"HARRY!"
The-raven-haired-boy, Harry Potter, awoke slowly. Groggily, he wiped his eyes and tried to figure out why Ron would wake him at - he shot a look at the clock - 5:00 a.m.!
"Ron, what…?"
"Harry, it's Christmas! Happy Christmas!" Ron said, answering Harry's half-asked (not half-assed) question. "You've got presents! We've got presents!"
"I've got presents?" Harry asked in disbelief, and then remembered he hadn't spent a Christmas with the Dursleys in six years. Silly Harry.
"Of course you do! Let's go to the common room!" Ron said, his usual blanch gone and replaced by a pink flush.
"Ron, the common room? Don't we usually get them in here?" Harry questioned, peering at the empty foot of his bed.
"Since there we so few people staying at Hogwarts for the holidays, I guess they put our presents near the big tree in the common room. Come on!" Ron urged Harry out of bed and then shot down the stairs.
Harry quirked an eyebrow. "He's certainly excited…" Harry said to no one in particular.
"Indeed he is. Fix your hair, you look like a ragamuffin." The mirror hanging near Seamus' bed said. "Oh, and Happy Christmas."
"Same to you…" Harry said mid-yawn. He chose to ignore the comment.
Harry made his way down the stairs, wondering what he got. This would be the first year he wouldn't receive a present from Sirius. Granted, he didn't receive one his first two years at Hogwarts, but once he had, he had looked forward to it every year. Sirius always knew what was in Harry's heart, and gave presents that had proved useful. It wasn't as if he looked forward to receiving more gifts because of him; on the contrary, he had enjoyed any form or substance relating to Sirius, the closest link to his past besides Remus, who was usually out chasing rabbits. Sighing, Harry remembered Sirius' last present…the present that could have saved Sirius' life. He put on a fake smile, determined not to ruin anyone's Christmas, especially after he felt he had ruined last year's…
But when Harry arrived to the common room, he found there was no way he could have possibly ruined Christmas. It was already ruined.
There, sitting near the fireplace, was Ron Weasley. His hand was placed on the brick, his eyes looking up the flume, shock and dismay written all over his face.
"Ron…?"
Ginny Weasley was sitting, looking dejected, in a large burgundy chair, staring blankly into the space in front of her. Colin and Dennis Creevey bore the same looks, but were huddled in a corner, hugging themselves. The only other Gryffindor present at Hogwarts, a first year Harry didn't know, was tugging at a shiny gold ornament, gnawing her lip.
"What's all wrong with you? It's Christm…" Harry didn't finish.
The Gryffindor Common Room was still gorgeously decorated, and everything seemed to be in place.
Except the presents.
Harry, realizing what crucial part of Christmas was missing, took on a look of shock similar to the other Gryffindors. He turned to the fireplace, where Ron was attempting to search, despite the roaring fire. The stockings, maybe everything was in the stockings…?
Empty.
Harry quickly walked to his left, where a few scattered slippers were laid. The shoes! Maybe Father Christmas left trinkets in the…
Nothing.
Harry felt horrible. This was his entire fault. Why is it all your fault? An inner voice asked. "Because everything's my fault!" Harry shot back. Harry unfortunately said this out loud.
Ron pulled out of the fireplace, his hands singed quite black, and beginning to smell rather putrid.
"Everything's your fault? Harry…did you do this?" Ron said, his eyes filled with tears of shame.
"Of course he didn't, you git!" Ginny said, shaking her limp red hair.
"Thanks." Harry said to her, his voice full of gratitude.
Ginny shrugged in response, nodding her head. "Only saying the truth."
Harry, looking over the common room once more, gathered himself up. "Well, we'll go searching for our presents!"
The first year looked up, glee written all over her face. The Creevey boys looked as if Christmas had come early…or, well, that it had come. Ginny nodded her head, and went to drag Ron away from the fireplace, where he was now searching with his feet.
Harry then noticed that something besides the presents was missing. Someone was missing.
"Have any of you seen April?"
Ginny opened her eyes wide, also noting April's disappearance. She shook her head. Ron shook her…his head. The others in the room also looked at each other, questioning the same thing.
"Maybe she went to the Christmas Breakfast…come on." Harry said determinedly, not wishing another Christmas to be ruined by Voldemort. Voldemort! Harry stopped in his tracks. Could this be Voldemort's doing?
Brushing the thought aside that Voldemort would be so evil to steal Christmas presents, Harry marched through the common room to the entrance hole, and stepped through, flanked by pajama-clad Gryffindors.
Shooting a look at the silent portrait, he saw that the Fat Lady was asleep. Taking a closer look, he noted that she was actually passed out, an empty bottle of wine near her bottom. Ron then gagged, and the Gryffindors ran down the hall, fell down the staircase, and made their way to the Great Hall. Harry, wondering what caused such a reaction, stepped backwards. Suddenly, after studying the portrait a bit, he placed his hands over his mouth, discovering what indeed had caused the reaction.
The Fat Lady was…naked.
Not only was the Fat Lady naked, her pink dress draped over a meandering giraffe, but…Sir Cadogan was there and naked as well! And from the looks of things…
Harry didn't finish his thought, the picture so disgusting he forgot all thoughts of Christmas presents and ran straight towards to Slytherin Common Room…which happened to be in the dungeons, but he ran just that far!
"Nice 'jammas, Potter." Said a familiar sneer from behind Harry, who, upon realizing where he ran, walked up the stairs to the main corridor of the great school.
"Sod off, Malfoy." Harry said, not bothering to turn around. He continued to walk to the Great Hall.
"I said, nice 'jammas, Potter." The sneer said again.
"What do you want, Malfoy? A thank you card?" Harry spun around, to see Draco Malfoy…
…not there.
"…Hello?"
No answer.
"What is going on…?" Harry questioned out loud.
"Nothing to much, you?" A handsomely decorated knight said, his helmet clanging with every word.
Ignoring him, Harry wandered into the Great Hall…and saw a most wondrous sight.
The same circular table that the Christmas Eve feast was held on was laden with breakfast foods. A separate, bigger table was packed with desserts. Harry's mouth salivated at the sight. But a bigger sight was a large Christmas tree, twice the size of Hagrid, decorated so grandly a small second year was crying in joy. And underneath the tree were mounds of presents, greedily being ripped apart by Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs, Gryffindors, and Slytherins alike. The greed of presents had brought the four houses together for the first occasion in a long time.
The professors, still wiping sleep out of their eyes and clutching robes around them, said Happy Christmas softly to the students who passed by them. All of the professors except Snape and Dumbledore. Snape was dressed in his usual black attire, gorgeous cuffs and all. He bared his teeth at any student who dared wish him a Happy Christmas, or worse…a Happy New Year. Dumbledore, on the other hand, was clad in a Father Christmas suit, and was speaking to deaf ears. Harry, going up to him and wishing him a Happy Christmas, heard the statement issuing from the esteemed Headmaster's mouth.
"I brought the Christmas presents down here so you all could join with your fellow houses in the great celebration of joy that is Christmas. Also, you should have learned a valuable lesson about greed. Upon finding your trees as barren as an old maid, I hoped you all would find that waking up full of excitement is something that should be strived for every day. A splendid kind of happiness, a…"
"Good idea, Professor. Happy Christmas." Harry said in a hurry, beginning to fall into a dose.
"Ah, yes, Happy Christmas, Harry." Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling red and green just for Christmas.
Harry made his way towards his pile of presents. Eyeing the glorious display of gifts, he began to tear open the wrapping paper. It seemed to encompass the things within like a jail to a prisoner. Harry subsequently began to take note of what presents he had received. Some toffees, custards, and mincemeat pies from Mrs. Weasley. A pair of used tissues, most likely Dudley's, from the Dursleys. A pair of - to Harry's utter disgust and disbelief - wool underwear engraved with cow and panda print from Dobby, and a book on something or another from Hermione. Good thing she remembered I don't know how to read, Harry thought to himself. Oh well, at least she remembered to send presents, even if she forgot to say good bye for the holidays. Continuing through his presents, Harry found a few chocolate frogs from Ginny, and a newspaper from Ron.
"Um…thanks Ron!" Harry said, trying to sum up all the enthusiasm his body contained.
Ron flushed. "You're welcome, Harry. Sorry, it was all I could afford…"
"No, no, Ron. It's fine, perfect. Just what I wanted."
Ron grinned and went back to opening his presents. Harry did the same.
A tin of lemon drops came from Dumbledore. Well, thought Harry, it's no invisibility cloak, but I don't mind lemon drops…
In the background, sounds of joy could be heard. Harry heard a Hufflepuff thank a Ravenclaw with a hearty, "You welcome!" Christmas was a wonderful time to be alive…
Harry then reached the bottom of his pile, and found an unmarked parcel. Opening it up carefully, lest it be a prank from Malfoy, Harry gasped. Atop the box was a muddy paw print.
"…Sirius…?"
Opening the box, he found a pair of gloves. Upon closer inspection, he found that they were black, soft, and real fur. They were Quidditch gloves, to grip the broom better! Harry choked backed tears of gratitude. His dearly departed godfather must have prepared all his presents for him…Harry, again trying to choke back sadness and grief, bent down to smell the gloves. They smelled just like Sirius. In fact, the shade of the fur on the gloves was the same shade of fur Padfoot had…
Harry didn't have time to think more on it, because he received a swift kick in the behind from none other than Draco Malfoy.
"Merry Christmas, Potter." He spat, and walked off, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle.
Ron saw the event ensue, and muttered, "Maybe it'd be better if his bastard dad was out of Azkaban. Then at least Malfoy would be home."
Harry agreed mutely, and noted that April had gotten neither him nor Ron a present. Harry didn't want to seem selfish, but he had gotten her a present, and was now worried. He would not want her to feel uncomfortable with a one-sided exchange.
"Where could April be?" Both Harry and Ron said at the same time.
Time soon passed after the opening of presents. The students were busy with their gifts, running about the Great Hall. In next to no time, it was time for the Christmas Day Feast, and, still clad in their robes and pajamas, the students partook in the meal. They ate mounds of meat and potatoes, puddings, roast beast, and Who hash. What a wonderful meal it was! After the feast, the professors handed out small baubles to the students. Professor Snape even handed out pairs of magicked scissors, and muttered to Harry, "Try running with it, and see what happens." Ignoring him, Harry took the scissors and shoved them in his pocket. After that, dessert came. One poor Ravenclaw ate so much she began moaning, while another Hufflepuff ate so much he promptly exploded. Harry, on the other hand, greedily ate the many peppermint dishes.
After dessert, Harry sighed. The very eventful Christmas day was over. He couldn't wait to curl up in his warm bed and get some much needed sleep. But first, he told Ron, he must find April. Ron agreed and followed.
Both of the boys, eager to avoid the horrifying and repellent portrait entrance to their common room, searched almost the entire castle, until it was nearly 11 o'clock that night. The boys, closing their eyes and muttering the password, climbed into the portrait hole, intent on not viewing the Fat Lady in the nude. Entering the common room, they began to discuss where April could possibly be.
Their conversation need not be finished, because upon opening their eyes, they saw April, looking very tired. She was giggling to herself, while sitting in one of their favorite chairs.
"April!" They gasped, as Ron ran over and hugged her.
"Where have you been?" April asked, as Harry and Ron issued the same question.
"We were at the Great Hall, where have you been?" They said.
"I was looking for your presents…no, no, not last minute…I forgot where I hid them and then found them! Merry Christmas, you guys!" April said, handing them both beautifully wrapped packages.
"Happy Christmas to you, April!" They both said in reply, also handing over brilliantly wrapped packages.
April opened her gifts. Harry saw that she had also gotten the very same newspaper he had gotten.
"Oh, thank you, Ron! It's just what I wanted!" April said happily, though Harry detected a little amusement in her voice.
"Really? That's good; it's the most expensive newspaper I could find." Ron said smugly.
"Hey!" Harry said, "That's not what you told m-" Ron quickly elbowed him in the pancreas.
April then opened Harry's gift.
"Oh, Harry…it's beautiful…" April said in awe, opening the package to find a wonderfully stuffed panda.
"Brilliant, Harry!" Ron said in awe.
Harry blushed. "I thought you might like it…"
April grinned, hugged him, and kissed both boys on the cheek. "Thank you both, now you two open yours!"
Ron had blanched at April's kiss, his face now screwed up as if constipated. Harry, on the other hand, was grinning rather stupidly.
Harry opened the gift. Inside was a locket, and inside the locket was a picture of…
"Sirius?" Harry said quietly to April, his voice…shining.
April nodded. "Hermione told me before she left how much you missed him, so I found an old picture of him in the school records. I hope you like it." She grinned up at him.
"I…do." Harry said, wrapping her in a hug and looking at the grinning and winking photo of Sirius in the locket. He wrapped it around his neck. Lockets may be for girls, he thought, but this was Sirius. There was an exception to be made for that. "Thanks, April."
"You're welcome."
They then turned to look at Ron, whose face was screwed up as if he were concentrating. Perish the thought.
"Um…April…what is this?" He was holding what looked to be a large orange bottle of something or another.
"It's a muggle thing, Ron; I thought you might like it." April said happily, while giggling.
Ron, turning the bottle around, scanned it with his eyes, reading. A look of realization, then shock, reached his face. Both looks were wiped away when tears began streaming down his face, a wide smile plastered there as well.
"Oh, April! How did you know? Thank you, thank you!" He said, hugging April so tightly she couldn't giggle.
She gasped, "Your welcome…Ron…ok…Ok, Ron…" Finally he let her go.
"What'd you get, Ron?" Harry asked good-naturedly.
Ron flushed, and then blanched. "That's between him and me." April responded.
Ron looked at her gratefully, and then looked at the bottle. "I'm going to go use this right away!" He then rushed up the stairs to their room.
"Well, Harry, it's been a long Christmas Day. I'll see you tomorrow. Thanks for the gifts! Good night." April said sleepily.
"Same to you, April. Happy Christmas."
"Happy Christmas, Harry."
A few minutes later, Harry walked up to an empty dormitory. Ron was in the bathroom. Sighing contentedly to himself, Harry ruled that this Christmas was a very good one, despite some surprises earlier on. Before laying himself down to sleep, he shot a look at the orange bottle laying on Ron's nightstand. It practically looked back at him, just begging to be read. It was waiting for him. Picking it up, he glanced up and down it, trying to decipher the words. The bottle looked familiar, he thought. Muggle…hadn't he seen Aunt Petunia give this to Dudley before? Harry then turned over the bottle, and read the front.
"Metamucil…?" Harry said, quizzically. Then it hit him!
Harry, his eyes filled with tears of mirth, dropped into his bed and laughed himself to sleep.
What a wonderful, funny Christmas it had been.
Or had it? Harry didn't notice the hand sneaking up the right side of his bed…
…To be continued?
Note: Wow. Yet again, I outdo myself in the worst chapter yet. Sorry any of you had to read it, but even then, thank you SO much for reading and/or following this story/chapter. Please leave me a review to let me know what you think! Metamucil copyrighted to…itself. I don't own the rights to it (and no, I don't own it.) Anyway, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and Happy Holidays to every single one of you, dear readers!
Once again, Happy Christmas! And thank you, thank you, thank you for reading!
Happy Holidays!