Callidora ☆ Fred Weasley

[chapter 60]

The first week of June ended with a brutal stretch of O.W.L.s.

Charms.

Transfiguration.

Defense Against the Dark Arts.

Ancient Runes.

Herbology.

A huge portion of Ordinary Wizarding Levels were finally done.

For the first time in weeks, Callidora Nott felt like she could breathe again.

Her friends were still buried in last minute studying, parchment and books spread everywhere in the Hogwarts Library.

Calli had lasted approximately ten minutes before giving up.

She needed air.

Preferably the kind that came with wings.

She found Fred Weasley crouched suspiciously near the corridor outside Argus Filch's office.

He was carefully lining up several Dungbombs.

Calli leaned against the wall.

"Any more important plans tonight, Fred?" She asked casually. "Or will you come with me to the forest?"

Fred looked up slowly.

"A stroll through the Forbidden Forest?" He said, standing and dusting off his hands. "Callidora Nott, I'm flattered."

Calli rolled her eyes.

"You know what I mean."

Fred grinned.

"Ah."

He scooped the dungbombs back into his pocket.

"Well in that case, lead the way."

Later, deep within the forest, Calli had already transformed.

The Thestral stood in the clearing, skeletal wings folded neatly along her back.

She had flown several laps above the trees already.

Now she trotted beside Fred through the grass.

Fred walked beside her, hands shoved into his pockets.

"You know." He said conversationally. "This is still one of the strangest things that has ever happened to me."

The Thestral flicked an ear.

Fred glanced up suddenly.

A dark movement passed overhead.

Then another.

They both stopped.

Above the tree line, a swarm of Dementors drifted silently toward a deeper part of the forest.