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I Believed in Father Christmas	By : sarcastrow Category: Harry Potter > General > General Views: 1699 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, and I do not make any money from these writings

Chapter List
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- 2
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I Believed in Father Christmas

Chapter 2

And I Saw Him Through His Disguise

Seamus Finnigan and Nathanial Brown popped into reality in a dark, dank room. “Lumos,” Seamus said, and his wand illuminated. He pointed it at a sconce on the wall, and a torch leapt to life. Lavender’s father could now see they were in what appeared to be a dungeon.

“Welcome to Castle Glamis, Mr. Brown,” Seamus said lightly, and shoved the man to a wall. He flicked his wand at him, and a set of manacles chained to the wall snapped closed around his ankles. “Stay right here if you please, I’ll be just be a moment.” He disappeared with a snap.

********************

Luna laughed at the expression on Mrs. Thomas’s face. She was just finishing the tale of how she and Dean had thoroughly confused a Muggle pet shop assistant when Luna had asked about some of the creatures he had in his shop.

“…so there he is with a full blood Kneazle, and he doesn’t even know it. He also had an infestation of Nargles, but it was winter so they weren’t very active,” she said.

“Ah, yes I see,” Dean’s mother said, not seeing at all.

Dean smiled and suppressed a laugh. He knew his mother thought Luna odd, but still liked the young blonde woman immensely. A wave of love flowed though him, and he hugged Luna to his side.

She smiled warmly at him. “I love you too, Dean,” she said.

There was an unexpected knock on the door.

Dean’s sister turned toward it. “I wonder who that could be,” she said, rising from her chair, and going to the door. “Oh, it’s Seamus. I thought you said he was going to his girlfriend’s for Christmas.”

She pulled the door open, and Seamus stepped into the room. “Happy Christmas all,” he said. “If it wouldn’t be too much trouble I’d like to borrow Luna for a wee bit.”

She looked at him with her wide eyes. “What’s wrong, Seamus?”

“I just need your help with a… personal issue,” he said. “Really, it won’t take but a wee bit o’ time. Do you mind, Dean?”

“Yeah, okay,” Dean said. “Just have her back soon.”

Seamus took Luna’s hand as she stood. “Where are we going, Seamus?” she asked.

He smirked. “Castle Glamis,” he said, and Apparated them.

********************

The dungeon was a surprise. “What’s going on, Seamus?” Luna asked warily, then she saw Mr. Brown chained to the wall. She spun to face the young Irishman. With a great deal of force, and in a deadly quiet voice she repeated, “What’s going on, Seamus?”

“Let me out of these chains boy!!!” Nathanial Brown yelled, spittle flying from his mouth. “And give me my wand back or you’ll regret it.”

As Lavender’s father continued to froth Seamus looked at Luna, and in his most serious voice said, “Mr. Brown here was headed into another night o’ drunken embarrassment for him, and abuse for his family. He said something very hurtful to both Lavender and meself. I know you’ve heard Lavender talk about it, but I got to see it start, and I could see the road we were going down.” He turned to the man chained to the wall. “Lavender’s told us about you. I promised her I wouldn’t do anything rash if you got out o’ control again,” – he smiled roguishly –“so I’m not acting rash. I thought a lot about what I would do if you decided to be a drunken fool this evening.” He waved his hand at the room. “This is a secret dungeon in the castle. No one but the descendants o’ the original jailers know that it’s here, so it’ll be nice and private, it will.” Seamus turned back to Luna. “He’s broken, Luna, he needs to be fixed, and I know you can help me do it.” He took her hand and looked into her eyes. “You know I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important, more important than anything. Please, Luna, help me fix him.” He took his mental defenses down and let her have free access to his thoughts.

She ripped her hand from his and recoiled in horror and anger. “I WILL NOT, SEAMUS!!!” she spat. He’d seen Luna upset before, but he’d never seen her truly angry, and he stepped back a pace in shock and fear. “You have no idea what you’re thinking. You’re asking me to invade his mind, forcefully. I. Will. Not. Do. That.” The words had a physical force that hit him in the chest.

Seamus marshaled his courage, stepped forward, and placed his hand on her shoulder. “You’re the only one, Luna, the only one that can do it.” He stepped away, shrugged his shoulders, and looked at the man. “I could pummel him I suppose, but Rowan’s apparently done that, and it didn’t help.” He turned back to her. “No, it has to be you.”

“Free me, girl!” Lavender’s father shouted. “This young punk is done with my daughter. You’ll never touch her again, I’ll make sure of that,” he yelled at Seamus.

Seamus clenched and unclenched his fists. “Look in me memory, Luna. Look and see. I know you’ve seen some o’ Lavender’s memories, seen what he’s done. Look in mine.”

Luna whipped her wand from her hair. “I should go straight back to Dean’s mum’s.” She tapped her wand on her palm, and then pointed it at Seamus. “Legilimens,” she said angrily, and she saw. She saw the look in Rowan’s eyes, saw the tear streak Lavender’s face, heard what her father had said, and felt Seamus’s resolve. “Finite.”

Luna stepped away from Seamus and began to pace, breathing heavily. Seamus had never seen her this agitated. Raw fury was rolling off her, he could feel it. “I am very angry with both of you,” she said hotly. “You, Seamus Finnigan, you should know better than to put me in this position. You know how I feel about using my gift this way. I will be very cross with you for quite some time, Seamus Finnigan.”

You’re using my full name. You must be furious with me, he thought.

“I AM!!!” she shouted. “And you,” – she wheeled to face Mr. Brown –“you have brought this all on. Do you have any idea of the torture that you put your family through THEIR WHOLE LIVES?” Luna was red faced and panting. She stopped, placed her hand over her heart, and composed herself. Then she turned back to Seamus. “I don’t want to do this, Seamus Finnigan. I will not meddle with his mind!”

Seamus nodded. “Yeah, alright, Luna, if that’s too much, I understand. I had to ask, though, so just look then… Please,” he said, with a note of determination in his voice. “Please, Luna, would you do that? Look, and show him what he’s done, what an arsehole he’s been. I’ll take it from there.” Seamus implored. I don’t care if you’re mad at me forever, he thought. I don’t care if Lav never speaks to me again. If I can fix this part of her life, it will all be worth it.

“Somehow I doubt that,” she snapped.

Nathanial Brown had backed up against the wall. Even in his inebriated state he could feel the power coursing through the room as Luna paced. “Don’t be doing anything you’ll be sorry about, girl. He’s in enough trouble as it is; kidnapping is a serious crime.”

Luna stopped and stood in front of him. She looked into his eyes, and in her calm voice said, “You should be far more concerned about yourself than Seamus Finnigan. Lavender hasn’t told you very much about me, I’m sure. You have no idea what I am capable of.”

“A little witch from Surrey? Barely out of nappies? I’m not afraid of you, little missy,” Mr. Brown lied. The petite blonde girl in front of him was radiating power, and her flat calm demeanor after her angry outburst was scaring the hell out of him.

She looked deep into his eyes. “Yes, you are, as well you should be. Legilimens!” Then Luna did something she had promised herself she would never do: she forced her way into his deepest core. Nathanial Brown could feel his memories being rifled through like the pages of a book, and he grabbed his head as the room spun and twisted around him. Images flashed through his mind until one solidified, and the room disappeared. Look here, Nathanial Brown, Luna’s voice said in his head, and she showed him a memory he had buried in an alcoholic haze.

*

Lavender was three. It was the first real Christmas for her, and he had been drinking. He staggered through the sitting room and stepped on one of the newly unwrapped toys, a small wooden train for Rowan. His anger flared, and he smashed the train and every other toy he found in his way. Only Lavender’s doll had been spared. He left the room, crying children in his wake.

*

Nathanial Brown fell to his knees, guilt and grief washing over him. “Nooo…”

And here.

*

It was Artemisia’s tenth birthday, and he was drunk. He stumbled into the kitchen and slammed his empty glass on the table. The children, gathered around the table, recoiled in fright and Artemisia trembled in front of her cake.

“Why are you looking at me that way, Artie?” he said angrily. “Cake not good enough for you?”

“Please, Daddy,” Artemisia said tearfully.

“Please Daddy what, please buy me a new dress? Please bring home your wage so a bunch of little brats can eat it? You don’t deserve how good I am, none of you!!!” He snatched a fistful of cake from the center and shoved it in his mouth, then strode from the room.

*

Lavender’s father whimpered on the floor of the dungeon. “Stop, please, I can’t…”

No, Nathanial Brown, I will not. Look here.

*

Jasmine had brought her first boyfriend home to meet her parents. The early part of the evening had gone well, but then Mr. Brown had begun to drink.

“You fucked her yet?” he said in a drunken slur.

The young man looked across the sitting room, eyes wide in terror. “N-No sir, I’d never, uh I mean, I wouldn’t…”

“Don’ believe you, you little creep. Look at her, just like her mum, gagging for it,” he said.

Jasmine had begun to cry.

“And you, you little slag, been spreading it all over Hogwarts I’m sure.”

Jasmine dashed from the room.

*

Seamus looked on open-mouthed. He knew what Luna could do, but he was unprepared for what it was doing to Lavender’s father. The man was curled into a fetal ball on the floor, howling in agony. Luna stood over him, her wand pointed at his head. From under her closed eyes a constant stream of tears was flowing.

“Please…” Mr. Brown was barely able to say.

No.

*

Rowan had just finished school, and they were having a celebratory dinner. The conversation had moved to Rowan’s future plans. Mr. Brown had downed several whiskies, and was in fine form.

“A real son of mine would be heading off to Gringotts, not wasting his time on some Muggle fighting school and working for the Underground. Bloody waste you are,” he said, sloshing whisky from his glass. “Not a drop of magic in you is there boy?”

“Nat, stop,” Mrs. Brown said from his side.

“I’ll not,” he said. “Not even mine, is he, you tart? That’s what the problem with him is, not even mine.” He slapped his wife across the face.

Rowan burst from his chair, kicked his father’s over, and snatched his wand from his hand as his father tried to curse him. He threw the wand over his shoulder and hauled his father to his feet.

“Strike her again and I’ll kill you,” the younger man said in a voice full of fury, and then he dragged his father to the door and threw him out into the rain. “Don’t come back until you’re sober,” he shouted.

*

Luna continued for almost an hour. She showed him family holidays he had ruined, moments that should have been joyful that turned ugly, countless times he had brought shame on his wife and children. At the end he was sobbing uncontrollably on the floor and Luna was standing over him, trembling, tears coursing down her face.

“Finite!” she spat. Luna wiped the tears from her face and turned to Seamus. “I’ve done what you asked, Seamus Finnigan,” she said. There was a slight shudder in her voice, and Seamus could still hear the anger behind it. “I hope you have a plan from here, because I am finished. Dean and I will see you the day after tomorrow.” And she was gone.

Seamus was shocked. He hadn’t fully anticipated the ramifications of his plan. First, he had hoped Luna would reach into Mr. Brown’s mind and somehow fix the broken part of the man, and he would move on to the second part of his plan, or skip it altogether, but his backup had been to ask her to do what she had done. He had thought that Luna would show him his misbehavior, he would see what a complete arsehole he’d been, and then he’d make a reasoned decision to change. Seamus had no idea what seeing the wrongs he had wrought on his family would do to Lavender’s father. Nathanial Brown was weeping like a child at Seamus’s feet. He bent, heaved the shaking man upright, and shoved him against the wall.

Seamus produced a flask from his pocket, the second part of the plan. “You sorry then?” he asked.

Several loud sobs came out of defeated lump that was Lavender’s father “I’ll never… They hate me,” he stammered.

“Surprisingly no,” Seamus said, and nearly laughed. “Though for the life o’ me I can’t understand why.” He looked the older man in the eye. “You’ll be wanting to stop?”

“Yes, yes I can’t… they…” He dissolved into tears.

“Get yourself together, man. Here, drink this.” Seamus handed the flask to Mr. Brown.

“What is it?”

Seamus smiled knowingly. “I’m Irish as you may have noticed. We’ve dealt with this kind o’ thing for a long time. Drink.”

The older man took a short sip, and spat it from his mouth. “What are you playing at, boy, giving me whisky?” he yelled.

“It’s not whisky; it’s something entirely different,” Seamus said. “Me great grandma on me mam’s side made that flask for me great granddad. It’s bound to you now it’s touched your lips.” Seamus looked him in the eye. “You still want to quit?”

Lavender’s father nodded.

“Drink.”

He took a long draw from the flask. It was the best whisky he had ever tasted: so smooth, and with such a sweet fire and burn… then it changed. Something was rebelling in him, struggling to get out, and he bent and retched. Seamus held his robes back as a lifetime’s worth of drink tried to exit the man. It only lasted a few minutes but Mr. Brown was panting and sweating at the end. He was also sober as a judge.

“The bargain is this,” Seamus said, after he scourgified the floor. “You may have one good draw from the flask a day. You must have one good draw from the flask a day. Should any spirits besides sacred wine pass your lips, or you forgo the potion, you’ll experience what you just did.”

Lavender’s father looked at Seamus, stunned and impressed, as the fog from the alcohol left him. He hadn’t been truly sober in a long time.

“It won’t get you drunk,” continued Seamus. “When I said it wasn’t whisky, I meant it. Me great gram was a right dab hand at potions, you see. It’ll taste like the best whisky on earth, but it’s not; it’s a very special potion. It takes the craving away, calms the nerves a bit, and it does a few other very nice things you’ll grow to like; the flask is charmed to be ever full. All that’s left is the pact:” – Seamus held out his hand – “Nathanial Brown, do you take this gift for what it is?”

Nathanial had passed into open shock; this young man was trying to save his relationship with his family, and his life, at a tremendous risk. What he had done was highly illegal. He had obviously made the Lovegood girl very angry by bringing her to the castle, and making her do the awful, but necessary thing she had done. What would Lavender think of her young man now? What would the rest of his family do? He gaped at Seamus.

“Well?” Seamus said.

Nathanial broke into a smile and a few tears leaked from his eyes. “Yes, a thousand times yes, Seamus Finnigan. You are a brash lad. No wonder Lavender is so smitten,” he said as he took Seamus’s hand.

“Then by Bride it’s done. The bargain is made.” Seamus shook his hand three times with his right, then three times with his left and then three times with his right again. He flicked his wand at the manacles, and they vanished.

“So this is what a member of Dumbledore’s Army and hero from the Battle of Hogwarts is like, eh?” Nathanial said with a grin. “You’ve got balls, don’t you man?”

Seamus smiled. “You live with one, sir. Do you find her afraid o’ much?”

Lavender’s father looked at Seamus in stunned admiration. “No, not after … no.” He shook his head. “Lavender could do far worse than you, Seamus. You’re a better man than I am, a better man by far,” he said.

“Thank you, you’ll be a better man now too,” Seamus said, and then let out a long sigh. “And on that note, we’ve got some music to face, you and I.”

Nathanial looked at Seamus, his face held an expression of fear and sadness. “How am I going to face them, Seamus? How? I’ve been such a fool, such a drunken fool.” He hung his head.

“We go back, you apologize, and then you prove to them you’ve changed.” Seamus laid his hand on the older man’s shoulder. “It won’t happen overnight, and it’ll take more than one, or ten, or a thousand apologies. You hurt all o’ them bad, but in time, just like me great granddad, you’ll be forgiven and more loved than you can hope.”

“And you, Seamus. What about you?”

“I expect they’ll be a bit cross with me,” Seamus said with a sad smile. “But I’ve had people cross with me before, I have. Oh yes.” He chuckled, and then became serious again. “I meant what I told Luna. I love your daughter more than I thought I could love anyone, but if I made you right, gave her dad back to her, then… then I could live with anything she decides.”

“Well let’s go home,” Lavender’s father said. “I’ll make sure she appreciates what you’ve done.” He put his hand on Seamus’s shoulder. “Thank you, lad, I’d be very proud to call you son.”

“Well, maybe someday. Let’s get through tonight first, shall we?” They disappeared with a snap.

*

Seamus handed Nathanial his wand after they Apparated onto the step in front of his house.

“What’ll we tell them?” Lavender’s father asked.

“I find the truth works well,” Seamus said, and laughed. “You take the missus, I’ll take the kids.” The last part of the plan.

“You’ve thought this through, have you?”

“Aye, I have,” he said with a smile and a nod. “After you.”

Nathanial Brown took several deep breaths, walked up the steps, and opened the door. “We’re back,” he said as he walked into the house, “and we truly have something to celebrate.”

Lavender, Artemisia, Jasmine, and Rowan rounded the corner that led to the sitting room door. “Where the hell have you been, and what the hell have you done, Seamus?” Lavender asked angrily.

“He did something that should have been done a long time ago, girl,” her father said. “He and your friend… the Lovegood girl.”

“Luna?” Lavender said, shocked.

“Yes, Luna,” he said, and nodded. “They taught me a lesson, a lot of lessons. Don’t be angry with Seamus, it’s a good man you have here, Lavender.”

Lavender spun to Seamus. “Luna? What did you do?” she asked, low and rough, and there was more than a hint of wolf in the growl.

Mr. Brown laid his hand on Seamus’s shoulder. “I don’t envy you the next few minutes, lad,” he said. “I’ll go and talk to Sylvia.”

As Nathanial headed to the kitchen Seamus spoke to the younger Browns. “Took him to an old and very private place, I did. Me mam’s family goes way back in the law enforcement field you see, and at one time we were jailers for the King o’ Scotland, so there’s a few quiet places we know that no one else does. I took him to one o’ those, and we talked.

Lavender’s foot was tapping on the hall tiles. “And Luna?”

Seamus swallowed hard. “Well you see, love…”

“Oh don’t you call me love just yet, Seamus. If you’ve done what I think you’ve done…” Her eyes were drifting to gold, a sign, Seamus had learned, that meant she was in a full fury.

“Aye, well she’s right hacked at me too.”

“YOU. DID. NOT! Seamus,” Lavender said, incredulously. Jasmine and Artemisia were standing next to Lavender looking equally cross.

“What did he do?” Artemisia asked in nearly the same growl as her younger sister.

“Luna’s very special,” Lavender said. “She’s… She’s got a special talent, a special power. We don’t talk about it.” She spun on Seamus. “And we CERTAINLY don’t abuse it, you sod!”

Seamus hung his head. “I saw what was happening, I did,” he said in a quiet voice. “Saw where it’d be going, and I saw a tear in your eye. That was all it took for me.” His head swung up and Seamus Finnigan, the man who had single handedly killed five Death Eaters, looked out from under his fringe. “You all know what was going to happen, don’t you?” He didn’t wait for a response. “He was going to make this another miserable holiday for you, and well, you’ve had enough o’ those already, you have.” He looked into Lavender’s eyes. “Luna’s the only one, Lav, the only one that could fix him, give you the da you should o’ had all along. So I brought her to him, showed her what he was, let her feel him.”

Lavender drew back to slap him but found that Rowan had stayed her hand. “Don’t do something you’ll regret, Lavender,” he said. “Dad’s been getting worse, we all know that, and none of us was going to do anything about it. If Seamus here has done what I think he has, then we owe him a great deal, a great deal indeed.”

Lavender whirled to her brother. “You have no idea what he did. She’s…”

“A very special witch,” he finished. “I’m a Muggle, not an idiot, Lav. You’re different from all the other werewolves; it wasn’t that hard to figure out why. Just because I can’t do magic doesn’t mean I can’t read. I read all your school books,” he said to his sisters. “Understood most of it. She’s a Legilimens, correct?”

Lavender looked at her brother with shock and admiration. “Yes,” she answered.

“Yes,” – he nodded – “and she’s a very powerful one at that, isn’t she?”

“That’s what you two do,” Jasmine said quietly, nodding to herself. “That’s how you keep the wolf under control.”

“There’s a lot more to it than that,” Lavender said, “but right now we’re talking about what Seamus has done. You made her… Seamus!” She backed away a few paces, her chest heaving.

“No one can make Luna do anything; you know that,” he said, “but yes, I asked and she did.”

Artemisia, the oldest, spoke at last. “I think you need to calm down, Lav. If what I’m gathering is correct, Rowan is right; we owe your young man here a great deal.”

“You don’t understand, Artie,” Lavender said. “Her gift… we promised her we’d guard it, keep it safe, keep it secret.” She stared daggers at Seamus.

“None of us will be blabbing anything,” Rowan said. “We can keep her secret, can’t we?” he asked his older sisters. They nodded, and Rowan smiled. “Besides, like I said, I figured it out a while ago. You magical people think everything odd is magic, just like the scientists feel everything is rational and explainable. Neither one of you are right. I’d be willing to bet the real reason she’s so powerful is because she’s naturally very psychic. I am,” he said with a shrug.

His sisters looked at him in surprise.

Rowan chuckled. “’Bout time you knew. You know those dreams Mum has?” He nodded at their stunned faces. “I have them too, only I think I may have them a lot more vividly. It’s not magic; it’s an ability that a lot of humans have. Science can’t explain it, and neither does magic, because it is neither.” He laughed again. “You really should read more Muggle books, girls, especially Stephen King. What she has, what I have, is called ‘the shine’. I reckon she glows in the dark,” he said in admiration.

“That still doesn’t excuse what Shay did,” Lavender said angrily.

Rowan crossed to his younger sister. “He loves you, Lav. He must love you a lot to do something so daring. A man in love will do great and foolish things for the woman of his dreams. Isn’t that right, Seamus?”

“Aye, Rowan,” Seamus said. “I hope it wasn’t foolish though,”

Lavender snorted, turned on her heel, and stalked away.

“Let her calm down,” Jasmine said, “and I’ll be the first. Thank you Seamus, thank you. Dad’s been… well he’s made us all want to thrash him, but” – she shrugged and looked down – “he’s our dad. I suppose it took an outsider to really see him, to really do it.”

Rowan clapped Seamus on the shoulder and said, “come on in the sitting room, Seamus. Tell us what you’ve done.”

*

Lavender stomped toward the kitchen. She was furious. How could he! she thought. He knows better, he knows we’re not to ask that of her. She let out a growl of anger, leaned against the wall, and composed herself. I’ll just have to go and apologize to mum and dad, and really apologize to Luna. She snorted her anger again and opened the door to the kitchen. What she saw shocked her. Her parents were woven in a lovers’ embrace. She hadn’t seen them kiss like that in, well … she hadn’t ever seen them kiss like that. They parted and she could see they had both been crying.

Her father stroked his hand down the side of her mother’s face. “I’m so sorry, Sylv, so sorry, but I’ll not drink again. Lavender’s young man has seen to that.” He drew a silver orb from his pocket, held the flask to his chest and closed his eyes. “Never again will alcohol pass my lips. Thank you, Seamus.” He opened his eyes and noticed his daughter in the doorway. “Come on, Lavender. I owe all of you so many apologies. I’ll start with you.”

Lavender crossed the room to her father, who falteringly drew her into an embrace. Tears fell into her hair and at last her father said, “I’m so sorry for all I’ve done, all I’ve said. It’s a terrible thing to know you’ve hurt those who mean the most to you, but I’ll make it up to you, I’ll make it up to all of you. I promise.”

Lavender looked up into her father’s eyes, tears in her own. “I’m glad, Dad, but what Seamus did…”

“Had to be done,” he said with conviction. “I know you’re angry that he brought your friend into it, she is too, but it had to be her. No one else could’ve done it.” He shivered.

Lavender suspected she knew, but she had to ask. “What did she do?”

His wife looked at him. “Yes, I’d like to know too, Nat. You’re a changed man in an hour. What happened?” she asked in wonder.

“Seamus took me to a dungeon at Glamis. He chained me there and went for the Lovegood girl.” He chuckled. “I was in a fury when he got back, but that was nothing to what she was when she found out his plan.” He turned to Lavender. “Your friend has got a temper I don’t think anyone but Seamus and I have seen. She’s right terrifying.” He looked into the distance. “He persuaded her to… I don’t know how to describe what she did. She showed me all the things I’ve done while drunk.” The tears started again. “All the times I failed, all the times I hurt you. I thought I would die from the pain.” He had to stop for a moment and he drew several shaking breaths. “When she was done she left, and Seamus asked if I wanted to be finished with drink.” He looked at his wife and daughter with the most serious expression. “More than anything, that’s what I want, and so he gave me this,” – he held out the flask – “and told me to drink from it. Thought it was whisky at first; it’s what it tastes like, but it’s not. It’s a potion his great grandmother made for his great grandfather. This flask was his.”

Lavender was slack jawed. “He planned it all,” she said in wonder.

“Yes he did, girl,” her father said, nodding. “You’ve got the bravest man I’ve ever met out there in the hall. If his plan hadn’t worked, if your friend, Luna had refused, if I’d been more of an arsehole than I am, he’d be on his way to prison right now. I know you’re angry with him, but really, don’t be. He saved me.” He hugged her.

Lavender let out a sigh. “He shouldn’t have done that to Luna,” she said, still angry.

“She’ll be alright, Lavender. I have a feeling she’s a lot tougher than any of you know,” her father said.

“My god, how he must love you,” Sylvia said, shaking her head. “Lav…”

A misty silver hare passed through the window and landed on the floor in front of Lavender. It looked up at her and spoke in Luna’s voice. “By now Seamus Finnigan and your father are back. I am sure you are very angry with Seamus Finnigan, you should not be. He loves you so, Lavender. He wouldn’t have risked destroying our friendship, and his friendship with Dean, if he wasn’t as in love with you as he obviously is. Yes, I am angry with him, but I will choose to forgive it.” The hare turned to Mr. Brown. “Nathanial Brown, you have been given a priceless gift. Only you and I know the depth of that gift: do not squander it.” With that the hare vanished.

“She’s such an old soul,” Lavender’s mother said smiling. She put her arms around her husband and daughter. “Pudding’s ready, shall we celebrate our good fortune?”

*

Lavender stood at the crossroads, a life with Seamus on one hand and a life without him on the other. She was so angry with him, but the idea of losing him made her feel as if she was going to die. A growl of frustration left her as she stalked toward the sitting room. What was she to do? He had violated a sacred trust, a promise they had all made to Luna, and he had deceived Lavender. He hadn’t lied to her exactly, but he had kept his plan a secret from her, and Luna! she though. For a moment her anger faded, and she was impressed with his new Occlumency skills. She was still in a quandary as she approached the sitting room and heard Seamus’s voice.

“…when she made it. It’ll calm him, which he’ll need in the next few months. He won’t experience the shakes either, and he’s liable to be more… affectionate too, especially with your mam.”

“Does mum have to be careful cooking for him,” Jasmine asked.

“No,” Seamus said. “The potion knows the difference between food cooked with spirits and the spirits themselves.”

Lavender appeared in the doorway of the sitting room. “Mum needs help with the pudding,” she announced flatly.

Rowan looked from Lavender to a very worried Seamus. “Ah, yes. Well, Jazz, Artie, let’s go and help, shall we?” He snickered to himself as he stood. The two women sat rooted in their chairs staring from Lavender to Seamus. “Now, girls,” he said and took their hands, pulling them to their feet. He hastily ushered them from the room, and Seamus stood.

Lavender was obviously angry, Seamus could tell. Damn Finnigan, you had it and you went too far, he thought. Maybe in time she’ll forgive me, maybe. I’ll just go back to the flat. Can’t go home, Mam would have me head on a plate.

“Aye, well, I suppose I’ll just be going then,” he said dejectedly, a tear tracking down his cheek.

Lavender crossed the room in three strides and wrapped her arms around him. “No, you’ll not just be going then,” she said as she laid her head against his chest. “I love you, my stupidly brave Gryffindor.”

Seamus let out a huge breath. “I love you, my beautiful Gryffindor lass, I sorry I made you angry.”

“You should be,” she said tersely, “and I am still very angry, but you did it because you love me, so I can’t really fault you for it. Luna sent a patronus. She told me she’ll forgive you, so I suppose I have to.” She held Seamus out at arm’s length. “But, Seamus Finnigan, never do anything like that again without talking to me first.” Her eyes told him she was deadly serious and still quite angry.

“I won’t, love. I promise,” he said, looking in her eyes.

Her mouth twisted in a half grin. “You’d better not, or I’ll let my sweet have her way with you.”

Seamus chuckled at the nickname for Lavender’s wolfself. “Aye, well she loves me too.”

“Yes, she does,” – Lavender grinned – “but don’t push her, or me. Understand?”

“Aye, love, I won’t.”

“Good.” She hugged him again and felt her anger start draining away. “Let’s have a second pass at pudding. Mum’s plum and cranberry pudding is, ooh…” and she shivered in delight.

“Well with that to recommend it, how’s a red blooded Irish lad to refuse,” he said, and kissed her with a tender passion.

*

As Lavender stepped into the dining room tears filled her eyes again. Her father and brother were locked in a hug, and she could tell her sisters were just as weepy as she was. Jasmine turned, caught sight of Seamus, and nearly tackled him.

“Thank you so much, Seamus,” she whispered in his ear as she released him from the crushing hug. “What you have done…”

“Thank Luna,” he said softly. “I couldn’t have done it without her.”

Artemisia drew him into a gentler hug. “We will, but it’s you, and your courageous Gryffindor nature got it done. How this house full of Ravenclaws wound up with the pair of you…” She shook her head.

“I want you to know how it went with me great granddad,” he said to the women. “It was like this just after me great grandmam gave him the flask.” He chuckled. “Or so they tell me. But tomorrow will be another day, and you’ll remember and you’ll be angry again. One hour doesn’t cure a lifetime o’ hurt. Not by a long way. But he’s on the path, and he’ll be ready to apologize any time you need to hear it.” He looked at Nathanial who had released his son from the hug.

“Yes indeed, Seamus.” He looked at his each of his children in the eye. “I am so sorry, and I’ll prove it. Day in, day out, I’ll prove it.”

Seamus smiled. “Aye, I can guarantee that.” He laughed. “Because the first time you fall, and you will, everyone does, it’ll be the last time. The flask’ll see to that.”

Nathanial gave Seamus a grim smile. “Perhaps, but if there’s no booze in the house it’ll be a lot less likely.” He drew his wand. “Accio Aqua Vitae!” he cried, and several bottles and decanters flew into the room. He picked the one up with “Scotch Whisky” etched in the side and handed it to Seamus. “This is a poor exchange for what you gave me, Seamus, but I hope that you’ll enjoy it more than I ever did.” He looked worried for a moment. “I wouldn’t be insulting you, would I?”

“Not at all, Mr. Brown, not at all,” Seamus replied.

The older man patted his shoulder. “Nat, Seamus,” – he looked pointedly at Lavender – “or Dad, when you’re ready.”

Seamus blushed the way only an Irishman can. “Um, well,” he stuttered, “that depends a great deal on Lavender, sir… Nat.”

The room erupted in laughter. Mrs. Brown came through the door with the pudding in her hands. “Let’s eat this while it’s warm and then do our gifts.

“Suits me fine, Sylv,” – he shot Seamus a sly smile – “I’m a bit empty.”

Seamus nodded. “Lavender told me you open presents Christmas Eve. That’s interesting, what led you to it?’

Mrs. Brown answered. “I was stuck in the kitchen all Christmas day, usually, and I’d miss the kids enjoying their presents, so when Lavender turned ten we decided presents Christmas Eve, stockings Christmas morning. Works very well for us.”

Seamus shook his head. “Ravenclaws. You’re all just so logical.”

Mrs. Brown smiled and turned to her youngest. “Lavender, if you please.” She nodded towards the sauce and the pudding on the table.

Lavender drew her wand. With an elaborate spiral swish the sauce spun up out of the bowl it was in and lay on the pudding in an intricate web-like pattern.

Jasmine nudged her. “Show off,” she said under her breath.

“Hey, I just paid attention,” she said in a fake pout. “You and Artie didn’t like kitchen work, and I love it, so I got all the recipes and techniques.”

“Aye, I can vouch for that,” Seamus said. “Luna cooks most times, but lately Lav’s been at it, and a mighty fine cook she is. Learned me mam’s corned beef hash and colcannon right well.” He smiled in bliss.

Lavender hooked his arm. “I had to,” she said and then sat in her chair, pulling Seamus into the one next to hers. “It was so good when we had it at the party, I kept thinking about it for days.”

Mrs. Brown sat and reached across the table to stroke Lavender’s hand. “At least you got that from me,” she said.

“Got a fair bit more than that, Mum,” Lavender said, “quite a lot more.”

The two women smiled warmly at each other, and then Mrs. Brown began dishing out the pudding.

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I Believed in Father Christmas