They lingered in Hogsmeade for the entire day until night began to fall, bidding a reluctant farewell to Sirius and returning to the castle with Hagrid. If Dumbledore hadn't told Harry to return to school for the holidays, he might have stayed with Sirius—they had become as close as family in just a day, more like brothers than father and son.
Orli always felt that Sirius was looking at his father through Harry. Of course, that didn't stop him from loving Harry just as much.
When they finally stepped into the school's Great Hall, the Christmas dinner had already begun. Thick garlands of holly and mistletoe adorned the corridors, and mysterious lights glowed from within each suit of armor. As usual, twelve Christmas trees stood in the hall, their branches sparkling with golden stars. The four long tables were laden with mouthwatering aromas, and Dumbledore had returned early to make a speech, while the remaining students were feasting.
The four of them quickly ran to the end of the Gryffindor table, each hungry and cold, eagerly filling their stomachs with roast potatoes and smoked turkey legs. Orli glanced at the professors' table while nibbling on a jam tart. Dumbledore was enthusiastically handing the end of a silver cracker to Snape, who reluctantly pulled it open with a bang, like a gunshot. A pointed witch's hat popped out, complete with a stuffed vulture on top. Snape pursed his lips, pushing the hat back to Dumbledore, who promptly swapped it for his own wizard hat.
Orli was watching them with a smile, only to be caught off guard by Snape's glare.
How did he spot her from so far away?! Orli quietly ducked her head behind the milk jug. She thought about the Christmas gift she had sent to Snape—to find an excuse to give it, she had researched nearly all the Wolfsbane Potion materials available in the library and hand-copied three large volumes of notes on all the potions used in the Waters family tradition.
Finally, she sent him a huge package with a small silver two-way mirror and a note inside:
"Professor, Merry Christmas. I've recently taken a keen interest in the Wolfsbane Potion, and I hope these materials will help you in brewing it.
Also: I hope we can occasionally discuss the Wolfsbane Potion and potion-making; having a two-way mirror would make it more convenient.
Orli Waters"
She spent half the night carefully crafting that little note, filling the wastebasket before finally producing a satisfactory one. Perhaps this way it wouldn't seem too deliberate? Even on the way back to the dormitory, Orli was still preoccupied with the matter. She even briefly feared that upon entering her room, she would find the mirror returned, but thankfully, among her pile of Christmas gifts, there was nothing reflecting light.
The gifts weren't particularly special, like the complete set of cauldron care products Harry sent her or Hermione's "108 Common Potion Recipes for Witches." Fred and George gifted her a large box of their latest prank product samples, along with the first dividend to her Gringotts account.
Mrs. Weasley sent her a scarlet hooded cloak with a large Gryffindor lion embroidered on the front. Orli had no doubt that if she wore it to the table in the Great Hall, Snape's glare would pierce right through her.
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