Written In The Stars III -[Harry Potter xF!Oc]

Chapter Nine: Bad News.

"There you go," said Ron. "We got as much as we could carry."

The boy poured a whole bag of candy onto their laps, all of different, bright colors.

"Thanks," said Harry, starting to dig through the sweets. "What's Hogsmeade like? Where did you go?"

The list seemed endless, Mel knew it wasn't important cause she'd have other visits, but she couldn't help feeling a bit jealous about missing the fun.

"What did you do?" said Hermione. "Did you get any work done?"

"No," said Harry. "Lupin made us a cup of tea in his office..."

He glanced at Mel and she nodded, so Harry told them all about Snape and the strange goblet.

"Lupin drank it?" Ron gawked. "Is he mad?"

"We'd better go down, you know, the feast'll be starting in five minutes..." 

They got up from their seats (not without filling their pockets with candy first) and walked out the tower through the portrait.

"But if he — you know" Hermione continued in a whisper, "if he was trying to — to poison Lupin — he wouldn't have done it in front of Harry and Mel." 

"Yeah, maybe..."

"I think Hermione's right," Mel agreed, trying not to think too much about it, "I know that my uncle has been sick for a long time anyway, since I was a baby. Maybe it got worse and..."

Her voice quivered, too affected by the chances of his uncle not improving by the end of year.

"Dumbledore probably told Snape about his condition," Harry put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed lightly, "maybe he said the truth, the potion is too complicated and expensive and that's why he never tried it when he was unemployed. He'll get better before you know it."

Mel swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded.

"I hope so..."

He did look better during the feast, he ate and talked cheerfully, not once looking as if he was ill. Mel made a mental note about asking her mother if she knew anything about her uncle's condition, she thought it was time to get more involved, she wasn't so small now.

Mel ate a lot, it was more about her anxiety than actual hunger. When she found it in herself to stop, it was only because her stomach was sort of hurting. In the end, they walked back to their tower and passed Malfoy's usual teasing without paying attention, looking forward to a good night of sleep. 

"Lady!" Fred approached her holding a paper bag. "We got you stuff from Zonko's, Ron told us you decided to stay"

"I decided to stay with Harry," She explained, "but did you bring me something just to be nice or are you expecting me to use it to cause distractions while you do mischief?"

"S'up to you," He smirked. "Although, you should keep in mind that these are gifts and it'd be selfish if you use them for your own needs."

"Keep them, you'll have a better use for it-" She stopped, suddenly realizing something. "Wait! Come here..."

Mel grabbed his arm and dragged him to the side of the marble staircase.

"You have something that can help Harry," She said, lowering her voice so only Fred could hear her.

"A brain?" He snickered.

"Don't be rude!" She slapped his chest (it was easier than trying to hit his head). "That map you showed me during my first year– What was it? The mar-"