Accidents Happen C18:

'ALBUS WE NEED TO TALK!' the hat shouted to the great hall, to Charlie's mortification. The great hall was frozen. No one said a word. And after what seemed like forever, whispers broke out through the hall.

'No house?'

'Impossible!'

'Perhaps he's a muggle!'

Charlie turned around to look at Remus, who was confused and distraught at his son's obvious upset and discomfort. Why him? Why his cub?He could see that years were welling in Charlie's purple eyes, he knew Charlie had feared this, even if he had never actually told him. Dumbledore got up slowly and then walked to the stool where Charlie sat, the hat still on his head. His eyes weren't twinkling, they were filled with confusion and worry.

'What is the problem?' he said to the hat.

'Put me on. ' said the hat shortly. Dumbledore picked up the worn hat and placed it on his head instead of the pointed hat he was originally wearing.

'Albus. This boy is potentially lethal. He has power stronger than nearly all fully grown witches and wizards and he is ELEVEN! His power rivals yours! Even at his age! He is very Slytherin in his motives for power, he holds great ambition and is prepared to do almost anything. Yet he is not dark... Yet.

He hates his status as a dark creature, but that doesn't seem to stop him in his yearning for knowledge. A range of knowledge encompassing the Dark Arts too. If he were to become dark, you would not stand a chance. He would be practically invincible. The world would fear his very name. One other thing: he's the ancestor of Salazar himself. What would you have me do? Also, he has finished the spell side and potions side of Hogwarts really. It's more dueling he is focused on. '

'This is a dilemma! Well, could he apprentice under someone? Or perhaps learn from the founders themselves? I know Salazar would happily do so. After seeing his power and realising this is his descendant.' Dumbledore said.

'Yes, yes that would be good! He can live with the Gryffindors have some special lessons with his father and Salazar. I hear you are putting him in third year- he would wipe the floor with them! You would be limiting him! Stopping him from being his very best! He could be an auror by the age of 16! Put him in the seventh year so he can take his NEWTs, I know you didn't want him to stand out, but he already does. This boy will do great things! Lord Charlie Lupin will! Also, I think this may be upsetting him greatly at the moment, especially with the extra attention- he won't want the feeling of people possibly finding out about him! I have never seen a kinder, more caring werewolf with a thirst for pranks, except Lupin Sr.'

'But what to do with him?' the sorting hat mused.

'Apprenticeship with Salazar and his father. He will be a Slytherin and Gryffindor but his head of house shall be Professor Lupin and Lord Slytherin together.' Dumbledore said.

'Yes, it shall be called an Apprenticeship of the First Order. But we shall announce him to be a Slytherin Apprentice? It's not fair in him otherwise.'

'Alright, I'll get him back!'

'Bye Albus!' said the hat through the mind link.

'Charlie my boy! It seems we have come to a conclusion! It took a long time, but we think we have got a brilliant solution! You will be an apprentice to your dad and Salazar Slytherin. But you shall reside in whatever tower if you want to. Is that agreeable?' Dumbledore said.

'Yes, that's fine sir, please may I quickly say something to the hat?'

'Yes, you may, but be quick!' Dumbledore said in astonishment as Charlie pulled on the hat.

'Hey hat!'

'Hello Charlie! What can I do for you?'

'I wanted to find out your name. What is it please?'

'Never been asked that before! Well my name is Wilberforth, so now you know! Is that all?' Wilberforth joked.

'No, not exactly. Firstly, can I talk to you again? Secondly, can you announce a house just for my peace of mind, I know I'm not officially, but I don't want to be some no houser. And thirdly, when you read me, do you see Charlie Lupin or Harry Potter/Lupin?'

'Nice questions, the answers are yes, yes and Charlie Lupin, that's what you think yourself to be, so that's what I see. And here we go- SLYTHERIN GRYFFINDOR!' Charlie beamed, took off the hat, bade it goodbye and ran off to the Gryffindor table, much to his and Remus' relief.

The hall sat in silence at the new addition to Gryffindor and Slytherin, they all stared intently at him, watching his every move. Apart from the twins followed by Lee, who after a moments shock stood up and clapped loudly. This seemed to break the trance as scattered claps sounded throughout the room.

'So Charlie, our Maraudering friend. Welcome to Gryffindor!' the twins said together, 'What took you so long? That was over ten minutes!'

'We had some... Issues to sort out. Just lessons and stuff. Apparently I was too far along for third year. I dunno, I'm hungry!' Charlie resolved before reaching out for some potatoes and lamb with mint sauce- the lamb was a little over cooked for Charlie's werewolf taste.

'So-'

'Charlie-'

'Just thinking that perhaps-'

'You may be interested in pulling a prank-'

'Now!?' the twins said alternately.

'Yeah sure! I have an idea!'

'What?!' the twins chimed eagerly.

'The Slytherins, do you think Gryff colours would suit them? And what about fireworks?'

'Why yes Charlie!'

'Yes we likey... We likey a lot!'

'One second and then it shall be ready!' said Charlie, the twins watched and helped Charlie before waiting with baited breath as Charlie set about putting charms on the glasses of the Slytherins that after been touched or drunk from, made the user have red and gold hair.

'In one minute, the Slytherin will be in for a shock.' said Charlie mischievously. The twins and Charlie sat in speculative silence, counting down the seconds until-

'MY HAIR!'

Fireworks rocketed into the air in Gryffindor colours and showered the Slytherins with red an gold sparks. All the heads in the hall turned towards the Slytherin table, searching for the source of the ungainly noise. A lone boy stood up in confusion and anger. He had gold and red hair. Then several pops filled the hall as other members of the house's hair followed suit. Cries of outrage and shock enveloped the hall much to the amusement of the rest of the school.

'WEASLEYS!' shouted an enraged McGonagall, 'and you too Lupin, I have a feeling you have something to do with this!' she said as she narrowed her eyes at Charlie's innocent expression. She had a gut instinct that Charlie had inherited his father's talent for both mischief and magic. As she stood up to lead the boys out the hall, a calming hand was placed on her arm,

'It is ok Minerva. These boys did no harm physically, do not take them out now, but after the feast. I am interested to learn who did this spell work, it is rather advanced for third years.' said Dumbledore.

'Alright Albus, but mark my words, we're in for a- strenuous seven years. That boy is a Marauder if ever I saw one!'

'Well, I am sure that he has a few tricks up his sleeve. But none the less, I shall keep an eye on him. However I do think it is time for a new Marauder- as they fashioned themselves. Look, even Remus is trying to hide his amusement. But I think at the same time, he is a tad upset that Charlie has already done a few pranks.'

'A FEW?!'

'Oh yes, apparently somehow he became Draco Malfoy and- to use a muggle expression- 'stitched him up'. According to Severus, a young Slytherin saw him become young Mr. Malfoy and then a replica of the Weasley twins. Very amusing and interesting. I wonder how?'

'That shouldn't be possible at his age. He isn't mature enough magically, surely?!' Minerva gasped.

'Yes, well the sorting hat did say that the boy is so powerful and aware already that he feared he may become the next dark lord if something were to help him to become dark.'

'SURELY NOT! Remus Lupin's boy? Dark? No! That is impossible! He's so sweet and innocent. But then again, so was Riddle. Lupin showed talent that I'd never seen before. Things not even Riddle could imagine. Yes, if he became dark, we'd all be in grave danger. Let's hope that he's not.'

Little did they know, Charlie and Remus could both hear their hushed conversation clearly due to their sensitive hearing. They turned slowly to each other and looked one another in the eye. They both looked horrified and Charlie looked scared. Charlie entered his father's mind and projected his thoughts to him:

'I won't turn dark. I can't turn dark. I'm just... Dad, what do I do?'

'Charlie-'

'How can I turn dark when I was born Harry Potter? That would be like Voldemort being a good guy. I mean, yeah my furry little problem doesn't really help my case! But really?!'

'I know, I completely get that. But I trust that you'll make the right decisions and I'll most likely support them... Unless you suddenly decide you want to kill me for some reason, then I'll have some reservations.' Remus joked, trying to lighten the atmosphere, 'Anyway, I think we should stop talking, or whatever we're doing, McGonagall wants you and the twins to reprimand you for that lovely introductory prank you did. Very nice Moony says, your father however says : 'the first night? Already? Not good behaviour, but at the same time supports the beating of Slytherins.'

'Well Messer Moony, Messer Lupus is glad you enjoyed, but Charlie says to his father: 'Sorry but the opportunity was too overwhelmingly good! And supports the want for pranking Slytherins'. Besides, whoever heard of a Marauder not pranking Slytherins, especially on this prestigious of nights! Anyway, seya around dad, I think I have you tomorrow? I'm not entirely sure. See ya, love you!' Charlie mentally winked at Remus, who chuckled.

After the feast, Charlie was steered away from the exit with the twins by McGonagall. She had pursed white lips and her eyes were stony and cold. She pushed them into a large room off the edge of the hall, conjured three chairs and pushed them all into them.

'What have you got to say for yourselves Weasleys? Lupin? Hmm? I expected better from you all! Especially you Lupin! Your first day! I thought that with your circumstances you would keep your head down! ENOUGH! ' she shouted at the splutterings of the boys,' Detention. For a week! And fifty points from Gryffindor for abject stupidity. Go! Now!' she said as she tiredly massaged her temples. The boys stood up quickly and almost ran out the room,

'Close call there mate!'

'Yeah I thought we were goners!'

'I was ready to pack my bags and leave!'

'Charlie?'

'Yeah?'

'What did she mean by your 'circumstances'?' both twins peered to look at Charlie who froze momentarily.

'Circumstances?' he squeaked.

'Yeah you know?'

'Probably just the sorting fiasco, I don't exactly know!' Charlie said smoothly after regaining his control. The twins cast each other silent looks of disbelief, Charlie sounded way too nervous for it to just be that!

'Hm, didn't sound like that's what she meant, care to guess again?' George said.

'Just DROP it! ' Charlie snapped as his hair turned slightly red for an instant, 'Sorry, but I really don't know. Sorry for snapping at you, I didn't mean to do that.' Charlie gave them both apologetic glances.

'That's fine-'

'Yeah don't worry little bro-'

'Little bro?' Charlie gave them a confused look.

'Yeah well now you're our twin, you sorta are our little brother-

'And also, we've been like brothers since-'

'Forever-'

'So you need not worry-'

'Messer Lupus-'

'Everything shall remain-'

'Secret-'

'Until you want it in-'

'The big wide world!' Charlie had an awestruck look on his face, one the twins learnt meant 'Prank time!'.

'How do you do that?'

'The alternate thing?'

'Telepathy-'

'Helps-'

'In more than just-'

'Pranks.' they finished together.

'Basically, you telepathically message each other and that's how you do it?'

'Yeah, and only we can let people in, so...'

'Find the right network Charlie!'

Charlie screwed up his face in concentration, not unlike how he used to change his appearance, he searched the minds of the vicinity to see what and where he had to go and do. The floor was misty and there were doors littered around the place; Witter and Dingley, Snape and Dumbledore- what happened in there?! ergh! Finally he found the right place, it was a modern muggle apartment with a white door, on the door there was the number 2 and underneath the words 'Weasley and Weasley' in gold lettering. Charlie knocked on the door and to his surprise, it swung open and sucked him in.

'CHARLIE!'

'YOU MADE IT!'

'Merlin Charlie, that was pretty quick! I was expecting to be waiting here for ages!'

'Sadly brother of mine, he is in and I think it'd be pretty challenging to kick him out.'

'Yes, we best be nice to each other here, ok Charlie?' Fred put on a sickly sweet voice.

'Onto pranking we ride!' George said loudly, as if leading an army into battle which made him receive bemused looks from the other two.

'Does Lee ever get in here?' Charlie asked.

'Nah, we never let him into it-'

'Well to be fair, he never asked-'

'Suppose, anyway, no he didn't cos we didn't know whether he could be trusted with such a big thing, but we've known you since you were a titchy little thing-'

'So we can trust you!' they concluded.

'How did I not know of this? HM? Anyway, I think we'd better be going,' Charlie said aloud.

'Yeah, we probably should. Anyone know the password?' George asked.

'No but I can find out easily!' Charlie said slyly, 'Or we can simply go round the side and through the passage!'

'Passage? What passage?'

'Why haven't we heard of this?' the twins asked in incredulation.

'Oh well, us Marauders have our ways around the castle and as it is, I plan to find more!' Charlie declared.

By now they had arrived outside the fat lady, who was intent on making some alcoholic concoction that Charlie strongly suspected was some form of magically strengthened wine. Charlie ushered the twins into a nearby alcove and told them to check the map that there was no one coming, which there wasn't, he then proceeded to locate the portrait of the three pigs trying to build a house, when he found it, he looked around again, called out the twins, whispered the password- Big bad wolf- and slipped into the darkened passage way.

'Where does this go?' asked Fred.

'The steps on the left go to the common room study area-you pop out at a panel in the middle of the wall- and the staircase on the right goes to a dead end. Apparently. I plan to find out soon if it actually is a dead end.'

'Wicked.'

'So Charlie, what do we do now?'

'Check the study area for people and then move out!'

'Sir yes sir!' the twins saluted at Charlie and then scampered up the steps towards the common room. Charlie took a look down to the dead end, decided it was too risky if he was seen coming out later and went in pursuit of the twins.

The twins' POV:

'Firstly, Charlie is awesome.'

'Yeah, I know we were always friends with him but the stuff he knows about Hogwarts!'

'With all that secret stuff and pranks we never knew!'

'Seriously cool!'

'Do you know what McGonagall meant by circumstances?'

'Nah, Charlie didn't seem too happy when we asked him. Especially when we hinted that we thought he wasn't being exactly truthful!'

'Yeah, something to hide I'm guessing, but what?'

'Maybe something sad and dramatic like his- broom snapped! Cos why else would McGonagall drag it up?'

'I dunno, but keep your eyes peeled! And what sort of circumstance is 'my broom snapped'?'

'A bad one. Do you know where his dorm is?'

'Nah I don't, is he with us? Cos he is a third year sorta...'

'Perhaps, let's find him using the map!'

We opened and activated the map only to find that Charlie was sitting up in the top of the tower, actually in the walls, well that's what it looked like. We walked up the cold stone steps until they reached where Charlie was supposed to be sitting, but he wasn't there. I tapped the map, as if trying to see if the reading was right, when nothing changed, we walked even closer to where he was meant to be, it was an arched window with a slate window ledge slightly jutting out from the tower. George cleared his throat to see if Charlie was nearby and just not in sight, but when we got no response, we assumed that either Charlie wasn't there and the map made a mistake, or he wanted to be alone.

The tower incident from Charlie's POV:

I sat on the stone floor of the attic area of the tower, pushing grains of sand and dirt around the floor. Diablo was wrapped around my wrist, watching me in my pointless task.

"What isss bothering you ssspeaker?'

"I'm ssscared that when the twinss find out they won't like mee. Then I shhall be alonee. Alsso, the headmasster thinkss I am dark and eviil. When he findss out about thiss, he shhall be ssure. Dad undersstandss though Quiessée. But other humanss shhall not."

"Do not worry ssspeaker, it iss jusst a talent. Anyway, who caress, you are the heir of Ssalazar Sslytherin, the great ssspeaker himsself."

"Guesss sso." two sets of footsteps echoed up the stairs into the attic, " Quick ssomeone'sss coming, hide up my ssleve!"

I made myself invisible and froze, my feet stopped swaying in the breeze outside the tower. It was the twins, I could smell them, their scent had carried up the steps and had reached me. When they arrived, map in hand, I inwardly screamed. HOW STUPID WAS I?! I forgot about the map, I held my breath for all it was worth and to my relief, they walked away after deciding I wasn't there. I exhaled loudly and after a minute walked back down the steps and into a passageway that led me straight to the study area. Where I met Granger.

'Hey Granger,' I said lightly.

'What do you want Lupin?' she spat.

'Woah! Where'd the sudden I-hate-Lupin come from?'

'It came when you pulled that stupid prank at the feast! That was blatant disregard of the rules Lupin and you know it!'

'Come on Granger! It was a joke! No one got hurt!'

'Lupin you are such a dolt I don't think that it's the best that we talk. I don't know what happened, you were so nice on the train... And now I find that I want to strangle you in annoyance for no real reason but the fact that you pulled a prank-'

'WOAH! Slight extreme reaction there! Murder? Not sure I'm too happy with that!'

'Go away Lupin, I'm studying.'

'Ok, seya around Granger. I like you, it seems a shame that you don't like me. ' she just groaned at me in exasperation before returning to her book.

Girls. I'll never get them.