Chapter three. Scary Santa And Rabid Squirrels.

I turned slowly; ignoring Lupin's smile, and went up to my room. My aunt had just woken up and bid me good morning before entering the bathroom and taking her morning shower. I went to my room hoping to find some kind of answer to solve my "little" problem involving a man who thinks he's a werewolf and posses magical powers. Oh, and I can't forget that he is going to marry my mum.

I sat on my bed and started to imagine the wedding. It would be a beautiful setting with a very nice voiced Rabbi wearing her best shawl. Flower petals trailed across the isle heading toward the minister. A golden sunray streams through a large window and warms the crowd. The golden light gives color to the pure white brides dress making it a sun kissed tan. They would perform the traditional wedding rituals then complete the vows with a soft kiss. I then imagined myself in the place of my mum and kissed my imaginary Lupin in the mouth. I snapped out of the daydream and slapped myself sane.

Why did I just have that thought? I should probably stop daydreaming about weddings for a while. Especially daydreams involving Lupin and myself. Well except for the lovely daydreams of Lupin scratching fleas off of himself. I laughed at this and received a curious look from Sandman.

Anyway, after the wedding the honeymoon was going to be a one weekend alone in the house without me around. Bad thoughts! Bad thoughts! I was to spend the weekend with an old lady with millions of cats called Mrs. Figg. Lupin apparently knows her and asked her for the favor. (Of keeping me in her house for the weekend) But then I would of course return to the house where the two "Love wolves" spent a long weekend in doing only God knows what. And let us keep it that way. For only God needs to know what they did all weekend.

I shook the image out of my mind again and thought instead of the nice weeklong sleep. Yes, that's a lovely thought. No more early morning walks in the damp cold air. No more getting scolded for staying up late because of school the next day. Ah yes, beautiful thoughts.

The neighborhood had many houses decorated with a Disney like Christmas parade. It seemed that everyone wanted to be better than the other in his or her decorations. Our house was the only one on the block with nothing on it the slightest bit Christmas. All we had were our two Shabbat candles and our menorah shining brightly in the window.

I love our menorah. It is a faded gold with a design of weavings on the base. Our candles were the traditional colures of white and blue. And when lit up, it became a splendid source of light and comfort as we are engulfed in the early sunset of winter. Unlike the horribly bright lights all around us that shone so bright that I had to put a blanket over my window to get some darkness in my room. I even thought of cutting the plug that connected the blasted blazing lights of hell but then I would get in trouble. I know pathetic, but hey I get lots of sweets in my house to keep me content.

As expected the Dursley's overdid themselves, with millions of tiny blinking gold and green lights all over their house. They had a miniature Santa and reindeer on the roof. As well dancing metal and light bulb reindeer in their yard. There had small packs of obnoxious looking elves prancing in their neatly kept garden. It resembled the nightmare before Christmas. I had the urge once to vomit on the elves head but was called inside before I could manage it.

A lot of people are angry with us for our lack of Christmas spirit but I could only laugh thinking of their electrical bill and how much they had to put away when it was all over. They even sent us a warning letter telling us that they would kick us out of the neighborhood. I secretly sent back letters claiming that if they didn't get off our case then I would set Lupin on them. My mum caught me of course and said that Lupin being a werewolf is not a public thing and he would not attack them anyway.

My mind then turned to the strange dream from the other night. The wolf seemed so real. He was gorgeous and very human like in many ways. I could not help thinking of whom I was waiting for. I knew who it was in my sleep. But now… I can't remember.

I only know that he was a very fine wolf and person who I wanted to be friends with, or even more than that. He seemed to be so familiar that his name could be said in a second, if not for my annoying mind block. Oh well, I'll think of it later.

The setting of the dream was on a full moon night in a snowy forest. There weren't that many forests around here or any caves for that matter. Maybe I was just thinking about Lupin being a werewolf. Thing is though…. do I actually believe him? Was my dream telling me that I wanted to believe this and get more out of moving to England then just a new father?

He seemed serious enough for me to have much doubt. Yet, it was still hard to believe that werewolves actually existed. Well, apart from the insanity of those who ate the bad wheat fungus and got hallucinations from it. Before I could muse anymore on the subject a loud noise startled me from my thoughts. I turned around and looked outside.

Wow, I wish had had stayed on my bed.

Dudley was outside my window sporting a red Santa suit and beard. He had a big red cap with a large fluffy ball at the tip and some high black snow boots. He resembled a drunken charity Santa after midnight.

"I'll be your Santa if you'll be my Snow queen." he said with a wink and jiggle of his enormous belly.

"How about you will become the abominable snow man if you don't leave me alone." I slammed the window shut and ran downstairs to get the horrible nightmare out of my head. Lupin looked at me in shock then asked how my night was.

"Oh, um…fine." I answered taking a bite of eggs and grits mum had made for me.

"I'm guessing you over heard our conversation last night?"

"A little." I replied trying not to look guilty.

"I'm sorry if I put you in danger. I'm also sorry I didn't tell you sooner. Did you hear everything we…" he looked at me trying to decide if he should ask or not.

"Yes, about every word actually." I finished for him.

"Then you know that I am a…a werewolf."

I nodded taking a drink of coffee. He looked at me still trying to figure why I did not react the way he expected. What did he think, I would scream and run around saying, "Oh no, run for your lives the big mean werewolf is coming"?

"I don't believe in werewolves." I said with a mouthful of eggs.

He raised an eyebrow and took another sip of his coffee. "I guess you'll have to start believing." He said between sips then left the table to kiss my mum good bye. As soon as the door closed I burst out laughing.

"So where is he going to transform if he lives here with us?" I quizzed my mum.

"The garage has nothing in it and stop joking about it Christian he doesn't find it funny. He says it's painful and I don't appreciate you making fun of that." Mum replied glaring at me with disapproval.

"So where is he off too, working against those Death Eaters? By the way how is it going, I mean with getting people to believe it?" I asked taking a sip from my tea.

"Not very well really. The government is trying to prevent us from spreading the news. They think were causing unnecessary alert and scaring people." She said angrily.

"Oh, well do you think they'll believe their wizards?" I asked.

"Remus told me that we can't tell anyone else about there er… abilities."

"Ah. I see. So let them get killed by so-called "nonexistent" beings then go nuts when the deaths can't be explained. I understand his method now." With this I left to go play in the snow leaving my mum starring at me with surprise.

Snow had finally piled up and made it possible for snow building. I made a snowman of Lupin to throw snowballs at. All I needed was a tail and wolf ears and I will have the perfect image of him. Oh, can't forget a wizard hat. Oh, and his famous shaggy robes. Though those aren't too bad looking really considering what some kids wear in my school.

I made the snowman and gave it an old scarf and a cucumber nose. I gave him two shells for wolf ears and an old branch with leaves still on it as his tail. He also sported an old costume witch hat and a stick at his side for a wand.

I gathered up a large ball of snow and tossed it at the snowman Lupin. It missed. I tried again but it only grazed the side and knocked his wand off. I then threw another and got his hat. I gave up after awhile with the snowball throwing and decided just to tackle the snowman. I ran forward and collided into the frozen enemy and tacked it to the ground.

I couldn't wait for Lupin to come home and see the sign pointing at the ruined snowman.

Here lies Remus Lupin. /I

Today was the day I had to clean this excuse for a house so it will be decent for all of the guests coming for the wedding. The house is very dusty due to the lack of residence in it for many years. I wondered why no one would live in this calm neighborhood. I mean there had to be someone who wanted a house located in a godforsaken neighborhood so they could live in peace.

I made my way up a creaky pair of steep stairs leading towards the attic. Dust bunnies hoped away at my footfalls and headed into the shadows to hide. The stairs are so dusty that my footprints show like dints in the snow. I even saw signs of other footprints and can only guess what else had treaded this desolate rout.

I opened the ceiling door with some difficulty because of its lack of use. After some time I managed to force my way through the door and climb up into the surprisingly warm room. At first I expected millions of bats to fly out at me, or a rat to jump out and bite my ears off, but instead only more dust bunnies hoped out clearing a path from were the wind had blown it. I searched around on the rough wooden walls for a light switch and flipped it on as I found a small stud in the wall. It was a dim light protruding from a dusty half dead bulb hanging miserably from the slanted ceiling. It is empty up here, save for a few boxes and wood pieces burned at the edges.

I found that the ceiling had a small hole in it as lead to our backyard. I looked through to find that it was big enough to fit a rodent. I am hoping that none had figured this out yet and took it to their advantage. I looked inside the boxes and found more light bulbs and some more wood.

"I guess they were prepared for broken light bulbs." I said out loud to myself. But before I could muse on about this fascinating subject a small rustling caught my attention in a shadowed corner. I looked over and saw a shadow of some tiny creature move around slowly and cautiously.

"Well I guess you found the hole didn't you?"

I walked over to the corner and flashed my flashlight at the creature. I expected to find a rat or bird, but instead a small gray squirrel curled up in a ball looked up at me in fright.

I smiled with both relief and rapture. (Remember, I have no life so this was fascinating like the light bulbs) The little squirrel looked up at me with two innocent bright eyes and wiggled its small long whiskered nose. The squirrel looked half starved and it seemed its parents abandoned it. Its fur was matted and thin and its tail barley able to move. I ran downstairs and grabbed a warm fuzzy blanket from the closet. I reached the attic again and closed the door quickly behind me, so Sandman wouldn't come up, and made my way back to the small corner. The squirrel was still there but this time more alert. I got ready to nab him with the blanket but before I was able to, the little bugger bolted right past me giving a loud squeak of fear and determination.

I had to admit he was a brave little nut!

He scampered towards the hole but I throw the blanket and caught him in mid jump and he was trapped under the quilt. He squealed pathetically but I ignored it and grabbed the blanket like a bag and carried him down stairs.

"I cleaned the attic!" I shouted and only received a small noise in respond.

Sandman walked up to me lazily and sniffed my content s with curiosity.

"My god you moved! So what do I owe this honor of events?" I quizzed the dog laughing at his sudden excited look at the bag. I rubbed his small ear quickly before running to the phone and dialing up the vet to question them about my new friend. They told me to bring him over and of course the fee for the visit. I abandoned my chores and hoped on my bike with the squirrel in the bike front pocket.

I carefully rode down the wet streets noticing the specks of salt melting away at the frost. I swerved around the corners and rode about four miles till I found the city and rode towards a large building were all of the doctors offices were located in one. I grabbed the struggling squirrel and entered the building heading towards the map to find were the vet is located. We had to go up to the fifth floor and the fourth door on the left. We rode the elevator up to our destination then walked down the long hall to the vet's door. I peered in to make sure it was the correct place then entered as I caught sight of a small labradoodle panting on the floor. (Yes, labradoodle) We declared our arrival to a plump lady behind the office window and she signed a paper with my name on it then asked me kindly to sit down and I should be able to go in after a few minutes.

The small squirrel finally stopped struggling and started to gnaw at the blanket with little success. I could feel signs of teeth scraping against the soft blanked and claws ripping at it slowly. After about ten minutes the doctor called me in and I jumped up in happiness, startling the squirrel who started to struggle again.

We entered a small room were a man stood with a large pair of glasses that magnified his blue eyes greatly making him give a great look of an owl. He had gray hair and a crisp white suit on which a pen was placed that read "Have you hugged your dog today?" I told him of my discovery and he took it with a shocked expression and reached for the bag. He took it and emptied its contents in a small cage with a blanketed floor. The squirrel fell out looking at me angrily before noticing the doctor.

It chattered with fright and ran around the barred cage like a maniac in a prison cell. It was cute the way it flickered its tail in frustration. I knew it would hate me for this. The vet put on some thick gloves and scooped up the fur ball quickly into a tight grip. It struggled for a few minutes trying to break free of the giants grip but was unsuccessful in its attempt. The vet chuckled then started to ask me questions on how I found the squirrel and where. I told him the story with detail about how I found him in the attic all alone.

"He may have been abandoned. Or fell in you attic from his nest and couldn't be found again by his parents. Anyway, he won't be able to go back and he is far to young to take care of himself at the moment." He said while inspecting the squirrel's body for cuts or bald spots.

"He seems healthy though. I'll give him a rabbi shot just in case and keep him here for the night to inspect him for any other sicknesses." He continued after putting the squirrel back in its cage.

I nodded then asked about the price of all this and he told me for now about twenty dollars. I handed him the money then said goodbye to the squirrel who only ignored me and chewed at the blanked.

I passed through the lobby and out the glass door, which was being cleaned by the janitor. I walked out and unlocked my bike from the bike rack before zipping away through the crowded streets. I stopped by one of the stores and picked up some sweets with the extra money I had brought then stuffed my goodies into my empty bike pocked and continued to Privet drive.

I walked into the kitchen carrying my sweets and watched Sandman slowly get up and follow me with hope in his eyes when seeing the bag.

"Not for you, you bum." I said laughing at his wide-eyed deer expression. I dumped my bag out onto the table and started to sort through it. I wanted to send some to Harry along with a Christmas card, but had no idea the address to his school. Maybe Hedwig will return and I can use her. But I thought better of this with the cold days to be coming in the future. Harry wouldn't allow his owl to fly in such weather to send simple Christmas greetings. Or would he? I don't know him well enough to answer this question so I'll leave it at that for now.

I ate a chocolate bar then moved do another chore before my mum sees my lack of work.

Evening arrived and mum and Remus came home grinning happily. Sandman jumped up at once and skidded across the kitchen to greet them. He jumped up and down in happiness as they laughed at him calling him a "silly dog". I said hello as they walked into the kitchen and my mum eyed the candy with the grin still on her face. I allowed her to have a piece but made no gesture to Remus. He looked at me then at the window raising his eyebrow questioningly.

"Did you like my snowman?" I asked innocently to Remus. He gave no answer but only made off to get a cup of tea for mum and himself. I smiled my best evil smile then headed off with my loot to my room, followed by Sandman who had lost his excitement and wanted to lounge on my bed instead.

I lied down on my bed and though about the week coming up. The week of the wedding and the week I was to become Remus's stepdaughter. I would be front row center in during the wedding.

Beside my father….