Melody walked up the tower steps, it was a gloriously windy day. She gripped her emerald jacket tighter around her shoulders with her fingerless gloves as she hopped up the last few steps, her Keds making a satisfying smack on the stone steps. the leaves flew off the trees in all their fall glory, tumbling in the wind to some faraway place where they would become covered in snow and reside for the rest of the winter. But for now- Hogwarts was bursting with golds, yellows, browns, reds and oranges. The sky was a birliant blue- but it was so cloudy you had to wear your jacket. Melody adjusted her knit beret and looked up towards the ceiling for Leonardo. She had a letter tucked in her pocket that she desperately needed to send... back home. She bit her lip, what would she do if she was caught without her owl? No one else could find him but Leo- and Melody had no idea where he'd gone. Brilliant. She didn't know what to do- so she sat down (careful of the owl poop) and waited. She had time after all. She listened to the Hogwarts clock chime throughtout campus- and she checked her pocketwatch. 2. 2 in the afternoon. She definitely had time.

Alex ran as fast as he could to the owlery, he had just enough time between Potion and Defense Against the Dark Arts to send the package under his right arm. He skidded to a halt and immediately a beautiful snowy owl flew don and landed on his shoulder. He didn't own an owl so this was a bit of a surprise. Hurriedly he tied the package to the owl's leg and sent it of into the sky. Muttering as it left he turned and only then noticed one of the teachers sitting on the floor. They had met before, with Nicholas. "Excuse me," he began a little timidly, "are you alright?" he asked stepping an inch closer to her. In his mind he was trying to remember what her name had been, Megan? Mary? Melody! That was it. He hoped she hadn't realized what the package had been, although it was addressed in bulgarian - and not many people bothered to learn it.

Melody saw a student- what was his name? - she'd figure it out.- run quickly up the stairs and send a mysterious package. She assumed it was going to Bulgaria, because that's what the address was written in. Melody's letter, tucked safely in her coat pocket, was addressed in plain english. Alex! Melody thought to herself. Mr. Alex Cien. A Ravenclaw. Where had she met him before? Melody thought harder. The ministry! He was a friend of Nick's.... Melody sighed. "I'm fine." she said, in answer to his question. "I just simply can't find my owl is all."

Alex smiled as another owl came and sat on his shoulder, "I'm sure you'll find him, he's probably out hunting." He paused and turned to the owl stroking his fingers down the smooth feathers, "Добър ден приятел," he whispered - 'Hello Friend'. Alex had taken to speaking more in his own language since his trip to London with Nicholas. It had brought back lots of memories, making him want to speak the language rather than hide behind his poor English.

"I'm sure he is - and I have time to wait." Melody smiled at Alex's suggestion, then heard him speak some sort of gibberish. "What did you say to him?" Melody asked curiously, getting up and walking over to stroke the new owl's head. She was curious now- what was up with this student.

"Добър ден приятел," Alex said turning to her, "It means 'Hello Friend. Sorry - I've taken to speaking Bulgarian lately, I'm from Durmstrang you see, so it just sometimes...comes out." He smiled apologetically at her, and continued to whisper to the owl in a language he knew she wouldn't understand.

Melody found it irritating when people spoke that way, so she walked away as Leonardo flew in the window. After a sound scolding and a set of rolled eyes on both ends, Melody got out her letter.

Jack Marqin

Was all that was written on the front. Melody gave it to Leonard and sent him in the right direction, watching him with keen interest until he was nothing but a speck. "Do you mind me asking what you sent?" She asked Alex in a half interested tone.

Alex snapped his head around and turned so he was fully facing her, "Just a package," he said, maybe a little too quickly, "Why?" he asked letting the owl walk down his arm and onto a perch. Smooth Alex he thought, mentally slapping himself. He could have thought up a lie about how it was a relative's birthday - even if he didn't have any.

"I was just curious." Melody said, slightly offended by his snappy answer. "Do you have something to hide?" She inquired a little more nosily. As a teacher it was sort of her job. She hoped he didn't, but you never knew these days, and as a new teacher it was enough to make you pull your hair out.

"Любопитството уби котката" he mumbled - "Curiosity killed the cat.". He looked at her as he smoothed down his uniform. "Even if I did. It's far too late," he said, smirking slightly. "That owl is pretty fast." Alex turned and pulled out a much smaller letter from his back pocket and tied it to the leg of the owl, which had previously been on his shoulder. "That's a letter to the ministry - if you were wondering," he said as the owl took off and flew out of the tower.

Blair was buried in a book as she walked into the room. Once she realized that she wasn't alone, however, she snapped the book shut with a satisfying 'snap' and looked at Alex and Melody. "Um, hi." she said, a little awkwardly. "I... just needed to send a letter..." she coaxed an owl down and sent it on its way before turning back to the other two. "Am I interrupting something?" She asked slowly, glad that it was cold out so she wouldn't blush. She always blushed when she was in an awkward moment. She hated it when she blushed. So she liked the wind, it kept her face cooler.

Melody acknowledged Blair with a nod, adding "No, it's fine. I was just sending a letter, and Mr. Cien here was sending his own mail" Melody made a small pout, "But he wouldn't tell me where they were going." Melody frowned a bit, sitting back down on her bench. "What's new with you Blair?" Melody fiddled with her ring finger on her left hand- on which there was a silver and gold band- a strand of ivy leaves all interwoven to make a small delicate circle around her pale finger.

Alex laughed as the owl who had send his official latter returned and sat on his shoulder. The one to Bulgaria still on it's journey, "If you must know it was a spell book of dark magic to help the Dark Lord rise to power. Happy?" he asked, stroking the owl's feathers slowly. Looking carefully at the other person who had joined them. He inclined his head to her, but said nothing, not out loud anyway.

"You don't believe me?" he asked, pulling up his left sleeve to reveal the beginnings of a dark mark. His angelic smile turned into a smirk as he remembered there was a teacher there. He turned to her, flashing her one of his trademark smiles and turned to leave. "If you tell anyone," he said turning back and facing the women, "I will rip your tongue from your mouth with my bare hands." Alex turned back and began to walk out of the tower, "Good day," he ended, still smiling.

"You might," he called back at her, glad for a moment he had perfect hearing. "It all depends on who you support. I'd rather not spend my days in prison." With that said he returned to the castle, to his classes and to the students who were all happily unaware of the war around their ears. Alex bit his lip and smiled, he quite liked that woman, whoever she was. Maybe he could meet up with her another time.

Melody watched as Alex revealed his Dark mark- though she couldn't say he surprised her. She suspected something like that to happen to him- to be him. Melody knew he wouldn't touch her if he couldn't see her. But, as she saw no real threat of him at the moment, she let it be. But she would remember. She always remembered. Melody got up, looked again for Leo, and upon seeing him not return, she too set off for the castle.