Hermione’s finger traced the lip of her butterbeer as Ron was animatedly describing some sporting event. Obviously bored, Hermione pounced from her stool as she spotted Melody pass through the dark doorway.
Her eyes shifted about the room past Melody’s shoulder as she forcefully guided her to a third stool beside Ron. Melody had barely rested a hand on the table when Ron grabbed the leg of the stool and turned it so Melody was facing the portrait just over his shoulder.
“What is wrong with you two?” Melody said, regaining stability as the stool wobbled.
The duo remained tense for about ten minutes until a door slammed which caused Ron to send his mug sliding across the table.
“How are preparations going at Beauxbaton?” Hermione asked as her arm casually looped with Ron’s.
“Non-stop,” Melody began with a smile, “The headmistress is going completely overboard…like always. In fact, Marcus and I have been asked to step in and take care of the necessary tasks like schedules, because she has overlooked them for silly things like the daily shipment of flowers to decorate the foyer.”
“Marcus?” Hermione remarked, “That old boyfriend?”
Ron nearly choked on her final swallow of butterbeer.
“Oh stop, Ronald!” Hermione said pulling away from him, “If that’s so weird, I should feel threatened that you and Melody as sitting at the same table.”
Melody couldn’t help but laugh at this, but it was short lived.
“There isn’t anything going on with Marcus, is there?” Ron asked wide-eyed.
“Nope, not Marcus.”
Melody caught Hermione’s eye to caution her on the subject. Ron remained clueless as he rose from the table to get a refill on his mug.
The girls sat in silence for a moment, but silent moments never lasted long with Hermione, especially if there was an underlying question waiting to be asked. Needless to say, that question surfaced.
“Not Marcus? If not him, who?”
Melody glanced over her shoulder and was pleased to see Ron entranced by a Quidditch book with the usual suspects.
“I suppose it’s better that you hear it from me rather than her.”
“Who’s her?” Ron asked from behind her, causing Melody to jump.
He took his seat and glanced from Melody to Hermione searching for a hint.
“Promise you won’t be angry with me,” Melody said, lowering her head.
Ron and Hermione exchanged looks before returning their gaze to Melody.
“What are we talking about?” Ron howled.
“Shush, Ron!” Hermione snapped.
“I mean, you can’t be too angry, because he did the same thing to me,” Melody said, avoiding their loyal eyes.
“Fine! Just tell us already.”
Four eyes were glued to Melody as she tried to form the correct wording.
“I guess I had no right to be so angry with Harry, because…I…his name is Marcel.”
With this, their eyes faded. Ron and Hermione shared a blank expression as they looked at eachother while avoiding Melody’s pleading eyes.
“Please don’t tell Harry,” Melody asked after a fair moment of silence, “If anything, I want to tell him myself.”
“And you will tell him, right?” Hermione said in reply to Ron’s dropped jaw.
“I’m not even speaking to him!” Melody almost laughed, “If I ever speak to him again, it won’t be to tell him that…but it’s not time to worry about that now.”
Hermione gave Melody a half smile, but the already awkward atmosphere had shifted to blatant discomfort all too quickly. Melody took this as her cue to depart, for she curtly bade them farewell before journeying out into Hogsmeade’s innocent streets.
Initially, she intended on returning to school right away, but instead, she popped into a few shops. Trying to console herself, Melody purchased a lovely, silver cloak she had no use for back at Beauxbaton. She draped it over her white cashmere cardigan and stepped into the chaos of the street once more.
As Melody continued toward the castle, it seemed as if the sea of students parted to create an aisle for a coming lethal duo to grace. The photo from Harry’s album materialized before her in a petite-framed brunette glued to Harry’s side.
For a moment, Melody watched the energetic fool, but the noise surrounding her disappeared as two emerald eyes found her exposed in the bustle.
What came next took every ounce of decency within Melody, but she proudly marched up to that disgusting angel.
“How do you do? It’s Sarah, isn’t it? Of course it is. I recognize you from your picture,” with this Melody tightened her cheek to form a malicious smile, “Oh, forgive me! I’ve forgotten to introduce myself. I’m Melody Chancelle. I went to Hogwarts last year.”
Sarah stood in utter confusion for a moment until she generously offered her hand.
“I know who you are,” she said artificially, “Oh, Harry! Look who’s here.”
He didn’t need to be reminded; for his eyes had been glued to Melody since the instant he spotted her in the mess of people.
Though people hurried around them, the sudden silence cut the air. Melody’s face remained in it’s Barbie doll pose as Sarah’s eyes shifted between her hurting companions.
“I assume you’ll be entering your name in the goblet on Halloween. I mean, Ron and ‘Mione have told me how impressive you are on a broomstick.”
The way Sarah used Hermione’s friendly nickname made Melody vow never to use it again as it seemed tainted now.
“I thought about it,” Melody said through her plastered smile.
“I’m entering, but I have a feeling Harry is going to represent Hogwarts again.”
“You’re entering?” Harry asked ignoring Sarah’s playful nudges, “You sure you could handle it? Those tasks are real. They aren’t a little Quidditch match.”
Melody had been courteous until this point, but she threw it out the door as Harry smirked down at her as if she was merely a foolish child.
“No matter what it is,” Melody began, “ You can’t get lucky twice.”
Melody guided Harry’s eyes to the girl beside him to emphasize her true meaning before disappearing.