FicWad

Chapter 23



Onward!





Number ninety-three, Diagon Alley, was home to Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes, the joke and novelty shop Fred and George Weasley had opened when they left Hogwarts. It had, by all accounts, been a great success. If the crowd inside the store was any indication, they were doing splendidly during the Christmas season, too.



Harry, Anna, Remus and Gwen had to stand aside and wait for some of the satisfied customers to leave, most carrying bulging, red and gold shopping bags. Finally gaining entry, they spotted the ginger heads of the twins behind the counter, busily ringing up sales and packing bags with their goofy goodies.



"Oy! Fred, George!" Harry shouted and waved.



"Harry!"



"Remus!"



"Anna!"



"And a good looking blond bird!"



"Watch it, gentlemen, she's taken." Remus put a protective arm around Gwen. Leaning over to her, he whispered, "They're harmless, just don't touch or eat anything they offer you." Gwen looked at him, slightly alarmed.



Finishing with their customers, they brothers literally leapt over the counter, clapped Harry on the back and gave Anna big hugs and a kiss on the cheek. Turning to Remus, they advanced on him and Gwen, who stood her ground, though the temptation was to run and or at least hide behind Remus.



"So, Remus .."



"Introduce us .."



"Won't you?"



"Boys, I'd like the two of you to meet Doctor Gwen Jones; Anna's step-daughter."



"And she's taken?"



"We can assume?"



"Yes, Remus and I have known each other for five years." Gwen managed to find her voice.



"You're a Muggle?"



"Well, yes, I am."



"In honor of your visit to our humble little shop..."



"may we offer you a 'Canary Cream'?"



"Tastes like lemon custard."



"Makes you sprout feathers, Gwen, don't do it!" Harry warned her, laughing. "You two have no shame at all, offering that to her."



"It won't hurt her!"



"It's an introduction .."



"to our shop."



"Go ahead, Doctor Jones, try it."



"It's one of our most popular products."



Fred and George stood there, Canary Cream held out to Gwen, who suddenly reached out and grabbed it. Before Remus or Harry could stop her, she popped it into her mouth, chewed and swallowed it. Her eyes grew wide and the next moment a five foot, seven inch canary was standing there. Gazing around, she looked down at herself and began to chirp, but it was obvious she was laughing. Within minutes Gwen had shed her feathers and was busy looking at all of the different products on display, with Fred and George explaining everything to her, guiding her around the shop.



Anna and Remus just shook their heads, but Harry was grinning broadly, remembering how Fred and George had tried out one of their test samples of the Canary Creams on Neville, while they were still at Hogwarts. They had been dreaming of opening this shop for several years, and now their dream had come true. Harry was very happy and proud about their success.



X # X # X



"Fred, George, could I have a word with you, please," Anna called to them after a few minutes. "I have a project and a proposition for you." That got their attention.



Excusing themselves and leaving Gwen to poke around on her own, they came over to hear what Anna had to say.



"I'm not being rude, but I really need to talk to you two in private. Could we step in the back for a minute or two?" Turning to Harry and Remus, she apologized, "Sorry, guys, but this is very important. I'll let you in on it later."



"Okay."



"No problem."



X # X # X



After Fred and George led Anna into the back of the shop, Harry and Remus exchanged looks and shrugs. Gwen came over to the counter with a small sampling of different items from the numerous shelves.



"These seem relatively harmless." Gwen swatted Remus' arm when he rolled his eyes. "It's purely for scientific research; I'm interested in the physiological changes that occur. I sprouted /feathers/, for heaven sake!"



"That's your story..." Harry volunteered as he walked by.



"And I'm sticking to it!" Gwen finished, grinning at him.



"I've got to get you out of Diagon Alley. You're having way too much fun." Remus shook his head.



X # X # X



Anna emerged with Fred and George after just a few minutes. They shook hands with her and then went behind the counter, bagged Gwen choices and began waiting on some new customers who had just entered their shop.



"We're finished here, unless you need to buy something, Harry?" Anna looked at him.



"No, I'm fine. I'll come back after the Christmas rush is over and catch up with all of the Weasley family gossip," Harry assured her, and turning, he waved good bye to the twins. "I'll be back later this week, guys. We'll talk then."



"Righto, Harry!"



"Happy Christmas, guys!"



"Same to you, too!" they chorused back. "Happy Christmas!"



Outside Anna rubbed her hands together and an evil smile spread across her face. "Ok, troops, it's off to Oxford Street and some serious shopping!"



X # X # X



"TAXI!"



One of London's famous black taxicabs slipped out of the stream of traffic on Oxford Street and pulled up to the curb.



"42 Harley Street."



"Right-o. Let me get the boot open for your packages."



Harry and Remus, laden with a mountain of boxes and bags, staggered to the rear of the vehicle. With the help of the driver, they somehow fitted the multitude of purchases into the boot. Collapsing onto the back seat, the two grinned at each other.



"We survived! When we get this lot to Anna's and unloaded," Remus remarked, jerking his thumb toward the rear of the taxi, "we can relax. Until Gwen and Anna return, that is."



"They were perfectly happy to be rid of us, I think. I'm sure they can pick out wrapping paper and ribbon without us, and our whining," Harry laughed. "Good plan, that, moaning just enough to irritate those two, without getting them truly mad at us."



"I have my moments of genius, thank you," Remus replied smugly and then laughed with Harry about their 'escape'. "Did you get all of your shopping done, Harry?"



"Yeah, but my list wasn't that long. I do have to get them wrapped and sent, though."



"No problem, we'll use the Floo Network's Delivery Service. It's quick and cheaper than post owls."



"I was wondering how Hedwig and Wally would be able to manage. Bit of a relief, that."



"However, Harry, if you suddenly remember another gift you need to buy, we could go out tomorrow and pick it up. Anna will be spending the entire day putting the decorations on the Christmas tree, so we'll be, basically, on our own."



"All day?" Harry asked.



"Yes, indeed. She'll work from just after breakfast until nearly dinner time, getting the lights and decorations on. And it will look magnificent."



"Shouldn't I lend a hand?"



"No," Remus cautioned. "You'll be tossed out of the parlor and told to stay away until the unveiling and lighting 'ceremony' tomorrow night. We'll toast the season and she'll light the tree and Christmas will be officially started. Family tradition, you see."



"Oh, right."



"Then comes the wrapping party," Remus explained. "We will be spending tomorrow evening doing /all /of the gift wrapping, so the tree can be properly surrounded by beautifully wrapped presents for Christmas Eve."



"So that's what Anna and Gwen were on about," Harry chuckled, shaking his head. "Now it makes sense about the wrapping paper, ribbon and bows and all of that stuff they were so excited about collecting."



"Right. Now, when we get back to Anna's we'll unload the bounty in the back and then move the tree into the parlor and get it situated in a stand. Then we'll not be in trouble for bailing on them."



"Good plan, Remus. Hey, we're here."



X # X # X



"We're back!" yelled Anna, as she and Gwen staggered into the front hall, loaded down with bulging bags of paper, bows, ribbon and tags.



Harry came clattering down the stairs to help, relieving them of some of the bags.



"Where does this lot go, then?"



"Dining room. We wrap tomorrow night and the table is our work station," answered Anna, leading the way.



"Right," replied Harry, falling in step behind the two women, as they headed to the dining room.



"I noticed you and Remus managed to get the tree set up in the parlor for me." Anna smiled at him as she returned to the hall to hang up her coat. "Where is he, by the way?"



"Remus is out getting some pizza for dinner. There weren't enough groceries in the house for Winky to do a proper dinner, so she's going to have her first taste of a double cheese pepperoni pizza, when he gets back. Besides, she worked really hard today while we were gone; shifted all of the decorations around. So Remus and I made an executive decision, and told her she didn't have to cook tonight, we'd take care of it. "



"Good thinking, but I'll have to sit down with her and make a shopping list of the groceries she'll need and have it delivered tomorrow." Anna walked into the parlor and stood admiring the tall Christmas tree Remus and Harry had set up by the front bow window.



"Don't be silly, Anna." Gwen joined her, circling the tree with Anna, admiring how well it looked, even undecorated. "I have to go grocery shopping myself tomorrow; for my place. So I'll do your list with mine."



"I could go with you, too," Harry volunteered.



"There!" Gwen beamed. "Problem solved. We just need your list."



"Excellent. That gets you lot out of the house so I can concentrate on the tree and gets our food shortage problem taken care of at the same time."



"Pizza's here!" Remus shouted from the downstairs hall. "Come and get it before Winky devours it all!"



"Coming!" The three of them laughed and headed down the stairs.



X # X # X



"Ready everyone? Ok, here goes."



Anna turned and opened the big pocket doors of the parlor, to reveal the fully decorated Christmas tree.



"Oh, Anna, you've outdone yourself this year. And that's saying something!" Gwen added as they all entered the front parlor to inspect the huge tree. "Its' beautiful!"



"Wow!" Harry had never seen such a profusion of ornaments on one tree in his life. "This is mind boggling. It's hard to focus on, really. Where did you get all of these ornaments?"



"Some are old ones, passed down through Christopher's family, some are from my family and the rest we collected, when we saw something we liked and also on our travels. Christopher and I used to pick up one at each place we visited, so they're from all sorts of places around the world."



"Blimey, it'll take the rest of the holiday just to look at all of them."



"Let's light it, Anna," suggested Gwen.



"Right! Remus, hand out the glasses, please," Anna asked, pointing to a tray on a side table, on which stood five glasses of wine."



"Here you go everyone." Remus passed the tray and Harry and Gwen took theirs. Remus turned to Anna, who lifted two glasses off the tray. Then she turned to Winky, who had been standing, staring at the tree.



"You, too, Winky." Holding out a glass to her. "You've worked the hardest getting the house ready, so you must join us in the toast to the season."



"Oh, Missy Anna, I is not deserving it; Winky was just doing her job." The house elf looked up at her Mistress. "You is treating Winky like family, you is."



"Well, you are part of this family, now, so here." Anna handed the glass to her. "Help us do this properly."



"Yes, Missy Anna."



"Right then. A toast: To family and friends gathered here, and to those who are absent but still in our hearts and minds. A very Happy Christmas." Anna raised her glass. "Cheers!"



"Cheers!" the others echoed and raised their glasses and drank a toast. Then Anna flipped a switch and the tree was ablaze with tiny twinkling lights.



"Whoa!" "Excellent, Anna!" "That's the ticket!" "Oh, Missy Anna!"



"It does look grand, doesn't it?" Anna was beaming herself, but then she turned to face them. "Alright, you lot, to the dining room! We have a TON of presents to wrap."



X # X # X



Three hours late, the dining room was a shambles of empty paper tubes, ribbon spools and crumpled shopping bags, and a couple of empty wines bottles on the side board. But the pile of presents surrounding the tree was truly the finishing touch to the perfect holiday picture.



Anna stood admiring the effect, when she heard her name being called.



"Anna?"



It was Christopher.



"In the parlor, dear!"



"Ah, I should have known." Christopher walked into a large landscape painting which dominated the far wall of the room. "My goodness, the tree looks fabulous, my dear. Happy Christmas! Sorry I missed the unveiling. Bit of a party going on at Hogwarts, couldn't get away."



"That's alright, I understand completely. It's just fun having you being late, instead of me."



"Yes, bit of a change, that," Christopher agreed, laughing.



"Hello, Dad! Where've you been, then?"



"Gwen! What are you doing here? You weren't due to arrive until tomorrow night!"



"I got here last Friday; caught an earlier flight. What do you think of Hogwarts?"



"I really like the old rock pile. Actually, it's a /huge/, fascinating castle. Everyone has been very welcoming to this old Muggle and I've made a lot of new friends. It's been an education, too, as far as seeing the magical world first hand."



"We'll have to have a long conversation about all of it in the next week or so."



"Hello, Christopher," Remus greeted his friend, as he entered the room. "Happy Christmas!"



"And to you, too, Remus! Wait, who's missing?"



"Just me, sir," Harry said, as he entered with three more presents to put by the tree. "Happy Christmas!"



"Harry! Yes, Happy Christmas to you, too! Anna run you ragged shopping?"



"No, but it was quite an experience." Harry shook his head, grinning.



"That's the least you could call it," Remus agreed. "But .. we did get all of the shopping done in one day, which is something I suppose."



"Are you three finished?" Anna stood there with her arms crossed, tapping her foot.



"I don't know, dear." Christopher looked at the other two. "Are we finished, gentlemen?"



"Yeah, I suppose."



"I am, if you two are."



"Yes, dear, we've finished," Christopher informed her, and then they all burst out laughing.



"How's Winky adjusting to her new surroundings, Anna?"



"Just fine, although I realize now, that I can't give her any wine to drink." Anna pointed to the sofa, where Winky lay, covered with a blanket, snoring softly. "One sip and she was out like a light."



"You're serious?"



"Oh, yes. I'll have to limit her to butter beer, in the future. I is a bad mistress, I is."



"No, you're not, and you know it." Gwen sputtered, laughing with the rest of them. "Winky's doing just fine, Dad. She's done all of the decorating, except the tree, of course. And she's an excellent cook."



"Splendid, I'll have to report that to Dobby, next time I see him."



"Let's go down stairs and have a slice of that cake Winky made today. I'm feeling the need for a nibble or two after all that work wrapping presents," suggested Remus.



"I second the motion," agreed Harry.



"Let's go then, shall we?" Gwen took Remus' hand and led the way downstairs for some dessert.



"Coming, Christopher?" Anna looked over at him.



"Actually, I think I'll wander around the house and check the decorations, admire the tree for a while and then pop down to the office and meet with Remus as planned," Christopher replied.



"All right, I'll see you later." Anna blew him a kiss and left to catch up with the others.