"The moon knows."

Genevieve gasped, though she cut it off by holding her breath and hitting Callista on the arm.

Fallon sighed from her spot next to her as they sat in front of Callista on her bed. "You can squeal for two seconds."

She squealed, her attack on Callista's arm continuing. Fallon held up two fingers and then lowered each one, counting down from two. She received a half-hearted glare from Genevieve when the remaining finger was her middle finger.

"Tell us everything!" Genevieve drew her focus back to Callista.

She shrugged. "There's not much else to tell. We nearly kissed, nothing to it."

She groaned, pretending to fall backwards. "Of course there's something to tell. You almost kissed!"

"I don't like him. He doesn't like me. Nothing to it."

"But you are attracted to him," Fallon said with a smirk.

"So?" She asked, drawing out the word. "He's attractive. We established this in third year." Third year was when a group of Slytherin girls tried to determine who the most attractive boys in Hogwarts were. It was stupid but Rabastan had made the list. And continued to stay on the list as the new third and fourth years continued the silly tradition.

"At least you know it won't be so bad in bed."

"Fallon!"

"I mean, you never know, he could be really bad."

"Gen!"

Genevieve sat back. "Or he might be really good."

"What do you reckon he's in to?" Fallon added.

"Stop! I don't want to think about what he's like in bed." She laughed. "The minds of you too." She shook her head, the remnants of laughter still in her voice.

"You'll find out soon enough." Fallon winked. "Now let's go to breakfast, I'm starving."

~~~

Callista sat down in between Genevieve and Rabastan. She scanned the table of breakfast foods, trying to decide what she would have today. When she decided on yoghurt and fruit, she reached to grab some. Her quest for food was disrupted by owls flying into the room, delivering the day's mail. Most of which would contain permission slips for Hogsmeade that were sent to parents last minute. Hers included.

A letter dropped onto her plate, which was empty. For that, she was thankful. Once her owl dropped a letter from her mother into her plate full of food. It was covered in gravy, which made for a difficult read.

She picked up the letter and opened it, her permission slip falling out. Her eyes scanned the rest of the letter. It contained a reminder to be good and a warning to behave on her date with Rabastan.

"Apparently we have a date," she said, glancing at the boy next to her.

He nodded. "I got the owl last night."

"And you're not even going to ask me properly? I'm astounded," she deadpanned.

He sighed, rolling his eyes. "My dearest Callista, will you do me the honour of accompanying me on a date on this fine morning?"

She gave him a blank look. "No."

A smile tried to slip through, but he was quick to cover it up as he fell back into his act. "But darling. It's our anniversary." He tilted his head.

She decided to play along. "But love, it's snowing. What about my hair?"

"We're wizards, use a spell." Aidan piped up across from them. "Hurry up, I want to get a good seat at The Three Broomsticks."

She scrunched her nose and said, "You're no fun." They laughed and began getting up, Aidan dragging Magorian up by the collar who still held onto his toast he was eating. He grumbled in protest but they went unheard.

Callista herself had not yet eaten, but she was not worried. She would buy some food in Hogsmeade.

They walked past McGonagall who was collecting permission slips and they each gave theirs in. After that, they made the walk down to the small town. Her friends went ahead, shouting that they will meet them at the Three Broomsticks.

"So, what do you want to do?" Rabastan asked, sticking his hands into his pocket.

She looked around and then back to him. "Are there any stores you want to visit?" He nodded. "We can go to them, and then to the Shrieking Shack." As she said it, she turned around so that she was walking backwards.

He raised an eyebrow. "The Shrieking Shack?"

"Yes!" She laughed. "Maybe we'll see a ghost." She raised her hands and wiggled her fingers.

He shook his head, though he could not hide the smile he had on his face. "You that's a load of bull, right? It's not haunted."

She rolled her eyes and laughed, turning back so she was walking beside him. "I know. I don't know why people are so scared of it. We have ghosts at Hogwarts."

"Exactly. It's ridiculous."

"I bet you shit your pants the first time you went."

"I bet you've never even gone."

"I have!"

"When?"

"Fifth year," she mumbled.

He laughed. "Fifth year! Were you that scared?"

"No," she mumbled again before sticking her chin up. "I was being cautious. What if there was a wild animal? Or a dragon."

"A dragon? Yeah, okay. Maybe we'll see a dragon."

They stopped at Honeydukes and bought some sweets. Rabastan bought her a chocolate rose and gave it to her as an over-the-top romantic gesture that involved him twirling her around in the centre of the shop. By the time they exited, their cheeks were flush from both laughter and the cold.

"To the Shrieking Shack!" He announced.

They arrived and looked around. "You reckon anyone's been in there?" She asked.

"Maybe. I think we would have heard about it though."

She nodded her head, though his eyes were on the Shrieking Shack and not on her.

"Want to go in?" He asked, a mischievous grin forming on his face.

"Let's go."

She looked around the barbed wire fence surrounding it and opened the little latch that was so rusted she thought it might crumble in her hands. As they were about to walk in, someone called out from behind them.

They turned to look who it was and saw the Marauders. "Are you two going in there?" James asked.

"Yeah," Callista replied.

He walked closer. "Maybe you shouldn't," he said looking at the building and back to Callitsa. "There's nothing interesting in there anyway."

"How would you know? Have you been inside?" If anyone had been inside the Shrieking Shack, it would be them. Only Merlin knew all the mischief they have gotten up to.

"I, no. But still."

"What do you think I'm going to do in there? Have sex with a ghost?"

Sirius laughed from behind James. "No, he's scared you have sex with Lestrange."

"How do you know she hasn't already?" Rabastan said with a smirk.

"What?" James looked as if he were about to pass out.

"James, calm down. We haven't done anything, you twat."

"Right, right." The colour was returning to his face. "Do you really need to go in though?"

"Potter's just scared." Rabastan sneered.

He scoffed. "Scared? If you want to go in so bad, let's go." He stormed off ahead of them, heading to the door to the building. Sirius followed, but he glanced back at Remus who looked uncomfortable.

"Come on, then," he said, looking back to her and Rabastan.

She shrugged and followed the boys inside, her feet crunching in the snow.

They reached the door and James scanned the outside of the building looking for an entry. The door was bolted shut but there was a small hole on one of the sides. James pried off a piece of wood that came off with little trouble and chucked it to the side. He dusted off his hands, checking for splinters, and crawled inside. He beckoned her next and she slipped through. Her hair snagging on a piece of wood. He helped her help and called the other two boys in.

He gestured with his arm. "See? Nothing interesting here." He tried to turn her back around. "Now let's go."

"No, no." She stopped him, escaping his rather tight grasp on her shoulders. "That's interesting." She pointed to the large scratches covering the door. And the wall in front of them. And the wall next to them. And the old couch, or what was left of it. Scratch marks covered almost every surface and everything was damaged. "Is there actually a hostile ghost in here?"

Rabastan walked further into the room, running his fingers over a scratch mark on the door to their left. "Looks like your were right about your theory of a creature in here. Maybe it is a dragon." His tone was mocking but not mean as her turned to her.

"You thought there were dragons in here?" Sirius asked with a skeptical glance sent her way.

She gave him a look. "Obviously not. I can make jokes too you know."

"They're never any good." He retorted.

"As if yours are."

"You've laughed at some."

"Some. Not because they were good, because I like seeing you fail."

"I didn't fail if I made someone laugh."

"Can you two quit it?" James snapped.

"James, it's fine," Callista said, her tone softening. "There's clearly nothing in here, we can go."

Rabastan looked around. "Reckon it's a werewolf?"

James' eyes widened. "Why would a werewolf be here? So close to Hogwarts."

She looked at him. "Dumbledore wouldn't the students in danger. If there was a werewolf nearby, the Professors would make sure it didn't affect the safety of Hogwarts."

Rabastan scoffed. "You trust that old fool? He wouldn't care less if us Slytherins were attacked by a couple of beasts."

Both James and Sirius clench there jaws but before either of them could say anything Callista spoke first. "Werewolves aren't beasts. They're people," she argued.

"They're classified as beasts."

"Only in their transformed state."

He hummed, not at all happy with the way the conversation turned out. His mood worsened from the smirks on the boys faces.

"Now, let's go." She turned and crouched down to follow her out of the Shrieking Shack. They followed her without a word.

Callista said her goodbyes to the Marauders and managed to drag Rabastan away without causing another argument between the two.

She looked at him as they made there way to The Three Broomsticks. "Why do you intentionally try to rile him up?"

"He deserves it. For all the years he tormented Slytherin house just because he believed he was better than us."

"He didn't—"

"He did."

She sighed. "He's not a bad person. And he's important to me, so you're going to have to deal with it."

He nodded and they walked the rest of the way in silence.

He was difficult and stubborn and did not always do the right thing, but he was also fun and cared for his friends. He was not perfect but neither was she. She almost laughed at how similar him and James were. Two idiots destined to be in her life and they hated each other.

________________________________________

Sorry it took longer to upload it took me a week to write the last like 6 paragraphs.

Also how are you liking the longer chapters? This one was 1800 words

Enjoy <3

– walkingmasterpiece xx