(A/N:

Naja607: Yay! You get half a cookie! No, I do not think that Elizabeth was a goth/punk in an old fashion dress. *LOL*. Yeah, Elizabeth winning really was a shocker. I didn't expect it, and I'm the author! Or so I thought…¬_¬;;. Anyways, thanks for reviewing again! You'll see what Ron and Harry are planning…^_~

Rocky235: It is really appreciated when you review every chapter like that. Um…no, it was not Snape. Elizabeth would not know about the Snape and the stuffed vulture incident. Have a virtual carrot for guessing! That would have been disastrous if the centaurs found them…eep! Thanks for reviewing again!

Okay, since neither of you could figure out who Elizabeth was, I will give you hints until you can figure it out. If you don't want to keep guessing that poo poo on you! ^_^

Hint 1:  It's something to do with muggles.

Hint 2:  I think Harry caught glimpses of the TV while he was at the Dursleys.

Hint 3: You'll have to wait for next chapter for this one!!! ^_^

Life can fly by when you least expect it. That's what Harry noticed as he thought about the upcoming holiday. Seemed like only yesterday they celebrated Halloween and Elizabeth and that first year wore costumes. Now it was Christmas vacation, and there weren't many Gryffindors left to occupy the dormitories.

"Will you give it up, already? You're never going to beat me," Ron was saying to Elizabeth.

"Just one more game. Come on! Please?" she begged.

Ron sighed and after a moment, he consented. "Only one more."

Harry's thoughts drifted as he half-watched the next chess game. He hadn't heard anything from Voldemort and that worried him. He didn't even feel anything from him in a while, and he was just barely practicing Occlumency. Something was wrong, and Harry didn't want to find out too late.

"Check mate," Ron said.

"What!?" Elizabeth gasped. She looked around the board. She grumbled in frustration as she saw that Ron had check-mated her, once again.

"I told you, you weren't ever going to beat me."

"Well, I can keep trying," Elizabeth retorted.

"Not today." Ron got up from his seat and looked at Harry. "I'm stopping over at the kitchens. Want to come?"

"No, thanks," Harry said.

Ron shrugged and left the Common Room.

Harry let out a deep breath and started thinking about the whole dementor thing. Why were they coming? Did Voldemort want to attack the school?

Everyone's day passed and no one noticed that Hogwarts was about to be under siege.

The next Hogsmeade visit was three days before Christmas. Ron asked Harry if he could make a list of things he wanted to buy, since Harry wouldn't be able to buy them. Harry agreed and told Ron everything, not mentioning why he wanted to buy a used broom that used to belong to the Chudley Cannons. He gave him a healthy load of galleons.

"Ready?" Harry whispered to Ron.

"You know, Harry, you're going to get me into real trouble one of these days," Ron sighed.

"So," Elizabeth started as she walked down the stairs from her dormitory. "Where are we going?"

"Hogsmeade," Harry replied simply.

"I know that, but where, exactly?"

"You'll just have to wait and see."

They set off and entered the village. Harry was just a bit nervous.

"Why don't we go to the Three Broomsticks?" Ron asked cheerfully.

The three of them walked in and picked a seat, Harry in the middle. "What'll you have, Ron?" he asked. "Ron?" But Ron was gone. He had disappeared.

"Oh, man, what if something happened to him?" Elizabeth cried as she tried to see his seat. It was kind of difficult with Harry in the way.

"I guess he just wanted to hang out with some other people. He's perfectly fine, I'm certain," Harry responded with a little more meaning than he'd intended.

"If you're so sure," Elizabeth murmured.

They ordered and ate breakfast in silence. Elizabeth didn't say anything until Harry paid for the both of them.

"Dude, I could've paid for myself. I'll pay you back when we get back to—"

"No, no, that's alright. Paying for the other person is what you do when you're on dates, isn't it?" Harry interrupted.

Elizabeth's eyes widened as she blushed. She said no more. She shook her head as she realized what had conspired against her.

The both of them wandered about Hogsmeade, having fun. Harry told Elizabeth some of the stories that went with some of the old buildings. Harry deliberately avoided the Shrieking Shack, and Elizabeth knew why.

When it came time for lunch, Harry wanted to try a desolate-looking restaurant on the other side of the village. They went in to find it completely deserted.

"Harry, I think this place is empty of all life except us," Elizabeth commented, looking at the dust.

"I don't think a lot of people notice this place. There are still staff members."

They sat down and were waited on, proving Harry's point. Once again, they ate in silence. This time, it was very uncomfortable.

"Are you going to explain to me why you made Ron abandon us, and why you brought me to this vacant hole in the wall?" Elizabeth questioned suspiciously.

"Er…I needed to tell you something," Harry stuttered.

"What?"

Harry blushed and opened his mouth, ready to say something, but was stopped by, "Harry! Look out! Someone's coming!" Ron had bolted in through the door. He had a lot of packages in his hands.

"What are you talking about?" Harry inquired quickly.

"If you don't want to be cursed into an oblivion, I'd suggest hiding. I thought they weren't going to use their reservation, but they are. They're on their way, now," Ron explained breathlessly.

Harry and Elizabeth got up and ran under one of the tables. Ron was under the one next to them.

"What do you mean, Ron?" Harry asked quietly.

"You got in on Michael Corner's reservation. I thought he wasn't going to use it. I was wrong. Now he and Cho are probably right at the door."

Harry turned to see the couple enter the building. Cho was hanging on Michael's arm. "This place is so nice!" she simpered. He turned to look away and found himself looking straight into Elizabeth's eyes. There he found a look of complete understanding. Though it was a bit unnerving, as her gaze seemed to be a lot like Dumbledore's when he searches your soul, it comforted Harry to know that someone knew what he was going through.

"Let's get out of here," Ron whispered.

"Right," Elizabeth agreed. The three of them stood up and ran out of the restaurant without being seen.

"That would have been really nasty," Ron stated as they breathed fresh air.

"You can say that again," Harry sighed.

"Give me the invincibility cloak, Ron," Elizabeth requested.

"Invisibility," Harry corrected softly.

"How'd you know I had it?"

"You do? I knew it! I just guessed before."

Ron handed it over and Elizabeth slipped off, leaving the boys in puzzlement.

"Where'd you think she went?" Ron questioned as they made their way back to the Three Broomsticks.

Harry just shrugged as he walked in. And he walked into total chaos. Draco Malfoy was dripping in what seemed to be butterbeer, and a rancid stench was drifting in the room. And sitting at a table far away from the commotion, was Elizabeth, sipping her drink, keeping her laughter in check. Harry and Ron joined her, and she informed them of everything that happened.

On their way back to the castle, Harry noticed that Elizabeth still had his invisibility cloak.

"Give it back," he warned.

Elizabeth made a frustrated hiss as she reached into her pocket and drew the silvery cloak. "Damn. Almost thought you forgot."

Christmas day, Harry woke up to find he was the first awake. Ron and Neville were still snoring peacefully. Harry dressed and entered the Common Room. It was empty.

Harry walked to the Christmas tree and sorted out the gifts. A few first years had a big load of presents. They looked to be from their parents. Harry looked at them with envy. Oh to have a family that loves you. He shook his head of that nonsense. He does have a family that loves him. The Order was a family of sorts, wasn't it?

He looked at the six gifts he put in a pile for him. Ron had eight. Elizabeth had seven. Harry hoped they would wake up soon. He wanted to see how they liked their presents. Hedwig had to do quite a bit of flying around to get everything. Harry needed to get Ron and Elizabeth stuff, and he needed to do it discreetly. For that, he used Hedwig.

"Merry Christmas!" The shout startled Harry out of his thoughts.

"Happy Christmas, Elizabeth," Harry called back.

"Are we just waiting for Ron?" she asked as she sat beside Harry.

"Yeah. He'd better get his lazy bum out of bed soon," he joked.

"What about my lazy bum?" Ron cut in. It looked like he just got up. (He did, though.) His hair was sticking up in various places and his voice was groggy.

"There you are. Can we start now?" Elizabeth implored.

"You can open the first one," Ron offered to Elizabeth.

She picked one her parents had sent her and blushed when it was underwear. They went around until all their presents were opened.

Harry got the weirdest gift of all of them. It was the crystal dome that was in Dumbledore's office. The purple flower was still inside. The card with the package read,

Dear Harry.

This was yours, but because of what happened with your parents, it was lost. Do not bring it in direct contact with Elizabeth or her rose.

Your first Occlumency lesson will take place the Friday before vacation is over.

Happy Christmas.'

It wasn't signed.

"It's obviously from Dumbledore," said Elizabeth.

"Yeah. He's one of the only teachers who know about Harry's Occlumency. Besides, that dome was in his office, wasn't it?" Ron added.

"It was mine? I don't remember ever having a flower that lasted forever," Harry commented.

After lunch, the Gryffindors who stayed for vacation had a large snowball fight. The sixth years were about to win when everyone was called back to the castle. Something had broken Dumbledore's protection.

Preview: "I got a letter last night with something really weird in it," Elizabeth started, once everyone was preoccupied with their charms.

"What was it?" Ron asked.

"It had this strange locket. My parents told me it was my grandmother, and it talks."

"Talks? A locket?" Harry repeated.

(A/N: Try guessing at the costume, again! I'm sure you'll get it right this time! ^_^)