NOX° SIRIUS BLACK

Chapter Twenty-One

         She fed the owl and plucked the letter off of its leg, surprised to see that the letter was from Aerin. She had given him her address before they left so that he could write to her about the book and he could send her the list of songs he listened to that reminded him of her, but she hadn't expected for him to write so soon.

         She hurriedly unraveled the letter and read its contents.

Dear Calypso,

Sorry that this letter is coming to you so soon but I spent the train ride reading the book you gave me and so far I really like it. I don't know much about the historical setting, so if you could send me some facts about it I'd greatly appreciate it.

But, I mainly wanted to write to you because my list of songs that I think you'd like is starting to get too long so I figured I'd share a few more.

Superstition by Stevie Wonder: I know you'd love this song. Stevie plays most of the instruments on this record.

Paint it, Black by The Rolling Stones: I have a feeling you'd really love the Stones and I think this song is perfect for you to get into them.

Walk On the Wild Side by Lou Reed: Lou Reed is AMAZING. Bowie actually produced this song.

I'll think of more songs for you to listen to. Let me know what you think of these when you get a chance to listen.

From,
Aerin

       Calypso made a mental note to go into town to get the songs in the morning so she could write Aerin back as soon as possible. Out of her excitement, she started writing a letter to him to tell him facts about the French Revolution.

        Calypso finished eating the rest of her food and downed her cup of water before walking downstairs to take her tray to the kitchen. She stopped when she heard muffled voices coming from the sitting room. Calypso hesitated before she leaned her ear against the door.

           ''. . . my daughters will not be apart of this.'' Calypso's father said in a stern tone.

          ''It's not up to you! Your daughter, Ophelia, has proven to be a very skilled witch and you know how he feels about your youngest. He wants her.'' Calypso's eyes widened at the sound of Abraxas Malfoy's voice on the other side.

          ''He's going to have to find another way. I will not do this to my daughters. I've already hurt Calypso enough, I won't do anymore.'' Icarus said firmly.

           ''Then, we will tell the Dark Lord and Lady about your insubordination.'' Ramsey Lestrange said. ''Your disobedience will cost you, Icarus —''

             Calypso was spun around and faced with Narcissa. Narcissa looked at her with wide, fearful eyes.

              ''I'm sorry. Obliviate.''

             Calypso jolted awake in her bed the next morning, yawning as she rubbed her eyes. She crawled out of bed and went downstairs, but the house was quiet apart from the house-elves that walked around the Manor. Her father was nowhere to be found but she wasn't too surprised about that and Calypso continued on finding things to occupy her time.

           She wrote to Aerin after she listened to the songs and the pair of them started exchanging letters regularly. Sirius still wrote to her to see how she was doing in the house, as well as her other friends, but Aerin's letters excited her the most. He told her more about his dad and how his dad had been the one to teach him how to play guitar. He also told her about his dreams to be a guitarist known throughout the wizarding world.

           Calypso didn't see much of her father apart from the appearance he made on Christmas. They exchanged gifts with each other where she received a few books, clothes, and jewelry. They ate dinner together that night in silence before they retreated to their respective corners of the Manor.

              Her father had no problem with sending her off for the day to spend at Peter's, so when the time came, Calypso made her way to the Pettigrew's small family cottage in a village not too far from Wiltshire. She was the last person to arrive and she practically skipped up the path to Peter's home which was usually decorated with colorful flowers and bushes. Moments after Calypso knocked on the front door, it swung open, revealing Peter Pettigrew.

               "Peter!" Calypso exclaimed cheerfully, pulling her friend into a hug. Peter grinned before ushering her inside.

              "James, Sirius, and Remus are already here. Mum's made hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies for us." Peter said.

            "She makes the best cookies!" Calypso said excitedly. They walked into the living room where Mrs. Pettigrew was setting a large platter of cookies in front of the boys who were gathered around the television. "Hey guys!"

            "Calypso!" The three boys cheered from their places, raising their mugs at the sight of their friend.

           "Oh, Calypso dear, look at you, you're all grown up." Mrs. Pettigrew gushed, wrapping Calypso into a bear hug that made it hard for her to breathe. "You're getting quite tall — isn't she getting tall, Ed?"

            Mrs. Pettigrew turned to her husband, who was trying to sneak into the kitchen. Peter's dad nodded quickly before disappearing out of sight.

            "Dad bought us this television." Peter informed Calypso when Mrs. Pettigrew placed a mug of hot chocolate with loads of marshmallows in her hands. Calypso sat on the sofa between Sirius and James while Peter got on the floor with Remus. "We've been watching this show called All in the Family."

            They spent most of the night being fed by Mrs. Pettigrew and watching the television. At one point, Peter put on a horror film called The Exorcist. Calypso loved horror movies, so she wasn't that scared, but the same could not be said about her friends. Sirius hid his face in her shoulder while James let out several horrified shrieks. Remus sat with his jaw dropped open and Peter was shaking though he tried to keep a brave face.

          When the day was done, Calypso used the Knight Bus to make her way back to Wiltshire and Krane Manor. The light was on her in her father's study, but it was eerily quiet throughout the Manor. Calypso let out a small sigh, counting down the days until she would be back at Hogwarts and away from the home she grew up in.