Secret Behind The Mask

Chapter 13-Some Things Revealed

Melly sighed, and stared blankly at her empty cauldron. Harry was just as stubborn as any Gryffindor; except, of course, Hermione, Ron, and herself.

Her Slytherin friends seemed worried about her.

"Are you all right, Mel?" Sherry asked.

Melly shook her head. "It's Potter," she answered. "If I can't get him to like me, or at least trust me, then," she sighed, "I don't know."

"What?" Pansy piqued up. "Then what?"

"Pansy," Draco snapped, "Shut up all right?"

Pansy gave Draco a dirty look, which caused Melly to chuckle a little. Pansy and Draco noticed this, and it gave them an idea.

"Shut what up, Malfoy?" Pansy asked.

"That big, gigantism hole in your face," Draco responded.

Melly laughed again. Sherry seemed to pick up what they were saying.

"Draco," she said, "If anyone's hole is gigantism, it's yours."

Melly, again, laughed a little harder.

Draco gave Sherry a hurt look, but Sherry just smiled and pecked him on the nose.

"You should talk, Sher," Draco said, smirking.

Melly burst out laughing, having needed to hold her mouth.

I don't see how that is so funny, Miss Avalon.

I'm sorry. It's just that, you're telling me that my mum had taken over my mind this morning, and she kissed you? Using my body?

That isn't as amusing as you may think. I would take points off of Gryffindor, if you had any left.

Melly couldn't stop laughing. The idea that her mother, dead mother, had indeed taken over her body was just hilarious! And, what else seemed to be funny is that her Slytherin friends were continuing to banter at each other.

What is wrong with those friends of yours?

They think that them making fun of each other is what's making me laugh.

The Gryffindors seem to think so as well.

Melly stopped laughing and looked over at the Gryffindor side of the room. Sure enough, almost everyone was staring strangely at the group. Hermione, Harry, and Ron were all still trying to get their potions done, so they were the exception.

Melly also noted that most of the Slytherins were staring at them disgustedly. Melly saw that Millicent Bulstrode looked at them, or more at Pansy, with pure jealousy. She regretted getting in that fight with Pansy last year, because now, she was left alone in the dust, with no one to hang out with or talk to during classes or out of classes. Melly almost felt sorry for her. Almost, but not quite; Millicent had tried to punch Pansy! And then she almost hit Sherry for trying to push Millicent away.

Melly laughed as Pansy shrieked at some obscene saying that Draco just spat at her, along with the rest of the class "Ooh"-ing.

"Well, I'm sorry about that, Draco Malfoy," Pansy said in her "Oh, you did not just go there" tone of voice. "At least I don't-"

"That is enough!" Snape interrupted. He stood next to the small group, hands crossed over his chest. He eyed them sourly.

You know, you could take points off of us.

You know I wouldn't be caught dead taking points off of Slytherin! I have awarded Gryffindor points; I have taken them away almost instantly. Then, I took all of your points away because of those nosy Gryffindors you like to call friends. Should I take more? Make your points negative?

You could do that, but, you could also take points off of Slytherin; they started it!

You are pushing your luck, Miss Avalon!

Melly looked nervously at Ron and Hermione, who were now giving their full attention. Harry just smirked as he quietly stirred his potion.

Melly sighed, and looked down at Snape's feet. Fine, take points away. See if I care! Leave Slytherin where they are, see if I care! Make me sorry for getting points taken off of Gryffindor, and letting you walk away without punishing the Slytherins...SEE IF I CARE!

Will you tell the Dark Lord?

Tell the Dark Lord what? That you have taken points off of Gryffindor, and not Slytherin, as usual? What's the worst he can do?

No, not that. That I took points off of Slytherin? I will, however, give you a worse punishment.

The class waited silently as the Potions Master pondered what punishment he would give the four of them.

"Ten points from Gryffindor, Miss Avalon, for interrupting my class with your sense of humor. Also, detention with me after classes today." Snape then turned to the other three Slytherins.

Draco and Pansy were smirking, knowing that Snape would probably be caught snogging a girl before he was caught taking points off of Slytherin.

Sherry, on the other hand, knew perfectly well that Melly was talking to Snape. She knew that Melly could talk Snape into doing anything she wanted, just as long as Melly didn't tell the Dark Lord, which she now had full (well, almost full) contact with the Dark Lord. Sherry swallowed and hoped for the best.

"Five points...each," he said as his quivered, "from Slytherin."

I won't tell Daddy, Melly thought, trying hard not to smile. Now, what are you going to do?

I'm going to walk away, and pretend this never happened, Melly.

Saying that, Snape turned away, and swiftly made his way to the front of the class. He stopped just before he sat down in his desk, and turned to face everyone in the classroom

The Gryffindors were all surprised, some even trying hard not to laugh. The Slytherins all looked at him as if he were a traitor. Sherry sighed and leaned back, glaring at Melly. Melly, on the other hand, was smirking back at Snape.

Was she starting to be over come by her mother? He knew that Melly would never treat him, or her friends, this way.

Melly? That's only her outside name, Severus.

Snape looked at Melly like she just insulted him. Melly sat, smirking widely at him.

You, above all people should know that. It's Melly on the outside, Fate, on the inside.

---

Melly held her books in her arms as she led her Slytherin group down to Hagrid's cabin.

"What did you tell him?" Sherry demanded.

Melly smiled at her. "What?" she asked in a sweet voice. "I didn't tell him anything. Unless you were hearing things?"

"You know what I mean, Melly," Sherry stepped in front of her, and made her stop. Draco and Pansy looked at Melly expectantly, both agreeing with Sherry.

"Is it my fault that he was being unfair to me?" Melly asked in whiny tone. "I didn't want to get into trouble for something that I didn't do, Sherry."

Sherry huffed, and stalked away towards Hagrid's cabin, where the giant stood waiting for the class.

Draco ran after her, and Pansy gave Melly an apologetic look.

"I think you've been hanging around those Gryffindors for too long," Pansy said as she ran after Draco and Sherry.

Melly stood there, unable to process what just happened.

She almost felt a tear run down her cheek as she thought about how everything has changed. Ever since she had that dream, everything has changed for her. She is now a Death Eater, her dead mother is tapping into her body and taking control of it, she has a new "assignment" that she won't be able to carry out any time soon because of a certain stubborn Gryffindor...

"Hey, Melly," Ron said as he came up behind her. "Are you all right?"

Melly turned around and saw that Ron was standing right behind her, towering way above her head. Hermione and Harry walking slowly behind.

"Speaking of stubborn Gryffindors," Melly muttered as she turned around started walking towards her class.

Ron, having needed a couple of seconds to understand what Melly had just said, sprinted after her.

"Melly?" he asked as he finally came into step with her. "What's wrong?"

"Harry is what's wrong," Melly answered, quickening her pace.

"What did Harry do?"

"It's what he didn't do, Ron!" Melly said, stopping and looking up at him, her eyebrows furrowed. "Why can't he except that I'm sorry for what I did? I don't even know in full detail! Talk about being stubborn!"

With that, she dashed away from Ron, who soon dashed after her, grabbing her shoulders, and making her look at him.

"Listen, Melly," he said, "I'm sure whatever the reason, it's a good one. Sure Harry can be stubborn at times. It's in his blood, or so we've heard."

Melly didn't look at him. Instead, she looked at his shirt, fighting the urge to scream in a mad fit. Just two seconds ago she was walking with her chin in the air. What happened to that?

She burst out in tears and fell into Ron's arms. She dropped her books (which all three of them landed on his feet, and he bit his lip extremely hard so he didn't cry out), and wrapped her arms around his waist and cried into his shirt. Luckily, one of her books fell on her feet as well, so it was easy to conjure up tears and cry for Melly.

"It hurts so much," Melly said.

Ron held her, rocking her back and forth. "I know, I know," he said. "I don't think stubborn people are all peaches and cream either."

He placed his hand on her head. "What happened to your hair?"

Melly pushed away, and bent down to pick up her books. Ron also bent down, but didn't help her with her books.

"Is this about You-Know-Who?" he whispered.

Melly looked up at him, like he was the stupidest person alive. Well, in her definition of stupid, he probably would be the first thing listed.

"How could it be?" she whispered back. "I haven't seen or heard from him since- Hey! I'm not going to tell you about that!"

"Are you also a spy?" Ron asked.

"A what?" Melly's face blanched, and her mouth hung open.

"A spy," Ron repeated.

What would she say to him? "No Ron, I am not a spy!" or "Of course I am!" But he said, "also" when he asked her if she was a spy. What did the also mean. She was going to stick out her neck, and guess.

"Who else is a spy?" she asked.