Melody Aira Snow; Hogwarts Assistant!

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"It's not... really made out of Nixus manes, is it?" Harry whispered to me as we made our way up the stairs.

"Don't be silly; of course it isn't'!" I whispered back. "McGonagall just wanted to scare her. It's artificial fur." In front of us, Kientra trotted grandly, looking around with a mixture of curiosity and arrogance.

"Good morning, both of you!"

"Aaahhh!!" Kientra shot up the stairs like a whirlwind and stayed at the top, quivering like a leaf.

Harry and I started laughing and slapping our knees . "Good morning, Mr. Smokey," I replied to the portrait, still laughing, "You just scared our snobby little guest right out of her snobby little wits! I salute you!" I grinned.

Mr. Smokey stared at us through his pale grey eyes and puffed at his pipe thoughtfully. "Guest...? What 'guest'?" he enquired.

Still chuckling, Harry climbed up the steps and knelt down beside the shaking Nixus, who had covered her eyes with her wings. "Come on, Kientra, it's only Mr. Smokey," he assured, grinning. "He's a friend of ours."

Cautiously, Kientra peeped out. "Are... are you sure?"

Harry nodded. "Absolutely, no need to be afraid."

"But... but he gave me a scare, and... " And then she caught sight of me leaning against the wall, still laughing hard while Mr. Smokey looked on amusedly . Immediately, a nasty frown crossed her face. "Mr. Potter... " she said slowly, "You must be somewhat mad to think that I am ever scared of anything." Spreading her wings, she flew down the stairs with arrogant grace, sticking her nose up. "So you," she scowled at me, touching down, "can just be quiet." Harry quickly turned his laughter into a disgusted frown.

"Why, you little... !" I cried, shaking my fist at her. It is a well-known fact in Hogwarts that I, Melody Aira Snow, simply cannot tolerate rudeness!

"Ahem... and this is our... 'guest'?" Mr. Smokey interrupted.

I lowered my fist, muttering. "Unfortunately, yes."

The thin but jolly old man in the portrait observed Kientra for some time, puffing his pipe and probably thinking about her manners. Finally, he spoke. "Well, my beauty, I'm very sorry to have scared you like that. Hope you forgive old Smokey here." He tipped his grey-striped, floppy hat politely.

Kientra, however, didn't seem to appreciate his grace, for she merely rolled her eyes and slurred, "Whatever... can we all get a move on now? I see no reason whatsoever to stay here talking to an unintelligent picture that goes around scaring people whenever he likes."

Mr. Smokey looked aghast. "I beg your pardon?"

"I'm extremely sorry, Mr. Smokey," I gasped, equally aghast. "I apologise profusely on her behalf. Now," I started pushing Harry and that... that... creature up the stairs again, "I think we'd better leave."

Safely up on the second floor, Harry and I turned angrily to the little horse, our eyes blazing . "Listen here, you little spawn of Satan!" I yelled, "Hogwarts has never seen such rudeness since that Malfoy slime-ball, and I sure as Hell am not going to let you shock the hair-roots out of everybody here! If you don't watch it, I'll... I'll... "

"You might not have noticed," Kientra sneered, "but it is your peppery temper that's shocking the hair-roots out of everyone." A look of smug triumph crossed her face .

Seething, I looked around. True, everyone in that hallway was staring wide-eyed and open-mouthed, even though they'd seen my temper before. Some terrified First-Year newcomers who had peeked out their classroom doors hurriedly ran back inside the minute they caught my gaze, while some others quickly looked in another direction, pretending to look busy.

I faced Kientra again, still sizzling, my eyes glowing red. No, really glowing. As in fiery, striking red. You see, when Rhondella tried to possess me during my first years here, she accidentally left a 'mark'; the ability to change my eye colour. This is because whenever she... how do I put this... 'attacked' me, my eyes would turn a frightening, horrifying blood-red, scary even to the most morbid of beings. Now, of course, there's not a colour in the universe I can't change them into. Harry was left with a scar; I was left with this! Hah! In your face, Potter!

But anyway... back to my sizzling senses...

Kientra seemed completely unmoved by my anger. In fact, she stuck her tongue out at me!

That's it!! I thought to myself. I raised my hand, ready to slap that smug white mug sore. However, Mr. Saint Potter stopped me. "Mel!" he hissed, frowning slightly, "we'll be rid of her before you know it! Now calm down."

"Hello, fuming Gryffindors and a horse."

I hardly had to turn around. That kind of greeting could only, and ONLY, have come from well-known Christopher Louis Barog.

"Hello, Chris... " I muttered half-heartedly through gritted teeth.

Chris was a Fifth-Year Gryffindor student well liked for his cheery, funny personality (like me, hehehe). He was tall, with a mop of blond hair that was always immaculately neat. His strange bottle-green eyes had earned him the nickname 'Bottles' years ago. His was a face of cheeky matureness, and he always hung out with me and Harry.

"So," he began, "what's all the fuss abou... holy bog-monsters, is that a Nixus?" he exclaimed, cutting his own sentence off . His tone had clearly indicated disbelief, which was what prompted me to say, "Believe it, Chris (I never called him by his nickname), you are staring at the rudest, most arrogant, snobbish Nixus that ever graced this blessed Earth! Oh, and guess what? It talks, unfortunately!" I threw my hands up in disgust, getting worked up again.

Harry nodded and smartly added, "Yes, and all in one tiny package! Some things are just not worth being free... "

Chris raised his eyebrows doubtfully. "It talks?" he said. Then, he grinned. "You really think my common sense is the size of baby bacteria? Everyone knows that talking Nixai are just a rumour."

"There is truth in rumours, Mr. Brainless," Kientra huffed, making Chris jump. "And I'll have you know that I have a... "

"Mane... I mean, name! She has a name, did you know?" I mocked, sizzling again. " 'Kientra', it seems... oh, and 'in the future, please address me properly'," I said, mocking the monstrosity's high voice. Clearly, I didn't exactly regard her as the apple of my eye. Sour apple maybe... no, 'rotten' is better.

Chris nudged a still frowning Harry and whispered discreetly, "She's funny when she's in a temper."

"I heard that, Barog."

Kientra huffed at me again. "You're very irritating, did you know?" she scowled.

"Oh, shut up, you bloody abomination!!" I hollered, shaking my fist again. Everyone stared for the third time (the second time was when I mocked Kientra), and the First-Years came running to their classroom doors once more to behold the scene. Considering the classes were only a few feet away, it was amazing that I hadn't been told off by the Professors teaching in there yet. ('We could've been killed! Or worse... expelled!')

"Mel... come now... " Harry said gently, patting my shoulder. "Calm down, will you?" I could see that he was holding back a fit of laughter. Wonder what happened to his anger...

Chris laughed lowly. "Oh, great and legendary Melody Snow," he snickered, "you do realise that you're letting a mere horse get to you." He shook his head in amusement.

Kientra snorted. "A mere horse?! Excuse me, I am... "

"A bloody abomination! How many times must I repeat myself?!"

"Mel!" Chris laughed , his lip quivering, "It is just a horse! Besides," he added, "you were the one who... "

"Ahem," Kientra interrupted, "I think I prefer the term 'elusive Nixus'." She shook her long mane grandly.

"Alright, alright, I'm sorry," Chris dismissed. "Mel, I thought you were the one who put down 'pet Nixus' on your wishlist every birthday and Christmas."

I frowned. "True, but I certainly didn't wish for the spawn of the Satan of all Satans!"

That did it. Harry and Chris burst out laughing and had to lean back against the wall for support , making the peeping First-Years jump. "Can we not start cursing again?" they laughed. Don't you just hate it when you're throwing a fit and the people around you just laugh?

I drew a long breath and tried to calm my sizzling senses (I love to say that, don't I?). "How'd you... get her... anyway?" Chris managed to say, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes.

Before I could answer. Harry piped in. "Long story. Mel, you go on to Hagrid's, and I'll join after I've explained to Bottles here." He started ushering me off. "But Harry," I protested, "you know that I might just impale her on Anya's horn if you're not there to stop me!"

Harry just smiled. "You wouldn't do that," he said.

"Oh, and why ever not?" I challenged.

"Because," he grinned, "Anya doesn't have a horn. Nice try, though. Now go on."

Grumbling, I started to stalk off, the bloody beast trotting reluctantly behind. Passing the still-peeping First-Years, I stopped and flashed them a look. "Back... in... class," I hissed through gritted teeth. In they ran and slammed the door. From behind me, I heard two voices almost shouting in laughter.

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I sat with Hagrid on the few smooth rocks beside his hut, watching Anya and the little devil trying to interact... maybe even get along. I had been grumbling softly to myself, and now Hagrid looked up at me. "Well, blimey, Melody, yer the one who wished fer a Nixus a few yeers back," he stated, rubbing his beard. It is another well-known fact in Hogwarts that Melody Aira Snow has always wanted a pet Nixus almost more than anything else.

I sighed . "I know, Hagrid, but not one that... bad." I pointed to Kientra, who was flying around Anya's head, scrutinising her every inch. Not surprisingly, Anya seemed irritated.

Hagrid gave a grunt of affection. "Well now, yer gonna 'ave tuh give 'er time tuh grow out of it, then. She's just a baby, after all. No need to be so hard on 'er, alright?" he winked , then continued sharpening the knife he used to trim tiny plants.

"Hello," came a familiar voice beside us. I turned, slightly surprised. "Eranoy?" I laughed, "When did you get out of hospital?"

He shrugged. "About ten minutes ago." Then, he smiled. "Hello. Hagrid."

"Hello there, Eranoy. See yer wrist's all fine now," greeted the gentle giant. "Well," Eranoy smiled, climbing up to sit on the rock beside me, "Madam Pomfrey is a miracle." He watched the two animals in fascination. "Harry told me all about Kientra," he whispered, "She's a beauty."

Hagrid coughed. "Well, uh, looks can be quite the deceiving little devils, young Malfoy, and in this case... " He paused. "Well... yer gonna 'ave tuh see fer yerself. And yuh won't 'ave tuh look close tuh see what I mean," he added, nodding.

"Speaking of Harry... " I said, "Where is he? He was supposed to join us."

Eranoy fidgeted with his robe, like he always did, and looked at me. "He told me to tell you that he has to go, uh, 'kill some players'... and he said that you would know what he meant."

I grinned. "Quidditch practise. Tomorrow's the first game."

The three of us sat in silence for a while, watching, as an obviously bored Anya made her way back to her stable (Hagrid built it, by the way), yawning . Shooting a bored look at Kientra, she shut the door, pulling it with her teeth. The Nixus was outraged, and threw a fit.

"Anya!!" she bellowed, "Open this door now, for pity's sake! I can put up with your mistress's yelling, but I'll have you know right now that I will not be ignored! Anya... Anya, do you hear me?! I know you do, so open up! Are you not much honoured to have me as an acquaintance?! How dare you do this to me!! This is dishonour!! I command you to open this door! This is Keintra you're being rude to!! I'll have you know that I'll... "

As she ranted and raved on, I shot Eranoy a look. "There you have it... she's a beauty."

Eranoy grimaced and shook his head, while Hagrid stared and commented, "I'm telling yuh, Melody, that horse o' yers can be stone deaf when she wants to."

"You are putting the name of all Abraxans to disgrace, missy! I bet Hogwarts has never seen such attitude!! I'm pounding on the door now... you hear it? Anya, you're worse than your mistress, and I can assure you that that isn't a very good thing! For the millionth time, open this door!!"

I sighed. "A Nixus has many magical powers... and I suppose one of them is not being able to run out of breath."

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