The Miraculous Effects of Darkness

Chapter Eleven

To her surprise, Mr Burke granted Anika permission to remain at Hogwarts over the winter break with Marlene and Mary. Unfortunately for them, James Potter, Sirius Black and Remus Lupin were to remain at the castle for the break as well. Very few other students signed up to stay, however, so Mary was optimistic that the three girls would easily be able to avoid and ignore the boys. 

"What happened to Sirius' face?" Marlene asked. The three girls had just entered the Great Hall on the first day of the Christmas holidays to see it sparsely populated. The trio of boys sat midway down the Gryffindor table. Sirius' face was blotchy as if he had just finished crying. A letter lay on the table in front of him. Just as The girls entered, James grabbed the letter and ripped it into small pieces.

"Whatever was in that letter I suppose," said Mary, "I wonder if something happened to his family."

"Maybe." Anika continued to stare down the table at Sirius whilst she, Mary and Marlene sat down and began helping themselves to as much food as they wanted.

"I like it being quiet!" Mary declared as she loaded her plate up with muffins, "it means I get as many muffins as I want without anyone judging me."

"I'm judging you," Marlene remarked.

Anika's bowl remained empty as she stared curiously up the table at Sirius, who now had pieces of the torn-up letter in his hair- clearly it had been thrown in the air by James in an attempt to cheer his friend up. Sirius looked slightly cheered.

"Anyway, we have two weeks of this," said Mary, unwrapping her first muffin, "what shall we do today?"

"I say we go play quidditch," Marlene suggested.

"That's all you say," Mary replied, "any suggestions Anika?"

"I don't mind," said Anika. She turned away from the three boys and began to serve herself some porridge.

"Come on, you must have something that you want to do?" Mary pressed through a mouthful of muffin. 

"No, let's do what Marlene wants."

"Yes!" Marlene grinned triumphantly.

"I hate quidditch!" Mary complained.

"Then you make a suggestion," Marlene said.

"How about we..." Mary cast around for an idea, "how about we go out in the grounds."

"And do what? It's freezing!" Marlene retorted.

"Why don't we explore the castle some more then," suggested Mary.

"No, I know what we should do," said Marlene, "let's play exploding snap in the common room."

*

Christmas morning dawned bright and a glistening coat of snow covered the grounds from a storm the previous day. Anika had never had so many presents and spent an enjoyable morning in front of the common room fire with Mary and Marlene unwrapping and inspecting their presents. Both girls had many more presents than Anika did, but she didn't mind one bit and loved the looks of happiness on her friend's faces as they opened their presents. 

The common room was nearly deserted, only the three girls, a small group of seventh years and Sirius, James and Remus had remained at Hogwarts over the holiday and with the large size of the room they were able to keep out of each other's way. 

It was not until later that day when Mary, Marlene and Anika decided to go and play in the snow that they crossed paths with the three boys and got drawn into a vicious boys vs girls snowball fight, which lasted them until lunch. They traipsed into the Great Hall for Christmas Dinner all freezing cold and red-faced. 

As there were so few students present, it seemed Dumbledore had chosen to forgo the traditional house tables and instead the staff and students all sat down at one table, where they enjoyed their dinner together. 

The crackers were a cause of much hilarity, as Marlene won a very frilly pink hat from her cracker, which Mary forced onto her head. The sight of a slightly grumpy Marlene in a pink frilly hat was enough to make Anika and Mary laugh for quite some time. The fact that Mary was able to snap a picture of it with the camera that her parents had sent her for Christmas made it even better.

All in all, it was perhaps one of Anika's best Christmases ever. 

That evening she sat in front of the fire in the common room with a cup of steaming hot chocolate (a drink she had taken an extreme liking to ever since Mary had introduced her to it in November), listening to the sounds of Marlene chasing Mary around the room trying to seize the camera from her and destroy the picture of her in the pink hat. Anika felt completely content/

There was a tapping on one of the windows and Anika tore her eyes away from the crackling fire to see a white owl perched on the window sill. The owl was looking directly at her. 

Anika placed her now empty mug on a nearby table and made her way across the room to let the bird inside. It hopped in and stretched out it's led for her to untie the box-shaped parcel that it carried, it was addressed to her. Once its job was done the owl was gone again. Anika shut the window behind it, not wanting the cold air to invade the cosy feeling of the common room. She made her way back to her seat, unravelling the letter as she walked. 

The letter attached to the parcel was written in cursive, which meant that it took twice as long for Anika to read, but when she eventually finished she saw that it was from Nicolas and Perenelle Flamel. This was only the second time that she had received a letter from the couple since she discovered her relation to them, but this letter was written by Perenelle instead of Nicolas as the last one was.

Dearest Anika,

I hope that this letter finds you in perfect health and that you have enjoyed your Christmas immensely. Today I find myself thinking of you, and am unable to let the day pass by without sending you a gift of some sorts. 

Please accept the enclosed gift and feel no need to return one as knowing that you are alive and well after all of these years is a gift enough in itself for me.

I look forward to the day when we can meet again.

Perenelle Flamel

Curiously, Anika set the letter aside and carefully pulled the wrapping on the box off. The box itself would have been enough of a present as it was a very ornately carved box made of white oak. Anika felt as though she was handling one of the extremely delicate and expensive artefacts from Borgin and Burke's as she withdrew the box from it's wrapping and pulled it onto her lap. 

She ran her hands along the flowers carved into its sides and was stunned at how smooth the wood felt to her touch. Very carefully, she lifted the lid to see what was inside. Sitting in the box were many rolls of parchment, each tied with a different coloured ribbon.

Anika reached in and withdrew one of the rolls which was tied with a red ribbon. With trembling fingers, she unrolled it. The letter was written in the same cursive writing as the one she had just read, however the ink was somewhat more faded. 

11.01.60

Dearest Amelia,

It has been 12 days since I held you in my arms and I wish for the day when I will see you again. I hope beyond anything that you are safe and happy. I hope that the people who you are with now care for you as I would.

I hope that one day you are able to read these letters and understand how much Nicolas and I love you and that we did not let you go willingly.

I hope that you will one day soon be in my arms again.

Perenelle

She fumbled through the other scrolls in the box, finding that they were all letters from Perenelle, dating as far back as November 22nd 1959, which Anika discovered from this letter was the day she was born.

It was a strange gift, but one very much appreciated by Anika, who had wanted more than anything else in her life, to belong somewhere. That Christmas Day, she felt like she belonged.