Charlie looked round the door at Callie attempting to feed Nagini. She had locked her away in a cage, wihtout Voldemort's knowledge of course, as he had gone on one of his long trips away from home, assumingly to kill someone.
"Erm, Callie, mum?" Callie looked up, surprised. She was balanced on a chair, holding a mouse in her hand, dangling it over the cage which was on top of a tall unit. She gave up, put the mouse back in a cardboard box and put the box away, hopping off the chair.
"Stupid snake. What're you meant to feed a 'Dark Lord helper pet' anyway?" she smiled, chuckling at herself. Charlie smiled back, politely. Her mind was on anything but her father's snake.
"Can I talk to you, Callie?" she reverted to first name terms.
"Yeah, sure, I suppose." More than anything these days, Callie wanted to get on with Charlie, repay all the coldness she ahd given her growing up. They sat down at the dining room table.
"Yesterday, I spent the day at Harry Potter's house." Charlie said, not looking her mum in the eyes.
Callie sighed. She didn't like this 'mission' Charlie was on for her father. "You know, if you want, I could try and get your father to, I dunno, back off?" Charlie looked up, ecstatic, while Callie carried on. "I don't like you spending time with that boy." Charlie's face drooped.
"Well, that would be good, I'm not cut out for dad's…you know..that kinda work…"
Callie smiled.
"And…Harry and I are…in love."
Ths was the worst news Callie could have imagined.
"What? How? No, this is not possible, Charlie, I FORBID YOU TO SEE THAT BOY!" she stood up and turned around, with her back facing Charlie, a hand on her forehead. "Oh my, oh my this is not good… Charlie, Harry is my great great grandson. He is your great-great nephew…" she looked completely shattered.
Charlie was horrified. "How?" was all she could manage to say.
Callie closed her eyes. "When I was 35 years old, had my first child-your half brother, Ralph. I got so anxious that I was growing up too fast, that I spent months inventing a way to make myself immortal. Then one day, I did. I had shut myself away for ages, thinking nothing but of this formula, and I brewed a potion, drunk it, and it worked. My son was now five years old, and I spent one last summer with him and my husband, then ran away. I couldn't take it. I was never mother material." Charlie, nodded, understandably, while Callie carried on. "I went into hiding for years, watching my family from a distance, watched them grow, then die, one by one. I used to visit my husband, Harold's grave all the time, for years and years. Then one day, 50 years ago, I met your father, and fell in love, I never told him my real age. We married and I had you, seventeen years ago, and…you know the rest…" she paused, to catch her breath. "I've never told this to anyone, but the point is, I was Callidora Potter for a long time, and my grandson, Ralph Potter Junior, had a son, called James Potter. Are you following, now?"
Charlie gasped. "James…had Harry…oh my god…" she ran out of the house, Callie calling after her.
Harry sat, not wanting to look at Charlie, taking in what she had just told him.
"Callie, if this makes sense to you…I don't…really…care…"
"What do you mean."
"Who cares if your mother may have married my ancestor? That's stupid, it's nothing, I love you Charlie."
"When you put it like that…" she giggled. "Harry, I'm pregnant."
A broad smile broke across his face. "That's wonderful! Hey…why don't we go away, away from all this, and start a family somewhere else?"
Charlie gasped, then nodded. They kissed, by the next day, they had gone.