After the latest visit from Sirius and Remus regarding Harry's broken, and hastily mended, arm, not to mention the surprise interrogation, of sorts, by the headmaster, Harry and Ron strove to keep their heads down, while Hermione and Setta did some digging in the Hogwarts Library to deduce what was happening within the Hogwarts walls. They all met in the Great Hall on the penultimate Sunday of November to discuss their findings, with Harry and Ron awaiting both Setta and Hermione with bated breath.

"No book?" Ron asked, looking at both Hermione and Setta's empty hands.

"It was hard enough actually getting Madam Pince to allow us to take it out of the library," Setta told him, wrinkling her nose at his thoughtlessness.

"It's safe, don't worry," Hermione assured them, gently squeezing Setta's shoulder. "Anyhow, we've managed to come up with a solution to get Malfoy to talk."

"He is going on and on about that supposed wonderful Slytherin pride," Harry said darkly, with a shake of his head. "I would think, out of anyone, he'd be our best bet. Of course, we can't just wait around under the cloak all day..."

"Thankfully, we've already made arrangements to stay at the castle for the holidays," Hermione said quickly. "That's one thing in our favor."

"But, again, it's not like we'll all hide under the cloak for those weeks, walking down all the corridors, looking for Malfoy," Ron said impatiently. "I'll be too tall to fit under there eventually, not to mention I step on your feet, 'Mione..."

"Yes, thank you, Ronald," Hermione responded.

"Which is why we'll be masquerading as someone other than ourselves," Setta said, deliberately lowering her voice for this portion of the presentation. "That way, Malfoy will be more likely to spill the secrets we so desperately crave."

Harry's eyes widened. "Are you suggesting some Transfiguration?" he asked. "Or do you plan on walking around in your wolf form?"

"Percy says that learning human Transfiguration doesn't happen until your OWL year—well, the theory, at least," Ron said, looking back and forth, between Setta and Hermione. "You don't get into the actual Transfiguration lessons, with humans, until your seventh-year. They come in right handy with Apparition..."

"I'll not be in my wolf form on the night in question," Setta said calmly.

"Nor are we suggesting any form of human Transfiguration," Hermione went on. "Setta and I have found a far better solution."

"How better?" Ron asked.

"Polyjuice Potion," Setta whispered. "You add a bit of the person you want to temporarily change into, plus some other ingredients, and then you're that person."

Ron grimaced. "Snape made Fred and George learn about it last-term," he said. "I think they wanted to make it, but he put a stop to that..."

"Snape keeps a good eye on the potions storeroom," Harry went on. "How do you actually expect to get ingredients from out of there?"

"By pilfering them, of course," Hermione said, shrugging.

Ron's eyes widened. "But 'Mione, wouldn't that be breaking school rules?"

"Hermione and I are in agreement that this is for a good cause," Setta went on patiently. "What the pair of you have to decide on is who you want to make yourselves into."

"Give it some thought, because we're going to have to wait awhile," Hermione said, a slight grimace marring her features.

"How long does it take to make, then?" Ron asked.

"Well, that's the tricky part, which is why we mentioned the Christmas holidays directly," said Setta, and turned to look at Hermione.

Hermione sighed, her shoulders slumping. "The potion will take a month to brew."

"A month?" Harry demanded in disbelief. "But Hermione..." He sighed, deliberately lowering his own voice. "If Malfoy is the Heir of Slytherin, he could attack half the Muggleborns in the school by then..."

"I know," Hermione said regretfully.

Setta fixed her twin with a look. "But it's the only plan we've got."

~*~

Two days later, Hermione and Setta, having scouted a location, began brewing the Polyjuice Potion. With one acting as lookout (Setta), the other (Hermione) broke into the potion storeroom and gathered up the ingredients. The plan was, if Hermione was in any danger of being caught by Snape, or another professor, Setta would transform into her wolf and wreak havoc upon the various corridors of the castle. Then, just to ensure that she herself didn't land herself—or, by extension, Gryffindor House—into hot water, Setta would merely say that the wolf within her temporarily lost control. Both Setta and Hermione thought the plan was brilliant, and the gathering of Lacewing Flies, leeches, powdered bicorn horn, knotgrass, and boomslang skin were all gathered up in good time.

Setta and Hermione settled upon a girl's lavatory that no one ever used, due to a haunting by a ghost known as Moaning Myrtle. While Hermione ensured that leeches, bicorn horn, knotgrass, and boomslang skin were kept perfectly preserved, she set to work on stewing the Lacewing Flies, which had to do so for three weeks. Setta, meanwhile, pulled out her Astronomy calendar to find out when the next full moon was, which was due to fall on the ninth of December. After getting permission to borrow Harry's cloak that evening, she powdered the bicorn horn at Hermione's behest, while Hermione paid close attention to the Lacewing Flies.

On the ninth of December, as scheduled, Setta put the cloak around her shoulders and stole out of the Gryffindor common room. Light on her feet, she went towards the staircase and crossed her fingers that it wouldn't want to change. Luck was on her side that night after curfew, and she also managed to evade Percy, who was on patrol that night. She made it to the Entrance Hall without incident, and the doors came open for her. Hurrying out and into the darkness, she braved the steep hill, only illuminated by the outside torches of the castle, and dashed towards Hagrid's hut, located just outside the forest.

Her potions kit gripped tightly in her hand, along with her wand tucked within the sleeves of her jumper, Setta entered the Forbidden Forest. She kept quiet on its floor, knowing that Professor Snape liked to harvest late at night as well, and wondered if tonight was one of those nights, given the fact that it was a full moon. She pulled the cloak off her head to see better and drew out her wand.

"Lumos," she whispered, and the silvery beam of light lit her way as she went deeper and deeper into the forest. She remembered reading in the section of Hogwarts: A History dedicated to the Forbidden Forest about the various trees, plant life, and the like, and remembered that there was a specific clearing that clutches of Fluxweed were known to grow. Finding the tree with the abnormally large knot in it proved to be no trouble, which Setta knew was the entrance to the clearing where the Fluxweed grew.

Hurrying forward, wand aloft, she saw a clutch just ahead of her, with flat, pointed green leaves growing up a thin vine, with lavender-colored flowers dotting periodically upon stems just below the leaves themselves. Kneeling before the clutch, she dug into her potions kit for her knife, and effortlessly sliced off the flowers, getting enough for the three measures that the recipe of the Polyjuice Potion called for. Once that was done, she retrieved the special sack she was in possession of, which she and Hermione had put Protective Enchantments and Preservation Charms upon, so as no harm would come to the tiny blooms she'd harvested.

Pushing herself upwards and gathering the cloak back around her, Setta put her potions knife away and turned back around, holding her wand aloft once more to see back the way she'd come, the silvery light guiding her back towards the castle. She pulled the cloak completely around her so as she wouldn't be seen by anyone, and hurried out of the forest, not wanting to cross paths with any Acromantulas. Steeling up the hill, she ran back towards the doors to the Entrance Hall, which opened for her automatically, and ran towards the staircase once again.

The staircase, thank Merlin, decided not to send her on a wild goose chase, and she was deposited back on the seventh-floor, where the Gryffindor common room was located. She practically skipped down the hallway, and knocked gently upon the door, exposing her face to the Fat Lady, and whispered, "Leonis iuba," to which the portrait swung outwards, and granted her admittance.

Hurrying across the common room and towards the staircase, she counted the doors until she reached the second-year girls' dorm. She pushed open the door and hurried inside, running towards her bed and ripping the cloak off, and hopping onto the four-poster. As she took her boots and socks off, Honorata, who had been interrupted in her sleep, made a pitying meowing sound, which directly caused Hermione and Lavender Brown to wake up.

"Meeting a lover for a tryst?" Lavender asked.

Hermione shot Lavender a dirty look. "And just what are you implying?"

"I'm implying that it's past curfew, and here Setta is, still mostly dressed, having come in from somewhere," Lavender responded, turning back to Setta. "Must've been good. Your cheeks are rosy, and your lips are swollen."

Setta glared at Lavender. "You're mad," she murmured, pulling her curtains to so as she could change into her nightgown. "Simply mad."

Lavender pouted, which, of course, Setta could see through her mostly-closed curtains. "It's not a terrible thing to be interested in boys..."

"You're clearly interested in all of them," Hermione hissed at her, careful not to wake Parvati Patil or Eloise Midgen, who was widely known for her rather unfortunate case of acne. "How long have you been pining for Seamus?"

"Too long, if you ask me," Setta responded, drawing the curtains back, so that she could clearly see Lavender flushing pink. "Just tell him you're interested in him, instead of mooning about with those blue eyes of yours..."

Lavender straightened upwards. "Just what are you implying, Setta?"

"I'm implying, Lavender, that everyone knows about your feelings for Seamus, and we all wish you'd get over it," Setta said impatiently, crossing over to the attached bathroom and going inside. Making her way over to her assigned sink, she proceeded to brush out her hair, and turned to regard Lavender again. "Boys are really all you think about, aren't they?"

Lavender glared at Setta. "Fat lot of good a boy would do you!" she cried out, clearly hurt by the insinuation as she crossed her arms. "You don't even look at them, save for your brother, and all the Weasley boys!"

"Exactly, because we're all twelve, save for Hermione," Setta informed her patiently. "We're at Hogwarts to get an education, not ogle at the opposite sex."

Lavender tugged at her hair, fastened with an ever-present pink bow, and twirled a rather thick curl around her finger. "I'm Pureblood," she said softly.

"And I'm quite sure you've had it drilled into your head since babyhood that you need to find someone who isn't inferior to spend your life with," Hermione said testily. "However, you hardly need to decide now. Get your NEWTs, and then, perhaps, see if the marriage avenue is truly appropriate for you."

Lavender let out a huff, before she pulled her curtains tightly around her four-poster, and put her pillow over her head.

"Kind of dramatic, isn't she?" Setta asked conversationally, stepping back into the dormitory, and casted a Cleaning Charm upon her teeth.

"We none of us are ever bored by her, to be sure," Hermione said, wrapping her arms around herself for warmth. "How did you fare this evening?"

"I got what I ventured out for," Setta said, shooting Hermione a smile as she got into her bed, right beside hers. She reached out and drew Honorata into her arms, and the cat let out a noise of indulgence and snuggled deeper into the embrace.

"Good," Hermione said, rubbing her hands together. "Preparations can officially begin to be in full-swing."

"Let's just hope that Harry and Ron fulfill their end of things," Setta murmured.

Hermione nodded. "Yes, let's hope so."

~*~

Millicent Bulstrode and Pansy Parkinson were easy targets; in the weeks that followed the Polyjuice Potion preparation, Hermione and Setta made up their minds as to who they would be impersonating for the evening in question. With both girls remaining at Hogwarts for the holidays—for reasons that Setta and Hermione were unaware of—all they truly had to do was plot their move properly. As both girls had the studying habits of Ravenclaws, merely replacing their Sugar Quills with a simple but powerful Sleeping Potion did the trick.

Thankfully, their robes would fit, once their bodies altered themselves accordingly, once the potion had taken effect. Hermione and Setta smirked to themselves at the notion that they would be Slytherins for the evening and wondered if they'd get caught. Later that same day, Harry and Ron finally joined them in the lavatory, having forgone playing a game of two-on-two with Fred and George, who were also staying behind for the holidays, alongside Ginny and Percy.

"You sure no one'll catch us?" Ron asked, leaning up against one of the stalls, arms crossed. It was fair to say that he looked quite uncomfortable with the location they'd found themselves in, while Harry was merely bored.

"No," Setta assured him.

Hermione smirked across the space at Ron. "No one ever comes in here."

"Why?" came Ron's predictable question.

"Moaning Myrtle," Setta said simply.

"Who?" Ron demanded.

"Moaning Myrtle," Hermione repeated.

"Who's Moaning Myrtle?" Ron queried.

Suddenly, from the stall just beside Ron, a ghostly figure appeared, that of Moaning Myrtle herself—complete with her dark hair and glasses, as well as tattered-looking Ravenclaw robes, her expression thunderous. "I'm Moaning Myrtle!" she shouted, flying upwards into the air, so as she was staring down at them all. "I wouldn't expect you to know me! Who would ever talk about ugly, miserable, moping, Moaning Myrtle?" she cried out, before an almighty shriek spewed forth from her lips, and she dived head-long into the toilet, sloshing water over the immediate space of the floor.

"She's a little sensitive," Hermione said informatively, and Ron merely stared at her.

Christmas Eve was the following day, and Setta and Hermione presented Harry and Ron with the cupcakes filled with Sleeping Potion for Crabbe and Goyle. With Hermione informing the pair of them what to do—where to hide them, and to remember to steal their robes—Setta left them to deal with the Polyjuice Potion, making sure that it was well and truly ready. Once the rest of them arrived, they all of them dressed up in the purloined Slytherin robes, Hermione effortlessly served it up into four goblets each.

"Ugh," Ron groaned, inhaling the foul stuff. "Essence of Crabbe."

"Cheers," Hermione replied ironically, and they all four clanked their goblets together.

Setta was tempted to plug her nose but somehow managed to refrain from doing so, permitting the unattractive and thick green liquid bypass her lips and go down her throat. For a fleeting moment, it reminded her of "green juice", what everyone who was interested in health seemed to be drinking these days. However, something that was reminiscent of a fermented fish she'd heard about from Sweden flew across her taste buds, subsequently ceasing her thoughts in their tracks, and her eyes watered quickly.

"I think I'm gonna be sick," Ron declared, dropping his goblet and running for a stall.

"Me, too," Hermione said, and ran off into her own stall, her own goblet shattering beside her as she did so.

Harry, meanwhile, bent forward upon the sink in front of him, his goblet falling from his fingers and exploding upon the surface of the floor.

Setta, in the meantime, felt the entirety of her body shaking with revulsion as she stumbled towards the window on the other side of the lavatory, thinking that, perhaps, some fresh air would do her some good. Her own goblet, inevitably, slipped from her own fingers as she stumbled towards the window, and attempted to push it upwards, but it did no good. Shivering and gripping its sill, she felt her hair rising and growing shorter, and knew that it would, inevitably, turn the unimaginative shade of black that Pansy Parkinson possessed. Her face also shoved itself inwards, creating the rabbity face of the most popular girl in Slytherin House, and Setta felt her body changing into the willowier frame from her more curvaceous one.

"Rugh," she said, pushing herself upwards and running the unfamiliar hands over her face, and feeling her stomach proceed to flip-flop when she felt different features. Turning around, she saw Gregory Goyle standing before her, and had to mentally remind herself that it was Harry. She turned her new face at the sound of footsteps approaching, and saw the stocky, short frame of Vincent Crabbe coming into view, whose eyes were riveted on Harry.

"H...Harry?" came Ron's voice.

"Ron," Harry said, stepping closer to him.

"Bloody hell!" Ron proclaimed.

"We still sound like ourselves," Harry went on, shaking his head. "You need to sound more like Crabbe," he told Ron.

"Eh... Bloody hell," Ron said, putting on Crabbe's dimwitted voice.

"Excellent," Harry said with a grin.

"But where's Hermione?" Ron asked, turning around.

"I... I don't think I'm going," Hermione replied, from behind her stall door. "You all go on without me."

"Hermione," Setta said, speaking for the first time. "Are you okay?"

"Just go!" Hermione yelled. "You're wasting time!"

"Do you want me to stay?" Setta asked tentatively.

"No!" Hermione said quickly. "Go! Your influence might get Malfoy to talk."

Harry sighed from behind Setta, before gently dragging her away. "Come on," he said, and they all three left the lavatory. As they entered the corridor, they peered around the corner, and, seeing no one, stepped out into it. "I think the Slytherin common room is this way," he said softly, looking down at Ron and Setta.

"It is," Setta confirmed.

"Okay," Ron replied, and they kept walking.

There were a series of footsteps proceeding down the opposite end of the corridor, which made the hairs on the entirety of Setta's body rise. Looking up, the threesome stopped dead in their tracks, staring at the person which was coming towards them. Setta knew they were unable to act as themselves, and suddenly brought herself to her diminutive height, and did her best to give the passerby a scathing look.

"Excuse me," came the haughty voice of Percy, who maneuvered himself to approach them all, his eyes filled with superiority.

"What are you doing down here?" Ron demanded, sounding as dimwitted as before.

"I happen to be a school prefect," Percy said, one of his eyebrows curling in a blatant display of dominance. "You, on the other hand, have no business wandering the corridors at night." He appeared perplexed that the threesome were nodding, albeit in various stages of reluctance, as he looked them over. "What are your names again?"

"I..." Ron began.

"He's..." came Harry's reply.

"Crabbe! Goyle! Pansy," came Draco's voice, previously demanding in nature, although it was a slow caress when it came to the third name he uttered. "Where have you been? Pans, were they pigging out in the Great Hall all this time?"

"Naturally," Setta replied, sticking her nose in the air.

"Right," Draco said, stepping into their midst, before glaring up at Percy, and subsequently narrowing his eyes at him. "And what are you doing down here, Weasley?"

"Mind your attitude, Malfoy," Percy growled back.

Draco merely raised his eyebrows at Percy's demeanor, before linking his arm through Setta's and snapping his fingers for Harry and Ron to follow. They made their way down the corridor, past a steaming Percy, and, upon arrival at the common room, Draco said the password and they were let inside. Setta found herself pulled towards the couch Draco was heading for, and, as he lay down upon it, gently shoved her onto the arm behind him, and lay his head in her lap, while all the while Harry and Ron attempted to be casual about the situation.

"Well, sit down," Draco said, his voice impatient, and Harry and Ron quickly moved to do so, as his cronies. "You'd never know the Weasleys were Purebloods, the way they behave. They're an embarrassment to the Wizarding World. All of them."

Ron proceeded to clench his ham-like hands into fists, and both Harry and Setta gave him rather scathing expressions, knowing that such a display could blow their cover.

"What's wrong with you, Crabbe?" Draco demanded.

Ron didn't speak for a moment, not until Harry elbowed him. "Stomachache."

Draco mulled that over for a moment before he began speaking again. "I'm surprised The Daily Prophet hasn't done a report on these attacks," he continued, making himself more comfortable on the couch. "I suppose Dumbledore is trying to hush it all up. Father always said Dumbledore was the worst thing that ever happened to this place."

"You're wrong!" Harry suddenly shouted, and both Setta and Ron stiffened.

Draco slowly raised himself upwards and got to his feet, squeezing Setta's shoulder as he approached Harry and Ron, seated on the couch opposite. "What?" he demanded, his voice low and deadly. "You think there's someone here who's worse than Dumbledore?"

Ron immediately shook his head, while Setta and Harry remained silent.

"Well?" Draco snapped. "Do you?"

"Harry Potter?" Harry asked.

Setta swallowed then, leaning forward slightly. "Not to mention Setta," she sneered.

Draco smirked, angling himself so as he could face them all. "Good one, you two," he said, and nodded with approval. "You're absolutely right. Saint Potter, and Princess Rosetta... And people actually think they're the Heirs of Slytherin?"

"But then you must have some idea who's behind it all," Setta said softly.

"You know I don't, Pans," Draco said, his tone lightly scolding. "I told you yesterday. How many times do I have to tell you?"

Setta shrugged. "I suppose it's all chalked up to how brilliant your father is. He's always going on about the history of the Founders..."

Draco nodded in approval. "You're right," he said, and grinned evilly. "My father did say this, Pans: It's been fifty years since the Chamber of Secrets was opened. He wouldn't tell me who opened it, only that they were expelled. The last time the Chamber of Secrets was opened, a Mudblood died. So it's only a matter of time before one of them is killed this time. As for me, I hope it's Granger."

Setta launched herself off from the couch then, successfully pinning Draco to the opposite wall, her wand at his throat, while Harry did his best to hold Ron back, who was clearly chomping at the bit to attack Draco as well.

"What's the matter with all of you?!" Draco demanded, struggling against Setta's grip against him. "You're acting very...odd."

Setta forced herself away from Draco, and stumbled backwards. "Sorry," she said, doing her best to look ashamed of herself.

"It's his stomachache," Harry said lamely, gesturing to Ron, and yanked Setta towards them, while Draco continued to look confused at the turn of events. "Calm down, both of you," he hissed at the pair of them.

"S...scar," Ron whispered, and Setta's eyes turned to regard Harry.

"Hair," Harry whispered back.

It was then that both were staring at Setta, and they whispered, "Face," at the exact same moment, before running out of the common room.

"Hey! Where are you going?!" Draco demanded from behind them, but they kept their backs turned to the Slytherin as they hurried down the corridor, and back towards Myrtle's bathroom, knowing they had to talk to Hermione immediately.

"That was close," Ron said, once they arrived.

"Too close," Harry agreed.

"Hermione, come out," Setta said, walking towards her stall, feeling relieved to have the potion out of her system. "We've got loads to tell you."

"Make Harry and Ron go away," Hermione begged.

"Wait till you see," Myrtle suddenly proclaimed, suddenly appearing from nowhere. "It's awful," she said gleefully, and floated away.

"Hermione?" Harry asked, coming up behind Setta.

"Are you okay?" Setta wanted to know, and pushed the stall door open.

"Do you remember me telling you that the Polyjuice Potion was only for human transformation?" she asked, her tone quiet. "It was cat hair I plucked off Millicent Bulstrode's robes," she went on, practically weeping, as she slowly turned around, a lovely cat with Hermione's hair staring back at them. "Look at my face."

"Look at your tail!" Ron said, guffawing, to the point where Setta roughly elbowed him in the ribs, before pushing past them both.

"Harry, I'll need the cloak," she tossed over her shoulder. "I need to take Hermione to the hospital wing immediately."

"Oi! What am I expected to do, then?" demanded Ron.

Setta looked over her shoulder and glared at him. "Help Harry?" she suggested. "I don't much care what you do now, as long as it prevents Hermione from being upset further. Now," she went on, and turned back to Hermione, "what do you suggest we tell Madam Pomfrey?"

~*~

Christmas morning was beautiful, with heavy snowfall and more falling from the sky. Setta awoke in her dormitory, saddened that Hermione wasn't there to greet the day with her, but looking forward to visiting her in the hospital wing. Getting to her feet, and being pleased that she and Hermione were the only girls in their year who had stayed behind, she did her best not to disturb Honorata, and to look at what Molly had given to her. There were the assortments of various chocolates, plus the mince pies, and then the Weasley jumper. That year, Setta's was green, and had a silver wolf stitched into it.

Setta dressed, putting on the jumper, and gathered Hermione's gifts, including the ones from her own parents and herself, which were all placed at the foot of her bed as well. Heading downstairs and into the common room, she spotted both Ron and Harry in their own jumpers—Harry's featured a Nimbus 2000 that year, while Ron's was just another with his first initial stitched into it. They considerately assisted her in holding onto Hermione's gifts, and they all left the common room to join Hermione for breakfast, as well as exchanging gifts.

"Have you spoken to Hermione?" Ron asked.

Harry shook his head. "Not me, given that Setta brought her past curfew last night..."

"Madam Pomfrey said she'd be all right," Setta assured them both. "She should be out of hospital in a few days."

"Once she stops coughing up furballs, you mean?" Ron asked.

Setta turned to Ron and glared at him as they entered the corridor to the hospital wing. "I'd guard your tongue if I was you," she told him scathingly. "I'd hate to have to hex you on Christmas Day of all days."

Ron mercifully kept quiet, and they were soon stepping into the hospital wing. "Hermione!" he crowed, and Hermione turned to face him, her eyes still wary from his comments the previous evening about her.

"Don't even listen to him," Setta told her quickly, dashing towards the bed and moving to kiss Hermione on the cheek. "Here, we've brought all your gifts."

Hermione's expression wilted further at the sight of them. "I've got all your gifts hidden up in the dorm," she said mournfully.

"Don't worry about it," Setta said, squeezing her hand and moving to sit beside the bed. "We can have a second Christmas once you're out of here."

Hermione turned and looked towards the room off the main wing, where all the students who had been Petrified were kept. "Colin Creevey looked so small when Madam Pomfrey accidentally left the door open last evening," she said softly. "His first Christmas at Hogwarts, and he won't even remember it."

"Careful," Harry said darkly, seating himself on the other side of the bed. "Justin Finch-Fletchley may think you had something to do with it."

"That's not fair, and you know it," Setta countered. "Just because he didn't understand what we were telling the snake, doesn't mean he's a terrible person."

"Setta's right, mate," Ron said, and Hermione and Setta raised their eyebrows at Ron's quick defense of Justin. "Like 'Mione said, being a Parselmouth isn't a common gift."

"But let's not dwell upon that now," Setta said, and handed Hermione a gift. "This one's from me, then. Why don't you unwrap it?"

"It's not catnip, is it?" Ron asked gleefully, and was given a nasty Stinging Hex.

Later on that day, Ron borrowed Harry's broom to fly around the pitch on his own, and Setta and Harry ventured into the Great Hall for lunch. It was surprising to see their father waiting for them at the Gryffindor table, although he had prearranged to come for Christmas. Setta hesitated at the entrance to the Great Hall, and Harry stopped walking to turn back and face her.

"If you don't want to see Dad, I can make our excuses," he told her.

Setta shook her head. "No, it's all right." Her eyes locked onto her twins' for a moment before she reached out and clutched at his hand. "Just... Don't leave me alone with him."

Harry gave her a small smile. "I won't," he assured her.

Setta and Harry approached the table together, and although she permitted her father to hug her, she held herself stiffly throughout. "Hope you didn't have to give up anything important to come and see us," she said, sitting down.

James looked pained at her words, but nevertheless clapped Harry upon the shoulder, and sat down across from his daughter. "I typically get Christmas off from the ministry."

"Oh?" Setta asked, raising her eyebrow. "How considerate of them."

Harry squeezed Setta's arm, and turned towards their father. "I hope the entirety of your holiday has been going well so far, Dad."

"Thank you, Harry," James replied, obviously relieved to get the conversation going. "It has been well. Sirius and Remus send their love."

"Oh, do they?" Setta countered. "Was Remus's love sent before or after he informed you about locking us up and leaving the house?"

James's good humor seemed to flicker out. "I've spoken to Remus at length about his decision-making when it came to your well-being last summer," he said stiffly. "He has seen the error of his ways and was most apologetic."

"To you, maybe," Setta said, crossing her arms. "I haven't heard any such apology towards us, the real wronged parties here."

"Yes, well, perhaps that would be appropriate," James said, looking uncomfortable. "But he is very much looking forward to next summer—"

"Dad, I think, considering what happened, it wouldn't be appropriate for him to watch us again anytime soon," Harry said firmly.

James had the audacity to laugh. "Come now, Harry. Remus is family. He merely was sticking up for his best friend. All in all, he wanted what was best for you, and furthermore—"

"The best for us?" Setta asked, her voice low and angry. "The best for us?!" she demanded, and launched herself to her feet. "How can you say that, let alone laugh at it, when your so-called best friend locked up your children like we were bloody animals meant to be kept in some godforsaken cage?!" she yelled, her voice filled with rage.

"Setta, that's enough," James said.

"Oh, no, I don't believe it is," she told him, glaring daggers at him. "Not only did he lock us up, but he belittled our opinions about our so-called father, the only parent we have left! All we said was that our father was never there for us, and that's true! You're always putting your bloody job before your own children, and I've had enough!"

"Setta, please," James begged, looking around. "You've become hysterical..."

Setta threw back her head and laughed. "If anyone has made me that way, it is you, James Potter, and I'm tired of it! I am finished attempting to be a family with you, because you've made it abundantly clear what you think of us. The Weasleys are our family, have been since we were toddlers, and you never so much as attempted to counter that. Have a nice life, and Happy, Happy Christmas," she said bitterly, turning on her heel and leaving the Great Hall.

"Is that what you think as well, son?" James asked Harry.

Harry hesitated for a moment, and could sense Setta lingering outside the Great Hall. "It is," he told the man. "Until or unless you can get your priorities straightened out, Setta and I will rely on the Weasleys for all things family. Good day," he said, before moving to meet his twin.

"You didn't have to do that, you know," Setta said softly.

Harry shook his head, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. "Yes, I did."

Setta sighed, laying her head down upon his shoulder as they walked along. "And they say that this is the happiest season of all," she said softly, her tone tart.

Harry chuckled as they made their way up to the common room. "Well, they never had James Potter as their dad, now did they?"

"Merlin, I wouldn't even wish that on Malfoy," Setta said, and the pair of them actually shared a laugh, although each were unknowing about their future when it came to the one parent they had left.