Hermione was going home as well, but I didn't ask her to stay behind for me. It had been awkward between us ever since Ginny's accident. She had shown me, at her own emotional expense, how I really felt about Ginny. Hermione dropped her facade and bared herself, her real self, to me. She sent me to find Ginny; she alone realized what Ginny was capable of... and charged me with her return. The day I hadn't brought her back with me... it devastated her. Not ten words had passed between us for three weeks, and now, like Ron, she disappeared without a goodbye.

I was the only fifth-year Gryffindor to remain at the school for the holidays - I seriously doubted that the Dursleys would have agreed to have me anyway - and only one of three Gryffindors total to remain. The feeling of emptiness in the dormitories could be attributed to this, but I didn't mind. I cast away the warm blankets and pulled a shirt on before walking down into the common room. Like the dormitories, it was eerily vacant. The fire at the far end burned brightly, giving the room a warm glow, but without the presence of people it seemed unnecessary. The picture opened as I walked by - The Fat Lady still dozed in the early morning hours - and I traversed the dark corridors. It felt as if the Sun was growing more reluctant to rise with each passing day, and the nighttime darkness still intruded within the school. I was still able to make it into the Great Hall... the ceiling was enchanted to mirror the sky outdoors, which was still black and cloudy. Without the candles that levitated in the air, the Hall would be as aphotic as the corridors. Still, the scents of breakfast and warmth of the Hall were so enticing that I couldn't just pass by. I could make out about twelve students who sat at the head table with the teachers, chatting merrily amongst themselves. Professor Dumbledore sat at the center of the table, and he caught sight of me as I took my seat with the two Gryffindor first-years at the end of the row. I could see him giving me a knowing smile beneath his long, white beard, and I nodded in return.

"Well," Professor Dumbledore said, and all conversation ceased, "Now that everyone is here, I think that I can give a few announcements... first, I would like to tell those of you who do not know that the Grounds are open for snow fights, broom racing, and things of that nature. Most teachers are remaining here for the holidays, so if any of you are interested in tutoring, simply ask. Many of your companions have already gone, but that does not mean that there aren't any new friends to be made. There are thirteen students here: three from Gryffindor, seven from Hufflepuff, two from Slytherin, and one from Ravenclaw. Inter-house friendships are always encouraged, remember that."

Dumbledore gave a small chuckle, "Well now, I think that I have rambled on enough. Let's eat!"

With a clap of his hands, breakfast materialized on the table. I reached over for a piece of toast while the first-years rushed for a platter of scrambled eggs. From my vantage point at the end of the table, I could see all the teachers that were here: next to Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall pursed her lips at an apparently hilarious story being told by tiny Professor Flitwick; Professor Vector conversed with a Hufflepuff girl who I didn't know; Hagrid engaged in jovial chatter with Professor Trelawney, who oddly blushed at the large man's attentions, a shy smile playing across her lips... I must admit, that is incredibly strange. However, I suddenly noticed the Professor Snape was absent from the table. He was almost always here for the holidays... and then I realized that he may not be visiting family. I couldn't shake a growing feeling that something would happen to him, even though I didn't like him. As unsettling as this thought was, I forced myself to look at the students. Susan Bones looked as though she was enjoying her conversation with an unfamiliar Slytherin boy who looked to be at least sixth-year. As I scanned the table, I saw that the Ravenclaw student wasn't at the table. I immediately sat up, and finally, I saw somebody sitting at the Ravenclaw long table. They had long, silken black hair and a pale complexion...

... Cho?

"What are you doing, Potter? Just playing with it?" A gruff voice startled me back into reality. A hand grasped my shoulder, and I turned to face Professor Moody. Both his magical eye and his normal eye focused on mine, giving me the bizarre impression that he was staring through my head. He motioned to my plate; the piece of toast had completely disintegrated in my fingers.

I could only brush my fingers off on the napkin, "I'm sorry, sir. I was..."

"Oh, you don't need excuses, Potter." He sniffed a grape that he had in his hand, touching it all over before popping it into his mouth, "Something's got your goat, hasn't it? I see that your little friends didn't stay behind for the holidays."

Moody reached for a strawberry, and I said the first thing that came to mind, "I think that this year... it was better for them to go."

"What did I tell you about excuses?!" He suddenly snapped, his magical eye spinning in its cradle. He coughed into a handkerchief, and sat down again, "That isn't it, at least not all of it."

I reached for another piece of toast as he took a swig from his hip flask. He must have noticed me staring at him, because he stuck the mouth of the flask beneath my nose. A pungent scent burned my nostrils, and he pulled it back and laughed.

"No worries Potter! It's whiskey, home-brewed." It was odd to see Moody laughing like that, but the thought was reassuring: last year, we found out that the Mad-Eye Moody that had been teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts was actually Barty Crouch, Voldemort's most loyal servant. He kept up Moody's facade by taking a draft of Polyjuice potion every hour from his hip flask. It was the perfect cover - Moody was well known for drinking only from his flask, claiming that it would be too easy to poison an open goblet. "I don't intend to let anyone infiltrate this school again."

I couldn't help but smile at my own thoughts, "I suppose that was rather stupid of me."

"Don't worry about it, Potter. That just means that you're alert, a good trait to have nowadays." His craggy face turned serious once more, "You've felt alone ever since November, even when your friends were here, right?"

I looked down at my plate, "A bit."

The Ravenclaw girl turned around to lay her head on the table. It was Cho.