Harry Potter and the Galator
Chapter 16
Christmas Surprises
Nothing could spoil Harry's Christmas. Not even bad dreams that caused his scar to ache. He felt like the luckiest man alive. He had a wonderfully clever girlfriend, a family who cares for him even if they weren't related by blood, and he was retaining his animagus form of a merlin longer that Hermione and Ron put together. It was as if he was a natural.
Hermione was able to change to her animagus cat form but only for a few minutes. Ron was able to change to his animagus fox form for a few minutes longer than Hermione. Even without Professor McGonagall's daily sessions, they practiced on their own and reported their progress to their trainer. She was quite proud of the three of them even if she didn't say so in so many words. She'd always known of their potential and even if she tried to dissuade them from learning too early ahead of everyone else, she also knew about the special circumstances leading them to learning skills ahead of their class. She knew that learning important skills was imperative for their survival, especially for Harry.
Christmas was a few days away and Harry was to spend it with the Weasleys and Sirius if his mission for the Order would allow him. Harry didn't want to put his hopes up too high just in case Sirius was unable to be with him. He was glad that Hermione was practically ordered to remain with the Weasleys as well. Professor Dumbledore insisted she stayed with Harry and Ron at the Burrow for her safety. Her parents on the other hand had been placed under surveillance by the order for their safety as well. Tonks and Dung were assigned to be their guardian even if they were invisible to others around.
They arrived at the burrow a little tired so they went off to their respective rooms to get some sleep. No one knew about Harry's and Hermione's new relationship yet since they've only been together a week, but everyone was aware they had feelings for each other.
"Fred, this will work," George insisted. They'd charmed a mistletoe to follow Harry and Hermione around so that they'd have to kiss each time they were a few inches from each other.
"What are you two up to now?" asked Molly.
"Nothing mum! Just getting things ready for operation H& H."
"Oh, you two. I hope you don't mean to do something to try and get Harry and Hermione together."
"Well, what if we said yes?"
"I'd say brilliant. I'd never seen two people belong together. They remind me a lot of James and Lily." Fred and George were surprised. Their mum never agreed with any of their pranks before.
"Mum, are you feeling alright?" asked Fred.
"Oh Fred, I think it would be wonderful to see them together. I suspected they had feelings for each other during their brief stay here in the summer, but I didn't want to pry, so if you two have something cooked up that will not be too extravagant or won't embarrass them too much then you have my blessings."
George went over to feel his mum's forehead.
"Nope, no fever. Okay woman, who are you and what have you done with our mum?!"
"Oh stop it. Just make sure you do something that is not too distasteful."
"Well, would you approve of a little mistletoe? They're charmed to follow them around and force them to kiss if they get near each other."
"That's devious, but I like it." Fred and George looked at each other dumb founded. They can't believe their mum was agreeing to their plan.
When Ron, Ginny, Hermione and Harry went down for breakfast, they noticed the twins sniggering and Molly had a huge smile plastered on her face. The four of them were a bit suspicious, but they didn't say anything. Ron and Ginny sat down and as soon as Harry and Hermione sat next to each other, the charmed mistletoe appeared in their midst just above their heads. Ron and Ginny almost fell of their seats from laughing.
"What's so funny?" asked Hermione.
"Look up," he told her out of breath.
Hermione looked up and saw the mistletoe. She looked at Harry who was also looking at the mistletoe with a smirk.
"I guess Fred and George don't know yet," Ginny spat.
"Don't know what you are on about," Fred answered nonchalantly trying to cover their guilt to no avail.
"It's okay Fred," Hermione told him. "I guess we haven't really announced that we're a couple." Fred, George and Molly looked shocked and excited at the same time. Molly was so happy she stood up and gave them her famous rib crunching hugs.
"I guess that means Aunt Molly approves," Harry told them with a smile.
"Oh, you. Why didn't you write and tell us?"
"Mom, I think they had other things to do and writing you was I am sure the bottom of the list," George joked.
"Hmmph," she told George. "I specifically told all of you to write me about important news and I think this goes under one of the important news I should have been informed about."
"Sorry, aunt Molly," Harry told her. "We haven't been together long. It's only been a little over a week. And Hermione and I are still in the process of getting used to it ourselves."
"Oh, okay then. We'd better eat. I want you all to clear the back yard of the gnomes for our Christmas Dinner tomorrow. We won't have room inside the house. Percy is bringing Penelope. Bill and Charlie will both be here. Sirius might be here and I believe Tonks, Lupin, Mad-eye, Dung and the Grangers will be here too."
"Mum and Dad?" Hermione asked surprised. "I thought Dumbledore said they couldn't come."
"Well, he's changed his mind. He thought Tonks and Dung needed a day off and with that, he decided it was best to bring your parents here."
Hermione was so happy. She had Harry and now she would have her parents for Christmas as well. That was going to be the best Christmas ever. She was getting excited and Harry saw her face glow at the news of her parents.
After a few days of knowing about Harry and Hermione's relationship, the Weasleys who were new to the relationship still hadn't gotten used to their stolen kisses, holding hands and inseparability. However, even if they weren't used to it, they welcomed the sight of the two of them. They all knew Harry deserved someone like Hermione and because he was practically a Weasley, they would have had some say in Harry's relationship.
Mrs. Weasley eyes misted every time she saw the two of them together. They were tears of joy though. She'd never been one to conceal her emotions. She thought of Harry as one of her sons and one who deserved happiness despite the war that had broken out between Voldermort and the whole world.
The order went about their duties and life at the burrow was functioning as well as it could under the circumstances. Harry tried not to think about how worried he was about putting everyone he loved in danger by being near them, but Hermione told him time and again that he was being silly. Near or far away from him, Voldemort will try to hurt anyone of people dear to him just to spite him.
He told her she was right and tried to push his worries aside. He decided to try to enjoy the holidays because it may be the last they all spent together. He told her he wasn't trying to be morbid, but he was trying to face the reality of it all and to put his life in perspective by having his priorities straight. He told her that life was too precious to spend fighting, or worrying about things that might be inevitable. He told her that he'd rather spend it being with the people he cared about most in the whole world and being happy with the time that he still had with them, especially her.
"Get up Harry!" yelled Ron who was jumping on his bed. "It's Christmas. We've got loads of presents."
"Okay, I'm up. I'm up. Stop jumping on the bed. I see you've already started on your presents," he told him eyeing his famous Weasley sweater. Although Ron complained about getting a sweater in a color he didn't particularly like, maroon, he wouldn't trade it for the world. At least he knew that when he received his sweater, he was sure that his mum and dad were still alive and well.
"Couldn't help it. It's Christmas after all."
"Want to check if the girls are already up?"
"No need," Ginny told them as she and Hermione entered the boys' room. Hermione ran and gave Harry a deep meaningful kiss.
"Please. It's too early for me to lose the breakfast I haven't even eaten yet.," joked Ron.
"He's just sore because Lav couldn't make it here for Christmas," Hermione told them with a glare directed towards Ron.
"I guess I am just lucky," Harry whispered to Hermione.
"So, where are our presents," asked Ginny excitedly.
Harry went over to his trunk and took out some boxes elegantly wrapped in green with a gold bow. He handed Ginny and Ron a box each and handed Hermione two boxes. Ginny and Ron raised their eyebrows.
"What?" Harry asked them. "She's my girlfriend remember."
"Harry?" Hermione looked at Harry with her heart thumping loudly in her ear. The smaller box looked like it would be a ring and her hand trembled in anticipation.
"It's okay. It's only a symbol of my promise to you," he told her in a whisper. He was a bit nervous that she wouldn't accept his gift for her. He'd already gotten Lavender, Ron, Ginny and her a special gift as a sign of their friendship before they became a couple. The ring was a last minute decision on his part to really show her what she meant to him.
"Go ahead. Open it." Hermione opened the little box. She found a small black velvet box and inside was a platinum ring with a ruby and a sapphire stones representing their birth months respectively. Inside it was inscribed with their initial: HP + HG with the sign for infinity (¥). Hermione gasped. Ginny and Ron turned to look at what made Hermione gasp and found Hermione with tears in her eyes suddenly hugging Harry so tight they were sure Harry was turning blue.
"What is it?" Ginny asked.
Hermione let Harry go. He smiled at her and took the ring from her hand to place it on her finger as Ginny and Ron looked on.
"Mate, did you just ask Hermione to marry you?" Ron asked.
"No, silly," Hermione told him. "I think we're too young for that."
"Well, what is it then?"
"It's a promise ring," answered Harry.
"Aw, that's so sweet," Ginny sighed. "And Harry, the necklace and charms you gave us are also sweet." She gave him a hug. "Thank you so much."
"You're welcome."
"Yeah, thanks mate," Ron gave him a hug as well. "Did you give Lavender a part of the charm too?"
"Of course, Hermione has one too and I have the other." He had given them a gold chain with 1/5 of a charm in a shape of a circle that read "True Friends" when put together.
"I guess I have the beginning of the beginning of this puzzle?" asked Ron.
"Yeah," Harry answered. "Since we're the men, you have the beginning and I have the end. Lav is after yours, then Ginny followed by Hermione."
"Oh, Harry. This is great." Hermione finally opened her other gift. "Thank you so much." She kissed him again.
"This is great mate, thanks."
"That's only half of it. It's charmed with the unbreakable charm so it won't ever break. Once you've put it on, only you, one of us, or someone your heart has given permission to can remove it from your person. It binds us together no matter where we are and we will know when one of us is in danger by sending a tiny electrical shock. It will also serve as a locator when one of us is lost. Who ever is in search for the other will only need to think about the one they are trying to find and say direct me. The charm will move up to the direction of the other person. Want to try to play hide and seek?" He grinned as he watched the three with their mouths agape.
"Okay, I'm in. I'll go hide and you Hermione and Ginny try to find me. Give me at least five minutes to find a place to hide."
"Hey, why don't we open the rest of our presents first," Ginny suggested.
"Good idea," Ron answered. "After we open our presents then I will go hide."
They opened their presents cheerfully. Hermione gave Harry a bracelet that matched the chain she'd given him with the lightning bolt charm. Harry had the Galator, the lightning bolt and the part of the charm they all shared around his neck. He hadn't worn many jewelry before, but anything from Hermione had sentimental value.
After they opened presents, they stacked their presents neatly on Harry and Ron's bed and gave Ron time to hide. After the five minutes were up, Harry, Hermione and Ginny set out to find Ron. It only took them a few minutes to find him on top of the roof. They took turns saying direct me and their charms lifted up from their chest and pointed to the direction Ron was hiding.
Ginny and Hermione wanted to hide as well. So Harry and Ron became the seekers. They found Ginny in the barn filled with muggle gadgets that Arthur had been collecting, and they found Hermione in the kitchen cupboard.
Hermione's parents arrived a few hours before dinner along with Tonks and Dung. Bill, Charlie and Percy followed along with Remus and Mad-Eye Moody. They all sat down for dinner and began feasting on the food that Molly prepared. The only person missing from the group was Sirius. Despite that fact, Harry was still enjoying himself, but there was some feeling in his gut that just wasn't right.
The next day Harry found out what the bad feeling in his gut meant. Molly and Arthur woke him up with the most somber look in their faces. Harry knew something was wrong the instant he saw Molly's red rimmed, puffy eyes.
"What happened? Is it Sirius? I just dreamt that he was killed by a group of death eaters," he asked knowing in his heart what the answer would be.
"I'm sorry Harry," Molly choked out.
"Sirius died during his watch. He was ambushed by more than 20 death eaters."
"Nooooooooooooooooooooo!"
A/N: If you're wondering why I removed Sirius from the story, well this was about the time when the 5th book came out and a couple or days or so after I'd finished the book. I wanted to build it into my story to follow a little bit of the fifth book….