Cassidy's POV:
The next morning, we all agreed to go visit Hagrid and Buckbeak. The wind was a curse along with the already cold winter weather.
I buried the lower half of my face into my red scarf and my hands were tucked under my arms.
"Why the bloody hell would they make a thing called Winter?" Ron was muttering as we marched into the snow.
"Ron, calm down," Hermione smiled, "Hagrid will probably make some hot chocolate when we get there."
"He better," I added in though it probably sounded muffled through my scarf.
Once we got to Hagrid's door, Ron knocked three times, but he didn't answer.
"He's not out, is he?" Hermione shuddered from under her cloak. Ron pressed his ear up against the door and we could all faintly hear an odd noise.
"Is that Fang?" He asked us. There were deep throbbing moans from the other side of the door.
"Uh- I think he's crying," Harry answered.
Oh, no, Buckbeak's trial.
"Hagrid!" I called out.
There was a sequence of heavy footsteps and the door creaked open. We were met with a puffy-eyed Hagrid, tears falling down his face.
"Yeh've heard?" He asked.
"It's okay Hagrid we'll figure something out," I tell him. He flung himself onto me, hugging me. The half-giant is twice my size and I was close to collapsing from the weight.
The trio helps me by grabbing Hagrid and getting him back into the cabin. I brush off my cloak and join them.
"So, wait, what are we talking about?" Ron said.
Hagrid is crying in an armchair and Harry picks up a letter.
"This, I guess?" Harry responded as Hagrid's cries got louder.
Harry read aloud the letter:
"Dear, Mr. Hagrid. Further to our inquiry into the attack by a hippogriff on a student in your class, we have accepted the assurance of Professor Dumbledore that you bear no responsibility for the regrettable incident-"
"Well, that's okay then, Hagrid!" Ron exclaimed.
I looked at the redhead and subtly shook my head no and he furrowed his eyebrows before Harry continued reading.
"However, we must register our concern and decided to uphold the official complaint of Mr. Lucius Malfoy. This matter will therefore be taken to the Committee of Disposal of Dangerous Creatures.
"The hearing will take place on April 20th, and we ask you to present yourself and your hippogriff at the Committee's offices in London on that date. In the meantime, the hippogriff should be kept tethered and isolated."
I look over to Hagrid while the trio exchange nervous glances. "It'll be okay, Hagrid. Where is Buckbeak right now?"
He points to a corner of the cabin and I see Buckbeak lying down, eating something that was oozing blood.
Hermione then says, "You'll have to put up a good strong defense, Hagrid"
I nod in agreement and make my way over to Buckbeak, careful not to step in any blood.
"I'm sure you can prove Buckbeak's safe," Hermione continued.
As the conversation starts to become about legal terms, I turned my focus onto Buckbeak. Bowing to the hippogriff, he looked at me and bows his head in return.
"Don't worry Buckbeak, you aren't dying anytime soon," I whisper as I begin to pet him.
The next day we all went to the library to get books that could help with the trial. While Hermione and Harry looked for books, Ron and I got caught up in a made-up game.
I was holding back a laugh while I held a book in my hand, flipping through the pages.
"Stop," Ron whispered.
My hand found a page to land on and I pointed at a random spot.
The tip of my finger pointed to a single word.
"Evidently," Ron read aloud while struggling to keep in his laugh.
I chuckled quietly, "How does that answer your question though?"
Ron shrugged his shoulders while we mindlessly kept giggling at the stupidity of our game.
"Obviously," He choked out between a laugh, "It means that I will evidently be getting an award for my amazing singing skills in the near future."
We both broke into laughter once more, ignoring the glare Hermione sends our way. She was most likely embarrassed for being seen with us in such a calm and quiet place.
"How did you even come up with that question?" I asked him.
Ron gasped, "You think I don't wonder about my very serious passion for a singing career?!"
"Ron!" Hermione hissed. Harry chuckled quietly behind her.
But we were too busy laughing like a pair of idiots.
"Your turn," Ron said, snatching the book from my hand.
"Okay, okay," I cleared my throat before asking the, I assume, wonderfully written book, "Will I be able to do wandless magic?"
Ron began fanning the pages of the book until I whispered for him to stop. His finger landed on a new word.
"Doubtful," Ron snorted as he read the word, "Lame. You enjoy practicing your wandless magic while I get the love from my wonderful fans"
I rolled my eyes, "Shut up, Ed Sheeran"
"Who the hell is-"
"Guys! Shh!" Hermione silences us.
We give each other a furtive glance before closing the book. Our reliable future telling device had the title: The Wondrous Adventures of Jessilene Jones
"Ugh, that's a horrid name!" Ron voices as he puts the book back onto the shelf behind us.
"Says you, Sir Bilius."
"Hey-"
"Ron!"
The castle was getting pampered in beautiful Christmas decorations the next few days. Compared to the orphanage, the castle was heaven during the winter holidays rather than hell. '
They had lined the Great Hall with 12 big Christmas trees. There were streamers of holly and mistletoe along the corridors of the school and lights within every knight of armor.
The closer we got to Christmas day, the more delicious the air smelled. The air was filled with an aroma that no one could deny smelled amazing.
On Christmas Day, I got up from my bed, ignoring the feeling of stepping in snow that was actually just the cold wooden tiles. I noticed the piles of Christmas presents at the foot of my bed and felt a giddy feeling in my stomach from receiving presents.
Instead of opening up the gifts immediately, I decided to get ready instead. Maybe it would make the excitement last longer.
Who knows if I would ever receive this many presents again?
Just the knowledge of the gifts waiting for me made me smile.
By the time I dressed and walked out of the bathroom, hair wet from the shower, I see Hermione up and opening her presents.
"Sid! Thank You so much I love it!" Hermione cheered, holding up the charm bracelet I got her.
"I was afraid it was too small a gift. I'm glad you like it, Mione. Happy Christmas!" I smiled while going over to hug her.
"Now open yours!" Hermione urged. I grab the one with a neatly tied purple ribbon and carefully undo the wrapping. It was a small planner. "I figured it might help with the whole time travel situation."
I smile at her thoughtfulness, "Thank you. I really should put down what I know on paper so I don't forget."
We laugh and continue opening up our presents. Mrs. Weasley got me a gray knitted jumper with a white 'C'. My very own Weasley Jumper...
I immediately put it on and opened another gift. The twins got me a pack of dung bombs while Ron got me a box of Honeydukes sweets- mostly chocolate frogs and pumpkin pasties because they're my favorite.
Harry got me an empty photo album. On the cover was a design that looked like a phoenix and a note that said, Capture the moments that make life quite remarkable.
"How wise," I mutter to myself while smiling. I look at my bed and see one more gift box. "Hermione, who is this from?"
She looks at the roughly wrapped gift in my hands and shrugged before turning back to her other gifts. Inside the present was a polaroid, all though this polaroid is from the 90s, it made it that much cooler.
I find a note at the bottom of the box that read, I figured out a way for the camera to work around magic. Lily and your mum used to have one all the time. Happy Christmas, Sid. Love, Dad.