Chapter 10 – Deck the Halls.

The snow fell early in winter and it was about midway through November when we woke to intricate patterns of ice against our underwater windows and a blanket of glistening white snow covering the courtyard as we made our way to the Great Hall for breakfast. It was a vast selection of fresh porridge, warm buttered toast and every flavour tea imaginable. I had eagerly consumed two bowls of porridge and golden syrup and was marvellously full and warm from the inside out by the time we headed off to our classes for the day. Classes of which were quickly overcome with overexcited, fidgeting eleven-year olds – myself and Mia caught up in that mix. It wasn't like most of us hadn't seen snow before but there was something about it falling whilst we were at school, it seemed to take on a whole new magic of its own. All of us wanted nothing more than to go out into the courtyard and initiate snowball fights with one another and as soon as we were granted that permission we piled out into the bitterly cold air of the main courtyard, teams forming automatically and if it wasn't house vs house it was girls vs boys and the girls more often than not won. It was a rivalry that had very quickly over spilled into the common room. The boys had subsequently tried to play Mia and I at our own game, replacing the pillows on the sofa with ones the exploded. Unfortunately for them, a group of sixth year boys got to the sofa before us and were not happy about the explosion of feathers that surrounded them the moment they sat down.

On the final day of school before the Christmas break was due to begin, the penultimate lesson of the day was potions and even Professor Snape struggled to keep us in any form of concentration, even I didn't care about brewing herbicide potion. Eventually, he dropped his parchment onto his desk in frustration and silently waved us out. No one needed telling twice and we scurried eagerly from the class, taking advantage of the freshly fallen layer of snow and the freedom of no other students to start yet another battle of snowballs. Forts were quickly charmed upwards from the ground and battle lines were drawn as Slytherin stood on one side and Ravenclaw on the other. Very quickly it was clear that we were winning, even if it wasn't necessarily by the fairest means. One unfortunate boy stood up from his defensive wall at precisely the wrong moment and Mia managed to strike his face will a well compacted snowball.

"Yes!" she laughed victoriously before she began charming the snow around her feet to make more weapons in the form of perfectly round snowballs. I briefly looked over our wall to the blonde boy who was now clutching his cheek after getting back to his feet but still smiling underneath a gloved hand. Another snowball briefly scraped his head before he quickly ducked and didn't dare breach the top of the wall again.

As the Christmas holidays approached, students slowly began to pack up their trunks and leave. The castle felt strange being so empty and not having to attend classes. To keep ourselves entertained, Mia and I spent most of our time in the library reading the books we didn't have time for during term, occasionally we simply wandered the halls – never going anywhere in particular and just watching the ghosts carolling around the school.

Unfortunately, we hadn't had the opportunity to get revenge on the boys prior to them leaving for the holidays. We had had little choice but to follow Professor Snape's demands from Halloween and not set off any further pranks in the build-up to everyone leaving. Much to the dismay of Fred and George Weasley who were more than happy to continue to supply the two of us with weapons of mass humiliation. However it wasn't without some amusement, no one else was aware of the ultimatum we'd been handed and so our house mates very much expected a vast array of pranks to come their way and whilst nothing ever did, Mia and I were filled with glee to see our friends constantly be on edge for their perceived impending threat and we were more than happy to imply that we had laid traps for them around the castle. But once they were gone, we were no longer able to do that either and so our time was mainly divided between the library, common room and the great hall where there was a continuous supply of festive foods out at all times. Even on one occasion when I'd woken myself up in the middle of the night and wandered to the great hall, a plate of mince pies and warm milk had been waiting for me. As I'd left the table, I could had sworn I heard a voice but I was so tired I put it down to hearing things and headed back to bed. On the way, however I had come across a very angry Snape marching down one of the halls and my curiosity got the better of me as I silently followed after him, hoping he wouldn't spot me. His cape billowed out behind him and suddenly came to a stop when he turned a corner. I stayed fixed to the floor and listened to what was happening. Snape was muttering a low tone and I dared to briefly poke my head around the corner to see Snape holding Quirrell by the cuffs of his robes, quietly threatening him.

If I hadn't been trying so hard to hear what he was actually saying, I may have spotted Peeves swopping through the air. You never really knew where you stood with Peeves. One day he would help you cause mischief and then make up utter lies to the professors about you on another.

"STUDENT OUT OF BED!" He screeched at the top of his lungs and both professors' faces snapped round to the corner, but I had already turned on my heel and was running as fast as I could back to the Slytherin common room. The entire time I ran I heard Peeve's voice repeating the same warning, but his voice got quieter and quieter and eventually I couldn't hear it anymore once I'd got into the door of our common room.

"Where do you suppose they go?" Mia questioned suddenly one evening whilst we were yet again eating in the great hall.

"Hmm?' I asked with a mouthful of sticky toffee pudding.

"At Christmas, the teachers. Most of them leave Do they go on holiday? They don't live somewhere else, do they? They live here, don't they?" We both paused to watch as Professor Flitwick left the castle with his bags, most of them being bigger than he was, levitating after him. As he stopped to have a quick chat with a remaining student the bags continued of their own accord, knocking him into the back of him and causing the tiny professor to fall onto the snow drift stone in the doorway. Mia and I couldn't help but share a laugh between the two us. It was then that I spotted Snape and had a sudden idea.

"Fancy a bit of mischief?" I questioned and she didn't even need to know the details before agreeing with me. We both got to our feet and sped from the great hall and out in the hall, I searched for the familiar billowing cape of our head of house.

"What are we doing?" Mia questioned.

"Snape is one of the only professors left. He's staying in the castle over Christmas, Merlin knows I've heard him complain about it enough and personally I think that it is only fair that we get revenge on the twins for getting us in trouble with Snape." I began to march forward, but Mia tugged sharply on my sleeve.

"Then let's get McGonagall. She'll expect the twin's way before us." She grinned wickedly and I instantly agreed. We began to seek out the head of Gryffindor house and found her marking the last homework of the year in her classroom.

"Ok, I'll go in and create a diversion and you find some way to prank her." I muttered.

"Ok, if you're ability to lie was ever going to be tested, this is the time." I nodded determinedly and opened the door, marching into the classroom. Professor McGonagall instantly looked up from her task and offered a small, if not sceptical smile.

"Miss Rosier. Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas professor," I mumbled, chewing on my bottom lip and beginning to wind the bottom of my jumper around my fingers.

"Is everything okay?" McGonagall questioned as I kept my eyes trained on the ground, homing in on the skills I'd had since a young child. When I looked back up at her, my eyes were full of tears and my bottom was lip was quivering.

"It's just…" I sniffed "…I can't enjoy Christmas because I'm so worried about me failing transfiguration." Of course, I knew I wasn't failing transfiguration – I was one of the best in the class, but my dramatic performances were a force to be reckoned with.

"Excuse me?" McGonagall put her quill down on her desk and leaned forward slightly. I remained rooted to my spot adjacent to the front desk where Mia and I sat in her class.

"I'm failing transfiguration!" I cried, throwing myself into my chair and dropping my head into my arms where she couldn't see me. I shook my shoulders to mimic sobbing and listened as her chair was pushed back and she sat down next to me, her back to the classroom door.

"Miss Rosier…" she began.

"My parents are going to be so ashamed! Alec is so good at transfiguration and I'm failing the whole class. No one knows, not even Mia. Is there anything I can do to boost my grades?" I lifted my head and she actually looked shocked, I knew my cheeks would be flushed, tear stained from my ability to make myself cry at will. I kept my stare trained on her face, seeing Mia flit across the far edge of the classroom and into McGonagall's office. Luckily the door had been opened and the professor didn't notice her at all.

"Miss Rosier." She began and I threw my head back into my arms and began another fresh bought of fake crying. I needed to give Mia as much time as possible to do what she needed to. Of the two of us she was certainly the more capable prankster – I just contributed for the laughs.

"Miss Rosier!" McGonagall spoke again, much more sternly this time as if I was genuinely annoying her. I sniffed again and slowly lifted my head, roughly wiping my eyes and knowingly smearing my mascara under my eyes. She winced at the apparent mess I was presenting myself to be.

"Yes?"

"Where on earth have you got this idea that you are failing my class? Besides Miss Granger, you are easily one of the top students I'm teaching at the moment."

"Really?" I questioned meekly as I saw Mia silently run back across the classroom with her thumbs up.

"Yes." I sniffed again and jumped from my seat.

"Ok, thanks professor. I feel much better now. Have a good Christmas!" I called as I jogged out of the class and into the hall.

"Well?" I questioned Mia as we reconvened in the hall.

"The twins are going to be so sorry they ever got us in trouble." She smiled wickedly and I couldn't wait to see what it was she had set up for them. I had no doubt that it was going to be a sight to behold.