Chapter 8: Christmas Eve.
"Sev sev! Wake up! Its Christmas Eve! I made breakfast!" Suddenly she jumps onto my bed, laughing. "Come one Sev sev wake up!" I make no movements pretending to still be asleep. She shakes me a bit. "Sev sev!" I jump up and pin her underneath me and begin to tickle her. "Sev sev, stop!" She's laughing so hard she can barely breathe. "You were saying Luna?" I ask. She begins to relax. "I said I made breakfast and its Christmas Eve now get up! She pushes me off of her and jumps off the bed, pulling me with her.
I look out the kitchen window; the snow is about 6 feet high. "What do you want to do today? Not that there's much we can do. She smiles and asks "Can we go play in the snow?" "Play in the snow? I ask cautiously. "Yes the snow, the mounts of white fluffy, packing stuff outside? Make snow wizards, snow angles, snowballs and forts. Can we? She asks smiling. "Go get ready!" She runs out of room, I grab my old camera and get myself ready.
"Luna look over here!" I snap some more photos of her playing. Were in the backyard, Luna's already made four snow wizards who won't melt, a snow angel who sparkles and a snow fort that's about 8 ft high and piles of snowballs all around it. Two hours out here and she's still going, she absolutely love it out here. Smack, goes a snowball at my stomach. All I hear is laughter; I grab a snowball and throw it back hitting her in the shin. "Is that the best you got Sev sev?" "No of course not." I magically make several snowballs go at her at once. `How`s that? I ask. She laughs and throws one more snowball at me half heartily making it land at my feet. "Let's go inside. I'm soaked and its lunchtime." I say. She follows me through the back door. She hangs up both of our things and dries them with her wand. "How about tomato soup and grill cheese sandwiches for lunch?" She nods "Sounds excellent!" She wonders into the living room. "Sev sev?" She calls. "Yes Luna?" "Fawkes is in here." "What do you mean Fawkes is in there?" I stop dead in my tracks as I see Professor Dumbledore's bird sitting in my living room with a note tied to his feet."
I quickly take the note off of Fawkes's feet and begin to read.
Dear Severus, at precisely 12:30 I well be flooing to your fireplace. Sincerely Albus Dumbledore.
I look at my watch, crap 5 minutes. "Luna why don't you go finish making lunch, Professor Dumbledore well be joining us today." She smiles and walks towards the kitchen. I begin to pace nervously, straightening out the room with my wand. I hear Luna humming in the kitchen as she stirs the soup and sets the table. One minute left, I turn towards the fireplace and its lights up emerald green and out steps Professor Dumbledore.
"Severus, my dear boy. How are you?" He says. "Hello Albus, I'm fine yourself? What can I do for you? He smiles and looks around the room. "How lovely to see the place decorated for Christmas, she really livens up the place, doesn't she Severus?" Luna appears from the kitchen. "Sev sev lunch is ready. Hello Professor Dumbledore Happy Christmas to you, were having tomato soup and grill cheese sandwiches I hope that's alright?" "Sounds excellent Mrs. Lovegood! He follows her to the kitchen. They both sit down and begin to eat, making small talk about Christmas. I hardly eat, thinking of the reasons he could be here on such short notice.
"Well now that this excellent meal is done. I shall discuss what I came here for, Mrs. Lovegood can you please give Severus and me a minute? I believe you'll find Fawkes still in the living room and he does like the crust off of sandwiches." Motioning to the crust on his plate. She gets up and takes it to the living room, humming on the way.
"Its about her father isn't it?" I say afraid to fully know the answer. He looks up the twinkle gone from his eyes. "Yes Severus, they found him he was tortured to the point of insanity by the Cruciatus Curse. He has been sent to St. Mungos there's nothing they can do to help him." I nod slowly. "You want me to tell her don't you?" "It would be better coming from you than me but if you are unable too I can."Says Dumbledore.
"No I well, Luna honey can you come in here." She walks in with a smile on her. I'm about to break her heart. "Professor you were right Fawkes love the crust!" She see's my face, and her face falls. "Its about my father isn't it?" I nod and I repeat everything, which Professor Dumbledore had said. "Luna, are you alright?" I ask quietly. "Yes Severus, I'm just going to go to my room." She walks out and I hear the bedroom door shut.
"Severus, she is still underage and needs someone to take care of her. Everything has been left to her. She has to decide what to do with it." He says. "I'll take care of her until she's of age. You already know that and I'll handle it all. Just send me everything we'll need. It well be done before we come back to school." He nods and gets up. "And Severus don't hurt her."
He walks to the floo and vanishes. I wait a till past supper to get to see her. I take a sandwich with me. "Luna?" I call, knocking gently on the door before I open it. I see her laying in the fetal position on the bed. She doesn't respond to me. I put the sandwich down on the desk. And I walk over to her bed sit down and pull her up to me. "Luna sweetie, Its okay. I know its hard to lose someone you love." "But he's not even gone, he's just not there." She whispered. "I know it is worse; that's why you have to be stronger, for him and yourself. Remember for both of you." I lay her down on the bed wrapped up in my arms. "Just relax and go to sleep. I'll be right here if you need me." I wrap us up in the blankets. I her breathing becoming normal again as she gently falls asleep. I lay awake with her in my arms and decide I well let no more harm come to her. Not if I can help it.