A Night to Remember

Charles had limped into the Leaky Cauldron. He had the limp from when he hit his back on the ground. For some reason he hurt his right leg. His shirt was ripped open and had blood stains all across it, however the injury was healed. Thanks to Elizabeth, the only thing left was several nasty scars. There was also a scar on his chin, it wasn't too big but it was noticeable. A nice goatee could cover that.

He sat at the bar and ordered a nice helping of rum. Even though he was underage the bartender didn't seem to care, however he cast Charles some dirty looks. Charles drank his rum quite quickly leaving a burning in his throat. He thought of some of the events that had just occurred, but no more tears formed. Charles was not sad but he had a strange feeling in him. Quickly, he ordered another one and drained it down. Then he passed several coins to the bartender.

His mark tingled on his arm, the dark mark. Maybe it was the fact that he had killed a death eater, or maybe He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was near.

Tina was on her way back to Hogwarts when she had stopped in the Leaky Cauldron for a drink. No one dared refuse a vampire so she was now sipping some lovely Firewhisky. A vaguely familiar boy came into the pub. He was covered in scars and cuts. Tina went over, staying in the shadows, trying to see who it was. As she went closer, she recognised him. "Chuck?" She hissed, sitting down beside him. "What on earth...?"

Charles looked up to her giving a slight nod. "Hey how are you?" Then he drank some firewhisky he ordered.

Tina stared in shock. "What happened?" She said, her eyes wide. She nearly dropped her drink as he looked at her, and she saw even more scars and wounds. "Oh my god" She whispered.

Charles tried tried his best to laugh, "Oh ummmm blast ended screwt you know," He explained. "Saw the thing and it blew up at me!" He told them with a smile.

"Yeah, Chuckie, did you find your - you know - or where ther, you know, followers there?" She gasped. "That's it, isn't it?! The...followers found you!"

Charles looked over and forced himself to hide the mark on his wrist. It was still burning and stinging. "I had a little journey of my own, but it's ok now because I'm back. I made a promise to someone that I would come back." Then he changed his look to Tina and solemly shook his head.

Charles nodded "Good bye!"

"Bye!" Tina said, then immediately turned to Chuck and put her head closer to his. "Tell me everything." She whispered seriously. "I'm not letting you leave untill you do." She stared hard at him.

Charles looked at her and began to explain, but no tears or sorrow came to him. This shocked him, was he in shock? "Ummmm I got there, and they were waiting." He explained. "I struggled away and then Ben came," At this Charles swallowed and realized what he had done. He had killed a student. "And I......I killed em," At this Charles began to drink his firewhisky.

Tina gasped. "B-ben..?" She stuttered "Malfoy?" Tina hands shook as she tried to sip her drink, spilling it all over her. She gave up and put it down. "He tried to hurt you?"

Charles sipped more, "He killed them Tina, he killed them both," Charles spoke in a voice that was light and hoarse. Then he reached in his robe and pulled out a thick, old book. "My uncle, somehow, he gave me this," Charles spoke clearly. "It says its a diary," Charles spoke, " Johnathan Monroe's diary,"

Tina grabbed Chucks hand all of a sudden, and squeezed it. "I'm so, so sorry." she said, tears in her eyes. "I just can't believe....He was odd...but not...not..." She bowed her head and let go of Charles' hand.

Charles didn't recognize her compassion towards him. He sat there dumbfounded once again not feeling anything. Charles read the front of the book, "Johnathan Monroe........" That was my father he spoke empty. Slowly, he just brought traced the name of his father and then he found another writing on the cover. It said John, Helena, and Charles. Slowly, Charles traced over the names with a smile. He hadn't smiled in ages.

Tina looked up, wiping her eyes. "How long have your parents been..." She began, but she couldn't say it. "How long have you lived with your Aunt and Uncle?" She said, looking at the diary so she didn't have to look at Charles.

"All my life," Charles spoke, " I thought they were my parents until this year," He spoke still tracing the words.

Tina was lost for words. There was silence between them for a long time. "Have you read any of it?" She asked him.

Charles had never thought of reading it. It totally slipped his mind. "Oh ummm yeah I guess so," Then he looked down and didn't realize his fingers were still tracing the names. Then he stopped and looked back up at Tina. Slowly, he opened the book and on the first page there was a picture. It was a tall man with a beard that looked like Charles, next to him stood a shorter woman with lighter hair. In between them they were holding a little baby, that was Charles.

Tina looked over his shoulder. They looked like a perfect family. The man she assumed was Charles' dad was the very image of him. She stared long and hard at the picture, trying to imagine how she would feel if this was the first time she had ever seen her real parents.

Charles sat there looking at the page. He was amazed of how happy his parents looked. Carefully, he turned the page. Different entries lined the page from his father. One said, 'Helena is pregnant and it's going to be a boy. We have decided to name the baby Charles after my grandfather. Hopefully, Simon will understand,' Charles looked surprised again. He looked around the pictures until he spotted one that said Simon uptop. Simon resembled the large death eater that had attacked him at his home. "Wow, my father wrote a lot," Charles spoke trying not to believe Simon was related to him.

Tina smiled "Yeah...Was Simon his fr-" She stopped realising Chuck probably didn't know. "Sorry" She mumbled and kept reading.

Charles smiled and found another writing. He read it out loud, Helena and I have begun to bond. Simon, doesn't like the idea. I know he is her brother but that shouldn't matter. Her whole family hates me for being a "blood traitor". I am not a traitor, not at all. I help Dumbledore do some things here and there. Dumbledore has been acting different lately. Every time I enter Hogwarts, there are many wizards and witches leaving his office. He doesn't speak of it of course, I think something might happen" This was written before his mother and father were married and now he knew that Simon was his uncle. "Interesting," Charles whispered.