Melody Riddle and the Order of the Phoenix

Chapter 33: Thestrals

The heavy snow blanketing the grounds by the next morning signaled the ever-passing time before Christmas vacation — meaning that it was only after seeing the sea of white outside that it really clicked in how quickly time was passing me by.

Seraphina had confirmed my worries that dad expected me to bring two of my best underlings along for the Azkaban breakout.. as a way of showcasing my ability to lead. And — to make matters worse — he expected me to leave school immediately following his command whenever he decided to issue it... something both Severus and Seraphina were having trouble compromising with either dad or Dumbledore.

Dad wanted Seraphina and I at his side at his every beck and call as fast as if we actually were his followers rather than allies. He specifically stated that he was going to need me a few days before Christmas vacation to come — I repeat, as he so stated — 'home.' Something felt off about it to me, though... as though he had another plan he was setting in motion, and he just wanted to show off my eagerness to assist him.

Either way, Dumbledore wanted to wait until vacation actually started, so it didn't look like I was getting special treatment due to my situation. It was bad enough that Seraphina had taken me off the grounds without permission once before, he didn't need for me to disappear more often to cause questions to be asked.

As I waited for the results of the back and forth arguments Severus and Seraphina went through with each other, I attempted to focus on who would best learn Occlumency.

It seemed rash to try to teach Occlumency to everyone with only about a month left remaining before we'd all be gone for a two week vacation — longer for me if Dumbledore ever relented his iron will for me to wait.

In the end, I figured if I were to have to choose anyone in particular to teach.. that I wanted Becky and Draco to learn so they could come with me for the prison breakout. I had spent far too long doing everything for my dad on my own without either of their knowledge, and it felt like the best I could offer them was to bring them along.

"Yes!" Becky raised a triumphant fist into the air as I explained it to them on Sunday afternoon in the common room. "Of course we'll come with you! I'll learn Occlumency in a minute! Let's get started right now!"

Draco groaned from his position leaning against the wall, arms crossed over his chest. "We have a month to learn it. Why don't we enjoy the weather for once? It just snowed outside!"

Becky eyed him over her shoulder, "The sooner we learn it, the sooner we can go outside and enjoy the rest of the month."

"But who knows when we'll finish?" he whined, gesturing to the large window viewing the frozen lake we were under. "All work and no play makes for —"

"Melody," she blatantly ignored him to turn to me with a dumbfounded look on her face, "what on earth do you see in this weasel? At the rate he's been going, even with practice, all he wants to do is slack off."

"Hey, I do not!" Draco retorted before I could say anything. "I just needed one break! You kept using that stupid tickling spell on me!"

"Because the enemy doesn't give anyone a break, you idiot!"

"It was only practice, Figgy, there was no need to take it so seriously!"

"Stop calling me Figgy!"

I sighed with a humored chuckle, bringing their attention back to me. "What am I going to do if you two keep going at each other like this? Not exactly something presentable to take home to my dad, you know."

Becky pointed wildly at Draco, "That's his issue! He's the one that's supposed to prove some type of worth — it's what a boyfriend is supposed to do with a girl's father! I'm just there to show what a bad influence I am!"