One Final Wish

Deborah Peters

December 2, 1993

F. Christmas

The North Pole

Dear St. Nick:

First and foremost, I would like to extend my gratitude for your fulfillment of last year's request. Though my family believes our winning the Daily Prophet Galleon Draw was pure luck, I know good and well that it was entirely your doing to allow me to visit my brother William, whom, as you know, I have always admired.

As you are already aware, I am now seventeen years old and in my seventh and final year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Therefore, I feel it is suitable that this be my last letter to you, as I have now come of age and will be pursuing a career following my completion of school this spring. I extend my heartfelt apologies that such a long-running correspondence must come to an end; I remember all too well my first letter to you, written on a whim at the age of five, after hearing my father's discussing your role in the traditional Western Muggle household. I asked you for two things that year; I asked, in a very childish way, to have my very own pet, but I also asked for my father to be able to come home. Though I am hesitant to assume credit for the downfall of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, I can only presume that my naïve wish did indeed contribute to the greater good. You have since continued to grant my various Christmas appeals throughout the years, including my desire to be both Prefect and Head Boy (positions which, I assure you, have been justly earned by my performances in them). I have been especially grateful for your fulfilling my wish two Christmases ago by providing me with the company of Miss Penelope Clearwater, with whom I have been very pleased.

I do hope that you will not think me crass if I make one final request. Befitting my approaching adulthood, it is not a wish for me, but rather for my younger siblings. As I am sure you are aware, the madman Black has escaped from Azkaban prison and has been sighted within Hogwarts. My brothers and sister, having been under the age of five at the time, have all managed to escape the terrible memories the rest of the Wizarding World has regarding the war, and I am quite disturbed by the idea that Black's escape could have a horrifying impact on my siblings' childhoods. As such, I ask not that Black be immediately captured and Kissed, but rather that you rectify the situation to the best of your great ability. I trust you to make the wisest decision regarding this matter, but humbly point out that such Ministerial faux pas could be prevented in the future by simply having the appropriate person in office. On this subject I will say no more, lest you think me to overstep my boundaries.

To you, Father Christmas, I extend my warmest thanks and most humble gratitude for the past twelve years, and wish you many happy returns of the day.

Sincerely,

Percy Weasley