Christmas on the Closed Ward

Could this be why Dumbledore no longer meets Arthur's eyes?

Was he expecting Voldemort to stare at him through Arthur's eyes? That the vivid green would turn scarlet with cat-like slits for pupils?

If that's the case, then Dumbledore, as well as Moody, had to be the biggest idiots in the wizarding world.

If Voldemort was trying to possess him, he'd have spots in his memory that were blank, that he can't remember. He'd know because Mary had those when Voldemort's memory of Tom Riddle possessed her in her first year, making her do horrible things.

And he remembered everything perfectly. He told everyone about this point and they all realised he was right, especially Mary, who confirmed as such.

With that, when he was on the train, he did nothing but glare at Moody for thinking Voldemort was possessing him.

"Are you alright, Arthur?" Martha whispered as she leaned across Mary to speak to him as the train rattled along through the dark tunnel. "You seem upset."

"I'm fine." Arthur snarled, never taking his eyes off Moody, who glared back at the boy.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Martha asked when they walked around the unkempt patch of grass in the middle of Grimmauld Place. "You look really pale. I suggest you go up to bed right now and have a couple of hours of sleep before dinner."

He nodded back, wanting to just be by himself for a while and not have anyone talk to him.

When she opened the front door, he hurried straight past the troll's leg umbrella stand and up the stairs into his, David's and Mike's bedroom.

Here, he lay on his bed, finally noticing that Phineas' portrait at Grimmauld Place was in the room, before he ended up dozing off, thankfully not having another vision involving the snake.

Though he did find himself walking down the corridor of Level Nine to the door to the Department of Mysteries again. He reached the black door but it couldn't open. He just gazed at it, knowing that something important was beyond it. His scar was now prickling.

"Arthur." He heard Mike's voice from far away. "Martha said dinner's ready, but she'll save you something if you want to stay in bed."

"Tell her I'm not hungry." Arthur replied tiredly before he went back to sleep.

He woke up much later in the early hours of the morning with his insides now aching with hunger. David and Mike were still asleep.

Later in the morning, Arthur, after having a big breakfast, helped everyone put up Christmas decorations. He saw that his godfather was in the best mood he had seen him in ever since first meeting him; he actually sang carols, delighted to have company for Christmas. His voice could even be heard echoing throughout the whole house.

Once done, Arthur wanted to spend some time with Mike during lunchtime and the two ate in their bedroom, talking and having some fun.

Spending this kind of time with him made Arthur fall for Mike even more and at that moment… he decided that he'll brave it out and confess his feelings for him with a certain gift.

By six o'clock in the evening, the doorbell rang and Sirius' mother screamed again. Arthur and Mike first thought that it was Mundungus or another Order member but they were surprised to see that it was Chrys.

"What are you doing here?" Arthur asked upon seeing her. "I thought you were skilling with your parents."

"Well, skiing isn't really for me." Chrys admitted, wiping the snow from her hair with her face being pink from the cold. "So I decided to come here for Christmas. Mum and dad were a bit disappointed, but I said that I was serious about my Hogwarts exams and they wanted me to do well, so they understood. I also came here on the Knight Bus."

They, along with David and Mary went to the boys' bedroom and had sandwiches with a fire lit to keep them warm.

"Dumbledore informed me about what happened yesterday morning. I had to wait until the end of term before setting off. Umbridge was all kinds of livid that you all disappeared right under her nose, despite Dumbledore telling her that Ben was in St Mungo's and gave you all permission to visit."

Everyone else went on to explain what they overheard at St Mungo's, with Chrys agreeing with them that Voldemort wasn't possessing Arthur.

Later, Arthur told David and Chrys that he planned to tell Mike how feels about him on Christmas morning and wants to do it privately, so they planned to keep everyone else out when he does that.

The rest of the holiday before Christmas Day was fun, especially with a happy Sirius, who was glad to spend more time with his godson.

As they kept themselves busy with cleaning and decorating the house, there were moments where Arthur and Mike would touch each other's hands or rub each other's bodies against each other, making Arthur still have goosebumps rise up his body and Mike blushing so much he looked red.

They even came across Kreacher's den, which was in a corner opposite the pantry, which was a cupboard that was taken up by a large and old fashioned boiler and there was a jumble of assorted rags and smelly old blankets piled on the floor. Old food was littered and there were various items from the house that Kreacher hoarded in there.

By Christmas Eve, the house was barely recognisable. The tarnished chandeliers were no longer hung with cobwebs and were instead with garlands of holly and gold and silver streamers; magical snow glittered in heaps over the threadbare carpets; a great Christmas tree, obtained by Mundungus and decorated with live fairies, blocked Sirius' family tree from view, and even the containers full of elf heads were wrapped in tinsel.

Arthur woke up on Christmas morning to find a stack of presents at the foot of his bed and both David and Mike were in the middle of going through their piles.

"Thanks for the Broom Compass." David said to Arthur.

Arthur made a glance at Mike before he went through his own presents.

Chrys got him a box of Chocolate Frogs, which he dug into as he continued going through the other presents.

Both Sirius and Lupin gave him a set of books entitled Practical Defensive Magic and its Use Against the Dark Arts, which were brilliant as they had moving colour illustrations of the counter jinxes and hexes that it described. He knew that these would be perfect for DA meetings.

Hagrid got him a furry brown wallet that had fangs, apparently being an anti-theft device.

Tonks got him a small working model of a Firebolt, which he watched fly around the room.

David got him a box of Every Flavour Beans.

Mike got him another candle with white and purple wax, which has relaxing and soothing smoke and fumes when lit.

Martha and Ben got him a book on Mediaeval wizarding history and some mince pies.

And he was able to get his usual hand knitted jumper from the Dentleys, which was all black except for a white lion on the front, clearly representing his Patronus. They even sent a letter about Deacon coming out to his parents and that they accept him and love him still, even having met his boyfriend.

Then there's the dreadful painting from Dobby which had to have been made by the house elf himself.

Chrys entered the bedroom and thanked them for their gifts, especially Arthur for the Numerology book he got her.

"Uh… Arthur, why didn't you get me a gift?" MIke asked, sounding a bit disappointed.

Arthur looked over at David and Chrys, nodding. They understood and left to tell everyone that Arthur and Mike will be down soon.

"What was that about?" Mike asked in confusion.

"Mike… were you the one that sent that Valentine to me in second year?" Arthur decided to ask, even though he already knows.

This caused Mike's purple eyes to widen in shock and fear. He looked around, avoiding Arthur's eyes for a bit until he sighed in defeat.

"Yes. It was me." He admitted, looking down at his lap.

"Why?" Arthur asked, wanting to get Mike to confess his feelings before Arthur did.

"Because for so long, I've had the deepest crush on you… even though I've never met you until first year, I just couldn't help but fall for you. My mum knew by second year and accepted how I felt about you. But when I saw how you reacted to the Valentine… I felt like I lost any hope."

"So… you really do love me, don't you?" Arthur asked for the last bit of confirmation.

"Yes." Mike nodded, ready to be rejected. "I love you, Arthur."

Arthur couldn't help but smile with watering eyes with his confession.

He then got off his bed and sat next to Mike on his. Mike still kept his eyes on his lap, so he didn't see Arthur's reaction.

Arthur then hooked Mike's chin and tilted him up to make him look at him.

Arthur then braced himself before he leaned in, closed his eyes and planted his lips on Mike's.

Being his first ever kiss, it was awkward and rough but as he kept going, it became natural and Arthur felt nothing but euphoria, kissing the person who captured his heart. And it felt so right kissing him that he moaned in bliss.

Mike eventually kissed back and even placed a hand on the back of Arthur's neck.

Eventually, the need for air became too much and they parted, looking into each other's eyes. Arthur's with affection and Mike's with shock and joy.

"I love you, too, Mike." Arthur confessed his feelings in a soft voice.

"You do?" Mike asked hopefully.

"Yes, I have since I realised I was gay. When I realised, it all made sense. I'm sorry for making you think you had no chance." Arthur replied, holding Mike's free hand.

"I don't care, you've just given me the best present I could ever ask for. I always held out even the smallest ounce of hope you'd love me, and it paid off." Mike said before he leaned in and the two shared another kiss, this time, it wasn't as awkward or rough, but like they've kissed for years. Arthur wrapped his arms around Mike and moaned, opening his mouth up as Mike did and let their tongues out, which made the kiss all the more euphoric.

They eventually parted a minute later and gazed into each other's eyes lovingly.

"So… Michael McGonagall, will you be my boyfriend?" Arthur asked, knowing the answer already.

"As long as you're my boyfriend, yes." Mike nodded before they pressed their foreheads together.

Later, the two made their way to the kitchen for breakfast holding hands and when everyone saw them and their silly grins on their faces, David and Chrys were so happy for them while everyone looked at them in shock to see that they're now together, but then they all wished them luck for their new relationship.

"By the way, has anyone seen Kreacher lately?" Sirius asked as everyone settled in after congratulating Arthur and Mike getting together.

"Now that you said that…" Arthur frowned. "I last saw him when you ordered him out of the kitchen the night we came back here."

"Yeah…." Sirius frowned as well. "You know, I think that's the last time I saw him, too… he must be hiding upstairs somewhere."

"There's no way he could've left the house, right?" Arthur asked. "When you said 'out', could he have interpreted it as leaving the house?"

"No, no, house elves can't leave unless they're given clothes. They're tied to their family's house." Sirius shook his head.

"Actually, I think they can if they want to." Arthur said. "Dobby did. He'd leave Malfoy Manor to give me those warnings in second year. He punished himself afterwards, but he still left."

Sirius looked a bit disconcerted for a moment before saying "I'll look for him later, I expect I'll find him upstairs crying his eyes out over my mother's old bloomers or something. Of course, he might have crawled into the airing cupboard and died… but I mustn't get my hopes up."

This made everyone laugh.

Once everyone ate their Christmas lunch, the Merlons, Arthur, Mike and Chrys all planned to pay Ben another visit at St Mungo's, this time being escorted by Moody and Lupin.

Mundungus had turned up in time to have Christmas pudding and trifle, having managed to 'borrow' a car for the occasion, since the Underground didn't run on Christmas Day.

The car, which Arthur doubted was taken with the consent of the owner, had been enlarged with a spell like the Ford Anglia that the Merlons had before it took off. Despite being normally proportioned outside, twelve people with Mundungus driving were able to fit in quite comfortably.

Martha hesitated before getting inside, Arthur knowing that her dislike and disapproval of Mundungus battled with her unease of travelling without magic, but, finally, the cold outside and her children's pleading triumphed, and she settled herself into the back seat between Jack and Rob with good grace.

The journey to St Mungo's was pretty quick as there was little traffic on the roads.

A small trickle of witches and wizards crept furtively up the otherwise deserted street to visit the wizarding hospital.

Arthur and everyone else got out of the car, Mundungus driving off around the corner to wait for them. They strolled casually towards the window where the dummy in green nylon stood, then, one by one, or two in the case of Arthur and Mike, they all stepped through the glass.

The reception area was pleasantly festive: the crystal orbs that illuminated St Mungo's had been coloured red and gold to become gigantic, glowing Christmas baubles; holly hung around every doorway; and shining white Christmas trees covered in magical snow and icicles glittering in every corner, each being topped with a gleaming gold star.

It was less crowded than the last time they were here, though halfway across the room, Arthur found himself shunted aside by a witch with a satsuma jammed up her left nostril.

"Family argument, eh?" The blonde witch behind the desk smirked. "You're the third I've seen today… Spell Damage, fourth floor."

They found Ben propped up in bed with the remains of his turkey dinner on a tray on his lap.

"Everything alright, Ben?" Martha asked after they all greeted him and handed over their presents, as well Arthur and Mike telling him that they're together now, which he congratulated them for.

"I'm doing alright." Ben said as he started unwrapping his gifts.

Lupin walked over to the werewolf, who had no visitors and looked wistfully at the crowd around Ben.

Rob, Sam and the twins said that they'll go and have a cup of tea as Ben thanked Arthur for the wand holster he got for him.

Shortly after, Arthur, Mike, David, Chrys and Mary all went off to go and have some tea.

"Where's the tea room?" Chrys asked the group.

"It's on the fifth floor." Arthur replied, remembering the sign over the welcome witch's desk.

They all walked along the corridor, through a set of double doors and then found a rickety staircase that was lined with more portraits of brutal looking Healers.

As they climbed it, various Healers called out to them, diagnosing odd compliments and suggesting rather horrible remedies.

"What floor are we on, right now?" David asked.

"I think we're on the fifth." Chrys said.

"No, we're on the fourth, just one more." Mike corrected her.

But as they stepped onto the landing, he and Arthur came to an abrupt halt, staring at the small window set into the double doors that marked the start of a corridor that was signposted SPELL DAMAGE.

There was a man peering out at them with his nose pressed against the glass. He had wavy blonde hair, bright blue eyes and broad vacant smile that revealed dazzlingly white teeth.

"Merlin's beard." David said in shock as he stared at the man.

"Oh my God…" Chrys gasped. "Lockhart!"

It was their ex Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, who pushed the doors open and moved towards them, wearing a long lilac dressing gown.

"Well, hello there!" Lockhart said. "I expect you'd like my autograph, would you?"

"Definitely hasn't changed much." Arthur muttered to both Mike and Mary.

"Um… how are you?" David asked, sounding a bit guilty. It was his broken and malfunctioning wand that caused Lockhart to lose his memories, so much so that he landed in St Mungo's, though it came about because Lockhart tried to permanently wipe Arthur and David's memories, so any sympathy was limited.

"I'm very well indeed, thank you!" Lockhart said exuberantly, pulling a battered peacock feather quill from his pocket. "Now, how many autographs would you like? I can do joined up writing now, you know?"

"Er - we don't want any right now, thanks." David said.

"Excuse me, but should you be wandering around the corridors? Shouldn't you stay in a ward?" Arthur then asked.

Lockhart's smile faded slowly and for a few moments, he gazed intently at Arthur, saying "Haven't we met?"

"Probably." Arthur said vaguely.

Just then, a head poked out a door from the far end of the corridor and a voice called out "Gilderoy, you naughty boy, where have you wandered off to?"

It was a motherly looking Healer, who wore a tinsel wreath in her hair that came bustling up the corridor, smiling warmly at Arthur and the others.

"Oh, Gilderoy, you've got visitors! How lovely, and on Christmas Day, too! Do you know, he never gets visitors, poor lamb, and I can't think why, he's such a sweetie, aren't you?"

"We're doing autographs!" Lockhart told her with another glittering smile. "They want loads of them, won't take no for an answer! I just hope we've got enough photographs!"

"Listen to him." The Healer said, taking Lockhart's arm and beaming fondly at him as though he was a two year old child. "He was rather well known a few years ago; we very much hope that this liking for giving autographs is a sign that his memory might be starting to come back. Will you step this way? He's in a closed ward, you know, he must have slipped out while I was bringing in the Christmas presents, the door's usually kept locked… not that he's dangerous! But…" She lowered her voice to a whisper. "...he's a bit of a danger to himself, bless him… doesn't know who he is, you see, wanders off and can't remember how to get back… it is nice of you to have come to see him."

"Um, we were actually -" David was gesturing at the floor above.

But the Healer smiled expectantly at them all and David's words trailed away into nothingness. All of them looked at each other helplessly before they followed Lockhart and the Healer down the corridor.

"Let's not stay here long." David said quietly.

The Healer pointed her wand at the door of the Janus Thickey Ward, muttering "Alohomora". The door swung open and she led the way inside, keeping a firm grasp on Lockhart's arm until she settled him into an armchair beside his bed.

"This is our long term residents' ward." She informed everyone in a low voice. "For permanent spell damage, you know. Of course, with intensive remedial potions and charms and a bit of luck, we can produce some improvement. Gilderoy does seem to be getting back some sense of himself; and we've seen a real improvement in Mr Bode, he seems to be regaining the power of speech very well, though he isn't speaking any language we recognise yet. Well, I must finish giving out the Christmas presents, I'll leave you to chat."

Arthur looked around. The ward definitely had the obvious signs of being a permanent home for its residents. There were many personal effects around their beds in comparison to Ben's ward; the wall around Lockhart's headboard for example had pictures of himself, all beaming toothily and waving at the new arrivals. He autographed many of them to himself in disjointed, childish writing.

The moment he was deposited in his chair by the Healer, Lockhart pulled a fresh stack of photographs towards him, seizing a quill and started to sign them all feverishly.

"You can put them in envelopes." He told Mary, throwing the signed pictures into her lap one by one when he finished them. "I am not forgotten, you know, no, I still receive a very great deal of fan mail… Gladys Gudgeon writes weekly… I just wish I knew why…." He paused, looking faintly puzzled before he beamed again and returned to his signing with renewed vigour. "I suspect it is simply my good looks…."

In the bed opposite him was a sallow skinned, mournful looking wizard who stared at the ceiling. He was mumbling to himself and seemed unaware of anything around him.

Two beds along was a woman whose whole head was covered in fur. Arthur recollected that Chrys experienced something like that in their second year, though in her case, it wasn't permanent fortunately.

Then at the far end of the ward, there were flowery curtains that had been drawn around two beds to give the occupants and their visitors some privacy.

"Here you are, Agnes." The Healer said brightly to the furry faced woman, handing her a small pile of Christmas presents. "See, not forgotten, are you? And your son's sent an owl to say he's visiting tonight, so that's nice, isn't it?"

The woman named Agnes made several loud barks, meaning she's become a canine, poor woman.

"And look, Broderick, you've been sent a pot plant and a lovely calendar with a different fancy Hippogriff for each month, they'll brighten things up, won't they?" The Healer then said, bustling along to the mumbling man, setting a rather ugly plant with long swaying tentacles on the bedside cabinet and fixing the calendar to the wall with her wand.

Arthur couldn't help but feel like there's something off with that plant.

"And - oh, Mrs Longbottom, are you leaving already?"

Arthur's eyes widened and he spun around. The curtains were drawn back from the two beds at the end of the ward and two visitors walked back down the aisle between the beds: a formidable looking old witch with a long green dress, a moth eaten fox fur and a pointed hat that was decorated with what was easily recognised as a stuffed vulture.

It was Neville's grandmother, and trailing behind her, looking thoroughly depressed was Neville himself.

Arthur had just realised who they were visiting. Arthur now just hoped to find some way to distract the others so that Neville can leave the ward without being questioned.

Unfortunately, David looked when the name "Longbottom" was said.

Before Arthur could stop him, David then called out "Neville!"

This made him jump and cower as though a bullet narrowly missed him.

"Neville, it's us!" David said, getting to his feet. "Who were you visiting?"

"Friends of yours, Neville, dear?" Neville's grandmother said graciously, bearing down on them all.

Neville looked as though he'd rather be anywhere else but here. A purple flush crept up his plump face and didn't make eye contact with any of them.

"Ah, yes." She said when peering at Arthur, sticking out a shrivelled, claw-like hand for him to shake. "Yes, yes, I know who you are, of course, Neville speaks highly of you."

"Thanks." Arthur said, shaking hands. Neville didn't look at him, staring at his own feet instead, the colour deepening in his face.

"And you two are clearly Merlons." Mrs Longbottom continued, proffering her head regally to David and Mary in turn. "Yes, I know your parents - not well, of course - but fine people, fine people… and you two must be Chrysanthemum Ranger and Michael McGonagal?"

Both Chrys and Mike were a bit startled that she knew their names but shook hands regardless.

"Yes, Neville's told me all about you two, especially you, dear. Helped him out of a few sticky spots, haven't you? He's a good boy…" She said, casting a sternly appraising look down her bony nose at Neville. "...but he hasn't got his father's talent, I'm afraid to say." And she jerked her head in the direction of the two beds at the end of the ward, making the stuffed vulture on her hat tremble alarmingly.

"What?" David said in shock (which made Arthur want to stamp onto his foot, but it would be noticed since he's in jeans). "Your dad's down there?"

"What's this?" Mrs Longbottom said sharply. "Haven't you told your friends about your parents, Neville?"

Neville took a deep breath, looking up at the ceiling and shook his head. Arthur felt nothing sorry for him, wishing he could help Neville out of this situation.

"Well, it's nothing to be ashamed of! Mrs Longbottoms said angrily. "You should be proud, Neville, proud! They didn't give their health and their sanity so their only son would be ashamed of them, you know!"

"I'm not ashamed." Neville said faintly, still looking anywhere but Arthur and the others. David now looked confused.

"Well, you've got a funny way of showing it!" Mrs Longbottom said. "My son and his wife…" She then said, turning haughtily to Arthur, Mike, David, Chrys and Mary. "...were tortured into insanity by You Know Who's followers."

This made by Chrys and Mary to clap their hands over their mouths and for Mike and David to have their jaws drop in horror. Arthur thinned his lips, trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to come out.

"They were Aurors, you know, and very well respected within the wizarding community." Mrs Longbottom went on. "Highly gifted, the pair of them. I - yes, Alice dear, what is it?"

Neville's mother edged down the ward in her nightdress. She no longer had the plump, happy looking face that Arthur saw in that photograph of the original Order of the Phoenix. She now had a thin and worn face, her eyes now overlarge and her hair had turned white, wispy and dead looking. She didn't seem to speak, like she wasn't able to, though she made timid motions towards Neville, holding something out in her outstretched hand.

"Again?" Mrs Longbottom said, sounding slightly weary. "Very well, Alice dear, very well. Neville, take it, whatever it is."

Neville had already stretched his hand out, which his mother dropped an empty Drooble's Best Blowing Gum wrapper into.

"Very nice, dear." Mrs Longbottom said in a falsely cheery voice, patting his mother on the shoulder.

"Thanks, mum." Neville said quietly.

His mother then tottered away, back up the ward, humming to herself.

Neville looked to the others, his expression defiant, like he dared them to laugh, but Arthur's tears came out, having witnessed what had to be the most tragic sight he had ever seen. How anyone could laugh at that disgusted him.

That had to be the closest to an affectionate gesture from his mother that Neville could ever get.

"Well, we'd better get back." Mrs Longbottom sighed, drawing on long green gloves. "Very nice to have met you all. Neville, put that wrapper in the bin, she must have given you enough of them to paper your bedroom by now.

As they left, Arthur saw Neville slip the wrapper into his pocket.

The door then closed behind them.

"I never knew." Chrys said, looking tearful.

"Me neither." David said, his voice cracking.

"Nor me." Mary whispered.

"Same here." Mike said.

"I did." Arthur said grimly as he wiped his tears. "Dumbledore made me promise to not tell anyone. Crouch Jr, Bellatrix Lestrange, her husband and her brother in law were sent to Azkaban because they tortured Neville's parents with the Cruciatus Curse until they lost their minds."

"She and Crouch Jr did that?" Chrys whispered, horrified. "I saw her photo in Kreacher's den."

There was a long silence, which was broken by Lockhart's angry voice.

"Look, I didn't learn joined up writing for nothing, you know!"

Well, Arthur and Mike are finally together, if only it wasn't followed up with what they encountered with Neville and his mother, which is just so sad.