ALFIE CARDLEMAN-WOODS
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Everybody was panicking except for Flynn O'Riley, who calmly sat on the couch across from Charlotte, Gretel and Richard, who were all taking deep breaths in time with one another. The utter stress of birth didn't seem to bother him, as Charlotte's friend calmly rang for an ambulance.

"Can you see a head?" Flynn asked suddenly, still on the line.

"What?" Gretel said, in a strained voice.

"Can you see the baby's head?" Flynn repeated simply, with a shrug.

"Never mind seeing it- I can feel it!" Gretel shouted, face almost as red as her hair. "I can feel it!"

"Yeah, the lady specifically asked if we could see it," Flynn argued.

"Flynn you're no help," Charlotte groaned, and her friend showed an expression of mock fear.

"For goodness sake, I'll check," Richard said, rolling up the sleeves of his plaid chair, before sliding off the couch to check. When he re emerged, he nodded quickly. "Looks like our baby is ginger."

"For God's sake Dad," Charlotte laughed, despite the heavy beating of her heart as Gretel let out yet another cry.

"How has it happened so fast- it's not meant to happen so fast!" The woman panicked, clutching onto Charlotte's hand with unreasonable strength.

"Lady says the ambulance will be here in three minutes," Flynn said, hanging up the phone. "You're probably going to have a home-birth."

"No!" Richard shouted, suddenly. "She needs a hospital- she needs a hospital!"

"I was joking!"

"Dad," Charlotte said, firmly, realising what was behind his panic. Her own mother had died in childbirth seventeen years ago, through issues with the placenta, rather than the baby, and blood loss eventually claimed the late Charlotte Dubost's life. "Dad, calm down. History is not going to repeat itself."

"Just- where's this bloody ambulance?" Richard answered, and almost immediately, sirens were heard from the road outside.

Charlotte rushed to open the door just as the ambulance pulled up, and within a blink of an eye, they were taken to the hospital, Richard and Gretel disappeared into the maternity ward and Charlotte and Flynn were left alone in the waiting room, with Theodore arriving two hours later, escorted by Harry.

"Sorry I'm late," Theodore said, as Charlotte greeted him with a hug and kisses to his cheeks. "I got lost in the underground, Harry had to come and find me."

"Aw, our knight in shining armour, as usual," Charlotte winked, and Harry blushed brightly. "We don't know how long it's going to take, so guys, don't have to stick around."

"I don't have my keys," Flynn shrugged. "Might as well stay."

"And I have nothing better to do," Harry grinned. Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out a bag of plastic threads, a wide grin on his face. "I brought scoobies."

"Why not?" Charlotte laughed, taking the bag he offered her. "Shall we make a bracelet or a necklace?"

"Let's be a bit risky," Harry laughed, wiggling his eyebrows. "Let's try rings."

"Bleurgh," Flynn laughed, pretending to put a finger down his throat. "You two are perfect for each other."

~

Alfie  was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen in her life. Charlotte's baby brother was chubby, and rosy cheeked, with a head full of ginger curls, he was a cherub.

Many months had passed since Alfie's birth, and it was now summer. Isaac and Charlotte had won their Head Girl and Boy campaign quite simply by being the only serious candidates, and they were set to begin their roles in September. But Isaac had gone on holiday, leaving Charlotte to sort any preparations- yet she was putting it off. Mainly since she had adorable babies to play with instead.

That, and the fact that she and Harry were scheduled for their own holiday in two weeks time, a trip to celebrate Harry's birthday, and the end of her exams.

Harry sat beside her then, and the pair of them sat side by side, leaning against the couch, holding a different baby to their chest. Alfie Cardleman however, seemed to have already inherited his sister's ADHD, and she eventually was forced to let him go, and lay him on the couch, free to kick and squirm on his back. On the other hand, Teddy Lupin was a quiet yet happy baby, and he had grown quite attached to his godfather, and to Charlotte herself.

The four month old's hair was bright yellow now as he snoozed on Harry, and her love himself had dozed off as they watched an old film, his glasses slipping down his nose slightly. Charlotte looked down at his hand, which was still gently in hers, when suddenly his grip tightened.

"Romeo," she said, absentmindedly, attempting to pull her hand away from his as she watched the TV. "Romeo, that's not nice."

But his grip on her hand was getting tighter and tighter to the point of pain, and she was forced to turn to face him. She noticed his fast breathing, the rapid movement of his eyes beneath his lids and grit her teeth, placing Teddy next to Alfie on the couch with her free hand.

"Romeo," she said, shaking him. "Harry, wake the fuck up."

When that had no effect, Charlotte did the only thing she could think of, and raised their hands, biting down harshly onto Harry's arm, and he jolted awake, wide eyed and panicky.

"Bad dream?" Charlotte asked, gently, and he sighed, releasing her hand and pulling his knees up to his chest. "It's okay. I get them too. Everybody has bad dreams."

Harry didn't answer this, but instead, looked at her red hand, and took hold of it again, kissing it gently. "I'm sorry. I hope it doesn't bruise."

"You're not that strong, Romeo," Charlotte said, with a laugh. "And I don't bruise that easily."

"Hmm," Harry said, slyly. "You neck's telling a different question."

Charlotte's hand immediately flew to where her boyfriend had been kissing earlier on and gasped. "Great, now I have to cover it all up. Dad's gonna kill me."

"Here," Harry said, leaning over, wand in hand. He waved it over her neck. "Glamour charm. Witch makeup, basically. Looks completely clean now."

"It better."

They both turned their heads in sync as someone arrived through the Floo, to see Theodore brushing dust off his shoulders, a newspaper in hand.

"Have you seen this?" Theodore said, throwing the newspaper down in front of them, and immediately greeting Alfie, scooping him up into his arms. The normally overactive baby relaxed in his presence- it was somewhat unfair.

On the front page of the newspaper, there was a moving picture of herself and Harry wandering through town, both of them weighed down by countless shopping bags. Before she could read the headline, however, Harry hastily grabbed the newspaper and folded it up.

"What does it say?" Charlotte asked him, and he shook his head.

"We should just ignore it," was all Harry replied with.

"You have to do something about this, Harry," Theodore said, bobbing up and down with Alfie still in his arms. "They're not being fair on her."

"What does it say?" She repeated, reaching to take the newspaper, but Harry moved it away from her.

"If we give it attention then we spur on the story," Harry sighed. "It's best to leave it be."

"Let me see what it says!"

"Fine!" Harry snapped, tossing the paper over to her. "But don't say I didn't warn you."

POTTER'S MUGGLE MAIDEN DUBBED 'GALLEON-DIGGER'

"Muggle maiden? How dramatic," Charlotte scoffed as she finished reading the article. It was harsh, but she wasn't hurt by it.

She was angry.

...So, who is she? Charlotte Cardleman is a student at the esteemed London high school by the name St Casimir's, and has been named future Head Girl- it is still unknown as to whether Harry will mirror his girlfriend's position at Hogwarts upon the school's reopening. However, Charlotte is rumoured to have only gained her place at St Casimir's due to influence of the Order of the Phoenix, so not even her intellect can be relied upon.

Cardleman comes from an unambitious family which, until recently, comprised only of Charlotte herself and her young baker father, Richard, who seems to have not learned from his past mistakes, and recently landed himself in a second unplanned pregnancy, leading to the birth of a new Muggle child, Alfie Cardleman-Woods. Mr Cardleman also finds himself responsible for the young Theodore Nott, due to a past (and short lived) affair with Marilyn Nott, who died of a Muggle disease she most likely caught from the Cardlemans, a family who now technically have a claim to the Nott family fortune after the incarceration of Philip Nott.

So, how unlikely is it that Charlotte herself is looking for a way to claim her own wizarding gold? And what better way to do that than by stealing the heart of Wizarding Britain's richest bachelor? And what better time to do this than right after his greatest victory?...

"Who the hell wrote this? And somebody explain to me why they're sending for my dad!" Charlotte complained, standing up abruptly. "Harry we cannot ignore this. And what, we're being followed by paparazzi now? Since when? We've never even seen them taking those photos!"

"Well, we were in Muggle public. They would have used concealment charms," Harry shrugged.

"Great," Charlotte laughed. "Invisible paparazzi! And they think I'm with you for the money- they don't know the half of it! They don't know that all of that shopping was paid for by me, for me- they don't know the shit we've been through. And how dare they bring Dad's name into it, saying those horrid things about him and about Alfie! How dare they talk about Marilyn's death as if that wound needs reopening- how dare they talk on shit they don't know! Harry, we cannot ignore this."

"Would it make you feel better to have a confrontation?" Harry asked her. She nodded. "And you promise to be diplomatic?"

"As long as they are," Charlotte shrugged.

"Then fine," Harry said. "I hate to see you disrespected like this. I'll call for a press conference in the next few days."