Disclaimer:
I do not pretend to own the Harry Potter world or any character within it: that right belongs to the eminent J. K. Rowling, to whom I most respectfully yield.
Neither do I pretend to be an expert on the early legends of King Arthur and the fabled Isle of Avalon. They belong to posterity and my imagination.
If, in writing, I offend someone, I apologize, but stand by my opinions.
I write this solely for my own amusement and for the appreciation of my audience. NO monetary gain whatsoever is intended.
I have no money, don't sue me, I'm not worth it, and there are bigger fish to fry.
Chapter Eleven
Anna came back down, on Christmas Eve, resplendent in violet velvet. Mr and Mrs Granger had given in to Hermione and Mrs Weasley, and donned wizard's robes of lime green and pastel blue, though they looked a bit awkward. Ron wore his, although they were maroon and he grumbled constantly.
The only real wizard's apparel that Harry owned, besides his school robe, were his bottle green dress robes. He put them on, over some thick corduroy pants and the Griffindor jumper that Mrs Weasley made him a few years ago. The other Weasley were all decked out in an eye blinding variety of clothing, but somehow they all seemed to match.
The purpose of this quickly became apparent, as, the Lovegood's, and the Fawcett's, the Weasley's wizarding neighbours, all appeared in the yard with a magical sleigh, drawn by two multi-horned reindeer. They were all going to pick a tree.
The magical tree farm was a truly eye opening place. Wizards of all age and station were haggling over trees that rained down snow on their branches, or glowed different colours in the right light. Some of them had little fairies and pixies already inhabiting the branches, others danced or sang Christmas carols. Suddenly Mr and Mrs Granger quickly became grateful that the robes they wore didn't mark them as outsiders.
It was a humongous lot, half the fun of searching for the right tree was trying to find your way back to the sleigh. They dragged a good size tree, with fairies in the branches, back to the sleigh. The Fawcett's purchased a small, snow bedecked tree. The Lovegood's bought a large fir that sang carols and danced. Then they went back to decorate.
"Fred! George!" Mrs Weasley shrilled, "Oh whoever you are, put that down this instant! My grandmother wove that angel; you'll rip it if you're not careful!"
"Not to worry Mum!" Fred or at least it sounded like Fred, cheerfully hollered back, "We fixed it! Look!" The angel now swayed and sang, off tune.
"Barking," Ron muttered, "Do the same thing every year and never get tired of listening to mum roar"
"Here you go Mr G," one of the twins, Harry couldn't tell which, gave Mr Granger a chocolate, "Have a go, then"
"No!" Hermione shrieked, well aware that the chocolate was likely hexed, cursed, jinxed, or otherwise contaminated. "Dad, don't!"
But it was too late; Mr Granger had consumed the treat. Within seconds he'd transfigured into a diminutive elf, complete with pointy ears, green suit, and stature.
Anna laughed heartily, ignoring Mrs Granger's slight panic, "Well I see the Christmas batch of Transfiguration Tortes came out well."
"Aye," Fred grinned, "splendidly"
Mr Granger, though slightly shell shocked, un-Transfigured a few seconds later. He took it good naturedly, though a little bedazzled by the sheer volume of magic that was thrown about. Mrs Granger needed a good slug of some very strong Eggnog before she rejoined the party.
Christmas Day was as wildly wild as the day before had been. They all clamoured down the stairs at first light, apparently after some unfortunate incidents in past years first light was now considered the absolute earliest that one could be woken up.
Anna had placed a remarkably strong Repelling Hex on the living room doors to keep out 'early risers' and no one could enter until everyone was gathered and she performed the counter-hex.
Bill took over the proceedings as everyone crammed into the living room to receive presents. Hermione and Ron shared one very squishy chair in the corner, Fred and George rattled about, never quite settling in one place, the Granger's and the Weasley's got the sofa, leaving Percy, Ginny, and Charlie to share the floor. Anna performed a spell she didn't identify and she and Harry lay, comfortably facedown, on a completely invisible cushion suspended from the ceiling, several feet above everyone's heads.
Everyone got one of Mrs Weasley's hand knitted jumpers, even the Granger's and Anna. Likewise Fred and George gave all a chest full of Canary Crèmes, Transfiguration Tortes, Ton-Tongue Toffee's, and a bottle of Morgana's Multi-coloured Follicle Fixer to everyone, to the chagrin of some of the parents present.
Hermione and Ginny gave Anna clothes; of course, they were girls and liked to do those sorts of things. Ron got a Firebolt from his Mother and Father. The Granger's gave Mr Weasley a television set; it didn't really work with any of the cables in the Weasley household, but it didn't seem to faze him. They also gave out candies of every hue and flavour, sugar free, obviously, because they both were dentists.
From Anna, Charlie got a handwritten book on miniature dragons, which he salivated over. Hermione went all gushy over a very battered copy of Moste Potente Potions, the same book they'd 'borrowed' from the school library during Second Year. She handed Harry a small golden wrapped present, blushing a little, and hiding behind the midnight curtain of her hair.
He opened it. It was a watch. Not just any watch, but a Tag Heuer, one of the most accurate, and expensive, watches in the muggle world. It had a silvery band and a red crystal. Harry pulled off Ron's old, non-functioning watch and pulled on the new one.
"I, I, um put an Everlasting Energy spell on the battery and put it in a Waterproof, Shatterproof dip. You could go diving in the lake outside Hogwarts and it'll keep ticking." She grinned at him, shyly, "I hope you like it."
"It's wonderful!" Harry exclaimed, and wrapped an arm around her waist. Her hair covered her back like a blanket, from crown to hip, and he felt the silky strands tickle his arm. He was about to pull her closer, when a sudden popping noise below them made him jump.
"Anne! Anna! Morgana du Lake! Oh where in the name of the…" Raven, disheveled and desperate looking, Apperated directly beneath the suspended Harry. "There you are, lass! Oh for the love of the Goddess, run Anna! There's an emergency, we need ye now! Get your kit on, move child, MOVE!"
She leaped down, it was a good ten or so feet, but she landed, catlike, on her toes. Anna thrust her hand into the air and shouted "ACCIO!"
From the upstairs a white blur of fabric raced down and surrounded her in a whirlwind of cloth. Her nightdress and dressing gown slid to a puddle on her feet and in their stead was a white outfit almost identical to Harry's Quidditch kit; short robe, breeches, boots, shin, forearm, and chest guards. The only difference, besides the entire bit being pure living white, was that a scabbard for a long broadsword lay empty on her hip.
"Harry!" she shouted as her hair twisted itself into a complex French braid and wound into a tight bun the nape of her neck, "Give me my wand!"
It lay, almost forgotten, next to Harry on the cushion of air. He tossed it down, and as it fell it Transfigured from a simple mahogany and dragon heartstring wand to a shining opalescent bade, nearly three feet long. She caught it by the hilt, no mean feat, and sheathed it in the scabbard at her hip, with the smooth automatic gestures of one who'd done it a thousand times.
Suddenly, looking at her, it seemed as though Anna herself had undergone a transformation. She went from a shy, slightly diminutive, sixteen year old girl to a capable, ready, powerful, woman. Her expression was that of someone ready for anything. She seemed…dangerous.
"Oh my god," exclaimed Mrs. Weasley, breathless, "she's got…" In an instant the two women Dis-Apperated out of the living room with a loud pop. "Excalibur"
There was a sudden silence in the room. Everyone knew the legends about the Lady of the Lake and Avalon and the mystical blade Excalibur. It was said to lie in the bottom of the Lake, waiting until the moment Britain needed it the most. If that was now, then Harry suspected there was a lot more going on that he didn't know about.
The living room fireplace cracked and spit, before bursting into flame. Dumbledore's face shimmered out of the coals.
"Arthur, Molly, there's been another attack. We need everyone out here. Where's Raven and Anna?"
"They've left," answered Mr. Weasley, "Does Anna really have Excalibur?" For a long moment Dumbledore looked shocked, as though he'd had no idea, then his face went slack, and weary.
"Oh no." he whispered, "Blessed be. If Morgaine has indeed recast the blade that can never be broken, we are all in direst of straits."
"Anna's the most powerful witch in the world, Professor, and she's got Avalon on her side." Hermione declared, "Even at the height of his powers, Voldemort never dare attacked the Holy Isle. It's even more protected than Hogwarts. There's no way he could take it now, he's not at full power."
"Miss Granger, I pray you are correct." Dumbledore sighed, "For the place he's attacked now is indeed Hogwarts. Molly, Arthur, follow me to the Great Hall. I fear we have some serious work ahead of us." He disappeared from the flames.