V. Prying
Impertinently or unnecessarily curious or inquisitive.
Before the Christmas holidays, Jayla sits at her desk with Hades perching on the window ledge, playing with the feather in the inkpot as the young Heiress writes a letter to her family before breakfast. Hermione is already at the Great Hall while Parvati is sleeping in, thanks to it being the weekend. "Jay, can we play in the snow later?" Hades requests her owner, and Jayla looks at the kitten, seeing her giving the two-toned-haired girl a cute look, tilting her head to the side, making her gold eyes big and adorable.
"Fine, but you have to behave. That means no ripping up my pillows, the girls, or the spares again. And no scaring Ron's stupid rat." Jayla warns the feline, who looks down, contemplating the deal. It was a big deal since Scabbers is Hades' nemesis among all the pets in Hogwarts. Hades gets along with Hedwig much more, as they sometimes have secret chats.
"Okay, but if he says another bad thing about you that you also hear, do I have permission to eat him?" She asks, but Jayla shakes her head, making Hades lie in defeat. "Okay, I promise." The black-furred feline sulks, falling onto the desk, almost knocking the inkpot over. "Sorry."
"It's okay. Let me finish this letter first." The young Heiress tells her and returns to writing her letter, stroking Hades' head, making her purr.
Sunday, 15th December 1991
To My Amazing Family,
Sorry, my letter is getting to you a few days late. Unfortunately, I was busy helping Ron and Harry study.
It's finally Christmas time, and I'm excited to see you all soon. I've missed you a lot.
Today I'll tell Professor McGonagall that I will be going home for the holidays. I even have all my presents planned. That's another thing I wish to discuss. I thought we could go to Diagon Alley again to get the gifts.
I know you may not like it, Mum, but I think of Christmas Day and the smile on your face when you see the presents we'll get you. Please think about it.
There's been nothing much at school lately. We used an excellent new spell called Vermillious. It was amusing. I made Hades jump off the bed last night. It made the girls laugh, and Hades didn't like it, but she found it more entertaining when she got to play with the sparks.
I should go now, or Ron will eat all the food. I hope everything is alright back home, and I'm glad you're getting better, Yazz. I'll give you one of my special hugs.
I also have the perfect prank idea for April Fool's Day, Mase. I got it from the Weasley twins.
I love you all, from,
Jayjay / Lala / Sweetheart / Little Baby Girl
Jayla signs the letter before slipping it into the black envelope and putting it into her leather jacket pocket. She puts a large woollen grey scarf around her neck, then shakes Parvati awake and leaves the dorm after putting Hades on the bed with her toys.
⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴
At breakfast, Jayla sits at the Gryffindor table, and she feels Harry and Ron staring at her as she bites into her toast. "What?" She mutters around the toast at the boys, who keep looking at her.
"Just you're wearing regular clothes," Ron states, looking at the young Heiress' clothes, making her look down at her outfit. Jayla is wearing black jeans, a dark red long-sleeve jumper, a black leather jacket, a large woollen grey scarf and black boots. A simple outfit.
"So? My Mum makes me wear those clothes. You should see the rest of my family," She remarks, fixing her scarf around her neck, and Hermione mumbles the name "Nicholas Flamel" again under her breath. Jayla spots Professor McGonagall walking down the tables toward them with a piece of parchment, taking down names. The young Heiress feels butterflies at the thought of seeing her family again after so long. It was exciting. The Head of Gryffindor steps up to their little group.
"Which of you will be staying here for Christmas?" McGonagall questions them, looking around.
"I am Professor," Harry announces, looking down at his food, and from the look on his face, Jayla wants to stay, but then she thinks of her younger siblings' faces full of sadness. But she knows Harry will be okay and knows he'll keep himself occupied for some time over the holidays.
"Don't worry, Harry. Fred and George say that Christmas here is fun and the feast is amazing," Ron assures him, trying to cheer the ravenette up, but it doesn't seem to work.
"Stop drooling, Ron." Jayla sighs and turns to Harry. "I could talk my parents into letting you come to ours if you want, Harry. Mind you, you might have to go to a work function or two." Harry looks up at her but shakes his head.
"No, I think I'll stand here and work on finding out who Nicholas Flamel is before Hermione loses her voice." Harry replies, pointing to the bushy-haired girl, who repeatedly whispers the name.
"Hermione, you're gonna lose your voice at this rate," She warns the girl, passing her some water. Hermione accepts it before eating her food. "Well, this was fun, but I promised my kitten that I would let her play in the snow. Hermione, do you want to come?" The young Heiress encourages her friend to get her mind off things. Jayla looks at the boys, seeing the strange looks their giving her. "Did we ever tell them about my extra gift?" She looks at her friend and stands from the bench with Hermione, getting up and standing beside her.
"No, I don't think you did," Hermione replies, grabbing her notebook, and the girls share a look with each other.
"Okay, I'll explain," Jayla says, sitting back down in front of the boys. "See, every female on my mother's side of the family has an extra Magical gift that they get once they reach 11. It matures for a while till you can determine what your gift really is. My grandmother could control plants, and my mother can see into the future. Of course, I can talk to animals. Oh, by the way, tell Scabbers to stop bad-mouthing everyone. That's the reason Hades goes off on him all the time." The boys stare even more in shock at this revelation.
"I think you broke them," The bushy-haired girl teases and the girls look at the boys before walking to their dorm room to pick up the little Chaos Demon.
⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴
The girls walk outside into the Quad, piled high with snow. Other students are playing in the snow, throwing snowballs and making snow Angels and snowmen. Hades shakes around in Jayla's arms as Hermione stays by her friend's side, walking to the corner to keep the feline in their sight. The young Heiress places the growing kitten in the deep snow, almost as tall as Hades. The cat seems happy enough as she rolls around in the snow, making Jayla laugh and watching Hades jump in the cold white powder. Hermione and Jayla watch the black-furred feline, and the young Heiress sits on the archway as the bushy-haired girl seems to be thinking hard again. "Hermione, if you keep thinking about it, you'll never find the answer," Jayla warns her friend and the brunette nods in understanding, making the young Heiress place her arm around the bushy-haired girl's waist as they watch Hades start crawling toward another cat, a little older than her.
"Oh, no," Hermione sighs, seeing Hades pounce on the brown-furred cat, who shrieks, alerting the students to the display. A girl, a few years older than Jayla, runs to the offended cat as the young Heiress runs to join her.
"Is that your cat?" The blond, curly-haired girl demands, looking at the first year, who nods, picking Hades up into her arms as the older student does the same.
"I am so sorry. She got a little excited," Jayla apologises, looking at the dusty blond cat that matches her owner's. "I am sorry about Hades. She's not quite used to other pets quite yet. She is still young."
"It's fine, I suppose," The blond Persian replies, pawing at her owner.
"Why are you talking to my cat like she'll understand you? Are you nuts?" The older girl asks, making Jayla look down at the snow-covered ground.
"I can, you see. I can talk to animals," Jayla answers, waiting for any type of negative response some might take.
"That's kind of cool. So you can understand what Pearl is saying?" She questions, and the young Heiress nods, looking at the older girls smiling.
"I can. I am sorry about Hades. She's not used to other pets yet. She gets a little too excited. And she's not even 1 yet." Jayla explains, making the older student nod.
"Don't worry about it. Pearl was the same way when I first got here. It's the new environment, I think. I let her out while I was in class so she could explore the castle herself. After, of course, I went with her a few times. It seems to help her calm down somewhat. She's gotten a lot better since then. You should try it," The blond girl suggests, and Jayla looks at Hades pawing at Pearl, who seems a little annoyed by the playful and energetic kitten.
"I think I will, thank you. I'm Jayla Darkmore, Gryffindor," The young Heiress introduces herself to the older student.
"It's nice to meet you, Jayla. I'm Penelope Clearwater, Ravenclaw," She introduces herself, smiling, both glad they've made a new friend.
"Can we play, Jay?" Hades asks, looking up at Jayla.
"As long as Pearl wants to play with you. But remember to be nice," Jayla tells her and looks at the blond Persian.
⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴
A few days later, Jayla gets changed, picking a crimson dress with a black tie, silver buttons and a black trim. It was her mother's favourite style of clothing. She looks at her trunk on the bed with a sigh, thinking about carrying it downstairs, but then smiles, getting out her wand. Before she can even utter the spell, Hermione comes storming into the room from the bathroom, snatching it away. "Jayla, don't use magic like that," The bushy-haired girl scolds her friend.
"Fine," Jayla sulks, taking the wand back and putting it into her coat pocket. "But I need to take my dirty clothes back along with some other stuff and Hades' toys. It's heavy!" She whines, looking at her trunk.
"I can help you take it down, and besides, it has wheels on the bottom," Hermione argues, shrugging her shoulders, and the two-toned-haired girl puts Hades inside her cage, making the feline protest.
"Jay, let me play some more. I'll be good, please. Let me out. I don't like it!" Hades whines as Jayla grabs the pet carrier's handle, and Hermione helps the young Heiress with the trunk.
"Come on then, before Hades gives me a headache from all her whining," Jayla laughs, walking out to meet the boys in the Great Hall before they leave for the holidays.
"That's not fair! Jay!" The kitten exclaims.
⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴
With Christmas around the corner, Hagrid drags a massive tree to the castle, and the girls walk into the Great Hall with their luggage, passing the singing ghosts. "Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas. Ring the Hogwart bell. Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas…" The girls admire the massive Christmas tree that Professor Flitwick decorates, using his wand to put ornaments on the tree. Jayla spots the boys playing Wizard's Chess at a table and drags Hermione toward them. "Knight to E5." Harry orders his chess piece, which moves across the board, while Ron looks over it, deciding his next move.
"Queen to E5." Ron orders the piece, which slides across the board, gets off her seat and uses it to clink the knight away, breaking the chess piece.
"That's totally barbaric!" Hermione gasps at the sight of the Wizard game in action.
"You should have moved your King, Harry," Jayla comments.
"That's Wizard Chess. I see you've packed. And you shouldn't give him advice, Jayla." Ron replies, nodding at the girls' trunks by their feet.
"See, you haven't. And just because you've never beaten me doesn't mean I can't give poor Harry some advice." She replies and looks at the redhead, his lack of trunk, and the fact that he's playing games.
"Change of plans. My parents decided to go to Romania to visit my brother, Charlie. He's studying Dragons there!" The youngest Weasley son boasts a little with a smug grin.
"It's nice over there, and the Dragons are awesome. My Grandfather knows the man who runs it." The young Heiress smirks, which causes his smug grin to disappear.
"Good. You can help Harry, then. He's going to go to the Library for information on Nicholas Flamel." Hermione informs him, which makes Ron groan in annoyance at the orders given by their bookworm.
"We've looked a hundred times!" Ron yells a little too loudly for Jayla's liking, making her nudge his shoulder to silence him.
"Not in the Restricted Section… Happy Christmas," She announces, leaving Jayla behind with the boys.
"I think we've had a bad influence on her," He comments as if it weren't obvious.
"You don't say. And another thing I do not want sweets for my Christmas Present from either of you." Jayla warns them, walking off after Hermione but stops. "Also, try not to get caught in the Restricted Section. And it's on the Fourth Floor."
"I know where it is," The redhead protests too quickly, and she walks away, trying to catch up with Hermione, who waits for Jayla at the Great Hall doors.
"I honestly don't understand those boys," She grumbles and looks at the stairs, seeing the pile of trunks at the bottom. "Can I please use a spell now?"
⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴
On the Hogwarts Express, heading back to London, Hermione and Jayla sit in a compartment, which happens to be the one the young Heiress sat in the first time she met her friends. Hermione sits reading her book on the History of Charms while Jayla keeps Hades occupied with one of her string toys when Draco walks past the compartment door, motioning to his cousin. Malfoy moves out of the way of the doorway, and she grabs the feline, standing up. "I need to talk to Draco real quick." Jayla tells Hermione, who doesn't lift her head from the book.
"Okay," Hermione replies, and the young Heiress opens the door, walking out of the compartment to see Draco standing in the hallway, looking twitchy as students walk past.
"Hello, Cousin," She greets him. "What could you possibly want? Seeing as we've hardly talked since starting Hogwarts." He doesn't answer and just hands her a sizeable Christmas-themed bag. The two-toned-haired girl peeks inside to see different-sized presents in black and gold wrapping paper.
"Mother asked me to give them to you. They're from my father and the rest of us." Draco answers, and she nods back.
"Mum already sent ours to Uncle Lucius the other day. I'll see you at the Ministry Christmas Party," Jayla says, missing the cousin she'd played in the garden with, not the slimy ferret in front of her.
"See you then." He replies, walking off, and she returns to the compartment, seeing Hermione still reading her book.
"Are you seriously still reading?" She questions, sitting opposite Hermione.
"How's Malfoy?" Hermione asks, startling the young Heiress.
"Know-it-all," The young Heiress jokes, and the trolley stops in front of their compartment.
⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴
The Hogwarts Express halts at the station with a deafening whistle, and a few students come off the train to see their families waiting for them. Jayla hops off the train with her shoulder bag and Hades' cage and looks around for her family but sees nothing yet. Hermione suddenly breaks into a run toward her parents, waving goodbye. "Bye, JD, see you after Christmas!" Hermione shouts, walking off with her parents, talking animatedly. Jayla grows worried for a second but hears the pitter-patter of feet coming closer.
"Sonny, he's here and Minne! Look Jay!" Hades shouts, making her owner turn around to see her siblings running toward her and attacking her in a giant hug.
"Jayjay!" Mason shouts in her ear, making her cringe as she wraps her arms around them.
"Lala!" Yazmin shouts, gaining some attention from some people on the platform. Jayla gives them a sheepish look and spots her parents walking toward them, scooping their children into a tight hug. She smells the familiar scent that overcomes her senses, knowing it smells like home.
"How's my Little Baby Girl?" Daniel asks her, beginning to walk toward the luggage compartment, and the attendant hands the white leather trunk to Daniel, who barely registers how heavy it is.
"I'm thrilled to see you all again." Jayla replies, smiling and hugging her mother, knowing she needs it. The young Heiress pulls away, keeping a hold on her mother, taking Mason's hand, and Yazmin climbs onto her back before the family walk off, heading back home.
⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴
The Darkmore Family returned home in record time, using Mr Goodman's car, who was happy to see the family together again. Jayla first walks through the front door with her family behind as she looks around at the portraits hanging on the wall of the stairs and the foyer room. "Is the Christmas tree up yet?" She asks her parents.
"Why don't you have a look," Sophia replies, guiding her children to the living room, and the young Heiress runs to the 10-foot tall tree by the far window with dozens of boxes of decorations scattered around. Mason and Yazmin join her, and the three children begin putting the ornaments on the tree as Daniel and Sophia watch them when Flora walks into the room carrying five cups of hot chocolate.
"Here you are, Masters, Mistresses," Flora announces, placing the tray on the coffee table.
"Thank you!" The children say, rushing to grab their mugs.
"Flora is glad that Mistress Jayla is home again." She smiles, taking her mug.
"I'm glad to be back too." Jayla replies, smiling at the House-elf. "I'm very glad I'm home for this. I suppose there are always things we miss about home, and this is definitely one of them. My family and our unique traditions."
"What's for dinner, Flora?" Mason asks, putting his mug down on the tray.
"I'm making dinner tonight," Daniel announces, making the children gasp. "What's wrong with my cooking?"
"Nothing!"
⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴
With Christmas around the corner, the Darkmore family travel to Diagon Alley, which is very into the Yuletide spirit, with decorations in every shop window and above as it snows. Jayla looks inside Maiden's perfume shop window, where her mother gets her signature scent. Sophia nearly had a heart attack when Daniel told her the children were shopping without her while she had to go to work at the last minute. Jayla walks inside, picks up the bottle, steps up to the counter, buys it and places her final gift in her bag. When Jayla walks out, she spots her siblings peeking through the window with big grins, meaning they have finished getting her presents. The three siblings walk along the street, Yazmin in Jayla's arms and Mason holding her coat, finding their Dad at the Junk Shop. The young Heiress tilts her head to the side, thinking back to the first time they visited Diagon Alley, and her father walks out of Gringotts, hiding something as her parents share a look, but decides to shake it off.
⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴
After their Christmas shopping, Jayla sits on her bedroom floor, wrapping presents, when Yazmin storms into the room, looking upset about something. "What's wrong, Yazz?" Jayla asks, watching her little sister jump onto the bed, moving a little to sit by the Heiress' head, her tiny legs dangling over the edge.
"Mummy says we've been invited to the Ministry Christmas party again. And Daddy says we have to go, but that means dressing up, and Pranky put food in my hair last time." Yazmin complains, and Jayla remembers last year's party and smiles softly at her baby sister, trying to reassure her.
"Well, I think Mase will be too preoccupied with your gift to even bother you for weeks on end. You can stay with the older kids and me. We'll gossip about the snotty workers like last time." She assures Yazmin, jumping up toward her sister and tackling the youngest Darkmore onto the bed, tickling her sides. Yazmin giggles uncontrollably, struggling to escape from Jayla's ticking torture.
⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴
Christmas arrives, and Jayla wakes up with a yelp, feeling something on land on her stomach, making her peek through her eyelashes to see Mason and Yazmin lying on her, looking all sweet and innocent. The young Heiress smirks at her siblings, who run out of bed. "MUMMY! DADDY!" Yazmin screams, nearly tripping.
"MAMA! DAD!" Mason screams, too, meaning they'd already wake their parents. Jayla soon gets out of bed before making it and puts her hair up into a messy ponytail staying in her pyjamas. Jayla soon joins her family, walking downstairs into the living room and beginning to open their presents.
"I wonder what the boys are doing right now. I hope Hermione and the boys like the gifts I got them." Jayla thinks, sitting on the floor by the Christmas tree, surrounded by her family.
⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴
At Hogwarts, Hedwig perches in the boys' dorm room while Harry sleeps peacefully when Ron calls for him from the Common Room. "Harry, wake up! Come on, Harry, wake up!" Ron shouts, waking the ravenette, who bolts out of bed and runs to the stairs, looking over to see his friend standing next to the Christmas tree, wearing his pyjamas and a new maroon jumper with an R on it. "Happy Christmas, Harry," He gives him a big grin, seeing his best friend.
"Happy Christmas, Ron. What are you wearing?" Harry asks him, looking at the sweater.
"Oh, Mum made it for me. Looks like you've got one too!" The redhead answers, looking at the item of clothing.
"I got presents?" He asks in surprise.
"Yeah!" Ron replies, making the ravenette gasp in surprise once more before running downstairs, joining his friend. "There they are," He points to the pile of presents by the tree and sits on the couch arm, eating Bertie Beans, watching Harry pick up a silver-wrapped package and looking at the card attached. Your father left this in my possession before he died. It is time it was returned to you. Use it well. Harry reads the message aloud and opens the gift, revealing a rustic folded cloak. "What is it?"
"Some kind of… cloak," Harry answers, inspecting the fabric.
"Well, let's see, then. Put it on," Ron encourages him, and Harry swings his arms around, putting the cloak over his shoulder, falling over his body, which disappears, and only his head is visible. "Whoa!"
"My body's gone!" He exclaims, looking at his invisible body.
"I know what that is! That's an Invisibility Cloak!" The redhead gushes, looking at it in awe.
"I'm invisible?" The ravenette questions, looking down again at his apparently vanished body.
"They're really rare. I wonder who gave it to you." Ron inquires, getting up from his seat and walking to the letter attached to the package.
"There was no name. It just said, "Use it well"." Harry replies, shuffling over, and sees more presents under the tree, taking off the cloak. "What did you get for Jayla?"
"Sweets and one of Mum's sweaters." He answers, making the ravenette grimace, knowing she'd warned them not to give her sweets.
"She's gonna kill you." The spectacled boy cringes, putting the cloak away.
"I wonder what she got us?" Ron digs around for the present, spotting the medium-sized gold and black wrapped package for both boys. "Listen to this. Dear Ronald, this present will aid you in all your schoolwork. Bloody cheek." He opens the gift to see various books on different topics, and at the bottom is a smaller box. The redhead opens it to see a transparent sphere projecting small light dots around the room.
"What's it say?" Harry asks him, looking at his friend, who sees a note in the package, and Ron hands it to him. "Funny. Ron, I saw this and thought of you. It's the star charts, meaning even the smallest lights shine bright. Also, the books will help make you brighter. Jayla."
"That girl is weird." Ron jokes, waving his hand over the ball, turning it off, and Harry opens his present, pulling out a broomstick cleaning kit and a figurine of snowy white owls resembling Hegwig. "What's yours say?"
"It says, Harry, the broomstick cleaning kit is top of the line. We need the best Seeker in top shape. The owls reminded me of Hedwig, and we all know how much you love and care about her. Jayla." Harry reads the message, blushing at the compliments.
"That's sweet. What did you get her anyway?" He asks him, seeing the blush on his friend's cheeks.
"Hagrid mentioned that the Darkmore Manor has all these Magical Creatures that protect the land. He has this book he didn't need anymore, full of all kinds of information on these Magical Creatures." He explains, trying on the cloak again, thinking over who could have sent the item and if his friends are having a good Christmas.
⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴
Hermione sits on the living room floor at the Granger house with her parents on the sofa, watching their daughter rip open her presents, primarily books. She spots a black and gold wrapped gift and quickly grabs it, tears it open to see a book on Wizarding History she didn't have yet and looks further to see a box at the bottom. "What is it, dear?" Mrs Granger asks, and Hermione pulls out a white jewellery box. The bushy-haired girl opens the box's lid, hearing the music play "Material Girl" by Madona and the little ballerina in pink tutu twirls around inside before returning to her original position. "That's so beautiful." Hermione's mother gushes, looking at the gift in her daughter's hands. "Who is it from?"
"My best friend, Jayla." Hermione answers, smiling warmly at the precious gift in her palms.
⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴
Back at the Darkmore Manor, Jayla sits with Mason and Yazmin on the living room floor with their parents seated on the sofa, all still in their pyjamas, only bothering to change later when they have Christmas dinner with their grandparents. "Time to open presents!" Sophia announces.
"It's Mason's turn this year to start." Daniel adds, and Mason hastily begins opening his presents. The first is a new three-piece suit from Sophia, who, unlike his sisters, enjoys dressing up as he aspires to be like his Dad. "Thank you, Mama! Can I wear this to the Christmas Party?" Mason jumps at his mother, attacking her in a hug, laughing.
"Of course, My Baby Boy." Sophia smiles, kissing his cheek, and he jumps down, opening his next present, a collectable toy train to add to the already extensive collection he got from his father.
"Dad, it's so awesome!" He strikes again, hugging Daniel.
"You're welcome, Little Man." Daniel says, hugging him back, and Mason sits next to Jayla and opens Yazmin's gift, finding a magic trick box and a Magician's hat.
"Thanks, Yammy." He laughs, hugging his baby sister, who giggles back.
"Can I be your assistant?" Yazmin asks him with pleading eyes.
"Sure!" He replies, finally getting his last present from Jayla, who receives a dinosaur onesie he loves, jumping up and hugging her tightly. "Thank you, Jayjay!"
"Why don't you try it on." Jayla suggests, and he quickly runs out of the room to the downstairs bathroom and comes out in the onesie. "Do you like it?"
"Yeah! I love it!" Mason grins and sits down, earning a glare from Yazmin, who's a little jealous of his gift.
"Angel, it's your turn," Sophia says, and Yazmin opens her first present, a pretty blue and white striped dress from Sophia.
"Thank you, Mummy." Yazmin smiles, hugging her leg as the Darkmore Matriarch strokes her hair.
"You're most welcome, Angel." She replies, handing the youngest Darkmore the next gift from Daniel and opens it to find a fragile China doll that looks exactly like her with different clothes and hair accessories to dress the doll up with.
"Daddy, thank you!" The blond little girl giggles.
"Anything for you, Baby." Daniel smiles, and Yazmin rushes to Mason's gift, seeing the colouring books of Unicorns and ponies with glittery pens.
"Thank you, Pranky." The youngest Darkmore hugs him quickly.
"Sure." Mason replies, smiling, and Yazmin opens Jayla's present, finding a Unicorn onesie like Mason's gift and a snow globe with crystals that glow in the dark. Yazmin grins widely, hugging her big sister tight.
"Thank you, Lala. Now I don't have to be afraid of the dark." Yazmin grins big, making Jayla laugh.
"No problem, Yazz." Jayla laughs, watching her little sister run off with her onesie and come rushing in, wearing it a second later, and the youngest Darkmore sits in the two-toned-haired girl's lap as it's now her turn to open her presents. Jayla starts with Sophia's, finding what she was expecting, a new outfit, the same colour and style as her little sister's, meaning they match. "Thank you, Mum." She politely smiles.
"You're welcome, Sweetheart." Sophia smiles, slightly hurt by her oldest child's disappointment. Jayla opens her gift from Daniel, sees a rustic golden locket and opens the flaps to see a photo of her family from last year laughing and giggling together.
"Thank you, Dad." Jayla's eyes swell up, jumping up and hugging her Dad close, squishing Yazmin in the middle.
"Anything thing for you, My Little Baby Girl." Daniel whispers in her ear, hugging her back, and she releases him, sitting back down and opening Mason's present next, not seeing the look her mother gives her father.
"Aw, thanks, Mase. Look, Hades." She smiles, showing the cat doll from Mason to the kitten, who lies by Sophia.
"No it doesn't." Hades scoffs, swiping at the gift.
"It's just a toy, Hades." The young Heiress assures the jealous feline.
"Oh. Okay. Thank you, Sonny." She replies, jumping down and sitting on the boy's lap.
"I think Hades likes it." Jayla smiles, seeing her brother stroking the jealous feline and opening Yazmin's next gift, a stuffed Witch doll, making her laugh at the adorable presents from her younger siblings. "Thank you, Yazz. Is it supposed to be me?"
"Yeah. It matches, Pranky's." Yazmin explains, and Hades purrs loudly, making everyone laugh, but Jayla soon stops when she opens Ron's gift, sees tons of sweets and quickly throws them at her Dad, who catches them, hiding them in his bathrobe pocket.
"What was that?" Mason asks, looking at his older sister strangely.
"I think it was sweets." She answers before Jayla.
"Aw. Can't we have some?" He whines, pleading with their parents.
"They're Jayla's. If she wants to share them with you, fine. But not today. Maybe after the Ministry Christmas Party, if you three are on your best behaviour." Sophia bargains, looking at her three children, who nodded, agreeing.
"I bloody warned him not to get me sweets. Mason and Yazmin are deadly during a serious sugar rush." Jayla scowls and looks back in the box, seeing a blue hand-knitted sweater with a white J on the chest.
"That's nice." Daniel comments, and she shows the others.
"Yeah. I think it's from Mrs Weasley." She replies, putting it on over her pyjamas. "It's really soft."
"Yeah, it is." Yazmin smiles, cuddling into her sister as she sits on her lap, and Jayla opens Harry's gift to see a book. She flips through the pages, seeing it's full of Magical Creatures, some of which live in their forest.
"What is it?" Sophia asks, trying to look from her seat.
"It's a book of Magical Creatures." Jayla replies, showing it to her.
"Who gave you that?" Daniel asks, taking the book.
"Harry." She answers. "He got it from Hagrid."
"That's nice of him." Sophia smiles, and Jayla opens Hermione's present to see a worn brown leather journal with a lock on its beautifully decorated side.
"It doesn't have a key." Jayla frowns, looking at the journal, and a slip of paper slips out. "Oh."
"What's it say. Lala?" Yazmin asks, trying to read it.
"I have to make up a password for it." She answers.
"Ah. I forgot. Your gift from America." Daniel announces, getting up and walking over to the desk drawers, taking something out and returning to his oldest daughter. "This is an antique pocket watch." He gives her the item, leaving some things out, keeping it a secret, and Jayla looks at the black steel pocket watch with orange glass.
"Thank you. It's beautiful." Jayla smiles, looking at the delicate item and trying to open it, but it seems stuck but doesn't pay it much mind, and the family talk for a while about the young Heiress' time at Hogwarts.
"Oh. It's time to get ready for dinner." Sophia announces, picks Yazmin up from Jayla's lap, and walks upstairs with Mason running behind them. Jayla helps Daniel clean the mess, not wanting to leave it for Flora, who cooks the Christmas roast.
⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴
Jayla comes out of her room in an emerald green and black dress and walks into Yazmin's bedroom, finding her mother already dressed in her own emerald dress, helping Yazmin put her hair into a pigtail and then turning it into a bun. "Can you help me with my hair?" Jayla asks, and Sophia smiles at her.
"Go downstairs, Angel." Sophia tells Yazmin, who runs out of the room, heading downstairs with Daniel and Mason. Jayla stands before her Mum, who pulls her hair into a series of twists, tying two pigtails together halfway down her head. "I'm sorry you didn't like you're present."
"I did, Mum." Jayla argues.
"I know you didn't. It's okay. You're growing up. You don't always like dresses." She replies with a sad smile.
"I do like dresses. This one is more my style. I guess, I'mjust not into the kind you like anymore." The young Heiress explains, trying to cushion the blow.
"I see. Thank you for playing along for however long. I love you, Sweetheart." The Darkmore Matriarch smiles, kissing her forehead.
"I love you too, Mum." Jayla smiles back.
⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴
Sophia and Jayla walk downstairs together, seeing Michael and Susan Darkmore standing in the foyer, looking at all the Christmas decorations. Yazmin runs to the door, spotting their Grandparents, jumps into their open arms, and they wait for Jayl, who jogs over to them in her small heels, wrapping her arms around them. The young Heiress hugs them, which they return, and she breathes in the smell of peppermint, which always makes her think of her Grandparents. "Oh, our darling girls. Happy Christmas." Michael and Susan greet the girls, and Mason comes running from the hallway to the grand dining room with a big grin.
"Happy Christmas!" The children reply.
"Hello, Dad, Mum." Sophia greets them, getting pulled into a hug.
"Hello, Sophia." Susan smiles.
"Ah, Mum, Dad. You're here. Hello." Daniel says, walking to join the rest of the family.
"Hello, son," Michael greets him back.
"Dinner is ready." Flora announces, walking into the hallway.
"Thank you, Flora." The Darkmore Family reply and walk into the dining room to find the table set out for a grand feast. Daniel goes to the head of the table with Sophia on his left, Mason between her and Susan and Michael on Daniel's right, Jayla between him and Yazmin, and then Flora at the end.
"I'm glad we could all be here today. And many years after. Happy Christmas." Daniel says, raising his glass.
"Happy Christmas." Everyone says, raising their glasses, and the Darkmore Patriarch carves the turkey, and they enjoy their deliciously cooked meal, chatting as they eat.
"I wonder how the boys are doing back at Hogwarts. Ron's probably stuffing his face like always. And Harry'll get the best meal of his life if Ron doesn't eat it all." Jayla giggles and snaps out of it, seeing her family looking at her. "Sorry. I was thinking of my friends. They stayed at Hogwarts."
"Who's that dear?" Susan asks her.
"Harry Potter and Ron Weasley." She answers.
"Ah. The Boy Who Lived." Michael nods.
"Dad." Daniel sighs.
"I remember when Grindelwold was at large. That was when I worked at MACUS as an Auror." He scoffs. "He was wrong, and so is Voldemort."
"Couldn't agree more." Sophia hums, seeming lost in thought.
"He killed your sister for no reason. And they locked up her husband for it too! No trial, either! The Ministry just wanted it swept under the carpet." The old man yells, scaring the younger Darkmores.
"Dad. Enough!" Daniel shouts, making everyone jump. "Please." He lowers his voice. "I miss Davina too."
"I'm sorry for that outburst, children." Michael apologises.
"It's okay, Grandpa. I wish we got to meet Aunt Davina." Jayla says. "I lit a candle for her on Hallows Eve."
"We all do." Sophia adds, sharing a smile with her oldest.
"Enough of this depressing talk. What presents did you get?" Susan asks.
"The children got quite a few good ones." Daniel smiles, glad for the change of topic.
⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴
That same night at Hogwarts, a lantern and hand appear from nowhere in the Fourth Floor corridor, moving through the dark to the Library's Restricted Section. The lamp sits on the edge of the bookcase, full of books on different subjects, and a cloak peels off, revealing Harry searching for a particular book. "Famous Fire Eaters… 15th Century Fiends… Flamel… Nicholas Flamel… where are you?" He mutters under his breath, picking up a book and opening it, when a man's face appears from within the pages, screaming madly. Harry slams it shut and puts it back on the shelf, but it's too late.
"Who's there?!" Filch's voice echoes through the Library, and Harry whips around and rapidly grabs his fallen cloak, causing the lantern to fall, shattering onto the floor. "I know you're in there. You can't hide." He quickly puts on the cloak and creeps around the Caretaker, careful not to knock into the grumpy old man. "Who is it? Show yourself!"
⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴
Harry runs from the Library, breathing heavily, coming out into the hallway, spotting Mrs Norris standing guard, and meowing, sensing the boy, following him as he rushes around the corner where Professor Snape and Quirrell appear. "Severus… I-I thought…" The DADA Professor stutters in fright.
"You don't want me as your enemy, Quirrell." Snape warns him, pointing a finger in his face.
"W-What do you m-mean?" He questions nervously.
"You know perfectly well what I mean." The Potions Master sneers and senses something, causing Harry to cover his mouth. Snape reaches out, trying to grab something, but feels nothing, and not wasting any time, he whips his finger back in front of Quirrell's face. "We'll have another chat soon… when you've had time to decide where your loyalties lie." The Professors are interrupted as Filch comes rushing toward them, carrying the broken lantern Harry left behind.
"Oh, Professors. I found this in the Restricted Section," Filch shows them the lamp. "It's still hot. That means there's a student out of bed." Upon hearing this, Professor Snape and Quirrell dart off in different directions, searching for the missing student.
⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴
Harry quickly escapes the teachers trying to find him and opens a random door, closing it behind him and finds himself inside a vast, empty room with only a large mirror in the centre, known as the Mirror of Erised. Harry removes his cloak, walks to the mirror, and looks into the reflection, seeing something he wasn't expecting. Harry's parents. James and Lily Potter. "Mum?" Harry questions, looking at the image of Lily, who nods, smiling. "Dad?" He looks at the appearance of James, who nods, smiling, too, and the young ravenette reaches out to touch them but only gets the mirror's glass. Harry's mother puts her hand on his shoulder in the mirror, and he places his hand on his shoulder as if trying to feel Lily is there, but nothing.
⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴
Harry rushes into his dormitory in Gryffindor Tower, still invisible. "Ron! You've really got to see this! Ron! You've got to see this!" Harry shouts, pulling the bed covers back, waking the redhead. "Ron, Ron, come on. Get out of bed!"
"Why?" Ron grumbles, half asleep.
"There's something you've got to see. Now, come on!" He yells, and Ron reluctantly gets out of bed, following him.
⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴
Harry leads Ron under the Invisibility Cloak to the misused classroom with the Mirror of Erised inside. "Come on. Come. Come look, it's my parents!" He exclaims, dragging his friend toward the centre.
"I only see us." Ron replies, wiping away the sleep from his eyes and looking into the mirror.
"Look in properly. Go on. Stand there. There." Harry leads him in front of the mirror. "You see them, don't you? That's my Dad." He says, pointing, and moving over, letting Ron stand alone.
"That's me!" The redhead exclaims with a big smile. "Only. I'm Head Boy… and I'm holding the Quidditch Cup! And bloody hell, I'm Quidditch Captain too! I look good." Ron looks at the ravenette. "Harry, do you think this mirror shows the future?" He wonders, looking back at the mirror in wonderment.
"How can it? Both my parents are dead." Harry replies with a sad smile.
⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴
The day after Christmas, Jayla stands with her little sister and the other children her age from school, watching their parents gossip about work nonsense at the Ministry Christmas Party. "Where's Mase?" Jayla questions, looking around.
"There!" Yazmin answers, pointing to a table near the adults, where you can see Mason's feet poking out from under the tablecloth.
"He's got his prank box, hasn't he?" She sighs, hanging her head and goes to walk away when Draco steps up with his goon squad.
"Can you believe it? Professor Quirrell is still our Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. He's completely useless. We keep going over the same lesson again and again." Draco complains, making Jayla roll her eyes a little.
"Drake, grow up. And you're right. He is a useless teacher, but I know you've been reading ahead like me." The young Heiress teases him, and Yazmin begins twirling around to the beautiful orchestra music playing throughout the banquet hall.
"I know." He grumbles, and Jayla snickers when suddenly a loud pop goes off by the adults, freaking the adults out, and Mason laughs, running toward the group of children and hiding behind his big sister. "Best Christmas ever!"
"Agreed." Jayla smiles.
⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴
Back at Hogwarts a few nights later, Harry sits atop the table in front of the fireplace in the Great Hall while everyone eats the feast, especially the Weasley clan, sitting behind him as he thinks about the Mirror of Erised. "Do you like yours, Ron?" George asks, and Ron turns to Harry, who sits watching the fire. "Ron?"
"I'll be right back." Ron replies, leaving the table and stepping to Harry. "Want to play Chess?"
"No." Harry answers.
"Wanna go and visit Hagrid?" He suggests, trying to get his friend's mind off the mirror.
"No." The ravenette answers again.
"Harry, I know what you're thinking, but don't. There's something not quite right about that mirror. Even Jayla and Hermione agree." The redhead argues, having written to the girls the night before. Ron sees he won't get much more from him and walks back to the table, joining his brothers.
⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴
Harry returns to the misused classroom later that night, seeing the mirror still there and gazing longingly into his parents' reflection when Dumbledore appears behind him at the door without making a sound. "Back again, Harry?" The Headmaster questions, startling the boy, who jumps, turns around and stands to his feet. "I see that you, like so many before you, have discovered the delights of the Mirror of Erised. I trust by now you realise what it does. Let me give you a clue. The happiest man on earth would look into the mirror and see only himself, exactly as he is."
"So, then it shows us what we want? Whatever we want?" Harry asks, looking at Dumbledore.
"Yes… and no. It shows us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desires of our hearts. Now you, who have never known your family, you see them standing beside you. But remember this, Harry. This mirror gives us neither knowledge or truth, Men have wasted away in front of it, even gone mad. That is why tomorrow it will be moved to a new home, and I must ask you not to go looking for it again. It does not do to dewell on dreams, Harry, and forget to live." Dumbledore warns the boy, looking into the mirror, and Harry looks back at the mirror, seeing his parents one last time, knowing the Headmaster is right.