Heartache

by KnockturnLily

The best way to meet the girl you'll be falling in love with is to flirt with another while Hovering a Mandrake above her head and nearly killing everyone in the process. Marauders Era, First Wizarding War. SiriusxOC

A/N: Written this out just to cure my sudden hype for HP - I've been reading that shit again these past few weeks and I just fell in love with the Marauders once again. 'Specially with Sirius. Most especially with Sirius.

Been a while too since I've last written an OC - but at this point, everything is self-indulgent, so idgaf about how she turned out.

Sorry for the inconsistencies, wrong grammar, etc. etc. Again, I wrote this for myself, to cure my hype. I binge-wrote this shit. And I enjoyed it. Hope you do, too.

---

It was preposterous how popular Sirius Black was.

Most of the students in Hogwarts (save for the Slytherins) thinks that he's brilliant – he and his group of friends, who like to call themselves the Marauders. One can't deny the bloke had a decently pretty face (though nearly all the girls would insist the upon the word 'gorgeous') and a sharp mind, but that was it – all that made him 'great' ended there. He was a pompous trouble-maker who basked in the attention of anyone who's willing to give him theirs – just like his best mate, James Potter.

"Callie, quick – do I look fine? Is my hair alright?" a girl asks, long auburn hair pristine and straight on her head. She's round-faced and comely in a homey sort of way, with a button nose and wide brown eyes rimmed with thick, dark lashes.

"Would it really matter, Melissa? From what I've heard from the Hufflepuffs, we're harvesting Mandrakes. No one's going to notice your hair if that's true." Unlike her friend, Callie has a heart-shaped face, a straight nose, and narrow, pale blue eyes that made her look perpetually untrusting.

The girl named Melissa let out a dismissive noise and proceeded to pat and comb her hair with adept hands. "Thanks a lot." She said, tone heavy with sarcasm.

Callie rolled her eyes. Unfortunately for her, the person she calls her best friend is part of the majority of girls who fancies the Black Gryffindor – and it didn't quite help that Sirius had recently started flirting with her during Herbology, a period that the fifth year Ravenclaws shared with the Gryffindors.

"Oh my god, Callie – Callie look – he's here, oh my–" But Melissa wasn't able to finish her sentence, because Sirius Black already found her and had thrown her a well deserved smile.

As usual, he came in with his friends. James Potter looked rather bored and wasn't as keen on ruffling his hair, and beside him, Remus Lupin was absorbed in a book and looked rather pale. Behind the three of them, Peter Pettigrew tried to look casual, though it only made him look the opposite.

"Hey." Automatically, Sirius slid to one of other two unoccupied seats in front of Melissa and Callie. Potter and Lupin already settled to another table with two other Ravenclaws, so Peter had no choice but to accompany the lone Marauder.

"Hi," said Melissa, smiling, her dimples showing. Callie had the impulse to roll her eyes again. The potted plants on their table were too tall and too large – she doubted Black even saw her.

"These are kind of in the way, aren't they?" Seemed like Sirius had the same thought.

Before Melissa could say anything, the two potted plants rose up in the air softly, gradually, floating up and stopping when the four of them could clearly see each other without further obstruction.

"That's better." said Sirius, smiling toothily.

Beside him, Peter gaped at the hovering plants, awed to the bone, like this was the first time he had seen someone do a levitating charm. Melissa immediately complimented Sirius on being able to do nonverbal spells.

"It's really simple, honestly." Sirius gave a nonchalant shrug, and glanced at the next table, catching James' eye – who was currently making one of the pots rotate in midair – and the both of them winked at each other. Beside Potter, Lupin looked rather worried.

Peter glanced at Sirius with adoration. Callie was close to slamming her hand on her face from exasperation.

"Can you teach me?" Melissa piped up, leaning against the table, but careful not to make her hair touch the dirty table.

"Sure," Black replied smoothly, a smirk on his face.

And that was the start of their horrid daily flirting. Callie tried to drown out the conversation by busying herself in watching the other greenhouse door, eager to have their Professor come. Undoubtedly, Pettigrew still stared at the hovering pots, though ten minutes past, he turned his attention to James', who started making his do rapid rotations.

It would have been a manageable day, until Callie started noticing a few crumbs of earth falling to her lap. A quick glance up shot a shard of ice in her gut – one of the pots that Sirius suspended in midair was already lopsided, turned on it's side. She could see some of the soil starting to scatter, floating slowly a feet above their heads. The plant is still safely secured within it, though – which was good...

It might have been her imagination – but did the soil in it shift? Callie glanced back down at Sirius, still busy chatting with Melissa. He's not even paying attention – no wonder the soil's starting to succumb to gravity. Pursing her lips, Callie looked up at the potted plants once more, observing it. Now would be a good time to interrupt their flirting...

A glance at her side. Potter had grown tired of making his pots tumble around, so he'd brought them down. Remus, however, had shifted his worries to the pots that Sirius bewitched.

Callie caught Lupin's eye. He appeared more anxious now.

Tearing her gaze back to the situation, Callie once more turned her eyes up, and understood immediately why Lupin looked like he had.

More of the pot's contents had started to scatter around the air, soil and dust floating around. Callie swallowed, unable to look away. The spell will hold, won't it? Surely, it will...

She heard Lupin call Sirius name, but Sirius did not hear him, too absorbed into his conversation with his newfound muse.

"Sirius!" Lupin tried again. It was Peter who looked at him, confused by the panicked call.

"Sirius!"

Only Melissa's giggling filled the air.

"Oh no – Padfoot–" It was Potter's voice now, urgent and alarmed. He must have noticed too.

Finally, Sirius allowed himself to be distracted – but it was too late.

The plant slid off of the pot. The Mandrake was free.

People screamed.

Callie did not blink, and pulled her wand from her robe.

"Muffliato!"

The force of the spell sent a soft wave of air toward Callie's face, her long, honey blonde hair swept back slightly. The Mandrake lay floating at their eye level, shrieking with all it's might for being disturbed from it's earthly confinement, though thankfully for the spell, it's scream did not reach their ears.

Melissa let out a gasp, but she too had been affected by the spell. Peter looked horrorstruck. Sirius tried to look unaffected, and with a quick flick of the wand, he returned the Mandrake into it's pot, burying it in soil before setting it down the table, together with the other one.

For a minute, everybody in the greenhouse was too stunned to say anything.

"You nearly killed us all!"

With her spell undone, Callie was free to shout her reservations.

She was trembling in anger, blue eyes ablaze, pointing her wand at Sirius' face as she stood. Sirius looked shocked at her outburst.

At the table beside them, James was frozen midway from pulling his wand from his own robes. Lupin had stood up earlier in his urgency, and also had paused to ogle at the Ravenclaw's shout.

"Is your brain so hollow that you forgot you were hovering a Mandrake above us?"

Melissa grabbed at Callie's robes, trying to make her sit down, but Callie pulled away from her grasp.

"Next time," Callie hissed, nearly jabbing Sirius in the eye with her wand, "Pay attention. God knows it'll do you more good than flirting."

And right at that moment, their Professor entered the greenhouse and greeted everyone a good morning.

---

By dinnertime, all the fifth years knew of the greenhouse incident.

"You were completely plowed, mate. Completely. Plowed." James Potter spread his hand in the air to illustrate.

Sirius threw a grape at his best friend's face. James evaded successfully, and snickered.

"Who was that Ravenclaw girl, anyway?" Sirius tore another grape from a bowl, unable to find his appetite in tonight's feast.

"Greengrass." Lupin supplied simply, after swallowing a mouthful of beef stew. "Can't remember her first name though."

"She was quick," Peter added randomly. "D-Did you feel the shockwave of her spell? I thought I wouldn't be able to speak ever again..."

James patted Pettigrew on the shoulder, and said in a serious voice, "That was just you, Wormtail."

"Greengrass?" Sirius paused, forefinger and thumb holding a grape to his lips. "She's a Greengrass?"

Lupin answered after another gulp of stew. "Why?"

Sirius popped the grape into his mouth and kept his silence for a moment. "Why isn't she in Slytherin?"

"Oh, wait, I think I remember," James settled back down and reached for some bread, tearing some from a loaf, "Aren't they one those pure-blood families who always gets Sorted into Slytherin?"

"Mm," Remus helped himself to some juice, and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand after. "Sounds rather familiar, doesn't it, Padfoot?"

"Her family must've been ecstatic when they found out," James said with a hint of laughter in his voice, soaking the bread into his own stew. "Wonder if they blasted her name out of their family tree yet?"

Sirius threw another grape at James' face, but James caught it with his mouth this time.

"Oh," Peter sneaked back into the conversation, "Look!"

And they did. From the Gryffindor table, the Marauders watched the Ravenclaw Greengrass enter the Great Hall, unaccompanied. Some of the Slytherins noticed her instantly, and applauded as she walked to her House's table.

"Way to go, Greengrass!" someone shouted, and someone else wolf-whistled.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "She wasn't that witty." He said rather irritably.

"Your flirting will be the death of us, Black!" Another Slytherin hollered. His mates laughed at his jeer.

James snorted some pumpkin juice and rushed to wipe his nose. Remus bit back the urge to smile, but Peter was the only one who looked unamused.

"At least I'll get a girlfriend before I die, Mulciber, unlike some of us!" Sirius shot back, and James broke into a full-blown laugh with Remus and Peter.

By now, Greengrass has found a spot to sit on, squeezing between her fellow Ravenclaws, glaring at the Slytherins, but she said nothing.

"She doesn't seem too pleased," Lupin noted, watching her while toying with the uneaten carrots and potatoes in his stew. "I thought she'd at least be delighted that the Slytherins are picking on you, Padfoot."

"Wow, thanks a lot, Moony." Sirius drawled out sarcastically, tearing a grape from the fruit bowl rather violently.

"You must have noticed how irritated she was whenever you came to flirt with her friend," Lupin said with a smile. "To be fair though, however smooth you are, your flirting is rather tiring to hear, after a while."

"Excuse me?" Sirius shot a grape at Remus this time. The grape hit Lupin right between the eyes.

"You must have wondered, Mr. Smoothtalker, that I've pointedly avoided sitting with you in Herbology these past two weeks." Lupin rubbed the spot where the grape had assaulted him.

"And me," James seconded, and looked at Peter. "Sorry Wormtail."

Peter looked rather confused.

"Oh," Sirius said sardonically, "You're all such good friends."

Averting his attention back to the Ravenclaw girl, Sirius watched her for a minute, noting her frowning, annoyed face amidst the sounds of his friend's laughs. Sweeping through the Ravenclaw table, he spotted Melissa (what was her surname again?) sitting far from her, similarly with a frown on her face, but she looked like she was brooding, surrounded by what looked like some of her other friends.

A friend's quarrel, perhaps? Sirius turned his eyes back at Greengrass, who was stirring her stew without touching the spoon.

"Uh-oh," James said suddenly, which did not deter Sirius in any way from his staring, "Looks like Padfoot found himself a new prey..."

Sirius felt himself grinning as he looked back at his friends.

---

The following morning, Callie entered the Great Hall for breakfast alone, once again.

Melissa still refused to talk to her, despite her many attempts. Seemed like she was waiting for an apology, but to hell with it. Why would Callie apologize? Sirius Black nearly killed them all, that was unmistakable – how could Melissa be so blind to that?

Grumpily, she proceeded to the Ravenclaw table, picking a spot far away from the other dining students. Two can play the game – if Melissa was giving her the cold shoulder, then she would do the same in turn.

In a second, the once empty spot on the table where she faced became filled with various breakfast food – sunny-side-up eggs, toast, marmalade, waffles, german sausages, and many more, accompanied by drinks – milk, juice, coffee.

Callie would have reached for a toast, but felt a touch on her left shoulder.

"Good morning," came the greeting – on her right side. Callie did not even had to look to know who had spoken – and tricked her into looking the opposite side.

"The Gryffindor table is over there, in case you have forgotten." she said coldly, flicking her blonde hair over her shoulder.

Sirius Black sat by her right, positively smirking. "I'm well aware, thank you."

"Then why are you still here?" Callie snapped, stabbing a toast with a fork, sparing him not a single glance.

"Hmm," Sirius cupped his chin with his hand, elbow resting on the table. "I suppose I'm in for a bit of inter-House bonding."

His tone made Callie's eye twitch. "Sorry, I don't think I can stomach bonding with any Gryffindor for now."

Sirius shrugged, straightening up. "A shame."

A moment passed. Callie had already loaded her plate with food, but Sirius still hasn't moved.

"What are you still doing here?"

"I'm waiting for you to look at me."

Callie frowned, and turned to glare at the Gryffindor Black. Sirius grinned almost immediately.

"What's your name?"

"Will you leave if I answer?"

"Depends," Sirius hummed, "Will you answer me truthfully?"

"Callisto Greengrass." said the Ravenclaw with honey-blonde hair. "Now leave."

"I didn't say I'll leave if you answered me truthfully," Sirius said in a matter-of-factly way.

Callie dropped her fork with a clang and reached inside her robes. "Don't make me hex you, Black."

"Take it easy, Callisto," But his gray eyes followed her hand almost immediately. "I'm just being friendly."

Callie's frown deepened. "Don't call me that."

"Why not? It's your name," Sirius grinned, his canines showing. "Fine, I'll take my leave. See you around, Callie."

And that was that. Sirius Black returned to the Gryffindor table, sitting beside Potter, but throughout their stay in the Great Hall, he kept his eyes on her, like a dog who had seen something worth hunting.

The days after only turned worse than the last, and it did not take Callie long to realize that she had become Sirius Black's newest muse.

Perhaps it was because she had never returned any of his advances, never responded positively, that he had pursued her with more tenacity than usual. Of course, with Ravenclaws sharing Herbology with the Gryffindors, it was in this period that Callie suffered the most.

"Don't you have something else better to do?" She spat out after a week and a half, patience running thin. Sirius always managed to get the Professor agree for him to get partnered with her, despite the two of them not being in the same House – which irritated Callie to no end.

"Hmm," Sirius replied, pausing from his task of separating the venomous from the non-venomous petals of a three colored hydrangea, "Good point." With a quick movement, he drew his wand from his robes and pointed at the potted hydrangea a bucktooth Ravenclaw boy near the front was working on, and in an instant, the plant rose up three feet in the air and crashed down, and began repeatedly bouncing on the clueless Ravenclaw's head.

"What the – Sirius!" Callie couldn't, for the life of her, comprehend why Black had done just that.

"It's a distraction," Sirius replied, unaffected by the commotion. "Anyway – what are you doing in the weekends?"

"What?" Callie gaped at him, torn between wanting to demand him to stop the spell he'd put on the pot and actually understanding what he'd just said. "Nothing, wh–"

"Wanna go out with me?" said Sirius, smiling amidst the groans of the Ravenclaw boy he's currently bullying. "It's a Hogsmeade weekend."

Callie opened her mouth, but the boy at the front interrupted her by shouting a particularly loud 'OUCH', together with an audible crack – the pot had been broken, soil spilling out of it.

"Can you stop that – please!" She demanded, and with a flick of the wand, Black undid his spell on the hydrangea.

"So?" Sirius began again like nothing had happened. "Is that a yes?"

Callie stared at him with disbelieving eyes. "Absolutely not!"

"Why not?"

"Why not?" She said rather loudly, snapping finally – what's left of her patience had long been extinguished. "How about this: because you're an insufferable, arrogant, attention-seeking player!"

Having enough of it, Callie stood up, gathered her things, and stormed out of the greenhouse, seemingly unnoticed because the Professor was too busy determining whether or not the poor Ravenclaw at the front had swallowed any of the venomous petals while he was being assaulted by the jumping hydrangea.

---

That was not the end of it. Black had constantly tried asking her out whenever he could – he even did it one particular time in the Great Hall while they were having dinner. Callie either pretended not to hear him or refused him outright, but she knew he'd only come back the next day and ask her again.

It came to a point that Callie had hid in the Ravenclaw Tower come Hogsmeade weekend just to escape him. A day of fun and freedom, wasted... but Free of Sirius Black, and that was good enough.

But she could not escape forever. The following week came steadily, and on a particularly fair-weathered Wednesday afternoon, Callie did the unfortunate mistake of staying outside to enjoy the sun near the lake.

She had brought along some homework: a Charms and a half-finished Potions essay. Setting down a blanket, Callie settled beside some bushes, and sat down, bringing out her quill and some more parchment, when she heard someone approaching, their footsteps muffled by the grass.

"Hey." Undoubtedly, it was Black. A glance at his general direction told Callie that he had come from under that large, beech tree closest to the lake – and surely upon closer inspection, she noted that the other three Marauders sat underneath the tree's shade, heads turned toward their direction.

"Leave." Callie folded her legs, so her knees were at the level of her shoulders, and rested a book on her lap. Promptly, she pulled her Potions essay from her bag and uncapped the ink bottle with a point of her wand.

"You've been avoiding me." Sirius sat beside her, unflinching from her unwelcoming presence.

"How wonderful that you've noticed." Callie tucked her wand back inside her pocket, and grabbed her quill, dipping it in the ink, all the while she was setting her essay against the book on her lap.

"Come on, Greengrass," Sirius nudged her on the arm. "It's not my fault your friend isn't talking to you – you do know that, don't you?"

Callie wanted to argue, but she knew he was telling the truth. Still, that did not mean she'll say it out loud. "You dumped her." She said after a moment, despite herself.

"And she got upset at you!" Sirius pointed out. "I've been trying to ask you out for the past few days, and you've done nothing but reject me. If you ask me, that only shows you're a loyal friend. Her anger is unreasonable." A pause. "And, for the record, your anger at me is unreasonable."

Callie bit the inside of her cheeks and tucked her hair behind her ear, as it had began to cascade past her shoulder. You don't understand, she wanted to say. She's feeling bitter, and you moving on so quickly is not helping...

"Just forget about her," Sirius continued when Callie did not speak. "She'll come around, won't she? Seems like the two of you are best mates – she'll let this pass, I'm sure."

At this, Callie felt a surge of annoyance. Same as ever, Sirius is. But before she can tell him off, another voice drifted in the air, cutting off her trail of thought.

"–can't believe she would let that blood traitor ask her out – then again, she's a blood traitor herself. What was I expecting, really? Getting sorted into a lesser House, liking the company of those filthy Mudbloods... If I could, I'll never call her a sister of mine ever again."

The voice felt like cold water on her skin. Callie looked up from her essay, and saw a gang of Slytherins marching past the bushes beside her. It wasn't hard to spot the source of that voice – same honey-blonde hair, same willowy build. Callie could spot her older brother anywhere, and for a moment, all her current predicaments had melted away, only replaced with a gut-wrenching feeling she could not place.

"I'm so thoroughly relieved my youngest sister, Celine, got Sorted in Slytherin, and had settled in quite nicely with the right crowd. God knows what I'll do if she got friendly with a Mudblood like my other sister had. I've already suffered enough shame for a lifetime."

The Slytherins laughed. Callie felt the heavy feeling in her stomach rushing up to her chest, and with a quick movement, she brandished her wand and pointed at the leisurely walking form of her brother.

"Scourgify!"

Castor Greengrass doubled back and tried to shout, but his mouth began to overflow with bubbles. Some of his friends tried to help him, brandishing their wands, and two looked around, intent on finding out who did the spell.

But they needn't at all – Callie had advanced, pointing her wand at her brother like a weapon, long blonde hair swept by the breeze. "You're ashamed?" She laughed, high and mirthless. "Why, you should be! Your mouth is as filthy as your ideals. If I could, I'll never call you a brother of mine ever again."

Castor's eyes widened, pale blue eyes shocked and angry at his sister's daring and unable to retaliate with his mouth full of bubbles. One of his friends pointed his wand at Callie, and another, a girl with a mass of curly, brown hair, managed to break Callie's spell, and muttered obscenities under her breath.

"The only filthy thing here is you, Callisto!" Once he had recovered, Castor brandished his own wand and threatened his sister with it. "You've shamed our family – and continue to do so with your head held high! You dare–"

"Oh, I dare!" Callie spat back, bristling. "You talk of shame? What about mine, brother? Treating everybody based on the 'purity' of their blood, talking about muggleborns like they're animals... You think that's something to be proud of? And never forget about your words about the Dark Lord–"

"Watch your mouth, blood traitor!" Castor shouted, face red and nearly trembling, "Never think that I will spare you just because you're my sister–"

"You don't even try to deny it!" Callie accused shrilly, face as red as her brother's. "YOU DISGUST ME!"

A split-second then, BANG!

Callie was pushed backwards by a force – like she had been hit by a mattress. She got knocked out of her feet, and landed on the grass, hair clinging to her cheeks as she recovered. Hastily pushing herself up as if expecting another attack, Callie returned her gaze at the Slytherins, most notably at her brother.

"Five on one? Now that's not fair, is it?" Sirius had decided to intervene, his face devoid of any mischief for once. He had cast a shield charm in between Callisto and her brother, and surely, Castor had also been knocked out of his feet by the force of it.

"Got your bloodtraitor boyfriend to defend you, little Callie?" said a slope-shouldered Slytherin girl, the same one who undid the spell the Ravenclaw Greengrass had cast on her brother. She had her wand pointing at Callie, and looked like she was about to jinx her. "Can't even Duel properly on your own–"

Bang! And the Slytherin girl's wand flew sixteen feet in the air and landed well away from the lot of them.

"Wha – Who did that – Parkinson, lend me yours – Accio wand!" But her wand did not come. "ACCIO WAND!"

"It isn't a Duel if it's five versus one, Carrow," Sirius had disarmed her, "Haven't you learned anything?"

"Don't intervene, Black!" Castor righted himself and pointed his wand at Sirius, but Callie was quicker.

"Expelliarmus!"

And Castor's wand shot up in the air and landed close to the lake.

"You," Castor was fuming, eyes like slits of ice. "Wait till father hears of this, you disgraceful–"

"Hears what now, Mr. Greengrass?"

A few feet away, the figure of Professor McGonagall came sweeping toward them, her eyes hawk-like and suspicious. "What is this commotion all about?"

"Well, Professor–" Sirius seized the opportunity immediately, but the Carrow girl interrupted him abruptly.

"She jinxed her brother's mouth so it filled with bubbles!" Elysia Carrow pointed at Callie with a stubby finger. "And Black helped her!"

Sirius looked like he wanted to jinx her head off, mutinous, and was about to appeal, but he got cut of once more.

"That's right, Professor," Callie said with malicious relish, "I only wanted to clean his mouth because it's so disgustingly filthy."

"See!" said Carrow, who turned to Professor McGonagall with glee. "She admits it! And Black Disarmed me and put a charm on my wand – I can't call it back–"

Sirius let out a high laugh. "Serves you right! Professor, they were ganging up on her, five against one–"

"Enough!" The Transfiguration teacher snapped and eyed them through her spectacles. "I'll hear no more of this. Five points from your respective Houses – and that's five for each one of you – for keeping such horrid manners. Detentions, too – you'll all be informed of the time and date of it."

The Slytherins only regarded the Head of Gryffindor House with disdain. Callie felt no remorse for her actions, and did not care at all for the price she paid. Only Sirius appealed out of all of them.

"But that's unfair!" Sirius insisted, unperturbed by McGonagall's stare. "Professor, they were the ones who started it, he called her a blood traitor, called her friends Mudbloods–"

"Did he now?" Professor McGonagall turned her sharp eyes at the Slytherin Greengrass, and looked like she did not doubt that Sirius was telling the truth.

"Words are wind, Black," Castor said, a smile hinting at his lips. "You might as well be lying."

"Whether those words were said or not, I can only wonder," McGonagall interrupted, waving her hand dismissively, "Now off you trot, and never quarrel again."

With this, the Slytherins turned their backs, Castor promptly recovering his wand while still glaring at his younger sister, and Callie did the same, till the five of them disappeared from sight.

"Professor," Sirius appealed again, "You know I'm not lying."

McGonagall regarded him with a simple look. "I happen to know just that, Mr. Black, but you did Disarm Miss Carrow, did you not? Therefore, you helped Miss Greengrass in her ah, what do you boys call it? Marauding."

"But–"

"Fairness must be exercised," The Professor said with an air of finality. "Both sides had wronged each other, so both must pay the price."

Sirius opened his mouth to speak again, but McGonagall had already wished them a good day and reminded them to stay out of trouble. She then gave Callie a piercing look, and walked away, her robes billowing about her.

Callie did not feel bad about getting detention – in fact she did not feel anything at all. When Professor McGonagall was out of sight, she headed over to her bag, and started stuffing her things back inside it.

"Hey." Sirius approached her when she had finished, but she did not respond. "Callie–"

But she was not listening. Without as much as a look back, Callisto bolted away, her feet taking her far from the scene and the lake.

---

Sirius found her in the top most floor of the Divination tower, sitting cross-legged in the middle of one of the empty rooms.

Callie wondered how he managed to locate her, but she did not bother asking at the moment, too numbed to care. The Gryffindor Black did not speak for a long while, merely sitting on one of the tables there, but when Callie charmed a piece of chalk to dance around the greenboard, he deemed it safe to speak.

"My parents wanted to disown me when I got Sorted into Gryffindor."

Callie's lip twitched, but she said nothing.

"They even sent an owl to Professor Dumbledore about it, telling him it must be a mistake, but before a reply even came, I decorated my room with my House's colors. It pissed them off so much, I tell ya.

"And when I started making friends... They were fine with James, since he's a pure-blood, but with Remus and Peter..." He gave a small laugh, "I got so angry about them complaining about who I hang out with, that I started to go out with Muggleborns and Half-bloods just to spite them."

Sirius laughed again, and for a second Callie was tempted to smile.

"And just recently, they threatened to blast me off the family tree," He said conversationally, "Like that would deter me. I could care less about some stupid tapestry."

Callie thought that was sad – that the Blacks would go as far as to threaten their own son just because he's unconventional. Then again, her parents were not dissimilar.

A moment, and then Callie said, "I'm sorry about getting you into detention."

"Are you kidding?" His voice was a lot closer now. "I always get into detention. And anyway, it's not your fault. I acted on my own will."

Callie felt him move again, and in a second, he settled himself right beside her.

"Well, thank you for the support," She said dryly, and when Sirius laughed again, she could not help but smile.

"Not a problem. Oh, and, remember that Carrow's wand? Turns out that James snatched it from the ground and put a little charm on it so it can't be Summoned. I think he also put a Sticking charm on it too and stuck it on the beech tree near the lake."

Callie, for the first time, looked at Sirius willingly. "Not permanent, I hope?"

Sirius only grinned mischievously.

"That's cruel." She said, but did not feel sorry at all for Elysia Carrow.

"She deserved it," Sirius said casually. "If I knew better – in fact I do – she was meaning to curse you with something nasty."

Callie did not doubt that too.

"Anyway," After a long pause, Sirius began again, "About that Hogsmeade weekend..."

"I'm not going out with you." Callie answered too quickly for her liking.

"I wasn't going to ask you," Sirius raised an eyebrow, and grinned teasingly at her. "Unless you happen to change your mind–"

"I won't," Callie rolled her eyes. How dare he shift the topic like that! "The chances of me going out with you is as dismal as the chance of Evans agreeing to go out with Potter."

"Which is not really that dismal," said Sirius, "Evans might talk rubbish about James, but I know she fancies him just the same."

Callie gave him a look. "No, she doesn't. Have you met James Potter? He might be winning the House Cup for Gryffindor through Quidditch, but he's just as an arrogant bully as – well – you are!"

"We're not arrogant, we're just honest," Sirius shrugged, crossing his arms. "I mean, when we say we're the best students Hogwarts has ever had in a decade, it's not because we're boasting – we're just telling the truth."

Callie shook her head, rendered speechless at how large Black's ego is. "This is exactly why Evans will never consider Potter."

"You wanna bet that, Greengrass?" Sirius edged a little closer, but Callie met his stare. "I say Evans will start going out with James at the beginning of our seventh year."

"She won't," Callie rolled her eyes again, "She's more likely to go out with that Slytherin boy Potter likes to jinx in the hallways–"

"Who? Snivellus? Like hell she will!" Sirius laughed derisively. "She'll go out with James, for sure. Maybe not now, but eventually."

"She won't–"

"If she still doesn't at the first month of our seventh year, I'll do all your homework till the end of term." Sirius offered simply, "But if she does go out with James, you'll have to go out with me."

Callie considered him for a moment. "Fine. I'm sure that's not happening, anyway."

"Oh, really?" Sirius said challengingly, a smile spreading on his lips. "You know, I don't get why you're trying to play hard-to-get – I mean, I'm already willing to go out with you, which should be a compliment on it's own." He then continued in a haughty tone, "I'm a great catch, really. I'm hot, I'm brilliant, and I happen to be a pure-blood – I'm sure your parents would approve of me–"

Callie let out a disbelieving sound and hit Sirius on the arm, and together, they laughed.

And the topic shifted again to their families, then to their siblings. Callie found out about Regulus, and was surprised that Sirius did not mind talking about him at all – private things, things you only tell your friends... So was she a friend now?

It's odd, how light their conversation became, despite the weight of the words, the significance of the story. Sirius is surprisingly easy to talk to, and he's just as good as a listener than he is as at expressing his feelings. Callie felt drawn to tell her own troubles, and was grateful that Sirius never ridiculed her, but kept quiet, absorbing the emotional load that she had been carrying for a while.

It felt good to tell someone who really understood what it felt like to be singled out in your own family, by your own blood. She had told Melissa long ago, but as of late Callie held back on pouring her heart out to her, not wanting to trouble her when she's got enough troubles of her own.

"We should get going." The afternoon light had gone a deep orange by now, nearing sunset. Callie still had a class before dinner, and would be disappointed to miss it.

"Yeah," Sirius seconded, pulling out some parchment from his pocket and glancing at it. "Seems like a group of kids are headed this way, must be first years–"

"How do you know?" asked Callie, peering at the paper in Sirius' hands, but he'd already tucked it away and stood up, pulling her together with him.

"Never mind. Come on," The mischievous air around him had returned, and just like that, the pair of them bolted out of the classroom, and headed down the Divination Tower, hand in hand.

---

From that moment on, they became friends – of a distant sort.

Sirius had graciously repeated the tale of Callie standing up against her older brother to Melissa. since then, Melissa had returned to her usual self by Callie's side, her bitterness lessened greatly, especially after she got asked out by the Hufflepuff's Quidditch Captain.

Callie only really talked to Sirius in Herbology, and Sirius didn't approach her whenever he could, unlike before. Though when they do cross paths outside of their classes, they almost always share a brief look, acknowledging each other. Sometimes Sirius would high-five her in the hallway. Other times, Callie would call out "All right, Sirius?" when they meet in the Great Hall and Sirius would grin and mention something about getting detention that day or the next.

Sirius had stopped flirting with her, which was a relief. He started counting girlfriends again too, and come near the end of their fifth year, he started going out with a Gryffindor girl named Marlene McKinnon. Callie thought they made a lovely pair, and was glad that Sirius finally found someone who he could keep a relationship with for more than two months.

And just like that, their fifth year ended – and quickly enough, came the sixth.

"You did what?"

They were in the Hogwarts Express, chatting in the hallway. Sirius had gotten an inch or two taller and his hair had gotten longer and a little unkempt, but even without proper care, he still looked handsome as ever.

"I ran away from home." He swept his hair away from his eyes, black hair shiny against the light. "Been camping out in James' place. I got endless owls all summer, I tell ya – my parents went livid. And guess what – they finally blasted my name off of the family tree!"

Callie let out a gasp, torn between feeling shocked and impressed, but Sirius just laughed, gleeful.

"Merlin's beard," She said, looking at him with wide eyes, "I never thought... Blimey, you really did it!"

Sirius was grinning, face lit up in his accomplishment. "Best decision of my life, I tell you."

"I'm so envious." Callie said, unable to help herself. "But – But how are you gonna keep studying at Hogwarts? Where are you going to get the gold to pay for – anything, really?" She said quickly.

"My Uncle Alphard gave me a bit of his, so it's all good." Sirius gave a shrug, leaning against the door frame of the compartment where the Marauders had settled in.

"Oh," Callie trailed off, still processing what her friend had said. When a good minute of silence had passed, Sirius opted to rekindle their lost conversation.

"So – how about your end?"

Callie looked up at him, pale eyes widening, like she just realized that she was being spoken to. "Oh – well – it's alright, I guess. I got grounded for most of the summer, so there's that. Castor is graduating this year, and – and..." She trailed off once more, gaze turning distant as she turned her head away slightly.

"And?" Sirius prompted, lowering his head slightly to catch Callie's next words.

Callie returned her attention to him, complexion getting paler than she already is. "He – He talks of the Dark Lord more than ever. Talks of joining him – being a Death Eater."

Sirius did not seem surprised, but he looked rather grave, upon hearing the news. Callie just pursed her lips and hugged herself, worried about what she just said.

"My brother, too," Sirius said in a low voice. "And I suppose you heard about my cousin and her husband – both already Death Eaters."

Callie just looked at him, appalled, face draining out of it's remaining color.

"We can't do anything about it," said Black with a small sigh. "Let's just hope your brother sees some sense before he gets Marked."

Callie did not look reassured, but nodded, nonetheless.

"Hey Sirius – oh – hello!" The compartment door suddenly opened, and revealed Lily Evans, green eyes flitting at the two of them, gaze lingering on Callie for a second longer. "My mum made some homemade chocolate eclairs. Just want to ask you guys if you want some, before James eats it all." She then showed them a container with the said treat, already half empty.

"Looks good." Sirius said casually, and reached for one, biting half of it.

Callie just stared at Lily, and tried to tame her surprise. Lily stared at her back, curiously, and a little suspiciously.

"Oh, right," Sirius noticed the awkward bit of silence after he snatched his second eclair, "Lily, this is Callisto Greengrass. Callie, this is Lily Evans – but you already know that, since James has been asking her out nosily for ages. "

"Hi," said Lily politely, but she looked like she was scrutinizing Callie with her eyes. "Care for some eclairs?"

"Thank you – but I have to pass." Callie said as softly as she can, trying not to be rude.

"Alright." Lily gave a shrug, and put a lid on her container. "Well, I'm off then. See you guys around!" And just like that, she left, long red hair swaying as she walked.

Callie turned to Sirius when Lily was out of sight. "Since when did she start hanging out with you guys?"

"Last year, I think." Sirius shrugged, running his tongue against his teeth to rid of any chocolate stuck there. "She got friendlier to the rest of us when I started dating Marlene, since she's her friend. We got to hang out more frequently since then."

"Wow," said Callie, astonished. "I never thought I'd see the day."

Sirius grinned. "Told you she'll come to like James eventually."

"They're still just acquaintances, so don't celebrate yet." Callie rolled her eyes.

Sirius would have made a follow-up, but somebody called his name from down the hallway.

"Seems like Evans has made a report," Callie noted, while Sirius hollered "WHAT?" at the girl who called him.

"I'll see you around, Black." Callie left him with a flick of her hair, and Sirius mumbled something distractedly, walking toward where his girlfriend had called him.

---

Their sixth year was arguably harder and busier than their fifth, with their N.E.W.T classes looming over them.

Time seemed to flow just like sand – slipping away so fast that the change of seasons came as a surprise to them, unable to believe that Fall was quickly ending, heralding the winter months.

Callie had buried herself in studying, trying her best to forget about her family's troubles. She was not alone in this, of course – nearly all of the students in her year were neck-deep in their own work, save from a notable few.

That did not mean distractions never came, however.

Callie still saw his brother more frequently, and with her younger sister in Slytherin as well, she felt rather depressed whenever they saw them together, talking to each other. No matter how repulsive their views were, they were still family – and she missed them, especially Celine. Callie found herself stealing glimpses of them in the Great Hall, wondering what they were up to... Was Castor corrupting Celine's mind? Was Celine already purely convinced and converted?

Yet she did not need to wonder for so long. Nearing Christmas break, Callie happened to glimpse her little sister right after her Transfiguration class, where the Ravenclaws now shared with the Gryffindors.

Celine Greengrass has the same, honey-blonde hair like Callie's, but her face is thin, with a pointed chin. Her eyes are the same blue as her older siblings', though they're rather round than narrow. She was with a large group of Slytherin second years, and they were headed up the same stairs where Callie and her fellow students were headed down.

She felt her heart hammering in her chest when they were nearing to cross paths. Then – unfortunately, when they were only a few feet away from each other, Celine caught her foot at a step that liked to close in on itself randomly, and tripped, landing on the stairs ungracefully.

"Are you okay?" Melissa noticed her before any of the Slytherins could come to her aid. "Did you hurt yourself?" She paused right before Celine, offering a hand. Callie thought this must be the first time her best friend had seen her sister this close since she pointed her out during her Sorting last year.

Celine looked annoyed at her blunder, pushing herself up the stairs with the remaining dignity in her, and when she turned her head up to see who tried to help her, she froze. Her pale, blue eyes stared wide at Melissa, then moved at Callisto, who was standing right behind the auburn-haired Ravenclaw.

For a moment, Callie thought she'd say something to her, but Celine ignored the hand and pushed herself up, and said loudly, "I don't need help from a Mudblood like you!"

Some of the people on the stairs paused to look, others were offended at the language. The hand Melissa had offered twitched, clearly shocked at the treatment she had gotten, but Callie found hers moving forward, hand spread and then–

She slapped Celine across the face crisply.

"Don't speak like you know any better!" Callie found herself saying, scared at what she had done, but furious all the same.

Celine's cheek had reddened almost instantly. She looked like she was on the verge of crying. "Why would I listen to a filthy blood traitorlike you?"

And the little Greengrass hurried up the steps, clutching at her sore cheek as she joined her fellow Slytherins.

Callie couldn't function much after that. Melissa insisted that it was okay, that Celine didn't really know what she was saying, but Callie wasn't listening. She's one of them now. Just like Castor wanted. For a moment, she too was on the verge of tears, but thankfully, her voice worked properly enough so she could excuse herself and run to the nearest bathroom, which turned out to be the one where Moaning Myrtle frequently haunted, and stayed there till dinner.

Since then, Callie put extra effort in pursuing a study in Defense Against the Dark Arts, out of spite for her family's support of the Dark Lord. She didn't know if it would help, but it redirected her frustrations well enough. Her free periods were eaten up by the workload of her N.E.W.T classes, and the weekends she spent toiling over Defensive spells and a few select curses and hexes.

It was fine. The cycle was made, despite Melissa urging her to spend some time outside the library or that spare room in the Divination tower, where she frequented, practicing her spells. It was fine.

(But it really wasn't.)

"You're doing that wrong, you know."

Callie knew who it was before the person even approached her. "Alright, Mr. Know-it-all, if you're so clever, then show me how it's done."

She had been practicing a Whipping spell. She had gotten a hold of a book about the Dark Arts that showcased spells for physical injury – though she wasn't proud of it, Callie mused she must know a few offensive spells of her own.

"You've got to mean it, Callie. Get angry, think about how satisfying it would be to hurt your opponent." Sirius stood beside her, and pulled his wand from his jacket, and said the spell loud and clear.

The sound of a whip snapped in the air, and the greenboard suddenly got marked with a long, lash mark, splinters flying.

"You weren't kidding." Callie said, looking at Sirius.

"It's all about concentration and will," shrugged Sirius. "By the way, that's a pretty nasty spell you're trying to learn there."

Callie gave him an appraising look. "Says the bloke who just taught me how to do it properly."

Sirius just grinned. "What are you doing holed up in this place? It's a Hogsmeade weekend."

"What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be with Marlene?" Callie waved her wand, and her scattered books flew and settled neatly beside her bag.

"We had a row," Sirius said casually. "And James is too busy trying to impress Lily to hang out with me. Remus is... Not feeling too good, and Peter – he ran off to the kitchens to re-stock our supply of butterbeer. So I decided to wander around."

Callie hummed, and walked over to her bag, putting her things inside methodically. Sirius stepped closer, and sat on one of the tables.

"I heard your sister made quite a racket by calling someone a Mudblood."

"Well, she wasn't trying to be discreet, was she?" Callie closed up her bag when she was done. "Screamed it out in the stairs when Mel tried to help her get up because she tripped."

Sirius started swinging his legs as he sat. "And how did we feel about that?"

Callie pursed her lips, hands idle on the fabric of her bag. Angry, of course. Disappointed. And hurt, most of all. "Not too good." She said softly and truthfully.

"So you decided to stop having fun?" Sirius asked, a smile hinting in his voice.

"It's my coping mechanism." Callie said dismissively. "And it helps me in more ways than one. I think I might actually get an Outstanding in my Defense Against the Dark Arts N.E.W.T at this rate."

Sirius snorted, and Callie let a small smile pass her lips.

"Secluding yourself from everybody isn't the only option, you know."

"I'm afraid if I decided to 'have fun' with my friends, I'll only infect them with my..." What's the word for that deep, aching and empty feeling in your chest? "Sadness."

Sirius did not smile this time. "Hang out with me, then."

Callie just stared at him. "What?"

"We're mates, aren't we?" Sirius hopped off the table and strode over to her. "Come find me whenever you feel like practicing Dark magic. I'm sure I'm worth more your while than a bunch of whipping spells."

Callie looked unsure. "Well, actually..."

Sirius looked offended. "Why you little– "

She laughed, though brief, but it felt rather liberating to. It had been long since she last joked with someone like this.

And from then on, whenever she felt particularly gloomy and had tired of practicing her jinxes and counter-jinxes, she went in search of Sirius Black, and Sirius never asked her questions nor had he ever refused her. He only smiled his mischievous smile, and proved to be a worthwhile distraction, just like he'd promised.

---

It was preposterous how popular Sirius Black was, but as time went on, Callie came to understand why.

He was the embodiment of trouble. Brash, fearless, exhilarating. Sirius doesn't do things for gain or anything else – he does it for the thrill. For fun. Perhaps this particular daring is what appeals to most – as people are more drawn to follow rules, afraid of the consequences if they stepped out of line.

Sirius was meant to be looked upon, and not just because he's handsome. He offers all that most desire, which makes it all the more hard not to look, because how can you tear your eyes away from someone so gorgeous, so gifted?

Then again, no one is perfect, not even Sirius Black. It's easy to point out his faults, because it's so glaringly obvious – his unmasked arrogance, his disregard for other people's feelings, his selfishness. He bullies not because he feels that it would elevate his self-esteem, but he does it for the laugh of it. Sirius is not a kind person, not to those he does not know, or does not like at all.

"I'll write to you over the Holidays – and I expect a fast reply, alright?" Sirius was coming to the Potters again, for Christmas.

"It's not as if it's urgent or anything," Callie rolled her eyes at him, but when Sirius' owls did come to her while she stayed at Hogwarts during their holiday break, she sent her letters just as fast as his came.

It was not long after, when Callie had grown sleepy while responding to Sirius's letters that she finally realized that she had come to like the Gryffindor boy – despite feeling the need to punch him on the face, at selected times.

It was preposterous how popular Sirius Black was, but Callie understood why – because crushing on Sirius is some sort of thing that everybody goes through, like disliking firewhisky on your first try.

But like firewhisky, the burn and heat is only in the beginning.

February went past, and both of them kept at how things were.

Sirius had taken a liking to asking Callie out (purely platonic, of course) in the weekends when he doesn't have a date with Marlene or a scheduled prank with the Marauders. Callie almost always agreed to go, since she rarely went out to Hogsmeade with anyone else but Melissa, and a boyfriend or two in the past.

They also spent some time practicing spells together in Callie's favorite room in the Divination tower. It wasn't a regular thing, as Sirius had his own thing to do, but it was always fun to spend time learning spells with the Gryffindor Black, as he's such a fast learner, and Callie is rather slow to perfect hers.

"Are you free this weekend?" March brought no more snow, but it did not mean that the weather has gone warm. Sirius looked particularly solemn today, and Callie was left to wonder why.

"I expect I am," She replied, as they walked to their Transfiguration class. "Wanna hang out?"

"Yeah," Sirius gave a nod, "Blimey, I could use a break... Hope you're not opposed to butterbeer."

Callie wrinkled her nose (she wasn't too fond of it), but Sirius only grinned and said, "See you on Saturday!" And went off to catch up to his friends who had gone ahead of him.

When Saturday came, she met Sirius at Hogsmeade, leather jacket buttoned up with that self-wrapping scarlet scarf she'd bought for him as a gift last Christmas. He looked rather sullen before she had caught his attention, but as soon as they started chatting, Sirius' mood lightened.

"So, what's wrong with you?" Callie asked casually, as they made their way to the Three Broomsticks.

"Nothing," Sirius shrugged. "I don't wanna talk about it."

"Well it's definitely easy not to talk about nothing." Callie mimicked his shrugging, and that made Sirius smile.

"Very funny." Sirius was first to reach the door to the Three Broomsticks. "Smartass."

As expected, the Three Broomsticks was packed with people. Callie felt like she just went head first into a tub of warm water – the air was thick, noisy, smoky. People of all sorts were drinking and chatting, and most of the crowd today were Hogwarts students.

"Good day, dears," Madam Rosmerta had approached them when they got to the bar. "What are you two having?"

Sirius slid to one of the empty seats by the counter, his scarf loosening by itself as he got warmer. "Two butterbeers, please."

Callie was about to settle beside him, but caught a glimpse of a familiar face – well, a few familiar faces – at a table near the fireplace.

"Here you go," Madam Rosmerta had slid two glasses of the said liquor toward them, but before Sirius could grab a glass, Callie caught him on the arm.

"We have a bit of a problem," Callie said, sliding onto the stool, trying to hide herself behind Sirius. "Er – your girlfriend is sitting right over there."

Sirius moved his free hand, grabbed the glass, and downed the beer, his Adam's apple bobbing as he drank, draining it by half. He then licked his lips after. "So?"

"So," Callie narrowed her eyes furthermore, and it seemed like she was squinting at him now. "She might – y'know, get angry that I'm with you."

"She's with her mates. I'm with mine. What's the problem with that?"

Callie only pursed her lips at his behavior, and peeked to see if Marlene or any of her friends had taken notice of them yet.

"Oh no," Callie looked back at Sirius just as when the Gryffindor was about to drink his butterbeer again, "She's looking this way – oh would you stop drinking, Black – we should get away – I should get away–"

"Just relax, Callie." Sirius said, and looked at her with a coy smile. "Relax, and drink with me."

Callie nearly groaned when Sirius forced a glass of butterbeer in her hand. Having no choice, she sipped some of it, delicious sweetness and warmth spreading on her tongue.

"I'm certain she's just not curious now," She placed her glass down, licking off the foam on her upper lip, and watched as Marlene regarded them with dislike. "I really think we should get out of here."

Sirius said nothing, and tipped the butterbeer to his lips, draining it empty.

"Sirius?" Callie called out, but still, the boy did not respond, and slammed his glass down the counter.

After a minute, he asked Rosmerta if he could have some firewhiskey. Callie watched the barmaid sigh and tell him that he's got a year more to burn before he could have a shot, but Sirius relented, charming Rosmerta the best he can. Callie felt rather abandoned when Sirius stopped talking to her, and merely sipped her butterbeer in silence.

"Come on, just a shot will do," Sirius smiled his best, after a while of doting on Madam Rosmerta. "And I'll ask no more, after."

Rosmerta gave him a fond smile, shaking her head, then after a minute, "Oh, alright–"

"I bloody think not!" That did it for Callie. Standing up and slamming her own beer mug on the counter, she rummaged for some coins in her pocket to pay for their tab, and dragged Sirius out of the Three Broomsticks.

"I can't believe her – can't believe she gave in – and you!" Callie was clutching Sirius by the elbow, furious. "You know it's illegal, you could get in trouble for that–"

Sirius let out a laugh, bark-like. "Like that would deter me – for your information, I've had firewhisky before."

"But not in a ruddy pub!" Callie turned to him, frowning as they walked. Sirius looked like he was about to say something, but kept his silence, in the end.

Sirius let her lead the way, eyebrows drawn, scarf re-adjusting itself as they walked away from the Three Broomsticks. Callie didn't know where to go, but it was a relief they were well and away from that place. Walking down the street, Callie wandered into what looked like a small park, though it's mostly frozen and wet because of the melting snow.

"So," When she finished doing a spell that dried up one of the wooden benches there, "Do you wanna tell me what's up or do you need more alcohol? Because you're really acting strange, Sirius."

"I said I don't want to talk about it," came Sirius' gruff reply. He sat down the semi-smoking bench, the very one Callie just dried off. "Let it go would you? You sound so pretentious."

Callie felt herself frowning, and sat beside Sirius.

They basked in silence for a good long while. Sirius only glared at the snow, while Callie looked at the dead trees, at the still living pine.

"I'm sorry." Callie said softly when Sirius still kept on glaring at the ground. She felt like she was dealing with a child. "Sorry I insisted."

Sirius only shrugged.

"But that doesn't mean you can treat me like crap just because you're in a bad mood." Callie let out a sigh, her breath foggy.

Beside, her, Sirius didn't offer a reply.

Callie's frown deepened, and felt rather hurt. "I suppose we should get back... Come on, it's getting rather cold out here."

And Sirius stood up faster than her, and turned, headed back. Callie was about to do the same, but there was a crack, and she rose up not to follow her friend, but to look at the source of the sound.

A hooded figure stood ten feet away from them, masked and armed with a wand. Callie wasn't quick enough to react, left wondering about who the person must be, before she saw a great stream of purple light.

Sirius screamed her name, but she screamed louder.

The pain was immense, blinding. The force hit her like something she had never have experienced before, akin to being submerged into cold water, only much, much worse. Her left shoulder was on freezing fire, and it advanced – slowly, but oh so painfully, like she's being burned from the inside out. Callie couldn't open her eyes, couldn't move at all, and before she lost consciousness, the last thing she saw was Sirius' face, stricken in horror.

---

When Callie opened her eyes next, it was Professor Dumbledore she saw.

She felt numb all over. Sleepy too. It was hard to keep herself awake so she could speak.

"Sir..." Was the only word she could manage.

"Hush now," Dumbledore said softly, "Don't force yourself, Miss Greengrass."

Callie closer her eyes gain. There was snow, and dead trees and the hooded figure. Then, a smoky, purple light...

"Sirius," Callie breathed, and opened her eyes, moving to get out of bed, "Professor–"

"Mr. Black is quite alright, though angry and thoroughly worried about what had happened to you," The Headmaster said kindly. "But he's safe in Hogwarts."

Callie's head was swimming. "What?"

"My dear, you're in St. Mungo's," Dumbledore smiled gently, conjuring a chair out of thin air before sitting on it. "And have stayed here for two weeks."

The young witch did not say anything else. There was snow and a hooded figure, and Sirius was calling out her name...

Dumbledore sat there idly, observing her. "I must apologize for asking this just when you've woken up, but I wish to hear the truth from you – Miss Greengrass, do you happen to remember anything since you went out to Hogsmeade with Mr. Black?"

Callie felt the entire half of her body throb. There was a purple light... She reached up to touch her head, but was shocked when she saw that her left hand had turned a grayish color, swirled with black, like marble.

But it turned out that it was not just her left hand. Her entire left arm, which was pale and prone to sunburns before, had turned a sickening shade of gray.

She felt like she was about to throw up. Dumbledore must have noticed, because he patted her on the back, and told her to take deep breaths, his voice soothing. When she regained her demeanor, she told the Headmaster all that she could remember: the hooded person, the purple light, the pain she felt when she toppled down to the snow.

"Thank you very much, Miss Greengrass." Dumbledore gave her a last pat on the back before retreating to his seat. "Now, you must have questions of your own..."

And Callie asked, scared and quivering.

It turned out that she had been cursed by the cloaked person – a terrible spell that cannot be reversed and cannot be cured once cast.

"It is called the Petrification Curse – an attempt to copy the ability of the basilisk to kill with it's gaze." Professor Dumbledore said gently, "It's aim, initially, is to turn flesh into stone permanently, but it takes great skill and accuracy to perform such curse. The one that hit you was imperfect – as you can see, you're still very soft." He touched Callie's left arm, examining it. "Though cold, now. I take it that you feel rather numb on your left side?"

Callie can only nod, too stunned.

"That is because the spell was poorly done – thankfully. Your attacker did not even took the effort of aiming for your heart, where the curse would have killed you instantly." Dumbledore looked very grave, then. "But despite these circumstances, I'm afraid..."

Callie's heart lurched, and felt that even her right hand had gotten cold. "I'm going to die, aren't I, Professor?"

Dumbledore looked up at her, clear blue eyes watery. "The Petrification Curse is incurable, and always deadly, no matter how it was cast. Fortunately, Miss Greengrass, you've been hit on your shoulder, and the curse had spread only halfway through your body, which means, perhaps, you've got a few more years..."

And Callie watched the Headmaster look away, bony hands lifting to take off his half-moon spectacles, before wiping his tears with a small, blue handkerchief.

---

Callie often looked at herself in the mirror, and often, she felt cold.

She always feels numb, now. But it doesn't bother her physically – only emotionally, mentally. Pain doesn't register on the left side of her body any longer, and any damage to it only gets deflected. Even spells meant to hurt did not affect her Petrified half. Now, it's just a lump of meat that does her bidding.

The curse had spread to her entire left arm, half her back and down to her hips. It crept across her chest, reaching close to where Callie's heart is supposed to be, and covered most of her neck, her left cheek, and the area surrounding it, making her look like someone who had put on a very incomplete and uneven mask. Even the white of her eye had become gray, and the once pale, blue iris of hers became completely black – and her hair, honey blond and bright, had gotten liberally streaked by black on the left side of her head.

Her mother cried when she came home from St. Mungo's, escorted by her father. It was the first time in a long time that her mother had shown explicit care for her, and despite her father's stoic stance, he too, looked rather stricken and pale when they made it inside their manor.

It made Callie break down. She missed her family so much, and to know she had limited time... It should have made her incredibly happy, but the numb and cold feeling was persistent. The curse hadn't tamed down even after weeks of treatment.

After three more days, she was permitted to go back to Hogwarts upon her personal request, and was to receive countercurse sessions everyday to slow the advance of the curse, from Madam Pomfrey, and drink a restorative concoction every two days. Her mother insisted that she drop out and spend her remaining time at home, but Callie found no joy in that. She was a witch of House Ravenclaw – and she was proud of it. Like hell she would let some curse defeat her. After all, death is not the enemy.

It was an afternoon when she arrived at Hogwarts. Most of the students were still in their classes at this time, so the common room was empty. After shuffling through her books, which were brought back to the dormitory, she took the ones about Defense Against the Dark Arts, stuffed them in her bag, and headed to the Divination Tower. Her other N.E.W.T books can wait.

Her favorite spare room is still what it is – a spare, and empty. Callie placed her bag down, took them all out, and flipped through their pages. In a moment, she began practicing.

She found it easier to clear her head – thus she executed the spells more efficiently, though she did not know why. Perhaps it was a side-effect of the curse. After all, she does feel so numb now...

Scanning through her offensive spells, Callie's mismatched eyes landed on one particular – a whipping hex. Sirius had taught her how to do it, back then. It's all about concentration and will, he said. Think about how satisfying it would be to hurt your opponent.

But all Callie could think of now was Sirius, lying dead on the snow, made completely of stone. Sirius, her dear friend, who had been hit by the Petrification curse instead of her. Fear and sadness filled Callie's chest. He could have been hit, she thought, and what could she had done?

Anger then replaced fear. She had been useless, too slow. If only she had not stopped to wonder...

"Flagellare!" Callie bellowed, swishing her wand like she was holding a whip.

The snap was loud and jolting. The greenboard once again, suffered a blow – a deep lash appeared on it's chalky, smooth surface, splinters flying in the air.

Callie felt the power of it. She had never done it so well like she had today, and that was saying something, because she as wasn't good at spells like this.

"You've come back."

The voice made Callie's heart hammer, and for the first time in weeks, she felt warm.

"I was heading to Transfiguration, and I forgot the Map, so I dashed back and – you were there." Sirius looked wind-swept as he stood by the door frame, a parchment clutched in his right hand, bag still slung over his shoulder. "Going out of the Ravenclaw dormitory... I thought I was half-mad – I've been checking the Map everyday ever since I've heard Professor Dumbledore say you were coming back soon – and I thought I might have been hallucinating or something – but. You're really here."

"I got discharged from St. Mungo's a few days ago," Callie said, facing him fully, and when Sirius saw what the curse had done to her, he looked pained. "They said I'll never get rid of these scars, but at least I'll live, right?"She hoped her smile would lighten the mood, but it did not.

Sirius strode forward, dropped his bag five steps in, and studied Callie's face much closer. His gray eyes mapped the path the curse had taken, and lingered over the black hair tainting Callie's usual honey yellow. "I thought you were going to die, that day."

Callie felt a pang of sadness in her chest. She was dying, but she made her parents promise, made the Headmaster promise... It's all going to be a secret, no one will know – to the world, she will be the girl who had evaded some other curse, and survived. "Me too." She said truthfully, smiling despite wanting to cry.

Sirius reached up, fingers meaning to touch Callie's gray cheek, where the skin and the flesh and bone underneath had been cursed. "I thought, for so many days, I thought..." And when he finally brushed his thumb against Callie's skin, she felt nothing, no warmth. "I thought you were gone, I thought that was our last... I was going mad, what if you really died – we argued, I was a stubborn git who vented my frustrations on you and I – said those words–"

Callie felt a great surge of affection for Sirius, and felt her lip quiver, trying to stop herself from breaking down again. "It's okay," She said, and closed her eyes, her cursed hand coming up to hold Sirius' against her cheek, keeping it there, hoping and craving to feel the heat of his palm, even for just a second. "It's okay, now."

She felt tears running down her right cheek. She was crying – but the irony is that the cursed side of her face could not even produce a single salty drop.

"I'm so sorry," Sirius said softly – words he intended only for her to hear. "I'm so, so sorry."

He was so close, now. Callie could smell his perfume, his breath, his natural scent. Sirius bent down slightly so that their foreheads touched, and when Callie opened her eyes, she saw that he too, was crying.

"It's okay," She whispered back, and let her hands come up to his face, fingers wiping his tears away. Looking at him now, it is only then that she realized just how much she missed him. "It's not your fault that this happened."

"I wasn't fast enough," Sirius said bitterly, his eyes now closed. "I was too busy getting angry at you, too absorbed in my own stupidity... If only I hadn't stormed off, I could have saved you."

"You did save me," Callie said with a smile, a fresh tear rolling down her right cheek. "If you weren't there... Oh, Sirius, don't ever blame yourself for my scars, my pain – because that's nothing, nothing to me. I breathe because of you. I owe you my life."

Sirius moved to embrace her, one arm tight around her waist, the other against her back, hand at the nape of her neck. His fingers were tight in their grip and pulled a little at her hair, but Callie did not mind, and let Sirius bury his face against the crook of her neck.

They stayed like that for a long time. Callie let her sadness ease through her tears, and felt lighter after. She carded her fingers through Sirius' hair as they clung to each other, and comforted him despite sobbing quite a lot herself.

"You're missing out on Transfiguration, you know." Callie said when Sirius no longer hugged her with such urgency, only standing there, arms around her waist, forehead on her shoulder.

"I'm not missing out on anything." Sirius said, voice a little gravely. "McGonagall's got nothin' to teach me. I already know it all."

Callie laughed softly. "I see you haven't changed at all while I was gone."

Sirius stirred, and buried his face against the crook of Callie's neck once more, breathing deeply, and sighing equally long. "A lot has changed about me, actually." He said, muffled by his position.

It was then that Callie realized that their position was rather intimate, and felt her heart beating erratically again, bathing her in warmth. But it was nothing – it meant nothing, because Sirius had Marlene, and he was physical in his affections, even with his friends.

"Me too, I suppose." Callie hummed, her arms now around Sirius' neck loosely. "I can't feel much with my cursed half – and often, I feel cold... But there's a plus side to it – I'll show you–"

"Show me later," said Sirius, his voice tinged with longing. "Just stay here like this for a while."

Callie did, and letting herself be a little selfish, she hugged Sirius tighter.

---

Things went back to normal – somewhat.

The incident of Callie being attacked brought a temporary stop to the weekend trips at Hogsmeade, and an investigation had been made to find out who had cursed her. A lot of people murmured that it was a Death Eater, some said it was Callie's brother, Castor, who did it. Even Sirius was sure that it was Castor – he even confronted him a day after Callie had been brought to St. Mungo's, as the Slytherin Greengrass opted not to visit his sister.

"You should have seen Sirius," Melissa had been crying for the past hour when she saw Callie in their dormitory the day she went back. "He was so angry, shouting at your brother in the third floor corridor. They even Dueled, for a bit – but Professor McGonagall interfered before they went and really hurt each other."

Castor Greengrass was the biggest purist Callie had ever met, but he could not have done that to her – she was sure. Her own brother...

"Why not?" When she confronted Sirius about it, the Gryffindor Black sounded irritated. "The way he threatened you before, his desire of becoming a Death Eater ("Shh!" said Callie,) – it all fits, doesn't it? And when I confronted him, that prat..."

"He's my brother, Sirius." Callie reasoned, but Black only laughed. "I can't believe you Dueled with him–"

"You didn't hear him then," Sirius spat with contempt. "I'd bet my life that it was he who did it."

Callie left it at that. She really didn't want to think about it right now, not when she had a ton of work and lessons to catch up to.

She had been so busy with her school work that she had little and less time for other things, though it seemed like most of the students shared her dilemma. The months came and went, and Callisto dutifully went to Madam Pomfrey every night to receive her daily countercurse, and had Professor Slughorn make the restorative potions for her upon Dumbledore's request – and she studied, like everybody else, like she wasn't about to die in a year or two.

Sirius hung out with her more frequently, usually quizzing her in Transfiguration. He still joined her in the Divination Tower to practice jinxes and counterjinxes even if he was already good at it – which puzzled Callie at times, because it seems like Sirius has an awfully lot of free time.

The cycle was made once again. Callie put the matters of her attacker behind her – of her curse, her limited time – for now, and lived.

And just like that, they finished their sixth year and entered their seventh in Hogwarts.

"Sirius!" They were on the Express, headed to Hogwarts. Callie had opened the door of the Marauders' compartment with so much force that Peter, who was sitting closer to it, choked on his chocolate frog. "I did it!"

"What?" Sirius looked at her with wide eyes, taken by surprise. He was sitting beside Remus, by the train windows, and was currently playing a Muggle card game with James.

Callie could barely contain herself. "I ran away!"

Sirius let out a bark-like laugh, threw his cards in the air, and leaped for Callie. He hugged her, lifting her off the ground in his sympathetic happiness, and twirled her around in his arms, the both of them spinning and stumbling.

Callie was pink-faced when Sirius put her down. "I took as many Galleons as I could when I went to Gringotts last time – jinxed my Father before he could accompany me to the bank – and I Disapparated to Melissa's, and stayed there for the rest of summer."

"You jinxed your dad?" James butted in, laughing loudly. "Blimey, Greengrass."

"I had to do something – he won't let me go anywhere alone, and anyway, he just went and vomited earthworms, it's nothing serious–"

"Eugh, that's horrid," Remus said, while Peter and Sirius laughed together with James.

"I'm sure he was more upset at me because I stole from our safe rather than me making him puke worms all over Diagon Alley." Callie grinned, and Peter made retching noises, wiggling his fingers in front of his mouth so it looked like worms, and all of them laughed once again.

"Anyway, I still don't know where the bloody hell I'm gonna go after we graduate, but – I suppose I'll work it out, yeah?" Callie was still grinning, and her cheeks hurt from all the laughing that they did. "Will be fun."

"I'm happy for you, Callie." Sirius said earnestly, grinning as wide as the Ravenclaw.

"Why don't you live with Sirius? He's already found a place – I mean, you could share the rent–" Remus suggested.

"And the bed," James added with a cough, but Sirius cleared his throat loudly before anyone could add more suggestions.

Callie just laughed. "Of course I can't – what would Marlene McKinnon say? Anyway – that's – that's all I wanna tell you, really." She beamed, positively blooming. She had never felt this happy since she was cursed. "Oh, and – congratulations on being Head Boy, Potter. See you guys around!"

When she left, James sat back and brought out his wand from his pocket, and did a little wave with it, gathering the cards he and Sirius scattered earlier. "What would Marlene McKinnon say, indeed?"

---

The question of the identity of her attacker still loomed over Callie, relived because of Castor disappearing right after he graduated. Their parents seemed to know where he had gone – or rather, who he had joined – and kept things quiet. She did the same, out of love for her mother, who looked so depressed about her eldest son's choice that she fell ill as soon as Callie herself had run away.

Still, even after so many owls from her father, Callie refused to apologize for what she had done and stood by her decision. She had lived all seventeen years of her life under their rules, and let them carve the path where she would go. Callie wanted to know how it feels like to be free of her family's clutches for once, for herself – even just for a while.

She'd miss her sister, though. Celine had made peace with her, and apologized as soon as she had the chance. At this, Callie felt like she had been freed of a heavy burden – she had always been close to her little sister, and when the rift between them had grown two years ago, she had been heartbroken.

It was better this way. Her father and mother, her little sister – they'll be alright, protected by their status. The Greengrass family is an old, pure-blood line – the Dark Lord surely would spare them, if the worst came. And as an added bonus, their blood-traitor daughter had gone and ran away, ridding them of the shame she had brought in the first place.

Despite wanting to live her life to the fullest like Callie had intended, she had been caught in between the impending doom of her death and the realization that she was practically all alone now – unsupported, unguided. The novelty of freedom was good when it lasted, but as her first three days back in Hogwarts passed, she had began to worry and fear for what would come next.

"Hey." Their dinner in the Great Hall was particularly good that night. Sirius had settled right beside her, bearing a toothy smile – which earned a lot of looks, since he was a Gryffindor and Gryffindors were not meant to sit at the Ravenclaw table.

Callie had been so immersed in her thoughts that it took her a few seconds to form a coherent reply. "Oh – hello, Sirius."

Sirius was still grinning, and there was a glint in his eyes that made Callie feel like she was about to be royally pranked. "I've got some news to tell you."

Callie took a moment to narrow her eyes and scrutinize the man beside him, recovering from her trance of over-thinking. "I do too – might I remind you once again, Black, that the Gryffindor Table is over there."

"How kind of you to point out the obvious," said Sirius, and a few Ravenclaws laughed.

Callie felt betrayed that her fellow Ravenclaws weren't too concerned about Sirius being there. "Go back to your seat, would you – look, Professor McGonagall's looking this way. Do you want to get into detention again?"

"I've already got detention tonight, so it doesn't matter." Sirius waved his hand dismissively. "Now listen – this is important."

Callie fell silent. Melissa, who was sitting beside her, stopped cutting the steak on her plate to look at Sirius. Even the ones sitting close to them seemed to have paused, trying to listen in on what the Gryffindor Black will say.

Sirius did not reveal his news immediately for the dramatic effect. And then:

"James and Lily are now officially together."

A few surprised gasps were heard. Melissa said, "About time that they did!" and most of those who listened in on them turned their heads t look at the said pair, and found them sitting side by side, plainly more affectionate toward each other.

"Oh, wow." Callie never had thought Lily would fall for that troublemaker – but then again, James Potter had matured quite a lot throughout their years at Hogwarts. "That's great!"

"Told you they'll get together eventually." Sirius turned his own gaze at his best friend, who's got his arm around one particular redhead's waist. James caught his eye almost immediately, and the two Marauders winked at each other. "But – that's only a part of the important thing I'm talking about."

Callie fell silent once again, a little puzzled, and together with some of her fellow Ravenclaws, they waited for Sirius to continue.

"If you happen to remember in our fifth year, we made a bet in that favorite room of yours in the Divination Tower."

Callie's eyebrows became drawn. A bet...

"I said I'll do all your homework till the end of the year if James still hasn't managed to get Lily in the first month of our seventh year, while you were sure that they will never be together, ever, and placed your bet on that."

It was glaringly apparent that Sirius was waiting for Callie to remember the terms of their bet, and when Callie's expression turned from confused to dawned, he grinned with anticipation.

"Oh no," said Callie, eyes widening, heartbeat starting to quicken.

"Oh, yes," said Sirius, nodding. "You lost, Greengrass. I trust that you're still familiar with my terms?"

She was. Callie felt the need to hide her face from the eyes of her fellow students, as she feared that she had gone red. "But – Sirius, that was so long ago – nearly two years–"

"A bet is a bet, babe." Sirius shrugged casually, still smiling. "Or do you want to be known as a person who turns their back on their word?"

Callie pursed her lips, trying to worm her way out. "You have a girlfriend–"

"Had." Sirius corrected. "Then again, if you honor our bet, which you should, then–"

"You can stop right there, Black." Callie said quickly, growing more embarrassed. "Can't we – not talk about this in the Great Hall? Oh, now – look, even Professor Flitwick is staring this way–"

"Let them stare," Sirius inched closer, and Callie instinctively drew back a little. "It's more convenient, this way. Just one, quick announcement with everybody here, so we don't get peppered by questions if we're–"

"Okay!" Callie sputtered out, feeling the heat on her right cheek. "Just – stop talking–"

The expression on Sirius' face froze, like he couldn't believe his luck. "Are you really – was that a yes?"

Callie let out a frustrated sound and hid her eyes behind her left hand, trying to block out all the confused and curious gazes that were on them. "Yes. Now can you please go back to your House's table?"

Sirius was grinning again. He stood up with a flourish, his face lit up. "Certainly. Though, I must make the announcement first."

To this, Callie retreated from the temporary blind sanctuary of her hand, and looked up at him with wide eyes. "You don't mean to – oh Sirius, don't, the Headmaster is right there–"

But Sirius wasn't listening. He grabbed Callie by the arm, pulling her up, so they stood right in front of each other. "By the way, I'm a bit out of practice – it's been a while – so I apologize if this won't be mind-blowing –"

And he reached out, slid his hand behind Callie's neck, dipped his head down a few inches, and kissed her.

Sirius took her breath away – he kissed like a proper lover, with the right amount of harshness and a lot of need, like he couldn't help himself and want more of her lips, the taste of her mouth. It was a rush like no other, and while they kissed, time seemed nonexistent, as is the concept of shame of being open, to be seen by all.

And when they finally parted, Callie felt like she had just woken up from a dream. Sirius' eyes had gotten dark as he stared at her, pupils blown, and he was still smiling, though faintly.

At a distance, James wolf-whistled. It made Sirius laugh, and Callie thought he looked rather radiant – very handsomely so.

"See you after dinner," Sirius said softly after, and with that, he made his way back to the Gryffindor table.

Callie sunk back down to her seat, stunned, her blood roaring in her veins. Most of the Ravenclaws sitting near her were still staring at her, some chatting while doing so. Melissa was gawking at her. At the Professor's table, McGonagall looked rather appalled, while Flitwick had fallen out of his seat. Dumbledore seemed rather amused though, but Callie did not want to think about anything for now.

---

Callie couldn't tear her eyes away from her food, but she ate very little. A few bites and that was all – standing up, she excused herself from the Ravenclaw table, and told Melissa she'll see her later.

She hadn't done as much as look anywhere near the Gryffindor table, fearing that Sirius would catch her eye. What was she thinking, saying yes? Sirius was her friend, nothing more... and he can't be anything more than that. Callie chewed at the inside of her cheek, feet taking her out of the Great Hall. She'll be dead in a year or two and he doesn't know, he thinks they'll have a chance to be together after Hogwarts – or does he?

Was this just a well-elaborated prank? Just a joke, a laugh... Callie felt a frown forming on her lips, her eyebrows knitting together in mixed worry, frustration, and dread. She had to clear things before it got too complicated.

"You're not even gonna wait for me? That's cruel."

In a moment, Sirius had followed – she had only managed a few steps from the Great Hall so he had quickly caught up to her.

Callie stopped in her tracks, and looked back. He doesn't know, he has no idea... "Sirius..."

Sirius was already starting to smile, but when he saw the look on Callie's face, the expression on his face fell.

Callie felt a stab of pain in her chest, almost physical. "Let's – let's talk somewhere private."

"Oh – yeah, okay." Sirius gave a stiff nod, and led Callie through the empty halls of Hogwarts, past the empty metal knights standing guard, and into a room on the second floor that Callie had never took notice before.

Sirius opened the door to the unknown room, and Callie let her eyes wander around – it was empty, just like a classroom but devoid of any tables and chairs. With the door closed behind them, Callie walked closer to one of the windows, looking out of it, fearing the minutes that were to come.

"Are you angry?" Sirius asked simply, approaching her. He moved to lean against the wall, near the very window Callie was looking out of.

"What? No – I'm not, I'm not angry..." Callie sighed, and forced herself to look at him. "I'm just – I don't know." Scared. Uncertain. "Were you pranking me?"

"What?" Sirius' eyebrows shot up, looking scandalized. "You think that was a prank?" He let out a laugh. "I'd never – blimey, Callie, did you really think I'd joke about something like that?"

"I don't know," Callie said defensively, "You can be mean, when you want to."

"Well, yeah," Sirius looked rather reluctant to admit it, "But I'll never..." He trailed off, and shook his head. "It wasn't a joke, believe me, I really do – love you."

Callie didn't say anything for a moment, feeling light-headed and hurt at the same time.

"I thought it was obvious," Sirius let himself smile. "Have you ever wondered why I kept going to the Divination Tower to practice spells with you? Or why I asked you out to Hogsmeade so many times... I know I said it was just between friends, just mates hanging out, but blimey – you don't know how much I wished for it to be something much more."

"But you were going out wit Marlene then," Callie said in a small voice, "You were happy with her–"

"I was, and then I wasn't." Sirius faced her properly, getting away from the wall and stepping forward, closer to her. "I had a persistent crush on you ever since you jinxed Castor and had a row with him near the lake – I thought that was obvious too. I constantly tried to catch your attention, but you saw me only as a friend, so I tried forgetting about you. Dated somebody else and waited for my crush to pass, but – it didn't.

"I went out of my way to get closer to you, I skipped classes just so I could be there in your free time... And you opened up to me, shared your troubles with me, and trusted me. We wrote to each other over the holidays constantly, exchanged owls well past midnight and I thought – maybe, just maybe, that you had the same feelings, too."

I did, Callie thought, but did not say.

"But I was still unsure," Sirius continued, "Because you're always so – calm and casual around me, and you never let anything slip. Never flirted with me directly or indirectly. Never felt the need to be – close. And me – I just sat there, frustrated, wanting everything and more from you, torn between trying to stop myself from trying to win you over and letting you go.

"But the day when you got back after you were attacked... I realized just how much I..." He shook his head, the same smile flashing on his lips. "I just knew then, that I had it bad. I broke up with Marlene right after, and resigned to the fact that I wasn't over you."

Callie felt like her vision was spinning, but she couldn't bring herself to look away from him.

"I pursued you. I still couldn't bring myself to ask you out – not that we could go to Hogsmeade for a drink, with the ban still up – but still. I was scared of being rejected. Scared to know that you've never looked at me twice. So I tried to be gradual about it, feeling my way around – but then James came and finally managed to get together with Lily, and I remembered that bet we made back in fifth year – and I thought – hoped – that maybe – it probably wasn't a good time – a little silly, honestly–"

Sirius was rendered incoherent for a minute. He looked away, gray eyes darting to the window. Callie took this opportunity to look away too, and decided to stare at her shoes.

A long bout of silence stretched. Sirius had stuffed his hands in his pockets, still staring outside the window, seemingly unable to look at Callie for now. Meanwhile, Callie had began drumming her fingers against her thigh, deep in thought.

"I did return your feelings."

Finally, after forever, Callie tore her eyes from the ground and gathered her courage to look at Sirius again in the eye.

"I fancied you," said Callie, "Like all those other girls, like Melissa had... You were kind to me, funny, and understanding. You were always there when I needed you. I loved that you were always there." She paused, and felt like her heart would stop when Sirius met her gaze. "I liked you for a long while, Sirius – but I got over you."

There was another spell of silence. Sirius looked at her, nearly unblinking, face impassive. And then, he opened his mouth, but halted on speaking for a few seconds. "I suppose – I was too late."

Callie just smiled sadly.

Sirius broke into a smile too, but distress leeched off in his actions. "Well – that's that. I'll just have to – we can always pass that announcement as a joke, s'fine – just a joke, people won't remember much – anyway – we should get back."

"Yes," Callie nodded, "We should."

"I'll see you around," Sirius said stiffly, and couldn't quite meet Callie's eyes.

"Good night, Sirius."

And they parted ways.

---

*The Greengrass family is a canon pureblood family. Draco's wife is a Greengrass. The bit about them usually getting Sorted into Slytherin is also canon.