Harry Potter: Redemption in Time

Christmas Eve had been a massive shopping trip that included lunch and dinner, Minerva had to buy more stationary as her list of things that needed changed at Hogwarts grew with her experiences. How she was going to explain pizza to the castle elves was just one of the challenges facing her when they returned to Scotland. It was a weary but happy bunch of shoppers who returned in the Toyotas to the camp. Dobby had gallons of delicious hot chocolate waiting on them, and they were soon revived and ready for the tree trimming competition.

Sirius had found a really spectacular star, the sequence of its glittering coloured lights made it appear almost organic. That it played Christmas Carols when someone walked passed was an added bonus to the marauder. The winning hut would have the star displayed on their outer wall, proclaiming their superior tree trimming skills to the entire camp. With Xeno and Minerva acting as the judges, dressed as Mr and Mrs Claus of course, the tiredness was soon shed as the fun continued.

Sitting around camp fires, toasting marshmallows while singing Christmas carols might have seemed a bit strange. After the experiences they'd had since leaving Hogwarts, even McGonagall, still dressed as Mrs Clause, conducting 'Hark the Herald Angels Sing' with her toasting fork didn't rate a mention.

Harry had a surprise planned for his fiends tomorrow before dad showed the big movie, he would wait until after dinner to reveal it. Dan was also delighted with how well things were going. With Boxing Day being all about the double wedding, the kids were then going to spend the following day on the pirate ship. This should give the newly married couples the house to themselves for the day. Emma was beside him with her head on his shoulder, as the first few bars of 'Silent Night' came from one of the young auror's guitar, both looked toward their children. Seeing them sitting there, safe, happy and surrounded by their friends was all a parent could ever wish for. Who knew what the future would bring, the other magical timeline was so altered as to be useless as a guide from now on. They could only enjoy what they had and face anything that came their way as a family. 'Silent Night, Holy Night, All is calm, All is bright.' As they sang the words, Dan was left wondering 'but for how much longer?'

...

Dumbledore had spent hours staring at the clock before deciding it was time for action. Not knowing what part of Australia they were in meant his local time of arrival calculations were always going to be at best a guess. He used his wand to activate the portkey and could feel it struggling to overcome what must be very powerful wards. His elation spiked as it forced its way through and he vanished, Albus Dumbledore had left the building!

....

Harry sat amongst the large group in camp and had to concede he was right, his first Christmas in Australia was easily the best one of his life. It had nothing to do with gifts and everything about spending it with his family and friends. Hermione had privately jokingly hinted that she might get him a planner for Christmas, he was surprised however when she handed him an Australian newspaper carefully opened at a specific page. His green eyes flew wide open at the sight waiting on him there, his aunt and uncle were in Australia?

Both were clearly wearing handcuffs and accompanied by two rather large Australian policemen, it looked like the Dursleys may be staying in Australia for a while. The story proclaimed the British fraudsters had been living the high life while Vernon passed himself off as a prominent businessman from a well-to-do family. Their background has since been checked and it can now be revealed the husband is a mere salesman for a drill manufacturing company while the wife stays at home in their little box-like house in Surry.

The article went to great lengths painting them as stupid Poms who had a good thing going, claiming they won the cruise in a competition. The punch line was that they blew their own scam by trying to convince everyone they were high rollers and the entire house of cards came tumbling down. The reporter hoped they would enjoy their new accommodation and once more highlighted their stupidity, claiming a ten thousand pound bar bill was something even an Australian would struggle to match.

Harry looked deeply into his wife's eyes and she stared right back at him, answering his unasked question. "I gave them a chance Harry, that's more than they ever gave you. They could have sat back and enjoyed the holiday of a lifetime but no, that's not the Dursley way. They have such an inbuilt need to feel superior to others that they treated you like a servant and locked you in a cupboard for ten years. You can just picture them, sitting at the captain's table and showing off by ordering champagne for everyone from the waiters. Their greed triggered the spells to change all the documents back to their original forms. This year you won't be sitting looking through the cupboard door slats watching them eat the Christmas dinner you helped cook, they'll be the ones behind bars. Meanwhile, we'll be enjoying a wonderful meal with our family and friends!" The tears were beginning to make their way down Hermione's cheeks now as her emotions were running high. "No one locks my love in a cupboard and gets away with it, they deserve this and more. I hit their pride and finances, I really wanted to see them thrown overboard in the middle of the Pacific but I can live with this result."