Birds That Can't Fly
Chapter16: Sins
He lay silently and perfectly still as he watched he sleep. A small smile played on her lips as she dreamt. Fred wondered what she was seeing in her mind. He was glad Madame Pomfrey had insisted he stay in the hospital wing over night, he wanted to be there when she woke up. He wanted to be there when she woke up every day, for the rest of his life. He felt this with his whole heart and a smile spread across his face as he thought of how he would ask her.
The door to the hospital wind opened. Silently Professor Dumbledore walked in. He glanced at Fred and then at Charlotte. "Good evening young Weasley."
"Hey Professor."
"She has not awoken yet?"
"No."
"Good, then perhaps there is still time to explain."
"Explain what?"
Professor Dumbledore sat down in between the two beds and sighed. "Charlotte.......she is very special."
Fred laughed, "If this is about the old one, I already know, actually after this afternoon the whole school knows."
"That isn't what I mean Fred. What I am thinking of is much more grave."
"What's wrong with her?" A knot of fear tightened in his stomach.
"Nothing" Dumbledore said, his eyes flickering towards Charlotte every now and then. "It has to do with the circumstances ........the circumstances surrounding her mothers death. And her lineage........"
Freds jaw muscled tightened. " Why are you telling me this?"
Dumbledore paused for a moment, considering his words carefully. " You and Charlotte..............what happened today on the Quidditch pitch is not a regular occurrence. You broke the spell Mr Weasley......"
The older mans vagueness was beginning to wear a little thin. "What spell? Does it have something to do with Riencour?"
"Ah, well yes. Do you know what the Riencour Potion does?" Fred shook his head. " Well it dulls your emotions, actually it snuffs them out almost completely. For people in Charlottes case, that is people with traumatic childhoods or afflicted with sever paranoia it can be very useful. In Charlottes case it was mainly used to get rid of her fear.."
"What does she have to be afraid of?"
"That's what I wanted to talk to you about." Fred had never seen Dumbledore nervous before, it had an unsettling affect on him. " You see when Catherine, her mother..........committed suicide. She had been living under the same conditions as her daughter, one day she just couldn't take it anymore. Unfortunately Catherine had been looking after Charlotte that day. When her husband found her body upon returning home from work, Charlotte was there...........she had been with her mother when she died.........she was covered in her blood."
Fred suddenly felt ill. " Why....................why would she..........."
Dumbledore swallowed hard and cleared his throat. " Catherine Wildsmith attended Hogwarts many years ago Fred. Back before those dark days of Voldemort.......she was very bright and very gifted, as was her father. When Catherine attended Hogwarts her last name wasn't Wildsmith," Dumbledore shifted uncomfortably. " Her name was Riddle."
Fred heart stopped beating for a moment. "Riddle........." He whispered "Tom Riddle......" Dumbledore nodded sadly. The magnitude of the situation hit Fred and he thought he might throw up. " Charlotte's Grandfather is Tom Riddle.......... Charlotte's Grandfather is.......Lord Voldemort" The words felt strange in his mouth, as he had never said that name before. " No.........it's not true. There must be some mistake professor, please tell me it isn't true..........it can't be......."
Dumbledore shook his head. " There is no error Fred. She is who she is. Her life has been especially hard, Charlotte lives nearly every moment that she is not under the influence of Riencour in terror and pain. We think it may be her Grandfathers influence trying to reach her or..............Nobody really knows why the descendants of the Riddles are affected this way, but from the day they are born until the day they die their hearts are always filled with terror. Charlotte has been through unspeakable torture in her life. You cannot even possibly hope to understand."
"Charlotte's Grandfather if Voldemort." Fred repeated.
" Yes, but you don't understand what happened today Fred! True Love Fred! For the first time you were both feeling the same thing at the same time......your minds were one and the same......your hearts were beating at the same time..............even for soul mates a kiss like that is virtually unheard of. Fred you broke the spell of the Riencour, do you have any idea how strong your love is?"
"Charlotte's grandfather is Voldemort......."
" Fred!" Dumbledore shook him by the shoulders. " I don't know for sure.......but you may have stopped the cycle! You may have cured an incurable disease with love!"
Fred shook his head and fought back his tears. " You are wrong professor........I don't love her."
"Nonsense-"
"No professor. I don't love her. Because it was all a lie. She never felt anything for me."
"What are you talking about boy?"
Fred looked over at Charlotte, nothing could mask the look of pure hatred that filled his eyes. " She is a descendant of Voldemort. The only thing she can feel is hatred and evil. I don't love her, I despise her."
Quickly Fred swung his feet over the bed and dashed from the hospital wing. Dumbledore hung his head, and Charlotte stopped pretending to be asleep. Tears began to fall from her eyes.
" I knew he wouldn't understand." she sobbed.
" He loves you Charlotte."
"No he doesn't. You heard him."
"He loves you Charlotte."
"How do you know?"
"Tell me what you are feeling at this exact moment." Dumbledore asked.
She buried her face in her hands as she mumbled " Like I want to die."
Dumbledore nodded. " Then he loves you."
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It took no time for the news to spread. Fred's careless words to George had spread like wild fire through out the school. By the time Charlotte returned to the Gryffindor common room the next afternoon everyone knew who she was. Everyone knew that their potions substitute was Lord Voldemort's Granddaughter. Charlotte did her best not to cry every time someone ran the opposite direction from her in a corridor, or let out a tiny shriek of terror when she passed by them.
She stayed in the dorm most days. Not wanting to face everyone out there. Professor Dumbledore took her potions classes and she was left to sit and think. Her thought took her down deep endless trail and she found herself more and more confused with each day.
Fleur did not shy away. " I know who you are Charlotte" she would say. " I know you are not your Grandfather."
Charlottes asked her once what she saw when she looked at her. " Tell me Fleur, you are my best friend. Tell me what you see."
Fleur came and gave her an appraising look. " I see my very best Friend. I see a person who has been through a lot in her life. I see someone who has earned a little happiness."
"Do you see him?"
" I see parts of him.........I see how gifted you are magically. I see courage of your convictions. I see intelligence. Charlotte, the only thing I truly see when I look at you , is you. Charlotte Wildsmith."
Charlotte wrote to her father many times that week. She told that the curse was lifted, but she neglected to tell him how. She told him that she understood her life better now, and that she wished other people would understand her as well. Charlotte told him that the nightmares had stopped. And she told him that she loved him.
Owls began bombarding Dumbledore in an angry torrent once news got around to the parents that Voldemort's Heir was teaching their children. Charlotte received endless howlers which she threw into the fore and listened to as their terrible shrieks died away in the flames. She was tiered of people being terrified of her simply because she was born.
One morning Charlotte was tiered of staring at the same four walls. It's time to venture out into the unknown she thought. She left the portrait hole and walked the empty corridors. She smiled as sun shone through the windows. She didn't even notice how cold it became as she entered the dungeons. Charlotte opened the door to her fifth year potions class and was greeted by a gasp from the pupils.
" Miss Wildsmith! How wonderful to see you!" Chuckled Professor Dumbledore.
" I.........I just came to see what was going on down here."
" I'm glad you did, you have a far greater expertise in these matters than I do. " Dumbledore grinned. " I seem to have really fouled up helping Neville with his sweet dreams potion......perhaps you would be so kind as to lend him a hand?"
"Certainly Professor." all to aware of the dozens of terrified eyes upon her she made her way toward Neville and sat down across from him.
" Class, If you would be so kind. We have double potions today, this potion will probably take the full time to make. If you would please get back to work......" Professor Dumbledore called from the front of the room. Slowly but surely the students began to get back to work, and hushed conversations resumed.
" Hi Neville. How are you?" Charlotte asked, a bit more timidly than she'd intended.
Neville gave her an uncertain smile. " I'm okay......................I-I-I-I just wanted to tell you ............ I know you can help being born into that family. I don't know you very well, but I figure if you were really like him, we would have seen it..........."
Charlotte was afraid she might cry. " Thank You Neville...." She said. " Okay......let's get to work on this potion.......It smells and looks like you have added too much ware wolf fang and not enough centaur sweat................
Relief flooded through her. This small thing seemed to change everything, or at least it gave her hope. Maybe somehow, thing would work out.
