Chapter 1: Music Notes and Amber Eyes

The evening is growing late. The sky is an inky black with many stars dotting it, twinkling overhead, and a crescent moon shining down on Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The moonlight reflected off of the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Not even the slightest breeze ruffled the lawn or shook any tree limbs. Everything outside was peaceful and beautiful.

You saw this serene scene through the window of Gryffindor Tower where you were sitting at a piano that you had conjured-yes conjured-just because you felt like playing something on the piano. You were skilled at playing all sorts of instruments, wizarding ones and muggle ones, and had been ever since you were a child. You came from a pureblooded family and had learned how to conjure things much earlier in life than your fellow classmates and you were most famous for conjuring instruments to play since you couldn't very well bring all the ones you could(and wanted) to play to Hogwarts. There were just too many of them! You had astounded your professors with this skillful use of magic and had even taught Lily how to improve her conjuring skills, even though she was the best Charms student anyone had seen in years. You turned your head back from the window to quickly glance at your hands and the piano keys then turned your attention to your three friends who were sitting just a few feet straight across from the end of the piano. Lily was reading a muggle novel you'd given her a while back, while Alice and Rae were talking and laughing about something. These three girls were your best friends.

Lily Evans. The clever, loud, fiery, and passionate one. She was a prefect this year and was definitely one of the top students in your year. She had shoulder-length dark red hair and beautiful emerald green eyes. You and Lily were close but you loved to tease her about your other friend and teammate, James Potter, who absolutely adored her.

Alice Moore. The sweet, sensitive, and bubbly one. She was always there when you needed her and was always kind to everyone. She had shoulder-length, curly, blonde with light chestnut brown eyes. She was slightly plump but it only made her more endearing. She was currently going steady with your friend and fellow sixth year, Frank Longbottom.

Rae Morgan. The calm and cool yet still able to have fun one. She was usually the one who had to exercise a little control over you, Alice, and occasionally, even Lily but sometimes she acted as crazy as the rest of you. She had black hair cut into a sophisticated bob, skin the color of cocoa, and dark chocolate brown eyes. She was currently going on with a seventh year and teammate of yours, Kingsley Shacklebolt.

And then there was you. You were the mischievous one. You were very good friends with James Potter and Sirius Black, having known them since you were young. You hung out with the Marauders a lot but there was one that you barely knew. One that was a brilliant student. One that, even though he was a Marauder, you hardly ever saw or communicated with. One that you had actually come to fancy this past year but you hid it well.

He was tall and thin but did have a developing, slightly muscular frame. He looked pale and sometimes sickly but he still looked good. He looked a little older than the rest of you and you knew he had some silver strands in his light brown hair. His eyes were probably his most wonderful feature. They were a beautiful golden amber with silver flecks near the pupils. His robes and clothes were always a bit shabby but you didn't care. He had a wonderful personality to make up for it.

Remus Lupin.

You slyly glanced over to where he was. He was sitting in one of the armchairs by the fire, reading. He was completely absorbed in the story, his eyebrows were knit in concentration, his gorgeous eyes seemed to dance because of the firelight's reflection as they skimmed over the words, and his strong and steady hands were holding the book with a careful tenderness. You sighed softly. Everything about him mesmerized you.

Your concentration on Remus, however, was broken when three boys came in through the portrait hole, laughing and talking loudly. You smiled as you recognized them and quickly switched to a light and cheery tune on the piano, which you knew would bring them over. These were the Marauders you knew.

"Hey Melody, striking up a lively tune on our account? I'm so honored!" James said, wiping away an imaginary tear as he stood beside you.

Melody. That's what all of them had been calling you since first year. You didn't know which one of them had come up with it but you liked it. It was actually a good nickname for you. Even Lily, Alice, and Rae called you Melody occasionally.

"I knew being so close to her would pay off one day!" Sirius added grinning as he sat down beside you on your piano stool.

"Yeah well keep dreaming you two." You chuckled.

"You two know that Melody plays whatever she wants, whenever she wants!" You turned to Peter, who was standing beside James.

"Correct Pete." you agreed nodding.

"Oh that hurts love, it really does." Sirius placed his hand over his heart, pretending to be hurt, but let's face it, there's no use in pretending to be hurt, if you're still smiling!

You just shook your head, a smile still on your face. You loved all of them. You really did.

"So where were you guys?" you asked as you watched your fingers moving skillfully over the keys.

"We decided to go relax in Hogsmeade for a few hours after classes today." James replied.

"And you didn't take me! Jamie! Siri! I'm hurt!" You made a pouty face complete with big, sad eyes and a lowered head as you stopped playing.

James and Sirius exchanged a glance. Sirius put a finger under your chin and turn your face towards his and smiled softly.

"We'll take you with us next time, love. We promise. Right guys?"

"Yeah." Peter nodded.

"Of course" James added grinning.

You smirked. "Now that's more like it!"

You glanced over at Remus again.

"On a more serious note guys, how come Remus didn't go with you?" You fought hard to keep yourself from blushing at the sound of Remus's name, even though you were the one who'd said it.

"He said he had homework to finish." Peter shrugged. "Go figure."

You looked over at Remus again. Only this time, instead of seeing his reading figure, your eyes locked with his beautiful golden amber eyes. A shiver went down your spine and your heart fluttered. A slight blush rose up in your cheeks. You shook off your daze and turned back to the guys.

"Why don't you go talk to him? I'm sure he wants some company."

They walked over to Remus and joined him by the fire. You got rid of the piano you'd conjured and joined your friends.

"C'mon Lils, take your nose out of the book and talk to us." You tugged the book out of her grasp.

"You were talking to Potter, Black and Peter, weren't you?"

"Lily! Are you going to, once again, ask why I talk to them and hang out with them? The answer, is very simple, my friend. It's because I like them. They're like brothers to me!"

Lily fell silent.

"So Ali, how's everything with Dear Frankie-poo?"

Alice raised an eyebrow at you but you just grinned. Then she smiled and laughed. "You're crazy you know that Melody?"

"That's what the doctors told me."

That caused the three of them and you to burst out laughing. "Things with 'Frankie-poo' are great, Mel."

"What about you Rae? I hope all those extra practices James has been giving us hasn't affected your time spent with good 'ole Kingsley."

Rae grinned. "A little, Mel, but we work around it. Besides we all know that James is obsessed with Quidditch," She lowered her voice and looked at Lily, "among other things."

"I heard that Rae! Potter is just so--so--" You winked at Alice and Rae.

"Popular?" you started.

"Good-looking?" Alice added.

"Flirtatious?" Rae piped up.

"Mad about you?" you finished.

"AHHHHH! You guys!" Lily jumped up, intending to chase the three of you.

"Break for it!" you yelled jumping up.

Alice ran up the girl's dormitory stairs, Rae ran up the boy's staircase, and you stood in the middle of the common room. Lily turned around and faced you. She thought she was going to catch you? No way!

You turned and ran over to the Marauders.

"James! Help me!" You ran behind James as he stood up. Lily froze. You knew that would stop her. Lily just glared at you and went up the girl's dormitory stairs.

Just then Rae re-emerged. "Is she gone?"

"Yep. I'm assuming she went up to our dorm 'cause she's a sore loser."

Rae laughed and went up to the dormitory too.

You threw your arms around James's neck. "Did I ever tell you how much I love you, Jamsie? Lots and Lots! Thank you for rescuing me from Lily!"

"My pleasure Melody. As you know well, if it has to do with Evans, I'm all for it."

You rolled your eyes while shaking your head.

"Anyways, that's what a brother does for his sister right? Protects her?" You looked at him astonished.

"You heard our conversation?"

"But of course."

"While it's true that brothers protect their sisters," Sirius interrupted, "they also get to torment them."

Before you could stop him, Sirius had you pinned down on the couch and was tickling you unmercifully.

You were laughing so hard you could barely breathe. You tried to get up but you just couldn't do it. All your energy was going into laughter. Finally you managed to shove Sirius off of you and stand up, panting.

"You...will...pay...Siri." you said trying to catch your breath.

Sirius smirked at you from the floor. He rolled over trying to get up and bumped into you, causing you to fall backwards...

...right onto Remus's lap.

You had closed your eyes during the fall, fearing the worst, and now opening them, realized your situation and blushed heavily.

You turned your head to face Remus, face still extremely red, and realized that your face was mere inches from his. His face was slightly red too, making him look even more adorable and beautiful. You could feel his breath on your face and looking into his eyes again, made another shiver go down your spine.

"Remus...I'm so sorry. I-I didn't mean to fall on you." Then you remembered. Sirius.

You got off of Remus quickly.

"You are sooooo going to pay for that one, 'Bro'."

Sirius just grinned at you. James turned to Sirius and said something. You zoned out and began to ponder the irony of the situation. People had asked you before if you and Sirius were related because you did actually look a lot alike. You both had dark, longish hair, his was black and a little past his shoulders, yours was a deep dark brown, so dark it was almost black and it reached your waist in loose curls, you both had beautiful, light colored eyes, his were a sparkling gray-almost silver in the right light, yours were a clear, light crystal blue. You both were tall and thin but had developed muscular tone from playing Quidditch, you both had similar personalities, and were fairly attractive.

Sirius, however, flaunted that attractiveness a lot more than you did.

"So do we have a plan for tomorrow?" You spoke up, coming out of your thoughts.

"Not yet, we'll talk about it in the morning. All this fun has tired me out." James came over and hugged you.

"Night Mel."

"Night Melody." Peter called smiling and waving.

Sirius hugged you and kissed the top of your head. "G'night Mel."

"Oh great now I have James Potter and Sirius Black germs!" you called softly, teasing, at their retreating backs.

"Very funny" you heard them call.

"I thought so" you called back.

You turned and found Remus standing next to you. He has his book tucked under his arm.

"Goodnight Remus." you say, starting to turn to go up to your dorm, but Remus's hand on your arm stops you.

"You might want to give this to Lily. She dropped it during her rampage." He held out the book she'd been reading.

"Thanks Remus. I'll give it to her straight away."

"And..."

"And?" you raise your eyebrows slightly at him.

Before you could even register what he was doing, he quickly pulled you into a one-armed hug and disappeared up the boy's staircase with a hurried, "Goodnight Melody"

You smiled, a warm, fuzzy feeling spreading all over you. Remus hugged you!

You walked upstairs to your dorm, placed Lily's book on her bedside table, and went to sleep that night, totally happy.