Spring in the Air ((Lily))

[Melody Bang-Bala G6]

Melody allowed herself a moment of childish glee as she scampered down the bank and stopped herself only just in time from crashing into the lake. She put a finger in to test. Its waters were still icy cold, but the sun was hot and it was blissful out here. Spring had come. Most of the snow had melted, although it was still clearly visible on the nearby hills. Green, fresh shoots were pushing their tender heads out of the ground. The daffodils were out in force, the magical ones putting on an extremely colourful display. If the weather didn't cool down soon though, they would soon wilt, because it was only crisp weather that would keep them at the height of their glory. Although this type of weather did mean you were able to enjoy it more. Melody could almost feel all the new life, just growing around her and enjoying the feeling of being alive on this wonderful spring morning.

Melody reached into her pocket and withdrew the item she had brought out here intending to use - a birthday present from her uncle's family. It was a magically enchanted skipping rope. Melody had always been hopeless at skipping, but this skipping rope, brightly painted in the Gryffindor colours, was magically enchanted to help her learn. She wasn't sure exactly how it would help her learn, so this could be a novel experience. She started to try to skip, ending up going round in circles as usual, but could feel herself being lifted up each time so that she would get over the rope and not end up in a heap on the floor. This was actually great fun!

[lilyanne]

Lily was so happy on the first day of spring. It seemed like everything was going right in her life, for once. She decided to take a walk near the lake.

Nearby, a girl about her age was skipping rope, a skill that Lily had always enjoyed. She ran up to the girl to meet her. "hi'" Lily started. "My name is Lily. What's yours?"

[Melody Bang-Bala G6]

Melody smiled warmly as another Gryffindor ran up to her, evidently in as good a mood as she was, and introduced herself as Lily. Melody surveyed her quickly. She was a fairly slight girl, not very tall, and from the looks of it probably in the year below Melody, as she didn't know her. Her hair was a lovely shade of brown, which had a little more than a hint of red in it. She stopped skipping and held the skipping rope in her hand.

"Why, I'm Melody," she said brightly. "Pleasure ter meet yer. Tha'll want a go with the skipping rope, I'll wager." She grinned, holding the rope out. "I must admit, 'tis great fun. Go on, 'ave a go!" She smiled again at the girl, her Yorkshire cheer beaming through almost like the sun that was bright in the sky, climbing up to the middle of the sky. Everything seemed to be right with the world on days like these.

[lilyanne]

Lily took the skipping rope from Melody and began down the lakeside, never missing a beat. Melody kept up pace beside her. "So, Melody," Lily began. "Where are you from?"

((I thought we could ask ?'s like these and answer back and forth?"

Lily smiled as the girl told her of her home and asked her questions as well. It wasn't soon, though, before Lily lost her footing and fell into the lake.

[Melody Bang-Bala G6]

((Eh? Tha'll 'ave to explain a wee bit more than that, lovie, I'm afraid I dun quite follow thee.))

Melody smiled as Lily took the skipping rope from her. She seemed quite a pro at it, if truth be told. Put Melody to shame. She could talk and skip at the same time as well! Now she was asking Melody where she came from. Well, it was a valid question, if with a rather obvious answer. Maybe she wanted to know where in the great county of Yorkshire Melody came from, and Melody would be happy to tell her that, because in the whole of Yorkshire there wasn't a city greater than Leeds.
"Why, yer straight to the point aren't you!" she exclaimed. "I'm a Yorkshire lass, as yer can probably tell. Leeds is me 'ome. How 'bout yerself?"

Melody never got the chance to hear the answer. As if surprised at being asked the question, all she saw was a smile before Lily had disappeared into the lake, taking Melody's brand new skipping rope with her. She could at least have left that behind if she felt she had to go for a swim! Or perhaps she'd just tripped up on something. Melody peered over the bank and saw Lily not too far from the edge, looking slightly taken by surprise. She probably had been. Well, what could you expect if you were going to go into the lake at this time of year. It was almost suicidal, the temperature the water was at. Which meant Melody had better get the other girl out of there soon, actually.

Melody pulled her up, nearly slipping into the lake herself on the muddy bank, but luckily managing to hold on. She raised her eyebrows as she heaved Lily onto dry land as best she could and retrieved the offending skipping rope, curling it and putting it back in her pocket.
"Ey! Dun do tha' again!" Melody said, smiling at Lily, trying to make sure that she was still able to smile back, if it would probably be a grin of chattering teeth. "Ye'll frighten the life out of me, and give yerself cold. Now t'en, you all right?" Melody wasn't entirely sure what she should do now. Probably take Lily inside, so she didn't catch any more cold, and force her to take a warm shower. But that might not be the thing to do. How was she supposed to know? She was only a second year.

[lilyanne]

As Lily's foot slipped from under her, she heard Melody ask where she was from. As she was falling into the lake, the redhead had no way of answering before she screamed and fell into the lake, the skipping rope coming behind her and tangling her legs into it.

Melody helped her up and the two went back to the castle. As they were walking,the second year asked if Lily were allright. Lily replied through chattering teeth, "Yyyeah...Iii'm fffinnne."

As the two girls went into the castle, they were stopped by a teacher, and Melody asked what she should do.

[Professor Minerva McGonagall]

Professor McGonagall pulled her scarf tightly around her neck and stepped out of her classroom. She had to talk with professor Sprout. Knowing she would probably find the other professor from one of the Greenhouses professor McGonagall walked down the hallways briskly and exited the castle.
She hadn’t gone very far yet, when she noticed two girls from her own house came up to her. One a second year – ms. Bang-Bala and the other a first year – ms.Ward. But Ms.Ward seemed to be soaking wet.

“What on earth happened here?” McGonagall asked sternly looking at the girls. At least miss Bang-Bala seemed to have enough common sense to ask what she should do.
Puling out her wand, professor McGonagall dried ms.Ward with a rather complicated charm. The girl wasn’t dripping water anymore, but she wasn’t entirely dry yet either. It would do for a moment though, as McGonagall looked at both students sternly.
“Explain to me what happened,” she commanded with a level stare at the two girls.

[Melody Bang-Bala G6]

((Jus' ter explain, Lily, I asked the Professor 'ere ter join, thought it might be more fun. An' Professor, thanks once again.))

Melody noticed Professor McGonagall walking out of the castle as she and Lily made their way towards it, so she diverted towards her. The teacher was strict, but also humane, and very clever, so Melody was hopeful she would be able to help. She diverted her path to intercept the Professor.
"Professor? Professor?" she asked as she drew near. "Professor, could yer 'elp me? I'm not sure what ter do..." Melody was cut off as the Professor turned a stern gaze on her.

"Well, Professor, it were like this," Melody started, looking sideways as the Professor drew her wand and dried her companion. "Lily 'ere were skippin' wit' me rope, an' she took a fall inter t'lake. Any'ow, I pulled 'er out, but I wasn' sure what ter do and I durn't leave it. So I 'oped yer migh 'elp."
Melody looked up at the Transfiguration professor expectantly, and then anxiously back to Lily to see that she wasn't too wet. She would know what to do.

[Lily Ward G1]

Lily was grateful for what Professor had done. Now dry, she was still hysterical, for the young girl was given an awful fright. Lily became lightheaded and lost her balance. Fortunately, Melody caught her. The Professor, being the head of Gryffindor House, was aware of her medical issues, one of which was being prone to panic attacks.

[Professor Minerva McGonagall]

Professor McGonagall frowned as she listened to mss. Bang-Bala explanation as to what had happened.
“Such behavior is irresponsible! The water of the lake is cold! You catch some cold or who knows what might happen is someone who didn’t know how to swim would fall in?” professor McGonagall reprimanded the girls sternly, “Do not go to that close to the edge of the lake. And you miss Ward, better go inside and change into warm clothes. I would strongly suggest a visit to madam Pomfrey as well so you wouldn’t catch a cold.”<br>One more stern look accompanied McGonagalls words, as to make sure the two students would understand that this was no joking matter.

But miss Bang-Bala had helped ms Ward out, so McGonagall nodded at her. At least the second year hadn’t panicked and hadn’t done anything to make matters worse.
“It’s good to know that you stayed by your friends side and were able to think rationally at such situation. 5 points to Gryffindor,” McGonagall stated calmly and ushered the girls away as the professor herself continued to walk towards the Greenhouse disappearing around the corner.