Two chapters within 24 hours?! Impossible! Nope. I was off sick today so I decided to use my free time to write the next chapter. I'm still on a semi-hiatus though. Please R&R and enjoy!
~Bethany

The Great Hall was empty except for Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George and a few others that were, for one reason or another, staying at Hogwarts for Christmas. Fred wanted to stay so he could see Hermione off on the camping trip safely, and George stayed because Fred was staying. There were Christmas carols being sung somewhere, but there was nobody there to sing them. There wasn't any kind of speaker system for the school to play carols into the hall either.

There were many legends that the school is haunted. They say that there's the ghost of a fourteen year old girl in the girls bathroom on the first floor. According to the story tellers, she looked dead in the eye of a creature and just dropped down dead. They say that the creature is hidden in a secret chamber within the school. In Harry's second year, that bathroom was flooded, harmless prank or the work of an upset ghost?

If someone's items went missing or moved, it was the work of the Hogwarts poltergeist, or alternatively, it could easily have been Fred and George. They seemed to blame unusual things on the poltergeist often.

Someone had even come up with the idea that each house had its own ghost. Some students believed the legends, others didn't. Some of the more gullible or superstitious members of the school took care when walking about the school alone. Especially in the dark.

If there were ghosts in the school, they wouldn't be singing Christmas carols. Would they?

Harry and Ron were playing chess whilst the others watched, Fred and Hermione held one another's hands under the table.

'Don't you two want to go? Ginny will be on the train on her own.' Hermione said to Fred and George

'She'll be fine.' George answered, nudging Harry and motioning to where he could put his pawn on the board.

'Ginny can look after herself. Besides, we can get a different train back.' Fred reminded her. 'I want to make sure you get off safely.'

'We're older than Ginny. We can definitely look after ourselves.' Hermione pointed out.

Ron looked up from his game and gave his brothers an apologetic look.

'She's got a point.' Said Ron.

Fred pretended to look hurt and let go of Hermione's hand.

'If I didn't know any better, Miss Granger, I'd think you were trying to get rid of us. Don't you think so, Georgie?'

'Certainly seems that way. How cruel.' George answered, picking up Ron's king and sticking it in the hole where his ear should have been.

Ron frowned and whacked George on the arm. Then he took his chess piece out of George's ear and placed it back where it should have been on the board. Harry looked on and laughed at the pair of them.

For once, everyone was happy. Ron and Hermione were not fighting, that made Harry happy, Fred was with Hermione and that made him happy and George was happy because Fred was happy. Hermione was happy because everyone else was. This was just how things should be. Of course, Harry, Ron and Hermione knew that this happiness was not to last. Later that day, Harry would be telling them something about Tom Riddle that they would rather not hear. Hermione put this to the back of her mind and changed the subject.

'Will Bill and Fleur be joining us for Christmas dinner at the Burrow?' She asked, looking between the twins and Ron.

'I don't think so.' Ron said. 'They're probably going to spend their first Christmas together as a married couple at Shell Cottage.'

'Three guesses what's going to happen there.' Fred and George said in unison, giving them all a cheeky, knowing smile, then gave each other a high five.

Hermione ignored them and their childish jokes.

'It really was a lovely wedding though, wasn't it? Fleur looked absolutely beautiful. Bill looked rather handsome too.' Hermione smiled as her mind went back to their wedding day, which she had the honour of attending earlier in the summer.

'Woah,' Fred said, propping his elbow up on the table. 'I hope you're not hinting that you fancy my older brother?'

'He's a married man, you know. You wouldn't want to be a home wrecker, would you, Hermione?' George piped in.

Hermione rolled her eyes and crossed her arms across her chest.

'Of course not! I'm just saying!'

Fred and George grinned wildly. They did like teasing Hermione every now and then.

'You looked very handsome as well, Fred. You know I think that of you anyway.'

George frowned and gave her puppy dog eyes. Hermione saw him and laughed hopelessly.

'You too, George.'

The twins smiled and put a hand to their hearts jokily.

'Thank you, Hermione.' They both said.

'Checkmate!' Ron yelled suddenly, causing a few other students to turn and look at them.

Harry grimaced and started to put the pieces back to their correct starting positions on the board. Ron was very good at chess. Harry often wondered how he managed to become so good at the game. Practice seemed to be the most likely explanation. Or maybe Harry was just really bad, even with George's help. At least he was a bit better than him at football.

Harry looked up at the clock on the wall.

'We should go soon if we want to be there on time.' he told them. 'Have you two got everything you need?'

Hermione checked under the table for her bags.

'All of mine are present!' She grinned.

Ron nodded.
'Yeah.'

George tilted his head to one side.

'Do you guys actually have a tent?'

'Yeah, we do,' Harry answered. 'I picked one up from Hogsmeade ages ago.' (There were also reports that the Shrieking Shack in Hogsmeade Village was haunted, earning itself the title of most haunted building in Britain.)

'Speaking of Hogsmeade,' began Fred. 'We've got to get to Hogsmeade Station after you've gone.'

Hermione picked up her bags. She slung her backpack on her back, a messenger bag across her shoulders and carried a plastic bag of food and drink in her hand.

'We should go then.' Hermione sighed. 'We wouldn't want you two to miss your train.'

Ron and Harry stood up and picked up their things too, leaving the chess set behind for someone else to play with. Fred and George stood up to see them out, neither of them had any luggage as the luggage they were going to take home with them, Ginny took with her on the Hogwarts express.

They all walked towards the Hogwarts entrance and out in to the courtyard. It was there that the five of them would part.

'I'll miss you.' Fred said to Hermione quietly. He played with the tips of Hermione's fingers with his own.

Hermione smiled gently at him.

'We'll be back before you know it.'

'Take care of yourself, won't you?' He said, his eyes were wide.

'Of course. And you.' She pulled her hand away from his and hugged him. Fred wrapped his arms around Hermione as best as he could since her bags were in the way. He kissed her on the cheek but Hermione decided to kiss him properly. Her lips lingered on his like they were a good memory she didn't want to lose. Fred's lips would soon start to feel like home to her.

'Are you two quite done?' George asked.

They pulled away and apologised. Ron and Harry went to say goodbye to Fred whilst Hermione said her goodbyes to George.

'I would tell you to look after him, but I know that you will anyway.' She laughed.

'You can count on me!' George saluted.

'I'll see you soon.' She said.

Once they had all said goodbye to one another, they departed, Fred and George going left, and Ron, Harry and Hermione going right.

xx

They had been walking for hours now. All three of them were exhausted, no one more-so than Ron.

'Are we nearly there yeeeet?' He whined, for what seemed like the hundredth time in the last half hour.

Harry sighed heavily.

'No, not yet.' He wiped some sweat off of his brow with the back of his hand.

'When will we get there?' Ron asked.

'When we get there!' Snapped Hermione who was getting more weary with Ron complaining than she was with the walk.

'But my feet hurt!' Ron snivelled.

'So do everyone else's!' Hermione clamoured.

Harry decided it was best to just ignore them and leave them to it. They could argue all they wanted, he didn't care. He just wanted to get to where he wanted to be so they could erect the tent, sit down, have something to eat and get some sleep. One of the only things that was keeping Harry moving was the idea of getting this camping trip done and what he wants to say out of the way, so they could go to the Burrow. They could sit down at the dinner table with the rest of the Weasley family, have a magnificent Christmas dinner, play games, tell jokes and have just a lovely Christmas all-round.

The wind was harsh against the trio's skin which was causing it to dry out and their lips to become cracked and sore.

They walked for an hour more across hills and rocks before Harry stopped at the top of a large hill in the middle of, what seemed like, nowhere.

'We're here.' He proclaimed.

'Is this it?!' Ron asked as he looked around in disappointment.

'Yes. It's isolated. We shouldn't be found here.' Harry told him.

They took five minutes to sit down and have a drink, eat a sandwich each and pick up some of their strength so they could set up their tent.

'Are you sure that goes there?' Hermione asked as Ron struggled to get two of the poles to fit together.

'Yes I'm sure!' Ron dropped the poles in his lap. 'Bloody hell, Hermione! You put me off!' Humped Ron frustrated. He picked the poles back up and attempted to fit them back together again.

'I did not!' Protested Hermione. 'But if you don't want to be put off any more, I'll be over here!' She stormed off and sat by Harry who was doing a much better job of putting up the tent than Ron was.

Harry sighed and put the pole into the hole in the ground. He wiped his hands on his trousers.
'You and Ron have another argument?' he asked, even though he knew already what her reply might be.

Hermione sighed heavily and pushed her hair over her shoulder and then started to help Harry.

'Not exactly. I left before we could.'

It took them about forty five minutes to get the tent upright and steady. When finished, they crawled inside it and unrolled their sleeping bags. Even though it was new, the tent smelled bad. It was cramped, yes, but that would probably aid them during the night. It would keep them huddled together so they could be kept relatively warm through their body heat. Each of them sat on their sleeping bags, Ron and Hermione looked at Harry expectantly.

'Come on then,' Hermione egged Harry on, 'Tell us what you know.'

xx

The train that Fred and George took was quiet. Most of the other students had taken the Hogwarts Express back to London.

They had managed to acquire a carriage of the train to themselves. They sat on opposite seats of the carriage and put their feet up on each other's seats.

'Do you even know why they've gone camping?' George asked.

'A bit of fun?' Fred answered him.

'Maybe.' George paused for a second or two. 'Do you really believe that though?'

Fred smiled.

'Not even a little bit.'

George smiled too, it was identical to his twins, which of course, was something you could expect from identical twins.

'Me neither.' George stuck his hands inside of his pockets. 'What made you think that?'

'Hermione looked worried. If she looks worried about something, you should probably be worried about it too.'

'I take it that you're worried then?' George assumed.

'Of course. I'm always worried about her.' Fred exhaled heavily and looked out of the window. The only thing that could be seen for miles was the browning British countryside. Occasionally, a sheep, a cow or a horse could be seen grazing in the fields.

'That's probably wise.' George sighed. 'She's friends with Harry and she's always willing to help him fight off Tom Riddle and he's a dangerous man.'

'Thank you for that reminder, Georgie.' Fred said in a melancholy tone. The idea of Hermione sacrificing herself to save Harry appeared in head often and made him feel rather uncomfortable.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, Fred didn't look away from the window and George kept his head down and played with his fingers.

'I'm sorry,' George said finally. 'I didn't mean to-'

'It's fine.' Fred interrupted him. He looked away from the window and smiled at his brother. Then he noticed the sweet trolley lady walking down the aisle of the train through window of the carriage door. 'Do you want something to eat?'

Fred pushed his hand inside his pocket and pulled out some gold, but discolouring, coins.

'Uh,' George thought. 'Just get two boxes of jelly beans?'

'Sure.' Fred got up and waited for the ageing lady with the trolley to come down. He smiled politely and asked for two boxes of jelly beans. He gave her the money and she took it gently and smiled, she gave him the boxes in return.

'Enjoy your trip.' She croaked.

'Thank you!' Fred grinned and went back inside the carriage and sat down as the lady carried on wheeling her cart down the aisle.

Fred chucked a box over to George and he caught it with both hands.

'Cheers.'

'Don't mention it.' Fred shrugged and opened the box, he tilted the box so that a few of the multi coloured beans landed in his hand. He opened his mouth and chucked them in. He chewed noisily and swallowed. 'So,' he began, raising an eyebrow at George, 'Have you spoken to Luna recently?'

George grinned and ate his beans.

'Not recently.' He said calmly.

'Then why do you look so happy?' Fred asked, leaning forward in his chair.

George wiped the smile that had appeared off of his face.

'Happy? I don't look happy. What on Earth gives you that idea?'

'The goofy grin that was on your face a moment ago.' Fred poked George's cheek.

'I honestly don't know what you mean.' George sat back further in his chair.

Fred's grin spread from ear to ear.

'Is it because I said her name?' Chimed Fred. 'Does just the sound of her name make you swoon?' Now he just sounded like he was mocking him. He even dramatically put his hand to his forehead like you would see a swooning woman do in the movies.

'Of course not!' George protested.

'Luna! Luna! Luna! Luna!' Fred repeated over and over again. 'Look!' he pointed to George. 'You're going all red!'

And indeed, he was. George's cheeks had gone a bright shade of pink.

'Oi, get off it!' George frowned but laughed awkwardly any way.

Fred sat back and put his feet back up and enjoyed some more of his jelly beans.

'Awh, how sweet.' He said. 'Little Georgie's in love.'

xx

Hermione and Ron took a moment to process what they had just heard.

'And you're sure he's planning an attack on the school?' asked Hermione. Her heart was beating inside of her chest. It wasn't in the same way it would when Fred kissed her, or held her, or told her how beautiful she was to him. No, it was different. She was terrified.

'Yes.'

'Bloody hell...' Was all that Ron could manage to say.

'We have to warn everyone at once!' Hermione cried out. 'We should tell the police!'

Harry chewed on his lip.

'Maybe...'

Ron glowered at Harry.

'What do you mean maybe?! If Tom Riddle is planning to attack the school, there's a high risk of people dying!'

'Ron's right, Harry. We don't need, or want, innocent blood on our hands.' Hermione agreed. 'When do you think he'll attack?' she asked.

Harry shook his head slowly.

'I don't...I don't know.'

Ron laid back on his sleeping bag.

'Fat lot of good that is! Was there really any point to this trip? Couldn't we have done this at home?!'

All of a sudden it seemed like something had snapped inside of Harry and just began to shout at his best friend.

'I'm sorry, Ron! I'm sorry that I don't know everything! I'm just telling you what I know! It's better than knowing nothing at all, you should be grateful that I'm telling you in the first place! I'm sorry your feet hurt and that you'd rather be at home eating mince pies, but that's not going to happen today! This is what's happening. Tom Riddle is planning to attack us and we're going to stop him whether you like it or not! People are in danger and that's why we couldn't go back to the Burrow straight away. Sadly, this isn't going to be an ordinary Christmas for us!'

They sat in silence for a while before Hermione decided to speak. He voice was flat and monotone. Hoping that her tone of voice wouldn't anger anyone.

'I think it's time we went to bed.'

The three of them climbed in to their sleeping bags and didn't say another word for the rest of the night. It was unlikely though, that any of them were asleep for the first few hours of the night anyway. There was too much on their minds for that. Hermione laid on her side, twisting her necklace between her fingers. It was surprisingly therapeutic and made her feel a lot better after watching Harry's outburst at Ron.

She couldn't help but think that if Riddle was going to attack the school, Fred would be in danger. That thought scared her even more than she had been previously.

She carried on twisting the necklace and let her mind wander with thoughts until she finally managed to fall asleep.