A/N Thanks for all the reviews and favourites - I really appreciate them!

Chapter 11
The christmas holidays were fast approaching and there was a buzz around the whole school. The most excited were the first and second years because a notice had gone up saying they would be allowed a trip to Hogsmeade on the last Saturday of term, in order to have a Christmas party with their housemates before they all left.

Harry was positively overflowing with excitement when the day came. He was going to get chocolate for Ron, a book for Hermione, look in Zonko's for the twins, a magical plant for Neville, something Quidditch related for Oliver Wood... The list went on in his head.

They lined up into four by the big front doors, first years at the front, second years behind. They would be allowed in the village in groups of 5 or more, there would always be a professor nearby, they were to behave and show Hogwarts well and they would be coming back to the castle at six that evening.

Harry and Hermione nodded along to those rules. They were just common sense really. Ron looked a bit annoyed but Hermione reminded him that his brothers hadn't been able to go to Hogsmeade at all until third year and he cheered up remarkably.

Harry couldn't believe quite how great Hogsmeade was. There was a group of him, Ron, Hermione, Seamus, Dean and Neville and the grin hadn't left Harry's face all day. They had bought all of their presents by four pm and decided to try the little coffee shop - Madam Puddifoot's. They had been into the Three Broomsticks for lunch with everyone else, which was fun, but it was also great to have their own space to relax.

Butterbeer was, in Harry's opinion, the most delightful thing ever created. It had the texture of cream soda but yet the taste of creamy toffee. It also had a massive froth on the top which gave Harry a white moustache when he drank it! This created an awful lot of laughter every time it happened.

On returning to the castle, the students were told to get a label and on each present write their name and the recipient's name. All the presents would then be wrapped and delivered later that evening, after the Christmas Feast. Each would have their presents on their beds.

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Stuffed full of turkey, roast potatoes, christmas pudding and mince pies, Harry, Ron and Hermione headed up to Gryffindor Tower see what presents they had got from their housemates. They had decided to have their Christmas in the boys' dorm as it was large but yet still small enough to feel homely.

They all had relatively large piles of presents, Ron's being the biggest, but to Harry, anything from schoolfriends was more than he'd had before. They ripped and tore off wrapping paper, whooping in delight at the things they got. Hermione was especially pleased at Harry's book "History of the Magical World" and Harry rather liked Ron's "Quidditch Through the Ages". Ron got predominantly food and Neville got mainly plant care and Herbology books.

Everyone had finished opening their presents and had started to pack up when suddenly Harry noticed another package on his bed.

"Looks like I missed one!" Harry said excitedly

"Who's it from Harry?" Ron asked

"No-one." Harry replied, turning over the wrapping. He'd been expecting more of this, people wanting to curry favour with the Boy-Who-Lived by buying him gifts, but nearly everything he'd got was from a friend. Besides it defeated the object if they didn't sign it, Harry thought.

"They haven't signed it? How strange. Why don't you open it and see if you can guess from the gift?" Hermione was, as ever, the voice of reason.

Harry nearly tore the note inside in half as he opened the present. It was lying on top of a silvery robe, that appeared to shimmer in the light.

Your father left this in my possession before he died.

It is time it was returned to you.

Use it well but do not show it to your family.

The writing was strangely familiar but Harry couldn't quite place why. This person knew his father? And this cloak was his father's? Cool! Harry swung the cloak around his shoulders and gasped. He was just a head!

Just then the Weasley twins stuck their heads round the door.

"Just came..."

"...to say thanks..."

"...to Harry here, for those..."

"...wonderful gift vouchers!" they finished in chorus.

Harry felt a sudden warmth inside him. It felt so good when he could make other people happy by something he'd done, especially if they said they'd liked it.

"You're welcome guys!" Harry's head answered with a grin

George's eyes widened as he took sight of Harry's invisible body.

"Gred?" he started

"Yes O brother of mine?"

"It appears that young Harry here has received an invisibility cloak for Christmas"

Fred scoffed "Oh come on Forge, you'll have to do better than that! No-one is going to fall for that!" Fred turned to look at Harry. "Forge I do believe that young Harry here has received an invisibility cloak for Christmas! This could be our best thing ever! Could we borrow that sometimes Harry?"

Harry hesitated. He didn't want to share this only thing he had of his father's, but at the same time he'd never been asked to share before, never having had anything.

"Sure." He nodded. "But I want it tonight."

"Of course Harrykins. Now we must be off, we're meeting Katie and Angelina later! See you Harry, Hermione, Ronniekins."

"What do you reckon this castle is like at night?" Harry asked mischievously as the door closed.

"We're not allowed out after curfew Harry. You know what Madame Pomfrey would be like if she caught you." Hermione said

"She wouldn't be able to see him Hermione. That's the whole point!" Ron interrupted

"No Ron. Hermione's right. Auntie Poppy would be really mad if she caught me. I know she wouldn't send me back to the Dursley's now, but I still don't want to cross her."

"She is one scary witch when she wants to be I've heard." Ron agreed "but the castle's just there and you've got an invisibility cloak!"

"Stop it Ron. He's said he doesn't want to, so let him be. You need to clear up all of your paper wrappings anyway."

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Later that night however, Harry couldn't sleep. All he could think about was the castle, the long empty corridors, snoozing paintings and the exploring possibilities.

"I'll go and sit in the common room and look out the window." he thought "maybe that will help me sleep."

Unfortunately though, the common room was no better. He sat for a while debating what to do, until his imagination won out over reason and he went to collect his invisibility cloak. Continuing to battle with himself because he knew his Auntie Poppy would not approve of this late night excursion, Harry pulled the cloak over his head and left through the portrait.