Collision Of Worlds: The Crystal Lake

Chapter 24: Greatest Desires

Previously:

"Ah, Jayden. How is the plan going?" Quirrell asked.
"Nearly done, sir. They seem quite hooked on the loss of their friend." The boy replied.
"The Dark Lord requires them to be gone. Permanently. Hannah's 'betrayal' is just a small step. Distract them, then..."
"Dispose of them."

***

A Few Hours Earlier...

Evan stared at the cold, stone ceiling. He had been thinking lately...
"Hey, mate." He turned on his side, facing the dirty blonde.
"Hmm?" Terrence grumbled, half-asleep.
"Have you noticed that we don't get enough lines or story plots?"
"What are you talking about?" The other boy scoffed. "Life isn't a book that everyone can just read."
"But what if it is... people could watch our every step and we'd never kno-"
"Just go back to bed."
"Whatever." He shrugged. "Well, look at the time! It's seven thirty. We'd better head downstairs and meet up with the others."
"True. I am getting a little hungry - plus, the others will get annoyed if we're late." The Ravenclaw sighed.
"Should we wake up Roger?"
"Is he asleep?"
"Yeah."
"Hm. Depends, how are you going to?" Terrence pulled on his robes.
"AYE, DAVIES!" Evan yelled from the top of his voice. "WAKE UP! THERE ARE GRIFFINS FLYING OUT THE WINDOW."
"Argh!" Roger sat up, glaring disapprovingly at them.
"I'm not against you guys having fun..." said Cosmo. "But please don't wake the rest of us up. We want to be able to sleep, and some of us have training today."
"You sound like Tom, always going off about Quidditch." The blonde boy chuckled.
"Your chaser friend? Doesn't he have something for Granger?"
"Gr-... Granger... what? But I thought we were all just friends, Tom would tell me if-"
"Oh Terry. Terry, Terry, Terry, Terry." His fellow Ravenclaw sighed.
"What? Did I miss something?"
"Yes. Yes, you did." One of the Taurian twins snorted.
The children laughed, then began to get ready. Soon, there was a knock on the door.
"Who is it?" Roger called.
"It's us. If you're not down soon, you boys will miss breakfast. Hurry up!" Marietta Edgecombe called.
"Can't you wait a bit? I've got to spike up my hair." Evan asked.
"Do it fast then."
They heard footsteps move further away, and assumed it was the girls. After about ten minutes, everyone was ready. Terrence opened the door, then jumped.
"Cho! I thought you would be eating with your friends. That scared me." He clutched his chest.
"Oh, I just wanted to talk to you." She smiled.
"Aren't you closer to Evan though?" The boy raises an eyebrow.
"I hear my name." The boy declared as he walked out.
"Actually-"
"Sorry, Miss Chang, but thyself and thy acquaintance hast no time! We must feast." The black haired kid laughed.
"Thyself hast no idea what thy acquaintance is saying." His friend sighed.
"Let's-a-go!"
They pushed each other, racing towards the painting.
"Why are you running?" The girl called after them, but got no response.

***

Back to the present time...

Adam reached inside the Santa hat. It was crimson red with white lining, soft to the touch. Ten children were gathered around a large, snow-covered tree, waiting for him to draw a name.
"You weren't invited, Gale." Parker glared.
"Yeah, I was." Adam looked back at him. "Dahlia invited me."
"That would make sense." Amy replied. She was immune to the cold.
"Just pick a name." Lukas sighed. Him and Cosmo had been invited to the secret santa too. He was carrying the hat.
"Finally! Got one." The Hufflepuff finished rummaging through the names.
"Who's next, my arm is tired!"
One by one, each person took a name. 
However, the male Taurian twin was curious.
"Who'd you get, Ruby?"
"Why would I tell you?" She scowled.
"Becuase I want to know." The boy grinned, turning to the others. "Who did everyone else get?"
"Me and Amy won't tell. Otherwise, who'd tell us off when we start to do something silly?" Dahlia said.
"It's Amy and I." Parker interrupted.
"You look for every little opportunity to correct us, don't you? Puh-lease, this thing is seriously overdrawn and annoying." Evan whined."Anything else you have to say?"
"Yes, I do. We don't have access to shops - how are we getting the presents?" He asked.
"Mione is helping me with transfiguration." Tom answered. He knew that the only female Gryffindor in their group was doing the same.
"I might make something from scratch, to be honest." Terrence added.
"I'll probably cook something." Adam smiled. His family owned a small, self-run wizarding café in London. Having grown up there, he knew how to cook well for a twelve year old.
"I remember that time you brought cookies into the Hufflepuff common room. Those were great." Ruby said.
"Lukas and I will most likely look for some stuff in the forest. Who knows what's in there..." Cosmo glanced at the large trees in the distance.
"It's forbidden, and Filch will catch you." Parker told them.
"I'll  probably do all of that. Who knows?" Dahlia shrugged.
"Now that our little Christmas event is over, can we address another situation?" Amy announced. Everyone stared at her, confused. "Those two were out in the middle of the night. I know. What were you doing?" She asked her fellow Gryffindors.
"Oh... that." Tom stuttered. "A-actually, we'll show you."
"This is not a 'we' thing. This is a 'you' thing. I am not going anywhere near that thing. It'll be gone tomorrow anyway."
"If you say so yourself. Who's coming?" He looked at his friends.
"If Parker says that it's a bad idea I think maybe it is not the best idea." Lukas took a step back.
"I mean no offence." Cosmo added. "But we'd rather stay here."
"In the freezing cold?" Ruby laughed.
"Suit yourself." Terrence buried his neck in his silk robe. "See you all later."
"Bye!" The group walked back to the castle. Dusk and Cleo, who were waiting for them, followed.