Melody left Ron and Hermione in her dust as she stormed through the common room. Any remaining affections for Harry seemed to have seeped out of her body, yet tears still filled her eyes as she traveled the corridors. She hid her face with a wave of hair and scurried to the entrance to Dumbledore’s office. She wanted to disappear behind the gargoyle and escape from the prying eyes all around her, but there was one problem.
The gargoyle stared blankly at her anticipating a password.
Pacing for a second, she was interrupted by a hand grabbing her waist. She whipped her wand from her pocket and Harry was thrown back.
“I don’t want to talk to you,” Melody said coldly, leaning over him with her wand at his neck.
Harry got back to his feet, “At least let me explain what you saw.”
“No!” Melody snapped as a sharp sound identified Harry’s cracked glasses, “Just tell me the password and leave.”
Harry looked as if he was about to object, but instead he gazed down at her through his fractured lenses and offered up the secret word. Without saying anything else, Melody nearly shouted the word to ignite the spiral stairs.
Dumbledore was pleasantly sitting at his desk when Melody appeared in front of him.
“Take a seat,” he said, raising his wand.
“Don’t bother,” Melody replied summoning a chair herself from thin air.
Dumbledore gazed at the new seat for a moment before continuing, “Now, Ms. Chancelle. I believe you had an issue to discuss with me, something about shattering glass,” Melody nodded, “Of course. Why don’t you explain it to me.”
Melody fidgeted in her chair, “Yes, Professor. You see, everytime I’m angry or really emotional, it seems that my powers go a little haywire.”
“And glass shatters?” Dumbledore finished.
“Exactly.”
Dumbledore began to stroke the magnificent phoenix beside him, “I’m glad you’ve come to me, Melody. I’ve been waiting to contact you.”
“About what?”
“You’re not an average seventeen year old witch.”
Melody laughed, “I’m not sure if that’s a compliment or what, but….okay?”
Dumbedore’s aged smile parted, “By that, I meant that you have an extraordinary gift.”
Melody’s eyes were fixed on Dumbledore for a long time as she tried to think of anything special about herself. She opened her mouth to say something, but Dumbledore beat her to it.
“Your magic is by far stronger than any student your age. You’ve already noticed the first sign.”
“The glass,” Melody said, mostly to herself.
“Precisely. But of course, that is only the beginning. Have you noticed anything else?”
Melody shrugged, “I guess I have been doing magic without a wand over the summer.”
Dumbledore seemed to be deep in thought for a moment, but then came back to life with a nod.
“Yes, I would imagine it would be easy for you,” he said quietly, “How are things with Harry?”
The change in subject threw Melody off as she started to speak, “Pardon me, Professor, but what does that have to do with anything?”
“Just curious,” Dumbledore replied with a smirk.
Melody was still uncertain as she got up to leave when the time came. Before she departed though, Dumbledore spoke from his desk.
“Remember, Melody, flaws are a fact of life.”
She brushed it off with a nod before disappearing with a “Pop.”
When Melody reappeared in her sitting room, she was surprised to find Brigitte pacing the room, running her fingers across shelves.
“Brigitte? What are you doing here?” Melody asked.
“I know all about Marcel.”
Thinking of the gossiping academy, Melody laughed, “Who doesn’t?”
“Don’t be smart with me, Chancelle,” Brigitte snapped.
Melody paused. Brigitte was obviously not here to see if Marcel was a good kisser.
“I also know about ‘arry,” she continued, “You were off kissing Marcel before you broke up with ‘arry. You still ‘aven’t broken up with ‘arry.”
Brigitte’s eyes were cold as she visually struck Melody down. It didn’t take long before Melody knew where this was going.
“Please don’t tell him,” Melody said near silence.
“Why shouldn’t I? All I care about is boys.”
Brigitte’s cold eyes narrowed even more on Melody. There was something pleading behind the ice.
“What will it take for you to keep quiet?” Melody asked, sharply.
“’arry.”
“What?!” Melody shouted.
Brigitte’s grin widened, “If you’re through with ‘arry, I want ‘im.”
“I can’t make him like you. Besides, who said I was through with Harry?”
“Really?” Brigitte said devilishly, “Marcel will love to ‘ear that.”
The room fell silent to the point that Melody’s shallow breathing was obvious.
“Okay, he won’t be mine forever, but I can’t make him like you!”
“You ‘ave good persuasion skills, use them!”
Melody mulled the situation in her mind for many minutes as Brigitte’s gaze remained fixed on her.
“How am I supposed to break up with him and then convince him to date my friends?” Melody said in a final reasoning attempt.
“Melody, a man can ‘ate you and in the next second ‘e’ll be carrying your schoolbag. ‘arry is no different.”
Harry was by far different. Once she called it quits with him, it was over. His pride would never let him crawl back.
“Please, Brigitte. Why do you want this so badly?”
Brigitte’s eyes finally left Melody’s and fell on the window, “You’ve always ‘ad the glory, Melody. You don’t know what it’s like to be lost in the crowd.”
“And Harry is going to solve that?!” Melody asked desperately.
“It might not ‘ave made much of a difference for you, but it would make a world of difference to me. All I need is that one thing to make me stand out, and ‘arry is it.”
Brigitte had exposed her weakness, but Melody couldn’t think of taking advantage of that. She was too feeble to be given up on.
“I’ll try,” was all that Melody said and Brigitte was gone.
Once again, Melody found herself as the target of blackmail, but this time she could lose a lot more.