Hello! Welcome to another instalment of my story! By the way, there is a very good reason it is called Charlotte and the Metallic Three. But it won't become clear why until later. I have a very good idea of what's going to happen, and some of you have already heard it, but most of you haven't and I know you are anxious to find out!

I will give you three clues:

1. There is another prophecy involved.

2. Charlotte will play a very important role in the downfall of Lord Voldemort.

3. Tonks plays a large part in the story.

Cryptic clues! Ooh, do you hate me now? Or do you love me?

I would love to hear your theories.

Thankies:

Emma: Hey! Didn't you realise? I didn't really either until the fifth book. Harry kept on thinking about last June when Cedric died, and anyway, most of the really good stuff happens at the end of the year, which is June for them weird people in the Northern Hemisphere! (No offence was meant to anyone in that statement. That wasn't proper grammar. Oh well.) Sorry what I said would happen didn't!

Ron's Best Mate: Thanks for the many reviews. You took what I said seriously, huh? Ah, well. Um, can I use your real name when I put you in the next chapter? (See end of chap.)

michelleywelley: Hello! Thanks for the review, as always. The parents might…I have to think of something first. It was just an idea!

Here we go. Chapter five!

Chapter Five – The Hogwarts Express Part Two

The train sped towards Hogwarts, the smoke from it's smokestack dissipating into the atmosphere as the scarlet train wound through the countryside.

Inside the train, Charlotte and Harry were happily talking about Hogwarts and other related subjects, waiting for his friends. The food trolley came and went, and there was a lull in the conversation as they munched on magical treats.

It felt like they had been on the train forever, yet there was no sign of them reaching their destination soon. Charlotte was just running out of things to say when the compartment door opened and a tall redhead poked his head in.

"I see you've got company, Harry," the young man laughed. "I'm not interrupting anything?"

Harry got up and punched him lightly on the arm, then hugged him.

"Steady on mate, it's only been a couple of hours," he said.

Charlotte felt her old tendency to sink into the background coming back. Harry had seemed to forget she was there.

"Where's your other half?"

"She's coming," the redhead replied. "So's Ginny. Er, I don't think you've introduced us yet, mate," he continued, looking over Harry's shoulder (which didn't take much effort as the boy was so tall) at Charlotte.

Harry looked embarrassed. "Er, Charlotte, this is Ron Weasley, my best friend. Ron, this is Charlotte Vaughan."

Charlotte was amazed that he had remembered her name. She wasn't a very memorable person, or so she thought.

Ron stuck out his hand. "Pleased to meet you, Charlotte,"

She tentatively returned the greeting.

Just as Ron was getting comfortable, the brunette Charlotte had seen on the platform arrived, along with the other redhead. The brunette's hair was alarmingly bushy.

The girls plonked themselves down on either side of Ron, the brunette planting a kiss on his cheek. Ron went red and returned the greeting. The redhead hid her eyes.

"Not in public, please."

Harry laughed. "Sorry, Charlotte, I forgot to mention: Ron and Hermione are going out."

Charlotte guessed that the brunette was Hermione, so the redhead had to be Ginny. Just as she was thinking this, Ginny introduced herself.

"Well, since Harry isn't going to introduce us -" She gave Harry a mock dark look "- I'll have to do it. I'm Ginny Weasley, Ron's little sister. That's Hermione Granger, top witch in every subject."

"And I'm glad for it," Ron said, kissing Hermione on the cheek again. "Otherwise I'd never get my homework done."

"You should put some more effort into your work this year," Hermione told him seriously. "We have our NEWTs this year."

"Newts?" inquired Charlotte.

"Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests. End of year exams for the seventh years. Basically, us." Hermione replied.

"Um, not me, Hermione. Thank God. OWLs were more than enough, thankyou very much!" Ginny exclaimed.

"Ordinary Wizarding Levels," Hermione translated.

Charlotte's mind was whirling with all this new information. She knew she would never remember it all.

"So…you're Muggle-born, are you, Charlotte?" Hermione asked.

Before she could answer, Ron interrupted. "Let's find out."

He knelt in front of her, his blue eyes staring into her hazel ones. Very slowly, he said two words.

"Lord Voldemort."

Charlotte frowned. Ron smiled. "Yep, she's Muggle-born."

"Oh, don't tease her, Ron," Hermione scolded. "Just because you don't get a reaction out of her doesn't mean she's Muggle-born, anyway."

"I am," Charlotte confirmed quickly. "Who's…Lord Voldemort?"

"He's the darkest wizard alive." Hermione replied. "He -" She broke off, glancing at Harry, who shrugged. "He killed Harry's parents."

The silence in the compartment was deafening. Everyone seemed to be avoiding Harry's gaze. Harry was scowling fiercely.

Charlotte wisely decided not to pursue the subject. Instead she stared out the window, waiting for someone to speak.

Ginny came to her rescue. "So, Charlotte…who did you leave behind Down Under? I presume that's where you're from."

Charlotte nodded. "I lived in Darwin, up north. It's the smallest capital city in Australia. It's got less than a hundred thousand people. We moved here in June, just before my birthday."

"Who did you leave behind, though?"

"Oh, uh…a few people. Sophie, Laura, Xana, Kircy, Clare, Jamie, Holly…that's about it."

"Any boys?" Ginny asked.

Ron rolled his eyes. "Is that all you care about, Gin?"

Ginny glared at him. "Just wondering."

Charlotte thought for a moment. "Nope," she said. "Oh, except Ben…but he moved to Ireland in February. He was my best friend since Preschool."

"Just your friend?" asked Ginny disappointedly. Charlotte nodded. "I never had a boyfriend, if that's what you mean."

Ginny shrugged. "You could say that,"

Hermione glanced at her watch and gasped. "We're almost there, and we haven't changed yet!"

"Keep your hair on, Hermione, we'll get changed now." Ron shook his head. "You worry too much."

"Boys, out." Ginny said.

"Aw, why do we get kicked out?" asked Ron, annoyed.

"Because there's more of us, that's why," Ginny replied. "Skedaddle!"

Ron raised his eyebrows at her choice of language, but said nothing. He opened his trunk, took out a set of robes and gestured for Harry to do the same.

When the boys were safely out of the compartment, the girls quickly changed. As they were only pulling them over their heads and not actually removing any items of clothing, Charlotte didn't quite see the point of kicking the boys out, but said nothing.

There was a knock at the door soon after they sat down again. "You girls decent?" came Ron's voice.

"No!" called Ginny, though they were all finished putting on their robes.

"Who's not?"

"Hermione," Ginny answered.

"Good." Ron opened the door.

"Ron!" Hermione cried. "What if it'd been true?"

Ron shrugged. "You weren't exactly changing, just putting robes on over."

"Pervert!" Ginny said, disgusted. Charlotte couldn't help a giggle.

Harry came in. "What was that?"

"Ron's a perverted freak," Ginny answered, still looking quite grossed out.

Ron ignored her. He simply pulled his girlfriend into a deep kiss.

"Urgh, get a room!"

The couple ignored her. Ginny looked at Charlotte.

"Have you got any brothers or sisters?" she asked.

Charlotte shook her head. "Be thankful," Ginny told her. "I have six older brothers and this is the third time I've caught Ron and Hermione doing this. It's enough to send me bonkers."

Charlotte giggled again. Ginny was funny.

The train began to slow down slightly, and the couple reluctantly broke apart.

"About time," Harry remarked. "I thought you guys were permanently joined at the mouth there for a sec!"

Ron glared at him. Hermione rose.

"Come on, you two, we have to go and help."

The Weasleys grumbled, but followed her anyway. Once again, Charlotte and Harry were alone in the compartment.

"Excited?" Harry asked her, breaking the silence.

Charlotte nodded. "Definitely."

The whistle blew. Charlotte looked out the window. With a start, she realised that night had fallen. She hadn't noticed the day slip by so quickly.

The train stopped, and the two rose. "Leave your trunk here, Char," Harry told her. "Er…you don't mind if I call you that, do you?"

Charlotte shook her head. "Dad calls me Chars, Mum calls me Char unless she's angry with me, and all my friends call me Char except for Holly. She calls me Charrie."

Harry nodded. "Come on, we'd better go."

They left the train. Ginny was holding the door of the carriage.

"See ya later, Charlotte," she said. "I hope you're in Gryffindor."

Charlotte assured her that she did too, and then she turned to Harry.

"Where do we go?"

Harry pointed to the line of apparently horseless carriages. "I go over there. First years follow Hagrid."

Before she could reply, he had hurried off to join his friends. She looked around, unsure of what to do next.

"Firs' years, over 'ere! Firs' years, follow me!"

Charlotte looked up, and saw the largest man she had ever seen in her life.

Okay, that may be a cliffhanger for some people, but it shouldn't be if you've read the book or seen the movie. Emma, I know I said that she would actually see Hogwarts, but the chapter got too long! I'm sorry! Malfoy was going to be in it, but the chap got too long, so I cut him out. By some miracle, he didn't find their compartment or something. I don't know. I'll think of something.

Anyone that has reviewed, or reviews this chapter, will get a mention in my story! If you have a penname that doesn't give me any idea what your name is, I'll make it up, but I will tell you who is who!

Okay, that's it from me.

~Pen~