The Other Potter: Book 1

Chapter 4

Today was the day that all those going home for Christmas would be leaving, and I honestly felt relieved. Between the glares my twin got because he beat Slytherin in quidditch, and Harry himself policing me so I could barely spend time with anyone but him and his friends, I was ready for a couple weeks of relaxation. I was currently relaxing in the common room, glad for the momentary peace and quiet.

But nothing good ever lasts forever.

Soon my twin, with Ron in tow, came in and started to talk loudly. I tried to ignore their loud voices, tune them out, but I stopped once I heard something.

"You two are going to try and sneak into the restricted section in the library?" I asked, looking at the two of them with worry.

"We can't find anything about Nicholas Flamel in the regular books, one of those books has to have him in it." Harry said as if it explained everything.

"Have you ever thought of, oh I don't know... just asking someone about him?"

"Can't. Hagrid won't talk about it anymore, and we don't want to alert any of the other teachers that he told us some." Harry said.

"This is a stupid plan, you know that right?"

Harry shrugged at me, before going back to planning with Ron. My brother would get himself expelled, or killed at this rate.

Christmas morning I awoke to my twin yelling my name loudly, trying to get me up. Well, he succeeded. I threw on my robe over my pajamas and headed down to meet them.

"Enola! Wake up!"

"Stop shouting, Harry. I'm right here." I said, rubbing my eyes. It was far too early for him to be shouting.

"Look though! We got presents!"

I stopped rubbing my eyes and looked at the bottom of the Christmas tree. Harry was right, I could see my name on multiple packages under the tree. I felt a wide smile hit my face as I hurried over and sat next to Harry. He handed me a perfectly wrapped package and I tore it open.

Harry and I didn't get many gifts, for Christmas or our birthday, so this was unexpected. Normally the Dursleys would forget, or give us some tape because they couldn't be bothered with giving us real gifts.

My first gift was from Mrs. Weasley, a handmade red sweater with a gold 'E' on the front. I slid it on over my pajamas, my robe tossed onto the couch for later. I noticed both Harry and Ron were also sporting their own sweater and I felt like part of the group.

Next was a gift from Hermione, which held a book about advanced potions. I had shown exceptional skills in my potions class, so this was perfect for my studies moving forward. I loved how the black book had elegant silver calligraphy on it, the pages inside smelled brand new and I smiled wider.

I was taken away from my present from Hermione as Harry opened his last present, and something silvery slipped onto the flour. Ron exclaimed, telling us it was an invisibility cloak and that they were super rare. Harry put it on and I couldn't help when my eyes went as round as saucers behind my glasses. His body was gone, hidden by the cloak.

I picked up the note that went with it, noticing that it had been our fathers and was passed down to Harry by an unknown person. I found it odd but didn't look much further into it as Harry paraded around in his new cloak, marveled by it. I noticed I still had two presents left so I grabbed them before Harry could.

"Who are they from?" Harry asked. He meant the green one, which looked like the paper cost as much as Mr. Weasley made in one year.

"Well this one is from Luna." I said, trying to move both his and Ron's focus off the green package. Inside was a handmade necklace from Luna, which had a radish charm on it. I knew Luna had a pair of earrings that were similar. I had told her one day how much I loved them. I felt that they were unique and one of a kind, which I guess was something that she loved because now I had a radish necklace. I quickly put it on, glad that she had provided such a long chain.

"Nola," Harry said, breaking my happy moment. He wanted to know who gave me the other gift.

In hopes of avoiding a fight I looked at the tag, praying it was from Cedric or some random mystery person. Alas, I was not in luck. The tag was written in Theo's handwriting.

"It's from Theo."

"Why is a Slytherin sending you gifts?" Ron asked, clearly miffed about it.

"What does it matter? Theo is my friend, why shouldn't he send me a present?"

"He's a Slytherin!" Ron cried out, looking between me and my twin as if it was clear as day. "Not a single witch or wizard from that house didn't go down a dark path!"

"Horace Slughorn did." I retorted. Ron gave me a confused look. He clearly didn't pay attention to the fact that Snape had mentioned his predecessor half way through the term. "Forget it."

I stood up, taking my gifts with me but Harry stopped me. His hands were firmly clasped on the package from Theo.

"Maybe you should just get rid of it?"

"Seriously Harry? Our first real Christmas and you have to pull this out. Let go!"

I tried to pull the box away from Harry but his grip was tight on it. We struggled over the box, neither of us giving any leeway before I finally had had enough. I pulled hard and a rip was heard. The box was ripped apart and the present fell to the floor.

Ron quickly grabbed it looking at it.

"Give it back Ron!"

"A book about flower language?" Ron asked, giving me a weird look.

I looked to see he was right. Theo had sent me a book that explained the Victorian flower language.

"Yeah, I've been interested in it."

"Seems stupid." Ron said, looking the book over. "Who, besides Hermione, wants to know about a stupid flower language."

Ron turned to the fire, motioning as if he would throw the book in it and on instinct I pulled my wand out.

"Ron, give me the book." Ron turned and looked straight at my wand. A look of worry replaced his smug one and with good reason. While I was terrible on a broom, falling off almost immediately, but I was gifted in different ways. I was beyond my years at potions, I had mastered every charm we were taught, and managed to transfigure my porcupine to a pincushion the second time I tried. I didn't brag about it like Hermione, but I wasn't about to let Ron destroy my Christmas present.

"Enola," Harry said softly, trying to diffuse the situation.

"Don't, Harry." I said, my eyes never leaving Ron. "I may have reservations about hexing my twin but I have none with hexing you, Ron. Give me the book."

Ron, whose hands were shaking, handed me the book. Once I had it in hand I grabbed the rest of my presents and went back to my bed. I wouldn't let them ruin my Christmas, now way.

I sat on my bed, making sure I had my wand at the ready if need be before I opened the book. Inside was a note, again in Theo's horrible handwriting.

I have a copy as well, thought it might be fun to send flowers to each other as a secret way of talking.

I chuckled to myself. Theo would think it's cool to send secret messages to each other with flowers. Theo wasn't like the others, like Draco, he was kind and sweet. At least he was with me.

I spent the rest of the day in my room, avoiding going downstairs so I wouldn't have to converse with Ron or my twin again.