Callidora ☆ Fred Weasley

[chapter 9]

The First Weeks Back

"I'm never eating again!"

Lucy Winterbourne collapsed dramatically onto her bed, one arm flung over her eyes as if she had just survived a small catastrophe.

"You say that every single year." Callidora Nott replied with a quiet laugh, fastening a dark ribbon around her hair.

The Slytherin dormitory was warm with the low glow of enchanted lanterns. The greenish light from the Black Lake filtered through the tall windows, throwing wavering shadows across the stone walls. Outside, something moved through the water; a pale shape that might have been a merperson or perhaps only a curious grindylow.

Calli had missed Hogwarts more than she cared to admit.

The three girls had stayed up late, talking about their summers, gossiping about who had grown taller, who had embarrassed themselves on the train ride back, and most importantly, to Calli at least, which electives they had chosen.

Lucy and Stella had picked Divination.

Calli, however, had not been permitted Divination.

Her father had insisted she take Ancient Runes instead.

By midnight, Stella and Lucy had fallen asleep mid-conversation, Lucy half buried in blankets and Stella still clutching a chocolate frog wrapper.

Calli remained awake.

She sat on the windowsill, knees pulled close, staring out into the dark waters of the Black Lake. She had grown used to the strange silhouettes moving beneath the surface, the occasional flick of a merperson's tail, the twisting shapes of grindylows weaving through the reeds.

For a moment the castle felt peaceful.

Eventually, with a tired sigh, she slipped off the windowsill and went to bed.

Morning came far too quickly.

"Come on. Get up, Lucy!"

Calli stood beside Lucy's bed tying her hair up.

"Stella, you too!"

"Leave us alone." Lucy groaned, dragging her blankets over her head.

This happened every year.

Calli woke early.

Lucy and Stella refused to.

"Get up!" Calli warned, yanking the covers away. "Or I swear I'll get the Bloody Baron."

That worked immediately.

Both girls shot upright, hair wildly tangled.

"Merlin's beard, Calli!"

They hurried into their uniforms while Calli waited in the common room, leaning against the stone banister as the green torches flickered around her.

Soon the three of them climbed the long staircase toward the Entrance Hall.

Lucy groaned dramatically.

"You and these stairs are going to be the end of me."

"I'm telling you, Luce." Calli said lightly, already halfway up the staircase. "You ought to start exercising."

"As if running to class isn't exercise." Stella muttered, pressing a hand to her stomach.

Calli laughed.

"How are you two not used to this yet?"

"I'm sorry." Lucy huffed. "We're not a rising Quidditch player like you."