Well, I said I would be updating at least once a month in my last update, and am fairly confident it has been over a month since then so I apologise- that promise is more of a work in progress rather than a guarantee I'm afraid but I assure you it will happen one day.
Chris left Gryffindor tower late that evening and limped happily back to his bed. He had practically forgotten about his encounter with Malfoy - and was now focussing more on the holidays, the Yule ball and his date with Hermione. He was surprised therefore when he got back to the common room and a very serious looking Wyatt and Callum who had clearly been waiting up for him.
"Well?" He demanded when Chris didn't speak.
"Well what?" Asked Chris with a yawn- thinking longingly about his bed.
"What happened this afternoon?" Prompted Wyatt. Chris rolled his eyes, turning his head to Callum in frustration.
"You told him!" He exclaimed.
"Of course I told him." Replied Callum.
"Of course he told me." Concurred Wyatt. "Now what the hell happened?"
"Nothing." Replied Chris shortly, he considered trying to push by his brother, but knew that was never going to happen, so instead he sat down in the nearest arm chair, crossed his arms and looked defiantly up at the pair.
"Right, I'm not failing my transfiguration test tomorrow because I was up all night waiting to see which Halliwell is more stubborn, I'm going to bed." Announced Callum after a few minutes of the brothers angrily glaring at each other, he turned on the spot and headed towards his dormitory. The boys were silent for a few minutes until Wyatt broke the silence- never having the patients for those sorts of games.
"Chris I know someone attacked you, I just want to know who, and why!" He said, sitting down in the seat opposite.
"Look, it's none of your business okay! I took care of it!" Insisted Chris.
"Chris you're limping, the tip of your ear is missing and Callum told me about the injury on your shoulder, if you had have sorted this out properly then the guy would be in the hospital wing right now and I've been up there so unless you fought two first years with flu, then you're lying to me." Chris shook his head, but didn't bother to respond. "I just want to help you Chris." He pressed, his voice softening slightly. "You're my little brother and if something's going on you can tell me." Chris didn't even react now, he sank back into the chair, making himself comfortable- if Wyatt wouldn't let him go to bed then he would just have to sleep here. "Fine." Conceded Wyatt, much to Chris' surprise, "Then maybe I just won't heal you and you can explain your injuries to mum." He said, making Chris sit up.
"Fine." He said, "Then I'll just tell her about how you were practising spells with the wand you still haven't mastered when there was an explosion and suddenly I was on the otherside of the room in a lot of pain." He looked straight into his brothers eyes, then widened his own and made his lip tremble slightly. "It wasn't his fault mum, I didn't want him to feel bad so I hid what had happened- then when he saw me limping I made up the story about the attack so he wouldn't have to know."
"I'd tell her you were lying." Pointed out Wyatt.
"But who do you think she'd believe." Retorted Chris- and both brothers knew he was a convincing enough liar to make their mother believe most things.
Wyatt narrowed his eyes at the younger boy, not certain if he was bluffing or not. Eventually, however, he seemed to believe Chris as he leaned forward and pressed his hand on Chris' shoulder- slightly harder than was necessary- and allowed his healing power to spread through the boy. Chris grinned and stood up triumphantly.
"I'm not giving up Chris." Warned Wyatt as his brother headed to bed.
"I know you won't Wy." He sighed.
Chris woke early the next morning and left the common room quickly- wanting to avoid Wyatt. It was too early for breakfast, so instead he wandered back to the Gryffindor common room with his books, figuring he would do some final cramming for the potions test. Unsurprisingly Hermione was already up and was pouring over pages of her notes, but more surprising was the appearance of Harry and Ron a few minutes later- both of whom were now clearly regretting their lack of revision.
The four studied for a while- barely speaking other than to confirm a fact until eventually the common room to full with excited chatter for them to concentrate, so the group gave up- turning their minds to other matters. It was the last day of term and Harry and Ron still hadn't found anyone to go to the dance with. It was worse for Harry as he was meant to dance the first dance in front of everyone with his partner.
"I suppose there's always morning Myrtle." He said gloomily. Chris didn't know who that was- but from Harry's tone he could guess that wasn't really an option.
"Look, it's not that difficult." said Chris, seeing how miserable both Harry and Ron looked, "Harry- you're the chosen one and you just defeated a dragon- believe me, thousands of girls want you to ask them out- you've just got to have some confidence."
"Easy for you to say-" Moaned Harry, "You're going home for the holidays- you don't have this problem." Chris shrugged but didn't correct him. Hermione had asked him not to say anything for now- neither Harry nor Ron had even considered inviting her, and a part of her was curious to see how long it would take them to remember she was a girl. Ron however was on Chris' side.
"You know what, he's right Harry- we've just got to grit our teeth and do it." He said. Chris smiled and nodded at this enthusiasm, although was slightly concerned that Ron was making the task sound more like the pair were about to storm a demon nest rather than ask out a girl. "When we get back to the common room tonight, we'll both have partners- agreed." He declared. Harry seemed uncertain but he didn't really have a choice.
Even though it was the final day of term the day seemed to drag by. Even in Transfiguration where Professor McGonagall had decided to take a break from the regular syllabus, Chris couldn't say he had fun. She had decided to teach them a very fiddly charm which, if used correctly, would cause icicles to spread from the wand- weaving themselves in intricate patterns across whatever object the wand was being pointed at. Unfortunately Chris still hadn't grown used to a wand, and so the best he was able to do within the hour was to make snow fall from the classroom accidently so by the time they left, there was about a centre- metre of snow covering the room which a rather infuriated McGonagall was left to deal with.
In History of Magic, Professor Binns didn't even seem to realise it was Christmas as he gave a particularly boring lecture on the way the goblin wars of 1564 influenced muggle politics. By the end of the class, half the room was asleep, and the other was covered in icicles as students took the opportunity to practise their newly learnt charm.
Later, came Snape's antidote test and Chris couldn't be more grateful to Hermione for all her extra revision sessions as while most of the class struggled, Chris found he was able to quickly prepare the potion Snape had asked for. Unfortunately, the majority of the class seemed to have pushed all thoughts of the test to the back of their minds in favour of the approaching holidays, so many of them struggled greatly with the test. Harry managed to forget the key ingredient- a bezoar- while Ron got through it only by copying Hermione and Neville somehow set fire to his desk. Indeed the only people to successfully complete the test in time where Chris, Hermione and Draco- who seemed more determined than ever to prove himself after his altercation with Chris in the corridor.
Straight after the test, Harry sprinted away from the classroom with little explanation leaving Chris, Ron and Hermione to head to dinner without him. Chris still couldn't get over the extravagant beauty of Hogwarts in winter. The great hall had been lavishly decorated with tinsels and baubles, and was surrounded by twelve of the most magnificent Christmas trees Chris had ever seen.
The three of them sat and ate dinner with Ron's sister Ginny, talking happily about the end of term, and asking Chris for details about what he would be doing back home. They had almost finished dinner when Neville came over to them. His eyebrows were still slightly scorched, but he had rubbed the soot from his face, and Chris noted he looked distinctly nervous as he sat down opposite Hermione.
"Hey Neville." She greeted kindly, "Are you okay?" Neville smiled weakly and nodded several time, apparently considering his words carefully.
"Umm..." He began... "So, I was just umm... wondering, Hermione, if umm... well, umm... You've always been so nice to me... helping me out with work and everything, and well...would you go to... the umm... ball with... well… me?" He stuttered, yet Chris couldn't deny Neville had got to the point far quicker than he had when he asked Hermione.
"Oh Neville." Replied Hermione, going slightly pink, "I'm really sorry, but I'm afraid someone's already asked me." Chris almost felt bad for Neville- it took a lot of courage to ask someone out, especially in front of the rest of the group- but then another part of him could barely resist a grin as he remembered that it was him who had already asked Hermione.
"Oh... okay then." Said the disappointed Neville. "Don't worry about it, I hope you have a good time with... whoever." Hermione smiled back, still blushing, while Ron was unable to contain his laughter until Ginny hit him hard on the arm.
"I have to go." Said the very pink Hermione, standing up quickly from the table and leaving the room. Chris thought about following her, but figured she wanted to be alone to recover, so instead he remained with the Weasleys. Ron could still not believe that a kid who had been raised by witches had no knowledge of Quidditch, so he took this opportunity to explain it to him the rules and all about the teams, and Chris felt he may finally have found a sport he could take an interest in.
The three left the Great Hall together, but the moment they were in the Entrance Hall, Ginny split away from them to talk to some third year friends she had spotted, and then Ron suddenly stopped in his tracks, turning his head to face the very pretty Beauxbatons Champion who was talking to the Hogwarts Champion. The hall was very crowded, but Ron didn't seem to notice any one else, as he practically tripped over his feet to reach the blonde witch. Chris followed as best as he could, but he couldn't keep up with Ron's determined blundering, so was just forced to watch along with the rest of the now very quiet hall.
"Hellodoyouwannagotoballwithme?" He stuttered. Fleur looked very confused and she clearly hadn't understood a word of what Ron had just said. A few of the students around her however, began laughing at the scene of Ron who had now stopped dead in his track, his eyes had grown wide and his face was a red picture of terror. He didn't bother to wait for a response as he sprinted away, through the laughing crowd and up the stairs.
Chris set off after him, followed by Ginny. He didn't expect to be able to catch up with Ron, as he not only had a head start, but his long legs also gave him a significant advantage. He was surprised therefore, when they rounded the second floor corridor and found Ron leaning against the near wall, shaking slightly and banging the back of his head against the stone.
"Why? Why! Why? Why!" He moaned, his eyes jammed shut.
"Ron?" Said Chris cautiously, not wanting to spook the unfortunate boy, "Everything okay." Ron shook his head, continuing to shake in misery, so Chris and Ginny simply took one of his arms each and gently led him back up to the common room, and helped him into the nearest chair. Hermione hadn't returned yet but a few minutes later Harry came through the portrait hole, and judging by the unhappy look on his face, his romantic endeavour had been equally unsuccessful.
"What's up Ron?" He asked once he joined them. Ron looked up at his best friend. His face was still a mask of horror and he shook his head miserably.
"Why did I do it?" He questioned hysterically. "I don't know what made me do it!"
"What?" Said Harry, but Ron appeared unable to answer. He continued to shake his head as Ginny explained what had happed while stroking Ron's arm comfortingly.
It was then Harry's turn to describe what happened with Cho, and judging from his story, he hadn't had it much better than Ron. It was almost the end of the day, and so far neither of the boys were any nearer to dates to the ball.
"This is mad." Said Ron. "We're the only ones left who haven't got anyone- well except Neville. Hey guess who he asked? Hermione!" Harry seemed very surprised by this news, and Chris tried to keep blank face as Ron told the story- right down to Hermione's declaration that someone else had already asked her. Chris was slightly surprised that neither Harry nor Ron believed her story, but judging from the pointed look Ginny was giving him he supposed Hermione had already told her all about it.
Before they could discuss it further however, the portrait hole opened again, and this time Hermione scrambled through.
"Why weren't you at dinner?" She asked Harry, "And what happened to you?" -She directed this question at Ron- "I met Dean in the corridor and he said you asked out Fleur!" Harry and Ron were still laughing about Neville, which for some reason seemed to annoy Ginny.
"Yes well they've both just been turned down by the girls they asked to the ball." She explained- shutting Harry and Ron up.
"Thanks a bunch Ginny." Said Ron Sourly as Hermione smirked- she shot a comment in Ron's direction about all the pretty girls being gone, and some girl called Eloise Midgen starting to look pretty good, but Chris guessed this was a reference back to a previous conversation as he didn't really understand. Ron, however, seemed to take no offence at this comment, and in fact was looking at Hermione in a totally new light.
"Hermione, Neville's right- you are a girl."
"Oh, well spotted." She replied acidly, but her eyes flicked over to Chris and he spotted a small grin on her face as her prophecy was being for filled."
"Well- you can come with one of us!" Ron declared triumphantly as if he had just discovered the cure to cancer.
"No, I can't." Snapped Hermione, her eyes once more flicking to Chris. Ron protested- but his desperation only seemed to make Hermione smile more. "I can't come with you." -she said, and Chris noticed a distinctive blush was reappearing on her face- "because I'm already going with someone else." Chris nodded, expecting this to be the moment they tell Hermione's friends, but before they had a chance, Ron cut in.
"No, you're not!" He disputed. "You just said that to get rid of Neville." Hermione's grin had disappeared now, and her eyes flashed dangerously.
"Oh did I? Just because it's taken you three years to notice, Ron, doesn't mean no one else has spotted I'm a girl." Ron still looked disbelieving and appeared not to have noticed the dark look in her eye as he once more grinned.
"OK, OK, we know you're a girl." He reassured her, "That do? Will you come now?" Chris considered stepping into the conversation to defend Hermione, but there was something about the way she was glaring at Ron that made Chris think she wanted to handle this alone.
"I've already told you!" She insisted very angrily. "I'm going with someone else!" And then before anyone could add anything she stormed away towards the girls dormitories. Chris wasn't entirely sure what to do. He could either let Hermione handle her friends by herself, as he believed she wanted, but then risk looking like a prick for not defending her when they found out, or he could reveal himself now, but then take that power away from Hermione, which would make her upset.
Ron was still very insistent that Hermione was lying, but Ginny now stepped in to defend her. She didn't reveal the name- confirming Chris was making the right decision- but Ron seemed to accept his little sister wasn't lying so returned his attention back to the quest of finding a date. He suggested his sister should go with Harry, but it turned out even she had found a date before the boys, as Neville had asked her out in the great hall while Ron was making a fool of himself with Fleur, and this lowered the boys' spirits even further.
Chris felt very sorry for his friends, and also feeling bad for keeping the truth from them about him and Hermione, he resolved he would try and help them find dates however he could, and it was at this moment that Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown arrived in the common room- causing him to leap into action.
"Hey Parvati." He greeted, trying to imitate the confident grin his brother always wore when talking to girls. "So, my friend here." He said- indicating Harry, "You know, the Hogwarts Champion who just defeated a dragon with no more than a broomstick, really needs a date for this Yule ball thin, and I figured you and he would make a perfect match." He couldn't help but sigh internally as he spoke- resenting how easy he found asking girls out for his friends but not himself. "So how about it?" He finished.
Parvati went into fits of giggles, and whispered something to Lavender. Chris waited patiently for them to subside, and could feel both Harry and Ron's gazes on his back.
"Yeah, all right then." She said finally- glancing over to Harry with a smile.
"Great." Sighed Chris with a laugh of relief, "Lavender- fancy going with the brilliant and funny guy with an encyclopaedic knowledge of Quidditch that is Ron?" He asked.
"She's going with Seamus." Said Parvati- making the pair giggling harder than ever. Chris sighed, not wanting Ron to be left out. He asked if they could think of anyone for Ron but Parvati's first suggestion was Hermione.
"No... Um she's sort of angry with him so I don't think that'll work." He wasn't technically lying to the girls, but he knew that if he said she was going with someone else then they'd ask for details- then he really would have to lie. "Can you think of anyone else?" He asked. Parvati thought about it for a moment before suggesting her sister might not have a date. She promised she'd ask for Ron, and Chris thanked them and went back to his friends who both waved awkward thank yous to Parvati who giggled again before heading up to the girls' dormitory. Ron and Harry both looked up at Chris in awe, "Don't mention it my friends." He said before adding as an afterthought. "Although I should tell you that in return you are teaching me to ride a broom."
"I'll teach you everything I know." Promised Ron. "Just teach me how to do that!"
Sadly there was no time for broomstick riding before the holidays, as the following day Chris and Wyatt had to orb back to San-Francisco. Piper hadn't seen her boys properly since they had started at Hogwarts so had ordered them to come back the first day possible and neither of the boys were brave enough defy their mother's orders.
Unfortunately both of them had forgotten about the seven hour time difference so although they left the castle at eleven that morning, it was only four back home and no one was up yet and it would be hours until anyone was. Chris tried to busy himself by making some breakfast for his parents and Melinda- not wanting to have time to talk to Wyatt. Unfortunately he simply stood in the door way with his arms crossed, watching him work.
"OK, seriously what is it?" Snapped Chris at about six am.
"I spoke to your friend- she said you got the scars battling Cornish pixies." He said. "I'm guessing she was joking, but I just thought I'd check."
"When did you talk to Hermione?" Questioned Chris, not bothering to address his brother's further investigation into the attack.
"I saw her in the library." Replied Wyatt impatiently, wanting to stick on topic. "That's not the..."
"What were you doing in a library?" Cut in Chris mockingly. Wyatt didn't look happy at this question but before he could retort, their came a sudden scream from the door way.
"You're back!" Exclaimed Piper, hurrying forward to draw both her sons into a tight hug. "When did you get back? You made breakfast?" The boys grinned, and Chris served her some pancakes while Wyatt pulled out a chair for their mother and began telling stories of Hogwarts. Chris was very relieved that Wyatt left out any mention of the attack, but he also doubted Wyatt would stay quiet forever.
By eight, the whole family were sat round the table, exchanging stories about their autumns. Leo had heard about the Yule Ball from Professor Lawrence and Melinda had a thousand questions for the boys about who they were taking, what they were wearing, what would it be like and so on. Chris told them all about Hermione- glad he could tell someone, but when the attention turned to Wyatt he shrugged. Chris thought that this was about him having no one to take other than his insane girlfriend but as it turned out, he was quiet because he had two dates.
"Katherine wrote to me yesterday telling me I was taking her." Explained Wyatt despondently to Chris as they were clearing the table, "And then I was in the entrance hall, and I don't know what happened... I mean one moment I was walking along reading her letter, and the next that blonde French champion was there and she flicked her hair and smiled and I couldn't help myself- and I asked her to the ball!" He sighed, running his fingers threw his short hair before concluding. "And now I'm so dead!"
So, I'm going to endeavour to get to and include the Yule Ball next update, although I should warn you that my inability to keep to the point will mean it could end up being a very long and probably quite late chapter so apologies in advance for that. Thanks for reading, and please leave a review!
