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——THE YULE BALL
EFFIE'S SLEEP WAS DIVIDED IN CHAOTIC, FIVE MINUTE NAPS, CHARMING HER BRACELET TO ELECTROCUTE HER BACK TO CONSCIOUSNESS OUT OF FEAR SHE MIGHT HAVE A NIGHTMARE.
About the nth time she woke up, she nearly screamed in shock until she realized it was only Pretzel, sitting at the end of her bed with a jolly grin. "Merry Christmas, Missus Phemy!" Pretzel greets in a hushed whisper.
She grinned tiredly, unable to be annoyed at Pretzel and opened her arms for the small elf to run into. Pretzel embraced her tightly, "Pretzel got her missus a gift, miss."
"Oh, Pretzel, you shouldn't have," Effie whispered, but didn't protest. "I've a gift for you as well."
With complete knowledge that she sent out her dad's, Neville's, and Ginny's gift by 3AM so it wouldn't reach them prematurely (no, she didn't get up, but she did levitate the respective gifts under the Christmas tree that Daphne transfigured out of a make up brush), Effie reached into her trusty bag—already transfigured to match the color of her jumpsuit—and procured from it a large pack of sweets.
At the same time, Pretzel laid a beige scarf on Effie's lap. They grinned at each other, before exchanging gifts. "Pretzel learned elven magic, missus. Pretzel has enchanted the scarf so it would keep her Miss Phemy warm always."
"Thank you, Pretzel," Effie says with a genuine smile.
"No, missus," Pretzel said. "Thank you."
The two shared a brief hug, "You should go," Effie told her as Pansy started stirring in her bed. "She'll go off if she sees you here."
With a crack, Pretzel disappeared. Effie started cracking her knuckles as the girls jumped awake from the noise, "That was one hell of a joint you have there," Millicent says sleepily.
Effie picked up a random sock from the floor, throwing it at Millicent's face. "Get up, idiot. It's Christmas—"
Pansy suddenly squealed, jumping on Effie's bed and engulfing the girl in a large hug. "Merry Christmas to us, soul sister!"
"Merry Christmas, Pans," Effie laughed.
A few merry christmases and quick showers later, the four girls sat around their own Christmas tree, passing out gifts. "In order of ages," Daphne professed with faux formality, making the girls giggle. She grabbed a large bag filled with gifts from under the tree (a large L. S. was labeled across it), and presented it to Effie. "Miss Stark."
