Ever since Melody and Cedric were told about Dahlia, they have been more scared than they'd admit, more like Cedric was more scared.
"Mel, Mel! Are you even listening to me!"
"Yeah, sorry," Melody said, shaking her head of her thoughts.
"No, you're not. These past few days you have been so shaken up, Cedric's been paranoid as well, what's going on?" Quinn furrowed her eyebrows.
"Nothing."
"Clearly not, Melody. You've barely spoken to me and Quinn ever since that day in the common room. Whatever it is, you can tell us," Harry added.
"I can't."
"Why not?"
"Oh my god... Are you lesbian?" Quinn asked with a happy gasp.
"What? No," Melody laughed lightly.
"Then what is it? We're not letting you leave this room until you say something," Harry said.
"I can't, my father and Dumbledore told me and Cedric to keep our mouths shut." Melody wished she could tell her friends everything, but for their safety, she couldn't.
"Since when do you listen to Dumbledore?" Quinn scolded, "I need to know why Cedric has been paranoid, it's worrying me, Melody."
"You can tell her," Cedric said startling them all. "Sorry didn't mean to startle you." Cedric sat next to Melody.
"We can't," Melody whispered to where only Cedric could hear.
"I don't think they'll tell anyone. Asides, they deserve to know," Cedric responded.
Harry and Quinn nodded their heads, confirming them to go on. From there, Cedric told them all about Dahlia, the totems, and he purposely left out the bit where Melody's dad wasn't her real dad.
"So your hot mom is evil?" Harry summed up.
"That's kind of weird that you called our mom hot, but yeah I guess," Cedric confirmed.
"I mean she is," Quinn mumbled.
"You two are completely missing the point, you can't tell anyone about this, it's risky enough we told you."
"What's life without risk?" Harry chuckled lightly trying to lighten the mood. "So what are you both going to do about the invasions and Dahlia in general?" Harry asks.
"Nothing."
"So you all are going to nothing?" Quinn said in disbelief.
"We can't really do anything until we actually see her," Melody stated, though it sounded more like a question.
"So you two are sitting ducks, waiting for her to make the first move?" Harry concluded.
"Yeah, but I didn't want to be in this situation in the first place so waiting sounds pretty good to me," Melody shrugged. "Ok, now forget this ever happened." Melody stood up. "I have to go turn this essay in, um I'll see you later," she made up.
As she was walking through the halls to nowhere, she bumped into a tall figure.
"Sorry," Melody said.
"Oh it's quite alright, I was actually hoping to bump into you," the voice said.
Dahlia.
Melody began to back away and run but Dahlia somehow appeared in her direction.
"Please leave me alone," Melody pleaded.
"I just want to know where the final totem is, if things go my way, no one will be harmed," she said standing across from me.
"No way," Melody denied. She began to reach for her locket but it flew right into Dahlia's hand.
"I wouldn't try that if I were you, I'm sure your father didn't fail to tell you how powerful I am," Dahlia stated. "Ugh, being married to him was a pain," she mumbled.
"Are you going to kill me if I don't cooperate?" Melody scoffed. "Sounds familiar."
"Although I hate children, I'd never harm my own blood. But I can't say the same about your friend, Quinn? Is it?" She asked knowing the answer.
"Don't hurt them."
"I came here to ask nicely before I result to do anything else, but now I see you'd rather stand against me. We will meet again," she said as she gave Melody her locket back.
Before Melody could get a word in, she flashed out, like she was never there.
Melody started running back to the common room trying to get her heavy breathing under control but it was useless.
The portrait swung open and she immediately ran to Quinn, hugging her tightly.
"Not that I'm not glad to see you, but why are you hugging me?" Quinn chuckled, "are you alright?"
"Dahlia. I saw her."
"What?" Cedric and Harry said at the same time, rushing over to her.
Melody pulled out from the hug with Quinn, "In the hallway, she was being polite?"
"Polite?" Cedric questioned.
"She asked me to cooperate with her, she didn't hurt me. She told me she wouldn't hurt you either." Melody assured him.
"I'm confused, dad described her as ruthless, evil even. Why does she care?"
"She said, 'I'd never harm my own blood,' and I quote. But she said she'd be back, something tells me she won't come as politely next time."
"What are you going to do until then?" Harry questioned.
"Be ready."
"You have to tell Dumbledore and owl our dad!"
"I know, and I will. Later," Melody ensured as she began walking out of the room.
"You aren't seriously going back out there, alone, are you?" Harry asked in disbelief.
"Why not?" Melody chuckled.
Harry gave her a look that said, 'you're not leaving without me.'
"I know you're not gonna drop this, so yes Harry, you can be my bodyguard."
"Great, 'cause I also have to tell you something." He linked arms with her.
"Okay then, lead the way."
Melody and Harry walked out into the hall, their arms linked.
"So what did you have to tell me?" Melody asked looking in his direction.
"So I and Cho are... together," he hesitated.
Melody didn't know why she suddenly felt like her heart had been ripped out. If anything, she should be the last person to be jealous of them... right?
"That's exciting..." Melody finally said.
"What is that not exciting?" He said noticing her facial expression change.
"No, no, that's amazing, Harry."
"What about you? How is the love life of Melody Diggory?" he dramatically said.
Melody didn't see a reason to lie about how she felt, she knew Harry wouldn't understand even if he weren't oblivious.
"Recently, this person told me they got into a relationship with someone, and I really liked that person so now... I don't know. I mean, I don't want to like this person but I guess it's not my choice..."
"It sounds like you're in love," Harry interrupted her rambling
"I'm not in love! And I don't want to be in love! If anything I want this feeling gone, like nonexistent. I can't like this guy," Melody sighed.
"Let me get this straight, you like a guy that you don't want to like?" Harry summed up.
"Yep."
"Who's the guy?" Harry asked looking towards her.
"Someone you wouldn't know."
Melody swore she saw Harry's face drop a bit.
"Well, I'm gonna go, nice.. chatting with you," Melody said, unlinking arms with him and speed walking in the opposite direction.
"Nice chatting with you?" Melody repeated, embarrassed at her own words.
As soon as she made it to her dorm, she wrote to her father and she owled the letter to him, next she told Dumbledore about her Dahlia encounter, he's a bit disappointed that she didn't tell him sooner but he'll live.
Melody came back into her dorm where Quinn was holding a letter with a worried expression. "Hey what's up?" Melody asked.
"This letter... it's addressed to you, from Dahlia. Do you think it's safe to open?" Quinn passed her the letter.
"I don't see why not, she said she wouldn't hurt me..."
Melody tore the paper off of the envelope and began reading,
Dear Melody,
I'm sure you already know who it is, Dahlia. I just wanted to clear things up, you do not have to fear me, nor do your friends, for now. I will say, if I do not get my way, things will get ugly and you do not want to see me ugly. I expect to see you at the astronomy tower at midnight tomorrow with the final totem, if I do not see you all bets are off with me not hurting your friends, I will do what I have to do to get what I want.
Don't disappoint dear,
Dahlia
"She's insane."
Melody gave Quinn the letter to read. Quinn read over the note carefully before handing it back to her.
"I despise Dumbledore, but you need to give this to him."
Melody nodded and left her dorm. Melody walked down and into the common room to see the last thing she wanted to see, Harry and Cho. Snogging.
Melody sped walk across the common room hoping Harry didn't notice her presence, unfortunately, he did because he pulled away.
"No, you two go back to do whatever you two were doing." Melody waved her hands in front of her face so she couldn't see him.
Melody walked as fast as she could to Dumbledore's office. Once she arrived, she burst through the door, (unintentionally) receiving stares from other professors that were in the office.
Melody mumbled an apology and Dumbledore dismissed everyone.
"I got a letter from Dahlia." She handed the letter to him.
"You're not actually thinking about meeting her, are you?" Dumbledore asked.
"No, of course not, but I don't want her hurting my friends. Besides you obviously moved the totem so she has no reason to hurt my friends anymore."
"I actually... have not moved the totem.."
"Excuse me?"
"I can't move it, if I move it that power gets sucked right into me and I take much shame in saying this, but my body cannot handle that much power coursing through me," Dumbledore admitted.
"So what do I do?"
"I have no other choice than to send you home, you and Cedric," Dumbledore announced.
"You can't be serious!" Melody said. "What if Dahlia shows up at my house? Then what?"
"That's not my concern. Dahlia is a threat to you, not your fellow students."
She scoffed, "I hope Dahlia comes after you first."