𝐒𝐀𝐍𝐊𝐓𝐀 𝐋𝐔𝐂𝐈𝐀

Chapter 23

Natt över judaland, natt över Sion.

Borta vid västerland slocknar Orion.

Herden som sover trött, barnet som slumrar sött.

Vakna vid underbar korus av röster.

Stråla så härligt klar, stjärna i öster.

. . .

Night over the Jews land, night over Sion.

Out in westernland Orion goes out.

The shepherd that sleeps wearily, the child that slumbers sweetly.

Awoken at a magnificent chorus of voices.

Shine so wonderfully bright, star in the east.

"Betlehems stjärna"/"Gläns över sjö och strand" ("Bethlehem's Star"/"Shine Over Lake and Beach"), Tegnér/Rydberg / arr: Agnestig

It was Monday evening, after dinner, and the whole eighth year was gathered in their common room.

"There is one thing I don't understand," Seamus said, "why do we all have to stay up all night?"

"Because, if you don't, dark powers will penetrate your mind and whisper your worst fears in your ear, show you the things you don't wish to remember and drag you into endless darkness. Fancy that, do you?" Draco gave Seamus a death stare that made shudder.

"Had a lot of experience with that, have you?" Seamus mumbled, but Draco heard him.

"On second thought, feel free to fuck off and go to sleep, Finnigan." Harry snickered form where he stood next to Draco.

Before Seamus, or anyone else for that matter, could protest even more, Hermione, Pansy, Neville and Ron walked into the room, carrying a huge basket each filled with all kinds of food and bottles of butterbeer.

"What's this?" Greengrass rushed forward to help Pansy heave her basket on to a table. Pansy turned to Hermione with a raised eyebrow, as if to ask her to answer Daphne's question, and Harry just stared at the mountain of cupcakes that were in Hermione's basket, thinking; that's a lot of cupcakes...

"Well, tradition says that when they stayed up to watch the night, the people usually had a feast." Hermione answered. "So I thought that we should do that as well." She smiled a little as she placed her basket beside Pansy's.

"So we can stay up all night and have a party?" Seamus asked, a note of hope shining in his voice.

"Well, not you. You wanted to go to bed," Draco said and smirked.

The watch turned out to be quite fun, actually. It had started when Draco had said that if Seamus was to be allowed to stay in the common room and not go to bed he had to beat Bulstrode in who could eat most cupcakes without having to throw up. Seamus, who could never resist a bet, agreed and said that if he won Draco owed him five Galleons. Draco had casually pulled out five Galleons from his pocket and placed them on the basket laden table with a loud thunk, his eyes still on Seamus, and all of a sudden there was a flurry of bets being made. Dean was taking in bets on who would win and the pile of Galleons grew higher by the minute.

"You never really asked me if it was okay, Draco," Millicent pointed out as she walked up to stand beside Draco.

"You've had your eyes on those cupcakes since Hermione carried them in, love. I merely gave you the opportunity to eat as many as possible without anyone complaining." He smirked at her and the look on Millicent's face told Harry that Draco had been right all along.