Christmas at Hogwarts

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It was Christmas eve


Natalie sat at the Gryffindor table, which was half empty due to people going home for Christmas, but her sister and parents were on an away break in China, so she had decided to stay here. She wanted to play exploding snape with someone, but all her Gryffindor friends were absent.

Jamie sighed he was glad the girls had finally agreed on something..

"its a start" he whispered to himself again

Shadow had sensed the mind connection, as she usually did, but had the sense to keep her mind firmly out of it. She knew that she was on rocky enough terms with Eliza already and didn't need to make it any worse.

Zeke appeared at the window and Eliza didn't think this odd.
"Why did you come back?"
"Father told me to. He says that, being who we are, it is dangerous to stay alone."
"I'm not alone! I've got Pago."
"Nevertheless. Besides, I like it here."

Shadow had heard the conversation, and was trying to forget it. Her mind was wary about this new boy, and she was afraid that he, like so many other boys, would find sport in trying to make her lose control.

Zeke's phoenix saw Shadow, and sang a few notes to attract her attention. He looked curiously at her.

Shadow looked up, morphing into a wolf.She gazed at the phoenix through her wolf eyes, unsure of what its reaction would be. She felt safer as a wolf, because it was hard to tell that she wasn't really one, apart from the white patch of fur where her charka gem normally was.

The phoenix continued to stare, and the ermine suddenly did so too. Then they turned away.l

Shadow raised an eyebrow at the two animals as she morphed back, but kept her mouth shut.

Zeke looked around and saw her. He recognized her as the girl in the girls bathrooms, and his lip curled in contempt. He looked away.

Shadow's face remained emotionless, as she didn't want to risk losing control again, but that didn't stop her mind hurling insults at him from behind the mental barrier Shadow was holding.

Eliza noticed Zeke's move and she scolded him.

Shadow began to meditate quietly, hovering a few feet in the air.

Eliza fell deep into conversation with Zeke, talking about their father and other things.

Shadow meditated, but as usual, she had one eye open and was listening carefully for danger.

"Adelfi, it doesn't matter."
"But father may need you..."
"Father is perfectly capable."

Shadow tried hard to block out their conversation, but her hearing defied her in that respect.

"You never know..."
"We're finished talking about that." Zeke said, and Eliza fell silent.

Although she didn't show it, Shadow had in fat heard everything they had said.

Zeke looked around and saw Shadow. Immediately he was suspicious, but Eliza scolded him again.

Shadow stood up, sensing Zeke's suspicion. She pulled her hood over her face to hide any emotion she might have been showing.

Zeke looked away. Eliza seemed a little relived.

Shadow was also relieved as Zeke looked away. They weren't on the best of terms.

Eliza looked over at Shadow. Their relationship at the moment was odd...

Shadow sighed and sat down again, her back leaning against the wall.

Eliza looked away. She didn't know what to think of Shadow.

Shadow began to talk to her sister though their mental link.

Eliza sat down against the wall and her ermine sat at her feet.

Shadow's eyes glazed over as she concentrated more on what Raven was saying.

Zeke sat next to his sister. The phoenix perched on his shoulder.

Shadow sneezed violently and accidentally teleported to the other side of the room.

Eliza laughed.
"Did you get born with that ability, or did you learn how?" Eliza called to her.

Shadow shook her head.
"Normally I have control over my abilities, but after losing control... I kinda need to get it back on track."

"Oh, yeah..." Eliza said, uncomfortable.

Shadow shrugged and started to meditate again.

Eliza connected minds with her ermine and Zeke connected minds with his phoenix.

Shadow was talking to Raven again, if you can call it 'talking'. Raven wasn't in the best of moods...

Zeke saw Shadow's face and nudged her.
"What's wrong?"

((Raven isn't there...))

((edited))

Shadow snapped back to the present.
"Huh?"

"You just looked kind of... Funny." Zeke said.

"I was talking to Raven." Shadow said.

Zeke looked slightly glassy-eyed, then snapped back to reality.
"Do you get on? You and Raven, I mean."

"Sometimes." Shadow said softly.

Zeke left it at that. He didn't want to interfere.

Shadow was secretly glad that Zeke didn't try to interfere. She set up impregnable barriers around her mind.

Zeke sat against the wall and put his head in his hands. He was so tired...