Power of the Musea

Chapter 8: Proper Language

Melanie was slightly disappointed when her reappearance at Hogwarts brought little more than a few second glances in her direction. The student population of Hogwarts had been fluxuating as concerned parents withdrew their children throughout the term. The fact that her parents had sent her back made her stand out a little, but soon the whole event was overshadowed up by the newest happenings.

Hermione had been thrilled when she found out that Melanie had returned. She also instantly agreed with Professor McGonagall about her class load and instantly scheduled a weekend study session with Ron and Harry to bring Melanie back up to date on the classes she had missed (and to make sure that Ron and Harry were doing their work, as well). They sat at a table in the library and worked on the auguamenti charms that Professor Flitwick had introduced.

"Well, if it isn't Potter, Weasel King, and the two mudbloods?" Draco sneered, walking up behind them. "Quite the friends you've got going, Potter. I thought you couldn't go any lower than Granger, but a Yankee mudblood?"

Melanie spun around furiously, her blonde hair floating, and faced him. "Better that than a spoiled twit with nothing better to do than belittle others."

Draco glared at her, but was silent. "Come on, Nott," he said, leading the stringy Slytherin behind him to a nearby table and taking a book out of his bag.

"What happened to Crabbe and Goyle?" Ron asked as they watched the two Slytherins begin to look over the book.

"Maybe Nott's helping him with something," Harry said, trying to get a peek at what they were looking at.

"Harry, you're still not thinking that Malfoy's..." Hermione complained.

"Well, wouldn't assigning two sixth years to the job make more sense than one?" Harry asked, continuing to try and see what Malfoy and Nott were up to. Hermione rolled her eyes and turned back to her book. Melanie looked at them, confused for a moment, and then shrugged it off and went back to her charms book.

Her first greeting Monday morning was matching glares from Malfoy and Nott from across the Slytherin table. Her morning did not improve at all in Defense when they purposefully practiced their nonverbal spells next to Melanie and Rhonda so Malfoy could hiss his 'Yankee Doodle' words into Melanie's ear whenever he had the chance. Frazzled and frustrated, Melanie managed to send an unspoken jellylegs hex in Malfoy's direction that he didn't have time to block. At first she was thrilled that she had finally managed an unspoken spell, but Draco quickly soured her mood.

"Professor Snape!" he called out, "she attacked me!"

Snape looked at Melanie warningly. "Explain yourself, Miss Harver," he demanded as he reversed the hex on Malfoy.

"He provoked me, sir," Melanie told him, nervously pushing back her hair. Snape looked at Malfoy, who gave him an innocent look. "He sings this annoying version of 'Yankee Doodle' whenever I'm around."

"Well, as you are American, I don't see how you would object to such a...patriotic song. Perhaps ten points from Ravenclaw will help you to control your temper."

Melanie lowered her head. "Yes, sir."

Malfoy shot her a victorious look as Snape walked away. "You never mess with the master, mudblood!" he whispered happily.

Snape spun around so quickly that even Draco jumped up in surprise. "Mr. Malfoy, you would do better than to use such snarls when they are not warranted," Snape told him. The entire class looked at him in shock. Draco himself was wide-mouthed. "I think we should have a discussion concerning proper language once class is finished." Snape looked at Melanie once more before he walked over to help two Hufflepuffs.

"I can't believe Snape talked back to Malfoy!" she heard Harry whisper. He turned to Melanie. "Does Snape actually like you?"

"He never likes anyone but Slytherins," Rhonda told him as she dropped her wand, forgetting all about the spells she was supposed to be practicing. "I don't know what's going on."

"He took away ten points, since when does that mean he likes me?" Melanie asked softly, sulking in her seat.

"Yes, but you have to remember that he actually gave you points at the beginning of term," Hermione told her. "So, really, you've just broken even. And that's more than anyone else has managed to do." She smiled at Melanie encouragingly.

Melanie smiled back. "Thanks."

Snape sent them a look that sent them scrambling back to their practicing. Out of the corner of her eye, Melanie could see Harry and Ron sending curious looks to Malfoy and Snape.

"I really want to hear what Snape's gonna say to Malfoy," she heard Harry whisper excitedly as they returned to their practicing.

After Snape finally dismissed the class, Melanie tried to gather her things slowly, hoping that she might hear what Snape had to say to Draco. Rhonda followed her lead, and Hermione, Ron, and Harry were trying the same thing at their table. Snape looked up at them as Draco approached the front of the room.

"Surely it does not take this long to collect your books and leave," he sneered, and the five of them quickly gathered the remainder of their things and left the room.

"I really wanted to hear Snape chew Malfoy out," Rhonda complained as the door closed behind them.

A look of triumph flashed past Ron's eyes. "We can!" he announced, pulling a strange flesh-colored object from his pocket.

"Extendable ears, excellent," Harry said as they all gathered around.

Snape's voice was the first thing to come through. "Your use of language in class today upset me, Draco."

"Why, sir? That's what she is-a filthy Yankee mudblood," Draco said loathingly.

"Don't call her that," Snape said, an edge of anger in his voice. "She does not deserve such slurs."

"Sir?" Draco asked, confused.

"Miss Harver does not deserve such language. I will not attempt to stop you from using such language where it is warranted, but I will have no tolerance for the use of it towards a pureblood witch."

"She can't be pureblood!" Draco exclaimed.

"I assure you, Mr. Malfoy, she is just as pureblooded as you are."

Everyone backed away from the earpiece and looked, mouths open, at Melanie.

She shook her head. "No, it's not possible." But everyone just kept looking at her in surprise.

"Quick, someone's coming out!" Harry hissed, pulling the group into a small hallway as Draco walked past.

Once he was gone, the group looked back at Melanie.

"Melanie?" Rhonda asked unsurely.

Melanie just shook her head wordlessly. "He must have me mistaken for someone else. My parents aren't wizards-it doesn't make any sense." Melanie looked at Rhonda and Hermione for support, but they just exchanged doubting looks.

"Well, it would clear a few things up..."Hermione said softly.

"What do you mean?" Melanie demanded.

"It does make sense. Melanie's around our age, which means that her parents were around at the same time ours were. And think about what happened in the years before all of us were born. Aren't there plenty of reasons why a wizarding family might flee to America? Is it really that hard to believe?"

"Yeah, but it sounded like Melanie's not just from a wizarding family-she's from a pureblood family. And a pureblood family isn't just going to run off to America and live amongst muggles for no good reason," Ron pointed out.

Everyone started talking and suggesting theories at the same time. Hermione finally pulled out her wand, waved it, and the group fell silent. Hermione sighed happily.

"Good. That's better. We're not going to get anywhere if we're all shouting at the same time. We need to think this over slowly."

Melanie nodded. "All right."

"Good, then let's start with what we know one hundred percent positively," Hermione suggested.

"Melanie's pureblood," Harry started.

"But we don't know that for sure, Snape could be wrong," Melanie countered, though as she finished the statement she believed it less and less.

Rhonda shot her a look that shared her thought. "I don't think so, Melanie. I mean, that's a really big mistake to make. None of us like Professor Snape, but he's not an idiot..."

"But my parents...they're not wizards." Melanie shook her head. "And Simon...if my parents were wizards, wouldn't that make him a wizard, too?"

Ron shrugged his shoulders. "Usually. I guess it's possible that he could be a squib."

"Or he's not really your brother," Rhonda suggested quietly.

"Not that again, Rhonda!" Melanie sighed exasperatedly.

"We still don't know who your parents were talking about with Rimian," she argued.

Melanie shook her head. "I don't know anymore."

"That's the point. We can't really be sure of anything," Hermione agreed. "All we really know is that you were attacked, ended up here, and now we're finding out that there might be more to your past than we realized."

"No!" Melanie shouted. "I am sure of my past! I am Melanie Harver, and I've lived in New York all of my life. I have an older brother, Simon, who's a bit of a jock but I still love him anyway. My dad sells real estate and my mom works in a department store, and they've never shown one sign of being a wizard or a witch. Can't I just be normal!!"

The group was quiet. "I don't think there is such a thing as normal at Hogwarts," Harry said quietly.

Melanie shook her head, trying to fight back tears of frustration. "I have gone through too much with loosing Sophie this summer, struggling with my classes now, going back home, coming back here. And know I'm finding out that I might have an entire past that I didn't know about and my whole life has been a giant lie! Everything's flying around me so fast that I'm feeling like there's no way that I can figure it all out! I just want to be able to go to class and not have to worry about anything else!"

Melanie turned and ran off towards the Ravenclaw common room before anyone could say anything else. She walked straight up to her room and lay down on her bed.

"Are you all right, Melanie?" she heard Rhonda's voice ask a few minutes later. Melanie rolled over and saw Rhonda standing over her bed.

"Yeah. I'm just tired of all of this guessing. I just want someone to tell me the truth."

"I'd love to be able to just tell you the truth, but I have as little a clue about what's going on as you do," Rhonda said, sitting down next to her.

"I know you don't. Nobody does." She sighed. "Nobody knows anything, it seems."

Rhonda sighed and they were silent for a moment. "Well, if anyone is going to know anything...Maybe you should ask Dumbledore."

"The Headmaster? Do you think it's okay to bother him with something like this? I'm sure he has more important things on his mind."

"What would you rather do? Go tell Snape that you eavesdropped on his conversation with Draco and ask him to answer all of your questions?"

Melanie gave an involuntary shudder.

"Dumbledore knows everything that's going on," Rhonda continued. "Plus, he's been around long enough that he would have known what happened before you were born."

Melanie nodded. "That is a good idea. There's just one problem..."

"What?"

"How do you talk to Dumbledore? I mean, I don't think you just go up and knock on his door."

A look of concentration passed over Rhonda's face. "I don't know. Maybe you should ask Professor McGonagall. She's the Deputy Headmistress...and you can just go up and knock on her door."

Melanie nodded. "Good idea." She pulled out her watch and looked at the time. "Do you think she has a class right now?"

"Probably. You might be able to catch her in a little while before lunch."

Melanie nodded. "Okay. Well, we can review the stuff for potions this afternoon until then."

Rhonda groaned. "Not potions, don't remind me. Ugh."

Melanie laughed as she reached into the trunk at the base of her bed and pulled out her potions book. "Oh, c'mon. Potions isn't that bad."

"Well, it has gotten better since Slughorn took over, but it's still a horrid class," Rhonda complained as she sat down next to Melanie, potions book in hand. Melanie laughed as they opened their books and started looking over the potions Slughorn was scheduled to cover that day in class.

Melanie kept a close eye on her watch as they studied and finally closed her book a few minutes before lunch. "Okay, I'm gonna head down to McGonagall's office and see if she's there."

Rhonda nodded. "I'll save you a spot at the table," she said as Melanie left the room.

Melanie quickly walked down to McGonagall's office, knocking softly before walking inside. She was relieved to find the professor sitting at her desk, looking over some papers.

"Yes, Miss Harver?" Professor McGonagall asked, peering at Melanie from over her glasses.

"How can I speak to the Headmaster?" she asked.

McGonagall looked up at her in surprise. "Professor Dumbledore is not here at the moment. But if there is something important, I may discuss it with you, Miss Harver."

Melanie shifted in place and took a deep breath. "Are my parents wizards?" she asked quickly.

McGonagall's face went blank and she took a tensed breath. "And why would you think that?"

"I...er...overheard a conversation," Melanie admitted, starting to blush.

"Who?"

Melanie started at the floor. "Professor Snape," she said softly.

McGonagall sighed and rolled her eyes. "I should have guessed. I knew he was too closely involved to keep quiet about this."

"It's true, then?" Melanie asked, her eyes widening.

McGonagall sighed again. "Remember that you are not supposed to know this, Melanie."

"Why didn't they say something? Why didn't they tell me?" Melanie interrupted.

"Melanie, I cannot tell you any more. I'm in a delicate enough of a situation now that you simply suspect something."

"But I already know! Why can't I have my questions answered?"

"Professor Dumbledore made the arrangements with your parents and the staff that nobody was to reveal your true identity. I cannot tell you any more because I cannot break that agreement."

"But I already know!" Melanie protested.

McGongall sighed. "Professor Dumbledore will have to deal with this. But I will urge you, Melanie, tell nobody of this until then. I cannot give you any more information, but please realize that you are safer if everyone thinks you are Melanie Harver, a muggleborn from America. Just trust me when I say that there have been a very good reasons that everyone has been lying to you."

Melanie stared at her silently for a minute and then nodded. "All right, Professor."

McGonagall gave a sigh of relief. "Good. I will inform you when Professor Dumbledore has time to meet with you."

Melanie nodded and started to walk away.

"Miss Harver?" McGonagall asked as she reached the door.

"Yes, Professor?"

"Dare I ask who else already knows?"

Melanie took in a deep breath. "Well, Rhonda, Hermione, Harry, and Ron were all there when I overheard it."

"Have you told anyone else?"

Melanie shook her head.

"So nobody else knows besides those four?" McGonagall added, her voice noticeably more relaxed.

"Well...then there's Draco Malfoy."

"How does he know?" McGonagall asked sharply.

"He was the one Professor Snape was talking to about it," Melanie explained. "Professor Snape was yelling at him because he called me a...a...mudblood in class."

"Argh! Of all of the staff, Severus should know to keep his mouth shut-especially to Mr. Malfoy!" McGonagall face lit up with fury for a second before she looked over at Melanie. She took one breath and her face became perfectly expressionless.

"That is all, Miss Harver," she finished. "Speak of nothing about this to anyone and Professor Dumbledore will speak to you at the earliest opportunity."

Melanie nodded. "Thanks you, Professor McGonagall," she said softly as she left the room. She walked down to the Great Hall in a slight state of shock. She didn't know what to say when Rhonda immediately pulled her aside and asked her what McGonagall had said.

"I can't tell you anything, Rhonda," Melanie explained. "Dumbledore's not here and I can't say anything until I meet with him."

"Dumbledore? Why do you have to talk with Dumbledore first?"

"I don't know!" Melanie let out an exasperated sigh. "Apparently I wasn't supposed to know that my parents were wizards, and now there's big mess because of it. Nobody's supposed to know, and I can't tell anyone."

Rhonda's eyes widened. "I knew it! There's some form of dark family secret!"

"Ssshhh!!" Melanie told her. "Don't say anything! Don't even think about what might be going on-not until I can meet with Dumbledore!"

Rhonda tapped her foot impatiently. "And when's that"

Melanie sighed. "I don't know. Like I said, he's not here right now and I have to wait for him to get back."

Rhonda scowled as she started to eat her food. "I hope he gets back soon so we can figure out what's going on."

"I completely agree with you," Melanie agreed quietly as she took a small bite.