Emilla Potter

December

The november almost flew away and at the same time the winter waved at them with a cold breeze and lots of beautiful snowfalls. The december was magical in the castle. Everywhere the students looked there was beautiful decoration.
Every stair had holly on it, on the hallways the armours had magical not-melting icicles. In the great hall there stood twelve huge christmas tree around the tables.
As an early christmas gift, few of the teachers gave them tasks, which had something about the upcoming holiday in it.
On transfiguration, they had to transfigure a stick into a pine branch. On charms, they learnt how to create magical snow.
Sprout showed them a little flower which quietly hummed all the time.
Sadly professor Binns was just as boring as always. He was talking about goblin wars from the 6th-7th century on every lesson. On potions Snape gave them more homework than before, and he reasoned it with "the fact, that they were way to slow and they were behind schedule."
All the flying classes were horrible in Evelynn's eyes. They were flying since the second week of October and the winter wasn't the friendliest season to fly. After every lesson she almost fled into the castle to warm up after the cold.
As days went by, everyone started to feel more and more that christmas was coming.
Rachel planned to go skiing with her family, while Katie was talking about going to her grandparents for a few days. Evelynn didn't know anything about her break. She missed ice-skating a lot. The orphanage took them a few times but in the last three years she couldn't go. First, she was sick when Snape was home. Second time she bruised her left knee by falling off of the stairs at home. Third time her dad was sick, so they couldn't go. Now she really wanted to go, but Snape once said, he would never. She didn't know why exactly, but she decided to get him to go anyway. Fred, George and Lee had the idea to play secret santa with each other, and they asked the three girls to play with them. They said, that it is way more better if there are more people playing, and as George said:
- We could have invite Percy, but we are trying to kill the rumour about him being our brother.
- Yeah! - Fred continued - Maybe we have the same last name...
- ...and red hair!
- ...and freckles!
- But we are not related! - they mirrored each others gestures, while saying the exact same sentence.
All of them laughed after the scene that this two played out, as if they were practicing it before.
Evelynn said sorry, but she wouldn't play. She didn't have anything to give to anyone. Katie felt the same way and Rachel didn't want to play alone with the boys.
The last two weeks of school had it's ups and downs. First, McGonagall gave them a 2 page long assignment of the tranformation spells.
- I am sorry if you don't like it! - she said when Miles and Flora loudly expressed their disappointment - After the break you may think that the end of the year is still far away but let me tell you, it's going to be here in a blink of an eye!
The other teachers were saying the same thing and gave homeworks for the break, as "practicing for the exams".
Emilla, Katie and Rachel were almost always found in the library at closing times. On the Friday evening before the day they would go home the girls were learning for Transfiguration. Nobody was in the library except them and Madam Pince.
- So, khm Miss Addams - Katie acted like the transfiguration professor - tell me what are the factors a wizard have to remember while using a type of tranfiguration?
Rachel took a huge breath. Then she counted the answers on her fingers.
- The weight of the object, the viciousness, the wand power, the concetration and the fifth unknown variable - Evelynn was checking everything in the book and nodded to Katie - It comes together as a mathematical formula. The intended transifuration equals: Wand power times concentration divided by viciousness times bodyweight. Than this number times Z - as the hufflepuff was saying the calculations, she was writing the formula in the air with her index finger. Katie checked this one, by writing it down.
- Great job, Miss Addams! - Katie said still in McGonagall tone - Now if you may question Miss Prince about something!
The two hufflepuffs looked at each other and Rachel pulled out her Defence Against the Dark Arts book. She slowly turned the pages examining them, and then stopped.
- Lynn! - she pointed at her - You have to answer two questions! First, - she dramatically stopped - You have to name a spell from every usable type in duelling. Second, you have to name the type of them.
Evelynn smiled. It was way easier after a whole month of learning spells with Snape.
- Charm, Tarantallegra or Protegro. The first one is the Dancing charm, the second is the Shield charm. - she almost didn't breathe, she was just saying the answers - Jinx, Relashio, it makes the person to release grip on anything they hold. Hex... erm... - she got stuck for a second - The Sardine hex! - she spluttered as she remembered it - It makes the target sneeze out sardines. Curse Petrificus totalus, it petrifies the target.
Rachel was looking at her in shock while Katie was taking notes.
- Could you repeat it? - Katie looked up.
Evelynn cracked up. Then she pulled out a book.
- It's my turn to ask, right? - she looked at Katie with a too kind smile. The girl nodded slowly in fear.
- Well then, - she opened the book in front of her - the question is, where can you found a bezoar, what is it, and what can you use it for? - she was still smiling. Katie started to hate potions after Snape always picked on everyone. She looked at her annoyed.
- It is a stone - she started - from... a goat's stomach. It is works as a for every poison the wizarding world knows about.
- Yes, tell me about it's appearence - she gave a nod, then put her head into her palm. Katie mimicked her devilish smile.
- It's almost as big as my palm - she held out her hand - and it's ugly grey colored. Sometimes it's a bit brown or green.
- That was.. an acceptable anwer Miss Bell - Evelynn imitated her adoptive fathers style. Her two friends still had no idea of the fact that Evelynn's father is Snape. They had a conversation of why did Snape ask her to stay after McGonagall took them to professor Sprout.
- He... knows my dad - she improvised quickly after getting two very serious questioning look - I met him before I came to Hogwarts a few times...
She was happy to say, the girls accepted the answer and they never questioned it again.
As the girls laughed and studied someone approached them slowly.
- Well, well, well - the man stepped closer with the lamp he was holding - Aren't these first years out here way after closing time, Mrs. Norris?
Filch, the caretaker found them along with his extremely unpleasant cat, Mrs. Norris. It was next to his legs. The cat's eyes were glowing in deep red. The caretaker grinned. His eyes were full of joy. Evelynn looked at her friends a bit scared, and surprised. She got the same expressions back. Why didn't Madam Pince came and sent them away? All of them thought about the question.
They walked threw stairs she have never used before. Surprisingly neither of her friends were curious about their whereabouts.
- Evelynn! - Rachel called her name.
- Yes? - she looked at the girl but Rachel wasn't even looming at her.
- Lynn! -Rachel was not talking. But her voice called Evelynn again.
- What?  - she mumbled in confusion.
- Lynnieeee! - Rae shouted and jumped on Evelynn. The sun lit up the dormitory. She was dreaming. The study session was real, and it get in her dreams too. But yesterday the librarian told them to leave. They didn't get punished for staying out late...
- GET! UP! - Rachel hit her with a pillow on both word. - WE ARE GOONG HOME!!!
She got up, just to punch her back with her plush-owl. The two play-fighted until Sarah, the prefect came in and stopped it.
- Sorry girls, but you have to start packing, as you two are gping home - she put down the pillow on Rachels bed and folded the blanket. - But if you want to stay...
- No, sorry, I'm packing! - Rae quickly jumped to her bedside to fold her clothes and everything. Evelynn smiled at first, thinking about the break, but then her smile faded. She put on a pouty expression.
- What is it? - Sarah looked at her.
- I'll have to stay two weeks of the break just in my room... - she said - I got groundeeeeed - she play-cried. The prefect played along and gave her a side-hug while trying to "calm her down". Rachel was just laughing.
After a long laughing session with Rachel and Sarah she was downstairs with Katie and Rae, in front of the school. They were waiting for the horseless carriges, which took them to the Hogwarts Express's station in Hogsmade.
They walked up and found a cabinet to stay in together. Suzy from Ravenclaw came in too. They talked about plenty of things, as the girl was new to the group. As they talked Rachel turned to Suzy.
- I have to ask! I'm sorry for this, I truly am - she seriously looked at the girl - How should we say your name. Because - she quickly wanted them to understand - I read it on your trunk, and I have no idea about how to say your second name or your family name...
The other Hufflepuff and the Gryffindor looked at the trunk. With red curvy letter it was written: Suzianne Capucine Ravois.
Evelynn turned to Suzy excitedly.
- Are you french?
- Yes, partly. Half-french more precisely.
- Wow! So you can speak french too?
- Yes, but I have problems with writing.
Katie looked at the girl curiously.
- How come?
Suzy started to play with a mop of her hair.
- I started to learn how to talk, then I started to learn how to write in English. I think in English way more than in french - she said - But obviously sometimes I don't remember the English words so I use their french translation. And there are times I don't know either of them - she laughed.
- Now I ask! You said something about using a telephone - the girl pointed at Evelynn. - Are you a muggleborn or half-blood? 'Cause Katie said that she's a half-blood - she looked at her. Evelynn shook her head.
- No, I'm not a muggleborn... I think... - she thought to herself. I couldn't know... -I mean, I don't know. I was adopted by a wizard. He saw me produce magic when I was outside of the orphanage - she said - I think of myself as a half-blood. I was raised by muggles and a wizard - she smiled.
- Oh! I'm sorry... - Suzy looked down as she apologised.
- No problem at all - the girl acted seriously, then smiled.
The four girls played a few rounds of exploding snap and ate a ton of Berti Bott's beans until the train finally arrived to it's London stop.