Learning From The Ashes: Book 1, Year 3

Chapter 8

      "Come on, Cal. Let's go back to the common room. You'll love it there." Fred said, grabbing my arm and leading me up the stairs, George on my other side.

     "Alright." I answered nervously.

     "It's going to be fine, don't worry, Cal. Everyone will love you once they get passed the fact that your dad is a blood-thirsty, murderous lunatic." George shrugged as I laughed.

     "Thanks, Georgie." I giggled as we reached the Gryffindor common room, the fat lady staring at me in fear.

     "Fortuna Major." Fred said the password as we entered.

     The common room is beautiful. A roaring fire in a large fireplace giving the whole room a warm glow, big comfy arm chairs and couches and little work tables surrounded the room. Two stair cases leading to what I can assume were the boys and girls dormitories.

     "Wicked." I grinned. This caused the twins to smirk at each other.

     The remaining students in the common room glanced at me. Some with pity, some with fear, some with disgust. I noticed Harry Potter sitting by the fireplace with his two best friends, Ron and Hermione. I remembered them from the feast.

     I slowly made my way over to where Ron was sitting on the couch. "Do you mind if I sit down?" I asked him quietly. Harry and Hermione looking at me curiously from their spot in their arm chairs.

     "Um-" His voice was squeeky with nerves, before he cleared his throat. "Yeah, go ahead."

     I sat down a couple feet away from him as to not make him feel uncomfortable. "Harry, I just wanted to apologise. I didn't mean to call you out in front of the whole table. It was wrong of me to react how I did and I wanted to apologise." I spoke sincerely, staring into the boys green eyes with a nervous expression.

Harry's POV

     I sat in shock. I had been the one to call her out in front of everyone. I was the one who brought her father into the conversation. Her life. I was an inconsiderate jerk. And here she was apologising to me. I stood up quickly and she jumped up just as fast to stand in front of me.

     "Calliope, I was the one who called you out in front of everyone. I was a dick-" I started.

     "No!" She cut me off. "No, you had every right to react the way you did to me! Look at who I am, Harry."

     "Would you let me finish?" I asked her, smiling slightly.

     "Right, uh, sorry, my bad." She mumbled, blushing slightly.

     "I was a dick to say what I said to you. I realise that you aren't your father. You didn't choose your life." I sighed, thinking back to what Dumbledore said. "And I know that I'm not only one who lost their parents to Voldemort."

     She looked on the verge of tears as she smiled at me before jumping at me and throwing her arms around my neck as I stood stiff. Shocked.

     "Oh- sorry!" She jerked away from me, her face bright red. "Baby steps. Sorry!"

     "Oh- no, its-its fine! Totally fine. Couldn't be finer. Er- more fine." I rubbed the back of my neck, awkwardly.

     "Shall we start over then?" She asked, smiling beautifully.

     "Start over?" I questioned.

     She only grinned before sticking her hand out. "Hi, I'm Calliope Riddle."

     I smiled at the strange girl, before placing my hand gently in hers, ignoring the fluttering feeling I felt and the pleasant heat of my scar. "Hello, Calliope. I'm Harry Potter."