The Family that Chooses You

Chapter 15: Planning to Give

Oliver put down the magazine and looked at Harry.  "Say that again Harry?"

The boy looked embarrassed yet he still spoke.  One of the things he was thankful for was how accepting the team was of his...ignorance.  They never made a big deal of his questions or things he did not understand.  They might tease him a bit over them but never to the degree that he felt bad.  They always answered him honestly, as far as he knew anyways.

That did not stop him from feeling embarrassed or silly, but they also never stopped him from asking and learning.

"How do I give a gift?"

Oliver had to remind himself that Harry did not have a childhood he would remotely consider normal.  However, moments like this always made him painfully aware how different Harry was and how he really should not have been.

"Simple really.  You figure out what a person likes.  You either make it or buy it.  Wrap it up if you're feeling fancy.  Then give it to them."  He took Harry's quill and wrapped it in a spare bit of parchment, tying it with a piece of cord.  He handed it to the boy with an overly formal flourish.

Harry made a show of accepting it and opening it.  "Do I just ask them what they want or what they like?"

"You can do that.  Some people like others to try and figure it out, see if they know them.  But you should only give something to someone if you want to.  I mean, I guess there are rule about propriety and giving things because you should."  He coughed when Harry looked confused.  "I mean, basically give a gift because you want to give it.  It's more heartfelt that way."

Oliver tried to keep his face neutral.  "You're...uh, aunt and uncle, never helped you with gift giving?"

Harry shook his head.  "They never gave me any kind of allowance to get them or Dudley anything.  I tried to make things for them once but they didn't want to waste the materials on me.  Uncle Vernon said once that he didn't want to pretend to like anything I touch.  Except for when I cooked for them."

Oliver almost tore the magazine in two.  The more he learned of Harry's past the more he had the urge to break things.  "That's rather...unfortunate," Oliver said diplomatically.  He watched Harry work on his Transfiguration essay, offering little corrections.  "Do you have some people you'd like to give a gift to?" he asked the boy.

Harry nodded.  "It's Christmas time.  I'd really like to give people something.  I just didn't know the best way to do it, like, you know while here at Hogwarts and in the wizarding world."

"Well once you're a third year you can go to Hogsmede, it's the little village down the way from the castle.  They have lots of stores for shopping but first and second years can't go.  Too shrimpy."  He ruffled Harry's hair and grinned at the boy's sour look.  "But if you knew any nice upper years, they might get some stuff for you."

"Oh that does sound nice.  Do you know any nice upper years?" Harry asked with faux sincerity.

Oliver laughed.  "You're getting lessons from the twins, being this cheeky.  I don't know, maybe there is one that'd be willing to help you.  You have to butter him up though.  Say nice things about him, support his team drills without complaining, that sort of thing."

Harry caught on.  "Captain Wood, you're the best Quidditch Captain anyone could hope for.  You barely blame the team for anything, your tactics are top notch.  Your practices are mostly reasonable."

Oliver grinned, gesturing for Harry to keep speaking.

"You...have a nice jaw line?"

Oliver snorted.  "I have a nice jaw line?  Where'd that come from?"