Twice Chosen | Esmerelda Potter

20. Christmas Break

As much as I hate winter, something about winter at Hogwarts is so beautiful. The snow hangs so nicely on all the trees and the pointy peaks of the towers and makes Hogwarts gleam brightly. I don't even mind that it's freezing cold outside.

I told Dora last week that I would be staying at Hogwarts during Christmas break, to keep Harry company because both Ron and Hermione are going home to see their families. Besides, Harry and I need to stay to receive the owl and find out more information on Flamel.

The last school day before the Christmas break crawls by, especially Defense Against the Dark Arts. Ron, two seats ahead of me, has fallen into a deep slumber. Professor Quirrell lectures us about vampires for the whole class. Hannah Abbott, a Hufflepuff girl seated next to me, keeps twiddling with her blonde hair, not paying a bit of attention to the lecture.

Professor Quirrell nervously drops his goblet he was using to fiddle with during the lecture, which makes a huge amount of racket. The whole class snickers as he picks it up, his turban nearly falling off. He shrieks and runs off to his office, leaving the whole class howling with laughter.

"Poor man," Harry says to me. Indeed. I pity him.

==========

The Great Hall is nearly empty, heavily decorated with golden garlands and shiny  with Harry and Ron, watching them play Wizard's Chess. Harry is losing to Ron, and pretty badly, I may add. I pet Captiosus on my shoulder, who nibbles my finger. 

Professor Flitwick is hanging ornaments on the last of the twelve trees in the Great Hall that Hagrid pulled in last week. He seems pleased with himself as he hangs the last ornament. He steps down off the stool to admire his handiwork while the other teachers sitting at the table applaud.

I can see Hermione come through the doors with her suitcase, wearing her Gryffindor scarf with its colors, red and gold. She stops at our table and watches the epic chess battle that's taking place between Harry and Ron. 

"Knight to E5!" Harry says. His white knight piece moves up two spaces and over one space.

"Nice move," I think.

"Thanks," Harry replies.

Ron looks at the board, concentrating hard.

"Queen to E5," Ron says with a slight smile on his face. The red queen piece moves forward and whacks down Harry's knight piece.

"That's totally barbaric!" Hermione shouts.

"It's wizard chess! I see you've packed," Ron says, addressing Hermione.

"I see you haven't," Hermione replies.

"There's been a change of plans. My mother's visiting my brother Charlie this week. He's studying dragons in Romania!" Ron says.

"Good. You can help Esmerelda and Harry then," Hermione says curtly. "They're going to look in the library."

"We've looked there a hundred times! There's nowhere else to look!" Ron complains.

"You haven't looked in the Restricted Section," Hermione says, looking at all three of us. "Happy Christmas!" Hermione waves goodbye as she walks out the door.

==========

I finish tying Hermione's Christmas gift around Captiosus's leg. I am giving Hermione a few pumpkin pasties for Christmas along with a letter telling Hermione that we will be looking for Flamel soon.

I give Captiosus a scratch on the head and open the window. She flies out and disappears into the thick clouds above. I hope I sent her fast enough so she'll be back by morning.