Melody Aira Snow - Hogwarts Assistant!

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I blinked sleepily and looked around. The Gryffindor common-room was completely empty, with not a student in sight. Good. My wish had come true. ... But then again, no one would really be here at 5:30 in the morning, now would they? They're all definitely still snoring...

Rubbing my hands together, I shivered. Cold. Hurriedly, I made my way to the fireplace, squinting to see. My slippers sank into the deep, soft carpet as I walked. I knelt down and whipped out my crystal wand (one of my dad's crazy experiments had turned it into unbreakable crystal... ) and pointed it at the still fireplace. "Incendio," I whispered. Yellow flames rose up and blazed with the kind of soft whoosh that only fires make, illuminating my face in the dark.

Yawning , I made my way to a comfortable armchair and sank gratefully into its velvety depths. I sat still for a while, taking the comfort in. Then, my half-opened eyes slowly slid to what I was clutching in my other hand. It was the reason I had slipped down here at this hour; to have a consultation with myself.

I raised the Me-rror and stared straight at my own self, thinking how sleepy I looked, and how my hair seemed in a rather 'nice' disarray . My reflection stared back at me rather curiously, then spoke.

"And why aren't you... or, we, asleep yet?" it asked, raising an eyebrow, just like I love to do.

I yawned again . "I tried. Kientra snores!" I looked at the Me-rror's frame, thinking for the millionth time how pretty it was, all sparkly and silvery-white.

My reflection yawned too, and shook her head. "Don't do that; it's contagious!" She smoothed out her hair. "Anyway, you didn't have any trouble sleeping yesterday."

"That's because the bloody beast chose to drool yesterday... and drooling is a silent habit," I added. "Unlike, snoring, of course."

My reflection nodded. "Darn disgusting it was to wake up and find the pillow saliva-stained, wasn't it?"

I gave a sigh of relief. "Finally, someone who doesn't 'reproach' me for complaining about her!"

"You forget; I'm you. I'm everything you've got hidden in your heart, so of course I know what you do and think like you do. So, any word from the MoM?"

I fiddled with the velvet on the armchair. "Not a whisper! Some ministry they are... " I grumbled. "Oh, knock it off," my reflection scolded, "Deep inside you know that you can't expect them to reply in half a blink of a dragon's eye."

I blinked. "True, true. Anyway, I need your help."

"I know," she smiled . "You really should be a tiny bit more patient with her, you know."

"Argh!" I cried softly, "I know! It's really bugging the nightlights out of me! I mean, I know I shouldn't yell at her so much, but then again, she's very rude, and... "

"And there's not much point in apologising to her, is there?" my reflection interrupted.

"No."

She shook her head again . "Remember what Hagrid told you? About making allowances... ?" She fidgeted with the collar of her pyjamas.

"I gave up on even considering that."

She gave a mocking snort. "Oh sure... and yet, you're here at this hour seeking advice from me on how to make things better between you two." I rolled my eyes. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Never mind. Anyway, knowing you... I mean, myself, I know that Hagrid's right. And I know you try to control yourself, but... " She shook her finger at me. "... you just can't stand her rudeness, can you?"

I turned my gaze outside the window. The whole world seemed covered in a light really-early-morning mist, making everything look so mysteriously 'frosted' and beautiful, especially the trees. "You know everything," I mumbled.

"Of course I do; I'm you."

My gaze drifted off again, this time to the fire. It crackled merrily, dancing and leaping as if it were alive. Its warm homey sight was making me sleepy again. I held back another yawn. "So what do you think I should do?"

"What do you think?"

I gave a small laugh. "Honestly, I'm too sleepy to do any heart-digging for an answer. You're my heart, you tell me."

She huffed. "You can never be tired to search your soul," she said, in a tone that was almost poetic, "Answers that lie in your heart are answers that are most true; why lock them up?"

I raised any eyebrow. "Nice to know I'm this virtuous."

"Don't let it get stuck in your head."

"Hey," I said, "Both you and I know that realising one's good points to a good limit is merely confidence. And there's... "

"A fine line between confidence and arrogance. I know." It was her turn to roll her eyes.

I sighed slightly . "Well, I guess that after thirty seconds of heart-digging, I've decided to... " I grimaced. "... to... "

"Just say it!" she snapped, "You're going to go easy on her, try to be nice to her, and even apologise if she does." She gestured with her hands dramatically.

I sighed again. "If I must, I must. Goodnight." I put the Me-rror down, thinking how completely opposite-like my reflection was, and yet... she was really me. The real me. "I have to get to know myself better," I yawned. Curling up comfortably, I went to sleep.

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I can do this, I can do this, I assured myself. For the twentieth time, I glanced at Kientra, looking around with a rather bored look on her face and dragging her hooves along.

I had decided on a truce. If she could stop being so rude, I would be nicer and stop yelling, even be patient with her if I had to. Thinking about it, it just wasn't right if I made the first move and apologised for yelling at her rudeness; she deserved it. Besides, an unexpected apology would probably make her more arrogant, and honestly, I was getting a sore throat from screaming at her everyday, and I hate her smug looks...

She coughed. "So... where are we going?" she asked, reluctantly turning to look up at me.

"To keep an eye on some students in detention," I replied blankly, striding through the corridor with tired steps. "Well, well, well," Kientra snorted, "For once, someone didn't call me 'a bloody beast' or 'an unbelievable abomination', or... "

I sighed. "Alright, you, let's have a deal."

"No."

"Hey... " I frowned, "Just listen, will you? You stop being so rude, I'll not scream so much. Deal?"

"No. I'll be as rude as I like."

The fact that I didn't throw a fit or slap her there and then showed how tired I was. "Have it your way," I mumbled, knowing she wasn't going to be here much longer.

We stopped in front of the massive doors that led to the Great Hall. Kientra pulled a face. "Why are we here? Breakfast was only half an hour ago!" she said

"You'll see," I mumbled, and pushed the doors open.

Everything was still; the candles in the air were motionless and unlit, the rows and rows of tables were empty, devoid of any cutlery, the ceiling showed a cloudless blue sky, no students on broomsticks were zipping past the windows. No sign of life anywhere.

I walked up to the table where the Professors usually sat, puzzling over why there was nobody there. "That's strange... " I said, "They should be here by now."

Kientra flew around the room, sliding along above the tables. "Humph," she scoffed, "I don't blame them... spending detention with you, indeed!" She pulled a face that suggested a desire to vomit.

I ignored her; something had caught my attention.

"Well... " I grinned, "Whatever it is, something tells me that they're here. Although," I coughed, "I don't... *cough*... see them anywhere... "

I went around the table and grinned. "Hello, boys."

Two groans escaped them as they stood up, dusting themselves off. "What are you," said Eric Gorm, "A runaway from the cast of 'Sixth Sense'?" He scratched his head, puzzled.

I held up my hand. "Spare me; I hate that movie! Anyway, it wasn't hard to spot the robe... " I pointed, "... and the foot sticking out from the side."

Jacob Forr dug his companion in the ribs. "I told you to pull them in," he whispered. Then, he grabbed my arm. "By the way, the... 'thing' isn't here, is she?" he said softly.

"Unfortunately," I answered, "She's right over... " I looked around. "Aha, there," I pointed.

The two boys looked up. There she was, flying around the ceiling, puzzled as can be. After three days at Hogwarts, she still couldn't figure out whether the ceiling was the sky, or just... well, the ceiling.

Eric the Cheeky grinned. "Ahoy there, Your Snobbiness," he called out, "How's the weather like up there? Any rain to wash the rudeness out?"

"Shut up or I'll ram you with my horn," she said, sticking her nose up... and promptly banging into the ceiling nose-first.

Happy laughter escaped us as we slapped each other high-fives . The Nixus merely huffed and flew on proudly, her nose all red. Our laughter was cut short when the great doors burst open and a flushed, gasping young boy ran in, clutching a broomstick. An old Nimbus model, by the looks of it. "That's the reason we were hiding," Eric whispered to me. "To scare HIM."

"S-Sorry I'm late," the boy stammered. "I... I... misplaced my broomstick." He pushed his square-shaped glasses up his long nose. His puffy, curly brown hair was in complete disarray, and his blue braces stuck out rather grotesquely. What a nerd!

Well-built Jacob laughed. "I'll help you with that, Andrew," he grinned, plucking the broomstick away from the boy's arms rather easily. It was then I noticed that the broom was rather big for the tiny boy. Completely unsuitable...

"Andrew, hmm?" I smiled. "Don't believe I've seen you around." I extended my hand.

Adjusting his robe rather awkwardly, he shook my hand, looking a bit flustered. "A-Andrew Pixel," he stammered, looking at the floor. He had a rather 'clumsy' look around him, I must say.

Eric nudged me. "Of course you don't see him around," he whispered, "That geek-freak loses himself in the library, reading all day!"

I laughed. "Alright, alright, down to business. Professor Sprout tells me you made fungus-infested vines grow out of Ms. Morsha's ears. Is that true?" I crossed my arms and stared at them calmly but expectedly. "Completely by accident," said Andrew, pushing his glasses up his nose again. "We never meant it!"

"He didn't," whispered Eric, and Jacob nodded mischievously. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Kientra making rude faces at them.

"Must have been a sight," I smiled . "Now, you all have your broomsticks? Good. Do you know what you're going to do?"

Slow shakes of the head. "Professor Sprout wasn't in a good mood, and she yelled at us a bit too fast for us to hear our fate," Jacob said rather cheekily. "She did say something about the Great Hall and bringing our broomsticks and that you'd be watching us."

"Well, boys," I smiled, "Get ready for a most 'pleasurable' detention! Today, you're going to... " I grinned, " Wash the windows!"

Dismay crossed their faces as the three Third-Year Ravenclaws stared at the massive window, completely aghast. "B--but--but--bu--but... " stammered Andrew, his jaw nearly touching the floor. "But it's huge!" Jacob finished for him. "Bigger than my sister's rear end!" piped in Eric, "And believe me, I thought nothing could beat it."

"Oh, stop whining and follow me." We walked up to the window, where the boys discovered that there were three buckets on the floor. "Those buckets are already filled, so everything is set," I said. "Move, move, move!" I clapped my hands together once.

The three muttering boys stepped up to the wooden buckets and whipped out their wands reluctantly. They cleared their throats. "Wingardium Levio... "

"Hold it!" I cried, "Are your wands pointing the right way?"

Silence. Then, bursts of laughter . "Honestly, Mel," laughed Jacob Forr, "What do you think we are? Of course they're pointing the right way." The other two were still giggling. I let out a sigh of relief, even though I knew I sounded stupid. "Carry on," I said, gesturing.

Kientra watched with some mild amusement as the boys cast the spell, hopped onto their broomsticks and took different positions at the window; top, middle and bottom. Each grabbed a wet rag from the floating buckets and started wiping, grumbling slightly . "This is going to take at least 2 hours!" moaned Jacob, his sandy hair already slightly sprinkled with water drops. "You're telling me... " muttered Eric.

"Make that four," I said, smiling in sympathy.

The boys turned to me at once, horrified. "What?"

"Simple really," I answered, "A window has to be washed on both sides, now doesn't it?"

"Excuse me?" a high, horrified voice cried. With a frown, we turned around.

Her Royal Rudeness Kientra was hovering at one end of the Slytherin table (how suitable), shocked disgust all over her face. "You do not mean to tell me," she gulped, "that I am about to waste four whole hours out of my precious life stuck here with... " She made a face, "... you?!"

Eric rolled his eyes . "On the contrary, little Nixy," he said, raising his eyebrows, "We should be saying that."

"Mel," Pixel called, "Did you let Anya out?"

I looked up, confused. "She's always out. Why?" He shook his head . "Um... I just thought I saw her flying around over... "

I rushed to the window. "What? Where?"

He looked alarmed at my reaction and pointed. "Just down there."

"But she knows she's not allowed to fly around unless I'm with her! She's going to get us both in trouble!" I cried, looking around and feeling a bit frustrated. It wasn't enough that my horse had attitude, now it was developing Harry's 'certain disregard for the rules'!

"She's white, isn't she?" said Jacob suddenly. "Obviously," I said, turning to look at him. "Then why did I see her as grey... ?" he said. "Me too!" Andrew piped in. "I didn't," said Eric, sounding a bit disappointed to be left out, "And of course Anya's white. It must have been a trick of the sunlight," he dismissed.

Maybe, I thought. Maybe not.

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"Melody, Melody, wake up! Melody!"

"Wha-?" I yawned and rubbed my eyes. I was so sleepy! Kientra seemed like a blur. "Mmf... leemeealone... " I mumbled, pulling the covers up higher. "But Mel... " she protested, pulling them down with her teeth. I groaned. "Iwantastayasleep... " I pulled the covers up again and turned on my side, irritated.

Kientra's patience (if she had any) ran out. "It's my mother, you idiot!" she hissed.

My eyes flew open. "My dear Nixus... " I whispered, "What did you say?"

"My mother's outside!" she rasped. "She's come to get me!"

I sat bolt upright. The most beautiful realisation ever had dawned on me like a holy light. "Does this mean... " I whispered, "that you'll finally be going off?"

Kientra rolled her eyes, muttering . "Yes. Now if you... "

"Hallelujah, the Lord loves me!" I cried, jumping out of bed . Kientra looked absolutely horrified . "Shh!" she hissed, frowning. "Sorry," I grinned, taking a quick look around to make sure I hadn't woken anyone up. My eyes had started flashing from one colour to another, indicating how excited I was.

Kientra looked at me. "Well?" she demanded. Snapping out of my happy reverie, I stepped up to the window, which was beside my bed, trying my best to be silent. I clutched my wand tightly. Even in my happiness, I couldn't help but pray to God that her mother wasn't as horrible as she was... or worse.

Both of us peeped out. The pale, silvery moonlight was shining bright and radiant onto the peaceful land below. Not a soul was seen, not a shadow moved. All of Hogwarts was silently slumbering. And then I saw her.

A magnificent adult Nixus stood on the grass below, gently fanning her powdery grey wings. She was looking up at us with a gentle expression on her face, and her shiny white mane gleamed radiantly, like a pearl. Such majestic form... I was entranced.

My eyes (which weren't flashing anymore, by the way) followed her as she flew, silent as an owl, up to the window. She stopped at our level, hovering not a foot away from my face. I stared in complete awe. I realised then that this was the horse that the boys had spotted in detention. No wonder Anya seemed confused when I gave her that lecture earlier on! Great, now I felt guilty...

A light breeze billowed around my head as Kientra, with a big sigh of relief, flew past me and hovered beside her mother. "What took you so long, mother?" I heard her whine.

The adult Nixus slowly turned to look at the little one. "Hush," my child," she whispered in a voice so willowy and gentle, like an elfin queen. The ethereal quality of her voice amazed me. She turned to me. "Melody Snow," she said softly. "You are much respected and honoured among us creatures of the magical wild, my lady. I feel I am not worthy of such an honour." She bowed her head low. Kientra merely rolled her eyes. "Mother... " she hissed through gritted teeth, "Isn't this a little... degrading?"

Her grumbles were simply ignored. The mother lifted her head and continued speaking. "It is my great pleasure to thank you, my lady, for guarding my young one," she said.

"Oh no, no" I stammered, finding my voice again, "she wasn't... er, much of a problem." I found myself staring at my feet, bewildered that I might say something wrong. Goodness knows could happen. Baby Nixai are one thing, but adults...

The magnificent creature gave an amused laugh. "I know, my lady. Many times have we tried to cure her of her spitefulness... to no avail." She shot the 'young one' a frosty look. Hehehe...

She turned back to me, her long nose so close it made me jump back in alarm. "My lady," she began, "I feel my gratitude is not complete until I give you a few things."

I was surprised. "Things?"

Kientra groaned. "Mother, this really isn't necessary," she muttered again.

"You will answer to your father later, young lady," the older Nixus said calmly, not turning her gaze away from me. Doom crossed Kientra's face . Hehehe...

"Now, my lady," she continued, "if you would just outstretch your hand." Blankly, I did as I was told slowly, wondering what in the name of pygmy shrews was going to happen.

Slowly, she lowered her head, the gleaming white horn pointed at my hand. In a moment of pure frightened reaction, I pulled my hand back with a gasp of dismay.

Her eyes stared deep into mine as she shook her head slowly. "My lady," she whispered gently, "know only that by no costs, be it treasure or all of the great Lord's heavenly powers, would I ever harm you. No, I would never bring myself to do so." She fixed me with a warm, trusting look that somehow completely banished my fears.

I let out a long breath and nodded. "I trust you."

That seemed to please her very much, for she smiled broadly and gave a soft, happy neigh. "How wonderful it is," she smiled . She lowered her head again, horn pointed. This time, I felt no fear, just curiosity. What was she going to do?

I saw her flash me a quick, warm glance. Then she shut her misty blue eyes tight. It looked like she was concentrating fiercely on something, focusing hard. Her horn... it started to glow brightly, shine with all the radiance of a thousand moons, the purity of a thousand doves, and all the sparkle of a thousand stars. Completely indescribable. I was dazzled, not being able to look away from it, my hand still outstretched. It felt slightly warm and quite pleasant.

My already wide eyes grew wider as I watched the heavenly light grow smaller and fade away... until only the tip of the long, pointed horn shone. And just when it seemed like it was going to vanish... it poured out.

For a while, the room was filled with beautiful bluish-white light, that grew dimmer until it was only bright enough for us to see what it was in my hand; Frosty blue 'things' that looked like liquid stars, pleasantly warm. I let out a gasp at the feeling of pure peace and bliss I felt when they touched my hand, growing as more of the light poured out and sparkling mystically. I couldn't say a word; my voice had been lost again.

The Nixus raised her head. Her horn had stopped shining. "My lady," she said, still hovering in the still night air, "I now must ask you to close your hand." Her face was illuminated slightly by the blue light, as was Kientra's, who was staring with a tiny bit of interest.

I did so, covering the light, and felt the liquid stars harden. They seemed to take shape into something. When I opened my hand, I could not believe my eyes . I staggered a few steps backwards in amazement and dropped my wand, hearing it clang when it hit the floor. The Nixus said something, but in my stunned state, I couldn't make it out, except that I could keep it or something like that. "Thank you," I whispered breathlessly.

Kientra groaned again. "Are we done, mother?" she whined. "The mark, Kientra. Be patient," was the reply. The little one started grumbling again, but considering what was now in my possession, I couldn't have cared less. But then the older Nixus said something that surprised me.

"There is one more thing to give, my lady."

I looked up. "One more thing? But... but... " I stammered, "You... have done enough. There's no need, really. D-Don't trouble yourself," I babbled stupidly. It didn't discourage her. She smiled . "All the great treasures of man nor nature can never be enough to repay a kind deed done purely from the heart, my lady," she said.

"You really don't have to," I mumbled, feeling guilty again. 'A kind deed'? 'Purely from the heart'? Unlikely.

Suddenly, I realised that her horn had started glowing again, this time with a soft, pearly shine. "I do not tell untruths, my lady," she said, "This will hurt, but indeed, it will be a small price to pay for what comes with it. I pray you will forgive me."

I gulped. That's a horn, for God's sake! I thought to myself . She leaned closer. As much as I wanted to squeeze my eyes shut or run away screaming, I simply couldn't. I stared, terrified, at the sharp tip pointed right at the very middle of my forehead, inching closer... closer...

This time, there was no feeling of bliss; just a spark of pain at first, which grew into a horrible rush of dizzying pain, banging down on me so hard I felt like my head had exploded. I squeezed my eyes shut, feeling myself gasp and tremble uncontrollably. My head started spinning and the pain travelled throughout my whole body. My breath felt like it had been knocked completely out of me; like someone had punched me straight in the chest. Repeatedly. I felt a tiny stream of blood run down my face, trailing between my eyes. Another rush of pain banged down on me. So intense it completely blurred my vision of the two Nixai and everything else. Everything was dimming... there was almost nothing I could see or feel, except the horrifying pain. I knew it; I was going to die.

I let out a long, painful scream and blacked out.

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