Chapter 8

Ink, Quills and Parchment

The next morning, Mel woke with a start as she realezed something warm, and getting hot, was underneath her. As she got up, she noticed that she had fallen asleep with the parchment. She picked it up and noticed clean gold cursive on her page. "Remus!" she whispered in surprise. This is what it said:

'Sorry to wake you so early Melanie, but I Sirius wanted me to ask you something. Well, if you are getting this, please write back.' And Remus ceased to write anything else. Waiting patiently. Mel slowly walked over to her trunk and grabbed her Pink Ink and quill. She walked over to her bed and quietly wrote:

'No problem! Morning, but why would any guy get up so early! I don't even wake up at this time. Wait what time is it?' she stopped waiting for him to respond to her question. 'Seven thirty-four. Why?' The gold writting stopped once more. '7:30! I'm surprised I haven't kelled over yet!'

'Well please don't do that. I still want to hang out sometime.' He responded. Mel didn't know it, but she began to blush. 'Either way! What was it that Sirius needed you to ask me. Why didn't he ask himself?' Mel wrote curously. Nia began to stir in the bed beside her. 'Make quick! Nia's probably going to wake up sone!' Mel added.

'I wanted to know if Nia's a PureBlood?' silver writting appeared on the peice of paper. Mels' eyes norrowed with discust. 'Why? Is she not good enough for you if she isn't!' Mel wrote angrilly. 'No, it's not me! It's my parents! I usually don't care, but if they ever find out about Nia being my friend when she's a Half-Blood or Muggle-Born! She could get hurt. I just needed to know how careful I should be, that's all!' Sirius scibbled quickly. If she was a Muggle-Born, Half-Blood or PureBlood; he would still want to be friends with her.

'Oh, sorry. Well, your in luck! The DuBois are an ancient PureBlood family.' Mel sighed in releif when she realized that he was only worried about Nia. 'One of the oldest. Most people don't know that though. But you said you're a Black, right?' Mel put.

'Yeah, why?' handsome silver writting appeared this time. "He must write nicer when he's relaxed." Mel whispered and then answered. 'The Blacks are on the PureBlood Ball comminty aren't they. If so, your parents are bond to know.' Mel looked up to see Nia waking slowly. 'I have to go! Nia's waking up. Bye Guys, write to you later.'

A bye from Remus appeared and a Thanks and see ya was what she got from Sirius. Back at Hogwartz, Sirius sighed in releif. 'She would be safe if she was an Ancient PureBlood Family. My parents would never make a bad impression on them. Me being friends with one would make them lay off on me a little too. There always seems to be another upside to having Nia as a friend.' He thought happily.

Nia woke up just as the ink on Mels' parchment disappeared. She quickly shoved it underneath her pillow, along with the closed Pink Ink bottle and her quill. "Hey Nia, have a good sleep?" Mel smiled and looked as she looked at her friend. She jumped and fell off her bed in the process. "Mel, oh Merlin Mel! What are you doing up?" Nia asked as she pulled herself off the floor.

Mel giggled and then answer politly. "I guess I just slept enough for today." she shrugged. "Want to shower first?" Mel asked, looking at her Best Friend. "Please and Thank You." Nia answered, grabbing her clothes and heading into the bathroom. Once Mel heard the shower go on, she relaxed a little. "I'm not going to tell her. That's all up to Sirius." she stated calmly.

Later That Day

With all that had happened that week, Nia was in a great mode. Even if she had to go back to school and study like a mad women. She was going to have to take her N.E.W.T.S. next year. Mel and Nia had decided to study a little that summer. Get a head start as so that they could be the Smartest and Cutest thing in school; wll, that was how Mel put it.

Nia and Mark hugged and said that they see eachother sone. The month would be over in no time and then they could cause haveck on the community once again. So Mark Apparated the girls back to school, leaving them at the gates. The girls went into the grounds, and were close to the doors when they heard a faint 'crack' and knew that he was gone.

People said hello as they passed, heading toward the great hall for Diner. The girls had eaten before leaving, so they went right to there dorm and began to study for their upcaoming classes. Slowly, girls began to pour into the dorms aswell. Getting ready for bed, talking/gossiping, laughing.

"We should write that letter to the boys and send it off know. Where's Libby?" Libby, being Mels' owl. The two became excited at the thought of what to write. Nia smiled. 'Maybe I can talk Mel into writting Remus a seperate letter.' Her smile becoming very large now. Mel was thinking something among those very words. The difference was that she wanted Nia to send a letter to Sirius.

He did, after all, worry about Nias' safety. The least Mel could do was make sure she sent a seperate letter. Though, before Mel could even say anything; Nia started to write. Mel doing the same, yet writting to Remus. The letters went like this.

Hey Sirius,

Nia here! Not much going on, except the fact that school is almost over. I didn't want to admite it, but I'm going to miss hearing the teachers yell at all the afull gits who think they're better than everyone else. As if Derek Malfoy could ever get me to go out with him.

Who's Derek? I know your wondering, so I'll answer. He this git in my year. Ever since he first set eyes on me in 1st Year, he's been trying to get me to go out with him. Once this poltergiest named Petunia; she tryed to pour a HUGE bucket of water on me in Defence Against The Dark Arts. All I did was move it so that it was over top Malfoys' head. He screamed and I swear he could beat a two year old in a Yelping Contest.

Either way, I'm going to miss picking on him. The proffessers even let me because he's always bugging me. Like a Mad Stocker, I can promise you that. But enough about My Schools Biggest Prat; how are you? What you planning to do to the next idiot that crosses your path? Sorry, I had an urge to ask that! Well, I don't know... Write back with a lengthy letter.

Then you can see how I really write. See you Soon, at least I hope.

-Naomi 'Vixen' DuBois

Nia was proud of her letter. After all, she did only write in 4 minutes. She looked to see Mel writing a nice long letter to who she guessed to be Remus. This was what it said:

Dear Remus,

Where are you from? I'm from Paris, France! What's your favorite color? Mine's Pink! What's your favorite food? Mine's any type of Italian! What does everyone call you? Everyone calls me Mel! Is your favorite subject Transfiguration? Mine is! Are you the type of person to ask a thousand questions? I am!

Oh Merlin! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do that. It's just a habit I picked up from my aunt. She's so nosey. Nia's working with me to stop that. It gets annoying, even for me. Surprising, huh! I was quiet almost the whole day Saturday. I tend to get like this when I'm hyper. Which, by the way, I am!

I have a feeling you'll be laughing when you read this, but I like to write the first things that come into my mind. And right now, there's about a million things in it! In truth, I can actually be very smart, no matter how 'Blond' people think I am. I mean, just because I am a blond doesn't give people to right discriminate me. I'm a lot smarter then every may think! I hope you don't think the way most people do.

I neve thought it possible for me to get along with someone so not like me. You seem to be the kind of person to think things through, calmly take everything in consideration, and rethink your plans so many times that they're perfect.

Me, I just do; take action without thinking of the consiquences. Nia's almost exactly like that, too. But she gets this instinct when things aren't right. She avoids so many things that way, I mean, she's a total cluts. The first time we met, she was refusing to let anyone look at Nila. Afraid they were gonna do somthing to her. Well, she was right. One of the other first years, at the time, tried to pour paint on the pour thing.

I screamed at him, and he ran for his life. Then Nia came to thank me and only let me pet her cat. Nila is very important to her! Either way, she let Nila go accidently, and what else does she do but run after her. Well, the cat ran up stairs to the girls dorms. And as Nia was making her way up, running very fast too, she tripped and fell flat on her face.

Funny, huh? Oddest thing is, that's exactly how we became Best Friends. We'd known eachother since I was 1 month old, but we were so much a like at the time that we didn't like eachother much. A cat made us Best Friends and I wouldn't be the person I am without that family.

I hope that you, James and Sirius can come over to my house this summer. I have my own private beach and everything. Surely you've heard of the LaTiche family. If so, you'll totally understand.

Well, my hand hurts so I need to stop writting. I have to finish a huge essay for Muggle History. Hope to see you sone!

- Melanie 'Minx' LaTiche

Melanie was just as pleased with the letter as Nia was with hers. As they started on the one to all three, Nia and Mel began to talk about what it would be like if Mel really did invite them all over to her beach house that summer.

Once they finshed, Mel called for Libby. Libby always did know when there was a letter to be sent. Flying through the open and landing on Nias' outstreched arms. Mel tied the letters to her leg. "Try and be there by breakfast, wont you Libby?" Mel asked softly.

Libby nibbled her fingers affectionately, then flapped her wings in responce. She then whoed and flew away. The two girls watched Libby disappear, after they pulled on their pajamas and climed into bed. Happilly drifting off to sleep.