Power of the Musea

This is a little longer of a chapter, but it needed to be so I wouldn't leave any more deadly cliffhangers. Like I've said before, I've tried to keep as close as possible to Half-Blood Prince, but I did change a few things around to better suit my plot. This is the chapter where it really starts to get apparent that I've chosen to change a few things.

Chapter 12: A Motherly Visit

Melanie walked back down to the Ravenclaw common room in a strange daze. In fact, she was already in her dormitory before she even realized where she was. The room was empty except for a girl named Lisa Turpin, who was sitting and reading quietly on her bed. Melanie sighed and sat on her bed, trying to focus on her charms book, but her thoughts kept drifting to what Dumbledore had told her. She looked over to Rhonda's empty bed and grumbled.

"The one time I really need you..." she thought to herself. As her eyes moved around the room, she noticed a familiar-looking object next to Lisa's things.

"Lisa?" Melanie asked.

"Yes?" she answered, not looking up from her book.

"Would you mind horribly if I borrowed your broom?"

Lisa looked up at her in surprise. "What?"

"I'm stressed and could use something to keep me busy, and I don't have a broom of my own."

Lisa crinkled her eyebrows. "Do you even know how to fly?"

"I'm not great, but I can fly well enough," Melanie answered, thinking back to her flying lessons with Harry. He had only met with her one or two other times, but she knew how relaxing he said flying could be, and she needed a distraction.

"Fine, I guess. I don't know if anyone'll be practicing though, you might not be able to fly on the pitch."

"I'll just fly around the grounds, then. I just need to release some stress," Melanie answered.

Lisa shrugged her shoulders. "Fine, then, as long as you bring it back."

"Don't worry," Melanie assured her, grabbing the broom and heading outside.

When she was a safe distance from the castle, Melanie took a deep breath and mounted the broom. She stood there for a moment, trying to remember Harry's instructions. Finally, she took a deep breath and pushed off into the air. She flew rather clumsily around for a while until she decided to try to land. Her feet hit the ground, but she rebounded back into the air and flew uncontrollably for a few more feet.

"Ah!" Melanie yelled as she skidded to a stop next to a well-dressed woman with long blonde hair.

The woman turned around quickly and looked down at her in surprise.

"I'm so sorry," Melanie said, standing up and wiping the dirt off of her robe. She looked at the woman, surprised to see someone that she did not know on the castle grounds. The woman just looked at her silently, as though she had been in the middle of something and could not think of what to do next.

Another blonde head peeked out from behind the woman. "Yankee? What are you doing out here?" Draco demanded. He held his broom in one hand, his face red as though he had been arguing but a moment before.

Melanie just looked at him silently in surprise.

"Draco, that was rude. Where are your manners? Have they gone the same way of your work ethic?" the woman asked, finally managing to compose herself.

Draco pretended to ignore her comment, but Melanie noticed him take in a deep breath. "Mother, meet Miss Melanie Brienwald. Miss Brienwald, my mother, Mrs. Narcissa Malfoy."

"Brienwald," she said to herself. "Are you Violetta's daughter?"

"Yes, ma'am."

The woman's pale face focused on Melanie and, slowly and unexpectedly, transformed into a smile. "I thought you seemed familiar. Well, it's wonderful to meet you, Melanie. Seeing you brings back memories that I haven't thought about in years."

Melanie couldn't help but smile as Narcissa continued. "Your mother and I used to be close friends. We roomed together at Hogwarts, in Slytherin." She inspected Melanie's robes with a quiet chuckle. "But I see that you take after your father, being sorted into Ravenclaw."

"So I am told, Ma'am," Melanie said.

"It seems so long ago that we were all students here," she trailed off, looking past Melanie. "And so much has happened since." She sighed.

"Some days I wish we were all back here, when life was so simple," she added softly, and Melanie thought she saw a few small tears forming in her eyes. She shook her head and smiled again. "But look at me, reminiscing while I'm sure that you want to get back to your, er, flying." She glanced at Lisa's broom, lying on the ground nearby. "Are you on your house team, Melanie?"

"Oh, no, I'm not good enough," Melanie told her. "I just wanted to come out here to relax for a bit, actually."

"Well, then it seems that you and my son have something in common," she said, suddenly becoming stern and glaring at Draco as he looked away. "Since it seems that my son would rather fly at the moment than focus on more important matters, maybe he could help you with your flying."

Melanie gulped and tried to hold back her horror at the suggestion in an attempt to be civil.

"Of course, Mother," Draco agreed forcibly with a fake smile. "We can practice at the pitch." He turned and started down towards the pitch and Melanie grudgingly picked up Lisa's broom and followed him. She hoped in the back of her mind that a team would be practicing, but the quidditch pitch was surprisingly empty.

Draco looked around. "Yes, this will work well for a flying lesson, although I doubt I can be as good of a teacher as the great Harry Potter," he whispered into Melanie's ear as he flew by her. Melanie cautiously kicked off and flew up by Draco.

"Don't act like I want this either, Malfoy," Melanie told him once they were outside of hearing. "This is not my idea of relaxing. I'm only doing this out of respect for your mother."

"Good, then we are both agreed in our motivations," Draco said as he sped past her. Melanie cautiously followed him at a snail pace.

"Is that all the faster you fly?" he asked critically.

Melanie just glared at him as he flew into the stands and grabbed a strange ball that Melanie didn't recognize.

"I guess that mean's racing's out. How about some catch to pass the time?" he suggested.

"I don't know if I can..." Melanie protested, but he threw the ball at her before she could finish. She tried to catch it, but couldn't let go of the broomstick long enough to. Draco zipped by her and caught it before it hit the ground. Melanie worked hard to mask how impressed she was as he came back level with her.

"No, no, no, you have to let go of the broom to catch the quaffle," he told her. One of his hands was on the broom, the other was holding the quaffle.

"As I was trying to tell you, I'm not confident enough on the broom to let go yet," she hissed back.

He opened his mouth to say something, then shut it. "Fine, then, I'll just have to teach you." He zipped back to the stands to replace the quaffle before returning to Melanie. "Can you fly with only one hand?" he asked.

"I can try," she agreed unwillingly. She let go of the broom with her left hand, letting her right one steer. She moved cautiously forward, not letting her left hand drift far away from the broom.

"That's a good start," Draco told her. "Now hold your hand out, like you're waving at a crowd in the stands." He flew past her, waving to an invisible crowd. Melanie continued to inch forward, gradually holding her hand out like Draco.

"Good," he said, flying around her. "Now, wave with your dominant hand this time," Draco instructed as they flew past the stand again.

Draco sped past her and returned with the quaffle. "Now, can you fly while holding the quaffle?" He handed Melanie the quaffle and she tried to hold it while still grabbing the broom with her right hand. As she started to move, the quaffle slipped from her grasp and sent Draco speeding down to get it.

"Hold it with your right arm, your dominant arm can grasp it better," he told her, and she followed his instructions. She was able to hold onto the quaffle this time.

"Great, now get it across the field to the other hoops," Draco told her, following behind.

It took her a few minutes to make it across the field, but she finally made it, quaffle still under her arm. She managed to pull up next to the tallest hoop and bump the quaffle through.

"Ten points for Ravenlcaw!" Draco shouted, and Melanie actually laughed. "Of course, it wouldn't make any difference. You took so long to get across the pitch that I could have found the snitch and won the game."

"Are you a seeker?" Melanie asked, ignoring the rude comment as she tried to remember the few things Ron and Harry had told her about quidditch.

Draco nodded. "And team captain," he added. "Just like Harry."

There was a silence, and then Melanie noticed the quaffle on the ground below them. "Aren't you going to get the quaffle?"

"No," Draco shook his head. "I'm going to teach you to fly with no hands now so you can catch."

Melanie looked at him, a bit of fear in her eyes.

"You'll be fine," he assured her. "Just lift off your one arm." She did so confidently. "Good, now the other one." She slowly inched her left arm away from the broom. "Now go forward." The broom moved forward, but Melanie's hands instinctively grasped the handle again.

Draco shook his head. "No, don't grab it. You'll be all right, I'll catch you if you fall."

Melanie looked up at him. "I don't know if I trust you."

"Would I really let you fall in front of my mother?" he asked. "Now, take both of your hands away and try it again. Come on." Melanie sighed and followed his instructions, but her hands returned to the broom yet again.

Draco shook his head. "This isn't working." He flew in front of her. "Okay, try it again; take both of your hands off of the broom." Melanie again complied. "Now close your eyes." She looked at him in surprise. "Trust me," he told her.

She looked at him in defiance.

"Trust me," he repeated, his voice becoming strangely gentle. "Please, Melanie."

His words surprised her, and she slowly allowed her eyes to close.

"Now let your broom go forward," she heard his voice instruct. The broom indeed went forward, and Melanie could feel her hands trying to fall back onto the handle. However, something got in the way, and she opened her eyes. She found herself slowly flying forward, with Draco directly in front of her, holding her hands up.

"I told you you could trust me," he told her with a raise of his eyebrow. "Now fly without my help." He gave her hands a squeeze and let go. Melanie hands flinched back towards the broom, but she managed to keep them up. Draco started clapping and flew past her, smiling. It was a new look for him, and she didn't know what to make of it. They both floated to a gradual stop and looked at each other.

"Not too bad, Yankee," he said gently.

"Draco!" they heard Narcissa's voice echo from the ground. Draco turned around and headed to the ground, and Melanie followed him. "It's almost time for lunch, and I have to leave," she finished when they had landed. "We should be heading back to the castle."

Draco nodded and turned to Melanie. "Goodbye, then, Miss Brienwald," he told her, suddenly courteous.

"Well, Draco, if Melanie is finished flying she can walk back with us."

Melanie thought for a second. "Actually I do have to be heading back to the castle myself," she admitted.

Narcissa smiled. "Fantastic. Perhaps you could tell me more about your parents on the way."

Melanie nodded as they began to walk towards the castle. "Well, my mom...she's..." Suddenly the surrealistic atmosphere of the afternoon fell and Melanie realized who she was with. Was she really about to tell Draco's mother that her mother, Narcissa's childhood friend, was working in a muggle department store? She searched her mind for a way to describe her parents that wouldn't suggest how much they had abandoned magic. Did Nacissa not know the extent that Melanie had been raised in the muggle world? Or was she just accepting of it? The latter seemed more likely when Melanie through about it.

"Yes?" Narcissa asked expectantly.

Melanie just shrugged her shoulders and looked away. "I don't really know. I, er, spent a lot of time at school. Even before I was here."

"That's right, this is your first year at Hogwarts. I keep forgetting," Narcissa said. "I was so surprised when Draco sent me a letter asking about you, saying that you had turned up as a new sixth-year student. I assume that your parents were teaching you magic at home, then, while you were in the United States?"

"Yes, I was being taught in the United States, Ma'am," Melanie twisted her words. Draco looked at her curiously.

"That's a twist of the truth," he whispered in her ear.

"Oh, and you don't?" she returned. They started to near the castle and Melanie suddenly became very apprehensive about being seen. As the walked into the entrance hall, Melanie looked frightfully around, scared that someone would see her walking into the castle with the Malfoys.

She did indeed see a very familiar face, but it was the last face she ever expected to see at Hogwarts.

"Melanie? Is that you?" she heard her mother call.

"Mom?" Melanie asked, leaving Draco and his mother to run up to her.

"Good," her mother said, grabbing her arm. "I found you, now I can get you out of here." She started to lead Melanie away when Narcissa approached them from behind.

"Letta?" she asked, her eyes looking at Violetta in disbelief. Melanie's mother looked up at her in surprise.

"Cissa!" she answered in surprise. "What...what are you doing here?"

"I'm visiting my son of course. You do remember my son Draco, don't you Letta? I know that he was but a baby when you last saw him, but surely you remember that I had a son your daughter's age." Narcissa's voice suddenly became cheerful. "What are you doing here? Melanie didn't tell me that you would be here!"

Violetta just continued to look at her in shock. "I...I have a very important discussion to have with my daughter, Cissa, so, if you will excuse us."

"Of course, Letta..." Narcissa trailed off as Melanie's mother pulled her away.

"Where are you taking me, Mom?" Melanie asked as they made their way down the hallway.

"To the Ravenclaw common room so you can pack your things. Then we're going to Dumbledore's office so I can take you home."

"But I thought that you were going to let me stay!" Melanie protested as they reached the entrance to the common room.

"Certain events have changed that decision. Now, go and pack."

Melanie looked from the portrait guarding the common room to her mother. "No," she protested.

"Melanie, I'm not in a mood to deal with this right now. You are coming home and that is the end of it. Now, go to your room and pack."

Melanie huffed and walked inside. She made her way up to her room. Lisa was still sitting there, but now Rhonda was there, as well.

"Did you have a nice time flying?" Lisa asked as Melanie returned the broom.

"It was fine," Melanie said as she turned to her things.

"What's going on?" Rhonda asked as Melanie started to shove things into her trunk. "Did something happen when you talked to Dumbledore?"

"My mom's forcing me to leave."

Rhonda gasped. "What!?"

"She's waiting outside the common room. I have to pack and then go to Dumbledore's office. I'll be leaving from there." Melanie paused in her packing to turn to Rhonda. "I'm sorry, Rhonda. I'll try to send you a message somehow, but I don't know if I'll be able to."

"No." Rhonda shook her head. "No! They can't make you go!"

"She's my mom, Rhonda," Melanie told her, returning to her packing. "Yes, she can."

"Then pack slower," Rhonda told her.

"What?"

"Just pack slower!" Rhonda repeated as she went out of the room. "I have an idea!"

Melanie sighed and slowed down her angry pace. Unfortunately, she did not have much to pack, so, even at a slow pace, it still passed quickly.

She slowly dragged the trunk down through the common room, where she received a few odd glances. Nobody asked her anything, though, as she dragged the trunk out into the hallway.

"Good, let's go," her mother said, leading the way to Dumbledore's office. Melanie, weighed down by the trunk, lagged behind. Her mother turned and looked at her. "Goodness, have you learned nothing here! Where's your wand?"

Melanie tentatively handed it to her. "Locomotor trunks," Violetta commanded, and the trunk floated up to Melanie's waist level. "Now come on," Violetta told her, pushing the trunk ahead of them with the wand as Melanie stared in wonder at her mother.

It did not take long to reach Dumbledore's office, and Melanie's mother soon led her in, surprising Dumbledore.

"All right, Dumbledore, where do you keep your floo powder? I'm taking Melanie home."

"Mrs. Brienwald, when I said that you could collect your daughter, I did not mean for immediate departure. There are still many items to discuss."

"It is Mrs. Harver. And there is nothing more to discuss, not with me," she answered, dragging Melanie to the fireplace. "My husband is at the courthouse in New York right now getting our names officially changed. I'm bringing my daughter back home and we're going to disappear again."

"Don't you think that you're being slightly rash?" Dumbledore asked as she searched for floo powder.

"Dumbledore, I just found out that Death Eaters attacked my daughter fully knowing who she was. I cannot ignore that, and I cannot allow her to remain here. Now where is your floo powder?"

"What? They knew who I was?" Melanie asked, looking from her mother to Dumbledore, but Dumbledore's eyes did not move from their focus on her mother.

"I'm afraid I have recently run out, Violetta," Dumbledore confessed with a glimmer in his eyes. "I am afraid that you will have to remain here for a few extra moments until some is found."

Melanie's mother glared at her. "That's not going to work, Dumbledore. I want to leave, and I want to leave now. You cannot force my daughter and I to remain at Hogwarts against our will!"

"Against your will, Violetta, for Melanie's view has been quite unheard, I'm sure."

"She's a child, it doesn't matter what she thinks. I'm her mother!"

"Only for one more year. Once she turns seventeen in less than a year, she is free to make her own decisions."

"Only here. In America, it's different."

"I highly doubt that the Minsitry will take that into account."

"Are you threatening me, Dumbledore?"

"No, Ma'am, I am merely reminding you that Melanie is close enough to being a mature adult that her views can and should be brought into account."

"She doesn't know enough to make a mature decision."

"Then maybe she should be told what she needs to know."

Violetta opened her mouth to respond, but was interrupted by the door bursting open.

"Professor Dumbledore! You can't let them leave!" Rhonda shouted as she ran into the office accompanied by Hermione, Ron, and Harry.

"Who are you?" Violetta asked, looking at the group.

"Melanie's friends, obviously," Dumbledore chuckled.

Violetta looked the group over, pausing at Harry's scar. "You're..." She turned to Melanie. "How can you even think that you're safe from the Death Eaters when you're becoming friends with their number one target! I wanted you to stay low and neutral, and off you go making friends with the most well-known teenage wizard in the world!"

"Violetta, I'm afraid that a lot of times we cannot choose our own friends. Often, fate chooses them for us."

She sighed and rolled her eyes. "It doesn't matter, Dumbledore, because I'm removing my daughter from them, so they are no longer a threat."

"Violetta, please, I beg you to calm down for a moment and think about your actions. If, after discussion, you decide that it is best for your daughter to return to the United States, then I will do nothing to hinder it. However, you may decide that it is best for her to remain here. But allow us to discuss this. Melanie is not going to be harmed by staying here a moment longer."

Violetta put her face close to his. "I just found out that Death Eaters cast the killing curse on my daughter! What do you honestly think I'm going to choose?!"

A stunned silence filled the office and the color drained from Melanie's face.

"The killing curse?" Rhonda whispered to herself.

"Yes," Dumbledore answered. "It would seem that Mr. Potter is not the only one to have survived it, now." He returned to Melanie's mother. "Violetta, I know that this scares you, because it's the one thing you've always feared-to have your family attacked. But I ask you to remember one thing-Melanie survived."

"Yes, because of some freak accident! I'm not going to take my chances on a freak accident occurring again. I'm not going to press my luck."

"I understand your view, Violetta. But, if you would listen to me, I could tell you that I do not think that Melanie survived because of a freak accident. I think that she has an ability and gift that protected her."

Violetta looked at him in disbelief. "Nothing can stop the killing curse, Dumbledore. I might not have been in the wizarding world for sixteen years, but I do remember that particular piece of information."

"No known defense in the wizarding world can repel the killing curse, yes," Dumbledore agreed, "but I am talking about a power so far unknown in the wizarding world."

Dumbledore now held the attention of everyone in the room. "Violetta, if you would please let me explain thoroughly before you come to a permanent decision? Melanie definitely deserves to know what happened, and maybe you might learn something new, as well."

Violetta looked from Dumbledore to the fireplace to Melanie's confused eyes. "Very well," she sighed. "But if I'm not convinced within the hour, I'm going and taking my daughter with me."

"Very fair," Dumbledore agreed, nodding. "The rest of the group I wished to discuss this with should be arriving shortly."

Just then there was a knock at the door. "Ah, and here they are."

Melanie looked up in surprise as McGonagall and Snape walked in, accompanied by many others that she did not know. She looked at Rhonda, who looked as confused as herself, but Harry, Ron, and Hermione seemed to know and be familiar with the whole group.

Dumbledore was also watching as the group entered. "Good, that's everyone," he said, turning to the other students. "Now, it is your turn to leave."

"But Professor!" Harry objected.

"This is our affair now, and you do not need to be present."

"But we want to know!" Ron chimed in.

"We'll find out anyway!" Hermione added.

"Yes, you might very well find out many or all of the details from Miss Brienwald later. But, it is first up to us to decide what she can and cannot reveal. Understand?"

The group unwillingly nodded their heads and started to walk out the door.

"Does that mean that I should go too, sir?" Melanie asked.

"Of course not, Melanie. We need you here to explain what happened. Besides, I promised you answers," Dumbledore replied as the door closed behind Rhonda.

"Now," he continued, facing the group which had magically all found seats in a semi-circle around Dumbledore, Melanie, and her mother, "we are ready to begin. Please, sit down Mrs. and Miss Brienwald."

Violetta grumbled and uncomfortably sat down, looking at the group around her. Melanie noticed her gaze focused quite a bit on Snape.

"Now, I trust that you realize this is all top-secret information, Violetta," Dumbledore began. "This is not to be repeated to anyone."

She nodded unwillingly.

"The same applies to you, Melanie."

"Of course, sir," Melanie replied, looking in wonder around the room.

"Now," Dumbledore continued, "Violetta, I'm sure that you can guess who the people are sitting before you, but, for Melanie's sake, I shall explain. These are some of the members of the Order of the Phoenix-the group of wizards that formed to fight against Voldemort in his first reign of terror. Now that he has risen again, so have we."

He looked down at Violetta. "It seems so ironic that you should now be sitting in front of the group that you so desperately tried to avoid because of the daughter that you wanted to save in the first place."

"I get your point, Dumbledore," Violetta said through clenched teeth. "Remember, I have a limit, so I suggest that you begin to convince me of why I should let my daughter remain here, where she is so obviously in danger."

Dumbledore nodded. "I wish that I could give you an explanation of why your daughter was attacked in London, and to be able to assure you that it would not happen again. However, that is not the case. Although we have apprehended the Death Eater responsible, the only information that we could get out of him was from his wand. Now, since not everyone here is fully acquainted with all parts of this story, I would ask Melanie to please stand and tell us her experiences of the afternoon that she was attacked."

He turned expectantly to Melanie, who slowly stood up. In a quivering voice, she began the tale from when she and Sophie had left the hotel lobby, and ended with the flash of red light and blacking out.

Dumbledore nodded. "Thank you, Melanie. Now, investigation proved that Melanie's friend was killed by Avada murim, which also explains the red light. However, we could not pinpoint what spell was cast on Melanie because of an unexplainable dissipation in the spell's usual remnants. So, we just naturally assumed that the Death Eater had also cast Avada murim on Melanie as part of a random muggle attack, and that she managed to escape due to her until then unknown wizarding heritage."

"Yes, Albus, but there are many parts to that story that don't make sense. It is unlike a Death Eater to attack two muggle girls. Instead, they would prefer a large-scale attack. Second, why would they dissipate the spell if it was Avada murim, which is actually perfectly legal?" one of the members, a scary-looking man with a particularly large eye, asked.

"Yes, I know, Moody. Those thoughts went through my mind as well. However, since Miss Brienwald had no further recollection of the afternoon, I decided to focus my thoughts on apprehending the culprit and keeping Miss Brienwald here at Hogwarts instead of trying to solve this mystery only with the few clues then at hand.

"So, Miss Brienwald was tutored here over the summer by the help of Miss Granger, and she began sixth-year classes at the start of term. I myself must admit my surprise when Miss Brienwald manage to successfully pass all of her OWLs with only a summer's amount of magical experience. Personally, I was expecting her to land at a third to fourth-year level instead. Not quite with her age group, but still better than attending class with the first-years." Dumbledore sent Melanie a smile. "So I allowed her to attend classes with students her own age, and she made fast friends. You can see the choices she made from the group that was in here earlier."

Violetta gave off a huff as Dumbledore smiled. "So, you can all imagine that I was quite excited when the Order captured a Death Eater and discovered that he, indeed, was the one that attacked Miss Brienwald and her friend in London. The aurors, of course, performed Priori incantatum on the wand to be sure of it. Tonks, why don't you explain what you found?"

A pale woman with mousy brown hair stood up. "When we performed the spell on the wand, there weren't two castings of Avada murim like we had expected. Instead, we found that Avada murim had been cast, followed by the killing curse. We were extremely shocked by this, but every test and spell we've tried says that those have to be the two spells cast in the London alley."

"Thanks, Tonks," Dumbledore told her, looking over at Violetta, who was shifting uneasily in her chair. "Of course, in trying to find an explanation for this increased mystery, I returned to the source-Melanie. Melanie agreed to let me put her memory of the event in a pensieve so that it could be viewed from another angle. This memory includes what I believe to be the vital clue to solving this mystery. However, before we view it, I would like to explain a few things. I am the only one to have seen this. The memory in the pensieve extends beyond Miss Brienwald's conscious recollections, so she does not even know what is coming. This memory verifies the auror's findings that the Death Eater performed the killing curse on her, but also gives the only clue I have as to how she survived. I have formulated a guess on how it worked. Many may think it is a crackpot theory, but it is the only one I think plausible. Anyway, I will now let the memory speak for itself."

Dumbledore moved his wand over the pensieve, which was still out on the desk. The pensieve moved to the middle of the group, and an image began to form for all to see:

The underground car door opened, and a large crowd of students walked out. Melanie and Sophie giggled as they followed the class out of the station and up towards the exit. Suddenly, a wizard in black robes appeared and walked between the two girls and the rest of the group. They tried to get around him, but by the time they succeeded, they lost sight of the rest of the class.

"Where'd they go?" Sophie asked worriedly.

"Don't worry," Melanie quickly assured her, pulling her up the stairs. "We're at the right stop. We just need to find the concert hall once we get up to the street. It should be very close."

They reached the street level, and continued to look around them to find their class. The two girls started to walk towards a policeman at the end of the street, but an unfashionably dressed man bumped into them.

"Lost?" he sneered.

Melanie tried to pull Sophie away from him, but Sophie resisted.

"We're looking for the concert hall," Sophie told him.

"Oh, it's right down that alley," he crooned at them, pointing down a dark alley.

"Sophie, no," Melanie whispered as Sophie started to walk down the alley.

"What? This is the way to the hall."

"I wouldn't trust him, he looks fishy."

"Just because the English don't have a sense of style? C'mon," Sophie told her as she pulled an unwilling Melanie down the alley.

A large wizard, again in a black cape, appeared in front of them. His lips, the only parts of his voice visible underneath his hood, formed into an evil smile.

Sophie let out a whimper and started to run. "Avada murim!" the figure shouted, pointing his wand. The girl collapsed in a giant flare of red light.

The man turned to Melanie, his smile widening. He drew his wand and pointed it at Melanie, who started to back away, breathing quickly.

"Avada kedavra!" he shouted, and a stream of green light hit Melanie. The blaring sound of a dissonant melody echoed as the girl collapsed, the green light spreading over her body and disappearing into dust.

The room was silent. Violetta was grasping her daughter next to her, and everyone seemed to be staring at Melanie in shock.

"She did it," a man with red hair said to himself, "she successfully blocked the killing curse."

Dumbledore nodded. "That's right, Arthur. Usually, the bolt of green light will strike the victim and bolt through them like lightning. Here, though, it covered her like a fog and vanished-a sign that the spell was dissipated by something."

"But how, Albus, that's impossible!" McGonagall answered, looking at Melanie with wide eyes.

"I did not know at first, but as I watched the memory through several times, the presence of the music began to intrigue me."

"So? It must have been background noise," Snape pointed out.

"That could have been possible, except that there was no other background noise in the rest of the memory. I was forced to come to the conclusion that the music was part of the spell."

Most of the group looked at him in confusion. Only Moody looked at Dumbledore with open eyes. "You're not suggesting..." he trailed off.

"You know exactly what I'm suggesting, Moody," Dumbledore told him. He switched to addressing the whole group. "There has long been a thought-a legend, more like it-that music has powerful magical properties. And I am talking far more than simple relaxation and whatnot. This legend claims that certain people," he shot a look at Melanie, "can use music for extremely powerful purposes Until now, that thought has long been nothing but a legend-there was never any proof. However, due to lack of other explanations, I think that we have found that proof."

He turned to Melanie. "I just want to try one simple test, but it requires your permission."

Melanie nodded cautiously.

"I am going to cast the imperious curse on you. It is in the same class of the killing curse, but, of course is far less dangerous. We should be able to accurately tell if any musical protection caused your defense," Dumbledore, taking out his wand.

"The imperius curse? So you're going to be able to control my actions?"

Dumbledore nodded. "But only for a short while. And I won't do anything dangerous, you can be sure of that from the presence of your mother."

"Now wait a minute, Dumbledore," Violetta challenged, standing up. "I'm not going to stand here and let you perform an unforgivable curse on my daughter!"

"Yes you are, Violetta, if you want to know the extent of your daughter's ability. You said that you would give me an hour to prove that your daughter is safe. If she can successfully repel the imperius curse with her musical ability, then I would say that there is no doubt that she would be able to repel another Death Eater attack."

"I'm okay with it, Mom," Melanie told her. "I want to know."

Violetta sighed, glaring at Dumbledore. "Fine. If this works, I will entertain further discussion. If not, I'm taking my daughter back home right now and we're going to disappear from any traces of the wizarding world."

Dumbledore nodded. He looked at Melanie. "Are you ready?"

She nodded, trying to stir up all of her power to resist his attack in the hopes that she could convince her mother to stay at Hogwarts.

"Relax, Melanie," Dumbeldore told her, "Since you don't know how this ability works yet, you will be more successful if you relax and let your natural defenses take over."

Melanie nodded and took a deep breath. "I'm ready."

"Imperio!" Dumbledore shouted, and he pointed his wand at Melanie. They locked eyes, yet nothing else happened. Dumbledore put down his wand and looked at her curiously. "What did you hear inside of your mind?" he asked.

"Just music," she told him. "Mozart, I think."

Dumbledore looked to the crowd. "I was trying, with increasing power, to attempt to get Miss Breinwald to run around the room clucking like a chicken. As you can see, I was most unsuccessful."

"She didn't even flinch," Moody said in amazement. "I've seen people throw off the imperius curse, but it's always a bit of a battle. Nothing like that."

"Then we are all in agreement that Miss Brienwald possesses some form of musical power that can protect her," Dumbledore asked, and there were nods all around the room.

"Amazing," Tonks was whispering to herself.

"Dumbledore, will she be able to extend that power to others?" someone asked.

"This could be the break we've been looking for," someone else echoed.

"Wait a minute!" Violetta shouted, interrupting the mumblings. "I see exactly where this is going." She whirled around to face Dumbledore. "You're going to try to use her in the fight against You-Know-Who, aren't you?" She stared at him with accusing eyes.

Dumbledore took a deep breath. "If this power is indeed what we think, and if she indeed is willing, yes."

"Oh, no! It's one thing for me to allow her to stay here, but I will not allow her to stay anywhere near England if I know she won't be able to avoid getting into this fight!" Violetta screamed. She turned to Melanie. "We're going, now."

Melanie looked up at Dumbledore, who was looking at them sadly.

"No," she told her mother.

"What?" Violetta asked.

"I'm not going," Melanie repeated.

"I am your mother and I'm telling you that we're going home. Now let's go!" She grabbed Melanie's arm.

"No, I'm not," Melanie told her, pulling her arm away. She looked at her mother for a second. "Can you honestly expect me to leave now? My friends are here, and they're facing a horrible, uncertain future that is full of danger because of a horrible wizard. How can I leave now, when I find out that I might be able to help protect them? You left everything you knew and loved to protect Simon and me, because you loved us and wanted to give us a future. How can you now expect me to abandon the friends that I love just as much when I can help them?"

Violetta looked at her daughter, speechless. All Melanie could think about was the scene she had witnessed between her mother and Mrs. Malfoy-two best friends that flight had torn apart. Somehow, she had seen herself and Rhonda in their places.

"I know you just want me to be safe, Mom, but realize we'll never be safe as long as we keep running. Somehow, someway, things will come back to us. And I would much rather risk my life protecting my friends and what I care about than trying to save myself by running."

"You don't understand!" Violetta told her, running up to her. "You think it is brave, to die for others? Now you do, because you are young and can't understand the finality of death. But, once you're involved in all of this, once things take a turn for the worse, once you're in so deep that you can no longer escape, that's when you realize how wrong you were not to run. That's when you realize that living is worth it."

Melanie looked up at her in shock, tears starting to run down her face. "Since when do I not understand the finality of death? How can you possibly know what I do and do not understand, when I have to live every day knowing that Sophie died and I did not!"

"And I intend to keep it that way!" Violetta shouted, her eyes wild. She breathed heavily for a few minutes before she calmed down. "Darling, you can't understand the fear that went through my heart when I found out that you were attacked in London. And I never want to have to experience that again. That's why I can't let you stay. It's for your own good."

"Violetta," Dumbledore said softly, and she turned. "You can't just turn your back, not now."

"Yes I can, Dumbledore. I chose to save my family fifteen years ago, and I'm going to choose to save them now."

"Violetta," Snape suddenly interjected, rising from his seat. Violetta looked at him in surprise.

"Severus. You know, I am truly surprised to see you here. I thought you were aligned with the other side," she said menacingly.

"I used to be, Violetta, until I realized my mistake. You now know my big secret. I am a spy. I bring Dumbledore vital information about the Dark Lord's plans and devices. I am deep in the organization, and, trust me, the Dark Lord has nothing to fight against power like Melanie is showing. He has nothing that could break her defenses, especially not if they're developed properly."

"There is no such thing as invincibility, Severus. I'm sure there is a way."

"Just as I'm sure there is a way to track you down once you flee to America. Yes, Violetta, there is always a way," Snape returned coldly.

Violetta glared at him.

"Listen to me, Violetta," Snape continued, walking towards her. "I have had your daughter in class. She came to Hogwarts just a few months ago with absolutely no magical knowledge, and now she is one of my better Defense Against the Dark Arts students. Clearly your daughter is in possession of incredible magical abilities. Putting everything with the Dark Lord aside, it is pity enough to force this girl to leave an area in which she is obviously extraordinarily gifted. I know that you are thinking only about Melanie's safety, but focus on her overall best interests as well. She is safe at Hogwarts, where she will receive a spectacular education. Can you really close this door of opportunity that you've opened before her so quickly?"

"My family is neutral in this conflict and will remain so! If remaining here will encourage Melanie to choose a side, then I will remove her before she has to."

"Melanie is a young adult," Dumbledore explained. "You cannot control her choices and life forever."

"SHE IS MY DAUGHTER!!!" Violetta screamed.

"Not you, meaning that you cannot make all of her decisions for her," Dumbledore argued.

"Just as you could not make all of Rimian's decisions for him," Snape added.

Violetta looked at him like he had just slapped her across her face. The room became oddly quiet, and Melanie looked around in confusion.

"Don't mention my brother in this," Violetta said slowly and forcefully.

"Why? He is the cause behind all of this," Snape continued. "You couldn't bear the fact that he chose a side and died because of it. That just brought everything too close to home, and that's why you left. Because you realized that you were loosing control over your family's choice to remain neutral and couldn't stand it."

"No, I realized that there was no such thing as staying neutral, and that, no matter what we did, we would not be safe. That's why we left," Violetta argued.

"You can't fool me, Violetta. I might not have seen you in fifteen years, but I have all those years of school to fall back on for reference. You need to realize that you can't control Melanie anymore and that she should be free to make her own choices, just as Rimian was."

"How do you dare speak about my brother? He was your closest friend, the only one who accepted you, a half-blood, at first, yet you allowed him to be betrayed and killed! Why should I follow your advice? Maybe you'll just betray Melanie the same as you betrayed Rimian," she continued cruelly.

If it was possible, the color drained from Snape's face. Melanie looked between them in confusion. Dumbledore noticed her glances.

"Now, I don't wish to split up this argument, but might I remind you two that with every attack you aim at each other makes a greater and greater impression on the student standing in front of you," Dumbledore told them, and they both looked at him.

"Maybe Melanie should leave before we continue," Snape suggested, his usual snarl returning.

"Quite impossible, Severus, for we still need to discuss what to and what not to reveal to the students who were in here when Violetta unfortunately let her tongue get away with her."

"What does Melanie have to do with that? She's not staying at Hogwarts!" Violetta protested.

"We need her to tell us what her classmates already do and do not know. So, might I suggest that you two go down to Severus's quarters and finish this argument that I believe has been brewing for fifteen years..."

Violetta glared at Dumbledore before sighing and nodding. She and Snape left, but not before she flashed a look to Melanie that clearly said: "Don't get too comfortable."

Melanie shivered as she sat back down in the quieter circle.

"So, what shall we do about Misters Weasley and Potter and Misses Granger and Mittenborn?" Dumbledore asked, breaking the awkward silence.

"Why tell them anything?" someone asked.

"Because they already know that Melanie somehow escaped from the killing curse, and they are expecting an explanation of why."

"I'm a horrible liar," Melanie announced.

Everyone looked at her in surprise.

"Just so you know in case you want me to tell them a lie," she explained meekly. "I'm a horrible liar and they'd all be able to see right through it."

Dumbledore nodded. "I understand, and I don't think that it will be necessary."

"What do you mean, Albus?" McGonagall asked.

"I was considering telling them the entire truth."

Arguments popped up among the group.

"I agree with Dumbledore," a weak-looking man announced, standing up. "Weasely, Granger, and Potter already know a great deal of the Order's Secrets. Letting them know this would not be a problem."

"But what about the Ravenclaw?"

"Rhonda?" Melanie asked. "She's my best friend. You can trust her with anything."

"She is the niece of Emmeline Vance and was the second cousin of Dorcas Meadowes. Her family is very loyal to our side. Letting her know this secret surely will not be a disaster."

"And why would she let information get out that would hurt me?" Melanie asked. "She would never do anything to hurt me."

"Information isn't just revealed by walking up and announcing it," Moody warned her. "There are other, more painful ways to get it. If someone suspects that she knows something, then there are chances that she could be harmed to get to that knowledge. Being let in on secrets doesn't just involve questions of can you be trusted, but questions of are you willing to endure pain and death to protect those secrets."

Melanie's eyes widened and she gasped quietly.

"There's no need to scare her, Moody," McGonagall told him, looking kindly towards Melanie.

"Fright is very much needed when the risks indeed are that great," Moody replied.

"But we have yet to even decide what those risks are," the man with the red hair countered, looking at Dumbledore, who nodded.

"This is something we will have to discuss amongst ourselves, Melanie," Dumbledore told her. "It is not a matter that concerns you."

"What am I to tell the others, then?" Melanie asked. "Assuming I stay."

"I have faith in Severus. Your mother will let you stay, unless I am greatly mistaken." Melanie gave him a thankful smile. "And, as to your question about your friends, if you can refrain from telling them anything tonight I will explain everything to them tomorrow."

"Explain how much, Albus?" Moody asked.

"What we decide to reveal to them once Violetta returns and we are free to discuss things amongst ourselves," he said, looking towards Melanie.

Melanie blushed as the door opened and her mother stormed in, a calm Professor Snape behind her.

"All right," she began, looking at Melanie. "I'll let you remain here for school only. It's too late to enroll you back home again, anyway. But I will keep in constant touch. If I get one more hint that you are in danger-you're gone. Understand?"

Melanie nodded, trying to hold back a smile. "Perfectly."

Violetta nodded. "Fine, then I guess that I will return home, then."

"Are you sure that you do not wish to remain, Violetta? I understand that your old friend Narcissa is here and that she would love to reminisce with an old friend. Stay, and take a closer look at your daughter's world."

Violetta shook her head. "No, Dumbledore. I've made my choices, just as Narcissa has made hers. I'm not ready to abandon the life I've made for myself. I don't think I'll ever be ready. It's hard enough realizing that my daughter is."

Dumbledore nodded and handed her a fistful of floo powder. "A pleasant journey to you, then. You or any of your family are quite welcome to visit if they wish to."

Violetta nodded and turned to Melanie. "I hope I'm doing what's right," she said, giving her a hug. "If you decide that you're in danger and want to come home, you can floo to New York City. You can find your way home from there."

Melanie nodded. "I'll remember that, Mom."

"I'm just trying to do what's best for you, darling. Just remember that," she said, giving Melanie one last hug.

"I know, Mom. I love you."

"I love you, too, darling," Violetta returned, smiling at her as she disappeared into the fire.

"Good. Now that issue is resolved. I must ask Severus later how he convinced her," Dumbledore laughed to himself as he sat down at his desk. "Now, Melanie, if I could ask for a little privacy."

Melanie looked around the room and nodded as she started to walk toward the door. "Oh, my trunk," she said to herself, looking back towards the fireplace. But she couldn't see it.

Dumbledore smiled. "It's already been taken back to your room. Go back and get a good night's sleep and I'll see you tomorrow."