Barty cleared his throat and started reading, "Chapter five, Yule break arrives and everything's the same but the New Year always brings about change."
Everyone leaned forward in their seats and listened intently, curious about what this "change" would be.
"Christmas was slowly approaching, well Yule actually as Eliza had learnt, and Hogwarts had been swept up in the fesitivities. Seeing the Christmas season celebrated so happily was a bit of a novelty to Eliza and at first she took great delight in the gigantic Christmas trees, the tinsel and the icicles strung up around the grand castle but soon the sights become dull and Eliza grew tired of being cold in the draughty castle. She had taken to wearing extra layers beneath her uniform, especially in Potions where without the roaring fire of the Slytherin commons the dungeons were terribly cold."
"I agree, it's always freezing in the dungeons." All the Slytherins agreed with Eliza's statement.
""I do feel sorry" Malfoy said quietly in potions one day "for all the people who have to stay at Hogwarts over Yule because they're not wanted at home.""
"Draco!" Narcissa scolded him.
"I already apologized, Mum."
"Evidently he was still bitter about losing his standing in the court. He had yet to make any moves to reclaim his position at least but Eliza knew she would have to act soon. Their year mates were divided between two possible leaders and that never made for a strong court."
"Courts are stronger when united." Alexander, Tom, and Abraxas agreed.
"But it was true, Eliza wasn't leaving Hogwarts over Yule and had jumped at the chance to stay over break. Not only did the orphanage pale in comparison to Hogwarts (or anything really) the thought of living away from magic longer than she had to, made something in Eliza burn with anger.
Eliza was just walking around the corner on her way back from Herbology planning to drown herself under the hot water of a shower to get warmth back into her numb limbs when she almost walked right into Hagrid who was blocking the corridor. Staying quiet Eliza moved around the man not drawing attention to herself as she listened in on the conversation between Hagrid, Weasley and Granger.
"We just want to know what Fluffy is guarding Hagrid""
"FLUFFY?!"
"Fluffy? Was that the name of that infernal dog on the third floor?
"Yeah Hagrid, we know it's something to do with Nicholas Flamel right?""
"Isn't Nicholas Flamel the guy who made the Philosophers Stone?"
"Eliza felt her brows furrow as she walked past them without being noticed heading down to the commons. Flamel? Wasn't he an alchemist or something? What was it he had created? Eliza wracked her brain as she walked into the commons nodding in greeting at Theo and Blaise as she headed to her dorm.
The philosopher's stone.
Surely the headmaster wouldn't guard an artefact that powerful in a school full of children would he?
Of course he would.
Eliza could only hope she wouldn't get caught up in the old fool's plans."
Many of the parents glared at Dumbledore, concern for their children and rage at the headmaster filling their minds.
"Eliza was one of the few Slytherins staying over Yule break, most of the students went home to celebrate Yule with their family and attend the famous Malfoy Yule Ball, the closest thing anyone had left of their traditions."
The Malfoy's looked proud at that.
"She woke up later than usual and sleepily made her way down to the common room planning to curl up with a book by the roaring fire only to jump in surprise when she saw the commons occupied, a large pile of presents spread out around the small tree in the corner.
"Ah and she wakes!" Aaron Rowle exclaimed as she appeared in view from where he was slumped in her favorite armchair with his legs flung over the side, brown hair lying in a rather impressive bed-head.
"I don't think anyone can defeat the Potter's bedhead." Sirius said, as James, Charlus, and Fleamont all tried to flatten their hair, knowing it was useless, making their significant other's roll their eyes.
"Rowle was the Slytherin King this year, he had been the ruler of his own court since he was a first year and now presided over the whole of Slytherin. He was a fair and intelligent leader and Eliza honestly couldn't fault him that much. She just knew that they could be better."
"We are better. Even Aaron said so." Daphne, Draco, Theo, Blaise, and Eliza said simultaneously.
""You have presents" Gemma Fawley says from her spot by the tree, a stack of multi-coloured boxes beside her.
"Presents?" Eliza said slowly confused. She had never had presents before."
James, Lily, Sirius, and Remus all promised that it was going to be different this time around.
"Rowle and Fawley exchange a concerned look and Rowle stands up to shepherd her to the tree.
"Yes, presents. Not many Slytherins stay behind for Yule so for those of us that do we open our presents together as a family" Rowle explains and makes her sit down by the tree to form a makeshift circle.
"We've been waiting for you" Fawley says with a grin and gestures to a small stack of presents Eliza hadn't noticed before. She knew it was no coincidence that the King of Slytherin was at Hogwarts this year. He must have heard Eliza was going to be the only Slytherin staying behind and signed himself up. Fawley was also one of the only older members of Slytherin who she had had a positive interaction with. Eliza wouldn't lie to herself and couldn't deny the feeling of warmth she felt when she realized they stayed behind so she wouldn't be lonely, stayed behind because they cared."
Everybody in the Great Hall, bar the Slytherins, realized that maybe they weren't so bad.
"It was a new sensation, having people care about her. But she found she quite liked it.
"Let's begin!" Rowle exclaimed jovially before frantically tearing into his large pile of presents. It was so unlike the usual stern and intelligent demure he projected it startled a laugh out of Eliza.
"We always drop the pretences at Yule, who can be bothered with scheming when there's presents" Fawley explained jokingly looking up from her teetering pile of presents."
"Eliza is always scheming." Blaise said.
"Eliza nodded thoughtfully and turned to her own pile of presents, although small in comparison to the others it was still more than she had ever had in her life. The first few were simple boxes of sweets from the girls in her dorm, a favor Eliza had returned so as to keep the somewhat tentative peace they had built.