Disclaimer: I don't own anything, blah, blah, blah.
Beta reader needed for this story.
Chapter 14Christmas was coming. One morning in mid-December, Hogwarts woke to find itself covered in several feet of snow. The lake froze solid and the Weasley twins were punished for bewitching several snow balls so that they followed Quirrell around, bouncing off the back of his turban. The few owls that managed to battle their way through the stormy sky to deliver post had to be nursed back to health by Hagrid before they could fly off again.
No one could wait for the holidays to start. While the Slytherin common room had roaring fires and heating charms placed on it, the draughty corridors had become icy and bitter winds rattled the windows in the classrooms. Snape's dungeon was freezing, making the students huddle together for warmth, but deep down, in the depths of the castle, where none of the other houses dared to go, was warm and cosy. The Slytherins had long ago decided that their common room wasn't big enough and the library wasn't private enough, so they had taken over the lower part of the school. While the common room was always loud, with people chatting and the latest hits blaring out from the loud speakers, in the depths of the dungeons was deadly silence. This was where Slytherins went to work on their less…desirable- projects that they wanted to keep secret. It was where strategies were thought out, plans formed and revenge plotted. It was also where Harry was having his Occlumency lessons.
Some careful questions had led him to a 6th year girl called Daisy Thornbell who had agreed to tutor him in return for some deadly venom coaxed out of Nemesis. Daisy Thornbell was born of two old-fashioned, peace loving Hufflepuffs who expected her in turn to grow up to be a kind, caring and respectable girl, hence the name. Unfortunately for them, Daisy had been sorted into Slytherin where she quickly became known for her outstanding duelling and brilliant blackmailing skills. Anyone who mocked her soon found themselves running in terror at the mere mention of her name. Being locked in a room with a grinning Daisy with a bloodthirsty glint in her eye was something everyone wanted to steer clear of. Even the punishment for wasting her time was something to be avoided at all costs, so it was with some reluctance that Harry approached her. Nevertheless, she agreed to teach Harry with Draco and Blaise thrown in for free as a thank you for Slytherins victory in Quidditch.
She was a good, if impatient, teacher and the trio soon found themselves blocking their minds automatically whenever they made eye contact with anyone. They weren't good enough to hold off a mental attack for very long, but they knew enough to give themselves enough time to think of something else. (cursing the attacker into next week was something that sprung to mind) Harry did suspect though, that Daisy only agreed to teach them so as to be able to read their minds and memories. After all, extra information on Harry Potter and the Malfoy heir never hurt anyone.
Meanwhile, Ronald Weasley was being as annoying as ever. The trio had finally played the prank that they had planned to do at Halloween and, as expected, dear Ronniekins was furious. Determined to get his own back he lay in wait for Harry and bombarded him with insults, mainly centring on Harry having no proper family and being a "no good, traitorous snake." Whenever he did this Harry pointed out that the "no-good" snakes had still managed to beat the "oh so wonderful" Gryffindors at Quidditch for the 8th year in a row. A fact which Weasley always seemed to conveniently forget.
Harry wasn't going back to Privet Drive for Christmas. Professor McGonnagal had come round the week before, making a list of students who would be staying for the holidays, and Harry had signed up at once. Blaise was also staying, but Draco was leaving, although he wasn't very enthusiastic about it. According to him, every single relation, no matter how distantly connected, was descending down on Malfoy Manor for the entire holiday.
"It will be an absolute nightmare. I'll never have a moments peace," complained Draco as they left the dungeons at the end of potions. "It won't feel like Christmas at all. It will just be two long weeks of family politics."
"Well, at least you won't have to put up with Weasley," said Blaise comfortingly.
"And we'll be spending our time looking for more info on the Mirror of Erised," said Harry.
None of them had given up on their quest to steal the Philosophers Stone. However, they were no closer to discovering how to get it. Harry had been wondering for a while if the answer wasn't in the restricted section of the library. Unfortunately, you needed a specially signed note from one of the teachers and he knew he'd never get one. Those were the books containing powerful dark magic never taught at Hogwarts. Only older students studying advanced Defence Against the Dark Arts read them.
"Keep looking while I'm away, won't you?" said Draco. "Send me an owl if you find anything."
"Will do," replied Harry.
Once the holidays were started, Blaise and Harry were having to good a time to think much about the mirror. They had the dormitories to themselves and the common room was far emptier than usual so they were able to get good armchairs by the fire. They spent their time plotting ways of getting Weasley expelled and messing around in the secret passageways they had found.
On Christmas Eve, Harry went to bed looking forward to the next day. Blaise had insisted on sleeping in Draco's bed instead of her dormitory and they stayed up talking for hours. When Harry woke early the next morning, the first thing he saw was the small pile of packages at the foot of his bed.
"Merry Christmas!" yelled Blaise as they both scrambled out of bed and rushed towards the presents, ignoring Isis's grumbling about inconsiderate humans ruining her beauty sleep. Picking up the top parcel, Harry tore it open to find a thick, hand-knitted sweater in emerald green and a large box of home made fudge. Inside was a note which said,
"Merry Christmas, dear. Fred and George have told me so much about you and, seeing as you don't have any family of your own to send you presents, I thought you might like these.
Love, Mrs Weasley."
"Oh my god, I got a present form Fred and George's mum! They might have talked about me but I'm sure Ronald did to. I wonder why she did it?"
"Well, I think it's quite nice of her," said Blaise. "If a little strange. Just don't tell Draco or he'll have a fit. Oh, thanks so much for your present. It's wonderful."
"Welcome," said Harry. He had given her chocolate frogs and a book called 'Misunderstood Monsters'. In light of Fluffy, Harry thought she'd enjoy it.
The next present Harry picked up was a small letter saying,
"We received your message and enclose you Christmas present. From Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia."
Sellotaped to the note was a fifty pence piece.
"That's friendly," remarked Harry and promptly threw it in the bin. The next present was much more satisfactory. It was a wand holder and a packet of every flavour beans from Draco. Blaise gave him a packet of sweets that changed your eye colour and a joke present in the form of a book called 'The Wonder and Might of our Saviour, Harry Potter.'
After opening a few cards from the other Slytherin first years there was only one present left. Unwrapping it, something fluid and silvery-grey went slythering to the floor where it lay in gleaming folds. Blaise gasped.
"That's an invisibility cloak," said Blaise, a look of awe on her face. "I can't believe it. Even Draco wouldn't be able to get his hands on one, and he's the most spoilt kid I've ever set eyes on."
Harry threw the cloak around his shoulders and looked down at his feet, but they had gone. Dashing to the mirror his reflection looked back at him, just his head suspended in mid-air, his body completely invisible.
"There's a note," said Blaise. "A note fell out of it."
Harry pulled of the cloak and seized the letter. Written in narrow, loopy writing that he had never seen before were the following words:
"Your father left this in my possession before he died.
It is time it was returned to you. Use it well.
A very Merry Christmas to you."
There was no signature.
"I wonder who sent it," said Harry, thoughtfully.
"Who gives. You've got it, that's all that matters. Better check it for curses though, you can never be too careful. Anyway, lets go eat. I'm starving," said Blaise and Harry allowed himself to be dragged away. As they neared the Great Hall Fred and George bounded over.
"Merry Christmas!"
"Hey look, Harry's got a Weasley jumper too!"
The twins were wearing blue jumpers, one with a large F on it, the other a G.
"Harry's is better than ours though," said Fred, examining it. "She obviously makes more of an effort if you're not family. By the way, I'd stay away from Ron if I were you; he's been in a foul mood all morning. He didn't get as many presents as he wanted so he's sulking and intent on making everyone else miserable too. Oh look! There's Alicia, gotta go, see ya!"
Sitting down at the Slytherin table, Harry prepared to stuff himself with food. The whole hall was full of people laughing, pulling crackers and opening last minute presents. It was the best Christmas Harry had ever had.
After eating, Harry, Blaise, Fred, George and the rest of the Slytherin first years, who had become acclimatized to the twin's presence, spent a happy afternoon having a furious snowball fight in the grounds. Then, cold, wet and gasping for breath, they returned to their common rooms where Harry, Blaise and Isis played charades, which Isis ended up winning spectacularly. Grumbling about the unfairness of being beaten by a snake, Harry and Blaise made their way up to their room and fell asleep immediately. That night Harry dreamt of his invisibility cloak and all the possibilities it presented. The whole of Hogwarts was open to him with it. Harry spent a happy night thinking up ways of pranking Weasley and sneaking around without getting caught by Filch.
A/N There, another chapter out, hope you like it. Please review! And by the way, does anyone know of any good vamp!harry stories. Or vamp!anyone to do with Harry Potter. If you do, please leave the title in a review. Thanks. If anyone has any problems or plot ideas for my story then feel free to e-mail me or leave a review.
Thanks to all my reviewers. It really helps to get encouragement. I'm sorry but you'll have to make do with this general thank-you as no way am I going to write out everyone's name. It would take for ever.