The morning of the 31st, Calla found herself dragged along by Harry to Quality Quidditch Supplies, on the basis that he wanted to see a new broom that had come out. Calla wasn't really sure what was so special, but apparently it could go very fast and was incredibly sensitive to turning, which she supposed had to be a good thing. But it was still a broom, and despite Harry's drooling over it, she didn't find herself particularly enamoured. "It's a broom," she said, at least three times. Harry, each time, gave her a look that plainly said, "Brooms are fantastic and the love of my life and I will drool over it if I want to."

By the time she caught sight of Hermione sprinting up the alley towards them, she'd thought she was about to go spare. "Harry!" she yelled, Ron just behind. "Calla!"

Hermione grasped ahold of them both and Calla found herself dragged into a very tight hug. Ron was beaming over Hermione's shoulder, looking incredibly freckled after Egypt. Calla grinned back at him. "We were wondering when we'd see you," Hermione said as she pulled back from them. "But here you are!"

Ron had turned, like Harry, to the storefront. "Cracking broom," he said breathlessly, eyes wide. "Reckon it'd cost you a limb, though."

"Oh, I think it'd cost two at least," Calla said, then looked at Hermione. "Harry was drooling earlier." She stifled a giggle.

"I think he still is now. But we have some important things to talk about."

"So do we," said Calla in a low voice.

"More important than the Firebolt?"

"Yes, Ron," said Hermione sternly, looking between Harry and Calla. "We heard you blew up your aunt, Harry."

"I didn't mean to!" Harry said indignantly, and Ron tipped his head back and roared with laughter. Calla stifled a smile at the look of disapproval on Hermione's face. "It just happened!"

Hermione turned to Calla, and she shrugged. "I can't say she didn't deserve it. She's a boot."

This made Ron laugh even harder. "It's not funny!" Hermione hissed sharply. "Harry's jolly lucky he didn't get expelled, and Calla, too."

"Can we not have this conversation in the middle of the street?" Calla asked - they were rather blocking the entrance to Quality Quidditch Supplies.

Hermione sighed, but led them to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour further down the alley. They sat clustered around one of the small rickety pink and green tables outside. "I'm surprised I didn't get expelled, to be honest," Harry was saying in a low voice. "I wouldn't have been surprised if I'd gotten arrested."

"They were never going to arrest you," Calla said; she was much more confident about that now it had been ruled out.

"Don't suppose your dad knows why Fudge let me off, do you?" Harry asked Ron, who just shrugged.

"Imagine it's just cause you're you," Ron said. "Famous Harry Potter, you know, all that. I'd hate to think what the Ministry's do to me if I blew up an Aunt - mind, they'd have a hard job tracking me down after Mum was done with me." He shrugged. "If it bothers you so much, you can ask Dad this evening. We're staying at the Leaky as well tonight., Hermione too."

"Mum and Dad dropped me off with all my school things this morning," said Hermione, beaming. "So I can get the Hogwarts Express with you all tomorrow morning!"

"Excellent!" said Harry, but before they could move on, Calla interrupted.

"Have you two heard about Sirius Black?" she asked lowly. Harry's mood changed immediately, as did that of Hermione and Ron. Clearly they had, though they didn't know the full story.

"I don't know very much," Hermione admitted. "I don't suppose you've heard more."

"Dad reckons he was a Death Eater," said Ron, lowering his voice considerably.

Hermione's widened. "Oh, Harry, Calla, you don't-"

"Think he's after us?" Harry asked. The twins exchanged furtive glances.

"We know he is."

And they told them both what Remus had told them, and by the end Hermione had gone pale in horror, and Ron's eyes were wide. "Oh, Harry," Hermione said, brow furrowed in worry. "You're notgoing to..." She lowered her voice. "You're not going to do anything, are you?"

Harry stared at her. "You mean go after him?" The twins had had this hushed conversation many times when Remus couldn't hear them. "He let Voldemort kill our parents, Hermione."

Hermione and Ron's eyes both went wide; Ron whispered at the sound of Voldemort's name. "Mate, you can't really-"

"Harry won't go after him," Calla said firmly, giving her brother a pointed look. "But if he does, you know..."

"Come for us," Harry said, sensing Calla's nerves at the idea, "I'm not going to let him off, am I?"

"What does your godfather say about it?" Hermione asked desperately.

"He told us to be safe," Harry said. "And to not go looking for any trouble, which we promised we wouldn't. And we won't."

"But that doesn't mean trouble won't find us." Calla felt nerves choke her words. The idea of Sirius Black coming for the two of them to finish the job his master couldn't, was somehow more terrifying than anything she'd encountered so far. He was out there, just waiting and looking for an opportunity. She shivered. "I don't want to talk about this," she said briskly. "He'll be caught, I'm sure." Her stomach didn't seem to agree with that sentiment of certainty. Hermione looked at her worriedly. "You two got your books yet?" Calla asked, trying to change the subject.

"Oh, we were about to do that before we found the two of you," Hermione said. "Have you?"

"Got them ages ago," Calla said. "But I don't mind joining the two of you anyway. Harry?"

He blinked. "Not at all. We can come back for ice cream later on?"

"Brilliant!" Ron said, grinning as he got to his feet. "Come on then."

The two boys went on ahead, and dipped easily into conversation. Behind them, Calla walked by Hermione's side, and it was clear the other girl had something on her mind. "What's wrong?" she asked quietly, so the boys couldn't hear it.

"It's nothing," Hermione said, frowning. "Just... Calla, promise me you won't let Harry get himself into danger. If he's going to listen to anyone, it'll be you."

"Like I'd let him run off and try to attack Black on his own," she said, scoffing.

"On his own," Hermione said, frown deepening. "So you'd go with him?"

"Well," Calla started, trying to justify herself and fumbling in the process, "of it came to it, yes. But as a last resort. I don't want to go after him, and Remus doesn't want us to." And she was scared, but she didn't quite want to admit that. Hermione seemed to understand anyway.

"It's just, it's dangerous."

"So's everything else we've done," Calla pointed out. But somehow it seemed more dangerous, or stupid, or simply more terrifying. Stopping Quirrel from getting the stone had been to stop Voldemort from coming back and getting to the Chamber was to save Ginny and everyone else's lives... But going after Black was just revenge against a madman, and somehow that made it all the more real. He was more real, Calla realised. He'd been friends with her parents and her godfather. He'd seen to the deaths of all but Remus.

The last two years, Quirrel and Riddle hadn't only wanted to murder Harry and Calla and nothing else. But Black likely did. The word murder, too, was all the more terrifying. She tried to put the thought out of her mind as they entered Flourish and Blotts.

"You'll want to be careful with the Monster Book Of Monsters," Calla said to Hermione, indicating the cage.

"Oh, dear, that doesn't look very safe.

The shopkeeper hurried over. "Don't tell me you need these ones?" Hermione nodded in a very apologetic way. Ron winced.

"Sorry, mate. We need two."

The shopkeeper sighed. "Very well. We have to wrestle these ones," he said, tentatively taking a key from his pocket, "so they don't fly off and bite the other books. Or each other." He shook his head and put on thick gloves. "You may want to stand back. Or hide."

They did as he said; Calla and Ron crouched by the nearest bookshelf, while Harry and Hermione seemed to take a braver stance and simply stood farther back. The poor shopkeeper was immediately attacked, wrangling the books in the cage and stamping firmly on the two he needed out as he locked the cage again. Hermione said worriedly, "Won't he damage the book?" and Ron made a derisive laugh by Calla's side.

"She's mad," he whispered to Calla as they got up, and she giggled.

"Thank you, sir," Hermione said. The shopkeeper nodded weakly. "The two of us-" she gestured to herself and Ron- "also need The Standard Book Of Spells, Grade Three by Miranda Goshawk, Unfogging the Future by Cassandra Vablatsky, Essential Defense Against the Dark Arts by Arsenius Jigger, and Intermediate Transfiguration by Emeric Switch. And I need Numerology and Grammatica by Brunhild Loren, Homelife and Habitats by Wilhelmina Wigworthy, Arius Amhald's Rune Dictionary, Magical Hieroglyphs and Logorithms by Corius Regus, and Spellman's Syllabary." She turned to Calla. "Don't you think the Ancient Runes List is awfully long? I was awfully surprised by how much Professor Babbling assigned us, but I suppose it is a very broad subject."

Calla nodded her agreement. "Suppose so." Then she frowned. "How many subjects are you even doing, Hermione?"

"Oh, all of them," Hermione said, waving a hand.

"But how-"

"I'll manage," she said airily. "Don't worry about it."

She wasn't so much as dreadfully confused; but she supposed of Hermione said she could manage, then she could. They went with the shopkeeper - who now had the two books tightly sealed and bound - to find the Transfiguration and Defense books and the Standard Book of Spells, then onto Divination. Harry was again looking at the book on Death Omens, and Calla whispered, "You're just looking to spook yourself at this point."

He'd jumped at that. "I'm just thinking," he said quietly, while Ron and Hermione spoke to the shopkeeper about Divination books. "About Sirius Black."

"Don't," Calla said, firmly as she could even as the name sent a shiver down her spine. "We're safe here." She looked to Ron and Hermione, who had started bickering in the shopkeeper's moment of absence. "Come on."

They went on to gather the rest of Hermione's books, and when she had a suitable stack in her bag, paid and left the store. "You should probably put those in your room," Calla said to Hermione. "It looks like it's about to break at any minute."

"I'm sure it's up to the task," Hermione said briskly.

"Still don't get what you're doing Muggle Studies for," Ron said, shaking his head. "What's there for you to study?"

"It'll be interesting to see it from a different perspective," Hermione said. "I'm curious."

"Suit yourself," Ron muttered, as they turned across to Ollivander's wand shop. "C'mon, Mum's given me money for a new one since the old one got destroyed last year."

"Moment of silence, please," Calla said and Ron laughed, sticking out his tongue. She glanced back at Harry, who hadn't smiled at all, and frowned. He was still thinking about Sirius Black and his impending doom, it seemed.

"Stop thinking about it," she told him again. "Please, or you're going to start freaking me out, too."

She was already worried, of course she was, but Harry seemed utterly convinced that he was going to be murdered and while she was terrified at the prospect, she didn't think that omens were particularly helpful. For a starter, that wasn't how Divination always worked. Usually it was based on the choices or nature of a person or the person concerned, not their 'fate' and it didn't typically work with omens. Death omens were especially tricky to really understand or make use of. That was what she kept telling herself over and over, just to be sure. Harry wasn't going to die, and neither was she.

"Ah, Mr Weasley," said Ollivander, stepping out from behind a stack of wands. "Yes, I did wonder when I might be seeing you." Ron gulped nervously. "Well, I suppose we had best try some wands out for you. Your mother was rowan and dragon heartstring, if I remember, nine inches. Your father, beech and unicorn hair, eleven inches. I suppose you've been using an old wand for some time now, yes?"

"My brother Charlie's old wand," Ron said, ears going a little pink.

"Ah, yes," said Ollivander. "Ash and unicorn hair. Did it work well for you? Ash wands are rarely easily swayed from their masters."

"Um," said Ron, "I guess?"

Ollivander looked at him a moment. "Perhaps we'll try and stick to unicorn hair cores, eh?" He turned and rummaged for a moment, before bringing out a handful of long wand boxes. He took out the first wand, which was long and had a curved handle. "Yew and unicorn hair, twelve inches," he said, handing the wand over. Ron glanced at the others, before giving the wand a nervous wave. Nothing happened and Ollivander snatched it away, thrusting another, shorter wand into Ron's hand. "How about this, then. Redwood and unicorn hair, ten and a quarter inches."

Again, Ron waved the wand, and there was no result. He frowned, but Ollivander seemed perfectly happy. "Another, then. Yes, I think this might just do the trick. Willow and unicorn hair, fourteen inches." Ron took the wand gingerly, and waved it. Immediately, the lamps on the walls flickered into life, casting a warm glow over the room. Ron beamed and Ollivander clapped his hand merrily. "There we are, then!" he said. "We always find something. Come now, Mr Weasley. That'll be seven galleons."

Ron was beaming as he got his wand. "Quite nice, isn't it," he said, holding it tightly as they left the store. He gave it a little flick and sparks danced merrily out of the end.

"Ron," Hermione chastised. "We're not meant to do magic."

Ron huffed. "It's not a proper spell," he said, but tucked the wand safely away anyway. "Right, I need to go to the Magical Menagerie to get Scabbers seen to." He pulled his rat, who was looking very grey, and had definitely lost a few whiskers, from his pocket. "He's been ill since we were in Egypt, I think the sun must have gotten to him."

"Poor thing," said Calla, frowning. "He really doesn't look well at all."

They made their ways to the Magical Menagerie. "I'd quite like an owl myself," Hermione was telling them. "Mum and Dad gave me some money ahead of my birthday in September, and well, the two of you have Hedwig and Moony, and Ron's got Errol and Scabbers-"

"Errol isn't really mine, though," Ron said gloomily. "All I've got's Scabbers."

"Still, having a pet of my own would be nice. Cats are nice too, but owls are more practical."

"I'd like a cat," Calla said absently. "Moony's lovely, but not very cuddly."

"He is an owl," Harry pointed out perceptively.

"We could get kittens!" Hermione said to Calla. "If they have a new litter!"

"Oh, that'd be so cute!" Calla agreed, with a squeal. Ron stared at her.

"They're just cats," Ron grumbled.

"Kittens," Calla corrected. "They're cute and fluffy and it'd be so cute for Hermione and I to have sister kittens, can you imagine!"

"Girls," Harry muttered. Calla rolled her eyes as they entered the shop.

The Magical Menagerie didn't have any litters, but there was one kitten that seemed to draw itself to Calla immediately. It was a tiny, grey and white little kitten, with lovely wide brown eyes.

"Oh, you're a sweet little kitty," Calla cooed, as the little kitten clambered into her lap. "Oh, she's so sweet!"

"How do you know it's a She?" Ron asked, wrinkling his nose.

"I just do," Calla said in a sweet voice, not actually knowing, but she had a feeling, which the shopkeeper affirmed. "She's gorgeous, too. Aren't you, darling?"

Harry looked at her and sighed. "So I guess you are getting the cat, then?"

"Oh, how could I not?" Calla said, looking again to the little kitten, who mewed and kneaded the hem of Calla's robes. "Would you like that?" She could have sworn the kitten nodded. With an excited smile, Calla picked her up in her arms and headed to the counter where the clerk was examining Scabbers. To her relief, her kitten didn't seem averse to any of the rats nearby, but did seem quite curious about Scabbers. Maybe it was the greyness.

"Oh, are you getting that kitten?" Hermione asked, cooing. Calla nodded, beaming. "It's so lovely."

"She's gorgeous, isn't she?" Calla gave her a delicate stroke.

"She is very small," Hermione said. "Are you sure Moony will be alright with her?"

"I'm sure," she said with a shrug. "Moony wouldn't hurt her, and he's always been okay with rats-" she gestured to Scabbers "-so I doubt a kitten will be different. But I can ask the keeper what she thinks."

"Suppose," said Hermione. "Do you-"

At that moment there was a great screech, and Ron yelled as a ginger blur shot towards Scabbers. "Crookshanks, no!" shouted the shopkeeper, as Scabbers shot from between the shopkeeper's hands, ran under Ron's legs and darted out of the shop.

"I'm so sorry," said the shopkeeper, but Ron was already sprinting after Scabbers, Harry right after him. Calla held her little kitten tightly, but Crookshanks didn't seem interested in her at all, chasing after Crookshanks.

Calla and Hermione looked at each other. "Well," Calla said. "I think I definitely prefer this little guy." Her kitten gave a cute squeal in response.

"I'll wait with you on the shopkeeper coming back," said Hermione, and Calla gave her a grateful smile as she stared after Ron and Harry, who were disappearing into the Diagon Alley crowds. "Have you started any of the reading material for Ancient Runes, by the way? I started some background reading last term, but there's still a lot I don't understand about it."

Calla laughed. "I've looked at some of my books," she told Hermione, "but I'm just looking forward to learning. We don't have to understand everything yet, or anything." She gave Hermione an assuring smile. "Don't worry about it."

Hermione nodded. "Yeah. I suppose."

Just then, the shopkeeper came back in, dragging a hissing Crookshanks. "I am so, so sorry about that," he said. "Give your friend his tonic, will you?" Then he smiled. "Ah, and I see you've made another friend, have you?"

"Oh, Yes," Calla said, and hurried to the counter to set down the sweet little kitten. "She's lovely. Does she have a name?"

"We've been calling her Lucy for now, but it doesn't seem to have stuck too well." The kitten seemed to shake her head, and Calla giggled. "Perhaps she'll take to something you name her better."

"How about Cassandra?" Calla suggested, after a famous Greek Seer, But the kitten didn't seem to like that, hissing at the suggestion. "Or not. How do you feel about Matilda?"

That seemed to get a better response. The little kitten perked up, and Calla thought it would have smiled if kittens could smile. "Matilda it is, then," said the shopkeeper.

"What do you think, 'Mione?" Calla asked, turning around. She knew Hermione liked Ronald Dahl too - 'Matilda' had been a childhood favourite of them both. But Hermione was focused on Crookshanks, who was a bushy ginger bundle in her arms. She raised her eyebrows. "Don't tell me you like Crookshanks?"

"He's a sweet thing," Hermione said. "So fluffy"

Calla didn't imagine that going down well with Ron. She turned back to the shopkeeper with a small laugh. "She's six galleons, Seven sickles. We've got cages here, if you'd like one, and cat food-" he put two bags on the counter "-are four sickles each."

"How long do they last?" Calla asked. "The bags of food?"

"Should do her two months of meals each."

Calla pursed her lips. "I'll be needing two, then. But I don't think a cage is necessary." Matilda pressed her head against Calla's arm as if in thank you."

"Yeah, we don't get a lot of cats needing 'em from here," said the shopkeeper. "They're companions, more than anything else."

"I quite agree," Calla said, as she fished in her money bag for the six galleons and fifteen sickles. "Is there anything else you'd recommend?"

"Hogwarts cats always tend to be taken care of by the school well enough," he said. "I remember when I was there, toys kept popping up everywhere. She'll have plenty of friends, too, that's for sure. If you need anything, you can write the store or visit our Hogsmeade branch, if you're old enough."

"Thank you," Calla said, handing over her money. She held her arms out and Matilda crawled towards her, purring gently. "'Mione?"

Hermione didn't seem like she wanted to move at all, quite content to sit with Crookshanks. Calla smiled. "I must say," the shopkeeper told them, "I haven't seen him so enamoured with a customer before. He's been left here for years"

"Poor thing," Hermione said, standing up. "I'll take him." She cooed at Crookshanks. "You're sweeter than they think, aren't you?"

"He's lovely," Calla said, as Hermione discussed prices with the shopkeeper, and a few minutes later joined her at the doorway. Crookshanks tried to sniff Matilda, who mewed back and held her head up. Calla giggled.

Hermione held Crookshanks tightly to keep him from running off, while Calla held Matilda gently, the kitten's head turned to the crook of her elbow. When they finally caught up to the boys, Ron was clutching Scabbers, and both he and Harry's mouths dropped open. "You bought that monster?" Ron said to Hermione in shock.

"He's gorgeous, isn't he?" Hermione said, patting Crookshanks gently. Calla tried to hide her giggle.

"I've called her Matilda," Calla told Harry, holding her kitten out to sniff her brother. She gave what looked like a nod, and Calla took that as confirmation of Harry's worthiness.

"She's much nicer," Harry whispered. "I don't suppose you did get twin kittens, then?"

"The shopkeeper says Crookshanks has been there for ages," Calla said, gently patting Matilda's head. "But Hermione seems to love him."

"Why?"

"He's sweet." Harry stared. "Okay, no, he is a bit of an ugly cat. Matilda is much prettier. But 'Mione likes him."

"That thing nearly killed me and Scabbers!" Ron was protesting to Hermione, who would have none of them.

"Don't be silly, Ron. You didn't mean to, did you, Crookshanks."

"Oh," said Calla, remembering suddenly. "We got Scabbers' rat tonic for you, Ron." She took it out of her pocket and Ron smiled in relief.

"Thanks," he said as he took it. "See, Hermione, Scabbers is ill, or don't you remember? He needs rest and relaxation, not some mad cat running about after him!"

"Honestly, Ron, Crookshanks will be in my dormitory and Scabbers in yours! He'll be absolutely fine!"

Calla left them to their arguing, holding Matilda carefully as they went back towards the Leaky Cauldron. But just before they got there, she was stopped by a yell of, "Calla! Calla Potter!" and was nearly knocked over by Daphne rushing into her side.

She shrieked, and so did Matilda, and Daphne pulled away, startled at first and then beaming. "You got a kitten! Oh, Merlin, she's so cute!" She leant down so she could see Matilda. "Can I touch her?"

Calla nodded. "Go for it. She's a sweetie."

"Aw," Daphne cooed, stroking the top of Matilda's head. "What's her name."

"Matilda," Calla supplies.

"Mattie," Daphne said, and Calla rolled her eyes.

"Sure, why not?"

"Who- Oh, Daphne." Hermione blinked awkwardly at Daphne, as did Ron. Neither had spoken to Daphne much at the end of last year and evidently, over the Summer, too. But Harry smiled.

"How are you?" he asked. "We've not heard much."

"Oh, you know, I'm alright. Astoria's annoying me, but that's Astoria for you. We're just getting our School things now; don't suppose you're doing Arithmancy, are you, Hermione?"

Hermione blinked. "Er, yes, I am, actually. I'm not sure if Gryffindor shares that class with Ravenclaw or not, though."

"Oh, I don't know," Daphne said, shrugging lightly. "But it'll be nice for someone else to know what I'm talking about, since Calla-" She nudged Calla gently "-and Padma are leaving me to suffer it alone."

"Don't pretend like you aren't excited for the subject," Calla told her.

"Well, okay, I am excited. But having someone else doing it will make it all the more exciting!"

Just then, three other figures came up behind her. "Daphne, dear, don't run off like- Oh." It was Mrs Greengrass who had spoken, and she blinked in a startled sort of surprise when she realised their company. "Calla, how lovely to see you, and Harry." She looked to Daphne's father, who looked at Daphne, who sighed.

"This is Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley, Mum," she said, gesturing to Hermione and Ron. "You know them."

"Yes," said Mrs Greengrass, lips thin. "Well, I know the Weasleys, alright."

"Is Ginny here?" Astoria asked Ron, popping out from between her parents. "She didn't say when she was coming to Diagon Alley!"

"Yeah, she's just inside, I think," Ron said, blinking. "Or she might be with Mum somewhere."

"Your friend Ginny's a Weasley?" Mr Greengrass asked, sounding surprised.

"Yes, Dad."

"You never told us that."

"Well, yeah," Astoria said, shrugging. "She's just Ginny, you know? Can we pop in and say hello to her?"

The Greengrasses seemed split, but eventually nodded. Their daughters shared victorious grins. Calla glanced at Harry, Ron and Hermione, who all seemed slightly bewildered as they followed the Greengrasses down the alley and into the Leaky Cauldron.

Mr Weasley was already sat by the bar, reading a copy of the Daily Prophet as they approached. He glanced up at their entrance and broke into a smile. "Harry, Calla!" He leapt over and wrung their hands. "And Mr and Mrs Greengrass," he added, with a slightly more tense smile, "and Daphne and Astoria, lovely to see you all."

"And you, Mr Weasley," Daphne said in her politest voice.

"Do you know where Ginny is?" asked Astoria eagerly.

Looking a little surprised, Mr Weasley nodded. "She's still out with Molly and the other boys. They should be back though; I think they were going to Madam Malkin's last, if you'd like to meet her."

"Oh, can we, Mum?" Astoria asked.

"Alright, if we-"

But just then, Mrs Weasley came through the door with Ginny, Percy, Fred and George all in tow behind her and carrying their shopping bags. "Ginny!" Astoria called, and disappeared off to the apparent disapproval of her mother.

Ginny broke into a smile when she saw Astoria, and the two started chatting at what seemed to be a mile a minute by the door. Calla smiled and exchanged a glance with Daphne. "Kids," Daphne sniffed, but she was also grinning.

Percy was the first to reach them, looking very solemn indeed. Calla stared. "Nice to see you, Harry," he said pompously, holding his hand out. Harry shook it with wide and confused eyes. When he held his hand to Calla she stared at it for a very long time before taking it.

"Hello, Percy," she said. Daphne looked like she would have laughed if her mother hadn't been standing by her.

"I hope you're well," Percy said, and then turned to Daphne's parents. "And the three of you of course. I don't think we've been introduced?"

"This is Mr and Mrs Greengrass," Calla said. "Daphne and Astoria's parents."

"Well, it is my pleasure to meet you both," Percy said. Daphne cracked then, and covered up her giggle with a hacking cough. Calla grinned at her.

"Have a good Summer, Percy?" Harry asked, and Ron muttered something that Calla couldn't hear.

"Oh, Yes, yes, Harry, very productive."

"Harry, old boy!" Fred Weasley burst out before them, startling Mr Greengrass, who looked at his wife in a growing manner of displeasure. "Pleasure to see you, absolutely spiffing!"

"And Calla!" said George, appearing on Percy's other side to elbow him out of the way. "Splendid to see you, my dear, absolutely Marvelous!"

"Boys!" Mr Weasley hissed, and nodded tersely at Mr and Mrs Greengrass.

This was a mistake; the twins turned on the Greengrasses and were soon bombarding them with ridiculously over-the-top greetings that had Daphne almost bursting with held-in laughter, and both Mr and Mrs Greengrass more startled than ever. "Lovely to meet you both," said Mr Greengrass stiffly, as Daphne knocked into Calla from trying to hold in her giggles. "I can see my daughters' mentions of the Gryffindor Weasley twins were not such exaggerations as we imagined."

Daphne snorted in a very undignified way and hid her face in Calla's shoulder. Mrs Weasley bustled over, Ginny and Astoria chattering behind her. "And you must be Mr and Mrs Greengrass, sorry we haven't had the chance to meet before. Ron and Ginny have told us all about Daphne and Astoria."

"Theseus and Aurelia, please," said Mr Greengrass smoothly, inclining his head towards Molly Weasley. "Lovely to meet you at least. I see Astoria and Ginny are very good acquaintances." Astoria flushed a little and Ginny continued chattering.

"Dad's a bit old-fashioned," Daphne told Calla very quietly. "But he hates impoliteness more than anything else."

"What do you think he'd call Fred and George, then?" Calla whispered back.

"Excessive," Daphne replied, and Calla laughed. "But still polite, I suppose."

"Daphne, dearest," called Mrs Greengrass. "We really ought to get going. There is a lot we have to get."

"Of course, Mum," Daphne said, ducking her head to grin at Calla. "Can we come back later, though? Meet for dinner, perhaps?"

"I'm sure you'll have plenty of time to catch up on the Hogwarts Express tomorrow," Mr Greengrass chuckled. His wife shushed him.

"If we have the time, dearest. And we wouldn't want to intrude on Arthur and Molly's time with their family before Hogwarts, either."

"Oh, not at all," Molly said. Mr Weasley didn't look so convinced, but nodded along with his wife. "It would be lovely for the children to have a catch-up over dinner; and you know how hectic the train back can be."

Astoria and Daphne batted their eyelashes at their parents so hard Calla thought they'd fall off. Eventually, Mrs Greengrass said, "I suppose, then, if you are sure?"

"Of course, of course," said Mrs Weasley, beaming. Calla grinned.

"I'll be seeing you for tea, then," Daphne said, and nodded to Calla with a perfect grin. "Come on, Astoria. We ought to go to Madam Malkin's first."

The Greengrasses headed out the door and Calla turned to the others. Harry was grinning, and Ginny was beaming, but Ron and Hermione mainly looked bewildered. "They were a bit stiff," Ron said, and Calla giggled.

"Oh, I know. I'm sure Daphne would complain to you about it all day if you asked her to."

"Speaking of stiff, stuffy and boring," said Fred, and Ginny glared at him, "did you hear our news? Another Head Boy in the family?"

Ah. That explained Percy's manner. "Congratulations," Calla said to Percy, who puffed his chest out in pride.

"That's the second Head Boy in the family!" Molly said, beaming.

"And last," George muttered to Calla.

"Well, I notice they didn't make you two into prefects!" said Mrs Weasley.

George screwed up his face. "What'd we want to be prefects for?"

Mrs Weasley tutted. "You ought to set a better example for your sister!"

Ginny pulled a face behind her back and Calla giggled. "Ginevra has other brothers to set an example for her, Mother," Percy said in a lofty voice. Ron made a face like he was mining being sick and Hermione shook her head at him. "I'm going up to my room now, I'll see you all at dinner." He disappeared off up the stairs.

"We tried to shut him in a pyramid," Calla heard George say as Mrs Weasley and Mr Weasley moved away to speak. "But Mum wouldn't let us."

She stifled a laugh as Hermione made a face of disapproval. "Hey," Calla said to Ginny, remembering how Ron had said once she was a cat lover. "You've not met Matilda?"

At the sound of her name, the little kitten stirred in Calla's arms. "Oh, she's so cute!" Ginny cooed. Hermione bustled over too, and Crookshanks made a meowing sound to get Ginny's attention.

"Oh, you've both got cats!" Her face was lit up in excitement. "What's his name?" she asked Hermione.

"Crookshanks," Hermione replied proudly. "He's gorgeous, isn't he?"

Ginny nodded, though a bit insincerely. "Matilda's gorgeous," she whispered to Calla, as they began traipsing towards the stairs. "He looks a bit too much like a squashed pumpkin."

Calla spluttered with laughter, and Matilda stroked Ginny's arm with her paw. "I'll see you in a bit," Calla said, as they reached the door of her and Harry's room. "Matilda hasn't met Moony and Hedwig yet."

"See you in a bit, then," Hermione said, as Calla went inside.

Both the owls hooted and straightened up their feathers. There was a letter on the desk beside Moony's perch that Calla went to get, realised she was still holding Matilda, and frowned. Matilda leapt out of her arms, and quite confidently padded over to where the two owls were perched.

"Be nice," Calla said, first to Moony and then to Hedwig, who hooted loudly as if to say Calla wasn't in charge of her. She took the letter from her desk and opened it to vaguely familiar handwriting that she only really recognised from scrawled notes and books in the girls' dorm.

Sitting down on the edge of her bed, she beckoned Matilda to sit by her side as she read. Matilda curled up into a tiny ball of fluff, a warmth by Calla's side. Moony fluttered down to perch on Calla's shoulder as though marking her territory. Hedwig merely preened.

Dear Calla, read Isobel's letter,

I hope this gets to you alright, I wasn't very sure where you'd be but I spoke to Padma and she said you're at Diagon Alley so I kind of just hoped Ellie (that's my new owl, I'll show you her when I see you on the train) would find you. Hopefully she hasn't gone to another random Calla Potter who's going to be very confused. If it has, I'm really sorry.

I was wondering if you'd heard this Sirius Black business? It was on the Muggle news and Padma says he's a wizard but wouldn't say anything more, but I figured you're the type of person to know everything no one's supposed to talk about. Anyway, my mum's in all of a flap and doesn't want me going through the barrier myself and not knowing who's on the other side. What with getting to London from home anyway, she already gets annoyed with that because she thinks it's wholly unnecessary for us to travel all the way down South only to go back up to basically Inverness, but there you go, basically would it be alright if I could meet you and your brother on the platform in the Muggle station? Padma says apparently her family all just apparate to nine and three quarters, which sounds ridiculous to me but anyway. Sorry to be a bother but I thought you'd kind of get it, could we meet about half ten if that's alright? So sorry this is a bit out of the blue,and if it's a bit weird, but I hope it's alright.

PS: now you know why Snape always fails my essays for being too rambly.

- Isobel McDougal

Then, scrawled in the cramped bottom corner. PPS/PSS (I don't know which): we live in Galashiels, if your owl needs to know where to fly to, my mum said I needed to tell you but I don't know if she's right, let me know

It wasn't a letter Calla had expected, but she understood Izzy's dilemma. She suspected Remus had much of the same reasoning for barely letting them out of his sight until he had to; it wasn't like anyone really knew who was around the corner. She wondered if that was part of the reason the Weasleys were here today.

"Hello," Harry said, entering just as she was about to reply to Isobel. "Who's the letter from?"

"Izzy," Calla said absently, picking up quill, ink and parchment.

"Izzy?"

She looked at him, blinking quickly. "Isobel? Isobel McDougal?" He shook his head. "Ugh, you're impossible, she's in my dorm. We're friends."

"Oh," was all Harry said. "What does she want?"

"Us to meet her on the platform," Calla told him. "Her mum's Muggle but she's nervous about Sirius Black." She shivered; she was nervous about Sirius Black, too.

"Right," Harry said, voice terse. "Suppose that makes sense."

He went over to Hedwig, stroking her feathers gently, and fed her a couple of owl treats as Calla finished up her quick letter back to Izzy and handed it to Moony. "You up to a journey to Scotland?" she asked and Moony hooted; of course she was. "Good owl."

Xx

Dinner was a tense and odd affair. The Greengrasses made stiltedly polite conversation with Mr and Mrs Weasley, while the twins told jokes that made Astoria laugh and Ginny glare, Ron and Harry wouldn't shut up about the Firebolt, Hermione and Ron argued about Crookshanks (still!) Percy mentioned his Head Boyship at every opportunity he got, and Daphne and Calla made fun of them all.

"If I'm ever as annoying as him," Daphne said, nodding her head in Percy's direction, "feed me to a centaur or something."

"I'm not sure centaurs eat people, actually," Calla said.

"You'd have to ask Isobel," Daphne told her, and Calla turned.

"She wrote to me!"

"Did she? Why?"

"Her mum's worried about- about Sirius Black?" Daphne paled. "They want to meet us on the platform, so she isn't going through the barrier on her own."

"I suppose so," Daphne said quietly. "You haven't mentioned him, Sirius Black. Have you-"

"I know pretty much everything," Calla said.

"Right. And you're-"

"Terrified."

Daphne nodded, pursing her lips. "Yeah, I figured you would be." She paused a moment, and Calla looked down, fidgeting. Speaking about Sirius Black felt like tempting him - speak of the Devil and her will appear. Daphne's eyes drifted to her parents, and then jumped, turning to Calla. "Oh, I never showed you the photographs of my dress robes from the ball!"

"Oh!" Calla startled and then grinned. "Let's See?"

"Mother?" Daphne called. Her mother looked up, eyebrows raised.

"Yes, Daphne, dear?"

"Do you have any of the photographs from the ball with you at all?"

Her mother shook her head. "I hardly carry them about with me, dear. You can show them to Calla tomorrow on the train, make sure you pack them with you."

Daphne scowled and leaned towards Calla, hissing, "She said earlier I'm meant to sit with Theo and Blaise and Pansy and Draco on the train, how'm I supposed to do that and show the pictures of to you and Padma?" She scoffed. "It did look lovely, though, I'll be more than happy to show them off to you."

"Was it an alright night, at least?" asked Calla. "Your letters didn't sound like you were too excited."

"Ugh, Don't," Daphne groaned. "I mean, obviously I'm friends with them all, but I had to dance with Theo and he's awful! Plus he was so stiff all night, his dad was keeping such a watch on him, and we tried to sneak off with the others at one point but I swear there were eyes on us the whole night. If they'd just let me have a bit freedom..." She shook her head. "Astoria enjoyed it though. She was flirting with Draco." Both she and Calla shuddered. "It was horrifying, to be honest; and I'm friends with him."

Calla wasn't sure to laugh at that or not so smiled awkwardly. Daphne breezed through conversation. "Pansy was already complaining about school; her parents are making her do Care of Magical Creatures, they said she should be more rounded in her education. She just wants to do Runes and Arithmancy."

"Care Of Magical Creatures sounds great, though," Calla said. "I really want to see a dragon."

"You would," Daphne said, snorting. Her mother shot her a sharp look down the table and she straightened up. "But of course, I'm sure any subject on offer would be of great educational benefit."

Calla giggled, ducking her head. She caught Mrs Greengrass tutting out the corner of her eye. "You're doing Care Of Magical Creatures though, aren't you?"

"Of course," Daphne said. "I couldn't stand doing Arithmancy instead, and my parents insisted I do three electives rather than two. Course, they're still bitter I'm doing Muggle Studies." She shrugged. "I think it'll be interesting. Maybe we can even learn something."

"There's a radical idea," said Calla dryly, and Daphne giggled.

"Still, I think they'd be upset with me if I did Divination too." She shrugged. "If it's rubbish I'll switch to be with you and Padma."

"How sweet of you."

"Oh, I'm nothing if not sweet." She grinned wickedly.

"I'm not sure I agree," Calla said, and Daphne laughed loudly.

"Okay, well, I'm a lot of things but I am definitely sweet."

"Well..."

Daphne shoved her shoulder lightly. "Hush, you."

"Oh, look at the time!" Mr Greengrass said, drawn from his stifled conversation with Mr Weasley. "Girls, we really ought to be going home. You still have some packing to do before tomorrow morning!"

Daphne groaned but Astoria nodded politely and said, "Of course."

"Wish I could stay with you," Daphne whispered.

"You'll see me soon enough," Calla said, as the Greengrasses set about discussing the bill and paying with Mr Weasley, and Daphne tried to gather he bags from underneath the table.

"Oh, it's never soon enough," Daphne said, grinning. "But, I s'pose. Mother can't force me to sit with Theo, I guess, once I'm on the train."

"I'd come with you if you think they wouldn't mind," Calla told her, shrugging. "We're meeting Remus beforehand of course, but I wouldn't mind sitting for a while."

Daphne beamed at her, and gave her a tight hug. "I literally love you, Calla," she said, and Calla felt herself go very pink. "Thank you."

The adults settled the bill and Daphne put on her cloak, fastening it. "That's what best friends are for, right?" Calla said, and Daphne's grin widened.

"Yeah. Thank you!"

She bent down to give her a quick, tight hug, said short goodbyes to the others, and then took Astoria's arm as the family glided away. Calla shuffled her seat so it was closer to Ginny.

"How are you feeling?" she asked quietly.

"Alright," said Ginny, bracingly. "It was nice to see Astoria. We're going to meet on the train; I guess you lot'll be meeting Daphne anyway."

"Yeah," replied Calla. "I'm excited to be back, I think, even if I have to get up early every day."

"How are we getting to King's Cross tomorrow, Dad?" Fred asked just as they were all preparing to go up to bed.

"The Ministry's providing us with a couple of cars," said Mr Weasley.

Everyone turned to him. "Why?" asked Percy.

"Because Of you, Perce, obviously," said George. "And there'll be little flags on the bonnet with HB on them-"

"For Humongous Bighead," said Fred, and Calla and Ginny snorted with laughter, as did everyone except Mrs Weasley and Percy.

"Why are the Ministry providing cars, Father?" Percy asked again, ignoring his brothers.

"Well, as I work there, and as we don't have a car of our own anymore-" Calla glanced at a sheepish looking Harry and Ron "-they're doing us a favour."

She saw Harry's eyes narrow, and she wondered too if that was all there was to it.

"And a good thing, too," said Mrs Weasley briskly. "A fair sight you'd all be, on the Muggle Undergroung with all your luggage. Speaking of, is everybody packed? Ron?" Ron stopped and flushed; like Harry, Calla was pretty sure he always put packing off to the last minute.

"Ronald hasn't put all of his things in his trunk yet," Percy said. Calla saw Ron's mouth form the word, 'git'. "He's dumped everything on my bed."

"You'd better go and pack properly, Ron," said Mrs Weasley. "We won't have very much time in the morning, if we're to be on the platform for half past ten."

They made their ways drowsily up to bed not long after that. Ron and Percy were in the room next to Calla and Harry, and she could hear them arguing as she brushed her teeth. Harry disappeared out to see what was going on, and Calla gave Hedwig a couple owl treats, and put out a small dish for Matilda's food. The kitten sniffed it suspiciously, then glanced at Calla and when she nodded, tucked in.

Her brother took a long time returning. "Had to get Percy's badge and the rat tonic," he explained to Calla, who was already in bed and reading a chapter of 'Little Women'. Then as he shut the door, he went over to his bed and said quietly, "Mr and Mrs Weasley were arguing about Sirius Black."

The name sent a shiver through Calla. She put her book down - she was on page 94, a note she tucked away in her mind - and looked at Harry expectantly. "Mr Weasley wanted to tell us, or warn us rather. I don't suppose he has anything more to tell us than Uncle Remus did, but... Everyone's worrying about us."

"I'm worrying about us," Calla said quietly. "He's out there after us, Harry."

"I know." Harry shuddered. "You don't... You don't that dog has anything to do with him, do you?"

Calla looked at him. "The dog."

"On Magnolia Crescent, and it was on the book cover? If it's a death omen..." The thought made Calla's inside feel like ice.

"I'm sure it isn't-"

"But if it is?"

She was quiet a long moment. Calla didn't want to entertain the thought of her brother dying, didn't want to imagine that possibility. She didn't want to imagine her death either, didn't want to think on it. Everything they'd done before had been for a reason; they'd put themselves in danger, but Sirius Black wanted to kill them just because they'd survived. And she realised, he'd likely be after Remus, too. "Then we have to do as Uncle Remus says. Stick together and stay safe." She took in a deep breath. "We're not going to get murdered."

"That's the spirit, dear," said their mirror sleepily.

Matilda gave a mew of agreement, and hopped up onto the bed with Calla as Harry set about changing and eventually, they drifted into uneasy sleep.

Author's Note: Hello! Just wanted to say another thank you to everyone who likes, comments and reads! It means a lot, and I'd like to use this chapter to say a Merry Christmas to anyone who celebrates and a Happy New Year when it arrives! Hopefully I'll have another chapter up by the end of the year or start of January, but I'm not sure. (This one was meant to span the Hogwarts Express journey, but it seems to have gotten a little carried away. Hopefully, though, I'll get it done soon enough.)

Thanks to all!