WARNING! WARNING! WARNING! WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!
The Yuletide Pensieve is a collection of Christmas themed Oneshots written by me. Keep in mind that this collection will be multiple standalone Oneshots and that each Oneshot will be based off of a Christmas prompt! I must also warn you that each Oneshot will contain a different pairing, though there may be instances when I post multiple Oneshots with the same pairing, and that each may will be rated differently. Please make sure that you read each chapter/Oneshot description carefully as I will be listing what each Oneshot is about and what the rating is. That information can be found below this paragraph. I must also warn that I do write pairings that might be offensive to some and that slash and FemSlash are definite possibilities. Aside from that, I hope you all enjoy my Christmas collection!
Title: Unrelenting
Category: Books - Harry Potter
Challenge(s): Holiday Spirit: Christmas Boot Camp Challenge, Non-Human Characters Boot Camp Challenge, Character Diversity Boot Camp Challenge, and the Minor Character Boot Camp Challenge.
Prompt(s): Stubborn, Ribbons, Laughed, and Afraid.
Length: Oneshot – 1,980 words
Rating: (K)
Pairing or Characters: Su Li and the Whomping Willow(who was added a couple of days ago by my request.)
Thanks: To both of my beta's Kyla and LJ! I really appreciate that you guys have taken the time to work with me and my writing. I couldn't have asked for two better betas!
Disclaimer: Though it pains me to say so, I do not own the rights to anything that belongs to the Harry Potter universe, nor do I make any money from writing about them. The only thing(s) that I can claim as mine own are the ideas and/or characters that may be woven into the wonderful world of all that is Harry Potter. Everything else is used in the spirit of good natured fun or naughty shenanigans. What can I say? I just like to play!
Author's Notes: In this Oneshot I mentioned a wizarding school in China called Dà Shí de Mó Shù which roughly translates to Great Knowledge of Magic. I do not speak any form of Chinese and I am aware that it is most likely the wrong interpretation of the Chinese words. I also didn't use the Chinese symbols because I felt that it would cause an uncomfortable break in the story. Instead, I used the words as they would be pronounced.
Unrelenting
Amid the blanket of snow covering the frozen grounds the Whomping Willow felt the familiar tattoo of dainty footsteps moving closer with noticeable caution. She visited him many times throughout her years at Hogwarts. Usually she would stop just outside the Whomping Willow's reach and sit on a boulder. Whilst she situated herself, the Whomping Willow assumed the task of mock indifference, just as he had done on every occasion before, but the gnarled old tree had a bit of a secret. The Whomping Willow quite enjoyed the visits of this girl.
It all started five long winters ago when the first snow of the year had chilled the Whomping Willow's knobby roots. Though he was cold and nearly numb, the old tree felt the weary vibrations of a child's footsteps. There was something about the way that she moved which hinted to the fact that she was afraid of him, just as she bloody well should have been! Underneath her fear he could sense something else: a hint of stubbornness and sadness.
Try as he might, the Whomping Willow could not bring himself to ignore the child as he had done to others over the years. The lost souls of Hogwarts, misunderstood, lonely, or outcast, would always seek out the Whomping Willow as if the old tree's friendship was an essential conquest. But there was just something about this girl, Su Li she called herself, that had gotten passed his hard bark exterior to touch the soft core which he guarded so fiercely.
For as long as she had come to visit him, never once had she tried to move within his reach. At first he had been determined to frighten her away just like all of the others. Truth be told, he hoped she would come closer so that he could give her a good whack. Yet Su never gave him the opportunity. Instead she would sit upon a particular stone and simply talk to him.
At first Su had tried to carry on a conversation with the bad-tempered tree. She would ask silly questions of which he could never answer. It wasn't as if he had a mouth from which he could speak. Sure the old tree could think for itself; he was a special tree after all, and unlike any other that grew on the Hogwarts grounds. He could feel things happening around him which in turn allowed him to hear words through the faintest of vibrations. He could never talk, but he was able to listen…sometimes against his will.
Su told him many stories over the years. After some time when the Whomping Willow didn't answer her, the girl switched to pouring out her entire life story. She had started with simple things such as who she was and where she came from. Her parents were Chinese immigrants who had taken a liking to London during a holiday shortly after they were married. Her mum was a fiery witch who had learned magic in one of China's largest wizarding schools, Dà Shí de Mó Shù. Her father was a muggle business man in charge of a large office supply company in both China and Great Britain. Su was the eldest one of two children; her sister Ming was only a few years old, born during Su's second year at Hogwarts.
Through her words the Willow learned that, though her family had money, Su found that material possessions couldn't make up for her lack of friends. She explained to the Whomping Willow how hard it was for her to make friends because she was so shy. People never understood her quiet nature, so she didn't have any true friends so to speak, and that was why she spent much of her time with the crotchety willow tree. He seemed to be the only one that listened to her endless confessions, thoughts, and secrets.
And he did listen to her. He listened with such interest that he actually started to enjoy the young girl's company. In truth, she had gotten to the old grump in a way that no other had. Su became his only friend. With a past of such bitterness the Whomping Willow never had any room for friends, nor any need, until Su Li.
Today she sat quietly upon her stone. By her feet she had placed the weight of a bag upon his underlying outstretched roots. The Whomping Willow could tell that it wasn't her usual school bag, it wasn't as heavy. Curious as to what it might be, he waited for her to speak.
After long moments of silence, pulsations from her spoken words began to hum throughout the circuits of his foundation. He heard them as, "It's almost time to leave for Christmas. The students are up packing their trunks to leave tomorrow morning. All of my things are packed already. I packed them last night while everybody else was at the choir's Christmas recital."
The Whomping Willow shifted, shaking its branches just enough to unsettle the snow that had begun to build upon it. Su hesitated for just a heartbeat before continuing on, "I thought that it would be nice to pay you one last visit before I left. I won't be back to visit you for a few weeks. What am I even saying, you probably don't even care that I'm here to begin with," Su shot off tetchily. The Whomping Willow could feel the intensity of irritation humming through her small body sending tremors through his roots.
She bent down and picked up her bag. Once she had it unclasped she began to ruffle through it until she found whatever it was that she was searching for. The Whomping Willow swayed gently from side to side as he waited.
Su began speaking to him, "I know that it's incredibly stupid for me to even consider, but I thought that maybe this year for Christmas I might give you a few decorations in spirit of the holiday season. I've thought about it and well, if you kill me in the process then that'll just be my own fault now wont it," Su finished, heaving a long sigh.
The willow tree wasn't sure how he felt about the child approaching him. Not only that but how he would feel about having decorations on his branches. On top of that, he enjoyed her company, but he was an aggressive tree by nature. What if he killed her? And what if he didn't? If he let one child close, then others might try to follow suit. But even as he tried to calm his anxiety, the child spoke.
"So, I've brought with me a satchel of ribbons and bells and vials of little flashing lights. I thought that if I stood right here and used my wand to decorate with that you might be alright with it."
Su pulled her wand from within her heavy violet cloak and sent a brilliant red velvet ribbon toward the Whomping Willow. It wrapped around one of the many bare limbs before tying itself into a big beautiful bow. The girl bit her lip anxiously as if worried that he might go mad at any moment. Instead the tree lifted the branch, turning it too and fro, just as though he were inspecting the new addition.
Careful not to scare her, the Whomping Willow stretched out the adorned limb. He then used two other limbs to grab the bow and tighten it up neatly. Chuffed with himself because of the bow he stretched it out farther for Su Li to inspect.
"There you are, it's beautiful. Now, if you'll sit still I'll add a few more."
Velvet ribbons of royal blue, forest green, crimson, and gold sailed to the Whomping Willow and tied themselves into neat little bows. As Su worked flurries of snow began drifting from the evening sky. She shivered, sending more vibrations through the Willow's roots, yet she continued working until all of the ribbons had been tied. Next she sent the bells of silver and gold tinkling along. They hung themselves upon the thinner willow branches with lacy white fastenings. In the gentle winter wind they jingled a merry melody.
The Whomping Willow stood still as if frozen while the girl worked with her wand. Subconsciously she began walking around the tree, moving closer and closer while she directed the different decorations, and he wasn't tempted to cause his only friend harm.
"Time for the lights, they're the last decoration. I made these myself with a potion that I found in a library book," from her bag she pulled tiny vials filled with flashing fluid. Liquids of fuchsia, magenta, lime green, cerulean, bright yellow, and cherry red whirled continuously in the tiny bottles. Each sparkled, with golden flickering light and silver swirling glitter. "It took me few tries before I finally got them right. They're really pretty. I'll have to ? " her voice trailed off. With a sigh she said, "I forgot to bring the ties to hold them in place."
The Whomping Willow sensed the disappointment from her words and it made him feel a sudden sadness for her. This child had tried to do something from the goodness of her heart. There must be something that he could do. Then a thought came to him, as quick as a flash, and he was reaching one of his wispy branches toward her.
Suddenly Su realized that she was far too close. She flinched…shrinking away from him, waiting for the impact of the tree's vicious lashing, but it never came. Instead she felt one of the thin whips pluck a bottle gently from her hand. Feeling brave she peeked through one partially opened eye to watch the willow. He held the bottle gingerly with one twig while a small vine shot out of a larger branch to twine through the loophole on the top of the glass. Once he was finished, the flickering decoration hung securely in place with a single braided vine.
"You're an absolute genius, you are!" Su cried out.
Puffs of mist rose into the deepening blue sky as she laughed and danced around the tree, all the while sending the homemade lights one at time for the tree to hang with braided vines. Fifteen minutes later they had finished the task which Su Li had set out to accomplish. The Whomping Willow was ingeniously decorated and looked quite lovely. Never had the old tree looked as cheerful as it did at that very moment.
"You look charming!" Su exclaimed.
There was one more thing that she'd brought with her, one which she had left beside her sitting rock. Her wand at the ready, she gave it a flick and summoned the large wreath to her. She wasn't sure that it was smart to approach the trunk of the tree to hang the wreath. Then as she stood debating the idea…she realized that she was already within striking distance and she had yet to be harmed. With her decision made, Su edged toward the Whomping Willow until she stood right beside his trunk.
It took her a moment to find the knot on the tree trunk in the dark. With hesitant fingers she slipped a binding over the protruding knot and settled the wreath into place, "There you go, that's all of the decorations," she spoke softly. Even so, the Whomping Willow could feel the affection in her voice. "This is my Christmas present to you." Before she could stop herself, she flung her arms around as much of the tree trunk as she could, and in that moment the time worn tree wrapped her in a crushing hug. Su was so heartened by the exchange that tears stung her eyes. Sniffling she said, "Thank you, this is the best Christmas present ever. Thank you Whompy, thank you for everything."