That weekend, Harry and Melody made their way out to the pitch. The night before, it had snowed for the first time, and the snow crunched under their feet as they neared the pitch. The Asteroid safely in tow, she was ready to prove to Harry she was just as good as he. In her hand, Melody held a practice snitch from Beauxbaton. She remembered how Celeste and she had stolen it as a farewell prank.
Once in the center of the pitch, both mounted their brooms, and Melody released the snitch. Melody shot upward to get a better look, while Harry clumsily combed the air searching. Within a few minutes, Melody spotted the snitch and whirled through the air after it. Harry had just realized Melody found it when she wrapped her finger around it.
“Is that the best you can do?” Melody asked once they were in the center of the pitch again, “I expected more from the youngest Seeker in a century, but that’s only because I’m a week older.”
Harry laughed sarcastically and they started again. In a short time, Melody had won again. Harry was growing very irritated and nearly ran into Melody upon returning to the center.
“It’s the broom!” Harry exclaimed.
“Fine, we can switch then,” Melody, said lowering her broom to the ground.
They made the switch, and Melody once again released the snitch. She laughed as Harry mimicked every motion she made. After pulling a few loops, she spotted the snitch and once again caught it before Harry.
It began to snow, so they dismounted their brooms and walked to the castle. Harry attempted to defend himself, but found himself without reason.
“You’re pretty good,” he said quietly as they entered the front doors.
“Pretty good? You better be talking about my looks! I pummeled you out there!” Melody interjected.
They laughed and hurried up to Gryffindor Tower. Once they had changed into dry clothes and gathered some school things, they left for the Great Hall. They found seats at the table and set down to get some homework done.
Melody was just making fun of Harry’s pictures for Care of Magical Creatures when the usual swarm of owls flew into the hall. Sparx swooped down and rested next to Melody’s Arithmancy book to deliver a letter.
Harry turned back to his drawings as Melody read:
Dear Melody,
I hope term has been going well. You mother asked me to write you and remind you about holiday plans. I’ll be picking you up from Hogwarts at noon the day after term ends. From there, we will get on the charter flight to Paris. I know you have been looking forward to Christmas holiday, and I can’t wait to hear about your term so far!
All my Love,
Anna
Melody looked up at Harry, who was attempting to save the drawings. She had forgotten that she was going away for vacation soon. She wondered if Harry would be staying at Hogwarts over break.
Harry had simply given up on the drawings when he looked up.
“Letter from home?” he asked shoving the papers in his bag.
“Yeah, about Christmas break.”
“What are you doing?”
“My parents, Anna and I are going to Paris.”
“That’ll be nice,” Harry said examining a rip on his parchment.
“What are you going to be doing?”
“I was supposed to go home with Ron, but by the looks of it, that might have complications.”
Melody frowned. It was her fault that Harry and Ron were not getting along well.
“Oh well, it is better than staying here. Besides, the Order wants me to be around them over the holiday.”
“Oh, I suppose,” Melody said, nervously gathering her books, “I better go get that vampire book from the library.”
“Yeah.”
Melody hesitated, but turned and left. It would be odd to ask Harry to spend holiday with her.
***
That night, Melody pulled out some parchment and responded to Anna’s letter:
Dear Anna,
I have a lot to tell you about when I see you.
I know this is short notice, but could I bring a friend on holiday with me? He kind of has no place to go, and … well, it’s Harry. I’m sure the Order would be fine with his coming with us, wouldn’t it?
Please reply soon!
XOXO,
Melody
***
Anna’s letter came back soon saying that she would like permission from Dumbledore before she made plans for Harry. Melody was delighted as she bounded up the steps leading to Dumbledore’s office.
Dumbledore stood pacing near his desk when Melody entered, but was pleased to see her.
“Hello, Miss Chancelle. I know why you’re here, so say no more. I’m sure Harry will have a nice holiday with you and your parents in Paris,” Dumbledore said as he took a seat. “I’ve already replied to your father’s letter telling him the proper procedures.”
“My father wrote you about this?”
“Yes, is that so odd?”
“Well, I assumed that Anna would write it. She usually takes care of things when it comes to me,” Melody said before looking down at her feet. The holiday only brought thoughts of home.
Dumbledore slowly rose from his desk and placed a hand on Melody’s shoulder.
“Melody, I know you feel your father is always working, but he is doing good. In the last year he has given us five leads on Voldemort’s location. You must understand, what he lacks as a father, he makes up in honor.”
Melody smiled half-heartedly and exited the office. Honor was no good to her. She wanted a father who was around enough to, say, see her off to school.
***
Her next challenge was going to be asking Harry in the least-awkward way. She found him the next day sitting in the common room reading over his paper on vampires. For ten minutes, she casually strolled the common room before working up enough courage to ask him. Why was this so hard? It was just Harry, after all.
Once she had straightened herself out, she took the seat across from Harry and waited for him to look up.
“Hi, Mel,” he said before returning his focus to the paper, “I have to get a good mark on this, and Fleur is brutal.”
Melody laughed and fidgeted with her thumbs. She let him finish looking over his paper before bringing up break.
“So, you still going to the Weasleys' for Christmas?” she asked smoothly.
“I guess -- I don't really have anywhere else to go.”
“Actually, that’s not your only option,” Melody said, causing Harry to look up.
“What do you mean?” he asked.
“Well, you could come to Paris with my parents and me,” Melody said anxiously.
Harry’s eyes widened, “Really?”
“Sure, Anna already checked it with Dumbledore. He thinks it’s perfectly safe, and everyone would rather you enjoyed you break,” Melody said, starting a brigade of other reasons until she realized there had been no change in Harry’s expression, “Only if you want to of course.”
They sat there for a few moments in silence until Melody stood.
“Well, I understand. I didn’t expect you to want to spend Christmas with -- erm, my family,” she said discouraged.
“No, I’m sure I’d enjoy Christmas a lot more with you … and your family, of course,” Harry said awkwardly.
“Good, I’d better go write to Anna to tell her your coming,” Melody said about to run up to her dorm.
Harry rose too, “I suppose I better get packing. End of term is tomorrow.”
They walked up to the dorms, but glanced at each other as they disappeared behind doors.