Melanie Rosen: Year 3 (A Harry Potter Fanfic)

Chapter 17 The Photo

A/N: I know the last chapter didn't really go anywhere with the mystery but this one provides a twist at the end that gives you a clue.

Chapter 17

The Photo

      A couple nights after my visit to Hagrid’s hut, I sat by the fire in the Gryffindor common room with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. I felt that I needed to tell someone about this whole situation with Andre so I told them.

      “I don’t know what could possibly be so dark about this secret that my aunt doesn’t think I could handle it,” I conclude with a groan.

      Harry took in a breath before saying, “Well, you mentioned before you think this Andre fellow was involved with your mum, right? Perhaps, he maybe wasn’t such a good person.”

      I had a dreadful feeling I knew where he was going with this.

      “You think perhaps Andre was one of Vol… You-Know-Who’s followers,” I say quietly, looking down.

      Harry shrugged, apologetically. “It would definitely be something your family might not want you to know. Also, it would explain why Black might know and tell you.”

      “So I’m possibly the daughter of a death eater,” I mumble in a daze.

      “That would also explain why you originally got sorted into Slytherin,” Ron chimed in.

      “Ron!” Hermione exclaimed, glaring at him, and then turned to me. “Look Melanie, you don’t know anything for certain yet. If you could just give me a last name for this Andre fellow, I could use magic to go through old school records and newspapers and figure out who he really was. I already tried Saunders and couldn’t find anything.”

      “That’s because he and Madame Saunders are only half-siblings,” I respond, and then move towards the edge of the couch, “But maybe I can find out what it is over Christmas Break! There was already his ring lingering in the manor. Perhaps if I look harder I can find more clues.”

      Then it was settle in my mind. I will go home for Christmas and I planned not to return without answers.

xXx

    Before I left for home, Harry found out some disturbing news about Sirius Black. Apparently, Black was a close friend of his parents but betrayed them to Voldemort. He was indeed the reason Harry became an orphan. I really felt for Harry, as I understand what it is like to have dark secrets kept from me. My biological father may have been a death eater. I just hoped he too was not somehow connected to the death of Harry’s parents too. That could very well ruin our newfound friendship.

    During my stay at the Chamberson manor, I had no intention of bringing up Andre. As far as Aunt Becky was concerned, I had dropped the matter.

    On Christmas Eve, we dined together as a family. Even Tinker had a place at the table set for her.

    “I did try getting your parents to come join us, Melanie,” Aunt Becky said, stirring her mashed potatoes, “but your mother said she and your father already had to travel enough with his job. Too bad. It would be nice to have the whole family together.”

    I merely nodded, unsurprised. The day I witness Mum stepping foot in the wizarding world again would be the same day Draco Malfoy married a muggle. However, if my most recent theory of her being involved with this wizard, Andre, who turned out to be a death eater happened to be true, then Mum would not have the worst reason to be bitter towards witches and wizards.

    “Aunt Becky?” I asked trying to think of another topic. I went with the first thing that came to mind. “Did you know that Sirius Black was once a friend of Harry’s parents?”

    Both my aunt and uncle looked at me, startled. They exchanged glances, but still appeared calm.

    “Yes, I did know that,” Aunt Becky said quietly, taking a brief sip from her goblet. “How did you know that?”

    Harry found out somehow,” I muttered, looking down at my plate. “I don’t know. I wasn’t there.”

    It remained silent for another few solid moments before Uncle Richard said, “It wasn’t only Harry’s parents who were fooled. We all thought Sirius Black to be a strong advocate against You-Know-Who. A lot of people trusted him, not only the Potters.”

    “Like Madame Saunders?” I asked.

    Uncle Richard nodded. “Yes, she and he were to be married before his true colors were revealed.”

    “She must not have taken it very well,” I muttered.

    “It did indeed change her,” Aunt Becky added, “After time, however, she became more determined than anyone to catch You-Know-Who’s supporters. That’s why she went to work in Azkaban.”

    Recalling my suspicions of Madame Saunders, I asked, “You don’t think there’s a chance she might still have feelings for Black do you? It’s just that some think there’s a chance someone within Hogwarts is aiding Black.”

    “Trust me, if she still had feelings for Black, she would not have let him rot in Azkaban all those years,” Uncle Richard pointed out, and then looked at my aunt concerned. “That is a rather disturbing notion that some at Hogwarts may be aiding Black. Did you hear anything about that?”

    Aunt Becky nodded and said, “I did speak with Dumbledore on the matter and he firmly stated there is not a single staff member within the school he would not trust. We all know Dumbledore has good judgment.”

    After my aunt and uncle went to bed, I waited in my own bedroom for a few hours to be sure they were sound asleep. I then tiptoed into Uncle Richard’s study. I knew on the bottom shelf in the corner, there were some old photo albums. Aunt Becky has shown me some old family photos before, but there was one book pushed towards the back, she never touched. I never gave it much thought before but now, I realized that perhaps there is something in there she does not want me to see.

    I pulled out just that album, and sat on the floor against the wall to browse through it. I placed a candle on the corner of my uncle’s desk for lighting.

    On the first couple pages were photos of my grandparents, Charles and Berenike Riddle. Aunt Becky had mentioned before he father, Charles, was the first known muggle-born to be sorted into Slytherin. She also told me my Grandma Berenike came from a pureblood family that was trying to break from old prejudiced views against those with muggle blood and become more progressive and accepting of all witches and wizards.

    The next few pages contained photos of Mum and Aunt Becky as children. They were all labeled on the back. One had my aunt picking up my mother and swinging her around in circles with her arms wrapped around her chest.

    I noticed as I moved forward through the album there were less and less photos of Mum. By the time I got to Aunt Becky’s teenage years, there were absolutely no more photos of Mum at all. I knew squibs were usually kept quiet, but this still struck me as odd behavior for my supposedly progressive grandparents.

    Then I came across a photo that captured my attention. It was of Aunt Becky, appearing around sixteen, standing next to a boy around that age. This boy had dark curly brown hair. They both smiled with his arm around her. I knew it couldn’t be my uncle because the tie bore Gryffindor colors. I pulled out the photo and flipped over to the back to see if it had a label.

    I drew in a sharp breath as I read the back as it indeed answered who this boy was. It also completely debunked my theory that Mum or Aunt Becky was involved with this mysterious wizard.

    On the back it read…

Becky and Andre

Loving Cousins