Whispers

Twenty-Eight

Sirius cast the Flidelius charm upon his home easily and allowed Calliope, Fred and George to make themselves at home. Unfortunatly, Sirius' home only had two bedrooms, so he had placed a pile of blankets and pillows on the sofa for George.

"How come Fred gets a bed," George complained jokingly, "Callie is happy to share with me instead aren't you Callie."

"Sure," Calliope laughed.

"Fred it looks like you're sleeping on the sofa then," George told him in mock seriousness.

Fred ignored George and grabbed Calliope's bag from her, taking both her bag and his bag up the stairs to the guest room. 

"It's alright George, I'm sure the sofa will be very comfy." She patted him lightly on the shoulder, before seeing a clock on the wall, "it's so late."

"Go to bed Callie," George ruffled her hair.

"Are you sure you're happy on the sofa? I could always-"

"Go to bed Callie," George repeated.

********

"Sirius why does your oven still have plastic trays in it?" Calliope asked on an evening three days later as she began setting about cooking a meal for the group.

Sirius shrugged, "I've never used it. I just get takeaways from this muggle place in the villiage."

Calliope gave a dramatic sigh before removing the plastic and throwing it in the bin, before beginning to cook the meal.

Fred watched her aptly. George and Sirius exchanged a look at the palpable silence that was between Fred and Calliope. The house was not big and it had been hard to not overhear the argument that had occured earlier.

"Do you really have to go to work?" Fred had asked when he and Calliope were alone in their bedroom around lunchtime.

"Yes I do," Calliope had responded, "I wanted to go and spent time with the banshees, but clearly that is out of the question now. But that doesn't mean I'm going to sit aside and do nothing. I need to go to the veil Fred."

"Why?"

"I can't explain it," Calliope's voice had risen at this point, "nothing makes sense, but when I went through that veil, or I'm even near it I understand better."

"I'll help you understand Callie, it's what I'm here for," Fred said, "but please don't put yourself in danger like this! He wants you, and just because he can't get to any of us doesn't mean that he won't still take you."

"People are dying Fred. People we've known our whole lives and I will do everything that I can to stop anyone else from dying, even if it means putting myself in danger," Calliope retorted.

"I love you, but I won't sit here whilst you put yourself in danger."

"What are you going to do? Follow me to the ministry?"

"If that's what it takes to keep you safe, yes I will."

"That would only be putting us both in danger. Fred I can take care of myself and I need to do this."

The argument had ceased with the noise of the bathroom door slamming behind Calliope as she stormed away from Fred. The two had not spoken since the argument, but the atmosphere in the room suggested an oncoming storm.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Calliope asked George who was staring at her intently as she served up plates of chilli.

George shook himself, "like what?"

"Like I'm going to explode," said Calliope.

"You never know when something might explode," Sirius offered in an attempt to lighten the mood, "especially living in a house with the three of us," he gestured at himself, Fred and George. George forced a laugh, again trying to ease the tension, but it was unsuccessful, as they ate in silence and all went to bed early to avoid the atmosphere.

Fred and Calliope lay in bed staring at the ceiling, not saying a word to one another for a while before Fred sighed deeply.

"I won't follow you to work," he said. "But please be careful."

Calliope shuffled her way across the empty space bewteen them and wrapped his arms around her, snuggling into his chest as he held her tightly, inhaling the fraquence of her hair. 

"Thankyou."

"I love you so much Calliope."

"I love you more."