53: Chapter 53 Christmas Stay-at-School List

The December snow pressed against the shores of the Black Lake, and a few Christmas holiday departure forms appeared in the Slytherin Common Room.

Draco held a quill, staring at the address of Malfoy Manor.

Crabbe leaned over the table and asked, "Are you going home?"

Draco scoffed, "If I don't go home for Christmas, should I stay in the Castle and fight Weasley for pies?"

Goyle looked up, "The pies in the Castle are pretty good."

Draco looked at him, "That's not the point."

Pansy folded her application form, "I'm going home; there's a banquet."

Zabini turned a page in his book and said, "I'm going back too; there are quite a few guests this year."

Nott leaned in the shadows, "I'm staying."

Draco frowned, "Doesn't the Nott family celebrate Christmas?"

Nott turned a page, "We do, but my father is busy."

Draco turned to Allen, "What about you?"

Allen leaned back in his chair, his book resting on his lap, "Staying."

Draco's quill stopped, "You're staying too?"

Allen gave a hum of affirmation.

Draco stared at him, "Reason."

Allen raised his eyes, "Too lazy to take the train."

Draco set his quill on the table, "Potter, can you find a believable reason?"

Allen placed his book on the table, "There are no Christmas banquets at the orphanage."

The Common Room was silent for a moment.

Crabbe put his pie back on the plate, and Goyle also shut his mouth.

Draco frowned, "You could go to Malfoy Manor."

Pansy looked up, Zabini stopped turning pages, and Nott remained still.

Allen said, "No."

Draco's expression darkened, "You haven't heard me out yet."

Allen looked at the application form on the table, "Even if I heard you out, I still wouldn't go."

Draco said, "My father wouldn't object; a distant relative of the Potter Family coming to visit is considered proper."

Allen said, "Your father would ask questions."

Draco pressed his quill against the edge of the parchment, "So what if he asks questions?"

Allen said, "I don't want to answer them."

Draco stared at him for a long while, then lowered his head to continue writing his application, his quill scratching heavily against the parchment.

Allen watched him write the words Draco Malfoy, then spoke, "Harry is staying."

Draco's pen stopped on the paper, "What?"

Crabbe looked up, "The Chosen One isn't going home?"

Goyle asked, "Aren't his family coming to pick him up?"

Pansy curled her lip, "The Muggle relatives probably don't want him."

Draco looked at Allen, "How do you know?"

Allen said, "Over at the Gryffindor table, Weasley was asking him about the holiday stay list today."

Nott added, "Ron is staying too, the twins are staying, but Percy is going back."

Draco looked at Nott, "How do you know?"

Nott said, "The Weasley Family isn't exactly quiet."

Draco pushed the application form forward half an inch, "So what?"

Allen said, "Don't you want to see the pathetic sight of The Chosen One with no one to keep him company over Christmas?"

Goyle whispered, undermining him, "Weasley will keep him company."

Draco glared at him, "Can you stop speaking up for Gryffindor?"

Pansy laughed, "If Potter stays, Gryffindor will definitely be talking about it everywhere."

Draco raised his chin, "He's been dumped at school by his relatives for Christmas; what else is there to say?"

Zabini turned a page, "The Chosen One always manages to turn pity into a story."

Draco frowned, "That sounds annoying."

Allen looked at him, "So you're going home, missing out on this story?"

Draco stared at him, "You're goading me."

Allen said, "You can pretend you didn't hear it."

Draco picked up his quill, then put it down again.

Nott closed his book, "The holiday stay list hasn't been submitted yet; you still have time to change it."

Draco looked at him, "You want me to stay too?"

Nott said, "A Malfoy in the Common Room is more useful than leaving Crabbe and Goyle here alone."

Crabbe was dissatisfied, "I'm useful too."

Goyle asked, "What kind of useful?"

Crabbe thought for a moment, "I can guard the door."

Allen added, "That's enough."

Draco narrowed his eyes, "Guard the door?"

Allen picked up his cup, "There will be few people during the holiday, and few people in the Dungeon. The Common Room needs someone to know who has been there."

Pansy looked at Allen, "You're staying and you're going to manage the Common Room?"

Allen said, "It's just something I'll handle while I'm at it."

Zabini laughed, "That doesn't sound like 'while you're at it'."

Allen looked at Draco, "You can go back if you want."

Draco sneered, "The more you say that, the less I want to go back."

Allen set down his cup, "Then stay."

Draco stared at the application form, "My father will ask for a reason."

Nott said, "Write that you want to observe the situation of the students staying in Slytherin over the holiday, and by the way, keep an eye on the movements of Gryffindor and Potter."

Draco nodded, "That works."

Allen added, "Don't write about Nicolas Flamel."

Draco looked up, "I wasn't planning to."

Allen said, "And don't write about the Third Floor."

Draco gritted his teeth, "I know."

Allen said, "Don't write about Weasley's rat."

Draco slammed the pen back onto the table, "Potter, what do you take me for?"

Allen said, "Someone who knows how to write a letter."

Zabini closed his book and laughed out loud.

Pansy also lowered her head to laugh.

Draco dipped his quill in ink, "I will write it properly."

Allen said, "Properly is fine."

Draco wrote a few lines, then stopped, "If I stay, what are you going to do?"

Allen opened his book, "Read, sleep, avoid Weasley, and occasionally go to the Great Hall to eat."

Draco sneered, "You definitely have something planned for staying."

Allen said, "You can investigate."

Draco said, "If I investigate you, would you let me find anything?"

Allen said, "No."

Crabbe whispered, "Then should we still investigate?"

Goyle answered earnestly, "We won't find anything."

Nott looked at the application form, "During the holiday, there will be fewer Professor patrols, and Filch will be watching more closely."

Allen said, "So don't cause trouble in the corridors."

Draco looked at him, "Are you saying that to me?"

Allen said, "To the three of you."

Goyle whispered, "I only go near the kitchens."

Draco looked over, "Kitchens?"

Goyle shut his mouth.

Pansy stood up, "I'm still going home; you guys stay here and keep an eye on Gryffindor."

Zabini also stood up, "The holiday is too quiet; it doesn't suit me."

Draco swept a glance at them, "Go on then; I can't count on you when it matters anyway."

Pansy left, clutching her books, "I hope you don't lose all the House points over the holiday."

Nott picked up the holiday stay forms, "I'm going to submit the list."

Draco handed over his form, "Wait, submit mine too."

Nott glanced at the holiday stay option on the form, "Are you sure?"

Draco scoffed, "I want to see Potter's Christmas."

Allen raised his eyes, "Which Potter?"

Draco adjusted his robe collar, "The one in Gryffindor, obviously."

Zabini looked back from the doorway, "That's much safer."

The Common Room gradually emptied; Crabbe and Goyle huddled by the fireplace to discuss Christmas pudding, and Draco sat back down opposite Allen.

Draco said, "I'm staying."

Allen turned a page, "I saw."

Draco stared at him, "You'd better actually have a plan."

Allen said, "The plan has already begun."

Draco asked, "Since when?"

Allen looked at the dim fire in the fireplace, "Since you changed your holiday stay form."

Draco cursed under his breath, "Potter, you really are annoying."

Allen closed his eyes, "Remember to write to your father, and don't get the reason wrong."

Draco put his quill to the paper again, "Observe holiday stay situation, understand the movements of Gryffindor and The Chosen One."

Allen said, "Add one more sentence: the holiday is quiet, suitable for catching up on schoolwork."

Draco paused, "Will my father believe that?"

Allen said, "Lucius would rather believe that you are starting to become sensible."

Draco continued writing the letter, "That works."

Inside the Portable Space, the Void Serpent was outside the glass box, its tail tip pressing down on a piece of parchment that had 'Christmas' written on it.

Outside the Dungeon, the holiday stay list was sent to the Prefect's office, and the Castle grew empty for the holidays.