CHAPTER THREE

INTERRUPTED

The rest of the day went by like every other first day of term. We were told about the rules and what was expected of us, given the whole big speech, then set to work. The stuff this year is so much more difficult than last year. I've always had to study for the grades I get but I'm going to have to work even harder this year if I want to keep it up. Rose is different, she could get the marks I get without even trying but she gets amazing marks - meaning she studies 24/7.

Another difference this year is the homework. We've never been given homework on the first day back before but today I was given piles of it. Every class I was in, I have an essay to write or a book to read or something. After all my classes I trudge to the Gryffindor common room, needing to sit down before I get started on the mountain of room is buzzing with people. Little first years excited about their first day and everyone else laughing and joking, glad to be home. I wanted to sit in my favourite armchair by the crackling fire - it's so relaxing - but Rikki is already there when I arrive.

"I have never had so much homework in my life before," She exclaims, "Never mind on the first day back! What are they trying to do? Fucking kill us? I'm a goner." I laughed at her dramatic personality as she slumps back into the chair, evidently defeated by the essay she is waving in her hand. It falls to the floor. The annoying thing is, looking at her stack of books, I can tell she has less homework than me.

"Well I'm going to the library to do mine, get some peace. You wanna come?" I ask. I don't really want her to join me though, I'll never get any work done if chatty Rikki is with me.

"Nah, I'm gonna wait here for Melody. She's been up there for half an hour," She says, gesturing up to our dorm, "I wonder what she's doing. Probably forgotten how to work the shower again." I laugh and head out of the common room. As I hop out into the hall from the portrait, I bump into my cousin, Roxanne.

"Hey, sorry Lil." She says, patting me on the head like I'm 8, " Have you seen Freddie? I have had a great idea for a prank but I can't find him anywhere." Roxie and Fred are always getting into trouble. Their pranks are legendary. It's really funny at family get-togethers when Uncle George pretends to give them a row, then when all the adults leave he congratulates them.

"I think he was going to visit Hagrid with James. Your pulling another prank alre-" She cuts me off.

"Thanks Lil. I got to go, see ya." She interrupts, already walking away. It's as if she didn't even hear me. Nothing new.

I head to the library and see my cousin Molly studying at a table with her boyfriend, Jack. She is, like Rose, incredibly smart. However, while people call Rose "the smart one" they call Molly "the perfect one". Molly loved it when she was younger until she realised it was sarcasm. Molly is the one who does everything right. No detentions, she's never late, she never breaks the rules, she has a perfect, prefect boyfriend. She's a prefect too. Uncle Percy is dead proud. Rose is like that in many ways - she's also a prefect - but Rose knows how to have fun and be silly, she just prefers school and knowledge to pranks and trouble-making. Molly, on the other hand, doesn't know how to have fun.

"Hey Molly." I whisper. She doesn't hear me. I could try again but whats the point, she'll notice eventually. I sit down at another table and crack open a book. An hour later I look up from my book, having finished most of my work, and notice Molly is gone. I guess she didn't see me then. I decide to head down to the Great Hall for dinner. I run and put my books in my dorm room (it's empty, meaning Rikki and Mel are already down there) and walk quickly to the Great Hall. I'm starving.

The tables are laden with food of all kinds. Chicken and beef and potatoes and vegtables - everything. God, I've missed this place. Mum tries but she's not the best cook in the world. A few Christmases ago Grandma Molly insisted Mum help her in the kitchen to make Christmas dinner ... there was a small fire. I spot Rikki right away, stuffing her face with macaroni cheese, and go to sit with her. I look at the empty space next to her.

"Where's Melody?" I ask, "She never misses dinner."

"I know, it's weird right?" She looks at me with worried eyes, " You know how I told you she had been up in the dorm for ages? Well, like, 5 minutes after you left I went up to check and she wasn't there. I'm seriously worried. If she isn't in the dorm after dinner I'm going to go tell Professor Longbottom." Uncle Neville is the Head of Gryffindor house.

"Surely she hasn't gotten lost again? We've been here for 4 years, she knows her way around the place by now." I say, remembering the time in first year that she got lost. We found her by the entrance to the Slytherin dorms, not that she knew that was where she was.

"I don't know. I'm scared, she's been acting really weird all day."

"I'm sure she's-"

"No Lils," Rikki interrupts, "You only had one class with her today, she was in all of mine. I know she's always a bit ditzy but today she was just, like, looking out the window and smiling. She didn't hear a word the teacher said and she kept going on about how "pretty" it was outside. Honestly, she was acting like Lorcan Scamander."

Lorcan and Lysander Scamander are Aunt Luna's kids. They are in 5th year. We grew up together and Lorcan has always been a bit ... weird. He's lovely but he talks about these creatures that don't exist and sometimes I catch him staring at the wall like it grew eyes or something. Lysander, his twin, is a bit more normal. He doesn't really believe in that stuff like his Mum and brother.

"I'm sure she's fine Rikki. Probably all this extra work is just confusing her. She'll be in the dorm waiting for us and complaining about missing dinner when we get back."

After dinner we go for a walk around the grounds. We say it's because we ate so much but really we are just stalling. We are scared that when we go back to our dorm Mel won't be there. But when we go back up, there she is, sitting on her bed ... doing her homework?!

"Mel! Where the hell have you been? I've been looking all over for you." Exclaimed Rikki. Mel looks at us for a moment then looks back at her book, shrugging.

"I don't remember. I just wandered around, said hi to people. Did I miss dinner?"

"You - you ...? Are you fucking serious? I''ve been worried, Mel. At least tell us where you're going next time." Shouts Mel. Mel looks up at her with hurt eyes.

"Why? Because I'm too stupid to remember the way to my own fucking dorm, too stupid to look after myself?" Now I'm worried - Mel never swears.

"Look guys, maybe we should ju-" I'm interrupted again.

"No Lils, stay out of this." Rikki shouts.

"There's nothing to stay out of. You're just having a little argument. Sleep on it and apologise tomorrow." I sigh.

"Apologise!?" Asks Rikki, turning round to face me. She's about to say something when we hear the dorm room door slam shut. Mel's gone.

We say nothing else and sit down on our beds, reading and doing homework for a few hours, then we turn out our lights. If you asked Rikki she'd deny it, but we both stayed awake the whole night, waiting for Mel. She doesn't come back.