Harry Potter and the Seer who helped him escape his relatives

Harry's First Christmas

This was going to be the first year Harry spent Christmas outside the cupboard. A morning in mid-December, Hogwarts woke up to find itself covered in several feet of snow. The lake was frozen solid, and Harry forced his friends out into the snow. The five first years had a snowball fight and made a lumpy snowman. They even saw the Weasley twins bewitch several snowballs to follow Professor Quirrell around, bouncing off the back of his turban. Professor Snape walked out to check on Kate when he caught them in the act. They were punished and the first years were forced inside to warm up. Only a few owls could make it through the icy wind and Hedwig was one of the few.

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

"I can't wait to go home," mumbled Draco, "I just want to get out of this cold castle."

While Draco was going home for the break, Harry was staying at Hogwarts. He had gotten a letter from Moony saying he was too sick to take care of Harry and it would be better if he stayed at Hogwarts. Professor Snape had come around a week before the break, making a list of the kids staying for the holiday and Harry had signed up. Kate also had to stay behind since her dad was staying to watch the kids. Ron and his brothers were staying too, because Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were going to Romania to visit Charlie.

When the five of them 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 Hagrid was behind it.

"Hi, Hagrid, want any help?" Ron asked, sticking his head through the branches.

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

Hagrid poked his head out from behind the tree.

"How many of yeh are staying?" asked the tall man.

"Moony is sick so I'm staying here for the Holidays. But it sounds like he gets sick often."

Harry had a frown on his face while Kate gave him a look of pity. A pale hand was placed on his head and he looked up to see Professor Snape looking down at him.

"No need to worry," said Professor Snape, "He knows how to deal with his sickness, he's had it since our Hogwarts years."

This made Harry feel a little better, but his mood was still sour when the long hair man walked away.

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

So, the five of them followed Hagrid and his tree off to the Great Hall, where Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick were busy with the Christmas decorations.

"Ah, Hagrid, the last tree – put it in the far corner, would you?"

The hall looked spectacular. Festoons of holly and mistletoe hang all around the walls, and no less then twelve towering Christmas trees stood around the room, some sparking with tiny icicles, some glittering with hundreds of candles. Stringed lights were handing from the ceiling with only one side hanging from the ceiling and the other was just low enough to touch if you were standing on the table.

"How many days you got left until yer holidays?" asked Hagrid.

"Just one," said Hermione. "And that reminds me – Harry, Ron, Draco, Kate, we've got half an hour before lunch, we should be in the library."