Book 1 in the Screams Trilogy
Calliope Doge doesn't speak. This is a fact that the entirety of Hogwarts knows full well.
She doesn't answer the questions that teachers ask in lessons, she doesn't speak to people over dinner in the great hall and sh...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"Now, Calliope my dear, please take care this year," Elphias told his granddaughter when he dropped her off at Platform 9 3/4 for the beginning of her third year at Hogwarts. "You have got your Hogsmeade permission form haven't you?"
Calliope smiled and nodded, waving the piece of parchment in his face.
"Hello, Mr Doge!" Natalie had bounced up to the pair, with her parents close behind her. Since their first year, Calliope and Natalie had become quite good friends. Calliope found Natalie's incessant talking somewhat soothing. Calliope was not required to contribute to the discussion much, as Natalie seemed to be able to have quite in-depth discussions with herself, with just the facial expression reactions that Calliope often gave.
"How was your summer?" Natalie asked Calliope, who smiled in response, "mine was great. We went to America to visit Dad's parents. They're Muggles you know, and they took me to this restaurant that had like a billion different burgers. Anyway, I only got the chance to try a few of them, but Merlin Callie were they good. I think you would have liked the cheesy one because you always like the cheese pastries that they do for lunch at Hogwarts. Should we go and get on the train? I think we should probably get on the train."
Calliope let out a laugh and shook her head at her friend's antics. As Natalie bade her parents goodbye, Calliope gave her grandfather a tight hug.
"Be sure to write to me, and tell me all about Hogsmeade, and-well just tell me about everything! I want to hear it all!" Elphias told her.
"C'mon Callie! Let's go and find ourselves a compartment!" Natalie said as she grabbed her trunk.
Calliope reached for her own trunk, and then followed Natalie in the direction of the train. She waved over her shoulder at her grandfather.
******
The past two years of her education had bought with them a new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. But neither of them had got on Calliope's nerves quite like Gilderoy Lockheart. The man was so unbelievably full of himself that he made Calliope want to stand up in front of the class and scream right in his face.
He annoyed her so much that she was absolutely over the moon when the weekend came and she was able to stay in the Hufflepuff common room, and not see the man at all.
"I don't see why you don't like him, I mean he's quite impressive really," said Natalie, as the pair headed down to dinner on Saturday afternoon, "I know you think he's full of himself, but think about everything that he's done! It is really quite impressive. He has the right to be full of himself."
Calliope shrugged, unable to fully get her point across. There was something about the man that made her uneasy.
********
Calliope lay in bed, much later that night. The rest of her dorm mates were fast asleep. But Calliope's head was full.
Whispers were circulating around her head, in such a way that there was no space for any of her own thoughts. However, if there was space in her head at that moment, she would have remembered another time when she was much younger, having the same feeling of being overwhelmed with the same inaudible whispers.
Despite knowing that it would do nothing, she clamped her hands over her ears in an attempt to drown the voice out.
One voice seemed to speak above all of the others, "let me rip....tear....kill," the voice murmured, before disappearing amidst all of the other whispers, which were gaining in volume, getting louder and louder, too loud. Calliope's head felt like it was about to explode-she sat bolt right up in bed and let out a loud, ear-splitting, soul-shaking scream that seemed to penetrate every inch of the castle.
