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

The Potter Twins

Charlie could not sleep.

She stared through the darkness at the bed next to hers, which was empty. Hermione was in the hospital wing, along with the rest of their friends, and the guilt that refused to leave her intensified at the thought of them lying in cots, recovering from their injuries.

Charlie slid out of bed and tiptoed over to the window. She tried to be as quiet as possible to avoid waking anyone up. She had snuck into her dorm a few hours ago while everyone was asleep. She was certain that by now everyone in the castle knew that Umbridge had taken her captive earlier that evening. They would no doubt have questions and she was in no mood to answer them.

She eased against the windowsill and leaned her head against the glass. For a moment she just stared blankly across the grounds. A movement from the edge of the Forbidden Forest caught her eye and she turned to squint towards it. Her green eyes went wide with surprise as Dumbledore walked out of the forest, his arm keeping Umbridge upright as she stumbled across the grass.

Somehow, she had forgotten about leaving Umbridge in the Forbidden Forest. Though she carried an immense amount of guilt for her actions that night, she did not carry a smidgen for letting Umbridge be captured by the centaurs.

She watched the pair enter the castle before going over to her trunk. She wrestled her robes over her pajamas before leaving her dorm. She crossed the common room and went down the stairs, stepping out of Ravenclaw Tower.

She took her time walking down the corridors, for she suspected if Umbridge caught sight of her in her current state of mind she very well might have a mental breakdown. Charlie hated Umbridge, but she wasn't cruel.

As she neared the infirmary, she could hear Dumbledore speaking in low tones with Pomfrey. Charlie peeked around the doorframe, watching as Pomfrey led a nearly-catatonic Umbridge to a cot. She looked at her friends, who were all sleeping soundly, their chests rising and falling with every breath.

The relief at the sight of them was quickly overrun by grief and despair. She had put them through a terrible experience for absolutely no reason. Sirius had died for absolutely no reason.

Charlie screwed her eyes shut and slid down the wall, burying her head against her knees. Her soft weeping was interrupted a few minutes later by Dumbledore, who knelt next to her and placed a hand against her shoulder.

"Charlotte?"

Charlie quickly looked up, swiping at her eyes. "I couldn't sleep," she whispered.

"I did not think you would," said Dumbledore gently. "Shall we get you Dreamless Sleep from Madam Pomfrey?"

"Um, I was going to ask you if we could take a walk, but now I'm realizing that you probably have a lot of work to catch up on," said Charlie softly.

"The important matters have been taken care of. The rest can certainly wait. I believe we have some catching up to do of our own."

Dumbledore offered his arm and Charlie took it. He helped her to her feet and they walked down the corridor and out of the castle, where the warm night air helped loosen Charlie's chest somewhat. "How did you know Umbridge was with the centaurs?" she asked.

"Professor Snape told me," said Dumbledore.

"Oh. Did he find her while he was looking for me?"

"He did. He could not assist her at the time because he knew the centaurs would react negatively if they spotted him. He felt that I might have better luck, however."

"Did they give you much trouble?" asked Charlie nervously.

"Oh, they made their displeasure clear, but they did not attack me. It seems they hold me in high esteem, for which I am greatly flattered." He glanced at the raven-haired girl, his eyes twinkling. "They told me how Umbridge came to be in their midst. That was clever and, dare I say, cunning."

"I needed her out of the way," said Charlie grimly. "She was convinced I was working with you to overthrow Mr. Fudge so Hermione played into her paranoia. Harry and I just went along with her. I didn't mean to offend the centaurs. But for Umbridge to face the creatures she despises most, to be at their mercy—it's what she deserved." Her eyes flashed. "I don't feel sorry for her. She sent the Dementors after me. She's the reason Dudley nearly lost his soul."

"I suspected as much when she came to Hogwarts," said Dumbledore. "But there was no evidence for me to act upon my suspicions. I must applaud you, Charlotte."

Charlie blinked in surprise. "For what?"

"You did not back down from her. Not once. You put yourself in harm's way to protect your peers and your professors." Dumbledore gently lifted up Charlie's right hand and his wand lit up, illuminating the thin white scars. "I am sorry, Charlotte," said Dumbledore sorrowfully. "I did not know how cruel she was to you."

"It's okay," said Charlie. "I didn't want anyone to know. She was already going after Professor Trelawney and Hagrid. I didn't want her to target anyone else, especially for my sake. Um…I'm sorry about Dumbledore's Army. I didn't mean to get you in trouble."

"I believe I told you not to apologize," said Dumbledore firmly. "I knew what you were doing long before Umbridge. I'm afraid I relied too much on the comradery between all of you."

"You knew?" said Charlie, slightly stricken.

"Very little happens in this castle that goes past my notice," said Dumbledore with a chuckle. "I do keep a close eye on you, Charlotte. But sometimes not close enough for my liking."

"Right," said Charlie, flushing slightly.

They looped around the body of water, the starlight twinkling down at them. When they were at the top of the lake, Dumbledore asked the question Charlie had been dreading. "How are you feeling, Charlotte?"

"Terrible," she admitted quietly.

Dumbledore looked down at her, at the haunted gleam in her eyes, and the regret. "You could not have known, Charlotte. You could not have known it was a fake vision."

"I should have known," said Charlie and tears blurred her eyes. "I know what he's capable of. I should have tried harder to get a hold of Sirius instead of just taking Kreacher's word. I tried talking my friends into letting me go alone but they refused. We went through all of it for nothing. Sirius lost his life because I went blindly to his rescue. How is it not my fault?"

"You are not responsible for Voldemort's actions, Charlotte." Dumbledore came to a stop and he set his hands on the girl's shoulders. Grief-filled green eyes stared up at him, wet with tears, which trailed slow tracks down her cheeks. "You think all that you did tonight was for not? You ensured that Voldemort would never get his hands on the prophecy. You yet again proved that your heart and mind are stronger than his. Sirius did not die for nothing. He died valiantly, bravely, in a war in which he knew death was a great possibility. He died for you, Charlotte, and you are not nothing, nor is it your fault."

"But I should have known."

"Voldemort has tricked wizards and witches twice your age, three times your age. I am sorry you did not get to spend as much time with Sirius as you should have. I am sorry he was robbed from you. But he, along with your parents and Angelina Johnson, are always going to be in your heart."

Charlie gave a hard sniff and rubbed at her cheeks. "I know."

And she did know.

They continued walking and Charlie said softly, "I'm sorry for what happened at the Ministry. I didn't mean to knock you all down."

Dumbledore looked at her, intent and thoughtful. "I believe, Charlotte, if you practiced controlling your anger, you might be able to control the magic you unleash with it."

Charlie stared at him in surprise. "Really?"

"When you promised to avenge all those Voldemort murdered, my possessions shook, but they did not break. It was not just anger fuelling you—there was also love. If you channel your emotions and your magic, I believe you will become rather adept at wandless magic."

"Professor, wandless magic is difficult for most witches and wizards," said Charlie in bafflement.

Dumbledore's eyes glinted. "You are not most witches and wizards, Charlotte."

"Er…is that a compliment? Because I feel it could go both ways."

Dumbledore laughed. "It is most certainly a compliment."

They finished their lap of the lake and when they approached the castle, Charlie was ready to go back to bed. She suddenly felt exhausted, both mentally and emotionally. "I think I'm ready for that Dreamless Sleep, Professor."

"Then let us alert Madam Pomfrey."

"I can go by myself."

"You can, but that does not mean you must. I am in no rush."

Charlie sent him a grateful smile. "Thank you, Professor."

"You're welcome. And thank you, Charlotte." Dumbledore bowed his head. "For being so forgiving of my mistakes."

"It's okay, Professor. You ignored me because you thought it would keep me safe. You did it because you cared about me." She looked at him hesitantly. "But you're not going to ignore me next year, right?"

"Absolutely not," said Dumbledore strongly. "It did neither of us any good, and I was a fool to think otherwise."

"Okay," said Charlie, relief flooding through her. "Um, Professor, if you spent so much time keeping an eye on me, does that mean you were watching Harry too?"

"Of course," said Dumbledore cheerfully. "It was quite important to me to monitor the safety and progress of both the Potter children."

A sudden thought struck Charlie, one that she was surprised neither she or Harry had thought to ask before. "Who's older?"

"You are. By five minutes."

For the first time that night, a sincere grin stretched across Charlie's face. "Yes."

…

Slender, pale fingers played with the edge of the Sunday issue of the Daily Prophet as green eyes roamed over the words. Charlie rested her chin against the palm of one hand while the other supported the scroll. She could hear the buzz of conversation around her as students poured over the terrifying news the Ministry had released—Voldemort was back.

The article was mostly comprised of a statement from Cornelius Fudge, speaking of how Voldemort had infiltrated the Ministry of Magic and that the Dementors had revolted. For a man who had spent most of the year adamantly saying there was no reason to worry, he was quick to contradict himself. But how could he continue to deny the truth, when he had seen Voldemort with his own eyes?

"Better late than never, I guess," she muttered to herself.

She quickly scanned the rest of the article, which spoke of Dumbledore being reinstated into all of his positions, and of course there was a lengthy bit about herself. This time there wasn't any implication of her not being of sound mind. Her heart fell at the sight of Sirius' obituary, written by her with Remus' assistance, and she shoved the newspaper into her bag.

"Hey."

Charlie glanced at Cho as she lowered to sit opposite her. "Hey."

"How are you?"

"Okay."

"I always believed you were right," began Cho, "about You-Know-Who. But…there was a small part of me that wished…"

Charlie smiled slightly. "That I really was just crazy?"

"No!" said Cho quickly, flushing slightly. "Just—"

"I get it," she interjected. "Trust me…I get it." She stood up from the bench and said, "I gotta go meet Harry, Hermione and Ron."

"Sure. See you later."

Charlie walked away, shoulders slowly slumping under the weight of that phrase. There was now no guarantee of who would make it back to Hogwarts next year, not with Voldemort loose with no need to hide and lay low. See you later was now a hopeful wish and not a casual goodbye.

She made her way to the infirmary, where Hermione and Ron were still recovering from their injuries. Ron bore deep welts from his encounter with the brains and Pomfrey was giving him a cream twice a day to help lessen the scarring. Hermione was taking multiple potions a day, since the spell Dolohov had struck her with did quite a bit of damage—thankfully none of it permanent.

Ginny, Neville, Luna and Harry recovered after one night in the hospital wing and they were all there visiting when Charlie entered. A pile of sweets was stacked on Ron's bedside table, courtesy of Fred and George.

"Have you read this?" asked Hermione instantly when she spotted her friend. She waved her copy of the Sunday edition in the air. "They are rather complimentary about you now."

"Yeah, I did." Charlie settled beside Harry, who was lounging on the edge of Hermione's bed. "I've officially been declared sane."

"Only took them long enough," said Ron bitterly, tearing into a Chocolate Frog. "If they had listened to you from the start, You-Know-Who wouldn't have gotten so far."

Charlie did not quite believe that but she gave a nod anyway.

"Your interview is in the paper," spoke Harry. "An 'exclusive' with the Daily Prophet."

"Yeah, I noticed that." Charlie glanced at Luna. "Did they nick it from your dad?"

"Oh, no. Daddy sold your interview to them," said Luna airily, who was sitting in a chair on the other side of Hermione's bed. "He got quite a bit of money for it, so we're going to take a vacation this summer. We're hoping to catch a Crumple-Horned Snorkack."

"Sounds like fun," said Charlie sincerely, while Ginny and Neville exchanged amused glances.

"What's going on in the school?" asked Hermione, setting her newspaper aside.

"An abundance of rumours about why you lot were in here. People keep asking me about Voldemort, and why I was at the Ministry." Charlie gestured to the newspaper in Hermione's hand. "Mr. Fudge didn't tell anyone what I was doing there. But it's only a matter of time before someone figures it out. Or tries to, anyway."

"Flitwick finally got rid of Fred and George's swamp," added Ginny. "Didn't take him long at all. But he kept a small piece of it and he's roped it off."

"Probably as a tribute to Fred and George," mused Ron.

Almost in unison, everyone turned to stare at Umbridge's prone figure in the bed across from them. She had not made a sound since Dumbledore rescued her from the Forbidden Forest and that was perfectly fine with Charlie. Her hair and clothes were a mess of dirt and twigs and she would most likely be in fear of centaurs for as long as she lived.

Which was, again, perfectly fine with Charlie.

"Guess the Umbridge Rebellion is over," she said with satisfaction. "We won."

"Well, you, Fred and George did most of the work," spoke Ron.

"We couldn't have done it without all of you."

"That means Professor Trelawney is a teacher again," said Hermione. "What's going to happen with Firenze? He can't go back to his herd, can he?"

"Not right now," said Charlie. "He's going to have to stay here. He and Professor Trelawney are probably going to share classes."

Ron made a face. "That's a bit too much, yeah? I mean, I don't think there's going to be enough students for two Divination classes. The subject's not all that helpful."

"There were certainly a lot of prophecies in that room," said Hermione thoughtfully. "I wonder what all of them contained."

Charlie shifted her gaze to the side, catching Harry's eye in the process. She had told him about the prophecy the moment he had been released from the infirmary. Though the terror had been clear in his face he remained steadfast. He promised to support her no matter what.

She had yet to tell Ron and Hermione. They had been through so much already and the prophecy didn't directly concern them. She figured it could wait.

"It's a shame we never got to hear what Charlie's prophecy said," muttered Ron, distracting Charlie from her thoughts. "But at least You-Know-Who never got a hold of it."

They quieted when Pomfrey popped her head out of her office, her eyes zeroing in on Charlie and Harry. "Potter, Lupin—Professor Dumbledore wants to see you in his office right away."

"Yes ma'am," they chorused, springing to their feet.

"Wonder why he wants to see you two," said Neville in surprise.

"Guess we'll find out," said Charlie vaguely. She started for the door but before she stepped into the corridor, she turned to look at her gathered friends. "Listen, I'm really—"

"Stop," cut in Ginny, holding up a firm hand. "Seriously. Stop apologizing."

"We knew the dangers and the risks," said Hermione. "We knew what we were committing to."

"Friends are supposed to stick together," said Luna sagely.

"You didn't know it was all a trick," said Neville earnestly. "I would have fallen for it too."

Charlie stared at the Gryffindor, who came so close to bearing the lightning bolt-shaped scar and the burdens that came with it. Suddenly feeling immensely relieved that the boy did not have to know such horrors, she said gratefully, "Thanks, guys. For everything."

She hurried out into the corridor, Harry following after her. They soon fell side by side and Harry asked worriedly, "How are you doing?"

"I don't know," she replied honestly. "Numb. Empty. Guilty."

"You have to stop thinking this was your fault," said Harry insistently, setting a hand on her arm. "It's not."

"I know. That's what Professor Dumbledore said. It's just hard to feel otherwise." Charlie stared down at the floor, watching her sneakers, the ones Sirius had gotten her, scuff against the sleek marble. "You…you think he forgives me?"

"I don't think he for a second blamed you in the first place," said Harry strongly. "All he ever wanted was for you to be happy, to be safe."

"Yeah," she said softly, folding her hands into the pockets of her robes. "I'm sorry you didn't get a chance to know him as the son of James Potter."

Harry blinked back tears. "Yeah. Me too." There was a period of silence before he said, "So we're finally going to get to know our history."

"And it only took three years of waiting."

"I don't know why, but I'm kind of nervous."

"Well, we know what he's about to tell us isn't going to be happy," reasoned Charlie. "It's the reason we were separated and ignorant of each other's existence."

They reached the office and Charlie spoke the password. The gargoyle statue sprung aside, allowing them to step onto the moving staircase. The heavy oak door came into sight and feeling a sense of sudden apprehension, Charlie took a deep breath and knocked.

"Come in."

Harry nudged the door open and the pair stepped inside Dumbledore's office, which Charlie felt she had seen much too often these days and not under pleasant circumstances. Their esteemed Headmaster was sitting behind his grand desk and he seemed much too solemn for Harry's liking. Wordlessly, the two went to sit in the chairs already in place for them.

"I know," began Dumbledore, pressing the tips of his fingers together as he surveyed them, "that much has happened these past few days. This is certainly not how I imagined revealing to you the truth, nor did I anticipate that you would discover the truth yourselves. But I should have known better, which goes to show that old age does not necessarily make a man wiser. You are both bright children and have continued to pleasantly surprise me during the years."

Harry's eyes widened slightly and he lifted a finger to gesture to himself. "But I haven't really done anything. It's all Charlie—she's the one You-Know-Who chose."

"Ah. So she has informed you of the prophecy."

"Yes, sir."

"Harry, you have done more than you yourself realize. After all, it takes two to be able to utilize the full strength of a Sibling Bond. The speed of which you were able to accomplish telepathy is astounding."

"Did Uncle Remus and Sirius tell you?" asked Harry softly.

"They did," confirmed Dumbledore. "They managed to contact me after you informed them of what you knew and were capable of. I knew they could not give you answers when I held most of them and guilt pressed upon me once more. It is my fault you were separated, though I had your best interests at heart. I should have told you the truth the moment I realized you'd become close friends, but I could not bring myself to do it. To explain meant I would have to bring up the prophecy and as Charlotte already knows I was too reluctant to inform her of her fate."

Harry cast a glance at Charlie, who had tired bags under eyes which communicated all the grief and turmoil she was experiencing inside. His gut lurched and he stared at his hands. "Only one of us made it out," whispered Harry. "Why was it me?"

"After the Death Eater informed Voldemort about the part of the prophecy he heard, there was another who told him that the Potters were expecting a child. A baby girl, to be exact. So when Voldemort went to Godric's Hollow that night, he was expecting to find only a girl. If he had found a boy instead, he would have known he had not simply been fed misinformation. The Potters had been delighted to spread news of their expected arrival. I learned of the prophecy just as James and Lily discovered they were really having twins. I knew it was too late to stop Voldemort learning of Charlotte, but I could keep your existence a secret, Harry. I could give you a life without Voldemort."

"But what about Charlie? What about our parents?" Harry frowned. "Why couldn't you save them?"

"I'm afraid I was too late," said Dumbledore heavily. "I knew there was a traitor among us, but I did not know who."

Charlie studied the man intently. "Wait. How did you know a Death Eater informed Voldemort about me?"

"I am afraid such information will stay with me until the time is right," said Dumbledore carefully. "I know you must think I am a secretive old man, but I promise you I have my reasons."

Though not entirely satisfied, Charlie didn't press the matter. "All right. So you knew, back then, there was a traitor in the Order?"

"I knew someone close to the Potters was intending harm to come to them. When I received information that Voldemort was after your family, we placed you under the Fidelius Charm in Godric's Hollow. I wanted to be their Secret-Keeper. But they were insistent, trusting that their chosen Secret-Keeper would never betray them."

"You thought it was Sirius, but it was really Peter Pettigrew," spoke Charlie.

"Yes. If I had known that Pettigrew had been the Secret-Keeper all along, I would have been more forceful. He had always been one to follow the crowd, the ones who would give him the most protection. But alas, I did not know."

"Did our parents know about the prophecy?" asked Harry.

"They knew it existed. I did not tell them the exact contents. They only knew that they were in danger. You must understand their frustration. When you were born, only Remus and I were present. I insisted that your existence, Harry, remain a secret. I feared what would happen if Voldemort learned of the Potter twins, that he would be determined to kill both, and one would most certainly die.

"It killed Lily and James, Harry, to only speak of Charlotte and not gush about you with pride and joy. They loved you dearly and I felt like a bringer of misery when I informed them of my plan to smuggle you out of Godric's Hollow. I told them it would be for the best if you were to stay with Remus until the danger had passed. They agreed. Your parents trusted me far more than I deserved.

"On Halloween morning, I came with Remus and a few other Order members, whose minds I Obliviated afterwards with their consent. Your parents were devastated and there were many tears that I had caused and continue to feel guilty for. But what truly pierced my heart was Charlotte's screams—she refused to let you go, and it took both Lily and James to unlatch her from you. You, Harry, also were reluctant to let go of your sister, and cried wretchedly. Until that day, you had never been separated, and I think you both understood, even at such a young, tender age, that something was about to happen.

"It took quite a bit of magic and much more strategic planning to remove you from Godric's Hollow and to Remus', unseen and unheard."

"If you knew there was a traitor in the Order and you didn't completely trust Sirius, who you thought to be the Secret-Keeper, then why didn't you relocate all of us?" asked Harry.

"It's a very complicated operation, relocating multiple people from one spot to another. I was not yet sure if Godric's Hollow had been compromised, which made our mission even more difficult. I did not want to attract attention. My main goal that night, Harry, was to ensure it appeared as if you were never there."

"Did you ever think the prophecy was referring to me?"

"I spent a great deal of time mulling over the prophecy and what it entailed," said Dumbledore carefully. "I do believe that our choices are what build our futures. But I also think fate and destiny play a role. Certain things are meant to happen for a reason. Voldemort had already made his choice—he was going after the half-blood. He was looking for a baby girl. Perhaps if I had left you there that night, Harry, he would have tried to kill you. Or perhaps Voldemort would have gotten someone else to do the deed while he sought out Charlotte. I do not know. I cannot say. All I can tell you is that I made a decision all those years ago, one that was fuelled by logic."

"If we had both stayed in Godric's Hollow, one of us would have died," muttered Charlie. "You knew he was closing in. You knew there was a traitor in the ranks. You needed to get at least one of us out of there as soon as possible. You didn't think you'd be able to save my parents, did you?"

"I had my doubts," said Dumbledore at last, his tone subdued and expressed all of his years of living. "Once Voldemort made his choice, I knew there was not much time left. I could not convince them that they were under threat of being betrayed. Your father trusted his friends, his brothers, more than anyone else in the world. It's why he was so agreeable to my suggestion of letting Harry stay with Remus. I did not have enough time to convince them to relocate. But I suppose even I cannot stand against fate and win."

"So…when Mum and Dad died…how did you convince the Ministry to let me stay with Uncle Remus?" asked Harry.

"With the chaos of the First Wizarding World, they were many orphans that could not be claimed or identified. It's this tragic circumstance that gave me the story to feed to the Ministry officials that took care of the Child Safety and Services Department. It took more convincing to let Remus, a registered werewolf, be your guardian, but in the end I prevailed. There was no one else I trusted to place you with."

"Why didn't you let us know?" asked Charlie, a note of desperation entering her voice. "Why didn't you tell us we had a twin?"

"For the same reason I placed you with the Dursleys, Charlotte. There were still Death Eaters running free and I knew Voldemort would return. If news of Harry Potter got out it would be dire. All of my efforts to protect him would be for naught. I needed to keep him safe, but with a different method. He would grow up as Harry Lupin, an average wizard adopted by a lonely werewolf. We kept your heritage a secret for your own safety, though I suppose not as well as we should have. Remus felt guilty for lying to you, so when you asked those inevitable questions, he used your mother's maiden name and gave you an altered photograph of James and Lily. He could not bear to downplay their existence, nor do I blame him for it.

"I knew I would wait until you both reached Hogwarts before contemplating telling you the truth. The Dursleys were certainly reluctant to take in Charlotte and I knew they would not react kindly to the news of a second Potter child."

"So they don't know either," clarified Charlie.

"They do not and I suspect they do not need to know."

"They definitely won't want to know," she said feelingly. "I'd hate to think what they'd do if they realized there was essentially two of me."

"Fine with me," returned Harry. "After what you told me, I'll never consider them my relatives—I'm amazed you do."

Charlie shrugged. "We have a long history. It's complicated, as you know." She tucked a strand of raven hair behind her ear. "Is that all?" she asked Dumbledore.

"Yes. I know it is a lot to digest, and I have robbed you both of much."

"It's okay," said Harry automatically. "You were doing what you thought was right. That's all you can do, right? And you saved my life. I'm eternally grateful for that."

"Me too," said Charlie sincerely.

Dumbledore regarded the two of them for a moment. "You are both reflections of your parents," he said at last, warm eyes twinkling behind his half-moon spectacles. "They would both be very proud of you—as am I."

Harry blushed and Charlie smiled slightly. "Thanks."

"You are most welcome. Now, I have a few questions for you, if you don't mind."

For the next while, Charlie and Harry explained to Dumbledore about their Sibling Bond and how they discovered they were siblings. The man was not at all surprised to learn that Hermione was the driving force behind the discovery, and he was pleased that she and Ron were diligent in keeping the secret.

"It is fine that Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley are aware of the truth. I trust them and their loyalty towards you both—true friendship is a rare thing to find these days. I think it best if we continue to keep this secret, especially since Voldemort has returned."

"Who else knows?" asked Harry curiously.

"Professors McGonagall and Snape. Professor McGonagall was one of the members that helped bring Harry to Remus that night. She was the only one whose memory I did not erase. I had no need to."

This was as much as they expected and as such were not surprised. There was one more pressing matter to address and Harry brought it up. "Sir, when Charlie and I were taking our O.W.L.s, something strange happened. She experienced the vision You-Know-Who was trying to send her, but when she used Occlumency to block it, I saw it instead."

Dumbledore's eyes widened for a fraction of a second before his brow furrowed speculatively. "That is interesting…what did you see, exactly?"

Harry described to him the chilling horror of Voldemort's faked scenario of Sirius being trapped and tortured. "It was awful."

"Did you feel like you were there, physically?"

"No. It just…felt like something was playing through my mind. I didn't feel anything You-Know-Who might have been experiencing."

"That is to be expected. Only Charlotte has the capability to be in Voldemort's shoes and hear his thoughts and emotions and desires. From what I gather, you merely saw the vision in its simplest form."

"But how?" asked Harry.

"Charlotte's mind is linked to two wizards. That is a feat that no one has accomplished before. She is in the middle, and when she tried to block this vision, it seeped through to the next available mind—yours. When Charlie realized what happened, she lowered her mental shields to accept the vision and it automatically went back to her, the person it was intended for. It's an odd phenomenon, and I have no full explanation for it. But I think it would be best if we take every precaution to ensure Voldemort does not get an accidental glimpse into your mind."

"Are you sure he doesn't know about me already?"

"Positive he doesn't," said Charlie. "If he did, I would definitely feel something. I suspect he wouldn't be too happy of this information going under his radar."

"Charlotte is right," confirmed Dumbledore. "Voldemort has no knowledge of you and I wish to keep it that way for as long as possible. I think, for the purposes of extra protection, I will arrange for you to have Occlumency lessons with Professor Snape."

The mention of Occlumency caused Charlie's heart to sink—the very thing that she had neglected, and if she had utilized it, Sirius would still be alive. She got hastily to her feet and said politely, "I think this is a discussion you and Harry should have. May I be excused?"

Dumbledore studied her intently, but offered no protest. "Of course. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask. My door is always open."

"Thanks, Professor."

She lifted her hand in a wave towards her brother before leaving the office, arms crossed tightly over her chest. She was starting to feel confined, closed in, and she needed some air.

Charlie crossed into the Entrance Hall at the same time as Draco, Pansy, Crabbe and Goyle, coming from the direction of the Slytherin common room. They all stopped dead for a moment, staring at each other, and then pure rage crossed Draco's face. In a low, dangerous voice, he hissed, "You're going to pay, Potter."

"What else is new?" asked Charlie tiredly, who was not at all surprised that they knew of what had occurred at the Ministry of Magic.

"You think you're so high and mighty," snapped Pansy, glaring fiercely at her. "Just wait until You-Know-Who gets a hold of you. Then everyone will finally see you're just a pathetic excuse for a witch. Nothing special."

"His name is Voldemort," said Charlie, and rolled her eyes when all four flinched. "Funny. For a group who claim to be loyal to him, you can't even say his name."

"My father won't be in prison for long," growled Draco, pale face twisted with anger. "The Dementors have left Azkaban. He'll be set free."

"Probably. But even if he gets out again, people will know what a lowlife he really is, killing and torturing innocent Muggles for fun." Charlie's shoulders straightened and she pointed at the fuming Malfoy. "You think Voldemort is going to like your family now, when your father failed? You think he's going to take mercy on your best friend, whose family has a scandal behind them?"

"Shut up!" shrieked Pansy.

"You know nothing. Yeah, your father is in jail, and I'm sorry he chose the Dark path that led him there. But he got in my way. I told you what happens to people who get in my way."

In unison, Draco and Pansy pulled out their wands, and Charlie was quick to wield her own. But before hexes and curses could start flying, a sharp yell caused them all to stiffen.

"What is going on here?"

Snape strode into the Entrance Hall from the stairs. He quickly took in the scene and ordered, "Put those wands away at once!"

For a brief moment, it looked like the three would ignore him and start flinging spells at one another. But after a hard stare-down, they slowly sheathed their wands.

"You know very well that such behaviour is not tolerated," he said curtly. "That's ten points from Slytherin and ten from Ravenclaw."

Only a few sapphires were retracted from the hourglass. With all of Charlie's rebellious behaviour and Umbridge's hatred for her, there was hardly anything left to take away.

"Well, it seems we're going to have to add some more points."

Surprised, Charlie turned towards the castle doors, and felt immense relief at the sight of McGonagall limping across the marble, a tartan carpetbag in one hand and a walking stick in another. Snape quickly went over to assist, helping her out of her cloak.

"Professor McGonagall, glad to see you have recovered."

"For the most part," she returned dryly. "You two—bring these items up to my office."

Crabbe and Goyle looked reluctant, but a pointed glower from Snape sent them scuffling. They took the cloak and bag and departed. McGonagall leaned against her walking stick and surveyed the hourglasses critically.

"I believe Potter and her friends deserve some points for their bravery," she said. "It's because of them the world was alerted to the return of You-Know-Who. Let's see, that'll be fifty points each for the two Weasleys, Longbottom and Lupin, and of course for Granger, Potter and Lovegood."

A decent number of rubies, diamonds and sapphires fell into their respective hourglasses. Draco and Pansy fumed in place, and McGonagall sent the three students a look. "Now, it's a beautiful day outside, so I can't imagine why you're wasting time indoors."

"Yes, Professor."

Charlie hurried out of the castle doors and was met with a wave of heat from the summer sun. Dozens of students were gathered around the lake, splashing in the water or relaxing in the grass. Charlie strode for a secluded spot, casting a glance at Hagrid's hut as she walked. The man had returned from wherever he was hiding and she had yet to speak with him. She knew what he would say and she wasn't ready to hear it yet.

Settling down in the grass, Charlie sprawled out and stared at the blue sky. She was suddenly struck by how she was in the exact same position nearly a year ago, stationed under the Dursleys window, listening for word of Voldemort from the Muggle news.

How quickly things could change. In less than a year, she lost her godfather, received a new scar and a new enemy, and learned the circumstances of Voldemort's mark and her separation from Harry.

Along with Sirius, the pressing thought that refused to leave her was the revelation of the prophecy. In order for her to live, Voldemort needed to die. In order for Voldemort to live, she needed to die. She would either be victim or murderer, and it filled her with such dread that it almost made her sick to her stomach.

She tried to distract herself by wondering what Dumbledore and Harry were speaking about now. She knew Dumbledore felt regret for all the secrets, and she forgave him, for she understood why.

But her train of thought soon went to the somber realization that Sirius never got the chance to really know Harry and she screwed her eyes shut. After a long moment, she slowly opened them, staring at the clouds that drifted by.

She did not know what the future would hold. She did not know who would make it until the end of the Second Wizarding War. She did not know if she would live or die. But she was certain of one thing.

With every fiber of her being, she would keep the promise she made to Dumbledore. She would avenge every life Voldemort had taken. She would fight until her last breath to keep her friends and family safe.

She didn't know how, and she didn't know when, but she would do her very best to stay alive until the time came to defeat him once and for all.