Beyond a Christmas Auld Lang Syne
By: Chiral Roses
Disclaimer: All characters and settings belong to J.K. Rowling, Bloomsbury, Scholastic, Warner Brothers, etc.
This is loosely based on the song, "Same Old Lang Syne" by Dan Fogelberg. If you haven't heard it, then listen. It is a beautiful song.
For anyone who is wondering, "Auld Lang Syne" is an old Scottish phrase meaning the equivalent of "days of long ago".
On the night of Christmas Eve the usual hustle and bustle on the streets of Diagon Alley were replaced by the gentle fall of snowflakes onto the nearly empty cobbled streets. Only a few shoppers remained, hurrying about to pick up their last couple of gifts. Some mothers could be seen picking up new pet owls for their children at Eeylop's Owl Emporium while others were attempting in futile to drag their children from the blinding red and green lights of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. There were the last few gentlemen searching for the perfect book at Flourish and Blotts, while the rest of the shoppers were busy scurrying from one store to another in haste to return to their families for the holiday.
However, one young man appeared to be in no hurry at all to leave the snowy sights. He traversed the streets with his hands in his pockets, and seemed more interested in observing the scenery than Christmas festivities. Oliver Wood had been sent by his parents to pick up one final present for his nephew, but he was in no mood to return too quickly to his family's celebration. When he returned home all he had to see was his older brother and sister in-law, completely in love, and already with a three year old son and infant daughter which would only serve to remind him of how completely single he still was. He loved his family well enough, but all he desired these days was a wife and child of his own. Sure, he was a Quidditch star, and probably had the whole lot of young witches at his disposal, but he still felt ever so lonely. So instead of spending Christmas with his non-existent wife, he would spend it-as usual-with his parents and brother's family.
The quiet elegance of Diagon Alley at Christmastime was enough to keep Oliver from wanting to return home. However, the longer he walked down the streets, the smaller the crowds became, and the more he realised he would have to pick up his nephew's gift.
He took a turn into Quality Quidditch Supplies to search for the right present. Quidditch had been Oliver's passion for probably as far back as the womb, and he was anxious to share with his young nephew the rules of the sport.
"Mr Wood, how nice to see you," called the shop's owner Mr Burns. The two had forged a friendship since Oliver had been visiting the store in his early childhood. "Don't tell me you're skipping another holiday for Quidditch, eh?
"No, just looking for a gift tonight. I'm surprised you're even working this late, sir," asked Oliver as he went to shake the man's hand.
"You and I both. Well hurry up there, lad. It's Christmas and you ought to be with your family, as I ought to be with mine."
Oliver then left to go towards the opposite side of the shop to examine the different brooms. His nephew was a bit too young for a full broom, but a toy size one would be just fine. He was so immersed in examining all the brooms that he didn't hear the bell ring to signal the entrance of a new customer to the store. He was having a difficult time deciding between the Comet 360 and the Nimbus 2001 model when he heard a voice he hadn't heard in years.
"Excuse me, sir. I was wondering if you could show me your finest quaffles."
As his stomach gave a sudden lurch, Oliver quickly turned around to see if his ears were lying. There was no chance that voice belonged to whom he thinking of. He saw a young lady wearing a long white cloak with a white beret. Although he could only see the back of her head, he could not mistake her long mane of brown hair, which he hadn't touched for so long.
He surreptitiously moved closer to her, and hid behind a stand of keeper gloves to mask him from view. Sure enough, he could see his old girlfriend, Katie Bell. He hadn't seen her in almost four years, yet she looked exactly as she had back when he was dating her. She was standing by the till, looking anxious for Mr Burns to return from the back of the shop with the quaffles. She was tapping her foot and glancing at her watch as though she was in a hurry.
Before he could think much about his actions, Oliver walked quietly behind her. He reached out and gently touched her shoulder.
She gave a sudden jump, but then turned to look Oliver in the eyes. At first she looked as though she was trying to figure out who he was, but then her eyes widened with enlightenment and she put her hands to her open mouth in shock.
"Oh my goodness, Oliver!" she squealed.
She went to open her arms to hug Oliver, but instead her arm collided with a display of professional Quidditch robes. The whole display toppled over, and Oliver watched Katie jump back in fight. Mr Burns came running out of the back with his arms full of quaffles before cursing to himself at the sight of his cherished Quidditch robes sprawled about the floor. Katie's hands flew back over her mouth in embarrassment.
"Oh, damn," she managed to say. She then pulled out her wand and muttered a spell that left the display in perfect order.
She turned back around to Oliver, who promptly began to laugh uncontrollably. "Well, it's nice to see that you haven't lost your ability to cause accidents," he choked out.
Katie couldn't help but laugh as well, "Well it's lovely to see you again, Oliver." She extended her arms again, and this time succeeded in hugging Oliver. They were locked in a tight embrace, which ended all too quickly in his opinion.
"What are you doing here, Katie, this late on Christmas Eve?" he asked her.
"I'm picking up a present for Angelina and Fred's son. This year I'm having dinner at the Weasleys' since my parents are on holiday in France. Unfortunately, Fred and Angelina forgot to buy their son all his gifts, so I volunteered to get him something," she said while wearing a large grin on her face
"Angelina and Fred had a son?" asked Oliver. He hadn't seen them since their wedding a few years back, which was coincidentally the last time he had seen Katie, as well.
"I know it's hard to see Fred as a parent! But yes, he's two now," she said, throwing her hair back. "I think I could ask why you are here as well, Oliver."
"Actually, I was here to pick up a present for my nephew. He's three and if I have any influence he should be a damn good Quidditch player one day."
"Nephew?" she asked looking confused. "Don't tell me your brother has a son?"
"Yes, and a daughter. They're both really lovely and they keep his hands full."
"Wow, it's amazing how time can pass so quickly," she said, looking off towards space.
"Excuse me, ma'am, but I have the quaffles," Mr Burns said, while his hands were full of the balls.
"Sorry," said Katie, snapping out of her reverie.
"I thought you looked familiar. You used to be ole Oliver here's girlfriend and a right good chaser if I remember correctly," Mr Burns said as he winked at Oliver.
"Yes, well I think this quaffle looks good. I'll take it, please," Katie blushed. Oliver couldn't tell if she was flattered or just wanted to avoid the topic.
As Mr Burns wrapped up the quaffle, Oliver asked for the same model quaffle to give to his nephew. His nephew didn't need a broomstick for Christmas; there were more important things on Oliver's mind now. He assured himself that his nephew would agree once he got older and understood such things.
"Katie, what do you say we go to the Leaky Cauldron and have a drink? We can catch up over a little mead," Oliver asked.
"Sure, that'll be wonderful," she replied.
They both wished Mr Burns a Merry Christmas before Oliver opened the door for Katie, and they left the shop for the cold and snowy Diagon Alley street. As they walked there was an uncomfortable silence between them. Oliver's heart started to beat a little faster than usual, and he couldn't tell if Katie was regretting the fact that the two had ever run into each other. He quickly pushed that thought to the back of his mind, hoping that it was not true.
"After you," Oliver said as he held open the door to the pub to let Katie pass through. When they entered they found the pub decorated to the fullest extent with holly wreaths and enchanted fairy lights decorating the walls. There was a large fir tree in the corner decorated with baubles of red, gold, and green and there was a large stocking hanging up on the bar adorning Tom's name in a fancy script. It appeared that some people had already taken the liberty to throw a few gifts in for the popular barkeeper. The usually packed pub, however, was empty with the exception of the barkeeper. He appeared too preoccupied wiping the flasks clean and humming, "God Rest Ye Merry Hippogriffs" to notice that he had customers.
"Er, Tom" Oliver said.
Tom promptly dropped his flask and blushed a deep crimson. "What are you doing here, Wood? I wasn't expecting any customers this late tonight."
"An old friend and I are here to share a drink," Oliver explained and motioned to Katie in the back. "I'll have a firewhiskey, and she'll have-"
"A butterbeer," Katie cut off. "I have to apparate later, and bad things happen when you mix strong alcohol and apparition, believe me. I had a nasty accident last year where my top half ended up in a shopping centre while the bottom stayed behind at the bar.
"Firewhiskey for the man and a butterbeer for the lady, then," Tom said as he went to fill the drinks.
Katie went and took a seat at a table whilst Oliver waited for the drinks. Tom bent forward to whisper to Oliver, "I remember that girl, she used to date you, isn't that right Wood?"
"Yes," Oliver answered. "But that was a long time ago."
Tom surveyed Oliver for a second before saying, "Whatever you say, but why don't you go and take the drink to the lady."
He then passed the drinks to Oliver, and went into the room adjacent to the bar, disappearing from view.
Oliver walked over to the seat across from Katie and passed her the drinks whilst she took off her cloak and then sat down.
"Thanks, Wood," she said. "Let me give you some money for this."
"Don't think about it, my treat," he said. Katie smiled at him and he once again felt that familiar turn in his stomach.
"Before we drink, then, I think a toast is in order?" Katie said as she lifted her drink.
Oliver paused for a moment while he thought of what to say, before the perfect words of the night came to him, "Here's to honouring the past, but moving on and looking forward to a better future, and even merrier of Christmases to come."
Katie beamed at him, and Oliver felt that hope of a better future rushing through him.
"Cheers to that!" she proclaimed as they clinked their glasses together.
"So, what have you been doing since I last saw you? I can't believe how long it's been," Oliver asked as he took a sip of his drink.
"I know. It feels like ages since I've seen you and so many others. I've been keeping myself busy though. I worked for a while under the Department for Control and Regulation of Magical Creatures dealing with relations between near-humans and wizards. You know how my true passion had always been to help care for magical creatures, not fight the law so I recently took some time off from that," said Katie.
"You left that job?" Oliver asked surprised. "Katie, that's a top line job, you must have given up quite a salary."
"Yes, but you should know that money doesn't mean much to me. My parents have given me quite enough money, and I just don't want to be stuck in a job that has no significance to me," she shrugged. "Besides, one day a merman got a bit cheeky with me and started brandishing his staff at me. Ever since then I've soured on any positives I felt in that career."
"Really? I wasn't even aware that mermen had staffs," said Oliver. They both chortled for a minute before Oliver continued on.
"Speaking of your parents, how are they?" he inquired. During the nearly four and a half years that Katie and Oliver dated, he got to be very close with the two of them.
"They're very well. Mum spent some time in New York recently working over there. Dad was really ill a year or so back, but he's getting on fine now."
"Good to hear. Well, what else is new with you?" Oliver asked. He didn't want to come straightforward with the question he was dying to hear the answer to, but was hoping Katie would come up with it herself.
"Honestly, not much. Life's been pretty boring. Not nearly as exciting as yours I'm sure," Katie said as she paused to sip her drink.
Oliver had barely heard Katie's question. He watched her bring her drink to her lips, and couldn't help staring at her. He hadn't seen her in four years, but she looked just as young now as she did then. She had always been quite pretty, but she seemed to look even more beautiful with the years than she did when she was younger. Perhaps it was just the Christmas atmosphere, but he couldn't help but think she had a special glow to her. It was obvious she still had her playful nature, but she seemed to be more mature and comfortable with herself now than she ever had been.
"Oliver, are you still with me?" asked Katie as she waved a hand in front of his face.
"Sorry. Well, what would make my life more exciting than yours?" he asked, slightly embarrassed that he had been caught staring at her. Luckily, either she hadn't noticed or didn't want to embarrass Oliver by bringing it to his attention.
"I've seen all those pictures of you in the Prophet and Quidditch magazines. You've really made quite a career for yourself, Mr Quidditch star."
"I wouldn't call myself a star, I have much more to accomplish before I can ever be called a star. Besides, I'm not in Quidditch for the magazines, I'm in it because I love the sport."
"Do you love it as much as you did in school? Let me say, at times I'd say you fancied Quidditch more than you did me," Katie laughed.
"I love the game as much as I ever did, but I've got to be honest the schedule is brutal. I'm always travelling, which can be nice, but it's dead exhausting at times."
"What about the fans? It seems you've attracted a lot more female fans than you did when you were first starting?" she teased.
"I'm not going to lie, it is quite flattering. However, it's not as satisfying as you may think."
"I'm sure," Katie smirked. "So have you taken one of those adoring fans in and married her?"
"No, the schedule has been too tiring to devote time into forming a relationship," said Oliver. He then came out with the question he wanted to know, "How about you, Katie. Have you taken up with some bloke?"
"Well, yes. I'm seeing Marcus Belby. Do you remember him, he was in my year at Hogwarts, in Ravenclaw?" she asked.
Oliver couldn't hide his disappointment, but tried to cover it up anyway. "No I don't. You know how I was, if someone didn't play Quidditch I usually didn't know much about them."
He certainly didn't know much about this Belby character, but scoffed at the very idea of him. Did Katie even stop to think that if she married him, she would go from a Bell to a Belby? That was a poor excuse of a name change if Oliver had ever heard one.
"Oh, believe me, I know how you were. Anyway, he works in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement office. I didn't know him much in school, but I got to know him when I worked in the Ministry. He's really lovely, I'm glad I met him," said Katie. She smiled, but didn't have the toothy grin she usually had when she was really happy.
"Do you love him," Oliver asked softly. He couldn't believe his own gall, but his deep desire to know more about her situation stopped him before he could think about what he was saying.
"Excuse me?" she whispered.
"You heard me. Do you love him?" he repeated, more forcefully this time.
"What matter is that?" Katie asked, her voice starting to get a little angrier.
"It's important that if you're serious about someone that you really love him. Judging by the way you described him I'd say you don't really love him."
"And what business is that of yours?"
"Everything," he whispered, moving closer to her.
Katie backed her head away. She looked sternly at him before answering, "Sometimes relationships aren't all about love, Oliver. I was once in a relationship that I thought was built on love, but someone broke that love. Maybe, I'm not looking to love anymore. Maybe, I just want a man who is going to take care of me, and treat me how I deserve to be treated. Maybe, I want a relationship where everyone is committed. Sometimes you don't need love, sometimes you just need to be in a relationship where you feel like an equal."
She then turned her head to look towards the bar. He could see that there were a few silent tears falling out of her big eyes and down her face. He followed one as it moved its way from her eye, brushed past her nose, and fell from her rosy cheek onto the mahogany table. Oliver, felt sorry that he had ever brought up the subject. He couldn't control his emotions, and now he made the only woman he had ever loved cry after not seeing her in four years. His mouth just kept speaking the words from his heart before his brain could catch up to stop him.
"Katie, you know, even when you cry you look gorgeous. Your eyes get so big and your lips swell out. No one can resist you, especially me."
"Oliver. Please, don't do this," she said as she forcefully wiped a tear away and then flipped her hair back.
"I'm sorry," he said, moving his body to lean back in his chair. He really shouldn't have stepped over that barrier. After all, she was somebody else's girlfriend, and as much as he despised it he had no right to question her relationship.
"S'alright," she said as she turned her body back to face Oliver. "I don't want this to be a teary reunion. I've had enough of those, and we're just here to reminisce and enjoy some good drinks on this wonderful holiday."
Oliver smiled softly, "Sounds good to me. So, what has Alicia been up to?"
Oliver and Katie then talked for another hour, and had to have their drinks refilled a few times during it. They reminisced about their days at Hogwarts, how wonderful things had been after You Know Who was defeated, and Katie even kept Oliver updated on all the latest couples' information.
"Then old Ludo Bagman walks up to me, confident as a centaur, and asks me if I could make a donation of one thousand galleons to the foundation for the Now Insane Golden Snidget Rehabilitation and Care Centre," Oliver finished explaining to an amused Katie.
"Are you serious?" she laughed. "Oh, I always knew that Bagman was a git. I just didn't want to say the wrong thing about him while I was at the ministry.
"Aye, he is an idiot. It's a pity that I admired him so much when I was younger. To think he was thieving from people and goblins for all that time."
"You're lucky he didn't charm his way into getting you to give up any galleons. He weaselled plenty of money out Lee Jordan, on some other campaign a year back."
"Don't worry, he wouldn't have fooled me. I'm fairly certain snidgets can't go mad."
Katie giggled, "Well then it's a good thing you know about your snidgets."
It was then that Katie looked down to check her watch, "Oh dear, it's already ten o'clock. I was supposed to be at the Weasleys' by nine. They'll already be having pudding by now." She sat up from her chair and slid her cloak back on. "But, it was so lovely to see you again."
"You too, Katie," Oliver said as he too rose from his seat.
He couldn't believe how quickly time had gone by. It ended just when they were starting to get on like they did when they were together. He so desperately wished that their time together could last just a bit longer.
Katie then gave Oliver a hug. "It's good to see that you haven't lost your personality and sense of humour since becoming Mr Puddlemere United."
"You know that never would have happened," Oliver said with a grin as he hugged Katie.
She then moved in to give him a kiss on the cheek. "Next time, let's be sure not to wait another four years to see each other again," Katie said.
They broke free of each other. "Absolutely not," he said softly.
"Well, good night," Katie said as she moved to the door.
"Bye," Oliver managed to say before she left.
Oliver was left standing in the centre of the Leaky Cauldron alone. Tom was off in that room somewhere, and Oliver knew why. He had obviously wanted to give Katie and he the space to be alone, despite the fact that Tom would have to spend Christmas Eve alone in the back of his bar. But, it had been worth it, since Oliver got to spend time with Katie once again. He turned to put his cloak on and he gazed out the window. The snowflakes were continuing to fall and there was a small accumulation on the ground. The ground had never looked quite so beautiful to him before.
"Oliver."
He quickly turned around to see Katie back standing by the entrance. "Yes?" he asked.
"I just wanted to say, Happy Christmas," she said with a smile.
"Happy Christmas to you, too," he replied.
Katie then turned back and shut the door. Oliver could hear the small crack that came from out the door to signify she had apparated.
"Well, Wood, how'd you're date go?" Tom said as he edged back to the bar from his room.
"You tell me, Tom, I know you heard it. What do you think?" said Oliver in jest.
"I'd say it went well. Unless you count the fact that you made her cry, she has a boyfriend, and that she spilt butterbeer on herself," Tom said with a toothless grin.
"I suppose, but it was so great to see her again. I never realised how much I'd missed her," Oliver said wistfully.
"Well if you don't get back to your family soon you'll miss them, too. Go home, I'm closing the bar now," Tom said waving Oliver out.
"Happy Christmas, Tom."
Oliver walked out of the Leaky Cauldron and into the small opening by the dustbins that led into Diagon Alley. He took one last look up at the starry and snowy sky. He wondered if Katie was thinking about him as much as he was thinking about her. After that, he was left with no choice but to apparate back to his house. And with a simple crack, he left the snowy streets for the comforts of home, taking with him every wonderful moment of the night he had just shared with his only true love, and hoping that just maybe, another wonderful Christmas with her would be yet to come.