Thanksgiving. A time of giving thanks. What a load of bull. Not many students stayed for Thanksgiving. Ellil, Lavender, Ron, Harry, and Luna were the only fifth years opting to stay behind. There were a few unimportant Muggleborns and some seventh years as well. Harry sighed and stretched. No school, and it was almost Christmas. Just a month and a few days. He trailed into the common room where Luna was already. He walked over to her and pulled her to him, kissing her neck. She giggled and snuggled into him. It was a few hours before Thanksgiving dinner and when it was time, Harry and Luna stumbled out of the Slytherin Common Room, giggling like mad and looking flushed.
Harry snagged a seat beside Severus, Luna beside him, a blond Hufflepuff beside her and some other unimportant people beside her. Across from Severus sat Minerva McGonagall. Across from Harry was Ellil and Lavender beside him with Ron on her other side. A few more unimportant people adorned the table, ending with Poppy Pomfrey at the end. Albus sat at the head of the table and waved his hands and the Thanksgiving feast appeared.
"First," he commended, "we each must say one thing we are thankful for! Minerva, if you would?"
"I am thankful for most of my students' good grades!"
"I," Ellil said, "am thankful for my brother."
"I'm thankful for Won-Won!" Lavender squealed.
"M'thankful for Lav," Mumbled Ron.
My family, my dog, my boyfriend, and fire whiskey were a few that followed.
"I'm thankful for my students' well being."
Family, dog, cat, alcohol, and sleep followed.
"I am thankful that I finally got my Nargles back!" Luna chirped. Harry playfully bonked her head.
"I'm thankful that no one has yet to tear down my REIGN OF MOCKNESS!!" Harry declared.
Severus face palmed. "I'm so eternally grateful that I only have one Potter in my House."
"My House," Harry hissed under his breath.
"And I," Albus said, "am grateful for my socks."
That broke the ice and all but Severus and Harry burst into bursting laughter.
The two silent ones exchanged looks and shook their heads, delving into their meals. Towards the end of the feast, Albus received a cracker. He opened it and he received a bonnet and he forced everyone to take a cracker. Minerva received a pair of spectacles, Ellil a chocolate bar, Lavender a compact mirror, Ron a pair of heart-covered socks, Poppy a fake wand that turned into a chicken, Luna, got a lollipop, Harry got a GIANT Hershey's Bar, or so said the wrapper, and Severus got a bonnet as well. Severus looked horrified and promptly set it on fire. Everyone laughed and Harry managed a small smile. Severus shot Harry a glare and Harry smiled innocently back.
Patting Severus' shoulder, Harry said, "It's okay to be a drag queen, Professor, it is okay." Snape tried to bite him. Yes, he actually tried to bite the Potter. Harry stared in horror as did everyone else, including Albus, before he promptly burst into a fit of roaring laughter. His laughter prompted everyone else to start laughing until the table was a laugh-fest. To anyone just walking in, it would look immensely disturbing. No one paid any mind though. They had the Boy-Who-Went-AWOL laughing so very hard. No one would pass up this opportunity.
&&&&
Christmas was a time for families. To the Slytherin House, however, it was just a date closer to their goals. All of the Slytherins, third year and up, decided to stay for Christmas at Harry's and his friends' behest. There, in the common room, they were briefed on the plan, which would take place on Valentine's Day which, luckily, was a Sunday, meaning no Hogsmead.
"Do you understand the plan?" inquired Harry.
Everyone said yes.
"You understand," Hermione said, "that if one of you is to betray us, we will kill you?"
"Yes," was the chimed reply.
Hermione clapped her hands together. "Excellent." With that, everyone went back to being "normal" Slytherins. Now that their plan was out in the open, they could rest for a month. Silently, Hermione cast a spell upon all of the Slytherins, including the Slytherin Six. The spell was a very Dark spell and a non-verbal spell, so very few know it. It prevented the person being cast upon to blab the truth even under the influence of Veritaserum. Hermione smirked a job well-done and sighed as she reclined in her mate's lap. Blaise stroked Hermione's hair, inhaling her scent. Draco was stretched out on his side on the ground, his head in Pansy's lap. Pansy, in turn, stroked her mate's hair. Harry had Luna in his lap and both were reading the Quibbler together.
--
Christmas morning dawned bright and early. None of the Slytherins had left the common room since break started, so it was surprising when they turned up for lunch, leaving their unopened presents behind. Ellil grinned at his brother.
"Did you like my present?" he chirped.
Harry sighed. "None of the Slytherins opened their presents yet. It's tradition to wait until eleven pm," Harry informed the other Potter. Ellil nodded though he looked hurt. Harry sighed. It was the least he could do before killing their mother. "I'll open yours first, if you like." Ellil nodded brightly, bounding out the front doors to engage in a snowball fight with his friends. Harry sighed wistfully, wishing he could be that free, but alas, it could not be done. He accompanied his friends back to the dungeons and they proceeded to open their presents.
From Hermione, Harry received a wand holster that went around his wrist. From there, he could hide his wand, making it invisible and only Harry's touch could retrieve his wand, so he was never without. Blaise got Harry, literally, a cauldron full of Honeyduke's chocolate. Pansy got Harry an illegal book on all Dark Spells known to man. Draco, predictably, got Harry hair-care products for his untamable mane. Luna got Harry a spare wand in case the need to present his wand was to arise. Ellil made Harry a photo album of James and Lily. Harry found this rather depressing, as he was about to kill off both their last lifelines. He got, much to his shock, the Elder Wand from Lucius. Harry now owned three wands. From Narcissa, he got another wand holster for the Elder Wand. Tom and Toby sent their Yin and Yang necklace to him. He promptly gave Draco the Yin half while he kept the Yang. Olan sent Harry death threats because the man despised Harry. Severus sent Harry a single slip of paper. I know was what it read. Harry found it vastly amusing. He knew Severus knew because he'd let Snape into his mind the last Potions class before break. Avery, from his now broken-out of cell in Azkaban sent him a sock, which Harry full well knew the meaning of and found it rather humorous. Auntie Bella sent him a port key necklace with his name engraved on the dog tag. You just grip the dog tag and say your location and you're there.
Harry, still, found it amusing that Snape took it upon himself to inform Harry of his knowledge of their plan. He found it even funnier that Snape did nothing about it. He didn't wonder why. He knew why. He knew Snape worked for the Light side because he was going to kill Lily. Harry didn't trust a thing Snape said in the beginning, so why trust him now? He voiced these thoughts to his friends.
"Ah…" Hermione said thoughtfully. "Well, there you have it."
"I think Wrackspurts are clouding his mind," Luna threw in.
"Quite likely Lun, quite likely."
Draco stared at the slip of paper. He tapped it with his wand. "Reveal your secrets," he said. He flipped it over. "I know you think I shall betray you, Silim, but I've tried my hand with Lily and she adamantly admitted she hates me. I shall faithfully serve you, Lord Elf." Draco raised his eyebrows and handed the slip silently over to Harry who grinned his trademark grin.
--
It was January 28 and the Slytherin Six were very restless. Harry cringed and stood. To Luna and Hermione, he whispered, "Tell them we make our move on the 30." To Draco, he said, "Let's go. We need to call Jhyr, Panda, and Yeti." Draco nodded and they cast Disillusionment Charms on each other. Gripping hands, they snuck out into the Forbidden Forest.
"Expecto Patronum!" Harry and Draco yelled together. The little fox kit exploded from the wand, prancing around Draco's baby dragon. "Kit," Harry murmured. "I have a message for Panda and Yeti."
"Draconis, take the same message to Jhyr," Draco ordered. The Patroni nodded.
"We moved on January 30. Be in Hogsmead January 29. From Silim and Eidylor." They waved their wands and the two Patroni flew off without a trace.
Draco faced Harry. "Harry… Are you sure?" Harry merely nodded, looking to the lake as it glistened in the sunlight. He then looked to his hands. This would be the last time they were cleaned of all foul substance.