The Return

8| Yes, Aunt Minerva

Understanding Ginny Weasley is like understanding why people exist. Naturally everyone saw Charlie and I leave together, and those who didn't have heard about it by now. Many have clapped him on  the back, and given me glares, obviously given the wrong idea.

Ginny though, is difficult. She has threatened me numerous times, while planning my wedding. I am extremely confused. For one thing, where people got the idea that we were even together. It's not like he kissed me, I cried on his shoulder. That's not very attractive.

And I told Ginny that too, now it's spreading around the school that Charlie Weasley saved my life. I had forgotten how fast news travels at Hogwarts. This is one of the many reasons that I stayed with the Slytherin party. All of them were desperate for my fathers approval and hiding me was too easy for them.

"What are you going to wear?" Ginny asks me, as we walk into the great hall for breakfast. Well, I walk, she and Hermione stumble, as does the entire population of the party last night. "I'm going to wear a green dress I brought with me, how about the two of you?"

"I'm wearing navy. I was going to go with a dull pink, but Harry made me pick something I liked, instead of something cheap." Ginny says, and Hermione gives her an amused grin.

"Draco bought me a nice black gown. It suits me."

The tree of us sit at the Gryffindor table and load food onto our plates, and continue to talk about the dance, even when we feel the bench shift, announcing the presence of others.

"Hello..." Harry says, at last causing all eyes to turn to him. "I don't like this." His finger moves to point at the three of us. "The two of you, it was one thing. But then you added her." His finger finishes on me.

"She is Snape's daughter. And she is named after my mother. The man was so in love with her that he names his child after her." Half the table gasps, and I can feel my face burning. I hadn't noticed how loud Harry had become until I heard loud footsteps coming from the Slytherin table.

"HARRY JAMES POTTER!!! WHAT HAS GOTTEN INTO YOU?" Ginny yells, at the same time Hermione turns to me. "I am so sorry. He isn't usually like this."

"Have you got a problem Potter?" Draco asks him. I know that eyes are turned our way and I can feel the wavering stare of my god mother, silently asking herself if she should intervene. "Guys, stop. It's fine." I turn my body to face Harry.

"Your entire life it has been about you. 'Harry Potter this' and 'Harry Potter that' But I wont bow down at your feet like everyone else. I refuse, because I was here first. You think that I got my name because my dad was so 'in love' with your mom, but do the math 'bright boy' when exactly was I born?"

With that I turn on my heels and leave the great hall, and from the looks on faces through out, I wasn't as quite as I had hoped.

Immediately I hear footsteps following me, but I continue to walk. "Claudia, wait!" I hear, but I keep going. I knew this would be difficult but I never expected that I would lose so many tears in my days here. I have only been here for a full day and I have cried more in that time than I cried over losing my father to begin with.

I bottled the hurt and the anger up, and when I came back it all flooded out. "Claudia!" Charlie yells, and when I don't stop this time I hear his footsteps become louder and quicker. Charlie runs up to me, and spins me around. "Hey." He says, then takes in my face and pulls me into his embrace. "Hey." his voice is calm now, and I find myself taking fistfuls of his shirt as I cry into his chest.

I have no clue when I became so close to this boy, all I know is that in his arms I feel safe. I can say with complete honesty that Charlie Weasley is my best friend. "I'm sorry." I say, my voice muffled by his shirt.

"What for?"

"I'm dragging you into my problems. I'm going to cause you and Harry to come apart. Not to mention this is the second time in two days that I have cried on you." My voice holds a bitter twist. Charlie pulls me in tighter.

"Don't be sorry. Sure, my brother is friends with Harry, but before the war we hadn't spoken much at all. To me, Harry Potter is my little sisters boyfriend and my brothers best friend. Nothing more. And, about the crying, I don't mind." His hand rubs up and down my back in calming circular motions, and I turn my head to place my ear on his heart.

Thump. Thump. Thump. It's all I hear for a while, as we stand there, until we are broken apart by a voice.

"While it has been nice to watch the two of you, I should tell you that if you dont stop running off together people are going to start assuming."

I feel Charlie's arms loosen around me, and slowly pull back to see the face of our interrupter. "I'm sorry professor." The words leave my lips before I can stop them. "I got into an argument with Harry Potter and had to leave the great hall. Charlie just followed me, sir. He had nothing to do with the disturbance."

"Claudia, after all this time. How long will it take for you to call me your aunt, or even Mcgonagall for crying out loud. Must you always call me professor?"

I duck my head and give her a slight smile. "Sorry. It's just a habit. Everyone else calls you professor, and it grew on me. Plus, it does help that you dislike it so much."

"To your common room. I may not be your actual mother, but I think I can send you to Gryfindor tower." Minerva says, with a pretend frown on her face.

"Yes, Aunt Minerva." I tease, as Charlie and I take off toward the tower. "Hey! No running in the halls!" she calls after us, but we are going far to fast to just stop.