Merry Fricken Christmas

[Saveli Pendleton]

Saveli Matveev was absolutely done with this holiday. There were decorations everywhere, christmas trees and lights. People were having breakfasts and brunches with their families, and smiling and laughing. And then there was her, kicking a rick across the cobblestone of Obsidian Harbor trying to find something to occupy her time before going to the castle again. After the first week of break she got so sick of being there alone, and crying. Sighing the blonde finally looked up from her rock, only to notice the shade of these streets was much darker than those when she'd first started her walk. Of course Saveli knew that she needed to be careful in Obsidian - it lead to Bleak Street. However, she had a good sense of direction, she wasn't one to get lost. Not when she'd been watching where she'd been going anyways. "Stupid rock." She gave the thing a hard kick and watched it bounce across the ground and right into a black shoed foot. "I'm sorry." She mumbled, before looking around. Her thick Irish accent was always so out of place, perhaps that was why the taller man was staring at her as she spoke next. "Could you point me towards Silver-Flute Inn?" She asked him, as long as she knew what direction to walk in she'd find it eventually after all.

I'll show you, sweetie.

Should Saveli have been more wary of him, of course, but frankly she couldn't care less. She was just happy he seemed to know what he was doing. The man walked with her, asking questions about her, why she was out on Christmas, how old she was, what house she was in. It was all normal conversation truly, and not everyone in Bleak Street could be bad right? As she continued to walk out, the promising sight of Obsidian Harbor appeared. However the man's questions became a bit more intriguing - what spells did she know, what kind of wand did she have, was she a pureblood. Saveli didn't think uch of her blood status, and at that question she smiled politely. "Hey, I'm almost there, thanks for the uhm, help yeah?" She turned to walk away, unaware of watching eyes or other footsteps around her.

 

[Monty Pendleton]

Four hours. Three. Two. One. The minutes until Christmas day turned dropped into double figures, and the streets of Obsidian Harbour lay eerily silent in its coming arrival. Flanked by the ocean and a row of locked up shops, Montgomery Pendleton strolled aimlessly down the moonlit cobbled path. His step, though non threatening, did not waver; he glid along the street with the air of a man who did not want to be disturbed, and who was not inclined to disturb anyone else. After a little while the soles of his feet began to ache, and he stopped to rest on a bench near the briny docks.

By this time, the Tuuri household would undoubtedly be retiring to their beds. The youngest of Arvo's family would toss and turn into the small hours of the morning, their excitement stealing away any chance of real sleep. And then, just like that, they would fall into a peaceful dream, wakened the next morning to find their stockings stuffed full of gifts and magic. Monty, of course, had ensured to buy gifts for each of the children. Though money was tight, and its need relentless, the inventor had long ago given up hope of repairing his home. In fact, come next Christmas, he wasn't sure he'd have a roof over his head at all. Arvo would only put up with him for so long, and even if the Arithmancy Professor had invited him for a more permanent stay, Monty would have refused. He would have been outstaying his welcome.

Thirty minutes until Christmas. Monty sighed. Heading home seemed like the most sensible option, but the copper haired man felt strangely intrusive in Arvo's house. Eventually he decided he'd wait until the harbour clock struck midnight, and then slip back in once everyone was sure to be asleep.

Recovered by his rest, the inventor stood slowly and continued his walk. His large hands filled his deep pockets like the fabric had moulded to their familiar shape. The street wound on, until eventually the sign for Bleak Street tugged into the horizon. Even so he walked on, unafraid of the potential danger lurking in the twisting alleys. He'd visited them many times before. The shops that resided there were among the only in the world from which could acquire rare and elusive potion ingredients. As the narrow turning approached, a frown buried itself into Monty's forehead. He had not noticed until now, but there were two figures silhouetted against the mossy wall. One was slender and dark, the other small and undeniably feminine. With his fingers clutched around the walnut wood of his wand, Monty approached. "Excuse me," he said fearlessly. Or at least, he appeared to be so, which was good enough. "If you're bothering this young lady then I suggest you find yourself elsewhere before I have time to brandish my wand."

 

[Saveli Pendleton]

Saveli hadn't realized there were footsteps behind her till the man sniffed. She turned around, blonde locks whipping dangerously. "Excuse me, I said I was going to be fine." The politeness that had made it's way into Sav's voice was gone, though a quiver of fear was apparent. She didn't need to reach for her wand though, and that became apparent when a familiar man stepped in on the conversation. Saveli looked up in shock at the professor she would recognize from anywhere. "Pendleton?" The prefix was dropped outside of class, it was just more convenient - and it also was a sign of respect from Saveli. After all, before she'd just called him crazy. The man in front of her scoffed, and Saveli glanced between the two. With defensive hands he made a snide remark about him being her "daddy" and left. It didn't even give time for Sav to be witty.

The blonde teen looked at the ground as the footsteps distanced themselves from them, and her heart which she now noticed was speeding, slowed. There was silence in the alleyways as she tried to find the words to speak. "Uhm, thanks." She spoke with a tone of both embarrassment and unease. A clock behind her rang out - midnight on Christmas day. Christmas. Saveli's eyes nearly teared up again but she shrugged it off. She couldn't be bothered to go back to the castle or the inn - maybe she'd just sit in Obsidian all night. "What are you doing out here anyways?" She inquired of him, looking at the sign that clearly read Bleak Street.

 

[Monty Pendleton]

It was only when the young lady spoke that Monty's head jerked to look at her. "Saveli?" he choked, his grip on his wand handle loosening now that the shady stranger had taken leave. "What in God's name are you doing out here by yourself?" The inventor looked left and right, quickly confirming his suspicion that she was, indeed, here without company. For goodness' sake, the girl was thirteen!

"I might ask that you answer the question first, my dear," he said weightily, placing his hand between her shoulder blades to guide her out of Bleak Street and back toward the safety of the lamp-lit harbour. The Professor hardly dared to think what might have happened to her had he not been taking a late night amble himself. Strangers were the least of Saveli's threats - there were hags and Scitorari alike roaming these parts. And besides, it was practically Christmas day. Did she really have nowhere better to be?

 

[Saveli Pendleton]

Saveli frankly wasn't sure how to answer the question posed to her by Monty and looked away from the older professor. He avoided her own question and for a moment she couldn't help but wonder if he was down in Bleak Street buying things that weren't exactly... legal. The blonde, not found of having questions ignored as Venn Boneheart had learned the hard way, finally looked up and shoved her hands in the pockets of her blue shorts. "Well I was down here meeting with a salesperson about a monkey's paw." She spoke, jingling her pocket which was mixed with Galleons and muggle money that she'd managed to find on the ground at the inn.

Waiting for a reaction she finally scoffed and looked away. "I got lost while wandering. I'm just looking to go back to the Silver Flute Inn. I think it's this way though so, I think I'll be fine." She reassured him, not keen on telling him the real reason why she was there. She'd already told Monty about her father giving her up, he'd probably think she was a poor excuse for a daughter if she told him that at the end of the school year paperwork would be final and she'd be relinquished to the state.

 

[Monty Pendleton]

"A what?!" spluttered Monty, proceeding to open and close his mouth repeatedly in stunned disbelief. When it was revealed that Saveli had been joking, the Potions Professor was less than pleased. But the tight scowl she had brought to his face soon softened, and the vexation behind his deep hazel eyes was replaced with a more familiar, gentle concern. "My goodness, Saveli, a girl of your age shouldn't be staying at dodgy old inns." Only once the words had left Monty's mouth did it occur to him that he was being a hypocrite. In fact, the inventor had only been a few months older himself when he'd left home for good, and he'd stayed in his fair share of shady pubs along the way. Monty shuddered just to think about how lonely and cold he'd been. No amount of coal on the fireplace could have eased that chill.

Adamant that the Slytherin was not to go, Monty took several steps ahead and turned, blocking her path. "Nonsense," he said firmly. "I cannot allow this. Those places aren't safe, Saveli. How do you think I'd feel if I left you there and something happened to you?" The Potions Professor stopped and checked his pocket watch. It was well into Christmas Day now. Arvo would almost certainly worry, but Monty was sure he'd understand after an explanation was given. "Why don't we head back to the castle?" he suggested. "The last train leaves in ten minutes. We could just about make it..."

 

[Saveli Pendleton]

The reaction from Monty was actually worth the anger he seemed to hold directly after that. She snickered behind her pale hand, though her laughing was silenced immediately by his apparent concern. She hated that he could make himself so concerned about her. He wasn't her family, he wasn't a close friend, sure she'd helped him grade and worked with him outside of class to practice but... it didn't matter much though. "it's not dodgy... The owner is nice at least." She spoke to herself more than Monty.

Her quiet, almost dejected, demeanor changed quickly though when he mentioned going back to the castle. "No!" Her voice was much louder than intended, though she felt bad immediately after. "I mean, I like the inn. I don't like being alone at the castle..." She looked at her shoes, not wanting to see what Monty though of her saying that. She didn't want to answer questions about why she was even alone - though inevitably that would come up between them.

 

[Monty Pendleton]

Monty couldn't help but think Saveli was trying to convince herself more than anyone else. He shook his head, preparing to continue defending his argument, but the Slytherin's sudden change in attitude startled him back into silence. Perhaps she had even less family than Monty had been first led to believe. He couldn't imagine what sort of a parent one would have to be not to invite your child back home for the Christmas holidays. The longer the Professor thought about it, the wider the hole in his chest became.

Monty sighed and rubbed his cheek. Arvo was going to go completely spare when he found Monty's bed empty on Christmas morning. Still, he could send an owl to reach him by breakfast. It wasn't ideal, but under the current circumstances, it was the best he could do. "Well, what if I come with you?" he asked. Though the mere thought of the train journey made the sleep deprived Professor's stomach turn, he refused to return home without knowing Saveli was safe. "I'll have someone send my suitcase back to the castle and stay for the rest of the holidays. I've got paperwork to do, anyway," he said ruefully. Arvo's family were wonderful, but they could be awfully noisy.

 

[Saveli Pendleton]

Saveli couldn't have known how the Professor before her truly did understand her situation, though the more he spoke and the gentler he was with her the poor woman she began to soften around her edges to meet him half way. She was still not convinced about going back to the castle and ruining his Holiday though. "Professor..." She spoke quietly at first after his first statement of coming with her. "Professor!" She finally spoke to grab his attention. Her blue orbs were lit by the aura of the lanterns, and it became increasingly more apparent that tears were on the verge of pouring over.

"I couldn't possibly ask you away from your wife, or husband, or whatever family it is you're staying with. There is no point at making you as lonely as me on Christmas. It sucks, but I'll be okay. I'm tough. Now, if you can get me back to the Inn that would be nice, but then go home and enjoy your time, and I'll try and enjoy mine." The words that left Saveli's mouth were much more mature than anything she'd so far said. However, her maturity came from pain, and it was an unfortunate thing for the young Slytherin that Monty's understanding of this pain may have been too much for him to listen to her.

 

[Monty Pendleton]

The hole in Monty's chest was now a gaping chasm. It hurt, too, and the pain intensified with each word the Slytherin spoke. "Saveli," he tried to interrupt, but it seemed she had already finished. The Professor stood in silence for a moment, trying and failing to think of anything that would console her. If she'd known of his own circumstances, the knowledge alone may have brought her comfort. But she didn't know, and she never would. Nobody would.

Eventually, Monty drew in a long breath that pained his lungs. Whilst there were certain things he could never speak of, he had no reason not to tell Saveli half the truth. "I was staying with Professor Tuuri," he began sadly. "My house is being condemned. It's a 'danger to the public', so they tell me. They're knocking it down." Perhaps Saveli was too young to fully understand the meaning a house could have to someone, but the tone of his voice cleared up any doubts that he was distraught. "I can't make you come with me, but I'll be going back to the castle tonight whether you accompany me or not. There's nothing lonelier than Christmas with a family that's not your own." The inventor gave his pocket watch another nervous glance. "But if you'd like to go, we'd better board sharpish," he said. "We've got five minutes."

 

[Saveli Pendleton]

The way that Professor Pendleton spoke Saveli's name made her shoulders droop and a tear spill over her water line. It was as if he was her father, gentle reprimanding her for only Merlin knew what. Saveli however looked up as Pendleton told her what he was doing out here, and where he'd been this Holiday. She wasn't entirely aware of how sad he felt over the house, after all it was just a house. However his words were correct. It was indeed Sad to spend Holidays with those who were not your family.

The blonde looked at the direction of the train station and then back at Monty. "Okay." She spoke softly before turning to walk in that direction. However, an emotion of near relief, or joy, overtook her and she spun around quickly to hug him. "Thank you." She whispered, before turning back to walk as if nothing had happened.

 

[Monty Pendleton]

The relief Monty felt when Saveli agreed to return to Hogwarts was overwhelming. He had just begun to follow her down towards the station when suddenly the Slytherin turned and flung her arms around him. "Er-" he said awkwardly, school policy dictating that he could not hug her back, regardless of his good intentions. Instead he gave her shoulder a quick pat. "You're welcome," he said, though he wasn't sure what she was thanking him for. How heartless would anyone have to be to turn their back on a child in danger?

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FIN​

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