Chloe Cullen - A Harry Potter and Twilight Crossover

Chapter 9: Christmas

Christmas is coming and to my delight, my parents are letting me stay at Hogwarts for Christmas as long as I go home for Easter. Hogwarts is very much like Forks in the winter. Bitter cold, tons of ice. But the one thing Hogwarts has that my house doesn't is a freezing cold dungeon. The day before Christmas break starts, we walk out of potions to see a large fir tree blocking a corridor. Two enormous feet sticking out at the bottom and a loud puffing sound tell us that Hagrid is behind it. "Hi, Hagrid, want any help?" Ron asks, sticking his head through the branches. "Nah, I'm all right, thanks, Ron." "Would you mind moving out of the way?" Malfoy says in his cold drawl behind us. "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 dives at Malfoy just as Snape comes up the stairs. "WEASLEY!" Ron lets go of the front of Malfoy's robes. "He was provoked, Professor Snape," says Hagrid. "Malfoy was insultin' his family." "Be that as it may, fighting is against Hogwarts rules, Hagrid," says Snape. "Five points from Gryffindor, Weasley, and be grateful it isn't more. Move along, all of you." Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle push roughly past the tree. "I'll get him," says Ron, grinding his teeth at Malfoy's back, "one of these days, I'll get him -" "I hate them both. Malfoy and Snape." says Harry. "Come on, cheer up, it's nearly Christmas," says Hagrid. "Tell yeh what, come with me an' see the Great Hall, looks a treat."

We follow Hagrid and his tree off to the Great Hall, where a lot of the professors are busy with Christmas decorations. "Ah, Hagrid, the last tree - put in the far corner, would you?" There are twelve towering Christmas trees, some with sparkling tiny icicles and others glittering with hundreds of candles. "How many days left until yer holidays?" asks Hagrid. "Just one," says Hermione. "And that reminds me - Harry, Ron, Chloe, we've got half an hour before lunch, we should be in the library." "The library?" says Hagrid, following us. "Just before the holidays? Bit keen, aren't yeh?" "Oh, we're not working," Harry tells him. "Ever since you mentioned Nicolas Flamel we've been trying to find out who he is." "You what?" Hagrid looks shocked. "Listen here - I've told yeh - drop it. It's nothin' to you what that dog's guardin'." "We just want to know who Nicolas Flamel is, that's all," I say innocently. "Unless you'd like to tell us and save us the trouble? We must've been through hundreds of books already and we can't find him anywhere - just give us a hint - I know I've read his name somewhere." Harry says. "I'm sayin' nothin'," says Hagrid flatly. "Just have to find out for ourselves, then," says Ron, and we walk off.

It's exhausting looking for Flamel in just one book in a library as big as this one. We can't find his name in any book . I look in any book that mentions wizards or discoveries or anything that looks promising, but nothing. I go with Hermione to work on a list of subjects and titles. After half an hour though, we come up with a big pile of nothing. We leave the library. "You will keep looking while I'm away, won't you?" says Hermione. "And send me an owl if you find anything." "And you could ask your parents if they know who Flamel is. It'd be safe to ask them." Ron says. "Very safe, as they're both dentists," says Hermione.

When the holidays start, I balance my time between Harry and Ron, Fred and George, and the library. Harry and Ron want to spend most of their time in the common room - since we have it to ourselves - but I will go stir crazy. I don't want to go outside very often because the snow melts in my hair and gets only patches or only the ends of my hair wet. I think Madam Pince is getting suspicious of me spending so much time in the library during break, but when she says anything, I just say I'm getting a head start for next term. On Christmas eve, I go to bed early because I spent most of the day searching through books, reading more closely instead of just skimming. I wake up very early the next morning. So early, the sun hasn't come up yet. I see packages at the foot of my bed. I grin like a stupid schoolgirl.