( chapter ii. AND THE
RUMORS BEGIN )

― 🌙 ―

There had to be nothing else worse in the world than this. Than waking up in your bed, not even under the covers, naked and fresh bandages covering your body as you lifted your head as you tried to piece together what had happened the night before. Sadly, that had become a reality for Calypso. Well, she should correct herself; a reality during summer.

Thankfully, her mum knew exactly what to do now after the full moon phasing had passed and she was an unconscious and exhausted human again. Remelda always took her inside, usually dressed her too, and assessed all her wounds and cleaned up the fresh blood and placed her on her bed again. Calypso would always be thankful for someone like her mum in her life. But this was not a reality during the school year.

After the full moon during the school year, Calypso would wake up naked with barely any light on the floor of a wooden shack built for her father long ago, now occupied by her. During her first year, Madame Pomphrey brought her a first-aid kit that she had tucked away in a corner that her werewolf would never reach. That was also where she kept her robes. And, when she awoke, despite the soreness of her limbs and the bags under her eyes, she cleaned all her new marks which would become scars and put on the clothes and immediately went to Madam Pomphrey in the hospital wing.

Now, unlike her dad, she didn't spend the following few days there to recover. No, with the world the way it was and the legacy of her name, she couldn't afford any suspicion. So, Calypso would suck it up and immediately collapse the moment she could. Of course, if she did happen to miss a class, she was never counted late seeing as all of the professors knew of her 'condition', for a lack of better words, and excused this.

The only one who ever tried to question it was Snape. Thankfully, she hadn't had him first block since her second year at Hogwarts. And of course, Professor Dumbledore made sure to correct her attendance from 'absent' to 'excused absence'.

But this had to be the worst one yet. Not because it had been a particularly hard night or the wounds were becoming worse, but because it was Calypso's first day back to Hogwarts. Unlike regular school days where she could simply play her exhaustion on schoolwork or something else, she knew the level of excitement would be high and Calypso wouldn't be able to handle it. The full moon wore her out too much for that. Which was sad since she hadn't seen her group of friends in such a long while and missed them terribly and would normally love asking them about their breaks and conversing about that and everything else.

Groaning quite loudly, Calypso fully opened her eyes to assess the bandages on her skin. She could see one of her forearm, another on her shoulder, and three on her legs. Compared to other times, this was practically nothing. She got off easy, really. Still, all her limbs were sore and she felt as though she could barely move. Hissing, she lifted herself from the bed and went to her closet even though everything inside was screaming for her to stop.

Still, she got dressed and put on her favorite sweater, which was quite large and incredibly cozy. Calypso swore it was charmed to always keep her warm. Regular jeans too and some comfy flats because she couldn't be bothered to do anything more. Her hair, which was a mess, was placed in a bun and Calypso slowly made her way downstairs. As she took a step down the stairs, everything burned and part of her wanted to miss the train just to heal in the comfort of her bed. Yet, she did not.

"Calypso!" Remelda stared wide-eyed at her daughter before helping the poor girl, "I already told you last night to stay in bed until I got you!"

"Couldn't," she gritted out, relief filling her as she finally got to a chair, "Need to move around and be ready for school."

Her mother pursed her lips, "Well, you aren't at school yet so that doesn't matter." Then, the woman went on to continue on cooking before placing the fresh food in front of her. "Eat, now. You'll need the extra strength."

Calypso nodded and went to eat and sip at her milk. "So," she swallowed, "Are you bringing me or am I meeting dad?"

"Dad'll meet you there. Knowing him, he'll probably get there early and just collapse in a compartment. Merlin knows he needs the rest," Remelda then pointed at her, "You too."

"And I will rest," Calypso rolled her eyes, "Really, you don't need to worry about me."

"You're my daughter and I'll always worry about you. Never forget that." She placed her own dirty bowl in the sink and began to wash it. "Especially now when everything's been happening. If any press gets in Hogwarts you better tell me and I will find a way there myself and teach them a lesson."

Calypso scoffed, "No one's gonna get into Hogwarts, mum. And I'll be fine. I promise. Nothing anyone's going to say will be different from anything I've already heard."

Remelda gripped the sink, sighing and squeezing her eyes shut in guilt before turning to her little girl again. "I'm sorry that it's like this. I've always tried to protect you but it doesn't exactly work with a last name like Black."

When Calypso was younger, she often said that and Calypso would respond with, 'Then why isn't my last name Lupin?' It wasn't confused her as to why her last name had to be changed from Lupin to Black, even though Remelda's was as well. Remus was still her dad and she was still his daughter, yet it didn't seem like it with the different last names separating them. That was before she completely understood.

She understood when she turned eight. Before then, she didn't know why her parents got divorced or why her father had this large scar on his nose. She didn't understand why once on Christmas he seemed like he was in so much physical pain but then she turned eight. It had just been another tantrum, just another burst of anger but it was the full moon and that night it happened; she turned. She transformed. Calypso Hope Black was a werewolf.

Since that day, Remelda told her daughter everything she wanted to know, excluding a few details that she still kept private. And Calypso understood why they were the Blacks and not the Lupins. Never again did she ever ask.

Instead, she sighed, "You know I don't mind it. They don't understand. And they don't know the truth either. Uncle Pads wouldn't really kill Harry – that's ludicrous! The Prophet just wants to sell some papers."

"And it works," Remelda pointed out, "People believe it all and now that poor boy thinks he's got someone else wanting to kill him. Oh, how was he last year?"

"Completely fine. Like I already told you, he was just a bit shocked that an upper classman was talking to him and not even mentioning the scar or anything. I don't think he even knows that our dads used to be friends," she finished the last part quite sadly, in a quiet tone to finish it off.

She couldn't exactly remember her Uncle Prongs or Aunt Lily. They died when she was two, but she does remember moments following that. She remembers what must've been only a few months later when a woman appeared with two children before leaving them. She remembers going to her grandparents and her mum coming to get her without the two kids. And then, miraculously, Aunt Nadia had two kids. Calypso never said anything, yet she always suspected, but it never mattered.

Her dad doesn't like talking about them a lot. But, usually when he was drunk, he sometimes spilled different stories. He always laughed so loudly as he recalled, a happy look in his eyes mixed with the tiniest bit of sadness. Calypso really would've loved to remember them. Sadly, she was too young.

"No wonder," Remelda said after a pause, gulping down her tears at the thought of the people she had become friends with. "He lived with those muggles – Lily's sister. They didn't know anything about Lily before she died, and even if they did, they probably wouldn't have told him a thing."

After a shaky breath, Remelda smiled weakly at her, "Come on, enough with all this. You'll be fine. It isn't like Sirius is going to show up to your school or anything. That's too risky, especially with all the new Dementors everyone knows they're hiring just in case he actually does. But then again, it does seem like him."

"But why would he even go there?" Calypso asked, "Wouldn't it be more likely he'd hide out here with you? Or go to dad? Well, dad is going to be at school."

"Exactly. And so are you. You are two people that your Uncle Pads cares deeply about, so it makes sense," Remelda half-lied. The full truth would be much more complicated and she didn't even know if it were the truth. And it delved into more secrets that Calypso never needed to know. Ever. "Now come on, we have to get your trunk and Nala and go to the platform."

― 🌙 ―

CALYPSO AND REMELDA were not huggers. Her mum never wrapped her arms around her as she wailed on about how her baby was growing up and loudly exclaiming to be safe and do good. That just wasn't in them. And, of course, Remelda was not raised like that. It was just a sharp nod for her and a quite warning before she went on the train with her siblings...or sibling after Sirius left.

Even now, Remelda didn't do that. It seemed too weird for her to even explore and Calypso had never really big on hugs either. Just a simple one, usually a short one too, was enough for her every now and again.

So at the platform with the Hogwarts Express they looked a bit out of place. The two always did, secluded and very joyous or loud – Gryffindor families always seemed to be like that – but they were always joined by her Aunt Nadia and cousin, Maia. But at first, it was just them looking like a pureblood Slytherin family since they weren't hugging or smiling all too brightly.

"You have a good year, okay?" Remelda looked at her. "And make sure to write every once in a while – oh, and keep an eye on your dad."

Calypso nodded, "I'll look after him, so don't worry. I mean it, mum. Of course I'll write, I always do, and I always have a good year. Everything'll be fine."

Remelda nodded solemnly. Calypso cracked a smile, "Oh, come on. And make sure to tell him if Ginger comes to visit once."

"Of course I will. And he better come or next time I see him I'll whoop his ass," she started her angry rampage but Calypso shushed her.

"There are children around here, mother! You can't have them hearing any of this!" Calypso faked a chide, smiling the whole time like a mad man.

Remelda scoffed, "Oh, shut up, will you?"

Calypso just continued to smile as she steered the conversation to another topic, "So, what should I do around dad? I mean, after...you know."

Remelda pursed her lips, "Whatever you want. If you want him to know, tell him. But try, if you do decide to him, to do it before Dumbledore does. I don't know if he'll keep it a secret."

"I don't think he knows it is one," Calypso said. "We haven't really discussed it since my first year when I had to tell Professor McGonagall. But it's fine. I think I will tell him, it'll be easier since he's teaching and everything."

Her mum nodded and brought her into a tight hug which ended shortly. "You two are here early," the heard a chipper voice from them; her Aunt Nadia. "Sorry that we're so late."

"It's fine, Nadia. We just wanted to get here to that Calypso could go ahead and sit down in the train," Remelda explained and Nadia casted her sympathetic eyes.

"Right, I forgot about that. Well, you two should go ahead, okay?" Nadia kissed Maia's head, "Love you. Be careful and have fun!"

"Bye!" the cousins chorused before going onto the train, Calypso taking Nala from her cage and holding onto her, and when they entered, Maia gently grabbed Calypso's shoulder, causing her to wince and the younger girl to look guilty, "Sorry. I just wanted to tell you to meet me when you go to Hogwarts. I can help make an excuse for you to miss the feast and go rest instead."

Calypso bit her lip, thinking about it before shaking her head, "Thanks, but it'll look suspicious if I'm not there. Especially with dad teaching."

"Oh, right. I forgot about that..." Maia's eyes brightened at the thought of her uncle teaching, "Hey, do you think he'd be okay with me calling him Uncle Remus instead of professor, or..."

"Well, you might want to ask him, but I'm certainly calling him dad and nothing else. That'll never change," Calypso nodded, "Now I'm gonna go find a seat."

"Alright. Sorry for keeping you. See you later!" Maia walked away and Calypso went to find a compartment and when she did, she immediately collapsed into the seat. Nala meowed and, of course, she cooed and took the cat onto her lap, wincing as she lifted her arm and a little more as the weight of the cat became a bit more apparent.

"Fuck," she swore quietly to herself, looking at the window as she felt her eyelids drooping. It would be good to get some rest before they arrived. And, as she was almost asleep, the compartment door opened, startling her.

Looking over, she saw her friends giggling at her. "Sorry, Cal, didn't mean to scare you," Birdie said, taking a seat beside her. Birdie Bishop and her had been friends since they met at Diagon Alley as children. Her father owned Obscurus Books, which had run in the family since its first opening.

"S'alright," Calypso said, "You didn't really scare me as much as wake me. But it's fine, really."

"Oh, didn't mean to wake you," Angelina then told her, who took a seat across from her. The last girl in the train cart was Cho Chang, who was easily the quietest of them all. She listened than talked but even she sent an apologetic gaze towards the Black girl.

She shook it off, "It's fine. I just didn't sleep well last night. Don't stress over it."

"Well, in that case," Birdie smiled at them all, "Cal, do you mind handing me your summer work for Transfiguration? I just wanna...compare answers."

The girls snicker. "Oh, compare schoolwork how original, Birdie," Angelina teased. "We all know what you mean. Don't have to lie."

"The parchment's in my bag, so you can go get it out. Oh – and make sure to not make it obvious. Unlike last time," Calypso reminded the girl.

"Yeah, yeah. Got it," Birdie mock rolled her eyes and fished through Calypso's bag for the work, "Thank you so much. You're a total life saver, Cal."

Nala meowed on her lap and Cho's attention turned the new animal, "Oh, and who's this cute thing?"

Calypso smiled appreciatively at her cat and the girl. "This, is Nala. Mum finally agreed to let me bring her to school."

Angelina frowned, "You've had her for longer?"

"Since I was ten, yeah," Calypso lied, nodding her head to make it more convincing. Though, she still didn't mean the older girl's gaze. Calypso could never seem to lie to her. "Where's Lee?" she changed the subject.

"With the Weasleys," Birdie informed her, still copying down the answers from Calypso's sheet to her own, never looking up. The other girls moved easily with the move topic but Angelina's eyes still lingered on her for a moment.

"Yeah. I saw them with the twins when I got on the train," Cho nodded in agreement, "Why?"

Calypso shrugged, "Just wondering. Maybe he'll join us at the feast to balance his twin between those crazy two and us."

"Ooh, do you fancy him or something?" Birdie looked up, a teasing smirk on her face as her eyes glint with mischief.

"Um, no?" Calypso scoffed, "He's just my friend and I haven't seen him since summer. That's all. Same with you guys." Already, Angelina seemed to quite at the topic, but this caused her to look down, something which the Black girl noticed. Still, she said nothing about it though. "But if he's going to spend dinner with them I'll just have to avoid him the whole evening."

Angelina looked taken aback by that, adding herself more to the conversation then, "Why would you do that?"

"Well, with my uncle recently escaping from, you know, Azkaban and Ron being friends with Harry...they probably don't wanna see me at all," Calypso tried to skip around the large details of the case. She never liked talking about it, especially because there was always something inside her wanting to fiercely protect her uncle.

"Right," Angelina nodded, "I get it. And it's fine. You're nothing like your uncle and if they can't see that, we'll all stay away from them."

There. There it was. That feeling inside her wanting her to last out and defend the man she couldn't clearly remember and say that it would be an honor to be like him. Someone so fiercely loyal, who only wanted justice for his friends who had been wrongly murdered by Voldemort because of that traitorous rat. But no, all she did was ball her fists and try and calm herself. She could take it. They didn't understand – they didn't know the truth. It was fine.

Calypso nodded though. Birdie sighed quite dramatically and handed her friend back the sheet she just cheated off of, but she motioned for the Bishop girl to place it back in her bag. "That was quick," Cho commented.

"Yeah. I've gotten good at this. Had to do it so many times. But Hannah still doesn't see why I need to copy hers. It's really frustrating..." Birdie rolled her eyes.

The three others chuckled at her. "Well, Hannah doesn't know you as well we do," Angelina reasoned, "Of course she wouldn't understand that you spend all your time theorizing about singers and the government and every other conspiracy."

"Yeah, okay, but you can't tell me there's not something fishy surrounding the death of Natalie Wood. I mean, the woman hated water and swore never to go near murky water and then drowned in some! Something else had to have happened!" Birdie ranted.

"Sure, sure," Angelina just nodded along. She always liked to start her going, knowing that the girl would never end if you gave her the time.

"But anyways," Birdie looked at Calypso, "I heard that your dad's teaching this year. DADA, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it is," Calypso confirmed, "It'll be nice seeing him so more. I really only get to see him every other week – and that's only for a weekend. Now I've got a whole year."

"Well, that's nice and well, but let's get to the important stuff; what kinda teacher will he be?" Calypso looked confused at her, causing Birdie to sigh, "I mean, like, will he be easy? A hard ass? Conceited and have no clue about what he's doing?"

"Um, Birdie, he's not Lockhart if that's what you're asking. And I don't know, really, we never talked it much more after he told me. It never really seemed important anyways."

"Not important? Calypso, what about my grade? I got off easy the past two years because Dumbledore hired some fucking idiots to teach but I don't know if I'll be handle a competent teacher! What if he assigns homework? And actually grades it?" Birdie shuddered as if it were a horrible thought.

Angelina laughed at her, "You'll be fine, Ramona."

"It's Birdie, you fucking bitch!"

"Okay, Birdie. And Calypso will always be here to let you copy off her work," Angelina finished, rolling her eyes as she corrected herself with the girl's nickname.

For some reason, the girl hated her real name and preferred to be called by Birdie. The others still didn't know where she even got the name from. But, it was mandatory by everyone to use it instead of Ramona.

"You need to calm down," Calypso told Birdie, "And, to answer your questions, yes. I think he'll actually assign homework and grade it – I know, the horror," she added the last part with sarcasm.

The girl groaned, sinking down into her seat, "It's official; I hate DADA this year and your father's the worst teacher we've ever had."

Calypso scoffed, the burning desire to protect her dad running through her veins. She ignored it, still. "Oh, shut up. He's the best Hogwarts' has ever had and you'll that once we get to class. I promise."

But it was then it seemed all light had faded from the train cart. Not just that – but the whole train itself. There was an eerie feeling of sadness filling the air, as if hope didn't exist, and it felt completely draining – even more to Calypso after the full moon. There was something moving outside the cart, they all knew it, and a wide-eyed Cho turned to them. "What's happening?"

"I-I don't know," Angelina stuttered. The cart door opened before anything else could be said, revealing a creature that frightened them all. Only Calypso knew the name of it; a Dementor, but that couldn't possibly be. They were permanently stationed at Azkaban...where her uncle escaped from.

Of course, that was it. They were here to search from her Uncle Pads, which was completely ridiculous since he couldn't possibly be foolish enough to be on the train...right? Well, she had to hope he had some common sense or something like that.

And it seemed like the world faded from her, darkness creeping in and despair filling her bones. There was no hope, that was all she could think about. There was nothing else besides that. But then it was gone. The Dementor left the compartment and the girls all sighed in relief except for Calypso, whose eyes widened in panic.

"I have to find my dad," she shot up. Well, there goes her plan of avoiding him for the day...and until she covered. Ignoring the pain of her limbs and the added exhaustion from the creature, she went around walking through the corridor of the train, looking through the glass of all compartments to find him.

It was chilling, seeing the Dementors there too until there was a flash of light and the creatures fled. Calypso's eyes widened and she ran towards it, everything inside her screaming for her to stop. Finding the scene, she saw Harry Potter laying on the ground unconscious as his two friends crowded around him and her dad was on the seat.

"Dad!" she exclaimed, alerting everyone of her presence.

"Cal," he opened his arms and she gave him a tighter hug than she did her mum earlier. "It's a good thing you're okay."

Calypso bit the inside of her lip. She was not alright. She was still recovering from the full moon and she hoped he didn't notice it. "Yeah, I'm fine. Here, do you have any chocolate?" he nodded and pointed to his case. She got it down and went searching inside it until she found the goodness that everyone in her family adored – especially the two of them. "Eat some, it'll help you feel better."

She then turned to Ron and Hermione who were crowded around the still unconscious friend. "Give this to Harry when he wakes up," she held out the candy and watched as Hermione hesitantly grabbed it after a moment of contemplating whether it was a good idea or not.

Of course they already read the article. Of course they already knew that her uncle had escaped from Azkaban and made the connection between the two. Calypso knew her name spoke volumes, everyone knew her family and it was not for good reasons either. Unless you counted why the Slytherins knew her; the departure of her mum and uncle from their family. She counted that as something good.

Then, gently, she rested her hand on Remus' shoulder, "You get some more rest. I'm going back to my friends."

And as she was leaving, just as she closed the compartment door, she heard the two friends mutter to themselves. "Should we trust her? You know who she's related to, right?"

"Throw it away. She probably poisoned it. Probably just like her uncle," the other agreed.

Calypso sighed. When she arrived at the train station she heard it. Saw the glances between her and her mum, the whispers between people and warnings from parents to children to stay away from her; she was trouble. You know what her uncle did, right? He murdered twelve muggles – and ratted out the Potters'! but this year there was something added; And her uncle escaped from Azkaban! She's probably helping him get into Hogwarts so he can finish the job!

The rumors already started. They were beginning and would only grow bigger. With her head down and spirits low, the desire to just fall asleep upon her, Calypso returned back to her cart. Not even the laughter of her friends could cheer her up.