Winter, 1987

Hmm. If I could only put the quills and ink into the Honeydukes bag, I might be able to stop this all from falling, Pomona Sprout decided as she inspected the bags and boxes precariously balanced in her arms. The problem is, how do I get the quills and ink into the bag without it all toppling over?

This was quickly rendered a moot point, however, when someone bumped into her, sending all her bags and boxes flying. Whoever it was didn't even bother to help her, hurrying off down the street.

Pomona groaned, and knelt to pick up her purchases. "It's your own fault," she scolded herself. "You should know better than to do all your Christmas shopping at once, not to mention this close to Christmas!" Or on a Hogsmeade weekend, for that matter, when all the third years students and above flooded into the village, making it much more difficult to do anything.

"Need some help?"

Pomona turned and smiled. "Hello, Will. Yes, that would be greatly appreciated."

Will Stanton crouched next to her in the snow and, helping to collect the quills scattered everywhere, said conversationally, "Christmas shopping?"

"Yes, and just shopping in general- I'm almost out of ink and I needed some new quills." She sighed, and glanced at the admittedly numerous purchases scattered in the snow. "Unfortunately, it leads to quite a lot of things to carry."

Will laughed. "Don't I know it. I'm doing some last-minute Christmas shopping here, too. Unfortunately, I haven't seen anything that I could give. Where should the quills go?"

"The Honeydukes bag. How many people do you need to buy for?"

"Uh... something around the region of twenty." Correctly interpreting Pomona's surprised look, he added, "I have a lot of siblings, many of whom are married with children. Twenty may be underestimating it."

"And you couldn't find anything for any of them? Have you been to Honeydukes yet?"

"Honeydukes?"

Pomona frowned. "Yes, the sweet shop? Oh," she realized, "Have you ever been here before?"

"No, actually. I haven't the slightest idea where to begin."

"Start in Honeydukes. It's a candy store. If you need gifts for children, candy is always a good place to start."

Will nodded. "Sounds good. Uh, where exactly..."

Pomona shoved the last few pairs of socks into a bag and stood briskly. "Over here. Do you want any help?"

Will followed her obediently, and said, "I'd hate to keep you out in the cold..."

"It's no trouble at all," Pomona said firmly. She hadn't talked much to Will Stanton this year, and had been hoping for a chance to. This was the perfect opportunity. "Here we are."

They walked into Honeydukes, and Will glanced around. "A lot of candy," he commented. "And a lot of children."

She smiled. "Yes. It's a very popular spot with the students. Do you have many nieces and nephews?"

"Yes, around fifteen. They're quite young- the oldest is ten."

"Coming to Hogwarts next year?"

"I don't think so. I'm from a Muggle family. Actually," Will said hesitantly, looking around at the shelves of magical sweets, "I don't know if any of this would work. My family doesn't know about magic, so..."

"You mean some members of your family don't know, right? Surely your parents and siblings must know, if you went to a magical school..."

"Oh, yes, of course," Will said hurriedly. "It's just that my in-laws don't know about magic, and my nieces and nephews don't, either."

Pomona nodded. "I see. What school did you go to, by the way? It wasn't Hogwarts, was it?"

"Uh, no, it wasn't- oh, those look interesting-" Will darted off into another portion of the store and returned with sugar quills. "I have a sweet tooth," he admitted. "I'm running low on normal quills and ink as well, where would I buy them?"

"Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop. It's over there," Pomona said, as Will paid for his sugar quills. He hurried out and she followed him, a little slowly.

When she entered the store, she discovered Will talking to none other than Albus Dumbledore.

"Albus!" she said, slightly surprised.

He beamed at her. "Hello, Pomona. Shopping, I see?"

She smiled wryly. "Yes, Christmas shopping. As well as shopping for some essentials, such as quills."

"Alas, it is an occupational hazard that we are always running out of quills and ink."

"I've noticed," Will said with amusement. "Students are always asking to borrow them."

Pomona chuckled. "One of the benefits of teaching Herbology. None of the students need quills in my class, so nobody ever borrows them."

Will said hurriedly, "Speaking of quills, I really do need some. Excuse me for a minute." He headed deeper into the store.

Albus said lightly, "Are you grateful that winter break is here?"

Pomona laughed. "Yes, I suppose. I do like having a break now and then, no matter how much I enjoy teaching."

"It can get rather exhausting. Are you spending Christmas with your family?"

"Yes, with my son, my niece, and their families. You're staying at Hogwarts, I suppose?"

"I always do. Ah, Will! You've stocked up on quills, I see."

Will made a face. "I've learned my lesson about quills. Always have more than you think you need, and don't loan them to students if you want to keep any. I've had to borrow from Minerva for the last month. It's most embarrassing, really."

Albus chuckled. "We all have difficulty hanging on to our quills, I'm afraid."

"We've been talking about Christmas. I suppose you'll be spending it with your family?" Pomona inquired.

The smile on Will's face vanished. "No, I'm afraid I'll be spending Christmas at Hogwarts." He glanced up at the sky and said, "Weather's getting nasty, isn't it? Since I don't think I'll be able to find anything here, I think I'll head back to the castle. I'll have to see about going to Muggle London tomorrow." He vanished into the snow just beginning to spiral down.

Pomona blinked, surprised. What just happened? She opened her mouth to ask Albus.

Albus said, a little too quickly, "If you'll excuse me, Pomona? I was hoping to have a word with my brother..." He vanished in the direction of the Hog's Head before she could speak, and Pomona was left standing alone in the snow.

Somewhat bewildered, she headed over to the Three Broomsticks. As she entered, Minerva's crisp voice called, "Pomona!"

Minerva and Hagrid were sitting together at a table. Pomona slid into the seat next to Minerva with a sigh of relief. At least in here, it's warm.

Minerva looked with barely concealed amusement at Pomona's multitude of bags. "Christmas shopping?"

"Unfortunately, yes. Are you finished with yours, then?"

"Yes. I didn't have much to do, anyway. What about you, Hagrid?"

"I don' give many presents, an' the ones I do I us'lly make myself."

The three of them chatted cheerfully for several minutes before Minerva said, "Pomona, you're rather quiet today."

Pomona said slowly. "I was thinking, that's all. What do you two know about Will Stanton?"

Minerva's relaxed air vanished instantly. "Not much," she said warily. "Why do you ask?"

Pomona thought, You may not know much, but you know something. That, more than anything Will Stanton had said, confirmed Pomona's belief that there was something strange going on.

"Oh, I was talking to him, that's all, and a couple things he said didn't seem quite right, that's all." It sounded stupid, the imaginings of an overworked brain, and yet...

"I asked him what school he went to," Pomona continued, "And he found an excuse to not answer it. After so many years teaching, I know when someone purposefully tries to change the subject. Goodness knows students do it often enough when you ask where their homework is," she added dryly.

Minerva frowned, thoughtful. "Well, he certainly didn't go to Hogwarts. I would remember him."

Hagrid said firmly, "'M sure s'alrigh'. Dumbledore knows 'im, after all."

Minerva said what she and Pomona were both thinking. "Knows him how?"

Hagrid shrugged. "I dunno, but he came ter stay a' Hogwarts over the summer. Dumbledore must've invited 'im."

Minerva said slowly, "Albus never mentioned him to me before. I assumed Stanton applied for the job and that Albus didn't know much about him, but if you're right, Hagrid..."

Pomona sighed, and they all fell quiet.

Well, I suppose if Albus thinks he's all right, it must be nothing important, Pomona thought firmly.

Or Will does have a secret, and Albus is helping him keep it... A less comforting thought. Still, she trusted Albus.

It's probably nothing, Pomona thought, and said, changing the subject, "So. Who's still in the running for the Quidditch Cup?"

Yes, it must be nothing.