Harry PotterYou are my Cosmic Connection.

Ron Weasley woke on Christmas morning to silence, not something he was accustomed to. This was his first Christmas away from home, and also his first without his parents' presence. His mum and dad had taken his young sister to visit their dragon handling brother in Romania, where they would all be spending the entire holidays. With all his dorm-mates away home for the Christmas holidays too, he had the entire dorm to himself. This resulted in the unusual silence, not something Ron was familiar with - either in Hogwarts or at the Burrow.

He had hoped Harry would be staying in Hogwarts too, instead both he and Granger had left the day before the express. Ron didn't even get a chance to wish him a Merry Christmas, and hopefully start to rebuild their once strong friendship. Ever since Granger got her hooks into Harry at Halloween, he was like a different person - a person who didn't need Ron Weasley in his life.

After having basked in the notoriety of being the boy-who-lived's best friend for two months, to have that snatched away from him in an instant was hard to take. What was even harder to take was his once best friend claiming he had no memories of those two months, or that close friendship they'd shared. Now Harry and Hermione were certainly a package deal, yesterday's Prophet announcing she was his intended made the entire country aware of that.

Harry had appeared to go out of his way since Halloween to make new friends, Ron was sure that certainly helped see this unbelievable news almost casually gain acceptance amongst their peers. Then again, most students' attentions were held by the fact Snape had changed his plea to guilty, and was therefore heading for Azkaban - ending once and for all any possibility of him ever returning to Hogwarts as a professor.

Having to ask his twin brothers for advice on anything was always going to be fraught with danger, their reputations for making mischief being well earned. Ron didn't see any other options open to him though. Fred and George were certainly people both Harry and his new intended counted as friends, he would need to ask the twins how they managed it. That would be for later since there were currently gifts to open. Ignoring what he guessed by shape and feel was another Weasley jumper, Ron made straight for those packages that might contain sweets or cakes.

Draco Malfoy was another first year student who wasn't having the Christmas he'd imagined, and again Harry Potter was at the centre of his troubles. The Malfoy Christmas Ball was normally the highlight of the British magical social calendar, but not this year. For the first time ever, owls had been busy delivering scroll after scroll offering invited guests' apologies - apologies that they wouldn't be able to attend. There had usually been the odd one or two, neither family emergencies nor ill health being unavoidable - even at Christmas. This year however over half of those invited were not going to be attending.

The scroll from the Minister of Magic, citing the lame excuse of a previous engagement, really had his father swearing. All three Malfoys knew that, in previous years, it would be the other engagement that would be receiving the excuse scroll. That the minister was suggesting there actually was another engagement worthy of his attendance tonight really brought home just how far their star had waned.

The Malfoy Annual Christmas Ball was usually such a success, with everyone who was anyone attending, no one would dare run another ball on the same evening. It wouldn't be until later tonight they would discover just where all their missing guests had gone.

Severus was spending his first, and hopefully last, Christmas as a guest in Azkaban. While he wasn't being held in the high security wing, this level was easily bad enough for the potions master. He would keep his head down and strive to become a model prisoner, there was no way he wanted to spend an additional two years in this place. Severus was still trying to get over the shock of being betrayed, both back in Hogwarts and again in that courtroom.

Dumbledore had effectively ended his career then, when Severus had tried to defend himself at the school board meeting, the headmaster played the Potter card to have him arrested. The sly old bastard even took it a step further, completing his betrayal in the most public fashion possible. As far as Severus was aware, only three people knew of the prophecy made that night. Dumbledore, himself and the Dark Lord.

That Dumbledore must have told Potter the prophecy was a shock, a shock that changed everything. Sitting in that courtroom, he couldn't take the chance that the old wizard hadn't told the Potter brat exactly how the Dark Lord came to know that prophecy. Staring into Potter's eyes in that courtroom, Severus couldn't get a read on the brat - other than that he meant business.

Knowing full well the boy-who-lived claiming Severus Snape was complice in the murder of his parents would mean an up close and personal visit from a dementor, he was backed into a corner and left with no other option but to change his plea to guilty.

The fact that he was guilty, and guilty of both crimes, didn't seem to register with Severus. His anger was focused on Dumbledore's betrayals, and of course the hated Potter brat. Apart from his obvious skills, there was one other thing Severus was exceptionally good at - holding a grudge. Since he still had another three hundred and sixty three days left to spend in this shithole, Severus was sure he had plenty of time to figure out how to get even with both Dumbledore and Potter.

Albus received the usual haul of books as Christmas presents from his friends, however there were a couple of packages that surprised him. A gift from Harry, though still books, certainly accomplished that. It wasn't the fact that they were muggle books that was surprising, but rather the apparent subject matter of those books. Glancing at the three books that obviously made up the set, he was struck by an image on the cover that appeared very similar to his own. Not only that, this image - which contained a powerful sorcerer with a long white beard - was completed by a young boy in the background. His interest piqued, Albus would be sure to make time and read the first in the trilogy, The Fellowship of the Ring, over the holidays.

The other package that surprised him was from Miss Granger, a dozen pair of warm wooly socks. That these socks were also made from wools that had been dyed every colour of the rainbow just endeared Albus all the more to them. He hoped the young couple liked their gifts from him as much as Albus appreciated theirs.

Wearing his housecoat over his pyjamas, Harry waited on Hermione collecting her own from her bedroom before they both headed down the stairs. Dan and Emma were there to greet them and all four decided breakfast would come before presents.

The happy and relaxed atmosphere around the table was what Harry's memories were telling him his Christmases usually were. After visiting Privet Drive yesterday, he now knew that was not the case. Hermione however seemed to read his mind, even without having to resort to entering it.

"All your memories will be real from here on in, and I promise you to try and make those memories as good as I can." With Harry's mood now saved from crashing, Hermione led them through to the living room - where the tree and presents were waiting.

There was much laughter, oh-ing and ah-ing over the gifts everyone received. Hermione couldn't help but smile as Harry opened a plain parcel and found a shimmering cloak inside.

"The message says this belonged to my father, but not who sent it. It's very nice, but not really my style. I can't see me wearing it…"

At that Hermione buckled with laughter, urging Harry to put it on so everyone would be in on the joke. Unlike Hermione though, none of the other three were laughing as Harry's disembodied head appeared to float in mid-air. Once he pulled the hood up and disappeared completely, Emma quickly stood and walked forward with her hands searchingly out. Watching her find and then hug an invisible Harry left the grin on Hermione's face in danger of becoming a permanent fixture.

"He's still here, just invisible…"

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