Thank you, everyone who reviewed! I nearly cried!
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Chapter Four: Christmas Day
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"HARRY!"
"No! No! You can't have-" Harry blinked. "Morning, Ron."
"Get up!" said Neville.
"It's still dark out," Harry moaned and wrapped himself in the covers again.
"It's Christmas!" yelled Ron.
"Don't care."
It took ten minutes of wheedling; ripping back duvets and threats of cold water before Harry finally gave in.
"Not like I can get back to sleep anyway," he laughed.
The other occupants of 12 Grimmauld Place were sitting around the Christmas tree, watching the door for the boys' arrival.
"Right," began Mrs Weasley briskly. "Ron, this one's from your dad and me." She handed Ron a lumpy package. Seeing Ron's face falling, she added, "It's not maroon."
Harry received a box of Honeyduke's chocolates from Hagrid and a huge carton of Every Flavour Beans from Ron. Hermione, resigned to the fact that the boys didn't want educational gifts, bought Harry a booster pack for his Broom Servicing Kit and a book about vintage broomsticks. After thanking Mrs Weasley for his jumper and showing Mr Weasley how to work his new Gameboy, Harry rushed upstairs to retrieve the presents he had neglected to put under the tree.
Ron loved his set of Chudley Cannon replica robes; Hermione seemed over the moon with her phoenix-feather quill ("I'm saving this for my N.E.W.T.'s," she said); Ginny kept thanking Harry for the new diary and Neville- Harry had difficulty parting with Neville's present: a photo album with pictures of the Longbottoms. Remembering how much he had appreciated the album Hagrid had given him in first year, Harry took out almost every picture in that book that featured Frank and Alice Longbottom. Neville was at a loss for words. He gave Harry a very quick hug and ran upstairs, while Harry recalled his own speechlessness on receipt of his album.
The Weasley twins arrived around noon, bearing large boxes of samples from Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. Tonks was thrilled with her box and declared that she would be recommending the shop to all her friends.
But the most special present Harry gave that day was not to any of his schoolmates; it was to Lupin. Wrapping paper was sorted or given to Crookshanks for shredding; the tree was robbed of its chocolate decorations and the whole house was testing gifts and preparing for dinner. Lupin was sitting reading a book when Harry came to meet him.
"Here," said Harry, setting the wrapped box on the arm of the chair. Then he turned and went back to his room. Sitting on his bed, Harry wished for Moody's magical eye to see Remus' reaction.
He had only wrapped that one that morning. It was the Marauder's Map, in an ornate, custom-made gold frame bearing an entwined wolf, stag, dog and rat.
*****
Christmas dinner was truly spectacular. It couldn't rival the scale of Hogwarts' Yuletide banquet, but it was not less tasty. Many members of the Order dropped by, while others Disapparated to be with family.
Tonks, Kingsley and Mundungus all left at eleven and the latter returned just in time for the truly superb chocolate pudding. Moody and Lupin departed at three o'clock to visit family.
Between dinner and bed, there was little activity at the headquarters of the Order. Harry and Hermione were washing dishes by magic while Ginny and Ron wiped down the counters and table. Neville was boiling the kettle for a dozen cups of tea when he let out a wail and fled the kitchen.
Ginny stuck a confused head into the doorway, watching him race down the hall. Turning to her bemused friends, she shrugged; turning to the fireplace Ginny promptly dropped the rag she was holding.
"Weasley!" shouted Severus Snape's frustrated head.
"S-sorry Professor Snape," whimpered Ginny, still shocked.
"Get your mother immediately!" he snapped. "It's urgent."
Ginny scurried off to fetch her mother. The others found it excruciatingly difficult to continue working with the suspense of Snape's message. At last Mrs Weasley appeared.
"Severus?" she said, seemingly surprised at his presence.
"Molly, has Professor Dumbledore arrived yet?"
Mrs Weasley's face brightened. "Albus is coming? How lovely-"
"I have news," interrupted Snape, "On a rather ... pressing ... issue." It was quite clear that he did not want the teens to hear him; from the urgency of his voice it seemed vital that Dumbledore heard this news straight away.
"I-"
"It cannot wait!"
Just at that moment, a loud popping noise was heard in the hall. Looking round for the first time, Mrs Weasley noticed that Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny were in the room.
"Go on upstairs," she said anxiously. "Go."
It was the kind of voice only a fool would back talk. They raced upstairs to speculate on this latest development - and find a means of eavesdropping.
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Chapter Four: Christmas Day
::::::-------------
"HARRY!"
"No! No! You can't have-" Harry blinked. "Morning, Ron."
"Get up!" said Neville.
"It's still dark out," Harry moaned and wrapped himself in the covers again.
"It's Christmas!" yelled Ron.
"Don't care."
It took ten minutes of wheedling; ripping back duvets and threats of cold water before Harry finally gave in.
"Not like I can get back to sleep anyway," he laughed.
The other occupants of 12 Grimmauld Place were sitting around the Christmas tree, watching the door for the boys' arrival.
"Right," began Mrs Weasley briskly. "Ron, this one's from your dad and me." She handed Ron a lumpy package. Seeing Ron's face falling, she added, "It's not maroon."
Harry received a box of Honeyduke's chocolates from Hagrid and a huge carton of Every Flavour Beans from Ron. Hermione, resigned to the fact that the boys didn't want educational gifts, bought Harry a booster pack for his Broom Servicing Kit and a book about vintage broomsticks. After thanking Mrs Weasley for his jumper and showing Mr Weasley how to work his new Gameboy, Harry rushed upstairs to retrieve the presents he had neglected to put under the tree.
Ron loved his set of Chudley Cannon replica robes; Hermione seemed over the moon with her phoenix-feather quill ("I'm saving this for my N.E.W.T.'s," she said); Ginny kept thanking Harry for the new diary and Neville- Harry had difficulty parting with Neville's present: a photo album with pictures of the Longbottoms. Remembering how much he had appreciated the album Hagrid had given him in first year, Harry took out almost every picture in that book that featured Frank and Alice Longbottom. Neville was at a loss for words. He gave Harry a very quick hug and ran upstairs, while Harry recalled his own speechlessness on receipt of his album.
The Weasley twins arrived around noon, bearing large boxes of samples from Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. Tonks was thrilled with her box and declared that she would be recommending the shop to all her friends.
But the most special present Harry gave that day was not to any of his schoolmates; it was to Lupin. Wrapping paper was sorted or given to Crookshanks for shredding; the tree was robbed of its chocolate decorations and the whole house was testing gifts and preparing for dinner. Lupin was sitting reading a book when Harry came to meet him.
"Here," said Harry, setting the wrapped box on the arm of the chair. Then he turned and went back to his room. Sitting on his bed, Harry wished for Moody's magical eye to see Remus' reaction.
He had only wrapped that one that morning. It was the Marauder's Map, in an ornate, custom-made gold frame bearing an entwined wolf, stag, dog and rat.
*****
Christmas dinner was truly spectacular. It couldn't rival the scale of Hogwarts' Yuletide banquet, but it was not less tasty. Many members of the Order dropped by, while others Disapparated to be with family.
Tonks, Kingsley and Mundungus all left at eleven and the latter returned just in time for the truly superb chocolate pudding. Moody and Lupin departed at three o'clock to visit family.
Between dinner and bed, there was little activity at the headquarters of the Order. Harry and Hermione were washing dishes by magic while Ginny and Ron wiped down the counters and table. Neville was boiling the kettle for a dozen cups of tea when he let out a wail and fled the kitchen.
Ginny stuck a confused head into the doorway, watching him race down the hall. Turning to her bemused friends, she shrugged; turning to the fireplace Ginny promptly dropped the rag she was holding.
"Weasley!" shouted Severus Snape's frustrated head.
"S-sorry Professor Snape," whimpered Ginny, still shocked.
"Get your mother immediately!" he snapped. "It's urgent."
Ginny scurried off to fetch her mother. The others found it excruciatingly difficult to continue working with the suspense of Snape's message. At last Mrs Weasley appeared.
"Severus?" she said, seemingly surprised at his presence.
"Molly, has Professor Dumbledore arrived yet?"
Mrs Weasley's face brightened. "Albus is coming? How lovely-"
"I have news," interrupted Snape, "On a rather ... pressing ... issue." It was quite clear that he did not want the teens to hear him; from the urgency of his voice it seemed vital that Dumbledore heard this news straight away.
"I-"
"It cannot wait!"
Just at that moment, a loud popping noise was heard in the hall. Looking round for the first time, Mrs Weasley noticed that Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny were in the room.
"Go on upstairs," she said anxiously. "Go."
It was the kind of voice only a fool would back talk. They raced upstairs to speculate on this latest development - and find a means of eavesdropping.