Holiday Spirit

Author's Note: Too early for the holiday spirit? Maybe. However, I am excited and want it to come soon . Happy reading everyone. Let's spread the love! And let us survive these next weeks until we are finally on vacation.

Warnings: Randomness. OOC-ness. Some language. Cheerfulness.

Background Information: Harry isn't pure light anymore. He's more in the "grey" area, and has been since finding out the many secrets his headmaster had been keeping from him. His godfather's death had hit him hard, but while he mourned, he also reasoned that this was war and casualties happened on both side. This is his 6th year at Hogwarts.

Disclaimer: Harry Potter is an awesome series belonging to the brilliant J K Rowling

Chapter 1

Saturday, November 10

It was a bright, crisp morning. Harry Potter was in a good mood. Humming cheerfully to himself, he quietly slipped away from his still dozing roommates in the Gryffindor dormitories down to the owlery.

A bigger smile crept onto his face when he saw his beautiful owl.

"Hey Hedwig," he cooed softly, raising an arm for his owl to land on. "How are you doing today, girl?"

Hedwig landed gracefully, and affectionately nipped him on his ear. Harry let out a deep chuckle and then held up a brightly wrapped package.

"I need you to do something for me, love. It's very dangerous, but I think it should be fine for a smart owl like yourself. Think you can do it for me?"

Letting out another series of low chuckles as his owl preened itself, Harry continued, "Okay, girl. I trust you. Take this package to Tom Marvolo Riddle please. Come back right after."

Hedwig nudged him playfully before hooting an affirmative and snatching up the package, flying out into the cold morning air. Harry watched his owl's snowy white form blend and disappear into the winter scenery, and then, with a peaceful smile on his visage, headed back to the interior.

xxxx

Lord Voldemort stared absentmindedly at the package on his desk. He had been having a nice quiet day for once – it was too early for his followers to disturb him – and then an owl had shown up. Pecking at his window, it refused to go away until he had finally relented and let it in. How it had gotten through his wards, he didn't even want to know. Once the package had been dropped off though, it had flown away rather quickly. He had to grudgingly admit - the owl was one of the smarter ones he had encountered.

However, that didn't change the fact that Harry Potter had sent him a parcel. The snowy owl had been a dead giveaway; no one else in the wizarding world owned an owl as prominent as that one. Despite the fact it was from Potter though, it wasn't maliciously spelled in the any way at all – not that he would have thought the boy had it in him. It was… surprising.

After all, what reason would have the light's iconic boy-who-lived sending him packages?

He reached out and opened it.

xxxx

During breakfast time, a formidable looking owl with feathers of pure onyx flew in and glared at Harry before impatiently sticking out one of its legs in a manner as if everything was below it.

"Wow!" gasped Ron. "Who'd you piss off this time, mate?"

Harry gave a noncommittal shrug, reaching out for the letter so that the owl could leave. He could swear it was glaring at him and plotting his demise. He shivered inwardly – trust Riddle to have such an intimidating owl. He just knew it was from Riddle.

Mindful of his friend's curiosity and shifting his body slightly so they couldn't see, he opened the letter.

Potter,

What is the meaning of sending me socks. Are you insinuating something?

Lord Voldemort.

Harry smiled again – phase one: Complete.

xxxx

Not at all – it's just that with the cold weather, many forget to wear warmer socks and thus their feet freeze. I hope you like them!

Harry

Lord Voldemort sat pensively on his plush armchair. What the hell was Potter playing at now? It was almost as if he was acting, dare he think it, nice, for the sake of being nice. He shuddered once, and then threw the horrendous bright, neon orange socks into his fireplace.

11/10/2012

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~ DR