Santa Paws
by Teddylonglong

All recognizable Harry Potter characters belong to J. K. Rowling, some figures or items from the North Pole belong to Disney, and I am not earning anything by writing this story. I am merely borrowing the characters to play with them.
I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.
Warnings: Completely AU, partly OOC, special powers of Santa Paws, probably Dumbledore/Weasley bashing.

AN: Originally, I intended to write this as an Advent's calendar story. However, it is going to be too long for 25 tiny chapters, so that I decided to just post it as a normal story with approx. 100,000 words and hope to be able to complete it by Christmas Day. Please help my muse by feeding her.

'I can't believe it,' Santa growled in a for Christmas Day uncharacteristically bad mood.

"What's wrong dear?" his wife Claire enquired, giving him a sharp look. "Isn't everyone properly celebrating Christmas today?"

"No," Santa growled. "There's a boy, a young wizard of about six years," he explained, what he had seen through his enchanted mirror. "He's living with his muggle relatives, and he's never received a Christmas present. I gave him something really special this year, however, he never received it. His aunt and uncle just gave it to his cousin, who received two dozen presents from them already. I'm toying with the thought of kidnapping him."

"A six-year-old young wizard?" his wife asked, her eyes widening in delight. "Oh yes please, Santa, fetch him and let's raise him here."

"Holly!" Santa called one of his trusty elves, who appeared in front of him just a moment later.

"Holly, I have a special task for you," Santa informed him. "There's that six-year-old wizard, who is abused by his family, and I wish to raise him here. Would you like to be responsible for him?"

"I'd love that," Holly replied, smiling eagerly. "Where will I find him?"

"It's Harry Potter, and he lives in London, England," Santa informed him.

"Do you want me to take a sleigh?" Holly enquired.

"No, Holly, just pop him here. He doesn't have any luggage, and the sleighs haven't yet returned from America, where people are only going to wake up shortly," Santa replied, glancing at the large map of the world on one wall of his workshop.

HP

Harry Potter was sitting in his cupboard, hoping for the holidays to pass quickly, so that he could go to school again instead of being locked into his cupboard.

All of a sudden, he heard a soft plop, and in front of him stood a strange creature wearing what looked like a uniform with brown trousers, a white shirt and a green jacket.

"Hello?" he whispered, wondering if the small man was a real living being. 'How did he get into my cupboard?' he wondered, however, instantly became distracted, when the man addressed him in a gentle voice.

"Hello Harry Potter, merry Christmas," his visitor greeted him.

"Thank you sir, and the same to you," Harry replied, obediently.

"Not in the right Christmas spirit, hmm?" the creature asked, causing Harry to shrug.

"I don't have Christmas, only my relatives celebrate it outside of my cupboard," he replied in a small voice, wondering what his visitor wanted.

"Yes, we know that. I am Holly, and I am one of Santa's elves," the visitor finally introduced himself. "In fact, Santa sent me, because he realised that you do not have a proper Christmas here. I am to take you with me to the North Pole."

"To the North Pole?" Harry asked, incredulously. "Isn't that very far?"

'My relatives told me not to go with people,' he thought, 'oh well, no, not me but Dudley,' he then recalled.

"Do you know who Santa is?" Holly enquired.

Harry shook his head. "No."

"Here in England, they also call him Father Christmas," Holly explained in a soft voice.

"Father Christmas?" Harry repeated, questioningly. "He never brings me a present, because I'm not a good boy," he added in a barely audible voice.

"Nonsense," the elf contradicted, pleasantly. "You're a very good boy. Your relatives are bad to tell you such things. That's why Santa has decided to fetch you to the North Pole and have you live together with us there. Come on, let's go. You'll love it there."

"All right," Harry readily agreed and allowed the elf to firmly grab his arm and take him with him.

Before he knew what happened, the cupboard vanished in front of his eyes, and he suddenly found himself in a very bright place.

Christmas music could be heard in the background as well as laughter and the sound of happy voices.

"Where are we?" Harry blurted out, completely forgetting that he was not allowed to ask questions.

"In Santa's Workshop," Holly informed him, grinning broadly. "This is where we all live. Today, however, is Christmas Day, and we're all a little busy. Come and let me introduce you to Santa and Claire."

HP

Santa was a large, fat but pleasant man wearing red clothes. He picked him up from the ground and held him close. "Hello Harry, welcome to your new home and happy Christmas. Ho, ho, ho!"

"Happy Christmas," Harry replied in a small voice, smiling, because the man was so funny.

"This is my wife, Claire," Santa informed him, as a woman of similar stature and the same happy smile greeted him.

A sudden thought penetrated Harry's mind, and he turned back to Santa.

"Excuse me, sir. Are you Father Christmas?"

Santa pensively stroked his long beard. "In Britain, they call me Father Christmas I believe, but here at the North Pole, everyone calls me Santa, and that's what my name is. Why are you asking, my boy?"

"Because Father Christmas believes that I'm a bad boy," Harry admitted. "He never even gave me a present."

"Rubbish!" Santa bellowed. "That's what your relatives told you, isn't it?" he asked, causing Harry to nod. "That's not true at all. You're a wonderful young wizard, and that's why Claire and I have decided to make you live here with us. Would you like to stay here?" he then asked.

"I'd like that," Harry replied, shyly, only to hesitantly add, "But a wizard? That must be a mistake, sir. I am only Harry, a freak and a burden to all the good people."

"Nonsense," Santa replied in a firm voice, his brow furrowing in apparent anger. "You're a wizard just like myself, and you're very good. As to the not receiving a Christmas present matter, we'll remedy that immediately," he continued and blew into a whistle, which he was wearing around his neck. It was silver with a red and green frame of Christmas ornaments on each side.

Just an instant later, a group of completely white dogs appeared in front of them, the faint sound of tiny bells swinging in the air.

Santa leaned down and gently grabbed one out of the group. It was one of the small ones, and it was incredibly cute.

"This is Santa Paws," he introduced him to Harry. "He's still a puppy. Santa Paws, this is Harry, and I want you to bond with him and become his companion."

The puppy obviously agreed, as he raised itself onto his back paws and eagerly licked Harry's face and hands. Harry noticed in surprise that the dog's collar was made of the same colours as Santa's whistle.

'A dog just for myself?' he thought in disbelief, feeling happier than he could recall having ever felt before.

tbc... ?

Are you interested?

Next chapter would be "Hogwarts letters".