As September came to a close, the anticipation for the quiditch games began. The walls of Hogwarts were filled with vibrant enthusiasm for the upcoming match of Gryffindor vs. Ravenclaw, while the team players spent every spare moment practicing for the game or mocking the opposing team.
As the day of the competition arrived, Natalie couldn't help but be relieved because the irritating chatter of quiditch and bets would finally go away, albeit temporarily.
"The match is ready to begin," Dorcas, who played Gryffindor seeker, told her with a wry smile. "Wish me luck?"
"Dori, I'm not going to the game." Natalie sighed tentatively. "You know how I feel about you playing in the first place, and I am not going to watch as you plummet down to your death."
"But it'll be so exciting," Dorcas whined. "Besides, the professors will be there; even the Headmaster watches the games. Nothing is going to happen."
"We're going to pulverize them is what's gonna happen!" Sirius strode down the stairs in a gaudy red uniform, his broom clutched tightly under his arm. "You ready?" he asked Dorcas who nodded earnestly.
"Good luck!" Natalie cried over her shoulder as they blundered out the common room door followed by a large group of avid quiditch fans.
Almost immediately, she found herself alone, although she rather liked the idea of having a few moments to herself. She didn't feel like studying, although she had plenty of work to do, and so she decided to wander the halls of Hogwarts to become a little more familiar with the inexplicable castle.
After stacking her books on the table, she put away her quill and headed out into the hallway, mindlessly chatting with various portraits as she went.
"Sleeping well these days, Dearie?" one woman in a frame asked. "The fat lady tells me you gave her quite a scare the other night."
"Excellent," Natalie blushed continuing through the corridor. "I must remember to apologize to the fat lady when I return."
Ever since Lily had given her the Dreamless Sleep vials, she felt like a new person. She didn't have to fret about going to bed and having nightmares or waking up groggy and agitated because of the obvious lack of sleep.
Her nights were now seemingly pleasant and, thankfully, dreamless. For the past few weeks, she had become a much brighter individual. The candle inside of her seemed to flicker back on leaving her, overall, content and energized.
'And all this because of a good night's rest,' Natalie thought bemused.
With a sudden desire to explore, she swept down several dark corridors and up the many moving staircases until she came upon one of the least occupied passageways in the castle.
The ceiling was long and narrow, while the walls were black and empty. Her footsteps echoed off the surface of the stone floor creating a natural amplifier with its rickety vibrations.
It reminded her of a day back home when her mum taught her how to play the piano. Even though she was raised in a strictly wizarding household, they always had a little muggle organ as the centerpiece in their living room…
"Put your whole heart into the music,' her mum had said. 'Allow your soul to linger in the notes, while your mind echoes itself through the ambient vibrations.'
If only there was a piano at Hogwarts. She missed playing songs on their organ, and she feared if she didn't keep up the practice, she would forget how to play.
Natalie walked up and down the musty corridor. It looked like any other hallway, but there was a particularly large portrait of fruit that stood out to her as she passed because it hung crookededly at a weird angle.
'That's odd,' she thought, straightening the frame on the wall. She walked back on forth past it, examining it at different angles to make sure it was level, and then gasped as a strange wooden door appeared on the wall next to it.
Natalie jumped back in shock, half expecting someone to come out of it, but when no one did, curiosity got the best of her and she twisted the knob to step inside.
The room was windowless; mildly lit by various candles that hung on a grimy wall. A small wooden shelf was perched in the back; complete with dusty old volumes, but the most promising aspect of all was the elegant grand piano that sat in the center of the room.
Natalie gasped as she took in its shiny black exterior that reflected her image like a mirror. Its smooth keys were cool to the touch, but as she pressed down on a note, its sound resonated off the walls in perfect pitch.
She smiled at the discovery and did a double take of the small room. She had never read about any secret room in the castle that held a muggle grand piano. Whether it was magicked or mere coincidence, Natalie didn't care. She was positively enthralled to have found the perfect sort of entertainment.
Cautiously, she sat down on the bench and began to play one of her favorite songs, 'Clair de lune,' by a muggle called Debussy. The gentle notes sprang into the air echoing off the walls and blending in sheer harmony.
The song had a light atmosphere that allowed all her previous grief to disappear with each note that was sung, and Natalie breathed a sigh of relief.
She performed the song over and over again until she remembered about the quiditch math. She didn't know how long the game was going to be, but she definitely wanted to be there for Dorcas when she returned whether they had won or lost.
She reluctantly closed the piano and opened the door to leave, but jumped back in shock as she spotted someone sitting in the hallway, back perched up against the wall.
"Dear Merlin," she gasped as the blonde Slytherin, Draconius Meliflua, looked up at her casually from his place on the floor. "What on earth are you doing here?" She stammered backwards, eyes wide in surprise.
"Waiting," he murmured, examining the skin under his fingernails.
"Waiting?" she gaped. "For what?"
"You," he shrugged finally looking her in the eyes.
"Me?" she heard herself say. This was utterly confusing. She thought she was the only one not out watching the game. "How long have you been here?" she asked, trying to regain her composure.
"Since you went into the room," he nodded his head towards the door, which immediately disappeared when she stepped away from it in astonishment.
Natalie flushed at this, cheeks bright red to her ears. "You know," she spat. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think that you were stalking me."
"I was," he said carelessly.
Natalie blinked in shock and then narrowed her eyes dangerously. ""What do you want?" she said.
Meliflua rose from his position on the floor to stand face to face with her. "I need your help," he whispered suddenly serious, looking down the hallway for eavesdroppers.
"My help?" she scoffed. "But you're a Slytherin." She hadn't been here long, but the rivalries between their two houses was more than noticeable.
"I know," he sneered. "But you need to put that behind you. There are more important things at stake here."
"What on earth are you blabbering about?" Natalie raised her voice, bewildered. "What is at stake?"
Meliflua bit his lip warily. "I'm sorry," he spluttered. "I swear I didn't want to do this so soon, but everything's getting worse, and we have to do something now!"
"What do you mean?" she scoffed. "I don't bloody know what you're talking about!"
"I know what you are," he said quietly "And I know what you have the ability to do."
"I don't understand what you're trying to say," she snapped. "And what is it with you and your strange encounters? Every time I see you, I get confused. Take that time in the library. You spoke to me as if you've known me your whole life, and I barely even remember your name. If you have something to tell me then do!" She inhaled a breath. "I'm waiting."
"It's a long story," he sighed exasperatedly.
"I've got time," she retorted.
"You should probably have a seat," he gestured to the floor as he slumped back down himself.
Natalie responded by folding her arms on her chest and stomping her foot impatiently against the floor.
"Where do I begin?" he asked himself. "Alright, how about I introduce myself formally… You've been led to believe that my name is Draconius Meliflua, but that is not ultimately correct." He paused as she raised her eyebrows. "My name is Draco Malfoy. I am from the future; the year 1997 to be exact, and I was sent back in time to help you."
"To help me?" she snickered. "That's fascinating. Why me?"
"Because you have the ability to see the past and future," he said enthused. "In my time, you were one of the greatest seers in the world. The future is terminally dark, as you have most likely seen, and you are the only one who can change it."
"Hold up," she narrowed her eyes. "Who told you about my dreams?"
Meliflua, –or Malfoy- whoever he was, grinned lightly. "I told you, I'm from the future. I know allot about you.
"So," Natalie winced. "You're telling me that you are a boy from the future, who was sent to the past to help a girl; -who happens to be me, because in the future, she is the greatest seer in the world because she has the ability to see the past and future, which is where the boy came from in the first place?" She cocked an eyebrow slowly. "Sorry if I'm a little lost."
"I came to the past to help you change the future," he said slowly trying to help her understand.
"Why can't you change it yourself?" She queried. "You're the one from the future, remember?"
"Because it's not my place," he said. "I cannot disrupt the timeline of things because, for me, they have already happened. You can because it currently lies on your course of events," he elaborated proudly.
Natalie searched his face for any sort of amusement but laughed when there was none. "When someone makes up a story, they at least try to make it sound believable!" she yelled. "That is, by far, the absolute worse farce I have ever heard. How could you expect me to fall for that?"
"It's true," he sighed, aggravated.
"You're mad," she chuckled. "You are utterly insane, and if this is your way of making a joke about things, I suggest you take a new approach."
"I'm not laughing," he retorted completely frustrated. "And this is no laughing matter."
"Stay away from me," Natalie took in a breath. "You need help. Don't you ever come near me again." She turned and fled down the hall, ignoring the way he drooped back to the ground in disappointment.
Her mind was in a daze, and her emotions were threatening to overwhelm her so she continued her path towards Gryffindor tower.
'Agh,' she groaned. It was such a lovely evening until that lunatic brought it all crashing down…
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The moment she stepped through the fat lady portrait, the sound of animated cheers reached her ears. The room was crowded with every Gryffindor student imaginable, and at the center, she found Dorcas, Ophelia, Lily, Malorie, Remus and Peter.
"Natalie!" Dorcas cried, shoving through the crowd to envelope her in a hug. "We've won!" She laughed. "And we are throwing a party!"
Natalie smiled lightly, not really in the mood for a crazy, victory bash. "That's great," she said. "Congratulations."
Just then, Sirius and James plowed through the portrait whole, hands filled with familiar-looking glass bottles.
"Butterbeer for everyone!" Sirius shouted, passing the bottles around the room.
"Three cheers for Gryffindor!" James raised a glass. "For the bloody practices and fantastic victory!"
"Here, here!" the crowed roared animatedly, while Natalie eyed their dorm room longingly. She was ecstatic her friends had won, but after the encounter with the Slytherin, Meliflua, all she wanted to do was unwind, alone!
"And three cheers to Lily Evans!" James spoke up, drunkenly. "Who I adore more than the air I breathe."
The furious redhead ducked her head at the many woos and whistles from the crowd, and then quickly stomped her way up to her dormitory, slamming the door behind her.
From outside, you could hear awkward crashing sounds, and James glanced warily around the common room, praying that none of his valuables were destroyed.
Natalie sighed, aggravated. She didn't want to deal with the drama of their dorms; maybe there was somewhere else she could go to be alone.
She eyed the setting sun out the window and realized how profoundly she needed some fresh air. Besides, there was still another hour until curfew…
"Extraordinary view," Remus, who she didn't know how long was standing next to her, remarked as he gazed out the window.
"Yeah," Natalie breathed, taking in the vivid colours of the sky. "It really is."
"Let's play a game!" Dorcas grinned widely around the room. "Every party needs a round of 'Spin the bottle' and 'truth or dare!'"
"I'm in," Ophelia cackled, moving through the swarm of people to be next to them.
"I'm not really in the mood," Natalie forced a smile. "But you all go ahead. I have some homework I need to finish in the library."
"But we're having a party!" Dorcas exclaimed, resting her arm on her friend's shoulder. "You need to relax and have some fun."
"Later," Natalie said firmly. "I have to go." Quickly, she dispersed through the crowd and out of the portrait hole. The giddiness in the room was beginning to make her nauseous, and for the moment, she just needed a little fresh air.
Eagerly, she ran through the halls and then pushed her way out of the large Hogwarts' doors. The autumn air was warm against her cheek, and she immediately sighed in relief.
Natalie strolled along a trail that led to a small tree sitting by the lake. She sat down blissfully, perching her back to rest in its' grooves. There was nothing out here to disturb her except the soft hum of the wildlife and, for that, she was grateful.
The cerulean blue water of the lake sparkled into the faint sunlight, while the air smelt of fresh seaweed and moisture. This was definitely the perfect place to ease her mind of Meliflua…
She couldn't believe he would be so cruel as to mock her into believing such lies, but he was a Slytherin so what more did she expect?
In a sudden urge to clear her mind of these things, she pulled off her robe, leaving her clad in a blue tank top and pants, and plunged towards the lake. After taking a second to examine its depth, she dived into the water head first to be overcome by its intense force.
Immediately, her head cleared as the freezing waves pressed against her skin, and just a moment later, she floated back to the surface to take a breath.
The warm air tickled her skin, and she laughed giddily at her rambunctious behavior. Slowly, she nudged her body up to sit flat on the water's surface and began to back float contently. She gradually inhaled the sweet smell of the sea and then closed her eyes to free herself from all outside disruption.
There, she hovered for several minutes, letting her body relax completely, and then jolted abruptly when she heard a strange humming sound. Natalie glanced around franticly, realizing the tune had come from beneath her, inside of the water…
Suddenly, a small guppy-like head popped out of the lake that resembled half human and half fish.
"Agh!" She screamed, leaping out of the water. Natalie raced up the stone path towards the castle so fast, she was barely aware of the fact that she collided with someone until she had flipped forward on the ground to land directly on the stranger's chest.
The boy had classic blonde hair and blue eyes, and at the moment, an adorable blush that worked its way up to his ears.
"Hey," he staggered, struggling to breathe.
"Woops," Natalie slumped off of him, and stood to help the boy back up. "I'm so sorry. I should probably watch where I'm going," she grimaced at his newly soaked shirt. "And now I've gotten you all wet," She frowned as he looked down, startled.
"What happened to you?" the boy asked her baffled, taking in her atypical appearance.
Oh," Natalie bit her lip, looking over at her damp hair and nearly see-through tank top. And then something dawned on her…
"I forgot my robes!" She cried and ran back towards the lake. Cautiously, she gathered up her previous clothes, eyeing the lake warily for any more creepy sea creatures.
"Did you fall in the lake?"
Natalie jumped, startled when she heard the voice of the newcomer right behind her. "Um, not exactly," she muttered shyly.
"Oh I'm sorry," the blonde boy smiled enchantingly. "My name is Phillip," he flashed her wink. "Phillip Donnelly."
"Natalie," she replied, taking in his Hufflepuff badge. "Please to meet you."
"Likewise," he half grinned at the puddle on the ground.
"I should go," she said abruptly. "It's about curfew, and we wouldn't want to get in any trouble."
"Of course," Phillip puckered his lips. "And you should probably look for some dry clothes."
"Right," Natalie blushed. "Well, bye then." She fluttered her fingers and turned back towards the castle, robes clutched tightly in one hand.
"See you around, Natalie?" he cocked his eyebrow with a grin.
"Yeah, bye!" she called back. Phillip strolled away amusedly, whistling a soft tune.
When she entered the common room, Natalie was still in a daze; a sweet, content, pleasant daze that left her oblivious to the gasps of her friends.
"What on earth happened?" Dorcas cried running up to her. "You're soaked!"
"I jumped in the lake," Natalie muttered monotonously.
"You what?" Dorcas snapped, eyeing her friend suspiciously.
"I should change," she said, snapping out of her reverie. She quickly stumbled up the stairs to her room, and shut the door behind her with a snap.
Dorcas turned around to face the room, her expression matching the perplexed looks of the people around her.
"She jumped in the lake?" Ophelia said mystified. "I can't believe she bloody jumped in the lake."
"I thought she was going to do homework," Remus spoke up, inquisitively.
"Guess not," Dorcas laughed, shrugging off her concern. "Now all I need to know is why she didn't bother inviting any of us."