Callidora ☆ Fred Weasley

[chapter 131]

Calli was sent to King's Cross with Theo.

No escort. No lingering instructions.

Just expectation.

He disappeared into the crowd almost immediately after they stepped onto the platform, like he hadn't arrived with her at all. Calli didn't try to follow. She stood still for a moment instead, her gaze settling on the Hogwarts Express.

Red. Familiar.

Unchanged.

For a second, she just looked at it.

So much had changed.

She had changed.

And yet this, this remained exactly the same.

Her chest tightened faintly, something bittersweet settling in. This was her last year. The last time she would stand here, board this train, pretend things were normal.

She didn't want to leave it.

The structure. The illusion of safety.

But she didn't have the luxury of holding onto that.

There was a war coming.

And she had already stepped too far into it to turn back.

Calli exhaled quietly and started toward the train, her movements smooth, controlled. She found an empty compartment easily, set her things inside, then stepped back out almost immediately.

Head Girl responsibilities.

"So you're the Head Girl, then?"

Calli turned.

The boy approaching her wore the same badge, pinned neatly against his clothes. He looked eager.

"I'm Pierce." He said, extending a hand.

Recognition clicked.

Cedric's friend.

Calli ignored the slight tightening in her chest and took his hand anyway. "Calli."

"I know." He said simply. Not unkind. Just factual.

There was no weight behind it.

Not like there should have been.

"I'll tell the prefects to meet us in the prefects' carriage once the train departs." He added, a hint of excitement slipping into his tone.

Calli gave a small nod. "Alright."

She moved on before the conversation could stretch any further, slipping back into motion, into purpose. First years struggled with trunks too large for them, second years not much better. Calli helped where she could, lifting, guiding, steadying.

Simple things.

Grounding things.

She didn't see it coming.

"Oomph!"

Something collided into her hard enough to knock the breath from her chest, arms wrapping around her before she could react. All she caught was a blur of brown, tousled hair.

"You've found her!"

Another voice and then another set of arms.

Tighter. Familiar. Stella Addington.

Which meant Lucy Winterbourne was the one who had tackled her first, of course.

Calli let out a breath that felt like it had been trapped for weeks. Her arms came up automatically, pulling both of them in without hesitation.