"Rue-Rue!" Klaus bellowed.

I groaned, rolling over and burying myself in my sheets. Perhaps if he couldn't see me, he would leave me alone.

The door opened with a bang, "Rue! You're the only one not up. It's time to exchange presents."

"This is a horrible nightmare, this is a horrible nightmare, this is a horrible nightmare," I mumbled, silently praying that Klaus would go away.

My comforter was ripped from me. "What in the bloody hell-"

"Presents!" Klaus hissed, child-like excitement in his eyes.

"Merlin, I haven't even had breakfast yet," I said, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

"C'mon, c'mon, Uncle Friedrich is making pancakes. But we need to open presents first," Klaus said matter-of-factly, pulling me up and out of the bed. I padded behind him as he led the way to the stairs.

"I don't see what the rush is, it's just us," I grumbled, running a hand through my hair as we reached the foot of the stairs. "Unless you got me some magnificent gift."

He shot me a look over his shoulder.

"I'll take that as a no," I said, leaning against the frame of the archway leading into the parlour where the tree was set with a few boxes underneath. I glanced at the clock on the wall and groaned. Seven in the morning?

"Merlin, did you two even sleep last night?" I demanded, looking between my brother and Anna. She shrugged sheepishly.

"Of course we slept," Klaus interjected, flopping down into the armchair next to the fireplace. "Mum! Dad!" His face brightened as a hand clapped down on my shoulder. I looked up to see the rosy face of my father.

"Who's ready for presents?" he bellowed.

My mother slipped into the kitchen, and I heard her ask Uncle Friedrich to join us as soon as he was done with breakfast.

I settled onto the floor near Klaus' feet, my back to the roaring fire. A quick glance out the window, and I could see that we had another few inches of snow this morning. If we were younger, and if I wasn't still recovering, Klaus and I would have bounded down the stairs, hardly dressed to go out in the freezing cold, and burst outside, forgetting to close the door behind us. I would have proceeded to build a sloppy fort, while Klaus pelted me with snowball after snowball. Eventually, I would have been fed up with it, so I would chase after him with a fist full of snow before shoving it into his face. It had been years since we last did that. The Christmas of my seventh year, I think. And now Klaus was married, expecting a baby, and I was...well, a little worse for wear, but essentially the same.

A long box was placed in my lap, and I looked up to see my brother's face. He looked like he was about to burst from excitement.

"Well, don't just sit there, Rue-Rue. Open it!"

I glanced hesitantly up at Anna, who was sitting on the arm of my brother's chair. She just chuckled and shook her head, her arms wrapping around my brother's shoulders while she waited for me to open my present.

I quickly opened it, tossing aside the bow and emerald green wrapping paper. I lifted the lid of the box and held up...

"What, exactly, is this?"

I looked quizzically between the children's toy bow and arrow set in my hand, held together by a ribbon which brightly proclaimed "You'll never miss!"

"Remember when we were little, just learning to fly on our broomsticks?"

I scrunched my face, trying to recall. I felt like I had been on a broomstick since birth, so it was a little difficult to remember what my brother apparently did.

"'Course you do! And we both had sets just like this," he said, pulling one out from behind the pillow he leaned against. It was nearly identical to mine, but the feathers on his arrows were crimson, whereas mine were a deep blue.

I guess my memory loss could be blamed on my numerous falls.

He exchanged a glance with Anna, "We'd go flying around the castle, and one day you accidentally lost all of your arrows, shooting over the cliff, and you were bawling the rest of the afternoon!"

Ah, now that, I did remember. "And then I snapped the bow and threw it at you because it was your fault that all my arrows were gone!"

The mischievous sparkle returned to Klaus' eyes once again.

"See! You do remember! Up for a rematch, sister mine?" He leaned forward.

I laughed, "Well, not at the moment, but maybe after a nap this afternoon–"

My mother cleared her throat.

"–or when I'm back in tip-top shape and all that."

"Deal," Klaus smirked, leaning back into his seat. "So what'd you get me?"

I rolled my eyes, reaching under the tree for a small, round package that I unceremoniously tossed at my brother.

He quickly tore through the paper and gave a triumphant Woop!

"And you said you didn't get me anything from Cairo! You saucy little nit!"

He eagerly shook the bewitched sand globe, and watched as the sand settled at the bottom to reveal a pyramid; he shook it again, revealing a mummy who lamely walked around and kept running into the glass; Klaus shook it a third time, and a Napoleon Bonaparte was suddenly fighting off the mummy with a small sword.

Klaus guffawed, "Aw, wee little Nappy! This is great, thanks Rue." He gave me a quick wink, before turning to present Anna with her gift.

I opened my parents' and uncle's presents. I was quickly surrounded by several large history tomes and a new stuffed owl, which Uncle Friedrich insisted only answered to the name Kleine Eule. ("A friend for Meister Eule!" he boomed.)

"Oh, Rue, this is for you," my mother said softly, holding out a small box.

My brow furrowed. "But I already opened all of my presents?"

"It came for you yesterday, but it doesn't say from whom."

I gingerly took it from her, waiting for my mother to finally turn her attention from me as Klaus started singing a Christmas carol as he stood to go to the kitchen, pulling Anna with him.

Not knowing who this gift was from, I decided to open it later. I placed it on top of the books my parents had given me. I stood and stretched slowly, just about ready to join my brother and sister-in-law on their way to the kitchen, when my father cleared his throat.

"Klaus, Rue," he began, looking between the pair of us.

"Yes?" Klaus turned slowly, his eyes sliding from Anna's, who looked just as confused as we did.

"Klaus, your mother and I have one last present for you, before we tuck in for breakfast."

I turned to my uncle. He only shrugged nonchalantly.

My mother handed a scroll of parchment to my father, who in turn held it out to Klaus. Disentangling himself from his wife, Klaus went to Dad and took the parchment from his hands. The family crest was pressed into the wax seal, midnight blue ribbon hanging out from under the wax.

"Open it," Mum coaxed.

Klaus slowly pulled the ribbon, the wax seal breaking, and delicately unrolled the paper. His eyes widened.

"Really?" He boomed, looking between our parents and then to Anna, who had come up beside him.

My dad slipped his arm around my mother's shoulders, nodding happily. "Oh, Klaus," Anna gasped, wrapping her arms around her husband.

Terribly confused, I reached for the parchment.

"The deed to Chilverton Elms?" I asked, just as Klaus snatched it back. He stuck his tongue out at me. "Mine," he hissed.

"Ah, and lest we forget," Uncle Friedrich interjected, apparently noticing the crestfallen look on my face, "we have a little something for you too, Rue."

I was handed a similar scroll which I was quick to unroll. I read half of the first sentence on the deed, before I flung my arms around my uncle.

"Oh, thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" I cried, kissing Uncle Friedrich's cheek. My father laughed, as I'm sure my uncle was sneering at the contact. In my hand, I held the deed to The Moorings. An estate entirely my own, as soon as my uncle chose to leave it.

"Now, how about breakfast?" Uncle Friedrich asked, disentangling himself from me. I laughed and quickly slid to the kitchen in my woolen socks.

Later that afternoon, I sat in my room, staring at the small, unmarked box I had yet to open. It had started snowing about an hour ago, and I could see Klaus and Anna already playing outside in the snow.

There was a soft knock on my door.

"Come in," I called gently.

"A letter's come for you. From Clancy," Mum offered, joining me at my window seat. She handed me the envelope. I opened it, peering over the top of the letter at my mother every now and then. She wore a concerned expression.

Dear Rue,

I hope this Christmas finds you warm, healthy, and surrounded by your delightful family. Sam seemed a little cold when he arrived the other day. You don't suppose he should invest in a sweater or something, do you?

I snorted. That's the Clancy I know. I supposed he wasn't mad at me.

I'm sorry this wasn't accompanied with a present. I'll send a little something along by New Years, though. I promise. (I'm thinking an owl sweater. I'm sure my Nana could knit up something quick!)

Things have been a little crazy stateside. I met someone. Thankfully Witch Weekly hasn't caught onto us yet, but I think I'll be happy again. I know I will be. I probably shouldn't be telling you this, should I? Sorry. I've never been good at timing things. How are things with Oliver? He cares about you. Very much. In case you didn't know.

I still care about you. I still love you. As a friend.

Merry Christmas, Rue.

–Clancy

I sighed, folding the letter again.

"Well?" Mum asked.

I held it out to her, "Go on, read it then."

Her eyes quickly scanned over the letter. She sighed, "Oh, Rue." She set the letter down on the window sill and reached out for me. I was pulled to her chest. Her hand gently smoothed over my hair, again and again. "Little Rüdiger," she said softly, using my childhood pet name.

"Mum, I'm alright. I promise. I'm alright," I said, my voice muffled by the fabric of her sleeve.

"I'm alright, I'm alright, I'm alright."

Who was I trying to convince? My mother? Or myself?

Frustrated, I slid from her grasp. I could feel tears stinging my eyes. "I promise I'm alright."

She cupped my face, "I know. You're a strong young woman, Rue." She tucked a lock of hair behind my ear. "You'll figure out what's right. You'll be happy again."

And that was when I lost it. I choked on a sob and reached out for my mother again. I cried into her shoulder for Merlin knows how long. By the time I was finished, I felt physically and emotionally exhausted.

Mum gently patted the top of my head. "Dinner is in a few hours. Try to get some sleep," she said gently.

I nodded, wiping my eyes with the back of my hand. I'm sure I looked like a five-year-old again, blubbering like I was. It was pathetic.

Mum was just pulling the door shut behind her, when she turned back to me. "Maybe you should open that present. It might be just the thing to lift your spirits."

I waited until she shut the door before turning my attention to the small box at my feet. I sighed, reaching forward and picking it up.

Turning it over in my hands, I tried to imagine who it was from. Certainly not Clancy, since he had just sent that letter, and this had been here waiting. I doubt Toni or Lara had gotten me anything else. I'd long since received their cards and gift boxes full of hot cocoa and tea. Not George, nor Sean, nor my cousins...

A silly thought crossed my mind. Oliver? the small voice wondered.

Doubtful.

I huffed, finally tearing away the red and blue striped wrapping. Inside the box was a small leather pouch, the same blue as the wrapping paper. I slowly opened it, before turning it upside down over my hand. With a little thud, a small silver charm fell into my palm. It looked to be a small bow tied from silver rope. I turned it over several times, before unhooking the chain from my neck and sliding the charm onto it. It clinked against the ring Oliver had given me those years ago. I gently clasped the chain around my neck once again, gently rubbing the new charm between my fingers as I leaned against the pillows behind me.

I wondered what he was doing right now. If it was snowing, wherever he was. Was he home too? Was he thinking about me?

With a groan, I finally stood and walked towards my bed, only to collapse into the comforter.

Soooooooo it's been a really, really, really long time, hasn't it? Oops...Sincerest apologies, dear readers! I really want to get this finished, so my personal goal is to wrap up this and Rolling in the Deep before the end of my senior year! As always, Jo Rowling owns the Wonderful World of Harry Potter and I own that which you do not recognize. Be the loyal readers I know you all to be, please review! Yours.