Spellbound → Hermione Granger [1] ✔

I 10 I It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

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Just a head's up. There's a brief mention of underage drinking in this chapter. Realistically, people in the UK start drinking at a very young age. If Harry Potter weren't written as a children's novel, so much more shit would be happening in Hogwarts, just like in real boarding schools.

~*~

Alexander was the type of person who, when the month of December came around, exuded the Christmas spirit. He just couldn't help the broad smile on his face as he walked through the castle, much to some of the students' annoyance.

To say the Christmas period was special to him was an understatement. It was the time where Grandfather was home the most often. Eliot always baked several dozen cookies, and Alexander was given the soft, gooey ones that melted in his mouth after the first bite. He, Grandfather, and Eliot would visit Christmas markets and during the evening watch Christmas films until he fell asleep. His stocking would be hung from the fireplace, and he and Eliot would decorate the tree which touched the ceiling. When he was younger, he recalled Eliot lifting him to reach the top of the tree so he could place an ornamental gingerbread house.

This year, his holiday would be spent at Hogwarts. He would have liked to have spent it with his two loved ones, but Alexander supposed the castle wouldn't be too bad. Not according to Hagrid who raved about the food and special desserts. He could see the snow-capped trees of the Forbidden Forest from his dormitory window. Neville worried that Alexander would lean too far forwards and fall to his death.

Alexander could be heard singing songs in the Great Hall or when he walked around the castle. Ron was curious about the muggle songs he belted out. Not many people joined in with him – some threw him withering stares – but Helen appreciated his seasonal joy.

'The boys of the NYPD choir were singing Galway Bay, and the bells were ringing out for Christmas day,' he sang one afternoon.

'Oh my God, I love that song!' Helen squealed as she heard Alexander on his way to the library.

Alexander grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. 'Er, hello, Helen. It's nice to see you again.' For some unexplained reason, he suddenly felt nervous and self-conscious.

'It's nice to see you too, Alexander.'

'H-How do you know that song? I thought you were a Pureblood?'

Helen nodded. 'I am but Nia introduced me to muggle songs.'

'Oh, right...' he trailed off. Alexander racked his brain, trying to think of something to say, but it was as if his mind had gone blank. Luckily, Helen saved him the effort.

'Off to the library, are we?'

'Yeah,' he said, feeling foolish, 'just wanted to get some reading done before the Winter break.'