A/n - I have no excuse for the late upload of this chapter, it wasn't even that I could not write it rather it just never felt right. However seeing as it promised to get this up five months ago I figured mine as well do it now. It isn't bad after all, just not what I expected it to be. Oh well.

I want to thank everyone who has read, reviewed, favorited, alerted, and added story to communities. As one of my very first stories you have no idea how much your support helped me along the way.

I make no promises of a follow up story. I have ideas but they are proving to be very hard to flush out therefore I am unaware if this will ever get a sequel. For now though I leave you here.

Thank you all for reading.

Disclaimer - I own nothing.

(ps. responses to last chapters reviews will be sent before midnight- with any luck.)

Eynsworth Palace, Late Evening, December 24, 1983

Remus Lupin let out an almost feral growl as he glared pointed daggers at the grounds below. Watching as a man sauntered across the front lawn with the slightest of kips too his step. Remus did need his heightened werewolf scenes to tell who exactly was looming outside. "God damned politician," he growled under his breath as he made his way down to the not often used door in an attempt to cut off the man before he made more of a scene than necessary. Unfortunately for Remus' good intentions despite everyone else having already retired from the kitchen hours ago Lily and Petunia were still nursing now cold dregs of tea in their mugs as they spoke. Lily had noticed the change in wards and having been closer than Remus at the time the wards were broke confronted the man with a pulled wand. By the time Remus did make it too the front yard Lily's wand was still pulled and Dumbledore was still trying to placate the younger Evans sister into not attacking.

"Lily, my dear, I am not here to take the child."

"I don't particularly care."

"Late last night," the man said as testament to the now setting half moon, "a spy informed me that Voldemort was resurrected and is currently planning attacks. The order must be called back into succession. War in imminent"

"No," Lily said her wand finally falling in a way that had Remus slightly confused. Though he would expect this reaction from the redhead if news of Voldemort's return was just being told to her, the redhead had known of his return for more than thirteen hours now.

"I am afraid so my dear. I have already contacted…."

"No," Lily's wand raised to accent her point. "I have buried enough of my family and friends to your god-damn war. Good Christmas Albus." Walking up closer to the scene Petunia caught Remus's arm and shook her head slowly, before nodding half heartedly to the door as a weak order for him to return inside. It was an order he did not listen to and taking out his own wand, thankful he had grabbed it upon waking, he rested it at his side in case Lily would come in need of his help.

"We all have my dear," Dumbledore said his eyes glistening as he moved closer to Lily. "It is their memory that gives us the strength to fight on despite…." his sentence was not finished, when Lily cast her first hex.

"Colloshoo" The expression on Dumbledore's face darkened for a half a second before he composed himself again.

"Lily dear,"

"I am no longer your student Albus. Now leave," though he began moving when Lily sent her first spell Remus felt his bones chill even more at the tone in her voice as s he commanded their old professor to leave. Despite being a damned politician and a general pain in the arse Dumbledore still held quite a bit of power though his status Chief Warlock of the Ministry and though his title as Headmaster and attacking a man with that much power had long lasting consequences Remus was sure that Lily was not currently considering. Moving forward much too the whined protest of Petunia he placed a hand on Lily's soldier.

"Remus, my boy," Albus said turning his attention to the werewolf, "Am I ever glad to see you, vol…."

"Lily has already asked you to leave once headmaster." he said lifting the sticking charm already placed on the man. "I suggest you heed her advice, considering you are currently trespassing on her property. The man stilled at that.

"We will discuss this another day perhaps, when tempers have cooled."

"I believe Lily has already spoken for us all Albus. We have given enough to your war. Find someone else." He said before turning with a slight tug on Lily's arm and walking up to the house. Keeping an ear out for the tell tale pop that Dumbledore was gone, at least for now.

Everyone (except Harry) in the house was awake by the time the two made it back inside. Apparently the closest layer of wards had reacted quite strongly after Albus passed them and was enough to wake any person who was not under dreamless sleep laced warm milk.

"You okay Lily?" Mary asked as she bounced Draco on her hip. The redhead offered a slow nod.

"What did Dumbledore want?" As he held tight too Astraea in one arm with his other arm slung around Marlene's soldiers keeping her still quite groggy body upright.

"Give you three guesses, first two don't count." Remus said.

"Is he going to take us away?" The voice was small and weak and one of the first things any of the adults had heard Jordan say since entering Edelsworth.

"Good Merlin no," Remus said twisting to lay one hand on the boys shoulder and the others on Penelope's.

"Then to take Harry?" Penelope asked.

"No not that either. He came to ask us to fight against the man who took you." Sirius explained before handing Astraea to Marlene kneeling down to grab the children's attention as well.

"Your parents will be here tomorrow, and I promise that I will make sure no one is going to take either of you away from your parents ever again." said Remus pulling the children who in that moment looked much younger than they were into a hug.

"What if you can't stop them." Jordan asked.

"Then we will find you." James added

"How?" Penelope asked.

Marlene sighed moving over as well as she passed Astraea. who was quite mad to be moved again, back to Sirius before tapping Remus and James' shoulder and motioning for the two Marauders to move.

"When I was younger my father used to travel often and not return for long periods of time. I was always scared he would never return. So to quell my fear he showed me the most special type of protection spell. Do you want to see it?" both children slowly nodded as answer to the question. With a smile Marlene pulled two pieces of lint from her pocket and transfigured them into small chains weighted down by brass charms shaped in the Celtic symbol of protection against evil. Then sent a small blue charm that made them glow for a second before settling.

"This is the Celtic symbol for protection from evil. And these necklaces are exceedingly special because they have special tracking charms that no one else outside of this room knows how to use. They will make sure that even if the worst happens and we can't get to you in time that we will always find you." She said before pulling both children into a hug.

"Now, it is quite late, and you both are going to have quite the exciting day tomorrow. So why don't we retire upstairs." She said holding her hands out for Astrea before leading both of the children off to their respective rooms. Mary followed with Draco not long after. Once the adults were sure the children were out of earshot conversation began once again.

"He will be back, even if he doesn't want to the other members will pressure him." Petunia offered weakly.

"Not if I keep him out of the wards." James said as he moved to slowly pull the still firmly gripped wand from his wife's hand.

"Then he will send someone else." Sirius countered.

"So, we run? Right." Petunia confirmed.

"This seemed so much simpler yesterday." Nymphadora whispered.

"Yesterday it was only an idea." James said.

"Yesterday we were preparing for battle. It's Christmas eve, no one else will come today. I would suggest we go back to sleep but I doubt any of us will get any rest." Lily said righting herself and brushing off the tiredness in her voice.

"Lily is right. And I think I know just the thing to get our minds off of this whole war." Remus said

"Why Moony, you can not mean a Marauder Christmas." Lily let out a low whine.

"Do I want to know?" Regulus asked.

"No, no you don't." Petunia said back.

Marauder Christmases centered around three things. Sweets, music, and over the top magical decorations. That may or may not have close resemblances to pranks that the marauders used to pull in their school days. By the time the sun rose and the children of the house awoke for the second time Eynsworth looked like a page of a very busy holiday card.

Eynsworth Palace, December 26, 1983

Christmas day came and passed with little fanfare. Presents exchanged, traditional food eaten, and a general feeling of good cheer that flowed even though the over exhausted nap time freak out that happened after Christmas brunch.

Sure the group had other Christmas tiffs things such as having to argue with the children each meal time about the importance of consuming food other than sweets. Or the fact that the bottom of the tree was mostly bare due to Astraea's not quite vanished love of shiny things. But it really didn't tarnish the day in the slightest.

Everyone slept well enough with bellies full and smiles on their faces. It had been a tradition for the past two years that Neville would spend Boxing Day with his god parents due to the fact he spent Christmas day with his older relatives. Therefore right about breakfast Lily flooed over to retrieve the boy.

For the most part boxing day went over well enough. Sure there were arguments between Draco and Neville, who did not quite know what to do about the others presence, over which chocolate frog card was better or if flying or hide and go seek were better pastimes but each argument was quickly resolved and unbelievably petty. By the time dinner finished the adults had slipped into a system of ignoring the slight quarrels and letting them fall out for themselves.

After dinner the Marauders and Regulus had by this time retired to the floor of the large living room where the festivities were set each holding on to their own child. With Astraea having to be restrained every three seconds as she attempted to reach the cards in the game. Neville and Draco falling into a mock fight about who would be winning the game despite the fact that Remus and Regulus were both losing quite bad. And Harry continuing his habit of the day attempting to be enveloped into his Father's chest each and every time one of the children and most of the adults spoke to him. Mary, Sirius, and Lily had at some point gained enough of the boys trust that when they spoke too the three year old he only tensed, not that it was any consolation to them.

Despite the fact the backsliding made their chest ache Sirius and Mary accepted the change of events very quickly. It was Lily who had a bit harder of a time watching Harry cling to James. It was not a feeling of malice, she really did love the fact that Harry was finally trusting one of them and finding comfort in them. But the wicked part of her heart yearned for the boy to trust her in the same way. However her envy was quelled in great part due to the fact Neville seemed quite happy to drag Draco along in his continuing quest to be allowed outside to play. In fact he even went as far to begin adding up the boys ages and saying that, 'if she really thought about it they were actually six if they stayed together', in a voice that was so reminiscent of the way Lily used to overhear Alice plead with it made her heart feel all the more constricted. It was around this time when Remus suggested exploding snap and the group conjugated around the low lying coffee table. Petunia, Marlene, and Mary were all huddled around the game as well throwing in their two cents periodically as they watched on.

"Neville sounds almost exactly like Alice sometimes, doesn't he." Nymphadora said from her spot leaning against the kitchen entryway. She had come to see why the red headed woman had not joined in on the Christmas Day game as of yet.

"He really does, I just wish I had known her better before she graduated. He is going to ask about her time in Hogwarts soon enough and…." Lily began her voice wavering as the younger woman entered and laid a hand against Lily's shoulder.

"Lily," inquired Nymphadora.

"I am sorry I have just…" began Lily.

"Had a hell of a few years. I can imagine. I also can imagine that the next few years won't be the best, nor will the years after that, or that, in fact everything could go to hell tomorrow for all we know."

"Is this supposed to make me feel better."

"I dunno, I was just sent in for the hot chocolate." The woman laughed as she moved to grab the now cooled cups that Lily had prepared a good fifteen minutes ago. She sent a quick warming charm as she levitated the tray and bumped the older woman's shoulder with a laugh.

"Everything is going to be okay." She said as she left the room. Lily followed along stopping a good ways away from the gobblestone game to take in the picture before her.

It wasn't long before she was pulled into conversation with the group as the game fell into a very weakly played second thought. Soon Neville turned and asked Lily if she could read a bedtime story around the tree.

Nodding the two made their way upstairs. As Lily opened the door to the library and motioned for Neville to choose one the three year old let out a small laugh.

"I didn't mean one of these books, I meant Harry's book Auntie Lily." The small boy explained.

"That really isn't a Christmas book Dirt Monkey, are you sure you wouldn't rather a specially Christmas book."

"But Harry's book is special Aunt Lily. It's Harry's favorite you said so yourself" pressed Neville. Lily opened her mouth to correct the boy. Moving to say that this Harry was not her Harry but she felt quite silly even having that thought. The boy down stairs was her Harry. Maybe not the boy she birthed but he was still her Harry. Waving her wand she accioed the book to her hand and bent down to show Neville for inspection. When the small boy beamed up at her she pressed a kiss to his forehead.

They came down to see everyone had already moved around the tree and the adults had acquired every blanket and pillow in the manner to make some makeshift fort that was lighted by a few wands and the moon light. Despite everything that had happened in the three years since she had last read this tale to a child at bedtime she found her voice falling into the same rhythm and intonations she used to use every single night. Her eyes drifted from the pages of the book periodically to see a sleeping Astraea, a drowsy Harry, as well as the half asleep faces of Neville and Draco as they tried to outlast each other in how late they stayed up. Even the adults seemed to fall into a state of only half awareness as she turned to the last few pages.

"So...

be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray

or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O'Shea,

You're off the Great Places!

Today is your day!

Your mountain is waiting.

So...get on your way!"

AN- Thank you again for taking this journey with me.

Until next time.

(once again review responses for last chapter will hopefully be up by midnight.)