Chapter 12 – Christmas Time is Family Time
Harry woke to the dulcet tones of Ron bellowing "Presents! Wake up already!" Harry cracked open one eye and saw a pile of brown packages, as well as an envelope sitting on the very top. He sat up and began to open them, as James came over and sat on Neville's empty bed. He had received the routine sweater from Mrs. Weasley, blue with a yellow stag, and some treacle fudge, a new pair of Quidditch gloves from Ron, a box of Drooble's Best Blowing Gum from Hermione, and something large and furry from Hagrid that looked like a pelt, but that made a growling noise when he picked it up and tried to chew his pajamas. "Right, we'll figure that one out later," James said with a laugh.
"Open the envelope!" Lily exclaimed as she, Ginny and Hermione burst into the room. "Go on!" Harry slit open the top and withdrew a set of photographs, each of James and Lily making different silly faces at him and waving. They had skipped dinner and stolen Seamus Finnigan's camera to take them and Lily had developed them. "Merry Christmas, Harry," Lily said with a smile, giving him a huge hug. If there was any time to act like a Mom to your future son from the future, I suppose its Christmas Day, she thought, before contemplating the insanity of what her brain had managed to think up.
James followed Lily's lead and clapped Harry on the back. "Merry Christmas," he said, before being startled by a loud sound of protest from Lily, who was holding Lavender Brown's left-behind dressing gown in front of her face as Hermione pointed the Polaroid-style camera at her.
"No! No camera!" she shrieked. "I look like a lagoon creature!"
"Stop it, Lily!" Hermione exclaimed. "I'm going to take a sentimental family photograph of Christmas and it will be adorable, okay?" Laughing, Lily eventually agreed, and the two Potters and one Evans crowded into Harry's bed to put their arms around each other, smiling and waving. As the flashbulb burst, a photograph flew out of the slit. As the picture grew clearer, the six friends saw three disheveled people laughing and waving to the camera. Hermione drew a quill out of thin air and wrote, The Potters on Christmas Day, 1999, placing it on Harry's bedside table.
They all eventually dressed and headed to the Great Hall for lunch, then spent the afternoon in the snow, bewitching snowballs so that they never missed their intended targets. For Christmas dinner, the house tables were drawn up against the wall once again, as they had for Harry, Ron and Hermione's third year. There was one table in the center of the room for the staff, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Lily, James, two Hufflepuffs, and a disgruntled-looking Slytherin. Though it was nice to eat with everyone together, this made James' advice of "try to avoid Snape" difficult for Lily.
"Professor Snape," she said in carefully controlled tones. "Please pass the potatoes." As he handed them to her, he tried to catch her eye, but she carefully avoided his gaze. She still had no idea what she was going to do about him.
Dumbledore swallowed a piece of chicken and turned to James. "How are you enjoying your time in the future?" he asked.
James swallowed his own food in turn. "I'm enjoying it, I suppose," he mused. "As much as you could enjoy time in the future learning about the rest of your lives prematurely." As he ate, his hand bumped against Lily's and he felt it tingle. This is not good. It's time to get away from Evans for a bit.
Luckily, Lily spoke up just then. "Um…want to take a walk, Harry?"
"Sure," Harry said surprised. "A walk where?"
"I don't know, anywhere," she replied distractedly. They stood and left, heading out onto the grounds.
They were almost to the lake when Lily turned to Harry. "Do I make a good mother?" she asked. "You know, in the future? Or past or whatever?"
"I don't really know," Harry admitted. They lay on their backs in the snow, Lily conjuring a blanket with her wand. "I mean, you died when I was a year old. I think you did." I just wish I could've known you better," Harry mused. "As a mother, not as a friend."
"If I was being more of a mother figure right now, what would you say to me?"
"I guess I would say…thank you for giving your life to save mine," Harry mused. "I owe everything to you and Dad. My entire life has happened the way it has because of the two of you."
I owe everything to you and Dad. Lily repeated these words over and over to herself in her head, and found one hot tear sliding down her cheek. She reached out and took Harry's hand. "I'm so sorry it has to end like this," she choked. "I don't want to have to leave you to fend for yourself."
"I know," Harry whispered, close to tears himself. "It's okay." They lay there for a long time, until James stuck his head out the door and roared "Evans! Harry! Come back inside already, the feast is over!"
"Such a sensitive man, your father," Lily grumbled, sniffling, as she and Harry stood up, Vanished the blanket, and headed back to the castle.