Callie opened her eyes at the same time the birds chirped around. She felt them swell but kept them open. She finally found the will to sit up and she did as she rubbed her eyes.
There was a snore coming from across from her. Callie knew it was from James. It was the same snore she heard from him in the hospital wing; that was how she knew.
She stood and walked out of their tent. Her room was on the farther right side. Across from her was Peter, then Regulus beside her and across from him was Remus. Then beside Regulus was his brother with James across from him.
Callie jumped on her skin when she saw Peter walking back inside hugging a paper bag. He, too, jumped in surprise seeing his friend awake so early.
"Merlin, you scared me, Callie," he breathed out.
"I could say the same. Where were you and why are you up so early?" She pertained to the bag he was hugging.
"Oh, I-I went to the market to buy us food. I figured we'd need this."
"Thanks," she smiled fondly. Taking the paper bag from him. "Shall we cook them breakfast before they wake up?"
"Sure."
Soon, they began. It was quiet all throughout with Callie humming a tune. From time to time, she'd stare at Peter with a smile. She might have not said it but she was grateful beyond words that Peter trusted them. It was vital to keep their friendship intact for her.
Peter was fearful. But she couldn't help but be proud seeing how far he'd come. If Peter was a coward, he wouldn't be out there with them, fighting Voldemort.
"What we'll do after this?" Peter asked, his back facing her as he stirred the pot for a mashed potato.
And then he was also invested too with their plans? Her smile widened before going back to preparing the plates. "We'll go to Little Hangleton. There's a Horcrux there that we have to destroy."
"And then?"
"Then we'll destroy it. Just like what we did to the rest."
She saw him nod and remained silent again.
After maybe more than half an hour, as per Callie's estimation, James came out of the tent, rubbing his eyes. He put his hands away in his pockets and walked to them. His eyes were now wide open as though he just took a nap.
"Mashed potatoes," he mentioned, voice a little deeper as he just got up from bed.
"Peter bought some for us." Callie smiled. At the mention of that, Peter looked at her with a swelling heart.
She had really been good to him from the beginning. No one did that to him. James would be the closest but Callie just hit differently.
"You should wake them up," Callie told James. "We better get out of here as soon as possible."
James nodded and walked back into the tent, muttering good luck to himself. Sirius wouldn't be easy to wake up.
Callie knew the dangers they might face if they stay there longer. It might already reach Voldemort what they did. It wasn't safe for them anymore, especially Regulus. And if her gut feeling was right, Voldemort would have dispersed his Death Eaters in search of them. That was why, even though they were hidden in the forest, it wasn't safe to be near Diagon Alley.
Peter put the mashed potatoes on the plates Callie prepared and she added bread and water.
Not too long, Remus came out, squinting his eyes. Then Regulus who was fixing his morning hair, and then a grumbling Sirius murmuring about how he should've still been in bed. Then James whose energy bar was filled as though he hadn't just woken up.
That was quite a sight. Callie had never seen the boys wake up. She didn't even know Regulus would have morning hair. She thought he was too perfect for that. Turned out, not even a Black was safe from such a mess.
"Breakfast is ready. Eat while it's still warm." She passed the plate to the four who started sitting. "Then, we get ready. We have to get out of here as soon as we can."
If their timer hadn't begun, well, it had. They were now racing against time.
They ate their breakfast, sparking conversations until they were finished. Sirius complained about taking a bath but since there was nowhere to bathe in. So they just changed clothes, something comfortable for a long ride.
They folded the tent, put out the fire, and hid every evidence that someone had been there. Remus led the way out. But they didn't go to the centre of Diagon Alley. It would still be fresh in people's minds what happened the last day. So they remained hidden through the back of every shop, walking outside the place.
Callie said they have to get a train to Yorkshire. The nearest train was outside. They had to get out to the crossroad, get to Kings Cross and board a train.
They managed to get out to the Charing Cross Road unscathed much to their relief. But the busy streets of London greeted them. At least they weren't wanted thieves there.
"Oh no." Two words from Callie and the five boys were alarmed.
"What is it?" Regulus asked.
"We don't have muggle money to get into transportation."
"What?" Sirius asked in disbelief. "Just a reminder, we destroyed Gringgots, the only place we can change our galleons into muggle money."
"I know. And I, again, stupidly did not add that to the equation!" Oh god, what do we do? Callie wanted to tear up at her stupidity, once more.
"Wormtail and I figured that out," said Remus, looking at their exasperated faces. "When you were in the vault, Peter remembered you told us before we will need to go out in the muggle world. So, we went in to exchange most of what we have to muggle money."
Callie couldn't explain the relief and gratefulness she had for them. "You saviours, thank you!"
Right at that moment, they saw a cab available for hire. Remus hailed the cab but only three passengers can get on. It stopped in front of them and Remus turned to Callie.
"I know my way around. Let's meet at the station." He put in her hand the cash they could use to pay.
Callie nodded in agreement. "Who are with me?"
Regulus immediately walked to her side followed by Sirius. He wouldn't dare leave his brother so it would be better if he was with them. Surely, those two would need adult supervision. And he was already an adult by then. Adult by age.
"Okay. We'll go."
James, Peter, and Remus nodded as the three took the cab. Regulus opened the door for her so even though she was hesitant, she got in. Because of that, she was unable to see Sirius' smirk as he made his way to the gunshot ride. Regulus followed beside her.
Waving her hand to say goodbye, the three replied with the same gesture and off the cab drove.
"To Kings Cross, mister," she told the driver who nodded and drove to the said location.
After they were complete at the Kings Cross Station, they board the train. Remus, Peter, and James took one side whilst the remaining three were on the other.
Silence mostly covered their seats except when James and Sirius kept a conversation going. But after an hour and they still haven't arrived at their stop, they grew tired that they just stared at the people passing by.
The three Pureblood Marauders who did not know the muggle ways stared at the passing buildings with awe. To pass the time herself, Callie shared a little knowledge of the places with them. Much to her surprise, that world did not differ much from where she grew up. Except for a few buildings that were demolished before her birth and replaced by what she now knew.
Regulus, even though muggle infrastructures weren't exactly his cup of tea, found himself invested in her stories.
"I actually once got lost there," Callie pointed in an alley.
"Really? How come?" Regulus leaned to her to listen to more of her stories.
Of course, the Marauders noticed. Especially how he adjusted to sit closer to her. But if Regulus noticed their stares, he did not care.
Another hour passed and they were finally at their stop. They got off the train and went to Little Hangleton with a help of a cab. The driver dropped them off just right in front of the dark, eery entrance of the almost abandoned-looking village.
"To make things clear, we're looking for a shack. There may be muggle-repelling enchantments around it so I may not see it. But if you found a shack with a snake on the door, that's what we're looking for. Remember, we're not sure what's inside so don't come in unless we're all together, understood?"
Callie received a collective agreement from the lads.
"Let's go."
They dispersed. Sirius and Regulus didn't really like the idea of splitting up. They were both afraid it was more dangerous. But splitting up would get the job done faster. With eyes at more places, it would be easier to spot a house.
Callie reasoned to herself that they weren't in a horror movie. Unlike in those where characters needed to stay together in order to live, they didn't.
The only horror in that world was Voldemort and she still had no idea where he was or what was in his head. He could be planning their demise by then or still trying to find out who had been destroying his Horcruxes. She prayed for the latter. But with the scene they caused in Gringgots, she prayed to every god she knew.
The forest was void of noise except for the crumbling twigs and leaves beneath their feet. Thanks to the light of the afternoon, it wasn't too hard to see. Though a hundred trees stretched as far as they could see. Callie awaited for any shadow that would attack them while trying to find a silhouette of the Gaunt shack where a Horcrux was hidden.
Yet despite the warmth of the sun, Remus shivered. The forest itself seemed to be keeping the cold trapped. It did nothing to ease their fear. But he kept walking. And walking. And walking.
Until Peter screamed.
Remus turned around after Peter's noise resonated through the thick bodies of the trees. Footsteps rang too, but they were quick as though the person was running.
Before he could yell his friend's name, something felt wrong. Something was being sucked out of him from behind. Cold, dark, loneliness, fear, and worst. He turned around to see a looming dementor.
A memory suddenly flashed in his eyes. A memory decades ago that altered his life forever.
It was a cold night thanks to the rain. Noisy, as the drops drummed on their roof. Five-year-old Remus curled himself in his blanket to give him enough warmth but it didn't work.
The window in his room smashed. He jolted awake. He tried to adjust his eyes to see what was happening. But since he came from a deep sleep he had difficulties. Though he could make out a shape. A figure. It was big, towering over him that she scoured to the corner of his bed, blanket on top of him as means of protection. Poor little him thought a mere piece of the blanket would save him from his fate.
The figure walked closer to him. Each step was heavy. Each step was a menace.
All young Remus could do was cry. And yell for his mum and dad to save him.
Much to his relief his father came knocking out the door. The giant figure looked back only to be hit by a spell. With the room's light illuminating its face, Remus finally saw who it was. Fenrir Greyback.
Lyall Lupin ran to his child but Greyback, a werewolf was much faster. He got to Remus first before his father. He cried harder and begged his father to take him.
With all the will to save his son, Lyall Lupin conjured the most powerful spell he had mastered. Yet before it could hit the werewolf, he had bitten Remus.
No. Remus grunted, trying to slap himself back in the present. It's just a dementor. Come on!
Despite all his joy and happiness being sucked away, his worst memories being flashed in front of him, Remus raised his wand. He pointed it at the dementor.
"Expecto Patronum!" A bright light came out of the tip of his wand. And just as soon as the dementor saw it, it flew away.
Remus fell to his knees, panting with eyes watering in tears. Seemed like even though dementors just suck out happiness, they suck out strength too.
It didn't take him another minute to realise what happened. Peter running and yelling, and then dementors attacking him. They all were being attacked by detectors!
He pushed himself off the ground and ran. His body itself forgot he lost energy but it still did. So as he ran, he stumbled.
He saw Sirius first. Without hesitation, he cast his patronus and the dementor flew away.
"Do you know where everyone else is?" Remus asked straightly.
Sirius shook his head but pointed to his left. "I saw Wormtail run that way." Like Remus when he got out of the dementor's grip, he was catching his breath and silencing his drumming heart.
Remus took off. But after a few more breaths, Sirius jumped out from sitting too and ran after him. When he caught up, the dementor was already flying away.
Without a prompt, Sirius helped Peter to his feet.
"Has any of you seen James, Callie, or Regulus?" Remus asked, now losing breath from running.
"I-I stumbled upon James," Peter paused, "there." He pointed his head behind him.
Remus nodded and off he ran again in the said direction.
"Will you wait for us?!" Sirius yelled, a little frustrated that he kept running and not even giving them time to recover and accompany him.
But Remus had no time. Who knew how much the dementors had sucked out of his friends?
When Sirius and Peter had caught up, James was already trying to recover, sitting on the ground, rubbing his head.
"Stay with James, I'll follow Remus."
Peter nodded and Sirius did as he told.
"James said Regulus ran this way. They crossed paths."
Hearing it was his brother, Sirius ran sharper. His eyes narrowed to help him sight Regulus faster. They found him cornered in between two almost intertwined trees. Remus cast his spell and Sirius ran to his side without a question.
Even though their bodies were almost numb due to the attack, Regulus tried to keep his eyes straight and Remus searched around.
"Have you seen Callie?" he asked.
"No. Potter and Pettigrew. Have they seen her?"
"No."
All three of them were disappointed. But a brother's worry took over Sirius at that moment.
"Are you all right?" he asked Regulus who was trying to recover as fast as he could.
"Yes. But Callie-"
As if on cue, a loud, high-pitched scream echoed through the bodies of the trees. There could only be one person with that voice.
"Callie."
Without a second thought, Remus sprinted in the direction he heard the scream. Regulus jumped to his feet and followed. Sirius yelled for his brother to stop and get rest but to no avail.
"Callie!" Regulus yelled trying to get her to reply back.
But there was nothing on the other end.
"Callie!" Remus tried the same, but again, in vain.
"Caledonia!" Sirius jumped in too.
But there was no response.
Regulus cursed in his head, running faster. If anything bad happened to her, he wouldn't know what would happen to him. Would he get mad? Would he feel guilty?
He shook those thoughts off. It will do no good. So, instead, he kept his eyes open for even the slightest movement that could be her.
"Here." Remus turned right. Thanks to his enhanced senses (werewolf advantages), he followed Callie's smell. She didn't smell too bad but stinking would shortly come after her. Well, to all of them if they wouldn't take a bath until the next day.
And bullseye.
Callie was laying on the ground of leaves, small stones, and twigs, being kissed by the dementor.
"Expecto Patronum!" Remus drove away the creature and it did.
Regulus ran and knelt at her side. Her entirety twitched. Her eyelids fluttered. And her breath, Regulus watched her irregular rising and falling chest.
"Callie?" he called.
But she wasn't responding.
"Callie."
Still nothing. Not even eye contact to let him know she was still there. Maybe she wasn't anymore.
"We need to rest," Remus declared. "We should build a camp for now. In a safer place."
Sirius agreed but his brother never took his eyes off Callie. His fingertips traced her arm. His mind was racing with thoughts of what he should do.
"Callie will be fine." Sirius pressed a hand flat to his brother's back. "She just needs to rest."
Trusting his brother, he nodded.
"Come on."
With his help, the Black brothers carried Callie and Remus led the way to Peter and James.
°°°
A/N: This is a bad chapter, please bear with me. This week was exhausting! I had to focus on my college entrance and scholar hip examinations, requirements, et cetera. I just took the scholarship exam yesterday so I wasn't able to write much. But let's pray I pass this exam, I need to.
Anyways, I'll try to be better next time! And HAPPY 35K READS TO US! Have a great day or night!