Chapter Twenty-One
It was the Christmas Eve and all the children sat in the family room. Harry and Draco were playing a game of exploding snap with Abigail watching close by. The large tree gleamed in the corner of the room. It was as far away from the fireplace as they could put it, given that two years ago Sirius had almost burned down the cottage by catching the tree on fire.
Samantha Black looked out the window to the back garden. The little swing set was covered in snow and she could barely make out the little stone path to the Weasley's home. She was vaguely listening to what Sirius was rambling about as she sipped her tea.
"We've gotten them all," Sirius said, unaware that he was mostly speaking to himself. "The only ones left are the diary, the ring and that damn snake. I know we can get rid of that diary ourselves..." He sighed. "We'll have to wait until the end of the coming Summer hols."
"Mmmhmm."
"I think we're just going to have to let time and destiny take care of those last two. Dumbledore should take care of the ring and the snake ... Don't really know about the snake, but we'll think of something.."
"Mmmhmm."
"I certainly doubt we can just strode right into Albania, or where ever the hell he is and start searching for a disembodied soul and a large poisonous snake the length of Arthur's enchanted Anglia."
"Mmmhmm."
"But it won't hurt to keep an extra eye on him. Harry could get seriously hurt or something. No telling this time around, really."
"Mmmhmm."
"Narcissa and Andromeda are supposed to be by soon with little Tonks. She graduated just before Harry got into Hogwarts. I wonder how things are going for her."
"Mmmhmm."
"Where the hell is Moony?! He was supposed to be here by now. That bloody werewolf ... I know it was him who ate all the chocolate in the bloody secret drawer. That wanker has an untreatable case of the sticky fingers."
"Mmmhmm."
"Hey ... Are you even listening me?"
"Mmmhmm."
"... You know, Moony and I have decided to elope into the English Winter sunset on my old flying motorbike made entirely from chocolate. We haven't really decided who the woman in our relationship is yet, but I'm beginning to suspect that he doesn't exactly want me for my sexy body. Rather, he wants me for my chocolate motorbike."
"Mmm -- Say what?"
Sirius laughed from his seat at the kitchen table. She had turned from the window and looked toward him with a bewildered expression.
"Nothing," he said with a grin, "I was trying to get your attention. Don't worry, Moony and I aren't really eloping with each other --"
Samantha returned his grin and interrupted him. "Oh, I don't worry about that. I was actually interested about that chocolate motorcycle you mentioned."
Sirius shook his head. He stood, grabbing her around the middle and dragging her back to his seat at the table. Samantha was settled on his lap and he kissed her cheek from behind. She giggled, setting her tea cup onto the table and out of her way. Samantha turned his his lap with a bright grin and their lips met in passion ... just as the back garden door opened.
They both groaned as Remus came in from out of the cold. He was dressed his muggle slacks and a gray turtle-neck with a dark brown cloak. In one arms he held a large brown paper bag.
"You have really bad timing, Moony," Sirius grunted as Samantha stood from his lap.
Remus handed Samantha the paper bag before slapping Sirius on the shoulder in greeting. "Sorry about that. I got that chocolate you asked about, Padfoot. Have Narcissa and Andromeda arrived yet?"
Sirius shook his head. "They should be here any moment now."
Samantha squealed as she took a bottle of wine out of the bag. She poured herself have a glass and grabbed a few chocolate bars before settling back onto Sirius' lap. Sirius took the glass away and drank more than half in one gulp.
"Hey!"
The animagus burped. "We can't have you drunk by the time Cissy and Andy come, sweets."
"Oh, but you can be drunk?" Samantha asked, sounding thoroughly annoyed as he burped again.
Remus poured himself a glass as Sirius burped a few more times.
"Whoa," he covered his mouth, "What kind of wine did you get Moony? This is some hardcore stuff."
Remus grinned in his wine glass. "Gobblydink wine, my fellow furry friend."
"No!" Sirius exclaimed in surprised shock.
Samantha took a sip and ended up in a coughing fit. She handed the glass to Sirius who downed the rest easily. She stood to grab herself a glass of water.
"That," she said, clearing her throat with another cough, "is strong! How can you both drink that stuff! That is so not wine!"
Her husband explained in excitement. "That is because this is no ordinary wine. This is Goblin wine! My mother used to keep this in the liquor cabinets. She used to always tell my father it was more a liquor than a wine ... That drunk bi -- ahh, sorry honey."
"My father, too," Remus put his two cents in, "Right next to the fire whiskey."
They both smiled, reminiscing about their childhood escapades. Samantha rolled her eyes and took the bottle away from them. The men whined as she stuffed it into a cupboard.
"Please," she cried, "your pitiful cries of mercy and woe-is-me expressions are nothing to what Abby gives me. If I can't get drunk on Christmas Eve, neither can you two. Besides, your cousins should be here any moment Sirius ... Stop giving me the puppy-dog eyes! I love you, but no jibbly-boo wine!"
"Gobblydink!" Remus and Sirius corrected her instantly. Identical, goofy grins were plastered on their faces.
Samantha frowned. "Whatever."
There was a cry from the family room. Abigail skipped into the kitchen. Her dark hair was pulled back into a braid and her baby pink dress was already wrinkled from behind.
"Daddy, someone is knocking at the door!"
With a caress to the top of his child's head, Sirius walked past Abigail, announcing that he would answer the door. Samantha meanwhile, took her daughter and set her standing atop of a chair.
"Mum!" Abigail whined.
Samantha shushed her. "I'm just fixing your dress, sweetheart."
Sirius walked into the kitchen with his arm around a girl in her late teens. Two women followed behind him dressed elegantly.
"Sam," Sirius ushered his wife forward, "I would like you to meet my cousins!"
Narcissa Malfoy was the complete opposite of Andromeda Tonks, her sister. Narcissa was fair and had shoulder length, straight, platinum blond hair. Andromeda was rosy cheeked and tanned with long dark brown hair.
"This is my cousin Andromeda," Sirius introduced enthusiastically, "and this is her sister, my other cousin, Narcissa. Oh, and let's not forget Nymphadora, Andy's daughter!"
The young, eighteen year old Nymphadora Tonks frowned slightly before smiling. Her shoulder length brown hair, similar to her mother's was streaked with pink.
"Please," Nymphadora begged as she spoke to Samantha, "call me Tonks. I simply despise my name."
Andromeda scoffed and to Samantha's surprise, Narcissa smiled. Mrs Tonks stepped forward and shook her hand in a dainty fashion.
"It's so wonderful to finally meet you, Samantha," Andromeda said. The dark haired woman turned and frowned upon Sirius.
"It took eleven years, but it's still wonderful!" Narcissa added with a little laugh.
Sirius scratched the back of his head before clearing his throat and grinning to Remus. Remus shook his head and returned the grin.
"Remus, you remember Narcissa and Andromeda, don't you?" Sirius asked.
Remus stepped forward and shook both of the women's hands. "Of course I remember!Narcissa was in the same year as us, Padfoot. Andromeda was a few years older than us, of course."
Andromeda suddenly spotted Abigail, who was inching shyly out of view and behind her mother. "Oh, my! Can you please introduce yourself, you pretty young lady?"
"I'm Tonks!" Nymphadora blurted out suddenly. Her cheeks were aflame as she stared at Remus Lupin with doe eyes.
Her mother frowned. "Not you, Nymphy!"
Nymphadora reddened further in embarrassment. She shrank back and muttered to herself, twiddling her fingers. Her eyes darted toward Remus every few seconds.
Samantha smiled down at Abigail and pushed her forward. "Don't be shy, sweetheart."
"I'm Abigail Lily Black," Abigail said and she pinked prettily. "And your my daddy's cousin, Andromeda Tonks."
Andromeda laughed and squealed slightly. "Why yes! I am! Oh, your just so cute and smart!"
They ended up sitting at the table talking quietly together, reminiscing about the past. Abigail had scurried back to the living room, no doubt to inform the boys of the arrival.
Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter sat away from the deck of exploding snap cards. Looking mildly jittery and flustered they watched as Abigail ran into the room.
"Guess what, guess what!" she said excitedly. "Cousin Andromeda and Draco's mummy are here!"
"We know, Abby," Harry replied with a glance sideways to Draco. "Er, we finished with the deck if you want to play with it now?"
"Okay!" Abigail brightened.
They watched as she took up the neatly piled deck before running out of the family room. The boys supposed she went off to her bedroom.
"Now do you see what I mean?" Harry asked suddenly.
Draco nodded.
"It's all so cryptic," Harry went on, mostly to himself, "for as long as I can remember all they talked about were 'the locket', 'the cup' and whatever. For a few months before I went to Hogwarts the talks they had together were more frequent ... It was as if they had a deadline or something."
"Have you tried talking to them about it?" Draco asked quietly.
The green eyed eleven year old shook his head.
"No. I thought about it once, but then I chickened out 'cause I go ta thinkin' that maybe the things they talked about had something to do with ... You know." Harry poked at his scar.
"What was that word again?"
"It was, er ... Horcrux. Yeah, horcrux."
"Maybe you should write to Hermione about it," Draco said as he began to stand to his feet. "Knowing Hermione, she would tear the school library into pieces trying to find out what the word means."
"I don't think she'd find it," Harry said dryly, "Isn't that what she did for the philosopher's stone? ... She didn't find anything did she?"
"Nope," Draco admitted, "she did not find a single thing about it ... I'm beggining to think we should just drop the subject and --"
"No," Harry interrupted quickly, "We're still going to find the information about the philosopher's stone, one way or another. Somethings going on in our school, Draco, you cannot deny it and we're the only ones who are probably aware of the danger!"
The blonde haired Ravenclaw boy nodded reluctantly.
"Boys?"
Harry closed his trap and they both looked to the doorway. Samantha smiled at them from her position at the doorway.
"Draco," she spoke with a merry smile, "your mother and aunt are here with your cousin! Why don't you boys come into the kitchen and say hello. And quickly, too! Sirius and Remus have brought out the burgundy and fire whiskey, and have persuaded us woman to take part in the drinking. I don't want you both to be around when those simpletons get loopy on us."
"Of course, Aunt Sam," Draco said immediately. He walked out of the room leaving them alone, but not before giving Harry a pointed look toward his mother.
Sighing, Harry stood slowly.
"Something wrong, sweetheart?"
Harry smiled slightly at his mother. "Kind of."
Samantha put an arm around his shoulder. She pulled Harry close and placed a kiss onto his cheek. Harry cringed slightly and his eyes darted to the door to be sure that no one was watching. Samantha rolled her eyes.
"You do know that you can tell me anything, right, Harry?"
The black haired boy nodded before he moved away from her and rushed into the kitchen. Samantha watched him rush away with a concerned frown before following after him.
Remus and Sirius were seated at the table with Andromeda, Narcissa and Nymphadora. Sirius snickered silently as he watched Remus.
The lycanthropic man was squished uncomfortably between Narcissa and Nymphadora. True, Sirius was feeling a bit tipsy, but he could certainly tell that both Narcissa and Nymphadora had the hots for Remus Lupin. Sirius knew that Remus would never think of asking Nymphadora on a date. The girl was only eighteen after all, still a teenager!
Now, Narcissa on the other hand was simply perfect for Remus. She was a beautiful woman, just a year younger than Remus, with a beautiful and intelligent Ravenclaw son. And newly divorced, as well!
"Hullo, mother," Draco said as he entered the kitchen.
Narcissa Malfoy stood from her seat and took her son into her arms in a quick hug. "Oh, Draco! I have missed you so much! It's just so dreadfully dull without you, I really have no idea what I'm going to do with myself in the years to come!"
Draco shyed away from his mother with pinked cheeks. There was no way in hell was he going to allow his mother to coddle him in front of a whole kitchen full of relatives.
"It's nice to see you too, mother," he began to plan his action of escape, "Erm, I'm just going to Harry's room to do ... whatever ... excuse me." At full speed he was out of there.
As Harry entered the kitchen, Draco exited. The green eyed boy made a break away from his mother and ran after him.
"Hey!" Samantha cried. "Where do you think your going, mister!?"
The door to Harry's bedroom slammed shut and the click could be heard all the way to the kitchen door. The room was locked and Samantha was sure there was no way Harry and Draco were going to want to come out for the rest of the evening. She shook her head, chuckled and walked back to the kitchen to take back her seat beside Sirius.
Her husband Sirius, who was snickering behind his glass of Gobblydink wine, draped his arm over the back of her chair.
"What's so funny?" Samantha asked, curiously.
Sirius gestured with his glass to Remus. Samantha watched as Remus conversed with Narcissa quietly. They were both slightly flushed and Remus' arm was inching over the back of Narcissa's chair. Andromeda would ever so often put her two sickles in.
Nymphadora on the other hand, kept her mouth shut and gave her full attention to Remus whenever he spoke. The eighteen year old would frown whenever her Aunt would touch Remus in anyway, or even smile at the man.
Samantha began to snicker with Sirius.
Remus glanced across the table at them. He leaned to the side to whisper to the two sisters, not aware of the deepening frown on the young Nymphadora's face.
"I think the Gobblydink wine has finally gotten to them ..."
In the early morning, Sirius was the first to wake. He was in a spooning position with Samantha's back pressed against his chest. Snuggling further under the thick covers, Sirius held her tightly to him, reveling in the warmth and scent of his wife.
After a few moments, he got out of bed and wrapped a large robe around himself, all without waking Samantha. Sirius peeked in on Harry and Draco, and then tip toed into Abigail's room. His little girl was sprawled across her bed with her thick covers twisted around her.
Chuckling, Sirius kissed his daughter lovingly before walking out of her room and into the kitchen. He was battling with the muggle coffee contraption when his wife walked in.
Samantha's dark brown hair was mussed and her muddy green eyes were squinted in sleep. Her robe was untied and he noticed she wore a pair of his boxers with one of her tank tops.
"Having trouble, darling?" she asked sweetly.
Sirius pouted. "Would you remind rescuing me?"
Smoothing a piece of hair out of her eyes, Samantha reached over ... and plugged it in. Sirius gaped as Samantha began to laugh uncontrollably.
"I swear to Merlin!" he cried, thoroughly embarrassed, "I knew that it wasn't plugged in the whole time ... It was a test, love. You passed."
Samantha stopped laughing and scoffed. "Test my ass --"
"A lovely arse, if I do say so myself," Sirius muttered under his breath.
"-- You were so utterly confused! Admit it!"
"I will admit no such thing!"
"If I didn't love you so much," his wife began teasingly, "I would cart you off to St Mungo's. With Remus."
Grabbing two mugs, Samantha set them beside the coffee machine. As if a herd of hippogriffs had just entered their home, the thundering of feet was loud as the children in the cottage ran to the tree in the living room.
"MUM! DAD!" Harry and Abigail were both roaring.
"IT'S CHRISTMAS!"
"OY!" Draco shouted. "YOU STEPPED ON ME FOOT!"
"SORRY!" Harry shouted back.
Sirius frowned, but then chuckled.
"Do you mind serving me a cup?" he asked her softly.
"Of course I can, baby."
He gave her a kiss on the cheek before skipping into the living room, where the children were shouting at each other. Sirius opened his mouth and breathed in deeply before ...
"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU ALL SHOUTING FOR! IT'S SEVEN IN THE MORNING, YOU DEMON CHILDREN."
"SORRY, DAD! WE WON'T DO IT AGAIN!"
"THANK YOU, HARRY!"
Samantha rolled her eyes with a smile as she entered the living room. Handing her husband his cup of coffee, she sat on the sofa and prepared to watch the children dig into the enormous pile of presents. Sirius sat on the floor with the three children and began to hand them out.
Her smile widened and she wondered, her smile slowly ... How long would the good times last for them?
A/N: Hope you like this one. There will be a bit more Remus/Narcissa and even Remus/Tonks interaction in the next chapter. The Golden Four (as I now call them) will find out more of the Philosopher's Stone. Lucius Malfoy, Severus Snape galore! REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!! -- JMMendiola