What is about to happen is a key part of the story and is an event that will shape the rest of the story. This will become clear later.
I wanted to thank everyone for their kind reviews and words of advice. I wanted to thank those who added my stories to their communities, I will do my best to update frequently.
Christmas break came quickly and Harry was excited to spend Christmas in a home where he actually felt welcome and appreciated. It was something he had never experienced before and the idea left him feeling light and cheerful as he boarded the Hogwarts Express with Severus. The castle was covered in freshly fallen snow, making everything look like something off of a Christmas greeting card. The lake was frozen solid with a layer of snow on top of it.
Harry couldn't believe how much the snow seemed to transform the grounds and bring out the colours in the bricks, the trees and the little things you typically didn't notice otherwise. He felt it was a shame he didn't have a camera to capture the scene before him.
As the train pulled away, Harry could here kids oohing and ahhing as they watched Hagrid drag a massive Christmas tree towards the castle with ease. The tree should have taken at least three people to move but Hagrid seemed to have the strength of three or four men. He wondered how Hagrid came to be so large and strong; Harry found himself wondering if Hagrid was a giant. But did giants even exist?
"Harry? Come on, let's take a seat," Severus said, pulling him from his thoughts as he guided him towards a compartment.
"Are you sure your mum doesn't mind me coming back for Christmas? I can understand if she doesn't," Harry said, wanting to make sure that he wasn't being a bother or an inconvenience.
"She wouldn't have it any other way. Besides, she is actually excited to see you again. She has enjoyed your letters and has started referring to you as one of 'her boys'," Severus said smiling.
Harry found himself flushing at Severus' words. This is the first time that he's heard of a grown-up referring to him as 'their boy' in a positive way and he wasn't sure how to react to this. His heart fluttered at the idea of having a parental figure who actually wanted him around for something other than free labour and a punching bag. The idea brought a smile to Harry's face and he actually began envisioning Christmas and everything it would involve.
This would be the first year, that Harry could remember, that he'd be allowed to participate in Christmas celebrations and the idea actually left Harry squirming with excitement and for the first time, he could feel his Christmas spirit coming out.
Severus had told Harry about how they decorate the Christmas tree, do presents and the baking they do. Severus even told him about some of the spells Eileen would cast to make it appear like it was snowing in the living room. Harry couldn't wait to take part in everything Christmas had to offer. Just the idea of not being forced to cook the Christmas meal or clean up after Dudley's Christmas binge-eating was enough to make him want to dance with joy. But to be able to sit at the table and eat Christmas dinner with the family... That was something he never pictured he'd get to do in his lifetime.
As the train came to a stop, Harry stopped once again to marvel at how beautiful his surroundings were covered in snow and how everyone at the train station seemed to smile brightly and seemed to be radiating with joy and Christmas spirit. Overhead, he could hear Christmas carols playing for everyone to hear. In the distance, he could see trolleys full of various Christmas presents as people went to stay at friends and families places. The train station had a large Christmas tree set up near platform eight; it was spectacular and at least thirty feet tall.
"Harry! Severus!"
Harry turned around to find Eileen waving to them, with her arms outstretched for a hug. He found himself surprised when he was pulled into a tight hug and kissed just like Severus. His cheeks heated up as he still wasn't used to recieving hugs and kisses from a maternal figure but he welcomed the contact.
"Harry! You look so much healthier and you even put on some weight!" She gushed, regarding him as though he were her son and not just a boy she was stuck with for the summer. Harry could tell that she actually did care for him and that made him feel amazing. "And I hear you're both doing very well in your studies! I'm so proud of you."
The ride back to Cokeworth was uneventful. Harry was enjoyed staring out the car window and seeing all of the houses that were decorated for Christmas and seeing small children outside playing in the snow. He could see people on ladders stringing lights to their house, people carrying bags filled with food and presents and the occasional person dressed as Faster Christmas.
When they reached the house, Harry was amazed to find that there were lights already on the outside of the house. Severus seemed surprised as well.
"I wanted to get the outside of the house done before you came home so we could focus on the fun things instead. Mr Evans brought us a tree when they went to get their tree but don't worry, Sev, I haven't put a single decoration on," Eileen said as she caught Severus' face falling. "Let's get your trunks situated and then we can get some lunch."
The days leading up to Christmas was a lot of decorating. They decorated the tree, the living room, the lawn and the windows. They had decorations for the bedrooms, the hallways and even the bathroom.
Harry was astonished every time he entered the living room and saw the snow falling on top of the Christmas tree; Harry wished he knew the spell Eileen had cast but it was beautiful. The best part was, hewas allowed to participate. This meant he was allowed to eat the Christmas cookies, sing along with Christmas carols and even go out and buy Christmas presents with some pocket change Eileen had given him. He wasn't even punished when he knocked over the icing sugar.
Come Christmas morning, Harry woke to find the house smelled like turkey and his stomach growled loudly at the smell reminding him how hungry he was. Harry wasn't surprised, Eileen said she like to get up really early on Christmas morning to start cooking. Harry greatly enjoyed the fact that he got to sleep in and wake up whenever he felt like it.
Harry made his way downstairs to grab some breakfast but he completely forgot about food and his stomach when he glanced inside the living room. There had only been a few presents under the tree when he went to bed the following night but now... he was unsure how all of the presents actually fit under the tree. The gifts were all wrapped so much neater than the gifts Harry had watched Dudley open as he grew up; maybe that was because magic was involved.
When Severus came downstairs, he and Harry quickly gulped down breakfast before returning to the living room to open presents.
If Harry hadn't been shocked enough by a number of presents under the tree, he was blown away by the fact that there were actually presents for him under the tree. Not just space fillers but actually presents. He had never received presents at the Dursleys, so to receive presents today, Harry was almost too excited to move.
He had received new clothes, books, a home potions kit and a wizarding chess set. Harry was also surprised to find that Eileen had bought him a new pair of glasses that were charmed to adapt to your eyes so you could see clearly. He was amazed by how clear everything was when he put them on; he had never gotten his eyes checked, so the glasses he wore didn't really do much besides preventing him from bumping into things and people as he walked.
"Thank you, Eileen!" Harry gasped, not expecting such an expensive present. This was more than he could have ever expected; of course, they could have given him socks and he could probably still say that it was more than he ever expected.
"It's no big deal. It's something you needed and I got it for you. But you are very welcome," Eileen said as she hugged Harry tightly.
On New Years Day, Harry and Severus went to Lily's house to give her her Christmas present. When Petunia answered the door, he was almost shocked to see her so young and yet her face still reminded him of a horse. When she saw Severus standing at the door, her expression twisted into a sneer Harry had seen too many times before. He figured Petunia would be smiling after spending the Christmas holidays in Paris with her grandparents; perhaps she didn't have any other mode besides bitter and cold.
"Ugh!" Petunia groaned as she threw the door open wide enough for Harry and Severus to enter before she stomped angrily from the room. He could tell by her expression that she was clearly biting back insults that she wanted to dish out.
Later that evening, when they left Lily's house, Harry was able to think about how much his aunt hadn't changed over the years. She was every bit as bitter and cold in 1972 as she was in 1991 and he couldn't figure out why she was so cold and crude. Lily was so sweet and kind and Petunia was... Petunia.
"I'll meet you back at the house," Harry told Severus who gave him a questioning glance. "I just need some time to think."
Severus looked hesitant to leave but eventually did leave him to walk and be alone with his thoughts. Harry walked into the park and to a walking path in the woods he had discovered. If followed, the path led to a lake which reflected the moonlight perfectly.
Harry was so caught up in his thoughts, that he didn't notice the creature that was following closely behind him until he felt a sharp, piercing pain from his calf. He felt himself being yanked backwards in a manner that slammed him onto his belly so hard that he felt the air in his lungs all leave like a balloon that had been suddenly popped.
Harry flipped from his belly so he could see what had attacked him and found himself staring into the gold eyes of a strange dog-like creature. It was staring at him with ferocious eyes and he wondered what the thing was going to do next. Harry had never seen such a vicious animal before; the look in its eyes was pure madness and animalistic rage and he couldn't figure out what he'd done to anger it.
It took a menacing step towards Harry and just as it was about to lunge at Harry again, a loud howling came from the other side of the woods. He watched amazed as the creature turned towards the howling and ran towards it. After a few seconds of stunned silence, he glanced at his ankle to find a deep bite mark that was bleeding quite heavily.
When Harry limped into Severus' house, Eileen's eyes widened with shock and worry.
"Harry, what happened?" Eileen asked as she rushed forward to help him to the couch. Harry tried to protest, muttering about not wanting to bleed on the couch.
"Forget about the couch! I'm concerned about your leg. What happened?" Eileen asked as she rolled up Harry's jeans to reveal the bite mark that was still bleeding heavily. She pulled out her wand and put a clotting spell on the wound and the bleeding immediately slowed down.
"Severus! I need bandages and a cut healing potion!" Eileen cried, examining the bite thoroughly.
"A dog bit me when I was on my way home," Harry said, thinking about how ugly the dog was and how he wasn't entirely sure 'dog' was the right word for it.
When Severus appeared in the living room, Harry heard him gasp at the site of his injury and rushed forward to help Eileen. Severus opened the potion and handed it to Eileen who rubbed it on the bite. Harry was surprised by how warm the potion was starting to feel and it was now tingling slightly.
"This potion should fight off any infections, including rabies if the dog was infected with that. I want you to take it easy on the train, tomorrow. No rough housing and try to keep your leg elevated," Eileen told Harry as she wrapped his leg with a thick bandage.
Harry wouldn't have been surprised in the slightest if that 'dog' had rabies; it looked far too... unnaturally angry to not be rabid. It hadn't just liked angry, it looked like it was out for blood!
"Don't you worry; this will be healed completely by lunchtime tomorrow," Eileen told Harry who nodded happily. Tomorrow, he was going back to Hogwarts and he did not want to deal with an injury. "You'll find that magic healing techniques are far more advanced than the muggle techniques. Now, go upstairs and get some rest young man."
"The couch..."
"Is not your concern right now. Severus, help him upstairs; I don't want him to put pressure on his leg right now," Eileen said as she waved her waved towards the couch and Harry gasped as the blood disappeared from the couch. He could only imagine how much easier his life with the Dursleys would have been if he had been able to clean like that. Harry knew they would have freaked out if they knew but he liked to believe that he wouldn't have been caught.
As Harry went upstairs to bed, he couldn't help thinking about how that dog was unlike anything him had ever seen before. The look in that beast's eyes would haunt him for a very long time. Everytime he closed his eyes, he saw those vicious eyes in the back of his mind and when he finally did get to sleep, they followed him into his dreams.
In the middle of the night, Harry was awakened in a cold sweat to the sound of a wolf howling in the distance. But there couldn't be wolves this close to civilization?
Like I said, this is a key point in the story; I have been planning this story for weeks. I hope you enjoy.