Sorry it took so long everyone but it's mid-year assessments time and I just needed to find time. I used a new program called Text Reader, and did dose what it says it read my story and when it said a wrong word I changed it or if it made no sense I changed it. Tell me how it went. Enjoy, Read and review.
-Doublesims
Chapter Twenty-Six: Christmas Surprises.
Aster and Sandy were waiting for Jack when he came through the tunnel way to the common room. They decided they would open each other's presents together, and wait until North had got back to open the ones from him and Tooth. When they would see them later after lunch. Aster and Sandy were the only Hufflepuffs that stayed for Christmas so they had the whole common room to themselves, which Bunny and Sandy took to full advantage. Dream sand was floating around and egglets walked around the floor some had new designs some others were still blank. And Aster well... he was the Bunny Jack knew, he was his Pooka form.
Jack laughed as a few of the egglets saw him and rushed over. "A little early for Easter isn't it Bunny?" he asked as he picked one of them up.
Aster just huffed "What no 'Merry Christmas'?"
"Thought you didn't like Christmas?"
"I don't like the lead up to Christmas!"
Sandy rolled his eyes and smiled at Jack as he sat next to him.
"Well then Merry Christmas to both of you… get any presents from new friends?"
"The Weasleys, Sandy got a yellow jumper, I got a dark brown one. Well it's more black then brown."
"You are so wearing it to lunch."
"Only if you wear the one you got, and I know you got one."
"Fine… so are we going to open presents?"
Aster laughed as he gave Jack a noogie while Sandy raced to get the presents under the tree near the fireplace.
Sandy handed the presents to the rightful owners. The three of them picked out the present that they wanted to open first and at the count of three they opened them together. Sandy first present was a wooden model of his dream ship. The model was carved out of yellow box and was hollow so it could be used to store little nick-knacks he had collected over the years. Aster's was a charcoal art set. Jack's was a golden thread that looked like it was shimmering. Jack looked at Sandy already knowing it was from him with a questioning look.
Sandy moved over and took the thread from his hand and pointed to the place where Jack's heart rested. Jack looked a little confused until he realized Sandy wasn't pointed to his heart but something that rested near there under his clothes. Jack reached around his neck to the pull string necklace and slid it over his head and gave it to Sandy.
Aster smiled when he saw that Jack was still wearing the dream-catcher he, Sandy and Phil made for him. Sandy threaded the golden thread through the dream-catcher until there was a simple golden snowflake design in the dream-catcher and gave it back to Jack.
"Thanks Sandy." Jack said softly as he placed the necklace back to where it belongs.
The second presents were done the same way. Aster received a pull-string bracelet or anklet depending on what he wanted it to be. Made from plaited leather with beads through the middle of the plat that looked like little Easter eggs. Each one hand painted to look like his own creations. But the last one that was blue with a silver frost pattern. Sandy's was a Journal. The front cover titled 'The Sandman's Dream Journal'. Sandy gave a silent laugh. Jack was a white gold locket that had a Safire snowflake on the front and opened was a photo of him, Sandy and Aster in their human forms playing around in what looked like Hogsmeade. Jack looked to Aster in surprise.
"A fellow Hufflepuff likes photography and took the photo the last Hogsmeade trip we spent together. She showed me what she took and I asked for a copy," Aster said with a smile "Let a little bit of your winter magic in to the snowflake and see what happens."
Jack let some of his fun winter magic into the locket and gasped when the photo changed. Into one Jamie took a few Easters ago of the three of them mucking around. Bunny had an arm around Jack the other was leaning on Sandy's head. All three were laughing at the camera.
"You'll always be our younger brother Frostbite."
Lunchtime had snuck up on the three spirits. Because before they knew it Aster was back in his human form wearing the hand made jumper from Miss Weasley. Sandy and Jack also wearing theirs, and all three headed up to the Great Hall. The Great Hall had been changed, the house tables had been moved against the walls again, and a single table had been set up for seventeen. Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Sprout and Flitwick were there, along with Filch, the caretaker, who had taken off his usual brown coat. There were only three other student already there: two extremely nervous-looking first-years from Ravenclaw and a sullen-faced Slytherin fifth-year.
"Boys, what you get?" asked Ana just as Harry, Ron and Hermione entered the Hall. Jack's hand went to the locket that was around his neck. But all he said was he got few knickknacks. Aster said he got some art stuff and Sandy just smiled.
"Merry Christmas!" said Dumbledore. "As there are so few of us, it seemed foolish to use the house tables… set down, sit down!" The Golden Three sat side by side at the end of the table. Aster sat on the opposite side of Jack. who sat beside the two first years. Sandy sat next to Jack.
"Crackers!" said Dumbledore, enthusiastically, offering the end of a large silver one to Snape, who took it reluctantly and tugged. With a bang like a gunshot, the cracker flew apart to reveal a large, pointed witch's hat topped with a stuffed vulture. The two boys of the Golden Three grinned to each other as Jack rolled his eyes.
"Okay, even I'm saying enough is enough that joke is getting old" Jack said.
"A one time joke?" Aster asked.
"It wasn't funny for Longbottom or the Professor after the Boggart lesson." Jack said before he looked up then faced the door with a smile, just before it was thrown open. Standing there with a big smile was North in his normal clothing. Not a robe like the Professors. He was in his Russian furs with one of the sacks over his shoulder.
"Ho, Ho, Ho" North said in his voice that was full with joy. "Sorry I'm late but I bumped into someone on the way here." North stepped to the side to let them see the boy that was standing behind him. The boy's age suggested that he had finished school, he was wearing black jeans, and a black long sleeve dress top with silver buttons. He was also wearing black boots that his jeans were tucked into. He had a friendly face, white hair, and pale green eyes. He was also carrying a staff with a diamond dagger at the end, which seemed to be glowing in silver light.
"NIGHT!?" Jack and Aster said together. But it was Jack that got out of his seat to greet the boy, Sandy right on his heals.
"Who's this?" asked the Headmaster.
"Their cousin," was Toothiana's reply as she watched Jack laugh at what Nightlight was telling him.
"Well, this might be unexpected but I will not send him away. So;" with a flick of his wand another chair was added, "why don't we all sit down and tuck in!" Dumbledore advised the table, beaming around.
Nightlight sat next to Aster so he was facing Sandy, and North sat next to Ana. As they were all tucking in, the doors of the Great Hall opened again. It was Professor Trelawney, gliding towards them as though on wheels. She had put on a green sequinned dress in honour of the occasion, making her look more than ever like a glittering, oversize dragonfly.
"Sybill, this is a pleasant surprise!" said Dumbledore, standing up.
"I have been crystal-gazing, Headmaster," said Professor Trelawney, in her mistiest, most faraway voice, "and to my astonishment, I saw myself abandoning my solitary luncheon and coming to join you. Who am I to refuse the promptings of fate? I at once hastened from my tower, and I do beg you to forgive my lateness…"
"Certainly, certainly," said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling. "Let me draw you up a chair-"
And he did indeed draw up a chair in mid-air with his wand, which revolved for a few seconds before falling with a thud between Professors McGonagall and Toothiana. Professor Trelawney however, did not sit down; her enormous eyes had been roving around the table her sight fell on Jack, and she suddenly uttered a kind of soft scream.
"I dare not, Headmaster! For what goes better than Cold and Dark!"
Sandy and Aster's heads shot up and looked at her with shock. Nightlight and Jack's eyes meet with surprise.
"Vhat… vhat did you just say?" North said with shock.
"I peg your pardon?" Toothiana asked at the sametime, with venom.
"Cold and Dark what goes better?" Trelawney repeated looking around the table.
"You won't sit because of Jack?" everyone stared at Snape when he asked that.
"Don't worry Professor" Jack said with a smile "She's not the first or the last person that will have a problem with me because I have Winter Magic. Professor Trelawney if I tell you what the 'real' Jack Frost brings and who he works with will you sit and have lunch?"
"Jack Frost is an omen of Death."
"Jack Frost works with St Nicholas to bring a White Christmas. To show the magic of Christmas Wonder. He sometimes works with the Easter Bunny to have brightly coloured Easter Eggs sitting on the White Snow. Like the first flowers of spring braking though the last of the snow of winter. To show new life. He works with the Sandman to create dreams of snowballs and fun times. His Snow reflects Moonbeams so they can reach further to chase off shadows of the night.
"Jack Frost is not an omen of Death but one of the Guardian of Childhood, he is the Guardian of FUN!" Jack said, "Ask any child that has had a Snow Day or a Snowball fight."
"Sybill," said Professor McGonagall impatiently. "Do sit down, the turkey's getting stone cold."
Professor Trelawney hesitated, and then lowered herself into the empty chair, eyes shut and mouth clenched tight, as though expecting a thunderbolt to hit the table. Professor McGonagall poked a large spoon into the nearest tureen.
"Tripe, Sybill?"
Professor Trelawney ignored her, but her eyes opened again when Toothiana spoke up.
"Sybill if I ever hear you call My Sweet Tooth an omen of Death again, I will give you a quar… a Knut."
"What?"
"Ve call her The Tooth Fairy because she was a dentist, they call me St Nick because I work in a Toy Workshop." North said looking at the bug eye Professor. "She means she'll knock one of your teeth out."
"I doubt," said Dumbledore, in a cheerful but slightly raised voice, which put an end to Professors' conversation, "that Professor Trelawney meant to make it seam she was saying Jackson was the omen, just the cold hearted spirit his name is similar too."
JJack stood up and grabbed his staff. "Jackson Overland died Boxing Day when he was six and became the boy you see now. My name is Jack Frost, not Jackson. Headmaster."
Jack turned and left the hall. Nightlight looked at the headmaster and shook his head, grabbing his own staff he flew off to find the other white haired boy. Sandy soon followed. Aster stood up and looked at the professors.
"I'm not going to apologise for my brothers' or cousin's actions and don't expect North or Tooth to either." And with that Aster went to find the other three.
Aster, Jack, Sandy and Nightlight spent the lunch in the kitchens, telling stories, jokes and just having fun. An hour later the bid Nightlight good bye and made their way to North's office. To receive their gifts from Tooth and North. But also to give them two the ones they have from them. North received, Ice Carving tools from Aster, a tooth brush and floss from Toothiana, and a Dream-sand and Ice Sculpture that will never melt from Sandy and Jack together of one of his reindeers.
Toothiana ended up with a new money pouch created by Aster and Jack, a bag full of Dream-sand from Sandy and a diary from North. All three boys got a new tooth brush from Tooth. From North, Jack got a snow-globe that acted like the Globe of Believers at the North Pole when shaken by Jack. If the others shaken it, the snow-globe showed where Jack was. Aster got a leather jacket that had a warming charm on it. And Sandy got the first four Ranger's Apprentice books. He got caught reading the first book at Jaime's one time.
An hour and half later Jack found himself back in Gryffindor Tower. Watching from the portrait hole Jack saw Professor McGonagall examining Harry's brand new broom carefully from handle to twig-ends. Hermione had her face behind a book, which was upside down.
'Oh what did you do Hermione?' Jack asked all but out-loud. Jack let the wind take him to the rafters and watched from there.
"Hmm. And there was no note at all, Potter? No card? No message of any kind?"
"No," replied Harry blankly.
"I see…" said Professor McGonagall. "Well, I'm afraid I will have to take this, Potter."
"W-what?" said Harry, scrambling to his feet. "Why?"
"It will need to be checked for jinxes," said Professor McGonagall. "Of course, I'm no expert, but I daresay Madam Hooch and Professor Flitwick will strip it down –"
"Strip it down?" repeated Ron, as though Professor McGonagall was mad.
"It shouldn't take more than a few weeks," said Professor McGonagall. "You will have it back if we are sure it is jinx-free."
"There's nothing wrong with it!" said Harry, his voice shaking slightly. "Honestly, Professor –"
"You can't know that, Potter," said Professor McGonagall, quite kindly, "not until you've flown it, at any rate, and I'm afraid that is out of the question until we are certain that it has not been tampered with. I shall keep you informed."
Professor McGonagall turned on her heel and carried the Firebolt out of the portrait hole, which closed behind her. Harry stood staring after her, the tin of High-Finish polish still culched in his hands. Ron, however, rounded on Hermione.
"What did you go running to McGonagall for?"
Hermione threw her book aside. Jack noticed she was pink in the face, but stood up and faced Ron defiantly.
"Because I thought –and Professor McGonagall agrees with me –that the broom was probably sent to Harry by Sirius Black!"