(1) Lux Brumalis (R. Weasley)

Chapter Forty-Nine

Pixie and Ron miss out on the worst of their days, perhaps. Harry, Hermione, Neville and Draco all end up in detention having been caught out of bed after hours. Harry and Hermione had been caught after delivering Norbert to Charlie. Draco had been caught trying to get Harry and Hermione caught. And poor Neville had been caught trying to warn them about Draco. They'd also lost Gryffindor 150 points between them, and 20 from Slytherin. Pixie knows she can make that up, but the Gryffindors have been finding it harder to get points this year with all of the ones they keep losing because of Harry. Pixie sits in the library with her herbology homework. Neville sits across from her with his potions homework. He's not very good at potions and she's not the best at herbology. So they both kind of came together to help. Neville almost didn't ask her. Considering that she's a Slytherin, he wasn't sure she'd help him. There is a box at her feet. She'd written home to ask for comfort candy and soda. To cheer up the others. They've had a tough few weeks following their loss of points. With Gryffindors turning on them. Slytherins celebrating them. Harry has had a hard time with all the attention. She was very specific in what she wanted for each of them. Neville has his little gift bag open on the table, having already gone through it with a smile. The gummy worms. The cactus pin-badge. The little pocketbook of British wildflowers. He seems rather pleased with them, his pin-badge even sits on the end of his tie. Neville glances at Pixie as she frowns at her homework.

"Do you need some help?" He asks, she hums a little. He stands and moves around the table to sit at her side. He knows that they all think of her as some Slytherin girl, but she proves, time and time again, that she's not like the rest of them. She's a lot of Slytherin, when they break it down, but without the mean streak. He leans over to read what she's already written for the report on puffapods. Pixie doesn't actually have any trouble with her herbology homework. But Neville was nervous enough about coming to her for help. So she went to him first. Asking for his help in herbology. That was enough for him to admit he's having trouble with potions. Not that that came as much of a surprise to her. But she can help him and she can let him help her, if that's going to make it easier for him. He then notes the time. Stumbles a little as he stands. "I have herbology club" He admits as he packs up his books. "But it looks good" He assures her, motioning to her report. "Better then..."

"Better than the drivel I originally wrote?" She teases a little. Neville smiles and nods. "You know, I have this reputation for being really super smart...."

"I won't tell anyone" He promises her. "If..." He then pauses and shakes his head, realising that he's about to sort of blackmail her. She leans forward.

"You want another cactus?" She asks with a smirk. He blushes a little. "Neville, you can have as many cacti as you want...I really don't mind you asking...."

"I know...Just..."

"It's the snake...I get it" She assures him, the two of them share a look. She knows that even when they know her, they keep expecting her to show some side of her that marks her as a true Slytherin. "I'll write to Bruce...see what he's growing over the summer...."

"Thanks, Pix" He whispers and then waves as he leaves, passing Hermione and Ron on their way towards her. Pixie lets out a breath and then tucks the herbology homework away before she pulls out another sheet, her actual herbology homework that she started the day it was set. It's almost finished. Hermione and Ron both give smiles and waves as they join Pixie.

"This is for you" Pixie sets a gift bag on the table for Hermione who smiles a little, raising an eyebrow at her. Pixie shrugs back at her. Hermione sets down a number of books as Ron adds some rolled-up maps.

"What are you two studying?"

"Astronomy" Ron complains, watching as Hermione digs into her gift bag. He then turns to Pixie.

"What?" She inquires at his look, he motions to the gift bag.

"Where's mine?" He counters, she raises an eyebrow.

"Are you upset?" She ponders, a small smirk itching at her lips.

"I am now" He teases a little, but with that, he knows why Hermione got a gift bag. That after the weeks of sour looks and comments because of the house points, she needs something nice to cheer her up. In Hermione's bag are some midget gems, her favourite muggle sweets. And a bracelet that matches the earrings that Pixie gave her at Christmas. It's not a lot, but it is enough to put a soft smile on her face. Pixie has done what she does best to cheer up those around her. Personal and thoughtful gifts. She got that from Tony. Harry enters the library, almost bumping straight into some fourth-year Ravenclaws. He mumbles out quick apologies before he rushes towards where his friends are sitting.

"I just heard Quirrell in his classroom" Harry admits, slightly out of breath. "It sounded like someone was threatening him...." Hermione gives Harry a look and then nods to Pixie. Pointing out that she's sat here and he is about to talk about Snape. But Harry's too deep in his conspiracy. "I think he told him...I mean I only heard Quirrell, so I can't be sure....."

"Snape's done it then" Ron realises what Harry's just said. "If Quirrell's told him how to break his Anti-Dark Force spell..." Pixie picks up a jelly bean and presses it between her lips. Mostly to stay quiet here.

"There's still Fluffy, though," Hermione reminds them.

"Maybe Snape's found out how to get past him without asking Hagrid," Ron counters. "I bet there's a book somewhere in here, telling you how to get past a giant three-headed dog. So what do we do, Harry?" Ron's excitement at the prospect of adventure thrills through him.

"Go to Dumbledore" Hermione scolds them. "That's what we should have done ages ago. If we try anything ourselves we'll be thrown out for sure"

"But we've got no proof!" Harry hisses at her. "Quirrell's too scared to back us up. Snape's only got to say he doesn't know how the troll got in at Halloween and that he was nowhere near the third floor.....who do you think they'll believe, him or us? It's not exactly a secret we hate him, Dumbledore'll think we made it up to get him sacked. Filch wouldn't help us if his life depended on it, he's too friendly with Snape, and the more students get thrown out, the better, he'll think. And don't forget, we're not supposed to know about the Stone or Fluffy. That'll take a lot of explaining." Harry rambles on, pointing out everything wrong with the plan to go and tell on Snape. Hermione looks convinced, but Ron doesn't.

"If we just do a bit of poking around...." Ron tries to draw Harry in.

"No," Harry states, dejected, flatly. "We've done enough poking around" Harry pulls a map of Jupiter towards him and started to learn the names of its moons. Pixie hums a little.

"Maybe he was talking to himself" The three of them turn to look at Pixie. She shrugs. "Like you said. You only heard Quirrell...maybe he was talking to himself and not to Snape...."

"Pix" Harry starts, wanting to apologise for rambling about it here with her.

"I know I wanted to stay out of it, but it seems increasingly difficult...." She stops him. "And maybe one of us should offer a different idea, just in case you're all wrong about him" She stands, collecting her books. "Oh and urm..." She sets the last gift bag on the table. "I thought this might cheer you up..." She shrugs and then walks away. Harry lets out a breath and pulls the gift bag closer to have a look inside.

"She's right" Hermione voices. Harry takes out a box of Tootsie rolls and a can of Sierra Mist. There is also another photo of his parents and a pot of chocolate scented ink. "We're so focused that it has to be Snape...but what if it's not...if he's not behind this..."

"If she's right...Pixie will be so smug" Ron muses. "They will be no living with her" Harry smiles and nods. But he understands why Pixie is fighting them on this. It has to be hard for her to listen to them talking about a member of her family the way they have.