Harry Potter
Redemption of the Innocent
By xXxKaraBeckerCutterxXx
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all related concepts do not belong to me! I am merely borrowing them for my own personal enjoyment. All OC's and anything you dont recognize is copyrighted by me: xXxKaraBeckerCutterxXx
Rating: K
Pairing: N/A (as of now)
Genre: Adventure/Friendship
Warnings: Please do not flame me for anything.
Summary: Third year is approaching and Sirius Black has escaped from Azkaban. It is believed that he is heading towards Hogwarts. How far are the friends willing to go, to prove the innocence of a desperate man?
Author's Note: So the school year begins. Thanks to everyone who has added me to favourites. Alerts and whatever else. But a very special thank you to those who take time to read and review, you know who you are and for those who don't these are my special readers. The ones I look forward to hearing from everytime I post. Razmend, Aileen Autaarkeia, DJScales and Forever Dreaming Grace.
Return to Hogwarts
"I got it!" Charlie shouted, as she jumped up from the sofa where she Harry and William had been watching morning cartoons and eating their breakfast. Today was the day where they returned to school and where normally today was a busy day the Hunter household was relatively normal and busy-free. The two 13-year-olds had already packed the previous night and their trunks had been retrieved from their bedrooms and placed in the hallway beside the stairs ready for the next day, the only things that needed to be done in the morning was get two pets into their cages, dress and breakfast everything else had already been done. It was nearing half 10, when there had come a knock at the door and the Slytherin had instantly jumped up to answer it "Hey Rils," she grinned as her best friend stumbled into the house pulling her trunk behind her.
The Gryffindor smiled "Your mum ready?" she asked "The train leaves in half an hour"
"I'll go check," Charlie answered "Because we could always use the Floo network"
Riley nodded and entered the living room as Charlie hurried upstairs "Hey guys," she greeted Harry and William as she dropped down into a chair and reached into her backpack for a bottle of water she had brought with her.
"Hey Riley," Harry smiled as William waved, his mouth full of cereal.
Meanwhile, upstairs, Charlie had just knocked on her mother's door and entered when Serena called out to her "Come on in!" Serena was standing in front of the full length mirror brushing the static out of her hair "Hey, baby whats up?" she asked, spotting her daughter's reflection. Charlie was standing there with a tank top and a pair of faded jean shorts on.
"Hey," she smiled "Uh, Riley is here and the train leaves in half an hour" she explained "You said you wanted to drop us off before you headed into work. If your running late its okay, we could just take the Floo"
"Half an hour?" Serena gasped "Oh My God! Charlie, I am so sorry."
Charlie waved her off "Don't worry, we'll make it, but if we leave now we can get hot chocolate on the way"
"Okay," Serena nodded "Im coming"
"Great!" her daughter grinned, before scampering off to load the car with her and her friends trunks. Serena quickly finished dressing and headed downstairs, grabbed her keys from the table near the door and headed out after her daughter whom she could hear laughing and joking around with her friends. Unlocking the car, Serena helped Harry and Charlie put the trunks in the book (it was a tight squeeze, but they managed) before the kids hopped into the car, as Serena hopped into the drivers seat and fired up the engine.
After stopping for hot chocolate, Serena began driving a bit more hastily to try and get the four kids to the train on time. They were about 10 minutes away, but when Serena was driving the way she was, no one was ever late. Once they had reached Kings Cross Station, the three 13-year-olds, jumped out of the car, unloaded the trunk and the group of five headed inside to see that the kids had about 2 minutes left to board the train.
"Well, thanks for the lift" Charlie said, wrapping her arms around her mother's neck and pulling her into a hug "I'll write when we get to Hogwarts"
"Charlie!" Riley yelled, as she disappeared through the barrier along with Harry and William
Serena noded "No problem," she smiled, kissing her daughter's forehead "I'll try and have you home for Christmas this year. Love you"
"Bye mum!" the Slytherin shouted, running towards the barrier
"Have fun!" Serena shouted "and be safe!"
But Charlie had already gone.
xXxHarryPotterxXx
"I'm warning you, Hermione" Ron's voice carried out from one of the compartments on the Hogwarts Express "Keep that bloody beast away from Scabbers, or I'll turn it into a tea cozy!"
Charlie, Harry and Riley exchanged looks, what was Ron and Hermione fighting over now? They had just boarded the train and was walking aimlessly down the corridors peering into compartments looking for the two friends, Charlie had already passed the Slytherin compartments and was greeted with by her Slytherin friends before promising to come visit them later and hurried off after the Gryffindors.
"It's a cat, Ronald" Hermione's voice followed "What do you expect? It's in his nature"
"A cat?" Ron retorted "Is that what they told you? It looks more like a pig with hair if you ask me!"
Charlie smirked, trying to remember this conversation for when Hermione teased her about the way she and Marcus acted when they were together.
"That's rich coming from the owner of that smelly old shoe brush," Hermione retaliated
Finally the last of the group of five stopped outside the Compartment Ron and Hermione were fighting in; ironically enough they werent alone. A man was sleeping in the corner, but how he could sleep through these two arguing was beyond knowledge
"Its alright Crookshanks, just ignore the mean little boy" Hermione added, soothing her cat
Charlie smirked "What do you think Rils?" she questioned "should we plan the wedding now or wait a few months?"
"Oh, I don't know Charlie" Riley answered "They might have killed each other in a few months"
The two girls burst into laughter as Hermione and Ron scowled at them "So not funny!" they said together. Then glaring at the other.
Charlie smirked and allowed herself entry into the compartment "It was for me!" she answered in a sing-song voice "Urgh...help" she added, as she attempted to toss her back-pack onto the shelf overhead, but found she was still too small "Stupid growth spurt!" she grumbled
"So who's he?" Harry asked, nodding at the sleeping man
Ron shrugged
"Professor R. J. Lupin," Hermione answered
"You know everything," Charlie frowned "How is it she knows everything?"
Ron shrugged again
"Its on his suitcase," Hermione sighed, pointing at the worn down suitcase above the man's head.
"Oh," Charlie mumured
"Wonder what he teaches?" Ron questioned
Riley turned in his direction "There is only one job open," she answered "Defence! He's gotta be our new defence teacher"
"Do you think he's really asleep?" Harry asked
"Seems to be," Hermione answered "Why?"
Charlie and Harry exchanged looks and nodded "We gotta tell you something," the Slytherin stated, jumping up and closing the compartment door. She locked it and turned back to her friends
xXxHarryPotterxXx
The Hogwarts Express moved steadily north and the scenery outside the window turned wilder and darker while the clouds overheard thickened. People were chasing backwards and forwards past the door of their compartment, Crookshanks and Scamp, who had been let out at the beginning of the journey were settled side-by-side on one of the empty seats, the large ginger cat sat with his attention on Ron's pocket where Scabbers was hiding. Scamp, meanwhile, slept beside him.
At 01:00pm, the plump witch with the food trolley arrived at the compartment door "Anything from the trolley, dears?" she asked
While Charlie and Riley jumped up to buy their sweets, Ron and Hermione wondered if they should wake Professor Lupin. But he was unmoving.
"You sure he's alive?" Charlie asked, earning a smack "What?"
"Don't be morbid!" Riley scolded, opening a chocolate frog for William who munched on it happily "Besides, he's breathing. Right?" she asked Hermione.
Hermione nodded.
"Don't worry dears," the witch smiled "If he's hungry when he wakes up, I'll be up front with the driver" and she slid the door closed as she carried on up the train.
"What did you say, about having something to tell us?" Riley asked, looking between Harry and Charlie
Charlie held up her hand, before diving for her backpack and pulled out her headphones "Here, Will" she handed them to the little boy along with her music "I don't want you hearing this"
William pouted, but nodded nonetheless. And as he sat with Charlie's music, Harry told the others what Mr. Weasley had warned he and Charlie about the other day in the Leaky Cauldron. As Harry spoke, the rain thickened outside the window as the train sped further north, the windows were now a solid, shimmering grey, which gradually darkened until lanterns flickered into life all along the corridors and over the luggage racks.
All this had happened by the time Harry and Charlie had finished speaking.
"Let me get this straight," Ron spoke, after a long pause "Sirius Black has escaped from Azkaban to come after you?"
Harry nodded "Yeah"
"But they'll catch Black, right?" Hermione asked "I mean, everyone is looking for him"
Charlie shrugged "I suppose, but Professor Snape told me that no one has ever broken out of Azkaban before"
"Thats true," Ron nodded "and he's a murderous, raving lunatic"
Harry turned in his direction "Thanks, Ron" he stated
Riley patted his shoulder
Any more comments that were about to be made were lost by the train giving a sudden lurch forward, sending Harry and Riley from their seats and into the laps of their friends on the other side.
"Why are we stopping?" Riley asked, as she extracted herself from Charlie and went back to her seat "We cant be there yet"
The Slytherin jumped up, opened the door and peered out. All up and down the corridor students were also appearing in the doorway to find out what's going on. Near the back the third year spotted Nikki, but before the seventh year could say anything the train gave another lurch and Charlie disappeared, falling back into her seat.
"What's going on?" Ron asked
"Dunno," Harry shrugged "Maybe we've broken down" he suggested
The lights of the carriage flickered on off before remaining off for more than 60 seconds. Movement from the corner, caused the friends to turn towards the window.
"Ouch, Ron." Hermione cried "That was my foot"
But the red head paid her no heed and pressed his hand against the window "There's something moving out there" he stated "I think someone's coming aboard" he added in a whisper and much to everyone's astonishment his breath could be seen clearly in the air as the temperature suddenly plummeted downwards, the train gave another lurch and Ron was thrown backwards into his seat.
"Bloody hell!" Charlie cried, as William, who had been silent up until this point jumped and clutched her arm tightly. "Its okay William," she told him trying to hide the nervousness in her voice.
"What's happening?" William asked, fearfully
Suddenly a shadow appeared outside the compartment, William gave a shuddering gasp and his friends spun around as the door started to slide open, before long spider like fingers appeared around the edge of the door and it was pulled open completely to reveal a dark hooded figure hovering over them. Soon all that could be seen was darkness, and it felt like being drowned in frozen cold water. Scamp and Crookshanks hissed angrily at the intruder as Scabbers and Iassac squealed and even Hedwig hooted nervously.
Charlie gulped and felt her body start to shake, as she struggled to remain conscious. The darkness was overtaking her senses, her chest was tight and it felt like she was being dipped in frozen cold water; she could feel her vital organs shut down from the outside and her body was slowly starting to shut down, as the darkness ate its way in from the corners of her mind.
Take care of Serenity...
I will
Goodbye my little Princess...
That was the last thing that was heard, before a white pure light radiated from somewhere far away. The creature in the doorway started to float backwards, and disappear down the train as seconds later the lights came back on in the compartment
xXxHarryPotterxXx
"Charlie..." Riley said, shaking her friend "Come on, wake up...that's it,"
Charlie blinked as she opened her eyes, the lanterns were back on and the floor was shaking, they were moving again. She had seemed to have slid out of her seat and onto the floor, where Riley and William were kneeling beside her looking terrified, above her on his own seat, lay Harry. He looked pale.
The door slid open and Nikki and Marcus appeared in the doorway, gasping when they spotted Charlie on the floor "What happened?" Nikki asked, dropping to her knees "Charlie, are you alright?"
"I think so," the third year answered, pushing herself up. A wave of dizziness washed over her and she slid back down again "Oh, I take that back" she groaned
"Here, eat this" said a warm voice, from somewhere above her "It'll help" and a piece of chocolate was placed into her hand
Charlie took it, looked at it and then up at the person who had given it too her "Im not supposed to take sweets from strangers," she told him
He chuckled "Then take it from one of your friends," he told her, pointing at Riley who had reached for a chocolate frog and was tapping it with her wand. It froze.
"Thanks," Charlie smiled, picking herself up with the help of Nikki and Marcus "What happened?" she asked, feeling a cold sweat on her face
Harry nodded "What was that thing, that came?" he asked
"It was a Dementor," the man said, now that she could see properly Charlie could see that it was Professor Lupin who was talking "One of the guards of Azkaban. It's gone now." he explained "Its searching the train for Sirius Black"
Marcus shook his head "as if any of us would want to smuggle Black into Hogwarts!" he growled, his hand on Charlie's shoulder
"Marcus," she whimpered "Your hurting me"
"Sorry," he answered, letting her go
Lupin put down his chocolate "If you'll excuse me, I need to have a little word with the driver" he got up and made for the door. Nikki and Marcus shuffled into the compartment and sat Charlie down, because she was starting to look pale "Eat" the new professor encouraged "You'll feel better" and he disappeared
"He's right," Nikki nodded "Eat up. Both of you"
Looking across at Harry, Charlie bit into her chocolate frog and instantly felt better the moment it melted on her tongue she felt loads better. Like a weight had been risen from her, and she could finally breathe again.
"What happened?" Harry asked
"You both just went rigid," Ron answered "We thought you were having a fit or something"
Harry turned to him "And did either of you, pass out?"
"No," Riley answered "I felt weird though, like I'd never be cheerful again" she frowned, holding William who was clinging to her tightly looking about ready to cry.
"Someone screamed," Harry said quickly "a woman"
Hermione shook her head "No one was screaming, Harry" she told him "Did you hear screaming?" she asked Charlie
"No," Charlie answered "But I did hear voices. One male. One female."
"What did they say?" Nikki asked
The third year bit her lower lip "The female was asking for the protection of someone named Serenity, the male agreed and then the female bid goodbye."
"Then what?" Riley asked
"She died," Charlie answered
Marcus frowned "How do you know?"
Charlie shook her head "I just do," she answered, without looking up.
xXxHarryPotterxXx
Once they had reached Hogsmeade station, Nikki and Marcus ushered eight complaining Slytherins and three Gryffindors away from the train station and into the carriages while Harry and Charlie remained behind with Professor Lupin to await further assistance. Neither of the friends found it amusing that they were the only ones to pass out when the Dementor had appeared, and when the Slytherins had found out Charlie had immediately been mobbed by her friends.
On the way up to the castle, Riley glanced back and was glad to see Snape appear and guide Charlie towards the carriages as the Slytherin latched onto Harry and pulled him with her. As the carriages trudged on towards the castle, the gates opened and more Dementors appeared, flanking the iron wrought gates. The Gryffindor swallowed sharply, as she closed her eyes against he wave of coldness and clutched William who had fallen asleep on her lap.
Happy thoughts she reminded herself, silently thanking Nikki for the advice on Dementors back on the train. At long last the carriage came to a halt and Hermione climbed out, followed by Ron, Riley and the sleeping William.
"I hope Charlie and Harry, are alright" Hermione wondered
"They will be," Riley promised "They've survived worst"
That was true. Hermione nodded and the three entered the castle, only to be approached by Professor McGonagall who requested to see Hermione alone. "Also, Miss Spirit, Professor Carmichael is already in the Great Hall, you may return her son to her"
"Thank you, Professor" Riley nodded, entering the Great Hall with Ron. While the red head hurried to the Gryffindor table, Riley headed towards the Staff table and smiled as Jenn took William from her "Had a run in with a Dementor on the train, but he's okay. Wish I could say the same for Harry and Charlie mind"
"I heard," Jenn nodded "We'll speak tomorrow, okay?"
Riley nodded and hurried back to her table; as the sorting began.
Mid way through the sorting, Harry, Hermione and Charlie turned up, breaking off and heading towards their friends, but before the Slytherins could say anything Dumbledore stood up and spoke "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few announcements to make before we all become to befuddled by our feast," he smiled pleasantly "I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year; firstly Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher"
There were a few scattered applauses; only those who had been in the compartment with Professor Lupin clapped hard -Marcus, Charlie and Nikki included-
"As to our second new appointment," Dumbledore continued "Well, at the request of our very own Professor Carmichael, who finds it difficult to raise her son and teach here at Hogwarts as requested that this year she has help in her field of Care of Magical Creatures. I am delighted to agree with her request, and am happy to announce that our own Rebeus Hagrid, will be helping Professor Carmichael in her lessons, at times when she cannot be present.
Charlie glanced up at Jenn who was smiling at Hagrid, who looked about ready to cry. "Uh oh," she mumured
"Why uh-oh?" Daphne asked curiously
"Hagrid has a fascination with dangerous creatures," she answered "He has a pet three headed dog named Fluffy! A boarhound named Fang, although he's harmless. He had a dragon named Norbert and a 50 foot Spider named Aragog!"
The Slytherins frowned "and you know this, how?" Nathan asked
"Met Fluffy and Norbert in first year," Charlie listed "Aragog last year and Fang...well, I pretty much see him everyday"
Her friends didnt look impressed
"You should know this castle better than us 7th years," Adrian pointed out
"What?" Charlie questioned "Not my fault im brave enough to go exploring at midnight"
Nikki glared "No exploring this year," she warned "We dont need repeats of years gone by"
"Yes, mum" Charlie gulped
As the cheers died down, Dumbledore continued "And lastly, the Minister of Magic has requested that the Guards of Azkaban, the Dementors, guard Hogwarts for the school year as long as Sirius Black is al large" whispers began to stream around the hall "Dementors are foul things. They will not differentiate between the one they seek and the one that gets in their way," he gave the students all a warning look. "Well I think that's everything of importance! Let the feast begin!"
The golden plates and goblets before them filled with food, and the Hall echoed with talk, laughter and the clatter of knives and forks. All too soon it seemed like Dinner had just started, and it was over already, as the last morsels of pumpkin tart had melted away from the golden platters; Dumbledore gave the word that it was time for them all to go to bed.
As the chairs scraped on the floor, Charlie broke away from her friends for a few minutes as she hurried up to the staff table to congratulate Hagrid, along with her Gryffindor friends.
"Congratulations, Hagrid!" she squealed, reaching the table first
Hagrid smiled "and its all down ter you five," he said wiping his face on his napkin "Can' believe it; great man Dumbledore, came straight down to me hut after Professor Carmichael said she needed help. It's what i've always wanted -" and suddenly overcome by his emotions he buried his face in his hands, as Professor McGonagall shooed them away.
xXxHarryPotterxXx
The walk down to the Slytherin common room was a slow one, Charlie yawned occasionally as she followed behind Nikki and Marcus. Beside her was Daphne and behind her trudged Draco, Nathan, Blaise, Millicent and Pansy, all who were equally tired. The password was given and the portrait swung open as the Prefects led the new Slytherin's inside, sliding through Charlie immediately settled down into one of the couches as her friends crowded around her; the door off to the side, leading to Professor Snape's quarters opened and the Potions Master himself appeared.
"Welcome to the House of Slytherin," he stated, looking around at the new first years "My name is Severus Snape. Professor Snape! I am your Head of House and im also the Potions master here at Hogwarts..." the rest of his speech was drowned out by Charlie as her eyes stared to close and her senses began to shut down. Sleep was coming fast.
After the speech, Nikki shook the third year awake "Come on Charlie, bed time"
"Okay," the teen nodded, and with the help of her friends headed up to bed. And the moment her head hit the pillow she was out cold.
A/N: Sorry if it seemed rushed wanted to get this out tonight. Well must be off, early start in the morning and its already half 3am.
Reviews (please)
~*Kara*~
All OCs and anything unrecognizable is copyrighted (c) and belongs to me xXxKaraBeckerCutterxXx
Chapter updated 17/01/2011 at 03:30am