Power of the Musea

Chapter 1: Start of Term

There was a slightly subdued mood as hundreds of students in black robes filed into the Great Hall at Hogwarts. Small groups cattered away, but there was an odd hush to their demeanor as the students distributed themselves amongst the four long house tables.

At the Gryffindor table, Ron Weasley walked up to a girl with bushy brown hair that was already sitting down.

"There you are Hermione!" Ron exclaimed, sitting down next to her. "From the way things have been this summer, I thought you might not even show up here-'I'm busy, Ron. I don't have time to go to the Burrow, Ron,'" he mimicked in a high voice. "What have you been up to all summer that's been more important than spending time with me and Harry?"

"Ron, where is Harry?" she asked, avoiding the subject.

"I don't know. He went to lunch with the new Defense teacher and never came back. He must have gotten off of the train without me," Ron answered. "Now, you answer my question..."

"Never came back?" Hermione interrupted worriedly.

"Yeah, Ginny said something about him tailing Blaise Zabini."

"What! Why would he do something like that?"

"I don't know, Hermione, that's just what Ginny said. I couldn't find him when we got off the train and I figured he'd wind up here somehow." They both looked towards the door, where the last of the students were walking in.

"It doesn't look like he's going to," Hermione said as everyone took their seats. A few minutes later, Professor McGonagall led a long line of new students down the middle aisle.

"Where could he be? This isn't like Harry to just not show," Ron asked, the first hint of worry starting to show in his voice.

"What do you mean? You two have managed to miss almost every sorting except for your own."

"Well, I mean, to miss the sorting on his own," Ron stammered. "But it doesn't matter, what if something's happened to him? We've got to do something!"

"What are we going to do, leave in the middle of the sorting? Or would you prefer in the middle of Dumbledore's speech?" Ron was quiet, and Hermione continued. "We can't do anything until the feast is over. If Harry hasn't turned up by then, we'll tell Professor Dumbledore."

"But what if it's too late?" Ron whispered.

"Ron, it's the Hogwarts Express, and there are aurors and improved security this year. I doubt Harry's in any real trouble," Hermione said, badly attempting to cover her worry. "Maybe he was held up by something. Look, we should stop worrying and pay attention. See, we've missed the hat's song."

There was scattered applause around them as the old sorting hat closed the opening in its brim. Professor McGonagall unrolled a large piece of parchment and started to read off names.

"Look at that girl in the back," Ron said as the first new student nervously climbed onto the stool. "She's taller than everyone else. Could she be a half-giant, like Hagrid?"

Hermione scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Don't be silly, Ron."

"What, she's at least a head taller than the other first years."

Hermione just shook her head, trying to focus on the sorting instead of staring at the doors in the hope that Harry would walk in.

One by one, each of the first years walked up to the stool in varying levels of nervousness. Soon, the only new student left was the tall girl, and Harry still hadn't appeared. Hermione let herself take a glance at the door, not even noticing that Dumbledore had stood up from his chair.

"Now, I believe that our last new student requires a little bit more of an introduction," he announced. "I would like to take this opportunity to welcome Miss Melanie Harver, a talented young witch who comes to us from the United States." He paused for a moment as the Great Hall erupted in murmurs. "Miss Harver has passed her O.W.L.s and will be joining the ranks of our sixth year students. I expect everyone to welcome her warmly, and I wish to begin our welcome by sorting her into one of our esteemed houses." Dumbledore gave her a smile, and the girl walked up to the stool and Professor McGonagall placed the old sorting hat on her head.

Hermione turned all of her attention to the girl on the stool while the hat concentrated.

"RAVENCLAW!" the hat finally shouted, and the girl walked off towards the Ravenclaw table, who were clapping in a slight state of shock and surprise. Hermione gave a disappointed huff as she watched as some of the older Ravenclaw girls shifted to make room for her to sit down.

"I was hoping she'd be in Gryffindor."

"Why? Has your room not been crowded enough that you'd want someone else to move in?" Ron asked as food appeared on the plates before them.

"Oh, Ron, look, it's Harry!" Hermione said, ignoring his comment and pointing towards the door as they saw Harry almost run in.

"Why isn't he in his robes?" Ron asked, looking in surprise at Harry's jeans and oversize t-shirt. "He's still wearing what he wore on the train."

Hermione and Ron quickly scooted apart to make room for Harry.

"What happened to you, mate?" Ron asked.

"You're covered in blood," Hermione added, her eyes widening in concern. She pulled out her wand and soon Harry's face was clean again.

"Thanks," Harry said as he looked down at the food in front of him. "Did I miss much?"

"Just the sorting," Hermione answered. "But where were you? We were so worried!"

Harry looked around him and saw several Gryffindors looking curiously at him.

"I'll tell you later," he said quickly, starting to eat his dinner. Once he had caught his breath, he looked up at Hermione. "What about you? Why weren't you on the train, and why couldn't you come to the Burrow this summer?"

"I told you in my letters, Harry, I was busy."

"Busy with what, reading all of your textbooks for this year?" Ron asked. "What could you have done that was so important? You missed a great time!"

"It was nothing, really," Hermoine told them, clearly avoiding the subject.

Harry looked at her suspiciously. "You haven't been doing things for the Order, have you?" he whispered.

"That's not fair!" Ron immediately yelled. "Why can you do things and we can't!"

"Ron, calm down!" Hermione hissed. "No, it's nothing to do with the Order."

Ron's eyes widened. "It's Krum, isn't it?" he asked fearfully. "You went to visit him."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "No, Ron, I wasn't spending the summer with Krum. I was here, actually," she added, almost as an afterthought.

"Here? What were you doing here all summer?" Harry asked.

"I already told you, nothing," Hermione repeated.

"She's not going to tell," Ron told him. "You might as well give up." Harry sighed and looked down the table to where Nearly Headless Nick was welcoming the new Gryffindor first-years.

"Any interesting new students?" Harry asked, taking a bite of his chicken.

"Not in Gryffindor that I saw, but...there was this girl, I thought she was a half-giant..."

"She's not a half-giant, Ron," Hermione sighed.

"Well, I know that now. But she was a head taller than everyone else-even the boys. What would you have thought?" Ron asked.

Hermione sighed. "She was taller than the first years because she's our age, not because she's a half-giant."

"Why is there a first year who's our age?" Harry asked, confused.

"She's a new student from the United States," Hermione explained. "Which Ron would know if he had paid attention to Dumbledore..."

"Hey! I was!"

"...but she's going to be coming in as a sixth year. She's passed her O.W.L.s and everything."

"A new student from the States, this is mental," Ron sighed, reaching for some more food to put on his plate.

"Why would it be?" Harry asked. "The students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang were here during the TriWizard Tournament."

"Harry, this isn't like that at all," Ron said. "First of all, they weren't here taking classes. And, second, there aren't any wizarding schools in America for her to have come from."

"Why not?"

"Well...America's...odd," Ron explained slowly. "There aren't many wizards there at all, it's mostly muggles. The few wizards that are there live more like muggles than wizards."

"But what about at the Quidditch World Cup? There was a group of Americans we saw there," Harry pointed out, remembering the group of middle-aged witches he had seen at the campsite.

"Well, there are a few patches here and there," Ron agreed, "but not a lot."

"Then how did she wind up here?" Harry asked.

"That's what I'm wondering," Ron replied. "Having an American here is just...weird."

"Which house is she in? Are we going to be having any classes with her?" Harry asked.

"She's in Ravenclaw, and, yes, we're going to be having classes with her," Hermione told him matter-of-factly. "We're N.E.W.T level students now, Harry, there are going to be students from all four houses in all of our classes now that they're more selective."

"I hope she's not a prat, then, if we're going to have to have classes with her," Ron said, making a face.

"She's perfectly nice," Hermione assured him.

Harry gave her a suspicious look. "How would you know?" he asked.

"Do you know her, Hermione?"

Hermione smiled, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Possibly."

"That's enough riddles! Spill the beans, already!" Ron told her.

Hermione sighed. "Yes, I do know her. That's what I've been doing all summer, tutoring her to make sure she's caught up." She paused. "It's really complicated. Look, I told her to meet us after the feast, so I'll just explain it all to you then, all right?"

Harry nodded as Dumbledore stood and began his customary start-of-term speech.

Hermione gasped. "What happened to Dumbledore's hand?" she asked as she noticed Dumbledore's blackened right hand.

"I don't know. It was that way when I saw him this summer, but he wouldn't tell me how it happened," Harry said.

Hermione was shaking her head. "It wasn't like that when I saw him," she said as the Headmaster introduced a rather large wizard who was going to be the new potions master.

"Potions?" Ron asked, some of his food falling out of his mouth. "Harry, didn't you say he was going to teach defense?"

"Shhh! Listen," Hermione scolded them, turning her attention back to Dumbledore.

"Professor Snape, meanwhile, will be taking over the position for Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," Dumbledore finished over the unbelieving mutterings of students.

"NO!" Harry shouted.

"Well, he has been after the job forever," Hermione said. "I guess he finally convinced Dumbledore to let him have it."

Harry breathed hard for a minute, then smiled. "Excellent. Maybe now Snape'll leave for good."

"What do you mean?" Ron asked.

"The job's cursed, no one can keep it for longer than one year! I'll be glad to get rid of good ol' Snape at the end of this year," Harry said, smiling as he leaned on the table.

As Dumbledore continued his speech, Harry shot a few glares at Snape, who sat smugly in his seat at the staff table. Soon, Dumbledore had finished his welcoming speech and sent them all off to their beds, and the Great Hall began to empty.

"This way, she'll be able to see us over here," Hermione said, leading Ron and Harry away from the large group of Gryffindors leaving the table.

"Who?" Harry asked, and Hermione gave him a look. "Oh, yeah, the American."

Ron looked at the Gryffindors leaving around him as he followed Harry and Hermione. "Wow, Hermione! First you weren't on the Hogwarts Express to patrol the corridor, and now you're not helping the first years to the dormitory. You're starting to slack on your Prefect duties!" he teased.

"Actually, Dumbledore told me to help Melanie fit in and make friends. So, technically I'm fulfilling my Prefect duties by helping Dumbledore," Hermione shot back. "Besides, I don't see you trying to help the first years find the common room." Ron made a face.

"Well, before Melanie shows up, I need to tell you something," Harry said, pulling them further away from the crowd. "Why I was late, the blood-it was all Malfoy's fault."

"Malfoy?" Hermione asked.

Harry nodded. "Ron and I saw him in Knockturn Alley while we were in Diagon Alley, and he was definitely up to something."

Ron nodded his agreement. "We used Fred and George's extendable ears and heard him telling the guy inside to fix something."

"So, I used my invisibility coat to sneak into the Slytherin compartment on the train, and I heard Malfoy bragging about doing something for Voldemort."

"But Harry, Malfoy's only sixteen, like us! Do you really think that he could be a Death Eater already?" Hermione said doubtingly.

"Do you really think he would avoid it if it would benefit him?" Harry countered.

Hermione shook his head. "Whatever. Why were you late, then, and why were you all bloody?"

"Malfoy paralyzed me, stepped on my nose," Harry explained quickly. "I was lucky that Tonks found me. But, as I was saying..."

"Hermione!" a voice interrupted Harry's statement, and soon the tall blonde was among their group. "I did it! I managed to qualify for sixth year! Professor McGonagall told me just before we walked inside."

"That's wonderful!" Hermione agreed, giving her a hug. When the two girls broke apart, Hermione turned to Ron and Harry. "Guys, this is Melanie Harver. Melanie, this is Harry Potter and Ron Weasley."

"Hi," Melanie greeted with a warm smile. She was tall, almost the same height as Harry and Ron, and her dark blonde hair fell perfectly around her thin, oval face. Her bright smile seemed to light up her face. Harry was surprised when there was no flicker of her eyes to the scar on his forehead. Instead, her eyes passed from Harry to Ron, her face still glowing from her smile. "I'm so excited to be here. I spent all dinner talking to the girls in Ravenclaw, and they all seem really nice."

As she spoke, a group of Ravenclaw girls came up to her to make sure that she knew the way and password into the common room. Harry averted his eyes from the group, which included Cho.

"I know where I'm going," Melanie told them enthusiastically. "I'll be up in a bit."

The girls nodded and walked off.

"Okay, Hermione, you said you'd explain it all," Ron prodded, looking at her expectantly.

"Well, let's go somewhere more private," Hermione said, leading them into an empty hallway. "All right, so what do you want to know?"

"What were you doing all summer instead of staying at the Burrow, and why weren't you on the Hogwarts Express?" Harry asked immediately.

"I was tutoring Melanie here. She needed to be caught up one everything. Of course, since I was already here, I didn't need to be on the Express," Hermione answered simply.

Ron looked at Melanie. "How much magic did you have to learn?"

Melanie turned red. "Everything. I didn't even know I was a witch until, well, June," she trailed off and the smile vanished with it. Without her smile, Melanie looked rather plain.

Harry looked at her in shock. "You learned five years worth of magic in one summer?"

As Melanie gave a sheepish nod, Ron turned to Hermione. "Blimey, Hermione, she must be smarter than you!"

"Oh, no!" Melanie quickly told them. "I barely passed my O.W.L.s. Not like Hermione, getting all Outstandings."

Ron rolled his eyes. "Why am I not surprised?"

"Well, not all Outstandings," Hermione corrected, blushing. "I did get an Exceeds Expectations in Defense against the Dark Arts."

Ron rolled his eyes again as Harry continued, "You even took O.W.L.s?"

"Of course. I had to take them to prove that I was capable to take the classes. They had someone come in to grade me."

"Anything else?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah, how does an American witch end up at Hogwarts?"

"Because I was in London when...when, well, when I found out," Melanie stammered.

"How did you find out?" Harry asked. Melanie sighed and bit her lip. She hadn't wanted to answer this question.

"I was attacked," she answered quietly. She took a deep breath. "I was in London, on a trip with my high school choir. My best friend and I got separated from everyone else, and some man got us into a dark alley, and then there was this flash of red light...the next thing I knew, I was sitting in a hospital with everyone trying to figure out who I was."

"Death Eaters?" Harry asked, and Hermione nodded.

"Dumbledore thinks that it was a random muggle attack."

"Then how did she survive?" Ron asked.

"They used Avada murim," Hermione said.

Ron glared at her. "You know we don't know what that is, explain!"

"It's a killing curse," Hermione went on, "but it only affects non-magical beings, like muggles. If someone uses it to attack a wizard or other magical being, it just knocks them back a bit."

"Why isn't it one of the unforgivables, if it kills?" Harry asked.

"Since it only kills muggles, purebloods managed to keep it legal, claiming they needed it 'for the protection of wizarding kind.'" Hermione rolled her eyes. "But, it gives off a bright red light, and they know it was what killed her friend because it leaves a residue."

"That's how they figured out I was a witch. They assumed that I'd been attacked with Avada murim, and, because I didn't die, that meant I was a witch." She suddenly became somber. "Poor Sophie."

"Wait, what do you mean, 'assumed'?"

"They couldn't pinpoint what spell I was attacked with. They said that something had dissipated the aftereffects so they couldn't tell."

"So Dumbledore just brought you here?"

Melanie nodded. "He asked me if I wanted to stay in England and learn about magic, and I agreed. He brought me here and got Hermione to tutor me. She's been great."

Hermione blushed at her praise. "Well, we've been working hard all summer. Melanie really threw herself into everything."

"Yeah, well, it's been a nice diversion from..." Melanie trailed off. Harry nodded, understanding the sad look on Melanie's face. "Anyway, it's getting late. If that's everything, I'll go ahead and go to sleep. I need to be ready for classes tomorrow."

"Of course, we'll see you in class," Hermione told her as Melanie waved and walked off to the Ravenclaw common room.

The Ravenclaw common room was in a tower on the west side of the castle. Melanie knew where all of the entrances were from her stay in Hogwarts over the summer, but she was finally going to be able to enter one of them as a member of the house, no longer as a visitor.

At last she came to the portrait she was looking for, a large painting bordered by a frame carved into eagle's feathers. The pointy-nosed face of a particularly scholarly wizard looked out at her through thin, wire glasses.

"It's a bit late to be coming back from the opening feast," he criticized.

"I had to talk to someone," Melanie told him.

"Well, do you have the password?" he asked, looking at her expectantly.

"Scholarship," Melanie told him. He nodded, and the portrait swung open to let her pass.

Melanie bit her lip in anticipation as the walls around her gently opened up, revealing the spacious Ravenclaw common room.

The room itself was in a double-clover shape; eight curved alcoves provided semi-private retreats from the center of the room. One provided the access to the portrait; the one directly across from it housed a giant fireplace, flocked by large and comfy blue armchairs. The two alcoves right next to the portrait entrance contained bronze spiral staircases that led to the boys and girls dormitories. The other four alcoves were walled with giant bookcases and housed tables and chairs where students could study, chat, or do anything else they desired.

She took a step out into the center of the room. The ceiling was vaulted high above her head, and covered in shimmering stars that matched the constellations in the sky. The floor beneath her feet was a large mosaic, forming a giant eagle in the center of the floor, surrounded by Latin phrases. Melanie took a deep breath and sighed, smiling. "I'm really here."

"Girls dormitories are this way, dearie," a portrait of a witch on her left suggested, pointing to the set of bronze stairs on her left. Melanie smiled and nodded.

"Thanks!" Melanie said, turning and walking up the stairs. Every few stairs, there was a doorway off of the stairs, framed by an eagle with a banner in its mouth proclaiming: 1^st years, 2^nd years, and so on. Melanie finally came to the eagle with 6^th years inscribed on its banner and walked inside. Her roommates were already there, sleeping peacefully in five of the six large, canopy beds. She found her trunk next to the empty bed on her right and swept her hand along the soft, blue comforter. She lay down, pulling the nearly transparent blue curtains closed as she did so.