Melanie Rosen: Year 3 (A Harry Potter Fanfic)

Chapter 16 A Darker Truth

Chapter 16

A Darker Truth

    I stood out in the hall with Aunt Becky. She seemed to expect me to follow her, but I came to a dead stop the moment we exited the hospital wing.

    “Why are you taking me home?” I demanded. “It’s not Christmas yet.”

    She turned and let out an exasperated sigh. “Do I really need to answer that, Melanie? Sirius Black somehow managed to break into this school. It’s not safe here.”

    “No one else’s parents came to get them because of Black,” I protested, placing my hands on my hips.

    Aunt Becky put her hand on her head and said, “Melanie, please just do what I say. I can’t think of you being here with someone like that on the loose. If your mother knew…”

    “I don’t care what Mum thinks!” I retort and then plead, “Just talk to Professor Dumbledore. He’s doing everything to keep it safe here. Black wasn’t able to do anything to anyone, except the portrait. Besides, he’s not even here anymore.” I pause to take in a breath and add more calmly, “You can’t just take me away from school because of this.”

    Aunt Becky sighed and nodded. “I suppose you’re right. It’s not fair to keep you from learning. But I am going to stay here too, just to make sure its safe.”

    Now, it became my turn to sound exasperated. “Why do you need to stay here? I told you, Dumbledore will keep everyone safe.”

    “I just need to make sure for myself,” she explained. “Besides, you asked me to help Hagrid come up with a defense case for his hippogriff. I think I would do a better job if I met him myself.”

xXx

    “I swear, I don’t think I’ve ever come across as anyone as over-protective as my mum and aunt,” I complained to Harry and Ron the next day after our classes. “It just keeps getting worse. I mean, yes, Black was here briefly, but I don’t see anyone else’s parents here trying to pull them out of school.”

    “You’re not only one being overprotected,” Harry pointed out. “Lately, it seems everywhere I go, I got either teachers or prefects tailing me.”

    “I think Mum told Percy to in a letter after she heard about Black getting in,” Ron pointed out.

    “Well, at least it makes sense,” I add, shooting Harry a side-ways glance. I mean, Black does seem to be targeting you because of Voldemort…”

    “Don’t say his name!” Ron hissed at me.

    “Sorry,” I said quickly and went on, “Unless there is something huge I don’t know, there’s no reason for Black to come after me specifically, yet that’s what both my aunt and uncle seemed to imply before.”

    Harry looked at me and asked, “Do you think they are hiding something from you?”

    “I don’t know,” I said in a sigh. “I need to go talk to my aunt now. I’ll see you guys later.”

    I walked by myself towards the headmaster’s office to ask if he knew just what part of the castle my aunt would be staying at since she failed to mention it to me last night.

    Just as I passed Madame Saunders’ office, I heard my aunt’s voice. It appeared she and the head of Azkaban were having a discussion. I crouched down behind a curtain, shielding a nearby window to listen.

    “I still think you should tell her the truth,” Madame Saunders was saying, “After all, it’s probably better she hears it from you than say, Sirius Black.”