❝ I hope that you never, not even for a second, become a secondary character in your own story. ❞

   And just like that, November finally came to an end. I couldn't be more glad that this cold and dry month was over, although the upcoming one would be followed by even more freezing temperatures and strong winds.

   I was never a fan of bad weather. On the first week of December, flakes of powdery snow began to fall softly upon the Hogwarts grounds. The shimmering, white layer transformed the castle into an enchanting winter wonderland. It was the most beautiful time of the year, and there was no better place to enjoy it than at Hogwarts.

   However, the festive decorations were strictly forbidden until the second week. Everybody had to study for midterms, and us fifth years had our pre-O.W.L. exams to prepare for, so Headmaster Dashawn didn't want anybody to be distracted.

    Having missed five years of school, I knew I had to revise twice as much as my peers, and Sibi had to teach me about several areas where I had significant gaps in knowledge. Both of us spent hours in the library, studying ceaselessly, going through secondary sources in addition to our textbooks, and having group study sessions with our roommates, Christine and Rosalinda.

   Mike was more of a procrastinator, so Sibi told me she'd given up trying to scold him into sorting himself out when it came to exam season. Though his studying habits were messier, he did manage to get revisions done. I was more like Mike in terms of organization than Sibi, as much as I didn't like to admit it. I sometimes joined him during his late-night, Butterbeer-induced study hours in the Common Room. Sibi would roll her eyes but let us be.

   We also went to the Dueling Club more often to practice spells, charms and jinxes. Mike wasn't joking when he first told me that Sibi was a master dueler. Boys often looked at her in awe as she practiced incantations, but she hardly paid attention. One time, one of them tried to approach her in a rather crude manner, so she hexed him with Anteoculatia, causing antlers to sprout from his head. The boy started screaming in panic, so Sibi undid the hex, but it did scare him into keeping his distance.

   During those dueling sessions, I realized that defensive spells were my forte. No wonder, though. I mean, having Breeze as a teacher for Defense Against the Dark Arts was why that subject was one of my favorites.

   What I struggled with was Transfiguration, and all thanks to our teacher, professor Rollick. Sibi and Mike had warned me from the first day that he was a grumpy dude nobody liked, but he had taken a special disliking to me out of all people, and it all started that day at the beginning of the year, when I dozed off in one of his lessons.

   The Herbology exam went very well, which surprised me a little, because I wasn't particularly interested in plants. But professor Umphassen was nice and I really liked her teaching methods, and Herbology was Sibi's favorite subject, so her tremendous support and guidance helped me perform so well on the exam.

   I had some difficulty when it came to Potions, but professor Rasp, our Potions master, was a bit more lenient with me, since he already knew me because of Sibi, who he prepared wolfsbane potion for once a month. Anyhow, this didn't stop him from giving me extra work to do over break.

   So much for his leniency.

   I didn't really bother to look at my final results on my History of Magic exam. I knew I screwed that one up. Professor Binns was the only one besides Hagrid who still worked at Hogwarts. Just listening to his drawling, muted voice during lectures always made me drowsy and I took naps without hesitation during History of Magic. He never moved from his spot behind the desk, let alone notice the uninterested students at the back of the class like me, which was completely out of question.

   As for our organization, we had finally accomplished our goal of twenty people. Breeze encouraged me to start working on propagandist articles for the magazine she'd told me about. She said she would help with the publishing and advertising process, but writing was me and my friends' responsibility.

   Breeze also told me that although our friends from the organization were going to help out, no one but Sibi, Mike and I were to have access to the files of information. We wrote our first article a few days after we had decided to create the magazine. Stella was the one who suggested we named it The case of Dolphinuses, since that topic would be our sole focus. It was also eye-catching enough to leave people stunned to be seeing a magazine with such an uncompromisingly forthright title.

  Our first article was an introductory one, an overview of what the magazine would be about, but we did not write our names down. First rule of the organization: keep it anonymous. No one was supposed to know it was us, because if the Ministry found out, they would capture and imprison us in a heartbeat.

   Breeze disappeared from Hogwarts for a few days since she had to work on publishing the first issue of the magazine. It wasn't longer than three pages since we didn't have much to write about, and if we waited till we had at least three or four articles ready, we'd be waiting an infinity. It wasn't only a week later that the whole school had found out about The case of Dolphinuses. The magazine could now be bought at every newspaper stand, bookstore or market. They even sold it at Hogsmeade.

   How Breeze had managed to achieve that so quickly I had no clue, but she had really done an amazing job. I was a bit anxious when everyone started talking about the magazine, although it was anonymous and I had to remind myself nobody knew I was behind it. Even The Daily Prophet commented on its immediate popularity. A man named Bernard Dawson, who worked as a Dolphinuses executioner for the Ministry, gave a long speech about how the magazine should not be trusted and its only aim was to mislead the community and cause havoc for the government.

   The turn of events was drastic and not one I'd seen coming in such a short amount of time. But as apprehensive as it made me, I also felt proud of myself and my friends for taking this step. I had to bring an end to this genocide once and for all. Then I'd be able to meet my dad and bring him his memory back. He wouldn't be on the Ministry's blacklist anymore, and neither would I, Stella or Dave. I'd fill him in on everything and we'd have the happy life I'd always dreamt of . . . .

   My heart also ached for mom and Rochelle. I wanted to see them and be with them now more than ever. I wanted to apologize for my childish and arrogant behavior to mom from the bottom of my heart. More than anything, I wanted to have a family dinner this Christmas. Mom, Rochelle, I and mr and mrs. Underwood, Rochelle's adoptive grandparents could dine together. I could even invite Breeze to join us.

   I'd never had a family dinner before. It was always just me, mom and aunt Camilla. Oh, and her vicious, ugly bulldog, Puppy. It had been strange, growing up without cousins and other close relatives, and certainly lonely. But now that I had found out that Rochelle and I were sisters, I couldn't wait to see her again and have a nice family reunion. A reunion which would be completed when I'd bring my father home again.

   But as much as I wanted to go home for the holidays and see mom and Roche again, I knew I had to stay at Hogwarts. Since not many people would be around, it would be the perfect opportunity to work on the magazine. Sibi and Mike also promised that they would stay over and try to help me as much as they could.

   Besides, the Ministry officials would come in January, right after the winter holidays ended. I didn't have much time left, so I had to use these two weeks to my advantage. It was now or never.

▼

   As I made my way down the girls' dorms that morning, joined by Sibi, Christine and Rosalinda, I noticed a group of third-years gathered around an announcement on the bulletin board of the common room. We approached the group, who was engaged in lively conversation.

   "Alright everybody, clear off now," Christine said, pushing her way through the group.

   The girls scuttled away, murmuring to each-other in indignation.

   "Christine, where are your manners?" Sibi scolded her.

   She gave the younger girls an apologetic look. Christine waved her hand in dismissal, looking at the announcement up close.

"Oh, right, this lame heteronormative party again," she said, rolling her eyes. "Are they gonna bring singing trolls again?"

"What is it?" I asked and got closer so that I could read the announcement.

Hogwarts Christmas Party

Join us to celebrate the holiday season!

Sunday, December 21st, 7.00 pm
In the Great Hall.

Third-years and above only.

It's a Christmas party. Join us for a merry time!

"Well, one can only guess what a teacher's definition of a 'merry time' is," Christine said with a scoff.

"I kinda liked it last year, to be honest," Rosalinda said. "I thought the trolls were pretty funny."

A Christmas party. An actual party. For some reason I started feeling nervous, the type of nervous I hadn't ever experienced. I had never been to a party before. Unsurprisingly, of course, considering I had always been an outcast, so I had never been invited to any party.

But I wanted to go to this one. It wouldn't be just an ordinary, boring muggle party. This was Hogwarts. Whether my friends would want to go as well was the question.

"What's it like?" I asked, wishing now more than ever I'd been here sooner.

When I came here, I had found out many things about myself, my true identity and my father's life. But one thing I still hadn't been told was why I had received my letter so late. I mean, what was the actual reason I hadn't started school at the age of eleven along with everybody else?

"It's awesome," Sibi said. "We had lots of fun last year. Sure, we could've done without the troll music, but it was a great time still. You'll see for yourself. It's—"

"Tomorrow!" Rosalinda cried, cutting Sibi off. "The party's tomorrow."

Christine grunted. "Well, guess who's not going?"

"I can't wait!" Sibi beamed. "I wonder if Akker's seen this already. I'm sure he has, but I have to go and tell him what I'm wearing, so that we can color-coordinate."

"Okay, but not now," I said, gripping her arm firmly before she even thought about prancing away.

So, I'd finally discovered that the boy Sibi had been seeing in secret was none other than Akker Simmons, the heartthrob twin from Hufflepuff that everyone drooled over.

Well, I hadn't exactly discovered it, Sibi had told me. She felt compelled to, anyway. That evening when Mike and I came back from Hagrid's Hut, we started bombarding her with questions.

Not that this relationship was something she should've kept hidden from us. Akker and Maddie were our friends. They'd been part of the organization for months now and had proved their loyalty.

I mean, it was not like I would judge her or anything. Even Mike wouldn't, although he didn't talk to her for two whole days after finding out. He was getting better at hiding his jealousy, though.

"Sibi, you're so lucky," squealed Rosalinda, dragging me out of my thoughts. "You're going out with the hottest bloke in our school. But what about me? Who am I going to the party with?"

"It doesn't say here we have to go with someone, does it?" I said in alarm. I tore the announcement from the wall and read it over frantically.

"Relax, Polly," said Sibi with a laugh. "You don't need to go with a partner if you don't want to. It's optional. Mike and I just joined the Richards last year and we had so much fun as a group."

I let out a deep sigh of relief. 

"Oh please, Polly. Don't be so overdramatic," said Christine, rolling her eyes. "I'm pretty sure if my cousin asked you, you'd say yes."

"Your cousin?" I asked.

"Alex, who else?" she said.

My stomach churned and I felt incontrollable heat rush to my cheeks.

What the hell was wrong with me?

"Polly, here's some advice," Rosalinda said. "I dated Alex for a short period of time last year and let me tell you: he's not a stable person in a relationship. So I suggest you don't miss your chance now that he seems into you, because Alex changes his mind quickly."

Well, talking about Alex's stability is a bit rich coming from you, Rosalinda, considering just months ago, when you were at my house for my birthday, you were yelling at him over the phone.

I shook my head and pursed my lips. For some reason I was pissed.

"Well, thanks for the . . . advice," I said.

I didn't fake a smile, so what I said came out sarcastic-sounding.

"Let's go to breakfast," Sibi spoke up. She exchanged a look with Christine and linked arms with me as we left the common room.

When we had just stepped out of the portrait hole, I heard Christine behind me whisper to Rosalinda, "I don't know about you, but I think you vexed her."

I exhaled deeply and shook my head as all four of us continued to walk downstairs.

Screw you, Alex Forster. Seriously screw you.

▼

I slammed the book that I was currently reading on the night table, huffing for about the fifth time that evening. I couldn't think of anything but the following day's Christmas party. I had tried to take my mind off it by reading, but it was pointless.

I had a problem: I had nothing to wear. I hadn't taken a fancy dress with me. I didn't even have a fancy dress in the first place. Sibi owned plenty and she liked wearing them. But the problem was, none of hers fit me.

"You can take this one if you want to," Sibi tried again, taking a knee-length red dress out of her wardrobe and showing it to me. "We could also add some sequin to make it look more classy."

"Sibi, are you serious?" I asked, exhaling deeply. "Have you even seen how tall you are in comparison to me?"

"I mean. . . just a few centimeters," she said, scratching the back of her neck.

I hated the fact that I was only 5'2. Sibi was svelte and tall. I was thin too, but often I worried that perhaps I was too skinny. My weight didn't concern me as much as my height did, though. Being short was dreadful.

"Well, we need to find you a dress for tomorrow night," Sibi said. "Maybe we could ask Christine or Rosalinda. Or Rena."

"No way. I don't want to look like I'm begging."

"Then what? I won't let you skip the party."

I let out a sigh and started thinking. There had to be a way I could find something to wear. Sibi was right, I wasn't going to skip the party.

If only I could sneak out of school and go buy a dress in a store or something. . .

"That's it!" I yelled, jumping up from my bed suddenly. Sibi got up from her own bed as well, and turned to me all ears.

"So?" she asked. "Came up with some genius plan?"

"You know what, Sibi?" I said, turning to her with a mischievous grin. "I feel like breaking some rules right now."