Twinkle and Travels
-DICLASIMER:: I OWN NOTHING. ALL FROM J.K. ROWLING
EXCEPT MELODY!-
I would never have believed that the world of books ever held truth.
That was when I was foolish enough to stop believing in magic.
"Melody."
I stared at the ceiling. Intent on ignoring whoever was there that wanted to see me, question me or waste my time of staring at nothing.
"Melody, are you there?" said Miss. Cole hoping not to get yelled at like I had done so a couple hours pervious.
She then said gently and cautiously through the door. "You have a visitor."
I bolted up into a sitting position.
I have a visitor?
I never had visitors. It was always the other kids who had relatives come collect them or foster parents come to meet their new adopted child.
I had always lived at the orphanage for as long as I remembered, and, as all others, I never knew my parents or relatives.
I started to tidy up the small room.
My room (or so it was called) consisted of three things; a small, rickety desk (which was shrew with clothes), an iron, old bed, a dark, worn wardrobe and on the wall, opposite the door close to the window, a mirror.
I looked directly at it and saw me; an 11 year old girl, with long dirty-blond ringlets, some (if any) freckles, and blue-green eyes like a sea.
I turned away and immediately scooped up the clothes, opened the wardrobe with my foot and chucked them in. I then jumped back onto my bed and made it look like I wasn't up to anything.
Then to my complete surprise there was a soft knock made on the door.
"C-come in." I replied to the knock.
In strolled a man who was tall, thin with a long silver beard and matching hair. What happened to shock me most of all was his clothes.
He happened to wear a purple business suit and had buckled, black boots.
His eyes were a sparkling, light blue, and seemed to x-ray me behind a pair of half-moon spectacles. His nose was long and appeared to have been broken more than once.
"Hello there, Melody." he said kindly as if I were a long lost friend.
"Um….hi sir." I said hesitantly. "Do I know you?" I blurted before I could stop myself.
But the old man smiled and said calmly "I'd be surprised if you did. I only saw you once when I came here 9 years ago, to see if you were still alive."
"WHAT!" I exclaimed in shock.
The man raised a hand to tell me to calm myself.
I did, but before I could enquire him any further, he spoke.
"No, is not the time nor the place. Seeing as you also do not know whom you are speaking to."
I hesitated, but he pressed on.
"I, Melody, am Albus Dumbledore. I'm headmaster at a school called Hogwarts."
I opened my mouth to ask what kind of name was 'Hogwarts', but he was apparently prepared for that question.
"Hogwarts is a special school, Melody." he explained calmly. "Just as you are special."
"W-what do you mean by s-special?" I stammered. I knew what he meant though.
Three years ago I had almost burnt four boys in the orphanage who were trying to get back at me to laughing at Josephs new haircut.
They had come over and called me names; two went so far to throw things at me. One boy had picked my book and threw it at my stomach.
It was what had triggered me and a kind of purple flames had came from my fingers and attacked them like snakes, biting their skin and wrapping themselves around the boys.
Everyone had mysteriously forgotten it easily, but I hadn't.
"I burnt several boys once." I confessed to Dumbledore. Then quickly added knowing what I said made me sound crazy. "But not on purpose! I don't know how it happened…."
He smiled calmly again. "I know Melody. It's perfectly normal to have done that, especially for you."
I instantly felt confused.
"'Normal'?" I exclaimed completely shocked. "I don't understand how doing something that could have killed someone is 'normal'!"
Dumbledore sighed.
"Melody." he smiled at me, his eyes twinkling like he was about to tell me a big secret. "It's normal for you to have done that because it proved your magical powers. It proved you're a witch."
I stared at Dumbledore. In a mingle of confusion, surprise and excitement.
"I'm a-a witch" I stuttered. "A witch? A-a potion-brewing, spell-casting, broom-ridding witch?"
He smiled as if glad I understood.
"Yes. Un-doubtfully a well educated potion-brewing, spell-casting, broom-ridding witch."
He held out an envelope. I accepted and with shaking hands opened it.
It read:
Dear Miss. Gaunt,
We are pleased to inform you that you've been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
I read it twice letting the words sink in. Dumbledore sat in silence allowing time for the reality to hit me.
"Sir, I think they've made a mistake." I started trying to prove he was wrong. "See, I wasn't given a last name when I was born, sir and this letter is clearly addressed to a Miss. Gaunt. I think you've got the wrong person."
Dumbledore smiled wider.
"My dear Melody, you do have a last name." he explained as though it were obviously completely clear. "You are Miss. Melody Merope Gaunt, and sadly the last person alive named 'Gaunt'."
"I-I beg your pardon, s-sir?" I questioned Dumbledore. "Did you know my parents?"
He smiled again the twinkle in his eyes brightened.
"Oh, yes, I knew them." he paused as if reminiscing. "Taught them too. Greatly powerful, the both of them. But they were very prejudice and proud of whom they were."
The twinkle left and so did his smile.
Dumbledore looked at me sternly.
"Melody you might have been prepared for this news for years, being raised here and all, but…." he hesitated as if weighing his words. "Melody I sorry to be the one to tell you but your parents are dead."
The news swept over me. I absorbed it but it didn't hurt it felt like proof that. I then wondered how they died.
Dumbledore continued seeming to read my mind.
"They were killed sadly. Two years ago really, by your father's cousin, Tom Riddle, a cruel power-hungry man who saw your parents as a threat."
"I don't understand, sir.' I proceeded calmly, but determined for it to make sense. "Why were my parents a threat to him?"
Dumbledore seemed prepared for this question also.
"Your parents were purely magical. While Tom had a witch for a mother and a muggle father." he pressed on as I opened my mouth to ask what a 'muggle' was.
"Muggle is a name for a non-magical person. This made Tom what people call a half-blood his entire family before him were pure-blooded, like your father and mother.
"So in summary, Melody: you are a witch, you are accepted at Hogwarts, and your parents are not alive though."
I listened letting my mind catch up to my heart, which was racing with excitement.
"Really?" I said, un-able to hide the longing of belonging.
He smiled again, the twinkle almost smiling too.
"Yes. All you need now are your school supplies."
I looked into his kind eyes, and couldn't help but smile.
"Sir, if you don't mind me asking, will you come with me?
He beamed at me. "Of course."
Three weeks ago I had been in a small room, I thought happily. Now I'm on my way to Hogwarts!
I only had just made it on to the train that was now speeding through London.
I walked down the train looking for a compartment.
I then saw one that was nearly empty except for two boys around my age.
One was small (though a little taller than me) and skinny, with a thin face, jet-black hair that was un-tidy and stuck up at the back and had dazzling bright green eyes.
The other was taller than me by much, lanky and had ginger hair. He had a large amount of freckles and a smudge of dirt on his nose.
I opened the compartment door.
"Hi" I said shyly. "Can I sit with you two?"
They both looked at each other and then the black hair boy nodded.
"Thanks" I said. "Don't mind me though, I'll just be reading."
I put my things on the luggage rack, pulled out a book and flopped down on the seat next to the black haired boy.
They seemed to continue with the conversation they'd been having before I'd entered the compartment.
The dark haired boy was talking about himself, telling the red-haired boy about living in a cupboard under the stairs, not knowing about having any money, not knowing about the wizarding world, and then the boy said something. It was an odd kind of name.
"….or Voldemort." he concluded.
The other boy gasped.
I looked up.
"What?" asked the first boy.
"You said you-know-who's name!" the boy pointed as though the word was a complete profanity.
I tried to ignore them and my desire to understand what they were talking about.
After they started talking about magic I couldn't stop myself.
"Sorry," I interrupted. "but what you two said earlier, about this 'you-know-who' I don't-know-who he is."
The red-haired boy stared at me like I had three heads, while the other boy looked a little comforted. Maybe he only had just found out about whom this 'Voldemort' was when he found out about the wizarding world.
"You-know-who was the darkest wizard ever!" exclaimed the red-haired boy like I should instantly understand. "And Harry here is the only wizard who survived the attack that you-know-who committed on Harry's parents."
I looked at the dark-haired boy named Harry.
"I'm sorry about your parents." I didn't feel like telling him I didn't have any either so I continued. "How old were you?"
"Barely a year old." he then looked cautiously at me and asked. "What about your parents?"
I gave a weak smile.
"Never knew them either. They dropped me at an orphanage when I was one and died around a year later." the red-haired boy looked shocked.
I explained "They apparently thought I was a squib."
I look of understanding swept over his face, but before Harry could ask what a 'squib' is the compartment door opened and a smiling, dimpled woman asked "Anything off they trolley dears?"
She had a massive amount of sweets overloading what looked like a modified luggage cart.
I stared at it and then Harry got up and bought a whole load of the sweets and pasties and dumped them in the seat next to the red-haired boy.
He then sat and offered some to me and the red-haired boy.
I accepted and then the red-haired boy talked.
"My name is Ron Weasley." he said to me through a mouthful of a cauldron cake.
"Harry Potter." mumbled Harry.
"I'm Melody Gaunt." I said bracing myself for the laughter.
But both just smiled, apparently happy we were all getting along.
At that moment a round-faced boy came into the compartment.
"Sorry" he said. "but have you seen a toad at all?"
We shook our heads and he wailed something I didn't understand.
"He'll turn up." said Harry trying to lighten the boy's mood.
"Yes," he admitted, defeated. "Well if you see…." his voice trailed off.
He left and Ron started complaining about a rat he had in his lap that looked old, and as if he wasn't breathing he'd be dead.
He then pulled out his wand rambling about knowing a spell that doesn't work to change the rats color.
The compartment door opened yet again and the toad-less boy came in again and so did a girl who had bushy brown hair and dark eyes. She also was already wearing her robes.
I ignored her behind my book and she explained the boy's toad problem, apparently the boy's name was Neville.
I saw Ron attempt his spell and couldn't help but laugh when it failed.
The girl started rambling about knowing good spells and being a muggle-born. She then announced her name to be Hermione Granger and asked for our names.
I herd Harry and Ron mumble theirs.
The girl gasped at Harry's name and continued to ramble on about knowing who Harry was.
She then turned to me then apparently thought better and left with Neville.
"Whatever house she's in I hope I'm not in it." said Ron and I nodded in agreement.
I put my book back down and listened as they continued to talk about houses at the school and Quitttage (a wizarding sport).
Then the door slid open again but this time three completely different people entered the compartment.
I picked up my book and tired to ignore the new comers once more.
A pale, pointed faced boy with bleach-blond hair spoke with a cold drawling voce. "Is it true?" he said, eyes gleaming. "They're saying all down the train that Harry Potter's in this compartment. So it's you, is it?"
"Yes." said Harry.
"Oh this is Crabbe and Goyle." he introduced the boys on either side of him, apparently Ron and Harry were staring at them. "And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."
Ron gave a cough apparently trying to hide a laugh.
But I muttered loudly "Who introduces themselves like they're James Bond?"
Harry, who was attempting to eat a pumpkin pasty choked on it, laughing.
Draco glared at me "What was that?"
"You heard me." I said sharply.
Draco turned back to Harry and explained something about pure-bloods and how hanging with 'Weasley's' could ruin Harry's reputation (or something like that).
Ron got up and made to hit him but I stopped him.
"Ooo," said Draco. "Got your girlfriend protecting you?"
I turned on him. "No, I'm not his 'girlfriend' and I'm stopping him from punching the living day lights out of you."
He laughed and cracked my knuckles as I made a fist.
They all looked at me surprised and shocked.
"Kicking your arse is gonna be my job, okay, Draco."
Harry and Ron smiled and got up on either said of me.
"Going to fight us now." he asked teasingly, but I knew he wasn't prepared to hit a girl.
"We will if you don't leave." Harry threatened.
"But we don't feel like leaving, do we, boys? We've eaten all our food but you still seem to have some left." then Draco smirked at me. "And the company you have is kind of pretty."
Goyle reached forward towards the sweets but instantly pulled away yelping. Ron's rat had sunk its teeth into his knuckles.
They immediately scurried away out of the compartment.
I sunk into my seat again and brought out my book pretending as if nothing happened.
A small commotion broke out as Hermione came back obviously hearing Goyle's cry.
She babbled again.
They sat down after she left.
Then Harry turned to me. "You didn't need to do that you know."
"Do what?" I asked.
"Stop Ron," he said. "and offer to kick Malfoy in the arse yourself."
I shrugged. "Oh well."
I herd a voice echo faintly about us arriving at Hogwarts soon.
I got up and gathered my robes trying hard not to shiver with anticipation as my mind swam with excitement.
"I'll be back and knock first when I get back, okay?"
"Where are you going?" Ron asked surprised that I was leaving.
"To change," I explained. "and to give you some privacy."
Ron's face turned red; apparently he forgot I was a girl.
I left to the bathroom changed into the robes with ease and returned to the compartment.
I knocked.
"One moment." I heard Ron say muffled.
I stood for exactly a moment when the door opened by Harry.
I came in and sat down in silence.
Then finally the train screeched to a stop, I got up with Harry and Ron, and we made our way onto the platform, I couldn't help the nervous shaking anymore.
We were greeted by a half-giant man (from the looks of it) named Hagrid. He held a lamp and had a wild beard and face, but calm, coal coloured (and feeling) eyes.
My mind instantly swam and I followed Hagrid, unaware of where I was going or what I was doing.
We came to a small fleet of boats and got in. Once they were filled they moved on, all at once, forward.
It was completely silent and then I saw it.
A giant castle was looming out of the side of a mountain, it had towering columns and every light was on in it.
We got out, everyone murmuring, but me.
Finally we came to some doors which were opened by a tall, stern-faced, black-haired witch.
I saw her mouth move but I couldn't hear any words, my mind was completely swimming in the lake that our boats just floated across.
I then realised we were no longer outside.
I caught bits and pieces of what the witch was saying; she was Professor McGonagall, we'd be sorted soon and something about house points.
She left and then people broke into conversation. I only just then realised than me, Ron and Harry had been separated, and I was currently standing next to Hermione Granger who was muttering about what spell she should use.
"What house do you think you'll be in?" she asked me suddenly.
"Oh," I said surprised. "….um….I really donno." I confessed.
"Well obviously." she said. I then ignored her babbling again.
Then several shrieks hit the air as several ghost appeared. I ignored it and focused on the doors, I started shaking once more with nerves.
Hermione then said "I can't wait to see the Great Hall. The architect is supposed to be breath taking."
I nodded, and then remembered reading about the Great Hall somewhere. "Don't they talk about it in Hogwarts, A History?"
I looked at Hermione she was grinning and her eyes swam with excitement.
"I was beginning to think I was the only one who read it."
We immediately started talking about it but were cut off by Professor McGonagall's return.
We formed a line and my head dove back into a swimming state.
When we came into the Great Hall me and Hermione gasped then looked at each other and smiled.
I then thought of something. "Do you wanna be friends?" I asked.
She smiled "Obviously." she said.
I smiled back. "Okay, we have to pinkie-promise each other that no matter what house we end up in we'll still hang out in between classes and in the library, alright?"
"Yeah,' she said. "You can't expect my best friend to just be left alone."
At this she grasped my pinkie and we shook.
"Friends" we said in unison.
Hermione and I instantly started complementing the night-sky and talking about Hogwarts, A History in hushed voices.
This is going to be great! I thought.