"Cerberus are loyal and dependable creatures. Their best used for guarding things. Different from dragons, Cerberus will both prevent intruders as well as keep it's guarded item in check. So, the Cerberus is best made for guarding living or dangerous goods. If it is treasure you simply want to guard, you are better off using a dragon."

-Sirius Black

Chapter 24: Merry Christmas

Dear Mama and Papa,

How are you? How are things at church? I hope you haven't been kicked out because I go to heathen school now. Does anyone even know where I am?

I am sorry I haven't written until now. I wasn't sure you'd want to hear from me. I'm sure you are horribly disappointed. I just wanted to let you know that I am doing well. I am brushing my teeth and changing my socks.

Have a blessed Christmas.

Love,…

I stared down at my parchment- it's easy to call it parchment because it looks different. It is scroll paper, thick and it curls a bit. I stared down at my parchment at my sad excuse for a letter. How are you? How's church? I'm a darn witch! I don't give a hoot about church! Or I'm not supposed to anyway. And love…love…is that how I wanted to close this? Did I love them? I don't know. They're not my real parents. I don't belong to them. I belong here with witches and wizards and three-headed dogs. I crossed Love out and followed the scribble with Sincerely. Now I stared at it again. How would they feel when they read this letter and could see where I clearly crossed out the love? In frustration, I drew large stars over the scribbles across the letter like a border effectively covering up the scratched-out Love and the Sincerely. But not well enough.

It was a mess.

I…resigned myself to my letter not getting any better than this and tied it to Owl's foot. "Remember Owl," I pointed in seriousness, "Don't get close to them. In and out. That's it." Owl ruffled his feathers and gave two wing flaps signaling he was ready to get going. I rolled my eyes in my own irritation, handed him a treat, and opened the window. A bit of snow immediately blew into the guest house.

I was back at the Finnegan's for winter break. Mrs. Finnegan had heard about what happened at the school in October and so I had been ordered not to leave the Guest house under any circumstances. It was hardly fair. Seamus blew things up all the time, but he wasn't grounded.

It had been days since I'd spoken to anyone. Dean wrote that he'd be visiting for a couple of nights, but he never said if he was coming to see me or Seamus. It really made a big difference because Seamus hadn't come to the guest house to see me once. I didn't do nothin', but he was upset with me anyway and it wasn't fair.

I had already finished my break homework over the past few days. I was now sitting in a dusty lawn chair that sat in the corner of the public space under a standing lamp. My bare feet curled under, my dictionary lay open in my lap. Reading a dictionary was no fun, but maybe if I studied enough words, I could save some study time to practice spells for any future dangerous Hufflepuff tasks. If they were all anything like the last one, I would need to learn a lot and fast. Ten words a day. I just needed to focus on 10 words at a time, so I wouldn't forget them.

At around noon there was a …a…rap. I could use rap this way- there was a rap at my window. When I looked up, a large gray owl sat on the windowsill. My mind immediately stretched to Nymphada Tink, and back. She still hadn't written me back. I gave up on the thought that she would. "Dean doesn't have an owl. Who could you be from?" I opened the window and the bird immediately swopped down on a leftover owl treat on the floor. While it gobbled it down, it lifted its leg in wait. "Right," I started. I set down my dictionary and reached down to untie the letter and a small box. It smelled familiar if that made any sense. "It's from Cedric."

Dear Mary,

How is your holiday break going? I hope you're studying hard. Of course, Cedric is asking after my studies. He knows out of everyone I can't afford to slack off. But more than that, I hope you are enjoying your time away from Hogwarts. I know how it can feel like Hogwarts is everything and nothing else exists, but you want to make sure you find things that keep you grounded.

I'm really proud of you, Mary. You are coming such a long way, but we still have a long way to go. I will always be here for you when you need me, so please do not hesitate to ask me for help. No more crazy misadventures without me. I could almost see Cedric's raised unibrow and tight frowning pealing lips.

Merry Christmas Mary. I got the idea to get you something from that troll mother last month. She called you a Magi which I thought was pretty fitting. When you return, you should really look into what Magi are. I think you'd be pleasantly surprised.

Cheers,

Cedric

Do English people really say cheers? Do they say Cherio? Should I have signed my letter to Mama and Papa, cheers? They would have gotten to see how English I was becoming.

I unwrapped the small box wrapped in moving newspaper. "The Boy Who Lived Enjoying His First Year At Hogwarts: A look into the Potter Hogwarts Legacy." Inside was a polished pinkish gold cross. At its center was a small diamond. When I lifted it from the box, it dangled from a delicate thin chain. And it opened! I pressed down in the clasp of its rounded center and the cross opened to reveal space for a small photo. I immediately put it on and looked at myself in the reflection in the window glass. Rather than being able to admire myself and my new gift, I caught what looked like the tail end of Dean Thomas walking into the main house.

I guess I found out who he was there to see.

SQUAK!

Cedric's owl was hungry. I took out some of Owl's feed and put it I a bow for him. "You're going to sleep here. I'll have a proper thank you letter to send to Cedric in the morning," I muttered to the demanding bird, suddenly feeling less motivated to study. Still, I put out his feed and crawled back into my lawn chair, staring at, but not reading my dictionary. Instead I thought about what Dean and Seamus must be up to. What fun my friend and my cousin must be having without me.

After a few hours of staring into nothing, when the sun was beginning to set, I found it in me to take a shower. I changed into another pair of footie-pajamas. I was making to turn in early when my doorbell rang. Maybe it was Dean! I rushed to the door and swung it open. My smile dimmed, but never left. "Daphne!" I involuntarily leapt out to hug her before remembering this was Daphne and letting go. "What are you doing here?! It's Christmas Eve."

Daphne rolled her eyes and pushed passed me to let herself in. Her eyes scanned the emptiness of my Livingroom space. The lonely wooden end table and stained green lawn chair by the window. The beat up brown sofa and faded navy sofa chair. The thin unraveling maroon colored carpet. "My parents are in Nigeria visiting a shaman," she drawled out slowly. "My sister Astoria has a condition so sometimes she gets really sick."

"Oh, I'm sorry," I winced, twisting the ends of my hair into a mustache over my lip. "We can pray-um-pray for her if you want?"

Daphne looked over her shoulder at me for the first time since she walked in. "Um, you don't need to do that." Then she raised a palm at the space. "You live like this? Where's all your stuff?"

I shrugged, walking passed her down the hall to my bedroom that was almost equally as sparse. The only thing that changed was the fight poster I received from the boys in WMAC. It was still the same Queen bed. Still the same odd sailboat photo hanging on the far wall. "Who's that?" Daphne pointed.

"That's my real Papa I guess," I shrugged, a bit awkward about it myself. "The guys in club gave it to me. Apparently, he was like a professional fighter or something." Daphne nodded. She set down the duffle bag she had slung over her shoulder and dug inside for something.

"Here you go, Hufflepuff," Daphne said, tossing me a box that I was barely alert enough to catch. "Merry Christmas."

I couldn't describe the feeling I had just then. Another gift? I was receiving another gift but I hadn't gotten anyone anything. One Christmas when I was 6, I made art for everyone I knew for the holiday. I had stayed up late into the night all week painting pictures for all the kids in my class and all my family. I went to sleep that Christmas Eve and woke up the next day to heartbreak. All my paintings were gone. Every single one. There was a single not on my desk in handwriting I didn't recognize. "Never do this again." It wasn't handwriting I recognized but I somehow knew it wasn't from my parents. I balled up the letter and threw it in the trash and haven't given another Christmas gift since. "You…didn't have to. I didn't get you anything."

Daphne shrugged and started shrugging off her clothes. My face grew hot and I looked away. "I-I'll give you some privacy."

"What for," Daphne snorted. "Girls get changed in front of each other all the time? You Hufflepuff really take turns? Not really living up to the stereotypes huh?"

I wrung my hands, staring at the sailboat. "I share a room with Professor, so I don't really know what they do in the dorms." I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye. She really was gray everywhere. And her underwear was so pretty! Was that a bra? I didn't just need new pajamas? Did I need new underwear? I looked away again. "What stereotypes do you mean?"

Daphne snorted. "Let's just say the word is Hufflepuff girls are really friendly." Oh, if only she knew the motivations behind making those friends. I suppose she would figure it out soon enough. "You can look now." When I turned around, Daphne was wearing a pair of eggshell colored silk pajama pants and a similar colored tank top. I could see the straps from her bra now and that was all I could focus on. She's allowed to wear a bra? How do I know when I'm allowed to wear one- when I need one? I somehow really did not want to ask Mrs. Finnegan that question. "You got a new crucifix?"

My hand reflexively grabbed the cross around my neck. I found that, like my bracelet, the thin chain was surprisingly strong. I didn't want to take it off. It was my first Christmas gift from someone that wasn't my parents. I don't think I'd ever take it off. "Cedric sent it," I beamed, "For Christmas."

Daphne made a face for a moment, coming forward to reach out and touch it. Her nimble finger quickly opened the clasp, a smile coming to her lips before snapping it shut. "Have you decided what photo you're going to put inside?"

"No. Not yet. I don't really have any."

"Why not a picture of Cedric?"

My face screwed up in disgust. "I see his face all the time. I don't want to carry it around with me all day."

Daphne laughed at that. I was happy I could make my friend laugh. She was so serious most times. "Well let me know if you think of something. Are you going to open my gift?" I had almost forgotten about it. What if it was a bra? Is that the kind of gift girls get each other?"

I opened the box, carefully pealing away the sparkling gold wrapping paper and black bow. She really wrapped my gift in Hufflepuff colors. Daphne really was a real girl like Jubilee. After opening the box inside, I found several small things. Flavored lip balms and glosses, fingernail polish, shampoo, conditioner, hair lotion, moisturizer, a small book of beauty spells, and…a comb. Reflexively, I reached up and touched my tangled hair. It was terribly knotted. I might have to cut it all off. "These are all so nice," I said with a small smile. "I don't…um…I don't think I can-"

"I'm going to detangle your hair myself. We can't continue to be seen together with those accidental dreadlocks forming in your hair."

My blush of embarrassment reached my shoulders I'm sure. Lucky for me just then, the doorbell rang. "I'll go get that." Daphne followed me to the front door. When I answered the door, I found Dean there in his pajamas with a tray of food. "Dean? I thought…I don't know. You brought food?"

Dean looked sheepish. Guilty even. "They're eating dinner over there. I wanted…I wanted to be here. So, I told Mrs. Finnegan I'd bring you dinner." Dean looked passed me at the guest house. "Can I um…come in?"

Daphne rolled her eyes, snatching the tray from Dean and walking the food over to the carpet. "Took you long enough. I take it you and Seamus made up?"

Dean slid in around me since I had never exactly moved out of the way. I understood, it was cold out and he must have been freezing. He took off Seamus' snow boots at the door while I closed it. "Is Seamus not coming?"

Dean glanced at me quickly and looked away. The more I got to know Dean, the more I could see the wheels turning in his head before he spoke. It was like his eyes con...conveyed that he was weighing every word. "Seamus doesn't want to intrude. He understands my friendship with you and my friendship with him are different."

"Different?" I asked as we made our way to the food. Daphne wasted no time digging in. "How is our friendship different?"

There Dean was, thinking again. "Seamus and I are guys. We do…guy things. The stuff we talk about is different. We live with each other."

"What kind of guy things?" I asked confused around a mouthful of macaroni. "Like detentions?"

Dean smirked. "Sort of."

"We can do guy things. I have detentions with Professor Snape! We can talk about guy things. What do guys talk about?"

Dean just shrugged again. "I don't know. Just…stuff. You're girls. The vibe is different."

Daphne shrugged. "Seamus is your friend. Mary is your girlfriend."

The way he fumbled his fork made a loud clattering noise over the sound of the light ice now falling outside. "Don't say stuff like that! Me and Mary are just friends." Daphne shrugged again. "What are you even doing here anyway? Shouldn't you be spending the holiday with Pansy Parkinson?"

The blonde seemed to stiffen at the mention of her Slytherin friend. I hadn't thought about it before, but it certainly made sense. Daphne and Pansy were best friends way before I ever came around. Or at least, they always seemed to be together. It wasn't like the rest of the girls. They actually seemed to enjoy each other.

So why was Daphne here instead?

"Pansy and I aren't friends anymore."

Dean, sensing he'd put his foot in his mouth, looked sorry. "What happened?"

"Well before my parents left, there was a big holiday party at the Malfoy's. Draco Malfoy got me a charm bracelet."

Dean winced but I was confused. "What does that have to do with you and Pansy not being friends?"

"Pansy called me a boyfriend stealer and said she never wanted to see my ghost face ever again."

Well that wasn't nice. "Draco Malfoy is her boyfriend? Then wouldn't it make sense for your friend's boyfriend to get you a Christmas gift?

Dean interjected. "Draco Malfoy is not Pansy's boyfriend. And I think Daphne is trying to say that he didn't get Pansy a gift. Just her."

I think it was coming together. "Well how are you a boyfriend stealer if he wasn't her boyfriend? It's not like he you to be his girlfriend." When Daphne didn't respond. "Did he?"

"Not exactly. Crabbe gave me a note from Draco that night saying he liked me. Asking if I liked him back. I thought maybe they had given it to me by mistake or gave it to me to give to her, so I gave it to Pansy. She circled that she like liked him back. Draco thought it came from me and so, in front of everyone and our parents, he gave me a charm bracelet. Pansy called me a boyfriend stealer, also in front of everyone, and stormed off." Daphne looked at me, or not exactly at me? "It's something when the guy you fancy gets a gift for another girl. So here I am."

"…So, does Draco still think you like him like him," Dean finally spit out in a laugh.

Daphne threw a beat up throw pillow at him, almost hitting his dinner plate. "Half the school thinks you fancy Mary. You're one to make jokes!"

Dean refused to look at me, choosing to focus entirely on his meal. A plastic bag sat next to him. "What is that…bread?" I asked, effectively changing the subject. All this talk of ex-friends and like-liking boys made my head hurt.

They both laughed at that. Dean put down his plate long enough to reach inside and pulled out a red Santa wrapped gift with a green bow. "Merry Christmas, Mary."

I took the slightly damp box from him slowly. "Everyone got me something. I didn't get anyone anything."

Dean smiled. "It's alright, Mary. Just open it."

I did just that. Inside was a sketch book, fancy looking color pencils, and a couple of drawing books. They looked like magic drawing books! "Dean! Thank you!"

"Well I heard every good Seer needs to learn to draw. To keep a good vision journal."

"Hey!" Daphne huffed. "You didn't get that excited about my gift!"

"Well I know how to color," I huffed. "I don't exactly know what hair lotion is for. I'm sorry."

"Well today is the day you learn. Hurry up and finish eating so we can do something with that…," she gestured toward my head, "THAT."

I suddenly found myself wishing I had eaten slower. Dean chuckled at my clear discomfort. "Oh, alright."

After dinner it was straight to the bathroom. Dean followed behind us and sat on the toilet seat with a Gameboy in hand while I bent over the edge of the tub. Daphne washed and conditioned and washed again. There was wand waving and detangling spells and combing. Lots of combing. When I was finally allowed up, I had been thoroughly groomed. "Well look at that," Dean smiled. "I was beginning to think you'd have to chop it off."

I blushed at knowing I thought the same. But when I looked in the mirror at my dripping wet brunette locks I was surprised at how long it was. With it matted I couldn't tell, but looking at it now, it grazed my shoulders. Daphne approached me from behind with that comb again. "We're going to twist it now. That way tomorrow when you take it down, It will be in cool beachy waves."

"Waves?" I poked at my flat hair again. "I'd look…beachy?"

"Yes, Mary. Teen Witch Weekly beach waves."

Oh, if only those girls in Mississippi could see me now.

(Lidia- Thank you guys for sticking with the story! Next chapter we meet 14 year-old Viktor Krum.

Reviews:

ChocoGummies – I'm so glad you think so! Thank you! I feel like a lot of the best stories in the fandom have a heavy Gryffindor or Slytherin focus for obvious reasons and Hufflepuff really get a bad rep. So I wanted to write something that would paint them in a more interesting light. I don't think the characters I chose and at their current age are tags people search to often. Hopefully it will pick up as the characters get older. I set out to write this story out of enjoyment anyway so if it doesn't, I think I'll still be happy with what I have.)