Written for the Pairing the Character Competition (Regulus/Dirk)

Written for the Months of the Year Challenge. Write about Christmas. Prompts: (item) present, (plot point) someone cooks a meal


Hateful Celebrations

Regulus hated Christmas. How could he enjoy it when his only memories were of his parents complaining about the Muggle tradition and how filthy it was, and Sirius getting punished when he attempted to introduce the tradition into their home?

Hogwarts was a miserable time, because while his friends opened their gifts, he was left with a letter reminding him how disgraceful it was that wizards celebrated it.

He hated it; loathed it. It was the worst time of the year.

"Master Regulus, Kreacher has cooked a meal for Master. He hopes it is to your taste."

Regulus looked at the house-elf holding up a plate of steaming roast chicken. He sighed, taking it. "Appreciated, Kreacher."

Kreacher beamed.

As he sat down the doorbell of Grimmauld Place sounded, and Regulus jumped to his feet. He hadn't had a visitor since his parents' passing three years earlier.

"Kreacher will tell them to go away," the house-elf said. "They should not have found this place."

"No!" Regulus intercepted. He moved into the dark hall, his feet echoing as he moved across the wooden floorboards.

He opened the door, his hand gripped tightly over his wand inside his pocket.

"Merry Christmas, Reg!"

Regulus backed away at the sudden force of a poorly-wrapped gift being shoved into his hands. Kreacher braced in an attack position.

"Who is Master Regulus' visitor?" he demanded.

Recovering from the shock, Regulus straightened, looking into the eye of a youthful boy, no older than himself. He sighed. "This is Dirk," he mumbled.

Dirk invited himself into the home, looking around. "Dark place you've got here, Reg." He shook the snow from his coat.

Regulus smiled bleakly, looking at the gift in his arms.

"Oh, yeah, I remember you never got much at school, so I thought… why not, huh?"

Regulus turned a deep red.

Dirk grinned. "Open it, fool."

Hesitantly, Regulus tore at the wrapping, nervous about what he would find. Once he got through the paper, he gasped.

Dirk beamed. "Thought you'd like it."

Inside was a picture frame filled with the joyful faces of the two very same men standing in the hall of Grimmauld Place. Dirk had his arm across Regulus' shoulder, his lips pressed against his cheek.

Dirk mimicked the photograph. "Merry Christmas, love," he said. "I thought I'd made this one special before I go to work for the goblins."

And in the brief moment of happiness, Regulus once again remembered why he hated Christmas.

It always ended with him feeling heartbroken.


I hope you enjoyed it. I quite enjoyed writing this new pairing, actually.