Whispers

Twenty-Two

Calliope stood in the kitchen of the Burrow with her arms wrapped around herself as they waited for the return of the group who had gone to retrieve Harry. at her sides were Molly and Ginny and they stood in utter silence, staring at the garden, moving towards the door at the slightest movement in the night sky. They knew it had gone wrong, Calliope knew Mad-Eye was gone, and she listened aptly to the whispers hoping and praying that they would not tell her that she had lost another friend.

She had kicked up quite a fuss when Mad-Eye announced who was participating in the plan. But everyone was firm in the position that she was too important to risk.

"After Potter, you're the next one You Know Who wants Weasley," Mad-Eye had grunted at her, "there's no sense in putting you at risk too."

Fred had argued equally loudly for her to stay behind, but Calliope knew that it was more than him just wanting her to stay out of the way of the death eaters. Natalie had not been in the ground for a week. Calliope's mental state was not good and he wanted to keep her safe. This was the best way for her to avoid any unnecessary risks. 

A particularly intense moment of stillness and silence was interrupted by the appearance of Harry and Hagrid, clutching their portkey.

Ginny was out of the door and into the back yard in seconds, running towards Harry. Molly was just a few seconds behind her. Calliope followed the pair.

"Harry? You are the real Harry? What happened? Where are the others?" cried Molly as she neared Harry.

"What d'you mean? Isn't anyone else back yet?" Harry scrambled to his feet, casting aside an old hairbrush, which Calliope knew to be a portkey. None of them answered and Harry shot Calliope a hopeless look, "is every one..." he trailed off.

"Everyone is f-fine," Calliope lied. She knew Mad-Eye was gone, but now was not the time to tell everyone. When all of the others were home safely and no longer in danger then would be the time.

"The Death Eaters were waiting for us," Harry turned back to Molly. "We were surrounded the moment we took off- they knew it was tonight- I don't know where everyone else is. Four of them chased us, it was all we could do to get away, and then Voldemort caught up with us..." Harry trailed off again.

"Thank goodness you're alright," said Molly, pulling him into a tight hug.

Hagrid, who had scrambled to his feet during the exchange between Molly and Harry, now spoke, "Haven't got any brandy have yeh, Molly? For medicinal purposes."

Molly turned and hurried into the house to retrieve it.

Calliope turned and walked away from Harry and Ginny as she began to explain to Harry the situation. Calliope felt tears beginning to poll in her eyes, and hugged herself tightly, biting back sobs. The whispers were deafening, but she would not allow them to overwhelm her. She faced away from the others and breathed deeply, swallowing her sobs and pushing the whispers into a compartment in the back of her mind. If she wanted to be of any use she needed to be present and not wrapped up in Mad-Eye's death. Once Calliope was back in control of her own emotions she wiped her eyes and returned to the others.

"Mum!" Ginny shouted as Calliope neared. A blue light had appeared in the darkness nearby. That light grew into the spinning forms of Lupin and George. Lupin was propping George up. Calliope wasn't near enough to see what was wrong, but there clearly was something. Harry and Lupin hurried George inside quickly. Molly and Calliope both darted after them. 

George was placed down on the sofa and Molly bent over him, beginning to mutter healing incantations. 

Lupin grabbed Harry and dragged him into the kitchen, past the doorframe in which Calliope was hovering, unsure of what to do. 

"Oi!" said Hagrid, who was struggling through the door from outside due to his size. "Le' go of him! Le' go of Harry!"

Lupin ignored him. "What creature sat in the corner, the first time that Harry Potter visited me in my office at Hogwarts?" He said, giving Harry a small shake. "Answer me!"

"Remus it's him," Calliope said, immediately knowing that he was checking that this was really Harry and not a Death Eater in disguise. Calliope knew that she would be able to sense it if this was the case.

"A-a Grindylow in a tank, wasn't it?" Harry stuttered at the same time as Calliope spoke.

"I had to check," Lupin released Harry and fell back against a cupboard. "We've been betrayed. Voldemort knew you were being moved tonight. The only people who could have told him were directly involved in the plan. You might have been an imposter."

"Then why aren' you checkin' us?" Hagrid panted, gesturing from himself to Calliope and still struggling with the doorway.

"You're half-giant, Calliope is half-banshee. The Polyjuice Potion is designed for human use only."

"None one is using Polyjuice potion," said Calliope, "Remus I would have known, I would have said something!"

"None of the Order would have told Voldemort we were moving tonight," said Harry. "Voldemort only caught up with me towards the end, he didn't know which one I was in the beginning. If he'd been in on the plan, he'd have known I was with Hagrid from the start."

"Voldemort caught up with you?" Lupin demanded, "How did he know it was you?"

"I saw Stan Shunpike... And I tried to disarm him instead of- well he doesn't know what he's doing, does he? He must be Imperiused!"

"The time for disarming is past! These people want to kill you!"

"So you think I should've killed Stan Shunpike?"

Lupin sighed, "of course not, but the Death Eaters- frankly, most people! - would have expected you to attack back! Expelliarmus is a useful spell..." 

Calliope shot George a look. Molly was muttering spells under her breath. The blood wasn't flowing anymore and some colour had returned to his face. Satisfied that he was going to be okay, Calliope went back outside to watch the night skies for the returning Order members.