ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰᴏᴜʀᴛʜ ᴡᴀʟʟ | ᴍᴀʀᴀᴜᴅᴇʀꜱ ᴇʀᴀ

xv. one horcrux: down

Two weeks had passed since Callie injured herself. She didn't realise it had been that long until her cellphone notified her she could finally take off the cast that had been around her right ankle for weeks.

Meanwhile, it had been a week since they spent Christmas. They still had two days left until students could get back to Hogwarts. And fortunately, she'd been fully healed, they could get the diadem back.

She updated Regulus about it of course. And oh boy, how close did they grow throughout the week? Albeit Callie could still feel a wall between them. And she understood. They had just met a few weeks prior, he could not just let her in the deepest darkest parts of his life. But there was a small part in her that wished he'd trust her.

She, herself, knew she meant no harm. Regulus didn't know that. Or he did. He just wouldn't believe it. So, she just had to show him.

"Anyone has any idea where the diadem could be?" Callie asked the boys in front of her. Peter was slumped on her bed whilst the three remained standing, watching her eat her breakfast.

"Could be in Filch's office," Remus shrugged with his crossed arms, leaning on one of the poles of the bed strong enough to hold his weight. "He usually brings items he confiscated in his office. If he saw the diadem——which he most likely did——then it'll most probably be there."

"So, we search Filch's office?" James asked, almost too excited to hide it. He eyed Sirius who looked back at him and gave him an equally sly smile.

"What are you two planning?" Remus asked, dissatisfied only by just their stares.

"Nothing!" the two mischievous boys defended, which Remus obviously did not buy leaving Callie and Peter snickering.

"After I'm done with my breakfast, let's get the diadem and destroy it once and for all," Callie suggested.

"Okay," the boys agreed——not in unison.

"What's next after we destroy it?" Peter asked, playing with her bedsheet.

"We need to wait for Regulus. He has another horcrux and a thing needed to get another."

"You mean my crazy cousin's hair?" Sirius asked with his crossed arms, leaning on the room's wall. Other than the diary, it was Bellatrix's hair she asked Regulus to fetch for her.

"Yes."

Sirius opened his mouth to say something. Even raising a finger as though he'd suggest a thing. But he never spoke a word and kept his mouth zipper.

"Was that where you'll use the polyjuice potion?" Remus asked, voicing what his friend had in mind.

"Yes. Had you found one?" There was no sense in denying it anyway. Why would she in the first place?

"We've already snuck you a bottle," said James, remembering how they easily took a bottle from Slughorn without him noticing and had been hiding it in their room. "Why would you need someone to turn into Sirius' cousin?"

"You'll see. I'm very bad at explaining so I'd suggest you watch instead. Just give me the potion as soon as you can."

"Sometimes, I still can't understand you," said James, shaking his head with his narrowed eyes, bringing a smile to Callie's lips.

After finishing her breakfast, Callie quickly changed into better clothing, one that would let her run without tripping. She'd learned her lesson. And Callie couldn't handle any more injury, might it be a small sprain or a broken bone.

Using James' cloak, they walked into the castle grounds and towards Filch's office. Callie kept the fang close to her and her grip was so tight that if it was breathing, it'd be dead due to suffocation by then. They timed it right just so Filch was by the lake while they were retrieving the diadem. They had to destroy it as soon as they could. They couldn't afford any more lives to be taken and especially these boys' lives for Callie.