"So this is Quidditch huh?" Hailey said. Hailey and her companions had decided to sit in the corner of the Slytherine standards, so they could converse without bothering anyone else. "This is pretty neat."

"You know, I shudder to imagine the kind of world this would be if it conformed to your impossibly high standards." Sophie said sarcastically.

"Hey, I said it was neat." Hailey said irritably. "Might even be fun to play. But I'm not a big sports person, I'd rather be doing than watching."

"I suppose I can understand that." Sophie said, tracking some of the players with her eyes. "Think you will try out for the house team next year?"

"Maybe. There might be some positions opening up next year. Both beaters and a seeker." Hailey said. "I wonder if they will let me be a beater…"

All three of them winced at a fowl as the Slytherin keeper blocked the Gryffindor seeker, resulting in both of them being knocked off their brooms. "Ouch, thats gonna hurt. Our team is pretty ruthless huh?" Sophie said.

"Some people take sports waaaay too seriously." Hailey said.

Lilly nodded in agreement.

"With that in mind…" Hailey said, reaching into her bag, and pulling out a large sign.

Out in the game, Fred (or maybe George) were waiting for play to resume after the 'accident', was casting his eyes across the Slytherine stands, and couldn't help but let out a snort.

Hailey held a large plain white sign above her head, with the words 'I just hope everybody is having fun' accompanied with a cartoony lion and snake on either side. Drawing dirty looks from several people around her.

"That girl could give us a run for our money if she went solo." His brother said, floating up next to him.

"Indeed."

After play resumed, and thanks to the Slytherins keeper being mildly concussed, Gryffindor eventually claimed the victory. Gryffindor seeker John Doe was a bit beefier then what was normal for a seeker, but it ended up playing to his teams advantage.

It also helped that he never takes off that Helmet.

Sophie returned from her 'investigations' to their collective room, to find it empty, and the lid to Haileys trunk open. Sliding down the ladder, she finds Lily sitting in front on the couch, a game she had been playing lay forgotten, as she watched Hailey Run through what appeared to be kata for some sort of martial art.

"You practice martial arts?" Sophie asked, landing next to Lily on the couch.

"I wish." Hailey said, not pausing in her punches and kicks. "Meiling refuses to teach me anything beyond Katas."

"Meiling?" Sophie asked.

"A friend of mine- Well I say friend," Hailey said, executing quite an elaborate chain of punches and kicks. "but she's more like a big sister. She is a pro martial artist, and she taught me the basics for the health benefits. But she won't teach me anything cool."

"Couldn't you get someone else then?" Sophie said.

"I don't want to be taught by anyone else." Grumbled Hailey. "Meiling is literally the strongest martial artist in the history of the world. People used to climb mountains to be trained by her."

"I've never heard of her." Sophie said.

"Not surprising considering she's been a gardener for about four hundred years." Hailey said.

"another youkai I guess?" Sophie said.

"Yup, a living legend." Hailey said. "She committed so many superhuman acts of strength and skill, that she transcended humanity."

Sophie's eyebrows rose. "You can do that?"

"Yup, if you can be so amazing that your legend is spoken of from one side of the continent to the other, within your own lifetime no less, then you too can be a living legend." Hailey said sardonically. "There is a reason they are so rare after all. Meiling is the only living legend I know of."

"She must be pretty strong then." Sophie said.

"You bet, there isn't a martial art she hasn't mastered, and she can fell giants with her fists. Not only that, but she has mastered her Qi to the point of projecting energy and flight." Hailey said enthusiastically. "She can even do the kamehameha wave from Dragon Ball."

"The what?" Sophie said.

"Uncultured Plebeians." Muttered Hailey.

Sophie seemed to think for a moment. Before standing up. "Hey mind if I do some practice here too?"

"You do martial arts?" Hailey said, stopping in surprise.

"Nope, gymnastics." Sophie said, proudly. "You are looking at the junior gymnastics blue ribboner three years running."

"Huh, wouldn't have pegged you as the sort." Hailey said, resuming her Kata.

"My trainer said I could go pro if I keep practicing." Sophie said, smugly. "I brought my stuff, but I didn't know where to Practice. The roof here seems high enough, and there is enough floor space to turn a few cartwheels, enough so I don't get out of shape at least. So do you mind?"

"Knock yourself out." Hailey said.

"So what are you doing for the Holidays, Potter?" Malfoy asked.

"Why do you want to know?" Hailey said, munching on toast.

"Oh you know, just wondering how those without Families spend their holidays. Does that... what was her name again… Yukari person even want you back for christmas?" Malfoy drawled, obviously looking for a rise.

"I wouldn't speak Yukari-samas name with such disrespect around me Malfoy, do so again and you will regret it." Hailey said, with a surprising amount of coldness.

Before Malfoy could potentially dig his own grave, the post came in… With another screeching bat. While people had gotten vaguely used to Nicolae's intrusion, as Hailey frequently exchanged letters with her Penpal, this one was new. A snow white Albino, and predictably, it honed in on Hailey.

"Greetings Andrei." Hailey said, as the bat landed on her outstretched arm.

The bat seemed somehow more dignified then Nicolae, and hung there patiently as Hailey removed the letter from his pouch.

"Thank you for your hard work." Hailey said, as the bat took off immediately.

"New bat huh?" Sophie said, looking at the envelope. It was a deep scarlet, with an ornate wax seal. "Dirty Secret again?"

"No, this is a different persons bat." Hailey said, looking rather happy as she opened the envelope.

"How many people do you know have postal bats?" Sophie said incredulously.

"Why is it that you can't get owl post like a normal person, does it make you feel special to get post by bat?" Malfoy cut in, eyeing the letter, trying to disguise his curiosity with aloofness. "What did you even get?"

Hailey looked up from reading the letter, and turned her nose up in an uncharacteristic display of snootiness, and saying it loud enough so anyone seated nearby could hear. "Well if you must know, this is an invitation to The Scarlet family christmas party for the upcoming holidays."

Malfoys brow furrowed, but was wary of all the people who were now listening. "The Scarlet family?"

Hailey tilted her head. "You haven't heard of the Scarlet family? Surely you must have heard of Lady Remilia Scarlet of Romania have you not?"

There was murmuring at the table as Malfoy paled more than usual. He had heard of Lady Remilia Scarlet, or as she was known in certain circles, the Queen of the Vampires. Elusive, rich, powerful, charismatic, and if the stories were to be believed, unkillable. Many witches and wizards have endured great humility for even the barest hint of favour, or the slightest peak at her supposedly grand library. Despite only coming into the public eye within the last century, there are records of her stretching back at least five hundred years.

Malfoy recovered and tried to probe for more. "Oh Really? I must say I have never heard of such a function before. You don't need to make things up to impress me Potter."

Hailey ignored the Barb, in favour of her own attack. "It doesn't surprise me. It's a rather exclusive function. Remilia only bothers inviting those who really matter."

The barb stung Malfoy slightly more, but he was steadily gaining a resistance to Haileys attacks. Once more going on the offensive, he snatched the Letter out of Hailey's hands. "Now lets see what it really says…"

But Before Malfoy could even read a single letter, in a blur of motion, it was back in Hailey's hands, and her eyes could have burned holes in paper. "I wouldn't go touching my things Malfoy, especially if you know what's good for you."

Hailey left the table, quickly followed by Sophie and Lily.

It wasn't until they left that someone pointed out that Malfoys hand was bleeding.

Sophie immediately started asking questions the minute they left the great hall. "Who is this Remilia person? People seemed pretty shaken when you heard her name. Is she a big deal?"

Hailey immediately left her grump at the question. "Oh, Remi? Yeah she's a pretty big deal. I think her name has a lot of weight in the magical part of eastern europe, and she is quite possibly the richest person alive… She's also a five hundred plus year old vampire if that's important to you."

"And how do you know her… on a nickname basis no less." Sophie said incredulously.

"Yukari introduced us, and she took a shine to me. I've been on her christmas guest list since I was seven." Hailey said, allowing herself to be a little smug.

Sophie suddenly gripped her arm tightly. "Hailey you have got to get me an invite. My mom will kill me if I pass up a connection like this."

"Well, I would love to help you Sophie, but…" Hailey said, suddenly looking awkward. "This party is extremely… exclusive… in fact I think I am the only person from outside the household who is invited."

Sophie deadpanned. "That's not quite an exclusive party Hailey, that's spending christmas at a friend's house."

"Ok, so I embellished it a bit, I just wanted to hurt Malfoy's pride." Hailey defended. "I'll see if Remilia wants to meet you… just not at Christmas, Christmas is special at the Scarlet mansion."

As Sophie pouted, Lily added her own interjection. "Are… are you alright Hailey, you seem a little... grumpier than usual."

Hailey was so surprised at the observation that she almost forgot to answer. "...Well, yeah, I guess I am." Hailey admitted. "Winters coming you see, and I'm not very fond of the cold season."

"Is it something to do with Yukari?" Lily said, making Hailey nearly trip in shock. "S-sorry if I'm prying too much, but it's just that comment about Yukari Malfoy made, seemed to really upset you."

"You are really observant aren't you?" Hailey said, wide eyed, before shaking it off. "But yeah, it does have something to do with Yukari."

"Are you ok talking about it?" Lily said, sympathetically

"It's nothing really painful… It's just that Yukari hibernates." Hailey said bitterly. "After New Years, I won't see her for three months."

"She what?" Sophie said incredulously. "Are you telling me that she sleeps for the entirety of winter?"

"Yeah," Hailey sighed. "It's a thing a lot of youkai do apparently, Winter doesn't really agree with them, so they sleep through it."

Lily was sympathetic. "You miss her then?"

"Yeah." Hailey said, sighing.

Sophie made a surprised squark as Hailey felt a pair of arms wrap around her comfortingly. "There there sweetie, just because I'm taking a long nap, doesn't mean that you will be out of my thoughts. You are far too cute to be forgotten."

Hailey gave a shy little smile. "Thank you, Yukari-sama."

"Never forget Hailey, you are precious to me. If you ever need me, I will never be far away." Yukari said, before leaning and giving her a kiss on her forehead. "So chin up, and send me off with a smile. Will you?"

Hailey turned and hugged Yukari, who was leaning out of a gap. "I love you Yukari-sama."

"I love you too you troublesome little girl." Yukari said, grinning wryly. "Must you make me say it in public?"

"Yes." Hailey said, snuggling into Yukari's chest.

"Oh go on, shoo." Yukari said disentangling herself, and making little shooing motions. "Don't make me an excuse to be late to class." despite her scolding tone, she still wore that wry smile.

Hailey giggled. "Yes Yukari-sama."

"Remember, I'll be watching~" Yukari sung, before disappearing into her gap.

"...I'm not sure if that was heartwarming or creepy." Sophie said. "Is she stalking you?"

"Yukari-sama is always watching." Hailey said, smiling warmly. "She finds it entertaining."

"Definitely creepy." Sophie said shivering. At least her mom understood the meaning of privacy.

Chapter Notes:

My second Slices of life chapter, and the Quidditch bit ended up being shorter than intended, but I wonder if anyone got the reference…

But sorry, that this took ages, but I hope you get a chuckle or two.

Up next is Christmas with the Scarlets.

P.s No need to panic anymore, Hailey is now aware of previous SEGA consoles, I fixed the gap in her knowledge.