In the Melancholy Moonlight

Chapter XXX: A Merry Little Christmas

Through the years we all will be together
If the fates allow
Hang a shining star upon the highest bough
And have yourself a merry little Christmas now

"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"
Judy Garland

HARRY:

I found myself awoken far earlier than I would have liked on Christmas morning when Hermione entered our dormitory and opened the curtains with a loud "Wake up!"

Ron put his pillow over his face to block the glare. "Hermione, you're not supposed to be in here!" he said, his voice muffled.

She chucked his present at him. "Merry Christmas to you, too. I've been up for nearly an hour, adding more lacewings to the potion. It's ready."

I sat up and threw my glasses on. "Are you sure?"

Hermione nodded as she perched herself on Ron's bed. "Positive. If we're going to do it, I say it should be tonight."

Hedwig flew in the window and deposited a small gift in my hand. "Hello! Are you speaking to me again?"

She nipped at my ear, as if to say "Yes." I unwrapped the package, which was a toothpick.

Ron wrinkled his nose. "Who sent you that?"

I read the note attached to it out loud. "See if you can stay at school for summer too. Sincerely, the Dursleys"

"How terrible!" Hermione exclaimed.

I shrugged. "That's almost kind for them. The 'sincerely' is a nice touch."

Before either of them could say anything else, a large brown owl swooped into the room, bearing three gifts wrapped in the same red and white paper.

"Malachi!" Ron exclaimed.

"Whose owl is that?" I asked, taking the gift with my name on it from its talons.

"Lucy's," he said, scratching the owl affectionately behind the ears. "You've had a long journey, haven't you?"

The owl pecked at Ron's hand and shook its feathers free of snow before flying out the window to the Owlery.

"Might as well open these all at the same time, eh?" I asked. They nodded, and we tore into the wrapping paper. We all received identical boxes of fudge, with small notes tucked inside.

Hermione read hers aloud first. "Dear Hermione (and presumably the boys as well, though they have their own notes), merry Christmas! I miss you all very much already, but I'm glad Cedric and I were able to come home. Cedric has been in higher spirits; so high, in fact, we spent nearly eight hours together just the two of us in the kitchen yesterday making this peppermint fudge for everyone and singing Christmas carols at the top of our lungs the entire time. I don't think Tuck was particularly fond of my singing, the way Fluffy was, but what can I say? Everyone's a critic. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it, and please be careful with you-know-what. Please send me a letter as soon as you can about how it goes. Merry Christmas again, and see you soon!"

"Who's Tuck?" I asked. "Does she have another brother?"

Hermione giggled. "No, Tuck's her dog. Oh, look, she sent a picture!"

She held up a small photograph of a black and white dog with a forked tail running in circles around the edges of the frame. I could see Cedric's hands reaching forward trying to put a Santa hat on him, but the dog refused to be caught. I laughed and read my own letter silently as Hermione and Ron began opening their next gifts. It read: