He felt like one of the anti-hero wizards he and Fred used to read about on the sly over summer holidays. Rebel Aurors who wore long dragon hide coats and spoke great lines like you didn't really think you'd get away with it—did you, hag? George wasn't reckless enough to call Anne a hag, but he did intend to confront her and see justice done. One way or another, she was coming to Christmas dinner.
To show he was serious, George didn't stop to remove the Floo powder from his new coat after reaching his destination. He strode into the Spinnets' lounge, jaw set with resolve.
His step faltered. Anne wasn't there.
Absently, he dusted off the shoulders of his coat, debating whether to call out or wait for her to return. On the coffee table, a photo album lay open beside a teacup and saucer. A scene from Auror Confidential came to mind. He walked over and placed his hand over the cup. Just like in the novel, warm vapours heated his palm. She had recently poured the tea.
George decided to wait.
He sat on the sofa and leaned forward to see what Anne had been looking at. It wasn't what he'd expected, pictures of the Spinnets' last Christmas together as a family. The album held photographs of Alicia—baby photographs.
She was almost as adorable as we were, said a ghostly voice. Your kid could do a lot worse than look like mummy. "Fred" sniggered. Poor tyke could take after Auntie Muriel.
George grimaced. Auntie Muriel had facial hair he and Fred bitterly envied when they were still unable to grow their own.
He could almost hear a snort. Who are you kidding? We were never able to grow a moustache like hers!
George ran a finger over his upper lip. Alicia liked him smooth-shaven.
What about smooth-chested?
A brief smile crossed his face. Yeah, she liked that too—especially when massage oil was involved.
He turned the pages, stopping to take a closer look at a picture of a chubby, laughing toddler. Alicia, with a red bow perched atop short, dark curls, took wobbly steps toward the photographer. Behind her, a woman sitting on the rug watched with a proud, loving smile on her face. It was Anne.
"What are you doing here?"
George jerked upright. The witch he'd planned to confront stood just inside the doorway. She looked at him warily. He remembered her expression in the photograph and decided to be polite. "That's what I came to ask you," he said.
Anne crossed her arms. "I live here."
You set yourself up for that one.
George rose to his feet. "Alicia said you were ill. You don't look sick to me."
"I'm heartsick."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
That's right. Get her talking.
Anne's lips tightened. "Did you expect congratulations? I can't help but be disappointed that Alicia's taking this step so hastily—emotionally."
She didn't give her daughter much credit. George kept his tone deliberately calm. "If you think Alicia said yes without asking why I want to marry her, you're wrong."
"So she said. Alicia refused to share those reasons, however."
And didn't that ram a broomstick up her backside?
Anne's bruised feelings weren't the point. "She wanted you to trust her judgement."
"On any other matter, I would, but when it comes to you—" Anne paused, and then said, "I believe her judgment is impaired."
"I don't care what you believe," George said. "I care about what you do when it affects Alicia. You hurt her—and you're going to make it right."
"I'm not—"
"You're going to come to Christmas dinner, and you're going to tell Alicia that if she has faith in me, you'll have faith in her, and trust everything will work out for the best."
"Why—"
"Where's your wedding album?" There was a stack on the floor beside the sofa. He picked out the one covered in white lace. "Here's why she has faith in me. I made a promise." He opened the album and thrust it Anne, jabbing his finger at a line. "That promise."
She stared down at the words for minutes that seemed to stretch out endlessly. When she looked up, Anne said, "Do you mean it?"
He remembered Alicia asking the same question and answered with as much conviction, "Yes."
Anne's posture relaxed. "All right. I'll hurry and get ready."
George turned to leave.
"Tell me," Anne said. "Does Alicia know you came here?"
"No. She's taking a nap."
"Will you tell her?"
"Not unless you want me to."
Anne shook her head. "It would only cause more conflict."
For you and her both!
George said, "I'll look for you at noon, then."
He was about to drop the Floo powder when Anne said, "If your family asks where you've been, what will you tell them?"
"The truth," George said. "I was spreading Christmas cheer."
He was still grinning over the startled expression on Anne's face when he exited the Floo at the flat. He whistled "Jingle Bells" on the way downstairs to the storeroom.
Caper answered the door wearing a scarlet tea towel and matching scarf. His smile stretched from ear to ear. "Mister George! Merry Christmas!"
"Merry Christmas, Caper. Did you like the tree-in-a-box?"
"Very much. It is most ingenious." The house-elf rubbed a small scratch on his cheek. "Caper learned not to lean over the box while opening."
"Ah, hell. I'm sorry."
"Do not be. Elves is fast healers." Caper drew a line down his cheek with a fingertip. "Was much bigger, before."
George was glad he had decided to wait to put the tree on the market. He could imagine the Quibbler headline. Killer Christmas Tree Pokes Kid's Eye Out! "Just what you wanted, a present hazardous to your health," he said wryly. "I'll fix the spring spell later. Right now, we need to go."
Caper twisted the ends of his scarf between his fingers. "Mister has given Caper a tree and a stocking. To bring Caper to dinner with family is—"
"Alicia put together the stocking, and I don't just want you to come to dinner." George looked away, as if embarrassed to admit, "I need you to."
"Need?"
"Yeah." George hunched a shoulder. "My folks aren't rich. Dad has to enlarge the kitchen to fit everyone at the holidays, and, well, those aren't the kind of spells he's best at. With the place as rickety as it is..."
"Caper will come to enlarge the kitchen."
"And stay to dinner?" George exhaled heavily. "Mum always insists on conjuring the whole meal. Sometimes, there are barely any leftovers."
Because there's always a crowd and everyone stuffs themselves!
"Caper will stay to make sure the food remains plentiful."
And they call Slytherins cunning.
George smiled. "Thanks, mate."
The tips of pointed ears turned pink. "You is welcome. Is you wishing me to transport us?"
"Can you Apparate that far?"
Round green eyes twinkled as Caper put his hand on George's arm.
They were transported to the back step of the Burrow.
"I guess you can," George said, shivering from the cold.
Caper placed his hands on the outside wall. "How many is you needing to seat?"
George began counting. "Twenty."
The elf's brow wrinkled in deep concentration. Within seconds, the house expanded. A muffled shriek was heard.
The back door flew open. Molly stood brandishing a ladle. "What's going on out here?"
Caper waved his fingers. The gravy she'd spilled down her apron vanished. She lowered her arm. "Oh. That was you, was it? Lovely work. I've never had extra counter space before. Arthur only enlarged the middle to expand the table, when Merlin knows a woman needs all the counter space she can get at the holidays." Molly backed into the kitchen. "Would you care for a cup of eggnog, Caper?"
The elf said, "No, thank you, madam. I is here to help."
"Help? No, no, I couldn't allow—" Molly's eyes cut to the tableware laid out in readiness. "Unless you'd like to, erm, double check that all the silver is polished."
Caper bowed. "It would be my pleasure."
Ginny, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Gabrielle tromped into the kitchen. George saw the way Hermione was eyeing Caper and spoke quickly to avoid a well-meant inquisition. "Going out to play in the snow Dad conjured?"
"Off to test these," Ginny said, holding up her bronze dragon hide gloves. She plucked cloaks from pegs and handed them out.
"Percy was vairy kind to offer me zese," Gabrielle said, displaying bright green gloves.
He probably hopes she'll lose them so he's never forced to wear something so colourful.
"Have fun, dears," Molly said.
George said, "Make sure it's good, clean fun. No anatomically correct snowmen—or snow women."
While Ron blushed, Ginny smiled nostalgically. "Fred got us into so much trouble that Christmas."
"Well deserved," Molly said firmly. She sniffed. "Mind the time. Dinner will be ready soon."
George said, "I'll go wake Alicia."
In the lounge, the younger adults were building a house of cards on a side table while the older set swapped tales of Christmas pasts. "Are you using Exploding Snap cards?" George asked, stopping a moment to watch their progress.
Fleur tossed her head. "But of course! Ze danger is what adds ze spice!"
"I voted for regular cards," Percy said. He shrugged good-naturedly. "I was out-voted."
Story of his life.
"A Galleon to whoever blows up the house," George said, heading to the stairs.
Bill, Charlie, and Fleur cheered.
Up in his room, Alicia lay on her side, breathing deeply. George took off his coat and hung it in the wardrobe before lying down. Mischievously, he pulled her to lie on top of him before rescinding the charm.
"George?" she said softly.
He kept his eyes closed.
Her lips brushed his in a kiss.
-
He kissed her back, but she asked anyway. "Are you awake?"
George opened his eyes. "I was never asleep."
Oh gods, she thought. What has he been up to? If he didn't believe my story about Mum and went to talk to her…. Alicia had to ask, "Did you—go anywhere—during my nap?"
His hands were caressing her back. Was he trying to distract her? It was working.
"I went to get Caper. I was afraid he wouldn't show otherwise. He's helping Mum in the kitchen."
"We should help, too."
George grabbed her arse. "I can't. I'm pinned to the bed."
Alicia gave him kiss for being cute and rolled to the side.
He pinched her before letting go.
It didn't hurt, but Alicia said, "Ouch!" and rubbed as though it had. Her ploy worked. George got off the bed.
"I was only playing," he said, "I—" His eyes suddenly narrowed. "I think I'd better take a look at the injury."
"No!" She backed away.
"Yes. You might need bruise remover. Unzip."
His tiny smirk was so wickedly appealing; she almost did it to see his reaction. Not quite ready to end their little game, Alicia reached behind her for the door handle. She turned the knob and pulled, saying, "I'm not unzipping anything! It's time for dinner!" She back-pedalled into the corridor, expecting him to follow—and almost fell over Percy.
"I beg your pardon!" He steadied her. "I came up to tell you—your mother's arrived."
Alicia looked at George.
"She must be feeling better," he said. "That's good."
He was trying to act innocent—a dead giveaway that George was guilty of interfering. On another day, she might not have appreciated his actions, but on this day she closed the space between them, hugging him fiercely. "You're a good man."
"Remember that the next time I pinch your arse."
"I will, and maybe I'll pinch yours first."
"Promise?"
Alicia walked downstairs with a smile that faltered when she saw her mother waiting at the bottom of the steps. "Hullo, Mum."
"I came to apologise," Anne said softly.
"Thank you." Tears filled Alicia's eyes. "I'm so happy you're here. Dad wouldn't want us to spend Christmas apart."
"He'd also want me to have faith in you—and your choices." Her mum reached out to stroke her cheek. "I haven't done that or been there for you like I should…but I will."
They were hugging and crying together when Alicia heard footsteps. "If I pay you a Galleon, one of your eyebrows better be singed off," George said loudly. "I want value for my money."
"I did burn a finger when the cards exploded."
"Is there a blister?"
"No. Fleur performed a Healing Charm."
Alicia glanced up to see the brothers descending the stairs.
George handed Percy a Galleon. "Next time show me the blister before you get it healed or I won't pay more than a Sickle." He paused on the stair when he saw her watching. "Everything all right?" he asked.
She didn't know if it was pregnancy hormones or love, but Alicia almost started crying from happiness. "Everything's wonderful."
The same could be said about Christmas Dinner, and was, by Fleur, who amused Alicia by directing Bill to pile spoonfuls of numerous side dishes onto her plate along with slices of roast turkey and roast prime rib.
"Je voudrais de Brussells sprouts wiz ze shallots, and I would like some potatoes, and ze parsnips, and un Yorkshire pudding—" Fleur stopped pointing at the dishes that were being passed around to tap her finger in the direction of the savoury puddings, raising her voice to ask, "What herbs did you use, Molly?"
"Mum's not the only one who doesn't need a Sonorous Charm," Bill said dryly.
Fleur wrinkled her nose at him.
Molly called back, "Fresh parsley, and a bit of chives and thyme."
"And sage," Madame Delacour pronounced, after taking a bite. "Délicieux!"
"Rosemary, too," Gabrielle said, looking down the table. "For remembrance." She blushed prettily.
It didn't take keen powers of observation to be aware of the girl's admiration for Harry, but he was staring into Ginny's eyes and totally oblivious.
"He'd better keep it that way if he knows what's good for him," George said in an undertone. "Ginny's Bat Bogey Hex will give you nightmares."
"How do you know?"
He gave her a puppy-dog look.
She tried not to laugh. "Aw, poor baby."
After dinner, when the dishes were cleared away, Molly and Caper set out marzipan-covered fruitcake, pear trifle, and Christmas pudding with custard sauce to be devoured whenever stomachs had room to spare. The parents of the group ambled into the lounge while the younger members went down to the basement to play skittles.
"I 'ave no energy for rolling wooden "cheese" wheels to knock down pins," Fleur said.
George conjured a deck of cards. "We could stay in the kitchen and play games."
Charlie said, "What kind of games?"
"Oh Hell," George said. He told Fleur, "You start with one card, spades are trump, and if you don't get the exact number of tricks you bid—"
Percy's eyebrows rose. "Yelling 'Oh Hell' on Christmas Day is hardly appropriate."
"Fine. We'll yell 'Oh Shit'," George fired back.
"'Ow about 'Oh Hades'?" Fleur said. "Zat is not harsh or vulgar."
Percy's expression said he disagreed.
Alicia offered a suggestion of her own. "We could play Spoons."
"What's that? A kid's game?" Charlie asked.
"I learned it at a party."
George frowned. "What party?"
"It was a couple of years ago," Alicia said, "after the exhibition match between the Stonewall Stormers and Puddlemere United. A Chaser for the Stormers decided to further international relations with Spoons."
"Which player?" George asked.
"Danielle Liemieux."
Bill said, "How do you play?"
Alicia said, "The object is to get four of a kind and take a spoon. After that, everyone grabs for what's left, and whoever doesn't get a spoon is out."
George could lift an eyebrow much more effectively than Percy could. "Is this a drinking game?" he said.
"Not always," Alicia turned to Caper. "We need six spoons. One less spoon than players."
"Everybody plays," George said when Caper started to shake his head.
Spoons appeared on the table. Alicia leaned over to arrange them with the handles pointing out. "You deal the first round," she said to George. "Everyone gets four cards, and then the rest are put in front of you. You'll draw a card from the pile, and then pass one to your right—" She explained the game and how if there was a fight for the spoon, the person who stood up with the spoon in their hand won it.
"What if I grab a spoon wizout anyone 'aving four of a kind?" Fleur said.
"You lose the round."
Fleur slanted a flirty glance at Bill. "And if I lure someone into grabbing?"
"They're out."
"So this is a game of bluffing," Percy said.
Alicia looked at George. "And matching."
He began dealing cards. "Let's play."
The first card George passed her was the five of hearts. In Cartomancy, the card meant jealousy, or indecision. Alicia tried not to think the worst while passing Caper a two of hearts, signalling friendship.
The next card George slid her way was a five of spades: anxiety and setbacks. "Did you go to the party with Angelina?" he asked.
"No. Oliver invited me." Alicia checked to make sure no one had snuck a spoon and passed a ten of spades, for worry.
"Oliver Wood?" Charlie said. "I read he finally made it off the reserve team."
"What position does 'e play?" Fleur asked.
"He's a Keeper," George answered, passing a five of diamonds.
"When it comes to Quidditch," Alicia said absently, puzzling over the card. What did success in business have to do with anything? She gave Caper a Jack of clubs because he was a reliable friend.
The elf discarded and leaned forward, stretching out his hand. Everyone lunged for a spoon—except Caper. He had faked his grab.
"Oh Hell!" George started laughing.
"I thought we weren't playing that game," Percy said with a little smile.
Fleur's giggles brought a lopsided grin to Bill's face. "Oh Hades," he said, tossing his spoon onto the table.
Arthur wandered into the kitchen. "Sounds like you're having fun." He cut a piece of fruitcake. "What are the spoons for?"
While the others explained the game, George showed Alicia his cards. "I kept drawing fives. I was going to pass you the five of clubs next."
"Do you know what that card means in Divination?" she whispered.
"Your fiancé will cheat at cards for you?"
"Help from a friend or spouse."
"Coincidence."
It didn't matter either way. George hadn't been grilling her about Oliver. He had only been trying to help her win! Alicia cast a silent charm, but didn't wait for the ball of mistletoe to float into the room to cradle George's face in her hands and bring his lips down for a kiss.
-
A/N: George got his point across, even if he didn't do it in the way he intended. As for Canadian Danielle Lemieux, she may or may not have a hockey playing Muggle relative named Mario. I chose the name in honour of Slipknot-3113, whose willingness to fight for a spoon made me want to use Spoons in the story. If any readers are wondering why there was no cliffie, it's because it's fun to do the unexpected...which is foreshadowing, lol. The people who reviews last chapter hopefully foreshadow their reviews this one :D, are... 40/16, adrienne06052, alix33, Alone All Along, AshCarroll aka ShadowDiva, Bandon Banshee, Bardlover, Blue Leah, btyrhrtout, Calenmarwen, Carnivalgirl, chocofrolicangel, cream tea anyone, Creative Touch, DaphneD, ElspethBates, Fibinaci, FlameintheFlood, Freja Lercke-Falkenborg, ginnylovesharry07, GraceRichie, harryplover603, Herb3, hermioneron, hondagirl, HPFanFictionFan, I'myoursweetestgoodbye, JasperisMYeverything, Jo Claire, Kates Master, lady clark of books, ladyofthecelticland, Lieu Of Flowers, LostHeart4, maraudernumba5, MBP, Meeh-san, MollyCoddles, Moontime, Mrs.Hermione Jane Weasley, obliviate36, PhoenixDreamer55, SayItLouder, Slipknot-3113, sinful delight, siriuslycoco, Snuffles7, Squealing Lit. Fan, sunny9847, Sunshine Spray, tambrathegreat, Tara-Yo, tidbit2008, tiffyrose, WeaslysForEvER, and xoxphoenix.
Note to readers of my R/T story...I'm working on it!