The end of October quickly hurtled forward into December, passing by is a flurry of homework, Quidditch matches and Hermione fretting about her exams, even though they were seven months away.
"For goodness sake stop worrying, I'm sure you won't forget everything all at once." Ron said lazily as Hermione began talking about them again, shifting on one sofa and sending a pile of precisely sorted-in-alphabetical-order revision notes to cascade and flutter across the floor.
"Ronald Weasley!" Hermione shrieked, dropping to her knees and frantically gathering the papers and sorting them for the seventh time.
This particularly cold but beautifully peaceful and white Saturday morning found four Gryffindors and one Slytherin lolling around in the head boy and girls quarters, waiting to be called for a trip to Hogsmeade – it had been delayed for a few hours, the reason unknown to the students. A sudden gong told them that it was time to assemble in the hall.
"Lets go then!" Harry exclaimed cheerily, treading with upmost caution around the carefully placed notes. Hermione glared at Ron as he passed by, protectively placing two hands on top of the newly stacked papers that he had sent flying.
"Must be hell having to face that every day." The red head commented to Draco as they stepped out of the room.
"You get used to it after a while." Draco replied, laughing at the face Ron pulled.
Fifteen minutes later, they were entering the village of Hogsmeade after being carefully counted and checked against a list.
"Are you going to get anything for that overgrown bat of an uncle?" Ron asked Summer as they went through the gates. Giggling at the name he had crowned her Uncle with and the shocked protests from Hermione of 'Ron!' she nodded, taking in the beautiful view of the snow-blanketed shops and cottages.
Soft piles of brilliant white snow lay at the sides of the street and surfaces, untouched and fresh. Bare trees held armfuls of it, ready to give an unsuspecting passer by a frozen shower should an icy breeze dance by. The sky currently did not hold a threat over the already buried area of Scotland; instead it was a bright, watery blue with a pale sun which gave a silvery and almost surreal glow to the world around. The students' happy and excited voices filled the air, giving the place a joyful and merry atmosphere.
"So where to first?" Harry asked shivering, pulling his cloak closer around himself in order to warm up a little and stamping to keep the blood running through his feet.
"Well I still need to buy for three more people, not telling who." Summer said, moving closer to Draco for warmth.
"Oh no." Ron suddenly groaned, attempting to hide behind Harry but to no avail as he was not only taller than him but he had also been spotted.
"Hi Luna!" Hermione greeted as the dreamy-looking blonde girl came wondering over looking half surprised to see them at all, but latched on to Ron as though that was her intended purpose.
"Hello." She said, though it sounded more questioning than a greeting. Ron had now gone a delightful shade of sunset-pink, glaring as much as he could at Harry and Draco who were trying not to fall over in their silent laughter.
"Tell you what, why don't Hermione, Luna and I go shopping together and you three go and we'll meet in the three broomsticks in an hour." Suggested Summer, looking sympathetically at Ron who vigorously nodded.
"Ok then." Harry agreed, trying not to choke from laughing too much. Draco shrugged in vague acceptance to the suggestion and watched in interest as Hermione and Summer tried to lead Luna in the right directions as she had a habit of wondering and getting herself lost.
"So, um shall we go then?" Harry said, glancing from Ron to Draco, who now looked a little forlorn without Summer.
"Sure, how about Lavinspokes first?" Ron suggested as they made their way up the street.
"What do you want to go in their for, its full of antique crap." Draco snorted as they headed in the direction for the overstuffed, curious little shop on the corner of a small lane.
"Because I happen to know that there are three books in their which Hermione hasn't read yet." Was the reply – "But, I…um don't know what to get you, that is if I was to buy you something.." Rons voice wavered slightly and he looked a bit uncomfortable.
Draco raised a pale eyebrow at him but then grinned and shrugged.
"Don't worry about it weasel, tell you what lets make a deal – you don't buy me anything and I won't get anything for you, that way Summer won't keep bugging me about being nice to you."
"Deal. Oh and do you mind if you call me Ron, weasel is getting a bit annoying now." Ron replied, glad that he had it sorted out.
"Sure. and I suppose you can call me Draco instead of ferret or Malfoy." Ron grinned a bit guiltily at this but nodded anyway, relieved that he didn't have to bother trying to find anything for the boy in front of him who probably had everything anyway.
Harry listened with mild interest and pulled open the door to the shop they had descended on, glad to feel the warmth rush over him and fight the bitter cold fingers that were grasping his face and hands.
"Though Po- Harry, I have something to give to you, but don't worry about getting anything for me either. Its nothing interesting to me, just something I found when I was bored and went through a bunch of old pictures in an unused room at my house. I think you might like it." Draco told him, closing the door with a soft thud as he too stepped in.
"Oh. Um ok, thanks." Harry replied, looking at Draco in surprise and raising his eyebrows at Ron when Draco wasn't looking.
An hour later as agreed, the six met up in the three broomsticks, glad to be out of the biting cold and enjoying butterbeers.
"So what did you all get?" Harry grinned, ducking from the swat Hermione sent his way.
"Not telling, that would just ruin it." She replied, a small smile playing on her lips as she took a sip of her drink.
"There is going to be a nasty shock this Christmas." Luna commented suddenly, dreamily staring off into space and twirling her straw in her mouth.
"What?" Ron said, rolling his eyes at the others.
"Oh yes, horrible." She continued, and then suddenly looked around at the others, confusion flitting across her face. "Oh, hello Ron." She smiled, placing a thin hand on top of his own whilst the others exchanged quizzical glances.
"Um, would you excuse me for a while? I just need to go do something, I won't be more than half an hour." Summer said, standing up.
"Sure, do you want me to come?" Draco replied, slightly surprised.
"Nope, its ok, see you in a while!" she said brightly, kissing him on the head and waving to the others as she made her way to the door.
Quietly and discreetly slipping into a small dead-end between two shops, she pulled a tiny crystal vial out of her pocket and drunk the icily cold shimmering potion in one gulp. When she was sure that the potion had taken full effect and that she was now invisible, Summer quickly ran up toward the castle before the effects wore off as they lasted but a few minutes. The sky that had been clear a while ago now was heavy in thick grey clouds that had begun to throw down their content, perfectly frozen flakes clinging to Summer's hair as she went, fluttering in her face like thousands of tiny butterflies.
When she eventually reached the large heavy doors that led way to the entrance hall, Summer was out of breath and cold to say the least. Her throat hurt from the cold air she had been breathing in, but now was relieved by the warm air that surrounded her as she snuck through the great hall and met with another student, one of which was much younger than herself.
Twenty minutes later, she emerged from the hall and began to make her way back to the front door to run back down to Hogsmeade. Just as she turned from closing the door very quietly, she ran into a short mass of mousey brown hair that squeaked and went flying.
"Oh sorry! I didn't see you there!" she exclaimed, helping the small Hufflepuff second year to his feet. He gave her an embarrassed smile and scurried off in the direction of his house common room. Smiling to herself, Summer made her way back to Hogsmeade and to her friends, failing to notice her wand that bounced and rolled back into the hall under the crack of the door.
0o0
"Yeah right!" Ron laughed as the six made their way back into the school with the rest of their year, all now rosy cheeked and soaked from their snow-fight they had had with a few others in their year. As they entered the hall way, they were abruptly stopped by an auror, one of which they had never met. As the rest of the students entered, their cheerful conversations changed into a low murmuring buzz of questions.
"What's going on?" Harry asked, glancing over to the great hall who's doors were wide open with various Aurors and other people floating in and out. From where he was standing, he could just about make out the small body of a student, splayed out across the stone floor, some kind of lettering around. Before he had time to see what it said, the door was shut with a loud boom.
"A student has been found badly injured within the hall." McGonagall's voice answered sternly. They all turned around to see her standing their, a grave look on her face and her arms folded across her chest.
"Do you know who it was?" Hermione asked. "The person responsible I mean."
"We have an idea. Miss Chainley would you please follow me?"
The group stood in a shocked silence for a moment, all staring at the teacher in disbelief. The students that stood around them had obviously not heard anything as they continued in their confused conversations.
"I…what do you want me for?" Summer eventually stuttered, gripping onto Dracos hand tighter.
"Yeah, why would Summer be involved?" Ron exclaimed questioningly, his face going slightly pink in annoyance.
"Miss Chainley, now please." An Auror said, stepping beside McGonagall. Biting her bottom lip in worry but setting her face in determination, she let go of Draco's hand and stepped toward them, casting a last worried glance back to her friends as she followed the two in front of her up the stairs and toward Dumbledore's office.
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This chapter was extremely short 0o. oh well, enjoy and review pwease! Next chapter probably up this Wednesday or at least by the end of the week. xD