Power of the Musea

Chapter 11: The Inner Serpent

As Melanie's first month at Hogwarts came to a close, she found her life finally starting to fall into a pattern. It took a lot of work to keep up not only with her regular classwork but with the thorough review she was attempting, and Melanie could almost always be seen with her nose in a book. She studied regularly with Hermione in the library, and sometimes Rhonda, Harry, and Ron would join them when they had a large assignment looming.

One Saturday morning when Harry and Ron weren't preoccupied with quidditch practice, they sat at a table with Hermione and Melanie, trying to get Hermione to help them with their transfiguration essay. Melanie looked up from her charms book and chuckled.

"I'm really glad I dropped that class," she teased.

"Hey, don't talk like you don't have your own studying to do," Ron objected. He eyed the large pile of schoolbooks sitting next to her. "Even with transfiguration, it looks like we still have the better part of the deal."

"Ron," Hermione warned.

"You do study an awful lot. What do you do in your free time?" Harry asked.

Melanie thought for a minute. "I...er...eat..." she trailed off.

"You can't study all the time. You gotta have fun every once in a while," Ron added.

"Yeah, even Hermione found time to have some extracurricular activities," Harry added as Ron gave him a warning look.

"What did you do for fun when you were back in the States?" Hermione asked.

Melanie shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. Hung out with Sophie. We were always at each other's houses." Melanie's voice became soft. "I can't very well do that any more now, can I?"

"Were you in any clubs or anything?" Hermione quickly asked, trying to get Melanie away from the subject of her dead friend.

"Or in any sports?" Harry added.

"Well, cheerleading. But I can't do that here, either."

"Yeah, the only sport around here really is quidditch," Hermione grumbled quietly.

"Quidditch?" Melanie asked. "What's that?"

Ron looked at her in shock. "You don't know what quidditch is?"

Melanie shook her head. "Am I missing something important?"

Ron shook his head. "You mean that you were at Hogwarts all this summer with Hermione and you never...wait, I'll take that back. I am no longer surprised."

Melanie giggled. "So, I guess it's a guy thing."

"Not really, there are plenty of girls on the house teams. It's just not a scholarly Hermione thing," Ron added, pretending not to notice Hermione's glare.

"Then what is it?" Melanie asked.

"It's like basketball on broomsticks," Hermione explained, turning her attention back to her book.

"There's a lot more to it than that," Harry countered.

"Yeah," Ron echoed.

Melanie laughed. "Well, considering I don't know how to ride a broom I don't think I need all of the intricate details."

"You don't know how to ride a broom?" Harry asked seriously.

Melanie shook her head.

"Well, me and Ron should teach you," he continued.

"Harry, I don't have time," Melanie argued, nudging her head at her pile of books.

"Yes you do. Besides, you need to learn. It's one of the vital elements that Hermione left out."

"Ha ha," Melanie told him sarcastically.

"No, I'm serious. Flying was one of our first-year classes," Harry told her.

Melanie looked at him suspiciously. "Really?"

"Yes. I mean, c'mon, have you ever heard of a witch that didn't know how to fly a broomstick?" Ron echoed.

"I guess you do have a point," Melanie conceded.

"Great, then you're taking a break and going outside with us," Harry said quickly, closing the book she was reading. "Come on, Ron, Hermione."

Ron happily stood up from his essay, but Hermione gave them a disappointed look. "We're not finished studying yet."

"Oh, come on, Hermione," Ron complained. "A little break never hurt anyone."

"And Melanie needs to get her nose out of a book for once."

"Well, I'M going to finish my work now," Hermione returned, looking back at her book and scribbling some notes on her parchment. Ron rolled his eyes and followed Harry as he pulled Melanie out of the library.

"Okay, so, Ron and I are going to go get our brooms out of our room and we'll meet you in the entrance hall," Harry explained.

"All right," Melanie agreed uncertainly as Ron and Harry headed off towards Gryffindor Tower. She sighed and continued to walk out to the entrance hall, a bit apprehensive of what she was getting into.

When Harry and Ron appeared a few minutes later, brooms in hand, they joined Melanie and walked out onto the grounds.

"There'll prolly be someone practicing on the pitch," Harry said as they came to a stop in a clearing. "But that can't stop us from flying around the grounds. Okay, whose broom should you start on?"

Ron climbed onto his broom and hovered a few feet above the ground. "I'll fly around to catch her if she falls off."

Melanie's eyes widened fearfully and she looked uncertainly at Harry.

"Ron, stop being a prat. She's not going to fall off." He turned towards Melanie and handed her his broom.

"Okay, so you need to straddle the broomstick with your legs, like that," Harry instructed, holding the broom while she got on.

"Are you sure I'm going to be okay? Flying sounds dangerous."

"Don't worry, this is a Firebolt. I don't think Neville could fall off one of these."

Melanie gave a weak laugh and Harry let go of the broom. "Now, gently kick off the ground," he explained, trying to recall how Madame Hooch had explained the directions his first year. "Float there for a while, then lean forward and you'll come back down."

Melanie continued to stand there, scared to follow his directions. She looked up at Ron floating nearby. "But what if something happens?"

"Nothing's going to happen. And, if it does, Ron'll help you," Harry assured her. Melanie still stood there, motionless. "Nothing's going to happen, I promise." Melanie still could do nothing but stand there uncertainly.

"What, do you want me to fly with you or something?" Harry asked desperately. Melanie looked from the broom to him.

"Can you do that?" she asked meekly. "I mean, will the broom handle it?"

Harry blinked in surprise. "Of course it will, it's a Firebolt. Is that what you want? Will that help you?"

Melanie nodded sheepishly.

"Fine," Harry agreed, shrugging his shoulders. "Move up."

Melanie moved up on the broom and Harry climbed on behind her. "Okay, here we go." Melanie took a deep breath, and, the next thing she knew, she was flying around the grounds.

She gasped, and tightened her grip on the handle.

"Don't worry," Harry assured her. "You won't fall off. And even if you did, I'd be fast enough on this broom to fly down and catch you before you hit the ground."

"Not if I caught her first," Ron said, flying beside them.

Melanie laughed nervously and tried to relax her grip on the broom. Soon, she was actually enjoying herself as the group flew around the grounds.

After a little bit, Harry landed and Melanie took a few wobbly steps off of the broom.

"You get used to it after a while," Harry told her. "Do you want to try flying on your own now?"

Melanie shook her head. "It's wonderful, flying like that. But I think I've had enough for this morning."

Harry nodded. "Okay, I'll let you get back to the library on one condition."

"What?"

"You'll let me teach you how to fly," Harry answered. "We can meet in the mornings, once or twice a week. You need to do something besides studying."

Melanie looked at him suspiciously, then smiled and nodded. "Fine."

Harry nodded. "Good."

"Harry!" Ron's voice shouted from above them. "Race you to the lake!"

"You're on!" Harry shouted back. "See you later, Melanie." He climbed back onto the broom and soared into the air.

"Bye, Melanie!" Ron echoed as he and Harry disappeared into the distance.

Melanie sighed and made her way back to the library, where she found Hermione studying, Rhonda now sitting beside her.

"What have you been doing?" Rhonda teased.

"Harry and Ron were giving me a flying lesson," Melanie explained, sitting down next to her.

"Sure," Rhonda said disbelievingly as Hermione stood up to get a book off of the shelves.

"What?" Melanie asked, laughing. "It was just a flying lesson."

Rhonda shook her head. "You have to tell me everything," she told Melanie excitedly.

"Well..." Melanie started laughing at the look of excitement on Rhonda's face. "Why are you so excited about this?"

Rhonda just giggled. "Why aren't you? Harry Potter...captain of the Gryffindor quidditch team...best seeker in the school...gave you a flying lesson. What is wrong with you that you aren't excited?"

"Well, Ron was there, too," Melanie told her.

Rhonda gave her a look and Melanie stopped and thought for a second. She laughed to herself. If this had been back at home, she would have been all giddy and excited. Yet, she wasn't. She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. So, Harry gave me a flying lesson. It doesn't mean anything."

"I don't believe you," Rhonda said Hermione sat back down.

"It's the truth," Melanie argued. She bent down to grab her beginning charms book to find that it wasn't in her bag. She sighed. "I'll be right back-I gotta go get my charms book from my room."

Rhonda and Hermione nodded as Melanie stood up and walked out into the hallway.

"You're alone for once," she heard a voice behind her say as she neared the Ravenclaw common room. "I'm surprised."

Melanie turned and saw Draco step out into the hallway.

"What do you mean?" Melanie asked suspiciously.

"Merely that you, for once, aren't attached at the hip to that Ravenclaw...oh, what's her name?"

"Rhonda?" Melanie suggested.

"That's it. Not someone I would normally associate with, but definitely better than a mudblood like Granger."

Melanie rolled her eyes and continued walking. "I don't see why you feel the need to criticize my friends. It's not like you're one of them."

"Good. I wouldn't want my name associated with a blood traitor like yourself."

Melanie stopped in her tracks. She slowly turned to face him. "I am slightly surprised that it took you this long to come up with a new taunt for me, Draco. I would have thought you would have come up with one sooner."

"For your information, I was giving you a chance."

"A chance for what?"

"To become who you were supposed to be."

"Oh, there you go again, pretending that you know more about me than I do."

"I do. You act like you have no clue who your family is..."

"I have every clue!" she shouted at him. "What, was it because my mother was a Slytherin, is that why you seem to think I should be more like you?"

"You knew?" Draco asked in surprise.

"Yes, I know! My mom was a Buxley, was in Slytherin! But I know my mom and she's not some spoiled selfish prat like you are. And you shouldn't expect that I would become one just because my name changed."

"Your mother isn't the only Buxley whose blood flows through your veins. You don't understand, there are generations of respectable wizards behind you that you have a duty to honor."

"And what am I supposed to do, oh high and mighty one?" Melanie asked sarcastically. "Turn on who I am just because I have a fancy new name and I need to honor those that have been dead so longer than I've been alive? Besides, why do you care? Haven't my parents already stomped all over my name because they fled to the United States?"

"You know," he said seriously, taking a step towards her, "you don't have to go from being a mudblood to a blood traitor. You can choose to fix your parents' mistake and live the life you were supposed to lead."

Melanie looked at him disgustedly. "You're crazy. All of this stock that you put into names and family-none of it matters! Your family does not dictate who you are, you do."

Draco was silent for a moment. "Now you are the hypocrite."

"What!?"

"You say that family does not matter in who you are, but apparently it does matter in how you judge others."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not an idiot. Lots of students at this school don't like me because of who I am, because I'm a Malfoy. They're jealous."

Melanie scoffed. "That's funny," she said as she turned and continued to walk to the Ravenclaw common room.

"You even judge me by my name," he shouted after her.

"No, I don't," Melanie said, turning to face him. "I judge you by your actions. Remember, YOU were the one who ran into me and insulted me the first time we met." She turned on her heel and walked away. She had almost reached the common room when she heard someone call out her name. She ignored the voice and ran past the portrait.

"Well, good morning to you, too," Rutherford Brienwald's portrait greeted her as she emerged from the Ravenclaw common room a few minutes later with her charms book in hand. "Will you stop to speak to me now?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I thought some else was calling me," Melanie returned, stopping and facing the portrait.

"Somebody giving you problems?" he asked.

Melanie sighed. "Just a silly student who thinks I should be something I'm not."

"And what exactly would that be?" he asked.

Melanie shook her head. "I guess people have certain expectations of me because of who my mother was. But I can't convince them that none of it matters."

"Indeed, child. You are who you are. Besides, you have enough Brienwald in you to counter any of that Slytherin Buxley in you, eh?"

Melanie sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Not that I'm saying your mother was...oh, dear, I think that came out wrong."

"It's all right. I understand what you were trying to say. I'm just so tired about everyone focusing on family pride..."

"Your mother was quite a nice girl, as she got older," the portrait continued, not even listening to what she had said. "The more time she spent with Octavian, the better she got. I hoped that some of it would wear off on that friend of hers, too, but..."

"Her friend was in Slytherin, too?"

"Of course, did I not tell you that?"

"You couldn't remember who she was when we last talked," Melanie explained.

"Oh, yes, well, it wasn't fresh in my memory then."

"What? I don't understand, do you remember now?"

"Of course. I saw her son wandering around here just a little bit ago. Right after you went into the common room, actually."

Melanie's heart stopped in her chest. "Really?" she asked slowly.

"Yes, yes. Takes after his father, though, that one. Doesn't look very much like his mother did when she was his age. Pretty girl she was, Miss Black."

Melanie breathed a sigh of relief. She collected herself and looked back at the portrait. "I don't know anyone by the name of Black."

"Of course you wouldn't. All but died out now, the Blacks have. You'd know her by her married name-Malfoy."

"As in Draco Malfoy?" she asked fearfully.

"That'd be her son."

"My mother was friends with Draco's mother? Of course, how could it end up any other way..." Melanie commented to herself.

"Yes, yes. Quite close, as well. They were both in the same year, in Slytherin..."

"I...I have to go. I have a lot of studying to do," Melanie interrupted, starting to back away.

"Oh, of course. Don't want to keep you from your studies. Wouldn't be much of an ex-teacher if I did that, now, would I?"

Melanie gave a faint laugh as she waved goodbye and walked down the hall. Once she knew she was out of the portrait's line of sight, she stopped and leaned against the wall.

She laughed to herself and shook her head. "It never fails, does it?" she asked herself. "The second I'm starting to figure things out and get back to normal, something happens to screw it all up again."

She sighed and looked at the empty hallway around her. She shook her head kept moving towards the library. She was only a few feet away when she heard laughing voices. She looked at the end of the hall and saw a group of Slytherin fourth years sending hexes towards a small, red-haired Ravenclaw in too-large, second hand robes.

"Stop that!" Melanie shouted, running towards them as the Ravenclaw fell to the ground. The Slytherins gave her a fierce look, but turned and walked away.

"My mother used to be like that?" Melanie whispered to herself as she watched the Ravenclaw pick herself up. "Are you all right?"

A small head looked up at her and nodded sheepishly. "I'm used to it."

"You shouldn't just let them walk all over you like that," Melanie told her, bending down to help her pick up her scattered books.

"They're bigger than I am."

"Then find another Ravenclaw to help you," Melanie told her. "Like me. My name's Melanie." She held out her hand.

The girl looked in wonder from Melanie's face to her outstretched hand. "Pippy McGregor." She tentatively shook Melanie's hand.

As quickly as their hands touched, both girls drew them back immediately. It was as though a spark had passed between them.

"I have to go," Pippy said quickly, her eyes widening. She turned and walked away before Melanie could say anything. She sighed and walked back into the library.

"That was an awful long trip to get your charms book," Rhonda said as Melanie sat down.

Melanie just sighed and turned a page in her book.

"That good, eh?" Rhonda asked, turning to face Melanie. "What happened?"

"I talked to my grandfather's portrait," Melanie started to explain.

"Did he not have good news?"

Melanie sighed. "He talked to me about my mother, and when she was a student here...in Slytherin."

"So your mom was in Slytherin? We've been over this before. Plenty of decent wizards come out of there, I mean, look at Professor Slughorn. Actually, I think I might have had an aunt somewhere who was sorted into Slytherin..."

"But he talked about who her friends were." Melanie sighed. "She was friends with Malfoy's mom."

"Melanie you need to stop...did you say Malfoy?" Rhonda asked in surprise.

Melanie nodded meekly.

"Well, I mean, if they were both in Slytherin, then I guess..." Rhonda stammered.

"Rhonda, apparently they were best friends."

"Well...that...that doesn't mean anything," Rhonda told her. "It's been a long time since then, and people change. Maybe Malfoy's mom isn't so bad, and he just managed to miss out on that half of the genes."

Melanie laughed. "True." She sighed. "It just bothers me to think that my mom was friends with...with people like that."

"So things were different. You're mom's not like that now? And, I mean, look, she married your dad."

"So?"

"So...I sent an owl to my mom to see what she knew about the Brienwalds. You know, to give you a little bit of family history? Well, she said that the Brienwalds have always been a smaller family, and not as prominent. They're not as rich as the Malfoys and some of the other purebloods are, either, but they're just as respected. Not too bad of a family to come from."

"And my mom?" Melanie asked. "Slughorn said her family was mostly Slytherin."

"What, are you scared she's from a long line of dark wizards or something?" Rhonda laughed. "Melanie, now you're starting to get paranoid. If your mom had been involved with that side of things, they wouldn't have fled to the States. They would have been fighting with You-Know-Who."

"I guess you're right," Melanie admitted. "I was just scared..."

"You've had a lot thrown at you this year. I mean, you've found out you're a witch and that your parents have been lying to you and a million and a half other things. You've just gotten used to things being thrown at you that you've become paranoid and you're watching out for the next thing that's going to throw you a turn."

Melanie blushed.

"You just need to learn to relax," Rhonda continued. "There are no more big secrets, and, from here on out, you can learn to be a normal teenage witch."

"Even though I'm still horribly behind in all of my lessons?" Melanie added with a laugh.

"No, that actually is quite normal," Rhonda added, smiling. "What's not normal is the fact that you're more focused on reading a beginning charms book than thinking about why Harry gave you a flying lesson this morning."

"Rhonda! How many times do I have to tell you, that was nothing!"

"Nothing?" Rhonda asked disbelievingly.

Melanie sighed and rolled her eyes. "Come on, let's finish our studying," she said, pulling her potions book in front of her again.

They continued studying all day, moving to the comfort of the Ravenclaw common room after dinner. As they sat there studying, Professor Flitwick walked up to their table.

"Miss Brienwald, Professor Dumbledore wants you to come by his office tomorrow after breakfast."

Melanie nodded, surprised. "All...all right, sir. Have I done something wrong?"

"Oh, no," Flitwick shook his head. "I believe Dumbledore said that they have found the man who attacked you this summer."

"Oh," Melanie said, blinking. "Of course. Thank you, sir."

Flitwick nodded and walked off.

"That's good news," Rhonda whispered to her once Flitwick was out of sight.

Melanie nodded. "I wonder what Dumbledore has to say about it."

"You'll find out soon enough," Rhonda said as she went back to her transfiguration essay.

The next day, she nervously climbed the stairs to Dumbledore's office. "Sir?" she asked.

"Miss Brienwald, please, sit down," Dumbledore told her, pacing around behind his desk. "Now, I am pleased to inform you that we have indeed captured the Death Eater behind your attack in London."

"Yes, that's what Professor Flitwick told me."

"Yes," Dumbledore answered, continuing to pace. "When we had him in custody, we examined his wand and performed Priori incantatum. Do you know what that is?"

Melanie nodded. "Yes, sir. It lets you see the past spells that the wand performed."

"Well," Dumbledore continued to pace, "when we examined his wand we did indeed find the Avada murim spell that killed your friend Sophie."

Melanie nodded, biting her lip and looking down at the floor.

"However, the spell immediately before that-which should have been another Avada murim that was directed at you-was not what we expected."

"But I thought you said that you knew it was Avada murim?" Melanie asked, looking up at him.

"That's what we assumed. If your attack had been a random muggle attack, it would have been Avada murim. But, because the spell was somehow dissipated, we could not tell for certain unless we had the wand that performed the spell. Now that we have the wand, I have found that we were mistaken."

"What was it, then?" Melanie asked. "Something that would have knocked me out like that..."

"Do you remember anything else from that day, Melanie?" Dumbledore asked, avoiding the question. Melanie shook her head.

"No, just the flash of red light and then I woke up in the hospital."

Dumbledore nodded and continued to pace.

"Is something wrong, sir?"

"Would you object to me looking into your mind?"

"Sir?"

"Using the safety and restriction of a pensieve, of course," Dumbledore added.

"But why would you want to see? I told you, I can't remember anything else."

"But you may be simply blocking it out," Dumbledore explained. "A wizard casting Avada murim at your friend would not be enough to knock you unconscious. There must be something else that you are blocking from you immediate memory. If you allow me to view that memory through a pensieve, I may be able to see what you have tried to forget."

Melanie thought for a moment. "Of course, sir, but what should I do?"

"Simply try to think back to that exact moment, right before you saw the red flash that killed Sophie. Bring that memory to the front of your mind," Dumbledore instructed as he pulled out a large bowl full of silver liquid from the cabinet. Once he had set the pensieve on the desk, he drew out his wand and approached Melanie. "Just keep thinking about it," he instructed as he put the wand to her head and pulled off a silvery strand with it. He set it down into the pensieve and looked at it. Melanie saw him draw in a quick breath and then sigh.

"Interesting," he said to himself. "Well, that verifies the Priori incantatum."

"What are you not telling me, sir?" Melanie demanded.

Dumbledore sighed and looked at her seriously. "I do not know how to explain this to you, Melanie. I do not even fully understand."

"Sir?"

Dumbledore looked from her to the pensieve. "Can you give me an afternoon?" he asked. "By then, I could find the answers I'm looking for."

Melanie nodded reluctantly. "Whatever you want, sir."

Dumbledore nodded. "And by this afternoon, I will have the right people gathered to deal with this, er, rather unique issue."

Melanie gave him a confused look. "Sir?"

"That is all I can tell you at this time, Melanie. I do not mean to put unneeded worries on your shoulders. Enjoy your morning, relax, spend time with your friends. I will see you this afternoon."

Melanie nodded and walked out of his office in a daze.