Star-Crossed

Chapter Nineteen: Christmas Gifts

It was a week after the first Quidditch match, unfortunately, my ankle was still wrapped and Madam Pomfrey told me I'd be using a crutch to walk for a while, or just until after Christmas while the sprain fully healed in order to make sure nothing else went wrong with it since it was rather severe.

I was hobbling along with Hermione, Ron and Harry as we spoke with Hagrid since neither Harry nor I saw him following the match.

Hermione and Ron were catching all of us up on what they believed happened with Harry's broom going haywire in the middle of the match.

"Nonsense!" Hagrid scoffed, "Why would Snape put a curse on Harry's broom?"

"Who knows?" Harry shrugged and I nodded in agreement, "Why was he trying to get past that three-headed dog on Halloween?"

Hagrid stopped in his tracks and whirled on his, frowning in confusion, "Who told you about Fluffy?"

"That thing has a name?" Hermione gaped.

"Well, 'course he's got a name," Hagrid nodded, "He's mine. I bought him off an Irish feller I met down at a pub last year. Then I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the-" Then he stopped.

"Yes..." I prompted, leaning in closer whilst keeping a tight grip on my crutch.

"Shouldn't have said that." Hagrid muttered as he turned around to keep walking, "No more questions! Don't ask anymore questions. That's top secret, that is."

"But, Hagrid," I sighed as I started to hobble after him again, my brother took my free arm to aid me along, "whatever Fluffy's guarding, Snape's trying to steal it."

Hagrid snorted, "Codswallop, Professor Snape is a Hogwarts teacher."

"Teacher or not," Hermione snapped, crossing her arms, "I know a spell when I see one. I've read all about them, you've got to keep eye contact, and Snape wasn't blinking."

"Exactly," Harry agreed.

Hagrid stopped again and turned on us, "Now, you listen to me, all four of yeh. Yer meddlin' in things that ought not to be meddled in. It's dangerous. What that dog is guarding is strictly between Professor Dumbledore and Nicholas Flamel."

Harry and I paused, sharing a confused glance as we turned back to Ron and Hermione, chorusing, "Nicholas Flamel?"

"I shouldn't have said that." Hagrid mumbled to himself, dragging his hand down his face, "I should not have said that."

He then left without another word, mumbling to himself as he walked the rest of the path down to his cottage.

"Nicholas Flamel," I repeated, quirking a brow at Hermione, expecting the girl to reply with her usual witty flair, "Who's Nicholas Flamel."

"I dunno." She shrugged.

"Whoever he is, he's important." Harry remarked.

_

Christmas arrived just as quickly as Halloween had gone by. I was off of the crutch after a meeting with Madam Pomfrey where she decided I was recovering quickly enough. But the limp was still slightly present when I walked, making an easy target for Malfoy and his friends.

But the Holiday break crept up on us, and Harry and I found ourselves saying goodbye to a lot of our friends as they left school to spend the holiday with their families back home. Dahlia and Elena left, so did Seamus and Neville with his sister Poppy. Hermione was leaving as well.