Slytherin Weasley

Chapter 28

The term ended amongst confusion and fear. 

There had been two further attacks, a Hufflepuff boy two years below, the one Harry had clashed with at the duelling club and most frighteningly Nearly Headless Nick, no longer pearly-white and transparent,but black and smoky, floating immobile and horizontal, six inches off thefloor and his head half off. 

The whole school blamed Harry and Peeves went around singing "Oh, Potter, you rotter, oh, what have you done,You're killing off students, you think it's good fun —" Nearly non-stop for the next few weeks. 

The first day of the holidays dawned with a silence deep as the snow on the groundsdescended on the castle. It was peaceful, rather than gloomy, and I enjoyed the emptiness of the castle. Daph and Addy had gone home so I spent my time with Fred and George and sometimes Harry, Ron and Hermione too. We had run of most of the common areas, which meant we could play Exploding Snap loudlywithout bothering anyone, and practice duelling in private. 

Fred, George, Ginny and I had chosen to stay rather than visit Bill in Egypt withMum and Dad. Percy, who disapproved of what he termed our childish behaviour, didn't spend much time in the Gryffindor commonroom when I was there, choosing to overlook my rule breaking. He had already told us pompously that he was only staying overChristmas because it was his duty as a prefect to support the teachersduring this troubled time. 

Christmas morning dawned, cold and white. I stretched, cracking my back beofre opening my yes to an onslaught of gaudy red drapes and the slowly dying embers of the fire from the night before. Slowly sitting up, I looked around the empty Gryffindor common room, and getting up to go find George and Fred. 

 They were the onlyones left in their dormitory, both spread eagle on their beds with the draped wide open. I smiled and clapped my hands together loudly. 

"Oi! Wake up!" I called and the took a running jump toward George's bed. I landed with a bounce next to him and he groaned, 

"Too early," He turned his head into the pillow. 

"Come on!" I said and poked him, "It's Christmas." I grabbed a box from by my foot and chucked it at Fred. "Presents!" 

The box hit Fred in the chest and he groaned, but sat up looking at the name in the box. "This is yours," He said and chucked it back at me. 

All three of us quickly began opening our presents, oohing and ahhing at this years haul. The box had been from mum, my new Weasley jumper pale green with a silver 'I' emblazoned on the front. 

Once the boys finally dragged themselves out of bed, we made our way down to common room and found Harry, Ron and Hermione there all sporting their own new Weasley jumpers. 

"Nice Jumper Ron," I said. "Maroon really suits you!"  He ducked away from me, his ears turning scarlet. 

"Immy!" He whined, "You know I hate it. How come you always get a good one?" 

"Obviously because we're the favourites," George said wrapping arm around Ron's shoulders. 

"And Mum likes to spoil us rotten," Fred finished. 

I chuckled and looked at Ron. "Have you ever told her that you don't like maroon?" 

"Well uhm, you see.... she busy and I-" Ron stammered. 

I rolled my eyes. "Come on then ya big numpty," and linked arms with Fred to go down to the great hall for Christmas dinner. 

The Great Hall looked magnificent. Not only were there a dozen frost-covered Christmastrees and thick streamers of holly and mistletoe crisscrossing the ceiling, but enchantedsnow was falling, warm and dry, from the ceiling. Dumbledore led us in a few of hisfavourite carols, Hagrid booming more and more loudly with every goblet of eggnog heconsumed.