Chapter 19

Christmas

A/N: And here it is, the chapter everyone (well, Fi) has been waiting for—when Fi appears! Yay! Also, there will be another character introduced as well. Who it is...well, you'll just have to read and see, won't you? Oh, and while you're at it, could you review? I don't care if you critique my story as long as you don't get too vicious.

Read, review, and enjoy!

Severus woke up groggily one morning, and was greeted by an Esquire jumping on his bed, beaming like a lunatic.

"Aah!" shouted Severus, and fell off the bed, clutching his covers. "Esquire, what the hell--?!"

"It's Christmas!" yelled Esquire gleefully, and then jumped off of the bed. "Christmas Christmas Christmas! Yay!"

"Oh." Severus stood up and put the covers he had been clutching back on the bed. "Well, I guess we should go downstairs, then."

"Whee!" Esquire agreed, and dashed into the hallway.

Severus sighed and began to make his bed. He wanted to take his sweet time going downstairs. He had never really liked Christmas...every year it was the same thing. He would wake up, run downstairs into the parlor, open all of his presents with his siblings, and right after, his parents would get into an argument about how much money they were using by getting all of these expensive presents for all of their children, even though they had nothing to worry about. It was rather annoying. One year it got so bad that his mum threw a vase at his father's head. He'd ducked, but she kept on throwing things at him, shrieking about how he never paid attention to their finances and that he ought to "get the hell out of my house!" His father had shouted back that it wasn't her house, anyway, it was his, and if anyone was to be leaving it should be her!

So she did.

She came back a couple of days later, apologized, and everyone forgot about it.

After Severus was done making his bed, he put on his bathrobe and went downstairs, where everyone was already gathered around the Christmas tree.

"C'mon, Sev, we're about to open presents," said Dave, his mouth full of bacon.

Severus sat in between Bill and Bob. Bill handed him the plate of bacon that was going around.

"Thanks," said Severus, took a strip of bacon, and handed the plate to Bob.

"What, only one strip?" shouted Bill incredulously.

"Do you realize how artery-clogging these things are?" said Severus sternly, waving the strip in Bill's face.

"You're too mature for your own good, Severus," smiled Mrs. Caldwell. She was a very pretty lady, with long curls and auburn hair like her son's. She picked up a present from under the Christmas tree. "This one's for you, Dan."

"Thanks, Mum." Dan grabbed the present and tore the wrapping paper open. "Wicked! A pack of Chocolate Frog cards! Thanks!"

And things continued that way for the rest of the morning. Severus received a living model of The Hogwarts Express from Dave with tiny living people inside, a potions kit from Bob (he was far beyond the level of that particular potions kit, but he appreciated the gesture), a sock bunny from Esquire ("Er...thanks...I think..."), and a piggy bank in the shape of a cauldron from Bill. But Dan had given him the best gift of all...

"The Potion Brewer's Guide to Potions!" exclaimed Severus as he opened his present.

"Do you like it?" asked Dan worriedly. "I knew you liked Potions, so I thought that you might like it..."

"Like it?" shouted Severus in shock. "I love it! And I've never said that before! Wow! Weird!" He just could not stop talking in exclamation points. He had never been this excited over a present before.

"What? You mean you've never said that you loved something before?" asked Dave in astonishment.

"Yeah! Isn't it weird! I've just never really got the chance to! Nothing to love, really! With my family it went without saying! But now--yes! Bwa!"

"Okay, you need to calm down," said Esquire.

"Ah, the irony," sighed Bob wistfully.

"Irony! Ha! That's funny!" giggled Severus in glee.

"Okay, somebody needs to shoot him with a tranquilizer dart or something," said Bill. "I've never heard him giggle before...this is disturbing..."

"You sure now how to pick presents, Dan," laughed Dave. Dan laughed too.

Severus let out a laugh so high-pitched that the rest of them had to cover their ears.

"Merlin's beard, did someone slip something into his bacon?" shouted Esquire.

"How could they have done that?" asked Dan.

"I dunno," said Esquire.

Severus just continued laughing. He could not for the life of him figure out why he was so damn happy over a book.

"Okay, somebody shut him up!" yelled Bill.

Dave crawled over and slapped Severus on the face.

"Sorry, but you were getting hysterical," said Dave as he edged back to his spot on the floor.

"Thanks," said Severus, returning slowly into his old self. He rubbed the spot where Dave had slapped him.

"Is everyone done opening their presents?" asked Mr. Caldwell, popping his head out of the kitchen. He was a thin man with thinning dark brown hair. He reminded Severus of somebody, but he couldn't place exactly who.

"Yes," everyone said in unison.

"Okay, then!" said Mr. Caldwell. He stepped into the parlor; he was holding a large red and green cake with the words "MERRY X-MAS" written sloppily in icing on it.

"CAKE!!!!!" screamed Esquire, and lunged at Mr. Caldwell.

"What the-?" he gasped, as Esquire tackled him. The cake went flying and landed on the white carpet.

The boys started laughing.

"Oh, dear," said Mrs. Caldwell.

"Where's the cake?" asked Esquire, looking around wildly. When he saw the cake on the floor he burst into tears.

"Shh, it's okay, Bill Bob, it's all right," said Mrs. Caldwell soothingly as she walked over to them.

"C-cake," sobbed Esquire. "It's dead..." He began to cry even harder.

While Mrs. Caldwell tried to calm down Esquire (she wasn't succeeding), the rest of the gang went upstairs to put on their clothes for a day on the town.


After Esquire had stopped crying over the deceased cake and had gotten dressed, they said goodbye to Dan's parents and took a taxi into town.

They were all very cramped in the taxi. Severus was sitting in the front, and Esquire, Dan, Dave, Bill, and Bob were all very smushed together in the back seat. It was very difficult to move.

"Look at that Muggle!" exclaimed Bill, nodding his head in the direction of the window. The taxi driver gave him an odd look in the rearview mirror but said nothing.

They all looked out the window and saw the large woman with the picnic basket from the scavenger hunt wearing a very large hat completely covered in dolphin keychains. In fact, everything she wore was covered in dolphin keychains, even her shoes.

Everyone stared at her as they passed, even the driver.

"Eyes on the road!" demanded Severus after they had passed her. The driver blinked and looked back at the street.

After laughing at a few more Muggles, they had finally arrived at the public beach.

"Wheeee!" Esquire shouted. He threw his bag aside and, still wearing his clothes, ran to the ocean and jumped in.

Severus and Bill rolled their eyes, while Dave and Dan went after him.

"Honestly, you'd think the sugar from yesterday would've worn off by now," muttered Severus.

"He had some when he woke up," said Bill. "It's amazing how he's never even had a cavity before."

"Maybe his teeth have grown an immunity."

Dan, Dave, and Esquire all came back soaking wet. Esquire was beaming.

"Couldn't you have waited until we changed into our bathing suits?" complained Dave.

"Nope!" replied Esquire.

They all changed in the changing rooms, got their surfboards, and went surfing. No tourists were there since it was morning, so they practically had the whole place to themselves.

After they were done surfing, they sat on the beach and had lunch. They explored the boardwalk for a bit, laughing at the Muggles and playing some boardwalk games. Bob won a giant stuffed bunny, which he gave to Esquire, who was excited beyond belief.

"Your name is Bunny, oh yes it is," cooed Esquire to the bunny.

"Oh, how original," said Severus sarcastically.

They spent the rest of the day in the small amusement park, riding the same rollercoaster over and over until they all threw up.

When their curfew had finally arrived, Dan started to hail a taxi, but Bill grabbed his arm.

"I don't think we should be going home just yet," said Bill.

"We've done everything there is to do here," said Dan. "It's 8:00 at night, it takes an hour to get back to the beach house, and my mum and dad are probably pissed as it is. Our curfew is 8. It's 8 right now. We need to leave."

Bill let go of his arm. "It's just...I heard about this party," he said in a low voice. "It's one being held by a wizard. Come on, don't pretend like you're not dying to get away from these Muggles."

"Where could you have possibly heard that?" asked Dave skeptically.

Bill shrugged. "I have my ways."

"Dan's right," said Severus. "We need to get back."

Bill snorted. "Fine. Go if you want to. But I'm going to the party." He started walking away. "Come on, Bob."

Bob hesitated.

Bill whirled around. "Are you coming or not?"

"Well...I just don't think it's such a good idea..." said Bob slowly.

Bill sneered. "Of course. Always avoiding the wild sides of life...typical Bob."

He started walking away again when Esquire cried, "I'll go!"

Bill stopped and turned around. "All right, Esquire!"

"Esquire, what are you doing?" hissed Dan.

Esquire shrugged. "He can't go by himself, can he? He might...I dunno...get hurt or something." And with that, Esquire ran to catch up with Bill.

"I guess I have to go too," said Dave reluctantly.

"What?! Why?" exclaimed Dan.

"Y'know," muttered Dave, "I have to watch out for Esquire. He's more likely to hurt himself than Bill." Then he ran to catch up with Bill and Esquire.

Bob sighed. "I might as well..." Then he went to catch up with the others.

Severus and Dan stared after them as they made their way across the beach.

"Do you think we should...?" Dan asked Severus.

Severus shrugged. "Whatever you want. Personally, I think we shouldn't, but it's your call."

Dan hesitated, and then he took off.

Severus sighed and followed Dan. This would surely end in disaster...


About twenty minutes later, they had reached the building where the party was being held. They went inside and were greeted by a loud BANG of Filibuster Fireworks.

"Yep, this is definitely a wizard's party," confirmed Dave.

"No kidding," said Dan.

"Bill!" A girl with long dark brown hair ran over and tackled Bill to the ground. "You came!"

"Hi, Fi," said Bill. "Please get off of me..."

She laughed and stood up. She beamed. "Hello!"

"Er, hi," said Dan.

"Peace," said Dave, making a peace sign.

"Hello," said Bob, smiling.

"Whee!" said Esquire.

"Hello," said Severus stiffly. "Were you the one who informed Bill of this...party?"

"Yep," she grinned. "It's fantastic, isn't it? My cousin Jon is hosting. He's over by the kegs of butterbeer." She pointed to a man wearing robes of dark blue surrounded by kegs of butterbeer.

"You're British, are you?" asked Severus.

"Yeah," said Fi. "I'm here on vacation. Do you guys go to Hogwarts?"

"Yep," said Dave. "We're in first year."

"So am I!" she beamed. "I wonder why I haven't seen you before."

"We're in Slytherin," piped up Esquire. "What house are you in?"

"Ravenclaw," she said. "Actually, now that I think about it, I think I remember seeing you guys in Herbology...you're always in the back, right?"

Esquire snapped his fingers. "Yeah! And you're always in the front!"

"Yes!" Fi gave him a wide smile. Esquire grinned too.

Severus cleared his throat. "So, since we are all acquainted with each other, why don't I get us all some beverages?"

"Excellent idea," said Bill, clapping Severus on the back.

"Ouch," grimaced Severus. He walked off towards the man standing near the butterbeers.

After he had returned with the butterbeers, they all chatted for a long time, and Severus was upset to discover that Fi, like Esquire, had an obsessive love for sugar.

"Sometimes I eat five pounds a day," she said matter-of-factly.

"That's nothing," scoffed Esquire. "I eat at least ten pounds a day!"

Fi looked over at him, impressed. "Really?"

"Yep," said Esquire proudly, puffing out his chest. "And I've never even had any cavities!"

She gaped at him. "That's not fair! I've had at least five cavities in my eleven-year old life and I eat less than you do!"

"Perhaps he's grown immune to it," said Severus through gritted teeth.

"What's up with that guy?" Fi asked Bill.

"He had a bad childhood," said Bill casually.

"I'M IN MY CHILDHOOD!" yelled Severus.

"Exactly," said Bill.

Severus glared at him, but didn't say anything else.

"I'm only saying!" said Bill.

Dan looked at his watch and gasped. "Holy fish-paste, Batman, it's midnight!"

"Huh?" said Severus.

"It's a Muggle expression," explained Dan hastily. "But we have to—"

"How do you guys know all of those American Muggle expressions, anyway?" interrupted Severus.

"Dave and Esquire went to the Americas for a year," said Dan exasperatedly. "Didn't I tell you that before? Anyway, they started speaking the slang, and we just picked up on it."

"Won't be long before you do, mate," said Dave.

"Never," said Severus firmly.

"We have to leave," said Dan angrily. "Now. It's getting late. Actually, it is late. We might be able to sneak in, if my parents are sleeping."

"Fat chance of that," said Bob. "They're probably up waiting for us."

"Oh, I knew this was a bad idea...."moaned Dan.

"Come on, let's go catch a taxi," said Dave.

They all said goodbye to Fi ("Hey, maybe I'll catch you at the beach tomorrow!"), but before they could exit they ran into a Japanese girl with long, shiny black hair.

"I like shiny," commented Esquire.

"Shut up!" yelled Severus.

"Hello," said the girl. "I'm Kyoko. Who are—?"

"No time to talk, meet us on the beach tomorrow at 4, we'll talk to you then okay bye!" said Dan hastily, and they all ran out and hailed a taxi.


They finally reached the beachhouse, panting for breath (they ran all the way up to hill to the beachhouse).

"Okay," said Dan. "Let's quietly open the door, and maybe they won't hear us...."

Severus, who was good at sneaking into places, noiselessly opened the door and looked around the living room.

"No one's here," he whispered. "Let's go."

They all tip-toed into the living room when suddenly the light turned on and Mr. and Mrs. Caldwell were standing there, arms crossed, glaring at them all.

"Where have you all been?" said Mrs. Caldwell in a threatening voice.

"Uh-oh," said Dan.

A/N: You like? Review? You hate? Review!