Orphic » Sirius Black

Chapter 23 - Unspoken Business

The clear blue sky let the sun shine bright next morning, accompanied by strong squalls of wind. Juniper had slept better than she had all summer, though she still had a hard time staying asleep for more than two continuous hours. As usual, Ophelia waited for her, and walked together to the Great Hall, where Professor Flitwick was already handing out the schedules.

"Callister, Wildsmith!" he chimed, walking towards them. "You're quite late this morning."

"Sorry Professor," apologized Ophelia, "someone took her time getting out of bed."

Juniper stuck her tongue out to her as she sat and ate her eggs and bacon. She consulted Judson whether the post had already arrived, and her shoulders loosened up when he denied. She watched as Maverick got his schedule for the year, as he insisted Flitwick on trying to have a schedule as similar as Ophelia's or Judson's.

"I'm sure you can take Divination just fine. Professor Gallio is accepting N.E.W.T. students with 'Exceeds Expectations' in their O.W.L.s. But Potions, your mark wasn't enough."

"I see no problem in that, professor."

Professor Flitwick dismissed Ophelia rather quickly, as she had achieved top marks on every subject she had applied to. With a piece of toast in between her teeth, she grabbed her stuff and went on to History of Magic as owls began coming into the Great Hall. Juniper sat straight in her seat, shaking her legs, but there was no sign of Calypso.

"Callister, Callister," called Professor Flitwick, inspecting his notes. "We have a pending conversation about your O.W.L.s. We decided to establish your N.E.W.T. levels after the results last May, remember?"

"Yes, professor," she said, trying unsuccessfully to stop moving her legs. "I just received my results yesterday. I barely had time to think about them."

"Oh, yes, now I remember. Dumbledore mentioned something about it," he thought out loud. Juniper winced. "We can solve it now."

The professor stood beside Juniper and started sorting out her schedule. Herbology and History of Magic were out of consideration and, despite having achieved a passing grade in Arithmancy and Care of Magical Creatures, it wasn't enough to carry on the subjects. Juniper was glad that she wouldn't have to spend much time at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. She could almost imagine Mars sneaking through it to come and find her.

With the new schedule, Juniper had a free morning all Thursdays, with just Transfiguration and Ancient Runes in the afternoon. She thanked Flitwick before continuing with her breakfast and waiting for her letter.

Juniper stayed until the last owl left the hall. It was then when she noticed she was the last remaining person there, aside from the ghosts. Biting her nails, she grabbed her stuff and stomped back to the Ravenclaw Tower, where she sat on the edge of a window.

In fact, she sat there all morning, looking out to the sky and listening to music through the Wizarding Wireless Network. As it was usual in the common room, there were people starting all sorts of different projects and experiments. She wished and hoped someone was trying to find a way to connect the common room's radio to some Muggle music station.

Juniper turned the radio off as soon as a broadcast programme about dragons interrupted a song by The Hobgoblins she was enjoying. Her gaze returned to the window, wondering why Calypso hadn't come to Hogwarts yet.

It wasn't until her last class of the day that Juniper remembered the masking spell Lyall had put on her over the summer. She ran out of the classroom to the library as soon as Professor Babbling dismissed them, and searched exhaustingly for some book that could help her get rid of the spell.