Snape and Lily's daughter

Vacation and Christmas

The Christmas holidays were starting and all the students who were going to spend Christmas with their families had already left for home. Grace wanted to spend Christmas at the Tonks' house, but as everyone would suspect, Snape wouldn't let her go. Grace woke up, got up and went down to the common room. She was surprised to see Ella Wilkins, her friend and roommate, downstairs eating chocolate frogs.

"Ella! What are you doing at Hogwarts? I thought you were spending Christmas with your family." Grace said, approaching her friend.

"Yeah, I was going to, but with everything that's going on, Black on the loose, my parents thought it would be better if I stayed at Hogwarts, they thought it would be safer for me to be surrounded by other students and teachers than alone at home." Ella replied.

"Good, at least I won't be alone this time!" Grace said. "This year, I think we're the only two Slytherins left."

"But at least you've got Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny... We could try having fun during the holidays." Ella said.

They both stayed a few minutes in silence.

"Grace, I've been wanting to talk to you, I've just been waiting for a moment when we'd be alone..." Ella said. "I'm sorry, but I read your letter addressed to Nymphadora and Andromeda..."

"You did?" Grace asked quietly.

"Forgive me... I didn't mean to... I know Andromeda was a Black, but she was disowned by her family when she married a Muggleborn... I won't tell anyone, not even the other girls. I promise." Ella said.

"Thank you, Ella. My father was really concerned about this, since I got in Slytherin and there's so much blood purity." Grace said.

While the girls were chatting, they heard voices at the entrance to the dungeons.

"It's Harry! Come on, Ella, grab your robe, you'll love to spend some time with us!"

They both went to grab their robes and then they left the Common Room.

"Ah, hello, Grace! We've come to invite you to Hagrid's hut with us. Would you like to come?" Harry said.

"Of course! If you don't mind, can Ella come along?" Grace said.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione nodded. Grace thought Harry was acting a little strange.

The five of them walked through the gardens and arrived in the hut. Ron knocked, no one opened.

"He's not out, is he?" Hermione asked.

Ron had his ear to the door.

"There's a weird noise," Ron said. "Listen — is that Fang?"

Harry, Hermione, Grace, and Ella put their ears to the door too.

"Think we'd better go and get someone?" Ella asked.

"Hagrid!" Harry called, thumping the door. "Hagrid, are you in there?"

There was a sound of heavy footsteps, then the door creaked open.

"You've heard?" Hagrid spoke, his eyes were red and swollen.

"Hagrid, what is it?" Hermione asked.

Harry spotted an official-looking letter lying open on the table.

"What's this, Hagrid?"

Harry picked up the letter, and Hagrid made a movement asking Harry to read it out loud.

Dear Mr. Hagrid,

Further to our inquiry into the attack by a Hippogriff on a student in your class, we have accepted the assurances of Professor Dumbledore that you bear no responsibility for the regrettable incident.