thirteenth lotus leaf

As the new year approached, everyone had gathered around the fireplace, sitting on colorful cushions. They were playing various games. Draco had just woken up and hadn't moved from Harry's shoulder at all.

"You're cheating right now, Blaise," Pansy said.

Blaise pressed the cards to his chest, hiding them from Pansy, who was shouting. "No, I'm not! Tell her something, Theo."

Theo calmly shuffled the cards in his hand. "Blaise, admit it, you always cheat at card games, and we always notice."

"I'm not the one cheating, it's him!" Blaise pointed at Kevin Entwhistle.

"Oh, hellooo, I'm a Ravenclaw, I'm smart, you know?" The boy with dirty blond hair waved his hand dismissively.

"Blaise, show your cards!" Pansy was trying to get up, and Daphne, who was holding her back, was laughing and ready to let her go.

Blaise threw his cards on the table.
"All of them!"

He started pulling out cards from the sleeves of his sweater.

"I knew it!" Ron threw his arms up and did a little victory dance, laughing heartily. Harry had seen the Hufflepuff girls exchanging cards among themselves, but he didn't say anything. Draco and he weren't playing, but they were having a lot of fun anyway.

Harry lost his focus. Even though the lights were back on, the blond boy was playing with the glowing butterfly in his hand. Harry wanted to run his hand through that blond hair. As if he could read his thoughts, Draco looked up. He looked very sleepy but happy. His icy gray eyes had softened, and they were shining in the firelight.

"You're so beautiful," Harry said without realizing it.

"What did you say?" The boy didn't seem to have heard him, which made Harry a little relieved.

"I said you're very sleepy," Harry repeated.

Draco put his hand on his neck, avoiding his gaze. "Yes, a little," he admitted.

A scream rang out in the room. Daphne let go of Pansy and stood up. "Come on, everyone, the countdown has started!" This even caught the attention of the drowsy Crabbe and Goyle.

Draco, looking more awake, got up from Harry's shoulder, which made Harry feel a pang of disappointment. Pansy immediately lit the candles.

"Come on, kids, form a circle, hurry, hurry!" she urged.

Harry turned to Draco, who looked excited. "What's going on? What are they doing?"

Draco turned to him with childlike joy, his eyes crinkling. Harry couldn't take his eyes off him.

"It's our favorite time of the year, for Merlin's sake, give me your hand!" Draco exclaimed.

Harry reached out his hand to Draco, and the boy held it tightly. Harry thought his hands were very soft, and his face started to burn.

Everyone joined hands, forming a circle. They placed the small tree in the center, surrounded by candles. They turned off the lights.

"Who's going to say the prayer?" Theo asked.

"Draco, my love, will you do it, or shall I?" Pansy offered.

Draco looked at Harry, who shook his head. "I'll do it," he said.

"Hurry up, we don't have much time, keep it short," Daphne said.

As everyone held hands, Draco began to speak. "We are gathered here for Yule. As our magic speaks for us, we are here to give thanks. May the brightness of the sun be eternal. May our new birth and healing blend with nature. May nature hear our voices. May it grant us all a good year. In the name of Merlin, we offer our thanks to the sun god.
Great sun, wheel of fire, sun god in your splendor, hear me as I honor you on this shortest day of the year. The whole world sleeps in your absence. We light these candles in your honor, we gather our magic for you, so that you can gather your strength and bring life back to the world. O mighty sun above us, we ask you to bring back the light and warmth of your fire. Bring life back to the world. Bring light back to the world. Hail to the sun!"

Harry noticed that the flames of the candles had risen. Butterflies were fluttering around them, flying rapidly around their circle as if there was wind. Then Harry felt it, an energy passing through their hands. It was as if he could feel everyone at the same time. As if he was holding everyone's hand at the same time, not just Draco's and Ron's.

The tree grew taller, and the surroundings were illuminated. Their magic was dancing together. Harry had never felt such a feeling before. He met Draco's gaze, and the boy was glowing with childlike joy. His eyes seemed to be shining, his blond hair even brighter. Even the tip of his nose was red.

As they looked at each other, they started to laugh. When the others, who were focused on their magic, noticed them laughing, they joined in. They were all laughing together. A warmth that Harry had never felt before filled his heart. For the first time, he felt like a child. For the first time, he could act like a child, celebrating and smiling with his peers about something unknown, playing games.

Draco shook their joined hands to get his attention. "They must be continuing downstairs," Daphne said excitedly. Hermione and the two girls next to her turned to her with excitement.

"Are you in for going to the Forbidden Forest?" Draco whispered to him.

"The Forbidden Forest?" Harry was surprised. Wasn't the forest forbidden?

"What's the matter, scared, Potter?" Draco couldn't help but smirk at the provocation.

Harry couldn't resist retorting. "You wish."

They immediately got up. Harry reattached the charm around his neck. While Pansy, Tracey, Millicent, Crabbe, and Goyle stayed behind to clean up the room, Harry and the others went downstairs.

The Slytherin students were also sitting in the common room, doing something similar to what they had done.

"Draco, Draco," a boy called out from behind them.

Draco turned around cautiously. "Did you come to make your New Year's wishes, or are you moving on to the entertainment?" the boy asked.

"It's none of your business, Vossler," Draco retorted.

"Ohoho, all right, mate, no need to get angry. Do you want me to put out a candle for you too?" Vossler offered.

"No, we're not planning to stay long, and I already have my own candle, so mind your own business, Vossler," Draco said.

"Okay, Malfoy, if you need anything—"

"I know, cut it out," Draco interrupted him angrily and left without waiting for them. Harry was still observing the sandy-haired boy called Vossler. For some reason, this boy irritated him.

"What are you looking at, Vincent?" The sandy-haired boy gave him a nasty look. Before Harry could answer, he was dragged away by Blaise and Pansy, who was in the form of Hermione.

As they approached the forest, they noticed the bonfires. People were sitting around the fire, chatting and joking. Blaise immediately sat down on a log and lit a fire. They gathered around it.

The fire was large and vibrant, illuminating the entire area. As the flames danced, the crackling of the wood and the smell of rising smoke filled the forest. The joyful laughter and chatter of the students, combined with the warmth of the fire, created a magical atmosphere. Harry was captivated by the enchantment of the moment. The heat of the fire was so intense that he felt as if someone was embracing him. The magic that flowed within the flames warmed Harry's soul, enveloping him like a cocoon. This feeling was indescribable for Harry. It was as if all his worries, all his problems had vanished in that instant. He decided that he wouldn't trade the sense of peace and security that the fire gave him for anything. This moment felt like it would last forever for him.
Harry realized that the groups sitting around the fire were from many different houses. The Gryffindor students were among the loudest. While Draco and Blaise were playing with the fire, Harry asked Ron what this was all about.

"It's an old tradition, actually. We celebrate it too, but we sit in front of the fireplace and have a few drinks, make a wish during the countdown, and blow out a candle before going to bed. To be honest, I wasn't expecting it to be this elaborate," Ron explained.

"But why do we do this?" Harry asked.

"It's a celebration of the new year's arrival. Nature gives us magic, and if we help nature, it will help us in return," Ron replied.

Harry was still confused. "Seriously, are Yule and New Year's this different?"

"No, I don't think so. Actually, they're quite similar. Gifts, cookies, decorating the tree, wishes, family, magic. I think everything is the same," Ron said.

"Do only wizards celebrate Yule?" Harry asked.

"I'm not sure. I'm sure Muggles have a few celebrations based on this belief," Ron replied.

"Actually, there wasn't Christmas before," Draco interjected, poking the fire with a stick. "I'm even surprised you know so much, Weasley."

"You seem to forget that I'm a pureblood too," Ron said, folding his arms. Blaise scoffed.

"That's because of the blood traitor thing," Blaise said, and Ron glared at him.

"Don't be rude, Blaise. Don't be so upset that you couldn't even beat Weasley by cheating," Draco said with a sly grin. Blaise rolled his eyes.

After a while, the others arrived, completely surrounding the fire.

"It's almost unfair how good you are at these games," Daphne said to Ron.

"Well, what can I say? Try growing up with six siblings, maybe you'll develop some skills too," Ron said with a shrug.

Everyone laughed. Kevin Entwhistle asked a question. "Does anyone want to explain to me why these pureblood students are so obsessed with Yule? I still can't figure it out."

Hermione nodded in confusion. "The Yule celebration is pure magic. It's the embodied form of wild magic performed without a wand. Only Merlin could do such spells. You know how purebloods are obsessed with everything that is pure. It used to be just a celebration, but then it started to mix with the Muggles' Christmas. While families were made happy with gifts in the Muggle world, purebloods shared their anger. That's why most purebloods are obsessed with these celebrations these days. Sometimes they even forget the real purpose of it," Theo explained.
Draco grumbled.
"When blood magic started to be seen as completely evil, the blood rituals performed in the morning for Yule were replaced by gift-giving," Blaise added.

While Hermione listened to the new information eagerly, Harry couldn't quite understand it.

"Okay, we're dedicating our magic, sharing it, but isn't the purpose here—" Harry started.

"Unity and togetherness, yes, it is," Draco completed his sentence. Harry was becoming more and more attracted to the blond boy.

"We celebrated Yule differently, for example. Not only family members, but all of us would gather, find a log, and put our candles on it. If the log burned out by morning, it meant that it would be a completely trouble-free year for all of us," Susan Bones shared her own story. Everyone took turns sharing their memories. But Harry had nothing to share. He couldn't tell them about spending New Year's Eve alone in a wretched cupboard, listening to the loud countdown from the television. Who else would celebrate Christmas alone in a tiny cupboard like him? Hermione was the last to share her story, about how she used to go ice skating with her family on Christmas morning.

It was Harry's turn. They were waiting for him to say something. Harry didn't want to spoil the mood. What could he say?

"I think that's enough, it's getting late. Crabbe, Goyle, put out the fire," Draco suddenly interjected.

"Let's go," Daphne said, getting up.

"It's starting to get cold here," Hannah agreed.

"Is my top dusty?" Pansy asked Hermione.

"I think I got a splinter in my hand," Blaise said, holding out his hand to Theo as if asking him to blow on it.

Harry looked at them, happy that he didn't spoil the moment. He was relieved. Something touched his hand. Draco. He was holding his hand, not looking at him, watching the two large friends trying to put out the fire.

"Thank you," Harry whispered.

"Don't worry, you idiot," Draco replied, his cheeks turning pink.

When the two boys put out the fire, he let go of Harry's hand. "Let's go," he said.

They waved goodbye to the Slytherins and Hufflepuffs as they went their separate ways. They managed to get to the top without getting caught. Kevin Entwhistle also parted ways towards Ravenclaw.

Harry threw himself onto his bed and fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

....

Draco was having a lot of fun that week. For the first time since returning to the past, he felt like a child. But it didn't last long. He was awakened by the masked man shouting at him in his dream. The man was strangely not talking to anyone else, but speaking directly to Draco. It was as if he knew he was in a dream. Draco later realized that this man was not one of the shadowy figures he saw every night. This was someone completely different. He sat up in his bed, frightened. His hair was wet and sticky. He persistently threw it back. He was relieved to see that he hadn't woken anyone up. But this was short-lived. There was a letter on the bedside table. The paper was yellow. It felt rough in his hand. Draco's heart was pounding. The letter on the bedside table seemed to be a curse upon him. From the moment he saw the Black family crest on the yellowish paper, he felt a chill. This was impossible. No Black family members were alive except his mother. His mother always used the flowery Malfoy crest. Their crazy cousins were in Azkaban, and - if he remembered correctly - they hadn't escaped yet. There was no one else.

He swallowed. He was hesitant to open the letter in his hand. But his curiosity won out. He carefully opened the worn paper. The neat handwriting inside was as if written by a ghost.

"Draconis Lucius Black Malfoy," he read in a trembling voice. The fact that his name was written in this way made him even more uneasy. It was as if there was a warning, a threat in this expression.

As he continued reading the letter, his heart beat faster. "You are not the only one who has returned. You are not alone. I am in France. I am alive." These sentences struck Draco's mind like a lightning bolt. Regulus Black was alive! But how could this be?

"Cissy noticed. Don't tell her about me. Don't tell anyone. There are ears around. Not even time can see them." These lines further increased the fear in Draco. It was as if someone was watching them, following their every move.

"Focus more on your dreams. What you see is real. Don't tell anyone. Don't trust anyone. If they find out, we're finished, 'I'm alive' will be short-lived." These warnings had confused Draco's mind. Who was the masked man he saw in his dreams? Was he really implying something?

"Burn the letter after reading it. Leave no trace. Don't speak aloud. They are listening. You are in danger. If anything happens, focus on me in your dreams." These last sentences had brought the anxiety in Draco to a climax. Was he really in danger?

He held the letter tightly in his hand. He didn't know what to do. On the one hand, he was happy that Regulus was alive, and on the other hand, he was experiencing great fear and anxiety. The thought that he could not trust anyone and that he could face danger at any moment made him feel helpless.

He sat on his bed. He read the letter in his hand again. He was lost between the lines. His mind was in a mess. He didn't understand why Regulus had written this letter to him, what he wanted from him.

He lay down on his bed in fear and anxiety. He closed his eyes. But he couldn't sleep. The lines of the letter were constantly spinning in his mind.

"RAB... Regulus Black... I'm alive... You're in danger..."

These words had already begun to enter Draco's nightmares.
He was having trouble falling asleep. The voice of the masked man was still echoing in his mind. Finally, he was able to fall asleep towards morning. In his dream, that man was there again. But this time Draco was different. He focused on him. He tried to interact with him.

"Regulus!" he called out.

The man paused for a moment. Yes, it was Regulus. The masked man he had seen for the first time was Regulus Black. Draco was relieved. He approached the blurry figure. The man's voice and appearance were now clearer.

"Regulus," he whispered. His eyes were filling with tears.

"Welcome, cousin," Regulus said. He smiled with that rich, familiar voice.

Draco wiped his eyes. "It's good to know you're alive," he said.

"You too," Regulus replied.

He lowered his mask. He didn't look a day older than he did in the pictures. Only the front strands of hair falling over his eyes had turned snow white.

Draco couldn't help himself. He reached out to hug Regulus. But his arms passed right through him without being able to grasp the man. It was as if he was trying to touch the wind. A coldness filled him. It was becoming difficult for him to believe that Regulus was alive.

Regulus smiled warmly at him with his gray eyes, which were a copy of his own. Despite having such a cold body.

"It's very difficult for us to interact in dreams, Draco, please don't be sad. The day will come when you will hug me," he said.

Draco wanted to sob and cry.

The surroundings were filled with a dense fog.
"What's happening!" Draco couldn't help but shout in panic.

"There's no need to worry, it's morning, you're waking up," Regulus said calmly. The smile never left his face.

"Will I be able to see you again?!" Draco couldn't help but ask as Regulus's body was covered in fog.

"I will always be here for you in the evenings, you should stop staying up all night. I'm here." His body was dissipating with the fog.

"Uncle Regulus!" Draco called out.

"I'll be waiting for you," Regulus said.

And Draco woke up. He came face to face with a giant squid stuck to the window. Sometimes he hated the dungeons.