The Perfect Gift
A big sigh escapes the lips of James Sirius Potter as he looks around him. He's surrounded by shreds of paper, his scissors and tape balancing on top of a stack of schoolbooks. His pygmy puff, Arnie. is jumping around him in circles, squeaking as it's asking for his attention. James extends his hand out to Arnie and he jumps into it. He places the little Pygmy puff on his shoulder as it now softly squeaks in his ear, satisfied. James had named the Pygmy puff that was given by his mother to him earlier in the school year, after the one she had in her time at Hogwarts. Ginny Weasley once had a purple Pygmy puff called Arnold. Ever since James was little he had absolutely loved the creature. He always asked his mother to tell him stories about Arnold. She had told him all about the little creature. She had been incredibly fond of the little ball of fluff and used to carry him everywhere she went. Ever since then he had been asking for his own. She promised that one day he'd get on. So when he finally laid eyes on his own little ball of fluff, he was the happiest boy on Platform 9 3/4, there was no doubt about that.
'What do you think?' James says as he holds up one of the presents he had just wrapped for Arnie to see. 'I must say, for someone that can't wrap presents at all, this one turned out pretty decent.'
Arnie lets out a squeak and James gasps.
'Are you telling me you don't think this looks good?' he side eyes the little creature and then looks back at the gift. 'You're right, it looks like absolute shit.'
His door is being thrown open and Lily barges in. 'James!' she calls out but stops in her track as she sees the stack of presents on the floor.
'Out, Lily Luna Potter!' he yells at her.
She looks at him with a grin on her face, one he knows all too well. One every single Potter sibling knows too well. The smile of someone that's about to do something they're not supposed to do.
'Don't you dare,' James points his finger at her, narrowing his eyes. 'I put a lot of efforts into these presents and you're not going to ruin it for me, you little dragon. Now leave your favorite brother alone.'
Lily sighs dramatically as she rolls her eyes. She spins around on her heels, throwing her head back as she walks out of the room again. James groans as she leaves the door open and he reaches for his wand that's under a pile of cut up wrapping paper. With just a swish of his wand he closes the door and turns his attention back to the pile of presents he still has to wrap. Arnie lets out a little squeak.
'I think you're right Arnie,' James mumbles. 'We're going to be up all night long.'
The squeaking of the door wakes James from his slumber. He looks around his room, the faint glow of his wand still lighting up all the cut up wrapping paper, the tape still in his hand. A pile of badly wrapped up presents on his left side and an even bigger pile with unwrapped presents on the other side. He hears a tiny squeaks as he feels Arnie lay on his cheek. He carefully grabs the small pygmy puff, setting him on the stack of schoolbooks. He scrambles up from the floor, a piece of wrapping paper sticking to his face. He sees Albus standing in the door opening as he looks down at his big brother. His glasses reflect the light of his own lit up wand.
'I just woke up and saw light coming from underneath your door and just wanted- I just wanted to check on you and- Are you okay?' Albus asks, uncertain if he should even be here, standing in his brother's room. He's wringing his hands as he always does when he's nervous and a nervous smile plastered to his face.
'Yes. I'm fine,' James says as he grabs the piece of paper that was stuck to his face. 'I must have dozed off but I'm fine. Thank you, Albus.'
His little brother flashes him a smile, wanting to turn around and leave the room.
'Hey Albus,' he calls him back. 'Would you- Do you want to help me wrap these presents? I'm absolutely terrible at this and honestly, Arnie isn't a great help either.'
He gestures towards the pink pygmy puff that had been asleep on top of James' head and is now continuing his slumber. Albus shuffles his feet, as if he's not certain what to answer to it and for a moment James thinks he's going to decline his offer and leave the room.
James and Albus had never been really close as brothers, but these last few weeks they had hardly spoken. Albus has the tendency to shut out everyone in his family and around him. Scorpius has been the only one that has been able to break down the walls he has put up around himself. James admires the blonde Slytherin for the patience he has with his little brother and the kindness he has in his heart that makes it easier for people to open up around him, if they give him a chance.
To James' surprise Albus closes the door before walking over to the spot on the floor that James is sitting. He lets himself fall down, crossing his legs as he looks at the pile of already wrapped presents.
'Yeah,' James coughs. 'They eh- I really tried.'
Albus smiles softly at James as he grabs a pair of scissors, ready to get to work.
They start wrapping the presents in silence. James eyeing Albus from time to time. A small smile on his lips as his brown eyes following every movement of his fingers as he beautifully wraps a gift for Lily.
'You sure are much better at this than me,' James says as he nods at the wrapped gift Albus puts down next to him.
'It's not that hard actually,' Albus says as he cuts off another big piece of wrapping paper. 'I'll show you how to do it the easiest way. Mom taught me this when I had to wrap Scorpius' birthday present.'
James looks at Albus as he grabs one of the presents. He looks at the title and then back up at James, shock and disbelief in his eyes.
'A book about Magical Creatures by Newt Scamander?'
James smiles at him. 'I know how much you love Magical Creatures and how fond you are of Newt Scamander.'
'But this one costs a fortune,' Albus mumbles as he looks back at the book.
'You're worth a fortune, Albus.'
A small smile forms on Albus' lips as he cuts off a big piece of wrapping paper. James follows all of his movements as his little brother shows him how to neatly wrap the paper around the book, using small bits of tape oppose to James tearing off big pieces almost wrapping the entire gift with tape. 'You make it looks so incredibly easy,' James huffs as he grabs another gift. 'Can't you just do the rest of the presents while I whisper words of support at you.'
'You could just use your magic to wrap all the presents. You know that right?'
James shrugs. 'I know, but what's the fun in giving presents that have been wrapped by magic? There's a lot of love being put into wrapping those presents,' he points at the badly wrapped presents. 'It may look like there isn't from the somewhat torn paper that I have tried to cover up with large amounts of tape, but there is a lot of love in there.'
'I believe you. You're doing a wonderful job, James. Don't worry about what it looks like. You're putting in a great effort and that's all that matters.'
'Let's finish these presents before mom finds out we're still up and hexes our asses,' James says and Albus laughs.
Hearing Albus laugh makes James' heart leap. He didn't realize just how much he has missed his little brother until now. As he is sitting in front of him, his hair messy from his pillow, his glasses making him look more than their father but his smile.. His smile was definitely their mother's. Warm, comforting and loving. Albus was always afraid of looking too much like his father. But he is the Potter sibling that actually looks the most like his mother, at least that's what James thinks. He's headstrong and, when you get to know him and break through his wall, he's a kindhearted and incredibly caring person that will do anything to make you feel comfortable and accepted.
James and Albus let themselves fall down on the couch as they look at the pile of presents underneath the magically lit up Christmas tree. James sighs as he lets his head rest against the backrest of the couch. He puts his arm around Albus. He can feel him tense up before slightly easing into his brother's touch.
'You will still have to look really surprised when you open your presents, you know that right?'
'I can do that,' Albus says and he looks up at James, acting out being surprised. 'I could do a dramatic surprise or maybe even shed a tear if you want to.'
James laughs at his little brother and he shakes his head.
'Thank you, Albus. I couldn't have done this without you,' James says. 'This has been the best Christmas present and I don't think anything can top it.'
'Well,' Albus says, a big grin on his face. 'I have seen a sneak peek of grandma's Christmas sweater for you and it's a beautiful bright orange.'
James groans. He loves his grandmother a lot, he'd do anything for her. But he had told her that bright orange really didn't match the orange glow of his hair, but every year she acts like she doesn't remember him telling her that and gives him a bright orange sweater.
'How about we escape the house before they're here and hide until this Holiday is over?'
'I think mom will find us in no time,' Albus answers and James rolls his eyes. He pulls Albus in close, also wrapping his other arm around his brother. Albus chuckles as he leans his head against James' shoulder.
'Then we will just have to get each other through this day.'
'That sounds like a great idea.'
He looks down at his little brother, who's yawning and cuddling up against his brother before slowly drifting off. He smiles as he can feel a lump form in his throat. He's not really one for crying, but he truly does love his little brother and having him here next to him, is all he needs this holiday.