Harry wrapped his red and golden scarf tightly around his throat and shot a quick look out the common room window. It was hard to discern much of anything in the heavy darkness. Snowflakes fell silently to the ground. Harry shuddered slightly. It looked very cold outside, but he had made up his mind. Christmas Eve was after all a time you spent with those closest to your heart, Harry thought sadly. He knew that nothing could change the fact that his parents long since had passed away, but still the mere thought of spending Christmas Eve a little closer to them made him feel warm inside. Harry grabbed the invisibility cloak and headed for the graveyard.

Outside it was just as cold as Harry had imagined. Small puffs of white smoke came with each breath and the glistening snow crunched loudly under his feet. He quickened his pace in an effort to get a little warmer. He passed the whomping willow, which was shaking its branches in an attempt to get rid of the snow.

Harry stopped to think for a while when he came to the edge of the forbidden forest. How wise would it be to wander around alone in the dark forest this time of hour, or any time of hour for that matter? The experiences he had from the forest weren’t exactly pleasant. He thought about Snape’s warning words at their unexpected encounter earlier today. Exactly as Snape had predicted, he would wander blindly amongst the lurking dangers out there. Perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to be a little extra careful.

He pulled the invisibility cloak tightly around him and checked that the wand was easily accessible in his pocket. A distant howl ripped him from his thoughts. Harry had no idea what it was, he could only imagine. The last time he had encountered a howling creature in the forest, it had been a full-grown, bloodthirsty werewolf. Harry decided to get a move on.

A short while later he was deep enough in the forest to apparate, at least he thought so. He took a deep breath and tried to envision the graveyard where his parents lay buried. Destination, determination, deliberation, he thought while mustering all of his concentration and spun around.

High iron gates were the first thing Harry saw when he opened his eyes. He looked around cautiously to make sure that he was alone. Slowly he started to walk toward the rusty gates. The graveyard seemed to be desolate. Not a single lit candle could be spotted. Harry passed big statues, which he supposed once must have looked like angels. Throughout the years they had been deformed into demon-like creatures. A small shiver went up Harry’s spine. Graveyards weren’t exactly something he associated with peaceful spirits. He almost expected Voldemort’s ghostly-white face to appear from behind one of the statues. He had to remind himself over and over again that Voldemort was gone forever, but since the wizard had a tendency to be immortal it wouldn’t be too surprising if he actually showed up.

Harry passed gravestone after gravestone, until he got to what he thought had to be his parent’s grave. He walked up to one of the gravestones and kneeled in front of it. It was hard to decipher what was written beneath the layers of snow. He reached out a hand and brushed out a name. A small smile appeared on Harry’s face when he read the name Lily Potter.

“Hi mum!” he said quietly while brushing away the last of the snow.

“I’m sorry I haven’t come here more often.” Harry sat in silence for a while. It felt like he hade come here to say something, although he didn’t really know what.

“You know, despite of being an orphan and haunted by an evil dark lord half of my life, I haven’t been unhappy. I remember my first day at Hogwarts as the best day of my life. I got so many wonderful friends who have always stood by me. If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t even be sitting here today. The Weasleys have been like a family to me.”

Harry made a short pause. An owl was hooting softly somewhere nearby and the wind rustled through the trees.

“So many people have left me. Sirius, Lupin, Dumbledore and so may others; they all died, just so that I could live. I want to believe that you’re all together now, in a better place.” A single tear trickled slowly down Harry’s cheek. It hurt to say the words out loud.

“Sometimes I even feel sorry for Snape. I’m sorry your friendship had to end the way it did.” Harry thought it was lucky Snape wasn’t here to hear this. If he would ever hear Harry pity him, he would without doubt carve Harry’s name in a gravestone and make sure the grave was deep enough to reach China.

“He never told me anything about it. I never even heard him mention your name, come to think of it.” Harry said bitterly.

“Despite knowing his true motives- “Harry stopped in mid-sentence when he saw something moving close to the iron gates.

He sat as petrified as the gravestones around him. His heart was pounding so fast that he was sure it echoed over the graveyard. He watched as the dark form slowly started to move in his direction. What if it was a death eater? The thought sent shivers down Harry’s spine and he realised just how stupid it had been to come out here alone, in the middle of the night. All he could do was hope that he would remain unnoticed and try to sneak away.

Harry vanished under the invisibility cloak and sneaked carefully to a statue close by. He didn’t really know why he stood hidden behind a statue, when he already was invisible. Still he somehow felt more protected behind the demon-like creature.

He held his breath when the dark figure stopped on the exact spot where Harry had just stood. It was something about him that reminded Harry of a death eater. The way he walked was almost a glide, like a dementor. The man bent down in front of the gravestone. It almost seemed as though he was examining something, like he knew someone had just been there.

When Harry realised why, the blood in his veins turned cold. He had completely forgotten to clear his tracks! Harry’s heart started pounding even faster. He had to get away, fast as possible. Otherwise the man would see exactly where the tracks led.

Harry had only taken one step backwards when something made a loud cracking sound. He stopped dead in his tracks. A branch must have been hidden underneath the snow. Harry didn’t have time to think more before the black-cloaked man had spun around and brandished his wand. It was pointing right at Harry’s statue. A second later a flash of red light soared straight at him. Harry managed to throw himself aside in the last second. The statue was blasted into pieces. Stones were flying everywhere. Harry’s invisibility cloaked slipped of as he fell to the ground. An inch from his head landed the angels deformed head.

Harry jumped to his feet and fired a cruse at the man, but missed. He turned around and started to run toward the iron gates. He had to get away from here to be able to apparate. It wasn’t something you could do with green killing curses flying around your head, it demanded utter concentration.

Harry had only taken a few steps when something suddenly grabbed his ankle and flung him upside down in the air. He wrestled in an attempt to free himself from the iron-like grip, but to no avail. When he heard the footsteps slowly approaching him he froze. Harry took a deep breath and prepared for the worst. So fitting that he already was in the graveyard where he someday wanted to be buried, he thought sarcastically.