Holiday/Winter Fantasy Bucket-List

Hello everybody, and welcome back to The CW Torch, Winter Biannual Bibliothon edition! It is Day Four of the Winter Biannual Bibliothon, and the challenge for today is to create a holiday/winter Fantasy bucket list with your favorite bookish characters. We have to use characters from at least three different books, and explain what we would want to do with them over the Winter Holidays. For this blog I wanted to get creative with it, and instead of just doing a list format I am going to try my best and tell a story through my bucket list. So, without further ado here is my Holiday/Winter Fantasy Bucket List, please enjoy!

Winter Afternoon at Hogwarts…

It is a cold and snowy day at the Hogwarts campus, I have spent most of the afternoon huddled by the warm, honey-colored fire in the Hufflepuff Common Room. Catching up on my Herbology reading for the day. Suddenly, as I lay my head down to take a nap after a long day of studying, ready for the Christmas Holidays. A letter spurts out of the fire and onto my lap, sent from my good friend Hermione Granger. While we are in separate houses, she just so happens to be one of my best friends. As we are both at the top of our class, and have shared many classes together. Always being paired up for school projects or study groups, whenever Harry and Ron aren't in the room. She has been studying all day preparing for finals, and is in desperate need of a break. Asking me to tag along for an evening in Hogsmeade, with her Gryffindor friends. Whom I have become very close with over the last couple of years, as Hufflepuff's and Gryffindor's tend to stick together.

After freshening up from a long day of being cooped up in the Library and Hufflepuff Common Room, I grab my dear friend Cedric Diggory to come along. We meet at the Three Broomsticks for a steaming cup of Butter Beer, to warm ourselves up before walking through the snowy alleyways of Hogsmeade. I sit next to Hermione, Cedric is to the right of me, Harry and Ron are on the opposite side of the table. We sip on our Butter Beer, and discuss how much we are dreading our third mid-year finals, and what we plan to do during our Christmas Break. After about an hour of catching up, we make our way through the bitter cold. Playing a heated snowball fight, Hufflepuff vs. Gryffindor, of course Cedric and I win. We stumble into Honeydukes and stock up on sweets to get us through finals week.

After spending a few hours at Honeydukes and Zonko's Joke Shop, we make our way back to Hogwarts. We made it just in time for dinner, and the dining hall is decorated in tinsel and mistletoe, with the large Christmas tree at the head of the Dining Hall. After stuffing our faces with Turkey, Ham, Cranberry Sauce, stuffing and mashed potatoes, everybody begins to exchange gifts. I gave Cedric a potted cactus, since we shared a friendship over Herbology, and he gave me a drawing book. He always told me I had a gift with art, and should write my own Herbology text someday. I looked for Hermione and gave her The Hunger Games series, to read during her travels back home for the holidays. I thought this would be the perfect series for her to read, since she has Katniss-like qualities to me. She gave me The Gentlemen's Guide to Vice and Virtue, so that I could read during my adventures with my cousin Rhy Maresh.

Bucket List, Check-List:

1) Drink Butter Beer at the Three Broomsticks with Cedric Diggory, Hermione Granger, Harry Potter, and Ron Weasley.

2) Snowball fight with Cedric Diggory, Hermione Granger, Harry Potter, and Ron Weasley in the middle of snowy Hogsmeade.

3) Exchange gifts with Cedric Diggory and Hermione Granger over a Christmas Dinner at the Dining Hall.

Christmas Break in Europe with Rhy Maresh…

We made it through an intense week of finals, and it was finally time to head back home for the holidays. I exchanged my goodbyes with Hermione, Harry, and Ron at the platform before getting on the Hogwarts Express. Since, I would be sitting with Cedric and his friends for the ride home. After a few hours on the train, we were finally back in London at Platform 9 & 3/4. I said goodbye to Cedric and everybody else, now in search of my bloody cousin. It wasn't difficult to spot him, as he was still in his Red London robes. I rush over to my cousin who I haven't seen in ages, and jump into his arms. Even though my cousin can be a menace sometime, I love and adore him dearly.

"Who was that hunk of a man, you were hugging?" Of course the boy I hugged goodbye would be the first thought in his head, instead of maybe how the school year was.

"Who, Cedric? He's just a friend."

"Just a friend, sure? I can believe that." Rhy responded coyly.

"Anyways, are you going to help me with my bags or what? Hello, Kell!" I barely notice Kell sulking a few feet behind my cousin.

"I'm well, you? How was the train ride over?"

"Long and drab, I'm so ready to party!"

"Ok, cousin! Where to first, the world is your oyster!" I think of all the possibilities and places I could go to, with Kell being an Antari, meaning he can travel between our worlds. The first thing that comes to my mind, is that I need a drink.

"How about Prague?"

"Excellent, once we reach Prague, you can start explaining to me who that boy is. Because I'm having a hard time believing that he is just a friend." He holds my hand, and grabs Kell's who lugs my bag around. "Kell, take us to Prague!"

We travel through the plains of Europe, finally making our way to Prague. We drop our bags off at a little cottage close to the heart of Prague, and make our way to the nearest Absinthe Bar. Where I dance and drink the night away, forgetting about all my school problems. Kell watched Rhy and I closely, looking as if he had the entire world on top of his shoulder. After a few days in Prague, Czech Republic, we traveled to Munich, Germany. In Munich we spent a few days beer tasting and gazing at magnificent castles in the hillsides of Bavaria.

Christmas Day was soon approaching, but I still had a few days to spend with my cousin Rhy and his adopted brother Kell. We headed North to the snowy valleys of Iceland, where we went hiking on top of active volcanoes, and swam in the gorgeous Blue Lagoons. After spending a few nights drinking mulled wine in Reykjavik, with Rhy and Kell, it was finally time to head home for

Christmas.

Bucket List, Check-List:

4) Absinthe Bar and clubbing in Prague, Czech Republic with Rhy Maresh and Kell.

5) Beer tasting in Munich, Germany, and sight-seeing in Bavaria.

6) Hiking on Volcanoes in Iceland.

7) Swimming in the Blue Lagoons of Iceland.

Home for the Holidays…

It was finally time to head back home to Bon Temps, Louisiana, also known as the land of the weird, to spend a Southern Christmas with my Uncle Sam. I have been writing to Sam ever since I started school at Hogwarts, because I am the only real family he has left. I know he has been having issues with his dead-beat parents, so I figured I would spend the Christmas Holidays with my Uncle. Rhy and Kell sent me home to Merlotte's Bar, in Bon Temps, where I was instantly greeted with warm hugs and beaming smiles. Arlene was the first to notice me, almost dropping her customer's order of Burgers and Fries and Sweet Tea, just to give me a hug. I forgot how much I missed those warm Southern hugs, and that deep Southern twang.

"How are you my dear, it has been so long since I last saw you! How is that school in London?" Arlene asked with her hand on her hip. No one in Shreveport knew that I was going to magic school, except for my Uncle Sam. And even though Vampires have been taking over the greater Louisiana region, I wasn't sure how they would handle the existence of witches and wizards.

"It's been really good, but I am happy to be back home!"

"Well, are extremely excited to have you here! Sam should be back in a few minutes, he had to make a run to the grocery store. We're the only bar in town that sells True Blood, within a ten mile radius, and we already ran out for the night."

"Right, I forgot that Vampires came out of the shadows, how has that been?"

"It's been strange, don't get me wrong. But, we've been excepting the fact that they are just like humans, but only like to come out at night and drink blood for dinner. Now, enough about Vampires, you have to tell me about all the hot boys you've been meeting in London."

"Chynna, is that you?" I recognized that voice right away, instantly turning around with a wide grin. It was Jason Stackhouse, the town playboy. Who I've only had a crush on since the Fourth grade. "Wow, it's been a minute since I last saw you!" He welcomed me with a hug. Luckily Sam wasn't back yet, because there would be no telling what he would do if he saw me hugging Jason Stackhouse. "You look good, seems like that school in London is treating you well." I blushed.

"Thanks, it really has! But, I would be lying if I said I didn't miss Bon Temps."

"It's so good to have you home! How were your travels with Rhy?"

"Fun, but exhausting! I am so happy to be back home with you!"

"We're happy to have you back! Come on now, let's have Lafayette fix you up a steaming bowl of Gumbo!" I didn't realize how hungry I was, until he mentioned Gumbo. He sat me at the bar, putting the order of Gumbo in the kitchen. It felt so good to be back home, that I didn't even think to ask where Sookie Stackhouse was for the evening. Knowing that she always works the Friday night closing shift.

After waking up in Sam's trailer, after a good-night's rest and well-fed meal, I almost forgot that it was Christmas Eve. Uncle Sam fixed me up some breakfast, but there was no time to relax, as Sam had a full day planned of Christmas festivities. We went into town to do some last minute Christmas shopping, as we would be spending Christmas Day with the Stackhouse's. I wanted to ask how things were going with Sookie, but after the stares and whispering's of Sookie Stackhouse dating a Vampire, I decided that it was best not to budge. After shopping we grabbed some hot chocolate made by Hoyt Fortenberry's mom. For Christmas Eve, Sam made a Pot Roast and a few side dishes, just enough for the two of us. I made some cookies and a pie for tomorrow's festivities.

It was finally Christmas Day, where we made our way to the Stackhouse's home. I haven't been here since Grandma Stackhouse was brutally murdered, but it didn't look like it had changed one bit. It felt like the entire town was there; Arlene and her family were there, Lafayette and Tara, Hoyt and his very pale girlfriend, and of course the Stackhouse's. Jason gave me a warm welcome, and so did Sookie. There was a very handsome man standing next to Sookie, I asked myself if that was Sookie's Vampire boyfriend. I noticed Sam puffing up his chest, and glaring at the Vampire named Bill Compton. There was a clear reason as to why Sam hasn't mentioned a word of Sookie, since I came home. It was the elephant of the room, that no one wanted to talk about. So, even though with that glaring in the back of my mind, I knew Sam wouldn't say anything until he was ready. After eating some Hour Derves, the boy's and I rode on ATVs through the muddy woods. I realized how much I missed getting down and dirty, with the boys. You couldn't really act that way at Hogwarts, with all the rules we had to abide by. After ATV'ing, we played a game of pick-up. Girls against Boys, the girls won of course. Night was falling, so we got ready for dinner, which was a southern Christmas feast. There was Turkey, Ham, Ettouffe, Mac and Cheese, and Cornbread. After stuffing our faces, we went outside to drink some spiked Eggnog and watched the fireflies swirl around in the darkness. It was the perfect way to spend the Christmas Holidays.

Bucket List, Check-list:

8) Dinner at Merlotte's with Sam Merlotte and the rest of the family of Bon Temps.

9) ATVing through the swamp-woods of Bon Temps, and a game of pick-up Basketball with the family of Bon Temps.

10) Christmas Dinner at the Stackhouse Home.

11) Watching the fireflies in the backyard, with a cup of spiked Egg Nog.

There you have it folks, my Holiday/Winter Fantasy Bucket List told in story format. I really had a blast writing this blog, as you can probably tell from my elaborate story. I may have gotten a little carried away, but I was actually enjoying this sort of fan-fiction I was writing. I chose Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter series, Rhy Maresh and Kell from the Darker Shades of Magic series, and Sam Merlotte from the Southern Vampire Mysteries to hang out with for the holidays. As they are some of my favorite bookish characters, and I feel like they would have the most fun during the Holiday Season. I look forward to reading everybody else's Bucket-Lists, and hope everybody is having a wonderful reading and writing week. This blog challenge was created by thebookworminmeblog.wordpress.com.

TTFN,

Chynna Williams @TheCWTorch

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