Disclaimer: What's that? I don't own Harry Potter? Darn. All rights go to respective owners, I guess.

First Year: Lighting the Dark

Christmas Eve, 1991

"I don't know if I like it here, Daphne."

Daphne froze at the words. They were softly spoken, quiet enough that the few other students in the Slytherin common room didn't hear them. But Daphne heard them clearly.

Glancing down at the book she was reading (Legends of Merlin and Morgana by Bathilda Bagshot), she marked her page and set it aside. Standing up, she grabbed a lantern with a fresh candle and pulled the girl sitting next to her up and onto her feet.

"Come on," Daphne said. When Tracey didn't respond, Daphne tugged on her hand again.

"Let's go!" she said firmly.

Tracey sighed and they silently grabbed their cloaks on the way out of the common room. They made their way through the dark corridors to the one place they both knew they would be left alone: The Astronomy Tower.

Gently closing the Astronomy Tower door behind them, Daphne quickly cast a series of warming spells.

"Wow," Tracey breathed, eyes widening in surprise. "How'd you do that?"

"I am a witch, Tracey," Daphne replied, rolling her eyes. "Besides, Hermione Granger isn't the only one to know a thing or two about magic."

Tracey seemed to deflate slightly at her tone. "I didn't mean it like that," she muttered.

Daphne sighed. "I know," she replied a bit more gently. "I'm sorry. Why do you want to leave Hogwarts?"

"What?" Tracey yelped, but quickly quieted as Daphne frantically motioned at her.

"Sorry," she continued in a whisper. "But I never said that. I just said that I don't know if I like it here. I don't want to leave, but sometimes I feel like I don't belong!"

"Oh," Daphne replied.

"Oh?" Tracey questioned, her eyebrow raised slightly.

"I was just worried that you would leave me— Hogwarts," Daphne corrected herself, before hesitantly smiling up at Tracey. "You're my only friend here."

"Oh," Tracey replied softly.

"Yeah," Daphne nodded. "Oh."

The two girls remained silent for a moment more, before Tracey spoke up.

"Well," she said, a confident grin slowly gracing her face, "we can't have that, now can we? Besides you're my only friend, too. If I leave, then both of us would not have anyone. If we stick together, then we'll be okay."

At this statement, Daphne pulled Tracey into a tight hug.

"We'll be more than okay. You belong here, Trace," she whispered fiercely in her friend's ear. "And I'll fight anyone who says otherwise."

The embrace stretched on for another moment, before the two girls parted. Tracey wiped at her eyes, while Daphne smiled.

"We should probably head back," Daphne said.

Tracey looked up at the stars above them. "I don't know," she replied. "It seems really peaceful up here. We could tell stories."

"Stories?" Daphne questioned, bewildered at the abrupt change of subject. "About what?"

"Magic," Tracey replied, a gleam in her eye.

"And friendship?" Daphne said, cottoning on to the direction Tracey was going.

Tracey nodded excitedly. "And adventure!"

And that was how Daphne spent the rest of the night. In between refreshing warming charms, Daphne and Tracey switched on and off telling stories about their families, wizarding fairy tales, and adventures they wanted to have in the future.

Hours past in this fashion and the candle in their lantern melted down to just above the wick. The flame flickered out just as the sun was breaking the horizon.

"Come on, Trace," Daphne said, nudging her dozing friend. "It's almost morning. We have to get back before the others notice we are missing." If they haven't already, she thought as an afterthought.

The two girls stretched out stiff muscles and silently made their way down out of the tower. At the bottom of the stairs, Tracey turned and looked at Daphne.

"Happy Christmas, Daphne," she said.

Daphne felt a warm feeling blossom in her chest and she smiled back at her friend.

"Happy Christmas, Tracey," Daphne replied.

Neither of the two young Slytherins noticed a grey tabby cat, with odd facial markings, silently follow them down out of the tower, and shadow them all the way back to their dorm.

Prompt — Day 2: (object) Candle

Word count (not including title and author's notes): 686