My Marauders // J.P. , R.L. , S.B x OC

Ch. 9, Consequences

Once she snapped out of her reverie, no longer reminiscing about her early days at Hogwarts, she refocused on her studies. This time she kept her promise to herself, spending the rest of her free period diligently studying the large textbooks she had gathered.

As the clock ticked closer to the end of her free period, Calliope glanced up from her Potions textbook, realizing how quickly time had passed. She sighed softly, satisfied with the progress she had made but knowing she had to be at the Great Hall for dinner sooner rather than later.

As she slung her bag over her shoulder, she made her way to the front desk to check out a few of the books she had been studying. The librarian, Madam Pince, gave her a nod of approval. "Always a pleasure to see a student taking their studies seriously," she remarked.

Calliope smiled back, "Thank you, Madam Pince. I'm hoping to make this year count."

With another nod from Madam Pince and the heavy books securely tucked in her bag, Calliope made her way toward the library exit. The hallways began to fill with students transitioning between classes and heading to the Great Hall. Navigating through the bustling crowd, she exchanged brief greetings with familiar faces, her mind still lingering on the material she had just studied.

As she stepped into the corridor leading to the Great Hall, Calliope paused to glance at the house points hourglasses. A smile of satisfaction crossed her face when she saw that Ravenclaw was in second place, practically tied with Gryffindor.

She knew that it wouldn't be hard to pass them, knowing the track record of the Marauders. They were the primary reason Gryffindor lost so many house points, with their endless pranks and mischievous antics. Despite their troublemaking, she had to admit they added a certain liveliness to Hogwarts that she would miss after graduation. She was certain that Professor McGonagall would miss it too, despite her stern demeanor and frequent scoldings. There was a fondness in her eyes whenever she reprimanded the Marauders.

Leaving behind her thoughts of surpassing the Gryffindors, Calliope continued on her way to the Great Hall. She was one of the first students to arrive in the vast, echoing dining hall, its enchanted ceiling reflecting the clear, dark blue sky of the evening. The long tables were still mostly empty, giving her a moment of quiet before the rush of students filled the hall.

She pondered her options: Should she join Cassandra and her Quidditch friends, avoiding James and the Marauders? Or should she sit with the Marauders and act as if everything were normal? Act as if she hadn't previously ran from his cold, confused gaze and leaped into Remus's embrace after immaturely abandoning Peter and Sirius.

"Not the latter," she thought as she settled into an empty seat at the Ravenclaw table. Normally, she sat with the Marauders, so she anticipated Cassandra would have something to say about her unexpected change in seating.

As she waited for Cassandra and the rest of the students to arrive, Calliope pulled out her potions book, hoping to distract herself as best as possible.

It worked and eventually, Cassander took a seat next to Calliope. Cassandra's hand rested gently on Calliope's back as she settled in. "Hey Cal, you okay?" Her eyes filled with concern as she glanced back at the Gryffindor table.

She hummed softly before responding, "Of course, why do you ask?"

Cassandra retracts her hand, eager to fill her plate with a large scoop of mashed potatoes. Calliope closed her potions book and stowed it in her bag, preparing to serve herself as well.

"Well, you're sitting over here. Not with the boys?" Cassandra asked, her expression puzzled. As her Quidditch friends started to shuffle in, the atmosphere became less comfortable. They greeted Cassandra with high-fives and fist-bumps, adding to the casual bustle of the Great Hall.