Chapter 64: Christmas 4 (Red Claus 2)

Flying through the sky, I arrived at Lavender Brown's house. I got out in front of the courtyard of a large house, not exactly a mansion, but not exactly a shack. This time it would not enter through the chimney, once was enough to learn the lesson, better leave it to the professionals.

Once I went down to the entrance of the front patio, I used a bell that I had as a doorbell and shortly after doing so I could see how a lady opened the door of the house to see who was knocking.

"Yes?" She said, somewhat surprised by my appearance and the large bag slung across my shoulders.

"Is Lavender Brown here?"

"From who?"

"Red Weasley, a friend from Hogwarts, I have come to bring her Christmas present."

"Wait, I'll call her, come in" Mrs. Brown told me, it seems that Lavender spoke to her about me, since after telling her my name her attitude changed.

I went to the door and waited there until I could see how Lavander left the house with a rabbit in her hands, surprised to see me. So her parents also accompanied her, and through the open door I could see her grandparents, I think.

"Red, what are you doing here?"

"I've got a Christmas present for you" I said looking in my bag for what looked like a large encyclopedia wrapped in gift paper "Merry Christmas"

"But I can't give you anything, I've already sent your gift and it will arrive tomorrow" Lavender said somewhat embarrassed.

"You don't have to worry, it's just me and my desire to give presents in advance dressed as Santa" I said as Lavender took my present.

"Thank you Red" she said, but she was surprised to see how heavy the gift was.

"Do you want to stay for dinner?" Messrs. Brown asked.

"No, It's okay, I just came to give Lavender her gift, it's time to go see Parvati and Padma. Goodbye JOJOJO" I flew away on my broom after saying goodbye.

The Browns found the way I handed out the gifts amusing and weren't too bothered. The family entered the house and, under the insistence of her grandparents and her own curiosity, Lavender opened the gift that at the time she thought was a book, something that would be more appropriate for Hermione, but she wasn't going to complain if it was.

By removing the wrapping paper, everyone in the family could see that it was a great book, quite large, the kind that you have a hard time carrying in your hands, but not just any book. At one end of the cover there was a knight in shining red armor and at the other there was a girl who seemed to be calling his name, the title was "The cursed knight, the daughter of destiny and immortal love".

Lavander was surprised and noticed that inside the book, on the first page, there was a note that said "I was inspired a little by you to write this, I hope you enjoy it, with love Red". The elders laughed a bit, as they knew her granddaughter's fascination with romance novels, so they thought it was a good gift.

Lavander began to read it to see what the gift of his friend was, she already loved that it was something written inspired by her. Without realizing it, Lavander got lost in the book without knowing that it was time for dinner and just for that she stopped, the girl was captivated by the story and the female protagonist who looked so much like her. Today was going to be a sleepless night thanks to this gift.

...

'When the holidays are over I should register the copyright of that book, I know I made it based on many romantic stories from the future, but since they haven't been written here, yet there shouldn't be any problem' It was what I thought as I approached the Patil family home.

The Patil house certainly had some Indian architecture in it, this kind of arches weren't a British custom as far as I knew. Once I reached the entrance, I knocked on the door and it was quickly opened by a man who clearly came from India.

"Padma and Parvati? I'm bringing the Christmas presents" I said to Mr. Patil.

He seemed somewhat surprised but he didn't hesitate to call his daughters. They both finished came shortly after, and unlike Hogwarts where they wore wizard robes, here they seemed to wear more traditional clothes.

"Red!"

"Red..."

"Hello girls, your gifts" I handed them both a small box, one orange and one aquamarine, I did it that way so I wouldn't get confused.

"Thank you, we already sent you your gift" Parvati replied.

"Thanks, I'll see you tomorrow then, I have to go, Merry Christmas" I said getting on my broom.

They seemed to want to talk some more, but I still had quite a few houses to visit. The girls came in, and their parents asked them who the red-haired potbelly was, they explained who he was and that they were also surprised by my temporary weight gain.

They both opened their gifts and noticed that they both received a very beautiful bracelet with a large gemstone embedded in the middle and smaller ones of different colors around it. The only difference between the two was that Parvati's had a large orange stone and Padma's had a large Blue stone.

The girls loved it and the parents seemed a little surprised but they didn't say anything, just some compliments to their girls

...

The next house I visited was Penelope's and when she saw me she couldn't stop laughing, she invited me in and I accepted. Her parents were surprised to see me in my Santa outfit, but Penelope explained that she was a friend from school.

I handed over her gift, which was a music box that had two dancers that looked like us on top and could play the two songs that we danced to earlier. She liked it, but she also got a little overexcited, as I thought I saw her eyes a little glazed over.

I left after having a drink and left Penelope, who had to explain to her parents that there is no Santa in the magical world, that only her friend likes to make a whole play with almost everything.

...

Cho's house, the same as before, I met Cho's parents, had a drink, gave my gift, and left.

Cho's gift was a small sphere that if placed against a flying broom, would be absorbed, dyeing it light blue and carved tornadoes would appear on it, as well as opening a whirlwind covering the tail. All clarified in a letter.

...

Next house... Parkinson. It was somewhat difficult, but I found it, many of these houses, or better said, mansions, had very strong and evil protective enchantments, so I did not risk going head-on.

When I get there, I stay away and call the house from the patio fence. Soon, a house-elf appeared from the other side of the fence.

"What do you want? Sir" Said the old elf who looked like some kind of butler.

"I'm looking for Miss Parkinson, I've come to give her a Christmas present" I pointed out to the elf my sack full of gifts.

"Wait a minute" the elf said before disappearing.

A short time later the elf reappeared in front of the fence and I saw how Pansy ran out of the house, but she drastically slowed down when she noticed that it was me, I guess the color of my hair and beard gave me away. I also saw how an elegantly dressed lady looked at her daughter from a distance from the door.

"What are you doing here?" Pansy asked angrily.

"I brought you a present" I told her as I gave the package to the house-elf, who disappeared and appeared next to Pansy, handing it to her after doing some checking.

"I don't want anything from you!" She screamed, throwing the box to the ground, but when she did it, it opened and the contents fell out. Pansy widened her eyes and reached down to pick up a wand that had several bright white lines carved into it, as well as several unicorns. "This...?" She said something shocked.

"The other time in the common room you mentioned that your grandmother had a wand with unicorns carved on it and that you always wanted one just like it" I told her, I had asked the merchant for the most suitable wand for Pansy, in addition to the magical carving that she now has.

"H-How do you know th-that?..." She stutters, almost sobbing.

"It may not seem like it, but I do pay attention to you, besides I took it upon myself to talk to all your friends to find out what was the best gift I could give you"

"I don't want anything from you! Go away!" Pansy cried, throwing her wand aside.

"Bye Pansy... Merry Christmas" I said before flying off on my broom.

Pansy continued to cry, kneeling on the cold ground, hating the emotions inside her, she was confused and terrified. Mr. and Mrs. Parkinson approached her daughter and while Mr. Parkinson picked up the wand from the ground, Pansy's mother spoke to her daughter.

"What's wrong Pansy? Who was that? What right does he have to make you cry?" Her mother asked with concern, but also harshly.

"He's... he's a fool who doesn't want to leave me alone" Pansy tried to wipe away the tears, but they wouldn't stop.

"What family does he come from? How can he make someone in the Parkinson family cry on their knees?" Her mother reproached her, although in part she was also concerned about the state of her daughter, her words were not the best to express it.

"It's...it's...Weasley..." Pansy replied to her mother.

"WHAT?! Since when does a Weasley have the power to bring you to your knees?!" Her mother complained furiously, she thought that he might be someone to be careful of, so she didn't say anything when he was still here, but now she was angry and disappointed in her daughter.

"I don't... he..." the daughter tried to explain to the mother, but she wasn't about to listen to any of the excuses, she was about to scold her severely and possibly punish her for her weakness and the face she was giving her family, but before that happened Mr. Parkinson spoke.

"This...is a good wand" he commented with the unicorn wand in his hands.

"What a nice thing the Weasleys can give, hopefully they can afford a measly dinner this Christmas" Mrs. Parkinson complained.

"The quality of this wand is better than mine" Pansy's father mentioned with a very complex look and with the surprise of the two women to hear it.

"What?" Mrs. Parkinson exclaimed, approaching her husband and looking at the wand in his hands.

The wand before their eyes was indeed something very luxurious... the vitality and delicacy of the wood was even greater than that of Pansy's two parents' wands and from what they felt, the core had a very pure power, as well as the carvings so delicate that they gave off that feeling of natural beauty.

"How is it possible for a Weasley to have a wand-like this in his hands?" Mrs. Parkinson said, surprised.

"Pansy, what do you know about that boy?" her father ordered.

"I... I don't know much" she didn't want to clarify that in a certain sense they knew each other 'very deeply' "He is different from all the other Weasley, he is a Slytherin..."

"Since when is there a Weasley in Slytherin?" Mrs. Parkinson asked in surprise.

"Silence!" Her husband fell for her "Go on"

"He's…very clever, he always gets what he wants and goes around the school like it's his house, he never loses…Daphne said…"

"The Greengrass girl?"

"Yes... she said that he is someone who would be difficult to take something from, that within Hogwarts and even outside he could be one of the most difficult people to deal with and that with time it would only get worse, that I should not face him" Pansy remembered what her friend told her and at this moment she felt that she was very right, if she had listened to her from the beginning maybe she wouldn't be in this situation.

"...hmm... What did you send him as a Christmas present?" her father asked.

"Don't send him anything! Why should I send him anything?! We are nothing!" Pansy exclaimed upset.

"And why did he come to bring you a present then?" Her mother asked now without knowing how to judge the situation.

"I don't know... Maybe just to annoy me"

"You will take care of finding a good present to send him tomorrow or when you return to Hogwarts"

"But Dad..."

"Darling...?"

Mother and daughter Parkinson questioned simultaneously, but for different reasons.

"We will not let our family be considered ungrateful, even if you burn that Weasley's gift, it is of great value and we must repay it. We will not let our family's reputation be tarnished by something like this alone. Find an expensive gift to make up for it and then you can cut all relationship with him if you want" Father Parkinson said, throwing the wand on the box and going back to his house.

Pansy, still sobbing a little, picked up the box with her wand, somewhat annoyed, but she wouldn't disobey her father's orders.

...

My next target was the Davis house, compared to the Parkinson house it wasn't very big, but it was elegant. When I knocked on the door I was quickly greeted by Tracey who was surprised to see me.

"Red, what are you doing here?"

"Christmas" I said, I was already getting tired of always explaining the same thing, so I just put my bag on the ground and took out a bicycle with a bow from inside.

"What is this?" She asked something excited.

"A bicycle, you mentioned that your parents didn't let you fly much, so I brought it to you. It's a Muggle invention, but you'll be entertained as well as training your legs"

"It's great... but I don't know if my parents would let me keep it" She stretched out her hand but she withdrew it, somewhat depressed.

"Just tell them it's a way to spend energy, use it in your yard. You may fall down a few times, but don't worry, you'll learn...here's an instruction booklet I made for you, along with this box of chocolates, in case your parents take it away from you and you run out of gifts"

"Thank you" she said excitedly, she wanted to try it right now and she almost didn't hold back.

I quickly said goodbye to her and I could see how she ran to her house to show her parents what they had given her.

...

Bulstrode House... I was greeted by Mr. Bulstrode, from whom I was able to see where Millicent inherited her dominant jaw from. He didn't exactly agree that I come to give his daughter a gift, maybe because of how my family is considered, still Millicent came out when she heard me argue with her father, and despite her father's refusal, she happily received my gift.

She opened it right there at Mr. Bulstrode's request, I guess to question me or throw it in my face if he didn't like it. When Millie saw that it was a beautiful tiara of hers she was excited and blushed, she seemed delighted with it and she stared at it for a while.

Her father took it from his hands to observe it and after verifying that they were genuine precious stones, as well as real metals, he returned it to her daughter with a few simple words "it meets the minimum". Millicent was delighted and immediately put it on.

I took my broom and flew while I shouted from above "You are still as beautiful as ever my princess JOJOJO", to which she blushed and ran into the house after seeing me leave, with her father's anger and possible questions about her relations with Weasley.

...

Greengrass House was quite large, as was Parkinson's. In it, I was also greeted by a house-elf and he soon came to my Daphne, who despite being surprised at my arrival did not show it.

"Merry Christmas Weasley" she greeted me respectfully.

"Merry Christmas" I said taking out two presents from my sack "This present is for you, and since I know you have a younger sister this is for her"

"Thanks, yours will arrive tomorrow" she took them without difficulty or resistance.

"See you at Hogwarts" I greeted her and left.

She went inside and gave her respective gift to her sister. Daphne's gift was a ring filled with emeralds, and Astoria's gift was glass slippers with various spells to make them comfortable to wear.

...

Next was the Abbott house, where I was joyfully received by Hannah's family. I went into her house to have a drink and I gave her a gift in a small package.

Hannah was happy that she came to visit and Mrs. Abbott offered me some sandwiches and she asked me why was out at this time, just as she asked me if I wanted to stay the night. I could only begin to explain a bit about my Christmas trip and decline her offer.

Hannah opened her gift and saw that it was a pair of hair ties that seemed to have little vines with various leaves on them, I also clarified that depending on the season they would change, drying or blooming. She loved them and she gave me a big hug and when I was about to leave she asked me to send her regards to Susan for her if I was going there.

...

Hannah wasn't wrong, Susan Bones was my next target...