Heaven ♡ Luna Lovegood

10.

Chapter Ten;

"Felicity, please tell me you are not singing Celestina Warbeck."

The blonde girl paused in her packing and smiled sheepishly. "I'm sorry."

Annie rolled her eyes. "Felicity, I trusted you!" she exclaimed, clutching her stomach as though wounded, but she was laughing.

That was the one thing Annie was not looking forward to about the Christmas holidays: being forced to sit around the wireless by her mother and listen to Celestina Warbeck's Christmas special. Celestina honestly made Annie cringe, and no amount of hot chocolate and mince pies could make her enjoy Celestina's broadcast.

But that was the only downside of going home for the holidays. Annie had actually been counting down the days for weeks, ever since Professor Sprout went around to ensure no one was staying behind for Christmas. No one was: everyone was eager to escape the Carrows and the confines of the castle, even if it only was for a few weeks.

She thought the teachers must be feeling the holiday spirit as well, because there were only a few minor tasks set for holiday homework, and lessons were more easygoing than usual. Ginny said she thought it was a way to compensate for the lack of Christmas decorations around the castle.

"It used to be beautiful at Christmas," Ginny had sighed in the library. "Mistletoe and large Christmas trees in the Great Hall - Professor Flitwick used to use real fairies in his classroom, too. Shame it's all banned."

The Carrows and Snape had put a blanket ban on Christmas decorations, so hardly anyone was feeling the Christmas spirit. That would change though, Annie thought, when she got home to the smell of cookies and mince pies filling her home; her mother hugging with, smelling of cinnamon; the Christmas tree; her father, smelling like the earth; the presents already waiting teasingly under the tree.

Annie just couldn't wait to get home.

She stuffed the last of her belongings into her trunk and picked it up, waving at Felicity. "I'm going to meet Luna and the others. See you next term, Felicity!"

"Stay safe, Annie!"

Annie acknowledged her with a smile and, after bewitching her trunk to follow her, ran all the way to the Great Hall, where Luna, Ginny, and Neville were already waiting.

"You took your time!" Neville called. Beside him, Luna beamed and sent a wave, which Annie eagerly returned.

"I was having a debate with Felicity about the worth of Celestina Warbeck," Annie said, returning to Neville and pulling a face.

Ginny shuddered. "My Mum loves her," she muttered. She pretended to be sick, and they all laughed and began to make their way out of Hogwarts.

Bundled in jackets and scarves and carrying their trunks, hurried as fast as they could away from Hogwarts toward the carriages that led to the Hogwarts Express.

The sight of the scarlet steam train brought a wide grin to Annie's face. So soon, they'd be home, able to laugh and spend time with their families and tell them anything without worrying about their mail being intercepted and checked before it was sent on.

The four of them bagged a compartment quickly, and were soon engaged in a lively discussion about what each of their families would be doing for Christmas.

Luna was just in the middle of telling them about the horn of the Crumple-Horned Snorkack her father said was waiting for her at home when she was interrupted by several screams in the corridors. Annie froze and exchanged a look with the other three, and at once they all had their wands out. Neville, who was closest to the door, opened it slightly and peered outside.