A Very Harmony Christmas

An Unexpected Invitation

Prompt: December 18th. Work Christmas party/Ministry Ball.

~~~

An Unexpected Invitation

"Damn!"

"Auntie?" Susan Bones asked, seeing her Aunt Amelia standing at the bench, an envelope in her hand and an owl on the windowsill.

"Oh, good morning, Susan," she said.

"Did you get a letter?" Susan asked.

"No. The opposite in fact," Amelia replied. "I've been trying to send a letter for the past three days. Unfortunately, it seems as though there's an owl-redirect on either the person that I'm trying to send it to or the place where they are. Perhaps both."

"Who are you trying to owl?" Susan asked.

"Harry Potter," Amelia replied. "I listened to what you said, Susan and what you weren't saying. I should talk to Harry even if you can't tell me why. I thought that this would be the perfect way to do so."

"I could take it back to Hogwarts with me after the holidays and give it to him there?" Susan offered.

"Thank you, but that won't work," Amelia replied. "This is an invitation for tonight."

"Tonight? Oh!" Susan said, drawing out the last word as understanding dawned.

"Trixie could get letter to Harry Potter," their house elf offered.

Both Bones' looked down at her.

"You could do that?" Amelia asked.

"House elves have ways that owlies do not," Trixie asserted.

"In that case, please see that Harry gets this as soon as possible," Amelia said, handing over the envelope. "If you can't get it to him, please let me know."

A pop later, and Trixie was gone on her mission.

~~~

The great Hall-Under-Hill wasn't anywhere near as populated as Trixie usually saw it, which was understandable this close to Christmas. House-elves all over the country, she knew, would be busy working in their homes for their families, preparing for the day.

Every house-elf that was currently there was busy doing what house-elves did best – many were cooking, others were cleaning (including Donav who was hanging from one of the three great chandeliers, polishing the crystals in it), and others were sewing or mending. What they all had in common were the Christmas Jumpers that they were wearing, jumpers that were only worn by house-elves here in the safety of their hidden community.

"Kreacher, son of Leacher," Trixie called.

It took a few minutes before the ancient house-elf appeared. The fact that his eyes were narrowed suspiciously wasn't unexpected, after all, it had been many, many years since Kreacher had come there and even more years since any house-elf had called him.

"Who be calling Kreacher?" the ancient house-elf – who wasn't wearing his traditional Christmas Jumper – grumbled.

"I be Trixie," she replied. "My Mistress Bones has a letter for Harry Potter. Owlies can't find Harry Potter but house-elves know that Harry Potter be at the House of Black, Kreacher's home."

"A letter?" Kreacher asked, eyeing the envelope in Trixie's hand suspiciously.

"Mistress Bones is good Mistress," Trixie insisted. "No harm for Harry Potter."

"Very well," Kreacher said, accepting the letter, albeit reluctantly.

Then, without another word, he popped away. Her job done, Trixie smiled and returned to Bones Manor.