The Devils Mistress | T.Riddle

Chapter forty - Christmas lights

~Narrators POV

"Christmas!" Alexa screeched running round and round the corridors of the Grindelwald mansion. 

Live, as a Christmas present to all of her new friends, invited them all to spend the winter holidays with her. Tom had come first, well he'd come straight from hogwarts to Lives. In a weeks time everyone was at the house. Everyone had their own rooms personalised by Alexa with stickers. 

But not everyone used their rooms. 

"Merry Christmas everyone" Theo and Avery had emerged from one of the rooms wearing their Christmas jumpers the group had bought the day before. Pam, Janelle and Gwen came from another and Malfoy, Lastrange and Nott from the room opposite. They all rendezvoused in the living room next to the giant Christmas tree strung head to toe in flashing lights and decorations. Nott lit the fire place and everyone snuggled on the sofas gazing wide eyed at mounds of presents in front of them. Everyone eagerly awaiting the arrival for the last two.

 "Merry Christmas my dear" Tom tucked a loose strand behind her ear and propped himself up on the bed. 

"Merry Christmas" she replied sleepily. 

"Come on everyone's waiting down stairs, I think Alexa spotted her presents" He smiled the two got up and holding, each other's hand, then together they descended the staircase. 

"There you are! We're being waiting all day" Janelle laughed

 "it's 9 o'clock in the morning and I'm sorry if I'm the only one hungover" Tom and Live sat down on a side holding each other tightly. They hadn't told the others about their adventures in the chamber or any time they returned together. 

This Christmas was truly thought out. Live and Tom had owled each of their friends family's to ask in early November. By mid November every ones family's was involved. The family's were going to send their presents to lives house early in December (or money for gifts in a few people case). Hazel was there to collect the packages at the house so nobody had any idea of the surprise. Tom and Live went shopping on the first day of the holidays to get presents for everyone else, or spend the money the pair were gifted for presents. All the rest needed to do was pack, then take the floo network to lives house. The next issue was hiding the presents from everyone else. The house was big enough and had lots of hiding places. After the destruction of the house Grindelwalds remaining followers decided to rebuild the house with a few secret rooms and passages just in case they needed a hide out. 

Who knew that they would be used to hide Christmas presents from nosey teenagers. 

"Ah, no! Stocking and cards first" Gwen snapped at Alexa who was eyeing up one of her larger presents. She sighed and everyone reached for their personalised stockings that hung over the roaring fire. Chocolate, small pieces of jewellery, exploding snap packets. Large smiles and the contagious sound of laughter filled the room. Everyone exchanged cards, some with confetti and sparkles, some with heart felt messages others with witty comments. Then finally everyone was allowed to open their presents. 

To nobody's surprise Alexa was the first to open all of her gifts. Gwen and Live were the last as they were in the kitchen preparing hot chocolates and biscuits for everyone. 

"It's fun, this is fun. Just having a day were we can all be children and mess around with no judgment. Is nice. I can't remember a time where I've felt so free" Gwen smiled, "Thank you" 

"for what? I thought I'd do something nice for my friends" Live replied. 

"You would say something like that, being all modest and such. You have no idea how much this means to me, to all of us. This is the best Christmas anyone of us has ever had" Live hugged Gwen tightly. She was on the verge of tears.