Chapter 135 - – Yule (1/2)
Early the next morning, the 21st the twins were rudely awoken at dawn by their grandfather. Still half-asleep, while it was still rather dark the twins were bundled up and pushed out into the bitter cold without breakfast. A most cruel punishment in consideration
The cold woke them up rather quickly as they followed their grandfather holding his wand high with the Lumos spell brightening the area. ”Why are we up so early, grandfather?” Rowan asked as Severus shivered at the freezing morning chill.
”We're here to cut down an ash tree to use as a log for the hearth,” Reginald explained as he glanced about the forest searching for a good-sized ash tree.
Seeing their puzzled gazes Reginald says, ”When muggles and wizarding kind still lived together the burning of the log was a common symbol between us to keep the evil spirits away. But I always thought it referred to those of the heart, really.
Either way, in those days, the sun was revered by both wizarding kind and muggles. And so, we wished for the sun to return that much sooner and placed the log on the hearth to burn, the brighter and longer it burned meant the sooner the sun would return.”
Rowan snorts under her breath, ”Magic would easily resolve that problem.”
”Yes, magic certainly does make it rather convenient to have the log burning for the entire night without going out,” Reginald chuckled. ”But it is to celebrate life on the darkest of nights, Winter Solstice.” Neither Severus nor Rowan reply as they both stare at the shinning white-coated creature emerging from between the trees.
Reginald glances up and startles at seeming a large, majestic white stag emerge from between the trees. The white stag is easily a foot taller not including the enormous crown of antlers. Immediately placing his body between the stag and the children, Reginald shows his empty hands as he carefully lowers his wand to the ground at feeling the overwhelming force of magic with each step of the white stag.
The white stag merely snorts causing a puff of smoke to appear before Reginald's face. The white stag easily steps past him and pauses to stare at the twins. Bending down it sniffs the top of Severus's head as Severus tries not to move.
Satisfied, it moves onto Rowan and much to their utter shock, Rowan brings her hand up for the white stag to sniff. The white stag's nostrils flared as it takes in her scent. After a moment, the white stag presses its snout gently into the raised hand, before retreating back. With a snort, the white stag bounds back into the forest and swiftly vanishes from view.
The forest is silent for a good while before Reginald slowly bends down to grab his fallen wand. ”What was that grandfather?” Severus said through cold lips as Rowan stared at her hand with some awe.
”A forest spirit,” Reginald said in awe. ”I thought they were long gone, but it appears that they still exist in old forgotten places.”
”Is that a good thing?” Severus warily asked as Rowan still stared at her hand as if memorizing the feeling and memory.
”It's very good luck to see one much less be blessed by one,” Reginald said with a merry twinkle in his eye.
Rather reinvigorated, Reginald said, ”Well, onward! We've got a log to find!” The twins both groaned at that as they followed their grandfather deeper into the forest.
An hour or so later, the three of them finally emerged from the forest with a giant log being levitated behind them by Reginald. With a skip in his step, he brought the Yule log into the house and laid it by the main hearth to be burned later that night. Blue and frozen, despite a warming charm, the twins fled for the kitchens lest their grandfather include them in any other festivity tradition. But alas that was not meant to be.
The rest of the day passed rather quickly as the family in unison prepared two of the feast items. Rowan and Severus with the aid of Dawn made gingerbread, while the Prince adults made the Wassail to drink later. Even Sir Knight Prince was included as he prepared carols for which to sing later that night. After everything was done and over, the twins were given only a light snack for a meal and were sent off to bathe and sleep as they'd be up all night. It was a remarkably easy feat considering that the twins were rather tired from having woken up that morning before the crack of dawn.
It was quite late that evening when Rowan and Severus awoke to the scent of clove-spiced apples and oranges. Yawning, Rowan blurrily blinked all around as Severus rose with a headful of tousled hair. ”What time is it?” Severus moaned.
Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, Rowan says, ”Mm, after seven,” pointing to the clock in the corner of Severus's room. ”Well, we best get up, I think.”
”Mm,” Severus groggily groaned as he climbed out of bed. Rowan shivered as she pulled her robe around herself and trotted over to her room to dress. Dressed rather warmly as instructed upon waking, Rowan headed over back to Severus's room to find two small mugs of warm cider to wake them up with a single cookie for each of them.
Happily taking a sip, Rowan sighs in delight as she watches Severus try to tame his sleep hair. Finally, Severus gave up and pulled his hair back with a male clip. Turning around, Severus asks, ”How do I look?”
”Awake,” Rowan said with a mouthful of cookie and hastily swallowed.
Seeing Rowan's hastily averted gaze, Severus walks over to his desk to find a single untouched mug and a trail of crumbs leading right back to Rowan. ”Did you eat my cookie?” Severus growled.
”No-,” Rowan lied rather terribly unable to meet Severus's gaze at being very much caught in the act.
”I want my cookie!” Severus threatened.
”Oh, well you look at the time,” Rowan exclaimed and rushed past Severus, successfully escaping out of the bedroom.
Glowering Severus descends downstairs with a mug in hand. To his surprise, their grandparents and Aunt Georgine were warmly dressed waiting downstairs. Pointing at Rowan, Severus crossly says, ”Rowan ate my cookie!”