The Marauders: Year Five #Wattys2017

Gobstones

Gobstones

The Christmas feast was marvelous - as always - though a bit more crowded than usual, for which Regulus was rather thankful, actually. It meant he could easily get lost amongst the people at the table and he managed to squash his way in on the bench next to Newt Scamander and a woman he assumed was his wife because of the way Newt turned toward her. A little boy sat between them, staring up at the ceiling with wide eyes that looked somewhere between awed and terrified as he glanced up and down the table. There weren't very many students that had stayed at the castle for the holidays, but the table was absolutely stock full of children - loads and loads of children that Regulus didn't recognize, but Tina Scamander seemed to know every single one of their names. Regulus wondered if they were all Newt and Tina's and wondered how it was Newt managed to tote around a family with so many kids about as he traipsed all over doing his research on beasts.

Dumbledore stood at the head of the table, beside him sat a watery-eyed Professor Clearwater, who held a Christmas cracker in her hand as though she wasn't certain she knew what it was for. Professors Prewett and Prewett were sitting across from one another, smirking as they played at making faces at one another to make the kids around them giggle, but they both went serious and turned to look at the headmaster when he stood - everyone at the table gave Dumbledore their attention.

"Another Happy Christmas," he said, smiling about at them, "And soon, a new year in which to spread joy and work towards peace. I am thankful for every one of you here, you are all precious. I am sure that I am not speaking alone when I say that I am especially thankful for you, Newt, and you, Tina, for your heroic efforts..." Newt hung his head humbly, turning quite pale as bunch of the children clapped excitedly. Dumbledore smiled, "Now is not the time to be modest, Mr. Scamander."

Tina nudged him and smiled when Newt's eyes met hers.

"I am sure we are all quite hungry," Dumbledore said, "So let's tuck in." He clapped his hands and with a poof the whole table was suddenly filled with food and the children all were very excited by it and they let out gasps and exclamations and their wonder at the work of the house elves breathed new life and excitement into everyone sitting about the dinner table so that it seemed twice as magical as it usually did, even to those who were quite used to magic in their everyday lives.

When it was over, Regulus snuck away instead of socializing, hoping to get away from the Slytherin boys before they could catch up with him. He snuck down the stairs to the dungeons and up to his dormitory alone and breathed in relief as he locked the door behind him.

CRACK!

He turned around and saw Kreacher was standing in the center of his bed, clutching a dish towel tied into a bag. Kreacher lowered his ears and bowed to Regulus, closing his wide bulbous eyes as he did so in respect.

"Kreacher!" exclaimed Regulus in surprise, "What're you doing here?"

Kreacher's eyes flapped. "Kreacher's Master must have been expecting Kreacher, surely?"

"Expecting you?" Regulus asked.

Kreacher's eyes raised to Regulus's. "But Master Regulus cannot have thought Kreacher would not come for Master's birthday?"

Regulus stared at the elf, amazed. "You remembered it was my birthday."

"Of course Kreacher remembers Master's birthday," the elf croaked. "It is the same as Christmas day, it is not easy to be forgetting. But even without it being Christmas, Kreacher would always remember his Master's day. Master's day is special because it is being the day that Kreacher's most wonderful Master Regulus was born. Kreacher remembers the day very well, fourteen years ago, Kreacher was seeing Master for the first time, and Master was very small. Small as a Master can be. It is being a special day for Kreacher." He held up the towel, "Kreacher is giving Master a present."