[IMG align=left]http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b174/theatticbox/persnicketyholiday.png[/IMG]The Great Hall was decorated with the usual twelve Christmas trees, all decorated with different types of ornaments, with the largest behind the staff table. Outside it was snowing, meaning the snow appeared to be falling in the Great Hall as well. Despite the snowy appearance, the hall was quite warm. The usual long tables were removed, except for one in the center. Extra chairs were lined up along the walls. Down the center of the table were centerpieces with poinsettias and miniature trees. Suspended above the table were small, silvery snowflakes made from sugar. Professor Persnickety plucked one from the air and sucked on it on her way up to the Staff Table.

Food and drinks were placed on smaller tables throughout the hall. One table, located towards the front, held four different kinds of punch. One of the punch bowls was pink and fizzing; the other three looked to be pumpkin juice, lemonade, and eggnog. Another station held hot chocolate, coffee, and tea. For food, the house-elves prepared platters of deli meats and cheese, crudités, spinach pies, chicken wings with sauces, bacon wrapped scallops and bacon wrapped dates, and other various finger foods. In the back corner of the hall stood a table with a two large hams and two large turkeys that appeared to carve themselves. Other tables held mashed potatoes, various vegetables, gravy, and cranberry sauce. On the opposite side of the hall held mountains and mountains of cookies, cakes, miniature tarts, and pasties.

Appoline held her wand to her throat and whispered an incantation. Her voice could now be heard throughout the castle.

"Good afternoon, students and staff! The house-elves have been kind enough to prepare an extravagant amount of goodies and treats for you all. If you're so inclined, please feel free to come to the Great Hall and enjoy some holiday cheer and enjoy one another's company."

Silently, she ended the incantation.

Merlin entered quickly toward the table with food and grabbed all he could. "Looks yummy!" He took lemonade, cakes, and tarts since he is such a sweet tooth, and then a few veggies. As he eats shamelessly in a corner he observed the students coming by.

Aderyn loved Christmas.

Ever since she'd been a little girl, she had been absolutely obsessed with the holiday. She owned more Christmas clothing and accessories than she cared to admit, she adored decorating, and the food. As such, she was beyond excited to stay at Hogwarts for the holidays and spend time with her fellow students.

Throwing on a skirt that looked suspiciously like a tree skirt, complete with a few baubles on the belt, and her favorite ugly Christmas sweater, she pulled her hair back into a ponytail and rushed out the door. Bouncing on the balls of her feet in the common room, getting ready to leave, she paused and waited a few minutes to see if any of her fellow Ravenclaws would care to accompany her down to the great hall.

The door burst open, causing all of Aria's lose study and sketch papers to go flying through the room. "Oh!" Aria exclaimed and with out a thought raised her wand to stop the papers mid-air and bring them back down to her tabletop. "Next time do please come in with less haste," she asked of Dax her loyal mini snowy owl griffin.

'I would have but Aria, there is a party and we are missing it!!' Dax's mind voice was rushed and excited sounding. Dax leapt up on Aria's desk and laid down on top of her work. 'This can wait til later -- the semester is over anyways.' Dax said in a more grumbling mind tone.

"Alright," Aria giggled. "Let's get ready and head down to the Great Hall for the party. You know," Aria said as she walked over to her wardrobe and began pulling pieces out, "I do love a festive party!" Aria stood straight up and smiled, happy at having found the perfect pair of knee-high socks to match her cute dress.

A short while later both Aria and Dax were in the Great Hall, enjoying the festive treats and merriment. Aria walked by Aderyn () and stopped to stare are her adorable outfit in awe. "Oh my goodness, Aderyn, I love your skirt so much!" Aria noticed how her entire outfit screamed Christmas and smiled wider. "You really gt into the holiday spirit, don't you? I love it too though." Aria said with a shrug.

Aria found the food table and made herself a plate of treats and scrumptious looking delicacies. After a quick scan around the room, Aria found and sat down at an empty table and put her plate of food down, freeing her hands so she could munch freely on her cookies.

Meanwhile Dax was searching the ground to see if anyone had dropped any of those smoked salmon and cheese rolls. Aria smiled at his loud mind thoughts and continued eating her peanut butter cookie. Merlin() was also shamelessly eating the treats and Aria smiled at him. "Would you like to sit down with your plate of food?" Ara asked while motioning to a chair at her table.

Aderyn smiled widely as Aria and Dax came by (). She nodded excitedly with a laugh.

"I adore Christmas," she replied. "I just can't help myself! You two look dashing as well!"

She reached a hand out slowly to greet Dax and waved the two of them off as they headed past her. She fluffed up her skirt for good measure and headed off herself, making her way down the Hufflepuff corridor, coming to stand before the entrance to their common room. Holding a small piece of parchment in her hand, she scrawled a hasty "are you ready?" on it and folded it up into a small paper airplane. Waving her wand at it, she enchanted it to fly through a small crack near the bottom of the door and find Emmy (). When it did, it flew at the girl's shoulder, poking her gently before fluttering to the floor as the enchantment wore off.

Lapis crept into the Great Hall, looking around tentatively. She had hardly made an appearance this term, having had several things distracting her, mainly some difficult times at her home. Not very head girlish of her at all really. She took a small along with a dish that she filled with , and . She sat alone at a table in the corner and sipped at her .

Gwen was excited to see everyone at the holiday ball. It was one of her favorites - seeing the great hall decorated was always a treat.

She entered the hall and looked around in amazement - the trees were spectacular again!

As she made her way over to the food she looked around at all the people who had arrived. She picked some food to nibble on and looked for a place to sit.

She saw Lapis () sitting alone and thought maybe to join her... even though she was a different house - this is a good time to make a new friend.

"Hi, Do you mind i I sit here?"

Elizabeth was curious about the festive appearance of the Great hall. Her outfit was only a bit Christmassy, but she decided to put on a nice hairband to give herself a more festive look. Vincent was strolling around her legs, expecting a treat for being cute and affectionate. She smiled, stroke over his head and reached over to get one of his favourite treats. Vincent ate it, then jumped on her bed, curling up in a ball of fur, looking at Elizabeth with a content expression in his eyes. She smiled and left the room.

While going through the common room, she wondered if some of her housemates had already entered the Great hall. She hoped she wouldn't be alone there. It was a silly though, as she had been to Hogsmeade where she had a nice time with some people from the other houses while eating at a Spanish-style restaurant. Nothing weird had happened, and that was good. Feeling confident by her thoughts, she entered the Great hall. Since she was hungry as well, she took a selection of cheddar cheese with some crackers and grapes and a cup of tea. Looking around, she spotted Merlin () and waved to him. A girl () she didn't know had offered him a chair. "Do you mind if I join you?", Elizabeth asked with a smile while coming closer, now noticing the mini snowy owl griffin. "Does this cutie belong to you?", she asked curious.

Merlin tried to smile to when she offered a seat, but his mouth was too full to do so, making him nod instead. After swallowing he finally said: "Thanks so much, would you like to try the lemon tart, it's delicious! And I think I already had too many." He looked down feeling a bit ashamed for eating so many tarts. But as a savior, arrived shyly waving. "Come sit up with us, yes." Feeling good to be with nice company Merlin smiled cutely and answered. "No, it's not mine but if no one wants it I can adopt it - I know I already have many pets but one more won't do any harm."

Lori looked up from her book as she heard the headmistresses voice cascade through the halls. She debated for a few moments whether or not to go down. She was currently comfortable sitting in the slytherin dorms on a dark green chaise by the fireplace but she really did want some of those snacks and a nice cup of tea. She also might see some other students in the great hall and get to know them. After a while she decided to head down. Changing into a clean green and black sweater, with a green plaid skirt and a black cloak. She wanted to be comfortable in case the great hall was drafty again. She was getting a bit of a cold and she didn't want to exacerbate it. She straightened her hair and headed out into the great hall.