Song:
Meds (Placebo)
Trying my best not to forget; what happened to us, what happened to me, what happened as I let it slip."
A/N: Descriptions of toxic relationship. Not graphic, but it is insinuated. If you want to read the chapter but wish to avoid this type of content, I suggest you avoid everything written in italics. They show Callisto's memories
Remus had woken up in a foul mood. It felt as if an invisible force was bracing him for an unsettling discovery that would take place before breakfast. Sirius and Peter had been trying to get him off his bed for at least twenty minutes with no avail. James, who usually wasn't all that logical, seemed to be having an epiphany because for the first time in years, he had come up with a sensible idea.
Remus could skip breakfast and join them in their first class, while the rest went to eat like they always did.
It was rather brilliant and Remus would have thought he had the luck of the world since he rarely had some time alone, if Peter hadn't accidentally forgotten the Marauders Map open in his bed.
Remus slowly got out of bed, taking his sweet time in the bathroom now that Sirius wasn't hogging it. Class was supposed to start in fifteen minutes when he came out and quickly dressed, shoving his finished essay in his bag. Usually, Remus would be one of the first to arrive to class if he was alone and one of the last if the three Marauders were involved. This time, just like any other, Remus took his bag from the floor, only then noticing the opened map forgotten in Peter's bed.
The werewolf sighed, grabbing the parchment. He had lost track of how many times he had reminded them to close and neatly fold the map if they weren't using it, in fear of their prized possession being confiscated or stolen. He was about to cast the spell, when he noticed two small labels on the seventh floor.
Callisto Claire & Sirius Black
There were no classrooms up on the seventh floor, everyone knew it. To make everything much worse, their tags soon disappeared. Remus closed the map, shoving it in his bag without bothering to fold it properly. The only room they hadn't managed to put in the map was the Room of Requirements. It was impossible to keep track of, since it vanished and appeared only if someone needed it.
It didn't take a lot of imagination for him to understand why they were going there. Remus had already concluded on Callisto's feelings about Sirius and now it seemed as if the girl's love for his best friend was not unrequited.
Oh how wrong he was...
~ ~ ~
"Is there a reason you didn't let me finish my toastie or not?" Sirius complained, allowing himself to be dragged by his ear up to the seventh floor. Callisto had stormed in the Great Hall and had immediately headed to where he was sitting with James and Peter. Without as much as a second word, she had grabbed his ear, forcing him to stand up and follow her out of the Hall with no further explanation. If he didn't know the girl, he would be afraid for his life, but the look in her eyes was oddly reassuring.
"Shut up." Callisto ordered, pacing three times in front of the tall, empty wall. A massive door appeared and Callisto pushed it open, shoving Sirius in the room.
There were only two couches inside, facing each other, a lamp and a table. On the table, there was a drawing of a toastie. Callisto had attempted to conjure Sirius' beloved toastie, only to be reminded that it was impossible.
"Sit down."
"This feels kinky." Sirius joked, sitting on the couch. "Now, speak, woman. What's the reason behind all this?"
"You must stay the fuck away from Monica." The blonde calmly stated. "Don't ask her to the dance or on a date and don't ever talk to her again. In fact, don't ever see her again."
"What?" Sirius blurted out, confusion overcoming him. He had expected that she wanted to talk about Remus and the ball, not Monica and him.
"Stay away from Monica Ricci, Sirius!" Callisto insisted, the urgency in her voice snapping him straight back to reality.
"Why?" He asked, frustration building up in his chest. "You said I should go for it and now you're bullshitting me? Why would I stay away from her?"
Callisto groaned loudly in frustration, "She's bad news!"
"How would you know? You've talked to her one time, Callisto! One fucking time!" Sirius shouted. "And if you had stayed that time, you would have learned she's a lovely person!"
"I know because I dated her, Sirius!" Callisto spat, cutting his words short. "You think you know her? Because I can assure you that you have no fucking idea who she truly is. So, unless you want to end up like me, you'll stay the fuck away from her!"
Sirius let out a dark laugh, "I don't believe you."
"Let me show you, then."
The table was substituted with a large, marble bowl. Inside the bowl, there was a substance that vaguely reminded Sirius of what an oceanic portal would look like. He observed as Callisto placed the tip of her wand on her head and slowly pulled away, wispy strands of hair coming out. The girl placed them in the Pensieve and the substance started spinning faster, inviting Sirius to submerge his head.
"Go ahead." Callisto urged him. "See what a lovely person your dear Monica is for yourself."
The two teenagers submerged their heads simultaneously in the Pensive, the scenery changing drastically. They were no longer in the Room of Requirements, but a dirty road. The sounds of the city seemed ten times louder in Sirius' ears, while a foul stench of garbage bins filled his nostrils.
"Where are we?" He asked Callisto. The girl looked at him, a sad smile on her lips.
"In Bulgaria." Callisto responded. "Close to the port in Bourgas."
"You're insane." A masculine voice said. Sirius immediately recognized Callisto and Nicholas walking down the narrow street. They looked a bit younger, but it wasn't anything to stress over that much. "I knew there was something wrong in that pretty, little head of yours, but this is demented."
"You're overreacting." Callisto dismissed, rolling her eyes. "Everything will be fine."
"Sure!" Nicholas mocked. "What are the chances we get mauled by werewolves or jumped by vampires down here anyway? It's not as if we're in their fucking territory!"
"It's not a full moon, so forget about the werewolves. Besides, Elena said they're all harmless and Ivan is going to be waiting for us in the pub." She stated. "And as for the vampires, I guess we'll have to be quick enough for them not to notice us."
"If we're relying on your speed then I might as well just kill myself now and save them the trouble."
"If it's the only way you'll shut up, I don't see a reason for you not to do it."
"Ivan usually brought me a bottle of dittany at home." Callisto explained. "He couldn't that night, so we snuck out of the castle to find him where he usually hung out. In Bourgas there are some neighborhoods where only dark creatures live, so the pub we were going to was going to be filled with vampires and werewolves."
"What does that have to do with Monica?"
The scenery changed again and the street got replaced by a loud pub. Sirius could clearly see Callisto sitting on a table close to the bar, a drink in her hand as she checked the clock on the wall.
"We were supposed to be quick." Callisto said. "But Nicholas got sidetracked."
"What's a pretty girl like you doing here all alone?" A tall man approached Callisto, sitting on the empty chair next to her. Callisto looked him up and down, completely uninterested.
"Wishing to be left alone." She sharply responded, subtly placing her palm over her drink.
"Well, that's not very polite." The man insisted. "I just want to get to know you. You know what they say; company is loneliness' best friend."
"Nobody fucking says that." Callisto retorted, growing increasingly annoyed. "Now leave!"
"Oh she's feisty!" The man laughed, making Sirius more uncomfortable by the second. He glanced at Callisto next to him, not really able to decipher her expression. "Don't worry, doll. I don't bite."
"Except you do." A feminine voice chimed in, making Sirius' eyebrows furrow. Doubt started filling his chest once he saw Monica, a scowl on her face. "She doesn't want to fuck you, okay?"
"We're just chatting."
"No, honey, you're talking to yourself." Callisto smirked, motioning for him to leave with a wave of her hand. "Bye!"
"Pretty damn obvious you were a bitch anyway."
"Then what are you doing here, sweetheart? For the final time, go away."
The man rolled his eyes and mumbled something under his breath, leaving the two girls behind. Callisto glanced at Monica, a small smile on her lips.
"Thanks."
"Don't mention it." Monica laughed. It sounded much more genuine than her laugh when they had gone out, Sirius noticed. It seemed like Monica truly was happy to talk with Callisto, something which was obvious in the Three Broomsticks as well. "That was a grown ass man!"
Callisto nodded emphatically, taking a sip from her drink, "Fucking creep!"
"I'm Monica, by the way." Monica introduced herself. "Monica Ricci."
"Callisto Claire." The two girls shook hands jokingly, a warm smile spreading on Callisto's lips.
"Normal witches don't hang out here usually." Monica noticed, looking her up and and down. "They get too scared."
"Why should I be scared?"
"Take a lucky guess." Monica answered, tapping Callisto's neck right under her ear lightly. Sirius could clearly see Callisto blushing under Monica's gaze, sipping some of her drink only because the glass would cover her flushed cheeks.
"Vampire."
A series of images started flashing before his eyes, the one happier than the other. He saw Callisto going back to the pub alone, sitting on a table and waiting for Monica to finish playing on stage for them to have a drink. He saw the girl dropping Callisto off at her house, before she asked her out for coffee somewhere nice. He saw Callisto accepting immediately, a wide smile on her lips that seemed so foreign. He saw the pure nervousness in Callisto's eyes as she tried to decide between a bunch of clothes. She had never looked so normal to him. Sirius could have never imagined that Callisto Claire would stress over dresses and dates, but it was right before his eyes now.
If everything was this perfect, then why would she ask him to stay away?
That all cleared up when they were transported to a party, the neon lights and loud music blazing.
Callisto was sitting on the floor with Monica, humming along to the music and staring at the ceiling in pure wonder as the lights shifted colors.
"Does it hurt?" Callisto asked, turning to look at Monica. Sirius looked at the girl next to him, not really understanding what she was referring to.
Monica shook her head, "No, it doesn't."
"You're beautiful." The blonde blurted out, smiling. "Shit, I sound ridiculous..."
"Just a little bit." Monica reassured her, wrapping her arm around Callisto's shoulders. "It doesn't hurt, Callie. If anything, it feels good."
"Kinky."
"Fuck off, Claire." Monica laughed, shaking her head. "I'm trying to be considerate here."
"Emphasis on 'trying'." Callisto retorted. "I'm in, Dracula."
"What a creative nickname."
"Fuck off, Ricci." Callisto rolled her eyes, not bothering to suppress her smile. "So, what do I do?"
"Just relax." Monica muttered. "And look at me."
Before Sirius could process what was happening, Monica had leaned right over Callisto's neck, a little whimper leaving the blonde's lips as the vampire's fangs sank in her neck. He could see Callisto's eyes fluttering shut and her head falling back on the wall. Monica was right. The initial pain had disappeared in seconds, leaving behind a feeling of pure euphoria. A few more minutes passed, before Monica leaned away, cleaning the blood from her lips with the back of her palms.
"You're golden, Claire." She laughed, Callisto's eyes still shut. The blonde let out a laugh, opening her eyes and turning to Monica.
"Golden, huh?"
"Indeed." The vampire confirmed proudly. "Are you taking any medications?"
Callisto hesitated for a moment, but she dug her hand in her purse, pulling out a small pill box. Monica took it from her hand, observing them closely.
"Is there a problem?"
"What?" Monica asked. "No, amore mio. Don't worry about it."
"Callisto." Sirius muttered, already regretting not believing her. He couldn't grasp exactly what was wrong, but the way Monica looked at the pill bottle was enough to make him uneasy. "I understand."
"No, you don't." Callisto retorted, anger in her eyes. "But you will soon enough."
Every image after that seemed to get worse and worse. He had lost count of how many times he had seen Callisto get bitten or how many times she had cleaned her wounds in front of a pocket mirror. Her neck was constantly bandaged, her eyes becoming duller and duller everytime. It was one of those times when Monica seemed to have gotten overbored, not noticing Callisto's balance faltering as she tried to stand on her own feet.
"Shit, Callie!" Monica blurted out, catching the girl mid-fall. "Fuck, are you okay?"
"Just a bit tired." Callisto smiled, sitting on the couch. It was obvious she wasn't just a bit tired, but Sirius didn't say anything. "I'm fine, don't worry."
"No, you're not!" The girl muttered, cleaning the wound and applying a white bandage over it. "Look what I did, Callie! I'm a monster."
Sirius didn't expect to hear Callisto laugh, completely dismissing the confession.
"You don't think that." The blonde said, her voice sounding weak. "You don't think you're a monster."
"You're smart, Claire." Monica sighed, Callisto's head laying on her lap as she absentmindedly played with her hair. "People always said that I should hate that part of me; that I should think I'm a monster. Why would I ever think that? I mean, look at me. I'm young, I'm as beautiful as a damn veela, and I'm healthy. Why on Earth would I think I'm filth just because I can't digest anything that's not blood based? So, you're right. I don't think that."
"Then why did you say it?"
"Because that's what they all want to hear..."
If Sirius thought Callisto's health was declining in the previous memories, he wasn't prepared for what was about to follow. Monica hadn't gone overbored just once and every time it happened, she became less sensitive to it. After some point, the brunette would just help her up and would leave her alone in the bathroom, trying to stop the bleeding with clumsy, drowsy movements. Callisto's memories seemed to become even worse when Nicholas stopped appearing in them. Angry outbursts started to occur, only to be followed with periods of absolute numbness, where Callisto would just lay on her bed while her roommate, Antonia, would beg her to talk to Nicholas or even get up. It truly didn't seem like Callisto. Sirius learned why when he saw Callisto collapsing in the middle of the corridor and he truly understood why the girl was so keen on him staying away from Monica when she woke up in a hospital room, linked to every possible magical device.
"What are you doing here?" Callisto said, her voice sounding hoarse from not being used in days. Nicholas handed her a glass of water, putting a pink straw in.
"I won't leave you alone just because you stopped talking to me." The boy answered, smiling sadly at her. "What the hell happened, Claire?"
"I fainted." Callisto dryly replied. "Happens from time to time. It's nothing to worry about."
"It is when you've been off your medication for two months." Nicholas let out a bitter laugh, not registering how confused Callisto looked. "And as for the supposed 'hickeys' on your neck, I don't even know what to say. What were you thinking?"
"Hold up." Callisto interrupted, struggling to sit up on the bed. "I never stopped my medication, Nick. I have no idea what you're talking about."
"The healer said you stopped the medication. Even you can't prove the test results wrong, Claire."
"I told you I didn't stop my medication." Callisto insisted. "Look through my bag! It's right there!"
"That doesn't prove anything."
"Just look through the goddamn bag, Lawson." Nicholas took her bag from the floor a bit reluctantly and opened it, pulling out a small, pink pouch. Just as Callisto had said, the pill bottle was inside, the pill slots corresponding to the first three days empty. Nicholas pulled out the pill and set it on the table, turning to Callisto.
"What do your pills have inside?"
"It's mostly potions that are solidified with spells." Callisto answered. "And they also put in herbs like devil's claw, peppermint and vervain. They mask the flavor of the potions and help with the consistency, I guess. Kind of like muggle pills."
"Vervain?" Nicholas asked, not bothering to hear Callisto's response. He smashed the small pill with the handle of his wand, muttering a spell under his breath.
"There was no vervain in my pills, Sirius." Callisto muttered, her eyes glistening with tears.
"There's no vervain here, Callie." Nicholas mumbled, letting his wand on the table and looking angrier than Callisto had ever seen him. "For all you know, this could be a bunch of useless herbs together! And you know who did it?"
Callisto didn't reply.
"Your girlfriend."
Callisto bit her lip, "Why would Monica do that?"
"Because of the vervain, Callie!" Nicholas exclaimed, pacing up and down the room angrily. "It's toxic to vampires, and she knew she couldn't keep drinking your blood if you consumed a bunch of it every day. It's not like you would ever stop taking your pills because of her, so, she just swapped them for whatever the hell this is-" He pointed at the pill bottle. "And then she went on with her fucking day!'
Callisto's face hardened, the tears running down her face contrasting her expression. Sirius could feel every bit of the betrayal deep in his heart. He could sense Nicholas' anger as he sat back down on the chair, holding Callisto's hand.
"She said she loved me."
"Well, she fucking lied." Nicholas muttered, his voice sounding softer. "This can't happen again, Callie. Not to be a fucking prejudiced prick, but stay away from that place and everything that comes with it. No more vampires and werewolves and fucking unicorns and genies."
"What did the werewolves do?"
"Nothing, they were just in the wrong place at the wrong time and I'm too angry to give a shit about their feelings." Nicholas sighed, holding her hand a bit tighter. "Promise me you'll never go down there again."
"I promise."
Sirius held his breath and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he was back in the Room of Requirements, with Callisto standing right opposite from him.
"Do you understand now?" She asked, her voice sounding harsher than what she was used to. "I want you to stay away from her not because I'm petty about my ex, but because she has no heart. I needed my medication, Sirius, and she knew it. She knew I would end up in the hospital."
"What is the medication for, Callie?" Sirius asked. He was still feeling numb from all the images, the idea of the Monica he had met with what Callisto had shown him, clashing in his mind.
"Health issues." Callie vaguely answered, hoping he'd understand she didn't want to talk more about it. "Will you stay away from her or have I not convinced you yet?"
Sirius sighed, running a hand through his hair, "Maybe I should find someone else to take to the ball."
"Maybe." Callisto agreed, relief washing over her. Now that Sirius knew the truth about Monica, she could safely bet that she would be out of her life forever. All she had to do was wait until Monica left Hogsmead. After all, vampires rarely stayed in the same place for a long time.
"So," Sirius smirked, leaning back on the leather couch. "Girls."
"What about them?"
"That's the team you and Marlene were talking about." Sirius proudly exclaimed. "I knew there was no such thing as a bass team! What would you even do there?"
Callisto raised an eyebrow, "Play the bass?"
"Sure, if you're a bunch of old grandmas." Sirius laughed. "Will you ask Remus to the ball?"
The blonde scoffed, "What's the point? He likes Dorcas."
"No, he likes you." Sirius insisted. "I can tell."
"So, you're telling me to ask Remus out based on your psychic abilities." Sirius nodded with a wide smile. "The answer is no."
"And you'll go to the ball alone?"
"No." Callisto replied. "I'm going with Regulus. He asked me on Sunday."
"Regulus?" Sirius wondered, shocked. "As in, my brother Regulus?"
"No, the other Regulus that's in Slytherin and I hang out with." The girl sarcastically answered. "Yes, Sirius, your brother."
"Oh someone is not going to like that..."
~ ~ ~
So, what do we think of Miss Monica?
Remus couldn't be more wrong at this point, but anyway, let him be dumb for a bit.