The Other Potter: Book One

Chapter Fifteen: A Hoggy Warty Christmas.

[Chapter Fifteen: A Hoggy Warty Christmas. Edited.]

Yelling woke me from my sleep. I sat up, panicked, not knowing where I was, where the shouting was coming from. It took me a few moments before I realised I was at Hogwarts.

The memories of last night came thundering into my head, unwelcomed, but with no sign of ever leaving. I shuddered as I relived the green light episode again. Each time, I'd remember something else, like the frown upon my Father's face, where I'd assumed a smile had lain.

"IT'S CHRISTMAS, BITCH!"

"FUCKING ACE, MATE!"

"I AM ACE, MATE!"

It's just girls downstairs, Willow. Relax.

I put on the dressing gown and slippers, which Dumbledore had bought me, and the smile that would get me through the day.

As I came to leave, I saw an owl waiting outside the window. I leant over and opened it. The owl dropped a parcel on my bed and perched there. It was a Hogwarts owl. With hesitant fingers, I opened the parcel. A note was enclosed.

Willow,

I don't know where you are, or if my seeing you was a hallucination, but I have enclosed some money for you to help start your new life.

Draco.

P.S. If you still hang around with Potter, Granger and Weasley, which I know you will, I'm still going to be a total arse to you at school.

He had sent me thirty Gallons, twelve Sickles, and a Knut. It was more money that I had ever seen, let alone owned. I hid it at the bottom of my trunk, underneath a pair of shoes I hadn't used yet. While I was putting it there, I found a leaflet for a shop in 'Knockturn Alley', wherever that was.

Bloodroot potion- 1 galleon 1 sickle- available now.

I quickly gathered up my money and sent back the form to Knockturn Alley, with a note saying to mail it back to me directly.

I began the trek down the winding staircase, hearing excited chatter inside a few of the rooms on the way down. On the bottom floor, Annabeth and a friend of hers had changed their hair colours to bright pink.

"Merry Christmas Willow!" Annabeth cheered. Her voice was weirdly high-pitched. "You should have helium. It's weird muggle stuff." She sucked some air out of a rubber bag thing. "It makes your voice go crazy."

"What is that thing?" I asked.

"It's called a balloon." Her friend said, nodding. "Pure-bloods are always so mesmerised by muggle-borns."

"I'm mesmerised by you anyway." Annabeth winked.

"That's true."

The pair exchanged a long, meaningful look and I seized my opportunity to exit.

"Oh, Willow," Annabeth said as I opened the door to the common room. Her brow was furrowed a little. "I thought you were going home for the holidays. That's what McGonagall told me, anyway."

"There must have been a mix-up," I shrugged, turned, and walked out the door. I'd never lied so fluently before.

I took a seat by the fire in the common room, and relished in the silence. It was, however, short lived.

"Willow!" It was George Weasley, who was wearing a woollen knitted jumper with the letter 'G' on it. He was clutching one side of his older brother Percy, who was wearing the same jumper with a 'P' rather than 'G'. Fred was on the other side of Percy, also wearing a jumper. "I thought you went home!"