❝ Holidays And Vacations ❞

            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. The few owls that managed to battle their way through the stormy sky to deliver mail had to be nursed back to health by Hagrid before they could fly off again.

No one could wait for the holidays to start. While the Ravenclaw 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 our breath rose in a mist before us and we kept as close as possible to the hot cauldrons.

"I do feel so sorry," said Draco Malfoy, one Potions class, "for all those people who have to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas because they're not wanted at home."

He was looking over at Harry as he spoke. Crabbe and Goyle chuckled. Harry, who was measuring out the powdered spine of lionfish, ignored them but, didn't do the same.

"And I feel for the ones who have to deal with a slimey-headed-brat every holiday," I snapped. I had nothing against Malfoy, but his attitude towards muggle-borns irritated me to the bone.

The Gryffindors laughed, Malfoy looked tomato red from embarrassment.

Malfoy had been even more unpleasant than usual since the Quidditch match. Disgusted that the Slytherins had lost, he had tried to get everyone laughing at how a wide-mouthed tree frog would be replacing Harry as Seeker next.

Then he'd realized that nobody found this funny because they were all so impressed at the way Harry had managed to stay on his bucking broomstick. So Malfoy, jealous and angry, had gone back to taunting Harry about having no proper family. It was true that Harry wasn't going back to Privet Drive for Christmas.

Professor McGonagall had come around the week before, making a list of students who would be staying for the holidays, and Harry had signed up at once, he said that he was treated poorly by his uncle and aunt; this would probably be the best Christmas he'd ever had. Ron and his brothers were staying, too, because Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were going to Romania to visit Charlie.

I would've stayed at Hogwarts to give company to Harry and Ron. Especially since Dad didn't celebrate Christmas and visiting camp wouldn't be a good idea. If I managed to get into some mess, then who'll attend Hogwarts?

But Alan Blackwood insisted otherwise. He wanted me to meet his father. He wanted to show how much of Alice I am. I wasn't sure about the idea, since meeting new people was not my cup of tea. But then again it's not like I had a choice.

"Please!" He whined. "Just once,"

"Alan, I don't know if this is a good idea," He made the best puppy eyes he could.

"I'll give you tons of chocolates and I promise to reduce bothering you to a certain level," he said, pouting.

"Fine," I agreed. "But don't expect me to mingle along well, I was never good at this."

When we left the dungeons at the end of Potions, we found a large fir tree blocking the corridor ahead. Two enormous feet sticking out at the bottom and a loud puffing sound told us that Hagrid was behind it.

"Hi, Hagrid, want any help?" Ron asked, sticking his head through the branches.

"Nah, I'm all right, thanks, Ron."

"Would you mind moving out of the way?" came Malfoy's cold drawl from behind us. "Are you trying to earn some extra money, Weasley? Hoping to be gamekeeper yourself when you leave Hogwarts, I suppose — that hut of Hagrid's must seem like a palace compared to what your family's used to."

Ron dived at Malfoy just as Snape came up the stairs.

"WEASLEY!"

Ron let go of the front of Malfoy's robes.

"He was provoked, Professor Snape," said Hagrid, sticking his huge hairy face out from behind the tree. "Malfoy was insultin' his family."

"Be that as it may, fighting is against Hogwarts rules, Hagrid," said Snape silkily. "Five points from Gryffindor, Weasley, and be grateful it isn't more. Move along, all of you."

Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle pushed roughly past the tree, scattering needles everywhere and smirking.

"Malfoy was purposely picking on Ron and Harry. You have to punish him!" I expressed. No matter how terrible Snape was, I will speak up for my friends.

"Miss Scott, as long as it doesn't concern you I advise you to keep your mouth shut," Snape seethed.

"It does concern me, I will not remain silent while you do not give what they deserve," I said, keeping my tone dangerously low. Malfoy's reaction was priceless. Snape's eye twitched.

He sneered "Five points from Ravenclaw."

I wanted to protest, but Ron pulled me away before I could do something rash.

"I'll get him," said Ron, grinding his teeth at Malfoy's back, "one of these days, I'll get him —"

"I hate them both," said Harry, "Malfoy and Snape."

"Come on, cheer up, it's nearly Christmas," said Hagrid. "Tell yeh what, come with me an'see the Great Hall, looks a treat."

So the three of us followed Hagrid and his tree off to the Great Hall, where Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick were busy with the Christmas decorations.

"Ah, Hagrid, the last tree — put it in the far corner, would you?" The hall looked spectacular. 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. It looked absolutely stunning but then I remembered I hadn't packed yet.

"Oh, I have packing to do, see y'all later!"

Once I reached my dorm, I grabbed my backpack which had a void, so I could stuff a lot of things in it.

I packed several nightclothes, sweaters, jeans, hoodies, and dresses. Along with Toiletries, and my dagger, in case something happened. When I was done, I made myself comfortable in the Ravenclaw common room which had a lot of fluffy couches. I settled down with a book in my hand.

"Hey Aquila!," Alan called.

"What?"

"I've sent an owl to my dad, he'll come to pick us up from King Cross Station," he said. I wasn't sure if it was a good idea to stay at Alan's house. I didn't like strangers and new people. I wasn't comfortable with them either, but Alan said his father would be happy to see someone like Alice, so I had to agree.

"Oh, that's good," I said.

~~~

I bid goodbye to Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Lisa as we boarded the train. We reached the King Cross station sooner than I expected.

After a few minutes of searching and then someone called out.

"Alan!" There stood a man, He had honey-brown eyes sandy brown hair, and slightly tan skin. He bore a strong resemblance to Alan.

"Hey, buddy!" He said enthusiastically hugging his son. "You've grown!"

"Hi Aquila," he said softly and shook my hand. "I'm Connor Blackwood, Alan's father." he introduced.

"Hello sir," I said, politely.

"No need to be so formal," he insisted. "Just call me Conner,"

Even though it's been years since I left my maternal family, their training stayed with me crystal clear. Purebloods rarely addressed each other casually, only with sir, madam, or mister, miss. I grew up in the Johnson manor, and this habit never went away.

"I prefer it," I smiled a little. He shrugged.

"Are we ready to go then," he asked. We both nodded in unison. There was a muggle car waiting for us. The ride to their house was surprisingly short.

The Blackwood household turned out to be beautiful. It was too big to be considered a humble house but relatively smaller than a manor. It was painted powder blue inside, with wooden furniture complimenting the walls. When we entered, a woman and a little girl maybe two or three years younger than me were seated on the light brown couch watching television, they turned towards us. The women smiled at us, getting up and hugging each of us.

"Hello Dear, I'm Laura," she said to me. Smiling kindly, she was pretty. Her golden brown hair framed her face.

"Nice to meet you, ma'am, Aquila Scott,"

"Freshen up, we've got a lot of time to talk," she said. I nodded. Alan led my way to the room I'll be staying in.

"Who are they?" I asked. Alan's mother died and his sister as well then, who they are?

"Oh, that's my step-mother and my step-sister, my dad remarried two years after Alice's death,"

"Oh, stepmothers hate their step-child, don't they?" I asked.

He laughed hysterically. "Really? Miss Logic believes in fairytales. I thought you were intelligently pract-"

"Shut up!" I hissed. "What does intelligence have anything to do with believing in fairytales? And I do not believe in fairytales! Not anymore." I murmured the last two words. He was laughing so loud that there was no way in the underworld that he heard that. If it was another situation I would've stabbed him, but I can't do that.

"No Aquila, she doesn't hate me, moreover she loves me as much as Regina, " he said breathlessly from laughing. "If you not talking about Cinderella, then why would you think stepmothers are evil?" he asked.

"Well, My mother has no love for me, I doubt stepmothers do," I said. He frowned.

"Why does your mother hate you?" he asked.

"How am I supposed to know why she hates me? Ask her."

"You might've misunderstood it, Alice, she probably loves you"

"No, she doesn't,"

"Yes, what proof do you have?"

"She disowned me, she directly said that I shouldn't have been born, what else do you need?" I said quietly. It was enough for Alan to shut up for the rest of the walk to my room.

"I don't think your mother would've disowned you for that reason it's probably because of something else?"

"You don't know anything about me or my life. So you don't need to worry about it, okay?"

"If you say so, but there's something different about you, Alice," he said.

"Only something is different? I thought everything was different about me." I said fake surprised.

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, definitely everything is different about you."

After a few minutes, the little girl came into my room.

"Hello! I've heard you're Aquila, nice to meet you! I'm Regina!" she said grinning.

"Oh, a pleasure to meet you Regina, and yes I'm Aquila," I said. The girl resembled Laura a lot.

"So, I've heard a lot about Alice, lany said you are just like her differently, I wanted to be friends with you," she said.

"Definitely! And I don't know if I'm really like Alice, and who's Lany?" I asked.

"I call Alan lany," she said. We both talked and talked Regina is nothing like Alan she is witty, cunning, and mischievous she would have been a Slytherin or Ravenclaw if she was a witch, unfortunately, she's a muggle. I heard more about Alice.

She is almost like me. Almost. The rest of the days were great. Laura was nothing like how a typical stepmother would be she even treated me like her own daughter. My birth mother could have never been able to love me as much as a Stranger I met a few days ago.

I'm glad I didn't choose to spend my holidays in Hogwarts or Scott Manor because I would've never met these amazing people. Honorable mention, Alan was being stupid and annoying I couldn't just stop rolling my eyes or scolding him. Regina is the only person who can annoy Alan there was never a dull moment and by far the best Christmas I could remember.