Chapter Seventeen

Jennifer's Hogwarts Holiday

Thick, powdery snow covered the ground leading to Hagrid's Hut, and rather than mess up the delicate scene, Jennifer cast a swift spell so she could walk over the surface. She heard voices calling her name and turned to see Harry, Ron, and Hermione running up to join her.

"Now that's brill, how are you doing that?" Ron wanted to know.

"You know this one, Ron. It's the footprint spell, just like you use to keep from tracking mud or something. It has a nice side effect in snow," Jennifer grinned.

"If it keeps shoes dry, I'm all for it," Hermione said, casting the spell. Soon they were all walking on the snow, crossing over the big, heavy footprints of Hagrid's between the hut and the wood bin.

Inside they were all welcomed cheerfully by Hagrid, who went ahead and gave them their presents, fawn-wool mittens, since the students were going to leave for the holidays tomorrow. Hermione was off to her parents, and Ron and Harry were spending their holiday at Ron's house.

"We're all going to the Ministry Ball too. Mr. Weasley invited us," Harry said. "Do you think it's safe for them to be having a ball, considering everything?"

"Believe me, I've asked myself that often enough, Harry," Jennifer admitted. "But part of that could just be because I don't want to go to the silly thing anyhow."

"But you have to go. You're the guest of honor!" Hermione pointed out.

"That was Ludo Bagman's idea. Personally, I'm really getting tired of being a spectacle for something I did because I had to," Jennifer said with a sigh.

"I know the feeling," Harry replied, nodding to her.

"You probably know that feeling even more than I do," Jennifer chuckled.

"Understandable tho', isn't it, Professor Craw? Wha' ya did don' jus' happen every day," Hagrid said, sitting down with them.

"I didn't do anything but tick Voldemort off and hold on for dear life, Hagrid, the Unicorns did all the work. They should be getting the recognition, not me."

"Eh, well, them beasts usually just wanna be left alone," Hagrid admitted.

"Well, I don't blame them," Jennifer said evenly.

"Who are you going to the ball with, Professor?" Ron asked.

"Nobody, I'm just going for the school. I'll probably sit with Minerva," Jennifer replied.

"Well, I think you should go with Sirius," Hermione said, Harry nodded along with her.

Jennifer blinked at them. "He did ask you, didn't he?"

"I wasn't aware it was public knowledge that he asked me." Jennifer said with a frown.

"Not really public, just Harry and of course, us." Ron grinned.

"Besides, whatever happened to the Professor who told us not to wait for our true love?" Hermione teased.

"Oh no, not that again. You didn't tell him about that line too, did you?" Jennifer asked, looking between them.

"No, I just thought of it. It was really funny," Hermione grinned, "especially when Professor Snape came in. Corrupting the students, like he's one to talk!"

"Are you going, Hagrid?" Jennifer asked, quickly changing the subject.

"O'course. An' before ya ask I already got a date," he said winking. They all knew whom he was talking about.

Christmas morning was cold and crisp. Jennifer couldn't help but jump up like a young kid, wondering if her presents had been delivered on time. It had been so hard picking out gifts, especially when half the people she was shopping for showed up at Diagon Alley while she was there. The hardest three had been Dumbledore, Minerva and Severus. At last she picked out a gold Veritaquill for Dumbledore, which only writes the truth (Recommended only for special documents,) a new tea set for Minerva complete with cups that never spilled (something that would have been handy the last time they tried to mark papers at lunch) and, for Severus, a customized pocket-watch.

The watch had taken her and the clock-maker hours to set up, to perfect, and then haggle over. Jennifer soon learned haggling with goblins was a science she could not even hope to master, and somehow, she wasn't quite sure how, she ended up agreeing to a price higher than the goblin's first asking price. The watch was encased in black and trimmed in gold and had an inner clock face that told the time, as well as an outer ring that listed the places Jennifer could normally be found as well as the "Elsewhere" and "Mortal Peril" messages that came with the watch. A long, thin black hand reached out to the outer ring, crossing under the gold minute and hour and second hands of the watch in the center, encased in fine glass. She even had the inscription; I'll always be here if you need me etched in the case. She was definitely not going to let him know how much it cost, but she thought it might give him some peace of mind knowing where she was considering how paranoid as he had gotten about it over the last few weeks.

She opened the door to her sitting room and saw that her gifts had indeed been delivered, and she had some of her own. The gift she noticed first was leaning against the tree, and she eyed it very suspiciously. It was obviously a broom. She had been relieved when she wrecked her first one, and now here was another one. Cautiously she opened it and fished out a piece of paper, recognizing the handwriting immediately:

A replacement - and hopefully an improvement. – . P.S. Just tap the handle on the ground twice.

Tap it on the ground twice? Jennifer wondered what it meant as she finished unwrapping the broom. The label on the broom read, The Eaglewing A.U. with tiny script right underneath that read, Automatic-Uncrashable. Jennifer then smiled with relief. She had always wanted an automatic! Tapping the broom experimentally it raised up to mounting level on its own, waiting expectantly. No-no, she told herself, not until she opened the rest. She picked it up and set it back down on its bristles. Looking across the room, she noticed a very large package draped over one of her chairs, and opened that one next. Her jaw dropped as she took out the dark green drop-sleeve velvet ball gown, a bit stunned. The dress had a fashionably small waist (which she dubiously wondered if she could fit into) with long flowing skirt underneath tied with dozens of bows. In the bottom of the package, she found some satin slippers and a note tucked inside them.

For tonight. I picked it out to match your eyes, and included some Ultra-lites for your feet. I hope you like it. – Minerva

Jennifer grinned. Ultra-lites, eh? She knew them well. What better way to get through a dance than levitating ball slippers? She also received a large box of chocolate apples from Harry, Hermione, and Ron, and a Hagrid quiche was on the table. There was another small box that had no note on the outside, and opening it revealed a tiny unicorn pendant on a delicate chain. Cautiously she checked it for curses and spells, but apparently it had none on it at all. Well, she wasn't sure who sent it, but she decided to wear it tonight, she thought. It should work just perfect.

Suddenly there was a tap at the door, and she glanced at the dress, quickly putting it under the wrapping paper before opening the door. She then smiled when she saw it was Minerva and asked her in.

"Happy Christmas!" Minerva smiled as Jennifer quickly closed the door behind them. "I'd thought I'd come and make sure the dress fit. If not, I can touch it up." Jennifer looked at her in surprise.

"You made this?" Jennifer said, agape.

"Well of course. You don't think I just change into a cat and chase mice when I'm not working, do you? Now, go try it on."

"Ok. Don't let anyone else in, all right?"

"Very well," Minerva said, looking around. "My, what an… er… dependable new broom you have there."

"Oh, don't say it like that!" Jennifer yelled from her bedroom. "Not everyone can be a Quidditch player, you know. In fact, during school, they used to call me the Bludger because one time during flying practice I knocked all the other students off their brooms."

Minerva winced, picturing that. "So you fly like Neville Longbottom, eh?"

"No, I fly worse than Neville Longbottom." Jennifer grinned, coming back into the room. Minerva looked pleased at the dress, having her turn around.

"Not bad, if I do say so myself. Are you wearing this pendant with it?"

"Yes. I'm not sure where that came from either. There wasn't a note, but it's not magical."

"You're not going to wear your hair quite that tightly bound up, are you?"

"Minerva!" Jennifer protested with a chuckle, hugging her. "Actually, I think I might enjoy this whole dance thing after all," she said, looking in the mirror. Just then there was a knock and she dove for the bedroom, Minerva laughing at her as she slammed the door.

"Oh hello, Minerva. Happy Christmas," she heard Severus say dully. "Where's Professor Craw?"

"She's not available at the moment. You'll have to come back later," Minerva said.

"I mainly wanted to see how she took to her present. It will only take a moment," Severus explained evenly.

"I love the broom, it's positively perfect! Happy Christmas, Severus! Now go away!" Jennifer yelled from behind the door, quickly trying to change into some regular clothes.

"Hmm. Tell her Happy Christmas and I'll try back later on when you two aren't up to something," Severus said in annoyance, then left.

"All right, he's gone," Minerva said with a chuckle. "Did you get Severus anything? He didn't mention it."

"Yes, a pocket watch from Gribitz' Emporium."

"Jennifer, are you mad? Goblin watches cost a fortune!" Minerva exclaimed.

Jennifer came out, the dress under her arm.

"They were the only ones that had what I wanted. And besides, Christmas is only once a year. Just remind me the next time I decide to go in there, I just agree to the goblin price to begin with and not try to haggle."

Jennifer spent the rest of the morning at the Quidditch Pitch trying to get used to her Automatic. Other students who had stayed for the holidays were out as well, trying their new brooms, chasing around in circles and passing around Quaffles. The broom was more than smooth; it wouldn't let her do anything stupid. Any time she veered sharply off, it would correct, keeping her on the broom. Some of the students chuckled at the antics, watching curiously as she tested it.

"My grandmother has one of those," one of them teased. "It's a good solid broom." Jennifer threw the Quaffle at him, chuckling.

"Hey, nothing wrong with not being perfect. The sooner you learn that, the better off you'll be." Just then she got smacked in the back with something hard and the broom flipped, righting itself with a twist. "All right, who let the Bludger out?" she complained.