Melody Riddle and the Sorcerer's Stone

Chapter 14: A Foiled Attempt

 As November came along it became a lot colder outside so we had to wear our winter cloaks whenever we wanted to go out. Sometimes, my friends and I just went for a walk around the castle during our free time and went back to the common room to warm up by the fire.

I found myself growing fond of spending time with Professor Snape, especially during our first lesson when he was teaching me about how to tutor other students. He planned to start me off with the more difficult spells in our next lesson.

I didn't particularly know why I was so keen to work with him, but it could've just been that I felt I owed him some of my time after what happened with the three-headed dog. He still limped but he wouldn't let me tend to it again, as much as I insisted that it needed more treatment.

Dad had the meetings cut a little short because Professor Snape actually decided he wanted to peruse the corridors every night, checking all the rooms. Dad guessed that he was searching for Professor Quirrell, to corner him about what he'd been searching for on Halloween night.

I confessed to dad my worries about Professor Snape... that it was unrealistic how he believed the story that I was following Professor Quirrell. He never talked about that night unless I tried to treat his leg.

"Be proud. You don't want him suspecting more," dad would reply.

I tried to be assured by that, but it was a weird feeling to be part of an evil plan to help dad get back to his original power. And to do it so no one suspects me as a part of it. Though... who would? I'm only eleven and almost killed myself going into the room with the three headed dog, unsupervised!

Hermione seemed to be a lot happier the night after Halloween than I thought she'd be. I came to sit down with her again in the library. She was smiling, almost uncontrollably.

"Well, don't you look so much happier!" I exclaimed as I sat down.

"You too," she said, making me overthink that she must have noticed how uncomfortable I was throughout Halloween day. "But, I bet you didn't make friends with Harry Potter and Ron Weasley."

"No... I don't suppose you have?" I asked with a snort.

She nodded. "It feels so much better to have friends in my House, rather than be alone. Except in the library with you."

"I know what you mean, it's... better to have friends in your own House." I said, then thinking about how it must've felt to have the two boys she didn't like very much at first save her. "Although, sometimes the way in which we became friends bonds us the most," I said, raising my eyebrows at her.

She looked up at me in shock, and asked, "What do you know?"

"I was there..." I said softly, "When Professor McGonagall found you three in the girls' bathroom with the troll."

Her eyes widened.

"I had donned myself with the Disillusionment Charm, but Professor Snape knew I was there so don't go on saying I sneak about in places I shouldn't be." I said.

"I wasn't going to, but did you get in trouble?"

"No, there was a reason I was there instead of in my dormitories, almost the same as you." I then told her the made up story of what happened, but added the truth about the three-headed dog incident with Professor Snape.

Hermione's mouth was wide open the entire time. "I don't believe it... you're a hero!"

"At least it's enough to be able to do the tutoring program. I thought it sounded interesting when Professor Flitwick told me about it, though it's not usually allowed for first years. So... I'm an interesting exception." I said.