"Talking"

"Parstletongue"

Thinking

Pairings: Voldemort/Bellatrix (Married), Sirius/Severus (Lovers), possible pairings with Draco and Callia later on (not together, with different people)

-o-

Chapter 24

Severus was pacing his office worriedly when the door opened. He smiled in relief before the two figures even walked in; his office door was locked and would only open if Callia, Draco, Pansy (in case they were hurt) and Sirius (not that he ever went outside the office anyway) touched the handle. Severus ran over and embraced the two in a hug.

When he finally released the two he smiled even more when he saw the two were smiling and Draco had an arm wrapped protectively around Callia shoulders. Sirius, who had gone back to Severus' bed after Callia had left, finally emerged and embraced the small witch.

"Cali! Merlin, you had me worried! Sev said you went out in your animagus form!" Severus looked at her questioningly, and she smiled even wider.

"Yes, I was, but I was under a disillusion charm, so no one saw me!" Callia rolled her eyes.

"Cal? Can you help me become an animagus please?" the last word came out as a whine, and Callia, Severus and Sirius turned to look at the pleading blonde. He looked pleadingly at his little cousin and she couldn't say no to the look he was giving her. Plus, she just loved her older cousin asking for help with something!

"Sure Drakey!" Severus and Sirius exchanged a hopeless look before sighing in sync. Callia laughed at their expressions before leading Draco to the couch by the fire, talking animatedly. "First, you should master your patronus, that way you can see what animal you will most likely become. Then we will work on actually shifting. It will be easier for you if Sev still have some of the potion left..." she trailed off, then looked over at her godfather questioningly.

"Yes, Callia, there is still some potion left. I already guess this would happen, so I made extra anyway,"

"Thanks uncle Sev!" Callia smiled excitedly at her godfather before turning back to her conversation with Draco. After another twenty minutes a low growl escaped Callia, and she stood up.

"Drake, do you wanna go down to the kitchen and et some food? I'm starving!" Draco got up, smiling even wider.

"Why don't you eat in here?" Severus asked, and was just about to summon one of the elves when Callia shook her head.

"No thanks Uncle Sev, maybe tomorrow? I wanna plan some more chaos!" Severus rolled his eyes before waving his hand towards the door.

"Go then,"

"Love you Sev! You too Siri!" Callia yelled before dragging Draco out the door and up to their room. She lit the fire for Tera, who was curled up asleep on the bed, and pulled Draco down to the kitchen.

Severus looked at the door for a few seconds after Callia and Draco had left, shaking his head. Blasted Weasley twins...

-o-

The twins were, as Callia had thought, in the kitchen planning another prank. After the incident with the anonymous person trying to get Callia expelled, the twins now planned everything in the kitchen, and the house elves made sure no one but Callia could interrupt them.

The twins, who were today accompanied by Lee Jordan, were all scared when Callia flopped down across the table they were sitting at, smiling wickedly.

"Leaving me out of the plans boys? That's not very nice!" she smirked. Draco laughed as he took a seat next to George, and pulled her off the table. She rejected the chair he offered, and instead sat on the table, her legs dangling over the side, occasionally hitting Draco's. Lee looked at her curiously, but just shook his head and continued their earlier conversation.

"Well, there is this really stuck up 2nd year Ravenclaw, Justin Finch-Fletchly. I think he should definitely be a target!"

"Agreed. I have seen him around, and he is always teasing people. He's an arsehole." Callia said, scowling. Draco nodded his agreement.

"I have Herbology and Charms with him. He teases everyone, especially that Lovegood girl."

The twins looked at Draco, then each other, then, smirking, turned to Callia. They got that mischievous glint in their eyes and spoke as one.

"We have the perfect prank!"

-o-

Callia walked up to her room with Draco an hour later, satisfied with the prank the twins had come up with, which was set to happen at the farewell feast. It was different having Lee at their little "meetings", but she knew she could trust him, so she didn't mind. She picked up Tera when she got in the room and had a hissed conversation with her while Draco had a shower.

When he came out, Callia was already curled up in the bed, Tera in Draco's normal spot, hissing softly. Draco smiled before flopping down on the bed next to the hissing snake.

"Oi, Tera, move over! C'mon, stop taking me spot!" Draco said playfully, and the snake flicked him in the head with the golden tip of her tail before moving to curl up in Callia's arms.

"You shouldn't mess with me blondie. I could kill you with one bite!" Callia let out a pearly laugh, and Draco glared at the tiny snake; it was obvious she had just insulted him.

"Tera! Be nice!"

"But why? It's fun insulting him! He knows I'm making fun of him but he can't tell what I'm saying; it's brilliant!"

"Oh, shut up you bloody annoying snake! I can understand some of what you are saying! I've been around too many of Callia and Nagini's conversations..." Callia raised an eyebrow. "Oh, and NEVER call me blondie again!"

"Since when can you understand Parstletongue?"

"Since that's all you bloody talked when around Nagini!"

"How much do you understand?" Callia hissed in Parstletongue.

"Enough to know what you just said," Draco rolled his eyes.

Callia eyed him for a second before breaking into a wide smile. Draco groaned; that look was never good!

-o-

For the next week, up until the day before Christmas holidays, Callia had Draco practicing deciphering Parstletongue, as well as working on his Patronus. He knew enough Parstletongue now to understand most of what Callia was saying, so she would write him notes in Parstletongue, and see if he could read them. It took him every afternoon for the whole week, much to his mates annoyance, but he was finally able to read it.

The day before the Christmas holidays Draco flopped down onto his bed and sighed.

"I give up Cali. I can't get my patronus to take shape," he pouted. Callia moved to sit beside him.

"What memory do you think of?" Draco blushed, and turned to smile at her.

"It's not just one memory; I think of all the times we spent together, because they really are the happiest memories I have," a tear welled up in Draco's eyes, and Callia moved over to hug him.

"Do you just think of the happy memories?" Callia asked quietly, and Draco moved to wrap his arms around her tiny figure. She unconciuodly started to purr as her ran his fingers through her long raven hair.

"Yeah. A patronus is conjured with a happy memory, right?"

"Supposedly, yes. But me, I think of every memory, good and bad. I don't know why, it just seems to work better,"

Draco looked at her for a second then nodded. He then pointed his wand to the end of the bed and closed his eyes, letting every memory he could think of wash over him, both happy and sad. He then quietly whispered;

"Expect Patronum,"

A silvery light moved gracefully out of Draco's wand, swirling around in the air before taking shape. Draco still had his eyes closed but opened them when he heard Callia gasp. Draco opened his eyes slowly, and his jaw dropped when he saw his fully formed Patronus in front of him. Draco stared at the patronus with wide eyes.

"Cali, is that what I think it is?"