[1] BoAtHouSe » DrAcO mALfoY

twenty-seven » long time coming

Time was still moving too fast for Melanie's liking. Spring has officially started in Scotland as April came to a close. The O.W.L.s were closer than ever.

On her way to breakfast a few days later, Melanie saw that the school was covered in announcements.

" BY ORDER OF THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC
Dolores Jane Umbridge (High Inquisitor) has replaced Albus Dumbledore as Head of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

Some people were sad, some people were ecstatic (these people were mostly the Slytherins that idolised Umbridge). Melanie was more on the sad side, she really liked Dumbledore and she really hated Umbridge.

And, for the first time in a while after getting closer to Draco, Melanie felt more on the same page as the Gryffindors, especially Ron, Potter and Granger. That hadn't happened for a while.

"Dumbledore formed an army?!" Pansy Parkinson screeched at breakfast that day.

Theodore, who knew the most about the school gossip, nodded. "Though apparently Potter formed it and was teaching about twenty people defence spells."

"Weird he didn't tell you about it, Melanie," Daphne noted. "Aren't you friends with Weasley?"

"I think we know why he didn't tell me, Greengrass," Melanie said curtly.

At first, she was hurt. Why didn't Ron tell her about this? Maybe she wanted to learn extra spells, maybe she wanted to defend herself.

But then, she remembered. Why would she need to defend herself? She was well on her way to become a Death Eater. If someone needed defending, it was the rest of the world from her. Melanie was a force to be reckoned with. Or at least she was going to be one.

Instead of beating herself up and being sad that Ron didn't include her, Melanie decided to let it go. She didn't need to learn any new spells, especially not from Potter.

Who did Harry Potter think he was, anyway? Teaching (or trying to teach) students his own age magic, when they're at the best school of magic in the world? In the end, they had a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher: Umbridge. Dolores Umbridge was, who knew, about 40 years old, and if she could get a job at the Ministry then that meant she knew a few things.

But she wasn't a good teacher, or a good person, no matter what Melanie tried to make herself believe.

"Weasley's looking at you," Amelia sang, pulling Melanie out of her daze.

A feeling of déjà vu washed over her as she looked over to the Gryffindor table. Ron was there, with Potter and Granger, looking sad and not eating anything even though they had a feast in front of them.

Ron caught her gaze and he looked over at Umbridge and gave Melanie a small, sad smile.

Melanie remained neutral, she didn't smile nor did she glare. She kept eye contact, but then she looked away. Ron was confused. Well, he should be. Because so am I, thought Melanie as she returned to her eating.

"You were there, Draco? When Professor Umbridge caught Potter and his friends?" Pansy asked Draco, putting a hand on his arm.

Draco nodded, not daring to catch Melanie's eye, even if she, and everyone else, was looking at him.

"Yeah, it was him and the mudblood Granger, and all three of the Weasleys were there, plus about twenty other people. They were all caught casting Patronuses."