"Carl! Over here!"

"Pass me that trunk, Olivia!"

Ducking under another quaffle being thrown by a third year to a fourth year from one end of the corridor to the other, you mapped out the quickest and easiest way to get out of the crowd. No, it wasn't the crowd for a Christmas sale, it was the crowd for the train home.

Today marked the last day of the term before the Christmas break, and nearly all of the students were packing. Cages of owls, trunks of books and sacks of clothes lay everywhere, it was an obstacle course in every corridor. While everyone was walking toward the school gate, you were headed in the opposite direction. Not because you forgot your scarf or your quill, but because this year was a little different.

You weren't going home.

A letter from the post arrived to tell you that your parents had won a trip to someplace tropical. You were happy for them, really happy, they deserved the break after so many years of hard work. That was why you let them go. You told them specifically (and repeatedly) that it was alright, you'll be fine at the castle, they should enjoy themselves, and they promised to send you back souvenirs. It was a good deal.

So on the list of people who were staying behind, your name was the fifth out of ten people. That was good, there would be company, but the better thing was that your best friend, Newt Scamander, was staying behind too.

You didn't know why he was staying for Christmas, but deep down inside you hoped that he stayed for you. That seemed impossible, yet his name was put on at the very last minute. He usually never stayed for Christmas, there had to be something going on with him.

You thought about it for a while, sitting by the ledge as you watched students filter out the castle with smiles on their faces. As day turned into night and the wind grew stronger, you decided to head back in. The last student, a seventh year, was kissing a sixth year (who was staying back) goodbye. A weird feeling made its way to your stomach as you walked away.

As you did, you bumped into a certain Hufflepuff outside the Great Hall.

"S-so sorry. Are you alright?"

His voice was so soft you had to strain your ears to hear him. Your eyes met his for a second before he looked away, seeming a little flushed.

"It's okay, Newt. It should be me that's sorry. I wasn't looking where I was going."

Your eyes travelled down to a small ball of fluff in his hand. He was cupping it gently despite his hand shaking, and he noticed your stare.

"I found it outside," he said, "It got cold, it needed warmth, so I brought it in."

The bird nestled Newt's palm and let out a soft chirp. You felt a smile grow on your face.

"I best be off," said Newt as he covered the bird with his other hand quickly, "The common room's warmer."

"Do you want me to grab you something to eat?" you asked, seeing as the remaining students were streaming into the Hall.

Newt shook his head, giving you an awkward smile, "I've already eaten."

"Oh, alright then."

With that, he turned away and left hurriedly. You would be lying if you denied the feeling of disappointment creeping into you.

You watched as Newt turned the corner and walked out of sight. Sighing, you entered the Great Hall, trying your best to ignore the two Gryffindors snogging under a mistletoe hung at the entrance. Luckily, the aroma of a great dinner ahead distracted you, and you felt your spirits lift slightly. That is, until an older Ravenclaw sat beside you.

"Where's the Scamander kid?" he asked, glancing around the Hall, "Thought you two would be together."

"Common room. He said he's eaten already," you replied dully.

The Ravenclaw raised a brow, "Eaten? What, lunch? Dinner hasn't even been served."

He was right. How could you not notice?

"I...I don't know."

The Ravenclaw seemed to have understood something, but he didn't pursue the matter further. All he did was pat you twice on the shoulder before standing up to talk to a second year Slytherin.

First Newt decides to stay for Christmas, then he skips dinner. You knew he was devoted to his creatures, but surely he wasn't that stupid to forget to care for himself, right?

Maybe he was.

But he can't be.

The matter was soon pushed to the back of your head as you tucked in to a scrumptious meal.

—

Three days on, it was Christmas Eve. You thought Newt would keep you company. You thought he would be with you while you made snowmen in the courtyard. You thought he would be the one to chill with you by the fireplace in the Great Hall. You thought he would watch the sunset early with you yesterday.

Instead, it was the second year Slytherin, Edwin, that built the snowman with you. It was the Gryffindor couple, Walter and Jenny, that sat with you and another first year Hufflepuff, Amelia, enjoying the warmth of the fire. And it was the older, sixth year Ravenclaw that accompanied you as the sun set.

"You haven't seen Newt around, have you?"

He shook his head, swinging his legs, "You didn't try checking on him?"

It was your turn to shake your head.

"You should," he remarked simply, "It'll do you and him good. He's been acting weird since the term ended."

"That's the thing," you said timidly, "What if he's acting weird because of me?"

"All the more you should talk to him," he said, putting out two fingers, "There's two ways it can go. One, he breaks you heart. Two, he makes it."

You were surprised he actually knew how you felt about Newt, even more that he didn't make fun of you. Still, it didn't stop that fear, "What if it's option one?"

"Then I'll be here with a shoulder for you to cry on," he said, patting his own shoulder, "C'mon, it's Christmas. It's supposed to be happy. I doubt Scamander has the guts to break you."

You nodded, fiddling with your thumbs.

"Plus," he continued, "He's been avoiding everyone, not just you. I lent him my sweater before term ended and he said he would return it before Christmas. Yet here we are. Still no sweater."

"Why did he borrow it?"

"It's more of I offered it to him," he said, "I noticed him shivering in the dungeons. Probably had potions before, so I gave it to him. Reminds me of my nephew."

You couldn't recall Newt coming out of the dungeons with a different shirt on.

"It's my favourite sweater, you know," he commented.

Letting out a short laugh, you stood up. The sun had finally set and the moon could be seen peaking out behind the mountains. You stuck out your hand to offer a handshake and he took it.

"Thanks, uh..."

"Lincoln," he finished, "I was wondering when you were going to ask for my name, (Y/N)."

You laughed again.

"Go on then," Lincoln said as he walked you back to the castle, "Find your boy."

It was set. You were going to find Newt tonight, and it was a good thing you knew how to enter the Hufflepuff common room, because that was where you wanted to start looking.

—

"(Y/N)!"

You stopped running and turned back. It was funny how you could still chance upon one of the nine students in this large castle. In this case, it was the first year Hufflepuff.

"Amelia?"

She jogged up and greeted you shyly, pushing away the hair that had fallen on her face. Her Hufflepuff scarf dangled off her neck loosely.

"What're you doing?" you asked as you tried to catch your breath.

"Finding you," she replied, panting as well, "I was looking all over the castle."

As she exhaled, her breath turned into mist that vanished as fast as it appeared. A pang of guilt hit you. You didn't realise it was that cold, and she ran everywhere for you.

"I'm so sorry!" you said, "I was with Lincoln on the castle grounds."

Amelia gave you a weird look, like she didn't understand.

"You know, the sixth year Ravenclaw?"

"So that's his name!" she clapped her hands like a three year old who had managed to correctly identify a colour. Then, she went on to why she was looking for you.

"I saw Newt down the second floor corridor earlier, near the Transfiguration classroom, thought you might want to know."

"Newt?"

Your eyes widened and your heart started to pump faster. Finally, someone who had seen that sneaky Hufflepuff!

"Yeah, Newt," she said, oblivious to your reaction, "It's weird though, I'm in the same house as him and it's the first time I've seen him since the break started."

He really was avoiding everyone, not just you. That could mean you didn't do anything wrong. You pondered on it for a while, completely ignoring Amelia's presence. Maybe he's upset, but he didn't look like it when he was holding the baby creature the other day. Maybe his family has done something that forced him to stay here. Yet, you've met his brother at Platform Nine and Three Quarters before and he hugged Newt so tightly he couldn't breathe. Maybe-

"(Y/N)?"

Amelia's slightly high-pitched voice brought you back to reality. The more you think, the more time you waste. It was best to find Newt now before he disappears again.

"Thanks Amelia!" you ran off again, leaving a very confused first year alone in front of her common room.