Song: That Old Black Magic by Louis Prima Smith

I uploaded a week early so enjoy.

The girls had barely opened their eyes when Hermione began packing her belongings. With the Wingardium Leviosa spell mastered, she could lift heavy objects with ease. Kellah closed Hermione's suitcase by sitting on it, which made them both burst into laughter. Hermione packed more books than clothes, knowing she would rather read than dress up. Kellah's trunk was sparse, as she had only brought a small amount of clothing.

After placing Milkway in his cage, Kellah ensured her wand was safely tucked away in her pocket. Her packing was complete, and she was ready to move on.

With a satisfying click, Hermione buckled her suitcase shut. "You should pack too."

"I'm done, just my owl and my wand."

Hermione blinked rapidly. "Aren't you going to bring any clothes?"

Kellah waves her hand dismissively. "I can wear all my clothes I left at home that I hate."

While the other girls were still sleeping, Hermione and Kellah, particularly Hermione, were eager to complete their tasks early. The clatter of their luggage wheels filled the silent halls as they hurried towards the Great Hall. The room was mostly empty except for a few chairs pushed against the wall. Everyone else but Hermione had slept in until the train came since it was the first day of the holiday. Even in the early hours of the morning, Layla and Parvati made time for their prayers before quickly returning to their beds. The kids who stayed up all night were now wide awake and eager to discover every nook and cranny of the castle.

Harry and Ron were so engrossed in their game of wizard chess that they didn't even notice the other students around them. With a grin, Ron scooped up Harry's king and added it to his pile of captured pieces. Hermione's rolling trunk clattered behind her as she ran, nearly knocking Harry off his feet.

"Let's play before I leave. I'll beat you this time," Hermione said to Ron.

With a grunt, Harry lifted himself and scooted over to the other side of the bench. "By all means, have my seat."

"Don't mind if I do," Kellah said, her voice low and sultry as she moved closer to Harry.

Harry playfully stretched a rubber band until it snapped and hit Kellah. She reached up and removed the hair tie from her braids, allowing them to cascade down her shoulders. Then snapped the hair tie on Harry's hand. It started with a chuckle and soon turned into an uproarious laughter. Hermione placed her finger over her lips to shush them as she delved deeper into the wizard chess book between turns. As Kellah looked on, she could see the tension in Harry's face as he stretched the rubber band around his pointer finger. She tried to replicate the action, but the sound of a pop indicated failure.

"Another hair tie down," Kellah said.

Harry removed the tight rubber band from his finger and handed it to Kellah. She gave a slight nod of agreement before gathering her hair into a ponytail. With her hair securely tied back, they watched as Hermione suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Ron.

"Why aren't you in the tournament?" Kellah asked Ron.

"I don't think Mum would let me," he replied firmly.

"You're good, and you could win money," said Kellah. Giving her a meaningful look, Harry firmly shook his head no.

Ron's ear became bright red. "Maybe a bit over the summer."

Kellah nudged Ron with her elbow. "Your mum will be mad, but after you keep winning, she will brag about you to everyone."The sound of that caused Ron's eyes to light up with interest.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "We have to go, or we'll miss the train. Oh, my number." Pulling out a quill and parchment, Hermione jotted down her number before passing it to Kellah.

"We should give the boys our phone numbers, too," said Kellah.

"What's a phone number?" asked Ron.

Harry patted his arm. "I'll tell you later."

Just as Hermione was about to explain, Kellah interrupted with a shake of her head. Without missing a beat, Hermione grabbed the quill and parchment again and wrote her number for Harry and Ron. Kellah grabbed some parchment and scorched her name and number on it.

Hermione couldn't help but wonder. "I don't understand how you can't do most spells, but you can do things like this?"

"Most spells are boring," Kellah giggled.

Before leaving, Hermione added her input. "Don't forget to look for books on Nicholas Flamel. Try the restricted section." They nodded in understanding but weren't too happy about it.

Kellah hugged both boys, feeling the bond between them grow stronger. Harry received a warm hug from Hermione while Ron was given a reserved handshake. Peculiar was the word Kellah used to describe what she had just witnessed. When they arrived at the entrance, the sight of carriages greeted them, lined up, ready to take them to their destination. The ride was bumpy as the carriage trudged through the snow-filled road.

After boarding the train, they searched for an unoccupied compartment, finally finding one to their liking. "Why did you hug Harry and not Ron?" Sitting down, Kellah posed her question.

A deep shade of red spread across Hermione's cheeks. "I was only mad about the wizard chess, nothing else," she assured them.

"Liar, lair pants on fire," Kellah chanted.

"It's a little crush, but it means nothing. We just became friends."

Kellah bounced up and down in her seat. "So, are you going to tell him you like like him?"

"That's grammatically incorrect, and no, I'm not ruining a friendship I just started, and school is more important."

Kellah nudged her. "Ron and Hermione sitting in the tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes-" Hermione interrupted, "I'm twelve, and I don't know anything about that."

She intertwined her fingers with Hermione's, feeling their palms press together. "Then find out and report back."

Hermione rubbed Kellah's hand, feeling the warmth of her skin. "I promise to share everything with you," she said firmly.

"I'll be back after I check on Milkway," Kellah said before walking out the door.

While exiting the compartment, Kellah collided with Dean, causing both of them to stumble. A warm smile accompanied his shy laugh, and she affectionately patted his thick afro. "Don't forget to get that haircut."

Dean turned back to say something as he walked away. "Don't forget to fix your edges."

Kellah pushed the bandana further, making sure it covered her hairline completely. She tugged again on the bandana for good measure and walked to the luggage compartment, feeling the rough texture of the fabric in her hand.

Milkway was in a deep slumber, unaware Draco Malfoy was examining her cage."What are you doing to my owl?" she exclaimed, rushing to investigate.

"Just looking, and I like what I see," Draco said.

Kellah thought, her brain short-circuited for a second. Was Malfoy flirting with her a Muggle-born? Crossed arms and a furrowed brow betrayed Kellah's lack of conviction. "Where are your two cronies?"

"I left them in the compartment so we could be alone. I see you did the same with Granger."

Kellah raised her hand in a gesture of refusal, indicating that she did not want to hear it. "What do you want?"

Malfoy leaned in close to her ear and lowered her hand. His eyes locked on hers, and he declared. "I want you, and I always get what I want."

With a heavy heart, she watched him leave, knowing that she would never forget this moment. Kellah's feet felt rooted to the ground, her mind unable to process what was happening. Her mind raced as she tried to understand what had just happened. The guy who hit on her was one of the most attractive in school, but his prejudiced beliefs left her feeling disgusted. It wasn't until later that she remembered Milkway and had to fill Hermione in on everything she had missed.

As Kellah was about to head to her compartment, she spotted Malfoy making his way back at a glacial pace. After he left for the next car, she lagged, trying to keep her distance. He strolled, admiring the natural beauty outside the windows as he passed.

She breathed a sigh of relief as she finally reached Hermione's location. "Draco Malfoy just hit on me," she repeated, still in shock.

Hermione laughed so hard that her stomach ached. "That's a good joke, Malfoy flirting with Muggle-born. Now I'm not mad about losing to Ron anymore."

It dawned on her that he had been deceiving her, and she felt foolish for not seeing it sooner.

Upon arrival, Kellah quickly changed into a traditional Uganda dress, colorful and adorned with intricate patterns. Leaving the train with Hermione and Milkway, she felt Malfoy's eyes on her and turned to see him give her a wink.

Unfazed, she continued her search for her parents despite the interruption. Their absence was noticeable as soon as she walked in. She joined Hermione, watching as the streets and buildings blurred together as they walked.

Crouching down to Kellah's level, Mrs. Granger asked, "Where's your parents?"

"They aren't coming."

The parents locked eyes, each one silently communicating their thoughts to the other. "We're not far, so you can ride home with us," Mr. Granger offered.

"Can we make a quick stop at Diagon Alley? I want to get presents for my friends," Hermione asked.

"Friends," her parents said in unison, emphasizing the word as if it held some deeper meaning. "Of course, we'd love for you to come with us, Kellah," the speaker said, extending the invitation.

Although she didn't want to go shopping, Kellah figured it was a good way to kill time before seeing her parents.

The idea of going to Diagon Alley was quickly regretted when it became apparent how packed it was. From the moment she walked in, she was greeted with an explosion of red and green, with Christmas decorations adorning every nook and cranny. The twinkling Christmas lights illuminated every corner of the market. The scent of cinnamon and pine wafted through the air, emanating from the festive decorations. She walked to the end of the alley and saw a gargantuan tree with fairy lights that glimmered like a million stars, and a golden spinning star that sparkled like a rare gem. The decorations were so numerous that it was hard for shopkeepers to find a space to put anything else.

People were bumping into each other as they rushed from one store to the next, desperate to find the perfect gift. Gringotts Bank was closed and there was a sign that read Goblin's Bank Holiday. The bank was bare and lacked any sort of ornamentation. Kellah assumed goblins didn't celebrate Christmas. With limited resources, Hermione's parents pooled together all the wizard money they had and divided it between Hermione, Kellah and themselves.

Since it was the only normal shop around, Hermione's parents chose to visit Rose Lee Teabag. The place didn't look like anything special providing the bare minimum of decorations compared to other places. When Kellah turned around, she saw them huddled around a street vendor, examining his goods before settling to sit at Rose Lee Teabag holding hands over two cups of tea.

Their adventure continued as they hurried to Sugar Plums Sweet Shop, dreaming of the delicious treats they would soon devour that lifted her spirits. The absence of a crowd meant they could look around, so they did. The aroma was so tantalizing that it made her stomach growl just like it did the first time she was here. Hermione got a bunch of chocolate frogs.

Kellah's eyes lit up as she pointed to the package Hermione held. "Oh, is that for Harry?" Kellah asked.

"Yeah, it's a nice history lesson. It would be a suitable replacement for the one he lost," Hermione said.

"Cool, so what you getting, Ron?"

Hermione wrinkled her nose. "Nothing."

Kellah shook her head no. "You have to get him something."

"Fine," Hermione folded her arms. "We can find a new wizard chess set since he is so keen on playing that game."

Kellah rubbed her temples, feeling the coolness of her fingertips against her warm skin. "I thought you were over that."

"Well, I'm not."

Following Hermione's lead, they went to Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment to retrieve the next gift.As they approached, they could hear the sweet voices of carolers singing, trying to bring holiday cheer. The Christmas carols played, but they only reminded Kellah of the memories she wished she could forget. Never again would Kellah subject herself to the stress of last-minute Christmas shopping in late December.

Hermione had gotten Ron an orange and red chess set as a unique addition to the collection, its colors creating a striking contrast. Upon discovering it was a collector's edition Chudley Cannons set, Hermione's determination to acquire it doubled.

They hurried towards the Quality Quidditch Supply Store, with Kellah eagerly leading the way. In the window, a toy snitch with its glittering gold wings caught her eye. She ran inside to the display, hastily retrieved it and sprinted towards the attendant's station, swerving out of the way of customers. He was taken aback by the sudden arrival of two kids in the line, but she was eager to leave the congested area.

As they waited in line, Hermione leaned into her. "I wish I had thought of that gift for Harry. It's brilliant."

"Wait until you see my gift for Ron."

As they entered the Magical Menagerie, the sound of meowing, barking, and chirping filled the air. To make Scabbers' cage feel more like home, she bought him a little hammock and some rope for him to climb and play with. She smiled, imagining Ron's elation - he was always worried about that rat.

"It's clear you put a lot of thought into the guys' gifts, unlike me," Hermione lamented.

"Really, you know Ron well enough to get him that wizard chess set in his favorite color, which I didn't know was orange."

Kellah savored the last moments of the shopping trip as they headed back to the car. She sat in silence, staring out the window as they drove home.

Grabbing her heavy bags Kellah stepped out of the car onto the snowy pavement. Hermione and her parents waved goodbye, and she stood there, watching until they were mere specks in the distance. Kellah's heart was pounding, and her palms were slick with sweat as she fumbled for her keys at the front door. The door creaked open as she turned the key, and her Mom's expression was one of shock. She stood there, watching the Granger family drive away, the sound of their engine fading into the distance.

Her mother's embrace was tight, but she seemed to have lost weight since the last time she saw her. She stared at her mother, who cradles her in her arms, and grimaces as she inspects one of Kellah's braids.

"You're back. I thought you had died at the school, and you brought your owl. Hmmm," her mom said, annoyed. Kellah winced as her mom vigorously sprayed her with sage and applied oil to her forehead. With a quick motion, Kellah wiped it off her face with her free hand.

Kellah's mom's words fell on deaf ears as she marched up the stairs, her mind consumed with frustration. A multitude of crosses and religious symbols covered every inch of her room, leaving little space for anything else. She was shocked to find that everything differed completely from when she left. Relief washed over her as she realized she wouldn't have to endure an extended stay.

After opening Milkway's cage, she realized something stuck to its leg. The envelope said:

To K

From D

Opening it; she heard the clink of two gold hoop earrings falling out. When she saw the letter inside, her heart skipped a beat:

Wear these when you return to

school if you have any feelings

for me.

It was from Draco the D is his initials, and he was messing with Milkway when she saw him with the luggage. For Draco, carrying luggage was a sign of weakness and something he would never do. As he liked to say, that was the work of a mere servant. But why doesn't it make sense? Though he was clearly trying to play with her emotions, she refused to take part.