A Good Surprise and A Bad One

"You called me, Mrs Weasley?" Chris entered the kitchen looking breathless.

"Yes, dear," Mrs Weasley smiled.

Chris noticed almost the entire Weasley family and Hermione, all were in the kitchen. Ginny was grinning widely. Remus and Tonks were also with them and —

"Dad?" Chris screamed, her eyes round as she saw her father standing beside Remus.

"My eagle!" Mr Norton laughed opening his arms wide.

Without waiting Chris ran and jumped in his father's embrace. His father almost lifted her from the ground as she buried her face in his shoulder.

"You have gotten so big!" Mr Norton said with a teary-eyed smile.

"I've missed you," Chris said in a muffled voice.

"I have missed you too, love," Mr Norton put her down and kissed the top of her head. "But you are as tall as me now."

Chris smiled and stopped her tears from coming out.

"No, you are still tall and big, Dad," she replied measuring her head with her father's shoulder. "I can't believe you are here."

"I can't either," said Mr Norton. Drops of tears coming down from his eyes. "I haven't seen you for one and a half year."

Seeing her father cry Chris wanted to cry too but she realized there were people around them. 

"So that's why you didn't send me a gift?" she said wiping the tears from her father's face.

"Yes because I have brought your gift with me," smiled Mr Norton. "Wait," he started to look in his bag.

"I hope you liked your Christmas surprise, Chrissy," said Tonks brightly, whose short hair was her favourite shade of bright pink again.

"You planned this?" said Chris surprised.

"Nope, it was Remus' idea," Tonks grinned at Remus, who smiled.

"I thought it will be a good gift for your Christmas," Remus said to Chris.

"Thanks, that's the best gift but —" Chris couldn't keep the surprise off her voice. She looked back and forth between Remus and Tonks. Tonks chuckled seeing her expression and wiggled her left hand; a ring glittered there.

"You got married?" yelled Chris. 

Tonks laughed as Chris jumped and hugged her.

"Sorry, you couldn't be there. It was a small ceremony in a scheduled place," explained Remus.

"Doesn't matter, this is great, congratulations!" Chris said grinning.

"Oh, I didn't realize — congratulations," Mr Norton shook hands with Remus.

"Thank you," Remus replied and Mr Norton turned to Chris.

"Your Christmas gift," Mr Norton gave Chris a box with a ribbon.

Chris smiled and opened it. It was a red crystal pendant attached to a silver chain.

"When I was in Nepal, I visited a temple. There, they were selling these things," said Mr Norton happily. "They said it is a safekeeping amulet. It will keep the owner safe so I brought one for you."

"Safekeeping amulet?" Mr Weasley looked at the pendant in shock.

Chris knew what he was thinking so she explained.

"Mr Weasley, it's nothing like the fake amulets of the wizarding world, we saw the other day. It is a normal crystal. Muggles sell them all around the world saying that this brings fortune and all that but it's just fake. They do this to fool Muggles."

"So they just lie about these things?" Mr Weasley said. "There's nothing magical about it?"

"No, most of the time," Chris shrugged. "I don't really believe in them — but I will wear it because Dad believes," she added quickly seeing her father's annoyed look.

"But be sure, Chris," Mr Weasley gave Chris a hard warned look and Chris nodded. He wanted her to check the amulet before wearing it, which was understanding.

"Anyway, I have gifts for your friends too," Mr Norton beamed at Chris and Ginny. "Well, not so magical but I thought you all will like it."

As Mr Norton got busy with giving out gifts to Ginny, Hermione, Ron and Harry in the living room, Chris decided to make something for her father without magic. And after a long time of convincing, Mrs Weasley finally let her use the kitchen alone. Chris started to prepare some pudding for dessert.

After some time Harry entered the kitchen.

"Luna is here," he informed.

"Oh great," smiled Chris while cutting an apple.

"You are looking happy, now," said Harry beaming.

"Yeah, because I am happy," Chris replied in a matter of fact tone. 

"He gave me this watch," said Harry holding his hand up. "He brought two for Ron and Hermione too."

"He loves to give gifts to people who are close to us," Chris started to cut a mango, "You know, when I was little, in every Christmas and on my dad's birthday, we used to cook together and by that, I mean, he used to cook and I used to make a mess. I used to go around throwing fruits and spoons, playing with flour and trying to save the broccoli because I thought they were cute and don't want dad to cut them."

Chris giggled as she reminisced her childhood memories. Harry smiled looking at her and Chris noticed it. She cleared her throat and tried to look calm.

"Hey, are you going to stand there or going to help me?" she asked coolly.

"Yeah, sure," Harry promptly nodded.

"Good, then quickly chop the fruits and nuts," Chris ordered and went to check milk boiling on the oven.

Harry started to work and Chris appreciated his help as he was really fast on his work. They finished the pudding timely before Mrs Weasley ordered Bill and the twins to set the table.

"I didn't know you can cook," said Chris as they set the food and plates on the table.

"I can't cook actually, but I can help," said Harry. "Aunt Petunia made me help her when I was seven or eight."

"Harry, that's kind of child labour," said Chris shocked. "That's horrible. I mean trying to help is a different thing but made a kid work that's —"

"It's fine, they —" Harry began then saw something behind Chris and grinned. "Sirius!"

Chris turned around and saw Sirius coming towards them. He gave both of them a one-arm hug. He looked almost normal but there were dark circles under his eyes. Chris guessed, he was still haunted by his brother's self-sacrifice.

"Merry Christmas!" Aurelia beamed walking in with Mr Weasley.

They all sat down for dinner. Chris sat between Mr Norton and Luna. They talked and laughed while enjoying the dinner. Everyone praised the pudding Chris made. Mr Norton almost cried again.

"Dad, don't," Chris smiled at him squeezing his hand.

"What to do eagle, it's just you are so grown up all of sudden and I — have missed so much of it," said Mr Norton with a painful smile.

It was right and Chris felt those hitting her heart. His father had missed a big part of her life.

"Mr Norton," Ginny pipped up. "I have a question."

Chris and Mr Norton turned to her.

"Why do you call Chris, eagle?" asked Ginny.

Chris rolled her eyes and Mr Norton chuckled.

"It's nothing big," said Mr Norton laughing. "When she was born, she reminded me of an eagle. Tiny eagle."

"Chris looked like an eagle?" Ron choked in his pudding.

"No," Chris glared at Ron. "It was because Dad was obsessed with birds for years before I was born and his favourite bird was an eagle."

"Oh, right, sorry," said Ron hastily.

Harry and Ginny laughed.

"Arthur!" said Mrs Weasley suddenly. She had risen from her chair; her hand was pressed over her heart and she was staring out of their kitchen window. "Arthur — it's Percy!"

"What?"

Mr Weasley looked around. Everybody looked quickly at the window; Ginny stood up for a better look. There, sure enough, was Percy Weasley, striding through the snowy yard, his horn-rimmed glasses glinting in the moonlight. He was not, however, alone.

"He's with the Minister," said Sirius grimly.

And sure enough, the man Chris had seen in the Daily Prophet was following along in Percy's wake, limping slightly, his mane of greying hair and his black cloak flecked with snow. Before any of them could say anything, before Mr and Mrs Weasley could do more than exchange stunned looks, the back door opened and there stood Percy.

There was a moment's painful silence. Then Percy said rather stiffly, "Merry Christmas, Mother."

"Oh, Percy!" said Mrs Weasley, and she threw herself into his arms.

Rufus Scrimgeour paused in the doorway, leaning on his walking stick and smiling as he observed this affecting scene. 

"You must forgive this intrusion," he said, when Mrs Weasley looked around at him, beaming and wiping her eyes. "Percy and I were in the vicinity — working, you know — and he couldn't resist dropping in and seeing you all."

But Percy showed no sign of wanting to greet any of the rest of the family. He stood, poker-straight and awkward-looking, and stared over everybody else's heads. Mr Weasley, Fred, and George were all observing him, stony-faced. Ginny was holding a fork in her fist and was glaring at Percy. She looked dangerous and Chris remembered why her Animagus form was a tiger.

"Please, come in, sit down, Minister!" fluttered Mrs Weasley. "Have a little purkey or some tooding. . . . I mean —"

"No, no, my dear Molly," said Scrimgeour. Chris guessed that he had checked her name with Percy before they entered the house. "I don't want to intrude, wouldn't be here at all if Percy hadn't wanted to see you all so badly. . . ."

"Oh, Perce!" said Mrs Weasley tearfully, reaching up to kiss him.

". . . We've only looked in for five minutes, so I'll have a stroll around the yard while you catch up with Percy. No, no, I assure you I don't want to butt in! Well, if anybody cared to show me your charming garden . . . Ah, that young man's finished, why doesn't he take a stroll with me?"

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To be continued. . .