Lone Wolf ⋆ HP Golden Era (3)

THIRTYSIX ━ ❝one of a kind❞

She came over to their house Thursdays to spend time with Leo and Maia. The girl was always out of the house, it seemed, and Calypso barely even saw her which meant she mostly just spent time with Leo. Even when Maia was there, she was more interested in staying in her room than spending time with her family. Nadia said that she's been spending a lot of time with Emilia Adams and Pansy Parkinson and Calypso couldn't help but frown because when did Maia and Pansy become friends?

But whatever. Changes occur.

She had her set routine and it helped her. She didn't think of her mother during the weekend or on Wednesday during lunch or Thursday when she was hanging out with Leo or during the times when she went to hang out with her dad when he was working. She didn't think about Remelda when she was with Birdie or Lee or Cho. The routine helped so she stuck to it.

Because if she didn't, she would be consumed with guilt. Crying herself to sleep every night because she had the chance to save her mother but she didn't take it. She just stood there and watched, hiding herself as her mother dueled this man and died from it. Died. Remelda Black was dead – her mother was dead.

Birdie called every night after Obscurus Books closed and her family all went back home (finally, as she always said) to tell her about her day and ask about her friend. Calypso thought it was nice that Birdie always wanted to check up on her, it was sweet and it was touching to hear her concern.

The question came up during one of the phone calls, right before they were going to hang up because Regulus made dinner and it was time to eat. It was later than usual for them to have dinner but he had been out all day at the Ministry going through a lot of legal bullshit, as Calypso called it, and she didn't want to start cooking without him.

"Fred and George have a joke shop now, you know? It's open and everything, Lee says that it's a huge hit. Sometimes they get so busy they need him to help out. We should go sometime. You know, if you're up to it."

Calypso couldn't help but stagger back for a moment at the question. It had been a long time since she went out in public anywhere in the wizarding world. Really, it was just weird to think about going to Diagon Alley with her friend. They never did things like that. If they went shopping they went to a muggle mall since no wizard would be there to look down upon her because of the reputation of her family.

But now...that reputation was gone. Cleared. And while that was fun and exciting and great, she didn't leave and parade herself around wizards because that was gone and being the daughter of a dead woman replaced it. It wasn't as if Remelda was beloved by the whole wizarding world, but they knew her. Everyone knew her. And now she was dead and it was confirmed that she wasn't evil at all. Never was either.

So she couldn't help but be shocked...but also interested. For the first time, she considered the offer and wanted to say yes. It would be a good thing. Maybe.

"I heard," Calypso said, "They talked about it all last year. Lee was so excited for them."

Birdie laughed. "Yeah, he is. Lee loves going there and he brings some things for me when he comes by the shop. We can't ever go there during my lunch break though because we don't have enough time."

"Will he be coming?" Calypso asked.

"I mean, he could," Birdie said, "I mean, if you wanna even come. But I just – we never get to go around Diagon Alley together. Like, ever. And I get to see it all with Lee all the time. I wanna go with you. Alone. We need some time alone anyway. I feel like we're just always with Lee and while I – well, I mean I love him – I need some time with my best girl."