~Best and Worst of Times~
Summary: Before the start of the Seventh year term, Hermione is at home. When a Death-eater attacks. Sending her back in time. There she meets the love of her life.
Hogwarts
Dinning Hall
Laughing Melody replies, "Yes he had gotten ten times worst last year. Turning me green for three week." Melody shakes her head at the memory.
Watching her face fall, Lily quickly questions, "It didn't hurt, did it?"
"Not physically." Melody laughs. Not that Ron had noticed. Sighing Melody continues, "But socially kind of. One of the many jokes floating around about me."
"Jokes," demands James. "Who would make that a joke?"
Looking around Melody could see disgust on everyone's face. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you." Seeing that they weren't about to drop the matter. "Fine just about everyone in my old house."
"That's not funny," argues Sirius. "People is your own house shouldn't make jokes about that."
"What other jokes were they saying," asks Remus.
"Ok what's up with the Spanish inquisition," demands Melody watching them all look a little guilty. "Out with it." Even the girls looked guilty. Bloody hell what did they do?
Coughing Chloe states quickly, "I'll explain later. Boys don't you have Quidditch practice tonight?" Standing up, Chloe says, "Come on Melody I'll show your were your stuff is. And Remus," looking at her boyfriend. "Don't come near my room until we're finished catching up."
Getting up Melody glances once behind her. "Why are the girls staying behind?"
Looking at her, Chloe answers, "Long story, tell you in the room. The normal way?"
Laughing remembering the normal way was to put a silencing spell on the room. "We're going to need to add a sealing spell." Upon seeing Chloe's confused face, Melody clarifies, "I'll explain once we're in the room."
Hogwarts
Dumbledore's Office
Hearing the door creak open "Ah Professor McGonagal what do I owe the pleasure too?"
Stepping further into the room, Professor McGonagal stares at Dumbledore. "Well did they get along?" asks Professor McGonagal getting right down to business.
Sighing then chuckling, Dumbeldore answers, "Yes, like a house on fire. This is the first time I've see Miss Bane so relaxed in another's presence. I think, Miss St. James is going to make a wonderful addition to Hogwarts."
"That's if she, herself doesn't crack," sighs Professor McGonagal heavily. "Dumbledore, do you know that so far Miss St. James has reacted like the incident hasn't happened?"
"Yes, I know. But she also didn't have anything to remind her either," replies Dumbledore.
Looking at him, Professor McGonagal narrows her eyes. "You gave Miss St. James the last of her things. Do you think that's wise?"
"I really don't know, but no matter she has Potter and friends to make her laugh."
Smiling slightly, Professor McGonagal adds, "And a good thing too, can you imagine her in Slytherin?"
"No, I truly can't."
Gryffindor Tower
Chloe and Melody's room
Upon entering their room, Chloe performs the silencing charm as Melody performs the sealing charm. When they are satisfied that their charms will hold both girls head towards their individual beds.
"Out with it," laughs Melody, as she gets comfortable on her bed. "What was that all about?"
Sighing Chloe pinches her nose. "Promise you won't get mad?" Looking at Melody intently in the face. "No I'm serious. Promise?" Watching Melody narrow her eyes then shrug her shoulders as she nods her head. "Ok, when I first come here, the second time around, I was my usual self. No one knew that I was a geek or anything like that."
"Sounds like you wanted to re-invent yourself," laughs Melody. "How did it go?"
"Well, I was liked my Caroline and Frank," laughs Chloe. "But it took the others a while to warm up to me. You know how competitive we were for our grades," seeing her shake her head. "Well Lily didn't like the fact that I was as smart as her."
"So," questions Melody.
"Well neither did James and gang," laughs Chloe holding her hands up in the air. "I can laugh at this. They pulled a prank on me."
"Again so," demands Melody.
"It was very similar to the stunt that Drake," states Chloe. Seeing Melody's blank face, Chloe clarifies, "Sorry Draco pulled on me in third year."
Melody could feel the burning anger rise up inside her. She calls that a PRANK! Taking several quick breaths, Melody jumps off her bed. Pacing the floor with much agitation.
"I broke down when they did that. I cried so hard in Professor McGonagal's class that everyone felt guilty. Boy was she pissed, but when I didn't tell her who did that to me, they… "
"Serves them right, bloody hell how could they," demands Melody. "That wasn't a prank that was just plain mean."
Laughing, Chloe earns a hard glare from Melody. "You should see yourself," laughing some more Chloe goes on. "So they spent the rest of last year making it up to me. You see after that I stopped talking to just about everyone."
"Smashing," hisses Melody. "So how did you wind up dating Remus? If he did that to you," questions Melody.
Watching the blush creep up Chloe's face and intensify. This should be good. "He's very persistent. And he went out of his way to make me feel like I belonged."
"Well that's better then what Ron did to me," groans Melody.
"What did he do?" asks Chloe.
"Later, right now I need to know what names belong to who," dismiss Melody as she sits back down on her bed.
"Oh no you don't," argues Chloe as she reaches into her nightstand. "Here is a list of names and who they belonged to. Also the details of the stories I have told."
Shocked Melody stares at Chloe amazed. "Why did you write this all down?"
"You never know when someone's going to show up," replies Chloe.
"Ok let me read this then, then exchange how we got here before the group comes in," deals Melody as she quickly starts to memorize the paper. "After that we'll trade gossip, ok?"
"Fine I'll settle for that."
Hogwarts
Dinning Hall
Watching the girls walk away. Everyone softly groans at what Chloe will divulge to her friend. "You don't think Melody will hurt us do you," groans Remus. "She is very smart and all."
"Yeah," replies Lily. "You should have seen what she did to the Slytherin's in the girls bathroom."
"We did get to see," groans James. "Frank took a picture before Madam Pomfrey could change them back."
"Look if she gets angry," dismisses Peter. "We'll just prank her."
Growling at him, Sirius lungs. "We can't prank her," grabbing Peter by the collar. "Dumbledore will expel us all if we do and besides Melody has every right to be angry. Do you even remember what we did to Chloe?"
"Calm down Sirius," demands Caroline. "Melody doesn't strike me as the vindictive type. But I think, she'll look at us all differently from now on. But as long as Chloe is ok with what happened, I think Melody will be also."
"You really think so," asks Remus looking hopeful. "Because I don't know about all of you, I like her."
"Yeah," they all reply.
"Come on Black," grasping his hand and pulling it off Peter's throat. "We have practice."
Gryffindor Tower
Chloe and Melody's room
"Ok as to how I got here," starts Chloe. "Well, you know that we were the only two in school to have time-turners." Snickering at Melody's facial expression.
Chloe states her case. "Yeah I know loads of fun. I was getting ready to go back to school. Deliriously happy to be leaving the orphanage, I make it to the junction before reaching Platform 9 3/4. As I walk down the steps, I trip break my time turner and land in this time. Mr. Bane my adoptive father was the one who caught me as I fell."
"Bloody hell, that's what I call great timing," laughs Melody. "You didn't trip, a lousy muggle placed a bomb and the platform which, when it went off killed everyone getting on the train that day."
"Oh my God," gushes Chloe sighing deeply. "Since I couldn't go home and I really had nothing to return to, they adopted me. The rest they say is history."
"Well I also was getting ready for school," whispers Melody struggling not to cry. "But I was at home when we were attacked by death-eaters," choking on her words and tears spilled down her face. "I know for certain that my parents are dead, but I don't know if they found my little sister."
Rushing over and hugging her, Chloe asks, "What makes you say that?"
"We were playing hide and go seek with Harry's invisibility cloak. The next thing I remember is waking up at Hogwarts in this time," chokes Melody.
"Bloody hell," whispers Chloe as she comforts Melody. "Write down the date the attack happens on," demands Chloe. "When that date draws near in the future we'll go and find her. Hopefully she is fine and just waiting under the cloak for you."
"Yeah," says Melody crying. "Hopefully."
"Now," hugging Melody, Chloe laughs. "Do you remember the time Neil (Neville) tripped and spilled his potion all over Flan (Seamus) turning him into a…"
Hogwarts Grounds
Quidditch Field
Looking at the guys James shakes his head, before asking, "Does anyone feel like practicing tonight?"
"No," growls Frank. "I want to be snuggled up with my Caro."
"Not new," dismiss Sirius gazing longingly at the Gryffindor tower. "What I want is…. ah, nothing."
"To know how she'll react," finishes Remus, as Sirius looks at him. "Yeah I it's a safe bet that we all want to know the answer to that."
"Hey guys," wines Peter from the stands. "Aren't you going to practice?"
Glancing at each other, they answer in unison. "No."
Gryffindor Tower
Chloe and Melody's room
Hearing a knock on the door. Chloe and Melody look at each other. Melody sarcastically says, "Ah it begins!"
"You know you never explained why we need a sealing spell," smirks Chloe. As they ignore the person knocking at the door.
"I'll explain later," states Melody rolling her eyes as the knocking continues. Lifting her wand Melody removes the sealing and silencing charm. "Come in," says Chloe in a singsong voice.
The door opens as Caroline pops her head in. Seeing tears running down Melody's face. "Everything ok in here?"
"Yeah," dismiss Melody as she wipes her face with the back of her hand. "What's up Caro?"
Grimacing Caroline answers, "Everyone wants to know if you're upset about the prank on Chloe?"
Rolling her eyes, Melody asks, "Are they down in the common room?"
"Yes they are," replies Caroline.
Gryffindor
Common Room
Walking into the room, James notices that Chloe and Melody have taken the two chairs by the fire. Spotting Lily, James smiles as she pats a spot on the couch. Crossing the room places a kiss on her cheek and sits down next to her.
"Well," he whispers.
"We're just getting set up," replies Lily. "Don't you have practice?"
"No one really wanted to practice," dismiss James. "Everyone wants to know just how mad Melody is." Sirius, Remus, Frank and Peter walk into the common room baring food and drinks.
Looking at them, Melody almost glares. "Don't for one minute think that you're off the hook," states Melody. "Personally what you did to Chloe wasn't a prank. It was just plain mean," hearing Remus groan and start to explain. "I also understand that you didn't know it would hurt her to the extent that it did."
Stopping to make her point. "But seeing how Chloe can and has forgiven you, so do I. Let's just get one thing straight. If you ever pull a prank like that on me, when I'm done you'll be praying for someone to kill you."
"Ok," laughs Frank as he sits next to Caroline.
"So, tell us are you still dating the dummy," asks Sirius as he hands her a drink.
"God no," laughs Melody. "He still can't say my name."
"Smashing! You have to tell me about the fireworks," suggests Remus as he nudges Chloe to move over. Chloe just sighs gets up, Remus sits down then pulls Chloe on to his lap.
"Ok lets see," starts Melody.
"No," interrupts Chloe smirking evilly. "I want to hear about Donny (Ron) and what he did. Plus what other jokes are they saying about you?"
Groaning Melody glares at Chloe. "Chloe did you have to start at the hard stuff?"
"Yes," grasps Chloe pretending to be shocked. "I do."
"Fine," laughs Melody as she throws a pillow at her. "Let's see the jokes, remember first year?"
"Yeah so," dismisses Chloe.
"The subject I was extremely bad in," replies Melody.
"So what you can't fly a broom," dismiss Chloe as James and Sirius gasp in fake shock.
"That's it," questions Remus. "You can't fly a broom."
Looking at him, Melody clarifies, "It's a joke when you're best friends are the Captain and the Seeker of your house."
"What! No way did Donny get to be Captain he couldn't do anything," replies Chloe. "What position did he play?"
"He was the keeper of the team dear," laughs Melody at Chloe astonished look. "And yes, it was a major joke because they both kept promising me that they would teach me to fly. Hence the major joke."
Snickering Peter starts to laugh earning him glares from everyone. "What that's funny."
"Oh Peter," sneers Melody. "That's not the greatest joke, the greatest joke was…" looking at everyone. "Never mind."
"Oh come on," insists Lily. "You have to tell us."
Shaking her head no. Melody asks, "Chloe do you remember Lave (Lavender Brown)?"
"House Slu… ah yeah. Do I want to remember her," groans Chloe as Remus pulls her closer and kisses her cheek.
"What's Lave like," asks Peter.
"Think Erin with less brains," snaps Chloe getting snickers from everyone and a poke from Remus.
"Think Donny and Lave," waiting for the coming groan. "Well to put it nicely I got played."
"WHAT!" shouts Chloe causing everyone to jump a little. "That bastard!" Remus gasps from the harshness in her voice.
"What does played mean," asks a confused Caro. "And since when do you swear Chloe?"
"Since she," states Chloe as she points to Melody. "Got played."
"Caro," getting her attention, Melody continues. "Played means that your boyfriend or girlfriend has decided to fool around on you." This got everyone's attention. "For sometime before finding a way to either tell you or show you that fact."
"Which did he do," growls Sirius when Melody doesn't answer. "Let me guess, he showed you, therefore making it a joke on you."
Until Later