Disclaimer: S'all hers! ::points to J.K. Rowling:: These cute, adorable, so definitely gay characters all came from her brilliant mind. I just play around with them some. ::Huggles Siri and Remmie holiday plushies::

"Christmas is my Favorite Holiday!"

By

Padfootwolfboy

"But ma'am—" Remus Lupin began in earnest.

"No 'buts,' Lupin. Now I'm sorry, but that's my final decision," interrupted the witch sitting behind the large, cherry desk, which was cluttered with papers, files, and one very buried picture of an older wizard in muggle fishing gear. She narrowed her eyes at him sternly, enforcing her point, but also making the wrinkles around her eyes more obvious. All in all, she reminded him a bit of Professor McGonagall, a professor at Hogwarts who was head of his house while he went to school there. She had that strict, yet oddly grandmotherly sort about her.

"But it's the holidays, ma'am!" he beseeched her again. She just lowered her head and shook it sadly, causing her ocher, horned-rimmed glasses to slide down her nose. "It's Christmas!"

She looked up again at him with a softer aspect to her face. "I like you, Lupin, I really do, but Christmas time or not, rules are rules. You've just missed to many days recently. I'm sorry. I truly am, but we have to let you go."

Remus sighed heavily and ran his thin fingers through the cinnamon speckled with gold tufts of his hair. His amber eyes dilated in thought. "I only missed two days this week," he groaned wearily to the edge of her desk.

"And three days from a month before," she reminded him gently. "And two days from the month before that."

"I was sick!" he exclaimed forcefully, throwing his hands down on her desk. She pulled back and so he softened the tone of his voice. "Please," he begged, leaning in, "Just wait to fire me until after the holidays. I haven't even bought presents yet. What am I to tell my family?"

His boss, or soon to be ex-boss, sighed and shuffled a pile a papers on her desk. She was avoiding his eyes. "Look, I didn't call you in here to give you advice on life. All I know is that when I met yesterday with the Board of Directors, they said we needed to let you go. I realize the timing is inconvenient, but that's just the way the Sickle falls at times, okay?" She dared herself to look up at his face. His eyes were pleading with her. She dropped the freshly arranged pile of papers back to her desk, where they rested in a neat stack, and gazed at him sincerely. "Listen to me, Remus, you are a great worker. You do the job and you do it well, and all the costumers seem to love you. You're especially great with the kids, and are a doll to work with." He eyed her curiously a bit as she said this and so she added, "Or at least that's what your coworkers have told me. But unfortunately, you've just missed too many days. " This caused Remus to straighten up and sigh. He stared up at the speckled ceiling as she finished. "We usually could excuse it before, but this time—Christmas is our busiest time. Surely you can understand that. Even in Muggle toyshops, Christmas is an exceedingly busy holiday. We can't keep an employee on staff if he can't show up when he's supposed to work."

"But I owled in," Remus cried, still staring upwards.

"Yes, but we had no one to replace you those days. We were mercilessly short-handed. Can't you understand how that affected us? I'm sure you can comprehend that. I mean people do work when they're sick."

"Most people don't get sick like I do," he quipped. Suddenly realizing the possible information he might have leaked about himself, he glanced down at her. She was staring at him in peculiar way, like she wanted to ask him something but couldn't quite bring herself to say it out loud. He mentally checked himself. He would have to be careful; otherwise he wouldn't get a good review and would find even more trouble finding a job in the future.

"Even so," she went on after a minute, "can you understand why we need to let you go?"

"Yes," he exhaled despondently.

She smiled sadly at him. "Well, then I guess that concludes are business here." She stretched out a hand in his direction. "Good luck."

He took her hand in his and shook it. "Thanks," he replied, putting on a fake smile so that she wouldn't feel quite as bad. Not everyone deserves to feel miserable over the holidays, he thought begrudgingly to himself.

He crossed the room, and gathered up his camel-haired coat from a violent violet, plush chair that rested by the door. He began to throw it around his shoulders, when he heard her beckon his name again.

"Uh, Remus?" she summoned nicely, scratching out a few words with a quill.

He turned around silently. She had finished writing down whatever it was and now held the small slip of paper at arm's reach to him. He walked over to take it from her.

"I hope you have a Merry Christmas," she said with a genuine smile. He smiled back at her and took the paper. It was a coupon written out in magic ink that shimmered red and green for 25% off a purchase over 20 Galleons. "That's for your family," she added with a wink.

Remus thanked her and, stuffing the coupon into the hip pocket of his faded Muggle blue jeans, left the office. He exited into a hallway and took the elevator down to the first floor, which was covered in toys and little children with rosy cheeks. He smiled as he saw them run around, excited that Christmas was in a few days, and absentmindedly twisted the small ring that was located on his left ring finger.

I wonder if Sirius would like teddy bear for Christmas, he jested to himself as he passed a large display of stuffed bears. To the right of them was another display of stuffed cats and then a following display of robotic toys that moved and buzzed nosily around. Wizard toy stores were not that different from Muggle stores.

"Well," Remus sighed, pulling the coupon out of his pocket, "best not put this to waste."

He left the shop with an armful of presents under one arm and walked down the street. He was planning to stop by the pub and get some butter beer for the party he was having with James, Lily and Peter that evening, but just as he was about to enter the door, he noticed Sirius's owl soaring to him. The owl landed on his shoulder, almost causing him to drop his six packages. All were purchase at the toy store. He had gotten a small, action figure Quidditch set for James, a lovely set of tops for Peter, whom he knew was developing an extensive collections of wizarding tops, a cute singing house elf doll for Lily that sung We Wish You a Merry Christmas on command, and then a stuffed dog that resembled Padfoot remarkably for Sirius. He also bought a small something for James and Lily's unborn child. She was already a month pregnant. He knew it was early but felt that the gift would not go unappreciated. The sixth present was another one for Sirius, a very special one.

The clumsy owl almost bombarded him. "Piddly!" cried Remus, irritated. "You almost made me drop my gifts. Be more careful."

The old, awkward owl just hooted cheerily and stuck out its tiny leg so that Remus could remove the message. Sirius was writing him to come home from work. Lovely, Remus thought, grimacing. He'll be thrilled then to know that I never have to go back into work, seeing as how I was just fired. Piddly ruffled his gray feathers at the sour look at his recipient's face. He cooed questioningly.

"Oh!" Remus huffed at him, suddenly feeling bitterer with the world than he would have hoped. "Bah! Go humbug somebody else, Piddly!" To himself he added as the small owl flew off, "Merlin, how I loathe this holiday." 

To Be Continued…

A/N: Somebody has the Holiday blues… :: Frown. Huggles Remmie:: I wonder if someone could help him get over those blues… *hint hint* ::Cough "Siri!" cough:: Please Read & Respond.