Secret Behind The Mask

Chapter 11-Apologies Accepted?

The classroom was a complete mess. Pieces of parchment flew around the students, ink blotches decorated the stonewalls, and there was smoke coming from her desk. She also noticed that half the students were, not only worried about her, but also scared out of their wits to even come near her.

She looked around the room in awe. When her gaze rested on McGonagall, she didn't know what to do. Had she created such a mess? What happened?

Melly opened her mouth as to speak, but McGonagall held up her hand to silence her.

"I'll tell you about it when you feel better," she said. "No apology needed, for now. Class, please resume your work."

She bit her lip, and looked around the room one last time, catching the now annoyed look from Hermione, the now disappointed shake of the head from Harry, and a confused look from Ron, who didn't seem to understand what just happened as she failed to understand it herself.

Melly swiftly turned around and walked silently behind Madam Pomfrey to the Hospital Wing, again.

They walked in silence until they got to the infirmary, where Madam Pomfrey ordered Melly to sit on one of the beds while she went into her office to retrieve some medicine.

As she sat in silence, waiting for Madam Pomfrey, Melly thought about what might have happened.

Let's see. She pondered. I was thinking about my mother's dieing day, and I woke up to find myself, on the floor, in a classroom that looked like the Weasley twins just ran havoc, blowing things up and what not.

What happened? Snape's voice was heard. I couldn't get a hold of you all day! And now, here you are, thinking like it was a usual day for you.

Sorry, but I was thinking about what happened in class today. I-what do you mean you couldn't get a hold of me all day?

I tried to contact you after you left the Great Hall, but you wouldn't answer me. I haven't been able to contact you until now. What's this thing with the Weasley twins running havoc in a classroom? They aren't here are they?

No. But, that's weird. Today's just been a strange day for me.

Melly glanced down at her wrist, remembering what happened that morning in the library. She also remembered what Madam Pomfrey had said about her cuts. Strangely, Madam Pomfrey couldn't heal her wrist where the bracelets broke the skin. All that remained of the cuts are now slits, scars that won't heal.

Melly thought it strange. Those were muggle bracelets anyways, were they not? Then, how could they have magic in them? How strange indeed.

Madam Pomfrey came back at that moment, carrying a bottle of what seemed to be some ort of pink, watery liquid. She held up a cup and poured the substance, and handed it to Melly.

"Drink this, it will calm you down, in any way needed. And, it tastes like mint,' she added once Melly gave her a disgusted look.

Melly shrugged, and downed the liquid. It really did taste like mint. In fact, it tasted so much like mint, which it felt as if she were drinking liquefied mint.

As soon as Melly handed Madam Pomfrey the cup, all her nerves seemed to feel lazy, and her eye lids a little droopy. Is what Madam Pomfrey mean when she said, "calm"?

"You need your rest," Madam Pomfrey stated. "It will be near dinner time when you awaken. I'll be sure to notify your professors for your excused absence."

Melly laid back with no difficulty at all, and fell fast asleep.

---

Meanwhile, back in the classroom, after Melly had left, Harry turned to Ron.

"Come on, Ron," he said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Ron nodded and turned around and walked back to his desk, where Hermione was waiting for them.

"How strange," Hermione said as soon as Ron and Harry sat down. "Who could think that a single person could do so much damage, and not manage to harm anyone?"

"What was she crying about?" Harry asked.

"Faith," Ron said, quietly.

"Ron, a question," Hermione said. "What happened in the library? After Melly slit her wrists with her bracelets, what happened to you?"

Ron shrugged. "I thought I told you back in the library? Well, I was thinking that Melly didn't mean anything that she said; about her mother's name being Faith, and that her and you-know-who are related. But, now, I think I can see a few resemblances between them. Then, out of now where, we were outside. It was a warm, sunny afternoon, and we were standing near the lake. Us three, and Melly. She was looking at you, Harry, with sad eyes. You walked up to her, and suddenly, she pointed her wand at you, and then she disappeared. That's when I found we were in the library. I didn't think she did anything to you, because she vanished before any words could get out of her mouth. It was strange, now that I think about it."

Hermione sighed. "Ron," she said, quietly and sympathetically, "Melly is bad news. She really is you-know-who's descendant. She's got evil blood all over her. I can't believe I didn't see it before."

"Just because she has evil blood in her," countered Ron, "doesn't mean that she has to be evil."

"Ron, you heard her say, yourself, that she would-" said Harry, but Ron shushed him, for Professor McGonagall was uncomfortably close to them.

"Do we really have to talk about this, now?" Ron asked, as quietly as he possibly could. "Can't this wait?" He held his head in his hands and pretended to concentrate on his paper.

So far, all he had written down was: Creature- Norwegian Ridgeback. Reason- I like dragons, so I thought that I would choose this particular creature. My brother, Charlie, works with them in Romania, and I'm sure he would tell me all that he can about the dragon.

Oh, wow. So his brother worked with dragons, and...? He didn't know much about dragons, but he knew he had resources.

But his mind wasn't on the paper he had to write for class. He didn't care at this moment that it was either due today, or extra homework. All he could think about was why was Melly going mental and crazy? The last freaky dream she had was last Friday, and it wasn't that serious. Well, it was serious, but she didn't destroy a whole classroom!

He felt someone nudge him in the arm, and looked up to see Hermione and Harry waiting for him. He looked around and saw that everyone had cleared out of the classroom, all except for McGonagall, who was tidying up her classroom.

He grabbed his work, and followed his two friends out of into the hall.

"We have to go to Dumbledore," Harry announced, stepping in front of the two. "She nearly wrecked the classroom. If she isn't evil, Ron, then you might as well throw me in Azkaban for saying that Voldemort isn't evil."

Hermione sighed, and nodded her head. "He's right, Ron. Voldemort gave Melly an assignment, although, I don't know what it was."

Ron looked back from Harry to Hermione. He then shook his head, although very slightly. He couldn't believe what he was hearing! His own friends going against Melly!

"You're wrong," he said. "You're both wrong!"

Hermione placed a hand on his shoulder, whispering his name, but he snatched his arm away. Without thinking, he dashed down the hall. Where was he going? He didn't know. All he knew was that he couldn't stand around and let his two best friends criticize Melly. He knew that she was under a spell! He knows that she still is under a spell! The Melly he knew wouldn't say those things! The Melly he knew wouldn't go off to Voldemort, regardless if he tortures her! The Melly he knew didn't go crazy, and burn up classrooms, and have you hallucinate, and say that she was proud of being Voldemort's daughter! Well, maybe she didn't say that, exactly, but you could hear it in her voice.

Ron stopped running, and bent down so he could take a breath. When he looked up and took in his surroundings, he found himself at the one place he'd wanted to go since he saw Madam Pomfrey take her out of class.

---

Melly squeezed her eyes shut in attempt to open them in broad daylight, but failed, for it was too bright. She groaned and placed a hand on her forehead.

Boy, did she feel like crap. Her head ached, her muscles ached, and her eyes hurt, since it was too bright outside.

She sighed and dropped her hand to her sighed, but shot her eyes open, regardless of the brightness, and sat straight up. She looked over to see Ron sitting next to her bed, his hand on the bed, holding her own, looking startled at her sudden awaken.

Melly sighed heavily and slowly lay back down.

"What are you doing here?" she asked in an annoyed tone.

Ron must've not gotten the hint, for he answered her anyway. "I came to check on you. You were asleep all day, and I was worried you wouldn't wake."

"What time is it?" she asked, yawing.

"It's just after dinner, and it's still a little light, also," he added as he looked out the window. He looked back at her and smiled, but his smile slowly faded away as Melly looked back at him with concerned eyes.

How long was he sitting next to her? Didn't he get the hint that she didn't like him anymore? Wait, she didn't like him at all! Her feeling for him returned! Actually, how could it return if she's never felt it before? She knows she has never felt anything towards Ron Weasley, and yet, she feels as if a long lost feeling has just been found when she looks at him.

"Do you remember what you said this morning?" he asked, causing Melly to wince at the sudden breaking of silence.

Why does he want to know? Of course she remembers! How could she forget? How come, when she thinks about what happened earlier, she starts feeling guilty? She's not supposed to feel anything! She got rid of that feeling when her bracelet departed from her arm. She got rid of that feeling, yes. But, why does she feel like crying when she thinks about it?

Slowly, she shook her head from left to right.

Ron took a deep breath. "You don't remember anything from this morning?"

Again, she shook her head. "What happened?" she asked in a tired voice.

Ron looked back out the window, then at the door that led to the outside corridor, and finally back to Melly again. "You told us everything."

That's not true! She didn't tell them everything! She didn't say that she had secret contact with Snape. She didn't tell them her job. Well, of course she didn't tell them her job! That would've been just plain stupid.

"What did I tell you?" she asked. When Ron didn't answer, she became more demanding. "What did I say? If I said anything bad, Ron..." She hesitated, but kept her mouth open so she could look like she was going to say more.

She knew that what she did was stupid this morning in the library. She shouldn't have broken their trust. She now knows that. How is she going to get Harry to Lord Voldemort without Ron and Hermione always by his side? She had to regain their trust. Well, at least Harry and Hermione's trust. She still had Ron's trust.

"Whatever I said, if it was bad, I'm so sorry, Ron. Did I say anything horrible?" This time, she sounded pleading. She even looked the part, tears starting to well up, her lip trembling...

Ron shook his head, only slightly. "I don't think that'll work with Harry and Hermione," he said in a sad tone. "I accept your apology, full on. I always knew you were under a spell. Of course, when you said that you weren't and that you never liked us, it felt real."

Melly let her mouth hang open. She wasn't under a spell! Why wouldn't he accept that? Apparently the other two did. Does this guy have any brains at all?

"I was under a spell?" she asked, her voice sounding like her mind was drifting. "I can't believe that I said that you! I don't dislike you, Ron. I really do like you."

Ron smiled widely and Melly stifled a grin. Why were her insides going wild at this "smile-at-each-other" moment?

At that moment, someone walked in the infirmary, but was unnoticed by Ron and Melly. She walked up to them, and smiled.

"Looks like you're awake, Miss Avalon," Madam Pomfrey said. She looked at the two, who didn't stop looking at each other. She cleared her throat. "I hope you're happy to know that you may go now. I want you to come straight here if any of these strange dreams occur again, are we clear?" She sighed hopelessly and walked back to her office, mumbling, "You don't care. You're not even listening to me. Why do I even bother with you?"

Melly tried to make herself look away. She heard perfectly well what Madam Pomfrey said, but she couldn't move. Why couldn't she move? It was like Ron had placed her in an Imperious Curse with his eyes.

Sherry and Pansy burst through the infirmary doors, and scurried down to where Melly and Ron sat.

Sherry, totally oblivious to Melly and Ron's position, began pacing at the foot of Melly's bed, and chatted away about how much she was glad that Melly was finally awake, and that she was leaving. She didn't notice Ron and Melly staring at each other until Pansy nudged her in the arm and pointed them out.

Help me, Sherry! Help me, Sherry! Melly was chanting.

Okay, I've decided! Ron exclaimed to himself. I'm in love!

He flinched, and slowly looked away, but quickly snapped his gaze back at Melly. Feeling drawn to her, he closed his eyes, sighed, and leaned back, all the while smiling.

Melly's eyes went wide. She looked anxiously at Sherry and Pansy, who were both trying and failing to keep a straight face.

She looked back at Ron, who had opened his eyes and was now staring at her again.

"Awe, does wittle Wonald Weasley have a wittle cwush on Melly?" Sherry said in a mocking, baby face tone.

Ron and Melly both shot their heads to her, giving her deadly glares. Melly's face turning a bright red, making both Pansy and Sherry burst out laughing.

"Look!" Pansy exclaimed. "Now they match!"

"Melly's wed face, and Wonald's wed hair!" Sherry said, still talking like a baby.

"You're really embarrassing yourself, do you know that, Sherry?" Melly said in a low, death threatening tone.

Sherry's face turned serious, and her face also added a tint of red from embarrassment.

Melly pushed the covers back, and set her feet on the ground. She suddenly felt a shiver run through her as she felt the hard, cold stone of the floor. She looked around and saw her cloak sitting on a chair right next to her. She grabbed it, and threw it over her shoulders. She grabbed her shoes, which were laid, convienently, right next to her feet, and she stood up, brushing her hair back.

She gave a nervous glance at Ron, and then looked at Sherry and Pansy. Sherry was tapping her foot impatiently, and Pansy still couldn't keep a soft chuckle hidden from her. Ron stood also, walking to the foot of the bed, and standing with his hands in his pockets.

"I think I better go find Harry and Hermione, shouldn't I?" Melly asked Ron, who nodded in return.

Sherry and Pansy looked at her puzzled.

Melly slowly walked to them, and placed a hand on Sherry's shoulder, and a hand on Pansy's shoulder to keep from falling over, since not using her legs all day made her feel numb.

---

Ron walked closely behind them as they walked through the corridors to the Gryffindor Common Room. Melly had suggested that she get some rest after searching for Harry and Hermione for almost an hour.

They finally came to the portrait, and the two Slytherins stayed back while Ron whispered the password. The portrait swung open to reveal the hole in which the Common Room was located.

Ron walked to the three girls, and grabbed Melly's arm. Melly said good night to her two best friends, and slowly walked into the Common Room with Ron, where they found it empty, except for the two people that they needed.

Melly swallowed nervously. How was she supposed to apologize to two of the most stubborn Gryffindors? Well, they were only stubborn when they wanted to be, and she knew that they well wanted to be.

Ron helped her to the fireplace, and sat her down in the chair next to the fire. He smiled at her, and got up to get Harry and Hermione, who were sitting alone in a corner, far from the fireplace.

What would she say? "I'm sorry" seemed easy enough. But, would they accept it? No, of course not. They would go for something more elaborate, more thoughtful. A mere "I'm sorry" wasn't going to do anything.

Why was she even apologizing in the first place? Why could she just put all of them under Imperious and take them all to Voldemort? It would help. Just two extras. It wouldn't hurt any of the Death Eaters to kill them.

But then, she couldn't do it. For some reason, she didn't want to bring Harry or the other two to him, fearing that they will get killed.

Stop it! You need to stop thinking like that! Melly scolded herself.

But do I really want them all to be killed? What would happen then? Would I be able to return to school? I have my underage magic license, and I have my Apparation license. So, why do I need school?

I decided that I won't harm them.

All of sudden, a sharp pain wisped through her wrist. She gasped in pain, and held onto it. She looked at where the sharp pain was, and saw that the scar from the 'Pain Bracelet' was glowing, only slightly. She clasped her other hand to her wrist.

Why does it hurt so much? She asked herself. I just said I wasn't going to harm them, I never said they weren't going to get killed.

The pain from her 'Pain Bracelet' disappeared quickly, but her 'Love Bracelet' scar started burning, but not a painful burn. More of a sadness, depressing type of pain that could only be felt when you're sad or depressed by someone you love.

Just as Melly was studying her scars, a hand was placed, lightly, on her shoulder, making her wince, and the pain to suddenly go away.

She looked up to be welcomed by the smiling face of Ron, who had Hermione and Harry behind him. Melly glanced at the two, and looked towards the fire.

Ron led Harry and Hermione in front of Melly, and smiled encouragingly at her.

Melly glanced at Harry, then Hermione, and both were wearing scolding faces.

"You better make this fast, Melly," Hermione said, her voice low. "It doesn't matter what you say, we're still going to Dumbledore tomorrow."

Melly swallowed, hard, trying to get rid of the lump that had appeared unexpetedly in her throat. Why was apologizing so hard? Especially when she knew that the apology will just end up in death for Harry.

She opened her mouth, and glanced at Ron again. He smiled widely at her, and nodded his head. She looked back at the two.

"Ron told me what happened this morning," she whispered. "And he also told me that-"

"You were there!" Hermione snapped. "Why should Ron have to tell you what happened this morning?"

"Because I didn't know what happened?" She looked at them, shrinking under their hard glares. "I really don't! You have to believe me!"

"And why should we?" Harry countered. "We heard what you said to the Dark Lord, and we damn well heard what you said this morning. It was kind of hard not to hear what you said, since you were right in our faces, spitting it at us!"

Did she really spit on them? She didn't know that.

"Harry, Hermione, just listen to her, okay?" Ron said, helping Melly out.

Melly sighed in relief that Ron was on her side.

"I wanted to tell you that, I was under a spell, I think," Melly said. Her face took on total confusion. "At least, that's what Ron says. But, I don't remember what happened. He told me that I said some horrible things, and, by the way you're treating me, I can pretty tell that it wasn't good. I just wanted to tell you that...I'm sorry. I didn't mean what I said. What did I say?" she asked Ron.

Ron looked at Harry and Hermione. Harry had his arms crossed over his chest, and kept his glare steady. Hermione's face softened, and she looked almost saddened, like she wanted to cry. She bit her lip as a tear fell down her cheek.

Melly saw this, and fought, with all her might, not to smile. She even had to look down until she got her mouth under control.

Hermione burst out in tears, and threw herself on Melly in a hug that took Melly by surprise. She didn't expect for Hermione to give in that easily. She looked at Ron, who was smiling, and looked at Harry, who couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Hermione sniffed, and got up, then sat down next to Melly, wiping her tears away.

"I'm so sorry that I ever doubted you," Hermione said through her tears. "I accept your apology. I can't believe I actually thought you meant everything you said!"

Saying this, Hermione once again burst into tears. She lay her head down on Melly's shoulder, and Melly wrapped her arm around Hermione's shoulder, comforting her like a friend, looking at Ron, who was smiling even wider than before.

Melly then looked at Harry, who still wore a death glare, and he still had his arms crossed over his chest. She looked at him, puzzled. She could be a good actress if she really wanted to, and right now, she really, really wanted to.

"Harry," she whispered. "I really am sorry. I didn't mean a word of it."

"So," Harry concluded. "You weren't under a spell?"

Melly shook her head.

"You don't want to be a death eater?"

Melly shook her head, again.

"You're mother isn't Faith?"

"Yes, she is," Melly said, desperately. What was he trying to do?

"And, you're father isn't Lord Voldemort?"

Melly bit her tongue to try to keep silent. She could've gotten out her wand and cursed him for saying the Dark Lord's name. But, she kept that silent. "He is my father. And, I hate it."

Harry's glare only deepened.

"Harry, please! Please, believe me! I would never say anything on purpose that would hurt you, or Hermione, or Ron!" Melly exclaimed.

Hermione lifted her head, and looked at Harry, tears still running down her cheeks. Ron looked at Harry like he was the devil himself. Well, Harry might well be, since he's treating Melly this way!

"I apologize to you!" Melly said. "And I don't apologize often."