AN: So the next part of our story here. I hope you all like it, you get a first glance of how different this year will be at the end, and a romance for Melinda. It won't be long term but now I've got it all planed.
The poll for her main pairing is final and Apollo had won by a like ten votes, estimated. Hermes and Hades nearly tied close behind Apollo, to my surprise.
For those who voted for Hades you'll get some Melinda/Hades as well since as I said on the vote itself I have plans for an affair between them before she even meets Apollo. For plot reasons I can not reveal. There also may be some one sided Luke/Melinda later in the story but I'm not to sure yet. My muse is the boss so I'm sure she'll let me know once we get to camp what she plans.
Now I have another poll on my profile I could really use votes for. It's for History Rewritten, one of my newer stories and it's a pairing for Percy. So even if you don't read that story please go vote.
Anyways R&R!
P.S. The next chapter is probably going to be really long, since I want to wrap year four up in one more chapter and move on to year five, because I really want to get to camp. So it may be a week before I update this story again.
The Forgotten Daughter.
Chapter 14: The Years Before: Year Four II.
"This way, this way!" Arthur Weasley called as the Weasley brood (minus Charlie and Bill who Melinda had met on her birthday) trudged up a hill along with Sirius, and Remus.
"How was your..." George began as they feel back to either side of her.
Fred was on her right and she noticed he stood closer to her then George did. "..summer Lin?"
Melinda chuckled, her cheek burning slightly as she stared into the crystal blue eyes Fred had. She had learned to tell the two boys apart early on. For one thing Fred had lighter blue eyes then George though it would take someone very perceptive to notice.
And then there was the fact Fred was a hair shorter then George, though they'd probably be the exact same height by the time they were eighteen and no longer growing.
Sirius was snickering from where he walked with Remus, bringing up the rear. "She is so blind," he muttered and Remus sighed.
"So you noticed it too," Remus said, and then he smirked. "You know I bet ten galleons they're dating by the end of the year."
Sirius blinks, his amused grin falling. "Dating?"
Remus smirked widely, wondering when Sirius would catch onto the fact Melinda was at that age where boys interested her (or girls, but from the way she looked at Fred he was pretty sure his adopted goddaughter was into boys).
Oh, karma truly was a bitch. He thought of all those father's daughters Sirius had dated in his youth and all those fathers who had probably wished to neuter him. Sirius Black would forever be the cursed name on father's tongues during the eighties.
Ironically, Fred reminded him of Sirius just not as womanizing. From what he saw the twins were a stark reminder of James and Sirius without the Casanova tone.
Ginny and Hermione had also noticed, even if they had to glance behind them to see where the twins and Melinda had gotten to. Just the moment before she'd been walking slightly behind them but now she was further back, talking animatedly with the twins.
Though it didn't escape them how close she was to Fred and how her attention focused mostly on the younger twin.
"He's got it bad," a voice interrupted the two girls thoughts as they jumped slightly, turning and saw George had arrive beside them.
"Don't sneak up on us like that George!" Ginny snapped, shaking her head.
George grinned. "Sorry Gin."
"Fred likes Melinda?" Hermione asked, slightly surprised.
George smirked. "Oh yeah, has since end of our third year, not that he'd admit it. Didn't admit it to me until summer before your third year but I already knew by then."
"Looks like Melinda likes him too," Ron said turning around to face them, walking backwards for a moment before turning back around.
"You've actually been listening?" Hermione asked, surprised.
"I have ears you know," Ron snapped.
Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Alright now, everyone grab onto the boot."
The group all gathered around the boot and Melinda had to blink at the absurdity of it. She'd read about Portkeys but she'd never traveled by one.
"On three now," Arthur said and Melinda grabbed on at the last minute, having been caught in her thoughts to notice.
The ground left her and she nearly let go in panic. She liked flying, but that was on a broom, right now her thoughts were more along the lines of, I'm going to die! Zeus is going to blast me out of the sky!
Thankfully they didn't happen.
"Let go!" Looking at her friends Melinda realized Arthur wasn't joking and let go, yelling as she hit the ground moments later with a grunt.
::Alright mistress?:: Sesha asked, raising her head from around her shoulder and Melinda sighed.
"Fine Sesha," she whispered and she blinked when she saw Cedric grinning down at her.
Cedric was the Hufflepuff's seeker, and around the Twins' age. He had honey colored hair and gray eyes. Sesha thought he smelled of the sun.
"Having troubles Melinda?" he asked, holding out his hand for her.
She smiled and reached up taking it, never noticing the glare Fred sent Cedric as he lifted her to her feet effortlessly. She wasn't heavy by any means. Being a demigod meant a lot of training, and running. And with Quidditch, she was in very good shape if she did say so herself. Besides her hair growing a little more, still falling to her butt when braided and little past when let loose, and having developed more in the chest department, she hadn't changed much.
"Thanks," she said and everyone began walking through the stands and tents already set up.
She bought some snacks for her friends and a team t-shirt for herself, Ginny, Hermione, and Ron. She wished Neville and Luna could be here, and even though she knew Draco would be here she knew they'd not get to hang out or talk niceties to each other.
The game was the best thing Melinda had ever seen, even if the fact she was so far off the ground had startled her. Sirius and Remus reassured her she'd be fine, and Hermione told her that the chances of Zeus actually taking notice of her and realizing who she was at that exact moment were very unlikely seeing as he hadn't in the last three years.
Hearing something like that from a descendant of Athena did help, if only a little.
The highlight of the night had to be watching how the Seekers played. Then there was Ron's obsession or man crush on Viktor Krum.
In the end she should have known it wouldn't last.
"Melinda!"
She groaned as she stood, looking to find Fred, Hermione and Ron running towards her. They must have been looking for her, she realized. Sesha was in a right rage, snapping something about wizards throwing spells at her and taking her mistresses wand.
Melinda reached for it on instinct but sure enough it was gone.
"What happened?" Melinda asked.
"An attack," Hermione gasped, and Melinda took Sesha from the distraught girl.
"You alright Lin?" Fred asked, placing an arm around her loosely.
She nodded, not minding the closeness.
"Who attacked though?" she asked, who could it be?
She realized a moment before Hermione told her. "Death Eaters, You-Know-Who's followers."
"Voldemort," Melinda muttered, looking up at the sky which had a green and black skull and snake placed in it.
Then the spells flew towards them and they were forced to duck, Melinda barely noticing the Fred positioned himself over her in a way that the spells would hit him instead of her if they got through.
"No! Those are my sons!"
"And my goddaughter and her friend you good for nothing son of – " Sirius' voice was cut off by Remus.
"Language Padfoot," he said and Melinda turned, standing with the others to face three unknown wizards, and Arthur, Sirius and Remus.
"They've been caught at the scene of the crime," the oldest said, his wand pointed at them.
"They're kids Barty," Arthur snapped and Sirius pushed the mans wand down, his eyes filled with dark fury as he stared at the man.
Barty flinched at the sight of Sirius and Melinda wondered if there was a story behind that.
"I saw someone," Melinda finally said, drawing attention. "When I woke up, he cast that mark into the sky."
"Did he girl," Barty said. "Who might you be?"
Melinda glared before answering. "Melinda."
"That is Melinda Potter, Barty," Arthur said and Barty's eyes snapped to her forehead. She had her hair pulled back into a tight french braid so her scar was only covered by a few strands of hair.
"Where did you see this person Ms. Potter?" Barty asked and Melinda pointed over towards an bushy area.
"Go," Barty ordered the other two, Aurors, Melinda supposed.
"We found something!" one called.
Melinda was only aware of a few things after that, one being her wand being found with a stunned house elf. And that the elf belonged to Barty. After that Sirius and Remus practically rushed her home, not even bothering to explain as they sent her off to bed.
As she sat on the end of her bed she sighed.
"Great," she muttered. "Voldemort is coming back, isn't he?"
"I'm afraid so darling."
Melinda's eyes widened as she stood and faced a woman dressed in a dark dress, two hounds with her.
"Grams," Melinda said, smiling. "Why are you here?"
"What, I can't visit my favorite great-granddaughter?" Hecate asked.
Melinda smiled. "I'm currently your only great-granddaughter."
Hecate shrugged.
"Touché," she replied.
"You said he was coming back," Melinda said, and Hecate sighed.
"You remember what Tom told you himself, about his objects like the diary. They're called Horcruxes, I thought and he thought you should know so you can find them easier."
"Tom?" Melinda asked. It had been a long time since she allowed herself to think of the diary memory. "What..where is he?"
Hecate smiled. "Hades gave him fifty years in the Fields of Asphodel, five years in the fields of Punishment and then he will be allowed into Elysium. Or he's free to try for rebirth, it's up to him after that."
Melinda sighed, she knew he wouldn't be allowed Elysium for a while if at all, but she was happy to know he would eventually get the chance. Hades must either like Hecate or had been in a generous mood.
"Grams, there is something I've been meaning to ask you," Melinda began, biting her lip. "It's about Dark Magic."
Hecate blinked and then sighed.
"You're mother asked me the same thing you know. While she never practiced it even after our talk she did study it. The Potter family has a few books on the subject, they weren't always a completely light family after all. And then your step-father's mother was a Black before she married so of course she brought some questionable books with her."
Hecate dusted imaginary dust from her dress. "Dark Magic is just a more violent, it wasn't always called Dark Magic. Actually back when I created this world it was simply magic. What they label dark these days are just more powerful, and mostly used for battles, for kill or be killed wars."
"So what you're saying is that I shouldn't be afraid to learn what I can," Melinda said and Hecate smiled.
"Melinda, you are a powerful girl. You are a witch, powerful at that, and a demigod descended from me and Poseidon, one of The Big Three. Magic will always just be magic no matter what this world labels it. You do need to be careful though, what they call dark magic is mostly reliable on emotion and intent. If you use it purely for the satisfaction of hurting someone then it can corrupt you. It's part of what happened to Tom."
"Everything is going to change now isn't it?" she asked and Hecate sat down beside her, placing a comforting arm around the young girl.
"Yes," Hecate said. "Your fourteen and yet you have the weight of the world on your shoulders – metaphorically speaking of course. I just pray that The Great Prophecy does not mean you. There are things you still don't know, that even I am not privy to."
"Right," Melinda said. She'd forgotten just how close she was to turning sixteen.
"I must go," Hecate said and then smiled kindly at her great-granddaughter as she stood. "Take care Lin, and be careful."
Melinda saw Hecate begin to glow and closed her eyes as the goddess left.
Sighing Melinda flopped backwards onto her bed, staring at the ceiling. In the pit of her stomach she felt as if there was a snake coiling around, warning her that things were not going to be quiet this year.
xXx
"You packed Mel?" Remus asked as he leaned against the door frame, a cup of steaming coffee in his hands.
Melinda stood inside, stuffing things into a bag, her trunks stacked together and on top of each other. Sesha was of course coiled around the girl, her head on Melinda's left shoulder.
"Almost," Melinda muttered, throwing her journal – the newest one which Hermione had gave her for her birthday.
It seemed to have become a tradition for Hermione to give her journals since she tended to fill them up pretty quickly.
"Is she still packing?" Sirius whined as he came to stand at the doorway.
"Nope, I'm done," Melinda said.
She then waved her hand over the top trunk and then flicked her wrist towards the underside of her bed. The trunk which mostly had things she wouldn't need for school flew off her school trunk and slid under the bed. She smiled smugly as she saw Sirius jaw drop and Remus' eyes seemingly twinkle and him smirk in amusement.
She'd been practicing for a while now and using her magic had become easier but she'd never be able to do the bigger things children of Hecate could. Small curses, small spells, and then her biggest gifts from being a legacy of Hecate – wand magic, snake-charming, and telekinesis.
"You've gotten better at controlling that. You didn't blow the door off its hinges this time, or knock the wall down," Remus said, a hint of pride in his voice. Sirius was still to shocked to say anything.
"Thanks, it did take me a while to realize the shockwave version which I was born with took more anger then the regular Telekinesis my mother had." Melinda then scrunched up her nose. "Sorry again about that door and wall."
Sirius laughed. "I'm not, it completely destroyed my mother lovely portrait. And now I can do what I wanted with that wall all along."
Melinda looked at her godfather confused. "What?"
"You'll find out during the Christmas holidays. Now, stop showing off and lets go. The Weasley's were probably expecting you an hour ago," Sirius said, rather seriously for him.
Melinda sent Remus a look but he simply raised his free hand in surrender and turned to follow Sirius away. Melinda sighed and grabbed her trunk – which had a feather light charm on it, courtesy of that law that said the Ministry couldn't tell who did magic in a Pureblooded household.
Sirius had been all to happy to tell her that on her birthday. Remus had told her not to abuse the privilege or he'd confiscate her wand. She respected that, and didn't use her wand often.
"Thanks Molly." She heard Remus say into the fireplace. "I can hear Melinda coming through now so we'll send her on over."
"Oh that great, give me a second to get everyone away from the fireplace," Molly said and Melinda entered in time to see Molly's head vanish from the fireplace.
"I hate floo travel," Melinda muttered and Sirius smirked.
"Your mother hated it too," he said and held out the powder for her. She took some and stepped into the fireplace.
"I'll see you during Christmas and I'll write as well," she said, smiling and then she threw the powder down, green flames shooting around her. "The Burrow!"
"Oh, Melinda!" Molly exclaimed as she exited the fire place and landed on all fours.
Her trunk came shooting out ahead of her and Hedwig's cage as well. Sesha was cursing up a storm on her arm, coiled so tightly at first she feared her arm would loose circulation.
Molly helped Melinda up and dusted her off some.
"It's lovely to see you again Mel," Molly said, smiling. "The kids are very excited for your stay."
Melinda grinned. She had been looking forward to it as well. On her birthday they'd made plans for her, Neville and Hermione to have a sleepover of sorts at the Burrow until September first.
She had been afraid the attack on the world cup had ruined the plans but they hadn't to her relief.
"Lin-Lin!" two voices cried in unison.
Melinda's eyes widened as a pair of arm wrapped around her waist and spun her around in a full circle before setting her back on the ground. She turned around and saw the smirking, slightly crossed eyed from the spinning, Fred Weasley behind her.
She hit him in the chest. "Don't do that!"
George laughed from her other side and she turned quickly to glare in warning. He held his hands up in surrender and she smiled. Molly rolled her eyes at the twins behavior but also smiled. She was happy Melinda got along with the twins as well as Ron. She also wasn't blind to Fred's crush on Melinda.
She was happy about that, she'd love to one day have Melinda in the family as a daughter-in-law but she also knew romances were sometimes fleeting. She just hoped for Fred's sake Melinda liked him as well, even if it didn't work out in the future.
"Mel!" Hermione cried and Melinda laughed as she was hugged by not only Hermione, but Ginny as well.
"Come on Mel, we'll get you settled in Ginny's room. Neville is already in Ron's getting settled," Hermione said as they pulled back.
"Hedwig arrived as well, she's in Ron's room," Ginny said and grabbed Hedwig's cage.
Melinda nodded and reached for her trunk.
Fred beat her to it. "No, let me."
Melinda smiled. "Thanks Fred," she said.
George snickered at his brother as the group left to take Melinda's stuff up. Molly frowned at George and slapped him around the head, though not near as hard as she could when he was in real trouble.
"Don't laugh at your brother," she said and then turned to set about lunch.
An hour later Melinda, Ron, Neville and Hermione were all gathered in Ron's room. Ginny was helping her mom finish lunch, much to the redheads dismay and that was okay with Melinda. She didn't think she should tell Ginny this right now, it was a sensitive subject and Ginny was only thirteen.
Sure she was only fourteen and it may be hypocritical but she wanted to keep between the four of them before involving her other friends.
"So, what's this about?" Hermione asked as they sat in a circle beside Ron's bed.
Melinda had her back against it in fact, across from Hermione. Neville was on Melinda's right, and Ron on her left.
"I haven't told you yet, because I was unsure how," Melinda said. "On Saturday morning, I woke up with my scar hurting."
There eyes widened and just as Melinda had suspected Hermione asked whether she'd told Dumbledore, Sirius or Remus. Then moved on to a thousand words per minute which she didn't have the concentration nor the ability to understand.
Ron was just shocked, and wondered if his dad would know anything. Neville simply questioned what it her dream was about and if she thought it had anything to do with Voldemort being close to where she lived with Sirius.
"I'm sure he wasn't anywhere near Grimmauld," said Melinda. "He couldn't have been, it's under the Fidelius charm. But I was dreaming about him… him and Wormtail. I can't remember all of it, but they were plotting to kill… someone."
Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Someone or you?"
Ron and Neville shared looks of concern and in Ron's case slight annoyance.
"You're not a bad liar Mel, but we've known you for four years," Neville said. "We know when your lying and don't really want to."
Melinda frowned. "Fine," she muttered. "In the dream he was referring to me."
"How are you holding up then?" Hermione asked slowly, concerned and Melinda looked at her confused.
"What?"
"About Voldemort...Tom," Neville muttered.
Melinda couldn't help the gasp that escaped her. "Why would you even ask or think that?"
Ron fiddled with his jeans. "You seemed really hurt by Tom and well... Voldemort is Tom isn't he?"
Melinda's eyes narrowed into a glare, her eyes darkening to a dark green. "No, he isn't!"
"Mel, we..." Hermione began but Melinda cut them off.
"Tom was just a teenager who made the wrong choices in life, Voldemort is not Tom. Tom is in the Underworld, Voldemort isn't," Melinda snapped.
"I'm sorry," Hermione said. "We shouldn't have even asked."
Melinda sighed. "No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't be so cranky all the time."
Her friends laughed.
"You, not cranky?" Ron asked. "It's the end of the world."
Melinda rolled her eyes.
xXx
The week that followed was something Melinda enjoyed. She spent most of it playing Quidditch, or even attempting to get better at wizards chess. She wasn't to sure she ever would, strategy wasn't her best area, she was more of the spontaneous type. She just did and hoped to the gods she made it work.
Of course the life of a hero was never easy or long, she wasn't even sure she'd make it to sixteen at this rate. If she made it out of her teen years she'd throw a party involving so much alcohol she'd make Dionysus, god of wine, cry in joy or grief (or both).
Breakfast on the morning they'd return to Hogwarts was sort of gloomy. Not so much that they were returning to Hogwarts, more like it was time to start studying again. She sat between Hermione and Fred that morning.
Actually she'd been sitting with Fred at meal times a lot in the last week. She was real good friends with the twins, always had been really, and Fred had always stuck out more to her then she'd like to admit.
He was funny, and though he greatly annoyed her with his pranks at times she also found them amusing. Then there were his looks, she wasn't vain or shallow but she couldn't deny that he was very handsome.
She would admit if only to herself that she had a crush on Fred Weasley. She doubted he felt the same though, she was his little brother's best friend. And she wasn't really that pretty.
Melinda did noticed the conversation between Molly and Arthur, but she didn't understand a lot of what was said.
"Molly, are you able to take the kids to King's Cross?" Arthur asked.
"Of course I will," the motherly redhead said. "You just look after Mad-Eye, the poor man. We'll be fine."
Melinda wasn't to sure what or who Mad-Eye was as Mr. Weasley vanished, but those thoughts were interrupted when the eldest Weasley sons, Bill and Charlie entered the kitchen.
"Did someone say Mad-Eye?" Bill asked. "What's he been up to now, still alive I hope?"
"Of course he's still alive Bill. He says someone tried to break into his home last night," said Mrs. Weasley. "Of course he says that at least once a month, sometimes more. Poor guy, he's never been the same since the war."
This was more then Melinda had ever heard Molly speak of things she deemed 'adult business' around the table or around them for that matter.
"Mad-Eye Moody?" George said thoughtfully as he spread marmalade on his toast. "Isn't he that nutter -"
Molly interrupted her son with a stern look, a wooden spoon in hand and pointed at him.
"Your father thinks very highly of Mad-Eye Moody. Nearly everyone does, he did a great service to the community when he was a Auror, a great service indeed," she said, shaking the spoon at him.
Some withheld snickers at that, though Fred didn't seem to have that restraint.
Molly didn't go on to say that if it had not been for Mad-Eye she'd not be alive today, and neither would the twins who'd she'd been pregnant with in 1986 when the old Auror had saved her from Death Eaters.
"Dad collects plugs, doesn't he?" Fred muttered quietly, but Melinda being beside him heard it as clear as day. Mrs. Weasley had already left the room. "Birds of a feather… that's all I'm saying."
"Moody was a great wizard in his youth," said Bill. "still is truthfully."
"An old friend of Dumbledore's, isn't he?" Charlie questioned.
"Dumbledore's not exactly all there though, is he?" said Fred. "I know he's a genius and powerful wizard…"
"Who is Mad-Eye?" Melinda questioned, tired of being out of the loop.
"He's retired, used to work at the Ministry as an Auror – dark wizard catcher," said Charlie. "I met him when I was a kid once, before he retired. Half the cells in Azkaban are full because of him, caused him to gain a lot of enemies. I've heard he's become real paranoid in his old age but with the enemies he's got can't really blame the guy. He's got reason to be paranoid."
Him and me both, Melinda thought bitterly.
Two hours latter the family – minus Bill, Charlie and Percy – made it to the platform, with only minutes to spare. They might have gotten there quicker but there was no ministry cars left and the taxi drivers, well they weren't to happy with the large trunks and owls.
She wished she had control of the mist, but she was still learning that skill, thankfully Sesha was carefully concealed by her sweater and cardigan.
"Home sweet Home," Melinda said, smiling slightly as she slid into a compartment. Ron, Hermione and Neville slid in behind her and Hermione sat beside her while the boys sat across from them.
"So, how do you think this school year will go?" Neville asked and Hermione pursed her lips in thought while Melinda frowned.
Ron snorted. "Probably terrible. They'll be tasks, risk of death at every turn and no Quidditch to keep our mood leveled. Probably a dragon or two as well with our luck."
Melinda, Neville and Hermione stared at him slack jawed.
"Ron!" they cried in unison, knowing that their friend who'd predicted – without even realizing it until later – the troll from their first year and a few other small things.
Hermione was convinced there had to be seer blood somewhere in the Weasley or Prewett families.
"What?" Ron asked, his hand thrown up in confusion.
"You just jinxed it mate," Neville said.
"I swear, if any of that happens I'm gonna curse you to speak backward for a month," Melinda said, shaking her head.
"You can do that?" Hermione asked, amazed.
Melinda shrugged. "No idea, but I might be able to figure it out one way or another."
"That I would like to see," a smooth drawling voice said from the compartment door.
"Oh, it's you," Ron sneered at the Draco.
He'd grown up since his first year, though he still didn't like any Weasley.
"What of it Weasel?" Draco sneered back.
Melinda sighed.
"Both of you shut up," she snapped. "What's up Dray, you're usually more careful of being seen around me and not being your expected cruel self."
Draco smirked. "Yeah, well. I wanted to make sure you were okay after the world cup and to ask if you were aware of what's going on this year."
Everyone exchanged confused looks.
"What do you mean?" Melinda asked.
Draco's smirked grew wider. "That I think I should leave until the feast. Let's just say you might get to curse Weasel after all."
With that the blond turned and left, pulling his two stone guards with him (Crabbe and Goyle that is).
"That was weird," Neville said.
Melinda rolled her eyes. "Not for him it's not."
xXx
The welcoming feast started with the sorting as always, and there seemed to be so many more then when she first started joining this year. She barely paid attention though she did notice one of the new Gryffindors, Natalie McDonald as she ran happily to a free space with a few other first years she seemed to know.
The feast began but only seconds into it Dumbledore stood up.
His words left many shocked.
"That's rubbish!" she heard Fred and George yell over the yells and screams of the Great Hall.
No Quidditch, a Triwizard tournament and once again Ron had gone and predicted something without meaning to. As if on cue Melinda, Neville and Hermione glared at their redheaded friend who was piling his plate with food.
"SILENCE!" Dumbledore roared and he continued by explaining the Tournament and how it worked.
No one under seventeen... that would work in her favor. Or so she thought. Four champions from the schools and in October the three competing schools (Beauxbatons, Durmstrang, and Arcadia) would arrive.
She thought it sounded pretty fun to watch and be able to relax – you know without to much fear of an adventure this year – but the down side was no Quidditch.
She'd have to make the most of it though.
Then he introduced their new Defense Against The Dark Arts Professor, Mad-Eye Moody. Whatever she was expecting she hadn't expected what she saw. He was a older man, leaning upon a long staff, shrouded in a black traveling cloak.
When he lowered his hood he shook out a long mane of grizzled, dark gray hair. He was scarred, more so then anyone she'd ever seen and one of his eyes was a sharp blue and obviously fake since it moved in the socket strangely. The other was beady and brown.
"Now, let the feast commence!" Dumbledore finally said, and she turned back to her plate.
It wasn't very common he announced things before dinner was finished but she didn't think to hard on it. Dumbledore tended to be unpredictable at the most unsuspecting of times.
"I don't understand, why is it called the Triwizard if it's four schools instead of three?" Neville asked a moment later.
The Triwizard was the talk of the school it seemed. Everyone was whispering about it.
"I don't know much about it, I've actually only heard slight mention of it in Hogwarts a History," Hermione said and then her face turned grim. "People have died in this tournament."
"That doesn't sound fun for them," Ron said, stuffing whatever it was on his fork into his mouth.
Hermione gave him a disgusted looked, mirrored by Melinda.
"It isn't," Hermione said coolly. "Anyways, there has never been four schools to compete from what I do know. But as far as I can see there shouldn't be no rules against it. I'd have to look for it in the Library to be sure."
"Yeah," Neville said. "Not to mention I don't think Quarwizard Tournament sounds as catchy."
"Quarwizard?" Melinda inquired.
Neville smiled. "Quartet, a group of four."
"Like us," Hermione realized. "We're a Quartet, even if Melinda does have other friends."
Melinda smiled. "Which I hope are your friends to... in some form or another."
"Luna and Ginny are okay," Neville said and Ron nodded.
"The Twins as well," Ron said around a mouth full of food.
"I quite like Daphne and Astoria," Hermione said and Melinda smiled.
She knew her friends were not fond of Draco she never expected them to be and she knew her Slytherin friends unnerved Ron and Neville.
She could accept that.
Looking over at the head table she had to wonder what Defense would be like this year. She could only hope it would be as productive as Remus' last year.
As she turned to go back to her food her eyes caught Snape's. He was glaring slightly as usual. The man had been neither bitchy nor civil since she was forced to explain her parentage to him. All he said was it explained her lack of James Potter's features.
It didn't make him nicer to her though, she just hoped he was smart enough to know not to offend a god. Poseidon may not be the most attentive father but he did check in on her and she'd hate to see what he'd talk Hades into if he developed a hatred for Snape because of the mortals disrespect.
Well, sort of. She didn't like Snape but she didn't particularly want him in the Fields of Punishment either.