The Life of Bells Potter PART ONE

19) A Better Christmas

For Christmas, I got seven presents. From Hagrid, The Dursleys, Harry, Hermione, Mrs. Weasley, Ron, and Neville.

The Dursleys sent a tin of mints. Hermione and Ron gave me packets of candy each. Neville gave me a Remembrall, like the one he'd gotten. Hagrid gave me a furry coat. Harry gave me a 'How to speak publicly' self-help book he'd shipped from a muggle bookstore.

"You've got a Weasley jumper too!" Fred pointed out at Mrs. Weasley's parcel I was carrying to the common room. I was about to chuck the public speaking book at Harry's head.

"It's black!" George took my parcel and removed the knitted jumper, "With golden stars... That's new..."

I opened the parcel further to find a box of Swiss rolls.

"I told mum that you didn't get presents," Fred explained, as he came down wearing his jumper as well.

Christmas was a happy time at Hogwarts. Hermione and Neville weren't there, but the Weasleys were.

"I got a cloak that makes me invisible," Harry told me softly after the Christmas feast, "Apparently... It was dad's."

I pursed my lips. If it was dad's then why didn't I get one too?

"Who gave it?" I asked, in soft tones, as we went outside for a snowball fight with the Weasleys.

"I dunno."

I was grouchy after Harry showed me his cloak which he got from somebody who said it was our father's... It was mysterious but I couldn't help but feel awed, as I saw Harry vanish under the blue fabric. But my grouchiness vanished when I listened to parts of Fred's and George's conversation.

"You're planning to go to the Forbidden Forest, aren't you?" I confronted them a day later.

"Yes... Now don't go about telling everybody..." George hissed.

"I'm coming too!" I said stoutly.

"Okay." Fred said, after a minute, "If we don't take you... I assume you'll tell us off."

"Assumed correctly," I said smugly, skipping out.

Christmas Break finished and the castle was full again.

I noticed that Harry, Ron, and Hermione had huddling sessions discussing intently.

Even though I could, I didn't want to ask them what they were planning... Especially after I found out that Harry had sneaked off with Ron in the night using the Cloak... Without me... 

"We'll go after the upcoming Quidditch match..." Fred informed me after a muddy evening, "Wood will kill us if we come to practice with broken bones."

For this match, I decided to stay in the audience with Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Hagrid. A 1st year Hannah Abbot from Hufflepuff was commentating instead.

"Ouch!" Hermione looked behind to see Blondie behind us.

Our eyes met, and a shiver ran down him. He drew his lips in a thin line and said nothing further, hooting loudly whenever Hufflepuff scored and jeering with his buddies: Crabbe and Goyle whenever Gryffindor won points.

I cheered for Harry, jumping up and down with Ron.

"We Won! Oh, we won!" shrieked Hermione as we saw Harry dive down the pitch and catch the Snitch.

"Yeah!" Ron bellowed, "Go, Harry!" 

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