December descended on the castle in a flurry of snow and homework. Cynthia and George were practically inseparable which suited Eleanor fine since she was too preoccupied with her prefect duties; decorating the castle, supervising students spending their breaks inside and Filch had taken to demanding they patrol the corridors in order to keep everyone in line.

Eleanor had just arrived at the Room of Requirement for the last DA meeting before Christmas and Cynthia came running over, a huge smile on her face.

"You'll never guess where I'm spending Christmas!"

"Uhm, I guess not at your family's holiday house like you normally do."

"George invited me to his house for Christmas! Isn't that exciting?"

"Huh, well then I guess it'll just be me and Reggie at your house for the holidays." Eleanor smiles, a blush warming her face.

"I thought you were going home for Christmas?"

"So did I but Reggie asked me the other day when we were hanging out between classes, if I wanted to come home with him for Christmas, to make up for him being so consumed with school work and assignments these past few weeks."

"That's amazing, now we'll both get to spend Christmas with our boyfriends," a soft sigh escapes from Cynthia as she revels in this news. "Oh and I'll work on some more stories for the Hufflepost over the break, that way we'll still have enough written to put another edition out the first week back."

"Just don't forget to actually have a break," El smiles, trailing off to listen as Harry tells them all that they'll be continuing to practise the spells they've already learnt so far.

Everyone around them breaks off into pairs, Eleanor and Cynthia getting to work straight away practising, their previous conversation forgotten for now.

"Have you decided what to do about your lessons with Malfoy yet?" Cyn asks after a few minutes of concentration.

"Mm, I guess I have. Despite how much of an ass he is I refuse to let him be the reason I don't get to take alchemy. So, even though it means continuing to endure his presence after Christmas I'll have to go back to them. As long as he's still willing to. Besides, I can't deny that he has been an actual help, I managed to get an E on my last Potions essay."

"As I said once before, rather you than me. He knows about the Hufflepost doesn't he?"

"I guess. Why?"

"Oh, nothing. We're just lucky he hasn't dobbed us in to Umbridge yet about the extra articles. Unless he doesn't know."

"I mean we didn't exactly advertise it to the Slytherins when we started."

"No but surely there are Slytherins that know."

"Well, we'll just keep going as long as we can and if someone dobs than someone dobs, and sure Umbrudge's punishment will probably be awful but I'd rather that than give in now when she may never find out."

An hour later Harry calls out for an end to the night and Eleanor and Cynthia find Susan to walk back down to the Common Room.

"I'm not doing anything too special but I think we're going overseas or something for a few days," she says as they curl up together by the fire.

"Honestly I can't wait to get away from Umbridge, no more sneaking around the halls and following all her stupid educational decrees." Eleanor says, petting Ollie who had finally surfaced again after weeks of roaming the castle.

"Don't you ever worry he's going to get lost?" Susan asks.

"Not really, he always turns up in the end. I suppose I should keep a close eye on him with Umbridge around though, doesn't she have an obsession with cats?"

"Well her office is covered in pictures of them."

Eleanor picks Ollie up to look in his eyes, "Do you hear us Ollie? Stay away from the scary pink lady."

Ollie just closes his eyes sleepily and waits for Eleanor to sit him down so he can curl up again.

"Do you think we're stuck with her for the rest of the time we're at school?" Cynthia asks.

"I hope not."

"Good thing the position's cursed," Eleanor says.

The other two just look at her slightly puzzled.

"Oh come on. Professor Quirrell didn't last past first year, Lockhart is supposedly in St Mungo's still after whatever happened in second year, Professor Lupin had to leave because he was a werewolf -"

"Still a great teacher though," Interjects Cyn.

"And Professor Moody wasn't even Professor Moody, he ended up being a psychopath lackey for Voldemort. The position is cursed."

"I hope Umbridge ends up in St Mungo's."

"Or something scares her off. She isn't a werewolf for sure, especially not with how she treats Hagrid and other 'half-breeds'." Susan says.

Cynthia nods, struggling to hold back a yawn.

"Mm, I agree. I'm going to bed," Eleanor says, heading off into the dorm.

___

"Eleanor wake up," calls Cynthia's voice early the next morning.

Bleary eyed and barely making sense of her surroundings Eleanor turns over and finds Cynthia perched on her own bed, her face worried and pale.

"George had to leave last night. Apparently something happened to his Dad and all the Weasley's plus Harry left during the night before Umbridge could stop them."

"Is he going to be okay?"

"I don't know, I only know because Hermione was told where Ron and Harry were and she found me to let me know."

"Well, how about we go get some breakfast and then we can find out some more about what's happening. Looks like you might just be spending Christmas with me and Reggie."

The two of them bundle up and head up to the Great Hall where they are joined by Hermione who mutters something about not sitting alone.

Halfway through breakfast a sleek, black owl lands in front of Cynthia, a letter clutched in his beak.

"That's your mum's owl isn't it?" Eleanor asks as Cynthia hands him some food in exchange for the letter which she wastes no time in tearing open.

"Yeah."

"What's she writing you for?"

"About Christmas I guess. She heard about Mr Weasley."

"So soon?" Hermione asks, her head snapping up to look at Cynthia.

"Yeah she works in the Ministry."

Just then Reggie approaches the table, also bearing a letter no doubt similar to whatever is in Cynthia's.

"Hey Eleanor," he says, taking the seat beside her.

"Hey. What's going on, is Cynthia coming home for Christmas now?"

"Yeah that's what mum wrote about, apparently the incident last night caused a bit of a stir and she wants me and Cynthia in London with her for the holidays. Says we have to talk about some things."

"Right, okay. Wait, just you and Cyn?"

"Yeah. I'm really sorry but it looks like you'll just have to go home for Christmas, mum was very adamant about that."

"Oh, sure no worries. Where are you guys staying in London? That way I can still write and send you guys presents." Eleanor smiles, hiding her disappointment.

Beside her Cynthia looks lost for words, "Ah, we can't say."

"What?"

"We- we don't know where we're staying yet in London."

"Okay, well, just write to me when you do know then I guess."

The table takes on a stifling silence as Eleanor gets the feeling everyone else is in on something except her, even Hermione has this look on her face that she knows more about what's happening than she's letting on.