Christmas with the Muggles

Christmas With the Muggles

A tall, dark, sinister man watched from the window. He had sallow skin, and greasy black hair, and a look of utter revulsion on his face. He did not care for Muggle parties, especially holiday parties. The festive reds and greens served only to accentuate the differences between two students whom he cared for. The first boy was a blond aristocrat; the second, a living reminder of the man's tormentor. The fathers of these two boys were on opposite sides of the first war. Severus, however, was simultaneously on both sides and neither. He knew that ultimately he was on the only side that mattered: his own. He worried about the two boys. The first, he had hoped to prevent from becoming a Death Eater. Draco must not be allowed to follow in his father's footsteps. Severus had seen in him a lust for power that if allowed to run unchecked, would lead to his death. He was too young and cocky to see where his actions may lead, but Severus knew. After all, it was the path he had chosen.

The other boy was destined to fight to the death with the Dark Lord.

Someone tapped him on the arm. "Professor Snape? Can we go in? I've always wondered about Muggle Christmas parties," the wide-eyed girl exclaimed. She was roughly fifteen, with waist-length dirty blonde hair, and a wand tucked behind her ear. She wore what appeared to be a school uniform of some sort, a purple cloak, and what appeared to be radishes hang from her ears. She fingered her necklace, made from soda caps, in a dreamy manner, as she waited for his response.

He groaned, "Miss Lovegood? Do I need to remind you why we are here? Pull your head out of the clouds for a nanosecond and do try to concentrate. If you wish to protect young Master Potter, you had better learn to conceal yourself." He appraised her seriously, thinking to himself, Merlin's beard! If she only could have gone to her grandfather's for the holidays. But, no; he had to go on a fool's errand, and now I'm stuck babysitting this brat. Dumbledore knows this is important work, and yet he allows Luna to do whatever she wishes, simply because she is a lunatic! Breathe, Severus. She's a child, albeit a bizarre on...

Aloud, he said, "You may be able to use your eccentricities to our benefit after all, come to think of it. Who would take such an obviously unstable person as yourself to be a spy for the Order? Very well; you may stay here until I come for you. But, and I repeat, you must not tell anyone about the Wizarding world, or you will jeopardize all that we have done for your boyfriend. Understood?"

The girl nodded, and wished him a Merry Christmas. With a swish of his cape, Professor Snape strode off down the street, thinking, That will take her off my hands for a few hours, so that I can meet with the Dark Lord. I will not be able to keep up this charade much longer if I have to keep Luna safe as well.

The girl smiled mysteriously to herself. "Okay, Harry. You can take off the Invisibility Cloak now."

A boy with shaggy black hair and green eyes which hid behind glasses offered his arm to the fair Luna. "After you, milady," he teased. Harry flattened his hair over the scar on his forehead, and held open the door for her.

Luna smiled and placed a kiss upon his cheek. "Now, tell me again about this American wizard... Disney was his name?"

Harry blushed, touching his cheek. Then he chuckled, "Hmm? No, he's a Muggle, Luna. He was a brilliant artist and a great thinker if ever there was one."

As the door closed behind the couple, Luna was heard to say, in a pitying voice, "Sweet Harry; that's okay. You were raised Muggle..."

Luna smiled, for Harry was acting like a child for the first time she had ever seen him. She was quite happy that her plan worked. He never had a normal childhood, and with his teen years came the knowledge that he was the savior of the wizarding world. Luna was happy that for one night, at least, the weight of the world did not rest heavily upon his thin shoulders. It was the one present that she could give him: a happy Christmas.

Luna spied a very intriguing fellow nearby. "Harry, is he a wizard?"

Harry mumbled vaguely, "He's a pirate, Luna." Of course, she did not realize that he was joking. His attention was drawn to the rough-looking types in the corner who looked as if they were plotting something terrible.

Luna squealed with joy, clasping her hands together. "Oh, good! I've never met a pirate before, though I have read about them in the Quibbler. Daddy would be so pleased that I have the opportunity to observe one up close." She approached the pirate, dragging Harry along by the arm, and stuck out her hand. "Luna Lovegood."

Luna and Harry made themselves cozy by the fire, with hot chocolate to warm their hands. Luna giggles. "Poor Professor Snape, he really should have come. I think he'd get on well with the other guests. I do worry about the man. He should not spend the holidays alone, Harry. What he needs... is a present!!! Yes, I'll ask Tinkerbelle for some pixie dust. That would be splendid!"

Harry muttered, "Um, Luna, I think it works like with the Patronus; you need a happy thought. Unless it involves me cleaning the lavatories with my toothbrush, I don't think he has many happy thoughts."

She grabbed his arm. "Then we will have to make some for him! I know; how about a puppy?"

Harry groaned, "You do know about Sirius, right?"

Toward the end of the night, Luna started singing, "Weasley Is Our King".

Harry nudged her, "It's Christmas. Shouldn't you be singing something a bit more, oh, I don't know, Christmassy?"

Luna thought for a moment, and then smiled broadly. She started singing again, and Harry relaxed. "Jingle Bells... now that's a bit more like it!" he commented.

"Jingle Bells, Malfoy smells..." she sang at the top of her voice.

Harry loudly announced, "Alright, no more butterbeer for you!"

Luna pouted, "But I wasn't finished!"

Harry responded, "Remind me to have a word with Ron when we get back to Hogwarts." He dragged Luna over to the tree, and started singing, "O Christmas Tree."

Luna put out her hand for a fairy to land upon so that she could talk to her. "You are ever so much nicer than your cousins! Those Cornish pixies are rather tiresome. Would you like some butterbeer? Or maybe some fairy wine?" She poured out a little milk and honey into a thimble that she withdrew from her satchel, and offered it to the fairy. With a smile, the fairy flew back up to the top of the tree, where it returned to its lofty pose.

Harry and Luna had a wonderful time at the party, but, alas, all good things must come to an end. Professor Snape arrived with his typical sneer in place. Harry quickly ducked under his Invisibility Cloak, and watched as the potions master took large strides across the room. "Miss Lovegood; are you quite ready to leave? You don't want to miss your... flight."

Luna replied innocently, "Silly Severus! I cannot fly, as you very well know!"

Looking around the room, Snape harrumphed, "Of course not, Miss Lovegood. I'm just having a little... fun." He paused to glare in the invisible Harry's direction. "Don't call me Severus! Respect your elders."

"Sorry, Professor." She continued absentmindedly as they walked toward the door, "I haven't brought my broomstick with me. And of course I cannot Apparate yet... Ooh! Did you bring me a thestral?" She exclaimed excitedly, clapping her hands together with glee. "Harry was wrong, you know. You're not that much of a curmudgeonly Grinch after all." Luna thought that she was being nice when she said, "And your hair isn't that greasy... I think a hawk-like nose adds a bit of character, don't you?"

Harry knew that the Potions Master did not agree with her critique. Snape whisked her away before she could say good bye, with Harry following behind. Just as they reached the door, Luna stopped him. "Stick out your hand," she commanded.

"Miss Lovegood," Snape responded, in a long-suffering manner," I don't have time for childish games."

"I just wanted to give you your present, is all," Luna remarked sadly.

For a moment the old Grinch felt a pang of pity for the girl. "Oh, very well," he replied brusquely, "If you wish. What is it?" He asked in spite of himself, A present, for me? No student has ever given me a present before.

Luna reached into the little velvet pouch, and threw some sparkly substance onto him, yelling, "PIXIE DUST!!!"

The last thing the party guests could hear were startled cries of "LUNA!!!!" as he floated down the street, with Luna and Harry chasing after him.