Era of Potter (HARRY POTTER FanFiction)

Chapter Twenty-Christmas

"Hm..." Harry grumbled, looking at what was in front of him totally confused. He looked up at Ron, who was smirking at him and that didn't make him feel any better. He looked down again and said, "bishop to E-5."

Ron's smirk widened as he said, "Knight to E-5... which I believe is Check... Mate."

"Argh," Harry hissed as he watched his bishop get pulverized and his king throw down it's crown. "I hate losing..."

"Well you should just get use to it, you really suck at chess," Ron chuckled.

"Thank," Harry glared at his friend as Hermione came into the common room, her arms full of books.

"What is that all for?" Ron asked looking at her incredulously.

"I thought I would read through some things over the holidays," Hermione said. "I asked McGonagall and she gave me special permission to take them home with me."

"Right," Ron said rolling his eyes and then sighed.

"What's the matter with him?" Hermione whispered to Harry as Ron gather up his chess pieces.

"He just got a letter from his parents saying they're planning on going to Romania to visit Charlie," Harry explained. "He's going to have to stay here with his siblings alone. That is if I don't stay here too."

"Are you going to? And miss Sirius licking you awake on Christmas!" Hermione said.

"Oh yeah," Harry made a face. "There's another reason to stay here."

"But honestly, I can't believe that you would even think about missing a Christmas with Remus and Sirius... and isn't this like the only time of the year that you see Tonks..."

"Yeah, well Tonks isn't going to be there... she has to study," Harry said. "And of course I going to miss the others, but I kind of like the idea of being able to wander the halls without anyone bothering me. I think it might be a good change of pace."

"You would think about that," Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Besides, everyone should spend at least one Christmas at Hogwarts, Sirius always said that," Harry shrugged. "Might as well be now."

"What are you talking about?" Ron questioned.

"I think I'm going to stay at Hogwarts, too." Harry smiled at his friend who beamed back at him before he frowned.

"Harry you can't do that because of..." Ron started to say.

"Look, I have reasons for wanting to be here," Harry said. "And only half of them involve you so don't worry about..."

"Okay." Ron smiled, he didn't like the idea of getting bullied by the twins during the whole break.

Remus took the news that Harry wasn't going to come home rather well, saying that he too felt the urge to stay at Hogwarts during Christmas and that he would have if his mother hadn't forced him to come home. Sirius on the other hand grumbled and because he was downright moody, they talked and he didn't even listen when Remus pointed out to him that he never went home for Christmas. Harry figured that he would have time to search the castle later so he spent the first few days of break lounging in the common room.

On Christmas morning he was woken up by the sound of ripping paper. Evidently, Ron had woken a while ago, because most of his presents were already opened, though he still had a few more left. Harry smiled widely as he looked at his pile of presents, hopping out of his bed and moving to open them. The first one he opened was from Ron, it was box full of chocolate frogs (which he knew were one of Ron's favorite candies).