Christmas Time!

Eyes widening Charlotte walked through the gates of Malfoy Manor, she felt a little nervous even from this distance away the house was large and very intimidating, gulping softly she felt her ballet pumps grind over the gravel of the pathway, flicking all around for signs of trouble Charlotte felt jittery, she couldn't relax.

After what seemed like a long walk Charlotte reached the door, knocked upon it and waited to be let in. She had to drag her luggage with her and Hannibal swooped in the air overhead resting in a nearby tree he cawed happily as if to say he's staying there.

Wringing her hands gently Charlotte waited for Arsen to come and open the door, even for this small journey she had made her hair brown, her eyes green and had fashioned a small scar over her left eyebrow.

Hades waited by the front door his foot tapping impatiently against the marble flooring. He'd only agreed to this because the boy deserved to have at least one good christmas that wasn't alone. He sensed someone's thoughts walking up the drive and immediately opened the door for them to come in.

"Welcome Miss Matthews, Rolo will take your bags. Follow me and i'll take you to Arsen." He said walking away not waiting for her to step through the door. He lead her down a flight of stairs before he opened the door at the bottom, standing aside for her to walk past. "Arsen your guest has arrived."

Arsen took a deep breath small spaces weren't his thing, put them under ground and it was his worst nightmare. His leather jacket lay on the floor beside him as he paced up and down the stone floor. "I'm counting down the days my friend it wont be long now till that shield is torn down and i'm free to do as i please. I'm not sure if a quick death will satisfy me anymore, you took away my right to kill my parents so now you will take their place, you'll feel all the pain i've been put through most my life." He smiled his phyco grin before he looked up to the door as it opened.

"Finally... Char." He smiled stopping just before the stairs.

Charlotte smiled when the door was opened she expected to see Arsen but when Hades stood behind the open door her smile quickly faded. Politely she handed her bags over to their house elf Rolo with a quick thank you, Hades had already begun to walk off so Charlotte had to jog a little to catch up to him.

"Thank you Headmaster, for letting me stay." She muttered out of politeness

Her eyebrows raised as she was led down not up to the bedrooms, when the door was opened to where Arsen was Charlotte looked at the back of Hades head incredulously. Arsen...lived in a dungeon? When she looked at him in more detail he looked like he was uncomfortable, maybe it was the enclosed space? They made her uncomfortable too.

"Dark!"

Swiftly walking into the room Charlotte smiled widely at Arsen and as she drew near to him she wrapped her arms about his neck in a quick hug before turning to inspect where exactly they were was it a bedroom, dungeon, torture room? With a start she almost jumped when she realised there was someone else in the room. Probably the Muggle that Arsen had told her about.

"Dark...you don't LIVE down here do you?"

"There's no need to thank me." He sighed slightly bored. He waved her inside before locking the dungeon doors again hesitating a little to make sure the shield around the muggle was stronger then ever. Once he was sure he would be safe for at least now me made his way over to the living room to meet with his father.

"Hey Char." He sighed moving closer to her and letting her hug him. He waited for a second to hear Hades footsteps as he walked away before he continued.

"Unfortuntely yes. I'm stuck with this worthless piece of crap 24/7 and he snores." He shook his head annoyed. "The more i learn the quicker i can get out of here, but until then Hades has trapped me down here so he can remind me everyday of my goals in life." He moaned pointing to the muggle.

"Wanna know the worst part? I can't even touch him look." Arsen took as deep breath and held his hands together creating a fire ball before throwing it straight at the muggle only it didn't reach him instead it bounced of the shield and headed straight back to them at the same speed he threw it at.

"Duck!" He yelled diving over Charlotte ducked form to cath it lightly in his hands. He laughed. "That is so fun. It's like a more dangerous version of catch." He smirked. "So what do you wanna do first? Has it snowed outside." He asked eagerly, trying to forget where he was. It was only a matter of time before he exploded, he silently cursed Hades in his mind before remembering he could hear everything he thought.

Charlotte looked shocked at Arsen. She simply could not believe that he was made to live down here, she was all set for going upstairs and talking to Hades right now! Charlotte probably looked furious because she felt like it. She had never dreamt that after all Arsen had been through he was forced to live in a place like this.

"But, but Dark! This isn't right! You simply can't live down here. I-I-I wont allow it!"

Her face scrunched up in anger and frustration that Hades was treating Arsen like this. Her green eyes changed into her red ones with the anger she felt and Charlotte could see them reflecting off the walls, and off the sheild around the Muggle. Ducking as Arsen threw and caught the fireball Charlotte sighed and sat on the floor leaning against the wall.

"So I'm going to be living down here too I take it? Hades is just filled with kindness..." She muttered sarcastically "Seriously. If it wasn't for your oath I'd bust you out of here and take you back to my place...you know, where you don't have to live in a crappy dungeon."

"It's fine, just leave it okay. I don't want any hassel. I'm fine as long as i don't think about it, but once i think about being trapped here i start to panic so can we change the subject?" He asked his breathing starting to quicken. He started to burn up.

"HADES!!!!" He cried taking deep breaths too try and calm himself down. He leant up against the wall trying to control the fire that was waiting to burst out whilst he waited for a reply but none came. "Oh god, i'm going to explode." He cried closing his eyes and mentally calling Hades with his mind. "A strong voice appeared in his head making him jump with shock. "What's going on Arsen why you panicing?" Said the voice before Arsen shouted. "I NEED AIR PLEASE I'M LOSING CONTROL." He cried as loud as he could.

"I suppose so..." He said remembering she had asked him something. "Yeah i wish i could i can't even leave this room even if he left the door wide open cause he ordered me to stay here." He sighed making his way over to the dungeon door.

Charlotte gasped when Arsen suddenly screamed, not sure of what to do she did what always made herself feel better, Charlotte gently reached out her hand to Arsen's face and touched his cheek just to get him used to her touch. Softly Charlotte began to play with Arsen's hair, her fingers softly raking through it and pulling gently on the ends.

"Dark, shhh, it's alright.

Keeping her hands moving through his hair Charlotte stood behind him, slipping in between the wall and his back, she didn't want to make him feel any more closed in. Trying to change the subject Charlotte whispered softly into his ear.

"I got you some presents by the way, I hope you like them, they took me a while to make."

He sighed his temperature lowering slightly at her touch. "Don't get too close please i could burst into flames any second. I'd hate to burn you i'm not in control when i'm like this." He cried biting his lip as his inner struggle continued. He breathing quickened slightly as he waited impatiently for Hades to release him.

He flinched as he heard her voice so close to his ear. His skin now was getting ridiculously hot. "Really? But i couldn't get you anything, i haven't been allowed out." He whimpered. "Can you show me please?" He asked standing aside so he could slide down the wall to sit on the floor with his hands tangled into his hair.

"There must be something I can do."

Charlotte looked at Arsen, her face transfigured with worry and pain, she wanted to be able to help him and she didn't know how she could, then, Charlotte twigged on to what he was saying, he was burning up! She could help with that! Nervously she approached him again and placed her hand on his arm, closing her eyes softly she let a thin film of ice creep over Arsen's entire body, cooling him down.

"Of course you can!"

From her pocket she took out two packages, one was square and rather bulky the other was soft and pliable.

"Pick a hand."

Charlotte grinned holding the two presents behind her back, hoping that Arsen would pick her left hand, the one that held the portrait in, first.

"Just stay back please it wont be good if i explode so close to you." He moaned trying to concentrate on his breathing. He shivered as a cold sheet of ice covered him, only to melt second later. "It's no good Char. HADES!!!!" He cried again wrapping his hands round his head. He looked up with a weak smile glancing at both hands before finally choosing her left. "That one." He smiled his temperature dropping rapidly as his mind was temporarily distracted.

Charlotte backed away slowly sitting against the shield that Hades had put up, it was a good thing to lean against because it was so strong, taking the present from behind her back she tapped it twice and it grew to it's normal size, she had gotten a special frame, one that made the picture grow and shrink inside it. Charlotte held it up still in it's black tissue paper.

"I'm not having you set fire to it."

She pouted grumpily, wondering what she could do to distract him, Charlotte had an idea. Arsen was not going to like it. Heck, she wasn't going to like it. but if it stopped him from exploding...it worked for her. Charlotte got up from her spot on the floor, walked over to Arsen, bent down and kissed him full force on the lips, her own cool ones hopefully calming him down and distracting him.

"Now. Pull yourself together or do I have to violate my lips again for you?"

She pulled her tongue out and Charlotte wiped her lips on her arm, having taked her black army jacket off before. Her slender arms exposed, as she only wore a grey strap t-shirt.

He smiled and spat his tongue out at her before bringing it back in his mouth to bite. His fingers dug into his head as he finally stood up. He let his hands drop before he took up pacing up and down the room his fists clenched tight by his sides.

"Thanks it looks amazing." He smiled weakly his face turning a reddy orange colour and his body heated up way past nomral body temperature. He stopped as Char walked in front of his path a frown on his face. Her lips touched his and he froze literally his temperature shooting down to body temperature. "Wow i was NOT expecting that he laughed. Could you do me a favour? Can you make your body freeze?" He asked an idea forming in his mind.

"You haven't even seen the picture yet you idiot."

Charlotte giggled and she flicked the wrapping paper off the canvas and revealed to Arsen the picture that she had painted for him, of himself of course, a self portrait, that's why she had needed the photograph.



With a raised eyebrow Charlotte wondered what Arsen could be planning, she didn't like making her body freeze but she could do it. It was painful of course but she wouldn't let onto the fact that it was, nodding lightly she walked over to Arsen and lay down on the floor, she didn't want to fall over.

"Here I go."

Closing her eyes Charlotte felt the cold wash over her and her whole body minus her head became frozen, she still needed to talk and breathe of course.

"I would give you your other present but...I can't move at the moment."

He laughed, "I thought that was it. I'm not good on the whole gifts thing." He smirked his mouth opening in shock. "No way, it's like looking in the mirror." He smirked his eyes scanning the whole canvas. Arsen raise one eyebrow and just watched as she positioned herself on the floor and turned to ice.

"I was talking about making your skin feel cold not making yourself freeze completely." He laughed the small room forgotten. His laughter filled the room as she lay frozen.

"Come one get up, i can't let you freeze to death." He laughed holding his hand out for her to take. "Need me to defrost you." He winked readying his hands if necassary.

"Oh well don't I look the idiot."

With a sigh Charlotte took a deep breath and all of her muscles slowly became unfrozen, but she didn't dare move yet her face screwed up as she tried to fight the pain. Giving a little gasp Charlotte managed to crawl her way over to Arsen and leant herself against him.

"I forgot how much that hurts."

Giggling slightly at her own stupidity she was happy that Arsen had forgotten about the small room, Charlotte took out the final package from her pocket and tapped the paper so it grew bigger, to it's normal size like the painting had done.

"This is the last one, it took me ages to make...I just couldn't get the detail right."

Charlotte frowned as she remembered all the ruined samples she had to throw away. Under the paper was a handmade leather jacket:

He laughed placing his forefinger and thumb together. "Just a little." He bent down to help Charlotte up placing his hands under her elbows. "Sorry i'll remember to explain myself next time." He smiled turning up his body heat to warm her up. "Better?" He asked looking down at her.

"You shouldn't have wasted you time on me Char. I feel awful now for not getting you anything." He frowned taking a look at his other present, his mouth once again falling open in surprise.

"In nessun modo che hai fatto. No way did you make that." He repeated in english so Char knew what he was saying. "It's amazing how did you do it?" He asked walking around to look at the back. "It's even go a hud." He smiled. "Now i feel really bad."

Charlotte sighed happily when Arsen warmed her up again, resting her head on his shoulder she smiled and let her muscles loosen again, after all, being frozen was something that surely wasn't good for them, not good for them one bit.

"I'm sorry Arsen, I only wanted to give you something as a thank you for letting me stay over the holidays."

She felt a little bit guilty now for making the presents for Arsen Charlotte hadn't meant to make him feel bad, she just wanted to give him something for letting her stay there over the holidays and these things were the only things she could think of to make for him. Of course she had added an extra feature or two.

"There's something else too..."

Charlotte let her voice trail off wondering if she should tell him about her powers.

"See i am useful for some things." He smiled wrapping his arms around her letting his heat transfer over to her. Once she was feeling warm enough he let go and took a step back. "Don't worry about it, i'm more mad at myself." He frowned looking over to the stupid muggle.

"Well i'm sorry your stay isn't quite what you thought it would be, i'm pretty messed up i always have been." He smiled weakly taking a seat by the wall still waiting for Hades to show up.

"Yeah? Well tell then." He smiled turning to look up at her.

Charlotte sighed a little and walked over to where Arsen was sitting by the window, he thought he was making her holiday horrible when in fact he was the highlight of her holiday Charlotte just wasn't happy about the way Hades was treating him.

"No Dark, this is the best Christmas I've had even if I am locked in a crappy dungeon with a Muggle sitting over in the corner."

Grinning Charlotte flicked Arsen softly on the forehead before picking up the picture frame.

"This picture will change shape and size so you can fit it in your pocket and you can take it with you," Pausing for a moment Charlotte continued "I have infused it with my special type of magic so that this happens."

Charlotte elongated her tooth and bit down hard on her finger so it cut, spreading the blood across the frame she muttered a few latin words and the frame and portrait glowed a blue colour. Leaning against the wall with the effort from her magical core being drained Charlotte smiled weakly as a fully grown walking talking replica of Arsen stepped out of the frame.

"If you ever...need to get away...you can use this guy as a...distraction." Charlotte breathed, her breaths coming short and sharp.

"Weirdly enough it's mine too." He smiled turning to look at the door, Hades was messing him around he knew it. "Yeah the stupid muggle who's time is running out fast." He glared looking straight into the muggles eyes.

"I'm counting down the days." He smiled sadistically at him before turning back to Char. "Hopefully Hades will let me out long enough for us to make snowmen." He smiled he'd have to bargain with him.

"Hey!" He smiled as she flicked him on the head. "Yeah that's not going to make me look bigheaded or anything." He smirked. He watched with one eyebrow raised as she did her magic. "Wow i've heard of people like you but i never thought it was true." He smiled. "That's amazing. How long will he last?" He asked standing in front of himself slightly creeped out.

"I...like snowmen."

Charlotte wheezed, sitting down leaning against the cold stone wall, she tried to keep her breath going and her magic flowing through her there was little she could do for the dancing black dots threatening to take over her vision. She pushed herself to the edge Charlotte took deep breaths but she could see the other Arsen fading back into the portrait.

"Damnnit."

She cursed as Charlotte poured all of her energy into the painting so it stayed alive for a couple of minutes more before she blacked out and slumped to the floor, the picture dissolving into the frame once more.

"Me too they look like so much fun to make." He smiled walking over to the steps and sitting down on the bottom one.

"Char you okay?" He asked watching as he swayed alittle where she sat. His eyebrows lower in concern as he place a hand over hers sending her a strong heat wave to warm her up.

"CHAR!" He cried as she passed out, he had no idea what to do so he did the first thing that came to mind. He called for Rolo the house elf. "Rolo i need you." He said leaning over Char as the elf popped into the room.

"Yes Master Arsen?" He said bowing so low his nose scrapped the floor.

"Help her please she's passed out." He explained before turning to think to Hades. "Hades i need you please." He begged it was the only way for him to listen.

"What now Arsen." He thought impatiently. He got to his feet and slowly made his way over to the dungeon door and pulled it open. "This had better be good."