1 : IMPERIO

CHAPTER 2: A FEW FUN DAYS

Word Count: 6493

After fifteen minutes of just sitting there in thoughts, Charlotte realised that everyone was leaving. She could see her four best friends walk towards them.

"Oh hell no" she heard Snape whisper under his breath, and Charlotte tried to see what was wrong, but found no one. She turned to him, to ask, but he too had disappeared.

"I didn't expect that" said Harry as soon as he arrived, and pulled her in a tight hug. Charlotte nodded a little concerned.

"Neither did I" she then turned to Draco, who had been talking to his parents. "Thanks Dray" she whispered as she hugged. Draco gave her a small squeeze, and pulled away with a smile. "And you two" she quickly hugged the other two. "I can't tell how much this means"

"It's nothing Char" said Theo waving his hand.

"You too Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy" she said to the couple. The women gave a nod of acknowledgement, but the two looked cold and guarded. "Oh, how silly of me. Please allow me to introduce one of my best friends, Harry Potter. H, this is Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy."

"I believe we've met" said Lucius Malfoy, extending a hand towards Harry. The boy looked a little hesitant, but shook the hand nonetheless.

"I believe so, yes" dropping the hand, he turned to the three Slytherins, his face showing no emotions, but eyes showing a little respect. "Thank you, Malfoy, Nott, Zabini" the three boys looked extremely amused, and returned the nod. "It was nice meeting you Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy" he said copying Charlotte.

"Once again," said Charlotte. "Thank you." She said with a small bow. "I assume I will be seeing you in around and about in five weeks?" she asked, and the five gave her a nod.

Harry and Charlotte walked out the ministry together. They were to return directly to Jack's after the hearing, not wait for each-other.

"Did you have any idea that he was going to do something like that?" asked Harry, as they reached the floo.

"None at all" she answered as the two climbed in, and walked out in Jacks'. Tonks' were already there, so was McGonagall, Remus.

Charlotte settled down, pulling Harry with her as the rest continued talking. Her mind though, was somewhere else. Where had dad ran off to, she thought. I don't know what is going on with that man these days.

"What can I get you?" asked a voice, pulling her out of her thoughts and all of them turned to Lucille.

"It's my party" said Sirius "Food, drinks, all on me"

Confused about the food part, she turned to Lucille.

"Food?"

"Do you not know?" she asked a little surprised. "We turned this into a small resto-bar kind of thing."

"Why did I not know that?" she muttered under her breath, but Lucille only laughed.

"Oh, maybe because when I was telling you that, you were too busy staring at your friend Draco?" Charlotte could feel the heat rise up her face, as she heard almost everyone at the table snicker, or at least look at her in amusement.

"Shut up Lucy" she bit back leaning back on the chair with a huff, but then smiled remembering Sirius' previous words. "Alright everyone, let's get the new 'Lord' Black to spend some money"

Topics varied from who's going to upcoming quidditch world cup, to how stupid Fudge looked having no idea about any kind of traditions.

"How did you acquire the lordship," said Andromeda "That's the main question. I'm sure the ring was either in the family vault or back in Grimmauld Place."