Chapter Text
Tuesday February 14th, 1995
On the morning of Valentine's Day there was no music, nor was there a parade of a dozen teamsters to give gifts among the crowd. People whispered anxiously, hoping that by lunchtime their gifts would be received. What came, instead, was a parliament of owls. Each owl delivered a mass of cards decorated with pink ribbons and yellow roses, and on the cards read thusly:
Dear students and faculty of the Triwizard Schools,
It is our pleasure to invite you to this year’s VATIC event!
In honour of international friendship, we are hosting a variety of social activities where you can celebrate the love you share with your friends!
The event begins at 4:30pm at the South end of the Black Lake. Dress Warmly.
Warm beverages and activity wear will be provided.
“A whole event!” Megan whistled as she finished reading her invitation, “Wow, they really went big this year!”
Harry gave a weak smile at the comment. Guilt was one thing, but seeing an invitation like this, Harry couldn’t help but feel a whole host of regret and longing to be a part of this year’s show.
A nudge pushed at him lightly. “Hey, don’t let it get to you, Harry,” said Kevin. “This way we all get to spend the day together!”
“This will be so much fun!” Hannah said excitedly.
Others nodded in agreement, including Harry. “You’re right. …I wonder what they’re planning?”
That morning whispers ran amuck during History of Magic; with Professor Binns oblivious as ever as he gave his lesson. Potions, by contrast, was dead silent with Professor Snape glaring darkly at any who would dare speak on this love-filled day. Tracey was notably attracting his ire. With her role as Co-President of VATIC, the man acted as if everything “wrong” with today could be pinned squarely on her shoulders. Poor Tracey, Harry thought as Snape snapped at the girl for the fourth time that class, he’s being a complete berk. It’s so stupid. After all, it’s not like she’s making him come to today’s event.
“Professor Snape, will you be joining us this evening?” Melissa asked sweetly, a yellow rose in her hand as an offering to the dark and dour professor.
OH GOD, SHE HAS A DEATH WISH! Over a dozen thoughts screamed.
Fred, George, and Corin, meanwhile, had to wrestle back snickers.
“I would sooner drown myself in the lake than willingly attend one of your inane celebrations.”
“Fair,” she conceded casually. “Well, that works for me. The Headmaster made a bet saying that, if you join in on the festivities, he’ll make a new rule about hair dye use.”
That caught Snape’s attention, and his suspicion. “...And if you were to win the bet?”
“Then I get to personally pick and style his hair for the Second Task, beard included.”
The boys were openly laughing now.
“I see,” the man said slowly, obviously not believing Melissa at her word. “Take your seat, Bennett. The sooner we begin today’s potion, the better.”
“Yes sir,” she retreated with a smile. Well, we’ll see what happens.
When he arrived to the South side of Black Lake, Harry stared openly at what could only be described as a miniature village!
There were stalls and wooden shacks built all around the edge of the lake. Each stall showed off signs for warm beverages, chips, and snack foods of all sorts. The shacks, he noted, were a little unusual in style. There were doors both lake-side and along the path, and each had a little chimney. Further away from the lake, there were other constructions in the form of long laneways leading to box-like structures. For what purpose, Harry wasn’t fully sure.
The lake, itself, was strange too. The water near the cabins was normal, yet closer to the school a part of the lake was completely frozen over! It shouldn’t have been possible with the weather being above 0℃; however, as they approached the venue a chill suddenly swept him. It grew so cold that the rain, which had been steady on the way over, turned into a sprinkling of snow. The entire area, it seemed, was under some sort of enchantment, one much like what was seen at the Yule Ball, only far more real, as Harry could best put it.
“Look at that!” Justin cried cheerfully. “They made a skating rink!”
They did? Harry looked back at the ice, following Justin’s pointing finger towards a stall stating Skates For Rent . Huh. Would you look at that!
“NO WAY!” a voice shouted from ahead of them. “MAGICAL BOWLING?! THAT EXISTS?!”
“LET’S DO A ROUND, COME ON!” another voice cried, and soon a group of younger teens went running towards the distant laneways.
More people started running as news of the activities were shouted across the lawn. His group followed Justin out to the skating rink, where they found Annabel manning the skates stall.
“Ystävän Päivä and Happy Friend’s Day!” she cried happily, “What size can I get you all?”
They looked at her oddly. “Don’t you mean Happy Valentine’s Day?” Hannah asked.
“No, but also yes,” Annabel answered with a cheeky grin. “We’re doing the Finnish style of Valentine’s Day, Ystävän Päivä, which is all about friendship. Hence, Friend’s Day. So how about those skates?”
The group made their different orders, each getting a pair and leaving their own boots behind. Harry was rather surprised that they actually had loads of skates available. He couldn’t imagine how they even got all of these for today.
As he laced up his skates, he heard a soft call of, “Hi, Harry.”
He looked up and smiled immediately. “Hey, Cho! Are you going skating, too?”
“I am,” Cho nodded happily. “Maybe we can skate together?”
“I’d like that.” Then Harry flinched, “Fair warning, this is my first time, actually. The others are going to teach me and Wayne how to skate.”
“Oh,” she said slowly. “Well… how about I teach you?”
“You’d do that?” his expression brightened. “Sure! That’d be great!”
He only had to wait a few minutes for Cho to grab a pair of skates and join him on the bench. Once they were ready, they walked unsteadily towards the ice. “How do you even walk like this, let alone skate?”
Cho giggled at his frustration, “You get used to it fast. It’ll be much easier once we’re on the ice. See,” she stepped onto the ice, pushing forward to get both feet on balance. She turned back to him and offered both of her hands. “Here, just hold tight to me and keep steady on your feet.”
Harry stepped forward, his legs shaking and sputtering as he got onto the ice. He nearly fell as he tried a third step forward, but Cho managed to hold him steady. Keeping hold of him, she guided Harry through the basics of skating. It took a couple of tries before Harry was able to move even a few metres across the ice. It frustrated him a little; but as Cho cried, “See, you’re doing it,” he found that her encouragement lightened him and gave him the courage to push forward. It took a little more coaxing before he was willing to let go of her hands; but once he did he managed to keep skating without much stumbling.
With her hands now free, Cho was able to show off a bit on the ice. She moved fluidly across the ice; weaving and twirling and leaping into spinning jumps. It was awe-inspiring watching Cho as she practically danced her way through the rink.
“You’re amazing at this,” Harry said in awe.
“Thanks,” Cho said with a blush. “I go skating with my parents every Christmas. I sometimes go with friends, too. It’s a lot of fun.”
“I believe that,” said Harry. “Maybe I can join you next time?”
Cho lifted into a warm smile. “I’d like that a lot.”
They continued skating for the next half hour. They skated mostly with each other, then broke off to spend time with their friends; a good balance of both holidays, in Harry’s opinion.
As it got darker, Harry’s group decided to stop for drinks. Luna was manning a stall for tea and hot cocoa, while Tracey was manning the stall for mulled cider and warm butterbeer. Enchanted lanterns started to glow by the time they grabbed snacks from Ben, Cody, and Jamie’s stalls. They ended up sharing a table with Ornella, Jean-Luc, Madeline, and a Durmstrang boy. The four spoke amicably with the fourth years, and soon accepted an invitation to join them for a round of magical bowling.
The line up to go bowling was long; but with friendly chats and instructions of how to go bowling, the time managed to fly by. Soon enough, they were directed by Dean over to one of the lanes.
“The game’s easy enough,” Dean explained. “One ball per person per turn, and magic’s set up so that the pins will go back in place after seven seconds.” He handed them a card to use as a score pad. “Just write your names on here and keep track of how many pins you knock over. The highest score after five rounds wins!”
“One ball and five rounds?” Kevin asked with confusion. “Innit usually two balls for ten?”
“Mate,” said Dean, his head gesturing over to the line of people waiting to play, “do you really think we all have time for that?”
“Oh,” Kevin flushed slightly, mollified, “yeah, that makes sense.”
“Glad to hear it. Well, you lot enjoy your game!”
Harry ended up in charge of the scorepad as he was the most familiar with the rules of the game. He wrote down everyone’s names (including Rurik, the Durmstrang boy), for a total of nine players. He, Kevin, and Justin went first to show the others how to handle the ball properly; though the others managed to pick up the game with… few mishaps.
Thank goodness VATIC had the sense to put up shield wards between each lane, Harry thought as Rurik went hard on a swing, causing the ball to go flying and bounce dangerously down the laneway. …Though it did take six pins down in the process, so… good on him?
In a surprising twist, the game ended with Jean-Luc taking the highest score out of the group, followed by Wayne who managed to pull off a strike in the fourth round. The muggle-raised and muggleborns of the group hadn’t expected that outcome, but amicably congratulated Wayne for his victory (or teased him with jokes about “beginner’s luck”.)
Though the game was over, all nine agreed to continue hanging out and walked down to the shacks dotting the coastline. He saw that Parvati and Byron were manning stalls for small groups of shacks, while Astoria and Stephen were each manning one of two, taller buildings. When they got close enough to Parvati’s sign, the fourth years looked at it in confusion.
“...Girl’s Saunas?” Kevin read slowly.
“That’s right!” Parvati said cheerfully. “We have saunas for girls and boys. If you go to Byron, over there, he can give you boys slippers and towels to change into. There’s also extra towels for anyone who wants to do an ice dip.”
What? Harry was very confused and unfamiliar with the whole concept.
Rurik, however, was unfazed. In fact, he seemed excited, “Do you have branches, too?”
“We do!” Parvati answered. “You’ll find them inside the saunas, along with everything else you need, plus a place to change.”
“Hold on-!” Justin shouted, “if this is- then that’s-” he pointed to the distant shack Stephen was in front of, and everyone watched in bewilderment as Hagrid walked out of the tall building. He was sweating profusely, and walking unsteady, though his face looked blissfully relaxed.
Parvati snickered at his call and everyone else’s reaction. “Yes, we made separate ones for the staff. Between you and me, I’m glad for it.”
“Same here!” Justin half-shouted. He cringed against his own reaction, and everyone started to laugh in agreement.
“Agreed,” Madeline said through her laughter. “If I were to be undressed near the Madame, I would die of being embarrassed!”
“Oh,” Ornella gasped, “that would be terrible!” She then regarded Parvati and casually asked, “Do we have no clothes like a true sauna, or…?”
“No clothes?!” Hannah gasped.
Parvati, however, wasn’t surprised by the question. “Technically yes, but we have light robes for people to use for the ice dips or if they want to protect their modesty.”
“That’s okay,” Ornella said with a nod. “One towel for me.”
“You should do ice dip,” Rurik encouraged her. “It’s good for the body.”
Ornella laughed, “Living in this school is cold enough already! I prefer to stay warm, thank you!”
More laughter and teases passed between the group. Eventually, though, the boys broke off to grab towels and robes from Byron’s stall. Going into the changeroom, Harry hesitated at the idea of going starkers. However, as Rurik and Jean-Luc advised that it’s normal practice for saunas, (“but be sure to use the towel so that no skin touches on the furniture,” Rurik advised - “and we have to take a shower first, anyways, so what’s the harm?” Jean-Luc added), he eventually caved for the sake of authenticity.
They left the shower room and walked into a wall of steam. Harry’s glasses fogged up immediately, and he stumbled slightly as he caught his bearings. Still holding onto his towel and ice-dipping robes in hand (and, oh, how he was already regretting that decision), he walked blindly with the others as they climbed up the wooden benches and found open spots. He could vaguely hear the fluttering of towels, and followed their lead to lay the towels for each of them to sit on. Once his hands were free, he quickly moved to defog his glasses and settle in.
After an evening of wintery cold, the heat on his skin felt like a blessing! In silent reverence, they all absorbed the magic of the sauna; the heat slowly seeping into their bones; deep breaths of cedar wood filled their nostrils; sweat and steam mingling, denying any risk of cool wind; and low sizzles from the water-ladelled coals.
Minutes passed. Harry felt his mind calm to nothingness, like the lull of occlumency and meditation. …Only much more relaxing in comparison. His eyes closed. He could probably fall asleep here. That would certainly be nice, he thought. Then his brain quieted once more.
A slight rustling reached his ears. Then there was a pause, until a sudden THWACK made his eyes open in alarm. What-?
He and his friends all fell to bewilderment as Rurik whipped his back a second time with a flog made of birch leaves.
“Mate,” Wayne said incredulously, “what the bloody hell are you doing?”
“I am doing vasta, to help my blood flow,” Rurik said, his tone having a hint of confusion at being asked the question. “It’s part of how you do saunas. Want to try when I’m done?”
“...No thanks,” Wayne answered. Justin was the same.
Kevin was a lot slower to answer, “I guess? What about you, Harry?”
“...I suppose?” Harry answered with the same hesitancy as Kevin.
Overall, Harry ended up not being a fan of the process; but he was somewhat proud of himself for trying it out.
…Until the time came for an ice-dip.
“Just run fast to the water,” Jean-Luc encouraged, somewhat wincing as he added, “I know it doesn’t sound fun, but it will make coming back inside here feel amazing.”
“If you say so,” Harry said with resignation.
Jean-Luc opened the back door leading towards Black Lake, and the boys ran!
Unbeknownst to the celebrating Magicals, a long, layering enchantment was continuing its work throughout the night. Melissa sat alone under a disillusionment. In her hands, a balalaika softly played, bringing winter and light to the festivities beyond.
A light crunch of snow-steps reached her senses. Glancing to her side, she found Headmaster Dumbledore standing nearby with his hands clasped, admiring the little village of Ystävän Päivä.
“What a remarkable night,” Dumbledore spoke, as if to himself. “VATIC has certainly outdone themselves this year. Why, if I didn’t know better, one would think all of this magic was done with ritual work.” He chuckled lightly to himself. “Of course, such practices are illegal. I’m sure they found some other way to create such a spectacular, area-wide, effect.”
Yep. He’s definitely talking to me, she thought, and warning me to stay hidden. …I doubt that that would work against “Moody”, but hopefully he’s not anywhere nearby.
“Such a shame Severus couldn’t stay,” Dumbledore continued casually. “I was so sure he would find a way to enjoy himself; alas, I suppose that offer to experience the sauna was too much for him.”
Melissa nearly choked as she suppressed a laugh.
Holy fuck, and I thought I had balls, daring him to come here!
“Ah, well, it can’t be helped. …I suppose that’s enough musing for now. I believe Miss Bennett will be doing a round of bonfire songs shortly. I do hope they’ve provided marshmallows.”
We have, she answered silently. Not that Melissa will actually take part in that portion of the evening for another… whenever everyone decides to call it a night. Plus a time-turnered nap. All this magic has me knackered!
After a long time-turn and well-earned nap, Melissa returned to their village of Ystävän Päivä. As the eldest and most magically powerful member of VATIC, she was in charge of bringing about this Winter Wonderland. Her “public” role, however, is to be in charge of the campfire songs venue. Setting up the large bonfire and smaller campfires was easy enough. She didn’t even bother using magic for the latter part (not that she had the energy reserves for it). Neither did she need magic to prep sausages, s’mores ingredients, and roasting sticks along a picnic table. Instruments, on the other hand …yeah, that needed magic. That said, she was willing to cheat and have house elves bring hand drums, guitars, and such from the Music Club. (Nobody at VATIC needs to know, right?)
Unlike other venues at this event, Melissa was driven to make this a fully informal event. There were no real rules, no structure - really, as long as no one catches on fire, people are free to do as they please!
Saves her the energy, to boot.
As twilight faded, people began to draw towards the flames. Younger students happily took to roasting marshmallows, and gasped greedily over the explanation of s’mores. There weren’t many older students around, however. In fact, it took some time until any of her friends came around. The first instance being in the form of Astrid and a couple of her friends.
“Hyvää Ystävänpäivä,” Melissa greeted cheerfully.
“Hyvää Ystävänpäivä,” Astrid answer much more slowly, blinking at the British girl’s casual use of Finnish.
“Vot do ve do here?” Vaino asked casually.
“We eat, and we play,” said Melissa, gesturing to the instruments at the second table.
“Play?” It took a translation from Astrid before Vaino could understand her meaning. “Ah! Play, yes. …But vot do ve play?”
“Whatever you like,” Melissa answered. “What songs do you like singing around a campfire?”
After hearing a translation of her question, the boy’s face grew to a grin, “I have idea!”
Twenty minutes later
Children cheered and percussion wheezed as another (possibly bawdy) Russian song finished. Vaino, at the lead of the music, panted as he grinned. People cheered him on for more, the impromptu dancers most especially, but he raised a hand and shouted, “I’m done! I rest! Someone take zis from me!” he gestured to the guitar in his hands, raising it up in offering.
“I’ll take it!” Lev and Armand called simultaneously. Both wizards looked at each other, then laughed as their mirroring dawned on them.
“You go first,” Lev offered, which Armand accepted graciously.
Armand then led the group through two French songs, songs which a surprising handful of people from each school were able to sing along to. When he finished, the guitar was passed over to Lev (with the promise to give it to Jason when he’s done).
“I don’t know if many know zis one,” he began, “but zose who do, do sing along!”
Lev then proceeded to strum the guitar and play… Tetris?
She certainly thought he was playing the tetris theme; and yet, Lev had lyrics.
“Ой полным полна моя кoробушка
Есть и ситец, и парча.
Пожалей, душа-зазнобушка,
Молодецкого плеча.
Выйду, выйду в рожь высокую,
Там до ночки погожу,
Как завижу черноокую,
Все товары разложу.”
To be completely honest, Melissa was too distracted by the Tetris similarity that she hadn’t tried at first to grasp the lyrics. She did catch some words on the second verse. Something about waiting until it’s night?
“Цены сам платил немалые,
Не торгуйся, не скупись,
Подставляй-ка губки алые,
Ближе к молодцу садись.”
As he was midway into that third verse, singing about red lips, Lev turned his attention to Melissa; not so much singing in general as he was singing at her. Making her realize- Oh! This is another bawdy one, isn’t it?
…Well two can play at this game!
Well-knowing the melody at this point, Melissa grabbed a tambourine from the table and made her way over to him. She started to play, dancing seductively as she moved. His eyes full of mirth, Lev joined in on the dance, his words carrying beyond comprehension, though his expressions were translation enough.
People whistled and cheered as the song continued. Those that understood Russian were particularly loud for the next few verses. Their boisterousness brought laughter to her lips as she danced along. After some time, she noticed that a few muggleborn were humming and whistling along. Clearly she wasn’t the only person to catch on to the familiar melody. When it ended, there were whoops all around; the young couple, themselves, laughing along with them.
His song now done, Lev passed the guitar off to Jason (only to trade the guitar for holding Melissa in his arms.) There, the two jigged into a dance as Jason played a rendition of Johnny Cash’s Ring of Fire. They weren’t alone, as soon other couples joined to dance around the bonfire. The poetic coincidence was not lost on her as she joined the chorus, gesturing to the flames as Lev spun her around.
They took a rest after the song ended, Lev still holding onto her so that she ended up in his lap. She adjusted herself as she was wrapped in his arms; and giggled as his breath tickled her ear.
“I know today is different from ozzer years you celebrate zis,” he murmured into her ear, “but Happy Valentine's Day, Melissa.” He kissed at the spot where her ear met her cheek, eliciting more giggles out of her.
Turning her head, she kissed him on the cheek, uttering, “Happy Valentine’s Day to you, too,” before kissing him again on the lips. The two settled into their seats, singing and stealing kisses for the rest of the evening.
Wednesday February 15th, 1995
Blissful hums and groans echoed in the steam-filled space as the members of VATIC finally took a chance to enjoy their constructed saunas.
“Thank the gods we can finally use these,” Parvati moaned happily.
“Aaaaaamen!” agreed Annabel.
Tracey then raised a lazy arm. “As co-president of VATIC,” she began, “I hereby say we petition Dumblesnore into letting us keep these saunas around.”
“Seconded!” cried Astoria.
“Third!” added Luna.
“Then it’s official!” Tracey proclaimed, to the reaction of lazed cheers.
“I’m seeing him on Friday,” Melissa offered, “I say we give him the petition then.”
Everyone thought that to be odd, yet only the second years had the energy to raise their heads and give her an odd look. “You’re seeing the Headmaster?” Astoria asked. “Why?”
“I won a bet,” she answered in vague truth. “I have to cash it in before the Second Task starts.”
“He likes purple, gold, and silver,” Luna said helpfully. Odd. Melissa couldn’t recall telling Luna about what the bet entails.
“Speaking of the Second Task,” Parvati considered, “have Harry and Cedric figured out anything about what they have to do, Annabel?”
“I know they’ve both solved the egg,” Annabel answered, “but it’s hard to tell what it’s all about. Harry’s been researching invisible creatures, and Diggory’s been practicing with his friends. He’s been racing up and down the staircases, dodging spellfire. That said, both of them have asked the house elves to bake them lots of sweets. Their entire routines are really odd.”
“Fleur’s routine is somewhat similar,” Luna commented. “Though she’s also practicing with a lyre and perfume.”
“Perfume?” Tracey asked.
“A lyre?” Astoria said excitedly. “I didn’t know Delacour plays the lyre, too!”
“Perhaps I can introduce you?” Luna offered. She then took a ladle of water to pour over the rocks. “Though we should wait until after next Sunday. She’s been awfully stressed of late.”
“No doubt,” Tracey said with a huff, one that timed well with the hiss of steam. “I can only imagine how tough the task will be after they’ve already faced dragons.”
“Say, Mel,” Parvati asked softly, “have you Seen anything about the task?”
The other girls went quiet, waiting with baited breath for an answer.
“It’s hard to say…” After all, Fudge wants to avoid a ‘hidden death’, so it’s not going to be a maze or underwater task, right? Maybe? The rule changes haven’t been very consistent. “One thing I do know is that Veela and cold water don’t mix.”
The answer was vague and half-relevant enough that the girls looked at her oddly. Luna, in true Luna fashion, smiled gently after a moment of pondering. “The key to each key,” she mused softly, repeating the line Harry told Melissa of the Task.
So Fleur told her the riddle? Interesting. Though what makes her think water has something to do with the key part?
Meh, her eyes closed, letting herself enjoy the heat once more, it’s probably nothing important.
Later that night
After weeks of work, of research, of consultations and careful planning, Melissa, Astrid, and Lev stood under the full moon, looking over their ritual with a sense of trepidation. It was a mix of methods and sectionals, and very experimental. Under the advice of Lev’s family, they built a luthier’s ritual circle in a way that connected a tiny but magically spacious forge for layered ritual casting. They also included segments of Greek spell-building, one that resonated better with their purpose than his family’s usual methods.
Astrid, in her part, used her lessons in Alchemy to create an athame, one made with an emerald blade and a hematite handle. As for Melissa, she, under Professor’s Snape guidance, crafted a special quenching potion, one infused with powdered silver, lady’s mantle dew, essence of moly, and phoenix tears.
“This is it,” Astrid said hesitantly. Her eyes locked with Melissa. “Once we start this, there’s no going back. It will be changed forever.”
“...I know,” Melissa said slowly. Her grip on the gold flute tightened. “Dumbledore himself verified that this arrangement is sound. It resonates with the research the Flamels did. We got this.”
Those words bolstered Astrid, marginally, at least. “Well, if you’re ready, let’s begin.”
They took their respective positions within the unusual ritual circle. Words of Norse at their lips as they began to sing the Blacksmith’s Fire. The forge brightened, infused with their magic. Astrid then gave the gold flute to Lev, his words drifting to that of a Luthier’s Blessing as he placed protective magic over the instrument. He then worked the body of the flute, allowing the flames to temper it with just enough malleability to be manipulated by Melissa. On receiving the flute from Lev, Melissa’s music switched to that of Ancient Greece. Guided under phrygian tones, Melissa took the emerald athame and used it to carve runes of protection and healing all down the body of the instrument. Once the carving process was complete, Astrid readied the obscenely long crystal phial. She unstoppered it, singing both forlornly and reverently as the flute was quenched into the shining liquid.
Their voices sang together, their intent high and strong with each word sung. The flute, twice enchanted by the Philosopher’s Stone and, now, with Physician’s Intent, absorbed their words along with the potion’s essence. For the last step, the flute was raised high on a dais of three hands. At the apex of their final chant the flute glowed bright, basking the open air with golden light. Only after their final phrygian intonation did the glow begin to fade. In that quiet, they observed the flute with sharp breaths, its body glittering unnaturally- powerfully- with the magic bestowed onto it.
“Zat vos… incredible.” Lev said slowly, reverently. He picked up the flute, inspecting it as it sparkled under the moonlight. “I have never seen music magic react like zis before.”
“We did not use normal waters, and not a normal instrument, either;” Astrid reminded him, “and to carve with emerald… That is only done for special music.” She locked eyes with Melissa, “This will bring powerful magic, you realize?”
“I know,” she answered, taking the flute back and carefully placing it back in its case. “Trust me when I say that its purpose is to be used to its fullest potential.”
Both of them held worrying and considering looks to varying degrees.
“Whatever you plan to use it for,” Astrid broke off briefly, the worrying worsened, “be careful, okay?”
Melissa gave her a solemn nod in promise, “I will.”