SPARKS FLY | fred weasley x oc | YEAR 3

chapter 8- christmas

Dear Mum and Dad,

How is France?! I've heard that France in the winter is spectacular. Things here at Hogwarts are good. I did well on my finals, my lowest was Potions, but I'm still convinced that Snape just doesn't like me. It's been really quiet the last few days with everyone gone, but it's nice to just have our little group. Yesterday we went ice skating on the Black Lake. Fred and George thought they'd try and show off by skating into the middle and almost fell through! Me and Ginny were yelling so loud I wouldn't be surprised if they heard us all the way in Hogsmeade. Speaking of Hogsmeade, did you get the presents I sent? Sorry, it wasn't much. I didn't want to overload Poppy with packages.

The quidditch season ended with Hufflepuff in third. Definitely lower than I was wanting, but at least it's not last. Gryffindor and Slytherin both have really good teams, but next year is going to be so much better.

Not much going on the next few weeks either. I'm excited for Christmas, though. I can't wait for everyone to open their presents, especially Fred. We both love wizard's chess and play all the time. When we went into Hogsmeade I found a set, but instead of traditional knights and rooks, the pieces are quidditch things. The king is a quaffle and the queen is the snitch- he's going to love it!

Tell me all about the trip and have a Happy Christmas- even though it will be miserable without me there.

Have a Merry Christmas, love you,

Melanie Jasmine

I tied the letter to the top of the small package I'd packed for Poppy and watched her fly off into the gray, snowy sky. I felt bad sending her out when it was this cold, but most of the school owls were gone and I had to send it today if I wanted my parents to get it by Christmas. I quickly returned to the large armchair next to the fireplace and bunched the blanket around my legs, returning to my book.

I must have fallen asleep because I was rudely awakened when Fred, George, Percy, Ron, and Harry came stumbling into the common room, arms full of various parcels. I watched as they dumped them near the large tree that had been set up and decorated. Fred turned to me and saw my squinty eyes, widening his own.

"Merlin, you scared me, Mel." He sighed.

"I scared you? You're the ones who woke me up." I grumbled as I attempted to fix my messy braid. "What is all that?"

"Mostly presents from our parents, but I think I saw a couple with French postage." George baited as he meticulously arranged the presents in different piles. A small smile crept onto my face.

"I can't believe it's already Christmas." Percy mused, making himself a cup of tea.

"I can." Ron interjected. "I've been thinking about the feast for weeks." We all chuckled at him. He was practically drooling at just the thought.

"It's really that good, Ron?" I asked between laughs.

"Yes, it is." He defended. "The best one of the year. Even better than the first night's feast." I considered his statement. He had raved about the food most of the train ride to school at the first of the year and it was as good as he said. I decided to take his word and raised my expectations.

"You were so right." I mumbled the next night as we all sat around the fire, almost comatose after the feast. "I can't believe they made all that food. There were only, like, twenty people."

"They make that much every year." Ron added. Slowly everyone broke off and went up to their dorms until it was just myself and Fred, playing chess. I had been staying in Hermione's dorm since the Hogsmeade trip, but I'd officially run out of clothes and hadn't gone down to Hufflepuff at all today.