Magic? || Years 1-5

Time For The Holidays: Year 3

The next morning was quiet. Amisty, Hermione, Ron, and Harry were the only ones left in the Gryffindor common room, everyone else left for home.

They didn't see Harry until around noon. Snow was falling lazily outside the windows and Crookshanks was lying in front of the fireplace, his ginger coat gleaming in the orange light.

Ron was eating through his supply of Honeydukes sweets, Hermione was bent over her tremendous amount of homework, and Amisty was writing a letter to Draco.

She had forgotten to write one in reply to the rather... rude one she had received before the first Hogsmeade weekend.

Somehow Draco hadn't commented on it during their numerous encounters after it was sent.

Dear Draco,

Look at that, I got it right this time! Anyways, I hope you have a wonderful holiday break, though I do have a few things I'd like to say in reply to your last letter. I know you don't like them but just because we're...

She paused slightly, a small splotch of ink blemishing the parchment where her quill had been hovering.

... friends now doesn't mean I won't defend them. They care about me and I care about them, so I'm not afraid to sock you in the jaw. I'm not joking, this is a warning.And yes, I'm not too taken with your choice of friends either, but I'm not going to make much comment about them.Well... except for Pansy. I have a good excuse for that, though, since she did give me a monster headache last year during that stupid dueling club with Lockhart.

Merry Christmas (again), Amisty

She had just finished the swirl of the 'y' in her name when she heard the thumping of footsteps. Looking up and pushing the parchment to the side of the table to dry, her eyebrows knit together at the sight.

"Harry, you look... you look awful," She whispered.

His eyes were dim with heavy purple shadows beneath them, and his usually messy hair looked even more disheveled than usual.

"Where is everyone?" He asked sleepily, rubbing his eyes.

"Gone! It's the first day of the holidays, remember? It's nearly lunchtime; I was going to come and wake you up in a minute," Ron replied, his blue gaze on him as he watched him carefully.

Harry fell into a seat, a soft sigh leaving his mouth.

"You really don't look well, you know," Hermione commented worriedly, looking up from her stack of papers.

"I'm fine," He protested rather shortly. The three of them traded looks.

"Harry, listen, you must be really upset about what we heard yesterday. But the thing is, you mustn't go doing anything stupid," Hermione replied.

"Like what?" He asked.

"Like trying to go after Black," Ron shot back, his voice with a very obvious edge.

He didn't reply.

"You wouldn't, right? You wouldn't go after him?" Amisty asked, wrapping her hands around the arm of her chair.

"Because Black's not worth dying for," Ron added seriously.

He looked at them incredulously.

"D'you know what I see and hear every time a dementor gets too near me?" He asked sharply.

They shook their heads.