Hogwarts
Christmas was coming. One morning in mid-December, Hogwarts woke to find itself covered in several feet of snow. The lake froze solid and the Weasley twins were punished for bewitching several snowballs so that they followed Quirrell around, bouncing off the back of his turban, while Harry earned a week's worth of detentions for exploding enchanted snow out of a can, and showering everyone in it, causing a cold panic. Their mum had given him a proper dressing down through a howler at breakfast the next morning, during which James' snickers could be heard in the background, muting the effect and making Harry smother a grin.
No one could wait for the holidays to start. While the Gryffindor common room and the Great Hall had roaring fires, the drafty corridors had become icy and a bitter wind rattled the windows in the classrooms. Worst of all were Professor Snape's classes down in the dungeons, where their breath rose in a mist before them and they kept as close as possible to their hot cauldrons.
This year, Harry and Charles would not be going back home, because Charles wanted to stay and experience a different Christmas at Hogwarts, just like Harry had in his first year. The Weasleys would also be staying, because Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were going to Romania to visit Charlie. Lyra and Jéricho, on the other hand, were invited to Greengrass Manor. Harry was, too, but he had politely declined.
The Great Hall was spectacularly decorated. Festoons of holly and mistletoe hung all around the walls, and no less than twelve towering Christmas trees stood around the room, some sparkling with tiny icicles, some glittering with hundreds of candles. A single day was left till Christmas.
Charles
"Hey, Hermione." Zabini greeted their friend as he sat with them. "Find Flamel yet?"
Hermione let out a frustrated sigh. "No, dammit! I can't find him anywhere. You?"
"No luck." Greengrass appeared on his side. "We're leaving tomorrow, so Potter and Weasley would have to look for it."
Lyra sighed. "I still think Ech and Harry know who it is. They're just not saying."
Charles grumbled. "I thought they liked mischief."
"You got that right, little brother."
Charles jumped as Harry popped up out of nowhere, with Jéricho and Serafina at his side.
"What makes you think we know who Flamel is?" Serafina raised an eyebrow.
Daphne shrugged. "Because we our siblings are smart and old enough to know that."
"Flattery won't work, oh cousin of mine." Jéricho tutted.
"Cousin?" Blaise frowned.
"Sixth cousin twice removed, to be exact." Harry sagely corrected.
Hermione groaned. "Urgh, purebloods! Don't you guys fear inbreeding?"
"It's culture." Serafina shrugged. "Everyone's related somehow. Not thinking about how closely helps."
"Yeah," Jéricho shuddered, "Grandfather Orion and Grandmother Walburga were second cousins. And they wanted, at one point, for Dad to marry his cousin Bellatrix, who's seven years older than him!"
They all laughed at Hermione's scandalized face.
Harry
Once the holidays had started, Ron and Charles were having too good a time to think much about Flamel, which Harry was immensely relieved about. There weren't many people left in the common room, and he and the twins had the dormitory to themselves. The common room was far emptier than usual, but so they were able to get the good armchairs by the fire. While they preferred exploring and moving more, though, Charles and Ron usually sat by the hour eating anything they could spear on a toasting fork -- bread, English muffins, marshmallows -- and plotting silly ways of getting Malfoy expelled.
Then began the Chess Fever, in which Ron was the champion. His set was very old and battered. Like everything else he owned, it had once belonged to someone else in his family -- in this case, his grandfather. However, old chessmen weren't a drawback at all. Ron knew them so well he never had trouble getting them to do what he wanted.
Something Harry had in common with his brother was that they were both pants at chess. This was also one of the few things all his friends were better at, which annoyed Harry to no end.
On Christmas morning, all the Griffindors in the tower gathered down in the common room to open their presents together. Apart from the Weasleys and Potter, Alicia Spinnet, Cormac Mclaggen in second year, and Maxie Nut in seventh year, were there.
Harry's pile was possibly the largest there, only competing with the twins and Charles. From his parents, he had gotten a new cauldron and baked cookies, while from Charles was a new set of leather boots. Sirius had given him a book on 'How to woo girls' which was frankly hilarious, and Lyra and Jéricho had gotten him casual muggle clothes and a cool new leather jacket. Adrian had invested in a broom care service kit, and Roger and Terrence had gotten him a set of snitches. Serafina had gifted him a set of brand new emerald green and royal blue robes made of acromantula silk. Cedric had gotten him a large assortment of muggle and magic sweets, and the twins had gotten him the newest Zonko's prank set. Adding to that was a traditional Weasley sweater, in royal blue, his favorite color.
Charles
Charles stared star-eyed at the gift Harry had gotten him. It had had a note attached to it to open the package in his dorm, so he had obliged. Now he knew why.
It was the Invisibility Cloak. The family heirloom that Harry had been given on his eleventh birthday. There was a note too.
Dear Charles,
I wasn't really in the mood to buy a present this year, and frankly, I spent too much on some of my friends, so here is my cloak. Yours for the rest of the year, though kindly do occasionally allow me to borrow it.
I'll collect it back next year. You can give it to me on my birthday.
Happy Christmas, little brother.
Charles whooped loudly. It was the best Christmas present Harry had ever given him!
"Whoa, is that...?" Ron breathed.
"An invisiility cloak? Yep. Family heirloom. Harry's, but he gave it to me for the rest of the year."
"That can get us in the restricted section!" Ron exclaimed.
Charles grinned.