Chapter 8: Third Year
Calli forced herself to refrain from another eyeroll as she sat reading in the only empty compartment on the Hogwarts Express. Everyone was obsessed with the news that Sirius Black had escaped from Azkaban. Everyone was impressed and terrified. He was a murder after all. (INSERT ANOTHER EYEROLL)
She fought the urge to scream. OK, sure her cousin was a fearful person, she supposed. She was far more afraid that if he figured out an escape route, then so could her parents. If Black was scary, try parents who torture people into insanity because at least one of them enjoys it. A woman so fearsome that her name is said in the same quiet voice that people say "You Know Who" or "He Who Must Not Be Named". Seriously, the Lestranges were far scarier and if Black could escape, then what stopped them?
The train shuddered to a standstill. It was dark, but they weren't near Hogwarts yet. Then the lights flickered and died. A rocking force hit the train, then she watched as a thing of nightmares drifted past her compartment. A Dementor on the school train. She watched it barely register her, sliding past in an eerie way. Moments later she heard screams. Horrifying heartbreaking screams of a woman. Then, blissfully it ended. The lights flashed on and the train continued.
Her idiotic cousin chose her carriage to head to the castle in and he was mocking someone the entire way. Soon she realized it was Harry. Could he have been the source of that piercing scream? No, of course he wasn't, that had been a woman. No one in their carriage mentioned a scream, only that Harry had passed out. A feint, but no screams. What had she heard then?
During Dumbledore's welcome speech, she learned that the Dementors were guarding the boundaries. Great, goodbye quiet year. If her cousin planned on continuing his mocking all year, she'd be hard pressed to not jinx him. Inward groaning made her nearly miss the introduction of the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. We really seem to run through those, she thought, looking at the tired man who took an awkward bow.
Remus Lupin. Like Remus and Romulus, she wondered, and Lupin a clear translation for wolf. How odd. The thought cleared from her mind as she caught sight of her Head of House. Professor Snape looked like he'd gotten something rotten during the feast. She focused on his face and felt a flash of pain. Of being bullied and certainty that this new teacher was dangerous. Very weird.
Her attention had been so focused on the Potion's Master that she'd missed another announcement. An eruption from Gryffindor made her refocus. Hagrid was standing at the teacher's table. Clearly he'd received a promotion. She had to stop herself from smiling when she learned from her cousin's dark muttering about telling her uncle that Hagrid would be their new Care of Magical Creatures teacher. That would explain the textbook.
She'd watched carefully as the shopkeeper had nearly lost a hand to the book he handed her and thought of it as an animal. Stroking the book while her aunt and uncle fought to restrain Draco's from mangling his face, her book calmed and fell asleep. No one asked how she did it. Her family simply assumed she'd used her vast magical ability. Morons, she'd thought, this is why we don't have pets. Draco and his parents were forced to buy a belt to hold his growling book shut. Oops.
Listening to the rest of Dumbledore's speech she felt a surge of hope when he reminded them that light could be found in darkness. As they headed to their rooms in the dungeon, she felt a small bit of hope. Perhaps, with the Dementors at the gates, and with Dumbledore inside, the year wouldn't be as problematic as she'd feared. After all, Hogsmeade visits were allowed for Third Years. Time away from the halls, or the choice to stay behind in the quiet left by all the others leaving was something to consider. A silver lining to what she'd considered an unsalvageable year.
As she closed her bed curtains, once again she created a glowing orb to hover so she could read for awhile before bed without inviting conversation from her roommates. She contemplated a silence charm to keep out their irritating gossip, but she'd learned early in life that hearing what everyone was saying was a great way to keep herself hidden. Although after the third sighing admiration of Draco's gorgeousness from Pansy made her reconsider. Honestly, was it his constant bragging or whining that she found so attractive? No, it was his name. His fortune. No sane girl would find a boy who always muttered about tattling to daddy appealing.
Falling asleep once the chattering died out and her eyes finally grew as tired as her body, Calli thought as she extinguished her orb, with the same irritation from the previous years peeking at her. Her refuge, or where she hoped would be refuge, was showing itself not so comforting.
Severus was on hall duty. Boring after hours, but a new necessity since apparently Black was coming for Potter. One year, he thought, checking each hallway carefully, is one year without drama or terror too much to ask? For Merlin's sake, he just wanted a break.
Groaning, he made his rounds. This castle had once been his safe place. Now it kept bringing up memories he never wanted to relive. Not safe anymore.
Third Year: Second Term
Calli returned from break feeling tense. Between the repeated break-ins, the scares, the annoying presence of Dementors that didn't care about the rules to stay at the boundaries, she was ready to climb the walls. Malfoy Manor offered no reprieve. She craved a place to relax and even the trips to Hogsmeade offered no relief.
Honeydukes, she'd seen from the window was a plethora of sweets. So much sugar that her teeth ached just looking in the shop window. The Three Broomsticks would work for a break, if not for the bevy of randy teenage boys trying to catch the buxom owner's eye. Plus it had times where it was not open for underage customers. Don't even contemplate Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop with the couples cooing at each other. The list went on and on. Even Tomes and Scrolls, the bookstore didn't fulfill her need for relaxation and quiet. The owner was a chatter, since it wasn't exactly overwhelmed with students she became the object of the conversation.
She definitely didn't understand the attraction of the Shrieking Shack. Most haunted building in Britain? We live with ghosts for Merlin's sake. Honestly she had to question her fellow students' collective intelligence.
The fear was there too. Fear of the boogeyman Sirius Black. To hear the other kids talk, he was like smoke and vapor. Sure, she thought, he turned himself into mist and got inside the castle. She wasn't sure what means he used to infiltrate the castle, but Black was a regular wizard as far as they all knew. He wasn't a spirit or some super wizard. Just a madman Hellbent on whatever kept him moving.
She felt certain he'd be caught and then, maybe the school she'd hoped to be home would become one.
Severus Snape was livid. Sirius Black had been in his clutches, so close to the Dementor's Kiss he could almost feel it himself, and he escaped AGAIN. Either these creatures weren't as fearsome and competent at their jobs would demand, or Black had inside help. Not Lupin. He'd turned and run off into the forest. So who else? Dumbledore was a viable option. Potter was as well, but it truly didn't matter, because he'd had his revenge. He accidently allowed the secret of Lupin's shame to slip. A few worthy students spread the news and he was on his way out.
Potter had attacked him in the shack. Unsurprisingly, there'd be no punishment. Not even writing lines. Did it even matter? Aside from serving as the irritating child's unwilling protector, apparently not.
Ire flowed through him. This castle was becoming intolerable.
Calli felt relief. Wherever the escaped Black and hippogriff ended up, it was far away from Hogwarts. Even though the school year was over, she was hopeful for Fourth Year. Perhaps that would finally be her year for calm stability.
Riding home was quieter than coming back. People weren't full of fear. The danger out of sight and mind, the gossip stopped. About Black, at least.