Dynamite Duo- Book one

Chapter 9 - Christmas Time

It had been a couple of months by now and we had settled into a routine. Hagrid had brought in a massive tree for the Great Hall and decorated it while we were in classes. Snow was falling heavily outside and students were bustling up and down the corridors, either dragging a suitcase with them to get to the station or eagerly talking with friends. Harry and Ron were playing wizards chess, I was either watching or drawing in my sketchbook. Ghosts were floating up and down the corridors singing Christmas Carols to the students as they walked by. Hermione set her suitcase down as Harry made a move. I look up at her as she stares at the game being played. Ron smirks before moving his queen. The queen stands up, grabs her chair and destroys Harry's knight. "That's totally barbaric!" Hermione says. "That's wizard's chess," Ron states nonchalantly, picking up Harry's destroyed knight and setting it aside. "It's amusing," I say to Hermione and she looks at me like I've grown three heads. "I see you've packed," Ron says to Hermione. "I see you haven't," she says, raising her eyebrows at him. "Change of plans, my parents are going to visit my brother Charlie in Romania. He's studying dragons there," Ron says, smiling at her. "Good, that means you can help these two look up Nicholas Flammel," Hermione says to Ron, sitting with us. I groan, "we've searched the library a hundred times, we want to enjoy our holiday while we can Hermione." I plant my face on the table in mock annoyance. She laughs at me lightly before saying, "not in the restricted section, Happy Christmas." She leaves after this. "I think we've had a bad influence on her," Ron says seriously. I laugh, my face still on the table. This causes the other two to laugh as well. They continue their game and I continue to draw, looking up whenever a piece got destroyed.

On Christmas morning, we wake up to Ron yelling up the stairs. No one else was staying for the holidays in Gryffindor but us so it didn't matter what things we got up to if we managed to clean up after. Hedwig was perched on a chair in our dorm, Shadow was curled up beside my head on the pillow purring. "HARRY, (Y/N)! WAKE UP!" he yells, excited. Harry puts his glasses on and we make our way down the stairs. Shadow follows behind me and Hedwig flies down ahead of us. We run down the stairs and Ron greets us. "Happy Christmas you two," Ron says cheerfully, wearing a red sweater with a golden "R" on it. "Happy Christmas Ron," we greet back. "What're you wearing," I ask, laughing a bit. Ron grimaces a bit and says, "Mum made it, looks like you've got one too." "We've got presents," Harry asks, shocked. We look at each other, a smile spreading on our faces as we rush towards the tree.

Harry grabs one, reading the note, "your father left this in my possession a long time ago, it is time I return it to you, use it well." Harry and I look at each other confused by the note. He rips open the present to reveal a silvery-black cloak with various patterns on it. "What is it?" Ron asks. "It's some kind of cloak," I say, feeling some of the soft fabric. "Well let's see then, put it on," Ron says, snacking on some beans. Harry puts it on, the only thing being visible now is his head. "Woah!" Ron yells, setting the beans aside. I laugh at Harry, "you're a floating head." Harry looks down, finally noticing his body's disappeared. "My body's gone," he yells a bit fearfully. "I know what that is, that's an invisibility cloak," Ron says, excited. "I'm invisible," Harry says, turning around. "They're really rare, wonder who gave it to you" Ron says, stepping closer to look at the note. "There was no name, it just said use it well," Harry says as we gather around the mysterious note.

That night we decided to split up. I would stay back to create a cover story for them in case they get suspected while they look through the restricted section of the library. I stayed up for multiple hours worrying over them, Shadow would try and help but it didn't shake my nerves. When they finally came back they hadn't found anything on Nicholas Flammel, meaning the entire trip was useless. They had, however, nearly been caught and found Snape threatening Quirrel. Unfortunately they had made a noise that gave them away, Snape suspected someone was close at least and said they would continue the conversation another time. I still didn't think it was Snape, he just didn't seem like the type to want to hurt people. Mean at times but never actually wanting to cause harm unless it was for a good reason. Harry said that he wanted to bring me somewhere, I told him tomorrow night as the teachers were already suspicious about a student out of bed.

When we did arrive I saw a large mirror and two people standing behind us. I panicked thinking we'd been caught but Harry reassures me, we sit in front of it and look at the people. Dumbledore appears behind us, thankfully not mad. "Back again Harry?" Dumbledore asks calmly. Harry stands up instantly, turning towards the professor. "I see you two have discovered, like many others, have discovered the delights of the mirror of Erised. I trust you realise by now you realise what it does," Dumbledore continues, walking towards us. Seeing our questioning gaze Dumbledore says, "let me give you a clue, the happiest man on earth, would look into the mirror and see only himself." "It shows us what we want most," I say, looking up at him. Dumbledore smiles at us. "You two have never known your parents, so you see them standing beside you both. But remember this you two, this mirror gives us neither knowledge or truth. Men have wasted away in front of it, even gone mad," he warns gently. "That is why tomorrow, it will be moved to a new home, and I must ask you to never look for it again. Now come on, off to bed you two," Dumbledore says, ushering us away from the mirror. I look at it one last time, seeing two other familiar figures beside me. I decide against telling Harry, the figures in the mirror are still blurry as of right now.