Ignoring the fact that there was a murderer chasing down her best friend, Mel was having a smooth end of year. 

But she couldn't ignore that. Not now that Harry was in constant pain, scar stinging at random moments.

"It's okay, I know it hurts," Mel whispered, softly stroking his back, "we'll fix this, we'll find a way..."

Harry didn't say a thing, he just nodded and thank her under his breath once the pain was gone. It wasn't much, but she knew it was a big deal for him.

Erick, on the other hand, kept his word. He wouldn't talk to her, not even to say sorry if he accidentally bumped her shoulder as he walked passed. She knew him very little, but that didn't stop her from feeling guilty.

On a brighter note, Mel was certain she'd get an almost perfect grade (she didn't think Snape would be fair) and she couldn't wait to get the notes so she could write a letter to her mum with the good news. She hadn't talked to her mother in about a month.

Mel was reluctant to tell her about the troubles she'd gotten into. A voice in the back of her mind kept telling her 'So what? She lied to you for ten years, she doesn't have to know everything now'

She held onto that thought for as long as she could.

On the last day of revision, the four children went down to the lake. Fred, George, and Lee Jordan were playing with the giant squid when they saw Mel approaching with her friends.

"We heard you won like forty-five points for Gryffindor this month," George said as soon as she arrived, "that must be a record, it's almost the same amount we lose in a month"

"I was fixing my mistakes," She shrugged, "you're speaking to me again?"

"We never stopped! Charlie sent us a letter telling us about what you did to help Hagrid," Fred added, "that was brilliant!"

"It was Harry's idea..."

"We figured it'd be someone else's," George grinned, "we know you're smarter than that, though you did get caught in the end"

"Not before though," She teased, "and if I've learned anything from you, that's the important part"

"You've been teaching her to misbehave?" Lee Jordan raised a brow, "Dumbledore's grand-daughter, seriously?"

"She's got potential," George shrugged.

"And it's niece, not grand-daughter," Fred added, winking at her.

"We're good now?" Mel inquired.

"'Course, we'll be more than happy to keep you under our wing"

Mel pondered for a moment, she looked back at her friends, noticing Harry's eyes fixated on her and the twins.

"No," She smiled.

"No," George blinked, "Why?"

"McGonagall didn't hesitate when I lied to her that night, she said something was going on when I started hanging out with you"

"And?"

"I think that's enough, you may have a lot to teach but I can't be around you so often. I have to behave. Besides, if I actually start causing trouble on my own, teachers would have it easy"

"Causing trouble on your own?" George laughed, "You're too sweet for that"

"You wouldn't get in trouble on purpose," Fred agreed.

"We'll see about that," Mel smiled, "Have a nice day!"

Fred and George were a little surprised to be rejected again, though at least it was in a much more friendly tone this time. She reached her friends at the exact moment Harry blurted out:

"I wish I knew what this means! My scar keeps hurting – it's happened before, but never as often as this."

She sat quietly beside him, brows furrowed.

"Go to Madam Pomfrey," Hermione suggested.

"I'm not ill, I think it's a warning ... it means danger's coming ..."

"Danger came already," Mel shook her head "it's been nagging since day one..."

"Guys, relax, Hermione's right, the Stone's safe as long as Dumbledore's around. Anyway, we've never had any proof Snape found out how to get past Fluffy He nearly had his leg ripped off once, he's not going to try it again in a hurry. And Neville will play Quidditch for England before Hagrid lets Dumbledore down."

They didn't keep the subject going, too tired to argue.

"What did Fred and George asked you now?" Harry inquired.

"Nothing," Mel shrugged, "they wanted to apologize, apparently Charlie sent them a letter telling them what we did and decided I wasn't so bad after all"

"Norbert," Harry suddenly straightened up, "Norbert!"

He stood up without adding a word to it.

"Where're you going?" said Ron sleepily.

"I've just thought of something," said Harry.

He had gone white.

"We've got to go and see Hagrid, now."

"Why?" Hermione was now up too.

"Don't you think it's a bit odd," said Harry, "that what Hagrid wants more than anything else is a dragon, and a stranger turns up who just happens to have an egg in his pocket? How many people wander around with dragon eggs if it's against wizard law? Lucky they found Hagrid, don't you think? Why didn't I see it before?"

"Oh-!" Mel jumped to her feet, running beside him.

"What are you on about?" said Ron, getting up. None of them answered.

Hagrid was sitting in an armchair outside his house; his trousers and sleeves were rolled up and he was shelling peas into a large bowl.

"Hullo," he said, smiling. "Finished yer exams? Got time fer a drink?"

"Yes, please," said Ron, but Harry cut across him.

"No, we're in a hurry. Hagrid, I've got to ask you something. You know that night you won Norbert? What did the stranger you were playing cards with look like?"

"Dunno, he wouldn' take his cloak off. It's not that unusual, yeh get a lot o' funny folk in the Hog's Head– that's one of the pubs down in the village. Mightabin a dragon dealer, mightn' he? I never saw his face, he kept his hood up."

"What did you talk to him about, Hagrid? Did you mention Hogwarts at all?"

"Mighta come up," said Hagrid, frowning as he tried to remember. "Yeah... he asked what I did, an' I told him I was gamekeeper here... He asked a bit about the sorta creatures I look after... so I told him... an' I said what I'd always really wanted was a dragon... an' then... I can' remember too well, 'cause he kept buyin' me drinks... Let's see... yeah, then he said he had the dragon egg an' we could play cards fer it if I wanted... but he had ter be sure I could handle it, he didn' want it ter go ter any old home... So I told him, after Fluffy, a dragon would be easy ..."

"And did he – did he seem interested in Fluffy?" Harry asked, Mel was holding to his robes.

"Well – yeah – how many three-headed dogs d'yeh meet, even around Hogwarts? So I told him, Fluffy's a piece o' cake if yeh know how to calm him down, jus' play him a bit o' music an' he'll go straight off ter sleep –" His face turned white in horror, "I shouldn'ta told yeh that! Forget I said it! Hey – where're yeh goin'?'"

________________________________

"We've got to go to Dumbledore," said Harry. "Hagrid told that stranger how to get past Fluffy and it was either Snape or Voldemort under that cloak – it must've been easy once he'd got Hagrid drunk. I just hope Dumbledore believes us. Firenze might back us up if Bane doesn't stop him. Where's Dumbledore's office?"

All looked at her with questioning eyes.

"What now, because I'm a Dumbledore I know?" She frowned, "I've never been to his office"

"What are you four doing inside?" McGonagall asked, appearing beside them.

"We want to see Professor Dumbledore," said Hermione.

"See Professor Dumbledore? Why?"

"It's sort of secret," Harry blurted out, Mel felt the urgent need to punch him.

"Professor Dumbledore left ten minutes ago," she replied coldly, "He received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and flew off for London at once."

"He's gone?" said Harry frantically. "Now?"

"Professor Dumbledore is a very great wizard, Potter, he has many demands on his time –"

"But this is important."

"Something you have to say is more important than the Ministry of Magic, Potter?"

"Look, Professor – it's about the Philosopher's Stone –"

Mel's heart skipped a beat, Professor McGonagall dropped the books she was carrying.

"How do you know –?" she stammered.

"Professor, I think – I know – that Sn– that someone's going to try and steal the Stone. I've got to talk to Professor Dumbledore."

"Professor Dumbledore will be back tomorrow," she said finally. "I don't know how you found out about the Stone, but rest assured, no one can possibly steal it, it's too well protected."

"But Professor –"

"Potter, I know what I'm talking about," she said shortly. "I suggest you all go back outside and enjoy the sunshine."

But once she was out of sight, Harry was quick to elaborate a plan.

__________________________

The plan failed.

Mel and her friends were kids, they didn't know what to do at this point and they were taking desperate measures. Harry confirmed it after they all went back to the common room.

"Well, that's it then, isn't it?" Harry said, "I'm going out of here tonight and I'm going to try and get to the Stone first."

"Oh, Glasses," Mel groaned, passing a hand over her face.

"You're mad!" said Ron.

"You can't!" said Hermione. "After what McGonagall and Snape have said? You'll be expelled!"

"SO WHAT?" Harry shouted, "Don't you understand? If Snape gets hold of the Stone, Voldemort's coming back! Haven't you heard what it was like when he was trying to take over? There won't be any Hogwarts to get expelled from! He'll flatten it, or turn it into a school for the Dark Arts!-"

If there was something Mel hated more than people being mean to Harry, was Harry in a bad mood. He was even more temperamental than her, they had gotten into a large list of arguments thanks to that. It drove her crazy.

Harry finished his yelling a moment later, he glared at them and she glared back, contemplating their options. They locked eyes and she didn't budge, deep in thought. She knew there was no way she could convince Harry to stay out of it.

"You're right, Harry," said Hermione in a small voice.

"I'll use the Invisibility Cloak," He said. "It's just lucky I got it back."

"But will it cover all four of us?" said Ron.

"All – all four of us?"

"Oh, come off it, you don't think we'd let you go alone?"

"Of course not," said Hermione briskly. "How do you think you'd get to the Stone without us? I'd better go and look through my books, there might be something useful ..."

"But if we get caught, you will be expelled, too."

"Not if I can help it," said Hermione grimly. "Flitwick told me in secret that I got a hundred and twelve percent on his exam. They're not throwing me out after that."

"You forget the most important part 'Mione," Mel stood up, patting Harry's back and winking, "you got a Dumbledore on your side."

______________________________________

"Better get the Cloak," Ron muttered as Lee Jordan finally left. Harry ran upstairs to their dormitory.

He ran back down to the common room in a matter of seconds.

"We'd better put the Cloak on here, and make sure it covers all four of us – if Filch spots one of our feet wandering along on its own –"

"What are you doing?" said a voice from the corner of the room.

Neville appeared from behind an armchair, clutching Trevor the toad, who looked as though he'd been making another bid for freedom.

"Nothing, Neville, nothing," said Harry, hurriedly putting the Cloak behind his back.

Mel realized Harry wasn't as good of an actor as she'd first thought.

"You're going out again," he said.

"No, no, no," said Hermione. "No, we're not. Why don't you go to bed, Neville?"

"You can't go out," said Neville, "you'll be caught again. Gryffindor will be in even more trouble."

"You don't understand," said Harry, "this is important."

"Neville, please-" Mel stepped forward.

"I won't let you do it," he said, hurrying to stand in front of the portrait hole. "I'll – I'll fight you!"

"Neville," Ron exploded, "get away from that hole and don't be an idiot –"

"Don't you call me an idiot!" said Neville. "I don't think you should be breaking any more rules! And you were the one who told me to stand up to people!"

"Yes, but not to us," said Ron in exasperation. "Neville, you don't know what you're doing."

"He has a point," Mel sighed, "look, Neville, I know it's hard to understand but we're not trying to do anything bad-"

Ron took a step forward.

"Go on then, try and hit me!" said Neville, raising his fists. "I'm ready!"

Oh, that sweet, brave boy.

Harry turned to Hermione.

"Do something," he said desperately.

Hermione stepped forward.

"Neville," she said, "I'm really, really sorry about this."

She raised her wand.

"Petrificus Totalus!"

Mel ran to him and caught his body, softly laying him on the ground.

"To be fair, this is the nicest way we could get you out of the way"

_______________________________

It took them a while, -and Harry's marvelous impression of the Bloody Baron- but they finally reached the third floor.

"If you want to go back, I won't blame you," he said. "You can take the Cloak, I won't need it now."

"Since when you're the hero?" Mel tilted her head, smirking, "You don't actually believe I'll let you have all the glory, do you?"

"Don't be stupid," said Ron.

"We're coming," said Hermione.