Calira was sitting at the Hufflepuff table, barely even touching her dinner. Instead, she was watching her sister and the love of her life grab hands and run out of the Great Hall together, laughing. She was gripping her fork so tightly that her knuckles were turning white. I should be with Jace right now. Not Zelie. Cali scowled and turned back to her food. 

She kept thinking back to two weeks ago, when she, Jace and Zel went to Hogsmeade together. The entire time was like third-wheeling a couple, except Cali kept wishing she was in Zel’s place. Cali loved her sister, but she knew that Zel didn’t deserve Jace. 

Cali decided to go to the library; despite being sorted into Hufflepuff, she fancied herself a Ravenclaw and thought she should act as such. Ravenclaws like to read, so I’ll go get some books. She shoved her plate away and shouldered her small bag, striding out of the Great Hall and up two flights of stairs to the library. When the large oak doors opened, she wrinkled her nose at the smell of dusty pages. 

Setting her books down, she made her way over to one of the shelves, narrowing her eyes as she read some of the titles. None of them seemed very interesting. “Hey Char, come look at this,” Cali heard a voice call out.

Another higher-pitched voice responded with “coming!” and the sound of footsteps echoed throughout the large room. Cali blew out a breath when she realized it wasn’t Jace and Zelie. Instead, Cali saw a Gryffindor girl and a Slytherin girl, looking about her age, thumbing through a large book together. 

Cali walked toward them, putting on her friendliest smile. “Hey,” she waved politely. “I’m Calira. What are your names?”

The Slytherin girl eyed the crest on her robes, bright green eyes flashing. “I’m Jinx. This is Charlotte,” she gestured to the other girl, who simply nodded in greeting. Charlotte had golden-brown hair and deep brown eyes, very different from the other girl, who’s mane of curly red-gold hair glinted in the dim light. “Did you need something?” the green-eyed girl, Jinx, asked, arching a brow. 

Cali frowned. “Um, I was just wondering-never mind,” she ducked her head and made to scurry away, but Jinx had other ideas. 

“Petrificus Totales!” Cali felt her limbs lock up and she fell to the ground, face-up. Both Jinx and Charlotte doubled over with laughter. 

Charlotte grinned as the pair watched Cali struggle on the ground. After a few minutes, Charlotte turned to her friend. “Okay Jiji, you can let her go now.” Jinx groaned dramatically but with another flick of her wand and a muttering of something Cali didn’t quite catch, her limbs were freed and she scrambled to get up. “Kay, I think we’re done here,” Char eyed Cali with mild interest. 

“Why-what-” Cali stuttered, staring wide-eyed at the pair. 

Jinx shrugged. “You looked so innocent. I thought it’d be funny,” she added with a chuckle. 

Charlotte laughed, poking Jinx’s arm. “You’re so mean.”

Jinx just tossed her hair over her shoulder dramatically. “That’s me.” They both laughed and Cali felt a twinge of jealousy. She wished she had a friend that she could laugh with like that.

Cali simply pursed her lips. “Well, I’ll be going then,” she muttered. 

Jinx smirked and turned to Char, looping her arm through the Gryffindor’s and dragging her away behind one of the bookshelves, the pair giggling over what had just happened. 

Cali ducked her head, scurrying out of the door. She sniffled, limbs still feeling stiff from the body-binding curse, and ran up the staircase with angry tears in her eyes.