December brought another bitter drop in temperature.
Snow had barely finished settling from the last storm before another layer covered the grounds, burying pathways and turning the courtyard into a battlefield whenever students had more than five minutes between lessons.
The professors, meanwhile, had apparently decided that Christmas spirit was best expressed through homework.
Essays.
Practical assignments.
Reading.
Enough parchment to make Calli wonder whether Hogwarts was singlehandedly responsible for the deforestation of Britain.
"Two weeks off." Lucy had muttered after McGonagall assigned another essay. "Yet somehow three weeks of homework."
Calli hadn't even had time to complain properly.
Being Head Girl meant the final weeks before the holidays came with an entirely separate list of responsibilities.
There were patrol schedules to organise, younger students attempting to smuggle enchanted snowballs into classrooms, decorations to supervise and prefects to coordinate with before half the castle emptied for Christmas. Thankfully Pierce, the Head Boy, was loving all the responsibility so Calli was more than happy to pass off decorating the Great Hall to him.
Which was how Calli found herself standing on a ladder one afternoon with Hermione beside her, charming tiny snowflakes to drift continuously from the ceiling of the corridor leading towards the Great Hall.
Below them, Ron and Ernie Macmillan had been assigned tinsel.
Calli had deliberately given them the easier job.
She was beginning to regret that decision.
"Ron, higher."
"It is higher."
"The left side is nearly touching the floor."
Ron looked at it.
"Oh."
Ernie sighed.
Calli turned back towards her wand.
With a small movement, another cluster of enchanted snowflakes appeared above her and began floating gently towards the ground before disappearing several inches above the floor.
Hermione smiled.
"That's lovely."
"Better than last year's."
"What happened last year?"
"Someone charmed them to follow people."
Hermione laughed.
"I would've liked that."
"You wouldn't after being followed to breakfast by the same snowflake for forty minutes."
They worked quietly for another moment. Then Calli asked Hermione how she was going to spend her two weeks off.
"I'm going skiing with my parents over the holidays." Hermione said.
Calli looked over.
"Skiing?"
"In France."
Calli lowered her wand.
"Is that the Muggle thing where you strap bits of wood to your feet?"
Hermione immediately frowned.
"They aren't just bits of wood."
YOU ARE READING
Callidora ☆ Fred Weasley
FanfictionCallidora Nott has always known exactly what is expected of her. As the daughter of one of Britain's oldest pure-blood families, her future has already been carefully planned; alliances, power, and a life shaped by tradition she never chose. At home...
