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My stomach was in knots as I made my way to the Great Hall, long before most students would be up and moving. The last task was today and I knew it was going to be harder than the last two. Still, my anxiety seemed to be from more than just nervousness about the task. Something was coming. Something bad.
As I entered the Great Hall my eyes wandered to the Head table to see Dumbledore, Severus and McGonagall sitting there already. When my eyes landed on Severus I immediately felt tears well in my eyes and I gasped at the sensation.
He looked up at me and his brows creased in concern, standing up slowly. This caused me to run full tilt towards him and dive into his arms, my tears flowing freely.
"Calliope? What's wrong?" He asked, his arms around me tightly, holding my head to his chest protectively.
"I'm so scared, Severus. I have an awful feeling." I sobbed.
He let me cry for a few moments before pulling me away slightly, looking at my face closely. "What is making this task worse than the others? You seemed to be holding yourself together pretty well so far. You're in first place."
"I don't know what's happening. I just feel like something bad is going to happen. I know that everything going on isn't a coincidence and I know Harry and I were chosen for a reason. Nothing happened to us yet which means something is going to today. I can't let Harry get hurt. I just feel so helpless"
It was then I noticed McGonagall had a deep frown on her face, I knew this was because she didn't want Harry and I to compete in the first place and knew there was truth behind everything I had said.
"Calliope, no one can get to you or Harry." Dumbledore intervened softly as Severus held an arm around my shoulder to continue to comfort me.
"Really? There's a death eater walking around your halls and a ministry official dead on your grounds. How the hell can you guarantee Harry's safety?" I snapped at the Headmaster.
He looked shocked and I immediately slapped a hand over my mouth, not knowing where that had come from.
"Sir, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean that." I apologized quickly.
He waved me off, softly. "No worries, Calliope. It is completely understandable for you to be concerned."
I dropped my eyes from his soft, pale blue ones, feeling ashamed. "I guess they were right when they say I have the temper of my father." My mother never would have spoken to someone that way, especially not to a man who has done so much for me already.
"That may be so." Dumbledore nodded. "But there was a lot more to your father than his temper, Calliope. Actually, no one ever told you, but your mother had quite the temper on her, too."
