Written In The Stars -[Harry Potter xFem!Oc]

Chapter Fourteen: Hagrid's Little Pet.

Mel swore on her father that she would never talk about what she'd seen in the mirror. Not to her mum, not to her friends. Especially not to her best friend.

Luckily for her, the twins used the last days to show her secret passageways around the castle, the ones everyone knew and the ones only a few knew. She used that as an excuse to avoid Ron and Harry.

Harry went back to the mirror only once thanks to Dumbledore, who somehow found out and talked to him, making him promise he wouldn't go back. Mel was relieved, the boys had tried to find out what she'd seen for days, but after Hermione came back the conversation turned to the next priority: Nicolas Flamel.

Between the secret passages and funny spells, the schoolwork, and their search, Mel didn't have time to worry about her silly secrets. She didn't have time to send long explanatory letters to her mum either, not that she was trying to, but at least she had an excuse for it now.

One night after quidditch practice, Mel was eagerly waiting for the twins to go back so she could show them she now knew how to make the teacups bite, when Harry got in alone, looking like he was about to faint.

"What's wrong?" She momentarily forgot she wasn't talking much with her friend and sat next to him.

Harry told them the bad news: Snape was going to be refereeing the quidditch match.

"Don't play," said Hermione.

"Say you're ill," said Ron.

"Pretend to break your leg," Hermione suggested.

"Really break your leg," said Ron.

"I can't," said Harry. "There isn't a reserve Seeker. If I back out, Gryffindor can't play at all."

"Why?" Mel frowned, "that's a terrible idea considering how adept you are to getting injured"

"Thanks, Mel"

Neville entered the common room and they didn't know how he managed to climb all the way to the tower without falling on his face: His legs were stuck together thanks to a curse that Hermione was quick to put an end to.

"Don't laugh!" Mel whispered to the boys as she stood up to help Neville.

"What happened?" Hermione asked.

"Malfoy," said Neville shakily, "I met him outside the library. He said he'd been looking for someone to practise that on."

"What a rat!" Mel rummaged through her pockets and gave him a piece of chocolate, "Eat Neville, you'll feel better..."

"Go to Professor McGonagall!" Hermione urged Neville. "Report him!"

Neville shook his head, nibbling on the chocolate.

"I don't want more trouble," he mumbled.

"You've got to stand up to him, Neville!" said Ron, "He's used to walking all over people, but that's no reason to lie down in front of him and make it easier."

"There's no need to tell me I'm not brave enough to be in Gryffindor, Malfoy's already done that," Neville choked.

"Oh, Neville," Mel shook her head, "that's not true"

Harry searched in his pocket too and offered to the boy his last chocolate frog.

"You're worth twelve of Malfoy," Harry said. "The Sorting Hat chose you for Gryffindor, didn't it? And where's Malfoy? In stinking Slytherin."

"I don't think Slytherin is the problem," Mel grumbled, "I do think Harry's right, though. You're better than Malfoy."

Neville smiled weakly as he unwrapped the frog.