Melody Chancelle pulled her Mercedes into the garage. The back seat was filled with bags of things for the coming school year. She was going into her sixth year of wizarding school, but this was going to be her first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in England.
For the last five years, Melody had gone to Beauxbaton Academy of Magic in France. Now that her family had moved back to Beverly Hills California, she had transferred to Hogwarts. Everything was going to be different this year -- everything.
After Melody gathered all the bags from the backseat she carried them inside, to the side entry. Her first trip to Ozzette Square had been a wreck. Thing were easier when she went to Beauxbaton. Everything was ordered and sent straight to the school. Hogwarts was a whole other story. Today had been her second trip to Ozzette Square.
A simple shopping trip took one hour to get there and about another hour to get in. You had to go into the local bookshop, find the book called One Thousand Facts About Nuclear Science (the title was supposed to repel Muggles), then bring the book to the shelf in the back-right corner of the store and read the second-to-last page. It was all a hassle.
Melody dropped the bags on the floor in the entry and pushed the caramel locks of her hair out of her eyes. After a minute or so, one of the maids, Genevieve, hurried to retrieve the bags and bring them upstairs. Melody thanked her and kicked off her Italian boots before walking through the hall into the kitchen.
Anna, the housekeeper, was standing at the stove making supper. She turned when Melody entered and greeted her with a smile. Her aged face lit up every time she saw Melody. Melody was like a daughter to Anna, and she like a mother.
“You’re back! Did you get all the things you need?” Anna said as she turned to stir the pot.
“Yeah, finally. Are you still going to help me pack?” Melody said as she leaned over the pot to see what was cooking.
Anna quickly covered the pot, snapping it inches from Melody’s face.
“It’s a surprise, and of course I’ll help you pack. I’ll be up in a little while,” Anna said as she lead Melody away from the stove.
Melody left the kitchen, walked through the formal dining room, and crossed the formal living room into the grand entry. She ascended the stairs and as she passed her mother’s office, her mother called her in. She entered and closed the door behind her.
“Yes, Mama,” Melody said sweetly to her mother.
Her mother was sitting at her desk reading to herself in French. Mrs. Chancelle had lived in France for most of her life. She went to college in the United States and remained there until Melody was ten, when they moved to Paris again. Now, back in the United States, she was slowly adapting to the change.
“Did you aller faire des courses* -- sorry -- go shopping, again?"
“Yes, Mama.”
Her mother rose from her seat. She rounded and the desk and put her arm around Melody’s waist.
“I can’t believe you are going to ‘ogwarts this year. Zat is where your father went, you know. Too bad he is not ‘ere to see you off,” she said as she brushed the hair from Melody’s eyes, “You do understand why ‘e isn’t ‘ere, right?”
“Yes, Mama.”
Melody’s father was never around. He worked all week and every Saturday. Sundays he spent in his office reading and deciphering old spell books.
“Good. ‘e really did want to be ‘ere zough.”
“I know, Mama.”
Melody gave her mom a convincing smile and her mother pulled away, returning to her French novel. Melody hesitated for a moment and then left the room. She hurried down the hall and entered her room. Scattered all over the room were unpacked boxes of clothing. On her bed lay the bags that Genevieve had brought in. They had only been in the house for a month, and Melody had put off unpacking most personal things the longest.
There was a knock on the door, and Anna walked in. She was carrying a long case that housed her Astroid 5000, the latest model in racing brooms. Anna placed the case gingerly next to one of Melody’s school trunks.
Anna looked around the room.
“Mel, honey, you have to finish unpacking before you leave. Why don’t you do that while I gather your school supplies?”
“Sure, Anna,” Melody said as she walked to the nearest box and ripped the tape off.
The first thing she saw when she flapped open the box was a picture frame that had a picture and her and Celeste, her best friend from Beauxbaton.
A tear formed in her eye as she placed the picture on her nightstand. She turned away from Anna when she passed by on the way to the bookshelves. Melody hurried back to the box and continued putting things away without thinking about the friends and life she had left behind. When she had finally finished, Anna was just folding up her last school robe.
“Which dress robes would you like to pack?” Anna asked, holding Melody’s school letter.
Excitement rushed through Melody. Dress robes meant a formal of some sort, usually a ball. She beamed when she looked up at Anna.
“What do I need them for?!” Melody asked enthusiastically.
“It doesn’t say, but I’m sure you will find out when you get there. So which ones are you going to bring?”
Melody rushed into the closet and retrieved her ice blue robes, marigold robes and burgundy robes. Carrying them out to the trunks, she nearly ran into Anna who was on the way into the walk-in closet.
“You need to pick your weekend clothes, too,” Anna said, looking at the shelves in the closet as Melody folded and packed the dress robes.
“The clothes I bought today are for weekends. We can just pack all of those,” Melody said as Anna exited the closet.
Anna looked at the many bags on the bed. She laughed and then brought out her wand to magically fold and pack the clothes.
When they were finally done packing all of her things, they both headed downstairs for supper. Melody entered the casual dining room to find only one place setting out. She sighed, discouraged.
“Mom had to go to work, didn’t she,” Melody said as she sat in her lonely seat.
Anna nodded sympathetically. She placed Melody’s plate in front of her and disappeared into the kitchen.
“Anna!” Melody called.
Anna hurried into the room.
“Will you eat with me?” Melody asked.
Anna smiled, and that night, Melody ate her last dinner at home with the one person who cared for her the most.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
The next morning, Melody and Anna, boarded a charter plane her father had scheduled for them. Anna was coming along to see to it that Melody got on the train all right. In the airport, many clerks offered to show Melody around. Anna brushed them off, and she and Melody continued on alone.
The plane ride was long and uneventful. The computer and television kept Melody busy, and Anna sat and read her novel. That night they slept in bedrooms in the back of the plane and woke to find they were an hour out of London. They quickly packed their things and prepared to land.
Once the plane was on the ground, they got off and got into the car that was waiting to take them to their hotel. Melody gazed out the window as they passed through London. The old architecture reminded Melody of France. She took her eyes away from the window and placed their gaze upon her folded hands. When she looked up, Melody caught her reflection in the dark window that separated them from the driver. She smiled to herself.
Melody was a striking beauty for a girl of sixteen. She had piercing, light blue eyes that accented her golden complexion beautifully. Her caramel-colored hairs had a natural curl that was very becoming. It was no wonder the boys she met couldn’t help but smile.
After the long car ride, they entered the hotel lobby. The bellhops admired Melody when she entered, and hurried to claim her bags. Melody giggled innocently.
“You would think you were a veela the way those boys drool over you,” Anna laughed as they waited for their room keys.
“No, that would be Fluer,” Melody said in reference to Fluer Delacour, a former student at Beauxbaton who was part veela.
The desk clerk gave Anna their room keys just as Melody saw a girl with long, brown hair sitting in a chair in the lobby reading Hogwarts: A History.
“Anna, look at that girl sitting over there,” Melody said, excited at the chance to meet the Hogwarts student.
Anna looked up from her purse to see the same sight Melody had.
“Perhaps, you should go over there and talk to her. It wouldn’t hurt to have someone to talk to when you get on the train. You go over there and talk to her. I’ll be up in the room.”
Melody nodded and crossed the lobby to where the girl sat. She didn’t want to interrupt her reading, so she sat in the seat next to her until the girl closed the book and began looking around. Melody turned to her casually.
“Excuse me, but I couldn’t help but notice the title of the book you are reading,” Melody said in a gentle tone.
The girl began to look nervous as she tried to hide the book.
“Oh, don’t worry. I’m not a Muggle,” Melody said quietly.
The girl looked relieved.
“You frightened me,” she said as she pulled out the book once again.
“Sorry,” Melody said nervously, “my name is Melody Chancelle.”
“I’m Hermione Granger. Nice to meet you. Do you go to Hogwarts?”
Melody smiled, “Now I do.”
“What do you mean?” Hermione asked.
“Well, this will be my first year there.”
“You mean, you’re a first year?!”
“Oh no! I transferred over the summer. I’m going to be a sixth year.”
Hermione laughed, “I’m a sixth year as well. Where did you transfer from?”
“I went to Beauxbaton for the last five years.”
“But you don’t have a French accent,” Hermione said very observantly.
“I wasn’t born in France. We moved there when I was ten.”
“Oh, I see.”
They sat in silence for a few moments until Hermione stood up.
“Sorry, but I have to get back to my room. I’m meeting some friends in a little while,” she said as she gathered her things.
“Oh, OK. Well, it was nice meeting you,” Melody said as she too stood.
“Actually, why don’t you come too?”
“Really?”
“Sure, they wouldn’t mind.”
“I’ll have to ask Anna, but I’m sure I can.”
“OK, why don’t you meet me down here in an hour? I’ll wait fifteen minutes for you, but then I’ll have to get going.”
“OK, so I’ll see you in an hour.”
Hermione smiled before she turned and left.
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*aller faire des courses means “go shopping” in French