Chapter Four: Enrollment

"You look like a proper young wizard, Mr. Potter" Albus Dumbledore commented to the boy in his office.

Charles looked at himself in the mirror as he adjusted his wizards hat. "I have to thank Harry for all of this. I do not know how I can ever repay him."

"The money was left to him by his parents, your parents. Harry feels, rightfully I think, that it is yours as much as his. How do you feel?"

"Tired, Sir."

"It has been a busy week for you," Dumbledore admitted. "You've been dragged all over the school and the grounds, paraded in front of everyone at every meal, and cajoled into going to every class, and to every Quidditch practice."

"That last part was voluntary," Charles admitted. "Harry was letting me join him."

"Then I will omit that last statement and note instead that today we forced you to walk the length and breadth of Diagon Alley." He paused, then added. "There is no rush, you know. We can do this tomorrow, or later if you prefer. This is a big step you're taking. And you have only been with us for one week."

"Eight days, Sir, and I would like to wait but I am afraid that if I do not go through with this now, I will keep putting it off. I need to feel a part of something instead of apart."

Albus smiled and rose from his desk. "Very well. We'll parade you once more through the Great Hall, then let you become an ordinary student."

Charles smiled, and stifled a yawn. "Is it time to go? I fear I will not be able to wait much longer."

Albus led the young boy from his office and to the Great Hall. "I want you to know, Charles, that this is not permanent. It is convenient to have you as a student, I will admit that, but if you ever feel that it is wrong for you, I will personally make other arrangements."

"Why should it feel wrong, Sir?"

"Because one day you will remember, and no one knows what is locked in your mind. You may remember why you never came here, and think it a good reason."

Charles grinned at the thought. "Headmaster, I do not think there is cause to worry. Madam Pomfrey told me that I still remember what I like. I think that I will remember not coming here to study magic because I thought I could not."

Dumbledore stopped just before the entrance to the Great Hall. "If that is true, then I am grateful for making the right decision. But I must ask you one last time. Are you ready?"

Charles swallowed hard and nodded, knowing that when he entered, every student and teacher would be staring at him. He walked in and walked past the student tables without daring to look around and stopped where Professor McGonagall was standing next to a stool.

On the stool was the Sorting Hat. Professor McGonagall motioned for him to wait. Then the Hat began to sing:

A special treat this time of year

A change of pace and cause for cheer

A student comes from far away

To stand before you on this day

If he's smart and on his toes

Then off to Ravenclaw he goes

If he's made of sterner stuff

You'll see him in Hufflepuff

If it's courage that fills his heart

In Gryffindor he'll get his start

And if he shows great ambition

Then he will go to Slytherin

This song is short, it's for one soul

To try me on and reach his goal.

The hat fell silent, and Professor McGonagall unrolled a parchment. She called out "Potter, Charles," and picked up the Sorting Hat. Charles sat down on the stool and the hat was placed on his head.

"Curious and curious," a soft voice spoke inside his head. "I see it all. Even the things you don't know."

Charles caught his breath at the words. "Can you tell me? Do you know who I am?"

"You'll know in time. It is not my place to tell. I must decide where to put you. You would do well in any house."

"Gryffindor," Charles said anxiously.

"Gryffindor? Even if there is a better house for you?"

"A better house?"

"To bring out what is best in you."

The hat sensed the confusion and fear that swept through Charles' mind.

"There is a house that will do more for you. You are eager to prove yourself, and you won't be in your brother's shadow. You will succeed or fail on your own."

"But Harry?"

"He would want what is best for you."

"He told me that."

"It is settled then," the hat whispered, then shouted out, "HUFFLEPUFF."

Professor McGonagall removed the hat and Charles looked out over the stunned crowd of students. Then the Hufflepuff table went wild, the students standing up and cheering their newest housemate.

Slowly, Charles stood up, looking to the Gryffindor table to see Harry's reaction. He saw the surprise on his brother's face, and something else. Acceptance. Harry and Charles both knew at that moment that they would always be brothers at heart, as well as fact. But they were also separate, each his own person. As Harry and the other Gryffindors began to applaud, Charles walked over to the Hufflepuff table, and to his new life.

"Charlie," Susan Bones called out. "Sit here."

The call of 'Charlie' caught his attention, and Charles walked to the open spot that Susan made for him. She kept him from sitting immediately by hugging him first. "I should say I expected this, Charlie, but I'm surprised. Just like everyone else."

"The hat said I would be better off here," Charles admitted.

Ernie Macmillan, who was sitting across from Susan reached over to shake his hand. Then two other boys named Justin and Wayne shook his hand as well. Cedric Diggory came over and congratulated him and added, sotto voce, that he should consider joining the Quidditch team. Charles grinned and said he would love to be on the team, that he was an excellent seeker. Cedric, the team seeker, laughed at being hoist by his own petard but left the invitation open.

Dumbledore cleared his throat, and the hall grew quiet. Charles and the others took their seats and listened.

"Congratulations to Hufflepuff, and to Charles Potter. May you prove worthy of each other. May I also congratulate the other houses on helping Charles adjust to his new life." Applause was noticeably absent from one table. "I should also note that next Saturday will be the first Hogsmeade weekend. Only those who are Third Year and above, and have received permission from their parents and guardians, are permitted to go."

Dumbledore sat down, and the food appeared. Charles quickly filled his plate, trying not to look at anyone else. Susan Bones noticed.

"Charlie, don't worry about us bothering you. You'll be here for a long time. We can wait and bother you later."

"The truth is, Susan, I did not have anything to eat since breakfast. I am starving."

"We're going to bother you anyway, Charlie," Ernie said. "Susan got her wish this morning and became a chaser for the team. She doesn't care about you at all . . . unless you join the team."

"I will be trying out for the team," Charles assured them. "I want the chance to fly again." Ernie pointed to Susan who was giving Cedric a prearranged hand signal. The two of them laughed as Susan blushed.

After a few mouthfuls, Ernie asked another question. "Charlie, are you a first year or a second year?"

"I assumed I would be a second year, because my brother is. Is that important?"

"For Quidditch, no," Ernie answered. "For us it means a lot. If they make you a first year then you won't be with us. Me and Susan and Justin, that is."

Megan Jones, sitting next to Susan spoke up. "I know the solution. Charlie will be a second year. If need be, all of us will tutor him in the things he missed from last year."

The second years all readily agreed until a fourth year interrupted. "Charlie, You heard what she said. ALL of us will help you, if that's what it takes. Welcome to Hufflepuff."


A very tired Charles Potter was escorted to his new house by a score of jubilant new housemates. Always conscious of their status, they were happy with the notoriety of their newest member. Charlie, on the other hand, was happy to finally be going to bed. He stopped when everyone else did, and stared at the picture of a field on the wall in front of him. Someone called out, "Barrenwort," and the wall to the right of the picture seemed to cave in, revealing a round opening.

Charlie followed Ernie and Justin into the common room and stared again. It was a long narrow room with a low ceiling. Rounded windows in one wall revealed the night sky, while a fire burned cheerfully in the fireplace in the center of that wall. The other three walls were covered with bookcases but not all of the bookcases held books, and Charlie would have had a difficult time figuring out some of the things on the other shelves. There were gaps in the bookcases on the left and right. By watching the others, Charlie quickly figured out that these were the hallways leading to the boys and girls dorms. To prove his point, Ernie led him to the hallway on the right, a long winding corridor that refused to remain straight.

"Where do I sleep?"

"That's a good question," Ernie said. "I guess we'll have to find an empty bed."

A brown haired boy, Anthony Goldstein, stepped out of the second room from the end and waved. "Ernie, you have to see this."

They rushed forward and the boy led them into the room. It was a curiously shaped room, a half circle with the beds all in a row along the curved wall.

"Well, Charlie," Ernie said, "it seems you have the bed next to mine."

Charlie looked to where Ernie was pointing and saw the bed at the end of a row of six, an open trunk in front of it. All of his new clothes and supplies were in the trunk as well as the framed picture Colin had given him. Behind him he heard Justin call out that it was amazing.

"Why is it amazing?"

Ernie laughed. "Justin is muggle born. That's why he was surprised. This morning when we got up, there were only five beds in this room. Now the room is big enough for six beds."

"How?" was all Charlie could ask.

Ernie couldn't help himself. "I think they used magic."


"I hate Quidditch already," Charlie said as he left the common room.

Susan laughed at him. "You've only been up for fifteen minutes."

"And breakfast will not even be served for another hour."

"It was Cedric's idea," Wayne Hopkins explained. "There won't be anyone using the pitch this time of morning, and I think Cedric wants to see what you can do without a big crowd around."

Susan nodded. "The whole school knows about Harry, and they know you can fly. All of us are curious about you as well."

Charlie grumbled but he was amused. It was only his first full day as a Hufflepuff.

As the three approached the main entrance, a flash went off, and a familiar voice said with annoyance, "Colin, do you have to?"

"Sorry, Harry."

As the spots cleared from his eyes, Charlie saw Harry, Ron, and Hermione standing there with Colin.

"We heard the news," Harry said with a wide grin.

"How?" Susan Bones asked.

"Anthony Goldstein," Hermione Granger said smugly. "I helped him with his Potions final last year and he owed me a favor."

"And you're going to spy on us?"

"Yes and no," Harry admitted. "I thought Charles would like to borrow my broom." He pulled his hand from behind his back to reveal what he was holding.

"That's a Nimbus 2000, Charlie," Wayne pointed out, then said in a depreciative term, "Only the Slytherins have better brooms."

"Charlie?" Hermione asked, curious at the change of name.

Charlie smiled and shrugged his shoulders.

"I told you he'd fit in," Ron said authoritatively. "But he would have done better in Gryffindor."

"He's lying," Wayne Hopkins said. "They have the same team as last year. You'd never get to play."

"You don't know what you're talking about," Ron insisted.

Wayne sneered. "And I should take the advice of someone who thinks the Chudley Cannons are the greatest team around. They've got the best logo around. Two big zeroes."

"They're Cannonballs," Ron replied angrily. "And they don't bribe the judges."

"Puddlemere never stooped that low," Wayne shouted.

"They'd have to stand up to stoop," Ron shouted back.

"I really do not care much for Quidditch," Charlie said casually.

"What are you talking about,?" Wayne said at the sudden interruption.

"You're talking about the best game in the world," Ron insisted.

"I told you it would work," Susan said to Charlie. "Those two are peas in the same pod."

Wayne and Ron both looked sheepish as they backed down. Harry handed his broom to Charlie and wished him luck. Then all of them headed to the Quidditch pitch. By the time they arrived the argument was forgotten, and Ron and Wayne were discussing who looked good for the World Cup.

Charlie walked out across the pitch with Susan, and looked back to see at least two dozen students and a half dozen teachers in the stands. He spied Hagrid who gave him an energetic wave and a thumbs up. "Diggory wanted to keep this quiet?" he asked.

Susan nodded. "If we did this after breakfast, the stands would be full."

Cedric walked up to them and looked at Charlie's broom. "It pays to have rich relatives."

"Harry only loaned it to me."

"Do you know the rules?"

Charlie sighed. "My brother and his friends explained everything to me last weekend. I have watched Harry practice twice and, if that was not enough, Wayne told me more than I needed to know. He is also the one who told me how to fly a broom. If you do not believe me, you can ask him."

Cedric laughed with him. "Wayne Hopkins had a good heart, but he does get 'overly enthusiastic'."

"What do I do now?" Charlie asked.

"Fly around for a bit to loosen up," Cedric said. "Then we'll see what you can do."

Cedric then signaled for the other Hufflepuff hopefuls to mount their brooms. The false dawn was just giving way to the morning sunrise when Charlie kicked off the ground. When they were all in the air, Cedric started assigning positions. "We'll try playing with the quaffle for a bit. As most of you know, Eleanor Branston and I are the only team members left from last year, and we've only filled one position so far." He nodded to Susan Bones. "I'm the team seeker, unless," this time he nodded to Charlie, "someone else shows better promise for the job. We need another chaser, two beaters and a keeper." He held up the quaffle. "Charlie, show me what you can do with this."

Cedric tossed the quaffle to Charlie, expecting him to take it and fly toward the hoops. Instead, Charlie swung his broom around to knock the quaffle back to Cedric.

"He's a footballer," one of the muggle-borns shouted.

Cedric looked at the boy who yelled the remark, trying to remember what he knew of the sport. "Charlie, get by the hoops." When Charlie was in position, Cedric nodded to Eleanor, and the two flew toward the other goal. As they flew back, they kept passing the quaffle back and forth, until Eleanor made a feint and threw for one of the goals. Charlie was there, caught the quaffle this time, and tossed it back to Cedric.

"Who's trying for Chaser?" Cedric called out. He kept Charlie at the hoops while each potential chaser tried their luck. Two hours later, he called for everyone to land.

"What happens now?" Charlie asked.

"We go to breakfast," Cedric said. "I'm starving."

"But I did not try out for Seeker."

"That's because you became our Keeper after five minutes of practice."

Charlie stopped. "I am on the team?"


Sunday breakfast was always a scattered affair. Students would wander in and out rarely with any pattern. This was why Colin decided to break precedent and went to sit with the Hufflepuffs.

"He's off on his own again, Harry," Hermione noted.

Harry nodded. "I think he's going to talk to Charles." Ron and Hermione noted the wistful tone in his voice.

"That must be why you insist he hang around," Ron noted. "He always has the good ideas."

"What?"

"Come on," Hermione said as she grabbed Harry's arm. "We'll force them to let you sit next to Charles. Sorry, now it's Charlie."

"But that's not our table," Harry said without conviction as he happily went along with the decision.

"We'll leave if anyone complains . . . a lot."


"I'm sorry all of you couldn't make it on the team," Cedric was saying. "I'm surprised at how difficult it was to decide who to pick."

Susan nudged Charlie. "As long as he picked us, we don't care."

"That's the spirit, Susan," Cedric said as he heard the remark. "You would have hated everyone if you weren't picked, so snub them since you were."

"Nonsense," Susan said without offense. "I am more than happy to consoles those who didn't make the team. It's that I'm too happy that I did make the team to feel any sympathy."

Justin Finch-Fetchly smirked. "I know what you mean. I'm too upset that I didn't make it that I don't believe any of you care."

"You should not say that," Charlie offered. "We still need good backup. What if Susan were to get her foot caught in her mouth and could not get it out?"

"How dare you," Susan said in mock anger. "The only problem I have with putting my foot in my mouth is getting my knee past my front teeth."

"Do you know why I like you," Charlie replied. "You are always proud of your accomplishments."

"And you should move over," Susan answered smiling.

"Have I offended you?"

"Maybe, but your brother wants to sit down."

Charlie looked up and saw Harry. He moved over to make room.

"Welcome to Hufflepuff, Potter," Cedric said as Harry and his friends sat down. "Is this a visit or are you planning on staying?"

"We're just lazy," Harry said. "We couldn't be bothered to walk all the way to our own table."

Cedric looked at the Gryffindor table which was about five feet behind Harry. "It is a great distance." He looked over to where Ron Weasley and Wayne Hopkins were talking about the World Cup again. "If they start arguing, you have to leave."

"As long as we don't have to take them with us," Hermione said from the other side of Susan. Ron and Wayne looked up as everyone laughed. Wayne muttered something to which Ron nodded his agreement and they went back to talking. Harry looked over to Cedric when Colin suddenly appeared and his camera flashed.

"I am blind," he heard Charlie say as the black spots swam before his own eyes.

Harry laughed. "I need to ask, did you make the team."

"Of course, I did," Charlie answered. "I could not get the position that permitted me to chase the little ball but I did get the position where everyone throws the big ball at me."

"You mean they made you their Keeper."

"Keeper?" Charlie said in surprise. "Cedric, does that mean I get to keep the quaffle if I catch it."

"Only the bludgers. You have to give the quaffle back."

Harry smiled as twin eyes smiled back at him. "You're the Keeper."

"It is fitting," Charlie said. "We can compete against each other without trying to show each other up."

Cedric finished talking with his new beaters and turned to Hermione while Harry and Charlie talked. "I'm glad you joined us today. We wanted to talk to you."

"We?" Hermione asked as she and Susan paused in their conversation.

"Our house," Cedric said. "When we undertake a big project, we like to get everyone involved. We've decided that Charlie is a second year, and he needs to be tutored for all the things he missed."

"And you want me to help."

Susan smiled. "That's a good choice, Cedric. You'd be perfect, Hermione. You are the smartest student in our year."

"I can't tutor him in everything."

"You don't have to," Cedric said. "But you know everything Charlie would need to know. Choose your best subject and tutor him in that, or better yet, give us an outline of what he needs to know."

"That wouldn't be hard," Hermione said. "For Charms, it's simply a list of spells. Transfiguration is the toughest. I'll have to talk to McGonagall about that. Potions is just another list. He doesn't need to learn to fly a broom. For History he can read the books . . ."

"You'll do it?" Cedric asked.

"I think she's already started," Eleanor Branston said from where she was listening.

Hermione blushed slightly. "I'll have the outlines for you by dinner."

"Thanks, Granger," Cedric said sincerely. "And you're welcome to join us any time."

"I'll join you for dinner then. It will make it easier to explain anything if you have questions."

"Then you should talk to Ernie MacMillan or Megan Jones. It was Megan's idea so she has to take charge, and Ernie is taking charge for the boys since he's in the same year as Charlie."

"I'll see them at dinner then."


Colin was sitting in front of the fire place watching the flames when Harry sat down next to him.

"You changed the world today, Colin. Or at least a corner of it."

"How?"

"Remember at breakfast, you sat with the Hufflepuffs."

"You did that," Colin said. "I only wanted to ask Charles if he made the team. I wasn't planning on staying."

Harry was surprised. "I guess I thought you were doing what I wanted to do. That's why we followed you."

Harry was amused at the thought that it was him instead of Colin. At dinner, Hermione excused herself when they entered and went to sit with two of the Hufflepuffs at their table. Then Wayne Hopkins showed up at their table with a book on Quidditch that he had offered to lend Ron.

"It was Wayne Hopkins," Harry said suddenly. "He's the one that did it."

"Excuse me," Colin asked.

"He's the one that changed things, assuming they stay changed. Hermione sat at their table to discuss Charles' tutoring. Wayne sat at our table just to have a conversation."

"It's only once."

Harry nodded. "What happened once could happen again." He smiled to himself. Others might think it unusual that he and his brother ate their meals together, but not that unusual. This small change could be a good thing.

"Maybe we all changed it," Colin said suddenly.

"Maybe we did," Harry agreed.