For the 30minutefics community
Title: All I Want for Christmas
Rating: G
Characters: Original Character, Remus Lupin
Author's notes: This is in response to Challenge #151: Make a Wish. It was inspired by Moons of Deceit, but who needs an excuse to write a Remus fic?
The ward was festooned with Christmas lights. Each bulb contained a tiny fairy, which swooped or hovered as its glow covered the beds in muted light. Three of the beds were occupied: a crotchety old wizard held court in the one closest to the door, his family laughing and joking and passing sweets to one another; a beautiful witch sat up in the bed across from him, applying her make up, and smiling at the young man who had brought her flowers; and right down the other end, isolated from them both, in a darkened area of the ward, lay Jayne.
Jayne was only seven. She gazed longingly at the door, and at the happy groups beside it. Her mother hadn’t been to visit since the second day of Jayne’s stay, but surely tonight she would come. Surely, she wouldn’t leave her daughter alone on Christmas Eve?
The minutes ticked by. The wizard’s family began passing around presents. One of his visitors, a girl about Jayne’s age, tore the wrapping off hers to reveal a miniature broomstick.
“Awesome!” the girl squealed, immediately scrambling off her chair to try it out. Even the crotchety old wizard who often shouted at the nurses, laughed as the girl attempted to fly. The broomstick only got about a metre off the ground, and every time the girl fell off, her mother would laughingly put her back on; her father would kiss her and say “You got even further that time!”; and the girl herself would giggle, and accept the adulation of her family.
Even the boyfriend of the witch in the opposite bed got into the spirit of the gift-giving, walking across to the larger group to wish them Merry Christmas, and offer around a box of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans.
Once again, the girl was on her toy broom. This time, she managed to zoom out the door, back in again, and all the way down the row of beds, only tumbling off right in front of Jayne’s. As she scrambled to her feet, dusting her bottom off, she seemed to notice Jayne for the first time. “Hello!” she said brightly.
“Hi,” said Jayne, feeling a little warmer inside.
“Do you like my broomstick?” the girl asked.
Jayne nodded excitedly. She was about to ask if she could have a turn when the girl’s mother swooped down on her daughter.
“Mary Elizabeth Baker!” the woman snapped, her face a mask of horror and fright. “How many times have I told you to stay up this end of the ward?” She snatched the broomstick in one hand, Mary’s hand in the other, and marched her back up to the rest of the family.
Every eye in the room was now on Jayne. The stares were accusing, unforgiving, and cold. Jayne pulled the blankets over her face and squeezed her eyes tightly shut.
After a long time, the buzz of voices in the room resumed, a little subdued at first, but eventually returning to its festive level. Nobody came near Jayne again. When she dared peek out of the blankets, she saw the girl’s mother still had a tight grip on the broom, and that Mary was seated firmly on her father’s lap.
The minutes ticked by. Jayne’s mother did not come.
Finally, a bell rang, signalling the end of visiting hours. The boyfriend leaned down and kissed the witch for such a long time that Jayne wondered how he could breathe. “I’ll be back tomorrow,” he told the beautiful witch. The large family group broke up, still noisy and laughing. Mary was carried off in her father’s arms. As they retreated, she waved at Jayne.
“Stop that!” her mother scolded, pulling Mary’s arm down.
The room emptied, leaving only the three patients behind. The nurse came around to give them all their medicine, and to turn out the lights. She didn’t stop to talk to Jayne as she did the other two. As she left, the room was plunged in near-darkness, only lit from the dim light of the corridor.
Jayne had never felt so alone in her life. Once again, she pulled the covers over her head and screwed her eyes shut tight.
“Dear Santa,” she whispered. “I’ve been very naughty this year, I know. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to play with that big dog. I thought he was a nice dog. I didn’t think he was going to bite me. Santa, I know I’m too naughty for a present, but could I just have one friend? I’m so lonely.”
That night, like every other night since she’d come to hospital, Jayne cried herself to sleep.
The next morning brought a return of the festivities. The crotchety old wizard had even more family to visit than the night before, the witch was surrounded by her parents and sisters, and Jayne, once again, had nobody.
She looked down at the bottom of her bed. There was not a single present. A tear trickled down her cheek. She’d so hoped that Santa would have forgiven her for being so naughty. Once again, she buried herself beneath the blankets and sobbed.
“Merry Christmas, Jayne,” the voice was unfamiliar, but it was kind and fatherly. A hand pulled back the covers, and a gentle, tired looking man touched a handkerchief to the tears on her cheeks. He had in his other hand a gift wrapped in shiny red paper, with a bright green ribbon tying it off.
“My name is Remus Lupin,” he said, pulling out a chair, and sitting by her bed. “I used to be a teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I hope we can be friends. I am here to teach and help you.”
Jayne bit her lip, unsure of what to do. Her mother had said not to talk to strangers, but… Finally the lure of the gift was too much. Glancing nervously at the man, she pulled it towards herself, and ripped off the paper. Inside was a rag doll. It wasn’t as prettily dressed as the ones she used to have, but it was soft and cuddly. She drew it to herself, staring up at the man.
“It wasn’t your fault,” Remus said gently. “That was a very bad dog. He was waiting for a chance to bite you. When I was little, he bit me too. I’m going to take care of you, Jayne. I’m going to help you. You’ll never have to be alone again.”
Rating: G
Characters: Original Character, Remus Lupin
Author's notes: This is in response to Challenge #151: Make a Wish. It was inspired by Moons of Deceit, but who needs an excuse to write a Remus fic?
The ward was festooned with Christmas lights. Each bulb contained a tiny fairy, which swooped or hovered as its glow covered the beds in muted light. Three of the beds were occupied: a crotchety old wizard held court in the one closest to the door, his family laughing and joking and passing sweets to one another; a beautiful witch sat up in the bed across from him, applying her make up, and smiling at the young man who had brought her flowers; and right down the other end, isolated from them both, in a darkened area of the ward, lay Jayne.
Jayne was only seven. She gazed longingly at the door, and at the happy groups beside it. Her mother hadn’t been to visit since the second day of Jayne’s stay, but surely tonight she would come. Surely, she wouldn’t leave her daughter alone on Christmas Eve?
The minutes ticked by. The wizard’s family began passing around presents. One of his visitors, a girl about Jayne’s age, tore the wrapping off hers to reveal a miniature broomstick.
“Awesome!” the girl squealed, immediately scrambling off her chair to try it out. Even the crotchety old wizard who often shouted at the nurses, laughed as the girl attempted to fly. The broomstick only got about a metre off the ground, and every time the girl fell off, her mother would laughingly put her back on; her father would kiss her and say “You got even further that time!”; and the girl herself would giggle, and accept the adulation of her family.
Even the boyfriend of the witch in the opposite bed got into the spirit of the gift-giving, walking across to the larger group to wish them Merry Christmas, and offer around a box of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans.
Once again, the girl was on her toy broom. This time, she managed to zoom out the door, back in again, and all the way down the row of beds, only tumbling off right in front of Jayne’s. As she scrambled to her feet, dusting her bottom off, she seemed to notice Jayne for the first time. “Hello!” she said brightly.
“Hi,” said Jayne, feeling a little warmer inside.
“Do you like my broomstick?” the girl asked.
Jayne nodded excitedly. She was about to ask if she could have a turn when the girl’s mother swooped down on her daughter.
“Mary Elizabeth Baker!” the woman snapped, her face a mask of horror and fright. “How many times have I told you to stay up this end of the ward?” She snatched the broomstick in one hand, Mary’s hand in the other, and marched her back up to the rest of the family.
Every eye in the room was now on Jayne. The stares were accusing, unforgiving, and cold. Jayne pulled the blankets over her face and squeezed her eyes tightly shut.
After a long time, the buzz of voices in the room resumed, a little subdued at first, but eventually returning to its festive level. Nobody came near Jayne again. When she dared peek out of the blankets, she saw the girl’s mother still had a tight grip on the broom, and that Mary was seated firmly on her father’s lap.
The minutes ticked by. Jayne’s mother did not come.
Finally, a bell rang, signalling the end of visiting hours. The boyfriend leaned down and kissed the witch for such a long time that Jayne wondered how he could breathe. “I’ll be back tomorrow,” he told the beautiful witch. The large family group broke up, still noisy and laughing. Mary was carried off in her father’s arms. As they retreated, she waved at Jayne.
“Stop that!” her mother scolded, pulling Mary’s arm down.
The room emptied, leaving only the three patients behind. The nurse came around to give them all their medicine, and to turn out the lights. She didn’t stop to talk to Jayne as she did the other two. As she left, the room was plunged in near-darkness, only lit from the dim light of the corridor.
Jayne had never felt so alone in her life. Once again, she pulled the covers over her head and screwed her eyes shut tight.
“Dear Santa,” she whispered. “I’ve been very naughty this year, I know. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to play with that big dog. I thought he was a nice dog. I didn’t think he was going to bite me. Santa, I know I’m too naughty for a present, but could I just have one friend? I’m so lonely.”
That night, like every other night since she’d come to hospital, Jayne cried herself to sleep.
The next morning brought a return of the festivities. The crotchety old wizard had even more family to visit than the night before, the witch was surrounded by her parents and sisters, and Jayne, once again, had nobody.
She looked down at the bottom of her bed. There was not a single present. A tear trickled down her cheek. She’d so hoped that Santa would have forgiven her for being so naughty. Once again, she buried herself beneath the blankets and sobbed.
“Merry Christmas, Jayne,” the voice was unfamiliar, but it was kind and fatherly. A hand pulled back the covers, and a gentle, tired looking man touched a handkerchief to the tears on her cheeks. He had in his other hand a gift wrapped in shiny red paper, with a bright green ribbon tying it off.
“My name is Remus Lupin,” he said, pulling out a chair, and sitting by her bed. “I used to be a teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I hope we can be friends. I am here to teach and help you.”
Jayne bit her lip, unsure of what to do. Her mother had said not to talk to strangers, but… Finally the lure of the gift was too much. Glancing nervously at the man, she pulled it towards herself, and ripped off the paper. Inside was a rag doll. It wasn’t as prettily dressed as the ones she used to have, but it was soft and cuddly. She drew it to herself, staring up at the man.
“It wasn’t your fault,” Remus said gently. “That was a very bad dog. He was waiting for a chance to bite you. When I was little, he bit me too. I’m going to take care of you, Jayne. I’m going to help you. You’ll never have to be alone again.”