Fathers Daughter

Part 1: Chapter 10

HOLIDAY SHENANIGANS PART ONE: CHRISTMAS

Christmas that year was the best one Arabella had experienced in her life. Following the tradition in Augustus' household, there was a mixture of magical and muggle holiday celebrations. On Christmas Eve, Arabella, along with Augustus, Eleanor, Abercrombie and Sarah had hot chocolate. Then they listened as Augustus read "The Night Before Christmas". Afterwards they watched "A Christmas Carol".

"The muggles have no idea how true this story was," Augustus chuckled. "Magic lies dormant in more of them than most of us would believe."

On Christmas day, Sarah made a special breakfast for the entire household. Then it was time for presents. Delighted to have Arabella back home, the former Deatheaters all plied her with gifts...some homemade, some purchased. Augustus gave her a couple very old and rare books that Arabella had seen in the library at Hogwarts and mentioned in one of her letters. She had no idea how Augustus had acquired copies of his own. When she asked him, he just winked at her and said, "I know some people."

Eleanor gave her two of what she described as a holster for her wand. It fit on Arabella's forearm, and held her wand in a sheath. With a simple flick of her wrist, a spring in the bottom of the sheath shot her wand out into the palm of her hand.

Augustus snorted. "Holsters. Rather cliché, aren't they? I don't use a wand holster."

Eleanor laughed. "You don't even use a wand, my love, so why would you need a holster?"

Arabella, however, was delighted, and kept practicing releasing her wand even after she had mastered the action. Curiosity got the better of her and she asked, "But why two, Auntie?"

"Well, this way you can wear your wand on either arm. No more pocket of your robes for storing your wand, sweetheart! Also, next summer Uncle Augustus and I plan to purchase a back-up wand for you. I carry two wands, and I would feel much better if you had a spare as well."

Arabella's face beamed, and she threw herself onto Eleanor. "Oh, thank you auntie!" Then she did the same to Augustus.

"This is from me, Miss Arabella," Sarah said, handing a wrapped package to Arabella. The child eagerly opened the gift to find a set of gorgeous dress robes. Arabella gasped. "Oh, they're beautiful! Thank you, Miss Sarah!"

"They're not top of the line or anything," Sarah was quick to explain. But Arabella gave the woman a tight hug and whispered, "They're perfect!" Her comment brought tears to Sarah's eyes as she returned the girl's hug.

Abercrombie then handed a package to Arabella. "Merry Christmas, my little lady," he murmured. Inside were two long knives, long enough that they could almost be called small daggers. Arabella lifted them out, taking care to grasp them only by the handles. They were perfectly balanced, looked very old, and she felt magic resting on them.

Eleanor pursed her lips. "Isn't she perhaps still a bit young for knives, Abercrombie?"

"These are enchanted knives, my Lady," Abercrombie replied. "The magic within them will merge with her own, and will not easily miss their intended target even as she learns how to use them. And once she becomes proficient in their use, they will be lethal extensions of her own mind and body."

"Besides, Eleanor," added Augustus, "It is good to learn how to defend oneself by more...conventional means than just magic. One never knows what one will face these days."

Eleanor sighed. "Very well. I see your point. Many pureblood families still teach their children how to use such weapons. I just worry about her." She caressed the side of Arabella's face as the child smirked and rolled her eyes.