Eliana was busy.
She was going back to the orphanage tomorrow, and she still had a lot to pack.
She had only recently learned that underage Wizards like them had the Trace on them. It was useless for anything else, but if she secretly used magic outside school, the Ministry of Magic would locate her and send a warning.
That meant her plan to take just a few things back to the orphanage and secretly enlarge them with magic was ruined!
Damn the Ministry of Magic! What was wrong with young Wizards who loved learning practicing a little magic outside school? They stuck their noses into everything. If they had that much time on their hands, couldn't they go catch a few more rats? Maybe donate some money to her while they were at it?
Frowning, Eliana hid in a secluded, empty classroom. Clusters of blue flame floated before her, with a string of fish she had secretly hauled out of the Black Lake suspended above them. She prodded them with her wand, and the little fish slowly spun, dried out, shrank, and finally turned into golden-brown dried fish.
Eliana leaned in for a cautious sniff. This batch smelled pretty good, and she hadn't burned it to charcoal.
As for whether it tasted good—at the orphanage, having food at all was good enough. Besides, the clever Mrs. Brown would think of something.
She roasted them a while longer, thoroughly drying out the last traces of moisture, then wrapped the little fish in wax paper and stuffed them into a large burlap sack in the corner.
The bulging sack fell open a little as she moved it, revealing layers of Rock Cakes, hard baguettes no one had wanted at the dining table, a pumpkin somewhat larger than average but not outrageously so, and an assortment of other things.
Eliana conjured a long rope and tied the full sack up tight. With much huffing and puffing, she pushed it into the corner, where three or four equally large sacks were already piled up—all her spoils.
She untied one of them and gazed proudly at the heap of dull gray fabric inside, like a little dragon admiring the gold coins it had stolen.
The color wasn't particularly bright, and the fabric wasn't brand-new, but there was so much of it, and it was so thick and sturdy. Most importantly, she hadn't paid a penny for it. What more could she ask for?
She was amazing. She was the best little girl in the world at spotting useful things around her and putting them to work!
Like any kitten fresh from a successful hunt, she lifted her chin high with pride.
She really was amazing!
Eliana lavished herself with praise once again.
As for where she had found those useful things, the proud little kitten felt a moment's guilt.
Well, perhaps they had been growing wild in the castle... They weren't particularly useful, and taking them wouldn't have much impact on the local environment.
Why hang curtains in an underground classroom anyway? It was already dark down there. Curtains only made it darker, which was bad for their studies and their development.
Eliana's round eyes darted about.
Her wavering gaze landed on her bulging bags, then firmed again.
Oh well, what's done is done... Professor Snape won't kill me.
...Right?
Eliana swallowed nervously, but clung to her bags with grim determination.
Future me can deal with whatever happens later.
Right now, I'm taking all of this with me.
Looking furtively around, she dragged her things out of the castle. Hardly anything in those bags could be shown openly, so she had to hide them outside while it was dark, then take the train first thing tomorrow morning. She couldn't let anyone see them.
There was so much stuff, and it was so heavy that Eliana's Levitation Charm could barely lift it a few inches off the ground. She struggled to guide it forward, as though directing a herd of lumbering, dim-witted elephants across a road.
Fortunately, everything went smoothly. The next day, Eliana found an empty train compartment, locked the door, and happily settled into a seat with all her bags.
As the train rocked gently, the contents of her parcels rustled against one another. Eliana smiled in anticipation like a farmer hearing the wind ripple through a field of heavy wheat.
She could already picture the shock on Susan's face, and on everyone else's.
Who else could match her? She had gone to school without spending a penny beyond what she had to, and now she was leaving with a haul taken from the school itself.
"I don't know if it's just me, Harry."
In the Gryffindor Common Room at Hogwarts, Ron looked up uncertainly. "Or maybe it's because so many people have gone home for Christmas. Is that why the Gryffindor Common Room feels so empty?"
Harry pushed his glasses up his nose. "I don't think it's just the people... Aren't there fewer cushions on the sofas too? Is there some kind of magic that adjusts the number to match the people here? And where did the cloths on the armchairs go? Wait, there used to be covers on the backs of the armchairs, right?"
He sounded unsure.
Ron stared back at him, baffled. "I think there were...?"
"Then where are they?"
The two stared at each other and began to wonder if they had remembered wrong.
In the underground classrooms, Professor Snape made his daily patrol of the castle, his face stern. Although it was the holidays, a few energetic, highly destructive little Nifflers remained in the castle. He had to give up some of his rest time to ensure their safety—and the castle's.
He could relax a little when he reached the dungeons, though. Even the most brazen young Gryffindors wouldn't choose to go exploring there at night.
Snape swept a casual glance around the classroom and was about to look away when he stopped.
Why did this classroom suddenly look different?
Wait. Where were the curtains from my classroom?
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