Time seemed to pass in a blur for both Charlotte and Georgia. However. for very different reasons. Charlotte had been whisked away by happiness. The after effects of her date with Hermione, she supposed. Even months after she still felt so happy, perhaps it also had to do with successfully avoiding Zacharias Smith and his friends, or maybe it was just because she'd been spending more time with her friends. Though Harry was still convinced Georgia was behind all the bad things happening at Hogwarts, Charlotte refused to believe her sister could ever do such a thing. Although, she had joined the Death Eaters…
On the other hand, life for Georgia hadn't been getting any easier. She'd been pushed to second best by her brother, and while she enjoyed having less attention drawn to her all the time she was made to join a meeting (which was becoming more and more infrequent), it hadn't gotten her out of her task. So really, Ben being there wasn't much of a plus.
As the school year progressed Georgia became more stressed than she had been in a long time. She didn't have much time to complete her task and everything she'd tried had been unsuccessful. Well, that was until Draco strode into the Slytherin Common Room.
"I've done it Georgia!" He whispered as he sat down next to her on the couch she was curled up on, grinning widely at her.
"Done what?" She asked, pushing her glasses up as she lifted her eyes from her book. "Founded a school on mars?"
Draco frowned at her for a second before he got back to what he was saying, "No, I've fixed the Vanishing Cabinet! It's completely functional and I sent a letter to my aunt telling her to send through some Death Eaters tonight. We're going to take over the castle."
It was Georgia's turn to frown now, "What about my task? How am I supposed to kill Dumbledore once Death Eaters have taken over the place?"
Draco was still grinning at her, "What if you do it tonight? We'll catch him off guard, giving you the opportunity to send a curse at him. Snape told me that Dumbledore is taking Potter somewhere this evening and that they'll be appearing back onto the Astronomy Tower, we can do it then."
Still frowning Georgia asked, "How on earth did Snape come by that kind of information?! Surely that sounds suspicious to you?"
"Normally I'd agree with you, but apparently Snape made a promise to the Dark Lord to look out for you whilst at school. So I doubt he'd put you in danger."
o0O0o
Night fall seemed to approach far too quickly for Georgia's liking. She'd been sitting in an alcove just under the top level of the Astronomy Tower waiting for Draco to arrive with all the Death Eaters assigned to this job. It felt like forever before anything interesting happened. Luckily, she'd had the foresight to bring a book.
Eventually, she heard the crack of apparition. "Shit." She whispered to herself. Draco wasn't here yet, but she couldn't let Dumbledore leave. She moved out of her alcove causing the floorboards to creak. Dumbledore and Harry had been talking quietly to each other beforehand and had clearly heard the creaking because Dumbledore told Harry to hide in the level below.
Moving to where she couldn't be seen, she watch Harry hide himself away. Georgia slipped out of her hiding place and walked as calmly as she could up the stairs, wand griped tightly in her hand.
"Good evening, Georgia. What brings you here on this fine spring evening?" She eyed him carefully, surely Potter would have told him what he'd heard in the bathroom that day. What was he playing at?
"Cut the crap, Dumbledore. You know why I'm here."
"Forgive me Georgia, but I can't help but feel that your previous attempts on my life were so weak that your heart can't really have been in them." The professor exuded calmness, which only helped in irritating Georgia.
"My heart has no say in the matter! I was chosen for this." She growled out, a sneer covering her face.
He looked upset by her words, "Then I shall make it easy for you."
With a quick 'expeliarmus' the Headmaster's wand was sitting in a corner of the room, far from reach.
"Very good, very good." He sounded almost mocking.
Before Georgia could even convince herself to say the curse out loud, she was interrupted by the sound of the door at the bottom of the tower opening and footsteps thumping up the stairs.
He looked confused, "There are others. How?"
Georgia smirked, he'd clearly not been expecting it. "The Vanishing Cabinet in the Room of Requirement. Draco's been fixing it."
Now looking curious Dumbledore asked, "Let me guess, it has a sister. A twin."
She glared at him. Georgia noticed, even if it was subconscious on his part, that Dumbledore had emphasising 'twin'. And it made her mad, how dare he bring Charlotte into this!
"In Borgin and Burkes, they create a passage." She bit out, trying to control her emotions.
"That's ingenious… Georgia, I once knew a boy who made all the wrong choices. Please. Let me help you."
"No!" She shouted. "You don't get it do you? If I don't finish this he's going to kill everyone I care about. And then, just for good measure, he'll probably hand me over to his Death Eaters so they can each have their own turn at 'teaching me a lesson'. You haven't seen the things they do to the girls considered disappointments…"
His face softened, "Georgia, you are no assassin."
Strangely angered by his all too correct assumption, Georgia lashed out at him. "There's a first time for everything!"
She was trying to convince herself to say the words when the Death Eaters finally made it to the top of the tower.
Bellatrix was the first to appear, "Well, look what we have here."
She glided over to Georgia and stood behind her. Georgia shuddered at the feeling of Bella's icy hand touching her shoulder.
Bellatrix leant in to whisper in her ear, "Well done Georgia." As she spoke the words her hand caressed Georgia's cheek, but it quickly turned into Bella dragging her pointed nails harshly over the skin. Enough to raise red lines and tear at her skin, without drawing blood. "Come on Georgia, we didn't come all this way for nothing. Do it."
"She doesn't have the stomach." One of the Death Eaters behind her hissed. "Let me finish him my own way."
"No!" Bella bit sternly. "The Dark Lord was clear, the girl is to do it. This is your moment, do it. Go on girl, now!"
The more she spoke the more Bellatrix conveyed her insanity, with every word it became clearer. Before Georgia could do anything she heard a voice behind her, one she hadn't been expecting. She thought he'd stay away to avoid suspicion from the order.
"No." Snape's voice was calm and direct, a complete contrast to everything she was feeling in that moment.
Dumbledore was the only one to speak, breaking the enveloping silence. "Severus… Please."
Like lightning, without a hint of remorse in his eyes, Snape lifted his wand and spoke the words that would kill the greatest wizard alive. Georgia's racing heart plummeted. Snape had completed her task. Her task. He was not going to be happy with this.
o0O0o
Charlotte hadn't been able to get to sleep, there was a feeling deep in her gut. A stark contrast to the elated happiness she been feeling a lot recently. Something felt wrong, like something drastic, and life changing was happening, and not in a good way. She decided she'd go for a walk around the castle to clear her head. She would deal with any consequences, if she were discovered, later.
Walking toward the Great Hall, Charlotte heard a commotion which sounded far worse than one of Peeves' pranks. Sneaking toward the door, she poked her head around it. Inside she saw a devastated Hall – furniture had been tossed across the room, plates and goblets had been kicked around the room and the windows were all missing their glass – and a crowd of people all dressed in black. Running to hide herself as the group left and walked out the front doors of Hogwarts. Curiosity peaked, Charlotte followed the group outside. A decision she would soon come to regret, immensely.
At the centre of the group was a person who wasn't wearing robes like everyone else. It was a girl wearing a long-sleeved, black collared dress with sheer black stockings and flats. Charlotte would recognise that style anywhere. It was Georgia!
What was Georgia doing with a group of people who were destroying the school? It looked as though they were escorting her from the grounds… They must be Death Eaters!
That was the last thought Charlotte had before she was grabbed from behind by a pair of strong, muscled arms.
"Aren't you a pretty thing." A deep voice whispered deeply in her ear before chuckling. "I wonder if the Dark Lord will let me keep you?"
Charlotte was hit with a stunning spell, before she even had the chance to struggle against her assailant.
o0O0o
"You have been a severe disappointment Georgia, and to think, I had such high hopes for you." The Dark lord told her. She had been pushed into a kneeling position by the two Death Eaters on either side preventing retaliation or escape. Her glasses were sitting askew on her face with a small crack from when he Grandfather had hit her across the face. She looked around the room subtly, her head bowed, searching for Ben, wishing for his comforting gaze, but she couldn't see him anywhere.
The Dark Lord seemed to be contemplating something, he turned to his Death Eaters. "Before I decide Georgia's punishment, I wish for a verbal report from everyone, so I may see the extent of my Granddaughter's failure"
Most recounts of the evening where repeats of the same thing (We showed up, Dumbledore was disarmed, she didn't kill him, they destroyed things and left), that was until one Death Eater stood forward, Georgia recognised him as Bellatrix's husband. Rod… something. His report began similarly to all those before it until he got to the moment the others had left the castle to lay waste to the school grounds, "I found a girl following us as we left the castle and I was wondering if I could keep her, my Lord?"
Voldemort smirked sadistically, clearly liking what his follower was insinuating. "Bring the girl to me before I make such a decision." Bellatrix seemed to be trying to avoid speaking out, probably because she disliked the idea of her husband dividing his attention.
The man apparated out of the room and was soon back with a girl in tow. He was gripping her by the back of the neck and she looked incredibly uncomfortable, however she kept her chin up. As soon as the girl entered the room Georgia recognised her sister. Honestly, she was surprised no one had put two and two together yet.
"And who might you be?" Voldemort asked mockingly, giving the young girl the illusion of choice.
Charlotte looked defiantly into his red eyes, "My name is Charlotte Prewett. Your Granddaughter."
Georgia felt she had no choice but to stay silent, lest her punishment increase. The Dark Lord grinned at her wickedly. "My dear Georgia, I have decided your punishment. Unfortunately Rodolphus, you won't be able to keep this one. As consequence for your failure, I will have your very own twin, the person you care for most in this world, turned into a werewolf."
Georgia's eyes widened, this would ruin Charlotte's life forever. And it was all her fault… She could hear her twin's desperate gasp across the room as Fenrir Greyback made his way towards her, Charlotte struggled against the two men, shouting for help, feeling utterly useless as her sister stayed knelt at the feet of the Dark Lord, watching and doing nothing.
"Take her to the dungeons, Fenrir. Turn her at the next full moon."
o0O0o
After being 'escorted' by Fenrir Greyback to the dungeons Charlotte was practically deadweight. Fenrir moved her toward a cell and sat her on the sorry excuse for a bed.
"Don't worry too much, you've got a week until the next full moon to come to terms with it." He sat down next to her, his gruff voice seemed to be attempting to comfort her.
"A week!? I only have a week to get used to the idea that my whole life is going to change and I'll never be able to pursue a worthwhile career, let alone what achieve my dreams!" She turned to him and started to sob into his chest, forgetting he was a Death Eater and the very werewolf who was going to turn her into a monster as she gripped at his bare chest. Slowly Greyback wrapped his arms around her, allowing her to feel the support he was offering.
Once she'd run out of tears Charlotte realised what she was doing and quickly moved away from him, "Sorry." She mumbled quietly.
"I know Pup. It can be scary, no one ever plans for these kinds of things." Greyback look at her with sympathy, reaching over and rubbing small circles on Charlotte's back as she hiccupped and wiped tears roughly from her face.
"Pup?" She asked curiously after she'd managed to stop the hiccups and had moved onto small sniffles.
"That's what you'll be soon, a newly turned werewolf. Most of the pack, if you ever meet them, will refer to you as Pup." He gave her a small smile, it was… almost kind. "Once I've bitten you, you'll be like a daughter to me, and all those I've bitten will be like your siblings."
"That – that doesn't sound too bad…" Charlotte sniffed. Feeling emotionally drained, she was finally able to sleep that night, on the shoulder of the most feared werewolf known to Wizard kind.
o0O0o
Greyback often came to visit her in her cell, she didn't know how often he came, since it was always dark in these dungeons. She suspected it was once or maybe twice a day. He would bring her food, explaining that if he didn't bring it, the Dark Lord would care if she was starving before the full-moon. But, also that Charlotte would likely not survive the turning if she weren't properly fed beforehand.
During his visits, Fenrir would teach her about being a werewolf, and how she would be expected to live if she joined a pack – Charlotte thought he may have been hinting that she would be able to join his pack after he had turned her, but internally she knew that wouldn't happen, Fenrir's pack had sided with Voldemort, and she couldn't be a part of that, not after everything that vile man had taken from her.
She and Fenrir spent many hours talking, about what Charlotte should expect on her first full-moon, about pack dynamics, and they even spoke about themselves. Greyback would answer any question about being a werewolf or even himself with barely a pause for thought.
Little did she know, despite the apparent openness Fenrir was expressing, he was keeping something from her, something that could be considered quite important. It was extremely rare for females to survive becoming a werewolf.