The morning of their departure was hectic, what with eight Hogwarts students gathering their trunks together before it was time to go to Kings Crossing. Melina and her mother had already had their goodbye earlier that morning, before her mother went to work. Her mother handed her her completed Hogsmeade slip and told her to have a safe term.
Once the Ministry cars arrived, Melina decided to sit with Fred, George, Ginny, and Mrs Weasley. Fred noticed she was wearing the necklace he'd given her and winked.
"Looks nice," he said. Mrs. Weasley glanced at the necklace and smiled as well.
"It does look lovely, Fred. You have a eye for that sort of thing," she said. "Melina, dear, are you alright? Your mother mentioned that you had a bit of an ill spell earlier this summer."
Melina didn't want to think of it, mainly because she didn't know what caused such an outburst. She had been reading a letter from her father while her mother did paperwork in the study, and was just overcome with grief to the point that her mother was in tears. Melina hadn't been well for a few days after that, but she recovered and it hadn't happened again.
"I'm fine now, Mrs. Weasley. My mother supposed it was just a hormone thing. I had been reading my fathers old letters and was just overcome," she replied.
Mrs. Weasley patted her hand understandingly.
"It's quite understandable, dear. Loss affects us all differently."
George cleared his throat.
"Now that we're done with that lovely bit of sunshine," he deadpanned, making Molly scowl and Melina giggle. "We're just about there."
Melina didn't notice Fred's face as he listened to her comments about what had happened, for if she did, she would have seen concern and worry for her.
The cars stopped at the train station, and, heavy conversation forgotten, they hurried to get their trunks ready to take to Platform 9 3/4. They all rushed through the barrier with no difficulties, and, with a hug from Mrs. Weasley, they boarded the train bound for Hogwarts.
Melina followed Harry, Ron, and Hermione to a compartment near the rear of the train, saying bye to Ginny, who found her friends, and the twins, who found Lee Jordan and a couple of boys who wanted to discuss their antics this summer. Melina had nodded to Draco Malfoy, who nodded back to her but sneered at the rest of her friends. She had given up on getting him to tolerate her friends, and, sadly, her own friendship with him had suffered as a result. He wasn't as hostile with her as he was the others, but he wasn't the friendly boy he used to be, either.
They found a compartment that was empty except for a man sleeping.
"Wonder who that is?" Ron asked as they settled down.
"Professor R J Lupin," Hermione said.
Ron gaped at her.
"How'd you know? You know everything!" he said.
Hermione rolled her eyes.
"It's on his suitcase, Ron," she said, pointing.
Melina glanced up and sure enough, there it was, in faded bronze letters.
Harry glanced at the sleeping teacher curiously.
"He seem deep asleep to you?" he asked. "Cause I've got to talk to you all."
He closed the compartment door, and began to fill them in on a conversation that he'd had with Ron's dad. Apparently the Azkaban escapee, Sirius Black, was coming after him, specifically, though no one would tell Harry why.
"What would a grown wizard have to do with a 13 year old, though?" Melina asked after he'd finished.
"He's supposed to be one of You Know Who's biggest supporters," Ron said. "Probably wants to avenge him or something."
"That just means you mustn't go looking for trouble this year, Harry," Hermione said fearfully. "This is serious."
"Yes because I just love going out looking for things that want to kill me, Hermione," Harry replied. "I don't go looking for trouble. Trouble finds me."
"Yeah, like Harry's that mental to go looking for a bloke that has it out for him," Ron replied, his mouth full of a pumpkin pasty.
Melina toned them out for a bit, getting irritated at Hermione and Ron's constant bickering. Harry glanced over at her and smiled sympathetically; he knew exactly how she felt. She returned the smile wearily and looked out the window at the rain pouring outside. It wasn't until she heard Ron shout in outrage that she turned her attention back to their conversation.
"What do you mean you're not allowed to come?!" he asked. "Surely someone would give you permission, McGonnagel or someone-"
Melina snorted as Harry rolled his eyes. McGonnagel wasn't very likely to give Harry permission to go to Hogsmeade in normal circumstances; with Sirius Black on the run and after Harry made that chance even more unlikely.
"I don't think Harry should leave school at all," Hermione replied shrilly as Ron wondered aloud about Fred and George and secret passageways. She was fiddling with the clasp to her cat carrier and Ron was immediately infuriated.
"Don't let that thing out in here!" he exclaimed but it was too late. The cat was already out and pounced on Ron, clearly after his rat that he had in his pocket. Ron shoved the cat off and began ranting furiously, irritating everyone all over again. It was weird how Melina could tell that she wasn't the only one put off by his attitude. Sighing, she pulled out a book and began to read, trying to ignore the negative vibes in the compartment. Thankfully, the others had the courtesy to leave her be, or maybe they were just wrapped up in their conversations about Sirius Black and Hogsmeade. Either way, she was grateful for them leaving her be.
However, she knew it was too early for the train to be slowing down an hour later, when they still had some time to go before they arrived at Hogwarts. Yet, that's exactly what was happening, and sounds of confusion were coming from all over the train.
Before she could say anything, all the lights in the train went out.
Melina knew deep down, this was bad, and it was about to get worse. Dread filled her as she listened to her friends stumble about, trying to see what was going on. She felt as though she should warn them of the coming trouble, but how could she when she didn't even know what it was?
A flicker of light caught her eye, and she saw that Professor Lupin had woken up, and had conjured some flames so he could see. He had the appearance of someone who was young but had aged too fast, and worry etched his face now.
He reached the compartment door but before he could open it, it slid open on its own, and Melina gasped in horror. Whatever had opened the door stepped in and drew in a rattling breath.
It was so cold, so terrifying. The feeling seeped into her soul, it felt like. The only other time she felt this way was when her father died, and she couldn't help the tears that fell from her eyes.
However that wasn't all she felt. She felt fear upon fear upon fear. It was as if everything had piled on her heart and was crushing her. Then she felt a wave of grief, and slightly heard a woman screaming, before she knew nothing else.
"Melina passed out too?!"
"Melina wake up! Come on Mellie!"
Melina slowly opened her eyes, feeling the train moving under her and seeing that the lights had returned. Ginny and Hermione were over her, fear and shock in their faces.
"What happened?" she asked, feeling shaky as though she'd had the flu.
"That thing came in here, and the next thing we knew you and Harry had passed out!" Ron said, helping Harry up along with Lupin.
"It was a dementor," Lupin explained, breaking off pieces of chocolate. "It makes you relive your worst memories."
"J-just your own?" Melina asked, because she was certain it wasn't just her own memories. She had felt everyone's worst memories as well as her own, and didn't understand why. She felt Hermione being called a Mudblood. She felt the death of Harry's parents. Ron's grief at never feeling good enough. And the teacher, Professor Lupin. She felt his fear of not being accepted for some condition he had. She remembered the day her father and brother were killed. It was all overwhelming and she couldn't breathe.
She started to hyperventilate, not paying any attention to the conversation happening around her.
"Melina, eat this," Harry said, hollowly, handing over some chocolate.
Melina shook her head, nauseated at the thought. All she wanted was to be okay again, for everyone to feel the way they did before the dementor boarded the train.
And then the strangest thing happened. A warming glow seemed to fill the compartment, and Melina's spirits began to lift, as did everyone around her.
"What was that?" Ron asked incredulously. Harry looked around, confused, but Hermione gasped as she looked over at Melina.
"How long have you been able to do that?" she asked, amazed.
Melina shook her head, confused.
"I don't even know what this is," she confessed as she began to cry. "What am I?"