Christmas morning at Hogwarts was unlike anything Eliot had experienced in either of his lives.
He woke to find a small pile of presents at the foot of his bed—something that would have been impossible in the crowded dormitory during term time. The other beds were empty, their occupants having gone home for the holidays, leaving the room peaceful and quiet.
His first gift was from his parents: a leather-bound journal with his initials embossed in gold, along with a set of precision instruments that looked like they belonged in an engineering lab but were clearly designed for magical applications.
*"For your inventions,"* read the note in his mother's handwriting. *"We're proud of what you're accomplishing."*
The second gift surprised him—a package from Susan containing a book titled *Advanced Runic Matrices* and a note: *"Thought this might help with our power consumption problems. Happy Christmas!"*
The third gift was the most unexpected: a small package from Professor Flitwick containing what appeared to be a miniature wand, perfectly crafted but only three inches long.
*"A practice wand for precision work,"* the accompanying note explained. *"Useful for delicate enchantments. Use it wisely."*
---
The Great Hall had been transformed for Christmas breakfast. Instead of the usual four long tables, there was a single round table where the remaining students and staff sat together. Professor Dumbledore wore a particularly festive set of robes decorated with dancing reindeer, while Professor McGonagall had allowed herself a small sprig of holly in her hair.
"Merry Christmas, Mr. Clarke," Dumbledore said as Eliot took his seat. "I trust you found your gifts satisfactory?"
"Very much so, sir. Thank you."
"Excellent. I understand you and Miss Bones have been making good use of the library during the holidays?"
Eliot glanced at Susan, who was sitting across from him. "Yes, sir. We've been researching advanced enchantment theory."
"Admirable dedication. Though I hope you're also taking time to enjoy the season?"
"We are, sir," Susan said. "We're planning to explore more of the castle today."
"Wonderful. Hogwarts reveals many of its secrets to those who take the time to look." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "You might find the seventh floor particularly interesting on a day like today."
---
After breakfast, Eliot and Susan made their way to the seventh floor, curious about Dumbledore's hint. They found themselves in a corridor lined with portraits of medieval wizards, all of whom seemed to be enjoying their own Christmas celebrations.
"What do you think he meant?" Susan asked, examining a tapestry depicting a wizard teaching trolls to dance.
"I'm not sure, but—" Eliot stopped as they rounded a corner. There, where he was certain there had been blank wall the day before, was an ornate door marked with a brass plaque: *"Christmas Room - For Those Who Seek Wonder."*
They exchanged glances and opened the door.
Inside was a perfect Christmas parlor, complete with a roaring fireplace, comfortable armchairs, and a magnificent Christmas tree that reached nearly to the ceiling. Snow fell gently from the enchanted ceiling, but it was warm snow that dissolved into sparkles before it could touch anything.
"This is incredible," Susan breathed, settling into one of the chairs. "How did the castle know?"
"Maybe it didn't," Eliot said, examining the room's magical signatures. "Maybe it just responds to what we need."
They spent the morning in the Christmas Room, reading their new books and discussing their projects in the comfortable warmth. The room seemed to anticipate their needs—when they grew hungry, a tea service appeared on the side table. When they needed to take notes, parchment and quills materialized on the writing desk.
"I've been thinking about our Ministry presentation," Susan said, looking up from *Advanced Runic Matrices*. "What if we're approaching it wrong?"
"How so?"
"We've been focusing on what our devices do. But what if we focused on what they represent?"
Eliot set down his journal. "Explain."
"Think about it. We're first-year students who've created functional magical devices using principles that most wizards don't learn until their final years. That's not just impressive—it's revolutionary."
"You think we should emphasize the educational aspect?"
"Exactly. We're proving that magical innovation doesn't require decades of study. With the right approach, even young wizards can contribute meaningfully to magical society."
Eliot considered this. "That could work. But it also makes us sound like we're challenging traditional magical education."
"Maybe we are," Susan said quietly. "Maybe that's not a bad thing."
---
That afternoon, they decided to test some of their theories in their workshop. The Room of Requirement had decorated itself for Christmas, with garlands of holly and ivy winding around the workbenches and a small Christmas tree in the corner.
"Let's try implementing some of the efficiency matrices we read about," Eliot suggested, pulling out their latest torchlight prototype.
"Carefully," Susan warned. "Some of those runic sequences are incredibly complex."
They worked methodically, using Flitwick's precision wand to inscribe new runic patterns onto their devices. The work was delicate and demanding, requiring absolute focus and steady hands.
"There," Eliot said finally, setting down the modified torchlight. "Let's test it."
The device activated with a soft hum, producing a steady, bright light. But unlike their previous versions, this one felt different—more stable, more efficient.
"Check the power consumption," Susan said, consulting their monitoring instruments.
Eliot examined the readings and grinned. "Forty percent reduction in energy usage. The efficiency matrices are working."
"That's incredible! If we can apply this to all our devices..."
"We could revolutionize magical engineering," Eliot finished.
They spent the rest of the afternoon refining their techniques, applying the new principles to their heat controller and shield badge prototypes. Each modification brought significant improvements in efficiency and stability.
---
As evening approached, they made their way to the Great Hall for Christmas dinner. The meal was a feast worthy of the season—roast turkey, Christmas pudding, mince pies, and more varieties of magical sweets than Eliot had known existed.
"How was your day?" asked Roger Davies, the fourth-year Ravenclaw who had become something of a mentor to them.
"Productive," Eliot replied. "We made some significant improvements to our devices."
"The Ministry evaluation is coming up soon, isn't it?"
"First week of January," Susan confirmed.
"Nervous?"
"Excited," Eliot said, surprising himself with how true that was. "We've learned so much over the past few weeks. I think we're ready."
"That's the spirit," Roger said approvingly. "Confidence is half the battle with Ministry officials."
---
After dinner, Eliot and Susan returned to the Christmas Room, which had somehow acquired a chess set and a selection of magical games. They played a few rounds of Wizard's Chess (Susan won decisively) and tried their hand at Exploding Snap (which ended with singed eyebrows for both of them).
"You know," Susan said as they settled back into the comfortable chairs, "this has been one of the best days I've had at Hogwarts."
"Even without the usual Christmas chaos?"
"Especially without it. Don't get me wrong, I love the energy when everyone's here. But there's something special about having the castle almost to ourselves."
Eliot nodded, understanding exactly what she meant. The quiet intimacy of Christmas at Hogwarts had allowed them to explore and discover in ways that wouldn't have been possible during the busy term.
"I keep thinking about what Dumbledore said," he mused. "About the castle revealing its secrets to those who take the time to look."
"You think there are more rooms like this?"
"I think there are more wonders here than we can imagine. And we have the rest of the holidays to find them."
Outside the windows of the Christmas Room, snow continued to fall on the castle grounds. But inside, warmed by friendship and the excitement of discovery, the future felt bright with possibility.
Tomorrow would bring new explorations, new discoveries, and new steps toward their goal of changing the magical world. But tonight, they were content to simply enjoy the magic of Christmas at Hogwarts.