After a few hours of reading, Lilleth figured it must be time for lunch or food of some kind – not that she had much appetite left after eating all the sweets and treats – and decided to go up to the Great Hall to see the others. She changed her pyjama bottoms into jeans, but kept on her top and new jumper before leaving the dorm and the common room and making her way up to the main floor to the Great Hall.

The Great Hall looked completely different from usual. The four house tables had been moved against the walls again, and that a single table, set for twelve, stood in the middle of the room. Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Sprout and Flitwick were there, along with Filch, the caretaker, who was wearing a rather mouldy-looking tail coat. There was only five other students sat at the table: one sullen fifth year, one other Ravenclaw first year, and Harry, Ron and Hermione.

"Merry Christmas!" said Dumbledore as Lilleth approached the table.

"Sorry I'm late." said Lilleth, blushing as she took her seat next to Harry. "I wasn't sure what time lunch was going to be."

"Not a problem, not a problem." said Dumbledore cheerfully. "Crackers!"

He offered the end of a large, silver cracker to Snape, who took it reluctantly and tugged. With a bang like a gunshot, the cracker flew apart to reveal a large, pointed witch's hat topped with a stuffed vulture. Snape's mouth thinned and he pushed the hat towards Dumbledore, who put it on at once. Lilleth giggled.

Harry nudged Lilleth and offered her the end of a red cracker, and she took it and gave a sharp pull. The bang was even louder, echoed by pops from other students around the table, and Lilleth squeaked, but grinned and took the pink witch's hat and plopped it onto the top of Harry's head.

"Merry Christmas." she teased.

"Charming." said Harry, rolling his eyes. "Nice jumper."

"Yeah, you too." she said. "So this is what real Christmas is like?"

"This is what real Christmas is like." said Harry. "Welcome to Hogwarts."

"Awesome."

"Help yourself."

As Lilleth was helping herself to roast potatoes, the doors of the Great Hall opened again. It was a strange woman, likely a professor: she wore very large glasses which magnified her eyes to several times their natural size and she was draped in a gauzy spangled shawl, her arms and hands encrusted with bangles and rings. In a green sequined dress, she looked rather like an oversize dragonfly.

"Sybill, this is a pleasant surprise!" said Dumbledore, standing up.

"I have been crystal-gazing, Headmaster." said the woman, in a misty, faraway voice. "And to my astonishment, I saw myself abandoning my solitary luncheon and coming to join you. Who am I to refuse the promptings of fate? I at once hastened from my tower, and I do beg you to forgive my lateness."

"Certainly, certainly." said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling. "Let me draw you up a chair."

And he did indeed draw a chair in mid-air with his wand in a glittering, silver outline, which revolved for a few seconds before falling with a thud between Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall. The strange teacher, however, did not sit down; her enormous eyes had been roving around the table, and she suddenly uttered a kind of soft scream.

"I dare, not Headmaster! If I join the table, we shall be thirteen! Nothing could be more unlucky! Never forget that when thirteen dine together, the first to rise will be the first to die!"

"What about when Aunt Petunia has dinner parties? Who gets up first from those?" Lilleth whispered to Harry as Professor McGonagall snapped something at the new teacher, who hesitated, then lowered herself into the empty chair, eyes shut and mouth clenched tight. "Who is that anyway?" she asked.

"Professor Trelawney." muttered Harry. "She teaches divination. Fortune telling." he added at Lilleth's confused face.

Professor Trelawney opened her eyes and looked around once more. "But where is dear Professor Lupin?" she asked.

"I'm afraid the poor fellow is ill again." said Dumbledore, indicating to the others to tuck into the food. "Most unfortunate that it should happen on Christmas day."

"Can't believe Dudley isn't here to steal food." Lilleth said quietly to Harry. "Can I eat whatever I want?"

"Anything." said Harry. "Nice jumper by the way."

"I feel like a bumble bee." said Lilleth, grinning smugly. "Mrs Weasley is so nice."

"Yeah, you'll get a new one every year." said Ron around Harry. "Once you're in the family, you're in."

Family. A buzz of warmth erupted in Lilleth's head, warming her from head to foot more than the food and the jumper had managed to do. Family. Was it true? Did she have a family now? Was that what Sirius was? And maybe Professor Lupin, too. And the Weasleys! In only four months, she had discovered more family than she had known in twelve years. It couldn't possibly be real. She was convinced that any minute now, she would wake and discover that she was back on the pantry floor, and Aunt Petunia was knocking harshly on the door. She closed her eyes.

Nothing stopped. She could still hear the clattering of plates and the chatter of Harry, Ron and Hermione, and another cracker went off with a bang, startling her into opening her eyes. It was all still there. She was still in the Great Hall, surrounded by enormous piles of food cooked up by the wonderful house elves, and Harry was still wearing the pink witch's hat.

"Everything alright, Miss Black-Lupin?" asked Professor Dumbledore cheerily.

Lilleth's entire face went beet-red, and she nodded in embarrassment.

"Just... making sure this isn't a dream." she said nervously.

"I expect it probably is." he said with a shrug. "I've always believed that we live in the dreams of others and come here while they sleep. I'd love to meet whoever it is. But for now, it's rather enjoyable. I do hope they don't wake up." he added thoughtfully.

Lilleth giggled, and went back to her food.