Two chapters in two days? Sometimes I surprise even myself. I had a lot of fun writing this one. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own nothing.

Soon the crunchy leaves on the ground were replaced with a thick layer of snow and Christmas was right around the corner. The kids were wild with the prospect of two weeks off of school and of course presents. The classroom was decorated with red and green paper chains and lots of homemade snowflakes. Elizabeth had even put up a little fake tree in the corner by their class's pet fish. She had promised the kids that if they behaved they could have a party on the last day before break since it was a half day. They all brought cookies and punch and Elizabeth made each student a goodie bag with candy, festive pencils, and a miniature santa hat in each one. It was going to be a great party.

"Merry Christmas Miss Anderson!" Ethan exclaimed handing her a brightly wrapped gift. "This is for you."

"Thank you Ethan," She smiled. "I can't wait to open it." Sophie was the next one in the room. She had tied a big red and green bow on her blond ponytail and had jingle bell earrings in. She shook her head back and forth with fervor.

"Look I jingle!"

"You're very festive. Did you do that just for the party?" Sophie nodded and her earrings made more noise.

"Well you look great."

Soon the classroom was full of ten year olds excited for a party and a break from school. Miss Anderson's desk was covered in presents and gift baskets from the parents of her student's. She had forgotten that that was one of the perks of teaching elementary school. She clapped her hands together.

"Can I have everyone's attention?" She called. Her student's slowly quieted. "I have a very special surprise for you guys. I was talking to Mr. Lupin about how we can make this party special and you know what he told me? He told me that he could get Santa Claus to come visit us. Isn't that great?" Most of the kids were old enough to know that Santa wasn't real but a part of their hearts wanted to believe that he was. Their intense love for their teacher made them go along with everything that she said even though they knew it was silly.

"There's a problem though. Santa went off in search of some milk and cookies and now we don't know where he is. Do you think maybe you guys could help us find him?" The kids nodded eagerly.

"How will we know where he is?" Veronica asked.

"Well he left clues like this one," She held up a thin piece of paper with pretty curly script. "So it looks like we need to follow the clues to find Santa."

"What does it say?" Elena asked. Elizabeth read aloud.

"If you don't know where to look go to the room with all the books."

"The library!" Sophie was excited. "The room with all the books. That's the library."

"You're right," Elizabeth said. "Let's go." The kids raced off towards the library and their teacher hurried to follow. "Walk please you guys. Don't run."

Once inside the library they all split up looking for the second clue. Soon Anna was holding it up.

"I got it!"

"Well what's it say?"

"If you're in trouble and crime's at large it's time to see the man in charge."

"The man in charge?" Seth repeated.

"Like the headmaster?" Harry asked quietly.

"Why don't you say that a little louder Harry?" Miss Anderson encouraged.

"I think it means Headmaster Reynolds." Harry told the class. They nodded.

"Let's go!"

"Yeah he must have the next clue."

They raced off towards his office and knocked on the door eagerly.

"Hi guys," Mr. Reynolds said opening his door. "Are you here looking for Santa?" They nodded eagerly.

"Have you seen him?" Anna asked. Mr. Reynolds shook his head.

"No but he must have been in here. I found this clue on my desk." Harry took it and read aloud.

"Well you missed me but carry on or my reindeer might eat your front lawn." There was no doubt in anyone's mind where they needed to go. They headed outside to the front of the school where they found animal tracks and sleigh marks in the snow.

"He really was here!" Veronica exclaimed. "Look there's sleigh marks!"

"And look," Anna pointed out, "Someone left a pile of vegetables for the reindeer."

"There's a clue in the vegetables," Emily pointed out. "It's right there." She pulled it out and read,

"Good thing my reindeer didn't eat the clue. For this next class you must change your shoes." The kids thought about it for a minute.

"We change our shoes for gym class," Seth said. "We always have to put on sneakers."

"Yeah we must have to go to the gym." They ran off towards the gym and threw open the cabinet where they all kept their sneakers. Each student grabbed their own and looked inside until Dudley held up a piece of paper.

"Look what I found," he taunted.

"What's it say Dudley?" Elizabeth asked. He looked at her.

"I think I'll just keep it to myself. I found it after all and this game is stupid."

"That's not fair Dudley," Sophie whined. "You have to tell us or else we can't find Santa."

"Santa's not real," he shot back. She shrugged.

"The Santa in this scavenger hunt is real. And I want to find him."

"Plus," Elizabeth added. "He took all the cookies that you guys brought for the party. If we don't find Santa no one one gets any cookies."

"No cookies?" Dudley's friend Gordon was appalled. "Read the clue Dud." Dudley nodded and began to read.

"Looks like you were just too slow. The room with paintings is where I'd go."

"The art room!" And off to the art room they ran. Miss Anderson thought vaguely that she was too old to keep up with her energetic fifth graders and she was only twenty-four. Inside the art room the kids looked behind every painting on the wall until the final clue showed up taped to a fake Monet. It read.

"You're all getting very close. Next go to the room where you go the most." Elena turned to her teacher.

"The room where we go the most? Like, our classroom?" The kids looked at her expectantly.

"I don't know. Guess we'll have to go there and find out." The raced on towards the classroom and sure enough inside was a jolly man with white hair and a red suit eating a cookie.

"Santa!" The kids exclaimed. He turned around.

"Well looks like you found me! Good thing too or I might have eaten all of these cookies." Miss Anderson looked at Santa inquisitively. He wasn't very fat, he was quite thin actually. But he had the longest white hair and beard she had ever seen. A set of crooked glasses perched on the end of his nose and behind them were a pair of bright blue twinkling eyes. He looked at all the kids kindly.

"Did you have fun figuring out my clues?" The kids nodded.

"I knew we'd find you," Veronica said. He smiled at her.

"Of course you did because you're a very smart class. But tell me Veronica; what would you like for Christmas?" She gasped.

"How did you know my name?"

"He's Santa," Seth said. "He knows everybody."

"Who wants hot chocolate?" Miss Anderson interrupted.

"Me!"

"I do!"

"Me too!"

As she poured hot chocolate for her students she watched Santa interact with all of them.

"Are you really going to remember what we all want?" Sophie asked. "Don't you need to write it down?" He tapped the side of his head.

"It's all up here I promise." He turned away and his eyes fell on Harry who was sitting quietly eating a cookie.

"Hello Harry. Merry Christmas." Harry looked up shyly.

"Merry Christmas Santa."

"Tell me now. What would you like for Christmas?" Harry shrugged.

"I don't know."

"Well now surely a little boy like you wants something. What can I get for you?" Harry thought about it for a little while and when he spoke it was so quiet it was almost inaudible.

"I'm sorry but I don't think even you can help me. I know that you have magic Santa powers and stuff but all I want is a family that loves me." Santa's eyes behind the glasses were filled with pain.

"Never underestimate the power of magic Harry. You never now what might happen." Harry shrugged again.

"If you say so." He finished his cookie and then asked,

"Santa?"

"Hmm?"

"What do you want for Christmas?" Santa smiled.

"A thick pair of woolen socks. I never seem to have enough of those." Harry stared at him.

"Really?" Santa nodded very seriously.

"Oh absolutely. People always insist instead on giving me books."

Elizabeth, who had walked over to give Santa some hot chocolate, had caught the end of this conversation. She walked over to Remus.

"Where did you find this guy?" She asked, laughing.

"Who Santa? He's a friend of mine."

"He's... interesting." Remus laughed.

"Yeah he's a little eccentric but he means well. And he's super busy so it was really nice of him to come do this for us." Elizabeth smiled.

"Well I think he's a perfect Santa."

Suddenly a sleigh, a real honest to goodness sleigh with reindeer attached, flew past the window. Santa jumped up and inconspicuously slipped a think wooden stick back in his pocket.

"Oh no!" he exclaimed. "My reindeer are getting away! How will I get back to the north pole?" He started towards the door. "Merry Christmas to you all but I have to catch that sleigh!" And with that he was gone. The kids raced toward the window to wave goodbye right as it started to snow. Big fat fluffy flakes swirled past them.

"By Santa," Harry whispered. "Merry Christmas."

Santa returned to his study and sat down at his desk. He picked up a letter he had received a while back and re-read it sadly. He sat for a long time wondering how to make Harry's Christmas wish come true when suddenly an idea struck him. It was an idea so revolutionary it might change everything. He jumped up and headed straight to the fireplace to pop in on the minister quickly. He would need Cornelius's permission to go to Azkaban and it was high time he payed a visit to Sirius Black.

A/N: 61 reviews! You guys are the best. Seriously I love you all. Great stuff is coming up in the next chapters and I'm feeling inspired. Guess we'll see what happens :)