Harry Styles and the Sorcerer's Stone

Chapter 12: The Mirror of Erised

Christmas was coming. One morning in mid-December, Hogwarts woke to find itself covered in several feet of snow. The lake froze solid and the Weasley twins were punished for bewitching several snowballs so that they followed Wesley around, bouncing off the back of his turban. The few owls that managed to battle their way through the stormy sky to deliver mail had to be nursed back to health by Hagrid before they could fly off again.

No one could wait for the holidays to start. While the Gryffindor common room and the Great Hall had roaring fires, the drafty corridors had become icy and a bitter wind rattled the windows in the classrooms. Worst of all were Professor Sprouse's classes down in the dungeons, where their breath rose in a mist before them and they kept as close as possible to their hot cauldrons.

"I do feel so sorry," said Luke Hemmings, one Potions class, "for all those people who have to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas because they're not wanted at home."

He was looking over at Harry as he spoke. Clifford and Irwin chuckled. Harry, who was measuring out powdered spine of lionfish, ignored them. Hemmings had been even more unpleasant than usual since the Quidditch match. Disgusted that the Slytherins had lost, he had tried to get everyone laughing at how a wide-mouthed tree frog would be replacing Harry as Seeker next. Then he'd realized that nobody found this funny, because they were all so impressed at the way Harry had managed to stay on his bucking broomstick. So Hemmings, jealous and angry, had gone back to taunting Harry about having no proper family.

It was true that Harry wasn't going back to Privet Drive for Christmas. Professor Gomez had come around the week before, making a list of students who would be staying for the holidays, and Harry had signed up at once. He didn't feel sorry for himself at all; this would probably be the best Christmas he'd ever had. Ron and his brothers were staying, too, because Mr. and Mrs. Pattison were going to Romania to visit Carlos.

When they left the dungeons at the end of Potions, they found a large fir tree blocking the corridor ahead. Two enormous feet sticking out at the bottom and a loud puffing sound told them that Niall was behind it.

"Hi, Niall, want any help?" Shawn asked, sticking his head through the branches.

"Nah, I'm all right, thanks, Shawn."

"Would you mind moving out of the way?" came Hemmings's cold drawl from behind them. "Are you trying to earn some extra money, Pattison? Hoping to be gamekeeper yourself when you leave Hogwarts, I suppose -- that hut of Niall's must seem like a palace compared to what your family's used to."

Shawn dived at Hemmings just as Sprouse came up the stairs.

"PATTISON!"

Shawn let go of the front of Hemmings's robes.

"He was provoked, Professor Sprouse," said Niall, sticking his huge hairy face out from behind the tree. "Hemmings was insultin' his family."

"Be that as it may, fighting is against Hogwarts rules, Hagrid," said Sprouse silkily. "Five points from Gryffindor, Pattison, and be grateful it isn't more. Move along, all of you."

Hemmings, Clifford, and Irwin pushed roughly past the tree, scattering needles everywhere and smirking.

"I'll get him," said Shawn, grinding his teeth at Hemmings's back, "one of these days, I'll get him--"

"I hate them both," said Harry, "Hemmings and Sprouse."

"Come on, cheer up, it's nearly Christmas," said Niall. "Tell yeh what, come with me an' see the Great Hall, looks a treat."

So the three of them followed Niall and his tree off to the Great Hall, where Professor Gomez and Professor Tomlinson were busy with the Christmas decorations.