Secrets of the Musidora

Potion Ingredients

"Are you still planning on going to Weasley's wedding?" Draco asked a few weeks later when he, Melanie, and Rhonda were sitting in the dining room eating lunch.

"I'm still planning on it," Melanie told him. "Whether you are planning on it or not is your own affair."

"What?"

"Draco, I don't want you to go if you're just going to make a scene. I am perfectly capable of going on my own."

"And you wouldn't even be alone," Rhonda added. "I plan on going, too."

"You two are absolutely wonderful," Draco said, smiling broadly. Melanie just shook her head and laughed.

"But I do need new dress robes. Do you want to go to Diagon Alley tomorrow, Rhonda?"

Rhonda nodded. "Sure. I'm sure my mom has a long list of things for me to get."

"Oh, and I need to get some more potions ingredients!" Melanie suddenly exclaimed as Rhonda rolled her eyes. "Don't laugh at me! My parents said that I can turn that room over by the kitchen into a potions lab and I need to stock up on materials."

"All right, so I'll make sure I allow you half the day to wander around the apothecary's." Rhonda laughed, and Melanie just gave her a look.

Melanie only spent an hour in the apothecary shop the next day, leaving with a bagful of a variety of potions ingredients and a noticeable decrease in the amount of gold in her purse. Their next stop was Madame Malkin's to buy Melanie a new set of dress robes.

"Melanie, I think this light purple would look good on you," Rhonda said, picking a delicate purple robe off of the rack.

"Oh, yes," Madame Malkin said, looking over her shoulder. "One of my favorites, that one."

Melanie took the robe into her hands and looked at it. She let her fingers stroke the delicate embroidery that lined the robe. "No harm would come from trying it on," Melanie admitted with a smile, disappearing into one of the dressing rooms.

"Oh, it fits you like a glove!" Rhonda exclaimed when Melanie emerged a few minutes later.

Madame Malkin nodded, walking up to Melanie and inspecting the dress. "It does seem to fit you perfectly, dear."

Melanie laughed to herself as she turned around and inspected herself in the mirror. "Well, you can't turn down something that fits this well."

Madame Malkin smiled as Melanie changed again and purchased the purple robes. They wandered back out into the grim setting of Diagon Alley. Melanie shuddered as they passed up boarded-up shops.

"This place is like a flash back to reality. It was so easy to forget about what's going on when I'm at home," Melanie said.

Rhonda nodded. "I used to remember when I would beg my mom to bring me here. I used to love this place, but now it's so grim and sad."

Melanie nodded as they kept walking. Melanie could almost remember the one other time she had been in Diagon Alley, before everything had become fearful. True, she had been in a daze for most of that visit from the rush of the attack and finding out she was a witch, but there were still flashes of wonder and amazement she remembered.

She sighed. That was all but gone now. Melanie watched the steady flow of somber and silent crowds pass them and wondered if everything would ever return to the way it was.

"Rhonda?" a passing man asked, stopping to look at them. He was a tall, lanky man, with a bushy head of brown hair with a matching moustache. His jolly face held a broad smile. "What are you doing here?"

"Uncle Archie!" Rhonda exclaimed, giving the tall man a hug. "It's nice to see you."

"The feeling is mutual, of course," he returned. "But what are you up to?"

"I'm here with my friend, Melanie," Rhonda said, turning back to look at Melanie. "Melanie, this is my uncle Archibald."

"Call me Archie, everyone else does," he laughed, reaching over to shake Melanie's hand. "You look familiar. What's your last name?"

"Brienwald."

"Oh, that's it," Archie announced, smiling. "You're Octavian's daughter. I see the family resemblance," he laughed, "you look just like your mother."

"Did you know my parents, sir?"

"I knew who they were. Your father worked at the ministry when I started working there. Good man, your father."

"Thank you, sir."

"Please, call me Uncle Archie like everyone else. I wish I had time to catch up with you two ladies, but I have errands to run. I'll see you on Sunday, Rhonda!" He waved as he walked off and disappeared into a shop further down the street.

"What's on Sunday?" Melanie asked.

"Family lunch. Happens every couple of weeks when I'm home for the summer. My mom cooks a big meal and everyone on the Mittenborn side of the family comes over for a grand total of five people-me, my parents, my uncle, and my grandma."

Melanie laughed. "Your uncle isn't married?"

"Uncle Archie, married?" Rhonda started to giggle. "Never. It doesn't fit him. Plus, I like the idea of being the only grandchild on that side of the family. Means I get spoiled."

"Oh, and I can't imagine anyone not enjoying that," Melanie said, rolling her eyes.

Rhonda giggled. "Oh, yes, I don't enjoy it at all," she agreed sarcastically as the two continued on. "But he does give wonderful presents. And on New Years he always conjures the best fireworks I've ever seen." Rhonda suddenly squealed in excitement. "You should come to my house for New Years! It'll be so much fun!"

"It seems a bit early to make plans for New Years already. It's only July."

"It's never too early to plan something with you," Rhonda said as they walked back to the Leaky Cauldron to floo back to Brienwald Hall. "If this year is anything like last year you'll be back and forth between England and the States a million times. I just want to make sure that I have dibs on you for New Years."

~*~*~*~

"You're going to the wedding, too?" Melanie asked, looking at her parents in surprise.

"Yes, well, why not?"

"Because you hardly know the Weasleys for one. I thought it was enough of a stretch when Rhonda and I were invited, but I had assumed it was because of our friendship with Ron."

"Melanie, you can't assume that you know who all of our friends are," her mother said smartly as she walked out of the room. Melanie looked at her father, who just shook his head.

"I don't understand. I didn't think you were friends with the Weasleys. I mean, I'd never heard you talk about knowing them when you were in school."

"That was because they went through before we did," her father answered.

"And you would have really gotten to know them after that since they were aligned with the Order and you and Mom were trying to stay neutral?" Melanie finished.

Her father shook his head. "You surprise me, Melanie. Sometimes I think you know our family history better than we do."

"So you didn't know the Weasleys?"

"No. We had never met them until you started school here."

"Then why are you going to Bill's wedding?"

Her father sighed. "Ever since the attack a few months ago, your mother and I have been working with the Order. Surely you'd noticed that there hasn't been a lot of unpacking going on, yet."

"Yes, but...Mom's working with the Order!" Melanie's jaw dropped in shock.

"Yes. She and Simon are going to help recruit Americans to help fight against You-Know-Who when they head back to New York in a few weeks."

"Simon?" Melanie interrupted. "But he doesn't know anything about magic!"

"He's learning. And it doesn't take much magical powers to speak to people and recruit. But, anyway, they want as many of the Order members at the wedding today as possible in case there is an attack."

"What?"

Her father sighed. "Several people are worried that You-Know-Who will want to have his own say in the ceremony. We've tried to keep the details as secret as possible, but they still want as much protection there as possible."

Melanie nodded, her eyes wide. "Do you really think there will be an attack?"

"I don't' think so. Anyone who'd think of attacking a wedding full of Order members has a death wish. But we need to be prepared if there is one."

Melanie nodded. "Of course."

Later that afternoon, Melanie, her parents, and Simon headed to the Burrow for Bill and Fleur's wedding. Melanie quickly caught up with Rhonda and they sat with her through the ceremony, which proceeded without a hitch.

Afterwards, Professor McGonagall came up to them and pulled them aside.

"Mr. Brienwald, if you'll remember I wanted to have a word with you and your family before you left?" she asked.

"Of course, Minerva," he answered, motioning to Violetta as the family followed McGonagall into the Weasley kitchen.

There was already an extremely large crowd gathered around the table, which magically expanded to allow the Brienwalds to sit down. Melanie looked around as everyone chatted to each other. She recognized about half of the table from the events of last year-Lupin, Tonks, the Weasleys, Moody, and a few others. She waved at Harry, Hermione, and Ron, who she saw sitting at the opposite end of the table. They waved back with a smile before Professor McGonagall stepped in front of them all and the table went silent.

"Now," McGonagall began. "I know that this will seem a very odd time to hold a meeting, but today was one of the few times when every single member of the Order could be present so we felt that we should take advantage of it..."

McGonagall was interrupted when then door suddenly opened. In walked a tall, dark figure that Melanie had not seen for months-Severus Snape.

"Severus," McGonagall whispered in surprise.

"Murderer!" Harry shouted, jumping up and drawing his wand.

"I understand you rage, Mr. Potter, but I ask that you postpone it until I can deliver my message." He drew his want and set it purposefully on the table. "You would not attack an unarmed man."

"What sort of trickery are you pulling, Severus?" Lupin asked, also drawing his wand.

"None, actually, Lupin. All I wish is to be heard. I am unarmed, so I hope that you will find it satisfactory to keep me alive until I am finished. Then you can do as you will and hold me accountable for my actions."

"Are you trying to weasel your way out of this by acting noble?" Harry asked.

"I'm not trying to weasel out of anything. More, I am trying to redeem myself."

"You would have to have quite a story up your sleeve if you think you are going to redeem yourself for killing Dumbledore," Lupin told him.

Snape laughed. "You act like that is what I wish to redeem myself of, Lupin. True, I will give you my reasons for that-and, yes, Lupin, I do have my reasons-but that is not what is most important to me at the moment."

"Your flowery language scares me, Severus. I don't like standing here fearing what you are dancing around," McGonagall warned. "Get to the point."

Snape bit back a response, instead turning to Melanie's mother. "Sixteen years ago, Violetta, I held information that could have spared your dear brother's life, and you have held me accountable for his death all these long years, just as I have blamed myself." His cocky attitude left him, and he looked at her sadly. He took a deep breath.

"I now hold information concerning another who is dear to you, and hope that this may, to some degree, pay back the ills that I have committed."

Everyone in the room held their breath as Snape slowly shifted to face Melanie. "Melanie, you are in grave danger."

"No!" Violetta cried, fainting into Octavian's arms as the room filled with whispers. Melanie looked timidly downward as his words sank in.

"The Dark Lord knows what you are, and he is working to have you brought to him so that he can figure out a way to twist your power to his advantage."

"How can he know what she is?" Mr. Weasley asked. "We ourselves did not know right away, and we had her standing in front of us! How could he have found out?"

"Nobody knew but us, so someone would have had to tell him," Harry said flatly, glaring at Snape.

"If you think it was me, Mr. Potter, you are very much mistaken. I have not passed one of the Order's secrets to the Dark Lord."

"Why not? You already betrayed us enough by killing Dumbledore!"

"I HAD NO OTHER CHOICE!" Snape yelled, his voice shaking the walls. "If I had not killed him, we both would have died, don't you understand?"

"I would have died rather than kill Dumbledore!" Harry yelled proudly. "So would have anyone else in this room!"

"As usual, Potter, you're using your Gryffindor gutso instead of what little intelligence you have."

"I've heard enough!" Harry said, pulling out his wand again. "I don't want to hear any more of your excuses."

"Fine, then. Kill me and you will not find out how your friend Melanie can be saved. Or is your anger at me more important than her life?"

Harry continued to point his wand at him. "You mean the danger that you put her in by telling Voldemort her secret? How do we know that this is real information that you are giving to us and not part of a plot to capture her yourself?"

"You don't seem to understand the value of information, Potter. Besides, that decision is not yours to make." Snape turned his attention back to Melanie.

"During the battle at Hogwarts, several of the Death Eaters observed your power at work and brought that information back to the Dark Lord. He immediately associated it with a similar occurrence he observed a little over seventeen years ago involving a Miss Alicia Winters."

"What are you talking about, Severus? Melanie is the first occurrence of this we have ever seen. If Alicia Winters had been a musea, we would have known it."

"She was," Melanie announced meekly. Every person around the table looked at her. "The Phantom told me last year about her. The Death Eaters tried to kill her, but they couldn't. So they took her to...to V-V-Voldemort and he killed her himself." Tears started to stream down her cheeks. "They had to curse her for five hours until she finally died." Melanie hid her face in her hands as she sobbed and whispers floated around the table. All the while, Snape stood before them, a pleased smile on his face.

"See, Potter? The Dark Lord was perfectly capable of figuring this out without my information."

"That doesn't mean you didn't tell him anyway," Harry growled, his wand still drawn.

"Harry is right, Severus. We still have no way to know that we can trust you," Lupin agreed.

"Then you do not wish to hear what I have to say at all?"

There was a silence around the table until Violetta finally spoke in a quivering voice.

"W-W-What does, does You-Know-Who want with Melanie, Severus?"

Snape sighed. "I am not entirely sure. I only learned of the plan recently, and only the points related to Melanie because of my closeness to Violetta. All I know is that the Dark Lord is planning something important and that Melanie plays a vital role in that plan. He is using every resource he has to capture Melanie and bring her to him. That is all that I know."

"Wonderfully useful information, that," Harry said, rolling his eyes.

"Just because I cannot tell you the date and time of a planned abduction does not mean that my information is not useful."

Lupin sighed. "He's right, Harry. Now that we know that he's after Melanie we can take steps to protect her and also use that as a start to figuring out what he's up to."

"How are you going to protect me, if I'm what Voldemort wants?" Melanie suddenly exclaimed, jumping up and walking away from the table.

"Melanie," her mother called. "Wait a minute..."

"I've had enough of this meeting," Melanie told her, streaks down her cheeks where her tears had slid. "I'm going home. I'll see you whenever you get back."

Two seconds later, she was in the living room at Brienwald Hall and she happily sank back into one of the chairs in front of the fireplace.

"Are you back already?" Draco asked, walking into the room. "I thought you would have stayed there longer. Where are your parents?"

Melanie couldn't do anything but shake her head as she stood up and just leaned into his arms.

"Melanie, what's wrong? Did something happen at the wedding?" he asked worriedly.

Melanie shook her head. "No, the wedding was fine." She laughed. "Actually, it was beautiful."

"Then what's wrong?"

Melanie sighed and looked at him, her voice frightened. "What's it like? To know that you're being hunted down and every second might be bringing you closer to the day that you'll be caught?"

"Melanie, what on earth are you talking about?

"Voldemort," she said quietly. Draco let go of her in surprise. "He's looking for you, isn't he? And he won't stop until he finally gets to you?"

Draco looked away, his face pale. He shook his head. "Why are you thinking about this?"

"I just learned something at the wedding, that's all," she said, sitting down on a nearby couch.

"What?" Draco asked, sitting next to her.

Melanie looked down, biting her lip and shaking her head.

"What, Melanie?" he repeated, putting his arm around her shoulder. She shook her head again before taking a labored breath.

"Voldemort's after me," she said quietly. Draco pulled his arm away and looked at her. "He wants to try to use my powers." Melanie looked up at Draco. "I'm scared."

"Don't be," he told her reassuringly, putting his arms around her protectively. "You have a host of people here to protect you."

"But will that stop him?" Melanie asked. "What if he gets to me anyway?"

"Melanie," Draco said, gently stroking her hair, "if there's anything I've learned from these past few months, it's that you can't spend every second in fear. If you're constantly worried about what's going to happen in the future, you end up loosing the future and the present." He sighed, turning her to face him. "These past few weeks just living here and spending time with you and Simon and Rhonda have been some of the happiest times of my life. Have I been scared sometimes that this will all be ripped apart one day in the future that I can't predict when You-Know-Who finally decides to get even for what I did? Sure. But I'd rather live life right now and accept that end when it comes instead of worrying about it and missing out on today."

"I didn't know you could be so insightful," Melanie told him, looking at him in surprise.

"I'm full of surprises," he replied. "Especially since I've started spending more time around you."

Melanie smiled as the fireplace glowed green and Harry walked into the room.

"Harry!" Melanie greeted, standing up in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"You left the meeting in an awful big hurry," he told her, throwing Draco a suspicious look.

"It was starting to become a bit much for me," Melanie admitted, backing towards where Draco was still sitting on the couch.

Harry nodded. "Well, you missed the end of it," he told her, still eyeing Draco suspiciously.

"What is it, Potter?" Draco finally asked. "I thought you had learned to trust me."

Harry stammered and Draco nodded. "I understand. Melanie, I'll see you tomorrow." He stood up and gave her a kiss on the cheek before leaving the room.

Melanie sighed. "He's really not that bad, Harry."

"Yeah, well, it'll take a bit more time until I'm ready to trust him with secret information."

Melanie rolled her eyes and sat down. "Well, now that he's not here, was there something you wanted to tell me? Did I miss something after I left the meeting?"

"Well, they talked a lot about how they're going to protect you-that's why your parents are still at the meeting."

"What about Professor Snape?"

"They're still discussing that, too," Harry answered gloomily. "I was tired of listening to it; that's why I left."

"You don't believe him?"

"He killed Dumbledore, Melanie! Can you think of any reason that we should?"

Melanie blushed. "I'm sorry, Harry. It's just...well, I have this feeling, deep down, that Snape is on our side."

"I'll believe it when I see it." Harry sighed. "Look, I don't want to get into this argument with you. I wanted to come here to ask you for help."

"With what?"

Harry cleared his throat. "Well, I'm going to be leaving soon with Ron and Hermione to try and track down those horcruxes."

"Harry, I've told you-I don't know anything about my uncle or what he may or may not have done! I wish I could help, really, I do. But I don't know how I can help."

"There must be something..."

"Harry, all of that happened before I was born."

"Your mom would know."

"Harry, she doesn't like to talk about it. And I don't think she'd like the idea of you just showing up and asking questions about my uncle. It's taken enough work to get her to be this comfortable back in the wizarding world." She sighed. "I really wish I could help, Harry."

Harry gave her a disappointed look. "You know what I'm looking for and why I'm looking for it. I explained it all to you last year, remember?"

"Of course I remember, Harry. And it's not like I don't want to help," she explained, sitting down on a chair. "I just don't know where to start."

"Well, let's try to figure it out," Harry said, sitting down across from her. "Your uncle was Rimian Buxley."

"And the Death Eaters tracked him down and killed him when I was just a baby. I don't know why, other than he might-MIGHT have destroyed a horcrux."

"Why doesn't matter as much as where he might have hid that horcrux."

"I don't know where he would have, Harry. I mean, the Death Eaters burnt down the estate. As far as I know, there's nothing left."

Harry's face fell. "Was everything destroyed?"

"Almost. I think Mom saved some things."

"Could the horcux have been with them? I doubt that a fire would be powerful enough to destroy a part of Voldemort's soul."

Melanie twitched at bit, but then sighed. "Well, if Mom saved anything, she would have stored it in our attic back home," she said, standing up.

"Then it'd be in the States?"

Melanie shook her head, leading him out of the room. "When we were moving, my parents brought everything back here. Well, almost everything," she added, laughing. "But I know all of the stuff in the attic got sent here."

"So it'd be here?" Harry asked, the excitement rising in his voice.

Melanie led him down the hall into the library. There were still several boxes scattered about. "Yeah. Everything from the attic just got shoved in here for right now, and we haven't had a chance to go through it." She sighed. "If it would be anywhere, it'd be there."

Harry nodded, excitedly going to one of the boxes and starting to go through it.

Melanie crouched down by another box and started to go through its contents.

"Do you even know what you're looking for?" she asked.

"A large locket," Harry answered, tossing aside random trinkets as he searched through the box. "And anything else..." His voice trailed off as he looked curiously at a round silver ball with etchings all around it. He let it roll across the floor as Melanie took out a delicately carved wooden box.

"Harry..." she said, looking at the different pictures carved into the box.

"What?" he asked, looking over her shoulder at the box. The carvings were painted red and black: a black dragon on a red mountain.

"I've seen this before," Melanie said. "It's the Buxley family crest." She opened the box and pulled out a photograph, its frame burnt and glass broken, of four people: a set of parents and two nearly identical children.

"It's my grandparents," she said softly, running her fingers over the burnt frame.

"Well, it looks like we found what your mom rescued from the house," Harry said, grabbing the box from her and leafing through its contents. "Here it is," he whispered, pulling the locket out from under more burnt photos.

Melanie gasped and watched as the locket dangled from its chain. "So that's a part of...of You-Know-Who's soul?"

Harry nodded, inspecting the locket as he turned it around in his hands. He laid it on the floor in front of him and pulled out his wand. He muttered some spells before shaking his head and putting down the wand.

"I think your uncle already destroyed it," he said. Melanie nodded and carefully picked it up.

"That's amazing," she whispered to herself, handing the locket back to Harry.

Harry nodded and stuck it in his pocket. He sighed. "Thanks, Melanie."

"No problem," Melanie answered, starting to put everything back in their boxes. "Did that help?"

"It helped enough to know that there is one less horcrux out there," Harry said, standing up.

"How many more are there?"

"Three, I think. Hermione and Ron are coming with me to track them down and defeat them before...before the final battle."

Melanie's heart stopped in her chest. "It's going to happen, isn't it?"

He nodded. "There's no way around it. Otherwise Voldemort will never be stopped."

She gulped. "My offer still stands," she told him. "If you want protection..."

"No!" Harry told her. "No. I won't put you in that danger, Melanie."

"I don't mind," Melanie protested.

Harry shook his head. "But I do. Melanie, you can't honestly expect me to let you protect me after what happened in the astronomy tower."

"But that was..."

"No, Melanie," Harry told her firmly. "That's not your use."

"Then what other use do I have?" Melanie asked, tears starting to form in her eyes. "What's the use of this power if I can't use it!?"

"It's too dangerous..."

"Others are risking their lives!" Melanie argued, but Harry still shook his head.

"Voldemort wants you, don't you understand? You need to be kept safe and we shouldn't risk that by having you try to protect everyone."

"But I don't understand..."

Harry shook his head. "There's something more to this, I can feel it. There's something with your powers that we haven't figured out yet, and it won't do us any good if too much stress is put on you and something happens."

"So what am I supposed to do?" Melanie yelled. "Sit around in perfect luxury and safety waiting while everyone else is fighting? That's completely useless!"

"No, it's not." Harry sighed. "Think of it like a potion. Some potions take months and months to brew, and you have to add the ingredients when they're supposed to. If you add the ingredients too early, you ruin the potion. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Melanie nodded sadly. "I'm that later ingredient."

"Exactly. There will be a point when you will get involved with all of this, but it's not now. Okay?"

Melanie huffed. "I don't like that."

Harry laughed. "You don't have to. Just stay safe until it's time for you to get involved, and try to figure out why Voldemort's so interested in you."

"Harry, I'm immune to the killing curse. Of course You-Know-Who's interested in me." Melanie rolled her eyes.

"But I think there's something else to it, too," Harry told her. "And I think you need to keep experimenting and figuring out what that something is."

Melanie sighed. "Fine. It doesn't seem like I have much choice in the matter, anyway," she grumbled.

Harry laughed as they both walked back to the living room. "Good. I have a surprise for you, then."

"What?" Melanie asked as Harry snapped his fingers. There was a pop and a grouchy house-elf appeared at his side.

"This is Kreacher. Kreacher, I want you to stay here and watch out for Melanie here."

"Harry..." Melanie protested.

"No. You need more protection and Kreacher can't hurt."

Melanie looked down at Kreacher, who was muttering something under his breath.

"Harry, won't you need him?"

Harry shook his head. "He doesn't like me much, anyway. He'd be happier here with purebloods. And I have another house elf that I can call on if I need it."

Melanie eyed him. "Are you sure?"

Harry nodded enthusiastically. "Yes. Please, I'd be happy to get him off of my hands."

Melanie laughed. "When you put it that way."

Harry nodded. "I should get going. I'm going to meet with Hermione and Ron." He walked over to the fireplace and grabbed a handful of floo powder. He turned and faced Melanie again. "You know, Kreacher was supposed to belong to the Malfoys if I hadn't inherited him by default. So, really I'm just returning him."

"Any more reasons that I shouldn't feel guilty about taking Kreacher off of your hands?"

Harry shook his head. "Nah. Take care of yourself. I'll see you soon." He disappeared into the fireplace.

"You too," Melanie told the empty room before looking down at the house elf at her feet. "So you're Kreacher?"

"Master's friend is speaking to me," he muttered to himself. "Another one of Master's dirty friends. A dirty girl living in a house better than she."

Melanie's eyes widened and she just looked at the house elf in shock. She opened her mouth to respond, but couldn't come up with anything.

She sighed. "We have another house-elf, Trinket. You two should probably meet."

There was a pop and Kreacher disappeared. Melanie looked at the empty spot on the floor for a second.

"Well, I guess he went to meet her, then," she said to herself as the fire behind her glowed green again. Her parents walked through and Violetta ran up to Melanie and gave her a giant hug.

"Violetta," Octavian told her. "Melanie's fine. There's no reason to get all bent up about it."

Violetta nodded as she let go of Melanie. "It's just the thought of...You-Know-Who after Melanie!"

"Violetta, we just got done discussing this with the Order. She will have plenty of protection."

"Since when has increased protection done any good?" Violetta asked, her eyes beginning to fill with tears.

Melanie looked at both of her parents. "You're not thinking of sending me back to New York, are you?" she asked.

"Of course not," her father assured her. "The Order thinks, and I agree with them, that it will be easier to protect you if you stay at Brienwald Hall." Melanie sighed in relief as her mother huffed.

"They're going to have the Ministry put under their protection and add a bit more of their own. You will have to stay here and not venture beyond the house and its grounds, but you should be safe as long as you stay here," her father explained.

"But what about when school begins?" Her parents exchanged uneasy looks.

"Hogwarts won't be open this next year, Melanie," her mother answered quietly. "The school's governors have decided to close it."

"What!? They can't! What am I supposed to do for school, I was going to get my N.E.W.T.s this year!"

"You'll have to just study at home," her father said. He sighed. "I'm sorry, Melanie. But that's the way things are during times like these."

Melanie gave him a sad look and nodded. She sighed. "It's unfair."

"Life isn't fair, darling," her mother told her, shaking her head. "If life was fair a lot of things would have never happened." She sighed and looked from Melanie to Octavian sadly. "I've had enough for one day. I'm going to go to sleep."

"I'll be right up, Violetta," Octavian told her as she left the room. He turned to Melanie and gave her a hug. "I'll see you tomorrow, Melanie."

"Night, Dad," Melanie replied as her father walked out of the room. Melanie sighed and looked around the empty room. Her eyes caught on a large photograph sitting on the fireplace mantle beside the pot of floo powder. Her father smiled at her from the framed photo, his young form draped in a Hogwarts robe. Behind him stood two older wizards, her grandparents, their hands his shoulders in pride. She sighed before she shook her head and wandered upstairs to her room.