As Though She Were Mine

Over the last hour, Calliope and Sammy's conversation had tapered into silence as they became more and more absorbed in drawing pictures of their favorite places. Calliope couldn't recall why they decided they would do this today anymore, but she knew now it had done very little to soothe the ache in her chest. Tracing the clumsy lines that made up her poor imitation of her family's lounge room sofa, she sighed. The room she'd drawn hardly compared to her memory, but if Calliope squinted, it still looked almost exactly like the lounge.

To keep herself from crying, she forced her eyes up from the drawing and to Sammy across the table. She had her head bent close to her parchment. The pencil she was using (instead of the quill Calliope offered her) moved in small, precise movements by her nose. Calliope frowned, suddenly bothered that her mate was paying her so little attention. Sammy hadn't even noticed she stopped drawing. Puffing out her cheeks, she said, "Next week is my birthday."

Sammy did not pause in her sketching, just glanced up from behind her pencil once to look at her before going back to her drawing. "Really?" she replied. " How old will you be? Twelve?"

Calliope rested her elbow on the tabletop and put her cheek in her hand. Eyes now trained on the kitchen window, she said feeling defeated, "No, eleven."

However, instead of just humming a noncommital reply as Calliope expected of her, Sammy, let go of her pencil and sat up. "Wow!" she exclaimed. "I thought we were the same age…"

Calliope furrowed her brows. Sammy had turned eleven only this spring. That meant they were the same age, didn't it? Now uncertain, she asked, "We are, aren't we?"

Sammy waved a hand in a flippant motion. "Technically, I suppose," she answered. "Though I was born in April and it's now October. So we aren't in the same school year, which makes me feel older…"

She nodded but smiled as well. Perhaps that would be true in any other world, but in this one, Sammy was missing what should be her first year at Hogwarts, which meant (hopefully) she would start next year with Calliope. "That's true," she agreed. "But you're missing this year at school, so if the war is over soon, we will be in the same year now."

Sammy laughed. "You're right!" she agreed. Eyes wide, she said, "I hope it ends soon! I want us to be in the same year."

"Me too!" she said. Looking toward the clock then, Calliope saw it was time to pick up. Getting up from the kitchen table, she gathered her and Sammy's cups together and took them to the sink to wash and put away.

While her back was to her friend, Sammy called, "Calliope?"

"Yeah?" she returned as she began to dry their glasses to put them back in the cupboard.

"What do you want for your birthday?"

Calliope's hand came to an abrupt stop beside the cupboard's handle. She should have never mentioned her birthday. With her hand hovering in the air, Calliope stammered, "Um, I probably shouldn't even bother saying." she sighed and finally opened the cupboard and put away the cups. "I know I won't get it…"

Sammy was quiet for a moment before asking, "You want your whole family together, don't you?"

Calliope giggled a little too loudly and turned around to look at her friend. It wasn't exactly difficult to guess that was what she wanted, but she was still surprised Sammy figured it out so quickly. "How'd you know?" she asked, trying to sound like she was teasing instead of close to tears.

Her friend grimaced. "That's what I want for my birthday this year," admitted Sammy. "I don't care how much it's going to annoy my mum, I want Amber and her boyfriend Emmett to be at my party too."

Calliope nodded. "I bet she'll allow it," she told her friend, relieved to no longer be talking about her. "He and your sister stopped you from becoming one of those people the Snatchers took from the street last week."

"That's true," replied Sammy, smiling at this realization. Expression growing serious, she inquired, "Calliope, can I ask you another question?"

She didn't know why Sammy looked so grim all of a sudden and felt a little reluctant to. At least it wouldn't be as difficult as the last question Sammy asked (she hoped). Calliope pushed her lips into a smile. "Sure!"

"Do you even want to celebrate your birthday?"

Calliope blinked and her smile ran away from her face. "Well… I'm not sure I'll get much of a say," she answered. "I think the Mulpeppers are still going to make me a cake and my family is going to send me letters and birthday cards." She tilted her head, considering. "Gifts too, I reckon," she added. Forcing a new smile across her face, she said, "I may as well make the best of it, don't you think?"

"So if I come by with a birthday card you'll not be upset with me?" Sammy questioned, watching her.

Calliope shook her head. "No! Never."

Sammy dipped her chin in acknowledgment. "I'll make you something really pretty, Calliope, I promise," she swore.

Walking over to her mate, Calliope put her hand on top of Sammy's. "Thank you, Sammy," she said. "You're the best mate a witch could ask for."

-o-O-o-

Finished with her slice of birthday cake, Calliope brought a napkin to her face to wipe away the frosting stuck to the corner of her mouth. As she cleaned up, Mr. Mulpepper got to his feet and disappeared from view a moment. Calliope looked at Mrs. Mulpepper, whose eyes were alight with excitement. She looked behind her to try and find Mr. Mulpepper in response and saw that he had one of his hands behind his back. She narrowed her eyes and was going to ask what the old man was hiding when a pair of dry, papery hands covered her eyes.

"Aunt Maisie!" she groaned.

The old woman just chuckled and kept her hands there a moment longer. "Okay," she said before removing them. "Look down at the table," she advised.

Calliope did so. She gasped when she saw a long, silver-wrapped present in front of her.

"Happy birthday Calliope!" the Mulpeppers said to her as she reached for the gift.

"Uncle Eugene! Aunt Maisie!" she complained, not really unhappy to have the gift, just annoyed she hadn't anticipated they would be getting her one. Lifting the gift to test the heft before opening it, she said, "I thought you'd just make me a cake…" Undoing the paper, she opened the box beneath and grinned. "This is so lovely," she gushed, holding up the dress to get a better look at it. It was a warm brown color with red trim at the bottom and a matching red sash at the middle to hold it closed when she wore it. Lowering it back into the box, Calliope sighed. "I wish I had somewhere to wear it."

Mr. and Mrs. Mulpepper exchanged a glance. "A dress doesn't always need to be worn for somewhere , sometimes they can be worn for someone ."

"Someone?" Calliope echoed with a furrow between her brows. "Is somebody going to come by?" she asked.

"Perhaps," answered Mrs. Mulpepper with a smirk. "Now, open your cards and gifts from your parents and sisters."

Calliope eyed the small pile of gifts and letters with a considering eye. There had been no mention of Darla at all. She didn't dare to hope yet, but… "Only them, hm?"

Mrs. Mulpepper laughed and reached over to squeeze her husband's hand. "She's gotten much too clever for us, Eugene," she said.

Mr. Mulpepper nodded and said with a serious expression, "I suppose it's only to be expected." He kept his face straight as he teased, "Eleven isn't a little girl anymore."

"No, it's not!" Calliope agreed wholeheartedly. They may be joking, but for Calliope being eleven meant exactly that. She would be a student of Hogwarts next year and would live in a dorm and start doing all of the older girl things her sisters and Darla had been doing as long as she could remember.

The old woman sighed, but it wasn't in an unhappy way and she smiled at Calliope as she said, "Well, I guess since you've already figured it out… Your aunt should be by quite soon with a surprise of her own for you."

Calliope covered her mouth with her hands in her shock. When she could think again, she began to jump in place as she yelled, " Darla is going to come over?" Snatching up her new dress, she dashed out of the kitchen and for her room, calling over her shoulder, "Let me go change!"

Once in her bedroom, Calliope shed the outfit she was wearing and put on the dress. As she tied the sash around her middle, she looked into her mirror and considered herself. It was a more grownup style than anything other dress she'd ever worn. The dress fell just below her knees (to keep it a decent length even if she had a growth spurt, she reckoned) and the collar, given the style of the dress, dipped lower on her chest than anything else she owned. If her breasts started to grow soon, she would probably have to find a slip or vest to wear beneath this dress. Calliope smiled and gathered her hair, which she then pulled back with a tie called a scrunchy given to her by Sammy.

Giving herself one last look-over in the mirror, Calliope laughed. She looked a lot like Darla right now. As she was about to leave her room, Calliope paused. Should she put her stay-home signal, No-Ears, in the window to indicate to Sammy not come over? After another beat of hesitation, she decided against it. Chances were that Darla wouldn't be around long enough for their visits to cross. If it got close time-wise, she could always go to the "bathroom" and put No-Ears in the window then. She hoped she wouldn't have to. Sammy might be hurt not to be able to give Calliope her card (not to mention she'd be disappointed to not receive it). Walking out of her room and back into the kitchen, Calliope grinned when the Mulpeppers reached for each other's hands to hold.

"My, don't you look grown-up?" gushed Mrs. Mulpepper as Calliope sat back down in her spot at the table.

"Thank you!" she said, face flushing with pleasure.

Pushing her gifts toward her, Mr. Mulpepper remarked, "Perhaps your sisters or parents sent you something to wear with your dress, hm?"

Calliope tilted her head."You think?" she asked. Picking up one of her gifts, she tore past the boring brown parcel paper to see inside was a note from her sisters and a little box. Flipping the lid of the box, she gave a delighted laugh and pulled out a tiny, colorful vial "Oh! Look it, Essie and Eileen sent me some nail varnish," she said, smiling. "Quick-drying too!"

"And your parents?" Mr. Mulpepper pressed, pushing a tiny box at her.

"Sev and Edie sent me…" She felt her mouth drop at the sight of a pair of gold owl-shaped studs inside the box." Earings!" she exclaimed, stroking one with her thumb. However, her surprise quickly turned to befuddlement and she looked to the Mulpeppers for an answer. "But I don't have pierced ears?"

"Perhaps that's your mother's way of saying she will be visiting with you again soon, hm?" suggested Mrs. Mulpepper in a warm, kind tone.

"Oh, is it?" Calliope said, thinking the idea over. It did seem very plausible. "That's brilliant!" she declared. Searching their faces for more hints and clues, she asked, "Do you think she will bring Essie or Eileen? I really want to see them too." She sighed. "And Sev, but I don't think he's going to be able to leave Hogwarts right now…"

The smiles on their faces dimmed slightly as Mr. Mulpepper answered, "We will have to see, won't we?"

Calliope pouted. "Oh, all right." After a beat of silence, she said, "Aunt Maisie?"

"Yes, dear?"

She thrust out her fingers and wiggled them at the old woman."Will you paint my nails for me while I read my cards and letter from Sev?" she asked.

The woman smiled and reached for a vial of purple-red nail varnish. "I will," she agreed as she popped it open.

-o-O-o-

Laid out on the lounge room sofa, Calliope tapped her stocking-covered foot against the arm of it. While doing so, Calliope scowled at the clock next to the fireplace. Who would have thought time could slow without the use of magic? Sighing to herself, she rolled onto her side to watch the fireplace itself instead of the clock. Perhaps her aunt would get here faster if she were watching it instead. Or did fireplaces work like pots of water?

It seemed she'd gotten her answer when the hearth flared to life with green flames. However, instead of a voice coming through like she expected, a person appeared. She gasped when out of the flames stumbled her mate. "Sammy! You're early today," she said.

Her friend ducked her head, causing her overgrown fringe to fall in her eyes. "Oh, is that not okay?" she asked. Not looking Calliope in the eye, she mumbled, "I'm sorry. I just thought—"

Calliope put on a smile, heart warmed and fluttering nervously in her chest at the same. "—Don't apologize," she told her friend, cutting off the rest of her explanation. Getting up, she went and met Sammy by the fireplace. Taking her hands in her own, she said, "Usually, it wouldn't matter at all and I'd be happy to spend more of today with you." Sammy finally met her gaze and Calliope squeezed her friend's fingers. "It's just Aunt Maisie said that Darla is going to visit me with a surprise today. It's going to be the first time I've seen her in months."

Sammy beamed. "How lucky!" she exclaimed. "I was afraid you were going to have a kind of sad birthday being alone most of the day, but instead, you're going to see your aunt." Seemingly have lost steam, Sammy exhaled and pulled away her hand's from Calliope. Going toward the tin of floo powder kept on the desk beside the fireplace, she held it in her hands as she said, "I just wish I could meet her…"

All of a sudden, Calliope had a very good idea. Propping one hand on her hip and rubbing her chin with the other, she remarked, "You know, maybe you can."

"What?" Sammy said, blinking at her with her large blue eyes.

Calliope nodded and stepped forward to take the tin from Sammy and put it back on the desk. "If there is anyone in the world I trust to tell about you, it's her," she said. Beckoning for Sammy to come to sit on the sofa with her, Calliope explained once they were side by side, "Darla has made herself an enemy to the Death-Eaters for revealing which of them killed the Bones boys' parents."

"Death-Eaters?" Sammy repeated with a frown. "What are those?" she asked. Frown darkening, she said, "And they killed people and she didn't go to the police after finding out they did?"

Calliope bit her lip. There was so much to explain. So much she probably should have already. But she hadn't because… Sev had been one. Was one? She didn't know. Calliope didn't want to believe her dad was a bad guy, but he'd killed Professor Dumbledore. He didn't stand up for Darla to the Death-Eaters and he had Calliope sent away.

She just hoped someone someday would be able to tell her there was a good reason for every terrible thing he'd done. Until then, Calliope would just need to be careful about how she chose her words. "It's… I'll have to explain it all later," she said. Sammy, of course, began to glare at her and she sighed. "It's very complicated," she told the other girl. "Death-Eaters have a bit to do with the Ministry right now and why your sister brought you here to Knockturn to hide you."

"You say that a lot, Calliope," her mate replied in a quiet, but cross tone. "And then we never talk about it."

She blinked. "I do?" she said, feigning ignorance. "I'm sorry…" she apologized. "I guess there's just so much else I would rather discuss with you than the war and Death Eaters."

Sammy's glare lightened up a little and she said, "I suppose it's not all your fault. It's not like I've ever insisted you explain anything to me." Calliope's heart twinged at her friend taking fault for something she shouldn't but didn't row with her. Sammy didn't seem aware of Calliope's turmoil as she continued, "I've liked learning about potions and spells. As well as teaching you Origami and summarizing the Sweet Valley High books for you."

"I've really liked that too," Calliope said, earnest, fingers digging into the linen of her dress.

Sammy nodded, face stern. "That's going to have to change, though," she declared. "I'm starting to realize I hate not knowing anything about what's happening outside."

"Okay," she agreed, it was the least she could do. Especially because Sammy might not be across the street for much longer. Watching her friend carefully, she told Sammy, "I'll tell you what I know about the war and stuff, though, it's probably not enough to answer all of your questions. But maybe that's okay. Darla knows a lot more and you can ask her questions too."

"Is that why you want me to be here for Darla?" asked Sammy.

Calliope shook her head. "No, why I want to let Darla meet you is because she may be able to find your sister and Emmett."

Sammy's eyes flew wide and she began to bounce a little in place. "Really!"

"Yes. Since Darla upset the Death Eaters, the Death Eaters's enemy, the Order has been protecting and hiding her," she explained. "The Order might have people who can look for them and bring them somewhere safe where you can all be together like Amber said she wanted for you three."

Tears sprung to Sammy's eyes. "I want that," she whispered.

Calliope swallowed around the lump in her throat. She wanted Sammy to be with her family too. Yet… she wanted her to stay across the street as well. "When you go into hiding with your sister and Emmett, we probably won't see each other again until we go to Hogwarts together after the war," Calliope warned her.

A trembling lip joined Sammy's tears. "I… I don't want that, Calliope," she whimpered. "Who knows how long this war will go for?"

She looked away from Sammy and shrugged. To be honest, Calliope didn't know. She hoped it wouldn't go on for much longer, but what power did hope have over anything ? Instead of trying to answer Sammy's question, Calliope said, "We can still exchange letters sometimes. I do with Darla."

"That's not the same!" cried Sammy.

She crossed her arms and sneered at the other girl's babyish whining. "Well, if you don't want to see your sister again and want to stay with mean old Mrs. Whittaker, go back to her flat right now!" she snapped.

"That's not what I'm saying at all!" Sammy grumbled round cheeks flushed pink.

Calliope snorted. "You could have fooled me!"

Sammy placed a hand on her arm. Reluctantly, she met Sammy's gaze. Her face was still red and wet, but her expression was completely serious as she told Calliope, "Calliope, you're the best friend I've ever had. I want to see you every day as I have been. I don't want that part of my life to change."

"I don't want it to either, Sammy," she said. Gently, she shook off her friend's hand. Squaring her shoulders, she pretended she was Eileen. Her sister understood putting aside what you felt in the interest of everyone's benefit better than anyone else Calliope knew. Thinking like her sister, Calliope told Sammy, "Sometimes, though, we have to do what's best for others. This is what's best for you, for your sister, and Emmett."

A speculative air came to Sammy's countenance. "I wonder if that's how my dad felt when he let my sister take me," she remarked after a pause.

"Probably," said Calliope. She suspected the older you got, the more you did things thinking of how it will affect everyone, not just yourself. "I reckon my parents felt that way. My mum, Edie, was just gutted when she left me with the Mulpeppers, but she still did it."

Sammy nodded before an anxious light came to her eyes. "It's not been so bad for you, has it?" she demanded. "We've become mates."

"No, it's not been bad at all!" Calliope assured her mate. She bit her lip when the nervous look on Sammy's face didn't let up. With a sigh, she admitted, "It's hard sometimes, but I have really loved meeting you and becoming your friend."

"I… I suppose being in hiding with my sister and Emmett won't be so bad," she said after a long bout of silence between them. Voice soft, she said, "I'll finally get to know Amber."

"You will!" agreed Calliope.

Sammy breathed out. "Okay," she murmured. Then, shifting around, she pulled her rucksack off her back and opened it. Rummaging inside, Sammy mumbled, "Um, this seems a little out of order, now but, here."

Calliope blinked and looked down at her suddenly filled hands. She gave a delighted giggle when she saw paper flowers in her hands. "An origami bouquet!" she exclaimed.

"It'll last forever, unlike real flowers," explained Sammy, smiling.

"It's so pretty, thank you!" gushed Calliope, bringing them nearer to her.

Not meeting her gaze, Sammy handed over a folded piece of decorated parchment. "I also made you this card."

"Oh, Sammy!" she cried as she opened it up to read:

Happy Birthday, Calliope!

I'm sure this isn't how you envisioned your 11th birthday, but I hope it will be a happy one still. You've been a wonderful mate to me these past months. I love and am thankful for all that you do and will do to make my time in hiding a little less awful. I hope the flowers I give you make your days better the same way you make my days better.

Your mate,

Sammy.

"Sammy!" she yelled as she tackled her in a hug to thank her for her very kind, and very sweet gift. Calliope was sure she would remember it forever as the best gift she'd ever received from anyone.

"Calliope, I can't breathe!" wheezed her friend.

"Sorry, this is just—" Calliope breathed in around the growing lump in her throat to calm down. "I love you," she whispered.

Sammy made a small gasping sound and stared at Calliope. "Um, I love you too," she mumbled, looking down at her hands.

Calliope felt her already painfully wide grin grow. Standing up, she offered a hand to her friend. "I figured out where the Mulpeppers keep their camera," she said. "When Darla shows up, we'll have her take a picture of us. That way, you can have a copy of us while you're in hiding."

Sammy took her hand and let Calliope help her to her feet. "That's a wicked idea," she enthused. "When is Darla going to come?"

Calliope squinted over at the camera. "Well, soon?" she offered. "Uncle Eugene said the floo will light up between nine-thirty and ten with a call where someone is selling cleaning supplies and I have to answer it by saying 'Yes, I would like to look at your floor waxing potions." Leading her friend away from the lounge and down the hall, Calliope explained, "That way, Darla will know it's safe."

"What if you were to say no?" asked Sammy.

She tapped her chin. "I reckon she'd think it isn't safe to come over."

"Clever!"

"I suppose you're right!" replied Calliope, laughing. "Now, we have a couple of minutes before we really need to watch the fireplace. Want to get the Mulpeppers' camera with me?"

"Sure!" agreed Sammy. "Is it very different from a Muggle one?"

Calliope tilted her head in consideration. She'd never seen a Muggle one. Though, couldn't see how the two could be that different from each other. Their wirelesses were quite alike, weren't they? "No, I don't think it is…"

-o-O-o-

"Hello?" called Calliope when the floo activated.

"Hello, Miss!" Darla yelled to her in a funny accent. "Would you be interested in a demonstration of Wyatt Wyver's Cleaning Creations today?"

She laughed as Sammy watched her with wide eyes. Handing the Mulpepper's camera to her, Calliope hopped up from the sofa and approached the fireplace. "Yes! I'd like to see your floor wax potions if I may," she replied, snickering.

"Excellent," said Darla. "Step back!"

Calliope did as instructed and watched the floo flare to life. However, before she could see her aunt appear, Calliope felt a hand tug on her hair. Looking back, she saw Sammy was wearing an expression of worry. "Calliope—"

"Calliope! My favorite Snape!" said Darla.

Whipping her head back around, Calliope smiled. Her aunt was here ! Darting forward, she cried, "Darla! I missed you." She started to open her arms for a hug but stopped short when she saw there was a blanket-wrapped bundle in her hands. Pointing at it, she asked, "What's that in your arms?"

Darla, however, was not looking at Calliope anymore and behind her, at Sammy. A frown on her face, she countered, "Who's this ?

Ignoring the question, Calliope stepped closer and leaned over Darla's arms to look at the bundle. She covered her mouth when she saw a tiny face peeking out from the blanket's folds. Eyes wide, she looked up at her aunt and babbled, "You have a baby ? Why do you have a baby?"

Darla, however, kept her eyes on Sammy behind Calliope. She heard her friend sigh and say in a small voice, "I'm Sammy Vickers, Ms. Darla."

"Darla will do, thank you," her aunt replied, brushing past Calliope and approaching the sofa. "The baby is not important right now," she said. "He's asleep for at least the next hour." She leveled Sammy with a stern stare. "Move out of the way," she ordered. "I need to put him down."

As Sammy all but jumped up and away from the sofa, Calliope spun around and balled her hands at her side. "Not important!" she argued. "You didn't have a baby the last time I saw you!"

Darla continued to ignore her. Once she laid the baby down, she sat down next to it and crossed her legs and arms. "All right," she said, looking over at Sammy. "Now, who are you? Sammy Vickers? That name sounds terribly familiar…" Darla tilted her head, eyes focusing on the corner of the room away from Calliope and Sammy.

"You might know my sister?" offered Sammy, wringing her hands in front of her. "Well, half-sister," she amended. "Amber?"

"Amber…" Darla murmured, eyes narrowing. Startling both of them, she clapped her hands and exclaimed, "Oh! Yes, she was on Hufflepuff's Quidditch team."

Sammy smiled, some of the tension fading from her shoulders. "Yes!"

Re-affixing her Sev-worthy glare on her face, she said, "That doesn't explain why you're here." For the first time since she stepped out of the fireplace, she looked at her. "Calliope?"

Meeting Darla's gaze, she explained, "She's a Muggle-born and her sister hid Sammy across the street with her boyfriend's mother."

Darla nodded. "And who is Amber's boyfriend?" she asked.

"Emmett Whittaker."

The name drew an instant reaction from Darla. " Whittaker is going out with Amber ?" she demanded, expression one of utter surprise.

She scowled at her aunt and chanced a look at Sammy out of the corner of her eye. Sammy had begun to twist and pull at her fingers again, clearly uneasy about Darla's reaction. "What's so surprising about that!" Calliope snapped.

Darla's surprised faded and a more neutral, measured expression took its place. "Hm," she mumbled, looking down at her lap, "how to put this…" Breathing in and then out, she lifted her gaze to meet Calliope and Sammy's. "Whittaker's mates at Hogwarts weren't exactly an open-minded sort," she said.

Calliope blinked. "Oh?"

"Clearly, something changed if you've been hidden with his mother," Darla continued, eyes focused on Sammy. "How he managed to convince her to keep quiet is what I would like to know."

"He threatened to never see her again," Sammy whispered.

Darla leaned backed, one hand going to rest atop the baby. "Now things are making sense," she said.

Still annoyed with her aunt for not explaining the baby and refusing to answer any of her questions while they answered Darla's , she grumbled, "Isn't that bully for you."

"You knock that off right now, Calliope," her aunt scolded. "You're the one who met me with a surprise."

She scoffed. "Met you with a surprise? You have a baby!"

Darla smirked a little "Mr. and Mrs. Mulpepper said I'd be bringing a surprise, didn't they?"

"I thought it'd be a new robe or a puzzle maybe!" she said, stamping one of her feet. "Not a baby ."

Her aunt sighed and tilted her head back to rest on the top of the couch. "Yes, well, I didn't realize I'd be having one until he was born," she replied.

Calliope just stared at her aunt for a time. Finally, she said, "…You didn't know you were pregnant?"

"Oh, I did," her aunt replied, lifting her head and giving Calliope a lazy smile. "I just didn't think I would keep him until Madam Pomfrey put him in my hands."

"So he is your actual baby?" she questioned. Then, feeling more than a little dismayed, she demanded, "How come no one told me you were pregnant!"

"Frankly, I asked no one to say anything to you," Darla told her. "As I said, I didn't think I would keep him. It was bad enough Eileen and Essie knew…"

"They knew!" she shouted, even more upset if it were possible. What had her sisters done to be deserving of the knowledge of Darla's pregnancy and not her?

"Not because I wanted them to," said Darla.

Crossing her arms and turning away slightly, she told her aunt, "I'm very, very cross with you!"

Darla scrubbed a hand across her face and sighed. "I suppose I deserve that," she replied. Then, patting the free space beside her on the sofa, she suggested, "Now, why don't you sit down and I will let you hold your cousin until he wakes up and needs to be fed."

"I—" started Calliope, ready to start yelling about how that was a stupid idea and why would she want to sit next to Darla while she's so angry at her. Then, she looked at the blanket hiding her cousin and felt her shoulders give way. She wanted to hold her cousin more than she wanted to not sit next to Darla. To make sure her aunt knew this changed nothing of what she felt for her, Calliope glared at her. "Fine."

Darla simply smiled as Calliope sat down. Scooping up her baby, she placed them in her hands. She found herself surprised by how little her cousin weighed. "Oh, the baby's actually very small…"

"He's a little older than a month," explained Darla, fussing with the blankets around the baby's face.

"Really?" she asked, looking from her cousin to Darla.

"Yes."

Calliope returned her attention to the baby. Staring at the small, round face of her cousin, she asked, "Darla?"

"Hm?"

"What's his name?" Calliope questioned, shifting the baby to one arm so she could bring a free finger to stroke his pale cheek.

"I've just been calling him the baby," admitted Darla. "I haven't really thought of anything to call him yet." Calliope looked up, surprised, but said nothing. Face scrunched, her aunt explained, "I sort of considered calling him Stephen, but that seemed wrong. George should be able to use his brother's name first if he wants to."

Calliope nodded. The more she stared at her cousin, the more she was reminded of her father. He was still very small, but she thought maybe her cousin's nose had the start of the Snape hook to it. "You should name him after Sev," she said.

"Sev?" her aunt echoed.

"Well, he raised you mostly," she argued. "Sev named Eileen after Grandmother Eileen because she raised and loved him…"

Darla was quiet. "I don't know if he'd like that," she said after a while.

She puffed out her cheeks and glared up at Darla. "He doesn't get to say what you call your baby."

A smile twitched at the corners of Darla's mouth. "That's true."

"I think it would suit him," she declared. Giving her cousin's nose a light poke, she decided to make her observation known. "He's already got the Snape family nose."

"Yes, he does," agreed Darla, leaning in to lay a hand on top of his mostly bald head.

"'Lo, little Severus," Calliope whispered to her cousin.

Darla snorted. "Little Severus," she repeated, gazing down at her baby with unusually warm eyes. Finally, she sighed and sat back up. "You win, Calliope," she said. "The baby is now little Severus David Snape II."

"You're going to name him for David too?" Calliope asked, delighted. She remembered him. When Calliope and Edie went to have lunch with Darla at St. Mungo's when she was doing her training as a healer, sometimes Healer David Chopra would eat with them too. Edie said he'd helped Darla after a Death-Eater attack during the first war when he was young.

Since then, he and Darla had been rather fond of each other and became pen friends once David graduated from Hogwarts when Darla was seven. Then, while Darla was a Healer in training, they'd been a mentor and their mentee. She'd actually cried in July when Mr. Mulpepper read to her from the Daily Prophet that a Healer at St. Mungo's, David Chopra, was put on trial for letting a patient purposefully die under his care, and sentenced to Azkaban afterward.

"He is a good mate," Darla explained. "Plus, he was the one who sent me down my career path. The career I'll hopefully be able to practice once this damn war is over…"

"Speaking of the war," broke in Sammy, reminding Calliope and Darla that they were not alone

Darla turned toward the girl, who at some point, had sat in Mr. Mulpepper's chair. "Oh?" she prompted.

"Calliope was saying maybe you could help me?" Sammy said before biting her lip.

Her aunt's gaze shifted to Calliope. "Did she?"

"That's why I'm here now," said Sammy, a hand on her chest. "She said a group, the Order? Is keeping you safe somewhere. My sister and Emmett are on the run from the Ministry I think and I haven't seen them since they left me with Mrs. Hgar back in June."

Darla frowned. "That's quite a long time."

"It is!" agreed Sammy, scooting to the edge of her seat. "And Amber had promised she'd come back for me soon when she left with Emmett."

"Are you safe with Mrs. Whittaker right now?" asked Darla.

Sammy hesitated, but in the end, nodded her head. "…Yes. I'm not happy, but nothing bad has happened to me besides some name-calling from her."

Darla exhaled. "Okay," she said. "'ll contact some Order members about your sister and Whittaker later. I'll also see what we can do about reunite you three and maybe finding a safe place for all of you to stay together."

Sammy grinned. "That'd be nice, thank you."

"I would take you back to my safe house with me right now," Darla said. She crossed her arms and looked to her lap. "But if you're relatively well with Mrs. Whittaker… I'd rather not rock any boats. I reckon you'll be safe there a little while more if you have been for so long."

The smile on Sammy's face fell and a furrow came between her brows instead. "I suppose."

"You seem upset," remarked Darla, eyeing the girl.

"She's just mean, is all," explained Sammy. Lip shaking, she whispered, "I miss my family too."

"I understand," said Darla. Getting to her feet, she walked to Sammy and gently lifted her face with a hand. "But chin up, hm?" she smiled at the girl. "It won't be for much longer!"

" How much longer do you think I will be stuck with Mrs. Hagar?" asked Sammy, brows furrowed and tone shrewd.

"Two weeks?" offered Darla. Squinting over Sammy's head, she said, "No more than a month."

Sammy smiled again. "I like that you're giving me an actual timeline."

"I'm sure Amber thought she would be able to retrieve you soon," said Darla, patting Sammy's shoulder before returning to the sofa with Calliope and Little Severus.

"Maybe."

"If Mrs. Whittaker has been as unkind as you say, I know she wouldn't have wanted you to stay with her long at all," insisted Darla. "Amber was a very nice girl from what I recall. She always was surrounded by mates."

Face darkening, she said, quite unkindly, "It's 'cause she was pretty, I reckon."

"You're quite cute yourself, Sammy," Darla told her.

Sammy shook her head. "No, I'm not."

"Oh, but you are," insisted Darla. "I think you rival even Calliope."

"Darla!" she said, aghast that her own aunt could say such a thing about her.

Sammy brought her legs onto the chair she was sitting on and hugged them. "It's not nice to lie," she said.

Darla laughed. "What about you isn't cute?" she asked. Narrowing her eyes, she said, "I can see you're trying to hide a birthmark behind your hair, but it's not ugly. If anything, it makes you rather eye-catching."

Sammy's hand came to rest on her forehead. "Oh."

Calliope bit her lip. Now was probably a good point to tell her friend how much she liked her smile, wasn't it? "…I've never said, but your smile is beautiful, Sammy," she told the girl. "It's like an American movie star's."

"Really?" she asked, mouth splitting into a wide grin.

"Ah, Calliope is right!" Darla said, pointing at Sammy. "What beautiful teeth. You must take wonderful care of them," she praised.

"Mum's a hygienist," said Sammy.

Calliope didn't know what one of those were and a glance at Darla told Calliope she was just as clueless. However, she quickly recovered from her own puzzlement and said, "How lucky you've been."

Sammy's smile became even brighter and she looked as if she was going to say something, but, suddenly, Little Severus began to squirm. "Darla, Little Severus is moving," she told her aunt, slightly alarmed as he began to make a small whining noise.

Darla's attention instantly fixed on her son. "He must be waking up," she said, holding out her hands to Calliope. "Hand him over here." Gladly, Calliope put the baby in her aunt's hands. Once she had Severus, she began to make shushing noises at him as she started to undo the buttons of her blouse with her free hand.

Slightly alarmed, Calliope asked, "What are you doing?"

Darla glanced away from Little Severus to give Calliope a bland look. "Preparing to nurse him," she answered. Rolling her eyes, she said, "Come on, Calliope, it's not like Edie hasn't taught you this stuff."

"In front of us, though?" she complained, glancing over at Sammy, who'd averted her eyes to the fireplace at some point.

Darla laughed as she freed one breast and brought Little Severus to it. "I watched Edie nurse you and the rest of the girls growing up," she said. "It didn't harm me."

Calliope, face hot, looked to her lap. "Ergh, you're embarrassing."

"Oh, you can put up with one nursing session," chided Darla as Little Severus began to make a very soft sucking sound. "I reckon you won't have to watch too many more. The next time you see him, he might already be eating actual food and taking a bottle instead."

Her ears pricked at that. Calliope didn't know a lot about babies, but she was pretty sure they didn't eat actual food until they began to be more people-like and less like lumps. "When do babies start to do that stuff?" she demanded.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Darla scrunch her nose. "Oh, six months?"

She frowned. "You said he's a month old?" Calliope asked.

"Well, he'll be a month and a half in a couple more days," she replied.

Calliope felt dread wash over her. The length of time between a month and a half and six was the better part of a year. Did that mean she wouldn't see Darla again for that long? She didn't know if she could bear that. "Are you saying I won't see you for another five months?" she demanded, unable to stop the dismay she was feeling from her tone.

Her aunt winced. "No, of course not," she assured. I'm going to try very hard to see you at least every couple of months now. I'm just saying I might not be nursing during any of those visits. Babies eat fewer and fewer meals a day the older they grow."

Calliope didn't know if she could trust Darla's explanation, but she wanted to. It did seem genuine, after all. She nodded. "I see."

"Yes, I should think you do," sniffed Darla as she leaned back to settle herself more comfortably against the arm of the sofa. A fresh grin on her face, she looked between Calliope and Sammy. "Now, tell me, Calliope, Sammy, how exactly did you two meet?"

She and Sammy exchanged a glance. "That's a rather long story…" hedged Sammy.

Her aunt propped her cheek in her free hand and stared at the girl. "I have time," she said.

Calliope sighed loudly and crossed her arms. She knew they weren't going to get out of this. Darla was terribly persistent. Putting on a fierce glare, she said, "Okay, but don't yell at us! We were very, very careful."

"I'm sure," she replied with a laugh.

Calliope looked to Sammy then, who nodded. Taking it as her cue to tell Darla, she began, "It starts like this for me…"

This may be my longest chapter for a story in this series yet! How did you enjoy it? Getting a glimpse of the newly christened Severus II?

Thanks so much for reading!