Haylin awoke on Christmas morning and looked out her window to see that it had snowed in the night.

Haylin rubbed her eyes and yawned. She loved Christmas because of the snow. It made the scenery seem serene and peaceful until everybody started playing in it. She never received many presents though (although the few presents she did receive were usually very good).

At the end of her bed, Haylin had a surprisingly large pile of presents. She grinned.

I love having lot's of friends, she thought to herself. She jumped out of bed to wake Adriel. Janaya had gone home for the holidays and so had Draco and the rest of the Slytherins so it was just Haylin and Adriel for a while.

"Adriel. Wakey, wakey," Haylin said, gently poking Adriel.

Adriel moaned and rolled over.

"Adriel, get up now!" Haylin said, and prodded her friend sharply in the back.

"Ow!" Adriel said, waking up immediately and rubbing her back. "What could be so important that you had to wake me up so painfully?"

Haylin rolled her eyes. "Presents! Duh!" she said and ran back to her own pile and began unwrapping.

Hermione had sent her some chocolate, Neville had given her the book on curses and counter-curses that she had seen in the book shop in Diagon Alley, Ron had given her an assortment of candies such as Chocolate Frogs and Bertie Bott's every flavoured beans and Ron's mother, strangely, had sent her a hand-knitted, emerald green cardigan with a silver snake on the back. I thought she was a Gryffindor fan Haylin thought as she put the cardigan on.

Mr. Crouch had also sent her a Christmas present. It came with a note.

Dear Haylin,

I don't know how you found out about your mother (for Haylin had written and told him that she knew) but I thought you might like a little something of hers. The photo is of Cassandra.

Merry Christmas, my dear,

Yours,

Mr. Crouch.

Haylin opened the package and gasped. It was a locket. It was made of gold and was in the shape of a Triple Goddess. Haylin opened the locket and found a picture of her mother.

"Adriel, look at this," Haylin said and gestured to her friend. Adriel looked at the picture closely.

"Who's that?" she asked.

"My mother," Haylin said quietly.

Adriel smiled. "She's very pretty. You have her eyes," she said and went back to her own presents.

Haylin's eyes glistened as she put the locket on. For a moment she was angry at her father for what he did to her but the moment passed. If he hadn't, she thought, I wouldn't be here.

Haylin took a deep breath and continued unwrapping her presents. Janaya had sent her a T-shirt with the logo of the band her mother hung out with, Draco had sent her a black dress (she assumed her mother had picked it out because Draco had no idea what girls liked when it came to clothing) and Adriel had given her a bracelet made of hematite. The last present was, surprisingly, from her father.

The note said:

This used to be mine but seeing as I can't use it at the moment (and I think Quirrel might hurt himself with it) I thought you might like to look after it until I can use it. Use it however you wish but don't let too many of your teachers see it as they might recognise it.

Merry Christmas,

Your Father.

Haylin opened the box and saw that her father had given her his wand. It looked as if it had been made with bone (and knowing her father it probably was). Haylin examined the wand for a moment before closing the box and putting it in her trunk.

"Thanks for the bracelet, Adriel," Haylin said as she threw the rubbish away and started making her way through all the sweets.

After a while, Adriel stopped her.

"Chocolate doesn't count as breakfast, Haylin, eat some real food," she scolded and, after getting dresses, the two of them went down to breakfast.

oOoOoOoOo

Haylin and Adriel were about to head for the Slytherin table in the Great Hall when a voice called to them.

"Haylin!" it was Neville. "Sit over here!" Haylin smiled and dragged Adriel over to the Gryffindor table. Haylin waved at Ron as she walked past him but ignored Harry completely. Ron grinned and waved back.

"Thanks for the present Ron. Did you tell your mum to send my a present?" Haylin asked. Ron turned pink.

"Sort of. I wrote to her about how Hogwarts was going and then I mentioned friends, and you happen to be one of them so I that'll be why she sent you a present. Why? What did she send you?"

Haylin pointed to her cardigan. "This, I like it. Did you tell her I was in Slytherin too?" Ron nodded.

Haylin smiled and then sat down next to Neville.

"Hey Neville. Do you know Adriel?" Haylin asked. Neville shook his head.

"I've seen her 'round but we've never been formerly introduced. I'm Neville," he added, now speaking to Adriel.

"Adriel," she replied. "Nice to meet you."

Haylin smiled, and then her face turned serious.

"Down to business," she said. "What have you got for me?"

"They're researching this guy called Nicolas Flamel,"

"Who?" Haylin and Adriel asked at the same time. Neville glanced at Adriel then turned back to Haylin.

"Does she know?" he asked and, when Haylin nodded, he continued.

"I was reading one of Hermione's books before she went home for the holidays and Nicolas Flamel made this thing called the Philosopher's Stone."

Haylin and Adriel looked at him, their faces blank with confusion.

Neville sighed. "The Philosopher's Stone can turn any metal into pure gold and makes an elixir that will make the drinker immortal. Harry and Co. haven't figured it out yet but they think that Nicolas Flamel has something to do with whatever the three headed dog is guarding."

"Wait, there's a three headed dog in the school?"

Neville nodded. "The day that you put that spell on me, I couldn't get back into the common room 'cause I forgot the password. Harry, Ron and Hermione were leaving the common room at, like, eleven o'clock and they found me. Harry and Ron were supposed to be duelling Malfoy or something but he never showed. Instead Filch turned up and chased us around until we hid somewhere which turned out to be the Third Floor Corridor which is out of bounds. In the third floor corridor, there is a giant three headed dog and he's standing on a trapped door."

"So," Haylin said. "The dog is guarding something which has something to do with Nicolas Flamel and that something is the Philosopher's Stone which turns any metal into pure gold and creates an elixir of some sort that will make the drinker immortal."

"What?" Ron said suddenly. Adriel, Haylin and Neville all looked at him.

"That's what he's trying to steal?"

Haylin groaned. Just as Ron and Harry ran off to the owlery.

Adriel looked very confused.

"Wait a second, who's going to steal it?"