Imperio (on hold)

10: Christmas Holidays

Melody woke to the first rays of sunlight of the day sneaking through her curtains. Sitting up, she looked out the window. The sky was perfectly clear and the sun had an orange tint. It was going to be a hot day.

"Go find Professor Sprout"

Melody sat up and got dressed. It was the first day of the school holidays so she dressed in tight black jeans and a white top that exposed her stomach. On the top was a painting of a stag. She washed her face and left it clear except for some magenta lipstick.

Melody left her dormitory and the common room (which was empty) and took herself to the staff room. When she knocked however, there was no answer.

"Wait in the Great Hall until Professor Sprout enters"

Melody left the silent corridor and went to the Great Hall. There was no one else there, everyone else had either left in the very early hours of the morning to go home for the holidays or was staying at the castle and having a sleep-in.

Melody sat at the Hufflepuff table, pulled a glass towards her and filled it with the lone jug of pumpkin juice on the table. She sipped at it slowly for about an hour before she heard footsteps of someone approaching the Great Hall.

Melody looked up expectantly then looked down again in disappointment, it was just a random Gryffindor girl. Melody watched as she sat at her table and poured herself some pumpkin juice.

Ever so slowly the Great Hall filled up with the small amount of students that had stayed behind. By eight-thirty there were two Ravenclaws, two Slytherins, one Gryffindor and Melody as the one Hufflepuff.

All the teachers were sitting at the staff table except Professor Trelawney and Professor Sprout.

Platters of toast, eggs, sausages and cereal had long since appeared on the tables but Melody hadn't touched any of it. Her eyes were trained on all the entrances, waiting for the Herbology teacher and head of Hufflepuff house to enter.

Eventually she did. She arrived from the back door wearing dirty clothes, evidently having just spent some time in the greenhouses.

Melody got up straight away and approached Professor Sprout as she was walking past the Ravenclaw table towards the staff table. She looked surprised and slightly apprehensive to see her.

"Hello Miss Adams", she greeted wearily, "I see you've been cured of your warts? No one owned up to doing it, i'm afraid".

"Ask her if it's too late to go home for the holidays"

"Professor Sprout, is it too late for me to go home for the holidays?", Melody asked.

Professor Sprout raised her eyebrows and said, "the train left many hours ago, Miss Adams".

"Yes, I know that", said Melody, "but I really would like to go home".

Professor Sprout looked very suspicious. "I was under the impression", she said slowly, "that you don't live with your family? You live with Miss Jones, a girl you have had a falling out with?".

"Tell her you want to make up with your mother"

"I'd like to make it up with my mother", Melody explained, "I've really missed her you see, I need to apolagise for my mistakes and see if we can save our relationship".

Professor Sprout considered the matter for a second then concluded, "I think it's a grand idea for you to make it up with your mother, but that doesn't change the fact that the train's already left. Why didn't you leave with everyone else?".

"Uh, I wasn't sure if I really wanted to", Melody quickly made up, "but i'm sure now".

Professor Sprout sighed and said, "very well then, i'll see what I can do. Where does your mother live?".