Melody Riddle and the Order of the Phoenix

Chapter 23: Feeling Again

 Friday came faster than I had expected. Since I finally had nothing to worry about in accords to Professor Umbridge, everything was going a little more smoothly. Classes weren't anything new because I had already learned the O.W.L. levels for each of them. The most I had been learning that was new was everything going on in Ancient Runes and Care of Magical Creatures.

Once the afternoon classes were over, Seraphina surprised me when she told me to promptly drop my bag off in my dorm and follow her. I followed her down the hallways in slight confusion.

"What's going on?"

"Your father wants to see you."

"Uh... well, I don't know how we're supposed to get off of Hogwarts' premises without permission...."

"We have Dumbles' permission, don't worry about it. Umbitch is in the middle of her detention with Sir Potty-Mouth, so it'll be an easy trip under the radar if we leave now."

I was impressed. "Professor Dumbledore is okay with this?"

"Well, no I lied," she said, almost causing me to slap myself in the face for believing her. "When I brought the news to him, he blatantly refused. But he is so busy worrying about everything Harry Potter related that I know he won't notice you've disappeared. I have permission to come and go as I please, because of my meetings with your father.... Just stay close."

I sped up to walk side by side with her, wondering what dad could possibly want to talk about... and silently hoping that Harry was okay, knowing the type of punishment Umbridge was subjecting him to. It's about his third day doing it with her too, if I recall correctly, so whatever he has to write into the back of his hand is going to scar badly... I feel bad that I can't do anything to stop it. It'd be too suspicious to her.

"If he's expecting a status report on my followers," I said, "I haven't exactly gotten far for the first week back to school."

She waved her hand, "Nonsense, you've gotten farther than he should ever expect...You've branched out."

I raised an eyebrow at her. "Right... let's see, I have Draco and Becky for sure. Probably Greg and Vincent, and only a possibility for Blaise, Millicent and Pansy."

She shook her head. "You have all of them. The key to having people say they'll follow you is that, even if they don't like where you're going, you have to blackmail them into staying loyal no matter what."

"That's what you and dad do?"

"Yup!" she was fairly eager to reply. "Very effective way to keep them. Either they stay loyal to you for life, or they die."

Figures.. "There are other ways of effectiveness, too. I could try those."

"Like what?"

"The quill."

She laughed heartily, her features turning from Anastasia back into herself with quick succession as we walked.

We reached the other end of the gate, and I took Seraphina's arm as she Disapparated to Crabbe Chateau in the gardens where dad waited for us.

"Melody," he said instantly, walking toward me with his arms outstretched.

Okay... I thought as his arms went around me in a hug, last time he put an arm around my shoulder, now he's giving me an awkward hug. Is he trying to be more loving? I thought he said it was a weakness... What is he doing?

"Hi.. dad... What's going on?" I asked, deciding to put my arms around him to try hugging back. He really didn't know what he was doing, the way he patted my back almost felt like someone had just died, and he was trying very poorly to make me feel better.