AN:
Sorry about the delay. I know I was supposed to post this 2 weeks ago, but I've just had a lot going on and didn't get to complete it in time. However, this chapter is a little longer than the previous one and I hope that makes up for it.
Please review and tell me what you think of her and the story in general. Remember that I cannot fix or get better at anything if I'm not told about it^^.
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Disclaimer:
«I do not own any of the following pictures, music, characters or the original universe. I only own the story itself and to the idea.»
Thanks a lot to Lightening Bee for betaing on this story.
Chapter 2 - Exploding coconuts
The train kept moving in direction of the school of witchcraft and wizardry and, to pass the time, its three occupants chattered away, getting to know each other a little better.
"I still can't understand why you're not enrolled to Beauxbatons... I mean, if your dad's French and all... Wouldn't it have made it easier to stay close to your parents?" Ginny asked.
"No, I'm afraid that wouldn't be practical." Melissa smiled at her new friend, a sad look in her eyes. "My parents, you see, they are quite busy. Father is writing day and night to uphold the deadlines set by 'Courrier International' and my mother spends most of her time in contact with the ministry of magic concerning magical activity."
"She's working in the ministry?"
"Oh, not really. My mom works for the French state. You could say she has the obligations of your minister: to keep in touch with and report magical events both ways."
"Wow, your mom sounds really awesome. I mean, that much responsibility – and as a woman no less. Dad's always talking about it, how the witches are always held back if there's a wizard that can do the job. Your mom really must be something to have insured such an important job." The red head's face glowed in admiration. Melissa chuckled.
"Yes, I guess it is quite admirable when you look at it that way." She bent down searching through bag and soon handled over a thin, baby green folder. Ginny accepted it and let her fingers feel the top of the folder, noticing it was a layer of soft fabric. She then opened the folder to discover that it, despite the size, was a small photo album. On the top of the first page letters were written in an elegant hand:
'We may be miles apart
but you are still in our hearts'
Ginny read it out loud, and then looked town of the picture underneath the text. It was of a family of two men standing on each side of a beautiful woman with long black hair. In the middle, in front of the woman was a young girl draped in a yellow dress and small white flowers in her hair.
"Is that you?" Ginny asked, pointing at the picture while looking up at Melissa for confirmation. A small blush appeared in the other girl's cheeks and she nodded.
"Yes, that is me on my ninth birthday. We were all up in the mountains with my grandfather." She pointed at the man standing to the woman's left. "He is living in a little village there as a medicine man and a healer. While I stayed with him I often ran errands for him because of his health, but lately he has been feeling better and one day he decided to send me to a real magic school." Melissa explained. As she finished, Ginny was left with a thoughtful expression on her face.
"Sure, but I still can't understand why you would attend Hogwarts." Her eyebrows shot up as she finished the sentence. "Not that you're not welcome or anything. I really didn't mean it like that." She drew a breath to continue explaining herself, but stopped as the offended let out a soft giggle.
"There is no need to apologize. I understood perfectly well what you mean." As she smiled she lifted her hand and let some of her hair slide behind her ear, the red stripe getting tucked away and hidden behind her ear as did so.
"Anything from the trolley dears?" All three of them turned to face the door that once again was open – although this time the visitor was an old lady almost covered up by pile after pile of refreshments. Ginny politely thanked the woman but told her no and, as she did, Melissa shook her head too. Neville however got on his feet and walked over to the woman, picking out a variety of different sweets. Closing the door behind the woman, the boy sat back on his seat and laid the candy on the table between them, studying them with a thoughtful expression.
"I don't think I will be able to eat all of it on my own. Do you guys want some?" The question was friendly, and Melissa couldn't help but get the feeling that the boy had bought too much on purpose... Ginny's eyes widened with surprise and joy and she stared thanking the boy while grabbing a bag marked as: 'Exploding coconuts' and shoveled a handful in her mouth. A second after her mouth burst out with a small 'poof' sound. Tears nearly formed in the corner of the second year student eyes as she started chewing.
"So, so good!" She chewed some more and then swallowed before letting out a most pleased sound. "Wow, it's been forever since the last timeI had one of them!" Ginny picked up the bag again and held it out to Melissa. "Here, you just have to try one. It's out of this world amazing." For a second the transfer student hesitated, but let her hand grasp a couple of what looked like small and compact snowballs. She looked at them, but then shrugged and put the mystical candy in her mouth. At first nothing happened, but then, suddenly, she felt the little balls grow bigger, softer and the sweet juicy taste of coco milk filled her mouth, making her tasting senses scream with joy. "Good, right?" Ginny managed to get out from a new portion of the candy. Melissa could nothing but nod, her chins busy parting delicious pieces of coconut.
They kept eating, and soon the bag of 'Exploding coconuts' laid emptied beside the now quite smaller mountain of candy. The two students had engaged in a conversation about their vacations, and Melissa let her gaze drift out the shimmering gray window, her eyes following the rain as it fell on the landscape surrounding them. Letting her body relax, Melissa felt her gaze distance and she glided into a pleasant state of mere existence.
"Are you looking for something?" Ginny's voice brought her to attention back to the compartment. Melissa turned to face the read head.
"No," she said with a sweet smile. "I'm just looking out the window admiring the view... Is it long until we're there?" The redhead sent the new girl a puzzled look before she looked down at her watch, checking it for a moment before facing Melissa.
"Well, I guess there's about time to change. Neville?" The boy smiled at her and nodded before suddenly getting up on his feet, leaving the room after grabbing a small blue bag. Ginny got up on her feet and locked the door from the inside while pulling down the blinders. She then returned to her seat and fumbled in her own bag for a minute before getting up her cape and uniform.
"Where are you?" Melissa searched through her bag, emptying it on the table. A wallet, books, pens and paper were some of the usual items, but Ginny could also see a strange looking box and some vials filled with some thick liquid of different colors.
"What are those?" Ginny pointed at vials. Melissa looked up from her bag to see what object it was referred to. She picked up one of the containers, one with a bright purple color and opened her mouth to speak when the sound of the pistons interrupted her and the train started to get slower and slower.
"Oh shoot!" Melissa uttered, quickly drawing forth her own cape and started gathering all her belongings in a hurry, stuffing it down in the bag. She had almost repacked all her things when the train came to a stop with a jolt, making what remained on the table tumble down onto the floor. A quiet swear left her lips as she sat down to pick up the rolling pens, but no sooner than she had gotten down on her knees the lamps went out, leaving them in total darkness. "Damn it!"
"What happened?" Ginny's voice sounded confused from somewhere close. "Melissa?"
"Yes?" A thud was heard quickly followed by a whimper.
"Melissa? Are you okay? I can't see you" The redhead sounded worried and started fumbling carefully around in search for her friend.
"Here. I'm fine. Just bumped my head on the stupid table. And you?"
"Fine too." She answered, worry clear in her voice. "Ehm, you think you can manage on your own? I want to go check on my brother, maybe he knows what's going on..."
"That's fine by me. I'm going to have to pack anyway, and I still haven't changed... Best of luck." The voice of her female companion and the calm in it made Ginny able to lower her shoulders an inch.
"Thanks. I'll be back as soon as I can." There was the sound of the door being opened, and many confused voices could be heard from the corridor in a brief moment before the door shut close again.
Melissa let out a sigh as she went back to gather her things. It was more difficult in the dark, but letting her hand swoop across the floor, picking up several pens. After a minute she had gathered a handful of different pens. She was about to get back on her feet as she suddenly felt her hand brush against something. Quickly Melissa's arm reached for the object, but she was in such a hurry that she managed to push it away rather than obtaining it. Once again the young witch muttered a curse under her breath. The search continued until her fingers at last was able to grip what she had lost – suddenly realizing it was her wand.
"There, got you!" she grabbed the wand and got back on her feet, careful to avoid bumping her head again. Once standing on her two feet again she went over to her seat and opened the bag. While dropping the items back into her bag a sudden chill went down her spine, and Melissa stopped breathing for a second. The room suddenly felt colder, and as she thought about it, the temperature seemed to drop even more. She suddenly became aware of a movement behind her and spun on her heel to face the source.
Using the dim light her wand provided she could barely see a dark silhouette through the blinders of the door but despite that she could just about make it out.
There was someone... or something... standing outside the door.
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