106A.N: Hey there guys, I posted Chapter 13, but I don't know how many people saw it with the way FF updates things. Anyway, hope you enjoy Chapter 14, its definitely a pretty homey one!
Chapter 14: The Winter Holiday
The weeks blurred into one another like a series of brisk autumn winds, each one carrying Harry further into the routine of Hogwarts. While most of his classes, and even his lessons with Dumbledore were going well, with Harry even managing to prevent Dumbledore from entering his mind for over a minute. Harry knew, despite Dumbledore's kind words, that he wasn't trying nearly as hard as he could or being half as deceptive as Harry assumed him to be capable of when it came to invading his head, but Harry appreciated them all the same.
Despite Dumbledore's assurances the day after the Quidditch Match, Harry had found himself struggling a bit more than he anticipated in both Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts, given that he refused to allow either Snape or Quirrell a clean look into his eyes. The book Harry had received from Dumbledore, spoke of a type of legilimency called passive legilimency where through eye contact alone, an invader could read the most instinctual thoughts of a person. Harry wasn't sure what Snape or Quirrell were truly capable of in the art of mind-reading, but he sure didn't want to give either the benefit of the doubt.
November itself had been a pleasant month. Quidditch practices were in full swing, the air filled with the scent of wet leaves and the distant cheer of students carried around the halls as they checked the current Quidditch standings. Gryffindor's victory had been dominant, but Ravenclaw was pulling second after they too had managed to embarrass Slytherin in their match, leaving the snakes at the bottom of the standings, though they had a long break ahead of them before their next game.
Harry had spent a lot of his free time, little as there was now with every teacher trying to cram as much as they could with the holidays approaching, helping Neville with trying to raise his grade in potions. Neville was beaming one day when he'd reported to Harry and Michael that Snape had written a letter home to his grandmother accusing him of cheating due to his massive progress. Harry and Michael had fallen to the ground, roaring with laughter when Neville told him his grandmother was furious, and Snape had received a howler from her in the middle of the Great Hall during dinner the next evening.
With the help of the invisibility cloak, Michael and Harry had managed quite a few stunts of their own. Sneaking into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, during breakfast one morning, Harry and Michael had worked to bewitch some of Quirrell's favorite objects to squeal or squawk whenever he gripped them, with Michael putting a delayed transfiguration on Quirrell's favorite quill that made it transform into a parrot half way through his NEWT-Level class. They'd also slipped into the potions' room, and put a slipping spell on Snape's favorite stool, holding back their laughter as they watched Snape crash to the ground off it the day after.
However, their favorite was the ingenuity of what Michael had called, Draco's Talk-Back Robes. Harry was almost embarrassed to admit how much work had gone into charming the robe set from a far, so that it would "talk" whenever Draco opened his mouth. From beneath the cloak, Harry and Michael snickered every time Draco moved to make a comment only for it to be drowned out by the robe's chatter of, "Really, Draco? You don't say!" or "Oh, we all know how great your father is, no need to remind us!"
And the way Draco pulled off his robes and ran with a panicked scream had brought a tear to their eyes. What Harry probably enjoyed the most, however, was the time he spent with Daphne. They never really got to talk for long outside of class, but Harry found he was rarely as late as he'd once been for either History of Magic or Defense Against the Dark Arts. He didn't want to waste a second of the time they had carved in, and he was glad she'd made a habit of sitting next to him in both classes, even giving him a soft smile when he'd make a comment under his breath or move his hand closer to hers.
Still, Harry found Daphne as elusive as ever, sometimes hinting that they might be more than friends, other times laughing at the idea altogether and telling him not to get ahead of himself. Harry had to admit she was doing wonders if her intention was to confuse him, but he wasn't exactly in a rush. He found he liked the game, and felt his heart almost jump into his throat every time she'd leaned in to kiss him, particularly when Harry found himself surrounded by other Gryffindor girls like Parvati and Lavender.
Harry couldn't quite tell if the rumors that had begun to spread about Daphne slipping him a love potion was something she found amusing or irritating. Harry found he often rode that line with Daphne in general, and wasn't exactly sure how to bring it up. What he did know was that Astoria had hardly found the accusations amusing, even earning herself a detention for casting the bat-bogey hex on Romilda Vane who'd gone as far as to call her sister a wicked enchantress. Harry had, of course, under the invisibility cloak, gone to give Astoria company in the trophy room as she worked to polish the brass by hand. Though, dared not to get his hands dirty with the polish, citing a fear of staining his cloak, much to Astoria's disamusement.
Harry had to admit he was enjoying his time at Hogwarts more and more and had honestly been a little disappointed when the day had come to board the Hogwarts Express home for the holidays. As Harry, Neville, and Michael made their way to the platform where the Hogwarts Express waited, they chatted animatedly, about their last couple of days before the break.
"I'm telling you, with Ravenclaw's win over Slytherin, it's pretty much guaranteed it'll be Gryffindor against Ravenclaw for the final match," Michael said with a grin.
"Well, Fred and George told me you guys were washed last year, maybe this time you Ravenclaws will actually give us a challenge," Harry replied, nudging him. "Just try not to be too disappointed when we win the cup."
Michael rolled his eyes. "Keep dreaming, Potter."
As they approached the train, Harry's gaze caught sight of Daphne and Astoria Greengrass standing off to the side. Daphne was bending down to give her sister a hug, her expression unusually soft as she whispered something that made Astoria smile.
"Hang on a sec, I'll catch up with you guys," Harry said, making his way over to the sisters.
"Hey, Princess," Harry said, catching Daphne's eye. He leaned in with a grin. "Think I could get a goodbye kiss for Christmas?"
Daphne rolled her eyes but couldn't hide a small smile as she reached out and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Don't get greedy, Flyboy. Merry Christmas." She gave him a gentle shove, turning to leave as her lips curled into an amused smile.
Harry chuckled, then turned to Astoria. "So, what about you, Short Stack? Got any exciting plans for the break?"
Astoria looked a little surprised. "Oh, well, I'll be heading home."
"I can see that," Harry said. "But to be honest, I never asked because I thought you both stayed at Hogwarts for the holidays," Harry said, glancing after Daphne, who was already weaving through the crowd.
"Daphne and our dad… don't exactly get along," Astoria explained, her voice quieter. "They had a big fight a couple of years ago, and she hasn't gone home since." She hesitated, biting her lip as if wondering if she'd said too much. "She mostly spends summers with the Davises."
Harry frowned, curiosity piqued. "What about?"
"What do you think?" Astoria said, pointing to herself miserably. Harry was about to speak, when Astoria shook her head firmly at him. "Anyway, what about you, Harry? What are you doing over the break?"
Harry gave her a lopsided grin. "Oh, probably just sleep until New Year's, then finally tackle the mountain of schoolwork I've been ignoring." Then, with a more serious note, he added, "But hey, Astoria, seriously, if you need me, for anything at all, just call on my house elf. His name's Kreacher. You can always send me a message through him. Don't try to reach out by owl, it's not gonna make it to where I'll be."
"Why not?" Astoria asked, this time it was her who was curious.
"Protections around where I live," Harry said simply. "Not easy being the Boy-Who-Lived and what not."
"I guess not," Astoria said, clearly not entirely satisfied. "But thanks, Harry, I'll keep it in mind."
"Well, come on then, let's get a move on," Harry said, taking Astoria's heavy trunk from her hands. "Don't want to end up stuck in a compartment with Malfoy or something."
They boarded the train, joining Michael and Neville in an empty compartment. Harry had already made his way down to where he'd seen the trolley witch and returned with a mountain of candy in his arms as the train departed the station. Harry watched with an odd pang in his chest as the Hogwarts Express whistled and chugged along the track. From his seat, Harry found that his eyes gravitated toward the window of the hospital wing, his thoughts lingering on a blond-haired witch.
Once Hogwarts was out of sight, and the four of them were officially settled in for the long trip back to King's Cross, Harry turned to Neville and Michael. "So, what are you guys doing for Christmas?"
Michael shrugged. "Dad'll probably have me helping at the shop. We get pretty busy this time of year, you know, with all the car sales that happen during the holidays, and Mum's got the whole holiday dinner planned. So honestly, it's shaping up to be a pretty regular Christmas for me."
Neville fidgeted, "Gran and I do some of the old wizarding traditions. We put out charmed holly around the house to keep away any sometimes we go carrolling. We're even doing the Yule Log Ember Exchange ceremony with the Bones family this year. And then…" His voice trailed off, his expression growing distant. "We go visit… my parents at St. Mungo's."
The compartment had gone quiet as both Harry and Michael shot looks at each other which told both of them that they'd both just learned a new fact about Neville. Michael shifted, breaking the silence as he pulled out a deck of muggle playing cards. "Um, anyone up for a game?"
Neville smiled, and Harry did so too in relief as they both turned to face Michael now shuffling the cards with ease. "Go Fish, Blackjack, Poker, Spoons… though I guess we'd need spoons for that game."
"What are those?" Astoria asked, leaning forward with interest.
"Their muggle card games," Harry said. "Let's start with Go Fish, it's simple enough to explain and we can do blackjack next, then, we'll see from there."
Michael began dealing the cards as he explained the rules, and soon they were all engrossed in the most competitive game of Go Fish Harry had ever experienced. Harry was admittedly surprised at Astoria's ruthlessness and even Michael had to concede that Astoria had one hell of a poker face by the time they'd reached that game.
As the train zipped by, Harry felt a sinking filling that matched the sun's motion, before under the light of a waning gibbous moon, the train pulled into the station at platform 9 3/4.
The train whistled, acknowledging their arrival and slowly, Harry departed the train, Loki purring on his shoulder. Neville, Michael and Astoria filed out behind him as they stepped onto the platform. Harry paused, scanning the bustling scene around him. Families reunited with open arms and laughter, filling the air with warmth that could've melted the frost surrounding the Hogwarts Express.
Though, Harry couldn't help but notice a man standing in the direction that Astoria was walking. He was tall, with sleek black hair and a face as if it had been chiseled from ice that barely seemed to flinch at Astoria's approach. Reaching out, Harry gripped Astoria's arm, his eyes shifting from her father down to her. "Remember," he murmured, "if you need anything or just want to talk, you can message me through Kreacher. Anytime."
Astoria's eyes lit up with a grateful, almost surprised smile. "Thanks, Harry. I know."
Reluctantly, Harry let her go, his eyes never leaving Mr. Greengrass. There was something about him that made Harry's stomach feel uneasy. It wasn't so much the indifference of his stare, Harry had gotten used to that with Daphne, the resemblance, at least in that regard, was uncanny. But there was always a fire behind Daphne's eyes, a cold one, a focused one, but clearly visible in her icy blue pools. Mr. Greengrass' eyes looked empty, as if his soul had long since departed his body.
Astoria waved at him, taking her father's hand before the two vanished in a blink. Turning, Harry spotted Michael a little way down the platform. Michael's mother stood beside him, hugging him tightly. She was warmly-looking at him as she pulled him back, with kind eyes and a gentle smile. Her hair was a gently graying brown, and Harry could see Michael's own grin on his mother's face. Michael was blushing furiously at the kiss she'd planted on his forehead. He'd only managed to give Harry a piercing glare and mouth a warning in Harry's direction before they too vanished with a pop.
Harry turned, quickly noticing Tonk's bright pink hair in the crowd beside Andromeda, Ted, and a large, shaggy black dog. Just as he was about to make his way over, Harry felt a soft but firm hand clasp his shoulder. He turned to find himself looking up at an elderly witch. The woman was tall and imposing, her lined face softened only slightly by the sharp, intelligent eyes that observed everything around her with keen perception. A grand, vulture-topped hat added to her striking silhouette, making her seem taller still and in her other hand, she held a polished walking stick that made Harry instantly want to hit the deck, fearing she could put some power behind a swing with it.
"Harry Potter, is it?" The woman said.
Harry nodded, feeling as though he'd been pulled into place by sheer force of her presence."Yes, ma'am."
She gave him a small, approving nod. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I've heard from Neville about the friends he's made this year. I'm quite glad to see that you're one of them."
Harry smiled, caught a little off guard. "Thank you, and the same goes to Neville, he's been a great friend, too." Harry reached out his hand, and the woman shook it with a grip firmer than Harry had expected. "You must be his grandmother, Augusta Longbottom, right?"
"Indeed I am," Augusta smiled. "And good," she nodded, her lips pursed in satisfaction. "It's high time he had friends who appreciate him. And I'm especially pleased to see you back in our world, young man. And from what I've heard from Neville this year about your skill, I'm sure your parents would be very proud."
Harry smiled. "Thank you, ma'am."
With a final approving nod, Augusta headed off, and Harry finally made his way over to where the Tonks family and Padfoot were awaiting him. "Wotcher Harry," Tonks called, pulling him into a hug. "Heard you've been having a busy year."
"Yeah, you can say that," Harry said scratching the back of his neck as Tonks raised herself onto her tiptoes looking behind him. "What are you looking for?"
"Figured that was obvious?" Tonks chuckled. "I'm looking for the blond Sirius told me he saw you kissing after you won your first match. Need to do my aurorly duties and ensure her head's screwed on right."
Harry shoved Tonks playfully making room for the black dog to nearly tackle him in a hug. "Alright, alright!" Harry laughed. "Come on then, let's go home."
Harry had spent the first two days back home doing exactly as he had promised Astoria, sleeping and catching up on assignments he'd allowed to linger for far too long. He was grateful for the rest, and he couldn't deny that part of him was glad to be home, even though 12 Grimmauld Place still lacked a lot of homely qualities.
He was thrilled when the house had finally reached full occupancy, when an exhausted looking Remus, coming off a transformation, had joined them for dinner during Harry's third night. Though with both Sirius and Remus together, and no fear of listening ears, Harry finally decided it was time to inform them of what he'd learned.
Harry leaned forward, his voice low as he told Sirius and Remus about Dumbledore's story of the basilisk venom used to destroy the diary. As he spoke, he saw both their faces grow grimmer.
"Basilisk venom," Remus repeated quietly, glancing at Sirius who was tugging at the locket now around his neck. "So that's one of the few substances capable of breaking such powerful magic. Only trouble is, it's illegal to sell because basilisks are illegal to breed."
Sirius shook his head, running a hand through his hair. "Venom from a creature like that… near impossible to come by."
Before the weight of the situation could sink any further, Tonks breezed in, rolling her eyes at their somber expressions. "Oh, come on now! It's nearly Christmas! There'll be plenty of time to look glum about enchanted objects later." She held up three bottles of firewhisky, pressing it into Sirius's and Remus's hands before giving a sly grin and pouring a small splash into Harry's butterbeer.
Andromeda's voice rang out from the other room. "Nymphadora! You're not slipping alcohol to Harry, are you?"
Tonks winked at Harry, lowering her voice. "How does she always know?"
Shaking off the brief amusement, Tonks looked back at Harry with a grin. "So, Harry, speaking of unknown mysteries, like how my mother has eyes growing out the back of her head," she raised her voice an octave to ensure Andromeda would hear, "You never told me how your Hogwarts romance is going?"
Harry felt his face heat up as he stammered, "It's… complicated, I guess? Daphne and I are… well, it's hard to say. Sometimes I think we're on the same page, and then she throws me off again."
Tonks laughed. "Sounds like she's keeping you on your toes." She raised her glass. "That's alright. ladies can be tricky like that."
Harry snorted, raising an eyebrow at Tonks. "Says the one who'd know all about being a lady?"
Tonks put a hand to her heart, feigning shock. "Oh, are you saying I'm not the epitome of ladylike elegance?"
Harry grinned, shrugging. "Well, I didn't want to be the one to say it…"
With a gleam of mischief in her eye, Tonks tipped her firewhisky over Harry's head, drenching him in a splash of warmth and smoky sweetness. "That'll teach you to question my refined nature, Potter!"
The room burst into laughter, Remus smiling softly and Sirius barking with laughter. Even Andromeda chuckled from the doorway and Harry couldn't help but laugh as he wiped the firewhisky from his face, "Alright! Alright!" Harry said between bursts of laughter, "I'm sorry Tonks, you'd fit right in at the Queen's court, okay?"
"That's better," Tonks said.
"You two are ridiculous," Andromeda called out from the kitchen. "Harry, go upstairs and shower. Can't have you sticky for Christmas Eve dinner."
"Right away, ma'am," Harry said, and left, still hearing a laughing Sirius below.
After a hot shower, Harry joined Remus in the sitting room, where a cozy fire crackled in the hearth, filling the room with warmth and a faint scent of cedar that mingled with the scents escaping the kitchen. "Feeling better after that little… incident?" Remus asked with a smirk.
Harry chuckled, running a hand through his damp hair. "Yeah, Tonks definitely has her own way of reminding me to watch my mouth."
Remus gave a nod, then his expression softened. "On a more serious note, Harry, how's the Patronus practice going? Still finding it difficult?"
Harry hesitated, weighing his words carefully. "It's… it's getting better, but I still haven't managed to produce a full corporeal Patronus." He paused, considering whether to tell Remus about the strange fogginess in his memories whenever he had tried to focus on a particularly strong one. The feeling gnawed at him, but the thought of revealing it, especially to either Remus or Sirius, gave him pause. If either found out, they'd probably yank him out of Hogwarts in a heartbeat, taking him away from his friends.
Remus observed him quietly before giving him an encouraging smile. "Well, I may have found a solution," he said, his tone light. "I happened to trap a boggart at the school where I work, and I thought we might make use of it over the holidays. A little practice never hurts."
Harry's face lit up. "You mean we'll practice summoning a Patronus against it?"
Remus nodded. "It's the best way to train—under a little bit of pressure. We'll take it slow, but I think you'll find it helpful."
Harry's spirits lifted considerably, and after a delicious dinner Harry made his way back into the sitting room where they all gathered around the tree and the roaring flames. He took his seat next to Sirius whose brow was furrowed as he looked quizzically at the Daily Prophet in his hands. Intrigued, Harry leaned over, taking in the article with an outright venomous glare, reading the headline: "Dementor Attacks: Is Hogwarts Safe Under Dumbledore's Leadership?"
Harry felt his stomach twist as he read the article. The piece was an unsubtle hit on Dumbledore, implying that the Headmaster was somehow behind the attacks, or at the very least, unfit to prevent them. Words like "negligence" and "questions of competency" were thrown around liberally, and a statement from Fudge was plastered across the bottom: "While we cannot say who or what is responsible for these recent incidents, the Ministry must consider every possibility."
Harry clenched his jaw, "I can't believe Fudge really is trying to shift the blame of the dementor attacks onto Dumbledore."
Sirius rolled his eyes, a look of pure disdain etched across his face. "Absolutely ridiculous. Even I could make a better Minister than Fudge at this point."
Tonks smirked, crossing her arms as she gave Sirius an appraising look. "Well, there's an idea. Maybe you should run once Fudge is out of office."
Remus let out a hearty laugh, the first one that Harry had heard in a while. "Imagine that! Minister Sirius Black, reformer of all things respectable."
Sirius frowned, "Oh, come off it, I wouldn't be worse than Fudge."
"Not exactly a high bar to clear," Ted said. "I do genuinely fear what our ministry is becoming. I heard Fudge received an invitation to the Malfoy's Christmas Party this year while I was at work. Any decent Minister would decline such an association, but you know Fudge, he heard the words 'Seat of Honor' and jumped at the opportunity."
"How a fool like him has held the position this long is frankly a mystery beyond my comprehension," Andromeda tutted. "It's a shame Dumbledore isn't interested in the position. Though, I do admit that I rest easier at night knowing he was there to watch over both Tonks in her time at school and Harry now. Now Millicent Bagnold, there was a competent leader, a real hard-nosed woman. Made life difficult for You-Know-Who she did."
Harry allowed a few minutes of Andromeda praising Minister Bagnold to pass before he entered the conversation again, turning back to face Sirius. "Hey, Sirius," Harry started, trying to keep his tone casual. "Any chance I could borrow the map for a bit?"
Sirius looked up, his expression tight. "You're not still after Pettigrew, are you?" He sighed, but there was no annoyance in his voice—only concern. "I told you, I'll take care of him when the time comes. And Harry, I've been keeping an eye on the map since I took it. If Pettigrew was anywhere in Hogwarts, I'd know. But he hasn't shown himself just yet."
Harry shook his head, deciding not to press that particular issue. "It's not about that, actually. I need it for… something else.
Sirius's eyes narrowed slightly, but then he shrugged, pulling the map from his pocket. "Alright. But I want it back before you head off to Hogwarts. Got it?"
"Got it," Harry said with a grin as he pocketed the map and made his way upstairs.
It wasn't long after Harry left the sitting room that the others followed suit in heading to bed. It was only in the quiet of his room that Harry pulled out his wand and opened the Marauder's Map, letting his eyes scan over the familiar lines and corridors of Hogwarts. He watched the dots moving around, students settling in for the night and the teachers pacing through the halls, paying special attention to the dots of Snape but seeing Quirrell's, or rather the blank moving space, nowhere to be found. Ignoring that for now found himself tracing the path leading to the hospital wing, looking for one particular name.
There it was: Daphne Greengrass.
He watched her dot moving back and forth in the hospital wing, accompanied by Madam Pomfrey—and another figure. Harry squinted, reading the name Nicholas Flamel.
Nicholas Flamel? Harry thought to himself. I haven't met any Nicholas Flamels at the school?
Harry had wanted to linger on the thought and watch as Daphne made her way down from the hospital wing and to her dormitory, but was struggling against his drooping eyelids. Before he knew it, sleep overtook him, the map still open on his lap, his mind filled with questions that would have to wait until morning, should he even remember them.
The rest of the holiday break flew by and Harry had never once felt so excited about the idea of returning to school. Harry had made it a point with his friends not to send him presents, given that him explaining the nature of Grimmauld Place's defenses would cause more harm than good and that they'd exchange gifts upon their reunion on the Hogwarts Express.
As for the people at Grimmauld Place, they each gave him something small but Harry had been grateful for them all the same: Remus offered a set of enchanted quills that never ran out of ink, Sirius gave him a broom polishing kit with a custom Gryffindor emblem, and Andromeda gifted him a soft scarf that matched his Gryffindor robes. Ted's gift was a Muggle book of stories about Sherlock Holmes, saying it was time Harry saw "the kind of sleuths Muggles have." And, of course, Tonks playfully warned him not to expect anything extravagant, reminding him that the Firebolt had been his big present, but she still gave him a few joke items from Zonkos.
Harry had been careful to pack away the gifts he'd ordered for Neville, Michael, Astoria, and Daphne carefully in his trunk as Kreacher had returned with his selection, but the herbology field guide that Kreacher had just brought in reminded him of Neville in particular.
"Hey Sirius, can I ask you something, I figured, maybe you'd know." Sirius turned to him and gestured for him to continue. "Neville mentioned something about going to St. Mungo's over the break. Something about his parents."
Sirius exchanged a brief, solemn glance with Remus before nodding. "I think, Harry, that if you want to know, it's best you ask him about it. And if he doesn't want to share it, then… just don't push him for the information."
"Is everything okay with them?" Harry asked, but Remus only shook his head. "Oh… I see," Harry said.
Harry did his best not to allow the thoughts of Neville linger over the rest of the break, but found it hard not to find his mind wandering back to what Sirius had implied. Still, he understood better than most the desire to keep a secret, and had determined the day before they were to return that he wouldn't mention it until Neville brought it up again.
It was Tonks who'd been assigned to take him to the station, alone this time as both Sirius and Remus had accidentally had a bit too much firewhisky with their goodbyes to Harry. Though, unfortunately, Sirius had been aware enough to take the map from him before he left.
Tonks adjusted Harry's scarf as they made their way through King's Cross, her bright pink hair standing out starkly against the sea of travelers.
"Alright, you've got everything, yeah?" Tonks asked, brushing an imaginary speck of dust off Harry's shoulder. "No socks left behind?"
Harry smirked. "All set, Tonks."
Tonks chuckled, glancing around to make sure no one was watching as they edged closer to the barrier between platforms nine and ten. "Sirius and Remus both wanted me to remind you not to be too worried about what happens here and for you to really focus on your training with Dumbledore. We're all adults on this end, and we all think you're about ten years too early to start worrying about any of us, okay?"
"Yeah, I know," Harry said. "But Sirius isn't exactly someone who is easy not to worry about."
"Pot calling the kettle black there, Potter," Tonks said as the two slipped into platform 9 3/4. "But seriously kid, keep up the good work, and remember, a little trouble is good, but try not to drown in detentions."
"I'll do my best, not to cross the line," Harry said as the two hugged, before Tonks guided him closer to the scarlet steam engine.
"Suppose that's all we can ask for," Tonks laughed. "Now get on the train. Don't want to stand up the whole way in, do you?"
"Nope," Harry said popping the p, before pulling himself onto the train. "See you, Tonks."
Tonks gave him a nod, turning back into the crowd as Harry began to carry his lightened bag through the corridors. It wasn't long until he bumped into the familiar face of Michael Corner in the corridor.
"Who dropped you off?" he asked, glancing out the window to where Tonks was still sticking out in the crowd.
Harry shrugged, "My sister, sort of," he said, referring to Tonks.
Michael raised an eyebrow, grinning mischievously. "Gotta say, your sister's kinda hot, Harry."
Harry snorted, shoving him in the shoulder. "Yeah, well, keep dreaming, Corner."
It wasn't long after that until Astoria and Neville had both found them in a compartment near the middle of the train. "Everyone have a good break," Michael asked.
They all nodded and Harry sighed hearing the whistle blast overhead. "Good, because I gotta feeling that this years about to get way busier when we get back."
"Come on, Potter," Michael sighed. "Don't say that."
Harry smiled, leaning back into the plush seats, his eyes fixated on the pink hair in the crowd that was Tonks as the train pulled out of the station. "Just a feeling. Though hopefully, I'll be wrong."
A/N: Sometimes it's good that have chapters that are a little slow, but I do also know that Rowling does a great job with her Christmas chapters where she really lets the bonds of the characters grow, while still keeping the plot moving forward. Hopefully, I did the same here! Anyway, be sure to Follow, Favorite, and Review, and until next time, peace!