The Flames of Hatred and Love

Ten- Christmas

On Christmas Eve, the eleven remaining students all went to the Great Hall. The House and Head Tables had been removed, and instead there was just one big table in the middle of the Hall. The professors were already there. All twelve trees shimmered gleefully from both the fairies' lights, and from the candles above. The ceiling had been bewitched to make snow fall, but it vanished before it actually hit the table or their heads, so they wouldn't get wet and risk catching colds.

Dumbledore smiled at them as they came over to the table. "Hello there! I thought, since there are so few of us, we should just eat together!"

Tom and Harry sat next to each other, as far away from Professor Dumbledore they could get. The food appeared, and Tom stared in amazement at its elegance.

There were four different birds- Chicken, Turkey, Pheasant, and Duck- prepared in seven different ways. There was vanilla, chocolate, and banana flavored American puddings, pudding-cake, Christmas pudding, Eve's pudding, and bread pudding. There were roasted sweet and regular potatoes, mashed potatoes, fruit platters, and vegetable platters. There were Christmas themed cookies and sweets. And of course, there was pumpkin juice, hot apple cider, and eggnog.

Tom put some of everything on his plate, and ate it merrily.

At the head of the table, on Tom's far right, Dumbledore was trying to get Snape to put on the sailor hat that had been inside his cracker. Dumbledore himself had swapped his own hat for a flower bonnet.

Tom spent most of dinner being a silent observer, only speaking when one of the Professors attempted to engage him in conversation, or whenever Harry said something to him.

Harry spent dinner eating and talking with the Third Year Hufflepuff boy. He even managed to become friends with Terrence by the end of the night.

Harry and the Third Year Hufflepuff were in the Entrance Hall, getting ready to retreat to their dormitories, when Terrence approached them.

"Hey, Potter! Sorry about that move in Quidditch," he apologized to Harry.

"That's alright," Harry said, waving a hand. "It's all in the past. We should fly around tomorrow- Cedric's going to show me how to do this dive his dad showed him. Isn't that right, Cedric?"

The Hufflepuff nodded. "Yes. Let's go closer to lunch- That way we'll work up an appetite."

"Okay! I'd be happy to come along!" Terrence said.

"Brilliant!" Said Harry. "Well, night you two!"

"Goodnight!" Terrence and Cedric said, before going down to the dungeons.

"Hey Tom!" Harry called to his friend who was exiting the Great Hall.

"Hey Harry!" Tom called back.

When Tom was closer, Harry asked, "Do you want to see the Gryffindor Common Room?"

Tom's eyebrows lifted slightly, and then he nodded. "Sure."

Harry grinned and took Tom's hand and ran towards his Common Room.

When they finally made it up to Gryffindor Tower, they saw the Fat Lady and her friend Violet giggling hard. Violet had spilled some wine.