A/N: REVISED 6/15/2013

Drowsiness washed over Kirsten, her eyes rolling back as her face sunk against her propped up arm. Before she could close her eyes, a sharp prod against her cheek woke her up instantly. Her eyes landed on a grey owl staring right back at her. Its body leaned forward to poke her again.

In. The. Exact. Same. Spot.

And it hurt.

She truly was going to murder someone.

Or more than likely the damn bird.

Her eyes landed on a medium sized red package tied to its leg. Reaching out for it, Kirsten curiously untied the package from the owl's leg. The grey owl flew off in the next instant, leaving only the parcel before her as company. Her eyes narrowed in confusion as she looked back at the wrapped mystery, and she noticed a note attached.

Hey Kirsten!

I hope you're having a nice holiday so far. Maybe next year you could join me and my parents for the holiday. And about you asking if I know anything about Simurghs? Only a bit after I asked my dad. He was a bit curious at my question and then told me that there are none living anymore or they're all in hiding if they are. He also told me that they hold powerful magic than an average witch or wizard and it's difficult to ever beat one. Maybe I will help you out more when I return from the holidays and Professor Lupin said that my year will be studying them during this term.

My parents will love to have you over sometime if your parents don't mind that is. How about they come over to meet my parents during the summer holiday?

Hope you're having a Merry Christmas!

Cedric

Kirsten's lips quirked up into a smile as she finished reading the letter. They have been sending one another letters all throughout break. She remembered what she asked him in one of the letters about Simurghs. She was curious to know if he's ever heard of them himself, or anyone else. She guessed they weren't really.

Rereading the last bit of the letter, she raised an eyebrow and laughed.

The look on his parents' faces would be priceless if they ever met her father.

It was then that she looked at the package and frowned slightly. She didn't want him to get her anything. He had been hinting at it and she repeatedly warned him not too. But deep down she knew he was going to do it anyway. She wouldn't be the only one of the two getting a surprise then.

As the impatient Gryffindor tore the red wrapping paper off the box, a delicious aroma wafted up to her nose. She ripped the box open to find hoard of cookies and several pies. Her jaw dropped open and she had to keep herself from drooling. She didn't exactly have a hearty breakfast earlier. It didn't take her long to notice a little box and note set beside the delicious cookies. The witch picked up the note first.

Cedric won't stop talking about you at all. I hear you're at Hogwarts over break. So I decided to sneak some cookies and some pies in here and wanted you to taste them. My husband and I wish you a very Merry Christmas, Kirsten!

Anna Diggory

Kirsten's bit her lip smiling all the while. His mother seemed pleasant enough. Maybe she was like Ron's mom.

"Well, Merry Christ –" she stopped midway, realization suddenly dawning on her. It was Christmas. How could she have forgotten? Besides the fact that she just got out of bed very early in the morning and practically ran to the library. Hermione was just going on about how Christmas Eve was yesterday, yesterday. And how she had to eat lunch with them on Christmas. No exceptions.

Kirsten snorted at the thought. She wasn't exactly looking forward to the awkward lunch. Harry would no doubt be annoyingly quiet and prissy.

Ignoring the thought, the young witch decided to open the velvet box that was inside package with the cookies and pies. Her eyes widened considerably as they landed on a thin silver bracelet with a crystal charm on it.

Kirsten fastened the bracelet onto her left wrist and bit into a cookie, and decided to pack her things together to go back to Gryffindor Tower. Climbing through the portrait hole, Kirsten didn't see any sign of Hermione, Ron, or Harry.

Maybe they were still asleep.

She went to her dormitory to find a stack of presents resting at the end of her bed with no Hermione in sight. Her eyes traveled back to the pile on her bed and frowned at the sight.

Who the hell would get her presents?

It turned out to be quite a few people. She opened the largest box to find nut brittle, apple pies, and some Christmas cake with a bundled up grey and red sweater. Unfolding the sweater, Kirsten saw the letter "K" stitched and caught sight of a note attached to the folded sweater.

Hello Kia Dear!

All of us wish you a Merry Christmas!

Arthur and Molly Weasley

She couldn't help the smile that appeared on her face as she remembered the woman back at the Leaky Cauldron. She was only around the woman for a maximum of two days. If the day the train departed counted as one.

She received presents from Ron, Hermione, Hagrid, and surprisingly from Harry and Lupin.

A frown made its way onto Kirsten's face as she looked down at Lupin's gift.

Why would he buy her a Christmas gift?

It was a thin silver watch that had intricate carving detailed on the sides of the face, and she couldn't help the small smile that made way on her lips.

He would buy her a watch.

Kirsten would constantly claim that she was late to her lessons because she didn't know the time.

A smirk made its way on her face as she thought about Harry. She guessed he ordered Christmas gifts before they fought just like she did. After setting aside those presents in her trunk, she noticed a small gift neatly wrapped sitting on her bedside table.

Settling herself on her bed once again, Kirsten grabbed the gift from her stand and ripped open the wrapping paper. It appeared to be a book. She frowned not seeing a note attached to it. But the frown disappeared suddenly as her eyes read the golden letters etched on the leather bound book.

A.S.

"Oh my God," Kirsten whispered in awe. This wasn't just a book.

It was a journal.

And those happened to be her mother's initials. Alicia Stephens.

Immediately she flipped the cover of the journal to find a small sheet of paper fall to her lap.

I believe your mother wanted this to be in your possession.

"No signature?" Kirsten mumbled to herself. However, she didn't bother mulling who sent her the journal as she read the long entry on the first page of her mother's journal.

Kirsten,

As I am writing this letter the fight against Voldemort is still as strong as ever. But I believe that it will end soon. My intuition is warning me that something will go terribly wrong. And for once, I hope my instincts are wrong. We have discovered there is a traitor amongst us in the Order. I have my suspicions rooted as to who they may be.

But let me put that aside since that information is contained within my journal. If you are reading this letter specifically, then I guess I was right about dying as well. Voldemort has been hunting me down ever since I left Hogwarts. The safety that Albus has provided me there has lasted me enough time to contain my power. Know how to control myself. Know who I am. I might sound different in this letter than I do in my journal, but that is because things have changed now. I am no longer carefree. I have lost my innocence from this war. And that damn bastard better be dead by the time you are reading this. Hopefully your father is with you instead of joining me. One too many people have perished and I would never want you to live through what I have lived through.

To see you grow was my dream along with your fathers'. I just wanted to let you know, that even though I am not with you physically, I am always by your side spiritually. I love you and always will, my little Kia.

With much love,

Alicia S. Black

By the end of the letter, Kirsten found herself blinking back tears but failing miserably. So many thoughts spun around in her mind. Alicia Stephens, a woman she never met but desperately wanted to. This was her mother. She thought how differently life would've played out for her if her mother was still alive. So many open wounds would have never occurred in the first place. So many incidents wouldn't have occurred. So many traumatic events she wouldn't have experienced. But her mother was dead. Her life ended.

And it was all because of him.

Sadness was quickly overcome with anger at the name.

Voldemort.

Everything was always brought back to that wizard. The wizard that successfully wreaked havoc in the world. Who killed and destroyed many lives. Including hers. And according to Harry, he was still alive. Alive but weak.

Kirsten frowned at the thought before pulling the sleeve of the sweater she was wearing back to check her new watch.

A delicious blend of aromas wafted through the air as Kirsten made her way to the Great Hall for Christmas lunch.

"Ahh, my dear, it seems that fate has made us cross paths towards Christmas lunch," a misty voice said from behind her. Kirsten inwardly groaned at the familiar voice and had half a mind to walk faster and feign a moment of deafness. But she turned around realizing that the Divinations professor was closing in on her. Turning around I face Professor Trelawney all dressed up in a green sequined dress.

"Merry Christmas, Professor," she greeted, not pausing in her steps. The black haired witch didn't realize that she passed the doors of the Great Hall.

"Dear, the feast is this way!" Professor Trelawney called out.

"Damn," Kirsten swore under breath. But from the slight twitch in the Divinations professor's face, she could tell the woman heard. She walked back towards the woman. "I guess my sense of direction is failing."

"Yes, my dear, I sense that suffering will be ahead for you," Trelawney added in an all knowing voice, placing her hand on the young witch's shoulders. Was that suppose to make her feel any better? The woman needed to have better people skills.

Trelawney guided the young witch inside the Great Hall.

"Nothing but the best, eh?" the third year said sarcastically. Trelawney didn't catch the sarcasm in the witch's voice, and Kirsten was slightly surprised. The woman would catch the girl muttering and rolling her eyes in class days on end, and would tut and tell her use her "Inner Eye."

The third year took a glance at the Great Hall and immediately wanted to turn around. It seemed that someone had taken the liberty to push aside the house tables and conjure a table in the center of the hall. It wasn't the food that wanted to make the young teenager back out, but the combination of the individuals occupying the table. Sitting all at one table were Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Sprout, and Flitwick along with Filch.

Five other students were seated among the professors as well. Her eyes met Hermione and Ron, skipping over Harry's, and landing on two other individuals. One of them happened to be a third year Hufflepuff and the other a fifth year Slytherin. She smirked at the sight as all eyes were on her and Trelawney.

The caretaker was currently scowling in her direction and she so desperately wanted to smack the hell out of him. It wasn't her fault that his bloody cat kept disappearing on times at end. With just a little persuading, Peeves did just that perfectly. She decided to throw a smile in his direction.

"How's Mrs. Norris?" she asked him. And if she didn't know any better, the man would probably have gotten the bloody feline to attack her on site.

"Found her in the broom cupboard again," he snarled, narrowing his eyes in her direction. "Wouldn't know a thing about it, would you?"

Of course she would. She somehow convinced Peeves to stuff the bloody thing in the cupboard last night.

"Now, Mister Filch, I thought I reported to you weeks ago that this is all Peeves' doing," Kirsten told him, smiling all the while.

"Sibyll, Kirsten, this is a pleasant surprise!" Dumbledore said, interrupting the chat between the third year and the caretaker. And with good timing on his part. Filch was ready to lash out at her.

The headmaster stood up in greeting.

"I have been crystal gazing, Headmaster," Professor Trelawney said in her mistiest, most faraway voice yet, "and to my astonishment, I saw myself abandoning my solitary luncheon and coming to join you. Who am I to refuse the promptings my fate? I at once hastened from my tower and when I fate made me bump into Miss Carlisle like I have seen I knew this was meant to be. I do beg you to forgive my lateness…"

"Certainly, certainly," Dumbledore said his eyes twinkling and he looked down at Kirsten. "Merry Christmas, Kirsten."

"Merry Christmas, Professor."

"Let me draw you two chairs –"

And with a flick of his wand, two chairs appeared from thin air and both fell with a thud. One chair was settled between Snape and McGonagall, while the other was between the fifth year Slytherin and the Hufflepuff first year.

Without a second thought, Kirsten settled herself between the Slytherin and the Hufflepuff. Like she was going to willingly sit in between the two head of houses.

"I dare not, Headmaster! If I join the table, we shall be thirteen! Nothing could be more unlucky! Never forget that when thirteen dine together, the first to rise is the first to die!"

"We'll risk it, Sibyll," Professor McGonagall said impatiently. "Do sit down, the turkey's getting stone cold."

Kirsten's lips quirked up slightly.

Professor Trelawney hesitantly lowered herself into the empty chair, shutting her eyes and clenching her mouth shut as if a thunderbolt was to strike the table at any moment. Kirsten rolled her eyes in exasperation at the woman. She was starving and it wasn't helping that Trelawney was taking her sweet overly dramatic time.

As soon as the woman's behind was on her seat, Kirsten stabbed a fork into the nearest platter of steak and piled it on her plate.

"Tripe, Sibyll?"

Kirsten looked up mouth full of food. Professor McGonagall had a large spoon dipped into the nearest tureen.

Professor Trelawney ignored her as she opened her eyes and she looked around the table again. "But where is Professor Lupin?"

The third year witch looked closely at Professor Trelawney as if she were stupid. Surely the woman must know what he was. Professor Lupin told her that the entire faculty knew his condition and that it took Dumbledore some time for the faculty to trust him.

"I'm afraid the poor fellow is ill again," Dumbledore said. "Most unfortunate that it should happen on Christmas Day."

"But surely you already knew that, Sibyll?" Professor McGonagall said, raising her eyebrows. Kirsten's mouth dropped open a little bit at the Transfigurations teacher's remark. And the third year definitely caught the cold look Professor Trelawney sent McGonagall.

"Certainly I knew, Minerva," she replied quietly. Kirsten's quirked up at the woman's response, but decided to start carving her steak into more pieces. "But one does not parade the fact that one is All Knowing. I frequently act as though I am not possessed of the Inner Eye, so as not to make others nervous."

"Yeah, that's not what makes me nervous," Kirsten muttered. She heard the Slytherin sitting beside her snorting at what she had said. The table was oddly silent for the next couple of seconds before Kirsten looked up and saw they were all staring at her. She smirked slightly and proceeded to eat her food.

"If you must know, Minerva, I have seen that poor Professor Lupin will not be with us very long. He seems aware of himself that his time is short. He positively fled when I offered to crystal gaze for him," Trelawney said, continuing the professors' conversation.

"Imagine that," she heard McGonagall say dryly.

This really couldn't get any better for Kirsten. Two professors, and one happened to be her head of house, were pretty much having a pissing match. She briefly tried to imagine the two woman in an all-out brawl.

"I doubt," Professor Dumbledore said in a cheery voice, "that Professor Lupin is in any immediate danger. Severus, you've made the potion for him again?"

Kirsten quickly looked over at Snape to see his malicious eyes on her. And for a split second she saw the start of a nasty smirk grace his greasy features before he looked at Dumbledore.

"Yes, Headmaster," Snape said.

"Good. Then he should be up and about in no time…Derek, have you had any of these chipolatas? They're excellent."

Kirsten turned her head to the occupant sitting on her other side and grinned slightly. He looked vaguely familiar and now she knew why. This was the defiant boy who sat in the same boat as her when they saw their first sight of the castle and questioned her about her age. He caught the grin on Kirsten's face and his face turned a furious shade of red as his hands started shaking towards the platter.

This only made Kirsten's lips twitch and the young witch leaned over to grab the plate of sausages and handed them to the boy next to her. If it was possible, the young boy's face turned an even more startling shade of red.

"Thanks," he said quietly. Kirsten's lips widened into a smile.

"No problem," Kirsten told him. "Derek Carrington, right?"

The young Hufflepuff nodded his head and she could see the semblance of the boy's defiant attitude from that night.

"Kirsten Carlisle," he said, his shy demeanor quickly fading. "Knew you weren't eleven."

"Oh come on, I'm just a little taller than you," she told him, grinning. She liked this boy already.

Derek's eyebrows rose as he stared at Kirsten.

"You're tall," he said, in an informative manner.

That definitely was true. Recently she had a bit of a growth spurt over the month of December, practically reaching Ron's height. And Ron was the tallest boy in third and fourth year besides Malfoy. The black haired witch nodded her head in agreement.

"You know, Justin Finch-Fletchley talks about you constantly."

This definitely threw Kirsten off. That and she heard Ron snort. She eyed the first year with her eyebrow quirked up in question. So that was why Justin was more than happy to help her around the castle the first couple of weeks of school. Well, he wasn't bad looking. Kirsten glanced in Ron, Hermione, and Harry's direction a grin now on her lips. Ron's jaw was ajar and she could see the chewed food in his mouth, while Hermione had a smile playing on her lips and Harry's brow was furrowed.

"Yeah, he wouldn't stop all semester," Derek said, nodding his head. "To be honest most of the boys in Hufflepuff talk about you from time to time."

"Huh. I guess it won't be a problem to give them all a go then," Kirsten said, putting a piece of steak in her mouth and winking at the younger boy. The sounds of choking met her ears and she smiled at Ron and Harry who looked shocked. Reaching over Derek's plate, Kirsten grabbed his goblet and gave it to the young choking boy.

The entire table became silent as Derek's choking ceased.

"So I guess Justin's first?"

The first year looked at her with his mouth ajar, and Kirsten noticed he was looking at her with admiration. That's a first.

An hour passed between the occupants of the table without further skirmishes.

Well, besides Kirsten and the fifth year Slytherin nudging each other in arms. It turned out to be painful for the Slytherin after he managed to hit the arm Kirsten was resting her chin on, causing her to fall face first in her plate of food. In an instant the fifteen year old was lying on the ground after Kirsten pushed his chair back with her foot. She tried her hardest to not laugh at his misfortune but failed miserably as did Ron. The third year witch was surprised when the Slytherin did not begin pointing fingers at her.

Now Kirsten rubbed her eyes tiredly, belly filled with food. It was hard to not look in the eyes that have been staring at her all throughout lunch since her conversation with Derek. She didn't want to look in Snape's direction. But it was hard due to Professor McGonagall currently asking her if she would like to have some type of dessert. And he was sitting only one seat away from Transfigurations professor.

She grabbed the platter of éclairs from the Transfigurations professor with a smile on her face. Maybe she could get on the woman's good graces and she wouldn't grade her remedial essays harshly. If not, then it was time to grab several éclairs and head out to find Lupin.

"Why thank you, Professor," she said, her smile widening. "You look absolutely beautiful in this light, you know."

The witch gave the young girl a look, but her lips moved up in a tight smile.

"If you think that will help your essay, then you are mistaken, Carlisle," McGonagall said, but Kirsten still saw the tiny smile on the woman's face.

"Oh come on, Professor. I actually tried to make sense this time."

It took Kirsten another ten minutes to actually achieve lifting herself up from her seat. The young witch failed horribly the first time, falling right back in her seat. She guessed it was the multitude of food she stuffed her face with. She pushed the chair back and proceeded to grab the napkin holding two éclairs until she heard a shriek.

"My dear! You left your seat first!"

Kirsten frowned at the woman and then remembered the spectacle Trelawney was making earlier about thirteen people and the first to rise…

"I doubt it matters," Professor McGonagall said coldly, "unless a mad axe-man is waiting outside the doors to slaughter the first into the entrance hall."

The third year witch couldn't help the grin that graced her features as she looked between Trelawney and McGonagall. She really couldn't get enough of these two bickering. It was the most entertainment she got since she's been in the castle.

They really did need to install televisions at the school. At least whenever she wasted her time, it would be somewhat reasonable. Instead of just staring out into space.

"I think the éclair'll get to me first, Professor," she said jokingly.