The last week before Christmas holidays brought a festive atmosphere to Hogwarts that even Eliot's intense work schedule couldn't completely ignore. The Great Hall was decorated with twelve enormous Christmas trees, their branches heavy with glittering ornaments and fairy lights. Holly and mistletoe hung from every doorway, and the suits of armor had been charmed to sing Christmas carols in surprisingly melodious voices.
"Are you staying for Christmas?" Susan asked as they packed up their workshop for the holidays. Most students would be going home, leaving the castle nearly empty.
"I am," Eliot replied, carefully wrapping their prototype shield badge in protective cloth. "My parents are traveling, and honestly, I could use the quiet time to work on our Ministry presentation."
"I'm staying too," Susan said. "My aunt is visiting family in France, and she thought it would be good for me to experience a Hogwarts Christmas."
"So we can keep working on the projects?"
"Some work, yes. But Terry was right—we need to take breaks too." Susan smiled. "Maybe we can explore the castle a bit. I hear there are secret passages we haven't found yet."
---
The last day of classes was more celebration than education. Professor Flitwick had charmed the Charms classroom to snow indoors, creating a winter wonderland where students practiced levitation charms on enchanted snowflakes. Professor McGonagall demonstrated advanced Transfiguration by turning her desk into a magnificent ice sculpture. Even Professor Snape seemed marginally less hostile, though he still assigned a foot-long essay on the properties of winter-blooming magical plants.
"Merry Christmas, Mr. Clarke," Professor Flitwick said as students filed out of his classroom. "I trust you'll use the holidays productively?"
"Yes, sir. We're preparing for the Ministry evaluation."
"Excellent. But remember—all work and no play makes for a dull wizard." Flitwick's eyes twinkled. "The castle has many secrets to discover during the quiet times."
---
That evening, the Great Hall hosted a farewell feast for departing students. The tables groaned under the weight of traditional Christmas foods—roast turkey, Christmas pudding, mince pies, and butterbeer for everyone. The ceiling showed a gentle snowfall, and the ghosts had organized themselves into a spectral choir.
Eliot sat with the handful of Ravenclaws staying for the holidays. Besides himself and Susan, there were only three others: a second-year named Lisa Turpin, a fourth-year named Roger Davies, and a seventh-year prefect named Penelope Clearwater.
"So you're the famous inventor," Roger said, helping himself to more turkey. "I've heard about your torchlights. My younger brother wants one for his birthday."
"We're not taking new orders until after the Ministry evaluation," Eliot replied diplomatically.
"Smart. Don't want to overpromise." Roger nodded approvingly. "My father works in the Department of International Magical Cooperation. He says the Ministry can be... particular about new magical devices."
"Any advice?"
"Be prepared for everything. They'll test your devices in ways you haven't thought of. And they'll ask questions about applications you never considered." Roger's expression grew serious. "But if they approve your work, the opportunities are enormous."
---
After the feast, as most students headed to their dormitories to pack, Eliot and Susan made their way to the workshop. The Room of Requirement felt different with the castle so quiet—more peaceful, but also more isolated.
"I've been thinking about our presentation strategy," Susan said, settling into her usual chair. "We need to demonstrate not just what our devices do, but why they matter."
"What do you mean?"
"Think about it. A torchlight that never burns out isn't just convenient—it's potentially life-saving for Aurors, curse-breakers, emergency responders. A shield badge isn't just personal protection—it could revolutionize magical law enforcement."
Eliot nodded slowly. "You're right. We've been thinking too small. These aren't just student projects—they're solutions to real problems."
"Exactly. And if we can frame them that way, the Ministry is more likely to see their value."
They spent the next hour outlining their presentation, identifying key applications for each device and preparing answers to likely questions. By the time they finished, Eliot felt more confident about the upcoming evaluation.
"You know," he said as they prepared to leave, "I think we make a good team."
"The best," Susan agreed. "Now come on, let's get some sleep. Tomorrow we start our Christmas break properly."
---
The next morning, Eliot woke to find Ravenclaw Tower nearly deserted. The common room, usually bustling with activity, contained only a few students reading by the fire. The silence was both peaceful and slightly eerie.
After breakfast in the mostly empty Great Hall, he and Susan decided to explore the castle. With so few students around, they could investigate areas that were usually too crowded or too risky to examine closely.
"Where should we start?" Susan asked as they stood in the entrance hall.
"The library," Eliot said immediately. "Madam Pince is visiting family, so we might be able to access sections that are usually restricted."
They made their way to the library, finding it completely empty except for a few enchanted books that were reshelfing themselves. The Restricted Section, usually locked and guarded, stood open.
"Should we?" Susan asked, eyeing the dark shelves lined with ominous-looking tomes.
"Definitely. But carefully."
They ventured into the Restricted Section, wands lit, examining the ancient books with fascination and caution. Most were too advanced or too dangerous for first-year students, but some contained theoretical information that could inform their device designs.
"Look at this," Susan whispered, pulling a slim volume from the shelf. "*Principles of Permanent Enchantment* by Adalbert Waffling."
Eliot examined the book. "This could help with our power consumption problems. If we can make our enchantments more efficient..."
"We could extend battery life significantly." Susan carefully opened the book. "But we should probably ask Professor Flitwick before we try anything from here."
"Agreed. Let's just read the theory for now."
---
They spent the morning in the Restricted Section, taking careful notes on advanced enchantment theory. The information was complex, but Eliot's engineering background helped him understand the underlying principles.
"It's like optimization algorithms," he explained to Susan as they read about efficiency matrices. "You're trying to minimize energy waste while maximizing output."
"And these runic amplifiers work like... what would be the muggle equivalent?"
"Signal boosters, maybe? Or transformers that step up voltage." Eliot sketched a diagram in his notebook. "If we could incorporate something like this into our designs..."
"Our devices could be ten times more efficient."
They were so absorbed in their research that they didn't notice the time passing until Professor Flitwick appeared beside their table.
"Fascinating reading?" he asked, making them both jump.
"Professor!" Susan said, quickly closing the book. "We were just—"
"Learning," Flitwick finished with a smile. "Which is exactly what the library is for. Though I should mention that some of these texts require careful handling."
"We're being very careful," Eliot assured him. "We're just trying to understand advanced enchantment theory."
"For your devices, I assume?" Flitwick examined their notes. "Impressive work. You're grasping concepts that most students don't encounter until their sixth or seventh year."
"Is that... allowed?" Susan asked uncertainly.
"Knowledge itself is never forbidden," Flitwick said. "It's the application that requires wisdom. As long as you consult with a professor before attempting any advanced enchantments, I see no harm in theoretical study."
---
That afternoon, emboldened by Flitwick's approval, they continued their exploration of the castle. The corridors were eerily quiet, their footsteps echoing in the empty halls. They discovered a shortcut between the library and the Great Hall, found a room full of old astronomical instruments, and even stumbled upon what appeared to be a forgotten classroom filled with ancient magical artifacts.
"This place is incredible," Susan said as they examined a collection of medieval wands. "How much history is just sitting here, waiting to be discovered?"
"Centuries worth," Eliot replied, carefully studying a wand made from what looked like crystallized lightning. "And we have two weeks to explore it all."
As evening approached, they made their way back to the Great Hall for dinner. The few remaining students sat together at one long table, creating an intimate atmosphere very different from the usual house divisions.
"How was your day?" asked Lisa Turpin, the second-year Ravenclaw.
"Educational," Eliot replied. "We've been exploring the castle."
"Find anything interesting?"
"More than we expected," Susan said. "This place is full of surprises."
After dinner, they returned to their workshop to review the day's discoveries. The advanced enchantment theory they'd studied opened up new possibilities for their devices, but also highlighted how much they still had to learn.
"We're going to need help," Eliot said, looking at his notes. "Some of these concepts are beyond what we can figure out on our own."
"Professor Flitwick seemed willing to advise us," Susan pointed out.
"True. And maybe some of the older students could help too. Roger Davies seems knowledgeable."
"It's strange," Susan said thoughtfully. "A few months ago, we were just first-year students trying to figure out basic spells. Now we're researching advanced magical theory and preparing for a Ministry evaluation."
"Do you regret it?" Eliot asked. "Getting involved in all this?"
Susan smiled. "Not for a second. This is exactly what I hoped Hogwarts would be like—challenging, exciting, full of possibilities."
"Even with all the pressure?"
"Especially with the pressure. It means what we're doing matters."
Outside the workshop windows, snow continued to fall on the quiet castle grounds. But inside, surrounded by their projects and their dreams, the future felt bright with promise.
Christmas at Hogwarts was going to be unlike anything either of them had experienced before.