Melody and her friends were all comfortably in their dorms hours later, They had moved up to the school on carriages that seemed to have pulled themselves as opposed to the Lake like the year before. The ceremony was nothing special, but at some point she and many students realized that Harry Potter was gone, as was Ron Weasley. Whispers filled the room, but she didn't care much for that. She had a feeling that they were up to something stupid. It was just a feeling but from what little she knew of the two of them, she knew it to be true.

Soon enough she was in her dorm, happily sitting on her bed, recasting new wards around her bed, just for safety. They were much more complex than the previous years spells, ensuring her stuff would be safer than ever. She had no intentions of being harmed by anyone this year, or any year. She made her bed a little fortress of magic as soon as she could, linking it with powerful spells taught to her by Gran's Books. Well, powerful by second year standards anyway...

The next day, Melody heard all about the flying car that Harry Potter and Ron Weasley got away with flying and revealing magic with... had anyone else done so, she knew they would have likely be expelled...

""—STEALING THE CAR, I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN SURPRISED IF THEY'D EXPELLED YOU, YOU WAIT TILL I GET HOLD OF YOU, I DON'T SUPPOSE YOU STOPPED TO THINK WHAT YOUR FATHER AND I WENT THROUGH WHEN WE SAW IT WAS GONE!" Melody cringed as the sound of a horribly angry woman exploded into existence. Neville, who was sitting by her as he typically did, smirked.

"A well-deserved Howler, this is going to be good."

She turned back and watched as Ron Weasley sank low in his chair, his skin the color of his wild hair.

"—LETTER FROM DUMBLEDORE LAST NIGHT, I THOUGHT YOUR FATHER WOULD DIE OF SHAME, WE DIDN'T BRING YOU UP TO BEHAVE LIKE THIS, YOU AND HARRY COULD BOTH HAVE DIED—ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED—YOUR FATHER'S FACING AN INQUIRY AT WORK, IT'S ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT AND IF YOU PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT BACK HOME."

Melody laughed, hard but quiet. "They really did deserve that... hey, look at our schedule, you and I are in double Herbology first, righteous!"

Neville grinned so wide it practically split his face. "Nice!"

Within twenty minutes, they were both waiting by The Greenhouses waiting with the rest of the class for Professor Sprout. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had only just joined them when The Professor came striding into view across the lawn, accompanied by Gilderoy Lockhart, whom Melody recognized from the ridiculous number of books he forced them to buy that year. Professor Sprout's arms were full of bandages.

Gilderoy Lockhart, however, was immaculate in sweeping robes of turquoise, his golden hair shining under a perfectly positioned turquoise hat with gold trimming. "Oh, hello there!" he called, beaming around at the assembled students. "Just been showing Professor Sprout the right way to doctor a Whomping Willow! But I don't want you running away with the idea that I'm better at Herbology than she is! I just happen to have met several of these exotic plants on my travels…"

"Greenhouse three today, chaps!" said Professor Sprout, who was looking distinctly disgruntled, not at all her usual cheerful self.

There was a murmur of interest. They had only ever worked in greenhouse one before—greenhouse three housed far more interesting and dangerous plants. Professor Sprout took a large key from her belt and unlocked the door. The scent of fertilizer and damp air, a tingle of brighter magic made Melody giggle with excitement.

"I cannot wait to see what she shows us this year, the books only covered so much."

Neville nodded, ever the herbology expert and lover, he looked practically giddy.

Professor Sprout was standing behind a trestle bench in the center of the greenhouse. About twenty pairs of different-colored ear-muffs were lying on the bench. "We'll be repotting Mandrakes today. Now, who can tell me the properties of the Mandrake?"

To nobody's surprise, Hermione's hand was first into the air but this time Neville and Melody were both raising their hands just behind hers by second. The professor saw Neville's hand and nodded to him.

"Mandrake, or Mandragora, is a powerful restorative, it harmonizes energy and restores anything, even animals, to anything natural order. It can undo transfigurations curses and poisons."

"Excellent. Ten points to Gryffindor," said Professor Sprout, while Hermione glared at Neville for taking her starshine. "The Mandrake forms an essential part of most antidotes. It is also, however, dangerous. Who can tell me why?"

This time it was Melody whose hand was in the air first. "The cry of the Mandrake is fatal to anyone who hears it, which I guess is why we have earmuffs?"

"Precisely. Take another ten points, this time to Hufflepuff," said Professor Sprout. "Now, the Mandrakes we have here are still very young."

She pointed to a row of deep trays as she spoke, and everyone shuffled forward for a better look. A hundred or so tufty little plants, purplish green in color, were growing there in rows. Melody and Neville could both feel the energy in the creatures, all bottled up. They had been practicing so much in the summer, with Neville's greenhouse, that they both were quite sensitive to the magics of the creatures.

"Everyone take a pair of earmuffs," said Professor Sprout. There was a scramble as everyone tried to seize a pair that wasn't pink and fluffy. Neville and Melody rolled their eyes and took pink earmuffs. "When I tell you to put them on, make sure your ears are completely covered," said Professor Sprout. "When it is safe to remove them, I will give you the thumbs-up. Right—earmuffs on."

Professor Sprout put the pink, fluffy pair over her own ears, rolled up the sleeves of her robes, grasped one of the tufty plants firmly, and pulled hard. Instead of roots, a small, muddy, and extremely ugly baby popped out of the earth. The leaves were growing right out of his head. He had pale green, mottled skin, and was clearly bawling at the top of his lungs.

Professor Sprout took a large plant pot from under the table and plunged the Mandrake into it, burying him in dark, damp compost until only the tufted leaves were visible. Professor Sprout dusted off her hands, gave them all the thumbs-up, and removed her own earmuffs.

"As our Mandrakes are only seedlings, their cries won't kill yet," she said calmly as though she'd just done nothing more exciting than water a begonia. "However, they will knock you out for several hours, and as I'm sure none of you want to miss your first day back, make sure your earmuffs are securely in place while you work. I will attract your attention when it is time to pack up. Four to a tray—there is a large supply of pots here—compost in the sacks over there—and be careful of the Venomous Tentacula, it's teething."

She gave a sharp slap to a spiky, dark red plant as she spoke, making it draw in the long feelers that had been inching sneakily over her shoulder.

Melody and Neville ended up, happily working with Hannah Abbott and Susan, both of whom were beaming. "It's been too long, we only communed over letters and I heard you both took the top spot in the Regional Dueling Tournament!"

Both Melody and Neville beamed right back. "It was fun!" Melody said, smirking. "I can't wait until we are older, when we hit fourth year it is no longer segregated by sex so I can beat Neville's butt."

They all giggled at that.


Chapter end, tell me what you think in the reviews.

I hate Collin Creevey, he was a gross creep.

Love, your Ninja Overlord,

Mika.