Dumbledore sat as his desk leafing through an ancient spell book when Harry and Melody entered behind Professor McGonagall. Harry squeezed Melody’s hand quickly before letting go.
“Headmaster, Potter and Miss Chancelle,” McGonagall said grabbing Dumbledore’s attention.
“Thank you, Minerva. That will be all,” Dumbledore said.
McGonagall turned on her heels and was gone in seconds. Resuming his study of the spell book, Dumbledore created silence in the large office. Melody looked at the many portraits surrounding her. She could have sworn she heard a kissing sound, but she refused to argue with a picture. Dumbledore continued to page through the spell book until he spoke after many moments.
“I hope you two enjoyed the holidays in France.”
“Thank you sir,” Melody replied timidly. Her voice nearly shook, but she held a strong composure.
“Is there something wrong, Headmaster?” Harry finally asked growing impatient.
“No, Harry, just making sure you got home in one piece. Melody’s father contacted me about the Ozzette Square occasion, but apparently, it was nothing. You’re dismissed,” Dumbledore said before both Melody and Harry turned to leave, “No, Melody. I need to speak with you in private.
Harry hesitated, but obeyed Dumbledore’s plea of privacy. Looking desperately at him, Melody took a seat near the desk. She heard the door shut and knew that Harry was gone. Gripping the edge of her seat, she anticipated Dumbledore’s request.
“It seems every time you are in my office I have to speak with you about a boy. Just like your mother, I would assume. You have your mother’s beauty, but you are filled with your father’s ambitions,” Dumbledore finally said, “With all that ambition, one could find themselves in trouble.”
Dumbledore looked over his glasses at Melody, but paused.
‘What kind of trouble, sir?” Melody asked feeling her stomach turn.
“Know this. The Dark Lord knows more than anyone of us could imagine and will always strike where his enemies are weak.”
Melody looked up at the aged man before her and asked, “But you know everything he know, right?”
“I only wish.”
Dumbledore’s words began to sink in as Melody walked to the common room. He had been vague, but Melody knew this was a warning for her. Voldemort would soon know about her and Harry and like many times before, he would hit Harry where it hurt the most, the heart.
She passed through the portrait hole and scanned the room for Harry. When she didn’t see him, she crossed the room to the dormitory stairs. Climbing to the top and opening the door to Harry’s dorm, she found him standing over his trunk unpacking things. He looked up as she began to walk towards him. She simply walked over and sat down on the edge of his bed and said nothing.
“What did he say?” Harry asked after many moments of silence.
Melody repeated what Dumbledore told her and Harry’s eyes filled with worry. His body tensed as he sat down next to Melody.
“Don’t worry. As long as I’m here no one will touch you,” he said wrapping an arm around her shoulder and kissing her forehead.
Just as Harry’s lips touched Melody’s head, Seamus came into the dorm. A smirk played across his face as he pausing feet from the doorway.
“Why is it that every other boy in this school gets a chance with you?” he laughed taking a step closer to his own bed.
Harry removed his arm from Melody and rose. His strides were stiff as he neared Seamus. Infuriated, Harry pushed him against the wall with a single hand.
“What was that?” he asked placing his hand loosely around Seamus’s quivering neck.
“I just meant that she would chose anyone over me,” Seamus choked out.
Melody, seeing the anger in Harry’s eyes, rushed over. Harry was pressing harder on Seamus’s neck when Melody placed a hand on his wrist.
“Calm down, Harry. He was just joking,” she said turning Harry to face her.
“Well, he isn’t funny,” Harry snarled, “Stay away from her, Seamus.”
Seamus shrugged, “I never did anything!”
Melody once again told Harry to calm down and she lead him down into the common room. She could almost feel the heat of his temper radiating from his skin.
“What is wrong with you?! Seamus never did anything!” Melody yelled once they were sitting near the fire.
“I won’t let anyone hurt you, not after Sirius. I won’t be tricked again!”
“Harry, it was just Seamus, innocent Seamus. He never hurt anyone.”
Harry opened his mouth to say something, but the room filled with Gryffindors returning from dinner.
Once term resumed, Quidditch came into full stride. With the Asteroid and Melody’s advice, Harry was unbeatable. Melody would watch him practice from the top box around the pitch and silently cheer him on. She didn’t want to distract him when he was the Quidditch star. She had given up the sport for him, and wanted nothing to get in the way of his success. She waited peacefully as Harry and the others changed in the locker room. In minutes, Harry would be climbing the stairs to the box. Like every night, they would sit and talk as he held her until nightfall. These meetings were what kept Melody sane, as the days grew harder at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
They had decided not to flaunt this relationship, but neither of them hid it. If they kissed, it was a quick peck on the cheek, so news didn’t start to spread until Lavender, Padma, and Parvati spotted Harry and Melody kissing by the lake. They giggled from group to group of girls and told what they had seen.
When word got to Ron and Hermione, they were seen all over the castle kissing and hugging. Melody tried earnestly to divert her eyes as Ron swung Hermione’s hand in the hall, but remaining anger flared and she always clenched a fist as she passed. A period of bitterness and cold looks was born between the two pairs, widening the gap between the four of them. Best friend glared at best friend and old flings brought on nasty emotions.