28 years old and smiling, Charlotte Potter was brushing her daughter's hair.
Lily had grown up as bouncy and beautiful as the day she was born, the spitting image of her dead grandma. She always wore a smile, and would chat for hours to anyone who looked her way, but lacked the intelligence and cunning that the female members of her family possessed. Charlotte could not think of loving her daughter more, for she was her sun and stars (song of ice and fire quote!), and she considered herself lucky to have such a wonderful daughter.
As she brushed her silky, straight brown hair, Charlotte laughed at Lily's rambling. She was to start Hogwarts tomorrow with her brother, and was as excited as ever.
"It's gonna be really great, isn't it mum? This is like the first time I'm gonna be around other wizarding children! I'm so excited, Nate and I are going to have the BEST time, we'll be together for everything of course, and I bet it will cheer him up a bit mum, I really do." She giggled, squirming with pleasure in her seat.
Charlie wished she could share in her daughter's good nature, but she feared Nathaniel would never 'cheer up' in the way that Lily suggested, and she hated to think it, but she could bet her life that they would not end up together for everything…
"Yes, darling, you're going to have lots of fun, but you've got to work hard as well! And try and get on that Quidditch team!"
Lily giggled again, nodding. She had her father's Quidditch skills, and hoped to be the first female first year to get onto their house Quidditch team.
Charlie kissed her goodnight, then went into Nathaniel's room. As usual, he was sitting cross-legged on his bed, poring over some new book he had acquired. He looked up when Charlie walked in, and scowled.
"You could have knocked mother." He hurriedly put the book away, and turned to face her on the bed.
Charlie forced a smile. She blamed herself her lack of mothering towards him had made him so moody and silent, but she just couldn't get close to him.
"What were you reading?" she asked pleasantly.
His expression hardened. "Nothing, mother, it was nothing. Now if you excuse me I have to sleep now. Big day tomorrow." He got under the bedclothes and rolled over.
Charlie frowned, not quite knowing what to do. She sat on the edge of his bed and kissed him on his cheek, stroking his hair at the same time. He did not move, so she sighed and left the room, whispering 'goodnight'.
Along the hallway to hers and Harry's room, Charlie stopped at a family portrait done a few months ago. There was her, and Harry, same as ever, and Lily, smiling, and then Nathaniel. He hardly ever had a genuine smile, and never spoke to anyone without having to be provoked first.
Unlike his sister in so many ways, Nathaniel James Potter had grown up gaunt and sickly looking, ever a pale-faced boy. He was handsome, very handsome, but it was a sullen, boyish charm which made his face pleasant, and Charlie was sure his looks would fade if he carried on spoiling them with his glares and frowns.
Only Charlie knew he was exactly like her father, and this scared her more than anything. Harry treated the children the same way, as he was out most of the time working. When he came home, he hugged the kids, and went straight to bed, exhausted by the constant battle to find and wipe out the last of the Death Eaters.
There were many remaining Death Eaters, bent on carrying out and finishing where Voldemort had left off, and Bellatrix Lestrange was one of them. Harry had a hatred for her, as he killed Sirius, and her and her sister had caused nothing but trouble to his family.
But Charlie was left at home, trying to get close to her son but failing. And now they were off to Hogwarts, and she wouldn't see them until Christmas. He was growing even further away from her.