2011
“Ah hem,” 7-year-old James cleared his throat, “may I have your attention please?”
He stood up on one of the patio chairs, which was covered in snow, his boots being covered completely. His hands were on his hips and he made sure he was standing up straight to seem taller than he actually was.
“I would like to welcome you to this year's annual Snowman building competition.”
A cheer erupted from the crowd and James grinned, “alright, the rules are simple. Build a snowman and win.”
“Who will decide on the winner?” George shouts.
“Grandma,” the boy answers, pointing at Molly through the kitchen window.
“Not fair!” Ron protests, “We all know she has favourites!”
“That’s why I chose her,” James replied grinning, “now let’s get started!”
The boy jumped off the chair and ran over to his parents and siblings, already making a big snowball on the way. Albus and Teddy immediately went to help him and the three boys created the bottom part of the snowman in a matter of seconds. Ginny was already working on the snowball that was gonna be the head. Lily, however, had a different idea and jumped into the big ball of snow her brothers had just created as soon as they had placed it near her.
“DAD,” the boys and Ginny whine in unison, “make her stop.”
Harry laughed and picked up his daughter, brushing off the snow on her jacket, “come here Lils, let’s build our own little snowman.” Lily laughed, reaching for her father's glasses, unable to grab them like usual with her gloves on. Harry sat her down on the ground, making sure there was a great distance between her and the rest of their family before seating himself in front of her. He started forming small snowballs trying to show Lily how to do the same.
Only a few feet from them George and Angelina were ordering their 7 and 5-year-old children around.
“Okay, Freddie, listen closely,” Angelina started, “You and Roxy are gonna work on the bottom part of the snowman.”
Freddie nodded and immediately dragged his sister behind him finding a good place to start working on their part.
“Now, you,” she said pointing at George, “are gonna do the middle part.”
“Why? I wanted to do the head.”
“I don’t trust you working on the head.”
“That’s not what you said last night,” he whispered and winked at her.
Angelina just smacked him on the back of his head, “get to work, Weasley.”
Percy, Audrey, Molly and Lucy were quick to create a clear and working system that included the twins rolling up the snowballs, Audrey placing them on top of each other and Percy observing everything making sure it lines up perfectly. The four of them were done the fastest and started working on a second one by the time most of the other contestants had barely finished half of their snowman.
“You know, Perc,” Ron said as he passed the family, “this is about having fun and not about being done the fastest.”
“We are having fun!” The twins explained in response, smiling at their confused uncle.
As Ron walked back to his own family he mouthed ‘they are strange’ to Hermione who failed to hide a laugh in response. Hugo was currently in his mother's arms, placing a carrot on the snowman's head.
“Daddy look, nose!”
“Yes, Hugs. Well done!”
“Me did it,” the boy exclaimed joyfully, clapping his hands and wiggling in Hermione’s arms. Ron laughed at how proud his son was, even though the nose was slightly off-centre.
“You did such a good job, sweetheart,” Hermione said, holding him closer.
Meanwhile Rose was walking around the yard to ‘observe the competition’ as she had explained it. In reality, she was actually trying to sabotage the other teams by telling them what they could do better in order to make their snowmen look worse and her own better.
Ron observed his daughter's action and leaned over to whisper to his wife, “I’m slightly afraid she’s gonna be a Slytherin.”
“I think you should rethink the choice of hat, uncle Bill,” Rose stated, her arms crossed in front of her.
“And I think you should mind your own business, niece Rosie,” he remarked back.
Rose gave him a glare before strutting back to her own family.
Fleur chuckled at the exchange and went to straighten the hat on the snowman’s head.
“Maman, I am boooooored,” Victoire whined, laying on the ground.
“Me tooooo,” her sister chimed in, “can we go play with Lily?”
“Okay fine, but don’t do anything rude.”
“We would never!” The girls jumped up and ran over to Harry and Lily.
“What about you, Lou? Do you also want to leave?”
The boy shook his hand and reached for the carrot that had just fallen off their snowman. Fleur reached out a hand to accept Louis' help but instead watched him bite off a piece of the carrot.
Bill erupted into laughter before taking the carrot from his son and picking him up, “Louis, these are not for you to eat. You can ask grandma later. I am sure she will give you some that weren't intended to be snowman noses.”
Louis giggled and helped his father put the carrot on the snowman.
“Why does our snowman look like a unicorn?”
“Rosie, look nose,” Hugo explained excitedly to his sister.
“That’s not a nose,” Rose stated, crossing her arms.
“Rose, let him have this,” her father warned her.
“But it’s not a nose!”
“This is about having fun!”
“No, dad. This is about winning.”
Rose walked over to the snowman and repositioned the carrot on the snowman’s face.
“She really is your daughter,” Ron muttered to Hermione.
“I liked the unicorn better,” Charlie said as he walked up to the family.
“That’s because you have no taste,” Rose retorted.
“Oi, I built a dragon snowman. Don’t be mean to your favourite Uncle or it’ll blow fire at you.”
“Harry is my favourite uncle.”
“Ouch,” Charlie put his hand on his heart.
“But can I see your snowman dragon?” Rose asked shyly.
“Of course,” he responds, “it’s over there.” He pointed in the direction and Rose ran over to observe the creation.
“You lot gonna have a blast with her once she hits puberty,” Charlie chuckled at his youngest brother and sister-in-law.
“We are hoping she’ll grow out of her ‘too honest’ phase before she goes to Hogwarts,” Ron muttered back.
“Alright everyone,” James stood up on the chair again, “I think it is time for grandma to choose the winner. Please don’t be sad if you lose.”
Molly made her way around the yard and observed each snowman with careful eyes. James and Rose didn’t leave her side once, making sure to comment on everything in hopes it would influence their grandma.
‘We were only supposed to build one.’
‘The nose is half eaten and the hat is ugly.’
‘That one doesn’t even have hands.”
‘The goal was to make a snowman, not a dragon.’
However, their commentary didn’t seem to work on Molly. Raising 7 children will make you immune to their nagging little voices
“I think I have made my decision,” she said suddenly.
The kids all ran closer to her and the adults watched from behind their children.
“The winner is…
Lily.”
“WOT?”
“SHE WASN’T EVEN PART OF THE COMPETITION!”
“THAT’S NOT FAIR!”
“Oh, but look at her building her little snowman. She’s just so cute! How could you not make her the winner?”
“Favouritism,” Ron coughed loudly.
“Oi, my daughter did great,” Harry complained from the place he was still sitting with Lily.
Ron turned around, “I never said she -,” but before he could finish his sentence he was hit in the face by a snowball. Everyone started laughing as Ron wiped the snow off of his face.
“You’re on, Potter!”
He formed his own snowball and shot it right back at Harry. This action unleashed a wave of snowballs being thrown and laughter being shared.
In the end, it didn’t even matter who had won because everyone had forgotten about the competition, except of course Lily, who would make sure to brag about it every following year.