Potter's Girl / Butterfly Effect.

35. Yuletide

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE;

YULETIDE

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Snow fell in thick blankets over the course of the next week. Hogwarts was slowly adorned with Christmas decorations.

   The cheerfulness of it all solely contradicted Cassie's constantly dull mood.

   She spent her last few days of the semester either in the library with Atticus or the Hufflepuff common room with Cedric, but never with both at the same time. She was still keen on figuring out what had happened between them, but every time she asked either of them, Cedric replied with, "It's Atticus's business, not mine"; and, Atticus, "It's alright, I promise." Neither were convincing.

   On Christmas morning, Hermione awoke Cassie horrifyingly early.

Let the record show, it did not happen without contradiction, though: Cassie rolled over and shoved her face into her pillow. "Let me sleep."

"No can do," said Hermione brightly, bouncing over to Cassie's bed and pulling the covers off of her. "We've got to get going."

"Why is it that you're in such a peppy mood today, Hermione?" she queried, pulling herself slowly out of bed and to the bathroom.

"Oh, you'll see," she said, though her bright mood slowly seeped into impatience as Cassie took longer and longer to get ready. By the time she was finished, Hermione was tapping her foot on the floor and watching irritatedly. "Ready?"

"Yes, b–"

"Good," she said. Hermione reached out and pulled Cassie by the arm down the stairs, across the common room, and along the hallways, though she didn't stop in front of the Great Hall.

"Hermione, where are we going? I'm starving."

"Trust the process," was all Hermione said. This confused Cassie enough to keep her silent for the rest of the journey.

Finally, Hermione slowed to a stop at the bottom of the staircase leading up to the Owlery.

Cassie looked up the stairs, then back to Hermione. Her cheeks were twinged pink, as Hermione had dragged her outside with no attempt of a warning of the weather's harshness. "Why in the world are we here?"

"Go. Just go up. Now," said Hermione, pushing Cassie's back until she began to walk up the stairs. She checked her watch again and sighed. "Now, Cassie!"

"Fine, fine." Cassie finally caved and climbed up the stairs, many thoughts running through her head as to what she would find up here that was so important that she had to do it on an empty stomach.

But her hunger soon vanished as her eyes fell upon the big black dog sitting patiently in the Owlery. He stood as she entered and began wagging his tail.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, peeking out the window to see if anyone was around. Sirius transformed back to his human form, grinning. He looked better than when she'd last seen him in person; his hair wasn't matted, he had evidently taken a shower, and he'd gained back the weight he'd lost from so few meals in Azkaban.

"Came to give you your gift in person," he said in a tone that suggested that this were the most obvious thing in the world. Cassie let out a short, shocked laugh, before running forward and, on impulse, hugging him. He was shocked for a moment, then hugged her back.