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English
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Winter_Wonderland_2024
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Published:
2024-12-05
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1,199
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1/1
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25
Kudos:
18
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126

Socks For All

Summary:

With the help of his noble reindeer, Buckbeak, Dobby the house elf performs the largest tradition of Yule and Christmas after making a wager with Harry Potter.

Notes:

Written for Clementine's Barn Discord Winter Wonderland Masquerade Event

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Work Text:

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'It couldn’t be done! There’s not enough time. Every house in the world in one night?' Ron scoffed sitting back  in his chair.

'Well, that’s what they believe, Ron. Santa has a sleigh and reindeer to help him though.' Harry countered, his hand rubbing the back of his neck. 

 

'Santa also has two nights to deliver the presents. There’s a time difference you see between the two sides of the planet so that's possible.' Hermione pointed out, looking up from a hat she was knitting.

 

Ron scoffed at hearing his friend's explanation of what Muggles celebrated. 'Oh shut it! Always the know it all, you are! Dobby the elf wouldn’t be able to deliver all the presents in Hogwarts much less a Santa Claus to the whole world!' 

 

Suddenly a loud pop echoed across the room. The trio of Gryffindor's looked down to see the small frame of Dobby, the house elf staring at them expectantly.

'Did Harry Potter, sir friend’s need Dobby to deliver presents to all of Hogwarts?' The elf asked with large round orbs. 

 

Hermione frowned at the house elf before turning her ire on Ron who opened his mouth. She could see what the redhead was thinking. 'Don’t you dare!' she exclaimed.

 

'What? He could do it though! He can pop in and out of anywhere he wants! Doesn’t even have to climb down a chimney like your big bloke does.' 

 

Harry snorted but agreed with Ron over Hermione. 

 

Not knowing why the humans were discussing a ‘big bloke’ instead of him, Dobby nodded enthusiastically. 'Dobby do it! Yule is wonderful time. Happy to share gifts across the castle, Dobby would.' The elf chirped merrily, bouncing on the balls of his feet. 

 

'See! Dobby wants to do it!' Ron gestured to Hermione.

'He even looks like one of Santa’s elves. . . no offense, Dobby.' Harry apologized to the house elf but Dobby only blushed for Harry. 'Could you deliver presents to all of Hogwarts? You have to do it in one night though. . . like Santa Claus would do it.' Harry flinched at the glare Hermione threw at him. 

 

Dobby nodded enthusiastically. 'Dobby can, sir! Dobby will deliver presents to all of Hogwarts like the Lord Santa of Claws! How must Dobby do this?' 

 

'He’ll need a sleigh and a reindeer to start.' Ron snorted before grunting as the bushy haired witch smacked him with her nearest book

 

'Ow! Hermione!' 

 

Harry snorted at the two before looking back at Dobby. 'You need to deliver a present to every dormitory. . . and you’ll need a sled and something to pull it like Ron said. Like Santa, you can’t be seen by anyone so you’ll have to use the fireplaces and chimneys to enter most of the dormitories, Dobby.' Harry turned to Hermione. 'How many dormitories are there in Hogwarts?' 

 

'1001.' Hermione answered instantaneously.

'That’s how many dorms you need to deliver presents to for all the occupants, Dobby.' Harry said, smirking at the wager now set between him, Ron, and Hermione. 

 

'What does Dobby give to the students?' 

 

All three Gryffindors looked at one another until Ron spoke up. 'Uhh. . . get creative?' He shrugged. 

 

'We’ll go to bed now so you can get going, Dobby.' Harry smiled.

The house elf nodded excitedly. 'Dobby will go now!' 

 

The small elf disappeared in a pop. Dobby traveled to the kitchens to fetch the basket-sleigh that Harry Potter said he needed. He had the elves quickly prepare gifts and snacks for many of the dormitories. After which the elf pulled his ear in thought, wondering what beast could pull him across the night sky as he couldn’t use apparition, and only the chimney systems.

 

Dobby’s eyes widened in excitement as he thought of just the creature to pull his basket. Dobby popped away again this time in a garden in front of a hut with his bag of snacks and gifts.

The beast, Buckbeak screeched loudly as he pranced at the house elf’s request. 

 

'SQUAAAAAAAWK!' 

 

'But Dobby needs to use the basket! Harry’s Wheezy said that Dobby needs a sleigh and reindeer but there is no reindeer, only yous, Buckbeak sir.' the small elf rebuked. 

 

'SQUAAAAAAAWK!' 

 

'No no, bad bird! You can’t eat me or the student presents. They must be creative, not food!' 

 

'SQUAAAAAAAWK!' 

 

'Yes, Yes!' Dobby hopped up and attached a bridle to the hippogriff before stepping into his basket. 'Oh, I feel just like the Lord Santa of Claws!' 

 

And So, Buckbeak took to the sky, pulling the cheery house elf in tow with a loud squawk. Across the stars they flew around the castle coming to the tallest dormitory of Ravenclaw where Dobby hopped from his basket and slid down the chimney with his bag. One by one he left snacks and clothes for each of the students at the foots of their beds. 

 

With a smile, Dobby returned to Buckbeak. 

 

On and on he went. Down the Hufflepuff, Slytherin, and Gryffindor chimneys. He left a ' Best Master Eva ' card underneath Harry Potter’s pillow as he slept. 

 

As Dobby stepped into his basket for a final time, he looked out and saw the lights of Hogsmeade and wondered if they too needed the joy of Lord Santa of Claws. He still had more gifts to give after all. 

 

Dobby pulled one of Buckbeak's feathers and pointed to the village in the distance.

 

'SQUAAAAAAAWK!' The hippogriff dragged its charge across the night sky earning a few curious heads as their silhouettes crossed over the moon.

 

So, Dobby then brought the joy of Yule to the people of Hogsmeade. He left a mitten for Rosmerta, and small goat booties for old man Aberforth to give to his Clementine. 

 

He left hats for the Zonko brothers and scarves for Mr. and Mrs. Honeyduke. 

 

'Merry Christmas and Yule—with socks for all!' Dobby cheered loudly into the night followed by an awfully loud 'SQUAAAAAAWK!' 

 

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The next morning, Dobby stood before Harry Potter and his friends who each inspected their gifts with apprehension. The small elf jittered with excitement at seeing the joy on each of their faces.

Harry grimaced having already one sock too many but he appreciated the card nonetheless.

Ron wasn’t quite sure if the hat stuffed at the foot of his bed was already indeed his.

Hermione sighed, shaking her head at receiving her own knitting. 

 

'Thank you, Dobby. You did—uh good there.' Harry praised the happy elf.

'Dobby is pleased you all have been given gifts from Lord Santa of the Claws! Dobby could not have done it without his reindeer, Buckbeak though.' The elf chirped. 

 

The three Gryffindor's nodded before going down to breakfast only to discover the disgruntled and confused reactions of students and professors. 

 

McGonagall sported a new patchworked hat. Dumbledore possessed a bow cleverly placed in his beard. Flitwick was taller than ever before with his new shoes. Finally, Hagrid possessed the largest pair of oven pits in Hogwarts, if not the world.

 

Harry, Hermione and Ron could see across the Dining Hall on that cheery December morning that perhaps the House elf, Dobby hadn’t exactly followed all the traditions of Yule and Christmas, but he did perform the ones that truly mattered.

Notes:

Thank you to everyone for hosting the event