermione asked.
Harry frowned, how could he explain how he would know which item was the Horcrux? It was still confusing for even him to understand it.
"It's complicated," Charlie said, as she stood, leaning against the doorframe behind her friends. "And if he can't identify it, I can."
"Hey, are you okay?" Riley asked, studying her friend closely. "You don't look so good."
"I'm fine," Charlie said, pushing off the doorframe and stepping into the room. "I'm sorry for not helping you guys much with this whole plan..."
Riley smiled and touched her friend's shoulder. "Six months is a long time," she nodded. "We understand, and now we know that you can actually cram six months of longing into two months!"
Charlie's face burned with embarrassment; as Hermione and Riley giggled at the reaction.
The door behind them opened and Fleur entered carrying a basic black jumper in her hands, behind her came Marcus Flint and Bill Weasley. "This is the closest I could find to what you described," Fleur said handing Riley the jumper.
"It's perfect," Riley smiled as she unraveled the jumper. "Thank you, Fleur."
Fleur nodded and returned to her husband who was casually leaning against the doorframe watching the Hogwarts five cautiously. "You're leaving, aren't you?" he questioned.
"In the morning," Harry answered.
"And Griphook?"
"He's coming with us," Charlie replied.
Bill nodded. "Listen, I know Goblins, if you have struck any kind of bargain with Griphook, you must be exceptionally careful to live up to it. If you don't, he won't be forgiving."
"Add him to the ever growing list," said Charlie. "Pretty much everyone we encounter isn't forgiving towards us in the end."
"I'm serious Charlie," said Bill. "You cannot trust a Goblin."
Charlie sighed and looked around at him. "I know, and I understand that you are warning us because you care about us. But Bill, this is who I am; I make a joke out of everything! I have too, I can't handle being so serious all the time, it's just not who I am."
~*MugglebornWitches*~
Later that evening, Charlie found herself curled up on the sofa inside the little living room of Shell Cottage. Darkness had fallen and a storm had started to brew up outside, high winds raged against the small cottage and the sound of the churning sea was making her feel slightly sick. A small blanket had been wrapped around her shoulders, and she had been instructed by both Bill and Fleur to not move unless she needed too, ever since she had gotten up that morning she had been feeling sick to her stomach, and she couldn't figure out why. Was it possible that she was coming down with something? A stomach bug maybe, after all, she had been on the run for six months there was a good chance that she had developed something whilst being on the run and it hadn't had a chance to develop into something more, until now.
"Hey," Riley smiled as she entered the room with Hermione. "How you feeling?"
"Fine," Charlie answered. "I just don't understand what's happening."
"Here," Hermione said offering her a glass of water. "You seem a little flushed..."
Charlie smiled and took the offered glass and started to sip at the cool liquid. "I think it just may be a stomach bug," she answered. "I used to get them all the time as a child. Either that or i'm just overtired."
"Don't see how you can be overtired," Riley teased.
"Shut up," Charlie grumbled.
"Hey, you don't think you could be..." Hermione motioned towards Charlie's stomach. "You know?"
Riley's eyes widened as Charlie shook her head rapidly from side-to-side. "No! No chance!"
"Why not?" the Bookworm asked. "There is a high chance, I mean; you and Marcus haven't exactly stopped since he got here!"
"I just know," Charlie answered. "Besides, it's been a month almost, I would have started showing by now if I was."
"Not necessarily," Riley pointed out. "Some females don't start showing until the last trimester."
Charlie blinked, shook her head and glanced down at her stomach. She couldn't have been...could she? No! No, it's a stomach bug! A simple bug that will work its way out of your system once you're back on track.
The Slytherin swallowed, opened her mouth to respond, but cut off as Bill appeared from upstairs with Ollivander, the wand maker still looked exceptionally frail, and he clung to Bill's arm as the latter supported him, carrying a large suitcase.
"I'm going to miss you, Mr. Ollivander," said Luna, approaching the old man. Charlie jumped at her sudden appearance, and regretted it at the last minute as she cupped her hand over her mouth and darted straight for the stairs.
Hermione and Riley exchanged looks, before following after the Slytherin, calling their goodbyes to the Wand maker as they hurried up the stairs.
"Charlie," Riley called softly, opening the bathroom door to find Charlie sitting curled up in the corner. Sliding down the wall the Genius wrapped her arm around her best friend and held her, as Charlie shook. "It's OK. It's going to be OK."
"I can't be, Riley," Charlie murmured. "How could I have been so stupid?"
Hermione knelt in front of the Slytherin. "We don't know if you are," she said. "Like you said, it could just be a stomach bug. Both conditions tend to have the same symptoms. We'll see if you can keep your dinner down, and if you can't then we'll start looking for possible ways to check. Alright?"
"OK," Charlie nodded, getting gingerly to her feet as she heard Harry call them from downstairs.
Bill had taken Ollivander, Marcus had returned and Dinner was almost ready.
~*MugglebornWitches*~
The fire crackled and popped in the grate as everyone settled down to eat, Marcus tried to catch Charlie's eye, but she refused to look at him and merely played with her food; her stomach churning every time she lifted a piece of steak to her lips, and she wasn't the only one who wasn't eating.
Every few minutes Fleur would glance at the window, awaiting the return of her husband. However, Bill returned before they had finished their first course, his long hair tangled by the wind.
"Everything's fine," he told Fleur. "Ollivander settled in. Mum and Dad say hello. Ginny sends her love. Fred and George are driving Muriel up the wall; they're still operating an Owl Order business out of her back room. It cheered her up to have her tiara back, though. She said she thought we'd stolen it."
"Ah, she eez charmante, your aunt," said Fleur crossly, waving her wand and causing the dirty plates to rise and form a stack in mid-air. "Charlie, you barely touched your dinner, are you not hungry?"
Charlie shook her head. "Not really," she answered, reaching up to rub her eyes, which had started to burn with tears of her own stupidity.
Marcus was still watching her curiously from the corner of his eye, he had tried to get Riley's attention in hopes of the Genius filling him in on what was going on; but it seemed that even Riley was avoiding him. So what was he missing? And what didn't they want him to know?
Suddenly, there was a bang on the front door. Everyone's head turned towards it. Fleur came running out of the kitchen, looking frightened; Bill jumped to his feet, his wand pointing at the door; Harry, Ron, Charlie, Riley, Hermione and Marcus did the same. Griphook slipped beneath the table out of sight.
"Who is it?" Bill called.
Charlie slapped her palm to her forehead. "Yes, because a Death Eater is really going to announce himself," she muttered sarcastically.
Riley prodded her between the shoulder blades, as a familiar voice sounded from the other side of the door.
"It is I, Remus John Lupin!" Harry and Charlie exchanged strangled looks. What had happened? "I am a werewolf, married to Nymphadora Tonks, and you, the Secret Keeper of Shell Cottage, told me the address and bade me come in an emergency!"
"Lupin," muttered Bill, and he ran to the door and wrenched it open.
Lupin fell over the threshold. He was white-faced, wrapped in a travelling cloak, his greying hair windswept. He straightened up, looked around the room, making sure of who was there, then cried aloud, "It's a boy! We've named him Ted, after Dora's father!"
Hermione, Riley and Charlie shrieked.
"Wha -?"
"- Tonks -"
"- Tonks has had the baby?"
"Yes, yes, she's had the baby!" shouted Lupin. All around the table came cries of delight, sighs of relief: Hermione, Fleur and Riley squealed, "Congratulations," while Ron said, "Blimey, a baby!" as if he had never heard such a thing before.
"Yes - yes - a boy," said Lupin again, who seemed dazed by his own happiness. He strode around the table and hugged Harry. "Harry, you and Riley, will be godparents?"
"U - Us?" Riley and Harry stammered.
"You, yes, of course - Dora quite agrees, no one better -"
Riley pointed at Charlie. "But - Charlie -"
"Oi," Charlie snapped, swatting Riley's hand away. "You're more responsible than I am; I can see why he chose you. Suck up and accept it, already!"
Lupin smiled. "We didn't exactly have a reason for choosing Riley, Charlie, but let's go with your excuse."
"Hey!" the Slytherin pouted. "I'm getting better -" her stomach churned unpleasantly, and her vision blurred and slid out of focus. "Whoa..." she squeaked.
Marcus's arm wrapped around Charlie's waist as her legs buckled slightly. "OK, what the hell is going on with you?" he demanded, an edge in his voice that scared Charlie slightly.
"Nothing, it's just a stomach bug," she lied easily.
Riley and Hermione shared a subtle look from across the table; they had to find a spell to figure out what was wrong with Charlie. They couldn't wait until further down the line, because if she was, what they believed her to be, then they needed to act now to make sure that nothing happened to either Charlie or the next generation.
Copyrighted ©
Chapter written by xXxKaraBeckerCutterxXx
Chapter updated Thursday, December 08, 2011 at 2:49am