ᴀ ᴅ ʀ ɪ ᴇ ɴ ɴ ᴇ [1]

16. dearest ambition

chapter sixteen

DEAREST AMBITION

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IN ALL MY LIFE, I'VE NEVER HAD SUCH a Christmas lunch. Mind, I've only really had one Christmas lunch before, but I'm sure a hundred fat, roast turkeys, mountains of roast and boiled potatoes, platters of chipolatas, tureens of buttered peas, silver boats of thick, rich, gravy, and wizard crackers every few feet would trump the no doubt delicious feast the Dursleys are eating right now.

I pull a wizard cracker with Ron, and, instead of banging, it goes off with a blast like a cannon and engulfs us all in blue smoke, while from the inside explodes a real rear admiral's hat and three white mice.

Dumbledore is swapping his wizard's hat for a flowery bonnet, and I receive many comments on my 'makeup', which I left on at George's request.

Flaming Christmas puddings follow the turkey, and Percy nearly breaks his teeth on a silver sickle embedded in his slice. Harry and I watch as Hagrid slowly gets redder and redder in the face as he calls for more wine, finally kissing McGonagall on the cheek, who, to my delight, blushes and giggles.

When I finally leave the table, laden down with things from the crackers, including non-explodable, luminous balloons, a Grow-Your-Own-Warts potion that I plan on slipping into Malfoy's drink, and my own set of wizard's chess. The white mice have unfortunately disappeared, and Harry says he has a nasty feeling they're going to end up as Mrs Norris's Christmas dinner.

Percy, Ron, Fred, George, Harry and I fill the happy afternoon with a furious snowball fight in the grounds, returning, in my case, wet, and in everyone else's case, cold, soaked and gasping for breath, to the Gryffindor common room. Sometimes it's quite useful, not being able to feel the temperature normally. In front of the roaring fire, I spectacularly break my new chess set in a thrilling match against Ron, in which I lose shamefully. I suspect I wouldn't have lost so badly if Percy hadn't kept trying to help me so much.

After a dinner of turkey sandwiches, crumpets, trifle, and Christmas cake, everyone is too full and sleeping to do anything before bed but watch as Percy chases Fred, George and I all over Gryffindor Tower because we stole his Prefect badge and started imitating him perfectly, chest out and nose up. When I finally slug my tired feet up to my dormitory, I collapse into bed and reflect on my day. By far, it's the best Christmas I've ever had. I frown, something nagging at the back of my mind.

The Invisibility Cloak, which I left in Harry and Ron's dormitory along with my wooden dragon, fudge, sweets and gloves. My sweater is thrown over the end of my bed.

Use it well, the note had said. But who sent it? I long to feel the cool fabric sliding through my hands again, smoother than silk, lighter than air. I long to hold my father's Cloak in my hands once more, the only thing I have left of him.

I sit up, stand, shrug my sweater on, tiptoe silently down the stairs, across the common room and into the first year boys dormitory, where Harry is standing, the Cloak in his hands. He looks up, and beckons me over. I grin as he wraps the Cloak around us, and look down at my legs. Only moonlight and shadows. It's a rather funny feeling.

Suddenly, I feel wide awake. The whole of Hogwarts is available to me in this. I can go anywhere - Filch will never know. I look at Harry, and he beckons me forward. We creep out of the dormitory, down the stairs and come to a stop in the common room.

"Where should we go?" I ask, keeping my voice low.

Harry bites his lip, thinking.

"The Restricted Section in the Library!" he says suddenly, and I groan. "We'll be able to read as long as we like!"