Chapter Thirteen
"Christmas"
A few nights later, Harry woke up once more while it was still dark outside, his scar didn't hurt, but his throat was so dry he could barely swallow. He put on his glasses and got out of bed to go to the kitchen for a drink of water. Harry wandered down the stairs and into the den. He could hear Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Dumbledore, and Sirius all talking quietly in the kitchen. Harry quietly tiptoed around the sleeping Weasleys that were lying on the floor. He leaned up against the wall next to the doorway to the kitchen to listen. "But, Dumbledore, they are getting stronger! You have to take that into consideration! Yes, Harry did get away with something miraculous the other night, but they could easily come back here." Sirius was saying in a hushed but alarmed voice. "He's only a boy, Albus! Look at that letter you received from the ministry of magic last night, there have been at least eight reports of killings from the killing curse in the past week! EIGHT! You-Know-Who is regaining everything he lost and he's out for revenge!" Harry was taken aback he didn't realize that the death eaters were killing more now. He thought that Patrick Malfoy's mum was the only one. "Sirius, as long as I'm with the Weasleys and Harry, there will be no killings here. And although Harry is just a boy, you must realize what great power he has over Voldemort. I believe, not meaning to sound conceited, that Harry and myself are the only wizards that Voldemort fears. Even if they are minute fears, they are fears none the less, Sirius." Dumbledore spoke quietly. "In fact, I do believe that some day. Harry will indeed kill Voldemort." Harry was in shock. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. It made him feel proud that Dumbledore had so much faith in him, but scared to death at the same time. "That poor boy, hasn't enough happened to him already? Can't he live a normal life?" Mrs. Weasley said with grief in her voice. "Molly," Dumbledore said, "That boy will never lead a normal life. And neither will anyone else if Voldemort isn't stopped." "Oh, I wish you would quit saying his name!" Mrs. Weasley shouted quietly in exasperation and she banged her hand down on the table in frustration. "Molly, if we do not say Voldemort's name, he will only grow stronger." Dumbledore said calmly. "Even Harry knows this much. And I do believe that Harry is in fact listening in on this very conversation.Harry? Would you like to join us in the kitchen, where you can listen more comfortably?" Dumbledore asked. Harry was shocked. He stumbled around the corner of the doorway and entered the small kitchen. He was blushing a bit, having been caught eavesdropping. "I- I'm sorry, Professor. I came down to get a drink of water, I didn't mean to-," Harry stuttered. Mrs. Weasley poured him a glass of water and hugged him tightly before she let him sit down at the table. "I didn't know, sir. That Voldemort was killing again. Well, Patrick Malfoy told us that his mum had been killed but that was the only time I had heard of." Dumbledore patted Harry's shoulder as he took a long drink of water. "Now, now, it's Christmas Eve. I think we should all try to get a bit of sleep before morning comes along. All right?" Mr. Weasley told them. They all agreed and made their way back upstairs. Sirius had returned to his dog form and padded up the stairs behind Harry. Harry climbed into bed and Sirius jumped up to lay down and they tried to go to sleep. It seemed to Harry that he lay there for an eternity, he didn't even realize that he had drifted off into a deep dreamless sleep. The next morning, he woke with a start. "Harry! Wake up, Harry! It's Christmas! Come on, Harry, let's go downstairs and see what we got! There are loads of presents under the Christmas tree!" Ron was as excited as a boy of the age of five. Harry sniggered as he got up and put his glasses on. He, Ron, and Sirius padded down the stairs where everyone sat in the den in their pajamas. Hermione was sitting in one of the squishy chairs with Crookshanks purring on her lap. Cho sat cross-legged on the floor, she smiled brightly as Harry entered the room. Fred and George were sitting on the couch and Katie and Alicia were sitting on their laps, giggling. Mrs. Weasley was looking at Katie and Alicia disapprovingly with a frown. Mr. Weasley and Professor Dumbledore were standing over the eggnog near the fireplace. Ginny sat on the couch on the other end of the twins and Katie and Alicia, she was blushing when she looked up to see Harry in his pajamas. Bill and Charlie were digging under the Christmas tree pulling out presents. Sirius lay down next to the fire watching the festivities. Harry wished that he had been able to prove that Sirius was innocent so that he could join in the fun with everyone else. "Happy Christmas, everyone." Harry said as Ron went over to Bill and Charlie and started to hand out presents. Harry took a seat on the floor next to Cho, she took his hand in hers. He saw Ginny biting her bottom lip and staring at Cho with a frown. Soon all the presents had been handed out and a storm of wrapping paper was flying about the air as people were tearing open their gifts. Harry watched Ron open his gift from him. Ron looked down with his mouth gaping open and then he looked at Harry gratefully. "Harry!" he shouted as he pulled an orange cloak out of the package. "It's a Chudley Cannons Quidditch cloak! Harry! Oh wow!" Ron stood up and put the new cloak on. Harry grinned. "Come on, Harry! Open yours from me!" Harry pulled out a package that was in the shape of a short fat can. He pulled off the wrapping paper and opened the package carefully. He pulled the can out of the packaging and read 'FLOO POWDER' and there was a picture of moving bright green flames inside a fireplace on the side of the can. "You, know," Ron said, "It's for emergencies when the ruddy Dursleys are making life miserable for you, you can come on over to our house. Dad reckons you're old enough to handle it on your own now. Dad's fixed it with the ministry, so you can use your Aunt and Uncle's fireplace anytime you want. That is if they don't have the bloody thing boarded up!" Then Ron went back to opening his presents. Harry opened his sweater from Mrs. Weasley and put it on, it was blue this year. Then he opened Hermione's and saw that it was a book. 'One Thousand and One Quidditch Moves: A Seeker's Guide' he looked up at Hermione and smiled appreciatively. Then he opened one from Cho, it was a picture of her smiling and winking at Harry. She had signed it: Dearest Harry, You have meant so much to me this school year. Happy Christmas. Love, Cho "Thank you, Cho," Harry said beginning to blush. Then he leaned over and kissed her cheek. She had opened his present to her at the same time. It was a little jewelry box and when she opened it, a little Quidditch player buzzed around above the box and sang the Hogwarts' School Anthem. She leaned over and kissed Harry on the cheek. Harry watched as Hermione opened her present from him. She smiled as she saw it was a book too. Its title was 'A Student's Study Guide to the O.W.L.s: A Look At the Most Missed Questions'. Harry was studying the same book at four Privet Drive, and he found it so helpful that when they had gone to Diagon Alley, he bought one for Hermione. The twins gave Harry a trick wand and a trick goblet, when you drink from it, it spews whatever you're drinking in your face. It looked just like the goblets they used at Hogwarts, this gift, Harry thought, had potential and he smiled as he pictured Malfoy dripping with pumpkin juice. He opened the package from 'Snuffles' and found a photo of Harry flying around the Hungarian Horntail and retrieving the golden egg. The note attached said that Charlie had taken the photo and given it to Sirius the same day that he was given the dragon's talon. Finally, he reached a package from Dumbledore. He opened it carefully. The box was long and narrow. He found inside, two wands. He looked up at Dumbledore with confusion in his eyes. He stood up and went to Dumbledore to ask him about the gift. "These, Harry," Dumbledore began, "belonged to your mother and father. This one, was your mother's, she was quite good with charms." He held up the darker wand. Then he picked up the other wand and told Harry that it was his father's and he had been very good at transfiguration. Harry already knew that about his father, because his father had been an animagus. Harry handled the wands carefully. He wanted to cry, but he didn't. He looked up at Dumbledore and smiled weakly at him. "Thank you, sir." Harry spoke quietly. "These mean a lot to me." He put the wands back into their box and went back to Cho. Over the next hour everyone had opened their gifts and sat around the den talking noisily and drinking hot chocolate and eggnog. Bill and Charlie had added some alcohol to their eggnog and were merrily singing 'Jingle Bells' out of tune with each other. Suddenly, Professor McGonagall apparated in the middle of the room. Everyone got quiet and looked at her in surprise. "I'm so sorry to disturb everyone on his or her holiday," she started, then she looked at Dumbledore. "Albus, you must come back to the school immediately. I've left Severus in charge at the castle. This is urgent." She looked anxiously at Dumbledore. "I see, Minerva." He said quietly. "I'm sorry to say, I must be going now, I thank you all for a wonderful Christmas." He quietly gathered his things and he and McGonagall disapparated. Ron, who was now sitting by Harry and Cho, whispered to them. "I wonder what that was all about. McGonagall looked like she was going to start crying or something." Ron said. "It must be something really important. Dumbledore was supposed to stay here to make sure we were all safe through the holiday." Harry whispered looking up at Hermione, who was still in the squishy chair with Crookshanks. Then Sirius barked loudly at Harry and pulled him into the next room by his pajama pants. "What is it, Sirius?" Harry asked confusedly. Sirius transfigured himself into his human form. He looked very concerned. "Harry, something bad must have happened. I'm going to disapparate to Hogsmeade, and see what I can find out." Just then, Mr. Weasley came in. He looked as confused as Harry. "Harry," Mr. Weasley said, "I'm going with Sirius to Hogsmeade, something dreadful must have happened. I must ask you not to go running about trying to solve things, Harry. You must stay inside this house until further notice." Harry felt a little bit insulted by what was just said, but he nodded his head obediently. He felt like it was his father speaking to him. "Good lad, now you go back into the den with the others. I've already told Molly that I was going. We'll see you soon." Then with a popping sound, they both disappeared. Harry walked gloomily back into the den and sat down next to Ron.
"Christmas"
A few nights later, Harry woke up once more while it was still dark outside, his scar didn't hurt, but his throat was so dry he could barely swallow. He put on his glasses and got out of bed to go to the kitchen for a drink of water. Harry wandered down the stairs and into the den. He could hear Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Dumbledore, and Sirius all talking quietly in the kitchen. Harry quietly tiptoed around the sleeping Weasleys that were lying on the floor. He leaned up against the wall next to the doorway to the kitchen to listen. "But, Dumbledore, they are getting stronger! You have to take that into consideration! Yes, Harry did get away with something miraculous the other night, but they could easily come back here." Sirius was saying in a hushed but alarmed voice. "He's only a boy, Albus! Look at that letter you received from the ministry of magic last night, there have been at least eight reports of killings from the killing curse in the past week! EIGHT! You-Know-Who is regaining everything he lost and he's out for revenge!" Harry was taken aback he didn't realize that the death eaters were killing more now. He thought that Patrick Malfoy's mum was the only one. "Sirius, as long as I'm with the Weasleys and Harry, there will be no killings here. And although Harry is just a boy, you must realize what great power he has over Voldemort. I believe, not meaning to sound conceited, that Harry and myself are the only wizards that Voldemort fears. Even if they are minute fears, they are fears none the less, Sirius." Dumbledore spoke quietly. "In fact, I do believe that some day. Harry will indeed kill Voldemort." Harry was in shock. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. It made him feel proud that Dumbledore had so much faith in him, but scared to death at the same time. "That poor boy, hasn't enough happened to him already? Can't he live a normal life?" Mrs. Weasley said with grief in her voice. "Molly," Dumbledore said, "That boy will never lead a normal life. And neither will anyone else if Voldemort isn't stopped." "Oh, I wish you would quit saying his name!" Mrs. Weasley shouted quietly in exasperation and she banged her hand down on the table in frustration. "Molly, if we do not say Voldemort's name, he will only grow stronger." Dumbledore said calmly. "Even Harry knows this much. And I do believe that Harry is in fact listening in on this very conversation.Harry? Would you like to join us in the kitchen, where you can listen more comfortably?" Dumbledore asked. Harry was shocked. He stumbled around the corner of the doorway and entered the small kitchen. He was blushing a bit, having been caught eavesdropping. "I- I'm sorry, Professor. I came down to get a drink of water, I didn't mean to-," Harry stuttered. Mrs. Weasley poured him a glass of water and hugged him tightly before she let him sit down at the table. "I didn't know, sir. That Voldemort was killing again. Well, Patrick Malfoy told us that his mum had been killed but that was the only time I had heard of." Dumbledore patted Harry's shoulder as he took a long drink of water. "Now, now, it's Christmas Eve. I think we should all try to get a bit of sleep before morning comes along. All right?" Mr. Weasley told them. They all agreed and made their way back upstairs. Sirius had returned to his dog form and padded up the stairs behind Harry. Harry climbed into bed and Sirius jumped up to lay down and they tried to go to sleep. It seemed to Harry that he lay there for an eternity, he didn't even realize that he had drifted off into a deep dreamless sleep. The next morning, he woke with a start. "Harry! Wake up, Harry! It's Christmas! Come on, Harry, let's go downstairs and see what we got! There are loads of presents under the Christmas tree!" Ron was as excited as a boy of the age of five. Harry sniggered as he got up and put his glasses on. He, Ron, and Sirius padded down the stairs where everyone sat in the den in their pajamas. Hermione was sitting in one of the squishy chairs with Crookshanks purring on her lap. Cho sat cross-legged on the floor, she smiled brightly as Harry entered the room. Fred and George were sitting on the couch and Katie and Alicia were sitting on their laps, giggling. Mrs. Weasley was looking at Katie and Alicia disapprovingly with a frown. Mr. Weasley and Professor Dumbledore were standing over the eggnog near the fireplace. Ginny sat on the couch on the other end of the twins and Katie and Alicia, she was blushing when she looked up to see Harry in his pajamas. Bill and Charlie were digging under the Christmas tree pulling out presents. Sirius lay down next to the fire watching the festivities. Harry wished that he had been able to prove that Sirius was innocent so that he could join in the fun with everyone else. "Happy Christmas, everyone." Harry said as Ron went over to Bill and Charlie and started to hand out presents. Harry took a seat on the floor next to Cho, she took his hand in hers. He saw Ginny biting her bottom lip and staring at Cho with a frown. Soon all the presents had been handed out and a storm of wrapping paper was flying about the air as people were tearing open their gifts. Harry watched Ron open his gift from him. Ron looked down with his mouth gaping open and then he looked at Harry gratefully. "Harry!" he shouted as he pulled an orange cloak out of the package. "It's a Chudley Cannons Quidditch cloak! Harry! Oh wow!" Ron stood up and put the new cloak on. Harry grinned. "Come on, Harry! Open yours from me!" Harry pulled out a package that was in the shape of a short fat can. He pulled off the wrapping paper and opened the package carefully. He pulled the can out of the packaging and read 'FLOO POWDER' and there was a picture of moving bright green flames inside a fireplace on the side of the can. "You, know," Ron said, "It's for emergencies when the ruddy Dursleys are making life miserable for you, you can come on over to our house. Dad reckons you're old enough to handle it on your own now. Dad's fixed it with the ministry, so you can use your Aunt and Uncle's fireplace anytime you want. That is if they don't have the bloody thing boarded up!" Then Ron went back to opening his presents. Harry opened his sweater from Mrs. Weasley and put it on, it was blue this year. Then he opened Hermione's and saw that it was a book. 'One Thousand and One Quidditch Moves: A Seeker's Guide' he looked up at Hermione and smiled appreciatively. Then he opened one from Cho, it was a picture of her smiling and winking at Harry. She had signed it: Dearest Harry, You have meant so much to me this school year. Happy Christmas. Love, Cho "Thank you, Cho," Harry said beginning to blush. Then he leaned over and kissed her cheek. She had opened his present to her at the same time. It was a little jewelry box and when she opened it, a little Quidditch player buzzed around above the box and sang the Hogwarts' School Anthem. She leaned over and kissed Harry on the cheek. Harry watched as Hermione opened her present from him. She smiled as she saw it was a book too. Its title was 'A Student's Study Guide to the O.W.L.s: A Look At the Most Missed Questions'. Harry was studying the same book at four Privet Drive, and he found it so helpful that when they had gone to Diagon Alley, he bought one for Hermione. The twins gave Harry a trick wand and a trick goblet, when you drink from it, it spews whatever you're drinking in your face. It looked just like the goblets they used at Hogwarts, this gift, Harry thought, had potential and he smiled as he pictured Malfoy dripping with pumpkin juice. He opened the package from 'Snuffles' and found a photo of Harry flying around the Hungarian Horntail and retrieving the golden egg. The note attached said that Charlie had taken the photo and given it to Sirius the same day that he was given the dragon's talon. Finally, he reached a package from Dumbledore. He opened it carefully. The box was long and narrow. He found inside, two wands. He looked up at Dumbledore with confusion in his eyes. He stood up and went to Dumbledore to ask him about the gift. "These, Harry," Dumbledore began, "belonged to your mother and father. This one, was your mother's, she was quite good with charms." He held up the darker wand. Then he picked up the other wand and told Harry that it was his father's and he had been very good at transfiguration. Harry already knew that about his father, because his father had been an animagus. Harry handled the wands carefully. He wanted to cry, but he didn't. He looked up at Dumbledore and smiled weakly at him. "Thank you, sir." Harry spoke quietly. "These mean a lot to me." He put the wands back into their box and went back to Cho. Over the next hour everyone had opened their gifts and sat around the den talking noisily and drinking hot chocolate and eggnog. Bill and Charlie had added some alcohol to their eggnog and were merrily singing 'Jingle Bells' out of tune with each other. Suddenly, Professor McGonagall apparated in the middle of the room. Everyone got quiet and looked at her in surprise. "I'm so sorry to disturb everyone on his or her holiday," she started, then she looked at Dumbledore. "Albus, you must come back to the school immediately. I've left Severus in charge at the castle. This is urgent." She looked anxiously at Dumbledore. "I see, Minerva." He said quietly. "I'm sorry to say, I must be going now, I thank you all for a wonderful Christmas." He quietly gathered his things and he and McGonagall disapparated. Ron, who was now sitting by Harry and Cho, whispered to them. "I wonder what that was all about. McGonagall looked like she was going to start crying or something." Ron said. "It must be something really important. Dumbledore was supposed to stay here to make sure we were all safe through the holiday." Harry whispered looking up at Hermione, who was still in the squishy chair with Crookshanks. Then Sirius barked loudly at Harry and pulled him into the next room by his pajama pants. "What is it, Sirius?" Harry asked confusedly. Sirius transfigured himself into his human form. He looked very concerned. "Harry, something bad must have happened. I'm going to disapparate to Hogsmeade, and see what I can find out." Just then, Mr. Weasley came in. He looked as confused as Harry. "Harry," Mr. Weasley said, "I'm going with Sirius to Hogsmeade, something dreadful must have happened. I must ask you not to go running about trying to solve things, Harry. You must stay inside this house until further notice." Harry felt a little bit insulted by what was just said, but he nodded his head obediently. He felt like it was his father speaking to him. "Good lad, now you go back into the den with the others. I've already told Molly that I was going. We'll see you soon." Then with a popping sound, they both disappeared. Harry walked gloomily back into the den and sat down next to Ron.