Christmas Wishes
Neville ran his hand through his hair and sighed loudly.
"Come on guys it's time to go to bed." He said trying to guide his parents out the great hall. His parents had been staying at Hogwarts over Christmas so they could have a family holiday.
"No." his mum said firmly pulling away from him, he was currently regretting giving the carers the night off.
She looked around to the clear night sky. She loved the stars; she always loved the stars, she loved the way they sang to her, the way they twinkled in the darkness. Neville yawned and looked at the clock, it was just past eleven; Christmas eve and he needed to sleep; the students would be up before dawn, they always were.
"Mum please, it's Christmas tomorrow; you need to sleep." I need to sleep he muttered.
Alice ignored him and continued to dance happily around to hall staring at the sky.
Neville was just about to give up and go and get help when the huge double doors opened and Lilly, dressed in her formal dress robes, swept into the room followed by every Slytherin student.
Neville looked at the bleary eyed children that ranged from slightly confused to thoroughly pissed off at being dragged out of bed so late, the night before Christmas.
"What's going on?" He asked confused as the other houses and teachers arrived as well.
"You'll see." Grinned April trying not to bounce around herself Charlie warning her she'd break her cloud if she carried on. He smiled lovingly at her and kissed the diamond and white gold engagement ring.
"Alice, is everything ready?" Lilly asked softly brushing Alice's blonde hair out her eyes.
Alice bounced up and down happily and clapped her hands. Lilly laughed gently holding her still.
"Do you want to practice setting the chairs up?" Lilly asked.
Again Alice jumped around clapping.
"Can we borrow your wand?" Lilly asked Neville. He handed it over without question, to confused to ask what was going on.
Lilly helped Alice hold Neville's wand out stretched and guided the benches into place lined up along the hall. Alice gave Neville is wand back and clapped happily. Neville smiled, he loved seeing his parents so happy.
Frank was sitting at the wall where the benches were facing running his hands over the beautiful pictures they had painted on the wall. He was always the quieter and more subdued of the two,
Neville frowned, it was weird but the walls seemed empty.
"Are you OK?" Lilly asked guiding him towards the bench at the back where all the teachers were sitting down.
"Yeah." He nodded, "So what's going on. Santa coming to give us presents?" He joked.
"Don't be silly." April said sitting down next to him stuffing her cloud back in it's box and putting the box safely under the bench "Father Christmas doesn't being presents he brings miracles."
Neville was just about to respond when His father shhhed him and pointed to the wall. It was snowing, covering the back ground in thick, soft white flakes.
Neville felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up. Every child and adult in the room was silent, the house elves had gathered around the edges of the room and were also staring at the wall where shapes, people were beginning to form from the snow.
A huge barn solidified a run way leading from it a long the length of the wall.
"What is?" Whispered one of the children; no one answered they were all to transfixed by the wall.
"Look wolves." Said another child, louder.
True enough sixteen huge dire wolves, twice the size of any wolf alive today made their way to the front of the barn.
Neville took a deep breath and tried to steady himself. They weren't in the great hall any more even if he could still feel the wooden bench underneath him. They were in the picture; where ever that was.
Four strong men, either side of the barn pulled on huge ropes either side of the doors causing them to start to swing upwards opening the door.
The crowd in the picture started cheering and shouting, Neville realised that it wasn't just those in the painting but everyone in the great hall, including himself, was also cheering.
The sound of heavy hooves on stone rang out mixed with silvery bells. The hooves grew louder and louder, even as the stone gave way to snow under the eight reindeer's hooves. They pulled hard on their harnesses, pulling out the great red sledge, where a fuzzy figure was sitting, dressed in deep green velvet robes.
The wolves began to run. Keeping pace with the reindeer and their cargo. They went faster and faster, charging to the edge of the run way.
"Fly, Fly, Fly." Called Alice, Frank and the people in the painting.
Lilly and April joined in, followed by Damien and the children sitting before them. Neville wiped tears away from his eyes as he to joined in the chant.
The first reindeer reached the end of the run way and the wolves skidded to a stop letting out an earth shattering howl as they reindeer's hooves left the ground and began to fly through the air. Everyone was shouting and cheering. Neville jumped to his feet in happiness, clapping so much his hands hurt but he didn't care. He clapped with everyone else in the room and the painting.
Ravens took off from a near by tree and took the wolves place in the air as the sledge and it's reindeer melted back into the falling snow.
Neville took a few deep breaths, feeling very light headed. Lilly gave him an arm to lean on so that he could catch his balance. A few of the students hadn't been so lucky and were now rolling around on the floor laughing hysterically.
Alice and Frank were hugging each other tightly jumping happily around. Neville gave them a sad smile.
"Thank you, for whatever that was." He said turning to Lilly.
"Wasn't me. And I don't think it's over yet." She smiled knowingly.
Lilly stood on the bench and cleared her throat.
"There is a fair amount of snow out there. Lets get those house points rising. Whole house snow ball fight. One point for ever snow ball you hit on someone in a different house." She announced flicking her hand, creating a magical tally that floated outside.
Everyone rushed for the door into the snow that had fallen on the grounds over the last few weeks. Neville followed slowly making sure his parents made it out safely.
He laughed at Lilly and April; who seemed to be having this snow ball fight to the death and using children as human shields.
"It's snowing again." He said looking up at the powdery snow just starting to fall. He smiled as his parents spun round catching snow flakes on their tongues.
And then they stopped. They walked slowly over to him. Alice took his hand and stared into his eyes.
"Merry Christmas. Son. We're so proud of you." She kissed him gently on the cheek.
His father smiled, not a silly grin but a proper, deep smile. An awake smile. Neville felt tears dripping down his nose as he looked into his true parent's eyes for the first time since he was a baby.
The clock struck midnight. It was Christmas day.
