ELEVEN
' sunshine only sometimes '

☾⋆₊✧

FEBRUARY
1994

HERMIONE and Ron's friendship had crumbled completely before Calista's eyes. The tension between them was so thick that she couldn't imagine how they'd ever reconcile.

Ron was livid, pacing the common room and muttering furiously about Hermione's negligence. He was adamant that she had never taken Crookshanks's relentless stalking of Scabbers seriously, and he berated her for not keeping a closer eye on her cat. Worst of all, in Ron's eyes, was Hermione's continued insistence that Crookshanks was innocent, even going so far as to suggest Ron check under all the boys' beds for Scabbers, as though the rat could still be alive.

On the other hand, Hermione stood her ground, her face flushed with indignation. She argued just as fiercely that Ron had no real proof that Crookshanks had eaten Scabbers. The ginger hairs Ron had found could have been there since Christmas, she pointed out repeatedly, her voice rising with exasperation. And besides, she added, Ron had been biased against Crookshanks from the very start, ever since the cat had pounced on his head in the Magical Menagerie in Diagon Alley.

Personally, Callie did think that Crookshanks had eaten Scabbers, though she would never reveal this to Hermione. She wasn't going to take sides in this war, because she knew it wouldn't solve anything. Both Hermione and Ron weren't fond of the fact that she was neutral and still talking to the other, and either of them weren't afraid to express this to Callie. She also had a deep fondness for Crookshanks, who never failed to brush up against her legs or sleep next to her in the dorm at night. Scabbers rather freaked Callie out, and she felt that there was something odd about him which she couldn't place.

Still, it pained Callie to see how hard the loss of Scabbers had taken to Ron.

"Come on, Ron, you were always saying how boring Scabbers was," Fred said bracingly. "And he's been off-colour for ages, he was wasting away. It was probably better for him to snuff it quickly. One swallow—he probably didn't feel a thing."

"Fred!" Ginny said indignantly. Callie shook her head and sighed.

"All he did was eat and sleep, Ron, you said it yourself," George pointed out.

"He bit Goyle for us once!" Ron said miserably. "Remember, Harry?"

"Yeah, that's true," Harry responded.

"His finest hour," Fred said, unable to keep a straight face. "Let the scar on Goyle's finger stand as a lasting tribute to his memory. Oh, come on, Ron, get yourself down to Hogsmeade and buy a new rat. What's the point of moaning?"

In lieu of everything that had happened over the holidays, and since coming to Hogwarts in general, Dumbledore was finally available to meet with Callie. It had been longer than a while, really. Callie hadn't seen Professor Dumbledore since arriving at Hogwarts in September. Madam Pomfrey had handled all her appointments, and no one seemed eager to draw attention to her visits. Callie suspected her father had been reporting back to Dumbledore the entire time—she doubted much escaped the Headmaster's notice—but tonight was the first time he'd arranged for them to meet.

Remus walked beside Callie through the quiet corridors, the echo of their footsteps filling the space between them. His presence was steady, reassuring in its familiarity, but she could sense the undercurrent of unease in him.

"You'll be fine," he said softly, glancing down at her. "Just... be honest with him."

Callie raised an eyebrow. "You sound like I'm going to detention."

Remus huffed a quiet laugh. "Hardly. Dumbledore just wants to check in with you. It's been... a while."

They reached the stone gargoyle guarding the entrance to the Headmaster's office, and Remus paused, turning to her. His hands rested on her shoulders, his touch warm and grounding. "You don't have to tell him everything if you don't want to," he said, his voice low. "But he's someone you can trust, Cal. More than most."

She nodded, her throat tightening slightly. "I know. It just feels weird, though—like he's known everything this whole time."

Remus offered her a faint, apologetic smile. "He never felt right about keeping things from you either. But it was my choice. And he's helped with so much."

Callie nodded slowly, understanding the reasoning, though it didn't entirely settle the odd feeling in her chest. A different thought flickered in her mind, and she glanced up at him. "Has Chiara? Known, I mean—about everything?"

Remus shook his head quickly. "Not everything. Just the curse and your illnesses. Nothing about your mother."

He looked uneasy as he spoke, and Callie studied his face for a moment, wondering if there was more he wasn't saying. But she decided not to press it.

He gave her shoulder a light squeeze before turning to the gargoyle, uttering, "Sherbet Lemon."

The statue leapt aside, revealing the spiral staircase leading up to Dumbledore's office. Remus gestured for her to go ahead, but she hesitated, her feet rooted to the floor. She looked up at him, her brows knitted.

"Are you coming with me?" she asked softly, her voice carrying a hint of unease.

Remus hesitated, glancing up the staircase, then back at her. "You'd like me to?"

Callie nodded. "I would."

Without another word, Remus gestured for her go ahead, and together they ascended the staircase. Callie clutched the banister, her nerves building as they neared the heavy wooden door at the top.

When they reached it, Remus reached out and gave a gentle knock.

"Enter," came Dumbledore's calm voice from within.

Callie swallowed hard as the door swung open, revealing the grand yet cluttered office. The warm glow of the lamps illuminated shelves crammed with books, odd devices whirring softly, and the serene figure of Professor Dumbledore sitting behind his desk.

"Ah, Miss Lupin," Dumbledore said warmly, his blue eyes twinkling as they shifted to Remus. "And Professor Lupin. A pleasure to see you both."

Remus placed a hand lightly on Callie's shoulder, offering a small squeeze of reassurance. "I thought I'd accompany her, at least for the start. She's—well, it's been a lot."

"Of course," Dumbledore said, rising from his chair and gesturing for them to sit. "Please, both of you, make yourselves comfortable."

Callie hesitated for a moment before sitting down in the chair in front of the desk. Remus sat beside her, leaning forward slightly, his elbows resting on his knees as if he wanted to stay ready to intervene if necessary.

Dumbledore studied them both for a moment, his expression kind but serious. He then turned to Callie, "Tell me, my dear, how has Hogwarts been so far from your perspective?"

Callie shifted in her chair, suddenly feeling the weight of Dumbledore's gaze. "It's been... different," she admitted. "Good, mostly. Better than I thought it would be, but not what I expected either."

Dumbledore's eyebrows rose slightly in curiosity. "And in what ways has it surprised you?"

Callie glanced at Remus, who gave her an encouraging nod, before turning back to Dumbledore. "It's just... everything's so big, and there are so many people. I've spent so much time just with Dad—or at home—that being around everyone all the time feels overwhelming sometimes." She paused, fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve. "But I've made friends. Harry, Hermione, and Ron have been great. And classes are amazing. It's just... hard, you know?"

Dumbledore nodded solemnly. "Transitioning to such a bustling environment is no small feat, especially given your unique circumstances. It seems to me, however, that you are adapting remarkably well."

Callie's lips curved into a small smile at the praise, but she quickly glanced down, unsure how to respond.

"Madam Pomfrey tells me you've been in good shape lately," Dumbledore then mentioned.

"Oh, yes," Callie said softly, glancing up at Dumbledore. "There are moments here and there, but nothing out of the ordinary. Nothing like before."

Dumbledore's blue eyes twinkled as he nodded, his expression thoughtful. "It's remarkable. Almost as if Hogwarts has helped shield you," he mused. His gaze shifted momentarily to Remus, who stood beside her, his brow furrowed, though his lips twitched faintly at the corners as if in agreement.

Callie glanced between them, a small crease forming on her own forehead. "Shield me? From what exactly?" she asked, the weight of the word settling uneasily in her chest.

Remus cleared his throat, his voice calm but tinged with a quiet reassurance. "Hogwarts is a special place, Callie. Magic here... it's old, powerful. Sometimes it does more than teach—it protects. That's why I wanted you to come, to see if being here might help."

Callie tilted her head slightly, considering his words. "You think the castle itself is helping keep me... stable?"

"Perhaps," Dumbledore said with a faint smile. "Hogwarts has a way of looking after those who call it home, though it rarely operates in ways we can fully understand."

Callie blinked, unsure whether the idea was comforting or unsettling. She let out a soft sigh, leaning slightly into her father's side. "I hope it keeps working, then," she said quietly, her voice carrying an edge of vulnerability she tried to mask.

"You seem worried," Dumbledore observed gently, his tone encouraging her to speak.

Callie hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Apart from the fight my friends are in, well..." She glanced down at her hands, fidgeting slightly. "I think about them a lot. My mum and her brother. Sirius."

Dumbledore's eyebrows lifted just a fraction, his gaze briefly shifting to Remus, who stood silent but watchful.

"I told her," Remus said quietly. "She uncovered some things on her own, as you assumed, but... it's all out in the open now. Everything."

Callie turned her eyes back to Dumbledore, her expression conflicted, her voice barely above a whisper. "Would he really try to kill me? I'm... I'm his family."

Her words hung in the air around them. Dumbledore studied her carefully, his expression unreadable yet deeply empathetic. Finally, he spoke, his tone grave but kind. "Family has many meanings, Miss Lupin. Sometimes, even the strongest ties are tested under great strain. But remember this—Sirius Black's choices do not define your worth or the truth of your connection to him."

Callie swallowed hard, unsure whether the response made her feel better or worse. Remus's hand came to rest gently on her shoulder, a silent reassurance that she wasn't facing this alone.

"Most of the sightings and incidents seem to be prompted by Harry," Dumbledore continued. "It would appear as though he is still Sirius' primary focus."

Remus nodded in agreement. "You have been well hidden here."

Callie gulped, feeling a tight knot in her throat. That was the thing; she didn't want to be hidden. Not here at Hogwarts, and certainly not back at home. This taste of the world she had known for the past six months—the freedom, the connection with her friends, the sense of being seen—it had only made her yearn for more. For a life where she wasn't constantly in the shadows, where she could be more than just a name on a hidden letter or a secret whispered in the corners of rooms. She wanted to be part of the world, not shut away from it.

Dumbledore continued, his tone gentle but firm. "Stick to your curfew, follow your schedules—everything has been arranged to ensure your safety and protection."

Callie hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Okay."

Remus gave Callie a reassuring look, placing a hand on her shoulder. She gave him a small, silent smile in return.

Dumbledore's gaze softened, his eyes filled with a quiet understanding. "I know this is a lot to process, Calista. But know that you're not alone in this. We will do everything we can to keep you safe."

Callie swallowed, the weight of the conversation still heavy in the air. "Thank you," she murmured, not sure if she was thanking them for the safety or for the chance to speak freely.

Dumbledore gave a kind nod. "We will leave you to rest now. Remember, Hogwarts is your home, and it will always protect you."

With one last look of reassurance from Remus, Callie followed him out of the office, the door closing quietly behind them. As they made their way back down the corridor, the reality of everything that had been said began to settle in, but for now, she was grateful for the moment of calm.

☾⋆₊✧

The morning that followed was a big day for Gryffindor—specifically, the Quidditch team. They had gotten another chance to contest for the House Cup, through something that had to do with narrowly won matches from the other houses' teams. They were to play Ravenclaw today, and as the weather was clear, Callie had gone to watch the game with the rest of her house.

Hermione was insistent on sitting alone as she watched from a corner. She didn't want to miss the game even though her and Harry weren't on the best terms, but she also had one of her textbooks with her and had become so snappy lately that Callie was relieved she'd asked to be alone.

The Gryffindor stands erupted with cheers as the players walked onto the pitch. Callie sat bundled in her cloak beside Ron, her hands clutched tightly around a borrowed Gryffindor scarf. The bitter February air was biting, but the excitement of the crowd kept her warm enough.

"Come on, Harry!" Ron bellowed as the Gryffindor team appeared. Callie grinned at his enthusiasm, though her gaze darted to Hermione, who was sitting several rows away, her nose buried in a book.

The Ravenclaw team stood in their blue robes, already waiting in the centre of the pitch. Callie craned her neck to get a better look at their Seeker. Cho Chang stood out immediately—not just because she was the only girl on her team, but because she carried herself with an easy confidence. Callie noticed Harry glance her way, and even from the stands, she could sense his nerves shift into something else entirely when Cho smiled at him.

Ron muttered something about "Ravenclaw show-offs," breaking Callie's train of thought. She smirked at him but kept her eyes on the pitch as Madam Hooch called out for the captains to shake hands.

The whistle blew, and the game began.

Harry shot into the air on his Firebolt, a streak of red and gold against the grey winter sky. Even from the stands, Callie could tell how much faster and smoother his broom was compared to the others. "Wow," she breathed, watching him zip around the stadium.

"Firebolt's unstoppable," Ron said proudly, as if he'd had a hand in building it himself. "Ravenclaw doesn't stand a chance."

Callie didn't respond, her eyes darting between Harry and Cho as they circled the pitch. Lee Jordan's voice boomed through the stands, alternating between commentary and Professor McGonagall shouting at him to stay on track.

The game unfolded rapidly, with Gryffindor and Ravenclaw battling fiercely for the Quaffle. As much as Callie wanted to keep track of everything, her eyes kept drifting to Harry as he searched for the Snitch. She wasn't the only one; Cho seemed to be shadowing his every move.

"She's tailing him pretty close," Callie remarked, nudging Ron.

"She's probably trying to distract him," Ron grumbled, crossing his arms. "Typical Ravenclaw tactics."

Callie raised an eyebrow but didn't comment. Instead, she glanced back at Hermione, who was still engrossed in her book, though Callie noticed her stealing occasional glances at the pitch.

"Looks like she's rooting for the dictionary," Ron muttered, noticing where Callie was looking.

Callie gave him a half-hearted smile, but her attention quickly snapped back to the game as a Gryffindor Chaser scored, prompting another deafening roar from their section of the stands. She joined in the cheers, her voice hoarse but her spirits high.

As Harry and Cho continued their aerial duel, Callie couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy. Not for the attention or admiration they garnered, but for the freedom they seemed to find up there in the open sky. For now, though, she was content to watch and cheer from the ground, her heart pounding with every twist and turn of the game.

"HARRY, THIS IS NO TIME TO BE A GENTLEMAN!" Wood had roared at one point, as Harry swerved to avoid a collision. "KNOCK HER OFF HER BROOM IF YOU HAVE TO!"

Callie's heart raced as she watched Harry accelerate, the Firebolt cutting through the air like a golden streak. The Snitch fluttered just ahead of him, and far below, she could see Cho chasing after him, but Harry was gaining every second.

"She's not catching him!" Ron shouted beside her, leaping to his feet. Callie stayed seated, her hands gripping the edge of the bench, too anxious to move.

And then Cho cried out.

Callie's eyes snapped to her, then followed her pointing hand. A shiver ran down her spine as she spotted them—three black-cloaked figures, unmistakable even from this distance. Dementors.

"No, no, no..." she muttered under her breath, panic welling up. Why couldn't those hooded demons just leave Harry alone out here?!

But Harry didn't hesitate. Even from the stands, she could hear him shout, "Expecto Patronum!" A flash of silvery-white light erupted from his wand, and Callie's jaw dropped in awe. Whatever he had conjured was enormous, like a protective guardian that surged toward the Dementors.

"Did you see that?" she gasped, gripping Ron's sleeve.

"Yeah, I saw it!" Ron yelled back, his face alight with a mix of amazement and panic. "Come on, Harry!"

Callie's gaze shot back to Harry. He hadn't slowed down—his focus stayed locked on the Snitch, even as the light from his Patronus faded behind him. Her breath caught as he stretched his hand forward, his fingers brushing against the golden ball—and then closing around it.

The stands erupted. The sound was deafening as Gryffindors cheered and screamed, red and gold banners waving wildly in the air. Callie leapt to her feet, laughing and clapping as Ron shouted himself hoarse beside her.

"He did it! He caught it!" Callie yelled, her voice lost in the chaos.

Down on the pitch, Madam Hooch's whistle signalled the end of the game, but the celebration had already begun. The Gryffindor team swarmed Harry, nearly knocking him off his broom with their exuberant hugs.

"That's my boy!" Wood's voice carried even over the noise, and Callie couldn't help but laugh as Fred and George nearly crushed Harry in a group hug.

The crowd began spilling onto the field, and Callie was swept up in the movement as Ron charged ahead, leading the Gryffindor supporters. By the time they reached Harry, Callie could hardly contain her excitement.

"Yes!" Ron roared, grabbing Harry's arm and raising it high like a champion. "Yes! Yes!"

Callie grinned, her cheers mingling with the jubilant shouts of her housemates

"Did you see that?" Harry asked Callie, grinning.

But another voice answered before she could, "That was quite some Patronus."

She turned alongside him to see her father, looking both shaken and pleased.

"The Dementors didn't affect me at all!" Harry said excitedly. "I didn't feel a thing!"

"That would be because they–er–weren't Dementors," Remus said with a hint of amusement. "Come and see—"

Callie exchanged a glance with Ron, who looked just as curious as she was, before trailing after Remus and Harry. They made their way through the cheering crowd to the edge of the pitch, where the scene before them made Callie's jaw drop.

"You gave Mr. Malfoy quite a fright," Remus said, his voice carrying a trace of dry humour.

Lying on the ground in a tangled, crumpled heap were Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Marcus Flint, all struggling to untangle themselves from long, black, hooded robes. Callie quickly pieced together what had happened.

"They were pretending to be Dementors?" she asked, incredulous.

Remus nodded, a knowing look in his eyes.

Callie's shock melted into delight as she noticed Professor McGonagall standing over the group, her face set in a thunderous glare.

"An unworthy trick!" McGonagall was shouting, her voice cutting through the din of the crowd. "A low and cowardly attempt to sabotage the Gryffindor Seeker! Detention for all of you, and fifty points from Slytherin! I shall be speaking to Professor Dumbledore about this, make no mistake! Ah, here he comes now!"

If Gryffindor's victory wasn't already sealed, this moment certainly did it. Callie watched with glee as Draco struggled to free himself from the robes, Goyle's head still hilariously stuck inside. Beside her, Ron was doubled over with laughter, clutching his sides as he gasped for breath.

"This is the best thing I've seen all year!" Ron wheezed, practically leaning on Harry for support.

Callie couldn't help but laugh too, the absurdity of the situation too much to hold in.

"Come on, Harry!" George's voice called, breaking through their amusement as he elbowed his way over. "Party! Gryffindor common room, now!"

"Right," Harry said, grinning ear to ear.

As they began jogging back up to the castle, Callie passed by Draco on the ground, giving him a sly smile.

The party in the common room went on for the rest of the day and well into the night.

Fred and George disappeared for a couple of hours and returned with armfuls of bottles of Butterbeer, pumpkin fizz and several bags full of Honeydukes sweets.

"How did you do that?" Angelina Johnson squealed excitedly as George started throwing Peppermint Toads into the crowd.

"With a little help from Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs," Fred muttered to both Calista and Harry.

The only Gryffindor student not participating in the festivities was Hermione, who was sitting in a corner and attempting to read an enormous book entitled Home Life and Social Habits of British Muggles. Callie and Harry, both having noticed her, broke away from the table where Fred and George had started juggling Butterbeer bottles to go stop by.

"How are the Muggles doing?" Callie asked, softly touching her shoulder. Hermione didn't respond.

"Did you even come to the match?" Harry then asked her.

"Of course I did," Hermione replied, in a strangely high-pitched voice, not looking up. "And I'm very glad we won, and I think you did really well, but I need to read this by Monday."

"Come on, Hermione, come and have some food," Harry said, looking over at Ron and wondering whether he was in a good enough mood to bury the hatchet.

"There are some fizzing whizbees," Callie told her.

"I can't, you guys, I've still got four hundred and twenty-two pages to read!" she said, now sounding slightly hysterical. "Anyway ..." she glanced over at Ron, too, "he doesn't want me to join in."

There was no arguing with this, as Ron chose that moment to say loudly, "If Scabbers hadn't just been eaten, he could have had some of these Fudge Flies, he used to really like them –"

Hermione burst into tears. Before either Callie or Harry could say or do anything, she had tucked the enormous book under her arm and, still sobbing, dashed towards the staircase leading to the girls' dormitories, disappearing from sight.

Callie sighed, already rising from her seat. "I'm on it," she said, glancing at Harry.

"You'll come back, though?" he asked, half-teasing but with a touch of genuine concern.

"Maybe for a bit," she replied with a smirk as she headed toward the stairs. "Going to miss me that much?"

"Certainly," Harry said, grinning faintly despite himself.

Callie climbed the stairs to the girls' dormitories, her footsteps soft against the worn wood. She found Hermione sitting on the edge of her bed, her face buried in her hands, the enormous book lying discarded beside her.

"Hermione," Callie said gently, stepping closer.

Hermione looked up, her eyes red and puffy, and gave a small shake of her head. "Not now, Calista," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "I appreciate it, but I just want to be alone."

Callie hesitated, her instinct to stay warring with the clear pain in Hermione's expression. Finally, she nodded. "Okay. But if you change your mind..."

Hermione managed a faint smile. "I know where to find you."

With that, Callie turned and made her way back down the stairs, leaving Hermione in the quiet sanctuary of the dormitory.

She stayed at the party for another hour, laughing as Fred and George attempted to outdo each other in outrageous impressions of Snape. But as the night wore on, exhaustion crept over her, and she decided to retreat.

At the bottom of the staircase, she paused, glancing back at the common room. Her gaze found Harry in the middle of a crowd, grinning as he recounted the highlights of the match. A small smile tugged at her lips. He looked lighter than he had in weeks, the weight of everything that had been troubling him momentarily lifted.

With that comforting image in her mind, Callie turned and climbed the stairs, ready to call it a night.

It didn't take long for sleep to claim her, her body giving in to the weariness of the day. Her dreams began to form, hazy and indistinct, of roaring crowds and soaring broomsticks. She was in the stands again, cheering wildly as Harry darted through the air on his Firebolt.

But the scene shifted, growing stranger. The crowd morphed into a sea of faceless figures cloaked in shadows, their cheers turning to murmurs, then whispers. Harry was still flying, but now he was chasing not a Snitch but a tiny, glowing orb that pulsed like a heartbeat. Callie squinted, trying to see it more clearly, but the orb seemed to grow dimmer, slipping further out of reach.

Below, the pitch became a forest. Trees sprouted around her, gnarled branches clawing at the sky, and Harry disappeared among them. Callie tried to follow but found her feet stuck in the stands, as if rooted to the ground. A wolf howled in the distance, the sound both familiar and haunting, sending a shiver down her spine.

The glowing orb reappeared in the sky, brighter than before, and she reached for it instinctively, but it burst apart into fragments of silver light. The whispers rose into a cacophony of cries, and she heard her name—soft, urgent, desperate—reverberating through the dream.

Then came the scream, piercing and real, ripping her from the strange, shifting dreamscape and yanking her back to the darkened Gryffindor dormitory.

Callie bolted upright in bed, her heart pounding in her chest. For a moment, she thought she was still dreaming, but the panicked voices echoing through the tower told her otherwise. Something was very, very wrong.

The others in her dorm were woken up; and Callie and Hermione shared a nervous glance before both dashing out of the room and down the stairs. Some of the other boys were already there, trembling as their eyes darted around the room. Hermione latched onto Calista just as she did the same.

"Excellent, are we carrying on?" Fred Weasley asked brightly, as if nothing unusual had happened.

Callie barely had time to process his words before Percy came hurrying into the common room, pinning his Head Boy badge to his slightly wrinkled pajamas as he spoke.

"Everyone back upstairs!" Percy commanded, his tone all business.

Callie caught Ron's pale, shaken expression as he interrupted, his voice faint but insistent. "Perce—Sirius Black! In our dormitory! With a knife! Woke me up!"

The common room, which had been buzzing moments before, fell eerily still. Callie's heart pounded in her chest.

"Nonsense!" Percy said, though his startled expression betrayed his confidence. "You had too much to eat, Ron—had a nightmare—"

"I'm telling you—" Ron began, his voice trembling.

"Now, really, enough's enough!" Percy cut him off, his voice sharper this time.

Callie felt an icy chill run down her spine. Her mind reeled, imagining Sirius Black standing over her or Harry with a knife. She cast a glance at Harry, who looked stunned but resolute, and then back to Ron, whose pale face told her he wasn't making this up.

Professor McGonagall had then burst into the room. "I am delighted that Gryffindor won the match, but this is getting ridiculous! Percy, I expected better of you!"

"I certainly didn't authorize this, Professor!" Percy said, puffing himself up indignantly. "I was just telling them all to get back to bed! My brother Ron here had a nightmare–"

"IT WASN'T A NIGHTMARE!" Ron yelled. "PROFESSOR, I WOKE UP, AND SIRIUS BLACK WAS STANDING OVER ME, HOLDING A KNIFE!"

McGonagall stared at him. "Don't be ridiculous, Weasley, how could he possibly have got through the portrait hole?"

"Ask him!" Ron said, pointing a shaking finger at the back of Sir Cadogan's picture. "Ask him if he saw–"

Glaring suspiciously at Ron, Professor McGonagall pushed the portrait back open and stepped outside. The entire common room seemed to hold its breath, the silence so heavy it was almost suffocating.

"Sir Cadogan," McGonagall said sharply, "did you just let a man enter Gryffindor Tower?"

"Certainly, good lady!" Sir Cadogan cried, sounding far too pleased with himself.

Inside the common room, the silence grew heavier. Every eye was wide with disbelief.

"You—you did?" Professor McGonagall's voice faltered. "But—but the password!"

"He had 'em!" Sir Cadogan declared proudly. "Had the whole week's, my lady! Read 'em off a little piece of paper!"

There was a stunned pause, the kind that only came when the unimaginable had just been confirmed. McGonagall pulled herself back through the portrait hole, her face pale and tight with fury. She looked over the gathered students, her sharp gaze seeming to pierce through each and every one of them.

"Which person," she said, her voice trembling, "which abysmally foolish person wrote down this week's passwords and left them lying around?"

For a moment, no one moved. The only sound in the room was the muffled crackle of the fire. Then, with an almost inaudible squeak, Neville Longbottom raised a shaking hand. His face was a vivid red, and he trembled from his head to his fluffy slippers.

Callie, who had been gripping the arm of the chair beside her, felt her vision blur at the edges. The tension, the fear, the realization that Sirius Black had been so close—it was too much. Her heart pounded painfully in her chest, her breaths coming short and sharp.

"Neville—" McGonagall began, but Callie didn't hear the rest. Her legs buckled beneath her, and the world tipped sideways as a deafening roar filled her ears. Someone shouted her name as she collapsed, but she was already slipping into the void.

yikes!

callie's illness is finally catching up with her, it was bound to happen, guys.

another chapter i don't really like because i feel like there's not too much to it but the next ones, up until the end of the act are very action-filled and long (i think). butttt we're more than halfway through this act, and i wanna know your thoughts! whose dynamic are you enjoying the most so far? who do you want to see more of? any predictions for the rest of this part of the story? let me know, don't be a stranger!