Hogwarts is my Home

Chapter 9: Christmas (SS CH12)

A few weeks later, McGonagall walked down the house table asking for who would stay at the school over the break. I wrote my name down instantly.

Harry watched me sign my signature. "You stay here over the break?" 

"This time. I went to my house my first year and stayed with the Weasley's last year."

"We're all staying here, too," Ron spoke as he wrote his own name down. "My parents are going to visit Charlie in Romania. He studies dragons there."

Harry's eyes light up with joy at the fact he was going to have a good Christmas for the first time in his life.

Some days later, Spencer went up behind me during lunch and started talking. "How do I get home for Christmas?"

"You take the train to King's Cross Station, Mum and Dad will pick you up there," I said without turning around.

"Are you going home?"

I laughed. "Does Amara still live there?" She was confused by this. "No, I'm staying here with people who actually care about me. Go back to your table."

"Who was that?" Harry asked once she was gone.

"My sister."

"I didn't know you had a sister," Ron spoke.

"You didn't hear her name at the sorting?" Harry asked.

"I was too nervous thinking I'd have to fight a troll," he admitted.

I scowled at Fred on my left, who almost choked on his sandwich from trying not to laugh.

By Christmas Eve, all my friends' presents had been wrapped and put under the tree. Ron begged to open his early, but I told him not until it was tomorrow. 

Fred and George jumped on the end of my bed, screaming for me to get up.

"Wake up, Toni, it's Christmas."

"How did you get in here?"

"The charm is released over the breaks, we heard Percy say so. Open your Weasley sweater."

My sweater was a beautiful deep teal with a red and gold accented feather on the inner left sleeve. There was a note that fell out when I unfolded it, which read, 

Dearest Antonia, 

Heard you've started to gather a liking for phoenixes. Fascinating creatures. Love always,

Molly and Arthur, and Charlie and Ginny

"Get dressed so we can go celebrate!" 

They left my dorm and once I was ready, we walked down the spiral staircase together. 

"Happy Christmas!"

"Hey, look- Harry's got a Weasley sweater, too!"

"Harry and Toni's are better than ours, though." Fred held up Harry's sweater to examine it. "She obviously makes more of an effort if you're not family."

"Why aren't you wearing yours, Ron?" I asked him. 

"I hate maroon. Switch with me."

"No! Be grateful. My family didn't get me anything."

"Ugh," Ron moaned halfheartedly as he pulled his sweater over his head.