Chapter 215: Christmas Gifts

It was around six o'clock in the evening that the doorbell rang and Mrs. Black started screaming again. Chris and Harry were still in the Black family library. Harry had so many questions and Chris decided to answer them truthfully but carefully so nothing too important reach Riddle or Malgino. Chris was glad Harry understood it.

Few minutes after the doorbell rang, Ginny entered the library. 

"Thought you will be here," she said then hold the door wide open. "Look who are here."

Chris and Harry looked up and Chris felt a little surprised as Hermione, Luna and Colin walked in.

"How did you get here?" Chris got up and hugged Colin.

"The Knight bus," Colin hugged her back. "It was an awful ride, I swear."

"It wasn't that bad, Colin, I thought it was fun," Luna said smiling as Chris hugged her next.

"No seriously how did you get here? I mean this place is supposed to be —"

"A secret?" Colin grinned. "Dumbledore gave us permission."

"This place is really nice and strange," Luna said looking around. "I never thought I will see a house with Fidelius Charm."

"How are you, Harry?" Hermione asked breathlessly. "Look, Harry —"

"I'm fine," Harry said to her, then turned to Ron and Ginny. "And I'm sorry. I shouldn't have behaved like that."

"So you're okay?" Ron said blankly.

"Surprisingly, yes," Harry forced a smile.

"Wait, what about your parents? I thought you three were spending Christmas with your family," Chris said changing the topic.

"Dumbledore told us what had happened first thing yesterday morning, but we had to wait for term to end officially before setting off," Hermione explained.

"Umbridge is already livid that you lot disappeared right under her nose, even though Dumbledore told her Mr. Weasley was in St. Mungo's, and he'd given you all permission to visit," Colin said. "So after Dumbledore gave us permission to come here, we wrote to our families that we need to stay this Christmas at Hogwarts. Dennis was very upset though, he never spent a Christmas without me but he said he will cover up for me."

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"Yes, Dad was disappointed too, but I said my friends need me here, so he understood," Luna said.

"And honestly skiing's not really my thing," said Hermione.

Ron and Ginny beamed at them.

Chris, Ginny, Luna, Hermione, Colin, Ron and Harry worked tirelessly in the run-up to Christmas Day, cleaning and decorating with Sirius, Mrs Weasley, Aurelia, Remus and Tonks, so that by the time they all went to bed on Christmas Eve the house was barely recognizable. The tarnished chandeliers were no longer hung with cobwebs but 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's family tree from view; and even the stuffed elf heads on the hall wall wore Father Christmas hats and beards.

Chris awoke on Christmas morning to find a stack of presents at the foot of her bed and Ginny and Hermione already halfway through opening their own, rather larger, piles.

"Look at this Harry got me the New Theory of Numerology book," Hermione squealed happily.

"And he gave me the book about my favourite Quidditch team, Holyhead Harpies," Ginny said.  "Also thanks for the new wireless, Chris."

"And thanks for the scarf," Hermione said holding a turquoise scarf.

"Your welcome," Chris smiled, sorting her own gifts. The first gift was from Colin who had given her a Hyacinth flowered  perfume. Chris smelled it and it was really refreshing. Next was a handmade bracelet from Luna, a advanced Herbology book from Hermione ("You need to put on more effort to the subject you're weak at," Hermione explained), a Eagle feather quill from Ginny ("I knew you needed one," said Ginny.), a fluffy woolen hat from Harry, heart-shaped stone earrings with a note (Heard the Weasleys had a trouble. Knew you wouldn't abandon your friends, but you should have informed me, at least. Anyway Merry Christmas _ Jason.), a small pocket knife from Sirius, an illusion creating potion from Aurelia, Hagrid had sent a furry brown wallet that had fangs, which were presumably supposed to be an antitheft device, Tonks's present was a small, working model of a Firebolt, Fred and George had given her their new merchandise, Ron had given her an enormous box of Drooble's Best Blowing Gum; Mr. and Mrs. Weasley the usual hand-knitted jumper and some mince pies.

Chris and Hermione were just finishing getting ready when Ginny came storming inside the room.

"What happened?" Hermione asked.

"Percy!" Ginny replied glaring nothing at particular.

"He is here?" Chris said, surprised.

"Oh no! He sent back his Christmas jumper." Ginny groaned. "That Ministry loving git, that dunghead monkey."

"Is Mrs. Weasley alright?" Hermione said tentatively.

"No, she is crying," Ginny sighed. "Fred and George tried to cheer her up but it didn't work."

"She will be fine, don't worry," said Chris then noticed the neatly wrapped present in Hermione's hands. "What's that?"

"Well, it's a set of enchanted fairy lights," Hermione said smiling. "For Kreacher."

"Alright, don't go alone, I will go with you so that he doesn't insult you," said Chris.

"That's a good idea, let's go," Ginny said and the three of them left the room.

Mrs. Weasley, Aurelia and Tonks were talking in the basement when they arrived there. Mrs. Weasley was standing at the stove and sounded as though she had a bad head cold when she wished them Merry Christmas, and they all averted their eyes.

"That's Kreacher's bedroom," Hermione pointed at the boiler in the cupboard off the kitchen. "Er . . . I think we'd better knock . . ."

Chris nodded and knocked on the door three times. Kreacher came out grunting and muttering like he was disturbed in his most foremost work but then as he saw Hermione, his muttering became louder and he started insulting Hermione. 

"Kreacher, she is here to give you a Christmas gift," Chris said firmly.

Kreacher stopped muttering and stared at the gift in Hermione's hands, Hermione held it down for Kreacher.

"The Mudblood is giving Kreacher a present? Oh, what my mistress will say. What my — " Kreacher shrieked.

"Shut up, Kreacher, I asked you not to call them that," said Sirius, emerging from the pantry carrying a large turkey. 

"As you say, master," Kreacher grumbled.

"Take the present Kreacher," Sirius ordered seeing Hermione's fallen face.

Reluctantly Kreacher took the gift then disappeared behind the door.

Sirius swore loudly and Aurelia rolled her eyes.

"Can't you behave a little more nicely? It's Christmas, Sirius," she said.

"Yeah like he behaves nicely with others?" Sirius retorted.

"Did you just compared yourself with a house-elf?" Aurelia asked and Sirius glared at her.

"Chris," Lupin entered the kitchen with a gift. "Your father sent this via one of our wizards. Merry Christmas!"

Chris grinned as she took the box, then opened it almost looking greedy and saw his father had sent lots of souvenirs from Asia. Two different kinds of Asian dresses, hair bands, jewellery small statues and whatnot. There was also a letter inside the box. Mr. Norton had written a long and emotional letter which made Chris sad but at the end of the letter, he had asked her to share the gifts with her friends which made Ginny, Colin, Fred and George too happy.

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To be continued. . .