Christmas was coming. One morning in mid-December, Hogwarts woke up to find feet of snow all around them and the lake frozen solid. The Weasley twins were punished for bewitching several snowballs so that they chased Quirrell around and smashed him behind his turban. A few owls had been flying through the stormy sky to deliver mail, and after much difficulty, they had to be nursed back to health by Hagrid before they could take off again.
Everyone was looking forward to the holidays. Though the Gryffindor common room and Great Hall were ablaze, the drafty corridors were biting cold, and the classroom windows rattled in the biting wind. Worst of all, Professor Snape's lessons were in the dungeons, and when they breathed, a cloud of white mist formed in front of them, forcing them to get as close as possible to their hot cauldrons.
"I really feel bad for those people," said Draco Malfoy during a Potions class."They had to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas because their families didn't want them.”
He looked at Harry and Bunce as he spoke, while Crabbe and Goyle sniggered. Bunce, who was helping Harry sort the materials, ignored them. Malfoy had been gloomier than ever since the Quidditch match. He was outraged by the Slytherin team's defeat and said that a large-mouthed tree frog would replace Harry as Seeker at the next match. He had tried to make everyone laugh, but no one thought he was funny, because everyone admired how Harry had managed to stay firmly on his rampaging broomstick. Malfoy was so jealous and angry that he turned to laugh at Harry for not having a decent family.
Last week Professor McGonagall had come to register the names of the students who were staying for the holidays, and both Bunce and Harry had signed them. Ron and his twin brothers were staying, too, because Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were going to Romania to visit Charlie.
As they left the dungeons after Potions, they found the corridor in front of them blocked off by a very large fir-tree. They saw two large feet sticking out from under the tree and heard a loud wheezing sound. They knew it must be Hagrid behind the tree.
"Hey, Hagrid, do you need any help?”asked Ron, sticking his head through the branches.
"No, I can do it, thank you, Ron.”
"Can you move aside and not block the way?”Malfoy's cold drawl came from behind them. "Are you trying to earn some pocket money, Weasley? I suppose you'd like to be a gamekeeper after Hogwarts? -- Hagrid's cabin must look like a palace compared to your old home!”
"Looks like your nose is itching again, Malfoy.”said Bones, dragging Ron along.
"Remember this, Foley." said Malfoy viciously.
"You have to be careful not to be left alone, or else I will beat you to death.”Bangs said with narrowed eyes.
Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle pushed roughly past the tree, scattering needles everywhere.
"I'm going to teach him a lesson," said Ron, grinding his teeth as he watched Malfoy's back."Why did you stop me?"”
"Because of this." Bunce pointed at Snape, who had passed them.
"I hate them both," said Harry, looking after Snape."Malfoy and Snape.”
"Well, cheer up, it's almost Christmas.”said Hagrid."Guess what, come with me to the dining room, it's wonderful.”
So Bunce and the others followed Hagrid and his fir-tree into the Great Hall, where Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick were both busy with the Christmas decorations.
"Ah, Hagrid, the last tree's been brought in-put it in the corner over there, will you?”
The Great Hall looked magnificent. The walls were lined with holly and mistletoe streamers, and twelve towering Christmas trees stood all over the room, some of which were adorned with tiny, glittering icicles, others with hundreds of flickering candles.
"How many more days until the holidays?" asked Hagrid.
"Only one day." said Hermione."Oh, that reminds me-Harry, Bunce, and Ron, we still have half an hour before dinner. We should go to the library."
"Oh yes, you're right," said Ron, looking reluctantly away from Professor Flitwick. The Professor was blowing strings of golden bubbles from his wand and hanging them from the branches of the new tree.
"Library?" said Hagrid, following them out of the Great Hall. Isn't he working too hard?"
"Oh, we're not studying.”said Harry happily."We've been trying to find out who Nicolas Flamel is ever since you mentioned him.”
"Not me, I'm not interested in Flamel.”Bance said angrily.
"What?" Hagrid looked terrified. "Listen to me-I'm telling you-stop it. You should learn from Bunce, what that big dog is guarding has nothing to do with you.”
"We just want to know who Nicolas Flamel is, that's all.”said Hermione.
"Are you willing to tell us so that we won't have to go through so much trouble?”Harry went on."We've been through at least a hundred books and we haven't even seen him-just give us a hint-I know I've seen his name somewhere before.”
"I won't say anything." said Hagrid dryly.
"Then we'll have to find it ourselves.”said Ron. They hurried off to the library, leaving Hagrid standing there looking angry.
Bunce was pleased that Ron and Harry were having so much fun after the holidays that they didn't think much about Flamel. The dormitory was completely at their disposal, and the common room was much less crowded than usual, allowing them to occupy a few more comfortable armchairs by the fire. Now they were sitting there, eating anything they could fork up-bread, roast meat, mushrooms-and chatting happily about Quidditch.
Ron also began to teach Harry wizard chess (he had wanted to teach Bunce, too, but had been flatly refused).）Wizarding chess was identical to Muggle chess, except that the pieces were alive, so it felt more like commanding an army. Ron's set was very old and battered. All of Ron's things had belonged to the rest of the family, but this set had belonged to his grandfather. However, it did not matter if the chess pieces were older. Ron knew them so well that he had no trouble getting them to do his bidding.
Harry was using chess pieces he had borrowed from Seamus Finnigan; they didn't trust him at all. His skill level was still not good enough. The chess pieces were pointing fingers at him, making him dizzy."Don't send me there, didn't you see his horse? Send him. It doesn't matter if he sacrifices himself.”
On Christmas morning, Bunce was roused from his sleep again by Harry and the clowns.
" Happy Christmas." said Harry and Ron.
"You guys are the same." Bangs yawned.
"Come and take a look. I received a few gifts!”said Harry foolishly as he pulled on his dressing gown.
"Then what did you think you would receive? Cabbage?" said Ron jokingly, turning to his pile of packages, which was much larger than Harry and Bunce combined.
Bangs realized that he only had three gift bags, so he was not in the mood to open them.
Ron cried suddenly,"Is this Muggle money? How strange!"
"If you like it, keep it." said Harry, laughing at Ron's ecstatic look. "Hagrid's-aunt and uncle's-so who's this from?”
"I think I know who sent this.”said Ron, blushing slightly and pointing at a large, bulging packet. "It's my mother. I told her you didn't think you'd get a present-oh no,"he groaned." She knitted you one of those Weasley sweaters, I reckon Bunce got one too.”
Bang Si quickly opened the three packages and found a box of chocolates, a pack of milk candy, and a black sweater.
"She knits us a sweater every year," said Ron, opening his own."Mine's always dark purple.”
"She's so nice." said Harry.
"Thank you, Ron," Bance said.
When Harry had unwrapped the last of the packets, something silvery-gray and liquid-like slid to the floor and gathered in a glittering heap. Ron gasped.
"I've heard of this thing." he said in a low voice, throwing aside the box of Weird Taste Beans Hermione had given him. "If I'm not mistaken-it's very rare, very precious.”
"What is it?" said Harry, puzzled.
"It's the Invisibility Cloak," said Ron, looking awed."I'm sure-try it on.”
Harry threw the Cloak over his shoulders and Ron screamed.
"As expected! Look down!"
"There's a note!" said Ron suddenly."A note fell out of it!”
Harry pulled off his robes and snatched the note. Written in a slender, squiggly font he had never seen before were the following lines:
Your father left this for me before he died.
It should be returned to you now.
Use it well.
I sincerely wish you a merry Christmas.
"If I can get such a thing, I can give up everything. What's wrong with you?”said Ron.
"It's nothing." said Harry.
"Are you questioning who sent this thing?”Bangs asked, leaning against the headboard.
"How did you know?" asked Harry.
"I know everything." Bance said.
"Don't listen to his bragging." said Ron, sitting on the bed and munching on his Weird Bean.
Before Harry could say anything more or ask anything, the dormitory door was flung open and Fred and George Weasley burst in. Bunce noticed that Harry had hidden the Cloak.
"Happy Christmas!"
"Hey, look-Harry and Bunce got Weasley sweaters too!”
Fred and George were both wearing blue sweaters, one with a large yellow F and the other with a large yellow G.
"Harry's and Bunce's are both better than ours," said Fred, holding up Harry's sweater."Apparently Mum's more careful with people who aren't family.”
"Why don't you wear yours, Ron?”George commented."She probably thought you wouldn't forget your name. We're not stupid-she used to call us Jorred and Forge, though.”
"What's all the noise here for?”
Percy Weasley poked his head through the door, looking disgruntled. He was apparently unwrapping his Christmas presents too, and a bulging sweater was slung over his arm, which Fred seized.
"'P' means prefect! Put them on, Percy, come on, we've all got them, even Harry and Bunce.“
"I-don't-want-to-wear-" he mumbled, and the twins shoved their sweaters over Percy's head, knocking his eyes out of their sockets.
"And you're not allowed to sit with the prefects today," said George.”
They wheeled Percy out of the room, his arms bound by his sweater.
Bunce had never been to a Christmas party like this in his life. A hundred fat roast turkeys, mountains of roast meat and boiled potatoes, platters of delicious little sausages, bowls of buttered peas, plates of thick gravy and cranberry sauce-there were piles of wizarding firecrackers waiting for you every few steps along the table. Bang Si smoked a firecracker, and a pumpkin hat exploded out of it. At the head of the table, Dumbledore, who had swapped his pointy wizard's hat for a flower-adorned hat, was chuckling happily as Professor Flitwick told him a joke.
Bunce watched Harry leave the table, carrying a large pile of things that had exploded from firecrackers in his arms. Then, they played with the twins on the playground for a whole afternoon. They had a great time. Then they were so cold that they returned to the fire in the common room, panting and unclothed.
After the tea of turkey sandwiches, toasts, marmalade pudding, and Christmas cake, everyone felt a little full and sleepy. They didn't want to do anything else before they went to bed except watch Percy chase Fred and George up and down Gryffindor Tower because the twins had taken Percy's prefect badge.
"I hope you have a good night." Bunce told Harry before he went to bed.
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