36. christmas

It was Christmas Eve. Ryan had spent all day with Harry in his trunk playing mortal kombat and finishing up with his gift wrapping he had decided to sleep out of his trunk for the first time since school started he had plans to implement. As they all went to bed Ryan lay awake waiting for the time when the elves were done laying out gifts. at about 3 am he heard small popping noises and 20 minutes later he heard it again taking this as the elves were gone he quietly got up and moved over to the foot of Harry's bed and noticed 1 package with a note he quickly grabbed it and replaced it with the wrapped invisibility cloak from his inventory and stored the one he just nabbed with a ding into his inventory and a level up of his [Sticky Fingers] title he checked to make sure and it was exactly the cloak. [Deaths Cloak of Invisibility: Set 1/3. Note:Noone hides from death but you. SoulBinding available.] with a shake of excitement he went back to bed hardly being able to sleep but he had too or he might miss santa. (what do you mean Santa's not real?!? Fuck you!)

When he woke early in the morning, however, the first thing he saw was a small pile of packages at the foot of his bed.

"Merry Christmas," said Ryan and Ron as Harry scrambled out of bed and pulled on his bathrobe."You, too," said Harry. "Will you look at this? I've got some presents!"

"What did you expect, turnips? Cause I've got some if you want them." said Ryan turning to his own pile, which was a lot bigger than Harry's. Harry looked at him oddly.

Ryan watched Harry excitedly unwrap all his gifts including a coat hanger from his uncle. and some rock cakes he passed off for my personal collection from Hagrid. "Hagrid and my aunt and uncle sent these -- so who sent these?" he asked. "what you think you don't have friends or that I wouldn't give you anything you twit?" Harry blushed and looked at his gifts giving a mumbled thank you. he started unwrapping all kinda of different things as Ryan turned to his own pile. he had gotten some pranks items from the twins books from Hermione and Daphne along with some sweets a some new clothes like scarfs and some odd bits and bobs from Luna just nice homely gifts he enjoyed from Neville he got some seeds and a plant he'd never seen and from tonks he got some black family books with rare magic she had gotten from her mother and from Harry he had gotten a large box of every flavor beans and snacks. to him it didn't matter how much an item cost it was the thought that counts. as he was looking at the book about fiendfyre his trunk burst open and with a loud squeeee he was tackled by a Luna wearing a certain electric mouse onsie and received a kiss on the cheek before she ran back off before anyone could say anything.

Ron looked at him funny and asked. "Why are you keeping Luna in your trunk?" with a casual reply of "The harem must be fed" and a nonchalant wave he returned to the book. guess the cats out of the bag for the linked trunks. oh well. everyone was still unwrapping presents and Ron thanked him for the money. Harry gave him a hug for the trunk and thanked him profusely for the new trunk with Ron looked at with jealousy burning in his eyes but didn't dare ask why he didn't get one. they had all received matching sweaters and fudge from the Weasley matriarch Ron got maroon Harry got emerald and Ryan got a blue one he instantly put on in joy he had finally gotten the legendary weasley sweater

"Every year she makes us a sweater," said Ron, "and mine's always maroon."

"That's really nice of her," said Harry, trying the fudge, which was very tasty.This only left one parcel. Harry picked it up and felt it. It was very light. He unwrapped it.

Something fluid and silvery gray went slithering to the floor where it lay in gleaming folds. Ron gasped. "I've heard of those," he said in a hushed voice, dropping the box of Every Flavor Beans he'd gotten from Hermione. What a waste. "If that's what I think it is -- they're really rare, and really valuable."

"What is it?"

Harry picked the shining, silvery cloth off the floor. It was strange to the touch, like water woven into material.

"It's an invisibility cloak," said Ron, a look of awe on his face. "I'm sure it is -- try it on."

Harry threw the cloak around his shoulders and Ron gave a yell.

"It is! Look down!"

Harry looked down at his feet, but they were gone. He dashed to the mirror. Sure enough, his reflection looked back at him, just his head suspended in midair, his body completely invisible. He pulled the cloak over his head and his reflection vanished completely. "There's a note." said Ryan picking it off the floor and handing it to Harry to read. when he was done the dormitory door was flung open and Fred and George Weasley bounded in. Harry stuffed the cloak quickly out of sight."Merry Christmas!"

"Hey, look -- Harry's and Ryan got a Weasley sweater, too!"

Fred and George were wearing blue sweaters, one with a large yellow F on it, the other a G. "You haven't got a letter on yours," George observed. "I suppose she thinks you don't forget your name. But we're not stupid -- we know we're called Gred and Forge." they got dressed and started to head down to the great hall. It was a massive Christmas dinner. A hundred fat, roast turkeys; mountains of roast and boiled potatoes; platters of chipolatas; tureens of buttered peas, silver boats of thick, rich gravy and cranberry sauce - and stacks of wizard crackers every few feet along the table. These fantastic party favors were nothing like the feeble Muggle ones. They were filled with all sorts of random items.When Ryan finally left the table, he was laden down with a stack of things out of the crackers, including a pack of nonexplodable, luminous balloons, a Grow-Your-Own-Warts kit, and his own new wizard chess set and a runescape style white party hat he would cherish and wear as a crown.