Not So Great Aunty Muriel's Christmas
Charlie, Fred and George were grumbling darkly when they came to school on their last day of lessons before they got a few weeks off for Christmas.
‘What’s the matter with you lot?’ asked Felicity.
‘We’re about to have a fortnight off,’ agreed Cedric, ‘no homework, Christmas.’
‘My Daddy says it might even snow on Christmas day,’ said Felicity excitedly.
‘Mums just told us that are Great Aunty Muriel is coming for Christmas,’ sighed Charlie.
‘Great, Great Aunty Muriel,’ corrected Percy.
‘Shut up Percy!’ shouted Fred and George.
‘She’s really evil,’ said Fred.
‘And she hates Dad,’ said George.
‘She’s not that bad,’ said Percy shrugging.
‘Well why don’t you go and live with her then?’ asked Charlie.
‘Ignore them Perc,’ said Stefan rolling his eyes.
‘Christmas won’t be too bad,’ said Stefan, ‘we’re all coming too.’
‘Just wait till next week,’ said Charlie raising his eyebrows, ‘then you’ll know what we’re going on about.’
Christmas morning came, and it had indeed snowed.
‘Daddy!’ called Ophelia jumping to try and look out her bedroom window.
‘Good morning princess,’ said Remus picking her up.
‘What’s that?’ she asked pointing out the window.
‘That’s snow,’ he explained.
‘Where’s Flopsy and Cotton Tail?’
The rabbit hutch had been covered by a thin layer of snow, so Ophelia couldn’t see the rabbit house.
‘Why don’t we go and check on them?’ asked Remus putting her down.
They both pulled cloaks and wellie boots on over their pyjamas, and walked into the garden to check on the rabbits. At first Ophelia thought that Flopsy had disappeared, as Flopsy was just as white as the snow. But Remus soon found them, they were trying to eat the snow in their hutch.
‘Hello Cotton Tail,’ said Ophelia picking up one of her rabbits, ‘Merry Christmas.’
‘Merry Christmas princess,’ said Remus kissing her on top of the head.
Ophelia helped Remus feed and change the rabbits, and left the rabbits to play in their hutch.
‘There you two are,’ said Hope as Remus and Ophelia came in from the garden.
‘We were about to send out a search party,’ said Lyall.
‘Ha bloody ha,’ muttered Remus.
‘Can we open presents now?’ asked Harry.
‘Off you go,’ said Hope.
Harry and Stefan grinned at each other before diving on the presents. They would be getting their presents from the Weaselys later, but they were opening all the others now.
Harry had gotten lots of toys, and a Chudley Cannons jumper and four tickets for the next match so he could go with Ron, Lyall and Mr Weasley.
Ophelia had a large stack of books growing next to her, and a wolf cuddly toy as she kept on missing her Daddy during the full moons.
‘Now darling,’ said Remus, ‘this is Moony.’
‘Daddy being Moony?’ asked Ophelia inclining her head.
‘Yes little one, when Daddy’s being Moony in the garden, this Moony will keep you company.’
‘But what about the rest of the time?’ asked Harry.
‘Then you can cuddle up with Daddy and Moony!’ said Remus pulling Ophelia and the wolf onto his lap.
Stefan also had a lot of books, but the biggest books were at the bottom of the pile. Stefan had been excited about starting Hogwarts soon, so excited that he kept on trying to borrow Remus’ and Lyall’s old schoolbooks.
At the bottom of the pile of presents was a large parcel with a note attached.
‘Dear Stefan,
I’m looking after the publishing business for you but can’t wait to see the young man you grow up into and take over here.
Merry Christmas!
Your parents would be so proud of you,
Love Uncle Mike
Mr McKinnon’s best friend Mike Rolland had been looking after the McKinnon’s publishing company since the McKinnon’s had died two years ago, but Stefan was going to take over when he graduated Hogwarts.
Stefan beamed and Lyall helped him open the packing case.
There was a second note on top which read, “Thank you for doing business with McKinnon Publishers.”
Stefan breathed in amazement as he took the first brand new leatherbound book out with the box.
‘Hogwarts a History,’ he beamed placing it next to him.
Stefan soon had a huge tower of all the books he needed for the next year including A History of Magic and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Mike had also sent a few extra books that he knew Stefan would like including the new Merlin and Morgana book which had only just out.
‘Are you going to read all those?’ asked Harry astounded.
‘Of course,’ said Stefan who had already opened Hogwarts a History.
‘You don’t even start school for nine months,’ laughed Hope.
‘I think he’s trying to memorise them all,’ stage whispered Remus.
‘My perfect Ravenclaw!’ beamed Lyall giving Stefan a tight hug.
‘You’re choking me,’ gasped Stefan.
‘I’m so proud of you,’ said Lyall loosening his grip and bursting into tears.
‘He hasn’t even been sorted yet Da,’ chuckled Remus.
‘You don’t even know how long I’ve waited Remi,’ said Lyall.
‘He’s mad,’ said Stefan shaking his head as he got his book back out, ‘completely mad.’
‘Book?’ asked Ophelia.
‘Do you want one of your new one’s sweetheart?’ asked Remus.
‘Uncle Stefan’s book,’ said Ophelia.
‘Ah so you want me to read to you?’ asked Stefan.
‘Come here then,’ he said patting a space next to him on the sofa.
Ophelia beamed and sat down next to Stefan on the sofa.
Stefan cleared his throat and started to read.
‘A thousand years ago, there was no magical school in the whole of Britain, and young witches and wizards learnt at home.’
Stefan read to everyone before they all went to the Weasley’s for lunch. They walked through the snow to the other side of the village to The Burrow.
Fred, George, Ron, Bill and Charlie were having a snowball fight in the garden. They had had to be polite to their aunt Muriel all day since she arrived at half past six in the morning.
‘Merry Christmas boys,’ chuckled Lyall as a snowball splattered itself all over his cloak, and he shook the snow away.
‘Merry Christmas Mr Lupin,’ said Percy who was sitting on the fence.
‘Hey Frodo,’ said Stefan.
‘Hi Aragorn,’ beamed Percy.
Percy hopped off the garden fence, and Percy and Stefan touched each other’s necklaces so the acorn and the ring met. It was a sign of their friendship, and that they’d always be best friends and of course fans of Lord of the Rings.
‘We should probably head in then,’ said Bill eyeing the house ominously.
‘Do we have to?’ asked Fred and George.
‘Yes,’ said Hope as she started to usher the children inside.
An elderly witch was sitting in the armchair which was usually Mr Weasley’s in the sitting room, and seemed to be criticising everything and anything.
‘Are you sure her eyes aren’t too close together?’ asked Muriel eyeing Ginny and pulling Ginny’s face in her direction.
Ginny’s lip began to tremble like she was about to cry.
‘She’s fine Aunty,’ sighed Mrs Weasley.
‘She’s two!’ shouted Mr Weasley exasperated.
Ginny finally burst into tears, and Ophelia ran over to hug her friend.
‘I love you too Ophelia,’ sniffled Ginny.
‘Remus,’ beamed Mr Weasley glad to not have a reason to talk to Muriel.
‘Merry Christmas Molly, Arthur,’ said Remus shaking their hands.
‘Merry Christmas indeed,’ laughed Mr Weasley.
‘Who are you?’ snapped Muriel.
‘Oh Aunty,’ said Mrs Weasley flustered, ‘these are the Lupins. Hope and Lyall, their son Remus, and of course the children Stefan, Harry and Ophelia.’
‘Where’s their mother?’ said Muriel peering down her spectacles at them.
‘Not here,’ said Stefan through gritted teeth.
‘Don’t you take that tone with me young man,’ said Muriel raising her eyebrows.
‘This is Stefan McKinnon,’ said Mr Weasley emphasising the last name, ‘Remus was married to their daughter Marlene.’
‘Oh yes,’ said Muriel rubbing her hands excitedly, ‘weren’t they tortured and then killed by the deatheaters.’
Stefan had gone paperwhite, and Percy squeezed Stefan’s hand.
‘Yes they were,’ snapped Lyall trying to keep his temper, ‘they also killed my daughter in law and Ophelia’s mother.’
Muriel ignored this comment, and was now staring at Harry who was playing with Ron on the floor.
‘Harry Potter!’ she exclaimed her eyes wide in astonishment.
‘Hello,’ gulped Harry looking at the old witch staring at him.
‘So you really do have the scar then?’ she muttered under her breath.
‘Lunch is ready!’ called Mrs Weasley leading her aunt from the room.
‘Sorry,’ she muttered to the Lupin’s on the way out of the room.
Lunch didn’t go to badly, Muriel kept on saying that she couldn’t understand Hope and Lyall, and kept on asking them very slowly to please speak English. By the end of lunch, Lyall’s temper was beginning to boil over.
Mrs Weasley gave everyone their jumpers, which they all pulled on cheerfully, Ophelia’s was purple with a white O. All of them that is, apart from Muriel, who had been given a dark green jumper with a gold M.
‘Molly what is this?’ asked Muriel holding the offending garment away from her.
‘It looks like a yak has vomited on it.’
Mrs Weasley bit her lip so that she wouldn’t cry, and Mr Weasley squeezed her shoulder.
Then Muriel handed out her presents, including one for Mrs Weasley which was a book called The Witches Guide to Finding the Perfect Husband.
Mr Weasley glared at the book, but Mrs Weasley took a steadying breath, and looked up at her great aunt.
‘Thank you for the book Aunty, but I already have a husband. I’ll keep it for Ginny.’
‘Hmmm,’ muttered Muriel looking severely unimpressed.
Finally Muriel decided to go home, and Mrs Weasley half collapsed into a chair in the sitting room.
‘I don’t know how you do it Molls,’ said Mr Weasley patting her hand affectionately.
‘I’m sorry I had to put you through all that,’ said Mrs Weasley wiping tears from her eyes, ‘I hope we haven’t scared you away.’
‘Molly,’ said Lyall, ‘we’re Lupins, we’re made of stronger stuff.’
‘You’re going to have try a lot harder to scare us away,’ agreed Stefan.