Snow swirled gently outside the enchanted windows of The Shard Vault, the sky above glimmering with soft pastel light. Someone had charmed it to mimic the perfect Christmas morning—bright, cold, and full of magic.
Inside, the grand hall of the Vault had been transformed. Garlands of evergreen twisted along the carved stone columns, sprinkled with fairy lights and floating candles. There was a huge, enchanted tree in the center, its branches heavy with glowing ornaments and tiny fluttering paper phoenixes. Presents of every size lay underneath, some wrapped in shimmering paper, others in mismatched scraps enchanted to dance slightly every few seconds.
Hugo was running around in his ridiculous reindeer antlers, trying to steal a gingerbread from Roxanne, who was threatening him with a snowball charm in her palm. Lily had teamed up with Dominique and Fred II to try and enchant the tree to start singing—it was working a little too well, considering it was now harmonizing "Godric Rest Ye Merry Hippogriffs" in four-part baritone.
Nova stood by the fireplace, a little overwhelmed, her blue eyes wide with wonder. She was wearing a red jumper knitted by Ginny, with a little stitched phoenix over her heart. Her red hair was braided and pinned with snowflake clips, thanks to Victoire's fussing. For the first time in days… weeks… maybe even months, she smiled without fear, tugging at the edge of it.
Fred had just handed her a brightly wrapped present that growled when shaken.
"Don't worry," he winked, "it's not alive. Probably."
"Is it safe?" Nova whispered, half-laughing.
George, from across the room, shouted, "No fun if it is!"
Laughter broke out again. Even Percy cracked a smile as Audrey tried (and failed) to get Lucy and Oliver to sit still for a family photo. Luna floated in, draped in soft golden robes, handing out charm bracelets shaped like tiny planets. Ginny and Angelina were stringing up floating snowflakes that would sparkle and explode in glitter every time someone told a bad joke.
Scarlet had taken Nova's hand and was leading her toward the others. "Come on! You have to see the marshmallow fire spells Louis taught me! They taste like treacle tart now!"
Nova hesitated. Just for a second. The red-haired girl in her dreams… the flashes of strange clocks and silver eyes… they tried to creep in. But then she looked at her friends. Her family. And she thought:
Not today.
Today, she was just nine. And it was Christmas.
So she ran, laughing, into the chaos, letting the music, the warmth, and the love swallow the nightmares whole—just for a while.
By midday, the Shard Vault looked like a snowstorm and a sugar factory had both exploded in the same place.
A table had appeared out of nowhere—courtesy of Luna and a very amused Fred—and it was now completely covered in wizard crackers. Not the Muggle kind, of course. These were proper Weasley-designed mayhem tubes. The kind that exploded with enchanted hats, toy dragons, glittering charmed cloaks, and once, accidentally, a live goose wearing a monocle.
"Oh no, not again," Percy muttered as the goose started lecturing Lucy about proper posture.
"Hello, I'm Professor Honkhurst!" it declared proudly.
Audrey just sighed and handed it a tiny cup of tea.
In the corner, Dominique had enchanted the snowflakes to rain soft sugar powder on anyone who said the word "snitch." Lily caught Fred II trying to trick Roxanne into saying it, but she just smirked and spelled his shoes to squeak like a pygmy puff with every step.
Nova sat curled on a bean bag conjured by Angelina, surrounded by gifts, candy, and new friends. Victoire was braiding her hair again—this time with tiny bells enchanted to chime when she turned her head.
Nova giggled when one jingle went too loudly and startled the fairy lights above her.
"I love this," she whispered, almost surprised at how happy she felt.
Scarlet popped up beside her with a pile of chocolate frogs. "We're doing card trades! I got two Helga Hufflepuffs and a Gilderoy Lockhart. Want one?"
"Which one is funny?"
Scarlet shoved the Lockhart one forward. "He flirts with the other cards."
The two girls collapsed into laughter.
On the other side of the room, Louis and Hugo were organizing a snowball tournament—indoors—using magically chilled orbs that didn't melt but did giggle when thrown. Percy almost walked straight into the middle of it and got hit by a snowball charmed to squeak "Happy Christmas, you old broomstick!"
He even had to laugh at that.
Later, as the enchanted ceiling turned a soft purplish dusk and the tree lit up brighter than ever, everyone gathered around it. George flicked his wand, and it burst into a soft sparkle that rained golden warmth over the room.
Alicia handed out steaming mugs of hot cocoa, each with a charm that kept the marshmallows dancing on top.
Luna leaned in and whispered to Nova, "Did you know cocoa keeps bad dreams away if you drink it after laughing?"
Nova blinked. "Really?"
Luna smiled softly. "Really. But only on Christmas."
Nova sipped. She believed her.
As they all curled up in blankets, some falling asleep against pillows, others still giggling, the last thing Nova saw before she drifted off was a glowing phoenix ornament above the tree, its wings pulsing gently like a heartbeat.
For this one day, the world was whole.
And she was just a little girl with cocoa in her hands and magic in her heart.
The first sound on Christmas morning wasn't an alarm or a talking goose this time—it was laughter.
Nova woke up buried under a pile of blankets, with the jingling bells in her hair tangled into the fringe of her new scarf (a neon-pink, glitter-charmed monstrosity knitted by Roxanne). She sat up, blinking, then gasped.
The entire Shard Vault had transformed again.
Presents. Mountains of them. Glittering, floating, jumping, glowing, and some meowing.
In the centre, a massive pile was marked FOR THE KIDS, and the second pile, a little more serious-looking (but not much), read ABSOLUTELY NOT FOR MINORS. Someone—probably George—had put fairy lights shaped like caution signs all over it.
Lily dragged Hugo by the wrist across the rug.
"COME ON NOVA! We're opening in age order! You're first!"
Nova squeaked, "Why me?!"
"Because you're nine and adorable," Louis declared dramatically, handing her a present that wriggled. "And also because your dad said so."
Fred gave her a wink, and Alicia, already holding a mug of tea, kissed the top of Nova's head. "Go on, sweetheart. That one's from Luna."
Nova tore it open—and out popped a tiny glass globe full of stars. Real stars. Like floating, blinking, glowing bits of the night sky. They swirled around as the globe gently levitated.
"It's called a Wishkeeper," Luna explained. "It holds one wish a year. Make it count."
Nova stared at it like it was the whole world. "I love it."
Next came a Quidditch-themed puzzle from Dominique (it exploded if you got a piece wrong), a self-writing diary from Lucy ("It edits your thoughts so your future biographers don't get bored"), and a mini Seeker's broom from Roxanne. The moment Nova touched it, it tried to fly off.
"ONLY for inside the Vault!" Percy yelled, as Fred II cackled and whispered a spell to turn it into a glowing snow sled.
Lily got a pair of magically-heated gloves that changed colour when she waved, and immediately spent ten minutes turning them into a dance performance. Hugo got a book called Every Single Secret Passage in Hogwarts That Your Uncle George Pretends He Doesn't Know About — signed "From George."
James, Rose, and Albus didn't make it this time—but they had sent owls.
Nova's jaw dropped when she opened a flying notebook from Albus. "It'll come find you wherever you are if you forget to write in it," said the attached note. "Sorry, I'm not there. I'll make it up to you."
Fred and Alicia gave her a bracelet with tiny moving charms of all her new family—Lily chasing Hugo, Fred winking, Alicia laughing, Luna floating, and George mid-prank. It shimmered like the vault was alive on her wrist.
When everyone had opened theirs, the gift-trading began—chaos, shrieks, snowflake puffs, and all. Louis and Lily both wanted the enchanted yo-yo that sang Celestina Warbeck hits. Roxanne ended up with three pairs of sparkle socks she hadn't asked for but decided she loved.
"Wait—there's more!" Hugo yelled, digging under the pile of glitter-covered mess. "From James and Rose!"
Nova's eyes sparkled.
She opened James's first: a folded piece of parchment charmed to fly around in loops before unfolding itself. It said:
"To my favourite little chaos magnet—here's a prank kit disguised as a study box. Use it wisely. Or don't. That's more fun. Love, James."
Inside was a boring-looking box labeled "Maths Practice Set" (whatever that was)—but when Nova opened it, she found sneezing dust, a mini invisibility charm, three pop-rocking toffees, and a feather quill that tickled her hand every time she held it wrong.
"Best. Gift. EVER." Nova giggled.
Then came Rose's gift. It was neatly wrapped, tied with enchanted ribbon that untied itself with a polite "swish."
Inside was a book: "Ancient Spells for Curious Young Witches." But it wasn't just any book—it had tabs, notes, and mini bookmarks from Rose herself.
There was also a note, written in Rose's neat, slightly bossy handwriting:
"Nova—this is for when you're ready. Not because I think you need it now. But because I believe you can do more than people think. Also, I put pink glitter on page 42. Don't ask."
Nova hugged the book to her chest. Her heart felt so full it might actually burst.
Nova, dizzy from sugar and joy, looked around as the wrapping paper flew like confetti, and thought:
This is what Christmas should always feel like. Just magic and love and laughter.
For now, the world could be safe.
Just for a little longer.
Snow danced gently against the tower windows. The common room was unusually quiet—no younger years shouting, no mistletoe mischief, no pudding explosions. Just the crackling fireplace, an empty chessboard... and three exhausted teenagers surrounded by mountains of notes.
Rose had ink on her chin. Albus had fallen asleep on top of a Transfiguration textbook (the indent on his forehead made him look like he'd been branded by McGonagall). James looked like he hadn't seen daylight since the last Quidditch match.
"Wake up, Al," Rose said, slamming his head with his Arthemency note, "Merry Christmas," She continued with a big yawn.
"Huh? Already?" he said, waking up with a jerk and massaging the back of his head.
"Yeah, we've been up all night," James said, yawning.
Rose scribbled notes like she was in battle. "How many counter-curses do we have to memorize again?"
Albus groaned, "Thirty-six. But if I read one more word about flobberworms, I might hex myself."
James, half-asleep, added, "You two don't even get NEWTs this year. I'm dying first."
Just then, dozens of owls swooped in, dropping presents—and notes.
They lit up a bit—until they actually read them.
"From Mum: "Merry Christmas, my little genius. Proud of you. STUDY HARD."
From Dad: "Don't forget to revise every day. Christmas is not an excuse. Love you."
From Hermione (yes, all caps): "THE MINISTRY IS WATCHING. STUDY." " James read aloud and sighed.
"What about you two?" He asked, looking up from his pile of 'study well' related notes.
Rose's pile looked neat, color-coded, and included:
A highlighter set charmed to glow different shades based on the spell being studied (from Hermione).
A scarf that glowed different colours as per your mood (from Ginny)
A purple Weasley Jumper with the letter R on it (from Molly)
A book of which NEWET subjects to pick (from Ron)
A sleek wand holster with extra pockets for backup notes (from Harry).
a "study stress emergency kit" which contained: 3 prank sweets, a whoopee cushion, and a vial labeled "Emergency Ditching Potion – Use Responsibly (Or Not)." (from Fred and George.)
A small chain with a book on it that glowed whenever you were too happy (from Alicia)
And a crystal charm from Angelina that shimmered with soft warmth and whispered calming affirmations like, "You've got this," and "Knowledge is power."
Albus's gifts included:
A collection of rare Herbology clippings (from Neville).
A Weasley jumper with a big "A" on it (from Molly, of course).
A hat with a snitch on it (from Ginny)
A book on how to become a Quidditch player (from Ron)
A study schedule (from Hermione)
A miniature firebolt, which screamed "Take a break" every hour (from Angelina)
A homework planner (From Alicia)
A golden snitch (From Harry)
And from Fred: a "study stress emergency kit" which contained: 3 prank sweets, a whoopee cushion, and a vial labeled "Emergency Ditching Potion – Use Responsibly (Or Not)"(from Fred and George)
James's haul was the messiest, of course:
A flying chocolate frog plush from Alicia that kept hopping out of the box and yelling, "REVISION ISN'T REAL."
A massive Butterbeer-scented candle from Ginny.
A book on what to do after Hogwarts from Harry.
A miniature James on a broom catching the snitch from Angelina.
A blue Weasley jumper with the letter J from Molly.
A sock with "CHAOS KING" stitched in red from George. Just one sock.
And from Fred: a book titled "How to Pass NEWTs Without Actually Studying – A Myth." The dedication inside said:
"Nice try, mate. Get back to work."
Then there was Nova's gift to all three of them.
A small envelope charmed to play a tune when opened—a tiny, giggling voice (definitely hers) that sang:
"Merry Christmas to my big cousins who are trapped in homework! Don't worry, I asked Santa to sneak you out. He said no. Still love you though. 💖"
Attached were glittery friendship bracelets. Each had a tiny charm—James got a lion, Al got a badger (he suspected Nova was trolling him), and Rose got a tiny book that opened and shut with a snap.
James looked at it, choked a little, and said, "I'm gonna cry. I'm seriously gonna cry. She gave me a bracelet, and I've written three essays on counter-curses."
They all laughed—genuinely.
Then Rose read the letter from Alicia:
"We miss you three so much this year. Study hard, but don't forget—books will be here forever. Childhood won't. (Also, don't let Fred prank you too much. He's still a menace.) Love, Mum 2"
From Fred:
"I was gonna send you all a Howler that just screamed 'STOP STUDYING,' but Alicia wouldn't let me. So here's a gift card to Honeydukes instead. When you're free. Which you're not. Haha."
From Harry:
"Don't overwork yourselves, but I'm proud of you. One day, the world will be yours to protect. For now, just get through your exams. And maybe get a little sleep. Love, Dad."
They sat there quietly for a moment. Then James pulled his blanket tighter, Rose finally leaned her head on Al's shoulder, and Albus closed his eyes for a minute.
The common room was warm. The storm outside howled softly. Somewhere, laughter echoed from the Great Hall.
But here—in their own tiny corner of Hogwarts, Christmas was still alive.
A little stressful, maybe. But warm. Cozy. Real.
James sighed. "Even my presents are judging me."
They then opened common presents for all three of them together—scarves from Ginny, a self-refilling ink bottle from Ron, a library voucher from Hermione (of course), and a weirdly stylish enchanted sweater from George that read: "I Survived Christmas with Books."
They all wore them immediately.
Albus muttered, "One day, we'll have fun Christmas again."
Rose: "No, we won't."
James: "Not until I'm retired and teaching Flying Lessons."
All three of them clinked their butterbeer mugs like veterans of war.
James whispered, "Okay, five more minutes of peace, then I'll go memorize that stupid potion chart."
"Ten," Albus muttered.
"Deal," Rose agreed.
They clinked their butterbeer mugs together. One more quiet moment before the chaos returned.