Melted Cauldrons Ch 10
Still in his clothes from
the ball, Círdan stretched as he fed his hippocerf a carrot. “(It’s times like these when I wonder how
they can be in the same family Moontrimmer.)”
He smiled as Moontrimmer gave whinnied in agreement. “(You like her to don’t you?)” At the sound of the stable door opening he
whirled around, only to find no one there.
“(Odd…it isn’t a windy night. I
wonder what could have made the door open.)”
Walking over to close the door he could have sworn he felt something
brush past him.
Once the door was closed and bolted he strode back over to Moontrimmer’s stall. “(I know this will sound crazy boy, but I feel that we aren’t alone in here. And I could have sworn that something brushed against me while I was over by the door.)”
“(No…crazy would be talking to a hippocerf.)”
Círdan whirled around. “(Show yourself!)” He commanded as he drew his sword. His eyes widened as Melin’s head appeared out of thin air, quickly followed by the rest of her body. “(How did you get past the guards?)”
“(Invisibility cloak, a secret passage, and the fact that for all of Kale’s wisdom and apparent studying of me she has forgotten that I have a knack for getting out of places I don’t want to be.)” With a smile Melin set the invisibility cloak on the stand next to Moontrimmer’s stall. “(You haven’t even changed.)” She said as she looked him over. It was odd seeing Círdan in his silver colored officer’s coat and pants, with the red and gold hem and cuffs. It appeared his cloak was made of the same material as his coat, and the clasp was made of a large smooth cut blue topaz. His gloves were the same silver color as the rest of his clothes, but extending from the index finger down to his wrist was a black satin cloth that contained two more smooth blue topazes. Looking up at Círdan’s face she smiled at the sight of the golden circlet he wore. “(Not that I am complaining of course.)” She quickly added.
Replacing his sword in its sheath Círdan gave Melin a small smile. “(I didn’t feel much like changing. After Cam left me in my room I came out here to blow off some steam. Moontrimmer here has been most kind to listen to me talk for the past six hours.)” Taking Melin in his arms he tangled his hand in her long hair and kissed her gently on the forehead. “(I am surprised that you remembered the secret passages in the castle, it has been so long since you left…and you were only what….five when Michea took you away?)”
“(I kinda found it by accident…but after I found it I remembered where it led.)” Melin blushed slightly. She leaned against Círdan’s chest and closed her eyes, enjoying the moment of silence that they were sharing.
After a few minutes of silence Círdan sighed and let go of Melin. “(We shouldn’t be out here. By now Kale will notice that I am not in my chambers and will probably come looking for me.)”
Nodding Melin threw on her invisibility cloak and followed after Círdan as he left, trailing a safe distance away from him so as not to give herself away. They had almost reached Círdan’s chambers when a tapestry was thrown aside, revealing a hidden passage, and worse, Kale.
“(I have been looking for you everywhere Círdan. I was worried that how we were forced to act earlier had been harmful to you.)” Purred Kale.
Círdan looked extremely confused. “(I do not understand.)”
Sashaying up to Círdan Kale draped her arms over his shoulders. “(You don’t need to play games with me Círdan, I know that what you are doing is merely out of pity for my poor wretched sister and her half-breed child. You claim that you are in love with Melin, that you have been since before she vanished all those years ago…but you were only 6, and you and I both know that you were unable to fall in love at that time.)”
Stifling a gasp Melin pressed herself up against the wall, barely wanting to believe what she had just heard. Círdan didn’t seem to be pushing Kale away, nor was he disagreeing with her. Was it possible that Círdan had truly played her for the fool? As Círdan pulled Kale close she felt ill, and couldn’t stand to watch any more. Turning away she rushed off down the halls, heading back towards her rooms.
As soon as Melin’s footsteps had died away Círdan looked at Kale with a smirk. “(You think she fell for it?)”
Kale nodded and stepped away as Círdan’s form melted away, quickly being replaced with Camthalion’s. “(If that doesn’t keep get rid of her I don’t know what will.)”
With a sneer he pushed open the door to Círdan’s room and looked down at the prone figure on the floor. “(Perhaps we should send him away as well…he is a danger to us.)”
“(No, first we need to make him feel betrayed by his beloved. Then we can rid ourselves of him.)” Nudging Círdan with her foot Kale matched her brother’s sneer. “(Any ideas?)”
“(None at the moment. Perhaps her sudden disappearance and a note saying she prefers that greasy looking human would work best?)”
“(An excellent idea brother. Let’s be off then.)”
Jehan had just finished juicing the last seed pod when Melin rushed out of the hidden passage. Leaping to his feet he hurried over to her, his eyes filled with fear at the tears streaming down his mother’s cheeks. “What happened mother? Did you find Círdan?”
Tossing her invisibility cloak onto the bed Melin allowed Jehan to lead her over to a chair and sit her down. “He….he…he’s been playing us….” Wiping her eyes she looked at the prepared ingredients that Jehan had set on the table. “All this time…he never wanted me…”
“Nonsense mother. Círdan loves you, you must have been tricked. It must have been something done by Kale to get back at you.” Conjuring up a box of tissues Jehan did his best to give Melin a reassuring smile.
“I just don’t know….Círdan said that he had been in love with me all this time…but Kale said that we are incapable of love at the age of 6…” Wiping her eyes again she looked over towards the doors to her rooms, which had just opened.
Kale came striding into the room, followed closely by Camthalion. “(You look a mess sister. I hope our actions weren’t too harsh on you earlier.)” Stepping over to Melin’s side Kale put her hand on Melin’s shoulder. “(You must understand that we are under a considerable amount of stress, our parents are getting on in their years, there has been another report of a possible attack on our castle, and with your return…well…I guess our stress got to us.)” She gave a look of concern as Melin shook her away. “(There is something else troubling you isn’t there little sister…)” She said quietly.
Pushing Kale away Melin made her way over to the large bay window. “(I was with Círdan when you met with him in the halls. I heard everything.)” She whirled around and glared at Kale, becoming even more upset at the look of concern on Kale’s face. “(And now you mock me! Círdan never loved me! And now you come in here apologizing for your actions? Do you really think that I want to stay here after everything you and Cam have done? After everything Círdan has done?)”
“(But….)” Camthalion watched as Melin began packing up the few belongings she had taken with her. “(You should at least tell him that you are leaving.)” He looked away as Melin ripped off her tunic and changed back into her robes. “(Will you at least tell our parents? They will be crushed if you disappear again.)”
“(Why don’t you tell them?)” Snarled Melin. “(Jehan and I are leaving…I don’t know when we will return.)” She wiped her eyes again and grabbed hold of Jehan’s arm. “(You know where you can find me.)” Turning she and Jehan both disapparated.
Camthalion turned to Kale and smiled. “(That went better than we had hoped.)” Pulling out a sealed envelope he set it on the desk next to a necklace that looked almost identical to Melin’s. “(Now let us head for bed. We will need to be in good shape when we find this letter in the morning.)”
Círdan awoke to the sound of someone pounding on his door. Rolling on to his side, his head pounding, he opened his eyes. “(Who is it?)” He croaked.
The door opened and Kale came rushing in. “(Melin is gone!)”
“(What do you mean by gone?)” Sitting up Círdan groaned as the room began to spin. “(When did she leave?)”
“(I don’t know. I went up this morning to apologize for my behavior and she was gone. All I could find was this.)” Kale held out a tear stained envelope. “(It is addressed to you.)”
Taking the envelope from Kale Círdan opened it carefully and began to read.
(Círdan,
After spending a lot of time considering my options I have decided to return to the human realm and to Severus. He treats me for who I truly am, not for who I once might have been. Had this been any other time I might have remained here, but I need to be with Severus. He can do more for me than you probably ever could.
Melin)
“(What does it say Círdan? Is she all right?)” Leaning over Círdan’s shoulder Kale gave a mock gasp as she pretended to read the letter. “(She loved that human?)”
“(She is under a love curse….but it appears that she never wanted to cure herself.)” Círdan wadded up the letter and threw it across the room. “(And to think I actually had my scholars search for a cure! And I even had Getta go out and collect the ingredients she would need!)” He slammed his fist down onto the bed. “(She played me for a fool!)” Looking up he noticed Kale was holding something in her hands. “(What’s that?)”
Kale sighed and opened her hand, revealing the necklace. “(This was with the letter. I’m sorry.)”
Círdan snatched the necklace from Kale’s hands and turned it over, inspecting it carefully. After several minutes he stood up and threw the necklace at Kale. “(This is a fake! Where is Melin and what have you done with her?)” He roared.
Kale’s worried demeanor melted into a sneer. “(She’s left to go back to the human realm. And I doubt she or that thing of hers will ever return.)” The triumphant tone in her voice rang throughout the room as she spoke. Turning on her heel she strode from the room, slamming the door behind her.
Melin returned to the house she shared with Michea and her other brothers and locked herself in her room. It was August 31st by the time Melin finally began talking to anyone other than Jehan and Michea. She seemed like she was merely the shell of the person she had once been, and even her appearance had changed considerably. Her hair had lost much of its shine, and now hung limply around her face. The mischievous glimmer that had once been in her eyes was now gone, replaced with a look of timidity and lost hope. She was considerably thinner now, and there were dark circles under her eyes.
“Mother, Headmaster Dumbledore is here to speak with you. He wishes to know if you will return to teach this year.”
Melin looked up as Jehan showed Dumbledore into the room, her eyes following him closely. “Severus doesn’t need my help….I don’t know why I need to return.” She said quietly.
Dumbledore’s face was stern as he sat down on the only chair in the room. “Nonsense Melin. You are a highly qualified teacher, and we would be losing out if you do not return. Severus has even asked personally for you to come back.” He motioned for Jehan to leave the room. As soon as Jehan was gone he sighed and looked Melin over. “You really need to be taking better care of yourself Melin, especially if you are going to be helping Severus teach Defense Against the Dark Arts.” Seeing that he had gotten Melin’s attention he nodded happily. “You see why I would like you back.”
“But…who will teach potions?” Asked Melin.
“I have gotten Horace Slughorn to agree to take up the job once again. But that is not what matters. What matters that you return and teach. You love teaching, you have said it many times to me and the other members of the faculty. And besides…with Severus teaching his new class….” He let his sentence drop, allowing Melin to fill in the gaps as she needed. “Will I be seeing you at the feast then?”
Nodding slowly Melin rose shakily to her feet and moved slowly over to the window. “I’ll be there…but for now…I guess I need to make myself look…presentable.” Even her voice had a defeated tone to it as she spoke.
“Yes, we can’t have one of our teachers showing up looking like she has just spent the last several months in prison.” Dumbledore rose from his seat and patted Melin on the shoulder. “Your son has something for you that will help your appearance return to what it should be. I expect to see you at the staff table tomorrow night Melin.”
Melin listened to Dumbledore leave and sighed. She couldn’t tell him her real reason for why she looked the way she did, but then again….she really didn’t want to. Turning away from the window she pulled on her dressing gown and made her way slowly out of the room and down the stairs. The house looked deserted, but when she stopped she thought she heard voices coming from the kitchen. Pushing open the kitchen door she blinked at the bright light streaming into the kitchen from the breakfast nook. “(What’s going on? Why is everyone in here?)” As her eyes adjusted to the light she scanned the room, looking first at her son, then to Michea, then to Aranel and Annanahrion, and finally to a cloaked figure who was sitting over in the breakfast nook nursing a glass of pumpkin juice. “(Who’s the cloaked person?)” There was something about her son and sibling’s smiles that made her really curious. “(Why are you guys smiling?)”
Michea smirked. “(Why don’t you go and find out who the cloaked person is? You’ve never stopped to ask permission before.)” Seeing Melin’s expression sadden he gave her a reassuring smile. “(Hey I’m joking with you Melin. Go on, go take the guys hood off and see who it is. I think you will be surprised.)”
“(It’s not Severus is it? I don’t want to deal with him right now….)” Moving over to the table she tried to look under the hood of the person who was sitting there, but the light was shining from behind the person, making it impossible for her to see. As the person stood up she reached up and lowered the hood. “(Círdan!)”
Círdan couldn’t believe how bad Melin looked. Reaching out he gently touched Melin’s cheek, his expression saddening as Melin shrank away from him. “(Melin….)”
Stepping forward Michea moved Melin over to one of the chairs and gently pushed her down. “(Círdan arrived about an hour ago. He’s told us everything he’s figured out about what happened with you. He says he was drugged that night and it wasn’t him that you were speaking with in the stables.)”
“(Kale came into my room the next morning with a letter that you had apparently written, along with a necklace that was supposed to be the one I gave you.)” Sitting back down Círdan folded his hands and looked over at Melin with pleading eyes. “(You left before I could tell you the truth and Cam has been making sure to keep me busy.)”
Sighing Melin looked down at her hands. “(But…I saw Kale all over you…and you…you agreed with her and what she said.)”
“(You saw Kale all over Cam Melin.)” Michea sat down next to his sister and patted her hand. “(Cam’s specialty is in changing his appearance. You could say he is like a chameleon.)”
“(But…then where were you? And how come he didn’t say anything about my being out?)”
“(He had to make it believable.)” Reaching forward Círdan took Melin’s hands in his own. “(He and Kale have been going through hell because of what you did…because of what I did. And they wanted to make you pay.)” He gave her a small smile. “(You know that I would never do anything to harm you. I would give my life to make you happy.)”
Standing up Michea motioned for everyone to leave the room and give Melin and Círdan a bit of private time.
Círdan got up and moved around the table to sit next to Melin. Gently caressing her cheek he smiled again. “(I know you cannot return with me to our realm at this time, but…)” His words were cut off as Melin leaned forward and pressed her lips against his. Closing his eyes he wrapped his arms around Melin’s elfin body, tears of joy streaming down his cheeks.
It was several minutes before Melin broke off the kiss. Looking into Círdan’s eyes she smiled for the first time in over a month. “(Would you still be willing to let me brew that potion?)”
Melin looked almost 100% better the next morning as she made her way up towards Hogwarts. But then again, she had resumed her human form and manipulated it to look normal. In truth she still looked as if she had spent the past few months in Azkaban. She carried two suitcases with her, one containing the ingredients she needed to make her potion, the other containing several books Jehan had picked up for her. She had just made it up to her office and was beginning to add the primary ingredients to her potion when Snape entered her office. Turning around she gave him a polite smile. “How are your ribs?”
Snape raised an eyebrow. “Why do you ask?”
“Because I cracked a few of them.” Turning back to her potion she continued to add the ingredients, stopping only when Snape cleared his throat. “Is something wrong?” She asked, not turning around.
“You do know that you are assisting me now in Defense Against the Dark Arts correct?”
Nodding Melin added another ingredient and began to stir the mixture. “Dumbledore told me yesterday.”
“Then why aren’t you down there getting acquainted with the room and my text books?” Asked Snape, feeling irritated that Melin was paying more attention to the potion than to him. “I guess a better question would be; why are you working on a potion?”
The potion let of a loud bang, signaling to Melin that she needed to add the next and final ingredient. “Experimenting.” Charming her stirring rod to do the stirring for her she turned around and looked at Snape, her face shining with happiness. “I picked up a few new recipes during my trip and I wanted to try them out.” She cocked her head to one side as Snape let out an exasperated sigh. “Is something wrong? You seem more agitated than usual.”
“Agitated? I am finally given the position I originally applied for, finally being rid of those insufferable potions brats, and you are making some obscure potion you discovered while hanging out with your family?” Snape strode over to Melin and grabbed hold of her arm. “I don’t know what has come over you, but you are seriously beginning to irritate me. Do you know how many times I have had to explain that you were infiltrating the other realm when you didn’t respond to the Dark Lord’s summons? He wants you to be his eyes and ears for Hogwarts…but apparently you are too busy being all happy with your family!” He sighed and pressed his fingers to his temples. “In truth I am beginning to wonder why I even have feelings for you.” His scowl darkened as Melin began to laugh mirthlessly. “I fail to see what is so amusing to you Melin. I actually thought that you and I shared something special.”
Melin stopped laughing and looked over at the potion, her demeanor changing as quickly as a boggart coming upon a new person. “We did…but I feel that there is no way we can continue with our relationship with everything going on.” Her heart felt as if it was being torn to shreds as she stood there staring at the bubbling potion. Círdan had told her this would happen, the she would become physically ill when she tried to break the curse, but she still had to clutch her desk to stop herself from falling. “I do care for you deeply Severus, and I always will…but we will only be liabilities to each other.” Feeling ill she closed her eyes and clutched her stomach. “Please, let us at least spend this last month without a fight….” She gasped as Snape strode over to her and wrapped her in his arms.
“You look like you are going to faint. Tell me what is going on.” Snape said quietly, his voice devoid of emotion. Turning Melin to look at him he stared into her eyes, his reflection showing back at him. “Why do you seal your mind from me?”
Melin looked away and sighed. “Because if you knew what was going on in my mind you would be crushed.”
Snape grabbed Melin’s chin between his fingers and twisted her face up to look at him. “Try me.” As Melin relaxed in his grasp he couldn’t help but draw in a sharp breath as images began to fly before his eyes. He saw Melin’s kiss with Círdan, their moments during the ball, Melin’s confession of love to Círdan, and most of all, what the potion behind Melin was meant for. Pushing Melin away he stormed from the office, leaving Melin kneeling next to her cauldron.
Closing her eyes Melin felt a single tear trickle down her cheek. “I warned you Severus…I warned you that you would not like what you saw.” She whispered.
“Jehan!” Mirella’s face lit up as she opened the door to find Jehan standing there with a bouquet of flowers in his hands. “Come in! So sorry my apartment is messy…I did not know you were stopping by…otherwise….”
Smiling Jehan handed the flowers to Mirella and stepped inside, removing his overcoat. Aside from a few takeout boxes on the kitchen counter and a pile of old books on the coffee table the apartment was spotless. “If you call this messy I’d hate to here what you’d call my place.” He said with a laugh.
Mirella blushed and took the flowers over to the kitchen. “I wouldn’t know what to call it…I have never seen it before.” Reaching under the sink she pulled out a simple glass vase and filled it with water. “Now I think of it…you have never even told me where you live.”
Now it was Jehan’s turn to blush. “Um…well…my place…it’s um…really out of the way.”
“It cannot be any more out of the way than my place is.” Placing the flowers in the vase Mirella came around into the living room and set the vase on the coffee table. “I really would like you to take me there some time.”
His face still red Jehan cleared his throat with a little cough. “Um…may I please use your restroom?” As Mirella nodded he hurried into the bathroom to splash water on his face.
With a sigh Mirella looked over at Jehan’s coat. ‘I wonder.’ Walking over she reached removed her gloves and placed her hands on the coat. The room around her began to fade away and was quickly replaced by several images flashing before her. Closing her eyes she fought to concentrate on one image. ‘Come on…please just one…something that will tell me more about him.’ She said to herself. The images slowed and finally stopped on one of what looked like Jehan (but how odd…his hair was blue) and a blue skinned woman sitting at a table in a small apartment. Just as the image began to come to life she heard the bathroom door open. With a gasp she released the coat as Jehan came back into the living room. “Do you feel better now?” She asked, trying to clear the haze from her mind.
“Yeah, just had to cool my face down.” Smiling politely Jehan sat down on the old and well worn couch. “You look like you’ve seen something that shouldn’t be. Are you all right?”
Sitting down next to Jehan Mirella nodded quietly. “Jehan…have you ever had blue hair?”
“Um….” Jehan was completely taken aback by Mirella’s question. Could she have possibly seen him somewhere while he was in his true form? “What do you mean?”
“Well…Jehan…I have not been fully honest with you.” Mirella looked down at her hands. “You see…I have a special…power.”
Jehan raised his eyebrows but kept quiet, letting Mirella speak.
“I can see…things when I touch objects. I have to concentrate really hard, and my abilities are not as powerful as they could be, but…while you were in the bathroom…I wanted to find something out…so I used your coat. I saw you…only you had blue hair…and you were talking with a woman who had blue skin.” She looked up, expecting Jehan to start laughing at her. Instead she saw that he looked absolutely shocked. “Did I say something wrong?”
Closing his eyes Jehan shook his head and returned to his true form, his hair lengthening and returning to its normal blue color. “No, you didn’t.” Opening his eyes he saw the look of fear that had appeared in Mirella’s eyes. “I have much to explain to you Mirella….”
“Ah Melin, fancy seeing you here!” Slughorn maneuvered his large body over to the table where Melin, Círdan, Jehan, and Michea were sitting at. Taking the last free chair he settled down and set a large container of crystallized pineapple on the table. “How did your potion turn out? I must know!”
Blushing Melin looked over at Círdan and smiled faintly. “It worked wonderfully. Granted there was some pain, but it was to be expected with a potion that powerful.” Turning to look at Slughorn her smile widened. “I see that you’ve stocked up on your favorite candy sir. May I introduce you to my son Jehan, my older brother Michea, who I believe you met while I was in school, and Círdan…my fiancée.” She blushed violently at the last word.
Slughorn nodded to Jehan. “You work at the apothecary down on Diagon do you not?” At Jehan’s nod he smiled. “I see that a love for potions runs in the family. Where did you go to school?”
Jehan cleared his throat and turned the same hue as his mother. “I went to Le Feu et Glace Academy in France. But that was years ago.”
“Ah yes, I remember Melin saying something about that.” Turning to Michea he gave him a polite nod. “I see you haven’t aged a day since Melin’s graduation.” He slapped Michea on the back and laughed. “You really must tell me your secret.”
“Oh, you know, just the usual ‘be a member of an undying race’ method.”
Melin raised an eyebrow and sighed. Michea had never been good at making jokes, but that one stunk worse that a bag of dung bombs. As Slughorn turned his gaze to Círdan she turned red again and looked down at her drink as if she was trying to decipher the exact ingredients in the cocktail she had ordered. She could feel Slughorn’s gaze move to her and she looked up, her face rivaling the color of Michea’s scarlet fizzing drink.
“I was under the assumption that you were with Severus.” Commented Slughorn in a confused tone. Seeing how red Melin was he suddenly let out a loud guffawing laugh. “Well that’s what I get for believing rumors I guess.”
“No…Severus and I were together…but we came…we came up against…um…differences.” She could feel Círdan place a comforting hand on her leg and relaxed slightly.
Círdan smiled politely. Though he couldn’t understand what was being said, he had a pretty good idea it was about the odd circumstances in which Melin and Snape had separated. The conversation seemed to move on to lighter subjects, until at last Slughorn got up, said his goodbyes, and left. With a small smile Círdan watched as Michea placed the money for their drinks on the table. Standing up he took hold of Melin’s hand and helped her to stand. “(I guess this means that you have to head back now.)”
“(Yes, but I promise to see you again soon Círdan.)” Kissing Círdan on the cheek she pulled on her coat, scarf, hat, and gloves and made her way out of the tavern and up the frozen path back to the castle. She had barely reached her office when Snape’s silver messenger flew towards her. Listening to the message she quickly hurried from her office and down to where Snape was waiting for her. “What happened?” She asked breathlessly.
“There’s been an attack.” Sneered Snape. “I believe I said that in my message. Now let’s go, I’ve gotten the student stabilized, but now our job is to find out who attacked her and why. Come with me.” Turning on his heel Snape strode off towards the dungeons, his cloak trailing after him like the wings of some great bird. He already had a pretty good idea as to who had sent the cursed item, as well as who the item was meant for, but he still had to find out what had gone wrong. Hearing Melin’s footsteps behind him he opened the door to his office and strode through, shutting it right behind Melin. “Get those silly clothes off and sit down, you look like you’re preparing for a blizzard…either that or trying your hand a knitting with hairballs you’ve found left behind from the student’s cats.”
Melin glared at Snape and removed her outer garments, setting them on the chair. “I think I’ll stand for now Severus.” She said coldly. As she listened to Snape tell her his suspicions she felt the blood leave her face and noticed that she was clutching at her left arm. “But…how can we prove that he did it?” She asked.
“Well first I have to make sure that he was the one who did it don’t I?” Snarled Snape. “I’ll know by Christmas, and you will be the one to tell me. I expect to have an answer soon too Melin, or else I will be forced to report to the Dark Lord that you are not doing the job he assigned to you.”
Once the door was closed and bolted he strode back over to Moontrimmer’s stall. “(I know this will sound crazy boy, but I feel that we aren’t alone in here. And I could have sworn that something brushed against me while I was over by the door.)”
“(No…crazy would be talking to a hippocerf.)”
Círdan whirled around. “(Show yourself!)” He commanded as he drew his sword. His eyes widened as Melin’s head appeared out of thin air, quickly followed by the rest of her body. “(How did you get past the guards?)”
“(Invisibility cloak, a secret passage, and the fact that for all of Kale’s wisdom and apparent studying of me she has forgotten that I have a knack for getting out of places I don’t want to be.)” With a smile Melin set the invisibility cloak on the stand next to Moontrimmer’s stall. “(You haven’t even changed.)” She said as she looked him over. It was odd seeing Círdan in his silver colored officer’s coat and pants, with the red and gold hem and cuffs. It appeared his cloak was made of the same material as his coat, and the clasp was made of a large smooth cut blue topaz. His gloves were the same silver color as the rest of his clothes, but extending from the index finger down to his wrist was a black satin cloth that contained two more smooth blue topazes. Looking up at Círdan’s face she smiled at the sight of the golden circlet he wore. “(Not that I am complaining of course.)” She quickly added.
Replacing his sword in its sheath Círdan gave Melin a small smile. “(I didn’t feel much like changing. After Cam left me in my room I came out here to blow off some steam. Moontrimmer here has been most kind to listen to me talk for the past six hours.)” Taking Melin in his arms he tangled his hand in her long hair and kissed her gently on the forehead. “(I am surprised that you remembered the secret passages in the castle, it has been so long since you left…and you were only what….five when Michea took you away?)”
“(I kinda found it by accident…but after I found it I remembered where it led.)” Melin blushed slightly. She leaned against Círdan’s chest and closed her eyes, enjoying the moment of silence that they were sharing.
After a few minutes of silence Círdan sighed and let go of Melin. “(We shouldn’t be out here. By now Kale will notice that I am not in my chambers and will probably come looking for me.)”
Nodding Melin threw on her invisibility cloak and followed after Círdan as he left, trailing a safe distance away from him so as not to give herself away. They had almost reached Círdan’s chambers when a tapestry was thrown aside, revealing a hidden passage, and worse, Kale.
“(I have been looking for you everywhere Círdan. I was worried that how we were forced to act earlier had been harmful to you.)” Purred Kale.
Círdan looked extremely confused. “(I do not understand.)”
Sashaying up to Círdan Kale draped her arms over his shoulders. “(You don’t need to play games with me Círdan, I know that what you are doing is merely out of pity for my poor wretched sister and her half-breed child. You claim that you are in love with Melin, that you have been since before she vanished all those years ago…but you were only 6, and you and I both know that you were unable to fall in love at that time.)”
Stifling a gasp Melin pressed herself up against the wall, barely wanting to believe what she had just heard. Círdan didn’t seem to be pushing Kale away, nor was he disagreeing with her. Was it possible that Círdan had truly played her for the fool? As Círdan pulled Kale close she felt ill, and couldn’t stand to watch any more. Turning away she rushed off down the halls, heading back towards her rooms.
As soon as Melin’s footsteps had died away Círdan looked at Kale with a smirk. “(You think she fell for it?)”
Kale nodded and stepped away as Círdan’s form melted away, quickly being replaced with Camthalion’s. “(If that doesn’t keep get rid of her I don’t know what will.)”
With a sneer he pushed open the door to Círdan’s room and looked down at the prone figure on the floor. “(Perhaps we should send him away as well…he is a danger to us.)”
“(No, first we need to make him feel betrayed by his beloved. Then we can rid ourselves of him.)” Nudging Círdan with her foot Kale matched her brother’s sneer. “(Any ideas?)”
“(None at the moment. Perhaps her sudden disappearance and a note saying she prefers that greasy looking human would work best?)”
“(An excellent idea brother. Let’s be off then.)”
Jehan had just finished juicing the last seed pod when Melin rushed out of the hidden passage. Leaping to his feet he hurried over to her, his eyes filled with fear at the tears streaming down his mother’s cheeks. “What happened mother? Did you find Círdan?”
Tossing her invisibility cloak onto the bed Melin allowed Jehan to lead her over to a chair and sit her down. “He….he…he’s been playing us….” Wiping her eyes she looked at the prepared ingredients that Jehan had set on the table. “All this time…he never wanted me…”
“Nonsense mother. Círdan loves you, you must have been tricked. It must have been something done by Kale to get back at you.” Conjuring up a box of tissues Jehan did his best to give Melin a reassuring smile.
“I just don’t know….Círdan said that he had been in love with me all this time…but Kale said that we are incapable of love at the age of 6…” Wiping her eyes again she looked over towards the doors to her rooms, which had just opened.
Kale came striding into the room, followed closely by Camthalion. “(You look a mess sister. I hope our actions weren’t too harsh on you earlier.)” Stepping over to Melin’s side Kale put her hand on Melin’s shoulder. “(You must understand that we are under a considerable amount of stress, our parents are getting on in their years, there has been another report of a possible attack on our castle, and with your return…well…I guess our stress got to us.)” She gave a look of concern as Melin shook her away. “(There is something else troubling you isn’t there little sister…)” She said quietly.
Pushing Kale away Melin made her way over to the large bay window. “(I was with Círdan when you met with him in the halls. I heard everything.)” She whirled around and glared at Kale, becoming even more upset at the look of concern on Kale’s face. “(And now you mock me! Círdan never loved me! And now you come in here apologizing for your actions? Do you really think that I want to stay here after everything you and Cam have done? After everything Círdan has done?)”
“(But….)” Camthalion watched as Melin began packing up the few belongings she had taken with her. “(You should at least tell him that you are leaving.)” He looked away as Melin ripped off her tunic and changed back into her robes. “(Will you at least tell our parents? They will be crushed if you disappear again.)”
“(Why don’t you tell them?)” Snarled Melin. “(Jehan and I are leaving…I don’t know when we will return.)” She wiped her eyes again and grabbed hold of Jehan’s arm. “(You know where you can find me.)” Turning she and Jehan both disapparated.
Camthalion turned to Kale and smiled. “(That went better than we had hoped.)” Pulling out a sealed envelope he set it on the desk next to a necklace that looked almost identical to Melin’s. “(Now let us head for bed. We will need to be in good shape when we find this letter in the morning.)”
Círdan awoke to the sound of someone pounding on his door. Rolling on to his side, his head pounding, he opened his eyes. “(Who is it?)” He croaked.
The door opened and Kale came rushing in. “(Melin is gone!)”
“(What do you mean by gone?)” Sitting up Círdan groaned as the room began to spin. “(When did she leave?)”
“(I don’t know. I went up this morning to apologize for my behavior and she was gone. All I could find was this.)” Kale held out a tear stained envelope. “(It is addressed to you.)”
Taking the envelope from Kale Círdan opened it carefully and began to read.
(Círdan,
After spending a lot of time considering my options I have decided to return to the human realm and to Severus. He treats me for who I truly am, not for who I once might have been. Had this been any other time I might have remained here, but I need to be with Severus. He can do more for me than you probably ever could.
Melin)
“(What does it say Círdan? Is she all right?)” Leaning over Círdan’s shoulder Kale gave a mock gasp as she pretended to read the letter. “(She loved that human?)”
“(She is under a love curse….but it appears that she never wanted to cure herself.)” Círdan wadded up the letter and threw it across the room. “(And to think I actually had my scholars search for a cure! And I even had Getta go out and collect the ingredients she would need!)” He slammed his fist down onto the bed. “(She played me for a fool!)” Looking up he noticed Kale was holding something in her hands. “(What’s that?)”
Kale sighed and opened her hand, revealing the necklace. “(This was with the letter. I’m sorry.)”
Círdan snatched the necklace from Kale’s hands and turned it over, inspecting it carefully. After several minutes he stood up and threw the necklace at Kale. “(This is a fake! Where is Melin and what have you done with her?)” He roared.
Kale’s worried demeanor melted into a sneer. “(She’s left to go back to the human realm. And I doubt she or that thing of hers will ever return.)” The triumphant tone in her voice rang throughout the room as she spoke. Turning on her heel she strode from the room, slamming the door behind her.
Melin returned to the house she shared with Michea and her other brothers and locked herself in her room. It was August 31st by the time Melin finally began talking to anyone other than Jehan and Michea. She seemed like she was merely the shell of the person she had once been, and even her appearance had changed considerably. Her hair had lost much of its shine, and now hung limply around her face. The mischievous glimmer that had once been in her eyes was now gone, replaced with a look of timidity and lost hope. She was considerably thinner now, and there were dark circles under her eyes.
“Mother, Headmaster Dumbledore is here to speak with you. He wishes to know if you will return to teach this year.”
Melin looked up as Jehan showed Dumbledore into the room, her eyes following him closely. “Severus doesn’t need my help….I don’t know why I need to return.” She said quietly.
Dumbledore’s face was stern as he sat down on the only chair in the room. “Nonsense Melin. You are a highly qualified teacher, and we would be losing out if you do not return. Severus has even asked personally for you to come back.” He motioned for Jehan to leave the room. As soon as Jehan was gone he sighed and looked Melin over. “You really need to be taking better care of yourself Melin, especially if you are going to be helping Severus teach Defense Against the Dark Arts.” Seeing that he had gotten Melin’s attention he nodded happily. “You see why I would like you back.”
“But…who will teach potions?” Asked Melin.
“I have gotten Horace Slughorn to agree to take up the job once again. But that is not what matters. What matters that you return and teach. You love teaching, you have said it many times to me and the other members of the faculty. And besides…with Severus teaching his new class….” He let his sentence drop, allowing Melin to fill in the gaps as she needed. “Will I be seeing you at the feast then?”
Nodding slowly Melin rose shakily to her feet and moved slowly over to the window. “I’ll be there…but for now…I guess I need to make myself look…presentable.” Even her voice had a defeated tone to it as she spoke.
“Yes, we can’t have one of our teachers showing up looking like she has just spent the last several months in prison.” Dumbledore rose from his seat and patted Melin on the shoulder. “Your son has something for you that will help your appearance return to what it should be. I expect to see you at the staff table tomorrow night Melin.”
Melin listened to Dumbledore leave and sighed. She couldn’t tell him her real reason for why she looked the way she did, but then again….she really didn’t want to. Turning away from the window she pulled on her dressing gown and made her way slowly out of the room and down the stairs. The house looked deserted, but when she stopped she thought she heard voices coming from the kitchen. Pushing open the kitchen door she blinked at the bright light streaming into the kitchen from the breakfast nook. “(What’s going on? Why is everyone in here?)” As her eyes adjusted to the light she scanned the room, looking first at her son, then to Michea, then to Aranel and Annanahrion, and finally to a cloaked figure who was sitting over in the breakfast nook nursing a glass of pumpkin juice. “(Who’s the cloaked person?)” There was something about her son and sibling’s smiles that made her really curious. “(Why are you guys smiling?)”
Michea smirked. “(Why don’t you go and find out who the cloaked person is? You’ve never stopped to ask permission before.)” Seeing Melin’s expression sadden he gave her a reassuring smile. “(Hey I’m joking with you Melin. Go on, go take the guys hood off and see who it is. I think you will be surprised.)”
“(It’s not Severus is it? I don’t want to deal with him right now….)” Moving over to the table she tried to look under the hood of the person who was sitting there, but the light was shining from behind the person, making it impossible for her to see. As the person stood up she reached up and lowered the hood. “(Círdan!)”
Círdan couldn’t believe how bad Melin looked. Reaching out he gently touched Melin’s cheek, his expression saddening as Melin shrank away from him. “(Melin….)”
Stepping forward Michea moved Melin over to one of the chairs and gently pushed her down. “(Círdan arrived about an hour ago. He’s told us everything he’s figured out about what happened with you. He says he was drugged that night and it wasn’t him that you were speaking with in the stables.)”
“(Kale came into my room the next morning with a letter that you had apparently written, along with a necklace that was supposed to be the one I gave you.)” Sitting back down Círdan folded his hands and looked over at Melin with pleading eyes. “(You left before I could tell you the truth and Cam has been making sure to keep me busy.)”
Sighing Melin looked down at her hands. “(But…I saw Kale all over you…and you…you agreed with her and what she said.)”
“(You saw Kale all over Cam Melin.)” Michea sat down next to his sister and patted her hand. “(Cam’s specialty is in changing his appearance. You could say he is like a chameleon.)”
“(But…then where were you? And how come he didn’t say anything about my being out?)”
“(He had to make it believable.)” Reaching forward Círdan took Melin’s hands in his own. “(He and Kale have been going through hell because of what you did…because of what I did. And they wanted to make you pay.)” He gave her a small smile. “(You know that I would never do anything to harm you. I would give my life to make you happy.)”
Standing up Michea motioned for everyone to leave the room and give Melin and Círdan a bit of private time.
Círdan got up and moved around the table to sit next to Melin. Gently caressing her cheek he smiled again. “(I know you cannot return with me to our realm at this time, but…)” His words were cut off as Melin leaned forward and pressed her lips against his. Closing his eyes he wrapped his arms around Melin’s elfin body, tears of joy streaming down his cheeks.
It was several minutes before Melin broke off the kiss. Looking into Círdan’s eyes she smiled for the first time in over a month. “(Would you still be willing to let me brew that potion?)”
Melin looked almost 100% better the next morning as she made her way up towards Hogwarts. But then again, she had resumed her human form and manipulated it to look normal. In truth she still looked as if she had spent the past few months in Azkaban. She carried two suitcases with her, one containing the ingredients she needed to make her potion, the other containing several books Jehan had picked up for her. She had just made it up to her office and was beginning to add the primary ingredients to her potion when Snape entered her office. Turning around she gave him a polite smile. “How are your ribs?”
Snape raised an eyebrow. “Why do you ask?”
“Because I cracked a few of them.” Turning back to her potion she continued to add the ingredients, stopping only when Snape cleared his throat. “Is something wrong?” She asked, not turning around.
“You do know that you are assisting me now in Defense Against the Dark Arts correct?”
Nodding Melin added another ingredient and began to stir the mixture. “Dumbledore told me yesterday.”
“Then why aren’t you down there getting acquainted with the room and my text books?” Asked Snape, feeling irritated that Melin was paying more attention to the potion than to him. “I guess a better question would be; why are you working on a potion?”
The potion let of a loud bang, signaling to Melin that she needed to add the next and final ingredient. “Experimenting.” Charming her stirring rod to do the stirring for her she turned around and looked at Snape, her face shining with happiness. “I picked up a few new recipes during my trip and I wanted to try them out.” She cocked her head to one side as Snape let out an exasperated sigh. “Is something wrong? You seem more agitated than usual.”
“Agitated? I am finally given the position I originally applied for, finally being rid of those insufferable potions brats, and you are making some obscure potion you discovered while hanging out with your family?” Snape strode over to Melin and grabbed hold of her arm. “I don’t know what has come over you, but you are seriously beginning to irritate me. Do you know how many times I have had to explain that you were infiltrating the other realm when you didn’t respond to the Dark Lord’s summons? He wants you to be his eyes and ears for Hogwarts…but apparently you are too busy being all happy with your family!” He sighed and pressed his fingers to his temples. “In truth I am beginning to wonder why I even have feelings for you.” His scowl darkened as Melin began to laugh mirthlessly. “I fail to see what is so amusing to you Melin. I actually thought that you and I shared something special.”
Melin stopped laughing and looked over at the potion, her demeanor changing as quickly as a boggart coming upon a new person. “We did…but I feel that there is no way we can continue with our relationship with everything going on.” Her heart felt as if it was being torn to shreds as she stood there staring at the bubbling potion. Círdan had told her this would happen, the she would become physically ill when she tried to break the curse, but she still had to clutch her desk to stop herself from falling. “I do care for you deeply Severus, and I always will…but we will only be liabilities to each other.” Feeling ill she closed her eyes and clutched her stomach. “Please, let us at least spend this last month without a fight….” She gasped as Snape strode over to her and wrapped her in his arms.
“You look like you are going to faint. Tell me what is going on.” Snape said quietly, his voice devoid of emotion. Turning Melin to look at him he stared into her eyes, his reflection showing back at him. “Why do you seal your mind from me?”
Melin looked away and sighed. “Because if you knew what was going on in my mind you would be crushed.”
Snape grabbed Melin’s chin between his fingers and twisted her face up to look at him. “Try me.” As Melin relaxed in his grasp he couldn’t help but draw in a sharp breath as images began to fly before his eyes. He saw Melin’s kiss with Círdan, their moments during the ball, Melin’s confession of love to Círdan, and most of all, what the potion behind Melin was meant for. Pushing Melin away he stormed from the office, leaving Melin kneeling next to her cauldron.
Closing her eyes Melin felt a single tear trickle down her cheek. “I warned you Severus…I warned you that you would not like what you saw.” She whispered.
“Jehan!” Mirella’s face lit up as she opened the door to find Jehan standing there with a bouquet of flowers in his hands. “Come in! So sorry my apartment is messy…I did not know you were stopping by…otherwise….”
Smiling Jehan handed the flowers to Mirella and stepped inside, removing his overcoat. Aside from a few takeout boxes on the kitchen counter and a pile of old books on the coffee table the apartment was spotless. “If you call this messy I’d hate to here what you’d call my place.” He said with a laugh.
Mirella blushed and took the flowers over to the kitchen. “I wouldn’t know what to call it…I have never seen it before.” Reaching under the sink she pulled out a simple glass vase and filled it with water. “Now I think of it…you have never even told me where you live.”
Now it was Jehan’s turn to blush. “Um…well…my place…it’s um…really out of the way.”
“It cannot be any more out of the way than my place is.” Placing the flowers in the vase Mirella came around into the living room and set the vase on the coffee table. “I really would like you to take me there some time.”
His face still red Jehan cleared his throat with a little cough. “Um…may I please use your restroom?” As Mirella nodded he hurried into the bathroom to splash water on his face.
With a sigh Mirella looked over at Jehan’s coat. ‘I wonder.’ Walking over she reached removed her gloves and placed her hands on the coat. The room around her began to fade away and was quickly replaced by several images flashing before her. Closing her eyes she fought to concentrate on one image. ‘Come on…please just one…something that will tell me more about him.’ She said to herself. The images slowed and finally stopped on one of what looked like Jehan (but how odd…his hair was blue) and a blue skinned woman sitting at a table in a small apartment. Just as the image began to come to life she heard the bathroom door open. With a gasp she released the coat as Jehan came back into the living room. “Do you feel better now?” She asked, trying to clear the haze from her mind.
“Yeah, just had to cool my face down.” Smiling politely Jehan sat down on the old and well worn couch. “You look like you’ve seen something that shouldn’t be. Are you all right?”
Sitting down next to Jehan Mirella nodded quietly. “Jehan…have you ever had blue hair?”
“Um….” Jehan was completely taken aback by Mirella’s question. Could she have possibly seen him somewhere while he was in his true form? “What do you mean?”
“Well…Jehan…I have not been fully honest with you.” Mirella looked down at her hands. “You see…I have a special…power.”
Jehan raised his eyebrows but kept quiet, letting Mirella speak.
“I can see…things when I touch objects. I have to concentrate really hard, and my abilities are not as powerful as they could be, but…while you were in the bathroom…I wanted to find something out…so I used your coat. I saw you…only you had blue hair…and you were talking with a woman who had blue skin.” She looked up, expecting Jehan to start laughing at her. Instead she saw that he looked absolutely shocked. “Did I say something wrong?”
Closing his eyes Jehan shook his head and returned to his true form, his hair lengthening and returning to its normal blue color. “No, you didn’t.” Opening his eyes he saw the look of fear that had appeared in Mirella’s eyes. “I have much to explain to you Mirella….”
“Ah Melin, fancy seeing you here!” Slughorn maneuvered his large body over to the table where Melin, Círdan, Jehan, and Michea were sitting at. Taking the last free chair he settled down and set a large container of crystallized pineapple on the table. “How did your potion turn out? I must know!”
Blushing Melin looked over at Círdan and smiled faintly. “It worked wonderfully. Granted there was some pain, but it was to be expected with a potion that powerful.” Turning to look at Slughorn her smile widened. “I see that you’ve stocked up on your favorite candy sir. May I introduce you to my son Jehan, my older brother Michea, who I believe you met while I was in school, and Círdan…my fiancée.” She blushed violently at the last word.
Slughorn nodded to Jehan. “You work at the apothecary down on Diagon do you not?” At Jehan’s nod he smiled. “I see that a love for potions runs in the family. Where did you go to school?”
Jehan cleared his throat and turned the same hue as his mother. “I went to Le Feu et Glace Academy in France. But that was years ago.”
“Ah yes, I remember Melin saying something about that.” Turning to Michea he gave him a polite nod. “I see you haven’t aged a day since Melin’s graduation.” He slapped Michea on the back and laughed. “You really must tell me your secret.”
“Oh, you know, just the usual ‘be a member of an undying race’ method.”
Melin raised an eyebrow and sighed. Michea had never been good at making jokes, but that one stunk worse that a bag of dung bombs. As Slughorn turned his gaze to Círdan she turned red again and looked down at her drink as if she was trying to decipher the exact ingredients in the cocktail she had ordered. She could feel Slughorn’s gaze move to her and she looked up, her face rivaling the color of Michea’s scarlet fizzing drink.
“I was under the assumption that you were with Severus.” Commented Slughorn in a confused tone. Seeing how red Melin was he suddenly let out a loud guffawing laugh. “Well that’s what I get for believing rumors I guess.”
“No…Severus and I were together…but we came…we came up against…um…differences.” She could feel Círdan place a comforting hand on her leg and relaxed slightly.
Círdan smiled politely. Though he couldn’t understand what was being said, he had a pretty good idea it was about the odd circumstances in which Melin and Snape had separated. The conversation seemed to move on to lighter subjects, until at last Slughorn got up, said his goodbyes, and left. With a small smile Círdan watched as Michea placed the money for their drinks on the table. Standing up he took hold of Melin’s hand and helped her to stand. “(I guess this means that you have to head back now.)”
“(Yes, but I promise to see you again soon Círdan.)” Kissing Círdan on the cheek she pulled on her coat, scarf, hat, and gloves and made her way out of the tavern and up the frozen path back to the castle. She had barely reached her office when Snape’s silver messenger flew towards her. Listening to the message she quickly hurried from her office and down to where Snape was waiting for her. “What happened?” She asked breathlessly.
“There’s been an attack.” Sneered Snape. “I believe I said that in my message. Now let’s go, I’ve gotten the student stabilized, but now our job is to find out who attacked her and why. Come with me.” Turning on his heel Snape strode off towards the dungeons, his cloak trailing after him like the wings of some great bird. He already had a pretty good idea as to who had sent the cursed item, as well as who the item was meant for, but he still had to find out what had gone wrong. Hearing Melin’s footsteps behind him he opened the door to his office and strode through, shutting it right behind Melin. “Get those silly clothes off and sit down, you look like you’re preparing for a blizzard…either that or trying your hand a knitting with hairballs you’ve found left behind from the student’s cats.”
Melin glared at Snape and removed her outer garments, setting them on the chair. “I think I’ll stand for now Severus.” She said coldly. As she listened to Snape tell her his suspicions she felt the blood leave her face and noticed that she was clutching at her left arm. “But…how can we prove that he did it?” She asked.
“Well first I have to make sure that he was the one who did it don’t I?” Snarled Snape. “I’ll know by Christmas, and you will be the one to tell me. I expect to have an answer soon too Melin, or else I will be forced to report to the Dark Lord that you are not doing the job he assigned to you.”