Soul Detention

Christmas was fast approaching, and Breeze could return to the Owlery whenever he pleased. Everyone in Slytherin had chosen to go home, and he didn't want to be alone in a place with so few people around. It was, after all, a dungeon that had been converted into living quarters.

Snow fell thickly. Professor Quirrell was about to leave Hogwarts, which was truly good news.

"Ah!"

At the castle entrance, Breeze had just finished Potions Class and was enjoying the cold breeze, ready to take a stroll through the snow. Then he saw the Weasley Twins—he couldn't tell which one had started it—throwing snowballs at each other. One of them even deliberately hurled one hard at the back of Quirrell's head.

Quirrell cried out and looked back in a panic. He spotted Snape coming out of the entrance, staring at him.

Quirrell swallowed, hurriedly adjusted his oversized turban, and set off along the path toward Hogsmeade Village.

"Hahaha!" The twins burst out laughing once Quirrell had left. Snape glanced at Breeze, swept his cloak around him, and strode into the castle.

"Breeze, come have a snowball fight!" George spotted him and hurriedly called out, waving his arms around so comically that it was hard not to laugh. The twins wore pointed felt hats and bulky wool sweaters embroidered with English letters, knitted by their mother.

"Oh, sorry, George. I need to go for a walk. I ate a little too much this morning."

Breeze smiled and didn't join their game.

"Oh, look, dear Breeze recognized me," George said.

Fred raised an eyebrow. He thought it might have been luck, but didn't dwell on it. Instead, he scooped up some snow and threw it at a passing young wizard.

"Hey, you can't do that!" The passing Little Lion brandished his arms, brushed the snow off his face, and joined the fray. As time passed, more and more people joined the fun.

The Weasley Twins always knew how to make everyone happy.

"You're here, Breeze."

After Breeze had helped Professor Sprout prepare some plants for Christmas decorations a few days earlier, she had started calling him by his name.

"Come along. I need your help with something important. The other young wizards' magic won't be enough."

"Hagrid is choosing the Christmas tree for this year, but I think he could use your help."

Professor Sprout floated the decorative plants with a Levitation Charm, then pointed Breeze in the right direction. It looked like the professors had their hands full today. Even Snape might be called upon to fuss with ribbons. The holiday was important to Britain, after all, and many things had to be done by hand, unlike Halloween, when they could simply be transformed with magic.

Too bad Breeze didn't like Christmas, no matter how enjoyable it could be. In fact, historically speaking, this was a holiday wizards ought to dislike. Christmas was a Muggle holiday.

"Mr. Hagrid!"

Breeze walked through the snow and soon reached Hagrid's Hut. He had cast a Warming Charm on himself, so he didn't feel cold. Hagrid was the same, though he relied on his own constitution. As a Half-blood Giant, he had certain advantages.

"Professor Sprout said you needed help. I thought my spells might be useful."

"Oh, you're Order, right? I've heard of you. Well, if you can help, I can give you some Rock Cakes as a reward."

Seeing a Little Snake come by, Hagrid looked distinctly awkward and disbelieving. But this was the professor's arrangement, so he had to accept it.

"Rock Cakes?" Breeze had never heard of them, but after considering the Giant's eating habits, he firmly declined.

"Sorry, I think I'm already full."

"Is this the one?" Breeze asked, looking at the enormous pine tree before him. Hagrid scratched his head and nodded. "That's right. We'll hang lots of decorations on it later. It'll be the star of Christmas."

A bare pine tree sitting in a room would certainly draw attention, too.

The wand sprang from Breeze's wrist, and he quickly summoned his magic. The pine tree rose into the air. His magical power was exceptionally strong, beyond what most adult wizards could manage.

"Oh, you're a little monster," Hagrid murmured, swallowing as he watched Breeze's calm expression in disbelief.

Breeze paid no attention to Hagrid's astonishment. He understood his own magic very well: it was all thanks to Natural Magic Power. Without it, his magical ability would only be on par with that of a fourth- or fifth-year student.

Of course, his spellwork and Transfiguration were another matter. He could easily outclass most young wizards, and his understanding was more comprehensive than that of some adult wizards.

By the time Breeze and Hagrid brought the huge pine tree to the entrance of Hogwarts, Professor McGonagall had already herded the young wizards back into the castle. She didn't want to spend the whole day watching students' ears spout steam.

"Oh, Hagrid, do you need help?"

Breeze walked behind Hagrid, waving his wand, while Hagrid led the way. Harry and Ron were at the entrance, seeing Hermione off to the Hogwarts Express, when they spotted Hagrid and the huge pine tree floating behind him. They called out to him.

Ron asked, "Hagrid, aren't you unable to use magic?"

The Ministry of Magic had snapped Hagrid's wand in half after an incident years ago, so he couldn't use magic. Harry knew that Hagrid had actually hidden his wand in the handle of the umbrella he always carried, of course. But Harry wasn't a blabbermouth, and he didn't want Ron, who was, to let the secret slip. That could get Hagrid sent to Azkaban by the Ministry of Magic.

"Oh, no, it wasn't me!"

"It was Order. It's unbelievable."

"Breeze?" Hermione held on to her suitcase while Breeze walked around to the front of the tree, wand in hand.

"Merry Christmas, Hermione."

Hermione was a Muggle-born wizard with loving parents, so she was taking the Hogwarts Express back to the Muggle World for Christmas.

"Merry Christmas, Breeze." Hermione looked a little glum. Anyone would feel that way after seeing a prodigy in their year, especially someone as proud as Hermione, who believed she could measure up to Breeze.

Well, Hermione had been dealt another blow. But when she remembered that Breeze had once hung all the young wizards upside down in midair, she supposed this enormous pine tree wasn't such a big deal.

"I'd better go now. This is the only train leaving Hogwarts."

Hermione smiled and turned down Harry and Ron's offer to see her off. She went on alone with her suitcase, catching up to the young wizards who were already walking ahead.

The young wizards were shocked to see Breeze levitating an enormous pine tree with a Levitation Charm. The Little Snakes fell silent. They couldn't imagine what it would feel like to have that tree crash down on them.

Malfoy came out empty-handed, followed by his two burly sidekicks. Crabbe and Goyle carried his luggage.

"Oh, look who it is. Our dear Order and..." Malfoy looked Harry and Ron up and down, then drawled with a smirk, "the unwanted Potter Savior, and the little Weasley brat from a family with too many children to bring them all home."

"Malfoy!" Ron clenched his fists at once, ready to punch him.

"Weasley, I'd be careful if I were you!" Pansy had also come over. She fixed Ron with a fierce, cold stare, then linked her arm through Malfoy's and said,

"Let's go, Draco. Your family is holding a ball on Christmas Day, after all. I need to go home and pick out a pretty dress."

"Hmph. Of course. The Malfoys only entertain elegant and beautiful guests."

Breeze watched the scene in silence. This was the first time he'd watched Malfoy tease Harry and Ron all the way through, and it really was rather dull.

"Move aside. I think the professors are tired of waiting for this."

Breeze smiled at them, then carried the tree through the entrance. The young wizards hurried out of his way.

Malfoy and his group didn't dare complain and didn't bother Harry and the others again.

"Oh, look at Order. He's just as annoying," Ron said, straightening his robes and brushing off the snow that had caught on them from the pine branches.

"It's already good enough. At least he didn't call me an unwanted child," Harry muttered.

Ron raised an eyebrow. "He stayed at school too, didn't he? That's a first for a Slytherin."

Harry didn't know what to say. He even felt a little sorry for Breeze. When the Sorting Hat had been deciding where to put Harry, it had wanted to send him to Slytherin. If Harry hadn't insisted on Gryffindor, he might have ended up in an even worse situation than Breeze. At least Breeze was talented, so no one dared pick on him. Harry was different. He even worried that he might have to repeat a year if he failed his exams.

"Oh, thank you, Order." Flitwick loved helping with the holiday decorations. He had gotten up early to decorate the Great Hall, and he and Dumbledore had even made some little crackers that went off with a bang when pulled, revealing a small gift inside.

"Put it in the middle!" Flitwick directed Breeze to set the Christmas tree in the middle of the High Table. The High Table seats had been moved aside. Not many students were staying at Hogwarts for Christmas, so the professors would join the students at the smaller tables for their meal.

Snape stood off to the side, as cold and stiff as a statue. He didn't seem pleased with his assignment: helping Flitwick decorate this bright green pine tree.

Once the tree was in place, Breeze headed back to the Owlery to read. Flitwick didn't insist that he stay. He enjoyed decorating for Christmas and didn't need many people to help with this part.

"Oh, a young wizard all alone. Let's see who can save you this time!"

Peeves suddenly shot out from a corner, holding a large water balloon. Attacking young wizards with something like that in winter made Peeves especially obnoxious.

Breeze drew his wand and cast an Impediment Jinx at the incoming water balloon, sending it bouncing back. It didn't soak Peeves, but it still made him furious.

"Oh, I'm going to get Filch! You'll have to clean the corridor—you used magic here!"

The school rules clearly stated that magic wasn't allowed in the corridors.

"You really shouldn't have picked a fight with me, Peeves."

Breeze knew that Peeves was immune to many spells, but he also knew there were some that could affect him. Earlier, while searching for soul magic in the Forbidden Section, Breeze had found a spell that could put portraits to sleep for a while. If he used Natural Magic to cast it, it might have some effect on Peeves.