Chapter Twenty-Five: Back To Hogwarts
Ginny was down on the floor holding her foot.
"Oh my gosh Ginny! What happened?" Hermione cried.
Ginny bit her lip to stop from screaming and Cassandra explained.
"A deck of Exploding Snap decided to have fun and heated the stove up. A huge pot landed on Ginny's foot."
"Are you okay?" Hermione asked, heaving a sigh of relief that it wasn't anything too serious.
"Yeah, I guess. My foot hurts a lot though," Ginny replied softly.
She was still clutching her foot.
"Why don't we put some ice on it?" Cassandra offered.
"Good idea. Could you get some please?" Hermione asked.
Cassandra nodded and returned in a few quick seconds with ice wrapped up in a handkerchief.
"Just put it on the spot that hurts," Hermione ordered.
"It's cold," Ginny replied.
"That's why it's ice," Cassandra said managing a feeble smile.
"At least it wasn't too serious. Just sit down for a few seconds and let the swelling go down," Hermione said.
"Okay," Ginny replied, still rubbing the sore spot.
At night all the Christmas lights were lit around the rooms. They sipped eggnog again and ate cookies, cake, and turkey with all the trimmings. Finally it was time to open the presents. They sat down in the Family Room, looking at the tree, and sipping eggnog. In a few seconds they would get to open their presents. Cassandra was counting down the seconds till midnight.
"Five...four...three...two...one... It's Christmas!" she shouted.
"Merry Christmas everybody!" Hermione exclaimed.
Everyone shouted Merry Christmas and grabbed the box (or bag) closest to them with their name on it.
"Oh, it's super!" Cassandra exclaimed, turning the cloak around that Hermione had given her.
"Thank you so much. It really is cute!" Ginny agreed.
Hermione smiled glad the presents she gave them were likable. She turned to the large tree and picked out a fairly large package that said from Ginny to Hermione. She unwrapped it and saw a cat grooming kit.
"Oh, thanks!" she exclaimed giving Ginny a hug.
She picked up another package. This one was from Ron. There was a huge amount of Honeydukes candy bottles of Butterbeer in a basket with Easter fillings inside.
"Thank you Ron. It's cute," Hermione told him.
He nodded and then shouted, "Awesome!" as he unwrapped the Chudley Cannons poster.
Cassandra opened up the Honeydukes bag from Hermione at the same time Ginny did.
"Sweets! Way to get me hyper," she said with a smile.
"Thank you Hermione," Ginny said.
"You're welcome," Hermione replied.
Hermione took another bag and saw a framed picture of Ginny in her fairy suit sitting down in the snowy background.
"You look so cute," Hermione said.
"I know, doesn't she?" said Cassandra.
Ginny blushed. "It's a bad picture of me. Then again, when do I ever look good?"
"All the time," Cassandra said giving Ginny a huge hug.
"I'll take your word for it," Ginny said laughing.
Hermione opened up a framed picture of Cassandra in the polo shirt suit standing up with her arms spread out into the air and a huge smile.
"Uggh! What was I thinking in that pose?" Cassandra asked coming over to Hermione and looking at the picture.
"I think you look cute," Hermione said.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Cassandra replied with a smile.
Hermione was just about to open another package from Cassandra when Harry whispered in her ear, "You look beautiful in these pictures."
Hermione blushed quickly.
"Really? Thanks. I hoped you'd like them," she replied nervously.
"I do," he whispered.
Hermione fiddled with Cassandra's package (still thinking about Harry's soft words and his sweet breath) for a few seconds and then opened it up.
There was a silky dress robe inside it made of a very pretty blue.
"Oh! It's gorgeous!" she exclaimed to Cassandra.
Ginny held up an equally beautiful one in dazzling silver.
"Oh, thanks so much Cassandra!" she squealed happily.
Cassandra flashed a bright smile and opened up a present from Ron.
Finally Hermione came upon a present from Harry.
She picked it up carefully. It was a small box (probably jewelry she thought) and had exaggerated ribbon tied all around it. Hermione slowly unwrapped the box once she got all the ribbon off. She opened it carefully and saw a beautiful necklace wrapped up with tissue. She gasped. Hermione pulled the whole necklace out and saw a shiny stone hanging on the silver chain. It was a small stone, in a reddish brown color. It was smooth all the way around and was very pretty.
Hermione looked at Harry who smiled and said, "It isn't the Sorcerer's Stone, but it's a part of me that will always be with you."
Hermione put her arms around Harry and gave him a well-deserved hug.
"Thanks Harry. It's beautiful," she replied simply thinking how alike he and his father were.
Harry put the necklace on Hermione and then they threw all the wrapping paper in the trash.
"What time is it?" Hermione asked.
"I think about one," Cassandra replied.
"One in the morning?" Hermione squealed.
"I don't think we'll be getting anymore sleep," Ron said.
"I agree," said Ginny.
"Why don't we go back to Hogwarts?" Cassandra suggested.
"Now? Do we have tickets or anything?" Hermione asked.
"Yes, actually I have five tickets for a three AM flight to London so we'd better get ready," Cassandra replied with a smile.
"You really must be majoring in Divination Cassi! Who else would have planned everything so perfectly?" Hermione said laughing.
"No one. I'm perfect, don't you know that already?" Cassandra asked seriously.
"So much for modesty," Ron teased.
"Well, let's change and get a taxi to the airport," Hermione said, acting like an adult again.
"I don't know what we'd do without you," Ginny said.
"Funny, I think that myself," Hermione joked.
"Now who's being modest?" Cassandra teased.
Hermione rolled her eyes trying to hide giggles and left the room to change.
~*~
"Bring him to me – now."
"Yes, my lord."
"You said he'd be easy to train. You said he'd do as you asked."
"My lord, I do not know what has overcome him. I'm sure he will do better next time."
"He had better, or he will be punished much worse than this time. Bring him to me now!"
"Yes, my lord."
Lucius Malfoy left the room quickly for two reasons. One was to get Draco, and the other was to escape from the nerve-racking eyes of the Dark Lord.
~*~
"Yes Ron. That button calls for attendance and that ones the light. I think you're getting the hang of this," Cassandra joked in the airplane.
Hermione fell asleep on Harry's shoulder and Ginny could barely stay up.
"You party poopers! Oh come on! You don't need to sleep!" Cassandra insisted.
"Everyone else on this flying car is," Ron reminded her.
Cassandra pouted.
"Why don't you – yawn – take a quick nap. That's what I'm going to – yawn – do," Ginny suggested as Ron fell asleep.
"Might as well, the rest of you are dead gone already," Cassandra replied.
She leaned back on the seat and fell asleep.
~*~
"We're just in time for the Boxing Day feast!" Hermione exclaimed.
"Since when are you so excited about food missy?" Cassandra asked.
"It's not the food I'm talking about. I just like it when Hogwarts looks so pretty and stuff. Anyway, this dorm looks so homey. I'm putting my stuff down and going to see McGonagall for a while. I need to talk to her," Hermione said.
She left the room after fixing her hair and went to McGonagall's office with a large bag in her hand.
McGonagall rushed to the door as she saw Hermione's face.
"You came back early! I'm so glad!" she exclaimed letting Hermione in.
Hermione entered the cold office shuddering (there were way too many bad memories from being in there).
"So, how was your trip?" McGonagall asked.
Hermione sat for about fifteen minutes giving McGonagall the highlights of the trip, including Percy's Wedding and the photo shoot.
"So I have a little something for you," Hermione finished holding out the bag.
"You do? You shouldn't have. What is it?"
"Open it up and see for your self."
Professor McGonagall took the bag from Hermione's hands and pulled out the solid black frame from all the tissue. Hermione's smiling picture was in the center of the frame.
"It doesn't move – but it's beautiful," Professor McGonagall said smiling.
"Thanks! So, what's been going on at Hogwarts?" Hermione asked.
"The usual, the usual. We've just been enjoying the Christmas Holidays. The Boxing Day Feast will start in an hour if you'd like to freshen up, but that's about it. Oh, before I forget, here's a package of things from people that were mailed here," McGonagall said handing Hermione a bulging bag.
"They are for you, Ron, Harry, Cassandra Nicole, and Ginny. I've got to get ready now, thank you for stopping by. The picture was really lovely."
Hermione went to the girl's dormitory and put on her scarlet cloak on top of jeans and a sweater. She tied her dragon boots up around her ankles and walked out into the common room. Hermione left the package on her bed and walked to the Great Hall with her friends.
When everyone was settled in the Great Hall, the ceiling was painted a starry night and the walls were all sparkling red. In the center of the Hall was an enormous Christmas tree with jingling bells, ornaments, and a charm that made the tinsel change colors frequently.
Hermione, Cassandra, Harry, and Ron all ate heartily and raced back to Gryffindor Tower to see what was in the package that Professor McGonagall gave Hermione earlier.
"Should've known! Weasley Sweaters and Hagrid's usual Honeydukes stash," Ron said smiling.
"Oh! Your mom made me one too! That's so thoughtful of her," Cassandra said.
"Yeah Ron, tell your mom thanks," said Hermione looking at her light pink sweater.
They sat by the fire (in the almost empty common room due to Christmas Break) and munched on Hagrid's candy supply. The evening then turned into night, which turned into – somehow the very last day before classes would start again.
Late that evening, very late, McGonagall had sent for Hermione. Hermione looked at her clock. It was midnight! Hermione was worried.
Why would McGonagall be calling me so late?
Hermione slipped on her cloak and went to Professor McGonagall's office instantly.
The door was open to her office and Hermione walked in with a quick tap on the door.
She saw the look on McGonagall's face. The cold and terrified look.
It was then that Hermione knew something had gone wrong.
Terribly wrong!
Ginny was down on the floor holding her foot.
"Oh my gosh Ginny! What happened?" Hermione cried.
Ginny bit her lip to stop from screaming and Cassandra explained.
"A deck of Exploding Snap decided to have fun and heated the stove up. A huge pot landed on Ginny's foot."
"Are you okay?" Hermione asked, heaving a sigh of relief that it wasn't anything too serious.
"Yeah, I guess. My foot hurts a lot though," Ginny replied softly.
She was still clutching her foot.
"Why don't we put some ice on it?" Cassandra offered.
"Good idea. Could you get some please?" Hermione asked.
Cassandra nodded and returned in a few quick seconds with ice wrapped up in a handkerchief.
"Just put it on the spot that hurts," Hermione ordered.
"It's cold," Ginny replied.
"That's why it's ice," Cassandra said managing a feeble smile.
"At least it wasn't too serious. Just sit down for a few seconds and let the swelling go down," Hermione said.
"Okay," Ginny replied, still rubbing the sore spot.
At night all the Christmas lights were lit around the rooms. They sipped eggnog again and ate cookies, cake, and turkey with all the trimmings. Finally it was time to open the presents. They sat down in the Family Room, looking at the tree, and sipping eggnog. In a few seconds they would get to open their presents. Cassandra was counting down the seconds till midnight.
"Five...four...three...two...one... It's Christmas!" she shouted.
"Merry Christmas everybody!" Hermione exclaimed.
Everyone shouted Merry Christmas and grabbed the box (or bag) closest to them with their name on it.
"Oh, it's super!" Cassandra exclaimed, turning the cloak around that Hermione had given her.
"Thank you so much. It really is cute!" Ginny agreed.
Hermione smiled glad the presents she gave them were likable. She turned to the large tree and picked out a fairly large package that said from Ginny to Hermione. She unwrapped it and saw a cat grooming kit.
"Oh, thanks!" she exclaimed giving Ginny a hug.
She picked up another package. This one was from Ron. There was a huge amount of Honeydukes candy bottles of Butterbeer in a basket with Easter fillings inside.
"Thank you Ron. It's cute," Hermione told him.
He nodded and then shouted, "Awesome!" as he unwrapped the Chudley Cannons poster.
Cassandra opened up the Honeydukes bag from Hermione at the same time Ginny did.
"Sweets! Way to get me hyper," she said with a smile.
"Thank you Hermione," Ginny said.
"You're welcome," Hermione replied.
Hermione took another bag and saw a framed picture of Ginny in her fairy suit sitting down in the snowy background.
"You look so cute," Hermione said.
"I know, doesn't she?" said Cassandra.
Ginny blushed. "It's a bad picture of me. Then again, when do I ever look good?"
"All the time," Cassandra said giving Ginny a huge hug.
"I'll take your word for it," Ginny said laughing.
Hermione opened up a framed picture of Cassandra in the polo shirt suit standing up with her arms spread out into the air and a huge smile.
"Uggh! What was I thinking in that pose?" Cassandra asked coming over to Hermione and looking at the picture.
"I think you look cute," Hermione said.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Cassandra replied with a smile.
Hermione was just about to open another package from Cassandra when Harry whispered in her ear, "You look beautiful in these pictures."
Hermione blushed quickly.
"Really? Thanks. I hoped you'd like them," she replied nervously.
"I do," he whispered.
Hermione fiddled with Cassandra's package (still thinking about Harry's soft words and his sweet breath) for a few seconds and then opened it up.
There was a silky dress robe inside it made of a very pretty blue.
"Oh! It's gorgeous!" she exclaimed to Cassandra.
Ginny held up an equally beautiful one in dazzling silver.
"Oh, thanks so much Cassandra!" she squealed happily.
Cassandra flashed a bright smile and opened up a present from Ron.
Finally Hermione came upon a present from Harry.
She picked it up carefully. It was a small box (probably jewelry she thought) and had exaggerated ribbon tied all around it. Hermione slowly unwrapped the box once she got all the ribbon off. She opened it carefully and saw a beautiful necklace wrapped up with tissue. She gasped. Hermione pulled the whole necklace out and saw a shiny stone hanging on the silver chain. It was a small stone, in a reddish brown color. It was smooth all the way around and was very pretty.
Hermione looked at Harry who smiled and said, "It isn't the Sorcerer's Stone, but it's a part of me that will always be with you."
Hermione put her arms around Harry and gave him a well-deserved hug.
"Thanks Harry. It's beautiful," she replied simply thinking how alike he and his father were.
Harry put the necklace on Hermione and then they threw all the wrapping paper in the trash.
"What time is it?" Hermione asked.
"I think about one," Cassandra replied.
"One in the morning?" Hermione squealed.
"I don't think we'll be getting anymore sleep," Ron said.
"I agree," said Ginny.
"Why don't we go back to Hogwarts?" Cassandra suggested.
"Now? Do we have tickets or anything?" Hermione asked.
"Yes, actually I have five tickets for a three AM flight to London so we'd better get ready," Cassandra replied with a smile.
"You really must be majoring in Divination Cassi! Who else would have planned everything so perfectly?" Hermione said laughing.
"No one. I'm perfect, don't you know that already?" Cassandra asked seriously.
"So much for modesty," Ron teased.
"Well, let's change and get a taxi to the airport," Hermione said, acting like an adult again.
"I don't know what we'd do without you," Ginny said.
"Funny, I think that myself," Hermione joked.
"Now who's being modest?" Cassandra teased.
Hermione rolled her eyes trying to hide giggles and left the room to change.
~*~
"Bring him to me – now."
"Yes, my lord."
"You said he'd be easy to train. You said he'd do as you asked."
"My lord, I do not know what has overcome him. I'm sure he will do better next time."
"He had better, or he will be punished much worse than this time. Bring him to me now!"
"Yes, my lord."
Lucius Malfoy left the room quickly for two reasons. One was to get Draco, and the other was to escape from the nerve-racking eyes of the Dark Lord.
~*~
"Yes Ron. That button calls for attendance and that ones the light. I think you're getting the hang of this," Cassandra joked in the airplane.
Hermione fell asleep on Harry's shoulder and Ginny could barely stay up.
"You party poopers! Oh come on! You don't need to sleep!" Cassandra insisted.
"Everyone else on this flying car is," Ron reminded her.
Cassandra pouted.
"Why don't you – yawn – take a quick nap. That's what I'm going to – yawn – do," Ginny suggested as Ron fell asleep.
"Might as well, the rest of you are dead gone already," Cassandra replied.
She leaned back on the seat and fell asleep.
~*~
"We're just in time for the Boxing Day feast!" Hermione exclaimed.
"Since when are you so excited about food missy?" Cassandra asked.
"It's not the food I'm talking about. I just like it when Hogwarts looks so pretty and stuff. Anyway, this dorm looks so homey. I'm putting my stuff down and going to see McGonagall for a while. I need to talk to her," Hermione said.
She left the room after fixing her hair and went to McGonagall's office with a large bag in her hand.
McGonagall rushed to the door as she saw Hermione's face.
"You came back early! I'm so glad!" she exclaimed letting Hermione in.
Hermione entered the cold office shuddering (there were way too many bad memories from being in there).
"So, how was your trip?" McGonagall asked.
Hermione sat for about fifteen minutes giving McGonagall the highlights of the trip, including Percy's Wedding and the photo shoot.
"So I have a little something for you," Hermione finished holding out the bag.
"You do? You shouldn't have. What is it?"
"Open it up and see for your self."
Professor McGonagall took the bag from Hermione's hands and pulled out the solid black frame from all the tissue. Hermione's smiling picture was in the center of the frame.
"It doesn't move – but it's beautiful," Professor McGonagall said smiling.
"Thanks! So, what's been going on at Hogwarts?" Hermione asked.
"The usual, the usual. We've just been enjoying the Christmas Holidays. The Boxing Day Feast will start in an hour if you'd like to freshen up, but that's about it. Oh, before I forget, here's a package of things from people that were mailed here," McGonagall said handing Hermione a bulging bag.
"They are for you, Ron, Harry, Cassandra Nicole, and Ginny. I've got to get ready now, thank you for stopping by. The picture was really lovely."
Hermione went to the girl's dormitory and put on her scarlet cloak on top of jeans and a sweater. She tied her dragon boots up around her ankles and walked out into the common room. Hermione left the package on her bed and walked to the Great Hall with her friends.
When everyone was settled in the Great Hall, the ceiling was painted a starry night and the walls were all sparkling red. In the center of the Hall was an enormous Christmas tree with jingling bells, ornaments, and a charm that made the tinsel change colors frequently.
Hermione, Cassandra, Harry, and Ron all ate heartily and raced back to Gryffindor Tower to see what was in the package that Professor McGonagall gave Hermione earlier.
"Should've known! Weasley Sweaters and Hagrid's usual Honeydukes stash," Ron said smiling.
"Oh! Your mom made me one too! That's so thoughtful of her," Cassandra said.
"Yeah Ron, tell your mom thanks," said Hermione looking at her light pink sweater.
They sat by the fire (in the almost empty common room due to Christmas Break) and munched on Hagrid's candy supply. The evening then turned into night, which turned into – somehow the very last day before classes would start again.
Late that evening, very late, McGonagall had sent for Hermione. Hermione looked at her clock. It was midnight! Hermione was worried.
Why would McGonagall be calling me so late?
Hermione slipped on her cloak and went to Professor McGonagall's office instantly.
The door was open to her office and Hermione walked in with a quick tap on the door.
She saw the look on McGonagall's face. The cold and terrified look.
It was then that Hermione knew something had gone wrong.
Terribly wrong!