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“We just need to get in and speak to Dumbledore,” Ginny said, sitting back heavily in the chair and running a hand through her hair. “I’m sure he’d have something that could help.”
“I know, I know.” Neville’s voice was low and defeated. He glanced around the library before he continued. “It’s our fault Snape warded his office so tightly. If we hadn’t tried for the sword…” He dropped his head onto his hand and stared at the parchments spread in front of them as if the answer they were looking for would magically appear.
The two Gryffindors were tucked away in the back corner of the library, settled into the table Hermione had claimed for her own in her first year. The table was nestled under a large window that overlooked the Great Lake and was hidden from view by large bookcases that had once held shelves of muggle literature. Now they were empty of everything, save for a thin layer of dust and the occasional forgotten parchment.
They’d been there since just after breakfast, on a hunt for the right spell or charm to get them through the wards and into the Headmaster’s office. It was almost time for dinner and they were still no closer to finding anything than they’d been that morning. There was snow piling up on the windowsill outside and cold air seeped in through the cracks. Ginny shivered, pulling her cloak tighter around her.
“There has to be something here we can use, we’ve just got to keep looking,” Neville said, sending the books on the table back to their shelves with a flick of his wand and lifting a new stack from the floor, dropping them onto the table with a heavy thud.
Ginny sighed before leaning forward and pulling one of the books from the stack. She flipped it to the index to resume their search for anything that could help them get past Snape’s wards.
She was scanning the lists of spells when the coin in her pocket flared to life, the warmth of the message heating her thigh. Ginny scrambled to pull it out of her pocket while across from her, Neville did the same.
DA report. RoR.
A spike of fear lanced through her chest. Ginny’s eyes collided with Neville’s and she saw that same fear reflected there. In unison, they pushed out of their chairs and fled from the library, ignoring Madame Prince’s screeching reprimand as they slid into the hall and scrambled for the stairs.
The last time they’d been summoned with the coins, Romilda had been cursed so badly by Alecto Carrow that Colin hadn’t been able to get her back to Gryffindor Tower. They’d sought refuge in the Room of Requirement and summoned help. None of them were trained healers, but they’d all picked up a few tricks here and there. Some more than others.
Ginny ran down a list of the DA members in her head as she and Neville raced upstairs and down corridors. It wasn’t a Hogsmeade weekend and the heavy snow outside had likely kept everyone indoors today, which left more opportunities for running into the Carrows and their particular brand of punishment.
They rounded the corner on the sixth floor and, glancing at each other, put on another burst of speed to get up the final staircase. They pulled to a stop in front of Seamus, who was leaning against the wall opposite the Room of Requirement and looking at them in amusement.
“Where’s tha’ fire?” he asked, pushing off of the wall to cross the hallway.
“Who’s hurt?” Ginny asked in a rush, a hand pressed to her side, while Neville panted heavily beside her.
Seamus’s look of amusement faded away and he held his hands out in apology. “Melin, Ah didn’t think. Everyone’s fine, the girls just have a surprise is all.”
Neville gave him a dark look. “You can’t scare us like that mate.”
“Ah’m sorry! But this’ll make up for it. Go on then, everyone else is here.” Seamus gave them a shove towards the door that had appeared in the wall and followed them through.
Ginny stepped through the door and came to a stop, looking around the room with wide eyes. Neville bumped into her back with a muttered curse before stepping up beside her.
The room had been transformed into a holiday winter wonderland. The room spread back further than she’d ever seen it; snow fell gently from the ceiling and the landscape was dotted with fir trees dressed in lights and covered in shiny baubles. To the right of the door was a large red tent where tables filled with food and drinks were laid out, and Ginny could see the house-elves popping in with more treats. To the left was a roaring bonfire, its flames crackling merrily and letting off a welcoming warmth that seemed to wrap around Ginny like a comforting embrace.
It was the most gorgeous sight Ginny had ever seen.
Luna, Lavender, and Hannah stood just inside the tent, arms full of shiny packages, looking hopefully at Ginny and Neville. Ginny raised a brow and Hannah shrugged sheepishly, nearly dropping her packages, while Lavender grinned and cocked her head towards a steaming cauldron that Ginny hoped contained hot chocolate.
The rest of the DA stood fanned out between the fire and the tent, with looks ranging from shock, surprise, and uncertainty painted across their faces. A few of the younger members tentatively stepped out into the snow; Dennis Creevey kicked at it suspiciously while Megan Jones reached out to touch an ornament with a look of wonder on her face.
The older students all turned to look at Ginny and Neville as if waiting for a signal that it was okay. Ginny swallowed heavily; she wasn’t exactly sure when everyone had started looking to the two of them as leaders, and she still wasn’t accustomed to it. She wasn’t Harry or Hermione, and she certainly wasn’t her brother. She was just Ginny. She felt Neville stiffen awkwardly next to her and she laid a hand on his arm in comfort.
Before she could say anything, though she didn’t know what she would say, she heard a loud shout off to her far right and she turned just in time for a snowball to collide directly with her face.
She yelped in surprise, sputtering and wiping at her face with both hands to clear the snow that clung to her lashes and cheeks. Clearing her vision, she saw Seamus standing in front of her tossing another snowball from hand to hand as he watched her. With a cheeky grin, he launched it in her direction, but she ducked just in time only for this one to hit Neville in the ear and fall to his shoulder.
“Oi!” He yelled, swiping at his shoulder to dust off the snow before it could seep into his sweater. “Watch where you’re throwing that!”
Ginny couldn’t help it. She dissolved into giggles, doubling nearly in half as she laughed harder than she had in months. Neville reached out a hand to steady her and she clasped it gratefully, giving him a small squeeze. Taking a deep breath, she turned to her friends, who now wore varying looks of amusement and confusion on their faces, before yelling, “Well, what are you waiting for?”
That was all it took. The rest of the DA took off into the snow with shouts and giddy cries. The air was soon full of snowballs flying back and forth and the occasional quiet thump whenever one hit its mark.
Neville and Ginny made their way to the tent, Ginny stopping in front of the three women who were busy arranging presents under a large tree.
“Thank you,” she said. It wasn’t enough, but her throat was tight with emotion and she was afraid if she said anything else she just might cry.
“Of course,” Hannah said, touching her arm gently. Lavender nodded, giving Ginny’s hand a quick squeeze before the two left the tent to join Romilda and Su Li in building a snow replica of Hogwarts.
“Everyone needs a little joy at Christmas,” Luna said with a soft smile.
Ginny linked arms with her, pulling her close, and they watched while Neville ladled three mugs full of steaming hot chocolate. He glanced around and Ginny watched as he pulled a flask from his back pocket and added a dash of firewhisky to each mug. He winked conspiratorially at Ginny before levitating all three mugs into the air and across the tent.
“Happy Christmas,” Neville said with a broad smile, passing off a mug to each of them.
“Happy Christmas, Nev,” she responded softly. Luna just smiled serenely, tipping her head to rest against Ginny’s shoulder and the three watched their friends whoop, holler, and laugh as they pelted each other with snowballs, enjoying a small moment of happiness in a year that had been so very dark.