Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
No Rest of the Wicked
This has got to be the weirdest holiday season I've ever experienced. Er… well, the weirdest that Holly has ever experienced. Jessie's weirdest was that time her mum insisted on inviting her new boyfriend to celebrate the holidays with them. Needless to say, the extra person shifted family dynamics dramatically.
Something similar was happening at the burrow. Even if I loathe to admit it. Charlie was unable to make it home this year. Something about a new nest of dragon hatchlings that needed to be carefully watched over. Mum understood but she was sad about it; causing her to bustle around the house and mutter about all things Charlie related. How she needed to owl him his Christmas present. And the food she wanted to prepare and send him as well. Because Merlin knows he couldn't be eating properly stuck at the dragon reserve.
However, even with Charlie missing, our house was far from empty. Bill made it back; giving Mum someone to focus her attention on. Mostly, she'd just pester Bill to get a haircut whenever he entered the room. Bill wasn't bothered by the nagging. Mum did the same whenever he made it home. He'd cave eventually. But at the moment, Bill was standing firm that he liked his hair as it is. Speaking of which… "Bill," Mum said with the click of her tongue as Bill entered the kitchen. Pausing in where she had been rolling out dough to make gingerbread men, Mum turned in her eldest's direction and stared at him with eyes narrowed in scrutiny. "If you would just let me trim off the ends. Just a few inches", she tried to reason.
Grabbing an apple from the fruit bowl, Bill dropped down into the seat next to me; slinging one arm over the back of my chair as he did so. "No thanks, Mum", Bill said, sounding completely unbothered. He took a bite from his apple and killed some time by chewing and swallowing before adding. "I like my hair. Have to enjoy it before I lose it and start looking like Dad".
I wrinkled my nose at the mental image of Bill being bald. Male pattern baldness did run in our family. But I just couldn't picture Bill without hair. So far, the only ones of my brothers who had soon any sign of balding with age were Percy and Charlie; whose hairlines were residing a little. Here's to hoping it doesn't happen to Bill. He wouldn't be able to pull off wearing an earring otherwise.
Mum tutted as she turned back around to her baking. But she continued to talk; making sure she was being loud enough that Bill could hear her. "What do you employers think about your appearance, I wonder".
Bill tried to share a commiserating look with me as he rolled his eyes. But I was a little out of it; distracted both by the mug of hot chocolate I was drinking and by my thoughts. At my lack of engagement, Bill frowned. "They think I look the part of a curse breaker", Bill answered Mum as he gave my shoulder a squeeze. "Really Mum, the hair comes with the job". Bill tried to assure her.
But Mum was unconvinced as she shook her head with her back facing us. She'd let the subject drop for now, but the next time Bill walked into her kitchen, it would be time for another round.
Bill turned his attention to me. "What's bothering you?" Bill asked; noting that I was acting differently than normal. It was a fair observation because when Mum was baking, I was usually standing beside her, helping.
"Nothing", I answered; my voice coming out a little gruff.
From above our heads, we heard a large crash, followed by George's voice echoing down the stairs, "That's out of order!"
I rubbed at my temple. "I'm just not feeling very well".
I regretted it as soon as I said it because those are six words you never want to say around Molly Weasley. "What?" Mum asked as she turned around and abandoned her gingerbread. It took three steps before Mum was stationed at the other side of me. She took care to rid her hands of flour by wiping them on her apron. But a second later, she was placing the palm of her right hand against my forehead.
"Mum", I complained as the ruckus upstairs continued.
"You don't feel warm", she stated before putting both of her hands under my jaw and on either side of my neck. Probably trying to see if my glands were swollen.
"That's because I'm not sick", I stated as I tried to look in Bill's direction for help. All he did in response was shrug. And that was fair. I was the idiot who mentioned poor health in front of Mum. "I've just been having trouble sleeping".
Mum withdrew her hands only to place them on her hips, holding her elbows in an akimbo style. "And why haven't you been getting enough sleep". Her voice was accusatory and I knew my answer would decide whether I received a lecture about the importance of a consistent bedtime. The same happened to Percy when he admitted to staying up late to cram in some extra hours of studying.
From upstairs Fred could be heard yelling at George, "Why can't you keep your junk on your side of the room!"
"My Junk!" George roared. "It's our junk. We share everything we own!"
In response to Mum's question, I pointed up at the ceiling. Even though Fred and George's bedroom wasn't directly above us. Mum understood at once. And so did Bill, judging how he pulled me closer so I could lean into him. My turbulent sleeping history was common knowledge in our family. So was my dependency on Fred and George acting like my security blankets.
"Fred and George won't fight forever, Holls", Bill assured me as he gave my shoulder a little shake. Of course, it was only us triplets who knew the fight was fake. With Percy actively involved in the role of peacemaker, we knew the fight couldn't completely disappear for the holiday break. Percy was far from stupid and he'd question why Fred and George made up just in time to go home, but immediately were at each other's throats again when school resumed. So, Fred and George continued to bicker. As Percy had told Mum and Dad all about what had been going on at school.
Surprisingly, Mum and Dad had taken the news of their discord with a lot more patience and understanding than they did with their children's other sibling squabbles; declaring this was perfectly natural.
"They just have some growing they need to do", Mum said; agreeing with Bill. "It's important, for all three of you, that you have your own identities apart from each other", Mum explained. Her words left me the impression they came from some sort of parenting book. It made me wonder if Mum had ever read one before. Maybe one specifically about raising multiples. It was a funny thought. Especially, because in my mind Mum had always been an expert when it came to being a parent.
The problem is, with Mum and Dad's acceptance that Fred and George's fighting was a part of their development, Fred and George were hamming it up. They realized Mum was more likely to let them get away with nonsense when she thought they were going through some growing pains. So, while they were fighting to help protect Percy, they were now also benefiting from being able to work on their joke shop products without Mum interfering as much. Always ones to take advantage of a situation; those two.
What was even more annoying was that Percy was currently out with Flint. Christmas shopping, he had mentioned that morning. Although, that was hard to believe since he didn't have any money. Percy had been spending a lot of time with Flint this holiday break. Sometimes they would meet somewhere, or Percy would visit Flint's home, or Flint would come to the burrow. And with Percy no longer being the eldest when we were at home; meaning he was no longer 'responsible' for us when Mum, Dad, and Bill were around, there was little opportunity for me to force distance between Percy and his new best friend. Something Flint was a little too pleased about.
My feet kept slipping under me as I clung to Adrian for balance. Adrian's countenance was pleasant and light as he acted as a sturdy pillar, keeping me upright. Staring at my feet as others glided around us, I said, "I never took you as the sort to know how to ice skate".
Holding my mitten-covered hands in each of his, Adrian shared, "Mother's doing". Sliding backward a few inches, Adrian started leading me forward; glancing over his shoulder in the process to make sure he wasn't going to run into someone. "She felt that conquering frozen water was the step in confronting my aversion to bodies of water".
My left ankle wobbled as we started to move, but I managed to remain standing. An improvement since we first stepped out on the ice. In a wizarding village I had never visited before, Adrian found an ice rink that was open to the public. Admittingly, it was an amusing sight to see wizards in robes skating around in circles with their children holding onto their sleeves for balance. Even more interesting, is that the only magic involved in this activity was the magic used to keep the ice frozen and smooth.
Believing I finally found my balance, Adrian let go of one of my hands so we could skate side by side. A little girl with her hair in twin braids whizzed past us; giggling under the influence of her enjoyment as Adrian and I slowly began our lap. "Before starting school, I'd take lessons in the winter".
Adrian taking skating lessons was something that tickled my funny bone. There was Christmas music playing in the background. It sounded like the seasonal favorite, 'Accio Christmas'. But it was drowned out by the chattering of all the ice skaters. "Can you do any tricks?" I asked.
"Yes", Adrian answered as he eyed me in suspicion. We turned around the corner and I was proud of myself for not falling. At what was probably an overly eager expression on my face, Adrian stated, "But I will not be demonstrating any of them".
"Aw, come on", I complained. "Just one".
"No", Adrian stood firm.
"Please", I begged as we reached the other corner; slowing down slightly in order to make it without slamming into the walls.
"No". Adrian was unswayable. His grip on my hand tightened as another couple passed us and threw me off balance. They didn't look familiar to me. So, they probably didn't attend Hogwarts.
With Adrian acting as my anchor, I was able to keep myself standing upright. "How can you tell me you know how to do tricks on skates and not show me?" I asked.
"Just like this", Adrian said as we came to stand still on the ice. "No".
Pouting, I made eye contact with my boyfriend. "Not even as a Christmas present?"
Before Adrian could respond with what I'm sure would have been another two-letter word, a hoard of overly energetic children in the middle of a race swerved around us. Some of them got so close that Adrian and I were pushed closer together.
Adrian grabbed my elbow with his free hand in an effort to save us both when I started to make squeaking noises as my feet slipped and slid under me. Unfortunately, I was past the point of saving. My balance gave out and my feet slid out from under me. Crashing into the frozen ground, I took Adrian with me; pulling him down on top of me.
A moment passed with Adrian and I blinking at each other as our brains caught up with our bodies. Our world felt like it was at a standstill as the other patrons continued to skate; making the effort to go around us. At that moment, I thought about how easy it would be to kiss him. I thought about how this moment felt like it came straight out of a chick flick. I thought about how Adrian was cast perfectly for this role.
The silliness of my thoughts had me turning my head to the side and laughing loudly into the ice. Having broken the moment with my amusement, Adrian pulled himself into a sitting position. Pulling on my arm, he helped me to do the same. The smile on his face was his way of sharing in my laughter. It was the smile he only wore when everything felt right in the world. Around us, couples laughed with us as they skated by; witnessing the moment. But as I ran out of air, my laughter ceased; turning into long breaths to refill my lungs.
As I calmed down, Adrian reached out a gloved hand and touched my cheek. The dragon leather of his gloves felt cold against my skin. But I found myself not minding as Adrian used the contact to brush some loose hairs behind my ear. "How about some refreshment?" Adrian asked as he started the challenging task of getting the both of us on our feet.
"Sounds good", I agreed as I did my best to get my feet under me and to keep them there.
Sitting at an outside table that was blissfully warm thanks to magic, I rubbed my now sore feet. Thank Merlin I had decided to wear thick wool socks for this date. Otherwise, Adrian would probably have had to carry me to the flooing stations.
Speaking of Adrian, he was currently standing in the concession line; having promised me warm apple cider and a snack for us to share. I smiled at his back as I studied, Adrian's relaxed shoulders and confident pose. It felt nice to witness Adrian when he was both in his element and in an environment where he wasn't worried about keeping up appearances for his fellow Slytherins.
Deciding there wasn't much more I could do for my feet, I leaned over in my chair to pull my shoes on. Though it was a struggle to tie the laces with my fingers being as cold as they were. I'd have to see about getting gloves instead of mittens. Then I wouldn't have to remove them for tasks requiring dexterity.
When I finished, I sat up; planning on checking Adrian's progress in the line. But something else caught my eye. On the other side of the rink, sitting at a table just like I was, was a man. A man who made me feel like I was being watched. My blood ran cold as I recognized him instantly. Although he was no longer blond and the collar of his coat was covering most of his face, there was no misplacing those shocking blue eyes. Acknowledging we had made eye contact, the man smiled. A sinister smile. One that did not fit the mood of the day.
His hair was now brown. It had to be dyed. A disguise, obviously. He was too famous; too notorious to be out and about in public and pass unnoticed without one. But even with the disguise, I found it unnerving that no one else seemed to notice. Glancing around at all the other people enjoying the skating rink, I tried to determine if they really were fooled. Did they really not see that Lockhart was here? Just sitting out in the open like he wasn't an escaped mental patient from St. Mungos.
As a brunette, Lockhart did look different. Alarmingly so. More… more like how I imagined an adult Riddle to look like and less like… himself. The initial shock passed and fear took over. My heart rate sped up as my spine stiffened. What was he doing here? What did Lockhart want? It was broad daylight. Adrian and I were in a crowded area. It wasn't like Lockhart could do anything to us. Not with so many witnesses. He'd be caught for sure. So, what was the purpose? Was it just a reminder he still existed? That I wasn't free of him? Seemed like a big risk to just show me he was alive and well.
My right hand slipped into my pocket and gripped the handle of my wand. What should I do? Tell someone was the obvious choice. Briefly, I looked away from Lockhart to scan the crowd for someone who struck me as a trustworthy adult. But I couldn't keep my eyes off him for long. It felt unsafe to do so. What if he wasn't alone? What if Pettigrew was here too? Or Quirrell? Quirrell and…. You-Know-Who.
My hands trembled as my eyes widened at the terrifying thought. If Lockhart wasn't alone, then Adrian would be…. Jolting to my feet, I tore my eyes away from a possible threat. As quickly as I could I sought out Adrian. He hadn't moved; still standing in line behind a young family that was taking forever to order.
At a near jogging pace, I pushed through the crowd of people; not caring if I was perceived as rude. "Adrian", I whispered in panic when I reached his side.
"I thought you were saving us a table", Adrian said before he read my tone. However, a quick look at my face had him regarding me fully. "Holly, what happened?" He asked, concern laced into his voice. Reaching out, Adrian placed a hand on my waist. As if he felt the need to keep me steady.
"He's here", I whispered. Although, I'm not sure why I felt the need to control my volume. Honestly, it probably would be smart to raise the alarm. But fear is a weird and demanding force. Under its influence, I didn't want to draw attention to myself or Adrian. "Lockhart is here. I saw him sitting on the other side of the rink, staring at me".
Through the hand he had on my waist, I felt Adrian tense. His eyes snapped up as he peered over my head, trying to find the threat as I had so clearly seen it. I could see it in his expression when Adrian could not spot Lockhart. But to his credit, Adrian didn't accuse me of seeing things nor did he suggest my eyes had played a trick on me. Instead, he stepped out of line and propelled me forward by the hand he had on my waist.
"Do you have your wand?" He asked quietly in my ear as he moved us towards the flooing stations. All around us, the crowd of people filled with the good tidings of the holiday season continued around us; unaware of the urgency we were currently operating under.
I nodded my answer as my eyes scanned the crowd of the terrifying face of Lockhart. My hand tightened its grip on my wand's handle; never removing it from my pocket. Briefly, I glanced in the direction where I had first seen Lockhart. But he was no longer there; having abandoned his table.
"Good", Adrian continued to talk directly in my ear. "Have it at the ready. Lockhart shouldn't be so thick to confront us out in the open. But we will not take any chances".
"What if he's not alone?" I whispered back at Adrian as the flooing station came closer and closer. "How did he know we'd be here?"
Adrian didn't have time to ponder my questions. Nor did he have time to answer them. At the flooing station, Adrian was all business as he quickly paid the witch currently attending the fireplaces for a handful of floo powder. "Let's worry about that after we get out of here", Adrian said as he moved his arm so it was wrapped securely around my waist. Walking us both into an available fireplace, I had just enough time to shut my eyes before Adrian dropped the floo powder. "The Flint Estate", Adrian declared. And we were gone; swept up in smoke and a blaze of green flames.