When they got back to the Burrow, Mrs Weasley slammed the door open and ran out, holding a screwed up copy of the Daily Prophet in her hand. "Arthur! Arthur!"

But just behind her, Calla could see Remus hurrying out towards them too, followed by Sirius. "Calla! Harry!" They called, and Calla dashed forward. "We saw the Daily Prophet, are you both alright?"

"We are," Calla said quickly. "We're fine." She hugged Remus tightly. "We managed to get into the woods, but-"

"Someone cast the Dark Mark," Harry said quietly. Remus paled.

"We saw. It's all over the front page." Sirius gripped both Calla and Harry's shoulders tightly and after the last night she knew she couldn't very well shrug him off. "But you're not hurt?"

"Shaken," Calla said quietly. "But not hurt, no."

"Thank goodness." To her surprise, Sirius pulled them both in tightly for a hug. "We've been worried sick all morning waiting for the two of you to get here. Came over to see Molly as soon as we saw the Prophet."

Calla looked down and saw Remus was wearing odd socks. She smiled weakly. "Well, we're alright," Harry said.

"Come on, come on!" Mrs Weasley was calling over to them. "Sit down where it's nice and warm, I'll get you all something to eat. You too, Sirius, Remus, you're both looking far too thin."

Calla couldn't help but smile as they went on inside, comforted by the Weasleys' home. "Have you got glitter in your hair?" Remus asked her curiously.

"Yeah," she said. "I think it came out of my shamrock hat and I didn't get it out last night." His face fell a little. "It's fine though, I'm sure I can get rid of it. Moony!" Remus startled, but it wasn't him she was meaning. Her owl flew into the kitchen with a screech, followed sharply by Hedwig. Moony landed on top of Calla's head, and used his wing to try and flap away the glitter, which fell down around her. "Moony," she whined. "You'll do no good hitting it, you're messing up my hair."

Moony hooted loudly and then flew off her head to hover in front of Matilda for a moment, before landing perched on the windowsill. A second later, Matilda let out a loud meow and leapt from Calla's arms, rushing over to where Moony sat and curling up on the windowsill. Calla watched them fondly as she sat down.

Once they were all crammed into the kitchen and Hermione had made Mrs Weasley, Remus and Sirius all cups of tea, Bill handed his father the copy of the Daily Prophet. Mr Weasley scanned the front page nervously, Percy leaning over his shoulder.

"I knew it," said Mr Weasley heavily. "Ministry blunder... culprits not apprehended... lax security... Dark wizards running around unchecked... nation disgrace... Who wrote this? Ah, yes, of course. Rita Skeeter."

"That woman's got it in for the Ministry!" Percy insisted loudly. "Last year she was saying we're wasting our time on cauldron bottom thickness, when we should be stamping out vampires! As if that wasn't specifically stated in paragraph twelve of the Guidelines for the Treatment of Wizarding Half-Humans-"

"Do us a favour, Perce," Bill yawned, "and shut up."

Calla giggled, exchanging an amused glance with Harry. Sirius said something quietly to Remus, next to her, but she couldn't make out what exactly it was that he'd said. "I'm mentioned," Mr Weasley said, and his eyes widened behind his glasses as he finished reading.

"Where?" Mrs Weasley spluttered, choking on her tea. "If I'd seen that, I would have known that you were alive!"

"Not by name," said Mr Weasley, frowning at the paper. "Listen to this. If the terrified witches and wizards who waited breathlessly at the edge of the woods expected reassurances from the Ministry of Magic, then they were sadly disappointed. A Ministry official emerged sometime after the appearance of the Dark Mark, alleging that no one had been hurt but refusing to give any further information. Whether this statement will be enough to quash the rumours that several bodies were removed from the woods hours later, is yet to be seen. Oh really," Mr Weasley said, sounding exasperated as he handed the paper over to Percy. "Nobody was hurt, what was I supposed to say? Rumours that several bodies were removed from the woods... Well, there certainly will be rumours now that she'd written that."

He sighed loudly. "Molly, I'm going to have to go into the office. This is going to take some smoothing over."

"I'll come with you, father," Percy said, trying to sound important. "Mr Crouch will likely need all hands on deck. And I can deliver that cauldron report in person."

He bustled excitedly out of the room. Calla raised her eyebrows and whispered to Remus, "He's very invested in his report about cauldron bottom thickness."

"Arthur," Mrs Weasley said, looking upset, "you're meant to be on your holiday! This hasn't got anything to do with your office, surely they can handle it without you?"

"I've got to go, Molly," said Mr Weasley. "I've just made things worse. I'll just change into my robes and I'll be off."

"We should be going soon, too," Remus said. "You two'll want to get settled at the flat."

That brought a grin to Calla's face. "We'll go bring our stuff down," Harry said, and shot a meaningful look at Ron and Hermione, who both nodded quickly.

"We'll give you a hand," Ron said as they all stood up. "Be back in a moment."

"You alright?" Ron asked as they shut the door to Harry's room.

"Yeah, I just, I thought I ought to tell you. That Saturday night before we got here... Well, we both had bad dreams."

"That's not that uncommon," Hermione said, with a glance at Calla. "Is it?"

"No, but... It was about him, or mine was anyway. And my scar hurt when I woke up."

Ron went very pale at that. "What? Your scar hurt? But the last time that happened, wasn't it because You-Know-Who was about? But he can't be here now, can he?" He looked sharply at the window as though expecting You-Know-Who to be hiding behind one of the Weasleys' apple trees.

"I'm sure he wasn't in Privet Drive," Calla said quickly. "And he can't be here either. But..."

"I was dreaming about him," said Harry. "Him And Wormtail and this other man... I don't know who he was... And Calla had a dream, too."

"It was more like a vision," she explained quietly. "But yeah. Not the same - there was this cup, and fire, and then I was on the ground and there was this house... And a snake."

"A snake? But, well, he's really into snakes, isn't he? You-Know-Who?"

"It all sounds a bit vague," Hermione said with a small sniff. "Sounds like a dream to me."

"I've been having other dreams as well," Calla added before Hermione could say anything more. "I saw the Dark Mark in one. When I saw it last night, I remembered it - that vision came true, Hermione."

"Are you sure it wasn't de ja vu?" Hermione asked, and Calla bristled.

"I'm sure. I wrote it down, if you want proof I'm not making it up." She turned sharply back to Harry, who was looking awkwardly between her and Hermione.

"It was just a nightmare, Harry," Ron said bracingly. "Sure it is."

"They were going to kill someone," Harry said quietly. "In the dream. They were planning it." Calla gulped. She was pretty sure she knew who they had been planning to kill.

"He's coming back," Calla said quietly. They all stared at her. "I'm seeing all the signs. But they're not... Clear enough." She squeezed her eyes shut. That wasn't what she meant; she could only see snippets of things, singular events. She didn't have the whole picture, and it was intensely frustrating.

"We don't know for sure," Ron said, sounding rather like he was trying to reassure himself more than anyone else.

"It is a bit of a coincidence though," Harry said. "I wake up with my scar hurting, dreaming about Voldemort, and Calla's seen the mark and the snake and the house... And then a few days later, Death Eaters show up on the march, and his sign's in the air again."

"Don't say his name," Ron hissed through gritted teeth.

"And remember what Trelawney said at the end of last year?" Harry asked. "It all lines up with what Calla's seen."

"What Trelawney said doesn't mean anything," Hermione said irritably, and Calla shot her a glare. "You know her, she's an old fraud."

"She is not!"

"This was real," Harry said, ignoring Calla's protestations. "And even if I wasn't sure, Calla can See, properly. All the signs are there..."

The door swung open and they all jumped. Ginny was standing in the doorway with her hands on her hips. "Mum sent me to help you get your things, Calla." She glanced around at them all. "What are you all whispering about?"

"Nothing, Ginny," Ron said irritably. "We can manage without your help, go back downstairs."

"That's not-"

Calla slipped out of the room, taking Ginny's arm lightly. "Sorry about that," she said quietly. "It's nice of you to help."

Ginny shrugged. "Not really. Did you know Sirius has loads of tattoos? I just saw them."

Calla made herself smile. "Yeah? I didn't really, but I'm not surprised."

Together they worked on hauling Calla's trunk down the narrow Burrow stairs, with Moony's cage balanced precariously on top of it. They managed to get it left by the door, where Remus and Sirius were deep in conversation with Bill and Mr Weasley. The four of them looked up as the girls entered, and went suddenly quiet. It wasn't subtle at all; Calla knew they'd been talking about something either to do with them or with the Dark Mark, but she didn't say anything.

"Harry's just coming," she said, and looked around for Mrs Weasley, who was just coming back into the kitchen. "Thank you so much for having us, Mrs Weasley."

"Not at all, dear," Mrs Weasley said, beaming. "You've been no bother."

There was an awful racket on the stairs all of a sudden. "That was my foot, Ron!" Hermione said, letting out a pained sort of sound.

"Sorry," Calla could hear Ron muttering. A lot of bumping about later, they appeared at the bottom of the stairs, the trunk held between Harry and Ron and Hedwig's cage held by a cross looking Hermione.

"I can't thank you enough for having them, Molly," Remus said, and Mrs Weasley smiled again.

"Like I said dear, it was no bother at all. Now you two, look after yourselves. You're still far too thin."

"Yes, well, certain things will do that to you," Sirius said, a little brittly, as he went over by the fireplace.

"Remember to write to us," Hermione was saying, as Calla called Moony over into his cage. "Both of you."

"We will," Calla said for both of them, because Hedwig seemed to be trying to have an argument and Harry was trying to convince her to go into her cage. "And you," she said quietly to Ginny, who startled a little, "don't let those boys stop you from flying."

Ginny grinned. "I won't. You try to find out what's happening at Hogwarts this year?"

"Of course." Calla laughed, hugging Ginny quickly and then turning to Hermione, then Mrs Weasley. "I'll see you on the train?"

"We'll owl you about when we're going to get there," Mrs Weasley told Remus. "See if we can meet to get them on the train."

"That'd be great," Remus said with a grin.

"Right now," Sirius said, stepping forward. "You both know how the Floo works? Just say what I say."

Calla nodded, dragging her trunk along nearer to the fireplace. Sirius dropped the Floo powder into the fire and said loudly, "Seventeen Collie Hill." In a flash, he was engulfed by the green flames.

Harry went in next with his trunk, holding Hedwig tightly as she still squirmed in her cage. "Can you take Matilda?" Calla asked Remus, trying to figure out how to hold everything.

He smiled tightly, and took the cat, who hissed at him. "Thanks so much again," Calla said, addressing all the Weasleys, as she stepped into the warm Floo fire with her trunk and Moony in her cage and said, "Seventeen Collie Hill!"

There was that awful feeling of being squashed, and shoved from wall to wall, though she was pleasantly warmed when she stopped, stepping as elegantly as she could out of the fire, trailing her trunk beside her. Moony squawked loudly in indignation and flapped her wings sharply. "Simmer down, simmer down," Calla told her, chuckling as she moved out the way of the fireplace, and took the opportunity to look around.

The flat was nice. It didn't look super Wizard-y at first, but it also wasn't very Dursley-like at all, which she appreciated. The sofas were both dark brown with red throws over them, and through in the dining room was a dark wood table and sideboard. The place looked quite empty, but in a tank at the side of the wall, Calla spotted Remus' grindylow and grinned. On one wall hung a large cuckoo clock, ticking with four brightly coloured hands, and out the window Calla could see a garden, not neatly trimmed as the Dursleys' had been, but uneven and grassy and with wild bushes sprouting along by the fence.

"You kept the grindylow!" she said as Remus came out of the fireplace. He grinned at her.

"Well, I couldn't very well abandon him now could I?"

Matilda leapt out of Remus' arms with a hiss, and scrabbled over to Calla, pawing at her ankle aggressively. "I don't think cats tend to like me very much," Remus said, as Calla bent down to take Matilda, balancing Moony on the arm of the sofa.

"I think it's the Floo she doesn't like," she said, cuddling Matilda. "Don't worry girl, it's alright."

"James could never stand cats," Sirius said with a laughing look in his eye. "Until Lily came along; she loved hers, wild little thing it was. James couldn't very well not like it."

"I love cats," Calla said defensively, stroking Matilda. "They're much cuter than dogs."

Remus made a sound that was somewhere between a cough and a splutter, and Sirius looked at her with his mouth open in silent indignation. Feeling quite pleased, Calla beckoned Matilda up to rest on her shoulder and held her fingers up for her to lick gently. "I'll show you two your room," Remus said. "We're working on the magic to add more space, but you're together for now, if that's alright."

"Well, yeah," Harry said, grinning. "Course it is."

They went through to the other rooms, Calla still dragging her trunk with Moony's cage held tightly in her other hand. Sirius seemed to have taken Harry's trunk for him, and Remus held the door open for them. She stopped in the doorway, looking around.

"It's purple," Harry said bluntly.

"Well, we didn't want to go either red or blue," Remus said. "So, purple."

Calla grinned at Harry, who still looked faintly surprised. She bounced on the balls of her feet, peering over her brother's shoulder. "I love purple."

"And if you come into the garden," Remus said, as they dropped their trunks. Calla frowned as she followed him out, through the kitchen's back door and then-

"Buckbeak!"

A grin split her face and she jumped up and down. Buckbeak turned his head up to her and she bowed hastily, receiving one in return before she ran over to the Hippogriff, excitement brimming. "Oh, Buckbeak, how are you?" She stroked his feathers gently, grinning back at Remus, Sirius and Harry clustered in the doorway. "I can't believe you managed to bring him here!"

"Well, we've got wards up, and he was most obliging. Though I daresay someone will have to take him out for a flight at some point."

"That should probably be Harry," she said quickly. "Or you. I'm... I'm not very good at flying on things."

"Calla's scared of heights," Harry said bluntly.

"I am not! I just think it's safer to stay on the ground, where I'm in control."

Harry looked at her, then to Sirius. "She's scared of heights."

"Harry!"

Once they'd settled in and unpacked, Calla and Harry went through to the kitchen to sit with Remus and Sirius for lunch. She could tell they were worried, likely not only because of the events at the cup but because of what Harry had written to Sirius, about his dream. They both sat down gingerly, watching Remus and Sirius.

"I got your letter," Sirius said quietly, looking at Harry, who gulped. "If your scars are hurting, then that's not something to be taken lightly. By either of you," he added, and looked at Calla.

"You told him about mine, too?" Calla whispered furtively to Harry.

"Like Sirius said, it isn't something to be taken lightly. Both of our scars hurting has to mean something."

"I agree," Remus said grimly. "After Peter got away, I'm afraid there were very few places he would have run."

"So you think he went to You-Know-Who?" Remus' agreement made it seem more real in Calla's mind.

"I think even if he didn't go to him, he went to one of his followers who he thought might protect him. He didn't have many options, and knew we'd try hunting him down."

"And are you?" Harry asked abruptly, eyes flicking between the two of them. "Hunting him down?"

"We've not got many leads," Sirius said slowly, "but we are trying it. Not just for what he did - he's scared, and scared men are capable of terrible things." Like bringing the Dark Lord back to life.

"I just don't know why Harry's scar hurts," Calla said. "I mean, mine hurts when I have visions, which doesn't make much sense anyway, and Harry's seems to hurt when ... He's around. But he's not now. Not physically anyway."

"That's something we don't know," Remus said tiredly. "Which we might never know. If this happens again, you two know to tell us, don't you? And if you have any sort of lead, or anything that you think might be to do with Voldemort or Peter... You can speak to both of us."

"Yeah," Calla said quietly. She still didn't know how to put into words her thoughts on all her recent visions and readings. She couldn't even really organise it in her head, and when she tried to write things out on paper she just got frustrated.

"Voldemort could be on the move now," Sirius said.

"He's in a house," Calla told them. "Don't know where, but he's got a place."

"That isn't much," Remus sighed. "He could have moved."

"No," Harry said slowly. "No, in my dream he said he was weak. And he said Petttigrew couldn't leave him." He glanced up, and Calla blinked at him. She was fairly certain he hadn't mentioned that part before.

"Then we have to find out where they are," Sirius said. "Before he's strong enough to move again. Or to make a move."

Xx

Calla gnawed on the end of her pencil absently at the kitchen table, having finished her breakfast. There was a blackbird sitting on the windowsill, and she was trying to capture its likeness before it flew away. Birds were always interesting to her, because of their feathers, and the way they caught the light to create a whole host of different colours. Sirius was cleaning dishes at the sink - which would have been amusing had Calla not already been so wrapped up in drawing - Remus was working on some job applications through in the living room, and Harry was drinking the last of his tea.

He swilled the dregs around quietly and then just as Calla went to try and shade the underneath of the birds's wings, pushed his teacup across the table to her. She sighed, glancing up, as the blackbird flitted off. "I was drawing that," she muttered, setting her sketchbook aside as she drew the teacup to her. She turned it slowly, eyes keen to catch on the shapes... A broom... A cup... An eye... A fish... "Positive," she said chirping, passing the teacup back. "Broom, cup, eye, and fish."

"What does it mean?"

She shrugged. "Cup could be fortune... Eye clarity... I don't know about the broom. Fish are sometimes associated with wisdom, which you could do with." Harry flashed her a glare and she grinned. "Okay, maybe not. They can also mean change and adaptability." Perhaps he would be needing that, soon enough.

"What's this?" Sirius called from the sink, where he was elbow deep in dishwater. Calla wondered why he didn't just use magic, but maybe there was something satisfying about manual washing.

"Calla's reading my tea leaves," Harry told him.

"My Inner Eye must be polished with regular practice to absorb the clairvoyant vibrations," she said, imitating Trelawney with a mischievous grin, and Harry chuckled.

"Yeah, what she just said."

"I never did well in Divination. Think Dumbledore was on the verge of chucking the subject altogether by the time we left."

"Well I'm glad he didn't," said Calla. "It's my best subject."

"And my worst," Harry said with a scowl.

"You just need to work at it a bit more," Calla told him cheerfully. "Be more open to it."

"I am open to it. It just isn't open to me."

She rolled her eyes. "He and Ron just make everything up."

"Sorry we can't all be Seers, Calla."

"I never said it was a bad thing," she said lightly. "Actually, it can be quite funny."

"I was thinking we could go into Diagon Alley today," Remus said from the living room, glancing up from the papers spread around him. "You two still need your school things."

Calla nodded quickly. "It says we need dress robes!" She'd never worn dress robes, but she'd sen Daphne's before and they looked lovely, and whatever occasion required them she was sure would be great fun.

"Yeah." Harry wrinkled his nose. "I don't know what to get."

"We'll find you something," Sirius assured him. "What time can you set off at, Remus?"

"Give me a couple more hours," Remus said distractedly. He flicked some parchment onto the coffee table with his wand.

"We still have to finish that Potions essay," Calla said, looking at Harry, who rolled his eyes.

"I've written all I can," he grumbled. "But apparently I've still got six inches to write."

"Don't blame me," Calla said, ruffling her hair as she got up. "Snape's the one who set the homework."

They set off for Diagon Alley in the afternoon, Calla wearing her favourite robes for the occasion. She felt like skipping as they headed through the Leaky Cauldron, though she could sense, too, that Sirius was rather on edge. He hadn't exactly been out in public much since the trial, and people were still wary. She watched as Remus whispered something to him, and he nodded tightly, something nervous flickering in his eyes. Harry, as usual, appeared to be oblivious.

They headed first to Gringotts bank, which was at the very end of the Alley. She could feel dozens of pairs of eyes watching them, and whispers following at the sides of storefronts. It was a very strange feeling, knowing people were watching as you did something as mundane as school shopping. The goblins in the bank at least didn't seem to care, though the journey to the vault wasn't any more pleasant than usual. She was very glad when they stepped back into the sunlight again.

"I'd say we go to Madam Malkin's first," Remus said. "And I daresay the two of you need new school robes, too." He was looked at Calla as he said this, and she looked down. Even these robes were getting a bit short for her.

"You're probably right," she agreed with a frown, and they set off back down towards Madam Malkins.

She knew there were four robes shops in Diagon Alley, with the other three being Twilfitt and Tafflings, Worldly Wizardwear where she'd gotten her casual robes last year, and Chapman's. Madam Malkin's was convenient because that was wear they got Hogwarts robes, but even if she didn't find any dress robes in there, Calla knew she had plenty of options.

There was no one else in the robe shop when they entered, which Calla thought was probably a good thing, because that meant there were no other customers to gawk at Sirius, who was already looking rather uncomfortable. Madam Malkin came bustling out towards them, with a smile on her face that didn't dare to falter when she saw Sirius. "In for Hogwarts robes are you?" she asked Harry and Calla. "I'll get you measured up in a jiffy. And will you be needing dress robes too?" They nodded. "There's a selection just through there." She pointed behind her, where Calla could see a rack just poking out from behind a wall. "I'll get you measure up first, dearie."

Calla went through with her, sitting awkwardly on the stool as Madam Malkin measured her with various tapes that flicked around her. She watched them until she went cross eyed, and then glanced over to the wall where the dress robes were hanging. She could already see various fabrics, in a whole load of styles and colours, and there was one she saw with a bodice covered in sequins. "There you are," Madam Malkin said suddenly, and Calla hopped down. "On you go and have a look at the dress robes."

She went over quietly as Harry was ushered in to be measured. There was a really gorgeous set of silky dress robes in a pale silvery blue, which she picked up, along with a satiny violet set, one in pale pink with a lot of frills, and a set of robes in a sapphire-like colour, which had sequins over the bodice. While Harry was still being fitted, she slipped into the dressing room. She didn't know what to do with the dress robes, but they hung themselves up along the wall in a neat row.

The first Calla wanted to try was the pink, which was more sort of chiffon underneath with lots of ruffles and frills, and a silk robe over it. She changed carefully, and tried to lace the back as best she could. It still fell weirdly on her body, and honestly, was a bit too frilly for her liking. With the overrobe it did look a bit better, but the feeling of the silk over the chiffon was odd on her arms, so she went to change into the blue robes instead. They fitted much nicer, the under-dress made of sapphiric satin, held in at the waist by a belt of blue sequins, while more, smaller sequins and little stones ran over its thick straps over the shoulders. The robes to go over it were a slightly deeper shade of blue, and made of velvet, with a silver on her waist to pull the two sides together. It was gorgeous, she thought, but it was also a very strong colour, and against her pale skin, it did feel like it drowned her a little.

The violet robes were much the same, just too strong in colour against her body, but the paler robes... Well, Calla thoughtas she looked at herself in the mirror. They were lovely. They had very few sequins and sparkles, at the top of the bodice and at the neckline, which led into a soft chiffon bodice, and a silk fabric belt which separated it from a long silk skirt that looked blueish in the light. Over it went a longer, pure silver robe, with deep pockets at the side and more studded silver stones along the shoulders. And it looked soft and just right on her. With her hair held back a bit, and maybe teased into gentler curls... Calla smiled. She would have even said she looked pretty.

She changed back quickly, and held the silvery robes carefully. She placed the other robes back in their racks before going back out to where Remus, Sirius and now Harry (who looked a bit grumpy) were standing at the front of the shop. "Ah," said Madam Malkin cheerfully. "You've chosen."

She nodded, and Madam Malkin took the robes for her. "Oh, I do like these ones," she said. "And they fit right?"

Calla nodded. "They're perfect."

"Good, good." Madam Malkin smiled as she ran her wand over the robes, and then handed over another bag with the familiar Hogwarts robes inside. "Sixteen galleons exactly for the dress robes, dear, and three galleons for the Hogwarts robes."

"I'll get it," Sirius said, stepping forward before Calla could count the money out. She looked up at him, startled.

"No, it's fine," she told him. "I can get it."

"Consider it a late Christmas present from last year. I never-"

"It's fine," Calla said briskly, and Madam Malkin raised her eyebrows as she counted out the galleons, handing them over. It was expensive, but she'd prepared for that when they went to Gringotts, and she wanted to buy her own dress robes. "Really."

"Thank you, dear," said Madam Malkin, even as Sirius frowned. She waved her wand and the dress robes slid neatly into the same bag as the Hogwarts robes, and it was sealed at the top before she handed it to Calla.

As they left, Harry asked her in a whisper, "What was that about?"

"What?"

"With Sirius. He was trying to be nice."

"I know that, Harry, but I can buy things for myself. And these are special." He opened his mouth but she cut him off sharply. "What robes did you get anyway?"

"I didn't really know what to," he admitted, "so I got these ones Madam Malkin picked out. They're green, but they look alright and apparently they'll go with my eyes."

Calla made a humming noise. "I can see that."

The next things they needed were extra Potions ingredients, which they picked up quickly, some broom polish for Harry's Firebolt, some cat food for Matilda and owl treats for Hedwig and Moony. Harry had to drag Calla away from the cats section of the Magical Menagerie, as there were some very cute cats there that Calla couldn't help but adore. "You've already got two pets," he told her.

"Didn't you see their faces?" she replied indignantly. "They were adorable!"

Last, they went into Flourish and Blotts, where they had to pick up their new textbooks for class. Calla also got a couple of new books about Divination and Ancient Runes which looked interesting, though Harry said he didn't quite get the appeal. "You wouldn't," she said shortly.

The final few days of the holiday were spent at the flat, Harry doing some limited flying in the warded garden, as Calla splitting her time between reading and drawing, once all of her Summer work was finished. It was one of the happiest holidays she'd had, around the flat with her brother and Remus and Sirius. It also helped that Sirius had an interest of his own in Ancient Runes, and was more than willing to give his input when Calla didn't quite understand something she was reading. She was a little bit grudging to accept his help, but couldn't deny it either, and honestly, he was quite helpful.

"The Ogham Runes were always tricky," he said. "I remember when we were learning it and I couldn't wrap my head around all the lines and placements, or what they were supposed to mean. You've got a better handle on it than most of us did at your age."

Calla just shrugged. "It makes more sense than Transfiguration ever has," she told him.

He paused a moment before he spoke. "You know, when we were trying to become Animagus, it always helped if we could imagine the end product. Course, we didn't know what we'd turn into for a while, until the transformation had already been partially successful. But once we did, and we could imagine it, it became a lot easier. The idea ou have in your head of result, tends to help make that result a reality."

"I know," Calla said. "I do try, you know. It just doesn't work out very well." She shrugged. "I'm not good at magic, but that's okay. I'm alright at Runes and my Divination's my best subject. Just as long as I can pass O.W.L.s in the things I don't like, it's fine."

She stood up then, headed back to her and Harry's room. In truth, she knew passing her O.W.L.s wasn't going to be her main issue in the future. She'd have to have a handle on magic, especially Defense. She had had a vision the day before, of a room shattered and raining glass, of screaming and cursing and duelling. She was there, too. A slightly older version of herself, but not very much older. She'd been hurt. It wasn't good enough to just pass classes; danger was coming, coming for her and Harry, and she had to be better if she was to face it. She just didn't know how to be.

Still. She had time. She had to have time, she told herself. This year, hopefully, would be a quiet year for her, and she could get on with learning. If it was a quiet year, which she doubted. Her other vision had been short, but she'd seen Dumbledore announcing something; a Triwizard Tournament, which she supposed was exactly what it sounded like. She hadn't mentioned that to anyone, and was fairly certain it was the thing Percy had been trying to hold over them while she was at the Weasleys and the cup. If he came to see his siblings off and she met him on the platform, then Calla would take great delight in casually mentioning it to him.

But as long as she wasn't involved, which she certainly didn't plan to be, then she would get on with her classes in peace. And, if possible, try and stop Voldemort from actually coming back. All in a year's work, she thought bitterly.

The start of term came around quickly, as it so often did. Both Calla and Harry were running about daft trying to get all their things together before they went onto the Hogwarts Express, both still eating breakfast as they packed the last of their clothes and school supplies.

They'd managed to get everything in the right trunks, and clattered through to the living room with them. Moony was swooping around the flat agitatedly, and Matilda was watching him carefully, leaping up every so often as if to try and get a grip of his wing feathers, but she was entirely unsuccessful. "You two sure you've had enough to eat?" Remus fussed, as Sirius went out to feed Buckbeak before they headed for the train station.

"We're fine," Calla said, skipping through to the garden. She wanted to see Buckbeak too, before she wanted. She bowed gently and then went to stroke his feathers.

Sirius held out his hand and she frowned, before realising he had some of Buckbeak's food in his hand. Calla smiled as she took it, holding her own hand out for Buckbeak to nibble from. He nipped at her when he was finished, great eyes blinking back at her. "I'm going to miss you," she told him quietly. "You're a sweet little Hippogriff."

Buckbeak let out a small, cheerful sound and turned his head to lean into her hand. Calla giggled. "I'll see you when I'm back for the holidays." Buckbeak blinked his large eyes, and let out a low whining sound. She sighed at him. "I wish I could take you to Hogwarts. But you'll be very happy here, won't you?" Her eyes cut to Sirius, who was smiling, and she drew back from Buckbeak. "Be a good Hippogriff, won't you?"

Buckbeak gave a movement like a sharp nod, and Calla smiled at him gently before she turned to go back in. Moony fluttered over to land on her head just as she ducked inside the door, and she grinned. "Let's get you settled in your cage, yeah?" Moony gave an indignant squawk. "I know, I know, but you'll be able to go wherever you want once we get to Hogwarts."

It took five minutes more to convince Moony to get into the cage, in which time Matilda had managed to knock over Hedwig's cage, with her in it, which Harry and Hedwig were both very unpleased about. "Sorry," Calla said, holding Matilda up to look at her. "That wasn't very nice of you, was it, Mattie?"

Matilda widened her eyes innocently and flicked her tail. Calla grinned, chuckling a little bit; it wasn't like she could be annoyed at her cat for any real length of time. "The taxi's waiting," said Remus, as he and Sirius both came inside. "Come on, we've got a tight schedule."

The taxi was a bit of a tight squeeze as they settled in, the two trunks only just jammed into the boot. Harry and Calla both had their owls resting on their laps, and Matilda was with Remus, which she didn't look particularly pleased about. The journey to King's Cross wasn't too long, though the traffic did get bad, as it always did in London. Soon enough they were making their way through the station towards the barrier between Platforms Nine and Ten. Calla went through first with Remus, who was still holding a whining Matilda. They were rather conspicuous as a pair, not least because Moony insisted on hooting loudly at everyone who went near them, but then Calla turned around on Platform Nine and Three Quarters and found herself unable to keep from beaming.

The Hogwarts Express stood before her, gleaming proud and scarlet as ever, belching steam. "Calla!" Hermione's voice shouted, and she turned just as she, Ginny and Ron came through the crowd. Harry appeared behind her, and went running over to them with a grin.

"We're going to find a compartment," Ron said cheerfully, as Pigwidgeon shrieked loudly in his cage. "Come on. Hiya, Sirius, Remus."

They both nodded at Ron, grinning. "We'll be back in a minute," Harry said to them, as Matilda jumped out of Remus' arms to sit on top of a disgruntled Moony's owl cage.

"Mum's just over there," Ron said, pointing vaguely to the crowd. Calla didn't think that was very helpful, but Sirius and Remus both set off in that direction, and the children set off towards the Hogwarts Express, lugging their things on board. Ginny disappeared somewhere down the train to see her friends, and Calla kept her eyes peeled for Daphne and Padma as they went along. "This one's empty," said Ron, hauling his trunk inside. "Are you sitting with us, Calla?"

"Obviously," she said, shoving her own trunk in behind him. "We'll find Daphne and Padma in a minute."

Once they'd stowed their stuff away, they hopped down back onto the platform, to where Remus, Sirius and Mrs Weasley were waiting with Bill and Charlie. "You know, I might be seeing you all sooner than you think," Charlie said, as he hugged Ginny goodbye.

"Why?" asked Fred keenly, popping up behind Calla. "'Lo, Moony, Padfoot."

"You'll see," said Charlie. "Just don't tell Percy I said anything."

"What, about the Triwizard Tournament?"

Charlie and Bill both turned to look at her sharply. "How'd you know about that?"

She grinned in response. "Magic," Calla told them, as she quickly hugged Remus in a goodbye, and then smiled at Sirius, nodding her head.

"You're kidding?" Fred was saying. "You are kidding, right?"

"Afraid I can't say anything," Bill said, sticking his hands in his pockets. "But who knows, I met get some time off... Come and see a bit of it."

"So it is!" Ron said. "How come Calla gets to know and you wouldn't even tell us?"

"No one told me," Calla said lightly. Just then, the whistle blew sharply, and Mrs Weasley started to usher them all on board.

"Quickly, now," she said, as Calla gave her godfather one last hug, beamed at Sirius and the Weasleys, and hopped up onto the train.

"I'd say I'll see you at Christmas, but I expect you might want to stay at Hogwarts, what with... One thing and another."

"What, is it happening over the holidays?"

"You'll be told everything soon enough," Mrs Weasley said. "Hurry on, Ron. Oh, it's all going to be very exciting - mind you, I am glad they've changed the rules, aren't you, Remus?"

"What rules?" Fred asked, wrinkling his nose.

"Never you mind. On you go, on you go."

Calla rolled her eyes and gave Remus and Sirius great big grins, before she retreated inside the train and made her way back to their compartment. She happened across Terry on the way and waved at him. "Seen Daphne and Padma anywhere?" she asked, and he shook his head.

"Dunno. I think I saw Parvati Patil further that way though."

"Thanks," she said, and was about to go on when Terry took her arm gently. She blinked up at him.

"Did you, er, have a good Summer?" he asked, quite quickly.

"Uh, yeah," she said awkwardly. "It was nice, but I'm excited to see everyone again. What about you?"

"Yeah," he said bracingly. "It was... Good." Calla blinked at him. "Right. Yeah. See you later then." As he hurried on, leaving Calla to stare after him, quite befuddled.

"What was that about?" Harry asked, catching up to her, and she shrugged.

"Dunno, just Terry." They went back into their compartment and Calla gathered up Matilda before she headed along to where Terry had indicated Parvati was, looking in.

The door was open, so she just poked her head around, grinning at Parvati, Lavender, Seamus and Dean, who were all gathered there. "Hey," she greeted. "Parvati, do you know where Padma and Daphne are?"

Parvati shrugged. "They said they were going to find you, but I'm guessing they haven't. They went that way though." She nodded her head back down the train the way Calla had just come, and Calla sighed.

"Thanks. I'll see you guys later."

She shut the door gently behind her, heading along, as Malfoy's drawling voice floated out of a nearby compartment. "...Father actually considered sending me to Durmstrang rather than Hogwarts, you know. He knows the Headmaster there, you see. Well, you know his opinion of Dumbledore, the man's such a Mudblood-lover, and Durmstrang doesn't let in that sort of riff raff. But Mother didn't like the idea of me going to a school so far away. Father says Durmstrang takes a far more sensible line about the Dark Arts than Hogwarts does. Durmstrang students actually learn them, not just the defensive nonsense we do."

"There you are, Calla," called a voice, and Calla startled as she turned round.

"Daphne! Padma!"

"We've been trying to find you," said Padma, hugging her quickly. "When did you get here? Were you running late again?"

"When have we ever been running late?" Calla said, grinning as she hugged Daphne back, too. "How are the two of you? What - were you there at the cup?"

Daphne nodded grimly. "Mum and Dad apparated the four of us out as soon as they realised what was going on, but they took Izzy and Astoria first. We saw some of it... Those Muggles." She shuddered. "It was horrid."

"Were you alright?" Padma asked gently. "We didn't see you anywhere, though we wanted to look, but the - the Prophet said someone sent up the Dark Mark. Mum told me... What it meant."

"I'm fine," she said thickly. "We saw them, whoever did it, but they scarpered before we could get a proper look."

Padma and Daphne both looked horrified. "You were near them? Merlin, Calla! You should have written us to tell us!"

"I'm telling you now," she said, lowering her voice as a gaggle of second years went past them. "I didn't want to put all of it in a letter. And that's not all. You know my visions... I've been having more of them."

"Come on," Daphne said quietly, tugging her hand. "There's an empty compartment we put our stuff in - where's Harry and the others?"

"Just along there," Calla told her, pointing. "I'll get back to them later."

They went along and settled in the empty compartment, Calla tucking her legs under her as Matilda went to walk around on the floor, sniffing at the bottom of the door. "Where is Izzy?" she asked.

"With Sue and Mandy," Daphne said. "And we saw Lisa, Michael and Anthony going to meet them earlier, too, no idea where Terry is."

"I bumped into him earlier," said Calla. "When I was looking for you two. He was a bit weird, actually." Daphne and Padma exchanged a glance. "What?"

"Nothing," Daphne said lightly. "What's this about your visions, then?"

So she explained everything that she'd seen, and when she was done the girls were both staring at her. "So he's really coming back?" Padma asked. "Calla, have you told Dumbledore?"

"I'm sure he's already figured it out."

"Tell him anyway," she said. "He'll need to know what you've seen."

"But... What's he going to do?" Daphne asked. She'd gone very pale. "The - You-Know-Who, what's he going to do?"

"What do you think?" Padma said.

"But... He's dead. How... How's he going to do it?"

"I don't know," Calla said. "But I know he's going to. I can feel it and - and I'm scared." She looked down at her hands, clasped tightly in her lap, terrified words brimming on her tongue. "He'll kill Harry, if he can."

"Don't say that," Daphne told her quietly. She was shaking her head slowly, and wouldn't meet anyone's gaze.

"Well, when we get back to Hogwarts, we'll tell Dumbledore. He must have an idea of something to do about it. He was always the one who could stand up to him, you know. If anyone can stop him from coming back, it's him."

"I'm not sure he can," Calla admitted quietly. "I feel like... I don't know." It had never been Dumbledore who stopped Voldemort in first year, or Tom Riddle in second year. It had been them, her and Harry and their friends, and last year she'd been the one to capture Pettigrew, to save Sirius. He'd left it to them. But surely, she reasoned with herself, she wouldn't leave this to them, too. "I will speak to him, though. I expect we'll have our Occlumency classes again. Not that I'll be able to do anything, but you know, at least I'll be there."

"Oi!" They turned around, to see Isobel leaning in the doorway with a grin, her hair even redder than Calla remembered as it fell across her shoulder. "That's where you've all got to. We've all got this big compartment together, but no one knew where you lot were. Your brother's looking for you, too, Calla."

"I'll pop in on him," she said, getting up. She and Padma both looked at Daphne, who startled before she met their eyes.

"Are you coming?"

"Oh, yeah, course," she said, shaking out her curls. "Sorry. Lead the way, Izzy."

Calla popped her head around the door of the other compartment to tell Harry she was off to sit with the Ravenclaws for a bit, and then they went down the other end of the train, where they found a very full, very loud compartment. Sue and Lisa were trying to paint each other's nails in one corner, while Michael, Mandy and Terry argued loudly about Quidditch, and Anthony was reading a grey cover book called 'The Origins of Magic'. They glanced up as the girls arrived, waving, though Lisa only gave a shrug of the shoulders, as the nail polish she was wearing was still wet.

"You found them then?" Mandy said cheerfully, scooting over so there was room for everyone to squeeze in.

"This is a bit tight," Michael said.

"It'd be less tight if you moved your massive feet," Anthony sniped, and Michael scowled as he took them off of the seat where they had been resting next to Anthony. Calla managed to sit between Terry and Padma, with Daphne and Isobel opposite her. Matilda jumped up to sit half on her lap and half on Terry's, which Terry seemed a bit torn about.

"What do you think about Quidditch this year?" Mandy asked them. "Michael still thinks we're going to win."

"Of course we're going to win," Isobel said, jutting out her chin. "Last year was a fluke."

"We only won one match," Mandy said. "If you ask me, everyone was too caught up in that victory to focus on really using the momentum."

"Thing is," Calla put in, "no one's going to beat Harry as a Seeker. The Firebolt's too fast, and he's to good." She shrugged. "It's a bit unfair actually."

"Cho would beat him anytime if she had a better broom," Michael said, nodding like he was agreeing with Calla. "I think they should put regulations on it, you know, even the odds."

"I agree," said Mandy. "It's not fair if someone using a Cleansweep Seven has to go against someone using a Firebolt in a race for the Snitch. The Firebolt will win every time, regardless of the skill of the player. Potter is brilliant anyway," she added, with a nod in Calla's direction, "but the Firebolt makes him totally unbeatable. Course, maybe Ravenclaw'd have a better chance anyway if Davies let any other girls try out."

"Someone said that apparently Cho was the only girl he said he'd let on the team," Michael told them all.

"Because he fancies her," said Lisa loudly.

"And because she's brilliant," Sue said, glancing up. "But she shouldn't be the only one allowed to try out, I don't think."

As the conversation went further into Quidditch drama, Calla decided to take out her book instead, flicking to the right chapter. This one was The Chocolate War, a recommendation from Mairi before Calla left. Terry glanced over her shoulder interestedly, and she turned towards him with a smile, frowning when he looked steadfastly away. She ignored that, going back to her book and only occasionally contributing to the conversation as it turned to everyone's hatred for their Potions Summer work, then History of Magic, then Ancient Runes and then to mentions of something happening at Hogwarts this year.

"Mum won't even tell me," Michael moaned. "And I heard Marietta Edgecombe saying earlier that she knew what it was but she wouldn't tell anyone, how annoying's that?"

"It's the Triwizard Tournament," Calla said, looking up and blinking innocently.

Everyone stared at her for a moment. "No it is not!"

Lisa said, mouth falling open. "You're serious? How do you know?"

"Saw it," she said.

"What, like Divination?" Terry asked.

"Sort of. I see things at times, and I saw Dumbledore announce it." This didn't seem like much of a bombshell for her fellow Ravenclaws, actually, though perhaps they were just reeling from the knowledge that the Triwizard Tournament was going to be happening. "But I don't really know what the Triwizard Tournament is."

"It's only one of the oldest international wizarding traditions!" Sue cried, looking up. "It was banned years ago, because of deaths associated with it."

"Deaths?" Terry's eyes widened. "And they're doing this at Hogwarts?"

"If Calla's right," Mandy said.

"I am."

"You never told us that bit earlier," Daphne grumbled.

"Well, it wasn't as important as... The other stuff."

"What other stuff?" Michael asked, but she ignored him.

"Why would they be having this thing at Hogwarts, though?"

"Well, it's always played at one of the three schools," Lisa explained. "Hogwarts, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. We're lucky it's here; we'll all get to enter then, if we want."

"Would you enter?" Padma asked, furrowing her brow.

"Probably," Lisa said with a shrug. "Wouldn't you?"

"I would," Daphne told them unabashedly. "The winner's meant to get eternal glory and all of that. I think that'd be quite nice."

"Even if there's been deaths in the past?" Padma said.

Daphne shrugged. "Well, I just wouldn't die, then."

Calla rolled her eyes, leaning back. "I won't be entering. I just want a nice, quiet year to focus on my studies."

"Good luck with that one, Potter," Lisa chirped.

"Yeah, I'm sure something'll come along to get you into trouble," said Anthony.

"Well, it had better not," Calla said firmly.

The train went on as the rain outside got heavier. The trolley witch came around for lunch, and it was an awful rabble as everyone tried to clamber over each other towards her. Calla had reached out for a pumpkin pasty and chocolate frog, just at the same time as Terry stood up to try and get something, and they both went crashing down on top of a flailing Daphne. Face bright red, Calla got back to her feet, clutching Terry's arm. The trolley witch gave them a very disapproving look and clicked her tongue as she handed over the food, and Calla day back down next to Terry - who was even redder than her - with her cheeks flaming.

Daphne and Padma were giggling at each other, and Calla shot them a glare to shut them up. She didn't know what was so funny about her moment of clumsiness, but it seemed to be something.

Once they'd eaten, Calla decided to go back to Harry, Ron and Hermione. Ten people crammed into one compartment did mean it got very warm, despite the torrential weather outside. But when they got along to the other compartment, she found the doorway already to be blocked. Malfoy popped his head out from where he stood between Crabbe and Goyle. "Ah, Greengrass. Come to join us?"

"Not you," Daphne said coolly, tossing her hair. "I hope you're not bothering Harry."

"Of course not," Malfoy said with a glint in his eye. "I wouldn't dream of it. We were just taking a look at Weasley's dress robes."

Indeed, Calla realised he was holding some sort of maroon fabric, which had a lot of lace on it. She poked her head over the top of Daphne's by standing on her tiptoes and glared at Malfoy.

"Well you can give them back now, if you're done looking," Padma said, and Malfoy scoffed, throwing them back into the compartment.

"Like I'd want to hold anything of Weasley's for too long," he said. "Probably get fleas."

"Eat dung, Malfoy," Ron said from inside their compartment.

"So... going to enter then, Weasley... bring a little bit of glory to the family name... I hear there's money involved in the prize, too... you'd be able to afford some decent robes with that."

Ron said something very rude to Malfoy then, and he just laughed. "Are you hearing this, Daphne? Awfully foul mouth you've got, Weasley. Then again, I don't suppose your family can afford much soap."

"Draco," Daphne said tensely, looking very annoyed indeed. "Leave him alone."

"Looking out for Weasleys now are we, Daphne?" Malfoy tutted. "And defending a blood traitor, Sirius Black? What did Mummy and Daddy think of that?"

Daphne floundered for a moment. "My father voted with us," she told him coldly. "Now go away."

"Just making conversation," he said, smirking as he turned, and let Crabbe and Goyle lead the way away, pushing the girls to the side.

Daphne gave a frustrated huff once they were out of earshot, and flopped down into the compartment, which also held Neville Longbottom along with Harry, Ron and Hermione. "He's been a right bastard," Daphne said bitterly, yanking a book from her bag. Calla looked at her curiously. "Ever since I... Well." She tossed her hair. "Don't pay attention to him, Ron. He's just trying to rile you up."

"Yeah," Ron huffed, stuffing his dress robes back into his trunk.

As it happened, he remained in a terrible mood for the entire journey, and Hermione didn't do anything except read the Standard Book of Spells, Grade Four and try to teach herself to do a Summoning Charm. Calla watched her curiously for a while, but she mainly just muttered under her breath and flicked her wand about.

No one actually spoke much, and Padma went to see Parvati before the train pulled in, leaving a silent Hermione and a glowering Ron with the others. They were all still quiet as they got changed into their robes, and as the Hogwarts Express pulled into the dark station. Thunder rumbled above them as they stepped of the train, and Calla took care to bundle Matilda tightly in her cloak; she hated the rain.

She kept her head bent as they hurried through the rain towards the school carriages in an attempt to keep it off of her glasses. But the rain was very determined, seeming to come down in buckets more than drops, and she was shivering by the time they clambered into a carriage. "I wouldn't like to be crossing the lake in this weather," said Hermione, nodding over to where Hagrid could be seen holding a lantern and guiding the next first years.

"I bet you one of them falls in," Calla said, squinting at them through the darkness. There was a small lurch, and she grabbed Matilda tightly, as the carriage rumbled and then set off through the puddle covered path towards Hogwarts.