CHAPTER 9

Lily had been studying intensely for days, though Daphne did usually manage to drag her out on a broom for an hour or two each afternoon. It was almost christmas, and so Daphne would not allow Lily to spend all of her time studying, even if her exams were two weeks away. Christmas was not a celebration Lily was used to, having never actually celebrated it. She didn't quite see the point. It was a celebration that muggles decided would be celebrated in december so that their pagan converts wouldn't feel as out of place. Saturnalia was the original holiday and a celebration of the roman sun god saturn, not just a day that people believed that the 'saviour of the world' was born. There weren't even any lambs by the time you reached december, but she supposed that if people wanted to believe in something then christmas would be a good thing for them to believe. Afterall, there was nothing wrong with believing in peace at least once a year.

She'd told daphne this who simply laughed. "There are lots of people who celebrate yule as christmas, but for a lot of wizarding families it's about the rebirth of the sun and the continuity of life."

"Does every pureblood do that?" Lily asked, finally drawing herself from her book.

"Yes and no. Many still believe but they no longer perform rituals." Daphne frowned. "Years of persecution from muggles has made that especially clear."

Lily looked at Daphne for a moment, taking in the somber look on the girl's face. "But you do." She pointed out, moving to sit next to Daphne, who was on the opposite side of their table in the library.

"I do, my family don't." Daphne explained. "We practise magic all year, and they won't acknowledge any of it."

"I'm sorry." Lily frowned, placing a hand on Daphne's.

"It's fine." Daphne sighed, pulling herself out of her stupor. "They can believe what they want."

Lily didn't say anything else on the matter, going back to her book. After all, she still had transfiguration to finish studying.

Christmas had been an odd day for Lily, though she acknowledged that it was nice to spend the day with McGonagall, exchanging small gifts with her guardian. Lily had picked out a small book for Minerva, though she wasn't sure if the older woman would enjoy a book about the theories of modern transfiguration, she was probably mentioned in it somewhere. The older woman had smiled just the same, and accepted the gift with a tight hug.

Lily had received a pendant of black obsidian. Professor Trelawney had tried to convince her that it would clear her mind's eye, but Minerva had simply purchased it so that Lily could wear it and remember that she always had a family with her. Lily had loved it more than she could describe, clutching to her mother figure with a grin and a few tears.

She'd tried to give Harry a gift but the boy simply ignored her, though hermione promised to make sure that he received the gift, no matter his insistence that he didn't need a gift from a 'traitorous slytherin'.

All in all the day had passed well, with Lily spending the afternoon flying with Daphne, despite the snow that fell around them. It was certainly calming to be on a broom, despite the horrid weather they were in, though nothing would be worse than the rain storm Daphne had dragged her into several days earlier. But as night fell and they walked back up to the castle, Lily was ready to be tucked up in bed, reading a copy of tales of beedle the bard that professor Dumbledore had given her. It was of course written in runes. Nothing else would have fit the man more perfectly.

Daphne had waited until the girls in her dormitory were asleep at last. Celebrating christmas with them had been a little awkward but she didn't let it dissuade her from performing her ritual tonight. She pulled a small basket out of her trunk and a deep green robe, one she'd been working on herself over the days before. She pulled it on, placing a wreath of holly on her head that had been tucked inside of the fabric. With a final glance around the room, she quietly opened the door and slipped through, moving silently down to the common room. Unlike her previous evenings sneaking out, the common room was not empty, because Lily was stood facing the stairs, her own wreath of holly in her hands.

Daphne simply smiled at the gesture and walked with Lily through the castle, taking care to avoid any teachers that were patrolling the corridors. They made it out and across the bridge without seeing anyone before spotting a girl with light blonde hair, dressed in her own red robe, walking calmly across the grounds and down a path behind hagrid's hut. The pair followed, noting how the girl had begun preparing an altar in the centre of a stone circle.

"May we join you?" Daphne asked politely, placing her own basket next to the one the girl was carrying.

"Of course." The girl smiled, who had begun producing various candles, placing them at four points of a circle she had drawn in the ground.

Daphne began placing several items in the circle, a yule log, a stick of cinnamon and a stick of frankincense. The strange girl did the same, though she placed a small carving there and several candles. She then left the circle nodding to Daphne.

"Guardians of the East, I call upon you to watch over the rites of our Coven. Powers of knowledge and wisdom, guided by Air, we ask that you keep watch over us within this circle. Let all who enter the circle under your guidance do so in perfect love and perfect trust." Daphne spoke, using her wand to light the first candle. She then moved around the edge of the circle until she reached another candle. "Guardians of the East, I call upon you to watch over the rites of our Coven. Powers of knowledge and wisdom, guided by Air, we ask that you keep watch over us within this circle. Let all who enter the circle under your guidance do so in perfect love and perfect trust." And so she continued until all of the candles were lit, turning to face the girl in red. "How do you enter the circle?"

"In perfect love and perfect trust." she replied, stepping into the circle.

Daphne then turned to lily who responded with a shake of her head. She wanted to watch, and she didn't want to encroach upon what was going on between the two girls.

The girls knelt at their altar, taking a few moments to sit in silence.

"Tonight is the night of the Solstice, the longest night of the year.

As the Wheel turns once more, we know that tomorrow, the Sun will begin its journey back to us. With it, new life will begin, a blessing from Earth to her children." Daphne spoke, lighting one of the candles.

"It is the season of the winter goddess. Tonight we celebrate the festival of the winter solstice, the rebirth of the Sun, and the return of light to the Earth. As the Wheel of the Year turns once more, we honor the eternal cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth." The second girl spoke, lighting a candle.

They continued to light the candles gathered there and then lifted their arms into the air.

"Today we honor the god of the forest, the King of nature, who rules the season. We give thanks to the beautiful goddess, whose blessings bring new life to the earth. This gift we offer you tonight, sending our prayers to you upon the air." Daphne spoke before lighting the incense she had placed earlier. The girls continued to sit in silence until they both stood, raising their wands in the air. "Thanks to the gods, for watching over our rite."

They then stepped out of the circle, extinguishing the candles and gathering their things.

"I didn't think anyone else celebrated." The girl smiled as they walked up to the castle.

"Neither did I." Daphne smiled. "I'm Daphne and this is Lily."

"Luna." The girl smiled, it seemed she always had an airy smile on her face.

Lily had been surprised to see anyone else out that night, though she supposed that it wasn't so bad, she'd made another friend, a friend that she wasn't eager to say goodbye to.