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talkingpanda94: I think Cassie's father is Sirius. Or maybe Remus?

You'll just have to see!

Chapter 36

I had apologized to Harry and Ron the next day after our fight, Ron hadn't accepted my apology right away, but he had slowly started to include me in conversations when I started to offer the sweets from my stash Fred and George had helped me start up. I'm hoping his Christmas present from me will cheer him up. I decided to buy him a new wizarding chess set, I've seen him play and his pieces are getting old and chipped from use. I hope he likes the new pieces I've gotten.

I smiled at the chess pieces, the red king and queen were holding hands and giving each other kisses on the cheeks. All the other pieces were stretching out their parts from the long journey they've had.

"I'm going to leave you on the bed so that you may get comfortable. I'll try to keep you out of the box for as long as possible, but I will need to wrap you up for my friends present." I explained, gently putting the box on the bed and getting Harry's blanket bundled up for them incase the room go to cold.

They all gave me different responses all the red pieces setted onto the blanket I giggled as I walked out of the room and met up with my friends in the common room.

"What took you so long?" Ron asked as we left the common room to go to the Great Hall for breakfast.

"I was unboxing a present for someone. I needed to make sure it was the right one I had ordered." I explained, not quite lying and not quite telling the truth.

Hermione and I shared a secret grin with each other. Hermione wanted to get the boys books, and I wanted to get something they would actually use. Ron got the wizard's chess, and I got Harry a blanket. Because he lived in the cupboard under the stairs, I didn't want him getting too cold or too hot. So I bought him an enchanted blanket that would keep him warm in the winter, and cool in the summer when he needed it. It probably wasn't going to be as sentimental to Harry as the wizard's chess to Ron, but I know Harry isn't expecting anything…

He has never gotten any presents. So Hermione and I wanted to get him some things that wouldn't be over the top for a first time gift receiver. And from what the twins told me of their mom… I'm sure Harry would be just fine this year.

"Yeah okay," Ron rolled his eyes and turned to Harry and started to talk about the holiday he had planned at the Burrow.

"Cassie?" I heard Blaise's voice as we entered the Great Hall.

"You guys go on ahead, save me plate." I waved them on and waited with my Slytherin friend.

"How have you been Blaise?" I asked him.

"Not too bad, I have a question for you though." Blaise's cheeks turned darker.

"Oh?" I tilted my head to the side.

"I was wondering, are you sure you wouldn't mind joining my family and I for the holidays? They would love to have you." Blaise asked, not quite looking me in the eyes.

"Thank you Blaise, but I'm going to be spending the holidays with Harry here." I smiled at him.

"Okay, but the invitation is always open to you." Blaise nodded to me and promptly walked off with his head high.

I shook my head with a chuckle and walked over to my friends.

"What did Zabini want?" Ron asked, taking a bite of sausage as I sat down next to Hermione.

"To invite me to his family's holiday celebration." I said, nodding my thanks to Hermione as she handed me a plate of eggs and sausage.

"I don't understand why?" Harry asked.

"I don't understand either, but I told him no. I'm going to stay at Hogwarts and celebrate the holidays with you." I smiled at him.

He grinned back at me as the mail came in. Ron's family own dropped a letter and Ron tore it open. Hermione opened up her Christmas letter from her parents. And Harry and I continued to eat to our hearts content.

"I don't bloody believe it!" Ron swore.

"What's the matter?" I asked, taking a sip of some orange juice from my goblet.

"My parents are going to Romania, to visit with Charlie for the holidays." Ron grumbled.

"Well that's good then? They get to see one of their son's, whom they haven't seen in a long time, and all the other kids are accounted for?" I asked, not quite sure how to proceed with the conversation.

"Yeah, but Ginny gets to go with them. I want to go see Charlie too." Ron grumbled as he crumpled up the piece of paper and threw down the way.

"Oh cheer up Ron. At least Harry will be in your dormitory. I get to spend the holiday by myself." I grumbled as well.

'It won't be so bad, I'll get the room to myself. No Parvati or Lavender. But no Hermione.' I thought gloomly to myself.

"I don't see why you can't spend the night on our room? Dean, Seamus and Neville will be gone. And I don't think any of them would mind you being in one of their beds." Harry perked up, his eyes looking down the table at the three boys in question.

"Are you sure? I wouldn't want to impose if you guys don't want me in there." I tried to hide my excitement.

"I don't think it's a good idea. What if you get in trouble?" Hermione added to the conversation, sniffing at us.

I shared a look with the boys.

"Looks like I'm spending Christmas Eve with you boys." I grinned as I lifted my glass up to them.

"To Cassie spending Christmas Eve with us." Harry also lifted his glass and we both took a drink.

"You both are morons." Ron rolled his eyes but had a grin on his face as well.

Hermione rolled her eyes and just ate her food. We walked together down to the potions room in the dungeons as I was glad I thought to bring my gloves. It was freezing down there! Everyone was huddled around their cauldrons for a bit of warmth as we completed the potion for the day.

As we left to go to our next class, there was a large fir tree blocking the way, and Hagrid's enormous feet were behind it.

"Need some help Hagrid?" I asked, shivering from the cold draft.

"Nah, but thank ye Cassie." Hagrid's voice answered from somewhere in the tree.

"Do you mind moving?" Malfoy sneered from behind us, "Or are you trying to earn some extra money, Weasley? Hoping to be a gamekeeper yourself when you leave Hogwarts? I suppose that hut of Hagrid's must seem like a palace compared to what your family's used to." Malfoy smirked at us.

I just barely managed to grab Ron but Snape saw Ron try to leap at Malfoy.

"Weasley!" Snape barked.

"He was provoked, Professor Snape." Hagrid stuck his hairy face through the tree.

I pulled Ron off to the side away from Malfoy.

"Malfoy was insultin' his family." Hagrid added.

"Be that as it may, fighting is against Hogwarts rules, Hagrid." Snape sneered down on us.

"Five points from Gryffindor, Weasley, and be grateful it isn't more. Move along all of you." Snape stuck his nose in the air and walked back to the dungeons for his next lesson.

Malfoy, and his goonies, pushed through the tree. Goyle turned around and gave me an apologetic shrug of his shoulders. I gave him a friendly smile and a light nod as he left to follow Malfoy.

"I'll get him," Ron grinded his teeth together as Malfoy walked away, "one of these I'll get him."

"I hate them both," Harry agreed, "Malfoy and Snape."

I sighed and looked at Hermione who looked like how I felt about the situation.

"Come on, cheer up, it's nearly Christmas," Hagrid hoisted the trunk of the tree over his shoulder, "tell ya what, come with me an' see the Great Hall, looks like a treat." Hagrid started to walk in that direction.

We followed Hagrid and I was looking all around the Great Hall with my mouth wide open. Festoons of holly and mistletoe hung all around the walls. There were already twelve trees surrounding the room. Some had tiny icicles hanging from the branches, others had lit candles on every single branch.

'They got this all done in just a few hours?' I thought to myself, remembering the empty Great Hall from this morning.

"How many days ye go' left until yer holidays?" Hagrid asked us.

"Just one." Hermione answered, "and that reminds me, guys, we've got half an hour before lunch, we should be in the library.

"Right!" I nodded, linking my arm through hers as we walked out of the Great Hall.

"The library?" Hagrid asked as he followed us out of the hall, "just before the holidays? Bit keen, aren't yeh?"

"Oh we're not working." Harry said brightly.

"We've been searching for any kind of information about Nicholas Flamel since you've mention him." I grinned up at the giant.

"You what?!" Hargird said with shock. "Listen here - I've told yeh - drop it. It's nothin' to yeh what that dog's guardin'" He tried to deter us.

"We just want to know who Nicolas Flamel is, that's all." Hermione added with a shrug.

"Unless you'd like to tell us and save us the trouble?" Harry prodded the giant.

"We must've been though hundreds of books already and we can't find him anywhere - just give us a hint - I know I've read his name somewhere." I fluttered my eyes up at Hagrid.

"I'm sayin' nothin'." Hagrid said hotly.

"Just have find out for ourselves, then." Ron shrugged and lead the four of us off to the library.

"It's nearly impossible to find out which books he could possibly be in, since we don't know what he's done to be mentioned in a book." I sighed to Hermione.

"I know, but between the four of us, and that library, we should be able to find out more about him until the end of the year." Hermione sighed as well, pulling out a list as we got into the library.

We all walked in different directions, Hermione was already set on where she was going to find books in the subject she believed Flamel was in. Ron was walking up and down aisles, pulling random books down and just giving them a quick glance. Harry wandered off to the restricted section. I went looking for Steven.

Yes. Steven.

I had forgotten that he was in the library until I saw Cedric had a little flashback to when he helped me get that book for my attempted prank with Ron.

"Steven?" I called out quietly, not wanting Madam Pince to hear me and kick me out of the library.

"Hello Cassie." Steven's baritone voice said from around the corner.

"Steven, I have someone I'm looking for and I'm not sure what books he would be in." I turned the corner and saw Steven at his table with the stacks of various books.

"Of course, however, since you are asking and Cedric is not with you. I do require a payment." Steven put his quill in an ink pot and folded his arms across his chest.

"What would you like?" I squinted my eyes at him suspiciously.

"Not too much this time. I would like some strands of your hair." He shrugged.

"My hair?" I asked, putting a hand on the top of my head.

"Not all of it, just a few strands. Metamorphmagi are rare. Your hair is needed for some potions, and it's always good to have some on hand just in case you need something." Steven leaned back in his chair and reached down for his book bag.

"So for you to find my information I seek, you just want a couple of my hairs?" I raised one of my eyebrows.

"Yes." Steven nodded and held out a bottle and a pair of scissors.

I walked over to him and took the scissors. I looked at them then at him.

"Have you had experience cutting hair before?" I handed him the scissors.

He nodded and stood up. I turned my back to him and he slowly cut my hair. He tapped my shoulder when he was done. I grabbed all of my hair and pulled it over my shoulder, feeling the freshly cut ends. He held up the bottle and seemed satisfied with the amount of hair he had gathered.

"What are you looking for?" He asked when he had carefully put his bottle in his bag.

"I'm looking for anything on Nicholas Flamel." I told him.

"Nicholas Flamel?" He looked up at me, his eyebrows furrowing together.

"Yes please." I nodded.

"I do not have any of his books on my table, but I'm sure I will find where I've read that name when I come back from the holiday." He put his hand on chin in thought.

"I'm sorry for asking at this point, I can wait however long you need me too." I said, throwing my hair back over my shoulders.

"That would be most appreciated." Steven nodded to me.

"Thank you, and Steven." I turned to walk away.

"Yes Cassie?" He looked at me as he picked up his quill from the ink pot.

"If you ever need my hair again, just ask." I smiled at him and walked away.

I saw Harry waiting for all of us by the door to the library so I joined him. We both shook our heads to each other and waited for Ron and Hermione. They both came up to us and also shook their heads.

"You'll keep looking while I'm away, won't you?" Hermione asked as she looped her arm through mine.

I'm not sure when we started doing that, but it's become natural for us to link arms now.

"You could ask your parents if they know who Flamel is. It'll be safe to ask them." Ron nodded as we walked back to the Great Hall for lunch.

"Very safe, as they're both dentists." Hermione nodded, rolling her eyes.

I giggled and shook my head at them.

Hermione had left with everyone else who was going home for the holidays. I was the only girl who had stayed in Gryffindor tower, so I had the dormitory all to myself. Ron and Harry were also enjoying their time being in the common room. All the Weasley boys had stayed and so Harry and Ron had laid claim to the good armchairs by the fire. I was okay with sitting on the floor while we had roasted anything we could spear on a toasting fork.

We also had a lot of fun just talking about how to get Malfoy expelled from Hogwarts. There's no way we could make anything happen to him, but it was still fun to talk about. Ron had even started to teach us how to play wizard's chess. I was sad to see that Ron's pieces were looking old and shabby. The king and queen were eager to play but it was easy to see they were ready to retire and pass on their responsibility to a new set of chess pieces.

'Good thing I got him some.' I smiled gently at the old pieces.

Harry was using chessman Seamus had let him borrow for the holiday. Anytime Ron made a move, they would shout at Harry where they think they should go to beat Ron. Harry always got overwhelmed with their suggestions and would usually end up getting beaten by Ron. I was content just watching the two of them play.

We were having such a great time, we've forgotten to check the library for anymore information regarding Nicholas Flamel. On Christmas Eve, Harry and I found ourselves sitting in front of the fire, just enjoying each others company.

"Charlotte tried to make sure we got what we wanted for Christmas, but more often than not, we usually just got some more clothes and school supplies. She couldn't really afford to get us all new toys and such as we grew up." I was saying to Harry.

"I don't get anything. I'm not expecting anything this year." Harry shrugged.

"I don't understand how your family could hate you so much?" I questioned, staring into the fire.

"It doesn't bother me. Finding out I'm a wizard and I get to be away from the Dursely's for a full year? Best thing that has ever happened to me." Harry was also staring at the fire, his feet out stretch to the side and his arms behind him, holding him up.

"To be honest, getting to be friends with you has been the best thing to ever happen to me." I admitted, my hair turning a sunrise pink from the embarrassment of admitting that.

Harry just grinned at me and patted my shoulder. We sat together in silence for a bit longer.

"Cassie, I know we joked about it a couple days ago. But would you like to spend the night with me and Ron? You can sleep in one of the other beds and no one will have to know." Harry sat forward and crossing his legs under him.

"Are you sure?" I asked, looking up from the fire and towards him.

"Of course you can Cassie! No one should wake up alone on Christmas." Ron's voice said from the boys staircase.

I clapped a hand over my mouth to keep my giggling quiet from him, I hadn't realized he was listening in on our conversation.

"It would be nice." Harry smiled at me, standing up and stretching his arms over his head.

"I'll go grab my pillow and blanket, and Ariel." I smiled at Harry and walked over to and up the girls staircase to grab my stuff.

I opened the door and found Ron's new chess pieces on the blanket I was going to give to Harry.

"Alright everyone, into your places. It's Christmas tomorrow and I need to get you ready for it." I said as I went and grabbed a red ribbon to tie around the box.

They all protested but got into the box. I grinned at them all as they climbed into their respective places.

"Thank you guys. I'll see you in the morning." I said softly as I closed the lid.

I gently wrapped the box up with just the ribbon. Then I turned around to Harry's blanket and folded it neatly and also put a ribbon around it to keep it secured. His ribbon was green though, I tried to match it to his eyes, but I couldn't find the shade I wanted. I grabbed my blanket and pillow, gently putting the box on top of my pile and carrying Harry's blanket under my other arm. Ariel meowed at me from the bed.

"Come on. We're sleeping with the boys tonight." I held the door open for her.

She jumped down from the bed and trotted over to me, leading the way from my dormitory, down the stairs, through the common room to the boys staircase, and up to where I saw an open door.

"There you are. We were thinking you got lost." Harry winked at me and took the blanket from under my arm.

"Thank you, and I promise I didn't. Ariel lead me to you guys." I smiled back as I grabbed the box and set it down on the night stand of the bed I was going to sleep in.

"Good, reliable, Ariel." Harry put the blanket at the foot of the bed.

I nodded as Ariel jumped on the bed and settled down on the blanket with a loud purr.

We all settled down into our respective beds. I was laying on my side and was watching Harry. Ron had gone right to sleep and was snoring away. I picked my head up to look at him and then laid it back down to look at Harry.

"How do you sleep with that?" I asked, giggling quietly.

"It's not easy, but I managed." Harry shrugged with a grin.

We just smiled at each other and my eyes eventually got heavy enough that I didn't fight them anymore.

"Good night Harry. Merry Christmas." I mumbled as I fell asleep.

"Good night Cassie. Merry Christmas." Harry mumbled to me as well.