It was Christmas Eve at Hogwarts; a time of year Wednesday particularly enjoyed. She always stayed for Christmas; no where else really felt like home.
A few students stayed here and there, usually around four or five per year. This year, however, May, CJ, Zodiac, Isaac and Thea were the only fifth year students staying for the holidays.
Normally, during the holidays, clubs would be suspended, however as the group, Wednesday and Gabriel were all present, their weekly games club continued.
Today they were playing Bananagrams, a particular favourite of the group, except for CJ, who's attention span was not quite capable of withstanding ten minutes of focus.
"D'ya know, I think it's the first Christmas we've all stayed here together." Zodiac said, arranging her tiles.
"Yes, I suppose it is. Peel." May said, causing all seven players to reach for another tile from the middle.
"It's strange, how fate allowed it to happen that my parents went on that cruise. It was awfully last minute." Thea thought aloud.
"You don't mind staying though, do you?" Isaac asked.
"No, if anything I prefer it, being with all of you." May put her arm around her affectionately.
"Peel." Said Gabriel.
"What was the best Christmas you've ever had, May?" Thea asked.
"Well, last year was pretty good, although we did miss you, Thea. I feel like this one's going to be better though. Peel."
The pile of tiles in the middle had been reduced to only three. As she called it, May drew a tile- the letter "i". She placed it next to a "t" in the word "little", and triumphantly said "peel" knowing she'd won.
"Well done, May." Said Gabriel, moving all the tiles towards the bag.
"Another win for Day. I guess that's the tournament over, then." Wednesday said.
"What next, Cluedo?
...
At Hogwarts, in the holidays, for each group of students that stayed in each year, there were two staff to supervise.
Thus, most of the Five's holidays were spent in the Hufflepuff Common room being supervised by Wednesday and Gabriel.
No one was complaining; the teachers did leave the kids alone from time to time, and they often turned a blind eye to swearing or trouble-making.
"We should let them have their fun," Wednesday and Candid would say, with a bit of a reminiscent tone. "Merlin knows we did,"
The kids spent their days planning the Blood Alliance's proposal to McGonagall, as well as playing board games and trying to study.Unfortunately, trying to study all together was no easy feat as they often became distracted by one another.
On Christmas Eve, the gang were playing dobble in Hufflepuff at around midnight when May noticed something strange.
"Say, Zodiac, have you ever seen that little cupboard before?" She asked, pointing at a high cupboard camouflaged as the same colour in the wall.
"No, I don't think so."
"Shall we see what's in it?"
The group stood up and walked underneath the cupboard.
"Ise, give me a boost." Said May, and Isaac lifted her up onto his shoulders, so that the cupboard was just above her eye level.
She cautiously opened it- it wasn't easy, and the force of her attempt caused Isaac to stagger back slightly. Eventually, she shimmied the door open.
Inside was a box- a simple, brown, cardboard box.
May pulled it out and Isaac lowered her to the floor.
"Is there anything in it?" CJ asked curiously. The five circled around May.
She pulled off the lid, and they collectively gasped.
"No way."
"It can't be."
"I think it is."
"A oujia board." Said Zodiac.
"Sick. Let's use it." Said CJ, placing the board on the floor.
"I don't know. Isn't it kinda risky?" Said Thea, worry on her voice.
"It's Hogwarts, there are literally ghosts everywhere. What's the worst that can happen?"
So, perhaps a little haphazardly, the five sat in a circle around the board and all placed two fingers on the planchette.
The lights in the common room were all turned off, save for one directly above them.
"Are there any spirits present here?" Asked May.
The planchette began to move eerily, to the "Yes" option.
"What's your name?" Isaac asked, his voice cautious.
The planchette moved to the alphabet and spelled out:
H-E-L-G-A H-U-F-F-L-E-P-U-F-F
"No way." Said CJ in disbelief.
"Oh my gosh, Mrs Hufflepuff, I'm such a fan!" May gushed.
T-H-A-N-K Y-O-U D-A-R-L-I-N-G
May smiled hugely.
"Mrs Hufflepuff, do you have any advice on ending bloodism? That's kind of what we're trying to do."
Zodiac Asked.
The planchette stayed still for a moment, as if Helga was thinking.
R-E-M-E-M-B-E-R T-H-E P-R-E-J-U-D-I-C-E-D A-R-E I-G-N-O-R-A-N-T. K-E-E-P I-T S-I-M-P-L-E.
"Thank you, Professor Hufflepuff." Said May gratefully.
"M-E-R-R-Y C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S!"
...
Isaac, CJ and Thea all went to their respective houses to grab pillows and duvets, before returning to Hufflepuff at one o'clock. The five of them- Isaac, Zodiac, Thea, CJ and May spread out on the vast sofas, talking, joking and laughing riotously until they all finally became drowsy enough to fall asleep. They stretched out in the little plush den they'd created, falling into quiet. They lay in silence for a second, the rise and fall of their sleepy breathing becoming synchronised as if they had become one whole functioning body.
"Merry Christmas, you guys," said CJ, just as they were all drifting off.
"Merry Christmas," everyone replied, although faintly, feeling more like a family right there, with their friends, than they ever really did in their own homes.
YOU ARE READING
Modern Hogwarts
Fanfiction"Yeet," Sure, Hogwarts is just as strange and wonderful as it was back in Harry Potter's time, but how do the students cope without the technology they've been raised with? How do they grapple with prejudice in their world- and how do they avoid ge...
