A/N: Wow. 48 Reviews, 135 Favorites, 269 Follows and part of 5 Communities. Holy cow! That's already better than my other story did and I'm just getting started. A big thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read and review!

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13

Harry was awoken on Christmas by someone jumping on top of him.

"HARRY! HARRY! WAKE UP! IT'S CHRISTMAS! GET YOUR LAZY BUTT UP!"

"You couldn't have let me sleep in as part of my present," Harry mumbled.

"No! Now get up!" With that there was a loud soft smack as Harry got hit with a pillow.

"That's it! You asked for it," Harry growled as he grabbed his glasses. With that Harry flipped Susan off of him and rolled on top of her as she squealed loudly. "You've asked for it now," He said with a mischievous grin.

"No! Harry No! No tickling!" She didn't get to plead anymore as he started tickling her causing her to squirm and laugh loudly. Neither one of them heard the door open as all three adults stood there half-asleep.

"Well at least someone's awake," Sirius mumbled.

Harry stopped and looked at the three adults in the doorway and turned bright red as he realized the precarious situation he was in on top of Susan. Susan took advantage of the opening and knocked him off of her with the pillow she still held in her hand.

"Well…we're going to go make coffee…or something. We'll see you kids downstairs when you decide to join us," Amelia mumbled.

"If you take too long Moony and I will start opening your presents," Sirius said with a grin. With that the adults shuffled off while the kids changed. Harry purposely took his time to be the last one down so he could slip on his part of the necklace and tuck it under his shirt before heading downstairs. As he made his way downstairs, Susan was already tearing into her giant pile of presents. Harry took a seat at the giant pile next to his and started opening gifts as well. He received a day planner from Hermione to help him stay organized at school, a various assortment of candy from Ron, a box of tricks from the twins, some new clothes from Ami and Sirius, a book on advanced shield magic and some chocolate bars from Remus, and a new Hufflepuff scarf, hat and gloves, courtesy of Hannah and Neville. When he was done opening his gifts and Susan was done with hers they looked at each other both knowing that had saved their gifts for each for last.

Harry pulled the gift wrapped box out from his pocket with nervous anticipation and handed it to Susan. She handed him a small package in return. He waited for her to open hers because he didn't want to miss her reaction. Susan slowly opened the box to find the dark half of the pendant and she looked briefly confused.

"Here. Let me help you," Harry said as he got up and walked over to her. He pulled the necklace out of the box, leaving the instructions and the background history underneath of it still inside. She held up her long red hair as he clipped the necklace around her neck. She didn't see him but both halves of the necklace briefly lit up. Her eyes widened as she turned around.

Harry had just finished clasping the necklace around her neck when all of a sudden he felt a faster heartbeat and nervous other than his own. She turned around and looked at him.

"Is that…," she began.

"Yup. It's me. It's my heartbeat," Harry replied as he withdrew his half of the necklace from inside his shirt and let it hang out in the open.

Susan saw that his light pendant matched perfectly with hers almost like…she pulled his necklace towards her necklace, causing Harry to kneel down and come closer. She took the two pieces and put them together to make it a whole when she realized the other heartbeat had increased rapidly and she sensed an increased nervousness. She looked up to see Harry inches from her face and immediately turned bright red and let go of the necklace.

"Sorry…I…I…was just looking…seeing how they worked…and fit together…and stuff…" Susan stuttered out. Harry nodded as he was also bright red. Sirius let out a loud wolf whistle as Remus bust out laughing.

"It's…meant for us to know if the other person is ok. It can point me in the direction of you if we ever become separated…it also *starts to mumble*."

"What was that pup," Sirius hollered. "Some of us couldn't hear that last bit."

Harry blushed red as he repeated himself. "I said that it will also allow us to store a picture of each other similar to a locket and if we put them together then we can record a short memory and view it. Better?"

Sirius grinned. "Much better."

Harry turned back to Susan who was looking at the floor. He started to get a little nervous. "Is everything ok Sue? Do you not like it?"

All of a sudden there was a mass of red hair flying as she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him. "Thank you," she whispered in his ear, "I absolutely love it and it makes me feel closer to you than anyone else ever. Just knowing you're safe and where you are if you're in trouble is a huge relief to me."

"I'm glad you like it," he whispered back as he hugged her. "I'm pretty sure I'd be lost without you. This way I'll always come back." This time he leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead before scooting back to his last remaining gift, the one from her. Susan was bright red. They could both feel the nervousness of the other. Amelia smiled as she watched the interaction between the two of them. It's amazing how close they had come in such a short time. In a way, it seemed like they truly did balance each other.

Harry unwrapped his present and lifted the lid. As he did so tears came to his eyes. What he saw were moving photos in an album. Photos of his parents while they were dating, at their wedding, with him while he was a baby. There were also pictures of them with various friends including the other marauders. Everyone looked so happy. He had gotten something like this in the previous timeline from Hagrid but this one was so much more. There were more pictures and it had more meaning because it came from Sue. He knew it couldn't have been easy to find all these pictures.

"Thank you," he whispered as he closed the book once more. "I love it." He scooted back over and hugged Susan once more before standing up and walking over to Sirius. "Take a look," he said as he handed the book to Sirius. They watched the expression on his face go from fun to serious as it looked like he too was fighting to hold on to tears. He had given Susan some of the pictures but there were more there than he expected. So many memories of times long gone. As Sirius closed the book, he handed it to Remus before excusing himself and standing up to go get some fresh air. As he stood up though, Harry wrapped his arms around him and held him tight. "Sorry Sirius. I didn't mean to upset you. I just thought you'd want to see…"

"It's alright pup. You're right I did want to see," Sirius said as he hugged Harry. Amelia and Susan had tears coming from their eyes as they watched the emotional interaction. Sirius looked over to Remus who had just finished the album and had set it next to him. He looked dreadful. Sirius walked over and pulled Moony up by an arm before giving him a tight hug. When he was done, Harry hugged Remus as well.

After everyone had opened their presents, cleaned up the living room and had gotten dressed, Harry and Susan had started decorating the house for the Christmas party with help from Sirius and Lupin. Amelia headed toward the kitchen to help Twinkle start cooking. When they were almost finished decorating the fireplace chimed warning of an incoming floo. Seconds later a trio of redheads appeared from the fireplace. After all the greetings had taken place Harry turned to the twins and smiled mischievously.

"I've got a very special treat in store for you two."

"What? You mean aside from the joke boxes from Zonko's?" George asked.

"Don't keep us in suspense," Fred added,

"How would you like to meet the Marauders," Harry asked. "Well two of them anyway?"

"Get out," said Fred

"You're pulling our leg," included George.

"Fraid not gentlemen. I'm Sirius Black but you may know me as Padfoot," Sirius replied flourishing a bow.

"Remus Lupin, but you can call me Moony," Lupin said with a grin.

The twins looked shocked. Almost like they were going to pass out. Then they did something most unexpected and bowed before Padfoot and Moony.

"We're not worthy," they exclaimed.

"From what I hear you two are quite worthy indeed," Moony chuckled.

"We'd love to introduce you to one of the others but sadly Prongs isn't with us anymore. He was Harry's father, James. Which makes Harry Prongs. Jr."

"What about Wormtail," George asked receiving a scowl from Padfoot.

"You've already had the pleasure," Harry interjected, "although you may know him as Scabbers. He's formally known as Peter Pettigrew. The man who betrayed my parents and framed Sirius."

"No way." Sirius and Lupin nodded solemnly.

"We're sorry to hear that," Fred replied seriously.

"Very sorry."

"On to brighter subjects, I hear you boys found the map," Sirius said with a grin back on his face.

"It's been helpful." George responded.

"Most helpful indeed," agreed Fred.

"Especially in our pranking endeavors…"

"And against Filch…"

"And sneaking out of school…"

"As long as you're putting it to good use then," Sirius replied.

At that the floo chimed again and Ginny, along with a young blonde girl and an older blonde gentlemen in exotic clothing, stepped through.

"Hello Ginny. I assume this," Harry asked.

"Hello Harry Potter. It's good to meet you. Ginny's description of you is very accurate." Ginny blushed. "This is my father…," Luna began.

"Xenophilius Lovegood my boy. Chief Editor of the Quibbler," the man interrupted as he turned to shake hands with everyone.

As the grown-ups conversed, Ginny and Luna made their way over to the rest of the group. Ginny turned bright red as she got closer to Harry causing the twins to snicker.

"What's the matter Gin…"

"Snitch got your tongue…"

She turned and looked at them angrily before Luna put a hand on her shoulder to calm her. She turned and looked at Harry with her blue-gray eyes and then tilted her head sideways.

"That's quite the collection of Flibbering Crondingers you've got Harry Potter," she said airily.

"Sorry what now? Flubbering whats its," Harry asked looking confused.

"No. Those are something else entirely. Flibbering Crondingers appear around people who have traveled in time. Given the amount you've got on your aura I'd say it was quite the journey. Susan Bones has them too. Have you two time traveled together?"

Harry looked at her first in confusion and then in amazement. He didn't know what to think of this girl but she was definitely something else. "How…what…that's incredible that you can know that. Although I've never heard of those Crondingers before. Are they dangerous? Should I be worried?"

Luna shook her head. "No. Their curious mostly and harmless."

Ginny finally found the courage to interrupt before Harry got lost in a Luna conversation. "Umm…Harry…I just wanted to say thank you…for the present I mean. The robes are fantastic but they're a little big," she said with a blush.

"Plenty of room to grow before you start Hogwarts next year and you're very welcome," Harry replied with a smile as the fireplace chimed incoming once more.

Everybody turned to look as Hannah Abbott and Neville Longbottom stepped out of the fire. Susan and Harry went up to greet their fellow Hufflepuffs. As everyone stood around conversing dinner was announced. After everyone had made their way to the dining hall and had sat down, Harry stood up with a glass of butterbeer. He tapped the side to get everyone's attention.

"I'd just like to say thank you all for coming today. I'd like to thank Susan and Amelia Bones for allowing us into their house on this day, especially me. You've done so much for me already and you have no idea what it means to me. Anyway, I wanted to keep this short and sweet but here's to years to come!"

"HERE HERE," everyone replied as they toasted before digging in. Throughout dinner Susan idly reached up and felt her necklace and let a smile come across her face. She could feel Harry, his happiness and his heartbeat and for some reason that made her extremely happy. The only one to notice this aside from her mother was Luna who spoke up.

"That's a very pretty necklace Susan Bones. It must be very special to you since you keep playing with it. It looks like it is only part of something though," she said curiously.

Susan blushed bright red as she nodded. "It is actually. There are two pieces to this necklace and I have one of them. I got it for Christmas."

"Where's the other half," Hannah asked.

"I've got it," Harry spoke up as he pulled the lighter colored amulet out of his shirt and let it hang. Ginny almost spit out the pumpkin juice she was drinking as Ron and Neville looked on in surprise.

"We knew it…" Fred exclaimed.

"Harry Potter has a girlfriend…"added George excitedly

"We're going to have to step it up…"

"They are not dating thank you," Amelia spoke up, "I won't let Susan date until she's 14." Sirius grinned as Lupin shook his head.

"Well don't worry…that's only…," Harry started. He did some quick calculations as he mumbled to himself. "Sue's birthday is August 13th. We were born in the same year so that means it's…" Harry looked at Amelia and then at Susan as he grinned. "2 years, 8 months and 20 days." Susan turned a shade of red that she had never been before as she tried to slink down in her chair and hide.

Amelia, Hannah, Ginny, Neville and Ron looked on in shock as the Marauders and the twins burst out laughing.

"That's my godson," Sirius laughed.

"We can tell," Amelia said, giving him a look.

"I didn't realize you were keeping track," Susan whispered to Harry.

"Oh I wasn't…but now I am." He flashed her the famous Potter smile. "In fact, I think I'll start a countdown!"

"Look at the two of them," Hannah whispered to Neville, "You'd think they were already dating." Neville nodded before they both broke out snickering.

"I'm not sure but I think Susan may have competition then. Ginny has talked quite extensively about Harry," Luna added.

Ginny turned bright red before squealing, "LUNA!"

"Oh we know…" Fred said

"She won't shut up about it…" George included

"Harry Potter this…"

"Harry Potter that…"

Ginny looked like she wanted to disappear. She hid her head in her hands and her hair before she got up and ran out of the dining hall. Harry moved to get up and follow her but Susan placed her hand on Harry's shoulder and looked him in the eye as she stood up. He nodded as Susan left to find Ginny.

"You guys shouldn't have done that," Harry said as he turned to the twins. "You'd better watch out when she gets a wand."

Susan had followed Ginny out of the dining room and found her lying on the couch sobbing into a pillow. Ginny flinched as Susan rubbed her back.

"I'm sorry Ginny. I know we don't really know each other all that well but you didn't deserve the teasing. It was stupid of them," Susan spoke softly.

Ginny sat up and wiped her eyes before looking at the other girl. "It's not your fault. It's my mum. She's always told me stories of the great Harry Potter and how one day we'd get married and have a family. She made it all sound so real that I started to believe it."

"There's nothing wrong with that Ginny. We're young. Way too young to even think about getting married at this point. When we get older, after you've started attending Hogwarts then who knows? You could go in there and sweep the great Harry Potter off his feet. What I'm saying is there's still plenty of time and nothing is set in concrete. You heard Aunt Ami. I can't even date til I'm 14."

"I'd be lucky if my mum ever let me date."

"Lucky us."

"Yeah."