Author's Notes: It seems like everyone must be busy with holidays – or they're reading the new HP book:-) This chapter hasn't been betaed – I'm just posting to maintain momentum so I can get the whole posted before my job starts:-)

Banka, I'm glad you liked Jack's dimples. They'll be showing more often in chapters to come!

Chapter 10

The next night, Jack tagged along on Corbin and Stevens's night out at their favorite pub. They found a corner table and Corbin put up a sound bubble so they could talk freely.

"Did you get to know Harry well while you were at Hogwarts?" Stevens asked, after they'd all had several beers.

"Oh." Jack suddenly remembered meeting Harry, when Harry had suggested Jack start dating. Jack's first thoughts had been of Corbin – wonderful, handsome, intelligent Corbin - but he'd told Harry he wasn't ready. He didn't think he was, even if he was more aware of his heartbeat when he was around the other man. "Well, yes, we did talk some. He's a great kid. He asked me to be his godfather."

"Really?" Stevens asked.

"He said…since Sirius was…that I should be, since I would have been….Remus told him. We were waiting for the summer to tell Harry." Jack felt a lump in his throat. He stared down at the beer Corbin had just placed in front of him. "I guess Harry feels he needs a godfather. I'll probably be crap at it."

"You will not." Corbin said sharply. "You'll be a great godfather, Jack."

"You really think so?"

"Fishing for compliments isn't flattering, Bartleby." Corbin said sternly. "And yes, I think so. You're great with Liam's kids."

"Well," Jack thought about that. He was honorary uncle to Liam's four children who ranged in age from eleven to three. "I suppose you're right. You know…I can't imagine having a teenage child. It doesn't seem like we're really old enough."

"Well, you are only sixteen years older than Harry." Stevens pointed out.

"I was having sex at sixteen, so was Corbin."

"Lucky I didn't get pregnant. I can imagine the bloodbath that would have occurred if Malfoy's dad had found out he knocked up a mudblood." Corbin laughed darkly. "And MY father would have died from shock." Corbin paused thoughtfully. "I should have told him I was."

"Corbin!" Jack exclaimed disapprovingly. Corbin shrugged and took a drink of his beer.

"Malfoy's dad might not have been all that mad - he wanted Cassie to have children." Stevens said.

"Do you think Cassius and Remus will ever have kids of their own?" Jack asked.

"I don't know – can you imagine Cassie pregnant?" Stevens laughed.

"I want to have kids." Jack said. "I was thinking, you know, muggles use sperm donors."

"So, how does that work?" Stevens asked. "You just go up to someone and ask them to donate their sperm?"

"No, they have banks or something." Jack said.

"How you do make a deposit?" Stevens asked curiously.

"I don't know. Theo told me about it, because when we were together, we were thinking of having kids but he's infertile because of his Quidditch accident…you know."

Stevens and Corbin both winced and nodded. Stevens looked around the pub. "There's Cassie." He said with surprise. Jack looked over and saw Cassius Malfoy was stalking towards their table.

"Another round?" Corbin asked, getting up quickly.

"I need to ask you something." Cassius said, sitting down next to Stevens.

"All right."

"Say a certain person told you that you shouldn't be mean to another certain person but you couldn't resist saying something that could be interpreted as being mean to that other person. How mad do you think he's going to be?"

"Did you threaten the other person not to tell the certain person?"

"Yes."

"You've dug yourself in deep, my lad. He'll be mad – especially after Snape reveals you threatened him to keep him quiet."

"But it'll be my birthday tomorrow." Cassius said mournfully. He looked away from Stevens and Jack watched as his eyes turned black.

"What happened to your eye?" Cassius asked Corbin sharply as he set three beers down on the table.

"Goyle punched me."

"What?" Cassius stood, his wand gripped tightly in his hand.

"Why did he punch you?" Jack asked angrily.

"Might have been because I called him a gold-digging slag." Corbin shrugged, reaching for his beer.

"Where is he now?" Cassius asked.

"It's not your business." Jack snapped. "If anyone is going to talk to Rob, it's me."

"Talk to him?" Cassius asked in amazement. "He punched Corbin."

"I see that. And I'm not a Malfoy, so yes, I will be talking to him."

"Bugger that. I'll kill him."

"Sit down. It's not your business." Stevens said, pulling on Cassius's sleeve.

"It is so." Cassius declared.

"Hasn't been since seventh year." Corbin said coldly.

"Oh, so I was supposed to just stop and not care what other people-" Cassius sat back down suddenly.

"What did you do?"

"Nothing, it wasn't my business." Cassius took a long drink from Stevens's beer.

"What did you do?" Corbin growled again.

"I just...maybe...talked to some people who were mean to you." Cassius shrugged. "There might have been hexes involved. Possibly physical violence. Threats. That sort of thing. I just...sometimes...forget you aren't mine."

"Well, I'll handle this. Corbin's mine now." Jack said, standing up and walking off to find Goyle. He didn't notice Corbin staring after him or the whispered conversation that started.

"So you enjoyed teaching at Hogwarts?" Remus asked, showing Jack into the sitting room at Windy Corner. It was the first time Jack had visited the house since Sirius's death.

"Yes. Although, the students can be a handful. As I'm sure you know." Jack sat on the sofa as Remus settled into his chair. Jack had been invited over for Christmas Eve tea, he'd been invited to spend Christmas Day there as well, but he'd refused. He didn't want to impose on Harry's first Christmas with his new family. The fact the new family wasn't Sirius and Jack made it difficult for Jack to bear when he had such clear memories of Sirius excitedly planning out their future with Harry.

"Papa!" Harry burst into the room and flung himself against Remus. "We're back."

Jack stared, stunned at seeing Harry so happy and childlike. Sirius had always fretted that Harry seemed angry and old beyond his years and now…and he had called Remus Papa. Jack wondered what Harry would have called Sirius if he'd moved into Grimmauld Place and they'd become a family.

"So I see." Remus said wryly. "And I believe you've gained weight since this morning. Where did you go for lunch?"

"Brighton. Stevens is showing Ron some keeping techniques outside. Dad's helping." Harry put the last word in imaginary quotations causing Remus to laugh. "Hi, Jack."

"Hello, Harry." Jack said, still trying to assimilate this laughing child with the serious teenager he had seen at school. Harry had always been so focused during DADA classes, and Jack had rarely been able to watch him at other times.

"Are you dating yet?" Harry asked brightly.

"Harry, I think one matchmaker in the family is enough." Remus said sternly before looking over at Jack apologetically.

"It's all right, Remus." Jack said, "No, I'm not, Harry."

"You seem happier though." Harry said, looking at him thoughtfully.

"Well, I have good friends, sometimes that's enough." Jack answered.

Harry nodded sagely. Remus looked at him with a fond smile, smoothing a hand through Harry's unruly hair.

"Why don't you go get them and we'll have tea." Remus suggested to Harry who ran outside. Jack could hear him yelling. "He's so excited about Christmas tomorrow. I think he's regressed ten years." Remus shook his head fondly. "Are you sure you won't spend it with us?"

"I'm sure." Jack said. "Corbin invited me to spend it with him. He'd be alone otherwise."

"Ah." Remus nodded. "Shouldn't be alone at Christmas. I understand."

Cassius came into the room, Harry hanging upside down in his arms. They were both covered with snow. "Hello Jack." Cassius said calmly, as if there was nothing amiss.

"Papa, help!" Harry pleaded, clutching Cassius's shin.

"Don't help him, Remus." Cassius said firmly. "Is there a place we put sixteen year olds who violate the rules of snowball fighting?"

"I wasn't aware you played by any rules." Remus said wryly.

"Well…I'm trying to be a role model." Cassius carefully lowered Harry onto the carpet, head first.

"I'm sure Harry appreciates the effort." Remus smiled, performing a drying spell on Harry and then Cassius.

"He better." Cassius sat on the couch and pinned Harry to the floor with both feet.

"Dad, stop!" Harry giggled helplessly as Cassius bounced one foot on his stomach.

Jack watched the cozy scene silently. This could have been him and Sirius.

He had seen Remus once, after finding out he was a werewolf, at the Ministry when Sirius had escaped from Azkaban. Remus had looked thin and haggard, his robes threadbare. He had looked almost nothing like the young man Jack remembered from school. He'd felt sad for the older man, he had pitied him. And now, he was jealous. Remus had a husband and a child, a family. That was all Jack had ever wanted.

Jack was pulled from his thoughts by the arrival of Tabby, Stevens and Ron Weasley with a large tray with a teapot, cups and assorted scones and sandwiches levitating behind them. Jack swallowed down his envy with hot Darjeeling tea.

"Wake up!" Jack's solid weight landed on top of Corbin with a thud. "Happy Christmas!"

"Geroff." Corbin muttered, burying his head under his pillow. Surely it couldn't be time to get up yet.

"Come on! We've got to open presents!" Jack said excitedly. "I brought you tea." Jack moved to lay by Corbin's side. "Corbin. Corbin. Corbin."

"Fine. I'm awake." Corbin said, knowing Jack would chant his name until he got up. He sat up reluctantly, running his hands over his closely cropped hair before taking the tea cup from the bedside table.

Jack had thrown himself into the Christmas spirit. He'd insisted Corbin needed a Christmas tree, pulling out the ornaments he'd had in storage to decorate it because Corbin didn't have any. He had refused Remus's invitation to Windy Corner after strongly hinting to Corbin that he wanted to spend the holiday together. Corbin hadn't been able to look at Stevens when he'd told his friend that piece of news. He thought sometimes, maybe, possibly Jack liked him as more than a friend, but he kept trying to tell himself he was wrong. He'd been wrong before and he had the dreadful feeling that it would hurt worse this time if he were wrong again. He was pulled from his sleepy musings by Jack's voice.

"Could we have waffles for breakfast?" Jack asked, still laying on the bed.

"Sure." Corbin answered after a few gulps of tea. Jack had fixed it just the way he liked.

"And eggs and potatoes and orange juice?" Jack sat up.

"Christ, Jack. Yes, if you want." Corbin threw his legs over the edge of the bed and stood up. He looked down at Jack who was staring at the quilt. "What?"

"Christmas was always a big deal when I was growing up….and…I haven't really celebrated since my parents-" Jack waved a hand.

"You didn't-" Corbin stopped himself as he realized Jack hadn't been with Sirius last Christmas. Sirius had broken up with Jack although Corbin had never heard exactly what happened. He just remembered how Jack had looked that evening when he'd shown up on Corbin's doorstep. It had been almost worse than when Sirius had died. He shook his head to clear the image from it. "Well," Corbin deliberately played up his accent, "I'll cook anything you want, wee Jack, would that make you happy?"

"Anything?" Jack looked up, his mouth curling into a smile again.

"Sure." Corbin said, ruffling Jack's hair before walking out of the room. "Are we opening presents first?"

"Yeah," Jack came running out of Corbin's bedroom, bumping into him as he ran down the stairs. "Come on."

There weren't many presents under the tree. Corbin had presents from Jack, Janna and Stevens and Clara. Jack had presents from Harry, Liam and several other friends and distant family.

"Oh, look!" Jack held up the book from Remus and Cassius, "It's about constellations and the stories about them."

"Oh, that's a brilliant book, I've always wanted a copy." Corbin took it and opened it as Jack reached for the present from Harry. "And it's a first edition."

Jack looked up sharply at the note of awe in Corbin's voice. "So?"

"They're rare. That's all." Corbin handed the book back.

Jack looked at him thoughtfully. He'd never had to think about money – the Bartlebys were one of the richest wizarding families – along with the Malfoys, Blacks and Potters. An auror was paid well, but not well enough to afford rare books.

"What did Harry get you?" Corbin asked.

"Oh." Jack finished unwrapping the box. "It's a picture of the two of us, and some movie tickets so we can go to the Dream."

That was the last present to be opened, other than the one from Corbin. Liam had gotten him a telescope and the rest of the presents were books, clothes and assorted things for his flat.

Clara and Stevens had gotten Corbin a muggle stand mixer and Janna had given a recipe book. Jack knew Corbin had gotten a package from his mother via the muggle post but he hadn't seen it since its arrival three days ago. He wondered if Corbin had returned it unopened.

"Did you open mine yet?" Jack asked.

"No." Corbin reached for it and slowly started opening it. Jack was on pins and needles.

"It's a coat, " Jack said needlessly as Corbin pulled it out of the box. "It's charmed so it will always keep you warm no matter how cold the weather is. The pockets are charmed too so you can put anything in them, no matter what the size."

"Wow." Corbin stroked over the long black coat, it was made of cashmere.

"Try it on." Jack said, standing up excitedly. Corbin stood and pulled it on. Jack smoothed the material over his broad shoulders. "I bought it at a muggle store, but I put the charms on myself." He buttoned the coat and took a step back. "I knew it would look good on you." He smiled and moved closer to hug Corbin tightly. "It's so soft."

"Thanks." Corbin said gruffly.

"You're welcome." Jack grinned and sat down to open his last present. Corbin took the coat off slowly and carefully placed it back in the box. "It's got self-cleaning spells on it, so you can wear it to work. That's what I got it for, you need to stay warm on assignment."

"Yes, Jack." Corbin answered obediently.

"Oh." Jack stared down at Corbin's present, speechless.

"You said you'd always wanted to learn to play it." Corbin said, "So I thought you should have one."

Jack lifted the guitar slowly out of the box. "You shouldn't have."

"Why not?" Corbin stared at Jack for a moment before his face clouded. "I can afford to buy you a guitar – it's not like I'm in the poorhouse."

"No," Jack said quickly, although he had worried the expense was too much – he had no idea how much a guitar cost. "I just meant you'll have to put up with teaching me. Thank you, I love it."

"You're welcome." Corbin stood up. "I'm starving, come on."

Jack followed Corbin into the kitchen, bringing the guitar with him. Corbin started the preparations for breakfast as Jack sat at the table, strumming over the guitar strings.

"All right. Stop." Corbin took the guitar away. "That sounds terrible."

"You're so mean." Jack stood and went over to get the dishes and silverware to set the table.

"So you keep saying, yet I can't seem to get rid of you."

"Because I love you anyway." Jack smiled, hugging Corbin roughly.

"No. Jack, put your finger here." Corbin sighed with frustration. "Here. Come here."

Jack stood uncertainly. Corbin reached out and grabbed Jack's hips, turning him around and pulling him down on to his lap.

"All right. You are going to learn to play this thing if I kill you in the process." Corbin growled next to Jack's ear. He wrapped his hand around Jack's and pushed his fingers into place. "Now, press down. See how your fingertips cover the strings? And they're on the white dots near the frets?"

"Yeah." Jack said, trying to concentrate on his fingers and not the warmth of Corbin's body against him.

"Now, we take your other hand and," Corbin grabbed Jack's other hand, "we strum." He brought Jack's hand with the pick across the strings of the guitar.

"Let me do it myself." Jack shrugged his shoulder, unwilling to lift his left hand to bat Corbin's fingers away. Corbin's hands lifted and Jack strummed the guitar again. "I did it?"

"Yes."

"Show me another one?"

After an hour passed, Jack could play four chords and his fingers hurt.

"Thank God. You'll live to see another day." Corbin sank back against the sofa.

"So…now I can play a song?" Jack practiced his four chords carefully.

"There aren't many songs that only have four chords."

"You play a song and I'll watch."

"What fun is that?"

"Are we having fun? Because I thought you were growling at me."

"I haven't had this much fun since I played Quidditch after Malfoy buggered me for the first time." Corbin said dryly.

Jack laughed as he slid off Corbin's lap and handed over the guitar. "That much fun, eh? Your compliments are going to go to my head. Play a song, please? Play…play Rainy Day in Greenhouse Four."

"Oh, Jack." Corbin grimaced.

"It's my favorite song." Jack wheedled. "Please? It's Christmas."

"Fine." Corbin agreed reluctantly. "But I'm not singing."

"You realize that means I'll sing."

"Christ, you play dirty." Corbin strummed the guitar, making adjustments to the tuning.

"My best friend is a Slytherin, I learned from the best." Jack said happily, curling up on the sofa and burrowing his bare feet under Corbin's flannel-clad thigh. Corbin didn't reply. He began to softly sing the song. Jack loved it because it was soppy and romantic, which Corbin wasn't, and because Corbin's voice was beautiful, just like he was. He knew the song was about Cassius, written back when they had been dating, but for a moment, he let himself think about Corbin writing the song about him, that his smile was like the sun, that his touch was the one that absorbed the rain drops from Corbin's skin. After he was done, Jack wheedled Corbin into playing a few more songs. It was the best Christmas Jack had had in years.

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