100 Days Before Christmas Errand Sign-Up

Stepping into the Great Hall, Athena Teal was immediately hit by the rich, warm scent of gingerbread and sweet cocoa. The transformation was staggering for the middle of September. Up above, magical snow drifted lazily from the ceiling, vanishing into thin air just before touching her hair. It created an atmosphere that felt entirely surreal. Adjusting the collar of her school robes, Athena navigated past the clusters of busy, chatting students until her eyes landed on the card-making station. The long table was a vibrant explosion of lace, glitter, ink pots, and colourful stickers, presided over by a cheerful Hufflepuff prefect in a festive winter jumper.Finding a quiet spot near the far edge of the wooden bench, Athena pulled a blank piece of parchment card toward herself and selected a fine, pointed quill. Living in England her entire life, she was no stranger to grand, traditional holiday celebrations, but celebrating Christmas a hundred days early was a completely novel experience. She dipped her quill into a pot of shimmering silver ink and began to write a message to her grandmother back home.Dear Granny, she wrote, her elegant script flowing carefully across the paper. Hogwarts is grander than the history books ever described, though today the Great Hall has been entirely transformed into a winter wonderland. I am currently sitting at a table covered in glitter. I know my older sister Isabella would probably tease me for participating in something so sentimental, but I wanted to send a token of gratitude to you. Thank you for always encouraging my love for books, and for watching over me while my sister played her pranks. I think you'll be pleased to hear that I have officially been sorted into Ravenclaw! I am proud to wear the blue and bronze.Satisfied with the message, Athena let the ink dry for a brief moment. She carefully folded the card in half, tapping a little silver snowflake sticker onto the seam to seal it shut. But looking at the massive pile of crafting supplies in front of her, she realized she wasn't quite ready to leave the warmth of the table just yet. The steady hum of festive music and scratching quills around her was peaceful, reminding her of long afternoons spent reading in her family's private library.She reached across the table and pulled a second blank card toward herself. This time, she decided to make a matching card for her parents. She picked up a delicate piece of paper lace, carefully trimming the edges with a pair of scissors to create a border that looked like frost framing a windowpane. Her movements were precise, a habit born from years of handling fragile, ancient books back home.With a steady hand, she penned a quick update about her first few days at the castle, knowing her half-blood family would be glad to hear she was settling in well and blending both sides of her heritage beautifully. She decorated the corners with small hand-drawn stars, using a deep blue ink that matched the trim on her new robes. By the time she smoothed down the final sticker, her fingertips were dusted with a fine layer of silver glitter, and a tiny spot of rogue ink had stained her cuff. Yet, a deep sense of quiet comfort welled up in her chest. She placed both finished cards into the outgoing mail basket, ready to be sent off by the school owls, feeling truly at home in the castle for the very first time.