The Truth About Rudolph

It wasn't easy. Rudolph made quite a mess, with some of the smaller parcels from the top of the heap ending up in the snow beside the sleigh, but he finally managed to pull the broomstick out. He gripped it firmly with his teeth and started towards the gate. So desperate was his longing for the Nimbus 1722 that he suddenly felt a mad courage. He thought he might be able to pass the polar bears guarding the gate safely -- after all, a reindeer carrying a parcel didn't seem to be such a strange sight in this place. And if they decided to go after him, he'd still have a chance of escaping if he quickly changed into his human form and mounted the broom. Polar bears couldn't fly; at least, Rudolph hoped they couldn't.

He tried to walk as casually as possible so that no one would notice that he was doing anything wrong; he was very near the gate when a strong voice bellowed:

"Petrificus totalus!"

Rudolph felt the familiar tinkling sensation he would always have whenever a spell hit him; when it was over he was unable to move an inch. It felt as if all his muscles were frozen. Had he been in his human form, he would have lost balance and fallen into the snow; having four legs, however, he managed to remain standing. He could do nothing but stand there, holding the stolen parcel between his teeth and listening to the footsteps coming closer to him.

A large man dressed in red approached him and stood in front of him, wand in hand.

"I'll lift the spell, but I wouldn't be a wise idea for you to try and run away," he said. Rudolph tried to nod, but was unable to move his head; he closed and opened his eyes instead, hoping that the wizard would understand that as a "Yes."

"Finite Incantatem," the wizard said. Rudolph shook his head a little to check if he was really able to move again, and then he looked into Klaus's face -- for he knew that the wizard in red clothes must have been Klaus.

The wizard had a long, white beard and his bushy eyebrows were white as well; the expression in his blue eyes was sad rather than angry.

"Why did you do that, you foolish boy?" Klaus asked in a reproachful voice. "And don't pretend that you don't understand me -- I know that you're an Animagus and not a real reindeer."

Rudolph looked down at the snow. He wasn't able to answer the question in his animal shape, but he didn't wish to transform back into his true form now. After all, he wouldn't know what to say to the old wizard anyway, so perhaps it was better to remain a reindeer.

Klaus reached with his hands and took the broomstick Rudolph was still gripping with his teeth. He began to unwrap it; Rudolph looked around and noticed that several elves had stopped working and were gathering around them to see what was happening. Even some of the reindeer had approached them and were looking at Rudolph with great interest.

Klaus was inspecting the unwrapped Nimbus 1722 and shaking his head sadly.

"Do you see these teeth marks you left in the wood?" he said. "The elves will have to repair the broomstick before I can deliver it to the child who is to get it. I can't give someone a damaged present! Of course, had you succeeded in stealing it, that child might not have received a present at all this Christmas."

Rudolph was unable to say that he was sorry, so he looked down at the snow again.

Klaus turned to the elves that were watching them.

"Which ones of you are working in the night shift tonight? Here, take this broomstick to the workshop and have it repaired."

Two elves took one end of the broomstick each and hurried into the Palace carrying it. Klaus turned to Rudolph again.

"So, what should I do with you now? You attempted to steal from me -- not only from me, but also from a child you don't know. I think it would only be fair if you remained here for a week and helped me with my work."

Rudolph nodded. He agreed that it would be fair thing to do, and it didn't sound like a bad thing at all -- now that he had seen the Ice Palace with the polar bears and elves and endless piles of presents, he wasn't in such a hurry to go home.

"You will be much more help to me in your present shape than as a boy. Besides, I have no reason to trust you enough to let you get hold of your wand. You'll have to remain a reindeer the whole week," Klaus said and lifted up his wand again. He waved it and said:

"Forma Immutabilis!"

Rudolph felt just a slight tingling sensation, but could notice no change. Klaus told him:

"This spell prevents you to change your shape. I will lift it at the end of the week."

Rudolph nodded again.

"We should start in an hour. Do what you like until then," Klaus said and went back into the Ice Palace. The elves returned to what they had been doing before, and one of the reindeer asked Rudolph:

"Are you going to work here with us?"

"Yes, I am," Rudolph said.

"But you're not really one of us, are you? There's something strange about you."

"Yes. I mean -- no, I'm not really one of you. I'm a wizard."

"And what's wrong with your nose?" a young reindeer asked. An older one told him disapprovingly:

"That was a very impolite question to ask, Blitzen!"

But Rudolph wasn't offended by the question, so he explained that someone had turned his nose red using magic. The reindeer didn't ask him any more questions -- they knew nothing about magic and weren't interested in it at all.

They told Rudolph that there was hay and water for them to the left of the palace, and Rudolph was glad to hear it. He was feeling hungry, and hay suddenly sounded like the most delicious food he could imagine.

***

After he had finished eating, Rudolph asked one of the reindeer:

"Are reindeer allowed to go inside the Ice Palace?"

"Well... I suppose we are, because no one ever said that it was forbidden. But why would we want to go there?" the reindeer said.

"I'd like to see it," Rudolph said and went towards the large, arched door that was the entrance to the palace. A group of elves was coming out through the door, each one holding several packages; they didn't seem to mind Rudolph going in, so he walked through the door and into the palace.

He found himself in a large hall, its floor made of snow, its walls of ice; there were chairs and tables, all made of ice, and a massive white fireplace. There were several Christmas trees in the hall -- huge, living trees growing out of the snow. Each one was decorated differently: the one nearest to Rudolph was covered with stars and moons that looked as if they were made of crystal glass, but when Rudolph came closer and touched one of them with his nose he realised that they were made of ice. Another tree was decorated with red apples and gingerbread figures, a third one with silk ribbons and with candles enchanted to burn with blue and purple flames.

Elves were sitting or standing around the tables, wrapping some books and toys in brightly coloured paper. They were working with unbelievable speed and skill, so Rudolph hardly had time to see the presents before they were wrapped up.

He walked over to the fireplace and found, to his great surprise, that it was made of snow and ice just like everything else in the palace. A bright and warm fire was burning inside it, making the temperature in the hall very pleasant, but the fireplace didn't show any signs of melting. There was a beautiful ice sculpture of the sun above the fireplace, reflecting some of the golden glow of the fire.

Rudolph walked around the hall, the red light from his nose casting strange reflections on the white walls. There were several doors leading to other parts of the palace, with signs carved above them. TO THE WORKSHOPS, one of them said; TO THE ELVES' DORMITORIES, said another. Other doors led TO THE POST OFFICE, TO THE OWLERY and TO THE GINGERBREAD BAKERY.

After looking around the hall, Rudolph returned to one of the tables and watched the elves wrap up the presents. Other elves were hurrying in and out of the palace all the time, taking the parcels and carrying them outside. Rudolph remained there, watching them, until Klaus came into the hall through one of the doors and said:

"Time to go!"

Rudolph followed the wizard outside. The large wooden sleigh was so overloaded with presents that it was a miracle they were not falling out. There were eight reindeer in front of it now, all harnessed; there didn't seem to be room for one more. Rudolph looked at Klaus, unsure of where he was supposed to go.