Christmas passed quickly. Cissy and I decided to try and explore the grounds in hopes of finding better hiding places, and possible escape methods. Cissy also helped me with some spells just in case. I was glade to not be one of the only ones left behind on Christmas break. The Weasly twins got in trouble for jinxed snowballs. The entire castle was covered in snow. At first I did my best to never go outside; it was way too cold for my tastes. At one point McGonagall gave me a special spell that would keep me warm. It worked of course, and allowed me to hang out with Cissy outside.
I had gotten letters from everyone who had left, surprisingly even from Rema. She said she was sorry about hexing my dinner before she left. I most enjoyed being the Great Hall. Festoons and mistletoe covered the walls and it had twelve finely decorated Christmas trees. I continued to wear the small golden pin and had no luck in trying to figure out who sent me the letter. I waited to see if they would send another letter, but none came.
On Christmas morning I was amazed to find out that I had some presents. Cissy brought them up to me. She didn't want to open them with Harry and Ron opening there's. I got a gift from the orphanage, which surprised me. It was an old worn brown shirt that had once been white. Cissy handed me her gift that was a small bag. She told me that it was special bag that would hold my items and only permit to get them out. Draco had gotten me a small silver necklace that had charm of a witch riding a broom on it. Vincent and Crabbe got me some chocolate to eat. Rema got me a book, Hexes and Curses to defeat your opponent: for beginners by Regina Maruclius. Henry got me a brass bracelet, and John got me a cassette player and a cassette to listen to. He wrote that he found muggle devices fascinating and though I might to. Leci got me purple cloak, and Jean sent me a picture of all of us sitting under a statue inside Hogwarts.
I wondered if they would like the gifts I sent them. I'd have to send something to the orphanage mostly to show my gratitude. Cissy enjoyed to one I gave her-a bag of special stones. The stones were said to predict things by showing their user fragments of the future. I thought it was interesting when I saw it in the store. I was thankful that we had a chance to go out for to Hogsmeade to get gifts for friends and family.
I had gotten two last gifts. One from the unnamed people who sent me the golden pin, this time they didn't sign the letter. Whoever it was sent me a small purple gem. I put inside the bag the Cissy had given me. The other gift was completely unexpected. Mrs. Norris funny behavior was from having been pregnant. She gave birth to a healthy litter of four. I was able to adopt one of the kittens, I named her Sherbert. She had white fur, with black and orange spots on her back. A large black spot covered her left eye, making her adorable. The other three were given to other students who had remained in Hogwarts, and were all in different Houses.
Christmas dinner was amazing, plenty of food to go around and some party wizard crackers that were party favors. I giggled to myself watching Hagrid get drunk. He kissed McGonagall, she blushed and tilted her hat sideways. One afternoon we joined into a fight with the Weasly's and Harry. After a delicious meal Cissy and I watched Percy chase his two twin bothers around the Gryffindor Tower for having stolen his prefect badge.
One day on my break I ran into a ghost named Moaning Mrytle who haunted the Gryffindor bathrooms. We talked a bit, but not very long. She was complaining about not having anyone here for Christmas to visit her. She skulked off into one of the stalls and disappeared. I decided to not use the bathroom again, and to come visit her on occasion.
Term began once again. I wished it hadn't, but still was glade to have my friends back. There was a new Quiddittch game between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. I was looking forward to watching another match. I managed to meet up with my friends in the abandoned classroom as often as I could. Everyone brought stuff back with them for the room. We now had some rugs, a nicely furnished table, some extra books and an extra book shelf, and a nice picture to put up of ourselves. John had brought a television back with him; we set it atop the book shelf. He knew of a special channel for witches and wizards that we watched regularly. Jean had brought a radio and refused to let us listen to anything but her favorite stations.
I was glade that the snow had left, but began to notice Cissy acting strange. She would toss and turn every night now. A few times she re-awoke from having bizarre nightmares. I tried to get her to tell me about them, but she never did. I also got a little frustrated with Draco. He kept bullying everyone he came in contact with, other than us. We had a small argument one night. The next day he had forced Neville's legs to stick together. After that, I never brought it up again.
Later on I heard about a fight involving Vincent, Gregory, and Draco. They fought against some Gryffindor students, Ron and Neville. I didn't say a word. I also didn't say a word when I heard that Draco had reported about Hagrid's pet dragon. I did get a little worried when I heard about Draco's upcoming detention. I hoped they weren't going to send him into the Forbidden Forest for fear of that vampire we saw. Rema told us that's what he was.
I waited up that night in the abandoned classroom. Draco said he'd met us here after his detention if he could. When he showed up he looked terrified out of his mind.
"What happened?" Henry asked.
"We saw something," Draco responded", in the Forbidden Forest."
"What was it? Was it the vampire?" Rema asked suddenly.
"I don't know," Draco went on," he was hooded and cloaked. It didn't appear like the vampire we saw."
"Maybe it was something else," Cissy said.
"What did you do?" I asked.
Draco stopped speaking and didn't say a word. "I tried to fight it off, of course."
"Well, at least you're still alive," John said. "What do we do now?"
No one really had an answer. We just decided to wait and see what was to happen. We went to bed that night, hoping that nothing bad would happen. I walked with Cissy up the Gryffindor Tower and we made our way through the portrait. We went to bed without saying a word to each other. Leci and Jean were fast asleep across from us. I pulled the covers over myself and shut my eyes.
I soon found myself in a terrifying dream. Something was sneaking into the bedroom through the window. It carefully made its way to Cissy's bed and took her with it. Cissy had been taken into the Forbidden Forest. The thing bit into her neck, and I knew it was that vampire. I sat bolt upright and looked over at Cissy's bed. The scarlet curtains were covering the bed. I removed my covers and walked over to her bed. I slowly pulled back her curtains and noticed that she was gone. I looked up at our window that had been left open. The vampire had taken her into the Forbidden Forest.