Story Title: Honour the Darkness, Welcome the Light

School: Hogwarts

Theme: Slytherin Harry AU

Prompt: Main Prompt: [Speech ] - "You know, I didn't see that one coming!" he/she gasped.

Year: First Year

Rating: K

Word Count: 3040

Beta(s): Gab, Frank.

Warnings: AU. Thank you Verity for your help with the prompts! Strong themes of blood bigotry in the beginning. I stress this warning: The characters do not discriminate against religions! They discriminate against other characters that don't celebrate the solstices alongside their usual faiths. This is not my personal believe. I believe we are all free to celebrate whatever we choose in whatever way we choose.

First blessing is written by Susan Pesznecker - Yule: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for the Winter Solstice. The second blessing is loosely based on one of her other poems that I have specifically rewritten for the purposes of this story.

Also for the purposes of this story, all symbolism described is Irish. There may be many similarities with other nations/peoples that have celebrated or still celebrate the Solstices.

Just so it's not confusing, the Yule Log and Yule Altar are two different things. The Yule Log is a huge piece of tree trunk that get burned in the fireplace covered in little wishes written on paper.

The Yule Altar is basically a decorate candle holder, covered in greens.

Please enjoy!

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Prompts: used in this order.

[Speech ] - "You know, I didn't see that one coming!" he/she gasped.

[Weather] - Snowing

[Colour] - Red

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Honour the Darkness, Welcome the Light

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It was a well known fact that seeing Hogwarts during Christmas meant seeing the school at its best. The castle's resplendence went unmatched anywhere else in all of Great Britain. This was particularly true of the Great Hall. Magnificent Fir trees lined the walls, and twinkled with hundreds of tiny lights. But most people agreed that it was the Christmas Feast that was the jewel in the crown.

Harry Potter had never seen so much food in all his life and gladly tucked into the sumptuous meal. His dorm mates were less interested in the feast and more focused on the Gryffindor table, where some of the students were exchanging gifts. The five boys' expressions ranged from sneering to furious, a look mirrored by the upper years.

"Malfoy? What's the matter?" asked Harry.

Draco turned towards Harry, still sneering at the Gryffindors. "It's some of the Purebloods, Potter. They're members of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, but they've turned their backs on the Old Ways. I don't expect much from those that associate with Mudbloods"

Harry considered his words and even heard a girl further up the bench mutter, 'Blood traitors!' Several voices murmured their agreement and Harry turned back to Draco.

"They're betraying Purebloods ideology by celebrating Christmas?" asked Harry.

"Yes and no," Blaise confirmed. "A lot of Purebloods in this country can trace their lineage back countless generations to a time when druids lived, including the Potters." Harry sat up straighter at the mention of his family and it seemed to please Blaise. "Before modern religions were introduced, these ancient families celebrated the Solstices. Nowadays a lot of families chose to celebrate both the Solstices and other holidays, depending on their faith. What we find disrespectful is that some have chosen to dismiss the Sabbats altogether."

Harry listened with rapture, intent on learning as much as he could about his ancestors.

"Now it is time for the Winter Solstice. Yule is a time when winter is at its highest. For our ancestors, the nights were unbearably cold, food was scarce, and people had very little. Our families celebrated the Yule rituals to ensure the return of the sun, because it brought them comfort in the cold and darkness." said Theo

Draco added, "These were primitive beliefs and we know better now. But we still observe the traditions of our forefathers and we give thanks to the balance of nature. Some celebrate this physical change, and some celebrate an internal or spiritual renewal. It's more of an experience, if you ask me."

Harry looked at his year mates with new found respect. "I've never heard any of this before because I was raised by my Muggle Aunt." He garnered a few looks of sympathy from the surrounding Slytherins, as his distaste for the Dursleys was apparent. "Yule sounds incredible; when does it happen?"

Vincent answered Harry, who was eager to hear more, "Yule is tonight actually. It usually falls on the 20th or 21st of December. It's the longest, darkest night of the year and when the dawn breaks, every night that follows will get shorter and warmer. After the feast is over, Professor Snape will be taking us to the forest to get started. It's just us though since I'm pretty sure the girls are doing their own thing."

Harry bit his lip and looked at the boys. At first his relationship to the others had been strained because Harry had shown no knowledge of his heritage, despite his name. When they had found out he was raised by Muggles and had had no say in that decision, they started to warm up to him. But there was still a long way to go.

"May I join you and celebrate the Solstice?" Harry asked quietly. Gregory looked up quickly from his dinner.

"You want to celebrate Yule?" he chuckled into his mashed potatoes. "You know, I didn't see that one coming!" he gasped. He had never would have pegged Potter to honour tradition, like a proper Pureblood.

Draco looked at Harry curiously. "Why the sudden interest?"

Harry became serious and replied, "I am the last Potter and while this is new to me, I am trying to learn more about wizarding culture. I won't allow my family's traditions to die with me."

Blaise regarded Harry with pleasant surprise. "Well said! It would be a pleasure to see a Potter observing the solstice again. Hope you have a good cloak. You're going to need it."

Harry shivered as they walked into the forest to prepare for Yule. He wrapped his heavy crimson cloak around himself muttering about the bitter cold. It was snowing heavily and the grounds were obscured by the flurry of white flakes. As the boys trudged unsteadily through the thick blanket, they were still shivering despite the warming charms. But even as the delicate flakes danced around them each boy seemed to be in good spirits and eager to get started.

"Draco? Why do we have to into go to the forest?" he chattered.

"We need a log to burn and evergreens to make an alter. It's where we light candles." When Harry still looked confused, Draco elaborated, "Evergreens don't die during winter like most plants so the ancients thought they meant everlasting life. It was a good omen, so people filled their houses with greenery at Yule."

Entering the forest, their professor gathered the boys around him and handed them each a basket and a slip of parchment. "This is a list of what we need. Each of you must find one item. This part of the forest is protected by the Centaurs, but send up red sparks if you run into any trouble."

Severus left the boys to wander as he focused on his task: the Yule Log. It was widely believed that a person's magic would guide them to what they were looking for when preparing for the Solstice, so Severus listened to his instincts and found himself staring at a huge fallen Cedar tree. Severing a large section of the trunk he knew would fit in the fireplace, the potions master quickly cast a feather-light charm on it. Selecting another medium sized branch to carry along as well for the candle altar, he smiled at the symbolism of the wood he had chosen.

Cedar was thought to symbolise strength of character and unusual loyalty. It found its home with those who showed perspicacity and perception, as well as those who were powerful and made for frightening adversaries.

Now he had to wait for the boys.

"I found one!" Blaise exclaimed, excitedly. He bent down by a huge tree and pointed at pile of fallen pine cones. The boys helped him gather sprigs of pine needles before crossing it off the list. Those drawn to pine at Yule were often perceived to be loners; intriguing and mysterious.

Harry caught the attention of his dorm-mates. "Can someone help me reach this?" he said pointing up at some Ivy wrapped around the same pine tree. With Gregory's help, Harry managed to reach the climbing plant, but found it exceedingly difficult to separate the Ivy from its chosen host.

It was amusing but fitting that Harry had been drawn to it. Ivy represented a tenacious will and an ability to form strong bonds. It also symbolised the endless cycle of life, death and rebirth as Ivy could live on even if its host tree had died.

Vincent was busy cutting twigs of Holly with bright red berries, which stood out against the vibrant green leaves, at the edge of the clearing. He was happy for the protection his gloves offered as he wrestled with the prickly plant. It was another interesting choice as Holly represented a unique sense of vigilance. The ancients believed the berries provided one of the only sources of food for wildlife during a barren winter and that the spiky leaves warded off malevolent spirits and even lightening. Throwing the Holly in his basket, he went off to help Gregory.

Gregory had found a massive Oak tree and was busy trimming some skinny branches to increase his bundle of thick leaves. Vincent wasn't surprised with what he had been drawn to. Oak was a powerful symbol of Yule and wizards drawn to it held the same mighty strength and endurance of the Oak, to persevere and triumph. It was very characteristic of his large friend.

Draco was having trouble finding what he was looking for. The boys followed him and Theo whose item was also proving to be elusive. Glancing at the list, Harry frowned. "We should be searching up high for these two, they won't be anywhere near the ground."

The boys nodded and began scanning the foliage above them.

Sure enough, moments later Harry heard Draco shout, "Yes! It's up there." Pointing enthusiastically, Harry spotted the Mistletoe. It was so rare and beautiful that when soldiers met under its white berries, they formed a truce. It also had connotations of prosperity and fertility for those who could find it.

It took several more minutes for them to find the last item on the list. Theo had paced around before spotting the elusive Scots Pine. He beamed before frowning. How on earth would they reach it? Sending up a few cutting charms, he managed to sever the sturdy twigs. However, when the sharp needles began to rain down, Theo was suddenly on the receiving end of some very annoyed looks. Next time, he resolved to find a better way.

The others helped him fill his basket with masses of leaves and twigs. Scots Pine was known as the sweetest wood because it released a beautiful aroma when burned. It was said to cleanse both the air and the soul. It symbolised divinity at Yule, and those drawn to it were said to be silent and introspective.

Harry watched as Draco sent up green sparks, signalling the completion of their task. After a few minutes, Professor Snape joined them in the clearing with his Cedar log and branch floating along beside him. The snow had not let up in the slightest, it still fell silently around them, cold but stunningly beautiful.

After a quick head count, he nodded at the group. "Excellent boys. We have everything we need to get started. Back to the dorm with you."

In the Slytherin first year dorm, Professor Snape began preparing the candle altar. He took the Cedar branch and magically created holes in the wood. They were just deep enough to hold one large candle each. When he had finished, Draco and Blaise placed a silver candle in each slot, before decorating it with the gathered evergreens. The stark greens and deep, rich red from the berries, painted a beautiful finished product.

Now that the altar was finished, Vincent and Gregory shredded up some parchment and ribbons, and wrote on a slip before tying a green ribbon around it. They handed the remaining strips the the others to write their own thoughts on.

Theo explained what the slips of parchment were for to Harry while they were busy decorating the rest of the room with the last of the sprigs and leaves.

"You write a wish you want to come true or a negative thought or habit you want to get rid of. It can be anything, as long as it holds meaning. Then you tie it to the Yule Log and burn it in the fireplace so it will come true."

Harry smiled and considered what he would write as he hung some Holly, with it's bright red berries, over one of the smaller portraits. The inhabitants tiny faces beamed at him.

Theo, Harry, Draco and Blaise sat around the altar and began writing on their slips of parchment. Harry thought long and hard about what he wanted to write as he knew it had to be special. In the end, he felt like he had come up with something good: 'I wish to connect with those of my blood and those around me. I wish for courage in the face of any hardships I may face and the wisdom to make the right choices - Harry.'

At the the fireplace, the Potions Master was busy setting up the Cedar trunk with abundant leftover twigs for kindling. After everyone had tied their parchment wishes to the trunk, he carefully arranged the Scots Pine around it so that the fumes could enter and purify the air. Now that everything was was ready, he gathered the boys.

When everyone had chosen a spot in front of the fireplace and the candles, Severus handed them all a final piece of parchment with a little blessing. He drew his wand and began to recite.

"May the log burn."

"May the Wheel turn," added Draco and Blaise.

"May evil spurn," said Harry and Theo.

"May the sun return," finished Vincent and Gregory.

Severus pointed his wand at the kindling beneath the log and cast, "Incendio!"

As the Cedar log burst into vibrant red flames, everyone cheered. Now that the log had been lit, it was supposed to burn through the night and be the dancing red flames were the only source of light in a room, besides their candles. It meant no one could light a second fire as it made the main fire obsolete. Strange, but no one said the ancients weren't superstitious. They believed this would replace the darkness and death that was so rampant during Yule and fill a household with light and warmth. It was a terrible omen of bad luck if the bright red flames died before the dawn broke.

The seven Slytherin's each lit one of the silver candles using the cherry red flames from the log to represent reflection, intuition and connections to lunar changes. Silver was the most appropriate candle colour to choose for a Solstice. Yule this year fell on a waxing moon, which was a time for a wizard to draw upon positive forms of magic and emotions. Filling your heart with goodness, honesty, and innocence would see you through the darkest night to greet the dawn of the sun.

As the fumes of the pine began to fill the room, the Slytherin inhabitants began to fall into a deep tranquil state of meditation. Reflecting on themselves and their thoughts, they truly embraced the traditions of Yule.

Harry drifted slowly out of his trance-like state. Filled with indescribable emotions and feelings, he felt like he had somehow reached deep down to the centre of his soul and seen himself properly for the first time. He knew who he was; he could see his strengths and accept his shortcomings. He felt light and strangely unburdened. His mind felt clear and sharp, and he knew it had everything to do with the Solstice.

He looked at the fireplace and was delighted to see that the slips of parchment had all been reduced to ash. Theo had mentioned that sometimes, a person's slip of paper never caught fire and therefore wouldn't come true. The Yule Log was also still burning merrily, and didn't look as though it would burn out any time soon. Harry knew that if it kept burning, the log would be allowed to smoulder for up to twelve days.

Around him, Professor Snape and the boys were also starting to wake up with the same content looks on their faces. Draco glanced at him and gave him a knowing look. Harry shot him a smile in return. He took the time to stretch his stiff limbs and stood up. He knew that the night wasn't over yet. A mystical task lay before them; they had to greet the sun.

It was pitch black outside in the freezing cold. The snow that had whipped and howled earlier had stalled to a gentle shower. As beautiful as Harry found snow, he found it hard to see with so little light. Harry kept his cloak wrapped tightly around him and stood on the edge of the hill to look directly at the horizon. All seven had their eyes trained on the spot where they knew the sun would emerge.

After several minutes of standing patiently in the falling snow they began to make out subtle shapes. As time trickled away and they could see even more, it began to happen; light began to spill over the horizon.

They drank in the light like men that had been starving for too long and allowed it to wash over them like a breaking wave. As the sun finally made its presence truly known the boys grasped hands in a line and spoke as a unit.

"Oh Goddess of Winter, Ancient Mother

It is you we honour above another

We have observed the Solstice here tonight,

And made it through the longest night.

We have honoured the darkness with our hearts

And welcome the Sun as darkness departs.

We thank you for the Sun's rebirth

So that light and warmth may span the Earth.

Darkness and Light, this we agree,

Are two halves of ourselves; So Mote It Be."

A feeling of intense joy welled up inside Harry and he wondered if the inexplicable magic of Yule was once again at work.

I have to say, Potter, you did good tonight," Draco smiled. "You know, I really didn't see that coming," he gasped.

"Neither did I, I never imagined I could feel so connected to you all, to Slytherin." Harry turned away, not overly comfortable with how much emotion he was showing, but he had asked for connection, and the natural magic had seen fit to grant his request.

Behind the group, Severus smiled an honest and unguarded smile. If anyone ever brought attention to it, he would still have denied it with his dying breath.

He marvelled at the six of them and couldn't believe that Harry being willing to participate in this sacred rite made his room-mates see him in a new light. Potter had embraced their way of life and had in turn been completely accepted by them. They were now as close as brothers.

As the snow continued to fall delicately around him, Severus couldn't have been more proud of his snakes if he tried.

Thank you!