The Heiress of Slytherin

Murry Christler

The rest of the semester flashed by in a blur, and before she knew it, Ivy was waiving off Hermione, Blaise, Theo, and Selina at the train station. They were all headed back to their families for Christmas, so Ivy had already given them all their presents with express instructions to not open them until the 25th.

Blaise had joked about opening it so many times after she had given it to him, that Ivy had told him that she'd jinxed it to spew stinksap all over him if he did. She hadn't, but the threat was likely enough that he'd shut up after that.

Grabbing Draco and Pansy by the hands excitedly, Ivy dragged the pair back up to Hogwarts. She knew that this was a hard season for both of them; Pansy was relieved to be at the school but that hadn't stopped her mum from including some nasty things about making sure she didn't embarrass their family in front of Draco in her last letter.

Draco had scowled darkly when he heard that and replied shortly that the only thing embarrassing the Parkinson's to him was Pansy's mother herself, a comment which had earned him a grateful smile from Pansy and a massive hug from Ivy once their friend had left the room.

Ivy knew that this season was also hard for Draco. He was missing his mother dreadfully, a woman whom he talked about with such reverence and love that Ivy was inclined to think of her as a saint. His father, however, was a different story.

Draco never wanted to talk about him. Sure, he would throw around his name as a threat sometimes, fully aware of the authority it commanded, but Ivy knew for a fact that he had never actually told his father about a thing that he said he would. She got the impression that Lucius Malfoy was not a kind man. When Draco had written home that he would remain at Hogwarts for the holidays, he had disclosed to Ivy that he had hoped it wouldn't just be his mother who would miss him, but the lack of any note from anyone but Narcissa was a clear giveaway that Lucius couldn't have cared less.

With these things in mind, Ivy had determined that it was her mission to make this the best Christmas either Pansy or Draco had ever had. She had written to her mother the day she'd had the idea to stay at Hogwarts. Kyria had responded that of course, she missed her daughter terribly, but that she was proud of her for doing something so kind for her friend.

In truth, Kyria was slightly relieved. She'd always felt guilty that she couldn't give Ivy a proper Wizarding Christmas, and she knew her daughter was miserable at every part Athemar would drag them to. She would be happier at Hogwarts, and that's all that mattered really.

She was right, Ivy was happy at Hogwarts. She had thrown herself into the season to make it as wonderful as possible for her friends. The common room was decorated for Christmas with a very large tree, that was laden with ornaments.

There were silver baubles hung all about; some plain, some patterned, and some with intricate designs cut into them. Many of the rest were crystal; gorgeous strands that twisted ornately, detailed Slytherin crests, and snowflakes that caught the light and dazzled brightly. The last of them were porcelain recreations of all of the creatures Ivy had ever heard of. There were unicorns, porlocks, grindylows, acromantulas, thestrals, dragons, chimeras, bowtruckles, and so much more. The tree was lit up by candles, which hung all over it in silver holders.

The rest of the room was bedecked with silver garlands, floating candles, stockings for the remaining students, and wreaths hung upon every door, with an especially large one over the fireplace.

Ivy would go to the kitchens every evening, where she would ice cupcakes, bake cookies, cut delicate sandwiches and ladle clotted cream, and jam into serving dishes. This was all she was allowed to do - the rest the house-elves bustled around her completing. Much like Toddy, who had shown Ivy to Dumbledores office, the house-elves had been very afraid of her at first. But when she'd shown them kindness and thankfulness through her times going with Theo, they had warmed up to her, and she was quite close with many of them.