the morning of December 21, 1892 - Hogwarts, Great Hall

Belladonna Woods had, perhaps, not needed to stay at Hogwarts for the holiday break, but she had. While her mother had looked toward their reunion she understood when Bells had informed her she would be needed at the castle. She was not in fact needed, but her mother did not need to know this. It was merely that Bells dreaded the thought of returning to their cabin deep in the woods this time of year. She could almost feel the ghost of her past haunting her in the dripping icicles and the firelight flickering on the walls. No, she once again could not face it. The summer, when the woods were more joyful, then she would return home. For now she would focus on the castle, on giving the students who remained a happier holiday then they would have, and, of course, on her yule preparations for tonight. It was, after all, yuletide.

She had decided that she would spend some time in the Great Hall today in case any students wished to join her and here she sat weaving evergreen boughs into a wreath - one of many. About her she had spread supplies for wreaths, ornaments, and the makings of paper lanterns. The longest night of the year deserved all the love and attention she could give it. And if she could convince a few students or staff to join her - well all the better.

Her mind wandered over preparations for the evening. Despite the directions before her she had already decorated her classroom with ivy and pine, mistletoe and holly. She had created ice lanterns to hold scented candles made of tallow and beeswax. The scent of citrus had been strong in it as she had strung pomander balls about the room. It looked, in short, as close to her mother’s cabin as she could get it. In the middle of the room she had set up a yule log to be burned and she had already discussed with the house elves if food could be brought to anyone who came. She only needed to invite some students now. So she sat, deep in work and in thought until someone came up to her and … quite inadvertently (she was sure) startled her.

“Oh! Hello there.” She greeted, hand to her chest to calm her quickly beating heart.

Word Count: 390

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   Antelope Grace

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Antelope had requested to her parents that she stayed in school this Christmas so she could help the children that had been forced to spend this joyful season at school have the most lovely time possible, instead of just dealing with certain humbug staff members who might feel in a similarly forced position. It was her way of giving to the students who didnt have her privileged life. It also made it easier that her parents were still slightly sore at her that she had practically destroyed part of their house with the book situation in the summer. Her father had certainly thrown words at her that she had never heard from himp before and her heart still had several cracks that needed mending.

And if helped a prospective head girl earn a few points for supporting her fellows, then there was absolutely nothing wrong with that. She was a genuinely generous person through and through but she would allow herself that one thought towards herself.

A ghost had informed her that one of her favourite professors was throwing a little party for the students but that it wasnt quite finished. He was off to some spectral reunion in the catacombs but thought the earth magic Professor might need some company. Antelope hoped there would be caroling and other things, but what she really wanted to see was what Professor Woods might add to give it her traditionalist flair.

"Happy Solistice and a Merry Yuletide, Professor." she said as she walked in the door holding two delightful little hand crafted ornaments she intended to add to the evergreen in the corner. It was one of her own family traditions that no guest was allowed to eat Christmas dinner if they didnt bring something to hand on the tree. One of hers was a small snowman that had been hand woven from dried mandrake stalks and the other was an icicle that she found hanging from one of the hufflepuff windows and had then enchanted to remain cold even in front of the glowing firelight. Maybe... this was her fourth attempt at such a charm and the others had not held out as well as planned. But this seemed to be working for now and she was nothing if not an experimentalist

"It looks so beautiful in here, Professor" she said as she looked around. There was a large wreath on the wall and tinsel decorated various shades. She liked her professor's chosen colour scheme. "Is there anything I can help you with?" she asked with a beaming and friendly smile that had just a little of a metamorphic feline flair to it due to her excitement about the season.

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Belladonna Woods

  

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Her name is pronounced similarly to Penelope

Greta had chosen not to return home for the holidays since with Irvingly still off limits to the public she didn't exactly have a home to return to. She knew her added presence would just place a further burden upon her parents whose living circumstances were already strained and the occasion was going to be less than joyful. She knew if she returned home, if she joined them for the yuletide celebrations, the reunion would certainly not be merry. She knew she'd cry - and everything would simply remind her of her brother and how he simply was not there to greet her. He wasn’t there to fight with her over petty things and to have petty arguments with. If she went ‘Home for the Holidays’ his ghost would simply haunt her wherever she did and whatever she went.

At least at school she could be kept too busy, or could make herself too busy to even mourn him.

Or that had been her plan until she caught herself moping in her room since she no longer had any of the busy work tasks she had surrounded herself with to occupy her mind and instead the reality of everything just... hit her. She found herself almost hating the Christmas Events that she used to take such joy in - afterall it was the first Christmas she'd have without Cameron. To be really without Cameron. And to even put on a happy false face seemed like a lie that everyone was perpetuating. And in the words of Ebeenezer Scrooge: 'Buh! Humbug'

She knew she ought to knock herself out of her moping and that she wasn't doing herself any good so having heard that one of the professors had organised.... something... she pulled herself out of bed and headed downstairs to the Great Hall and the room itself looked inviting enough to draw her further in. A Yule Log had been lit in the centre of the room which bathed the room in a nice glowing firelight. The Professor - Professor Woods - sat making what looked to be a evergreen wreath at one of the Great Hall tables. She had ornaments nearby as well, and idly Greta wondered where the tinsel was - though she could see some adorned a wreath on the wall, and had been used elsewhere as well.

Antelope had already approached the Professor and Greta shuffled in behind her, catching herself again. Maybe she ought to try and pretend herself. It was the Holiday Season, and whilst she probably wouldn't end up caroling she maybe ought to try and embrace the Season of Giving just a little more. She let Antelope do the talking and tried her best to smile, even if it did falter a little bit, and waited for the Professor to answer the Hufflepuffs question. She knew she was probably participating in some social piggybacking but was still trying to pull herself together enough to fully participate.

Word Count: 511

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   Antelope Grace

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