The last Hogsmeade weekend before the Yule holidays dawned bright and sunny though very cold and snowy. A soft array of fluffy snowflakes was gently drifting down from the sky as the students ate a warm breakfast before bundling up for the trek down to the village.
"Where to first?" Hermione asked as they approached the center of the village.
"I've got to get some more parchment," Aria told her. Ron raced off to join Seamus and Dean as Aria and Hermione turned off towards the scriveners. Inside, Aria immediately found the standard stack of school parchment, before she meandered with Hermione through the shop, taking in the bright colored quills and inks.
"What're your plans for Christmas?" Hermione asked as she rifled through the fountains pens which were growing in some popularity.
"I think I'm going to stay at Hogwarts again," Aria said. "Dad suggested inviting Harry home with us, but with Sirius Black out and about, Professor Snape said that there was no way he was approving that."
"Black's already gotten in once," Hermione complained. Her gaze lingered on a pretty gilded edged journal with otters playing in a river on the front and back covers. Aria covertly purchased it while Hermione wasn't looking. One Christmas gift covered!
They went to the bookshop afterwards, browsing the titles for good Christmas gifts. Aria found two different books on chess strategies and purchased them for Theo and Ron knowing that the two still had an ongoing chess rivalry. She also found a book on wizarding folklore that she purchased for Hermione with every intention of borrowing the book once Hermione was done reading it.
"I think I've gotten most of my list completed," Hermione said, waving a bit of parchment. It was clear that Hermione had come to Christmas shop, ever prepared.
"I want to stop by the haberdashers for Daphne and Tracey's gifts," Aria told her. "And maybe a little something for Lavender and Parvati and Padma. They've been great in Divination!" And it wasn't like she could just buy one gift for one twin and not the other.
In the haberdasher's Aria immediately gravitated towards the hair ribbons and other accessories while Hermione wandered over to the brooches and clothing accessories. The haberdasher's seemed to have a bit of everything, it reminded Aria of little vintage shops in Cokesworth that sold secondhand jewelry and clothing, except none of these were second hand.
Picking out several hair ribbons in various pink shades for Lavender, Aria was quick to find some deep red and gold ribbons for Parvati, the gold little stars that twinkled. She found a matching set of ribbons for Padma in deep blue and gold.
For Daphne and Tracey, she chose a variety of colors for them, they liked options, and then picked a brooch each for them, deciding on a little fox for Daphne that was silver with emerald eyes and a rabbit with topaz eyes for Tracey.
Hermione purchased a charm bracelet for her mum. It did not have any magical spells on it besides a few general safekeeping spells to keep it from getting lost and losing its shine. The charms Hermione chose for the bracelet, she explained to Aria, remaindered her of different parts of the family. Her parents were dentists, so one of the charms was the wizarding medical symbol of a wand crossed with a bone, the other charm was a Gryffindor shield (obviously for Hermione), then there was a book charm because Hermione had to get her love for books from somewhere, and there was room to add more charms.
It was very beautiful. Aria wondered what she would have put on a charm bracelet for her own mother if Abigail were still alive. Definitely a Slytherin shield, maybe a quill? Her mum loved to write, having filled many journals and diaries with accounts of the day or just simple stories. Right after her mum had died, Kenneth had taken to reading the fairy tales her mum had written in her journals. It had been years since Aria had thought of them.
Deciding that it was time for lunch and a warm drink, Aria and Hermione exited the bookstore, only to be immediately pummeled in the face with snowballs!
Wiping the snow from her eyes, Aria spun around looking for the culprit. She was unsurprised to find Ron laughing at her and Hermione, but she was surprised to find Harry standing next to him, also laughing.
"What are you doing here?" Hermione demanded, stalking up to the laughing boys, snow dripping off her face. "You'll be in even more trouble than before!"
"Relax!" Harry cried. "I've got it all covered. I'll show you in the Three Broomsticks." He threw an arm around Ron's shoulders and the two boys led the way to the pub where the four of them grabbed a corner booth near the back where they could see the door in case any professors made their way into the building.
Drinks and food ordered, and Harry's invisibility cloak tucked safely away, Harry produced a folded piece of parchment and place it in the center of the table.
It was blank.
"Wow," Aria drawled, "a blank piece of paper. Truly, a revolutionary piece of technology."
"Funny," Harry retorted. "This was gifted to me by the twins. It's the secret to all their mischief making. Well . . . part of their secret."
"A blank piece of parchment?" Hermione questioned.
"Why didn't they give it to me then?" Ron demanded, only partially offended. "I'm their brother after all."
"I'm more surprised they didn't bestow it to Ginny," Harry admitted, "apparently, they nicked this from Filch's office in their first year. It's a map of Hogwarts."
"It's a blank piece of parchment," Aria told him.
"Tap it with your wand," Harry dared her. He was looking way too smug. Aria sighed and drew her wand, pressing the tip to the parchment. Immediately words began appearing, almost like when she had been writing in the diary from last year.
Messrs Mooney, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs graciously welcomes you to our ingenious invention, but greatly desires to know who dares attempt to open the Marauder's Map?
Aria stared at the paper in shock.
"Is this like the diary?" Hermione asked, obviously suspicious.
"No," Harry answered. "Promise you it isn't. Go on, Hermione, tap your wand to it and try and get it to show you the map of Hogwarts!"
Hermione pointed her wand at the parchment where the words from before were now fading.
"Aparecium!" she cried.
Excellent attempt, dear girl! However, you will have to try harder than that if you want to learn our secrets!
"Okay, please show us," Aria cried. "Else it's just going to keep being cheeky."
Harry laughed and pointed his own wand at the map.
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," he stated. Aria rolled her eyes as the folded piece of paper became decorated with elaborate calligraphy and the outline of part of a castle. The map, The Marauder's Map, even seemed to be animated in some way. Harry opened the map and Aria could see that what she thought was a piece of parchment folded like any other standard map, was actually folded in a way to hide how intricately the inward folds were.
"Is that all of Hogwarts?" Hermione exclaimed. The four leaned closer to see. Indeed, a sprawling map of Hogwarts lay before them. Aria could make out the Black Lake, Hagrid's hut, the Quidditch pitch, even the stone circle and cairns in the back meadow.
Ron reached out and unfolded more of the map, revealing the inside of Hogwarts. Continuing to unfold the map revealed more floors of Hogwarts. And somehow the map never got too big for the table.
"Is that . . . ?" Hermione pointed. "Dumbledore in his office?"
"Seems to be pacing," Ron commented. Aria watched as a little drawn banner labeled Albus Dumbledore paced back and forth in his office. Looking further along the map she spotted Snape in one of the potion labs, most likely brewing.
"This is amazing!" Ron cried.
"Amazing, yes," Hermione said. Aria could hear the 'but' coming. "But also, incredibly dangerous. What if Sirius Black got his hands on this?"
"Then he'd have to figure out the password," Harry answered. "Watch." He tapped the map with his wand again. "Mischief managed." The map faded away, leaving behind a blank piece of paper.
Hermione only looked slightly mollified.
"I think it's brilliant!" Aria stated. "And Black would have to figure out how to get his hands on it first, which would be difficult, and how would he even know about its existence?"
Hermione conceded the point, and their lunch was brought.
After their bellies were filled the friends went back to shopping. Harry was the one with the most Christmas shopping to do so Aria, Hermione, and Ron mainly browsed while studiously ignoring him while he made purchases in each store they stopped at.
They were just exiting Zonko's when the already chilly weather took a drastic and sudden plunge. Aria immediately felt hopelessness creep over her, and Hermione let out a short, shuddering sob before reining it in. Several panicked cries of "Dementors!" went up along the street and people were immediately scrambling inside the nearest shops. Ron yanked Aria and Hermione back into Zonko's while Harry stepped in front of them with his wand drawn.
"Expecto Patronum!" Harry shouted as one Dementor swiftly drifted towards them. A bright light shot out of Harry's wand taking on the vague shape of the front end of a stag with mighty antlers. The half-stag reared its head at the approaching Dementor in warning and the Dementor fell back, giving Harry enough time to slip into Zonko's after his friends. Bilton Bilmes, the owner of Zonko's, threw the lock and dropped the window shades.
All the students inside huddled in their friend groups as Mr. Bilmes peered through one of the shades. After several minutes the temperature began to rise inside the building and Mr. Bilmes let out a sigh of relief.
"They're gone!" he announced to the students. With a swift waved of his wand the shades curled back up. He glanced at Harry.
"That was an impressive bit of magic, Mr. Potter," he said, "I didn't realize that Hogwarts was teaching the Patronus Charm to kids your age."
"Just me," Harry admitted. "I've . . . got an extreme reaction to the Dementors and Professors Snape and Lupin wanted me to be able to protect myself. It's not very good though, I've read that a true Patronus Charm is supposed to take one the shape of an animal and I can only create half an animal."
Mr. Bilmes chuckled as he unlocked the door.
"Mr. Potter," he said, "there are adults such as myself who can only manage a strong bolt of light, let alone half an animal. Your professors must be pleased as punch at your progress."
Harry's face went pink at the compliment. Aria snickered before linking arms with him and dragging him out of the building, being sure to look both ways for any stray Dementors. Just up the road, they could hear Madam Rosmerta loudly scolding someone about the Dementors. A quick look over saw that she was shaking a hammer at the Minister of Magic who was standing there looking frightened while Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey watched with amused grins on their faces.
Harry immediately yanked Aria into an alleyway to avoid McGonagall's gaze and only when the adults had gone into the Three Broomsticks did they emerge.
"I think I've had enough fun for the day," Hermione said. "And I've got that Ancient Runes essay to finish up."
"Same here," Ron said. "Minus the Ancient Runes essay of course."
"I believe you've got an essay due for Hagrid," Hermione said.
"How do you know that?" Ron demanded, though it was clear that he was not too surprised that Hermione knew his homework schedule. "Besides, it's not like he actually reads them."
"Not the point, Ronald!"
Christmas dawned with big fluffy snowflakes drifting down from the gray skies, blanketing the Scottish highlands in a layer of thick snow. The Black Lake was covered. It was a beautiful carpet of white, only broken by animals that braved the elements, but even their paw prints were soon full of snow.
Aria, Harry, and Ginny, made the trip up to Gryffindor Tower for Christmas breakfast, carrying with them their load of presents to open with everyone. Ron, the twins, and Percy, had already begun to eat when they arrived, so they settled their presents in front of the roaring fire and made themselves plates heaped with food. Ron was happily feeding Scabbers who was actually out of his owner's pocket. The poor rat had taken to hiding about in Ron's robes most of the school year. Ron blamed Hermione and Crookshanks, since the orange furball seemed to have a great dislike for Scabbers, or at least, an intense desire to put the fear of the Lord into the rat. But Hermione had taken her cat home with her over the holidays, much to Aria and Ginny's disappointment. They happened to like the half-kneazle.
Within an hour, their presents were strewn across the common room, everyone enjoying the books and games gifted to them. Aria munched away at her yearly anonymous gift of macrons from France while watching Harry and Ron play with Harry's new set of Gobstones. Neville thought Harry would enjoy the game and it looked like he was correct, though Aria could think of better ways to spend her time than getting squirted by magical marbles.
Ginny was perusing a book that her grandmother had sent her. All the Weasleys had received gifts from their grandparents, which surprised them. The twins had acknowledged, to Aria's surprise, that it was probably because of Percy.
"Grandfather's one of Britain's representatives to the International Confederation of Wizards," Fred had explained as he admired the brewing apron his grandparents had given him. George held a matching apron, though George's was in a dark scarlet compared to Fred's maroon. "Percy interned with the headmaster there over the summer. Apparently, they like him."
"You're welcome," Percy had said, only slightly snidely, as he flipped through a book on European wizarding customs, also a gift from their grandparents. "They haven't spoken to our family since Dad married Mum, a little appreciation for bridging the gap wouldn't hurt."
A tap-tap from the tower window cut off any snarky remarks from the twins. Ron hurried to open the window and allow two owls to fly in, a long package clutched between the two. They dropped the package in Harry's lap, almost dislodging a cinnamon bun from the plate by his side. Harry gave them water and bacon before the two flew off.
"Another present?" Ginny questioned, putting her book aside. "Who's it from?"
"It doesn't have a name," Harry answered, looking the package over. Percy waved his wand over the package.
"It doesn't seem to have anything harmful on it," he said, "but of course, I can't detect super dark curses or anything."
"Leave it to us!" Fred cried, scooping the long package up. He and George set it on the floor, and everyone took a step behind the sofa. With a flick of his wrist and a whisper, George had the brown paper packaging unraveling. There was no smoke or sparks that would indicate spell work. The whole room gasped as they took in the brand new broom lying innocently before them.
"That's a Firebolt!" Ron cried in awe. "The fastest broom in the world! It's a proper racing broom that is!"
"Who'd send me a broom?" Harry wondered as Fred nudged the broom with his foot. When nothing happened to Fred, Harry came around and picked the broom up off the floor. "It's beautiful! Ron, we could go flying together and I wouldn't have to use a school broom!"
"Marcus'll want you on the Quidditch team," Fred said. "He might even boot someone off just so you could play."
"An anonymous person sends Harry a Christmas gift?" Aria questioned. This seemed very suspicious. "Who do we know that can afford a Firebolt? Isn't it like . . . a couple hundred Galleons?"
"Try one thousand," Percy stated. "It's very suspicious, especially with Black running about." Harry clutched the broom to his chest, sending Percy a beseeching look.
"Don't tell anyone!" he cried. "It's the best gift!"
"Harry," Percy argued, "someone else should check it for spells or curses. If it's clean then I don't see why you couldn't use it, but you shouldn't try and fly it until you know without any doubt that it's safe."
Harry groaned, still clutching the broom.
"Professor Lupin's still here," Ginny piped up. "And so is Professor Snape. They could check it for you, I bet. Why not ask them at dinner tonight?"
When Christmas dinner finally came around, the troupe of students made their way to the Great Hall, Harry carrying the Firebolt though Aria thought he was carrying it like he was about to sacrifice it.
They were the only students staying over the holidays. Apparently having a mass murderer break into Hogwarts had made most of the families want their children home for the holidays. Aria was just glad her dad allowed her to stay so that Harry would not be alone, same with the Weasleys.
The professors that stayed for the holidays were already milling about the one long table in the Great Hall, positioned perfectly in front of one of the large hearths. A little wagon of drinks was to the side and Aria could see that was where the adults had gotten the goblets they were holding. It was clear that the wagon of drinks was for adults only.
"What have you got there, Potter?" McGonagall asked, glancing over from her conversation with Remus and Snape. The three of them eyed the Firebolt as Harry approached them.
"It was a Christmas gift," Harry told them.
"A very generous gift," McGonagall answered. "I wonder who Flint will kick off the Quidditch team to have you on it?"
"The gift didn't come with a signature," Harry explained, holding out the Firebolt. "Percy checked it, but Ginny suggested that Professor Snape and Lupin check it to make sure it's safe."
"An anonymous gift giver gave you a Firebolt?" Snape questioned, immediately pulling his wand, and floating the Firebolt from Harry's hands. "Suspicious indeed." He and Remus began waving their wands over the broom in complicated patterns. Dumbledore, Hagrid, and Trelawney wandered over to watch. Ron practically vibrated next to Aria. She knew that Ron hoped that Harry would let him fly the broom if it came back clean.
"Well," Remus said after about ten minutes, "there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with the broom. Nothing that I can detect anyway. Severus?"
Snape seemed displeased that he could not find anything wrong with it either.
"Who do you think sent it?" McGonagall asked as Harry happily took the Firebolt back.
"I've no idea," Remus answered, in a tone that made Aria think that he at least had theories. He and Snape exchanged a look, but Aria seemed to be the only one to see it. Dumbledore called everyone to gather around the table and the Christmas feast popped into existence. Aria gasped in delight at the traditional roasted goose with all the trimmings. For dessert there were multiple burning Christmas puddings!
Once everyone was stuffed with food, the group gathered in front of the hearth after McGonagall transfigured a few chairs into squashy armchairs and rugs. Hot chocolate was passed around and Aria and Harry were serenaded by wizarding Yuletide songs sung by all the professors, even Snape after McGonagall bullied him, and then drunken wixen pub songs by Hagrid and Trelawney. Fred and George joined in with them.
Eventually, everyone waddled off to go to bed, full of good food and drink.
As Harry and Ginny walked a little ahead, discussing in detail various Quidditch moves that Harry could try on the Firebolt, Remus handed Aria a sealed envelope.
"Whenever you write your dad next," Remus murmured, "could you please include this?"
Aria grinned at him. She was not sure how her dad would react, but she was glad that Remus was reaching out to him. She took a second to hug Remus around the waist before hurrying after her friends to enjoy the rest of her Christmas holidays.