Yuletide Givings
The next few days went by too quickly. Holly wanted to keep soaking up all the warmth the Davis’ had to offer her, but before she knew it, it was Christmas morning. She rose early, like always, picking a set of robes from the box of hand-me-downs. It was like a simple long dress with a sewn-in cloak and matching brimmed pointy hat - white, with green and red plaid. It had a belt with a pouch for your things, as it had no pockets, and a skirt hike that she made ready use of. She was particularly proud of herself when she managed to tie her hair into two, mostly neat low pigtails and sit her had on her head without it falling over her face.
She caught up with Tracey in the hall on their way downstairs. Tracey’s dress was a silvery crushed velvet, with puffed sleeves and little ribbons tied in bows all over it. She had a dark green robe and matching hat in her hands, for later. “You look so cute!” Tracey told her, playfully.
Holly scowled a little, feeling heat rush to her cheeks. “Shut up!” She muttered.
Tracey laughed. “Okay, sorry. But that dress really does look nice on you, Holly.”
Holly peered up at Tracey from under the brim of her hat. “You really think so?” She asked.
“I wouldn’t say something if I didn’t mean it, Holls.” Tracey promised. “Now come on, I wanna open presents!”
The pair of them made their way downstairs. The christmas tree was a modest one, a little shorter than Mrs. Davis, and decorated in popcorn strings and pinecones and woolen ornaments and actual candles, rather than string lights. Underneath it was a pile of presents so large that it would make spoiled Dudley throw a fit had he seen it. Even the Dursleys would not buy this many for him.
“Good Morning girls!” Chirped Mrs. Davis, from the loveseat by the fireplace. “Would you like anything to eat while we wait for your father?” She asked Tracey, holding out a tray of cookies.
“Nah, I’ll wait.” Said Tracey, sitting down in front of the tree, practically bouncing with excitement.
“How about you, Miss Holly? Would you like a cookie?” Holly was happy to take as many sweets as she was offered, so she plucked a few from the plate.
Just as she was sticking the first one in her mouth, though, there came a Tap. Tap. Tap. From the window behind the sofa Mrs. Davis was on. All three of them looked to see a distinctly familiar white owl, pecking at the glass.
“Oh,” murmured Mrs. Davis. She reached behind her to push open the window pane, letting the snow-white bird and several flakes of actual snow into the house. “Well hello there,” she said to Hedwig.
Hedwig flew inside, dropped two packages and a letter into Holly’s hands, stole a biscuit, and some shiney thing from the window sill, and flew off again.
“Was that a bird either of you know?” Mrs. Davis wondered, sounding wholly unbothered by it.
Holly nodded. “That was Hedwig, she’s Harry’s owl. I don’t really like birds much though, so she doesn’t usually stay long.” She explained.
Mrs. Davis nodded in understanding, but before much else could be said, there came a clap from behind them. Holly turned to find Mr. Davis rubbing his hands together looking just as thrilled for christmas as Holly. “Let’s get this party started!” He said, eagerly. “Where do you suggest we start?”
“I’d say with the packages the girls are already holding, dear,” Mrs. Davis said, nodding towards the small stack hedwig had brought on moments before.
Holly sat down next to Tracey and opened the note and read aloud:
Dear Miss Potter,
I used your brother’s owl as I have heard from Hagrid you are not the most fond of the creatures. I myself find them quite fascinating.
Enclosed is a package for you and Miss Davis sent from Mrs. Weasley in thanks for being a friend to her sons (the bigger), and a gift from your mother, that I have held onto until the right time, in hopes that it keeps you safe on all your future endeavors.
Yours,
Albus Dumbledore
Holly stared down at the letter for several long seconds before setting it aside and picking up the smaller of the two packages. She unwrapped it carefully, revealing a silver locket with a small moonstone carved in the shape of a lilly, inlaid onto a black onyx backing and framed in silver. When she opened it, she found two photos, one of her father and one of her mother - she knew because they looked just like Harry and her. Holly shut the locket and hung it around her neck. It felt too private, in a way… she only wanted to share her parents with Harry.
“Is that a lily I see?” Mrs. Davis asked, looking at the stones on the locket. “I never had the pleasure of meeting her, but I’m sure she would be very proud of you, my dear.”
Holly couldn’t think of what to say to that other than a whispered, “thank you”. She desperately wanted their attention off of her, and off of her mothers locket. “Here,” she said, awkwardly, “this ones for both of us.” she set the larger package on Tracey’s lap and let her open it.
“There’s a note! It says; thank you for keeping my ron in line. We look forward to meeting you, Mr. & Mrs. Weasley.” Tracey set the little card aside and unfurled the wrappings to reveal two massively oversized dark green knitted sweaters, one with a silver “T” on the chest, and one with an “H”. They were kind of ridiculous, but Holly liked them even more for it!
Holly was shocked to find the Davis’ had gotten her gifts. Like, multiple gifts. She had kind of thought that between giving her all those hand-me-downs and the little package Tracey had carried on the train with them that she knew was for her, that would be it. They had already given her food and opened their home to her, after all. That was more than she could ever have asked for, especially when she’d hardly done anything for them except maybe help with the dishes, since she'd been there.
They gave her clothes, and lots of them. None were as complete as the four sets of witching robes from the box, but they were all quite beautiful. There were two puffy, layered corduroy skirts with ruffles at the bottom and flowers embroidered along the hem. There were also four blouses - all of them white and lacey but no two the same, another few nightgowns and recognisable satin baggies like the ones Madam Malkin had picked out at the start of the year, there was a couple of pairs of frilly wool socks that Mr. Davis may have made, and a shawl that seemed to be woven out of every color in the rainbow that he said he found at the farmers market. Tracey got a matching one.
She was also given an ink and quill set that Mrs. Davis said would never need replacing or refilling, so long as she cared for it well. The quill was blown glass, milky lilac in color, but charmed to not ever break. The ink was a deep, deep purple that could pass as black in class, but if held up to the light, it would shine its true shade. Tracey got the same thing, but her set was a bright, barbie pink and she most definitely could not get away with writing with it in class. She seemed thrilled by it anyway.
Tracy got a whole new wardrobe, it seemed. Full of color and texture. Stuff Holly was sure Tracy would wear like it was *made* for her. Just like all their Slytherin classmates, who wore even more extravagant robes outside of class…
“We got some basics for Harry, as well. We’ll send them back with you.” Mrs. Davis told her. “Now, last gift, I think you’ll really like these…” She handed them each an identical box.
Holly opened hers to find a silver snake. When she reached down to touch it, it slithered up her arm and tied itself around her wrist, securing itself there by flicking the end of its tail into its mouth. Holly held her wrist out, turning it over in the light. The snake seemed to watch her with its emerald eyes. “It’s an Ouroboros.” She said, recognizing the symbol from one of her school books.
“Yes it is, Miss Holly. So you’ll always remember to keep growing and changing.” Said Mrs. Davis, with a wink.
“Thanks mom!” Tracey said, leaning up to hug her parents, who were now done opening their gifts and happily cuddling on the sofa with warm mugs of eggnog.
Finally, there were the gifts from their friends and Harry left to open.
They opened the ones from Hermione first - finding a shimmery pallet of paints that advertised a never ending ink supply similar to their quill sets, as well as the ability to be applied to anything with no added ingredients needed. It seemed like a gimmick, and maybe it was, but Tracey didn’t seem to care. She ran and grabbed her school boots and started painting little flowers and snakes. They showed up surprisingly well, and, to Holly’s amazement, they even shifted slightly as though Tracey had created a real medow.
Holly couldn’t resist taking a break to paint her boots as well. Holly painted a little star, and then another, and another. She connected some, left others. She even fit made one that shot across the sky from the back of one boot to the other. When there was no more space left, she laughed in delight at her work. “I think I’ve just done our astrology homework on my shoes!”
Tracey lagued along with her, holding up her own boots. “And I’ve done Herbology’s!” She concluded.
Ron had sent them each with chocolates, they discovered, happily.
That left Harry’s gift. Holly opened it with about as much care as a lion might have with its dinner, and found inside, a stash of dried flowers and herbs, all labeled with the seal of an apothecary that she recognized the name of from their ads in The Daily Prophet. “Ooh,” she murmured, “I can’t wait to read up on these.” She glanced back down at the package, finding a little figurine with a note tied to it that said “Tracey”. Holly passed it over, eager to see what it was.
Tracey peeled back the label, revealing a little Lucus the cat staring up at them. “Oh my gods, mom, dad, look! Its lulu!”
They spent the rest of the day just enjoying their treats and gifts and each others company, but when evening came, they all bundled up and headed out to go caroling. Holly loved every minute of it. She had never had a better holiday!