I do not own Harry Potter, the Wizarding World, or any canon characters. I also do not own the turnip line. It is one of my favorite lines from the book so I included it.

The Family that Chooses You

Chapter 19 – Christmas Cheered

"I've got presents?"

Ron grinned sleepily at the incredulous Harry. "Of course you did. What did you think you were getting, turnips?" He winced at his off-handed remark. He knew that Harry had not expected anything at Christmas due to his upbringing.

Ron had expected Harry to be a very different sort of person. He almost did not enter Harry's compartment that day on the Hogwarts Express. He was nervous. He knew the Weasley family had a reputation. What if Harry had refused to be seen with him? What if the Boy-Who-Lived was someone who cared for propriety and names and prestige?

Ron could not have anticipated how different Harry actually was.

Harry had been a painfully shy but kind boy. He ate up every detail of how the Wizarding World was. Curious about everything Ron normally took for granted. Ron was happy to tell Harry all sorts of things. It was refreshing to meet someone who was genuinely interested in Ron's life and history.

At first Ron wanted to learn about the Muggle world. He had been rather disappointed that Harry never wanted to share stories with him. It was not until Ron had spoken more with Dean, and eventually Hermione, who were Muggle-born and Seamus who was half Muggle-born about their experiences that he realized Harry's past was far from "Muggle normal".

What little Harry shared about his life with the Dursleys made Ron feel intensely uncomfortable. He could tell it was something that was not right. That no one, magical or Muggle, should have endured as a child. Fred and George asking about Harry those months ago was the catalyst, the moment that made Ron pay more attention.

He learned that Harry, despite being the savior of the Wizarding World, did not live a charmed life. He did not even live a regular life. If anything, it had been terribly Cursed.

Ron had written to his father after a particularly painful revelation that Harry shared with him. Ron had accused his father of protecting Muggles who were cruel to children. Why be so positive over such terrible people?

His father had explained that Muggles were just like magical folk. That there were good and there were bad. That magic did not absolve or prevent cruelty. That not having magic did not mean barbarity.

Ron hated that Arthur was right.

Ron decided then that it was his responsibility to be a good friend to Harry. As Harry's first magical friend, Hagrid did not count since he was an adult, he had to be the one to help Harry.

So he picked up his gift from Harry first and opened it eagerly. He would like it no matter what it was. He was prepared to even pretend to be more enthusiastic than he really was, in case Harry had made a mistake and sent him something he did not like.

His "Wow Harry!" was completely sincere.

He held up the small model cannon in his hands with reverence. It was the model of THE Chudley Cannon, the fabled namesake of his favorite Quidditch team. The team used to fire it at the end of a successful season. It had gone unfired for years before they changed it to firing it for a losing season. When tapped, the model cannon would fire sparks and play the Chudley fight tune.

Harry smiled bashfully. "I'm glad you like it."

"I love it! I can't believe you remembered my team!"

"Well yeah, you only go on about them any chance you get," Harry teased.

"I have to! No one else supports them and they need all the support they can get." Ron looked crestfallen for a moment. "Now I feel bad about my gift to you. It's kinda rubbish in comparison."

"What's that?" Harry said thickly.

Ron looked up and blushed seeing Harry sucking on one of the sugar quills that Ron had given him a big box of for Christmas. "You don't have to do that now," Ron said weakly.

"Don't have to do what? Eat my favorite candy my mate gave me? Fat chance at that."

"You'll ruin your breakfast."

Harry looked at Ron.

Ron snorted. "Sorry, that's just something Mum said to me whenever she caught me eating candy before meals. I'm glad you like them though."

"They're my favorite magical candy," Harry said firmly.

"Well, cool, yeah, glad to hear it," Ron said awkwardly, his ears red. He placed the cannon on his nightstand and patted it fondly, smiling at the song and the sparks.

-0-

Harry grinned to himself, looking at Ron's obvious happiness. He figured Ron would like it but it was nice to see how much Ron liked it. He also knew Ron was not pretending to. One of the things Harry liked about Ron was how open he was about his emotions. He was not two faced like Vernon, smiling one moment while saying dreadful things behind your back.

Admittedly he was very open with his hate for Harry to Harry's face. But Harry had seen him act that way to all sorts of other people.

Harry was not lying about the sugar quills either. He liked how long they lasted and how they changed in flavor the more you ate them. They really looked like a regular quill too, allowing someone to snack surreptitiously during class. Of course some professors could not be fooled but others did not seem to mind as long as you were somewhat discreet.

Harry had suspicions that Flitwick had his own supply of sugar quills to suck on during his lectures.

Harry still could not believe the pile of gifts that waited for him at the end of his bed. He had gone to sleep the night before expecting nothing. It was easier that way. He was already going to have the best Christmas ever. He was somewhere warm and safe. He had Ron and his brothers to spend the time with. He had no chores to do or cooking to worry about. He could just enjoy himself.

He had gleefully done his gift shopping for his new friends. It was a lot of fun thinking of what to give, what fun things he could find. His friends had helped him decide things for the others, and it was amazing to see how well some of them knew each other. He hoped one day he would know them as well.

He was especially excited to see his friends after the holidays, to see how they liked his presents to them. He would see Ron and his brothers' reactions today of course, but he hoped everyone liked what he picked out for them.

Now he saw that they got him things too. That they wanted to send him a present. That they thought of him like he of them.

He felt so happy he wanted to cry.

For a long time he thought tears were only reserved for pain, for bad things. Luckily Katie and Angelina had taught him that it was okay to cry and that not all tears were bad.

Harry decided to start with Hagrid's gift, after Ron's sugar quills. He liked the flute Hagrid had made for him. It sounded much like an owl and he found he could play different notes with it rather easily.

Hermione had sent him a big box of chocolate frogs and Harry was excited for the cards as much as he was for the chocolate. It was a much better quality of chocolate than most Muggle candies. It took a bit getting used to, eating something that jumped about a bit, and for the longest time he had thought they were a form of magical animal and not enchanted sweets.

The big package from Mrs. Weasley was a delightful surprise. Ron confessed in telling his mother that Harry would not be receiving many gifts, clearly he had unanticipated the gifts from the Quidditch team. Harry thought he might have been embarrassed but he loved the jumper. It was soft and warm and he had immediately pulled it on. It fit him very well and Harry loved it. He promised to write her a thank you letter the next day.

He also immediately put on the Seeker's gloves that Oliver had gotten him. They fit him much better than the school ones and he could immediately tell the difference in quality and comfort. Thick material protected the back of his hands but did not limit the range of motion in his fingers. The material on the palms were thinner but still padded, ensuring protection as well as not sacrificing grip. He took them off reluctantly, almost wanting to wear them all day.

The quills from Alicia were a surprise at first. They were nicer than the ones he got for school but he soon learned their true purpose when he wrote with one experimentally. He laughed out loud at how much neater his handwriting was. He could feel the magic in the quill subtly correcting his grip and making him write more neatly. It was practical and thoughtful and a little bit teasing, just how Alicia thought and acted.

Harry did cry a little at Angelina's gift. He had always wanted a stuffed animal for as long as he could remember. For obvious reasons he never got one, not even a broken or torn one of Dudley's. Now he had a bunny of his own. He cried more when he hugged it. It immediately warmed in his arms and when he sniffled he could smell oak and cut grass. He decided he would not write Angelina a letter, he would just hug her as hard as he could when she returned.

He had questioned Alicia's suggestion in the beginning. He did not think the tall tough girl would want a stuffed animal of her own. Now he was glad he listened. It seemed even more special that he and Angelina had gotten each other the same gift essentially. He tucked his bunny beside him as he continued to open his gifts.

Katie's gift made his jaw drop. It was a small perfectly spherical orb that came with a small stand it floated over or it could be held easily. It could absorb any Lumos spell and provide constant illumination until dispelled. It could even change the intensity of the light as well as colors too, even patterns. He tapped it with his wand and it glowed softly, rotating in the air over the stand.

He vowed to hug Katie as hard as he could too.

"Wheeeey look Gred!"

"I see Forge! We gots an honorary Weasley here!"

The door burst open revealing a grinning Fred and George wearing their blue jumpers. "Happy Christmas you two!" they said together.

They bounded to Ron first, practically forcing him to pull his jumper on. "Come on Ronnie, join the family already," Fred said.

Harry noticed the words and the way Fred winked at him when he said it. His cheeks went red from delight.

"Awesome gifts by the way Harry," Fred said as he sauntered over.

"Yeah, will come super handy." George said. "Did you open yours from us yet?"

Harry shook his head and opened the bag, pouring out a soft thick rope clasped together by a metal lock. "Wow! What's this?" he asked excitedly.

"That right there is a Weasley twin original. We call it Never-lock," Fred said proudly.

"As in no one will ever unlock it if you don't want them to," George said equally proudly.

"You wrap the rope around whatever you want to be secure and clasp it shut. You set the word or phrase that will unlock the clasp and it will only recognize your magic. Ignores most unlocking spells too."

"The rope is extra durable and resistant to most things to cut and break or burn it."

"Me and George came up with it a while back to stop thieving little sibs trying to nick our stuff." Fred winked at an irate Ron. "And so far we've never lost a thing."

"How come I've never gotten one!" Ron yelled.

"Because we want to be able to investigate your things Ron," George said with a smile that was all teeth. "Plus it takes a while to make, and you've never asked."

"We were happy to make it for you Harry," Fred said, stopping Harry's words of apology, stopping him from saying the twins didn't need to make it for him. "And hey now we know what to get for Ron next year so that's a load off our minds."

George leaned in and whispered loudly. "We even took off the Fred and my magical signatures so we can't undo what you lock. Which is something we'll keep for when we make Ron's."

Harry laughed. "Thanks! I love it." His voice trailed off. At the twins' look of confusion he grinned sheepishly. "I don't know if you two like to be hugged or not."

The twins looked at each other.

"I'll take an overly complicated high five," Fred said.

"Make mine an incredibly pompous handshake," George said.

The trio laughed loudly by the time they finished, with Ron shaking his head at them. "You lot are barking mad," he said.

"Ron prefers a very manly and impersonable pat on the shoulder," Fred said with malicious glee.

George pretended to look stoic. "Make sure you don't say anything sentimental. The colder the better really. He has problems accepting his emotional maturity."

"As in he has none!" the twins shouted out and fell about laughing.

Ron threw empty boxes at them just as Percy walked in.

"Ron! Behave yourself, it's Christmas for goodness' sake," he said severely.

"Doesn't that mean he should act his age?" Fred asked.

"Which he is doing right now." George quipped.

Percy sighed as Ron continued to throw things and the twins retaliated in kind. He sat beside Harry's bed shaking his head. "I hope you don't judge their dreadful manners too harshly, Harry. Mum's really the only person that can keep them in line."

"I think they're funny," Harry grinned.

"At least someone does," Percy said wearily. He pulled on his jumper, noticing Harry's. "Thank you very much for the quill Harry. That was very kind of you."

"Oh I'm glad you like it. Thank you for helping me so much this year. I really appreciate it."

Percy smiled. "At least someone does, appreciate my help I mean. Have you opened my gift yet?"

Harry shook his head and eagerly opened the box with Percy's neat handwriting on the label. Harry exclaimed at the small wooden owl. "Wow! It looks awesome! Did you make it?"

"I did, via transfiguration and charms. I'm not too good at carving otherwise."

"It looks brilliant." Harry looked at the notch in the owl's beak. "What's that for?"

"It's a glasses holder. Allow me." Percy removed his glasses and slipped it onto the small wooden owl. The bridge of the glasses fit into the notch and the glasses were balanced perfectly. "You put your glasses on the holder so the lenses won't make contact with the table, less chance to scratch. The owl is charmed so it will not tip over easily to protect the frames."

He smiled as he put his glasses back on, watching Harry try out the holder.

"Whoa, that's really neat Perce," Fred said admiringly.

"Thank you," Percy said with mild surprise. He was rarely complimented by the twins and it showed. "I came up with the idea some time ago and since Harry wears glasses, I figured he would like one."

Harry did. He caught George making embracing motions and looking pointedly at Percy and decided to hug the older boy.

Percy was caught by surprise but he hugged Harry back fondly.

"Family hug!" George yelled and threw himself on Percy and Harry.

"Watch out you idi-Fred no!"

Fred ignored Percy's yell and threw himself as well. Boxes and things went flying everywhere. Percy cursed at his brothers while the twins rolled about laughing.

"Oi! Ron, I said family hug!" George yelled.

"Don't you dare Ron!" Percy said, trying to extricate himself.

"Ron! From the top like we used to do at home!" Fred yelled.

Which meant Ron stood on his bed and launched himself into the air, landing bodily on top of them.

Harry was crushed at the bottom and he had nowhere else he would rather be.