1 : IMPERIO

PROLOGUE V

Word Count: 3553

Charlotte was finally ten years old. It seemed a long wait, but she couldn't be happier. Twenty seventh of May of 1990 finally arrived, and as usual Charlotte found herself at Hagrids'. Tonks and Charlie were in sixth year.

"Has it been really that long since I first met you?" Charlie asked, as they sat talking. Charlotte smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, six years can you believe it?" Tonks said, and Charlotte shrugged.

"Well, what can I say, I'll actually start school next year, and you guys won't be here. That's not fair." She mumbled.

"Don't worry –" said Charlie. "– my brother Ron will be starting school with you. Fred and George are also here. The only person you have to deal with is Percy." Charlotte chuckled nodding.

Ronald Weasley who was her age would be starting school with her. Fred and George were this troublemaker duo, and were currently in their first year.

"Yeah, you can join their group for pranking McG, when you actually start your school." Tonks said, and Charlotte smiled nodding.

"Yeah, alright; now let's talk about something else. I want to show you guys something." She said and got up. The three of them followed the new ten-year-old girl outside the hut. She didn't bother pulling on the cloak, and walked behind Hagrid's hut.

"What is it?" Tonks asked, as the three of them stood behind her looking around, and towards the forbidden forest.

"Yeh wha' is it Charlo'?" Hagrid asked, and Charlotte shushed them. Minutes passed by, and there came Kara.

Tonks gave a frightened shriek, Charlie took a step back, and Hagrid looked cautious. Charlotte bent down, and placed her hand in front of Kara, and the yellow-brown snake wrapped herself around the girl's hand, and then settled around her neck. Turning to look at the group, Charlotte smiled.

"Guys this is Kara." She said with a wide grin. None of them moved, and Charlotte hissed to the snake. "The bearded man is Rubeus Hagrid, the girl with pink hair is Tonks, and the red head is Charlie. They are my friends." The snake nodded, and liked her cheek. Charlotte smiled and saw their terrified faces. "Oh guys, I thought you'd be happy to know I expanded my friend circle to animal kingdom."

"That's a bloody snake" Tonks said, and Charlotte frowned. She sat down at the edge of the hut and started caressing the snake who was hissing in pleasure.

"I know, so what?" she didn't look up, but she could feel Charlie walking towards her.

"Sunshine, can you talk to it?" he asked softly, and Charlotte nodded, still looking at Kara. She knew he was obsessed with dragons, and hoped he won't judge her for having snake as a friend. "Are you a Parselmouth?" Charlotte sighed and nodded.

"Yeah, are you going to stop being friends with me because I can speak Parseltongue?" she asked him, and then turned to look at Tonks and Hagrid, who both looked shocked.

"But people who can talk to snakes are evil!" said Tonks and Charlotte stood up angry.

"I'm not evil!!" she shouted, and picked up her cloak, and ran away. She was angry at Tonks for even suggesting that she was evil. She was not evil. Lord Voldemort was evil, Gellert Grindelwald was evil. Charlotte Crawford wasn't evil. She ran towards the black lake on the other side, and sat there not removing the cloak.

"What did the bubble-gum say?" Kara hissed, and Charlotte shook her head, and wiped a tear that had rolled off her cheek.

"She thinks just because I can speak your tongue, I'm evil." Kara raised non-existent eyebrows, and then furrowed them.

"And why is that?"