My name is Melody Riddle...

I know what you're thinking in your head: "I've never heard of you!" and "What side were you on when Voldemort - obviously your father - came to power again?" Well, when Harry's biography was being written, I had to ask that I not be included at all. Easier said than done. Where there are strange holes in his story, they're basically where I was... not that you'd notice the holes until you read my story.

Back on topic, I wanted to write my own autobiography so you can see the choices I had to make and what brought me to do everything I've ever done. It may not make you understand my decisions any more than if Harry had written it, but at least it's from my perspective.

Where my story begins, I am ten years old living in Colorado in the United States... but I used to be Melody Gray - a decision of my mother's that I still have yet to understand:

"Melody! I-I need to tell you something! Come here!" mom shouted from upstairs in the living room, her British accent sounding nervous.

I sat up in bed, setting aside the history book I'd been reading for school. Well, not particularly for school, but for my teacher. I'm a quick learner, so she's attempting to push me past limits she just can't find.

"I'm coming!" I yell, wondering just what she's so worried about now. It's a Sunday, and dad just left an hour ago for his business trip — lately he's always running out the door as quickly as possible to avoid mom's pregnancy mood swings. At this point, she has trouble letting him leave the house.

Unlike mom, I spoke in an American accent like dad. I knew mom was from England, but she wouldn't tell me, nor dad, why she came to America. As much as I have asked while growing up, she would not explain a single word.

I came upstairs to see mom pacing back and forth, looking extremely nervous as she obviously thought hard about something. Her belly bulged with the baby that was to come out in about three months, and I watched her from the darkness of the basement stairs for a bit, just listening to her mutter something I couldn't hear. Does this count as something stressful that mom shouldn't do? Probably.

It took me one step forward for mom to notice that I was there, and she instantly gestured to the plum colored couch. Ugly color if you were to ask me and dad, but mom loves it. I sit down, leaning back into the couch to listen.

"Sweetie, I have something to tell you..." she sat down next to me, seeming fairly hesitant about whatever this was about, and pulled the stray strand of curly brown hair out of her face. I inherited the same color hair, except mine is strangely straight. "And I don't know how else to do this, so I'm just going to come out and say it. I am a witch."

There was silence where all I could do was stare at her. This isn't good, I thought. "Nice to know being pregnant hasn't made you insane, mom," I quip.

Her face reddened, "I'm being very serious, Melody... The reason I haven't told you before is because... oh, I'm very bad at this... Well, your father isn't a wizard.. and — erm — he doesn't know that I am a witch.. but I need to tell you now because you most likely are one." The last few words were said slowly, uncertainly. But she waited patiently for me to say something.

"Mom, we've had this discussion before. I know kids at school call me a witch, but it's only because as nice as I try to be I somehow give off this vibe that I don't like any of them. It's very true in most cases, but —"

"I'm not talking about that!" she snapped, cutting me short. "I'm talking about real magic, Melody. Magic from your bones, magic concentrated through a wand to make amazing things happen. Even more amazing than a magician's show full of tricks, because it's not fake magic but real magic."

I sigh, "Are you sure this isn't just your hormones? I mean, dad just left for —"

"No, Melody," mom sighed in frustration. A moment later, however, her silvery gray eyes — something else I inherited — brightened and she pulled a key out of her pocket. "Grab the safe from under the couch for me," she said.

I narrow my eyes at her as I reach underneath me to feel something metal. "There's a safe under here?" I ask as I struggle to pull it out, picking it up and placing it on my lap. "What in the world is in here? Gold?"

Mom gave a knowing grin as she slipped the key into the lock, "Something like that." The lock twisted and she lifted the lid open to reveal gold, silver and bronze coins stacked neatly in rows. A long beautifully carved stick lay lightly on top.

I started to reach my hand out to pick it up, but mom beat me to it.

She snatched it up, still grinning, and waved it at the safe which promptly slammed shut — causing me to jump and stare — and flew right back under the couch. As if that wasn't enough, she also pointed the wand at the bookshelf across the room, levitating my favorite story book over: The Tales of Beedle the Bard.

I watched with tension as the book landed gently on my lap, and then I looked up at mom. She had used that stick, or wand I supposed, to levitate it across the room.

Mom looked triumphant. On any normal occasion, I would've made some logical explanation for what I saw... especially when it was a magician's act. But, I saw no strings attached to this, literally, and part of me actually wanted to believe all of this.

I rubbed my hand over the cover of the book and sighed, "Okay, I'll bite. What's going on?"

"Ever wondered why none of your friends know about this book? Why Beedle the Bard isn't in any history books you know for writing these stories?" mom asked, watching me closely.

"I have wondered, mom, remember? When I asked, you said it was a book passed down through your family for generations and that it was possibly the only one in existence. I really like the book, so I can't object but... a wizard wrote it?" I asked, silently in awe at what I was learning. However, I knew that the look on my face was one of absolute confusion.

Mom nodded silently.

"How would we know if I am a witch?" I asked.

"Has anything happened to you lately that you haven't told me about? There may be something to show that you have magic."

My mind reeled through the years. "Well, there was that time I woke up and everything in my room had disappeared. I thought someone might have robbed me, but then I blinked once and everything was in my room again."

"When was that? You never told me about it." I had to bite back a wince. Mom really thought I talked to her about everything. And I usually do. It's just that when something is out of the ordinary, I avoid worrying her over it unless I know for sure it actually happened. Most of the time I can't be so sure. Perhaps I'm much too logical... or can it be considered illogical now with this proof of the existence of magic?

I explained more times where something was odd; there were too many to count, really. Other kids had tried to pick on me once — and I mean once from almost every kid — and all of a sudden they came down with an illness, or they went into a vegetative state that disappeared the minute an adult came by. The only things I left out were my dreams... well, they weren't really dreams... they were more like nightmares considering I always woke up frightened. Mostly shown as some random thing chasing me, I've never found out what.

Mom listened to each of them attentively, but her face showed a large trace of fear when I told her the last story that always left me with a long line of questions.

"Do you remember all those times we went to the zoo, and once you mentioned getting us dinner I wanted to wander around by myself?"

She nodded.

"I would go in the reptile room and just talk to the snakes. I thought I was imagining it, that they were like imaginary friends. I always felt like it was my secret to keep to talk to them alone. People would stare, of course, and also wonder why I talked to them." I said. "I know because I swear I could hear their thoughts when I looked at them."

Mom's face was incredibly white, and I watched her with trepidation. I had never seen her look at me, or anyone, with such fear before.

"Mom," I prod her arm with my hand, "are you okay?"

"Oh," she said in surprise, as though coming out of a daze. "Why yes I'm fine. It's also a lot for me to process."

"Is it... abnormal for a wizard to be able to talk to snakes and hear people's thoughts?" I asked tentatively, a smoky smell hitting me in my nose. I threw my hand up to cover my nose.

"A little... it's not something to boast about, mind, but I've heard of stranger abilities." She quickly stood, "I think the lasagna is burning," and hastily made her way to the kitchen.

She's a great cook, so it's practically impossible for anything to distract her enough to actually burn something. The worst part about it is I can't help but see that she wasn't telling the truth when she said she'd seen stranger abilities. When she said it wasn't something to boast about - it really sounded more like a warning not to tell anyone.

I sat in the classroom thinking more on that magical discussion. It had only been a couple days ago, and mom and I never said another word about it. Dad called home that night with the news that his flight just landed and asked "What did my two favorite girls do today?"

I said nothing. If mom didn't want him to know, I guess it's her business, but I hope she eventually talks to him about it.

"Melody?!" someone asked loudly, taking me out of my thoughts.

"Huh?"

Though I showed no surprise, I felt it. It was easier for me to keep my emotions in check at school. Many kids thought I was extremely dull, and since after the incidents I mentioned to mom about the bullies, everyone avoided me. I had no friends to speak of, so it was normal to get lost in my mind and forget that I was around other people. I think my subconscious just never cares to know the people around me anyway. Who needs them?

The people calling my name happened to be my teacher and my partner sitting next to me, both staring intently at me.

"What?" I asked, holding back my irritability.

"I've been calling your name for the past five minutes," Ms. Kold told me sternly. I highly doubted she was doing that for five minutes, but she continued before I could correct her. "Your grandpa is here to take you home early."

"My who?"

Ms. Kold turned and gestured over a man I did not recognize.

He had silver hair and a beard, and both were extremely long. He wore long purple robes, accenting just how tall he was, and it all seemed to bring out his bright blue eyes, seemingly sparkling behind his half-moon spectacles. His nose was long and crooked.

"I don't know this man, Ms. Kold," I said.

"Oh, not to worry," she soothed with a smile. "Your mom called just a few minutes ago to say that he was coming. He's her father, she mentioned you've never met."

I looked at the man. "Not possible."

"We can talk alone for a minute before we leave, I promise you'll trust me afterwards," the man said, his eyes as kind as his voice. I noticed his voice is also British. Leave it to my school to allow a complete stranger to talk to a kid and possibly kidnap her just because he and the mother have the same accent.

I quickly covered my emotions before nodding, sitting there quietly while my teacher continued her patrol around the classroom and my partner went to another pair to be a group of three. The man sat down in front of me where my partner had been.

"Hello, Melody," he said brightly, "I am Albus Dumbledore; Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

I stared at him blankly. "There's a school?"

"Yes," he nodded. "Your mother sent me a message a few days ago about enrolling you in my school in the fall."

"Okay," I said slowly, "But couldn't that have waited until after school rather than right in the middle of it? No offense, but you're kind of drawing a lot of unwanted attention toward me with those robes of yours."

He smiled, "No, it couldn't. As soon as I arrived, I wanted to find you immediately... You see, Miss Melody Gray, you may not understand this now, but believe me when I tell you that you are a most precious find."

Hi everyone, LJ here! Welcome to my newly updated version of Melody Riddle and the Sorcerer's Stone! As many of you can see, chapter 1 been written very differently. I figured this way showcased Melody's sarcastic nature a lot more, especially considering how she acts in future chapters. The way this chapter and my second chapter were almost made Melody seem robotic.. so this way I was able to finally start her off with the right reactions. Thank you for rereading, and I hope and pray you love my changes as much as I do!