freya mckinnon may share the same face as her aunt marlene, but she was more than just the niece of a war heroine, though no one seemed to see that. no one but george weasley, her rival on the quidditch pitch who quickly became so much more.
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CHAPTER TWELVE: NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
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THE ARRIVAL OF CHRISTMAS was both a blessing and a curse for Freya McKinnon. Freya had always loved the snow. Nine times out of ten, she could be found out on the Hogwarts grounds with her camera around her neck and a thick, woolly Hufflepuff jumper wrapped snugly around her frame. Solana would shake her head and sigh every time she caught the girl returning to the Hufflepuff Common Room with frozen fingers and rosy cheeks, but she'd still marvel at every picture Freya took. The way the snow would cover the grassy hills around the castle was a beauty that no camera but Freya's seemed to capture properly. It was a nice distraction for what she knew was waiting at home.
Marlene McKinnon was a Christmas baby. Born December 23rd, her parents used to tell Fraser that his sister was a gift like no other. Fraser would roll his eyes and laugh, ruffling Marlene's hair and saying she was 'more of a nuisance, a thorn in his side' than the holy gift their parents insisted she was. But that was before. Now, Fraser would spend his Christmas locked up in his room, nursing a broken heart and a bottle of Firewhiskey to take the edge off. When she could finally convince him to unlock the door, Freya would crawl onto the window ledge beside him, a plate of half-burnt cookies in her hands that Fraser would chuckle weakly at but still eat anyways just to appease her. Together, they'd watch the snow fall, Fraser whispering stories of his childhood Christmas' whenever the sorrow wasn't too strong.
All in all, Christmas was both the best and worst time of Freya's year. More often than not, she had to watch her dad live like half a person, more zombie than human, the physical embodiment of grief and mourning. Nonetheless, it was harder than normal when it came to December, when she knew people like Solana would be going home to a mother who was alive, a step-dad that was emotionally present enough to cook a big Christmas feast, a brother to hold her up if things ever got too hard. Still, this year felt different. As much as she fretted over going home, Umbridge's presence in the castle was enough to have her jumping for joy. In the final weeks, she threw herself into D.A meetings (she hadn't made much progress but at least there was something to show for all the hours she'd put into practicing) and photography as a distraction, counting down the days until the Hogwarts Express would arrive to free her from Umbridge's prison.
"You look happy," George noted with a smirk on the night of their last D.A meeting. In just two more days, the Hogwarts Express would be coming, then bye-bye Umbitch. Freya couldn't wipe the smile from her face. "I know I'm great but this is a bit much, Frey."
"Oh, please," she scoffed, rolling her eyes as Fred and Solana snickered at them. "I'm just looking forward to going home."
"Well, there's a first," Solana noted, releasing Fred's hand so she could link her arm with Freya's. At the boy's huff, she laughed and pushed herself further into Freya's side, smirking at his disgruntled expression. "You got a secret boyfriend or girlfriend waiting at home we don't know about?"
