His Boy

Chapter Twenty-Six: Christmas

"PADDY! LEXIE! WAKE UUUUP!" Harry shouted Christmas morning, barreling in through his godfather's door to where he knew Padfoot and Lexie were sleeping. He ran over to the bed and jumped up onto it, bouncing his excitement. "Wake up! Presents!"

"Mr. Luuuuupiiin!" Hermione could be heard calling from upstairs and Remus groaned, obviously still very tired himself.

Harry dashed from the bedroom again and down the stairs, Hermione quickly following after him and into the living room where the Christmas tree was. They gasped, standing there in shock as they looked down upon the glorious wrapped and beribboned packages sitting beneath the tree. Harry couldn't even see the train Remus had put around it anymore!

Excited, but knowing he needed to wait for the adults, Harry bounced back into the hallway. "PADDY! MOONY! LEXIE! Huuuuurrrrry!"

"We're coming, we're coming." Sirius groaned, glancing up at the wall clock that said it was about six in the morning. He'd been up late making sure everything was where it should be. "Go ahead and open your stockings first."

Harry dashed back into the living room and with Hermione, over to the fireplace where five stockings hung from the mantle. They'd put them up the other day, adding Hermione's last night.

After a little bit of struggling with the fat stockings and some help from Lexie because the mantle was just so high up, Harry and Hermione sat down on the floor and tipped their stockings over, dumping them out into two piles of goodies. Candies spilled forth. Chocolate, candy canes, gummie bears, chewy caramels, and fat golden toffees. Harry found a toy dinosaur towards the bottom of his while Hermione had a plastic package of hair accessories in hers. Both toes contained oranges that rolled free and were forgotten within seconds of their discovery.

Sirius laughed, watching as Harry unwrapped a chocolate and shoved it into his mouth, not bothering with the concept of there usually not being candy for breakfast while Hermione sorted hers into neat little piles by flavor before placing them back into her stocking for safe keeping while she chewed away at a sugar-free caramel. He flopped down onto the couch, just enjoying watching the kids delight in their discoveries.

Once the stockings had been thoroughly gone through, Harry made his way over to the presents looking a tiny bit apprehensive. He knew there were presents here for Padfoot, Moony, and Lexie because he'd put them there, but what about him and what about Hermione? Had Santa gotten his letter? Did he know that Hermione was here instead of at her house?

All of his worries faded away when he sat down, grabbed the nearest package and found that it was labeled to him from Santa. He let out a squeal, holding it high in the air. "Paddy! Santa remembered me! He remembered me this time! He's never remembered me before."

"I knew he would." Sirius smiled, eyes shining as he watched his godson unwrap the first present he'd ever gotten from Santa that he could remember.

"He got my letter! Look! He got my letter! I got a train book! Just like I asked for!" Harry exclaimed, so very excited he got up and danced about in a circle for a moment before, unable to contain his four year old joy at having gotten something on his list. He grabbed up another package and read the name. "Hermione! Hermione! This one's for you! Santa didn't miss you either."

Hermione's eyes went wide and she rose from where she was sorting her stocking, moving over to sit next to Harry and take her package from him. Sure enough. To Hermione, Love Santa. "I wasn't sure if he'd be able to find me."

"Santa knows everything." Lexie smiled, coming into the room carrying a tray of coffee and cocoa. She set it down on the table and reached over to turn on the wizarding wireless before holding up the plate cookie. "Look guys."

"He ate the cookies!" Harry yelped, dancing again, pointing at the table. The cookies they had made, all of them, even the one shaped like a glass was gone. All that was left was a bit of milk in the bottom of the real glass and the plate shaped cookie that had a big bite out of it. "He was here, Santa was really here!"

"He defies all logic." Hermione nodded in agreement, hugging her package. "But he's magic, so that's ok." She sat down and tore the paper open now, letting out a happy squeal. "Ooooh! The newest edition of the Oxford dictionary! It has seventeen new words compared to the last edition."

"Well, that certainly is a very good present then. You'll know all of your words." Remus laughed, watching Hermione's delight as she opened the dictionary and flipped through the thin pages. The book was about half her size and it was very strange for a five year old to be so taken with the likes of any book without pictures, let alone a dictionary full of small print and millions of words.

Harry danced about, grabbing up package and reading the name on the front before tossing it down to grab up yet another, searching for his name. Here was another! Squealing, he flopped back down on the floor and tore the paper open, eyes wide. He had gotten TWO presents! TWO! That was more than he had ever received for any Christmas in his whole entire life that he could remember. The package was large and cylindrical. "Bubbles! LOTS of bubbles!"

"Wasn't that on your list to Santa, Harry?" Lexie asked with a laugh, smiling at the delight on Harry and Hermione's faces as they both admired the giant bottle of bubble solution.

"Yeah!" Harry nodded, beaming and getting up. He took both of his presents so far and set them on the window seat where they wouldn't get lost among the paper and then went searching through the packages again. Sirius rose from the couch and disappeared into the kitchen for a moment, returning with his camera, not wanting to miss out on a good opportunity to get pictures.

"There's probably more in there for the both of you." Remus suggested, rising to get down on the floor and help the kids look through the packages. He handed one to Hermione and another to Harry before sitting back on his heels.

"Quidditch pajamas!" Harry held up a pair of emerald green pajamas with a bronze talon on the front, the words Holyhead Harpies on the front. "That's Ginny favorite team." He remarked happily, remembering Ginny mentioning this on their way back from getting trees when she and Ron had gotten into an argument about whether the Harpies or the Cannons were cooler. It had been quite the battle between the two very opinionated preschoolers.

"That's my favorite team as well." Sirius remarked, smiling.

"And mine." Lexie agreed, admiring Harry's pajamas before he placed them beside his other presents on the window seat.

"Merlin!" Hermione exclaimed, holding up a plush doll and looking quite taken with it. "He's my favorite King Arthur character." She stated happily, hugging the wizard doll tightly while Sirius snorted.

"Looks a bit like Dumbledore." He whispered to the other two adults who agreed with tactful laughs of their own.

"A Snitch!" Harry just about screamed, jumping up and down, waving the small golden ball that he had just unwrapped and taken out of a box around in his hand. "A Snitch! A Snitch!" He did a little bit of a jig, unable to contain his delight. All of the other packages lay forgotten beneath the tree, his little heart soaring with delight at finally having his favorite Quidditch ball.

"Oooo, that's pretty!" Hermione stated, admiring the little ball as Harry held it out to her on his palm. The size of a walnut, it fit there perfectly, looking large in his hand. It's wings fluttered out and it floated up into the air, moving about the room at a gradual pace. It wasn't a real Snitch that one would use in a true game of Quidditch, but to Harry, it was as real as it got at the moment. He watched it soar about, eyes wide with pure bliss.

"Why don't you guys open the rest of your gifts?" Sirius suggested, a smile on his face, hoping he'd gotten Harry's look of triumph when he's opened the Snitch on film. Harry and Hermione laughed and practically dove back into the presents, looking up every now and then to see where the Snitch had gotten it. It stayed right in the living room, not straying too far at all.

Harry received just about everything that he'd written down on his list. A bright red tricycle had been hidden behind the tree and he'd unwrapped several plastic dinosaurs to join the one he'd found in his stocking. The only things Santa hadn't brought him were a Mummy or a pet, but he was just feeling happy to have been remembered at all this year. He'd also gotten several presents from Padfoot, Moony, and Lexie, as well as his friends. Paddy had given him an informative children's book about werewolves. Moony, a Muggle watch with hands to help him learn how to tell time, and Lexie a set of no-mix, no-mess paints. There was also a green knitted jumper from the Weasleys, a picture drawn by Ginny, and a box of candy from Ron. Hermione had gotten him a book about lions that he hugged her tightly for after she exclaimed over her bookmarks. Luna's package included cookies and an original Luna masterpiece made from clay and paint that had a note attached to say it was something called a Crumple-Horned Snorkack. And lastly, a pretty night light that shot stars on the ceiling from Neville. He had so many presents he could barely believe he was awake. It was positively astounding. Why, he had as many presents as Dudley normally did and that was saying something! It made him feel loved and remembered, just like little boys ought to on Christmas morning.

"Yours next Paddy!" Harry stated excitedly after they'd watched Hermione open the story book Ron had made her from parchment and ribbon. Harry snatched up the present he'd wrapped for Padfoot and carried it over to the couch, fulll of pride, already wearing his Weasley sweater with the H on the front.

"Oh! Thank you Harry!" Sirius smiled, opening the badly wrapped package and smiling as he pulled out a red dog collar complete with name and rabies tags. He stared at it for a moment before bursting out laughing. He reached out and pulled Harry onto his lap. "I love it Harry, thank you."

"Moony helped make the tags." Harry beamed, glad his Paddy liked his present. He'd had a hard time thinking of one for him.

"Yes, I did." Remus admitted, grinning at Sirius. "But it was all Harry's idea."

"Brilliant." Sirius grinned, and undid the collar, putting it around his neck and clasping it closed. "Fits great."

"Yeah!" Harry beamed and dashed to bring Moony his present, setting it in his lap and jumping from one fot to the other while Remus opened it.

"A razor and shaving cream." Remus blinked. "How thoughtful of you, Harry. This is a very handy gift."

"Paddy told Lexie you had a furry problem. So now you can shave it off." Harry stated simply, jumping up and down before Remus laughed and set his gift aside the hug the kid. It was an admittedly useful gift, even though it wouldn't actually help him around the full moon.

"Your turn!" Harry bolted and snatched up Lexie's present, carrying it over to the couch and sitting down next to her to watch her open It.

"Oh…I know this." Lexie blinked, staring down at the silver chain off of which hung a Golden Snitch pendant. She hugged Harry close with one arm.

"It was my mummy's. Moony said so, but I thinked you can have it, cause you're sorta like my mummy so now you'll look like her."

"Oh Harry." Lexie tugged him into her lap, setting the necklace down on the table and hugging him tightly. It was a very special gift, for him to give up something of his mother's when he had so little. "Thank you very much. I'll keep it safe and sound."

Harry smiled, burying his face against her neck before she let go of him and got the necklace around her neck. She, Sirius, and Remus exchanged gifts, and then Remus disappeared into the kitchen while harry and Hermione played with their gifts and Sirius and Lexie watched them.

"Harry, it looks like we missed one of yours." Remus's voice floated out of the kitchen and he came back into the living room. "It's a very special gift from Hagrid. Santa must have told him what else was on your list, because Hagrid knows much more about these sorts of things than even Santa does."

Harry looked up from where he was blowing bubbles, trying to get them to chase after hi Snitch and dropped his bubble wand, mouth agape. Remus was holding a cage, and inside, sleeping, was a small snowy owl. He stepped forward, his eyes wide as he stared at the baby owl, unable to believe what he was seeing. He even reached up and rubbed at his eyes for a moment just to be sure this was real before he shot forward and reached a finger through the bars of the card to stroke the baby owl's feather's.

"Wow. An owl. A real owl." He said, awestruck. Remus set the cage down on the coffee table and opened the door. The baby owl opened her amber eyes and gave a small hoot, looking around the room before hopping foreward, out onto the table. She let her eyes wander from one person to the next before decidedly hopping up and onto Harry's shoulder. She gave a tiny nibble on the top of his ear and then closed her eyes again, burying her head beneath a wing to continue sleeping, apparently very content around humans already.

"Let's see…" Remus took up a note attached to the cage and read. "Dear Harry, thought you might like this owl as Santa told me you'd like a pet this year. She's twelve weeks old and very smart. Hope you like her. Love from, Hagrid."

"I love her." Harry beamed, stroking his owl affectionately before turning his head to give her wing a kiss. She was a very beautiful owl with lots of markings on her snowy white feathers, indicating that was she definitely a female.

"What will you name her?" Sirius asked, loving the way Harry seemed to adore his owl already. He knew that some kids got pets and then wrote them off after a few days, but Harry was different. He was affectionate and kind, and Sirius knew, looking at him right now, that that owl would get so much love she wouldn't know what to do with it.

"Hedwig. Like in the history book Moony showed me." Harry stated firmly, having been read a bit of the book the other day to see if he was interested in history. It had been boring, but he had remembered and liked the witch called Hedwig.

"That's a fine name for an owl, Harry." Remus beamed, glad he remembered the name at least. Harry smiled, happy that the name was good and he sat down on the floor, stroking Hedwig and giving her kisses every now and then, completely distracted from the rest of his presents now. It had been the most wonderful of Christmas mornings, he thought.

…...

"Where're we going?" Harry asked a bit later, after they'd eaten breakfast and had cleaned up the wrapping paper that had scattered the living room. He and Hermione had been bundled up into snowsuits, after which, Hedwig had propped herself back onto harry's shoulder. She really seemed quite taken with him, like she knew he was her little wizard. Harry had wondered at her getting cold outside, but Remus had assured him she'd be fine. She was a snowy owl, he said, built to endure cold temperatures even at her young age. She was old enough to hunt on her own already, or at least, his book on owls said so.

"Someplace special." Sirius smiled, climbing into the backseat next to Harry's carseat while Remus and Lexie got into the front. Hedwig hopped down into Harry's lap where his little boy hands stroked at her feathers adoringly. He still couldn't quite believe that he had an owl now.

And so they drove, past snow covered moutains and fields, and London. They went for an hour in the car, Harry and Hermione keeping content with both owl and dictionary before the car finally stopped.

Owl on his head, Harry climbed out of the car after Sirius and Hermione followed suit, both of them looking around the the small square with curiosity on their faces. There was a small church to one side, and a long wall of names in the center of the square. Getting closer to the center of the square, Remus veered left, towards the church, and Harry blinked as the long wall flashed, changing from a long wall thing into a statue of three people. Before he could get a better look, Sirius ushered him forward, on in through a kissing gate.

Harry blinked, looking around. Thjere were stones everywhere… tombstones. This was a cemetery. He'd never been in one before, but he had seen one before on his way to school and home every morning and afternoon. Moony had said it was were people buried their dead loved ones.

Feeling a little bit weird, Harry reached a hand up and grabbed hold of Sirius's before reaching out his other to Hermione who took it, looking around quite curiously. They followed Remus through the snowy ground, watching as he led them past row after row before seeming to find what he was looking for and veering off to the right, heading towards a large marble headstone.

"Here we are then, harry." Sirius smiled and let go of his hand, pressing him foreward towards the tombstone. He looked back before doing so, Hedwig hopping curiously down onto his shoulder.

Potter…. That was the name on the people on the headstone. James and Lily. Harry blinked and stared at the headstone before reaching one tiny hand out and pressing it flat against the stone between their names, his eyes watering.

Sirius knelt beside him and took his free hand, rubbing his back, tears in his eyes as well. "We came to say happy Christmas to your parents, Prongslet. Is that alright?"

Harry nodded and fell to his knees. He let go of Sirius's hand and leaned himself up against the headstone, snuggling against it. This was where his parents' bodies were. He was closer to them than he could ever remember being, and it made him feel nice, to know they were so close. "Happy Christmas, Mummy. Happy Christmas Daddy."

"Happy Christmas guys." Sirius smiled and raised his wand. Christmas fairy lights and a wreath fell onto the tombstone from the tip of it, spreading out and making it look even prettier. Harry laughed and turned in the snow, moving his small gloved hand through it until he'd spelt out the words 'I LOVE YOU' in the fresh bit of snow next to the tombstone.

"Thank you Paddy." Harry smiled, looking up at Sirius and raising his arms to him. He was very glad that he'd finally been able to come and see his parents and make sure they had a nice Christmas too. It was a wonderful feeling, and as Padfoot picked him up, he blew a kiss down to the stone.

They didn't leave Godric's Hollow right away, but rather, just the cemetery. Sirius carried Harry through the street while Hermione sat upon Remus's shoulder's, Lexie gripping Sirius's free hand. Hedwig had relocated onto harry's head once again, finding it more stable when moving than little boy shoulder's that were always being hugged.

They strolled down a snowy lane, making their way along the quiet road until they reached a house whose roof was partially collapsed on one side. The grass was overgrown, poking out of the snow.

"And this is where you used to live." Sirius stated, reaching out to place a hand on the iron gate he remembered so fondly. They had had a lot of good times in that house.

"It's the house from the picture." Harry noted, remembering the photo they had at home of his parents moving in for the first time. He smiled, admiring it before frowning. "Why's it broken?"

"Same reason you've got that scar on your head, mate." Sirius explained, hoping that Harry would be able to understand from that. He was only four after all, but he had been told of why he had the scar.

"Oh." Harry nodded. "Can we go inside it?"

"It's not safe to go in. The roof could fall on us, but I wanted you to see it anyway."

"I like it." Harry confirmed, admiring his ol house with a bit of sadness. So that was where he'd lived before the Dursleys, back with his mummy and his daddy. It looked like it had been a very nice little house. "Can't we fix it?"

"I've already tried." Remus admitted with a sad sigh. "I'm sorry Harry, but because it exploded due to dark magic, there's not much to be done for it. I've done everything I can to try and fix it, but it's like your scar. It's never going to fully disappear, so your old house is never going to be able ton be fully repaired."

"Oh." Harry frowned and Hedwig nibbled at his ear, not seeming to like wit when he got sad. He giggled a bit, reaching up to pet her.

"Have you had a nice Christmas, though harry?" Sirius asked concernedly, hoping the house hadn't put a damper on it.

"Mhm." Harry nodded, beaming up at him. "Best Christmas ever."

…...

Later that evening Harry and Hermione were sitting on the living room floor, playing with their newest toys, Hedwig hopping about on the floor, watching their movements curiously. She'd never seen bubbles by the way she was chasing after them every time one of the kids blew one.

"Hey Paddy? Can we use Hedwig to send a letter to Ronnie?"

"Sure. I don'[t think that'd be too far of a journey for her." Sirius smiled and grabbed some parchment and Harry'[s crayons off of the side table. He handed them to the kids and they began scribbling.

"I'm gonna tell Ronnie that I like the sweater his mum made and the candy."

"Can you really send him a letter with an owl?" Hermione asked curiously, having finished her own letter thanking Ronnie for the lovely homemade story book.

"Yep. We get the newspaper every morning from an owl." Harry confirmed, smiling and signing his letter. He put it on top of Hhermione's and rolled it into a scroll like he'd seen Padfoot do many times before. They worked together to tie it shut and then onto Hedwig's leg, which she held out, standing very still and looking quite proud of herself at this greatest of oppurtunities to become a mail owl.

Once the letter was tied on, Harry pushed open the window above the window seat. It swung out, rather than moving upwards, and Hedwig burst out of it, flying up into the air and across the lane. She disappeared from sight just as a car pulled into the driveway.

A tall man and a woman got out of it, and Hermione shrieked, running from the living room and into the hallway where she flung open the front door and ran out into the cold in just her tights and dress. "MUMMY! DADDY!"

"Hermione!" Jean caught up her daughter and hugged her close. "Miss Monroe called to say you'd been dropped off here."

"You made it in time for Christmas." Hermione beamed, hugging her mother around the next before she was transferred into her father's arms halfway up the front walk.

"Hello! Come in, come in." Sirius called from the doorway, harry smiling as he stood beside him, glad Hermione's parents weren't still stuck in France.

"Daddy, you dwon't believe it. Santa knew I was here and you have to see what he brought me. And Lexie and mr Lupin are making Christmas dinner right now in the kitchen, and Harry and I were playing."

"That sounds loverly my dear." Mr. granger smiled, kissing his daughter's cheek and setting her down once they got into the house and had closed the door. He shucked off his jacket and boots and followed his daughter into the living room to see what she had received from Santa.

"Would you like to stay for dinner, jean?" Sirius asked, taking her coat and hanging it up on a hook while harry chased after Hermione and her father.;

"Oh, we wouldn't want to impose… you've already done so much. Thank you, for taking care of Hermione. I felt so much better knowing she'd at least be spending Christmas with Harry rather than being stuck in Ireland with a bunch of folks she doesn't really know."

"She's always a pleasure to have." Sirius reassured her.

"Please impose!" Lexie shouted, sticking her head out of the kitchen. "Otherwise there will be enough turkey here to last a month. Sirius, I don't know what possessed you to get such a big bird."

"I like turkey and I wasn't sure how much you guys would eat." Sirius admitted with a laugh. "Please stay, jean."

"Well, alright."

"Whoohoo! We'll have a real proper Christmas dinner now!" Lexie cheered and disappeared back into the kitchen. "Merlin's pants, Remus don't use that on the stuffing!"

A great clanging came from in the kitchen and Sirius winced. "I'd better…" He grinned sheepishly and headed into the kitchen. "Merlin's beard, how in the name of Dumbledore did you manage that?"

"I haven't the foggiest."

Sirius stuck his head back out of the kitchen door, a metal mixing bowl on top of his head. "Dinner might be a bit longer than expected, can I interest you in a drink?"

"Um…"

"I've got them!" Lexie pressed Sirius aside and came out into the living room bearing a tray of drinks which she set down on the coffee table. "Sparkling apple juice for the munchkins, and wine for the rest of us."

"Sounds delightful." Mr. Granger smiled and accepted the glass he offered her.

"Daddy look, the new edition of the Oxford dictionary." Hermione stated happily, dropping the huge book into her father's lap. She grinned and turned around to look at Harry who was sitting on the window seat, waiting for Hedwig to come back.

"Harry, did Hedwig come back yet?"

"No." harry shrugged. He knew Hedwig would be back. Owls were very smart like that. He slid down onto the floor to look through his dragon book while Hermione showed her dad the new words in the dictionary.

"Ok, I think we're all set. Everyone to the dining room." Lexie said after about half an hour. Harry watched as the Grangers rose and made their way from the living room. He got up to follow them, but a small hoot distracted him and he turned around to find Hedwig waiting at the window. He smiled and pressed it open to let her in.

Hedwig swooped into the room and landed on the window seat, another roll of parchment attached to her leg. Harry undid it and smiled when he found Ronnie had written a note to both him and Hermione in crayon.

Tired out from the day of excitement, Hedwig took to the perch in her cage, sipping at her water and snuggling up under a wing. Harry gave her a pet and then ran to show Hermione the letter. This truly was, the best Christmas ever.

Hey guys! I'm so excited to have finished this particular chapter, because I love Christmas. It's always been a particular favorite bit of mine that Hagrid gave hedwig to harry as a present, so I didn't want to ruin that and had her still be a gift from him, just a lot earlier. Also, I'm getting a little tired of having to repeat this fact, but James Potter WAS a Chaser. Rowling said so. The movies portrayed him as a Seeker simply because Harry is a Seeker. James merely stole the Snitch in the fifth book because he wanted to fool around with it, not because he was a Seeker. I do actually know my Potter facts.

Anyway, I hope you liked the chapter as much as I LOVE it. Lemme know what you thought, and as always,

Love you crazy crocodiles!

S.Q.O.