KLONK! KLONK! KLONK!

Harry jerked violently in his sleep, then realized that the klonking noise meant it was time to wake up. They had arrived! His glasses had slipped down his nose as he slept, so he pushed them back into position before reading Snape's message to get back into the castle and hang on securely.

But that meant he'd miss out on catching his first glimpse of the real castle! Harry balked, standing up, his legs spread wide for balance as he shook his head at Snape's magnified eye. Nope. Not doing it. Not a chance. In your dreams, Snape.

The Potions Master SCOWLED.

Harry nearly wet himself at the ferocity of expression on Snape's face. He could almost hear "FEE-FI-FO-FUM" sounding from beyond the clear dome. When Snape's stained finger pointed emphatically at the miniature of Hogwarts, Harry cringed and worked his way slowly up the steps, never turning his back on Snape. Harry paused at the castle's open door, but when he saw the finger jabbing toward him again, he slipped into the darkened interior. He retained enough sense of rebellion to forsake his original post by the banister in favor of hanging onto the door handle on one of the main doors. At least he'd have something of a view, he thought, and he'd be able to see far more while clinging to the door than he could from way back inside the castle.

Outside the dome, Snape rolled his eyes. The little idiot would be lucky indeed if the tall door didn't swing shut on him somewhere while en route to the real Hogwarts. Deciding to utilize the sling to suspend the snow globe as he walked, Snape carefully unhooked it from the luggage rack and waved his wand to unlock the compartment door. A few moments later, he stepped off the train, his robes trailing behind him through the layer of powdery new snow on the Hogsmeade platform.

"Severus! You've arrived."

"Obviously." Even after all these years, Snape could never quite get over Albus Dumbledore's penchant for overstating the obvious. Therefore, he frequently – well, as frequently as he felt he could get away with it – responded by pointing out the obviousness of the obvious.

As usual, Dumbledore merely chuckled.

"And the dear boy is here as well?"

Snape grimaced and fished around in his coat pocket for the magnifier, which he handed to Dumbledore.

From his vantage point in the doorway, Harry suddenly found himself being closely scrutinized by a twinkling blue eye peering at him through both the magnifying glass and the half-moon lens of a pair of spectacles. He glared suspiciously up at this newcomer. It wasn't as if he were a laboratory specimen, after all! But the silver-haired giant with the waterfall beard soon returned the glass to Snape, leaving Harry to wonder exactly what the two men were saying about him as their breath frosted in the air beside the motionless train. Harry's own breath didn't frost, he discovered, and he felt relieved that the snow globe seemed to insulate him from the obvious cold of a Scottish December night.

Before long, the men moved off and eventually climbed into a closed carriage of some sort. Moments later, the carriage lurched into motion, causing the sling to swing so abruptly that Harry was knocked off his feet. Only his death grip on the door handle prevented him from being painfully flung hither and yon. They traveled for a while, the interior of the carriage in near darkness, until Snape unexpectedly turned the sling so that Harry's castle door faced the carriage window.

Harry let out a shout of astonishment.

The castle! The REAL castle! Hogwarts castle!

The edifice loomed ahead in the moonlight, larger than he ever could have imagined – even when he'd still been big – with windows of liquid gold warmly lighting the frigid night.

Oh! So BEAUTIFUL!

Harry clung to the door handle, his eyes drinking in the sight of his heart's desire. And suddenly, it all made sense. His parents had gone to school here. And they must have brought him here, sometime after he was born. He'd been here before, he was certain. And THAT'S why the castle in the snow globe had seemed so familiar. Where he'd felt safe. Safe in the castle, in his parents' arms. His throat closed up with emotion.

And now, for some inexplicable reason, Harry actually felt as if he were coming home. Home to Hogwarts.

The carriage stopped at the foot of the main steps leading up to the tall entrance doors. Harry watched in bemusement as Snape and the older man – a wizard! – climbed the same steps that Harry had become so familiar with in miniature. And the doors! The same doors as the ones to which Harry now clung for support. The experience felt surreal, almost as if he were in two places at the same time!

His emerald eyes widening so as not to miss a single detail, Harry looked right and left, up and down, noting that the inside of the real castle was not identical to the barren hulk in which he was currently trapped. The real Hogwarts boasted sumptuous window hangings, colorful wall tapestries, and countless paintings and portraits whose subjects seemed to be … MOVING! Gasping in awe, Harry feasted his eyes upon a vast collection of enchanted artwork as the two men climbed flight after flight after flight of a fabulous staircase. Peering upwards from his doorway through the top of the swinging dome, Harry could even see parts of the stairs well above them seeming to move sideways of their own accord. This must be MAGIC, he thought. The entire castle must be MAGIC! And next year…

Snape and the other man had finally reached the top of the marble staircase, and after traveling the length of a corridor, they stopped before what appeared to be a stone gargoyle. Before Harry could examine it closely, the gargoyle sprang to life, leaping aside to reveal a hidden circular staircase. To Harry's shock, the men stepped onto the solid stone lowest step and RODE smoothly upwards! And then they entered a large, round room, with Snape closing the door behind them. Finally, the snow globe stopped moving, for the first time since they'd left London, as Snape placed it carefully upon a massive, polished desk.

Cautiously, Harry let go of the door handle, staggering slightly in the absence of the perpetual swaying motion to which he'd grown accustomed. Like a sailor newly on shore leave, he thought with a giggle. Slowly, he emerged from his snow globe castle to face Snape and the silver wizard.

The two men conversed briefly, then Snape quickly scribbled a note with his familiar quill:

"Potter, this is Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. You will pay careful attention to his instructions and obey them completely."

Without waiting to be told, Harry immediately waved his left arm up and down three times as the men each focused magnifying glasses upon his tiny figure.

Dumbledore now held up his own note.

"Harry, in order to reverse the magic which drew you into the snow globe, we need to know EXACTLY what you wished for. Think back to that moment. Take your time. But be as specific as you possibly can."

Harry sat down on the top step, closing his eyes, trying to get his mind to revisit that moment in the small appliances aisle. So MUCH had happened since then! It was hard to remember…

Dudley had been chasing him, wreaking havoc throughout the domestics department… Harry had fled back into housewares… Down that aisle… Hearing Dudley's feet thumping along behind him… Fleeing to the castle… To the safety of the castle… Hearing Dudley fall sprawling on the tiled floor… Wanting a Christmas wish to come true… Wanting to be safe from Dudley's fists and Uncle Vernon's belt… Willing himself into the fantasy of being safe within the castle… It was Christmas Eve…

Harry stood up, ready to spell.

A twinkling blue eye and an impenetrable black orb surveyed him intently.

I… [pause] W… I… S… H… E… D… [pause] T… O… [pause] B… E… [pause] S… A… F… E… [pause] I… N… [pause] T… H… E… [pause] C… A… S… T… L… E… [pause] F… O… R… [pause] C… H… R… I… S… T… M… A… S…

Harry let his arm fall to his side, indicating that he'd finished.

Dumbledore nodded an acknowledgment, slowly lowering his glass.

"Your thoughts, Headmaster?"

The elderly wizard stroked the length of his beard, considering carefully before responding. "These snow globes have a history of interpreting wishes quite literally, Severus. Previous experiences of a similar nature have borne out that theory. The fact that Harry specifically wished to be safe in the castle for Christmas means that it is unlikely that the castle will release him just yet, since it is still Christmas Eve."

Snape's frown deepened dramatically. "Are you certain?"

"Oh, yes," Dumbledore replied, not sounding too perturbed. "I believe we need only to wait until a bit after midnight before attempting to coach Harry through freeing himself." His gnarled forefinger tapped his lower lip thoughtfully. "At the very latest, he could be released just after midnight tomorrow night."

"Tomorrow! But that's another twenty-four hours without water or food."

"Quite," agreed Dumbledore. "Which is precisely why we shall attempt to get Harry out of the snow globe after midnight tonight. It's barely ninety minutes from now, Severus. We'll give Harry a chance to recuperate from his journey in the meantime."

Snape shook his head, an expression of frustration crossing his features, clearly visible to Harry, although he could not discern what the men had been discussing.

"Would you like to tell him, Headmaster, or shall I?"

"Oh, I think I'll leave it up to you, Severus. You seem to have developed a rapport with young Harry."

Barely repressing a sneer, Snape snatched up his quill and scribbled a quick note to the boy about the reason for the delay, and through the magnifying glass, he watched as disappointment crossed Harry's features, followed by reluctant acquiescence.

Harry withdrew into the castle to think things over in private. He felt that he needed a break from being stared at by enlarged eyeballs, and the castle had laid some sort of claim upon him, after all. Besides, this might be his only chance to explore this miniature version of Hogwarts. He hoped so, anyway!

Having seen the grand staircase in the real castle, Harry began climbing the one inside the snow globe, noticing how empty the blank walls seemed, compared to the framed paintings which rubbed elbows with their neighbors several floors below Dumbledore's office. This staircase seemed complete, though none of the flights actually moved, and Harry felt slightly winded by the time he'd reached the very top floor. The corridor was there, the same one they'd traveled, but the poor imitation of the gargoyle remained stationary when he stopped in front of it. Harry could not access the hidden spiral staircase to the office, so he wandered on, pausing to look out of the few window openings he passed. Each one gave him a view of some part of Dumbledore's real-life office, and he saw that the men had settled into armchairs to wait out the remainder of Christmas Eve.

They seemed to be drinking tea, and that realization suddenly made Harry very aware of his own thirst. He hadn't had anything to drink since the Dursleys had driven him away from Privet Drive – how many hours ago? And once he began thinking about something to drink, he began to feel another urge… But where to go? Surely this model of the castle didn't have working bathrooms! Quickly, he descended the main staircase, desperately searching for relief, only to find that door after door was simply molded into the wall, incapable of being opened. Oh-oh. Harry pressed on, looking for ANY suitable … opening. Reminding himself that he didn't want to have the castle dripping on him from above. And what if he DID end up having to live in here? He didn't want to move in with a pre-existing mess!

Finally, after reaching the main level, he found an open doorway toward the rear of the castle and carefully explored the nearly-dark room beyond. Wonder of wonders, he came across some sort of hole in the side wall, possibly left by the manufacturing process, and he took careful aim. Relieved at last, he breathed more easily as he returned to the front entrance of the castle. Overall, the snow globe version of Hogwarts had proved disappointing, with very few actual rooms available for use. He sincerely hoped he wouldn't have to live here permanently, as magnificent as it had appeared from the outside!

Harry settled on the grand staircase, waiting as patiently as he could for the moment when he would be freed from the snow globe's trap.

-:- -:- -:-

He must have drifted off to sleep again, because a familiar KLONK! KLONK! KLONK! woke him. Stiffly, he rose to his feet, stretched, then made his way through the tall entrance doorway.

Snape and Dumbledore were waiting, magnifiers in hand, eyeballs already in place.

Lovely, Harry thought. Just what everyone wants to see the moment they wake up. But he stepped forward onto the top step, looking gamely up at the two wizards, ready to obey their instructions, knowing if they failed to get him out of the snow globe in his original form, he'd be ant-sized forever.

Dumbledore held up a note:

"Harry, it is now after midnight, just into Christmas Day. I want you to concentrate very hard, sending your heartfelt thanks to the snow globe for sharing its hospitality with you. [HUH? Was Dumbledore MENTAL? The snow globe had ABDUCTED him! And now the silver wizard wanted Harry to THANK the snow globe for its hospitality? The man must be completely cracked…] These snow globes can sense emotion and desires, and they seem to be triggered by sincere wishes. When you first wished to enter the castle to be safe for Christmas, the snow globe fulfilled your heartfelt wish simply because you DID wish with all of your heart. That same degree of emotion and desire must be present for the snow globe to release you, else you shall remain trapped within. [Harry felt himself reel slightly – Dumbledore really believed what he was saying, didn't he?] Just think of the snow globe as a very dear friend who has kept you as a houseguest for the past few hours, but it is now time for you to take your leave. Thank the snow globe with all of your heart for helping you, but it is now Christmas and you have experienced being safe in the castle, so your sojourn is over. You MUST emphasize that you have felt safe in the castle on Christmas, and thank the snow globe very sincerely for making that possible, because it was your most important Christmas wish. Can you do that, Harry?"

Harry nodded slowly, realizing that what Dumbledore was saying made sense, sort of. In a really weird way. He could understand it, but he wasn't sure that he could really make this work. Wouldn't he have to return to his original mindset, the one of absolute desperation? That's what had triggered the degree of his original emotion, and even if he'd considered it just a desperate fantasy, the snow globe had accepted it as some sort of reality. Essentially, that's what Dumbledore seemed to be explaining.

Deciding he'd better sit down in order to concentrate better, Harry slowly lowered himself to the top step. He fancied that he was beginning to develop a relationship with that step, as many times as he'd sat on it already. And suddenly, Harry FELT that connection. As if the step itself was actually alive. Was THIS what Dumbledore had been referring to? Was this how the snow globe had originally connected with him? Was this how Harry could reconnect with the snow globe, get it to release him? But – oh, CRAP! He'd PEED in that hole in the castle room! Harry cringed mentally, hoping that the snow globe wouldn't hold it against him. He'd really HAD to go, after all.

Knowing that Snape and Dumbledore were watching closely, Harry allowed his eyelids to drift shut, blocking out the distracting sight of their magnified gaze. He reached out his hand, slowly stroking the top step, feeling that connection, slight at first, then growing stronger the longer he stroked it. He'd always wanted a friend, or a pet, but he'd had neither. Nobody had ever taken his wishes seriously – until the snow globe. The snow globe was like a friend. The snow globe had tried to help him. The snow globe had made him feel safe in the castle! Safe in the castle for Christmas! Harry could remember his absolute joy at realizing he was safe in the castle, even while the snow globe sat on the shelf in the housewares department. That was only Christmas Eve, but now it was really Christmas, and the snow globe had made his Christmas wish come true.

"Thank you," he whispered in the darkness behind his closed eyelids. "Thank you so much for making my wish come true. That was the very first time I've ever had a Christmas wish come true. Nobody else ever cared. But you made it happen for me. I was so happy and amazed to find out that my wish to be safe in the castle for Christmas had really come true. I remember sitting there – right HERE, on the top step! – so thrilled to finally have a wish come true. Thank you so much for that." He continued to stroke the step, feeling the surface warming beneath his touch.

"I know I've been confused a lot since then," he whispered, sighing, "but it was only because I didn't understand a lot of things. I didn't know that magic was real, or how I could even BE in a snow globe. I didn't even know that I was a wizard. I hope you won't hold my confusion against me. I was just… Well, I finally understand now. Dumbledore has helped me understand what a wonderful friend you've been to me and how much you've helped me, and how much you've made me feel at home, like I'm a valued guest in YOUR home. I really appreciate it, snow globe. From the bottom of my heart, I will never forget how you made my dearest wish come true. It was the best wish EVER! Thank you so much, snow globe." He caressed the top step, astonished to feel the step almost move beneath his fingertips, like a preening pet.

"Thank you for everything, but it's Christmas now. I really need to get back to the real world, now that I've felt safe here in the castle for Christmas. Can you help me go back? I've never had such a wonderful gift as the safety of this castle, but I'd really appreciate your helping me go back now. Please?" Harry kept stroking, stroking, stroking the warm step upon which he sat, but the snow globe didn't seem inclined to take action.

Was there something else Harry needed to do? Did he have to initiate the action himself? He didn't seem to remember doing anything besides begging the snow globe when it was in the department store. The snow globe had done it all. But then, Snape's initial assessment was that Harry himself must have worked some sort of magic, even if by accident. But WHAT? What had he done, and what could he do now, to activate the snow globe?

He'd been desperate…

Desperate to escape from Dudley … and Uncle Vernon's wrath…

And wasn't he desperate now, desperate to go back to the real world?

The oddest thought popped into Harry's head, brought on by thinking of Dudley. Dudley and his sci-fi passion.

Giving the top step one final, loving stroke, Harry shouted, "Beam me out, Scotty!"

With a deafening WHOOOOOSH, Harry tumbled through infinity and landed in a sprawling heap on Dumbledore's Oriental rug.

"Harry! My dear boy! You DID it!"

A wizened hand grasped Harry's thin bicep and helped steady him as he climbed shakily to his feet. The world – Dumbledore's office, that was – seemed to whirl like a colorful spinning wheel. Harry grabbed for the nearest solid support, namely the massive antique desk upon which the Hogwarts snow globe sat. Harry stared at it, hardly believing he was now on the outside of the clear dome. The sparkling snowflakes still circled lazily around the castle, and Harry leaned forward to whisper, "Thank you, snow globe," his breath fogging the surface. "Thank you for everything!"

And then he turned slowly to look at Severus Snape and Albus Dumbledore for the first time in real life. Both men were markedly taller than Harry, but it was normally tall, not giant. Best of all, their eyes were normal sized. Harry extended his hand to each man in turn, saying, "Thank you both so much for all of your help." After they'd shaken hands all around, he added, "By the way, I'm Harry. Harry Potter. I know you know, but introductions are still important, aren't they, sir?" His emerald eyes flicked from one man to the other and back again.

"Yes, indeed, Harry," agreed Dumbledore. "Welcome to Hogwarts! And Happy Christmas, as well."

Harry grinned. "It certainly is now!"

Snape's mouth twitched at the corners. "I believe Potter would like to have something to eat and drink, Headmaster. And if he's staying for Christmas, we might as well have Madam Pomfrey check him out and put him up for the night. Tomorrow will be soon enough for him to meet the rest of the staff in residence."

Harry frowned. "Who is Madam Pomfrey, sir?"

Dumbledore smiled. "She is our school nurse, Harry. And given that you've had a rather unexpected adventure, I believe it would be wise for her to check you out to make absolutely certain that you have not suffered any ill effects from your experience in the snow globe. But first – "

He clapped his hands, and a house elf popped into the office. "Flizzy, young Mr. Potter would like to have a late meal. You may serve a variety of foods, and please bring plenty of beverages, for our young friend may be suffering some degree of dehydration."

"Yes, Headmaster." The female elf bowed deeply. "Flizzy is bringing it right away." And she popped away.

Harry's own eyes had bugged out. "Um … sir, what WAS that?"

"Flizzy is one of Hogwarts' house elves, Harry. She will serve your supper in just a… Ah, here she is." Dumbledore guided Harry to a low chair, next to a table where Flizzy had set out sandwiches, a plate of broiled seasoned chicken with vegetables, a bowl of steaming thick potato soup, a basket of fresh fruit, and slices of frosted chocolate cake and treacle tart. Tall pitchers of crystal clear water and some sort of orangey liquid that didn't look like orange juice stood guard over an ornate goblet which would have looked at home in Aunt Petunia's curio cabinet.

"This … this is for me?" Harry said questioningly. "ALL for me?" His eyes searched Dumbledore's.

At the Headmaster's nod, Harry collapsed into the chair, his eyes filling with tears. He'd wanted to be safe in the castle. He hadn't thought beyond the fantasy of that feeling. But here he'd been welcomed, and he was staring at more food than he'd normally eat in a week at the Dursleys. "Th-Thank you, sir," he whispered, his throat thick with emotion.

"Eat up, Harry, and then we'll let Madam Pomfrey poke and prod you. That should liven up her Christmas."

Snape snorted, seating himself in the armchair he'd previously occupied. "Don't worry, Potter. She seldom pokes and prods. She uses her wand to magically scan you. You won't feel a thing."

Harry laughed aloud and dove into the treacle tart, deciding that life was just too short to put dessert last. Being trapped in a snow globe could certainly change one's perception of things.

"Really, Potter. You should go for the protein," admonished Snape. He'd seen the food deprivation that the boy's relatives had subjected him to, and he wished the child would eat more sensibly.

Nodding vigorously, Harry downed the tart, then tried the orangey beverage, his eyebrows rising in surprise.

"Pumpkin juice, Harry."

And then there was chicken, and a few spoonfuls of soup, and a couple of bites of each type of vegetable. Harry wasn't a picky eater, but he couldn't hold it all, so he settled for sampling bit of everything on Flizzy's tray.

Afterward, both men walked Harry down multiple flights of stairs to the hospital wing, and Harry got another surprise when he discovered that the paintings not only moved but TALKED!

Still later, after submitting to Madam Pomfrey's magical scan and being tucked securely into a comfortable bed in the hospital wing, Harry was slowly drifting off when he realized rather drowsily that he'd never felt so safe in his life. Safe in the castle … for Christmas.

-:- -:- -:-