Christmas

Hey Potter, not too sad about not getting a present this year? Even Santa Claus won't want to give anything to someone like you. A young Gryffindor threw at him from behind.

Harry, exasperated by weeks of remarks, responded aggressively:

You didn't know that Santa Claus doesn't exist?

Wait, didn't that fool know? Thought Harry as he saw the little one start to cry.

oOoOoOo

30 minutes later.

But how can you believe in Santa Claus at your age? Asked Harry

If he doesn't exist, how do you explain that everyone receives gifts at Christmas? Explained the young Gryffindor whom Harry had clumsily tried to console.

It is the parents who give them. Harry replied immediately.

But why would they do that? If they give us gifts, why wouldn't they say it's them? Why would they lie to us like that? And then, how would millions of adults coordinate on the same lie? Your story doesn't hold up.

Harry, who at the moment did not know how to respond, changed his angle of attack.

No, but don't you realize that it's not possible for him to exist? It's your story that doesn't make sense.

Why?

Well, how would he visit all the houses in the world so quickly?

By using shirt powder, obviously. Everyone knows that Santa Claus comes down the chimney.

How would he make so many toys?

Everyone knows it: with an army of house elves.

How would he know who was wise?

That's easy: he just needs to have a sneakoscope on him when he makes his rounds.

No, but stop being delusional. It's just not believable that he exists. It would just be incredible. Harry finally said, annoyed that he had an answer to everything.

Why? It is no more unbelievable than unicorns and dragons.

Do you also believe that dragons and unicorns exist? Are you completely bonkers? Exclaimed Harry in astonishment.

oOoOoOo

A few weeks later

On the evening of Christmas Eve, Vernon, while sneaking down to have one last piece of turkey (without his wife's knowledge), gathered his courage to ask:

Uh Harry...? Can I ask you what you're doing with a crossbow in front of the fireplace?

I am waiting for Santa Claus. I want to know why I didn't get my tricycle 7 years ago.

Harry, are you aware that Santa Claus doesn't exist? Aren't you?

How do you know he doesn't exist?

Well, it's obvious.

In front of Harry's gaze, he wondered if this crazy school hadn't done something to his nephew. But for his own good and for the sake of his marriage (he did not(should definitely not wake Petunia) he held back the anger that would start to rise in him and simply said:

Already since the time he is supposed to exist, he would have been dead a long time ago.

Not necessarily. There are tons of creatures that live very long, even eternally like the Phoenixes. And since Flanelle discovered the existence of the philosopher's stone a thousand years ago, we know how to keep a wizard alive for eternity. And precisely, Santa Claus appeared during this period. Coincidence, I don't think so. Do your own research. Here, I found this old article from the Chicaneur that reveals that the ministry and the toy manufacturers' lobby are hiding the existence of Santa Claus from us.

No, but you're crazy, and how would he visit all the houses in the world so quickly?

(…)

oOoOoOo

At midnight that night, everything was calm in the Dursleys' living room. Only the breathing of Vernon and his nephew could be heard as they struggled against sleep in front of the fireplace. They had decided earlier that they would not fall asleep before Santa Claus arrived.

At the moment when the youngest was nodding off, an explosion ravaged the living room and suddenly woke him up. A hole had just appeared in the hearth, and green flames were now proudly rising from it. Vernon then remembered that he had bricked up the chimney a few years ago and had kept only a decorative frame. Both of them hid behind a sofa. At that moment, a huge man dressed in a red coat with a large black beard entered the room, dragging a big sack behind him.

Harry then exclaimed:

Hagrid! What are you doing here?

Hic? You, what are you doing in my house? And isn't that my crossbow you're holding behind your back? Give it back to me immediately! It's not a toy for children.

Hagrid staggered back, sobering up immediately upon realizing the danger.

After a few explanations, they understood that before going to bed, Hagrid had remembered that he had to go feed some puffskeins that Professor Brûlopot had bought for his Care of Magical Creatures class (the bag contained the puffskeins' food). Since he had a bit of trouble walking, he wanted to use the Floo Powder, but apparently, he mispronounced his destination. Instead of ending up in the puffskeins' room, he found himself in the Hufflepuff house. And as a security measure, Dumbledore had temporarily connected their house to the castle's fireplaces (without informing them), so Hagrid had landed in their common room.

After this explanation, Hagrid repaired the living room and left while the two ashamed Dursleys went to bed, wondering how they had ever sincerely believed that Santa Claus existed. Before going into his room, Harry said softly:

I'm sorry, Dad.

Why are you sorry, son?

You still had to endure my oddities.

Seeing his nephew's miserable look, all his anger melted away. It is true that he had begun to think that all this was the fault of his nephew's anomaly.

You are not responsible for anything. It wasn't you who asked that old fool to give access to our house to all the drunks in the area.

You shouldn't say that about Hagrid. He's nice, you know. But it's because of me that he connected the fireplace and the living room was destroyed. It's because of me that you believed that far-fetched story and didn't sleep.

Yes, he is not mean. Admitted Vernon, who did not quite agree to respect the half-giant for that matter. Vernon continued:

The living room has been refurbished and for the rest, it is not your fault. When Dudley (...). Vernon paused. Despite the time mentioned, the memory of his son was still difficult.

Do you remember during our vacation in Barcelona? When Dudley threw up on the plane? Do you think it was his fault? Was it his fault if he had a sensitive stomach? Of course not. It's the same for you. It's not your fault if you have powers. It's a flaw, but we all have our faults for which we are not responsible.

Harry refrained from saying that on that day Dudley had vomited because before boarding the plane, he had dared his cousin to eat an entire pot of ice cream in less than a minute. Instead, he remained silent, as for some reason Vernon's response had not comforted him at all. Seeing this, his adoptive father continued:

And then it was fun to stay up together. How about having one last hot chocolate with marshmallows?

Harry smiled more genuinely at this proposal. He eventually fell asleep in the living room chair, and despite his fatigue, Vernon took the time to carry him to his bed, noticing in passing that he had grown quite a bit, in just six months. He realized that it was probably the last time he would carry him. After that, he would be too big. He tucked him in and kissed him on the forehead as he used to do every night, not so long ago. Then he left Harry's room with a mix of pride and nostalgia.

oOoOoOo

A few hours later, Harry thought he saw a sleigh in the sky (but it was probably just a cloud) and in a dream, an old man with a long white beard whispered in his ear:

Harry, you are too old to receive a gift from Santa Claus, but I am happy that you are not too old to believe in the wonderful.

The next day, in addition to the gifts from his adoptive parents and friends, there was a package offered by an unknown person. Upon opening it, he discovered an invisibility cloak.

oOoOoOo

Author's note: Originally, this chapter was a non-canonical, humorous piece set at Hogwarts, which I was inspired to write while jogging. It made me laugh so much internally that when I returned, I spent the afternoon writing it. But as I wrote, I thought it would be nice to integrate it into the story. So I reworked it for that purpose. In this rewrite, much of the humor was lost, but I have no regrets. I find that in addition to giving a wonderful tone that allows my fic to approach the tone of the books, it is a good way to show that despite the trauma he experienced in June, my Harry is much more childlike than the Harry from the book (for now).

For me, it is a logical consequence of the fact that he was raised by the Dursleys. For me, a Harry spoiled like Dudley is in the books.would necessarily have been less mature than the Harry in the books. And then most 12-year-olds who weren't raised in a cupboard are much more innocent than the Harry in the books.