Callidora ☆ Fred Weasley

[chapter 137]

The first night at Hogwarts was not what Calli had expected.

Umbridge's speech had left all of them unsettled.

Confused.

Worried.

There had been something about the way she spoke, the careful words, the pleasant smile, the way every sentence sounded rehearsed. It made Calli uneasy. It was the kind of thing that sounded harmless until you listened closely enough.

But she refused to let Umbridge ruin her first night back completely.

She had missed Hogwarts.

She had missed the dormitory she shared with Lucy and Stella. She had missed the familiar green glow from the lake outside their windows, the quiet darkness beneath the surface of the Black Lake, and the strange comfort of knowing that, even surrounded by secrets and danger, she had a place that felt like hers.

For the first time in months, she had slept peacefully.

The morning left her feeling far better.

Two months at the Manor had taken their toll.

Between her father's expectations, Snape's lessons, and everything she had been forced to endure, Hogwarts felt almost like a breath of fresh air.

Their schedules would remain mostly unchanged from the previous year. Seventh years continued with their chosen subjects unless they had failed a class or decided to drop something before their N.E.W.T.s.

It was familiar.

Normal.

At least, it was until she stepped into the Slytherin common room.

Her mood disappeared instantly.

Professor Snape was standing near the fireplace, addressing the Quidditch team. Without her.

"Montague will be taking over as captain this year."

Calli stopped.

For a moment, she thought she had misheard him.

Then she saw Montague's smug expression.

"You have got to be joking!"

The words escaped before she could stop them.

Snape's eyes moved toward her.

Calli did not care.

"That oaf cannot be our captain!" She said, her anger rising. "I have been on this team as long as he has, and between the two of us, I am the better leader."

The room went quiet.

Snape regarded her calmly.

"Miss Nott, you would do well to remember that you are speaking to the Head of your House, not a classmate."

His gaze sharpened slightly.

"And that you are also Head Girl."

He paused.

"You cannot expect to be both."

Calli's jaw tightened.

"Yes, sir."

The answer was clipped.

Controlled.

But she was furious.

She turned and left before she said something she would regret.

Because for one dangerous moment, a thought slipped into her mind.