Immediately after Arithmancy, Melody made her way down to the train. She had thought about her approach for most of the class period, and now she was on her way to get Dumbledore’s support for her father’s innocence.
As she rounded the end of the train as to climb on board, she was nearly tripped over by Ron. He stood for a moment before side stepping her and heading towards the academy.
“Ron!” Melody called after him.
He turned and looking over his shoulder slightly before walking back toward her. He fidgeted with his fingers as she took a step closer to him.
“Ron…I know that you are loyal to Harry, and that is honorable, but please don’t feed into only half the story. I’m not trying to pit you against Harry. I just want you to know that he did the same to me as I to him. I guess I just didn’t want you to look down upon me.”
He looked her over for a moment before answering, “If you didn’t want me to look down upon you…you should have worn high heels.”
Melody’s face burst into joy as she jumped to wrap her arms around his neck. The smile on his face was inviting for a girl cast out by loyalty.
Melody stepped away from the hug lightly and began to mount the steps onto the train when she was suddenly struck with a thought. Quickly, she jumped from the train steps and called after Ron.
“Ron…tell Harry…Don’t tell him I was the one that told you, but the first task is…well there are ten boxes or something and in each is another beast. The champion’s goal is to find the correct box that includes the clue. The challenge is that the only way to do so is trial and error. Tell him that, but say you heard it from Hagrid or something. Just don’t say it came from me.”
Ron smiled and turned to head toward the castle.
Dumbledore’s temporary office was remarkably similar to the other. Small trinkets danced about the shelves and in the corner stood the familiar cabinets. The headmaster had hushed her as she entered, for Fawkes was gently sleeping on his bar, so Melody silently waited until she had Dumbledore’s full attention.
He continued to pace the room for a moment before he finally settled in his chair and gazed at Melody.
“Okay, Ms. Chancelle. Tell me what has gotten you more riled that a bowl of licorice snaps.”
Melody lost her silence the instant she was allowed, “Headmaster, my father is innocent!”
Fawkes shot up from his rest as she jumped from her chair in excitement and then resettled across the room on top of a cabinet.
Calmly, Dumbledore tapped a trinket with a small star that sent it into motion, circling a wand.
Growing frustrated, Melody nearly screamed, “Are you listening to me? My father is innocent. We need to get him out of Azkaban!”
“How do you know?” Dumbledore said after a long pause.
“He wrote me a letter. It was honest and desperate, and I know it came from my father - not the man from the woods, but my father. He says he was under the Imperius Curse.”
Dumbledore showed little emotion as he rose from his desk and crossed the room to a large bookcase. He looked as if he was pondering which book to take to bed, but that was the furthest thing from his mind as he turned and faced Melody.
“Please, Professor,” she pleaded, “My father needs your help. I need your help.”
“What is it you have planned?” Dumbledore asked mildly.
Looking about the room, Melody answered, “That is why I came to you. I don’t even know where to begin.”
Dumbledore nodded and returned to his seat.
“This is what we’ll do. First things first, I have to be certain he is genuine. Therefore, after the first task, I will go visit him at Azkaban. I’ll get a little perspective on his standing there and then we’ll talk again. Do you agree these are the right steps?”
Melody nodded enthusiastically.
“I knew I could count on you, Professor.”
Dumbledore winked at her and as she was about to leave, the door burst open and in walked Harry. He must not have seen Melody as she had stepped to the side on her way out, for he was speaking from the instant he arrived.
“Professor, I don’t know what to do anymore. First of all, I checked up on the Melody situation and that is a dead end. Sorry, Professor, that is over. But now I need a book on magical beasts! Do you have one along?”
Melody stepped forward the instant she heard her name. As she did, Harry must have sense someone else in the room, for he turned so they were face to face.
“What about the Melody situation?” she asked sharply.
He was about to retort with a comeback, but Dumbledore cut in and took control.
“Melody, please sit,” he said calmly pointing to the chair before his desk, “Now…I asked Harry to see what his standing with you was, for I must remind you once more how imperative it is that we all stick together at the moment.”
The words were plain, but the way Dumbledore looked from Harry to Melody told them there was far more to this than they could see.
“Basically, you want us back together,” Melody replied.
“Blimey, I hope not,” Harry said after a short pause.
“Merlin’s beard, Harry! That is no way to speak to a young lady,” Dumbledore scolded.
“It’s fine, Professor,” Melody chimed in, “It just shows you how distant that idea really is. There is no way that Harry and I will reconcile any time soon. Please remember that next time you have him check on the Melody situation. For now, I have to get to class. I’m already late.”
With that, she rose from her seat and began to exit the room.
“Melody, you must be patient!” Dumbledore called from his desk, “Now for you, Mr. Potter. We must work on your social skills when it comes to Ms. Chancelle. First of all”“
Melody drowned the voice out with a door slam, for at the moment, getting back with Harry was the least of her concerns.