Ch. 8 - Something's Coming, Who, What, Where?
Two months before the end of the term exams, the school was still buzzing about Draco's attitude at the Halloween ball. It was something no one would have expected from him.
"Ms. Potter?" Melina stopped her walk towards the library where she was meeting Hermione to study and turned around at the headmasters' voice.
"Yes professor?" She asked.
"I would like to have a word with you. If you'll follow me please." Dumbledore turned and led the way to, Melina assumed, his office.
"Is there something wrong professor?" Melina asked slowly as they walked up the stairs.
"We will find out when we get to my office." Dumbledore answered. They continued to walk up the stairs in silence until they reached the gargoyles where Dumbledore said the password and then they continued up more stairs and entered his office. Melina noticed when she stepped into the room that they weren't alone. Remus stood near the window looking out it, Snape stood on one side of Dumbledore's desk and McGonagall stood on the other.
"I'm in trouble aren't I?" Melina said as she sank into a chair in front of the desk.
"That depends on your definition of trouble." Remus said not looking away from the window.
"Melina, something has come to our attention." Dumbledore told her.
"Ah." Melina said.
"Professor Snape has informed us of several occasions where you and your friends have slipped passed him." The headmaster went on.
"Is that a problem?" Melina asked innocently.
"Yes." Snape spoke up.
"You have also gotten passed the fat lady's portrait without a password several times." McGonagall added.
"Really? Um. . ." Melina tried to find something to say.
"Melina?" Dumbledore said slowly. "Have you been using your enchantress abilities on professor Snape and the fat lady?" Melina didn't say a word as she looked everywhere but at the teachers. Finally she took a deep breath and looked back at Dumbledore.
"I don't know what you're talking about." She lied easily.
"Melina." Remus said, finally looking at her.
"What? Enchantress? Really professors, there's no such thing. They're made up beings in stories that older wizards tell the younger ones." The words came to her as if she had been thinking about them all day.
"She's been spending to much time with her brother. Harry lies easily too." Snape said sourly and Melina glared at him.
"Now, now Snivelus," A voice spoke up before Melina could say anything. "Is that any way to speak of one of my godchildren?"
"Sirius!" Melina exclaimed, leaping out of her chair into his arms. Sirius chuckled as he hugged her.
"Hello 'Lina." He said and he set her feet back on the floor. "Now what's this I hear about you being in trouble? Isn't that your brother's job?"
"What is he doing here?" Snape asked venomously.
"I asked him to come. I hope you don't mind Remus." Dumbledore whispered to the DADA teacher. "I thought she might be a bit more forthcoming with someone who was less of an authority figure." Remus merely nodded.
"Melina? Are you going to tell me?" Sirius asked as Melina sat back down.
"Well. . . I. . .I didn't do anything wrong. Did I?" She said finally. Snape gapped at how fast Sirius had gotten her to semi-confess. Dumbledore smiled slightly.
"You used your 'power' to manipulate a teacher and a mystical being. If it was Peeves you had manipulated I would be less upset." He said.
"It's not manipulation it's just. . ." Melina stopped, trying to find a word.
"Manipulation?" Sirius asked humorously and she glared at him slightly.
"Ok, so it is manipulation. But there's no real harm in it." Melina defended herself.
"You manipulated a teachers' mind to do your own bidding. That is real harm if I'm not wrong." Dumbledore told her.
"Well, if professor Snape wasn't such an arse to the other students I wouldn't have to do it." Melina exploded.
"Melina." Remus said in a scolding voice.
"Don't you even start Remus." Melina said, her tone matching the venom heard occasionally in Snape's voice. "I have nothing against you personally professor," She said to Snape. "It's your manner with everyone else that I have a problem with."
"What do you mean?" Dumbledore asked. Melina knew he understood what he was saying but went on anyway.
"The pure malice he has for everyone he comes in contact with." She stated. "I know that's how he normally deals with people and I'm grateful that he doesn't feel the need to treat me that way, but I think he should be a little more respectful to the rest of the students. Maybe than they'll respect him in turn." Snape opened his mouth to speak but Melina cut him off. "However, I understand that having them afraid of you works for you. I just think you should try not to take so many points off students who don't deserve it. Like Hermione for example."
"I'll keep that in mind." Snape said, not sounding the least bit interested in what Melina had just said.
"As will I." She told him. Silence hung in the room as Melina's tension grew and her mood continued to darken. She sat in the chair with her arms crossed in front of her and her eyes looking straight ahead where Dumbledore was sitting. But she wasn't looking at him, she was more looking through him. Nobody said a word as the watched her eyes closed and her eyes flick back and forth behind her eyelids.
"What's going on?" Snape finally broke the silence.
"Something's not right." Melina said, her eyes still closed.
"Melina, what do you feel?" Sirius asked, kneeling down next to her chair.
"What do you mean what does she feel?" Snape asked.
"Enchantresses have extremely sensitive feelings. They can feel dark magic creeping up on them from miles away." Remus explained. "Her enchantress powers are still surfacing so this might be the new one coming out."
"Melina, what do you feel?" Sirius repeated.
"Darkness. Evil. Anger." Her eyes popped open. "Something's coming."
"It is not up for discussion Severus." Dumbledore said as they walked down the halls.
"I do not think it is wise for him to stay." Snape argued.
"I know you don't. But I think it will make the Potters feel safe and Harry might not try something like he usually does when there's danger. He's staying." The headmaster told him. "He knows to stay in his animagus form."
"Very well headmaster." Snape finally said after a few moments of silence.
"Professors!" They looked up the hall to see Melina and a large black dog sprinting towards them. "I know what's coming!" Melina said, out of breath.
"What is it?" Dumbledore asked.
"Death Eaters. A whole load of them." Melina told them.
"How do you know for sure?" Snape asked and the dog barked at him.
"Hush." Melina told it. "We saw them, Snuffles and I, from the astronomy tower. I went up there to see if what I was feeling was correct; he followed me." She gestured to Snuffles. "We saw them moving out of the forest. They stopped at the edge so I think they're waiting for it to get darker."
"The sun's almost set." Dumbledore said. He turned to Snuffles. "Take her--"
"No. I need to help. Not with the fighting but I have to help in some way." Melina interrupted.
"Very well. Have Harry show you where the secret passage that leads to Hogsmeade is. I want you to get all the students out of Hogwarts in case the Death Eaters get in. Do you understand?" Dumbledore asked her and she nodded. "Make sure Harry goes with you. Don't let him out of your sight." Melina nodded again.
"Alright. Come on Snuffles." She took off in the direction of Gryffindor tower with Sirius, er. . sorry, Snuffles, close behind.
"Here." Harry said, showing his sister the passage out of Hogwarts to Hogsmeade.
"Good. Thanks. Now come on. We have to get the students out of the school. Dumbledore's orders." Melina said, closing the passage door and pulling him along with her.
"Why? What's going on?" Harry said trying to pull Melina to a stop.
"Because and I can't tell you. And if you don't do as I say. . . I'll have Snuffles bite you." She told him, keeping her face straight as she dragged him behind her.
"Melina." Harry said, finally getting her to stop. "Tell me what's going on." Melina looked at him with a scowl.
"No. I'm sorry I have to do this Harry." She told him and he shook his head, knowing what she was going to do. "Please help me and please don't ask anymore questions." Harry straighten up and his face went blank.
"Alright." He said.
"Good, let's go." She said and continued to pull him towards their first destination: the Hufflepuff house. How she knew where the entrance was, she didn't know but she did and she entered by way of a magic word.
"How did you guys get in here? Where did you get our password? You're not---" Justin Flich-Fletchy rambled.
"Shut up." Melina cut him off. "Now you all need to listen to me. Dumbledore has instructed me to get you all out of the school. You and the rest of the houses. Harry will show the way to a secret passage to Hogsmeade where you will stay until one of the professor retrieves us. No questions asked. Understand?" The commanding tone Melina held in her voice was enough to make the Hufflepuffs follow Harry out without a word. "Well, that was easier than I thought." She said watching the Hufflepuffs file out. "Harry!" She called to him and he stopped and turned. "Please stay in Hogsmeade." He nodded and continued to led the way to the passageway. "Good. On to Gryffindor." Snuffles barked at her. "Why? Because I can get Ron and Hermione to help me. That's why. Now come on." She knew the Gryffindors would be easier to get to leave then the Ravenclaws. The Slytherins would be easy too.
"Hey Melina. What's going on? Cool dog." Seamus said as she enter the room.
"Thanks." She said. "Everybody listen up!" She called through the common room. Several Gryffindors came out of the dorms to see what was going on. "Dumbledore wants me to get everyone out of Hogwarts and into Hogsmeade. Ron will lead you to a passageway that leads right into the town. Does everyone understand?" She used the same voice she used with the Hufflepuffs to get her point across.
"Why?" Lavender Brown asked.
"Because I said and I'll explain once I get to Hogsmeade. Go on Ron. Hermione, come with me." Melina said walking back out of the tower, Snuffles and Hermione following closely behind.
"What's going on?" Hermione asked as they made their way toward the Ravenclaw house.
"Death Eaters. Just don't tell anyone else. Especially not Harry." Melina told her as they reached the entrance and went in. "Nobody say a word. Just listen. You are all to follow Hermione to a passageway that will take you to Hogsmeade. Dumbledore's orders. You are not to ask questions. Understand?"
"Why should we listen to you?" Cho Chang asked snottily.
"If you do not wish to die a most horrible death then I suggest you do." Melina told her with a small smile. "Now go." Nobody made eye contact with her as they hurried quickly passed her. "Ok." She turned to Snuffles. "Last but not least. Slytherin." He growled as they left Ravenclaw and headed down toward the dungeons where the Slytherin common room was. "Here goes nothing." She said before she passed through the portrait.
"What are you doing in here? Get out now!" Pansy commanded.
"Back off." Melina said and Snuffles growled. The Slytherin girl backed up quickly and somebody left the common room. Probably to get Draco. Melina thought to herself as she scanned the room, not seeing him in there.
"Melina. What are you doing in here?" Draco said as he entered the room followed by the Slytherin who had went to get him.
"I'm here to take you all to Hogsmeade. Is something funny about that Parkinson?" Melina asked as Pansy started to laugh. The tone of her voice hit a Snape deadly one and Pansy quickly shook her head no. "Good. I'm going to lead you to a passageway that will take us to Hogsmeade. Dumbledore himself has given me that authority. No questions. Do I make myself perfectly clear?" Nods all around the room. "Alright then. I will lead and if any of decide you don't want to come you'll have to take it up with Snuffles here. He's going to bring up the rear. Shall we?" She took Draco's hand and they turned and left the room. She looked over her shoulder and smirked at the sight of all the Slytherins following her. She turned back to Draco. "I like being in charge." She said and he laughed as the entered the passageway.
Ok, I know Melina's weird but just bear with me. I'm running low on ideas and just writing what pops into my head.
