Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. If I did Severus would play a much larger role.

Author's Note: The name pretty much explains itself. Yeah. I changed the summary! Yay! Heh, okay, done now.

Chapter Twenty-four

Christmas Desires

Into December Severus's leg healed completely, much to Thorn's relief. The weather became cold and snow fell into huge mounds on the fields. Very few owls could make it through the snowy storms, and the few that did had to be nursed back to health before they could take off again.

Thorn was staying at the school. She didn't really have anywhere to go, unless both she and Severus returned home. Maken was staying as well, while Oliver had decided to go home for the holidays, eager to practice on his own Quidditch pitch. Cade's father was going to be out of town, though he had wished that Cade could have come home and seen him and Melissa. Celestial was going to stay with her Uncle Albus. Raleigh had originally planned on going home, at the start of the year when she wasn't exactly happy with those who were in her house (Cho, for example) but after she and Thorn became friends, along with Maken and the rest of the group, she thought that there was no harm in staying as well.

Well, at lunch the day before students would be leaving for break a very tired, hurt, and disgruntled owl made its way down to the tables. It was a strange event, for it wasn't time for the post and it was a single barn owl. Sparkie watched it's decent into the house tables, which were at the fullest they would be for a very long time, and landed, or rather fell, into a plate of pumpkin pasties right in front of Piper Ceaira. Startled, the blonde took the note from the owl's leg as Celestial rushed forward to retrieve it from the pasty plate.

Maken watched uneasily as her bright blue eyes scanned the paper quickly. Then, out of the blue, she broke into tears and darted from the hall. Thorn and Raleigh exchanged curious looks, kinda, as Maken sped after her. Then the voice of Cade snapped them back to reality. "Sparkie! Follow him!"

The lizard saluted and flew off, halfway out of the hall transferring to an invisible state. Cade took out his wand and muttered, "Sparkify!" to the cover of his potions book. Since the beginning of the last year every one of Thorn's friends knew Sparkie's spell.

"Cade!" Celestial scolded as she stroked the worn-out owl's head. "What in heaven's name are you doing?"

"Shh!" he muttered as he got close to the parchment, "I'm trying to listen!"

Thorn sighed. "Sparkify!" she said as she pointed her wand to his ears. His eyes lightened and he smiled a thanks to her.

"Thorn!" Celestial said harshly, "Don't help him! That's invading Maken's privacy!"

Raleigh made a soft noise of annoyance. "Like we care!" The elf pointed her light-wood wand to her ears and muttered the spell as well. Thorn smirked and did, too. Finally, Celestial, with a sigh, gave in and followed suit. They came in just as Maken entered the portrait, Sparkie, in his rush, ran into it, and then slipped under before it closed all the way.

"Piper!" Maken said as he dashed next to her on the couch. The four people watching were all huddled over the book, attracting some very strange looks. "What's wrong?" He asked, his voice full of concern.

She sniffled and Sparkie flew to the top of the fireplace to get a better look. "I'm fine, Maken…" she whispered.

He shook his head and scooted closer to his friend. "No, you're not. Running from the Great Hall crying is not fine. What's going on?"

She gave a small smirk and a hiccup. "It's a family thing… serious… and I can't go home for the holidays…" She wiped her eyes, but only succeeded in allowing passage for more tears to fall.

Maken's face fell and he put an arm over her shoulders. The view shook for a short moment as Sparkie tried desperately not to laugh. "It'll be okay, Piper… Don't worry. You can spend Christmas with me."

She rested her head on his shoulder. "You mean it?"

He nodded. "Of course I do."

The rest of the time they just sat together on the couch, and, eventually Sparkie got bored and flew back to the hall. Thorn took the spell off of herself as the others did and cleared the book from Sparkie's view, seeing as they now saw themselves getting closer and closer.

"Maken is SO gonna get hell for this!" Cade said as he sat back down and took a large bite of a feathery pasty. His gleeful face fell to a disgusted look as he spat a mouthful of feathers and cake onto the floor. Sparkie and Raleigh laughed.

Celestial smiled, "It was cute! You shouldn't ruin it by mocking him! Besides, then he'd know that you were spying, and get his own sweet revenge later on." She gave her fellow Gryffindor a knowing look and the pointy-headed boy shrugged an agreement.

Then a sharp clicking turned all of their attention to the entrance of the hall, where the pink-robed Taffy Trelawney was walking to her table. They heard a snicker and looked one table over to see Mikey Corvin disappear under it.

Suddenly Taffy's robes wound themselves around her feet and she fell face first onto the ground. Cade, Raleigh, and Sparkie laughed, Thorn smirked, and Celestial leapt up to see if Taffy was alright. Mikey watched from under his table, as if waiting for Taffy to do something. She stood up, brushed herself off, and cheerfully said, "Oops! Clumsy me! I really must be more careful!" Then she joined her friends at her table. Mikey smacked his head on the table and said something like, "She wasn't mad?"

The next day the majority of the school had boarded the train and was on their way home. Luckily for Thorn that included everyone in her dormitory but Dreara. Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle left as well. Christmas Eve Thorn spent time with Severus, sitting in front of a fire in his office and just talking. Sparkie was sitting on the hearth, his large wings spread out over the stone floor, letting the heat absorb into his body.

The next morning she woke early, Dreara's silent sleeping ways catching Thorn's ever alert ears as she quietly dressed in her warmest robes, for the halls were cold as ice. Then she grabbed her small pile of wrapped packages and descended into the cold common room. With a flick of her wand a roaring fire was born into the cold wood and Sparkie crawled into Thorn's robes to keep his little reptile form warm.

This year she had five gifts: one from Maken, one from Raleigh, one from Celestial, one from Cade, and one from Severus. First she took the one that Cade had gotten her. It was a book called Mysterious, but not Tedious Magical Items. Wow, a book that she didn't have, that was beginning to be a difficult thing to manage.

The next gift was from Raleigh. She ripped the wrapping off and opened the box to see another book that she didn't have. This one was called, Dangerous Defenses. An oxymoron if she ever saw one. She placed the thick, heavy volume on the table next to her other one and picked up Celestial's present.

Well, as you could have guessed, it was another book. This one was called A Modern Guide to Ancient Curses. Again it was set next to the other two on the table. Then she opened Maken's. It, surprisingly, was not a book. He had gotten her a very nice set of potion's vials, a snake etched into each one of them. She smirked and looked through them. Seven, and each was a different size. She set them aside and moved onto her final gift. It was from Severus.

She carefully removed the black wrapping and took out a rather large, black leather case. She opened it and smirked. It was a potions care set. There was a collapsible, steel cauldron, some assorted ingredients and a few empty compartments for ones that she might want to add. More vials, and more places to put her own vials. A rather pricy gift, and it was very, very durable.

She was still looking through her new potions kit when a stifled yawn from behind her made her turn sharply. Dreara had come down the stairs, in her nightgown that was as tad too short. "Rose? What in the world are you doing up so early?"

Thorn smirked. "I could ask you the same question." Her dorm mate rolled her eyes and walked down to the other side of the room. Thorn quickly placed her vials from Maken into the kit and gathered her books into her arms. She felt Sparkie move slightly at her collar as she stood up to go put her things away. When in the dormitory she placed the books on her bed stand and securely locked the potion's kit in her trunk. Then she picked up the book that Cade had gotten her. She'd read that one, first.

Placing a hand over the lump near her neck that was Sparkie, Thorn descended back into the common room, her new book in hand. When she entered she saw Dreara sitting near the fire. Her fellow Slytherin didn't look up from the warming flames. The two had since accustomed themselves not to speak often.

Thorn sat on the couch, opened her book, and began to read. The items were listed in alphabetical order. That was a good thing. When she wanted to look something up all she had to do was flip to the letter. And so she began to read…

It was five hours later when she went into the great hall. It was now ten, still a bit early for Maken to be up, but perhaps someone was there. She was already to the 'E's' in her new book. When she threw open the heavy doors she noticed that none of her four friends were there. She did, however, spot Mikey Corvin, a few of his friends, and Taffy Trelawney surrounded by many people, all whom held similar looks. The Slytherin grudgingly entered the hall and walked to her table. No sooner than she's sat down did the hyper-as-ever form of Mikey appear next to her. Sparkie's head emerged from the neck of her shirt, looking down at all the bacon on the table.

"Hi, Thorn!" he exclaimed excitedly. She nodded just as Sparkie leapt from her collar into the plate of bacon. The young Hufflepuff gave a slightly disturbed look and said. "Uh… anyways… What's up?"

Thorn glanced at him from over her book and lowly said, "Nothing, I'm just reading."

"Ah… Yah know all those people that the Trelawney girl is with?" She looked over her shoulder to the Hufflepuff table and shook her head. "Yeah, well, they're ALL her sisters or brothers! Not even all of them are here, either!" Thorn cocked an eyebrow and Mikey nodded ecstatically.

She sighed and looked back to her book. Then Mikey snickered. "Here we go…" Thorn looked back to him just as he used a spell. Taffy was checking her face in a hand mirror, and, just as the spell was about to hit, one of her brothers called her name. She turned her head to talk to him and the spell refracted directly off of the mirror. Mikey's maniacal chuckles were replaced by a short shriek as the enchantment backfired. His head flew back at the contact and when he looked forward again Sparkie, who had been watching from his bacon plate, broke into hysterical laughter. The first year's face was purple.

Thorn smirked and shook her head as she turned back to her book. Mikey ran a hand over his face and darted from the hall. Then the three Gryffindors came in. "Hey, Thorn!" Celestial said as she took her seat at the table. Thorn nodded and sat next to Maken as he took his seat, too. Then Raleigh came into the room and everyone stared at her for a moment.

She was dressed differently. She wore black jeans, and a white tee-shirt. Also, she had arm long silver gloves with fingers that cut off halfway down the fingers. The tops of them went past her shoulders in a tall point to the bottom of her ear. "Ooh!" Celestial sighed, "That's a lovely outfit, Raleigh!"

The elven girl smirked, but her eyes showed pride, "Thanks. It was my favorite one at home, but I forgot to pack it. Mrs. Wilcox sent it to me with my Christmas gift."

Maken nodded. "That is so cool… I like the arm things…"

Thorn agreed and Cade said, "Are they, like, special?"

Raleigh shrugged. "I guess you could say so. I read somewhere that only elven warriors wear them. It's a sign of they're strength and all that."

Thorn nodded. "I also read in a book that I have," (she ignored Maken's comment of "Which one?"), "That some elves are tattooed when they're young if they are thought to have the ability to be warriors…"

Raleigh nodded and pulled her right glove down to her wrist. Cade's eyes widened as he leaned over the table to look at her arm. There were intricate designs climbing up the length of the skin, different symbols in a different language. The colors varied greatly, aside from the fact that they were all darkened. "They're on my other arm, too."

"Wow…" Celestial murmured, "That's… so cool…"

Raleigh smirked. "Thanks." Sparkie leapt from the plate of bacon that he had been feasting on and flew to Thorn's shoulder, to get a better look at the amazing designs up her arm. "Wow… Thorn, can I get a tattoo?" he asked quietly.

Thorn shook her head. "The needle might go right through you, Sparkie," she hissed. His eyes widened in fear at the very mention of the word 'needle' and he flew back to his bacon, muttering something like, "Ain't no one gonna stick a needle in me…" as he bit into one of the juicy strips.

Raleigh pulled the glove back up. Then the talk changed to what people received for Christmas. Thorn listened quietly as she continued to read. Then Cade's voice addressed her. "So, Thorn, you like the book I got you?" She nodded. "How far into it are you?"

She looked up from her page and said, "In the "E's." The Mirror of Erised." Celestial gasped, but the others continued to listen to Thorn. "It's a strange mirror that seems to show you what you desire most. It's dangerous, too, because you can become entranced by it, your longing for whatever lies within its glass forcing you to return to it, or remain with it, until you wither away."

Celestial nodded. "Uncle Albus has it." She seemed to be talking more to herself than to the group. "It's in a classroom near the kitchens. Harry's gonna find it, Uncle Albus is sure of that." Then her face gained an amazed look and she turned her eyes onto her friends. "Oh no! Pretend that you didn't hear that! No one's supposed to know!"

Cade and Raleigh smiled mischievously and stood from their spots. Maken looked to them, paused, and followed. Thorn, with nothing better to do, did the same, and took an arguing Sparkie away from his wondrous bacon. "No!" Celestial said as they began to walk from the hall, all four of them having the same thing in mind. "Please, please don't go! No one's supposed to know!"

Cade shrugged. "It's not like there are that many people here to find it, anyways, right? It'll probably be moved before the breaks over, anyway." The pointy-haired Gryffindor lead the way, followed by Raleigh, Thorn and Maken in her wake, and Celestial not far behind, pleading them no to go. The walk to the corridor was not a long one. The group of five kids and a lizard soon found the empty classroom, a huge mirror, that reached to the ceiling, sitting, misplaced, in the center of the room. It had a sumptuous golden frame, and was on two clawed feet. They stood in the doorway, most amazed by the beautiful mirror ahead of them.

Thorn stepped closer, the rest of the group in her wake. Then she read the inscription along the top of the frame. "Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi." Sparkie cocked his head and looked into the mirror. Nothing special…

"What does that mean?" Celestial asked, suddenly not bothering to try to pry them away from the strange item.

Thorn shook her head. "I don't know…"

"I only see me," Sparkie muttered.

"That's because," Thorn answered in human tongue, "You're not alone in front of it. All of us are with you…" Then she turned to the others. "Who's first?"

"Me!" Sparkie said as he leapt up, but they ignored him.

"I'll go," Maken said humbly. They agreed, all save for Sparkie, who was complaining loudly about not being the first one. The Gryffindor positioned himself in front of the reflective plane and stared at his reflection. After a moment he said, "Its me and Oliver! We're on some famous Quidditch team, he's the captain, and the keeper…" he paused, and continued to look at his desire. Then Cade came forward.

"My turn!" Maken nodded and stepped away, his eyes staying on the mirror until he no longer saw his heart's desire.

As soon as Cade stepped before the mirror his face fell. His eyes, usually full of life, dimmed with sadness. He placed one hand up to the mirror and touched something, and sighed. "What is it, Cade?" Celestial finally asked.

He looked back to her, his dark blue eyes seeming on the edge of tears. "Its… my mother…" Celestial's head hung down and Maken nodded sadly. Thorn, incapable of showing emotion, just as Raleigh was, did nothing, though the elves eyes did show utter pity for the Gryffindor. He looked back up to the mirror, and Thorn stepped up besides him, making the form of his mother disappear to his eyes.

"Remember what I said," she muttered silkily, "This mirror could be the death of you… do not let yourself waist away…"

He nodded. "You're right… Here… it's your turn…" he walked away solemnly, still effected by seeing his mother again. His hand went to the bracelet on his left arm and he subconsciously held it, eyes staring into nothing as he thought.

Thorn sighed and looked to Sparkie, who stared determinedly back, not wanting to be the one to move. When the look in her eye told him only too clearly, though, that she was not moving, he grudgingly flew to Celestial's shoulder. The Slytherin rolled her eyes and looked back to the mirror, and the sight that came to her eyes made her smirk.

There he was… dead… on the floor in front of her… his body in tangles. How sweet a victory. Her wand was raised ahead of her, as if she had just killed him, the Dark Lord Voldemort. She stared at the lifeless figure for a long time, her usually emotionless eyes held the very smallest hint of sheer pleasure.

Then the voice of Maken snapped her attention away from the fantasy that the mirror held. "Thorn? What do you see?"

She looked back to her desire and said, "Voldemort is dead." She heard Celestial shudder. Maken nodded, not surprised in the least.

Then Cade said, "Okay, I know that everyone hates that guy… but you seem to hate him more than anyone else I know."

Thorn nodded and stepped back from the mirror, still seeing what she desperately wanted to happen. "I do… I have reasons for my loathing…" she left it at that, though, and stepped back so that she no longer did see the pain stricken look on Voldemort's hideous face.

Sparkie leapt up and began to fly towards the mirror, but Thorn caught him in mid air and Celestial rushed to take her spot in front of the mirror. Sparkie cursed as he settled on Thorn's shoulder.

Celestial had a similar reaction as Cade's. Her face was full of sorrow, and her eyes full of tears. When they questioned her she said, "I see my mother too, but I also see a man… I can't make out his face, his whole body is shadowed, but he must be my father…" Thorn nodded. After all, Celestial's mother was insane, and her father was… well, unknown. A stifled sob came from Celestial's throat as Maken pried her away from the mirror, where she did as Cade was, sat back and thought.

Then, before Sparkie even had the chance to get off of Thorn's shoulder, Raleigh darted forwards and stood before the mirror. Her emotionless face did not hide the pain that was in her eyes. The look of longing, and despair still shone through. Before they asked her what it was that she saw, she said, "I'm in the forest, the forest that the elves used to live in, and I'm surrounded by my family. There's my dad, and my older brother, Sydney, and my mother…" She paused and looked back to the others, of whom only Maken and Thorn were listening. "I miss it…" Then a solitary tear made its path down her face, from the unscathed eye, and met its fate upon the stony floor.

Thorn nodded. "I know…" Then Sparkie darted to Raleigh's feet and began to push on her ankle, urging her away so that he could see into the mirror. She sighed and did as he wished, standing next to Maken.

When Sparkie stood alone in front of the Mirror of Erised his eyes widened and his mouth dropped opened. A look of total joy on his reptilian features. "What's he see?" Raleigh asked Thorn, who sighed and shook her head.

"Bacon."

Maken and Raleigh laughed, then turned they're attention back to Sparkie, who was staring at the mirror with ecstasy on his face. Then, suddenly, the lizard leapt up and flew directly into the glass. He made a soft sound of pain and flopped back onto the stone floor. Then he stood back up and pressed his little face against the mirror, as if trying to fall in.

Thorn smirked and picked the lizard up from his tail. He struggled violently, trying desperately to get back to the heaven that was bacon. She turned to the others, still clutching the frantic form of Sparkie in her hand, and said, "We should get out of here, the Mirror of Erised is not something to fawn over." She looked pointedly at the lizard who was not paying attention, "Come on."

She tapped Celestial's shoulder to tell her that they were leaving, and Maken brought Cade back to reality as well. Raleigh led the way out, and, to try to lighten Cade's mood, Maken suggested that they have a snowball fight, which they did.

The snowball fight seemed to drag Cade out of his solemn mood, and Celestial as well, once she got hit in the head with one and had to seek revenge on Maken. Raleigh was involved as well, having excellent aim as an elf, she never missed her target. Thorn was the only one that wasn't in the battle, for even Sparkie had tried to play, but his snowballs were about the size of raisins and didn't really have an effect when they hit Maken.

Thorn glanced across the field once to see another war waging. It seemed to be with the Weasley children, since they're flaming red hair could be made out from the snow, and Harry Potter must have been with them.