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Chapter Twelve: Christmas at Hogwarts
The rest of the semester passed without much happening. Theodore Nott got upset that Slytherin lost twice already, so he took it out on Harry and me by trying to prank us. The Weasley twins always managed to protect us.
Meanwhile, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Mandy, and I were looking in the library for Nicolas Flamel. I kind of knew where to look, but I couldn't tell them. Not yet anyways. If we find Flamel before Harry finds the Mirror of Erised, then Harry won't for looking in the library at night, and then he won't know how to use the mirror when he's supposed to fight Quirrel. I don't know what to do if I tell them, so I'll wait until after Christmas Break.
Soon, before I knew it, it was finally Christmas Break. I had asked Professor Flitwick if I could stay in Gryffindor Tower until the next semester started. He said that it was okay and gave me a password to use.
I had the girls' dorm all to myself. It was kind of lonely, but at least I was in the same common room as my brother.
I woke up early on Christmas morning, which surprised me: I don't normally wake up early on Christmas. There was a small pile of presents on the end of my bed. I opened the first one, which was from Harry – it was a plush eagle. It was so fluffy and soft!
The next one was from Hagrid. It was a roughly cut flute. Maybe I should learn how to play it before the end of the school year.
The next one was a blue sweater and some homemade fudge from Mrs. Weasley. I tried a piece of the fudge. It was so delicious!
The next was from Abby, who had gotten me The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings. That was a book that I had wanted to read.
Mandy and Lisa had put their money together and gotten me a large box of my favorite candy and some other candy that I hadn't eaten yet.
Hermione had gotten me a blue journal. It had DP on the cover printed in curly letters.
I decided then that I should go wake up Harry and Ron. Wait a second. Where did that box come from? It was a small white jewelry box underneath all of the wrapping paper. I picked it up. There was a note taped to the box. I opened it. It said:
Your mother left this in my possession
before she died. It's time it was
returned to you.
Use it well.
A very merry Christmas to you.
I opened the small box. What was it that Lily left to Dumbledore? Inside the box, there was a necklace with a black string and a silver crescent moon-shaped pendant.
I walked down the stairs into the common room. Harry and Ron weren't there, so I wandered up the boys' stairs and opened their dorm door. Ron was sitting on his bed, staring at something. I followed his gaze until I saw a disembodied head. I gasped and dropped the box holding the necklace. I stared.
"It is! Look down!" Ron shouted.
Harry looked down at his invisible feet. He walked over to the mirror as I picked up my box. Harry pulled the cloak over his head and completely disappeared.
"Wow!" I said. "That has got to be an invisibility cloak. I've only read about those in books!" That was completely true.
Harry pulled the cloak off and put it in his trunk. A piece of paper fluttered to the ground. I picked it up and read it aloud. Harry stared off into space. I could feel his curiosity at who had sent the cloak.
"Hey, look what I got," I said. I held out the box. "There was a note that said this was Mom's. Who had them?"
"I don't know," Harry said.
I picked up the necklace by the pendant. It disappeared when I touched it. Not only that, but my hand, too. I let it go. It and my hand instantly reappeared.
"Let me try that," Ron said, picking up the necklace. Nothing happened when he touched the pendant.
Fred and George came in wearing dark blue sweaters that had their first initials on them.
"Happy Christmas!" they said in unison.
"Merry Christmas!" I said. "You don't know how weird 'Happy Christmas' sounds."
"'Merry Christmas' sounds even weirder," George said. "Do you have a Weasley jumper?"
"You mean sweater? Yeah! Let me go get it!"
I walked out of the room and walked to the girls' dorm. I picked up my blue sweater and put in on over my nightshirt. I ran back to the boys' dorm. Fred and George were forcing Percy's sweater over his head.
"And you're not sitting with the prefects today either," one of the twins said. "Christmas is a time for family."
Lunch was marvelous! I sat at the Gryffindor table with Harry and the Weasleys. There was a fat, roast turkey; tons of potatoes; tons of peas; and lots and lots of other things that I didn't know the name of.
There were party favors galore! I pulled five of them at the same time. Blue smoke filled the entire hall. A rainbow clown wig popped out of one, mice out of another (I screeched when those popped out), a pilgrim hat, a joke book in Japanese and English, and a small blue toy plane.
After that, we had a snowball fight that turned out to be a war between the houses: Ravenclaws and Gryffindors vs. Hufflepuffs and Slytherins. I had to in after an hour because I couldn't feel my feet and hands, so I sat in front of the roaring fire in the Great Hall.
After I warmed up, I returned to the Gryffindor common room and opened that necklace box again. The pendant fascinated me. I picked up the necklace by the sting and looked at it more closely. There was a tiny indention in the pendant. I touched it, and I turned invisible. I moved my finger to one of the points of the moon, and I turned visible again. I ran my fingers over the pendant, and then I touched the indention. I turned invisible again
Obviously, I have to touch the indention to turn invisible. Good thing, too. I didn't want to turn invisible at random moments during the day.
I spent the rest of the afternoon playing chess. And I mean the entire afternoon. Eventually, we had to stalemate because the only pieces we had left were kings. I got that far because I kept ignoring Percy. Harry had tried taking his advice earlier, but it turned out that Percy was a bad chess player.
Supper was simple: turkey sandwiches, trifle, and Christmas cake. I went back up to the dorm right after that because I was so tired. Once I got into bed, I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow
I was back in the great hall. Giant roast turkeys rested on every table, five in all. They all stood up as one and started River Dancing. Chocolate frog cards rained down from the open roof.
"Dani," a voice said. I turned around, looking for the source of the voice.
"Dani!"
I opened my eyes. Red curtains hung in front of me. Wow. Strange dream.
Dani, come on!
Harry? What is it?
Let's try my cloak out!
Where are you?
Down in the common room.
I got out of bed, grabbed my necklace, wand, and bathrobe, and walked out of the dorm. Harry was sitting on the couch in front of the dying fire. He stood up.
Come on. Under here, he thought, holding the cloak open for me.
I don't need it. Necklace, remember?
Oh. Right.
I opened the portrait hole and crawled through. "Who's there?" the Fat Lady squawked. I didn't say anything, and neither did my twin.
Where to, Dani?
Let's go to the library!
Yeah… maybe we can go to the Restricted Section!
WHAT?
You want to go to the library.
Yeah, to read some books on Flamel!
That's why I want to go to the Restricted Section!
I think you, Ron, and Hermione have been looking in the wrong places.
Just come on!
Before I could think anything else, Harry ran off to the library. I followed, trying to keep my footsteps silent.
The library, to put it simply, freaked me out. It was pitch black, and the school being silent didn't help, either. I pulled out my wand and whispered, "Lumos." A light appeared at the end of my wand. I walked over to the history section and looked for stuff on alchemy or at least look for the ancient book that Hermione found – or will find. Whatever.
Suddenly, a bloodcurdling scream pierced the blanket of silence. I gasped and covered my ears. It was so loud after a lot of absolute silence. Shut it up! I shouted mentally.
I already closed the book!
Put it back on the shelf! I whispered, "Nox." The light at the end of my wand faded.
I heard shuffling footsteps coming from outside the library. Filch! I tightened my hold on my necklace. I felt myself turn white. I saw Filch coming through the archway. I ran right past him, hoping he wouldn't feel me.
I finally stopped running when I was in front of the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy teaching trolls ballet. This was five floors up from the library. I walked back and forth in front of the tapestry, thinking, I need to get to someplace relaxing… I need to get to someplace relaxing.
I opened the door and saw a large room with bamboo walls and a fountain. The sound of running water calms me down. I stayed in the Room for a few more minutes, sitting on sofa and listening to the fountain run.
Dani, where are you? Harry asked, sounding a little nervous. Did you get caught?
No, Harry. I didn't get caught. I'm up on the seventh floor. I'll meet you back in the common room.
Dani- was all Harry could say before I closed the connection.
I walked out of the room and touched the indention on my pendant. I walked quietly back to the portrait and whispered the password. The Fat Lady was asleep and mumbled something about fairies trying to steal her chocolate.
I walked into the dorm, hoping to get some rest and to sleep in.
I woke up around 9, which was unusual. I normally slept in. Oh well.
Harry sat down in the common room, staring at the fire. I sat down next to him. "Something wrong?" I asked.
"No," Harry said. "I saw Mum and Dad in a mirror last night. I'm going to see them again tonight. You and Ron can go with me if you want."
"Okay."
For the entire day, Harry sat there, staring at the fire. Eventually, I got so fed up with him just sitting there that I dragged him outside with my telekinesis. I had our brooms over a shoulder.
"Come on!" I said. "Just for an hour!"
"Okay," Harry said reluctantly.
When it was close to midnight, Harry, Ron, and I walked close together through the silent halls of the school. Harry was trying to remember how to get to the abandoned classroom.
"Here it is!" Harry said excitedly. He walked a little faster and raced into a classroom. I followed him and Ron inside.
Harry was standing in front of the Mirror of Erised by the time I got inside. He had a smile on his face. I read the writing on the mirror: Erised stra ehru oyt cafru oyt on woshi. Was it backwards? I show not your face but your heart's desire. Interesting.
"The inscription. It's backwards," I said. "'I show not your face but your heart's desire.'"
"Huh," Ron said. "Harry let me see. I want to see your family." Idiot.
Ron stood in front of the mirror. "That's me!" he exclaimed. "I'm much older, and I'm Head Boy! And I'm Quidditch captain, too. I look good. Hey Harry, do you think this mirror show the future?"
"How can?" Harry asked. "Both my parents are dead. Dani, take a look at it."
I stood in front of the mirror. I saw my adopted parents, Violet and Jeremy, standing next to my real parents, James and Lily. They stood waving at me. Lily had tears in her eyes. I could feel them forming in my green eyes, so much like hers. It was still really strange to think that I wasn't the daughter of Violet and Jeremy. I missed them so much. In the background, I could hear Harry and Ron arguing.
"Shut it, both of you," I whispered loudly. "We need to get back!"
Harry and Ron put the cloak back on, while I touched the indention in my necklace. Now I could see why Harry wanted to come back tonight.
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