Chapter Five: Progress
Doctor Pantely looked down at his patient.
"Have you had any untoward memories?"
Remus Lupin smiled at the question. "Only of the pain of transition. I don't think you can completely prevent that. Your latest potion did nothing more to ease the pain, but I have learned to deal with it." His voice was tinged with excitement. "When I changed this last full moon, I was aware the entire time. I remember being the wolf but I did not have the wolf's passion. I could control my actions completely. I believe it would have been completely safe for anyone to come near me."
Pantely beamed at these words. "I will contact my other patients immediately. If I get the same results with them, I will file an official report."
Remus looked up as his friend and doctor. "Xavier, this has been more than I hoped for."
Pantely nodded. "And less than I have strived for. I will find a permanent cure. I promise you."
"Xavier," Madam Pomfrey said as she walked up. "I have Charles Potter waiting outside."
"Send him in, Poppy. No, wait a minute." He handed her a parchment. "This is the potion that Remus will need. If I can't be here at the end of the month, please see that he gets this."
Pomfrey smiled as she took the parchment. "You've made progress?"
"Enough to do the final tests. It is no cure, yet."
Madam Pomfrey left and returned shortly with young Charles. She left him with the Doctor and returned to her other tasks.
"Good Afternoon, Doctor, Uncle Remus."
Pantely looked at his friend. "Uncle?"
Remus smiled. "It's a term of familiarity. I did object, but not very hard. He and Harry have taken to visiting me at least once a week. I've told them so much about their family they consider me part of it."
Pantely turned to the boy. "You may have as many relatives as you wish, as long as I remain your doctor."
"Yes sir," Charlie said, with almost a smile. "Should I lie down now?"
"I've only examined you twice and you already have the routine down? You must be smart. On the bed with you."
Charles lay down on the bed and closed his eyes. Remus assured him, as he did the last time, that there was nothing to worry about. Doctor Pantely performed his spell and Charles waited patiently. After fifteen minutes he was told to get up.
"Have you had any memories surface?"
"No, Sir. Not that I have noticed. I did have one problem but I do not know if it is important."
"Let's here it. If it's important, it's best you tell me. If it isn't, it's best you know."
"My hair, Sir. I have been letting it grow because it felt more comfortable."
"I remember Madam Pomfrey telling me about your comment."
"It seems, Sir, I would feel more comfortable now if I did not let it grow too long."
Pantely smiled at the comment. "I may be wrong but I think you are beginning to fit in. We guessed that longer hair was common where you used to live. Now that you are here, you are adjusting to the fact that most students prefer shorter hair. I suggest you keep your hair as long or short as you like."
"I thought that might be the truth of it, Sir, but," Charles paused as he began to recite the now old joke, "but I did not remember."
"That does it. Out with you," Pantely yelled in mock anger, and laughed as the boy ran off grinning.
"He is fitting in," Remus mentioned.
"He'll be fine," Pantely assured him. "That curse is still weakening, but it is also taking its time. I am willing to say that he should be free of it sometime after the Christmas holiday. Then we can get our answers."
"There is nothing to do but wait," Lupin acknowledged. "Two months is not a long time."
"And now I must return to St. Mungo's, Remus. Have a happy Hallowe'en."
Charles gazed out over the lake where the Giant Squid lived.
"What exactly is a Death Day party?" Charlie asked his brother.
"It's our house ghost, Sir Nicholas. He was killed 500 years ago this Hallowe'en."
"I am happy for him, Harry, but why are you going?"
"I owe him a favor. Ron and Hermione are coming, too."
"And you would like me to come as well?"
"Um, you don't have to, Charlie. I wanted to let you know why I won't be at the feast. I didn't want you to worry about me."
"You are going to a party in the dungeons with hundreds of ghosts, and you are telling me this so that I will not worry about you? Harry, tell me how you define worry. Are you dragging Colin with you?"
Harry grinned widely. "He invited himself. He wants to take pictures of the party or else his family won't believe him."
After they stopped laughing, Harry told him something else. "Hermione wanted me to tell you. She showed Snape everything she taught you. He's going to give you a final for first year potions."
Charlie frowned. "All Hermione did was make me memorize the potions and how they are supposed to be made. I have never made any of them."
"You've made potions in class. These are first year potions. They'll be easy for you. Besides, you're good at memorizing things. I've never been able to remember half that stuff."
"Hermione is an excellent tutor. But I doubt that Snape is doing this to be nice. I would wager that Dumbledore said something to him."
Harry grinned. "Colin says you're doing good in Transfiguration."
Charlie rolled his eyes. "He would say that. Ernie MacMillan tells me that I will 'get the hang of it'. I do not know why I agreed to take both classes."
"Because you don't need flying lessons and you had that time free. Be thankful you're not with the Slytherins."
Charlie nodded. Because he did not have lessons with Madame Hooch in his free period Professor McGonagall had him take both first and second year Transfiguration. She also told him not to worry about how well he did in his second year class. He was not taking her advice.
Professor Flitwick was also treating him as a special student and personally volunteered to be his Charms tutor, saying he had never tried to teach a student on a one to one basis. He was tutored two nights a week which gave him back the free period that Professor McGonagall filled, but took away two of his nights. The rest of his nights were still free. Cedric had the habit of practicing for an hour a day before breakfast
"Professor Dumbledore told me I am up to date on my History. Fortunately, I love to read. I think History must have been my favorite subject."
Harry eyed his brother curiously. "Must have been?"
"I doubt I ever had a Professor like Binns before. He makes the most exciting things seem mundane. I was bored by his lecture on the goblin wars."
"Is that what he was talking about?" Harry asked, and both boys laughed.
"I declare myself full," Charlie said, as the feast came to an end.
"You ate enough," Susan chided him. "I told you not to stuff yourself."
"I could not help it. There were so many new things to try. I promise you and myself I will show greater discretion at the next feast."
"Can you move?"
"Only if I have to."
Susan playfully hit his arm. "You have to. The Hall's almost empty. If we don't leave now, we'll have to stay for breakfast."
Charles stood up. "I do not believe I could deal with breakfast."
They walked out of the Hall and took the stairs to the Hufflepuff common room. They looked up and saw the crowd of students the next flight up and decided to take a detour. It was no surprise that they were the first ones, but as time went on, both realized that no one else had come back yet.
"Charlie, you know how everyone was standing around?"
"Do you think something happened?"
"Definitely. I was thinking of going back to check."
"Would you like company?"
Susan grinned. "I'd love some."
They walked to the entranceway and stepped out.
"There he is," someone shouted from the end of the hall to someone in the other corridor. Then he began to run toward them.
"Anthony?" Susan asked. "What's going on?"
"It's Harry Potter. He killed Filch's cat."
Charlie and Susan looked at him with amused disbelief.
"That could be considered a good thing," Susan said jokingly.
"Filch caught him," Anthony Goldstein replied.
"That would be considered a bad thing," Charlie noted.
"It gets worse," Anthony said. "Above the cat someone wrote 'The Chamber of Secrets has been opened'. They wrote it in blood."
By this time a small crowd of Hufflepuffs had gathered and were agreeing with Anthony.
Charlie cleared his throat and everyone looked at him expectantly. "I know I am not an authority on anything, in view of my condition, but have any of you considered the fact that today is Hallowe'en?" He smiled as he saw several confused faces, and a couple who had a hint of what he was about to suggest. "Susan, correct me If I am wrong, but I would have thought this was a prank."
Susan nodded. "Gryffindors are notorious for things like that. And your brother's best friend IS one of the Weasleys."
Cedric Diggory, standing in the back, laughed at the suggestion. "If you're right, Charlie, then Harry really is in trouble. That prank looked very real."
Charlie nodded. "I will ask tomorrow what happened. It will not be as much fun as the rumors but we will know the truth."
After they were back inside a now crowded common room, Cedric cornered Charlie again. "You're his brother. Do you know why Harry didn't show up at the feast?"
"He went to another party," Charlie said, and everyone started whispering.
"What Party?" Cedric asked.
"Their House Ghost. He died 500 years ago, today. He was throwing a party in one of the dungeons and he invited all of his friends, including Harry."
Cedric nodded. "That would drive me mad enough to take a swing at Filch's cat while he was watching."
"Colin Creevey was with him."
"The shutterbug?" Cedric asked. "That would give me two reasons."
"I didn't do anything," Harry insisted. He continued to try to eat his breakfast.
"I did not accuse you of anything," Charlie told him. "I am only letting you know some of the rumours that are going around. I personally thought the entire thing was a prank that went wrong."
"Mrs. Norris is Petrified," Harry said with great seriousness.
"She is only a cat," Charlie replied. "A few soothing words should help to calm her."
"Charlie?" Harry looked as though he wanted to laugh. "I meant that as a literal statement." He paused at he thought about what he said. "I've been hanging around you too much. I'm beginning to use those big words too."
"She's been turned to stone? And you should be proud to extend your vocabulary."
"Dumbledore says she can be cured, but do you really mean that I should be happy that I can be verbose. There! You see!" Harry said in a mixture of anger, humor and frustration. "I actually used the word verbose in a sentence."
"And you used it correctly, I might add. But what about the Chamber of Secrets?"
"It's open," Harry answered, then turned to Ron who was listening the entire time. "What do you think of all this?"
"I've decided, Harry. Charlie isn't your twin brother. He's Hermione's."
"Did you tell him?" Hermione asked later, as they sat in the library.
"No," Harry said petulantly. "I don't want my brother thinking I'm crazy."
"Harry, you should trust him with this because he is your brother. It's only a matter of time before he has his own problems to deal with. He'll need to know he can trust you."
"You're right, Hermione, but I can't do it. Not yet. I've been thinking about what Professor Binns told us about the Chamber and the Heir of Slytherin. I think I know who it might be."
"Malfoy," Hermione said.
Harry nodded. "Ron's already reached the same conclusion. We're going to try and prove it. That's why I don't want to tell Charlie. I'm in enough trouble with Filch, and if something goes wrong with my plan, well, I don't want him to get hurt. I'm actually glad, for the first time, that he isn't in Gryffindor."
Hermione sat back thoughtfully. "And your plan is?"
"I thought I'd try to talk to Malfoy and see if he lets something slip."
"Why don't you get him away from Crabbe and Goyle and beat him until he tells you what you want to know."
"That was Ron's plan."
Hermione shook her head. "Let me think about it. I might be able to find something in the library."
Harry smiled. "Thanks, Hermione."
"You know, Harry, you could have simply asked me if I had any ideas."
"Well?" Ernie MacMillan asked as they left the Great Hall for their first class.
"It is worse than we thought," Charlie told him. "It turns out Harry was the first one to find Mrs. Norris, although Colin Creevey did take a picture."
"Then the rumors are all wrong."
"Not all of them."
Charlie repeated to Ernie what Harry had said to him. The rumors about Harry were already ebbing as the word spread. Then the word came back about Professor Binns' class. Hermione Granger had asked about the Chamber of Secrets, and Binns had answered her questions.
It was the first Saturday of December and the winter cold had arrived during the night. Charlie Potter was wearing his yellow and brown Quidditch uniform for his first game and watching his own breath form clouds in front of him. Harry's broom was firmly in his hand as he gazed over at the stands where the Gryffindors sat. He waited for the flash of light that did not come. No one would be taking his picture for a long while.
("He's only petrified," Professor Sprout had assured the Hufflepuffs. "It's only a matter of time before he's as good as new.")
Madam Hooch ordered everyone to mount their brooms. Charlie looked at the Gryffindor stands and saw Harry wave. Hermione and Ron were holding a banner saying, "Go Potter." It was a useful banner and could be used at almost every Quidditch match. Then the whistle blew and Charlie's thought were elsewhere.
He flew up toward the hoops and took his position. Eleanor Branston had hold of the quaffle and was trying to catch the Ravenclaw keeper off guard. It almost worked. At the last minute she made a well-practiced pass to Susan Bones who had the pleasure of making the first score for Hufflepuff. The Ravenclaws took possession and made a quick run at Charlie. A well-hit bludger forced him to move out of position but he was prepared. He left the far left hoop unguarded, then made a feint to cover his mistake. It worked. The Ravenclaw chaser threw the quaffle at the far right hoop as Charlie made a sudden change of direction. The quaffle ended up back in Eleanor's hands. And the game continued.
For an hour and a half, Charlie went from sitting on his broom to racing around protecting the hoops. Five times the quaffle made it past him, but the Ravenclaw keeper had twice that many pass her. The difference was that she was pacing herself, while Charlie was getting tired. Of the goals against him, two were in the last ten minutes. Suddenly Cedric flashed past him heading downwards. He pulled up, holding the golden snitch in his hand, and the whistle blew again.
Charlie heard the cheering before it sank in. Susan flew up to him and laughed.
"Is it over?"
"Charlie?" she laughed again. "You sound disappointed."
"Tired. I don't think I could have lasted much longer."
They flew down and landed with the rest of the team as the crowd applauded them.
"You have to pace yourself better," Cedric told him, then asked how he felt.
"That was nothing like practice. I want to do this again."
"You'll have two more chances, Charlie."
"He tried to tell me he was tired," Susan told Cedric. "He sounded so sad when I told him the game was over."
"Then I'm sad, too," Atticus Hart, the new beater said. "I'm so sad I could sleep for a week."
Charlie laughed with the others then paused as a far away look came across his face. Eleanor noticed the change. "What's on your mind, Charlie?"
"I was thinking . . . It was nothing."
"Did you remember something?"
"No, but I had a feeling. It was as though I was seeing everything from a different point of view. But that does not describe it very well."
Eleanor squeezed his shoulder with affection. "I think you almost remembered something."
"Almost? I hope you are right."
"Promise me, if you do remember anything, you'll let me know first thing."
"Done and done, Eleanor."
"Good, now let's get cleaned up and ready for dinner."
"That is a wonderful idea."
"You were great," Wayne said for the third time.
"You make it sound like I was the only one playing."
"It isn't you," Justin explained, "It's your brother. Now that you've proven to everyone you can play, they're already talking about when we play Gryffindor."
"Is Harry that popular?"
"I wouldn't say popular," Ernie commented.
Charlie took exception to his attitude. "Ernie, think about it. If Harry is the Heir of Slytherin, then so am I. I find it odd that neither of us is in Slytherin if that is true."
"You don't have the scar."
"I do not need a scar. I have a brain, and by using it I have discovered a great truth. You are paranoid."
Ernie's face tinged as the other Hufflepuffs laughed. "I hope you're right, Charlie, for all our sakes." He smiled thinly and said, "Your ears have stopped smoking."
Charlie's face tinged in turn as he remembered the potion Madam Pomfrey had forced on him and the other players. It didn't help that everyone was laughing at that remark as well.
Time continued to advance.
"Harry?"
"Good Morning, Charlie."
"You look happier now that everyone has left for the holiday."
"Does it show?"
"As clearly as sunlight on snow."
Harry laughed as he looked out over the lake. "There's enough snow out here to prove your point." He frowned, then turned to his brother. "Do you belief the rumors about me? After all, I am a parselmouth."
"No, Harry, I do not believe the rumors. I know you and I know Justin. You would never have attacked him, for any reason."
"Even if I didn't know I was doing it?"
"You mean the voices you hear?"
Harry looked surprised.
"Colin had told me," Charlie explained. "That is how I know. If you would not attack Colin knowingly, after all the times he had annoyed you, you would not attack anyone."
Harry rubbed his scar thoughtfully. "I hope you're right."
"I know I am, and so do you."
In an emotional scene which would have reduced Hagrid to tears, the two hugged each other. "Thanks, Charlie."
"What are brothers for?"
The two boys walked back to the castle, talking but not really saying anything. As the entered the main hall, Harry turned and said, "Um, Charlie."
Charles smiled. "Are you running off again?" He waved his brother away. "I will be fine. I have a few things of my own to do, anyway."
"I'll see you at dinner." Harry promised, and ran to meet Ron and Hermione.
Charles turned and walked the other way, to return to his house to wrap his gifts. Ernie MacMillan and Wayne Hopkins had to explain Christmas to him and, thanks to Cedric Diggory, he had managed to get presents.
It was ironic, Charlie thought. Christmas seemed familiar and strange at the same time. He knew the holiday. He had celebrated it every year but in a way he did not remember. At least the idea of giving gifts had seemed familiar. He strained at his thoughts to no avail. No memories came to mind.
"OY." A loud shout came to his ears. Charlie looked up to see Draco Malfoy and his friends waiting at the end of the hallway near the stairs.
"He heard that," Malfoy laughed with Crabbe and Goyle. "Must have been daydreaming about what pretty toys he'll get."
"I have no business with you, Malfoy." Charlie said, remembering past encounters. Malfoy always talked but rarely did anything else.
"I have business with you, Potter," Malfoy said, blocking his path.
Charlie sighed, as though to say he was not worried. Then he said flippantly, "I know. My brother is the Heir of Slytherin and he is going to destroy the school."
Draco Malfoy snorted. "At least you don't believe that nonsense either. It shows that you have hope."
Charlie arched his eyebrow. "Could you explain that remark?"
Malfoy smiled. Crabbe and Goyle smiled as well as they seemed to relax, although it gave them a look of sinister humor.
"You have an advantage, Charles Potter, that your brother does not. You have no preconceived notions. Prejudice is based on past experience and you, thankfully, do not have any."
"And your point is?" Charlie asked more out of curiosity.
"I've never had a chance to talk to you before, and I know what your brother says about me. I've said most of the same things about him. You may laugh but I honestly think we could be friends if we had a chance to know each other properly." Draco held out his hand. "I could be a good friend. I'll even refrain from criticizing your brother and his poor choice of mates, if that bothers you."
Charlie looked at the proffered hand. "It does bother me, Malfoy. But I cannot take you for a friend. I do know you. I have seen how you treat others. You are arrogant with your friends as well as your enemies. Could you put your arrogance aside?"
Draco tried to keep his composure as Charlie's tone of disapproval became obvious. "I think you mistook my pride in my family for arrogance. We have to let others know where we stand. There is no reason to play at being humble the way that you do."
"I do not understand. Why do you think I am pretending to be humble? What do I have to be humble about? By the same form, what do I have to be proud about?"
Malfoy snorted. "You don't know? You honestly don't know?" He laughed as Charlie looked even more confused. "This is rich. I get to be the one who tells Harry Potter's brother the truth about his family."
"What is it?" Charlie said hesitantly, unsure of what to expect.
Malfoy gave him a friendly smile. "I want you to understand that I'm talking to you as one pureblood to another. I don't want you to think I'm talking down to you."
A thought emerged in Charlie's brain as Malfoy said that. It did not matter what he said. The two of them could never be friends despite their common ground. Malfoy's comment struck a cord inside him. He could understand that there would be different classes of wizards and even that they would be based on heredity. After all, the children of powerful wizards and witches would also be powerful. But that was where he and Malfoy parted in their views.
Charlie smiled. "Draco, I would never talk down to you. Even if you were the lowliest churl."
Draco's smile became forced. "Now I have to ask what you mean?"
"I told you before. You are arrogant. With your friends as well as your enemies. I would not choose to be in either camp, but if I must, I will never choose to be your friend."
Draco's smile turned easily to a scowl. "I tried to be decent to you," he sneered as he backed away.
Too late, Charlie realized Malfoy was giving himself room. The Slytherin drew his wand before the Hufflepuff could react. As the blond haired boy shouted his curse, the black-haired boy made a quick but complicated gesture with his hand.
Malfoy thrust his wand forward and there was a flash of light that did nothing. He pulled back his wand and suddenly thrust it forward again but nothing happened. Again he pulled back his wand then thrust it forward. And again. And again.
His friends tried to stop him but Crabbe was poked in the stomach for his efforts, and Malfoy was now sneering angrily at the wall and stabbing at it with his wand instead of down the corridor at Charlie. Crabbe and Goyle started running down the stairs screaming for help.
"What's all this racket?" Filch yelled as he came running into view. The two pointed to the top of the stairs.
"It was Potter. He attacked us with his wand."
Filch looked up in anger, then paused. "You're the other one. Finally decided to try a few of you brother's tricks." He walked up the staircase and stared at Malfoy. "What did you do?"
"Nothing, Sir. At least I do not think I did?"
Filch looked around. "It looks like he's not going anywhere. You two fetch Madam Pomfrey for your housemate. And you, Potter, will come with me. It's time to see the headmaster."
