Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter series and the ideas, JK Rowling does.
I also thank CS112 again for all her help, you're awesome!
Rule #2: Even if a tree may produce some rotten apples. If you want the tree, you can't notice the gross apples at the bottom, and remember only the golden apple at the top
After the argument, me and Albus had seemed a little distant, and I felt a little guilty. For the last few days, he had messed up in all his classes. In transfiguration, he had turned his quill in to a a beetle instead of a turtle. In potions, his sleeping draft had exploded on Hattie Krum, the top Ravenclaw Quidditch player. Lily tried to talk some sense in to him at dinner.
"Can't you see that this is a huge deal? The whole school has been staring at her and whispering behind her back." She whispered to Albie, not so discreetly.
"You do realize that I can hear you?" I said a little too loudly. A couple of passing Slytherins gave me a seething glare.
"I told you that I'm sorry honey, and I swear that if I heard someone say anything bad about you, that I would stop it. I guess I was just trying to stay strong for you, and I didn't realize your parent's problems would escalate to something this dramatic." He told me with those bright green eyes that made me melt. I couldn't stay mad at him for long.
"Okay, well do you want to go to the three broomsticks with me? I was going to go with Fred and Lucy, but they had a wizard chess club meeting." I smiled back at him. Lily rolled her eyes and picked up her books.
"So my whole "be strong, and don't give in to him" objective was for nothing." Lily snarled sarcasticly. Albie and I laughed and walked hand in hand to join the group year fives leaving for Hogsmeade. After stopping in Albus' uncle's store "Fred's" we sat at the bar in the Three Broomsticks and ordered to large butter beers. Albie left to go to the bathroom, I was approached by Hattie and her group of friends. She probably wanted to talk to Albus, since she had a lifelong crush on him and unfortunatley the Krums and Potters were good friends.
"Hey Hattie, if you're looking for Albus, he'll be right back." I said in a half conscious state, hoping she would give up and go away.
"Actually, I wanted to give something to you." She gave a half smile, and lifted two foaming butter beers and dumped them on my head with a smirk of satisfaction. I ran out of the crowded restaurant and sat in a small alleyway on the freshly snow dusted pavement. It was only a matter of minutes until Albie ran to my side and put a comforting arm around my shivering shoulders. I don't know how long we stayed there, but by the time either of us said a word until all the students had returned to Hogwarts. He picked me up in his arms and carried me back to the castle. I felt numb, either from the snow or the cold reality of what my life would be like from now on.
"So you're still coming to our house for Christmas aren't you? I know the Krums usually come, but I'll just tell my dad what happened and he'll talk to Victor. I'm sure he won't be happy about this.
"No, I don't want it to be a big deal, I'll just ignore Hattie." I knew this would be impossible, but I didn't want to admit that it was the only place I had to call home. As we approached the warm safety of the Gryffindor common room, I heard screaming. This could not be good, it was Lily and Hattie.
"How could you do that to her! She has been nothing but nice to her in all these years, and you are just jealous of what she has with Albus!" She yelled defiantly.
"Really? How can she be so "nice" if her parents are betraying what your family fought for? My parents work hard at the ministry as do yours, and this is how they repay them, by betraying their loyalties?" She said in almost a whisper, and marched down the staircase to her posse. The three of us stood there, dumbfounded. Lily finally piped up.
"You know we don't think you have anything to do with it, you're still the same Melanie to us, I promise."
"Yeah, I know. I think I'm going to go to bed, I'm really tired." I said as I slipped behind the portrait in to the haven of my room. Or at least my room for as long as they would let me stay here.
