Based on characters created by J. K. Rowling. For the Sober Universe Christmas Card 1997 Challenge.
Happy Christmas, Mum
Charlie Weasley spent an eternity going over the selection of Christmas cards at the Romanian shop outside the dragon Preserve where he worked as a dragon keeper. Most of the cards were too cutesy for his taste; he was looking for something special for his mother this year to make her laugh. She needed a laugh more than anything else this year. So much had happened. Ron, Hermione and Harry had disappeared and he knew she was probably crying herself to sleep at night. That is if she got any sleep at all.
The clerk in the shop kept flirting with him, which distracted him. Come on, Weasley, concentrate. Damn! She is fine. No! Card. You're here to buy a card for mum. Concentrate. I wonder if those are real?
"Can I help you, sir?" she asked. "Are you looking for a card for your girlfriend?"
"Girlfriend? Hell, no. It's for my mum."
She looked pleased. "Oh well then, we have a really nice supply in the back room, I'm sure you could find a pretty one for your mother." She grabbed his arm and began pulling him back to the store room. He started following her when he saw it. The card. This was the perfect card for Charlie Weasley to his mum.
He let go of her and the clerk fell back slightly. He plucked the card from the rows and rows of other ones and held it up and smiled. "I'll take this one," he said.
Molly Weasley received an early morning owl two days before Christmas. The envelope looked like it had gone through an ice storm and a hurricane. It was battered and worn and the edges were wet. The address was smudged and the poor owl that delivered it looked a little worse for wear himself.
The note attached to the card read simply, "I thought this would make you laugh. Happy Christmas, Mum. I love you. Charlie."
Molly looked at the card, threw her head back and laughed. When Arthur came down for breakfast, Molly was humming over the kitchen sink. She had a twinkle in her eye; something he hadn't seen in a long time.
"Good morning, my dear," he said kissing her cheek. "You look chipper this morning."
Molly smiled. "I received an owl from Charlie this morning. He sent me a Christmas card." She dried her hands on her apron and handed the card to Arthur.
Arthur looked at the card and shrugged. "I don't get it," he said frowning and handing the card back to her.
Molly took the card and gently rubbed her fingers across the glittery paper. "I know," she said, smiling. She put the card back on the mantle and went back to washing the dishes.