The snowfall had, mercifully, ended shortly before Melody and Nora finished their breakfast. Despite the odd looks given to her by the household's staff members, she had insisted on the toddler sleeping in bed with her, both because of her anxiousness over the storm itself and her daughter's continued mutism. The duo hadn't spent longer than an afternoon away from the cottage since returning home from the hospital. After all, the cottage was safer for Nora to navigate, for there wasn't enough room for the toddler to disappear for more than a minute or two.

With the floo continuing to remain out of service and the snow piled higher than Melody could see out the window, she knew there was little hope in returning home yet. Soon, perhaps but even if the floo sparked back to life Melody wasn't sure if she'd trust it completely. The system likely took time to right itself back into working order and she had little interest in reappearing at a random location with a toddler.

They were safe here. The storm couldn't get to them inside the sprawling manor.

Melody and Nora had ventured from their room and were heading down the stairs when a familiar head of brown hair was suddenly being let in from the cold. "Ben?" Melody called, her surprise evident in both her tone and the way she rushed down the stairs. There was a broom clutched tightly in his hand still and his cheeks were wind burnt. Panic crept up the back of her neck, what could have been so urgent that he would have flown all the way from Hogwarts? "Are you alright? Did something happen?" She asked urgently, her grip tightening around Nora's waist as she balanced the girl on her hip.

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