Chapter Four - All About Lily, Nomomom
{ Charlotte Evans }
"Looooottie," Lily called in a sing-song voice, drawing only a fraction of Charlotte's attention from across the Gryffindor table. For the last hour, they'd been sitting together, and Lily was in a constant battle to keep Charlotte engaged, torn between their conversation and Charlotte's strange fixation on a window across the room.
"Charlotte?" Lily tried again, her voice slightly sharper this time.
Charlotte knew she was horribly distracted but couldn't bring herself to care. The conversation Lily had been trying to spark was of no interest to her. She couldn't have cared less about who said what during the prefect meeting last night. Lily was clearly grasping at straws, attempting to find something that might hold her attention, but gossip had never been her forte.
Charlotte's mind was elsewhere, focused on the pages of The Dangers of Animagi and What to Avoid. The book was written in such an analytically complex manner that it took her an entire night to make sense of a single page. Every sentence felt like it needed decoding. One of the first warnings, translated into simpler terms, read: "At no point should you ever experiment with transfiguration magic without a comprehensive understanding of the abhorrent consequences of failure."
It was this line that had caused Charlotte to pause, wondering why she was so determined to learn such advanced, dangerous magic. There was no denying the challenge or allure of becoming an Animagus, though it wasn't exactly useful magic. Unless you needed to hide, it was more of a curiosity, a fascinating form of transfiguration that held deep personal meaning.
What intrigued her most was that the Animagus form represented more than just an animal—it symbolised the core of who you were, a physical manifestation of your magic. And Charlotte wanted that. She craved that understanding of herself. But it was incredibly frustrating to admit she couldn't do it alone. She needed help.
"Hmmm," she murmured absentmindedly, her head propped on her hand as she replayed her conversation with Potter over and over again in her mind. She was already regretting the deal. Sure, having his guidance would make things easier, but the cost of going behind Lily's back weighed heavily on her conscience.
"CHARLOTTE!" Lily's voice rang out, startling her so badly that she dropped her fork with a loud clatter onto her plate.
"What?!" Charlotte yelled, instinctively reaching for her wand. She stopped when she saw Lily's expression—annoyed, not alarmed. Sighing, she relaxed and returned her wand to her pocket. "Bloody hell, woman, what are you shouting about?"
Lily shot her an incredulous look, pushing her empty plate aside and folding her hands neatly on the table. Charlotte groaned inwardly. That was Lily's signature move before a scolding.
"Charlotte, it's like talking to a brick wall with you these days," Lily sighed, her frustration clear.
Charlotte rolled her eyes. "I'd like to think I'm slightly better-looking than a brick wall," she muttered, poking at her pastry with disinterest.
"What's going on with you?" Lily's voice softened, her brow creasing in concern.
"What do you mean? I'm fine." Charlotte tried to brush her off, though she knew she wasn't convincing anyone.
She wasn't fine. She hadn't slept properly in days, she was constantly on edge about running into James, and her studies were falling behind. There was also the ever-present fear that a teacher would somehow find out about her attempts to become an Animagus and expel her on the spot.
As her thoughts drifted, her eyes glazed over once again, no longer focusing on Lily's concerned face.
"Hey!" Lily snapped her fingers in front of Charlotte's face, forcing her attention back to the present. "There you go again, drifting off!"
Charlotte shrugged. "I don't know what you're talking about," she said, feigning innocence.
"Outside of class and meals, I've barely seen you," Lily pressed, her tone growing more exasperated.
Charlotte sighed. Of course, Lily hadn't seen her—she'd been retreating to their dorm to sleep or hiding in her usual spot near the courtyard with her nose buried in the Animagus book.
"I've been... busy?" Charlotte winced as she realised her excuse sounded more like a question than a statement.
"Busy with what?" Lily leaned forward, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. "And don't tell me it's homework. I know you better than that."
Of course, Lily would assume homework was easy for her. What she didn't realise was how much effort Charlotte had to put in to keep up with her.
"It's just extra study," Charlotte said vaguely, hoping to steer the conversation away from specifics.
"Extra study? On what?"
"Transfiguration," Charlotte replied without missing a beat. It wasn't technically a lie—her Animagus research did fall under the realm of transfiguration.
Lily's brow furrowed even further. "We don't have any extra work for Transfiguration."
Charlotte fought the urge to scream. "I'm doing some seventh-year stuff, getting a head start. I like transfiguration, and if I can learn more now, why not?"
Lily stared at her for a moment, clearly unsatisfied with the answer, but she finally sighed. "Fine. Just... don't overdo it."
Before Charlotte could respond, a familiar voice interrupted their conversation.
"Hello, my lovely Evans twins!" James Potter strolled over with his usual swagger, flashing his most dazzling smile. He gave a dramatic bow, his hand clutching his chest as if he were some gallant knight. "Lily, you look positively ravishing tonight."
Charlotte snorted into her hand, trying and failing to hide her amusement as Lily turned her heated glare on James.
"Potter," Lily said, her voice dangerously low, "leave before I hex you."
James winked, undeterred. "That's a tad harsh, don't you think? I can't help it if your beauty lured me across the Great Hall."
"Oh, good Godric," Charlotte muttered, watching as Lily's hand moved towards her wand. Quickly, Charlotte grabbed her sister's arm, forcing a bright smile. "Potter, can we help you with something?"
James grinned. "Actually, yes! I wanted to invite you both to a party for Remus in two nights. A little celebration for his birthday."
"Lily, I hope you'll consider attending," he added with a hopeful look.
Charlotte almost pitied him. Almost. His smirk was playful, not obnoxious, but Lily was having none of it.
"If I do come," Lily snapped, "it will be for Remus. Not you."
James didn't seem to mind. "Fantastic!"
He turned to Charlotte, giving her a charming smile. "What about you, Charlotte? Fancy coming along?"
Before she could answer, Lily cut in. "She won't be attending."
Charlotte blinked, startled by Lily's assertiveness. "Excuse me?"
"You're not going," Lily said firmly.
Charlotte's eyes narrowed. "Thank you, Mum, but I don't need your permission to go to a party."
"Well, unless you want me telling Mum and Dad about the other morning..."
Charlotte froze. "You wouldn't."
Lily's expression said otherwise.
The mention of that morning—of Charlotte's hangover—was enough to send a wave of panic through her. If Lily told their parents, it would be disastrous. They had warned her that any slip-ups could lead to her being pulled from Hogwarts permanently.
"I—" Charlotte started, but her voice faltered.
Lily's gaze softened, but her voice was firm. "I don't want to see you get in trouble. If you end up drinking again... you know what could happen."
Charlotte clenched her fists, heat rising in her chest. She wasn't some irresponsible child who needed babysitting, but the threat of being expelled—that was serious. And she hated that Lily, of all people, was using it against her.
"So, what, you're going to rat me out to Mum and Dad if I go to the party?" Charlotte asked, her voice dangerously low.
"If it means keeping you out of trouble, then yes," Lily said, her expression resolute, though a hint of sadness flickered in her eyes.
"You wouldn't dare," Charlotte hissed, her hands trembling with fury. The threat felt like the ultimate betrayal. Lily knew what Hogwarts meant to her—what it meant to both of them.
Lily's face softened into something apologetic, but it only made Charlotte feel worse. "I'm just trying to protect you."
"I don't need your protection," Charlotte snapped. "I can take care of myself."
The argument escalated, their voices clashing in a rare display of open hostility. James, sensing the tension, tried to interject, but both twins shouted at him in unison, "Shut it, Potter!"
By the time the argument ended, Charlotte was storming out of the Great Hall, her anger simmering beneath the surface. How dare Lily treat her like a child?
She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice James catching up to her in the entrance hall until he called out her name.
"Charlotte, wait!"
She stopped and turned, half-expecting another lecture, but James simply looked at her with concern.
"Are we still on for tomorrow night?" he asked, referring to their deal. Charlotte almost laughed at the absurdity of it all. Here she was, fighting with her sister, and James was still thinking about his deal.
"Yeah, sure," she muttered, too exhausted to argue. "We're still on."
James grinned, seemingly oblivious to Charlotte's exhaustion or the emotional turmoil that had just unfolded between the sisters. "Great," he said brightly, as if they hadn't just witnessed a public blowout. He paused for a moment before adding, "You don't mind if Sirius drops by tomorrow, do you?"
Charlotte let out a groan of disbelief. Of course, he'd want Sirius there—just what she needed, the flirtatious and forward Sirius Black showing up and making things more awkward than they already were. "If I said I did mind, would it change anything?" she asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she rubbed at her temple, feeling the oncoming pressure of a headache.
James looked a bit taken aback by her answer but quickly recovered. "Well, yeah, I'd tell him not to come if it really bothered you."
Charlotte sighed deeply. The last thing she wanted right now was to add another argument to her plate, so she waved it off. "Fine, whatever. Just tell him to keep his thoughts to himself."
James chuckled softly, though he seemed to recognise the fatigue in her voice. "I'll try," he said, though they both knew Sirius wasn't one to filter himself.
There was a brief silence between them, an awkwardness hanging in the air. Charlotte shifted on her feet, her mind racing with a thousand thoughts she wasn't prepared to deal with. Just as she was about to turn and leave, James placed a hand gently on her shoulder, halting her in her tracks.
"Charlotte?" he asked, his voice softer, more serious now. "Are you… alright?"
Charlotte froze, the warmth from his hand unsettling her far more than she wanted to admit. She glanced over her shoulder, meeting his gaze. His hazel eyes, which she had finally noticed weren't blue after all, were filled with genuine concern.
She wanted to snap at him, to tell him to stop pretending like he cared, but the words caught in her throat. Instead, she let out a resigned sigh. "Not really."
James' expression softened, his brow furrowed in concern. "Is there anything I can do to help?"
"Definitely not," Charlotte replied with a small, humourless laugh. "But thanks." She gave him a half-smile, the effort it took to be polite nearly draining what little energy she had left.
James didn't say anything more, just stood there, watching her with a frown that made him look far older than his years. The silence stretched between them, thick and heavy, until finally, Charlotte turned on her heel and walked away. She didn't need to look back to know that James was still standing there, watching her retreating form.
The walk to the Gryffindor common room was short, but every step felt weighed down by the aftermath of the argument with Lily. Charlotte's mind was a whirlwind of frustration and hurt. No matter how much she tried to distance herself from her sister, Lily always seemed to pull her back in, her concern suffocating in its intensity.
Charlotte finally reached the entrance to the common room, pausing for a moment as the Fat Lady swung open to let her in. The cosy warmth of the Gryffindor common room felt at odds with her internal turmoil, and for a brief moment, she considered retreating to her favourite spot in the courtyard instead.
In the end, the exhaustion won. She walked straight to the girls' dormitory, barely acknowledging the few students still lounging by the fire. The soft glow of the common room was comforting, but it didn't stop the heavy weight pressing on her chest.
She collapsed onto her bed, staring up at the canopy above her, her mind racing with thoughts of Lily, the deal she had made with James, and the growing frustration that seemed to be tightening around her heart.
She couldn't escape the gnawing feeling that no matter what she did, she would always be stuck in her sister's shadow, always fighting to be noticed—by Lily, by James, by everyone. But now, more than ever, she needed to find her own way. And somehow, becoming an Animagus felt like her path to doing just that.
With a tired sigh, Charlotte closed her eyes. Tomorrow, the complicated deal with James would begin, and everything would get even more tangled.