Melody Riddle and the Goblet of Fire

Chapter 34: The Third Task

 "It's still weird for me to be the only one in here with you taking this," I said, writing down another sentence in the essay. I was taking my O.W.L.s in the room alone with Severus. Each. One.

It was taking me all day, since the rest of the week had been my exams for my other classes. The next day, I was taking my Defense Against the Dark Arts exam and then the third task was that night.

I am not looking forward to the Defense Against the Dark Arts exam.

"Miss Riddle, what have I told you about talking?" He said this with an exasperated sigh, and I couldn't help but give a small laugh.

"It's not like there's anyone around me that can talk back except you."

He gave me a look, so I just drew my hand across my mouth in the symbol of a zipper and returned my gaze to my paper. I stayed quiet for the rest of the allotted time, finishing it all up and hoping that 'Professor Moody' wouldn't think to pay any attention to me when the time came to do my exam for him.

When I turned the last bit of paper in, my hand throbbed. "Next time you have a student do their O.W.L.s in an earlier year, don't make them do it all in one day."

"Don't tell me you're complaining," Severus replied in amusement.

"Oh no, never me — just that I think all that writing would hurt someone who's not as... experienced as I am with writing for long periods of time. But, if they have to do it in one whole day, have them do a potion before and after writing a lot so that they get a break."

"I see your problem."

"Not my problem, but... you know."

"If you insist," he said with an eye roll.

A knock sounded at the door and I checked my watch. "I believe that must be Becky. I'll be off!"

"Melody," he said softly, placing a hand on my shoulder to hold me in place before I could leave. "Are you all right?"

I hesitated. "Uh — I'm fine... how about you?"

A look of 'you know what I mean' directed itself at me.

I sighed, "I mean it, I'm fine. No problems." I slowly backed up from his grip to the door. "Do tell me what I got when you finish grading them. Thanks, Severus!" My hand caught hold of the door handle and I quickly slipped out, closing the door behind me.

"Congratulations," Becky noted humorously, "you've just survived hell."

"Doing a long line of hard exams in Professor Snape's dungeon is heaven compared to what the exam in 'Professor Moody's' class is going to be like," I replied honestly.

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The morning of the third task, the girls and I got to breakfast a little late. Draco — the moment I got to the table — stuffed another newspaper in my face.

"I feel like you're better known for being a gossipmonger more than anything," I said, taking it from him with a reproachful glare. Of course. A Rita Skeeter article:

HARRY POTTER

"DISTURBED AND DANGEROUS"

The boy who defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-

Named is unstable and possibly dangerous, writes

Rita Skeeter, Special Correspondent. Alarming ev-