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It started with music, a sweet melody in a sadlandscape, and it had been along time since any of them had heard music.

Just an hour before, while huddled round the fire, Ron had commented how it would be a lonely Christmas. "But at least, with no papers or letter up here we won't hear about any more"- he paused to find the appropriate words- "bad news".

Harry had just shrugged: lonely Christmases, for him, were not out of the ordinary-years with the Dursleys' had taught him that. "No presents either" he reminded Ron. Christmas was a month away now. "I hope we're not here that long!"

Harry shrugged at Ron and walked idly to the window. He rubbed away the condensation and looked out at the snow capped hill. In the twilight it looked rather sinister, with it's skeleton trees and black stubble of rocks, that covered the ground in a tissue paper blanket of shadows. Harry cleared more of the condensation and peering out, did a double take. One of the rocks was moving slowly up the mountain track towards their ramshackle cottage. He instantly felt the hairs on his neck stand up.

"Someone's out there!" he whispered hoarsely. He heard Hermione's sharp intake of breath before his two friends joined him at the window.

Ron pressed his face up against the glass. But Hermione grabbed his robes and pulled him back "Ouch Hermione-that really…" started Ron

"If it's a death eater we shouldn't be seen" she whispered. Three hands reached into their robes for wands, and together they backed away from the window. Once they reached a safe distance, Ron suddenly broke into a smile. "It's not a death eater" he said confidently and loudly. "How do you know? She hissed looking anguished. Ron paused, his head tilted listening. "They're…singing" he said finally, the grin spreading further now "Singing Christmas carols"

"Carols? But it's November!" said Harry, his forehead furrowed. Hermione too, looked puzzled.

"All the same we should stay inside. We don't want anyone to know we're here-Magic or muggle."

Hermione had a point, for now at least, it would be stupid to put their lives in danger. It had been a long time since they had had the chance to listen to something as unimportant as a Christmas carol. They listened in silence through the song. Then the singing stopped and they heard footsteps approach the door. They each sat paralysed with a mixture of fear and wonderment as the footsteps stopped and there was the sound of scrabbling at the door. Eventually, a crumpled envelope landed on the torn doormat. They sat silently until the footsteps died away.

Ron jumped up "Do you think it's safe to open?" he asked. Hermione was peering at it as if it was disgusting. Then with out a word she lifted her wand and waved it, muttering a few words. "It's…Looks alright to me" she said, eventually, but reached in her robes for her dragon skin gloves "But you can never be to careful" Ron and Harry exchanged a rueful glance. They heard these words so often they could have been Hermione's motto.

She slit the envelope with her wand and reached inside. Afterwards, they would realise they should have expected it. But at the time, at the lonely shack so high up it seemed to be in the middle of the sky, the contents of the envelope came as a very odd surprise.