10. Seasons Greetings

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First Book

Christmas Break, 1991
Third Year

Ara Malfoy, much to Ron Weasley and Harry Potter's shock, had not gone home for Christmas break.

They could've sworn that they'd seen her leaving with her brother, and were bewildered when they saw her walking the halls of Hogwarts the first day of break.

"Ara, why can't you come?" Draco pouted as he waited for the Hogwarts Express to pull in, he'd desperately been trying to convince his big sister to come home for Christmas, with no success.

"Drake, I told you, I've got to much to do here, besides, you won't even notice me gone!" She'd never give him a straight answer on exactly what it was she 'had to do'.

"I noticed last year," Draco crossed his arms, Ara smiled a sad smile at her little brother.

Truth be told, she wanted to go home but had decided against it for the same reason she had last year, she was dreading to see her father.

"Be good for mum and father," Ara mumbled softly before pulling Draco in for a tight hug.

"Mum will be so sad, you know, last year-"

Ara drowned out her brother telling her about how much their mother missed her.

It'd only make her sadder.

"The train is here, Drake," Ara pointed her head towards the locomotive that was about to pull into the station.

"You know, you don't even need to go back for your luggage if you changed your mind, we've got loads of your stuff at home," Draco reasoned with his sister, Ara chuckled and ruffled his hair while levitating his suitcase and walking him to the train.

"Unfortunately, I haven't changed my mind, Drake,"

Draco eyed his sister for a moment, and then sighed, he practically jumped onto Ara.

"Bye Ari, I hope you have a good Christmas, even if you're alone, I'll make sure to send you loads of presents!" Draco whispered and Ara laughed while rubbing his back.

"Thank you, Drake,"

Ara watched the train pull out of the station, waving to her brother as she did, when it disappeared from sight she turned around and went straight back to Hogwarts.

The twins, and even Percy, did not seem to find her presence strange, but refused to tell anyone why.

"It's none of your business!"

That's what the twins would bellow every time Harry and Ron would ask.

Harry couldn't help but think Ara looked rather lonely. He'd quickly learned that it was quite peculiar for Slytherins to stay at Hogwarts during the break, and she was the only one in her year that had chosen to do so.

At least she had her whole dorm to herself.

Ron, on the other hand, did not like Ara enough to notice her loneliness.

Harry assumed Ron's strong dislike had something to do with the hatred he had for Malfoy (her brother) transferring onto her.

Harry did not have this problem. He could easily separate the two in his mind.

The other, more personal reason as to why Ron didn't like Ara was because she was able to get him into trouble at the snap of a finger. Luckily, she'd only done so once, when telling the twins she'd found a sobbing Hermione in the bathroom due to their brother.

The Outlying Serpent { Fred Weasley }Where stories live. Discover now