A/N: I need to apologize for a couple matters. That last chapter was beyond short. I thought it was long, but then when I went to post it, I realized my Google Doc had chapter nineteen combined with twenty, so what was new material to be posted was very little. Also, this one probably just bugs me more than anyone else, but I have zero consistency for words that I capitalize or don't, such as spells, locations, and various Harry Potter world items. Thank you for sticking with me through my errors. :)
Severus was sitting at his desk with a drink harder than pumpkin juice once Callista went to bed. He was proud of Draco's patronus once she told him, but he was more stern than usual as he told her yet again to not draw attention to herself.
Guilt of words, as needed as they were, were why he has poured himself a drink. Minerva had told him that morning at breakfast how Albus had apparated away from the school once Delores confronted Albus with the minister about the flaws of the school.
Anger filled Severus as he thought of this morning's events once more. How badly he'd wanted to hex the pink menace into oblivion. But his hands were tied. If he so much as interfered too much with anything he'd be off to Azkaban, as they threatened Albus with before his apparition.
The thought had occurred to him to move to Spinner's End until the ministry stopped interfering at the school, which wouldn't be until they acknowledged the return of the Dark Lord. However, Albus would never allow the move. In the years of working for Albus, Severus knew he had a dark side with anger that was not meant to be toyed with.
Days later
Severus was grim after he tucked Callista in bed. He kissed her forehead then left the room the apply the crucio blocking potion she created. This was one the rare meeting when all the Death Eaters gathered along with Lord Voldemort at Malfoy Manor.
Words couldn't describe the dread he felt as he walked to the edge of the castle grounds to aparate the manor. Even Callista acted differently on evenings when Severus had these meetings. She was more quiet and serene, although inside she was filled with the utmost.
As much as Callista was filled with worry, she fell asleep. Except she was abruptly awoken by a face with large eyes like tennis balls, staring at her through the dark room.
Callista's heart jumped from the surprise, but she turned the light on to see what the house-elf possibly needed from her.
"I am Dobby. Harry Potter sent me. Harry Potter needs help. He's outside the office door!"
"What?" She questioned as she pulled off her bedding and went out her bedroom door in her Ravenclaw sweatpants and a black tank top. Soon she was opening the office door that led to the corridor.
"Harry, what is going on?" She was nervous since it was a Death Eater night for Severus.
"They have Sirius. They have Sirius at the ministry. They are torturing him!"
"Who?" Callista asked.
"Death Eaters! I saw Mafloy's dad!" Harry exclaimed. "Snape is my last hope. He warned me that they may try to give me false images, and I don't know if this is real or not."
"He isn't here. He's at a Death Eater meeting."
Horror filled Harry's expression. "It must be real then."
"Harry, we don't know if it's real or not. Who else can we talk to?"
"No one here!" Harry snapped. "I didn't even bother waking Ron or Hermione."
"McGonagall?"
Harry shook his head. "I don't know if she is in the order, and I can't contact Headquarters. Umbridge is tracking chimneys as well as owls."
"I have an idea. We need to work with the ministry, not against it. Which Death Eaters were torturing Sirius?"
"Just Mafloy's dad." Harry responded impatiently.
"C'mon, we're getting Draco."
"What?" Harry spat at Callista walked with a purpose down the dungeon corridor. "He's probably a junior Death Eat-"
Callista spun on her heals, not realizing Harry was so close behind her. They were nose to nose. "I've told you he isn't. You can be worse than my father about holding grudges sometimes."
Harry was silent and followed her until they reached a wall that he knew was the entrance to the common room from his second year. Callista whispered something to the wall. Draco frequently told her the passwords in frustration of their dark or prejudice connotations. She was just lucky it hasn't changed yet to something Draco found less stirring.
An opening appeared in the bricks. "You better stay here." And she ducked inside as the bricks returned to form a wall.
She had never been in the common room before, but it was a similar setup. Soon she found the fifth year boy's room.
"Draco?"
No response.
She pulled back the curtain on three beds before finding Draco asleep.
"Draco," she hissed again, but he still didn't stir. Putting a silencing charm on the bed, she slipped through the curtain and sat next to him.
"Draco!" She shook him.
Immediately he was awake. "Why this is a pleasant surprise-"
"This is serious." He sat up. "We need you to use my dad's Floo to go to your house and see if your dad is there or not."
"Who is we?"
"Harry. He's outside the common room." She explained his vision. Draco was already very up to date from his usual conversations with Callista.
"What if I run into him?"
"We just need you to peek into the meeting. You don't even need to let anyone know you are there. And we aren't even certain the meeting is at your house. It may be entirely empty."
He nodded. "Let's go. We don't have time to waste."
They left his dormitory and soon were next to Harry in the hall.
"Malfoy." Harry spoke curtly.
"Potter." Draco replied with almost as much venom in his voice.
"Knock it off. Let's go." She grabbed both of their arms as they raced back to Snape's office.
Moments later Draco was arriving in the chimney in his kitchen. He immediately heard voices. Taking a deep breath he walked quietly to the large room where he knew small meetings were held. Draco was always off somewhere with his mother when the large meetings with all the members occurred.
He barely opened the door. The first person he saw, he knew instantly to be Lord Voldemort. Draco shuddered. Severus was sitting next to him, his back to Draco. The other seat, his father's seat, was empty.
He glanced around the rest of the room, but his father was nowhere to be seen. Draco quickly rushed back to the chimney in the kitchen.
If Draco was only a few seconds slower, he would have seen his father coming around the corner with a gold cup in his hand. A dark object the Malfoy family had been storing for Lord Voldemort for over a decade.
But Draco had arrived and left quicker than the few minutes Lucius was away from the table.
Draco landed on the floor of the cold office again. "He was missing."
"I have to go to the ministry now." Harry stated. "It doesn't matter if she is tracking the Floo." He took a handful of the powder.
"You're not going alone." Callista added, taking her own handful.
"I'm coming too." Draco added, taking the powder as well.
Harry eyed him, but he didn't have time to argue. "Fine."
The three soon disappeared from Hogwarts. They landed one after the other on the cool black floor of the ministry of magic.
"Get off me, Malfoy."
"I'm on your side, Potter!" Draco spat once he stood up. Although Draco mainly came for Callista, not Harry.
The two boys were standing now eyeing each other. Until they realized Callista was sitting on the floor still. Glaring at them both.
The Slytherin and the Gryffindor each held a hand out to help her up. Callista knew it would damage to the ego of the person whose hand she didn't grab. So she got up on her own, rolling her eyes while doing so.
"Where are we going?" She asked Harry.
"This way." The two followed him until they went well into the ministry, into a room that was eerily silent. It was full of shelves, as high as they could see. Each shelf was full of small glass balls. "I've been led here in my dreams for weeks. I only know where it is from my hearing last summer…"
"I don't hear anyone…" Callista replied.
"It's a big room. I saw one of these balls with my name on it in the vision. That's where they are. It could be a ways from here." Harry stated.
They quickly found the order to how the prophecies were sorted. "Potter should be a few more rows over." Draco said, in reference to where Harry's name should line up.
Sprinting, they went across and down a long aisle until, "I found it!" Callista called out. "What are these things?"
Both boys shrugged.
"They should be here…" Harry looked around, wondering further if it was a false vision. He was starting to think they should get out of there as fast as they could.
However, it was too late.
At Malfoy Manor, Voldemort stopped speaking. He grew silent, and his eyes stared down the table looking blank. Then the light returned to his eyes, and he spoke, "Ah, it seems Harry did fall for our little charade." Then he looked from Lucius to Severus. "And he's brought a couple guests with him."
Standing up, Voldemort ordered Severus, Lucius, Bellatrix to leave for the ministry. "You know where they are."
Then he looked at Severus, who had to put forth additional effort to appear calm now that his daughter was involved. He has previously spoken ro Dumbledore about what to do in this situation; however, his daughter was never in that plan.
"Since the others have proven themselves quite useful to me, you may return them to the castle. We wouldn't want anything to happen to our young and promising future Death Eaters…" He sneered. "Give us a headstart on the boy, maybe this can all end tonight, but since Harry will see you, you will need to save face with Dumbledore." Voldemort pronounced his name as though it was something vile. "We will be ready to battle them shortly." He looked at the remaining members at the table. "You are done for the evening, Severus. Well done."
"Thank you, my lord." Severus bowed slightly.
"Go along," he spoke to the three smoothly. "Give Harry a warm-up before I arrive." Lucius curled his lip, and Bellatrix laughed.
The last thing Severus heard was Voldemort's cackle of a laugh as he apparated away. As Severus felt his body compress from apparating, he wondered if Voldemort truly expected Callista to join the ranks. It was clear it was already expected of Draco once he turned of age. Now that Callista was on Voldemort's radar, Severus had to be sure Voldemort presumed her to be drawn to the Dark.
A popping noise appeared next to Harry, Draco, and Callista. She had never seen her father look so angry before. He looked at Harry sternly as he grabbed his daughter and Draco by the elbows, and the three disappeared into thin air.
Callista and Draco fell to the ground once they landed. Neither had apparated before. Callista looked as though she was going to be sick as she took deep breaths on the grass.
"Get. To. My. Office. The both of you! And stay there!" Severus snapped viciously before he disappeared again, apparating away to headquarters- to help save Harry now. If the Order arrived fast enough then Voldemort would be forced to think they had ways other than Severus for knowing Harry was there.
Callista rolled onto her side on the grass in the fetal position. Draco didn't feel much better, but he moved over to her and put a hand on her shoulder. Both of them were taking deep breaths. "Let's never learn to apparate." He tried to joke, but Callista was silent.
Finally she sat up on the grass. The moon above was bright, but it wasn't a full moon yet. "Your dad was there and…"
"Aunt Bellatrix." Draco replied, sounding chilled.
"What is going to happen?" She asked softly.
Draco shrugged, but then he stood up and offered her a hand. "We'll find out…"
"We really messed up this time." Callista looked at him with worry."
"Are you kidding?" Draco gave a small laugh. "My father might be proud of me for the first time."
"Not helpful." Callista felt sick again thinking about Severus.
"'I'm joking." Draco sighed. "I know I'm not escaping the wrath of your father."
Soon they had reached the castle doors. Luckily, they were able to make it to Severus's office without running into Filch or Mrs. Norris.
Callista plopped down into Severus's chair behind his desk while Draco took the nearby seat that she usually occupied.
They were both silent. It was the middle of the night, and they both felt as though they could fall asleep, but they knew even if they were in their beds, sleep would never find them.
Finally Callista spoke, "We did everything we could have before we left, didn't we?"
Draco sensed the nervous tone in her voice. "We did." Silence fell over them again until Draco spoke once more. "I saw Him."
"You-Know-Who?"
He nodded, and Callista shuddered.
"My father wasn't there." He looked at her intensely; it was clearly eating away at him. "I know Potter is going to say I lied or something. I don't know if he was just gone for a moment, but his chair was empty, and he was nowhere in the room."
Callista moved to the chair Draco was sitting in. Scooted up next to him. They both fit easily in the large lazy anne chair. "Don't let it bother you." She finally said. "Harry has some poor traits, and his impeccable level of grudge holding is one of them." Sighing, she rested her head on his shoulder.
Draco looked down at her. Surprised she spoke negatively of her long crush, and grateful to feel her so close. He knew he'd have nightmares for a few days of the snake-like features that occupied Lord Voldemort's appearance.
It wasn't long before the office door swung open with extreme force. Draco felt Callista tense up next to him. The pair had almost dozed off, but Callista's head suddenly jerked up from Draco's shoulder.
"Get to your dormitory, Malfoy. I'll deal with you in the morning." Severus sneered in a voice he never used with the preferential student before.
Draco nodded and moved quickly. He gave Callista one hopeful glance before the door swung shut with such a force that a jar fell from the wall and shattered. With his nostrils flared, he moved over to the chair and put one hand on each arm, so his face was leaned in towards his daughter. His face was so close she could almost distinguish the pupil from the dark iris.
Severus's expression was beyond anger. It was absolute fury. Yet he spoke in a tone that was deadly calm. "What inspired you to adventure to the ministry this evening?"
Callista didn't speak. She looked at the black eyes that were flashing dangerously.
"Speak!" Severus shouted at this point.
Tears began to flow from Callista's blue eyes. She had never been spoken to like this by Severus, and she was tired- emotionally.
"Get out of my sight." Severus sighed coldly as he stood back up.
Tears streaming, she quickly moved from the chair to the door of her private quarters and then raced to her room and fell upon the bed. Her dog, Holly, moved from her dog bed to the Callista's bed. Although the medium sized dog needed to jump onto the school trunk on the floor and then onto the bed since the small legs couldn't jump that high up.
Holly curled up by Callista then quickly fell back asleep. Callista curled into a ball, sobbing.
Meanwhile, a knock came at the office door. Severus moved across the room and opened the door. Albus Dumbledore stood before him, looking tired.
"Potter?" Severus asked, not wanting to form a full sentence of concern for the boy.
"Is alive." Albus entered the office.
"However?" Severus was presuming there was some bad news to be shared.
"Sirius Black is not." Albus replied wearily. "Harry is waiting in my office. I have to tell him soon… And about the prophecy…"
"Do you think that is wise?" Severus spoke hesitantly.
"I've already waited too long." Albus spoke in a tone that told Severus the topic was not up for debate.
"How did Black finally meet his end?" Severus asked with a hint of cruelty to his voice.
"Bellatrix Lestrange, his own cousin."
Severus couldn't help but feel a twinge of satisfaction. Albus sensed this, and he grew annoyed. "Harry and Draco worked together tonight, while for something foolish, they were able to put their past aside. I would hope a grown man might be able to show some effort of that."
Severus looked at the headmaster with an unreadable expression.
Albus told him the rest of the events of the evening, consisting of the minister witnessing Voldemort standing in the ministry. "Goodnight, Severus." Albus finally stated as he turned to leave the office.
Rolling his eyes at the empty room, Severus sat down at his desk, but he didn't want to ponder on Albus's words, so he rose. He moved into his private quarters and down the hall.
She didn't hear the small knock at her door, and there was no light on in the hallway, so she didn't even notice when the door opened, and Severus walked in.
He sat on the bed, with his back against the headboard. "Shh…" He murmured in his usual tone with a hand on her back. "It's all alright. Come here." He pulled her towards him, and she cried into his shoulder as he rubbed her back.
Once her sobs slowed slightly, she spoke, "Harry came here. He-he had a dream!" She sniffled. "I got Draco to check his house, and he didn't see his dad at the table." She rubbed the back of her hand against her nose. "And we didn't want Harry to go alone."
Severus hid his horror at the realization that Draco witnessed even just a minute of the meeting.
He wrapped his arms around her tighter and kissed her forehead. Severus didn't know if it was Sirius's death that lightened his mood, or just the realization he can't be angry at his daughter for long.
"Shh…" He squeezed her tightly, not caring that she was growing too old for this position. He missed too many years of her childhood to focus on such matters. "I know…" He spoke softly.
It was as though all she needed was his reassurance that he understood what happened because moments later she stopped crying and Severus heard her breathing change, for she had cried herself to sleep. He laid her back onto her bed, and he adjusted the covers on her.
They would discuss the matter in the morning.
And morning arrived shortly.
Callista slept in quite late. It was near lunch when she finally left her room. However, it was Saturday, so it wasn't necessary for her to be awake for any pressing matters.
She entered the empty kitchen and began heating water for tea.
"Ah, there is my daughter who has absolutely no thought to her safety." Severus greeted her with a sly sneer as he entered the room.
She turned around to look at him with an expression of no amusement. Then she sat down at the table with him and her tea moments later.
"What happened?" She asked quietly, referring to after she had left.
"Potter was able to defend himself for the few minutes he needed to before the Order arrived." Severus wanted to gloat about the death of Harry's godfather, but he never wanted his daughter to see that side of him, the side that still was stuck being a peeved teenager with a grudge. Plainly, he stated, "Sirius Black was killed."
Callista inhaled suddenly with shock. "I need to go speak to Harry!" She knew he would be entirely unconsolable if this were true.
"You will do no such thing." Severus eyed her. "You are grounded for the rest of the year, and then I may extend your punishment into summer. You are to be in our quarters at all times except for classes. I will have meals brought down here on weekdays."
Callista looked shocked.
"On the brightside, the minister saw the dark lord standing in the parlor of the ministry. Professor Umbridge has already been removed from the school." He handed her the magical newspaper that explained everything. On the cover was a picture of Harry looking numb with Dumbledore's arm around him.
"How is Draco?"
The corner of Severus's mouth went up. "He survived my lecture and loss of house points earlier this morning. He only has me to deal with because his own father is proud that he helped lure Potter last night."
"He didn't lure Harry!" Callista snapped.
Severus eyed her, making her lean back in her chair. "You know that, and I know that. His father does not, and it would be wise if he never did. Lucius may be violent on the day he learns that his son doesn't want to pursue the darker part of humanity."
In a small voice, she asked, "What's Draco going to do?"
Severus knew she meant about his fate in the family business. "He is fine until he turns seventeen. Then he'll need to have a conversation with his father…" Severus's voice trailed. He knew how badly Lucius could react sometimes when matters didn't go his way.
They looked at each other silently until Callista looked down into her cup of tea in her lap. "I am only upset with you because I do not want something to ever happen to you." She looked up at him. "I cannot do anything about my involvement in these matters, but you can." His glance became slightly more stern. "Stay away from all of that. Potter doesn't need to be dragging you along."
"He didn't. I didn't want him to go alone." She added. "Then Draco only went because I went."
Severus raised a brow, and his lip curled as he said, "Next time, leave the golden trio to Weasley and Granger."
A/N: Sorry it took me so long to get to this! My last year of graduate school started today, so it's hit or miss if I write a lot or if I don't get around to it much. It all depends on how the workload of the semester pans out and how much of my homework or writing I can actually do at my receptionist job.