Violet Summer: Prisoner of Azkaban

Chapter 22: Christmas

 The Christmas holiday had cast an eerie silence over the school. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were lost in deep thought as they tried to process the information they had overheard in the Three Broomsticks. On top of this growing concern, Toni was still nowhere to be found, and neither was Wolfe.

Harry had countless questions swirling in his mind. Even the festive atmosphere of the Christmas feast and the exchange of presents couldn't fully distract him from his mounting worry. He had received a mysterious gift of a Firebolt broomstick, but the joy was short-lived as McGonagall and Flitwick quickly confiscated it, ensuring it was not enchanted or cursed, thanks to Hermione's vigilance. Adding to the distress, Hagrid had shared the dreadful news that Buckbeak had been sentenced to execution by the Ministry after the incident with Draco.

All these events had left Harry feeling incredibly miserable and consumed with anger. The revelations about Sirius Black and his parents had struck him deeply. The temptation to seek revenge and take matters into his own hands coursed through his veins. He longed for a chance to confront Black, to vindicate his parents' honor. Yet, the discovery that Toni had known about it all along and kept it from him only added to his emotional turmoil. Initially, he was furious with her, but then sadness and curiosity took hold. He wondered what Toni's aunt had told her about the matter, hoping that she might have shared some detail that Fudge and the others had omitted. Moreover, he was desperate to hear Wolfe's perspective on the issue, to find any information that could prepare him for the inevitable confrontation with Black. Harry knew, and fervently believed, that he would eventually come face to face with Black, with a chance to redeem his parents' memory.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were making their way from the Great Hall after the feast. The atmosphere was tense, with Ron and Harry remaining unusually quiet while Hermione attempted to explain her reasoning for informing McGonagall about the Firebolt broomstick. Cold glances were exchanged between the two boys as they reached the moving staircases. However, their tension was quickly interrupted when they spotted Wolfe leaning against a pillar with the staircases in the backdrop. He looked up as he noticed them and calmly stood, his hands in his pockets.

"I was waiting for you three," he said, and they shared a quick, nervous glance before turning their attention back to him. There was a faint unease about his presence.

Wolfe sighed and approached them. "I hope you all have been enjoying your Christmas this year."

"We have," Harry replied curtly, masking his true feelings with a touch of falsehood.

Wolfe nodded. "I suppose you three have many questions, but I suggest we save them for another day. If you're willing, I'd like to escort you to the teachers' tower to see Antonia. She's had a difficult few days being confined to that room. She's been pleading to see you three, but Madam Pomfrey has insisted on bed rest until the end of the holidays."

"She's awake?" Hermione's voice brightened.

"Why didn't anyone tell us?" Ron chimed in.

"Much has been going on, and I thought it best not to burden you with it during your classes and all. But today is Christmas after all, and I'm afraid presents just aren't enough," said Wolfe. "Would you care to follow me?"

Their curiosity piqued and the prospect of seeing their friend again filled them with hope. They agreed eagerly to follow Wolfe to the teachers' tower, ready to reconnect with Antonia and find solace amidst the mysteries and challenges of the holiday season.

In the long silence of their journey to the teachers' tower and up the spiral staircase, they soon arrived at the same room they had been beckoned into the previous year. Wolfe gently gripped the handle and pushed the door open for them. As they stepped inside, Harry, Ron, and Hermione couldn't help but break into wide grins when they saw Toni seated by the window, gazing at the falling snow beyond. She wore a cozy brown wool sweater and dark blue jeans, her hair in a messy bun. In her hand, she held something attached to a silver chain, fiddling with it absentmindedly.