Chapter 39: Snowballed

It was a few weeks in December. Phoenix was in class starring out the window taking an interest in the falling snow. She never had seen snow at first hand. Yeah, she had seen it on TV and in movies, but not at home. She was also getting homesick. She really was looking forward to the holiday break. And because of it being so close, Phoenix began slacking on her homework. Hermione got on to her several times, but gave up when Phoenix told her she had the holiday bug.

Phoenix continued to look out the window. Each flake was getting bigger. 'I really want to go outside and look at the snow.' She thought. She always wanted to build a snowman, make a snow angel, and definitely have a snowball fight.

"Miss Matthews?"

'I think Harry should be my first target for a snowball.'

"Miss Matthews?"

Hermione stepped on Phoenix's foot hard, making Phoenix jump in her set.

"Yes, Professor?" Phoenix yelped, giving Hermione an evil look. 'Correction, Hermione will be my first target, and she will get many!'

"Will you answer the question, please?"

"Umm…" Phoenix looked around the room, trying to figure out what they were talking about. Phoenix had not been paying much attention in any of her classes. "Cheese?" she answered with a cheesy smile. 'The power of cheese! He he!'

"Cheese? Miss Matthews, ten points from Gryffindor for not paying attention." The Slytherins laughed as Phoenix gave a nonchalant shrug. "Can anyone, who was paying attention, answer the question?"

A few people raised their hands, including Hermione, but Phoenix did not care. She went back to staring out the window. The snow was now falling harder and the flakes larger. She didn't know when class ended. It must have ended not too long because Hermione stepped in front of her, blocking the window.

"Are you done day dreaming?"

"What are you even looking at?" Ron asked.

"The snow." Phoenix pondered as she placed her books, quill, and ink bottle in her bag.

"The snow? What is so interesting about the snow? It's not like you have not seen it before."

"We don't get snow in San Francisco. It doesn't get cold enough."

"Well, instead of going to the library, I suggest we go out and enjoy the snow." suggested Harry.

Hermione's eyes went wide.

"We can go tomorrow Hermione." Harry said.

"But Harry! We haven't found what we are looking for!"

"Oh, come on Hermione, get out of the library and live a little!" Phoenix shouted as she grabbed Harry and ran out of the classroom. Ron and Hermione followed them.

As I stepped outside, the powder looking snow covered the grounds of Hogwarts. The beauty of Hogwarts castle itself really showed through as it too was covered in the powder substance. I looked around the courtyard and saw the Weasley twins with their mischievous looking faces. They were behind a snow made fort. Running up to them, I knew they had some type of plan.

"What are you two up to?" I asked, knowing well what they might be doing.

"Look for yourself," Fred said.

I looked over to where Fred was pointing at. It was Professor Quirrell. "Okay? So what's the plan?" I said as my mischievous side came out.

The twins looked at me. "Well, our young apprentice, see those snowballs?" George asked me. I nodded my head, laughing a little when they called me their apprentice. They must have spent all day building them, for there was a small mountain next to the tree trunk.

Fred and George muttered a spell only loud enough for me to hear. The hundreds of snowballs slowly rose and one by one followed Professor Quirrell, bouncing off his turban. Sneaking behind the fort, I couldn't help holding back a snicker. The voice of Professor McGonagall was heard, so I laid flat and kept quiet. All I heard was the word detention. 'McGonagall must have given them detention. That sucks!' As far as I know, she only saw the Weasley twins.

Peeking around the corner of the fort, I saw the three of them leave. About to get up, something wet hit me hard on the side of my face. 'Did someone just hit me with a snowball?' I looked in the direction the snow ball came and saw Harry with another one, giving me a smirk which looked evil on him. 'He is not gonna,' SPLAT! 'HE DID!'

Phoenix looked at Harry with surprise. She reached down, forming a couple of snowballs for herself. But she was too slow. Another snow ball hit her in the face. 'Okay, this is war!' She quickly picked up her snow balls, launching them at Harry. Each one of them hitting him square in the face. She kept throwing the snowballs as quickly as they were orbed to her hand. Harry too was throwing more snow balls at her as much as he could.

When they stopped to take a breather, Harry and Phoenix heard two distinct voices laughing. It was Ron and Hermione. The two must have been there for some time, as they were sitting in the snow. Harry and Phoenix looked at each other, grabbed a snowball in each hand, and threw them at their two friends.

"Hey!" Ron shouted, throwing one back at them.

"It's time to go to our next class!" Hermione yelled, who also threw a snowball at them.

"Awww, can't we miss potions for once?" Phoenix pouted.

The four of them called a snow ball truce, went inside, and headed down to the dungeons. They took their normal seats: Harry in the middle with Ron on one side and Hermione and Phoenix on the other.

"Gosh, I thought it was cold before! Now I really feel like we are living in Antarctica!" Phoenix moaned as she squeezed herself as close to the caldron as she could.

"Do you not think you are freezing because you are wet from the snow?" Harry whispered to her.

"And that Mr. Harry Potter is because of you!"

"But you insisted on going out."

"True, what's a girl to do?"

"Would you two be quiet!" Hermione hissed.

Phoenix rolled her eyes, turning back to Harry. "So, what are you doing for the holidays? Are you going back home?"

"No, I signed up to stay here at Hogwarts."

"I'm sorry. I wish you could come and stay with me, but I'm not sure what the plans are at home." 'And I'm not sure about the demons that might attack as well.'

"Don't worry, Ron and his brothers are going to stay here as well. Apparently, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley are going to visit his older brother Charlie in Romania."

"Well, at lest you won't be alone for Christmas."

"Yeah."

"I felt sorry," Phoenix heard Draco saying to the other Slytherins, "for all those people who have to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas because they're not wanted at home."

"I didn't know you had feelings Malfoy." Phoenix snapped.

Draco was about to retort something back until Professor Snape gave him a sharp look.

"Mr. Malfoy, are you done with your work?"

"No, sir."

"Then, I suggest you finish it." Then Snape walked away, allowing Malfoy to glare at Phoenix.