Harmonizing with Him

Chapter 10

Hi mates! I am updating sooner than you thought I would, yesss! Thank you for all your lovely votes, and thank you, Spellbind7 for your amazing comments on the previous chapter, I loved reading them! :DDD Comments are the only way I can see what my readers think about my story, so go ahead and comment  your thoughts! Finally, enjoy this chapter!

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November passed through the students in a flash and before they knew it, December was starting, which meant Christmas holidays were around the corner. Truthfully, many students were thankful that the holidays were so near and the reason behind this behaviour of theirs was simple - Professor Dolores Umbridge.

It felt like her power in Hogwarts grew day by day. Alongside her horrible classes and dull curriculum, she could declare as many Decrees, punish as many students and annoy as many teachers as she wanted to and nobody could stop her. Besides having the Ministry to back her up, Dumbledore not being in the picture more often caused her to gain an unfair advantage, which led her to think that she had the power of a headmistress.

This new belief of hers made her fire Professor Trelawney, or at least she tried to because Dumbledore flew to the rescue of the teacher in the nick of time. Even though Umbridge now had the right to fire any teacher, she didn't have the right to tell someone to leave Hogwarts - a power that resided only with the real headmaster. And to her dismay, Dumbledore allowed Trelawney to stay in Hogwarts and appointed Firenze, the centaur, as the Divination teacher.

Although the students didn't want to admit it, Firenze was not a good teacher. He kept giving them words of wisdom and interpretation of the stars and cosmos above which were too complicated for his students to understand. They silently agreed that Trelawney was much more bearable than the centaur.

As for Ron and Lavender, their first date had gone extremely well and they had called it official in no time at all. It was the first good thing that happened in the current circumstances, with the second one happening immediately after it. Sirius had invited all three of them to Grimmauld Place for the Christmas holidays. It would be Harry's first time spending Christmas outside Hogwarts and with his godfather. And he was so excited that not even Umbridge could make him feel otherwise. He felt like that these holidays would serve as a much-needed break from all his troubles.

However, Ron and Hermione had other plans.

"Sirius invited you two," Harry told them, "Come on, it'd be fun!"

It was close to mid-December, just after a Hogsmeade trip, and the trio was lounging in the common room.

"Can't do," Ron replied, "Bill and Charlie are coming home for this Christmas so it'd be like a big ole family reunion. My mum would go ballistic if I missed it."

"What about you, Hermione?" Harry asked. She shook her head in reply, "I'm sorry, Harry. I would love to spend Christmas with you and Sirius but my parents won't allow me."

"Rubbish," Ron put in, "They allowed you to go literally...everywhere before. What changed?"

"I don't know," Hermione sighed, "I think they had enough of me going to bizarre places. And they want me to spend Christmas with them."

"Then I don't blame them," Harry said, "You're their only daughter. They must miss you."

"Oh, a lot. Just as much as I miss them."

"That's sweet," Ron said, "You should teach Percy about the importance of family."

Harry frowned, "He's still going cold?"