December 20th, 1995. Friday.

"Honestly, again?"

Selena stopped tugging her trunk through the doorway after hearing the familiar clatter of shells on the ground followed by the clunk of a smoothed mahogany box. Tess had, once again, dropped her seashell collection.

Alisson groaned, taking up her complaining as Elizabeth scolded Tess on not putting the seashell box into her trunk.

"Got it!" Tess said, stooping down. She brushed back a piece of her caramel hair, her small lips pursed. Carefully, she scooped up all the shells into the box before the four girls left their dorm. Behind them, Shorty hooted from his cage, upset by all the noise.

Crescent gave the small owl a glare before he settled back down in his own bronze cage, Selena carrying her black cat carefully.

"Sel, what do you think I should buy on the train? I have four Sickles left in my bag and - oh! Sierra, stop it! Sierra, calm down!" Alisson said, Sierra biting her wrist. Alisson was holding her kitten, insisting the calico would panic every time she'd tried to put her in a cage.

"We'd better hurry up," Selena said to them all as they descended the stairs, heading to the nearly-deserted Gryffindor Common Room. "We're going to be late for the train and I, for one, am excited for Christmas Holiday!"

As the girls entered the Common Room (getting down the stairs was such a struggle that even the portraits shielded their eyes) Renee stood up from one of the chairs, watching her friends. A fire roared near her, a scarf wrapped around Renee's neck. She smiled, a tad sadly. "Hey! Everyone ready? Got everything? I don't want to have to send anything! Shorty isn't up to travel in the winter." She gave a little laugh, walking over to them.

The girls all hugged Renee.

"We'll write," Alisson said firmly, quite contrary to her usual attitude of writing letters.

"Every week," Tess affirmed with a nod.

Renee beamed, brightening. "Thank you. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas!"

Renee turned to Selena, opening her arms for a hug. Selena just about tackled her friend with the embrace, making Renee stumble and laugh a little. "Woah, Sel, it's okay - you're gonna' see me in January."

"I'm going to miss you," Selena said, letting go of her friend. "And I'll send your present."

Renee waved her hand. "Oh, you don't have to get me anything."

"Too bad, I want to," Selena teased, smiling. She gave her friend another quick hug. It hurt her to have to leave Renee at Hogwarts for the holidays. With Umbridge, no less. Anne had told Selena earlier that week that she'd accepted Fred's offer to spend the holiday at the Weasley's burrow. Selena had half a mind to stay with Renee so her friend wouldn't be alone.

As if she'd read her mind, Renee smiled assuringly. "I won't be alone, I have Shorty. Anyways - you four have a train to catch! Shoo!" She swept her hands, ushering them towards the portrait hole. "Shrink the luggage already, c'mon, time to go! You're burning daylight!"

Elizabeth took her wand out, muttering that she couldn't believe she'd forgotten before they descended the stairs. She pointed at the four trunks (plus a smaller bag of Tess' that she'd insisted she'd needed.) "Diminuendo," the girl spoke clearly. A white light shone before all the trunks became doll-sized. The girls all put their trunks into their pockets, Tess sighing about the marvels of magic.

Selena readjusted Crescent's cage, waving to Renee. "Happy Christmas!"

"Happy Christmas!" the Gryffindors all called to one another before they left. Selena gave a final wave to Renee, leaving her alone in the Common Room.

And then break began.

2 Hours Later

Aboard the Hogwarts Express

"Ugh!" Alisson exploded, making Bronwen drop her book - Manxmouse by Paul Gallico - to the floor. "Why isn't the trolley lady here already?"

"Be patient, Liss,"" Elizabeth said as Brownen picked up her book.

"I'll go look," Selena said with a laugh, tying her hair back. The dark strands had gotten long, already to her waist. She contemplated getting a haircut once she was back at home, tilting her head. Home... Selena felt a warmth in her chest thinking about her family's house in Bath, her room with its posters and the scent of lavender. Her mother's traditional gingerbread cookies. The crinkle of the newspaper her father read every morning. Ivy would probably want to go to the Royal Crescent once they were back, declaring it "the best museum in all of the world!" Violet would agree, she always wanted to imitate Ivy these days.

Stepping out of the compartment and shutting the door, the young witch walked down the creaky hallway of the warm Hogwarts Express. Green Scottish countryside flew by outside the windows. Or maybe it was already England by now.

Selena daydreamed about the long break again as she walked down the hall. Crescent would be happy to finally wander the house without any other animals, that was for sure.

"Oh, hey Selena," a voice up ahead said.

Selena jerked her chin up from tracing the patterns of the dark teal carpet before her lips broke into an automatic smile as she saw Damon.

"Hey," she said to him as he grinned back, blue eyes glittering in the way only a Slytherin's could. His blond hair was slightly messy in a way that made her smile even more, the boy walking with his hands in his cardigan pockets.

"Taking a walk?" he asked happily.

Selena nodded. "I guess. I'm looking for the trolley lady for Alisson."

"Up ahead by the second carriage. She'll be passing through soon, I think," Damon answered. "Fair warning though: the Pumpkin Pasties are already gone."

"Oh. Thanks."

"No problem."

For a moment they were both silent, listening to the chatter of the students in the booth carriage ahead of Damon and the chugging of the train.

"So how's Jo?"

Damon raised his eyebrows, his smile disappearing. "I didn't tell you? Sorry, I forgot. We broke up."

"Oh!" Selena replied suddenly, feeling awkward as she shifted her weight. "I, um... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, um..."

Damon waved it away dismissively before smiling once again. "Don't worry, it was mutual. I'm actually pretty happy about it. We're just friends now."

"Well, erm, I'm glad to hear it," Selena said. She quickly threw her hands up. "Not like... not happy you broke up! But happy it's okay. Um, yeah."

Damon cracked a smile, nodding. "I know. And thanks, me too."

Selena smiled warmly, relaxing. "You were brilliant at the Quidditch match, by the way." She smiled in a friendly tease. "Even though Gryffindor won, of course."

"Of course," Damon said, rolling his eyes in mock-contempt. "Oh well. We'll win next time. Um, I am sorry about the Weasley's and Potter, actually. Malfoy can be such a git sometimes." He sighed, shaking his head. "I'd actually like to win based on the match, not get some of the best players eliminated."

"How very un-Slytherin of you," Selena laughed.

"Actually, it is," Damon said with a confident smile, shrugging. "We're ambitious. I think the Slytherin Quidditch team is the best at Hogwarts - we can beat even the best players of other teams. Well... usually. Anyways... thanks, Selena."

"Damon!"

The Sixth Year turned around, glancing back to see an older boy with dark hair that Selena didn't recognize motioning for him to come back into one of the compartments.

"I'd better go," Damon said, turning back to Selena. "See you soon, yeah?"

Selena nodded. "Mm-hm. Have a happy Christmas, Damon."

Damon gave a quick smile. "Happy Christmas!" He waved once, disappearing into the compartment with the rest of his friends before Selena rocked back and forth on her heels.

So Damon and Jojo broke up? How interesting.

Yeah, yeah, short chapter. WHATEVER! Haha.

I just needed to get that chapter up so we can get them back to Hogwarts. Sorry I haven't updated in a while but no one is commenting! PLEASE REVEIW!

Thank you to CharmedMillie for my review!

Thanks for reading! Please review!

Bye-bye!

Meghan

1/12/2018: I added about 1,000 words to this chapter...