Chapter 10
Christmas had been great for everyone; even Snape had to admit he enjoyed himself (or maybe not). Everyone was still on such a high that New Year was better than usual. But for a small group it was going to get better. On the 30th December, Evi came up to Harry, Ron and Hermione and asked them for a private word.
"What you doing this New Years Eve?"
"Not a lot, but there's always a nice dinner on." Ron answered unsure what she meant by the question.
"So, not a lot then? Fancy spending it with me in my room? We could have a little party." It wasn't what they were expecting but it was a welcome surprise.
"Sure! That sounds fun. Who else will be going?" Hermione asked.
"Well, there's you lot, me, and Draco."
"Malfoy is spending New Year with you?" Harry said shocked.
"Yeah, you don't have to come if you don't want to." Harry looked at Hermione who obviously wanted to go. "I'm in," he said reluctantly
"New Year with Malfoy, this will be fun," Harry said sarcastically one New Years Eve morning.
"Well, it's better than being in the Great Hall all night and then being escorted back to the common room. Come on guys it will be fun." But that wasn't Harry's problem, it was Malfoy. After Christmas, Harry wanted Malfoy to stay as far away from Hermione as possible, he didn't want a repeat of Christmas. "We can't cancel on Evi now, you've seen what's she's been like." Like every other time, Hermione was right; Evi had been excited about their little New Year Party, and dancing around the Hall really happy.
During that day, there were some rumours about two 7th Year students who were going to a Muggle party in town. As it was well known, students aren't allowed to go out of school grounds unless it was an emergency or they had a valid reason. At breakfast, on the morning of News Years Eve, Dumbledore gave this warning.
"There have been some rumours which have come to my attention this week about some students leaving the school premises. I will tell you what I told them; if you are caught leaving or wandering around the school grounds at night, you will be instantly expelled."
Ron, Harry and Hermione all looked at each other and then at Evi, who just winked at them. They couldn't go now with that sort of warning from Dumbledore, but they promised, and they had to admit they were all looking forward to it.
That night, Evi came into the Gryffindor common room to looked for them and take them to her room for the party. She didn't receive a warm welcome from the rest of the Gryffindor house though. They were wary of her, but it wasn't because she was a teacher with the Gryffindor password, it was because she was the Head of Slytherin house's friend who knew the password. Harry, Hermione and Ron were sitting on the heath rug, chatting.
"Hey you three, mind if I join you? Need to warm up after that frosty reception." And she joined them in front of the fire. "Are you coming to my little party?" She whispered.
"But, we thought, after what Dumbledore had said…"
"Hermione, how can he complain when you will be spending New Year with a teacher?" She had a point, Evi will be there, so nothing could happen. They really had no reason not to go so got up and left with Evi and made their way towards her room.
Evi's room still had the Christmas decorations up and twinkle lights around her book case. Sitting on the sofa was Malfoy in Muggle clothes and watching the TV. Evi walked over to a mini fridge and pulled a couple of bottles out of it.
"What would you all like to drink? I have Bacardi Breezers, Smirnoff Ice, and WKD all in many flavours." Harry recognised them as alcoholic drinks. He had never tasted them before, and was rather curious.
"I'll have anything, what's nice?"
"Well, they are all nice, but I take it you've never drunk them before." A little laugh came from Malfoy.
"Amateur!" he said.
"Watch your tongue Malfoy, because it's gonna run away with ya," Evi retorted.
"Well at least I won't be here then" he quipped. Evi shot a look at him, and he turned his attention back to the TV.
"I'll give an orange breezer to all of you," she said handing them a bottle and a bottle opener. They opened their bottles and sat down on the floor in front of the sofa.
"So, what I thought was that we could watch some movies, and you get to choose the movies, and we'll watch as many as we can get though." To Harry that seemed like a good night, but he was shocked to see that Malfoy seemed to be thinking the same thing.
Three hours came and went and after watching Lord of the Rings, and discussing how similar Sir Ian McKellan is to Dumbledore, there was a knock on the door.
Evi opened the door to reveal Snape. The three of them rushed to hide their booze.
"Don't worry, he's just refilling my stocks," Evi said as they both entered with yet more booze. Once he had place the box on the floor, he turned to leave.
"Oh come on Sev, have one drink at least," Evi said pouting. He rolled his eyes and closed the door and Evi threw a bottle of beer at him, which he caught with one hand. He opened the bottle and leaned on the sofa arm.
"What film do you fancy watching now?" Evi asked her guests. But her guests were too preoccupied with Snapes presence. They weren't sure what to do, as they were unsettled by his relaxed attitude when he normally would have thrown them out.
"What about that 'From Hell'?" Malfoy spoke up clearly unnerved by the presence of his Head of House in the room.
"I should warn you this is pretty scary and gross in places," she said
"Well, if you can't handle it," Draco retorted.
"I never said that," Evi replied to his comment. She placed the DVD into the machine and pressed play.
Half way through the film and just before the Ripper killed yet another girl, there was a knock on the door.
"Who could be calling at this time of night?" Evi asked.
"Maybe it's the ripper," Snape joked. Evi just looked at him.
"I'll answer it shall I?" Snape suggested.
"No, I better go. Who ever it is would think it strange to find you here at this time of night." Evi said getting up and making her way to the door. She had a point, they would think it very strange if whoever it was saw them all there, Harry thought. She had hardly opened the door when Dumbledore barged past and stood staring at the five sitting around with bottles in their hands. Evi was still standing there with the door in her hands, obviously annoyed at the party crasher.
"Would you like to come in Dumbledore? She said sarcastically.
"What is going on in here?" Dumbledore asked.
"A small gathering of friends and frankly, you weren't invited!" Harry had never heard anyone talk to Dumbledore like that, but then again he had never seen someone after twelve bottles of Smirnoff Ice and 7 shots of sidekick.
"Severus, I want a word with you outside, now." Dumbledore said.
"Excuse me Professor," Evi interrupted, "but this is my party and therefore he is my guest. If you want a word with someone it should be me." She walked out of the room and Dumbledore followed. Evi slammed the door so hard that it rebounded off the doorframe leaving a small opening and the rest listened to what was being said.
"Evi, this is inappropriate behaviour from a member of staff, and after everything that had happened, how could you do this?"
"It was because of recent events that I did this. The students need to lighten up a bit, after all the worry and chaos of what has happened. I was giving my best students a treat. Anyways, it's a known fact that over half of the pupils in this school will spend their lives in the Muggle Realm, not the magical one. I'm teaching them to live in it, and right now Dumbledore, I'm showing them the wrong way to entertain guests. I need to go back inside Dumbledore, but don't think I didn't hear you because I did. But I have my reasons and, although different from yours, they are just as right. So, if you would excuse me Professor Dumbledore, goodnight and Happy New Year." And with that she returned to the party.
"You shouldn't have done that!" Snape said disapprovingly.
"Yeah she should have!" Malfoy added.
"What are you doing here?" Ron finally asked.
"Can't I spend New Year with my favourite teacher?" Malfoy said. Evi gave a huge laugh.
"Favourite teacher? I'm flattered!" She turned to Ron. "He would have you believe that he was here on his own choice. This is his detention."
"Detention? I would like this detention!" Ron commented.
"Would you? To spend New Year without your friends and with people you really can't stand. Trust me, this is detention!" Evi laughed, "anyways, where were we before we were rudely interrupted?"
They got back to watching 'From Hell' ("that's gross!") and 'Evolution' ("stop dancing Evi.") until it got to 4 o clock in the morning, and stumbled back into their common room, thankful that tomorrow was Sunday.
The whole student body was not looking forward to the end of the Christmas holidays, which had been the best the school had seen in a long time. Harry, Hermione, Ron and Cho were having a snowball fight in the courtyard one morning and Ron was pretty much occupied with getting Cho. They were all enjoying themselves and Ron had just thrown a snowball off Cho and she threw one back at him. He ducked and it missed him but hit someone else. Cho looked at who she had hit and walked over to him.
"My sincere apologies Mr Malfoy." She politely apologised. He just looked at her like she was the lowest being on the planet. He rolled his eyes and wandered off towards the stairs. They all stood where they were, but Cho seemed annoyed.
"You're welcome!" she shouted (when she knew he couldn't hear). "What's he doing here anyways?" She asked. They all shrugged their shoulders; they didn't think he would want to be anywhere near here.
They continued with their fun but they saw that Dumbledore was walking towards them with Mr Malfoy and mini Malfoy behind him not looking too happy about something and they heard something to make them all stop and hide. .
"Why can't he come home for the rest of the holiday? Give me a valid reason." Lucius was shouted at the back of Dumbledore.
"Because, Lucius, it is not safe for any student to leave the school at the moment, and that includes your son." Harry looked at Draco and for a second he thought he saw a smile, but he must have been mistaken. "You should be grateful that I have allowed you to take Draco out of school in past years."
"Dumbledore, I insist that my son returns home for the rest of the holiday. His mother desires him home with her as she is unwell." Lucius said with very little feeling.
"Fine Lucius, if you insist upon it but I must express my concern over the safety of your son." Dumbledore said.
"I understand." Lucius said. "Don't worry, he will taken by car straight home and brought back in time for the new term." He bowed and walked off calling Draco to follow. Harry looked at Hermione who looked desperate to say something. When the coast was clear they got up from their hiding place.
"Why was Lucius so insistent that Draco goes home?" Hermione asked.
"Why? You gonna miss him?" Harry mumbled under his breath, but Ron heard and elbowed him in the ribs.
"Seems odd though," Cho said, "with everything going on that Dumbledore let him have his own way."
"Maybe he knew Lucius wouldn't drop it and wanted some peace." Ron said. "And past years? Has Malfoy always gone home for the Christmas holiday?"
"No," Cho answered him. "Not just Christmas, he goes home for a couple of days every school year. No-one knows why." Their conversation stopped when Cho threw another snowball of Ron's head.
On the Sunday before they went back to work, Draco did return but wouldn't talk to anyone, in fact he stayed out the way of everyone.
"Bet his dad's just told him that Professor Grimalkin has been kidnapping all the students and he doesn't want to let on." Ron said.
"We don't know that. It might have nothing to do with him." Hermione said defending Draco.
"He probably knows who's next too." Ron said totally ignoring what Hermione had said. Hermione on the other hand, was worried about Malfoy and continued to be for the rest of the holiday.