Chapter 16: Nightmares & Christmas
The winter break had, seemingly, just started. It was a relief for Calem and I, as well as many of the other professors. This was a chance for us to catch up on work and plan more lessons for the next term. So far none of the other students had attempted to battle any of the other teachers, which was a bit disappointing. However, this may have been due to the fact that Umbridge had been harassing my students, as well as the other professors, about their Pokémon. Students and a few professors had come to Calem and I about comments that she had made or, unfortunately, actions that she had taken against them. She hadn't tried to harm any of the professors' Pokémon, however, she had started to make snide comment to them about the whole idea of Pokémon being at Hogwarts in the first place. Fortunately, nothing too terrible had happened since the last incident with the Eevees.
It was the middle of the night when someone started banging on the office door. The Lake Trio shot up from the bed as Calem and I both burst out of our bedrooms to answer the door. Calem threw open the door to reveal Snape standing in the doorway. "The headmaster wants to see us," was the only thing that Snape said before striding down the hallways toward the staircase. Calem and I glanced at each other before racing after the billowing black robes.
As the three walked into Dumbledore's office, Harry yelled for the headmaster to look at him. My eyes widened at Harry's outburst as I slowly turned toward Calem.
"You wished to see me, headmaster," Snape said smoothly.
"Severus, I'm afraid we can't wait," Dumbledore said, walking toward us, "no even 'til the morning. Otherwise, we'll all be vulnerable." With that, Snape grabbed Harry by the wrist and whisked the startled teen out of the office.
Calem and I looked at each other before turning toward Dumbledore. "What do you need from us, sir?"
Dumbledore turn to us, giving a small smile. "If you don't mind, would you assist in gathering some of the Weasley's belongings?"
"Not at all," Calem said.
Before we knew it, we were leaving with the Weasley children for 12 Grimmauld Place.
A small figurine on a broom, Santa Clause I later realized, flew past us and went toward the top of the Christmas tree.
"Here we go," Mrs. Weasely said, helping her husband into the chair at the head of the table, "daddy's back." All of the Weasley children present (which included Fred, George, Ron, and Ginny) as well as Harry and Hermione were smiling and clapping for the Weasley patriarch. Calem and I clapped as we stood in the doorway, thankful that Mr. Weasley was okay, but unsure if we should really be here. We felt like we were intruding on something and had thought of leaving earlier, only to be stopped by either the twins or Mrs. Weasley. All of them insisted that we weren't intruding on anything and that we should say, seeing as how it was Christmas time and all.
"Sit down everybody, sit down," Mrs. Weasley instructed, "now, presents!"
"A nice big box for Ron," Mr. Weasley said happily.
"Big box," Mrs. Weasley said, grinning. She held out two packages toward the twins, switching the packages back and forth until she gave up and just handed them each a package, saying that they could figure it out. Everyone opened their packages to find that Mrs. Weasley had made them all hand-knitted clothes, from sweaters to vests to scarves.
Calem and I looked at each other before smiling and reaching into our bags. "We have presents for you too," Calem said cheerfully.
Handing each of the younger members of the group a single wrapped package in varying colors, they each tore through the packaging to find that we had given them each small collection of potions and other healing agents for their Pokemon.
"Just a little something that Calem and I threw together," I smiled, not intending to tell them that the rest of the class would be getting the same thing when classes started again.
Once all of the presents had been opened, Mr. Weasley raised his glass, "a Christmas toast to Mr. Harry Potter. Without whom, I would not be here. Harry," he finished, raising his glass toward Harry.
"Harry," everyone chorused, including Sirius, who had been standing in the kitchen doorway with his own glass of wine.
Harry soon wandered out of the room, Sirius following shortly after. Curious, I decided to follow the duo, only to discover that Harry had wondered into a room that was filled with various faces. I decided to hide around the corner, hearing Kreatcher make a snide comment, only to be sent away by Sirius.
"Sorry about that," Sirius said looking at Harry, "he never was very pleasant. Even when I was a boy."
"You grew up here," Harry asked, surprised.
"This is my parent's house. I offered it to Dumbledore as headquarters for the Order." Sirius looked around the room before continuing, "about the only useful thing I've been able to do. This is the Black Family Tree." Sirius took a few steps closer toward Harry. He looked at the image of a particular woman on the tree before snarling, "my deranged cousin. I hated the lot of them. My parents with their pure-blood mania."
He walked over to one of the black circles and traced his fingers over the name. "My mother did that after I ran away. Charming woman," he said, his hand sliding off the wall and back down to his side. "I was 16…"
"Where did you go," Harry asked curiously.
"Your dad's," Sirius replied sadly, "I was always welcome at the Potter's. I see him so much in you Harry. You are so very much alike."
"I'm not so sure," Harry replied nervously. "Sirius, when I was," he stopped and took a breath, "when I saw Mr. Weasley attacked, I wasn't just watching. I was the snake. And afterwards, in Dumbledore's office, there was a moment when I-I wanted to … this connection between me and Voldemort … what if the reason for it is that I am becoming more like him? I-I just feel so angry all the time. And what if, after everything that I've been through, something's gone wrong inside me? What if I'm becoming bad?"
Sirius put his hands on Harry's shoulders, "I want you to listen to me very carefully Harry. You're not a bad person. You're a very good person that bad things have happened to. You understand?" Harry nodded before Sirius decided to continue, "and besides, the world isn't split into good people and Death Eaters. We've all got both light and dark inside us, what matters is the part we choose to act on. That's who we really are."
"Funny," Harry said, giving Sirius a little smile, "one of my professors said something similar."
"And who was that?"
"Professor Bellamy."
"Ah," Sirius said, nodding his head, "she and her friend Calem are much wiser than they appear."
Hermione knocked on the doorframe, letting Harry know that it was time for them to leave.
"When all this is over," Sirius said, walking Harry to the door, "we'll be a proper family. You'll see."
Harry hugged his godfather before following Hermione and her Beldum to the front door. Calem and I smiled at Sirius, thanking him for his hospitality, before following our students toward the door. The Weasley twins would glance my way every so often on our journey back to Hogwarts. Calem sighed next to me, giving me a knowing look. I rolled my eyes before sighing myself. This next term was going to be a busy one.
Sorry that I haven't updated lately! This semester is kicking my butt :'( but the semester is ending soon so hopefully I can update over winter break! Thank you for reviewing, favorite-ing, and following this story!