The stores of Diagon Alley were completely blocked by the same old plague. Reporters and cameras refused to budge as Melody gripped tightly to the little hands of her children. What fame Melody thought would have faded seemed to grow over the years. Little acts or signs of magic from the Potter kids was an Earth shattering event – to catch one being performed on camera was any reporter’s dream…
…which brought them to this scene. Melody stood in the center of the street with Anna’s hand in her right and Sirius’ in her left. She had brought them in close to her sides while the reporters formed an increasingly tight circle around them.
“You are all disgusting!” Melody called out at them, “I can’t believe you would hunt little children.”
The reporters ignored her and only stepped closer and closer to the children. One particularly irritating paparazzi reached out and tugged on Sirius’ sleeve to get his attention. Melody had enough.
“Did you just touch my son?!” she exploded.
The man backed away, but it was too late. She pulled her wand from her clothes and sent a shot of blue light in all directions. The reporters were cast back in all directions and Melody instructed Anna and Sirius to move quickly toward the broom shop as they regained their footing.
She violently closed the door to the shop behind her the instant they were all in.
“Do you mind if I lock this while we shop for a bit?” Melody asked as the shopkeeper came from the back.
“Absolutely. Anything for the Potters,” he said with a wide grin across his face.
Melody led Anna and Sirius around the store as she looked at the various makes and models. Little Anna was seven now and determined to learn how to fly her own broom. Harry had convinced Melody to let him teach her on the condition that she picked the broom.
“Looking for a new broom, Mrs. Potter,” the shopkeep asked.
Melody nodded.
“Anna will be learning to ride,” she said gesturing to her daughter.
The shop owner nodded and retreated to the back of the shop. When he returned he was holding many compact models.
“These are ideal for children riders,” he pitched, “The smaller size creates a safer ride for them that they can handle.”
Melody was instantly drawn to the safety strengths. After about half an hour of running through finishes and specific models, Melody selected a Stardust 400.
“Will Mr. Potter be teaching her?” the owner asked excitedly.
Melody again nodded.
“Could have played professionally that boy, spectacular rider. She’ll certainly be a natural with parents like you and Mr. Potter.”
Melody thanked him for the all too common flattery before setting up a time to pick up the finished broom.
“Don’t think on it. I’ll fly the broom out to your house myself,” the shopkeeper offered.
Melody jotted down their address before grasping the two little hands again to brace them for the awaiting mob.
As they made their way into the street, Melody was struck with a bad feeling. She glanced through the crowd for a cause and spotted it in a group of hooded men watching her and the children. She immediately recognized Goyle among them and forced her way through the crowd to make it back to the Leaky Cauldron.
Anna ran into her dad’s lap as soon as she spotted him in the living room scanning some paper work. Sirius trailed behind her and he too fell into Harry’s lap.
“Who are these tired people?” he asked, “These can’t be my smiley kids.”
The two little ones scooted over so that Melody could take a seat next to Harry. She pulled Sirius into her lap and kissed Harry on the cheek.
“They had a scary day at Diagon Alley. First there was the same old mean mob with cameras, but then something really got me.”
Harry sensed the concern in her voice and suggested that Anna take Sirius to look through her new flying books.
“What is it?” Harry asked as soon as they left the room.
“Goyle,” Melody said simply, “I saw him with a bunch of shady characters in town.”
Harry was immediately concerned. He rose to his feet and summoned his bag.
“I’ll go into the office and check on things. If something’s going on, we’re going to be the first to know.”
In the next second he was gone.
Melody was reassured by the way he confidently entered the kitchen upon his return.
“Malfoy and all his fools are still wasting away behind bars at Azkaban.”
Melody smiled and kissed Harry with relief.
“Nevertheless,” Harry continued, “I don’t think it would be a bad idea to get a group of people together to keep their eyes and ears open.”
“Like the Order?” Melody asked simply.
“I suppose, but I was thinking about gathering the members of the DA from my fifth year. The Order is past its prime and this is going to take good young men and women.”
Melody nodded and Harry left to make phone calls to people.
The meeting adjourned with nothing to show for the time. They had nothing to base their concerns on officially and therefore, no way to come up with methods of defense. Viligance was all that stepped forward.
Harry and Melody made their way out to the balcony of the house to call in all the kids to come meet their parents, but as they watched the youthful play and joyful laughter something tore at their hearts.
Harry leaned against the railing and broke down for the first time in a long time in front of Melody. She immediately rushed to his side and placed an arm across his back.
“It isn’t fair,” he said forcefully, “We already beat this once. We’ve already lost enough to this cause.”
Melody rested her head on his shaking shoulder. She couldn’t find the words to comfort him. All that ran through her head were the various faces of those that had fought and lost to protect the wizarding race.
“Dumbledore would have wanted us to keep fighting for what’s right,” she said in an attempt to motivate him.
Harry’s eyes again fell upon the children running around the vast backyard. Melody watched as his gaze followed Anna as she poured sand on Davon.
“She shouldn’t have to live the way I did. That’s the last thing I want for her…and him.”
His gaze was now glued to Sirius as he and the twins laughed at each other, not far from Anna and Davon.
“That’s why we’re going to beat it again,” Melody said plainly.
“Do you think we can?”
“We have to,” Melody said taking Harry’s hand, “for them.”
The parents returned to looking at the kids. They looked upon the fate of a people. They watched a little hero jump at a fire fly as his strongest allies fought over a swing. Their daughter slapped at her future as he dusted her with dirt, but all they felt was helplessness.