Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery Year 6

A Very Weasley Christmas Part 4

Mr. Weasley arrived at the Burrow from work to the smell of roast turkey and an empty, quiet house, a rarity when you have seven kids. The house hadn't been decorated much-Mrs. Weasley had been busy with the kids-so Mr. Weasley was admiring Charlie's childhood dragon drawings on the wall when the door swung open and three teenagers came in.

"And just in time for Christmas dinner!" he exclaimed before he saw Merula. "Looks like you've brought another friend, Charlie."

"I hope you don't mind," Merula said sheepishly.

"The more the merrier, right?" said Mrs. Weasley as she came downstairs with Bill. "Although, I have to ask, how did you guys get back here in the snowstorm?"

"Uh..."

"Well..."

"We..."

"Don't think too much about it, Molly, at least they're all here in one piece," said Mr. Weasley, much to Charlie's relief.

"Anyway, who's ready for some food? I could eat an abraxan," said Bill.

"Yeah, you guys can go, I'll join you once I've put the gnome on the tree," Charlie said before running off.

Mrs. Weasley led everyone else to the kitchen, where Christmas dinner was already set out on the table. "It looks even better than the one at Hogwarts, Mrs. Weasley," said Merula.

"Why, thank you, dear. Of course, the company you share with at the table is more important than what you eat."

"Will the rest of the kids be joining us?" asked Dani.

"They're napping right now, poor dears, so they'll take their dinners in bed later."

"What do you say we enjoy this delicious meal then?" said Mr. Weasley as Charlie joined them at the table.

As everyone dug in, the rest of the evening dissolved into cheerful conversation.
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"IT'S CHRISTMAS!"

After failing to agree who would take the sofa, Dani and Merula both ended up sleeping on the living room floor, and were awoken the next morning by the crackle of filibuster fireworks.

"Is it REALLY Christmas, or is it the 4th of July?" Dani stumbled, half-awake, to the Christmas tree where the twins were already counting who had the most presents.

"Looks like someone's feeling better already," said Bill as he and Charlie walked into the room. Charlie made a beeline for the pile of presents, pushing aside a small stack for a red parcel with his name on it. ("Charlie, don't touch those, you'll mess this up!" yelled George.)

"Looks like you girls have presents too," said Bill as Merula crawled out of her sleeping bag to join them. (She and Dani had already put their presents for Mr. and Mrs. Weasley under the tree the night before.)

"Oh, I did? But they didn't know I'd be here until last night..." Merula joined the boys at the tree.

"Nothing that can't be done without a little magic," Mrs. Weasley said as she flipped an egg.

"That's yours." Charlie passed Merula a package, his eyes still glued to a book about dragons.

"I'll have to give Percy credit for finding a book you'd actually read," said Bill, pushing wrapped gifts out of the blast zone of whatever Zonko's product Charlie got the twins. By now, Dani was also sifting through the pile for whatever gift was prepared for her while Percy had gathered whatever presents he could to unwrap upstairs and 9-year-old Ron was unboxing some Chudley Cannons merchandise.

"Catch!" Bill intercepted the package Dani tossed his way and opened it.

"Honeydukes sweets... Haven't had those in a while." He noticed Merula was holding some green fabric. "Wha-"

"She got a Weasley jumper," said Charlie, his nose still in the book. "And it's Slytherin-themed, too."

"Cool. You, Dani?"

"Still haven't found mine yet." Dani pushed the microwave for Mr. Weasley out of the way. "Christmas is much easier with two kids."

"Try having no siblings and no presents," said Merula.

"That would suck," said Fred as he fiddled with some ball thingy.

As more presents were unwrapped and the Christmas tree gradually became a base for the twins' next elaborate, fiendish prank on Filch (well, hopefully, Dani couldn't tell for sure), little Ginny handed a rather tiny parcel to Dani. "I think this is for you."

"FINALLY." Dani (playfully) snatched it out of the 8-year-old's hand and ripped it open to reveal... A snow globe of the Ford Anglia.

Mr. Weasley's eyes peeked out from behind the Daily Prophet. "Show that to your father. Maybe that'll change his mind."

"...I'm not keeping my hopes up, but thanks."

"Take matters into your own hands," Charlie said, finally looking up from his book.

"No, it'll just be a matter if Dad murdered me or if Mum beat him to it," said Dani. "But honestly... How ironic."

"How very ironic," Merula agreed.