The double attack on Justin and Nick turned what had once been nervousness into a real panic. Oddly enough, it was Nick's fate that seemed to worry people a lot more. What could do that to a ghost? What terrible power could harm someone who was already dead? There was almost a stampede to book seats on the Hogwarts Express so that students could go home for Christmas.
"At this rate, we'll be the only ones left," Ron told me, Harry and Hermione. "Us, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle. What a jolly holiday this is going to be"
I chuckled. "I'd still rather stay here than go home. Facing Malfoy and his goons is a lot easier than facing what I have waiting for me at home"
And that's the sad truth.
Grabbe and Goyle, who always did whatever Malfoy did (like lost sheep), had signed up to stay over the holidays too. But I was glad that most of the students here were leaving. I was tired of people avoiding Harry in the corridors like he was going to sprout fangs or spit poison; tired of all the muttering, pointing and hissing as we passed. I nearly beat the crap of some third year who threw a stone at Harry's head...damn McGonagall from stopping me.
Fred and George, however, found all this very funny. They went out of their way to march ahead of us down the corridors, shouting "Make way for the heir of Slytherin, seriously evil wizard coming through..."
I would have laughed if I wasn't always in a bad mood.
Percy was deeply disapproving of this behaviour.
"It is not a laughing matter," he said coldly.
"Oh, get out of the way, Percy," Fred said. "Harry and Bella are in a hurry"
"Yeah, they're nipping off to the Chamber of Secrets for a cup of tea with Harry's fanged servant," George said, laughing.
And as you may have guessed, the Weasley bitch -oops, I mean Ginny - wasn't happy either. But these days, she never is.
"Oh, don't," She would wail every time Fred asked Harry loudly who he was planning to attack next, or George pretends to ward Harry off with a large clove of garlic when they met. And let me tell you, that garlic stunk out the Gryffindor Common Room for weeks on end.
Harry thought it was amusing. It made him feel better that Fred and George thought the idea of him being Slytherin's heir was quite stupid. But, unfortunately, their antics seemed to be annoying Malfoy, who looked sour each time he saw them at it.
"It's because he's bursting to say it's really him," I said knowingly. "You know how he hates anyone beating him at anything, and you're getting all the credit for his dirty work"
"Not for long," Hermione said, in a satisfied tone. "The Polyjuice Potion's nearly ready. We'll be getting the truth out of him any day now."
*
At last the term had ended, and a silence as deep as the snow outside fell over the castle. I found it peaceful, rather than gloomy, and enjoyed the fact that I, Hermione, Harry, and the Weasley's had the run of the Gryffindor Tower, which meant we could play Exploding Snap loudly without bothering anyone, and practise duelling in private. Fred, George, and Ginny (unfortunately) had chosen to stay at school rather than visit Bill in Egypt with Mr and Mrs Weasley. Percy, who hated our childish behaviour, didn't spend much time in the Gryffindor Common Room. He had already told us that he was only staying over Christmas because it was his duty as a Prefect to support the teachers during this troubled time.
Bullshit.
Christmas morning came, cold and white. Me and Hermione woke Harry and Ron very early when we burst into their dormitory, fully dressed and carrying presents for them both. I had gone all out this year, my hair fell in loose curls around my shoulders, I had a little makeup on and I was wearing a Mrs Claus outfit. It was a little short and the boots were high, but I didn't care. I liked the way I looked.
(Bella's outfit)
"Wake up!" Hermione said loudly, pulling back the curtains at the window.
I grinned and jumped on Harry's bed. "IT'S CHRISTMAS!"
"Guys - you're not supposed to be in here," Ron said, shielding his eyes against the light.
"Merry Christmas to you, too," Hermione rolled her eyes and threw Ron his present. "We've been up for nearly an hour, adding more lacewing to the Potion"
"It's ready," I added.
Harry sat up quickly.
"Are you sure?" He asked.
"Positive," Hermione said, moving Scabbers the rat so she could sit down on the end of Ron's four-poster. I tried to ignore the look Harry was giving me. "If we're going to do it, I say it should be tonight"
"You look, erm...wow," Harry said looking at me.
I blushed. "Thanks, I'm thinking about wearing something like this every year"
"You defiantly should," Harry grinned making me blush more.
Just then, Hedwig swooped into the room, carrying a very small package in her beak. Hetty had done the same for me this morning, Renne and Charlie got me a chocolate bar and a card. Yup, they're already forgetting about me.
"Hello," Harry said happily, as she landed on his bed. I gently petted her wings. She's so soft. "Are you speaking to me again?"
She nibbled his ear in an affectionate sort of way. Harry pulled the present from her beak and frowned. It was from the Dursleys. They had sent Harry a toothpick and a note telling him to find out whether he'd be able to stay at Hogwarts for the summer holidays, too.
"I hate them," I muttered, pulling on my Santa hat.
Harry nodded. "Me too,"
The rest of the day went better for us all. I had gotten a large tin of treacle fudge from Hagrid, Ron had given me a book called Quidditch: The Pro's and Cons of the Game, Hermione had bought me some new clothes and a new feather quill, and Harry had gotten me some chocolate and a charm bracelet with a charm that looked like his glasses claiming that even when we're apart, he'll still be there. I cried a lot. I opened my last present to find a new, hand-knitted jumper from Mrs Weasley and a large plum cake.
*
No one, not even someone dreading taking the Polyjuice Potion later, could fail to enjoy the Christmas dinner at Hogwarts.
The Great Hall looked amazing. Not only were there a dozen frost-covered Christmas trees and thick streamers of holly and mistletoe crisscrossing the ceiling, but enchanted snow was falling, warm and dry from the ceiling. Dumbledore led us in a few of his favourite carols, Hagrid booming more and more loudly with every goblet of eggnog he had. Percy, who hadn't noticed that Fred had bewitched his prefect badge so that it now read 'Pinhead', kept asking us all what we were sniggering at. I didn't even care that Malfoy was making loud, snide remarks about my new jumper from the Slytherin table. With a bit of luck, Malfoy would be getting his comeuppance in a few hours' time.
I had just finished my third helpings of Christmas pudding when Hermione ushered us out of the Hall to finalise our plans for the evening.
"We still need a bit of the people we're changing into," Hermione said, matter-of-factly, as though she was sending us to the supermarket for washing-powder. "And obviously, it'll be best if you can get something of Crabbe and Goyle's. they're Malfoy's best friends, he'll tell them anything."
"We also need to make sure the real Crabbe and Goyle won't burst in on us whilst we're interrogating him," I added.
"I've got it all worked out," Hermione said. She held up two plump chocolate cakes. "I've filled these with a simple Sleeping Draught. All you have to do is make sure Crabbe and Goyle find them. You know how greedy there are, they're bound to eat them. Once they're asleep, pull out a few of their hairs and hide them in the broom cupboard."
I looked at Harry.
"Hermione, I don't think-"
"This could go seriously wrong-"
But Hermione had a steely glint in her eye not unlike the one McGonagall sometimes had.
"The Potion will be useless without Crabbe and Goyle's hair," she said sternly. "You do want to investigate Malfoy, don't you?"
"Oh, all right, all right," Harry said. "But what about you two? Whose hair are you ripping out?"
"We've already got ours!" I said and pulled out a tiny bottle out of my pocket and showed it them.
"Who's is it?" Ron asked.
I grimaced. "You'll see,"
"Mine's Millicent Bulstrode. I managed to snatch it off her robes" Hermione did not look happy.
Once we cleared up the details, Hermione bustled off to check on the Potion again, Ron turned to me and Harry with a doom-laden expression.
"Have you ever heard of a plan where so many things could go wrong?"
I rolled my eyes. "Try and be optimistic Ron, it may never happen."