ELIXIR: A Harry Potter Fan Fiction

Eighteen. The Yule Ball.

Christmas morning arrived just as it should, with a fresh blanket of snow and new flakes still falling softly past the tall windows of Ravenclaw tower and to the ground, so far below. The common room had never been so packed on Christmas. Nearly everyone had stayed for the holidays this year. Caiti had thought she would feel homesick, but so far, she was truly enjoying herself. 

There was a towering Christmas tree by the big windows, adorned in Ravenclaw colors and topped with an eagle that flapped its wings from time to time, showering the tree and anyone standing below it in silver glitter. A ring of the glitter surrounded the ground around the tree in place of the traditional train track. Between the brilliant decorations and her growing excitement for the ball that evening, Caiti was perfectly happy to be where she was, even if it wasn't home.

She Evelyn, Marlowe, and Sean had all packaged their presents inside their quilts and carried them down Father Christmas-style over their shoulders. Now they sat around the fireplace, preparing to open the parcles. No one had changed out of pajamas yet. Caiti's hair was still tied up in last night's braid, now fuzzy on top and with many escaped bits of hair. She tucked her feet inside the legs of her pajama pants, which were too long, and sat with her knees up to her chest, and her chin on her knees, smiling contentedly as the others got themselves situated.

She kept stealing glances at Marlowe. She did not think she had ever seen him with bedhead before. He positioned himself next to her, just close enough that if she moved to sit cross-legged, their knees would be touching.

"Happy Christmas," she said, smiling at him.

Marlowe nodded once. "You too," then he added. "Open mine first so it won't be a letdown."

Caiti laughed. "It won't be. You didn't need to get me anything." But she let her knees fall open to sit cross-legged anyhow (purposely not shifting aside) and rifled through her little pile of presents to find the one from Marlowe. It was wrapped in blue paper, and Caiti smiled to herself when she noticed the excessive amount of Spell-o-tape he had used to secure it. Much, much more than was strictly necessary.

Caiti forced her way through the tape, glancing at him with a sly grin. "Am I not meant to get in?" she asked.

Marlowe grinned sheepishly. "I suck at wrapping presents," he said.

Inside was a book. Caiti had opened it to the back cover so she flipped it around. The title read The Properties of Potion-Making for Inventors: Create Brand New Potions from Scratch.

"This is so cool," she said, skimming the contents. "Thanks, Marlowe!" The book had chapters dedicated to choosing the right ingredients and safe ways to test new potions and all sorts of things.

While she continued to peruse the book, Sean began to open his present from Caiti. He burst out laughing and she looked up. "I hate you," he said, grinning at her. In his lap was a stuffed Mackled Malaclaw, dressed in a baby bonnet which Caiti had shrunk to fit herself.

Caiti put up both hands, flexed at the wrist, and shrugged. "There's something else in there," she said. Sean frowned and reached back inside the gift bag. When his hand reemerged, he was holding a small box. The something inside rattled as he brought it closer to his face to read it. "I really hate you," he said, chucking it at her. The little box hit Caiti in the shoulder, bounced off her knee, and then rolled twice from edge to edge. "Ow," Caiti laughed, clapping her hand to her shoulder.

She had expected Sean's reaction. They always got each other joke gifts. He was grinning and shaking his head.

Until he saw that Marlowe had snatched the box and was now staring at it with glee. "Love-Gloss," he read. Then he turned to Caiti and they both roared with laughter. Evelyn looked slightly uncomfortable, but was smiling a little anyway. "Man," said Marlowe. "I didn't know you had that in you, Caiti. Good thinking."