Chapter Seventeen; Christmas

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The next morning after potions class Harry, Ron, and Hermione stayed afterwards just like Dumbledore had wanted them to. "What are you three still doing here? You did very well on your individual potion making so there's absolutely no doubt in my mind that you're going to pass." Slughorn told them. For Harry had been busy brewing a cooling potion for dragon fevers, Ron had been busy brewing a truth serum (since he wanted to be an auror) and Hermione (since she wanted to be a defense against the dark arts professor) had brewed a perfect antidote for pixie posion.

"I just wanted to ask you something Professor." Harry began.

"Well then go ahead Harry, your father would be very angry with me if I made you late." Slughorn told him as Ron and Hermione both turned to look at him anxiously.

"I was in the library the other day doing some research about a very rare type of magic. And I was just wondering, is there some kind of magic that you're not allowed to teach us at Hogwarts?" he asked him when he quickly glanced up at him.

"Dumbledore put you up to this didn't he!?" he snapped.

"Please Professor, I don't think that he would send us here if it wasn't very important." Hermione told him.

"That's right." Harry said with a nod.

"Well you can go tell Dumbledore that_" he began hotly when all of a sudden the door opened and Snape was standing there.

"Is there a reason that you three are now late for my class?" he questioned them with uncertainty.

"Yes." Ron replied.

"Well then, care to tell me about it?" he asked as Harry, Ron, and Hermione all nodded silently in agreement. "Come with me." He told them as all three of them walked out of the room together and then they started all speaking at once and so loudly over each other that Snape couldn't hear them. "Please, one at a time." He told them. "Harry, why don't you go first?" he suggested.

"We stayed after class because Dumbledore asked us to." He said.

"I see, and why did he do that?" Snape wondered before looking over at Hermione.

"Because he showed us one of Slughorn's memories, only it was tampered with." She explained.

"Exactly, and Dumbledore wanted us to get the real one only Slughorn's being too stubborn and stupid about it!" Ron spat as Snape turned over to look at him and arched an eyebrow.

"I see, well I guess I could always give him some truth serum." He said.

"Yes, but that still wouldn't force him to hand over his memory." Hermione pointed out.

"Wait a minute," Ron began. "I think I've got an idea. Harry, do you still have the luck potion that Slughorn gave you?" he questioned as Harry nodded.

"Well as much as I hate to admit it I think that you might be onto something Weasley, but I'm afraid that Harry will have to drink it at another time. Right now we have to get to class." He told them. "Now c'mon." he said before he lead them away down the hallway.

…

The next couple of months flew by for Harry and his friends. Harry had had so much homework and studying to do that he barely had enough free time, and when he did he was either eating, sleeping, going to the bathroom, or playing Qudditch. Before he knew it the Christmas holidays had arrived. He secretly promised himself that he would find time to drink the luck potion as soon as he got back to Hogwarts. This year Mrs. Weasley had invited him and his family over for Christmas Eve right before their church service that they had always attended.

Mrs. Weasley had greeted them with hugs and kisses as they came through the door and wishing them all a merry Christmas. Ginny rushed downstairs excitedly as soon as she heard Harry arrive and flung her arms around him tightly before breaking the embrace to greet him with a kiss. "Merry Christmas Harry." She told him with a warm smile.

"Merry Christmas." Harry told her while smiling back at her. "This is for you." He told her as he handed her a tiny purple bag. "Well actually it's for you and for Princess." He told her.

"Ooh!" Eve exclaimed while she puckered her lips and made kissing noises while Tobey just simply grinned at them.

"Harry and Ginny sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g!" he sang before Harry quickly turned over to look at them.

"Oh shut up! Just wait until you have a girlfriend!" he snapped.

"Ew yuck! What am I crazy!? Girls are disgusting!" he cried while making a face and wincing.

"Not as gross as boys are!" Eve shot back at him as they both placed their hands on their hips and stuck their tongues out at each other.

"Alright that's enough you two! Remember your manners or we are going home!" Lily scolded inside a hushed whisper as Princess came darting around the corner and Ginny sat down on the bottom stair before placing her on top of her lap as she sat the bag down beside her while Harry sat down on her other side.

"Ginny! Princess left a mess for you to clean up in the litterbox!" Fred called.

"I'll get it in a second!" she snapped as she dug down inside the bag and pulled out a pink envelope with her name on it. Harry smiled at her as she tore it open and pulled out a card that had a picture of a tiny black and brown spotted cartoon puppy with a red bow tied around its neck and a Christmas tree and a fireplace in the background. The puppy barked and stuck his paws up onto the front of the card while panting happily and wagging his short and stubby tail excitedly. Ginny smiled.

"Aww,.. he's so cute!" she exclaimed while Harry continued smiling at her as she opened the card and a picture of them sitting together on Harry's front steps and smiling and waving to the camera fell out of it. "Thank you Harry." She told him.

"You're welcome, but there's more." He told her as she reached inside the bag again and pulled off the purple tissue paper to reveal a dark purple cat collar with Princess' name on it and a small black paw print. Attached to it was a tiny purple bell. "That's so we'll always know where she is now." He explained.

"Thanks Harry, I love it." She told him while she slipped it over Princess' head before kissing the top of it and setting her back down beside her. There was also a purple necklace for her inside the bag that had a bright and shining star attached to it. Ginny lifted up her hair while Harry helped her put it on and then they both turned back to look at each other and started to kiss as Princess' new collar gave a jingle as she darted out the doggy (kitty) door.

After everyone had finished opening their presents, Hermione and Ginny helped Mrs. Weasley set the table before they sat down for Christmas dinner. That is everyone except for Ginny. Harry grabbed ahold of Ron's and Hermione's hand as they all closed their eyes and bowed their heads as his mother said grace unaware that Ginny had disappeared outside and into the woods. "Angelica!" she called as she came to a sudden stop and came face to face with her unicorn friend.

The magical horse snorted and nuzzled her nose up against her cheek seeming very happy to see her. "Merry Christmas girl." She began while she dug a carrot out of her pocket. "I've got something for you. If cats and dogs can get Christmas presents, why not unicorns?" she questioned before she held her hand out flat and fed it to her. Ginny giggled. "Tasty wasn't it?" she asked her before she patted the top of her head and kissed her nose. "Well, I better get back home before everyone starts wondering where I am." She told her.

That's when Angelica started twitching her ears and sniffing the air. This time she made an unsatisfied snort. "What is it? Is there something wrong?" she asked her friend worriedly as the unicorn bumped her cheek and Ginny gasped with bewilderment as her mouth fell wide open in horror. For raising higher and higher out of the woods grew flames. "The burrow! It's on fire!" she cried.