After the night of the Green Defeat,most of the snakes have still been bitter about it.But my problem isn't that.My problem is that I have no idea where and how to buy Christmas presents for my friends.Which is quite an inconvenience really...
In the meantime,I,Harry,Ron,Hermione and Hagrid were walking around the grounds,talking about the Quidditch incident.

Hagrid:Nonsense!Why would Snape put a curse on Harry's and Raven's broom?!
Harry:Who knows?Why'd he want to get past the 3-headed dog on Halloween?
Hagrid:Who told you about Fluffy?
me:Fluffy?
Hermione:That thing has a name?!
Hagrid:Of course he's got a name,he's mine!I got it from a fellow in a pub.Lend it to Dumbledore to guard the..
Harry:Yes?
me:You can't shut up,can you?
Hagrid:Shouldn't have said that...NO MORE QUESTIONS!Just don't ask any more questions!It's top secret,that is.
Harry:But Hagrid!Whatever Fluffy's guarding,Snape is trying to steal it!Cobswalth.Snape's a Hogwarts teacher.
Hermione:Hogwarts teacher or not,I know a hex when I see one.I read all about them.You've got to keep eye contact.And Snape.Wasn't.Blinking.
Harry:Exactly.
me:Now you listen to me.All 4 of you.You're meddling in things that aren't meant to be meddled in.It's dangerous.What that god is guarding is strictly between professor Dumbledore and Nicholas Flamel.
me:Nicholas Flamel...?

That name sounds so familiar...but from where?

Hagrid:I shouldn't have said that...I should not have said that....
With that,Hagrid left with remorse and we kept asking each other who IS this mysterious person?

~Christmas Break~

The Hogwarts staff was preparing the decoration for Christmas everywhere,the trees were full of gorgeous decorations...wait...did I die and ended up in another utopic parallel universe?Because THIS is one motherfucking miracle!
Most of the students were preparing to leave home to spend the holiday with their loved ones,which,for me and Harry,meant finally silence in the castle.I said my goodbyes to Jessie and Emma,and left to the great hall,to meet with Harry and...Ron?Playing chess?And Hermione is there too,with her luggage.Hmm...
Apparently,Ron's parents are going to Romania to visit his older brother Charlie,who's studying dragons.And since all 3 of us will be here,Hermione told us to search in the Restricted Section too,and left,wishing us a "Happy Christmas".

As I was watching Harry being TOTALLY beaten up by Ron in Wizards Chess,I hear someone calling for me.The usual "Hey,Black!".
I look up and see my blond friend waving me over.His luggage was being carried by the other 2 idiots he's always with.Now that's the kind of manipulation I'd want to be able to put in practice too.
I go to him,as he makes Crabbe and Goyle leave-most likely to the train-,and looks at me.

Draco:See you after holiday.
me:Yeah...See you.Happy Christmas,Draco.Hope you have a great holiday.

I said with a smile,hugging him.To my surprise,he awkwardly hugged back and rubbed my back a bit.
With that,he said his farewells,and left.But just like that,he looked back at me with his usual smirk and said "You still won the bet",leaving me dumbfounded,and yelling after him.Nope.He only laughed.Oh well... guess I will see what he means by that..
I looked around and saw that Professor McGonagall wasn't there.Perfect.That means she must be in her office.THERE WE GO!
I knocked softly on the door and go inside as I hear her voice.

me:E-excuse me,professor...may I ask you something?
McGonagall:What is it,miss Black?
me:I well...First of all...I wanted to help around decorating the castle.It's well...my first actually Christmas celebrated and...it already looks amazing...and the atmosphere of happiness is surrounding everything and...

McGonagall had a happy/motherly look on her face while hearing me talk.

McGonagall:I will talk to professor Flitwick about this,so you can do it together.
me:Thank you so much,professor!
McGonagall:You're welcome.Now,anything else?
me:I...well...how do I get some money?I...want to buy my friends Christmas gifts and I have no idea how and...I don't want to be that one friend who can't give my friends anything....
McGonagall had a side mischievous smirk and stood up and came towards me,putting a hand on my shoulder.
McGonagall:Did you think your parents left you alone in this world,without any money?
me:I...I do?What?!Where?!How?!
McGonagall:But of course,miss Black.Come on,we have to go to Diagon Alley,to Gringotts.Go get dressed and meet me in the courtyard in 5.
me:YES,M'AM,YES!

Being very excited,I run in my room,get dressed and run outside,near professor McGonagall.We continue to walk ahead,surprisingly,chatting about school,my mum,the marauders,and so on,until we finished our way to Hogsmead,from where she proceeded in aparating us in front of the great Gringotts Bank.
Inside was H U G E and...very silent.And full of goblins.Oh well.Quite intimidating,might I say.
McGonagall pulled out a cool black key from her sleeve and handed it to the goblin,and we went on a weird ride to this certain vault,I took some coins from it and we left.

McGonagall:Now,the best place to find gifts is,Hogsmead!
me:Sounds pretty neat.
McGonagall:Very much so.

We appear in Hogsmead,she helps me out picking the gifts...but I don't know what to give Draco...That is,until I found it.The -hopefully-perfect gift for him.This ring is EXACTLY like the one from my favourite movie!I can't believe it!It's fantastic!

Apparently,McGonagall did her Christmas shopping too,so I gave her a "reason" to do it earlier.And now,we're in the Three Broomsticks,and McGonagall ordered us both 2 shots of Fire Whiskey.As our "dirty little secret".As my first time drinking alcohol,I gotta say the taste is not THAT spectacular,like a nice smoothie,but also,not THAT bad either.I...could get used to it.
But spending time like this with McGonagall made me wonder if this is how it's like having a mother.

----

The next day,I woke up alone.everything was cold,dark and lonely in the Slytherin CR.Really,nobody was here.Literally nobody.I didn't feel the motivation to get out of bed anymore...I really only want to stay in bed all day...but I'm hungry.Dammit,life.
I didn't bother to dress in anything nice,but as I exit my room,I see the Slytherin Christmas tree,that was full of Green and Silver decorations,had presents under it.Wait....I HAVE PRESENTS?They...couldn be someone else's,right?No,I have to check!It's..too much!

This thrilling feeling made me sit down in front of the tree and examine all the gifts,how neatly they were wrapped,and how on all of them it was MY name.Mine.
One was from Hermione,and she gave me Stephen King book,Doctor Sleep.
Apparently,Ron's mum knitted me one of those weird sweaters,with a Grey R on the green sweater,since I'm a Slytherin.
Even McGonagall gave me something!So glad I got her a brooch now...
It was an advanced Transfiguration book,and she wrote on the first page

"Dear Miss Black
I know you will do great in your journey of becoming a Healer,despite what everyone says.Study heard,but also have fun.
Merry Christmas,
Minerva McGonagall."

This is the sweetest thing ever,I might cry.Now,I have 2 motherly figures.What could I ask more?!
From Fred and George I got some pranking supplies from Zonko's.Well...the card itself was a prank,cause it exploded after I read it...but oh well heheheeh...
From Jesse,I got a bunch of sweets,and Emma gave me 3 books on which it was written "Homestuck" Well,this looks like fun?

And...this little green box with a silver bow on it?
"Merry Christmas,Black"
Is this what he meant by "You still won the bet"?Maybe,maybe not?I don't care.This is still very sweet.
Opening it,I see a gorgeous green necklace with a silver snake.So Slytherin,but it's truly gorgeous.I...really don't know what to say.I guess wearing it everyday and hugging him when I see him will be a fair thank you?This must have cost him a fortune...Merlin,Draco...you're impossible...

What was weird though,was the letter which was on another present.
"You are like your mother,so you have to learn how to use you "other" powers too.She would have given it to you in person,but given the circumstances,I was the one with the safe keeping.Have fun"

Inside the wrappings,a book about "Metamorphmagi" was sitting there.
Metamorphmagus...what IS that?I guess I'll give it a read tonight.
Me getting out of bed proved the be one of the few right decisions I could ever take.Me,I'm proud.

Everything went normally,but at night,I and Harry decided to go in the Restricted Section,using his Invisibility cloak,and look for information regarding that mysterious Nicholas Flamel.This task proved quite difficult,especially since,when we were looking around,Harry just HAD to take a HOWLING BOOK which made a LOT of noise,causing Filch to come in OUR direction,and as we were fleeing,Harry JUST HAD to knock over the damn LAMP.Ya know,cause why not...

Being the Stealth Masters we were,we managed to get past BOTH Filch AND his cat,only get into Snape being aggressive with Quirell,over "loyalties".Also,I suspect that Snape knows there is something weird going on around.That,or maybe he heard Harry's loud breathing.I believe both.Also,Filch came,telling Snape there were students out of bed,and showing him the broken lamp.Great work,Potter.

BUT at least we managed to get out of there safely.On our way though,we find a big,prestigious mirror.Harry slowly approaches it in awe,and touches it,saying completely enchanted "Mum?Dad?".What IS he talking about?He held a face full of nostalgia,sorrow and disappointment,but then he ran off somewhere.

I look above and see the writing"Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi" Wait...mirrored,it'd be "Is how not your face but your hearts desire"
I looked at the mirror,expecting to see my reflection,but I was wrong.The same gorgeous long brunette girl with a mischievous glint in her shining forest green eyes,and a natural pranking smirk on her face,holding hands with a tall,slim young brunet man,with quite long,shaggy hair,a handsome prince-charming face,and the same mischievous smirk,looking at me.Are this....my parents?They are absolutely gorgeous and amazing.
How was I blessed with such amazing parents,only to have to lose them and never see them again?!Hell,I don't even know the name of my father!Nobody EVER wanted to tell me his name!Like,he's some kind of sociopath!Hell,I know about Voldemort,before I know my daddy's name?!
That's blasphemy!

I didn't even realize I was crying,until I see mummy's face go shocked,then turn into sadness,and daddy sitting on his knees in front of me,putting his hand where my face was.That's right.I started a full sob out session,falling to my knees,pressing my forehead on the mirror,and my fists on it.I felt like killing someone,because they are not with me.I just want someone to hug me tightly and feel the warmth.
But not like how I hug Hermione,Jessie or Emma.But how mummy or daddy would hug me.
Life is cruel...Damn Voldemort...ruining lives...leaving scars...
I raised my head to look at them again.The image will have to be in my mind for centuries.
They were reassuringly smiling at me,trying to make me smile,through my tears,like any parents would.How much I'd have needed them...

But just as that,I heard some loud running noises and see Harry dragging Ron to the mirror,and I moved from there,having to leave my parents once again...
Harry really thought Ron would see his parents.But he was so wrong.Instead,Ron saw his future self,as a Headboy,with the house cup in his hands.Poor Harry was so confused...but I could barely hold myself to appear strong,but I knew I wouldn't be able to actually speak.My voice would crack and I'd start sobbing again.

After Ron left,I remained with Harry.He kept staying in front of the mirror,but I can't blame him.
Although...I too...wanted to see them again.Then,Dumbledore came.He told us the "REAL" meaning of the mirror,which,if you were smart enough to read above,you'd have figured it out by yourself.Then,he told us not to come here,cause our desire in seeing our parents would turn into a sick obsession,and we'd lose our minds.
Most likely,he's right,but I'd still want to get a shot at seeing them.At least one more time.
Let's just say,that after Dumbledore and Harry left,I finally got the chance to spend quality time with my parents.

I told them everything that has been happening to me.
The orphanage,Snape coming to get me,reading the letter,buying the stuff,the wand incident,the new pets,about getting sorted into
Slytherin,about Jessie and Emma,about the teachers,about the prank,about the twins,about Draco,Harry,Ron and Hermione,about today and yesterday...
When I told them I was a Slytherin,mum started jumping in glee,while dad facepalmed.Seems like she won the bet?
Most likely.

Oh daddy...you have to learn from her more.

Maybe if they were here with me,not dead,then I'd have been more bubbly,like her,not a shy nitwit.
Maybe I'd have felt more smart and beautiful.Maybe I'd have been a charmer,like daddy.Maybe...so many possibilities,it's making my head spin.Oh man,how much I'd long for this night to rewind,so I can talk to them once again...