Melody Aira Snow - Hogwarts Assistant!

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" 'Nixai and Nixun Legends'... ah, here it is!" I announced, pulling a pearly-blue hardcover book out of the shelf. I scanned the cover. "By Alanaster B. Rongbus," I added, "Funny name." Harry turned away from the other shelves and stared, while Chris, leaning against the bookshelf, nodded in approval. "Nice skin," he commented. I nodded too. "Well, come on then," Harry said, "let's go sit down somewhere."

We made our way past other tables and students, most of them reading in genuine interest, others taking notes, while others were yawning in complete boredom . We approached a table that had only one person sitting there.

"Hello," Zoe Geller greeted us cheerfully as we walked up to her. "Hello, CurlyLocks," Chris grinned, giving her extraordinarily curly brown hair a playful tug, "May we invade?"

Zoe grinned, adjusting her hairband. "Oui, Monsieur Bottles," she laughed, gesturing towards the chairs. Zoe Delafonte Geller is half-French, but having moved to Wales at the tender age of 3, she still insists that the only sentence of French she knows is 'Voulez vouz coucher avec moi ce soir?'. Can't be bothered about French, she. 'Too slippery'.

"Oh, Mel," she said, leaning forward as I sat across her, "Mould says she's very sorry for shaking you and then dropping you on your head like that earlier. Got a bruise?"

I dismissed it with a wave of my hand, opening the book. "No, and tell her it's alright. I'm just happy I was alive to feel it." Chris, sitting beside Zoe, chuckled. "No wonder I felt taller standing next to you!" he joked. "Ole!" laughed Zoe, slapping him a high-five.

Some other students turned and frowned. "Shh!" they hissed.

Harry and I grinned at each other and smirked. "Ole!"

"Okay... " slurred Zoe, rolling her eyes . "Let's get on with it. What have you got there?" she asked, pointing. I picked up the small, thick book. "This, mon amie," I grinned, "is hopefully the answer to THIS," I finished, pointing to my forehead. I was so proud of my new 'tattoo' . Zoe stared blankly. "Umm... the human brain?"

"Uh, no... the Symbol of Wisdom," Harry corrected.

Zoe smiled . "Come on, Potter, I was only joking."

Chris interrupted. "What's wrong with Snow?"

The three of them stared at me. "Mel," Harry said, "why are you laughing to yourself?"

"Because," I grinned, my lip quivering in amusement, "it's called the Symbol of Trust, Einstein!" I was trying not to laugh out loud, considering we were in the library.

Harry, a little shame-faced, took the book and started flipping through it. "Symbol of Trust... Symbol of Trust... " he muttered, searching, eyes darting from page to page behind his glasses. "Look under 'Nixun Treasures' or something like that. You might find it," Zoe suggested, ever-willing to help. Harry nodded and continued searching, finally coming to stop at a page. He scanned through it briefly, but after a while, he frowned. "Something wrong, Potter?" quipped Chris. "Well... " Harry scratched his head. "Take a look at this."

He turned the book around so that Zoe and Chris could see. I had to lean forward, supporting myself on my elbows. "According to this book," Harry pointed with his finger, "there's only one Nixun Treasure, and that," he turned to look at me, "is the Sphere."

"That's alright," I said, "I was going to look that one up too." I reached into my pocket and pulled out the elusive Nixun Treasure, setting it on the table. The legendary Nixun Sphere of Paradisal Bliss was indeed a beautiful and wondrous sight to behold. It was as big as a normal tennis ball, and looked as if it were made of the most beautiful, clearest crystal ever, a pale, pale blue in colour. Inside it shone a soft heavenly light, almost as beautiful as the light I had first seen shining from the horn, only this light had many different sparkling colours, changing from time to time, reminding one of a beautiful galaxy with each star visible and clear. Little shining silver stars floated all around inside the Sphere, twisting, turning, and glowing softly. The four of us simply HAD to stop and stare for a while, breathless, even though we'd been looking at it countless times.

Chris snapped his fingers sharply after a while, bringing us back to earth. "Alright already," he said, "What does the book tell us?"

"Allow me," said Zoe, pulling to book closer to her. She cleared her throat and began to read, tracing her finger along the lines as she went.

" 'One of the strongest myths about the Nixai is the myth of the One Nixun Treasure. This great Treasure is supposedly known to Nixai and wizards everywhere as 'The Nixun Sphere of Paradisal Bliss', or 'The Utopian Nixun Crystal', with the word 'Utopian' meaning 'Paradisal' (Utopia = Paradise), sparking comments from wizarding researchers that the second name was completely unnecessary'." Here, Zoe paused and glanced up at us. "Any questions?" she prompted, raising her eyebrows . We glanced at each other, than shook our heads. "No, but we'll stop you if we have any," I replied, "Now go on."

Zoe nodded and continued. " 'From what modern researchers know, this mystical Sphere is a dazzling sight, glowing and sparkling forevermore, with the amazing power to bring heavenly peace and bliss, as the name suggests, to whoever holds it in their hand. Rumours remain that this Sphere is not merely a tool to bring one happiness, but also holds an unknown power yet to be unleashed. Of course, there has never been any proof of this'."

Chris had been listening intently, as had me and Harry. "Is that all?" he asked. Zoe scanned the rest through briefly. "Basically, Nixai honour it greatly and will not harm anyone who possesses it." She shut the book. "And origin is unknown."

Harry tapped his chin thoughtfully and turned to me. "Aren't you the lucky one," he smiled . I laughed. "No more jabbering," I said, "let's try this thing out!"

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I had just finished telling the story to the excited Gryffindor girls again. They were giggling and talking excitedly about whatever might happen next and when I might have to use the Symbol. And then Harry and Chris came in.

"Mel," Harry called, "We've got some work to do."

Groans escaped the girls when they heard that. They had so many questions that I was getting weary just by answering them! I put the Sphere back in my robe and followed Harry out of the common room, leaving the girls gossiping wildly. Eranoy was waiting outside, a rather worried look on his face.

"Eranoy?" I said. "What's wrong? What's going on, Harry? What do we have to do?" I asked, puzzled . What could have come up now?

Eranoy shook his head. "I don't know," he mumbled, "but I don't like the look of it... "

Harry simply muttered something and said, "Follow me." Apparently, he didn't seem too happy about what we had to do... whatever it was.

I shut my mouth and followed obediently. Our journey through hallways, corridors, and staircases soon brought us to another hallway... which was wet. Flooded. The water was coming from the end of the corridor. "That's what our job is," Harry pointed, making a face . "Eranoy passed this hallway and noticed the floor," he continued. I looked in the direction of his finger; the deserted girl's lavatory.

I pulled a face too. "Moaning Myrtle," I said with a groan. Eranoy frowned. "Who?"

We walked quickly down the corridor and were soon in front of the door. Cautiously, I opened it, and the three of us peeped inside, while Harry walked in, muttering something. Soft sobbing and moaning could be heard, as always. At the sound, Eranoy frowned again. "Who is that, Mel?" he asked. "Myrtle," I replied simply.

We stepped inside carefully, not wanting to get our shoes too wet. We had guessed right; she had flooded the place again! Already the sinks were close to resembling the Niagara Falls and the taps were still running full-blast. We looked around. Where was she?

"Myrtle?" Harry called softly. Before anything else could happen, a high-pitched voice let out an angry cry and screeched, "What do you want?!"

Moaning Myrtle's head peeped out from one of the cubicles, sniffing. Her distraught expression vanished into a shy smile when she saw Harry. "Oh... " she crooned, "Hello, Harry... " She started giggling again, floating out immediately.

Eranoy gasped slightly. He had never seen this ghost around before; that was for certain. "Mel!" he whispered, "Who is this?"

"That's Moaning Myrtle, Eranoy. Watch what you say," I added, "She's a little on the sensitive side." Eranoy nodded, but still looked a little uneasy.

Chris walked to the sinks and started turning them off one by one. "Myrtle, what is the... " He turned around and gave a surprised cry that echoed around the room when he saw Myrtle's angry, glaring face floating not a foot away from him. "Don't do that!" he glared, putting his hand to his heart. Muttering, he turned away. Myrtle watched him for a while and gave a loud humph. "Come to tell me off?" she said, "Well, isn't that a little typical of everyone? Say whatever you want to Myrtle, do whatever you want! She won't feel it!" She started crying again.

I left Eranoy's side and turned off the last tap. Myrtle had floated above our heads, moaning away loudly. I looked up at her. "Myrtle, do you mind explaining all this?" I said. At that, she stopped moaning and fixed me with a 'look'. Then, she floated over to the sinks and started turning on all the taps again "Let them flow... " she gulped, "Even this is not enough to represent the tears I have to cry!" Discreetly, we pulled our robes up to avoid the water.

I nudged Harry. "You ask her," I whispered. "She likes you."

Harry gave me an uncertain look, then turned back to Myrtle, floating around the sinks aimlessly, moaning and sobbing again. He sighed. "Myrtle," he began through gritted teeth, "tell us what happened. If there's anything we can do to help, we'll try. But for now, you have to calm down and... "

"Oh, for the love of sweet Jesus, what the bloody Hell happened?!" an aggravated Chris yelled, making all three of us jump. He had apparently lost patience.

Myrtle stopped her noise at once and stared stonily at Chris. She suddenly floated dangerously slow towards him, sniffing all the while, looking like she was going to do something to him. Chris's eyes grew wide, but he stood his ground. "Come on then," he challenged, "Tell us!"

Transparent tears were running down her face, but her expression was a mixture of hatred, anger, and bewilderment. In a word; dangerous.

Harry and I rolled our eyes . We were used to her. I suppose the same can't be said for Eranoy, for he gripped my hand and whispered, "What's she going to do to him?" He sounded rather fierce. I shook my head, signalling 'nothing'.

She floated silently in front of him for a while, searching his face. He stood there with a tight-lipped, hold-your-ground expression. Neither spoke a word, until Myrtle finally spoke, in a sniffing, hissing whisper. "You want to know why I did this?" She took a deep breath. "It's because of rude, unpitying people like you!"

The four of us jumped back as she flew, screaming, past us into the wall between the two rows of cubicles at the end of the lavatory, and disappearing... just like that. Her screams filled the room exasperatingly loud, making the whole place tremble with her high, quivering screeches. Grimacing, we clapped our hands over our ears, trying to shut out the horrible noises. Gradually, the din faded, and the floor and walls stopped trembling.

Harry lowered his hands with a relieved sigh. Chris started grumbling, and Eranoy muttered, "I really don't like her much." Harry nodded in agreement , then turned to me. "I think someone upset her... besides Bottles," he added quickly. I nodded, turning off the taps again. "Someone probably just said something mildly bad to her," I shrugged .

A willowy voice spoke; " 'Advice' is more like it."

We spun around. There in the doorway floated a ghost Eranoy had seen before. A young girl, very pretty with her long billowing Camelot-style gown. She held her constant companion in her hands; a little crystal heart that was hanging from a shimmering string. It was Celia Mist.

"Hello, Celia," we greeted politely. Eranoy smiled . He liked Celia. She nodded at us, smiling. Floating in, she looked around. "Looks like Myrtle made another pathetic, sympathy-begging disappearing act." She shook her head in obvious disgust.

Fiddling with my long, dark hair, I asked her, "What exactly did you say to her, Celia?" The young female ghost huffed. "All I said was that she should stop her endless moaning and whining and let this place be usable for once! Apparently, that was too much for the poor soul to take, bless my shocked heart." Celia hates whiners. Always has.

"Liar!" Myrtle's head popped up from the floor at our feet, making us jump back. "You told me that I should shut up and go somewhere else where I wouldn't get on everyone's nerves anymore!" she shrieked.

Celia rolled her grey eyes. "Only when you started whining again." She shook her long wavy hair.

Myrtle floated up, sniffing and gulping. "I know what you're planning," she said, voice unsteady. She pointed at the four of us. "You're planning to sweet-talk them into turning against me!" she screeched, still pointing.

Chris raised his hands slightly, as if under arrest. "Refresh my decaying memory," he whispered to Harry, "When did we ever take her side in anything?"

"Yes," Myrtle continued, "You'll use you miserable gift of sweet gab to convince them and everyone else to drive me; poor, miserable, dead, Moaning Myrtle out of Hogwarts!" she screamed. Chris only got more confused. "Where does this all make sense?" he whispered again.

Celia stared, then laughed. "Myrtle, Myrtle, Myrtle," she laughed. "Which ghost at Hogwarts do you know isn't already dead, hmm? And my intentions are good ones; no one ever said anything about driving you away." She crossed her arms, waiting for an answer, still smiling in amusement.

Myrtle stared at the floor, sniffing, her ponytails drooping. "Well... " she said, "well... " She obviously couldn't come up with a retort. She suddenly looked up at Celia again, angry as angry goes . "See?! You're doing it already! Sweet-talking them into taking your side! Oh, you don't fool me, missy! I can see right through you!" she screamed. Turning, she flew back into the floor, screeching again. And again, her screams shook the room, then faded.

Chris lowered his hands from his ears and turned to stare at us. This time, Eranoy spoke his words. "Seriously, where did everything make sense?" We just shrugged.

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From the window in Professor Flitwick's office, I could clearly see all that was going on at the Quidditch training field. I didn't have to look close to see that Harry was training the Gryffindor team today. Bludgers were being hurled at the two Beaters from fifteen feet away, who hit them expertly and sent them flying off into the air, only to come yapping back. Harry stood beside the Beaters, nodding and encouraging them on with a satisfied smile on his face . The other players sat a safe distance away, tossing the Quaffle back and forth between them, laughing and talking to one another. I saw Hagrid pass by and greet them. I saw a Bludger hit the team's Keeper in the bread basket. I saw a Chaser counting the broomsticks carefully. I saw...

I jumped to my feet with a gasp, dropping my quill. No... it couldn't be! She left a week ago! I squinted my eyes. It was!

"Oh dear, something the matter, Ms. Snow?" Professor Flitwick enquired anxiously, looking up at me through his glasses. I stared out the window, past the training field and players at some neatly trimmed rose bushes not far from them. She was gone.

I frowned, shaking my head. I slowly sat down, a very puzzled and confused expression plastered on my face.

"Ms. Snow?" Professor Flitwick followed my gaze outside the window, turning in his chair. We were sitting at his desk, marking homework papers, the Professor sitting across me. Late-evening sunlight lit the room dimly, making everything yellowish and adding to the light of the candles. "Ah yes, Quidditch practise," the Professor nodded, "Oh my, they'd better be careful with those things," he said, referring to the Bludgers, "One wrong move and someone could be seriously hurt." I nodded blankly, picked up my quill and continued marking the papers, my mind in a blur.

Why has she come back? I wondered to myself. It had been a whole week! A possibility lit up my mind; maybe they couldn't find the herd and have come back to ask for help! That's it! I exhaled a tiny sigh of relief.

"Oh look," the Professor mused, his eyes twinkling with amusement . "Amanda Byrnes put down 'Alohomora' for 'Dancing Spell'. Funny little thing."

Whatever it is, I thought to myself, I just want to know why she's back.

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Harry looked confused. "Kientra?" He scratched his head. "When did she come back?"

"I don't know, but she was right there!" I pointed to the bushes. "Didn't you or any of the other players see her?"

"No, not a thing."

I frowned and started fiddling with my hair. I was thinking. It was Harry's voice that interrupted my thoughts. "You could be hallucinating, you know."

I raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me, Potter?"

Harry shrugged. "Well, I caught sight of that bush many times, and there was never anything there," he said simply .

"He's right," little Crystal Byrnes whispered. With her pale, milky white skin, her long, straight blond hair, and her pale blue eyes, she was a natural ethereal beauty. She always reminded me of Rain, my close friend, who was equally, if not more, lovely. First-Year Hufflepuff Crystal was nothing like her wild and crazy twin Amanda (she's the one who cursed at Bernie Smith during Quidditch), who was a dark-haired, dark-eyed Gryffindor girl. Probably the only similarity they have is the extraordinarily straight hair.

"I watched the whole practise, and there was never anything there," she whispered again. Being very shy and quiet, she spoke very softly. Sheesh.

"Anyway, why would she come back?" Chris piped in, "She definitely doesn't miss you." The four of us were the only ones left on the field. No sign of a Nixus anywhere; not even a shadow. "You could be seeing ghosts ," Chris added, laughing .

"I am not!" I cried, "She and her mother probably lost the herd and need our help; that's why she came back!"

"That's impossible, Mel," said Harry, shaking his head .

"Why should it be? Her mother must've wandered off away from the herd to find Kientra in the first place, and... "

"No, Mel." Chris shook his head too . "Adult Nixai never lose their own herds; they detect them with their own form of magic in their horns."

I sighed . Chris loved magical beasts and knew a lot about them, much like Hagrid. He was probably right. Besides, why would they come back after a whole week, even if they did lose the herd? It wouldn't have taken them that long to figure out that they were lost.

"Alright," I sighed, rubbing the cut on my arm (which I had obtained by searching the prickly rose bushes earlier), "I must be hallucinating."

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"I am not hallucinating!" I gasped to myself. It was... no, it wasn't Kientra, it was another Nixus! Same size, but of a different colour. In the dim moonlight, I could just make out that it was snow-white, with a frosty, light pink mane, tail, horn, wings, and even hooves! And it was hovering right outside the window!

I sat bolt upright and scrambled silently out of bed. I stepped up to the window, thinking that if this went on, I'd have winged mermaids or Heaven knows what appearing at the window next.

The Nixus had been tapping softly on the window with its nose. It wanted to get in. It's appearance somehow made me feel that mystic and magic were all around, more than ever. It was very beautiful and sweet.

I gulped. Blinking, I shook my head. Nope, she was still there, looking all innocent. But by golly, no matter how innocent she looked, I wasn't about to freely open that window and risk getting pricked again, for the love of God! I could die this time and frankly, I think I am way too young to own a tombstone of my own, thank you very much.

I stared into her clear brown eyes for a while. Finally, I came back to earth and mouthed clearly the words 'What Do You Want?'

It cocked its head to one side, probably thinking of something. Then, its eyes turned back to me... and its horn glowed.

I gasped and stepped back, thinking it was going to ram into the window, break it... and come after me!... but it didn't. Instead, it moved it's horn about in the air, waving it in a strange way. It looked like it was forming shapes or something in the air. After a while, it stopped, and then I saw something take form in the air; floating white letters, icy-looking, slowly and mistily appearing, forming a full sentence! And it said:

'Please let me in, madam.'

I stared, then exhaled a big breath. Something was nagging me that I should... that I must let her in. Looking around to make sure that no one was awake or watching, I opened the window slowly.

Giving me a grateful nod, it flew into the dormitory, passing inches from my face and hovered a foot above my bed. And then it spoke.

"Do you mind?"

Not taking my eyes off the creature that was in front of me, I shut the window quickly, since the freezing night wind was starting to blow in. Silence passed between us for a few seconds. Finally, it spoke again in its tinkling, crystalline voice, "Do you mind, madam?"

I bit my lip. "Um, no, of course not... please do," I stammered awkwardly, plopping down on the bed myself beside her. The creature touched down daintily on her tiny hooves and gave me a humble smile.

"Melody Snow," it whispered, "such a great honour to be in your presence, madam. I am Arowyn." It bowed it's head low. "Oh no, please, no need for that," I said gesturing.

It smiled , lifted its head and sat demurely, staring up at me with obvious respect and interest. "You have been found worthy of the Symbol, madam," it smiled, looking at it. "That does not surprise me." I laughed softly, touching the Symbol. I really did love it.

I caught sight of the window from the corner of my eye. I turned to look at it. Whoa, where'd those floating letters go? I wondered to myself . I turned back to 'Arowyn', slightly puzzled. Obviously, it was here for a reason, but what was the reason? And then I thought of something else...

"Madam... " it whispered, "Why do you smile at me like that?"

I stood up. "Come with me," I said, "You're going to help me prove that I am not crazy."

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