HARRY POTTER AND THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE
chapter twelve
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L E F T O U T
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"God, you're useless."
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Christmas is coming.
One morning in mid-December, Hogwarts wakes to find itself covered in several feet of snow. The lake has frozen solid and the Weasley twins are punished for bewitching several snowballs so that they follow Professor Quirrell around, bouncing off the back of his turban.
The few owls that manage to battle their way through the stormy sky to deliver post have to be nursed back to health by Hagrid before they can fly off again.
No one can wait for the holidays to start. While the Slytherin common room and the Great Hall have roaring fires, the draughty corridors have become icy and a bitter wind rattles the windows in the classrooms.
Worst of all are Professor Snape's classes down in the dungeons, where Lily's breath rises in a mist before her and she keeps as close as possible to her hot cauldron.
"I do feel so sorry," Draco says during one Potions class, "for all those people who have to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas because they're not wanted at home."
He's looking over at Lily and her brother as he speaks.
Crabbe and Goyle chuckle. The Potter twins ignore them as usual. Draco has been even more unpleasant than usual since the Quidditch match.
Disgusted that Slytherin lost, he had tried to get everyone laughing at how a wide-mouthed tree frog will be replacing Harry as Seeker next. Then he'd realised that nobody found this funny, because they were all so impressed at the way Harry managed to stay on his bucking broomstick. So Draco, jealous and angry, has gone back to taunting them about having no proper family.
Indeed, they aren't going back to Privet Drive for Christmas.
Professor Snape had come around the week before, making a list of students who would be staying for the holidays, and Lily signed up at once. She doesn't feel upset about it at all; this will probably be the best Christmas she's ever had. Ron and his brothers are staying, too, because Mr and Mrs Weasley are going to Romania to visit Charlie.
When they leave the dungeons at the end of Potions, they find a large fir tree blocking the corridor ahead. Two enormous feet sticking out at the bottom and a loud puffing sound tells them that Hagrid is behind it.
"Hi, Hagrid, want any help?" Ron asks, sticking his head through the branches.
"Nah, I'm all right, thanks, Ron."
"Would you mind moving out of the way?" comes Draco's cold drawl from behind them.
"Are you trying to earn some extra money, Weasley? Hoping to be gamekeeper yourself when you leave Hogwarts, I suppose - that hut of Hagrid's must seem like a palace compared to what your family's used to."
Lily's jaw drops in shock and Ron dives at Draco just as Professor Snape comes up the stairs.
"Weasley!"
Ron lets go of the front of Draco's robes as he straightens his collar with a sneer.
"He was provoked, Professor Snape," Hagrid explains, sticking his huge hairy face out from behind the tree.
"Malfoy was insultin' his family."
"Be that as it may, fighting is against Hogwarts rules, Hagrid," Professor Snape replies silkily.
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Invisible (I)
FanfictionLily's life with her twin brother has been boring but calm. Mostly. After getting accepted into Hogwarts, she's pushed away by the only person she needs and thrown to live in his shadow. While battling with her young, naive mind, Lily decides it's t...
