Harry sat on a rock and discussed holidays with Scar. Apparently Dragons were aware of solstices as part of magic but Scar didn't know about human Christmas celebrations. Since Christmas meant a lot of work, starving and being locked in his cupboard and told he didn't deserve gifts, Harry wasn't sure about Christmas. He knew it was supposed to be a day full of love and that it was about God's son coming in the world to make people better.

He discussed this with Scar. Scar remembered back to the time of Christ's birth. He wasn't there, but he remembered a glorious meeting of planets that caused a wondrous star to appear. He also noted that magic changed when Christ died on the cross, and Scar had trouble explaining something for once. "Nestling, it was a great and good thing, especially for you humans, but also for everything that exists. Evil and anti-life were beaten that day. It was terrible and wonderful at the same time. Something changed in all creation that was good magic."

Scar grew silent and rested his great head near Harry and looked thought and moved. "I do not know how to celebrate Christmas, but if you want, we will do something. You could teach us human songs to sing. All creation worships the Creator."

Harry grew very still, "well, we could eat treats, and I could make a Christmas tree."

Harry's eyes glowed, "we could ask the fir tree by the Unicorn grove if he would like to be dressed up for Christmas. We could put seeds in decorations for the birds to eat. We could make pretty things to decorate the tree and we could make a fire and keep it burning and sing. I don't have presents to give though."

Harry didn't even think of receiving presents. He was free after all. He had friends. That was glorious enough for one child.

Scar said gently, we can invite your goblin friends, the wolves, the birds, the unicorns, of course. We can tells stories and the birds and squirrels can feast on nuts and seeds.

Harry perked up, "I have seeds and dried apples and nuts. We could decorate the fir tree and then they could eat them. The fir tree often complains he has little to share with them but the safety of his branches."

So plans were made. The fir tree was delighted although hesitant about the fire until informed it would be safely far from his flammable branches. The squirrels and birds were happy and promised to sing. Harry had never heard a squirrel sing, but thought that would be nice.

Harry went through his winter stores and found dried red fruits to hang upon the fir tree. He made long garlands of wool and hung them with coins from the horde (at Scar's insistence). He made bird feeders out of birch bark that had fallen from the trees and stained the bark in green and red and filled them with seeds and nuts.

Under the tree, he put cured grasses that he knew unicorns liked and some of the dried roots that he had stored before finding out they were inedible to humans. All of these he stored in grass baskets. The unicorns would love them, especially his first friend on the Isle, Dances. They would probably eat the baskets too, but pretty food was part of the gift.

Harry sacrificed some of his precious parchment to write the lyrics of all the Christmas music he knew. He knew the fir tree would love, "Oh Christmas Tree". Silent night would be lovely. He made up his own verses for tunes he knew

We small beasts of Avalon are

Bearing gifts, we traverse afar

Field and fountain, moor and mountain

To sing to the Christmas Star

Harry wanted something beautiful for Scar. He was Scar's nestling after all, so he had to make something beautiful and worthy of his friend.

He thought about it and ran calloused hands over his staff. Of course, he could dance gold and silver out of the earth and make something for Scar from that! Scar really had a thing for gold and treasure. He could make things for the goblin family too. They needed gold and silver things to be healthy. Bracelets and armor perhaps.

Harry sang to the earth about what he wanted and received molten metal and precious stones he had never heard of. He fashioned them in to a beautiful wall piece that had Scar's image and name on it. Scar's visage was etched into the metal, just as he looked as he flew, but his name was spelled gracefully with shining jewels and crystals. Harry thought it was pretty and Scar would like it.

For the goblins he sang to the earth about how hurt they were and the sadness they felt about being cast away. A shining metal like silver answered his call and he made them all torcs of the metal that would fit their necks and protect them. He wove gems and enchantments on the silver metal, and goblin runes of health, life, wisdom, protection and words signifying that they were under his protection too. He also made Hardtusk a bracelet with protections against accidents. He knew that would make her father laugh.

He made arrows for the ancient Centaur; special arrows to slay any evil. He shot the heads with holy metals that would kill demons and even those who had chosen ill intent against the centaurs and Avalon.

For the wolves, he dried the meat of a dead whale that had washed up ashore. He harvested what would be a feast of steaks and blubber for his wolf friends, and then brought Scar to the body. Scar was delighted. He ate the entire whale and slept for 3 days afterwards. This gave Harry time to work on metal calling and shaping.

On the Eve of Christmas, Harry decorated the fir tree, who laughed and giggled at what a surprise he would be come morning. Harry blessed the tree with his whole heart. Small sleepy fairies of light came out of the woods and nestled in the branches. The most awake one told him that the love and gift giving would feed them, indeed was feeding them now. Harry left for the cave and looked back at the happy fir tree. The fairies twinkled in their sleep like stars.

That morning before dawn, Scar and Harry walked solemnly to the glade where the fir tree glowed with happiness and twinkling fairies. Then Harry sent out a silent call to his friends the squirrels, the chippies, and the birds. When they saw all the treats on the tree, the birds sang for joy. Soon the tree was full of happy animals.

Harry leaned against Scar's great side and smiled. Scar smiled too.

Then they heard the sound of silver bells and the unicorns came. They looked excited to see the tree so beautiful and did a solemn happy dance, while the birds flew about with the fairies and the squirrels worked on opening nuts. The chippies filled their cheeks with seeds and dashed away to hide their presents and then raced back.

Then Harry gave them the woven grass baskets with the grasses and roots and dried flowers. The unicorns were really pleased.

Hardtusk and her family arrived and were surprised and pleased to see the tree in his finery. They joined hands with Harry and sang goblin songs of praise and then were really astonished that Harry had made them gifts. Father Goblin shouted in astonishment at the metal of the torcs. "These are Mithril, young Harry. It is a rare and glorious metal. These are a king's ransom of worth to Goblins!" Mother Goblin smiled shyly and Hardtusk put on her bracelet.

"Is mithril good for Goblins?" asked Harry, worried that it was the wrong type of metal. "Yes," said Mother Goblin, who so rarely spoke. "Goblins need the metals of the earth, gold and silver help us, but mithril is the best of all. This will be a treasure of our household forever, young Harry. You mine the earth and shape its treasures as well as any goblin. We are honored."

Harry's eyes filled with tears. The goblins had suffered so much, and seeing them happy made his chest ache with sweetness. Scar gently rubbed his great head against Harry and whispered, "Nestling?"

"I'm so glad, Scar." He said back.

Father Goblin came up bravely and hugged Harry. "You are more than ally, young Harry. You are kith and kin to us. You weep for our sorrow and laugh for our joys. You are a goblin brother." Harry hugged him back and Scar snorted into the heavens with delight sending sparks high into the air.

The wolves all came and immediately began to play with Hardtusk as a trusted friend. Father and Mother Goblin helped Harry deliver the meat and blubber and the wolves danced with pleasure at such a nice feast.

Finally the ancient centaur came and everyone became solemn. "Centaurs tend to do that to everyone," said Scar softly, as even the wolf pups and the squirrels sat at attention. Harry handed the arrows to his tutor with due ceremony and was overjoyed with the smile that the elderly one gave him.

"Harry, these are a gracious gift that both I and even holy Avalon appreciate as they are used to defend this isle. Well done and well made."

Now with nervous fingers Harry pulled out the wall covering for Scar, hoping that he would like it.

Scar's head reared back and he roared, making the chippies and squirrels put their paws over their ears. "This is worth a whole horde, my nestling! It is both beautiful and magic!"

Harry grinned. He had pleased his adoptive father. All his friends looked at the wall hanging and admired both the magic and the beauty. Father Goblin bowed to Harry and told him he was a master artisan. Hardtusk asked him to teach her and Father Goblin looked excited.

Scar, after graciously allowing everyone, even the Fir tree, a look, grasped his newest treasure in his talons and flew it to his cave, where he sat it in the place of honor in his horde quite carefully. He noted some of the magic on the piece had an anti-niffler spell that would protect his entire horde from the pesky creatures. His nestling was so thoughtful. Then he realized that no one had brought Harry a gift.

Immediately he dove into his treasure trove and found an ivory box. With one careful claw he opened it to reveal a wand exquisitely carved of ivory and set with amethyst crystals of rare size and beauty. Grasping the box carefully he flew back to the sacred glade where Harry, the goblins, the birds and a squirrel were singing Christmas songs. He landed and listened with attention. His nestling had a lovely voice.

Animals that normally ignored each other or hunted or hide from each other now were playing and dancing or sitting quietly and enjoying the beauty of the music. Many of them made sure to tell the tree how lovely he looked.

Harry raced to Scars side and hugged him happily. "This is the best Christmas ever," he exclaimed. "I have never had such fun."

Scar gently sat the ivory box before him. "Nestling, this is a present from me, it is Merlin's wand from before he made his staff. Let's see if it likes you."

Harry looked terribly surprised. He smiled at Scar and kissed the scaled cheek and then took the box. When he took the wand in his hand, flowers sprang up in the snow all about the glade and candies from different countries fell to the ground like rain.

"I guess it likes me," said Harry. He quickly ran to gather candy and separate out those that were good for squirrels and chippies from those that were not good at all for wolves. Hardtusk helped and didn't trip once, so her bracelet was working well. Everyone had candies that were not bad for them and everyone was impressed.

That evening, those who were not snug in their nests digesting their meal were at the other end of the grove watching a yule log burn merrily. Fairies flew back and forth from the fir tree to the fire and danced twirling and making light twinkling lights that twirled too.

Harry sat with his friends and sang softly to Avalon about Christmas stars and baby boys that changed all magic. It had been the most glorious Christmas ever.