Chapter Thirty: The Log Cabin

Just a quick note about my latest review: Harry and Dudley don't always get along and Hagrid still knows about the Dursleys. Just one more chapter to go before we get back to the canon story for the record.

Lily gathered Tobey, Evie, and all three of the triplets around to read them "Yes Virginia There Is A Santa Claus" which brought Harry back his childhood memories. Apparently, this was also a rather bittersweet moment for his father because even though he thought that Harry couldn't see it as he turned away from him that he was getting rather misty eyed.

"What's with him?" Draco whispered while pointing over at Snape.

"He's been helping my mother raise me ever since I was a year old, I think he just misses me being little." Harry whispered back softly.

"Oh." Draco began. "Well, you're lucky. My parents raising me seems to have been a chore more than anything else. Neither of them really has spent any time with me at all. Believe it or not this is the first Christmas that I'm celebrating. That's why your parents invited me here. It was your father's idea actually." He explained as Harry just simply looked at him and a few moments of silence passed between them.

"I'm sorry Draco." He told him.

"Thanks Harry, but I'm actually the one that really should be apologizing to you." He said.

"It's alright, don't worry about it." Harry told him when suddenly the telephone rang, and he went to go pick it up. "Hullo?" He questioned.

"Hullo Harry is that you!? I can't hear you!" Ron cried as Harry rolled his eyes.

"Ron, you have the phone upside down." He told him and waited for a few moments for him to turn it around.

"Oops sorry, I just got this fellytone and I really don't know what I'm doing yet!" He hollered before Harry removed it from his ear.

"Well you don't have to scream about it." Harry told him as he placed the phone back to his ear. "So anyways, what's up?" He inquired.

"Well we just invited Hermione so now we're inviting you too Harry." Ron began.

"Inviting me to what?" Harry questioned.

"To go on a sleighride with us tomorrow night." Ron replied as a rather large grin suddenly grew on Harry's face.

"I'd love to!" Harry exclaimed excitedly. "But I have to ask my parents first." He said before covering up the speaker with his hand and turning to look over at his father. "Dad, can I go on a sleigh ride with Ron and Hermione tomorrow night?" He asked him.

"Is Draco invited too?" His father asked him back before Harry heaved a sigh and placed the phone back to his ear.

"Ron, Dad wants to know if Draco can come too." He told him.

"Fine, invite the dirty old git but if he petrifies us then it's going to be over Snape's head." Ron responded as Harry rolled his eyes at him before he thanked him and then hung up.

"So then what did he say?" Draco questioned him eagerly.

"He said that you can come. Now I have to go to the bathroom." Harry said which was true even though it was also a really good excuse to leave the room and he walked down the hallway and then shut the door behind him.

…

Hermione and Ginny were there to meet Harry and Draco and Patches at the door. Both of the boys were bundled up and Patches had a Santa hat on. "Aww,.. he's so cute!" Ginny exclaimed as she bent over and then scooped the dog up inside her arms and gently started to stroke his chest and Harry smiled at her.

"Maybe I should get a pet or something." Hermione said as Draco grinned.

"Well I brought Rebel along with me but I didn't think that it was a really good idea to bring him on a sleighride as he would probably fly away." He told her.

"Speaking of fly since we don't have a car anymore,.." Arthur began as he turned his head and glared at Ron. "we'll probably have to either fly on broomsticks or use floo-powder." He told them.

"Well Harry has Patches so he'll have to use the fireplace, I'll go with him." Ginny volunteered.

"I didn't bring my broomstick though." Hermione said.

"It's alright Minnie, you can use mine." Draco told her with a grin as Ron narrowed his eyebrows and glared at him.

"I don't know who you're talking to but her name's Hermione not Minnie." He told him.

"I know that Weasley, I was just using it for a nickname." Draco told him as Hermione blushed and looked away from him and Ron suddenly looked like he would strangle him while meanwhile Harry just simply looked at his watch.

"Oh would you look at the time, we better be going before we're late and miss our ride." He said.

"Yeah, Harry's right." Ginny replied. "Come on in Harry." She told him before she held the door open for him and then allowed him to step inside.

….

Harry, Ginny, and Patches appeared in the fireplace of the little log cabin where they would be taking their sleighride.

"Now we have to be careful not to be seen. The owner of this log cabin is a muggle." Ginny warned him as they stepped out of the fireplace together while Ginny held Patches inside her arms.

That's when suddenly a young man with sleeked back black hair and bright green eyes just like Harry's (except a bit greener) came to see them. "Well, hullo there you guys must be part of my group. My name is James Darby and I'll be your driver for the evening." He explained as Harry heaved a bit of a sad sigh.

"James was my father's name. My biological father I mean." He began. "He died when I was only a baby." He said.

"Aw, sorry to hear that." James began and then noticed the scar on Harry's forehead. "Hey I know you! You're Harry Potter!" He exclaimed as Harry's and Ginny's eyes both widened in astonishment.

"I thought you said he was a muggle?" Harry questioned her.

"I thought he was." She responded before James chuckled.

"I am, but I'm friends with a wizarding family. So, I know all about magic and stuff and that's why I didn't question you when I saw you come out of the fireplace. Now, I do believe that everybody else is already outside waiting for you." He told them and Harry and Ginny both thanked him before they went outside.