Several weeks later and the day was finally here! Christmas had come at last! Mind you I don't know why I'm so excited about it because I know I'm not getting anything, but I guess it's just the feeling in the air. The happiness that you get from seeing a smile on the face of a friend or a family member. So I woke up extra early and rushed downstairs still in my pyjamas and waited for Harry. I noticed the large pile of presents underneath the tree, but I decided not to go near them. I didn't want the boys thinking that I was trying to find out what their presents were.

Harry raced on to the landing at the top of the stairs and grinned down at me, his eyes sparkled with happiness and I smiled up at him. Then he ran down the stairs and hugged me tightly. I hugged him back just as tightly.

'Merry Christmas, Steph.' He said next to my ear.

'Merry Christmas, Harry.' I replied.

'And a very merry Christmas to the both of you.' Wood said as he walked down from his dorm, smiling brightly. Harry and I let go of each other and I went over Wood and gave him a big hug.

'Merry Christmas...Oliver.' I teased.

'Merry Christmas...Stephanie.' He replied smirking and he let go of me. 'Merry Christmas Harry.' He said and he gave him a small hug.

'Merry Christmas Wood.' Harry grinned.

'Now what do you say we open some presents!' Wood said and he went over to the tree. Then he knelt down and picked up a present. 'Dean.' He read the label.

'Hey Dean, come open your present!' I yelled. No response so I ran up the stairs and nocked on their door. Then I pushed it open and saw that Dean was getting up and trying to pull Lee out of bed. 'Come on you guys, it's Christmas! You have presents!' Instantly the were both out of bed and running out the door. I laughed as I followed them back down to the common room.

'I believe this is yours.' Wood handed the present over to Dean and he sat on the lounge and opened it.

'Yes!' I cheered as he opened it. Wood read out the next one.

'Me!' He said happily setting it aside to open afterwards. Then a thought hit me; Lavender. She wasn't up. So I once again went back up to the dorms and brought her back down to join the fun. 'Lavender.' Wood gave her the present. 'Lavender.' Another present. 'Jordan.' Who had also joined in. 'Harry.' Harry stood still, 'Come on Harry, come get it.'

'I have a present?' He asked astonished.

'Yes!' Wood tossed it to him and he opened it.

'It's a cloak.' He said happily.

'Try it on.' I instructed happily. He put it behind his back and did it up around his neck, I was amazed. His body had disappeared and all that was left was his head. Everyone else was to busy with their own presents to notice and I was glad this wasn't something that should be told to everyone.

'My body's gone!' Harry said shocked. Wood saw and came over.

'It's an invisibility cloak, they're very rare.' He explained. 'Take it off and don't tell anyone else that you've got one.' Harry did as he was told, but he couldn't help looking proud. Then Wood went back to being our Santa and continued to hand out the remaining gifts.

'Who was it from?' I asked Harry.

'It doesn't say. It just says "your father left this in my possession before he died, it's time it was returned to you. Use it well." And that's it.'

'Hmm...' I said , but I let it go and listened to Wood read out the last of the names.

'Lee, Dean, me, Stephanie.' I stared at him, surely he was joking. No one ever gives me presents.

'That's not funny Wood.' I said frustrated.

'I'm serious Steph, have a look.' He gave me a small wrapped box. I looked at the the label.

'Stephanie Rose.' I read aloud. 'Strange, no one I know calls me that.' I looked to the others then back at the box. 'I'll open mine later.' I said and I put it in my trunk in the girls dorms. 'Now I don't know about you guys, but I'm starving. Let's go get breakfast.' I suggested and we all walked down to the Great Hall together.

Breakfast was pretty much the same except with the addition of crumpets. I had bacon, eggs, toast and a hash brown all washed down with a big glass of fresh orange juice. Then Dumbledore got up to talk to us, after all just because it wasn't dinner didn't mean he couldn't get our attention.

'I wanted to wish a Merry Christmas to all of you and I hope you enjoy your day, but before I sit back down and let you finish up i have an announcement, the Great Hall will be out of bounds after lunch time today until dinner. No one is to come near here until a teacher comes and tells you that it's time for dinner. That is all.' Then he sat down and I looked to Harry.

'Weird.' Harry said.

'I wonder why?' I said curious.

'We'll have to wait and see.' Wood shrugged.

So we went back to Gryffindor Tower and everyone started testing out their presents, except for Harry and I. I didn't want to open my present until later when I didn't have anyone watching. It's always a big thing for me when I get presents and normally I have to hide them or Father will punish me and get rid of them.

Later I went outside and wandered around the grounds, listening to the sound of the snow crunching under my feet as I walked until I came to the black lake. It was huge and due to the weather it was mostly frozen over. The crystal-like surface glittered in the winter sunlight and I breathed out slowly, watching the mist hang in the frosty air.

'It's so beautiful.' I whispered.

I sat on the shore of the now frozen lake for hours until the sun started to set and even then I didn't move. It was dark and the moon was shining in a the sky, while the landscape looked amazing in the daylight it looks even better when bathed in the soft light of the moon and stars. I knew if I didn't go in soon I would miss dinner, but I didn't really mind; in my opinion this has been the best Christmas I have ever been a part of. I was still staring at the sky when I felt my neck tingle and I knew someone was watching me. It was then that I finally started to feel the cold and I could tell who was there.

'Hello Professor Snape.' I said not turning around.

'Hello Miss Partridge.' He replied. 'Why are you not inside the castle? The Great Hall is about to be open for dinner.'

'I had a feeling that was the case, but I'm not hungry and I am quite happy here.' I replied curtly.

'You must come back to the castle, it is after the first curfew and if you do not comply I will be forced to take points from Gryffindor.' He said. I sighed and stood up, then the two of us walked back to the castle in silence.

Once we were back inside the Entrance Hall I looked at the group of students waiting in front of the large closed oak doors. When we joined them Harry turned to me and smiled.

'I saw you from my window in the Tower.'

'Really?'

'Yeah.'

'What were you doing? I thought you would have hung out with Dean.'

'I did for a while, but then I went to sit in the dorm room and I watched you out the window.' He was going to say more, but muttering erupted and we decided to talk once we got inside. Dumbledore spoke and we jumped when his voice came from behind us.

'You may all go in now.' He smiled, but when the kids at the front tried to open he doors they didn't budge.

'How are we meant to go inside if the door won't open?' Someone asked.

'Move!'

'Let me through!'

'I can do it!'

'I'm stronger than you!'

People pushed and shoved to get to the front and try and open the door, some tried simply turning the handle, others ran into it trying to force it open and still others tried to unlock it with spells. The doors remained shut. I noticed Snape smirking as Harry and I were pushed toward the front of the group. When we finally stood in front of the door I closed my eyes and thought about this whole thing. It was obvious that Dumbledore and the other teachers wanted us to do something different so I pressed my hand against the door gently and just held it there.

'Please open.' I whispered.

The doors opened and as I opened my eyes I saw that the Great Hall had been redecorated with things not only from the wizarding world, but also from the muggle world the Christmas tree had been covered in what looked like glitter in the colours of the four houses and it sparkled it the light of the candles. Three of the four house tables had been moved from their usual places over to the sides of the hall so that only one of the tables remained in the centre. Underneath the Christmas tree was a large stack of presents which was confusing. Everyone had already exchanged gifts this morning so why were there more?

Anyway we took our seats and on the table appeared a traditional muggle Christmas dinner. It was nice to have all the houses together on one table, putting aside the usual rivalry and sharing the spirit of the season. We all ate until we were stuffed and then we still managed to find just enough room in our stomachs for dessert. Then the party started. Music started playing and people started dancing and laughing. Even the teachers were enjoying themselves and gifts started to be passed around, I went and sat in an abandoned corner of the room until Professor McGonagall came over with a large box and placed it in front of me.

'What's this?' I asked.

'A little present from the teachers just to say how much we love teaching you.' She explained and sat down opposite me. 'Well are you going to open it?' She asked. I gave her a small smile and began to unwrap the gift. It was a long red hooded cloak, with fluff around the edges. It was like a winter version of little red riding hood's cloak. I stood up and Professor McGonagall helped me put it on, it was great.

'I love it thank you.' I grinned.

'You're welcome.'

'If I might be so bold as to ask, who paid for it?'

'Well I don't think I should tell you that.' She replied.

'Please, just so I can thank them personally.' I asked giving her my best puppy dog eyes. She laughed and shook her head.

'Oh very well. I chose it because you're in Gryffindor and I think red is your colour and Professor Snape payed for it.' My eyes widened. The cold potion master bought a present? I had to go thank him.

'Thank you Professor.' I said and then I walked over to Snape who was still sitting in his usual spot at the teachers table.

'Yes Miss Partridge?' He drawled.

'I wanted to thank you for the cloak.'

'That really isn't necessary, but you're welcome.' He said quietly. I nodded then left him in peace.

I went and joined the others that were dancing, they looked hilarious so I guess I did too. We laughed at each other and fell over a few times and even Hagrid and some of the teachers joined in. The festivities went for hours and it wasn't long before I got tired so I disappeared back up to the Tower.

When I went into the dorm and sat on my bed where Mabel had been waiting for me, I gave her a pat and she purred beside me. Then I saw the present sitting in my open trunk. I decided to open it so I grabbed it and took it and Mabel downstairs into the common room.

I sat on the floor in front of the fireplace and carefully opened it. Inside was a small teardrop-shaped vile, it was filled with a smooth gold liquid that sparkled in the light of the fire. There was a string attached to the top of it and a note underneath it in delicate swirling writing, which read:

To my dear Stephanie Rose,

I'm giving you this gift to help with your adventure, please use it wisely.

There it was again; Stephanie Rose. Whoever this is they like to include my middle name a lot. Maybe it's a clue and it could help me find out who this is from. Absentmindedly my hand went to my neck where I felt the necklace Mum had given me and I pulled it forward just enough to read the inscription for at the million time. It made no sense why would she give me a necklace with my middle name on it, but as I looked at it I compared the writing to the writing on the letter. It was exactly the same! But there's no way Mum could have sent this, if Father found out he would have killed her (metaphorically speaking, or at least I don't think he actually would) and besides it looks magical. She wouldn't be able to get magical stuff.

So the question is who was the necklace really from and why would she lie?