Author's Note:
See my profile for any copyright information.
For every story in this Christmas series, the setting is slightly Alternate Universe (AU). These stories do not match up completely with the books. In these stories, Harry is in his 5th year at Hogwarts and the twins are in their 7th year, before they drop out.
Each part of this series has correspondent story on Alexifulamendris's profile, so go check them out! ( u/4462061/Alexifulamendris)
Ron shot out of bed. It's Christmas! He thought eagerly as he hurried to Harry's bed to shake him awake. He glanced at the small pile of presents at the end of his bed and his grin grew wider. Presents! Harry groaned and turned over in his sleep, but Ron continued to shake him insistently. "Harry! Harry, wake up! It's Christmas morning!"
Harry finally wiped his eyes, slowly sat up, and looked around, his eyes squinting. "Where are my glasses?" He asked as he combed his hair with his fingers. It didn't accomplish much. Ron fetched the glasses from Harry's nightstand. Harry adjusted his eyes as he put them on.
"There's a pile waiting for both of us!" Ron exclaimed. "Look!" Harry glanced at his pile of presents. "Come on! Let's go to the common room to open them. I bet Hermione is waiting for us."
The boys grab their presents, struggling to carry them all down the stairs. Not many students were in the common room; a couple of Gryffindors were playing Wizard's Chess in a corner. The chairs by the lit fireplace were empty, so Harry and Ron quickly filled them, setting their pile of gifts next to their chairs. Hermione descended the stairs from the girls' dormitory, two presents in hand.
"You only have two presents?" Ron asked in disbelief.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "I have more. I only brought my gifts from you two."
"Why?" Harry asked.
"I've already opened my other presents. I wanted to opens these with you." She replied.
"Blimey, Hermione. When did you wake up?" Ron asked.
"About an hour ago." She answered, looking from one boy to the next. "And from the looks of you two, you just woke up a few minutes ago."
"Some of us need our beauty sleep." Ron replied. Hermione glared at him. "What?" Ron glanced at Harry, who was also glaring at him. "What did I say?"
Harry shook his head. "There's a chair here for you, Hermione." He patted the chair between him and Ron. Hermione accepted the offer after glaring at Ron a little longer.
"Hermione, why don't you open your presents first?" Harry suggested. Ron looked appalled, but Harry shot him a disapproving look. He sighed and set down the present he was about to open.
"Alright, 'Mione, you first." Ron agreed.
Hermione set the present wrapped in blue paper with silver snowflakes on it on her lap. Ron tensed, as he knew it was from him. He wondered if Hermione would like it. She opened it carefully, making sure not to tear the paper. She had always been cautious about opening presents. "It's good paper." She had explained the first time Ron and Harry had laughed at her years ago. "It can be reused next year." She neatly folded the wrapping paper and set it next to her, staring at the book in her lap.
"Cooking the Muggle Way." She read the title aloud.
Ron glanced between Hermione and Harry in his excitement. Hermione was still staring down at the book, her lips tightening. Harry was looking at Ron, clear disappointment in his eyes. Ron didn't understand. What's wrong with the book? He wondered. "Don't you like it?" He asked.
"Ron," Hermione turned her gaze to him, "why would I need a book on muggle cooking methods?"
"You're muggle-born. I thought it would come in handy." He replied. "You could cook meals for your parents back home." Hermione continued to glare at him. "What?"
"I already know how to cook the muggle way because I'm muggle-born, you pea-brain."
"Oh." He frowned. "I hadn't thought of that."
"You haven't been doing a lot of thinking lately." She replied.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You should open your other present, Hermione." Harry interjected.
"I want a turn!" Ron whined. "She's already opened all her other presents."
"And she only has one more, Ron. We have a whole pile of presents to open." Harry answered.
"Alright." Ron said, sounding defeated. "Well, go on then. Open it."
Hermione carefully opened the other present, this one wrapped in red paper decorated with gold ornaments. "Another book." She sounded disappointed.
"Well, yes." Harry responded. "Don't you like books?"
"I do. It's just…" She trailed off. "Cheering Charms." She said, reading the cover. "A spell book?"
"You missed the lesson in third year. I thought you would want to become an expert on it, like you do with everything else." Harry said.
She smiled and said, "Thank you, Harry. That's very thoughtful." Ron groaned. "Well, don't just stand there." She motioned for Harry and Ron to pick up their gifts. "Open mine. Open mine."
Ron quickly picked Hermione's gift to him out of the pile and began to tear the wrapping off before Harry had a chance to open his. His eyes widened as he removed the orange and red scarf from the wrapping paper. "'Mione, you didn't." He looked up at her and saw a wide smile on her face. "You're amazing, 'Mione!"
"It's just a scarf." Harry said, straining to see the scarf better from his chair.
"Oh, it's not just a scarf, mate." Ron replied, his smile growing by the minute. "It's a Chudley Cannon scarf!" Harry rolled his eyes, but Ron didn't care. He wouldn't understand. He's not a fan.
Harry began opening his present, but Ron was still admiring his new gift.
"Quidditch Informer." Harry read. Ron looked up quizzically.
"It's a Quidditch magazine." Hermione explained. "Actually, it's a monthly subscription of a Quidditch magazine. That's this month's edition." She pointed to the magazine in Harry's hands.
"That's not fair!" Ron protested. "He gets a gift from you every month."
Hermione sighed. "Do I have to explain everything to you?" Ron looked confused and she sighed again. "Harry gets one magazine each month, but as soon as he reads it, he's done with it, unless he wants to read it again. You, on the other hand, have just one gift, but you will be able to use that scarf whenever you want." Ron was still confused. "Don't you see?" Hermione continued. Ron shook his head. "Both of you have presents that last for a long time."
"Oh." Ron said. He hadn't thought of it like that. He smiled. "At least my gift is more useful." Hermione sighed again.
"I'm going to go to the library." Hermione announced, grabbing her two new books and standing up.
"You aren't going to stay?" Harry asked at the same time Ron asked, "What for?"
"I need to study for our O.W.L.'s." She stated. "The exams are at the end of this year and I don't feel prepared at all." The two boys just stared at her in disbelief. "I'll bring these books along with me. Perhaps they'll help me study for Charms and Muggle Studies." With that, she ascended the stairs to the girls' dormitories.
"Oy!" Ron called to her. "I thought you said you were heading to the library."
"I am." Hermione answered, stopping half-way up the staircase. "I need a couple more books." Before either of them could say another word, she continued up the stairs and disappeared behind the dormitory door.
"I don't think she'll ever stop studying." Ron announced when Hermione was gone.
"Maybe she will when we get out of Hogwarts." Harry replied. "Maybe."
The two of them continued to open their presents. A few moments after her disappearance, Hermione reappeared from the dormitories and wished them a good day before exiting the common room through the portrait hole.
The Chudley Cannon scarf was the best gift Ron had gotten that year, although he did enjoy his other presents. His mother sent him the usual maroon sweater and he decided to boycott the sweaters until Molly Weasley made him one in a better color, preferably orange. Harry got him some candy and chocolate, which he ate while opening his other presents.
He opened the box from Fred and George and immediately screamed when a large spider crawled out of it. He was beginning to believe his brothers hadn't actually gotten him anything for Christmas when the spider suddenly began laying eggs, to Ron's horror. But instead of eggs, the spider laid a small vile of a green potion and then disappeared in a puff of smoke. Ron cursed the twins in his head before hesitantly picking up the vile. The hand-written label identified the potion as a Get Out of Class potion, which he knew would make him immediately sick once he drank it. He wasn't sure if he trusted his older brothers enough to ever drink the potion, no matter how much he wanted to skip a class.
Harry had taken turns with Ron in opening their presents. Ron had gotten him a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans and Harry promised to try them later that night. Dumbledore got him some lemon drops. To Ron's annoyance, the twins gave Harry coupons for their magical products. I'm their brother! He thought bitterly. Mrs. Weasley also made Harry a sweater, this one being a dark blue, and he immediately pulled it over his head. The Dursleys had sent him something as well, but it was just a single pence, not much use in a wizarding community. Ron didn't understand why Harry's relatives sent him anything if they weren't even going to try to send something nice.
"I want to send a letter to Sirius." Harry announced when they were finished opening all of them presents. "I just want to wish him a happy Christmas."
They vanished all of the wrapping paper, leave Hermione's neatly folded pieces on a table, and moved all of the gifts back into the dormitory. Harry quickly wrote his letter to Sirius, stopping every so often. Ron supposed it was to think of a way to speak vaguely in case the letter got into the wrong hands. When he was finished, he tied it close with a ribbon and the two of them left for the owlery.
Ron had forgotten how cold the castle was when he wasn't sitting in front of a lit fireplace. He shivered as they walked. All of the corridors and staircases were completely void of students. Ron thought the lack of people was eerie.
They were greeted by a chorus of hooting owls when they finally reached the owlery tower. Harry called for Hedwig, but none of the owls moved. Ron thought it would be impossible to find the owl among all of the others. Harry muttered something about his owl being stubborn. He called for Hedwig again, but still received no answer. Harry growled and handed Ron the letter and told him to wait for him there before he rushed out of the door.
Ron stood there awkwardly, trying to search for Hedwig in the crowd. To his surprise, Harry wasn't the only student who owned a snowy owl.
"Come on, Hedwig." Ron said, looking from owl to owl. "It's bloody cold in here. We just want you to deliver a message to someone. You're an owl, that's what you're for." Several of the birds hooted at him. Some of them flapped their wings and shifted their weight. He was afraid of being attacked so he added, "Alright! I'm sorry. I take it back." He continued to wait for Harry's return in silence.
Finally, the door opened once again, but instead of Harry walking in, it was Ginny. For a moment, the two siblings just stared at each other until they both broke the silence by asking the same question in unison, "What are you doing in here?"
"I'm sending a thank you letter home to mum and dad." Ginny answered first.
"I'm waiting for Harry. He's sending a letter to S...Snuffles." He changed what he had been about to say at the last moment.
"Why is Harry sending him a letter?" She questioned.
"That's none of your business, now is it?" He retorted. Come on, Harry. Hurry back!
"Alright." Ginny said, eyeing him suspiciously. "Is Pig here?" In answer, a tiny gray owl flew down from one of the cubby holes and landed on her outstretched arm. He screeched excitedly and hopped around on her arm.
"Of course you can use my owl, little sis'." Ron groaned, covering his ears. "Just hurry up and get on with it, will ya?"
She attempted to tie her letter to the owl's legs, but the bird was too hyper and refused to stay still. When she finally managed to attach the letter, she walked him over to the window.
Just then, the door slammed open and Harry ran inside. The sudden burst scared Pigwideon and caused the bird to fall out of the tower window.
"Harry!" Ginny yelled before peering down to make sure the owl was alright.
"Ginny? Why are you here?" Harry asked as he made his way over to Ron.
"Apparently to watch Pidwidgeon fall to his death!" She exclaimed.
"He's fine, Ginny. Look." Harry said, pointing outside. The two Weasleys turned in the direction he was pointing and saw a tiny owl flying energetically.
Ginny turned around and gave Harry a cold stare before storming out of the owlery. Ron turned his attention to Harry.
"What did you leave for?" He asked.
"For this." He lifted a bag full of bird feed. "Watch." He poured some into his hand and set the bag down on a nearby table. He called for his bird again. This time, a large snowy owl glided down from one of the top cubby holes. Hedwig began pecking at the food in his hand. "See?" He said to Ron. "Ow! Watch it!" Ron laughed. When the owl had had her fill, she looked up at Harry expectantly. "Tie the letter to her." He commanded Ron. He obeyed. When the letter was securely attached to the owl's leg, Harry carried her over to the window.
"Careful, now." Ron teased. "Don't want to drop 'er." Harry chuckled and motioned for Hedwig to fly off. Ron moved closer to the window. "I don't know which is worse, Pig's screeching or Hedwig's stubbornness." He grumbled.
"Do you not like Pigwideon?" Harry asked, still watching his own owl flying away.
"I like him well enough." Ron answered. "He's just so bloody annoying sometimes."
Harry turned away from the window. "What should we do now?"
Ron shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe breakfast isn't over yet."
They decided to check the Great Hall for food, but when they walked past a window on the first floor, Ron noticed some people moving around outside. He stopped walking and peered out of the frosty glass. "Is that Fred and George?" He wondered aloud, squinting to see in the distance.
"What?" Harry asked, looking out of a nearby window. "Where?"
"Over by the lake."
"I don't see anyone." Harry paused. "Oh wait. I see them now. What are they doing?"
"I can't tell." Ron turned to his best friend. "Want to find out?"
"What about breakfast?"
"It's probably already over by now. Come on." Ron started running for the large double doors at the front of the castle. Harry did not stay far behind.
It was a long distance from the castle to where Fred and George were located on the side of the lake. As they approached, they slowed down to a walk. Each twin was crouching behind a small fortress of snow as they threw snowballs at one another. One of the twins hit the other in the shoulder with an exploding snowball. Whoa. Ron though, amazed. This is so much better than breakfast.
Harry leaned over and whispered, "Why do one of the twins have purple hair?" Ron had noticed the odd sight at the same moment.
"They must be testing one of their new products." He replied, simply guessing. They left it at that.
When they were close enough, Ron asked, "What are you two doing?"
Both twins glanced at them over their snowbanks. "Brother of mine!" George yelled excitedly. "We're waging a war, obviously. Come and join me, and together the three of us can defeat the evil Fred!" Ron and Harry looked from George to Fred and back again.
"Or you could join me." Fred said. "We all know I'm going to win anyway."
Ron and Harry exchanged looks and smiled. "Or, we could team up and defeat both of you." Ron voiced what they had been thinking.
Harry used magic to create their own snowbank to match those of the twins. Both of them squatted behind it, out of sight, and quickly began making snowballs. They threw them all at the twins, Harry aiming for Fred and Ron attacking George.
After a while of fighting, Ron suggested coloring their snowballs.
"That's brilliant!" Harry whispered. "We can keep score of how many times one of us hits them. The one to hit them the most wins!"
"You're on!" Ron whispered back and he quickly turned his pile of snowballs green. Harry transformed his white snowballs into blue ones. When they threw them at the twins, the snowballs broke apart, but they left a mark wherever they hit.
Later on, Harry came up with the idea of snowballs that would wait for its target to come up from behind their snowbank before continuing on its path towards them. As the fight continued on, Ron saw George move as if throwing something, but nothing left his hand. A few moments later, Fred's head was knocked back as if hit and he caressed his chin, but Ron hadn't seen anything hit him. At one point, Fred threw a snowball that grew larger and larger until it knocked Harry to the ground. All of them laughed, even Harry.
As time went on, the snowballs they created became increasingly more dangerous, so everyone began blocking them with spells to avoid getting hurt. This made the snowball fight no less fun as everyone continued to attack one another with a smile on all of their faces.
Eventually, after Harry and Ron had covered the twins in turquoise, Fred shouted, "I think we can call a truce now, George." Ron wondered what he meant.
"I was thinking the same thing." George answered. He used his wand to connect their snowbanks together and ran to Fred's side. "Are you ready to win this thing?"
"You bet I am." His twin replied.
The twins stole their idea of colored snowballs as Ron and Harry were pelted with orange and purple snow. "GRED AND FORGE!" They yelled simultaneously.
Their snowballs got even worse. Soon, they weren't just colored, but they were enchanted with jinxes and hexes too. Harry was hit with a Jelly Leg snowball and had to take a break from throwing snowballs because he could no longer stand. He used this time to replenish their ammunition.
"What do you think you're doing?" A voice called from behind them. Everyone stopped to look at the newcomer. Hermione had finally joined back up with them, only she had Luna Lovegood with her. I thought she was going to the library. Ron thought. Why does she have Loony with her?
"We're having a snowball fight." George answered, sounding exasperated.
"This isn't a snowball fight." Hermione said, shaking her head. "This is barbaric."
"Oh no!" Luna shouted, running towards a tree behind Harry and Ron. "This is where the Perifaeries live! You're ruining their home!"
Ron, Harry, and Hermione looked at her in confusion. Can she even hear herself when she speaks? Ron wondered. "The what?" He asked aloud. He was sure no one else knew what she was talking about. Usually no one understood her.
"The Perifaeries." Luna answered. "They're tiny faeries that live under the bark of trees. You have to stop."
Harry tried calming her down. "Luna, I'm sure it's so cold that the Perifaeries are gone. The tree is iced over, after all."
The quirky blonde girl shook her head in disagreement. "You don't understand, Harry." No one understands. Ron thought as the girl continued to speak, "They're not very smart to begin with, but they're also faeries. They don't mind the cold."
"Luna," Fred said, "I'm sure the iced-over bark will protect them from the snowballs."
Luna shook her head again. "If you won't stop, then I'll have no choice but to protect them." She sat in front of the tree with a huff.
"Do you want to join us, Hermione?" Fred asked, turning his attention to the other female. "I know you would love to hit Ron in the face. This is your chance." Ron turned around as both of his older brothers winked at her.
"'Mione wouldn't fight against us!" Ron exclaimed. He wasn't completely sure about that; he just didn't want to be outnumbered. "She'd help us beat you." He hoped his words convinced her.
"Come on, Hermione." Harry joined. "Have some fun with us. It's Christmas."
Hermione bit her bottom lip as she looked between the four of them. Bloody hell, she looks cute doing that. Ron thought and started blushing when he realized what he was thinking. I still hope she picks us. "Fine." She sighed and walked over to Harry and him. Ron sighed of relief.
"Hermione." The twins groaned.
"Welcome, 'Mione." Ron greeted, smiling. Oh! She needs snowballs! He thought as he bent to turn some of his snowballs pink. He handed one to her. She stared at the snowball in her hand for a second before smiling.
Fred and George looked quite upset on the other side of the battlefield.
"Don't blame her." Harry called over to them. "We do everything together, just like the two of you."
George laughed. "Everything, huh?"
"That's kinky." Fred added.
Hermione began to blush. Ron's cheeks turned rosy too when he realized what he was thinking about. He quickly returned his attention to the snowball fight.
The fight continued and Hermione seemed to be their strongest player, chucking snowballs at the twins at such high speeds that the twins couldn't dodge them in time. Luna continued to protect the tree by casting a deflection charm whenever a snowball threatened to hit it. Fred and George learned that snowballs that hit Luna's barrier bounced off of it and hit all three of them in the back. They used their new knowledge to their advantage until Hermione extended their snowbank, allowing the three of them to move away from the tree. Luna seemed pleased with this.
Ron marveled at Hermione's ability as she transfigured the snowballs into various animals, which then traveled across the field to attack Fred and George. The best of all of them was a long dragon that flew towards the twins and covered them in snow with its breath. Soon after that, a large bird of snow hovered above all of them. They all stared in amazement at it before it suddenly burst, showering them all in snow. He was about to ask Hermione why she had attacked them as well, but the look on her face told him that she was just a shocked as everyone else. They all exchanged confused looks before erupting in laughter. The battle continued on.
Ron soon realized that Fred and George were covered from head to torso in blue, green, and pink. It would be impossible to tell who had hit the twins with the most snowballs. He didn't care, though. He was just glad that he was able to enjoy yet another Christmas with two of his brothers and his two best friends.