Christmas was coming. One morning in mid-December, Hogwarts woke to find itself covered in several feet of snow. The lake froze solid and the Weasley twins were punished for bewitching several snowballs so that they followed Quirrell around, bouncing off the back of his turban. The few owls that managed to battle their way through the stormy sky to deliver mail had to be nursed back to health by Hagrid before they could fly off again. No one could wait for the holidays to start. While the Slytherin common room and the Great Hall had roaring fires, the drafty corridors had become icy and a bitter wind rattled the windows in the classrooms. Worst of all were Professor Snape's classes down in the dungeons, where their breath rose in a mist before them and they kept as close as possible to their hot cauldrons.
"I do feel so sorry," said Draco, one Potions class, "for all those people who have to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas because they're not wanted at home." He was looking over at Ron as he spoke. Vince, Greg, Harry, and Hermione chuckled. The story that had been spread was that the Weasleys were staying at home because their parents were visiting one of their older brothers abroad.
Harry didn't feel the least bit sorry for Ron. He had been even more unpleasant than usual since the Quidditch match. Disgusted that the Gryffindors had lost, he had tried to get everyone laughing at how a wide-mouthed tree frog would be replacing Harry as Seeker next. Then he'd realized that nobody found this funny, because they were all so impressed at the way Harry had managed to stay on his bucking broomstick.
It was true that Harry wasn't going back to Privet Drive for Christmas. Harry had originally planned to sign up to stay at Hogwarts to be with Alexander. However, Draco had invited Harry, and after a while of debating with himself, Alexander home with him.

*Flashback*
As the owls swooped in to deliver the morning mail, Harry spotted Draco's eagle owl.
"You've got mail, Draco." Draco looked up eagerly. Draco carefully untied the letter from his owl, Orion, and opened it up. He eagerly read through the letter. Harry could tell it was good news.
"Good news from home, Draco?" asked Hermione. Draco nodded.
"Harry, you've been invited home with me for Christmas. My mother would love to meet you. Aunt Bella and Lettie are desperate to meet you too." He turned to Hermione. "I wish you could come home with me too, Mia." Hermione smiled.
"You know my parents expect me home for Christmas. Thank you for the sentiment, though." She gave Draco a kiss on the cheek which stunned him for a few moments. When his brain was in working order again, he turned back to Harry.
"So what do you say, Harry? Do you want to come home for Christmas with me? I mean, you aren't expected by those muggles, are you?"
"Are you kidding? The Dursleys would probably kill me if I showed up before summer. Besides, even if they wanted me there, I don't want to go. I would love to join you and your family for Christmas Holidays, but what about Flea? This is our first Christmas together." He asked. Draco thought for a minute, knowing that Harry and Alexander honestly thought that they were brothers.
"He can come too. I'm sure Mum will understand." He said as he jotted a quick response to his parents.
*End Flashback*

Both Harry and Alexander had made sure to send a formal letter of acceptance and thanks that night. With Draco's tutoring, Harry's manners were roughly equivalent to his fellow Slytherins'. Alexander, having been raised by a pureblood family, was already very polite. There were a few things that occasionally slipped Harry's mind, or that he did not know, but often, whichever Slytherin he had slighted would bring the error to Draco's attention so he could inform Harry. Hermione had also quickly picked up on the differences between wizard and muggle manners and made the necessary adjustments.
They were now only hours from their holidays. They would be taking the train back to King's Cross Station the next morning. Harry was especially looking forward to it. He was planning on using his free period to pack. Professor Snape mercifully chose not to assign them homework for the holidays as everyone had submitted a satisfactory potion the previous Tuesday, and their essays all scored at least Acceptable. In fact, as a whole, the Slytherin first years had been assigned very little homework. There were essays for History of Magic and Herbology and a star chart for Astronomy. Alexander only had a transfiguration essay, although he had spent a lot of time working on something that he wouldn't let the others know about.
When the group of friends left the dungeons after packing, they decided to take a walk outside before dinner. Alexander joined them as usual. However when they got to the entrance hall they found a large fir tree blocking the front entrance. Two enormous feet sticking out at the bottom and a loud puffing sound told them that Hagrid was behind it.
"Hi, Hagrid, want any help?" came Ron's voice from the other side of the entrance.
"Nah, I'm alright, thanks, Ron."
Hagrid finally made it through the front door with Ron behind him.
"Are you trying to earn some extra money, Weasley? Hoping to be gamekeeper yourself when you leave Hogwarts, I suppose — that hut of Hagrid's must seem like a palace compared to what your family's used to." Alexander gave Draco a warning look, however before Draco could apologize Ron dived at him. Just as this happened, Snape came up from the dungeons.
"WEASLEY!" Ron let go of the front of Draco's robes.
"He was provoked, Professor Snape," said Hagrid, sticking his huge hairy face out from behind the tree. "Malfoy was insultin' his family."
"I was about to apologize because Flea told me too." Draco said quietly. Snape raised an eyebrow.
"You should all know fighting is against Hogwarts rules," said Snape silkily. "Five points from Gryffindor, Weasley, and be grateful it isn't more. Move along, all of you."
Harry and his friends walked outside. Harry could hear Ron behind them.
"I'll get him," said Ron, "one of these days, I'll get him —" The friends took a quick walk around the lake. They desperately tried to think of other places to look for Nicolas Flamel. Draco, Vince, and Alexander swore they had read the name before, but they couldn't remember where. Hermione suggested they head in and check the library once more before dinner. They ran into Hagrid carrying another tree.
"Have yeh seen the Great Hall yet?" asked Hagrid. They all shook their heads. "Come with me an' see it, looks a treat." So the five of them followed Hagrid and his tree off to the Great Hall, where Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick were busy with the Christmas decorations.
"Ah, Hagrid, the last tree — put it in the far corner, would you?" The hall looked spectacular. Festoons of holly and mistletoe hung all around the walls, and no less than twelve towering Christmas trees stood around the room, some sparkling with tiny icicles, some glittering with hundreds of candles. "Are you ready for yer holidays?" Hagrid asked.
"Yes, we finished packing earlier," said Hermione. "But we were actually heading to the library when we met you we only have a half hour until dinner." Harry tore his eyes away from Professor Flitwick, who had golden bubbles blossoming out of his wand and was trailing them over the branches of the new tree, to nod along with Hermione's statement.
"The library?" said Hagrid, following them out of the hall. "Just before the holidays? Bit keen, aren't yeh?"
"Oh, we're not working," Harry told him brightly. "Ever since you mentioned Nicolas Flamel we've been trying to find out who he is."
"You what?" Hagrid looked shocked. "Listen here — I've told yeh — drop it. It's nothin' to you what that dog's guardin'."
"We just want to know who Nicolas Flamel is, that's all," said Alexander with a shrug.
"Unless you'd like to tell us and save us the trouble?" Draco added. "We must've been through hundreds of books already and we can't find him anywhere — just give us a hint — I know I've read his name somewhere."
"I'm sayin' nothin', said Hagrid flatly.
"Just have to find out for ourselves, then," said Vince, and they left Hagrid looking disgruntled and hurried off to the library. They had indeed been searching books for Flamel's name ever since Hagrid had let it slip, because how else were they going to find out what the dog was guarding? The trouble was, it was very hard to know where to begin, not knowing what Flamel might have done to get himself into a book. He wasn't in Great Wizards of the Twentieth Century, or Notable Magical Names of Our Time; he was missing, too, from Important Modern Magical Discoveries, and A Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry. And then, of course, there was the sheer size of the library; tens of thousands of books; thousands of shelves; hundreds of narrow rows.
Hermione took out a list of subjects and titles she had decided to search while Draco strode off down a row of books and started pulling them off the shelves at random. Harry wandered over to the Restricted Section. He had been wondering for a while if Flamel wasn't somewhere in there. Unfortunately, you needed a specially signed note from one of the teachers to look in any of the restricted books, and he knew he'd never get one. These were the books containing powerful Dark Magic never taught at Hogwarts, and only read by older students studying advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts.
"What are you looking for, boy?"
"Nothing," said Harry. Madam Pince the librarian brandished a feather duster at him.
"You'd better get out, then. Go on — out!" Wishing he'd been a bit quicker at thinking up some story, Harry left the library. The friends had already agreed they'd better not ask Madam Pince where they could find Flamel. They were sure she'd be able to tell them, but they couldn't risk anyone hearing what they were up to.
Harry waited outside in the corridor to see if the others had found anything, but he wasn't very hopeful. They had been looking for two weeks, after all, but as they only had odd moments between lessons it wasn't surprising they'd found nothing. What they really needed was a nice long search without Madam Pince breathing down their necks. Five minutes later, they joined him, shaking their heads. They went off to dinner.
"It's a shame we won't be here during the holidays to use the library." said Hermione.
"Harry, Flea and I can check my family's library," said Draco. "And you could ask your parents if they know who Flamel is. It'd be safe to ask them."
"Very safe, as they're both dentists," said Hermione. They ate dinner quietly, already missing the idea of their group being together. No one noticed that Alexander was eating with them, or if they did, they didn't bring it up.
Harry slept soundly that night, knowing that the next day he would be going somewhere he was actually wanted. He didn't expect anything, but the idea that he was invited made him feel great.
The next morning, they all congregated at the front doors along with the other students who were going home for the holidays. Harry watched, amazed as a procession of horseless carriages pulled forward in two rows. Students started piling into them. The six friends just managed to squeeze into one. They didn't speak much as they rode to Hogsmeade. They were too busy looking out the windows of the carriage.
When the carriage stopped, they got out, and were directed to the luggage piles which had been sorted according to house and year. They quickly found their trunks and stored them inside in a compartment. None of them needed to change; they had decided to wear their muggle clothing to the train. Just as they were getting comfortable, Professor Snape appeared at their compartment door and asked to speak with Harry. Harry followed his Head of House out of the compartment, off the train, and onto the platform. He was surprised to see Professor Dumbledore standing there waiting for them.
"Professor? Is something wrong?" Harry asked Dumbledore.
"Well, it depends, Harry. I was under the impression you would not wish to return to the Dursleys so soon."
"I don't. I'm not going there. Draco Malfoy invited me and Alexander home with him for the holidays." Harry thought he saw fear in Dumbledore's eyes.
"Then there is a problem, Harry. In order to visit a family other than your own, you require permission from your guardians." Confused, Harry looked to Professor Snape and then to the Headmaster.
"Why was this not brought to my attention earlier?"
"I was not aware you were leaving, Harry." They all turned as they heard a snort behind them. Hermione was standing in the doorway of the train.
"Professor Snape came by with the list for students who were staying over the holidays a week ago. Surely it was handed over to you, Headmaster?" Harry smiled at his friend.
"Miss Granger, please return to the train. This is a matter between Mr. Potter and myself." Harry turned to the Headmaster.
"Could she please stay, Sir? I'd feel better having one of my friends here. That way, if you truly do not allow me to visit the Malfoys for the holiday, she can let them know why." Professor Snape, seeing the wisdom of that request, also put in a word on Harry's behalf.
"It is a reasonable request, Albus." Seeing the predicament he had gotten himself into, Dumbledore acquiesced.
"Now, Harry, did you ask your guardians' consent to visit the Malfoys?"
"No, but I know they won't care. What if I sent my owl to them right now? Then, when she responds, I could send the letter on to you?" Before Dumbledore could respond, Hermione cut in.
"Exactly what is the problem, Headmaster?"
"Harry did not ask for consent to visit the Malfoys during the holidays." Hermione gave Dumbledore a funny look before answering him.
"That's because he didn't need to."
"Of course he does, Miss Granger."
"Professor, I'm sure you are more familiar with the school charter than that. According to the 1834 Addendum added to the Charter of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, any student who is the sole remaining member of his or her family line need ask no one for permission to visit friends or extended family. The addendum was added after Lord Arturius Bones was denied a visit to his Great Aunt, who was his sole remaining family member, for what turned out to be her last Christmas alive. As of his admittance to Hogwarts, and subsequent return to the wizarding world, Harry is considered the last of the Potter line. He would not need to ask for permission from his aunt and uncle to visit the Malfoys." Harry looked to his friend, amazed. He hadn't realized just what types of books Hermione was reading in her spare time.
"I see you have taken careful note of our school's rules, Miss Granger," said Dumbledore, his eyes no longer twinkling. He looked rather upset now. "However, while Harry is the last of the Potters, he is not the last of the Evans." Harry felt what little hope had been growing die.
"That is true, Sir. However, by the Great Charter of British Wizarding Law, non-magical family members are not considered to be part of a wizard's family line unless they have been proven to be important enough to the family to be added to the wizard's ancestry. Even then, only a unanimous vote by the Wizengamot can approve such action. Petunia, Vernon, and Dudley Dursley were never added to the Potter Genealogy, nor is the Evans family acknowledged as a valid wizarding line." While Harry stared at Hermione, mouth agape, Professor Snape turned to the Headmaster.
"As much as I hate to allow a student to undermine authority, I must admit she is correct, Albus. Harry must be allowed to visit the Malfoys. You know Lucius..." Professor Snape trailed off, allowing the implicit threat to hang in the air. As one of the Governors to Hogwarts, Lucius knew the Charter of Hogwarts inside and out. And as one of the few remaining "Pure Bloods" in the wizarding world, he would know all about wizarding Genealogy.
"Of course. I must be growing forgetful in my old age. Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, please board the train so it may leave." Harry and Hermione bid good-bye to both the Headmaster and their Head of House and returned to their compartment. Hermione told the rest of their friends exactly what had happened. Harry tried to defend Dumbledore.
"He might truly have forgotten, Mia."
"If that is the case, he should be removed as Headmaster and Chief Warlock. He is head of both governing bodies; he should know all of the wizarding laws inside an out. He was trying to keep you here, Harry, and I wish I knew why."
"Just wait until my father hears what he tried to do. He'll be sorry." Harry gave up trying to defend Dumbledore. He was just as upset as the rest of them were. The friends spent the rest of the train ride abusing Dumbledore in every way possible.