Melody Riddle and the Sorcerer's Stone

Chapter 19: Under the School

 The week of exams came around and I felt myself wishing that the week would never end. Every single exam kept my mind off of what I was supposed to do after them and, of course, it would then be forever so I wouldn't have to do it. But the week passed quickly.

The written exams all had their differences, but every single one had papers and quills that they gave us with an Anti-Cheating spell on them. The practical exams, however, varied. Professor Flitwick called us one by one into his classroom to watch and see if we could make a pineapple dance across a desk. Professor McGonagall watched us turn a mouse into a snuffbox, giving points for how pretty it was and taking away points if it still had any mouse-like qualities such as whiskers or a tail. Professor Snape had us brew a Forgetfulness potion. The only exams we didn't have a practical one in was History of Magic and Defense Against the Dark Arts, because (according to everyone's possible thoughts) Professor Quirrell was too scared of what we might accidentally do, like set fire to his classroom.

After the exams, everyone cheered excitedly and ran outside to sit or play in the sunshine. It was a really nice day. My friends and I went up and sat under a tree. I climbed it, finding myself going up many branches.

"Don't hurt yourself, Melody, otherwise you'll be stuck in your house for a few months with a broken leg or something," Becky hollered.

"Please, Madam Pomfrey can mend it easily. It only takes a couple nights for her to do so. Besides, I won't be going anywhere. I'll probably just study the different wands with grandpa." I said.

"Haven't you had enough learning?" Draco asked, looking as though I was mad to want to do it.

"Wands are fascinating!" I said, leaning over one of the branches and looking at the castle. It was such a breathtaking sight, and I was sad to know I was leaving it, but happy to know that I'd be back soon enough. Three months were only a short period of time anyways.

Professor Quirrell appeared in one of the windows and looked around the grounds searching for me. I watched him until he finally spotted me. He was paler than usual, but he nodded at me. I was suddenly overcome with dread. It was tonight... well, I would still come back to school next year but it probably wouldn't be the same if he's in charge. I felt awful about this, but I couldn't stop him. For some reason, I just couldn't pull the courage.

Looking around and under me, at friends and other students, I could see their happiness and joy of the end of the year being here. But their ignorance of the fact that something bad would happen tonight and there was nothing that could be done about it felt more set in stone than ever.

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That night I was surprisingly able to sneak out of the common room without anyone's notice, though I knew Becky would freak out sooner or later. Luckily, right outside my common room was Professor Quirrell, and he was no longer pale but looked quite determined.

We walked alongside each other up to the third-floor corridor and, when we got there, Peeves was bouncing off the walls gleefully. Seeing us, he disappeared into the wall.

Professor Quirrell looked stunned, and so I said, "He avoids me."

In the room, Professor Quirrell conjured up a harp and placed it by the window. The dog snarled and snapped at us, but the moment Professor Quirrell charmed the harp to play, its eyes slowly closed, and it slumped down into a deep sleep.

"Wow!" I whispered. "That's too easy a guard dog to get past."

"Unless you don't know it needs music." Professor Quirrell mumbled, opening up the trapdoor.