The Reunion
Charlotte looked at her hands. It seemed to be dawning on her that things had changed a little since she went into that cupboard. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
"I was in potions, and Sirius kept sending sparks at me. Professor Slughorn noticed and asked me to go and get a bezoar from the cupboard. I was searching around when I fell into that cabinet. It all became black, and my jersey was caught on the side of it. I called out but no one seemed to hear me. I was in there for about an hour when I heard a voice, and it was…" She trailed out, eyeing Harry. He noticed she was eyeing his scar.
Dumbledore looked saddened, but he took a potion off Snape as he returned to the room. "Charlotte, I'd like you to take this calming draught. It will help you understand what is going on."
Charlotte nodded meekly and took the steaming mug. She sipped at it, and Harry noticed Dumbledore eye Snape.
"Alright," Dumbledore began. "Charlotte, you are no longer in the year 1976. You are in the year 1994."
Charlotte's eyes widened, but she did not look too alarmed. "I traveled through time?"
"Not exactly," Dumbledore said. "It sounds as though you have been frozen in time. That may in fact have been a vanishing cabinet. They have been known to freeze what is within them in time. Not entirely, however. You have likely aged an hour or two. Unfortunately the rest of the world has aged approximately 18 years. Your friends and family, Charlotte, have all grown up."
Tears sparkled in her eyes again, but Dumbledore pressed on.
"As you know, a boy who looks like your friend James pulled you from the cupboard. His name is Harry Potter, and he is James' son. Your classmate Severus is a teacher at Hogwarts, he has replaced Professor Slughorn, and I am still headmaster."
Dumbledore finished here quietly and glanced at Harry. Harry was beginning to appreciate the enormity of the situation. This girl would have no idea what had happened in her absence. "We will just start with the important things, to orient her to where she is now." Dumbledore said, as if he knew what Harry was thinking.
"Charlotte, Hogwarts eventually had to accept you were gone. We could not find you anywhere, and aurors from the missing persons department searched for you for three years." Dumbledore began again looking somber. "I see now, my mistake, in believing I understood all of the schools mysteries. We all thought you were gone forever."
A couple of lone tears trickled from her eye now, but she spoke calmly. "Everyone thinks I'm dead?"
Dumbledore nodded slowly. "I'm sorry Charlotte, I let you down."
She glanced up at him finally, removing her gaze from the floor. "But… I can't… Sirius, Marlene…. They'll be so old now…" She glanced at Snape. "You're Snape?"
Snape's face had lost its compassion, and now appeared as more of the sneer Harry recognized every time he looked at him. "Indeed, it is Professor Snape now."
Charlotte looked at Dumbledore. "Can't you just send me back?"
Dumbledore looked sad. "I'm sorry Charlotte. That is not possible. Awful things happen to witches and wizards who mess with time. "
"I don't want to mess with it!" She raised her voice. "I just want to fix it!"
No one spoke, and Charlotte was attempting to calm her breathing. She took another sip of the potion and this seemed to help. She was still shaking. Harry wished he could help. At the same time, he wanted to ask her all about his father. This girl had spoken to his father yesterday!
As if she could hear him she glanced up at Harry. Her eyes met his and he couldn't help but remember how he had touched her breast earlier. He went red yet again.
"I can't believe it," she said, her eyes meeting his. "You look just like James."
Harry smiled. "I get told it all the time, except for my eyes…"
"Harry," Dumbledore interrupted, warningly. "We can't give her any more information than is necessary."
"Yeah," Charlotte said, ignoring Dumbledore. "James, he has hazel eyes." But luckily she didn't press the subject. There was obviously a lot for her to come to terms with.
"I think," Dumbledore said slowly. "For now it would be best for us to put you in an enchanted sleep Charlotte. You can sleep in the Gryffindor dormitory, there is a spare bed…"
"No," she interrupted. "I want to see my friends."
Dumbledore sighed. "I cannot allow that, it will be too overwhelming."
"Sirius, he'll want to see me."
Harry thought it lucky it wasn't James she was demanding to see.
Dumbledore remained quiet for a long time. He looked ponderous. "Severus," he said. "Perhaps Remus…"
"Yeah," Charlotte said. "Remus, he can get me? I.. where is Remus? Is he a teacher too?"
Severus raised an eyebrow. "Surely, she should remain in the castle? She is, technically a student."
Charlotte glared at him with great dislike. "Shut it snivellus."
Snape's face was livid. Harry suppressed a laugh of joy, he had never heard anyone speak to Snape like that, other than…
"Sirius," Charlotte said. "Where is he?"
Dumbledore did not answer. He waved his wand and send what appeared to be a winged patronus flying off into the distance. A few long moments later a wolf patronus burst into the room. Lupin's voice rang out "I will apparate to the gates."
Dumbledore nodded to Snape. "Please escort Remus from the gates, and inform him what has happened."
Snape nodded curtly and left the room. Harry couldn't help but wonder if he was the right man for the job. As silence engulfed the room Harry had so many burning questions to ask her. Eventually he blurted one out.
"Was, my dad, was he your friend?" Harry asked.
Charlotte looked up at him with surprise, and another emotion, perhaps, was she hurt?
"Yeah," she said slowly. "I mean, he hasn't, like, mentioned me at all?"
Harry felt stupid. "I.. I can't recall.. sorry," he said, finishing somewhat lamely.
She shook her head. "Don't be," she said. "Yes he is my friend. Well was, I guess. Marlene and I befriended James and his friends after we got into a fight with some Slytherins. Death eaters they call themselves." She eyed Dumbledore at this, as if she might get into trouble.
He smiled at her. "I am well aware of your antics, Charlotte. Forgive me, if I let them slide considering the situation."
They then were quiet again as footsteps sounded up the stairs. There were raised voices as well.
"You can not come up here!" Snape said angrily.
"Please," Remus said, but was interrupted as a great black dog pushed open the door to the headmasters office. It bounded in, followed by a sour faced Snape, and a pale faced Remus, who looked sick to his stomach. He shut the door behind them and they made their way over to where Harry sat, in silence. A now tear faced Charlotte couldn't seem to bring herself to look up.
Sirius transformed into his human form, and Dumbledore smiled serenely. It was as if he had known this would happen. Snape stood off to the side, and Harry watched as his Dad's best friends stared at the teenage girl, colour draining from their faces. Sirius looked, as Harry had never seen him, his face softened, but his hands began to shake. He stumbled slightly as he moved forward into the light and Remus reached out to steady him.
"Charlie?" Remus finally said. "Is it really you?"
She lifted her head up to see the two men. Her tears continued, but she looked shocked. She couldn't seem to speak, her mouth just opened and closed, silent tears dripping over her lips. Eventually she brushed the tears from her face.
"You two look bloody awful."
Remus half laughed half gasped with releif. Sirius didn't seem to be able to move, but Remus knelt down in front of her and put his arms around her. She leant into him gratefully, burying her face into his shoulder.
"We thought you were dead," he said sadly.
His hug seemed to give her the strength to stand, and she stood in front of Sirius, hands on her hips eyeing him up.
"Well, Black, I see you are still incapable of human emotion," she said, in a new more confident voice.
Sirius gave a short laugh. "I…" but before he could speak she had thrown her arms around him. Harry suddenly felt as though he was intruding on something private. Their hug was different from hers and Lupins. Sirius had gone oddly silent, and his hands hesitantly met her back. She on the other hand was gripping him tightly, and one hand had snaked its way through his long hair.
Harry looked down feeling awkward, but Sirius soon also jumped back.
"Charlie," he said. "I can't believe it."
As he drew back and they made eye contact again Charlotte started hyperventilating. Remus quickly grabbed her shoulders, but only just in time as she fainted.