Malicia!
Chapter 21!
"Please Harry, just listen – "
"I don't want to listen! You said you were my friend! You lied to me!" he yelled. Melissa looked at him in despair.
"I didn't tell you because I knew how you'd react! And even then I was still planning to tell you after the Hogsmeade weekend! I just didn't get a chance!"
"You've had a year! A year to come clean, a year to tell the truth! You didn't take those chances,"
"Harry, we have to stick together, we have to do this stuff for Dumbledore. We need to be able to work together!" she pleaded.
"Look, Ron and Hermione are free to make their own choices. But as for me, I don't to want to learn anything you have to teach me. I'd rather die,"
Melissa stopped and sighed.
"If that's the way you want it Harry, fine. We have two weeks to learn this stuff. I've got Ron, Hermione and Ginny to teach me. Ron's the only one who knows what we have to learn. All you're doing is making it harder on yourself and him. But whatever, that's your prerogative. If it's any consolation, I'm starting to wish Dumbledore had never taken me to you in the first place," she said, and walked away, leaving him standing in the middle of the Charms classroom she had cornered him in.
She'd been trying for a week to talk to him. Everyone else was generally fine with her, if only a little uneasy. Hermione and George had patched things up, and Ginny had decided that her and Harry breaking things off was a good thing. Melissa and Ron had decided that to make things easier, he would teach Harry the potions they learnt, and Melissa would show Hermione and Ginny. But still she was lonely. She and Ginny had started hanging out with Luna more.
By the day after the Hogsmeade visit, the whole school knew the truth. Pansy had apologized on behalf of herself and the other 6th and 7th year Slytherins – they'd had no idea about anything the twins were planning. Most of the school was indifferent. The younger years didn't really know who the Lestranges were, and the older years knew who they were, but knew that Melissa wasn't like them. It seemed to be only Harry, and a few others, who had decided she was evil, etcetera.
She'd given the letter from her mother straight to Dumbledore without reading it. She didn't even want to know anymore. What kind of mother would hand her daughter over to be killed anyway?
"Did you try?" Ginny asked, as Melissa came upon her and Luna in the corridor.
"Yeah I did, but he said the same old thing. I'm evil, blah, blah, blah. I just told him that it's his prerogative and I'm giving up trying to convince him I'm not evil. I just can't be bothered anymore. I've been trying for almost a week, and I'm not getting through. He's just a hard headed idiot,"
"I agree," Luna replied, smiling.
"I thought you liked Harry?" Ginny asked, confused.
"No, not really. He's kind of annoying actually. It's like he only does good things because he's resigned himself to fact that he HAS to, not because he wants to,"
Melissa and Ginny were slightly stunned.
"You know, I think you're on to something Luna," Ginny said, throwing an arm around each of her friends. "Let's discuss it over dinner!"
"You've got a stomach like your brother," Melissa remarked, smiling.
"Yes well, it kind of runs in the family,"
"What, eating whatever you like and never putting on weight?" Luna asked. "Lucky family.
They laughed all the way into the Great Hall, where Ginny pushed open the door and let the others go in first. Everyone turned to look at them.
"You know, this is REALLY getting OLD," Melissa said loudly, and everyone turned back to their food, talking loudly.
The three of them giggled, and made their way over to the Gryffindor table.
"Ugh, can we eat outside today?" Melissa asked, looking over at Harry, Parvati and Lavender. "They look like they're about to stab me with their forks!"
"I'd love to see them try," Ginny replied, giving them all the evil eye.
"Hey Ron, Hi Hermione," Luna said, smiling and grabbing a plate.
"Hi guys, how's it going?" Ron asked.
"Yeah it's all pretty good. Bit stressful, with everything," Melissa replied.
"I can imagine how having the whole school treat you like a leper would be distracting," Hermione remarked, smiling.
"Not the whole school," Melissa replied, looking over at Harry, Parvati and Lavender. "Just some idiots whose heads are too thick to comprehend the truth,"
"Yeah. If she were evil, I'm sure we'd all be dead by now," Ginny said, shrugging and smiling.
"As if she could get away with that under Dumbledore's eyes," Harry spat.
"Dumbledore watched that murderous whore kill my parents, as did I. He's also performed Legilimency on me like a million times. He trusts me," Melissa said, not even looking at him.
"Dumbledore trusts where others wouldn't," Harry replied.
"And has he ever been wrong yet?" Ginny asked, looking him in the eyes. She laughed and then looked at Melissa. "I think you're right, let's eat outside. I can't be bothered with this crap today,"
They wave goodbye to Ron and Hermione, and left the Great Hall, not noticing they were being watched by those at the staff table.
"Albus, surely there has to be something we can do," McGonagall said, watching her students with a worried expression on her face.
"There's nothing Minerva. How many times has the hat warned them that they need to trust each other? That they need to work together? If they can't see it, we can't make them,"
"But if they don't work together?"
"They will fail," Dumbledore replied sadly.
"Is it true about the Slytherins? I've heard rumors in my classes Albus, has he really – "
"Recruited half the sixth and seventh years? Yes Minerva, my sources say he has. But there's nothing I can do. There's no proof,"
"But they're just children!" McGonagall replied, a look of disgust on her face.
"You forget Minerva," Snape interrupted. "That most of them have been trained since they were little. They learn all sorts of things – potions and spells, sword fighting and hand to hand combat,"
"But it's so sad, they're just – "
"Most of them are far from children Minerva, remember that," Snape replied.
"What about Melissa, what can we do for her?" Flitwick said, inciting himself into the conversation.
"Nothing," Dumbledore replied. "There's nothing to be done. She's a strong girl, she can deal with it. Besides, she has more pressing things to worry about,"
"Like what?" McGonagall asked.
"Ah Minerva, to answer that would be a betrayal of trust, and that, I cannot permit myself to do,"
"Albus – "
"No. It's almost time for class is it not?" he asked pleasantly. The professors all looked around at each other and set aside their food, preparing to leave for their individual classes.
"Will she be alright Albus?" McGonagall asked, as she walked behind his chair to go to her class.
"I believe so," Dumbledore replied. "Do not worry yourself Minerva. It will all work itself out in the end,"
Dear Diary…
God, that sound so lame. I haven't had a diary since I was little, and back then I used to write about the stupidest things. Now I actually have something important to talk about, and I can't bring myself to do it. I mean, who actually wants to admit that…no never mind. I can't. Yes I can. No I can't. Yes I can…dammit I have to…
I'm going to die.
There, I said it. I told Dumbledore last week, and that seemed to cement the idea. It's also made it increasingly harder to say. I mean I've finally gotten things back on track. I'm back with Evan, Gin and I are like sisters, Ron and I have become really close, and I'm doing really well with school. Everything is going to be ripped out from underneath me in one single swipe of a knife. I can't even say goodbye to them. If I say goodbye, the whole thing might change, and Voldemort will win, and everyone I know and care about will die! Except the Slytherins of course.
It's time for me to go meet Ron in the potions room. Someone kill me! Oh my God…I can't believe I just said that.
Melissa.
She shut the book and sighed. A diary. God, if only there was some other way. She hated diaries, they were such a…girlie thing to have.
A few days later, Melissa, Ginny, Hermione and Ron were in the dungeons, learning a replenishing potion that Dumbledore had set for them. Melissa and Ron had taught them the basics about what was involved with the potion, and were just preparing to teach them how to actually make the potion when the door opened, and Harry walked in, looking angry. The four of them turned to look at him, surprised.
"Dumbledore says it's unfair on you and Ron to have to split up to teach us," he grumbled, indicating Melissa. "So he said I have to work with you, no matter what issues I might have,"
Melissa looked at him for a second, then nodded.
"Well, whatever method it took to get you here, you're late. You'll have to learn the theory on your own. We're up to making it now,"
"Isn't it your job to teach me the theory," Harry sneered.
"Maybe if you weren't acting like such a child and had arrived here on time, I would have been able to!" Melissa snapped back. "But seeing as how you didn't, you'll have to do it yourself. It's not hard, just memorize this," she said, tossing him a heavy book.
"Memorize it?" Harry asked, looking at it incredulously.
"Yes. And I'll make sure no one helps you,"
"No one?"
"No one!" she replied. She knew she was punishing him, and some part of her, deep, deep inside actually gave a damn. Then she remembered the looks on his face everytime she had tried to talk to him previously, and that part of her crawled back into the hole it had come from. She didn't deserve that treatment, and she wasn't going to let him get away with it scot-free.
The other three were grinning.
"Is there a problem Harry?" Ginny asked innocently.
Harry just glared at her, causing her to giggle.
"Come on guys," Ron said, taking charge. "Let's get on with this. The sooner it's done the sooner we can go to Hogsmeade,"
"You're going to Hogsmeade?" Harry asked.
"Yeah. We're meeting Evan and George at the Three Broomsticks. We would have invited you but we didn't think you'd want to come," Ginny replied, looking at the recipe for the potion. Not to mention the fact that Evan would beat you to a pulp the minute he saw you, she added.
Melissa grinned. She knew exactly what Ginny was thinking. "Ok guys," she said. "Ron's right. I want to see my boyfriend!"
"Awesome. So we add the juice of the Sopophorus Bean first right?" Ginny asked, browsing the instructions.
"Right," Melissa confirmed, nodding. She looked over at Harry and raised her eyebrows at him. He glared at her, but went to stand behind a cauldron and grind the juice out of the bean nonetheless.
This is going to be a long day…Melissa thought.
It turned out that Harry came with them to Hogsmeade, and Melissa had had to call Evan ahead and ask him nicely to please not hurt Harry.
He'd agreed. Begrudgingly. After a long argument.
And Melissa was not exactly happy about the situation either, but what could she do? In the end, he was Ron and Hermione's best friend, and she couldn't shut him out.
"Hey Pup," Evan said, standing up to embrace her when they walked over to the table he and George were sitting at. "You okay?"
Melissa grinned. "I'm fine," she whispered, holding onto him tight.
"You're practically strangling me, are you sure you're okay?" he asked.
She let go, embarrassed. "I missed you. Is that a crime?"
"No…but you saw me like 3 days ago,"
"Shut up! Hi George," she walked around and gave him a quick hug.
"So do we get discount here now or what?" Ginny asked, kissing Evan on the cheek.
"I might be able to rustle something up," Evan grinned. "Gimme a sec,"
He pushed in his chair, and the others all sat down at the table. It took them a few seconds to see Harry, still standing. Melissa looked around; there weren't enough chairs.
"Just grab one from a table mate, I'm sure it was an accident," Ron said, waving him over.
It was obvious a minute later, when Evan walked out with only six drinks, that it had been no accident.
"Gee, sorry," he said, shrugging. "Guess I miscounted. Want me to go get another?" he asked, sitting down and putting his arm around Melissa, clearly indicating that he wasn't moving again.
"That's fine," Harry said, through gritted teeth. "I'll get it myself,"
Melissa whacked Evan over the shoulder. "That was mean,"
"What? You told me I couldn't punch him, you never said I couldn't be an arse,"
"Well from here on, you can't be mean to him in any way, shape or form," she reprimanded.
"Spoilsport," he muttered.
Harry came back with a drink in his hand and noisily dragged a chair over, placing it between Ginny and Evan. Ginny grimaced.
"Great," she muttered.
She looked over towards the door just in time to see Blaise, Draco and Pansy walk in.
"Even better," she muttered.
"What's wrong Gin?" George asked, following her eyes.
"Yay," Harry said dryly. "Death Eaters,"
Melissa whipped her head around. "Keep your mouth shut about them!"
"Defending your own kind?" he sneered. Evan stood up.
"Mate I'm warning you, there's only so much I'll take before I snap,"
Harry looked Evan up and down and took in his size. Then he sat back down, not saying a word. Pansy waved at the them, and grabbed Draco and Blaise by their arms, dragging them over. Ron's ears turned red.
"Evan, mate, I thought you had better taste than this," Draco said, indicating Harry.
"Not my choice Malfoy, not my choice at all," Evan replied. "How's it going?"
"Oh you know. Life's gotten significantly harder these days, what with – "
"Initiation?" Harry broke in, sneering.
"I was actually going to say exams," Draco replied. "And don't try to copy my sneer Potter, it doesn't suit you,"
"Are you okay Gin?" Blaise asked quietly. She was completely trapped next to Harry, and she just wanted out of there.
"Never better," she replied.
Blaise sighed. Things would never be the same between him and Ginny. He didn't even have a chance. He switched his focus over to Melissa.
"And how are you?"
"I'm good actually," she replied. "This whole mess with my name and my parents has actually helped me find out who my true friends really are," she said, throwing a look at Harry.
"I think I want to go for a walk," Ginny said, standing up. Evan grinned.
"I think that's an awesome idea," he said. "I think I might come too. I think we should all come,"
"Sorry can't," Draco said. "We have to go buy Pansy's birthday present. Of all the things to ask for, she asks for a freaking Chudley Cannons hat,"
"You like the Cannons?" Ron asked, looking surprised.
"I love them! They're my favorite team,"
"I would have picked you for a Tornados fan," Ron replied.
"I was, up until the minute I could choose for myself," she said, grinning.
"I guess we're all going on that walk after all," Blaise said, laughing.
They all stood up and looked at Harry. "Are you coming?" George asked.
"No. I think I might go up to the castle,"
"I think that's an excellent idea," Evan and Draco said at the same time. Melissa hit them both.
"Are you guys coming?" Pansy asked, poking her head around the door. They all laughed.
"Yeah, yeah," Melissa replied.
They all broke off into groups of two or three, as the path wasn't wide enough for them all to walk together. Somehow, Ginny and Blaise ended up together.
"So…how are you?" Blaise asked.
"I'm good. Bit tired from all this homework," God his eyes are gorgeous…STOP!
"Yeah. They're piling it on pretty thick aren't they?" I miss her so much…NO!
"It must be harder for you though. They're always harder on the sixth years, to prepare them for NEWTS next year," And his lips…one kiss wouldn't hurt? AGH!
"Yea they are pretty bad. It's even worse not knowing what's going to happen after…" I wonder if she'll hurt me if I hold her hand?
"In three weeks time…" Ginny said, saying what he could not. It was a reminder of what separated them.
"I'm sorry," Blaise said suddenly.
"For what?" Ginny asked.
"For everything. For not having enough time,"
"Enough time for what?"
"Enough time to…"
He leaned in to kiss her. Just as their lips touched, they heard an explosion from the village centre. Screams filled the air, and dust covered their faces.
"What was that?" she screamed. "What the FUCK was that?!"
From the dust, the Dark Mark rose into the sky.
"That was a bomb! That was a fucking Muggle bomb!" Melissa screamed.
And from the Dark Mark's mouth, a snake emerged, and all around them dark laughter could be heard.
Woot! An update. Read it, review, it's nearly over!!