Magic (5sos/l.h. Hogwarts AU)

Chapter 40

~A/N~ Planning Leila was so unhelpful I've written stuff like "Write about Christmas... or don't lol do what you want" and I'm so aggressive in all my notes to self
Enjoy the chapter!
Leila xx

"So just to be clear, you and Calum have no feelings for each other?" Lavender asked me one final time as she hurriedly zipped up her trunk and slipped the furry coat over her delicate frame.

"No," I said, sighing heavily, not because I was lying but because Lavender had been pestering me about it for the week leading up to the Christmas holidays.

"And you aren't romantically involved with any of the other boys?" Parvati added. Hermione snickered from where she and Ginny were waiting in the corner so that the five of us could walk down together and say goodbye to everyone there. My bushy-haired friend would be staying with me, fortunately as I wasn't sure I could handle another lonely holiday being the only one in the solitary girls' dormitory.

"For the last time, I am not dating any of the boys!" I groaned impatiently. "Can we go now?"

"Wow. You really want to get rid of us, don't you?" Lavender grinned cheekily and I threw her an exasperated glare.

"Obviously! Two entire weeks of peace!"

"Well, fine!" she squealed indignantly. "Come on, Parvati, we know when we're not wanted!"

The two girls linked arms and strutted off, noses pointing skywards and sass in their hips.

"Merlin, those two are a handful," Ginny giggled, scooping up her trunk in one arm and taking my hand with the other. "C'mon, I don't want to miss the train."

***
"I can almost smell mince pies," I beamed, taking a huge gulp of the frosty air and feeling it seep through my lungs and into every crevice of my chest, spreading a contented feeling of tranquillity through me.

"Really? Where?" Luke vigorously sniffed the air and I couldn't help chuckling at the poor blond, who was completely oblivious to the fact that he largely resembled a sniffer dog.

"She said almost," Michael rolled his eyes, tripping over a stray stone in the muddy path that was free of snow despite the desperate pleas that had started since the holidays began almost a week prior. "As in, it's so close to Christmas she feels like if she tried hard enough, she could smell the things associated with it."

"Since when did you become an English teacher?" Luke scowled, clearly put out at having been corrected by his intellectual inferior.

"Since it became more interesting than your company," Michael bit back playfully, and I slapped both of them gently on the back of their heads.

"Stop it, you two. And talking of mince pies, I hope Hagrid has some instead of the rock cakes. If there's one thing I don't need right now, it's a rock cake."

It just so happened to be my luck that when we hammered on the teacher's door, it swing open to let us hear the words, "Ah! Good timing! I've made cakes!"

It seemed that would be the extent of the pleasantries, for as soon as we stepped through the towering doorframe Hagrid dissolved into tears.

"Hagrid! Is everything ok?!" Michael cried as we all rushed around the hut, me hanging the kettle over the roaring fire and the other two patting him on the back in what was supposed to be a comforting gesture.

"I told meself I wasn't goin' ter cry," Hagrid sniffled into a handkerchief larger than my face, then looked up. "Buckbeak's bin put on trial!"

I gasped, but the surprise only lasted a second. Of course. If the Malfoys were involved, only the worst possible outcome could occur and if Buckbeak was on trial, it meant he would most likely be put to death. And if Buckbeak was put to death, it would break not only Hagrid's heart but Calum's too.