Post by Nicci on Dec 20, 2011 19:12:32 GMT
(So here it is my gift to you all, It's only the start, but a start of an incredible journey showcasing the talent and creativity that Facebook has now been denied of. I know it's a long one but for everyone here is a trip down memory lane and the start of our story. I present to you in full (tweaked and amended..Not necessarily grammatically correct) Day 1 of the original 'In the Meantime'. Finally I would like to thank all who's hard work and effort went into writing the original posts, you all know who you are past and present and without you this never would have taken off the ground)
In the Meantime...Something for Fun – Sunday 1st September
As the scarlet steam engine blew its whistle for the second time on Platform 9 3/4, Callie O’Hara pushed her way through the crowd of hugs and kisses and quickly headed to find an empty compartment on the train. Just like every other year the Hogwarts Express was a crammed full and heaving at the seams with luggage, owls, annoying first years and the awful smell of pumpkin pasties lingering from the trolley.
Finally arriving at compartment four, Callie pushed open the sliding door to find a small red haired Hufflepuff second year eating Bertie Botts every flavour beans and stroking a rather large black Persian cat that was nestled quite happily on her lap.
'Urgh I hate the smell of cats' Callie thought as she gave a low unsatisfied growl causing the cat to flee from the young girl’s lap into the hustle and bustle of the corridor beyond.
"FLUFFY" the young red head squealed leaping from the cracked burgundy leather seat and dropping her sweets behind her to chase after her beloved pet.
‘Well that was kind of you, don’t mind if I do’ Callie thought again stepping into the small room and dropping herself and her rucksack into the warm spot by the window.
Outside the mothers and fathers still cuddled and cried as they made the most of their precious last moments with their children until the Christmas holidays came around. It saddened Callie to see that there was no one on the platform to hug her or kiss her goodbye and neither would there be anyone waiting for her when she returned.
Resting her feet on the seat opposite she stared out of the window, and began the long wait until the train’s departure. She was also glad that this would be the second to last time she would have to sit in this awful excuse for magical transportation.
"He must have already boarded" Callie mumbled, scanning the last of the faces on the other side of the glass for Rufus. Rufus was never one to be late nor one to be very far away from her side.
A harsh knock on the open sliding door distracted Callie away from the window.
“Miss O’Hara, those boots are not part of the school dress code” a familiar seventh year, Oliver Jones barked trying out his best authoritive tone.
“So what?” Callie announced lifting her leg off the chair, raising it slightly in the air so her skirt slipped revealing the full length of her knee high Goth like, multi buckled, thick soles boots and part of her bare pale thigh “I happen to like them, don’t you?”
Leaving the young man lost for words, he stuttered for several seconds and mumbled “erm..Seen a girl chasing a cat?”
“That way love” Callie answered, pointing down the hall as she placed her feet back on the seat opposite with a flick of her long black hair. As Oliver left, Callie gave a short whisper of ‘sucker’ and shoved a raspberry ripple bean into her mouth with a smug grin. ‘When will he learn...’
Tasha hugged her mother quickly and boarded the train, she walked through the compartments looking for Callie, she smiled finally finding her.
"Hey love" she cried hugging her "Oh my god I missed you so much.. My mom’s been driving me crazy" she added, ever since her dad died her mom had turned completely weird "Where's the hawk" she asked referring to Rufus.
Callie returned Tasha's hug and returned to her warm seat "Probably playing suck up to the professors as always" she answered with a frown "There's no way I’d want to come back and teach as a classroom assistant..Boring!"
Quickly changing the subject away from the soul sucking vulture Callie asked "So how was your holiday?"
"It was okay.. When I was away from mom.. She’s acting all weird and pretends to be happy or whatever, then I hear her crying every night.. She keeps trying to do 'fun' stuff which would have been cool if I was 5, Anyway.. How was yours?"
"Oh the usual..Nothing to special. Spent most of the time hanging out with..." Callie paused and noticed that once again the conversation was back on the subject of Rufus "..No one, dead boring! very boring" <phew, well recovered>
The last thing she would want to mention is that 90% of her past evenings had been spent with her foot tied to a tree, restraining herself from lashing out at Rufus whilst he provoked her to transform in and out of her other state.
Danielle kissed her dad goodbye and went into Hogwarts express. She sat on an empty seat and took out the picture of her and her twin brother. Tears filled out from her eyes as her twin brother had just passed away. She didn't notice that there were people beside her or opposite her. She touched the picture of her twin brother. "I will make our dream come true brother." She whispered and hugged the picture tightly.
Kalina ran onto the train. She always looked forward to the return trip to school. She searched the carriages for her closet friends. After some time of looking through packed carriages she found who she was looking for: Two of her closet friends Callie and Tasha. She put down the bag in her left hand to open the apartment door. "'Ello Guys!' she said enthusiastically. She ran over to her friends letting her packages fall all over the floor. "How are you two?! I've missed you so much! Did you receive my letters?! Well of course you did, you wrote back ahah" she was talking a mile a minute. She looked down to see the mess she created in such a short time. "Oh shoot! Aren’t I clumsy" she joked as she kneeled on the floor to pick up her items. As she was about to get up the train came to a sudden jolt. She fell backwards hitting her head against the seat. The three started laughing. Their journey back to school had begun.
Danielle walked out of her place and she bought some candies from the lady with the snack trolley. The lady stopped in front of Callie, Tasha and Kalina's compartment. "Erm...maam can I have a few of this. Thanks!" she took it and looked at the girls who were inside. "Hi! I'm Danielle you can call me Dani for short." she smiled and held out her hand.
With the Hogwarts Express chugging down the track on her long journey to Scotland, Callie turned her view away from the other giggling girls and continued to stare out of the window at the depressing grey clouds that had quickly eradicated any sign of the morning's blissful sunshine.
<Field...boring, tree..boring..oh another field..still boring*sigh*>
Raising her hand to welcome Danielle into the company, something large and black bounding over a hedgerow caught Callie's eye from outside the glass.
<It can't be...>
Standing unexpectedly to her feet, both of her palms hit the window with a thud and she stretched her neck hoping for a better look at the view that was quickly disappearing..
" What’s going on Callie?" Kalina spoke in surprise and immediately stopped laughing. Standing from the floor she stood next to her friend. " Callie, what do you see?" She looked around the landscape which was unfortunately flying by too quickly. " Why don't we sit down" She said. Suddenly she realized she hadn’t greeted the new person in the compartment. "Oh Hello Dan! I'm Kalina' she said over shaking her hand.
"Nice meeting you guys." Danielle smiled as she shook Kalina's hands " I'm new here. So I'm still an alien to you guys. Haha...so I guess you are my seniors." she smiled, and sat down next to Natasha who seemed to be quietly sitting down. "Hey, I'm Danielle." giving her a friendly smile.
"Ahh nothing, must have been a... farmer's dog.." Callie replied with a reassuring smile. She was kinda glad Kalina hadn't seen 'It', otherwise explaining what something the approximate size of a bear was doing leaping casually over a hedge in the middle of England might prove very difficult. <Had Rufus seen it? I guess only time will tell> she thought to herself, still concerned.
"Oh okay" Kalina announced to Callie. " So girls what’s new with all of you? Any good summer gossip!?" she said with a giggle. " Are you excited for your first year Dan? I wonder what house you'll be sorted into?! I'm in Gryffindor, we're pretty awesome if I may say so " she said laughing.
" Yeah I'm totally excited. I hope that I'll be sorted into Gryffindor” Danielle replied confidently before sadly thinking back to her brother “My brother and I never dreamed we’d get to go to a place like Hogwarts let alone get to chosen into houses by a hat. My brother would have been so excited if he was allowed to live to see this day." Danielle looked up and weakly smiled at Callie.
“Awesome Gryffindor’s” Callie laughed nudging Kalina opposite, “When you guys can beat us intelligent and proud Ravenclaw’s at Quidditch then you can brag with that line..Isn’t that right Tasha?”. Nodding with agreement Tasha makes a playful prod at Callie’s leg and the girl’s erupted with a roar of laughter once again.
After several minutes, Callie calmed down and sighed before returning her gaze back to the window. The thought of spending one last year at Hogwarts with her friends was beginning to grate on her and an overwhelming sadness began to well up in her stomach. <Not now...>
As a small tear started to form along her right eye’s lower eyelashes, the collar around her neck emitted a low magical frequency and urged Callie to act.. <Damn you, what do you want now?>
“I..er...” Callie muttered standing from her seat and grabbing a small makeup bag from her rucksack “Have to go and re apply my eyeliner, won’t be long”. Avoiding a response from the other girls about her random reactions Callie left the carriage heading in the opposite direction to the student bathroom.
Beginning with a chuckle Danielle continued interact with the older students "If I really can play Quidditch very well because I haven't actually played the sport before. Well, I just hope that I would get either Gryffindor or Ravenclaw I don't want to be in Slytherin at all." Danielle said, while taking out her bottle of water and took a quick swig from it.
Noticing Callie exit the carriage, Danielle turned to Kalina. "What happened to her? She seems gloomy to me and those eyes I could see that she's been crying. Should we go to her and ask her what's wrong?" she could feel that something must be wrong and she was going to find out.
"She’s just had a bit of a troubled past" Kalina answered Danielle. "So you want to play Quidditch eh? I play the position of chaser for Gryffindor. I can tell you now, this year we WILL beat Ravenclaw" she said to Tasha laughing. "We've been training hardcore over the holidays so you guys better watch out."
"Well, if I'm good I guess I'll get into Quidditch. Haha...and I don't which house am I in yet. Wow...Gryffindor is practicing "Practice makes perfect" haha..." Danielle said smiling.
A short amount of time had passed and the girls realized after their long conversation that Callie had never returned from her trip to the bathroom. "Hey Danielle, would you want to come with me to look for Callie, I’m getting a little worried now.
"Sure, I would love to come. I'm also worried about her. Tasha want to come along?" Danielle turned to the other girl in the compartment who was still sitting down at the corner by the window.
Stalking down the aisle of the train with a sense of pride in her step, Callie made her way to the first carriage. <Teachers only hmmm..> she thought flicking her hair with a grin over her shoulder.
Standing in the door way, leaning slightly against the door frame stood Rufus, the watcher and supposable classroom assistant for Defence against the Dark Arts. His hard, cold eyes stared intently at her as she gracefully flowed towards him.
“Senior Assistant Vienhert, have I kept you waiting long?” Callie asked mockingly with an innocent tone
“Long enough” Rufus smiled reaching out for her hand and pulling her closer.
“Ooo now someone could get in trouble for this..” Callie joked in his embrace before noticing a serious look appear on her supposable guardian’s face whilst he stared down the length of the train.. “What?” she asked breaking the newly formed silence.
“Inside..NOW” Rufus demanded ushering Callie into a small side room... <What the...> “Don’t think just do it”
“Now what was that all about?” Callie whispered with an angry tone now that the pair of them were inside the small side room.
“Unwanted company..” Rufus replied seriously leaning his back against the fake wood interior before gazing out of the tiny window.
“Unwanted to you maybe but..” her sentence was abruptly cut short by the quick fluid like motion of Rufus that caused him to be standing right behind her.
Using a pale hand to lift a strand of her black hair away from her ear he whispered shocking news
“Someone is coming..and they could be coming to kill you..”
Slamming her palm down hard against the thin wall, five sharp black talons pierced deep through the wood and out of the other side.
“What!!!” Callie growled angrily not realising she was partially transformed. Small clumps of thick black fur had sprouted on her arms and legs, her hands were almost unrecognisable and her face was slowly beginning to distort to form a muzzle. Placing his strong arms around her, Rufus held the young woman in an attempt to soothe her temper.
“I won’t let him Callie, I won’t let him anywhere near you” he spoke, kissing her gently on the side of the forehead “I will protect you..Like I always have done”
It took Callie several minutes to calm down and revert her body to its natural form, to her being in the small room with Rufus hadn’t helped the situation. “I’m leaving now..Someone will think it’s suspicious if I’m not in the student section. I’ll speak to you went we get to school” Callie announced slamming the door behind her before Rufus had a chance to respond.
With the train arriving shortly in Hogsmede station Danielle and Kalina couldn't find Callie anywhere on the train so they had met back up with Tasha and decided to take their belongings and catch up with her up at the school. "I can't wait to be sorted. Well, see you around" Danielle, waved goodbye to the seventh year girls she had met on the train and followed the other first year students across the platform.
The deputy head mistress brought them into the Great Hall to get sorted. "I'll call you one by one and when you hear your name please come to the front so that I can place the sorting hat on your head." the professor explained to the first years. Danielle scanned around the room for Callie and then Kalina. They both gave her thumbs up and Danielle smiled at them.
"Danielle Read." The professor called out. Danielle went up and sat on the chair. <Please be Gryffindor. Please be Gryffindor> in her heart screaming. "Gryffindor" the sorting hat shouted. "Yes!" she shouted and ran to Kalina to hug her.
Sat at the far end of the Ravenclaw table away from the hive of activity that was the sorting process, Callie was far away in the land of daydreams pushing a small ball of rolled up paper around the table top with her index finger...
"Gryffindor!!" the sorting hat cried out but its repetitive voice just drowned away after already calling out three Gryffindor’s, two Slytherin’s and several Hufflepuff’s.
'When is this going to be over?' She questioned herself 'It's not like anyone else has someone coming to kill them do they..??'
'Urgh' she huffed loudly flattening the tiny paper ball under the pressure of her finger..
Before her mind wandered to the thought of Rufus's absence from the hall the Ravenclaw table erupted in an ear piercing cheer with everybody but her having risen from their seats in one swift motion. 'Urgh...' she mumbled again stumbling to stand with the others beside her.
A few places down the table Kyle watched as Danielle joined Kalina, she seemed sweet! He remembered his first days, when he was picked to be in Ravenclaw, he looked around the table for Tasha, his Quidditch teammate, also chaser with Ravenclaw...<I wonder why she missed last practice...> he stood up to go find Tasha, but felt someone tap his shoulder...
With the sorting ceremony drawing to a close, Callie eyed Kyle as he rose from his seat. With his quizzed expression she should tell he was looking for Tasha. <Lucky thing..he's so dedicated to her, so attractive and so...> her reviewing of a fellow Ravenclaw came to an abrupt halt as Rufus appeared behind Kyle and tapped him on the shoulder. <unlike him..> Callie continued with a tiny snarl <and him...!! URGH> glancing over to Oliver Jones with disgust.
Rubbing her hand down her forehead in a face palm like motion, Callie reached for her goblet of water that was positioned on the table in front of her and noticed that the surface of the water wasn't still and calm as it should be.
Kyle spun around, "Kyle, let's take a walk" barked Rufus roughly, "You didn't hear this from me, but you are going to be the new captain of Ravenclaw". He had guessed this might happen, but had not wanted to get his hopes up, Tasha was an amazing chaser too, with the addition of the Keeper, Ravenclaw had a real chance of winning this year, most of last year’s winning team were still there.
"So why did you really bring me here Mr Vienhert?"
Rufus stopped and glowered, "Fine here will do, I want you to stay away from Tasha, and you need to drop her from the team if she comes to the trials"
Kyle looked up, "What? Why should I? And what do you mean "if", she'll be at the trials, she always goes to practice."
With another faint rumble the tension on the surface of the water in the goblet rippled, causing Callie to slam the cup down and spill its contents onto the polished oak table..."Not now" she cursed, bolting away from her spot on the bench towards the recently opened hall door.
<Out of the way...move..move...> she barked under her breath at the first years who were chatting quite carefree about the evening's highlight..
"I'm so excited" a blonde Hufflepuff girl squeaked, "Me too" her friend replied eagerly before getting shoved off to the left by Callie barging past.
<So slow...it's like they have all night> Callie thought to herself ignoring the persistent cries of someone calling after her.
"Callie, wait up!" a deep male voice echoed before a heavy hand placed itself on her shoulder.
"Sorry I.." Callie answered before coming face to face with Olli. "Oh it’s you, maybe I’m not so sorry" she continued with a tone of anger to her voice.
"Please, we need to talk" he begged moving his hand off of her shoulder down to hold her delicate pale hand.
"What's there left to talk about?" Callie replied snatching her hand away "I still haven't forgave you for what you did". Noticing Olli taking a step back, He grinned at her with a half smug, half normal expression.
"Callie, we have been through this a hundred and one times, Erin meant nothing to me..."
"Oh Really!, I would never have guessed that when I walked in on both of you in the common room last term" Callie shouted, clearly annoyed with having to have a repeated conversation.
"You make it sound terrible..It was only one kiss I swear" he protested with fake innocence whilst watching the corner of Callie's eyes fill with tears.
"Yeah right, and I'd still not believe that in a month of Sundays..I wasn't born yesterday".
With a last attempt to hold the conversation together Olli took a deep breath and called out to Callie who had proceeded to walk away. "Come to the ball tonight with me?"
"She didn't go to practice last time did she?" Rufus grinned, "And she could do better without you, I know your story Kyle"
"What? How? Anyway, what does that change?"
"She doesn't know does she, Kyle? What would Tasha say, her Kyle, a-"
"Shut-up!" Kyle interrupted "Tasha wouldn't... she would understand-"
"Then why haven't you told her?" Rufus sneered, "Yeah thought so, listen if you don't keep your paws off her, I’ll see that Tasha never looks at you in the eye again", Rufus stalked off, leaving Kyle standing in the corridor, totally dejected.
“NO!!!" Callie cried out in reply to Olli before retreating away down an empty corridor and out of a side door into the darkness. With unexpected tears rolling down her partially flushed cheeks, she collapsed face down on the slightly dewed grass beneath her...<UGRH..I should have ripped that look off of his face, that lying...>*Howl like scream*<Oh no not again..>
As the moon made its way out from behind a patch of charcoal coloured clouds, its silvery light cast a harsh bright glow on the half transforming body of the young female lycanthrope. 'Where are you Rufus??' she sobbed as the hair on the back of her arms and hands began to thicken and darken.
With her limbs and muscles swelling, the pain in her feet became unbearable. Scrabbling at the buckles of her boots with her extended claws became an uphill struggle and after several seconds of unsuccessful attempts the leather seams gave way with an almighty rip and Callie’s now largely misshapen half toes, half paws could be seen sticking through the toe caps.
<NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.....> she cried out, hating the fact that her favourite boots were now torn into ribbons and knowing that very soon her clothes would be as well. With her spine starting to grow and arch Callie let out another howl and dug her claws into the earth trying to take her mind off the pain. <Callie calm down...> she tried to reassure herself. Rufus had to be on his way if not what was he doing?
From further down the hill in the direction of the forbidden forest a tall, bear like mass was hurtling its way through the trees without any hindrance. As Callie’s howling cries became louder, it raised its muzzle to the sky and sniffed the air. <She’s close, I can smell her> it growled and quickened its pace in the direction of the castle.
With her face furring up and her ears extending out of recognition, Callie improved eyesight caught a glimpse of the fearsome beast that had quickly emerged from the tree line. Panic stricken, Callie cried out for Rufus but only a pure howl left her lips. Her quick judgement led her to conclude that the beast that would soon be upon her had to be the thing that Rufus had warned her about on the train. Was it really here to kill her? Or did it bring a more deadlier message?.
Kyle blundered down the corridor blindly, barely avoiding bumping into a girl with bright pink hair.
"Hey watch it!"
"Sorry" <whatever Kelis>
A flicker of moonlight caught his eye, Kyle stared through the window with eyes glazed thinking about Tasha, Rufus and everything.
The lake was shimmering, with little waves lapping the shore. The grass was moving in the breeze and everything seemed so.... uncomplicated...
The moon hid behind the clouds and Kyle started, <how long have I been here> he made to move then turned back, who was that stumbling across the grass? <Oh it’s just Callie>
Unaware she was being watched; Callie braced herself for the attack. The waistband of her skirt exploded and a long black bushy tail wafted angrily behind her through the split.. <Why is this getting worse?> she sobbed as the beast had started to bolt once again towards her.
'Ok this is it..focus' Callie told herself whilst shaking off the rest of her human clothes and trying to stand on four massive paws with a wobble.
Within moments the large bear like beast were meters away, gaining ground with every second. Keeping her eyes open was proving difficult and slowly Callie began to cower in fear...<Impacting in three..two...>
"CALLIE" a familiar voice shouted from the newly flung open side door of the castle drawing her attention away from the beast's charge..
"Ruf..." she tried to cry out in whimper but the impact came as she was looking away and she had now been knocked backwards several feet, hitting the ground hard with a thud.
There was something about Callie that mystified Kyle, she seemed to always be there, but she'd never said much around him, and, well she often disappeared too, <I wonder what she thinks of me, she's so close to Tasha but she doesn't make any effort with me>. Kyle found himself strangely attracted to her, even if she was not really his type...
He looked at her slight figure then as the moon reappeared from behind the clouds, Kyle walked on thinking again about the mess he was in with Tasha...
Tasha had been quiet pretty much most of the time, she was usually a lot louder, she didn’t even know why she felt that way, she just did.. She had left the Great Hall earlier then everyone else and just walked around; she wasn’t really in the mood for the loud hall activity. She walked around the school for a bit... "I’m really going miss this place" she said quietly to herself, she sighed then decided to go back towards the common room, on the way she spotted Kyle in front of her, it looked like he was heading back too "Kyle" she called out
Kyle was so busy thinking that he didn't hear Tasha the first time, <I have to tell her... I can't bear to lose her, and... If she cares so much then I-
Kyle finally noticed Tasha, " Oh hey! How're you?" he replied smiling weakly...
With stars spinning in front of her eyes the once fearsome beast that had come charging, now stood proudly over her licking gently at her cheek...<What..?? huh?> she questioned to herself as she heard a familiar voice cry out.
"GANYMEDE..STEP AWAY FROM HER" Rufus ordered, pointing his wand out straight at the beast ready to cast. In response the large werewolf bent his head with a snarl and refused to move.
<What..??> Callie wondered still bemused before snapping back into reality.."GANNY" real words sounded as they left her lips rather than a bark or a growl. In the best way that a beast can smile, Ganymede raised his lips and gave a small wink at his sister. "I can't believe that you are here" Callie spoke now clearly overjoyed at the reunion.
"Last warning" Rufus commanded again, lighting up the end of his wand with a small glow.
"Oh please..you're pathetic" a strong, sturdy voice emerged from Ganymede's throat as he stepped away from Callie.."You have none of your colleagues here to save you this time Rufus..and its two wolves to one of you". As he spoke his body started to morph and revert back to normal form in swift, liquid like motion..."And I'm not bluffing..Where is your precious Sophia this time??...hmmm" Ganymede grabbed his wand that was tucked in a holster on his left thigh and conjured a dark red school uniform with matching overcoat around his body. He had mastered the ability of reverting into his other form with clothes on, but shorts and a T-shirt weren’t really appropriate attire.
"Enough!!" Callie shouted diverting the mounting tension to her pale shivering now humanoid mass sitting in a pile of cloth scraps "Let’s just get my clothes back together and go inside...I'M FREEZING!!!"
With a quite chuckle Ganymede flicked his thin chestnut wand about in the air and within moments had Callie dressed back in her Ravenclaw uniform and un-matching black buckled leather boots.
"Right...Now she's dressed...MOVE" he joked, sending a small dancing spark ball after Rufus's heels as they entered back into the castle.
Tasha frowned at Kyle "What’s up with you?" she asked, his face looked tired, and his smile didn’t reach his eyes like it usually did, plus she hadn’t seen him for a while, he usually would have been more excited "Is everything alright?"
"I ran into someone earlier just, its.... nothing, So how come you ditched me at the last practice then?", Kyle smiled teasingly, "Something better to be doing?"
Kyle looked at Tasha in the eyes "I've missed you; it’s great to see your face again"
As the three of them walked casually down a corridor lined on the left hand side with mouldy looking ancient tapestries with Rufus out in front, Callie and Ganymede chatted casually behind playfully punching each other in the arm on occasions...
"Didn't expect my beastly charge..Did you?" He spoke punching Callie's upper left arm.
"No..I didn't and...." Callie replied punching him back playfully twice as hard "THAT was for doing it to me....".
"Oowww.." he replied rubbing his arm..."I thought you liked being tackled to the ground when you were younger?"
Callie answered with a chuckle whilst raising her eyebrows "No...That was Europa your LITTLE sister...REMEMBER?"
After several seconds of thought, Ganymede with his dark eyes looked seriously at Callie drawing her attention before grabbing her around the waist making her scream with laughter. Unable to take the immaturity any longer Rufus slammed his foot down and quickly put an end to Callie's laughing..
"That's better..now keep it that way!!" he muttered before continuing down the corridor.
With the next hundred meters spent in silence Callie's eye's wandered around the corridor as much as her thoughts..<Why had Ganny come all this way to find her? And why wasn't Rufus too pleased to see him?> she questioned herself before spotting two familiar figures deep in conversation by a nearby window...
<Oh its Tasha...and *Gasps excitedly* Kyle..Why is he here??? I look a wreck!!...Don't you dare stop and make conversation Rufus...I mean it>
Ganymede grinned at his sister and smirked, watching her get slightly uncomfortable as they approached.
Kyle smiled at Tasha, but he felt so fake, all he wanted to do was get everything out of his system, "Tasha, can I talk-"
The sound of footsteps stopped the conversation from flowing...
<It was Rufus! and what was Callie doing with him... did she know?>
Kyle, flushed red and just smiled, Rufus can't tell her now, not with everybody....
Rufus gave a cold hard stare at Kyle as he walked past whilst behind, struggling to flatten down any fly away hairs and remove her dark panda smudged eyes, Callie gave a quick wave to Tasha but had to shy away from Kyle's greeting smile. <What the hell did I do that for...>
Glancing dead ahead, she spotted Kalina struggling with a tower of books walking in the oncoming direction with Kyle's friend Alex both from Gryffindor..
<What is it Piccadilly Circus here tonight?? If anyone else I know happens to be walking this way and see’s me like this I swear I'm making bolt for it> she complained to herself.
While all this was going on Ganny was enjoying the attention of everyone's turning heads to look at the him, the stranger. "I could get used to this" he commented nudging at Callie.
"Typical, you would" she replied looking back down at the floor.
Kyle noticed that Callie had avoided his gaze, but didn't say anything. He noticed the way her hair was ruffled and he smiled it looked nice... but who was this guy with her? Was that her boyfriend, Kyle was curious, "Hey Tasha, do you know who he is?"
Then Kyle turned to watch them pass and Alex was ahead, "Alex! Hey how're you?" he greeted as the two Gryffindor’s joined them in the corridor.
Walking with Kalina, Alex noticed Kyle as the pair walked forward. "Hey Kyle, I'm well. How are you doing?," he asked with a smile
"Well look at this little party we have going on here." Kalina announced jokingly to the group before looking around observing and taking in everything. It was great to be back at home with the gang back together.
A sudden loud voice could be heard resonating through the Great Hall's doors. A faint 'Prefects, please show the first years to their new house dorms."
'So I’m assuming all of you are going to the ball correct? Perhaps we should go get ready. Do you guys have dates? I need to see your dresses?!" Kalina was speaking very quickly alternating from asking group questions to direct ones at Tasha because she was so excited for the night to come.
Alex listened to Kalina, and then the others of the group. He shook his head and spoke with a smile, "I don't have a date yet."
Callie stopped walking, looked at Kalina and shook her head "I'm not going, but I can't stop I have to go sort out something..I can’t stop for long".
"Who's she?" Ganny questioned glancing back over his shoulder at the small gathering.
"Who the one with the brown curly hair? Callie answered hating the idea of where this conversation may be heading.
"Well her too..But I meant the petite, black haired girl. The one who was originally speaking to the tall guy?" he replied, removing part of his fallen hair out of his eye as spoke.
With a small sigh Callie answered his question with a simple "Tasha and Kalina..end of".
'Oh so you don't have a date, well you’re stuck with me then sound good?" Kalina replied to Alex in a half jokingly manner. ‘Tasha, do you know what’s wrong with Callie? She seems pretty upset. Come to mention it, so do you." she observed almost everyone’s unhappy faces in the group. “Well Alex, I guess we’re the only happy ones here ha-ha" she said with a smile, but her heart was pounding a million miles a second.
"I'd love to go with you, Kalina," Alex added happily before looking around and noticing many unhappy faces. "Is everyone alright?," he asked concerned to those around him.
Tasha looked at Kyle sternly <What’s up with him? There is obviously something on his mind. I’ll have to get that out of him later>, "No, I actually, strangely enough, have no clue who he is" she said, shocked that she didn’t, she checked him out unable to help it <Kinda cute to.. Looks a bit like her.. Wait a minute...> she trailed off thinking.
"Yeah I’ll be at the ball.. We can get ready together later on if you want to Kal"
Kyle laughed at Kalina and Alex's blatant flirting, flitting away from just straight out asking her.... <Every year, he laughed...>
"Hey Alex, could you come by later then when the girls are getting ready...?"
Kyle listened half heartedly, thinking about who he'd bring to the ball.... <I guess I should ask Tasha, I always do...>
"Hey Tasha, can I speak to you for a minute?"
Tasha nodded and pulled Kyle off to one side "See you soon guys" she winked at Kalina.. She walked over with Kyle and waited for him to talk.
"Sure man. I'll definitely stop by," Alex waved excitedly as he was left standing beside Kalina.
"Hey Tasha, umm.., do you have a date for the ball yet? I know I’ve been acting distant lately, but I’ve had a lot on my mind, I’ll save it for after the ball ok?" Kyle asked hoping, she'd take him, dreading she wouldn't, he couldn't blame her if she refused, he had been so disconcerted since his talk with Rufus...
Curiosity was killing her "Are you sure you don’t want to tell me now.. It will be kinda hard to find some privacy at the ball" she said "and um.. Yeah sure... thought you would take Callie though" she added quietly though she knew he heard.
Kyle laughed "What Callie?", then he realised she was standing behind him still, his ears burned... "Umm yeah I’m sure she’s nice, but Tasha you know she has barely said a word to me... that would be awkward!"
Tasha laughed "If you say so" she grinned with a knowing smile.
"Why do you think she likes me? I always thought she..., she never talks around me...?" Kyle was a little surprised, he did one of those looks over his shoulder, he couldn't help himself, and he met Callie's eyes looking back... His cheeks flushed even more red...<Oh no Tasha saw that>
Tasha laughed at Kyle "subtle" she whispered so only he would hear she laughed again as he went red, <He still has some explaining to do> she reminded herself.
Curious as to what Kyle and Tasha were talking about, Alex noticed Kyle look over his shoulder and blush. He chuckled amused and luckily Kalina was quickly engaging in a short conversation with Ganny so she wasn’t being ignored.
Tasha just looked at Kyle with an innocent smile "I never said anything" she said.. She didn’t need to say anything <They would be so cute> she thought grinning.
Kyle caught that smile, <This was so bad, ha-ha trust me!>
Then he turned back and loudly said "Ok then, See you outside just before the start Tasha" and glanced at Callie's reaction...
Sauntering back to Alex, who was still chuckling a little "Quit it!" Kyle whispered, nudging him... before smiling to himself.. He’d got a date!
Nudging Kyle playfully in return, Alex replied"I won't. We both have dates," he whispered to him so only he could hear.
"Ha-ha look at us studs! Going for our final formal!!! I'll miss them, so better party hard for a night we won't remember!” Kyle began jubilantly.
"I hope to remember this one. You know I've been hoping to go with Kalina for a while" Alex answered glancing across at Kalina still in conversation.
"Ha-ha shush you!" Kyle smiled and faked shunned Tasha...
Tasha called his bluff and went over to talk with Callie and Kalina, leaving Alex and Kyle discussing something in a rather playful schoolboy fashion.
"Yeah, it’s great you finally asked her! Don't worry you'll remember tonight well!" Kyle began thinking back to all those times Alex had bottled out of asking Kalina to do anything together...<They're so good for each other>
"I know, Kyle...and even better, you have a date," Alex replied with a chuckle, remembering the times I had chickened out of asking Kalina.
Realising Rufus would have noticed them missing from behind him by now, Callie said good-bye to her friends and proceeded down towards the Headmaster’s office with her brother in tow.
Several minutes later the three of them arrived at the eagle head bust statue that resided outside the magical entrance to the office. "Tutti Frutti" Rufus spoke to the statue and watched as a wall transformed revealing a staircase.
<I didn't know he knew the password> Callie thought descending the first marble stairs.
"So can you introduce them to me them at the ball tonight?" Ganny whispered into his sister's ear with a smile. "Er who invited you? And besides if you go you can meet them alone. I am not going" she answered returning her thoughts back to concentrating walking down the spiral helix.
"Psssst...Why not?" he whispered back again..
"None of your bus..." Callie was about to respond before Rufus appeared in her face.
"Please be quite..We are about to go in" he announced to the students before pounding on the heavy oak door ahead of him.
A while later, <Thank goodness that's over> Callie thought with a yawn upon exiting the headmaster's office.
"You can say that again" Ganny spoke noticing her reaction, whilst tugging at his tie like a dog with a new flea collar.
"Leave it alone, blue suits you." she announced snatching the silk tie out of his hand and smoothing it flat against his semi muscular chest. "The sorting hat made the right choice"
"Somehow, I doubt it chose Ravenclaw because blue suits my skin tones" he answered back sarcastically before they both gave each other a playful glare.
Having finished his conversation with the Headmaster, Rufus slowly left the room, closing the door and coldly stared at the two young lycanthropes.
"Callie, I need to speak to your brother alone. I hope you'll forgive me for asking you to leave?" he spoke with a sad expression.
"Sure..I guess" she shrugged in response "I'll be in the tower if you need me. See you later Ganny"
As Callie thudded up the stairs, heading back to the Ravenclaw Tower she called back down from the top of the staircase.
"I hope the door knocker doesn't confuse your little brain, Ganny" she called back down into the darkness before darting away.
Back at the bottom of the stairs, Rufus had Ganymede stunned up against a wall with a holding spell and begun to speak as soon as Callie is out of hearing distance.
"You are going to tell me why you are here and why you have come alone..GOT THAT?" Rufus commanded squeezing his magical grip tighter "You will not put up any fuss or I will inform the authorities that there is a wild, unstable monster on the loose around the school and you will be carted away"
Ganymede tried to answer but was quickly interrupted by Rufus.
"I've kept you here for Callie's sake, If I had my way I would have sent you packing back to where ever you came from"
"I don't take threats from cowards" Ganny growled struggling to release himself from the magical restraint "If you did care about Callie you would have helped her to trans..."
"SILENCE" Rufus cried casting another spell trying to inflict a small amount of pain.."Just come along quietly...understand"
Being released from the grip, Ganymede sat crumpled with his back against the wall. "Sophia never treated any of us like the dogs we really were..I wish she was still alive to put you in your place Mr Vienhert" he smirked watching the expression on Rufus's face melt away..
"S..s..Sophia is dead.." he stuttered, before grabbing the young man by the arm and forcing him onto his feet.
"I’ll see you guys later" Tasha said smiling, she turned around to make her way towards the common room, on the way she passed by Rufus and the guy that she had seen earlier on, but Callie wasn’t there, she glanced at them quickly, confused, then made her way to the common room. Hoping Callie was there, she walked in and spotted her "Ok seriously what’s been going on?" she asked.
Inside Ravenclaw Tower, lounging across the whole of a sofa, Callie bent her head back over the arm and looked at Tasha upside down as she walked in the door. "Hiya, what's up?" she waved in a friendly greeting.
"Not much with me.. It’s you that has some explaining to do.. You just disappeared on the train and then again a while ago.. And was that... your brother?" she asked everything at once.. The last part she was a bit confused about.
"No..I'm just lucky enough to find a tall, dark, handsome stranger wandering around the school" Callie joked with a smile "Of course he is my brother..We look so alike". Struggling to answer Tasha's first question, she paused and announced "I had to speak to Rufus, wasn't about anything major"
"Is anything up callie?" Tasha asked concerned "you seem troubled"
Callie looked at Tasha with a slight blank expression <Troubled..Maybe that’s a word that just about summed everything up. How on earth do I say 'hey, I've been your best friend for ages but I’m really a werewolf and to top it off in three months time I’m going to be dragged away because an official nobody is going to label me as dangerous...and that's just the icing on the cake'>
"Huh..sorry I missed that. I'm fine really..Don't worry so much"
Tasha had caught the expression on her face and the hesitation in her eyes before she could change it... "Why do I get the feeling you’re not telling me something... come on Callie... you can tell me anything"
"I..er.." Callie stumbled on her words desperate to tell the truth "I had a run in with Olli earlier, he's such a jerk. Had the nerve to ask me out to the ball this evening and I swear I nearly throttled him"
{Liar... hmph.. change the subject why don’t you} Tasha thought smirking "Puh-leassse tell me you turned him down" she begged teasing
"Of course..." Callie announced smiling "Serves him right. So you going tonight? I bet Kyle was dying to ask you" <They are so cute together>
Tasha laughed at that last part "Me and Kyle go together all the time... it sure isn’t me he's dying to ask " she added innocently
"Oh come on...he spent the whole sorting ceremony looking up and down the table for you. He has this little sad expression when you are just not around..Not that I was paying attention or anything" Callie laughed removing her legs off of the couch so Tasha could have a seat.
"Yes.. that’s because he is my brother from another mother" Tasha said using a muggle saying that had always made both girls laugh, she collapsed next to Callie with a giggle "No seriously.. Me and Kyle... so not together.. We love each other in a different kinda way... not romantic love... besties love... so don’t worry.. Not that you was paying attention or anything" Tasha said smirking again as Callie's face went slightly pink.
"That is the biggest lie I have ever heard you come out with missy" Callie laughed dropping the thin book down the side of the chair. "I wouldn't believe that in a..."
"Month of Sunday's" Tasha finished "I know you say that ALL the time"
Both girls laughed "that is NOT a lie... and by the way I heard next month is going to be just Saturdays.... is that good enough?" she teased
"Even better..I hate Sundays" Callie replied missing the point. Pretending to look a watch on her wrist she thought about the ball "Not long to go..You’d better go and start getting ready it takes you HOURS". She finished closing her eyes and playfully fake snoring highlighting the point.
"You take even longer so you might as well get up.. Plus you can’t do a thing without me so I must help" she teased and pushed Callie until she fell off the couch.
"Ow..I'm not the one with the hot date with her supposable "best friend" and besides like I said before I'm not going" Callie announced playfully poking her tongue out and standing to her feet.
"Yeah yeah of course you’re not... now get up and get changed “Tasha said completely ignoring Callie and dragging her up to their dorms "Oh by the way.. I don’t remember mentioning anything about hotness... seems you really weren’t paying attention or anything"
Up in the dorm room only a few of the Ravenclaw girls had returned to get ready for the evenings activities. "We'll there's no point in me getting ready yet even if I am going, my brother hasn't returned from his meeting with Rufus and he'll probably not have the intellect to get past the knocker" Callie suggested to Tasha as she rushed about the room.
"Oh he's in Ravenclaw too" Tasha said hiding her interest by burying her head in her clothes, she poked out "I’m sure he'll manage, if he was sorted into Ravenclaw he'll be fine.. Now are you getting dressed or not.. you can help him in when you have your dress on... and I’m sure you’re going" she added the last part silently to herself.
Callie sighed "Yes I’m afraid so..." Stopping her sentence mid flow as Tasha held out something pink and fluffy..."I am not going in THAT..I wouldn't even wear anything pink to bed where no one can see. That is hideous"
Tasha laughed "Okay... pick a colour then" she said "Mines going to be..."she paused thinking for a minute "Either black or green... ooh or gray.. by the way you HAVE to choose a colour.. No black for you "
Kalina roamed the halls for several minutes until she arrived at the Ravenclaw dorms. Already dressed for the ball she knocked on the common room door and shouted for someone on the other side. " Hey, um It’s Kalina I’m outside, do you mind letting me in please "
"Why not black??" Callie questioned as Tasha started holding up accessories in multiple colours...
"Red..no, hmmm Grey..too boring and you call that a colour??"
"Biscuit.. Is just a colour like any other" Tasha replied getting aches in her arms..
"Sadly all that’s left is black..What a shame" Callie smiled looking under her bed for some shoes that matched well with something black.
"Urgh fine" Tasha said giving up "Just because I’m being nice..." Noticing the time, Tasha remembered their plans with Kalina “I’ll be right back Callie... no black make up" she added rushing out of the door. Forgetting that she was in hot shorts and a shirt and her hair all over the place, pulled up by her wand, the way muggle’s put their hair up with a pencil, she walked out into the common room and smiled at Kalina entering "Hey hun" she announced with a warm smile.
“Hey deary!" Kalina answered with a smile “You look... lovely!" she said in a sarcastic tone. ‘So I trust that you’re not letting Callie wear black tonight. Right?'
Tasha looked down at herself and laughed "Callie's being stubborn and won’t wear anything else.. Help me" she laughed "I’ll take the black dress and you make her wear something else"
<Hmmm..That was exhausting. I think I need some fresh air> Callie thought to herself whilst the Tasha coast was clear.
Leaving a pair of black strapped barely worn shoes on the bed with a note of 'back in five'. Callie exited the room and headed in the direction of the upper rooms of the tower. This was her favourite place to go in the whole of the castle both for its view during the day and evening.
Approaching a small window, Callie flung it open and climbed out onto the ledge and hoisted herself up onto the shallow sloped slate roof.
The moon above was breathtakingly beautiful and Callie could not help herself from sighing to the bright stars in the night's sky.
'Needed that.. Now too get that black dress out of Tasha's locked trunk' Callie thought flinging herself gracefully back inside and rushing back to the dorm.
'Okay, let’s do this. Even if we have to take her kicking and screaming she will NOT wear black. Ha' Kalina schemed enthusiastically. The two rushed back up the stairs and saw Callie standing in the mirror in the very elegant black dress. "On second thought,' Kalina said to Tasha” maybe we should let her wear the black dress, she does look gorgeous”
Callie gave a startled look as the other girls walked in the room "I'll make it green at a push but only if it's dark green" she joked.
"True she does...but..but.. urgh.. Callie you suck" Tasha teased with a grumble "Someone pick a colour for me.. And I don’t mind if you make yours green Cal" she said sitting on the bed.
Smiling at Tasha, Callie headed over to her trunk. "Ok your turn. I have this *holds up an item* in black or this *holds up something else*..But it’s black. Oh and that *points to something hanging* but its ebony"
"We're both wearing black?" Tasha asked with a shrug "Oh well... we all know I look better in black anyway" she teased getting a dress on "Mmm " she said checking her reflection, she pulled her black high heels from under the bed and got them on "How do I look" she asked her friends grinning.
"Stunning" Callie answered changing back into her uniform.."But maybe you should have worn what Kel has on..That's fab on you" "Ow.." *Callie jumped as the leather band around her neck gave a small twinge.. <About time>
"Be back in 3.."
As she stepped out of the door, Rufus's unusually emotional voice can be heard in her ear. "Your brother is..On his way" was all he said before cutting off..
<Weird..Suppose I'd better go find him>
Alex went to go get ready, as Kyle would probably be doing the same. After he was ready and looking sharp, he headed towards Kyle's dorm, which was in Ravenclaw tower. He waited outside the door with the talking door-knob. It asked the question, and Alex did his best to answer but found the door opened as Callie exited and brushed past him. With the opportunity he went inside, and found his way up to Kyle's dorm room.
Wandering about the halls Callie struggled to find Ganymede. <Urgh where is he...> she worried as Rufus hadn't responded to her knocks on his office door.
Nearing the Hufflepuff dorms, Callie saw a mass of house elves with brooms whacking at something large. Unable to see what it was through the mass of small bodies, she had to shove her way through the crowd for a better look.
"Give it back..Bread ours, thief" they chanted "Crazy wolf" before spotting Callie down the hallway and turned their brooms angrily towards her before outweighing their odds. "Oh no another one...run away"
Totally gobsmacked Callie, reached Ganny who had been under the prodding elves. "Stealing from house elves are we? Whatever next?"
"Oh hi sis, next time you see that 'watcher' of yours and he wants to have a meeting ask him if a buffet is provided..I'm starving" Ganny managed to say eating the small loaf of bread in three mouthfuls.
"Well what do you expect turning up un-announced..and hurry up, the ball starts in ten minutes." Callie chirped getting slightly excited..
Ganny raised his eyebrows at her "Who was the one who said to their friends they weren't going..hmmm?"
"I'm a woman, I'm allowed to change my mind" she stated sticking out her tongue and turning full circle around on her heels "Move it bread stealer".
Putting the last touches together, Tasha had got her hair fixed up in a fancy style (some of it up and the rest flowing down) she had put on black eyeliner and mascara, some lip gloss and was complete "that’s about as much make-up as I get on" she said to Kalina "now where is Callie" she added to herself leaning over as she strapped on her heels.
Kyle was on the edge of his bed, holding his Quidditch kit... <I can't even imagine the team without Tasha>, he thought looked up to see Alex wandering down the hallway.... <ha-ha I’ll leave him for a minute...>
Alex was all ready <as usual> and dressed, but looking totally lost...
Kyle started into the rest of his suitcase, and a few minutes later called down to Alex "I’m in here silly!"
"No the second room to the left" Kyle called out.
Originally heading into the wrong room Alex heard Kyle call out, and had an 'Aha' moment. Correcting his mistake he headed into the second room to the left, and noticed Kyle getting ready. "Hey Pal."
"Hey I’ll just be a minute, can't decide where to put my stash of chocolate frogs" Kyle shrugged and just shoved them into his desk.
"And what’s this you getting into the Common room, that knocker really has been dumbing down the questions since its rebuff" Kyle teased
"It’s funny...I didn't expect to get in...," Alex began but didn’t get a chance to explain that Callie had held the door open for him.
"Ha yeah, you must have a bit of the 'claw in you!" Kyle turned around from putting away his stuff and waved his wand, his entire outfit ball clothes appeared around him...
"So what should I go for? Rugged look or a smarter tux?" Kyle laughed, he flicked his wand and was ready in a tux, all smartened up.
"Sorry mate, nearly ready" he walked over to a mirror and looked back at himself.
"It’s alright. I have always been quicker at getting ready. You could go either way. What look do you want to show?" Alex asked while sitting on the end of Kyle's bed.
"Yeah you're always on time! Remember when I walked in halfway through the Head's speech in the Great Hall, it wasn't my fault, I fell asleep"
"Ha-ha this looks just about right" Kyle looked smart but not overly, he readied his hair but only to stall (his hair was perfect, yet looking like no effort as usual), he was preoccupied with a question still on his mind <Why is Callie not going? Did Olli not ask her?>
"Haha...I remember that," Alex replied with a chuckle and watched as Kyle finished getting ready. "What's on your mind?...and you mentioned wanting me to come by earlier, too?"
" I knew you'd keep me on time" Kyle replied trying to deflect the question
"Fine then, I was wondering, have you saw Erin around? I haven't seen her since before the summer..."
Alex listened before having think, "I can't say that I have. Is she going to go to the ball tonight with Olli?," he asked Kyle.
Kyle snorted "No way! Do NOT mention that incident to Callie either, she's probably still really cut up about it"
"Come on Alex, Tasha and Kalina are probably down stairs waiting by now. I’ll look out for Erin on route”
"I'm just speculating, though I definitely won't tell Callie...you know that," Alex said as he stood up, prepared to leave the room. "Ready when you are. Let's not keep our dates waiting,"
Tasha walked down with Kalina... "Callie will meet us there" she explained as they made their way to the common room "Where are those boys?.. Since when are we faster than them at getting ready" she asked
Alex came down the stairs, dressed nicely, and looking sharp. Kyle wouldn't be too far behind him. "Hello, Tasha and Kalina, You both look lovely this evening," he announced with a smile, hugging Kalina and then looking towards Tasha.
Kyle walked down, still wondering about Erin...
"Wow Tasha you look amazing! And I heard that!"
"Hey boys, you don’t look to bad yourself" Tasha said winking at them, "and what. It took you ages... you’re usually the ones nagging us about being late... “She teased hugging Kyle tightly.
Alex shrugged, and smiled, his arm still around Kalina's waist. "We're still early. Shall we, Ladies?"
"Can you slow down please?" Ganny called out from the bottom of the stairs to the tower as Callie was already half way up, taking the steps two to three at a time..
"If you don't move your behind a tad faster, I'll leave you outside the common room" Callie yelled back leaning over the banister rail. "The ball will be over by the time we get there"
Craftily Ganny had an idea and looked around to check the coast was clear. With no sighs of any students about he transformed into his wolf form and zoomed up the staircase to the top.
"Yeah who's slow now sister" he gloated with a smile.
Something was still bothering Kyle, "Here Tasha can I meet up with you at the ball, sorry but I need to find Erin"
Tasha sighed "Fine then, but I really don't see why you still are friendly with her"
"Not now Tash, but I just know her better that’s all..." Kyle didn't wait for a reply and went off in search of Erin.
Kyle bumped into Callie on his way down the stairs "Sorry",
" I have to go, find .... someone, sorry Callie" Kyle rushed on leaving an awkward silence lingering in the air..
Peter got ready and then headed to the Ball. He was 'wowed' by the decorations in the Great Hall. He was dressed nicely, and his hair was as well done as he could do it. Peter didn't have a date, though hoped he would meet someone there...though more importantly, he just wanted to come and have a good time.
In the Meantime...Something for Fun – Sunday 1st September
As the scarlet steam engine blew its whistle for the second time on Platform 9 3/4, Callie O’Hara pushed her way through the crowd of hugs and kisses and quickly headed to find an empty compartment on the train. Just like every other year the Hogwarts Express was a crammed full and heaving at the seams with luggage, owls, annoying first years and the awful smell of pumpkin pasties lingering from the trolley.
Finally arriving at compartment four, Callie pushed open the sliding door to find a small red haired Hufflepuff second year eating Bertie Botts every flavour beans and stroking a rather large black Persian cat that was nestled quite happily on her lap.
'Urgh I hate the smell of cats' Callie thought as she gave a low unsatisfied growl causing the cat to flee from the young girl’s lap into the hustle and bustle of the corridor beyond.
"FLUFFY" the young red head squealed leaping from the cracked burgundy leather seat and dropping her sweets behind her to chase after her beloved pet.
‘Well that was kind of you, don’t mind if I do’ Callie thought again stepping into the small room and dropping herself and her rucksack into the warm spot by the window.
Outside the mothers and fathers still cuddled and cried as they made the most of their precious last moments with their children until the Christmas holidays came around. It saddened Callie to see that there was no one on the platform to hug her or kiss her goodbye and neither would there be anyone waiting for her when she returned.
Resting her feet on the seat opposite she stared out of the window, and began the long wait until the train’s departure. She was also glad that this would be the second to last time she would have to sit in this awful excuse for magical transportation.
"He must have already boarded" Callie mumbled, scanning the last of the faces on the other side of the glass for Rufus. Rufus was never one to be late nor one to be very far away from her side.
A harsh knock on the open sliding door distracted Callie away from the window.
“Miss O’Hara, those boots are not part of the school dress code” a familiar seventh year, Oliver Jones barked trying out his best authoritive tone.
“So what?” Callie announced lifting her leg off the chair, raising it slightly in the air so her skirt slipped revealing the full length of her knee high Goth like, multi buckled, thick soles boots and part of her bare pale thigh “I happen to like them, don’t you?”
Leaving the young man lost for words, he stuttered for several seconds and mumbled “erm..Seen a girl chasing a cat?”
“That way love” Callie answered, pointing down the hall as she placed her feet back on the seat opposite with a flick of her long black hair. As Oliver left, Callie gave a short whisper of ‘sucker’ and shoved a raspberry ripple bean into her mouth with a smug grin. ‘When will he learn...’
Tasha hugged her mother quickly and boarded the train, she walked through the compartments looking for Callie, she smiled finally finding her.
"Hey love" she cried hugging her "Oh my god I missed you so much.. My mom’s been driving me crazy" she added, ever since her dad died her mom had turned completely weird "Where's the hawk" she asked referring to Rufus.
Callie returned Tasha's hug and returned to her warm seat "Probably playing suck up to the professors as always" she answered with a frown "There's no way I’d want to come back and teach as a classroom assistant..Boring!"
Quickly changing the subject away from the soul sucking vulture Callie asked "So how was your holiday?"
"It was okay.. When I was away from mom.. She’s acting all weird and pretends to be happy or whatever, then I hear her crying every night.. She keeps trying to do 'fun' stuff which would have been cool if I was 5, Anyway.. How was yours?"
"Oh the usual..Nothing to special. Spent most of the time hanging out with..." Callie paused and noticed that once again the conversation was back on the subject of Rufus "..No one, dead boring! very boring" <phew, well recovered>
The last thing she would want to mention is that 90% of her past evenings had been spent with her foot tied to a tree, restraining herself from lashing out at Rufus whilst he provoked her to transform in and out of her other state.
Danielle kissed her dad goodbye and went into Hogwarts express. She sat on an empty seat and took out the picture of her and her twin brother. Tears filled out from her eyes as her twin brother had just passed away. She didn't notice that there were people beside her or opposite her. She touched the picture of her twin brother. "I will make our dream come true brother." She whispered and hugged the picture tightly.
Kalina ran onto the train. She always looked forward to the return trip to school. She searched the carriages for her closet friends. After some time of looking through packed carriages she found who she was looking for: Two of her closet friends Callie and Tasha. She put down the bag in her left hand to open the apartment door. "'Ello Guys!' she said enthusiastically. She ran over to her friends letting her packages fall all over the floor. "How are you two?! I've missed you so much! Did you receive my letters?! Well of course you did, you wrote back ahah" she was talking a mile a minute. She looked down to see the mess she created in such a short time. "Oh shoot! Aren’t I clumsy" she joked as she kneeled on the floor to pick up her items. As she was about to get up the train came to a sudden jolt. She fell backwards hitting her head against the seat. The three started laughing. Their journey back to school had begun.
Danielle walked out of her place and she bought some candies from the lady with the snack trolley. The lady stopped in front of Callie, Tasha and Kalina's compartment. "Erm...maam can I have a few of this. Thanks!" she took it and looked at the girls who were inside. "Hi! I'm Danielle you can call me Dani for short." she smiled and held out her hand.
With the Hogwarts Express chugging down the track on her long journey to Scotland, Callie turned her view away from the other giggling girls and continued to stare out of the window at the depressing grey clouds that had quickly eradicated any sign of the morning's blissful sunshine.
<Field...boring, tree..boring..oh another field..still boring*sigh*>
Raising her hand to welcome Danielle into the company, something large and black bounding over a hedgerow caught Callie's eye from outside the glass.
<It can't be...>
Standing unexpectedly to her feet, both of her palms hit the window with a thud and she stretched her neck hoping for a better look at the view that was quickly disappearing..
" What’s going on Callie?" Kalina spoke in surprise and immediately stopped laughing. Standing from the floor she stood next to her friend. " Callie, what do you see?" She looked around the landscape which was unfortunately flying by too quickly. " Why don't we sit down" She said. Suddenly she realized she hadn’t greeted the new person in the compartment. "Oh Hello Dan! I'm Kalina' she said over shaking her hand.
"Nice meeting you guys." Danielle smiled as she shook Kalina's hands " I'm new here. So I'm still an alien to you guys. Haha...so I guess you are my seniors." she smiled, and sat down next to Natasha who seemed to be quietly sitting down. "Hey, I'm Danielle." giving her a friendly smile.
"Ahh nothing, must have been a... farmer's dog.." Callie replied with a reassuring smile. She was kinda glad Kalina hadn't seen 'It', otherwise explaining what something the approximate size of a bear was doing leaping casually over a hedge in the middle of England might prove very difficult. <Had Rufus seen it? I guess only time will tell> she thought to herself, still concerned.
"Oh okay" Kalina announced to Callie. " So girls what’s new with all of you? Any good summer gossip!?" she said with a giggle. " Are you excited for your first year Dan? I wonder what house you'll be sorted into?! I'm in Gryffindor, we're pretty awesome if I may say so " she said laughing.
" Yeah I'm totally excited. I hope that I'll be sorted into Gryffindor” Danielle replied confidently before sadly thinking back to her brother “My brother and I never dreamed we’d get to go to a place like Hogwarts let alone get to chosen into houses by a hat. My brother would have been so excited if he was allowed to live to see this day." Danielle looked up and weakly smiled at Callie.
“Awesome Gryffindor’s” Callie laughed nudging Kalina opposite, “When you guys can beat us intelligent and proud Ravenclaw’s at Quidditch then you can brag with that line..Isn’t that right Tasha?”. Nodding with agreement Tasha makes a playful prod at Callie’s leg and the girl’s erupted with a roar of laughter once again.
After several minutes, Callie calmed down and sighed before returning her gaze back to the window. The thought of spending one last year at Hogwarts with her friends was beginning to grate on her and an overwhelming sadness began to well up in her stomach. <Not now...>
As a small tear started to form along her right eye’s lower eyelashes, the collar around her neck emitted a low magical frequency and urged Callie to act.. <Damn you, what do you want now?>
“I..er...” Callie muttered standing from her seat and grabbing a small makeup bag from her rucksack “Have to go and re apply my eyeliner, won’t be long”. Avoiding a response from the other girls about her random reactions Callie left the carriage heading in the opposite direction to the student bathroom.
Beginning with a chuckle Danielle continued interact with the older students "If I really can play Quidditch very well because I haven't actually played the sport before. Well, I just hope that I would get either Gryffindor or Ravenclaw I don't want to be in Slytherin at all." Danielle said, while taking out her bottle of water and took a quick swig from it.
Noticing Callie exit the carriage, Danielle turned to Kalina. "What happened to her? She seems gloomy to me and those eyes I could see that she's been crying. Should we go to her and ask her what's wrong?" she could feel that something must be wrong and she was going to find out.
"She’s just had a bit of a troubled past" Kalina answered Danielle. "So you want to play Quidditch eh? I play the position of chaser for Gryffindor. I can tell you now, this year we WILL beat Ravenclaw" she said to Tasha laughing. "We've been training hardcore over the holidays so you guys better watch out."
"Well, if I'm good I guess I'll get into Quidditch. Haha...and I don't which house am I in yet. Wow...Gryffindor is practicing "Practice makes perfect" haha..." Danielle said smiling.
A short amount of time had passed and the girls realized after their long conversation that Callie had never returned from her trip to the bathroom. "Hey Danielle, would you want to come with me to look for Callie, I’m getting a little worried now.
"Sure, I would love to come. I'm also worried about her. Tasha want to come along?" Danielle turned to the other girl in the compartment who was still sitting down at the corner by the window.
Stalking down the aisle of the train with a sense of pride in her step, Callie made her way to the first carriage. <Teachers only hmmm..> she thought flicking her hair with a grin over her shoulder.
Standing in the door way, leaning slightly against the door frame stood Rufus, the watcher and supposable classroom assistant for Defence against the Dark Arts. His hard, cold eyes stared intently at her as she gracefully flowed towards him.
“Senior Assistant Vienhert, have I kept you waiting long?” Callie asked mockingly with an innocent tone
“Long enough” Rufus smiled reaching out for her hand and pulling her closer.
“Ooo now someone could get in trouble for this..” Callie joked in his embrace before noticing a serious look appear on her supposable guardian’s face whilst he stared down the length of the train.. “What?” she asked breaking the newly formed silence.
“Inside..NOW” Rufus demanded ushering Callie into a small side room... <What the...> “Don’t think just do it”
“Now what was that all about?” Callie whispered with an angry tone now that the pair of them were inside the small side room.
“Unwanted company..” Rufus replied seriously leaning his back against the fake wood interior before gazing out of the tiny window.
“Unwanted to you maybe but..” her sentence was abruptly cut short by the quick fluid like motion of Rufus that caused him to be standing right behind her.
Using a pale hand to lift a strand of her black hair away from her ear he whispered shocking news
“Someone is coming..and they could be coming to kill you..”
Slamming her palm down hard against the thin wall, five sharp black talons pierced deep through the wood and out of the other side.
“What!!!” Callie growled angrily not realising she was partially transformed. Small clumps of thick black fur had sprouted on her arms and legs, her hands were almost unrecognisable and her face was slowly beginning to distort to form a muzzle. Placing his strong arms around her, Rufus held the young woman in an attempt to soothe her temper.
“I won’t let him Callie, I won’t let him anywhere near you” he spoke, kissing her gently on the side of the forehead “I will protect you..Like I always have done”
It took Callie several minutes to calm down and revert her body to its natural form, to her being in the small room with Rufus hadn’t helped the situation. “I’m leaving now..Someone will think it’s suspicious if I’m not in the student section. I’ll speak to you went we get to school” Callie announced slamming the door behind her before Rufus had a chance to respond.
With the train arriving shortly in Hogsmede station Danielle and Kalina couldn't find Callie anywhere on the train so they had met back up with Tasha and decided to take their belongings and catch up with her up at the school. "I can't wait to be sorted. Well, see you around" Danielle, waved goodbye to the seventh year girls she had met on the train and followed the other first year students across the platform.
The deputy head mistress brought them into the Great Hall to get sorted. "I'll call you one by one and when you hear your name please come to the front so that I can place the sorting hat on your head." the professor explained to the first years. Danielle scanned around the room for Callie and then Kalina. They both gave her thumbs up and Danielle smiled at them.
"Danielle Read." The professor called out. Danielle went up and sat on the chair. <Please be Gryffindor. Please be Gryffindor> in her heart screaming. "Gryffindor" the sorting hat shouted. "Yes!" she shouted and ran to Kalina to hug her.
Sat at the far end of the Ravenclaw table away from the hive of activity that was the sorting process, Callie was far away in the land of daydreams pushing a small ball of rolled up paper around the table top with her index finger...
"Gryffindor!!" the sorting hat cried out but its repetitive voice just drowned away after already calling out three Gryffindor’s, two Slytherin’s and several Hufflepuff’s.
'When is this going to be over?' She questioned herself 'It's not like anyone else has someone coming to kill them do they..??'
'Urgh' she huffed loudly flattening the tiny paper ball under the pressure of her finger..
Before her mind wandered to the thought of Rufus's absence from the hall the Ravenclaw table erupted in an ear piercing cheer with everybody but her having risen from their seats in one swift motion. 'Urgh...' she mumbled again stumbling to stand with the others beside her.
A few places down the table Kyle watched as Danielle joined Kalina, she seemed sweet! He remembered his first days, when he was picked to be in Ravenclaw, he looked around the table for Tasha, his Quidditch teammate, also chaser with Ravenclaw...<I wonder why she missed last practice...> he stood up to go find Tasha, but felt someone tap his shoulder...
With the sorting ceremony drawing to a close, Callie eyed Kyle as he rose from his seat. With his quizzed expression she should tell he was looking for Tasha. <Lucky thing..he's so dedicated to her, so attractive and so...> her reviewing of a fellow Ravenclaw came to an abrupt halt as Rufus appeared behind Kyle and tapped him on the shoulder. <unlike him..> Callie continued with a tiny snarl <and him...!! URGH> glancing over to Oliver Jones with disgust.
Rubbing her hand down her forehead in a face palm like motion, Callie reached for her goblet of water that was positioned on the table in front of her and noticed that the surface of the water wasn't still and calm as it should be.
Kyle spun around, "Kyle, let's take a walk" barked Rufus roughly, "You didn't hear this from me, but you are going to be the new captain of Ravenclaw". He had guessed this might happen, but had not wanted to get his hopes up, Tasha was an amazing chaser too, with the addition of the Keeper, Ravenclaw had a real chance of winning this year, most of last year’s winning team were still there.
"So why did you really bring me here Mr Vienhert?"
Rufus stopped and glowered, "Fine here will do, I want you to stay away from Tasha, and you need to drop her from the team if she comes to the trials"
Kyle looked up, "What? Why should I? And what do you mean "if", she'll be at the trials, she always goes to practice."
With another faint rumble the tension on the surface of the water in the goblet rippled, causing Callie to slam the cup down and spill its contents onto the polished oak table..."Not now" she cursed, bolting away from her spot on the bench towards the recently opened hall door.
<Out of the way...move..move...> she barked under her breath at the first years who were chatting quite carefree about the evening's highlight..
"I'm so excited" a blonde Hufflepuff girl squeaked, "Me too" her friend replied eagerly before getting shoved off to the left by Callie barging past.
<So slow...it's like they have all night> Callie thought to herself ignoring the persistent cries of someone calling after her.
"Callie, wait up!" a deep male voice echoed before a heavy hand placed itself on her shoulder.
"Sorry I.." Callie answered before coming face to face with Olli. "Oh it’s you, maybe I’m not so sorry" she continued with a tone of anger to her voice.
"Please, we need to talk" he begged moving his hand off of her shoulder down to hold her delicate pale hand.
"What's there left to talk about?" Callie replied snatching her hand away "I still haven't forgave you for what you did". Noticing Olli taking a step back, He grinned at her with a half smug, half normal expression.
"Callie, we have been through this a hundred and one times, Erin meant nothing to me..."
"Oh Really!, I would never have guessed that when I walked in on both of you in the common room last term" Callie shouted, clearly annoyed with having to have a repeated conversation.
"You make it sound terrible..It was only one kiss I swear" he protested with fake innocence whilst watching the corner of Callie's eyes fill with tears.
"Yeah right, and I'd still not believe that in a month of Sundays..I wasn't born yesterday".
With a last attempt to hold the conversation together Olli took a deep breath and called out to Callie who had proceeded to walk away. "Come to the ball tonight with me?"
"She didn't go to practice last time did she?" Rufus grinned, "And she could do better without you, I know your story Kyle"
"What? How? Anyway, what does that change?"
"She doesn't know does she, Kyle? What would Tasha say, her Kyle, a-"
"Shut-up!" Kyle interrupted "Tasha wouldn't... she would understand-"
"Then why haven't you told her?" Rufus sneered, "Yeah thought so, listen if you don't keep your paws off her, I’ll see that Tasha never looks at you in the eye again", Rufus stalked off, leaving Kyle standing in the corridor, totally dejected.
“NO!!!" Callie cried out in reply to Olli before retreating away down an empty corridor and out of a side door into the darkness. With unexpected tears rolling down her partially flushed cheeks, she collapsed face down on the slightly dewed grass beneath her...<UGRH..I should have ripped that look off of his face, that lying...>*Howl like scream*<Oh no not again..>
As the moon made its way out from behind a patch of charcoal coloured clouds, its silvery light cast a harsh bright glow on the half transforming body of the young female lycanthrope. 'Where are you Rufus??' she sobbed as the hair on the back of her arms and hands began to thicken and darken.
With her limbs and muscles swelling, the pain in her feet became unbearable. Scrabbling at the buckles of her boots with her extended claws became an uphill struggle and after several seconds of unsuccessful attempts the leather seams gave way with an almighty rip and Callie’s now largely misshapen half toes, half paws could be seen sticking through the toe caps.
<NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.....> she cried out, hating the fact that her favourite boots were now torn into ribbons and knowing that very soon her clothes would be as well. With her spine starting to grow and arch Callie let out another howl and dug her claws into the earth trying to take her mind off the pain. <Callie calm down...> she tried to reassure herself. Rufus had to be on his way if not what was he doing?
From further down the hill in the direction of the forbidden forest a tall, bear like mass was hurtling its way through the trees without any hindrance. As Callie’s howling cries became louder, it raised its muzzle to the sky and sniffed the air. <She’s close, I can smell her> it growled and quickened its pace in the direction of the castle.
With her face furring up and her ears extending out of recognition, Callie improved eyesight caught a glimpse of the fearsome beast that had quickly emerged from the tree line. Panic stricken, Callie cried out for Rufus but only a pure howl left her lips. Her quick judgement led her to conclude that the beast that would soon be upon her had to be the thing that Rufus had warned her about on the train. Was it really here to kill her? Or did it bring a more deadlier message?.
Kyle blundered down the corridor blindly, barely avoiding bumping into a girl with bright pink hair.
"Hey watch it!"
"Sorry" <whatever Kelis>
A flicker of moonlight caught his eye, Kyle stared through the window with eyes glazed thinking about Tasha, Rufus and everything.
The lake was shimmering, with little waves lapping the shore. The grass was moving in the breeze and everything seemed so.... uncomplicated...
The moon hid behind the clouds and Kyle started, <how long have I been here> he made to move then turned back, who was that stumbling across the grass? <Oh it’s just Callie>
Unaware she was being watched; Callie braced herself for the attack. The waistband of her skirt exploded and a long black bushy tail wafted angrily behind her through the split.. <Why is this getting worse?> she sobbed as the beast had started to bolt once again towards her.
'Ok this is it..focus' Callie told herself whilst shaking off the rest of her human clothes and trying to stand on four massive paws with a wobble.
Within moments the large bear like beast were meters away, gaining ground with every second. Keeping her eyes open was proving difficult and slowly Callie began to cower in fear...<Impacting in three..two...>
"CALLIE" a familiar voice shouted from the newly flung open side door of the castle drawing her attention away from the beast's charge..
"Ruf..." she tried to cry out in whimper but the impact came as she was looking away and she had now been knocked backwards several feet, hitting the ground hard with a thud.
There was something about Callie that mystified Kyle, she seemed to always be there, but she'd never said much around him, and, well she often disappeared too, <I wonder what she thinks of me, she's so close to Tasha but she doesn't make any effort with me>. Kyle found himself strangely attracted to her, even if she was not really his type...
He looked at her slight figure then as the moon reappeared from behind the clouds, Kyle walked on thinking again about the mess he was in with Tasha...
Tasha had been quiet pretty much most of the time, she was usually a lot louder, she didn’t even know why she felt that way, she just did.. She had left the Great Hall earlier then everyone else and just walked around; she wasn’t really in the mood for the loud hall activity. She walked around the school for a bit... "I’m really going miss this place" she said quietly to herself, she sighed then decided to go back towards the common room, on the way she spotted Kyle in front of her, it looked like he was heading back too "Kyle" she called out
Kyle was so busy thinking that he didn't hear Tasha the first time, <I have to tell her... I can't bear to lose her, and... If she cares so much then I-
Kyle finally noticed Tasha, " Oh hey! How're you?" he replied smiling weakly...
With stars spinning in front of her eyes the once fearsome beast that had come charging, now stood proudly over her licking gently at her cheek...<What..?? huh?> she questioned to herself as she heard a familiar voice cry out.
"GANYMEDE..STEP AWAY FROM HER" Rufus ordered, pointing his wand out straight at the beast ready to cast. In response the large werewolf bent his head with a snarl and refused to move.
<What..??> Callie wondered still bemused before snapping back into reality.."GANNY" real words sounded as they left her lips rather than a bark or a growl. In the best way that a beast can smile, Ganymede raised his lips and gave a small wink at his sister. "I can't believe that you are here" Callie spoke now clearly overjoyed at the reunion.
"Last warning" Rufus commanded again, lighting up the end of his wand with a small glow.
"Oh please..you're pathetic" a strong, sturdy voice emerged from Ganymede's throat as he stepped away from Callie.."You have none of your colleagues here to save you this time Rufus..and its two wolves to one of you". As he spoke his body started to morph and revert back to normal form in swift, liquid like motion..."And I'm not bluffing..Where is your precious Sophia this time??...hmmm" Ganymede grabbed his wand that was tucked in a holster on his left thigh and conjured a dark red school uniform with matching overcoat around his body. He had mastered the ability of reverting into his other form with clothes on, but shorts and a T-shirt weren’t really appropriate attire.
"Enough!!" Callie shouted diverting the mounting tension to her pale shivering now humanoid mass sitting in a pile of cloth scraps "Let’s just get my clothes back together and go inside...I'M FREEZING!!!"
With a quite chuckle Ganymede flicked his thin chestnut wand about in the air and within moments had Callie dressed back in her Ravenclaw uniform and un-matching black buckled leather boots.
"Right...Now she's dressed...MOVE" he joked, sending a small dancing spark ball after Rufus's heels as they entered back into the castle.
Tasha frowned at Kyle "What’s up with you?" she asked, his face looked tired, and his smile didn’t reach his eyes like it usually did, plus she hadn’t seen him for a while, he usually would have been more excited "Is everything alright?"
"I ran into someone earlier just, its.... nothing, So how come you ditched me at the last practice then?", Kyle smiled teasingly, "Something better to be doing?"
Kyle looked at Tasha in the eyes "I've missed you; it’s great to see your face again"
As the three of them walked casually down a corridor lined on the left hand side with mouldy looking ancient tapestries with Rufus out in front, Callie and Ganymede chatted casually behind playfully punching each other in the arm on occasions...
"Didn't expect my beastly charge..Did you?" He spoke punching Callie's upper left arm.
"No..I didn't and...." Callie replied punching him back playfully twice as hard "THAT was for doing it to me....".
"Oowww.." he replied rubbing his arm..."I thought you liked being tackled to the ground when you were younger?"
Callie answered with a chuckle whilst raising her eyebrows "No...That was Europa your LITTLE sister...REMEMBER?"
After several seconds of thought, Ganymede with his dark eyes looked seriously at Callie drawing her attention before grabbing her around the waist making her scream with laughter. Unable to take the immaturity any longer Rufus slammed his foot down and quickly put an end to Callie's laughing..
"That's better..now keep it that way!!" he muttered before continuing down the corridor.
With the next hundred meters spent in silence Callie's eye's wandered around the corridor as much as her thoughts..<Why had Ganny come all this way to find her? And why wasn't Rufus too pleased to see him?> she questioned herself before spotting two familiar figures deep in conversation by a nearby window...
<Oh its Tasha...and *Gasps excitedly* Kyle..Why is he here??? I look a wreck!!...Don't you dare stop and make conversation Rufus...I mean it>
Ganymede grinned at his sister and smirked, watching her get slightly uncomfortable as they approached.
Kyle smiled at Tasha, but he felt so fake, all he wanted to do was get everything out of his system, "Tasha, can I talk-"
The sound of footsteps stopped the conversation from flowing...
<It was Rufus! and what was Callie doing with him... did she know?>
Kyle, flushed red and just smiled, Rufus can't tell her now, not with everybody....
Rufus gave a cold hard stare at Kyle as he walked past whilst behind, struggling to flatten down any fly away hairs and remove her dark panda smudged eyes, Callie gave a quick wave to Tasha but had to shy away from Kyle's greeting smile. <What the hell did I do that for...>
Glancing dead ahead, she spotted Kalina struggling with a tower of books walking in the oncoming direction with Kyle's friend Alex both from Gryffindor..
<What is it Piccadilly Circus here tonight?? If anyone else I know happens to be walking this way and see’s me like this I swear I'm making bolt for it> she complained to herself.
While all this was going on Ganny was enjoying the attention of everyone's turning heads to look at the him, the stranger. "I could get used to this" he commented nudging at Callie.
"Typical, you would" she replied looking back down at the floor.
Kyle noticed that Callie had avoided his gaze, but didn't say anything. He noticed the way her hair was ruffled and he smiled it looked nice... but who was this guy with her? Was that her boyfriend, Kyle was curious, "Hey Tasha, do you know who he is?"
Then Kyle turned to watch them pass and Alex was ahead, "Alex! Hey how're you?" he greeted as the two Gryffindor’s joined them in the corridor.
Walking with Kalina, Alex noticed Kyle as the pair walked forward. "Hey Kyle, I'm well. How are you doing?," he asked with a smile
"Well look at this little party we have going on here." Kalina announced jokingly to the group before looking around observing and taking in everything. It was great to be back at home with the gang back together.
A sudden loud voice could be heard resonating through the Great Hall's doors. A faint 'Prefects, please show the first years to their new house dorms."
'So I’m assuming all of you are going to the ball correct? Perhaps we should go get ready. Do you guys have dates? I need to see your dresses?!" Kalina was speaking very quickly alternating from asking group questions to direct ones at Tasha because she was so excited for the night to come.
Alex listened to Kalina, and then the others of the group. He shook his head and spoke with a smile, "I don't have a date yet."
Callie stopped walking, looked at Kalina and shook her head "I'm not going, but I can't stop I have to go sort out something..I can’t stop for long".
"Who's she?" Ganny questioned glancing back over his shoulder at the small gathering.
"Who the one with the brown curly hair? Callie answered hating the idea of where this conversation may be heading.
"Well her too..But I meant the petite, black haired girl. The one who was originally speaking to the tall guy?" he replied, removing part of his fallen hair out of his eye as spoke.
With a small sigh Callie answered his question with a simple "Tasha and Kalina..end of".
'Oh so you don't have a date, well you’re stuck with me then sound good?" Kalina replied to Alex in a half jokingly manner. ‘Tasha, do you know what’s wrong with Callie? She seems pretty upset. Come to mention it, so do you." she observed almost everyone’s unhappy faces in the group. “Well Alex, I guess we’re the only happy ones here ha-ha" she said with a smile, but her heart was pounding a million miles a second.
"I'd love to go with you, Kalina," Alex added happily before looking around and noticing many unhappy faces. "Is everyone alright?," he asked concerned to those around him.
Tasha looked at Kyle sternly <What’s up with him? There is obviously something on his mind. I’ll have to get that out of him later>, "No, I actually, strangely enough, have no clue who he is" she said, shocked that she didn’t, she checked him out unable to help it <Kinda cute to.. Looks a bit like her.. Wait a minute...> she trailed off thinking.
"Yeah I’ll be at the ball.. We can get ready together later on if you want to Kal"
Kyle laughed at Kalina and Alex's blatant flirting, flitting away from just straight out asking her.... <Every year, he laughed...>
"Hey Alex, could you come by later then when the girls are getting ready...?"
Kyle listened half heartedly, thinking about who he'd bring to the ball.... <I guess I should ask Tasha, I always do...>
"Hey Tasha, can I speak to you for a minute?"
Tasha nodded and pulled Kyle off to one side "See you soon guys" she winked at Kalina.. She walked over with Kyle and waited for him to talk.
"Sure man. I'll definitely stop by," Alex waved excitedly as he was left standing beside Kalina.
"Hey Tasha, umm.., do you have a date for the ball yet? I know I’ve been acting distant lately, but I’ve had a lot on my mind, I’ll save it for after the ball ok?" Kyle asked hoping, she'd take him, dreading she wouldn't, he couldn't blame her if she refused, he had been so disconcerted since his talk with Rufus...
Curiosity was killing her "Are you sure you don’t want to tell me now.. It will be kinda hard to find some privacy at the ball" she said "and um.. Yeah sure... thought you would take Callie though" she added quietly though she knew he heard.
Kyle laughed "What Callie?", then he realised she was standing behind him still, his ears burned... "Umm yeah I’m sure she’s nice, but Tasha you know she has barely said a word to me... that would be awkward!"
Tasha laughed "If you say so" she grinned with a knowing smile.
"Why do you think she likes me? I always thought she..., she never talks around me...?" Kyle was a little surprised, he did one of those looks over his shoulder, he couldn't help himself, and he met Callie's eyes looking back... His cheeks flushed even more red...<Oh no Tasha saw that>
Tasha laughed at Kyle "subtle" she whispered so only he would hear she laughed again as he went red, <He still has some explaining to do> she reminded herself.
Curious as to what Kyle and Tasha were talking about, Alex noticed Kyle look over his shoulder and blush. He chuckled amused and luckily Kalina was quickly engaging in a short conversation with Ganny so she wasn’t being ignored.
Tasha just looked at Kyle with an innocent smile "I never said anything" she said.. She didn’t need to say anything <They would be so cute> she thought grinning.
Kyle caught that smile, <This was so bad, ha-ha trust me!>
Then he turned back and loudly said "Ok then, See you outside just before the start Tasha" and glanced at Callie's reaction...
Sauntering back to Alex, who was still chuckling a little "Quit it!" Kyle whispered, nudging him... before smiling to himself.. He’d got a date!
Nudging Kyle playfully in return, Alex replied"I won't. We both have dates," he whispered to him so only he could hear.
"Ha-ha look at us studs! Going for our final formal!!! I'll miss them, so better party hard for a night we won't remember!” Kyle began jubilantly.
"I hope to remember this one. You know I've been hoping to go with Kalina for a while" Alex answered glancing across at Kalina still in conversation.
"Ha-ha shush you!" Kyle smiled and faked shunned Tasha...
Tasha called his bluff and went over to talk with Callie and Kalina, leaving Alex and Kyle discussing something in a rather playful schoolboy fashion.
"Yeah, it’s great you finally asked her! Don't worry you'll remember tonight well!" Kyle began thinking back to all those times Alex had bottled out of asking Kalina to do anything together...<They're so good for each other>
"I know, Kyle...and even better, you have a date," Alex replied with a chuckle, remembering the times I had chickened out of asking Kalina.
Realising Rufus would have noticed them missing from behind him by now, Callie said good-bye to her friends and proceeded down towards the Headmaster’s office with her brother in tow.
Several minutes later the three of them arrived at the eagle head bust statue that resided outside the magical entrance to the office. "Tutti Frutti" Rufus spoke to the statue and watched as a wall transformed revealing a staircase.
<I didn't know he knew the password> Callie thought descending the first marble stairs.
"So can you introduce them to me them at the ball tonight?" Ganny whispered into his sister's ear with a smile. "Er who invited you? And besides if you go you can meet them alone. I am not going" she answered returning her thoughts back to concentrating walking down the spiral helix.
"Psssst...Why not?" he whispered back again..
"None of your bus..." Callie was about to respond before Rufus appeared in her face.
"Please be quite..We are about to go in" he announced to the students before pounding on the heavy oak door ahead of him.
A while later, <Thank goodness that's over> Callie thought with a yawn upon exiting the headmaster's office.
"You can say that again" Ganny spoke noticing her reaction, whilst tugging at his tie like a dog with a new flea collar.
"Leave it alone, blue suits you." she announced snatching the silk tie out of his hand and smoothing it flat against his semi muscular chest. "The sorting hat made the right choice"
"Somehow, I doubt it chose Ravenclaw because blue suits my skin tones" he answered back sarcastically before they both gave each other a playful glare.
Having finished his conversation with the Headmaster, Rufus slowly left the room, closing the door and coldly stared at the two young lycanthropes.
"Callie, I need to speak to your brother alone. I hope you'll forgive me for asking you to leave?" he spoke with a sad expression.
"Sure..I guess" she shrugged in response "I'll be in the tower if you need me. See you later Ganny"
As Callie thudded up the stairs, heading back to the Ravenclaw Tower she called back down from the top of the staircase.
"I hope the door knocker doesn't confuse your little brain, Ganny" she called back down into the darkness before darting away.
Back at the bottom of the stairs, Rufus had Ganymede stunned up against a wall with a holding spell and begun to speak as soon as Callie is out of hearing distance.
"You are going to tell me why you are here and why you have come alone..GOT THAT?" Rufus commanded squeezing his magical grip tighter "You will not put up any fuss or I will inform the authorities that there is a wild, unstable monster on the loose around the school and you will be carted away"
Ganymede tried to answer but was quickly interrupted by Rufus.
"I've kept you here for Callie's sake, If I had my way I would have sent you packing back to where ever you came from"
"I don't take threats from cowards" Ganny growled struggling to release himself from the magical restraint "If you did care about Callie you would have helped her to trans..."
"SILENCE" Rufus cried casting another spell trying to inflict a small amount of pain.."Just come along quietly...understand"
Being released from the grip, Ganymede sat crumpled with his back against the wall. "Sophia never treated any of us like the dogs we really were..I wish she was still alive to put you in your place Mr Vienhert" he smirked watching the expression on Rufus's face melt away..
"S..s..Sophia is dead.." he stuttered, before grabbing the young man by the arm and forcing him onto his feet.
"I’ll see you guys later" Tasha said smiling, she turned around to make her way towards the common room, on the way she passed by Rufus and the guy that she had seen earlier on, but Callie wasn’t there, she glanced at them quickly, confused, then made her way to the common room. Hoping Callie was there, she walked in and spotted her "Ok seriously what’s been going on?" she asked.
Inside Ravenclaw Tower, lounging across the whole of a sofa, Callie bent her head back over the arm and looked at Tasha upside down as she walked in the door. "Hiya, what's up?" she waved in a friendly greeting.
"Not much with me.. It’s you that has some explaining to do.. You just disappeared on the train and then again a while ago.. And was that... your brother?" she asked everything at once.. The last part she was a bit confused about.
"No..I'm just lucky enough to find a tall, dark, handsome stranger wandering around the school" Callie joked with a smile "Of course he is my brother..We look so alike". Struggling to answer Tasha's first question, she paused and announced "I had to speak to Rufus, wasn't about anything major"
"Is anything up callie?" Tasha asked concerned "you seem troubled"
Callie looked at Tasha with a slight blank expression <Troubled..Maybe that’s a word that just about summed everything up. How on earth do I say 'hey, I've been your best friend for ages but I’m really a werewolf and to top it off in three months time I’m going to be dragged away because an official nobody is going to label me as dangerous...and that's just the icing on the cake'>
"Huh..sorry I missed that. I'm fine really..Don't worry so much"
Tasha had caught the expression on her face and the hesitation in her eyes before she could change it... "Why do I get the feeling you’re not telling me something... come on Callie... you can tell me anything"
"I..er.." Callie stumbled on her words desperate to tell the truth "I had a run in with Olli earlier, he's such a jerk. Had the nerve to ask me out to the ball this evening and I swear I nearly throttled him"
{Liar... hmph.. change the subject why don’t you} Tasha thought smirking "Puh-leassse tell me you turned him down" she begged teasing
"Of course..." Callie announced smiling "Serves him right. So you going tonight? I bet Kyle was dying to ask you" <They are so cute together>
Tasha laughed at that last part "Me and Kyle go together all the time... it sure isn’t me he's dying to ask " she added innocently
"Oh come on...he spent the whole sorting ceremony looking up and down the table for you. He has this little sad expression when you are just not around..Not that I was paying attention or anything" Callie laughed removing her legs off of the couch so Tasha could have a seat.
"Yes.. that’s because he is my brother from another mother" Tasha said using a muggle saying that had always made both girls laugh, she collapsed next to Callie with a giggle "No seriously.. Me and Kyle... so not together.. We love each other in a different kinda way... not romantic love... besties love... so don’t worry.. Not that you was paying attention or anything" Tasha said smirking again as Callie's face went slightly pink.
"That is the biggest lie I have ever heard you come out with missy" Callie laughed dropping the thin book down the side of the chair. "I wouldn't believe that in a..."
"Month of Sunday's" Tasha finished "I know you say that ALL the time"
Both girls laughed "that is NOT a lie... and by the way I heard next month is going to be just Saturdays.... is that good enough?" she teased
"Even better..I hate Sundays" Callie replied missing the point. Pretending to look a watch on her wrist she thought about the ball "Not long to go..You’d better go and start getting ready it takes you HOURS". She finished closing her eyes and playfully fake snoring highlighting the point.
"You take even longer so you might as well get up.. Plus you can’t do a thing without me so I must help" she teased and pushed Callie until she fell off the couch.
"Ow..I'm not the one with the hot date with her supposable "best friend" and besides like I said before I'm not going" Callie announced playfully poking her tongue out and standing to her feet.
"Yeah yeah of course you’re not... now get up and get changed “Tasha said completely ignoring Callie and dragging her up to their dorms "Oh by the way.. I don’t remember mentioning anything about hotness... seems you really weren’t paying attention or anything"
Up in the dorm room only a few of the Ravenclaw girls had returned to get ready for the evenings activities. "We'll there's no point in me getting ready yet even if I am going, my brother hasn't returned from his meeting with Rufus and he'll probably not have the intellect to get past the knocker" Callie suggested to Tasha as she rushed about the room.
"Oh he's in Ravenclaw too" Tasha said hiding her interest by burying her head in her clothes, she poked out "I’m sure he'll manage, if he was sorted into Ravenclaw he'll be fine.. Now are you getting dressed or not.. you can help him in when you have your dress on... and I’m sure you’re going" she added the last part silently to herself.
Callie sighed "Yes I’m afraid so..." Stopping her sentence mid flow as Tasha held out something pink and fluffy..."I am not going in THAT..I wouldn't even wear anything pink to bed where no one can see. That is hideous"
Tasha laughed "Okay... pick a colour then" she said "Mines going to be..."she paused thinking for a minute "Either black or green... ooh or gray.. by the way you HAVE to choose a colour.. No black for you "
Kalina roamed the halls for several minutes until she arrived at the Ravenclaw dorms. Already dressed for the ball she knocked on the common room door and shouted for someone on the other side. " Hey, um It’s Kalina I’m outside, do you mind letting me in please "
"Why not black??" Callie questioned as Tasha started holding up accessories in multiple colours...
"Red..no, hmmm Grey..too boring and you call that a colour??"
"Biscuit.. Is just a colour like any other" Tasha replied getting aches in her arms..
"Sadly all that’s left is black..What a shame" Callie smiled looking under her bed for some shoes that matched well with something black.
"Urgh fine" Tasha said giving up "Just because I’m being nice..." Noticing the time, Tasha remembered their plans with Kalina “I’ll be right back Callie... no black make up" she added rushing out of the door. Forgetting that she was in hot shorts and a shirt and her hair all over the place, pulled up by her wand, the way muggle’s put their hair up with a pencil, she walked out into the common room and smiled at Kalina entering "Hey hun" she announced with a warm smile.
“Hey deary!" Kalina answered with a smile “You look... lovely!" she said in a sarcastic tone. ‘So I trust that you’re not letting Callie wear black tonight. Right?'
Tasha looked down at herself and laughed "Callie's being stubborn and won’t wear anything else.. Help me" she laughed "I’ll take the black dress and you make her wear something else"
<Hmmm..That was exhausting. I think I need some fresh air> Callie thought to herself whilst the Tasha coast was clear.
Leaving a pair of black strapped barely worn shoes on the bed with a note of 'back in five'. Callie exited the room and headed in the direction of the upper rooms of the tower. This was her favourite place to go in the whole of the castle both for its view during the day and evening.
Approaching a small window, Callie flung it open and climbed out onto the ledge and hoisted herself up onto the shallow sloped slate roof.
The moon above was breathtakingly beautiful and Callie could not help herself from sighing to the bright stars in the night's sky.
'Needed that.. Now too get that black dress out of Tasha's locked trunk' Callie thought flinging herself gracefully back inside and rushing back to the dorm.
'Okay, let’s do this. Even if we have to take her kicking and screaming she will NOT wear black. Ha' Kalina schemed enthusiastically. The two rushed back up the stairs and saw Callie standing in the mirror in the very elegant black dress. "On second thought,' Kalina said to Tasha” maybe we should let her wear the black dress, she does look gorgeous”
Callie gave a startled look as the other girls walked in the room "I'll make it green at a push but only if it's dark green" she joked.
"True she does...but..but.. urgh.. Callie you suck" Tasha teased with a grumble "Someone pick a colour for me.. And I don’t mind if you make yours green Cal" she said sitting on the bed.
Smiling at Tasha, Callie headed over to her trunk. "Ok your turn. I have this *holds up an item* in black or this *holds up something else*..But it’s black. Oh and that *points to something hanging* but its ebony"
"We're both wearing black?" Tasha asked with a shrug "Oh well... we all know I look better in black anyway" she teased getting a dress on "Mmm " she said checking her reflection, she pulled her black high heels from under the bed and got them on "How do I look" she asked her friends grinning.
"Stunning" Callie answered changing back into her uniform.."But maybe you should have worn what Kel has on..That's fab on you" "Ow.." *Callie jumped as the leather band around her neck gave a small twinge.. <About time>
"Be back in 3.."
As she stepped out of the door, Rufus's unusually emotional voice can be heard in her ear. "Your brother is..On his way" was all he said before cutting off..
<Weird..Suppose I'd better go find him>
Alex went to go get ready, as Kyle would probably be doing the same. After he was ready and looking sharp, he headed towards Kyle's dorm, which was in Ravenclaw tower. He waited outside the door with the talking door-knob. It asked the question, and Alex did his best to answer but found the door opened as Callie exited and brushed past him. With the opportunity he went inside, and found his way up to Kyle's dorm room.
Wandering about the halls Callie struggled to find Ganymede. <Urgh where is he...> she worried as Rufus hadn't responded to her knocks on his office door.
Nearing the Hufflepuff dorms, Callie saw a mass of house elves with brooms whacking at something large. Unable to see what it was through the mass of small bodies, she had to shove her way through the crowd for a better look.
"Give it back..Bread ours, thief" they chanted "Crazy wolf" before spotting Callie down the hallway and turned their brooms angrily towards her before outweighing their odds. "Oh no another one...run away"
Totally gobsmacked Callie, reached Ganny who had been under the prodding elves. "Stealing from house elves are we? Whatever next?"
"Oh hi sis, next time you see that 'watcher' of yours and he wants to have a meeting ask him if a buffet is provided..I'm starving" Ganny managed to say eating the small loaf of bread in three mouthfuls.
"Well what do you expect turning up un-announced..and hurry up, the ball starts in ten minutes." Callie chirped getting slightly excited..
Ganny raised his eyebrows at her "Who was the one who said to their friends they weren't going..hmmm?"
"I'm a woman, I'm allowed to change my mind" she stated sticking out her tongue and turning full circle around on her heels "Move it bread stealer".
Putting the last touches together, Tasha had got her hair fixed up in a fancy style (some of it up and the rest flowing down) she had put on black eyeliner and mascara, some lip gloss and was complete "that’s about as much make-up as I get on" she said to Kalina "now where is Callie" she added to herself leaning over as she strapped on her heels.
Kyle was on the edge of his bed, holding his Quidditch kit... <I can't even imagine the team without Tasha>, he thought looked up to see Alex wandering down the hallway.... <ha-ha I’ll leave him for a minute...>
Alex was all ready <as usual> and dressed, but looking totally lost...
Kyle started into the rest of his suitcase, and a few minutes later called down to Alex "I’m in here silly!"
"No the second room to the left" Kyle called out.
Originally heading into the wrong room Alex heard Kyle call out, and had an 'Aha' moment. Correcting his mistake he headed into the second room to the left, and noticed Kyle getting ready. "Hey Pal."
"Hey I’ll just be a minute, can't decide where to put my stash of chocolate frogs" Kyle shrugged and just shoved them into his desk.
"And what’s this you getting into the Common room, that knocker really has been dumbing down the questions since its rebuff" Kyle teased
"It’s funny...I didn't expect to get in...," Alex began but didn’t get a chance to explain that Callie had held the door open for him.
"Ha yeah, you must have a bit of the 'claw in you!" Kyle turned around from putting away his stuff and waved his wand, his entire outfit ball clothes appeared around him...
"So what should I go for? Rugged look or a smarter tux?" Kyle laughed, he flicked his wand and was ready in a tux, all smartened up.
"Sorry mate, nearly ready" he walked over to a mirror and looked back at himself.
"It’s alright. I have always been quicker at getting ready. You could go either way. What look do you want to show?" Alex asked while sitting on the end of Kyle's bed.
"Yeah you're always on time! Remember when I walked in halfway through the Head's speech in the Great Hall, it wasn't my fault, I fell asleep"
"Ha-ha this looks just about right" Kyle looked smart but not overly, he readied his hair but only to stall (his hair was perfect, yet looking like no effort as usual), he was preoccupied with a question still on his mind <Why is Callie not going? Did Olli not ask her?>
"Haha...I remember that," Alex replied with a chuckle and watched as Kyle finished getting ready. "What's on your mind?...and you mentioned wanting me to come by earlier, too?"
" I knew you'd keep me on time" Kyle replied trying to deflect the question
"Fine then, I was wondering, have you saw Erin around? I haven't seen her since before the summer..."
Alex listened before having think, "I can't say that I have. Is she going to go to the ball tonight with Olli?," he asked Kyle.
Kyle snorted "No way! Do NOT mention that incident to Callie either, she's probably still really cut up about it"
"Come on Alex, Tasha and Kalina are probably down stairs waiting by now. I’ll look out for Erin on route”
"I'm just speculating, though I definitely won't tell Callie...you know that," Alex said as he stood up, prepared to leave the room. "Ready when you are. Let's not keep our dates waiting,"
Tasha walked down with Kalina... "Callie will meet us there" she explained as they made their way to the common room "Where are those boys?.. Since when are we faster than them at getting ready" she asked
Alex came down the stairs, dressed nicely, and looking sharp. Kyle wouldn't be too far behind him. "Hello, Tasha and Kalina, You both look lovely this evening," he announced with a smile, hugging Kalina and then looking towards Tasha.
Kyle walked down, still wondering about Erin...
"Wow Tasha you look amazing! And I heard that!"
"Hey boys, you don’t look to bad yourself" Tasha said winking at them, "and what. It took you ages... you’re usually the ones nagging us about being late... “She teased hugging Kyle tightly.
Alex shrugged, and smiled, his arm still around Kalina's waist. "We're still early. Shall we, Ladies?"
"Can you slow down please?" Ganny called out from the bottom of the stairs to the tower as Callie was already half way up, taking the steps two to three at a time..
"If you don't move your behind a tad faster, I'll leave you outside the common room" Callie yelled back leaning over the banister rail. "The ball will be over by the time we get there"
Craftily Ganny had an idea and looked around to check the coast was clear. With no sighs of any students about he transformed into his wolf form and zoomed up the staircase to the top.
"Yeah who's slow now sister" he gloated with a smile.
Something was still bothering Kyle, "Here Tasha can I meet up with you at the ball, sorry but I need to find Erin"
Tasha sighed "Fine then, but I really don't see why you still are friendly with her"
"Not now Tash, but I just know her better that’s all..." Kyle didn't wait for a reply and went off in search of Erin.
Kyle bumped into Callie on his way down the stairs "Sorry",
" I have to go, find .... someone, sorry Callie" Kyle rushed on leaving an awkward silence lingering in the air..
Peter got ready and then headed to the Ball. He was 'wowed' by the decorations in the Great Hall. He was dressed nicely, and his hair was as well done as he could do it. Peter didn't have a date, though hoped he would meet someone there...though more importantly, he just wanted to come and have a good time.
"
I am actually kind of shocked by that 
noo.... That's mean when it does that.
