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The Saturday three weeks before Christmas Lina received a letter from her uncle, after finishing her breakfast Lina told her friends she was going to read the letter in the library and then meet them back in the common room in an hours time. Cedric, Lucy and Danny agreed so Lina left.
Back in her usual library spot, she opened the letter.
Dear Lina, Hope all is well and you have been behaving yourself and studying hard. I wish I was writing with better news, I'm so sorry but I can't get time off work over Christmas. I hope you don't mind staying at Hogwarts I did it plenty of times and it was enjoyable. I'm so sorry Lina, I love you merry much. Remus
Lina read the letter several times and every time she did her eyes filled with tears, Lina sighed putting the letter down and looked out the window. She understood her uncle had to work, it was hard for him to get a long term job what with his monthly problem so whenever he got work he had to take it but still not spending her first Christmas with her family hurt just a little. "Maybe I could go to Dora's."
"You alright there little badger?" Despite how Lina was feeling she smiled and looked up to the red-haired boy sitting opposite her.
"Hi, Charlie."
Charlie narrowed his eyes at his friend, he knew something wasn't right. Lina was as easy to read as a book, she wore her heart on her sleeve which she often tried to cover with a jumper. "What's the matter?"
"Nothing."
"Come on Lina you look like you're about to start crying" his face suddenly hardened thinking the worst "it wasn't Flint, was it? Because if it was I swear-"
"No, no it's nothing like that!"
Charlie leaned back in his chair and folded his arms "If you don't tell me I'll only think the worst."
Lina scoffed and narrowed her own eyes "this feels an awful lot like blackmail" Charlie grinned widely back at her, Lina sighed. "Fine I'm just not going home for Christmas, my uncle can't get work off."
"Oh" Charlie's face morphed into sympathy, Lina easily knew what that look meant, she had been receiving it since she was three years old.
"Don't look at me like that."
"Like what?"
"Like I'm a pathetic little that needs your sympathy because I am not and I don't" She abruptly stood up and snatched the letter off the desk. Of course, she was upset that she wouldn't be going home for Christmas and unfortunately she was taking it out on her friend "see you around Charlie" she turned and left going back to her common room.
***
Two weeks before Christmas Professor McGonagall started asking the names of which students who would be staying at Hogwarts over the Christmas period. The Professor approached Lina and her friends after finishing up at the Gryffindor table, Cedric, Lucy and Danny would all be going home. Lina looked to the Professor "I'll be staying-"
