❛Reminiscence❜ ─ Harry Potter Oneshots

♦ The Cheer of Christmas

Preface:
This is a Harry Potter AU one-shot written as a Christmas special for the year 2022.

"The cheer of Christmas is to make your loved ones smile."

The twenty-fifth of December came once in a year and with it brought the jovial atmosphere of Christmas. Tiny snowflakes were falling from the sky with a gentle pace and icicles hung from the roofs and overhead pipes of houses. A bubble of charter surrounded Godric's Hollow as the residents pumped up their preparations for the annual Christmas party.

Remus Lupin, however, was in no mood to celebrate the festival. You-Know-Who, the Dark Lord was reigning over the Wizarding World had set a curse on his two best friends, James and Lily, and they were slowly inching towards their death after four years of misery. Sirius, the one who he thought was guilty of murdering his traitorous 'friend' Peter, was now in Azkaban for no mistake of his own other than fury. Merlin knows where Peter was, not that he cared.

Precisely nine months and forty days were left for James and Lily. They were impacted mentally and would often suffer memory loss. Other than that, they were growing extremely weak. The Healers who visited their house stated that since the curse was affecting the brain, it was affecting the nerves as well. After the set time period, their curse will completely eat them up but at least they would be freed from the suffering of being unable to even step outside their house. Then again, there was their little son, Harry. He was just one year old!

James definitely did not like being tied to the bed all day long, and to top that, without his best mate, Sirius. Lily was worried sick for Harry's future and Remus had to admit it, even he was really concerned. After all, he was but a werewolf and where would Harry go when it was full moon? Remus had no relatives and Harry's only relatives would be his maternal aunt and uncle who explicitly did not fancy meeting wizards, let alone taking care of one.

Harry was a wizard. Remus knew it. Without having to turn seven, he could just make out the magic in the little boy, bubbling to burst at any moment.

"Moony," James had summoned him that Christmas. "We want you to swear that you will celebrate next Christmas with Harry."

Remus had shook his head, pleaded to not make him promise on such a damaging event, and even begged to not be pessimistic but deep down, he knew that they had to go.

The Christmas came and went in a flurry and soon, Remus was facing the graves of James and Lily. Five more days for Christmas to arrive and there was nothing special set up in his small and thatched house. Harry was staying with him either in his house or at Potter Cottage with the elves. James had insisted on getting two elves to take care of both Remus and Harry when he was alive. They were now named as Candy and Cane. During the full moons, Remus would let the elves take care of baby Harry.

"Awen't we celebwating Chwistmas, Moony?" Harry asked when Remus entered his small house.

"I'm sorry, Harry, but no," Remus replied. He was about to resort to his room, trusting the now eight-year old Harry to look after himself, when he caught a strange glint in the young boy's eye. This seemed like the one which James would have when planning a prank. Remus had to make sure Harry was not going to do anything reckless and injure himself. "And don't ever think of doing anything hazardous, okay?" Harry smiled innocently and Remus was forced to take it as his word.

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That night, Harry creeped down to the fireplace. He was going to retrieve the small tree from the Potter Cottage. "Candy, Cane," he whispered. A crack of Apparition heard and two wide-eyed and curious house elves were standing in front of him.