The First Snowfall
Holly had decided to accompany Hermione to the library the Saturday after Samhain, and it had since become a bit of a weekly ritual. They always tucked themselves into the same secluded corner with big fluffy seats and big windows and did whatever homework they had left over from the week.
This particular Saturday, it seemed like the whole school was in the library. It was bitter cold, but no snow had fallen yet, so the only people crazy enough to be outside were Hagrid, and the Gryffindor quidditch team. Apparently, their captain was a bit of a nut.
“I’m so excited for break,” Tracey was saying from the nearby chess table she shared with Ron, “my mom makes the best holiday biscuits and I can’t wait for presents!”
“Oh, I know!” Agreed Hermione. “I’m ever so excited!”
“Mum and Dad haven’t decided if they're going to stay home or go visit my older brother, Charlie. He works with dragons in Romania.” Explained Ron, as he slid his knight another square closer to Tracey’s king. “Anyway, I’m hoping to stay in the castle with you and Harry, myself. Then I won’t have to wear one of Mum's jumpers. They’re bloody hideous!” Said Ron. “Check mate.” He added, and his knight promptly beheaded Tracey’s king.
Holly was immensely relieved when she learned that Hogwarts allowed students to stay for winter break. Especially because the Dursley’s had sent her and Harry a rather unpleasant letter, detailing how very unwelcome they were. “It would be nice to have some company,” Holly admitted, “but mostly I’m just glad to spend the Holiday away from the Dursleys.”
“Those muggles you live with? They sound like right nasty pieces of work!” Said Ron, lining up the chess board again.
“What do you mean?” Hermione asked, “my parents are muggles and-“
“It’s not like that,” Tracey cut in. “I’m sure your parents are great. My dad’s a muggle too, I know they aren't all bad.” She paused, glancing hesitantly at Holly, who didn’t really know how to react. Hermione though, looked much more relaxed. “It’s just…”
“Harry said they used to make them both sleep in a bloody cupboard - ‘till their letters came. Couple of gits, if you ask me.” Said Ron, tactlessly.
“Oh.” Said Hermione, quietly.
“They did what?” Tracey hissed, a horrified look on her face. “Holly, is that true?”
Holly looked away. She didn’t much like the feeling of being put on the spot like this, and she really did not enjoy her friends prying about her childhood. She had never been particularly happy at the Dursleys, and certainly, she was far more comfortable here, at Hogwarts, but still, she felt as though her privacy were being trampled on.
“No!” Tracey shouted, shooting to her feet, arms crossed over her chest. “Absolutely not!” And with that, she stormed out of the library, leaving about a hundred other kids staring at them, some sniggering, some whispering, and some - the closer ones - looking equally concerned.
When Holly caught Daphne among the camp of more worried observers, she snapped shut the tome she’d been reading before all of this and fled the library.
She found herself following Tracey. At first, she didn’t even know why. She didn’t think that she actually wanted to, but her feet kept moving as if tied to Tracey’s with an invisible string. It was when they reached the bottom of the icey steps up to the owlery that she finally understood why she’d even followed her friend in the first place after being so thoroughly humiliated by her. “What are you doing?” She cried, desperate for - something.
Tracey jumped a little, and whirled around, relaxing only a fraction when she saw who had spoken. “It’s not right that you should spend your first Christmas away from those people alone at the school. I’m going to write my mum and dad about you staying with us for the holiday. We have tons of space. I’m sure they’d be happy to have you. Both of you.”
Holly felt tears prickle in the corners of her eyes. She blinked several times fast to try and clear them, but it was no use. “Really?” She asked, all too hopeful.
Tracey stepped closer and used her sleeve to wipe Holly’s tears, then she offered her a small smile. “Of course. Now go find your idiot brother. He’s probably half-frozen by now anyway.”
Holly did exactly that, finding Harry just as practice was ending and telling him the news. He looked unsure, but hopeful. A bit like how she felt.
The next few days went by slowly. Slow and very, very cold. In Herbology, one of Holly’s favorite subjects, they had to spend the entire class battening down the greenhouses for the impending storm, rather than getting to learn about the magick of snowdrops, like Professor Sprout had planned, and Holly was so disappointed by this, that their teacher actually gave her an entire tome on winter plants. It was called Winter Botany: How Magickal Plants Kept Early Humans Alive During Cold Months, & How To Use Them Today! Holly was absolutely extaticked to begin reading it.
On Thursday, after flying lessons and Quidditch practice let out, Holly and Harry decided to go for a walk. They started somewhere in the middle of the castle and wound and wound and wound their way around it until finally coming to one of the more popular courtyards. It was empty today, because of the cold, but that just made it more inviting to Holly.
“I can’t believe the term is almost over!” Said Holly, settling onto a slightly slippery and very cold stone bench. “It’s like one of these days I’ll blink and then poof - I’ll be a real witch!”
Harry laughed. “You are a real witch!”
Holly rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean!” She said, just as the very first snowflake landed on the tip of Harry’s nose. “Ah! Look, snow!” She said, jumping up excitedly to spin in the early snowfall.
“Uh-huh.” Harry agreed, sticking out his tongue to taste the falling snow.
As they stared up at the powdery sky, spinning around with their tongues out, the snowfall went from light flurries to heavier, stickier snow. Within a few minutes the icey ground had become mostly white, and all the edges off the castle sported dustings of white, as though baking flower had been spilt along them.
“Oh there you two are!” They both stopped to see Tracey, standing just inside the covered hallway, looking eagerly out at the snow. She closed her eyes, hiked up her skirts, and stepped into the outside world, only opening her eyes once she was passed the barrier of the arched beams that seperated dry from wet, and warm from cold.
“What are you doing?” Harry wondered, when Tracey settled back into something that resembled normal.
She grinned. “It’s the first snowfall of the year. It’s magickal. And powerful magick at that. I was making a wish!” She explained, as though it were completely obvious.
Holly and Harry glanced at each other, then both of them closed their eyes and turned their heads up to the sky.
Don’t let me be alone in my dorm on christmas! Don’t let me be alone in my dorm on christmas!
Tracey giggled a little at the sight of them, when they both started spinning again. “You guys can't even see each other and you're still doing the same thing!” She laughed. “I’d think a Slytherin and a Gryffindor would think less alike, twins or no.”
“I was almost sorted into Slytherin.” Harry said, simply.
Holly stopped and opened her eyes to look at him. He seemed to sense the shift in mood he had brought on though, and did the same. “You never told me that. I assumed it was one of the other houses or something.” Holly said, quietly. She remembered their fight in the beginning of the year and wondered, not for the first time, if he really had thought badly of her for choosing Slytherin. Especially if it was his choice not to be in her house.
He shrugged a little uncomfortably. “You werent there yet, Holls. All I knew was what I’d heard. Besides, your hat stall was even worse than mine, was Gryffindor really not an option for you at all?”
Holly mulled that over. “It suggested Gryffindor in the beginning, and I tried to choose that to be with you, but it - the hat - told me not to base my decision on anyone else. After that we both pretty much ruled Gryffindor out as an option. It was between Slytherin and Ravenclaw for me.” She explained. “Slytherin is a little bit of everything, you know, we’re just slower to trust is all.” She added, thoughtfully.
Harry looked a little skeptical. “If you say so, miss ‘I’ll get revenge for things nobody else even remembers doing’.”
Tracey laughed again. “Now don’t you two start fighting again! The letter’s just come from my parents and your both staying with us for the holiday. I wont have you two spoiling your first real christmas over something so petty!” She teased, and thrust the letter out for them to read.
Dearest Tracy,
We are so excited to be having you and your friends home for the holidays. Remember to dress warmly and study hard these next few weeks until then. I know it can be difficult with christmas so close…
Love, Mum and Dad
Holly squealed in delight, but Harry only smiled apologetically. “Thanks, Tracey, really, but, well… Ron’s parents decided to visit his brother in Romania. He asked if i’d stay and explore the castle with him.” He explained, sheepishly.
Holly’s heart sank a little, but she hugged her brother and told him, “don’t get into too much trouble without me, alright?”
“Promise.”
That night, before they fell asleep, Holly rolled over to face her best friend. “Pst, Tracey,” she whispered. Tracey hummed, but kept her eyes tightly shut and snuggled Lucus the cat even closer than he already was. “I just realized, my wish already came true!” Holly whispered, excitement for the coming week setting in.
“Told ya,” said Tracey, smiling, but still not bothering to open her eyes.