Harry Potter and the Girl Who Never Died

Chapter Twenty-Five: The Mirror Of Erised

Christmas was coming. One morning in mid-December, Hogwarts woke to find itself covered in several feet of snow. The lake froze solid and the Weasley twins were punished for bewitching several snowballs so that they followed Quirrell around, bouncing off the back of his turban. The few owls that managed to battle their way through the stormy sky to deliver mail had to be nursed back to health by Hagrid before they could fly off again.

No one could wait for the holidays to start. While the Slytherin common room and the Great Hall had roaring fires, the drafty corridors had become icy and a bitter wind rattled the windows in the classrooms. Worst of all were Severus's classes down in the dungeons, where their breath rose in a mist before them and they kept as close as possible to their hot cauldrons.

Camellia nearly complained, but after her uncle's apologetic look, she gave up. 

"I do feel so sorry," said Draco Malfoy, one Potions class, "for all those people who have to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas because they're not wanted at home."

He was looking over at Harry as he spoke. Ron and Neville chuckled. Camellia had given up on stopping her friends from teasing her brother, for she somehow subconsciously knew that it wasn't Harry, her Harry, that they were talking to.

It was true that Harry wasn't going back to his orphanage for Christmas. Professor McGonagall had come around the week before, making a list of students who would be staying for the holidays, and Harry had signed up at once. He didn't feel sorry for himself at all; this would probably be the best Christmas he'd ever had. The Weasley's and Seamus were staying too, because Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were going to Romania to visit Charlie. Though he had heard that Ron was leaving for some reason. 

~oOo~

When they left the dungeons at the end of Potions, they found a large fir tree blocking the corridor ahead. Two enormous feet sticking out at the bottom and a loud puffing sound told them that Hagrid was behind it.

"Hi, Hagrid, want any help?" Ron asked, sticking his head through the branches.

"Nah, I'm all right, thanks, Ron."

"Would you mind moving out of the way?" came Seamus's cold drawl from behind them. "Are you trying to earn some extra money, Weasley? Hoping to be gamekeeper yourself when you leave Hogwarts, I suppose -- that hut of Hagrid's must seem like a palace compared to what your family's used to."

Ron dived at Seamus just as Severus came up the stairs.

"FINNEGAN!"

Ron let go of the front of Seamus's robes.

Seamus, Harry and Dean pushed roughly past the tree, scattering needles everywhere and smirking.

"I'll get him," said Ron, grinding his teeth at Seamus back, "one of these days, I'll get him--"

"Come on, cheer up, it's nearly Christmas," said Neville. ''Let's go to the great hall, we've got free period remember?''

So the four of them were off to the Great Hall, where Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick were busy with the Christmas decorations.

The hall looked spectacular. Festoons of holly and mistletoe hung all around the walls, and no less than twelve towering Christmas trees stood around the room, some sparkling with tiny icicles, some glittering with hundreds of candles.

"How many days left until break~'' Camellia groaned as she leaned onto Draco's shoulder, not noticing as he stiffened his stance, his shoulders squaring. 

"Just one," said Hermione as she joined them. "And that reminds me Cammie, Ronnie, Nevvy, Drakie, we've got half an hour before lunch, do you want to go to the library?"