I'm a few days late but here is the new chapter!
In occasion of the Ministry Ball and the fact that several students would participate with their families, the school board decided to let the students leave for the holidays on the seventeen instead of waiting the twenty two, allowing them to have time to prepare for the event without their parents having to take them out of the castle when lessons were still going.
Of course Dumbledore had not been of the same mind and tried to argue, but nowadays no one bothered to listen to him if it wasn't an important discussion, like a life or death situation and even there they were quite skeptic.
Harry was jumping around all over the castle for days excited to go back home to his father and family to celebrate Christmas, even though he still had to find some gifts. Some people were just too difficult to shop for!
He was lucky that Remus and Nym would be there to help him.
The twins smiled indulgently at their mate, they had been worried when he woke complaining about his stomach, if Harry complained than it was really bad pain, but now he looked perfectly healthy, so probably it was the extra slice of chocolate he ate at dinner.
The kitsune had actually snarled at Tracy when she tried to take it away joking about getting fat.
"Harry love. We should go have breakfast" "or we'll be late to the train"
"Oh, sure. Let's go then" he smiled and bounced back to them before looping his arms though theirs, waving and smiling at everyone they passed.
The Defence Club had grown extremely popular among the Hogwarts population and so had its leader. Everyone loved Harry and Harry got along with everyone, almost. The meetings had continued after he came back from the hospital, though someone else had to do the demonstrations in his place for the first two weeks. The twins often took care of the task with the older groups, or Professor Flitwick if they had problems with a particular spell, for the younger children he just had to pick anyone from his friends to do it.
As they neared the raven table, where their friends were gathered, they all greeted them.
"Hey mate! Hedwig had been waiting for you" Terry smiled while petting the beautiful owl
"I'm sorry girl, do you have anything for me?" he asked, offering a strip of bacon as apology "It's Remus, seems like Nym stole Sirius mirror and forgot to give it back again and he wanted to warn me that Bill would come to get us at the station"
"I thought Sirius would kill anyone else who dared to wait for you at the station" grinned George
"Yeah, he doesn't seems happy from what Remy says but he had a visit with his healer and he isn't sure he would be able to make it"
"I'm sure he will have something crazy already planned to make it up to you" chuckled Fred
"You're right"
"You know Potter, your godfather sounds absolutely crazy and delightful. You have to introduce us" said Blaise while sipping from a cup pf tea, making them all snigger at his mannerism
§
During the ride the group of friends promised to keep in contact during the holidays and meet up sometime, they knew that they would all be at the ministry ball but that was not exactly fun or pleasant, more like the chance to dress up in the girls opinion.
Harry offered them to use Grimmauld as a meeting place to exchange gifts using a day they were all free, he was sure Sirius wouldn't mind having his friends over.
And speaking of the man..
"Sirius!" Harry screamed and he flung himself on his godfather, thankfully the man was seated in his armchair.
The man suddenly found himself with a lap full of adorable kitsune "Hey there pup, missed you too" he grinned as he hugged the boy with his good arm.
"What did the healer say? Is everything alright?" he asked
"Of course, I'm all good. It was just a check up to make sure the burns on my arm and back were healing well" he said while petting the boy's long hair
"Oh, it's good then" he smiled "before I forget, I invited my friends over to exchange gifts.."
"That's great pup. Maybe you could even take them to the muggle world to have some fun"
"Maybe.."
"So where did you leave the ginger demons?"
"Sirii.. don't call them that" he whined "and they went to take our trunks upstairs"
"Mmh.. at least they know how to make themselves useful." He mused "OI! Gingers! Come down!" he called, more like yelled.
"Which ginger?" asked Bill poking his head in the living room and taking a sip from his mug of coffee.
"The troublesome ones"
"Oh, ok. I have a late shift at the bank, see you later guys"
"Bye Bill!" everyone said
"What do you need?" George asked, plopping down on the couch with his twin.
"The shop is ready to be furnished, almost. I need you to look at paints and shelves and things. You also need to decide how do you want the potion lab and work room." He said
"That's great!"
"Indeed, it is. The crew did a really good job at renovating it. They put all the things you asked for too on the outside, like the giant ginger man poking out of the shop and taking off his hat, all covered by a special notice me not ward"
The twins were so happy their eyes actually were shining bright "Thank you Sirius, we couldn't have done it without you and Remus to help"
"Not so soon and not so well, at least"
"It's nothing, boys. We were happy to help." The man grinned. As much as he enjoyed tormenting them for corrupting his innocent godson, he really liked them and admired their talent and creativity.
"You still need a name thought" voiced Harry
"Oh, we have a name love" "Just waiting for the right moment to reveal it" "It will be fabulous"
"if you say so.." he said titling his head "I'm hungry, can we have dinner now, Siri?"
"Of course pup"
§
"Do we really have to wear robes?" Harry whined tugging at the uncomfortable fabric the tailor was trying to pin properly on him.
"Yes, pup. As much as I dislike those pompous assholes of the Ministry, you're a Lord and we're expected to behave as such." Sirius sighed "If it's of any comfort, I'll be suffering right alongside you"
They had been at the robe shop for more than half an hour now and he couldn't wait to get out. The tailor spent way too much time showing them different fabrics and colors before they could make him understand what they wanted. Simple acromantula silk black robes, with their house crests on the breast, emerald trimmings for Harry and blue for Sirius.
While being simple, they were also fashionable and 'young', not like those ugly things that made him look like a child drowning in clothes four times too large. It was better than the traditional ones, but for Harry it was just torture.
Once they escaped from the shop the two wandered the alley. Their first stop was the sweet shop where Harry made sure to buy sweets for all the members of the Defence Club, he would mix them with the muggle treats he had Remus pick up the day previous when he went to stock up his personal reserve of chocolate of all kinds. He was sure that the kids will appreciate the thought and love the muggle kind of sweets, just because they didn't do anything strange didn't mean they weren't good.
What he needed now was to find a gift for his mates and one for Andromeda. They were all so difficult to shop for!
Well.. not really, Harry just didn't know enough about Andromeda and was afraid to buy something stupid or that she wouldn't like. As for the twins, nothing seemed special enough. Plain and simple.
He wanted a special gift and no matter where he looked he wasn't able to find something that screamed 'pick me!'. He was just about ready to tear out his hair.
They had been in the alley nearly all day and by the time it was five he was able to at least find a suitable present, a nice pair of earrings. It seemed that instead of collecting shoes, like many women did, his aunt went crazy for jewelry. It didn't have to be gold or expensive, she just liked to have pretty things to show off.
"Don't make that face puppy.." throwing an arm around his godson shoulders, Sirius lead them to a little bakery that opened recently in a side alley to Diagon filled with restaurants and such.
The bell jingled as they entered and sat down on a little table by the corner, they needed a break and something to warm them up. Sirius ordered some tea and biscuits while the younger wizard opted to enjoy a hot chocolate and a slice of chocolate cake that looked positively delicious.
Sirius watched as the boy demolished the slice of cake but the depressed look didn't leave his face.
"You know.. " he started before taking a sip of his tea "I met this really cute nurse at the hospital and I think I'm going to invite her to the ball with me"
"Really? Are you thinking of this woman as a one night stand or something more?"
"Truthfully.. while I was in there we spoke a lot. She is really funny and pretty, I think it could be more." The man said thoughtful "As much as I don't like to admit it the time of the one night stands is quite finished for me. I actually yearn for a serious relationship and eventually marriage"
"You think she may be the one?" Harry asked with a small smile
"I wouldn't mind.. she's one of the very few women in all my life that was able to get head to head with me and actually win a discussion. Another one was your mum"
"Definitely a keeper then" he smiled brighter and resumed eating his treat with new vigor.
"So what's her name? Will you introduce us?"
"Her name's Eva.. Evangeline.. and I suppose I will introduce her to you at the ball. If she agrees to come with me that is"
"Why wouldn't she?"
"Well.. we often bicker, in a good way mind you.. maybe she thinks I'm too childish for her tastes. Or she just doesn't want to associate with an ex convict"
"You sounded awfully insecure there, Pads" Harry pointed out
"Way to stick the bloody knife in the wound, son" he grumbled
"Sorry.. but weren't you the one that said women like bad men?" Harry didn't even bother to try and act like he understood women.
"Not all of them." He smiled sadly "Well enough of that. It's useless to mope about it before I even try, right?"
"Right.."
"I wonder where you put all that food with such a petite body" Sirius thought aloud looking at his godson in wonder
"Don't call me petite.. makes me feel like a bloody girl" he scrunched up his nose "and I'm hungry. Must be a kitsune thing"
"Probably, you're appetite sure skyrocketed since this summer"
"Yeah, though the last few weeks I feel like I'm eating all the time" the boy admitted "I'm not getting fat am I?"
Sirius snorted "You don't have any fat on you Bambi, trust me. It's probably just your new metabolism and something do to with the cold maybe?" he offered. Remus was the one with answers to everything, he could do just some half arsed guess work.
"So.. a second slice wouldn't hurt me…" Harry trailed off looking at his empty plate with longing
Sirius let out a bark like laughter "Just this once kiddo. Wouldn't want mother Moony to scold both of us for ruining your dinner, but with the appetite you got I don't think we risk anything"
"Do you think I have too much expectations for the twins gift?" he asked after a while with a deep sigh
"Maybe.. maybe not. I wouldn't really know, pup. I've never been really in love. Crushes, yes. But nothing serious. I understand though that you wish to find something unique and special that the twins will love and remember always, it's your first Christmas together after all.."
"Maybe that kind of gift doesn't exist" he mumbled "I'll probably end up giving them something that doesn't mean anything.."
"Don't give up yet.. there is still nearly a week"
§
"I don't know what to do anymore! That man is worse than a monk!" Nymphadora shouted throwing her hands in the air.
She and Harry were having a late night snack together, it was now the twentieth of December, just two days before the ball, four before Christmas. Still no gift for the twins from Harry.
Harry blinked trying to remove the image of a monk Remus.
"I'm sure it's not that bad.."
"Not that bad?! Not that bad?! I've been doing anything possible apart from waiting for him on his bed naked with a bow tied around my waist!" she went on "I've flirted with him shamelessly when anything else didn't work.. the only time he touched me on his own volition was to comfort me when you and Sirius tried to get killed."
"I… see" he deadpanned. It seemed that Remus was being overly difficult. He could see that he liked the woman from the glances he stole at her when no one was looking and from the extra second it took him to reject her advances.
"Well.. it's obvious that he still has problems with his furry side" Harry sighed "He should really give himself a break. He's always afraid that he'll hurt someone or that he's a burden or that people will shun us for being friends with a known werewolf"
"Worse, he's afraid to hurt his partner near the moon and in moments of intimacy or to pass on his curse should an 'accident" she said making quotes "happen and get a woman pregnant"
"I don't even know if it's possible to pass the curse like that"
"Me either.. or how in the world he can live with all that repressed sexual energy"
"Nym.." he said, a little biit grossed out by the conversation. he wanted them to get together but Remus was his uncle, he didn't want to think of his uncle having sex, thank you very much.
"Sorry.. What do I do, foxy?" she pouted sagging her shoulders
"Take a cookie"
"I don't want a cookie. I want Remus"
"I don't have Remus. I have cookies.. they're really good too"
"Having an endless stomach is part of being a kitsune or being with a Weasley man?" she asked
"Neither. And it's two Weasley men"
She snorted at the proud way he said that. He had two men for himself at fifteen when she couldn't get even one of her own. How sad.
"Should I just strip and jump him?" she asked after a moment of his silence
"Wha.. No!" He squeaked "I'm all for getting you two together but I do not want to think about you doing that.. especially when I'm in the house"
"You're such a sweet innocent thing" She cooed
"Am not"
"Sure you are.."
"No.. not really" he said blushing madly
"You.. oh..OH!" her eyes widened in understanding "You did it!" she yelled pointing at him
"Shhh" he tried to silence her lest Sirius overhear them over the silencing charms of the bedroom
"I.. I am so proud of you. My little baby brother is all grown up" she cooed wiping away a fake tear
"Shut up" he mumbled
"How was it? Like you imagined it?" she grinned
"I.. I'm not comfortable talking about it Nym.."
She huffed "No fun."
Harry shrugged and reached for the cookies
"You took a contraception potion, right?" she asked
"George used the charm" he said
"No, I'm serious.. you took the potion.." she insisted
Harry blinked with his cookie still in his mouth "Nope"
"Merlin's polka dotted knickers!" she breathed "don't you know what it means?"
"Noo?" he said carelessly moving the cookie jar in his lap
"Harry!" she scolded him "Stop pigging out on cookies. This is serious!"
"What's the matter?"
"The charms are known to fail during a bonding/mating of a couple for the high concentrations of magic, especially when a creature is involved!"
Harry actually chocked on his cookie, eyes wide and trying desperately to breathe and talk at the same time
"I.. wha?"
"Don't you dare faint" the woman said before he went and fainted anyway.
Dun dun dun... I love my cute little Harry...
Thanks to everyone who added my story to their favourite or alert lists and left a review!