A/N: Another quicky but a goody! I had soooo much fun writing this. Hope you love it :)

Year 9

Summer, 1993

Arah propped her head up with her hand, still naked and tangled in Callum's sheets as she watched him dress. Chipper and glowing as he always was after a good shag.

Her feelings felt muddled as of late. It had been a weird couple of months. It turns out the terrifying beast causing the petrification attacks was a Basilisk. It had mysteriously been re-awoken after centuries of slumber within a secret chamber under the castle. Little Ginny Weasley was nearly killed because of it. Honestly, Arah considered it a miracle no one had died from the monster.

Hagrid and Dumbledore were back. Hagrid had been especially grateful for the hundreds of letters they had written to protest his arrest. Arah had to change her shirt after he lifted her up and blubbered into her cloak. The damned loveable ofe.

Based on public rumblings, Minister Fudge was now looked at with a skeptical eye. And in Arah's opinion, Gilderoy Lockhart got exactly what he deserved... the bloody tosser.

But that had little to do with what troubled Arah's thoughts now. She was tired. Tired of the secrets, tired of tiptoeing around with Callum. Tired of standing at the edge of a group conversation and pretending they were just friends. Tired of watching Jacob and Olivia exchange teasing glances while she and Callum barely acknowledged each other in public.

Yes, she knew this was what they had agreed to, but it had been months now. Months of secrecy and isolation. It weighed on her.

He caught her gaze, his lips quirking in that crooked grin of his. "Didn't your Mum ever tell you it's rude to stare?"

Arah bit her lip. The words tumbled out before she could reign them back in, "I think we should go public about our relationship."

Callum froze mid-button on his shirt and frowned. "I thought we've been over this already."

"I know but- I'm not asking to announce it to the world, Cal. Can we at least tell my brother and Olivia? I tell Jacob everything." Arah pleaded.

Callum looked away, continuing to dress in silence.

"Please." Arah sat up, holding the blanket to her bare chest. "This means a lot to me."

Callum let out a sigh of defeat and walked over to her. He cupped her cheeks, brushing his thumbs along her skin. "You mean a lot to me," he said, his voice softer now. "Which is why I don't want to muck this up. Things are good, yeah? I don't want to... complicate things."

He pressed a kiss to her forehead, but Arah barely felt it.

"Callum." Arah said, eyes serious, "I want us to be more than sneaking around and snogging behind closed doors. I want to be able to attend cheesy Christmas parties with horrid matching jumpers and dance at weddings, and get kicked out of Flourish and Blotts for snogging in the restricted section. I want to proudly introduce you as my boyfriend, not my mate."

Callum winced. "Can we start with your brother and go from there?"

Arah beamed, her heart skittering with excitement. "Really?"

"Really really."

She barely gave him time to blink before she flung her arms around him, pressing her face into his neck. A raspy chuckle shook his chest as he hugged her back.

"I'll send him an owl tonight!" she said against his skin.

Callum let out a small laugh—before Arah smothered it with her lips, fingers already working to undo his freshly buttoned shirt.

"So, Callum..." Jacob's eyes flitted up from his plate, picking up the knife and carving at the meat, "What exactly are your intentions with my little sister?"

Callum choked as Arah gave him a swift kick in the shin under the table. Jacob hardly flinched.

"Uh- well, I-"

"This chicken is absolutely delicious, Olivia." Arah oozed, trying to ease the tension. "Jacob was right to enthuse about your cooking. You have to share the recipe with me."

"You think so?" Olivia beamed, pushing up her glasses, "Well I start with basking the meat in-"

"As you were saying?" Jacob cocked his head toward Callum, "Before my sister rudely interrupted us." he glared at Arah, chastising her as if she were a child.

Arah scowled, focusing on her legilimency and finding her brother's familiar mind.

Quit it. She hissed in his head. I know what you're doing.

Callum cleared his throat awkwardly, wiping his mouth with his napkin. "I-er, well I think very highly of Arah and- ."

Jacob's gaze flickered to Arah's, his lips twitching slightly. He's already sweating. This is fun.

Jacob, I swear to Merlin- stop acting like my father.

"I care about her a lot. I think-"

Get out of my head, Pip. The grown-ups are talking. Speaking of 'grown-up', exactly how old is he?

Arah shot him the most evil glare she could muster as Jacob took a casual bite of his food, looking thoroughly entertained. Callum rambled on, completely unaware.

"we get on real well and..."

Jacob grinned, nodding along as if he were listening. Too old.

Five years is hardly too old.

Five years?! What is he, a pervert?

Arah's jaw clenched, white-knuckling the fork in her hands as she stabbed at her chicken, the grating sound of metal on porcelain causing everyone's attention to jerk towards her. Callum's black brows knitted in confusion, glancing skeptically between the two of them.

You're being ridiculous.

I'm being responsible. You're my baby sister.

I'm twenty.

Exactly. A baby.

Callum chuckled nervously, running a hand through his dark hair, "Am I missing something here?"

Olivia waved off his comment casually, taking a sip of wine, "Oh, don't worry, they do this all the time." she assured him. "It's their sibling legilimency thing. You get used to it."

Callum paled, "Righto."

"So, Callum- what Quidditch team do you support?" Jacob interjected, taking a gulp from his goblet, and turning his attention back to him.

Callum's shoulders relaxed, relieved at the change of subject, "My Dad's a big Montrose Magpies fan so I guess it runs in the family."

Arah suppressed a groan, already burying her head in her palm. Please don't.

Jacob's face twisted in disgust, "Oh. Oh, no."

"What is it, love?" Oliva's brown eyes widened with concern, "Was the chicken undercooked?"

"The Montrose Magpies?!" His voice jumped up an octave. It was as if Callum had admitted to bedding a she-troll. "Supporting them is like cheering for a broomstick with a busted braking charm. Sure, they look good in the league tables, but then they bloody damn choke when it matters."

Callum laughed, "Och, they only choked because Puddlemere United hexed our Beater if you ask me."

Jacob scoffed, "Arah, I don't know if I can condone this relationship anymore."

"Jacob! Be. Nice." Arah gritted through her teeth, before turning to Callum and shooting him an apologetic smile, "Don't listen to him. He's just giving you a hard time."

"I am being nice." he mocked innocently.

Arah glared at him, as Jacob let out a chuckle, "Alright, alright." He lifted his hands in mock surrender, "Just keep appreciating my sister, and we won't have a problem."

"Aye, I can promise you that." Callum grinned, as the two of them clinked glasses.

If he hurts you, I'll kill him. Her brother's voice echoed in her head.

Arah smiled. Even if Jacob was a pain in her arse, she would always appreciate her big brother looking out for her. Besides, it wasn't like she had a father to grill her new love interests.

She took a sip of wine, meeting his gaze. I know.

"Well, I for one am very happy for you two." Olivia said cheerfully, taking a bite of food, "I always thought the two of you worked well together. But I don't understand why you both kept this all so under wraps. People date all the time at the ROCC. You should know that out of anyone, Callum. You dated like half the Cursed Artifact department in your second year." Olivia snorted.

Arah's fork stilled mid-air, her fingers tightening around the handle. A strange weight settled in her stomach, heavy and sinking. He lied. Not just a little lie, no - he'd hidden her. Why? Fear of commitment? Embarrassment? Arah wasn't sure which was worse.

She turned to Callum. He didn't look at her. His jaw tensed, fingers curling slightly against the table. He swallowed hard, but the silence stretched too long.

"Oh. That was… something I shouldn't have said, wasn't it?" Olivia blinked, covering her mouth innocently.

Jacob leaned back in his chair, swirling his wine, eyes flicking between Callum and Arah. His gaze sharpened, thoughtful.

Arah swallowed the hurt and plastered on a forced smile, "We know, we just didn't want a ton of attention as we explored something so new between us. Besides, I wanted to be taken seriously and prove my worth, and so did Callum."

Callum cleared his throat, playing along, "I didn't want my title as her mentor downplaying all that she has accomplished at the ROCC."

"How very mature of you." Jacob's tone was polite. Too polite. Arah didn't need Legilimency to know—Jacob wasn't buying a damn word.

The table fell into an unbearable silence, the weight of unspoken words pressing against the air. Arah's face burned. Callum still wouldn't look at her.

"So. Have you thought about kids?"

"JACOB!"

They walked in silence, the muggy air doing nothing to ease the heaviness between them. The buzz of cicadas and distant croaks of bullfrogs filled the quiet streets of Godric's Hollow, the only sounds accompanying their footsteps on the uneven cobblestones.

Callum walked beside her, shoulders tense, hands shoved deep in his pockets to keep from fidgeting. Every so often, he glanced her way, but Arah kept her gaze fixed ahead, jaw tight. The evening should have ended with laughter, a pleasant sort of exhaustion from too much wine and conversation. Instead, it sat between them, heavy and unspoken.

Finally, Callum cleared his throat. "Well, that went well, don't you think?"

Arah froze, cheeks burning with frustration, "Why? Why would you lie to me all these months and tell me we had to keep things hidden between us?"

"It's not— I mean, it wasn't about you, Arah. It's just..." Callum stammered, rubbing the back of his neck, "my reputation isn't exactly spotless. If people saw us together, I didn't want them assuming things, making it harder for you."

Arah huffed, crossing her arms, "Assuming what, exactly? That you'd chew me up and spit me out like everyone else?"

Callum winced, "That's not— Look, I know I've been a prick in the past, alright? But you're different. And aye, I know how dafty that sounds, but maybe... maybe I didn't want to make a modger of this before I even had the chance to prove to you that I'm serious about you. About us."

Arah studied his face, trying to read the sincerity in his words. "So what, you thought if no one knew, it wouldn't be real enough to ruin?"

Callum exhaled, tucking her silver hair behind her ear, "No, I think I was just an idiot. And I'm hoping you'll let me fix that."

Arah's lips lifted faintly, but her heart still felt hesitant and guarded. "How?"

Callum rubbed his chin thoughtfully. A gaggle of voices filled the evening as a group of church-goers exited the old moss-covered church. Callum spotted them, a spark of mischief in his eyes.

"Like this." his voice went low, putting an arm around her and waving frantically with the other, "OY! YOU LOT!"

The group paused, staring at them with confused yet friendly smiles.

"SEE THIS BEAUTIFUL BONNIE LASS RIGHT HERE?!"

Arah's stomach lurched as the entire group turned toward them, blinking in startled amusement. She stiffened, heat crawling up her neck.

"Callum, what the hell—" she hissed under her breath, eyes darting between the onlookers and this absolutely barking man.

But Callum only grinned wider, unbothered by the attention.

"SHE'S MY GIRLFRIEND!" he declared triumphantly as if announcing the second return of Godric Gryffindor himself.

Arah's cheeks flushed at the attention as she fought back a smile. A few people chuckled. One elderly woman clapped politely, though she looked mildly concerned for his wellbeing.

Before Arah could swat at him, Callum seized the moment—grabbing her by the waist, dipping her low, and planting a kiss on her like they were in some dramatic stage play.

Arah's stomach fluttered, she could hardly hear the cheers of encouragement and the elderly woman's gasp as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back.

They broke away, Arah laughing breathlessly, gasping for air. "I guess that's a start."

"No more hiding. I'm talking to Flump tomorrow." he beamed, grazing his thumb against her bottom lip as she smiled.

Arah shook her head, still catching her breath. "You sure?"

Callum grinned. "Aye, never been more sure of anything.."

Arah smiled, pushing herself up on her tiptoes to give him a brief kiss. "Looks like we've got a few gawkers now, no thanks to you."

"Shall we give them a real show?" He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"No, but if you're lucky, I might give you one back at my place."

Callum's grin turned downright wicked. "Well then, no sense dawdling."

Arah's laughter rang through the quiet streets of Godric's Hollow as he grabbed her hand and pulled her toward home.

A/N: As you can see, we are starting to jump more into the future! I also think Jam City may have abandoned Beyond so we may just be calling this cannon from now on :P

The sibling dynamic was SO fun to explore. Truly had me giggling while typing.

I am so interested to hear how you all are liking Callum still or if you are starting to shift allegiances haha :)

Anyway, feel free to leave a comment to let me know what you thought of this chapter!