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Chapter 52: Invitations and Innuendo
"Huh?" Elian blinked, the question not quite registering.
"AhâI meanâ" Hermione stammered, her face flushing deeper. She cleared her throat, regaining a semblance of composure. "My parents heard you're from a Muggle family too, and that you live nearby in London. They thought⊠since you might be on your own for Christmas⊠you might like to come over for dinner."
Christmas? It was upon them already. To the wizarding world, and to Hermione's very Muggle parents, it was the biggest holiday of the year. The invitation, especially to bring a boy home, felt weighted with meaning. Or perhaps he was reading too much into it.
He searched her face, but found only a nervous, hopeful earnestness.
When he didn't answer immediately, Hermione's expression shifted to one of flustered pride. "Hmph! Suit yourself. I only asked because I thought you might be lonely. Never mind then." She turned to leave.
"Wait," Elian said, a smile touching his lips. "Please thank your parents for me. That's very kind. I'd like to come."
Hermione turned back, her irritation melting into a pleased smile. "Good. Well⊠what are your plans for the rest of the break? You can't use magic outside of school, you know. The Trace."
"I'll manage," Elian said. "Maybe I'll just stay in. Or find a quiet place to⊠practice. A different kind of magic." He gave her a meaningful look, and she understood he meant the arts of Kama-Taj.
Hermione's smile was bright and genuine. "Right. Well⊠I'll see you later, then."
As Christmas drew nearer, Hogwarts transformed. Enchanted snow drifted from the ceilings in the Great Hall, wreaths of holly and ivy sprouted on the walls, and the suits of armor hummed carols in rusty voices. Elian tried to savor the peace, knowing it was fragile.
The aftermath of Hogsmeade, however, was still present in the pages of the Daily Prophet. The story had finally made the front page, but the headline made Elian raise an eyebrow:
MINISTRY AURORS TRIUMPH IN HOGSMEADE, NEUTRALIZE DEATH EATER THREAT!
The article was a masterpiece of Ministry spin. It detailed a "swift and decisive response" by brave Aurors who had "engaged and defeated five Death Eaters," preventing a tragedy. Buried deep in the third paragraph was a single, dismissive line:Â "One Hogwarts student, who had wandered into the area, was unharmed and later escorted to safety. The school has been reminded of the importance of student supervision."
No name. No mention of his age or the strange circumstances. The Ministry had waited, seen no counter-narrative emerge, and boldly claimed the credit.
In the Gryffindor common room, Ron waved the paper. "Blimey! So it was the Aurors! Good on Fudge, for once!"
Fred Weasley reached over and smacked his brother lightly on the back of the head. "Honestly, Ronniekins. You spend all day with Harry and Hermione and you're still that thick?"
"Yeah," George chimed in, grinning. "Even Elian looks more skeptical, and he was there. It's obvious Fudge is polishing the Ministry's apples."
Ron grumbled, but Elian just shook his head with a faint smile. The shamelessness was almost impressive.
The castle felt different this December. A tense, rebellious energy hummed beneath the festive surface. Fred and George's Skiving Snackboxes were now a booming black-market enterprise, their use spreading beyond Umbridge's dreadful Defence classes to other lessons. The professors, in a silent pact of defiance against the High Inquisitor, had adopted a policy of strategic blindness. If only a handful of students showed up, the lesson went on. Homework was still assigned. Life, in a strangely fractured way, continued.
It was, Elian thought, perhaps the most chaotic era Hogwarts had seen in a century. Dolores Umbridge had achieved the unthinkable: uniting the entire student body and staff in mutual loathing.
Just as this thought crossed his mind, a Gryffindor boy poked his head into the common room. "Elian! That Ravenclaw girlâLuna Lovegoodâis looking for you. Says it's important."
(End of Chapter)
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