Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

Harry and Ron went downstairs for breakfast on a cold Saturday morning, where they found Ginny reading a letter.

"Dean's asked me to go to a football game on Thursday" she said.

"Harry, what's football?" asked Mr Weasley excitedly.

"It's mental" said Ron before Harry could open his mouth. "No one's allowed to fly. And it's only got one ball."

Harry quickly explained how football was played.

"Fascinating!" said Mr Weasley "Is it played in many places?"

"All over the world" said Harry "There's even a World Cup, like there is with Quidditch"

"And how does that work?" asked Mr Weasley.

"Not now, Arthur" said Mrs Weasley impatiently. "Ginny, who is this boy? What's he like?"

"Well his name's Dean Thomas and he's from London" said Ginny. "He's in Gryffindor, in the same year as Ron and Harry. And his parents are muggles...".

"Muggles!" said Mr Weasley excitedly "Ginny, that's wonderful! Did you hear that, Molly?"

"I heard" said Mrs Weasley.

"So can I go?" asked Ginny.

"Yes I suppose you can" said Mrs Weasley.

Ron shook his head.

While Ginny was at the football game, Harry, Ron, Fred and George had a snowball fight in the Weasley's garden. Harry and Ron lost because Fred and George were using their wands. "I give up" said Ron turning around and walking into the house. A snowball hit the back of his head. The twins looked at Harry for a second before bewitching several snowballs to fly right at him.

Harry was woken up on Christmas morning by Ron groaning loudly, "Maroon again".

Harry opened his eyes. Ron had just unwrapped his Christmas jumper from his mother. Maroon was one of his least favourite colours.

"Have you ever told your mum you don't like it?" asked Harry.

"No" said Ron picking up another parcel. "This one's from Hermione. I bet it's a book"

Ron was right. Hermione had given him a copy of Hogwarts; A History along with a note saying he didn't have an excuse for not reading it.

"See if you got one" Ron told Harry.

Harry had. He also got his usual jumper and a box of homemade fudge from Mr and Mrs Weasley; A box stuffed full of joke merchandise from Fred and George; A box full of all his favourite sweets from Hagrid; A watch from Ron and Ginny; A pack of cards from the Dursley's and a hand knitted, pink and yellow striped hat from Dobby.

"You know Dobby's knitting is much better than Hermione's" said Ron jamming the hat onto Harry's head. "Hey Harry, you've got another present"

Ron passed Harry a cylindrical package. Harry tore off the paper and found what looked like a small telescope and a note.

Harry,

This is a Spyscope. James gave it to me when I was at school and I thought you might like it. Just say the name of any place into it and you'll be able to see what's happening there. Merry Christmas.

From

Remus Lupin.

Christmas at the Burrow was the most fun Harry had had in a long time. Mr Weasley was like an over excited toddler switching the torch Harry had given him on and off (Harry suspected the batteries would be flat by the new year). Harry had given Fred and George self grinding pestles and the twins were grinding almost anything they could get their hands on. Mrs Weasley had invited Harry's old Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher, Professor Lupin for Christmas dinner and Harry was quite pleased to see him. However, he was not pleased about the fact that Lupin looked tireder and shabbier than ever (Lupin was unable to get a job because he was a werewolf).

"How are you, Harry?" asked Lupin shaking his hand.

"Fine" said Harry "Thanks for the Spyscope, Professor..."

"Harry, I am no longer your teacher. Please call me Remus" Lupin insisted. "Oh here's Tonks"

Tonks was an Auror Harry had met last year. Harry liked her very much.

"Wotcher, Harry" she said smiling at him and handing him a large envelope.

"This is from Kingsley and me" said Tonks. Kingsley Shacklebolt was another Auror. He had been in charge of the search for Harry's Godfather, Sirius Black, whom most of the wizarding world believed to be a murderer. Sirius had been killed at the end of Harry's fifth year. Harry opened the envelope. It was full of pictures of Sirius smiling and waving at him.

"Thanks" whispered Harry justMrs Weasley called them to eat.

"Thanks for inviting me, Molly" said Tonks cheerfully when they had all squeezed themselves around the Weasley's kitchen table. "I'm not exactly welcome with my relatives"

She turned to Harry and whispered "I wonder why JK Rowling gave me the Malfoys for relatives"

"Probably the same reason she gave me the Dursleys" Harry whispered back. "Looks like you got the worse end of the deal though. I mean the Dursley's usually disappear by about the fourth chapter. And Draco Malfoy's around for almost the whole book"

"I'd like to know why she called me Nymphadora" said Tonks "Couldn't she have come up with something better?"

Harry was sure JK Rowling could have thought of a better name than Nymphadora. However, he did not say this because George had just offered him one end of a large purple cracker. Harry and George tugged at it, suddenly the table was engulfed in bright blue smoke and a loud voice bellowed "COMB YOUR HAIR!"

When the smoke had cleared Harry saw Fred and George laughing and pounding their fists on the table.

"Christmas Crack Ups!" roared Fred. "You're the first to try them, Harry"

Ron's Crack Up shouted "TUCK YOUR SHIRT IN!" Bill's said that his hair was getting far too long.

"Well it is" agreed Mrs Weasley "Bill, it's almost as long as Ginny's. And wearing that fang in your ear. What do they say about it at Hogwarts?"

"They like it" said Ginny. "I even overheard Draco Malfoy saying it was cool"

"I meant the teachers, Ginny" said Mrs Weasley sternly as Mr Weasley pulled a cracker which shouted about his fascination with muggles.

"If I hear another one of those things..." began Mrs Weasley

"You haven't heard ours yet, mum" said Fred. "Ready George?"

The twins pulled on their crackers, a voice that sounded very much like Mrs Weasley's filled the kitchen; "NOW REALLY! THERE WAS NO NEED FOR THAT!"