Harry Potter Christmases
By WPL
December 24, 1981 Harry Potter the-boy-who-lived, was put into the cupboard-under-the-stairs earlier than normal. He could smell a delicious odor thru the grill vent in the door, the door open and he was handed a paper plate, with a few scraps of food, you could see where someone had bit most off. He ate his meager supper and laid down and sleep overtook him.
Next morning as He laid in his cupboard-under-the-stairs, wondering what the noise was. He heard his uncle, aunt and cousin in the living room. Maybe they were cleaning the room, there had been a tree covered in balls and ribbons and lights. With colored paper boxes. His uncle open the door, “Go to the loo and hurry up Boy” and then back in the cupboard, handed him a bowl with some egg and a half of strip of bacon and a three quart full jar of water “Back in the Cupboard, Boy”. Later the door opened and “Go loo Boy” afterwards back in the cupboard,
‘did I do something wrong’, he asked himself, and try to think what he had done as not to do it again, he couldn’t think of anything. He only been with his aunt and uncle a few months and had learned to keep quiet. Didn’t have any idea what was going on out side his room.(the Cupboard)
The next day he was allowed out of his Cupboard and headed for the loo straight away, after finishing he away had a drink of water before leaving the loo, he never knew when he might have another. He headed to the kitchen to do his chores as he passed the lounge, he did noticed the tree covered in balls and ribbons and lights was still there but all the colored boxes were gone.
The tree was gone a week later and every day life returned.
December 24, 1982, Harry locked in his cupboard, earlier than normal, he knew he was in trouble, not sure why. He only touched the tree in the lounge, the one covered with Colored balls, ribbons, little toy like dolls, candy canes and those beautiful twinkling lights. Which had been put up a few weeks before. It earned him a lashing with his uncles belt and shoved in to his cupboard “No supper!!” he could smell the pleasing odors of cake and ham, there were also smells he didn’t know, but they smell good, then his uncle closed the grill, but the odors were still lingering. He almost felt happy, until his stomach growled. That night he laid there, he heard a noise as someone walking around in the lounge, then nothing.
First thing next morning he was hushed to the loo and back into the cupboard and handed a stale piece of bread, he had his drink in the loo, but was handed a half jar of water, before the door closed and locked.
Later he heard his cousin yell, a happy yell and noise like tearing paper, the other noises he didn’t know. He heard music playing, he tried to listen to the words being sung but couldn’t. Later as he carried out the trash, more than normal, he found some wondrous toys, broken but wonderful in the bin, he took out a couple and carried them back into the house. His Uncle saw the toys in Harry hands and grabbed them from him and back-handed the boy. And then told him “Boy go put theses back in the bin, there to be thrown away and not to be brought back into this house again, STAY OUT of the rubbish BOY!!” handing them back to him. Harry did as he was told as his uncle watched him with glaring eyes. Back in the house, he was kicked into the Cupboard again and locked in “and no supper!”
Days later the pretty tree was gone.
December 24, 1983, Harry was locked in the cupboard earlier once again, after being sent to the loo. Uncle Vernon hadn’t closed the grill this night The beautiful tree was back up in the lounge, with a lots of colored boxes. He knew he hadn’t done anything wrong, but he was locked in again, however he did receive a plate, well part of a plate, the foods were kind of heaped on top of each other and not much of each, but they tasted great and he was given a whole jar of water, wow. He ate his meal, then pulled out the few hidden broken toys he had manage to rescue from the rubbish bin when uncle Vernon wasn’t looking. For Days Dudley seemed happy ever since the pretty tree had been put up.
Later He heard Uncle Vernon sister come in and her doling over Dudley as usual. That music started again and it sound sort of like a party, oh well. He played with his toys, the little soldiers, one missing an arm, another a hand, another a foot, the little car sort of crushed and missing two wheels and a couple of things he wasn‘t sure of what they were one white the other black. Finally the noise stopped and the Dursleys went upstairs to bed.
Later that night he heard a noise that woke him, it was very, very low, but Harry was a very light sleeper, he had to be to stay out of trouble. He looked thru the grill and saw something red looking go by, then heard a strange voice “Hum, plenty of toys here for a boy, there’s enough for ten at least, why do they keep stopping here”
Next morning he waited, he knew he was going to get a beating, someone broke into the house last night and he was in trouble. He couldn’t have done anything about it and if he cried for help, he would have gotten a beating for waking his uncle up. He sat and waited, finally the door open “Go loo boy and be quick about it” he glanced around everything looked ok, then he noticed some of the colored boxes were missing. However uncle Vernon didn’t seem upset.
Back to the cupboard, he was given a glass of milk, a small piece of bacon and a biscuit, the milk smelled odd but tasted ok. Again he heard the music and the sounds of tearing, he could make out some of the words this time, the grill was open. snow… high…Peter…a soul …merry… noel… it sounded lovely anyway.
That afternoon he was let out to do his chores, more trash that normal again, the tree was still there, but no boxes. As he cleaned of the table he managed to get a bite of something very a sweet and good off a plate, he wished there had been more… after he washed and put up the dishes, he asked if the could take a bath. Vernon grumbled “No.. have a shower, quickly then back in the cupboard, boy”
The tree was out a week later.
December 24, 1984, Harry was locked in the cupboard again just after dark. Uncle Vernon sister had arrived and he was locked away for the night. He did get a smidgen of pudding as he wash the dishes. He was very careful not to drop one. He did last month, it didn’t break but he got a beating and no supper. Again he heard that lovely music, he heard clearly “an apple , a pear, a plum, a cherry” then Dudley squeals then “One for Peter, two for Paul, three for Him who made us all” before Vernon sister complain the music was too loud. He strained to hear more, but not make out any more words, just the slight music. He knew it was something to do with cristmuss, what ever that was, he heard them talking and caught a few words from the telly. The tree and the colored boxes had something to do with it too. And Dudley suddenly had some new toys and clothes much like his birthday. It was good caused he got a few more hand-me-downs, only a few stayed on him though.
That night as he laid dozing, he was woken by the noise of feet walking, softly but loud enough for him, that voice again “Plenty of toys, silly Dasher”
Next morning quick to the loo and back in the cupboard, the sounds of that happy music, which made him feel good for a while and Dudley’s yells of enjoyment, the tearing sound, sound of paper being wadded up. Later the door open “Loo boy then chores”, the boxes were gone.
After he finished the dishes, his aunt gave him a pair of Dudley’s old trainers, ‘WOW’ there was a hole in the bottom and a shoe string was broken, but some pieces tape and part of an old box from the bin would fix the hole and he could use the bit of strings of his old ones tied together. They were a little large on his feet, but they didn’t hurt like the smaller ones and with a few strips of box they fit fine. Again more than normal rubbish ands a couple of more treasures pulled out of a bag, when no one looked.
The tree was taken down days later.
December 24, 1985, Harry Potter was send to the loo early and then his cupboard. That pretty tree had been up for days, and so many boxes, but he stayed out of the lounge, only when called in did he enter and stayed as far away as possible from it. There was that music he loved, playing again. Then he heard the front door and Vernon’s sister announced her arrival, the music was tuned down, he heard laughing and Dudley’s excitement. The door opened handed him a plate, the bits of food tasted wonderful, and for some reason he wasn’t locked in this time, but he knew not to leave the cupboard, he did once and hurt for days after his uncle taught him a lesson.
That night every one in bed, Harry woke, the sound of footsteps he placed his ear to the grill, the door open and he fell out, looking at a heavyset man dressed in red. He jumped Harry looked at him
The man said “Who are you and what are you doing hiding in the cupboard” in a whisper.”
“Huh my name is boy or freak, no boy I guess and I live here” pointing to the cupboard
The man “how long you been in there”
“Oh it’s my room, I’ve been there for ages I was one I think, my parents were killed in a auto crash and now I live here”
“Dudley”
“That’s my cousin, his rooms are up stairs, oh who are you sir“
“I‘m huh people call me Fath… er .. Cringle“ and he looked into Harry’s cupboard ‘I own Dasher an apology’ He thought.
”Hello Mr. Cringle, huh why are you in my aunts house”
“Oh I’m checking, just checking, nice talking with you huh boy, don’t tell anyone you saw me, only get you in trouble”
“Oh… bye”
And he was gone ’what’ where’d he go.
Harry crawled back in his bed and closed the door.
Next morning, he was sent to the loo and back in the cupboard again and locked. He heard the music and the other sounds. Only this time he heard his uncle having one of his fits. Mr. Cringle did something I’m gonna get it and tried to hide in the corner.
In the lounge Petunia Dursley was handing out presents and suddenly froze as she looked at the tag on this unknown package, Merry Christmas To the Boy who Lives in the Cupboard Under the Stairs. From C. Cringle. She handed it to Vernon who went bonkers, he threw it down on the floor and stomped it, picked it up and threw it into the fireplace. He bellowed for hours it seemed.
The door finally open late that evening, “Loo boy and hurry, no Lotty- gagging” he got kicked as he headed upstairs and then locked back in after being slapped a couple of times.
Two days later the tree was gone.
December 24, 1986, Harry was locked in the cupboard again. But now he knew what Christmas was, sort of about, he stated school this year, and when he said he had met Father Christmas at school, everyone, well almost everyone laughed at him, then a teacher explained the store Santa’s were there to promote the Christmas sprit and wasn‘t the real Father Christmas. Harry almost said he met the real one, but remember what Mr. Cringle had said he’d only get in trouble so he just said “Oh ok”. from the stories they read he knew Chris Cringle was Father Christmas real name.
That night he heard nothing after they went to bed.
But the next morning, as he cooked breakfast and his relatives were in the lounge opening presents. He heard Aunt Petunia gasp and Uncle Vernon puffing up again. The tag read Merry Christmas Harry, the boy who lives under the stairs, I know your name now Harry Merry Christmas Father Christmas.
“What kind of sick joke is this” Vernon raged as the present made the fireplace.
Harry spend the rest of the day in the cupboard after hearing his uncle rage for an hour or so. Harry had no idea why, but that never stopped him before, so he took his hits and went to his bed.” No supper tonight boy, blame your freaky friends” Harry didn’t dare ask what friends. Dudley makes sure no one will talk to him let alone be friends.
The tree was gone the next day.
December 24, 1987, Harry assist Aunt Petunia cook a lovely meal and sets the table, then she arrives Uncle Vernon’s sister, as he waits on them. They open their presents to each other. Harry received nothing as usual. Had enjoyed the music before she came. He cleans up the mess and washes the dishes, finding a few tasty morsels. Puts out the rubbish and adjourns to bed. The tree had been up for weeks and even seemed to be more boxes. He stay away from them.
Later that night as he lays there he hears the noise, he opens the cupboard door and there he is, the man he thought was Mr. Cringle, with a package in his hand. “You’re a thief” “No, no Harry this is for you I was going to place it under the tree for you. Didn’t you enjoy the fire brigade truck I gave you last year”
“What truck I didn’t get anything last year, I never get anything.”
“You didn’t” Shaking his head
“You got the soldiers the year before I left for you, I seen the broken ones”
“You left something under the tree for me” he noticed the boy looked shocked
Mr. Cringle looked surprised “yes the last two years, now I know you live here and I wish to apologies for not knowing you were here those first years.”
A tense moment later
“Oh… well.. don’t leave anything again, please sir”
“What!…Why not Harry”
“I don’t deserve anything”
“Nonsense I’ve watched you and you’re a good boy, even though your uncle thinks different”
“If you left me something the last two years sir, I never got them, and that explains why I received a couple of beatings for no reason. Last year uncle Vernon raved about my friends, freaky friends as he hit me. I don’t have any friends… Now don’t leave anything please sir and just go”
“huh…er …wh… Harry I’m.. I’m sorry I didn’t..”
“Please just go and don’t come back, sir” and turned and crawled into his bed.
Harry got up before everyone and checked to make sure there wasn’t anything under the tree for him, finding none then retuned to bed.
Father Christmas the most benevolent being alive was heartbroken to tears as he vanished. He never heard of such. If it hadn’t been for the reindeer he would have just sat in his sleight, without completing his deliveries.
He never stopped at 4 Privet Drive Little Winging, Surrey again.
Although he could never forget the look in the polite little boys sad eyes that ask never to given any presents again, as not to be beaten.
‘I’m Sorry Harry’ he thought to himself each time he flew over 4 Privet Drive.
