That because we are not Ambitious we are lazy, because we are not Clever we are dumb, and because we are not Brave we are cowardly. Loyal, you say. Hufflepuffs are Loyal, with a capital L, as if that makes up for it. But when you say Loyal what you really mean is lazy, dumb and cowardly.

She takes my hand and pulls me off my bed. Melody Chandler is an angel of mercy, I decide. She does not expect me to talk. She expects me to listen. Perfect.

If I was Remus I would certainly take a fairy princess over a bug-eyed, dark-haired waif. I’m pale too, with a sort of pointy nose. And I’m mute. Well not really with him, but basically, yeah. A brooding mute waif. I’m really not very appealing at all. And I’m snide. A brooding, snide, mute, waif. I think I need to take a trip up to the Astronomy Tower. To jump off it.

The coffins are sinking into the ground. Everything seems so perfectly respectable. Three funerals in less than two months. Five deaths. So many more that I don’t even know about. Something about the quantity makes it seem so impersonal.

“Don’t forget about our date tomorrow, Cal!” Sirius shouts to my retreating form. I flash him a glare over my shoulder and stalk away. Here’s to a perfectly good weekend ruined by Sirius “I’m A Bloody Expert On Hotness” Black.

“Calliope, love, I have a dreadful favor to ask you,” Remus says sweetly.

AH HA! That’s why he’s being so nice.

“Anything,” I breathe.

Seriously!? Did I just say that??? I sound like a third year gushing over Sirius.

“Come to the Holiday Ball with me.”

“I’m not risking it, Sirius,” Remus says in tense tones.

“So you’re just going to push her away? Because you like her too much to be close to her? Don’t you see how backwards that is?” Sirius rants but James sets his hand down on his friends shoulder.

“Stop, Padfoot.” James looks to Remus in concern, “You aren’t thinking about how Calliope will feel when you just start ignoring her.”

I can just go along as I am till Remus does something, and if he never does than I never will either. I’ll be stuck in delicious, friendly torture for the rest of my life. Better that than all alone again.

Remus Lupin was behaving strangely today. And it was doing nothing for my frayed nerves.

“What do you mean you ‘forgot Calliope’!?” I shout at Peter in the Shrieking Shack as Sirius and James try to wrestle me into relaxation.

“Trouble in paradise?”

The drastic changes that have taken place between this years train rides so far are a little unnerving. And I can’t help but hope that this is it for the changes.