410 Do they know it's Christmas?

Reima woke up from his meditation to a large commotion outside his room, looking over he noticed Damien was not sleeping and his bed was empty. Did something happen? He ponders as he stands up walks outside, only to completely covered in confetti courtesy of the Weasley twins.... He'd thought they'd be a little more subdued since their brother was expelled but it seems they're still pranking.

Looking around he see's a variety of decorations around a many people excitedly milling about... He can see Ciri speaking to Luna with a confused face, walking over he asks "What's the occasion?"

Ciri sends him a sympathetic look while Luna smiles widely at him before pushing a butterbeer cork necklace into his hands "Merry Christmas!" he exclaims excitedly...

...

Reima repeats the word as nostalgia takes him over "Christmas?" how long had it been since he'd celebrated Christmas?

Ciri "Sorry but... What's Christmas?" she asks, causing a nearby Hermione to gasp in horror.

Hermione "You don't know what Christmas is?"

Ciri shrugs, "Er, just never got around to it.. I guess?"

Reima "Our culture... Doesn't celebrate Christmas, oh right, gifts..." he mutters, thinking through the many things he can give as gifts. Obviously he didn't want to give them something extraordinarily valuable as they'd probably misuse it or something. Hmm, what would be a good gift for Luna? Mmmm the moon, silver, silver sword... Plus it'd be funny to watch Luna swing one around.

Reima "Here Luna." he says materialising a silver knight sword and handing it to her. The young girl doesn't react and just takes it.

Luna "Thank you" she says, slowly lifting it up and pretending to swing it, to the dismay of Hermione.

Hermione "Luna! Please don't swing that inside, you might hurt someone."

Luna laughs, "It's a sword! It's meant to hurt people."

Reima "Actually it's a silver sword, it's meant to hurt monsters." he says, causing Hermione's brows to furrow. "Don't think I forgot you either Hermione." he says handing her a whip.

...

Hermione unfurls it and frowns, "What am I suppose to do with this?"

Reima shrugs, "To punish Harry if he does something stupid again?"

Hermione nods slowly and puts it in her bag... For later use.

Luna walks off to show Neville her new sword what has him almost fainting at the sight of it while Ciri walks up to him.

Ciri "So... Got another sword stowed away for me in there?" she asks.

Reima grins, "I don't know, you got a present for me?"

Ciri smiles back with a devious look, "I do, but it depends on how well you do during the ball."

...

Reima "Fine, I've been thinking on what sword would suit you but haven't currently got anything that you'd truly make your own..."

Ciri crosses her arms, "So.. I'm stuck with Zireael?"

Reima shakes his head, "I don't have one but... That doesn't mean we can't make one."

Ciri looks at him confused but he interupts her.

Reima "Grab Snuffles and meet me in the Room of Requirements, be quick as we need to be a breakfast soon." he says, getting up and briskly walking to the room.

Once Ciri and Snuffles enter the Room of Requirement they see themselves inside a massive crystalline cave that looks as if it's completely made of diamond or sapphires.

Ciri "Beautiful.." she says, not minding the thick blue mist covering most of it.

"It is isn't it?" Reima's familiar voice says a few meters away, the girls focus their eyes and see him sitting cross legged with a large bowl? Sitting in-front of him.

Reima "Well? Stop gawking, we've got things to do and time's against us."

Ciri quickly makes her way over and sees something glowing inside the bowl and quickly questions him on it. "What's that? I thought we were forging a sword?" he asks confused.

Reima grins, "This? This is the Transposing Kiln, an artifact that allows me to transform a soul into something else... If the Ministry heard of what this is they'd do everything the could to destroy it as soul magic is seen as the most abhorrent they can concieve of, obviously you shouldn't talk about it one we're done here.

Ciri "But, wouldn't you need a soul to make this work? You're not intending to sacrifice yourself to make a sword I hope? I still need a date for the Ball and I doubt Fleur will go with just me." she gives him a glare.

Reima waves his hand, "No, no... I was thinking of using Snuffles." he says, receiving an indignant squeak from the rabbit which has him laughing. "That was a joke so don't bite me... It may surprise you to know that I'm currently in the possession of millions of souls from various beings, the being I wish to use for your sword was the most powerful sorcerer in existence, plus he was one of the last remaining great dragons that turned against their own kin."

...

Ciri "Wow..." she says, trying to imagine what a weapon from such a being would be like.

Reima "But first, I'd like to try an experiment... I've been thinking about it for a while but never wanted to waste a valuable soul on it, additionally I didn't want to be "bound" to a crappy one.

Ciri "Can't we just do it normally?"

Reima "Sure, but if someone steals the weapon then you're screwed." this causes her to go quiet.

"What I want to try, is something called Soul-Bound Weapons. I took the idea from my own Staff" he says, making it slink from his shadow and into his hands.