Authors Note: Sorry it took so long. I have already began writing the NEXT chapter, so it should be up by the end of February or the very very first week of March. I finally have time to write again! Well, at night anyways! I'm so excited about this fic! As always, read and leave me a review and tell me what you like and don't like! MWAH!!!
Ch. 7 Last line: Dumbledore nodded. "Take her upstairs and let her rest. She is undoubtedly exhausted. Make sure you both put a spell on her to make sure she is still doing well. Contact me immediately if things get worse. I will be in my office." and with that, Dumbledore Floo'd to his office.
Remus, still holding Charlotte, nodding along with Sirius, and both men took the still wet and shivering girl upstairs. Going straight to Laura's room, Sirius opened the door and cast an immediate warming spell on the room, Remus following in a few moments afterward.
"Are you okay to walk, Charlotte?" Remus asked gently.
"Y-yeah, I'm just so...so tired..." Charlotte replied in a soft and tired voice.
Remus lowered her gently to the floor, Sirius bringing her over a pair of warm, dry pajamas for her to wear. He himself was still in his soaking wet and cold clothes.
"You're still wet, Sirius..." Charlotte said.
With a faint smile, Sirius waved his wand over his clothes and muttered a simple drying spell.
"Now that I'm all dry, its time to get you into some dry and comfortable clothes little missy." Sirius replied with a smile.
"Do you need any help?" Remus asked, not really realizing what he offered.
Charlotte blushed a tiny bit and shook her head.
"I think I'll be okay, but don't leave yet, okay?" Charlotte asked.
Remus and Sirius nodded and gave her their backs as she slipped off her wet bra and panties and put on her pajama shirt and pants.
"Okay, I'm decent." Charlotte said.
Remus and Sirius turned back around, both looking at her. Walking slowly to the bed, she climbed in while Remus summoned a few extra blankets to put over her. Sirius put a spell on her to inform anyone in the house should her condition worsen again. With all this pampering, Charlotte felt special, cared for, somewhat loved. In her heart, it had been far too long since this happened.
"Thank you both...for all this. Sirius...I know you didn't have to get into that cold water with me, but you did without a word of complaint or a second thought. And without you, Remus, we wouldn't have known what was happening to me. So thank you both...so much." Charlotte said, smiling softly in admiration.
Remus flushed a little bit and nodded. "You're very welcome, Charlotte."
Sirius gave her the trademark Black smile that set many a girl's knees to liquid and replied with "If I had to dunk myself in the icy cold water in my house, I'm glad it was with you. I'm very glad it wasn't someone like Molly..." he said, giving a shudder. Remus made a face at Sirius, and all three laughed. An awkward silence followed for a few moments, each person trying to think of something to say.
"How long do I have to stay up here in bed?" Charlotte asked, finally breaking the silence.
"The rest of the day would be my guess." Remus answered.
Flopping back against the pillows, she groaned softly. "Well...I guess I can always get started on my lessons. Although, I don't think I'm up for McGonagall or Snape just yet. And I daresay either of you are too busy right now..."
"Nonsense, I have nothing to do. Allow me to lecture you on "The Importance of being a Pure-Blood!" Sirius said, in a mocking voice of his own father.
Remus and Charlotte laughed at him, Remus shaking his head.
"Pads, you never change." Remus chided softly.
"Never have, never will, Moony. Now, shoo, so I can get into teacher-mode and fill this impressionable young girl's mind with my Pure-Blood ways." Sirius said with a smirk.
"As long as its her brain and not her--" Remus started.
"Moony!!" Sirius interrupted Remus, blushing ever so slightly. "We're in mixed company." he said, nudging his head towards Charlotte.
Remus just smiled and waved goodbye as he walked out of her room.
"Sorry about him, sometimes. He has been hanging around me and the twins for far too long." Sirius somewhat apologized, smiling.
Charlotte smiled and laughed softly. "Its okay, Sirius. So...shall we get down to business?"
"Yes. Lets see, where to begin..." Sirius said, thoughtfully. "First of all, purebloods think they are better than everyone else; everyone else being anyone who isn't a pureblood. Actually, the richer the pureblood, the better. As you can see, the Weasley family have been outcasts...they're pureblood but they're not rich. And since you're going to be in the high and mighty Slytherin, there's one thing that you can pretty much guess. You'll have to be in favor of what Voldemort is doing. You don't have to be a Death Eater per se, but you will have to think the thoughts of 'Those damn mudbloods and mudblood lovers will pay!', you see? Its all about being cocky and snooty and following Voldemort."
"Wow...I know I can pull off cocky and arrogant, but being a supporter of Voldemort is going to take some practice. I'll have to bite my tongue if they start spouting off shit about how Dumbledore and people who aren't purebloods and all that." Charlotte remarked.
"Yes, that will take a bit of craftiness and thinking before you speak. But don't worry, I'll help you. I was raised for 16 years in that type of thinking. Thank Merlin I never actually believed it." Sirius said.
"Thank you, Sirius. Oh gods, I hope I don't screw all this up." Charlotte said. Taking a shakey breath, she steadied herself. "You know what, I'm not going to screw this up. I refuse to. This is the revenge for that bastard killing my family! And when its all said and done, I'm going to look that murdering, piss-poor excuse for a wizard in the eyes and tell him exactly what should have been told to him from the beginning. And I hope he burns in hell for all eternity!"
Sirius looked a bit taken back by her words, but smiled a bright smile just the same. "That's my girl!" he said with pride.
Charlotte smiled back at Sirius, energized by her new outlook."I need to owl Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall about my lessons. I'm pretty sure I could do my Transfigurations here, but I doubt the same could be said for Potions." she said, rolling her eyes.
Sirius shook his head and laughed sadly. "You get to spend a hell of a lot of time with that overgrown bat. I pity you greatly."
Laughing and chucking a pillow at his head, Charlotte replied with "Its not that bad. Its not like I'm an actual student, so he can't give me detentions, or deduct house points. Or even tell on me to my parents..."
"He'll spank you and take away your birthday!" Sirius announced, laughing.
"Oh gods! That thought just gave me mental images! Sirius! I'm going to rip your bloody head off!" Charlotte said, getting off her bed and going towards him with a grin on her face.
"Oh ew! I didn't even think of mental images until you said that!!!" Sirius said, wincing.
Charlotte stopped mid-step and started laughing. Hard. She fell into a fit of giggles on the floor as Sirius went around trying to get the pictures out of his head.
"Should I say something like 'Oh Severus harder, spank me harder!'?" Charlotte teased, making Sirius go in circles, trying to get the image out of his head.
"You'll pay for that little girl!" Sirius said, once again trying to get pictures out of his head.
The door opened to the bedroom opened in one swing, revealed a very snarky looking Potions Master, with a very unamused look on his face.