I tossed and turned around in বিছানা as I tried to fall asleep. It was the দিন before I left for Hogwarts for the new school year. I don’t know whether it was excitement অথবা just that I had forgotten to pack something that kept me from falling asleep. I had packed all my robes, other clothes, বই and all other stuff the দিন before so that I wouldn’t have to participate in a scavenger hunt with Mum in the morning.
I sighed and turned over in বিছানা again. The only উৎস of light I had was the faint light of the crescent moon outside, meaning I couldn’t really see much.
I closed my eyes but sleep did not take over me. Maybe it was because I had slept আরো than a normal witch should during the vacation.
I groaned and threw the sheets off me and sat up in bed. I reached for my bedside table. I found it and felt around for the knob of the drawer. I pulled it open and took out my wand.
“Lumos,” I whispered and the tip of the wand lit up.
I looked at the alarm clock on my bedside টেবিল and saw that it was already three-thirty in the morning.
I heard a shuffling sound issuing from the direction of my couch. I pointed my wand towards the পালঙ্ক and saw a dark silhouette of a man, apparently sitting on it.
My breath caught in my lungs as I sat on my bed, unmoving. My hands were shaking; I could not সরানো a muscle.
Should I call Mum? অথবা was the silhouette a result of shadow play?
That’s it! It must have been shadow play!
I sighed in relief. I was probably thinking weird things in my sleep deprived state.
I moved back in বিছানা and rested my back against the headboard. I ran my hand through my hair. I was thinking about crazy stuff, like a lunatic.
Who would have snaked into my room anyway?
Just then, the light on the tip of my wand went off. I handed turned it off! My হৃদয় started racing, “Lumos!” I whispered harshly but the tip did not light up.
I was getting scared but I decided not to scream, in case it was just my imagination.
I just decided to get back in বিছানা but I couldn’t move! I tried my best to সরানো but I simply could not. It wasn’t because I was scared. I just couldn’t move! Someone had cast a spell on me! The dark mass wasn’t a shadow after all! I felt stupid (I was feeling stupid very often these days). I must have at least sent a jinx that way. And there I was leaning against the headboard, defenseless, not able to move.
I felt someone coming closer to me, I wished I could close my eyes, I wished I could turn my head to see who it was.
Then someone whispered in my ear, “Just came here to see my dear daughter.”
I recognized the voice! My Dad!
He had risked coming here, just to see me. Tears welled up in my eyes, he chuckled, “No crying,” he said, but the tears still ran down my cheeks.
“Study well, do your best. I know you’ll make us proud.” He referred to him self and Mum as ‘us’. He did প্রণয় us but left us. Dad coming to see me was proof of his প্রণয় for us but why did he leave us? But then…he may have a reason.
“I প্রণয় আপনি two,” he said.
I couldn’t respond! I wanted to tell him that we loved him too. I was frustrated! I wanted to hug him, talk to him, see him being my Dad again but I couldn’t.
The only thing I heard পরবর্তি was my alarm going off. I quickly sat up in বিছানা and looked around me. He wasn’t there and it was morning already. Was it a dream? It couldn’t be! I wasn’t one…there had to be some proof that it was real! Then I realized! My wand! I had taken it out to look around in the dark. I looked and found my wand on the bedside table. A huge smile made it way on my face as I saw it there. I always kept it in the drawer below. Mum would not have taken it out. I shot out of বিছানা and into my bathroom; I showered, brushed and put on my clothes. I just wore a baby-blue jumper with a ঘোমটা and black skinny jeans and my low-top shoes.
I took my wand and put it in inside my shirt, at my waist, I always did. I ran down and found Mum preparing breakfast again. I sat at the টেবিল and greeted Mum, “Good Morning!”
“Morning Callie!” she greeted back.
She put the plate in front of me, “Start eating. We don’t want to be late.”
I did as she ব্যক্ত and started eating. I was contemplating whether to tell her about last night. She wouldn’t believe me and probably scold me for staying up so late.
I myself was not sure if it was real. The wand could have been a co-incidence. Maybe it was a dream after all. I was so desperate to see my Dad, so my subconscious mind had showed me what I wanted: To meet my Dad and hear that he loved me…loved us.
“Mum…” I started; I decided to tell her half of it at least, “I had a dream last night. It was Dad, he was in my room and he told me that…”
“Go on,” Mum encouraged. That was quite surprising!
“..He loves us…You and…I...” I trailed off.
“Well, we প্রণয় him too, don’t we?” she said, smiling a soft smile.
That was unexpected! I expected her to tell me to stop being stupid অথবা something like that. I smiled and nodded.
She sighed and got up, taking her dishes to the sink. She placed the dished in it and the started cleaning themselves without anyone’s help. I wanted to learn that! It would be useful, but Mum never taught me saying that we weren’t allowed to do magic out of school and that it would make lazier.
“Come on! Eat it! We don’t want to be late,” she ব্যক্ত and I started eating quickly.
When I was done, I placed the dished in the sink and they started to clean themselves, thanks to Mum.
Mum put on her ছদ্মবেশ and without any warning, my trunks started moving. I quickly moved out of the way, as my Mum opened the door for the trunks to pass. We got out of the house and Mum locked it. She took out her want and put a few protective charms around the house. Then, we got into our car, which we didn’t use very often, just on some occasions.
“Lets go,” Mum said, as she started the engine and we speeded of too King’s ক্রুশ Station.
The station was crowded. It was the same every year, with all the students of Hogwarts and their parents. In addition, some Muggle children and their parents were there too.
Mum already had my luggage in a trolley. I pushed my trolley forward, looking for familiar faces but none were to be seen.
“They must be at the platform,” Mum ব্যক্ত from behind me, startling me a bit.
“Yeah! Yeah!” I exclaimed.
We made our way to the barrier, unknown to Muggles.
I ran straight through the barrier and into Platform 9 ¾. The platform was crowded but a tad bit less than the ‘Muggle’ platforms. I was looking around when I felt someone walk into me, “Oh my, Caldera! Don’t stand in the way! What if some over-enthusiast runs and knocks আপনি over?”
“Sorry, Mum!” I ব্যক্ত as I made my way towards Aunt Molly whom I had spotted when Mum was scolding me.
“Hi everyone!” I greeted.
Ron, Hermione and Ginny weren’t there but there were two grim-looking Aurors.
“Hey, Caldera!” Harry greeted back, smiling.
He had been quite nice to me since his birthday, but I wasn’t complaining.
“Where are the rest?” I asked.
“Ron and Hermione went out for their Prefect duties and Ginny went off to meet her friends,” Harry said, “you should go too.”
I knew he was referring to my prefect duties.
“You should attend to your duties, Callie,” Mum said. I nodded and hugged her. She kissed my cheek.
“Bye, Mum. Aunt Molly, Mr. Weasley,” I ব্যক্ত as I loaded my trunks on to the train. Wow! I am strong!
Harry ব্যক্ত that wanted to talk to Mr. Weasley, so I boarded the train without him.
Mum and Aunt Molly were waving. I smiled to myself. I pushed my way through the crowd; I didn’t know how these people got so much energy from. I looked for an empty compartment অথবা a compartment where my বন্ধু were seated. I finally found a compartment in which some of my fellow Ravenclaws were seated. I entered the compartment and greeted everyone there: Kaitlyn Miller, David Walker, Michael Corner and Terry Boot. If I ব্যক্ত I had a best friend, it would be Kaitlyn. We had known each other since we started in Hogwarts. She was the happy-go-lucky type, never really thought about consequences. But was smart; like all Ravenclaws were.
They greeted back and smiled at me. Kate helped me with my trunks; she is always very helpful. I thanked her.
“Let’s go patrolling, Cal!” David ব্যক্ত and I nodded. He was a prefect too, so we were partners, sort of.
“Bye! We’ll see আপনি later,” I ব্যক্ত to the rest of them as we walked out.
We বিভক্ত করা up and went around train making sure no one was running around, hexing each other অথবা causing explosions. But then, causing explosions was Seamus’ job. After about half an hour, I was finished and started making my way to our compartment.
As I was walking along corridors, I saw a নকুলের সাহায্যে শিকার করা walking towards me. Not towards me, but in my direction. I moved towards the দেওয়াল so that we would not bang into each other. But trust the foul mannered নকুলের সাহায্যে শিকার করা to barge into anyone he sees.
“That is so lame, ferret! Watch where you’re going!” I shouted at him.
“Oh really, Roth? I wasn’t the one who looked like I was sleepwalking!” he spat back.
I glared at him, “I made way for you! আপনি barged into me on purpose!” I shrieked, losing my temper.
“Oh, so আপনি have started acknowledging your superiors? That’s good, Roth,” he smirked.
“Superior? আপনি and—“I started but was interrupted when I felt someone tapping my shoulder.
“What?!” I turned around to see an alarmed-looking Marcus holding two scrolls in his hands.
“Uh…Caldera?”
“Yeah?” I ব্যক্ত softly.
“This is for you,” he handed me a scroll.
“Love letter, eh? Roth?” the নকুলের সাহায্যে শিকার করা said. I just ignored him.
“What is it?” I asked, opening the scroll.
“An invitation. Some Professor Slughorn wants us to যোগদান him for lunch,” Marcus said, shrugging.
I read the scroll and it really was an invitation. Slughorn was the new Professor, according to Harry. So why did a Professor want us to যোগদান him for lunch?
“Let’s go,” I ব্যক্ত and walked away with Marcus, without giving the নকুলের সাহায্যে শিকার করা a glance.
Ahhh…satisfaction!
We went to compartment C where we were invited.
When we entered the compartment, we saw that we were not the only ones who were invited. I did not know some people who were there but one person I knew very well. Ginny! I smiled at her.
“And আপনি two are?” an old man with a round belly, who I supposed was Professor Slughorn, asked us.
Marcus looked too nervous to speak so I spoke, “He’s Marcus Belby and I’m Caldera Roth, sir.”
“Oh! Miss Roth! Mr. Belby! Please take a seat. I’m so glad that আপনি could come,” he exclaimed happily.
What was so exciting about Marcus and me joining him for lunch?
I just smiled and went to sit পরবর্তি to Ginny; Marcus followed and sat পরবর্তি to me.
“What is this?” I whispered to Ginny.
“Dunno. He saw me hex Zacharias Smith and I was sure that I was in trouble but he invited me for lunch!” she whispered back.
“Now just m’boy Harry remains,” Slughorn said.
Harry? His boy? Ginny gave me a questioning look, I just shrugged.
“Is Harry coming too, sir?” Ginny asked.
“Yes, yes. Do আপনি know him dear?” Slughorn asked, looking interested.
”Yes. He’s my brother’s best friend. Caldera and I are বন্ধু with him too,” she said. I glared at her. Why did she drag me into the conversation?
“Oh? The three of আপনি are friends, Miss Roth?” he asked, looking at me.
“Yes, sir. We’re friends,” I said, forcing myself to smile. He nodded.
After a few moments, Harry and Neville entered.
“Harry m’boy!” Slughorn exclaimed.
Harry looked utterly confused and Neville looked scared. Slughorn started introducing everyone to Harry and left Neville almost totally ignored.
“Miss Roth and this charming lady here tell me that they know you,” he ব্যক্ত to Harry.
What? Didn’t he believe us?
Harry smiled at us awkwardly. I smiled back, while Ginny glare at Slughorn’s back.
Harry and Neville each took a আসন and Slughorn told us to start eating. I just ate some pie as Marcus’ style of eating made me lose my appetite. He never changed.
As the afternoon droned on, I learnt that everyone who was invited was either related to someone famous of was a child of his favourite students. Ginny of course was there because of the hex she performed and in my opinion was the only one who deserved to be in the ‘Slug Club’ as he called us.
“So, Miss Roth? How have আপনি been dealing with the death of your grandmother?” he asked and I almost choked on my own saliva.
That was the reason he had called me here. My grandmother. Well, I should have known, my Mum was an Auror but not so famous and Dad was famous for all the wrong reasons.
Nana had been a great witch in her days and was quite famous.
“That was almost five years ago, sir,” I said. I saw Slughorn narrow his eyes.
“However, it was difficult as I was just twelve, but through the years, I have accepted her death. She was my first teacher actually and I loved her dearly,” I finished.
“That must have been difficult. A great Marie was and quite charming too! Quite জনপ্রিয় among the men, Gordon was very lucky to have such a charming wife,” he said, as I just nodded.
The sun was setting now and twilight was setting in. Slughorn looked around, blinking.
“Good gracious! It’s dark already! I didn’t notice that they had lit the lamps. আপনি better change into your robes all of you.”
I took that as a signal to leave and stood up.
I walked out of the compartment as Slughorn was telling us that we could stop দ্বারা anytime. I noticed that he left Marcus out (because he wasn’t very close to his famous uncle).
“Bye everyone,” I ব্যক্ত as I walked towards our compartment.
“Wait up, Caldera,” Marcus ব্যক্ত and started jogging towards me. We made our way to our compartment.
“What was that about?” David asked as we entered.
“New professor,” Marcus shrugged, “invited some people with famous relatives.”
“How is he?” Kaitlyn asked .
“Annoying.”
All of us changed into out robes and just sat and talked until the train came to a halt.
Kaitlyn and I crossed our arms together and walked off the train.
“We didn’t get to talk,” she said, pouting.
“We can talk all night once we get to Hogwarts,” I laughed.
“Come on ladies, get onto the carriage,” David yelled.
We all got onto the carriage and made our way towards Hogwarts, our সেকেন্ড home.