Christmas How It Always Is, With A Few Exceptions

[Caitlin Martinez G7]

((This post is opened to all who want to join, the title didn't have enough room for me to put "open" in it, ))

There was something about the holidays that always made Caitlin much more cheery than she normally is. She could be found prancing around the dormitory singing Christmas carols or some other holiday related song she learned from her friends. She would string holly along her bed, or tinsel along the window sill - enchant snow not to melt as she placed it along with the tinsel. She even brought in a small tree into the dormitory of the fifth year Gryffindor girls and decorated it before placing a rather large amount of gifts underneath it. It was the season of giving, and she adored it. She loved to see peoples face light up when they opened their gifts - whether it was out of surprise or horror or plain old love, she loved it and she looked forward to it every year. Maybe she was odd that way, she wasn't sure. Then again, Caitlin was odd in many many many ways. But who could blame her, the way she was raised?

Caitlin sat up in her dorm, on her bed, humming a Christmas carol as she wrapped a small box that looked like it could hold a necklace in a silvery wrapping paper. She taped the last bit that needed to be taped, and then grabbed her wand. With a flick of her wrist, a ribbon wound itself perfectly around the box. With another flick, the box levitated up and over to the tree that was in the corner of the room. It landed snuggly next to the other wrapped presents and all was still once again. Caitlin sighed happily, and cleaned up her mess with a wave of her wand. Oh, she loved magic. When that was done and finished with - she pulled her hair up into a messy clip held bun and looked at her reflection in the mirror. With one swift nod, she skipped out of the dorm and down to the common room. It wasn't as noisy as usual because most of the students had gone home for the holidays the day the train had picked them up at the station - but Caitlin wasn't leaving for another two days. She didn't know if she were to be thankful or dissappointed, but either way she couldn't wait.

Shoving past a few people, Caitlin made her way out of the common room and down the corridors toward the Great Hall. The Great Hall always looked amazing during the holiday seasons. The large trees were decorated marveously and the candles smelt of cinnamon and honey, two of Caitlin's favourite smells. The atmosphere in the Great Hall was always welcoming - but for some reason during the holidays it was welcoming tenfold. She smiled as she walked in and took a seat at the Gryffindor table. She picked up an apple and bit into the warm red skin - the juice rolled down her throat and caressed it lovingly before she swallowed it and rushed through the rest of the apple. Finished with the fruit, she put it infront of her and it disappeared. Just like magic. Taking a sip of the warm cider, Caitlin pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill and ink pot. She was writing to Tyler, like she had every week since she first started going to Hogwarts. Meeting him was probably the best thing that happened in her life. He was her everything, without him she would be totally and completely lost. And she wasn't just thinking that because she liked him - she was thinking that because he was her best-friend.

So absorbed in thought and writing, she didn't even realize someone trying to get her attention. Didn't they know that when Caitlin was determined to get something done, it was practically impossible to get her to talk to you? Apparently not. She continued to scratch at her parchment and it wasn't until the person was nearly in her face that she realized she was being spoken to. She looked up, "Oh, sorry, hi. Can I help you with something?"

[Colin Morgensen G7]

The holidays were jumping on top of everyone already. Colin had trouble keeping up with it, let alone letting it take over. He was remaining home for the holidays. His Dad wasn't really feeling up to having him home for Christmas, which Colin didn't mind. He could do lots of stuff at Hogwarts, like decorate the Gryffindor common room or prepare to get gifts for all his friends. Most people went home during the holidays, but Colin was surprised to see that more then usual were staying this year. Why it was surprising, he wasn't sure. Maybe it was because the Death Eaters had already gotten into Hogwarts once. Or maybe Colin was just being stupid thinking of that. The Death Eaters had attacked the Express as well... Colin shrugged it off his mind. It was Christmas! Jeez. What was he doing, thinking about all the bad stuff when good fun was just around the bend?

Things during this time of year bothered Colin though. He missed his family more during this stay at Hogwarts then any other. He missed his friends that had left to have some celebration with their family. He missed eating in the Great Hall with people he knew, not just some random people that hadn't went home. He just wasn't as independent as he should be. Maybe. Or maybe it was better to know friends were behind you all the time. Except on holidays. Colin shrugged his cloak farther over his shoulders and stopped on his way out to look in the mirror. His mousy brown hair looked rather messy since he hadn't bothered to comb it this morning, and his complexion was slightly wan because of waking up so early. Colin yawned behind his fist and his reflection imitated. He smiled, ran his hand through his hair, and left the common room.

Being muggle-born did have it's ups and downs, surely. Colin got to see how muggles designed their Christmas lights and how the magical people did. He knew what real things looked like without magic and that made him smarter then the purebloods that didn't bother to learn about the muggles. Muggles weren't all the bad, honestly. Colin had muggle clothes on today, nothing fancy or rich-like. He wore his home-made sweater and a pair of worn jeans, but at least they were warm. His sneakers were also worn and dirty from a lot of use. They were so comfortable Colin didn't want to throw them away. He contemplated them for a moment and silently wondered if he would get a new pair over the holidays. His father had commented about them before, so maybe this was a realistic idea. Maybe not. Colin was always stuck in the 'maybe' world, and he knew it. Sad thing was, he didn't really care. Maybes would always be around, no matter if good things were happening or bad ones were. They were there. Always.

Colin's stomach rumbled, so he altered his course to go to the Great Hall. Sometimes he would just skip breakfast and either go outside or go to the library. Sometimes he slept in too late for breakfast. Colin didn't mind that though. That made lunch all the better anyway. He entered and smiled in satisfaction and awe at the decoration. They never failed to be spectacular. The large tree was adorned with lights and ornaments that shined in the light around the Great Hall. The smells that wafted through here tickled Colin's nose, but it was a soothing sensation on his brain. He welcomed that for a while before looking up at the ceiling. It was snowing today, slowly but steadily. Colin had a feeling this wouldn't be the sticky snow he loved. Maybe an inch would stay, but the rest would probably melt. He went toward the Gryffindor table and saw that only about three people were there, not including him. An older student who had to be a seventh year, a small third year at the other end, and toward the middle was a girl who looked about his age. Colin gave her a smile and sat a few arm spans away from her. He had no idea who she was, so why make small talk?

He bit into a peach, one of his all time favorites. Yum. Colin loved how Hogwarts always had the best fruit, no matter what time of year. Magic, again. Colin was always reminded of how lucky he is to have magic around. He could have remained a muggle, ignorant of all the going ons of magical people until something bad happened, like those dreaded Death Eater attacks. For some reason everything brought up those cloaked figures. Colin hated them and their ideas, their passion toward He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. They themselves didn't deserve to have an education of magic, for look where it got them! Colin didn't have time to worry and fret over Death Eaters, again, he reminded himself, it was the Holidays. He soon found that he would need to talk to the girl he had ignored before. She was sitting by the closest apple cider container, and it sounded very good to Colin. He scooted over on the bench until he was close to her. "Um, excuse me, but could you pass the cider?" She didn't look up, so Colin tentatively reached out and poked her a little in the arm. "Excuse me!" He said louder. "Er... Could you pass the cider?" He pointed it out for her, feeling a little bad for having to interrupt her. "What is that you've got there?" He asked quickly, noting that she had parchment in front of her. "Doing homework or... something of the like?"

((OMG! *squeals and huggles Caitlin* He's talking to me!))

[Caitlin Martinez G7]

Slightly embarrassed, Caitlin passed him the cider, a blush rising to her cheeks; "Awfully sorry about that, it's hard to hear anything when I'm so wrapped up in my writing. Well, really, for me it's hard to hear anything when I'm doing anything." She smiled sadly at her stupidity and sighed before moving her bangs out of her eyes. Her blue eyes went back to her parchment, and she heard the boy - she knew him as Colin Creevey, then again eveyone knew the Creevey brothers - ask her what she was doing exactly. Caitlin looked up and smiled again, "Writing a letter, actually. Christmas Holidays you know, and well I owed some friends a hello." She didn't bother to mention Tyler wasn't just some friend. Really, that wasn't any of Colin's business - nor was it anything interesting to talk about anyway. She rolled up her parchment, thinking maybe it was a good idea to take a break and set it aside before turning to Colin.

She pulled her legs up on the bench, criss cross style, and propped her elbows on her knees. She studied him for a moment. Colin Creevey. Ah, yes. He was the photography Gryff. She smiled at that. Caitlin had done photography for a good year or so before going to Hogwarts - it was her thing, the way she expressed herself. She often does it from time to time during the summer holidays. Just taking random pictures of random things and people. It was often quite fun, Tyler made fun of her for it - but it was the she was and there wasn't anyway she would want to change that. Deciding to make at least some conversation, Caitlin asked; "So are you going home for the holidays? Or staying here at this lovely but lonely castle?" Why was it that small talk always sounded as if you were going to ask them severly personal questions? Aye, Caitlin hated it just as much as she hated potions.

Just at that moment, there was a sudden crash behind her. Caitlin swivled, well sort of, on her bench so that when she turned, more than half of her body was off the bench and the rest of it was teetering on the edge. She wasn't really paying attention to her poor balance, instead she was watching a professor trying to put a huge ornament one of the gigantic trees. The ball was larger than the professor's head, Caitlin had no idea how he was going to get it on there. Oh. Wait. Magic. Oh well. Caitlin tried to swivel back around, but lost her balance instead. She toppled off the bench, but caught the edge of the table in time - but her grip was slipping. With her left hand holding onto the edge of the table, her right hand was the only one that was free. She put her hand on the ground that was few inches beneath her and pushed off, so she was sitting near upright for the bench. "Whew!" She breathed, "that would've been awfully amusing, eh?"

[Colin Morgensen G7]

Colin raised an interested eyebrow. Writing wasn't really an expertise of his. He much preferred photography. He did write to his parents on occasion, but now that he had grown used to the distance set between them, he didn't write nearly as much as he had in his first and second years. He smiled warmly at the girl, who was looking a little flushed from his asking. "That's cool," Colin said finally, watching as she rolled up the parchment. Had he stopped her? "Oh. You could always keep on writing... if you want me to go, I can." He said quickly as he poured the cider into a cup. It looked tasty and when he drank it he found that it warmed his whole being. He smiled and licked his lips to get rid of the stickiness. Cider was good, but drinking it was a little messy. Colin always enjoyed having it home-made at his house. It had always been fun there. Hogwarts was different and the same too. Drinking with friends but without family... He didn't exactly feel the need to do anything at his home besides lounge around, kicking up your feet on a chair or something, but at Hogwarts it was always the rush for classes. Not that Colin didn't enjoy it, but...

"I'm not going home. I mean, I'm staying here," Colin stated, not sounding in the least bit upset about it. He had gone home every other year. Time for change was coming after all, and he couldn't always be home for the holidays in the future, could he? Why not get used to it? "What about you?" So far the two weren't really getting anywhere. Colin was rather slow on conversation and wasn't the best at making new acquaintances or friends, but he still had the opportunity to do it often. He was always the excited type person, but the girl seemed to be somewhat clumsy. Colin had followed her gaze to the tree where a professor was putting on a very large ornament. Colin grinned in anticipation and didn't look away until he heard movement to his side. He turned quickly, thinking the girl had fallen off, but saw that she was up again, talking about how that would be amusing.

"Maybe a little." Colin admitted, hesitantly wondering if she would take it as an insult. He was clumsy too as everyone was. No one could be perfect, except for some of the people in Slytherin. Even they weren't, although they claimed to have achieved perfection. Colin knew that wasn't true, but he couldn't help but envy them for their self-confidence and hate them for it at the same time. That was what Slytherins were. After all, their House color was green. Didn't that put a signal in the air? An omen, more like. Colin smiled, looking half-amused and half-worried at the same time. "You didn't hurt yourself, did you?" He asked, laughing a little. "Oh, my name's Colin, by the way." said Colin Creevey, realizing they didn't yet know each other. Most people in Gryffindor knew him by name, but by appearance he wasn't so sure. He looked over the girl again. Nope. Didn't know her. He had seen her around, sure, but that was all. He held out his hand, waiting for her to shake it.

[Caitlin Martinez G7]

"Oh, this? Nope. I'll get to it later. I much more enjoy company rather than writing boring old letters." She grinned and picked up a roll. She pulled it apart slowly and ate it just as slowly, chewing on it and savouring the taste. Caitlin had a hard time making friends. Some say she was too outgoing at first, but she was usually just nervous for that - and others say she babbles, but that's who she was - and there are those who say she's too outspoken and thinks too much and has too many opinions on too many things. And the way Caitlin saw it was, that if they thought she had too many opinions - that meant their lives were controlled and they weren't allowed to think for themselves.

"I'm going home...but not for another day or so. I don't know why, but my mum didn't want me till then. I'm not one to argue, so I nodded and said okay - and here I am, nearly falling off a bench." Caitlin giggled lightly and rolled her eyes at the sad truth. She was a complete ditz. Actually, she was like this with every person she met - Colin really needn't take it personally or be frightened, this was just who Caitlin was. Unless your first meeting with her was by start of an argument. Colin replied to her falling off the bench, and Caitlin grinned - most guys would say; "No, you could have been seriously hurt," or at least the guys Caitlin knew. It was refreshing to see someone who could laugh at it like she could.

"Nope, not hurt. Don't think I would have gotten hurt even if I had fallen. Then again, I bruise rather easily and don't know what is good for me and what isn't, so who's to say?" Caitlin shrugged at this and finished eating her roll before introducing herself to Colin. She wiped the crums on a napkin and shook his hand while saying; "Caitlin Martinez. I know who you are. You're said to be a really good photographer. Though I've never seen any photos you've taken, personally, but I'm sure they're divine!"

((Look at that! I got to it! Yey!))

((EDIT: Because I am a total ditz and she shook his head instead of his hand.))

[Colin Morgensen G7]

"Okay. Just making sure there." Colin said with a grin that matched the girl's. She seemed friendly, enjoyable, more like. Colin was already relaxing a little, and he looked around the table in search for food. The girl had already found something to her liking, and was munching on it, making Colin's look become a frenzy. Finally, he managed to recover a donut that looked yummy, and he carefully put it in his mouth, only to spit it back out in his napkin. "I swear!" Colin muttered, pointing to the donut and wrinkling his nose. "You're never safe eating food at Hogwarts." Custard. That was what had been in the donut. And Colin hated custard. It was disgusting and rather foul, but he didn't mention this to Caitlin, in case she liked custard. It was always awkward to complain about something that the person listening to the complaints liked.

"Hmm... that is kind of weird." Colin pushed the donut away from him as Caitlin explained that she would be going home in a few days. "I bet she has something special at home for you," he went on, suddenly excited. "Like... I dunno, something that only happens during that day... Wait, are your parents magical?" Colin found that often it was hard to find what people were doing at home if you didn't know whether they had magical parents or muggle ones. He felt the need to add on to it; "My parents are muggles. My mum doesn't do much, job wise, but my dad's a milk-man." Colin grinned. The need to explain himself was only made because Caitlin might have taken it personally. He laughed as she mentioned the bench again. "It happens a lot to me. Only I don't do it while looking with awe at a Christmas tree." Colin quipped, his laughing grin still on his face.

Colin felt the heat rise to his face as she mentioned his photography, but pride was mixed in there too. "Well, there's really nothing to say about them." He said modestly. Colin wasn't one to brag, especially about his photos. Although he loved them to death (not literally, but still) he felt like people always looked at him by his pictures, so it was on the safe side to say they were just... okay. Colin smiled at Caitlin, but felt slightly disturbed out how she said "I know who you are." It made him wonder if people knew him by his photography, or because he was a friend of Harry. Shrugging it off mentally, Colin plucked a roll off the table and nibbled at it, swallowing, before saying; "Maybe I could show you sometime? They're all in my dorm; well, most of them, I gave some to my dad so he could see the pictures move. That's really cool how they do that, isn't it?" Enthusiasm wiped away his modesty and Colin grinned at Caitlin, hoping that when she first saw pictures moving, she had been surprised as well.

((The books never mentioned Colin's mom, right? So I hope it's okay that I wrote what I did and am I right in saying his dad is a milk man? I'm currently lending the second book to a friend, so I couldn't look it up. I'm just making sure, since I know I should be as cannon as possible. )

[Caitlin Martinez G7]

((*shrug* Been ages since I've read 'Chamber of Secrets' but as long as no one says anything, I'm sure you'll be able to slide by .))

Caitlin grinned and giggled as Colin spit out the donut, "Yes. The food at Hogwarts is never safe. I wonder who does the menu, I would rather like to speak to them about the lack of yumminess in their meals. Nevermind the nutrition." She took a sip of the cider that was near her, listening to Colin talk about his parents. Then he asked her if her parents were magical. Caitlin put the goblet down and smiled. It was hard to tell who was who in the wizarding world anymore. Who was pureblooded and who was muggle born. Then again, if you were a Slytherin - you made it known you were a pureblood. Anything less was unexceptable, "I'm muggle born. So my parents aren't magical, sadly. I don't know how I would deal with being a pureblood though, I mean - it must be wicked cool to have grown up with magic and all, but I don't think I could imagine my life any other way than it is now, you know?"

As he said he fell as well, often, but not while looking at a Christmas tree, Caitlin tilted her head and stuck her tongue out at him in a playful manner before turning to look at the tree again. The professor was now standing on a stool, trying to lift a very large garland of popcorn onto a branch. She rolled her eyes and turned back to Colin; "I was simply amused at the professor's lack of magic. Doesn't he know he can simply use his wand? Oh well." Caitlin shrugged and smiled again while taking another sip of the cider. She watched as Colin was modest about his photography. That was one quality Caitlin didn't possess. She couldn't accept a compliment about anything she did. It could always be better. She shook her head, "No. I hear they're amazing, Colin! Simply divine!" Caitlin laughed and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"Oh, moving pictures are spectacular! I have some posters up in my room at home that I charmed here before going back for the summer hols. Most of them muggle actors, but nonetheless - it's pretty nice to see them moving as if they were on a screen in your room. My mum was frightened half out of her wits when she saw it and my little sister thought she was dreaming, but I still have them up to this day." Caitlin let her words roll out of her mouth without thinking. An automatic reaction to a casual question. She tended to not think before speaking and that often got her in trouble, but she didn't care usually. When she realized she hadn't commented on Colin's offer of seeing his pictures sometime she grinned; "And I'd adore to look at the photos. I have to see these infamous photographs."

[Colin Morgensen G7]

Colin smiled as Caitlin mentioned the 'yuminess' in meals. "Nice." He said with a lopsided grin. "I'd like to see what you would make as food for Hogwarts. Something very fattening, right?" Colin grinned as he referred to Caitlin saying 'never mind the nutrition.' "I never watch the nutrition on food anyway. And they most certainly don't have that on the food here." Colin thought about it before adding, "and they should put tags on all the foods. Just so I know what I'm eating next time." Colin chuckled and looked around the table for something better to eat. "I guess it's kind of fun though, being like a taste-tester." Colin went on, not noticing he was babbling. "Have you ever seen them on T.V.? It's funny to watch, 'cause some of them just end up spitting out their food into their napkins too."

"I'm muggle-born too." Colin said, although he was sure Caitlin already knew that. I mean - if she knew his name, she probably knew his background too. "Yeah, I admit, I can't imagine it any other way. And if you were pureblood - you'd grow up knowing everything about the magical world, and what fun would that be? I thought it was awesome just coming here and... seeing everything for the first time. It was like a dream, you know? I swear, I had to rub my eyes a few times that day, and pinch my arm. Just to make sure." Colin picked up an orange that was already peeled. Tentatively, he put a piece in his mouth, expecting it to be either too sour or too sweet. Instead, it was just perfect. "Hey, I'm eating an orange in winter." Colin suddenly said, as though this was something extraordinary.

He nodded at Caitlin when she mentioned the professor again lifting the large Christmas decorations. "Maybe he just wants some exercise?" Colin said with a small laugh as he watched too. "No, my pictures aren't anything special." Colin insisted upon hearing Caitlin say they must be divine. "They're just... oh, I dunno, pictures!" He waved his hands around for support and then smiled. "But sure - I'll show you sometime. Just to prove they are normal." The smile turned into a full out grin as the conversation went to moving pictures. "That's what happened to me too! My dad couldn't believe it when I brought him the picture of Harry and Lockhart home! It was wicked, since it was moving AND it was a photo of some of the most famous people in history!" Colin exclaimed. "I gave it to my dad since he couldn't ever see Harry in real life, and he could experience a little magic, you know? At first he didn't believe me, but now he listens to everything I saw about Hogwarts. Sometimes - I just wish he could see it too. All he can do is imagine, and I feel like it's not enough, you know?" Colin shrugged and put another orange slice in his mouth, savoring the taste.