Chapter 7 ~ Christmas Party Blues

Muriel was surprised one morning when she arrived in the Great Hall for breakfast and found that the Christmas trees had already been set up. The time went by so fast that she had hardly noticed as the term came to a close. She sighed and plopped down at the table, opening the book her father had smuggled to her, Zany Hexes for the Harried Hexer. She and Severus were running out of new things to do to the marauders, who'd kept up a steady barrage of curses throughout the term.

Muriel looked up from her book as Severus threw an envelope on the table in front of her, scowling. "Rosier's place," he griped. "Their house is so small that we'll have to stay outside to keep out of trouble." The annual Christmas party. Muriel wondered briefly if her father would go this year. He'd come home from the party last year in a very bad humor.

Mur frowned at the untidy scrawl of Mr. Snape's handwriting, but suddenly smiled again. "Want the good news?"

Severus raised an eyebrow and softened his expression somewhat. Trust Mur to come up with good news.

"I overheard Lucius telling off Rosier in the library last week. Made him cry. I bet the Malfoys aren't invited." Severus and Muriel were both aware that Rosier was spoiled rotten. Although his family wasn't wealthy, his parents coddled him. While their parents had been teaching them the Dark Arts, Rosier had gotten good at exploding snap and gob stones. It would be just like them to not invite the Malfoys because of something like that.

"Oh, but who will fix your head this time, pumpkin girl?" Severus whispered, his mood obviously much improved, though he didn't smile. Muriel pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes, but he only turned to leave.

He was quickly reminded that it was a mistake to turn his back when she wore that expression. Orange sparks exploded forcefully from his robes with a deafening BANG. He looked down to find that gaudy, sparkling pumpkins were now decorating his black school robes. Laughter erupted from everywhere, and he spun sharply, his wand already in his hand.

Unfortunately while he'd been looking at his robes, several people had stepped between him and the Ravenclaw table. By the time he got around them, Muriel was long gone.

The Rosiers' house was crammed with people. Severus and Muriel stood in the back yard, looking morosely at the odd, Asian-looking lamps that were hanging from the trees. It was much too cold to be outside, but the Rosiers had cleared the snow with a melting charm and lit a sizable fire.

Mur pulled her fleece cloak tightly around her shoulders. As she had predicted, the Malfoys hadn't been invited, but just about everyone else was there. The Averys, Wilkes, Macnairs, Crabbes, Goyles, and Blacks were all in attendance. And, as Severus had been sure, everyone who was not of age was standing near them around the fire, except Black, who had the sense to keep his distance.

Muriel turned around to warm the back of her legs. Her mother had insisted that she wear this skirt, not realizing that she would be outside all evening. "This is awful," she whispered. Severus only nodded. Bored, she took out her wand. A moment later, a snowball whizzed through the air to hit Avery's exposed neck. Soon they were all covered in snow, and even Avery laughed as one of his snowballs caught Muriel's shoulder. She spun around and toppled over, unbalanced. He headed toward her. A moment later, another snowball caught him full in the face and he looked around to find a grinning Sirius Black, who already had another snowball in his hand.

As Avery wiped his face angrily, Crabbe stumbled backwards to avoid a barrage of snowballs charmed by Jolina. He bumped Avery, who fell to the ground beside Muriel. Taking advantage of the confusion, Avery rolled toward her and put a restraining hand on her shoulder. "Now this is better than dancing any day," he said quietly, his face only inches from hers.

He was way too close for her, and she threw off his hand and stood up angrily. "SOD OFF, AVERY!" Several people turned around at this pronouncement, but Avery ignored them.

"Oh, you know you want it," he responded wickedly. He reached for her again as a huge snowball hit the back of his head with a sickening thud. It had obviously been charmed into ice. At the same moment, Severus grabbed Muriel's wrist and pulled her behind him.

Avery was bent over, a hand gingerly exploring the lump that was forming on his head. Muriel looked at him with cold, pitiless eyes. "You probably have a concussion. I daresay you'd better go tell your parents." Her voice was hard.

Avery didn't look up. The edges of his vision were fading to black. A moment later, he'd toppled over into the snow. Severus levitated him back into the house. No one else wanted to face Mr. and Mrs. Avery, and Severus had insisted that Muriel stay outside. She watched him walk away before turning to find the snowball. She picked it up in both hands. It was as big as a cantaloupe. Avery might just as well have been hit by an anvil. She levitated it over the fire before the adults could find it. No one said a word.

As the water dripped into the fire, hissing and spitting, Muriel glanced at each of the boys around the fire, trying to determine who'd charmed that ball of ice. But everyone's thoughts were jumbled. None of them seemed to be feeling particularly guilty. She knew it couldn't have been Severus, since he'd been behind her.

"I don't know which of you did it, but thanks," she said quietly. Outside the circle of light cast by the fire, Sirius nodded in answer, though no one saw him.

When Mr. and Mrs. Avery stormed out the back door, demanding explanations, no one had any to give. Everyone looked guiltily at the fire, avoiding the adults' eyes. The party broke up shortly after that, and Severus and Muriel were glad to get home.

Mrs. Deesia gave Muriel a stern talking to, convinced that she had harmed the Avery boy in some way. Mr. Snape patted his son on the back for the first time in years, believing exactly the same thing.