Melanie Rosen: Year 4 (A Harry Potter Fanfic)

Chapter 5 Follower

A/N: Alright, I got an update before anyone commented asking for an update! That's pretty good for me. I know it takes a long time. I'm sorry. I do hope some you of are still sticking with this story. Things should get pretty interesting later on...

Chapter 5
Follower

    During the game there was not much chat aside from cheering on the players. I stood between our new friend, Morgan Brody, and Ron. Lenora stood on Brody’s other side. The game ended when Viktor Krum caught the snitch but Ireland still won the match.

    “Why did he do that?” Ron hollered at Brody.

    Brody shrugged. “I guess he probably just wanted to end the game.”

    I smiled and looked at him. “Are you and Krum close?”

    He sighed and shook his head. “Not really. We both go to Durmstrang but he’s several years ahead of me. I’m going in my forth year.”

    “Me too,” I said, glancing around at my friends. “We’re all at Hogwarts.”

    “Hogwarts,” he repeated, staring off in the field. “My mum went there.”

    “Oh really,” Lenora chimed in. “So what made her decide to send you to Durmstrang?”

    “Mum works in the International Department in the Ministry,” Brody explained. “She was located closer to Durmstrang when it was time for me to go to school so she sent me there. She’s actually getting relocated pretty soon so I think she’s going to try to transfer me to Hogwarts.”

    Lenora looked up at him. “Well, if you ever come there I’d be happy to show you around.”

    He smiled at her. “That would be nice.”

    I remained quiet and ran my fingers through my tangled curls. I wished I had thought to make Lenora’s offer.

    “Melanie, are you ready to go?” Aunt Becky asked from behind me. “It’s starting to get late so we best get moving since we’re going home.”

    “Okay,” I said with a nod.

    “Well, I should go now too,” Lenora said. “I think my dad said he’d meet me in the campsite.”

    “Do you need anyone to go with you?” Aunt Becky asked her with a nervous glance.

    Lenora shook her head. “No, it’s not necessary.” She looked at Brody and smiled. “It was nice meeting you, Morgan. Hope to see you around.”

    With that, she took off. I glanced at Brody, wondering what he could be thinking now. Was he startled that Lenora already chose to refer to him by his first name even though they only met? Or perhaps, he wondered why the girl who claimed she came up here and said we were friends did not even bother to say goodbye to me just now. Whatever he was thinking, he kept to himself. 

xXx

      That evening I walked along the campsite with Aunt Becky and Uncle Richard. The Irish continued to celebrate their victory quite boisterously gathered around their campfires singing.
     
         
      “Well, you were right about wanting not to camp here,” Uncle Richard commented. “I don’t think we’d get even a moment of sleep.”
     
      “Someone will have to tell them to quiet down. I’m just glad we’re not the ones that have to,” Aunt Becky pointed out and then looked at me. “So who was your new friend? I did not get a chance to introduce myself.”
     
      “His name is Morgan Brody,” I said, looking down. “Apparently he’s distant cousins with Viktor Krum.”
     
      “Brody…” she repeated, looking up at my uncle. “That must be Maddie’s boy.”
     
      I gazed up at her, curiously. “You knew his mum?”
     
      “Madeline Brody was one of my closest friends back at Hogwarts,” she answered, looking up, appearing slightly dazed. “I haven’t seen much of her since we graduated. I know she married a muggle but I never met him.”
     
      I recalled Brody never mentioned his father at all when we talked. It was interesting his mother chose for him to have her name. I supposed even though she married a muggle man, she still wanted her son to carry out her magical surname. 
     
      Just as the camp started to quiet down, we heard a sudden scream. I turned and saw people running out of their tents. These cloaked masked men were entering the camps. Mr. Weasley came hustling in our direction.
     
      “The camp is under attack!” Mr. Weasley said, urgently to my uncle. “We need help fighting them off!” He turned to my aunt and added, “Molly has taken the children into the forest to hide. You and Melanie should be safe there.”
     
      Aunt Becky nodded, gave my uncle a quick hug and kiss, and tugged my arm to move towards the forest. I did not care for the idea of hiding out while the adults went out to fight but I knew there was no point arguing. My eyes moved up towards the sky as we entered the woods.
     
      “Aunt Becky… what’s that?”
     
      It was a cloud, shaped like a jaw. A serpent slithered through its jaw. I knew it had to be magic. Clouds didn’t do that on their own, but what did it mean?
     
      “I’ll explain later,” Aunt Becky insisted. “Now let’s just focus on getting to safety.”
     
      There were so many people hiding out in the trees, I could not spot Harry, Ron, or Hermione. I could only hope they were safe.
     
      “I don’t see anyone we know,” Aunt Becky observed quietly, pulling me in. “Just stay close, okay? I’m certain the Ministry has been alerted by now. They’ll come put a stop to this.”
     
      I tried not to show panic as I distantly heard the riot continue in the camps. I heard a single woman’s scream sounded closer.
     
      “Help, someone!” The woman cried. “My son is missing! Where is my son?”
     
      The woman had long dark hair, narrow eyes and a soft pointed chin. Her face reminded me of someone.
     
      Aunt Becky gasped. “That’s her. That’s my friend, Maddie.”
     
      That explained why her features seemed familiar. It was Brody’s mother.
     
      “Maddie!” Aunt Becky called out to her with a wave.
     
      When Mrs. Brody caught my aunt’s eyes, she rushed over to her with an embrace. “Oh Becky, its so good to see you! It’s been so long.” She turned her head, peering through the trees. “My son’s out there somewhere. He has dark hair…”
     
      “Yes, we met him at the game,” Aunt Becky told her. “We’ll help you find him, right Melanie?”
     
      “Yeah, of course,” I agreed, starting to feel a little concerned myself.
     
      Aunt Becky put her arm around her former friend and I followed behind as they walked. While I scanned the forest for Brody, my eyes spotted a different familiar face, Lenora. She appeared to be heading towards the outer edge of the forest, where the masked men attacked. What was she thinking? That kind of risk was over the top, even for her.
     
      I paused to let Aunt Becky and Mrs. Brody gain some distance between me and them. I then quietly tiptoed in the direction Lenora disappeared in, picking up my pace as I grew further away from my aunt. Unfortunately, Lenora was not in sight anymore.
     
      “You know, you should be careful,” a voice behind me sneered. “It’s people like you they’re after.”
     
      I stopped and turned to see Draco Malfoy behind me and groaned.
     
      “I already cautioned your friends,” he went on. “I’m sure they’ll get Granger too. These wizards can spot a mudblood from a mile away. You should be careful since you don’t have your friends to protect you, not that they could.”
     
      I turned back and continued on, turning my head to shout back, “Those masked men are nothing but thugs. The ministry will stop them. I hope you’re father’s not one of them, or he might get sent to Azkaban.”
     
      Draco started to retort but I drew too much distance between us to hear. I would not be surprised if Mr. Malfoy was one of those masked men. If Draco was right and these people were after muggle borns, then they likely followed Voldemort himself. But why attack now? What was the purpose?
     
      I pushed aside my questions and turned my focus back to locating Lenora to make sure she was safe. Only she would run off by herself during an attack. Why was her dad never with her?
     
      Just outside the woods, I spotted that familiar long auburn hair. I trotted behind the outer trees and saw Lenora walking directly towards one of the masked attackers. I drew in a sharp breath. What was she thinking? If my mum and aunt thought I blindly sought out danger all the time, they should see this.
     
      I crouched down behind the tree and pulled out my wand, pointing it between the branches, trying to think of a spell. I knew I had to think fast and the spell had to be good. The only advantage I had now was the surprise element.
     
      “Lenora?” the man in the masked asked. “Why are you here? You should be home by now.”
     
      I gasped as the man lifted his mask. It was Lenora’s father, Mars Lane.
     
      “I just wanted to make sure you were okay,” Lenora said, touching his arm. “The Ministry of Magic is here now. You should leave before you get caught.”
     
      He placed his hand on her shoulder. “Nothing will happen to me.” Mr. Lane turned his daughter around and pointed at the sky. “See that mark? That calls forth the Dark Lord’s followers. Despite his absence, there are still many who follow him. When he returns, he will win this time.” He paused to take in a deep breath before adding, “Now, remember where the Portkey is? I want you to go home now. I promise I’ll be there soon, okay?”
     
      Lenora nodded and gave him a quick hug before running off. I turned around and leaned my back against the tree trunk, slowing sinking to the ground. I felt a daze as I thought of the two things I learned this night. The attack was done in the name of Voldemort and Mars Lane was one of his followers. I turned my head and peered through the branches in the direction Lenora went off in as a dark cloud floated over my head. If Mr. Lane was a supporter of Voldemort, it was likely one day Lenora will follow him too.