"So what sort of plans do you have for Christmas?" asked Hermione.
"Christmas?" said Melanie, in confusion. Sebek and Silver had equally confused expressions.
Hermione paused, as did pretty much everyone else.
"Christmas? Yule? The birth of Jesus Christ?" said Hermione slowly.
"Who?" said Silver absolutely confused by this point.
"She means the winter solstice," said Neville.
Silver blinked, while Melanie brightened in recognition.
"Lord Lilia suggested we stay at the school, to experience what the local holidays are like, but Father disagreed. Great-grandmother is also eager to get a first hand account of our experiences. I think she is attempting to nudge father into attending Night Raven College to further expand his horizons," said Melanie.
"What's Night Raven College?" asked Hermione.
"It's an all-male boarding school on Sage's Island for magical training. There's seven houses, each based off one of the Seven," said Melanie.
"Students attend for three years and spend a fourth in a paid internship of their choosing before graduation," said Silver. "Father got an invite a long time ago, but has never actually gone. I think he's going to wait for Lord Malleus to attend."
Neville had a downcast expression.
"Grandmother is going to be taking mother to a muggle doctor," said Neville quietly.
Melanie put her hand on his shoulder. He accepted the silent show of support.
"We're going to be visiting my grandfather in France. He is a veteran of World War two and he said that he'd rather wine and dine in a country he lost a lot of friends in than go back to England," said Hermione.
"What's World War two?" asked Melanie, absolutely baffled.
Hermione was outright gaping at her now.
"How do you not know about the world wars?" she asked, incredulous.
"Hermione, I was raised in a very isolated part of the country with home tutors more interested in magical education and basic etiquette than about world history," said Melanie slowly. "I do not think they have updated our castle library in a literal century, if that."
Hermione looked to Silver and Sebek.
"Father made sure we knew the basics, but the only history we were taught was the local history of Briar Valley," said Silver. Sebek nodded in agreement.
Hermione gained a determined expression.
"I am bringing several history books with me when I come back," she said flatly.
Melanie visibly perked up at that, which made Hermione happy. The two would end up discussing books all the way back to the train station.
Melanie didn't hesitate...she nearly tackled her father in a hug the second she saw him. Malleus hugged his daughter back, as it had been a trying few months until he had gotten used to the quiet.
He honestly missed the chaos his beloved daughter brought with her on a near daily (and sometimes hourly) basis.
"So how is school?" asked Lilia. As if Melanie hadn't been sending home regular progress reports at least once a week.
"Melanie found a professor that was actively allowing a parasitical magical being to possess him that was targeting the local unicorn herd," said Silver.
Dead silence.
"I'm sorry, did you just say a teacher was being actively possessed and no one noticed?" said Lilia in shock.
"It was the defense teacher," said Sebek. "One of the upperclassman commented that it's rare for anyone teaching Defense to last longer than a year a most."
Lilia was disturbed that the teachers hadn't noticed anything. It got even worse when he found out that the teacher in question had recently come from abroad and had been working there for at least five years.
Melanie kept herself from tackling her grandmother the same way she had her father, but hugged her tightly nonetheless.
If Lilia was horrified about the news of a possessed teacher, it was nothing compared to the frown Queen Maleficia had when Melanie, Silver and Sebek all gave a report on their classes.
History of Magic, in particular worried her greatly.
"They have a ghost teaching the class, and he focuses more on the minor rebellions of vermin than actual history?" said Maleficia disgusted.
"I inquired about the matter the first week," said Silver. "According to several of our upperclassmen, Professor Cuttbert Binns died in his sleep and got up to teach class the next day. And for whatever reason the school has yet to replace him with a proper teacher."
"I made my own inquiries to Professor Snape. He confirmed the story, and added that Professor Binns had been teaching on goblin wars at the time of his death, which is likely why he focuses so much on them," said Melanie. "He also informed me that if I wish to obtain anything higher than an Acceptable in History that I would be better off self-studying."
"One of the seventh years was openly advertising her notes from the class, since the teacher apparently doesn't deviate much from his lesson plans," said Sebek.
"This is unacceptable," said Maleficia frowning.
"Is that the only issue?" asked Lilia.
"They really need to update their stock of brooms," said Melanie. "The ones they have now to teach the flight class are clearly on their last legs, and the charms on them are badly frayed."
"Transfiguration is good, and the teacher is competent...however she is severely overtaxed and it's clear that the headmaster has been pushing a large amount of paperwork on her," said Silver.
"How so?" asked Malleus.
"She's not only the Transfiguration teacher...she's also the head of the Gryffindor house and the deputy headmistress," said Silver.
Maleficia had a headache.
"How goes the formation of your court?" she asked.
"So far I've scouted at least four potential ladies-in-waiting, and one potential knight," said Melanie promptly. "It seems that the demonstration I gave my house was overdue, as several of the worst offenders have been brought back in line and the unacceptable were culled off."
"What demonstration?" demanded Queen Maleficia. Malleus frowned as well.
"The Slytherins were operating under the belief that Lady Melanie was a first generation witch. One of noble blood, but still not of acceptable stock," said Sebek.
"She threatened to drown them all with the lake outside their window, and made it clear she would not accept any further harassment for their error."
Lilia looked more confused than worried.
"How did you plan to drown them with the lake?" he asked, curious.
"The Slytherin dorm has enchanted windows that, for whatever reasons, have a view of the lake from underwater," explained Melanie. "I put a few minor cracks in the windows to let the water in to make my point. Only the lower levels would have flooded anyway, and we are in the dungeons."
"And the examples?" said Malleus.
Melanie scowled slightly.
"Several of the upperclassmen have apparently taken it upon themselves to alert first generation or unacceptable 'half-bloods' of their...place...when sorted into Slytherin. They were of the belief that only pure magical bloodlines should be permitted to be in the house. When alerted to the fact I was an actual threat to this view, they attempted to teach me a lesson. I skewered one particular mage who made it clear that if I were to...service...him that he would offer his 'protection'," said Melanie darkly.
That angered Malleus and Maleficia greatly.
"And the others?" demanded Malleus.
"Four witches were burned alive, six wizards were skewered, and the remaining three were dismembered and left for the students to find when they woke the next morning," said Melanie. "All of whom either had ties or were directly related to the fools who believed in that so-called Dark Lord's doctrine that only those of pure magical blood should be allowed to use magic."
"Remind me again why we agreed to send her there?" said Maleficia, tiredly.
"It was a good way to expand her world-view and allow her to build up a proper court," said Lilia, equally tired. "Being cooped up in the castle all day isn't good for a young woman, especially a royal."
"I grew up in a castle the majority of my life," said Malleus.
"And your social skills were stunted because of it," said Lilia flatly. "The only reason you've learned to tone down your imposing demeanor is because you had Melanie to care for."
At this point Lilia despaired of Malleus finding a mate he didn't scare off immediately. Maleficia wanted him to attend Night Raven, but he was stubborn and refused to do so because it would risk not being able to spend time with Melanie.
So a compromise had been made...the moment Melanie graduated Hogwarts with Silver and Sebek, Malleus would go to Night Raven with Lilia accompanying him. Naturally, since the two would be of age to attend as well, Silver and Sebek would follow a year later once the Queen was assured Melanie's mates had not slacked on their training as royal knights.
Melanie thoroughly enjoyed spending time with her father, and she was even more delighted when she ran into Hermione on the train ride back.
In her hands were several thick books on major world events from the past hundred years. To Hermione's delight, Melanie dove into them almost immediately and began asking intelligent questions. Even better, Silver and Sebek picked up their own books and asked questions of their own.
It was nice having friends who took their studies seriously.
"What are you reading?" asked Daphne. Melanie hadn't put ANY of the books Hermione had brought down.
"Mundane history," she replied absently.
"History? Why would you ever need to learn about muggle history?" said Draco incredulous. His tone was only slightly snide, as Melanie was very liberal with her fireballs. He learned quick to watch his tone and manners.
To his dismay, his mother was absolutely delighted with this sudden change. To be fair, Melanie was equally quick to 'discipline' Draco the second she heard the words "my father" from his mouth.
Melanie paused in her reading to look at him, and Draco instinctively flinched. It had become ingrained in him to behave properly if Melanie was around...mostly through copious use of literal fireballs thrown at him if he dared to show any sign of disrespect or ill manners.
She held up the book she had been reading.
"So keeping myself informed on the abilities and inventions of mundane people who cannot use magic to defend themselves but have still managed to learn how to kill other beings without it is a poor decision?" she said snidely. "Crown Princess Meleanor was killed by people who showed up, claimed the land as theirs without bothering to ask the local populace, and proceeded to strip mine all the magical resources without care of the damage it caused."
That got people to pause.
"I don't think I've ever heard of that princess," said Tracy slowly.
"She died over four hundred years ago. Some foreign nobles came to Briar Valley, settled there and began to strip mine the rare magical metals that were present, among other things. It drove the creatures that lived in the area into inhabited settlements and caused untold damage, driving people out of their homes. Then they decided to start a fight because the locals took offense to what they did, and it not only killed the princess, but her consort as well," said Melanie. "And if they were able to do that with the limited technology they had four hundred years ago, then imagine what the muggles have been able to produce since then."
"But that was four hundred years ago," said Blaise. "Why should we care about them now?"
Melanie's expression was flat and deadpan.
"Really? So the fact that muggles have come up with a way to drop literal explosives from so high up that most magical wards cannot stop them in time on top of people with pinpoint precision does not bother you?" she said sarcastically. "Or what about the fact that they've come up with muggle potions that can kill off the wildlife, both flora and fauna...and can leave lingering effects on the human populace as well. Worse, they inflicted this on their own soldiers without any regard of their health."
Dead silence.
"Muggles can do that?" said Pansy, a little terrified.
Melanie showed her the book she had been reading...which was about the Vietnam war. The section she had been referencing was about Agent Orange and the damage it had caused. It was rather eye-opening.
She left the books on the table for others to read, and it was a rather...informative...week for the Slytherins who had been so dismissive of muggles.
McGonagall had a rather odd expression on her face when she had several Slytherins of varying years, come to ask some rather pointed questions about what they had read in the history books Melanie had gotten from Hermione. As a witch who had not only lived through World War two, but also seen the bloody aftermath of the war against Grindlewald that happened alongside it, she was a fount of information.
She was all too happy to share pensieve memories of what little she remembered those days to the upper years.