My Weaslebee xxx Fred Weasley

Christmas gifts

We got back to Grimlauld Place a week ago and since then the main thing all of us have done is worry about Mr Weasley. Hermione came back from her skiing trip early but she said she didn't mind because she was terrible at it. Mr Weasley is in St Mungo's hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries healing up, he got quite a few nasty cuts on his shoulders and face but he should be coming back tomorrow, on Christmas. I have Ginny sleeping in my room so I can keep her calm about everything and to make sure she doesn't worry too much, also because Dad found out about Fred sleeping in my room with me over the summer and said Fred wasn't allowed to sleep in my room with me anymore.

On Christmas day I woke up anyone who wasn't already awake (Hermione and Harry,) I had woken up late so Mrs Weasley had already gone to get Mr Weasley. I slumped downstairs in my Christmas pj's  into the kitchen and saw most of the Weasley children awake and eating breakfast silently. I walked to the already boiled kettle and made myself a cup of tea. I looked around and no one had cheerful faces. "Cheer up guys it's Christmas." I said happily and just got a load of glared in return. I stood up and walked back to the stairs. "Well sorry for trying to be festive." I grumbled as I stomped back up the stairs to my room.

I was sitting on my bed fiddling with my necklaces when I heard a small knock on my door. "Go away Fred." I said absent minded. The person at the door walked in but I still didn't look up. "Unless I've gotten 15 years younger and have grown red hair, I don't think I'm Fred." I heard Dad say jokingly. I looked up to see him with a cheeky grin on his face.
"Sorry Dad." I said and he walked over to sit next to me, he put his arm around my shoulder and gave me a side hug. "Merry Christmas Dad." I said.
"Merry Christmas Puppy." He replied using my nickname I've had since birth. "It feels great to finally be able to spend Christmas together." He continued gently. I nodded my head. " I have your present id you want it."
"Yeah." I said nodding my head vigorously. "I have yours too." I got up and took his present out of my desk draw as he pulled my present out of his jacket, I crossed the room and sat back down next to him. "Open mine first." I said handing him his gift, he chuckled and accepted my gift. Slowly he tore off the wrapping paper to reveal a silver photo frame and it's photo inside. "Puppy how did you get this?" He asked in astonishment.

"Remus gave it to me when I was 8, I've cherished it ever since but I thought you deserved to have it." I said softly and watched him smile as he stared at the last photo taken of the Marauders Family. From the left to right there was: Peter, Lily holding 1 year old Harry, James, Dad, Mum holding 3 year old me, Remus. We were all smiling and laughing like nothing bad would happen. But bad things did happen. A month after it was taken I watched my mother be killed before me, two months after it was taken James and Lily died. So many bad things happened. Dad cleared his throat as he returned from his trip down memory lane. "Thank you so much Annabelle, here's yours." He said as he handed me my gift. It was slightly heavy and was quite thick, I carefully unwrapped it and I then held a small book with the title "Our Family" written in a delicate handwriting similar to my own. I opened the book and quickly realized it was a scrapbook of pictures and memories of the Marauder's times after Hogwarts, there were pictures of all of them hanging out, Dad proposing to Mum, James proposing to Lily, each of their weddings, them moving into into Godric's Hollow, Mum finding out she's pregnant with me, loads of muggle ultra-sounds with small paragraph for each of them about how excited Mum was to have me, the day I was born included my full name, dated of birth, weight, god parents etc. I continued to flip through all the photos of me growing up and the messy pictures I drew, then pictures of me with Harry and finally one's taken a few months before all the bad stuff happened. I was almost in tears as I turned the last double page and saw on the left a photo of Mum laughing by a lake with the caption: "Carla, 7th year", on the right was a photo of me laughing that was taken shortly before I left for Hogwarts this year with the caption: "Annabelle, 7th year". My eyes flicked between the two photos and I saw how much I resembled her, the way she looks when she laughs, her smile, the way her nose crinkles like mine does. I looked at the writing that was on the page written by Dad.

Dear Annabelle,
Your mother stuck this photo of her here in hopes she would be able to stick one in of you in your 7th year, I remembered how happy and excited she was to watch you grow and become the beautiful woman you are today and how she wanted to document any resemblance between you two so I added your photo. You look so much like her and remind me of her in every way, from your laugh and wits to your sensitivity and brains. If she could see you now she would be so proud of the young woman you have grown to be. I am so proud of you and all your accomplishments, although you are growing up you will still be my Puppy, my little baby girl and I will always love you.
Your father
Sirius Black x

Tears ran silently down my cheeks as I read Dad's message and I would have to wipe them away every now and then to read it. When I finished I just stared at the photo of Mum and let my fingers glide across it. "Do you miss her?" I asked Dad quietly through tears. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into him. "Everyday." We sat there in each other's embrace until we heard a knock at the door. "Come in." I called and a tall red head walked in sheepishly."Thank you for your gift sweetheart, I best leave you two to talk." Dad said as he stood up from my bed and walked away.

Fred came and sat next to me. "Look, Anna, I'm sorry about earlier, we were all just worried about dad and-" Fred started but I cut him off. 

"It's fine Fred, honestly." I crawled over to him and sat in his lap, he put his arms around me and held me there, resting our foreheads on each other, as we listened to the kids outside having snowball fights. George apparated into the quiet room causing me to scream and jump our of Fred's lap. "Dad's back he's downstairs. Christmas dinner is starting so I suggest you two get your butts downstairs." George said excitedly like a little kid then apparated back downstairs. I told Fred I'd meet him downstairs after I got changed, I wore a pink blouse with a maroon jumper over the top, I slid a pair of jeans on and stuffed my feet into my fluffy boots. I apparated to the stairs above the kitchen so I don't intrude on anything or scare the living daylights out of Mrs Weasley. I casually strolled down the stairs and walked into the dining room as everyone was opening gifts and was followed shortly by Harry. "Oh Annabelle, Harry. There you are." Mrs Weasley said as she rushed over with our gifts. She handed me mine and gave me a motherly hug then gave Harry his. I walked over to Ginny and she gave me a glass of juice. "Toast!" Mr Weasley called and we all raised our glasses. "To Mr Harry Potter and Miss Annabelle Black without whom I would not be here." He looked to us thankfully then raised his glass further. "To Harry and Annabelle." Everyone echoed. I smiled and joined in with the dinner.

When it was the day for us all to go back, I was already packed and was staring at the picture of Mum again. I was running my fingers over it and noticed both the right corners were slightly upturned, I carefully lifted them making sure I don't damage the picture. I tilted my head so I saw a message written beneath it, written in a delicate script.

To my dearest Annabelle,
If I am not there with you when you read this and I have passed on I want you to know that I love you so very much and that no matter what I will always be there for you even if I'm not there physically. The Dark forces are rising and we are in danger but I know you will survive because you're my little warrior. I hope you know that whatever you do, whoever you become, I will always be proud of you and I would do anything to be there for you.
With love from all my heart
Mother xxx

Fresh tears came as I read through the note. I carefully returned the picture to it's original position and closed the book, I placed it in my trunk and closed the lid. "Annabelle we have to go!" Mrs Weasley called up the stairs."Coming Mrs Weasley!" I called back. I grabbed my trunk and apparated downstairs, I appeared behind Mrs Weasley causing her to jump out of her skin. "Blimey, you almost gave me a heart attack." She laughed along with everyone else. She called our names out to check we were all there and found we were missing Harry. "He's probably saying goodbye to Dad. I'll go find him." I said walking down the hall.

I found them in a room opposite the stairs that had the Black family tree painted on the walls inside it, they were talking so I gently knocked on the door frame. "Harry, time to go." I said, they both turned to me and started to walk over.
"When all of this is over we'll be a proper family, you'll see." Dad said to Harry and gave him a fatherly hug. Harry nodded and walked out of the room. Dad hugged me and said goodbye. Soon enough we were on the train back to Hogwarts.