Book 1 in the Screams Trilogy
Calliope Doge doesn't speak. This is a fact that the entirety of Hogwarts knows full well.
She doesn't answer the questions that teachers ask in lessons, she doesn't speak to people over dinner in the great hall and sh...
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Calliope couldn't take Remus's advice. No matter how hard she tried to focus on her OWLs, thoughts of Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew plagued her mind.
During the Easter holidays, Calliope (along with the fifth and seventh years) found herself confined to the common room or the library, with exceptions only for meals, and occasional sleeping.
Natalie found herself friendless, as Calliope was essentially not there due to all of her work. But Natalie took this quite well and spent her time bewitching items in the common room to entertain the grouchy fifth and seventh-year students.
Despite all of the work she was doing, Calliope's heart wasn't entirely in it. More often than not, she found herself staring towards the edge of the Forbidden Forest. She didn't know exactly what she was looking for, but she knew it was a dog, as that was what Remus had said Sirius Black's Animagus form was. What type of dog? How big or small? These questions were still mysteries to her, but she knew as soon as she saw Sirius she would know. Calliope was determined to get to the bottom of the tale, even if Remus discouraged her. She couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that she was supposed to do something about all of it.
But no opportunity presented itself, and in no time at all the OWLs were upon her.
The fifth years ate their breakfast over last-minute notes, chanting revision mantras as they chewed. Then they gathered in the entrance hall, as the Great Hall was reorganised and prepared for their, Transfiguration exam.
Glancing around the entrance hall, she saw many worried faces. Even Fred and George Weasley were reading through some notes (Calliope was surprised that the twins had even bothered to show up).
After what felt like an eternity, the doors to the Great Hall were opened, and the students ushered in to find their seats.
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"So you're done then!" Natalie waited outside the Great Hall after the Arithmancy exam (which was Calliope's final exam).
"I'm done!" Calliope smiled.
"Fantastic!" Natalie threw an arm around her friend's shoulders, "I don't like it when you're not around. No one else can stand me for more than a few minutes without wanting to stab me in the eye with their wand."
"Now there's an idea!" said Calliope with a grin.
"Hey, clever girl!" Calliope rolled her eyes, being used to being addressed as such by many of the fifth years, she turned to see one of the Weasley twins running up to her, holding a suspiciously shaped package, "can you hold this for me please?" he asked.
"Why on earth would I hold an unknown package for a known troublemaker?" Calliope crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.
"Because I asked nicely?" he smiled.
"What is it?" Calliope peered at it suspiciously.
"It's a fun surprise, can you just hold it whilst I tie my lace?"
"Which one are you?"
"Fred."
"Well, Fred, couldn't you just put the parcel on the floor whilst you tie your lace?"
"Or perhaps you could hold it?"
"Just put it on the floor."
"Hold it."
"Floor."
"Hold it."
"Floor."
"Oh for Merlin's sake, I'll just hold it!" Natalie snatched the parcel out of Fred's hand.
Fred smiled, "see Clever Girl, your loud friend trusts that I'm not going to blow her up."
"Aren't you going to tie your lace?" Calliope rolled her eyes again.
The moment that Fred lent over to tie his lace-which too late Calliope realised wasn't untied-the parcel that Natalie was holding exploded, releasing a red powder that covered the two girls.
Fred straightened up, his grin widening when he saw the success of his prank, "smile Clever Girl, we're celebrating!"
"Celebrating your death?" Calliope said as she wiped power from her eyes.
"No silly, celebrating the end of our imprisonment in exams!"
"You should start running," Calliope suggested.
Fred's smile seemed to drop slightly when he saw the expression on her face, "Yeah, that sounds like a good plan," he said, before bolting down the corridor, running as fast as he could away from the two girls.
"So what are we going to do for revenge?" Natalie asked, brushing the dust from her robes.
"I suppose I'll have to wash my hair now," Calliope sighed, "Let's go and wash our hair." She started walking down the corridor.
"What? No evil plan? Callie, we're not going to make him regret the day he messed with a Hufflepuff?"
