Chapter 10: Christmas Surprises

Hey everyone I'm back with a new chapter. Now this one I really enjoyed writing and I think you'll enjoy. Lots of hints about what's to come in this story. And just like Harry, Sam's getting a family item that'll be a big help in the future. I hope you like what I have planned. Please Review and Enjoy.

Christmas was coming to Hogwarts and snow had covered the castle making everyone excited for the holidays. Down in the dungeons everyone was shivering as they tried to stay as close to their cauldrons as possible for warmth.

As Sam was writing down notes he saw Malfoy looking at Harry and him.

"I do feel sorry for all those people who have to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas because they're not wanted at home." Malfoy mocks.

"Oh you mean like how you have to leave because you're not wanted at school?" Sam replies causing Harry to chuckle while Malfoy growled in anger.

When class ended, Sam and Harry walked out laughing.

"That was a good one." Harry said.

"Really shut him up." Sam chuckles as they walked away.

After classes, Sam was in the Great Hall with Harry and Ron playing Wizard Chess as Hermione walked in behind them.

"Knight to E5." Harry said as his piece moved on his own.

"Queen to E5." Ron smirks as his piece moved over and destroyed Harry's piece.

"That's totally barbaric." Hermione said.

"That's Wizard's Chess." Ron said.

"I bet if I brought that back to the orphanage everyone would love to learn to play." Sam chuckles.

"I see you're packed." Ron said.

"I see you're not." Hermione said.

"Bit of a change of plans. My parents are going to visit my brother Charlie in Romania." Ron said.

"Well you can help Sam and Harry look up Nicholas Flamel." Hermione said.

"And Penny." Sam said getting her attention. "I told her and Barnaby about it too and they're doing some research on it. I figured 6 heads is better than 4."

"Besides we've looked through all the books in the library." Ron said.

"Not in the restricted section." Hermione said before walking away.

"I think we're starting to be a bad influence on her." Ron said as Sam laughs when Noctis flew in through the window and shook the snow off his feathers.

"Whoa Noctis, what were you doing out there?" Sam asks as Noctis holds out his claw and saw a letter attached to it. "Oh good Martha, Eric and Cole must've found the gifts."

"Gifts?" Ron asks.

"Yeah back in Diagon Alley I let the fact that I ACTUALLY had spending money go to my head and I bought them gifts." Sam admits.

"Don't worry I don't blame you." Harry said as he and Ron went back to their common room.

Giving Noctis, some warm cider, Sam opened the letter.

Dear Sam,

We don't mind that you're spending Christmas at Hogwarts. It must be so magical. Anyway Eric and Cole loved that book you got them, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, they can't stop reading it. It's not Wizard School but at least they something to talk to you about. Everyone misses you, but we can't wait for you to come back for summer. These friends of yours sound great, but this idea of you flying on a broom at high speeds worries me. This Quidditch sounds dangerous maybe you just stick to watching. See you in a few months. Stay safe and Have fun.

Love,

Martha

Immediately Sam chuckles reading that last part when Penny walks in.

"What's so funny?" Penny asks.

"Nothing just, it's just Martha worrying too much about me." Sam chuckles.

"What was it like growing up in an orphanage?" Penny asks.

"It was alright. Martha, the woman in charge took me in and raised me. Growing up I met Eric and Cole and the two of us just became best friends. They were so supportive of me coming here." Sam smiles.

"Must be nice having people like that in your life." Penny smiles.

"It really is." Sam said.

"Here, Merry Christmas." Penny said holding out a mug for him. "This is an Eggnog recipe my mother taught me."

Sam looks at it closely before lifting up the mug and taking a sip. "Mmm wow Penny this is delicious."

"Thank you." Penny smiles.

"By the way were you able to have any luck with the name Nicholas Flamel?" Sam asks.

"No." Penny said causing Sam to frown. "But my pen pal did." She smiles getting his attention. "When the school year started, I signed up for the Pen pal program and met a girl from Beabuxtons. Her name's Aurelie and it turns out the name Nicholas Flamel is huge name in Alchemy."

"Alchemy? That's a broad topic but it's a clue. Penny thank you, you're the best." Sam smiles hugging her tightly surprising her. "Finally, we have a clue. I'll see you later, Merry Christmas." Sam finished the eggnog and runs off not noticing a soft blush on Penny's face.

It was the night of Christmas Eve, as Sam slept in his bed when a Snape snuck around his bed and placed a box next to two other two presents Sam had got and put a note on it before sneaking away.

The next morning, Sam woke up and saw the presents by his bed. "Whoa."

Getting out of bed, Sam walked over to them and the first one was from Harry, Ron and Hermione Opening it Sam saw a belt that was big enough to fit Potions in. "A Potion Belt? Cool."

Trying it on it looked perfectly around him with even more room for him to grow. "How do I look Noctis?" Sam asks as the owl hoots in agreement.

The next one was a gift from Martha, Eric and Cole. Opening it he saw green sweatshirt with an S on it. "Thanks guys."

Sam was about to get up when he noticed one more gift for him. Reaching down he picked up the note.

"This was found shortly after you were sent to the orphanage. It's been in your family for years and time it was returned to you, use it wisely."

Sam looks at it to see there was no signature. Slowly Sam opens the box to reveal a small metal bowl that was barely bigger than a dinner plate and in it was a silvery substance that looked like it was a cloudy gas.

"What is this?" Sam asks when he saw something in it. Sam looks closer when suddenly the bowl glows causing Sam to scream as he was sucked into it.

The next thing he knew he was in the middle of halls of Hogwarts still in his pajamas when the bell rang.

"Oh man this is a nightmare." Sam said when students exited class and he expected everyone to point and laugh at him but they didn't even notice him. Sam was confused by this when a student walked right through him causing him to freak out.

"Hey Parker over here!" A male voice said as Sam noticed a boy about a year older than him in Gryffindor robes walk out, but what shocked him was that he looked so much like Sam.

"Hey James! Sirius my man!" The boy said high fiving them.

"How'd it go, Leonard?" James asks.

"Aced it." Leonard smiles when they heard a loud maniacal laughter. One that Sam knew all too well.

"Ooh lookie I got you book!" Sam and the three boys saw Peeves messing with a Slytherin girl with medium black hair.

"Hey give it back! Don't make me get the Bloody Baron!" She threatened but Peeves just stuck his tongue out at her.

"Nice to see a Slytherin finally getting put in their place." Sirius said.

"Speaking of which where's Snivellus?" James chuckles.

"Snivellus?" Sam asks when the boy named Leonard handed James his books and took out his hand before walking towards Peeves and the girl.

"Hey Peeves!" Leonard snaps getting the poltergeist's attention. "Flipendo!" He said knocking Peeves back.

Sam watched this fight in shock, this guy was battling Peeves to help her just like he did to help Penny.

Knocking Peeves down the hall Peeves burst into tears. "You Parkers are no fun at all!" Peeves sobs before flying off.

Smiling Leonard turns to the Slytherin girl and hand her the books. "Here you go."

"T-Thanks, but why did you help me? I'm a Slytherin." She said.

"I prefer to judge people by their actions not their houses." Leonard shrugs.

"I'm Lucy Smith." She smiles.

"Leonard Parker." He smiles taking her hand and helping her up.

"Hey there you guys are!" Leonard, James and Sirius look to see two boys with blonde hair wave to them.

"Who are they?" Lucy asks.

"Those are some of my friends, Remus and Peter. Wanna come with us?" Leonard asks.

"Sounds fun." Lucy said as they were joined by James and Sirius before they walked away.

Seeing the two of them smile Sam couldn't help but feel drawn to them when suddenly he was pulled out and landed back on his bed in the common room.

"Whoa, what was that?" Sam asks as looked to the small metal bowl and like his daggers and journal Sam thought it would be best to keep this to himself for now.

The next day, Sam was walking through the halls when he saw Harry run up to him.

"Sam! Sam something amazing happened!" Harry said running over.

"Whoa Harry what's up with you? Did you have a good Christmas?" Sam asks.

"Did I. I saw my parents." Harry said getting his attention. "And I want you and Ron to meet them."

"Seriously? Sure where do we go?" Sam asks.

"Tonight. I'll show you where." Harry said leading him away, none of them noticing Merula was listening in on them.

Late that night, Harry used his new Invisibility cloak and led Sam and Ron down an old hallway when they opened the door to reveal an old mirror.

"Okay that is an awesome Christmas gift." Sam points.

"Apparently it was my dad's." Harry said.

"So what's this?" Sam asks looking at it.

"It's how you're both gonna meet my parents." Harry said as he stood in front of the mirror. "Do you see them?"

"Harry all I see is you." Ron said.

"Yeah me too." Sam said.

"Maybe you guys need to stand here." Harry said moving out of the way as Ron walked up first and smiles.

"I don't believe it…that's me! I'm Headboy and I'm holding the Quidditch Cup and no way I'm Quidditch Captain too?" Ron smiles.

"Whoa." Sam said impressed.

"Sam get over here." Ron said moving out of the way so Sam could see, but instead of Harry's parent or superstar Ron, he saw himself standing in front of him. He wasn't sure what was so special about it when suddenly Prof. Snape was standing at his side putting his hand on his shoulder like saying he was proud of him when Martha, Eric and Cole walk up next to him causing him to smile when suddenly Harry, Ron, Hermione, Penny, Tulip, Barnaby and Liz join in as well and they all looked so happy.

"Whoa, Harry do you think this mirror shows us our future?" Sam asks.

"How could it? My parents are dead." Harry sighs.

As Sam and Ron walked back to their rooms, Harry sat in front of the mirror trying to figure out what was going on when a shadow walks out to him.

"Back again, Harry?" The figure asks revealing to be Prof. Dumbledore.

"Professor?" Harry asks standing up.

"I see you like many before have discovered the wonders of the Mirror of Erised. I trust by now you realize what it does?" Dumbledore asks walking over. "Let me give you a clue. If the happiest man on Earth were to look into the mirror he would see himself exactly as he is."

"It shows us what we want. Whatever we want." Harry theorizes.

"Yes and no. It shows us nothing more than the deepest and most desperate desires of our hearts. You Harry, who never knew your family now see them standing beside you. Ronald Weasley, a boy who has constantly lived in the shadows of his older brothers sees himself standing alone the greatest of all of them. And then there's Sam, a boy who spent his entire life in an orphanage waiting for a family to accept him finds himself surrounded by all the people who have already accepted him. However, this mirror will give neither knowledge or truth. Men have wasted away before it entranced by what they see or even been driven mad not knowing if what they are seeing is real or even possible. The Mirror will be moved to a new home tomorrow, Harry and I ask that you not go looking for it again. If you ever do run across it, you will now be prepared. It does not do well to dwell on dreams. Now off to bed." Dumbledore gestures.

Harry was about to walk out when he turns to him. "Professor Dumbledore, can I ask you something?"

"You just did, but you can ask one more." Dumbledore smiles.

"What do you see when you look into it?" Harry asks.

"I see myself holding a pair of thick, woolen socks." Dumbledore said causing Harry to raise an eyebrow. "One can never have enough socks. Another Christmas has come and gone and I didn't get a single pair. Everyone keeps giving me books."

Harry wasn't sure if he was telling the truth or not but decided not to dwell on it but as he and Dumbledore left none of them noticed Merula come out of the shadows and walk to the Mirror.

"Hmm? What's so great about this thing?" Merula examines the mirror closely but inside she saw something she didn't expect. She saw herself with a big smile on her face when she saw Sam appear and hug her from behind causing her to laugh before he leaned in and kissed her cheek causing the real Merula's eyes to widen as she backs away. "No way."

Turning around she ran out down a corridor opposite of Dumbledore not even noticing him.

"It appears the angry little girl just wants to be loved." Dumbledore chuckles.