This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Harry Potter universe, which are trademarked by J.K. Rowling. I do not claim ownership of these characters nor the locations such as Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, etc. that are Rowling's creations. This work also includes Pokemon, which belong to the Pokemon Company, and I again claim no ownership of these characters.
I thank both Rowling and the Pokemon Company for the universes they have created that allows me to do something like this for my own entertainment and, hopefully, the entertainment of the readers.
There was a strange quiet in the group as they returned to Mr Weasley's ward, saying goodbye for hopefully only a matter of hours as Healer Smethwyck prepared for his early discharge. Each of them were lost in thought about what they had seen in the short time they'd been away. Whether it was Neville's plight or Quirrel's there was a lot to think about.
In contrast the journey back to Number Twelve Grimmauld Place was a jolly one. Fred and George, now firm in their belief that their father was going to be just fine, had returned to their old joyous and loud selves. They entertained themselves with loud conversation from one end of the group to the other, telling whoever would listen any joke that crossed their mind as they boarded the train, and were practically singing by the time they made it back, much to Moody's annoyance.
Not much changed once they'd got inside. Sirius had been very busy.
"Oh, back so soon, what a coincidence," he said, loudly and obviously, arms laden with parcels. "Nothing to see here. Just moving some stuff. Nothing interesting." And he ducked out of sight. A small flash of red appeared and Harry had the suspicion that Sirius had just teleported somewhere else in the house.
"Blimey, I barely recognise this place," Ron muttered as they stepped in from the doorway.
It was a sight to behold. There was tinsel everywhere. Hanging over all the paintings, winding up the bannister, tied around the handle to every door. That wasn't all as numerous candles had been set up, throwing light on the decorative stockings pinned to the wall, sprigs of holly thrown around seemingly at random, and hanging from the ceiling were small cardboard cutout Delibirds.
"What do you think?" Sirius called. He'd reappeared on the first floor landing, beaming down at them.
"Fantastic," Fred said.
"Very Christmassy," said George. Sirius grinned.
"Wait till you get up here, you haven't seen anything yet." And he was right.
The room of choice was the drawing room, usually rather drab and empty, but in the short time they'd been gone it had been transformed. A roaring fire had been lit under the mantlepiece, two snow globes and a Pokémon themed nativity set, complete with baby Mew, resting on top. But the real focus was the huge Christmas tree that had somehow found its way inside, decorated with tinsel, candy canes, baubles and, of course, an angel on top.
"Bloody hell, Sirius," Ron gaped. "Where'd you get the tree?"
"Cut it down myself," Sirius said proudly. "I mean, Gallade helped, you know, with the actual cutting part. And with getting it here. Teleported it straight in."
"This came from a forest?" Ron wondered.
"Not sure, really," Sirius frowned, scratching his chin. "I think it might have been someone's garden actually. Still, very big garden, not like they'll miss it."
"Sirius," Hermione said exasperatedly but Sirius just beamed.
"Come on, Hermione, lighten up," he said. "It's Christmas, time for fun, laughter, joy and presents. Not that I have any presents." He gave Harry a wink.
In the end Hermione could not keep hold of her disapproval, Sirius had just done too well at turning the formerly dark and gloomy headquarters for the Legion of Ho-oh into a true Christmas wonderland.
And come Christmas Day it was even better.
By unspoken agreement Christmas morning was delayed until the moment a sharp wrap was heard at the door and Mr Weasley, leaning heavily on a cane, crossed the threshold.
"Merry Christmas," he said joyfully and it sure was. Even Christmas at the Burrow could not compare to this.
Presents, which had appeared magically under the tree overnight, curtesy, Harry was sure, of Gallade, were passed around and unwrapped with lots of talk and laughter, the room filled with the sort of carefree energy Harry had not witnessed in some time.
Mr Weasley in particular was loving it. Under strict orders not to overdo it, lest he be readmitted to St Mungo's, he had been plonked down into an armchair in the Black Drawing Room and been forbidden from moving. Instead everyone came to him.
"Delightful," Mr Weasley said, holding Harry's gift to him, a box filled with special pokéblock designed specifically for fire types. "Thank you, Harry." Mr Weasley had already received a multitude of gifts, most significant a vibrant multicoloured Christmas jumper from his wife which he'd insisted on putting on immediately, and was looking as though he was having the time of his life.
There was just one thing that bothered Harry, as the group headed downstairs to the kitchen for Mrs Weasley's specially prepared Christmas dinner, Ron helping his father down the stairs. Though he'd received many presents, and even one was enough for Harry, there was one specific person who he had not gotten anything from.
It was not like Sirius had forgotten. Far from it, despite the many Weasleys in the room, as well as Remus and Hermione, Sirius was able to hand out a parcel to every single one of them. All except for Harry. And despite telling himself not to look too much into it and that there was obviously a good explanation it still weighed heavily on him as he ate his way through Mrs Weasley's delicious Christmas dinner.
When it was finished Mrs Weasley instructed everyone back to the drawing room.
"Here, let me help," Ron said quickly as Mr Weasley made an attempt to move himself.
"Ah, thank you, Ron," thanked Mr Weasley, sounding quite amused as he allowed the boy to help him up. Harry made to follow but a hand on his shoulder stopped him.
"Hold on a moment, Harry," Sirius said quietly, the rest of the group trudging up the stairs, not noticing they weren't being followed. "I'd like to talk to you in private." Harry waited. Soon enough the Weasleys had disappeared and it was just the two of them in the Black family kitchen.
"What's wrong?" Harry wondered. Why did Sirius need to talk to him?
Sirius let out a small laugh.
"Nothing, Harry, nothing's wrong," he assured him. "I just wanted to get some alone time with you. I wanted to give you your present, and I wanted you to be alone when you got it."
Harry felt warmth spread through his body at those words. So Sirius hadn't forgotten, or worse, deliberately not gotten him anything.
"Really? Where is it?"
Sirius laughed. "Easy there, you haven't even seen it yet," he chortled. He bent down, opening up one of the kitchen cabinets at ground level and reaching in with both hands to pull out the object within. It was big, larger than Harry was anticipating, and he started to see why Sirius had waited until after everyone else had opened theirs to give it to him.
"Whew, heavier than I thought it would be," Sirius panted as he heaved the box onto the table. "Remus was the one to go out and get it. I can't be seen, obviously, but I'm sure he got the right thing. He knows what it looks like." Sirius paused, looking at Harry. "Well, open it then."
Harry didn't need a second invitation and his fingers quickly sought the edges where sellotape was holding the box together. A few seconds useless scrabbling passed before Harry eventually went searching for the scissors, only to find Sirius was holding them out for him to grab. That sped up the process immensely.
He pulled the box open.
Styrofoam chips was all he could see, somewhat anticlimactic considering his excitement to open the box. He dug through the chips, turfing them out until he felt his fingers connect with something solid. He scrabbled for an edge and pulled.
Whatever he'd been expecting it wasn't that. Held in Harry's hands, which were just barely clinging on, was a large metallic plate. It was simple in design, in-ornate, and vaguely resembled the sort of armour a medieval knight might have worn to protect his shoulders.
"What is it?" Harry asked, completely confused. So heavy the metal was he was forced to lower it to the table to avoid dropping it. Even so when he let go the end swung and collided with the table with a clang.
"What it looks like," Sirius told him, seeming to take amusement from Harry's bewildered expression. "Armour, for Charizard." That caught Harry's attention.
"For Charizard?" he repeated, looking down at the armour in a new light. Now that he knew that he could sort of see how a Charizard might wear it, though why one would was still a mystery.
"James's Charizard had one just like it," Sirius told him, leaning forward to caress the polished metal. "I had it made to look exactly like it. Well, Remus did but it was my idea. Anyway, it's not really the armour that makes this present special."
"Then what is it?" Harry asked. Sirius didn't answer at first. Instead his hand wound its way into a circular indent in the back.
"You told me you were learning Mega Evolution this year," Sirius said softly. "We did in our fifth year too. So you probably already know that Charizard can Mega Evolve." Harry nodded. "This armour, or at least the original one that James had, was designed to fit a Mega Stone right here."
"So that he could Mega Evolve Charizard," Harry breathed. Sirius nodded.
"The hole is the perfect size," he told him. "Come on, lets go put it on now, see how Charizard looks."
Eagerly Harry followed Sirius up the stairs, heavy armour held awkwardly under his arm. As they reached the top of the stairs that led down to the kitchen they could hear the noise from upstairs, the hearty chatter of people having a good time, but Sirius led Harry instead to a door he'd never gone through before, leading him outside.
Number 12 Grimmauld Place didn't have much of a garden. Courtyard would be a better word to describe it, the ground paved but for the multitude of weeds growing through the cracks. A large tree, having grown unchecked over the years, towered over them, its many branches, even devoid of leaves, hiding them from view.
"Come out, Charizard," Harry whispered. He had no doubt Charizard had no intention of leaving his Pokéball until they got back to Hogwarts, there simply was not enough space indoors, and so the Pokémon took a moment to look around curiously.
"Charizard, I have something for you," Harry said, drawing his partner's attention towards the armour held under his arm. "It's a gift from Sirius." Charizard lowered his head towards the metal, snorting and blowing hot air all over it and Harry. "Would you like to try it on?" Charizard considered this from a moment, looking from the armour to Harry, before nodding. Harry wondered if Charizard only agreed because he knew Harry wanted him to.
"Here, let me help," said Sirius, stepping forward as Harry struggled with the clunky metal. Together they were able to get it sorted and, with Charizard staying obediently still, slipped it over his head and neck. Sirius buckled it into place.
"It fits," he said, gliding a hand across the smooth metal. "Perfectly."
That it did, Harry thought, as he watched Charizard lean back so as to tilt his head enough to look. "What do you think?" Charizard let out a low rumble from the back of his throat. That was a positive.
"I'm still looking for the Evolution Stones," Sirius told Harry. "There's two for Charizard and I haven't got either yet. But once I find them they'll fit right in that groove and then you'll be able to Mega Evolve Charizard."
"With my Key Stone," Harry said, fishing out the mysterious stone from under his shirt. He wore it constantly, even though Sirius had never taken the time to explain it. Now seemed to be the time.
"It was your father's," he told Harry, an almost sorrowful look in his eyes. "It was one of his possessions that was passed on to Remus after he died and I was sent to Azkaban. As soon as I knew he had it I knew I had to give it to you."
"This was my father's?" Harry breathed, staring down at the Key Stone with awe. He'd been wearing it around his neck for months now and he'd not known. How could he have something so personal and intimate to his parents with him for so long without him realising its significance?
"He'd be proud of you, Harry," Sirius said, drawing Harry's attention away from the stone. "They both would. And so am I. Never forget it."