A thin veil of smoke obscured the sky over the ruined castle. Rubble was scattered across the front lawn and the brick of the courtyard was stained with soot and blood. The morning sun shone into the great hall and warmed the face of the resting combatants. A room off the great hall had been converted into a make shift hospital to treat the injured and a cold room in the castles dungeon held the casualties of war. The second wizarding war had come to a conclusion that morning and a feeling of comfort was shared between the survivors. The students and professors of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry where engaged in light chatter and eating a well-deserved breakfast. Everyone smiled and laughed despite the horrors they had witnessed only hours before. The magical protection that usually guarded the castle had been lifted to allow parents to apparate in and collect their children. Healers from Saint Mungo's had been popping in and out of the castle all morning to collect the worst of the injured and take them back to the hospital for intensive care. A red haired woman apparated on the edge of the forbidden forest and looked up at the ruined castle with intrigue. The woman held her green traveling cloak up so the hem didn't touch the ground and climbed the hill to the front entrance. She carried a cloth bag on her shoulder that was weighed down by the things inside. The hood of the cloak was pulled up to shadow the top half of her face so only her thin nose and plump red painted lips could be seen. This woman stepped into the entrance hall through the open doors and studied the ruins around her for a moment. Bloody hand prints were tracked on the walls and a few smear marks on the floor revealed the injured had been dragged into the castle. A fallen chandelier was leaning against the wall and the hanging chain swayed in the light morning breeze. She peered into the great hall at all the dirty but smiling faces. The smell of food made her empty stomach churn painfully. A hand grabbed her shoulder with a firm grip making the women jump.
"Are you here to pick up a student?" An older woman's voice asked. The red haired woman turned to meet the tired eyes of Professor Minerva McGonagall. Minerva did her best to smile but her body was sore and a headache was pounding at her temple. The red haired woman parted her lips slightly but didn't know what to say. How should she explain her intentions?
"I'm here to help" was what she decided on. Minerva pursed her lips and took in the red haired woman's fancy traveling cloak and the nervous wringing of her hands.
"Are you a healer?" Minerva asked, raising a brow? She watched the red haired woman shift under her gaze.
"No but I do other stuff" The mysterious woman said "Are you the person in charge?"
"Yes I suppose I am" Minerva said. She was beginning to get suspicious of this strange woman and her hand slid into the pocket of her robe that held her wand. If this stranger was a death eater come to finish Voldemort's job Minerva refused to let her get the upper hand.
"Could I please talk to you somewhere more private?" The red haired women asked. She could see out of the corner of her eye a couple students in the great hall had turned to watch the exchange that was going on between their professor and this mystery lady.
"Follow me" Minerva said and motioned for the woman to come up the stairs with her. The red haired women followed Minerva up a flight of stairs and to an empty classroom. Once the door was closed behind them Minerva rounded on this strange woman and pressed her previously concealed wand into her neck. The red haired woman gasped and pressed her back to the closed door with a light thud.
"Explain yourself" Minerva hissed "If you are here to harm my students you might as well surrender now as I am not in the mood for a fight"
"No I swear I just want to help" The red haired woman said quickly. "Please don't harm me"
"How do you wish to help?" Minerva asked, not moving her wand from the woman's throat. She watched as the woman slowly reached up and pulled off her hood. Minerva was surprised at the woman's eyes as they were the palest green she had ever seen. She had a thick scar that cut through a perfectly plucked eyebrow but beside that she was absolutely beautiful. As Minerva looked into this strange woman's eyes she felt a shiver course down her spine at the power she saw there.
"I'm a necromancer" The woman answered carefully, holding Minerva's gaze. Minerva looked at the other woman astonished. It wasn't possible! This woman must be a fraud!
"I don't appreciate the jokes" Minerva scolded, pursing her lips tightly. "Now get out of my castle" She pulled away from the woman and pointed to the door with a firm finger.
"I'm telling the truth" The red haired woman begged "I just wanted to help, I can hear the spirits in this place. The dead want another chance at life. There are children crying for their parents in my ear"
"Don't you dare insult those who lost their lives on this day" Minerva snarled. The red haired woman's eyes watered and her lip quivered.
"I can help them" She begged.
"We have no room for your dark magic here!" Minerva snapped. "You're sick!"
"It's not dark magic! I was born like this!" The woman growled. Minerva felt the hairs on her arms stand on end at the sound of the woman's voice. This women's voice was wispy but had a razor sharp edge and her beauty held an ethereal tone to it. "Since I can remember I could bring things back to life. It started when my childhood pet died after being struck by a muggle vehicle. It was a little dog and I was in the yard playing with it when it ran into the street. The muggle man hadn't seen it coming and ran the poor thing over. I went to my dog and held his dead, broken body in my arms and wished him back to life. I remember his desperate cries of pain as his soul was pulled back into a broken body. My mother ran out of the house and took the broken dog from me. She took the dog to a veterinarian without me and had the dog put down because the vet said my dogs body was too damaged for him to recover and he was in terrible pain. The vet also said that the dog should have been dead on impact because the damage was that sufficient. After that I brought back a bird that a stray cat had attacked. The thing had a wing ripped off and four puncture wounds in its frail body. It suffered like my dog had but I didn't know what to do to make it better so I drowned it in a puddle. It was then I learned the body had to be in good condition for me to safely bring something back to life"
Minerva stood there in astonishment the whole time the woman explained herself. "Have you ever brought a person back?"
"Yes, that's why I'm here. Innocent people wrongfully died in this battle and I wanted to give them a second chance" The Red haired women said passionately. "When I was fifteen my baby brother fell from an open window. He broke his neck but didn't die. The muggle healers took him and fixed his neck and stabilized him but he wouldn't wake up. I was sitting in the hall outside his hospital room when I heard him calling for our parent's. He sounded scared so I went to his bedside but, his body still lay there and he wasn't breathing. In the corner of the room his spirit was sitting and sobbing. He saw me and pleaded for help. I crawled into his hospital bed and held the dead body. When I closed my eyes to will him back to life, like I had countless animals, I was taken to another plain of existence. There was a hall that had family pictures and pieces of art my brother had made hanging on the walls. At the end of the hall was a play room that smelled like warm cookies and our mother's soap. My brother was sat in the corner crying like I had seen his spirit. I called out to him and he ran into my arms. I carried him out of the room and back down the hall where there was another door at the other end. I opened the door and saw a black drop with a faint light at the bottom. As I jumped something grabbed my brother's arm and tried to pull him from me. I held him as tight as I could and when I looked up at the attacker I was face to face with a snarling, decaying beast of a man. This was death and death wasn't going to let my brother go without payment. I offered myself in exchange but the creature laughed and said that if my brother was going to live he would have to make a sacrifice and death decided what was sacrificed. I nodded and agreed because I was desperate to have my baby brother back. Death let us go and we fell into the black void beyond the door. I woke on top of my wailing brother with my own hand's wrapped tightly around my own neck. The muggle healers rushed in and pulled me off my brother. After they quieted him he never made another noise after that day. My brother sacrificed his voice for his life. He learned sign language and was happy the last time I saw him."
"That's amazing" Minerva admitted. "So you think you can bring those who died today back?"
"I can but there's a few caveats" The red haired women said carefully
"Like what?" Minerva asked, now highly intrigued. If this woman could really do the things she said, then all the loss that was seen today could be erased.
"Well like I said the body has to be in decent condition so I would need healers to fix up the bodies; patch the wounds and fill the veins with fresh blood. The sacrifice is unavoidable and every sacrifice is different. I've brought back hundreds of people before and some sacrificed more than others. While my brother only gave up his voice I once brought back a man and he was completely paralyzed. No amount of magic could fix him. I must warn you that I have no promises of what will come out the other end" The woman explained.
"Is that all?" Minerva asked, she was impatient to see if this was all real. Could this woman be for real? It would be a miracle!
"No, I need a few things. Thyme and lavender to soothe the spirits, Powdered wormwood and mugwort, lastly I will need an empty bucket and a couple of your living students. While all that stuff is gathered and the bodies are prepared could I have something to eat?" The woman asked. Minerva nodded and quickly climbed to her feet, well as quickly as her aching body would let her, and moved to open the door.
"Before I open this door and let you attempt anything I must ask you something" Minerva said with her hand still resting on the door handle.
"Anything" The red haired woman said. She was getting impatient and wanted to start working before the spirits wandered to far from their bodies. The sooner after death she brought them back the easier it was for he
"What do you want in return?" Minerva asked, eyeing the woman suspiciously. The red haired woman bit her lip and avoided Minerva's gaze.
"I simply ask for protection and secrecy" She said and turned away to look out the window at the sun rise. "Those still loyal to the dark lord will come looking for me to resurrect their leader. I was once captured by them and forced to raise fallen death eaters. For that I would like protection from my crimes against the wizarding world. As for secrecy I need to know you will not inform press or ministry officials of my presence."
"I cannot promise anything but, while you are at Hogwarts no harm shall befall you" Minerva promised with a small reassuring smile. "Now, do you have a name dear?"
"My name is Calypso LaFey and before you ask yes I am a decedent of Morgan LaFey. I believe that greatly has to do with my abilities" The red haired woman said with a small smirk.
"Well miss LaFey we best get started" Minerva said, pulling the door open and ushering her out.
Calypso followed Minerva back to the great hall where she told to stay by the door while the latter women went in and spoke to a few people. Calypso watched the children speak and laugh together, the great hall had a light airy feel to it and she decided this was what freedom felt like. Minerva returned to Calypso a minute later with a bowl of porridge and berries as well as a couple more people trailing behind her. A tall dark skinned man stepped around Minerva and studied her with a scrutinizing gaze.
"If you value your freedom you will do exactly what you promised Minerva" He threatened in a voice that reminded Calypso of thunder.
"Kingsley!" Minerva scolded. She shook her head in exasperation and passed the bowl of food to Calypso, who took it eagerly. She thanked the older women quickly before using the spool that was stuck in the food to shovel as much into her mouth as she could at one time. Calypso groaned softly as the sweet berries danced across her taste buds and the porridge warmed her from the inside out.
"Excuse me" quietly came a man's voice from behind Kingsley. A ginger haired man and woman stepped around the tall man. Calypso's eyes widened at the sight of the couple. The pair clung to each other desperately and both looked like hell.
"Oh yes! These are the Weasley's, they lost a son during the battle and were hoping you could bring him back" Minerva explained.
"Our son Fredrick was killed. He was a good boy I promise you! He was my baby and his twin brother needs him" Mrs. Weasley sobbed. "Will you please help us?"
"I can bring him back" Calypso promised. "What of the body? How badly damaged is he?"
"A wall exploded and he was crushed" Mr. Weasley chocked out.
"Blunt force" Calypso commented. "Get a healer to fix up the body and I'll do what I do"
"Thank you" Mrs. Weasley said with a relieved sigh.
Minerva took out her wand and held it to her own throat before speaking, "Will all healers who are not busy with something urgent please meet me in the entrance hall" her voice was magnified and echoed around the great hall. Several healers looked up and began moving toward the halls entrance.
"Dear, you said you needed a few student volunteers; is there anything in particular you need?" Minerva asked addressing Calypso.
"I need some pure blood" Calypso said awkwardly shifting from foot to foot. "So, I need virgins who have never killed another person"
Minerva looked a little startled at the request but repeated the message to the students. "We are looking for blood donors, specifically those who are still virgins and have not killed their fellow man"
The students stopped what they were doing to stare at their professor. An awkward moment of silence was shared before a couple handfuls of students started shuffling toward the front of the hall.
"No need to be embarrassed" Minerva assured the students. "Where would you like them Miss LaFey?"
"Can we take them to that classroom we were in?" Calypso asked.
"Yes of course" Minerva said. "Volunteers follow me. Kingsley please gather the things I told you about and meet us in the first class on the second floor"
Kingsley gave a single, firm nod before disappearing down the hall with a flourish of his purple robe. Minerva stepped up to the healers out in the hall and did her best to explain to the healer that she needed the bodies in the dungeon healed the best they could be. The healers looked confused but, agreed after a minute of thinking and they marched off to the dungeons without another word. Minerva and Calypso led the volunteers to the classroom without any further distractions. After the door was shut Calypso turned to study the volunteers. Nine total, five girls and four boys varying in age. Their faces were dirty and tired but, they had fire in their eyes.
"Could you set up a table and two chairs please, Minerva?" Calypso asked. Minerva nodded before using her wand to arrange the furniture that had been stacked in the corner. When the furniture was settled Calypso sat her cloth bag on the table with a loud 'thunk' and began riffling through it. She produced a wooden bowl, silver spoon, a red nub of chalk, a knife made from a dragon's tooth, and a half empty bottle of red wine. Minerva moved to stand against the wall and nodded to Calypso to begin her work. Calypso uncorked the wine and took a swig before recorking it.
"Alright I need a girl first, someone brave to show everyone else that giving blood isn't that scary" Calypso said, watching the student's reaction to her. A tall blonde girl stepped forward boldly before any of the other girls could.
"I'll do it" Blondie said with a voice that left no room for a disagreement.
"Alright sit down and give me your arm" Calypso said and nodded to the chair across from her. The blonde reached her arm out and Calypso held her elbow. "Keep your elbow still"
"Why do you need our blood?" The girl asked, but not meeting Calypso's eyes.
"I need it to help your friends. I do special kinds of magic and this blood will make it easier on me so I can do lots of special magic because there is a lot of people that need help" Calypso explained the best she could. She moved the girls elbow over the wooden bowl before taking up the red chalk and drawing a single line from the crook of the girl's elbow to the center of her palm.
"Alright this won't hurt too bad and if it does just remember that pain is mostly in your head" Calypso said softly. She picked up the dragon's tooth knife and placed the tip in the center of the girl's hand. "Alright here we go"
"Just do it" The blonde said quickly before biting her lip in anticipation. Calypso nodded and pushed the knife into her hand. The girl hissed in pain but, didn't pull away. Calypso bent the girls elbow so the blood flowed down the girl's arm along the chalk line and pooled in her elbow before dripping into the bowl. The girl looked up into Calypso's eyes and her lips parted in shock.
"Your eye's are getting darker" She whispered.
"Yeah that happens when I drink" Calypso so said with a shrug.
"Why are you drinking?" This came from Minerva from her spot against the wall.
"I dare you to do the things I do sober" Calypso snarked. "Come stop this bleeding for me"
Minerva pushed away from the wall and shuffled over to the table before producing her wand and waving it over the blonde girl's hand. The blood stopped immediately and the girl moved away from the table after the last drop of blood dripped from her elbow.
"Thank you" Calypso said while using the silver spoon to stir the blood. She uncorked the wine bottle and took a sip before recorking it. "Alright I need a boy next"
"Me" called a brunette boy in a stripped jumper.
"Neville Longbottom" Minerva exclaimed. "I didn't see you there"
"Hello Professor" The boy, Neville, greeted sheepishly before taking a seat across from Calypso. "Hello" He said without meeting Calypso's eyes. Why were these kids so afraid to look her in the eye? Whatever.
"Arm" She commanded. Neville rolled up his sleeve and let her take his hand. His face was tinted with a blush as Calypso held his calloused fingers in her dainty feminine hands.
"Got a girlfriend?" Calypso asked offhandedly. Neville blushed hard and looked down at the table. "I'm just pulling your chain. No way a guy as cute as you doesn't have a girl" Another boy in the group of volunteers snickered when Neville tried to stutter out a response. Calypso smirked and drew the single chalk line before picking up the knife and holding it to Neville's hand. She looked up at him before doing anything. Neville nodded and chewed his bottom lips. Calypso cut his palm and bent his arm to repeat the same process as with the blonde girl. The blood followed the chalk line, mingling with it. Calypso looked up from Neville's arm to meet his eye's. Neville blushed at being caught staring but didn't look away. Calypso offered him a soft smile before motioning for Minerva. The bleeding was stopped and Neville rolled his sleeve back into place. He stood and nodded a farewell to Calypso.
The blood gathering continued in the same manner; Drink a sip of wine, draw the line, let the blood drip into the bowl, stop the bleeding, then start over. Calypso was cutting the hand of the last student, a brunette girl, when Kingsley stepped into the class room with the things she had asked for. Kingsley stayed in the doorway as she finished, only approaching her after Minerva finished stopping the last girls bleeding. Kingsley placed a metal bucket with four herb vials in it on the table.
"Thank you" Calypso said and quickly fished the vials out of the bucket. The wooden bowl was nearly full to the rim with the students mixed blood. Calypso unstoppered the vial of time and sprinkled a pinch on top of the blood where it floated. She did the same with the lavender then stirred it seven times clockwise with her silver spoon. Calypso added the powdered wormwood and powdered mugwort before stirring seven times counter clockwise. She tapped the silver spoon off on the edge of the bowl before setting it aside. Calypso uncorked the wine bottle and carefully poured the blood mixture in where it swirled with the remaining alcohol. She corked the bottle and shook it vigorously.
"Alright I'm ready, are any bodies done for me?" Calypso asked meeting Kingsley's suspicious glare.
"Yes, a few are prepared. Would you like them brought here?" He asked.
"Yeah, this room will do" Calypso said. She brushed a strand of her fiery red hair behind an ear before turning to address her tired volunteers. "You guys should go get some rest"
The students nodded and shuffled out of the room, well almost all.
"Is there something wrong mister Longbottom?" Minerva asked the brunette boy who was still leaning against the wall.
"Could I stay and watch? I've never seen magic like this before and probably will never get a chance like this again" Neville asked, but he wasn't asking his Professor. Neville was holding Calypso's eyes and he had on a fearless face.
"You can stay, just don't interrupt and if you feel uncomfortable at any time please leave. I could use your help getting ready" She said sternly. Neville nodded in silent agreement and stepped toward her for instructions.
"Minerva please fetch the Weasley's and Kingsley please get their son's body" Calypso ordered. The two addressed people moved swiftly from the room. "Alright Neville you close the drapes over the window, make sure no light comes in"
"Can do" He said and went to do as told. Calypso picked up her bag and pulled two black candles out. She picked up the red chalk off the table and moved to the center of the room. Calypso squatted down and drew a pentagram as tall as her body on the stone floor. She then made a perfect circle around it making sure every point touched the edge of the circle. One black candle went of the tip of the top point and the second candle went between the bottom points directly on the edge of the circle.
"Would you like me to light the candles?" Neville asked. The room was dark with the curtains shut and he could only see the Calypso's outline.
"I got it, but thanks anyway" She whispered through the dark. The hairs on the back of Neville's neck stood up at the sound of her voice. Calypso snapped her fingers and a small flame appeared at the end of her index finger. The little flame danced as she moved from the first candle to the second. This woman was captivating, Neville thought to himself. In the light the candles provided he could see her irises had turned golden.
"Your eye's are gold" He commented. Calypso turned her head to him and a devious smirk was on her plump red painted lips.
"That happens when I'm working" She said. Her voice was taking on a sharper, sultrier tone to it that made Neville blush. Calypso stepped out of the pentagram and moved to her bag where it lay on the table. She put her hand in the bag and brought out a stick of black chalk. She sat the chalk on the table and started to unfasten her green traveling cloak. The cloak fell from her shoulder and Neville quickly picked it up and folded it over his arm.
"Such a gentleman" Calypso purred while she slipped her shoes, a pair of leather flats, off. She kicked the shoes under the table and moved her hand to the hem of her blouse and had it halfway up her stomach when Neville relived she what she was doing. He gasped and spun to look away from her.
"Would you like me to leave?" He asked sounding out of breath.
"No, I said I needed your help. I need you to act professional" Calypso snapped making Neville jump. A sound of fabric moving could be heard and Neville saw her blouse and a pair of muggle jeans being cast at his feet. He bent quickly to gather them up. When he stood He felt Calypso lay a hand on his shoulder. His stomach tightened as she tugged on his arm to turn him around. Neville saw a flash of her breasts before quickly looking up and holding her golden eye's. Calypso was wearing nothing but a dragon hide loincloth. She took her clothes from Neville and tossed them haphazardly on the table before pressing the black chalk stick into his sweaty palm.
"I need the same thing on my stomach" Calypso said waving a hand at the pentagram on the floor.
"Okay" Neville said around the lump on his throat. He dropped slowly to his knees in front of the ethereal woman and drew the pentagram of the pale, flawless skin of her toned stomach. What did I get myself into? He thought desperately in his mind.
"Now lines on both arms like I did to you" Calypso ordered. Her eyes were unfocused and she stared at the wall like she was lost in thought. Neville stood and took the back of her hand in his. The black lines contrasted her skin in a beautiful way.
"Now on the outside of my leg from the top of my hip to the top of my ankle" She said, her speech slightly slurred. Calypso was reverting into her own mind and centering her body to this plane of existence, death would not harm her today. Neville stood after the lines on her legs were finished.
"Done the center of my face" She murmured. Neville started where her hair parted down the middle, between her eyebrows, between her golden eyes, down the bridge of her nose, down the center of her lips, and finishing at the underside of her chin.
"Is that it?" He asked softly.
"Yes, thank you" She responded even softer. A knock at the door made Neville turn his head to watch it open. The entire Weasley tribe came shuffling into the dark room. All eyes went wide at the sight of the nearly naked woman in front of Neville. Calypso didn't even seem to notice the family. The dull whisper of a hundred fearful souls were buzzing in her brain. Minerva appeared in the door, the limp body of Fred Weasley hung in the air behind her. Calypso snapped out of her trance instantly when the boys dead body flouted into her line of sight. She turned her head to the Weasley family and quickly ushered them further into the room. The sight of her dead son caused his mother to begin sobbing. The other children quickly huddled close to her and cried with her. Calypso quickly spotted the dead boys twin and could see the pain in his eyes.
"I thought this wasn't dark magic" Minerva snipped.
"I said that my powers weren't dark magic. You have a lot of dead so I need a lot of power and dark magic gives me the power I need. I could do this without dark magic but I would be too tired after the first body to continue" Calypso said with a smirk.
"I don't care what it is just give me my baby back" Mrs. Weasley sobbed. Minerva frowned but nodded to the hysterical mother.
"Lay him in the circle spread eagle following the points of the pentagram" Calypso instructed. With her wand, Minerva floated the body into the circle and laid him done as asked. "Alright, we'll begin now. Everyone around the circle, don't cross it! Neville you're at the head, get the bucket and wine" She ordered. The family and Minerva gathered around the circle making sure to leave room for Neville.
"Is Kingsley joining us?" Calypso asked.
"No, he doesn't believe what we are doing is right" Minerva sighed.
"Alright then ward the door" Calypso commanded "No one in or out until this is over"
Minerva swished her wand and said a few incantations under her breath. The classroom door made a groaning noise to signal the wards were in effect. Neville moved to the head of the pentagram and sat cross-legged with the bucket in his lap.
"Alright let's get this party stated" Calypso said with a sharp clap of her hands that made everyone around the circle jump. She took a careful step over the edge of the circle before holding out a hand for the wine bottle. Neville passed the bottle into her waiting hand. She sat the bottle next to Fred's head and moved to straddle his body. Calypso settled her weight on Fred's hip and started to unbutton the blue shirt he was wearing.
"What are you doing?" Hissed Mrs. Weasley, who was eyeing the mostly naked woman on top of her dead son.
"Trust me" Calypso said simply. She finished unbuttoning the shirt and pulled it open to reveal a bruised torso. "Do you have my chalk Neville?" She asked.
"Yeah, here" Neville quickly said, pulling it out of his pocket and handing it over. Calypso used the black chalk to make a single line that started under Fred's chin and ended at the top of his navel.
"Alright, Minerva when I get into position I need you to paralyze my body. I'll be gone for only a minute; this magic makes it an easy retrieval" Calypso instructed. She craned her head and saw Mr. Weasley at his son's feet. "Mr. Weasley watch your son's feet, his toes will curl when I'm bringing us back and when you see that you need to blowout the candle in front of you"
"Whatever needs done" Mr. Weasley said.
"Minerva, when Fred's eye's move I need you to release me from my paralysis. Neville, when Fred sits up I need you to break the circle and hold the bucket up to me. Don't forget to break the circle! We don't need any unsavory things following me back to the plane of the living. I'll open my eyes after that and only when you see me meet your eye's will you blow out the candle in front of you. Alright if this takes any longer than a minute I need you all to call Fred's name as loud as you can" Calypso explained. Everyone around the circle nodded in mutual understanding of what needed done. Calypso handed the chalk back to Neville before picking up the wine. She gave the bottle a swirl before uncorking it and taking a large mouthful. Her whole body shivered at the rancid taste. Calypso recorked the bottle and handed that to Neville.
"Alright this is it" She sighed. Calypso snapped her fingers and a flame jumped to life on her index finger. She touched the flame to the very top point of the pentagram. Suddenly, the entire pentagram and circle glowed to life. Calypso shook her hand to put out the flame on her finger tip. "Nobody enter the circle under any circumstance"
Calypso exhaled a heavy breath and leaned her head back and closed her eye's tight. "Time to come home Fred Weasley" She said with a commanding tone. She held her breath and listened carefully. The sound of footsteps echoed around her and a presence entered the room. Calypso took in a heavy breath before turning her head and opening her eye's to see the spirit of Fred leaning against the door. The Weasley girl's mouth feel open astonishment when Calypso looked over her head at the door; her eyes were a solid milky white. The spirit of Fred moved closer to the circle, and crouched next to his tearful mother.
"Mum I'm here" He whispered. Mrs. Weasley felt a shiver run up her spine as a cold gush of air brushed over her ear. Fred looked up at Calypso and he had a deep frown on his face "Bring me back"
"As you wish" She smirked. Calypso looked down at Fred's body before leaning down and putting her forehead against his lips. She placed her thumbs over his closed eye's and buried her fingers in his sideburns then screwed her own eyes shut.
"Now Minerva" She said and could feel the Paralysis spell immediately take effect. Calypso began to will Fred to life and by the third demand for his life back she felt that body under her disappear and her knees landed on a solid wood floor.
The smell of cotton candy and the sound of children laughing invaded Calypso's senses. She opened her eyes to be assaulted with color and light. She was crouched in a bright orange hallway with an open door at the end. Her legs were shaky under her weight as she stood. The walls of the hall were covered in Weasley family pictures. Calypso smirked when she saw that none of the pictures hung straight. She walked down the hall and into the open doorway. A firework whizzed past her head making her go wide eyed. It was a store of tricks and candy.
"Hey doll face!" chirped a voice to a left.
"How you doin' darling?" Asked a similar voice to her right.
To Calypso's right stood the lively solid form of Fred Weasley and to the left was a slightly transparent version of his twin, George. The boys wore matching orange candy striper bowling shirts and matching blue pants.
"I'm here for Fred" Calypso said.
George pretended to be shocked "I swear this guy gets all the gals" he said, jabbing a thumb at his brother. Fred beamed and put an arm over Calypso's shoulders. She took the opportunity to wrap an arm around his waist and steer him into the hall.
"Why are we leaving, Hun?" Fred asked "This place is perfect! You should stay here with us!"
"I know it's perfect Fred but, you have a real family waiting for you back in the world of the living" Calypso said, continuing to push him down the hall.
"They miss me?" Fred asked, running a hand through his mop of ginger locks.
"Yes, your real brother can't live without you and your mother's an absolute wreck" She explained.
"Alright, I'll go back under one condition" Fred said with a shit eating grin on his face.
Calypso crossed her arm's over her chest "What do you want kid?"
"Just a kiss, a simple peek" He cooed. Calypso sighed and narrowed her eye's at Fred.
"I have half a mind to leave you here" She jested "But, it's not like you'll remember any of this when you wake up"
Calypso threw her arms around Fred's neck and pulled him down for a quick peek. She immediately pulled away when she felt his tongue swipe over her bottom lip. Calypso pushed Fred off of her and watched him lean against the wall and chuckle.
"Come on asshole" She snapped and pulled him by the arm to the door that led back to the living world. Calypso pushed the door open and looked down into the black abyss. "Alright hold onto me as tight as you can"
"You don't have to ask me twice" Fred chuckled "You know what? We would make the gingeriest kids the world ever saw"
"Shut up, Fredrick" Calypso snarled before toppling them both into the abyss. They pair only made it a few feet when a bony hand grabbed Fred's ankle. Fred howled in fear and Calypso looked up into the rotting face of death.
"Let go! You are getting you sacrifice as always!" She yelled. Death gave her a crooked smile before letting Fred go. Fred and her plummeted down into the abyss and a light exploded in front of them. The world shifted a nauseating three-hundred and sixty degrees as the living world sucked them up. Calypso squeezed her knees together and felt the body of Fred Weasley twitch underneath her. The Paralysis spell was gone, good thing because the once dead body of Fred sat up and wrapped his arms around Calypso in a tight embrace. His body shock as he sobbed into her bare shoulder. Calypso saw the circle was broken and quickly looked up to meet Neville's wide eyes. Neville immediately leaned down and blew out the candle, plunging the room into inky blackness. The only sound in the room was Fred's panicked sobs because everyone around the circle was shell shocked by what they had witnessed. Calypso returned the tight embrace and rubbed a comforting hand over his back. Fred's heart pounded like a jack rabbits and she could feel it against her own chest.
"It's gonna be alright Fred" Calypso whispered into his ear.
"I'm not sad" His voice cracked. Mrs. Weasley gasped at the sound of her son's voice. "Thanks for bringing me back, doll face"
Calypso frowned, he didn't remember his hall and room did he? It wasn't possible! Nobody had ever remembered before. "Do you know me?"
"I wish I did" Fred chuckled against her ear which caused an involuntary shiver to run down her spine.
"Minerva get the lights" Calypso snapped, peeling Fred off of her. The overhead light flashed on, blinding everyone temporarily. Everyone blinked and squinted until they saw Fred sitting there under Calypso.
"Freddie" Mrs. Weasley gasped, holding a hand to her fluttering heart.
"Hey mum" He smirked. Calypso rocked back onto her heels and moved to the side so Fred could get up. He slowly shifted to his knees then staggered a little as he stood. He beamed at his family before offering Calypso a hand. She took the offered hand and Fred pulled her to her feet. Fred smirked at the sight of her exposed breasts which he was openly ogling.
"Will you quit that you creep" scolded the Weasley girl. Neville fetched Calypso's traveling cloak and draped it over her shoulders. She gave him a grateful smile as she fastened the cloak closed over her breasts.
"At least we know one boy at Hogwarts is a gentleman" Calypso said, nodding to Neville. "Thanks for your help by the way"
"No problem" He said with a blush painting his checks "Anytime you need me just call"
"Well considering this is only one of Godric knows how many I'm going to be needing a lot of help" Calypso joked. She turned to see the Weasley pack smoothing Fred with hugs and kisses and a warmth spread in her heart. Her stomach suddenly churned violently and Calypso rushed to the bucket and hurled up the blood she had consumed. She coughed as the bile stung her throat. This was a consequence of dark magic, Calypso reminded herself. She looked up at the Weasley's who were still wrapped around each other. Mrs. Weasley held her son from behind in a tight hug and she had tears of joy running down her checks.
"Don't worry about me" Calypso said, waving Neville off "It's total and undoubtedly worth it"
Minerva gave a genuine smile. "Thank you for doing this dear"
"It's my job, my purpose" Calypso explained "The ability to reunite families is why I exist. This is what I was meant to do and I can honestly say I wouldn't trade it for the world"