Had a new idea floating around, thought i'd test it out. Now i have to get a few things straight before i start it off. It's a bit of AU, i admit, because i'm changing the ages around. Nothing too drastic, just making percy and oliver and that gang a year or two younger, because i want Harry and the Gang to be a bit older than they normally would if i put those people in the story (i mean, a bit of romance with 13 yr olds? not really gonna work). So let's say Percy and Oliver 17, the twins 16, golden trio 15, and ginny 14. It's really not going to be that important in the story but i wanted to get that cleared up before anyone asked me questions about it. So without further ado, here is chapter 1.
Birds of Morrigan
24 Days 'til Christmas
It was a cold morning in Gryffindor Tower as Harry and Ron headed down the stairs to meet Hermione for breakfast. Before they could reach the portrait however, they were greeted by a great ruckus, in the form of the Weasley twins.
"Step up Step up!"
"Form a line people! Right there that's–"
"it! Keep them coming keep them coming. Put your-"
"names into the hat! Yes, very good. Now then,"
"move aside, let the other people through! Come on-"
"just move your scrawny ars-oh, hello Hermione."
Harry helped himself to more eggs before continuing his badgering as Hermione tried to read the newspaper, the usual morning routine.
"So let me get this straight. They've decided to get the whole house involved." he said, taking a sip of pumpkin juice.
"Yes."
"For a secret santa?"
"Yes." By now, other people were leaning in.
"Why?"
Slamming down her copy of the Daily Prophet, she said " Oh honestly, you're not going to leave me alone, are you?" At the answering nods she continued. " Maybe they've just decided to add a bit more Christmas spirit. Merlin knows we all need a more these days."
"But Hermione" Neville piped up, "these are the twins we're talking about."
"Yes" Ginny added, "Those two are going to sneak something into it. I've grown up with them, remember?"
"You all don't think I know that already?" Hermione asked, exasperated. "But pranks or not I honestly think it's a good idea. Maybe this time they twins will surprise us?" Pause "Besides, they're technically not doing anything wrong so I can't use my Prefect status to make them stop."
"Surely you can sneak something in" said Ron, wiping his face on a napkin.
"NoI can't Ronald!" she said "Thanks for finally coming up for air! I've already checked the rule books and there is absolutely nothing against Secret Santas, even ones run by the Weasley twins."
"Besides, when you think of it, there's really nothing they could possibly do. We'll all just get an extra present come Christmas morning"
"Good point, Harry" said Dean, "So, what's the rules? Any limits, that sort of thing?"
"Actually it's quite clever. I worked it all out with them earlier. If you want to be in it just put your name on a slip of parchment into the hat of theirs sitting in the common room. Tonight everyone will get a chance to draw a name out of the hat. Now here's the clever bit. They're going to charm each bit of parchment so when the person pulls it out of the hat, along with a name there's going to be a task or riddle of some sort that will steer you in the right direction of what to get the person. And it's charmed to the person who receives it as well, so what I might get by pulling your name out of the hat, Ginny, is not what Dean would get." For some reason this statement earned a blushing glance between the two said persons.
"That sounds like a tricky bit of magic, there." commented Seamus.
"I know," said Hermione dryly, "makes you wonder what they could have gotten on their OWLS."
"Well," said Oliver, walking up to the group, "I'm in. Looks like it could be fun. Can't wait to find out who my secret santa will be. Harry, practice tonight right after dinner. Only an hour or so we'll be doing the real practices this weekend"
"Gotcha, Ol" said Harry. Turning to his friends he said "We better get to class. Wouldn't want to be late for Double Potions" From the groans that followed him, Harry was pretty sure that his friends' greatest wish was to be late for Double Potions, but he had enough detentions as it was without adding a few more, especially now that he's going to need time to be someone's secret santa.
The day passed quickly and without incident, unless you count the fightwith the suit of armor on the 4th floor, and Harry was more than grateful to collapse on top of the common room chair after Oliver's rigorous, albeit short, practice.
After Hermione's incessant prodding and nagging, however, Harry finally set about doing his Divination homework assigned by Professor Trelawney this afternoon.
"I don't know why you two continue to take that subject. It's absolute rubbish!" commented Hermione, looking up from her Arithmancy problems.
"Well it's not like we're taking a million other subjects that we can just turn to when we want to give up, Hermione" said Ron, "besides, we're only got a year left."
"I did not 'give up' as you say!" she spat out "Just because I have the intelligence to take more subjects doesn't mean that I gave up by dropping one"
"So what, I'm stupid because I don't take as many classes as you?"
Harry tuned out the now normal sounds of his two best friends bickering and continued to fill out as many creative ways for him to die this month ('hmm knocked out by a falling Christmas ornament, that's a good one. I suppose that should happen before Christmas so it's not a really happy death').
Just as he finished up his last entry (fell through the while ice skating on a lake) the twins entered-as they always do- with a grand flourish.
"Attention! Attention. Ginny and Oliver are getting the stragglers from the dorms. Now before we begin, let me say a few words"
"And me, dear brother!"
"Yes, yes, come on come closer all of you because-"
"This is the most fantastic moment in the Gryffindor house so far this year!"
"Rightly said, Forge, rightly said. Now everyone form a line."
"We've made no discriminations between age or sex, though we wouldn't say no--"
"Boys!"
"Sorry Hermione. Wouldn't want to hurt the ickle first year's ears!"
"Hey that rhymes"
"Right you are. We should make a poem about it. Ickle first years with such lovely ears-"
"About to be soiled by your randy peers"
"From stories of parties and far too much butterbeer-"
"BOYS!"
"Yes so back to the point. You might not know who you get, and they might not know you, but I'm-"
"Sure you'll all become friends very soon!"
"So..."
"Without further delay..."
"Let's begin!"
The older students hung back and watched the younger years scramble to the hats before following in a much more (or so they told themselves) dignified pace before joining the line. Harry had to laugh at the faces people made as they looked at their parchments: some were overjoyed, others looked like they were holding a one way ticket onto the River Styx.
"Look at them! How bad can it be? It's just Christmas presents!"
"I know mate, it's not like you're not getting your friends gifts as well just because you don't pick them." Ron reached into the hat, "Now let's see what I got." As he opened the parchment, Ron's expression changed to one of shock, than horror, than happiness.
"I take it you're happy then, mate?"
Ron jumped as though scared. "What? Yeah, yeah, good pick."
"Well aren't you going to tell us who it is?"
"Harry! This is secret santa. Secret being the operative word here."
"Yeah I'm going to have to agree with Hermione on this one. No telling until Christmas" Ron said, giving a weak smile. "Now come on, it's your turn!"
Harry turned to the grinning Weasley twins and reached his hand into the hat. Turning away he opened the parchment and glanced at the name written there in loopy, spindly writing.
'Bloody hell.'
A/N: Well there you have it! First chapter done. Anyone care to take a guess as to who Harry has?
I haven't decided who everyone has to if someone has a good idea i'll be more than happy to take it. It's my hope to keep this piece from turning into a cliche bit of fan fiction, though.
So drop me a line and tell what you think.
Like it? Hate it?
Should i throw it out or keep going?
Thanks!
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