I'll be Home for Christmas

___

Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of Love.

~Hamilton Wright Mabie~

___

Chapter 3 – Someone got run over by the Knight Bus!

Fred and George attacked Harry in the hallway outside of Transfiguration;

"T'was the night before Halloween, and all through the house, no Death Eater was stirring, not even a rat!

The stockings hung by the fire with care, with hopes that Voldemort would soon be there…"

Hermione hit them both upon the head; "That is not nice," she said.

"Oh come on, we were only having some fun," George muttered.

"Yeah, we didn't mean nothin' by it," Fred grinned.

"Go on you two, we'll be late for class," Hermione replied and marched past them. The twins continued down the hallway, singing carols as they did so.

"Lockhart got run over by the Knight Bus,
Walking home from the Weasleys Christmas Eve,
You can say there's no such thing as Nighties,
But as for me and Albus, we believe.

He's been drinkin' too much butterbeer
(sarcastically) And we begged him not to go,
But we gave him medication
And he staggered out the door into the snow.

When we found him Christmas morning,
At the scene of the attack,
He had tire marks on his forehead,
And incriminating Shunpikes on his back.

Lockhart got run over by the Knight Bus,
Walking home from the Weasleys Christmas Eve,
You can say there's no such thing as Nighties,
But as for me and Albus, we believe(1)."

Hermione shook her head as she pulled Harry and Ron into the class the room. There were only two days to go before they all left to go home for Christmas. This would be Harry's first away from Hogwarts, but he was excited. Remus promised to take embarrassing pictures of Sirius while he was away and Sirius promised to help Harry play a prank on Remus. The whole holiday was going to be one that Harry wanted to remember, forever.

The Yule ball, or as Ron had started calling it the "Fool Ball" had been…all right. It wasn't at all what they had picture it would be. The Great Hall had been transfigured into a winter wonderland and snow flakes had graced the magical ceiling. The traditional dance had barley gone wrong with Harry, he wasn't a dancer and he vowed to never ever do it again. No matter what; Padma had been nice about it though. And as soon as the traditional stuff was out of the way, both Ron and Harry's dates had separated from them. Harry didn't know if they found others to dance with, but he honestly didn't care.

He and Ron spent the rest of the time eating and talking Quidditch.

"So, what are you going to do once you get home?" Ron asked.

"I have no clue, Sirius said that he wanted to play a practical joke on Remus and that I was supposed to help, no matter what," Harry replied. They all took their seats on the Gryffindor side of the class room. Professor McGonagall launched into a lesson about transfiguring things like shards of glass into glass balls or other shapes. Hermione was able to turn hers into Viktor Krum, Ron tried a rat, but all he got was glob of…something, and Harry made a large, buck with antlers.

Hermione's sculptor was looked upon gladly by McGonagall and she gave Hermione ten points, Harry's was second to Hermione's and he got five.

"I think I'll give this one to Sirius, I know it sounds a bit corny but…"

"It isn't corny at all," Hermione smiled, "I am sure that he'd like it,"

"I hope so," Harry wrapped it up, embarrassedly.

___

Sirius was seriously considering the things around him. He had found this old trunk at Grimauld Place and for one reason or another that he couldn't not clearly remember, had dragged it to their new home in the country. Stacks of baby clothes, Harry's baby broom, and other nick-knacks were spewed about the floor.

"What are you doing?" Remus asked.

"Moony! I wanted to give Harry something special, something from before his parents died, but…I don't know what to give him," Sirius looked up at his friend, flummoxed.

"Okay, let's see…the broom is a bit too small, ain't it?" Remus asked as he cleared a space in the bedroom to sit.

"Yeah, and look! I found the stuffed Prongs that I made for him. Remember how Harry would just cry whenever his parents weren't near? Well, I made this for him and spelled it a few times with Expecto Protronum and it quieted him down," Sirius now had a tear in his eye.

"And now, my little baby is all grow-ed up!"

"Stop wailing! It hurts my ears," Remus mockingly said, he cleared out one ear with his pinky finger and then banished the ear wax. Sirius crowed a bit at this.

"So, are you gonna help me or not?"

"Of course I am!"

___

Harry quickly filled out the owl order for the book store in Hogsmead. There were a few new Dark Arts books that Remus might enjoy. Harry had found a book about the care of Buckbeak and his species in general. Sirius was keeping Buckbeak in a barn near the outskirts of their land.

Not to mention that a few new parts for the Motorcycle that Sirius had just recently gotten back from Hagrid couldn't be missed. A fleece blanket for Remus would keep him snug, and it changed color, from gold to red and back.

Harry also filled out some candy orders, chocolate (sugar free) for Hermione, new quills and paper because she had been complaining of running out and every flavored beans for Ron and a broom kit as well.

Harry sent his owl off right away; hopefully everything would be delivered in a timely manner.

___

"Look at this!" Sirius held up an old photo graph for Remus to see. It was of a one year old Harry flying on his first broom; along with it was a letter that Lily had written to Sirius when he was away that Christmas doing work for Dumbledore and the Order.

"Have you found our old album?" Remus asked suddenly, a light bulb went off in both of their heads and they smiled at each other.

"Oh! this is gonna be so cool!" Sirius hopped up.

"Let's go through all of our old things and see who has it, I thought James had it," Remus said as he too stood up.

"I thought we had given it to you?" Sirius scratched behind his ear.

"I don't think so…." Remus trailed off. The attic was their next stop.

___

a/n –

1 – "Lockhart got run over by the Knight Bus". This is a filk written by Bighead Girl and MagicPoni to the tune of "Grandma got run over by a reindeer". I am not good at making up rhymes or anything, so I "Borrowed" it with "every intention" of giving them credit. *lol*

Yes, I am channeling Captain Jack Sparrow.

And now, on to scene 24, a wonderful scene with lovely acting!

(Monty Python and the Holy Grail)