Short Stories and Oneshots

T'Was the Night Before Christmas

Author: GenkaiFan

Platform: Fanfiction.net

Type: Harry Potter

Arabella Figg decides to forward five year old Harry's Christmas letter. AU.

~

T'was three weeks before Christmas, Arabella Figg watched the snow fall outside her home. Behind her, sitting at the kitchen table was a young lad of about five years of age. He was busy trying to write a letter to St. Nicholas.

He had asked her a couple of times how to spell a word that was beyond his scope of knowledge. It was breaking her heart as she listened to him asking for things that could never be. What he was asking for was something every child should have, love.

'Damn that Albus anyways. The child needs to be with people that love and care for him, instead of those damn Muggles,' she thought for the umpteenth time. She had sent report after report to Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts and the child's supposedly magical guardian. However, he dismissed her claims of neglect each and every time.

"I'm done, Mrs. Figg. Can you send it now?" the boy asked, holding up the letter.

"Well, let's see it then," she said with a smile. She had been babysitting young Harry while his relatives were out doing shopping and taking in the Christmas celebrations. Adjusting her specs, she started to read.

"Dear St. Nicholas, i am Harry and i am 5. i know I am not allowed to ask for any thing for Christmas. my Ant and Uncle says I havin bin good. i have been good honest. I don't want much. I would like a bike but I know I wont get it. What I really want is new parents. Mine died in a car accident my Ant says. That's why I got a scar. I want someone to love me and take care of me and not leve me alone so they can do stuff. So I don't have to do choresall the time n they will be proud of me when I do good in spelling. Or hug me when I get picked on for being a freak.

Well that's all. I guess you aren't coming again this year as well, huh?

Harry Potter."

Arabella dabbed her eyes with her napkin. She smiled at the misspelt words and poor grammar, but the letter was from the heart.

"Is it good?" Harry asked, nervously. "You'll send it for me? You won't tell Aunt 'Tunia and Uncle Ver'on?"

"Of course, Harry. I will send it. It'll be our secret," she promised, giving him a hug.

Later when Harry returned to his relatives, Arabella stood thinking about Harry's letter. Anything that the boy got from his so called relatives was broken and used while they spoiled their own son outrageously. So giving him his wish would only result in having it taken away from him and given to Dudley to be destroyed.

'Albus, how could you allow this child to grow up with these people?' she asked herself yet again. She knew that they didn't physically abuse Harry, but they were neglecting him, mentally and emotionally and despite evidence to the contrary, Albus continued to brush off her concerns. Well, maybe this Christmas will be different! She marched to her writing desk, pulled out a special envelope and quickly addressed it.

~~

T'was the day before Christmas and all of the houses of Privet Drive had an eerily pristine look in the new fallen snow. Arabella answered a knock on her door. She opened it to reveal an elderly gentleman.

"Arabella Figg?"

"Yes, how may I help you?"

The gentleman held up a crumpled letter written in a child's scrawl.