Ch.3

After Harry had spent about an hour thinking about Quidditch and strategies he could use against Draco Malfoy, Slytherin's seeker, to ensure a win for Gryffindor, he heard the house slowly beginning to come to life.

Ron's heavy footsteps sounded throughout the house as he walked to the bathroom, Hermione could be heard muttering to herself about needing to study today, even if it was Christmas, and Ginny was quietly humming to herself as she walked downstairs to help her mother with breakfast in the kitchen.

Harry got up and climbed the stairs to Ron's room, passing Ginny's room on way, where Hermione was lodged. "Morning Hermione", he said to her though the open door. "Merry Christmas Harry!" She said smiling at him. "Where are you going?" "Ron's room," he replied. "Wait, i'll come up too." Hermione grabbed two of the neatly wrapped presents from a pile on the floor and followed Harry upstairs.

They entered Ron's room and sat on his bed to wait, and a moment later he came back from the bathroom.

He re-entered wearing a towel wrapped around his waist. He had another towel draped over his head, and was using it to rather vigorously rub his hair dry, while poorly, but very cheerfully humming a Christmas Jingle to himself. Harry glanced at Hermione with a smirk, but she looked down, embarrassed, her cheeks flushing a delicate pink; Ron had not noticed they were there.

"Bloody Hell!" Ron scream when he finally saw them, his voice climbing several octaves as he jumped back with a fright, banging into his door. "You scared me...I….uh...didn't know you were in here!" he stammered as he regained his composure, flushing bright red.

"Good mood this morning mate?" asked Harry with a smirk. "Yeah...well...it's Christmas innit…" Ron replied. He glanced at Hermione quickly, and hurried to find a shirt on the floor to put on.

"I've got presents for you both" said Hermione to change the subject and to rescue Ron and herself from their embarrassment. She handed each of them a package.

"Speaking of presents," said Ron, thankful for the change of subject, "Did either of you get a visit from Dobby early this morning? He brought me a gift."

"Yeah. He brought me one too. It was a really thoughtful gift actually. A pair of seeker's gloves. Good ones."

"Wicked," said Ron appreciatively. "He got me some great Zonko's stuff i'll be able to use to get Fred and George back for all the pranks they've pulled at my expense for the last few years of my life."

"He came to my room too" said Hermione. "He brought me a wonderful book on 200 of the most useful charms for practical witches and wizards…"

Ron and Harry looked at each other, trying to imagine how anyone could be happy about receiving a textbook for Christmas. "That's...uh...Great Hermione," they said together.

"Well go on then" she said. "Unwrap your presents."

The boys unwrapped them warily, hoping she hadn't gotten them something educational too. Inside the wrapping paper both boys found a cardboard box. Ron opened his first.

"Wow Hermione! Thanks!" He immediately took off the shirt he had just put on to throw on his brand new bright orange Chudley Cannons Jersey instead. "Fits perfectly as well" he said approvingly.

"Look at the bottom Ronald." Hermione instructed with a small smile.

"No way….Hermione you're amazing! But how did you...?!" The shirt had been signed by one of Ron's favorite players on the team.

"Persistence." Hermione answered simply. "I'm glad you like it."

"Love it!" corrected Ron. Harry opened his box next to discover a brand new pair of keepers goggles. Hermione must have remembered his mentioning that he needed a new pair. "Thanks Hermione! You remembered!"

"They aren't just any keepers goggles Harry" she said with a smirk playing at the edges of her lips. "Read the tag."

Harry picked up the goggles and turned over the tag that was pinned to one of the straps. It read:

Quidditch King is proud to introduce

Seeker's Catch Quidditch goggles!

The first ever interactive, informative pair of seeker's goggles!

Seeker's Catch google's will let you know:

When a bludger is about to hit you.

How far away the oncoming bludger is.

From what direction the bludger is coming.

The score of the current game.

How fast you are flying.

"Hermione these are amazing! But...since when do you condone cheating?" asked Harry, wondering whether it wasn't cheating to be given a heads up every time a bludger was on your tail.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "It's not cheating. I've read the rules. As long as the goggles don't report to the seeker the position of the snitch or the speed and direction at which it's traveling, they're allowed. Besides, Quidditch has given you enough injuries already and if you can avoid any more, you may as well."

"Couldn't agree with you more" said Harry, recalling each of the times he had been hurt playing Quidditch. He definitely preferred to stay healthy and conscious during a match.

"Well," said Ron, "I'd give you your present now Hermione but it's downstairs under the tree…"

"Mine too." said Harry.

"That's okay, I expect Ginny and your mum will be done with breakfast soon. I'll open them after breakfast with everyone else. I just couldn't wait to give you those," replied Hermione, gesturing towards the goggles and the Jersey. "Come on, let's go downstairs."

While Hermione walked down the stairs at a leisurely pace, Ron and Harry took the steps three at a time. They could smell the delicious aromas of sizzling bacon and sausage, fried eggs, roasted tomatoes, sauteed mushrooms, baked beans, black pudding and crispy toast. Harry didn't get breakfasts like these at the Dursley's, and he was especially ravenous after his flight this morning.

"Good morning boys! Hungry?" Asked with a chuckle, having heard how quickly they had run down the stairs.

"Starving!" they chorused. "Ginny keep an eye on the eggs and the toast for me!" she instructed, walking toward the Christmas tree and pulling out three brightly wrapped packages. She handed two of them to the Harry and Ron.

"Merry Christmas boys. Merry Christmas Hermione dear!", she called to Hermione who had just appeared at the foot of the stairs. "Here you are, this is for you!" She handed Hermione the last present.

"Thank you Mrs. Weasley" said Hermione brightly.

"How many times have I told you Hermione, you call me Molly!"

The three unwrapped their presents, and immediately all put on their new hand-knitted Christmas Sweaters, all of which were emblazoned with the first letters of their names.

As soon as Arthur, Fred and George had joined them downstairs and donned their Christmas sweaters, breakfast was served. They all sat around the long wooden table eating cheerily, occasionally making appreciative noises and complimenting Molly's cooking.

"Hey mum, what time are Charlie and Bill getting here again?" asked Fred

"Soon i'd expect, they said they'd probably miss breakfast but get in before lunch time. Oh and speaking of lunch, there won't be any. We're having Christmas dinner rather early, around five o'clock, so if you're feeling peckish during the day there are some mince pies, chestnuts, and other bits in the cupboard. But I want you all to save an appetite! I'm making a full roast tonight."

Ron grinned, already anticipating dinner, despite having only just finished gorging himself on breakfast.

"Have you heard from Remus or Sirius love?" asked . Harry's ears perked up as he listened attentively for Mrs. Weasley's answer.

"Yes darling, an owl came in about an hour ago. They're both apparating in, sometime around one o'clock according to Remus's note. They can't use the Floo Network or a portkey obviously, Sirius still needs to stay hidden."

Harry glanced at the old clock mounted on the wall. The hands indicated 8:30AM. Four and a half more hours, he thought impatiently. He had been eagerly awaiting Sirius's arrival for days now, counting down the hours as they slowly passed.

"Right!" said Mrs. Weasley "I'll need you all to help get this breakfast cleaned up, and then we'll opened presents shall we?"

They all readily agreed, their spirits too high to begrudge a bit of cleaning up.