AN: I just realize it's July and the Yule Ball is around Christmas so why not just write a Christmas chapter. Christmas in July as some say.
Ch 30 Christmas at Chaldea Pt 1
Ritsuka woke up as he got up from his bed and doing in morning exercise routine after a shower he dressed up in a white tight shirt and black pants. He wore over it a red jacket with fur on the hood and cuffs. The jacket has the Chaldea logo on the left pec of, he grabs a Santa hat and places it on his head to make him look festive.
He heard a knock on his door as it open to his girlfriend last night. "Merry Christmas Senpai." Mashu smiles as she was dressed as an elf.
Ritsuka smiles as he walks to her kissing her cheek. He looks at her blushing face "Merry Christmas Mashu." He smiles warmly.
She smiles as he looks around the hall where decorations were put up. "I see decorations are complete." He said.
"Yes, everyone worked hard last night." She responds.
"Shall we go to the dining room?" he asked his girlfriend.
"Yes, Senpai."
As they walk to the dining room as they looked around the outpost. Servants are setting up tables for tonight's feast and staff is either going home for the holiday or helping to decorate the tree that Paul Bunyan brought in yesterday.
Jeanne D'Arc (Alter Santa Lily) was carrying a large stack of presents on her own when one fell from the top. Ritsuka caught the fallen gift as he helped the Santa Servant out. She looks at her master surprised to see him. "Master, I can handle this myself." She pouted at him.
Ritsuka chuckles "I know you can, but this seems to be too much for you to handle." He smiled at her. "Allow me to help you." He offers.
"F-Fine, since you were our reindeer for the past years it's natural for you to help." Santa Lily said as Ritsuka grabs half of the stack.
He turns to Mashu with a wide smile. "Mashu, I will be helping out the Santa Servants; go on without me to the dining room. I will join you momentarily." He said to his girlfriend.
She nodded "Yes Senpai." She said as she went to the dining room.
Ritsuka follows Santa Lily to where the Santa Servants are preparing gifts to all the Servants that were here and those who aren't. "Over here master," Santa Lily said as she puts down the stack. Ritsuka did the same and looked around in the 'Santa's Workshop'.
"Master, what are you doing here?" Arturia (Santa Alter) as him as she place down a gift box.
Nightingale (Santa), Attila the San(ta), Helena (Christmas), and Quetzalcoatl (Samba/Santa) looks at their masters as he looks around.
"Oh, Santa Alter I was just helping Santa Lily here with the stack of presents she was struggling with." He said petting the child Servant's head as she smiles.
"That's fine, as long as you don't go prying around the gifts like last year." She said stuffing her sash with gifts.
Quetzalcoatl smiles as she grabs a sash. "Yes, master this is an important holiday, so don't go on spoiling the surprises for everyone." She said with a smile.
"Don't worry about it Quetz, I learned my lesson," Ritsuka said as he waved his hand.
Nightingale walks to the corner and grabs a large box with a note attached to it. "Master, this came to you in the mail." She said handing it to him.
Ritsuka took the note and read it
"Something to help you in the near future, open it when you received it.
From,
Your Mentor"
Ritsuka sighs "Something wrong master?" Nightingale asked.
"Oh, it's nothing just mentor being mentor." He smiles as he took the present. "Oh, by the way, did you receive a present from me for Mashu?" he asked the Archer.
Nightingale thought for a moment before looking at Attila. "Attila, did you receive a present from master?" she asked the Hun.
Attila looks in her bag and took out a purple box with a sequence bow. "Here we are," she said as she looks at it. "Ah, yes to Ms. Mashu. Is that all you need master?" the Santa Servant asked.
"Yes, that's it." He said looking at his gift. "I should leave this with you guys, it seems unfair of me to open this gift early." He said handing back to Helena.
"Thank you Attila," She said as she places back the present with the others.
She smiles as she places the box with the others. "That's the Christmas spirit," she said as she grabs her sack.
"Going off to the other Outposts and Chaldea?" he asked the Santas.
"Yes, it's a Santa's duty to deliver all gifts to those who deserve it." Santa Alter said.
"Agree, I will be taking my leave to the American Branch," Quetzalcoatl said as she waves at them. "Adiós and Feliz Navidad!" she waved before heading off to the teleporter.
Helena and Colonel Olcott walks out of the workshop. "Alright, I will see you soon master. I will be heading to the French Branch to deliver these to the staff." She said waving him goodbye.
Nightingale walks out of the workshop. "I will depart to the Russian Branch," she said bowing to master. "Merry Christmas, master." She said as she left for the Russian Branch.
"I too shall leave, we're pretty much done here with everyone's presents." Santa Alter said to him. "I will be heading to Chaldea to deliver presents for the staff, Take care and Merry Christmas, master." The first Santa Servant said as she departs.
Attila hopes on Zerco and grabs her sack of presents. "I will head to the Japanese Branch, take care and Merry Christmas master." She said as she flies off laughing. "Hohohoho!"
Ritsuka smiles as he turns his attention to the second Santa Servant. " I'm guessing that you'll be Santa for the Britain Branch, Lily?" he asked the child Servant.
"Hai! I volunteer to be this Outpost's Santa." She smiles. "Oh, I almost forgot!" she rants to the other side of the room to get another bag showing it off to her master.
"I and the other Santa picked out gifts for our guests that will be coming." She showed the wrapped boxes.
Ritsuka looked at the presents and have a satisfied look. "I appreciate all of your work here, Lily." he smiles at her.
"Thank you, master." She smiles at him.
Hogwarts December 25th, 2023
Hermione and Ginny were at the Great Hall wearing their Christmas sweater eating their breakfast. "Is that Ruler and Reines," Hermione said as Holmes and Reines walks over to them.
"Merry Christmas you two." Reines greeted them.
"Happy Christmas, Reines, and you two Ruler," Hermione said to the Chaldeans.
Ginny looks around for the other two Servants thinking they're nearby. "Where's the other two? Caster and Saber?"
"Them? oh, they return to the Outpost last night to help with the decorations, speaking of the Outpost are you two ready to leave?" Reines asked the Gryffindor girls.
They look at each other confused about what they are saying until Sigurd spoke in their minds. 'Lady Hermione, Lady Ginny, you both agree to attend the Chaldea's Christmas extravaganza. Master invited you two last night.' He said to the girls.
Their eyes widen clearly forgotten about the invitation. "Oh Merlin, I forgot. Sorry just let me get ready some things." Hermione said as she went off to her dorm room.
Ginny stood up as well. "Same here, can you two wait for us at the courtyard? Just let me grab my coat and gifts." She said following the bushy-haired girl.
"Well that went well, I should inform master's uncles as well before we leave," Holmes said to the Pseudo-Servant.
"You do that, Holmes," Reines said as she went to the courtyard.
Sirius and Remus were at the headmaster's office as he passed around behind his desk thinking on the distorted sword. "That sword, it looks so familiar, but I can seem to know where I have seen it." He said.
"Maybe it's a dark sword that Saber manages to get?" James asked.
"Don't be an idiot, a demonic sword is highly unlikely." Moody gruff. "That art of creating them is forever lost through the ages." He said to the Order.
"I agree, there are no demonic swords located for centuries. The last ever mention of a demonic sword was in legends about a man slaying a dragon, but that was a myth." Remus said to them.
"Whatever that word is, we must be wary of it," Dumbledore said. " Especially Ritsuka, I got this feeling that we must be vigintile further on if we want to bring light back to the Wizarding World." Remembering the knife that was thrown at him.
"Yes, but right now we have to go now," Lily said. "We still need to set up for the Holiday party, Remus, Sirius are you attending?' she looked at the two.
Remus shook his head. "I'm pretty sure your guest will leave because of my condition," he smiles. "Sorry James, I don't want to cause them to panic." He said to his friend.
"That's understandable, Sirius?'' James asked the Animagus.
"I think I should keep Pad-foot company this year, no one should be alone this time of year." He said placing a hand on Remus's shoulders.
"Alright, we should get going," Lily said as she looks at the headmaster. "We'll see you soon headmaster." She smiles at him.
"Yes, my girl." He said as they left the office.
Remus and Sirius walk down the stairs to the courtyard after saying their goodbyes to their friends. As they were about to leave the front doors of Hogwarts they were stopped by Ruler standing at the front doors.
"Ruler? What are you doing here, I thought you would be with Ritsuka for Christmas?" Remus asked the Servant.
"Yes, master told me before you leave to invite you to the Chaldea Britain Outpost for Christmas." He said to the two.
"Wait Ritsuka invited us to join him to celebrate Christmas?" Sirius asked surprise that he would invite them.
"Yes, master was told by Saber that you wanted to talk to him, and there no place better than a party to enjoy, am I correct?" Holmes asked them.
"No, you're correct we want to speak with him about everything that's happening to him," Sirius said. "We just want to try to comfort him for what James and Lily did to him." He said.
"If you want to tell him that, tell him to him, not me," Holmes said as they heard footsteps behind them.
"Sorry about that, Ruler," Hermione said walking down the stairs with a bag with Ginny following her with her own.
"It's fine you two," Holmes said as the two Marauders look surprised to see them.
"Professor Lupin? Sirius? What are you doing here?" Ginny asked the two men.
Sirius blinks at them surprised to see them. "I'm surprised to see you two, did Ritsuka invited you two to his place?" He asked the two girls.
"Yes, he did," Hermione said to the shaggy man.
"So Ruler, where's Ritsuka's place?" Remus asked the Servant.
Holmes smiles. "Follow me." He said walking out the entrance of the school. They saw Reines waiting for them to arrive near the gate to the Forbidden Forest. She turns around to see them walking to her.
"Glad you can make it," she said to the wizards.
"We're happy that Ritsuka invited us," Remus said to the Rider.
"Yeah, personally I wonder what the party is like," Sirius said thinking this will be like the Potter's social event during this time of year.
"The party will be unique like every year." She informs them. "Though to get there we need to pass the Forbidden Forest to get to the Outpost." She said to them.
"Forbidden Forest!? Why on earth would we need to go through that dangerous place?" Hermione said remembering the times she was in there with Charles and Ron and the dangerous creatures in that place.
Reines wave her hands. "Don't worry, master sent envoys to guide us to the party." She said. "Besides, we can handle a few of them," she said motioning to her and Holmes.
Hermione looked at Ginny with worry in her eyes then at the two Marauders who were also worried about it as well. "If you're sure, then let's go we're going to be late," Hermione said to Ruler and Reines.
As they walk to the entrance of the Forbidden Forest they saw a young man with white hair wearing a golden mask and noble Chinese robes. Next to him is a man with black hair and a streak of silver. He wore a white coat with yellow details with boots with silver armor pieces on the feet.
"Saber, Rider I'm guessing that master sent you to guide us to the Outpost?" Holmes asked.
"Yup, master sent us to guide you back to the Outpost," Mandricardo said looking tired as usual.
Lanling Wang nodded. "Indeed, we'll escort you safely through the forest." The Saber inclines his head.
Hermione blushed at how gallant this Servant is unlike Sigurd who just watches over her. "Um…Thank you, Saber," she said to him.
Mandricardo looks up at the sky as the suns about to set. "We better get going, the sun is setting." He said walking ahead of the wizards. "Try to keep up." He said.
Lanling looks at the former King of Sarza and Algiers. "I apologies on his behalf, Rider worry if we escort you and something happened." He said. "He wants you to arrive at the Outpost safely."
"So, he overthinks things?" Remus asked.
Reines look at Remus "Yes, it might get annoying at times, but he means well." She smiles.
"We better get going before it gets dark," Sirius said as they follow Rider and Saber through the forest. They walk for what it felt like an hour, they have encountered any dangerous forest creatures, yet which was surprising to them.
"Um, where are the dangerous creatures? The Forbidden Forest should be filled with them." Ginny asked. "That's what my brother Bill said."
"Oh, that simple master order some Servants to take care of the dangerous ones swiftly leaving the less harmful ones alone," Lanling said walking on the path that they set up.
"You Servants are really something." Sirius compliment them.
"Agree, you guys took on wizards, dragons, even those beasts. Is there nothing else you can't do?" Remus said impressed with their capabilities.
"Well, we do have limits to our abilities so there's that," Reines said to the werewolf.
"We're here," Mandricardo said as they enter an open field with a smooth stone pathway heading both directions.
"I never knew this was here," Remus said as he looks both directions.
"This shouldn't be here, the maps of Hogwarts clearly specified that no roads were beyond the Forbidden Forest. "Hermione said as Lanling, Mandricardo, Reines, and Holmes walks to the right side of the pathway.
"This was recently placed by the master, this road connects to the nearest mundane town in the area," Holmes said. "We need this road so if any officials decide to visit this place the pathway will be easy to find."
"This way," Lanling said leading the way.
"Some Ritsuka has dealings with the mundane government?" Sirius asked thinking back when his godson handles the undersecretary with ease. "Huh, no wonder." He said to himself.
They walked for fifteen minutes on the pathway as they arrived at a gate guarded by Kojiro who had his eyes shut. "Who's that?" Ginny asked as Sigurd materialized causing both Remus and Sirius to jump at his sudden appearance.
"W-Who are you?" Sirius asked the stranger who just appeared.
Sigurd looks back at them. "My name is Saber, I'm one of master's many Servants he has a contract with." He said to the two before turning his attention to Kojiro.
"Assassin, master's guests have arrived for the Christmas extravaganza." He said to the swordsman.
Kojiro opens his eyes to the people before him. "Very well, you all may enter." He said to them as he opens the gates to a snow-covered ground.
They enter the property as the wizards are in awe of its appearance. The snow was smooth like it was untouched by anyone. Snowmen covered the field like a scarecrow watching over the crops.
Hermione walked to the flower patch as it's crystal-like structure shines unnaturally with the colors fading into a violet to a baby blue. "Are these made out of ice?" she questions them as she observes the flowerbeds.
"Yes, Caster wants to make this place a winter wonderland. This was an inspiration from her Lostbelt." Lanling informs her. "Or that what she told me and a couple of people."
Hermione looks at the Prince. "Really? Then her uh…Lostbelt must be beautiful if they are cover with these flowers." She said still admiring them.
"I have to admit, this place looks gorgeous especially the snowmen," Ginny said spinning around.
"Those snowmen are made by the children with some help with the other Caster," Lanling said.
"Isn't a bit confusing by going by the same name? How can you guys tell when someone is talking to you?" Sirius asked them.
"It's just a title to hide our true names, it's like a codename of a sort." Sigurd response.
"I see," The Shaggy haired man said as they arrived at the front doors.
"Welcome to the Chaldea British Outpost," Mandricardo said as the doors open to the wizards most terrifying foe they faced.
"Welcome friends of our master to the Chaldea's Christmas extravaganza," Amakusa said with a bright smile to them as their faces paled.
AN: How do you like it? Please Leave a Review.