Author Note: Just so you know, I know very well Lucius went to Azkaban, but for purpose of my story he will not be going in until a little later. Oh and the muggle studies thing was not originally my idea. I am pretty sure my friend Aimee came up with it and I was just there at her house or something, it's a little changed, but the basic idea is the same. Thanks Aimee. Enjoy the story.

Chapter Five:

Charlotte stared up at the ceiling as she lay with her back against the cold stone floor in her room. For some odd reason she felt better lying there than on her bed. It was a Saturday, the day she had her meeting with Lucius Malfoy, the worst man she'd ever had the pleasure of meeting.

Charlotte smirked to herself. She felt like such a child lying there trying to get away from it all.

"How fucking old am I?" she asked herself out loud as she got up from the floor, "I am twenty-three bloody years old and I might as well have a teensy bit of fun before he kills me later." Charlotte grabbed her tattered robes and flung them over her body and left her bedchambers.

"Good morning, Charlotte!" Professor Flitwick called after her when she walked past him.

"Good morning to you as well," she smiled and continued to walk down the hallway. She walked past a number of her students who all stopped her to ask, or tell, her something relevant to the class or not. She had apparently made good with her students, which did make her happy. She liked to be on good terms with people, well sometimes that is.

"Where're you off to in such a hurry?"

Charlotte stopped and turned towards a well-groomed young boy. He was wearing an expensive French designed robe with a freshly tailored shirt and pants set underneath, all, of course, were black.

"What do you want, Draco?" Charlotte showed no hint of annoyance towards him. Truth be told she cared for the little brat. She never understood why, but she always had a part of her that wanted to look out for him, to make sure he was safe even if she didn't believe he deserved it in the slightest.

"I asked you a question."

"And I chose to ignore it."

"You are going to Hogsmeade are you not?" Draco crossed his arms along his chest and leaned against the wall. His face was void of all emotions, but his voice gave it away, he was curious.

"Yes I am, Draco. Care to come along?" Draco stared at her; he had expected anything but that to come from her. Never in the years that he had been her brother had she ever been nice to him, it was slightly disturbing.

"As tempting as that sounds I will have to pass," he stated with a smirk.

"Suit yourself," she shrugged and turned to leave before turning back towards him again, "What ever you do Draco, don't end up like him."

"I am shocked, I never expected you to be one to care. Not in the many years that I have known you have you ever been one to care."

"Draco I don't like you, in fact I hate you, but that doesn't mean I don't love you. I did take care of you when…"

"I know," he cut her off quickly, not wanting to remember it, "I know what you did and I thank you for it, but I don't need you or anyone else's help anymore."

"You may not need it Draco, but that doesn't mean people won't give it to you. I never wanted to be part of your damned family and I sure as hell didn't want to be your older sister, but Draco you're not heartless like you seem to act."

"Who says I am not actually heartless?"

"Me, I know you better than you think Draco."

"Go to hell, Charlotte. No one needs you here and no one wants you here either. It was better when we all thought you died, at least I was happy for a while."

"Your words have no feeling behind them and they will not pierce my heart as you wish they did because I simply don't care," she turned and left him there, leaning against the wall.

She shrugged the whole conversation off her mind and walked down the steps. Her speed slowed as she got closer to the Great hall, "Why does he have to be so difficult."

"If you are talking about Malfoy then I can give you an answer," Harry spoke up from the steps making Charlotte stop.

"Okay, Mr. Potter, I am listening."

"Malfoy is a git," Charlotte laughed as she sat down beside him.

"Too true," she answered with a smile.

"Can I ask you something?"

"You just did, Harry," Harry stared at her with an annoyed expression, which just made her laugh.

"Go ahead."

"Why are you not like them?"

"Like the rest of my family?" Harry nodded.

"To tell you the truth, I don't know. I figure it would make sense if I was an evil prat like that wouldn't it?" Harry nodded yet again, "I would like to think that it's good that I am not like that."

"Oh it is, Professor, but it's just that you are nothing like Malfoy or what I have seen of his family. They all act like they are the best and they don't give a damn who sees it."

"That sums it up pretty well. Look, Harry, I don't know why I am any different, but I will find out one of these days and when I do I'll let you know," Harry smiled at her, "Oh that reminds me, I have something for you." Harry watched her, confused completely at what she was talking about. She stood up and looked down at him. "Come with me."

"Where?"

"Trust me," Harry eyed her, but got up and followed her down a number of hallways to an old wooden classroom door. It looked like it hadn't been opened in years so it made him wonder what this was all about. Charlotte just opened the door and waited for him to follow suit. He stepped into the very dusty old classroom. It had desks stacked on both sides and an old standing chalkboard in the back that still had things written on it.

MUGGLE MUSIC

That's what was written on the board. Underneath were a number of different types of music and also a music bar at the very bottom. "This is where the old Muggle Studies class was held, though I have heard that it's now very different. I guess that came with the change of the teacher."

Harry gave her a questioning look and then looked back around the room. There were shelves that made their way completely around the classroom. On top of the shelves were an assortment of different things, paintings and creations of some sort. Charlotte noticed him looking at them and smiled, "They are projects from over the years. See Muggle Studies was a lot more fun than it is now. Mainly projects and fun hand-outs on activities at least it was when I was here."

"Why did you bring me here?"

"Oh right," Charlotte strode over to a bookshelf in the back except it didn't hold any books, it held records and music, "This is why I brought you here, You see I spent a lot of time in this room when I was in school. Now that it's no longer in use students aren't allowed in here, in fact it's locked by magic."

Charlotte thumbed her way through the records and dusted the bindings so she could read what they said. She looked in thought for a minute and then stopped. "Awe, here it is," she pulled out one of the records and blew on it, filling the air with a puff of dust. She motioned for Harry to come to her and he did. She handed him the case.

Harry stared at the cover, unable to speak. He was in shock of what this record case held. His father and his mates where staring at him from the cover.

"My dad?" he asked, forcing some sound to come from his throat, which suddenly felt very dry.

"This room holds many memories of your father and his friends. I am sure there are plenty of things still lying around that they did, but I haven't really looked. I have been a music buff since I was old enough to walk so this shelf always attracted me."

"Why didn't anyone tell me?"

"I know you think that the teachers here have been keeping this a secret, but I can tell you differently. Not many of them know all this stuff is still in here. It should have been cleaned out long ago and since no one comes in here anymore it wasn't cleaned up afterwards. I just thought I should let you know," she said, pointing at the record case.

She could tell that Harry was having trouble figuring out whether to be mad at this or happy. She only watched him study the case before he tossed it onto the ground and left the room. Charlotte sighed and picked up the case again. She looked at the cover and frowned, "Poor boy, got ripped away from his parents when he needed them the most," she placed the record back on the shelf and stood for a moment. It was such a shame that they changed the class.

She looked around the room once more before leaving it again. She shut the door and locked it back up before walking slowly back to the Great Hall to find Bill. She needed to talk to him.

"You want to go to Hogsmeade?" Bill asked her for the fourth time.

"Yes I want to go to Hogsmeade, why is there such a problem?"

"There isn't a problem Charlotte, it's just that don't you have to get ready for that meeting with your father?" Bill asked her as he took a bite of his apple.

"No."

"Okay, Charlotte, let's go," she smiled at him and left the Great Hall.

The weather wasn't as great as it should have been for a trip to Hogsmeade, but neither Charlotte nor Bill cared. It was pouring and both of them were soaked to the bone, but they were having a good time just talking about things that didn't even matter, like dreams they'd had or non important items that just made conversations fun.

"You dreamed you were murdered? I worry for you Mr. Weasley," she laughed.

"I worry about you too dear child, I mean dreaming of mice, how horrible that must have been," he responded mockingly.

"You don't know; they were rather scary. Gnawing on things and their beady little eyes. They know things that people don't."

"Now you are really worrying me, you sound like Matt."

"Oh how I miss them."

"You miss Matt?" Bill asked, not quite sure that he heard correctly.

"He may be a little strange but he's my mate along with Chris."

"You always leave Erik out."

"That's because he doesn't like me, William," she looked at him.

"Don't call me that. You make me think of my mother."

"You love your mother."

"Yes, but she only calls me William when I get into trouble," Charlotte laughed at him as he continued. "In fact she still does it to this day."

"So what should I call you? Mr. Weasley?"

"What you always do, Ms. Malfoy."

"Billy it is then," she smiled at him. Before either one of them knew it they were standing outside the shops of Hogsmeade, "That was quick."

"Only because I was here."

"You, my friend, are getting quite big headed. I think we need to pop that large head of yours."

"No, I think it's quite fine the way it is," Bill looked down at her dripping wet form and before he knew it he was stepping closer to her.

Charlotte looked at him with a raised brow as he stepped closer to her. He placed one hand on her shoulder and leaned down. She was about ready to yell at him for not keeping the promise that he made, when he kissed her forehead and slid his hand along her back to her other shoulder and continued to walk, slowly ushering her along. For some reason, she couldn't shake the slight disappointment she felt when he kissed her forehead.

Bill took her into a few shops where they laughed and joked before heading to one last spot.

WEASLEY WIZARD WEEZES

"Bill?" Charlotte asked.

"I told you, Fred and George," they stepped into the shop and waited for the twin terrors to walk out of the back room. They weren't getting any shoppers that day because of the bad rain, otherwise; Bill was sure of it, they would be out and showing off their new inventions.

Sure enough George, followed by Fred, walked out of a door in the corner and grinned at their eldest brother.

"Bill," Fred started.

"It's good to see you," George finished.

"So what have you been working on as of late?" Bill asked.

"You should know that," George started.

"Only Aimee is allowed that information," Fred finished.

"Awe yes, the third member," Charlotte said. Fred and George stopped and looked at her. Sure they had met her before, but it still came to a shock to them that Bill was her friend.

"Charlotte," Both Fred and George said.

"Work's been fine guys," she said, knowing what they were going to ask. They were, after all, big fans of hers.

"So how many times have you been called Silver Flare since you started teaching?" Fred asked.

"Surprisingly, none."

"No one recognizes you?" George asked.

"No one cares," Charlotte answered truthfully.

The four of them continued to talk for quite some time before Charlotte excused herself so she could get back to the castle quick enough to dry off and make her meeting with the devil known as Lucius Malfoy.

Charlotte sat in Snape's office and waited. She was early, but that was definitely better than being late. Lucius never liked anyone who was late. Of course this confused Charlotte because he always came in late. He, on the other hand, considered it 'fashionably late', when it really wasn't.

Charlotte was pulled from her thoughts when Snape came in with none other than Lucius himself. He smirked at the sight of her and then waved Snape back out of the door. Charlotte only hoped that Snape would be quick enough to come in if anything should happen."Why Charlotte, haven't you grown," he started with a sickenly-disturbing drawl; "It's been a long time."

"Not long enough," she spat.

"Always the fiery one. You were nothing like Draco, always a disappointment you were."

"What do you want with me?"

"I just came to see how my only daughter is doing."

"I don't believe you."

"You don't have to."

"So cut the crap Lucius, what do you want?"

"You will not spoil my plans, Charlotte."

"What plans?" she asked, the bitterness of the past years evident in her voice.

"You will not spoil the plans I have for Draco. You will not change his opinions."

"I am not trying to change his opinions, I am trying to get him to think for himself like I normal sixteen year old boy should be able to do. You will end up killing him this way," Charlotte fought back.

"If that be the plan then I will not change it."

"If you are willing to kill your son then you are more of a bastard then I thought you to be," Lucius glared at the black haired girl before him and grabbed her throat.

"You will not win this battle."

"There is no battle, Lucius," she spat, "Though even if there was, I don't plan on losing," her lungs began to burn as he tightened his grip and the air stopped coming so easily.

"You will learn to respect me or you will die among those filthy muggle friends of yours."

Charlotte didn't even care how he knew about them she only focused on keeping herself breathing what air would come. She felt lightheaded and the colors of the room were fading to a dark place, but she continued to fight.

"I," she spoke, her voice raspy, "I'd rather die along side them before I ever learn to respect a fowl creature like yourself."

In the few seconds after the words flowed from her lips she feared he'd squeeze harder upon her neck before her world began spinning out of control, but it never came. He just let go of her neck and stepped back.

The colors of the room brightened and she took a deep breath, filling her lungs with the sweet air around her. Lucius, however, started to laugh as he held up his cane, preparing either to pull out his wand or strike her in the head with it, but neither came. Instead she found his cane being taken from his hand by Snape.

"I think you should go," Lucius turned to face Charlotte once more and glared at her, silently promising he would be back to grant her death wish among her muggle friends.

Still Charlotte didn't let any emotion show. She just watched as Snape led Lucius out of his office. Charlotte cursed the ground he walked on and swore that she would not let him win, not this time. He had haunted her dreams for many years, but she refused to let her fears for him let him murder his own son.