Chapter 294 - A Good Surprise and A Bad One (2/2)

”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?”

______________________________

To be continued. . .