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Lacy here peoples. We've got the next Back to Love chapter here. *makes funny faces* As soon as I get this popcorn away from my wisdom tooth. Bloody hell that hurts. *clears throat* So, we've reached Christmas time meaning we get to see Remus again. *winces at Katie's cheer* Ow. Anywho, we'll see Tonks and Lyra picking Harry up from the train station and we'll also have the Minister coming to visit Harry at the Burrow. That means Sirius gets shoved into a very small and uncomfortable place so the Minister doesn't see him. *pats Sirius's head* Sorry babe. Have fun!
Disclaimer: I own Lyra.
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Tonks held Lyra close as they walked through the gateway to Platform 9 and 3/4. It was the little girl's first trip through and Tonks didn't want her freaking out. Once through, the two made their way over to where the other parents were waiting to pick up their kids for the Christmas holiday. Tonks was there to get Harry, who would be spending the holiday at Woodlin Cottage, Sirius's name for their new home. Yeah, he needed to stop naming things.
"Tonks!"
Tonks turned and smiled as she saw Arthur and Molly Weasley.
"Wotcher Arthur, Molly!" Tonks raised a hand in greeting as the other hand held onto Lyra.
"What brings you here, Tonks?" Arthur asked.
Tonks looked down at Lyra briefly, as the two year old was trying to make a break for it. "Behave Lyra." she looked back at Molly and Arthur. "Harry's spending the holiday with Sirius, Lyra and I." she frowned. "Didn't he or Ron tell you?"
Molly paused to think. "Ah yes, that's right. Though, the message came through Ginny but yes, we knew." she smiled at Lyra. "And how are you, my dear?"
Lyra smiled. "Daddy home!"
Molly looked at Tonks in surprise. Tonks nodded.
"He is home." she said. "At least for a little while."
"Will he be over for Christmas?" Molly asked.
Tonks nodded. "Definitely." she turned as Lyra slipped from her grasp. "Lyra!"
Arthur scooped the young girl up. "I don't think so, my dear. You need to stay with your mum."
Molly smiled at the looked on Tonks's face. "Terrible twos starting?"
Tonks huffed. "And she's only been two for a week."
Molly laughed. "The twins started when they were one and as you know, hasn't ended yet."
Tonks groaned. "I don't want to hear that, Molly."
The train pulled up and the kids started filing off. Tonks took Lyra back from Arthur and waited for Harry to get off. She knew once Lyra saw him, the little girl would try and get away so she get to Harry. Harry had, in the time he'd known Lyra, become the little girl's big brother.
"'Arry!" Lyra's little voice pulled Tonks out of her head.
Tonks smiled as Harry's eyes lit up when he spotted Lyra. Tonks felt her brow crawl up as she watched Harry turn to a small blonde at his side and talk softly to her before giving her a quick kiss and heading over to Tonks and Lyra.
"Hey Tonks," Harry said, blushing a bit as it dawned on him that Tonks had just seen him.
Tonks grinned. "You do know I'm going to have to tell Sirius about that, right?"
Harry groaned.
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"Tonks, I'm begging you. Please don't."
Sirius looked up from his paper as he heard his godson pleading with his cousin.
"I'm sorry Harry but he's your godfather, he needs to know these things."
Sirius cocked a brow. What was going on?
"Not this, he doesn't! He'll tease me forever!"
"Oh come on Harry, all you did was kiss Luna. He can't do much with that."
Sirius grinned as Tonks, Lyra and Harry came through the front door.
"Kissed Miss Lovegood, huh?" Sirius greeted.
Tonks snorted as Harry's chin fell to his chest. "Well okay, maybe he can do something with that."
"Leave Harry alone, Sirius. He just walked through the door."
Lyra lit up as Remus walked into the room and Harry looked pleasantly surprised.
"Moony!" Harry said, hugging his former professor and surrogate uncle. "I didn't know you'd be here."
"Neither did we." Tonks said as she put her squirming baby down. She smiled as Lyra darted across the room on unsteady legs to Remus. Of course, being Tonks's daughter, Lyra proceeded to trip over dust only for Remus to catch her.
"You're very lucky I'm used to catching your mum cub," Remus said as he scooped Lyra into his arms. "or else that would have hurt."
Tonks huffed as Harry tried to control his laughing while Sirius just let his flow.
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Sirius and Remus listened to Harry explain what he'd heard between Snape and Draco.
"Has it occurred to you Harry," Sirius started. "that, as much as I hate to say this, Snape was simply pretending?"
Harry nodding. "Yeah, I thought of that. But how do we know?"
"It isn't our business to know." Remus said. "It's Dumbledore's business. Dumbledore trusts Severus and that ought to be good enough for all of us."
"But just say," Harry said. "just say Dumbledore's wrong about Snape,"
"People have said it, many times." Remus said, leveling Sirius with a look that the other Marauder ignored. "It comes down to whether or not you trust Dumbledore's judgment. I do, therefore I trust Severus."
Sirius snorted. "No one ever said you had the best judgment either, Moony."
Harry looked at his godfather. "You don't trust Dumbledore?"
Sirius crossed his arms. "Oh I trust Albus but nothing," he gave Remus his own look that was also ignored. "nothing will ever make me trust Severus."
Harry looked at Remus. "Dumbledore makes mistakes. He says so himself. And you," he looked Remus straight in the eye. "Can you honestly tell me that you like Snape?"
"I neither like nor dislike Severus." Remus said. Harry gave him a skeptical look. "No Harry, I am speaking the truth. We'll never be best mates because of everything that happened in school but I do not forget that during the year I taught at Hogwarts, Severus made the Wolfsbane Potion for me every month, made it perfectly so that I did not suffer as I usually do at the full moon."
Sirius leaned back, almost sulking. "Didn't stop the rutty git from letting it 'slip' to the whole school that you're a werewolf, though."
Remus glared at Sirius. "Would you please put your hatred aside for two minutes?"
Sirius returned the glare. "You know how I feel about Snivellus."
Harry watched as the two men argued. Maybe he should have told Tonks first.
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Christmas morning, Remus found himself waking up to a tiny hand patting his cheek. He smiled and kissed the hand when it landed on his mouth. That caused a giggle from both his daughter and her mother.
"How early is it?" Remus asked as he steadied Lyra on his chest.
"Just after eight." Tonks answered as she sat against Remus's side, her hand on his leg. "We've been up since seven."
Remus smirked. "Sirius?"
Tonks nodded. "Sirius."
Remus shook his head as he sat up, holding Lyra as he did. "He slept in this year." he kissed Lyra on the head. "Happy Christmas, cub." he accepted Tonks's kiss. "And Happy Christmas to you too."
Tonks smiled. "You notice that we say it to her first before each other?"
Remus paused. "Huh, I guess we do." his smirk returned. "She's like her uncle, doesn't like it when she comes in second."
Tonks laughed. "I'm telling Sirius you said that."
Remus gave a laugh of his own. "You really think he'll deny it?"
Before Tonks could answer, Harry's annoyed shout filled the cottage.
"UGH! SIRIUS!"
Remus chuckled. "Looks like Harry's up."
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Alright so Christmas at the Burrow will be the next chapter along with some talk of Remus's assignment. That'll be fun. Not. Okay kids, let me know what you think, flame policy stands and thanks for reading.
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