บท 15: Christmas Gifts
In the Early Morning of the 25th December, Neal's room door was being knocked several times which woke him up from his sleep. He stepped down from his bed and opened the door to find Malfoy looking very excited.
"Draco? you sure are lively today. Anything special happened?". He spoke, "Merry Christmas, Neal". Neal was taken back in a surprise and smiled while greeting back, "you too, Draco". Draco asked in a surprised, "did you forgot what day today is?".
Neal replied, "well, I, actually kinda forgot about it". Malfoy thought, "I forgot that he's an orphan that grew up in a muggle world. He might not have celebrated much at the orphanage".
While walking downstairs, he went to Malfoy's room at his insistence. It was only half of the size of his own room and there are two beds fit in it. Not spacious like his but it can be considered fine.
He pulled out a sweater which looks a bit luxurious and gave it to Neal, "this is from my mom, Neal. She sent for you too when I told her you aren't leaving for Christmas". Neal took it with a smile but saddened upon remembering Ms. Anne who used to gift the sweater to him every Christmas. When he remembered her words of betrayal, sadness crept up in his heart and light tears started to form in his eyes.
Malfoy asked, "what happened?". Neal calmed down and replied, "nothing. I just remembered someone who used to present me, a sweater on every Christmas. That's all. Thank your mother for me when you write her a letter".
Draco then pulled out a box wrapped in a gift cover and gave it to him, "this is from me". Neal opened the gift and was surprised to see a bag-like thing. He asked, "Draco, isn't this cast-a-spell kit?". Draco was taken back in shock, "how do you know?". Neal replied, "we have one in charms club. I used once for training a spell. I heard from Professor Flitwick that they weren't available for mass production".
Draco took out an exact looking one, "well, I got one more. I asked my father to buy it for you and Daphne as Christmas gifts. I already sent one to her, yesterday. My father also sent one to me as a Christmas present with a warning to not embarrass him again, of course".
After Neal thanked him, he thought, "hmm, I received such wonderful gifts. I should also give them something worthy".
Malfoy then said, "let's go downstairs. I haven't picked up Daphne's yet". When they reached downstairs, he saw three to four people carrying up parcels possibly Christmas gifts.
When a fouth year saw him, she greeted, "Merry Christmas, Neal, Malfoy". He greeted back. Then she said, "you got so many gifts, Neal. Check them in the mailroom. I also placed mine there since I'm not sure whether we will meet. Once again, Merry Christmas, Neal".
When both of them went to the mailroom, Malfoy joked, "your owl must have gotten tired to death, Neal". A heap of small and big gifts laid in a corner which is almost Neal's height which is considered high since Neal is 5ft1inch.
Neal rummaged through his pocket and realized that he's in pajamas and his wand is in his room. He asked Malfoy, "did you bring the wand?". he took it and said, "yeah".
Neal then said, "do you know the variations of levitation spell?". As Malfoy shook his head, Neal sighed, "fine, give me your wand. We can't carry this by ourselves".
Malfoy asked, "are you sure you can do the charm, right? I mean, it isn't yours, you know". Neal replied, "anyone can use anyone's wand. It's just the wand won't listen to anyone other than it's master and doesn't perform well as it's intended to be".
He waved with Malfoy's wand and made them float and carried all of them with him upstairs. After opening the door, he spoke, "wake up Isle" in a parseltongue which immediately made Isle come from the hole and looked at the items floating in the air behind him curiously.
As both of them went inside, he made all the gifts land on the floor. He gave back the wand to Malfoy, "thanks". Neal went towards Isle and extended his hand. It coiled around his arm and looked at him and sounded, "hiss...hisss..". He laughed and spoke in parseltongue, "even you too remembered the Christmas?. Merry Christmas. It seems we have a lot of gifts. Shall we open it?". It nodded, "Hiss".
Malfoy who was clueless spoke, "uh, hello, Neal. A normal human is being here. Can you not talk in parseltongue? It makes me curious about what you are conversing about".
Isle looked at Malfoy and hissed. Malfoy stepped back a bit, "is it angry or something?". Neal laughed, "no, she's wishing you". Malfoy looked at it and replied, "Ah, yes. thank you. Merry Christmas you too, Isle".
A few seconds later, he said, "ok, shall we open the gifts?". they both sat in midst of dozens of gifts from all houses. Mostly from Slytherin. A dozen from Ravenclaw. a few from Hufflepuff and surprisingly one gift from Gryffindor.
It's from Parvati Patil, twin sister of Padma Patil who he saved one time while she's falling. There are little gifts like chocolate frogs, jellybeans, different types of candies, a quill, greeting cards, etc...
As he saw a small box with her name and a letter. He read the letter and opened the box to find a bracelet with a huge S carved in the middle of it indicating Slytherin and also a small sweater. Malfoy pulled the one from his pocket and showed an identical one to Neal. "I also got the same one".
He took out the sweater which is 3 ft long and have no sleeves and showed it, "hey Isle, Daphne got a Christmas gift for you. As he put the sweater on the floor, Isle immediately drove into it and put her head out of it which cracked Neal and Malfoy up.
Only three boxes which are bigger than the rest. He read, "says, it's someone named Edward Fawley. Did you know someone from the Fawley family? I thought that the family disappeared".
Neal replied while reading his letter, "he was the one Dumbledore handed me to after I ran away from the orphanage. I haven't heard from him since we're sorted into houses. Even though he only took care of me for three months, I think of him as a family".
Neal read the letter, "Merry Christmas, Neal. I was busy with some urgent business in America and didn't have the luxury to write a letter and ask how are you doing there. Well, judging by your talent, you might be excelling in all the subjects, anyway.
Now keep the letter and read the next part later, okay?".
Neal understood that the next part which is actually written with invisible ink and a secret that is to be read when he is alone.
He folded the letter and put it in his pocket. Then opened the gift to see Shoes which have little wings at the bottom. Malfoy screamed in a surprise, "Merlin's beard. These are the flying shoes "Lightning 45". It's an American company famous for Flying vehicles.
Only a few months ago, they completed a flying-shoes prototype. I heard they are a lot faster than Nimbus 2000. My father just ordered it recently. I haven't received it yet though".
Neal smiled and put it aside to see the other gifts. He looked at the next gift. Neal mumbled, "an anonymous gift?". Malfoy then asked, "that one too?". As he looked at Malfoy, he showed the other gift too doesn't have a name on it.
The one on Neal's hands doesn't have any name or letters except three words, "use it well". he opened the gift to see a box with a paper on it. As Neal read the paper, he nodded and put it inside his pocket.
Then he kept it aside surprising Malfoy. "Aren't you going to open it?". Neal replied, "it's a magical music box". Draco asked, "what is it for?". Neal sighed, "I guess you don't read books much.
Once you open the music box, music will play with random effects like it makes one dance until the music stops or makes one sleep. Something like that. It's too random. We need to study it first before using it.
Let's open the last one". The last one had a letter attached to it. Neal opened the letter and read, "Merry Christmas from this unknown Santa Claus.
This is something that was given to me by your great grandfather. Today, I'm returning it to you. I hope you take care of it and the ones inside of it very well".
Neal mumbled, "unknown Santa Claus...is it him?". Malfoy asked, "what did you say?". Neal shook his head and opened the gift to find an old brown Suitcase. Both were surprised to see it while Malfoy almost screamed, "who the hell sends an old suitcase at Christmas? Is it a prank from Ron or something?".
Neal replied, "no, I think I know who this is. Anyway, it's Christmas. We should accept all the gifts we receive".
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