"Hey Ma," Oliver greeted his parents genially. "Dad." He couldn't help but grin when his dad was the first to hug him, clasping him on the back a couple of times.
"Sweetheart," his Mum was next. She cupped his face, pinching his cheeks but to his chagrin. "We've missed you!"
"Maaaa," Oliver made a face, "it hasn't been that long."
"It's been long enough," She disagreed, needlessly adjusting his clothes. "How are you, sweetie, really?"
Oh, she was referring to the thing that the professors and them thought Oliver was dealing with which was actually Percy and something he'd needed to keep a secret so Percy wouldn't find out he'd blabbed.
"Fine," Oliver said brightly-or tried to come off that way, at least.
"You're sure?" She frowned, her eyes conveying her doubt.
"Yeah."
"Let's go home," Dad interrupted them. "It's getting a little packed here."
Mum gasped, remembering his lie about being afraid of crowds. "That's right! Oh, Keith; what about Christmas? Should we tell everyone not to come?"
Before his dad could say anything, Oliver was shaking his head. "No, no. Don't do that."
"It's no trouble," Mum was quick to assure him.
"If that's what you need," Dad was saying in agreement, "we'll be happy to do it."
Was it possible they already knew and were trying to use the worst guilt trips imaginable to get him to confess? He felt so rotten for lying. He would not ruin their Christmas too.
"It's fine," Oliver cut in, aware of the doubt creeping up on their faces, "I'll be fine."
"You mean it?" Mum said, her eyes searching his face. "We were serious when we said we didn't mind. Anything to help."
"Really," Oliver insisted. "It's no trouble. 'Sides, it's...it's not as bad with family."
His parents exchanged a glance between the two of them before turning back to him.
"Okay," Mum said.
"Well, that's settled," Dad said. "We'll go home, get you unpacked and get everything sorted."
And by "sorted", Dad meant cleaning. Mum got into tizzies whenever relatives were going to be coming over. It sent her into overdrive where she could not do anything else until every single speck of dirt had vanished. Oliver and his dad would tease her over it and she was always good-natured about it.
"That reminds me," Mum said, having had a sudden epiphany. "You need to clean your room."
He'd probably get his backside wacked if he made a smart remark right about now.
"Mum," Oliver groaned. "It wasn't dirty when I left."
"Still," She said and he knew what was coming next. "It could use a bit of tidying up."
He shared a look of long suffering with his Dad, who shook his head with a small smirk when she turned to wave at someone.
/
"You're pretty quiet tonight, Oli," Mum said, using that embarrassing nickname he was doomed with since he was a kid.
Oliver tried not to grimace. "Err, yeah."
"Is something the matter?"
"No," he said. "Just thinking."
The three of them were sitting at the kitchen table, eating the beef stew Dad had prepared. It was one of Oliver's favorites and great to eat on a cold winter night. He should have been happy and in a way he was, but his thoughts kept drifting to Percy. He wondered how he was doing, if the twins were giving him a hard time. Then there was the matter of his Christmas present. He still didn't know what to get him. He'd been mulling over some choices for a while now but nothing seemed right. Nothing that stood out as something he would give a friend and not an acquaintance.
"About what?" Dad asked, hissing in pain when he burnt his tongue from the steaming hot gravy.
"Just a friend," Oliver muttered.
His Mum took just a friend to mean he was referring to a girl, naturally. She got that giddy smile on her face, the one that would soon be accompanied by a teary one when she realized her little boy was growing up.
He'd witnessed that far too much for his comfort.
"Oh, Oli!" Mum cried. "I didn't know you were seeing anyone! What's her name? Is she in your year? Oh, you should have said something sooner so we could have sent her a present!"
"Mum," he was horrified by the idea, in spite of there being no girl in actuality.
"You're going to smother him," Dad told her.
"I am not," Mum was insulted by that. "I'm being involved. I want him to know I'm interested in every part of his life."
Or
You could try being a little less...
"S'really not necessary," he mumbled and it was probably lucky for him that she didn't hear it. He sighed. "It's not a girl, Mum. It's about Percy."
"Oh, new friend?" Dad said.
"Isn't he your dormmate?" Mum asked. "What about him, sweetie?"
"Well, I'm just not sure what to get him for Christmas."
"You should have got it sooner," Dad said. "The stores are going to be mad packed around this time."
"I know," he said. "I was going to find something in Hogsmeade but I didn't see anything."
"Well, what does Percy like?" Dad asked.
"Err-" That would have been something he really should have asked about. He knew Percy did like Quidditch and he liked to read but that was about it. With everything else that was going on and him trying to get Percy to open up, it didn't leave much time for a real conversation. "He likes to read," he said lamely.
"You could get him a book," Mum said.
"I dunno." He imagined Percy had loads of books. Besides, that was too easy. Anybody could get him that. It just wasn't right. "I wanted to do something else."
"Like what?" Mum said.
"I dunno," Oliver repeated. "Think I'll head off into town when I'm finished. Maybe I'll find something there."
"Let me put a warming charm on you," She said, already breaking out her wand. He groaned. "Oli, it's freezing out there. You're going to catch your death."
He sighed and looked to his dad for help. "Dad-"
"Listen to your mother," he said.
He slumped in his seat defeatedly. Even at seventeen, he felt like he was being treated like a baby. He could put his own warming charm on, thank you very much.
"And finish your dinner," Mum added. "You can go gift searching afterwards."
"Yes, Mum," Oliver said dutifully.
/
What were you supposed to get someone you didn't know very well but wanted it to be personalized anyway?
That was the huge lingering question, wasn't it? Oliver felt like he'd wandered around the store for hours when in fact, it'd only been half an hour. Nothing jumped out at him as being perfect for Percy. He'd been hoping to get it done with today so he could get it sent off to him.
"Do you need any help?" A bloke around his age asked. He seemed tired and as if he preferred to be elsewhere. Still, he was trying to be polite.
"I dunno," Oliver rubbed the back of his neck. Maybe he should ask- "I've got this friend and I dunno what to get him."
"He got any hobbies?" The bloke, Walter, asked.
"Kinda, yeah. He's just hard to shop for."
"I've got one of those," Walter said, followed by an eye roll. "You could get him candy."
"He's not much into sweets," Oliver said. Or much into anything resembling food, really. He'd been doing better but almost every meal seemed to include the words I'm not really hungry.
Walter smirked, eyes subtly looking around for whoever else was supposed to be there. "Could get him a bit of a drink if he'd be interested."
Oliver almost forgot that technically Percy wouldn't be permitted to drink in the muggle world. Not for another year when he would be of age. Even so, he couldn't personally picture Percy drinking. "He's not."
Walter rubbed at his chin. "A hat, maybe?"
Percy was definitely not a hat person. "Probably not," Oliver was apologetic. "Sorry."
Walter shrugged. "Like I said, I got one too. I get it. We could walk around and see if there's anything you'd think he'd like."
"Sure," Oliver was grateful.
They passed by an aisle containing all sorts of luggage, some of which was tacked with bright orange stickers, indicating a sale. That was next to the other household things. Down the way was where the garden center was-during the spring and summer, that is. For now, it was filled with Christmas decorations, some much more gaudy than others. To the other side of the store they went, passing by other customers who merrily gave a season's greeting. To their right, as they continued to walk, was a CD display. Walter glanced at it longingly, specifically at one.
"You ever listen to Mega Jam?"
"No," Oliver had heard of it but never listened. "Is it any good?"
"They're great," Walter nodded enthusiastically. "They came out with a new CD. I've been dying to get it but I don't have enough yet."
"Maybe you'll get it for Christmas," Oliver said optimistically.
"Maybe," Walter had a little smile as they came to a stop in front of a different aisle. "Try this. It's full of novelties. They're not a bad price either if you're looking to save."
Oliver wandered down the aisle, his gaze full of curiosity. He'd never so much as looked here before.
"There's some antique stuff around the corner if you're interested."
It wouldn't hurt to have a peek. Oliver turned on his heel, coming face-to-face with a display of snow globes. One in particular caught his eye. Gently, he took it in his hands, bringing it down off the shelf.
It was large with a glass globe that was stained blue; on the inside, a dolphin was made to appear as if it was jumping out of the water. It looked wicked.
He bet no one had ever gotten Percy something like this before.
"That's a good one," Walter came up behind Oliver, breaking through his thoughts. "You think your friend will like it?"
"Hope so," Oliver said.
He wasn't sure if Percy would accept anything from him but it was worth a shot.
"Young man," An elderly lady was waving her hand, trying to get Walter's attention. 'Young man, can i have some help, please?'
"Oh, of course," Walter said and then added while looking at Oliver, "Sorry, got to handle this. If you need anything else, come find me."
"Okay," Oliver agreed.
He went to where the wrapping materials were, grabbing an extra tube of wrapping and a roll of tape just to be on the safe side. His parents still needed to wrap some of their gifts and he didn't want to be at risk of having none, especially so close to Christmas.
In addition to that, he grabbed one more thing and then headed to the checkout. Right before he left, he waved down Walter and grinned, giving him one of the bags.
Walter furrowed his eyebrows. He glanced down into the bag. "Oh, you got Mega Jam. Cool. Or is that also for your friend?"
"Actually, it's for you," Oliver said, watching as shock flashed across the bloke's face.
"Huh?" Walter said dumbly.
"Just my way of saying thanks for the help," Oliver shrugged.
"I..I couldn't-"
"Sure you can," Oliver called as he started to walk away. "Oh, and Merry Christmas, Mate!"