Power of the Musea

Chapter 10: Dual-blood

"Why can't you just calm down?" Rhonda asked her, watching Melanie as she paced around their Ravenclaw dormitory. "You got the explanation you wanted."

All Melanie could do was shake her head and continue to pace around the room. Right after she had returned from Dumbledore's office, she had sat down with Rhonda and told her everything her mother had said.

"I don't know, Rhonda. I still can't seem to shake the suspicion that there's still something I don't know," Melanie told her, passing by Rhonda's bed for the fifteenth time.

"What else could there be? So, your parents fled to the States to escape Voldemort. You've had enough happen to you this year, do you really need to go looking for more things to upset you?"

Melanie sighed. "I know my mom, Rhonda, and she wasn't telling me everything." She stopped across from Rhonda's bed and looked at her. "There's still so much I don't know."

"Like what?" Rhonda laughed.

"What about Rimian? And the conversation I overheard between my parents? My mom still thinks I was attacked on purpose, and Rimian has something to do with it, whatever that means."

"But I thought we had decided that you weren't attacked on purpose. We've been over this a million times-if the Death Eater had known who you were and was trying to kill you, he wouldn't have used Avada murim."

"And what about the sorting hat at the beginning of term-why did he call me a 'dual-blood?'" Melanie asked as she resumed pacing around the room.

Rhonda shook her head and sighed. "Why are you suddenly so adamant about there being something else going on? Until now it's been you trying to convince me that there's nothing going on. Now I'm having to convince you of it."

"I don't know, Rhonda. It's...it's just one of those feelings," Melanie explained, finally sitting down on her bed with a sigh.

"What you need is a good night's sleep," Rhonda said. "Relax, get everything out of your mind. Tomorrow morning you'll wake up and feel just like a regular Hogwarts student-just like you've always wanted."

Melanie sighed as their dormmates started to trickle in from the common room downstairs. She crawled under the covers and looked over at Rhonda. "I hope you're right."

The next morning was far from normal, however. Melanie was standing by her seat talking to Rhonda before defense when Professor Snape walked up behind them.

"Good morning Miss Mittenborn, Miss Brienwald," he greeted coldly. "I trust that you know by now that this class is to be attended sitting down, not standing up. Five points from Ravenclaw."

"But you hadn't gotten here yet! We were waiting on you!" Melanie protested.

"I think I have earned enough respect, Miss Brienwald, that I can expect to find my students ready for class when I am slightly delayed by very...interesting...morning staff meetings, have I not?" He gave her a cold stare. Melanie blushed and quietly dropped into her seat. Snape glared at her once more before turning to walk to the front of the room.

"That was a bit over the top-even for Snape," Rhonda whispered.

Melanie kept her eyes on the defense professor as he took his place at the front of the room. "I don't know. McGonagall must have gotten onto him for spilling the beans or something," she whispered back as they got out their books and class began.

Snape was noticeably crankier than normal, especially towards Melanie and Rhonda, giving Melanie the perfect opportunity to recount her discussion with Dumbledore when Harry, Ron, and Hermione found her after class to see if she knew why Snape had been acting so much crueler than usual.

Slughorn, on the other hand, was ecstatic at Melanie's change in name. He greeted her as she walked into the dungeon for potions with a large smile.

"Good afternoon, Miss Brienwald! Yes, how much of a relief it is to be able to call you by your proper name. I've been tripping over myself all term with it, but now I shan't worry about it a moment longer!"

Melanie laughed as Draco pushed by her roughly. She sighed and followed him down to her seat.

"What's the matter, Draco? No 'Yankee Doodle' for me today?" she taunted him as he sat down in front of her.

Draco ignored her and tensely set out his equipment.

"I think he's just upset that he got chewed out by Professor Snape," Hermione added smartly, turning in her seat to face Draco.

"Shut up, mudlbood," Draco hissed at her.

Melanie shook her head as Hermione turned away in a huff. "You are so superficial! You're still horrible to Hermione, but you stop taunting me just because my name changed!" She sighed. "My name is the only thing that changed; I am the exact same person. And you should treat me exactly the same."

"Then you don't understand the power of a name," Draco responded, turning to face her. His face was set seriously.

"Like the power you think you have? Like how you think everyone should bow in awe at your name just because you're a Malfoy? Your name means nothing. It is who you are that's important."

Draco shook his head. "You're just like Weasley-you don't understand what being a pureblood is or what it means. Your name is not just a name. It is who you are. Your name carries with it a history, a personality, and a dozen other things that you inherit as its bearer."

"Like a large manor?"

"You obviously don't know anything about your background. Otherwise you wouldn't talk like that. You are a pureblood witch and have thousands of years of family honor and history behind you. Yet you are doing nothing to honor that."

"And what do you know about honoring my family?"

"What do I know? I know more about your background that you do! I know who your parents are, where they descended from, every little detail of your dual-blooded history!"

Melanie blinked in shock. "Did you say dual-blooded?"

"Of course I did." He looked at her in interest. "Did you not know?"

"Of course I knew," Melanie lied. "I just didn't know that you knew."

Draco's eyes narrowed and a sly smile crossed his face. "You have no clue about what I'm talking about, do you?"

Melanie sat up straight and tossed her head back confidently. "And you underestimate how much I know about my past."

Draco just looked at her and rolled his eyes as Professor Slughorn called their attention to begin class.

"The sorting hat wasn't crazy," Melanie hissed to Rhonda as they were far away from the dungeons after class.

"What?" she asked.

"With me being dual-blooded. Draco talked about it in class."

"What, now that he can't call you a mudblood he's resorting to talking about something that nobody understands?"

Melanie shook her head. "I don't think it's a taunt at all, otherwise he would have exploited it more. He seemed more amused by the fact that I didn't know than that he had another name to call me."

"Why would he be amused by that? I don't know what a dual-blood is, and I've lived in the wizarding world all of my life."

Melanie shook her head. "There's something about my family that he knows and I don't. I need to find out. I don't like Malfoy having something he can hold over me."

Rhonda thought for a moment as they walked into the Ravenclaw common room. "Ask Hermione. If anyone knows what a dual-blood is, she'll know."

Melanie smiled. "Of course. Why didn't I think to ask her? I can ask when we're studying in the library tonight. Until then," she pulled out a sheet of paper covered with notes and dates, "I need to get to reading beginning herbology."

"What on Earth is that?" Rhonda asked, grabbing the paper out of her hands and looking at it with a confused face.

"It's my schedule. I've made plans for a complete review of past lessons. I'm going to systematically go through all of the beginner's books, and, if I keep to this schedule, I should be caught up by the end of term."

"You're crazier than I thought," Rhonda said, handing the schedule back to her. "You're going to be studying nonstop with this."

"Well, I am trying to fit five years into one," Melanie told her, smiling as she sat down at a table in the common room.

"Whatever. But while you're being scholarly, I'm going to thoroughly enjoy procrastinating this afternoon and wandering aimlessly around the castle."

"Have fun," Melanie told her as she started to immerse herself in her books. Rhonda just shook her head and headed out of the common room.

When Rhonda returned right before dinner, she found Melanie still there, a bit further into her herbology book with parchments full of scribbled notes scattered around her.

"All right, Einstein," Rhonda told her, "time to take a break and get some food."

"Just one more page," Melanie argued, turning the page in her book.

"No more pages!" Rhonda commanded, pulling the book away from her. "Food. Now!"

Melanie took one look at Rhonda's firm glare and quickly put away her things before they both headed down to the Great Hall for dinner. After they were finished eating, they found Hermione in the library at a table with Ron and Harry.

"Hermione," Melanie said as they sat down at the table. "I need to ask you a question."

"What?" Hermione asked, turning from the conversation she was having with Ron and Harry.

"Have you ever heard of the term 'dual-blood'?"

Hermione quietly concentrated for a second, and she slowly started to shake her head. "I've never heard that phrase before."

"Really?" Ron asked in shock from across the table. "You mean, I know something Hermione doesn't?"

Hermione shot him a look. "Well, then, would you care to explain, Ron?" she asked tartly.

Ron flinched. "It describes someone's family background." He paused. "Well, you know that families often end up in the same house; they follow their own trends. Like how me and Fred and George and Charlie and Bill have all ended up in Gryffindor."

"And me!" Ginny shot from a table next to them where she was sitting with her boyfriend. She quickly blushed, returned to what she was doing, and tried to pretend that she hadn't been listening.

Ron shook his head and continued: "Well, a dual-blood is someone who is a combination of two different families that traditionally come from different houses. It usually refers to purebloods, and, since there aren't that many left, I guess it's not that common anymore."

"That's it?" Melanie asked. "That's all that Draco was talking about, that my parents came from different houses?"

"Well, not that simple," Hermione said. "Your parents came from two different families that strongly favored specific houses. It'd be like if one of the Weasleys married someone whose family was all Slytherin."

"Like that'd ever happen," Ron grumbled. "It's not a big deal, and I don't think it ever really was. It was just always more of a question of what houses dual-blooded children would be sorted into than anything else."

"Does that mean one of my parents was a Ravenclaw, then?" Melanie asked.

"Not necessarily," Ron answered. "Dual-blooded kids are wild cards. They could go into one of their parents houses, or into a completely new one."

"Whole bunch of rubbish, anyway," Hermione said. "There's no way to predict where someone is going to be sorted. Just because your family favors one house doesn't mean that you will."

"Yeah, just look at Sirius-his whole family was Slytherin, but he went Gryffindor."

"So there's no way to know what houses my parents came from?" Melanie asked softly.

"Not from being a dual-blood, but what's your last name again? Your real one." Ron asked.

"Brienwald."

Ron concentrated, then sighed. "Sorry, never heard much about them."

"And you wouldn't, since they fled to the States when you were a baby," Hermione corrected him.

"That didn't stop Draco from knowing," Melanie said to herself.

"Yeah, well Malfoy makes it a point to know everything about everyone," Hermione said reassuringly.

"Yeah, gives him leverage for teasing and bullying," Harry added.

Melanie nodded. "But I'd still like to know what he knows." She shook her head. "Well, we better get to studying. What's up for tonight?"

The group studied together until Ron and Harry complained about being tired and returned to the Gryffindor common room. So Melanie and Rhonda left the library and finished their homework in the comfort of the Ravenclaw common room.

"Do you think that's good enough for Professor Sprout?" Melanie asked, finishing the essay she was working on with a flourish. Rhonda looked over her shoulder and nodded.

"Looks fine to me," she said before returning her attention to her own paper.

Melanie looked back over her essay as Rhonda continued to scribble on her parchment.

"Hey, can I use your herbology book for second?" Rhonda asked, not even looking up from her parchment.

"Yeah, no problem," Melanie said, pausing to bend down and search through her pile of books. She went through all of the titles once and then again, searching for herbology. "Well, where is it?"

Rhonda looked up. "You had it just a bit ago in the library."

"I must have left it down there," Melanie sighed, looking through the books one more time. "Great. I'll have to go get it. I'll be right back."

"Better hurry, the library will be closing soon," Rhonda said, turning her attention back to her essay.

Melanie hurried out of the common room and raced down to the library. Sure enough, there was her herbology book sitting at a table in the corner. She grabbed it and scurried out of the library.

She walked a bit slower on the way back to the common room, looking at the darkening hallway around her. As she neared the common room, the occupants of the portraits around her were starting to drift off to sleep.

"It's a bit late to be wandering around the halls, isn't it?" a voice came from the wall.

Melanie stopped and turned. One portrait was still fully awake and was looking straight at her.

"Best hope that a professor doesn't see you out this late, you might loose some house points," the portrait continued as Melanie walked closer.

"It's not that late. And I am heading back to the common room."

The elderly wizard looked at her and smiled. "You have your mother's spunk."

She looked at him in surprise. "My mother?"

"Yes, I used to have quite the conversations with her and Octavian when they would meet out in this hall. I've been rather excited about being able to talk to you, but Dumbledore asked me to avoid catching your notice. Until now, that is."

Melanie looked down at the inscription at the base of the portrait:

Rutherford Brienwald

Head of Ravenclaw House 1898-1932

"Brienwald? I'm related to you?"

"Of course, child. The Brienwalds have been going through Ravenclaw house for generations. I find it wonderful to be able to keep up with the family as they pass through. Although, I must admit that I was a tad worried that it would all end with Octavian," he added in a low voice.

"How so?" Melanie asked.

"Marrying Violetta, running away to the States like he did, taking you and your brother out of the world of magic, just to name a few. I thought it was the end of the Ravenclaw Brienwalds. But some things are too established to fade away," he added with a smile. "And here you are."

Melanie gave a weak smile. "Here I am," she agreed.

The man laughed. "And don't I feel so old and silly for being worried about where you would be sorted!"

"Really?"

"Of course! It would have been a shame if the last of the Brienwalds didn't make it into Ravenclaw. It was really a toss-up, your Brienwald blood battling against your mother's Buxley blood like that. The better house came through in the end, though!" he finished triumphantly.

"But what house was my mother in, if my father was in Ravenclaw?" Melanie asked, trying to hide her excitement.

"Slytherin, naturally. All of the Buxleys were Slytherin. She and her brother were no different."

"Brother!?" Melanie asked in surprise.

"Yes, of course. Violetta's brother, your uncle Rimian. Did your parents not tell you about him?"

"No," Melanie answered, shaking her head adamantly.

"Oh. Well, it doesn't really surprise me. He died right about the time you were born, and I could see how it would pain your mother to talk about him...oh, but let's move on to happier thoughts! How are your classes coming?"

"Fine. I was having problems at the beginning of the semester, but I'm getting better now."

"Good, good. And how about socially? I see you wandering around a lot with that friend of yours."

"Rhonda? Yeah, we're best friends."

The portrait smiled. "Of course." He sighed and shook his head. "Seeing the two of you walking around reminds me of your mother. You look so much like her, and she was always here, hanging around and waiting for Octavian with that friend of hers...oh, what was her name?"

Melanie looked at the portrait expectantly as he bit his lips and tapped his dignified chin.

"Oh, and I saw her son wandering around here just the other day. Isn't it horrible when you just can't seem to be able to recall a name?"

Melanie nodded. "So, my mother's best friend has a son here?"

The portrait nodded as he continued to think. "Yes, I see him wandering around these corridors quite often here lately." He gave a defeated sigh. "My memory's not what it used to be. I'm sorry, dear."

"Are you sure you don't remember?" she asked, disappointed. "Can you maybe describe him to me? I'm sure I can figure out who he is."

"Now, just because I'm a portrait doesn't mean that I have a photographic memory, young lady. I'll try to see if I can recall some other day, but until then I'm afraid I cannot help you."

Melanie sighed and looked around her. "I understand. You know, I better get going. I need to get to sleep."

"Of course, child," the man told her with a grin. "And I hope to talk to you again sometime."

"Good night." Melanie nodded and quickly walked the little distance left to the common room entrance.

The common room was a good deal emptier, but Rhonda was still sitting at the table, both hers and Melanie's books strewn around.

"That took a while," she said as Melanie sat down.

"Well, I ran into a very interesting portrait," Melanie said as she looked down at the essay she had been working on.

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah. Apparently, my great-great-great-great grandfather was head of Ravenclaw house and has a portrait in the hallway outside. And he is also very lively and talkative."

Rhonda laughed. "That's funny. Makes me wish my family was pureblood so I'd have random relatives hanging around."

"I'm not sure I like it." She sighed. "But, like it or not, it's useful."

"Useful, how?" Rhonda asked.

"Well, I now know who Rimian is," Melanie said calmly.

"Really!" Rhonda squealed. "Who is he?"

"My uncle. As in my Slytherin mother's brother."

"I didn't know you had an uncle..." Rhonda trailed off before her eyes widened. "Did you say Slytherin?"

Melanie nodded. "Apparently that's my dual-blood. The Brienwalds are Ravenclaws, and the Buxleys are Slytherins," she explained with a forced calm.

"Well, at least you're learning more of your family background. And now Malfoy doesn't have anything to hang over your head anymore," Rhonda said, trying to be supportive.

Melanie lost it and buried her face in her hands. "I'm half-Slytherin, Rhonda! That's why Draco wasn't torturing me. I have Slytherin blood, and he knows it."

"Hey, hey, hey. Just because you're half Slytherin doesn't automatically mean you're lower than dirt. Remember, you were sorted into Ravenclaw. Plus, there have been a few decent wizards to come out of Slytherin." Rhonda paused. "Here, think about it this way: your dad was in Ravenclaw, right? So, if your mom hung around him all the time, she had to have her priorities in order. I mean, can you see any of the Slytherins we know hanging around Ravenclaws just for fun?"

Melanie laughed. "I guess not."

"And maybe your mom was just barely sorted into Slytherin and you've managed to get the few good genes that have come out of that house."

Melanie smiled. "Thanks."

"No problem. Besides, just think about what Hermione said. The whole thing about judging which house people are going to be sorted into by family is silly. It is you that makes you who you are, not your name. Melanie Brienwald is definitely not an evil Slytherin. And you shouldn't think for a moment that you are."

"Thanks, I really needed that," Melanie said, smiling as she collected all of her things.

"No problem, now...what did this painting say about your uncle?"

"Nothing-just that he was my uncle."

Rhonda's face fell.

"Oh, and that he died around the time that I was born."

"And that would mean also around the time your parents left for the States?"

"Yeah, I guess so," Melanie agreed. "I guess his death was what my mom was talking about when she said they realized they couldn't be neutral. My uncle must have been killed."

"And for a pretty hefty reason, too, if they think his death is the reason Death Eaters are after you now."

"But they're not. That attack was all a big coincidence."

"Coincidence or not, your mom still thinks you were attacked purposefully. Which means she must think that your uncle's death was more than an attack just on him."

"Or she could be extremely exaggerating," Melanie pointed out.

"True. But, now that we have more information, we can find out ourselves," Rhonda said matter-of-factly.

Melanie yawned. "Well, whatever we decide to find, let's do it tomorrow. I am in serious need of some sleep."

Rhonda yawned in agreement as they both headed up to their dormitory.