Daria Ravenclaw: The Year of the Owl Advent Commeth
DISCLAIMER: Daria is the creation of Glen Eichler and is the property of MTV Viacom. Harry Potter is the creation of JK Rowling and is the property of JK Rowling, Wizarding World, and Warner Brothers. I own neither franchise. This work was written for my own amusement, and I neither expect or deserve any sort of financial reward for this work of fiction.
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Daria Ravenclaw: The Year of the Owl*Daria Ravenclaw: The Year of the Owl*Daria Ravenclaw: The Year of the Owl
It snowed a few days before Thanksgiving, coating the Castle and grounds in white. If this was back in the States, it would be real Currier and Ives, thought Daria. However, the Castle was high medieval, the terrain the mountainous Scottish Highlands, and the colder night temperatures forced Daria to watch her footing in ways she hadn't had to back in Texas.
She thought about Thanksgiving and her family back home. This was one of those times where she was reminded that she was far from home. The British didn't celebrate Thanksgiving, and she certainly wasn't going to be riding with Dad and Mom to the Temple Thanksgiving dinner in Sweetwater this year. She wondered how Rabbi Tallman was doing. Despite the fact that she dithered between her mother's nominal Methodism and her Dad's Judaism, Daria hadn't declared for either faith. Still, she respected Rabbi Tallman and missed the Thanksgiving dinners.
Some of her Ravenclaw housemates knew that Americans had different holidays.
"Don't you Americans celebrate a holiday just before Advent?" Dahlia asked at dinner.
"We do," said Daria. "We celebrate Thanksgiving."
"It sounds religious," said Dahlia's sister Violet.
"It was, at least originally," said Daria.
"What's it's significance?" asked Violet.
"Well, the Pilgrims had arrived in Plymouth the previous winter, half of them had died of hunger and disease, and they were grateful that they were going to have enough to eat for the coming winter," said Daria. "That sounds like adequate inspiration to me."
"Pilgrims," said Violet. "Those were the Puritans, weren't they?"
"Actually not," said Daria. "The Puritans came along about ten years later. The Pilgrims had been religious separatists who had moved to the Netherlands and then later decided that they didn't want to be assimilated. That's why they headed for the Americas."
"They led the witch trials, didn't they?" asked Violet. Professor Binns' History of Magic classes only briefly touched on its history in North America, but the witch trials were not only a topic in wizarding history magazines but also in No-Maj popular history magazines, too.
"That was more the Puritans than the Pilgrims," said Daria, "but the flavors were melting. Either way, they didn't like stick-wavers very much."
"You know a lot about that history," said Majda, who hadn't said anything.
Daria shrugged. "Well, I started reading up after I learned that I was a witch and when I thought I'd be going to Ilvermorny. It seemed useful at the time."
"I could also add that the Puritans didn't like Catholics very much either, but I doubt that would get you very many points on Professor Binns' exams." The girls gigled. Professor Binns' lectures seldom touched on anything to do with the non-magical world.
"So what does Thanksgiving mean to Americans these days?" asked Violet.
"It's a time for family get-togethers, stuffing ourselves with turkey, and watching football games," said Daria. (1) "Of course it was a little hard in our case, what with us Morgendorffers scattered across the US and most of my mother's family scattered along the East Coast. That's why we ate out at Temple in Sweetwater."
"What is Sweetwater?" asked Marietta Edgecombe, who hadn't been participating in the conversation at all.
"Sweetwater is a town about 70 miles east of Highland," said Daria.
"Sounds exciting," said Marietta.
"A thrill a minute," said Daria. "You can look at the cows, watch the traffic on the Interstate, watch the pump-jacks go up and down and up and down, and look at all the displaced wizards and witches wondering why they flooed away at Exbury and came out in Sweetwater." There had been an article in The Daily Prophet about some routing problems with the British floo network, with wizards and witches occasionally finding themselves emerging in fireplaces miles away from where they'd meant to go. So far as Daria knew, nobody had flooed from Britain and emerged in Texas.
Marietta frowned at Daria and turned her head towards a conversation Cho was having with an older Ravenclaw witch, a Prince if Daria remembered her name properly.
"Speaking of holidays, Daria, what are you going to do for the winter break?" said Anahita.
"I don't know yet," said Daria. "I was planning to sound out Cuthbert Fink-Nottle about their holiday plans, but unless they say yes, I might be spending it here at the Castle. I'll have to tell Professor McGonagall what my plans are soon."
Anahita looked thoughtful. "Hold the thought, Daria," she said. "I might have something."
-(((O-O)))—
Daria walked over to the Hufflepuff table to talk to Cuthbert. She and Cuthbert were still friends, but not close ones. Daria had her circle of friends, Cuthbert had his, but they weren't particularly close. Still, she felt that their families were close enough that she could at least start sounding out Fink-Nottles about whether she could stay with him or if she needed to make other plans.
She wondered if the Fink-Nottles could put her up. The Fink-Nottles had probably made their own plans and for all Daria knew, they might not even be home for Christmas. Daria knew that they had relatives scattered around England and they might be off visiting some of them.
Also, the idea of inviting herself to stay at the Fink-Nottles bothered her. True, Quinn wouldn't bat an eyelash at inviting herself over for a party or a weekend, but that wasn't something Daria usually did. It was part of the code of manners she'd picked up while growing up. She preferred to be asked.
Cuthbert was seated with a clutch of his Hufflepuff fiends and were pouring over a couple of sports magazines. Daria got closer and saw that they were football magazines. (2) I bet that he and his mates have already plotted out which teams are going to be national champions, she thought.
"Hey, Cuthbert, how are things going?" she said.
"Good, good," said Cuthbert, looking up from his magazine. Cuthbert was a cheerful, outgoing guy who, despite his quirks, had attracted a circle of friends at Hogwarts. Judging from the look of these guys, Daria would bet even money that most of them were Muggle-born or half-bloods who'd kept their interest in No-Maj sports, Pureblood snobbery be d_d.
He turned his head away from Daria for a moment. "Oh, Dennis, Michael, this Is Daria, that girl from Texas I was telling you about." Daria then had to deal with a couple of introductions to friendly young Hufflepuff wizards with names and faces she hoped she'd remember later.
"So how are you planning to deal with Father Christmas?" said Daria, feeling cheapened.
"I think Dad has plans," said Cuthbert, who seemed to understand the unspoken question Daria had just asked him. "You're not flying back to Texas for the holidays?"
"My grant doesn't cover that," said Daria.
"I see," said Cuthbert. ""I'll ask him."
"Thanks," said Daria.
-(((O-O)))—
Thanksgiving came and went. There was another Quidditch game that weekend: Hufflepuff versus Gryffindor. Despite her growing feeling that Quidditch mania in Magical Britain was as bad or worse than America's obsession with Football, Daria made her way to the stands to sit and shiver as the Hufflepuffs flew against the far-abler Gryffindor team. The Weasley brothers were holy terrors: Fred and George were good beaters and Charlie was a talented Seeker. The Gryffindor chasers scored goal after goal after goal against the hard-pressed Hufflepuffs. But even the best had off-days, and Daria got to see the Hufflepuff Seeker holding the Snitch that ended the game. The final score was Gryffindor 80 to Hufflepuff's 160.
-(((O-O)))—
On Monday, the weather cleared and Daria got to see an extraordinary sight. She and the Banks sisters decided to take a stroll along the grounds near the edge of the Forbidden Forest when they saw several centaurs emerge from under the trees and walk towards where the school archery club had left out its large, round targets. A couple of them were adults, but the rest were juveniles about the size of small ponies.
"Look at that!" said Violet. "Amazing! I don't think I've ever seen that many come out of the forest at once."
"What are they doing?" asked Dahlia.
"I think I know," said Daria. She'd spotted the centaurs carrying unstrung bows and full quivers. "I want to watch it. Let's go over to the archery range." The girls walked over towards where the club usually kept their targets, keeping a respectful distance from the centaurs and a prudent one from the targets.
Daria's guess proved correct, as all three girls and a couple of other students watched as the adults formed a line about thirty-five feet from the targets, then string not only their bows but smaller ones, which they handed to the juveniles. A couple of the adults handed quivers to the older juveniles.
"So what next?" asked Dahlia.
"Target practice," Daria said with a grin.
Daria's curiosity overcame her caution and she walked a little closer. Just as she thought, a couple of the adults were mares and the juveniles were of both sexes. The adults talked to the juveniles, one of them helping one of the younger ones with their posture. The older juveniles looked ready to let fly, and in a couple of minutes they got their wish. Daria watched as they drew back their bowstrings and let loose at the targets—Bullseye, Bullseye, Bullseye, Blue, Bullseye, Red, Bullseye. She made a note to herself not to p.o. the centaurs.
A Slytherin with more curiosity than good sense started to walk past Daria. D_it! Daria thought she grabbed the larger boy around the waist and stepped back.
"Let me go, you little Mudblood!" he said.
"Unh-unh, you idiot!" Daria replied. "Any closer and you're going to be wearing an Arrow shirt. Use you G_d d_n brains!"
Several centaurs launched a volley of arrows at the nearest target and the Slytherin reconsidered.
One of the centaur adults said something a minute or so later. Daria looked at the targets: they looked pincushioned. The centaurs stopped shooting and began to pull arrows from the targets and gather the few that had landed in the ground.
One of them looked at the crowd of young wizards and witches that had formed to watch and called out "Would any of you lot like to try?"
Do bears live in the woods, thought Daria. Dahlia was standing nearby. Daria walked over to her and handed her her wand. "Hold this for me, please," she said.
"Daria, what are you doing?" said Dahlia, taking Daria's wand.
"What, no?" said the centaur.
"I'm game," Daria called out, and stepped forward.
"So am I," said a somewhat-older Slytherin boy.
The two of them walked over, Daria's nerve beginning to fray as she wondered if she'd stepped in over her head.
"Well, what sort of bows would you like?" asked the centaur. The Slytherin picked a large recursive bow that Daria suspected was too big for him.
"And you?" the centaur asked sardonically.
"I'll try one of the smaller ones, please," said Daria. The centaur gave her a look that Daria interpreted as saying "You look like you might know what you're doing," then handed her a bow that the youngest colts had used.
Daria tried it. Too light, she thought. "Could I have a slightly larger one, please?" she said. "I know my limitations."
"That's surprising," said the centaur. "Not many wizards do." She handed Daria a somewhat larger one.
Daria experimentally pulled back the drawstring, then smiled. This will do, she thought.
"So how many arrows will you need to hit the target?" asked the centaur.
"Three," said the Slytherin as Daria said "Seven." Daria looked at him sideways and thought that he was either a member of the Archery Club or full of himself.
"Seven?" the centaur said mockingly.
"Seven," said Daria. "I'm out of practice."
"Seven it is, then," said the centaur. She said something to one of the older colts and he handed Daria one quiver while another centaur handed the Slytherin another.
Daria and the Slytherin stepped up to the firing line. The centaurs stepped back, then the female centaur said "Fire at will."
"Which one's Will?" Daria muttered sardonically. She wasn't quiet enough; a couple of the centaurs overheard her and started laughing.
Daria knocked an arrow and drew back to aim. Pulling back the bowstring was tougher than she was used to. For a kiddy bow, this one needs a lot of pulling, she thought. She let loose her bowstring.
Her first arrow hit the top edge of the target. Oops. She smiled. But I've now got the range.
She overheard a groan from the Hogwarts crowd, then glanced at the target the Slytherin was using. Thus far he'd missed.
Time to do the Old School Try, she thought with a smirk, then picked up and knocked her next arrow. She drew back, loosed, and grinned when she saw where it went. She drew another arrow, knocked it, drew back and loosed it. Before too long she'd emptied her quiver.
The centaur looked at the round targets and smiled. Watching the wizards use bows had been highly amusing. The dark-haired male had chosen a bow that was far too heavy for him and had quickly made a fool of himself: only two of his arrows hit the target and she'd use his bad example to train the younglings.
The little Chestnut with the eyeglasses, on the other hand, had acquitted herself admirably. She'd managed to hit near the center with most of her shots and had actually hit the bullseye twice. While she'd never be the match of any centaur, she didn't make a fool of herself, either. She smiled at the girl after she'd handed back her borrowed bow and quiver.
"Good job. You show promise," she said. "What is your name?"
Daria hoped she knew a little centaur etiquette. "Daria," she said. "Daughter of Helen. You can call me Texas if you want."
-(((O-O)))-
Cuthbert stopped by the Ravenclaw table at lunch next day. "Daria, I heard from my Dad," he said. "He said that we'd love to invite you to stay with us this Christmas but we'll be visiting my uncle's house near Birmingham. We'll be there until the 29th. He wrote you a note." He handed Daria a sealed envelope.
Daria smiled at Cuthbert and thanked him, opening the letter when she had a spare moment.
"Dear Daria,
"How are you doing? Cuthbert told me about some of your adventures at school and it sounds like you're both learning new stuff. He's told me that you've made a new circle of friends and are both keeping busy.
"I have gotten e-mails from your Mum and your Da. They seem to be doing well, as are your sisters, and they all miss you. I've relayed a few of the stories I've heard from Cuthbert.
"Cuthbert told me about your friend Laura. I'm sorry for your loss. I only met her the one time and it's painful when a talented, remarkable woman passes on so early.
"Cuthbert told me about your predicament concerning the upcoming holidays. I am sorry to say that we won't be of much help: we are following long-made plans to visit my brother's near Birmingham. I've been warned that he'll not only be entertaining us, but also my sister's brood and there will barely be enough room for us, let alone any additional guests.
"Perhaps you can visit during the Easter holidays? I've brought up the matter with Camilla. She's agreeable. She hopes you're doing well and sends you her best, by the way.
"I'm sorry that we can't be of any help.
"Our best to you and to your family.
"Fondly if apologetically,
"Edgar Fink-Nottle.
Daria folded Mr. Fink-Nottle's letter back up and sighed. Looks like I'll be spending my Christmas holidays here in the Castle, she thought.
-(((O-O)))—
"So Daria, where are you going to be spending your Christmas holiday?" Tabitha Rolle asked her after potions class. Tabitha had a better sense of just how far from home Daria was than did most of her fellow fledglings.
"I don't know yet," said Daria. "If I don't get an answer soon, I'll be telling Professor McGonagall that I'll be staying over for Christmas holidays."
-(((O-O)))—
A couple of days later Daria was buttonholed by Anahita Waring.
"Daria," she said. "Are you staying in the Castle for the holidays or staying with someone?"
"It looks like the Castle," said Daria.
"How would you like to stay with us over the holidays?" said Anahita. "I've talked with my Da and and my Mum would be delighted to have you come and stay with us."
-(((O-O)))—
Author's notes
North American football, not soccer
International football. However snobbish Pureblood wizards and witches might feel about Muggle sports, I believe that houses like Hufflepuff and Gryffindor would have a much more relaxed attitude.