The mirror was irreparable. The pieces came back together, but the image still remained sectored. The final link between Melody and her time with Harry had been lost.
Days following didn’t flow well as Melody was overtaken by anxiety over her choice. Between breakdowns, Melody was trapped in a stoic daze. Monday rolled past, and nothing changed except that Melody earned herself detention in all four classes, as she failed to pull herself together to get to them.
With the hellish week, the constant anxiety faded, but Melody struggled with her emotions a week from Monday as she entered Madam Vanilea’s classroom to serve her first evening of detention.
Her posture slumped, she entered the room in silence. It wasn’t until she slid into an empty desk that she realized Madan Vanilea was preoccupied with a student.
“I know you can do better!” Vanilea exclaimed, exhausted, “You do marvelously on exams, but when it comes to oral presentations, you are suddenly useless. What am I going to do with you, Marcel?”
Melody felt herself sink into the seat as he rose from his beside the professor’s desk. She tried desperately to slip under the radar as he climbed the wooden steps exiting the room.
His hand finally graced the door handle, but he turned as Melody received unwanted recognition from Madam Vanilea.
“Oh, good. You’re here, Madamoiselle Chancelle!”
Knowing that hiding was futile, Melody sat up straight in her desk. She assumed Marcel would continue on his way now that Vanilea had acknowledges her, but instead he began to move toward Melody.
“Oi! Monsieur Eubon,” Madam Vanilea called from her desk, “Melody is serving detention and that doesn’t include you.”
As usual, Marcel flicked on the charm, “There has to be something I have done during Divinations to earn detention.”
A grin played across his face that slightly softened Melody.
“Heaven knows, but you may be excused.”
Marcel again turned for the door. He was nearly out of sight when he caught himself on the doorframe.
“Au revoir…. for now,” he laughed as he finally departed.
There was a long pause, as the room seemed slightly gloomier. Madam Vanilea leafed through a few papers at her desk until she rose, tracing the outline of its surface with her index finger.
“Come, sit in these first rows, Melody.”
Fear wasn’t a concern for Melody as she gathered her bag and moved to a seat parallel to the rack of crystal balls. Vanilea eyes followed her as she took her own seat in front of Melody.
“Why are you here, dear?” Vanilea said, gazing into Melody’s eyes.
Melody instantly closed her mind to the new intruder causing Vanilea to look away in laughter.
“You’re quicker than your friend, Monsieur Eubon. He could tattoo his thoughts on his forehead for how loosely he wears his emotions on those blue sleeves.”
Cautiously, Melody smiled at her professor’s obvious words. For a moment, she relived the night of the party and Marcel’s honest character. Before she could stop herself, her mind burst into a million emotions as she recalled her conversation with Harry.
“I thought so…” Vanilea whispered.
Cursing, Melody slapped the desk.
“When it comes to reading minds, you’re dealing with a master,” Madam Vanilea announced with a flourish.
“It’s nothing.”
Vanilea gazed at Melody for another moment before returning to her desk.
The ticks and tocks pounded in the room as Melody’s crossed arms rested on the desk before her.
Only ten minutes passed before a professor Melody did not recognize burst into the room. The stout woman hobbled frantically down the stairs pleading for the Divination teacher’s audience.
“Lucille! Lucille! Come at once!” the pale instructor called out between heaving gasps, “There’s been trouble in the dining hall!”
Madam Vanilea calmly rose from her desk, but instantly asked for a more detailed briefing.
“Well,” began the unnamed teacher, “I was walking back from the Headmistress’ office when I heard yelling. Of course, I acted at once and found that all the tables had been magicked to the ceiling while dinner was going on. Luckily it was still early so very few students were present, but I can’t seem to get anything out of any of them. That is what brought me to you. We really must hurry, it has ruined dinner…. for the students.”
Without a word Vanilea followed her colleague out of the room. Melody was told nothing, but remained almost shocked in her desk. Very few moments past before Melody felt a hand caress her neck.
A small shriek escaped her before she swiveled in her seat to find Marcel grinning down at her.
“Genius, right?” he asked, parking himself next to Melody, “ Now, I don’t know how long those kids can block Vanilea, so it’ll have to be quick.”
“What’ll have to be quick?!” Melody nearly shouted.
“Was he angry?”
“What? Whose angry?” Melody asked frantically.
Marcel chin dropped to his chest before he reached up and brushed his hand against Melody’s face, “It’s a good thing you are beautiful.”
Melody gazed into his eyes a moment before knowing instantly what he was looking for. She approached gently as she removed his hand from her face and covered it with her own. Every ounce of happiness that came with seeing Marcel was gone as Melody attempted to find the words.
Marcel’s eyes pleaded with her she felt her chest heave. To ease some discomfort she looked away and met her reflection in a nearby mirror. The sunlight hit the small heart shaped locket around her neck. Her right hand abandoned Marcel’s as she wrapped her fingers around the small ornament.
They sat for another moment as Melody’s index finger continued to trace the fragile chain of the gift. As her entire hand grasped the golden heart, her hand flowed with the movement of her chest.
Her grip on the sentimental necklace tightened for a moment before she ripped it from her thin neck with one painful motion.