TWELVE
' vessel '

☾⋆₊✧

FEBRUARY
1994

IT was Winter, and Calista was nine once more.

The wind howled outside their small, drafty cottage, rattling the loose panes in the windows. Snow had piled up high against the walls, muffling the world in an eerie, quiet cold, but inside, it was chaos.

The fire in the hearth sputtered, casting flickering shadows across the room. Calista lay on the lumpy old sofa, bundled in layers of blankets, though the heat didn't seem to reach her. Her chest heaved with every shallow breath, a rasping sound echoing in her throat. Each cough wracked her small frame, leaving her trembling and gasping as though the air itself had turned against her.

Remus was there, perched on a low stool by her side, his face drawn and pale, his hands trembling slightly as he dabbed her forehead with a cool, damp cloth. Bottles of potions and vials of herbs cluttered the table nearby, alongside a half-read book on advanced healing spells that he had practically memorized out of desperation. Chiara had yet to arrive.

"You're going to be all right, love," he murmured, though his voice cracked. His fingers brushed her sweat-damp hair away from her face. "You just need to rest. Just... just keep breathing for me, okay?"

Calista didn't have the strength to respond. Her eyelids fluttered, her focus drifting in and out as the edges of her vision blurred. She could feel how tight her chest was, how the world felt impossibly heavy, pressing down on her with a weight she couldn't push away. But she could hear him. His voice, low and steady, pulled her back every time she felt herself slipping too far.

Outside, the storm raged on, but inside the cottage, there was only the sound of her father's quiet voice and her own fragile breath.

After a long while, she finally spoke.

"Daddy, am I going to die?"

Her voice was so faint it could have been carried away by the draft sneaking in through the cracks in the cottage walls. Her small frame lay buried under layers of blankets, her face pale, lips tinged with blue from the cold she couldn't shake, or perhaps from something far worse.

"No, Cal," Remus said quickly, his voice trembling but steady enough to anchor her. He crouched beside her makeshift bed, his knees digging into the worn wooden floor. His hand brushed back the damp strands of hair clinging to her fevered brow. "No, you're not going anywhere. Not while I'm here."

"But it feels so bad," she whispered, her breath wheezing in shallow bursts, each one tugging painfully at her chest. Tears filled her eyes, glistening like tiny crystals in the dim winter light filtering through the frost-covered window.

"I know it does, love," Remus murmured, his throat tight. He leaned closer, letting her hear the steadiness in his words, even if it betrayed the fear clawing at him inside. "But you're strong, my love. And so, so brave. The bravest girl there is."

Callie blinked up at him, her lashes wet with tears that hadn't yet fallen. "When Chiara leaves, am I still going to be sick?"

The question hit him like a blow. He swallowed hard, trying to find the right words when there were none that could truly ease her fears—or his own.

"We'll keep working on it," he said gently, brushing his fingers over her too-thin hand. "She's doing everything she can to help, and so am I. We're not giving up, Callie. Not ever."

Her lower lip trembled. "But what if... what if it doesn't go away?"

Remus's heart ached at her words, but he gently smoothed back her hair, his touch light and soothing. "All you need to be worried about is getting your strength back. Sleep for now, okay?"

"I'm sc-scared," she stammered, her voice breaking. Her gaze flitted to him, wide and vulnerable. "That I'll wake up and you won't be there. And I'll be all alone again."

He leaned closer, his voice soft but firm. "Well, that's silly. You know why?"

Callie shook her head slightly, her frailty making the gesture even smaller.

"Because I'll always be right here, next to you," he promised, his tone unwavering. "No matter what, Cal. I'm not going anywhere."

Her breathing hitched as she tried to hold back tears. "You promise?"

"With all my heart," he said, his hand squeezing hers gently. "Now close your eyes, moonbeam. I'm right here."

Her eyelids fluttered shut, her little fingers clinging to his as if afraid to let go. Remus stayed where he was, watching her, his own fears pushed aside for her sake. Even as the night stretched on, he remained steadfast by her side, her anchor in a storm that neither of them could fully control.

When she opened her eyes again, he was the first thing she saw.

"Dad?" she croaked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Remus leaned forward in his chair, relief flooding his face. "Cal," he said softly, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. "I'm here. How are you feeling?"

Her head ached, and her body felt like lead, but the warmth of his presence dulled some of the discomfort. "Tired," she admitted. "What happened?"

"You fainted," he explained, an although his voice was gentle she could sense the tinge of worry. "Gave us all quite a scare. Madam Pomfrey's been looking after you. She says you need rest, nothing more."

Callie frowned, trying to piece together the moments before everything had gone black. "The common room... Neville..." Her voice trailed off, and her chest tightened with the memory of the chaos and fear.

"Shh," Remus said, his hand resting on her forehead. "You don't need to think about that now. It's over. You're safe."

Callie's brow furrowed as fragmented memories crept back. "No... no, Dad, it's not over," she said, her voice hoarse but urgent. "Sirius. He broke into the dorm— Harry's dorm. Ron said he saw him standing over his bed with a knife!"

Remus' face darkened, his grip on her hand tightening slightly. "I know," he said softly. "I've already heard."

"What was he going to do, Dad?" Callie's croaky voice was now trembling. "Kill him? Harry?"

Remus exhaled heavily, the lines in his face deepening. "I don't know," he admitted. "But Dumbledore is handling it. He's tightened security even further."

Callie shook her head, her frustration bubbling over. "It doesn't make any sense. How does he keep getting into the castle, past all the security defences? And Sir Cadogan, just idly letting him walk into the Gryffindor Tower? Poor Neville. It's not his fault."

Remus frowned, his lips pressing into a thin line. "It isn't Neville's fault," he agreed. "Sirius is clever, Callie. He always has been. And reckless. Whatever he's planning, he's not afraid to take risks to achieve it."

Callie let out an exasperated sigh, her brows knitting together. "But how? The castle is supposed to be impenetrable. What does he know about the school that everyone else doesn't?"

Remus paused as she said this, his brow furrowing in thought. After a moment, he sighed and shook his head. "It's a question we're all trying to answer. But one thing is certain—he can't hide forever."

Callie's eyes narrowed with worry. "And what if he gets into my dorm next? What if he tries to hurt Hermione or the others? I won't let that happen, Dad. I can't."

Remus's expression softened, though his voice remained steady. "The girls' dormitories have additional enchantments for protection. If any boy—or man—tries to enter, the staircase transforms into a slide, and a loud alarm goes off. Sirius wouldn't get by unnoticed."

Callie tilted her head, a faint crease forming between her brows. "Really? A slide?"

"Yes, a slide," Remus confirmed, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips despite the gravity of the conversation. "It's been there for centuries. You're safer than you think."

She exhaled slowly, some of the tension in her shoulders easing. "That's... good, I guess. But still, the fact that he got into Gryffindor Tower at all—it's terrifying."

"It is," Remus admitted, his voice quiet but firm. "But we're not ignoring the threat, Callie. Dumbledore, the staff and I are doing everything we can to keep everyone safe. You're not alone in this."

Callie nodded slowly, her mind still whirling but finding some comfort in her father's reassurances. "Okay," she said softly. "I'll try to trust that."

She blinked up at him, her throat tight. The world felt too heavy sometimes, and she hated how weak her body could make her feel. But his words, steady and quiet, anchored her more than any medicine ever had.

"But you'll stay?" she asked, almost in a whisper. "Right now. You'll stay?"

"I'm not going anywhere," Remus promised, his voice unwavering. "I never will."

A faint smile tugged at her lips. "Don't you have a class to teach?"

"They can handle Snape for a few days," he replied, his tone lightening.

Callie raised an eyebrow, her smile growing slightly. "No, they can't."

Remus chuckled softly, the sound easing some of the weight in the room. "You're probably right. But I think they'll survive. Right now, you're my priority."

Callie gave a small nod, the tension in her shoulders easing ever so slightly. "Thanks, Dad," she murmured, her voice soft but sincere.

Remus leaned forward, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead.

For a moment, the room was quiet, the only sound the faint rustle of the hospital wing curtains swaying with a draft. Callie let herself relax into the pillows, her father's presence grounding her in a way nothing else could.

"Get some rest," he said, his hand lingering on hers. "That's all you need to do right now."

She nodded again, her eyelids growing heavier. But before sleep claimed her, she whispered, "I'm glad you're here."

Remus smiled, watching her drift off. "So am I," he said quietly, his heart full, even as his mind churned with lingering worries.

So he stayed by her side, the unwavering guardian she needed, gently brushing a curl from her forehead as she breathed evenly. Remus remained still, listening to the rhythm of her sleep, willing his presence to shield her from whatever shadows lingered—past, present, or still to come.

☾⋆₊✧

Calista had spent another week in the hospital wing after the incident, with Madam Pomfrey checking in on her every hour. It was mostly quiet while she was there, aside from visiting hours and the times during the early morning or evening when different students would show up, so anxious about Sirius Black that they felt physically unwell.

Hermione had come to visit as soon as she could, but was only able to spare a few minutes before having to go back to studying. Callie didn't really mind, and would rather for her friend to focus on her studies anyway. Harry and Ron had come in as well to visit lots, trying to entertain Callie as well as they could. The twins had even visited, Neville, the other girls from the dorm... they all gushed over her, even the twins, and though she hated the pity, she couldn't deny that it was nice other people cared.

Dad had gone back to work, though hesitantly, and checked in on her almost as often as Pomfrey. The full moon had come though during, so he was gone for a night, and didn't look too well the next morning.

One night, Callie lay awake in her hospital wing bed, moonlight spilling across the room in silvery ribbons. She'd slept so much during the day that it was impossible to fall asleep again at night, leaving her mind restless and her body weary. Most nights, she filled the hours by catching up on schoolwork, scribbling notes or solving problems in the faint glow of her wand. But tonight, her textbooks sat untouched. Instead, she stared out the tall windows, lost in thought as the stars winked faintly in the velvety sky.

Her mind wandered through a maze of worries and questions— Sirius Black, her father, the strange weight she'd felt in her chest ever since waking up in the hospital wing. There were moments when it was almost too much to think about, yet in the quiet of the night, she couldn't push the thoughts away.

The faint sound of rustling caught her attention. She frowned and sat up slightly, her gaze shifting around the dimly lit room. It wasn't Madam Pomfrey, who had already gone to bed, and it certainly wasn't her father, who had finally left earlier that evening.

Then she saw it— a floating head, pale and glowing faintly in the moonlight. Callie's breath hitched in her throat before recognition dawned.

"Am I at the stage of seeing things, or is that you, Harry Potter?"

"Shh! We haven't got much time."

She sat up. "For what?"

"I need to show you something."

Carefully, Harry sat on the edge of her bed and she leaned forward to take a look at what he was doing. From a pocket in his jumper, he pulled out the Marauders Map- which Callie hadn't seen since the day Fred and George gave it to them for Hogsmeade. She had actually completely forgotten about it, and was surprised that Harry had kept onto it.

"You've still got that?" she asked him, nodding at the parchment.

"Of course. Anyway, I was looking at it, and look what I saw!"

Harry flipped one of the pages, tracing his finger along the parchment before stopping at a pair of feet moving rapidly along the map, accompanied by a name.

"Peter Pett—" Callie blinked, making sure she wasn't just seeing things. "Peter Pettigrew? Harry, what in Merlin's name—"

"I have no clue, but I'm about to find out. Are you coming with me?"

"You're seriously asking me that?"

"You can wear the invisibility cloak, it's fine. But no teachers are going to be awake at this hour."

As much as Callie knew it was a bad idea, she couldn't help but feel a pull of curiosity. Sighing, she grabbed the cloak, hopped out of bed, and followed Harry out of the hospital room she'd been trapped in for over a week now.

As soon as they were in the darkened hallways, he quickly whispered Lumos and his wand lit up, guiding them as they followed the paths that led to the Peter Pettigrew's name.

"You're okay?" Harry asked as he lead the way.

Callie was slow enough, but it was the most movement she'd gotten in so long that her body seemed to thank her for it. "For now, thanks Harry."

Harry smiled briefly before looking back down at the map. His wand shone brightly, and as they passed by a set of snoring portraits, one of them shouted at him.

"Put that light out!"

"Sorry," Harry whispered, redirecting his path to the middle of the corridor. Down on the map, Callie could see Peter Pettigrew's name again, and this time he was hurrying down the adjoined hallway.

"Do you see it?" she whispered, barely audible.

Harry nodded, his eyes glued to the map. "There—Pettigrew. He's close."

Callie's heart raced as she followed the small dot labeled Peter Pettigrew moving steadily toward Harry Potter and Calista Lupin. The corridor was eerily still, save for the occasional flicker of torchlight against the cold stone walls.

"Harry," she murmured, tugging lightly on his sleeve. "We should turn back—"

Harry shook his head. "No, wait..."

'Peter' had to be twenty yards away. Ten. Only seconds away...

Harry stopped abruptly, and Callie nearly collided into him. She followed his gaze and froze.

There, ahead of them, was Harry.

No— not Harry. A reflection of him, staring back at them from a cracked and dusty mirror hanging on the wall.

"What—?" Harry blinked, startled, then looked down at the map. His brow furrowed as his finger traced the path of Pettigrew's dot, which had moved past them.

"That doesn't make sense," Callie whispered, her voice trembling. "Where—?"

Harry spun around, his wand raised, the cloak shifting slightly off their feet. Callie gripped his arm tightly, her own fear bubbling to the surface as the dim light stretched their shadows across the walls.

"Watch it there, boy. We're trying to sleep here!" Another painting hissed.

"Harry," Callie urged again, barely holding back the panic creeping into her voice. "Let's go back. Please."

But Harry's focus was elsewhere, his wand casting faint beams of light as he scanned the corridor. He began inching forward, making to following Pettigrew, when there were suddenly flurry of footsteps.

Harry's eyes widened, and he pointed out a new name on the parchment to Callie: Severus Snape. Oh, great.

"Mischief Managed," he whispered as he tapped on the parchment, then proceeded to extinguish his light. He began fumbling in the darkness, searching for Callie as she tried to get closer, when a new light shone down on both of them.

Well, visibly on Harry.

"Potter," Snape hissed, glaring. Callie began to take a few steps back, still behind Harry, trying her best to breathe quietly. "What're you doing wandering the corridors at night?"

Harry just stared straight into the light. "I was sleepwalking."

A sneer curled around Snape's face. "How extraordinarily like your father you are, Potter. He, too, was exceedingly arrogant. Strutting about the castle—"

"My dad didn't strut," Harry replied firmly. "And nor do I. Now, if you don't mind, I'd appreciate if you could lower your wand."

Snape eyed him cooly, but slightly lowered his wand.

"Turn out your pockets," he demanded. Harry stayed still, eyes boring into Snape. Then he repeated, more firmly, "Turn out your pockets."

Finally, Harry obliged. Callie gulped. Did she have time to throw the invisibility cloak over Harry, and run away? Or could she unveil herself, and take the blame, telling Snape it was her map and idea to be out of bed this late? But no, that would just cause more questions and tensions. Snape already hated her and Dad, he couldn't have another thing to hold against them.

Seeing the map, Snape's eyes glittered. "What's this?"

"Spare bit of parchment."

"Really? Open it."

As Harry opened it, Snape didn't wait before touching his wand to the parchment.

"Reveal your secrets," he uttered, before pulling away.

As though an invisible hand was writing upon it, words appeared on the smooth surface of the map. Callie braced herself.

"Read it," Snape commanded Harry.

"Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs, offer their compliments to Professor Snape and..." Harry paused.

"Go on."

"And request that he keep his abnormally large nose out of other people's business."

If the situation weren't so serious, and the fact that she was supposed to be hidden, Callie might've laughed.

"Why, you insolent, little—"

"Professor," came a new voice.

Callie froze as her father appeared behind them, standing in the shadows with his hands in his pockets. As if this couldn't get any bloody worse.

"Well, well. Lupin," Snape drawled, a familiar edge of disdain curling in his tone. "Out for a little walk in the moonlight, are we?"

But Remus didn't rise to the bait. His eyes moved past Snape, settling instead on Harry. Callie felt it too—that quiet, steady gaze reaching her as well, as if he could see right through the shadows to where she stood.

"Harry, are you all right?" Remus asked him.

"That remains to be seen." Snape dramatically dove forward, snatching the map from Harry. "I have just now confiscated a rather curious artifact from Mr. Potter. Take a look, Lupin. Supposed to be your area of expertise. Clearly, it's full of dark magic."

Remus took it, scoffing as soon as he saw it. "Oh, I seriously doubt it, Severus. It looks to me as though it's merely a parchment designed to insult anyone who tries to read it. I suspect it's a Zonko product." Snape made to take it back, but Remus held it out of reach. "Nevertheless, I shall investigate any hidden qualities it may possess. It is, after all, as you say, my area of expertise."

Callie could tell Dad was covering Harry's arse—he seemed to know exactly what the map was. Remus and Snape seemed to have a bit of a stare-off, before he asked for Harry to come with him.

Not wanting to be alone with Snape, or alone at all, Callie began to follow her father and her friend until they arrived at the Defence classroom.

"Come in," Remus ushered him inside, still fuming. He treaded forward, back turned, and called out, "Calista, you can reveal yourself as well."

Harry froze, as did Callie. She pressed her eyes shut, cringing, before slowly removing the cloak.

Dad looked like he could strangle her.

"An invisibility cloak!" he started. "Never mind how you got it—" Remus knowingly glanced at Harry, "how could you be so reckless at a time like right now? Either of you!"

Callie and Harry only glanced at each other, both feeling flush, before looking to their feet.

"Now, I haven't the faintest idea, Harry, how this map came to be in your possession, but quite frankly, I am astounded that you didn't hand it in. Did it never occur to either of you that this, in the hands of Sirius Black, is a map to you?"

That was a good point. Callie had no idea how she hadn't realized that earlier.

Harry shook his head. "No, Sir."

Harry flinched as though the words physically struck him. Callie shifted uncomfortably beside him, guilt pooling in her chest. She wanted to say something—anything—but she knew this wasn't the moment. Remus rarely raised his voice, but when he did, it was because he was scared. Not just angry—terrified.

There was a long silence. The kind that prickled in the air and made it hard to breathe.

Remus drew in a breath, visibly reigning in his emotions. "Now," he said, quieter this time but no less firm, "I will not cover up for you again, Harry. Do you hear me?"

"Yes, sir," Harry muttered, eyes fixed on the floor. He didn't dare look up.

"I want you to return to your dormitory and stay there." Harry nodded, beginning to turn away when Remus added, "And don't take any detours. If you do... I shall know."

Harry and Callie exchanged a quick, guilty glance, their shared tension palpable. Just as Harry began to edge toward the door, Remus's voice cut through the room.

"Stay right there, young lady."

Callie winced, her shoulders sagging slightly. She gave Harry a small, resigned smile and a nod. "Go on, Harry. It's fine."

Harry hesitated, his eyes flicking between Callie and Remus, clearly reluctant to leave her behind.

"Harry," Callie pressed gently, though her tone carried an edge of urgency. "Go."

After a beat, Harry nodded, turning to leave. But he stopped after a few paces. "Professor, just so you know, I don't think that map always works. Earlier on, it showed someone in the castle. Someone we know to be dead."

"Oh, really?" Remus responded, only half-listening as he stared daggers at his daughter. "And who might that be?"

"Peter Pettigrew," Harry admitted.

Remus hesitated ever-so-slightly, hands gripping the map even tighter. He shook his head. "That's not possible."

"It's just what I saw," Harry replied. "Good night, Professor." He nodded at Callie, regret evident on his face. "Night, Callie."

The door clicked shut softly behind him. The silence that followed felt heavy. Callie turned to face her father, steeling herself for the inevitable lecture. Remus stood near his desk, his arms crossed, his expression a mix of frustration and concern.

"What were you thinking?" Remus asked, his voice low but firm.

"I don't know..." Callie mumbled, her gaze fixed on the floor.

"That's right—you weren't thinking," Remus said, his tone sharpening. He began pacing, running a hand through his hair. "And I don't like this behaviour from Harry, either. I hate to say it, Callie, but with all the sneaking around, I think he's becoming a bad influence on you."

Callie's head snapped up, her eyes narrowing in defence of her friend. "That's not fair! You were friends with James, who sounded arguably worse. And besides, this wasn't Harry's fault, Dad."

"No?" Remus stopped pacing, crossing his arms as he fixed her with a pointed look. "Then whose fault was it?"

"Mine," Callie admitted, her voice steady despite the weight of her confession. "I convinced him to do it."

Remus just stared back at her, distrust and disbelief coating his face.

"I haven't been able to sleep much at night lately, and neither has Harry," Callie admitted, her voice quiet but steady. "So I told him to come visit... and he had the map. We were just watching it when we saw Peter Pettigrew's name. I told him we should go investigate. He had the Invisibility Cloak, so—"

"And you were the only one under it?" Remus interrupted, his expression unreadable.

"Y-yeah," Callie stammered, fidgeting slightly. "So he could use the light on his wand. It gets foggy under there."

Remus raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. "I have a hard time believing that tale."

"Well, do," she said, meeting his gaze with a hint of defiance.

Remus sighed, running a hand through his hair. "You'll return that cloak to Harry. And until this Sirius business is resolved, you are not to use it again. Understood?"

"Okay," Callie said reluctantly, then hesitated before asking, "But... we can use it after?"

"Don't push it," Remus replied, though a faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

Callie smiled faintly, but the weight of why she and Harry had been out nagged at her thoughts. She shifted slightly, her curiosity piqued. "Dad, how is it possible that Pettigrew, who's supposed to be dead, is on the map?"

Remus exhaled slowly, his expression clouding. "Just another thing that doesn't make sense. Unless—"

"Unless what?" Callie pressed. Her dad had paused, eyes widening in thought.

"Do you remember what I told you about my friends and me, back when we were at Hogwarts?"

"Uhm, yeah," she said, frowning. "But what are you—"

"Think, Cal," Remus interrupted gently. "I was a werewolf, and James, Sirius, and Peter each became—"

"Animagi," she finished, her eyes widening slightly.

"Precisely," Remus said with a nod. "James became a stag, Sirius a dog, and Peter..."

"A rat," Callie whispered, her voice catching as realization dawned.

"Are Hermione and Ron still at odds?"

"Yes. Because Ron claims that Crookshanks ate his pet rat, Scabbers..." Her voice trailed off, and her eyes widened even further. "Oh my."

Remus pressed his lips together and nodded.

Callie ran a hand through her hair, her mind reeling. "So Peter is still alive, has been all this time, but has just been a rat— Ron's rat? Oh, I think I'm going to be sick."

"Do you know what that means, Cal?" Remus leaned forward, grasping Callie's hands in his. "Peter's been hiding this entire time, letting everyone think he's dead, so he could escape after that night. It was him. It wasn't—"

"Sirius." Calista's voice was barely a whisper, the weight of the revelation settling heavily on her chest. "My uncle is innocent."

Remus's eyes darkened, a flicker of anger flashing across his face. "That son of a— I'm going to swallow that rat whole once I find him."

"Okay, enough of that," Callie said, retracting her hands. "How do you know the map isn't lying?"

"We were the Marauders, Cal," Remus revealed. "All four of us. We made that map. It never lies."

"Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs," she whispered, the names falling from her lips like an old memory brought back to life. She glanced at Remus with a raised eyebrow. "Moony. Could you be any more obvious?"

Remus smirked faintly, though his eyes betrayed his unease. "Not one of my proudest moments."

"Sirius has been innocent this entire time," Callie said, her voice rising with urgency. "He wasn't after us. He wasn't trying to hurt us—he was trying to get to Peter, through Ron."

Remus sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I know, but it's not that simple—"

"Well, we have to find him!" Callie interrupted, her eyes blazing. "We have to tell Dumbledore, capture Scabbers—er, Pettigrew—and clear Sirius's name!"

"It's not that easy, Callie," Remus said firmly. "Peter is quick, clever, and slippery. Sirius himself is in hiding. He must have been in his Animagus form this entire time—that's how he got past the Dementors and into the castle. That bloody genius..."

"Then we tell Dumbledore!" Callie insisted. "Show him the map! He can find Peter and—"

"I don't know, Cal," Remus cut in, his tone wary. "Think about it. James, Sirius, and Peter were unregistered Animagi. If that comes out, there will be consequences—for them and for me. And the map? It holds secrets about the castle that no one is supposed to know. Dumbledore could be furious, and—" He hesitated, his voice softening. "And we could both get kicked out."

Callie froze, her resolve faltering. "Kicked out?"

Remus reached out, cupping her face gently. "I can't take you back home and put you at risk. And I can't abandon my students—or Harry. I won't. I need to handle this carefully."

"Okay," she said finally, her shoulders slumping. "I don't like it, but... we'll do what we have to do."

Remus nodded, his hand lingering for a moment before he let it drop. "Thank you for trusting me, Cal. We'll figure this out. Together."

Callie gave a faint nod, her throat tight. It felt like something had shifted between them—like the invisible wall of unspoken things had cracked, even slightly. She wasn't sure what would come next, or how much more either of them could carry, but for the first time in a long while, she didn't feel quite so alone.

Remus gave her a small, weary smile, though the weight of their conversation still hung heavy in the air. "Come on," he said. "You need rest. Let's get you back to the hospital wing."

Callie hesitated, her thoughts racing, but she nodded. As they made their way through the dim corridors, her father's presence at her side was steady, protective. Yet, her mind wasn't on the path ahead. It was on the map, the truth about Sirius, and the injustice of it all.

By the time they reached the hospital wing, Callie's determination had solidified into something unshakable. She slipped into bed, pulling the blankets over herself as Remus sat at her bedside for a moment longer.

"Stay put," he said gently but firmly. "Promise me, Callie. No sneaking off."

"I promise," she replied, her voice quiet, but guilt pricked at her conscience. She wasn't lying, not exactly. She wouldn't sneak off—not tonight.

As Remus finally left, her hand brushed against the lump under her pillow: the Invisibility Cloak. She hadn't returned it to Harry yet, and now, as her father's words echoed in her mind, a spark of resolve ignited within her.

Sirius was innocent. She knew it. And if her dad wouldn't act right away, she would. She'd find Sirius herself, whatever it took. She owed it to Harry, to herself—and to her family.

they know the truth, i repeat, they know the truth!!!

well, slightly, and suspecting it more than anything. but look at callie getting into trouble, she's such a schemer and so reflective of her dad and uncle back in the day. harry lowkey IS a bad influence— but our cal is def not innocent.

next chapter we have a slight family reunion! hopefully what you've all been waiting for because i love that chapter a little too much.