Chapter 28

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"Immy! Imogen! It's Christmas!" Fabian and Gideon exclaim whilst jumping on me as I was innocently trying to sleep. "Wake up! Get up!" Fabian shouts pulling me up by my arm and slinging me over his shoulder.

Gideon follows closely on his heels, my dressing gown in his hand. They drop me on the floor and I pout angrily up at them.

"You should know the drill by now, it's not our problem anymore." Fabian defends as Gideon throws my dressing gown over my head.

I quickly scramble up off the wooden floor and head into the sitting room where our huge tree stands. Presents sit underneath it, calling to us and twinkling under the floating candles. I run forward to where the rest of my family is gathered and as youngest, it's my job to hand each present out to everyone.

I pluck the first one I see from the pile, looking at the label and handing it to Molly. She smiles warmly and thanks me, taking the gift out of my hands and tearing the wrapping open. She breaks out into a huge smile as she sees a pair of silver earrings along with a note.

"Arthur says he bought them from a Muggles jewellers, that he wanted something for me that no one else in the wizarding world would have." She smiles and holds the earrings up to her ear.

"They're beautiful." Mum says warmly, admiring delicately made earrings.

I nod in agreement and copy mums smile, faintly hoping that she'll let me borrow them.

"Ok, next present please Immy."

I find two identical ones, both for Fabian and Gideon. I hand them theirs, assuming that it's the same, or very similar, gift. They attack the paper, messier than Molly by miles. They reveal almost identical gold watches with chunky chains and engraving on the back.

They run forwards to hug mum and dad, thanking them profusely. They smile and return the hugs, happy that they're so pleased with their gifts.

We continue to open presents and I'm happy with every single one of mine. I get a new book on herbology from Molly and she told me that Arthur helped her choose. A butterbeer scented candle from Fabian and a little copper coloured necklace from Gideon. I get a number of books, sweets and nicknacks from other relatives I can't always put a face to.

Lastly mum and dad look shiftily down at me before standing up and smiling.

"Ok everyone, you might want to put on some warm clothes, we've got our present for Im outside."

I smile and race upstairs to put on a thick jumper and some boots, tying my blonde hair up in a bun. I jump down the stairs and almost fall onto mum. She just laughs down at me and places her hands over my eyes. She gently leads me out into the garden and I can just hear my feet crunching on the frosty grass along with the sound of hushed whispering.

Mum stops me in my tracks and suddenly uncovers my eyes. I blink rapidly against the brightness of the just rising sun and shield my eyes. As soon as they focus I gasp in surprise at the new greenhouse that sits on the lawn. I fling my arms around my parents, mouthing thank you repeatedly.

As soon as I get in the greenhouse it just smells like home to me. I spin around and look at the different plants arranged from the floor to the ceiling.

Someone taps on the window and I jump in fright. I see Gideon smiling wickedly at me but my mind seems to be stuck somewhere else.

I'm in the schools greenhouse, standing in my dress whilst looking around for the guy who's supposed to be meeting me here.

The door shuts and flashes of light boom around me.

I can't get out, I'm stuck in here until the sun rises.

It's like when they'd torture me, using the cruciatus curse and watching as I'd scream.

A shadow runs past the window and I try to get their attention by screaming as loudly as I can.

No one comes.

Everything was a lie to hurt me.

I don't realise that I'm lying on the floor, crying my eyes out and screaming until they force me back to reality. I can't stop crying and the visions continue to haunt me. I feel someone pick me up in their arms and cuddle into then, needing something real and comforting.

I'm dropped in my bed and someone strokes my hair comfortingly as I continue to cry.

After a nap and a good cry I sit up in bed and look to see Dad smiling sadly down at me. He pats my hand comfortingly and offers me a glass of water which I take gratefully.

"Do you want to talk about it? Is it a flashback from the attack? Do you know what triggered it?"

I sip my water and take my wand off my bedside table to explain.

It was before the ball, I was left in the greenhouse while someone attacked me with flashing lights and it just reminded me of them. Also when I was left until the morning. Don't worry.

"Someone left you in a greenhouse whilst flashing lights around you?" He says angrily. "Who else knows about this?"

Apart from the people that did it? No one, I couldn't remember before. I'm sorry I ruined Christmas. I say sadly.

"Don't be so ridiculous. You couldn't have ruined it even if you tried." He winks fondly at me. "I'm going to have to write to Dumbledore about this. It's an attack on an innocent girl. You shouldn't have to put up with this." He exclaims, shaking his head in upset.

Please don't make a massive fuss about it. I don't want anyone to hate me.

"They won't." He says, kissing my forehead. "Go back to sleep, we'll celebrate Christmas more tomorrow."

I smile and place my wand back on the nightstand, snuggling beneath my duvet. This hasn't been the best Christmas on record.

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Aloha, so I've given you a chapter about Christmas in summer. Hope y'all enjoy, & comment what you think is going to happen next.

QOTD: Where are you going/have you gone for the holidays?

I'm in Mauritius :)

~ Molly xxx

P.S. I'll be hopefully putting up pictures soon so the chapters will be updated again at some point.

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