𝖂e arrived back at Hogwarts after Easter break, everyone beginning to study for OWLs coming up soon at the end of May. Even Sirius and James had picked up a book and did a little bit of studying which I was happy about. They were naturally really clever, they just hated studying, unlike Peter who struggled more and needed help. We spent days studying in the dorm, helping each other so we were prepared and ready.
"I can't wait for this to be over" Sirius groaned, burying his head into his pillow in the dorm.
"They start in a few days, and then we can do whatever we want before summer" Remus reasoned from his bed, scanning over his History of Magic notes.
"Okay, wit sharpening potion: um..ground squab beetles, cut ginger roots, newt spleens and....."
"You got this Wormy, the last one" I encouraged him, waiting for his answer.
"Oh! Oh! Armadillo bile!"
"Yes, Wormy!" I cheered, giving him a high five and a chocolate frog. He had been going over potions with me for an hour and managed to get most of the ingredients right with a little bit of help with the method, "I'm proud of you"
"Thanks, Mel" He murmured, hugging me tightly.
"Fuck!" James muttered, storming into the dorm, all of us snapping our heads towards him concerned from his outburst to whatever made him slam the door. Sirius and I exchanged a glance, knowing only one thing could make him this angry. Snape.
"What did Snivellus do?" Sirius growled, noticing James flickering his eyes between Remus and I.
"He has suspicions, about Lunes and Moony" He revealed, my heart sinking in my chest. He couldn't find out. If he found out he'd tell everyone about me being a monster and everyone would torment us. They couldn't know, our lives would be over.
"Why does he have to stick his abnormally large nose into other people's business?" Sirius grumbled, shutting his book, "Get Evans"
"I'll go" Peter nodded, leaving the dorm to go to the girls to find Lily.
"She's in the common room, Wormy" James muttered to the blonde boy, going and laying down on his bed, running his hands through his hair.
"Er, what exactly did he say?" Remus asked quietly, fiddling with his fingers.
"He said it was a bit odd that your mum seems to fall ill every month and you disappear, coming back with more scars" James informed us, Remus and I making eye contact, both mirroring the same expression. He opened his arms for me across the room, I got off Peter's bed, falling into his arms and cuddling into him.
"We won't let him find out" Remus reassured me, stroking his fingers through my hair. I could tell he was reassuring himself just as much as me, but like the best brother he is, he tried comforting me.
Peter arrived back in the dorm with Lily, she stood there whilst Peter went back to his bed, packing up his studying notes.
"What can I do for you?" She asked politely, all of us looking at her. How could she be friends with him? She was so summery and happy, and he was so dark and depressing.
"Tell Snivellus to back the fuck off my girlfriend" James stated firmly, Lily's eyes widening from his tone.
"And Moony" Sirius added. I could feel Remus' heart pick up slightly, a small smirk playing on my lips despite the situation.
"Don't call him Snivellus.....He confronted you about it" She mumbled, going to sit down on James' bed in front of him.
"You knew he had suspicions about us?" Remus and I commented, frowning, "Why didn't you tell us?"
"I've been telling him how pathetic he sounds, and steering him in other directions. It's kind of difficult when you call them Luna or Lunes and Moony" She explained, sympathy in her eyes, "I'm trying to get him off your back"
"Thank you, Lily" Remus nodded, holding me closer into him.
"What exactly have you told him?" Peter inquired to the red head, "We need to know in case he asks"
"That when you go home to visit your mum you have a dog that's awfully playful and scratches you both"
"We can work with that, we have a dog"
"You do?" Peter questioned, baffled.
"They do" Sirius smirked, Peter realising and making an 'o' shape with his mouth, nodding, much to Lily's confusion.
"I don't even want to know" She shook her head, "How is your mum by the way?"
"She's doing okay, thank you. Dad, Mia and Monty are looking after her" I told her, bringing myself out of my brother's chest and spinning around to face them.
"It's a horrible condition, my mum's friend Juliette had it, and she died"
"Lily!" James exclaimed, shaking his head.
Remus and I stared at her, without blinking, now feeling worse than we did before.
"Oh, sorry, hers was long term apparently, stage four there was nothing-"
"Evans, don't you have some studying to be doing?" Sirius interjected, Remus and I curling back into each other again, her words repeating in our minds.
"Right, er sorry. I'll keep Sev off your back for as long as I can" She fumbled over her words, exiting the door quickly, probably feeling a bit guilty about what she said.
"She's doing okay"
"Yeah, she's one of the strongest person I know"
"Everyone is caring for her"
They all tried, concern in their eyes. I pried myself out of Remus' hold, looking down to not meet any of their eyes.
"I'm going to go to my dorm" I murmured, beginning to leave the boy's dorms, my head spinning with thoughts about my condition and mums. There's got to be something that could help her, why has no wizard come up with anything to cure this disease. I want to do something about it.
"Elody" I heard James call out, before I shut the door, walking down the hall and out of the common room. I didn't lift my head up the entire way to my destination, looking down at my sweatpants and fuzzy socks. I didn't even put any shoes on. I knocked on the door, hearing a 'come in' and walking in, taking a seat without lifting my head up.
•••
Dumbledore and Mcgonagall stared at the girl who had just walked into Dumbledore's office without a word and just sat down. Mcgonagall's eyes filled with concern at her strange behaviour, knowing there was something definitely wrong.
"Melody, dear..." Minnie called softly, making me bring my head up to meet her worried gaze.
"Oh, Minnie, I didn't know you would be here. I'm sorry if I interrupted something" I voiced, glancing between Dumbledore and her, suddenly feeling intrusive and stupid. I shouldn't have come here at this hour. They were busy and it's a stupid idea.
"Melody?"
"Look through my mind, sir" I mumbled, giving him permission to use legilimency on me, allowing him to see my thoughts.
He leaned back on his chair, pondering for a few moments, "I see" He hummed, "How are your grades at the moment, Melody? What are you predicted for owls?"
"Outstandings in all of them" I informed him, Minnie knitting her eyebrows together in confusion yet staying quiet and allowing us to have this conversation.
"Very well. If that's what you wish, i'm afraid that there hasn't been a class in over fifty years. However, I see you are quite eager and you are doing it for the right reason. Therefore, I may be able to work out a time I could teach you after classes once a week" He reasoned, a smile etching its way on to my face, hope in my eyes. Hope, in my eyes in more ways than one.
"Really?!"
"Yes, Melody. Although I do want you to realise this is a very difficult subject, it will require commitment and hard work"
"I understand, thank you professor" I nodded, "Erm i'll leave you to discuss whatever you were doing"
Dumbledore nodded slowly, his blue eyes twinkling at me, "Oh and Melody. You must tell me if Mr Snape finds out, I will be able to do something about it. For now, do what you are doing" He advised. I raised an eyebrow when he winked at me, before leaving for the door.
"Night Al, night Min" I told them, hearing them return it before I closed the door, closing my eyes briefly in relief and making my way back to the gryffindor common room.
•••
"You know I don't like you walking around the castle alone, Elody. Why didn't you tell me? I would have come with you" James said as soon as I walked into the empty common room, sitting on the couch with the map in his hand, "Do you not remember the glass, because-"
"I'm fine, James. I can handle myself" I shut him off, sitting down beside him.
"I know you can, but i feel like I should be the one protecting you, Lunes. I don't want you to get hurt again" He mumbled, pulling me into him.
"Okay, i'll tell you next time" I assured him, not wanting to argue with him about it. He just wanted to protect me, it was sweet.
"Thank you" He responded softly, kissing the top of my head, "I love you"
"I love you....sometimes"
He scoffed, squeezing my tighter, "you love me all the time"
"Maybe" I teased, "I love chocolate more"
"Oh I know that, my love. A world without chocolate for my Elody would be tragic" He chuckled, my heart fluttering from the nickname.
"A world without my James would come close to a world without chocolate"
"Good to know"
"I'm glad you know your place" I laughed, brushing my lips over his neck as my head was nestled into the crook of it. "Dumbledore's going to give me private lessons next year on alchemy"
"Wow, alchemy is...."
"The hardest subject that no one has opted to take in fifty years. I know" I finished for him, sighing lightly, "Alchemy can be used for healing, what if I can find cures for things? What if I can find a way to help mum?"
"If that's what you want to do, I fully support you. Just don't let Dumbles steal you too often, I need my werewolf cuddles"
"I'm sure Rem won't mind"
"If he's not already cuddling Padfoot" James snorted, making me laugh gently, "We need them to confess their feelings"
"I know, we'll work on it some other time. After we've done Owls" I suggested, lifting my head up to meet his pretty hazel eyes, a smirk on my face, "Who did Bambi invite to his birthday party?"
"Oh I know this one, we've watched it! Um.. the little rabbit....oh! Thumper!"
I laughed at his reply, shaking my head. He was adorable. He pouted, wrinkling his nose to push his glasses up further.
"His nearest and deerest friends" I revealed, watching him smirk.
"Okay, okay.....What do you call a werewolf with a fever?"
"A feverwolf"
"Nope" He shook his head, popping the 'p', "A hot dog"
I snickered at him, rolling my eyes, "You're such a goof ball"
"You started it..." He claimed, "Besides you love this goof ball"
"You're going to use that against me for everything, aren't you?" I quizzed, trying to keep the smile off my face by biting my lip. I watched his eyes flicker down to my lips, edging forwards and capturing my lips into a kiss, untucking my lip from my teeth, using his.
"Of course I'm going to use it against you. You love me" He whispered when we drew back, staying close together, our faces inches apart.
"You love me"
"Very much" He breathed out, kissing me again softly.
"I come down for a glass of water and witness a makeout sesh, is it my turn yet, Mel?" Marlene muttered, walking into the common room, making the two of us move apart again to face the now red haired girl. She said she wanted a change from the blue, apparently red gives her fire attitude.
"Sorry, Marls, she's mine" James told her, gripping on to me tightly.
"Just know, Potter, she kissed me first" Marlene chirped, leaving the common room without another word, James shooting his eyes to me surprised.
"What? It's not like you didn't kiss Padfoot" I shrugged, his jaw dropping to the floor, gasping.
"How do you know about that?!" He exclaimed. I burst out laughing, falling backwards onto the couch, not being able to stop.
"I didn't, but you just confirmed it" I managed to tell him inbetween my laughter. I couldn't believe it, James and Sirius. They're like brothers, "Please tell me you were like 11"
"You kissed Marlene!"
"I know I did"
"And you're straight?"
"Are you?"
"Touchè" He nodded, "You're a better kisser than Padfoot"
"You're a better kisser than Marls"
"Heard that!" Marlene called, still on her way to the dorms, "No ones better than me, babes"
"Oh, yeah?" James scoffed, crashing his lips onto mine, full of passion and love. I was taken by surprise, nevertheless kissing him back, my hands finding his hear, playing with the strands. "Elody" He warned, between kisses.
I hummed, pulling away even when he tried to kiss me again. I swerved my head, hearing him grumble incoherent words. I kissed him on the cheek, "Night, James"
"You're staying with the girls?"
"Mhm"
"Okay, love. Good night" He returned, holding on to my hand until we had to let go as I walked up to the girl's dorms, in hope to talk to the girls for a while before going to bed.
•2296 words•