Charming Bubblehead Christmas

“I don’t know about this, Sirius,� Remus said hesitantly. He poked nervously at the bubble his tall, black-haired friend had charmed into existence around his head. “Look, I’ll just forget about the party, all right? I’ll go home, and that way I’ll keep my germs...�

“No such thing,� Sirius Black scoffed. “You won’t pass on a single germ inside that thing.�

“I’ll run out of air shortly, too. This isn’t meant to go on for hours.� Remus stopped completely about eight feet from the front door of the cottage the two friends had walked to. “And most gatherings with James and Lily do go on for hours. Add you to the mix, and it’ll be even more hours. I can’t take the thing off without letting my cold germs...�

Sirius clapped both hands dramatically over his ears and made a squinched his nose. “Stop! Stop it already about the germs. Here, Moonykins. Right over here. I’ll fix it for you.�

Remus looked at the front door of the cottage. Lily had hung up a brave little wreath of douglas fir greens with a red bow almost bigger than the wreath itself. It looked silly. She’d have known he’d have thought it silly. She’d put it there to amuse him. “All right. But this had better be worthwhile, Sirius. I’m not in the mood for...�

“...passing along germs, yes, I know it, for the twenty-third time.� Sirius whipped his wand out of his sleeve. “Let me think.�

“Please do. That’s my head you’re aiming at.�

Sirius paused to give Remus a devilishly thoughtful look. Then he waved his wand at the globe that encased Remus’s head.

But it worked, whatever it was. Instantly, Remus felt incoming fresh air. “But where’s the bad air going?�

“It’s getting transferred out there in the trees about a quarter mile from the cottage. So don’t whine. You can’t miss Lily and James’ Christmas eve party. Come on. There’s James at the door, and the cat’s trying to escape.�

“Hey you two!� James waved, scooped up the cat who struggled to dash outside, then whooped as the cat caught his shoulder with a set of claws. The cottage door slammed shut, and the two friends were still on the outside.

“Did he have to shut the door?� Sirius snorted, covering the last few feet of rain-soaked ground, then opening the door again. “Hello the cottage! May we come in? Or is the feline still beating the stuffings out of the master of the house?�

“Feline’s up four points,� a female voice announced from out of sight. “No, wait, make that eight points; I see another set of scratches right through the shirt. Go, Haroldine! That’s the girl!�

Remus followed Sirius inside in time to see the cat, a tabby with an orange nose, lunge free of James’ arms and dash straight toward him. Sirius let out a bark-like laugh and bounded after the cat. But Remus merely shut the door, and the cat, who up until today Remus had known as Harold, gave him a narrow-eyed look of cat disgust before he, or she, turned away.

“How did the cat get named Haroldine instead of Harold?� Remus asked James, who lay on the floor scowling, with clearly-visible scratch marks on his shoulder and disordered clothing.

Lily, a lovely sight in dark green velvet robes that highlighted her green eyes and set her red hair off beautifully, stepped into the doorway from the small kitchen and gave Remus a smile that warmed even his sore throat. “How did our favorite werewolf end up with a bubblehead charm on him? It’s Christmas eve, Remus. Didn’t you tell Sirius to lay off the jokes just for one evening?�

“That, Madam Potter,� Sirius announced, “is no joke. It’s the only way I could get him to come to your little get-together. He’s got germs.�

“I have a cold,� Remus corrected absently. “I don’t want to give it to anybody.� From the expression that suddenly crossed James’ face, Remus realized that James, too, wished Remus had not come.

“Don’t even start,� Lily said, flicking her fingers toward James. “He’s not going to give me anything, and he won’t give Harry anything, either. That’s why he’s got the bubblehead charm, and it’ll work. Go get Harry, James. He’s awake now.�

“I don’t hear him,� James said, his eyes still nervously on Remus’s bubblehead.

“I do. Go get him, and I’ll take coats. Here, Remus. Give me that. Your robes are looking bad.�

“They’re fine,� Remus answered hastily. This was not going well. He wouldn’t stay long.

Sirius, though, did not seem to notice the chill in the air. He sat casually on a sofa and eyed the cat speculatively. “James said that cat was a male.�

“James was wrong, and I told him that from the start. Professor McGonagall was by earlier, and she had to break the bad news to James. He has been snappish ever since.� Lily grinned at Sirius, then at Remus. “So I’m calling her Haroldine.�

Sirius laughed, throwing his head back. “Haroldine! Can’t you think of anything better? How about Alphonsine?�

“That’s even worse!� Lily said. She sat on a love seat. “Here, Remus. Sit by me. Sirius is taking up too much room on the sofa.�

“I’m saving space for Harry,� Sirius protested. “He’s my godson. I have to sit with him. I haven’t seen him for two whole weeks!�

“One week, four days,� Lily corrected absently. “James, love of my life, are you bringing Harry out?�

“Yes.� James’ voice sounded muffled. “Ow. He’s got my nose.�

“Twist his nose, there’s a lad,� Sirius shouted. “Give him a kick while you’re at it!�

“I’ll settle for James getting the baby changed. I’d better go help.� Lily got up, then shoved Remus gently toward the love seat. “Sit, Remus.�

Remus sat warily. Something seemed wrong, but he couldn’t say what it was. Lily seemed fine, but James was quite different.

“What?� Sirius asked.

Remus drew a breath to answer, but he let it out without saying anything. His breath fogged the bubble in front of his mouth.

“I know what you need,� Sirius said, drawing his wand. “You’re getting completely soggy in there. Hold still.�

“Sirius,� Remus said, beginning to rise. But Sirius grinned and raised his wand and with a rapid flick, loosed a spell, and the fog, which was heavier than Remus had realized, cleared completely.

“There now. And here comes my godson.� Sirius turned his grin toward the baby James now carried into the living room. “Give that kid over, Prongs. He wants to sit with me.�

But even with Harry grinning up at Sirius and Lily back in the room, Remus felt the strain increase–not between himself and Sirius, or himself and Lily, but between himself–and James. That ought not to have been.

James sat down silently by Lily’s feet instead of taking the empty chair, increasing Remus’s uneasiness. It was as if James no longer trusted him.

A light rapping on the door jarred Remus out of his thoughts. “I’ll get it,� he said. “Likely it’s Peter.�

“No.� Lily shook her head. “It’s not Peter. He dropped by earlier and told me he can’t come tonight. His mum’s been sick again.� Then Lily grinned. “But I’ve got six plates in my china now, and I was determined to use all six of them, so...�

By that time Remus had reached the door. He turned the knob and opened it. And there, directly in front of him, was the bottom side of a brilliantly red bowl with what looked like eight curlicued legs coming out from it. “Er...� Remus eyed the bowl, which had no face, “hello,� he finished, feeling a bit foolish. Had someone else had a cold and a bubblehead charm put over them? If they had, why was the bubble head completely red?

“A happy Christmas to you, Remus,� a familiar quiet voice said from behind the bowl. “Step to one side, and I’ll bring this in.�

“Professor!� Remus opened the door wide, and the red bowl floated forward, seemingly pushed by a slender tree trunk, and then a web of some silvery spell that bound what was now obvious as a Christmas tree. Behind, Albus Dumbledore smiled in the light that flooded out the door.

“Thank you, Remus. It’s beginning to snow, Lily, so it seems you’ll get your wish for a white Christmas after all,� Dumbledore said as he stepped inside James and Lily’s small house. “James, shame upon you for not wanting a Christmas tree. Here it is, Lily, trunk, branches, and tree holder. I hope you have your ornaments ready.�

“I do,� Lily said, hopping to her feet and taking Dumbledore’s purple-with-gold-embroidered cloak from him. “Just in the closet. I’ll get them now. James, will you get water for the tree? It’ll need it.�

Dumbledore gripped Remus’s arm, his kind blue eyes sending warmth into Remus’s soul, before he turned to greet Sirius and Harry, who drooled on Sirius’s arm, his blue-green eyes round.

By the time James had reappeared with a pitcher of water, Dumbledore had set the tree down in a corner of the living room, and Lily came back in with five large boxes.

“James and Lily, this is the first Christmas with Harry, and the two of you must decorate your Christmas tree,� Dumbledore instructed.

James scowled. “But I told you, Lily. I don’t want...�

Dumbledore smiled. “But you will have a Christmas tree. And you will decorate it. And,� Dumbledore plucked Harry neatly out of Sirius’s grasp, “Remus will hold Harry, and Sirius will hand ornaments to the two of you.� Dumbledore deposited the warm, slightly squirmy infant into Remus’s hands. “Have a seat, Remus. Here, Sirius, open that first box and hand James something for the tree so he doesn’t have a chance to complain.�

Dumbledore’s very presence stilled the uneasy bitterness that had overtaken the living room, and his lighthearted directions drove the last doubtful thoughts out, as if his presence was a bright light and the sullen feelings nothing more than shadows. As Sirius handed ornaments to Lily and James, and Dumbledore laughed at little Harry and teased James, Remus felt his own shoulders relax, so when Harry turned his head around and put one hand on the bubblehead, Remus could smile back at the baby.

“What is this extraordinary item on your head for?� Dumbledore asked.

“I have a cold. It’s keeping the germs in. Don’t you dare throw that ornament, Sirius.�

Sirius shook his head and rolled his eyes. “Germs,� he muttered. “He’s gone batty.�

Dumbledore eyed the bubblehead speculatively. “I know what’s missing.� He pulled his wand out and waved it toward Remus’s head.

White fluffy stuff began to fall in front of Remus’s face. “What in the world... Professor, have you turned me into a snow globe?�

“You were always quite astute,� Dumbledore confirmed. “Yes, you’re a snow globe for the evening. Though how you’re going to eat dinner with that on is a mystery.�

“I hadn’t thought of that.� Remus laughed.

Harold the cat, who was now called Haroldine, crept out from under the sofa and batted slyly at an ornament. Sirius picked her up and settled on the sofa, and surprisingly, the cat settled happily into his arms, turning gold-green eyes dreamily up to Sirius’s face.

“You have good taste,� Sirius said into the cat’s shoulder. “Purrrrr.....�

“Now he’s flirting with Harold,� James said in mock disgust, a glass ornament hooked over one finger.

“Haroldine,� Lily corrected absently, moving a red ornament James had put on a branch higher and more tot he front. “Unless somebody has a better name.�

“Eileen?� Remus suggested.

“No,� Lily said, wrinkling her nose.

“Fickle?� James said, poking the cat, who ignored him and pulled closer to Sirius.

“Charming,� Sirius murmured, petting the cat from ears to tail.

“Charming would work well,� Dumbledore observed. “Better than Haroldine, I think, and vastly superior to calling her Harold.� Dumbledore looked at James with twinkling eyes.

“Hmph. I think Fickle would be best.�

“Charming.� Lily said the name thoughtfully, eying the tabby, who looked back over her shoulder at Lily for a moment before settling her furry chin on Sirius’s shoulder. “I like Charming. I’m calling her that.�

With every ornament in place, Lily and James stood back to look at the tree. Then Dumbledore took out his wand and waved strings of luminescent tinsel onto it. And finally, he reached into the pocket of his robe and brought out a silver ornament. “Here,� he said, handing it to Lily. “Now you know why I wanted you to have your Christmas tree.�

Remus stood up to see the ornament. It was shaped like a globe, but inside, James, Lily, and Harry looked back, more than just a moving photograph, as if tiny versions of themselves smiled back out. Words underneath read, “Our First Christmas Together–James, Lily and Harry.� “It will always stay that way,� Dumbledore said. “The charm will not wear off.�

Even Harry, sleepy now, reached one unsteady hand toward the globe.

“It’s lovely, Professor. Really, it is. I’m putting it here in front.� Lily carefully hooked the ornament prominently in the middle of the tree. “Thank you so much–for the ornament, and for the tree. And for coming,� she added.

Dumbledore met Remus’s eyes, where surely his own thanks must be evident, before his eyes crinkled in a smile. “Now let’s take Remus’s snow globe off, give him a pepper-up potion, and eat that lovely supper I can smell cooking. And...� Dumbledore looked briefly from Remus to Lily, then back to Remus, “you are most welcome.�