Harry.awoke.on.Christmas.morning.to.find.a.stack.of.presents.at.the.foot.of.his.bed.and.Ron.already.halfway.through.opening.hisown,.rather.larger,.pile..
.Good.haul.this.year,..he.informed.Harry.through.a.cloud.of.paper..Thanks.for.the.Broom.Compass,.it.s.excellent;.beats.Hermiones.‐.she.got.me.a.homework.planner.‐
Harry.sorted.through.his.presents.and.found.one.with.Hermiones.handwriting.on.it..She.had.given.him,.too,.a.book.that.resembled.a.diary.except.that.every.time.he.opened.a.page.it.said.aloud.things.like:..Do.it.today.or.later.you.ll.pay!..
Sirius.and.Lupin.had.given.Harry.a.set.of.excellent.books.entitled.Practical.Defensive.Magic.and.its.Use.Against.the.Dark.Arts,.which.had.superb,.moving.colour.illustrations.of.all.the.counter‐jinxes.and.hexes.it.described..Harry.flicked.through.the.first.volume.eagerly;.he.could.see.it.was.going.to.be.highly.useful.in.his.plans.for.the.DA..Hagrid.had.sent.a.furry.brown.wallet.that.had.fangs,.which.
were.presumably.supposed.to.be.an.anti‐theft.device,.but.unfortunately.prevented.Harry.putting.any.money.in.without.getting.his.fingers.ripped.off.
.Tonkss.present.was.a.small,.working.model.of.a.Firebolt,.which.Harry.watched.fly.around.the.room,.wishing.he.still.had.his.full‐size.version;.Ron.had.given.him.an.enormous.box.of.Every‐Flavour.Beans,.Mr.and.Mrs.Weasley.the.usual.hand‐
knitted.jumper.and.some.mince.pies,.and.Dobby.a.truly.dreadful.painting.that.Harry.suspected.had.been.done.by.the.elf.himself..He.had.just.turned.it.upside‐
down.to.see.whether.it.looked.better.that.way.when,.with.a.loud.crack,.Fred.and.George.Apparated.at.the.foot.of.his.bed..
.Merry.Christmas,..said.George...Don.t.go.downstairs.for.a.bit...
.Why.not?..said.Ron..
.Mum.s.crying.again,..said.Fred.heavily...Percy.sent.back.his.Christmas.jumper...
.Without.a.note,..added.George...Hasn.t.asked.how.Dad.is.or.visited.him.or.anything...
.We.tried.to.comfort.her,..said.Fred,.moving.around.the.bed.to.look.at.Harry.s.portrait..Told.her.Percy.s.nothing.more.than.a.humungous.pile.of.rat.droppings...
.Didn.t.work,..said.George,.helping.himself.to.a.Chocolate.Frog...So.Lupin.took.over..Best.let.him.cheer.her.up.before.we.go.down.for.breakfast,.I.reckon...
.What.s.that.supposed.to.be,.anyway?..asked.Fred,.squinting.at.Dobby.s.painting.
.
.Looks.like.a.gibbon.with.two.black.eyes...
.It.s.Harry!..said.George,.pointing.at.the.back.of.the.picture,..says.so.on.the.back!..
.Good.likeness,..said.Fred,.grinning..Harry.threw.his.new.homework.diary.at.him;.it.hit.the.wall.opposite.and.fell.to.the.floor.where.it.said.happily:..If.you.ve.dotted.the..i.s.and.crossed.the..t.s.then.you.may.do.whatever.you.please!..
They.got.up.and.dressed..They.could.hear.the.various.inhabitants.of.the.house.calling..Merry.Christmas..to.one.another..On.their.way.downstairs.they.met.Hermione..
Thanks.for.the.book,.Harry..she.said.happily...I.ve.been.wanting.that.New.Theory.oj.Numerology.for.ages!.And.that.perfume.s.really.unusual,.Ron...
.No.problem,..said.Ron...Who.s.that.for,.anyway?..he.added,.nodding.at.the.neatly.wrapped.present.she.was.carrying..