December quickly dawned on Hogwarts with the arrival of snow and the bustling excitement of Christmas slowly approaching.
The lake was frozen solid and Weasley twins were punished for bewitching snowballs to follow Quirrell around and bounce off the back of his turban and a few owls that managed to endure stormy skies to deliver mail were nursed back to health by Hagrid before they could fly off again.
And yet, [Name] was not looking forward to the holidays to start. Contrary to everyone else. While the Gryffindor common room and the Great Hall had roaring fires, the iciness of the drafty corridors and bitter wind whistling through the classroom windows reminded [Name] of the coldness of the season. Especially in Professor Snape's classes down by the dungeons, where their breaths would rise in a mist before them and they huddled as close as possible to their hot cauldrons.
This season, though it had its perks, was just so lonesome and - at Christmas - it could be at its worse.
This year, however, would be different. [Name] could finally afford a proper present for Harry and her friends and she wouldn't be celebrating at the Dursley's this year. professor McGonagall had come around a week prior; making a list of students who would be staying for the holidays and the Potter Twins signed up at once. There was hope for this Christmas... It would probably be the best Christmas they'd ever had... Ron and his brothers were staying too because Mr and Mrs Weasley were going to Romania to visit Charlie.
"I do feel so sorry," said Draco Malfoy, one Potions class, "for all those people who have to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas because they're not wanted at home."
Malfoy looked over at Harry and [Name] as he spoke, wallowing in the laughter of his lackeys, Grabbe and Goyle.
The two merely ignored him, too busy with potions to regard the little shit... even though he was technically older but that was beside the point. Malfoy was a salty Sandra that Slytherin had lost and had been increasingly unpleasant than usual since. He apparently had tried to get everyone laughing at a wide-mouth tree frog would be replacing Harry as Seeker next but everyone was too impressed by Harry's big dick energy to laugh at this petty joke.
The weird thing was... he had approached [Name] a few days following the incident. Like usual on her lonesome but serene walks, however, what he had to say was very out of the ordinary for the pureblood Draco Malfoy.
He was on his own and stopped before [Name]. She begrudgingly stopped, face slumping in displeasure; waiting with boredom for Draco's usual petty quips and insults about her, Harry or anyone she cared about. But what he said caught her off guard. Very off guard.
"Are you okay?" Draco coughed into his fist, averting his eyes. "Your nose seems fine. Just wanted to know for sure."
What.
"OI! What the—!"
[Name] had shoved Draco against the wall by his robes; green eyes dilated in panic as she held him there by the front of his robes.
"Who are you and what have you done with Draco Malfoy?!" She demanded.
"Ugh! I shouldn't have bothered. Get off me, stupid girl!" Draco huffed, yanking himself away from [Name's] clutches and storming off with long and stomping strides.
[Name] was genuinely under the impression that this was an imposter under the polyjuice potion. Who could blame her? Draco Malfoy and caring were two words that had never been a concept ever for her... But the next day he was back at it again, taunting the Potter twins lack of a family. Perhaps there was a chance in Draco. Perhaps. And [Name] had ruined it, the absolute dumbass.
Oh, about that coma situation. [Name] had never seen Harry so relieved in her lifetime, his sister had managed to live holy shit what a miracle. And, evidently, both Harry and Ron caused a scene about the quidditch ban for [Name] but with some persuasion about how it was only for the year - the debate was dropped.
Everyone was glad [Name] was okay. That's all that matter.
When they left the dungeons after Potions, [Name] was delighted to see a large fir tree blocking the corridor ahead. Why do you ask? Because it could only mean one thing...
"Hagrid!" [Name's] features brightened, an innocent glow radiating from her like a halo of an angel.
"[Name]!" Hagrid joyfully said back.
"Hi Hagrid, want any help?" Ron asked, sticking his head through the branches.
"Nah, I'm all right, thanks, Ron."
"Would you mind moving out the way?" Came Malfoy's cold drawl from behind them. "Are you trying to earn extra money, Weasley? Hoping to be gamekeeper yourself when you leave Hogwarts, I suppose — that hut of Hagrid's must seem like a palace compared to what your family is used to."
Ron dived at Malfoy just as Snape came up the stairs. [Name] was mid-action of holding Ron back from the snooty cuck.
"WEASLEY!"
Ron let go of the front of Malfoy's robes.
"He was provoked, Professor Snape," said Hagrid, sticking his huge hairy face out from behind the tree. "Malfoy was insultin' his family."
"Be that as it may, fighting is against Hogwarts rules, Hagrid," said Snape silkily. "Five points from Gryffindor, Weasley, and be grateful it isn't more. Move along, all of you."
Malfoy, Grabbe and Goyle roughly pushed past the tree, scattering needles everywhere and smirking. [Name] scrunched up her nose, as if a putrid stench lingered in the air, long gone but contaminating the scene. And she had actually thought Draco could be nice.
"I'll get him," said Ron, grinding his teeth at Malfoy's back, "one of these days, I'll get him—."
"I hate them both," said Harry, "Snape and Malfoy."
"Come on, cheer up, it's nearly Christmas," said Hagrid. "Tell yeh what, come with me an' see the Great Hall, looks a treat."
So the Golden quadruple followed Hagrid like ducklings to the great hall, where Professor McGonagall and Litwick were busy with the Christmas decorations.
[Name] was stupefied, the hall looked spectacular! Holly and mistletoe hung all around the walls and no less than twelve Christmas trees stood around the room, sparkling with tiny icicles and some glittering with hundreds of candles. [Name] absentmindedly admired the room, waving to Professor Flitwick who was helping decorate the Christmas trees with golden bubbles blossoming out his wand and becoming mock-baubles on the new tree. He gleefully waved back.
She faintly listened to Hermione tell Hagrid about how for the last few weeks they had been trying to find Nicolas Flamel name and association in the library before she was tugged out her thoughts as Hermione trailed her along to the said library by the hand. Ever since Hagrid's slip up, they had been searching for any books for this mysterious "Flamel" name. Something related to what Snape trying to steal...
And honestly... It was really boring.
"God, I'm going to invent a catalogue or something for this library so it's easier to find stuff." [Name] said, searching for books like the subject of Magical Vases in Magical History. There was something about a goblet made of fire?... Not exactly a vase but you supposed it made the cut. "Or maybe unlimited knowledge for magic could be dangerous... I bet there are some especially dangerous spells or concepts in this library. Maybe some censorship for the greater good?..."
"[Name], what on earth are you muttering about?" Hermione grumbled, a bit grumpy at there lack of luck for finding anything. She peered over her book, eyebrows furrowed.
"Future invention ideas. I'm thinking like a magical computer or something," [Name] said. "Or maybe a magical phone idea. Isn't owls - I don't know - a bit outdated?"
"Miss Potter, a library is no place for talking or discussing future invention ideas," [Name] seized up and smiled nervously at Madam Pince, the librarian who appeared (like magic ) from behind her. "Unless you want any help finding anything, it's best you should leave. Go on."
And that's how [Name] had to wait in the corridor for five minutes for her friends to go to lunch. If only Madam Pince wasn't breathing down her neck, they could really have a nice long search. One day, [Name] would act her revenge on the too strict librarian. One day.
Sooner or later, the holidays had started and Ron, [Name] and Harry had a bit too much time to think about Flamel. The dormitory was to themselves as the common room was far emptier than usual. Finally, [Name] could sit in the good chairs by the fire! They sat by the hour eating anything they could spear on a toasting fork - bread, English muffins, marshmallows - and plotting interesting and fun ways of getting Malfoy expelled, which were fun to talk about even if they never would have worked.
[Name] was spending more time in Harry and Ron's dorm room as well, for she was the only one left in her dorm room. She was missing Hermione, even if she was gone for only a few weeks. This, however, did give Ron the time to teach Harry and [Name] wizard chess - much like muggle chess but more violent and the figures were alive. Ron's set was old and battered, much like everything else he owned it belongs to someone else in his family - in this case, his grandfather.
On Christmas Eve, [Name] slept in the boy's dorm room with Harry and Ron. She had her present for Harry ready and she had been preparing it for quite a while now. She would visit Hagrid on her own and croquet with him and her masterpiece was finally finished. A small croquet blue dragon with big floppy ears, black beady eyes and green spikes trailing down its soft squishy spine. His name was Milk. But maybe apart from a present from Harry, [Name] didn't expect a present at all. When she awoke, however, she saw a small pile of presents at the foot of her temporary bed and a similar pile next to Harry's.
Naturally, [Name] shit herself.
"Oh, my... GOD, HARRY WAKE UP!" [Name's] pillow was basically a projectile as she dashed it at Harry's still sleeping torso; violently pushing him off the bed. What a wake-up call. "MERRY CHRISTMAS WE GOT PRESENTS!"
"Jesus woman! Why you have to be so loud for?" Seamus said, groggily sitting up.
"Ow!" Harry said, "wait, presents?"
"Merry Christmas," said Ron sleepily as Harry scrambled from the floor and pulled on his bathrobe. "Bloody hel- you alright Harry?"
"I've got presents? We've got presents?" Harry said smiling, watching [Name] cartwheel around the room in excitement.
"What did you expect, turnips?" said Ron, turning to his own pile, which was a lot bigger than Harry's and [Name's] combined.
"OH! Before I forget!" [Name] sprinted out the room to her dorm, disappearing for a few minutes before coming back, out of breath, with a present wrapped with pink paper. "M-Merry Christmas Harry! His name is Milk."
"Milk?..." Harry mumbled out and unwrapped his present. His eyes sparkled like stars in awe. "Did you make this? He's so soft, thanks [Name]! Here's mine."
Harry reached from under his bed and placed a relatively heavy square-shaped present to [Name]. He was grinning and placed Milk in his lap as he opened the rest of his presents.
[Name] dug in her own fair share of presents. Naturally, she opened Harry's first: it wasn't exactly wrapped, more like a shoebox with a touch of glamour and a ribbon but she nonetheless clapped excitedly at the contents. There was a book she hadn't read before, a small plushie of a baby chick, a jawbreaker, a rusty keychain with a grand pirate ship on it and a thin leather bracelet with engraved flowers. A combination of little trinkets that [Name] adored.
Next, she picked up a small parcel. Wrapped in brown paper and scrawled across it was: To [Name], from Hagrid. Inside was a roughly cut wooden frog with a mini baton beside it. [Name] scraped the baton against the rugged frogs back and it mimicked a frog's croak.
The next present was tiny. A biro-pen; half-used with no lid and some bite marks at the end of it. From Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia.
"Not surprised honestly," Harry said, sharing [Name] a look. "At least it's better than 50p." He held up his present, more feeble in thought than a sock without a pair.
"I know they weren't trying but... it's actually quite a good present," [Name] started, twirling the pen. "I'm kinda sick of using a quill and some ink to write essays. Only wished they gave me Dudley's pencil case and not a pen, you know. I've been saying this for so long, Harry, wizards aren't as innovative as muggles!"
Ron was fascinated by the fifty pence and pen.
"Weird!" he said, "That's supposed to be a quill and money? What a shape!"
"You can keep it," said Harry, laughing at how pleased Ron was. He judgingly looked at [Name] and said her name. "[Name], it is only a pen."
"Fair enough, here Ron, you can have this too," [Name] never knew she could be so reluctant about giving away a pen, but considering she had no gifts for Ron and a pen was the future innovative incorporation for wizardkind, she passed it over. "Ron, swear on your life you won't lose it because you will never have to use an inkpot again for essays."
"I s-swear!" Ron promised, holding the pen rather tightly before continuing to open his pile of presents.
"Hagrid and our aunt and uncle and from [Name] — so who sent these?"
"I think I know who that one's from," said Ron turning a bit pink and pointing to a very lumpy parcel. "My mum. I told her you didn't expect any presents and — oh no," he groaned, "she's made you both a Weasley sweater."
[Name] had torn open the parcel to find a thick hand-made sweater in emerald green and a large box of homemade fudge. Harry had the same. She hugged it tightly to her chest, her heart trembling. This was probably the best piece of clothing she owned and it took every fibre in her body to not cry like a baby.
"Every year she makes us a sweater," said Ron, unwrapping his own, "and mine's always maroon."
"That's really nice of her," said Harry, trying the fudge along with [Name], which was very tasty.
The next presents also contained candy - a large box of Chocolate Frogs from Hermione and [Name] had a few more presents than her brother. One was a present wrapped with a lot of tapes sat to one side and [Name] opened it to reveal a pink handmade scarf - it wasn't amazing, with the thread tearing in places but [Name] saw the effort put into it and appreciated it dearly. This must've taken a long time to finish.
It came with a small card that said: Thank you for being nice to me, I tried my best with the present and I hope you like it. Not signed. Weird but [Name] guessed she would be warm this winter with the number of woolly things she was being given. She wrapped it around her neck and snuggled into the lavender scent that wafted from the scarf.
Thanks, stranger. [Name] thought to herself. I'll find you later.
And finally, that left two parcels, one for [Name] and another for Harry. Harry picked his one up to find it was very light. He unwrapped it.
Something fluid and silvery grey went slithering down to the floor where it lay in gleaming folds. Ron gasped.
"Preetty," [Name] slurred.
"I've heard of those," he said in a hushed tone, dropping his box of Every flavour beans he'd gotten from Hermione. "If that's what I think it is — they're really rare and valuable."
"What is it?" asked Harry, picking the mysterious sliver cloth from the floor.
"It's an invisibility cloak," said Ron, with a look of awe on his face. "I'm sure it is — try it on."
Harry threw the cloth over his shoulder and Ron gave a yell.
[Name] honestly thought she was dissociating - Harry's head was suspended in midair, his body completely invisible and watched as he admired his floating head in the mirror. Pulling it over his head, he disappeared entirely.
"No way... that's so cool!"
"There's a more!" said Ron suddenly. "A note fell out of it!"
[Name] grabbed the note and read the following loopy and narrow words:
Your father left this in my possession before he died. It is time it was returned to you two. Use it well.
A very Merry Christmas to you two. - it seemed to be a recurring theme that no would sign they're bloody letters. [Name] sighed passing it to Harry to read.
"I'd give anything for one of these," Ron said, admiring the cloak. "Anything. Why'd you sigh [Name]?"
"Tired from Seamus snoring, obviously," [Name] lied smoothly, something didn't sit right with her about the invisibility cloak. Perhaps it was because it was from her deceased dad?
Before anything else could be said, the dormitory door slammed open and Fred and George Weasley bounded in. Harry hastily stuffed the cloak out of sight and [Name] silently commended him.
"Merry Christmas!"
"Hey, look — [Name] and Harry's got a Weasley sweater, too!"
Fred and George were wearing fabulous blue sweaters with a large yellow F and the other G. But [Name] noticed something...
"If you're going to wear labelled sweaters at least wear them the right way round," [Name] said, "George you've got Fred's sweater on, silly!"
"W-wait, they're swapped? How can you tell!?" exclaimed Ron in astonishment.
"What a brilliant brother you are Ronnie-boy, can't distinguish between you're two brothers," said George, albeit slightly shocked that [Name] actually recognised there little prank. "Anyway, why aren't you wearing yours?"
"Come on, get it on, they're lovely and warm."
"I hate maroon," Ron moaned halfheartedly as he pulled it over his head.
"You haven't got a letter on yours," George observed. "I suppose she thinks you don't forget your name. But we're not stupid -- we know we're called Gred and Forge."
To the Weasley twins utter delight, [Name] guaffed at their joke and grinned. "Now the joke makes sense."
"What's all this noise?"
Percy Weasley stuck his head through the door, looking disapproving. He had clearly gotten halfway through unwrapping his presents as he too, carried a lumpy sweater over his arm, which Fred seized.
"P for Prefect! Get it on, Percy, come on, we're all wearing ours, even [Name] and Harry got there's one."
"I - don't - want - " said Percy thickly, as the twins forced the sweater over his head knocking his glasses askew.
"And you're not sitting with the prefects today either," said George. "Christmas is a time for family."
They frog-marched Percy from his room, arms pinned to his side by his sweater. [Name] was about to follow in their footsteps but Harry diligently reminded her of her remaining present.
"[Name], you've got a present left," Harry mentioned, hinting at the mysterious small present - so small you could fit into a pocket. And [Name] did exactly that.
"Meh, I'll open it later but for now let's go have our First Christmas dinner!"
[Name] and Harry had never in all their lives had such a filling and tasty Christmas dinner. A hundred fat, roast turkeys; a mountain of crispy roasted and boiled potatoes; platters of chipolatas; tureens of buttered peas, silver boats of thick, rich gravy and cranberry sauce -- and stacks of wizard crackers every few feet along the table. The fantastic party favours paled in comparison to the feeble Muggles crackers - with flimsy plastic toys and paper hats inside.
[Name] pulled on of the wizard variants with Harry and it didn't just bang, it went off with a black like and cannon and engulfed them in a cloud of blue smoke. Up at the high table, Dumbledore had swapped his pointed wizard's hat for a flowered bonnet and was chuckling merrily at a joke Professor Flitwick had just read him.
Dessert followed the turkey and [Name] watched with delight and great amusement as Hagrid got redder and redder as he drunk more wine, finally kissing Professor McGonagall on the cheek, who, to [Name's] surprise, giggled and blushed, her top hat lopsided. [This is honestly my favourite interaction out the entire books. Period.]
[Name] had spent one of the best afternoons of her life having a furious snowball fight on the grounds following the feast. Cold, wet and gasping for breath, she returned to the fire in Gryffindor common room, laughing and running there, from Fred, as she sneakily took the last snowball throw while he was distracted and he, naturally, was seeking revenge! In the warm glow of the fire, the Weasley twins taught her how to Play Poker and betting on sweets found in the crackers and with presents.
After a meal of turkey sandwiches, crumpets, trifle and Christmas Cake, everyone was too full and sleep to do much before bed except sit and watch Percy chase Fred and George all over Gryffindor Tower because they stole his Prefect badge. Honestly, it was the best Christmas day [Name] had ever had -so far- and she assumed the same for Harry.
When [Name] finally settled in her temporary bed in the boy's dorm, she realised she hadn't opened her final present, hopefully, a nice way to end her day. Unwrapping it in the shimmer of the moonlight, it was a little white box containing a small brooch of a... Lily...
It unnerved her to say the least... Who could have possibly given her this? Was this supposed to be endearing? Yet again, unsigned from a mysterious sender.
She merely sighed and began to fall asleep, though, in hindsight, she wished she had noticed Harry shuffle out of bed and accompany him to stumble on seeing a mirror with his parents on the other side of the reflection - her parents.
"Harryyyyy," [Name] groaned, "why didn't you wake me up? They're my family too you know... I don't even know what my mum even looks like... I just know from what others have told me..."
"Yeah, you could have woken us up," said Ron crossly.
"You two can come tonight, I'm going back and I want to show you the mirror, especially you [Name]," said Harry.
"I'd go without an invisibility cloak honestly if it means seeing my parents... m-my family," [Name's] words wobbled, suddenly getting emotional at the possibility of seeing her parents.
"You really cry all the time, don't you [Name]?" Ron mentioned - probably unintentionally insulting her but nonetheless, in a split second, that sadness changed to anger and the girl punched him roughly on the arm and stormed off from the breakfast table. "OW! It was just the truth!"
"You're a bit of an idiot Ron."
The night couldn't have come sooner and Harry slowly was retracing his steps to find the notorious mirror room Harry had found. For almost an hour, they were merely wondering Hogwart's dark passageways. Ron obviously complained and suggested to go back but the twins snapped at him; determined to find the room if it meant walking all night.
They passed the ghost of a tall which gliding in the opposite direction and they saw no one else and Harry spotted a suit of armour. "It's here - just here - yes!"
They pushed the door open and Harry dropped the cloak from around his shoulders and ran to the mirror. [Name] hastily followed and lost her breath at the sight. Harry had been right; there, in the mirror, [Name] was with at least ten others but two struck a chord with her the most.
Her mum - green eyes like [Name] and Harry, with dark red hair - crying and smiling simultaneously. Next to her was a tall, thin, black-haired man with an arm around her - wearing glasses and untidy hair - her dad. He smiled at [Name].
For the first time in her life, [Name] was looking at her family, she couldn't even speak - how could she? Her parents - her actual parents were beaming at her - her... dead parents. She felt a deep ache of both joy and a pang of terrible sadness and was transfixed at the image. She tuned Ron and Harry's talking out, pressing her hand to the mirror, a forlorn gaze in her eye as she was transfixed by the reflection. Her eyes grew watery - she knew what her mother looked like.
"...[Name]." The said girl was knocked out her trance as Harry said her [Name]. "Could you move for a second and let Ron have a look."
"Y-yeah, sure..." [Name] moved out the way, reluctancy in her movements. She couldn't stop peering at the mirror, blocking out Ron and Harry arguing over the silly thing... the mirror itself radiated magnificence and was as high as the ceiling with its golden ornate frame settled on two clawed feet. She then noticed the inscription: Erised stra enhru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi.
I wanna look longer... but it's not real... my parents are dead.
A sudden noise outside the corridor knocked the girl back into reality and ended the boy's discussion. They hadn't realised how loudly they had been talking.
"Quick!"
Ron threw the cloak back over them just as the luminous eyes of Mrs Norris came round the door. [Name] hopefully prayed the cloak worked on cats and after what seemed an age, Norris turned and left.
"This... isn't safe - she might have gone for Filch, I bet she heard us. Come on," [Name] said, dragging both boys out of the room not before sparing one last look at the mirror and looked at the reflection of her parents. And that's when she saw the Lily brooch - it was on her father, identical.
The lily brooch belonged to dad.
The snow still hadn't melted the next morning and [Name] decided firmly - she would not go back the following night. She shouldn't dwell on a dream that could never be, her parents were not alive to give her affection or the hugs she so deeply craved but that didn't mean she'd live a life devoid of affection. She had Harry, she still had a family even in the one.
Around midday, she solidified this thought in her mind by hugging Harry.
"[Name] are you okay? That was very random--" Harry started.
[Name] interrupted that thought.
"Harry, try not... to go back to the mirror."
"You sound just like Ron, why not?" Harry grumbled.
"What was in that mirror... It wasn't real. And you shouldn't pretend it is, we know what happened to our parents," [Name] kept details to the minimum, for her sake and Harry's.
"But we shouldn't dwell what could have been but think about... what we have now. And we have each other, it's not much but at least there is something."
"But don't you miss them too?..." Harry mumbled with a frown.
"I didn't know them enough to miss them but I would give the world too." [Name] hugged Harry again and he hugged back even tighter. "I love you Harry and I'm glad you're my brother. If you go back to the mirror tonight, just know I understand why. I understand too well. Say hi to them for me, will you?"
"Yes, definitely," Harry said. "I love you too, [Name]. I'm glad we have each other."
That was all that [Name] need to hear.