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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

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I Believed in Father Christmas

Chapter 5

And A Distant Choir

The first thing Seamus saw when they folded back into reality was dingy, snowy alleyway. The rubbish bins were overflowing and the smell was barely contained by the cold weather. “Beautiful,” he commented, and Lavender slapped his arm.

“Just wait till we get out in the square, Shay.” She took his hand and led him from the alley.

They heard the carol singers well before they reached the square. When they turned the corner out of the small alley they found themselves on Princes Street. Lavender led him to the square, and they were greeted by the sight of a large crowd gathered around a brightly lit tree in the town centre. A group was just finishing Three Ships.

“I really like that one,” Lavender told him, and snuggled under his arm. They walked toward the crowd and Seamus took in more of the surroundings. The large town square was gaily decorated for the season. Garland, fairy lights, and all manner of finery hung from the buildings and lamp posts. The snow covered any flaws there may have been, and it occurred to Seamus that he was walking through a painting of Christmas past.

“Lovely. Really, Lav, it’s lovely,” he told her. The next group started The Carol of the Bells. “Remember when Flitwick had the choir at school do this one?” he asked.

“Yeah.” She nodded. “That was the first time I heard Luna sing. It was quite a surprise.”

Seamus nodded. “It’s good she has such a lovely voice, she sings almost constantly around the flat these days.”

“I’ve noticed she’s also mostly naked around the flat these days too,” Lavender said with a smirk.

Seamus smiled at her and rolled his eyes. “A lot of the time, yeah,” he said with a chuckle. “That was one of the things I was a bit unprepared for. When Dean told me that she was prone to walk out of their room without a stitch on I thought it’d happen once in a while, not once a day. I’m a bit numb to it now though. Besides, they did warn me about it.”

Lavender laughed with him. Dean and Luna had come to an agreement with Seamus, and then Lavender as she spent more and more time at the flat, that clothing was optional in the flat after ten, at least for them.

“You were never tempted?” Lavender asked.

“What, to join in?” he asked. “No, I’m a wee bit more bashful than that. Don’t mind bein’ bare with you, but I like at least a little bit o’ clothing around other folks. Besides I… well, suffer when compared to Dean,” he said reddening.

Lavender laughed and smiled at him. “All men suffer when compared to Dean, don’t worry, you’re just perfect Shay.” She laughed again. “Really with his, um… gift it sort of limits the possibilities.”

Seamus chuckled. “Luna doesn’t seem to mind.”

“Yes, well she’s had time to get used to it. Believe me there is such a thing as too big.”

“Good to know,” he said, smiling. “But do you mind if we change the subject from me best mate’s… not so little friend?”

“Sure,” she laughed, and led him into the throng around the tree. “Sorry for the crowd, I know you don’t like them, but it is that time of year.”

“I’ll make do,” he said. “Besides I’d follow you anywhere, me lass.” He kissed her hand.

Lavender’s heart did a little flip. It was still so strange to her, that he could make her breath short and her mind go blank from such a little thing. “Thanks,” she said, “but you may regret that one day. I…” her eyes went unfocused, and she unconsciously sniffed the air. She caught a familiar scent. Thousands of scents were in the air, but this one stood out.

Seamus stopped in his tracks and looked at her, concerned. She was standing stock still, eyes closed, the expression of trying to place a memory on her face. “What’s wrong, Lav?” he asked.

Lavender came back to herself. “Let’s get out of the crowd,” she said, and quickly led him to another narrow side street. She found an unoccupied doorway and drew him into it. “My sweet caught a scent.” She looked at him wide eyed. “I’ve never had that happen; it just stopped me where I stood. Shay, there’s someone else here, someone magical.” She rocked back and forth in the doorway and fidgeted with her fingers. That smell… I can place it… it’s… the pain potion!” She bounced on her toes for a moment, and Seamus stifled a laugh. Her similarity to an excited dog was too funny. “It’s not Poppy’s, or the stuff they make at St. Mungo’s. Hmm, that’s interesting.” She closed her eyes in concentration. “There’s something more though, something more familiar than that. Something I’ve scented before…” Her eyes widened and she smiled. “Yes, that’s it. My sweet hasn’t smelled this, I have! Yeah, she definitely doesn’t like… her! Her perfume. It’s a woman!” Lavender stuck her head out of the doorway. “Something’s not right, Shay. My sweet and I are feeling all… prickly. Do you think you could manage the crowd again? Whoever it is in there somewhere, I think.”

“And you think she’s dangerous?”

Lavender nodded grimly. “It’s one of those things. My sweet just knows.”

Seamus palmed his wand up his sleeve. “Dumbledore’s Army, we are. Let’s go.” Lavender saw his battle face appear.

Her heart did the little flip again. Standing before her was her knight, her paladin. He would follow her to the gates of hell and beyond, all she need do was ask. As she allowed herself to feel the love for Seamus that was filling her, she became aware of another emotion, one from her wolfself. Mate, pack, and belonging were all wrapped up in this one sensation, a feeling of completeness. Lavender smiled wryly; all the work she and Luna had been doing was working. Lavender and her wolf were becoming one. They always had been, but most people are never aware of the animal that lives within. It only emerges in the darkest moments, in fear and hate, but Lavender knew the beast well. She knew her wolfself would rise at a moment’s notice if Seamus or one of her friends or family was threatened. Lavender knew her wolf shared her intellect, shared her thoughts, and shared her heart. That was what the wolf got in return, and as they became more and more integrated Lavender found that this animal force within her had been the source of her fire, her fierce loyalty, and her physical skill. It was only when she had been bitten that it was able to come forward and declare itself, for at last it had a name: my sweet.

She met Seamus’s expression and pushed her way back into the mass of people. The scent of the perfume was almost masking the potion, but whoever it was had been using a lot of the potion. It was coming out of them in their sweat. As they treaded their way through the loose crowd she surreptitiously scanned the people near her. The full moon was just a few days past and her senses were still more acute than their normal augmented ability. Slowly, so it would appear to the casual observer that they were just wandering and enjoying the singers, she followed the scent. A rustling of the tree branches about twenty feet away drew her attention, and she noticed the branches bending around an unseen body.

“Someone’s under a Disillusion charm next to the tree,” she whispered to Seamus. Carefully, so as not to be noticed, he looked where she directed.

“Aye, I see it,” he whispered from the side of his mouth. “Let’s move back and make a plan.”

They made their way to the pavement and slipped into a doorway.

I’ll take point, you come round from behind,” he said. “This may just be someone not wanting to be seen in Muggle public. I’ll ask, but if you suspect something, stun first; we’ll ask questions later.”

Lavender slipped back into the crowd and circled around to the back of the tree. Seamus moved into the crowd and appeared to be gawking at the decorations in the square, but he never let the place where they suspected the unseen witch to be out of his sight. When he saw Lavender round the tree and come up behind the unseen woman he moved toward her. Smiling wide and whistling What Child is This, he purposefully marched toward the spot, hoping to draw the woman’s attention. When he was five feet away he stopped and stared at the empty space.

Lavender had put the tree between herself and their unseen foe. She watched Seamus wander into the midst of the crowd. He was so good. The impression he gave of a simple countryman in awe of Ipswich’s Christmas finery was spot on, but she could see that he was tracking her position from moment to moment, and he always had an eye on the spot where the witch they were interested in stood. Lavender did a quick Confundus on the Muggles nearest her as she approached the woman from behind. Suddenly she realized she could see her in a way. The Disillusionment charm hid the woman from sight, but if she concentrated a little Lavender found that she could see part way into the infrared. The heat waves rolled off the woman and shimmered in the air around her. She was outlined perfectly in the rippling heat. It took a moment for her mind to make sense of what she was seeing, but then Lavender could see that the witch was indeed watching Seamus as he nonchalantly wandered closer to her. She’s ours, she felt from her wolfself as she moved up behind the woman and drew her wand. Then Seamus closed the distance between them.

“Nice day for it,” Seamus said lightly. “Do we dance here, me fancy, or shall we go somewhere and have a talk?”

The man next to Seamus looked at him askance and moved away. A buzzing sound floated into the air around them and he smirked. Lavender had cast Muffliato.

“You wouldn’t dare, Finnigan,” said a quiet voice he knew all too well. “We’re out in Muggle public; it’d be breaking your precious laws to be using magic here.” She laughed softly. The laughter stopped when Lavender’s wand poked into her back.

“Alecto Carrow,” Lavender said, her voice close to a growl. “We were talking about you just last night. I thought you were dead,” – she snorted – “and you should wear a different perfume.” Lavender’s voice descended into a low snarl. “Make no mistake, Ms. Carrow, we will kill you where you stand if you try anything.”

“Then that’s what you’ll have to do, you stupid little slag, make it a big public spectacle,” the invisible woman said. “I’ll not be going to Azkaban.”

Seamus chuckled a moment, and then pressed his wand tip to the galleon around his neck. “Carrow in Ipswich, come now,” he said. “Well, it’ll be an interesting day for you, madam. You see the whole o’ Dumbledore’s army knows you’re here at this moment, and I’d wager a fair bit that half of ‘em are on their way right now.” His eyes lit up. “Oh.”

Seamus’s coin had heated, and he read a new message: “Where?” the coin asked.

He pressed his wand to the coin again and said, “Tree, town square.” Then he looked where he thought her eyes would be. “Well now, they’d be on their way,” he said in a satisfied and taunting voice.

A flash of green leapt toward Seamus, and he was just barely able to shield himself from it. The deflected spell shot across the square and struck the globes on one of the lamp posts. They exploded in a shower of glass. The crowd’s attention was drawn to that spot, and in a flurry of movement Carrow attempted to Disapparate. Lavender had anticipated that and crushed it with a Finite. The combination of failed disapparition and Finite dissolved the Disillusionment charm and she fell to the ground at Seamus’s feet. Another jet of green emerged from Carrow’s wand aimed directly at a small girl a few feet away. Luckily for the girl, Seamus had erected a shield in front of Carrow, and the spell deflected off it, shot upward into the town hall, and took out a window. At the same moment there was another small bang as Lavender stunned the woman on the ground. He Confunded the people closest to him and then sent several small, nearly invisible, shots into the sky. The flurry of firework bursts drew the crowd’s attention. Seamus took advantage of the distracted throng and heaved Carrow to her feet while Lavender ripped the woman’s wand from her hand. Both Lavender and Seamus rammed their wands into the woman’s side.

“Come on, Aunt Alecto; let’s get you home,” Seamus said loudly. “A little too much Christmas Cheer for you?” They pushed through the crowd to the pavement in front of a row of shops. Cho Chang rounded a corner from one street, and Alicia Spinet emerged from a street on the opposite side of the square. “Come quietly and you won’t be harmed cause a fuss and it’ll be very unpleasant,” he said in a low whisper.

They dragged the nearly unconscious woman back to the same alley at the rear of the town hall that they had Apparated into. Alicia entered the alley closely followed by Cho, and the two women hurried up to Lavender while Seamus used the coin again. “Service alley, behind Town hall,” he said, and charmed the coin again. “I’ll just be giving them time to read that. Good morning, ladies,” he said to Angelina and Cho. “sorry to disturb your Christmas morning but this one,” – he indicated Carrow with a nod of the head – “this one had other plans.”

“I’d give up a hundred Christmas mornings to take her in,” Cho said. “How’d she get away from the battle in the first place? I saw the end of the sword come out of her back.”

The old Death Eater chuckled and slurred, “Longbottom’s an idiot like the rest of you blood traitor trash. He didn’t kill me, obviously. He didn’t learn when you kill someone make sure they’re dead. When you lot ran off to fight in the hall I dragged myself to a place where I could do some of the healing charms. Got found and helped.”

Cho was in her face in an instant. “BY WHOM?” she asked.

“Helpers, you insolent bitch,” Carrow replied with a sneer.

“Watch your mouth,” Alicia said, “or I’ll shut it for you.”

Lavender looked at Cho and saw her coven-mate wiggle her fingers over her wand. She shook her head. Don’t fuck with Cho, you stupid whore. Top of her class Ravenclaw. She’ll curse you seven ways from Sunday, and it’ll take the healers a week to undo it. “Don’t,” she said to the dark haired woman, “she’s not worth it.”

Cho took a deep breath and backed away. “I wish Luna was here,” she said.

“No, you don’t,” Lavender snapped. “She’s been used wrongly quite enough these last few days,” she said, with an eye toward Seamus.

Seamus bowed his head, and then pressed his wand to the coin again. “Carrow taken. Need ministry.”

Cho completely missed the undercurrent of the conversation. “Yes, I suppose you’re right. Guess we’ll have to get the information out of her the old-fashioned way.” She bent and cupped Carrow’s chin. “Veritaserum has quite a kick they tell me; you’ll like it.” She chuckled. “The hangover is a bloody pain though.”

Harry, Ron, and Kingsley Shacklebolt Apparated a few yards away. “Well, well, well,” Kingsley said in his deep baritone. “Look who we have here. A very happy Christmas to you, Madam Carrow. We knew your brother had survived the battle, but we thought you dead.”

The old woman spat in Kingsley’s face.

Harry surged forward. “I Cruciated your brother for spitting in the face of one of my friends. Should I do it to you as well?”

Ron pushed Harry’s wand arm down. “Let it go, Harry,” he said.

Harry drew several deep breaths. Ginny had told him about this woman; Neville had told him about this woman. She and her brother had turned his beloved school into a house of horrors, and Harry was still very angry about that. He clenched and unclenched his fists. “Yeah, okay,” he said, and grudgingly lowered his wand. “Have to take one from Neville’s column though. He’ll be right sorry about that.”

“He might as well have killed me,” the old woman rasped. “Damn wound won’t close. Potion keeps the pain away, mostly, but still can’t figure why it won’t heal.”

Harry looked at her and smirked. “Basilisk Venom: you’re really lucky to be alive.”

Kingsley cleared his throat. “Miss Chang, would you do the honors?”

Cho smiled at the tall man, and then down at Carrow. “Alecto Carrow, as a duly appointed member of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement it is my extreme pleasure to place you under arrest for violating more laws than I care to enumerate. You will be taken to St. Mungo’s high security ward, there to await trial on the charges that will be brought against you. Do you have a solicitor?”

The old woman snorted. “You bloody well know I don’t.”

Ron grabbed her right arm and heaved her to her feet. “Lucky for you we have a legal aid group. You’ll get a fair trial.”

“Take her to St. Mungo’s, Miss Chang. I’ll be along shortly,” Kingsley said to Cho. “I’ll just be debriefing Mr. Finnigan and Miss Brown.” He turned to Ron and Harry. “Weasley, Potter, would you make sure they get there safely?”

“Yes, sir,” they said in chorus.

“You’ll want this,” Lavender said, and handed Carrow’s wand to the Minister.

“That we will.” He turned to Cho. “Make sure they know about the Basilisk venom, we want her well for her trial.”

Cho nodded, took Carrow’s left arm, and grasped Ron’s free hand. There was the snap of Apparition and they were gone.

“Happy Christmas, Seamus, Lavender,” Harry said to them. “I’ll see you in the office later, sir,” he told Kingsley. He twisted on the spot and was gone. At the same moment Hannah Abbot and Neville appeared at the opening of the alley.

“Is he gone?” Hannah asked. “Did he get away? Are we too late?”

Seamus strode up to Neville. “It wasn’t Amicus. Sorry commander, it was Alecto. She’s alive, and on her way to St. Mungo’s.”

“But I stuck the sword right through her,” Neville said, puzzled. “What happened?”

“I was just going to ask them that very question,” Kingsley said. “Let’s go somewhere less cold and talk.”

Lavender nodded her head to the side. “There’s a nice little pub just round the corner, bet they’re open. A few places round here are on Christmas morning.”

“I’ll let everyone know so they don’t all show up,” Seamus said, and put the tip of his wand against the coin once more. “Carrow in custody,” he said.

They made their way through the busy streets to the pub that indeed was open. After ordering warm mulled wine and tea Kingsley asked them to recount their story of earlier that morning. Lavender let Seamus tell the tale; he was a consummate story teller. With hand gestures and a command of the language she only saw when he was recounting some thrilling epic, he told his rapt audience how he and Lavender had apprehended Carrow.

“And just like we planned, Lavender creeps round the tree from her blind side while I keep her attention out front, you see.” He had set the tea pot in the center of the table to represent the tree and was using his hands to show where he and Lavender were. “So I see me blonde beauty coming round the back, and I walk right up where we know she is, then I let her know we know she’s there.” He looked at Neville. “When she spoke I was a bit surprised. More than a bit really, had no idea it was Alecto. Thought you’d killed her just like everyone else did. So then I used the coin and sent the first message. Told her the D.A. would be here shortly.” He turned to Kingsley. “Wanted to force her play.” He nodded. “Worked. She tried to kill me, then she tried Apparating, but Lav stopped it with a Finite.”

“Very good thinking, Miss Brown,” Kingsley said, nodding in her direction.

“Aye, it was,” Seamus said taking her hand. “This one here… well you don’t want to be crossing her, no, no, no.” He looked back at Kingsley. “Dispelled the Disillusion too, she did. Then Carrow tried to kill a little Muggle girl.” Lavender heard raw hatred in his voice as he said it. “Lav Stupefied her while I Confunded the folks near us and sent up a volley of fireworks. I did that, and then we dragged her to the alley. You know the rest.”

Neville shook his head. “Amazing. How did she stay hidden all this time?”

“That’s something I’d like to know as well,” Kingsley said. “We know Amicus escaped after Bellatrix Lestrange released him and his sister from Ravenclaw tower, but we haven’t seen or heard anything about him. Most of the former Death Eaters want to pretend that the whole of Riddle’s forces were captured or killed during the battle, but we know that’s not the case. There are quite a few out there still, and we just don’t have enough trained and skilled Aurors to hunt them all down.” He looked around the table with raised eyebrows at the young people.

Neville smirked, drained his wine glass, and set it on the table. “And on that note I think we need to get back to your parents’ house,” he said to Hannah. He leaned in to Kingsley, laughing. “Nice try. The answer is still no.”

The dark man laughed. “Can’t blame a man for trying to collect talent when he sees it,” he said.

“You two at Harry’s for New Year?” Neville asked Seamus and Lavender.

“Wouldn’t miss it,” Seamus said.

“We’ll see you there,” Hannah told them. “Come on, Nev, let’s get home. Mum will be worried, and there’s roast beef to be eaten.” She told him, and turned to Kingsley, Seamus and Lavender. “Happy Christmas,” she said, and led a grinning Neville from the café.

“He’s sunk,” Seamus said. “We’ll be getting a wedding invite from them this coming year, you watch.”

“Nev deserves it,” Lavender said. She looked at the two men. “You know about his parents?”

Kingsley nodded solemnly. “Aye,” Seamus said. “It took him five years to tell us. Harry knew early on, but it wasn’t till after the battle at the ministry that Nev told Ron, Dean, and me. Molly Weasley did the world a favor.”

“Yes she did,” Kingsley said. “We can’t have people like Bellatrix Lestrange going uncaught. We need twice as many Aurors as we have. You all did a fine job at the battle and in the months after, but as you went back to your lives and school, they melted back into society.” The dark man set his cup down and looked intently at the two young people in front of him. “You two broke more laws than I care to think about this morning.” He paused for a long moment looking stern, and then he smiled. “Thank you.” Seamus could hear it coming. He’d been on the receiving end of the offer twice now, but he didn’t know if Kingsley had approached Lavender yet. “You are both very good at this,” Kingsley continued. “With training you’d be great Aurors, and you make a fine team. I’ve told you before, and I’ll say it again, when you’re ready to come to the ministry my door is open.”

He turned to Seamus. “Mr. Finnigan: both Ron and Harry say you’re as calm and collected under pressure as any man they’ve ever seen. Your performance during the battle was superb, and your ability to think on your feet impressed a lot more people than just me. I saw you battle Avery; he never touched you. Arthur tells me he saw you fight Lestrange, and he says you were focused and completely undistracted by the insults he was throwing at you. Amazing.” He looked at Lavender across the table. “Miss Brown, Harry tells me you are the best shot in the whole of Dumbledore’s army. The damage you inflicted on the first two charges that came the night of the battle was impressive. You and Miss Patil single handedly foiled those charges.”

Lavender blushed. “Professor Flitwick had a good deal to do with it too, sir. His shield charms, and revocation spells allowed us to hit them full force. We just followed the plan.”

“Until the plan became irrelevant,” Kingsley laughed. “As they always do in a fight. Then you proved yourself again. You fought with a tenacity and ruthlessness that someone of your youth shouldn’t possess. The abilities you now have, thanks to Greyback, would be a tremendous asset in the department.” He finished his tea. “You two did in a few minutes today what a team of Aurors hasn’t been able to do in almost two years. I’ve asked you both independently, and now I’ll ask you as a team: will you join the ministry? Will you help us keep the world safe?”

“I can’t speak for Lavender, Minister, but I have been considering it.” He looked Kingsley in the eye. “I won’t do anything that doesn’t involve her though. If we decide to join it’ll be on our terms, and we won’t be giving you an answer today.”

“I didn’t expect one,” Kingsley said with a chuckle. He drained his cup and rose from the chair. “Keep us in mind.” He shook their hands. “Well it’s off to St. Mungo’s for me. Pity, Andromeda Tonks asked me to come for dinner.” He put on his hat. “Ah, the life of the minister is never his own. Happy Christmas, Miss Brown, Mr. Finnigan.”

“Happy Christmas,” they called as he left the pub.

Lavender took up her tea. “What do you think, Shay?”

“I don’t know,” he said with the most serious expression Lavender had ever seen on him. “Me gut says it’s a good thing to do, but I don’t want to be dragging you into anything that might get you hurt, and I see how much Ron travels. Harry’s home more but that’s just because of who he is. I won’t be away from you that much.” His eyes bored into her and her heart did that little flip again.

“We’ll think on it,” she said.

“We?”

“My sweet and I like the idea. It’s as if we were meant to do something like this,” she said, and rubbed her chin. “But I want it to be the right job. I have a feeling if they got me they’d use me for her, and I don’t like that idea at all.”

“Nor do I, me love, nor do I.” He looked around the pub. “We best be getting back to your parents. Is the old Muggle with the chestnuts here?”

“I was so distracted by Carrow I haven’t looked,” she said, shaking her head. “Let’s find out.”

After a quick conversation with the barman, they headed off to the opposite side of the square. People were milling about, chatting happily and taking in the gaiety of the season. Seamus was once again struck by the beauty of the town’s Christmas finery. Coming from a small village in Limerick he hadn’t seen much in the way of large scale Christmas decorations, and he had a huge smile that Lavender couldn’t help but giggle at.

“What?” he asked as he turned and drew her into a hug.

“You look like,” – she paused to giggle again – “well, like a kid at Christmas.”

“And you look like a goddess,” he said with an entirely different smile.

Lavender felt the wave of love sweep though her so powerfully she was speechless. They were standing in the middle of the pavement in the busy square, but it was as if they were the only two people on earth. The throng around them barely registered in her perception as Seamus kissed her.

“Do you mind,” said a voice. The onlooker cleared his throat. “I say, do you mind?”

Lavender opened her eyes and saw Seamus look over her shoulder and smiled broadly. “No, not at all,” he said, and kissed Lavender again.

“You young people,” the exasperated man said, and Lavender felt him brush past.

They were both smiling so hard the kiss ended in laughter. “Let’s get those chestnuts and head back, yeah?” Seamus said.

“Lead on, my knight,” she said as she took his arm.

The old Muggle man was around the corner just south of the square. His little cart steamed and smoked, and the smell coming from it made them forget that a feast waited for them. They queued up behind another couple and Seamus took the opportunity to steal another kiss. Lost in the moment they didn’t notice it was their turn until the old Muggle man spoke up.

“Not getting any younger here,” he said jokingly.

They broke apart, red faced. “Um, sorry,” Seamus said. “Got caught up, we did. You understand.”

“Yeah, I do,” the old man said nodding. “Been quite a few years since I lost my wife, but I still remember. Hang on to it, children.” He snapped open a paper bag. “Now, what can I get you?”
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I Believed in Father Christmas