Chapter 3: Medea
Harry dove out the window as fast as he could, almost forgetting to take his broom. He flew down, aiming for where he expected the person to be. He never learned physics so he never learned how to calculate where the person was, but years of Quidditch training had taught him exactly where a falling object would be.
To Harry's surprise and dismay, he could not see the person who fell off his roof. The only thing under him was the ground and the only things where he aimed his broom were a few small stones that could have been knocked of the roof. He circled the building twice hoping that if he had estimated the distance wrong, though he knew he had not. By the time he got around the tower the person would have passed him in his or her fall.
Concluding that is was a magical world and the person on the roof would have had to have used magic to get up there, Harry assumed that the person could have fallen faster. But as Harry prepared to fly down and look at the ground he heard an unfamiliar voice from above him.
"Well at least you have the decency to try and catch something if you cause it to fall." The voice said in a teasing way. Harry was so surprised that he nearly fell of his broom. He looked up and saw her sitting on one leg and with the other dangling over the edge of the roof right above the window. "Careful," she giggled. "I wouldn't want to have to jump myself to try and save you if you fell."
Harry couldn't say anything. He swallowed a few times but was too shocked to move. Ron seemed to feel the same way judging by his shocked expression as he craned his neck to see the girl on the roof. But all Ron could see was her swinging leg and the blue fabric of the dress following the leg's movement.
"Well are we going to have to talk like this, or can we talk like normal people with normal horizontal conversation distances between us?" The girl asked after a few minutes. Harry nodded numbly but did not move. The girl stared at him. "Any ideas where?"
Harry forced himself out of his state of shock. "We could talk in our room, or in the common room if you like." He said as confidently as he could manage.
"I assume the window you flew out of is your room window." The girl paused to think. "We can talk there." She said finally
Harry nodded and flew up to help her into the room but she was faster than him. With a quick movement she jumped off the roof and caught the end to it in order to change direction. She flew into the room passing just inches away from Ron and landed confidently on her feet. Harry landed on the windowsill and jumped into the room. Now he could really see her and he realized that she was amazingly beautiful.
She was wearing a long evening gown with sleeves that opened up slightly above her elbow. The sleeves originally opened at the shoulder but were sewn down professionally with a silver thread to create a small puff before opening up. Other than the sleeves it was a simple baby blue dress. On top of the dress she wore a navy blue cloak also finished with a sliver thread. Her black hair was done in a series of small braids that were wrapped around her head and created a large bun at the back. Over all it gave her the look of a medieval lady.
"You have a very nice room" she said and looked around.
"It's nothing much." Harry said and blushed. "It's the typical Hogwarts dorm."
"Hogwarts?" She looked slightly puzzled but soon her face lit up. "So this is Hogwarts." She said. "I was wondering where I ended up."
"Who are you? And why are you here?" Ron asked curiously.
"You ask a lady's name before you introduce yourself?" She faked a shocked expression. "What would the ancient Greeks think? Asking a person's name before giving her a proper welcoming. You know dinner, a bath…" Harry and Ron blushed
"I'm really sorry." Ron mumbled causing her to laugh.
"Don't be. I'm not Greek and definitely not ancient. Only my name is." She said, "My name is Medea. And as for the reason I'm here. Well that's not a story I wish to relate at the moment."
"I'm Harry, and this is Ron" Harry said pointing first to himself and then to Ron. Medea smiled at them making Harry feel as though his insides were melting. He met Medea's eyes and noted that they were the same color of her dress, amazingly pure blue. His blush deepened into darkest shade of red that ever covered his face.
"I think it's time for dinner." Ron said when he noticed his friend's reaction. He turned to Medea. "Would you join us? Then you won't be able to say we're not hospitable."
"I'm not very hungry. But I'll join you." She answered kindly.
~*~
They Met Hermione in the common room and walked to the Great Hall together. Hermione eyed Medea suspiciously, obviously not approving of the story of Medea falling of the roof.
"What was she doing up there is the first place?" She whispered to Ron. They were walking slightly behind Harry and Medea due to Hermione's unease.
"She was crying, I believe." Ron said and shrugged. "She didn't want to tell us why."
"She doesn't look like she was crying" Hermione said resolutely. "Did she look like she was crying when you first talked to her?"
"No, I don't think she did." Ron admitted. "Maybe she wasn't crying long. Or-" He was stopped mid sentence because of a familiar sneering voice that greeted them as they entered the Great Hall.
"Well if it isn't the famous Potter. Who is your friend?" Malfoy sneered. "Did you finally realize how useless your old friends are that you sent home for a companion? Oh oops I forgot," He pretended sarcastically to be concerned and covered his mouth with his hand. "You don't have a home."
Ron turned red with anger and was about to advance on Malfoy when he heard Medea.
"You must be Draco Malfoy. I have heard so much about you." She said in a sweet voice. Draco sneered at her. Harry looked shocked. "I believe your family is one of the only purely magical families left." Medea continued. "That is truly something to be proud of."
Hermione made a face and turned to whisper to Ron, "I told you she shouldn't be tru-" but before she could finish she saw Medea's hand move so fast that is was almost a blur. Malfoy stumbled back with a cry of pain. Three long slashes and one smaller one on his cheek were already beginning to bleed.
Medea examined her short fingernails for a second then looked up at Draco with her held slightly tilted. She smiled sweetly. "You might want to have that looked at. We wouldn't want to scar your pretty face, now would we?" She patted his cheek in mock affection and brushed past him just when Professor Snape walked through the door.
Snape stood in the doorway and scanned the Great Hall with a critical eye. It did not take him long to identify the source of the disruption. He noticed Ron and Hermione's shocked expressions, Harry's amused one and Draco's bleeding cheek. He failed to notice Medea who was walking towards the teacher's table.
Medea did not notice Snape, or she chose to ignore him. She curtsied to Dumbledore and as she said, "Albus Dumbledore, it's a great honor." She heard Snape behind her angry with Harry.
"That is a display of unacceptable behavior Potter. After seven years you are expected to know the rule about assaulting a student. That will be twenty points from Gryffindor." Harry's smile faded and was replaced by an angry expression. Medea on the other hand continued to talk to Dumbledore. The only indication that she had heard Snape was her slightly raised voice, just loud enough to be heard at any point the Hall.
"I apologize for the incident a few minutes ago." She waved at the direction of Malfoy and a stunned Snape. "I take full responsibility and will deal with the consequences." She stood up tall and looked Dumbledore straight in the eye. Her playful and maybe slightly childish manner from earlier was now replaced with a very proud honorable and commanding presence.
Dumbledore smiles at her. "The honor is all mine." He said, "I can assure you that there will be not consequences to your behavior. I do trust your judgment, as I aught." He fixed Snape with a stare that said clearly not to question him. "Though, you do have a reputation of a temper." His eyes twinkled.
Medea blushed. "It wasn't deep." She said in a small voice that only Dumbledore could hear.
"I'm sure it won't kill him if he goes to see Madam Pomfrey." Dumbledore continued, "Now may I ask you a small question?"
"You may,"
"What reason does the second daughter of the queen of All-Living for honoring us with her presence in these humble halls?" Dumbledore's question caused gasps and a mummer of excitement throughout the whole hall. Snape turned pale, or at least paler than usual.
"Y-your majesty. I apologize." He stammered and tried to bow awkwardly. "I-I didn't…"
Medea waved her hand at him cutting him off. "Oh stand up Severus. You didn't know and rightly so. You were just doing your job. Though slightly on the severe side maybe." She turned back to Dumbledore. "I will answer your question when I do not have such a large, eager audience if it will suit you?"
Dumbledore nodded. "As you feel is best."
"Now if I may ask you a question."
"Only one?"
"One at the moment."
"You may."
"Why have you chosen to reveal my identity?"
Dumbledore smiled as though he was expecting that question. "Simple. I did not want there to be any consequences to your action earlier."
"I said I would deal with the consequences." Medea said stiffly.
"And how would I justify the fact that there was no punishment to an angry father?" Dumbledore asked. Medea stared at him angrily but Dumbledore refused to meet her gaze. "I won't play that game." He said, "I know as well as you do that nobody can outstare you."
Medea shrugged and sighed. "I see there is no use to argue. What's done is done." Dumbledore nodded. "Now if you please, I would like to return to the nice people who greeted me."
"In a second." Dumbledore said, "I would like to grant Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley ten points each for their kindness to you earlier and to compensate for the unfair loss of points earlier."
"That is fair," Medea said. She curtsied again and rejoined Harry, Ron and Hermione at the Gryffindor table. People turned to watch her as she walked and then turned back quickly, giggling. Medea looked around her and sighed. Then she turned to Harry and whispered in his ear, "Don't you just hate being famous?"