Bat-Bogey Hexers

28

Christmas morning dawned, cold, white and, for Viola at least, lonely. She was entirely alone in the dormitory. There were only a few other Slytherins staying over break, including Draco Malfoy and his cronies. Viola didn't like the three second years. Oddly enough it wasn't Gregory Goyle or Vincent Crabbe, but Draco Malfoy who intimidated her the most. While the former two boys were huge and menacing, there was just something about Draco. His smirk and the way he strutted, suggested he could ruin your life without even lifting a finger. So, to avoid them, Viola decided she would just lay in bed, where it was warm and cozy, for a while.

Eventually she did have to get up to feed her pets. A small package, wrapped in red paper, slipped off her bed. She froze, her bare feet hovering above the cold stone floor. Viola stared at the package. Who had sent her a gift? Surely not her parents. Last year for Christmas her mother had given her a humongous dictionary to "keep her busy". While a dictionary might interest some people, Viola was not one of those people. She hadn't expected them to send a gift this year. It was too easy not too. The last time her father had written to her was over a month ago. They'd probably forgotten they even had a daughter in her absence.

Viola slid off her bed and picked up the package. There was a tag attached. She read it with interest.

Happy Christmas Viola!
I hope you're enjoying yourself (and not worrying about how to prove your theory about the Chamber)! Eat lots of food, sing some carols and be merry!
~ Hugo

Viola stared at the tag. Why had he sent her a present? It wasn't like they'd actually become friends over the weeks they'd been following Ginny. Viola still found him incredibly annoying. She only kept him around because it was good to have a teammate.

She hesitated before ripping open the wrapping paper. A small smile escaped her lips when she saw the gift. It was a silver charm in the shape of bat. No one had ever given her a gift so thoughtful. A gift that she'd actually like. Her mother only bought her things that she thought would keep her busy, and out of her way.

As much as Viola adored the little bat, she hoped Hugo didn't expect her to actually like him after this.

🦇🦇🦇

"Happy Christmas, Ginny," Harry said to her.

"Happy Christmas," Ginny mumbled. She looked down at the table, abashed.

It was Christmas morning and they had all settled down at the table to eat breakfast.

The great hall looked beautiful Enchanted snow drifted down from the ceiling. Huge Christmas trees had bee set up by Hagrid and decorations of holly and berries were everywhere.

Ginny was not at all in the Christmas spirit. She unenthusiastically picked at her breakfast while the others chattered loudly. She just huddled in the orange sweater her mother had sent her and tried to look like she was having fun. She failed miserably.

The day involved mainly many loud games of exploding snap, lots of food, Fred and George antagonizing Percy -they bewitched his prefects badge to read pinhead rather than Prefect- and Ginny being lost in misery.

After supper Ginny noticed that Ron, Harry and Hermione had disappeared.

"Where did the other three go?" Ginny asked Fred and George, who were enlarging Christmas pies they had swiped from the table.

"Dunno," said Fred, waving his wand. "Engorgio!"

The treacle tart before him swelled.