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✯❀𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐊 𝐓𝐎𝐀𝐃❀✯
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"You promise you'll write to me?" Charlotte said, for at least the fifth time.
"As much as possible," Kaycie replied, "besides, it'll be Christmas before you know it, and then I'd have moved to Hogwarts!"
"Christmas is ages away!" Lottie cried, sounding like a disappointed eight year old, to which Kaycie laughed at.
"Merlin this feels like my first year all over again!" She said, playfully rolling her eyes and shaking her head.
"That was a dreadful year," Lottie sighed, smiling slightly at her ten year old selfs reaction to Kaycie leaving for boarding school.
"Eh, it was cute," Kaycie shrugged, glancing around the living room of Lupin cottage. "I'll see you in three months?"
"Three months," Charlotte confirmed, pulling her in for another hug. "I'll miss you."
"I'll miss you too, weirdo." Kaycie grinned, "stay safe on the full moons."
"Will do," she nodded, "love you."
"I love you too," Kaycie saluted her with a smile, before stepping into the fireplace and flooing away.
✵✵✵
Charlotte Lupin was waiting in the living room of Lupin cottage. It was the first of September, and unfortunately, neither Hope nor Lyall could take her to Kings Cross Station, however they insisted an adult did. Lottie wasn't actually sure who was taking her, just that it was someone who didn't have a shift at the orphanage.
She heard a knock on the door, and quickly stood up to answer it. Coco was sitting on the rug in front of the TV, and her trunk and extra rucksack was waiting by the front door, Skittles had already flown to Hogwarts the night before.
"Hello- oh." Charlotte failed to hide her disappointment as she looked her father up and down from the door way.
"Hello!" Remus beamed, choosing to ignore her disappointment and replace it with excitement, "ready to go?"
"Yep," she nodded, turning around, "Coco!"
Coco nervously walked over, her eyes on Remus. She had grown a lot, her fur was cut and no longer matted, and in all honesty, she just looked healthier. She still had terrible trust issues, and she hid behind Lottie.
"Ah, new dog?"
"She's called Coco," Charlotte said, gently lifting her up into her arms.
"And she's coming with us...?" Remus asked.
"To Hogwarts, yes."
"Do your nan and grandad know?"
"Yep, now chop chop or we'll be late!" Lottie said, swinging her rucksack over her shoulder whilst Remus took her trunk.
"Let's get going then," he said, slightly shocked at her enthusiasm.
Around twenty minutes - and an awkward car journey - later, Charlotte and Remus arrived at Kings Cross Station.
"So, what's your plan for Coco?" Asked Remus, desperate to start a conversation with his daughter that would last more than five words. "Where will she sleep?"
"I'll probably put her bed just next to mine," Lottie shrugged.
"You...you have a bed on you?"
"My trunk has been charmed for years," she said, "there's an undetectable extension charm."
"When did you learn to do that? That's quite tricky magic!"
"Ced did it for me."
"Ah, that's really cool!"
She nodded, and they continued walking to platforms 9 and 10, grabbing a trolley for the bags as they did so.
When they reached the correct platform, Remus felt a thrill of adrenaline. He knew he shouldn't, but he was about to go onto the platform with his daughter, something he had never done before.
"I'm- are you...ready?" He asked nervously.
"You know this is my fifth year?" She quirked an eyebrow at him.
"Right," he said nervously, "well, you go first then."
Slightly confused at his sudden awkwardness, Charlotte quickly ran towards the wall, entering platform 9¾.
The platform was as busy as ever, flooded with students of all ages, full of crying families and excited first years.
Stepping to the side, Lottie looked across the platformin search of her friends.
"James is over there with the rest of the Potters," Remus said, patting down his trousers. "Did you want to go and say hello?"
Lottie nodded, a smile tugging at her lips at the thought of seeing Harry.
Remus turned and started walking the direction the Potters were standing in, Lottie following behind as they made their way over to the Potters and Blacks.
"Hey Remus, Charlotte!" Sirius waved.
"Hi Charlotte," Emelia smiled.
"Hey!"
"Hey Charlie, Coco!" Harry Potter grinned, reaching a hand out and stroking Coco's head. "Is she coming on the train with you?"
"Yup," she nodded, looking down at Coco, who was wearily looking around the station.
"What are you going to do when you get to the Great Hall?" Asked Sophia Potter, who was intrigued to see how long Charlotte would go without getting caught.
"Oh," Lottie froze, she hadn't planned that far ahead, "well....erm-"
"You could hide her in the room of requirements." Sophia suggested, "although it may make you a little late for dinner."
"I can come with you," Harry said eagerly, "we'll be quick."
"Okay," she said, smiling at Harry who had a cheesy grin on his face, "we'll go straight there instead of to the Great Hall?"
"Sounds good to me."
Around half an hour later, Lottie was sat opposite Theodore Nott and Alexander Rosier.
"Why doesn't she like me?" Alex asked in pure disappointment as he looked down at Coco. "Everyone likes me!"
"Do they?" Theo asked.
"Shut up," Alex nudged him in the ribs, "she has no reason to not like me!"
"She's just scared," said Charlotte, gently stroking Coco who was sat on her lap. "Lyall says she might have been through a lot the past few months, given the fact she was homeless. It'll take time to trust people. She's still funny with me sometimes."
"Poor Coco," Theo pouted, "no dog deserves that."
"I second that!" Alex nodded furiously.
"So how was everybody's summers?" Theo asked, leaning back in his seat.
"Mine was pretty good, I spent most of it with my family." Alex grinned, "I got a figure of the Eiffel tower! It's small but I think it's wicked! Muggles make cool creations, my dad told me they made the figures in these huge factories!"
"Really?" Theo asked.
"Yep! The factories have huge machines that are able to do amazing things without magic!"
"Muggles are smart," Theo sighed, "I don't understand how they live without magic."
"Me neither, I couldn't imagine it."
Lottie only laughed, she had spent most of her life without a clue magic existed, she knew all the muggle ways around things, they were the normal ways for a very long time.
"Dad says we have a guest coming to Hogwarts," said Theo, rubbing his forehead.
"Any idea who it is?" Asked Charlotte.
"Not a clue. He said that the ministry is sending her to check everything at Hogwarts is running smoothly, they have to do it every four or five years to make sure the school isn't a mess." He explained, "she has a lot of power, I think. If she doesn't like something she can easily change it, these inspectors are quite strict."
"I hope she's not too strict, it would ruin our pranking career!" Alex cried.
"Me too, I have lots of new pranking ideas for this year!" Lottie said excitedly.
"I plan on pranking Erin a lot this year," Theo announced, "she's not getting away with anymore shit."
"Definitely."
A few hours later, Lottie made her way down the train so that she could find somewhere to change into her school robes. She had left Coco on her seat, curled up in a blanket with the boys, and her main aim was to be quick incase she woke up scared. Not looking where she was going, she accidentally bumped into someone.
She almost fell over, however the feeling of two hands gripping her waist stopped her from doing so, instead, her stomach was filled with butterflies as she looked up at Harry Potter.
"Woah Charlie! Better look where you're going." He chuckled, his hands still pressed firmly to her waist, his eyes locked with hers.
"Shit - thank you Harry...and sorry!" She laughed breathlessly, her mind on those two hands on her waist.
"It's okay," he said quietly, his eyes flickering from her eyes to her lips.
"MOVE!" A sharp voice shouted.
Both Harry and Charlotte stumbled back, turning to see Erin Johnson, except she looked different. Her brown hair was now darker, longer. Her eyes had been layered with mascara and her cheeks had been brushed over with blusher, however she looked older, more sophisticated. She had changed. She was a little taller, her jawline was sharper and she was a little curvier than before, but there was something else the Charlotte couldn't figure out. Erin seemed meaner, bitchier.
"This is a corridor! Go find somewhere else to be weirdos." She said, her voice dripping with venom.
"Shove off, Johnson." Harry muttered, and Erin rolled her eyes, leaving the pair alone again.
"Merlin I hate her." Charlotte said, glaring at where Erin has once been stood.
"Me too," Harry said, angry that Erin had interrupted their...well, whatever it had been.
"I've got to go and get changed, see you when we get to the platform?"
"And then we can take Coco to the room of requirements," he nodded, a smile filling his face.
She thanked him, quickly rushing off to the toilets whilst he turned back to go to his compartment where Ron, Emily and Hermione were waiting.
"You're back!" Ron grinned.
"I could say the same for you...how was the prefects meeting?" Harry asked, sitting down next to Hermione, his smile not once leaving his cheeks.
"It was fine, Malfoy and Parkinson are bloody prefects!" Ron cried, beginning to moan and groan about the pair, however Harry's mind was still on a certain red head. "What are you smiling at?"
"Who me? Uh...nothing, why?" Harry asked, his face going red.
"You've been with Charlotte!" Gasped Hermione, recognising that face from everytime Harry spoke about Lottie.
"You've been what?" Gasped Ron.
"Not like that, you idiot!" Lucas laughed.
"Oh, right." Ron nodded, "any improvements with Charlotte? Are you going to confess your feelings to her this year?"
"Maybe..."
"You should!" Lucas said quickly, "mate, she definitely likes you, you need to go for it!"
"I doubt it," he sighed, "what if she doesn't?"
"She does!"
"So what if she doesn't!" Ron cried, "I'm sure she does!"
"We'll see," Harry shrugged.
"Well if you're going to pine over her for another year, at least get a kiss or something in." Ron said desperately, "Merlin I can't bare to hear you talk about her again. Did you see Charlie? Look how pretty she looks? You think I should go over to her? Yes Harry, I do!"
"Ron!" He hissed, blushing an even darker shade of red, "shut up!"
"I'm just saying the truth!" Ron said in a sing-song voice.
Harry slumped back in his seat, only one thing on his mind; Charlotte Lupin.
𓃟𓃟𓃟
"So we'll distract Minnie whilst you and Harry take Coco, yeah?" Alex checked as he, Theo and Charlotte got off the train. Coco was hidden under Lottie's robes, just two floppy brown ears sticking out.
"Sounds good," Charlotte nodded, "we're going to be quick, at least we'll miss the sorting!"
"I envy you," Theo sighed.
"Look, there's Harry, Lucas and Ron!" Lottie said, quickly pulling Theo and Alex in their direction.
"Hi Harold, Ron, Lucas."
"Hey guys," Ron waved, whilst Harry gawked over Charlotte's appearance.
"Ready?" Asked Lottie, "we don't want to be to late."
"Yeah, let's go."
They all made their way up to the carriages, and after a quick journey, they reached the castle.
Theo reached into his pockets, pulling out a handful of dung bombs.
"You guys have ten seconds to get out of here before we let these off, giving it a few minutes till we get caught," Theo said quietly.
"Ready?"
Lottie asked Harry.
"Ready."
The pair (and Coco) quickly ran in the opposite direction of the Great Hall, and in the distance they could hear they sound of exploding dung bombs and squealing children.
They moved quickly up the stairs, all the way to the fifth floor, which was completely deserted.
When they finally got there, Lottie and Harry were completely out of breath, both leaning against a wall as they slowed their heart rates.
"You know how to get in there, right?" Charlotte checked.
"Uh...I don't even know what the room or requirements is." Harry said with a nervous laugh.
"Oh, well just follow me."
Harry watched as she stood in front of a brick wall, finding it hard to take the whole thing seriously as it was all quite strange to him.
He was beyond shocked when a door appeared, and even more shocked when he followed Charlotte in there to find it dog central. There was big fluffy dog beds, small dog kennels, dog bones ans toys were scattered across the room.
He watched as she placed Coco on the floor, smiling as she ran around, examining each new thing and barking excitedly.
Lottie pulled off her rucksack, opening it up pulling out a large water bottle and a bag of dog food.
"How did you-"
"Magic," she grinned. "The room of requirements can't make food, so I had to bring some with me."
"Oh, right!"
She reached into her bag again, pulling out two dog bowls and Harry was beyond confused. How did such a small bag fit all that inside it?
"We'll just give her some food and water, then we can head back to the Great Hall." She decided, pouring the water into the bowl.
"Okay."
Ten minutes later, Charlotte and Harry walked into the Great Hall fifteen minutes late. Students of all houses turned briefly to look at them, but they were more focused on the sorting.
Lottie left Harry's side, quickly sitting down next to Susan and Hannah.
"Where have you guys been?" Whispered Hannah.
"Snogging in a broom closet, I suppose." Erin whispered.
"Are you jealous?" Asked Lottie.
"No, of course not." Erin said, scrunching her nose up. "You guys will be over before you know it." Lottie only smiled, finding it funny that Erin believed she was dating Harry.
The rest of the sorting flew by, and soon enough, it was time for the feast.
It was only then that Lottie noticed a woman sitting at the teachers table dressed from head to toe in pink. She was smiling down at everyone and yet she seemed...odd.
"What does she teach?" She asked Tamsin Applebee, who was opposite her.
"No clue...hey Lottie, I'm quidditch captain this year!"
"Really?" Her eyes lit up at the idea of playing quidditch.
"Yep!"
When all the students had finished eating and the noise level in the Hall was starting to creep upwards again, Dumbledore got to his feet. Talking ceased immediately as all turned to face the Headmaster.
"Well, now that we are all digesting another magnificent feast, I beg a few moments of your attention for the usual start-of-term notices," said Dumbledore. "First-years ought to know that the Forest in the grounds is out-of-bounds to students--and a few of our older students ought to know by now, too."
"Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me, for what he tells me is the four-hundred-and-sixty-second time, to remind you all that magic is not permitted in corridors between classes, nor are a number of other things, all of which can be checked on the extensive list now fastened to Mr. Filch's office door." Dumbledore said, "that goes for today's previous dung bombs too!"
Lottie smirked at Theo.
"Second of all, I'd like to invite this year's school inspector, Miss Dolores Umbridge, who-"
He broke off, looking enquiringly at Professor Umbridge. As she was not much taller standing than sitting, there was a moment when nobody understood why Dumbledore had stopped talking, but then Professor Umbridge cleared her throat, 'Hem, hem,' and it became clear that she had got to her feet and was intending to make a speech.
Dumbledore only looked taken aback for a moment, then he sat down smartly and looked alertly at Professor Umbridge as though he desired nothing better than to listen to her talk. Other members of staff were not as adept at hiding their surprise. Professor Sprout's eyebrows had disappeared into her flyaway hair and Professor McGonagall's mouth was as thin as Lottie had ever seen it. No new teacher had ever interrupted Dumbledore before. Many of the students were smirking; this woman obviously did not know how things were done at Hogwarts.
Thank you, Headmaster,' Professor Umbridge simpered, 'for those kind words of welcome.'
Her voice was high-pitched, breathy and little-girlish and, again, She gave another little throat-clearing cough ('hem, hem') and continued.
'Well, it is lovely to be back at Hogwarts, I must say!' She smiled, revealing very pointed teeth. 'And to see such happy little faces looking up at me!'
Lottie glanced around. None of the faces she could see looked happy. On the contrary, they all looked rather taken-aback at being addressed as though they were five years old.
'I am very much looking forward to getting to know you all and I'm sure we'll be very good friends!'
Students exchanged looks at this; some of them were barely concealing grins.
"I think she needs a cough drop," Charlotte muttered.
Professor Umbridge cleared her throat again ('hem, hem'), but when she continued, some of the breathiness had vanished from her voice. She sounded much more businesslike and now her words had a dull learned-by-heart sound to them.
"See!" Lottie whispered.
The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance. The rare gifts with which you were born may come to nothing if not nurtured and honed by careful instruction. The ancient skills unique to the wizarding community must be passed down the generations lest we lose them for ever. The treasure trove of magical knowledge amassed by our ancestors must be guarded, replenished and polished by those who have been called to the noble profession of teaching.'
Professor Umbridge paused here and made a little bow to her fellow staff members, none of whom bowed back to her. Professor McGonagall's dark eyebrows had contracted so that she looked positively hawklike, and Lottie distinctly saw her exchange a significant glance with Professor Sprout as Umbridge gave another little 'hem, hem' and went on with her speech.
'Every headmaster and headmistress of Hogwarts has brought something new to the weighty task of governing this historic school, and that is as it should be, for without progress there will be stagnation and decay. There again, progress for progress's sake must be discouraged, for our tried and tested traditions often require no tinkering. A balance, then, between old and new, between permanence and change, between tradition and innovation ...'
Charlotte zoned out, as did many students. They all seemed beyond bored of Umbridge's voice.
Professor Umbridge did not seem to notice the restlessness of her audience. Lottie had the impression that a full-scale riot could have broken out under her nose and she would have ploughed on with her speech.
'... because some changes will be for the better, while others will come, in the fullness of time, to be recognised as errors of judgement. Meanwhile, some old habits will be retained, and rightly so, whereas others, outmoded and outworn, must be abandoned. Let us move forward, then, into a new era of openness, effectiveness and accountability, intent on preserving what ought to be preserved, perfecting what needs to be perfected, and pruning wherever we find practices that ought to be prohibited.'
She sat down. Dumbledore clapped. The staff followed his lead, though Harry noticed that several of them brought their hands together only once or twice before stopping. A few students joined in, but most had been taken unawares by the end of the speech, not having listened to more than a few words of it, and before they could start applauding properly, Dumbledore had stood up again.
'Thank you very much, Professor Umbridge, that was most illuminating,' he said, bowing to her. 'Now, as I was saying, Quidditch tryouts will be held ...'
"Well that was boring," Susan murmured.
"Indeed it was." Lottie sighed, "bloody pink toad."
A/N
Yuhh umbitch season
Qotd: what's your mcdonalds order
Word count: 3475