Being a Greengrass after all should sound pretty serene.
But being a part of "the Emeralds" should not, especially when hearts become entangled with the infamous Regulus Black.
Goodness, lawfulness, or evilness. Which path will they tread in the ti...
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December 23rd, 1976
December arrived with frost-laced mornings and a festive transformation of Hogwarts. Evergreen garlands draped the stone walls, enchanted candles glowed warmly against the winter gloom, and magical snowflakes drifted endlessly beneath the enchanted ceiling of the Great Hall.
The morning the Hogwarts Express departed for Christmas break, the castle buzzed with excitement. Students crowded the platform, hauling trunks and exchanging last-minute goodbyes before boarding the scarlet train.
Like most years, the majority of students were heading home, but Avery wasn't. She always spent Christmas with her family, but this year the prospect held little appeal. Her sister would be buried in work for most of the holiday, and the thought of rattling around an empty house while her parents carried on with their routines was enough to make her choose Hogwarts instead.
Beside her, Regulus stood with his hands tucked into the pockets of his coat as they watched the train pull away from the station. Unlike her, he had long since made a habit of staying at Hogwarts over Christmas. Since their second year, he had chosen the quiet of the castle over returning home, which everybody understood without a word of explanation.
Avery had often found herself wondering what exactly he did during those empty weeks, when the castle fell silent and almost everyone else had gone home.
"So," she said at last, breaking the silence. "What do you actually do here by yourself all day? Every day?"
"It's quiet," Regulus said. "I get a lot of studying done. And I have the library all to myself, so that's a plus."
"That's all?"
He just shrugged. "What else is there to do?"
"I don't know." She spread her hands. "Anything?"
A faint flicker of amusement crossed his face. "I could always write to my parents."
Avery snorted. The image of Regulus Black enthusiastically exchanging Christmas letters with his family was so absurd that she didn't even bother hiding her disbelief.
"What about you?" he asked.
She blinked. "What about me?"
"You're staying too."
The observation settled between them.
"What are your plans for the break?"
"No idea. I mean, I've always spent Christmas at home."
Regulus was quiet for a moment. "We could go to Hogsmeade."
Avery cocked an eyebrow, a little surprised by the suggestion.
"Hogsmeade?" She repeated, considering the idea. It was not that she hasn't been to Hogsmeade before, but the thought of spending time with Regulus there, just the two of them, was kind of intriguing.
