I do not own Harry Potter. Charlotte Potter is my OC.

Charlotte Lily and Harry James Potter

Charlie's postponed Occlumency lesson resumed the following night and Snape was visibly impressed with her ability to keep him out of her mind, which he was hardly able to breach. She was determined to keep him from discovering what she had seen in his Pensieve and that resulted in a stronger mental defense.

It was difficult for her to just forget the fight she had witnessed between her father and Snape. But she didn't have to worry too much about how she was going to get in touch with Sirius to get her concerns off her chest. Harry came to her the day before Easter holidays, brandishing a letter from Remus and Sirius.

"We're all set for the break," he announced, dropping into the chair beside his sister in the library. "We're going on the train and Uncle Remus and Moody are going to pick us up."

Charlie glanced up from her textbook and arched an eyebrow. "Umbridge is allowing me out of her clutches?"

"Well, what can she do, really? We're allowed to go home for Easter break. She can't exactly prevent you from seeing your family."

"Can't help but be surprised that she didn't try." Charlie rested her chin in the palm of her hand. "But I'm glad to get out of the castle for a bit."

"You have been a bit distracted lately," noted Harry. "Something wrong?"

"Well…sort of." With a heavy sigh, she explained to him what had happened with her and the Pensieve. "So now I don't know what to think," she finished, staring glumly at the tabletop. "I've always been so happy whenever someone compared me to Dad. Now…now I just don't know."

Harry leaned back in his chair, a troubled frown on his face. "Merlin. That's a lot to take in at once."

"I was hoping maybe you'd have some insight for me," said Charlie, glancing at her brother. "I didn't tell Ron or Hermione because I don't think they'd quite know what to say. But it's different for you, because of…well, you know."

"It's sort of conflicting for me," said Harry, a thoughtful expression on his face. "For the last five years, you've constantly been compared to Mum and Dad because you're a Potter. Everyone respected and admired them, and of course they're going to be the standard you're held to."

He shifted his gaze around to ensure there was no one eavesdropping on their conversation before he continued speaking. "But I got a different story. I grew up a Lupin and all I've known is Uncle Remus' family history. I know Mum and Dad were brave and courageous and loving, because Uncle Remus always told me stories about them. I love them, and I hope they'd be proud of me. But I'm not always being compared to them. No one knows who I really am. It really sucks to hear that maybe Snape was right. That maybe Dad was as terrible as he always says he was. But…but it doesn't impact me the same way. Am I making sense?"

"Yeah. You can't feel torn about being proud of being compared with Dad when you've been raised as pretty much another person."

"Exactly." Harry nodded. "Don't get me wrong. I'm just as disappointed as you are. But I guess we have to remember that we don't know who Mum and Dad really were. We can only go off what people have been telling us."

Charlie was skeptical. "So I should just forget what I saw?"

"Well…I don't think you should worry too much about it," said Harry carefully. "You said he was fifteen when he did it. What you saw was one glimpse into his entire school career, one glimpse of his whole life. I don't think you should judge him off of that one moment."

"With that kind of reasoning, you should be in Ravenclaw."

Harry laughed. "Not with my study habits. But seriously, if it still bugs you, talk to Sirius and Uncle Remus about it. They were there and they knew Dad better than anyone."

"I think I will." Charlie smiled. "Thanks, Harry."

"No problem. So, have you seen the notices about the career advice meetings?"

Charlie wrinkled her nose. "Yes. I haven't begun to think about what career I want in life, whether it be in the wizarding world or the Muggle world."

"You don't have any idea?"

"Well, maybe some. I think I might want to be an Auror."

Harry could not help but grin. His sister, the girl who wanted to protect everybody, would of course want to be a person who caught the Dark Wizards that harmed Muggles and witches and wizards alike. "That's absolutely perfect for you."

Charlie flushed. "It's just a thought. What about you?"

"Maybe something to do with werewolf research," said Harry. "A cure hasn't been found yet, but I'm sure it's out there somewhere."

"And if anyone can find it, it's you."

Of that, Charlie was certain.

…

The Easter holidays arrived and the twins were on route for Platform 9 ¾. They spent most of the train ride discussing lowly how they would break the news to Sirius and Remus that they knew they were twins. It wouldn't be easy, especially since it didn't seem like anyone would reveal the truth of their relation anytime soon. But it had to be done, especially considering Voldemort's strong connection with Charlie.

Remus and Mad-Eye Moody were waiting at the platform for them. Making sure no one was watching, the two adults Apparated the two teens to Grimmauld Place. Moody bid them goodbye and departed, leaving Remus to bring them inside.

"He really didn't have to come," said Charlie in amusement.

"You know Moody. Paranoid as they come. He probably wouldn't have bothered if Sirius was with me, but ever since Fudge accused him of still being in league with Voldemort, he's been keeping a low profile," replied Remus.

The moment Charlie entered number twelve Grimmauld Place she was swept up into a bear hug by her godfather. Laughing, she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Sirius!"

"Hey, Charlie!" Sirius set the girl down and ruffled her hair. "How are you?"

"Fine." She smiled up at him. "How are you handling being Mr. Fudge's scapegoat?"

Sirius snorted. "Well, I'm not getting out as much as I would like to and I definitely have a few words for Fudge if I ever have the chance. But never mind that." He went over to steal Harry from Remus' embrace. Harry laughed as Sirius squeezed him affectionately. "Get your stuff upstairs. Mrs. Weasley sent over your Easter eggs and Remus wouldn't let me open them."

"They aren't for you," said Remus patiently. "They're for the kids."

"Charlie and Harry wouldn't have minded if I had some. Right?" Sirius gave Harry's hair a cheerful toss as he let the boy go.

"Right," said Harry with a nod.

"Right," confirmed Charlie, hefting up her trunk. "Go ahead and tear into it. We'll be right there."

With an expression akin to a child, Sirius made tracks for the kitchen, where the chocolate treats were waiting. Charlie and Harry went up the stairs and into their respective rooms, where they dropped off their things.

"So…when do we tell them?" asked Harry as they started back downstairs.

"We did just get here. Probably shouldn't drop a bombshell on them quite yet," replied Charlie. "But I do want to ask about what I saw in the Pensieve."

They made it to the kitchen, where Sirius had made a decent dent in the milk chocolate eggs. As they snacked, they discussed school, Umbridge, the upcoming career advice meetings and their studies. The conversation eventually steered towards Occlumency and Charlie took her chance.

"How are the Occlumency lessons going with Snape?" asked Sirius. "He's treating you all right, isn't he?"

"Fine," she assured him. "But there was one slight mishap about a few days ago."

Sirius' eyes sharpened. "What happened?"

She explained to him her trip into the Pensieve, and for the sake of not causing a fuss she didn't say that Draco was the one who caused the incident in the first place. When she was finished Sirius and Remus looked rightly embarrassed.

"Yeah, I remember that day," muttered Sirius.

"Why did he do that?" asked Charlie softly. "He completely humiliated Professor Snape. I mean, I don't completely know the rivalry the two of them had, but at that particular moment he wasn't doing anything. He just attacked because you said you were bored."

"I'm not proud of what we did," said Sirius quickly. "Your father wasn't proud of it either. We crossed a line that day."

"Did…did Dad always treat Professor Snape like that?"

"I would say that the first five years were perhaps the worst ones," said Remus carefully. "Once the two of them reached sixth year, it wasn't as…volatile, should we say. But the feud was certainly still there, and you could expect a hex to happen should the two get into it."

"Mind you, Snape hated James the moment he laid eyes on him," added Sirius. "He had everything Snape wanted. Popularity, likeability, and he was gifted at pretty much everything he did. All Snape had was his obsession with Dark Arts and a knack for Potions. And to be fair, James hated Snape the moment they met, too. It was just an instant rivalry."

"We were fifteen and foolish," spoke Remus. "Sirius and James got out of hand and I didn't have the guts to tell them to knock it off."

"You laid into us after the fact, and that was something," insisted Sirius.

"He seemed like he wanted the attention," said Charlie. "The way he called out to the crowd surrounding the lake, and he kept looking over at the girls."

"Of course he did. Lily was there, and he always made a fool of himself when she was around. He had a big head. I'll be the first to admit it. But it deflated once he reached sixth year," said Remus.

"Mum looked like she really hated him," spoke Charlie hesitantly.

"She didn't hate him. She just…didn't agree with some of the things he did," replied Sirius. "James eventually got the point, and once he stopped hexing people for the fun of it, she gave him a chance and started dating him in our seventh year."

Charlie bit down on her bottom lip. "Did he…did he ever do anything that horrible again?"

"No," said Sirius strongly, looking her dead in the eyes. "He didn't. After it was all over, he realized what he had done, and that he had gotten carried away. Did he stop fighting with Snape? No, he couldn't. Snape would curse him every chance he had and James didn't take it lying down. But we never went to such a degree to publicly humiliate Snape. Your father was a good man and my best friend, and we were merely idiotic teenagers who didn't have anything else to do that day."

Charlie stared at her hands, brow furrowing. Remus set his hand overtop hers and said in a gentle voice, "I know how hard it must have been, to see your father do something so cruel. But I promise you, Charlie, he felt terrible about it. Understood that he was acting like a bully and vowed to change his ways."

Sirius gave a strong nod. "I'm sorry the only memory you got to see of him was such a horrible one, Charlie. But there are so many more wonderful ones that show his true character."

Charlie let out a slow breath, the tension easing from her body as relief flooded through her. Her father had done something cruel, but he had felt horrible about it. He never did anything like it again. That was most important—that he learned from his mistakes. "Okay. Thanks. I just wanted to talk about it."

"How did Snape react to this?" asked Remus with a frown.

"Oh. He didn't catch me. I got out of there before he came back."

Remus was visibly relieved. "Good. Those Occlumency lessons are important. Keep at them."

"I will," promised Charlie.

"Come on, let's play some Exploding Snap," spoke Sirius. "I'll crush you all."

Harry, who had stayed respectfully quiet during the latter half of the conversation, grinned. "We'll see about that."

Ron may have been the King of Wizard's Chess, but he was the Prince of Exploding Snap.

…

Most of the week passed by in a relatively quick manner. If the teens weren't studying or doing homework, they were helping Sirius and Remus around the house or doing activities, like painting Easter eggs. Charlie noted at one point that Kreacher had scarcely made an appearance, but Sirius dismissed her concerns, assuring her he was probably moping in the attic.

It was the day of their Easter feast that Charlie and Harry decided that they could not procrastinate any longer. They were due back to Hogwarts in two days. It was time to tell Remus and Sirius that they knew.

"You start," muttered Harry as they crept towards the sitting room, where the two men were lounging about.

"Of course," sighed Charlie. "Fine. But once I break the news, you have to pick it up from there."

"Fine."

The two entered the room and stood in front of where Sirius and Remus were sitting in armchairs. "Hey, kids," said Sirius cheerfully. His smile fell slightly at the serious expressions the teens wore. "What's up?"

"We…we have something really important to tell you," began Charlie, shooting a nervous glance at Harry.

Remus sat up straighter, a slight frown on his face. "Is everything all right?"

"Yeah. It's just…" There was no easy way to say it, so she blurted, "We know we're twins."

Remus and Sirius went white, their expressions shell-shocked. Harry slapped Charlie in the shoulder. "That wasn't gentle!" he hissed.

"There's wasn't a gentle way to say it!" she hissed back.

Deciding it was best to let Sirius or Remus make the next move, the two fell silent, standing awkwardly in front of their frozen godfathers. It was Remus who recovered first.

"Well," he said in a strained voice. "We have quite a bit to talk about. I suppose we better start with how you figured it out."

"It was sort of Hermione who connected the dots," said Harry, rubbing his arm nervously. "See, in our first year, when we had detention in the Forbidden Forest, Charlie and I discovered something." He explained that when he had encountered the possessed-by-Voldemort-Quirrell that fateful night, his fear had been felt by Charlie, who immediately knew where he was and came to his rescue. "It was our first indication that we had a bond with each other.

"Over the next year, with the whole deal with the Basilisk, we kept feeling this connection. We felt each other's fear and pain. But we couldn't explain it. Hermione found a book on magical bonds and determined we shared the Sibling Bond. We didn't believe her, so she made us do the Relations Potion. After that, there was no doubt."

Sirius could not help but chuckle. "Leave it to Hermione to be the one to figure it out." He studied the two teens intently. "A Sibling Bond, huh? Makes sense."

"If you found out you were siblings in your second year, why didn't you say anything?" asked Remus.

Charlie shrugged. "We decided that if no one had told us, there was a good reason for it. So with the exception of Ron and Hermione, we kept it quiet. Then as the other years passed, there were other things that sort of took precedent then asking about what happened to cause us to be separated. But now we're fifteen and we thought it was about time we let you know."

"This isn't how I wanted this conversation to play out," said Remus heavily. "I suppose we've been putting off revealing the truth as well, for your own safety."

"If Voldemort ever found out you have a twin, Charlie, that would be catastrophic," muttered Sirius darkly. "That's why things turned out the way they did."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner," said Remus regretfully. "The both of you. But Dumbledore thought it would be best if you were kept in the dark, at least for the time being."

Sirius looked at Harry intently. "There was so much I wanted to tell you, Harry, from the moment I saw you. But I figured from your appearance that you had no clue you were the son of James and Lily, and Remus confirmed my suspicions."

He stood up and wrapped Harry in a tight embrace. "It nearly killed me, to pretend you had no relation to Charlie or James," he whispered.

Suddenly very emotional, Harry blinked back tears and returned the hug. "Well, now you don't have too. Not when we're alone, at least."

Remus extended his arms and Charlie wasted no time in rushing into them, eyes misty. "I'm glad we don't have to pretend around you guys anymore."

"Us too," said Remus thickly. "More than you know."

Charlie pulled back and settled on the arm of Remus' chair, while Harry squeezed in beside Sirius. "What exactly happened?" she asked softly.

"Remus will have to tell you this one," said Sirius, glancing at his friend. "I didn't even know you were going to be separated."

"Even I don't know the whole story," admitted Remus. "I only know that Dumbledore showed up, over a week before Halloween, and insisted that James and Lily let Harry reside with me for a then undetermined amount of time. James and Lily were devastated, of course, but they trusted Dumbledore and agreed. A plan was made and I arrived with Dumbledore and some members of the Order. We smuggled Harry out of Godric's Hollow and to my place."

Harry frowned. "But why didn't you take Charlie too?"

"I think Dumbledore had plans to relocate Charlie, James and Lily," said Remus slowly. "Or was going to send Charlie somewhere else until he figured out who the spy in the Order was. In all honesty, I don't really know, and he never told anyone. He was insistent on Harry's removal from Godric's Hollow and that's what happened. Besides, sneaking out one toddler is challenging enough. Our cover would have been blown if it had been the both of you."

"So Pettigrew never knew about Harry?" asked Charlie.

Sirius shook his head. "He only knew Lily was expecting a baby girl. He wasn't present for your birth. Neither was I. Dumbledore thought I had no clue James was having twins but he broke his word. There was no way he was keeping that from me. Dumbledore talked James and Lily into keeping it a secret from everyone else. As far as anyone knew, they only had one child."

"It was difficult for James and Lily to pretend their only child was Charlotte," said Remus somberly. "But though Dumbledore didn't give them his full reasoning, they trusted him wholeheartedly. They did what he asked and he rarely made such drastic requests, so they knew it was important."

"And on Halloween night, Voldemort arrived and, well, you know the rest," said Sirius, pain flashing briefly through his eyes. "I showed up after I heard the news, but only found Charlie in Hagrid's arms. I always assumed Harry was living with Remus, because that's the only person in the world besides me that James would have allowed Harry to live with."

Charlie and Harry processed this for a moment, and after a while of silent thinking Harry spoke. "Is that all you know? You don't know why we were separated or why I was the one who made it out and Charlie stayed?"

"I'm afraid not, pup," admitted Remus. "Dumbledore is the one with the answers, and he thought the less we know, the better, and I must say I agree with him. When he comes back to Hogwarts, you can ask him all the questions you have. It's about time he answered them, anyway."

"Is there anyone else who knows about us?" asked Charlie.

"McGonagall and Snape learned a few years later, when Dumbledore confided in them. Other than that, no one knows. It's important we keep it that way," said Remus sternly.

"Well, there's another reason why we decided to tell you we know the truth," said Charlie. "Um…Harry and I also have a telepathic connection."

After a solid minute of gaping, Sirius exclaimed, "That's amazing!"

"Amazing and dangerous," said Remus, eyes wide. "How long have you been able to speak telepathically?"

"Only this year," answered Harry. "But with Charlie's connection with Voldemort, we thought it was time we let you know. Am I going to have to learn Occlumency too?"

"I don't think so," said Remus slowly, brow furrowed. "See, it's Charlie who Voldemort can connect with. Unless you're face-to-face with him, he's not going to be able to get into your head."

Harry felt relief crash over him. "Oh, good."

"But it's important to be careful when you do speak telepathically," warned Sirius. "In fact, it's probably best if you don't use it at all, at least for the time being. We'll see if we can get in touch with Dumbledore, see what he thinks."

"The only way Voldemort is going to be able to realize your true relation is if he finds out through Charlie's mind," explained Remus. "That's why Occlumency is so important, especially now."

"Charlie's really good at mental blocks," said Harry. "She was able to kick Snape out of her mind without uttering a spell."

"That's extremely advanced," said Sirius, feeling a mixture of pride and relief. "And extremely useful. If you've been practicing these blocks since you realized your connection, then you'll be a skilled Occlumens in no time."

"I'll keep working on it," promised Charlie.

Sirius smiled. The smile quickly fell when a thought suddenly struck him, and he grew rather outraged. "Wait a minute! So the Yule Ball—you never were each other's date!"

Harry and Charlie burst into laughter. "No," giggled Charlie. "We weren't. It was a prank, and we were hoping it would spur someone into giving us answers and telling us the whole story."

At the dangerous expressions the two men carried, the teens bolted from the room, laughing all the way.

"Get back here!"

…

The last few days were spent bonding with Remus and Sirius, with them telling stories of their parents and the twins' days as infants. Charlie was rather disappointed when it came time to return to Hogwarts, but she knew she would see them both soon.

"Well," said Harry when they joined the flow of students streaming towards the castle from the village Sunday afternoon. "We didn't get the answers we wanted, but at least we know something."

"Guess we'll have to wait for Professor Dumbledore," muttered Charlie lowly, feeling suddenly wary of the fact. She didn't know when Dumbledore would return, and she honestly didn't want to bring her questions to him. Considering his treatment of her throughout the year before his ousting, she doubted he would be willing to tell her anything.

The first thing they did when they entered the castle was find Hermione and Ron and tell them of their Easter vacation. The two were also disappointed that not everything was revealed about the twins' separation, but were content with the fact that they would know as soon as Dumbledore returned.

At half-past two on Monday, Charlie walked to Flitwick's office for her career advice meeting. Her heart plummeted at the sight of Umbridge sitting in the corner with her trusty clipboard, but she tried not to pay her much mind.

"Hello, Professor," she greeted, sitting down across from her Head of House.

"Hello, Miss Potter." Flitwick shuffled through the massive pile of pamphlets on his desk and unearthed his Eagle's student file. "You are here today to discuss possible careers you are interested in seeking after Hogwarts. I'll help you decide on the subjects you will need to take in your sixth and seventh years in accordance with your desired career choice. Do you have any ideas on what you'd like to pursue?"

"I'd like to be an Auror," she answered confidently.

Flitwick had to resist the urge to smile. "I see. Well, Miss Potter, becoming an Auror is a long, hard, meticulous process. You won't have any troubles grade-wise, since none of your marks have fallen below an E since your first year. Five N.E.W.T.s are required, and you'll also have to do a series of character and aptitude tests at the Auror office. It's a difficult career path, for they only take the best of the best."

Umbridge let out a small cough, which Flitwick ignored. "As for subjects, you'll need Defense Against the Dark Arts, of course, and Potions. I also suggest Transfiguration and Charms—"

Umbridge coughed again, this time so loud that she couldn't be ignored. Lips pursed together, Flitwick turned to look at the woman. "Yes?"

"I apologize for interrupting," simpered Umbridge, "but do you really think Potter has the temperament to be an Auror?"

"Absolutely," said Flitwick without hesitation. "In fact, if there's ever been a student perfect for the position of an Auror, it would be Miss Potter."

Umbridge made a dubious noise in the back of her throat, but did not press. She moved on to another matter instead. "You've said her grades have been almost perfect, but I'm afraid that's not the case for Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"Her marks have been very high in Defense Against the Dark Arts," said Flitwick calmly. "In fact, Professor Lupin said she was exemplary."

"Have you not seen my note, Filius?" asked Umbridge sweetly. "I'm certain I slipped Potter's marks in there."

"What about them?" asked Flitwick in a controlled voice.

"The highest grade she's reached is an A, and that's hardly Auror standard. And on the last test, she did very poorly."

Charlie glared at the floor. It was true she let her marks slip in Defense Against the Dark Arts, mostly because she couldn't stand to put effort in schoolwork she did not agree with for a professor she hated.

Flitwick stared at Umbridge coolly. "I suppose I wasn't clear. Miss Potter has gotten high marks on all the tests given to her by competent teachers."

Umbridge's falsely sweet expression immediately dissolved, replaced by frozen fury. Charlie would have laughed if she didn't fear for Flitwick's future as a Hogwarts staff member.

It wasn't long for the two to get into an argument, and Flitwick hastily dismissed Charlie before Umbridge could lay her claws into her. Baffled, Charlie accepted the Auror pamphlet he handed her and hurried from the office.

Future to-do list as an Auror; defeat Voldemort and dethrone the tyranny of Dolores Umbridge.

…

At the end of the week, when Charlie was on her way to her common room, she was distracted by a great rabble coming from the Entrance Hall. She hurried over to the marble staircase and paused on the balcony. She jostled students aside so she could peer over the railing.

It seemed like the whole population of the school was there, pressed against the walls and creating a ring around the pair standing in the middle of the hall. Many students were covered in a murky substance and Umbridge stood on the marble steps, a triumphant smile on her face. In the middle of the crowd stood a defiant Fred and George.

Charlie knew immediately what she was seeing. Fred and George had made their last strike, their final farewell, and she was extremely proud of them.

"You thought you could get away with turning a corridor into a swamp, eh?" cried Umbridge.

"Not really," said Fred flippantly.

"Foolish Gryffindor pride," said Umbridge derisively. "I'll show you what happens to wrongdoers in my school!"

"No," said George, eyes flashing and voice hard. "It's not your school. It's Dumbledore's. And he'll be back before you know it."

"We've done our part," added Fred. "It's time to pass on the reins. I think we've outgrown school education anyway."

"Definitely," agreed George. "Life has much more to offer us anyway."

Raising their wands, the two shouted, "Accio brooms!"

Charlie watched in awe as their broomsticks, weighted down with the chains Umbridge used to mount them to the wall in her office, soared into the Entrance Hall with a loud clang. Umbridge could only watch, mouth agape, as the twins mounted their respective broomsticks.

Fred glanced around the silent crowd. "If anyone is interested in our Portable Swamp, you know how to contact us."

"All Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes will be given at a discount to anyone who'll use our products to antagonize her," announced George, pointing at Umbridge.

Hysterically furious, Umbridge screamed, "Stop them this instant!"

But her Inquisitorial Squad could do nothing, for the twins kicked off and sailed fifteen feet into the air. Fred locked eyes with Peeves, who hovered at his level. "Lay all hell upon her, Peeves."

Peeves, who was known to only listen to Charlie and no other student, swept off his hat and sincerely saluted him.

George spotted Charlie watching them from the marble balcony and he pointed towards her, eyes dancing. "Stand strong, Charlotte. You can beat her."

She was aware of everyone's eyes now on her. She straightened, put her heels together and mimicked Peeves' salute. "You got it!"

And the twins sped through the open doors amongst a roaring applause from the crowd below, and disappeared into the glowing orange sunset.

The Umbridge Rebellion had truly begun.