Chapter 39

The next morning, she walked down from the Slytherin common rooms where Theo was snogging some girl.

Grimacing, she pulled Daphne away before she could shriek anything rude. "Just leave them be" calypso muttered.

"Can't you stop them?"
Calypso glanced around, "I could, but I'm hungry. Come on. Let's get our schedules"
"Come on" Daphne groaned. "Why are you always defending him?"
Calypso gaped at her. "I'm not defending him and I do wish he wouldn't move on so fast but that's not my business!"
"Fine" Daphne huffed and stomped off.

"What's wrong with her?"
Calypso looked at Draco who had just come down from the boy's dormitories. "Oh, that's rich coming from you- oh fine. She's upset at Theo again"

"Too bad for her. You know her sister though?"
Calypso crossed her arms. "Oh, what now?"
"Do you think she would mind if I was a, you know- werewolf?"
Calypso rolled her eyes. "No" and stomped off to find Daphne but she was nowhere to be found at breakfast, nor was she in Herbology that morning.

"Where has she gone?" Calypso muttered to no one in particular.

Blaise slid onto the bench next to her, a secluded area that was protected from the slight drizzle. "In the second-floor girl's bathroom"

Calypso stared at him as he waved his wand around, making bright flowers appear and disappear. "She is?"
"Yes- oh come on" he groaned after her. She had just jumped up. "We have potions in 5 minutes"
"Tell Snape!" shouted Calypso over her shoulder as she ran off to the second-floor girl's bathroom.

"Daphne?" Calypso asked tentatively.

There was no answer.

"Hello?"
Myrtle floated out, straight through Calypso. "She's very upset you know. Been complaining about the Dark Lord, plants, boys, friends, prefects, parents, did I mention boyfriends….the Zabini boy came and tried to get her to leave a few minutes ago."
"SHUT IT" Daphne shrieked from inside the bathroom.

"Daphne? Potions are starting in-"
"I don't care!"
Calypso stepped inside to where Daphne was resolutely sitting on the edge of one of the stall walls.

"It's OWL year though"
"I said I don't care!"
"But Daphne…."
"NO!" she looked hysterical now.

Calypso squatted down to look at Daphne. "What happened?"
She sniffed. "My father's dead"
"What?"
"A werewolf killed him. He's an auror."
"Oh my god, Daphne. I'm so sorry I-"
"It's not your fault. He's dead! The werewolves killed him! I'll strangle Greyback personally, I swear!"
"Daphne, shhh. Take a deep breath."

"That's it" Daphne snapped, standing up. "I AM GOING TO GO TO POTIONS AND LEARN HOW TO MURDER HIM!"

"Daphne-" but Daphne already ran out of the bathroom. Sighing, Calypso followed her down the dungeons to Snape's classroom.

"-I advise all of you to concentrate your efforts upon maintaining the high-pass level I have come to expect from my O.W.L. students."

"Professor, sorry we're late"

Professor Snape looked at Daphne with- was that pity? "No matter, sit down. Today we will be mixing a potion that often comes up at Ordinary Wizarding Level: the Draught of Peace, a potion to calm anxiety and soothe agitation. Be warned: If you are too heavy-handed with the ingredients you will put the drinker into a heavy and sometimes irreversible sleep, so you will need to pay close attention to what you are doing. The ingredients and method"

— Snape flicked his wand —

"are on the blackboard" — (they appeared there) —

"you will find everything you need"

— he flicked his wand again

— "in the store cupboard"

— (the door of the said cupboard sprang open) —

"you have an hour and a half. . . . Start"

The Draught of Peace was a tricky potion, all the ingredients had to be put in at the right time and Calypso could hardly concentrate with a list of families that the Dark Lord had ripped apart.

Hers, for one, and Theo's, Draco's, her mum's, Potter's, Weasley's, and now Daphne's.

"A light silver vapor should now be rising from your potion," cal ed Snape, with ten minutes left to go.

Calypso's cauldron wasn't half as bad is could have been, there was a slightly silvery/grey vapor, but that might've just been because Theo was practically making her potion for her with slight instruction.

After a depressing lunch with Daphne, they walked towards Ancient runes together. Calypso wished everything would be the same as last year with Celestia.

Two hours later of translating symbols later, they traipsed down to the DADA classroom with Professor Umbridge.

Daphne was in the hospital wing though, on Blaise's suggestion, to take a calming draught or she would not be able to concentrate. It had taken almost half an hour of arguing, but finally, she agreed. Calypso tried to keep quiet the whole time but it was getting extremely hard, not to take Blaise's side if Daphne's green potion with Professor Snape was anything to go off of.

"Professor?"
Professor Umbridge looked at Calypso. "Yes dear?" her manner of speech reminded Calypso heavily of her mother, strangely, as the two couldn't be more different.
"Daphne won't be in class today, she's in the hospital wing"
Professor Umbridge nodded, "Alright. Good afternoon class"

Calypso sat down next to Blaise in the back seat. "Good afternoon" a few mumbled in response.

"Tut, tut," said Professor Umbridge. "That won't do, now, will it? I should like you, please, to reply 'Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge.' One more time, please. Good afternoon, class!"

"Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge," they chanted back at her. "

There, now," said Professor Umbridge sweetly. "That wasn't too difficult, was it? Wands away and quills out, please."

Calypso extracted her quill from her school bag.

Professor Umbridge tapped her wand against the blackboard.

Defense Against the Dark Arts

A Return to Basic Principles.

"Well now, your teaching in this subject has been rather disrupted and fragmented, hasn't it?" stated Professor Umbridge, turning to face the class with her hands clasped neatly in front of her.

"The constant changing of teachers, many of whom do not seem to have followed any Ministry-approved curriculum, has unfortunately resulted in your being far below the standard we would expect to see in your O.W.L. year.

"You will be pleased to know, however, that these problems are now to be rectified. We will be following a carefully structured, theory centered, Ministry-approved course of defensive magic this year. Copy down the following, please."

She rapped the blackboard again; the first message vanished and was replaced by:

Course aims:

1. Understanding the principles underlying defensive magic.

2. Learning to recognize situations in which defensive magic can legally be used.

3. Placing the use of defensive magic in a context for practical use.

For a couple of minutes, the room was full of the sound of scratching quills on parchment. When everyone had copied down Professor Umbridge's three-course aims she said, "Has everybody got a copy of Defensive Magical Theory by Wilbert Slinkhard?"

There was a dull murmur of assent throughout the class.

"I think we'll try that again," said Professor Umbridge. "When I ask you a question, I should like you to reply 'Yes, Professor Umbridge,' or 'No, Professor Umbridge.' So, has everyone got a copy of Defensive Magical Theory by Wilbert Slinkhard?"

"Yes, Professor Umbridge," rang through the room.

"Good," said Professor Umbridge. "I should like you to turn to page five and read chapter one, 'Basics for Beginners.' There will be no need to talk."

Professor Umbridge left the blackboard and settled herself in the chair behind the teacher's desk, observing them all with those pouchy toad's eyes.

Calypso turned to page five of her copy of Defensive Magical Theory and started to read.

Only two pages in, and she could already feel her attentiveness leak away from her. The rest of the Slytherins didn't even seem to be trying to pay attention. Blaise had his hand in the air, Theo was drawing a complicated diagram or something on one of the pages, and Draco, well we'll get to him later.

"Did you have something to ask about the chapter Mr-"
"Zabini. And could I just ask WHY we're reading a chapter that has nothing to do with using magic?"
"Well, the Minister himself has designed this course to fully educate young wizards like yourself."
"But what if we get attacked- how will knowing the theory help?"
Umbridge looked at Blaise. "Your hand is not up !"
Blaise just shrugged and turned back to his book.

"Wha-" Calypso started but she was interrupted by Altaira. "Professor?"

"Yes, Miss-?"
"Selwyn. Will we be doing anything else this year besides reading?"
Umbridge looked at her, evidently surprised. "Don't be a silly girl. Of course, we will"
Altaira raised her hand again.
"Yes?"
"What else besides reading will we be doing then?"
"Miss Selwyn, that is not your concern at the moment!"
By now, several other Slytherins had their hand up as well. "Yes, Mr.-"

"Shafiq."

"Well then, please enlighten us on what you have to say"
"There's a practical bit on the OWLS right?"
"As long as you have studied the theory hard enough, you will perform it just fine"
Theo had also raised his hand now surprisingly.

"Yes, Mr.?"

"Nott."

"What is it then?"
"I've finished reading"

Everyone stared at Theo, no way he had finished reading that thing. Calypso could swear he was drawing moments ago.

"You've finished reading ?"
He nodded, almost bored.

"Then move on to the next one"

Theo raised an eyebrow at her. "I meant I finished the whole book"

Of course, he did, Calypso thought sarcastically. He's Theodore fucking Nott.

Umbridge blanched for a second before spreading her hands and walked back to her desk. "Hogwarts has a very interesting selection of students, doesn't it. Just yesterday, we had a muggle-bord Gryffindor who also claimed to have finished the whole book. Now, if you wouldn't mind, could you please tell me what Slinkard says on counter jinxes in chapter 15?"
Theo stared at her. "He says that counter jinxes are improperly named and people just named them to make them sound more nice and lovely"

Professor Umbridge narrowed her eyes at him. ", I will not allow you to call counterjinxes 'nice and lovely'!"
"Oh well, I just called them that didn't I?"
"Come here!"
Umbridge huffed and bent down to write a note on a little piece of parchment. "Take this to your Head of House "
Theo looked at her and smiled slightly. It wasn't very noticeable but Calypso swore it was there. "Of course...Professor"

Umbridge glared at him and narrowed her beady eyes. "Detention on Monday afternoon and you will take that to Professor Snape, understood?"
Theo discreetly rolled his eyes. "Yes Professor Umbridge", his lip curled into a slight sneer but Umbridge ignored it, or just didn't notice. "Good"
Theo glared at her with his pale blue eyes for another moment before picking up his school bag and walking out of the classroom.

Umbridge sniffed loudly before walking down the rows, staring at everyone. "Well, keep on reading!"
Calypso raised her hand and waited PATIENTLY for Umbridge to notice her.

"Yes, Miss-"
"Cal- Lestrange" she was done with hiding her surname. It wouldn't matter anyway when the Dark Lord took over.

"What is it than Miss Lestrange?"
"Can I use the restroom?"
Umbridge stared at her for a moment. "Go on"
Calypso smiled triumphantly and left the room. No more reading about theories for her.

She didn't go to the loo though, instead, she walked to the hospital wing to see how Daphne was doing.

"Hello"
Madam Pomfrey hurried forward from her desk. "Yes, Miss Calypso?"
"Can I see Daphne?"
Madam Pomfrey frowned before shrugging and opening the door. "Suppose so. She's at the farthest cot"

Calypso nodded her thanks and sat down next to where Daphne was sleeping. "Hello, Daphne.

No answer.

Calypso sighed and leaned back in her chair. She would just wait until Daphne woke up she supposed.

"I knew you would be here"

Calypso jumped almost three feet in the air at Theo's voice. "I didn't even hear you come in" Calypso scowled.

"Yeah, because you were too busy gazing up into space. Has she awaken yet?" Theo glanced at Daphne pointedly, evidently talking about her.

"No…" Calypso said sadly. "Why does one of always have to end up in the hospital wing every year?"

Theo looked up and opened his mouth to respond but no words came out. Instead, he leaned close and his lips brushed against hers. Calypso was about to tell him off but as he leaned closer, she couldn't concentrate.

Before she knew it, she was kissing him passionately. His lips were soft and he smelled like chocolate, with a hint of vintage cologne. Her subconscious mind was telling her it was mind, but somehow her body chose not to react. It did quite the contrary instead and leaned into him.

At that moment, Daphne stirred. Calypso jumped back, finally coming to her senses. "Oh my god-"
Daphne opened her eyes slowly. "What?" she murmured.

Calypso glanced at Theo who looked equally bewildered.

"N-nothing. You're awake then?"
Daphne grinned sleepily. "Yep"

Calypso smiled back hesitantly and waited until Daphne fell asleep before crossing her arms. "What was that?"
Theo stared at her. "No clue"

"Humph. Fine. well not a word to ANYONE, understood?"

"What do you take me for, a Gryffindor?"

Calypso rolled her eyes. "Not a word!"

"Okay okay"
Calypso buried her face in her hands. "Oh, Salazar what have I done? And I have a boyfriend too and Warrington and-"

Theo glared at her harshly. "It wasn't your fault that Warrington is dead okay? It's- it was a tragic accident."
Calypso looked at him through her tear-filled eyes. "If I had just paid more attention to him then maybe he wouldn't have!"
"When someone is about to die, no amount of attention is going to save them" hissed Theo.

"Right..your mother, I'm sorry"
Theo waved it aside. "Nevermind that. Haven't you and Adrian broken up?"
"What?" Calypso stared at him blankly for a moment, her mind not even registering what he had just said. "Oh well yeah, I guess. But I don't know if he feels that way…"
"Don't worry about him" Theo scoffed. "He's moved to America to start over, away from the darkness I guess"
"What? How do you know?" Calypso demanded.

"He told me so. Said, and to be exact, 'Europe is too crazy, we haven't had a break since before the first muggle world war. I'm moving to America to turn over a new leaf, please tell Calypso'' Right before he apparated by the way"

"Why didn't he tell me this himself?", Calypso asked, slightly hurt.

"Don't know." shrugged Theo, standing up. "Do you have any homework you need to do? I'm going back to the common room"
Calypso shook her head, "I'll manage, see you at dinner"

On Sunday, Professor Snape was out on the Quidditch pitch, pacing, waiting for the team to arrive.

But right now, Calypso and Draco were the only two left on the team and both of them couldn't even be available all the time. Draco because of his werewolf thing and Calypso because a healer at 's suggested for her not to play Quidditch.

"Miss Calypso and mister Malfoy. There you are. Which one of you wants to be captain?"
Calypso shrugged, "Draco can do it. I'm prefect already"

Snape raised an eyebrow, "not Slytherin like to refuse an opportunity certainly...but - here you go"
Truth be told, Calypso just wanted something good to happen to Draco, she still felt guilty about the whole werewolf thing.

Draco took the badge, his face pale.

" ?"

Draco turned away from Snape. "I'm fine" he snapped. "When are the tryouts?"
"Draco…"

"When are the tryouts going to be held" repeated Draco, more firmly, still refusing to look anyone into the eye.

Snape hesitated for a second before saying, "This afternoon. Mister Malfoy, come with me. Miss Calypso, you may leave"
Calypso shouldered her broom and walked to the stands where Daphne was dejectedly waiting for her. "What did he want?"

"Oh...everyone's left this year but me and Draco, Draco's captain now"
"That's nice of you," said Daphne absentmindedly. Ever since the train ride back to Hogwarts, Daphne hadn't been herself. More frequently than not, she could be found in the girl's dormitories alone, crying, or drinking.

Calypso gazed worriedly at her. "Daphne...You should probably get some rest" she finally said after an awkward pause upon noticing the dark circles and just overall fatigue Daphne carried herself with.

Daphne sighed, "I never told you the full story about how he died did I?"

Calypso stared at Daphne, unable to see where she was going. "No...but Daphne-"
"I'll start at the top. He joined the ministry and got some of the highest grades anyone had ever seen out, straight out of Hogwarts. He rose fast through the ranks and quickly became appointed as head auror. But during that time, the Dark Lord was first gaining power. Dark wizards were everywhere and my mum, who was still in France at the time, got into a sticky situation with the death eaters. She was at work and death eaters surrounded the place, setting it up in flames. My father was one of the ones deployed there and saved her life. In the process though, one of the death eaters shot a dark curse at him. It would have killed my father but my mum was still a healer and managed to stop the curse from taking over his body until he could be properly treated. That's why he can't move his leg anymore. But anyway, the night he-" Daphne sniffed, "died, he was out in the front putting up charms against werewolves. They always hated him since he mistook that death eater for Greyback and said werewolf was locked up for 10 years. My mum was upstairs with Astoria and me, getting ready for bed. I was just about to get into bed when I heard my mum calling for my dad, all around the house. I ran downstairs, it's always my greatest fear that something will happen to him on a full moon. We rushed outside to where we knew he was and there lay his body. His body was still slightly warm but his blood was cold. His eyes were blank and glassy, there was even a note that- that MONSTER, left in the blood. 'Join our cause or you will meet the same fate'

My mum went ballistic and contacted the ministry immediately, only a few came through, the rest were fighting werewolves somewhere else." Daphne shuddered. "If it wasn't for his leg, or maybe if we noticed he was missing sooner- we could still save him! He died of blood loss, not injuries, its all my fault Calypso, it's all my-"
Calypso hugged Daphne tightly. "Shhh. It's not your fault. You couldn't have known. Let's get back to the castle now. We are going to get you some tea and you are going to sleep, got it?"

At exactly three o'clock sharp in the afternoon, Calypso and Draco walked down to the Quidditch pitch together. It was strange to be the only ones on the team. She still remembered when Flint came up to her in her second year and offered her a spot on the team.

"How many people are registered?"
Draco frowned at the parchment, "We need two new chasers, two beaters, and one keeper right?"
"Mhm"

"Oh, you don't suppose you could be a keeper or something do you?"
Calypso glared at Draco, "No I don't suppose I could"
"Fine. How about when I'm...unavailable"
"I'll play seeker than" Calypso shrugged. "It can't be that different can it?"

Draco rolled his eyes, "It's very different"

"How so? I've had to remind you where the snitch was at least 3 times Draco"

Draco flushed red. "You did not"
"I did,"

"Shut it, Lestrange."

Calypso smirked and got on her broom, flying the rest of the way to the Quidditch pitch where about forty people were waiting.

About ten minutes later, Draco arrived too, breathing heavily. "Okay! PEOPLE! LISTEN UP- NOW!"
It took a while, but everyone eventually shut up.

Draco leaned on his broomstick wearily. "Er- raise your hand if you're trying out for keeper"

About ten people raised their hands.

"Right, go to that end of the stadium then"

Everyone looked around, confused until Calypso helpfully pointed them in the direction she hoped Draco was talking about.

"Now, who's trying out for the beaters?"
Ten more people raised their hands.

"Wait over there then"

This time, Draco was smart and pointed to the left side.

The soon-to-be beaters nodded and all walked over.

"Great- amazing- awesome" muttered Draco. "Everyone else, I assume you want to be chasers so just go talk to Lestrange over here"

Then Draco walked off to the stadium benches to sleep. It was only a few days from the full moon.

Calypso stared at everyone, "Er- I guess I'm conducting the tryouts then. Does everyone have a broom?'
"What?" a few people muttered.

Calypso took a deep breath. "DOES EVERYONE HAVE A BROOM?"
Since there was a general murmur of consent, Calypso moved on. "EVERYONE GET- a fuck this, sonorus!"

Now she could project her voice across the whole stadium without killing her vocal cords. "Everyone gets on their brooms and fly a few circles then- what?"

She glared at a third-year boy who raised his hand. "Aren't we provided brooms if we get on the team?"
Calypso sighed, "No you aren't! Those on the team get to keep the brooms we generously provided! So only the chasers get new brooms since I have two extra ones!"

Those who weren't trying out for chaser glared at her and calypso resolutely turned away from them. "Now everyone gets on their brooms!"

After eliminating almost half of the group who couldn't even fly properly, Calypso called for everyone to get down. "Okay people! If you're not trying out for beater, go to the stands and wait!"

"Alright, we'll be taking turns." she divided everyone into groups and handed them their bats before releasing the bludgers. "When they fly towards you, hit them into the goalposts!"
Much struggling and a few injuries later, she found Draco two suitable beaters who just happened to be Vincent and Gregory. In her defense, they worked well together and were big enough to stop one of the bludgers from killing her.

"No complaints!" she shouted at the complaining group. "CHASERS NEXT!"

This was the fun part. Now Calypso got to actually play. Everyone took turns tossing the Quaffle around and stuff until Calypso was satisfied. Urqhart had a decent brain and Vasiey, well he was the only one who scored without any misses. She really wished Theo would just try out but when had he ever listened to her.

Next was keeper, the Chasers all took turns throwing Quaffles at all the keepers until she settled for Miles Bletchley's younger sister Karina Bletchley. She could really use another girl on the team.

"Okay thank you for coming everyone! Everyone who made it, congratulations, practice Friday night! Chasers, come with me for you're new broom, or if you have a good one, give it to someone else on the team- DRACO!"

Draco looked up sleepily. "W-what?"

"Tryouts are over! This is Urqhart, Vasiey, Goyle, Crabbe, and Bletchley"
"Bletchley…?"

"His younger sister!" snapped Calypso.

Draco covered his ears with his hands. "Calm down miss"
"Sorry- quietus. Draco comes on, up you get now. Do you need to go to the hospital wing?"
"Mmmm"

Calypso rolled her eyes as he fell asleep again and took him to the hospital wing.