Marauders' Godson Book 1: Sorcerer's Stone

Chapter Seven

Edward's plans of spending Christmas with his foster father and friends were ruined when Soot came flying into the Great Hall on December first. He picked up the letter that the owl had just dropped onto his plate, opened it, and let out a cry of both joy and annoyance.

"What is it?" Ruby asked curiously over Onyx's and Ron's snickers.

"Our Christmas plans are canceled," Edward sighed, and the triplets instantly looked disappointed. "But for a good reason — my foster father got a good job." Finally, he added in his head.

"He did?!" Ron said with delight. "That's great! Tell him congrats."

"It's odd for him to have a job?" Topaz asked, looking bewildered. "Why? You've said he's very nice and really smart, which is good for any job."

Edward hesitated. Then he said, "I would tell you, but it upsets him. It's his secret, anyway."

"All right," said Harry at once. Edward felt a flash of warmth towards his brother.

"That's good for another reason," said Hermione with a smirk. "You have more time to look for Nicolas Flamel."

"We've looked a hundred times!" Ron complained.

"We have not, Ron," Topaz retorted. "We've looked fifty-two times. I'm sure we'll find him soon."

"With Edward helping, it should take five to ten minutes," Ruby smirked.

Edward smiled amusedly. He'd been helping Snape with Remedial Potions and catching up on his homework instead of helping look for Flamel.

"Where have you looked?"

"Everywhere," Onyx complained. "If I never see another book, I'll be ecstatic."

"Everywhere?" Edward said calmly. "I doubt you've looked in the Restricted Section."

"Yes, but we have to get a teacher to sign a book out from there, and we don't know what we're looking for," Topaz pointed out.

"Besides, that's really against the rules," said Hermione worriedly.

Ron rolled his eyes. "Yeah, that's the reason we're not looking."

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December brought a wave of snow and ice to the castle. While the Gryffindor and Slytherin common rooms both had fires blazing in the hearths, making them warm and cozy, the corridors were freezing, and Edward had taken to wearing two pairs of socks (he hated cold feet, both literal and figurative). The worst place to be was the dungeons, because all the heat had risen to the top of the school, so all the Potions students were forced to huddle around their cauldron fire for warmth.

The cold air added to the irritating presense of Malfoy.

"I do feel so sorry," the Slytherin said with a smirk during one Potions, "for all those people who have to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas because they're not wanted at home."

"Why should you be?" Edward asked smoothly, and all the students turned to him. He'd been known to spout what they called 'wisdom' and what he called 'talking back without getting in trouble.' "They're happy here. Hogwarts is amazing."

This silenced Malfoy, and made the Gryffindors snicker.

"Settle down," said Snape lazily, who hadn't taken points from Edward, ever.

"Thanks," Ron, Harry, and Ruby mouthed to Edward. He nodded back.

As they left the Potions classroom at the end of the period, they found a giant fir tree blocking the path, with some snow still powdering the branches. Two large feet stuck out underneath it.