Author's Note — Christmas Bonus Chapter
This bonus chapter was uploaded in response to a Ko-fi supporter, Loudpack69, whose message served as a timely reminder of the season.
Reader support plays a meaningful role in the timing of extra releases such as this.
Merry Christmas, and thank you for reading.
--------------------------------------------
The morning of Halloween dawned cold and misty, the kind of day where the castle seemed to hold its breath. Banners of orange and black fluttered in every corridor, jack-o'-lanterns floated in the Great Hall, and even the suits of armor had been bewitched to hum ghostly tunes. But none of it could lift the tension sitting in Draco and Hermione's stomachs.
Hermione sat by the window of the Ravenclaw common room, nervously tapping her quill against her book. "He's going to cause a disaster," she muttered. "Every time Harry gets involved, something happens."
Draco, who had been pretending to read a Charms essay, sighed and closed the book. "I know. I know. Wherever Potter goes, chaos follows. But he's our friend—what are we supposed to do? Leave him outside the castle forever?"
Hermione groaned softly. "We could at least have picked a better day than Halloween! The whole school will be awake, and there will be ghosts everywhere. What if someone sees us?"
Draco smirked. "If someone sees us, I'll just say we were rehearsing for a secret theater performance."
Hermione threw him a glare so sharp that he almost apologized. Almost.
Outside, the sound of laughter and footsteps filled the halls as students carried carved pumpkins and strings of enchanted lights. The smell of sugar and roasted nuts drifted up from the kitchens. For everyone else, it was a day of fun and sweets. But for Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy, it was a day of dread.
"I can't even think about food," Hermione said, pacing the room. "All I can think about is him sneaking through the Whomping Willow tonight, and Dumbledore finding out."
Draco leaned back against the couch, trying to appear calm though his heart was racing too. "He'll be fine."
Hermione shot him a look. "It's not him I worried about."
"Alright, alright." Draco stood and adjusted his robes. "Look, once we show him the Cerberus, he'll calm down. Then we can get back to the theater project. Simple."
Hermione rubbed her forehead. "Simple, he says…"
By midday, the Great Hall had been transformed into a Halloween wonderland. Thousands of candles floated over long tables piled high with sweets—candied pumpkins, treacle tart, toffee apples, and every color of potion-like punch imaginable. Bats swooped playfully above the enchanted ceiling, which reflected a stormy night sky.
First-years were buzzing with excitement. "They say the ghosts do a parade tonight!" one whispered.
Another added, "And that Nearly Headless Nick does his head trick after dessert!"
Hermione and Draco sat side by side at the Ravenclaw table, pretending to enjoy the festivities. But neither could eat much. Hermione's fork clinked uselessly against her plate.
Draco finally leaned close and whispered, "You're going to give yourself wrinkles if you keep worrying."
She shot him a glare. "We're sneaking someone not even enrolled into Hogwarts to look at a three-headed dog! Forgive me if I'm slightly tense!"
Draco smirked. "Alright, fair point." He glanced toward the staff table, where Dumbledore sat laughing merrily with Professor Flitwick and McGonagall. "At least everyone's distracted. If there's ever a night to pull this off, it's tonight."
Hermione followed his gaze and swallowed hard. "I hope you're right."
Somewhere deep inside, she knew Draco was—Halloween night was the perfect distraction. But still, her heart twisted with unease.
The sky over Hogwarts blazed orange and violet as evening crept over the grounds. The soft sound of chatter and laughter drifted from the castle; inside, preparations for the Halloween feast were nearly complete. But down near Hagrid's hut, two nervous first-years stood waiting in the cooling wind.
Hermione kept wringing her hands. "He said he'd be here by sunset, didn't he? What if someone sees him first?"
Draco tried to sound calm, though his eyes darted toward the forest every few seconds. "Relax. He's not the type to show up without a plan. He—"
A sharp whistle cut through the still air. Both of them froze. The clearing was empty.
Hermione whispered, "Did you hear that?"
Before Draco could answer, another whistle sounded—closer this time. He spun around. "Who's there?"
No answer. Just the rustle of leaves and the low creak of Hagrid's fence.
And then—out of thin air—a head appeared.
Draco yelped and stumbled back. For a brief, horrifying second, it looked like Harry's disembodied head was floating in midair.
"Boo," Harry said cheerfully.
Hermione gasped and clapped a hand over her mouth to stifle a laugh. "Harry! Don't do that!"
With a grin, Harry pulled at something silvery draped around his shoulders—and slowly, the rest of his body appeared, fading into view like mist revealing form.
Draco's eyes widened. "You—You have an Invisibility Cloak?!"
Harry shrugged, amused by their stunned faces. "Of course I do. Comes in handy. Especially when sneaking into castles full of nosy professors."
Hermione shook her head, still half laughing. "Where did you even get that?"
Harry smiled faintly. "Inherited it. Let's just say it's been in the family for a long time."
Draco circled him, fascinated. "It's perfect. Even the shimmer is barely visible in torchlight. Not even Dumbledore could spot you in that."
"That's the idea," Harry said, folding the cloak neatly over one arm. "I brought it in case a student wandered by. Didn't want to startle anyone… well, not too much."
Draco rolled his eyes. "You're impossible."
Hermione tried to steady her voice. "Harry, it's already getting dark. Are we still going straight to the third-floor corridor?"
Harry glanced at the castle, its windows now glowing like rows of lanterns. "Not yet. It's not the right time."
"The right time?" Draco asked.
"The feast," Harry said simply. "When everyone's in the Great Hall—students, professors, even Filch. The castle will be empty. That's when we go."
Hermione hesitated, her logical side warring with curiosity. "That's risky… but it makes sense. No one will notice if we're careful."
Harry nodded. "Exactly. Until then, show me what you've been working on. You said you've built the Muggle Studies Theater, right?"
At once, Draco brightened. "Finally! Something I'm proud to show off. Come on."
They led Harry across the courtyard, up the marble steps, and through a narrow side passage. The hum of the Great Hall's chatter echoed faintly as they passed.
The Muggle Studies classroom had changed beyond recognition. The floor sloped gently toward the front, rows of cushioned benches gleamed under candlelight, and the massive enchanted screen stood proudly against the far wall.
Harry whistled softly. "You've outdone yourselves."
Draco beamed. "Told you. Best seats in Hogwarts."
Hermione flicked her wand, and a few floating candles dimmed the light. "We used cushioning, self-cleaning, and sound-stabilizing charms. Professor Flitwick was brilliant with the runes."
Harry walked to the front, trailing his fingers over the smooth wall. "It's perfect. The acoustics, the slope… this could really work."
Draco smirked. "You sound surprised."
"Not surprised," Harry said with a small grin. "Proud."
Hermione flushed slightly but quickly recovered. "Well, we're glad you approve. But you're not distracting us, Harry Potter. We're still going to the Cerberus after the feast, not before."
Harry raised his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright. I'll behave—until then."
Draco muttered, "That's what I'm afraid of."
As the distant sound of bells echoed from the Great Hall, signaling the start of the feast, the three of them exchanged a look—a mix of excitement and dread.
"This is it," Hermione said quietly.
Harry's grin returned, sharp and full of anticipation. "A perfect night for monsters and secrets."
Draco sighed, shaking his head. "If this ends with us in detention, I'm blaming you."
Harry's voice was calm but certain. "Trust me, Draco. By the time the night's over, we'll see something none of them ever have."
The candles flickered, casting their faces in gold and shadow. Outside, thunder rolled over the Forbidden Forest. Inside, three young inventors waited in silence—ready to trade the safety of invention for the thrill of the unknown.
The castle was silent when they slipped out. The Great Hall echoed with laughter and music far behind them, and the faint smell of pumpkin pie and roasted nuts still clung to their robes. The only sounds now were the crackle of torches and the creak of the old stone underfoot.
Draco led the way with his wand raised, whispering, "Lumos." The thin beam of light barely pierced the dark corridor ahead. Hermione's hand trembled slightly as she clutched the map Draco had drawn for them earlier that day.
"This is madness," she muttered. "If we're caught, we'll be expelled—or worse."
Harry, invisible beneath his cloak, chuckled softly beside them. "You worry too much, Hermione. It's just a dog."
Hermione hissed, "A three-headed dog guarding a trapdoor! That's not 'just a dog!'"
Draco smirked. "I'm with her on this one."
But Harry didn't answer. The sound of his quiet footsteps moved ahead of them until they reached the final stretch—the forbidden third-floor corridor. The air here was colder, heavier, and smelled faintly of dust and something musky, like animal fur.
When Hermione reached for the doorknob, her hand shook. The metal was icy to the touch. "Ready?" she whispered.
Before Draco could respond, the door creaked open on its own.
Three massive heads lifted from the shadows.
The Cerberus towered above them, muscles rippling beneath its dark fur, each of its eyes glowing like embers. The growl that rolled from its throats shook the floor.
Hermione gasped. Draco froze, his wand trembling. "Merlin's beard…"
But before either could retreat, Harry's voice rang out calmly, "Easy there, big guy."
And to their utter disbelief—he walked right in.
"Harry, are you mad?!" Hermione shrieked in a whisper.
The beast lunged.
Three jaws, each the size of a cauldron, snapped down toward Harry—but he didn't even flinch. With one swift motion, he smacked the nearest snout with his open hand.
"Stop it," he said, in the same tone one would use on a disobedient puppy.
The Cerberus halted mid-growl, stunned.
Then Harry did it again—one firm slap to another head that tried to lunge. "I said stop."
Draco stared in horror. "He's going to die."
But the impossible happened. The monstrous creature whimpered.
Harry reached into his enchanted pouch and pulled out a massive slab of meat—dark red, steaming faintly, and larger than a textbook. "Brought you something special," he said softly.
The Cerberus sniffed, all six nostrils flaring. Then, slowly, it lowered all three heads and sniffed the meat again before snapping it up in one swift bite. The crunch echoed through the chamber.
"What… what is that?" Draco whispered.
Harry grinned. "Asgardian goat. They eat lightning, apparently. Figured a creature this size deserved something divine."
The Cerberus's demeanor changed instantly. The monstrous growls melted into low, pleased rumbles. Three tails wagged so violently that a gust of air ruffled Draco's robes.
Hermione blinked in astonishment. "He… he's playing with it!"
Indeed, Harry had begun tossing bits of enchanted meat and the Cerberus caught each one with perfect coordination—three heads snapping in harmony. It barked—loud enough to make Hermione clutch her ears—but the tone was unmistakably playful.
Harry laughed and patted one of the heads on the snout. "You're not so bad, are you? Just misunderstood."
Draco shook his head. "Only you, Potter. Only you could make friends with something that could eat us in one bite."
Harry glanced over his shoulder, his grin mischievous. "Don't tempt me. I might keep him."
Hermione gawked. "Keep him?! Harry, this isn't a puppy—it's a guardian beast!"
Harry shrugged. "All the better reason. He deserves better than being locked in a corridor."
The Cerberus gave a soft, rumbling whine and nudged Harry with one of its heads, almost affectionately.
Draco whispered, "You're joking, right?"
Harry chuckled. "Maybe not."
For a few more minutes, they watched as Harry played fetch with the Cerberus—using an enchanted bone he conjured from thin air. Each throw resulted in an earth-shaking thud as the beast leapt joyfully and returned it, its three heads wagging in sync.
Hermione finally sighed, torn between exasperation and awe. "You're unbelievable, Harry."
"I get that a lot," he said with a wink.
When at last they decided to leave, Harry gave the Cerberus a final pat on the central head. "Stay here, guard your secret, and don't eat anyone unless they really deserve it."
The creature gave a low rumble, as if understanding, then curled up again atop the trapdoor, already half-asleep and snoring thunderously.
Draco muttered as they slipped back into the corridor, "You know, if anyone had told Dumbledore that they saw Harry Potter sneaking into a forbidden corridor to feed a three-headed dog—He'd have called St. Mungo's."
Harry smirked.
And as they disappeared down the corridor, the sound of the Cerberus's gentle snores echoed behind them—a strange lullaby to an even stranger friendship.
___________________________________________
Details about bonus content can be found on my profile page.