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Hogwarts Second Years

Chapter Four – Melody for Disaster

It was nearing the Christmas break and Myra was really looking forward to it. She had invited Cadien and Amira to her place but only Cadien could come. Amira and Jetta were going to Paris for Christmas. Both girls could be seen jumping about in the Common Room as the holiday got closer. Only Lyam and Marlene were staying for the holiday. The other second years had all sympathised with them but found it harder as the holiday approached. Myra remembered this time last year. It had been the first time James and Sirius had pulled a big prank together with Remus and Peter. She found herself wondering if they would do one this year. Part of her hoped they did while the more sensible part of her brain told her it was a bad idea. After Christmas was the first Quiditch match and she knew Jetta and Lyam were both rather excited about it, it would be their first Quiditch match. The only thing was it was against Slytherin. All this was on Myra's mind as she wondered down the hallway towards the library. Maybe this was why she didn't see Melody and Arabella heading her way. Myra found it particularly hard to like Melody. Everyone did. She was such a strange Hufflepuff. At times it was like she belonged in Slytherin the way she acted. Other times she could have passed for a Gryffindor but then they were not as mean as her. It was the way she found out something about you and used it against you for her own enjoyment. Like when she had found out Sirius had been cursed by his mother and had gone blind. She would tease him about it and trip him up at times. Melody was staying at Hogwarts for Christmas. So was Sirius, but he hated going home anyway. Lucky James and Remus were staying too. It seemed it was only those two boys who were stopping Sirius and Melody fighting to the death. Giving a little chuckle at that thought Myra finally looked up. She paled when she saw Melody. The other girl just smiled broadly.

"Oh look Arabella! It's Myra Winks!" smirked Melody. Myra tried to shove her way past but the tall Hufflepuff girl easily blocked her, giving her a good shove.

"What do you want Melody?" asked Myra, not really wanting a fight. Melody turned to Arabella and grinned.

"See, I told you they were learning!" she crowed. Arabella smiled quietly.

"Would you help us with our homework please?" Arabella asked trying to be nice.

"Uh, I do have a lot of my own to do actually," Myra said trying to get past again.

"I think you misunderstand!" snapped Melody giving a harder push so Myra fell backwards onto the ground, her books spilling everywhere.

"What's going on here?" came the voice of James Potter. Glancing behind her, Myra saw James and Sirius Black heading her way. Melody looked grumpy.

"Go away Black!" she snapped, "Oh wait, can you see yet?" This last said with a sneer. Sirius's face darkened and he stepped forward only to be caught by James.

"Here, want some help?" James asked and not waiting for an answer, started to help gather Myra's books together. Myra gave him a grateful smile. One random thought going through her head, James Potter was so nice. Meanwhile, Melody and Sirius were standing nose to nose yelling at each other. Arabella stood off to one side, a small smirk plastered across her face. When she saw Myra looking at her, the slightly batty girl quietly slinked away. But Myra forgot about Arabella as she and James stood up. James had offered to go to the library with her, Sirius would be coming to he said. But it seemed fate was against it. For Melody and Sirius were both so riled up that it looked as though they were about to hit each other. Then Melody did. She pulled back her arm and balled her fist before letting loose. She got Sirius right on the nose causing him to howl in pain and his hands to fly to his nose. Melody had turned on her heel and stormed away. Sirius had sat on the ground, his eyes smarting with unshed tears. Boys did not cry in front of girls. Myra looked shocked but James started to laugh. To anyone it would seem as though James was cold hearted and uncaring. To the trained eye, or at least to those who tended to notice the little things, you could see the concern in his eyes, the premature wisdom that made his cheery eyes seem so much older. You could see how carefully he helped Sirius to his feet and how sorry he looked as he explained to Myra why he had to go to the hospital wing. How Sirius would not go if James didn't take him. It was the little things with James that you had to watch for. Myra nodded in understanding and continued to the library. There was a funny feeling in her stomach. Why was she noticing all these little things about James Potter?

Alice Applewhite had had enough. She was sick of her sister acting how she was. It was disturbing everyone and already her parents had written to Alice complaining about the amount of Owls they were receiving about Melody. And now Alice had just seen her sister punch Sirius Black. Really though, Sirius had it coming. All through their first year the two had picked on each other and teased about the silliest things. Over the summer it had gotten worse. The Applewhite's lived two door's down from the Black's and Sirius and Melody had bickered and fought whenever their paths crossed. Alice suspected it was something for Sirius to do. She had a fleeting suspicion that it was the only thing that Sirius could do to release his temper. She had heard the shouts coming from where he lived and knew his mother to have a violent temper. Still it didn't call for Melody to be so mean and cold hearted.

Sighing as she turned a page, Alice caught sight of Myra Winks entering the library. Alice had not really spoken to Myra before and was kind of sad about that. You see Alice was the kind of girl who had to meet everybody and try and be everybody's friend. She glanced at Lily and Cortessa, who were both studying with her. Seeing them both hard at work, Alice stood up and went over to where Myra was just sitting down.

"Hi," said Alice kindly, "Do you want to sit with us?"

"Oh, um, if your friends don't mind I suppose," Myra said softly biting her lip. Alice looked back to her hard studying friends and shrugged.

"The more the merrier!" she grinned and was rewarded with a slight grin from the small Ravenclaw girl. "I'm sorry about my sister by the way!" Myra shrugged.

"It's not your fault," she said.

James woke early the first morning of the holiday. He sat in his bed and looked around it as he tried to clear his mind. The room had five beds in it. On James' right was Remus' bed. Around it was very neat and tidy; everything packed neatly in his trunk or in the bedside table. Remus was still sleeping, and he was a very neat sleeper. On James' other side was Sirius. It looked like a bomb had gone off. There were books and clothes and prank things lying around everywhere. Even Sirius was messy when he slept. His blankets were all tangled up and Sirius was sleeping soundly on his stomach with one hand tucked underneath him and the other flung over his pillow. His head was turned to James and James knew this was because Sirius was afraid that James would disappear. Next to Sirius was Frank Longbottom. Frank had gone home for the holiday so his bed was neatly made. He had left his trunk and it was slightly overflowing with clothes. Not as messy as Sirius' but still not neat. Next to Frank was Peter. Peter's bed was like a nest. It was never made. But his clothes were always neatly packed away. Peter had gone home too. Peter always went home for the holidays. He only had his mother and a younger sister. Giving a great sigh which woke Remus, James got up and wondered downstairs. He wondered who else was staying for the holidays. So he was only slightly surprised to see Alice Applewhite sitting on a chair in the common room with a book on her lap. Alice looked up and smiled at James as he sat himself opposite her.

"I suppose Melody is staying too then?" asked James already knowing the answer. Alice gave a grimace and nodded. "And the other girls left you here alone!" Again Alice nodded.

"Where's Remus and Sirius?" Alice asked deftly changing the subject.

"Remus is awake and Sirius is still sleeping!" smiled James. "Who else in our year is staying?" Alice was quiet as she thought about the question. As she was thinking Remus came and sat next to James.

"I woke Sirius up, no use him missing Christmas because he was sleeping!" Remus said. James smiled his trademark smile and glanced up the stairs where Sirius was slowly walking down.

"Marlene and Lyam in Ravenclaw, Melody and the third year twins Ashling and Deidre O'Cassidey for Hufflepuff. I don't know about the Slytherin's." Alice said at last.

"Oh I know who is staying in Slytherin!" said Sirius as he lay across James and Remus. Both boys pushed him onto the floor.

"Do share!" smiled James with a mocking half bow.

"Those Nott twins, Jackson and Isabella." Sirius growled, "Where's the presents?" And James laughed as Sirius crawled across the room to the tree and started piling the presents. The four Gryffindor's eagerly opened their presents before going down for lunch.

It was a small group for lunch and Professor Dumbledore had set one table for them all to sit at. Alice decided to sit near James and his friends, making sure that Marlene and Lyam were between herself and Melody. The two Slytherin's looked none too happy about sitting at a table with Gryffindor's and really, Alice didn't blame them. Sirius and James were whispering all sorts of horrible things about them. It was still a nice Christmas lunch and Alice enjoyed her time. After lunch the Gryffindor's stayed down in the Great Hall along with Lyam and Marlene. To Alice's dismay, Melody stayed down too. Trying to ignore her sister, Alice laughed along with the three boys and proceeded to help them to plan their prank they were going to do when everyone arrived back. Finally Melody had had enough.

"Alice!" she shouted, "I need to talk to you!" Putting heavy emphasis on the 'need' part and stamping her foot. Sirius laughed and mimicked her.

"What Melody, I'm busy!" Alice said unkindly. But she froze at the sight of her sister. Melody looked close to tears. Melody never cried. In fact she and Alice had never cried at all, there had been no need to. Yet Alice could not bring herself to go any closer to her sister.

"Oh fair Melody, what ever can be the matter?" Sirius teased holding his hands over his heart and raising one dramatically. James snickered at his friends comical antics. What silenced them all was when Melody turned on her heel and ran from the hall. They had all seen to lost look on her face.

"I didn't mean to make her cry," Sirius looked horrified.

"It isn't you Sirius, it wasn't you," Alice said softly. What had gotten into her sister? James patted Sirius on the arm affectionately before punching him.

"Ha ha you make girls cry you're so ugly!" he laughed. Immediately the feeling in the Great Hall was lightened and Melody forgotten.

The Christmas holiday went pretty fast. Alice spent her time with James, Remus and Sirius. She found they were rather fun boys to hang around. Melody hardly showed up for meals but no one worried. Occasionally Marlene and Lyam would join them as they roamed around the castle, helping the Gryffindor boys map out the floors. When asked why they were mapping it out, neither boy would give a straight answer. All too soon the holidays were over and Alice laughed along with the three boys as the Slytherin table turned a bright red and gold. All the students at that table found themselves supporting red and gold hair and robes. It was a great start to the next term. Alice listened to her friends telling of their holidays and she told of her own holiday with the boys. During the term, only one student seemed to be pulling away from life itself. Melody was no longer the pushy, cold hearted Hufflepuff girl she used to be. Arabella would always be with her whenever she could. Indeed a strange friendship was formed between those two girls. A friendship no one could understand and no one cared to either. Most were glad of having no Melody to deal with. Perhaps it was unwise for them to do this, but it couldn't be helped. Melody had brought this on herself and was now dealing with the consequences of being mean to everyone who had once tried to get to know her.

No one could know what would happen to Melody in the future. No one would know what would happen to all of them in the future. Indeed they were to learn that friendship was something to treasure above all else.